Gu Jue was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, his eyes half closed, his gaze became softer, as if tears were about to drip out.
"Okay, you stay with me."
The corners of Gu Jue's lips curled up slightly, forming a charming arc. He gently stroked her little face with his slender fingers, his voice low and hoarse.
His little girl was getting more and more beautiful! In just one year, she was like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, or like a flower bud on a branch completely blossoming in the warm spring sun.
She has skin as white as snow and lips as rosy as flower petals. She is very beautiful. Her slender body has exquisite curves and a perfect figure.
She just looked at him quietly, exuding a captivating beauty.
Gu Jue felt his blood getting hotter little by little, and his eyes were burning, as hot and dazzling as the summer sun.
Shen Qianchen's cheeks felt slightly hot when he looked at her, and she suddenly felt an urge in her heart to listen to whether his heartbeat was as fast as hers.
She thought his heart must be beating fast.
Because I know I am favored, I am full of confidence.
Shen Qianchen's eyes were sparkling, and he seemed to have taken some magic medicine and became energetic again.
Her joy was clearly written on her face.
"And..." Gu Jue sighed and touched her smooth little face, and the rest of the voice was so low that only he could hear it. The little girl still had four months to go before she could come of age.
What else? Shen Qianchen blinked curiously, innocently.
“Ahem.”
The dry cough outside broke the charming and ambiguous atmosphere in the room.
That was the sound of the wind.
Jing Feng did not go in, but waited patiently outside the hall. After a while, he heard Gu Jue's voice coming from inside: "What's the matter?"
Jingfeng exchanged a glance with Amber who was guarding under the eaves, knowing that the prince had no intention of letting him in, so he reported directly: "Prince, the Crown Prince just woke up."
Gu Nanjin was seriously injured by Gu Lang this time. Even though Shen Qianchen helped to save his life, he had suffered several relapses in the past seven days and was in critical condition several times. Every time, Shen Qianchen had to use golden needles to keep him alive.
After the startling wind, there was a long period of silence, with an occasional breeze carrying moisture blowing slowly.
Jingfeng stood there for a while, wondering whether he should leave tactfully, when two figures walked out of the hall, one tall and slender, the other slender and graceful.
Gu Jue and Shen Qianchen came out of Chunxi Palace shoulder to shoulder, and went to Yangxin Palace together.
Because Gu Nanjin's injuries were too severe to move around freely, he still sleeps in the bedroom where the late Emperor Gu Lang once lived, and the Crown Princess has always been by his side to take care of him.
Hearing the noise outside, the Crown Princess quickly stood up and looked at the couple slowly approaching with a complicated expression.
The Crown Princess wore a frosty white jacket with dark patterns and a skirt of the same color. She only had her hair tied up in a simple bun. She was dressed simply, without any makeup, and looked very haggard.
She had not had a good rest in the past seven days. Not only did she have to take care of the seriously injured prince, but she also had to mourn for Gu Lang. Even though she hated Gu Lang in her heart, filial piety was the most important thing.
Shen Qianchen also asked the Crown Princess whether she wanted to ask Liang Di to take over the shift, but the Crown Princess refused, so Shen Qianchen ignored her.
"Ninth Uncle, Ninth Aunt." The Crown Princess knelt respectfully and saluted the two.
Regardless of whether the Crown Princess suspected Shen Qianchen and Gu Jue would do something to the Crown Prince at the beginning, she had eyes, ears, and brains these days, and even a fool could see clearly that it was Shen Qianchen who was hanging on to the Crown Prince's life. Otherwise, with these useless doctors alone, the Crown Prince would have passed away long ago.
Therefore, every time the Crown Princess saw Shen Qianchen, her expression became more and more respectful.
Gu Nanjin was lying on the couch, covered with a thin quilt. He looked even more haggard than the Crown Princess. He was so thin that his cheeks were tanned. He looked like he was nearly thirty, though he was only a twenty-year-old.
He couldn't get up yet, so he said on the couch: "Uncle Nine, Aunt Nine, please forgive me for being rude."
Gu Nanjin had already heard from the Crown Princess and the Imperial Physician who saved him, and the look he gave Shen Qianchen was extremely complicated, with gratitude, amazement, and some thoughtful speculation.
"Aunt Jiuhuang, thank you for saving me." Gu Nanjin's voice was hoarse and weak. Just saying these two sentences seemed to have consumed most of his energy, and his breathing was rapid and disordered.
