Chapter 164 [VIP]
The first batch of Northern Frontier Army soldiers who came from the northern frontier should now be called the Zhenbei Army. They have arrived in the capital, numbering one thousand, and Gu Zhizhuo is discussing their resettlement with Gu Baibai.
Upon hearing this, Gu Baibai also turned to look at her.
"Tell me quickly," Gu Zhizhuo urged eagerly.
yes.
Qingmei said lightly, "At that time, the Emperor was with Xie Yan, talking about sending Xie Yan to the Imperial Study. They were very happy and harmonious, a picture of fatherly love and filial piety. Xie Yan complained to the Emperor that the Gu family treated him badly and asked the Emperor to kill all of the Gu family members. The Emperor agreed and even told Xie Yan to study hard and that he would be made Crown Prince in the future. He could kill the Gu family however he wanted."
Gu Zhizhuo let out a cold laugh, casually stroking the jade bracelet on his wrist.
"Xie Yan wanted to be the Grand General, so the Emperor laughed and praised him for having no ambition and being filial. He told him that the Crown Prince was much more capable than the Grand General. He also instructed Li Deshun to have Prince Li quickly enter the imperial genealogy, saying that he would first be granted the title of Grand General, and then the Crown Prince would be granted later."
Qingmei knew that the girl loved a good show, so she deliberately went into more detail.
Gu Zhizhuo was indeed pleased to hear this. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the desk, and the corners of his mouth curved into a small smile, revealing a dimple.
Xie Yan said that once he became the Grand General, his first priority would be to lead his troops to raze the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion to the ground.
Qingmei was speechless.
Those who didn't know the situation might have thought the child had suffered a great injustice, but the Gu family really didn't vent their anger on the child. The child lived in the mansion and wasn't cold or hungry. It can only be said that this was their nature.
"The Emperor wants to give the Golden Guard to him. He has Li Deshun summon the Deputy Commander Qin who is on duty."
"As a result, just as Deputy Commander Qin arrived, before the Emperor had finished giving his instructions, he suddenly grabbed Xie Yan by the neck. Fortunately, Li Deshun was also there, and Deputy Commander Qin helped to rescue Xie Yan. He was so scared that he wet himself and cried with snot and tears streaming down his face."
With such a timid nature, no wonder she's not a member of the Gu family.
Gu Baibai couldn't help but take a second look at her niece's maid. What she said was really too secretive. If she hadn't happened to be serving in Hanzhang Palace, she would never have known so clearly.
His niece has a wider range of sources than he does; could she be from the Eastern Depot?
It should be.
When the emperor was in Hanzhang Palace, he was served by eunuchs inside and out.
"And then?" Gu Zhizhuo asked with great interest, resting her chin on her hand.
"The Emperor's expression was hilarious."
Qingmei's eyebrows danced with excitement: "The emperor was furious. He wanted to dig up the Ji family and grind their bones to dust. Then he vomited, as if he was disgusted to death."
In the end, Ji's face was covered with red rashes and oozing pus.
The emperor was used to loving beautiful women, so perhaps he couldn't accept it when he thought back on it.
Anyway, you'll get used to it after a while.
"But after he vomited, he seemed confused again, hugging Xie Yan and crying that he was pitiful. Xie Yan was terrified and didn't dare to say a word. Not long after, he had Xie Yan dragged away and beaten to death. It was as if two people lived in one body. How strange."
"That's because you're not fully awake yet, your mind is still foggy. Once you figure things out, you'll be awake."
Gu Zhizhuo was not surprised that the emperor would wake up at this time.
The Blessing Incantation originated from Changfeng; whoever received the talisman was personally drawn by Changfeng. Changfeng is now suffering a backlash, and the Blessing Incantation will gradually lose its effectiveness.
The emperor will naturally come to his senses.
The timing is interesting.
Gu Zhizhuo seemed to be deep in thought, her bright phoenix eyes filled with a sense of eager anticipation.
"What mischief is that girl up to again?" Gu Baibai asked abruptly. "What are you thinking about?"
"I'm thinking, should we release the Prince of Jin?"
"Um?"
“It’s just…” Gu Zhizhuo quickly covered his mouth with both hands, his dark eyes darting around.
