In the more than 150 years since the founding of the Great Qi Dynasty, the successive emperors have not been very lustful regardless of their merits and demerits. The same is true of today's emperor Jianxing Emperor, although he is mediocre in political affairs and is only the king of Shoucheng, but he does not act indiscriminately, but he is also very loved by the people.

Emperor Jianxing is not lustful, and there are only a dozen concubines in the palace. There are three princes and three princesses under his knees. Not to mention other emperors, even compared to ordinary officials, the number of heirs is not large.

All told, the last draft was fifteen years ago.

Now that Emperor Jianxing is fifty and nine, he will celebrate his sixtieth birthday next year, and no one thought that he would be drafted again fifteen years later.

Not to mention that the hairpin eunuch, who takes girls very seriously and regards them as an important marriage tool, is unhappy, and even the gateway family that has always planned to borrow his daughter to soar is not happy.

The emperor is so old, how many years can he still reign. There has been no addition in the palace for so many years, which proves that the emperor's fertility is not good. A good daughter was sent in, and after two or three years of the emperor's funeral, this good daughter was wasted.

Therefore, as soon as this news came out, it can be said that the whole country is worried.

The far away place of the emperor is better, after getting the news, he is full of energy to say kiss to the girl, exchange more stickers, once the book is booked, the emperor is not good to take the person/wife.

But the capital city of Jinmen Yuhu under the emperor's nose can't use this trick.

The emperor has already issued an order, and you are still planning to marry the girl, don't you deliberately resist the decree and disobey it.

If there is a girl, everyone is in danger. Of course, it also includes the Gu family.

The eldest lady Gu Chonghua is beautiful and dignified, and she is famous, but now she is at home for her father's filial piety, which is ominous, and there is nothing to worry about.

Gu Chongzhi was only twelve years old, less than thirteen, and did not meet the requirements. Gu Chongyang is even younger, only eleven, and she has nothing to do.

The Gu family is only one Gu Chongzhu who is eligible.

With Mrs. Ge's attitude towards the second room, she didn't care much about it, but the eldest lady said: "I can't write two Gu characters in one stroke, as long as I don't split up, the second girl will be a girl from the Gu family when she goes out, who cares which room she belongs to!" The second girl is beautiful, but her personality is arrogant and abnormal, who knows if she will cause any trouble after she enters the palace? When the time comes, the unlucky ones are not our Gu family? ”

Old Madam Ge listened to the reason, and immediately called the second lady to discuss the idea.

The second lady calmed down from the initial anxiety, because she made up her mind to let Gu Chongzhu pretend to be sick and let Gu Chongzhi enter the palace for the draft.

Of course, Gu Chongzhu also knew her mother's plan, and she went to Haitang Courtyard proudly.

Coincidentally, this time, I ran into Gu Chongyang and Gu Chonghua again.

Seeing these two people, her face fell again: "You three, snake...... Why are you huddled together again, are you calculating how to deal with me again? ”

She originally wanted to talk about a nest of snakes and rats, but the moment her eyes met Gu Chonghua's eyes, her momentum weakened.

It was closed for two days and two nights in the small Buddha hall, and there was nothing except two quilts and two meals a day. The day was fine, but at night she was scared to the seeping Buddha statue. She was so scared.

"Second sister, we're here to see the third sister." Gu Chonghua saw that she didn't dare to look at herself, and felt that the majesty of her eldest sister had been maintained. On the one hand, Ling remembered that Gu Chongzhu was going to enter the palace for the draft soon, maybe she would become a noble person in the palace, Gu Chonghua felt that the relationship with her could not be too stiff, she smiled slightly, and said gently: "What are you doing when you come today?" ”

"I'm just like you, and I'm also seeing the third sister coming." Gu Chongzhu stepped forward, looked at it and said, "Third sister, I haven't seen you for a few days, your complexion is much better, and you are much more beautiful than before." ”

It was rare for her to talk to Gu Chongzhi so kindly, and what was even more surprising was that she would praise Gu Chongzhi, Gu Chongzhi didn't understand what he meant, but instinctively felt the danger. She grabbed Gu Chongyang's hand.

