Chapter 26 [VIP]
How would I know?
Qin Chen: That's a very irresponsible thing to say!
“However, even if you tell him, the young master definitely won’t believe it, especially my stepmother, who’s obsessed with having a grandson. She might even think the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion is jealous that the Qin family is about to have a golden grandson.” Qin Chen mimicked the tone of the Lady of Jing’an, speaking sarcastically, which made Gu Zhizhuo chuckle. Then, his eyes lit up as he said, “How about you do a fortune telling?”
Let's figure out who the father of the child is.
His eyes lit up.
Hmm. Well, he absolutely didn't mean to watch the show. He just couldn't understand why his stepmother and the heir treated them, the illegitimate children, like trash on the street, yet now they were so enamored with a child who hadn't even been born yet.
In the end, the child wasn't even Qin Su's. This was too shocking! Just thinking about it made Qin Chen's heart pound wildly.
Gu Zhizhu rolled her eyes at him, knowing he was unreliable!
It's not difficult to cast a divination, but I don't have any counting rods or a compass.
Besides, what's the point of calculating it? Why bother going out of your way to remind them? Ha, that's giving the Qin family far too easy.
Gu Zhizhuo's eyes flashed with a cold light, and the image of Aman's swollen and rotting face, soaked in the river, floated into his mind. On that day, the entire Qin family mansion was adorned with red silk, and the servants were all beaming with joy, vying to announce that Consort Sun had given birth to a son. The Lady of Jing'an was overjoyed, and the whole mansion was rewarded.
Before she could even enter the house with her aunt and Aman, they were blocked by people sent by the Lady of Jing'an. They pointed at Aman and cursed her for being unlucky, forbidding her remains from entering the mansion. They even cruelly told her aunt to just roll her up in a straw mat and throw her away, so as not to disturb the joy of her precious grandson.
At that time, Qin Su said: "Ah Liao, you have to understand me. The child has just been born, and he is most easily frightened. Ah Man is gone, and he will be our only child from now on. You have to think about him and stop being willful, okay..."
Gu Zhizhuo gripped the peace token tightly, his fingertips turning slightly white.
Of course, we should wait until after the child is born, when the Qin family is at its most glorious and triumphant, to tell them.
Qin Chen: "Here it is."
Gu Zhizhu suppressed the surging thoughts in her heart, and calmly looked up to find that Xie Jing had come out of the Sanqing Hall at some point and was walking towards her.
Qin Chen finished speaking in one breath: "What you mean is that there may not be a chance to meet alone today. I will take a break in a couple of days and go to Baijitang. I will bring your medical records with me. You can pick them up when you have time."
Why.
Qin Chen felt annoyed just thinking about it. Who would have thought that the emperor would come along!
Gu Zhizhu shook his finger and smiled meaningfully: "No need."
Um?
"Yes, we can see him."
After she finished speaking, she said loudly, "Thank you, Young Master Qin." She then took the peace token and left.
There are many pilgrims near the ancient cypress tree, who devoutly hang their prayer slips on the tops of the trees.
Gu Zhizhuo slowly walked around to the back of the ancient cypress tree. It was only a few steps away from the pond behind it, and there were hardly any people around. She picked a branch that was neither too high nor too low, and before she could hang the lucky charm on it, Xie Jing walked up behind her and said with a smile, "Miss Gu, why don't you hang it higher? I'll help you."
Gu Zhizhuo grabbed the peace charm in her hand and turned her head to look at him.
Xie Jing smiled, his handsome features were like jade. Standing there, he looked like a refined nobleman. Only the scar on his forehead was a bit of an eyesore. He applied some makeup and let his bangs down to cover it up a bit.
"Third Young Master."
Gu Zhizhuo bowed slightly, ignoring his outstretched hand. This faint smile, however, made Xie Jing feel extremely uncomfortable.
Xie Jing coughed awkwardly twice, then said solicitously, "Miss Gu, Taiqing Temple has three wonders: the bamboo forest, the calligraphy stele forest, and the Taiqing Giant Bell. We can't go to the bamboo forest today. The abbot said that there is an old Taoist priest in the temple meditating in the bamboo forest. How about I take you to the calligraphy stele forest?"
"Third Young Master," Gu Zhizhuo didn't even spare a glance, "We've known each other for quite some time now, so stop pretending with me. It's pointless. Anyway, there's no one else around."
She gently smoothed out the wrinkles on the lucky charm, and said with a smile, "Let's talk about serious matters, shall we?"
Xie Jing suppressed his smile.
He has gentle features, and when he smiles, he appears refined and elegant. But once he stops smiling, he becomes noticeably cold and hard.
He asked warily, "What do you want to talk about?"
Gu Zhizhuo said unhurriedly, "Let's talk about our engagement."