Shen Qianchen did not expect Gu Nanjin's gratitude, and said in a light tone: "Just thank your Ninth Uncle."
She saved him because Gu Jue asked her to.
Her words were too direct and too frank. If it were in the past, the Crown Princess would have found it harsh and uncomfortable, but now she was only left with gratitude.
The Crown Princess understood that once the Crown Prince died, even if she had a grandson, there would be no hope for the future.
Gu Nanjin smiled weakly and turned his gaze to Gu Jue: "Ninth Uncle, they say that great favors should not be thanked, but I think we should express our gratitude."
"Thank you."
These three words represent Gu Nanjin's most sincere feelings at the moment.
He originally thought he was dead. That day in the main hall of the Yangxin Palace, he was stabbed by his father. He bled profusely and felt cold all over. Before he lost consciousness, he seemed to see his grandfather...
Unexpectedly, after going through the gates of hell, he came back alive.
Until this moment, Gu Nanjin still had a feeling of being in another world, as if he had had a real nightmare.
Gu Jue just smiled faintly, with no emotion visible on his face.
Then, Shen Qianchen walked to Gu Nanjin's bedside and said in a businesslike manner: "Let me take your pulse."
The Crown Princess immediately pulled Gu Nanjin's left hand out from under the thin blanket and gave way to Shen Qianchen.
Shen Qianchen checked Gu Nanjin's pulse again and gave him a new prescription.
The couple did not stay long. After a cup of tea, they left hand in hand. From beginning to end, they did not mention Gu Lang or the throne.
After the two left, the bedroom became quiet, with only the sound of Xiang Fei's bamboo curtain swaying slightly echoing. After a while, it returned to complete silence.
The people outside had already gone far away, but the Crown Princess was still staring blankly in the direction of Xiang Fei Lian, with a hint of shame on her face, and she pursed her dry lips.
As soon as the prince woke up, Gu Jue came in a hurry. She was afraid that Gu Jue came here to control the prince and make him express something, but Gu Jue didn't say a word.
Gu Jue just came over to take a look at the prince and then left, which made the Crown Princess feel that she was judging a gentleman by her own standards.
Even if the Crown Princess didn't say anything, Gu Nanjin could guess what she was thinking. He smiled and said softly, "I said that the Ninth Prince is an open-minded person."
Gu Jue and his father are really two different people.
A faint light flashed across Gu Nanjin's eyes, and his fists suddenly tightened under the thin blanket. He sighed, "You think too much."
The Crown Princess responded obediently and tucked the corner of the quilt for him. She also knew that she and the Crown Prince were now in a precarious situation. The "person" who caused all this had passed away, leaving behind this mess.
The Crown Princess' head began to ache slightly, and then she heard Gu Nanjin change the subject: "Aunt Jiuhuang must be the one who saved Jiaer."
The "Jiaer" that Gu Nanjin mentioned refers to the emperor's eldest grandson Gu Yuanjia.
Crown Princess: “…”
The Crown Princess blinked and was stunned for a moment.
These days, she had been busy taking care of the prince and had not thought so much. She was praying to the gods in heaven to protect the prince's safety. It was not until she heard the prince say this that her mind started to work.
The prince meant that Aunt Jiu Huang was the miracle doctor at Jishiditang?! The princess' eyes widened, unable to hide her shock.
Gu Nanjin smiled again and confirmed the Crown Princess's guess with his eyes.
He knew how badly he was injured, and he almost had one foot in the gates of hell, but he did not die. There were only a handful of people in this world who could save him from the hands of the King of Hell and whose medical skills were better than those of the imperial doctors.
Therefore, Shen Qianchen must be the miracle doctor of Jishidiang.
Crown Princess: “…”
At this moment, the Crown Princess's mood is almost indescribable.
In the past, the late Emperor Gu Lang always said that it was his elixir that saved Gu Yuanjia, while the Crown Prince said it was the credit of the miracle doctor at Jishidiang. The Crown Princess didn't know who to believe.
Today, she naturally has the answer.
It turned out that her husband and her son were both saved by the same person! After a while, the Crown Princess calmed down a little and said seriously, "I will thank Aunt Nine Emperors next time."
Gu Nanjin nodded and said "hmm" softly.
Seeing that his lips were dry and flaky, the Crown Princess felt distressed and asked the eunuch to help him stand up a little and feed him some tea.
After hesitating for a long time, the Crown Princess couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "Crown Prince, does the Ninth Prince want the throne?"
