The Deep Palace Banquet, Storms Rise Again

  The faint two words exit, originally seeing the carriage made Gu Zhongzheng and Gong Sunmo even more suspicious, and in an instant they confirmed who was inside the carriage. Gong Sunmo's deep eyes fell on Gu Yunxi, but found that the person with his back to him seemed to be stunned at this moment.

  Wan Xi Zhen finally walked out, at his feet was a dense forest of teeth yet no violent Chu Yi. Wan Xi Zhen got off the carriage and slightly bowed to Gong Sun Mo and Gu Zhong Zheng, "Your Highness, Prime Minister."

  Gu Zhongzheng's gaze fell on Gu Yunxi and Wan Qi Chen for an instant, and he also glanced at Gong Sun Mo beside him. The gleam in his narrowed eyes flashed, and there were too many considerations in that instant.

  Gongsun Mo's eyes narrowed slightly as he met the gaze of Wan Xi Zhen, one cold and stern, the other deep and unfathomable. "I really didn't expect that it was Prince Chu who sent Yun Xi back."

  Wan Xi's mouth curled up slightly, and he glanced at Yun Xi with a casual gaze, nodding towards Gong Sun Mo, "I happened to meet the second miss on the way and sent her back. Since the king is here, Wan Xi dare not disturb him, so I'll take my leave first."

  Gu Zhong nodded, "Thank you, Duke Chu, take care."

  Wan Xi nodded slightly and turned to prepare for the horse carriage, but there was a little guy following him. He looked down and saw that Chu Yi seemed reluctant to leave his hem, he hooked up the corner of his mouth and looked at Gu Yunxi, only to find that Gu Yunxi, who had not spoken much, was staring at him with an astonishing gaze.

  Wan Xi's heart tightened, but his face showed no signs of it. His eyes gleamed faintly as he said, "I've long heard that the second young lady has an extraordinary ability to tame even the most ferocious snow wolves. Today, I see that the rumors are true."

  The voice was cold and polite, like a knife cutting off the vines of doubt that had sprouted in Gu Yunxi's heart. She came back to herself and called out softly to Chu Yi, and the little wolf cub immediately ran over to her. Gu Yunxi bowed to Wan Qiwen, "Thank you, Your Highness, I won't see you off."

  Wan Qi Chen turned around and got into the carriage, as the wheels rolled away, Gu Yun Xie clearly saw Chu Yi's gaze following the carriage until it disappeared in the distance. She composed herself, turned around to face Gong Sun Mo, "Thank you, Your Highness, for sending Chu Yi back. If it's convenient for you, please come into the manor again, I have something to discuss with you."

  Gongsun Mo saw that Gu Yunxi's eyes were filled with depth, and he had just entered the palace and needed to make some arrangements with her. He nodded immediately, and Gu Yunxi led Chu Yi into the mansion, with Gongsun Mo following behind her. Gu Zhong, who was behind them, looked at the two people walking together, his eyes flashing with a few hints of hesitation, and he followed them after a slight pause.

  In the Shu Yue Xuan, Gu Yun Xi couldn't wait to ask, "After Wang Ye entered the palace today, how did the Emperor react to this matter?"

  Gongsun Mo originally wanted to tell her this, and immediately opened his mouth: "The Emperor heard that the person who escaped at the time was naturally sentenced to death. Later, I said that since the daughter of the Yi family could escape, she must have had help. The Yi family had many connections in the military early on, so it's better to arrest her first and then investigate the people who helped her at the time. If we can catch them all at once, we can eliminate future troubles. The Emperor thought this made a lot of sense and agreed."

  Gu Yunxi furrowed her brow as if she had a question, and Gong Sunmo seemed to know what she was going to ask. "At the end of the year, the Ministry of Justice is overwhelmed with cases and doesn't have time to investigate this 20-year-old case. When Father Emperor declared his intention to enter Yongjin Palace, he also used this as an excuse to report back. In the end, Father Emperor ordered that Luo Furen be detained in Tianyao until after the New Year before investigating and handling the matter. Later, if we can delay for as long as possible to help the Yi family overturn the case, at least Luo Furen's life will not be in danger."

  Gu Yunxi let out a sigh of relief in her heart, at least it wasn't the worst outcome. As long as she was given time, no matter what method was used, there would be a way to rescue her. Gu Yunxi hesitated for a moment and looked at Gong Sunmo, "Your Highness, regarding the plan to clear the name of Yi Xing's family that you mentioned earlier, how much chance do you think it has of succeeding?"

  Gongsun Mo couldn't help but furrow his brow at her question, and after a few moments of silence, Gu Yunxi looked at him as if she already knew the answer. Her eyes were serious, "Yunxi knows that this matter is very difficult, once the prince brings up the case again, this twenty-year-old cold case will be dug up again, plus it was the emperor himself who presided over the trial back then, to make him admit he was wrong would be harder than anything else. More importantly, with the emperor's temperament, he will definitely put the prince in a disadvantageous position. So Yunxi thinks that since mother is temporarily not in danger of losing her life, we don't need to take such risks. Yunxi believes that the prince will eventually ascend to the throne, and Yunxi is willing to wait until the day the prince clears the name of the Yi family."

