The person who came to deliver the imperial edict was Dou Hongyan, the director of the Eastern Depot. Dou Hongyan squinted his eyes and smiled, saying, “Madam, Her Highness is waiting for you in the palace. Please, come with us!”
Gu Jianli lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the imperial edict in her hands. After a moment, she looked up and said, “Thank you, Supervisor Dou, for coming in person. Allow me to change my clothes first.”
Dou Hongyan quickly glanced at Gu Jianli’s plain attire and promptly nodded, “Of course, of course.”
Gu Jianli turned and went back into the room, sitting down by the bed and picking up the porridge bowl on the small table beside it. There was still some porridge left. Before Dou Hongyan arrived, she had been feeding Wujing, and there was a little left unfinished. She took a small spoonful and tasted it; it was not yet cold. Calmly, she fed the remaining porridge to Wujing.
Jixia hurried in, her face anxious. “Madam, this…”
Gu Jianli placed her index finger on her lips to silence Jixia.
She fed the last spoonful of porridge to Wujing and wiped the porridge residue from his mouth with a cloth. Then, she bent down and whispered softly into Wujing’s ear, “Fifth Master, I have to go home for a few days. I’ll be back in a few days, and during this time, Changsheng will take care of you.”
Jixia looked at Gu Jianli in surprise.
Gu Jianli tucked the quilt around Wujing properly, stood up gracefully, and walked out slowly. In the outer room, Jixia couldn’t hold back any longer and asked, “The visitor has ill intentions. What should we do? Should we go back home and tell…”
Gu Jianli raised her hand to stop her. She said, “Everything in the household will remain the same during the days I’m in the palace. Fifth Master will be cared for by Changsheng. While I’m not here, you must keep a close eye on Ye Yunyue. In short, do not allow Ye Yunyue to approach Fifth Master until he wakes up. Also, do not go home and tell my father about this. If we anger my father, it will surely cause his old illness to relapse.”
Jixia hesitated but ultimately did not dare to go against Gu Jianli’s words and nodded in agreement.
Gu Jianli called over Changsheng and Nanny Lin, instructing them not to mention her entering the palace in Wujing’s presence. She also told Changsheng to ask Ji Jingyi if more medicine could be added to Wujing’s sleeping potion. Additionally, she instructed Nanny Lin to oversee the studies of Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou, ensuring they did not slack off.
“Knock, knock, knock—” The wooden door was lightly tapped twice, then opened with a creak. Ji Xinglan, hiding outside the door, peeked in cautiously.
Gu Jianli beckoned her over. When Ji Xinglan ran over clumsily, Gu Jianli squatted in front of her and asked gently, “Xinglan, why are you here?”
Ji Xinglan tilted her little head and asked, “Are you leaving again?”
“I’m not leaving. I’m going to buy candy for Lanlan.”
Ji Xinglan shook her head, “Father bought me Shijin Sweets, and I haven’t finished them yet!”
Gu Jianli smiled and patted Ji Xinglan’s head, her voice even gentler, “I need to go home to visit my father. When I come back, I’ll buy candy for Lanlan from another shop, different from the Shijin Sweets.”
“When will you be back?” Ji Xinglan furrowed her brow, “Don’t be gone too long…”
“Mhm, I’ll be back soon.” Gu Jianli hugged Ji Xinglan gently.
Nanny Lin hurried forward to hold Ji Xinglan, saying, “Fourth Miss, go back and do your homework. Don’t disturb the lady.”
“Okay…” Ji Xinglan nodded, looking back every few steps as she shuffled out. Once outside, she glanced at Dou Hongyan, who was waiting in the corridor, and quickly ran to the backyard, throwing herself into Ji Xinglou’s arms, demanding a hug.
“What is it?” Ji Xinglou pushed her away with a look of disdain.
Ji Xinglan sniffled in grievance and whispered, “The person in the courtyard is so ugly, fierce, and scary!”
Ji Xinglou glanced at Dou Hongyan and memorized his face. How dare he scare his sister; he would remember this grudge.
Ye Yunyue had stayed in her room all this time. Standing by the window, she watched Gu Jianli leave with the East Depot Supervisor, furrowing her brow. She tried hard to remember and vaguely recalled that Gu Jianli was injured when she returned from the palace this time.
Now, she was just a maid here. If she wanted to climb up, the first step was to earn trust. If she could save Gu Jianli at this time, wouldn’t it make Ji Wujing both grateful and think of her as kind and magnanimous?
It was a good idea, but Ye Yunyue sadly realized that she had no way to save Gu Jianli. She had to put this plan aside for now.
She began to seek another way out, thinking about what else she could do. She certainly remembered that in a few days, the emperor on the dragon throne would be replaced. What should she do in such a timely moment? According to her memories from her past life, Ji Wujing would not become the nation’s father for a few more years. What if she incited Ji Wujing to take action now?
Ye Yunyue even thought, what’s so great about being the nation’s father? How could it compare to the freedom and prestige of being an emperor? Which man doesn’t have the ambition to be an emperor? If she helped Ji Wujing seize the throne during the impending imperial change, wouldn’t that be even better? It would surely make Ji Wujing see her in a new light and perhaps even develop feelings of admiration for her.
Ye Yunyue’s heart pounded with excitement as these beautiful fantasies screamed in her mind.
The sound of a door opening interrupted Ye Yunyue’s thoughts. Jixia entered the room, looking at Ye Yunyue with a fake smile, “Have you finished washing the bed linens and covers I gave you?”
Ye Yunyue was so angry at Jixia’s sycophantic attitude that her teeth ached. This little wench really thought of her as a servant!
