eurekapd Chapter 372 Zhu Qingtang Complains
Chapter 372 Zhu Qingtang Complains
The maidservant said so.
However, no one in the Zuo family cared. They didn't believe that a mere Gui family girl could have such abilities. Besides, the Gui family girl's status wasn't high; even if she got rid of Zuo Xiangwan, she could never become the Crown Princess.
—Of course, they didn't know that the one who truly didn't want Zuo Xiangwan to stay wasn't Gui Shan, but their beloved nephew, His Highness the Crown Prince.
Moreover, at that time, the Gui family's reputation plummeted after Gui Yuan's incident, and Gui Shan was likely to be abandoned by the Crown Prince, unable to even become a concubine.
Even now, with Gui Shan as the crown princess, the Zuo family only thinks that the crown prince was angry with Zuo Xiangwan's actions, did not want to marry another noblewoman as his principal wife, and had no choice but to do so in order to avoid a falling out with the emperor.
The maid finished speaking through tears, gritting her teeth: "Miss, I am but a lowly servant and cannot do anything for you. I just really don't want that Miss Gui to gain such a huge advantage!"
Zhu Qingtang's gaze was deep, and after a long while, she nodded: "Don't worry, I won't let that bitch Guishan get her way. You may leave."
A few days later, Zhu Qingtang learned that His Highness the Crown Prince had invited Gui Shan to meet him at the lakeside pavilion in Mihe, which made her even angrier.
I just felt that Gui Shan was very scheming, and she was still able to bewitch His Highness the Crown Prince at this time.
She sneered, "Gui Shan, with me, Zhu Qingtang, around, you won't succeed! The position of Crown Princess doesn't belong to Zuo Xiangwan, it should belong to me!"
Gui Shan arrived at the pavilion in the middle of the lake as agreed. The Crown Prince was playing the zither inside the pavilion, dressed in a white fox fur coat, looking exceptionally elegant.
The wind was biting cold, and the center of the lake was chillingly cold.
Gui Shan didn't even dare to take off her outer cloak as she sat opposite the Crown Prince, brewing tea.
After the song ended, the prince walked over.
Gui Shan handed over the brewed tea, saying, "Your Highness."
The crown prince looked at her with satisfaction: "You did a good job this time."
Gui Shan lowered her eyes and said, "It is my honor to be able to help Your Highness. But in the end, it is I who have implicated Your Highness."
"This is an opportunity," the Crown Prince said with a slight smile.
How could Gui Shan not understand? The Crown Prince did not want the maternal relatives to wield power; the Zuo family was not an option, nor were any other powerful families.
Her father resigned from his official post, and her uncles held low-ranking positions, so they could only rely on the crown prince.
This is what the Crown Prince needs.
Gui Shan lowered her eyes for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, I think you might still need to choose a noble lady from a prominent family as your concubine."
"Oh?"
Gui Shan said, "Without the support of powerful families, I'm afraid someone might take advantage of the situation."
The Crown Prince chuckled and said, "Third Brother, this time you have angered the Emperor and there is absolutely no hope left."
“The Third Prince is not a threat, but there is still the Second Prince,” Gui Shan said. “Your Highness, the more law-abiding a person is, the more dangerous they often are. I implore Your Highness, until that day comes, you must not let your guard down.”
The crown prince stared at her for a long time before saying, "Shanshan, do you know what I like most about you?"
Gui Shan's eyes welled up with tears: "This humble woman does not know."
The prince laughed heartily, took the tea cake from her hand, and personally brewed tea for her.
When Zhu Qingtang arrived, she saw the Crown Prince holding Gui Shan's hand, which was quite ambiguous.
She felt that the two hands clasped together were incredibly intimate.
"Your Highness!"
Zhu Qingtang strode forward, interrupting the two of them.
The guards immediately stopped her.
Zhu Qingtang hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I have something to say. Please dismiss everyone else!"
The crown prince didn't even glance at her, and simply waved his hand to order the guards to drive her away.
"Your Highness!" Zhu Qingtang exclaimed anxiously, "Your Highness, what I need to say concerns Gui Shan!"
Gui Shan was slightly surprised and looked at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince held Gui Shan's hand with one hand, and with the other hand, he picked up a teacup and brought it to Gui Shan's lips, feeding her tea as he said, "Once Shan Shan enters the Eastern Palace, I will brew tea for you every day, is that alright?"
Gui Shan was momentarily dazed. Even though she knew the Crown Prince was doing it on purpose for others, she couldn't help but be somewhat captivated by his focused tenderness.
But it was only a fraction; she knew all too well the relationship between herself and the Crown Prince.
They were not truly engaged, but rather ruler and subject; she had to be constantly vigilant in acting as a subject, not a wife.
Where would one find affection in the imperial family?
Upon seeing this, Zhu Qingtang's eyes instantly reddened. She cried out, "Your Highness, don't be fooled by that woman! She...she..."
"Shut up!" The Crown Prince threw a teacup, which hit Zhu Qingtang's feet, startling her so much that she knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down her face.
Gui Shan gently advised, "Your Highness, Miss Zhu has come here specifically because she has something important to report. The fact that she said this means that this important matter concerns me. If we do not let her speak, it may tarnish my reputation. I beg Your Highness to be lenient."
"Since Shanshan says so, I will naturally obey." The Crown Prince smiled gently at Guishan, but looked at Zhu Qingtang with icy indifference. "You, crawl over here on your knees, and I will be willing to listen."
What a loving engaged couple.
Zhu Qingtang bit her lower lip hard, feeling extremely humiliated. She was kneeling, while the woman sat beside the Crown Prince, as if judging a lowly servant.
How abominable.
But it's alright. Soon, His Highness the Crown Prince will find out the woman's true colors and will surely discard her like trash!
The guards made way, and Zhu Qingtang crawled forward on her knees in humiliation. Once inside the pavilion, the surrounding eunuchs and palace maids withdrew.
Zhu Qingtang hurriedly said, "Your Highness, you may not know, but this woman is cunning and vicious. She's the one who got rid of my cousin!"
"Oh?" The crown prince raised an eyebrow but did not speak.
Zhu Qingtang hurriedly added, "Your Highness may not believe me, but I have witnesses. My cousin's maid said that before my cousin ran away from home, she frequently contacted Guishan. Moreover, three days before my cousin left, Guishan contacted the Bai family of the merchant guild on my cousin's behalf, as well as Lord Zhou, who was in charge of the canal transport, and they..."
Before she could finish speaking, Gui Shan made a "shh" gesture: "Miss Zhu, please be careful what you say. My father has already resigned from his official post. Even before he resigned, he had no dealings with Lord Zhou, the transport official. As for the Bai family of merchants, I don't know them at all."
"You're talking nonsense! You tricked my cousin away!" Zhu Qingtang said sternly, then looked at the Crown Prince hopefully, "Your Highness, everything Qingtang said is true. Qingtang dares to swear to heaven."
Gui Shan added, "Your Highness, I swear to Heaven that I am not familiar with the Zhou or Bai families."
Zhu Qingtang seized on the loophole and said loudly, "You say you're not familiar with them, which means you know them!"
Gui Shan looked at her, and the Crown Prince also looked at her. The two of them had a half-smile, but their gazes were exactly the same.
For a moment, Zhu Qingtang was a little confused, not understanding why.
The Crown Prince, however, said calmly, "My father ordered me to manage the grain transport. Lord Zhou has managed it well and deserves a reward."
Zhu Qingtang was utterly shocked. Even the most obtuse person could react at this moment.
"Your Highness...you...you..."