The Cannon Fodder and Villain’s Happy Ending

Du Ruo across the street looked at this scene and felt a little embarrassed for no reason. It was obvious that the two of them didn't do anything out of the ordinary.

She only thought so, and the next moment she saw Gu Zezhi put Qin Di's hand on his lips and kissed it quickly, and then they both walked south along the street hand in hand.

On the street, passers-by who come and go cast envious glances at the pair from time to time.

Du Ruo got into the carriage and ordered the driver to follow from a distance.

The weather is getting colder and colder recently, and there are a lot fewer pedestrians on the street. The guys from the shops on the side of the road all come out to solicit customers.

Qin Di dragged Gu Zezhi to stroll along the street casually, and when the two walked to Huasheng Street next door, Gu Zezhi already had a lot of things in his hands.

Qin Di walked happily while eating a bunch of candied haws, and asked casually, "Do you want to eat it?"

"Um."

With that said, Gu Zezhi stopped.

His meaning was clear.

Qin Di had to stop too, raised his hand and sent the string of candied haws to Gu Zezhi's mouth...

At this moment, a messy hoof sound came from the end of the street ahead.

A team of thirty or so people from the Imperial Guard rode horses and escorted a canopy carriage towards this direction, passing beside Gu Zezhi and Qin Di.

Qin Di couldn't help but glanced at the carriage one more time.

The regulation of this carriage is obviously not an ordinary person, at least it is also regulated by a prince and a prince. Looking at this group of people, it seems that they are coming from the direction of the South City Gate.

Qin Di felt that the right hand holding the candied haws was being pulled, and turned to look at Gu Zezhi subconsciously. Gu Zezhi casually bit a candied haws from the candied haws, as if the person who bit the bamboo skewers on purpose was not Like him.

childish! Qin Di looked at him amusingly, feeling that the glittering image of the villain in the book was about to collapse.

Gu Zezhi swallowed the candied haws and said slowly, "I heard that the emperor will 'send' the second prince back to Beijing today."

The implication is that the person in the carriage just now should be Gu Jing.

Qin Di counted the days and thought about it.

Yes.

Gu Jing and Tang Fengchun's wedding date is the day after tomorrow.

"Did you come back to marry?"

Qin Di raised his eyes and looked at the team escorting the carriage in front of him. He felt that it would be more accurate to say "escort" rather than "send".

"Yes."

Gu Zezhi gently pulled down her sleeve.

Qin Di immediately put the candied gourd string in his hand to Gu Zezhi's mouth again, he took another bite, and answered vaguely "yes".

Qin Di always felt that the emperor's intention to send people back to marry was very meaningful, so he asked, "Then will he still leave?"

Gu Zezhi nodded affirmatively: "Yes."

Qin Ji: "..."

Qin Di's expression was very complicated.

Counting the time, the winter hunting is almost over, which means that the emperor will return to Beijing at the beginning of next month at the latest. rush back.

Gu Zeyi grabbed her hand, put the candied gourd string into her mouth again, and said with a smile, "We're getting married soon."

Qin Di took another bite of the bright red candied haws to eat. The sugar coating on the outside of the candied haws melted little by little in his mouth, and the sweet taste spread from his mouth to his heart and eyes.

"Um."

She responded softly, and a sweet smile couldn't stop flowing from the bottom of her eyes.

Her smile is bright and bright, and there is a bit of sweetness and longing in it, just like the spring breeze blowing through the branches of the tree full of buds, bright and compelling.

Gu Zezhi looked at her, his eyes brighter, hotter, and more slender.

Recently, there have been many happy events in Beijing. First, the second prince, Gu Jing, got married on the 27th day of the winter moon. The next day, the couple was recalled by the emperor to Nanyuan Hunting Palace to recognize their relatives.

At the same time, the Zongren Mansion asked Qin Tianjian to calculate the auspicious time, and in the early morning, on behalf of the King of Chen County, he paid tribute to the Qin family and sent a betrothal gift.

A total of one hundred and twenty-eight were carried out from the county king's mansion that the emperor gave to Gu Zezhi. The team was mighty and mighty, with some carrying the betrothal gifts, some beating gongs and drums, and the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Army escorted them.

This team of at least nearly a hundred people went all the way to the Zhongyi Hou Mansion, attracting many people watching the lively along the way.

In addition to the items within the regulations prepared by the Zongren Mansion, the Chenjun Prince's Mansion also gave out a copy of the betrothal gift, which cost 128 lifts. .

