No matter how big the waves in the capital were, in the courtyard where Jiang Ruan was located, not a single whisper could be heard. The mute servant did not know how to speak. Apart from the big white dog that covered her, there was only the flesh and blood in her belly that accompanied her. As the days passed, Jiang Ruan could feel that her lower abdomen was slightly bulging. Even if she touched it with her hands, she could still feel the distinct bulge. Nowadays, she wore loose clothes every day. Apart from the mute servant, no one saw her, so she had not been discovered for the time being. However, this was not the way to go on. As time passed, it would become more and more obvious. Moreover, the mute servant was definitely not the only person she would come into contact with. Therefore, the longer the days passed, the more danger she would be in.
Completely isolated from the outside world, she had no idea what was going on outside. It was not that Jiang Ruan was not anxious. Now, she only wanted to protect the child in her belly. As for other matters, they had to be considered on the basis of ensuring the child's safety.
On this day, Jiang Ruan had eaten. Even though the mute servant had cooked a little more for the sake of the white dog, and there were more meat and fish, for a person who was pregnant, these things were far from enough. Moreover, Jiang Ruan had an old illness in the past, and her body could not compare to others. Therefore, during this period of time, she had become much weaker.
She leaned on the soft couch and casually flipped through some specially prepared story books on the table. However, her gaze did not move at all, and she was still thinking about her own matters. Until an unfamiliar voice sounded, "Hong 'an Junzhu."
Jiang Ruan raised her eyes and saw a man in a grey robe standing in front of the door. This man wore a mask on the left side of his face, revealing only half of his cheek. His pair of green fox eyes appeared somewhat strange. If this person was not Yuan Chuan, who else could it be?
Jiang Ruan was slightly startled. Now that she was pregnant, her reactions had become more and more sluggish. She did not even know when there was an additional person in the room. She did not stand up, but leaned motionlessly on the couch. The wide front hem of her clothes was just enough to completely cover the bulge in her lower abdomen.
Yuan Chuan slowly walked in with a smile on his face. Because only half of his face could be seen, it seemed exceptionally strange. He minded his own business and sat down on the wooden chair in front of Jiang Ruan. Unruffled and unruffled, he said, "It's been a long time since we last met, Junzhu has become much more haggard."
Since Jiang Ruan did not speak, Yuan Chuan continued, "I also saw Xiao Wangye a few days ago, and he seemed to have lost a lot of weight. As expected, husband and wife are of one mind. Yuan Chuan is also very impressed."
"Emissary, I'm guessing that you didn't come here today just to tell me these things." Jiang Ruan opened her mouth and said, "I wonder what the matter is?"
Yuan Chuan smiled. "Princess, you're still as straightforward as ever, but you seem a little anxious. To tell you the truth, Yuan Chuan did not come here today to reminisce about the past, but to tell you something. "
Jiang Ruan's gaze fell on him, and her tone was very calm, "What's the matter?"
Yuan Chuan paused, then unhurriedly said, "General Jiang is in the dungeon, His Thirteenth Highness is under house arrest, and Miss Zhao of the Zhao family, who is already engaged to General Jiang, is now entangled with murder charges. Oh, that's not right, it's not Miss Zhao, it's the entire Zhao family. Now, they have the reputation of conspiring to murder His Majesty, and I'm afraid that it will be difficult to protect them."
Jiang Ruan listened quietly, and did not reveal the slightest change in her expression because of Yuan Chuan's words. Seeing this scene, Yuan Chuan's eyes flashed slightly, and he could not help but want to look at Jiang Ruan's expression more carefully.
Xuan Li was about to make his move, and before that, he had to test Jiang Ruan one last time. At this crucial time, it would not be good for Xuan Li to appear, and the Holy Maiden also had private feelings for Jiang Ruan. Yuan Chuan did not think that Dan Zhen would be able to gain any benefits from tricking Jiang Ruan, so he had no choice but to appear personally. He knew that Jiang Ruan's mind was treacherous and cunning, but after saying all this, Jiang Ruan could not see even the slightest loophole. Yuan Chuan could not help but have some doubts in his heart.
