Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 144 Undercurrent
After drinking the medicine, Wan Zhaoyi fell into a deep sleep again. Her long breaths were mixed with the sound of phlegm, and her brows were tightly furrowed, just like the withered grass shivering in the corner of the cold palace, revealing a bit of desolation.

Wen Jia took his mother's withered hand and gently placed it under the quilt.

"My mother has been away from her homeland all her life, trapped in the deep palace, and she can't even enjoy peace in her dreams."

Xue Sui looked at the bamboo curtain swaying in the wind, and fiddled with the pearl tassels with his fingertips. "Princess, do you want to gain a firm foothold in the circle of royal ladies and give Concubine Wan a bit of respect?"

"Me?" Wen Jia suddenly raised his eyes: "What does Sixth Miss have to say?"

Xue Sui smiled and said, "Next month will be the empress dowager's 1000th birthday. At that time, all the ladies from inside and outside the palace will come to the palace to pay tribute to her... If the empress dowager favors you, how dare the ladies from the royal family look down on you and your daughter?"

Wen Jia's fingertips paused slightly, and he shook his head with a wry smile.

"Although I am called a princess, I have always been just a decoration in the royal family. In previous years, even the aunts in the Shanggong Bureau would laugh at the shabby birthday gifts I presented to them when they were put into the inventory. The empress dowager would never even look at them..."

Xue Sui's mouth corners slightly raised.

"Then let them see it this time."

Wen Jia looked puzzled.

Xue Sui continued, "I heard that the Queen Mother has been ill for a long time because of the King of Wei. If the princess can embroider a secret medicine book of Xizi as a birthday gift and pray for the Queen Mother, I think it will be to her liking..."

"But where did the secret medicine manual come from?" Wen Jia asked.

Xue Sui just smiled and said nothing.

Wen Jia understood what she meant, hesitated for a moment, and said softly: "When Fan Bing died, my heart was at ease. I have suffered a lot in the past and was disappointed with the world. I only hope to spend the rest of my life with Niuniu and my mother in the palace, and live a stable life without being involved in the disputes of the royal family..."

"The princess's filial piety is commendable, but it is not yet time for her to enjoy family happiness." Xue Sui's meaningful eyes swept across Concubine Wan who was sleeping in the tent.

"If the Grand Princess can carry the coffin to save the Xiao family's direct descendants today, she can have someone send Concubine Zhaoyi back to the cold palace tomorrow."

The light from the sky shines through the bamboo screen, casting mottled shadows on the ground.

Wen Jia looked at Xue Sui's calm smile, and a thin layer of sweat seeped out of his palms.

At this time, the pearl ears rustled and Dong Xu walked in with small steps and bowed.

"Princess, Master Lu is waiting outside the Chuihua Gate, saying he is leaving."
-
Under the ancient locust tree in the back garden of the palace, Lu Youan rubbed the warm jade pendant in his palm nervously. Seeing Wen Jia approaching, he hurriedly stepped back three steps and bowed.

"Lu respectfully wishes the princess good health."

"No gift."

Wen Jia responded, his fingers unconsciously clenched, his eyes fell on Lu Youan's arm wrapped in a bandage, "Is Mr. Lu's injury better?"

Lu Youan said: "Thanks to the princess, everything is fine. I am preparing to return to Beijing, so I came here to say goodbye to the princess..."

Wen Jia had seen the bloody mess before, and she was still frightened when she thought about it now. However, she did not want to say much, and only said, "Since that's the case, you can go on your journey with peace of mind. This time, thanks to Mr. Lu's righteous help, Wen Jia has no way to repay him, but to remember it in her heart..."

She bowed solemnly to Lu Youan.

Lu Youan quickly dodged to the side and bowed in return.

"Princess, please forgive me. If this bone-piercing nail can offset some of my sins, it will be a blessing for me..."

Wen Jia asked: "What crime has Master Lu committed?"

Lu Youan's throat rolled slightly. He was a talented top scholar, but now in front of Wen Jia, he spoke hesitantly and looked extremely unnatural.

