The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 597 - 597 Empress Dowager takes action (Two updates)_2

Chapter 597: Empress Dowager takes action (Two updates)_2 Chapter 597: Empress Dowager takes action (Two updates)_2 But she, like the other generals, believed that the commander had retaliated on behalf of the original Gu Family Army members.

The Marquis Residence was the power of the emperor, and naturally, she couldn’t help them. Plus, they really did go too far.

The punishment for Tang Ming was unfair, but it did not warrant amputation.

He severely hurt Tang Ming in the name of martial arts challenge, and there was no way to resolve this peacefully.

“It was not for the Gu Family Army.” Gu Jiao hesitated for a moment and then told the truth, “Tang Ming bullied Ayan, he kidnapped Ayan, locked him up… We searched for half a night before we found him. It was Gu Changqing who found him, barely missed…”

Barely missed what?

Gu Jiao did not continue.

But what kind of person was the Empress Dowager?

The amount of salt she had eaten was more than the amount of rice others had eaten.

How could she not guess what had happened?

The Empress Dowager only had one request for Gu Yan, and that was it’s alright as long as he was alive.

As a result, it was clear that this child was fragile, and encountering such a thing almost cost him his life.

The face of the Empress Dowager darkened: “He only lost an arm?”

Gu Jiao blinked: “He… also got a bit of discipline, then Tang Yueshan found out about it, so he wanted to arrest me.”

The Empress Dowager expressed doubt: “Is that the only reason he wanted to arrest you? I think he wanted to kill you.”

It’s because I heard his secret, but it actually didn’t matter, whether I heard the secret or not, Tang Yueshan won’t let me go.

That night, Gu Jiao and the Empress Dowager talked a lot. Gu Jiao was not a person who was good at communicating, she didn’t talk much and she was too lazy to do so even if she knew something.

But her aunt’s ability was just that, she could make her put down her guard and her pride, and also act like a chattering parrot.

By the time Eunuch Qin returned to the Renshou Palace with the report, Gu Jiao was already asleep on the Empress Dowager’s Phoenix Bed.

Her little face was turned toward the Empress Dowager. Her cheeks were squished and her little mouth was slightly open, with drool streaming out.

The Empress Dowager wiped it off, gently pulled up the blanket to cover her, picked up one of her hands, and sighed, “It’s broken again.”

“Your Highness.” Eunuch Qin saluted quietly, “The person has been brought.”

The Empress Dowager gave a faint hum of acknowledgment.

Eunuch Qin brought the golden sore medicine and handed it to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager dipped her finger in, and gently applied the medicine to the area on Gu Jiao’s hand that had been rubbed raw by the reins: “Send a message to Bishui Alley, tell that youngster not to wait, Jiaojiao will be resting here tonight.”

“Mmm~” Gu Jiao was too hot, and she kicked off the blanket in her sleep discontentedly.

The Empress Dowager carefully covered her.

Eunuch Qin suddenly chuckled.

“What are you laughing at?” the Empress Dowager asked in a deep voice.

Eunuch Qin said happily, “I have not seen Your Highness this humane in a long time. It seems like you regained many things that were lost when you lost your memory.”

“Things that were lost before?” the Empress Dowager muttered.

Eunuch Qin smiled and said, “Yes, the last time you were so humane was when Princess Ning An was still around.”

Mentioning Princess Ning An, the Empress Dowager’s expression turned cold.

Eunuch Qin realized his mistake and quickly lowered his head, “This servant misspoke.”

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and stroked Gu Jiao’s fingers, saying lightly, “You can go now.”

Eunuch Qin acknowledged, “Yes, this servant will head to Bishui Alley now.”

“Wait.” The Empress Dowager called him back.

Eunuch Qin turned around, “Does Your Highness have any other commands?”

The Empress Dowager said, “Does this palace remember correctly that there are lots of tributary masks in the warehouse?”

Eunuch Qin said, “Yes, does Your Highness want a mask?”

The Empress Dowager glanced at the sleeping Gu Jiao and said, “Bring them all. For the Princess…”

Eunuch Qin shuddered.

The Empress Dowager paused, “For Jiaojiao to choose from, tomorrow morning.”

Eunuch Qin let out a sigh of relief: “Yes.”

—

Meanwhile, after bidding farewell to the Empress Dowager, Tang Yueshan went to capture Gu Changqing immediately, only to be told that Gu Changqing had been in the military camp all along.

Tang Yueshan rushed back to the military camp, and looked unbelievingly at Gu Changqing who was waiting quietly outside the punishment room where the fire had just been put out. Gu Changqing was still wearing handcuffs and shackles, with no trace of having escaped.

“You… you didn’t escape?”

Gu Changqing replied coldly, “I have been in the camp all this time, I don’t know what General Tang is talking about?”

“Impossible! I turned the camp upside down! You definitely weren’t there! You…” Tang Yueshan suddenly thought of something, his eyes trembling, “You were hiding in the Eighteen Bronze Men Formation!”

That was the only place in the camp that they couldn’t search, because to enter was to die, even Tang Ming could only break through to the twelfth checkpoint, let alone the other soldiers.