Wealth and glory seek stability

"I was just teaching you a lesson. What I asked you to do is not difficult. Arrange for me to serve Madam Lai Xi in Wu Garden. You don't have to worry about the rest. After one month, I will leave and remove the poison from your body, and give you some silver."

Wang Wu was stunned. "That's it?"

"Yeah." Gao Qingxi looked indifferent.

Wang Wu tentatively reached out and picked up the gold ingot on the ground. Seeing that Gao Qingxi did not blame him, he smiled flatteringly and said, "That's easy. It just so happens that a nanny serving Madam Lai Xi is going home. I will arrange for you to go to Wu Garden early tomorrow morning." He was the housekeeper of Wu Garden, so it was easy for him to arrange an old nanny to serve the concubine.

Gao Qingxi hummed lightly.

Seeing that the other party had no intention of leaving, Wang Wu asked tentatively, "If you don't mind my humble abode, I'll ask my wife to clean up a room for you?"

"Okay." Gao Qingxi moved her neck uncomfortably, which was rubbed a little uncomfortable by the rough linen clothes, and added, "You don't need to be treated specially after entering the mansion. I will live the same way as the servants."

When Wang Wu heard this, he was very willing to say, "Yes, yes, I'll do whatever you say." This saved him a lot of trouble.

Wang Wu's family was dragged up in a daze to clean up the side room. They thought the woman was Wang Wu's lover and were about to make a scene, but they stopped talking when they saw the gold ingots in front of them.

Gao Qingxi acts decisively and any problem that can be solved with money is nothing.

As the manager, Wang Wu arranged for people to enter Wuyuan, and everything went smoothly.

Gao Qingxi took the nanny's clothes and was taken to see Lai Xi.

The woman with a sallow face was lying on the couch, breathing out more than breathing in.

"Yiyun, take mom downstairs."

"Yes."

Gao Qingxi did not act rashly.

He followed out with his head lowered.

But looking at the moldy wall and the makeshift bed made of stools and wooden boards, he couldn't help but ask, "I'm going to live here?"

Yiyun nodded. "Yes, you are lucky. There are few servants here, so each person can get a room. After you clean up, go chop firewood and make medicine for your aunt."

Gao Qingxi pursed her lips, "Got it."

Just as I remembered, the thin bedding was laid on the moldy wooden boards.

After finally finishing the work, Gao Qingxi sat down on it.

There was a creaking sound, and she jumped up in fright.

I carefully reached out my hand and placed it on the bed. It turned out that the place where the stool was fixed under the wooden board was loose, causing the sound.

On the first day, Gao Qingxi chopped firewood all day long. The repetitive action was more irritating than when the tutor asked her to copy books.

The medicine was just an ordinary recipe for replenishing qi and blood. Gao Qingxi knew just by smelling it that it contained all low-quality herbs and did not have much medicinal effect.

At night, I carefully placed my body on the creaking bed.

Suddenly I had an epiphany.

Is this the life of an ordinary slave?

There is no end in sight, no way out.

Although Lai Xi was not favored, Gao Qingxi still had to look at the expression of her trusted maid Yiyun in order to get an extra steamed bun at mealtime.

The inquiring gazes from time to time when I was chopping wood were very uncomfortable.

For three consecutive days, Gao Qingxi was either chopping firewood or washing clothes.

Before, Gao Qingxi could never have imagined that such a deserted little courtyard would be the only support for two women.

Maybe Yiyun thought she was quite honest.

Fourth day.

Lai Xi called Gao Qingxi to the bedside and rewarded her with a silver hairpin.

Gao Qingxi had never seen such a poor quality silver hairpin. In the past, the silver jewelry given to her were either made by masters or decorated with various luxurious gems.

Unlike now, there is only a simple silver bead on the bare silver hairpin.

"Auntie, you've given me a reward, why don't you thank me?" Yiyun's voice came.

Gao Qingxi bowed quickly with a smile on her face, "Thank you for the reward, auntie. I will do my job well in the future." She put it in her arms.

Lai Xi nodded, "Go down."

Gao Qingxi thought about Jian Xi, who was always known as a cold-blooded official, and Caixia, who was very successful in business. Even Caiyun had opened her own spice shop. Although it was not the biggest, she was wealthy and happy. Then she looked at the dying woman lying on the bed and could hardly believe that they were once sworn sisters.