One was her own big brother, the other was her bosom friend, and the last one was her future master, who was related to her future. No matter what, Jiang Ruan should not be so indifferent in front of him. However, Jiang Ruan had always known how to control her own emotions, and perhaps now, she was merely pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger.
"Envoy," Jiang Ruan opened her mouth as Yuan Chuan's mind flashed. She said, "Now, I should call you the Envoy of the Southern Xinjiang. Your Holy Maiden of the Southern Xinjiang and I have met once, and from her words, it seems that she wants to occupy the entire land of the Great Jin dynasty. Perhaps I should not say that it is wishful thinking, but the Southern Xinjiang is only a tiny country. At that time, even when the country was at its strongest, it was still not a match for the Jin dynasty, so why is it so arrogant now? " Jiang Ruan did not respond to Yuan Chuan's words, and instead brought up another matter. Yuan Chuan's expression slightly changed, and he immediately smiled and said, "Could it be that Junzhu is concerned about my Southern Xinjiang?"
"I can't say that I'm concerned, but people always like to watch a bustling scene." Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "I do not know what kind of agreement your esteemed country and Eighth Highness have reached, but looking at it now, I do not quite understand. Your esteemed country wholeheartedly wants to overthrow Thirteenth Highness and help Eighth Highness ascend to the throne, could it be that it is only for the sake of others? Forgive me for saying too much, but this Eighth Highness of ours is not a person who offers mountains and rivers on a silver platter. "
"In the affairs of the world, there are gains and losses. Naturally, the transaction with Eighth Highness has reached an equivalent condition." Yuan Chuan changed the topic of conversation, "Since the Southern Xinjiang and Eighth Highness are already allies, and Eighth Highness is currently in a good situation, we are naturally overjoyed. But, isn't Junzhu worried about your eldest brother?"
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "My eldest brother has never committed any mistakes. Even if he is temporarily thrown into prison, there will come a day when the truth will be revealed, so why should I worry?"
She spoke openly, and Yuan Chuan's heart became even more suspicious. Could it be that Jiang Ruan still had some tricks up her sleeve? But he could not think of anything, and his gaze fell on the big white dog that was lying down and napping in the corner of the room. He was also aware that Jiang Ruan had asked the mute servant girl for a dog. At first, he had also wondered if there were any tricks involved, but after observing for a long time, he really did not discover anything. As long as Jiang Ruan left the room, there would be countless people looking at her, so how could she play any tricks? Moreover, she rarely left the room. A woman who could not even leave the room naturally could not stir up any waves.
But if Jiang Ruan was really afraid of being alone and had raised a big white dog, he still felt that something was wrong. For the first time, Yuan Chuan felt a headache coming on. He suddenly realized that the women of the Great Jin dynasty had more treacherous thoughts than the women of the Southern Xinjiang, and were extremely difficult to fathom. Especially Jiang Ruan, who was even more so. He casually said, "Junzhu, could it be that you are deceiving me? If you are truly calm, why did you not feed the dog wholeheartedly, and it has become much thinner?"
The big white dog looked lean, and Jiang Ruan was slightly startled. Every day, she borrowed the name of the big white dog to eat, but the growth of a beast would always be directly reflected. This dog had probably been fed too well in the past, and now, in just a short period of time, it actually looked very thin and bony. At a glance, one could see that it was somewhat strange.
She did not speak, and such silence fell into Yuan Chuan's eyes. He felt somewhat relieved in his heart. He thought that Jiang Ruan must have been deliberately bluffing. Now that the overall situation had been decided, it would be difficult to change the situation. Since this was the case, he could tell Xuan Li to immediately take action. There was no time to lose.
