Chapter 160: 160 destiny
Chapter 160 160 Fate
In the royal study, everything on the desk was swept away by the emperor with one arm.
Those teacups, teapots, four treasures of the study, porcelain furnishings, etc. made a crisp sound on the smooth gold brick floor and were smashed to pieces.
Tea and ink splashed everywhere, and a few drops of hot tea splashed on Eunuch Ni's face, causing his skin to ache.
Most of the things in the house were smashed and left in a mess.
But the emperor was still upset.
The veins on his forehead were beating wildly, his face was flushed, and he felt a fire of depression rising slowly in his heart, making him unable to sit still.
All the people in the palace, including Eunuch Ni, were silent, not daring to say a word for fear of being angered by the emperor.
The emperor has been getting more and more angry recently, and it's not an exaggeration to say it.
Prince Gu Nanjin was also there, feeling helpless and powerless, exhausted both physically and mentally.
In his opinion, there is no benefit in having such a quarrel between his father and the Nine Emperors.
Even though Uncle Nine Emperors has a lot of troops, he is now in the capital, so he is like a trapped beast, unable to cause much trouble.
Even if my father really wants to suppress the Nine Emperors Uncle, he can do it step by step, so why rush at this moment!
At this time, a young chamberlain's thin and soft voice came from outside the royal study: "Taoist Master Xuanjing, please come this way."
Taoist priest Xuanjing walked in wearing a gray robe and holding a silver-white whisk.
Seeing the mess in this place, Xuanjing's eyes flashed, and with steady steps, he walked up to the emperor unhurriedly, bowed to the emperor and saluted: "I am a poor man, see the emperor."
The atmosphere was condensed and depressing, the air seemed to condense, and there was a heaviness about the coming storm.
Eunuch Ni and others were relieved. Even if the emperor is angry now, he will go to the rightful owner.
"Xuanjing," the emperor's gaze pierced Xuanjing like a knife, and he asked in a cold voice, "Why didn't Gu Jue die?"
The emperor has always respected Taoist Master Xuanjing, thinking that his teachings are profound and he treats his words like gods. He has always been polite to him in the past. This is the first time the emperor has been so harsh to him. His voice is so cold that it almost makes ice shards fall out. .
The atmosphere became even colder.
On the surface, Xuanjing still looks like an immortal, but in his heart he is secretly complaining: all this has developed to this point because of a combination of circumstances.
Originally, the second prince asked him to speak kindly to Chu Qianchen in front of the emperor. He made his words ambiguous, but it was just to advance and attack, and to retreat and defend. Unexpectedly, the emperor actually had the idea of "celebrating" King Chen...
The matter has come to this, and he can no longer say that he doesn't know the current situation.
Xuan Jing felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck, as if there was a guillotine hanging above his neck, the chill was overwhelming.
If he cannot give the emperor a satisfactory answer today, then one can imagine what awaits him.
Xuanjing slowly flicked the fly whisk and saluted again, "Your Majesty, please Rong Pindao do some calculations."
Xuanjing lowered his eyes, raised his right hand to make calculations, and seemed to be mumbling something.
The room became quiet again.
Everyone in the palace held their breath, while Gu Nanjin stood aside with eyes and noses in mind.
After a moment, Xuanjing opened his eyes, seemed to hesitate, then counted with his fingers, and then put down his hand.
His eyes were complicated, mixed with emotions such as surprise, hesitation, thinking, confusion, etc.
The emperor frowned and looked at Xuan Jing with the emperor's unique condescension.
Xuan Jing frowned slightly and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, Chu... Princess Chen's fate is a bit strange. She was young and in trouble, her pearls were covered in dust, and now there is a great disaster. There is death in life, and life in death. Next, Let’s see if we can put ourselves to death and survive…”
"As for King Chen, his destiny is the Seven Kills. The most evil evil is the sign of short life." Xuan Jing said carefully, half truth and half falsehood.
Directly in front, the emperor was sitting behind an empty imperial desk, slowly turning the jade ring on his thumb with one hand and half-squinting his eyes.
In the past, a Taoist priest also told Gu Jue's fortune, and his fortune was indeed the Seven Kills pattern.
Although the name of the Seven Kills pattern is fierce, the noble pattern has always been associated with the Seven Evils. Since ancient times, there has been no shortage of princes and generals who were destined to have the Seven Evils. They have accomplished earth-shaking achievements and their names will remain in history.