Xie Jing chuckled coldly. If it were before, he would have thought that Gu Zhizhuo would be reluctant to give up the honor of being the Third Prince's consort. However, now, he no longer had that confidence.
He stayed at the Imperial Ancestral Temple for ten days. Even after returning to the capital, his father did not treat him as affectionately as before. He was surrounded by people who fawned over him and looked down on him. He had never experienced such cold treatment in his life.
Therefore, even if he was unwilling to accept this marriage, he dared not displease his father now.
He waved a folding fan, his smile as humble as a gentleman, and said, "I've thought about it carefully. Our engagement is actually not bad. We've known each other since we were little, and we can be considered childhood sweethearts. It was all my fault before."
After saying that, he bowed deeply to Gu Zhizhuo.
"I hope Sister Zhuo won't take it to heart."
Gu Zhizhuo: "..."
Even though she knew it was an act, it still made her shudder with disgust.
What should I do if I feel nauseous?
Gu Zhizhuo looked up and met his 'what can you do to me?' look.
Xie Jing closed his folding fan, tapping it lightly against his palm, composed and unhurried. Their marriage was arranged by the Emperor; if she didn't want it, she would find a way herself. Trying to block him again? No way!
Gu Zhizhu smiled brightly. She looked at the turtle basking on the large round rock in the pond and said slowly, "Tell me, what would happen if I jumped down from here right now?"
Xie Jing was taken aback.
She leaned closer, smiling innocently: "What if I said you were the one who pushed me?"
Xie Jing's face suddenly turned pale, and he blurted out, "You're despicable!"
Gu Zhizhu brushed a stray hair behind her ear and said gently and generously, "Thank you for the compliment."
Xie Jing subconsciously glanced in the direction of the Imperial Guards and discovered that their current position was mostly blocked by the ancient cypress tree. Her two maids were standing not too close, and unless the Imperial Guards went up a few more steps, they definitely wouldn't be able to see them. In other words, he didn't even have a single witness.
If she jumps now, even her father will assume that he pushed her.
After all, he had just done something similar, and his father would definitely think that he was trying to kill Gu Zhizhuo again for Ke'er's sake.
This is so complicated it's impossible to explain.
He was indeed the legitimate son, but his father had far more than just him.
His gaze was somewhat unfocused, and he snapped open his folding fan and fanned himself vigorously a few times.
Gu Zhizhuo smiled slightly and then added at just the right moment, "By the way, I think I saw the Second Young Master and the Fourth Young Master also here today. Do you think they will believe you or me?"
Xie Jing felt a chill run down his spine.
This isn't even a question of who they'll believe. His second and fourth brothers are eager to kick him while he's down. To put it bluntly, even if they were standing right here and saw Gu Zhizhuo jump, they would still testify that he pushed him!
Ha, those two, I'm afraid they'll not only sow discord in front of the Emperor, but they'll also incite the censors to impeach them, making a scene in the court.
Gu Zhizhuo took a step toward the pond and said quietly, "Sigh, if you do it again, I'm afraid you'll be sent to the Imperial Ancestral Temple more than just this time."
Just this one step was enough to startle Xie Jing so much that he almost jumped up: "Stop right there!" For a moment, he couldn't help but wonder if he should shout to attract the Imperial Guards so that she wouldn't dare to be so blatant anymore.
Gu Zhizhuo saw through his thoughts immediately. She leaned back, her unrestrained manner clearly saying: If you dare to shout, I dare to jump. Let's see who's faster.
Shameless!
He cursed inwardly and irritably kicked a small pebble into the pond.
"If I could make the decision, I would never have gotten engaged to you!"
"How can you compare to Ke'er?"
These words left Gu Zhizhuo with no face whatsoever. Xie Jing stared intently at her, trying to see embarrassment, shame, or anger on her face, but she saw none of that. A confident smile played on her lips, and her beautiful face remained calm and composed.
"Third Young Master, don't underestimate yourself." Gu Zhizhuo lightly exposed his pretense. "If you really wanted to break off the engagement, how could you not do it? However, it would displease the Emperor and displease the court officials, giving your brothers an opportunity to take advantage of you. It's not worth it. In comparison, disfiguring me would be much simpler and more convenient. Then, ashamed of my appearance, I would ask to leave the engagement. You could then pretend to comfort me and preserve your reputation for being kind and righteous."
"It achieves multiple benefits at once, so why not do it?"
Xie Jing gripped the folding fan even tighter, his knuckles turning faintly blue.
Gu Zhizhuo looked in the direction of the Sanqing Hall, where a somewhat thin Taoist priest was leisurely walking up the steps.
