Inside the Cheng'en Hall.

A deathly silence.

Xiao Dingyuan clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on the direction Gu Jiangli had left in.

Only after Gu Jiangli's figure had completely disappeared from his sight did he speak in a low voice:

"Consort Shu, I have treated you well these past two years, haven't I?"

Consort Shu felt a chill run down her spine; it was the first time she had ever experienced His Majesty's indifference towards her.

Such indifference threw her into a panic.

Consort Shu: "Your Majesty has certainly treated me well, but today's matter is truly a misunderstanding. I never intended to target Consort Gu. Her feigned pitifulness was all a deception! When it was just the two of us, she was clearly not..."

Xiao Dingyuan: "Enough, I've heard enough of these words."

Consort Shu: "Your Majesty..."

Xiao Dingyuan: "Consort Shu, I have always thought of you as a gentle, generous, and magnanimous consort. But today, you have truly shown me your different side."

Consort Shu was quite anxious: "Your Majesty, I have never hidden my true nature. It was only because I saw Gu Jiangli today that I acted this way!"

But Xiao Dingyuan paid no attention to her rebuttal.

"I know you harbor deep resentment towards Consort Gu, but the suffering she endured in Yilan Palace is beyond your imagination. In any case, she paid the price for that child."

Even if Consort Shu was foolish, she understood the meaning behind the emperor's words: "Your Majesty has truly and completely forgiven Gu Jiangli, has he?"

Xiao Dingyuan did not deny it, but said, "I demoted her to a ninth-rank concubine back then as punishment. But now, I feel that the punishment has been enough. What does Consort Shu think?"

Consort Shu's eyes were red and her throat was choked with sobs.

What could she say?

Faced with the emperor's magnanimity, what right did she have to say that he would never forgive Gu Jiangli?

His Majesty threw the question at her just to hear her say that she would no longer target Gu Jiangli in the future, right?

Consort Shu gritted her teeth. "What does Your Majesty intend to do? Does Your Majesty wish to restore Consort Gu's status as a Zhaoyi (a high-ranking concubine)? Or will you bestow upon her an even higher rank?"

Xiao Dingyuan: "It's a bit inappropriate to promote her directly to the fourth-rank Zhaoyi. Let's first confer her the rank of fifth-rank Guiren."

Consort Shu: "But for Consort Gu, isn't a fifth-rank noble lady a direct leap of four ranks?"

Xiao Dingyuan raised an eyebrow and said, "Consort Shu, I am not discussing this with you. I am reminding you that from tomorrow onwards, the residence of Consort Gu will no longer be in Yilan Palace, but Consort Xian."

Consort Shu was startled.

His Majesty even wants to bestow a name upon her?

"His Majesty......"

"At the same time, Consort Shu, I also hope that you can let go of the past. Although Consort Xian's rank is still lower than yours, she is still a concubine in the harem and my woman. I do not want any more strife in the harem. Do you understand?"

Consort Shu's face was pale.

"Your Majesty, I understand. Please forgive me, but I have another question for you." These words made her throat feel bitter.

Even the day she lost her child was not as heartbreaking as today.

"What?"

"Is Your Majesty so fond of Consort Gu because Master Liu said she is a celestial being sent to give birth to a child, or because Your Majesty is truly in love with her?"

Xiao Dingyuan glanced at her, feeling a pang of pity, but quickly dismissed it.

"There's no point in asking this."

Consort Shu clenched her fists tightly.

Although she didn't get a definite answer, she already understood.

"Your Majesty, I understand."

Consort Shu's eyes concealed a deep killing intent.

————

Yilan Palace.

After seeing Wen Deqing off, she and Hehua went into the room and immediately dismissed everyone else.

Lotus asked with concern, "My lady, what happened? Did Consort Shu bully you?"

Gu Jiangli shook her head.

There were no outsiders here, and she didn't want to pretend anymore; the smile on her face was impossible to hide.

“She didn’t bully me. His Majesty arrived just in time and protected me.”

Lotus breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew, that's good. I know about your past grievances with Consort Shu. Today, she deliberately summoned you and dismissed all the palace maids to be alone with you. I thought she had ill intentions towards you!"

"Don't worry, no one can hurt me right now."

Lotus swept away the gloom on her face and smiled brightly in the blink of an eye, "This servant knew that His Majesty would never let you suffer again, my lady."

Gu Jiangli then instructed Hehua, "Hehua, His Majesty is very good to me, but from now on, you will have to follow my arrangements and do some things that go against His Majesty's will."

Lotus scratched the back of her head. Although she didn't understand why her mistress did this, she was sure her mistress had her reasons.

"This servant will obey your orders, Mistress!"

————

In just two hours, Xiao Dingyuan's men arrived at the entrance of Yilan Palace.

However, the Yilan Palace, which had been released from confinement, was now tightly closed, as if to say that it would not receive any visitors.

Xiao Dingyuan raised his hand, and Wen Deqing stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Only one palace maid who looked foolish came out.

"Lotus, His Majesty has arrived. Have your mistress come out to greet him."

Lotus looked worried and knelt down before Xiao Dingyuan, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, but my mistress is unwell and I'm afraid she will not be able to see you."

Lotus was afraid, after all, she had never done anything that went against the emperor's will.

These were the words spoken by the junior bishop. Since the junior master had asked her to do this, he would certainly not harm her.

Xiao Dingyuan frowned deeply.

Lotus trembled slightly in fright. Just as she thought His Majesty would be angry, he asked in a rather worried tone:

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