That night, an uninvited guest came to the Prime Minister's Mansion. Clad in a long black robe, the guest had even wrapped their face tightly.
They made their way straight to Gu Kexing's study with the familiarity of someone who knew the place well.
Gu Kexing was already waiting there.
At the sight of the guest, Gu Kexing immediately stepped forward. His eyes full of anxiety, he asked, "Is there any room for negotiation with His Majesty?"
Hearing this, the guest took off the long robe.
It was none other than Gu Kexing's younger sister, the current Empress.
The Empress shook her head. With a solemn look on her face, she said, "His Majesty is extremely angry. I've tried many times to plead for Chengqi, but I haven't even been able to see His Majesty."
It seemed that His Majesty was determined to punish Gu Chengqi.
Hearing this, Gu Kexing's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
Then he tightly grasped the Empress's arm and shouted, "Chengqi is your own nephew! You can't just sit back and watch him die!"
The Empress said helplessly, "It's not that I don't want to help. It's just that Chengqi has caused a huge disaster this time!"
Gu Kexing snorted coldly after hearing this. "Chengqi caused a huge disaster? The people were arranged by you, and the medicine was administered by you. Now you're saying it's Chengqi who caused the disaster. Your Majesty the Empress is trying to wash your hands of this too cleanly."
Hearing this, the Empress's eyes widened in surprise. "The idea was yours. Now that something has happened to Chengqi, you're blaming it on me? How was I to know that Chengqi would mistake someone and that the Crown Prince would catch him?"
Gu Kexing looked deeply troubled. He regretted ever having been so foolish as to listen to Gu Chengqi and ask the Empress to set up this scheme.
It was truly a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead.
It was too late to regret now!
"I don't care! He's my only son. You have to save him at all costs!"
The Empress let out a long sigh. "His Majesty didn't take his life. He's just exiling him to the border. That's already giving our family some face."
Gu Kexing held his forehead. "The border is such a cold and harsh place. Chengqi has lived a life of luxury since childhood. How can he endure it? Moreover, who knows when we'll see each other again after this!"
"Brother, don't worry. I'll secretly send people to protect Chengqi. After a few years, when His Majesty has forgotten about this, I'll secretly arrange for someone to bring Chengqi back." The Empress tried to console him.
"But..."
"Brother!" The Empress immediately interrupted Gu Kexing. Then she continued, "Right now, the most important thing for us is to make sure His Majesty doesn't hold a grudge against the Gu family because of this!"
The matter of adultery in the palace was no small thing.
As the legitimate son of the Gu family, once this matter came to light, the entire Gu family was bound to incur His Majesty's wrath.
Moreover, His Majesty still hadn't lifted the punishment on Gu Kexing.
If this matter wasn't resolved properly, Gu Kexing might very well lose his position as Prime Minister.
Gu Kexing was already exhausted from worrying about Gu Chengqi. His mind was in a complete mess, and he had no idea what to do.
"What do you think we should do now?" Gu Kexing looked at the Empress and asked.
The Empress thought for a moment and replied, "Chengqi was never a legitimate son. He was just adopted by Cui Jin. Why don't you first remove him from the family register and draw a clear line from him? This way, you can show your attitude to His Majesty."
Hearing this, Gu Kexing immediately refused. "No! Chengqi is my only son. I'm counting on him to inherit the Gu family in the future!"
Removing Gu Chengqi from the family register meant that he would no longer be a descendant of the Gu family. Even if Gu Chengqi was secretly brought back in the future, how could he inherit everything of the Gu family in a proper and legitimate way?
"Don't you understand the principle that when one prospers, all prosper; when one suffers, all suffer? Do you want all of us to fall out of His Majesty's favor because of this?!" The Empress scolded him angrily.
Although she was now the mistress of the harem.
But there were so many concubines eyeing the position of the Empress covetously.
If the Gu family fell out of His Majesty's favor and lost his heart, how long could she still sit on the throne of the Empress?
Seeing the hesitation in Gu Kexing's eyes, the Empress continued to persuade him. "Brother, you're still in your prime. Why worry about not having descendants in the future! After this storm has passed, I'll definitely choose a few fertile women for you to continue the family line."
Gu Kexing frowned tightly.
His hands involuntarily clenched into fists.
The disaster had already been caused. If he was ruthless enough to remove Gu Chengqi from the family register, perhaps His Majesty would remember his act of putting justice above family ties and let him return to the court.
But if he didn't make a decision quickly, perhaps by tomorrow morning, the memorials from the Grand Tutor's faction accusing him would pile up like a mountain on His Majesty's desk.
He could have more sons in the future, but there was only one position of Prime Minister.
He had worked so hard to get this position. He couldn't let everything go to waste because of this.
Thinking of this, Gu Kexing loosened his pale fingertips. With a solemn look in his eyes, he said, "Fine. I'll do as you say."
After saying that, he closed his tired eyes and rubbed them. "I don't know if I've encountered something unclean, but everything has been going wrong for me recently."
Hearing this, the Empress's expression suddenly became serious. "Don't you think these things are a bit strange?"
Gu Kexing frowned tightly. Then he thought carefully.
It seemed that ever since Shen Ruoxi had entered the mansion, the Prime Minister's Mansion had never been peaceful.
First, because of Shen Ruoxi, he had incurred His Majesty's wrath.
Then, for no apparent reason, his right - hand men had encountered problems one after another.
And now this.
All these things seemed to have no connection at first glance, but they vaguely made him feel uneasy.
Thinking of this, Gu Kexing's eyelid suddenly started twitching non - stop.
It seemed that he had to investigate carefully to see if there really was someone trying to trip him up behind his back.
-
On the other side.
Ruan Jiu met Cui Jin again.
Cui Jin was very satisfied with the outcome of this matter.
Cui Jin knew that, given Gu Kexing's personality, in order to keep his position as Prime Minister, Gu Chengqi would ultimately be the one to be sacrificed.
And Zhou Ru would also be driven out of the Prime Minister's Mansion, at her mercy.
She had endured for so many years for this day! Finally, she could avenge Tan'er!
But this matter wasn't over yet. The real culprit hadn't received the punishment they deserved.
"Madam Cui, now that you've achieved the result you wanted, you can tell me what the handle you have on Gu Kexing that can kill him is, right?" Ruan Jiu asked straightforwardly.
After all, dealing with Gu Kexing was what she wanted to do.
She just didn't know if what Cui Jin knew was what she wanted to know.
After hearing this, Cui Jin's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a look of guilt appeared in her eyes.
When Ruan Jiu was sure that she hadn't misread and that there was indeed a hint of guilt in Cui Jin's eyes, a sense of unease welled up in her heart, and her eyebrows knitted together.
After a long time, Cui Jin took a deep breath and slowly said, "I think Miss Shen misunderstood. I only said at the beginning that I would tell you all about Gu Kexing after the matter was done.
I never said that I had a fatal handle on Gu Kexing."
Hearing this, a chilling glint flashed in Ruan Jiu's deep pupils.
She frowned tightly, and there was clearly a hint of anger on her face.
She involuntarily curled her fingers, and the corners of her lips twitched slightly, as if she was smiling but not really.
"Are you playing me?"