  Gongsun Mo was extremely surprised by Gu Yunxi's words, his eyes deep and profound as he looked at Gu Yunxi, "Yunxi, are you telling the truth?"

  Gu Yunxi nodded, "Of course."

  Gongsun Mo furrowed his brow, turned around and paced back and forth a few steps. After a moment, he turned back to face Gu Yunxi, "Yunxi, I will let you know that believing in me is not wrong. Although Lady Luo has been locked up in the heavenly prison with even stricter guards, I can guarantee that she won't suffer any hardship. Give me a little more time."

  Gu Yunxi took a deep breath and some of the worry on her face dissipated. "Yunxi believes in you, Wang Ye."

  Gongsun Mo felt a huge stone drop in his heart, and he also thought that Gu Yun Xie was very considerate of him, so he naturally felt happy. However, as soon as he thought about the scene at the gate of the Prime Minister's mansion earlier, his eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.

  "How did I meet His Highness Chu?"

  "Met on the street when I came back."

  "How come it's been so long?"

  Gu Yunxi let out a soft sigh and lowered her head to tease Chu Yi, while Gong Sun Mo couldn't see her expression for a moment. All he heard was her voice saying faintly, "Yunxi was struggling with whether or not to clear her mother's name at the time, so she had Your Highness take me on a few laps around the city, which is why we came back late."

  Gongsun Mo didn't respond, while Gu Zhongzheng arrived at Su Yue Xuan. He entered the door and nodded towards Gongsun Mo, then looked at Gu Yunxi with a slightly sunken gaze, "Yunxi, you went to see her in prison, what did she say?"

  Gu Yunxi was taken aback, at this moment she didn't know what attitude to use to face this person who had no blood relation with this body. It seemed like she thought for a moment, then calmly opened her mouth, "Mother only said that she is indeed the daughter of the Yi family, but before she could say anything else, the crown prince arrived."

  Gu Zhongzheng naturally already knew that Gong Sun Longqing had also gone to the great prison, and nodded at this time. His eyes were deep and solemn as he said, "Yun Xue, since there is Wang Ye here, you don't have to worry. This matter is of great importance, and it's not something that can be rushed."

  Gū Yún Xī's eyes flashed with a hint of sarcastic smile, but she only replied lightly, "Yún Xī understands."

  "Xun, don't blame her, she..."

  "Father, please be at ease." Gu Yunxue stood up, the smile on her lips exceptionally sincere. "Father doesn't need to worry, since Mother is not in danger of losing her life for the time being, I won't quarrel with my sister either. Besides, Sister will become the Duchess of De in the future, and she will be above me. Since I am loyal to the Duke, naturally I will also be loyal to Sister. Father, isn't that right?"

  Gu Zhongzheng did not expect her to say that, while Gong Sunmo on the side was speechless and exuding cold air all over his body. He wiped away the cold sweat that had broken out on his forehead, "Right, Yunxi is right..."

  When Wan Xi Chen's carriage stopped in front of the "Chu Hou Fu", he inadvertently glanced at the plaque above the gate. This courtyard, where he had lived for nearly ten years, was still as majestic and imposing as it had been many years ago. With a cold expression, he lowered his head and entered the gate. The guard, Wei Shu, saw him return and hurriedly came forward to greet him, "Master, why have you gone out for so long?"

  Wan Xi's mouth was pursed, seemingly lost in thought. Wei Shu glanced at him and exchanged a look with Mu Yan, who trailed behind them, her brow furrowed in a mixture of concern and helplessness, unsure of how to begin the conversation.

  As soon as he entered the house, a warm and cozy heat rushed towards him. The orchids in the corner of the room had all been replaced with iris flowers, their delicate fragrance wafting through the air, diluting the scent of dragon's saliva. Wan Qi Zhen took off his black cloak and sat straight up by the window, his mind still on Gu Yun Xi's gaze, a gaze that was too piercing, as if it had seen right through all the unknowns in this cold and harsh winter. He let out a soft sigh, picked up the hot tea cup handed to him by Mu Yan, and took a light sip.

  "How's your investigation going?"

  The master ordered to investigate the woman, who is actually the daughter of General Zuo Xing, who was sentenced to death 20 years ago for corruption and embezzlement of military funds. She escaped before the execution and was listed as a fugitive by the Ministry of Punishment, which had been searching for her in vain. This time, it seems that she was discovered while attending the Crown Prince's banquet with the Chu Hui troupe, but in fact, she had never appeared in the Chu Hui troupe before. Our people just got this information from the mouth of the Chu Hui troupe, and then all the people of the Chu Hui troupe disappeared without a trace.

