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Empress Dowager Zhuang accepted the candied fruits and said to Gu Jiao, "What's difficult about this matter? Whoever she likes, Aijia will arrange the marriage for her."
The problem was...
Xue Ningxiang didn't mention in the letter who she liked.
Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow, "Should I write her a reply?"
"Forget it, Aijia doubts she would mention it in the letter." Empress Dowager Zhuang said before calling for Eunuch Qin, "Send two reliable people to a county in You Province."
Empress Dowager Zhuang gave instructions to Eunuch Qin, who then went on his way to fulfill the order.
This was the convenience brought by power. Both the method and speed of solving problems were simple and straightforward.
With Grandaunt taking care of it, Gu Jiao didn't have to worry anymore. She was just curious about who Xue Ningxiang would choose to marry——a middle-aged warm-hearted man or an infatuated little wolf-dog?
While Gu Jiao was pondering this, a eunuch's announcement came from outside—— the Emperor had arrived.
The Emperor came to act with Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Even though the Emperor was gradually growing disgusted with Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing, he had yet to see her true colors. Therefore, he had been under the impression that the culprit was still lurking in the shadows and had yet to make a move.
Gu Jiao who knew the whole truth: Wrong, not only did she make a move, she even smashed her own foot.
Well, letting them continue the act wasn’t a bad thing either.
Grandaunt had tolerated the Emperor for so many years without knowing that he had been drugged. Who could truly say that she didn’t have a single trace of concern for their past mother-son relationship in her heart?
Gu Jiao also kept the truth from Grandaunt.
Therefore, Grandaunt, too, believed that Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing was still restraining herself and hadn't taken any action.
"Does imperial mother plan to visit the imperial garden today?" The Emperor said with a casual tone.
His acting skills were really terrible!
Empress Dowager Zhuang rolled her eyes. Since they were still inside the Renshou Palace, she couldn't be bothered to put on an act, "Yes, Aijia is going. But..."
Empress Dowager Zhuang elongated her tone and deliberately glanced at Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao understood.
Candied fruits.
Got it, got it!
This was also perfect. She could observe how far the effect of the black medicine Grandaunt fed the Emperor had progressed. Lady Nan had mentioned that when a drugged person required such a massive dose of medicine guide, it meant that the effects of the drug were almost unsustainable.
She wasn't entirely sure if it was Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing's white medicine that couldn't hold up anymore, or if it was Grandaunt's black medicine that couldn't hold up, or perhaps both medicines were losing their effectiveness simultaneously.
Gu Jiao made a gesture to reassure Grandaunt.
Only then did Empress Dowager Zhuang raise an eyebrow, looking satisfied. She gazed at her ‘five candied fruits’ and said, "Let's go."
The Emperor: "..."
Was it an illusion? Why did it feel like the Empress Dowager was watching me with a drool?
Neither of them had any objections to Gu Jiao trailing along as their little tail, so she leisurely followed behind.
Eunuch Qin and Eunuch Wei were naturally present, but they had a low presence, unlike Gu Jiao who was sitting on Empress Dowager Zhuang’s phoenix palanquin...
The Emperor and Empress Dowager Zhuang walked together to the imperial garden.
The weather was nice today, and there were many people in the imperial garden.
Coincidentally, Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing was also there.
As soon as Empress Dowager Zhuang left Renshou Palace, she immediately assumed her role and was not affected in the slightest by the presence of Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing. It was the Emperor by her side who stiffened slightly upon seeing Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing.
He panicked as if he had been caught red-handed.
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing looked at the Emperor with a wounded expression.
The Emperor understood that he shouldn't have done this. Clearly, his imperial concubine mother was the most important person to him, but he left her behind and went out to stroll the imperial garden with Empress Dowager Zhuang.
However...
Gu Jiao understood. The black medicine's effects had only just started to take hold. The Emperor hadn't completely hated Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing yet. His current mood was probably one of guilt and complexity.
Gu Jiao speculated that Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing had anticipated this situation, so she wanted to personally see the extent of the Emperor's relationship with Empress Dowager, which could potentially impact her next plan.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was unaware of this and was merely acting for Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing to see.
It was also a good thing for Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing to be here in person. This way, she didn't have to rely on others to tell her the situation, which would diminish the effect.
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked gently at the Emperor and took out a handkerchief to wipe away the nonexistent sweat on his forehead, "Hong'er, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Let's go sit in the pavilion."
"No." The Emperor snapped back to reality but didn't evade her touch.
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing's gaze deepened.
"Oh, isn't that your imperial concubine mother?" Empress Dowager Zhuang pretended to have just noticed Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing, her tone and expression showing no sign of error. "Eunuch Qin, go and invite Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing over."
"Yes!"
Eunuch Qin went to invite Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing.
Grannie Cai understood that it would be highly imprudent to go there at this moment. But some people, after winning half of their lifetime, would start to believe that they could control everything in their hands.
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing agreed to it.
The group sat in the pavilion.
Among the four chairs, Empress Dowager Zhuang naturally sat beside the Emperor, and Gu Jiao sat on the Emperor's other side, which resulted in Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing sitting directly across from the Emperor.
"Hong'er has lost weight recently. You should eat a bit more." Empress Dowager Zhuang gently picked up a piece of crab pastry and offered it to the Emperor.
"His Majesty doesn't eat crab pastries." Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing reminded in a soft voice.
Empress Dowager Zhuang: ...I forgot that this silly son is picky about food.
Unfazed, Empress Dowager Zhuang said, "He likes them now, right? Your Majesty?"
She smiled and gave him a threatening glance.
The Emperor frowned and reluctantly accepted the piece of crab pastry.
Empress Dowager Zhuang dropped her handkerchief on the ground, accidentally stepping on it herself. She bent down and casually picked it up.
Then she raised the handkerchief and wiped it on the Emperor's mouth. "Oh dear, why are you eating just like when you were a child, with your mouth full? Come, let imperial mother wipe it for you!"
The Emperor's temples throbbed rapidly: ... Is she trying to provoke me? Don't think I didn't notice that this is the handkerchief you stepped on with your foot!
Their eyes clashed back and forth, but Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing saw it differently.
Clearly, they were showing great affection!
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing, unaware that they were acting, believed that they had genuinely reconciled.
A wave of intense jealousy surged within Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing, and she crumpled the handkerchief in her hand!
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