Although it was a question, Lingyan spoke with absolute certainty.
"The Gu poison... is very similar to my father's."
Gu Zhong pursed his lips, seeing Ling Yan's displeased expression, and no longer concealed it, saying with a wry smile, "I didn't expect it to be such a self-fulfilling prophecy!"
"I've never seen anyone curse themselves to die young!"
Lingyan was furious, but there was nothing she could do.
It is likely that the opportunity to use the Gu poison was during the assassination attempt in Qinghe that day. At that time, Gu Zhong suffered some minor injuries but did not pay much attention to them. However, it is unclear why the Gu poison only took effect after returning to the capital.
"The Gu poison, along with the witchcraft cult, originated in the southern borderlands. The late emperor discovered it too late; the Gu poison had already deeply penetrated the body, leaving no hope of recovery. Now we still have time; we can send people to the southern borderlands to seek medical help..."
Ling Yan analyzed the situation quickly, her anxiety making it impossible for her to remain as calm as usual.
"Don't let anyone else know."
Gu Zhong thought for a long time, but only said this sentence, which made Ling Yan very angry.
"Gu Zhong, is there anything more important than your life?"
“Sir, the aristocratic families are currently at a weak point. If they find out that I have been poisoned, they might cause trouble. We cannot afford to let all our efforts go to waste.”
When it comes to this issue, Gu Zhong always shows exceptional opinion and stubbornness.
"Prince Qinghe." Ling Yan took a deep breath and uttered three words.
"Ah Yang?"
"You can trust your own sister."
"Let me think about it some more..."
Gu Zhong seemed quite hesitant this time. He could entrust Xijing to Gu Yang, but he didn't want her to go to the Southern Frontier. He was probably afraid that Gu Yang would be too deeply involved and her safety would be uncertain. After all, she was his only relative.
"Gu Zhong, if you're really worried, I'll go too..."
"No!"
Before Ling Yan could finish speaking, Gu Zhong grabbed her and interrupted her fiercely.
"Gu Zhong, your safety is more important than anything else."
Lingyan patted her back reassuringly, as if comforting a child.
You are the most important!
"?"
"Sir, you are more important than my life."
Without uttering a single word of affection, it is more moving than a thousand declarations of love.
Ignoring the Emperor's resentful expression and refusing her request to stay overnight in the palace, Lingyan rode in the palanquin thoughtfully prepared by Gu Zhong on the road out of the palace.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister."
Upon seeing Chen Moxian, her future imperial consort, again, Ling Yan felt a subtle sensation, as if she had snatched away something beloved from someone she disliked—awkward yet exhilarating.
"Your Excellency, the Minister of Justice."
She nodded slightly as a greeting, without even dismounting her carriage, and passed by.
Chen Muxian stood there, watching the departing figure, his expression inscrutable.
Back in her study, Lingyan hesitated for a moment before picking up her pen to write a letter of invitation to Gu Yang. Even if Gu Zhong was unwilling, the matter of the Gu poison had to be resolved.
Lingyan finished writing the last stroke of the visiting card, picked up the paper, blew on the damp ink to dry it, and summoned the servants in the mansion to send the sealed visiting card to the Qinghe Prince's Mansion.
Prince Qinghe naturally wouldn't refuse the invitation from the current prime minister, and accepted her invitation to visit his residence the next day.
As Gu Yang listened quietly to Ling Yan finish explaining the ins and outs of the Gu poison, the ceramic teacup shattered in his hand with a loud bang.
"Your Highness is truly reckless! How can we delay any longer with this poison? I beg the Prime Minister to come to the palace with me."
As a devoted older sister, Gu Yang's worry and anxiety were palpable. He wished he could sprout wings and fly to the palace to bring the foolish Gu Zhong to his senses.
With the help of outsiders, Lingyan was no longer alone and didn't even need to take action herself, as Gu Yang kept nagging Gu Zhong until his lips were sore.
“Ah Yang…”
"Royal sister, even if you don't care about life and death, what am I supposed to do? I don't want to lose my last family member!"
“Ah Yang…”
"Royal elder sister, if something happens to you, our Gu family line will end!"
Gu Zhong almost choked on his breath upon hearing this, and Ling Yan, who was watching the scene unfold, choked on her tea out of guilt.
"Gu Yang!"
Gu Zhong, unable to bear it any longer, interrupted her rambling, "Alright, I know. Go to the Southern Frontier, go to the Southern Frontier. But your inexplicable trip to the Southern Frontier is arousing suspicion."
"All you have to do is put on a show." Seeing that Gu Zhong had finally relented, Gu Yang smiled smugly and exchanged a glance with Ling Yan.
The court officials soon discovered that after Gu Chong went on tour to the capital, her temperament became increasingly unpredictable, she became suspicious and distrustful, and she was no longer as gentle and easy to talk to as before.
As a result, the Prime Minister and Prince Qinghe, who were always regarded as his confidants, were also severely punished, while Chen Muxian, who was known as the fiancé of the emperor, was quite favored.
During a court assembly, Prince Qinghe once again contradicted Gu Zhonghou regarding the radical nature of the new policies, enraging the young monarch.
The Emperor said, "You have repeatedly spoken on behalf of the aristocratic families; what are your intentions? Were you involved in the Qinghe case? I have entrusted you with the responsibility of overseeing the country; will you repay me for this?"
Therefore, the Prince of Qinghe was demoted to a county prince and enfeoffed in the southern border, which was no different from exile.
--------------------
Author's Note:
Tang Dynasty poet Chang Jian wrote "Staying Overnight at Wang Changling's Hermitage".