That's the downside of staying in your own home: it's too comfortable, and you become too careless!
Gu Baibai looked at her with a smile, her eyes incredibly gentle: "So, it was your idea for the Eastern Depot to surround the Prince of Jin's residence."
Otherwise, he wouldn't have casually said something like, "Should we release the Prince of Jin?"
Well, the court has been arguing for so long, and there have been several rounds of impeachment. Everyone thought that Shen Xu was eliminating dissidents and seizing power in the chaos. Who would have thought that the mastermind was sitting right here?
Gu Zhizhu chuckled, his eyes darting around.
Gu Baibai: "..."
What happened to the Eastern Depot?
Accompanied by a clear voice, the young man stepped in into the light, his eyebrows and eyes, which resembled Gu Zhizhuo's, carrying an unruly smile.
"Third Uncle."
Gu Yican bowed in greeting, then grinned brightly, "Gu Yaoyao, I'm back!"
"Gu Cancan!"
Oh dear, you're back just in time. If you hadn't come back, she would have confessed.
Gu Zhizhuo rushed over, exaggeratedly circled around him, and winked at him: "How's the iron mine? Is there anything fun to do?"
"There's nothing fun about it, but there's a lot of raw stones piled up in the warehouse, which will come in handy for us."
Gu Yican spoke lightly, but anyone who listened could tell that things were definitely not that easy.
The mine's managers are no longer from the Gu family; they should be replaced, a thorough investigation should be conducted, and the accounts should be reconciled.
Gu Yican rode swiftly, making a hurried trip, and also took a trip to northern Xinjiang.
I finally made it back, and when I looked up, even the signboard on the door had been changed.
"I hadn't slept for several days on the road and almost thought I had gone to the wrong house."
Gu Yican understood immediately and steered the conversation further afield: "How did you manage to do that?"
Gu Zhizhuo was extremely proud and boasted, "Am I amazing?"
"Amazing!" Gu Yican exclaimed. "Miss Gu is the best in the world, she has unified the martial arts world!"
He raised his hands high, making exaggerated gestures, praising Gu Zhizhuo to the point of beaming with joy. He recounted everything that happened while he was away, speaking with great enthusiasm, and not forgetting to distance himself from the story. Gu Yican listened as if he had personally experienced it.
She drank the warm water in her cup in one gulp to moisten her throat, then poured a cup for Gu Yican and said, "In short, Changfeng is currently locked in the big iron cage at the Meridian Gate, and nothing has been decided yet."
"However, I think that now that the emperor is awake, it's time to let Prince Jin out."
Gu Zhizhuo raised his two index fingers, gently tapping the pads of his fingers together, making a tugging and biting motion.
"My little sister is amazing!"
Gu Yican clapped repeatedly, regardless of whether he understood or not.
Gu Baibai looked at the brother and sister, who were talking back and forth about some irrelevant things.
He wasn't actually concerned that Yaoyao was getting too close to the Eastern Depot, but Shen Xu was always unpredictable and cunning, and he was afraid that Yaoyao might be too hasty and suffer a loss.
Since nothing was wrong, he decided not to ask any further questions.
Gu Yican sat down next to her, finished the tea his sister handed him, and then ate the red bean pastries his sister gave him. They were the size of dominoes, and he ate ten of them in one go before he could recover.
The brother and sister leaned their heads together, whispering to each other.
Suddenly, Gu Yican looked up and said with a smile, "Third Uncle, when I went back this time, the Northern Di people started to get restless. Taking advantage of the fact that the Gu family members were not in the Northern Frontier, they tested us several times."
Gu Yican put aside his usual nonchalant attitude, exchanged a glance with Gu Zhizhuo, and said seriously, "At the earliest by the end of next year, and at the latest within three years, I want to take the initiative to declare war on the Northern Di. As long as we can capture the Northern Di capital, we can at least gain fifty years of peace."
Last year, the Northern Frontier Army was short of manpower and supplies and paid a heavy price to force the Northern Barbarians to withdraw from the border.
However, they had fought the Northern Di for many years and knew these barbarians too well. Once the Northern Di had recovered and regrouped, they would surely make a comeback.
