The Prime Minister’s Darling-Chapter 528 - 263 Recognition (Second Update)
Chapter 528: 263 Recognition (Second Update)
Chapter 528: 263 Recognition (Second Update)
The elderly lady felt that in this moment, she should have commanded a kneel, although she didn’t understand what was happening. But, before she could utter a word, the guard had already knelt down.
The elderly lady: “…”
Chancellor Zhuang also excitedly stepped forward, performing a ceremonious bow.
“Who are you?” The elderly lady asked.
“I… ” Chancellor Zhuang was about to speak, but then he remembered that she had no recollection of the past, so he changed his words, “I am your elder brother! You are Zhuang Jinse, and I am Zhuang Boyong. Do you still remember me?”
“Elder brother?” The elderly lady stared at him doubtfully.
“Yes!” cried Chancellor Zhuang excitedly, “Have you remembered now?”
The elderly lady didn’t answer him, but turned to look at the old priest next to her and asked, “Was it you who ordered someone to push him?”
“This servant is utterly unreasonable. He even dared to turn me away at the door…” Chancellor Zhuang looked contemptuously at the old man next to the elderly lady. For some reason, he was particularly annoyed by him and felt an impulse to pounce on him every time he saw him standing next to his sister.
The elderly lady looked at him, her tone somewhat impatient, “What did you just say?”
Chancellor Zhuang was startled by her hostile tone, “I said… he turned me away at the door?”
The elderly lady: “The sentence before.”
Chancellor Zhuang recalled: “This servant is utterly unreasonable?”
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The elderly lady nodded, walked to the door, and beckoned Chancellor Zhuang over with a wave of her finger.
Chancellor Zhuang stepped forward: “Sister.”
The elderly lady patted his shoulder: “Turn around, face the outside.”
Chancellor Zhuang didn’t understand, but he turned around as instructed.
The next second, he only felt a sharp pain in his buttocks. It was the elderly lady who had kicked him out. He stumbled on the doorsteps unpreparedly and fell to the ground.
Before he could comprehend what had happened, the elderly lady had slammed the courtyard door shut!
A servant?
Screw you!
How dare you bully my man!
Chancellor Zhuang was left outside the door, realizing that he would not be able to see Zhuang Empress today. He clenched his teeth in frustration and left for home.
On his way home, he was puzzled. Why did Empress Dowager Zhuang treat him in such a way? Was it because she didn’t recognize him and mistook him for an enemy, or was she standing up for the old geezer?
It’s ridiculous. Since when did Empress Dowager Zhuang care so much about a servant? She always regarded human lives indifferently – even the princesses of the dynasty could be casually pawned off for political marriage. Yet she would actually stand up for a mere servant?
Not only was Chancellor Zhuang confused, but the old priest was also in a fog.
He trusted Zhuang Jinse to kill him more than he trusted her to stand up for him.
But it happened whether he believed it or not.
He was no fool and wouldn’t deceive himself by thinking, oh, she wasn’t doing it for my sake but merely a warning to strangers.
Planted halfway into the grave, shouldn’t he have some dignity?
The old priest fumbled with his nose and muttered, “Um…”
It’s over. He wanted to say thank you, but he couldn’t get the words out.
Master and disciple shared a character trait. When they had to spin a yarn, they were loquacious. But when it was time to build up the mood, they were tongue-tied.
The elderly lady didn’t dwell on this triviality. She had just done something very ordinary. She nonchalantly walked to the kitchen.
The glutinous rice cakes weren’t finished yet. They would get cold if she didn’t eat them soon.
The old priest watched her hurried retreat, guessing she was off to eat. Could this foodie really have been the infamous evil empress who used to dominate the world?
The old priest doubted his perception for the first time.
Could it be possible that Zhuang Jinse wasn’t as wicked as he thought? Or maybe he had misunderstood Zhuang Jinse in the past?
But even so, there was one thing she could never wash away – the fact she had used the deceased emperor’s body as a bargaining chip!
While the other empresses were racking their brains to monopolize the emperor’s favor, she was busy snatching all the green cards and placed them in her Kunning Palace. Sleeping with the emperor required an upfront payment, the higher bidder won the night!
She even set a reward system. If anyone bore a dragon seed, they received a reward of one thousand taels of silver. If the child was born safely, the reward was two thousand taels of silver.
If anyone had a prince, they could have a free night with the deceased emperor.
How much silver did she gather? The total couldn’t be counted.
What was even worse, the deceased emperor was kept in the dark and was even pleased with himself for having such a virtuous empress. Zhuang Jinse was given the title of a ‘virtuous queen’ this way.
By the time the deceased emperor knew the truth, it was too late. Now the power of ruling was in Zhuang Jinse’s and her family’s hands.
The late emperor died in resentment, Zhuang Jinse had the crown prince deposed, and had today’s emperor ascend the throne, commencing her own twenty-year reign from behind the screen.
