Drive a RV and go farming in ancient times.

At night, Gu Huanxi told Xu Huaiyi all these bits of news one by one. After listening, he didn't say anything and his face was calm, as if he was an outsider who had heard other people's gossip.

"Don't you feel bad?"

Xu Huaiyi slumped on the sofa with his limbs relaxed, holding a bag of rice crackers in his hand, eating them intermittently, "What's the matter? I don't care about it anymore."

Hearing this, Gu Huanxi laughed and teased, "Have you finally come to your senses? I thought you would worry about them for the rest of your life, housekeeper..."

Xu Huaiyi sighed, "I'm busy all day long, and I can't take care of myself. I can't even take care of you and your mother, so how can I have the energy to worry about others? Ever since Xu Huaili took advantage of the situation to spread rumors about you and Su Zhe, the only connection between him and me has been severed. Let alone being captured to serve in the army, even if he dies in front of me immediately, I won't care..."

"As for the others, it would be wise for them to return to Qingzhou. There is no place for them here. There are houses and fields in my hometown. As long as there is no drought next year, I can survive and I won't be criticized by others..."

"It's normal that Xu Huailian and Xu Huaiyu don't want to leave. After seeing the prosperity and wealth of the capital, how many of them would be willing to give it up? They have to try their best. Before, Xu Huaili held them back. Without him, those two might really be able to find a place to stand."

Gu Huanxi reminded, "Xu Huaiyu wants to take the shortcut of becoming a son-in-law. Aren't you afraid that he will get you into trouble again?"

In ancient times, people looked down upon son-in-law who married into the family. Any man with a little ability would not choose this path. After Xu Huaiyi came to the capital, not many people around him used this to belittle and attack him. One reason was that with his modern thinking, he did not care much about the identity of a son-in-law. He was open and honest, and even proud of it instead of ashamed. He simply blocked the way for others to laugh at him.

Secondly, it is because he climbed the career ladder too quickly, demonstrating skills and abilities that others did not have. This made people fear him and unwilling to offend him easily. So, due to these two reasons, his identity as a son-in-law was intentionally or unintentionally downplayed and few people mentioned it.

But if Xu Huaiyu also became a son-in-law, someone with ulterior motives could take advantage of this and bring up the old things again, mocking the two brothers for their self-degradation and saying that they were of the same bloodline, etc. Even if these words could not attack Xu Huaiyi, it would be very annoying to hear them too often.

Xu Huaiyi said indifferently, "Let him be, I don't care."

After saying that, he couldn't help but sneered, "Do you really think this shortcut is easy? You will regret it when you suffer a loss. Do you think everyone is as lucky as me, who can meet a reasonable father-in-law and a gentle and virtuous daughter-in-law?"

Finally, he didn't forget to brag about himself and others.

Gu Huanxi teased, "Just don't feel like you've suffered a loss."

Xu Huaiyi said seriously, "How could that be possible? It's obvious that I'm the one who got the biggest advantage. I don't know how delicious it is to eat this free meal!"

Gu Huanxi was amused by him.

Xu Huaiyi also raised the corner of his mouth with a happy expression, pulled her to his side, and stroked her palm. His tenderness at this moment was speechless, but it was better than any sweet words.

Two days later, Mr. Jiang and Doctor Jiao's carriage slowly drove into the city gate.

Gu Huanxi got the news and had already made preparations. He estimated the time and took the children to the gate to greet them.

When they saw people, the children excitedly bowed and greeted them. Gu Huanxi walked forward to exchange a few words of greeting, then urged everyone to go back to the house before continuing the conversation.

It's freezing outside, so it's not a good idea to stay out any longer.

There was a fireplace in the house, and the fire was burning brightly. Compared to the outside, it was as warm as spring.

As soon as everyone came in, they took off their cloaks. Several children took off their hats and gloves with laughter. Jiang Yi had been away for more than two months, and when they met again, they were very intimate and chattered about their experiences.

Mr. Jiang and Doctor Jiao were old after all, and inevitably had a bit of fatigue on their faces, but they had no time to rest. After drinking a bowl of hot tea, they couldn't wait to ask about things in the capital.

Gu Huanxi would naturally not hide anything and told everyone everything, including the current tense situation.

After listening to her, Mr. Jiang and Doctor Jiao looked at each other, both of them with worried expressions on their faces.

Doctor Jiao couldn't help but pounded his leg and sighed, "How did it come to this? It's too sudden. It's only been three months..."

If they had come back a few days later, would a fight have broken out in the capital?

Mr. Jiang frowned and said, "It seems sudden, but in fact, it is all hidden dangers buried for years, but it just broke out now..."

Doctor Jiao looked at him and asked in a low voice, "Did you feel that the Chu Palace had ulterior motives before?"

