The Scheming of Heaven and Earth 2012 Past Events

  "Miss." Lan's maid walked into the inner hall, looking at the still kneeling Gu Taifei, and her mind was confirmed. The one playing the piano was not Miss, there were only two people in the inner hall, Miss and Wu You Gongzhu, so who was playing the piano... Wu You Gongzhu?

  The old lady was helped up by Nurse Liu and walked towards the inner chamber. As soon as she entered the inner chamber, her footsteps stopped.

  Madam Lan looked over and saw that Concubine Yu was staring at the wu feng qin with a complex expression.

  The Empress Dowager pushed aside Lan's nurse and slowly walked towards the Wufeng zither, her fingers lightly stroking it as she murmured: "The Wufeng was a gift from the previous Emperor, and now nearly twenty years have passed. Only today did I realize that following me has been too humiliating for it."

  Old Mother Lan wanted to speak but stopped herself, ultimately saying nothing. She had been serving Miss since she was seven years old, so naturally she understood Miss better than anyone else and knew why Miss was so dispirited.

  The sound of Princess Worry-Free's guqin has already disturbed Miss's peaceful heart.

  On the desolate palace path overgrown with withered grass, Yuan Wuyou seemed to be strolling in a leisurely courtyard, with Yu Zhu and Yu Cui following a few steps behind.

  Yu Cui really wanted to ask the princess if Madame Gu had agreed to accept her as a disciple, but she was also afraid that Madame Gu would refuse the princess, making the princess unhappy. If Madame Gu was willing to guide the princess's piano skills, then the princess might have learned the piece that Madame Gu played earlier. The previous piece was really beautiful.

  Yu Zhu looked at Yu Cui for a moment, then carefully turned her gaze to the princess walking in front of her. Her eyes also held some expectation. She wasn't entirely hoping for the beautiful music from earlier, but rather she hoped that the princess could truly learn to play the zither under the guidance of Grand Consort Gu.

  Yu Wu looked around the desolate wilderness, her eyes narrowing slightly. This winter's Huang Leng Palace was indeed bleak!

  The three of them returned to the Taihuidian and saw Xiaohua and Xiaogao waiting there. Seeing their return, the two hurried forward to pay their respects: "Greetings, Princess."

  Yu Wu You smiled and said: "Didn't I tell you not to greet me?"

  Xiao Huazi raised his head and took a glance before immediately lowering it: "In the hearts of us servants, the princess is still the princess." Although the princess's zither playing was very unpleasant to listen to, this did not diminish the reverence they held for her in their hearts. On the contrary, it would make them feel sorry and unfair for the princess.

  Xiao Gaozi also nodded slightly, indicating that he had the same idea as Xiao Huazi. The dim figure of the princess leaving the front hall remained in their hearts for a long time, and they couldn't tell what kind of feeling it was, but it felt very uncomfortable.

  "Are you always lowering your head because you're afraid of me?"

  "No... it's not" Xiaohua and Xiaogao heard Yuan Wuyou say this, both shaking their heads repeatedly.

  "If it's not because you're afraid of me, then from now on, look at me when speaking, okay?"

  Xiao Huazhi and Xiao Gaizi both stiffened, and after a long while, they slowly lifted their heads to look at the princess standing in front of them, whose eyes were smiling warmly as she gazed at them.

  Warm eyes seem to melt people's hearts, Xiaohua and Xiaogao don't know how to express their inner trembling, both of them involuntarily kneel down at Yuan Wuyou's feet, in this moment, they feel that if they can do something for the princess in this life, even if it means death, they would be honored.

  A flash of light flickered across her worry-free eyes, and she smiled warmly like a spring breeze. She slightly squatted down, looked at the two of them, stretched out her hand, and softly said: "Are you willing to help me?"

  Xiao Huazi and Xiao Gaizi almost nodded without thinking, solemnly saying: "I am willing."

  Yu Wu smiled, one hand holding onto another as they stood up, no longer speaking, only turning around, eyes gazing forward, the small and slender body shining like the sun in the sky, yet quiet, peaceful, and enchanting.

  As the time approached noon, the winter sun hung in the sky with only brightness but no warmth. However, Xiaohua and Xiaogao felt that the dazzling sunlight in the sky was not as brilliant as the sparkling light in the princess's eyes, which were enchanting, bewitching, and otherworldly!

  Both of them stared blankly, neither of them making a sound.

  Yu Zhu Yu Cui stood not far behind, like Xiao Hua Zi and Xiao Gao Zi, their eyes were all on Yuan Wu You, their hearts and souls seemed to be frozen at this moment.

  No one was surprised or shocked because in their hearts they had already decided that the princess shouldn't be here.

  ……

  Outside, the cold air was biting, but inside the hall it was warm and cozy. No longer did he hear the terrifying sound of Princess Worry-Free's ghostly wailing on her zither. Wei Zhong lay half-reclined in his soft chair, leisurely playing with the various treasures he had collected, indulging in the pleasure of idleness.

  Fu An walked in, looking at Wei Gonggong who was enjoying himself, with a smile on his face but a hint of envy in his eyes. Being the head steward is so great, nothing needs to be done by oneself, just give orders and commands, and one can lie here and enjoy life, and even have the opportunity to get gold, silver, and jewels. Whatever you want to eat, you can eat it, and everyone has to follow his lead.

  Nowhere is like him, who has to go out and kowtow to those people in the Imperial Palace, from the Imperial Palace to the Cold Palace, this road is also frightening, afraid that he will offend some nobleman by mistake and lose his life.

