The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 1697 - 1672: Caution

Although Manbao couldn’t help her plead, she still came up with a lousy idea, "Just pester her, if His Majesty still doesn’t agree, you roll on the ground, he’ll have no choice but to agree."

Changyu: ... Somehow I feel this is a bad idea.

Mingda also thought so, and gave Manbao a little push, "Stop joking with Sister Changyu."

Changyu thought for a long time, realizing she had no other options besides this method, so she sighed and during dinner, avoiding the Empress, she sneaked off to chat with her Father Emperor.

The Emperor was quite happy, after all, it was rare for the father and daughter to sit and talk together, but after only a short conversation, Changyu started talking about how handsome she found the Goryeo envoy she saw a few days ago.

Since her Father Emperor already knew they had gone to see them, there was no need to pretend to hide it.

The Emperor could guess what she wanted with just his big toe, feeling somewhat vexed.

Of course, Changyu wasn’t just being coquettish, this afternoon, Manbao and Mingda did help her come up with some reasons to persuade the Emperor.

Mingda said, "You could say it’s to mend relations between the two countries; since Goguryeo sincerely proffers tributes, clearly they mean well, so why shouldn’t Father Emperor reciprocate generously?"

Manbao added, "I see that Goguryeo has only come to pay tribute after many years, which shows they might still harbor ill will; therefore, it might be better to bring them into the Imperial Academy, educate them, and let them return to enlighten the masses, also letting their monarch and ministers witness the grandeur of Great Jin."

Changyu had a headache, "You two give completely opposite reasons, which one should I use?"

Mingda covered her mouth with a smile, "Say Manbao’s first, then mine, this is called suppressing first, then enhancing."

Manbao nodded, "That’s right."

Before leaving, Manbao still expressed her displeasure towards Gao You and the others, "I really don’t know what you see in them, the Imperial Academy has so many talented individuals."

"I like faces," Changyu said, "The bookworms in the Imperial Academy aren’t fun at all."

But Manbao didn’t think they were bookworms, on the contrary, due to Bai Shan and Bai Cheng, she often interacted with them, and even found them overly lively.

Neither could convince the other, in the end, Manbao returned to the Eastern Palace, while Changyu contemplated how to appeal to the Emperor.

The Emperor initially wanted to decline directly, but upon hearing that Changyu even brought up state affairs and spoke so logically, he couldn’t help but ask her, "Who gave you this idea?"

Changyu didn’t want to betray her friends and sisters, so she shook her head, "I thought of it myself. Father Emperor, do you think what I said is right?"

The Emperor pondered without speaking.

Changyu then shook his hand and said, "Father Emperor, please agree with me, after all, it’s just a few spots in the Imperial Academy, and since they’re foreign envoys, even if checked by the Three Departments, there would be no fault."

The Emperor said, "You even know about the Three Departments?"

"Father Emperor~~" Changyu shook the Emperor’s hand, looking at him eagerly.

Ultimately, it was a rare request from his daughter, after pondering for a while, the Emperor nodded, "Alright, let them go to the Four Gates Academy to study, and once they succeed, let them return to enlighten their people."

Changyu was delighted, "Father Emperor, you’re the best!"

"Now can you tell me who taught you to say these things?"

Seeing her father’s expression was still okay, not appearing angry, Changyu laughed and said, "It was Mingda and Manbao who taught me."

Mingda was one thing, but what was with Zhou Man?

The Emperor frowned, he had just told her off, and then turned around to teach Changyu to plead?

He glanced sideways at his silly daughter, and asked, "When did they teach you?"

"This afternoon. It took me quite a while to organize the language, Father Emperor, aren’t I great?"

The Emperor nodded absentmindedly, "Great, alright, you may go back now, tomorrow I’ll have the Honglu Temple make arrangements."

Once Changyu left, the Emperor said to Gu Zhong, "Go and inquire among the attendants who served the two princesses this afternoon, about how Zhou Man instructed them?"

Gu Zhong knew the Emperor was somewhat angry with Zhou Man’s double-dealing, and quickly withdrew, returning much later with a difficult expression.

He repeated the conversation heard by the attendants today, and even the Emperor was caught between being angry or amused, "It turns out she complained to me out of preference, and gave Changyu advice out of friendship?"

Gu Zhong smiled and comforted, "Your Majesty, the princesses and Lord Zhou Junior are still young, without the stubbornness of the older statesmen, naturally thinking impetuously."

Then he laughed, "I think that Lord Zhou Junior gave the princess advice because they are friends and couldn’t refuse."

The Emperor wasn’t very angry now, after all, Zhou Man had clearly told Changyu that she had just complained to him, so it wasn’t really two-faced, but he still snorted.

Gu Zhong added, "But Lord Zhou Junior is indeed clever, to come up with such a good excuse in such a short time."

The Emperor glanced at Gu Zhong, "You seem to have a good opinion of Zhou Man."

Gu Zhong’s back straightened, and though he felt tense inside, he appeared relaxed and regretful, saying, "It seems Your Majesty saw through it. With a smart girl like Lord Zhou Junior, who wouldn’t like her? I watched the two princesses grow up, and seeing Lord Zhou Junior, I find her innocent and lively, somewhat akin to the princesses."

The Emperor had brought it up casually, and hearing Gu Zhong’s explanation, he smiled and nodded, "The palace is filled with cunning officials, it’s rare to have someone young and simple come in, it’s refreshing."

Gu Zhong smiled amiably on the surface, but inwardly thought, it seems I can’t appear too close with Zhou Man in the future.

Meanwhile, Gu Zhong’s apprentice had just brewed medicinal packets, and when Gu Zhong returned to his room after attending to the Emperor until he fell asleep, his apprentice immediately brought forward a sealed foot-soaking bucket, "Master, today when I delivered Lord Zhou Junior to the Eastern Palace, she gave me a medicinal packet, saying it’s for your foot soak, to relieve pain and dispel rheumatism."

Gu Zhong was taking off his shoes as he said, "Haven’t I told you not to soak medicines anymore? If the smell gets out and is noticed by the masters, it won’t be good."

His apprentice said, "Don’t worry, Master, look at this wooden bucket, it’s designed by Lord Zhou Junior. When the lid is on, the smell is much weaker, and after soaking your feet for a while and opening the window, little will waft out."

"The medicinal packet was brewed in the kitchen, the smell doesn’t carry here, you can rest easy while soaking."

Sympathetically, "These days as it turns colder, Master’s been kept up at night from the pain."

Gu Zhong said no more, letting his apprentice remove his shoes and socks before soaking his feet in the medicinal bucket. He sighed comfortably and advised, "In the future when receiving things from Lord Zhou Junior, be discreet and don’t spread news of our close connections with Lord Zhou Junior, got it?"

His apprentice hesitated for a moment before complying, "I remember, from now on I’ll keep it in my heart."