After listening to stories for half a day, it was already evening when Huarong returned home. The cold and cheerless setting sun hung in the sky, emitting a soft light.
"Anin." Gu Weikai called her as soon as she entered the house.
Huarong was stunned. Thinking of her encounter with the Ninth Prince today, she felt a toothache in her back. Would the whole family interrogate her again? It had been a long time since she was interrogated like this. She actually missed it.
Bah, bah, what bad thoughts! She hurriedly shook her head.
Gu Weikai put his hands behind his back and looked dignified. "Follow me to the study."
"Oh." She followed him unwillingly, trying to stall for time. However, she still entered the study.
Gu Weikai gestured for her to sit down. Huarong thought to herself, How can I sit? Will I be beaten if I sit? So she didn't sit down.
"Sit!" Gu Weikai's voice was deep and cold.
It seemed that the consequences of not sitting down would be worse. Huarong hurriedly sat down and put on an expression of regret. "Uncle, if you have something to say, just say it. Anin is scared by you."
If it was in the past, Gu Weikai would definitely tell her to correct her attitude! However, this time, he just looked at her seriously.
Huarong felt uncomfortable being stared at like there was a knife on her back. "Uncle, is there something on my face?"
"Although you are mischievous, you always know your limits. Why don't you give face to the Ninth Prince today? Do you know that most of the people in the Imperial Court are his people?" Gu Weikai said calmly. He didn't seem angry.
Huarong patted her chest and sighed in relief. "It's not that Anin doesn't want to give him face. It's just that the Emperor has already told Anin that he won't let the Ninth Prince inherit the throne. So Anin feels that she must be firm and correct her position."
Gu Weikai was stunned. "You said that the Emperor doesn't want the Ninth Prince to inherit the throne? But most of the people in the Imperial Court are his people. "
Huarong nodded. "Yeah, it's really a hot potato."
The astute Gu Weikai immediately understood the meaning behind his words. "What else haven't you said? What hot potato?"
Huarong originally did not intend to hide it, but she did not expect Gu Weikai to find out so quickly. She scratched her head and said in a mosquito-like voice: "The Emperor asked me to find the Eighth Prince."
"What did you say?" Gu Weikai was shocked, "Isn't the Eighth Prince dead?"
Huarong shook his head. "He's definitely not dead. Otherwise, the emperor wouldn't have asked me to look for him."
"Could the rumors be true?" Gu Weikai muttered to himself.
Huarong immediately asked, "What rumor?"
Gu Weikai glanced at her and hesitated for a moment before saying, "It is rumored that when Gui Fei was the Crown Princess, she was already pregnant with a dragon seed."
Huarong pursed her lips. What a mess!
"That's enough. The Emperor's instructions to you are the same as telling the Gu Clan. Don't worry, Eldest Uncle will send people to investigate for you. But don't tell your grandmother about this." Gu Weikai warned.
Huarong naturally knew that she could not tell the women in the family. Normal people would not be able to bear such a big matter.
"Eldest Uncle, don't make a big fuss. Otherwise, you'll attract the Ninth Prince's attention." Huarong knew that Gu Weikai would pay attention, but she could not help but remind him.
Gu Weikai nodded. "Alright, go pay your respects to your grandmother."
Just as they left the main branch, Wu Chenglu arrived. He was full of smiles and was followed by a number of eunuchs and palace maids. They were here to deliver rewards. "Princess, the Emperor asked you to accompany him to the palace for a meal."
Huarong's mouth twitched. Was there a need to be so anxious?
On the way, she kept reminding herself not to look at the old Emperor with disdain. Unfortunately … when she saw the old Emperor, she still could not help but look at him with disdain.
The old Emperor was not angry. He gestured for her to sit. "Do you think that I'm a good-for-nothing?"
Huarong shook her head awkwardly. "Of course not. Love doesn't make sense."
"You're right. Sometimes love doesn't make sense." His voice suddenly lowered. "Do you know why I gave your Seventh Sister-in-law a way out?"
"Because she broke off her relationship with the Gu Clan?" Huarong guessed.
The old Emperor laughed mockingly. "Yue Chongyang's clever plan was to deceive everyone. But how could it deceive me? Even though I saw through everything, I still let your Seventh Sister-in-law live. It's because I think she's like me. She didn't hesitate to elope and fight against her family for the person she likes. "
"So, my Seventh Sister-in-law really wants to marry Brother Seven?" Huarong had been guessing, but she felt better after hearing the old Emperor's words. The old Emperor nodded.
"Your Seventh Sister-in-law is like you. She's used to being spoiled. She's arrogant and looks down on the sons of officials. But she fell in love with Brother Seven at first sight. She fought back when Brother Nine wanted to marry her. She was just like me in the past. She risked everything and used all her strength to be with the person she truly loved. That's why I want to see her live a happy life."
Huarong was originally disdainful, but after hearing the old Emperor's words, she felt a little emotional. She did not know whether to despise him for stealing her daughter-in-law or to thank him for letting Yue Hanqing go.
She did not dare to ask too much. The Imperial Concubine was dead and the Jiang family was gone. Something tragic must have happened. Maybe it was the taboo of the Emperor. She remained silent.
Perhaps the old Emperor had held this matter in for too long. He wanted to talk about it. He said in a calm and hoarse voice, "It's my fault that I couldn't keep her. That's why Minhui, you must help me find the Eighth Prince. I'll use the world to compensate him!"
Huarong's expression did not change, but she wanted to take back what she said about the old Emperor. How could a prince who grew up among the common people and had a dishonorable background manage the country well? Once the Eighth Prince was brought back, there would be infighting in the imperial court. Who knew how many people would die?
And he said he had never been willful in his life. Damn it, this was the second time!
"Your Majesty, do you have any clues?" Even if she despised the old Emperor, she still had to do the work. A higher rank in the imperial court could oppress a person to death, not to mention a higher rank. She had no choice but to lower her head.
The old Emperor ordered Wu Chenglu. Wu Chenglu passed a few scrolls to her. "These are the clues that I've found from the Eighth Prince. Take a look."
He coughed lightly and looked haggard. "I've changed the name of the Palace of Eternal Spring where the Imperial Concubine lives. It's now called Zhang Ning Palace. In the future, Zhang Ning Palace will be your palace."
Huarong was shocked. Even if he favored her, he did not need to be so generous!
Wu Chenglu saw her in a daze and reminded her with a smile, "Princess, why aren't you thanking him?"
Huarong had ten thousand questions in her heart. It was reasonable to say that the Emperor's adopted daughter would only live in the palace if her parents were dead and she had no family to protect her. The Gu family was doing well and the Emperor was building a princess residence. There was no reason for her to occupy a place in the palace.
Seeing her doubts, the old Emperor smiled and patiently explained, "When you were arguing with me before, what you said was very reasonable. I was thinking that the Ninth Prince was fearless because the Virtuous Concubine was too favored. I wanted to find someone to share the imperial favor with. This way, the situation in the imperial court would be much better."
Huarong's mood was complicated. She wanted to leave in a huff, but she could not. Damn it, what happened to being a friend? He said he would use her, and he did not even blink an eye!
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