Chapter 378
The two walked slowly along the winding path with various chrysanthemums planted on both sides of the trail, some were rare and elegant, and some were small and luxurious…dotted around like brocade, and with the gentle breeze the fragrance lingers longer.
Gu Zezhi continued the topic of Miss Tang from earlier. “About five years ago, Gu Yong, the son of Wang Yu, sent his consort back to her maternal family, and on their journey, they passed through the Luoan City…”
“Originally, the couple stayed at the inn for at most one night before leaving but because the heir apparent’s consort suddenly fell ill, they asked for a physician and stayed in Luoan City for nearly ten days.”
“At that time because the apparent heir’s consort was ill, Gu Yong himself went to Duan Wang’s mansion to ask for help. Father then ordered someone to invite a physician and arranged for them to stay temporarily in the other courtyard of Duan Wangye’s mansion. A banquet was even hosted in honor of them which I also went.”
“Maybe we met once at that time.”
Gu Zezhi was actually not too sure, but in his memory, that was the only time he has ever met someone related to Wang Yu, before that, he had never even met Gu Yong, the son of Wang Yu.
“Gu Yong and a few of his cousins…”
There were at least seven or eight people in that group and the only people who catch Gu Zezhi’s eyes were Gu Yong and his wife, as for the other cousins, their faces were blurry in his memory, no different from the guards and servants around them.
Soon after Gu Zezhi said this, Qin Jiu gave a soft “hmm” understanding what he meant.
In Qin Jiu’s opinion, there was really no problem with Wang Yu’s son and daughter-in-law passing Luoan City, but when the consort suddenly fell ill on the night they were in Luoan City was just too coincidental.
Could it be that this, “fell gravely ill” has an ulterior motive?
At that time, Miss Tang, she should have been ten years old five years ago, right? So, what she said in Fengluan Palace, did she really mean those words because she yearned for a one-sided relationship?
Or, was this a cover for a different purpose…
“……” Qin Jiu wanted to say something, but the two had already arrived outside the Fengluan Palace.
Gu Zezhi smiled and said, “You should go in quickly,”
Qin Jiu let out an “en” again and obediently followed Xiao Kouzi into the Fengluan Palace, afterwards, she went with Empress Wei to the Huagai Palace for the banquet.
Qin Zening and Qin Zeyu had already arrived, but since the men and women sat in separate seats, Qin Jiu could only glance at them from a distance and smiled, before following the palace maid and sat down on her designated chair.
Since the separation of the family, Qin Jiu was no longer a part of the Marquis clan, and since their Qin family has no rank, she was supposed to seat in the corner. However, with Qin Zening’s contributions, who quelled up the chaos in Minzhou, and since Qin Jiu was County King’s fiancé, she was seated very close to the front.
Others also took their seats one after another and soon Huagai Hall was full. It was until early afternoon that the emperor and empress arrived amidst the eager crowd, and they saluted.
After a period of tedious etiquette, Qin Jiu could finally comfortably sit down while thinking, if it weren’t for Gu Zezhi and Qin Zening, she would have never come to this palace banquet. It was really a waste of time, not to mention, she would not be able to eat her fill.
In modern times, while the leader talks on the stage she could just eat her fill below with the crowd; but in ancient times, while the emperor was rewarding everyone, no one dares to move their chopstick.
Qin Jiu could only stare at the delicious food on the table as it cooled down, she was obviously starved with hunger that all the specific rewards that the emperor announce went in her left ear and out of her right ear. She only vaguely heard that Gu Zezhi was officially transferred to the Ministry of War while Qin Zening was promoted as a guerrilla general and was transferred to Shenshushu Camp.
An hour later, the palace banquet finally ended, and after everyone respectfully sent off the emperor and empress the crowd dispersed separately.
Qin Zening had just left the hall when he was stopped by a familiar voice. “Ning’er.”
Qin Zening turned around and saw Qin Zhun who was striding towards him, he casually cupped his hand and greeted him. “Second Uncle.”
Looking at his nephew, Qin Zhun’s expression was complicated. He did not expect that after splitting the family, Qin Zening was able to make great achievements in a short time and was immediately promoted into a guerrilla general.
Qin Zening was only seventeen years old!
Qin Zhun could already imagine that after today, there would be a lot of gossip about him outside, and those busybodies would surely bring up the old story again, saying that Qin Zening was oppressed by his uncle, so he wasn’t able to achieve anything before the separation.
This made Qin Zhun aggrieved and put on his uncle’s air as he said. “Ning’er, you have made great contributions in Minzhou this time, you have also won the emperor’s commendation. Uncle is happy for you, however, you must not get this in your head, so you could do a better job in the future.”
“Although our family is already separated, you can’t write “Qin” in a different character…”
Qin Zhun said a grandiose statement.
Qin Zening put this grandiose statement from one ear and let it out in the other, anyway, his second uncle was not someone who could say such insightful thought.
Meanwhile, Qin Zeyu has long cleverly dragged Qin Jiu to run away first and give his eldest brother a sympathetic look. They better go wait for his brother outside the palace gates, lest they listen to the second uncle’s lecture like a shroud.
Qin Zhun who saw this didn’t pay attention to Qin Jiu and Qin Zeyu, instead, he continues to chatter incessantly while feeling increasingly frustrated as he spoke, thinking about his current situation.
The second prince was like a bottomless pit, it couldn’t be filled no matter how much he pours, and instead kept asking him for silver every day. It’s not like he own a gold or silver mine, the Marquis fu was almost emptied now.
Although Lord Chengen finally didn’t go back on his word and found him a promotion, but thinking of how much he spent just to get the position was just…
Qin Zhun’s eyes darkened as his heart sank even more and his mood became even worse like a boulder crushing him, disabling him from breathing.
At the thought of the big trouble he had encountered, Qin Zhun’s eyes deepened as deep as an abyss, while his body was as taut as a stretched bow.
***
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