Fairy, please don't do this!

"My lord, please don't try to pin this label on me."

Gu Jinchao spoke calmly and unhurriedly.

He was just acting on a whim.

In the past, he was always the one kicked out of Jinglan Palace by Xiao Qingyi, but today he suddenly wanted to try it out.

When I saw Ning Muchi's disheveled appearance as he disappeared from sight in a parabola, I suddenly felt a sense of relief and exhilaration.

'No wonder this woman always likes to kick me out like that!'

'It really does feel as relaxing as playing golf…'

Gu Jinzhao was internally complaining.

Wang Zhen, a senior official in the Ministry of Justice, suddenly stood up and retorted, "The Empress Dowager ordered you to expel Ning Muchi, but you deliberately kicked him away."

"Isn't this trampling on the dignity of a colleague and humiliating him just using this as an excuse to make trouble?"

Gu Jinzhao retorted, "May I ask, Minister Wang, if I drag someone out, wouldn't that be trampling on their dignity?"

Vice Minister Wang was speechless: "You..."

Shen Wenyuan, the Imperial Academy Chancellor who had just stood up for Ning Muchi, said calmly, "The law is majestic and should be upheld."

"But one should act with moderation; excess is as bad as deficiency."

"Vice Commander Gu's actions just now exceeded the bounds of both law and reason!"

Gu Jinchao narrowed his eyes slightly: "Whether it has gone too far is for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to decide; it is not for us, her subjects, to presume to judge."

As if he had just thought of something, he suddenly said, "By the way, I have heard that Chancellor Shen has been in charge of the Imperial Academy for decades, and his students are all over the country. His students and old friends are spread throughout the court and the countryside, and everyone considers it an honor to be a disciple of the Shen family."

"It can truly be described as a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain, subtly nurturing and enriching all things!"

At this point, the tone shifted: "I remember that Commander Ning was fortunate enough to study under Chief Instructor Shen in his early years and received his teachings!"

"No wonder he is so devoted to the country and so talented. His concern for the nation and its people is evident in his words, which is truly moving!"

Wang Zhen angrily rebuked, "How dare you, you brat, mock Chief Minister Shen?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinzhao shook his head and corrected, "It's not sarcasm, but a warning."

"In the sixteenth year of Yongxing, Zhao Wenqian, one of the main culprits in the canal transport corruption case, was then the principal officer of the Ministry of Revenue. He was an outstanding student of the Imperial Academy and wrote an article entitled 'Thanking My Teacher Shen,' which was full of deep feelings."

"In the seventeenth year of Yongxing, Chen Jing, an assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, embezzled funds intended for the Mohe River project..."

"The eighteenth year of Yongxing..."

"These are all Shen Jijiu's prized students!"

"In Shen Jijiu's view, the faults of Ning Baihu and others are not their own, but rather the court's laws are too harsh. I, as an enforcer of the law, have gone too far?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

Gu Jinzhao's words were too harsh.

First, Ning Muchi was used as a pretext, and then several corrupt officials who had already been convicted were brought up one after another, while deliberately emphasizing the teacher-student relationship with Shen Wenyuan.

Finally, it was directly pointed out that his opposition to severely punishing Ning Muchi stemmed from his selfish desire to protect the students.

Shen Wenyuan, who had been calm, finally revealed anger in his eyes: "I have spent my life educating people, and there have indeed been unworthy disciples. This is my regret and my fault."

"But even a sage cannot guarantee whether his disciples will be loyal or treacherous, honest or greedy after entering officialdom."

"They choose their own path and bear the consequences themselves. I have never used the name of master and disciple to bend the law for personal gain or protect criminals!"

"As for Ning Muchi's crime, His Majesty and the Empress Dowager have already made their judgment, and I have no objection."

"I only hope that Deputy Commander Gu will act in accordance with the law, rather than taking pleasure in trampling and humiliating others, or in implicating and punishing them."

Gu Jinzhao gave Shen Wenyuan a deep look: "As the official said, I only hope that Chancellor Shen can be self-aware and strictly educate others in the future, so as to cultivate more pillars of the country for the court, rather than the likes of rats and parasites."