It has not been such a grand betrothal gift in Beijing for many years. Compared to this, the second prince's betrothal was simply insignificant and could not be compared at all.

Some curious children and teenagers walked with the betrothal team, waiting for the betrothal gift to be delivered to the woman, so as to see what the betrothal gift was in these boxes.

After the appointment, Zongrenfu and Mrs. Qin Tai officially set a wedding date for Gu Zezhi and Qin Di.

In fact, this wedding date has been set a long time ago, but it was only a verbal agreement between Mrs. Qin Tai and Mrs. Xiao, and the invitation ceremony in the six rituals was completed when the ancestral manor sent the invitation letter today.

Because it was just a process, the two ceremonies of the levy and the invitation period went very smoothly. After an hour, the officials of the Zongren Mansion and the Ministry of Rites left, leaving only the unique smell of firecrackers in the air. .

The servants of the Hou's mansion all walk with wind and honor. Today's etiquette is so solemn, which is also the glory of the Hou's mansion.

Mrs. Qin Tai seemed to have taken some panacea, swept away the depression of the previous days, and looked bright, as if she was several years younger.

"Sister Di, it's Mrs. Xiao and the Duke of Chen who really care about you. This time the appointment is so solemn, people in Beijing will look at you highly in the future."

Mrs. Qin Tai held Qin Di's hand and smiled happily.

She has always been worried that Qin Di's past experience will be despised by the ladies and daughters of those dignitaries in Beijing. She is afraid that she will not be able to integrate into the circle of the capital, so she can rest assured in the future.

With the love of Queen Wei, the respect of her husband's family, and the support of the Zhongyi Houfu, no one dared to look down on Qin Di in the future.

Qin Di also smiled and nodded.

Gu Zezhi and Mrs. Xiao are really kind to her.

Mrs. Qin Tai was still chattering: "Today's appointment is the only grand occasion in the past few decades."

"I only remember that when the emperor was still the prince, when he hired the prince, it was so grand."

"At that time, it was just like today. There were people watching the fun along the way. The Empress was still married in the Weifu in the capital..."

Recalling these past events, Mrs. Qin Tai's eyes flashed with brilliance, and she felt a little sigh.

In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed.

"Yes, or not."

Mrs. Qin Tai said and patted Qin Di's hand again, "You girl, you are a lucky person. The hardships you have suffered in the past have turned into good news."

Saying that, Mrs. Qin Taifu recited the Buddha, and twisted the bracelet of beads that she had re-stringed in her hand, "I will go to Huangjue Temple tomorrow to offer incense and make a wish."

Qin Di has been locked up at home for two more days. He also wanted to go out to breathe, and said with a smile, "Grandma, I'll go with you."

After Qin Di went to Huangjue Temple with Mrs. Qin Tai, he stayed in the house again and did not go out.

It has been less than half a month since the big wedding. Although she doesn't need to embroider the wedding dress, she has to try it. It will take half a day to try on the wedding dress, and then the wedding dress will need to be changed, and then again. Try, just thinking about it, Qin Di felt troublesome.

Other matters of the wedding are handled by others. Apart from trying on the wedding dress, Qin Di only needs to be busy with her needlework. After a few more days, she finally finished the shoes for Mrs. Xiao.

Qin Di felt that her female celebrity was a thousand miles away, and it was just a few days before the wedding. She thought about using some laziness... ahem, it's a simple method, and then make Gu Zezhi a purse, a sachet and the like.

Gu Zezhi was afraid that Qin Di would be bored at home, so he came to the house almost every day and brought her some gadgets. Yesterday, he brought Jin Shiji's snacks, today he brought some storybooks, and tomorrow he would send Western dolls, and the day after tomorrow, a music box... …

Gu Zeyu is also looking forward to it. He waits with Qin Di every day, and wants to see what fun things his brother-in-law will bring to his sister this day.

Qin Di's life was very fulfilling. Before she knew it, time passed. When her sachet was half embroidered, she suddenly heard that the emperor was going back to Beijing.

Gu Zezhi and Gu Zhen led the ministers out of the city to pick up the car, and they attracted many people to watch, and it was very lively for a long time.

After returning, the emperor listened to Gu Zhen's remarks about the various things in the heavenly hall, and the more he listened, the more satisfied he became.

Gu Zhen was only six years old. At such a young age, he had grown so much in the past year, far exceeding the emperor's expectations for him.

Gu Zezhi really taught Gu Zhen very well. His cousin can really be said to be literate in governing the country and martial in peace.

