Chapter 224 Extra 5 [Extra]
Marquis Qingyuan stumbled and fell to the ground in a sorry state, his palm landing squarely on the broken porcelain shards, the sharp pieces cutting his palm and drawing blood.
But at this moment, he could no longer feel the pain.
His mind was buzzing, like a tangled mess; he was completely sober.
Marquis Qingyuan finally realized the seriousness of the matter.
"I'll confess, I'll confess..."
Marquis Qingyuan, breathing rapidly, shouted, "It was the Emperor! The Emperor ordered me to do it!"
"It's the Emperor who wants to abolish the Eastern Depot..."
"beat."
Gu Zhizhu slapped the armrest of the armchair. "If you won't talk about it, it means you're not in pain. When you are in pain, you'll naturally talk about it."
Sheng Jiang glanced at her. If he didn't know her background well, he would have thought that Miss Gu wanted to silence her.
Marquis Qingyuan, steeling himself, exclaimed, "It is the Emperor! It is..."
Sheng Jiang pounced on him and unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks, each one landing squarely on the skin.
The Marquis of Qingyuan was powerless to fight back. He covered his head with his hands and screamed in agony.
After finishing the beating, Shen Xu calmly ordered, "Go and call Feng Zheng over."
After Sheng Jiang was transferred to the Five Military Commands, Feng Zheng replaced him and was promoted to Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
He had just sent someone to deliver a message when he opened the door and there stood the fortune teller outside.
He was in his forties and was a robust and imposing man.
He cupped his hands in greeting to Sheng Jiang, pushed his way through, and bowed, saying, "Master."
"You led your men to ransack the Qingyuan Marquis's residence."
The Marquis of Qingyuan suddenly raised his head, his face, mottled with bruises, filled with disbelief.
He cried out in a hoarse voice, "I want to see the Emperor! Let me see the Emperor!"
Shen Xu made a gesture, instructing Feng Zheng to take care of it.
He rose from an exiled orphan to his current high position, and he has never been a soft-hearted person.
Previously, it was because of some concerns.
Now, such concerns are no longer necessary.
So, as Gu Zhizhuo said, we should plagiarize what needs to be plagiarized and censor what needs to be censored.
"yes!"
Feng Zheng loudly acknowledged the order and went out.
As she brushed past Sheng Jiang, she gave him a defiant look.
Sheng Jiang sneered inwardly. That Feng fellow was truly cunning, taking advantage of his transfer to curry favor with his master. He'd see how he dealt with him!
Feng Zheng led the imperial guards straight to the Qingyuan Marquis's residence.
That day.
The Qingyuan Marquis's residence was sealed off.
The imperial guards surrounded half the street in front of the Marquis's residence.
The Earl of Wen'an, who lived next door to the Marquis of Qingyuan, was the first to discover it and was so frightened that he dared not leave his residence.
During the reign of the deposed emperor, Shen Xu was a poisoned knife in his hands. It was common for him to confiscate property and exterminate entire families. Everyone trembled at the mention of the Eastern Depot.
However, since the new emperor ascended the throne, no property has been confiscated. —Except for the Cheng'en Duke's Mansion and the Jin Prince's Mansion, which conspired with the deposed emperor to rebel, but that happened before the current emperor ascended the throne.
For more than two years, the new emperor has been practicing benevolent governance. Apart from having too many official duties that are so demanding that they don't even have time to visit their concubines, there has been no bloodshed in the court.
This is the first time!
The house they raided was actually the home of the new emperor's maternal uncle.
"Quickly, go and hang up all the lanterns in the mansion."
He shouted anxiously, "Light them all! What if the Imperial Guards can't see clearly and go the wrong way!"
"Hang up! Hang up! Hang up!"
All night long, almost everyone was watching the Qingyuan Marquis's residence, and many court officials' homes were brightly lit.
Few people could sleep all night.
Gu Zhizhuo did the same; she wandered around until almost dawn before returning to the palace, sneaking back to her inner chamber.
She quietly lifted the bed curtains to see if he was awake. Seeing that Xie Yingchen's eyes were closed and his breathing was steady, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness...
As she turned around, an arm wrapped around her waist from behind. Caught off guard, Gu Zhizhuo lost her balance and fell backward onto the soft brocade quilt.
Oh no, he's faking sleep!
