After Xiao Fubao's life was stolen, he became the favorite of everyone in the capital

Chapter 499 Prison
Even though Niu Niu was reluctant the next day, she still got up early in the morning, put on her clothes and climbed into Gu Mingda's carriage.

"How about letting Niu Niu take a leave today?" Zhang Yunniang said in a low voice.

Gu Mingda shook his head: "You can hide today, but you can't hide tomorrow. Niuniu is still young after all, so she shouldn't do anything too excessive."

Zhang Yuniang sighed.

Gu Mingda comforted him, "Let's think of a solution."

Although it is true that Niu Niu can ask for sick leave, Niu Niu is not actually sick. Firstly, Gu Mingda feels that this statement is unlucky, and secondly, he does not want to teach his daughter to lie himself.

In the carriage leading to the palace, there were only the father and daughter. Gu Mingda asked, "My dear, do you remember what Daddy told you before about how to protect yourself?"

Niuniu tilted her head and thought for a moment: "I am getting older now, so I have to be more cautious in the future. Even with my brother at home, I can't be too close."

Gu Mingda nodded. He used to like pinching his daughter's chubby little face, but he seldom touched it recently because he wanted his daughter to understand the difference between men and women.

The morning classes ended in a hurry and Gu Mingda sent Niu Niu out of Baisunyuan.

When he saw the people waiting for Niu Niu outside, his eyes suddenly fixed.

The person waiting for Niu Niu was not Concubine Li, or the palace maids and eunuchs of Shoukang Palace, but Xiao Anzi.

Xiao Anzi is Qian Rongsheng's apprentice, and everyone knows that he is a member of the imperial court.

Gu Mingda forced a smile on his face and asked, "What's the wind blowing today? Why did Eunuch An come to pick up Niuniu in person?"

Xiao Anzi bowed his head slightly and said, "Master Gu, His Majesty has an order for you."

Gu Mingda immediately made an attitude as if he was ready to receive an order.

Xiao Anzi quickly read out the imperial edict, the content of which was simple: Gu Mingda was promoted and was now the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

The Ministry of Personnel is in charge of the promotion, appointment and dismissal of officials and has always been the head of the Six Ministries. In this dynasty, the left is respected, and the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is only below the Minister of Personnel. Gu Mingda's promotion this time can be said to be a step to heaven.

However, Gu Mingda did not show much joy on his face. Instead, he asked, "The Ministry of Personnel has a lot of complicated affairs. Will I still be responsible for educating the children from now on?"

Xiao Anzi immediately said, "Don't worry, sir. His Majesty has already made a decision on this matter. Although you will be mainly responsible for the Ministry of Personnel in the future, you must not neglect the education of the royal family's children."

Gu Mingda knew that this was to take him out of the teaching of the palace's adopted daughters, so he asked again: "Who will teach the little girls from now on?"

Xiao Anzi smiled and said, "Your Majesty is thinking about Miss Qin from the Duke of Xian's Mansion. Since the children are homesick in the palace, why not just let them all go back?"

"Is Niu Niu going home too?" Gu Mingda asked.

He thought that if his daughter didn't have to enter the palace, she would be safe.

Now it was Xiao Anzi who changed the subject and said, "Master Gu, His Majesty has always been filial. Miss Gu is the Queen Mother's favorite, so she should stay in the palace to accompany the Queen Mother. However, His Majesty also cares about the family relationship of the Gu family. She can still leave the palace to reunite with her family on her days off."

When Gu Mingda heard this, his face turned pale.

Xiao Anzi felt that he had said almost everything he wanted to say, so he turned around and urged Niuniu to follow him.

"Eunuch, are you going to send Niu Niu back to Shoukang Palace?" Gu Mingda asked.

Xiao Anzi shook his head: "Master Gu, His Majesty summoned Miss Gu."

Gu Mingda's heart sank. The signal the emperor was sending out now couldn't be more obvious. First he would give the Gu family a sweet treat, and then he would snatch away the Gu family's treasure!

Gu Mingda's mind worked very quickly and he followed immediately.

Xiao Anzi looked at him doubtfully and said, "Master Gu, the emperor's order is very clear. You don't need to thank him. Just go to the Ministry of Personnel to take up your post." Gu Mingda said righteously, "The emperor's grace is so great. How dare I fail him? If I thank the emperor in person, I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep well at night!"

Xiao Anzi couldn't argue with him, so he could only let him do what he wanted.

Gu Mingda walked all the way to the entrance of Wuji Palace.

Xiao Anzi took Niu Niu in first, and Gu Mingda waited at the door for a message.

The emperor didn't want to see Gu Mingda, but when he saw Niuniu's big eyes looking at him, he waved his hands helplessly to the people below: "Please invite Lord Gu in."

Not long after, Gu Mingda walked in.

The emperor was in a hurry to send the guest away. He said a few words of encouragement and then showed his intention to see him off.

But Gu Mingda kept insisting, and even refused: "Your Majesty, I am inexperienced and I am afraid that I cannot take on such a big responsibility and fail to live up to the grace of the Emperor. Many people in the court are more diligent than me..."

The emperor looked at him in surprise, and for a moment he couldn't tell whether Gu Mingda was retreating to advance or really didn't want to be this official.

But no matter what the situation was, the emperor simply pressed Gu Mingda to accept this "good intention".

"My dear Gu, I have heard that you helped a lot in the Guang'an County government before you went to Beijing to take the exam. I think you are cautious and diligent, and you are definitely qualified for this position. Why do you belittle yourself?"

Gu Mingda was thinking about stalling for time. He opened his mouth to recommend someone else: "Your Majesty, there are so many seniors with outstanding virtues in the Hanlin Academy. I think they are more qualified for this position than me..."

The emperor suddenly frowned and said, "My dear Gu, you keep refusing me. Do you think I don't know how to judge people?"

Gu Mingda was so scared that he dared not refute.

Niuniu was unhappy: "Why are you so mean to my dad?"

Gu Mingda didn't expect Niu Niu to speak directly to the emperor like this. He was just about to help Niu Niu to clarify.

The emperor forced a smile and said, "Okay, okay, I won't be mean to your father."

The emperor gave Qian Rongsheng another look.

Qian Rongsheng hurriedly came to Gu Mingda's side and reminded him in a low voice: "Master Gu, if you have nothing to do, please leave first."

Having said that, Gu Mingda could only look at his daughter worriedly and left reluctantly.

The emperor smiled as he watched Niuniu playing with the Luban lock and asked, "You seem to like these little gadgets very much. I'll ask them to present more to you later."

Niuniu shook her head: "I don't really like it either."

"What do you like?" asked the emperor.

Niu Niu said: "I like to be with my family."

The emperor laughed dryly and said, "If you stay in the palace, the Queen Mother will love you so much, and I will hold you in my hands. This is something that others cannot even ask for. Don't you like it?"

Niuniu put down the Luban lock in her hand, looked up at the emperor, and asked, "Do you like being locked in a cage?"

The emperor said: "The palace is not a cage. You can leave the palace on holidays. You are still free."

The little girl had a pair of beautiful cat-like eyes and she looked straight at the emperor, as if she wanted to see through his heart.

The emperor felt guilty because of being stared at.

After a long while, Niuniu finally said, "You want me to go to jail with you?"