RPAGF Chapter 647 Gu Junze, come back to me...
Chapter 647 Gu Junze, come back to me...
On his first night under house arrest, Gu Qingchen slept exceptionally well.
Perhaps setting fire to the building had taken too much to her mind, because she was served a hot bath by the palace maids, changed into a clean and soft nightgown, and fell into a deep sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, without even having a dream.
But the next day, when she woke up refreshed, trouble was brewing.
Outside the palace gate, two tall imperial guards stood like door gods, their long halberds crossed, their faces expressionless. Not even a fly could get out, let alone a person.
"Miss Gu, you're awake? His Majesty has instructed that your breakfast today is congee and side dishes, to calm your mind and nourish your spirit." A timid little palace maid entered carrying a tray.
Gu Qingchen looked at the bowl of clear white porridge that reflected her image, and the two plates of bland and tasteless vegetables, and her little face immediately scrunched up.
"That's it?" She banged on the table in dissatisfaction. "I want osmanthus sugar cake, I want crab roe buns, and I want to go to the imperial kitchen!"
The little palace maid was almost crying. She bowed and said, "My lord, please spare me! His Majesty has ordered that you are not allowed to step out of this palace. The Imperial Kitchen has also strictly forbidden from sending you any snacks."
Gu Qingchen's eyebrows furrowed.
I can't live this day!
She paced aimlessly around the hall, like a tiger trapped in a cage.
Touching the antique vase on the east side and tapping the rosewood table on the west side, I felt full of energy, but had nowhere to use it.
An hour later, she had almost counted all the floor tiles in the hall.
"Sigh!" She sighed heavily, leaned against the window, and looked at the scenery in the courtyard outside.
Just then, two eunuchs who were responsible for cleaning the courtyard were whispering among themselves.
"Have you heard? Her Majesty the Empress just received a pair of 'Radiant Birds' the other day. They were a tribute from the Western Regions. Their feathers can change into seven colors under the sunlight. They are incredibly beautiful!"
"Of course I've heard! It's kept in that warm pavilion in the back. The Empress treasures it like the most precious thing, and she goes to see it three times a day!"
Gu Qingchen's ears immediately perked up.
A pheasant? That sounds more impressive than a canary kept in a cage.
She peeked out, looking at the backs of the two eunuchs, then glanced at the exquisite warm pavilion not far away. A thought uncontrollably welled up from the bottom of her heart.
Such a beautiful bird, kept in a cage, how pitiful!
They should be flying freely under the blue sky and white clouds, instead of staying in that small gilded cage and being admired as toys!
Once the thought appeared, it could no longer be suppressed.
She rolled her eyes and figured it out.
She sat back down at the table, picked up the bowl of porridge that had long since gone cold, and deliberately shouted, "Ouch! My stomach hurts so much! Is there poison in this porridge?! I'm going to die!"
As she screamed, she clutched her stomach and rolled on the ground, her acting even more convincing than yesterday in the Imperial Study.
The imperial guards at the gate exchanged a glance and immediately panicked.
If this little rascal were to get into trouble right under their noses, they wouldn't have enough heads to chop off!
"Quickly! Go and summon the imperial physician!" one of the imperial guards shouted, while another rushed in, eager to check on the situation.
Just as the palace doors opened and the two were in a state of panic, Gu Qingchen, who was lying on the ground seemingly dying, suddenly leaped up from the ground like an eel.
She nimbly slipped under the arms of two imperial guards, and before they could react, she dashed out of the main hall like a gust of wind, heading straight for the warm pavilion in the backyard.
"Not good! Seize her quickly!" The Imperial Guard's roar rang out from behind.
But Gu Qingchen ran very fast, and in just a few breaths he reached the entrance of the warm pavilion.
The door to the warm pavilion was only slightly ajar. She pushed it open and, sure enough, saw a magnificent golden birdcage hanging in the center. Inside the cage, two shimmering little birds were hopping restlessly.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here to save you!"
Gu Qingchen ran over in three quick steps, stood on tiptoe, and pulled open the latch on the birdcage in one go.
Go! Fly to the skies that belong to you!
She opened the cage door and scooped the two startled pheasants out.
Two dazzling streaks of light flew out of the warm pavilion with a "whoosh," drawing a beautiful arc in the air before disappearing beyond the high palace walls in the blink of an eye.
After doing all this, Gu Qingchen clapped his hands, looked at the empty birdcage, and revealed a satisfied smile.
At that moment, the Imperial Guards, who had rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, blocked the entrance to the warm pavilion.
They stared at the empty birdcage and the innocent-looking culprit, and everyone's face turned green.
Half an hour later.
Royal study room.
Zhao Yunci was holding a report that had been urgently sent from the border, his brows furrowed.
The northern barbarians are starting to stir again, and he is considering whether to recall Gu Junze to discuss countermeasures.
Just then, the chief eunuch rushed in, his face as white as paper.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"
Zhao Yunci's eyelids twitched suddenly, and an extremely ominous premonition surged into her heart.
"What is it now?" he asked in a deep voice. "Has the fire in the library reignited?"
"No! No!" The head eunuch was almost crying. "It was...it was Her Majesty the Empress's Radiant Bird! It was...it was released by Princess Qingchen!"
Zhao Yunci gripped the report tightly with her fingers, her knuckles turning white from the force.
He asked slowly, enunciating each word clearly, "Where...did it go?"
"It flew... flew out of the palace! It'll never be found again!"
"boom!"
Zhao Yunci slammed the report in his hand onto the table.
He didn't roar or roar.
On the contrary, he remained completely calm.
Zhao Yunci slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the azure sky outside, as if she could see the two rosy birds that could never be caught up with.
He tolerated the burning of his library.
Now, the queen's most beloved tribute bird has been released.
This little bastard is tearing down his empire and destroying his harem!
Gu Junze!
Zhao Yunci almost gritted her teeth as she uttered the name in her heart.
He remained silent for a long time, so long that the chief eunuch thought the emperor might have suffered a stroke from anger.
Finally, Zhao Yunci turned around, a strange smile on her face, but her voice was as cold as ice in the twelfth lunar month.
"Preach my will."
"A decree was drafted and sent to Chengdu by express courier, covering 800 li."
"Tell Duke Gu Junze to return to the capital within ten days."
"If it were even a day later..." The emperor's smile deepened, but his eyes remained devoid of any warmth.
"I will pack up his precious daughter and personally send her to the Northern Army, so that his good daughter can deal with the barbarians and not come to harm me..."