Empress, you don't want to be thrown into limbo by your father, do you?

"Your Majesty called me into the palace?"

In Dali Temple in the capital, Gu Fan was buried in a pile of case files with his head bowed. Ever since he became the Minister of Dali Temple, he almost forgot what his family looked like.

He was dealing with old cases almost every day, but no one from below came to report him, which made him stunned.

"My lord, there is news from the palace that the imperial concubine has returned."

The Shaoqing of Dali Temple accompanied him with a smiling face. Although he was also an important minister in the court, he was at least a Shaoqing, and he was only from the fourth rank.

There is still a lot of difference in status between him and Gu Fan, who is the third-rank Dali Temple Minister. Besides, who among the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty doesn't know that Gu Fan's family, Zhenglong, is a celebrity in His Majesty's eyes?
"The imperial concubine? Has she returned to the palace?"

Gu Fan couldn't help being stunned when he heard this, and subconsciously frowned and asked, "Isn't your empress leading the cultivation in Ganye Temple? Could it be that His Majesty took her back to the palace?"

Regarding the Empress Dowager becoming a monk to practice, it is no secret inside or outside the court.

And the causal relationship and interest disputes involved in it, as long as you are not a fool, you can see it.

So no matter what, it is impossible for the queen mother to return to the palace, otherwise it will pose a threat to the court and to Li Changshou, the newly enthroned emperor.

Back to the palace at this time?
Gu Fan's heart shuddered suddenly, and his expression became solemn.

"My lord, you are confused!"

Shaoqing of Dali Temple coughed, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"What do you mean?"

Gu Fan was puzzled, but seeing his subordinates dumbfounded, he couldn't help wondering why he was so confused, of course the Queen Mother...

Wait, Queen Mother?
"My lord, it is the imperial concubine returning to the palace, not the empress dowager!"

Hearing the explanation from the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, Gu Fan also came back to his senses, and secretly thought that he was really confused. He had the impression that the imperial concubine was still the same concubine as before, but he didn't know that the concubine had been promoted to empress dowager now.

And the current imperial concubine, isn't that...

"I was confused. I have been busy with these old cases recently, so I forgot about it."

Gu Fan smiled wryly a few times, and at the same time he also knew why his subordinates had such strange expressions when they came down to report the matter.

After all, who in the court doesn't know his relationship with His Majesty?

Behind the scenes, I don't know how many people are talking about it. He alone, in Dali Temple, often bumps into the people below talking about it, but he is not the kind of narrow-minded person.

Seeking truth from facts, and did not rely on official authority to reprimand.

"My lord, since you took office, you haven't had a lot of rest. Why don't you take a good rest in the next few days and leave the rest to the lower officials and others?"

In the huge Dali Temple, the previous few were mediocre officials, so there are tens of thousands of old cases backlogged.

Let them handle it?

Gu Fan never thought about it at all. If these people can be handled well, how can there be so much backlog?
So he shook his head when he heard the words and said directly, "No, as Dali Temple Secretary, this is my job as an official, otherwise I am ashamed to show so much respect and kindness to Your Majesty."

Hearing him say that, the people below were even hard to answer.

In their eyes, why should Gu Fan work so hard?

With the support of the imperial palace, wouldn't she be able to achieve success in the future?

Even if you don't have to do anything, you might be able to enter the Yushutai and become a prime minister in a few years, why bother to treat yourself like an animal?

Of course, the people below dare not say these words, who made Gu Fan a half-royal member in the eyes of many court ministers.

It's not the prince, and it's no different from the prince.

"My lord's words made Xiaguan and others ashamed. Compared with my lord, Xiaguan and others, alas..."

In fact, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple was also deeply affected. The former minister of Dali Temple was a bastard.

The remaining people, more or less, are not quite suitable for the current atmosphere.

"I won't ask about the past, but from now on, I still hope that everyone will change their minds and live up to His Majesty's respect."

Gu Fan warned a few words, he could see that most of the people under his command were just muddling along, they were not bad people, and he had been in the Imperial City Division for many years, and he knew everything about the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty like the back of his hand.

It's very easy to handle them.

"My lord's lesson is that the lower officials have been taught!"

"Your Majesty summoned me, I will first enter the palace to have an audience."

"Congratulations, sir!"

……

In front of the palace gate, Gu Fan got off his horse.

Anyone who wants to enter the palace, no matter whether you are an official or a relative of the emperor, must dismount from the sedan chair and horse. Only those who are bestowed by the emperor himself are exempt from this restriction.

But now in the court hall, only the prime ministers of the four dynasties can enter the palace in a carriage.

Others have to walk in with their legs.

"Master Gu, Your Majesty has a decree that you don't need to get off your horse when you enter the palace."

Gu Fan did not expect that as soon as he got off his horse, he saw people from the Imperial City Department coming up to meet him. These people were all brought up by him back then. Although they are no longer working in the Imperial City Department, these people all remember him.

"Your Majesty really said that?"

"That's right, who doesn't know about His Majesty's favor towards Lord Gu?"

The person in charge of guarding the palace winked at Gu Fan and smiled, forming cliques is inevitable in the imperial court, not only fighting for power and profit, but sometimes huddling together for warmth.

Obviously, Gu Fan left the Imperial City Division, but the people in the Imperial City Division still recognized him.

After all, Gu Fan was very generous and generous to his subordinates, and he was just. In addition, he was not demoted this time, but promoted. Anyone with a smarter mind would know that this relationship cannot be broken.

"Be careful!"

Gu Fan frowned slightly, and whispered a few words.

He naturally knows what the government and the opposition are saying about him, but in his opinion, there are some things that are not good or bad.

