C127 Return to the Palace

In the spring, as many as thirty-five officials were involved in the investigation, they were all demoted, stripped of their nobility, fined, and even sent out.

To everyone's surprise, the Minister of Rites' Assistant Minister, Jia Shangzhong, was not involved in the incident. He, who was supposed to be at the heart of the case, was only given a salary of half a year due to his incompetence in supervision and ignorance.

A layer of frost covered Xiao Yi Xiu's face as he exited the secret room. It wasn't until he saw Gu Qing Li that he relaxed slightly.

Gu Qingli was also very surprised when she heard the verdict in the Spring Festival case. However, after this case ended, the one who benefited the most was the king, Xiao Yiyan. Because of this, Xiao Yiyan had established his prestige in the court and made a name for himself.

"No wonder Gabriella never came to see the king."

"Not only that," Xiao Yi said with a frown, "Jia Shang Zhong was originally the assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, but now he has only been punished with a single salary. Compared to the scoldings of the exiled, bribed, expatriate, and the head of the department, he has been completely freed from his duties. "The position of the Minister of Rites is still hanging in the air. It seems like …"

"He wants to be promoted?"

"Protect him, it must be Xiao Yijin's doing. He can't do that for no reason at all. From the moment the blame was laid on Liu Zhengyan, the trap had been laid. Liu Zhengyan's departure not only discouraged the Ling family, but it also paved a path for Jia Shang Zhong to step onto the stage. Following Mrs Liu to turn the tables, Xin Maowen was convicted. At that time, it was not clear where all that evidence came from, but now, it is clear. "

"It was the Yan King's men who did something inside. They caused the Ling and Xin Clans to bite each other, causing both of them to suffer."

"That's right, to fight back with the Xin family, to let Ah Yan thoroughly investigate the Spring Ode case and try to pull it back, all the relevant officials fell, only Jia Shang remained standing — according to my eyes in the court, he was indeed not involved in the Spring Ode case, and in this case, he was able to leave all the evidence behind for others to do and wash himself clean."

Gu Qingli took a deep breath, "It's not a good thing if the Rites Department falls into the Lan family's hands."

Xiao Yi Xiu said calmly, "There's no rush. Jia Shang Zhong hasn't fallen, but that doesn't mean he will definitely be able to take the position of Minister. The position of Minister of Rites is aimed at more than one faction."

"How long have you not been in court?"

All of a sudden, Gu Qing Li changed the topic. Xiao Yi Xiu was startled. After his illness, he had retracted his edge. He had been hiding behind the scenes for so many years, hoping that he would not fall into the eyes of others, lest he become the target of public criticism again.

"It's time for you to return to the court."

Xiao Yi Xiu pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Isn't that eye-catching again?"

"In the eyes of the masses, you are still the sickly and blind King Mo. You must be forced to participate in the negotiation once more. On the one hand, someone is forcing you into court. On the other hand, you are in a bad mood and you are ill... "He's just a casual prince who has nothing to do with corpse food. At a crucial moment, it's enough to just follow behind and play a little ball."

"What do you mean? What kind of excuse do you think I should use to return to the imperial court?"

"It definitely won't be that easy for Shang Guan to get to the top. At the very least, he has been involved in the Spring Festival case. Even if he isn't an accomplice, there's still the possibility of redemption. At a time like this, if someone could help him … This person had to be someone who could speak well in front of the Emperor. And no matter how unloved you are, you still have a certain level of influence within the imperial court. You are also your royal father's biological son. "

Xiao Yi Xiu heaved a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Qing Li, if you were to participate in politics, I'm afraid that many men would have to stand on the sidelines."

Gu Qingli smiled sweetly. "Why aren't you loving your family's Bi Ruo?"

Xiao Yi Xiu shook his head with a smile. "First, it's obvious. Secondly, it doesn't suit my personality at all. On the contrary, it makes people suspicious."

Gu Qingli pouted. "Do you want me to be the matchmaker as well?"

Xiao Yixiu embraced her and laughed lowly, "Who told you to be the most trusted and beloved woman in my life?"

Gu Qingli's ears started to boil, and her body softened as he held her tightly.

"Come on, stop it. You want to coax me into a daze with just a single word, and you even help tie strings with other women …" "Hmph, if you dare touch her, I won't forgive you."

"When did you see me with another woman?" Apart from her, all the other women were nothing in his eyes, and he could not help but want to wipe his hands. This was a disease, but he didn't want to treat it, so he was willing to go through with it.

Gabrielle was in her own room, bored out of her mind. Her situation was pretty much the same as Gu Qingli's all those years ago. Although her freedom wasn't restricted, her range of movement was limited to the Prince's Mansion, and she stayed in her own Moon Parasol Pavilion all day long.

When Gu Qing left to look at her, she looked somewhat thin. Her face was pale and she didn't seem to be having a good time.

"Princess?" Gabriella was surprised.

"Recently, you've been feeling very uncomfortable being ignored by the prince, haven't you?"

"No, I dare not."

"Do you dare or not?"

Gabriella bit her lower lip. With a hidden bitterness in her eyes, she said: "It's normal for the prince to pamper the new concubine." Back when she had just entered the manor, she had also been pampered for a few days.

The news on Gabriella's side was strictly sealed. Other than the servant girl beside her, everyone else in the mansion was very cautious of them. This was a rule that had been imposed on Xiao Yixiu since the incident with the black cat. As a result, she was completely unaware of the disappearance of her wife, including her new wife. All she knew was that the Prime Minister's three daughters, Gu Qingxiao, were Li Yue, who had married into the palace during her pregnancy.

Gu Qingli lightly patted Jia Bi Ruo's shoulder. "Don't be like this. Men are always disgusted by the new. He not only treats you, but me as well." Qing Xiao was doted on, but because she was just pregnant, it was an opportunity. "

Gabrielle looked at her in confusion.

"Qingxiao is my younger sister. I know her personality better than anyone else. She has been pampered since childhood and has a domineering temperament. "In this case, she is quite spoiled and has started a dispute with the prince. The prince has been feeling quite annoyed these past two days."

Gabriella was startled and looked at her doubtfully. She subconsciously savored the words she had just said.

"Qing Xiao returned to the Prime Minister's Estate in a fit of rage. Even I was angered." Gu Qingli sighed lightly. "I wanted to persuade him, but he turned into ashes." "Oh, right. I heard about your father a while ago. Your highness is extremely concerned about him."

The doubt in Gabriella's eyes deepened: "Your Royal Highness is also concerned about this?"

"When Prince Chen came to the mansion, he mentioned this to him. I heard him say once that he didn't look at the buddhist side, so Minister Jia could be considered a relative no matter what …" Prince Chen said he understood. "

From the beginning to the end, wasn't it all because of the Yan Emperor's secret plans to escape? It was the same with all the informants she received from home. However, she was, after all, a woman from her room, and she had to be on guard step by step within the palace. It was impossible for the news to be as unimpeded as it was outside.

"You should know how close the king and brother Chen are."

Gu Qing Li's parting words deepened the doubts in Jia Bi Ruo's heart.