lcionline Chapter 763 Are you sure you don't want to try it out with my little rascal?
Chapter 763 Are you sure you don't want to try it out with my little rascal?
"Shut up, everyone."
The Empress had already approached without anyone noticing. She didn't look at anyone, only glancing indifferently at the scattered plum blossom petals on the ground. The palace servants behind her immediately stepped forward and discreetly separated the noble ladies and ministers who had come to watch the spectacle from her.
"Your Majesty," the Empress turned to the Emperor, her voice gentle, "Today is New Year's Eve, a day of celebration for the nation and its people. It's common for the younger generation to have some quarrels and disagreements. If this causes a rift between the emperor and his ministers, wouldn't it make us a laughingstock to the world?"
She glanced at Zhao Chen'an, whose face was ashen, and said, "Chen'an, you too, are you so easily angered? The whole story hasn't even been told yet, how can you get so angry?"
Princess Jiahe became anxious when she saw that the Empress not only did not stand up for her, but also casually defined the matter as a "verbal quarrel." Unwilling to give up, she tried to speak again: "Your Majesty, I saw it with my own eyes..."
"Enough." The Empress finally turned her gaze to her, her eyes calm and still, yet they made Princess Jiahe feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and all the remaining words were stuck in her throat.
"I am tired." The Empress withdrew her gaze and instructed Zhang, the nanny beside her, "Gu's maid's hair is slightly disheveled, she must have been frightened. Take her to the side hall to wash up properly and change into clean clothes."
The Empress's voice was devoid of emotion, "Don't neglect the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
"Yes," Zhang Mama replied, walked up to Gu Qingchen, and made a "please" gesture, her attitude respectful but not allowing for refusal.
Gu Qingchen glanced at her father, Gu Junze, who nodded almost imperceptibly. She then left this place of trouble without a word, accompanied by Zhang Mama.
A storm that could have stirred up a monstrous upheaval was quelled by the Empress with just a few words.
As Zhao Chen'an watched Gu Qingchen's departing figure, his clenched fists turned white at the knuckles, and the humiliation and murderous intent in his eyes almost materialized.
On the way back in the carriage, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Chu Ruohan remained silent until the carriage drove out of the palace gates, at which point she finally spoke, her voice devoid of emotion.
"Tell me, is your relationship with Qian Zhenyun real?"
Gu Qingchen leaned against the car wall, looking somewhat tired. She shook her head: "No."
"No?" Chu Ruohan's voice suddenly rose as she stared at her daughter. "If it's not true, you put on such a show at the New Year's Eve banquet in front of the entire court? Gu Qingchen, do you even know what you were doing tonight!"
"I know," Gu Qingchen replied softly, "I just want to stop the royal family from trying to take advantage of me."
Chu Ruohan laughed angrily, "You're going to gamble with your own reputation and the face of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion? And that Qian Zhenyun, he's the Crown Prince's study companion, a trusted confidant whom the Crown Prince personally promoted! Did you think about what would happen to him when you dragged him into this charade?"
Chu Ruohan's voice grew increasingly stern: "Betraying the Crown Prince and coveting the future Crown Princess is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family! When you dragged him into this mess, did you ever consider that he is also someone else's son, that he also has parents and relatives?"
Gu Qingchen's face paled slightly.
“He…he did it voluntarily.” Her voice was very soft. “He said it was to help me.”
"Help you?" Chu Ruohan sneered. "He's risking his own life and his entire family's future to help you! Do you think you're breaking off the engagement? You're forcing the Crown Prince to kill someone, forcing the Emperor to punish him! Gu Qingchen, your intelligence is clearly misplaced!"
Gu Junze, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them at this moment.
"Alright," he interrupted his wife's lecture in a deep voice, "It's too late to say anything more now. What's important now is to figure out how to deal with it."
He looked at Chu Ruohan: "What do you think of the Empress's reaction tonight?"
When the topic turned to business, Chu Ruohan immediately suppressed her anger, her brows furrowing: "She's not planning to give up yet."
"She suppressed the matter to preserve the royal family's reputation and to leave room for maneuver for you and me. She didn't lash out on the spot because she didn't want to push things to the extreme."
"As long as tonight's events remain unresolved, it will just be an ambiguous affair. Once the storm has passed, she'll have plenty of ways to get the Emperor to grant her a marriage."
