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Was it really okay for you to remain so calm when he was so scared to the point of almost peeing?
Gu Chengfeng thought this was the biggest shock tonight, but what happened next made him fall to his knees on the spot.
Eunuch Qin took them to see Empress Dowager Zhuang.
He thought that it was impossible for him to hide the fact that he was the young master of the Marquis Ding’an Estate, and since Empress Dowager Zhuang was at odds with His Majesty they were in allegiance with, he probably wouldn’t be spared lightly.
Just as his thoughts spun, he saw a small dark shadow flitted by his side, running towards the phoenix palanquin of Empress Dowager Zhuang!
Gu Chengfeng's hair all over his body started to rise!
You, you, you, you... You can't assassinate the Empress Dowager!
It won't work!
You'll be stabbed into a hedgehog instead!
The injured Gu Chengfeng couldn't move easily and thus couldn’t stop her. He could only look on as the little person in black plunged into the phoenix palanquin of Empress Dowager Zhuang.
He covered his eyes, unable to bear looking.
However, after a long time, he didn’t hear the sound of the imperial guards unsheathing their swords, but instead heard a voice of a young girl, "Grandaunt!"
The voice was clear and sweet, with a trace of cleverness and delight.
Gu Chengfeng suspected that he was hearing voices. He mustered up the courage to remove his hands that were covering his eyes, and saw that behind the palanquin curtain blown by the wind, the girl sat beside Empress Dowager Zhuang who was as majestic as an Emperor.
Empress Dowager Zhuang still had a sacred and unapproachable look, except that she raised her hand and took off Gu Jiao's mask. She held it in her hand and murmured with special disgust, "So ugly, don't you know how to wear a better-looking one?"
"This looks good." Gu Jiao said, "I like it."
"Take it away and burn it." Empress Dowager Zhuang handed Eunuch Qin the peacock feather mask.
Eunuch Qin respectfully took it.
It wasn’t really because it was ugly, but because this mask was seen by Tang Yueshan and had to be destroyed.
Gu Jiao was very reluctant.
Empress Dowager Zhuang didn't rush to catch up with Gu Jiao, but looked at the dumbfounded Gu Chengfeng outside, "Who is he?"
Gu Chengfeng had been to the medical hall and Bishui Alley, but unfortunately he had never met the elderly woman.
"Someone I know." Gu Jiao didn't reveal Gu Chengfeng's identity.
Empress Dowager Zhuang gave Eunuch Qin a meaningful glance. Eunuch Qin understood her meaning, walked up to Gu Chengfeng, and said with a smile, "Young hero, let me take you back."
Gu Chengfeng came back to his senses and looked at Gu Jiao a few times. Eunuch Qin smiled and said, "Young Miss will be fine."
Gu Jiao only said that Gu Chengfeng was someone she knew. Eunuch Qin did not know the depth of their relationship nor how much Gu Chengfeng knew about Gu Jiao, so he did not use her last name and only called her young miss.
Gu Chengfeng's mind was still in chaos at the moment, wondering how his sister knew the Empress Dowager, how his sister had such a good relationship with the Empress Dowager, how come his sister called the Empress Dowager ‘Grandaunt’, and how his sister… No, no, she wasn’t his sister.
He was so bewildered he totally missed Eunuch Qin's choice of words.
But he could see that Gu Jiao would be fine. He cleared his throat and said to Eunuch Qin, "Please take me to the Thousands Sounds Pavilion in Luoyang Street."
"Alright." Eunuch Qin replied with a smile.
People of the Tang Family had left already, and Gu Chengfeng also left under Eunuch Qin's escort shortly afterwards.
Empress Dowager Zhuang took Gu Jiao back to Renshou Palace.
Gu Jiao, who was dressed in night clothes, had become messy and dirty after hiding in the closet and escaping all the way.
Empress Dowager Zhuang took Gu Jiao to the bath in Renshou Palace to freshen up. Although she knew that Gu Jiao didn't like strangers attending to her, the bathing pool was too big for her to use. Empress Dowager Zhuang still arranged two nimble palace maids to personally serve her.
It was Gu Jiao's first time soaking in the bathing pool of the palace. It was a very fresh and novel experience.
The bright and spacious open palace hall was surrounded by golden dragon pillars that soared into the beams. The bathing pool was located in the center, covered by muslin curtains on all sides, with the scene inside faintly discernible.
The four corners outside the curtains were each lit with four candlesticks that resembled spread branches and scattered leaves. From top to bottom, the number of candles increased with each layer of the candlestick.
There weren’t any flames to illuminate the inside of the curtains, but a very large night luminescent pearl was inlaid on the floor and walls of the bathing pool.
The water of the pool was full of freshly picked petals, each of which was filled with fragrance.
Gu Jiao soaked her whole body under the petals, revealing only her small round head.
One of the palace maids waiting upon her knelt by the pool and said to her, "Young miss, this servant will comb your hair."
"En." Gu Jiao nodded her head, rarely refusing the approach of strangers.
The palace maid took out a wooden comb, dipped it in aromatic essential oil, and let down Gu Jiao's long hair that was coiled into a bun on top of her head.
Her movements were very gentle, as if she didn't dare to break a single strand of Gu Jiao’s hair.
Gu Jiao closed her eyes with enjoyment. Even herself never combed her hair so gently.
Her hair was combed until it was smooth and shiny, and then the palace maid grabbed the soap made of an animal’s pancreas to clean Gu Jiao. This kind of soap wasn’t the common honey locust soap one could easily buy in the market. It had a lot of additional spices, directly producing a flavor that ordinary people couldn’t afford.
It felt so comfortable that Gu Jiao almost fell asleep.
By the time Gu Jiao finished bathing, it was already more than an hour later. She was so busy catching the real assassin that the food she had for dinner had already been digested. Her stomach was now rumbling with hunger again.
She came out dressed in a light purple ice silk bedclothes, which at first glance wasn’t an attire that belonged to Empress Dowager Zhuang, but an outfit suitable for her age.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was in a trance as she watched her come out among the candlelight surrounded by the palace maids.
“Grandaunt.” Gu Jiao stepped forward.
Empress Dowager Zhuang recovered her senses and pointed to the stool on the side, "Take a seat and have something to eat."
Gu Jiao happened to be hungry.
Seeing a table full of delicious food, she almost couldn't hold back her saliva from flowing down.
She blinked her eyes and sat down, saying, "Grandaunt, how did you know I’m hungry?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted, "Humph, you think it’s hard to see through your puny little belly?"
Gu Jiao curved her lips into a happy smile, picked up the chopsticks and had a good meal.
The imperial palace was very strict with rules when it came to serving meals. Normally, there were people specially assigned to prepare the dishes. They could only eat what they served, and each dish was only limited to a few bites. Empress Dowager Zhuang had been strictly following the rules for so many years.
However, with Gu Jiao here, she removed the kitchen staff of the palace who usually prepare the dishes.
This was something that Gu Jiao didn’t know.
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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