  Wan Xi Zhen closed his eyes and listened, occasionally furrowing his brow. Mu Yan paused for a moment before continuing, "Miss Gu Er said that the woman was her mother. Our people also investigated and found that Gu Zhong Zheng currently has three wives in the manor. One of them is a concubine who used to be a maid by the side of his late formal wife, managing the household affairs. Another one is a merchant's daughter from the capital who has borne him a son. And then there is another one... for so many years, outsiders only knew that such a person existed, but no one knew her name or appearance. She can't even be found in the Gu family tree. It must be Miss Gu Er's mother."

  "After Miss Yi's escape, the whole country was on high alert and a massive manhunt was launched, but in the end, nothing came of it. Our people searched far and wide, but all we could find out was that she left Yanjing heading south, and after that, where she went, how she returned to Yanjing, and how she entered the Prime Minister's residence, we have no idea."

  Wan Xi Zhen's eyes slowly opened, after all, it was just one night, and this was already enough, "Continue investigating."

  Mo Yan nodded in response, but on this side, Wan Qi Chen asked again, "Why hasn't there been any news from that side this month?"

  Mo Yan furrowed his brow, "I don't know either, the messenger said it might be because of the eldest young master's presence here, sometimes the road can also delay for a while, please wait a few more days."

  Wan Xi Zhen only felt a bit uneasy, but didn't know what was wrong. Wei Shu, standing at the door, looked at Mu Yan with an approving gaze and nodded his head, seemingly having thought for a moment. Wan Xi Zhen said to Mu Yan, "Go tell Big Brother that he's stayed here long enough. Since everything has been smoothed out, it's time to prepare to leave. Next year will be busy with many things, and he should stay by Father's side."

  Mo Yan nodded and went forward to add another cup of tea for him, "I'm afraid the young master is worried that you are not willing to go back. I heard that things at home are no longer like they used to be. This year, the 'Xuanji Spectrum' sent by the young master has been strongly promoted by the emperor, and the new officials selected by the master are all very supportive of the master's policies. The tasks assigned by the emperor have all been done extremely well, indeed a capable and virtuous minister. With discerning eyes that can see through thousands of mountains and rivers, I'm afraid there is only one person like you under the heavens."

  Wan Xi looked at Mu Yan with a faint gaze, "I didn't know you had so much to say."

  Mo Yan smiled faintly, but Wan Xi Chen let out a slight sigh. "Time really flies when you think about it. You've all been with me for so many years, I'm sure you're all eager to go home too. Unfortunately, we can't rush things now."

  Mo Yan furrowed his brow and said with a hint of seriousness, "I just miss the warm winter days of Da Chu."

  Wan Xi Zheng turned his head to look out the window, the winter days of Da Yan were so cold and overcast. His eyes suddenly became very distant. The winter days of Da Chu had never been so cold for so long, where there was often a warm winter sun, even if you put orchids in the courtyard, they could be raised very well.

  ——

  A cold wind howled by, and the cloud layer at the edge of the sky grew lower and lower. It seemed that another snowstorm was coming down.

  Gu Yunxi wrapped her snow-white cloak tightly around her, her brow fixed on the direction of the imperial city. Today, she had only brought Yue Niang with her as she left Yanjing City alone to see off Gong Sun Chenglin.

  Standing by the mountain path where people rarely pass, everything in sight is a withered yellow. The distant mountains and fields are barren and desolate on winter days, and the withered leaves rise with the wind, adding to the bleakness.

  "Miss, will His Highness take the official road?"

  Seeing that they had waited for so long and the person still hadn't arrived, Yu'e couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. Gu Yunxi heard this and shook his head, "It won't be, this trip to Western Sichuan is urgent, taking the official road would be too roundabout and far, Cheng Wang wouldn't take that route."

  It seems to have confirmed Gu Yunxi's words, and as soon as her voice fell, a crimson small top carriage appeared at the end of the mountain road. "Cheng Wang has arrived!"

  Gu Yunxi looked at the carriage getting closer and closer, but finally shook her head, "It's not Cheng Wang."

  The princess raised an eyebrow, "I heard that Prince De will enter the palace this afternoon to preside over the trial of Guo Zhang, and only saw him off at the city gate. Who else would be walking around here at this time?"

  Gu Yunxi's eyebrows were furrowed, and she didn't respond. The horse carriage drew closer and closer, finally stopping in front of them. A pale large hand stretched out from the carriage, and with a gentle pull, a person emerged. The black cloak contrasted sharply with her snowy white skin, and the purple-golden small stove that poked out first was none other than Wan Qi Chen.

  "I pay my respects to Your Highness of Chu."

  Gu Yunxi and the two of them paid their respects, Wan Qi's eyes still had a hint of surprise that hadn't dissipated. At this moment, he waved his hand to let the two get up, Mu Yan hurriedly stood far away by the side of the carriage road, Yue Niang saw this and also retreated to the side of her own carriage, leaving only the two of them standing together waiting for her. She slightly turned her head to take a look, and suddenly felt a strange feeling that these two people seemed to be quite compatible.

