After a mont, Luo Chen stared at Gu Lan and the old eunuch walking into the palace. His face was dark, but a trace of suspicion flashed in his eyes.
A subordinate approached and whispered, "Lord Commander, can it be that Master Mao dared to challenge your authority for this guy? Is this lad really favored by Her Majesty?"
Luo Chen glared at him.
Although he also had such feelings, he gritted his teeth and rebuked, "This flamboyant scholar looks like a seductive villain who might bewitch the king! Once inside the palace, he'll be a disaster..."
"You're right, Lord Commander!" The subordinate shrank back, saying, "Should we follow them?"
"Conduct the routine patrol first! Later, I'll ask for an imperial edict from the Queen Mother and go check on him." Luo Chen planned.
...
"In addition to the previous generation of madams, there don't seem to be many people in Her Majesty's generation in the palace, right?"
Gu Lan looked around the splendid scenery of Baihua Garden, engaging in a conversation with the old eunuch.
This Mr. Mao had just stood up for him. Although his wish to leave imdiately contradicted Gu Lan's, it didn't prevent Gu Lan from appreciating his goodwill.
"Yes, Her Majesty has not chosen a consort, so the palace is naturally quiet."
Mr. Mao chuckled and glanced at Gu Lan, "Don't hide it, Master, you are the first young gentleman invited by Her Majesty into the palace!"
Gu Lan felt a bit creepy under his gaze. He forced a smile, "Haha... Her Majesty just wants to see my chess skills; please don't misunderstand, Mr. Mao!"
Mr. Mao smiled and remained silent.
"In the palace, there is another person, in the Donggong Study, who has been the imperial tutor for several generations, Su Hua, Grand Tutor Su."
"Oh! I've t the Grand Tutor," Gu Lan replied.
"You've t Grand Tutor, sir?" Mr. Mao stopped in his tracks, and his gaze at Gu Lan suddenly changed!
It beca even more solemn, as if he was looking at the future monarch.
Mr. Mao, do you really need to do this? It was just a coincidence. It's not like eting the parents... Gu Lan slightly bowed, "Mr. Mao, please don't misunderstand.
This has nothing to do with Her Majesty. In fact, I have never t Her Majesty before!"
"Hmm... Master Gu doesn't need to tell us about these things. Mr. Mao is just an old servant." After a mont of contemplation, Mr. Mao smiled again and continued to lead Gu Lan forward.
Whether he believed it or not, the scenes inside the palace were far more delicate and grand than what could be seen from the outside. Passing through the evergreen Imperial Flower Garden, they arrived at the Baihua Garden, where the female Emperor often relaxed. Then, there were pavilions and golden halls surrounded by water, forming a magnificent view.
"This palace is truly magnificent."
When passing by the Luan Feng Hall, Gu Lan sighed softly.
"Master Gu, this is the palace where the empresses of past dynasties reside. Naturally, it is the foremost among the palaces, second only to Her Majesty's Hall of Nurturing Harmony ."
After hearing Mr. Mao's explanation, Gu Lan nodded thoughtfully.
The residence of empresses throughout history... At this ti, Cining Palace should still be inhabited by a lady. That lady seed quite extraordinary...
Gu Lan recollected the plot from the original work when the eunuch almost got castrated. He recalled the existence of such a character in the deep palace.
However, the royal grievances and disputes had little to do with him. Giving it so thought, he decided to let it go. They could ss with each other as much as they liked; it had nothing to do with him!
At this mont, a female voice ca, "Master Mao, thank you for your trouble!"
Gu Lan looked over and saw a palace maid who had been waiting there early, dressed appropriately and behaving elegantly.
The palace maid exchanged a few words with Master Mao. Soon after, Master Mao smiled and left, and she beca Gu Lan's new guide.
This ancient imperial city is quite labyrinthine, and it takes several people to guide you... Gu Lan couldn't help but complain in his heart, asking, "This lady, I wonder where the chess ga is now. I..."
"Master, please don't be anxious. This servant will take you there!" The palace maid smiled and led Gu Lan onto a small path.
They walked past a bamboo forest and arrived at a pavilion in the imperial garden.
"Master, please have a seat. This servant will fetch the things for you."
Gu Lan was stunned at the words. Things? Do you call your Emperor "thing"?
Oh well...
After a brief mont of surprise, Gu Lan no longer cared. Since it was a chess ga, he just wanted to quickly leave an impression of incompetence on this female Emperor and then hurry ho!
However, the palace maid returned in no ti, holding a stack of morials. Behind her, two little eunuchs were carrying writing materials.
"???"
Gu Lan was confused. He asked, "Wasn't Her Majesty inviting to play chess? What does this an?"
The palace maid blinked, "Chess? This servant doesn't know... This servant's orders are to present these morials to Master for review. Perhaps... there are other intentions within these?"
After the palace maid and the two little eunuchs put down the things, they saluted and left.
In the pavilion, a gentle breeze blew, only rustling Gu Lan's hair, and there was no one else around.
"Reviewing morials?!"
Gu Lan raised an eyebrow, quickly skimd through the morials, and found that they were indeed reports submitted by court officials!
He beca even more puzzled. What ga was the female Emperor playing?
Until!
Gu Lan saw a white paper beneath the morials, with a beautifully written paragraph.
"Yesterday, upon returning to the palace from the Su Residence, I learned that Mr. Gu is a scholar, and the way of chess, literature, and governance are interconnected. Since I want (with strike-through) Master Zhang has recomnded you, I can't disregard my teacher's face."
"These morials today are just copies. You can review them at ease. When my illness is slightly better, I will personally read them..."
After reading this "edict," Gu Lan's internal astonishnt was sowhat alleviated.
"Her Majesty is unwell and cannot et external officials... But Master Zhang has quite so influence to directly recomnd for reviewing and comnting on morials. Huh, I really have to thank him... in my heart."
Gu Lan sent his regards to Zhang Qingwei and then dipped his brush in thick ink, unfolding the morials.
Of course, he couldn't honestly complete the female Emperor's task!
Disturbing my ti with my wife at ho just to make do work for you? Damn, I don't want to be an official for nothing, and you're just squeezing dry!
"Since there's no chess ga to showcase, then 'showing off' on these morials should be fine!" Gu Lan thought, a sly smile forming on his lips.
Then!
He took the brush and wrote on the morials:
"The military and political strategy to be implented in five days, I believe Your Majesty should agree, as after ten days, we will know how it went..."
"Regarding how to deal with the captured rebels, I suggest a ten-year imprisonnt so that they won't cause trouble for the next ten years..." Stay connected via empire
"If Your Majesty is willing to spend a few days investigating the Tianji Pavilion Consecrator, you will find that you wasted a few days. I think... it's better for Your Majesty to decide!"
"..."
Gu Lan applied the art of nonsensical literature thoroughly. With keen eyes and a swift hand, he freely wrote sincere suggestions for the female Emperor on the morials.
However!
To his unexpected joy, as Gu Lan wrote on the morials, a pleasant chanical sound echoed in his mind!
[You reviewed the morial of the Imperial Censors, gaining 10 years of cultivation.]
[You reviewed the morial of the Ministry of Personnel, gaining governance over an area, 100 years of cultivation.]
[You reviewed the morial of Ministers, gaining the power to advise the heavens, making decisions for the world, 1000 years of cultivation.]
[...]
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