"What do you know? And who told you?"
Yuan Zhe's words left Gu Qizhanger confused. It seemed that he was talking about the matter in front of him, but when he thought about it more carefully, he seemed to be talking about something else.
He seemed to have changed, exuding a ruthless aura.
Gu Qi didn't dare to express his anger and silently held the dagger in his hand: "Your Highness, you may have misunderstood. I just made a guess and didn't say anything else."
After speaking, he lowered his head and straightened his back.
I always felt that Yuan Zhe was staring at me, and the air around me seemed to suddenly become colder.
After a moment of stalemate, I saw his feet move and then left his sight.
Gu Qi breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the food on the table, the color is still the same, but I don’t want to eat it.
I don't know whether it was due to excessive nervousness or the effects of drugs, but I actually slept all afternoon.
When he woke up, Yuan Zhe was nowhere to be seen.
The table was empty, presumably someone had taken the food box back.
I just don’t know if the little eunuch who came is the same one I saw at noon.
In such a huge palace, there was limited space to move around, not to mention the injury on her feet. Gu Qi could only stay in the small courtyard, reading and drinking tea.
It wasn't until I woke up from the desk that I realized I had fallen asleep again.
I didn't feel bored when I was alone in the courtyard before. Now for some reason, I feel lonely and boring.
Until the sun went down and the sky turned indigo, Gu Qi looked out the window and saw a familiar figure walking slowly.
The moment he opened the heavy curtain, cold wind rushed in, making Gu Qi shiver.
"Where has your Highness gone?" Gu Qi put on his old coat and stepped forward to ask.
Yuan Zhe did not answer directly, but sat down and poured a cup of hot tea.
Gu Qi came over and sat opposite him. He held the tea cup in his hand, frowned, and stared ahead in trance.
"Your Highness? Your Highness!" Gu Qi raised his voice, and Yuan Zhe came back to his senses.
Yuan Zhe turned his head and looked at Gu Qi: "What did I say to you when I was drunk yesterday?"
Gu Qi looked at him and shook his head: "I didn't say anything."
Seeing Yuan Zhe lower his head and remain silent, Gu Qi asked: "Is His Majesty looking for you?"
"Well," Yuan Zhe raised his head: "How do you know?"
"Is it to pay homage to Concubine Zheng?"
Yuan Zhe thought about it and suddenly realized: "Did you tell His Majesty?"
Gu Qi sat up straight and nodded: "After today's morning court, His Majesty summoned his ministers to the imperial study."
"What did you ask?"
Gu Qi looked at Yuan Zhe and said seriously: "You don't need to guess, you should know what the question will be, right?"
Yuan Zhe's face darkened again, he raised his hand and took a sip of tea.
Gu Qi knew that he was being patient. Next, I need to look at his face and speak.
Thinking of this, Gu Qi turned her body to face him: "His Majesty asked about your situation yesterday, and also mentioned the anniversary of the death of Concubine Zheng. I said that you have no intention of organizing a memorial ceremony."
Yuan Zhe raised his head and stared at Gu Qi until the hair on his head stood up.
Although he didn't know what Yuan Chengxi told him, Yuan Zhe was already suspicious, and only by telling the truth could he make him trust him.
Gu Qi continued: "But I suggest to Your Majesty that the anniversary of Princess Zheng's death should be organized as in previous years."
"Since you know what I mean, why do you want to make your own decisions?"
"Of course it's for His Highness. It's rare to return to the capital. Don't you want to see your old friends?"
Yuan Zhe chuckled and said, "Is that what you told His Majesty?"
"That's not the case. Organizing a memorial service for Concubine Zheng is what His Majesty has been doing in the past years. If it is abandoned because Prince Zhenguo returns to the capital, others will think that His Majesty and His Highness have a quarrel. It’s not good for the country.”
After hearing what Gu Qi said, the gloom on Yuan Zhe's face was wiped away, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised.
"Pei Qihuan, I want to thank you."
At this moment, I was really "flattered".
"Your Highness, don't blame me for making my own decision."
Yuan Zhe shook his head and said with a smile: "Why do you blame me? You just said everything I wanted to say."
Gu Qixuan's heart dropped to the ground.
It seems that we are one step closer.
next day
Yuan Zhe put on his plain clothes early, and Gu Qi followed him out of the small courtyard of Zhudi.
There were two carriages parked at the entrance of the small courtyard. Wei Li served Yuan Zhe on the front carriage, while Gu Qi got into the rear carriage with the help of a young eunuch. So far, Li Mao has still not been seen.
The vast team left the palace gate and walked towards the temple.
This was the first time he saw a royal memorial ceremony. Gu Qi opened the curtain and looked forward. He could barely see the end and had no idea where Yuan Zhe was.
Looking back, Chang Bin was also opening the curtain. When he saw Gu Qi, he smiled and waved.
The carriage stopped and Gu Qi and others got out of the carriage.
Under the instructions of the little eunuch, they knelt down at the foot of the mountain one by one.
Halfway up the mountainside, the concubines of the harem gathered, and they all knelt down one by one with the help of the palace maids.
I don’t know who among them is the “good man Zhao” in Yuan Chengxi’s mouth.
Gu Qi raised her head. The long mountain steps almost reached the sky. On the top of the mountain was a building with a golden roof and red tiles. I squinted my eyes a little and saw a small group of people climbing up. It must be Yuan Chengxi in front.
The monk next to him began to chant sutras. A young eunuch stood in front of him and shouted "Bow". Gu Qi bowed his head and knelt down.
After kneeling for about a stick of incense, the little eunuch shouted "The ceremony is over", and everyone stood up and returned to the car again.