  "I didn't expect you to come see me off, Your Highness Chu."

  Wan Xi's eyes narrowed slightly, "Because it was Cheng Wang."

  Gu Yunxi raised an eyebrow and suddenly brought up a topic, "I heard that back then, Crown Prince Cheng was surrounded by dozens of assassins sent by the Taizi, but in the end, it was the Crown Prince who dispatched his trusted aide, Wu You, to save him. The Crown Prince had previously mentioned this incident with admiration, saying that Wu You's martial arts skills were the highest among all the people he had met. If he could engage in a battle with Wu You, it would surely be a great pleasure for him."

  Wan Xi's eyebrows furrowed, "Is that so? Unfortunately, Wu You is not by my side now. However, I believe Wu You would also be willing to engage in a battle of wits with the Crown Prince."

  Gu Yunxi looked at the person beside her, "Where did Wu You go?"

  A hint of a smile played on Wan Xi's lips. "You can rest assured, Luo Xiao and the others are probably already far away by now. I merely sent him back to Da Chu."

  "Big Chu?"

  Wan Xi Zhen nodded, "Yes."

  Gu Yunxi slightly lowered her eyebrows, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, "Has Your Highness ever thought about returning to the country?"

  Wan Xi Zhen was taken aback, suddenly took a deep breath and his tone was slightly melancholic, "Of course I've thought about it, but some things aren't achievable just by thinking about them, like my return to China."

  Gu Yunxi was speechless for a moment, but in fact, she already knew without asking that Wan Qi Chen would not be able to return to the country easily. Luo Xiao's performance in Yanjing all these years had been mediocre and he couldn't even leave, let alone Wan Qi Chen. She let out a faint sigh, her entire body tinged with a desolate chill, reflected in the morning mountain colors, a heart as cold as the sky.

  The two people fell silent on this topic, and it was at this time that the sound of horseshoes came from the end of the mountain path. Gu Yunxi and Wan Qi Chen turned their heads to look over, and the person who came was Gong Sun Chenglin.

  Gongsun Chenglin didn't use a carriage, and the number of people following him was extremely small. This kind of light travel caught Gu Yunxi's eye, and she couldn't help but let out another sigh.

  "Cloudy! Wan Xi!"

  Gongsun Chenglin rode his horse up to them, and as he jumped off, his eyes shone with delight. "You two are indeed in sync, both waiting for me here! Second Brother's matter today cannot be delayed, I'm afraid he has already entered the palace by now. He told me that Cloud Xi would definitely be here, and it seems he was right!"

  "Your Highness." Gu Yunxue smiled and bowed, "You've only just arrived now, I'm afraid there are many people in the capital who have come to see you off. I didn't want to compete with them, so I came to this quiet place instead."

  Wan Xi's mouth slightly hooked, "Wan Xi was originally a person who didn't like noise, unexpectedly met the second young lady, this time going to western Sichuan, is the king prepared?"

  Gongsun Chenglin looked at them with a sigh, "If I were to ride a horse and kill the enemy, my eyebrows wouldn't even wrinkle. But this time is different from before, I have to scheme and calculate, thinking about it, I still don't have any confidence in winning. However, since Father's order has been given, doing this well will be of great benefit to Second Brother, so Chenglin must do his best and not dare to be careless at all, rest assured."

  With a slight pause, Gong Sun Chenglin looked at Gu Yunxi, "Yunxi, although we haven't known each other for long, I consider you a good friend. Now that I'm leaving, I don't know when I'll be back. Once I leave, there will only be Second Brother left in the capital. He's been alone in the Zhenbei Army all these years, and there aren't many people here he can talk to. Will you help me take care of him?"

  Gu Yunxi furrowed her brow, "Wang Ye——"

  Gongsun Chenglin shook his head, "Yun Xi, I know you're going to say the same thing as last time. This time, it's not that I want you to prepare to be his queen, I just want you to remember that apart from being a strategist, you are also Er Ge's friend, and he values your friendship very much, do you understand?"

  Gongsun Cheng's eyes were deep and profound, and Gu Yunxi didn't even dare to look him straight in the eye. After a brief moment of hesitation, she said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will do my best not to disappoint you."

  Seeing Gu Yunxue, Gong Sun Chenglin finally smiled on his face. He turned to look at Wan Qi Chen, "Wan Qi, you've worked hard all these years. If it weren't for your repeated reports of the Crown Prince and the Duke's movements, I'm afraid my second brother and I would have died a thousand times. This time back in the capital, our meeting was too short. Let's get drunk together next time I return!"

  "Your Highness can rest assured and go, Wan Xi will wait for your return to the capital. However, when that time comes, Your Highness will have to drink alone, while Wan Xi can only accompany you with tea."