"I refused the marriage proposal back then, not because I looked down on the princess, but because..."

"But you dare not disobey Pingle, dare not gamble with your family and future." Wen Jia interrupted with a chuckle, "I understand everything, and I have never held a grudge. At this point, it is useless to say these things. Mr. Lu should better educate his children well and stop getting involved in those dirty secrets."

Lu Youan lowered his head and the jade pendant in his hand slipped back into his sleeve.

"Princess, do you think that Lu is not fit for great use because he is staying in the academy?"

Wen Jia looked at the loneliness and depression on his face, and felt bitter in his heart.

"The Lu family has been a family of noble character for generations, and their family tradition is profound. Young Master Lu is well-read and upright, so he is the most suitable person to teach the way of a gentleman."

"Thank you for your praise, Princess. I am ashamed to accept it."

Lu Youan lowered his hands, retreated to the side of the stone path, and bowed respectfully.

"The road ahead is long, take care, princess."

"Take care of yourself."

Wen Jia bowed and turned to leave.

A tear welled up in my eye, but it didn't fall.

Lu Youan looked at the jade pendant in his palm that was soaked with sweat and sighed softly.

This jade pendant was originally given to him by his deceased grandmother, who told him to give it to his grandson's wife in the future. However, after so many years, he still hasn't been able to give it away...

"Mr. Lu, why don't you come in and sit down?"

The crisp voice was accompanied by laughter, and Xue Sui had walked closer without knowing when.

Lu Youan straightened his clothes and bowed deeply to her.

"Princess, your reputation is the most important thing. I will return to the capital now."

"When Master Lu refused the marriage proposal, did he ever think about her reputation?" Xue Sui raised his eyebrows slightly. Although he was smiling, his tone was sharp. "Wen Jia dared to face his scars, but you, a seven-foot-tall man, are so timid?"

Emotionally speaking, Xue Sui is extremely willing for Lu Youan and Wen Jia to reconcile.

Lu Youan's career was bumpy, but his character was upright and honest, and he was deeply in love with Wen Jia. As for the old prime minister of the Lu family, although he had long since resigned from office and returned to the countryside, his influence was still there, and his reputation as a clean official spread far and wide.

Such a family is a good destination for Wen Jia.

Of course, she also had her own selfish motives - Lu Youan and Wen Jia's relationship was enough to make Ping Le vomit three liters of blood.

If you live a peaceful and happy life for a day, you will not be happy for a day.

There is nothing more heart-breaking than killing someone.

Lu Youan is Pingle's unrequited love, and the bitter pill that he finds hard to swallow.

Lu Youan had a bandage on his arm, his injury had not healed yet, and his face looked very pale.

"Lu was stupid back then, and now he is even less worthy of a royal family..."

Xue Sui glanced at the half-hidden jade pendant on his hand and smiled gently, "Since you know that I let you down in the past, why don't you try your best to make up for it... and cherish the present?"

Lu Youan felt bitter in his throat, shook his head and said nothing.

Xue Sui bowed and said, "In any case, I would like to thank Mr. Lu for coming forward this time. Otherwise, it would be difficult for the truth to be revealed to the world. I just hope that the situation will calm down and not cause trouble for Mr. Lu."

Lu Youan looked calm, "Grandfather always taught the descendants of the Lu family to be upright and not afraid of slander. This time, I have a clear conscience in accusing the Xiao family. If grandfather knew, he would definitely be relieved."

Xue Sui nodded slightly: "The old prime minister is of high moral character and is admirable."

Lu Youan bowed slightly and saluted deeply.

"I am sorry to bother you for so long. I will leave now. Goodbye!"

Xue Sui looked at his thin back and suddenly felt that all the trees in the yard were desolate.
-
The dusk in the Xishan Palace gradually deepened.

