"Yes, this slave knows."
"Go find something to eat, I'm hungry!"
"Yes!" Xiaotao took the order and left.
Gu Yao sat in the pavilion and waited quietly.
Not long after, Xiao Tao came over with a food box, "Miss, these are the pastries given to you by the Queen Mother."
Gu Yao took the food box and opened it, only to see two plates of osmanthus cake and two cups of hot tea inside.
She picked up one of the sweet-scented osmanthus cakes and took a bite. The sweet taste immediately filled her mouth.
After finishing one piece, she stretched out her other hand to pick up the second piece of pastry and took a bite. Immediately, the fragrance of osmanthus lingered on the tip of her nose.
"tasty!"
"Miss, please eat slowly, no one will compete with you." Xiao Tao said with a smile.
After Gu Yao finished eating, she took a sip of the warm tea on the table to moisten her throat, and then put the cake aside.
"Miss, are you worried about Miss Chen Qing?" Xiao Tao blinked her big eyes, looking like a curious baby.
"Um."
"Miss, are you worried about whether there is a boy or girl in Miss Chen Qing's belly?"
"Um."
"Miss, don't worry! You are so beautiful, there must be a girl in your belly!"
"how do you know?"
"Because, miss, you are the most beautiful person in the world, and you are so beautiful."
"Really?" Gu Yao raised the corners of her lips slightly.
"Yes, yes, the lady is so beautiful, the child she will give birth to will definitely be even more beautiful." Xiao Tao said seriously.
"You girl, you have such a sweet mouth." Gu Yao poked Xiao Tao's forehead lovingly and smiled.
"Ouch!" Xiao Tao covered her forehead and glared at Gu Yao in aggrieved manner, "Miss Gu, why are you pinching my forehead again!"
"Who made you so cute and cute!" Gu Yao rubbed Xiaotao's cheek.
Xiao Tao smiled and came to Gu Yao's side, "Miss, do you like Xiao Tao?"
"I like it, of course I do!"
"But... Xiaotao feels that Miss Gu hates slaves."
"How could it be? It's too late for me to like you, so how could I hate you!"
"Can the young lady marry me from now on?"
"Cough cough... cough cough cough..." Gu Yao was choked and coughed.
"Miss! Xiao Tao doesn't care about the occasion, don't take it seriously!" Xiao Tao patted Gu Yao's back in panic.
"It's okay, I'm okay." Gu Yao shook her head, "By the way, Xiaotao, did anything big happen in the palace during this time?"
"Miss, why do you suddenly ask about this matter?" Xiao Tao was stunned.
"I heard that today the emperor and the queen mother summoned all civil and military officials to discuss the establishment of a heir apparent. Do you think this is true?" Gu Yao asked.
"It should be true. I've heard about it too! However, I'm not sure either." Xiao Tao hesitated for a moment and said, "Mother Queen, please don't tell the Queen Mother!"
"Why?"
"Because the Queen Mother is prejudiced against Miss Chen."
"Prejudice?" Gu Yao was puzzled.
"Yes, that's prejudice! I heard that Miss Chen's mother was picked up by the emperor from the people. Her mother was originally a singer, but was later sold to a singing house in the capital. The singer gave birth to a child. The baby girl was sent to the palace by the Queen Mother, and then she was named Concubine Chen."
Gu Yao was silent for a while, "Is that so?"
"I don't know if it's true or not, but this is all I know!" Xiao Tao said.
"You go down first." Gu Yao waved her hand.
"yes."
...
When Gu Yao returned to the yard, Chen Qing was already waiting for her in the yard.
"Miss Chen Qing, do you have anything to do with me?" Gu Yao asked.
Chen Qing nodded, "Miss Gu, I want to ask you for a favor."
"What's the deal?"
"Help me deliver the sweet-scented osmanthus cake given by the Queen Mother to the Emperor."
Gu Yao raised her eyebrows, "Isn't this the cake the emperor gave you?"
"I want to hand it over to the emperor personally."
"Okay, I promise you." Gu Yao nodded.
"Thank you, Miss Gu!"
"You're welcome."
"You are so kind!" Chen Qing praised sincerely, "You are a good person!"
"hehe......"
"Miss, the Queen Mother has sent someone to tell you that she will ask you to go to the imperial study room to have dinner during dinner, so that we can all prepare it."
"good!"
During dinner, Gu Yao had dinner as usual and then went to the imperial study room.
Gu Yao stood outside the palace door and saw the lights inside. She must have been handling government affairs, so she waited outside.
About half an hour later, there was a rush of footsteps in the palace, and then the high-pitched voice of the eunuch resounded throughout the palace.
"Your Majesty is here!"
Gu Yao raised her eyes and saw the emperor, who was luxurious in dragon robes and full of majesty, striding out of the imperial study room.
His eyes were burning, and they fell directly on Gu Yao. As he walked towards her quickly, he shouted: "Yao Yao!"
"Your Majesty, my maid!" Gu Yao bowed and saluted.
The emperor strode up to her.
"Yao Yao, why did you come here? Don't you know where this place is?" He scolded her in an unhappy tone, but with deep concern.
"I dare not disobey the Queen Mother's decree, so I can only follow the rules and come here." Gu Yao lowered her head and said in a neither humble nor arrogant tone.
"Hmph! No matter what grievances you suffer here, you must leave as soon as possible!"
"But Your Majesty!" Gu Yao raised her eyes and looked at him, "Your Majesty, don't you want to stay in this cold palace?"
The emperor is cold.
"You mean, you want me to stay here?"