When the emperor was satisfied, he had a crooked mind and wondered whether to let Gu Zhen live in Gu Zezhi's county palace for a while, make Gu Zezhi's capable people work harder, and take the position of the prince's grandfather by the way. up.

The next morning, the emperor once again proposed to make the sixth prince, Gu Zhen, the crown prince.

This time, there were significantly fewer opponents than before Winter Hunt, and their momentum was very weak.

After retreating, Duke Cheng'en walked out of the Jinluan Palace with a heavy face. There were only a few people around him, and he seemed to be out of tune with the others around him.

Chengen Gong walked silently for a while, and finally someone couldn't hold it any longer. A middle-aged civil official said with a deep frown, "Master Guo, according to the lower officials, I'm afraid it won't work."

"Yeah, Grandpa, the current situation..." Another gray-haired old minister sighed deeply.

The other people also had complicated expressions. Some of them had some regrets recently, and they really wanted to go back to the past and slap themselves.

Hey, how could they get on this boat greedily from Longzhigong!

Previously, the emperor's dragon body was getting worse and worse, and the decoction and medicinal herbs continued. Almost every two or three days, the imperial doctor had to be announced. How long.

If the emperor is long-lived, the courtiers will naturally not be in a hurry to stand in line, but at that time, the emperor was seriously ill. Although the sixth prince was the emperor's direct son, he was too young. Obviously, the emperor's dragon body could not survive the sixth prince. The prince was the eldest son, and he was quite wise and capable at the time.

Therefore, at that time, when Duke Chengen came to lobby them, they agreed. Of course, some of these people also took the initiative to publicize their surrender to Chengen.

but now……

Thinking of the shortfall in Taipu Temple, and Qin Zhun, whose house was raided and seized, these people felt a little bit cold in their hearts.

The second prince has not even become the prince, so he already has the taste of "running dog cooking".

Qin Zhun tried his best for the second prince, almost all his family wealth, but so much money was given to the second prince, and he didn't see the second prince remember him well. Even Qin Zhun didn't have a good end, so what about them?

!

The more these courtiers thought, the colder their hearts became, especially since the second prince chose to marry the cousin of the Prince Yu's Mansion, which was something that these courtiers couldn't understand.

However, they can't get off the second prince's boat now.

That's why they tried to persuade Duke Cheng Engong, so let's just admit it.

If they retire at this time, they can retire at any rate, even if they can't make progress in their careers in the future, at least they won't hurt their muscles and bones.

The emperor has always been lenient, and at most beat them.

How could Duke Eng not know that the current situation is quite unfavorable, but he is not reconciled.

If the sixth prince ascends the throne, the title of Duke Cheng'en will be passed down to one generation at most, and their Liu family will be wiped out.

How was he willing!

Besides, the second prince has not lost yet, and he is not without hope.

Eunuch Cheng's kind words reassured him: "You must not grow the ambition of others, and don't forget that the second prince will soon have the eldest grandson of the emperor."

"The Sixth Prince is too young, how can a six-year-old be a Prince!"

"..."

After Cheng Engong persuaded these people, he said these old words.

He knew very well in his heart that these people didn't see the rabbit and didn't spread the eagle, and if they didn't let them see any hope, they were afraid that they would have two hearts.

His eyes flickered brightly and darkly, and his eyes fell on Gu Zezhi who was walking towards him in front of him.

The two passed each other in a staggered manner, not even saying a word to each other.

Duke Cheng En left the palace, while Gu Zezhi entered the imperial study.

As soon as the emperor saw Gu Zezhi, he greeted him to sit down and said with a joking smile: "Zezhi, I see that Zhen'er has a good relationship with you, why don't you take him back to your house to live for some time."

Gu Zezhi raised his eyes to meet the emperor's eyes, and said calmly, "Your Majesty, I'm about to get married."

The implication is to let the emperor spare him.

The emperor laughed, walked over to Gu Zezhi and sat down, and asked with a smile, "How are the preparations for the marriage?"

"Seven, seven, eight, eight."

Gu Zezhi's eyes were full of smiles, like spring water, his face was radiant.

Seeing the high-spirited look of the young man, the emperor also felt a little emotional. He couldn't help recalling his mood when he was the bridegroom officer, and reminded Gu Zezhi.

Gu Zezhi also listened patiently.

The two monarchs and ministers chatted and laughed, and the atmosphere in the imperial study was very pleasant, until Zhou Xin came in and presented a document, "Your Majesty, the third son of King Yu, Gu Xifang, handed over the document and asked to join Duanrou County Master. Back to Yuzhou."