Seemingly noticing her gaze, the Taoist suddenly turned his head and looked over, his eyes gleaming, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through layers of tree shadows. Gu Zhizhu smiled slightly at him, then turned back to him, saying meaningfully, "Young Master and Master Qingping are quite familiar, aren't you?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Jing's heart pounded, but he pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Not familiar."
“If you’re not familiar with her, why did you have to lure Master Xie to Taiqing Temple?” She fiddled with the red string of the fortune slip with her finger, making her point clear: “You invited Qingping Zhenren for only one purpose: to reveal to Master Xie that Cousin Ke is the ‘Lucky Woman of Destiny’ that everyone is talking about on the streets, so that Master Xie can come forward and summon Cousin Ke back from the temple.”
Xie Jing swallowed hard, feeling a little guilty, his eyes darting around.
Last year, he and Ke'er went on a spring outing and happened to meet Master Qingping. Master Qingping immediately saw that Ke'er had the destiny of a "blessed woman". At the time, he did not believe it and thought that this was a charlatan who was trying to take shortcuts. However, Master Qingping gave him three divinations in a row, and each one came true!
They have also kept in touch over the past year.
Upon returning to the palace from the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Xie Jing learned that his mother had ordered the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to send Ke'er to the nunnery.
Life at the nunnery was hard, and Ke'er, who had been pampered since childhood, couldn't possibly endure it! The thought of her suffering in the nunnery filled him with a longing to take her place. Since his mother wouldn't budge, he had no choice but to ask Master Qingping for help.
He asked with difficulty, "How did you know?"
"I calculated it," Gu Zhizhuo replied, his arms crossed, his answer sounding completely insincere.
Enraged, Xie Jing flicked his sleeve and refused to look at her.
Gu Zhizhu smiled and made a finger-counting gesture: "I also calculated that you will have Qingping Zhenren tell Master Xie that our marriage has caused you a lot of trouble, even putting your life in danger, such as falling into the water and almost drowning."
"you!"
Forget about calculating it; she was simply telling him clearly what she wanted him to do.
mean!
Gu Zhizhuo slowly took a step closer, the two of them very close, the wind blowing through their hair. She said, "This engagement, you resent it, and I hate it too. Ending it sooner is better for both of us, isn't it?"
Gu Zhizhuo smiled, like a harmless little white rabbit, but Xie Jing would say she was a venomous snake with its tongue out.
Xie Jing, outwardly strong but inwardly weak, said, "Aren't you afraid I'll tell Father Emperor everything?"
Gu Zhizhuo replied indifferently, "If you don't care that you and Cousin Ke are destined to be apart, you can go and say so."
This is not a threat, but a fact.
Gu Zhizhuo knew this, and Xie Jing knew it even better.
Xie Jing stared intently at her, then suddenly reached out and tried to pull at her veil. Gu Zhizhuo tilted her head, and his hand missed.
Gu Zhizhuo smiled without saying a word, which made Xie Jing quite bored.
He did suspect that there was no injury on her face at all, but even if it were confirmed now, so what? More than half a month has passed, so who can say that she deceived Jun?
Making a fuss about this will only make you look stupid.
One foolish act is enough; to do foolish things every time—how blind must the Emperor be to make me his heir?
The turtle that had been basking in the sun jumped into the water and swam away, paddling with its limbs. Gu Zhizhu raised an eyebrow and said, "If I jump into this pond, you'll probably face another round of criticism, and it'll be hard to say whether you can recover."
"If you jump, not only will your wish be fulfilled, but you will also win back your heart."
"You agree, don't you?"
Gu Zhizhuo curtsied and walked past him with light steps, hanging up the peace charm.
Xie Jing stood silently, his thin lips pressed tightly together, looking somewhat flustered and conflicted.
Gu Yican's great victory in suppressing the bandits not only uncovered their hideout but also revealed a major case involving a group of bandits. The commander of Xindu Guard in Yizhou colluded with the bandits to smuggle and sell military funds, and three or four guard posts, including Xindu Guard and Changyang Guard, were implicated.
Although his father did not say it explicitly, as soon as he entered the Sanqing Hall, his father sent him away to accompany Miss Gu. Just from this, he naturally understood his father's attitude towards the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
To put it nicely, it's about appeasement.
To put it bluntly, they're praising them excessively, holding them in high esteem.
Therefore, he really doesn't dare to offend Gu Zhizhuo now.
Gu Zhizhuo is despicable and shameless. If he doesn't please her, she will definitely hurt him in some way and run to her father to complain about him.
The sovereign and father, the sovereign and father, the former sovereign is the father.
If he cannot do as you wish, he will be rejected by his father.
Why.
Xie Jing was still standing by that pond.
"If you jump, not only will your wish be fulfilled, but you will also win back your heart."