Gu Yican had considered that before the Northern Di recovered, they should attack them first, strike directly at the capital, and completely subdue the Northern Di, so as to avoid endless war year after year.
We didn't have this kind of strength before.
Just the recuperation and stockpiling of grain for the Northern Frontier Army would take at least three years. They also had to deal with the imperial court. Just when the Northern Frontier had finally recovered, the Northern Barbarians attacked again, and it was a never-ending cycle.
Gu Zhizhuo nodded in agreement.
Gu Baibai: "..."
He smiled and said, "It's good that you two siblings know what's going on."
Gu Baibai no longer has the same fighting spirit as before. After sitting in a wheelchair for so long, he has become timid. The only thought swirling in his mind is to prevent these children from following in the footsteps of his brothers.
To ensure that the Gu family line will not end and that one day it will flourish.
However, it's clear that the siblings, Can Can and Yao Yao, are more decisive.
They also became bolder.
Gu Yican raised her phoenix eyes slightly: "It's not just for the Great Qi, but also for the people of the Northern Frontier and the soldiers who follow our Gu family."
"Furthermore, there is our deep-seated blood feud with the Northern Barbarians."
Starting with my great-grandfather, so many members of the Gu family have lost their lives at the hands of the Northern Di people; this is an indelible hatred.
Moreover, if they could take advantage of his illness and defeat the Northern Di in one fell swoop, the Gu family descendants would no longer need to die on the battlefield generation after generation. For this reason, Gu Yican was willing to fight this battle.
"This was also my grandfather's wish."
Gu Yican and his sister smiled at each other, their pride tinged with confidence and carefree spirit: "After the Northern Di are pacified, there is no need for the Gu family to stay on the border. At that time, we can live in the capital for a long time."
"You once said that war is about winning hearts and minds, about morale."
“‘The Prince of Zhenbei’ has arrived at just the right time; those three words are the very essence of morale.”
Gu Baibai remained silent for a long time, then slowly nodded. He didn't ask any more questions, leaving the Gu family in the care of his siblings, assuring them that they would know what to do.
Gu Baibai is now simply using herself as a shield to protect them from behind.
He changed the subject with a smile and said, "Have you gone to pay your respects to your grandmother? She's been talking about you for a long time."
“Grandmother and Princess Li went to the Xiangxi Theater to watch a play. There’s a new play today, and Princess Li invited several old ladies to reserve all the private seats on the second floor.” Gu Zhizhuo said with a smile, “I’m afraid Grandmother won’t be back until it gets dark.”
Gu Baibai: "..."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
The Gu family hadn't had such peaceful days in a long time. The mother was timid and used to be quite cautious. Since her eldest brother passed away, she rarely went out or socialized and was very careful in everything she did.
"Your grandmother was the happiest person about this nobleman."
"Of course, I went out five times in four days."
Gu Zhizhuo exaggeratedly stretched out one palm, then looked at Gu Yican and said in a serious tone, "Yican, haven't you gone to the palace to thank the emperor since you came back?"
"Thank you?"
"Um?"
The twins were of one mind. Gu Yican clenched his right fist, clapped his left hand, and said, "Yes, yes, we must go and express our gratitude! Sister, you come with me too."
The two exchanged glances. First, Gu Yican tilted her chin towards the door, and then Gu Zhizhu nodded very slightly. Their fingers were hooked together under the coffee table.
Gu Baibai found it amusing.
He deliberately picked up the teacup slowly, took a few leisurely sips, and glanced at the two of them out of the corner of his eye.
The two of them were extremely uncomfortable, shifting their positions in the armchairs. Gu Zhizhuo used his eyes to urge Gu Yican to speak first, and he said, "Third Uncle, it's getting dark. It won't be easy to enter the palace once the gates are closed."
Gu Baibai glanced silently at the midday sky and dismissed him, saying, "Go ahead."
As soon as those two words were uttered, the two immediately took hands and ran away, disappearing from sight.
Not only Gu Zhizhuo felt itchy, but Gu Yican did too.
He was too curious to know whether, after the emperor woke up and remembered the absurd things he had done, he would want to beat himself to death, or beat the others who hadn't stopped him to death.