After asking the question, the Crown Princess actually regretted it, but words spoken are like water spilled.
"Do you want the Phoenix throne?" Gu Nanjin asked instead of answering, closing his eyes tiredly.
He was still too weak and was exhausted after just a few words.
“……”The Crown Princess did not answer.
Inside the bedroom, the couple, one lying down and the other sitting, were both speechless.
The clouds outside seemed to have grown thicker, the weather had grown chilly, and the grass and trees were swaying in the wind.
Today the palace seemed even quieter without the mournful cries.
Gu Jue and Shen Qianchen had already come out of the East Palace. They had originally planned to take a nap together, but unexpectedly, as soon as Gu Jue came out, he was called away by Su Mubai.
As soon as Gu Jue left, Shen Qianchen was also stopped by someone.
The man who came was a middle-aged eunuch, who looked to be in his early forties, with a fair complexion and no beard, and a kind temperament.
Shen Qianchen didn't know him, but the maid in the palace told her that this was Eunuch Min.
“Princess, this is the list of names to be moved to Huifu Garden. Please take a look at it!” Eunuch Min bowed respectfully. The smile on his face was attentive but not too humble, making people feel friendly when they saw it.
Eunuch Min was a eunuch in Huifu Garden, a temporary palace. He committed a crime seven years ago and was kept in Huifu Garden by Gu Jue's father. Now the palace is in a turbulent time, and most of the palace people are guarded by the Black Armor Army. There are not many people available, so Queen Mother Yin suggested that Eunuch Min be transferred to take charge of this matter.
In fact, Eunuch Min had just given the list to Queen Mother Yin for review, but was scolded by her.
Eunuch Min had been favored by the late emperor in the past, so he was naturally a shrewd man. He immediately understood what was going on: the empress dowager was supporting her daughter-in-law, and she wanted Princess Chen to take on the "important responsibility".
Eunuch Min had waited for so many years in Huifu Garden before finally getting this chance to turn things around, so naturally he had to seize it. When facing Shen Qianchen, he was extremely respectful.
Shen Qianchen glanced at the list in his hand. This list did not include the palace servants, but basically all the concubines and princesses.
When Shen Qianchen saw Chu Qianhuang's name, he was stunned.
Eunuch Min had been observing every change in Shen Qianchen's expression. He couldn't help but feel a little nervous, and his heart was rising little by little.
Shen Qianchen didn't pay attention to Eunuch Min. She only remembered at this moment that she seemed to have heard Gu Jue mention that after Chu Qianhuang followed Prince Rui and his entourage back to the capital, the prince kept her in the palace. It turned out that she had been kept until now.
Shen Qianchen looked up from the list and asked, "How is Chu Qianhuang doing recently?"
Eunuch Min also knew that Chu Qianhuang was the eldest sister of Princess Chen, and replied respectfully: "Miss Chu is doing well."
Chu Qianhuang is neither a concubine nor a companion. Now she can live with Concubine Chu in Fengluan Palace temporarily. When Concubine Chu goes to Huifu Garden, Chu Qianhuang can't be left alone in Fengluan Palace. The reason why Eunuch Min added Chu Qianhuang's name to the list was also a test.
Shen Qianchen thought for a moment, then ordered Jiang Yuan, "Have someone send her to Baiyun Temple."
"..." Eunuch Min was shocked, and his first thought was, could it be that Princess Chen wanted Chu Qianhuang to become a nun?
After a pause, Shen Qianchen continued: "Find someone to watch her and let her listen to the sutras in Baiyun Temple every day... to purify her mind."
As he spoke, Shen Qianchen couldn't help but think of the fortune-telling that Master Juehui, the abbot of Baiyun Temple, had given to Chu Qianhuang: "Come from where you came from, go to where you are going, cause and effect repeats."
After going to Baiyun Temple to burn incense with Gu Jue and Queen Mother Yin that day, she would think of what Master Juehui said that day from time to time, and repeatedly chewed over the meaning of those words.
If my rebirth is the blessing from my previous life, and the prince has changed his fate in this life because of me, then what about Chu Qianhuang?
A person's fate is not static, so will Chu Qianhuang's fate change? Afterwards, Eunuch Min withdrew, and Jiang Yuan also withdrew, each doing their own errands.
An incense stick of time later, the people who went to pick up Chu Qianhuang arrived at Fengluan Palace. The palace servants informed the people inside layer by layer, and the news soon reached Concubine Chu and Chu Qianhuang's aunt and nephew.
(End of this chapter)