The stream is unfathomably deep, where only a lone cloud hides. A sliver of moonlight peeks through the pines, its clear light still shining for you.
Different people have different opinions. Amitabha. I apologize for the offense.
Chapter 23 The Imperial Tutor and the Crown Princess (Twenty-Two)
==============================
"Sir, after you threw Ayang to the southern border, who will accompany me to play chess?"
On the day of parting, Gu Zhong stood on the city gate, watching Gu Yang's lonely figure disappear into the distance, and then turned to look pitifully at Ling Yan.
"What should Your Majesty do?"
Lingyan looked at her with a half-smile, wondering how she would try to act cute and unreasonable this time.
"Since returning to Beijing, my husband and I have not been intimate for more than a month."
Gu Zhong bent down and leaned closer, speaking ambiguously.
"Your Majesty, this is in the capital, where gossip can be a powerful force."
Lingyan waved her fan to block Gu Zhong from getting too close.
"Are you afraid, sir?" Gu Zhong asked, displeased, as he opened his folding fan.
"It would be detrimental to His Majesty's reputation."
It has not been easy to get to this great situation today. If we take a wrong step, all our plans and efforts may be in vain.
“I don’t care about reputation. Aren’t there enough rumors these days that I’m a suspicious tyrant?”
I have a teacher-student relationship with the Prime Minister. I cannot bear to see my teacher travel so hard to attend court every day. What is wrong with granting him residence in the palace?
Besides, sir, what if Ah Yang fails to bring back the medicine that will cure me?
Gu Zhong grabbed Ling Yan's hand, looking at her intently, half in a righteous tone and half in a coquettish manner.
Perhaps Gu Zhong herself didn't realize that she had become increasingly headstrong lately. Ling Yan was most afraid of Gu Zhong mentioning life and death, but in the end, she couldn't persuade her otherwise and agreed.
They kept comforting themselves, thinking that as long as they appeared outwardly virtuous and upright, no one would discover the hidden worldly incompatibilities.
Since Lingyan moved back to the palace, Gu Zhong has become visibly happier, and even his uncontrollable temper has been somewhat tempered. The palace servants who had been trembling with fear during this time are all grateful to the Prime Minister for sacrificing himself to make things easier for everyone.
The only problem was that Gu Zhong had so much energy from who-knows-where, and would sneak out of the palace at night from time to time. Every day, Lingyan wondered if she would miss the morning court session the next day because of this, but she was willing to indulge her in doing whatever she wanted.
The feeling of going to the blissful moment with your loved one is something only those who have experienced it can truly understand; it is an experience that is so unforgettable.
Days passed, but things didn't go well for Gu Yang, who still hadn't returned.
He only wrote once or twice, saying that Gu Zhong's condition was special because his body might be having an adverse reaction, which was why he was vomiting blood. The reason why Gu poison is so difficult to prevent is that it cannot be detected. By the time the Gu poison takes effect, it is too late to save him.
In that sense, Gu Zhong can be considered lucky.
Year after year, Gu Zhong in the court had gained absolute power, and the powerful families were completely suppressed and could no longer hold their heads high.
Over the course of three years of special imperial examinations, scholars from humble backgrounds gradually infiltrated and permeated the imperial court. The implementation of the equal-field system allowed every ordinary person to live at least like a human being.
Buddhism and Taoism are making a comeback, and witchcraft, which resembles a cult, is gradually declining under Gu Zhong's deliberate suppression. The whole country is showing signs of prosperity.
However, Gu Zhong was vomiting blood more and more often, and his mood became increasingly unpredictable and his temper became more and more irritable. It seemed very likely that this was caused by the poison, but even though she knew this and tried her best to control herself, it had little effect.
Perhaps believing the time was right, in the early fourth year of the Tiancheng era, Gu Zhong issued an edict to extensively repair the academies, widely recruit students from poor families, abolish the recommendation system, vigorously promote the imperial examination system, and allow women to serve as officials, thus completely taking back the power of education and official appointments that had been monopolized by aristocratic families.
This has completely shaken the foundation of the aristocratic families. Even though they have suffered frequent setbacks in recent years, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse.
Previously, Gu Zhong dealt with these powerful clans and nobles by picking on their weaknesses and defeating them one by one. Other aristocratic families were happy to watch the show and kick their old rivals when they were down.
They are now united as never before, resisting Gu Zhong's decrees with an energy that cannot be ignored.
In no time, most scholars across the land began to verbally attack Gu Zhong, condemning him from being a hen crowing at dawn to being tyrannical and unpredictable. In their mouths, Gu Zhong had been completely demonized, becoming equivalent to the Xia Jie and Shang Zhou, who were just one step away from destroying their kingdoms.
The harsher the insults, the more guilty Gu Zhong seemed. He truly didn't care about his reputation at all; he wouldn't suffer any loss from further insults and continued to do as he pleased.
Suddenly, the tide turned. It seemed that realizing scolding Gu Zhong was useless, the fire shifted to Ling Yan. The treacherous minister abused his power, bewitched the emperor, and as the imperial tutor, disregarded human ethics and morals. They were practically accusing her of using her beauty to serve the emperor.
Ling Yan simply laughed off these rumors.
Unlike Gu Zhong's worries and assumptions, Ling Yan didn't feel depressed. She only had a sense of "it's finally here." There are no secrets that stay hidden forever, and everyone has a gossipy heart.
Her long stay in the palace already aroused suspicion, not to mention that Gu Zhong and Chen Muxian had never been married, nor had he taken a concubine. People are always interested in the emperor's actions, and there will always be those who are interested.
Even without evidence, they have enough to spout nonsense; rumors don't need any proof. Besides, what they said could be considered factual.