Mr. Jiang said calmly, "He is also a prince, and the legitimate son of Emperor Wu. His mother's family is a truly famous and prestigious family. Several decades ago, although the Liu family did not follow Emperor Wu in his conquests, they did a lot to help him consolidate his throne after he settled in the capital. Otherwise, the daughter of the Liu family would not have become the founding queen. The King of Chu suffered from his young age, otherwise..."

It is still uncertain who will rule the country now. When Emperor Wu passed the throne to the late emperor, it was actually a helpless move. After all, the late emperor was the only legitimate son among the adult princes at that time. If he was not chosen, the newly established Dayong Dynasty might fall into internal strife. In fact, to be disrespectful, the late emperor's qualifications were indeed mediocre.

Fortunately, after he became emperor, he was not stupid and had self-awareness. Whenever he encountered major events, he would always consult the cabinet for their opinions and never acted arbitrarily. This is why the country remained stable for more than 20 years.

Who wants now...

I still can't avoid it. What is coming will come. It's a pity that I am old now and no longer as wise and brave as before. It's really worrying.

Doctor Jiao muttered, "If only the emperor had taken action earlier..."

At that time, the Chu Palace certainly did not have the strength to rebel like it does now, so it was easy to get rid of it, and it would not cause unrest in the world and the people would suffer.

Mr. Jiang snorted with an ambiguous tone, "Not to mention the earlier years, even now, he might not do that. Our emperor is the one who advocates ruling the world with filial piety, and he also values ​​his reputation after death. How could he be willing to do something that would destroy his reputation?"

"You mean the Empress Dowager?"

"What else? With her around, the emperor has to be cautious."

Otherwise, it would not be the Imperial Guards simply besieging without attacking.

“But things have come to this point, there must be a result, right? The south and the north still have to fight, the situation is already serious, and if there is internal strife, then Dayong…” Doctor Jiao couldn’t continue, his eyes full of worry and uneasiness.

Mr. Jiang looked at Gu Huanxi and asked, "Among all the civil and military officials in the court, is there no one who can advise against it?"

Gu Huanxi smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Anyone who dared to speak out was reprimanded and dismissed from office."

Mr. Jiang asked again, "Where are the princes?"

Gu Huanxi poured cold water on him again, "Everyone is under house arrest, there is no movement."

Mr. Jiang's expectations were dashed, and he could not suppress the loss and powerlessness. "At a time like this, as a prince, how can you not have the responsibility and courage? If you avoid trouble when it happens, what will happen in the future..."

I have to say that Gu Huanxi was also quite disappointed. Although those princes would definitely end up in trouble if they stood out now, it was really unbearable to see them all being so cowardly. They were seeing chaos was about to happen, but they were still doing nothing. How could they be kings in the future?

She couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Jiang, from what you see, is there any way to break the situation?"

It's not a solution to keep on being stuck in this stalemate.

Mr. Jiang thought about it and shook his head, "It's too late. One of them will get hurt..."

Hearing this, Gu Huanxi suddenly became nervous, "So, are we really going to fight?"

Mr. Jiang was very secretive and said, "That may not be the case. The timing is still not ripe..."

Gu Huanxi was thoughtful.

At night, she told Xu Huaiyi these words, "What do you think it means?"

Xu Huaiyi pondered, "When Mr. Jiang said it was too late, he probably meant that both Emperor Jianxing and the King of Chu were being framed, and neither of them was willing to give in or compromise first, otherwise where would they save face? Besides, the King of Chu had so many arms chopped off by Emperor Jianxing, he must be full of hatred and want to retaliate, just like now, creating banditry and chaos everywhere to ruin the emperor's reputation. This is venting his anger. If Emperor Jianxing doesn't fight back, where is the dignity of the emperor?"

"So, one of them must be injured before the situation can be resolved. Let's wait and see. I estimate that Emperor Jianxing is about to make a move. I don't know what big move he is holding back. To be honest, I am very nervous and a little scared. I am afraid that he will do something too ruthless and directly blow up the Prince of Chu's Palace. In that case, even if we don't want to fight, we will have to fight..."

Gu Huanxi said, "Mr. Jiang said that the time is not yet ripe..."

Xu Huaiyi nodded, "Mr. Jiang should mean that Emperor Jianxing still has many years to live, and is not yet foolish enough. If they fight now, the Chu Palace has little chance of winning. Moreover, they are not justified, and if they force the emperor to abdicate, they will be infamous for eternity. Unless it is absolutely necessary, they will certainly not want to take this step. It is best to wait until Emperor Jianxing is about to die and the old and the new will take over. By then, he will get rid of the adult princes in advance, leaving only a few young ones, and then support an obedient one to take the throne. He will be the regent and wait for a few years. After all the power is consolidated, it will be the best time to ascend the throne."

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to wait!”

"Don't worry, maybe someone is more anxious than us."

Gu Huanxi didn't react for a moment and looked at him in confusion, "Who?"