Because of what happened last time, Gu Chongyang didn't dare to help Gu Chongzhi out, she only sat and didn't speak. Hengzhu Gu Chongzhu is going to enter the palace draft, and it will naturally stop for a while.

However, since he is going to participate in the draft, shouldn't Gu Chongzhu be distressed, why did he still come here?

She couldn't help but wonder in her heart.

Gu Chonghua took over and said, "The third sister has always been beautiful. ”

Gu Chongzhu chuckled, her eyes were very beautiful, and her face was a little hideous: "That's right, if she wasn't so beautiful, how could such a good thing as entering the palace draft fall on her head." ”

Isn't the person who entered the palace draft Gu Chongzhu? Gu Chongzhu: What does this mean?

The three people present were all shocked, especially Gu Chongyang.

Gu Chongzhi's tragic experience made her empathize, she couldn't hold back, Huo Ran stood up and asked, "What did you say?" The third sister wants to enter the palace draft? ”

"yes." Gu Chongzhu smiled: "I didn't expect it, you must have thought in your hearts that it was me who entered the palace, right?" But I'm not in good health and I'm always sick, how can I serve the emperor? So such a good thing can only be given to the third sister. The third sister is beautiful and has a good temperament, and she will definitely be selected in the screen and fly on the branches to become a phoenix. ”

With that, she burst out laughing.

When Gu Chongyang heard this, he was so angry that his two hands clenched into fists: "Impossible, the third sister is only twelve." Over the years, the drafts have to be thirteen years old, and the three sisters under the age of seventeen do not meet the requirements. Moreover, the third sister is a concubine, and this article is not suitable. ”

"Twelve this year, but won't it be thirteen after the New Year? It just meets the requirements, do you think it's a coincidence? Gu Chongzhu said triumphantly: "My mother has already discussed with the old lady, and today I will record the third sister in my mother's name, from now on, the third sister, you are also a concubine!" You're a blessing in disguise. ”

"Oh, no, look at me!" The corners of Gu Chongzhu's mouth were raised high: "It should be joy on top of joy." Good sister, serve the emperor in the future and become a nobleman, but don't forget my sister and me. ”

The more Gu Chongyang listened, the more angry he became, seeing Gu Chongzhu's appearance, he couldn't go up and give her two slaps to relieve the hatred in his heart, but giving her two slaps couldn't solve the problem. This matter was obviously discussed between the second lady and the old lady, otherwise Gu Chongzhu would not dare to say it in such a big way.

She looked at Gu Chongzhi, she lowered her head and said nothing, as if she was thinking about something.

Gu Chongyang felt that she couldn't do anything for her, and she felt very uncomfortable, so she had to stare at Gu Chongzhu viciously, if her eyes could kill, Gu Chongzhu's body was probably all Gu Chongyang's eye knife.

The more angry Gu Chongyang was, the more she felt happy in Gu Chongzhu's eyes.

"Alas!" Gu Chongzhu let out a long sigh and pretended to say, "Sister, I really envy my sister for having such a good blessing to serve the nobles." It's a pity that the saint is already fifty-nine years old this year, and he will be sixty years old next year, although he is older, he is the ninety-fifth honor, which is different from ordinary people. However, these are nothing, and the allusion of a pear flower pressing a begonia has always existed, but I didn't expect it to happen in our family. ”

Although Gu Chongzhu has no brains, his ability to sarcastically scold people is first-class.

Gu Chongyang looked at her appearance, and the more he looked at it, the more angry he became.