After a while, rustling footsteps were heard outside, and occasionally a few sobs could be heard. Gu Qi opened the curtain to take a look, but was pulled down by the eunuch next to him.
"The empresses of all the palaces have come down the mountain. It would be better for you to stay away."
Gu Qi was startled and hurriedly sat up straight and said, "Yes, blame me for being abrupt."
Listening to the continuous footsteps outside, although I was curious, I didn't dare to lift the curtain again.
"Old General Zheng needs to express his condolences and take care of himself."
There seemed to be Yuan Chengxi's voice outside. Gu Qi put her ear to the side and listened carefully to what was going on outside.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your thoughtfulness. I am so grateful that I have nothing to repay!"
Could this old voice be the old General Zheng mentioned by Yuan Chengxi - Zheng Xu?
"Uncle, get in the car."
This is Yuan Zhe’s voice!
Until the footsteps around him became denser and sparse, he heard a "drive" and the carriage started to move.
Gu Qi was sitting in the car and could not see what was going on outside, but the relationship between Yuan Zhe, Zheng Xu and Zhao Yu was now clear, and with Liu Jigang taking over all the officials and military officers, it was no wonder Yuan Chengxi was wary.
The more serious the civil strife in Lan country is, the more beneficial it will be to the border war.
It seems that the best thing to do is to continue to get close to Yuan Zhe and find the right opportunity to sow discord between their uncle and nephew.
The carriage creaked and creaked for nearly an hour. After stopping for a while, someone knocked on the driveway: "Pei Qihuan, aren't you tired from sitting for so long? Come down and take a walk."
Gu Qi opened the curtain and saw Chang Bin standing outside. A few feet away, a dozen carriages were driving in the other direction.
"Where is this going?"
Chang Bin glanced in the direction Gu Qi pointed and said, "Oh, Your Majesty, they are going to the cemetery."
"Aren't we going?"
Chang Bin glared at Gu Qi and said, "Only relatives of the emperor can go to the royal cemetery. Except for the empress, empresses from all the palaces are not allowed to go, let alone you and me?"
"Oh." Gu Qi looked at the moving carriage and fell into deep thought.
"Come down first. I have something to tell you." Chang Bin knocked on the side wall again.
Gu Qi came to his senses and hurriedly got up and got out of the carriage.
Soon, the palace entrance returned to its deserted appearance. The guard at the entrance stood upright with weapons in hand, looking indifferent.
"What happened to your foot?"
Gu Qichong smiled at Chang Bin and said, "The skin injury is not a problem."
Chang Bin held up one of Gu Qi's arms, and the two of them walked towards the Hanlin Academy.
Along the way, Chang Bin kept asking questions about Yuan Zhe's gossip, making Gu Qi dumbfounded.
"Did you hear that?"
Hearing his abrupt words, Gu Qi wondered: "What did you hear?"
Chang Bin looked around and whispered: "Your Majesty has something to do with His Royal Highness King Zhe."
"What's up?"
Chang Bin looked at Gu Qi with suspicion in his eyes: "You are so close to His Highness King Zhe, and you don't know?"
"what do you know?"
Could it be that the family dinner he was talking about?
Chang Bin frowned and said, "Two days ago, someone saw His Royal Highness King Zhe returning to the courtyard drunk. How could you not know?"
Gu Qi hesitated for a while, then nodded: "I know this. It was a family banquet hosted by His Majesty that day, and His Royal Highness King Zhe was invited to have a drink."
"Then do you know what happened next?"
later?
Gu Qi began to think about it. Later, Yuan Zhe came back drunk, and then he met Yuan Chengxi. There is nothing wrong with this.
Chang Bin stared at Gu Qi, as if he wanted to know something from Gu Qi.
Gu Qi looked at Chang Bin and shook his head.
Chang Bin sighed and said in a lowered voice, "I'm afraid that Prince Zhe may offend His Majesty at the banquet that day."
Gu Qizhui asked: "You were not at the banquet, how did you find out?"
Approaching the Hanlin Academy, more and more people were coming and going. Chang Bin was about to open his mouth, but when he saw someone approaching, he swallowed it back.
After the man walked away, Fang said: "This is what I guessed after listening to many sources. I heard that after the banquet, His Majesty arrested the little eunuch who was accompanying him, and the little eunuch was killed the next day. ”
"Killed?" Gu Qi exclaimed, so frightened that Chang Bin quickly covered Gu Qi's mouth.
Is the little eunuch accompanying him Li Mao?
Gu Qi's heart started to beat faster. She held Chang Bin's hand tightly and asked, "His Royal Highness King Zhe, what does he have to do with this little eunuch?"
Chang Bin took out his hand, looked around, and said, "I think the two of them had a quarrel during the family banquet. Your Majesty couldn't do anything to Prince Zhe, so he had to find a little eunuch to vent his anger on. It is said that the little eunuch had his tongue pulled out. It hurts to death!"
Tongue pulling?
Gu Qi's feet softened and she almost fell to the ground.
Chang Bin quickly grabbed Gu Qi's arm to prevent Gu Qi from falling.
If the little eunuch Chang Bin was talking about was Li Mao, then was he killed...
"Chang Bin, how did you learn about such shocking news?"
Chang Bin didn't notice Gu Qi's discomfort, and he still spoke calmly and calmly: "There is no airtight wall in the world. I just made it up by mouthing here and there. But this is also my guess. , No one knows the specific situation. Some people say that the little eunuch said something disobedient, while others say that the little eunuch was a spy and said something confidential..."
Yes, there is no airtight wall in the world.