  Gongsun Chenglin suddenly slapped his forehead, "Wan Xi you can't drink alcohol, I had forgotten about this. Alright, when the time comes, I'll drink wine and you'll drink tea, we must get drunk together!"

  Wan Xi Zhen's rarely seen smile gradually deepened, he lowered his head and took out a sandalwood box from his sleeve, "Your Highness is going to Shu West to collect military power, the difficulties are heavy, separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, Wan Xi can't provide any assistance. This box contains a token, when Your Highness arrives at the army, just find someone named 'Xiao Yun', although he's young, he's an old man in the Shu West army, Your Highness only needs to hand over this token to him, and he will naturally lend you a helping hand."

  Gongsun Cheng's eyes gleamed brightly, and Gu Yunxi also showed a hint of surprise. Among the Western Sichuan Army, they were the most difficult to deal with, known for their strict and unyielding style. It was unlikely that they would easily agree to hand over military power. If a violent uprising were to occur during this period, the blame would naturally fall on Gongsun Cheng aside from the Western Sichuan Army. Now that there were people within who could be used, Gongsun Cheng's chances of success had greatly increased!

  "Ten thousand years!"

  Gongsun Cheng's eyes moved, and Wan Qi Chen smiled and shook his head. "Your Highness, don't say thank you yet. This person is not a subordinate of the Wan family, but rather someone who received a small favor from the Wan family in the past. It's unclear how much help he can offer Your Highness."

  Gongsun Chenglin shook his head, "If you don't say it, how would we know there's still someone else who can be used? Now, no matter how much he can help, at least I won't have completely lost confidence. Wan Xi, you're now like a lifesaving straw to me. If this time's affair goes smoothly and succeeds, I, Gongsun Chenglin, will definitely thank you profusely."

  Wan Xi shook his head, glanced at the dark clouds in the sky and smiled, "Since it's like this, I'll just wish you a successful journey. The weather seems to be turning bad, Your Highness should hurry up and get on your way."

  Gu Yunxue continued, "There are no post stations to rest on the mountain road. Your Highness should set out early and find a place to stay for the night. If it snows heavily, it will be even more troublesome."

  Gongsun Chenglin took a look at the two people in front of him, his eyes deepened, and he cupped his hands together in a salute to the two of them, saying, "In that case, I'll take my leave. The mountain is high and the road is far, don't worry about me."

  Watching Gong Sun Chenglin mount his horse and ride away, Gu Yunxi glanced sideways at the person beside her, "The small favor mentioned by Your Highness is probably not that small, otherwise Your Highness wouldn't have brought it up at this time for Crown Prince Cheng. With Your Highness's help, Crown Prince Cheng will surely be able to handle everything smoothly."

  Wan Xi nodded expressionlessly, "Where is Miss Gu going?"

  In the distance, Gong Sun Chenglin's figure had already disappeared at the bend of the mountain path. Gu Yunxi took a deep breath and looked up at the quiet sky, wondering if Gong Sun Chenglin's journey was really as smooth as she said. She glanced at Wan Qi Chen, "The weather seems to be changing, I'm preparing to return to the manor, what about you, Your Highness?"

  Wan Xi nodded, "The weather is changing, the orchids in the courtyard have not been brought into the house yet, Wan Xi also needs to return to the mansion. Second Miss, I bid you farewell."

  Looking at the person turning to walk towards his own carriage, Gu Yunxi really wanted to ask if the orchid had been replaced with iris. The leaves and petals of the iris have a refreshing fragrance that can refresh one's mind and supplement one's vitality, which is just the antidote to the poisonous snake grass flower. As the curtain dropped, the dark figure was hidden behind it. Gu Yunxi let out a sigh, after all, he still didn't ask.

  Under the dark sky, the two carriages went down the mountain road and gradually moved further apart. In the distance, a black stone cloud was pressing down on the summit of the mountain, and the violent snowstorm seemed to be getting closer and closer to the capital city of Yanjing. The people sitting in both carriages had cold expressions that were impossible to read. Amidst the gloomy and biting wind, it seemed as if sinister plots and calculations were wildly spreading like vines. Whether they were friends or enemies, whether they would help or exploit each other, all of this was unknown.

  When Sun Zhuo was executed on the Duanhun Platform, the case of Guozhang finally opened for trial. However, everyone knew that this was just a formality. The first crime to be established was replacing dead prisoners. Although the Ministry of Punishment had presented evidence, even if the Crown Prince and his subordinates wanted to save Guozhang, it was already too late. Emperor Lie looked at the case files submitted by the Ministry of Punishment and issued his first command: to confiscate Guozhang's military power in Chuanxi. When this command was issued, Gong Sun Chenglin had already arrived in Chuanxi and entered the Chuanxi Military Camp before anyone could prepare.

  This is only the first count, once convicted, Guozhong will no longer be the former Guozhong, his title of "Cheng'en Gong" was stripped, and he is now just an ordinary criminal minister.

