The Cloud Feather of the Red Chamber: A Marriage Arranged with Gong Yuanzheng at the Start

The palace gates are destined to be sleepless tonight. As soon as Jiang Lili and Yun Weishan left Shangguan Qian's room, the women's courtyard was surrounded.

Everyone was confined to their rooms, with guards stationed not only at the door but also outside the windows.

Jiang Lili was directly led out of the women's courtyard.

Shangguan Qian and Yun Weishan's eyes met briefly in the air, both of them startled. What on earth had happened at the palace gate?

Gong Zishang and Qi Yan'an had also arrived at the entrance of the Elders' Council.

"Don't you need me to go in with you?" Qi Yan'an raised an eyebrow at Gong Zishang.

Gong Zishang smiled, a smile that was strangely similar to Gong Yuanzheng's, arrogant yet tinged with sarcasm.

"No need. I've been in charge of the Shang Palace for ten years. Convincing a few old men is no problem!"

As I walked along, the cold wind blew, and my still somewhat muddled mind seemed to have come to some understanding.

With her head held high and her face expressionless, Gong Zishang walked into the Elders' Council.

The night guard, Huang Yu, stopped Gong Zishang. "Miss, it's late. The elders have already retired for the night. Please report back tomorrow if you have anything to say."

Gong Zishang looked solemnly at the Elders' Council and said loudly, "Gong Huanyu colluded with Wufeng to assassinate Zhiren. Gong Zishang has come here to beg the Elders for help!"

The guard Huang Yu, who had stopped them, was shocked. "Young Miss! This is no joke! How could the young master possibly collude with Wu Feng!"

Gong Zishang smiled sarcastically, "If Zhi Ren really gets into trouble, can you bear the blame?"

The two yellow-jade guards exchanged a glance. One of them immediately ran into the elder's bedroom, while the other welcomed Gong Zishang into the main courtyard.

Gong Zishang had only been in the main courtyard for a short while when he heard hurried footsteps behind him. Elders Hua, Xue, and Yue, disheveled and with grim faces, rushed into the main courtyard.

Upon seeing Gong Zishang, they found her expression calm and without the slightest worry. Elder Hua, who had the most fiery temper, was the first to launch an attack.

"Gong Zishang! Since you were assassinated while wielding a blade, why are you here at the Elders' Council instead of going to the Blade Hall!"

"My brother Yuanzheng has already gone to the Blade-Holding Hall." Gong Zishang mimicked Gong Shangjiao's demeanor, his expression calm and his tone indifferent.

"I know my martial arts skills are weak and I am no match for Gong Huanyu. Please, elders, help me."

Elder Yue, the most meticulous of them all, noticed Gong Zishang's way of addressing Gong Yuanzheng, and his brows furrowed slightly.

When did Gong Zishang become so close to Gong Yuanzheng and Gong Shangjiao?

Elder Xue stopped Elder Hua, who was about to get angry, and said, "Gong Zishang, Gong Huanyu is the young master of the Gong family. Do you know that framing the young master is a serious crime? And look at your attitude."

His gaze was cold as he stared intently at Gong Zishang. "Your attitude doesn't seem like you're worried about Zhi Ren."

Gong Zishang showed no fear, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over the three elders as he asked, word by word:

"Do the three elders know that Gong Hongyu's concubine, Mingwu Ji, is actually a nameless assassin who has been lurking in the palace for over a decade!"

"what!"

Elders Hua, Xue, and Yue exclaimed in unison, their expressions all showing disbelief and incredulity.

"Gong Zishang, do you have any evidence to support your claim?" Elder Hua stepped forward and pressed Gong Zishang for answers.

Seeing their reaction, Gong Zishang felt somewhat relieved, at least the palace gate wasn't completely rotten.

She lowered her head and straightened her slightly disheveled sleeves. "Of course, I only dare to say this because the evidence is conclusive."

Elder Yue was both shocked and furious. He looked at Gong Zishang coldly and said, "Since that's the case, then we'll go with you."

After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and took the lead out of the main courtyard.

Unexpectedly, Gong Zishang called out to him, "Elder Yue, wait!"

"What do you want now?" Elder Yue asked impatiently.