The scenery here is beautiful and shrouded in mist, just like a fairyland. If it is true as Wen Jia said, it would be nice to live a peaceful life here away from disputes.

pity……

Xue Sui leaned against the carved wooden railing, stroking the old scar on his wrist with his fingertips, unable to suppress the coldness in his eyes.

Xiao Zhao came over holding the jade cup and whispered, "Miss, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has sent someone here for the third time to ask about your return date..."

"I understand." Xue Sui said in a clear voice without even turning his head.

"Yes." Xiao Zhao responded, and then said, "But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."

Xue Sui turned to look at her. Xiao Zhao swallowed her words and changed her tone, "Let me get you a cloak. The mountain breeze is chilly at night." Xue Sui nodded, "Wan Zhaoyi's complexion has improved significantly in the past two days. The imperial physician and Wen Jia are taking care of her in the palace, so I don't need to worry about her anymore. Let's set off early tomorrow morning."

Xiao Zhao glanced at her and smiled secretly.

"I understand. I will clean it up right away."

In front of the diamond-shaped mirror, Xue Sui held a green jade hairpin and stared at her own eyes in the mirror.

The entanglement on that stormy night suddenly came to my mind——

Li Zhao's burning breath, the scarlet corners of his eyes when the love poison took effect, and the rolling Adam's apple when he said "If I die, you will be buried with me" were all very clear.

From the day their fates were first bound together, they were tied in an inextricable shackle. They were destined not to become lovers, but to face the coming storms together.

Xue Sui poked the face in the mirror and curled his lips.

The open and covert struggles in the court will not stop because of Xiao Zhengyuan's execution and Xiao Jing's exile——

The emperor gave Li Zhao a hot potato. It was not easy to check the account books of the Ministry of Revenue for several years.

What's more, Li Huan was previously investigating a corruption case in the Ministry of Finance, and now Li Zhao wanted to investigate the Ministry of Revenue, so conflicts were inevitable.

Is it what Emperor Chongzhao wants to see two brothers arm wrestling? -
That night, the side door of the princess's mansion was quietly opened.

A figure sneaked in.

The lights in Pingle's room flickered dimly, and faintly the sound of teacups falling to the ground and her shrill shouts could be heard.

"Useless! Tell me, why would the Xizi turn against us?"

Gu Jie let the porcelain shard cut the back of his hand and said in a hoarse voice: "Princess..."

"Shut up!" Ping Le threw another white porcelain cup at him like crazy, "Don't call me princess anymore! I'm Li Yushu, Li Yushu!"

Broken porcelain was scattered all over the floor.

Gu Jie prostrated himself on the ground: "Princess, calm down!"

After returning from Xuanzheng Palace, Pingle's temper became more and more perverse, smashing objects at any time and getting angry at the servants. Especially when she couldn't wait for Emperor Chongzhao to come to the princess's mansion to visit her, she became hysterical, tore off the bandage on her forehead, and said with tears that she was an abandoned child who was not loved by anyone, and she was not allowed to be called a princess anymore.

Gu Jie said: "The prince must have bribed the Xizi merchants and learned of our plan in advance..."

Ping Le was furious. "Bribe? How much money do they want? I won't give it to them. Why don't you take the money and betray me to join the Crown Prince?"

Gu Jie shrank back, not daring to look her in the eyes.

"Perhaps...perhaps some kind of trick was used? After all, Miss Xue Liu came back from the Old Mausoleum Swamp..."

"Shut up! Who allowed you to call her a girl? She's nothing but a lowly thing!"

Pingle was so angry that he was shaking all over, his eyes were wide open and it seemed like fire was about to burst out of them.

"You all think she's very clever, don't you? You think she's a remarkable person, don't you?"

She suddenly grabbed Gu Jie's collar, lowered her head and glared at him, digging her nails deep into his neck, still gritting her teeth and exerting force, "I will tear Xue Liu into pieces, bring disgrace upon the crown prince, and make those Xizi people pay a heavy price for what they did that day... Only then can I relieve the hatred in my heart!"