Xu Huaiyi suddenly felt less stressed. "Meng Yao, she is the one who is most afraid of history being rewritten. How can she not be anxious to resolve the current situation?"

Gu Huanxi suddenly realized.

Xu Huaiyi was eager to try, "Let's see how she thinks of a way to turn the situation around. At the very least, don't let things get chaotic in the next few years until we have completely dealt with the Japanese pirates and the Tartars."

Hearing this, Gu Huanxi also looked forward to Meng Yao's actions.

However, before she could take any action, she heard that something happened in the Prince Chu's Palace.

The incident was quite a big deal and caused an uproar.

No one knew who had poisoned the well, but most of the people in the palace collapsed in an instant. Those with serious illness died before the imperial physician could treat them. Those with less serious illness were given mung bean water and emergency induced vomiting, and they managed to save their lives, but they were weak and collapsed on the ground, unable to get up. It was said that their stomachs were damaged, and there would be sequelae in the future that would affect their lifespan.

Not only the servants and guards in the mansion were poisoned, but also the masters. At the final count, more than a dozen masters died, including five grandchildren of the King of Chu. The children were young and had weak resistance, so it was very difficult for them to survive.

However, the King of Chu and the Prince of Chu were fine. It was rumored that they did not eat much and had antidotes nearby, so they were safe and sound. However, their relatives died or became sick. How could their mental state be good after such a blow? It was said that they were so grief-stricken that they vomited blood.

The surrounding guards remained on high alert, but the imperial doctors in the palace went in and out without anyone stopping them.

The atmosphere in the capital became even more tense.

Gu Huanxi felt like his heart was walking on a tightrope, trembling and not daring to relax at all.

After Xu Huaiyi found out, he complained bitterly, "Is Emperor Jianxing going crazy? He actually had people poison the well. Is he trying to exterminate the entire Chu Palace? Why not just chop them all up? The charges are already there. Raising private soldiers and colluding with foreign enemies are enough. What's the point of poisoning in secret? Has he forgotten his own identity? For an emperor to resort to such means, he is so low. Does he think everyone else is a fool? You can guess with your eyes closed that he was the one who did it..."

"This is a discredit to yourself. And since you've already poisoned them, why not just go all the way and poison them to death? That wouldn't be cruel enough. The two who deserved to die the most were fine. What's the point of letting a bunch of insignificant people fall, other than irritating the Chu Palace and giving them a reason to rebel?"

"Look, the Chu Palace will strike back soon. And the Empress Dowager has been in the palace for so many years, how could she not have some backup plan? Who knows how many nails she has buried. Emperor Jianxing is courting death!"

"What's going on with Meng Yao? Did I guess wrong? Is she not going to intervene?"

No matter how anxious Xu Huaiyi was, he was powerless. He could only remind them again and again to close the door and refuse visitors, and not to get involved in anything. If there was any trouble and a fight really broke out, they should gather people and resist if they could. If they couldn't, they should hide in the cellar he built. There was food and drink in the cellar and it was very safe.

Gu Huanxi agreed to all of them.

The next day, she ordered all the corner gates in the mansion to be closed. Since there was no food or vegetables to buy outside, everyone should just stay at home.

However, he still had to continue to gather information. Han Jun had his own channels and was well aware of all the major and minor events happening in the capital.

Soon, she heard that Meng Yao had entered the palace, but no one knew what she said in the palace.

But soon afterwards, the morning court was stopped. It was said that Emperor Jianxing was also poisoned and the poison was quite serious. He was unconscious for most of the day. More than a dozen imperial doctors surrounded him and tried their best to rescue him before he woke up.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards were searching for the person who poisoned the palace. For a while, the palace was in a state of panic, and everyone was on high alert. The bodies of eunuchs and palace maids were constantly carried out, and the smell of blood lingered in the air.

Finally, suspicion pointed directly at Cihe Palace.

Cihe Palace, that is the palace where the Empress Dowager lived.

The incident escalated again.

Gu Huanxi was somewhat skeptical about the truth of this matter, and he muttered to Xu Huaiyi at night, "What do you think, was Emperor Jianxing really poisoned, or was it staged by himself?"

Xu Huaiyi thought about it and frowned, "It's possible. It's hard to say..."

Gu Huanxi actually believed that the emperor staged the incident himself, with the purpose of clearing himself and turning the tables. She expressed her guess and said at the end, "Maybe Meng Yao came up with the idea for him?"

Xu Huaiyi thought, "If I direct and act it myself, it won't be easy to fool everyone. Not all the people in the Imperial Hospital are the emperor's men. There must be people who are loyal to the Prince of Chu's Palace. If the emperor is not poisoned and is exposed, it will be a joke."

"so?"

"I guess the most likely scenario is that he played along and there was an element of acting, but the poisoning should also be real, though not as serious as what is being said outside."