"Miss Xie."
Hu Biao bowed three times and turned to leave.
Watching Hu Biao's receding back.
Gu Qianying watched for a long time until she could no longer see his figure in the distance.
"What do you do next?"
Upon receiving Gu Qianying's letter and coming out, Ouyang Qinglin knew that Gu Qianying must have taken some action.
"Du Chun is missing. My people searched the palace thoroughly, but there was no such person. I think Nan Rong Qi might have taken Du Chun out of the palace. Have you received any news?"
For the past two days, Ouyang Qinglin had outwardly remained in the State Preceptor's mansion and had not gone out.
But Gu Qianying knew very well that Ouyang Qinglin had been secretly searching for the former emperor.
The former emperor had been kind to Ouyang Qinglin. Now that he was under house arrest by Nan Rong Qi and his whereabouts were unknown, Ouyang Qinglin must have been more anxious than her.
She had instructed Hu Biao to search for the place where the former emperor was imprisoned in front of Ouyang Qinglin.
Firstly, it was also a prelude to finding Du Chun. She had not found Du Chun on her side.
But she believed that Ouyang Qinglin would have a way.
"Is this a transaction?"
Ouyang Qinglin looked at her with a smile, his charming eyes revealing a hint of bitterness.
"It's not a transaction, it's mutual assistance. You know, you want to find the former emperor, I'll help you, and you help me find Du Chun. Of course, if you don't help, it's okay, I understand."
Gu Qianying replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Ouyang Qinglin smiled and said, "Okay, I understand. I'll give you an answer in two days."
"Good!"
The two then parted ways.
One returned to the palace, the other to the State Preceptor's mansion.
When Gu Qianying returned to the palace, Madam Meng was already waiting in the room.
"Why did you come over?"
The weather outside had turned cold, it was the beginning of winter. Madam Meng had a hand warmer in her hand when she arrived.
When Gu Qianying entered with Lu Zhu, Madam Meng quickly handed the hand warmer to Gu Qianying and took off her own cloak to drape it over Gu Qianying.
"Going out like this, it's so cold outside. Girls should know how to take care of themselves."
Madam Meng chided her.
Gu Qianying was stunned.
The cloak, made of fine silk in white and purple, with a few precious stones inlaid at the hem, felt exceptionally warm on her.
The exquisite hand warmer in her hand brought a touch of warmth to the deepest part of Gu Qianying's heart.
Madam Meng's enthusiasm made her uncomfortable.
Gu Qianying didn't know what to say for a moment.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time. Come and sit, I have a lot to tell you."
Madam Meng pulled Gu Qianying to sit down.
Gu Qianying glanced at Lu Zhu.
Lu Zhu nodded and led the other maids serving in the hall, as well as Madam Meng's maid, all out.
"What is there to say?"
Madam Meng seemed anxious.
Before Gu Qianying could finish a cup of tea, she asked, "The prison fire yesterday, was that your doing?"
Gu Qianying remained silent, but did not refute.
Madam Meng understood, "Is Luo La Zhen'er dead?"
Gu Qianying nodded, still silent.
Madam Meng's fingers trembled beneath her embroidered handkerchief. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and began to speak seriously about the purpose of her visit: "The Empress Dowager is not in the Longevity Palace, nor is she in the Shou Kang Palace. Wherever the Empress Dowager went, she was not there. Oh, and when the Empress Dowager left, she had her personal maids disguise themselves as her and guard her sleeping quarters, forbidding them to go out."
At this point, Madam Meng paused, swallowed, and continued: "When I went, I didn't see the Empress Dowager in person, only a back view. Later, I sent someone to inquire and found out that the Empress Dowager had already left the palace many days ago."
Madam Meng spoke a lot in one breath.
Gu Qianying handed her the freshly brewed warm tea in her hand.
Madam Meng, disregarding feminine modesty, drank the tea in one gulp and then took out a picture album.
"This is what I had someone steal from the Empress Dowager. This is a picture album, and it was hidden in the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters. I don't know if this picture album will be useful to us, but when I dined with the Empress Dowager before, I saw her give this item to the people around her and instruct them to keep it safe. So, while the Empress Dowager was away, I sent someone to steal it."
Gu Qianying had been listening to Madam Meng speak, but had not said anything.
However, when she opened the picture album and saw the pictures inside, her body trembled.
"Yun Ling Peak?"
The picture album contained landscape paintings, and the last few pages were of a place she was most familiar with.