There have been too many variables in the matter of the royal family since ancient times, and no one can guarantee that his family will be prosperous now, but what about a few years later?

His mother is indeed favored, but since ancient times, she has been so unlucky...

"This subordinate is aware of his mistake, but Your Majesty and Empress are waiting for Your Excellency, you should enter the palace quickly!"

Although there is a decree that he does not need to dismount, Gu Fan is not arrogant and insists on dismounting and entering the palace. Anyway, he is familiar with the palace in the Imperial City Division all these years, so he will not waste time.

Soon he came to the imperial palace. Along the way, all the court ladies and eunuchs he met nodded and bowed to him, their faces full of flattery and compliments.

What is the reason, I can guess with my eyes closed.

"Minister Gu Fan, pay homage to Your Majesty!"

Walking into the imperial palace, Gu Fan had already seen his mother, but he still did not forget the etiquette of a monarch and his ministers. People who do not have long-term considerations must have near-term worries, and he knew this truth very well.

"Free gift!"

Seeing Gu Fan coming, Li Changshou smiled.

At the same time, he turned his head to look at Gu Xiaoya, and said with a smile, "Your mother and son have not seen each other for nearly a year, so I will call him into the palace."

It has indeed been nearly a year since he left the capital last year, and Gu Xiaoya showed a grateful look, and said softly: "The concubine thanked Your Majesty."

"Thank you so much?"

Li Changshou blinked, meaning something.

Gu Xiaoya's face turned red in an instant, and she quickly signaled with her eyes that the child was still there, and then took the initiative to put the catkin in Li Changshou's hands, obviously meaning that it would not be as simple as thanking her.

Gu Fan actually noticed this scene.

But he could only pretend that he didn't see it, and he was even in a daze, thinking whether his decision to take Li Changshou back to his home to treat his mother was right or wrong?

Of course, there is no regret medicine in the world that can be bought, so I can only restrain my mind, and hurriedly cupped my hands, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Okay, there is no outsider here, the family does not need to be polite, Gu Fan, you can stay in the palace for dinner today."

"This……"

Gu Fan was a little hesitant. It was extremely rare for foreign ministers to stay in the palace for meals in all dynasties. They were all powerful ministers who had power for a while, and he actually didn't care much about this kind of holy family.

"You don't want to see your mother sad, do you? Don't be restrained, just treat the palace as your own home."

Li Changshou couldn't help but make a decision.

Gu Fan had no choice but to nod with a wry smile, "Minister, obey the order!"

In fact, he also really wanted to talk to his mother. It has been nearly a year, and now he is completely relieved after looking at it. He can see that his mother is doing well now, and her complexion has changed drastically compared to before.

His face was rosy, and he even looked younger by several years.

"It seems that my mother is really favored by His Majesty's side."

The only thing Gu Fan was worried about was the environment in the imperial harem, his mother couldn't adapt to it, and he knew he couldn't change other problems.

The whole family dined in the palace, and Li Changshou also had no airs of being an emperor, but Gu Fan was always a little restrained.

He didn't force it either, some things take time to change.

Even after the meal, Li Changshou took the initiative to leave so that Gu Xiaoya could have a good talk with his son.

……

"Mum, how is Your Majesty treating you?"

Sure enough, after Li Changshou left, Gu Fan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It's not that his loyalty has changed, but that he doesn't quite adapt to his current status, and always feels awkward.

Hearing her son's question, Gu Xiaoya also blushed slightly, but even if she couldn't explain some things, she didn't want her son to be dissatisfied because she and Li Changshou were walking together.

So he nodded and smiled, "Fan'er, Your Majesty is very kind to my mother, and don't think too much about it, Your Majesty really values ​​your talent, that's why you value it so much."

"My child knows that His Majesty is a wise king."

"Then the mother can rest assured."

Gu Xiaoya was afraid that there would be a reaction in Gu Fan's heart, so she immediately breathed a sigh of relief, thought about it, and stopped talking.

Seeing her like this, Gu Fan couldn't help but ask, "Amum, what else do you have to say?"

"What do you think of His Majesty now?"

Gu Xiaoya was a little nervous. She couldn't explain the reason more than 20 years ago, but she firmly believed that that person was Li Changshou back then, so her son was Li Changshou's own son.

"Why does Mommy ask that?"

"You tell Wei Niang first, what you really think."

real thoughts?

Gu Fan frowned. Before that, he was grateful and kind to Li Changshou, and he died for his confidant.

But now that the situation has changed, he couldn't help shaking his head, "My child doesn't know either."

"Fan'er, you, are you willing to regard His Majesty as your own father?"

After hesitating again and again, Gu Xiaoya still asked out her thoughts, and Gu Fan wondered if there was something wrong with his ears, so he froze on the spot...

……

"Ya'er is really impatient, it's no wonder Gu Fan can accept it."

Li Changshou didn't leave at all, just hid in the dark.

He is extremely narrow-minded, and he is also curious about what he will say after he leaves.

Under the eavesdropping, he couldn't help laughing.

"Your Majesty, you are really wicked!"

Lin Luoxi rolled her eyes delicately, but her face showed a lot of interest, and her posture was more gossip than Li Changshou's.

Seeing that she was pregnant with Liujia and still didn't forget to gossip, Li Changshou couldn't help but roll his eyes. Of course, Lin Luoxi is not the only one who has a heart for gossip.

Looking back, good guy!
Bai Luoxian, who was also pregnant with Liujia, also came, and even Zhao Yinger ran over...

"You guys!"

Li Changshou can't laugh or cry, this woman's gossip is really strong!