The emperor's eyes became darker and his face was as dark as water.
He raised his thin lips mockingly, "Short-lived? I see that he is very energetic."
Although the emperor still had a cold face, Xuanjing could see that the emperor's emotions were beginning to calm down, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and said: "Your Majesty, Pindao looked at the stars again last night, and the stars were still dim. King Chen His Highness must be seriously ill and will not die soon. Now he is just recovering."
"If the emperor doesn't believe it, he can ask the imperial physician to take Prince Chen's pulse."
Xuanjing was convinced that King Chen was seriously ill, so he said this with confidence.
"..." The emperor's expression softened slightly, remembering that Prince Chen's mansion had repeatedly refused the imperial doctor's visit. It was clear that there was something wrong in his heart. As long as Gu Jue was in good health, why would he hide away from people for a month? This was not in line with Gu Jue's character.
Eunuch Ni had served the emperor for decades and was always good at observing people's emotions. He quickly winked at the two little chamberlains beside him.
The little chamberlains immediately took action, some rushed to clean the floor, and some went to prepare tea for the emperor again.
Xuanjing slowly shook the fly whisk again and changed the subject: "Your Majesty, how do you feel after taking the Nine-layer Pill?"
He tried to divert the emperor's attention with elixirs.
Speaking of Jiuzhong Dan, the emperor's eyes lit up and a smile appeared on his face, and all the doubts he had about Xuanjing disappeared in an instant.
He successively took the Jiuhuan Dan and the Jiuzhong Dan made by Xuanjing. Both elixirs were genuine elixirs. In the past few months after taking the elixir, he had become a dragon and a tiger, completely transformed, especially the Jiuzhong Dan. It has the effect of rejuvenating youth.
"I feel that I have been in high spirits recently, and I don't feel tired even after dancing for a long time." The emperor became more and more happy as he spoke. He invited Taoist Master Xuanjing to sit down, and then asked with some urgency, "Taoist Master, take one dose of this Nine Layer Pill a day." This pill still has such a miraculous effect, I wonder if I can take one more pill every day?”
Gu Nanjin clenched his fists and hesitated to speak.
He knew that the emperor would not listen, so he could only swallow all the words.
Xuanjing lifted his robe and sat down on a rosewood armchair by the window. He shook his head and advised seriously: "Your Majesty, haste makes waste. Everything must be done step by step."
The emperor thought about it carefully and thought so. How can immortality be so simple? How can it be achieved overnight!
The emperor nodded and said: "The Taoist priest is right, I am too anxious."
"However, Taoist Priest, I only have less than ten ninth-level pills left here..."
While talking, the little chamberlain neatly cleared away the tea, broken porcelain pieces, and the four treasures of the study on the floor, and a maid gently served tea to both the emperor and Xuanjing.
Xuanjing added: "Your Majesty, don't worry. Pindao has already refined three furnaces of the Nine-Layer Pill for the Emperor. It will be ready in three days. One of the three furnaces will be ready."
The emperor smiled and said brightly, "That's good!"
Seeing the emperor's appearance, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, including Gu Nanjin.
After a while, a young **** in green clothes quietly entered the room, and gave Eunuch Ni a wink quietly, and Eunuch Ni quietly left the room.
After a while, Eunuch Ni came back again, with an extra book in his hand.
He walked closer, presented the zhezi on the imperial case, and said, "Your Majesty, a zhezi has just been sent from Nanyang at a cost of five hundred miles."
When the emperor heard about Nanyang, he naturally thought of Qin Yao, the prince of Nanyang who had murdered his father and absconded. He estimated that this leak was to capture Qin Yao.
Xuanjing was very interested and immediately said: "Since the emperor has government affairs, Pindao will leave. Three days later, Pindao will bring the Nine Layer Pill to the palace to present it to the emperor."
The emperor repeatedly said hello and ordered Eunuch Ni to send Xuanjing out in person.
In the imperial study room, only the emperor and his son were left.
"Prince," the emperor said to the prince Gu Nanjin while opening the book on the imperial case, "Qin Xuan is also the legitimate son anyway, so let him inherit the title of King Nanyang..."
The emperor's words stopped abruptly in the middle of his words. He looked at the contents on the brochure, his pupils shrank, and he could not hide his shock.