  The second impeachment trial was followed by the collection of evidence on the crime of private greed for tribute goods by the Ministry of Justice, but because many officials came forward to take responsibility one after another, this heaviest crime did not fall on Sun Yu's head. In the heavenly prison, he didn't know what was happening outside and only fainted when he heard the news of Sun Zhuo's death. After waking up, he seemed to have contracted a serious illness, and the emperor, thinking that he had at least made contributions to Da Yan, sent a royal doctor to diagnose him. Also, because the matter of tribute goods was confusing and unclear, no immediate verdict was made, so Sun Yu would be detained indefinitely in the heavenly prison until the Ministry of Justice investigated the matter clearly.

  At this time, it was already the end of the year. Under the command of Ce Fang's wife, Liu Shi, everyone in the mansion was preparing for the ancestral worship ceremony. Many people didn't even know that Luo Furen had left the mansion from Shui Yue Xuan. However, Xu Danni knew about it, but her knowledge came too late. She felt guilty for not taking good care of Luo Qingyi as entrusted by Gu Yunxi. On the other hand, Gu Yunxi was comforting her.

  Not only was the Gu's residence bustling, but the palace was even more lively. At the end of the year, it was the time when the families of various officials entered the palace to present gifts to the noble people in the harem. Therefore, the grand banquets in the palace never stopped. Although Gu Yunxi didn't like such scenes, she couldn't avoid going since the invitation had been sent to her hands.

  Today is another feast.

  Sitting in the carriage on the way to the palace, the streets were filled with bustling crowds coming and going. The atmosphere of the New Year was getting thicker and thicker, but Gu Yunxi's heart couldn't help but feel unhappy. The Crown Prince's consorts, Taizi Fei and Banban, were now both in the East Palace, and with these two women who might bear him sons, the continuation of the imperial lineage was guaranteed. Many of the old, stubborn officials who had been wavering also leaned towards him.

  Gongsun Mo's grand wedding was set for March, after the New Year. What would happen three months later, no one could predict. Gu Yunxi only felt that this palace with its high walls and bustling activity was becoming more and more oppressive to her.

  Today's banquet is being held in the Fuyue Palace of Empress Shu Yu Jin, and as the second-ranking imperial consort after Empress Sun Wan, she has a high status. Therefore, all the officials' families with high social standing in the capital have come to attend her banquet today. The Gu family received two invitations, and when Gu Yun Xie left the house, Gu Ying Xue had already entered the palace early.

  Looking at the elegant and refined lady, Gu Yunxi's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Although Liu Shi was the current mistress of the manor, she was only a secondary wife, so she couldn't attend every imperial banquet. Gu Yunxi entered the palace alone, and from afar, he saw the figure of Crown Princess Zhao Lanhua in her purple palace attire.

  Compared to the Zhao Huanhua I saw before, today she has a rosy complexion with warm and gentle eyes, her mouth slightly curved into a faint smile, looking like someone who is being pampered and indulged.

  Gu Yunxi's eyebrows moved slightly. The former crown prince's consort had always been treated coldly, but after the incident with Lingling, the crown prince seemed to be grateful to her and now treats her very affectionately. Gu Yunxi's gaze shifted towards the person beside Zhao Lanhua, her eyes narrowed, and surprisingly, it was Lingling!

  On that day, Lingling was wearing a white dress with a clear and beautiful complexion. However, it had only been a few days since then, and today she was dressed up in a luxurious attire, her makeup was exquisite and elegant, with an added air of nobility. Looking at the two sitting together, Gu Yunxi's eyebrows furrowed slightly, could it be that Zhao Lanhua really didn't mind at all?

  Gu Yun Xue, who was deep in thought, suddenly felt the sound of footsteps coming from behind her. She turned around to see Ya Pei and Gong Sun Ci. Ya Pei wore a pale blue smoke-colored palace dress, while Gong Sun Ci wore a white fox fur cloak with a white sable tail hairpin on her head, its fine fur curled around her forehead, making her bright eyes and teeth even more radiant.

  Thinking of Gong Sun Ci's attitude towards her, Gu Yun Xue also didn't say much and just slightly bowed, Ya Bin nodded and smiled at her, her expression still calm and gentle.

  "Sister!"

  Gu Yunxi had originally intended to follow Ya Gui into the palace, but just as she turned around, a soft voice called out to her, stopping her in her tracks. She smiled faintly and turned back around to see Gu Yingxue following Xiang Gui towards her. Gu Yunxi took a few steps forward to greet them, "Greetings, Your Highness, sister."

  Xiang Jun pulled up her hand, "It's been a long time since I've seen the second miss, why don't you and Xue Er come to the palace to see me?"

  Gu Yunxi only felt a layer of chill in the hand she was holding, but still didn't reveal any expression or smile. "Yunxi naturally wanted to come and pay respects to Your Majesty, it's just that I feared disturbing Your Majesty's elegant mood. Yunxi is not as clever as her sister, without Your Majesty's imperial decree, how dare I disturb you?"