Yuan Chuan's mood suddenly became a little better. He looked at Jiang Ruan. This woman had always been a thorn in the Holy Maiden's heart. As the Holy Maiden's most trusted aide, his life was to sweep away all the obstacles on the Holy Maiden's path. Qi Man and Xuan Li wanted to keep Jiang Ruan alive in exchange for Xiao Shao's power, but Dan Zhen only wanted to put Jiang Ruan to death, and he would eventually help Dan Zhen achieve this goal. He would think of a way to destroy Xuan Li's deal. Once Jiang Ruan was rescued by Xiao Shao, it would be much more difficult to make a move in the future. Yuan Chuan already had an idea in his heart on how to make this woman die without batting an eyelid. He stood up again, looked down at Jiang Ruan, and said, "Originally, Yuan Chuan came here today because he thought that Junzhu was alone and did not know the situation outside, so he specially came to inform you. However, seeing that Junzhu's mind was calm and not distressed because of this, Yuan Chuan was also satisfied. Junzhu, do not be too sentimental. When the overall situation is settled, I will definitely give Junzhu a place to rest. "
After he finished speaking, he laughed loudly and left. He did not look at Jiang Ruan again, as if he already had a hundred percent assurance in his heart. After Yuan Chuan left, the calmness on Jiang Ruan's face slowly dissipated. There seemed to be a trace of relaxation in her gaze, but also a trace of nervousness.
Yuan Chuan had specially come to inform her. It seemed that Xuan Li had already begun to take action. Everything was developing according to her plan. Since Yuan Chuan had specially come to probe, it could only mean that the other party had not yet discovered anything strange. Today, she had followed Yuan Chuan's thoughts and acted out a play because she knew that Yuan Chuan would inform Xuan Li of the results of his probe. Only after Xuan Li had eaten a tranquilizer would he start to take action. She had to quickly urge Xuan Li to take action.
Everything here could be predicted. The only thing she did not expect was that she was pregnant, and that this place was so well hidden that until now, no one had found her. In this way, the child in her belly was very dangerous. She did not know how long that big white dog could be used as a decoy, but every day that passed meant an increase in danger. For example, today, it was extremely dangerous.
Yuan Chuan went out of the room and just happened to see the mute maid carrying the leftovers to wash the dishes. Yuan Chuan saw that there was not much leftover food left, and that the plates and plates were very large. He was first startled, then he asked, "Is this prepared dog food?"
The mute maid opened her mouth and randomly nodded her head a few times. Yuan Chuan frowned, "You ate so much, how can you still be so skinny …" The mute maid was carrying a lot of food, but the white dog that he saw at Jiang Ruan's place today did not have the slightest bit of a plump and sturdy body. In fact, it was very thin. If it was any other day, Yuan Chuan would not have paid attention to such a small matter. However, as long as it was related to Jiang Ruan, Yuan Chuan always felt that it was not that simple, and insisted on finding a reason for it. Therefore, looking at this thing, he pondered bitterly.
The mute maid staggered and accidentally dropped the plate on the ground. Yuan Chuan was roused from his contemplation and looked at the mess on the ground with some disgust. Because he could not think of a reason, he turned around and left in annoyance.
….
In Jinying Wang fu, Xiao Shao had changed into an official's robe. Because he did not usually attend court, and most of the time he was outside, he did not wear the official's robe much. Thus, the robe was still very new. The Qilin embroidered with golden thread was very mighty. Only after he had changed into a magnificent robe, he immediately appeared somewhat awe-inspiring.
He was born handsome, and if placed in a crowd, he would be extremely eye-catching. However, today, there was an unfamiliar man following beside him. This man was wearing a dark red official's robe with flower patterns. The style of the official's robe appeared somewhat old-fashioned, as if it was a style from many years ago. However, this man did not seem old-fashioned in the slightest. Instead, he had the mellow fragrance of aged wine.
This was an extremely handsome middle-aged man. Even now, his facial features were extremely distinct, not to mention the elegant demeanor he had when he was younger. He seemed to have the elegance of a scholar, but also seemed to carry a bit of unruliness and elegance. He gave off a feeling of a mixture of maturity and youth.
The man looked at Xiao Shao and said, "Master, let's go."
Two horses were tied side by side on a wooden peg outside the fu. One was jet-black, the other was snow-white. Xiao Shao flipped over and leaped onto the jet-black horse, while the man naturally leaped onto the snow-white horse. The two whipped their horses and rode away. On the roof behind the fu's door, Jin San spat out the grass he was chewing in his mouth with a 'pei' sound. He said, "I didn't expect Butler Lin to be such a handsome man. I had originally thought that he was talking nonsense."
Jin Si shook his head, "You can't judge a book by its cover. When this person is serious, he looks somewhat unfamiliar."