This fold is stamped with the crown prince seal of Nanyang Prince Qin Yao, and there are signatures and signatures of Nanyang generals at the signature, proving that the person who killed his father was Qin Xuan, and he was beheaded and executed on the spot.
At the end of the excerpt, Qin Yao bluntly asked the emperor to let him ascend the throne and inherit the title of Nanyang King.
The emperor held the memorial in his hand tightly, his pupils were dark and his face was ashen.
The Nanyang King has guarded the northwest border for generations, holding a hundred thousand troops. In order to prevent him from relying on his own troops, the princes of the Nanyang princes in the past generations will stay in the capital, and the prince Qin Yao of this generation is no exception.
After the emperor ascended the throne, he regarded King Nanyang as a serious problem in recent years, so he intended to support Qin Yao.
As he wished, Qin Yao was just a dandy, good for nothing.
The emperor was quite satisfied with this, and had always preferred Qin Yao to inherit the title of King of Nanyang. Until the rumors of Qin Yao's father-killing came out in May this year, Gu Jue did not hesitate to run for Qin Yao, and even went to court to refute him in person, suppressing those rumors. A piece of information to impeach Qin Yao.
Only then did the emperor know that Gu Jue was actually on good terms with Qin Yao, and the friendship between them was obviously not an ordinary acquaintance.
At that time, the emperor changed his mind and felt that Qin Yao could not stay. Since he had killed his father, he should be sentenced to death and his crime was unforgivable.
Unexpectedly, Qin Yao's whereabouts are unknown after absconding from Nanyang.
The emperor also sent many people to help the Nanyang Palace search for Qin Yao's whereabouts, but there has been no progress.
It was not until today that the emperor received news about Qin Yao again, but the situation has changed dramatically. The man who killed his father became Qin Xuan!
"Father," Gu Nanjin saw that the emperor's face was not very good and asked, "but what happened in the northwest?"
The emperor's eyebrows were raised, the word "Chuan" was wrinkled on his forehead, and he raised his hand to make a gesture.
A young chamberlain presented Qin Yao's book to Gu Nanjin.
Gu Nanjin also looked at the booklet at a glance, with the same surprised look on his face.
Unexpectedly, in just one month, such drastic changes would occur in the northwest and Nanyang palaces!
Knowing his father better than his son, Gu Nanjin understood his father's feelings towards Gu Jue and immediately understood why his father was angry.
He closed the fold and carefully considered his words to persuade the emperor: "Father, since the murder of King Nanyang has come to light and Qin Xuan has been brought to justice, it is natural that the heir apparent should inherit the title."
If Qin Yao was a concubine, then it would be reasonable for his father to be in trouble, partly because he was a famous teacher, and even if he ordered the Nanyang Palace to be demoted to one rank.
But Qin Yao is the legitimate heir apparent to Prince Nanyang. If his father embarrasses Qin Yao in the matter of seizing the title, it will probably chill the hearts of other nobles in the clan. After all, my father can embarrass the Nanyang Palace today, and he can embarrass other palaces next time. The emperor frowned slightly, feeling that the prince was good at everything, but he was too kind-hearted and simple-minded.
"As a prince, don't be so naive!" the emperor scolded coldly, "You don't even think about the location of the northwest."
"The northwest is connected to the north. Gu Jue and Qin Yao are good friends. If Qin Yao hands over all the northwest to Gu Jue and connects the two places, it will be a big disaster for Daqi!"
Gu Nanjin: "..."
Gu Nanjin felt a little helpless and secretly sighed: His father's feelings towards Uncle Nine Emperors were too deep. My father's jealousy will probably chill the hearts of those who serve as ministers.
Gu Nanjin thought for a while and continued to persuade: "Father, since the Qin Crown Prince did not kill his father, it is only natural for him to seize the title. Moreover, there are Lin State and other small countries on the northwest border, which are eyeing them and invading them repeatedly. The Nanyang army cannot be without a master for a day. Otherwise, I am afraid it will shake the morale of the military and people in the northwest."
emperor:"…"
The emperor was silent, feeling in his heart that the prince's wife was too caring and not bold enough to kill.
There was a dead silence in the imperial study room.
When Eunuch Ni sent Taoist Master Xuanjing away and returned to the imperial study, he heard the emperor say in a deep voice with deep meaning: "These people in the Nanyang Army made excuses every day. Now they said Qin Yao killed his father, and now they said Qin Xuan Patricide is just child’s play, I don’t know if it has been investigated yet!”