After the words fell, the imperial study fell into silence.

The unicorn three-legged incense burner in the corner spit out a puff of green smoke, and the light incense filled the air.

The emperor slowly turned the jade wrench on his thumb and turned to look at Gu Zezhi beside him with deep eyes.

The corners of Gu Zezhi's lips ticked with a smile that was not a smile, and said, "Your Majesty, there have been a few more barrels of kerosene in Jiuqu Garden recently."

emperor:"……"

The emperor's face was calm, and his eyes darkened a bit, and he described it with a touch of aloofness overlooking all living beings.

Gu Zezhi continued unhurriedly: "They should be about to start."

"Zezhi, do you want to delay it for a few more days?"

The emperor turned the jade wrench twice again and said solemnly.

Gu Zezhi smiled slightly and repeated it for granted: "Your Majesty, I'm about to get married!"

What he meant was that this matter was too early to delay his marriage.

Seeing him pretending that everything is more important than his marriage, the emperor couldn't help laughing again. He was in a happy mood. He felt that he would go to Fengluan Palace for lunch later, and he talked to Queen Wei by the way.

"As you wish."

The emperor took the red pen and approved the book in front of Gu Zezhi.

Just say it straight, I will not delay your marriage!

On the same day, this excerpt returned to the Xinggong Jiuqu Garden in the suburbs of Beijing.

Duanrou County Master smiled smugly, "Third brother, our royal uncle is really weak for decades, and you said that he would not let us go easily.

But the result?

You see, didn't he agree? "

"I don't think the royal uncle dares to detain us in the capital. He is afraid that his father will raise an army."

Duanrou County Master looked contemptuous.

The emperor's actions have proven time and time again that he is nothing but a weak and incompetent monarch who cannot afford to be this country at all.

Gu Xi pinched the book, and looked at the book with red marks like blood, and his pupils were also red.

Unlike Princess Duanrou, who is so optimistic, Gu Xi said softly, "I always feel that things are going too smoothly."

It went so well that Gu Xi always felt that something was wrong.

Originally, he chose this time to hand over the book because he guessed that the emperor would embarrass them and not let them go. He also thought about what to say if the emperor was in trouble, but the emperor actually approved this book so easily. Because he felt that he couldn't stop them, so he just wanted to be a good person, or did he have other plans?

Duanrou County Master felt that her third brother was going around in his head, thinking too much. He had to think about it very complicated.

Because King Yu had instructed Gu Xi to take charge of the trip before he left, Duanrou County Master patiently asked, "Third brother, do you still want to leave?"

Gu Xi closed the book and nodded, "Let's go, of course."

No matter what the emperor's intentions were, he never dared to force their brothers and sisters to stay.

Anyway, the purpose of their trip to the capital has been achieved. As long as they return to Yuzhou, the emperor is far away, who can do anything to them!

"Clap clap clap!"

Gu Xi raised his hand and gave three high fives in a row, shouting, "Someone!"

A tall and strong bodyguard walked into the study and saluted Gu Xi with a fist.

"According to plan."

Gu Xi gave a succinct command.

The captain of the guard immediately took his life, and in an instant, a cold murderous aura was released from his whole body like an unsheathed blade.

The captain of the guard backed out, while Gu Xi stood up and said to the Duanrou county master, "Duanrou, let's go see grandma."

Duanrou County Master also got up, and the brothers and sisters went to Fang Taifei's residence hand in hand.

At this moment, it was already dusk, the sky was dark, the sunset glow dyed the western sky red in full swing, the red lanterns under the eaves and in the courtyard had been lit, and night fell again.

The entire Jiuqu Garden is shrouded in the silent night, and the palaces are brightly lit, but they give people a lifeless feeling.

The next day, the news that the emperor would allow Gu Xi and Duanrou County Master to return to Yuzhou also spread in the court. For a time, there was a lot of uproar in the court, and they were shocked that the emperor let the children of King Yu go back so easily.

The courtiers reacted differently. Some felt that the emperor was too soft-handed; some respected the legacy of the late emperor and valued peace with King Yu; others suggested that the emperor give the Duanrou county master a kinship, just as the eldest princess Yongle was left behind. in Yuzhou.

This proposal was out of consideration of interests. He wanted to keep the Duanrou County Master in the capital as a proton, and immediately attracted the support of many courtiers. Some people even proposed to let the emperor choose a princess to marry to Yuzhou, the second princess. Xin'an was just the right age, and he said plausibly that the emperor and the king of Yu were both sons of the late emperor, and they were brothers.