However, Gao Qingxi did not give up on her promise to stay in Wuyuan for a month. She always keeps her word.

Gao Qingxi's only comfort in the busy but seemingly endless days is that she can still count the days until she can leave this damn place.

one day.

A maid named Xiu'er came to the courtyard and said that the lady had sent word of good news and came to pay her respects.

After Lai Xi came back, his symptoms suddenly became more serious.

Gao Qingxi couldn't help it, and went to Wang Wu's house at night to ask the reason.

It turned out that Baili Yanhua married the daughter of Yan family, who was a well-matched family. Yan family was a local aristocratic family in Jiangning. The daughter of a noble family was well-educated and well-mannered.

Lai Xi used to be a favorite concubine. After Yan married into the family, the relationship between the wife and concubine was harmonious. However, ever since Hongyu took refuge with Yan, she would often stir up trouble in front of Yan, and Lai Xi's life gradually became difficult.

The daughter of a noble family naturally did not resort to ordinary jealousy. Instead, she appealed to Baili Yanhua's emotions and reasoned with him, letting him know that only the Yan family could truly help him. Gradually, Baili Yanhua became indifferent to Lai Xi.

As Lai Xi got pregnant before she married the first wife, the lady-in-waiting, Xia, the biological mother of Baili Yanhua, sent someone to feed her a pot of safflower, which caused the fetus to be aborted. Her health gradually deteriorated.

Yan Shi didn't make things difficult for her. Apart from paying respects on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, the monthly allowance was also distributed on time. However, in the backyard, a woman without favor would have troubles all the time, and the servants would eat her alive without Yan Shi's orders.

After listening to Wang Wu's story, Gao Qingxi said nothing and silently returned to Lai Xi's courtyard.

The next day, she went out and bought a piece of top-quality ginseng with her own money to replace the inferior wild ginseng seeds in the prescription.

Lai Xi's health finally got better.

There is only one day left until Gao Qingxi leaves.

Baili Yanhua stepped into the courtyard for the first time ever, saying that he came to see Lai Xi, but his eyes could not help but glance at Gao Qingxi who was working in the courtyard.

Gao Qingxi ignored him and continued chopping and stacking wood skillfully.

I felt a little depressed and it seemed that I couldn't stay here any longer.

evening.

Lai Xi called Gao Qingxi into the house.

"I know you are her daughter."

Gao Qingxi looked up. Because she had been eating steamed buns with vegetables for nearly a month, her face finally showed some real yellowish look. Her pair of dark pupils were frighteningly bright under the light of the cheap candlelight.

Lai Xi looked at the familiar black pupils, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, and tremblingly took out a medicine bag, "This is what the man gave me. He asked me to put it in the water you are going to drink, and then I can regain his favor."

A faint sweet fragrance came, and Gao Qingxi knew that there was a drug in the paper package. "Then why did you tell me?"

Caiyun pointed to a wall outside and said, "That's the only wall leading to the outside. Can you climb over it?"

Gao Qingxi nodded lightly.

Lai Xi smiled with relief, "I knew that my sister's daughter must be as capable as her. Unfortunately, I can't escape death. Next time, remember to wipe your palms before changing your appearance."

Gao Qingxi was shocked. She turned over her palm and saw the sharp contrast between the white and delicate skin on the palm and the back of her hand. A layer of cold sweat broke out on her back. She thought she had been very careful, but she made such a stupid mistake.

"Your gold bears the mark of the Xuanwu Dynasty. Don't be so careless when you go out next time. Go quickly and I will hold him back. Otherwise, you won't be able to escape."

Gao Qingxi seemed puzzled, but she turned around and jumped onto the outer wall. Sure enough, there was a back street outside.

I watched the torches approaching from afar.

Baili Yanhua led a team of palace soldiers into the courtyard.

In just a moment, Baili Yanhua grabbed a thin body with his big hands and dragged her out of the yard. The woman could not struggle, leaving only a trace of struggle on the ground.

The veins on Gao Qingxi's hands were throbbing, but she still remembered to adjust herself and keep her breathing as steady as possible.

The woman in the courtyard asked in a shrill voice, with some despair, "Bai Li Yan Hua, who do you think I am?"

Baili Yanhua grabbed Lai Xi's collar and said, "Didn't I tell you that as long as you can help me catch Gao Qingxi, I will treat you as well as before? The spies reported that she escaped secretly. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but you, a stupid woman, let it go."