The water flowed, creating ripples. Xie Jing could clearly see the pebbles and copper coins scattered in the lake, and three or five water turtles of different sizes swam back and forth in the water, looking extremely content.
The water is not deep.
This was Xie Jing's first thought.
He glanced in Qin Su's direction again, and walked casually to a place where Qin Su could see him.
Before they knew it, it was past noon, and the sun was getting quite strong. Xie Jing waved to Xiao Yunzi, who brought him some water. After drinking it, he said a few words and then sent Xiao Yunzi away.
Master Qingping also advised him—
Destruction precedes construction!
Xie Jing made his decision. He pretended to turn back, then deliberately stepped on a round stone. He slipped and lost his balance, falling into the pond.
thump!
In an instant, he was swallowed by the icy pool water.
Before he could even ask for help, he swallowed several mouthfuls of pond water.
For a moment, he couldn't help but wonder if the water was actually very deep, and Gu Zhizhuo was deliberately coaxing him to drown?
Knowing the thought was utterly absurd, he still panicked. His panic made him thrash about even more violently, his body bobbing up and down, unable to find its footing. Qin Su had been keeping a close watch on the area from time to time, not for any other reason than that the Imperial Guards were accompanying the prince; he couldn't allow anything to happen to the prince.
Unexpectedly, something really went wrong.
Qin Su's expression changed drastically, and he shouted loudly, "Your Highness...Young Master!"
"Help! The young master has fallen into the water!"
"Someone come here!"
He shouted as he rushed over and plunged into the water.
The pond wasn't deep, and Qin Su could swim, but Xie Jing was already in a panic, clinging to Qin Su and pulling him so hard that he swallowed several mouthfuls of water. It was only with great difficulty that Qin Su managed to drag Xie Jing ashore, and he was almost exhausted.
Xie Jing brushed aside the water plants at the corner of his mouth and spat out mouthfuls of pond water, choking and coughing so badly that he couldn't utter a single word.
Qin Su had no choice but to pull himself together and ask the young Taoist boy who had rushed over for a room. Then, remembering that he hadn't reported it yet, he quickly sent someone away. Standing in front of the Sanqing Hall, Qin Chen saw a scene of chaos, with the Imperial Guards and Xiao Yunzi all running into the hall. So, he took advantage of the confusion and followed them inside.
The emperor had already strolled from the main hall to the side hall.
Not long ago, a pilgrim knelt in front of the mountain gate seeking medical help, so the abbot took his leave, leaving only Master Qingping to accompany him.
Xiao Yunzi arrived even before the Imperial Guards, and said in a panic, "Your Majesty! The Third Young Master has fallen into the water!"
What? !
The emperor was speaking with the Grand Master Taiqing when he heard this, his expression changed, and he quickly asked, "What's going on?"
Xiao Yunzi replied, "The Third Young Master accidentally fell into the pond, but he has been rescued. Guard Qin took him to the side room."
The emperor could hardly believe his ears. Could someone really fall into such a small pond? His son couldn't be that stupid, could he?
Everyone turned to look at the emperor, while Qin Chen silently returned to Xie Yingchen's side.
The emperor suddenly asked, "Where is Miss Gu?"
Xiao Yunzi didn't quite understand why they were asking about Miss Gu, but she still explained in detail: "Miss Gu and the Third Young Master talked for a while and then she left. The Third Young Master was alone afterwards, and there were no other worshippers around at the time."
The second and fourth princes looked at each other in bewilderment. How could they have fallen into the water out of nowhere?
The second prince tentatively suggested, "Father, why don't we go and see our third brother first?"
right!
The emperor nodded and said to Master Qingping, "I would be grateful if you would accompany me to take a look."
"yes."
Qingping Zhenren was thin with sunken cheeks and slightly dark skin. He had two black mustaches that curled up when he spoke, making him look like a charlatan at first glance.
"lead the way."
At the emperor's command, Xiao Yunzi readily agreed.
Even if he were to lead the way, as a eunuch, he would still lag behind the emperor by half a step. He bowed and waited to the side, and when Master Qingping passed by, he quickly tugged at his Taoist robe.
Qingping looked down, and Xiao Yunzi quickly raised his index finger to indicate that the Third Prince had jumped on his own. He wasn't sure if Qingping could understand, so he anxiously mouthed "divination" several times. Xie Yingchen's gaze swept around, naturally not missing anything.
After pondering for a moment, Qingping called out to the emperor, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The emperor paused slightly. Seeing that Qingping hesitated a little, he sent his two sons to check on Xie Jing first, and signaled the others not to follow too closely. So, except for Li Deshun, everyone else lagged far behind.
The emperor said, "Master, speak."
"Thank you, Master Xie." Master Qingping didn't mince words and asked, "Has the Third Young Master been having some bad luck lately?"