Patience is a sharp knife.
One must endure hardships to rise above others.
Ye Yunyue took a deep breath and said, “I will take the Fifth Master’s clothes to wash now.”
Dreaming of touching the son-in-law’s personal clothes? Keep dreaming!
“No need, I’ve already washed the Fifth Master’s clothes.”
Ye Yunyue paused and then said, “Then I’ll go see if Sixth brother and Fourth Miss need anything. I wonder if Nanny Lin can help them with their homework.”
Jixia’s heart skipped a beat. Was she planning to use the children as a way to connect with the adults emotionally? Dream on.
She laughed and said, “There’s no need for you to worry about that. Nanny Lin was carefully selected by the Fifth Master. Not only can she help with their homework, but even teaching them wouldn’t be a problem.”
Jixia didn’t really know if Nanny Lin was literate, but that wasn’t the point.
“You!” Ye Yunyue finally got angry.
Jixia quickly smiled with her eyes curved, softening her tone, “These are tasks assigned to me by the Fifth Master. Good sister, please have some mercy and cooperate with me.”
Seeing Jixia’s hypocritical face, Ye Yunyue was furious, wanting to tear her apart!
•
When Gu Jianli arrived at Yongli Palace, Consort Li was painting her forehead decoration in front of the mirror. Hearing the maid report that Gu Jianli had arrived, she was so startled that her hand trembled, smudging the red plum blossom on her forehead. She hurriedly wiped it off with a handkerchief and rushed to greet her.
Upon seeing Gu Jianli, her first words, with a frown, were, “Why did you come to the palace?”
Dou Hongyan was still beside her.
Gu Jianli respectfully curtsied and said, “I heard that Your Highness was slightly ill, so I came to accompany you by imperial decree.”
Consort Li’s heart sank.
Dou Hongyan, bending at the waist with a narrow smile and a thin voice, said, “Since she’s been delivered, I’ll leave you and your niece to reunite.”
Consort Li nodded, and Dou Hongyan left with two young eunuchs in tow.
Consort Li immediately grabbed Gu Jianli’s hand and pulled her inside the hall, her tone anxious, “You shouldn’t have come to the palace last time. When I heard the emperor had summoned you and Ji Zhao, I was worried. I didn’t expect…”
Consort Li looked at Gu Jianli, clinging to a sliver of hope, and asked, “Did Ji Zhao not intervene at all? He let Dou Hongyan bring you into the palace?”
“He’s been unconscious lately and doesn’t know.”
“And your father…”
“He doesn’t know either.”
Consort Li calmed down a bit and took a closer look at Gu Jianli, noticing for the first time her composed expression, without a hint of fear or panic.
After a moment of silence, Consort Li spoke again, “We’ll take it one step at a time. Maybe Emperor Chang won’t completely disregard the rules.”
It was time for lunch, and a maid came in to ask if they wanted to start the meal. Consort Li nodded. During the meal, Consort Li was worried, but Gu Jianli remained calm and composed, eating her food without concern.
After lunch, a eunuch from Emperor Chang’s side came to summon Consort Li for an afternoon audience.
Consort Li dismissed the attendants, her heart heavy. “My Jianli, I already know what Emperor Chang will say when he summons me. He will certainly ask me to persuade you…”
Gu Jianli replied, “Just agree, Aunt.”
“Jianli, you…”
“Staying in the palace isn’t so bad. I can look after you, and the dangers outside the palace are no less.” Gu Jianli smiled. “Ji Zhao is a volatile person. Staying by his side is a constant torment. On the other hand, Emperor Chang is the ruler of the land. Which woman wouldn’t want to serve the emperor?”
Gu Jianli took Consort Li’s hand, smiling brightly. “I’m really tired of being trampled on. At least in the palace, there are fine clothes and endless luxuries.”
Consort Li stared into Gu Jianli’s eyes for a while, then pushed her hand away, speaking sternly, “I watched you grow up. I know your character well!”
“I’ve just come to terms with it after enduring so much suffering recently,” Gu Jianli lowered her eyes.
“Liar!” Consort Li angrily turned and sat on the embroidered stool. “If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll defy Emperor Chang’s decree and let him punish me first!”
After a long silence, Gu Jianli sighed.
She couldn’t deceive Consort Li after all.
She turned to look at Consort Li and asked, “Apart from when he’s in bed, is there any time when Emperor Chang is without guards?”
Consort Li’s heart jumped. She looked at Gu Jianli in shock and exclaimed, “Are you mad!”
Gu Jianli’s gentle eyes held a stubborn resolve.
“Father has just recovered from a long illness and isn’t fit for travel. My sister won’t say it, but how could the Chen family’s situation not have hurt her? She finally managed to open a tavern and find something to do, and now she has to flee? Everyone says Little Chuan is sensible now, but I just want him to be carefree and mischievous like before. If I can trade my life for the safety and well-being of my family, it’s worth it.”
“You actually plan to kill Emperor Chang! It’s impossible, it’s not that easy!”
Gu Jianli’s lips curled up gently, her voice soft, “The worst that can happen is losing my life. The best outcome is mutual destruction. If I’m lucky, I might survive.”
“It’s too dangerous. I forbid it!” Consort Li tightly grasped Gu Jianli’s hand.
“You can’t stop me.” Gu Jianli held Consort Li’s hand in return. “Since I can’t hide it from you, let me ask you one thing.”
“What?”
“Will you go with me?” She smiled beautifully, her natural grace and elegance shining through.
Consort Li stared at Gu Jianli, realizing with a shock that the child she watched grow up had become more resilient than herself.