"Where is this? I don't quite understand."
Madam Meng was not very clear.
"A place I am most familiar with."
Gu Qianying put the picture album into her sleeve, returned the warm hand warmer to Madam Meng, and asked her, "What is the Empress Dowager's full name?"
Madam Meng thought for a moment and said, "Ula La Na Yixiu."
Upon hearing this name, Gu Qianying's eyes suddenly turned cold: "It's her!"
Seeing Gu Qianying's expression, Madam Meng became even more confused.
However, at this moment, she did not have time to consider other things. She continued to reveal all the news she had received in the past few days: "Also, the Emperor has recently enfeoffed a new concubine, named Bai Lu You. The Emperor has bestowed upon her the title of Consort Rong. Her background is unknown, but she is a ruthless character. Just yesterday, she beat two palace maids to death."
"I heard that the palace maids she beat to death had their eyes, ears, nose, and tongue removed, and even their private parts were cruelly cut off. They died a miserable death. Qianying, I think this woman is targeting us."
"Why do you say that?"
Based on their interactions in the past few days, Gu Qianying knew very well that Madam Meng was not someone who made things up.
"Because those two palace maids who died were from your palace."
"My palace?"
Gu Qianying frowned.
She was not very clear about the names of the palace maids in her palace.
Lu Zhu was in charge of these matters.
Madam Meng nodded, "Although these two palace maids are insignificant people, I don't know what Consort Rong intends to do by acting like this. Anyway, I think this Consort Rong is not a good person."
Saying this.
Madam Meng patted Gu Qianying's hand and said, "Qianying, no matter what, you should be careful."
·
Before leaving, Madam Meng whispered into Gu Qianying's ear, "Qianying, I'm pregnant. It's not his. Qianying, don't worry, our plan will proceed smoothly."
As she said this, Madam Meng's cheeks were tinged with a blush.
Gu Qianying was surprised.
Then, she smiled, "As long as you are happy."
Although Madam Meng was the Empress, in Nan Rong Qi's eyes, she was nothing.
Men could have three wives and six concubines, so why couldn't women find true love to accompany them for life?
She didn't think there was anything wrong with Madam Meng's actions.
However, Gu Qianying overlooked one problem.
The father of Madam Meng's child.
Perhaps fearing Gu Qianying's worry, Madam Meng frankly told her, "Qianying, don't worry, I won't let the child's father become a stumbling block for you. This child is for you, born for me."
Outside the hall, heavy snow suddenly began to fall.
Madam Meng, attended by her personal maid, walked out of the Jiao Fang Hall.
Gu Qianying stood at the doorway, watching Madam Meng's receding figure.
In the falling snow, Madam Meng's receding figure gradually blurred until it was no longer visible.
Looking at the snowy scenery outside the door.
Gu Qianying's heart grew heavier.
For some reason, after experiencing the pain of her past life, she seemed to no longer trust anyone, including those who treated her very well.
She always had a rational sense of vigilance.
When Lu Zhu came in, she brought a small bowl of shark fin congee.
"Miss, would you like to have something to eat?"
Lu Zhu placed the congee on the table and served Gu Qianying.
She had no appetite and put down the spoon after only a few bites.
"How is Hu Keke?"
Hu Keke was Hu Biao's daughter. After she brought back the antidote, she had asked Lu Zhu to take the antidote to take care of Hu Keke.
"Replying to my lady, Miss Keke is fine now. She has woken up, but..."
Lu Zhu hesitated.
Gu Qianying looked at her, "Just say what you have to say, I pardon you."
"My lady, Miss Hu Keke's identity is special. This maid thinks we need to send her away quickly. Otherwise, if the Emperor finds out, we will be in trouble."
"We are already in an adversarial relationship, are you still afraid of him knowing?"
"This servant does not mean that, this servant just thinks..."
"Alright, I understand your concerns. Tonight, send Hu Keke out of the palace and send her to my third brother, Gu Yi. Let her and Gu Nian follow my third brother Gu Yi to study in the academy, posing as Gu Nian's elder sister."
"Yes, this servant will go and do it now."
Lu Zhu took the order and went to handle it.
Gu Qianying remained alone in the hall.
At this moment, a voice came.
"Gu Qianying, look who this princess has brought to see you?"
Princess Luo La Ta Na of Southern Barbarians, leading a donkey and followed by a stooped subordinate, entered the hall.