"Unlucky! Absolutely unlucky." The emperor nodded and sighed, "I bumped my face last month, and the wound hasn't healed yet, and now this..."
Thinking about it carefully, the suffering Jing'er has endured in the past month is equivalent to what she has suffered in the past eighteen years.
Qingping stroked his two tufts of beard.
For those who cultivate the Tao, engaging with the world is an essential part of their practice, and he was no exception.
That's right. He came to the world to cultivate, not to undergo tribulation. Of course, he can't wrong himself and should try to live a good life. He could tell at a glance that the Third Prince Xie Jing had the potential to become a dragon, which was fine. But the most important thing was that the girl whose fate was connected to his was truly of inestimable nobility, born to be blessed by the heavens.
Qingping had calculated that these two were destined for greatness. Helping the Third Prince with a few harmless favors was in accordance with the will of Heaven; to go against it would be defying Heaven.
Moreover, if we cultivate a good relationship with the Third Prince now, we might even be able to become the Imperial Advisor in the future.
Therefore, even if the Third Prince used his name to spread the divination of the Fated Woman everywhere while he was in seclusion, he did not care.
Perhaps because of his nonchalance, the Third Prince came knocking on his door as soon as he emerged from seclusion. He asked him to find a way to rescue his beloved from the nunnery. It wasn't a big deal, and besides, given that girl's good fortune, she could resolve the predicament in less than a month, even if he did nothing.
For him, it was like doing someone a favor.
But the Third Prince didn't say he was going to jump into the pond.
What were you thinking?
A divination? That's right. When the Third Prince came back last time, he complained to him for a long time about the marriage he didn't want. I cast a divination for him, and the result seemed to be "destruction followed by construction".
So, the Third Prince changed his mind at the last minute and wanted to take the opportunity to break off the engagement?
As Qingping pondered how to deceive him, his face grew even more inscrutable: "When I was in seclusion, I cast a divination, and the hexagram revealed an auspicious sign of a blessed woman destined by heaven."
After saying this meaningfully, he made a "please" gesture.
The Emperor turned to leave. Indeed, he had come today because of this rumor, but before he could even ask, Jing'er was in trouble. Now, it was Qingping who took the initiative to speak. Could this so-called blessed woman be related to Jing'er?
He said, "Please speak frankly, sir."
“Yes,” Qingping continued, “The divination indicates that this woman is destined to receive the blessings of Heaven and bring prosperity to the nation.”
The emperor frowned in displeasure. What did he mean by "inheriting the prosperity of the empire"? Ha! Could the Great Qi Dynasty possibly produce an empress? Such words were utterly treasonous. If it weren't for Qingping's considerable fame in the capital over the past year, the emperor would have immediately turned on her and cursed her as a "wicked Taoist."
Qingping was able to thrive among the powerful and influential people in the capital, so he naturally understood the taboos involved.
Who told the Third Prince to jump without even consulting him? Sigh, back then when he was talking about breaking down the old ways before establishing the new, the Third Prince was quite certain, saying things like, "A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall." This Third Prince is truly fickle.
Despite his thoughts, Qingping smiled calmly and said, "Thank you, Master. This divination is no small matter. I dared not be hasty, so I secluded myself for a few more days and reinterpreted the divination. This time, the result is the character '旺' (prosperous)."
"Prosperous?" The emperor murmured the word to himself.
Qingping's mustache twitched as he said, "It's what people call 'prosperous husband' in folk terms."
"Not only does it bring good fortune to her husband, but it also brings good fortune to the world."
"Master Xie, you just asked me which of the men you brought had the potential to become a hidden dragon. I can frankly say it was the Third Young Master. But now it seems that he is merely a hidden dragon."
At the beginning of Emperor Taizu's uprising, he encountered an old Taoist priest who bowed deeply and declared that Taizu was a star destined for greatness. This same priest, when the late Emperor took Xie Yingchen to offer sacrifices to Heaven, also predicted that Xie Yingchen possessed the qualities of a hidden dragon. Upon their return, the late Emperor appointed his grandson as Crown Prince and considered this a divine omen.
The late emperor had no taboos, and the current emperor, who imitates the late emperor in everything, will naturally not have any taboos either. Moreover, he is quite pleased that Qingping is saying that the one with the potential to become a hidden dragon is his own son. He thinks to himself: It would be great if those stubborn fools in the court who fawn over Xie Yingchen all day long could also come and listen to who the hidden dragon is!
Qingping observed the situation, smiled, and asked, "Master Xie, what is destiny?"
He continued, "To follow the will of Heaven is to live; to defy it is to go astray." (Note)
"Forgive my bluntness, but a dragon lies hidden in the abyss. Only those who can leap out can transform into a golden dragon. Otherwise, what difference is there between them and a water snake?"