The two men, each on horseback, left the mansion and headed straight for the palace.
As I passed by the Meridian Gate, the wind carried a stench. On both sides of the gate were canopies, where students were either chatting loudly in twos and threes or sitting under the canopies writing furiously.
There was a cool tea bucket not far away, so they could easily take some whenever they wanted.
Without lingering, the brother and sister passed through the Meridian Gate, handed their horses to the Imperial Guards, and went straight into the palace.
Gu Zhizhuo was among the first to receive the news and arrived relatively early as well.
Upon seeing Gu Zhizhuo, the eunuchs guarding Hanzhang Palace did not announce their arrival but led them in with great courtesy. They greeted them with smiles all the way, serving tea and water, fresh fruit and snacks, and even laying out a cool mat and soft cushions on the round-backed chairs.
The eunuchs surrounded Gu Zhizhuo and invited him to sit down, with two junior eunuchs even coming over to fan him.
This scene left Prince Li speechless with astonishment.
When did the palace eunuchs become so good-natured? Why isn't anyone fanning him? Didn't they see he was sweating profusely from running?!
He asked, "Why are you here?"
When Prince Li heard Gu Yican say with righteous indignation that he had come to express his gratitude, his teeth ached.
If the brother and sister hadn't been so cheerful, he might have believed some of what they said. But now, well, hehehe.
However, we can't blame them.
The emperor discards the donkey after it has served its purpose, and puts away the bow once the birds are all gone. As long as there is no assassination or rebellion, the Gu family's attitude is normal.
Prince Li gave Gu Zhizhu a kind smile. He had never seen someone express gratitude for inheriting a title, let alone bring their sister. This was unprecedented in all dynasties, and it wasn't like they were watching a circus performance! But since they said they were expressing gratitude, then so be it.
He asked, "Want to see?"
"look!"
"Don't be silly."
The two nodded obediently, their similar phoenix eyes fixed on him.
"Never mind." Prince Li led them inside.
Several imperial physicians were gathered inside the room, taking turns to examine the emperor's pulse.
The emperor lay slumped on the couch, his expression grim. Xie Yan huddled in the corner, red marks still visible on his neck—clearly strangulation marks. Upon seeing Gu Zhizhuo and the others enter, his face lit up with joy, and he called out, "Big brother!"
Gu Zhizhuo tugged at his elder brother's sleeve and walked past Xie Yan as if he didn't exist.
Prince Li did not receive as detailed information as Gu Zhizhuo. He examined Xie Yan for a while, and the imperial physician, having finished taking the emperor's pulse, reported in a trembling voice, "His Majesty's pulse is normal; there is no serious problem."
The imperial physicians were all on tenterhooks, fearing that the emperor still wanted them to be buried alive with him.
"Prince Li."
The emperor said coldly, "The late emperor trusted you and appointed you as the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan. Are you just going to let them disrespect their superiors and imprison me?"
Even now, the emperor is still somewhat dazed. He can recall everything that happened in the past two months, every single detail is crystal clear, and he certainly did it himself. However, upon closer reflection, it all feels like a dream, devoid of any sense of reality. It's as if someone else is controlling him.
Prince Mingli had so many opportunities to stop him, but he didn't.
Prince Li watched him do some ridiculous and foolish things, so he put him under house arrest and even helped the Gu family claim a title while he was out of his mind.
They are nothing but traitors and rebels!
Is Wang Jue a suitable match for Gu Jia?
"Kneel down."
The emperor pointed at Gu Yican and said fiercely.
What are you doing here?
"Thank you."
Gu Yican smiled smugly, as if deliberately trying to provoke him: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor."
"Your Majesty has always known that you rely on me greatly. In order to repay Your Majesty's kindness, I will train the Zhenbei Army to be even more elite in the future, and I guarantee that as long as you give the order, the Zhenbei Army can launch a northern expedition against the Northern Barbarians."
He said slowly and deliberately, "Nan Ke can go to the capital to serve the emperor and repay your great kindness to the Gu family."
"You, you..." He's more like "capturing the king" than "serving the king."
"Someone come here."
Before he could finish saying the word "Emperor," his expression froze, and his arm began to twitch uncontrollably as he started pounding himself violently.
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