"What time is it?" Xie Yingchen asked, his hand resting on the brocade quilt beside her. His voice was slightly hoarse and languid.
"Um?"
The slightly rising intonation at the end of his voice made Gu Zhizhuo realize that something was very wrong. Her dark eyes darted around, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him towards her, and kissed him.
Her lips lingered on his lips, and feeling his slightly rapid breathing, Gu Zhizhuo whispered in his ear, "The Marquis of Qingyuan..."
A warm breath brushed against his earlobe, making it slightly itchy.
Why waste such a precious time at the Qingyuan Marquis's residence? Xie Yingchen deepened the kiss, tracing the contours of her full lips with delicate strokes, his hand gently caressing her back.
Breaths intertwined.
Having not slept well all night, Gu Zhizhuo slept soundly until late morning.
She ate her brunch slowly.
The Dowager Lady of Qingyuan Marquis sent a petition to the palace to request an audience.
When the manor was sealed, Feng Zheng came to report that the Dowager Lady of Qingyuan Marquis and her daughter-in-law had taken two young ladies from the manor to a temple outside the city to listen to Buddhist teachings and would be staying for three days and two nights before returning.
Human affairs are none of the concern of those outside the world.
Gu Zhizhuo told them not to go to the temple to arrest people and cause trouble, and to let them return to the capital on their own.
They arrived as expected.
The young master's attack on his maternal uncle's family, whatever the reason, is bound to attract some gossip and controversy, and impeachment petitions will fly everywhere.
You have to press it down firmly in one breath.
When did they arrive?
"You've been kneeling for two hours." Qingmei picked up her chopsticks and served the meal.
Gu Zhizhuo simply nodded and continued eating, finishing a full incense stick's worth of food before getting up and saying, "Let's go take a look."
Qingmei wrapped a cloak around her.
The Zichen Hall is located in the front hall, not far from the palace gate.
Gu Zhizhuo took a walk to aid digestion.
Upon hearing the sound of the palace gates opening, the people kneeling outside simultaneously looked up. What came into view was a young woman wrapped in a red cloak, adorned with jewels and hairpins, yet exuding a heroic and spirited air. There was no contradiction between nobility and heroism in her.
The Qingyuan Marquis's family were noble families, and even if their relationship with the palace was distant, they had still met the Empress.
Besides, who doesn't know Miss Gu?
Back then, at Miss Gu's coming-of-age banquet, the deposed emperor colluded with the Liang people to set fire to the capital, and it was she who saved the day.
"Your Majesty the Empress!"
The Dowager Lady of Qingyuan Marquis was in her sixties, her head full of silver hair. She was shivering in the wind. When she saw Gu Zhizhuo, before she could even speak, tears streamed down her face.
"Your Majesty, please have mercy!"
She wept uncontrollably, her forehead touching her head, and performed a deep bowing ceremony.
The Dowager Lady of Qingyuan Marquis was the young master's maternal grandmother. Since it was not the right time or festival, Gu Zhizhuo stepped aside to avoid her.
She gave her a wink, and Qingmei stepped forward to help her up, but she burst into tears and kowtowed repeatedly.
"Your Majesty, please, for the sake of the late Empress, have pity on our family."
The late empress she mentioned was Xie Yingchen's biological mother.
"My poor daughter died young, and her mother and brother were bullied and no one stood up for her."
She cried so hard she beat her chest and stamped her feet, while Lady Qingyuan Marquis stood by, wiping away tears with a handkerchief.
“If my poor daughter were still alive, would she have stood by and watched her daughter-in-law kill her brother and mother in order to establish her authority? Your Majesty, the Rong family will never again dare to advise the Emperor to take a concubine to compete for your favor. Please have the Eastern Depot release my son.”
These seemingly plausible words made Qingmei frown.
It has become commonplace for students to discuss classics and politics at the Meridian Gate. With the special imperial examination approaching, even more students are gathering, and they are talking about the confiscation of the Qingyuan Marquis's mansion, with many expressing their disagreement.
Lord Rong is the emperor's maternal uncle.
Even considering that the late Empress only had this one biological brother, she should be shown some leniency.
"So it was because Lord Rong advised the Emperor to take a concubine?"
Someone whispered.
"The Emperor is reluctant to abolish the Eastern Depot. Could it be that the Eastern Depot is run by the Empress?"