The emperor was deeply moved upon hearing this.
After a while, he nodded thoughtfully.
Therefore, Jing'er was destined to marry that blessed woman, but now, because of this unsuitable marriage, he has gone against his destiny, which is why he is experiencing all sorts of misfortunes and his good fortune is diminished.
Having figured this out, the emperor's expression remained indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Qingping knew perfectly well that the emperor only believed five or six parts of what he had said. There was nothing he could do about it; the third prince had jumped off the rails too quickly, not giving him enough chance to fool, or rather, to gain the emperor's trust.
As he pondered what else to say, the emperor suddenly spoke up, asking, "Has the Master ever met Miss Gu?"
"I've met you." Qingping nodded with a smile.
"What is her destiny?"
"What terrible luck, a cursed star destined to be alone." Qingping couldn't help but think to himself. But this was a year ago when he first saw her. He had just entered the Sanqing Hall and caught a glimpse of her. Somehow, a glimmer of hope seemed to appear.
With this kind of fate, she is destined to be lonely and miserable all her life. Whoever gets close to her will be unlucky. How could she possibly find any hope?
It must be because I'm not skilled enough.
Qingping thought to himself, then shook his head.
He had originally intended to gloss over the matter, but seeing that the emperor was not going to be vague, he could only say, "A cursed lone star."
That's not all—
"Those who are close to her will have their fate affected by her. In layman's terms, they will become unlucky. The closer they are, the more this will happen."
Halfway through his speech, Qingping suddenly noticed that the emperor had stopped. He looked up and saw that the emperor was staring at the young master Chen, who was lagging behind, with a somewhat sinister look in his eyes.
After a while, the emperor seemed to realize that he had been somewhat out of line. He coughed twice, beckoned Xie Yingchen over, and said, "You rarely come out, so you don't need to stay with me all the time. Go and have a look around by yourself. The scenery at Taiqing Temple is quite nice."
It was as if I had only looked at him just to get him to speak.
"Yes," Xie Yingchen said with a smile, "I've heard that the calligraphy forest at Taiqing Temple is truly exceptional."
"Go on, don't catch a cold," the emperor considerately dismissed him.
Xie Yingchen stepped aside, respectfully saw the emperor off, and then left the Sanqing Hall.
With the sunlight falling on him and the wind blowing in his face, Xie Yingchen felt much more relaxed.
A young Taoist disciple stepped forward and said, "Young Master Xie, this way please."
Xie Yingchen nodded: "Thank you for your trouble."
The young Taoist priest led them through the path, and gradually, fewer and fewer pilgrims appeared. Before long, they arrived at a large, dark green bamboo forest. In the distance, they could vaguely see a round pavilion standing by the water in the bamboo forest.
This is not a forest of steles, but a bamboo forest.
The young Taoist stopped walking and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you, young master. Miss Gu is at the Water Viewing Pavilion ahead. No outsiders will be coming into the bamboo forest today, so please rest assured."
Xie Yingchen expressed his gratitude. The abbot of Taiqing Temple was a close friend of his father. When his father was seriously ill, it was the abbot who used all his medical skills to pull him back from the brink of death.
Qin Chen followed behind him, walking towards the round pavilion, and said in a low voice, "Old Huai, Miss Gu said that we would definitely see her today, and she was right again."
Xie Yingchen only brought Qin Chen and Huai Jing with him on this trip.
Huai Jingzhi was a little older than Qin Chen, and his appearance was plain. Not just plain, but the kind of person you could easily miss if you glanced at him in a crowd.
Instead of answering, Huai Jingzhi asked, "What did you see outside?"
Qin Chen recounted the entire process of how the Third Prince slipped and fell into the pond, without adding any speculation.
Huai Jingzhi calmly said, "It wasn't that he slipped; he jumped on his own."
ah?
Qin Chen didn't understand, but he was greatly shocked. Gu Da Niang's eloquence was so good that she coaxed the Third Prince into jumping into the pond with just a few words.
He gave a thumbs up: "Miss Gu, you're amazing."
Huai Jingzhi didn't think so. He pondered, "Young Master, should we investigate whether Miss Gu has any leverage over the Third Young Master..."
He was talking, but his young master wasn't listening at all.
Huai Jingzhi followed his gaze and saw that the small round pavilion was not far ahead. From this distance, he could clearly see that Miss Gu was brewing tea in the pavilion, leisurely and content, with wisps of white smoke swirling around her.
Is the young master looking after the young lady?
Xie Yingchen walked briskly, and when he reached the round pavilion, Gu Zhizhuo looked up and gave him a bright smile.
"Young Master Xie, you've arrived."
Her smile illuminated her beautiful face, radiant in the sunlight, captivating all who beheld her.