Zhuang Jinse, oh Zhuang Jinse, just what kind of person are you?
If one day you remember who you really are, would you revert to being the old Zhuang Jinse, or continue playing the adoptive grandmother to Liulang and Jiaojiao?
Xiao Liulang went to the fruit garden and met Gu Jiao and Xiao Jingkong on their way back.
Both young and old seemed going in high spirits, as if they’d exhilaratingly accomplished something.
Xiao Jingkong was hopping about, elated beyond measure!
Happy to have played with the flower pattern toy!
Happy to have seen Jiaojiao!
Today was another day for him to be hearty and heroic!
All three returned home; Gu Jiao went to fetch water for Xiao Jingkong to wash his hands, while old priest announced that dinner was ready and started laying out the food.
Gu Xiaoshun woke Gu Yan up: “It’s time for dinner.”
Gu Yan rubbed his groggy eyes and lazily rolled over: “I don’t want to eat, I want to sleep.”
Gu Xiaoshun replied: “Eat first, then sleep.”
“No.” Gu Yan buried his head under the blanket.
Suddenly a pair of icy cold hands reached under the blanket, and held Gu Yan’s face.
A chill ran up Gu Yan’s spine; he tossed away the blanket and sat up: “Little monk! Are you seeking for trouble?”
Xiao Jingkong ran towards the door, pulled a face at him: “Nyah nyah nyah!”
“You just wait!” Gu Yan swiftly got out of bed.
Xiao Jingkong waved his little arms and ran to make a complaint: “Jiaojiao! Brother Yan is going to hit me!”
Gu Yan grabbed a feather duster: “You’re not to slander me! It was you sneak attacking me!”
With the two young masters arguing, the chickens and dogs in the courtyard also started squabbling, a chaos entertained nightly.
The old priest thought to himself, if anyone had the audacity to make such a ruckus in front of Empress Dowager Zhuang in the past, they would have been punished long ago, unlike now where she just sat cracking melon seeds, apathetic, as if she enjoyed the chaos.
After dinner, when the old priest saw they were alone, he asked the old lady a question: “So… aren’t you afraid that, he really is your brother?”
The old lady gave him a disdainful glance: “How is that even possible? Isn’t Liulang the only one left in my natal family?”
“Ah… yes, yes!” The old priest did not dare to contradict, worried he’d misspeak, but seeing her careless expression, he found himself unable to bear it.
He asked, “Just in case… I mean, just in case, if you still have family, and they have power and authority, would you want to go back?”
“You do seem a bit odd…” The old lady gave him a suspicious look, placing the melon seeds on the stove and picking up a kitchen knife, “Spill it! Are you hiding money again!”
The old priest: “…”
Regarding Marquis Zhuang’s visit, the old priest thought it was necessary to mention this to Xiao Liulang.
At night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Xiao Liulang was called to the next room by the old priest.
After discussing Marquis Zhuang’s business, Xiao Liulang didn’t show even a hint of surprise, leading the old priest puzzled: “You already knew about the Zhuang family’s matters?”
Xiao Liulang didn’t hide: “When we were in the countryside, Prince An came to our house.”
“So soon…” The old priest was taken aback.
He was aware of Prince An’s visit to the small town. This was before the imperial civil examination, almost a year already by now.
The old priest pondered for a moment: “It seems that Zhuang family had something to do with reopening the Guozijian. Regardless of your examination result, they planned to get you to Guozijian. They know your circumstances well, and expected you to bring your family along, so Zhuang Jinse could make a grand entry into the Capital City.”
When the old priest suddenly referred to the old lady by her name, Xiao Liulang blinked in surprise, despite that the old priest himself didn’t realize his slip of tongue. Xiao Liulang remained silent.
Lost in his thoughts, the old priest continued: “Now that you’ve been crowned top scholar, and Marquis Xuanping is showing overt interest in getting closer to you, Zhuang family must think that you’ve decided to align with the emperor and Marquis Xuanping, becoming their enemy, hence they can’t allow Zhuang Jinse to remain with you. We shall see; Marquis Zhuang has been turned away today, but he won’t give up easily.”
Just as the old priest suspected, Marquis Zhuang had not given up on bringing Empress Dowager Zhuang back. If cordial requests failed, then force had to be applied!
Laying a hand on Empress Dowager Zhuang was unthinkable. Besides life and death related offenses, Empress Dowager Zhuang was untouchable. Should anything go wrong, they wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.
Consequently, Marquis Zhuang shifted his focus on the people around Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Xiao Liulang was too cautious, and that maid reportedly had some skills, both were not easy to deal with.
That maid’s mother supposedly lived nearby, but she never left her house, making it equally difficult to approach her.
So, that left three students at the Guozijian and Qinghe Academy.
The youngest one was always with the son of the Minister of War and the Seventh Prince, messing with him could alert the enemy.
In the end, after careful consideration, Marquis Zhuang set his sights on one person— Gu Xiaoshun!
