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After having his meal, the Emperor still didn't leave.
Empress Dowager Zhuang's face turned pitch black, "What? Are you planning to stay overnight in Renshou Palace?"
The Emperor stood motionless and said, "Did imperial mother prepare a room for Little… HongHong?"
Ah! Just kill her already!
Empress Dowager Zhuang felt like going crazy!
She promptly kicked the Emperor out of Renshou Palace!
The Emperor stumbled and nearly fell as he crossed the threshold. He steadied himself, turned to Empress Dowager Zhuang, and said, "Well..."
Bang!
The doors mercilessly slammed shut in front of him!
The Emperor sulkily rubbed his nose and finished his sentence, "Let's go to the morning court together tomorrow."
Eunuch Wei couldn't bear to watch at all.
After enjoying a bowl of duck soup noodles at Renshou Palace, the Emperor felt refreshed. "Zhen thinks tonight he can review memorandums all night long!"
However, upon returning to his bedchamber and lying on the dragon bed, he fell asleep at once!
Eunuch Wei: "..."
What did falling asleep in a second mean? This was it.
He slept soundly and didn't have any more nightmares.
The next day, before dawn, Eunuch Wei woke the Emperor up, "Your Majesty, it's time for morning court."
"Mmm." The Emperor didn't have a habit of sleeping in. After being awakened, he quickly washed and changed into his dragon robe, "Prepare the carriage to Renshou Palace."
Damn the effects of that cursed antidote! Making him want to go to the morning court with the Empress Dowager!
Eunuch Wei vaguely felt that there was something fishy about the so-called effects of the antidote, but he thought that the little miracle physician and Xiao Liulang wouldn't deceive the Emperor. So, the Emperor truly reverted back to his childhood, becoming that clingy little snot-nosed brat?
That’s right, the Emperor had a habit of always having a runny nose when he was a child.
Although he had never seen it with his own eyes, Eunuch He had mentioned it before.
Furthermore, he would always cling to Empress Dowager, to the point of competing for favor with Princess Ning'an.
Ah, the past was not worth recalling!
"Ah, Your Majesty." Eunuch Wei suddenly remembered something important. "Eunuch He came earlier and asked how Your Majesty intends to deal with Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing."
After the Emperor severed ties with Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing, he placed her under house arrest in the imperial nunnery and had Eunuch He secretly guard her.
A cold gleam flickered within the Emperor's eyes, "Zhen hasn’t decided how to handle her yet. Despite her grave mistake, she is, after all, Zhen’s imperial concubine mother. Zhen was raised under her name, and she is practically Zhen’s birth mother. Can Zhen kill his own birth mother?"
Indeed, no matter what crimes she had committed, she would always be the Emperor's imperial concubine mother. While others might seek retribution against her, the Emperor could not personally end her life.
Eunuch Wei muttered, "Tsk, bring out the same resolve you had towards Empress Dowager back then!"
"What did you say?" The Emperor looked at him.
Eunuch Wei's heart skipped a beat, and he covered his mouth, "Nothing."
He let his thoughts slip again, darn it!
The Emperor cast him a glance and said, "Do you think Zhen sent He San to guard the nunnery for no reason?"
Eunuch Wei was startled, "Your Majesty, are you..."
The Emperor's expression grew complicated, "Zhen wants to know whether she has been acting alone all these years or if there are any co-conspirators. We must capture them all at once."
His feelings for Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing couldn't fade away in just a few days. Speaking of her, the Emperor still felt heartache, but he no longer sympathized.
Some beliefs collapsed overnight and could never rebuild their walls.
The Emperor said solemnly, "Keep an eye on Count Yong’en Estate as well."
Count Yong’en Estate was Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing's maiden family's home. The Emperor didn't harbor significant suspicions towards them. The offspring of Count Yong’en were all weak and incapable individuals, including Count Yong’en himself.
However, if Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing truly had accomplices, the Count Yong’en Estate might be the only opportunity for them to approach her.
The Emperor paused and added, "There's one more thing Zhen can't understand."
Eunuch Wei said, "Please go ahead, Your Majesty."
The Emperor wondered, "Zhen initially gave her four Dragon Shadow Guards. How come only one remains? Where did the other three go? Inquire about this matter as well. Zhen doesn't want to ask her personally anymore. Zhen no longer believes a single word that comes out of her mouth. Zhen also doesn't want... to see her again."
"Understood." Eunuch Wei acknowledged.
…...
At Bishui Alley, after the family finished breakfast, Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun went to Qinghe Academy, Old Chief took Little Jing Kong to the Imperial Academy, and Gu Jiao escorted Xiao Liulang to Hanlin Academy.
Xiao Liulang paused for a moment; it was as if he had returned to the day she walked him to Tianxiang Academy in their hometown.
He still remembered the time when there was no extra space on the cart, and she walked more than ten li on foot, just to ensure that no one would bully him or force him off the cart along the way.
"We've arrived." Gu Jiao said to Xiao Liulang.
Xiao Liulang's gaze fell on her slightly flushed cheeks from walking, sweat beads forming on her forehead. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat for her.
However, Gu Jiao opened her arms and gently approached him, embracing his slender waist.
"You..." Xiao Liulang's body tensed.
"You wanted a hug, right?" She extended her hands.
Xiao Liulang opened his mouth.
He just wanted to wipe away her sweat.
"Um..." The words reached his lips but ultimately turned into a reluctant admission. He didn't understand how he became so helpless.
Gu Jiao straightened up from his embrace, her clear and bright eyes gazing at him, "I'll come to pick you up after your shift."
"...Okay."
He still couldn't refuse her.
Gu Jiao curved her lips. "You can go in now. I'm leaving."
"...Okay." Xiao Liulang softly responded but didn't enter. "JiaoJiao."
"Yes?" Gu Jiao turned back, her clear eyes fixed on him.
"Ning Zhiyuan's family has arrived in the capital and invited us to their home." Xiao Liulang said.
"Okay." Gu Jiao replied. "When should we go?"
Xiao Liulang pondered for a moment, "How about the next day off? At the end of the month."
"Good." Gu Jiao readily agreed without hesitation.
Silly girl, did she understand that this time she was officially going out as his wife? By then, it would be difficult to disassociate herself from it in the future.
Gu Jiao waved her sleeve and left.
Xiao Liulang watched her figure intently, keeping his gaze on her until she disappeared at the end of the street before turning to enter Hanlin Academy.
Coincidentally or not, An Junwang was also standing right at the entrance of the Hanlin Academy. It was unclear how long he had been standing there, but he was looking in the same direction as he had just been looking.
"Junior Compiler Zhuang." Xiao Liulang greeted him casually.
An Junwang showed no embarrassment at being caught. He calmly retracted his gaze and looked at Xiao Liulang, "Senior Compiler Xiao."
A glimmer of coldness flashed in Xiao Liulang's eyes, but his face remained calm. "Congratulations, Junior Compiler Zhuang."
An Junwang furrowed his brows in confusion, "Congratulations on what?"
"On your engagement."
"With my younger sister-in-law?"
"I heard that the marriage was bestowed by His Majesty, and the date is already set."
"Your older sister-in-law and I will attend the ceremony."
"Wishing you a lifetime of happiness."
An Junwang clenched his fists.
He had only stolen a few glances at Gu Jiao, and Xiao Liulang ruthlessly pierced his heart into a sieve.
Was this man's possessiveness always so terrible?
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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