Xie Yingchen stared at her for a moment, then his expression softened even more: "Miss Gu, you've worked hard."
"It's not hard work."
Gu Zhizhuo's words were perfectly reasonable.
The abbot had a young Taoist boy lead her here, so she drank some tea, enjoyed the scenery, and chatted with Qiongfang and Qingmei. What was so tiring about it?
Just as the pot of tea was boiling, the young master arrived.
What great luck!
She was even happier: "Please sit down."
Xie Yingchen took off his cloak, lifted his robe, and sat down.
Gu Zhizhuo personally poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him.
The tea had a very unique aroma. Gu Zhizhuo said, "It's medicinal tea. Please try it."
Xie Yingchen picked up the cup and took a sip. The tea was at the perfect temperature, and it didn't have a strong medicinal taste. It smelled bitter but tasted somewhat sweet.
"Is it good?"
"Delicious!"
Gu Zhizhuo's eyes crinkled with satisfaction.
Xie Yingchen finished the tea in a few sips. The warm tea warmed him, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. He put down the teacup contentedly and let Gu Zhizhuo pour him another cup, introducing, "You know Qin Chen, this is Huai Jingzhi."
Hey, it's an old friend!
Gu Zhizhuo raised an eyebrow and looked at Huai Jingzhi, letting him scrutinize her without flinching.
In her previous life, she knew Huai Jingzhi extremely well—
An old fox who loves to put on airs.
He appears refined and gentle, like a true gentleman, and even gets shy when speaking to strangers. In reality, he is cunning and ruthless.
Before his death, the young master left all his possessions to himself and entrusted his subordinates to Huai Jingzhi.
In the final moments of his life, the young master paved a smooth path for the rest of their lives for all of them.
However, neither of them were very obedient, and as soon as the young master was buried, they immediately reached an agreement—
With the blood feud unavenged, how can the rest of my life be peaceful?
She returned to the capital, hiding in the shadows, stirring up trouble in the court.
Huai Jingzhi then went to the northern frontier to recruit soldiers and horses.
However, she died before him, and no one knows what became of him in the end.
Huai Jingzhi smiled shyly: "Miss Gu, Young Master Xie just fell into the water." After saying that, he stared intently into Gu Zhizhuo's eyes.
Gu Zhizhuo looked completely innocent: "I made him jump."
She excitedly told Xie Yingchen, "I told him it's either him or me. If I jump, he's finished, he won't be able to explain himself no matter how many mouths he has. He has no choice but to jump himself."
Xie Jing was not so much persuaded by her, but rather forced to do so.
Xie Jing wanted to use the blessed woman to bring Ji Nanke out of the nunnery.
She also wanted to use the two of them to ruin the engagement without getting hurt.
He wanted to convince the emperor that this marriage would kill his precious son. Today she could threaten Xie Jing into jumping into a pond, and the day after tomorrow she could persuade him to jump through a ring of fire…
Having done it once, Xie Jing had no choice but to go down this path to the bitter end.
Most importantly, since Xie Jing has fallen into the water and his condition is unknown, the emperor certainly won't take the young master with him, which would give them a chance to meet!
"I'm pretty amazing, aren't I?!"
Her phoenix eyes were bright and sparkling, and her eyelashes fluttered as if to say: Come and praise me.
Xie Yingchen smiled with delight: "You're really amazing!"
His face was full of admiration, or rather, he liked the way she did things, which was not mixed with too much emotional impulse, and she was not allowed to let emotions influence her judgment.
Calm and decisive, without any hesitation.
"So," Gu Zhizhuo's pretty face hardened, "why didn't you listen!"
Observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation.
Judging from his complexion, Gu Zhizhuo knew that his illness had not been well managed recently.
Xie Yingchen didn't argue at all, and immediately said, looking aggrieved, "I was wrong."
Gu Zhizhu chuckled softly, her eyes suddenly brightening. She stretched out her hand and said to Xie Yingchen as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Give me your hand."
Xie Yingchen rolled up his wide sleeves, revealing his thin, bony wrists.
Gu Zhizhuo's fingers, which were firmly on her pulse, were as steady as a rock. She took the pulse very carefully, her eyes lowered, and she did not say a word.
Qin Chen nudged Huai Jingzhi with his elbow and asked in a low voice, "Did you figure anything out?"
Huai Jingzhi ignored him.
Qin Chen quietly moved one step closer to him, then another: "Old Huai."
Huai Jingzhi: "Stop making noise."
He uttered those two words without the slightest fluctuation, not even raising an eyebrow, making his already ordinary face appear even more bland.
Miss Gu risked her life to save him, but she didn't seek any personal gain from him. At first, Huai Jingzhi thought she was probably infatuated with his young master. But after meeting her, he realized that her every word and action was so pure and genuine.
