I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 268 - 194: Spear

External ministers and palace concubines, unless there is a specific reason, are not permitted to meet.

Even if Gu Lan wants to meet Mrs. Wang’s younger sister, Concubine Yi, she must notify in advance to truly enter the inner palace from Xiefang Palace.

Consort Jia used to be a maid beside Empress Dowager Su, and she knew well enough what kind of person Empress Dowager Su was.

On the surface, Empress Dowager Su was extremely observant of etiquette, disliking any actions that crossed boundaries. If she were to openly and honestly request to see Tang Zhan, she would definitely not agree, so she could only secretly try on her own.

In the deep of the night, Consort Jia, holding some clothes in her arms, quietly rushed to the Empress Dowager’s Yongshou Palace.

Yongshou Palace was near the northwest corner of the Imperial Palace. After the daytime celebrations, the palace was silent, with the howling cold wind blowing through, reflecting the dim palace lanterns, stirring a slight unease within Consort Jia.

She used the side door, not alarming any palace maids or guards, and walked a bit further, but encountered no one.

Being extremely familiar with Yongshou Palace, she soon saw the door of the Empress Dowager’s bedroom slightly ajar, with dim yellow lamplight streaming through the glass windows.

Just as Consort Jia was about to knock, she felt something strange. Why were there no palace maids or guards in Yongshou Palace tonight? Could it be that everyone was drunk from the celebrations?

Suddenly, her pupils contracted as she heard a bizarre sound.

The sound came gradually from the Empress Dowager’s bedroom.

Consort Jia froze, remaining still until she heard the Empress Dowager call out, "Little Xu."

Soon, Consort Jia was able to discern who the two people inside the bedroom were. The current Empress Dowager was actually with the eunuch from her palace—

Consort Jia’s heart was in turmoil, her mind suddenly recalling the words she had heard from other palace maids back when she was a palace maid for the Empress Dowager.

Rumor had it, before she married the former Emperor, the Empress Dowager had a fondness for the son of Grand Tutor Xie, the well-known romantic Xie Xu from the Capital.

However, Xie Xu rejected the Empress Dowager and married another woman. Later, the Xie family was framed and confiscated, with Grand Tutor Xie and Xie Xu both dying unjustly. Because the Empress Dowager still cherished the memory of Xie Xu, she renamed a eunuch by her side to... Little Xu. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Consort Jia remembered when Su Xinyu, back then just the Empress, would sometimes dismiss other palace attendants, leaving only Little Xu to serve in the hall. At that time, Little Xu was not this one, but nevertheless a handsome eunuch.

Over time, such rumors spread through the palace, yet after His Majesty’s accession and as time passed, no one dared to discuss it further.

These were all the secret idle chat of palace maids back then, and not until today did Consort Jia realize they were not mere gossip.

Suppressing her fear, Consort Jia slowly moved her steps, wanting to feign ignorance and leave.

"Clap—"

In her state of shock, Consort Jia didn’t notice the fallen snow beneath the window sill. Her foot slipped, and though she managed to keep from falling herself, the clothes in her arms fell to the ground!

The sound from within the bedroom came to an abrupt halt.

Silhouetted against the glass window, someone had already sat up, and Consort Jia, unable to pick up the clothes in time, fled Yongshou Palace in a panic.

Soon, Empress Dowager Su came out, her clothes disorderly.

She was dressed thinly, yet her alluring but emaciated face bore an unusual flush.

Empress Dowager Su squinted her narrow eyes, gazing down at the ground.

In the cold, silent night, a thin layer of fallen snow covered the ground. In the moonlight, a set of hurried female footprints stretched toward the side door, disappearing at the entrance.

On the ground was a bulging package.

Empress Dowager Su crouched down, unwrapped the bundle with her fingertips, and found two sets of men’s clothing inside.

She picked them up, examining the fine stitching closely, and her expression grew cold.

Little Xu, pale-faced, got up from the bed, sweating heavily. "E-Empress Dowager, what’s wrong... that sound just now..."

Empress Dowager Su frowned, silently cursing him as useless.

Quickly, Sai Guang, a confidant and master under Empress Dowager Su, also arrived, saying, "Just now, a woman with her face covered left your palace. Are you okay?"

Empress Dowager Su replied without turning her head, "I’m fine. Send someone to Yutan Palace to deal with Consort Jia and her chief palace maid for me."