  Xiang Jun smiled faintly with a calm expression, "This is indeed my fault. Since that's the case, next time I'll let Xue Er wait for me to summon you."

  Gu Yunxi's eyes lit up, and Gu Yingxue smiled and nodded, "Xiao Xue will definitely not disappoint Mother."

  A burst of cheerful laughter and music filled the air, but Gu Yunxi felt that her own smile was so fake it made her sick. Her gaze swept across the faces of the people in the grand hall, everyone was smiling, she took a deep breath and forced an even bigger smile on her face.

  When he sat down, however, he did not sit with Xiang Gui and the others. Today, all the family members were seated in a large hall, each person had a desk in front of them. Gu Yunxi looked over and saw that the Crown Prince's wife and Banban were sitting at the very front, followed by Ya Gui, Xiang Gui, Gu Yingxue, Gong Sun Ci and other palace concubines, and then the family members of officials from the capital, but the main seat was still empty.

  Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was chatting with each other, Gong Sun Ci ran to the side of the Crown Prince's wife. Although she was sometimes arrogant and proud, she was also clever and lovely, and hadn't said two words before Zhao Lian Hua was teased into a smile. At this moment, Xiao Yu Jin walked into the hall in a red palace dress.

  Her appearance is always stunning, her makeup and aura are all things that other women in the palace do not have. Some people say she is arrogant and pampered, some people say she is reckless and will eventually be trampled underfoot if she continues like this. But despite everyone saying these words for many years, Xiao Yu Jin remains the only one of her kind in the palace, with undiminished power and influence.

  "Greetings, Princess Shu."

  Her eyes swept high from the scene, waving her hand to let the people who were paying their respects all stand up, and she smiled, "This Fuyue Palace has not been so lively for a long time. Today, everyone just enjoys themselves, don't be restrained at all. Come on, start the banquet——"

  She didn't have many polite words to say, which was probably her characteristic. She had repeatedly provoked Emperor Lie into a rage and left her Fuyue Palace, but after a few days, Emperor Lie would return to her side again. This couldn't help but give other women in the harem hope, only to be greatly disappointed.

  But she is not the luckiest woman, she has been in the palace for 15 years, and until now, there are no children under her knees. Or to say, she once had a chance, seven years ago, she was pregnant, but unfortunately, it was a miscarriage before four months, after that, the imperial physician told her that she would never have another chance to get pregnant again. This matter is known by everyone in the palace and the court, so many women, while admiring her glory and splendor, occasionally also look at her with extreme pity, a woman who was once favored, a woman whose imperial favor has not been interrupted, a woman who is admired by all six palaces, but a woman who has never had children of her own despite holding high power in the deep palace. She is indeed pitiful.

  As soon as Yu Jin's words fell, the whole scene became lively. The first topic that everyone entered was the matter of the Crown Prince's wife and Yunyun being pregnant with a dragon pulse. The crowd surrounded them with congratulatory voices, while Zhao Lianhua and Yunyun looked at each other with deep affection and smiled, like a pair of sisters.

  Xiao Yu Jin gazed at the scene and cast a faint glance at Zhao Hua's belly, "The Crown Prince's consort is only two months pregnant, it was extremely dangerous three months ago, you must be careful, I myself had a miscarriage during a banquet due to a slight carelessness..."

  As soon as this was said, everyone burst out laughing. Zhao Huanghua glanced at her own belly and smiled lightly, "Thank you for reminding me, Your Majesty. I will naturally pay attention to it."

  "This one——"

  Xiao Yu Jin looked at Yun Yun, "This is the new wife of the prince, I heard it's been three months already. This should be better, generally won't have any problems."

  Xu Xu nodded to Xiao Yu Jin, and many people began to toast and offer gifts to Xiao Yu Jin. The scene was naturally the most lively, with many noblewomen in the capital relying on Xiao Yu Jin's words to help their husbands regain some face in the harem. Amidst the fervent atmosphere, only Gu Yun Xi and the inner palace consorts appeared somewhat calm.

  The music drifted away, and Gu Yunxi gazed vaguely at the various expressions of the crowd around her, only to find that Gu Yingxue had vanished into thin air. Gu Yunxi subconsciously scanned the hall, but still couldn't find anything. She curled up the corner of her mouth, thinking that Gu Yingxue might have gone to the restroom or stepped out for some fresh air - it was all possible. Why did she need to be so nervous and on edge here?

  Just as she thought so, the next moment Gu Yunxi's gaze fell on a small tray held by a pink-clad maid. Today's dishes were all exquisite, but at this time, the small bowl held by the pink-clad maid was even more exquisite. Gu Yunxi took a closer look and found that it seemed to be carved out of white jade, with a lifelike small ermine on the jade surface of the small bowl. The edge of the small bowl was inlaid with a circle of ermine tails, which looked not only elegant but also set off the cold winter scene, as if a small ermine was holding a bowl of thick soup.

