Chapter 59 - Long-awaited reunion

“Gui Ren Yun doesn’t have a distinguished family background, but she has intervened in the storm both of the Imperial Court and Harem accidentally or deliberately. That is why the Empress and I value her especially.” Emperor Chunjia chuckled, “After all, people as noble as I cannot do it personally, right?”

In his eyes, the most important feature of Yun Fenghuang was that she came from a big family but not a prominent one, at least not as prominent as Ji’s Family, Prince Regent’s Mansion, heads of upright officials like Cui Wan, and the powerful eunuch Zheng Ju, or even him, the emperor.

Namely, she had the vision and ability to intervene in the storm, but had no matching powers and backers, so she was the most suitable pawn.

If he failed, he could make her a scapegoat.

Yun Fenghuang’s background was totally different. Some concubines might have a powerful background, such as the Empress, Noble Consort Gui, Noble Consort Shu and Fu Ren Yaoning. If there was a slight move of one party, the whole situation would be affected. So, everyone did not dare to act gravely for fear that things would be out of control.

Others might come from a very poor family, such as those low-ranked concubines. The only thing they could do was to please men with their good looks. However, it was useless in the Imperial Harem. If they could do nothing else except pleasing the emperor, they would always be frightened for being envied by others. If so, they would avoid things, no need to mention intervening forwardly.

People like Yun Fenghuang, who could and dared to make troubles…

If she was in the Imperial Harem at normal times, she would be annoying. However, at this special period, both the Empress and the Emperor would like her to make troubles, so that they could gain benefits from it.

Of course, the premise was that they both firmly believed that they would be the final winner.

Emperor Chunjia pondered, and went away after hesitating for a while outside Ning Bi Hall. He said, “It is indeed not suitable to see Lianniang now. Later, you send something over and explain it to her for me.”

Yan Yin agreed instantly.

Soon after they came out of Hu Zhu Palace, Yun Fenghuang went to Yan Fu Palace to see Empress Ji.

But the maids at Yan Fu Palace told her that the Empress was not there but accompanied the Titled Madams of Ji’s Family to Qing Ci Palace to visit the Empress Dowager.

It was probably that the Empress Dowager still minded what happened to Emperor Xiaozong. Since she delegated her power to take charge of the Imperial Harem very early, she should be very idle in normal times, but she lived in Qing Ci Palace alone all the years and avoided seeing others with the excuse that she was weak.

Even if Ji’s Family submitted written statements to ask for visiting and greeting her during the holidays every year, she would only send her maids to send them away on her behalf.

It was estimated that she’d like to see the Titled Madams of Ji’s Family this time only for the sake of her illness.

Yun Fenghuang was a little curious about what they would talk about at Qing Ci Palace, but she knew clearly that she was qualified to learn the details at the moment. She only regretted a little bit and left in a huff.

The next day she went to Yan Fu Palace again, but the Empress hadn’t come back. She was told that the Empress stayed at Mian Fu Palace for looking after Queen Mother Ji.

Yun Fenghuang didn’t really believe this. On her way back to Hu Zhu Palace, she was thinking about it absently. She had walked for a long way when she realized that Xi Le lagged behind. She turned back and found that Xi Le was staring at some scratches that seemed to be made accidently on the palace wall not far away. She walked back curiously, “What is this?”

“Shizi will bring his men into the palace tonight.” Xi Le withdrew her sights and said with a low voice, “Gui Ren, we have to find a way out of Zhu Hu Palace tonight.”

Hearing that, Yun Fenghuang stared at the scratches for a few more times, but she couldn’t really tell anything. She said unhappily, “Since there are no people at Hu Zhu Palace, why can’t we invite them there? How can we two weak girls get out of the palace at deep night?”

Xi Le said, “Gui Ren, Hu Zhu Palace is indeed a deserted place, but it is a concubine’s residence. Whether it is for protection or surveillance, there are still some guards and monitors. Although Shizi has some power in the palace, it is hard for him to rush into the palace with a hostess in it. It’s a big thing. If he is discovered, the consequences…”

Yun Fenghuang wasn’t convinced, saying, “Anyway, I can’t get out secretly after the palace is locked. How about asking your master to choose another time, such as tomorrow at the daytime? He didn’t visit me at deep night in the last two times.”

“But Shizi will bring Childe Qi with him this time.” Xi Le said helplessly, “Since Childe Qi is not a eunuch, it is already very dangerous to bring him into the Harem. Meeting at daytime is basically impossible! Even at night, except Shizi, no one else can do it.”

Yun Fenghuang sneered and said, “He’s not a eunuch? This is easy to handle. If he is, it would be embarrassing to make him a normal man. Now Qi Jiulu only needs to be cut, just once, then he could enter the palace as a eunuch, right?”

Xi Le had the same idea with her master at the moment, namely, what evil had Qi Jiulu done that he was entangled with a woman like Yun Fenghuang?

Last time, she suggested Gongxiang Xiao to kill Qi Jiulu. This time she was even more ruthless to let Qi Jiulu become a eunuch… If they were not childhood sweethearts and got engaged in the past, they would be thought as enemies of generations.

But since Qi Jiulu already got married now, and it was said that his wife was a miss who had a bad relationship with Yun Fenghuang, it seemed reasonable that Yun Fenghuang now wanted to kill or ruin this man… Absolutely not!