The familiar stitching on the clothing, the woman who came to Yongshou Palace so late at night... Though Empress Dowager Su hadn’t seen her face, she could guess who was outside the window just now.

Sai Guang acknowledged and immediately headed to Yutan Palace.

"You go, too, and take care of matters. I am no longer in the mood," Empress Dowager Su waved her hand and said further.

Little Xu nodded hurriedly, a cold glimmer flashing in his eyes, "Yes, this servant will take his leave."

Once Empress Dowager Su returned to her bedroom, Little Xu turned and left Yongshou Palace, heading straight to Qianyuan Hall to report the matter to Rong Jing.

"Consort Jia saw you and the Empress Dowager, and now the Empress Dowager wants to kill her!?" Rong Jing exclaimed in shock.

Little Xu nodded, "Yes, the Empress Dowager has already sent her confidant, Sai Guang, to deal with Consort Jia at Yutan Palace..."

"Fool! Idiot!"

Rong Jing abruptly swung his sleeve in anger.

"Zhang Fengcai, go to Yutan Palace and stop Sai Guang. Consort Jia is Prince Rui’s mother; she cannot die! Su Xinyu is utterly foolish!"

...

After the New Year, Marquis Gu was set to return to the Northern Territory, with thousands of troops from the Dingyuan Army ready to depart, emptying the military camp outside the city once again.

At the familiar city gate, Marquis Gu sat on his white horse, his white robe fluttering in the wind, making him look even more ethereal like an immortal.

Gu Lan thought to herself, as long as Father doesn’t speak, he remains handsome.

Gu Chengzhao looked at Gu Lan and said, "This Marquis is leaving; don’t miss me too much."

Gu Lan calmly looked at him.

Seeing she had no reaction, Marquis Gu continued, "I remember when you were little, you wouldn’t admit it, yet you secretly wiped your tears watching my back. Now you’ve grown up, don’t you dare cry."

Gu Lan waved her long spear gently, smiling as she said, "Goodbye."

Marquis Gu: "..."

Until the end, Gu Lan’s eyes didn’t even redden, relieved that Su Zixiao, who had come to see them off, cried their heart out, salvaging some of Gu Chengzhao’s dignity.

Well, at least someone was reluctant to part with him.

Nearby, the Crown Prince, sent by decree to escort Dingyuan Marquis back to the Northern Territory, also tried hard to squeeze out a few tears, setting a somber mood.

Gu Lan thought, her father wasn’t heading off to die, so why all the crying?

Old Prime Minister Su, watching his legitimate grandson bawl foolishly, wished he could cast him out of the Su Family.

Initially, he had argued with the Emperor in court to get Su Zixiao into the Dingyuan Army, hoping Su Zixiao would achieve something and expand the Su Family’s influence within the military.

Who would have thought, this grandson only acknowledged Dingyuan Marquis and not his own family?

Indeed, he gained Marquis Gu’s favor... Old Prime Minister Su thought Su Zixiao wouldn’t cry this miserably even if his own father went to battle.

The thousands of soldiers were already mounted, with Mu Jun and Geng Gong riding on either side of Marquis Gu.

With the sound of drums, Gu Chengzhao took one last look at Gu Lan, smiling at her with enchanting, gentle eyes.

He turned his horse, and with a command, the army moved out.

Not until the rolling black cavalry vanished completely into the vast expanse of snow did Gu Lan withdraw her gaze, softly murmuring to herself, "Actually, it’s quite hard to part."

She lowered her head, gazing at her long spear for a while.

This spear, named the Tiger Head Golden Spear, had a black and gold tiger swallowing gold at its head and a dark golden shaft, exuding an ancient yet dignified aura.

This was the Gu Family’s ancestral spear, most suited for the Gu Family Spear Technique manual. Since Marquis Gu had passed the spear to Gu Lan three days ago, she became fond of it.

Only, this spear glinted brilliantly under sunlight, appearing rather ostentatious.

It is said that only when the previous Dingyuan Marquis falls in battle would the Golden Spear change hands.

Yet Marquis Gu gave this spear to her—a girl masquerading as a Princely Heir.

Gu Chengzhao didn’t believe in superstitions, didn’t care for taboos, just wanted freedom. Prince Rui gave the Longquan Treasure Sword to Gu Lan, so he gave the Golden Spear to Gu Lan, for she was his daughter whom he, himself, would love and cherish.

Gu Lan gently stroked the spear shaft and said:

"Zijin, let’s have roast chicken today."