bookcurios Chapter 1166 This is Word of Mouth (181 million votes plus additional content)
Chapter 1166 This is Word of Mouth (181 million votes plus additional content)
In the corner, several gazes quickly retracted when looking at Shen Zhinian, with a strong sense of unwillingness.
Shen Zhinian sat upright on her horse, forcibly suppressing the pain in her shoulders and back, her face showing impeccable calmness.
Only the slightly pale color of her lips revealed a hint of the turbulent storm of last night.
Surrounded by people, she headed straight towards her tent, isolating herself from all the complicated gazes behind her.
However, another name, along with the thrilling details of last night, quickly spread throughout the camp.
It was the Minister of Rites, Gu Jinxiao!
"Have you heard? It was Lord Gu who protected the Empress all the way last night!"
"Oh my god, in the dark forest, with pursuers... Lord Gu is truly courageous!"
"His Majesty will surely be delighted when he finds out. Minister Gu will likely be rapidly promoted!"
"..."
Amidst the discussions, Concubine Zhuang was walking out of her tent, twisting her newly strung Buddhist beads.
She was dressed in plain palace attire, with gentle features.
Hearing everyone's discussion, Concubine Zhuang twisted the Buddhist beads with her fingertips and paused for a moment imperceptibly.
A flash of light flashed across the depths of his eyes, like the shadow of a fish suddenly appearing under the calm lake surface.
Concubine Zhuang did not stop, as if she was just taking a casual stroll, and unknowingly she arrived near Concubine Wang's tent.
Sure enough, Concubine Wang was standing outside the tent. Her face looked a little gray in the morning light, and her eyes were filled with resentment that had not yet faded, and fatigue from a sleepless night.
She had obviously heard the discussions as well, and was staring at the direction of Shen Zhinian's tent.
"Sister Wangpin."
Concubine Zhuang's voice was gentle as usual, with just the right amount of concern: "The morning dew is cold, why is my sister standing in the wind?"
Wangpin suddenly came back to her senses and forced a smile: "Greetings, Her Majesty Zhuangfei."
"I just came out to get some fresh air."
Concubine Zhuang took a few steps closer, her eyes seemingly casually sweeping across Concubine Wang's haggard face. She sighed softly, with a hint of compassion for all living things: "Last night was so dangerous, anyone who thinks of it would be terrified..."
"Your Highness, Imperial Concubine Chen is truly... blessed and blessed by heaven."
She paused, then spoke more gently, as if chatting casually: "It's a blessing in disguise."
"If it weren't for a loyal, brave, and reliable minister like Minister Gu protecting her, how could Concubine Chen, a frail woman, survive the long night in such a desolate mountain and wilderness, surrounded by dangers?"
"Just thinking about it makes my heart pound..."
Concubine Zhuang shook her head slightly and twirled her Buddhist beads, as if she was just expressing her gratitude for the favor of fate.
"Loyal, brave and reliable..."
Wang Bin repeated these four words, and her eyes suddenly became sharp.
Concubine Zhuang's words all deliberately revealed the long night of a lonely man and a lonely woman...
How could anyone survive in the deep palace without being stupid? How could Concubine Wang not understand that Concubine Zhuang said this to her on purpose?
But Concubine Wang has never forgotten the humiliation of being intercepted by Shen Zhinian when she was sleeping with him that night!
All her hatred towards Shen Zhinian now found an outlet -
It was the taciturn Gu Jinxiao!
Concubine Zhuang seemed oblivious to the evil thoughts surging in Concubine Wang's eyes, and continued to gently advise, "Sister, you look unwell. You'd better go back to your tent and rest quickly. Don't catch a cold."
"I will also go to the Buddha to chant sutras to calm the Empress Chen and pray for blessings for the enclosure."
After she finished speaking, she nodded slightly to the princess, then turned and walked towards her tent.
He walked calmly, his clothes fluttering in the wind, without a speck of dust on him.
Concubine Wang stood where she was, watching Concubine Zhuang's receding back, and then she stared at the direction of Shen Zhinian's tent. The anger and resentment in her heart almost burst out!
She turned around suddenly, lifted the curtain and rushed back to her tent.
"Otaniko!"
Wangpin's voice was extremely low, yet it carried a chilling feeling: "Do something for me!"
Xiao Tianzi was frightened by the fierceness in Wangpin's eyes and shuddered: "Slave...slave is here, please give your orders, Your Majesty!"
Wang Fei took a few quick breaths before giving the order word for word: "Secretly go find those officials who are close to our Wang family and have good mouths."
"Let them think carefully about this. Why did Minister Gu appear in time when Concubine Chen was in danger last night?"
"Why was he able to protect Concubine Chen so thoroughly along the way?"
"They were alone, a man and a woman, but they stayed in that desolate mountain for a whole night..."
The unfinished meaning in Wangpin's words was like dirty sewage.
"I want to hear the news!"
"I want to hear rumors questioning Gu Jinxiao's impure motives in protecting the emperor and damaging Concubine Chen's reputation!"
"The sooner the better!"
Xiao Tianzi's forehead was covered with sweat. "Slave...slave understands! Slave will do it right away!"
Concubine Wang was left alone in the dim tent, her chest heaving violently.
She walked to the dressing table, looked at her distorted face in the bronze mirror, and rubbed her fingers across the cold mirror surface.
She wouldn't do it herself, but she would definitely pour out this basin of dirty water that was enough to ruin someone's reputation!
Odazi works very quickly.
however……
As Concubine Wang expected, the huge turbulent waves that would be enough to destroy Shen Zhinian's reputation did not rise as she wished.
The discussion in the camp about the dangerous situation last night was indeed noisy.
Some people marvel at the good fortune and long life of Concubine Chen.
Some people lamented the ferocity of the pursuers.
There is also praise for Minister Gu who single-handedly protected the emperor.
But when those deliberately guided words with ambiguous innuendos appeared, the reaction was beyond Wangpin's expectations.
"Tsk, what are you talking about...that's Master Gu Jinxiao!"
An old clan member with white hair and beard twirled his beard when he heard someone else's question, and his cloudy old eyes were full of determination and disdain.
"Everyone in the court, whether civil or military, knows that Minister Gu is a stone that can't be warmed. Apart from etiquette and rules, how can he tolerate anything else?"
Another minister nearby nodded in agreement, his tone almost filled with awe: "That's right!"
"Think about it. Minister Gu's essay for the imperial examination was thousands of words long, and the entire essay was devoted to self-discipline and the restoration of propriety. Even His Majesty praised him as 'upright and self-disciplined, a model for scholars.'"
"A person like that would do such a shameful thing? It's truly ridiculous!"
"you do not say!"
Another person came closer, with the intention of sharing a secret: "I heard that his family still doesn't even have a maid. Many families have wanted to give their daughters to him, but he has rejected them all without mercy."
"Minister Gu was protecting Consort Chen, so he must have strictly observed the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects, not daring to overstep the bounds. Making a fuss about this is simply tarnishing Minister Gu's good name!"
"..."
The trust of the people was like an invisible barrier, which firmly blocked the dirty water secretly thrown by Concubine Wang.
If another man had protected Concubine Chen for a whole night, there would definitely be a lot of rumors.
But for more than ten years, Gu Jinxiao has been strictly demanding himself with almost harsh words and actions.
How could his image be shaken by a few rumors?
This is word of mouth!