Gong Zishang walked out of the main courtyard unhurriedly. "Elder Yue, I'll have to trouble you to send a message to Young Master Yue. He also needs to make a trip to the Blade-Holding Hall."

Elder Yue's face instantly darkened, and his voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

"What do you mean by this? People from the back mountain are not allowed to come to the front mountain without permission. Do you suspect that he is colluding with Wufeng?"

Gong Zishang chuckled, "The people from the back mountain have really never been to the front mountain? Elder Yue, do you believe that?"

"As for whether there was any collusion with Wu Feng, wouldn't it be clear once Young Master Huan Yue comes and asks?"

Gong Zishang appeared calm on the surface, but her words revealed her conviction that Young Master Yue was colluding with Wu Feng.

"You!" Elder Yue was so angry that his fingers were trembling.

"Gong Zishang, I think you've gone mad! You're not letting any of the people from Yu Palace or the people from the back mountain go."

"I think you're in cahoots with Gong Shangjiao, aren't you? The position of young master was given to Gong Huanyu, isn't he still dissatisfied?"

"Now, to get the position of Blade Master, they're resorting to any means necessary?"

Looking at Elder Yue's exasperated expression, Gong Zishang said softly, "So you also know that the young master should be Gong Shangjiao."

Before the elders could reply, Gong Zishang laughed, "Shang Jiao and I are both members of the Gong family, so how can there be any talk of collusion?"

"Elder Yue, why are you angry? I only mentioned Young Master Yue, not Young Master Hua or Young Master Xue."

"The truth will be revealed soon enough by asking Young Master Yue. Why are you in such a hurry to smear me and Shang Jiao?"

"Fine! I'd like to see what you three are up to!" Elder Yue flicked his sleeve and pointed at a yellow jade guard.

"You! Go to the back mountain right now and summon all those young masters!"

Huang Yu, the guard, accepted the order and withdrew.

Elder Yue sat down on the prayer mat. "I'll summon them all here. You'll interrogate them one by one in front of the three of us. Let's see who dares to collude with Wu Feng!"

Elder Xue frowned. "We should go to the Blade Master Hall first. The safety of the Blade Master is of utmost importance."

Elder Yue was no longer in a hurry. He stared at Gong Zishang with his hawk-like eyes and said, "No rush. If Gong Shangjiao wants to rightfully become the Palace Gate's Blade Master, he won't dare to touch Hongyu."

"If he tries to seize the position of Blade Master through trickery and intrigue, with the three of us old guys here, he can forget about taking it!"

Gong Zishang stood calmly and humbly in the courtyard, completely ignoring Elder Yue's barbed words.

Huang Yu, the guard, was very fast. In the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, he led three teenagers and a child into the Elders' Court.

The four of them had the same bewildered expression.

Elder Yue looked at Young Master Yue, his tone unfriendly, "You explain yourself clearly, whether you and Wu Feng colluded or not?"

Young Master Yue's expression changed slightly, his eyes trembled, and he neither denied nor admitted it.

With this kind of performance, who doesn't understand?

"You!" Elder Yue suddenly stood up, and the futon beneath him instantly shattered into powder.

His eyes, when he looked at Young Master Yue, held anger, embarrassment, confusion, disappointment, and heartache.

"You...you actually colluded with Wufeng!"

Young Master Yue slowly knelt down, "I did not collude with Wu Feng, Yun Que and I are truly in love..."

Young Master Hua and Young Master Xue stared in disbelief at Young Master Yue kneeling on the ground.

Yukishige frowned, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Gong Zishang walked to Yue Gongzi's side, looking down at him, "Do you know that your beloved Yun Que stole the palace's secret poison?"

Young Master Yue lowered his head, "I only found out later..."

"Did you know that this poison was administered to the emperor's trusted confidants and high-ranking officials?"

Upon hearing this, not only Young Master Yue, but everyone else's expressions also changed.

Aside from Young Master Xue, he was still somewhat bewildered.

Gong Zishang leaned down slightly. "If the court believes that Gongmen and Wufeng are in cahoots, and after eliminating Wufeng, they launch a full-scale attack on Gongmen, do you think Gongmen can withstand it?"