Gu Chongzhu snorted coldly and said: "Good sister, you can rest well, my mother said that from today onwards, I will give you stewed supplements every day, to ensure that you will be raised beautifully before the draft, so that you can win in one fell swoop and glorify your ancestors." ”

Gu Chongzhu left, Gu Chongyang grabbed Gu Chongzhi's hand, his eyes were eager: "Third sister, what do you say?" ”

Unexpectedly, Gu Chongzhi shook Gu Chongyang's hand back, and said with a slight smile: "Fourth sister, haven't you forgotten what we said a few days ago?" ”

Her calm and relaxed appearance made Gu Chongyang stunned: "What words?" ”

"There are no outsiders here, and I won't hide it. What kind of life my Gu family is living, you and your big sister also see it. Nominally, she is a concubine, but in fact her life is worse than that of the lowest slave maid. Gu Chongzhi said calmly: "On such a day, life is really worse than death. As long as the status quo can be changed, as long as you can leave the Gu family, what's the harm of entering the palace? ”

"But the emperor is almost sixty years old!" Gu Chongyang couldn't help but hug her grievances: "You're only a teenager." ”

"So what? If I really entered the palace, at least I wouldn't be beaten. If one day the emperor dies, I will either become a nun or enter the cold palace, and with my own hands, I will not starve to death. ”

There was a kind of determination on Gu Chongzhi's face that as long as I could leave the Gu family, I would be willing to do anything.

"You all think it's bad, but I think it's very good." Gu Chongzhi said: "Even if I don't enter the palace, my mother won't marry me to any good family." ”

She remembered her mother's mother's nephew Fei Shirong's salivating appearance every time he saw her, and she felt sick again.

Compared with marrying Fei Shirong, the scoundrel, entering the palace is undoubtedly a relief.

"Fourth sister, don't be sad, I'm willing to enter the palace."

Looking at Gu Chongzhi's weak face with a relieved look, Gu Chongyang felt distressed and sad in his heart. If it weren't for the fact that life in the Gu family was too hard, how could she be so eager to get out of this cage. But she is so young, the emperor died two years later, wouldn't the third sister have to live alone for the rest of her life.

She remembered that the third sister in the previous life was married to her cousin, and she died of illness about half a year after getting married.

She sighed and comforted herself, maybe after entering the palace, the third sister would not be as fragrant as she was in her previous life, which is not necessarily a good thing.

Gu Chonghua, who had not spoken, took a deep look at Gu Chongzhi and breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

The second sister Gu Chongzhu is brutal and brainless, if her character enters the palace, sooner or later she will cause a big disaster for the Gu family, and by then my brother may have already attacked the lord, and she will definitely have to clean up the mess.

And Gu Chongzhi is different, she has a gentle personality, she is obedient, and she looks so beautiful, if she is lucky enough to be favored by the emperor, it is really a good thing for the Gu family. Even if she doesn't get the emperor's favor, she won't cause trouble for the Gu family, it's really suitable for such a person to enter the palace. I have to say that the mother and the old lady made the right move.

She nodded secretly in her heart, and shook Gu Chongzhi's hand: "If you drink water, you know that you know that since you have made such a choice, the eldest sister will not say anything, I can only hope that you can be safe and sound after entering the palace." These days, the second aunt will definitely not embarrass you anymore, and you can have a good year with peace of mind. Maybe this is also the last year you have spent in the Gu family, and our sisters should also be close and close. ”

Gu Chongzhi glanced at Gu Chonghua, smiled and nodded. This big sister seems to be dignified and upright, but she doesn't like her at all. For so many years, she has also been indifferent to herself, and this sudden closeness made Gu Chongzhi very uncomfortable.

She prefers her fourth sister Gu Chongyang in her heart, on the one hand, because the two have no mother for the same illness, and on the other hand, the fourth sister treats people sincerely and is not hypocritical at all.

Gu Chongyang was called away by Danxin, because Gu Tailai brought very important news.

The mother and daughter in the outer room who were taken away by the fourth master were found.

This news shocked Gu Chongyang's spirits, and she almost trotted all the way back to Haitang Courtyard.