These days, in Jinying Wang fu, almost everyone had noticed the changes in Butler Lin. He was becoming younger and more handsome with each passing day. In this world, other than changing one's appearance, there was probably no other way to make someone look good. Moreover, changing one's appearance was done in one go. There was no such thing as progressing step by step. However, the Embroidered Uniform Guards had been roaming Jianghu for many years. Each and every one of them were experienced and knowledgeable. After looking for a while, they could see the knack of it. It could be assumed that Butler Lin had taken some medicine to make him look old and ugly, concealing his appearance. Now, it was probably because he had taken the antidote that he had gradually returned to his original appearance.
"After searching for so long, he has finally found the antidote. He should be very happy." Jin San sighed, "Now, no one will doubt his claim that he is a handsome man." From ugliness to beauty, it was likely that everyone would feel happy. Who would complain about their good looks? Butler Lin was also a person who paid attention to his appearance. In the past, when he still had that appearance, he would often criticize his own appearance. Now that he had a face that complemented his clothes, wasn't it a joyous thing in life?
"That's not necessarily true." Jin Si shook his head, "For so many years, he has obediently disguised himself as a butler. It's possible that he doesn't know that he has a way to recover his appearance. It's just like how we have to conceal our identities when we go out on missions. Butler Lin has probably done this to conceal his own identity. "
"Then why has he recovered his appearance now?" Jin San felt that Jin Si's words made sense, but he still did not quite understand.
Jin Si sighed, "It's probably because something has happened and forced him to reveal his identity again. His original concealment has disappeared. Didn't you notice that Old Lin's character is becoming more and more unlike Old Lin? "Jin Si propped his head up with his hands and lay down," Old Lin will soon be gone from Jinying Wangfu. "
The original Old Lin was gone. Once that handsome middle-aged man regained his original identity, he would most likely not come back to be a lowly butler. That kind of person should also have a great background.
Jin San also fell silent. After a long time, he said, "I hope that their journey will be smooth and that they will not let down the identity of sacrificing Old Lin."
…
As soon as they entered the palace, Xiao Shao and Butler Lin parted at the entrance. The two of them obviously did not walk the same path. Butler Lin walked along the long corridor in front of the door and passed through the garden. His appearance was very unfamiliar and there were eunuchs and guards who came to stop him. However, Butler Lin casually untied a bronze token from his waist and waved it in front of the guards. The guards were startled and looked at the token again in disbelief. Only then did they have no choice but to let him pass. After Butler Lin left, they could not help but look at him.
A young eunuch who was curious stepped forward and asked impatiently, "Big brother, what did that person look at with you just now? Why did you let him pass? His face is obviously very unfamiliar."
"What do you know?" The guard hurriedly urged him to lower his voice and replied, "The token in his hand is the pass of Crown Prince Hong Xi. There were only two passes and I've only seen one of them once. Eunuch Li has one but after Crown Prince Hong Xi left, Eunuch Li has never taken it out to use. I didn't expect to see it today." Speaking up to this point, the guard also felt a little strange. "But who is that person? He actually has such a thing. He looks very familiar with the palace and doesn't seem like a stranger. Could it be that he is an old friend of Crown Prince Hong Xi?"
Yes, Housekeeper Lin's steps were very steady on the complicated roads in the palace. So many years had passed, and even though some things had changed, and many new gardens and courtyards had been added to the palace, most things had not changed, just like the human heart. It was the easiest to change, and the night market was the hardest to change. Butler Lin's heart was very complicated. He could not describe what he was feeling at this moment. If he could, he would rather never enter the palace again. Back then, his future, his prosperity, his ambitions, and his close friends were all buried in this cold palace. Butler Lin knew better than anyone else how ruthless the palace was. But he still came today, not for anything else but for a promise.
He walked in the direction of the Palace of Compassionate Peace.
GuGu Yang carefully massaged Empress Dowager Yi De's shoulders. She controlled her strength very well. She had taken care of Empress Dowager Yi De for decades, and GuGu Yang was always so considerate. In the past, at this time, Empress Dowager Yi De would be served comfortably by GuGu Yang, but today, Empress Dowager Yi De's brows did not relax, as if she had encountered something that she could not resolve.