  "Oh no!"

  In a low voice, it turned out that Gong Sun Ci had seen this exquisite and lovely thing. She was covered in sable from head to toe, and at this time she walked around her seat and blocked the little maid, "You stand still."

  Xiao Bi stopped in her tracks. Gong Sun Ci looked up and down at the small, peculiarly-shaped vase, "What's inside? Is it for someone?"

  "Reporting back to Your Highness, it's a nourishing supplement for pregnancy given to the Crown Prince's consort."

  Gongsun Ci smiled, "It's for the Crown Prince's consort, it's strange that this small cup is so good-looking, give it to me, I'll send it to the Crown Prince's consort, you can go down now."

  The little maid seemed to hesitate for a moment, but Gong Sun Ci quickly took over and walked towards the crown princess with the tray. Gu Yun Xi frowned slightly, only to see that the little maid was stunned on the spot, staring straight at Gong Sun Ci as she placed the small cup in front of Zhao Lian Hua before turning around and leaving. The little maid had been walking with her head down when she came, and she continued to walk out with her head still lowered. Gu Yun Xi looked carefully, only to see that the little maid's neck, exposed due to her lowered head, had a small red birthmark.

  Gu Yunxi's eyebrows furrowed even deeper, and a sense of unease arose in her heart.

  "Crown Princess, this is a nourishing supplement for you, eat it quickly. After eating, let the little baby of Crown Prince come out early. They say that little baby should call me auntie."

  Zhao Lanhua saw the shape of the small pot and couldn't help but smile. As she listened to Gongsun Ci's words, she opened the pot, and suddenly a strong fragrance wafted out. Zhao Lanhua took a deep breath, "It smells great."

  Gongsun Ci let out a sigh, and Xiangxiang, who was standing beside her, also nodded with a smile. Zhao Lanhua suddenly furrowed her brow at this moment, "Is that all? How come it took so long to bring just one copy? I wonder if Sister Xiangxiang wants one too?"

  Xiaoxiao's expression changed slightly, "Sister, this one is naturally for you, I don't mind."

  Zhao Lanhua pulled her hand and sighed, "No way, I already have enough supplements. Sister knows that these days people have been treating you unfairly, this supplement is for you, hurry up and eat it, after a while when we get back sister will arrange someone to send some over."

  Her eyebrows furrowed, and Gong Sun Ci's eyebrows also furrowed. "Who dares to bully the little treasure of the Crown Prince? The Crown Princess must severely punish those people!"

  Zhao Lanhua patted Gong Sun Ci's head and smiled, "The princess is right, Xiangxiang you hurry up and drink it, if not for anything else, think about the child in your belly."

  The two of them gazed at her with shining eyes, and she lowered her gaze, "Then I'll obey."

  It was originally a small matter, and there was no great harm. Zhao Lanhua saw that the supplement in the bowl was being spooned into her mouth by Yunyun, while on this side she continued to talk with Gongsun Ci.

  Gu Yunxi had been watching the crown prince and his consort, but seeing that there seemed to be no problem, she smiled again. She seemed to have been a bit too nervous lately. At this time, Gu Yingxue had also returned to the main hall. Her eyes swept over her body, but saw that her feet were stained with red mud. Her eyebrows furrowed, where had Gu Yingxue gone?

  It was at this moment that a sudden crash of porcelain shattered the air in the hall, and Gu Yunxi looked up to see that it was Ai Ai next to Zhao Lanhua. Her face twisted in pain as she bent down, her whole body contorted in agony.

  Zhao Lanhua was shocked and suddenly stood up, "Lianlian!"

  The sudden change left everyone stunned, and the view of Xie Yu Jin on the main seat was blocked by the person offering a toast in front of her. At this moment, upon hearing the sound, she waved her hand to clear the crowd in front of her, and when she saw Cui Cui's appearance, her face changed greatly. "Someone, go invite the imperial physician! The guards of Fu Yue Palace listened, sealed off the scene, and no one was allowed to leave!"

  With a slight pause, Xiāo Yùjǐn's eyes turned cold, "Go and bring the Emperor and Empress to me!"

  Gu Yun's gaze, like lightning, swept across the crowd. In her line of sight, Gong Sun Ci's small face turned deathly pale. At this moment, she stood frozen in place, staring at Xiang Xiang who had fallen to the ground, shocked into speechlessness. On the other side, Ya Pei's expression changed drastically as she rushed towards Gong Sun Ci. Meanwhile, Xiang Pei stood not far away, her face calm and collected, watching Gu Ying Xue, who was also standing by, without a hint of abnormality.

  Gù Yún Xī's gaze fell on the chaotic and fragmented position of the Crown Prince's consort, but who exactly was it that——

  ——

  Digression

  It's so cold! Everyone should take care of their bodies and avoid catching a cold. The next chapter has many characters, I'll go think about how to write it...