"Yes!" Gu Yao nodded, "If your Majesty is willing to stay here, then stay here. If you want to leave, then of course I have nothing to say."
"Yao Yao, I know that you are blaming me for feeling sorry for you. You resent the harm I have done to you and my ruthlessness to you." The emperor sighed deeply, "Yao Yao, I know that it is my fault. It is I who owe you my life, and I have failed you."
"Your Majesty, I want to hear you tell me personally whether your love for me exists, whether you feel guilty at all, and whether you regret everything you have done?" Gu Yao stared at him and asked seriously.
"I love you!" the emperor said word by word, "Yao Yao, you are my wife and the person I love most in my life. I have warned myself more than once that I will treat you well throughout my life and I will never let you suffer again. Any harm. But look what you have become now?"
"What have I become?" Gu Yao smiled bitterly, "Am I now like this because of His Majesty's gift?"
"me......"
"Your Majesty, I don't blame you! Really! I just hope that you can remember your promise today and always be good to me."
"I promise you." The emperor nodded solemnly, "Yao Yao, I promise, I will only be good to you in this life."
"Your Majesty, you don't need to promise me anything, because we are already husband and wife." Gu Yao said softly.
...
The night is getting dark.
Gu Yao stood outside the yard, waiting quietly.
Suddenly, a black shadow emerged from the trees.
"Is it you?" Gu Yao exclaimed.
The person who came was none other than Chen Qing.
"I came here just to see how you are doing." Chen Qing chuckled, "I'm not worried about you coming alone, so I came here just to see if you're okay!"
"Well, thank you for your concern." Gu Yao smiled, "I'm fine!"
"Yao Yao, you are still the same as before." Chen Qing said with emotion, "In the past, you always liked to hide yourself very tightly. It was very difficult for me to get close to you. However, since you left the palace, I Then I know that I will never be able to enter your world again in this life."
"Miss Chen Qing, you..."
Chen Qing interrupted Gu Yao: "Yao Yao, I really like you, whether you believe it or not, but I am sincere!"
"Miss Chen Qing, I know you are a good person, and I also know your feelings for me. However, my life is very good now, and I don't need sympathy or pity from others! I just want to be my ordinary person safely. , as long as you don’t hurt my family and friends, even if I die, I won’t resent you!”
When Chen Qing heard this, his face turned pale.
He looked at Gu Yao's clear and clean eyes. Her eyes were like two pieces of pure amber.
"I know, I won't do anything stupid again!"
"Thank you!" Gu Yao said sincerely.
"Let's go, I'll take you back home!"
"good!"
The two walked out of the imperial study side by side.
Gu Yao sat on the carriage, recalling everything about today in her mind.
The emperor was right, if he didn't want to stay in the palace, he could ignore this matter completely, but the emperor didn't! He chose to stay in the palace, in this dark and damp palace.
"Yao Yao, I will stay in the imperial study tonight." The emperor suddenly said.
"Ah?" Gu Yao opened her eyes wide in surprise, "Your Majesty, the imperial study room is an important part of the country. What you do is too..."
"It's okay." The emperor patted the back of Gu Yao's hand gently, "I am the crown prince appointed by the Queen Mother. This royal study is for the exclusive use of the royal family. I don't have to worry about anyone daring to break in."
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid this is not good!"
"Yao Yao, you are my wife. I cannot watch you suffer any grievance or humiliation." The emperor held Gu Yao's hand tightly, "Yao Yao, I don't want you to suffer any more grievances and injuries."
A warm current surged in Gu Yao's heart, and the corner of her mouth raised a slight arc: "Thank you."
"I'll take you back to rest."
"good!"
Chen Qing sent Gu Yao back to the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Along the way, both of them were silent.
The emperor sent Gu Yao back to the palace and returned to the imperial study.
He stood by the window and looked at the dark sky, feeling very complicated.
Gu Yao, I'm sorry! I am also forced to do so!
I really love you!
But I can't let you become the target of public criticism! I can't let you marry a cruel and heartless man!
You should have your own happiness!
You should be the most beautiful and dazzling princess in the world!
Instead of being trapped in the boudoir of the palace and spending the rest of your life alone!
...
The Seventh Prince's Mansion.
The seventh prince had just had dinner and was preparing to wash up and go to bed.
These days, he has been busy with disaster relief and construction of new cities almost every day.
Whenever he lay in bed, a beautiful scene appeared in his mind: the sunset.
His Yao'er, dressed in red, was shining brightly like a flame. She stood in front of him, smiling sweetly and brightly at him.
Gu Yao, you are so beautiful!
pity......
It's a pity that I can never see your smile again!
I don’t ask you to forgive me, but I ask you to see you again before I die!
The seventh prince was lying on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
As soon as he closed his eyes, Gu Yao's smile filled his head.
That was when she was most beautiful.
The seventh prince suddenly sat up, lifted the quilt and got out of bed, put on his robe, and hurried out.
He wants to find her! He wanted to tell her what he had accumulated in his heart!
He wants her to understand that he really doesn't want to lose her!
"Miss!"
The little maid was holding a basin of water and was about to pour it out. She was startled when she saw Gu Yao rushing out in a hurry.
"Miss, what's wrong with you?" The little maid looked at her doubtfully.
Gu Yao saw the basin in her hand and quickly reached out and snatched the basin from her hand.
When the little maid saw this, she hurriedly stepped aside.
Gu Yao picked up the basin and quickly splashed the cold and biting water on her face.
Her cheeks suddenly felt cold.
Her body also started to tremble.
Gu Yao took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
She couldn't continue to think nonsense.