GuGu Yang sighed silently in her heart. Perhaps the news of Xuan Pei's regicide would not be concealed. Even if they tried their best to conceal it, how could the people of the Eighth Prince's faction let go of such an opportunity to attack Xuan Pei? Now, all the memorials flying up and down the court were hoping to decide on the heir to the throne as soon as possible. The Thirteenth Prince's virtue was lacking and he was not fit to be the Emperor, and the Eighth Prince was fully deserving of being the future master of the Great Jin dynasty. Although these voices were not as arrogant as they were on the surface, they had almost spread throughout the entire Great Jin dynasty. Xuan Pei was under house arrest, so he naturally did not know these things outside, but perhaps this was a good thing. GuGu Yang thought, he is just a young child. To have to face fratricide and invert right and wrong at such a young age is too cruel for him.
Xuan Pei did not directly face these cruel things, so all the pressure was pushed onto Empress Dowager Yi De's head. Empress Dowager Yi De could not be the Empress Dowager who listened to politics from behind the curtains for too long, otherwise she would be criticized by the world. Just like in the previous dynasty, there was an Empress Dowager who personally governed the country after the death of the Emperor. No matter how well she governed the country, she could not win against the title of Demon Empress. In the end, the country was overthrown by the civil and military officials and the Prince Regent.
If Empress Dowager Yi De did not express her position for a long time, then the court officials would think that she wanted to take control of the court. But once Xuan Pei provoked this matter, it was impossible for Empress Dowager Yi De to openly support him. In such a situation in the court, some of Xuan Pei's followers had also changed sides, but Xuan Li's people were much more numerous.
GuGu Yang was clear about Empress Dowager Yi De's thoughts. In the beginning, the Emperor wanted to make Xiao Shao the heir apparent, but Xiao Shao never had this intention. Empress Dowager Yi De felt that she owed Xiao Shao, so it was impossible for her not to consider Xiao Shao's feelings. If Xiao Shao did not want to be the Emperor, Empress Dowager Yi De naturally would not force him. As for the remaining Eighth Prince and Thirteenth Prince, in all fairness, no matter which side Empress Dowager Yi De chose, it would be harmless to her. After all, she was the Imperial Grandmother. Xuan Pei and Xuan Li could not do anything to her, as long as they were not afraid of being drowned by the spittle of the common people.
With Empress Dowager Yi De's original temperament, she would certainly not make a move. However, Jinying Wang fu had clearly expressed that they were on Xuan Pei's side, which represented Xiao Shao's attitude. Although this was definitely because of Jiang Ruan, it was later proven that Xuan Li had an unclear relationship with the Southern Frontier. On Empress Dowager Yi De's side, he was a chess piece that could no longer be used.
Therefore, Empress Dowager Yi De would not publicly express her support for Xuan Li. Even if it was the general trend, Empress Dowager Yi De had to endure countless pressures and persevere. This woman, even in the most cruel and difficult times of the reign of terror, was like an iron mirror, and would not yield to anyone.
"Your Ladyship, now …" GuGu Yang finally could not help but ask the question that had been puzzling her heart for a long time. "Why are you persisting so bitterly?"
"In order to wait for an opportunity." Empress Dowager Yi De, who had her eyes closed, said.
"Opportunity … is it His Thirteenth Highness' opportunity?" GuGu Yang asked.
"If he only has the ability to wait, then he can forget about that position." Empress Dowager Yi De opened her eyes, which were full of clarity and sharpness. There seemed to be some other emotion that flashed through, but GuGu Yang did not see it.
"Your Ladyship, it has been too hard." GuGu Yang said softly. The haze in the palace had not dissipated for even a day. Outsiders could only see a little of the things that Empress Dowager Yi De had done.
Just as she was thinking, a young eunuch suddenly reported from outside, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, there is someone outside with a token requesting to see you."
The young eunuch presented the token with both hands, and GuGu Yang took it and handed it to Empress Dowager Yi De. When Empress Dowager Yi De's gaze fell on the token, she was first startled, as if she had fallen into some kind of memory. Then, her expression suddenly became sharp, and she said in a low voice, "Bring it in!"
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