Shen Wenyuan's face flushed red and then turned pale, clearly furious: "You..."

He knew that this was Gu Jinzhao's way of responding to him, saying that although Ning Muchi's poem was sharp in its language, its starting point was to be prepared for danger in times of peace.

Xiao Qingyi glanced at Gu Jinzhao, and a captivating smile curved her beautiful lips: "Let's drop this matter and continue the birthday banquet!"

This lackey has performed well; it's no wonder she values ​​him so much...

Chapter 222, The Empress's Reward, Mutual Harm (3K)

The birthday banquet was in full swing.

Gu Jinchao walked around the screen embroidered with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix and returned to his seat in the back hall.

Only then did he realize that the sounds of music, laughter, and clinking of glasses from the front hall vanished the moment he passed through the screen.

It was as if I had stepped into another world, where the mortal world was completely shut out.

Xiao Qingyi sat upright on the phoenix throne. Upon seeing his return, she simply said, "Gu Qing's performance today was quite good."

Gu Jinchao replied respectfully, "Your Majesty flatters me!"

“I have a grudge against Ning Muchi. Now that he has delivered himself to my doorstep, how can I let him go?”

Xiao Qingyi said with a half-smile, "I never expected that Minister Gu would have such literary talent."

"If that's the case, why didn't you join the Haoran Sect and follow the Confucian path, but instead joined the Qingyun Sect to cultivate swordsmanship?"

Gu Jinzhao raised his eyes and met those pale golden phoenix eyes: "Because this humble servant does not want to become like Ning Muchi, a hypocrite who appears noble on the surface but is actually full of filth inside."

Xiao Qingyi's jade-like legs crossed elegantly beneath her skirt, and she leaned back lazily: "Does Gu Qing mean that the Haoran Sect is full of hypocrites?"

"Most of them are." Gu Jinchao did not shy away from the topic and said directly, "The sect master of Haoran Sect is the senior brother of that Shen Jijiu."

"From a single spot one can know the whole leopard; if Chief Minister Shen is so corrupt and abuses his power, how much better can his senior brother be?"

"If I were to join the Haoran Sect, even if my nature were as pure and noble as a lotus, I fear I would be thoroughly stained by its filth."

Xiao Qingyi scoffed lightly, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Gu Qing's skin is certainly thick enough."

Gu Jinzhao grinned, picked up his wine cup, and drank it all in one gulp: "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."

This smug look made Xiao Qingyi's phoenix eyes narrow slightly.

She recalled the absurd scene of the "Burning of Red Cliffs" that day, and how she had been tormented and humiliated by this lackey. The anger that had been suppressed for a long time surged up in her heart like boiling water.

"Today is my birthday,"

"Within three breaths, Gu Qing shall compose a birthday poem that satisfies me."

"If you can't do it, slap yourself a hundred times."

Gu Jinzhao's smile froze.

He was just being cheeky, was it really that big of a deal?

Xiao Qingyi looked at him leisurely: "Let's start preparing."

"A petty woman..." Gu Jinzhao thought to himself, but on the surface he was already deep in thought.

After a moment, he raised his eyes and said, "The phoenix perches on the parasol tree, leaning against the azure sky; the spring colors of the nine heavens condense in the Jade Capital."

"With palms he can control mountains and rivers, and with sleeves he can hold stars and brilliance."

"Three thousand peaches of immortality are offered to the crane for its long life, and pine and cypress trees will sing praises to the phoenix for ten thousand years."

"I envy not the Queen Mother's banquet at the Jade Pool, for the holy light will forever shine upon the clear blue moon."

Xiao Qingyi's eyes flickered slightly, and the corners of her lips slowly curved into a captivating smile: "What a beautiful phrase, 'The Holy Light shines eternally on the clear blue sky'."

"Gu Qing truly has excellent writing skills."

They've all praised you to the skies, how could it not be good... Gu Jinchao said with a forced smile, "Your Majesty is too kind."

Xiao Qingyi stared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled:

"Minister Gu performed well today and even presented me with two poems. He deserves a reward."