Rather than infatuation, it was more like respect, trust, admiration, and even dependence, lacking the shyness of a young girl in love. On the contrary, the young master's gentle, almost tear-filled eyes clearly showed that he was moved.
Gu Zhizhuo withdrew his hand, seemingly lost in thought.
Huai Jingzhi then said, "Miss Gu, the young master has been feeling cold lately and has been sweating profusely."
Gu Zhizhuo pursed his lips slightly and said unhappily, "This is because we ate something that clashes with our diet."
Huai Jingzhi's eyes flickered, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Clashing!?" His voice also rose slightly.
Gu Zhizhuo glanced at him, her eyes full of disdain, as if to say: Stop pretending, you know that?
Huai Jingzhi: "..."
Miss Gu has a bad reputation in the capital. From what he's heard, she's been arrogant, extravagant, unfilial, stupid, and ignorant. He doesn't know where these rumors came from, but after meeting her today, he can tell that she's definitely not stupid. She even immediately realized that he was testing her.
Interesting! Huai Jingzhi wanted to continue, but his own young master betrayed him first.
"yes."
This single word was spoken in a gentle and soft tone.
Seeing Huai Jing's embarrassed expression, Qin Chen almost burst out laughing. He quickly turned his head away and coughed a few times.
Gu Zhizhuo spread his hands towards Huai Jingzhi: "Give me the medical records and the prescriptions written by the imperial physician."
Huai Jingzhi took out a copied medical record and prescription from his sleeve, along with a small porcelain bottle containing some medicinal liquid.
There was only a thin sheet of paper, and the characters were written very small when copying, so it looked densely packed at a glance.
It will take some time to read.
Xie Yingchen slowly peeled the pine nuts in front of him, unhurried and calm. His fingers were long and slender with distinct knuckles, and the skin on his hands was very white, a kind of sickly white.
After peeling a plate of pine nuts, Gu Zhizhuo finished reading and casually held the silk paper to the flames of the red clay stove.
The small stove was still boiling water, and with the gurgling sound of boiling water, the thin silk paper was soon reduced to a puff of black ash.
Gu Zhizhuo said, "It's a harmless peace."
The medical record was generally sound, except for the mother's weak constitution and chronic illness. The prescription was neither particularly effective nor flawed; it was a fairly good health-preserving formula. The person sitting in the imperial palace always maintained a very polished facade, and something so openly displayed couldn't possibly go wrong.
She poured the medicine into her palm, smelled it, took the handkerchief Qiongfang handed her, wiped her hands, and said, "This medicine clashes with your constitution, young master; it will do more harm than good."
She has always been outspoken with Xie Yingchen, and this time is no exception.
She said, "Young Master Xie, your old illness is chronic, and to strengthen your body and replenish your vital energy, you should use warm and nourishing remedies..."
"This prescription uses the proven formula of Bian Que's Life-Saving Decoction, which can indeed nourish blood and liver, and boost yang. However, the prescription reduces the amount of aconite and increases the amount of white peony root. This may not be a problem for ordinary people, but for you, young master, the imbalance of yin and yang will only worsen your cold symptoms, and you will definitely feel it."
As Gu Zhizhuo spoke, he looked at the cloak that Qin Chen was holding in his hands.
"If this continues, your cough will worsen and your airway will become constricted."
First came lung abscess, then his body gradually weakened, his internal organs deteriorated, until even a god could not save him.
Just like the ending of the previous life.
Gu Zhizhu slammed his hand on the stone table, making a loud thud: "We can't stay in the palace anymore!"
In the palace, the young master was merely a caged bird, his every move, every bite, and every meal under the watchful eyes of others.
Judging from Huai Jingzhi's attitude, it's clear that the young master must have discovered the problem with the medicine long ago, but still had no choice but to take it.
Xie Yingchen's narrow eyes held a smile: "You're right, young lady."
He frankly stated his plan: "Is there any medicine that can suddenly give me a serious illness?"
Gu Zhizhuo lowered his eyelids slightly, his eyelashes casting faint reflections on his eyelids.
If the young master were to suddenly fall seriously ill, the emperor would certainly not want him to die in the palace, lest he face future calamities.
However, with so many imperial physicians in the palace, this serious illness could not possibly be feigned; it must be a genuine illness.
He was physically weak, and even a minor cold could be fatal to him; he simply couldn't withstand such reckless treatment.
I disagree.
She pursed her lips, huffed and puffed, and put her hands on her hips.
The surrounding green bamboo rustled in the wind.
Xie Yingchen sat up straight and handed her the plate of peeled pine nuts.
"Miss Gu, I only trust you."
A note from the author:
Note: *Tao Te Ching*
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