"And Lu Youan...he threw me aside, turned a blind eye to me, disregarded our relationship as husband and wife, wrote a confession to humiliate me, and made me lose all face. I will make him regret it, regret it..."

Gu Jie was pulled all over the place by her.

He felt a piercing pain in his neck, but he did not struggle. He just thought of Xue Sui's words that day.

"To strike a snake at its most vulnerable part, if you want to hurt someone, you have to destroy the thing she cherishes most..."

"Princess, calm down." His face flushed red, and he finally took a breath and said with difficulty: "I will definitely find a way to get the three thousand taels back."

Pingle became even angrier.

Her chest heaved violently, and she gasped and glared at Gu Jie.

"You think I, Li Yushu, care about the three thousand taels?"

How could Princess Pingle, who was born in the royal family and was rich enough to rival a country, care about a mere three thousand taels? What she cared about was the face she lost in front of her father and the ministers in Xuanzheng Hall, and what she cared about was the man who abandoned her...

And her cousin...

Her cousin Xiao Zhengyuan, who accompanied her to catch fireflies in the summer and build snowmen in the winter, found all kinds of rare toys to coax her and gave her whatever she asked for.

Her tears suddenly fell, she loosened her grip slightly, and her lips became slightly twisted due to anger and crying.

"When will my third brother be executed?"

Gu Jie said: "The Ministry of Justice has scheduled it for 3:30 pm three days from now, and I have already requested your majesty to make the decision."

Pingle slumped in the chair, crying bitterly.

She used to get whatever she wanted, but now she encounters obstacles everywhere and can’t even see her children.

Today, I sent someone to the Lu Mansion to visit the child, hoping to take her to the Princess's Mansion to play for a few days. Unexpectedly, the old man of the Lu family turned the child away, saying that the Lu family had severed ties with her, and that the descendants of the Lu family would not recognize her as their mother.

"I carried the child for nine months, but the old man from the Lu family didn't allow them to call me mother and wanted to sever all ties with me..."

"Gu Jie..."

Pingle turned around suddenly with tears in her eyes.

"Do you hate Li Yan?"

Gu Jie's body trembled slightly.

He didn't move, but lowered his head, as if he was trying hard to suppress the emotions surging in his heart.

Pingle looked at the flickering candlelight on his handsome face and suddenly felt dazed.

Ever since the embarrassing incident on Prince Duan's birthday, Lu Youan had been particularly cold towards her. Until the divorce, he refused to let her get close to him, let alone sleep with her.

Driven by hatred, she was filled with sorrow. These days, she only wanted to take revenge. It had been a long time since she felt so upset as tonight. She was eager to find another secret outlet to vent her feelings...

The wound on her forehead was aching slightly. The action just now seemed to have drained all her strength. Her breathing was slightly hot and her thoughts were in a mess...

After seeing the blood, the poison of love raged, corroding her body and mind...

Ping Le took a deep breath in hatred...

My breathing became uncontrollably rapid and my body became even more unbearable.

"Sit down and talk."

Gu Jie bowed, stepped back to the edge of the rosewood cushion, and sat down gently. "When I found out that the child in Ying'er's belly was not my own, I hated her..."

Ping Le stared at him intently: "What about now?"

Gu Jie said: "I hate it even more..."

It was as if the sand in the wind had filled my throat, and I couldn't spit it out or swallow it, and it was suffocating in my heart. It was hard to describe the feeling of resentment and helplessness.

His throat rolled and he frowned with a complicated expression.

"The princess's hatred is also my hatred."

Pingle stared at him quietly for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Help me with something."

Gu Jie's eyes flickered and he bowed his head.

"I am willing to be sent by the princess..."

Ping Le stared at his handsome face. Under the toxic pull of love, he subconsciously clenched the corners of his clothes with both hands, and said in torment and intolerance:
"Go to the Xiao Mansion and send a letter to the Grand Princess. Tell her that I want to see my third brother for the last time and ask her to think of a solution for me..."

Two chapters in one, best wishes~~