"The death of King Nanyang is of great importance, and we must find out everything before discussing the attack on the prince. I plan to select an imperial envoy to go to the northwest in person, and I must get to the bottom of this case."
The emperor felt that this plan was very clever, it could be said that it could be said to be the best of both worlds, and he could advance and retreat freely.
If there is really a secret behind the death of King Nanyang, then of course Qin Yao cannot attack the prince.
Even if the real murderer is indeed Qin Xuan, he can use this as an excuse to delay the matter of inheriting the title, and it can also give Qin Yao a warning and let him know that he is the majestic emperor of Qi.
The emperor's eyes sparkled and he asked Gu Nanjin, "Prince, who do you think is worthy of the post of imperial envoy?"
Gu Nanjin: "..."
Gu Nanjin hesitated.
This is not a good job. To put it bluntly, no matter what the results of this mission are, this imperial envoy will definitely offend Qin Yao and the officers and soldiers of the Nanyang Army.
This trip requires someone who is good at dancing to go to the northwest, otherwise, I'm afraid it will be a setback.
Gu Nanjin was thinking about whether to choose a candidate from the clan or a censor from the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He considered one candidate after another in his mind, but he felt that none of them were suitable.
At this time, he heard the emperor say again: "What do you think about letting Gu Jue go?"
Gu Nanjin: "..."
Gu Nanjin's eyebrows moved. He understood what his father meant. His father wanted to put a thorn in the middle of the Nine Emperors Uncle and Qin Yao.
In fact, Gu Nanjin felt that it was really unnecessary. Besides, if the Nine Emperors Uncle was really on good terms with Qin Yao, even if there was a hidden secret in the case, he could just help Qin Yao and expose it hastily.
Gu Nanjin knew that his father had always been stubborn to the point of paranoia when it came to the Nine Emperors Uncle. Moreover, his father had become more and more irritable recently. He often got angry over trivial matters, which made the courtiers miserable. Mr. Xu, the Minister of Civil Affairs, came to the meeting. Two days later, his father hit him with a folding fan and injured his forehead.
Gu Nanjin said tactfully: "Father, Uncle Nine Emperors is still sick."
When Gu Jue's illness was mentioned, the emperor's face became even more gloomy, and he sneered: "Illness? I don't think his illness is serious enough!"
Sick sick sick!
This Gu Jue was obviously ill, but he still refused to hand over the military talisman. He was very close to Nan Hao's Wuhejialou. Yesterday, Wuhejialou personally went to Prince Chen's Mansion to attend Gu Jue's wedding.
It is said that the two had been talking privately for a long time, and they didn't know what agreement they had reached.
The more the emperor thought about it, the more he felt like a light on his back.
This Gu Jue keeps making little moves and has secret friendships with Qin Yao and Wuhe Jialou. He clearly covets the throne. Why doesn't he die of illness earlier?
The emperor raised his eyes and looked out the window, his eyes heavy.
At some point, the sunset was almost completely gone, leaving only the last trace of orange in the sky.
Gu Jue and Chu Qianchen were also looking at the sunset on the horizon.
The two of them had already changed out of their formal attire and walked around the palace. Chu Qianchen felt a little tired, so he chose a pavilion in the garden to rest and enjoy the sunset.
When the princes and princesses want to rest, the servants naturally don't dare to be rude. Tea, sherbet, fruits, ice basins, etc. are all sent here.
In addition, there are also Gu Jue's decoctions.
The decoction was boiled by Amber himself and delivered piping hot.
Chu Qianchen personally brought the medicine bowl to Gu Jue's hand and stared at him eagerly, "Your Highness, drink the medicine."
Gu Jue drank the soup in one breath.
Chu Qianchen took the empty medicine bowl and stuffed another candy into his mouth. His movements were quick and tacit, as if he had done it countless times.
Chu Qianchen secretly thought that she could make more kinds of candied fruits for the prince, and she could eat them differently every time she drank the medicine.
While thinking, Cheng Linhua walked over quickly, walking in a hurry.
"Your Majesty, Princess." Cheng Linhua first bowed his hands to the two of them, and then said, "Prince Qin's book has just been delivered to the imperial study."
Of course he meant this to Gu Jue.
