RPAGF Chapter 643 But what does this have to do with all the officials and civil servants in the court?
Chapter 643 But what does this have to do with all the officials and civil servants in the court?
Mentioning Gu Qingchen's name, Gu Cheng'an's face instantly became indescribable.
His lips twitched involuntarily, and his eyes began to drift uncontrollably to the side.
I'm trying to find the right words, but I don't know where to begin.
He looked just like a general who had lost a battle but still had to report the situation despite his bad luck.
Chu Ruohan's smile faded slightly, and she had a bad feeling.
"What? That girl's gotten into trouble again?"
Gu Cheng'an coughed lightly, finally made up his mind, and spoke with a look of grim determination.
"It's more than just causing trouble."
He paused for a moment, then said, "After entering the palace, the Empress took good care of her, and she was also very curious. But after a few days, she found that there were more rules in the palace than in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and she couldn't stand it!"
"Disliking that the fish sent by the imperial kitchen wasn't fresh enough, she took the young crown prince and cooked it herself..."
"What did you do?" Chu Ruohan pressed.
Gu Cheng'an's expression became even more peculiar.
"...They took the few koi carp that the Emperor loved most in the Imperial Garden, which were said to have been found, and stewed them into a soup."
Gu Junze: "..."
Chu Ruohan: "..."
The couple exchanged a glance, their expressions completely calm, even carrying a sense of "I knew it."
Chu Ruohan thought for a moment and calmly commented, "Qingchen has always been picky about food. It's probably because the palace chefs' cooking doesn't suit her taste. It's good to do it yourself and be self-sufficient."
This is very much in line with my child's style.
Seeing the two of them looking so nonchalant, Gu Cheng'an forced himself to continue.
"Five days later, it was Consort De's birthday, and a banquet was held in the palace. She complained that the few famous peonies transplanted from Luoyang in Consort De's palace were too gaudy in color."
"So she took Qian Zhenyun and pulled up all the peonies overnight."
"And then?" Chu Ruohan asked, intrigued.
Gu Cheng'an took a deep breath, "Then... they changed into... foxtail grass that they dug up from the corner of the Imperial Garden."
Gu Junze's eye twitched.
Chu Ruohan remained calm, even nodding seriously, and commented, "Yes, Qingchen's aesthetic has always been refined and unconventional, and he doesn't like bright red and purple."
Gu Cheng'an smiled and continued...
“A few nights ago, she…she took the young prince and that boy from the Qian family, the three of them, and climbed onto the roof of the Emperor’s palace…”
Upon hearing this, the wind on the city wall seemed to stop.
The gentle and warm smile on Chu Ruohan's face finally froze inch by inch.
Gu Cheng'an, as if he had nothing to lose, shouted with his eyes closed, "They said they wanted to observe and learn... how Your Majesty favors the new concubines!"
"Nonsense!"
"How could she, an unmarried young woman, possibly witness such filthy things! What kind of behavior is this!"
The gentle and demure Lady Zhenguo has lost her composure again.
Meanwhile, Gu Junze, who was standing next to her, had a face that was once incredibly handsome, but now it was as black as the bottom of a pot.
He wasn't upset that the emperor was being made a fool of!
He now wanted nothing more than to fly back to the capital immediately, grab that audacious little brat, hang her from the rafters, and teach her a lesson in family discipline!
Remembering the Emperor's instructions, Gu Cheng'an said, "You two should return to the capital as soon as possible!"
"Now, not only the Empress and Consort De, but all the civil and military officials, along with the entire harem, are burning incense day and night and praying every night..."
"We're just hoping that you two can go back soon and take our little darling away!"
Chu Ruohan and Gu Junze exchanged another glance.
This time, both of their eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment.
It's understandable that the Emperor and his concubines longed for their return.
But what does this have to do with all the officials in the court?
Why are even those old men missing them?
Just half a month ago, at the Imperial Palace in the capital, in the Hall of Pilgrimage.