"Snapped!"

The book was thrown heavily on the desk by the emperor, and it happened to bump into a stack of high books next to it. The book was on the verge of collapse, and Zhou Xin, who was serving tea next to him, quickly supported the stack of books.

The emperor said coldly: "Zhou Mingyuan is really old and his mind is confused. It's time to go back to honor him."

Zhou Xin was a big eunuch serving the emperor. He knew all the civil and military ministers and clan nobles in the court. The emperor kept saying that Zhou Mingyuan was old. In its heyday, it is now time to "go to work" ahead of schedule.

Some people are just begging for a beating!

Zhou Xin thought to himself, and respectfully took his life.

Who doesn't know that the death of Princess Yongle is the pain of the empress dowager and the emperor, and now to persuade the emperor to let his daughter die, isn't this just going up to stab the emperor again?

!

After Zhou Mingyuan "went to work", others would naturally stop.

Zhou Xin withdrew, but the emperor still felt puzzled and couldn't help but said: "Zezhi, is my temper really too good?"

So that these courtiers felt that he would bring his face in and let King Yu beat him!

Gu Zezhi smiled slightly, his eyes were warm, and he looked at the emperor and said, "The emperor is a benevolent ruler."

Gu Zezhi said this from the bottom of his heart.

In Gu Zezhi's view, the emperor is indeed a benevolent monarch, a monarch who is willing to accept advice, has a broad heart, and has the world in mind.

If the Emperor of Lingyi, the king of the defeated country, had not preceded him, he would have been a king of rejuvenation today, making the Daqi Dynasty prosperous, but there is no "if" in this world. It was a mess, and now it is benevolent and righteous, and it is inevitable that it lacks a bit of decisiveness in the means of the emperor. It is not easy for Da Qichao to reach this stage!

Gu Zezhi can imagine that the eleven years since he ascended the throne today should have taken great pains to keep this ten thousand miles of rivers and mountains. Otherwise, how could his dragon body have been ruined to a precarious point.

Gu Zezhi knew what to say and what not to say, but although he didn't say it explicitly, the emperor knew what he lacked.

"Zhen'er's temperament is actually like me..." The emperor sighed.

The emperor had asked Gu Zezhi to evaluate several of his princes before. In fact, he knew it well. After all, he knew his son Mo Ruofu. They were not ordinary people. The royal family controlled the lifeblood of the world. Since then, the emperor is observing their temperament, whether they are worthy of the world.

Gu Jing could neither be a wise king nor a wise king.

Gu Zezhi looked at the emperor and said with a smile: "The emperor left a peace to Gu Zhen, and Gu Zhen can restore Daqi to a prosperous world."

Gu Zezhi's smile was still gentle and elegant, but when he said this, his eyes were burning, and a kind of self-confidence and flying that looked down on the world bloomed in his eyes.

The emperor, who was still a little depressed, laughed again, refreshed, and deliberately asked: "Zezhi, do you really not want to take Zhen'er back?"

Gu Zezhi categorically refused: "Your Majesty, I'm about to get married."

Just thinking about it, Gu Zezhi's eyes were shining like stars in the dark night.

In order not to delay Gu Zezhi's marriage, the emperor only gave Yu Wangfu three days.

However, the emperor did not send or reward them, and the group left the capital indifferently.

On the same day, Concubine Fang asked Empress Dowager Liu for an order to send her grandson and granddaughter, but Empress Dowager Liu refused. Concubine Fang cried and made trouble in the palace. Empress Dowager Liu was unmoved and ignored it at all. She only gave one sentence to the eunuch, Let her make trouble.

I heard that Concubine Fang was kneeling and crying in front of the late emperor's tablet in the palace, saying how hard her life was, how the late emperor didn't take her away, and that the queen mother and the emperor did not read the late emperor's decree at all. grind her...

All these words also reached the ears of Empress Liu.

Empress Dowager Liu thought of her daughter Yongle who died early, and thought of her hard-working granddaughter, and she hated it even more, and said a cruel word: "Since the concubine misses the late emperor so much, she will go to accompany the late emperor, what's the use of crying? !"

When Empress Dowager Liu said this, the eunuch faithfully turned to her oral oracle.

As a result, that night, the water in Jiuqu Garden disappeared.

All the concubines and concubines left by the late emperor lived in Jiuqu Garden, that is, today's concubines and concubines, and Tai'an Palace, which was walking over the water, was the residence of Concubine Fang.

The crimson flames flew up with the billowing smoke, dyeing the dark night red.