Gu Jue just glanced at Cheng Linhua indifferently without saying anything, then lowered his eyes again and slowly drank the rose dew water that Chu Qianchen handed him.
Cheng Linhua knew that Gu Jue meant that he should continue to complain without having to avoid the princess, so he continued: "The emperor lost his temper because of this, and even angered the prince. He is worried that the prince of Qin will be friends with you..."
Cheng Linhua reported in detail what happened in the imperial study, including the attitude of the emperor and the attitude of Prince Gu Nanjin.
Chu Qianchen was not surprised and drank sherbet silently.
Of course she knew that the prince had placed some people in the palace and around the emperor.
Gu Jue played with the white porcelain cup in his hand and commented lightly: "The prince doesn't look like he is Gu Lang's biological son."
Chu Qianchen's eyes flashed slightly, he was convinced, and he took another sip of the sweet and sour sherbet.
Although Prince Gu Nanjin is not a genius, he has a gentle and calm temperament. If he can ascend to the throne, he will be a conservative king.
It's a pity that Gu Lang is suspicious by nature.
In the previous life, the prince was deposed and established, established and deposed, and finally died due to the emperor's suspicion.
After the death of the prince, the emperor has not appointed a new prince for a long time. He is also very suspicious of the princes under his knees. He always feels that the princes are coveting the throne and the courtiers are disobedient, which has caused the entire Qi Dynasty to be riddled with holes. It was in vain. The late emperor's decades of hard work.
In the last life, the day before the city was destroyed, the emperor abandoned the capital and ran away.
The imperial army stationed in the capital finally lost all morale, but in just one night, the entire capital was overwhelmingly defeated by Qin Yao's army.
Thinking about it, Chu Qianchen poured himself another cup of sherbet and calmed down.
And Cheng Linhua was a little worried. He didn't know who the emperor would send to the northwest in the end, in case it disturbed the good situation in the northwest...
He hesitated to speak and looked at Gu Jue.
Gu Jue said calmly: "It doesn't matter."
He only said two words, and Cheng Linhua seemed to feel reassured.
Chu Qianchen nodded thoughtfully, not worried at all.
Although Qin Yao was a mess, he was unambiguous in handling important matters.
He will definitely take the northwest land completely. With the northwest and the north, the two places and four states are connected together. In this way, for Gu Jue, it is possible to advance, attack, retreat and defend.
Only when they have to protest against the emperor one day in the future will they have room.
At this time in his previous life, Qin Yao was still burdened with the injustice of his father's murder and could only temporarily surrender the northwest. But in this life, the situation is different. With the help of the prince, Qin Yao is sure of taking the northwest.
Cheng Linhua wanted to resign, but then he bowed and remembered another thing, so he reported: "Your Majesty, after the prince came out of the imperial study, he left the palace and went to the post house to see Wuhejia Tower..."
Gu Nanjin obviously still has no intention of giving up on the marriage between the two countries.
Gu Jue just nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.
This time, Cheng Linhua wisely withdrew: "That subordinate will leave first."
The two of them were left in the pavilion again.
Amber and the other maids knew that their masters had something to say, so they obediently retreated outside the pavilion.
The sun set lower again, and bright red lanterns were lit in the garden, dotting the surroundings like fireflies on a summer night.
Chu Qianchen saw that it was getting late and said, "Your Majesty, tomorrow..."
Tomorrow is the day to return home from the three dynasties. Logically speaking, the groom should accompany the bride back to her natal home.
As soon as Chu Qianchen stood up, Gu Jue thought of what this girl said this morning: "Your Majesty, I can go into the palace alone today."
He vaguely guessed what she would say next, so he simply cut her off and said, "I'll accompany you back home tomorrow morning."
Chu Qianchen: "..."
In fact, Chu Qianchen felt that there was no need for the prince to go to a place like the Chu family.
Besides, the prince's body hasn't recovered yet, so why don't you know how to recuperate in the prince's palace?
Chu Qianchen looked at Gu Jue with a troubled look. The prince was too disobedient.
Even if Gu Jue couldn't read minds, he could tell what this girl was thinking. Feeling helpless, he raised his hand and rubbed her head, and gave her three more words: "Listen to me!"
His voice was neither soft nor serious, but it had an air that no one could question.
Okay, it's all up to you. Chu Qianchen smiled obediently.
A pair of pupils are like autumn water.
(End of chapter)