Upon hearing the word "reward," Gu Jinzhao's expression changed slightly, and he waved his hands repeatedly: "It is already a great honor for Your Majesty to accept these two poems from me. How could I dare to ask for any more rewards?"

"You can refuse, Gu Qing!" Xiao Qingyi's smile grew even brighter: "But I cannot refuse you."

"Speaking of which, only a portion of the rewards from the last case of the Longevity Pill were given."

"The rest can be distributed today!"

Before he finished speaking, from under the table curtain, a jade foot clad in black sky-high heels silently reached forward and pressed against his calf.

Sizzle—!!!

A violent surge of lightning erupted like an enraged dragon, rushing wildly into Gu Jinzhao's body through that point of contact.

"Well--!"

Gu Jinzhao's face suddenly contorted, his whole body trembled violently, and cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead and slid down his cheeks.

He had long suspected that Xiao Qingyi had ordered him to serve her so that she might seek revenge.

So he was always on guard, but he never expected to fall into the trap.

I once again enjoyed this soul-stirring "electrotherapy".

"Gu Qing's martial arts cultivation has broken through to the seventh rank, but he still needs to be tempered by lightning."

Xiao Qingyi remained calm, even elegantly picking up a piece of food with her chopsticks and bringing it to her lips: "But the Thunder Whip is not strong enough, so I have to use a special divine power to help you cultivate."

"Thank you... Mother... Mother... for your grace."

Gu Jinzhao gritted his teeth and squeezed out each word from between his teeth.

It felt as if thousands of thunder snakes were raging and crashing inside my body, and every inch of my muscles and flesh was spasming and trembling.

He could only manage to maintain his sitting posture, gritting his teeth as he circulated his internal energy, guiding the violent power of thunder to temper his body and bones again and again.

Xiao Qingyi looked at him with a half-smile, her high heels gently pressing against his thigh: "Does Gu Qing think this power of thunder is a bit weak?"

Gu Jinzhao's whole body was numb from the electric shock, and he stammered, "It's...not...weak..."

"We need to reach the sixth rank as soon as possible; this level of strength is not enough."

"With Gu Qing's abilities, I believe you can handle more."

Xiao Qingyi seemed not to hear his words. The lightning that was already rampant on the heel of his shoe spread directly to all the meridians of his body.

"Hiss... That's... enough!"

Gu Jinzhao's body twisted violently, as if he were dancing a seaweed dance.

If the previous thunder was like a raging river washing over your body, what is now surging in are iron spikes covered with barbs.

It was both incredibly numbing and caused a sharp, stinging pain.

"Gu Qing is clearly handling this with ease; the thunderbolt should have been even more intense."

Xiao Qingyi's smile grew even brighter, and the thunderous power on her heels had somehow incorporated a trace of Daoist energy.

It can not only help Gu Jinchao temper his physique, but also allow him to comprehend her martial arts.

This is indeed a reward, though the process was somewhat painful.

boom--!

Gu Jinzhao felt as if something had exploded in his mind, and his vision blurred.

All was silent except for the almost bursting pounding of my heart and the thunderous roar within my body.

Suddenly, the [Fierce Demon] residing in the liver began to throb, frantically devouring that trace of Daoist energy.

The cocoon that encased it had cracked open with several fissures, as if it were about to break free.

Gu Jinchao felt that at this moment, his physical strength and bone strength had been greatly enhanced.

Xiao Qingyi raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "You were actually able to refine my Daoist essence, how did you manage to do that?"

Although there was only a trace of that Daoist aura, even a second-grade Dao-seeking realm cultivator would not be able to refine it, let alone Gu Jinzhao, who was only a mere sixth-grade cultivator.

“My cultivation technique is somewhat special, which is why I am able to refine it.”

Gu Jinzhao felt the stinging and numbness disappear instantly. He raised his hand, grabbed her ankle, and took off her sky-high heels, revealing her exquisite jade feet wrapped in ice silkworm black silk.

Xiao Qingyi's phoenix eyes widened suddenly, and she tried to shake off the servant's hand: "Insolence!"

"Your Majesty has helped me strengthen my body and bones; I am deeply grateful."