The officials bowed their heads, remaining completely silent, solemn and dignified.
The emperor on the dragon throne was listening to the report from the Minister of Revenue, who was discussing the planting situation in various regions this year.
Unbeknownst to anyone, right beside the main hall's roof beam, in a very secluded pavilion entrance, three small heads were huddled together, peeking furtively downwards.
It was Gu Qingchen, the young prince, and Qian Zhenyun.
Gu Qingchen felt stifled in the palace. Hearing that attending court was the most prestigious and exciting event in the world, he urged the young prince and dragged Qian Zhenyun along to sneak in.
Qian Zhenyun's face scrunched up like a bitter gourd, and he was almost about to cry.
He lowered his voice, "Sister, my dear sister, if we get caught, it's a crime of deceiving the emperor, punishable by beheading!"
Gu Qingchen curled his lip in disdain.
“What’s there to be afraid of? My father is the Duke of Zhenguo, and his father is the Emperor. If the three of us get together, even the King of Hell will have to give us a discount.”
She peeked at the emperor on the dragon throne again and whispered, "Besides, His Majesty is a very kind person, not fierce at all, unlike my father!"
The young prince silently rubbed his forehead.
How did she come to this conclusion?
Everyone in the world thinks the Emperor is dignified, so how come in her mouth he's described as having a good temper?
The court assembly was indeed as boring as the legends had it.
Gu Qingchen quickly lost interest and began to comment on the backs of the heads of the ministers below.
She embellished the gossip she had heard from her classmates, palace maids, and eunuchs and told it to the young prince.
"Look at that white-bearded Grand Tutor Li. Don't be fooled by his righteous appearance. He actually has seven concubines who fight tooth and nail for his favor every day."
"And then there's that Vice Minister Wang from the Ministry of War. His wife is the most jealous woman in the capital. She glanced at Xi Shi, the tofu seller, yesterday, and now she's kneeling on a washboard."
The young prince's eyes lit up as he listened, and he kept asking, "And then what? And then what?"
Qian Zhenyun initially wanted to cover his ears, but as he listened, he unconsciously perked them up and joined the crowd of onlookers.
Gu Qingchen got more and more excited as he spoke, and his voice unconsciously grew louder. He didn't realize that his "live commentary" had already drifted into the silent hall through the ventilation duct.
Several military officers with excellent hearing were the first to notice the commotion. They frowned, listened intently, and their expressions gradually became strange.
Grand Tutor Li seemed to have heard the words "seven concubines." His white beard trembled, his old face stiffened, and he subconsciously straightened his back.
Wang, the Vice Minister of War, suddenly felt a pain in his knee and instinctively shuddered, drawing puzzled glances from his colleagues.
An inexplicable and eerie atmosphere began to slowly spread throughout the main hall.
Gu Qingchen's voice continued.
“I heard from Shen Yu in our academy that his father is impotent and has to drink a bowl of medicine every night… His mother is in a terrible state, and he himself gets beaten by his father until he screams!”
The young prince looked shocked: "Ah? Lord Shen, so that's the kind of person you are? You actually hit women! What did you use to hit them?"
Qian Zhenyun interjected, "Shen Yu said it was a stick..."
"Pfft-"
Someone couldn't help but laugh first.
That laugh seemed to light a fuse, and instantly a chorus of suppressed laughter filled the court.
So, it turns out Lord Shen is impotent!
Lord Shen of the Ministry of Rites, who was standing at the front, turned his face into a deep purplish-red, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into on the spot.
He secretly resolved that when he got back, he would beat that loudmouthed brat in his family until he was bruised and battered!
The emperor on the dragon throne listened with great interest, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
Unexpectedly, his usually serious and proper ministers each had their own lively affairs.
Just then, a clear, excited voice announced loudly:
"Next, it's my turn to tell you some gossip about my Uncle Emperor!"
In an instant, the entire Golden Palace became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
All eyes were on the emperor, who had just been watching the show from his throne.
They all turned and looked in the direction of the sound.