Gao Qingxi's identity is not simple. As long as he is captured, it will be equivalent to having the capital to negotiate with the Xia Kingdom and the Xuanwu Dynasty. Xuanyuan Qiyuan will come to power, and their Wu'an Palace can use this as a bargaining chip for surrender.

Unexpectedly, everything was ruined.

Lai Xi struggled, not wanting to be in such a humiliating posture in front of everyone, but Baili Yanhua would never fulfill her wish.

Yan came hurriedly, with the demeanor of a lady from a noble family, "Husband, please let go quickly."

Lai Xi fell to the ground instantly.

Gao Qingxi couldn't describe the feeling when watching this scene.

Caiyun said that Lai Xi was the strongest among the four of them, but now he looks so miserable.

Baili Yanhua was unwilling to accept this and took out his anger on Lai Xi.

Lai Xi became more and more crazy. "You are a grown man, but you don't want to go to the battlefield to make achievements, but you want to rely on women to make achievements. Even if I was blind at the beginning, I will die with no regrets, but I will never allow you to enjoy glory on the bones of me and the people I love."

As she said this, she pulled out the long hairpin on her head and was about to stab Baili Yanhua.

Baili Yanhua subconsciously drew the sword at his waist and slashed forward.

How could a frail and sick body be a match for a man? Lai Xi's face was distorted as she watched the person she once trusted draw his sword against her, tears streaming down her face. "I curse you, you will never get the true heart of others."

Gao Qingxi clenched her fists, her face changed, but she still didn't turn around.

She floated down as light as a swallow and left the Wu'an Palace silently.

She did not go back to the post station where Taxue was stored, but chose a transport post station in another direction.

Dressed in martial arts attire and showing the token given to her by Lei Zi, she was respectfully invited to board the boat and left Jiangning.

Apart from her obsession with the parental love she never received, nothing else could hold her back.

Now she suddenly understood why Jian Xi chose that path.

When you are living in a prosperous and glorious life, wealth and power are like passing clouds. But when you really lose them, the disparity in your feelings about the fickleness of fate is so devastating that you would rather die than live.

Gao Qingxi couldn't imagine how much she would regret the path she had chosen if she had been the one lying in the yard.

She was born noble, and Jian Xi had already paved the way for her.

Then go ahead with confidence.

Gao Yunhuai didn't ask where Gao Qingxi had gone, he just asked, "Do you want to go back?"

Gao Qingxi nodded. "Yes, please ask Father Lao to help me pick up Taxue. I want to take it back with me."

That was the coming-of-age gift her mother gave her.

Gao Yunhuai clapped his hands.

Shuangshou walked in leading a snow-white horse with only a wisp of red mane on its forehead.

Gao Qingxi paused for a moment, then sighed and said dejectedly:

"I feel like I always live in the shadow of you and my mother."

Gao Yunhuai said lovingly, "Isn't this good?"

Beneath the shadow is darkness and protection.

Gao Qingxi walked forward and touched Taxue's mane, and Taxue came close to her affectionately.

The 1,608th year of Xuanwu.

Zhang Cen'er appointed Gao Qingxi as the Crown Princess and chose an auspicious date for the wedding.

After the wedding.

Gao Qingxi enjoyed treatment in the royal court that was no less favorable than that of the empress, and they lived in harmony.

She touched her bulging belly, with female officials dressed in brocade clothes serving her by her side.

Ever since returning from Jiang Ning, Gao Qingxi finally understood why people in the world always like to pursue power and wealth.

Wealth and honor are dazzling, and such a life is truly a life that only gods can live.

People always learn to cherish things only after they lose them.

Although Jian Xi was as busy with work as usual, Gao Qingxi seemed to have suddenly come to her senses and had people send her nutritional supplements every few days to remind her to take care of her health.

Although Jian Xi didn't say anything, she felt very relieved in her heart.

The following year, Gao Qingxi gave birth to her eldest daughter Zhang Nian.

The empress doted on Zhang Nian very much and personally kept him by her side to teach him the ways of being an emperor.

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Gao Yunhuai: Madam, I asked the secret guards to rescue Lai Xi.

Jian Xi: Well done!

Gao Yunhuai: Want a reward?(°?‵?′??)

Jian Xi: I’ll give you a mine.

Gao Yunhuai: o(╥﹏╥)o When will you retire with me?

Jian Xi: Maybe in the next life.

(End of the article)