Anyway, Gongxiang Xiao didn’t think this kind of thought was justifiable, because Yun Fenghuang had already joined the Imperial Harem, and even served Chunjia!

Did she want Qi Jiulu to never get married in his whole life?

“But if this is not the case, Qi Xinyun would not be my supporter.” After reading the news sent from the Harem, Gongxiang Xiao said to Dou Su, “At first, I just thought that Gui Ren Yun is different in terms of temper, so I casually ordered my men to investigate her. Unexpectedly, I got such a talent.”

The reason why he and Qi Jiulu cooperated was as following: after he met Yun Fenghuang at Small Fang Hu, he decided to dig deeper into her background in order to further control her. As a result, before he learnt more details about Xie’s Family, he found Qi Jiulu, who was actively observing the situation of Dijing City.

They met each other and soon reached an agreement. Because of this, Qi Jiulu left his homeland to Dijing City and stood on the side of Prince Regent’s Mansion.

When thinking of this, he asked, “How’s everything related to Small Fang Hu… and Small Peng Lai?”

“People who knew that Gui Ren Yun had been to Small Fang Hu have already been killed.” Dou Su said with his hands folded in front of his chest, “As for Small Peng Lai, only Liu Hong knows it, but she was sent to Yan Fu Palace by the Empress that day. After that, Gui Ren Yun took her as her servant.”

Gongxiang Xiao replied with an “En” and said casually, “Since she works together with Xi Le, tell Xi Le to kill her later. What happened at that night could not be known by Qi Xinyun!”

Dou Su nodded, “I got it.”

Although Gongxiang Xiao did not really have affairs with Yun Fenghuang at that night, Qi Jiulu loved her so deeply. Even if he had got married, he still wanted to entangle with her and even wanted to see her by boldly going to the Imperial Harem… It was quite valuable for Gongxiang Xiao to get such a talent to help him, so he didn’t want to be estranged from him.

So, he could only kill the people who knew the story between him and Yun Fenghuang.

Dou Su pondered for a while and then said hesitantly, “We can kill these people, but if what happened at that night… was told to Childe Qi by Gui Ren Yun privately…”

Ordinary girls would not tell this to their lovers for fear of being abandoned because women were more strictly required in terms of reputation. But it was another story for Yun Fenghuang and Qi Jiulu. Yun Fenghuang had joined the Imperial Harem and slept with the Emperor, but Qi Jiulu still couldn’t let their past go. Obviously, he was not the kind of person who would abandon his lover if she slept with other men.

Maybe he would love her more deeply…

Especially for people like Yun Fenghuang, could one expect her to tell Qi Jiulu all the truth?

She must overstate that how pitiful and innocent she was and how ruthless and despicable Gongxiang Xiao was… Besides, they were childhood sweethearts. Considering these, Qi Jiulu would definitely believe Yun Fenghuang!

“It’s okay.” Gongxiang Xiao just smiled after hearing this, “I don’t think that Qi Xinyun would trust me completely just for getting along with me a few days. He just wanted to use my power to contact with Gui Ren Yun again. Well, I also want to use them to do great things!”

“Having mutual-benefits is more reliable than swearing to be loyal.”

Gongxiang Xiao said leisurely, “Anyway, except me, could Qi Xinyun find another one to help him to date with Yun Fenghuang? And further got His Majesty cuckolded?”

As long as he had this ability, even if Qi Jiulu would hate him, nothing would be changed, right?

It was true that Qi Jiulu could find other people for help, but Empress Ji, Zheng Ju, Cui Wan or Duke Yi, they all had many powerful followers that they would not value Qi Jiulu, a young Zongzi of his clan in the north.

Why would they take risks for Qi Jiulu?

Even the Prince Regent would not do this kind of worthless things. The Prince Regent treated Qi Jiulu courteously, but normally, far from obediently… After all, the Prince Regent had enough followers.

Only Gongxiang Xiao was suitable. He was backed by the Prince Regent, but was in an embarrassed situation because his mother passed away and his stepmother took over the family. He needed to be strong. Lacking of talents, he treated Qi Jiulu indulgently.

If Qi Jiulu still cared about Yun Fenghuang, then he had no other choice.

Because of this, even if Gongxiang Xiao knew clearly that these two were both shrewd, he still did not take it seriously. He told Dou Su, “Make the visit tonight properly arranged. Even if let Gui Ren Yun find other informers of us at Hu Zhu Palace, you should find a very peaceful and remote place. I think they two are both bad-tempered. If they fight with each other… others might be alarmed.”

In fact, what he expected was very accurate —

At night, an abandoned palace looked isolated under the moonlight.

Yun Fenghuang wore a black cloak, and passed through the ruined ground quickly. Seeing the man stand under the lantern not far away, she narrowed her eyes, and stepped forward. Before Gongxiang Xiao had time to say hello, she raised her hand and slapped Qi Jiulu’s face!

“Slap!”

The sound made Gongxiang Xiao’s face twitched for a while, because it sounded really powerful. Qi Jiulu didn’t dodge but took it. Seeing that Yun Fenghuang wanted to slap again, he held her wrist and said calmly, “I have something to tell you.”