"Where did the fourth master hide them? You didn't scare the snakes, did you? As soon as she entered, she couldn't wait to ask.

"Miss, things are not at all what we thought." Gu Tailai sighed: "Sang Wu and I found Yao Xiaoniang in a very poor village in Langfang, Hebei. ”

It turned out that the outer room's surname was Yao.

actually hid them in the countryside of Langfang, and the fourth master was also scheming.

This thought flashed, and Gu Chongyang immediately found out that something was wrong: "Why did you only find the little lady?" What about the little lady's mother, Yao Niangzi? ”

"Miss, when we went, Mrs. Yao had already died of dystocia." Gu Tai blamed himself: "Yao Niangzi has a big belly, not to mention the bumps all the way, and she also suffered from the wind and cold, and she had a fetal gas before she arrived in Langfang. When they arrived in Langfang, they died. ”

"How can this be?" Gu Chongyang was taken aback: "Didn't the fourth master send someone to follow?" ”

There was such a big thing, and the fourth master actually made a small decision with Ge Bilian happily as if nothing had happened, did he not know that Yao Niangzi had an accident, or did he know but was unmoved?

"Miss! Where are there any people who serve? Gu Tailai's voice suddenly became a little cold, and he said with a straight face: "Yao Niangzi and Yao Xiaoniang were not hidden by the fourth master, but sold by the fourth master!" ”

"What did you say?"

Knowing that Yao Niangzi died in childbirth, Gu Chongyang's surprise could still be held back, but this time Gu Chongyang exclaimed directly.

Regarding the disappearance of the mother and daughter in the outer room, Gu Chongyang has imagined thousands of things, but he never thought that the fourth master would actually sell people.

Yao Niangzi has been an outer room for the fourth master for more than ten years, and gave birth to a daughter of the same age as herself, not to mention, now she is still pregnant, and she is about to give birth, how can the fourth master sell people?

This is appalling, isn't it?

"Miss, you heard it right, that Mrs. Yao and Mrs. Yao were quietly sold by the fourth master. Don't say you don't believe it, even we were taken aback when we learned the news. ”

Gu Tailai said: "When we found Yao Xiaoniang, she had already been sold to a poor family in Langfang as a child daughter-in-law. Knowing that we were members of the Gu family, she knelt down without saying a word and begged us to redeem her and leave. ”

"Why did the fourth master sell their mother and daughter?"

"I don't know." Gu Tailai smiled bitterly and shook his head: "We asked Yao Xiaoniang, she said that she didn't know, everything was fine, and the fourth master suddenly wanted to take them out to pray for incense, and they followed without suspicion." The carriage stopped once on the road, and the fourth master came down to talk to the people and got into the carriage behind. The carriage never stopped all the way. When they found that the carriage was far away from the capital, not in the direction of Tantuo Temple, the carriage of the four masters behind had already disappeared without a trace, but another carriage with different sedan chairs and coachmen followed behind, and they didn't know the people sitting in the carriage. ”

The driver sued them, and the fourth master sold them. Of course, Yao Niangzi, mother and daughter didn't believe it, they just thought that the fourth master had an accident, and they were very anxious. It wasn't until Ren Yazi took the deed signed by the fourth master that they had to believe it. Yao Niangzi was anxious and angry, and the road was very bumpy, and she had a fetal gas on the spot, and then she died with one corpse. ”

Listening to Gu Tailai's words, Gu Chongyang's originally pounding heart gradually calmed down, and his thoughts also calmed down.

She doesn't know why the fourth master sold Yao Niangzi's mother and daughter, but one thing is certain, the mother's death has nothing to do with Yao Niangzi's mother and daughter, and the fourth master never murdered his mother for Yao Niangzi's mother and daughter.

So what is the reason for this?

