novelhk Chapter 461 Prepare for a rainy day
Chapter 461 Prepare for a rainy day
Zhou Chang was speechless. For some reason, the scene under the rockery in the Imperial Garden when he was Xiao Lan emerged in his mind.
The information Xiao Lan heard at that time helped her make a bet with Emperor Lin, and she won the bet and saved the Yuan family.
But who was the person speaking in the rockery pavilion at that time?
Now, Gu Yan's words were certain and his expression did not seem false. Zhou Chang had never thought about the person who spoke in the pavilion on the rockery at that time, and he assumed that it was related to Prince Duan. But now that he thought about it carefully, everything was uncertain.
"It seems that His Highness still cannot believe it. This shows that Prince Rong is really good at confusing people." Gu Yan seemed to have something else to say.
Zhou Chang did not dare nor want to think about it any further, but he still tried to be fair: "My Lord, what you said is wrong. If there is no evidence, we cannot believe anyone's words."
Gu Yan smiled and did not refute, but dropped another bombshell: "Then, Your Highness Prince Yi, what do you think about your marriage with Miss Yuan?"
"What?" Zhou Chang didn't know why Gu Yan brought up Yuan Qi again.
"Prince Rong is so young but has such brilliant skills. It is unknown whether there is an expert guiding him. His Royal Highness Prince Yi didn't even notice it. He was sold out and still helped others count the money. I really don't know what to say." Gu Yan smiled awkwardly but kept the secret.
Zhou Chang's mind was unable to move, but his heart suddenly felt empty, as if something had fallen out of his heart, but he couldn't catch it. "If you have anything to say, please speak clearly, Duke."
Gu Yan's sympathetic eyes were really disgusting: "Your Highness, just think about it, who was the one who pushed for His Majesty to grant the marriage on the night of the New Year's Eve banquet? Don't you understand?"
"Crack..." The sound of something breaking in my heart.
It would be better if I didn't mention it. Once I mentioned it, everything that happened on that night of the New Year's Eve banquet was still vivid in my mind...
At that time, Zhou Chang got drunk for the first time in his life, but was he really drunk?
Even though she was drunk, she refused clearly, but Prince Rong just didn't understand.
As for the wedding day, Prince Rong seemed to know about Yuan Qi and Wen Qingyan's relationship in advance and even advised her.
Originally, Zhou Chang had always believed that Prince Rong had promoted the relationship between Prince Yi and Yuan Qi because he had misunderstood Prince Yi and Yuan Qi. But now thinking back, Prince Rong had obviously inquired about it beforehand. So even if Yuan Qi was not formally engaged, did he really not know about the relationship between Yuan Qi and Wen Fei?
If he knew that, then why did he try to bring her and Yuan Qi together at the New Year's Eve banquet?
"But why? Why did Brother Rong Prince want to bring them together..." Zhou Chang still couldn't figure it out.
Gu Yan directly revealed the answer: "Why else? Your Highness, don't you think about it? You married a merchant's daughter, and being laughed at by others is still a small matter, but a prince who married a merchant's daughter would have no chance of becoming the crown prince."
"..." Zhou Chang could no longer breathe.
Is this really the case?
Is there anyone who could care so deeply and go so far?
And Brother Prince Rong, can he?
Zhou Chang was unwilling to believe it. "But, but... I don't have the ability or willingness to compete for the position of Crown Prince. Brother Rong Wang, he, he knows this clearly. How could he..."
Gu Yan stared at Zhou Chang and asked, "Is Your Highness really so humble?"
Zhou Chang opened his mouth but could not say anything.
Gu Yan did not wait for an answer: "Your Highness made frostbite cream to support the front line, which won the favor of the military. Later, he also managed to quell the epidemic in Jindu and won the praise of the people. Now, many people in the court also look at Your Highness with new eyes..."
Zhou Chang still shook his head.
"Of course, even these are not enough to threaten the position of Prince Rong," Gu Yan paused, "But, there is an idiom that Your Highness must have heard of, right?"
"What?" Zhou Chang's mind was really confused.
Gu Yan uttered four words in a heavy tone: "Prepare for a rainy day."
"Is it worth it to prepare for a rainy day?" Zhou Chang felt anxious and wanted to smile bitterly to ease his mood, but he couldn't laugh.
Gu Yan's sinister eyes were filled with sneers: "It doesn't matter whether it's worth it or not. It's just a matter of poking around, and it won't take him much effort. In this regard, I really admire his strategy. At least I can't think of such a trick."
"No, no..." Thinking of Prince Rong's concern and love in the past, was it all false? Zhou Chang was unwilling to believe it.
However, no matter how unwilling to believe it, a result is indeed before us.
Prince Yi married the daughter of a merchant as his principal wife. Regardless of the past, present or future, and regardless of whether he had the ability to be selected as the crown prince, as long as someone pointed out that the position of Crown Princess was so important and the future Queen Mother must not be the daughter of a merchant of humble origin, Prince Yi would be easily kicked out.
This was something Zhou Chang had never thought of before. Mr. Zhong might have hinted or reminded him, but by then it was too late.
But now that Gu Yan has pointed it out, she can't deny it.
What Gu Yan said to this point has already achieved the desired effect.
Some things should be said at once, and there is no need to continue. He stood up again, straightened his clothes, and bowed to Zhou Chang again: "Your Highness, please think carefully about my suggestion. There is no rush to give a reply today."
Zhou Chang was already in a state of panic, his face was pale, and he didn't want to think about it anymore. "No need, the Duke is so kind, I appreciate it, but it seems that I am not good at political schemes, so it's better to retreat when I know the difficulty."
Even if Gu Yan was right about this, so what?
Compared with Prince Rong, Gu Yan is not easy to get along with either.
What's more, it's hard to tell whether what we said today is true or false, so it's better not to get involved in this muddy water.
At this moment, a figure flashed outside the palace door, and Zhou Chang saw the skinny monkey coming towards him.
Zhou Chang also stood up and took his leave: "My Lord, after all you have said, I understand and have explained it clearly. I will take my leave now."
"Wait, Your Highness, please stay..." Gu Yan tried to persuade him to stay, but turned around and walked to the side behind a screen.
When he turned back, Gu Yan had a pure gold brocade box in his hand: "Your Highness's residence was hit by a fire some time ago and needs to be renovated. This is a little gift from Concubine Yi to Your Highness. Please accept it."
The golden brocade box inlaid with gems was obviously used by Concubine Yi, Gu. Although no one knew what was inside, it must be valuable.
It is difficult to accept this gift now.
"Ding, a customer has placed an order for a gold brocade box inlaid with emeralds." Zhou Chang was still hesitating on how to refuse, but the customer had already placed the order.
Gu Yan opened the brocade box, revealing a stack of silver notes inside: "Your Highness has always been most interested in silver. Here are 30,000 taels of silver notes, which should be enough to repair the palace."
It was so difficult to cheat Prince Duan out of his money in the past, but I never expected that one day Prince Duan and his people would take the initiative to give the money back to me.