"Alas, what a pity for Lord Rong."
They were talking all at once.
Lady Qingyuan smiled slightly, her head bowed, feeling reassured. This Empress Gu was petty and narrow-minded; she had only been angry with her sister for accidentally pushing her over at her coming-of-age banquet, and she had held a grudge ever since.
Madam Rong touched her forehead to the ground and cried out, "Your Majesty, please have mercy and spare our family!"
"Your Majesty the Empress!" someone among the students exclaimed, "As the ancient saying goes, 'Sages value magnanimity, while ordinary people despise the masses.' As the Empress, you should treat others with tolerance."
Some echoed: "If one is not lenient when in a position of authority, lacks respect in observing rituals, and shows no grief at the funeral, how can one be a model mother to the world..."
Before he could finish speaking, a brush dipped in ink was hurled hard at his forehead, the black ink streaming down his temple.
"you!"
"Your Majesty the Empress has performed countless merits. Hundreds of thousands of people in Qingzhou were saved by Your Majesty's intervention. Anyone who dares to utter such foul language will face my wrath."
"That's right. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law spoke vaguely, and I'm afraid their words were not entirely accurate. How can we believe them so easily?"
"Whatever the reason, our Great Qi governs the country with filial piety. The Empress watched the Emperor's maternal grandmother kneeling here and did nothing to help. That is unfilial! How can an unfilial person be a model for the world?"
Gu Zhizhu smiled slightly and spoke amidst the noise: "Madam Rong, do you know why the Qingyuan Marquis's residence was sealed off?"
Lady Jiang, the wife of the Marquis of Qingyuan, quickly said, "Our Marquis has advised the Emperor to take a concubine. The Emperor has been on the throne for almost three years, yet he has no sons, and the harem is empty..."
"To sell exam questions."
Gu Zhizhuo interrupted her incessant chatter.
Selling...selling exam questions? Madam Jiang's eyes widened. Her husband had clearly told her that the Emperor was being manipulated by the Eastern Depot, that Shen Xu of the Eastern Depot was on the side of the Empress, and that the Emperor didn't even dare to take concubines. The Eastern Depot even controlled the inner court.
If the Rong family can find a pretext for the Emperor to legitimately abolish the Eastern Depot, it will be a great achievement. At that time, the Rong family can also rise to prominence like the Sun family of the former Duke of Cheng'en's mansion.
While she and her mother-in-law were at the temple, she heard that the Marquis had been arrested by the Eastern Depot and that even the Marquis's mansion had been seized. She was frantic and rushed over as soon as she returned to the capital, hoping to force the Empress to release him.
Gu Zhizhuo took out a red envelope, which was sealed with sealing wax and stamped with the imperial seal.
"These are the questions for the Enke exam."
The exam questions for the Enke exam?!
Regardless of whose stance the students were arguing about, upon hearing the words "exam questions for the special imperial examination," their eyes lit up, and their burning gazes were fixed on the red envelope in Gu Zhizhuo's hand, as if they wanted to see through the red envelope to see what was written inside.
Gu Zhizhuo then took out another piece of silk paper.
"It was a question sold by the Marquis of Qingyuan."
She held the silk paper between two fingers and shook it gently.
"Just now, some of you said that I should be lenient and show leniency, is that right?"
Gu Zhizhuo stepped out of the palace gate and walked straight ahead without looking to the side. He did not stop when he passed the Rong family women kneeling on the ground.
A faint smile played on her lips.
"After careful consideration, I find your arguments quite reasonable, so I will grant your request and pardon Marquis Qingyuan." Her gaze swept over them, taking in their surprised and uncertain faces. "As for this special examination, let's proceed according to this exam paper, as a sign of your magnanimity."
Who would agree to something like that! They're not stupid. They've studied hard for decades, all for the sake of passing the imperial examinations!
Those students who had just advised Gu Zhizhuo to be tolerant and filial were almost torn apart by the glares of those around them.
"Absolutely not!"
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Qingyuan's crime is absolutely unforgivable."
"Her Majesty the Empress's trip was very virtuous."
Seeing that Gu Zhizhuo remained unmoved, they were almost in tears, wishing they could slap themselves.
"Mother, what should we do about the Marquis?"
Jiang turned pale with fright. "Mother, we must save the Marquis!"