"Miss, Little Lady Yao is now placed in her uncle's house. Because without your instructions, Sang Wu didn't dare to make a presumptuous decision, saying that since he was bought, he would be called as a slave. Therefore, Mrs. Yao is now a rough girl sweeping the floor in her uncle's house. Look, is that okay? ”

"Sang Wu arranged it very well, let her be a rough girl to sharpen her temperament, if she is disobedient, and you will put Miss Score, you don't have to be polite, just treat her as a disobedient maid. If she is honest and obedient, I will set her a small yard in a few days, so that she can give birth to her. ”

"In the end, it's the blood of the fourth master, don't humiliate her." Speaking of this, her voice suddenly lowered: "If my mother were still alive, I'm afraid she would do the same." ”

Originally, Gu Tailai wanted to ask Gu Chongyang if he wanted to see Mrs. Yao, but it can be seen that Gu Chongyang's love suddenly fell, and he swallowed the words that came to his mouth.

He replied: "Don't worry, Miss, I'll go and tell Sang Wu." ”

"Miss, there's one more piece of news." Gu Tailai didn't know whether the news he said next was good news or bad news for Gu Chongyang, so he didn't rejoice, but said in a flat tone: "The fourth master has been promoted." ”

What kind of news is this!

Gu Chongyang was indifferent, but his heart was the same as Mingjing.

The career of the four masters of the previous life was very smooth, after returning from Guichi, he was appointed as the Cheng of the Sixth Rank Guanglu Temple, and a year later he was promoted to the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor from the fifth grade, and he stayed up for several years in the position of the bachelor from the fifth grade, before he was promoted to a bachelor of the Five Grades Hanlin Academy. When Gu Chongyang died in his previous life, he had already served as the country's prince of sacrificial wine, from the official of the fourth grade, one of the little Jiuqing.

Born in a noble family, but among the nobles, the fourth master is a model of a concubine.

Do the math, the fourth master has been on an errand in Guanglu Temple for a year, isn't it time for him to be promoted?

's mother died, and she lived in dire straits, but the fourth master was promoted and married a new wife, and his life was not too nourishing.

Wait a minute!

When her mother was alive, the old lady was-for-tat with Sifang, on the one hand, she couldn't get used to her mother, but most importantly, because she didn't like the fourth master, she couldn't allow her son to come out. The fourth master was also very disgusted with the old lady, and even scolded her behind her back. The fourth master's biological mother, Aunt Sun, was killed by the old lady, and the old lady joined forces with the eldest lady to set up a roadblock for the fourth master's career. There are all kinds of signs that the fourth room and the old lady have reached the point of incompatibility.

But when his mother died, the fourth master and the old lady became harmonious. The old lady not only did not have any trouble finding the fourth room, but even married her niece Ge Bilian to the fourth master.

And the most important thing is that since the death of his mother, the career of the fourth master has suddenly become smoother. Gu Chongyang remembered that it was none other than Tian Man, the eldest lady's maternal brother, who was now in charge of the positions of civil official listing, examination, selection, and promotion. If the fourth master wants to be promoted, he can't get around him no matter what.

He had previously rated his father's class as a lower grade, and it was obvious that he was instructed by the old lady, how could he suddenly give the fourth old man a vacancy? Not only that, but the fourth master was actually promoted?

Gu Chongyang suddenly felt that he had grasped a very important clue.

She connected all kinds of unreasonable phenomena, only to find that a link was missing. Without this link, it is impossible to continue.

It's like putting together most of the puzzle pieces, missing the most important piece.

And that piece is clearly the real reason why my mother was killed.

Her heart was pounding, and for the first time she felt that she was one step closer to the truth about her mother's death, and now it was a critical moment.

She can't be in a hurry, she must calm down, the more critical she is, the more she can't rush in, she believes that it will soon come to light.

She no longer pursued it as before, but chose to stand still, quietly peeking at everything that happened in the Gu family, and trying to find clues from it. It's like a cat dormant in the dark, waiting with a sigh of breath, only to be hit by the prey when it appears.