  The glory and power of the manager of the deserted palace, although it cannot be compared with that of the managers in the harem of the noble ladies, nor is there much freedom, but he has come to realize that most of the managers of the deserted palace will not die early, without having to worry constantly about their master losing power and favor, themselves also falling into the mud and being trampled by others.

  "Back already, anything new?" Wei Zhong lazily asked.

  Master Fu smiled and flattered, stepping forward to pat his shoulder: "Dry father, your move is really too brilliant. Princess Worry has been staying in the Taihui Temple for several days, and she hasn't even played the qin." His ears would no longer have to suffer torture.

  Wei Zhong smiled complacently: "Of course, Empress Dowager Gu would never accept Princess Worry-Free as her apprentice. Let's have Princess Worry-Free go to her place and hit a wall, then she won't dare come back to bother us again."

  Fu Gonggong's shoulder-pounding motion paused slightly, and he asked curiously: "Dry father, how did this Gu Consort enter?" According to reason, she had the support of Prince Huai, it was impossible for her not to have been released from the palace.

  Wei Zhong's expression changed slightly, and he put down the object in his hand, picked up the tea beside him, took a sip, and said slowly: "Speaking of this Empress Guo, she was also a pitiful person..."

  The previous emperor had been in power for a full forty-seven years, which also meant that the previous emperor was thirty-eight years old when he ascended to the throne.

  In the thirteenth year of the previous emperor, a grand and eldest imperial grandson was born in the Grand Prince's mansion. The emperor was overjoyed and formally proclaimed the grand imperial grandson as the crown prince on his first full moon day, taking charge of the Eastern Palace. As for the other eight princes, regardless of whether they were adults or minors, each was enfeoffed as a king and granted a mansion.

  Except for the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, who had already taken consorts, the Third to Sixth Princes were all of age but still unmarried, so the late Emperor decreed that a selection of beauties be held.

  Everyone knows that the emperor's intention is to select a daughter-in-law for several princes, which also makes officials in both the capital and local areas unhesitatingly send their most outstanding daughters into the palace.

  The emperor indeed lived up to everyone's expectations, not only granting the four adult princes a princess and concubines, but also bestowing ten concubines on the Eastern Palace Crown Prince's residence, which became a beautiful story at that time.

  Although Gu Tai Fei came from a local official's mansion, her father's official position was not low and she herself had a good appearance. In theory, even if she couldn't become the king's concubine or side consort, she should have been able to enter the crown prince's mansion.

  But unfortunately, due to a mistake in the selection process, Empress Gu was chosen by the late Emperor and entered the palace as a concubine, with the title of Consort. That year, the late Emperor was 51 years old, while Empress Gu was only 28 years old.

  In the 14th year of the previous emperor's reign, autumn, Empress Dowager Gu gave birth to the tenth imperial son for the previous emperor. The previous emperor was overjoyed at having a new son in his old age. As a result, Empress Dowager Gu's mother relied on her son's noble status and was enfeoffed as a noble lady, receiving great honor and favor from the previous emperor.

  In the 17th year of the previous emperor's reign, in the spring, the Crown Prince fell off his horse and died. After the Crown Prince's death, the previous emperor was struck with grief and took to his bed, refusing to get up. The eight kings all stirred restlessly, eager to take action, and the struggle at court grew more intense by the day.

  In the 17th year of the previous emperor's reign, in the summer, the situation at court changed. The Ninth King, King Qing, married Liu Yinghua from the Zhennin Marquis' manor as his queen.

  In the autumn of the 17th year of the previous emperor's reign, the four-year-old Crown Grandson and the three-year-old Tenth Prince both fell into a lake at the same time. The Crown Grandson died prematurely, but the Tenth Prince was barely rescued with his life. When the previous emperor heard the news, he spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot and fainted.

  In the 17th year of the previous emperor's reign, winter, the death of the imperial grandson caused turmoil in the court, with accusations directly targeting Empress Dowager Guo and King Ming. There were even rumors that Empress Dowager Guo had an illicit relationship with King Ming. The previous emperor was enraged and demoted Empress Dowager Guo to a cold palace, while King Ming was stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner.

  In the 18th year of the previous emperor's reign, in the spring, the Second King, Fourth King and Fifth King formed an alliance to plot a rebellion. The Celebratory King was beheaded first and then reported, and the other three kings were given death sentences.

  In the 19th year of the previous emperor's reign, in the spring, the Sixth King and the Eighth King died unnatural deaths.

  In the 20th year of the previous emperor's reign, in the spring, the previous emperor appointed the ninth prince, King Qing, as the crown prince. He stripped the seventh prince, Prince Hao, of his official position and expelled him from the imperial court. The tenth imperial son was enfeoffed as Prince Huai and granted a separate residence. Emperor also allowed Empress Dowager Guo to meet with Prince Huai once a year.

  In the 20th year of the previous emperor's reign, in winter, the previous emperor died and King Qing ascended to the throne as emperor.

  "It's a pity for Consort Yu as well..." Fu Gonggong widened his eyes in surprise.

  Wei Gonggong cast a cold glance, Fu Gonggong hastily looked around and lowered his voice: "Dry father, this is clearly showing that Imperial Consort Gu was framed..." The rest of the words Fu Gonggong didn't dare to say out loud.

  "Wei Zhong snorted: 'What the truth is, no one cares about anymore. Clear your head for our family's sake. This kind of thing isn't something we slaves can comment on. If it gets out, our whole family will lose their heads.'"

  "Yes, yes, Uncle, I understand." Fu An nodded repeatedly, and he still knew this point.

  Wei Zhong waved his hand: "Understood, go down."