Madam Rong's face turned pale.
When she arrived, she thought that she would try to save her son because of her status as the emperor's maternal grandmother.
He also thought that if he pushed her a little, the Empress would compromise. If she refused, the officials and scholars would submit memorials to impeach her. At that point, the Empress herself would be in danger.
However, the students did not swarm her and attack her as she had hoped.
Now, the Empress has managed to turn their attention to them with just a few words.
As a woman, she is neither virtuous nor kind, disrespectful and unfilial, and only knows how to sow discord. How can such a person be worthy of being an empress!
"Your Majesty the Empress."
The Dowager Lady of Qingyuan Marquis shouted sternly, "Since that's the case, I'm willing to die to atone for my son's sins. I beg the Empress to consider the late Empress's feelings for her mother-in-law..."
Gu Zhizhuo interrupted her calmly: "The law cannot be abolished. Otherwise, wouldn't it chill the hearts of these students who have studied hard for so many years?"
Yes, yes, yes.
Gu Zhizhu flicked his sleeve and said calmly, "If the Grand Madam intends to force me to commit suicide, then..."
"During the reign of Emperor Taizu, Wang Jiuzhi sacrificed himself for the law and established the criminal law of this dynasty, which is a commendable story. Since Madam Rong is willing to sacrifice herself for the law, I will certainly grant her wish."
She clapped her hands lightly twice: "Someone come here."
Zhou Mu, the commander of the Golden Guard, bowed and obeyed the order.
"See Madam Rong off on her way."
A note from the author:
I'm recommending my friend's new novel, which has a great track record; it's ready to be devoured.
The entire court is helping me in this palace intrigue.
Author: Zhai Miao
Copywriting:
After being framed and banished to the cold palace, Yu Miaohua unexpectedly awakened her memories as a transmigrator and became bound to a palace intrigue system.
Palace Intrigue System: Host, don't be discouraged. As long as you complete the tasks I assign diligently, you can beat up the Imperial Concubine and kick the Empress, and become a wise and virtuous empress in no time!
Yu Miaohua: What's the point of fighting? Palace intrigue is too terrifying. The Cold Palace is so much better. It's a quiet and secluded villa, and I can even use the system to read novels and comics. It's the kind of stay-at-home life I've always dreamed of.
However……
[You have completed the task of "making the Emperor furious for your beauty, punishing his own uncle, and confiscating his property and exterminating his noble title." Your reward is cotton seeds.]
[Congratulations on completing the mission "Frame the Imperial Concubine and confine her to her quarters for three months". Reward: Cement formula.]
[Congratulations on completing the mission of dating the third-ranked scholar! Your reward is corn seeds.]
Yu Miaohua turned pale as she looked at the tasks that were completed automatically.
Something's not right. How did these palace intrigue tasks complete by themselves? Is there a bug in the palace intrigue system?
...
One day, the emperor suddenly discovered that his concubine Yu Miaohua, who had been banished to the cold palace, was bound to a palace intrigue system.
He sneered, "Palace intrigue system? What kind of evil thing is this? It must be sent to a temple for purification and cleansing."
Until he saw the mission rewards of the palace intrigue system.
[Complete the quest "An unexpected encounter with the emperor, clearing his name," and you will be rewarded with Champa rice seeds that yield three harvests in one season.]
What? Three harvests in one season? And drought-resistant? He has to complete this task!
This is no evil spirit, but clearly an auspicious omen bestowed by our ancestors!
With his heart set solely on the fate of the nation, he diligently helped Yu Miaohua in her palace intrigues, only to find himself facing a new mission.
[How can a female protagonist in a palace intrigue novel not have admirers besides the emperor? Host, look at that third-ranked scholar! Wasp waist, narrow hips, looks slim in clothes, muscular underneath—he's definitely your type!]
emperor:? ? ?
Is he being asked to actively create opportunities for his concubines to have affairs? Such humiliation—
It's not unacceptable; it's a crop suitable for planting in mountainous areas, yielding four shi per mu!
Soon, the emperor discovered that not only could he see Yu Miaohua's palace intrigue system, but even the former court officials could see it.
The Imperial Concubine's father was a Grand Tutor; the Empress's uncle was a General; and the Consort De's brother was a Marquis...
All the officials in the court were diligently engaged in palace intrigue for Yu Miaohua.
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