Chu Ruohan analyzed, "At that time, if you and I still object, it will be considered disobeying the imperial decree."
Gu Qingchen felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to his parents' conversation.
She slumped against the cushions, muttering to herself, "Why? My aunt, the Empress, used to be so good to me. Why is she now forcing me into the Eastern Palace? How did she become so hateful?"
Looking at her daughter's innocent face, Chu Ruohan felt both heartache and helplessness.
She sighed, her tone softening slightly: "Silly child, people were kind to you before not because you were Gu Qingchen, but because you were the only daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo."
"At that time, you represented the military power of the entire Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and were the most sought-after candidate for the future Crown Princess. Her kindness towards you was for your sake and also to pave the way for the Crown Prince; it was an investment that everyone knew about."
Chu Ruohan reached out and tidied her daughter's messy hair, her voice carrying a hint of coldness.
"Now that it's time for her to recoup her investment, you're trying to run away. How could she let you get away?"
The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
As soon as the carriage curtain was lifted, Song Ruyan's bright and somewhat heroic face peeked in, her face filled with barely suppressed ecstasy.
"My dear Qingchen! You're finally back!"
She grabbed Gu Qingchen, who was about to get out of the car, with such force and passion that it was a stark contrast to the deathly silence that had filled the car just moments before.
"Aunt Song." Gu Qingchen's voice was a little hoarse.
"Oh dear, why call me Aunt Song anymore!" Song Ruyan exclaimed excitedly, looking Gu Qingchen up and down as if he were a priceless treasure that had been lost and found again. "I've heard about it! I've heard about it all! Well done! My little Gun Gun has finally come to his senses and done something truly remarkable!"
Chu Ruohan stepped off the carriage from the other side without expression. She glanced at her daughter indifferently, the meaning in her eyes was clear: You caused this mess, so deal with it yourself.
After saying that, she walked into the mansion without looking back.
Gu Qingchen's heart jumped into his throat.
She was half-pulled, half-dragged aside by Song Ruyan. Looking at Aunt Song's face, which was practically glowing with excitement, all the explanations she had prepared stuck in her throat.
Oh no, this is a huge misunderstanding.
"Aunt Song, things aren't as you think," Gu Qingchen said cautiously, forcing a smile.
Her heart was pounding, and her mind raced, trying to figure out whether she should apologize first or run away if Aunt Song lost her temper.
With her rudimentary skills, she probably wouldn't even have a chance to escape from Aunt Song, who is highly skilled in martial arts.
"What do you mean it's not what I think?" Song Ruyan looked at her in confusion. "You two were caught red-handed by Jiahe in the plum grove, and the news has spread everywhere! My Gun Gun dared to offend even the Crown Prince for you! Isn't that enough?"
“It’s enough, but…” Gu Qingchen gritted his teeth and went all out, “Aunt Song, that was a play I asked him to help me put on.”
The smile on Song Ruyan's face slowly froze.
Gu Qingchen looked at her nervously, not daring to breathe.
The anticipated thunderous fury did not materialize.
Song Ruyan stared at her for a long time, then let out a long, long sigh. Her sigh was filled with regret and disappointment.
"I knew it." Song Ruyan rubbed her forehead, looking heartbroken. "I knew that with his blockhead, he wouldn't have come up with such a bold idea. Being close to someone makes the first move, don't you understand? You've been together since childhood, how come he couldn't win you over?"
Gu Qingchen was stunned.
This reaction was completely different from what she had expected.
"Aunt Song, aren't you angry? I... I used Zhenyun, and this time he..."
"Why would I be angry?" Song Ruyan interrupted her, reaching out to pinch Gu Qingchen's cheek, her tone full of helplessness.
"What I'm angry about is my son, Gun Gun. With such a good opportunity right in front of him, he just put on an act! If he really had the guts to force you into marriage, I would have gone straight to your mother and demanded your return today!"
Gu Qingchen was completely dumbfounded; she felt like her brain wasn't working properly.
Looking at her dazed expression, Song Ruyan sighed again, but her eyes became serious.
"Qingchen, Aunt Song has a question for you."
Her voice softened, carrying a gentleness and solemnity characteristic of an elder.
"Are you sure you don't want to give my little pup a try?"