Chapter 59 - 59 Jade Pendant
59 Jade Pendant
“Your idea!” The colorful parrot beside him repeated as it stomped its feet.
The Emperor reached out and casually scratched the parrot’s chin twice.
Chu You’s body tensed even more, and hideous veins popped up on his neck.
Ever since the Emperor ascended the throne at the beginning of the year, he had adopted a series of benevolent governments. To put it nicely, his attitude was benevolent and magnanimous. To put it bluntly, he was indecisive and soft-hearted.
Unexpectedly, things did not go as he expected this time!
Chu You held his breath. Anxiety, worry, and uneasiness intertwined in his chest like a huge spider web.
He was not afraid of the Emperor, let alone the British Monarchy. However, he was afraid that Gu Yunrong would think that she had implicated him. For his sake, she might not hesitate to agree to the marriage with the British Crown Prince.
Chu Yi slowly took a sip of hot tea and said, “Seventh Imperial Uncle is really thoughtful to the Third Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. However, no pain, no gain. Imperial Uncle, what do you think?”
Chu Yi’s lips curled into a faint smile.
“…” Chu You’s eyes turned colder as he shot a cold gaze at Chu Yi.
Of course, he understood what Chu Yi meant.
“Cough, cough…” Chu Yi looked away and lowered his eyes. His plain white handkerchief covered the corner of his mouth and he coughed lightly. His trembling shoulders could not hide his exhaustion.
His cough only subsided after a long time, after which he picked up the teacup and took a few shallow sips, his cheeks slightly flushed.
Chu You narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Chu Yi for a long time…
There was silence in the East Warm Pavilion for a moment. Only the parrot flapped its wings occasionally on the bird stand, making rustling sounds.
After a long while, Chu You, who had stood frozen for a long time, finally moved. He bowed dryly to the Emperor. “Brother, I’ll take my leave first.”
Without waiting for a response, he flicked his sleeve and strode away, his back as straight as a pine.
Without waiting for the eunuch to lift the curtain for him, Chu You roughly lifted it himself.
The curtain lifted high and fell heavily, swaying violently in midair.
Along the way, a few eunuchs and palace maids bowed to him, but Chu You completely ignored them and briskly walked out of the East Warm Pavilion.
He was greeted by a familiar figure.
It was a man who looked to be 37 or 38 years old. He was wearing a straight green robe with dark patterns. There was a rhinoceros horn belt at his waist, and he had a chicken blood stone seal and a sky-blue pouch. His hair was trimmed, and his appearance as a whole was dignified and imposing.
“Greetings, Your Highness Kang Wang.”
The man stopped five steps away and bowed respectfully to Chu You.
There was nothing wrong with the other party’s words and actions, but Chu You’s face darkened visibly.
Of course he recognized this person. He was Fang Mingfeng’s father, the current British Duke.
It was obvious that the British Duke had entered the palace at this time to make Fang Mingfeng’s proposal to the Emperor.
Chu You gave the British Duke one sidelong glance before storming off without a word.
After passing through a courtyard, Chu You stopped and could not help but turn around. He happened to see the British Duke walking into the East Warm Pavilion with the eunuch’s guidance.
The door was empty except for a broken leaf that had been blown over by the wind and fluttered down.
Chu You’s heart sank bit by bit with this lone leaf.
From the Emperor’s attitude just now, with the Empress Dowager’s words, the Emperor might really agree to such delusions.
Chu You gritted his teeth so hard that they almost shattered. Chu Yi’s words rang in his ears again. “… No pain, no gain. Imperial Uncle, what do you think?”
Even if Chu Yi did not explain just now, the meaning behind his words was very clear. It was fine if he wanted to fulfill his wish today, but what could he repay the Emperor for standing up for him?!
If he wanted to marry his Rong’er, he had to have something to offer in exchange.
So, what could he offer?!
Thinking of this, Chu You’s eyes darkened. It was as if an irritable beast was roaring and going crazy in his heart.
The cold wind howled and the weather was cold. Chu You had a lot on his mind as he walked faster and faster.
He wanted to see Rong’er as soon as possible!
When he arrived outside the palace gate, he could see from afar that his personal attendant was holding the horse’s reins and craning his neck to look around.
“Your Highness.” The attendant hurriedly went forward to welcome him and reported anxiously, “I just heard that the British Duchess has gone to the Dingyuan Marquis Household.”
Chu You’s eyes suddenly widened, and two flames lit up in his pupils. The fire in his heart rose, and there was only one thought in his heart. The British Duke had come to see his brother, and the British Duchess had gone to the Gu family at this time…
Could it be that they were trying to force Rong’er?!
The British Duchess had indeed gone to the Dingyuan Marquis Household.
Over the past few days, Gu Jian and his wife had sent a post to the British Monarchy, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea and he received no response from the Fang family.
The more Madam Gu waited, the more anxious she became. She instructed her trusted aide to personally make a trip to the British Manor before inviting the British Duchess over.
This matter naturally could not be hidden from Gu Yanfei’s ears. At this time, the British Duchess must have made some kind of promise.
Madam Gu would not give up on Kang Wang, her “grandson-in-law”, so there was a high chance that she had raised other conditions to silence the British Monarchy…
Hence, she ordered Qing Guang to go to the Benevolent Harmony Hall again.
It was not the first time Qing Guang had sneaked to the Benevolent Harmony Hall It was familiar with the place and walked back and forth without alerting anyone.
After only half an hour, the cat returned with a pair of sparkling cat eyes and a stomach full of words.
The kitten jumped from the window to the desk and meowed non-stop at Gu Yanfei. Its expression was obviously one of showing off and taking credit. Its proud little appearance blatantly implied, “What will you do without me?”
“Meow, meow…”
“Meow, meow, meow…”
It had been talking dryly, but seeing that Gu Yanfei was not grateful to it, it slowly realized something that Gu Yanfei did not understand.
The cat froze for an instant, its fur visibly wilting.
Gu Yanfei opened a box at the side and a fragrant smell of dried fish immediately floated out.
The listless cat’s eyes immediately widened, sparkling with desire for dried fish.
Feeling energetic again, it bit Gu Yanfei’s sleeve and tried its best to pull her towards the dressing table.
It jumped onto the dressing table in a few moments and rummaged through the jewelry box with its claws. Finally, it hooked out a jade pendant with the tip of its curved claws and scratched it excitedly.
Qing Guang: “Meow, meow, meow…”
Gu Yanfei took the jade pendant from the cat’s paw in confusion.
It was an ordinary round jade pendant with a circle of cloud patterns carved on the edge and a butterfly pattern in the center.
Gu Yanfei was not the only one who had this jade pendant. Everyone in the Gu family had it, but the patterns were slightly different. Some were dragonflies, some were swallows, and some were skylarks…
Gu Yanfei gently shook her index finger, and the jade pendant hanging on it swayed back and forth.
Qing Guang was immediately attracted to it. Its green cat eyes moved back and forth with the jade pendant, and it let out a mewling sound.
Of course, Gu Yanfei would not think that the British Duchess wanted this jade pendant.
It should be a jade pendant that was so “precious” that the British Duchess would do anything to obtain it.
She recalled that in her previous life, the British Monarchy clearly did not like her, but they gritted their teeth and accepted this marriage. Thinking back to a few days ago, the British Duchess came to visit with her son because of this marriage… Gu Yanfei instantly understood something. Could it be that it was because of the jade pendant that the British Monarchy let their son lower himself to marry a substitute like her?!
Or rather, to the Fang family, it did not matter if it was Gu Yunrong or Gu Yanfei who was engaged to Fang Mingfeng. What was important was that jade pendant.