"Your son greets Your Majesty."

Inside Zhaoning Palace, Gu Qingling knelt before Jiang Yu, looking somewhat reserved.

"Get up."

Jiang Yu stared at Gu Qingling for a while, her eyes flickering slightly. "You've been raised by Consort Rong since you were born. Even though you've lost your memory, you should still remember to visit her at Lingxi Palace often."

"Consort Rong?"

“Yes, that’s the night you broke into the palace.” Jiang Yu laughed. “Look at me, knowing you have amnesia I still let you go directly to Lingxi Palace. Come on, I’ll take you with me.”

Gu Qingling followed behind Jiang Yu, her expression twisting for a moment.

Was the Empress Dowager doing this on purpose, or...?

Before long, Jiang Yu and Gu Qingling stood in front of Lingxi Palace. "Consort Rong went insane after losing her son, and then for some unknown reason, her voice was poisoned and she lost her voice."

With each word spoken, Gu Qingling's heart jumped.

“In the past few years, your father has doted on Consort Rong, so all three of you siblings were raised under her care.” Granny Ling knocked on the gate of Lingxi Palace, and Jiang Yu immediately saw Consort Rong standing in the courtyard in a daze.

"Consort Rong, I have brought the First Prince to see you."

[I've brought your own son to see just how pathetic you are now.]

Consort Rong stared intently at Gu Qingling, then became agitated, extending her long fingernails to scratch Gu Qingling's face. This disobedient and unfilial thing had poisoned her and rendered her mute.

"Mother, I am afraid."

Gu Qingling forced a smile and hid behind Jiang Yu.

"Consort Rong treated you very well before, so she certainly won't harm you in the slightest."

“But the child is not her child, and she will not really treat the child well.” As soon as Gu Qingling finished speaking, Consort Rong’s fingernail was snapped off.

"Ling'er is right."

A meaningful smile appeared in Jiang Yu's eyes, and then she continued, "And Consort Yi, come, I'll take you to see Consort Yi again."

"I met Consort Yi at the banquet that evening," Gu Qingling said, somewhat reluctantly.

"No trouble at all. Consort Yi is pregnant with the emperor's child and is currently enjoying great favor. Your mother will take you to meet her, so you'll know what's going on in the future." Jiang Yu's words left no room for argument, causing Gu Qingyan to clench his fists. He realized that his mother was deliberately making things difficult for him.

First she took him to see Consort Rong, and now she's taking him to see Consort Yi.

Jinwu Palace.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Consort Yi, with her large pregnant belly, was quickly greeted by Jiang Yu. "Your health is not good, so there is no need for such formalities. Ling'er, come and greet your mother, Consort Yi."

If Gu Qingling truly had amnesia, she would surely be paying her respects to Consort Yi at this moment.

But Gu Qingling hadn't lost his memory. He knew that Consort Yi was just a commoner who had only gained favor with the Emperor by relying on his mother. How could he call such a person "Mother Consort"? Gu Qingling's expression began to falter.

"Ling'er?"

"Greetings to Consort Yi."

The moment Gu Qingling spoke, Jiang Yu felt a surge of pleasure.

Don't you like calling her "Mother Consort"? Then call her that more often.

"This concubine is unworthy of such a generous gift from the Crown Prince." Consort Yi's smile was also quite forced. For several days, she had been somewhat uneasy, fearing that Gu Qingling might have developed feelings for the child in her womb.

“Once your fourth brother is born, you must fulfill your duties as the eldest brother.” Every word Jiang Yu spoke was like a knife to Gu Qingling’s heart, telling her that Gu Heng had other choices besides him.

"I understand."

Before Gu Qingling could adjust her mindset, Jiang Yu's voice rang out again: "Ever since your father learned that your mother, Consort Yi, was carrying a prince, he has been eager to stay in Jinwu Palace every day."

Seeing that the atmosphere was getting increasingly strange, Jiang Yu finally left Jinwu Palace with satisfaction.

If she had any kindness left before, it has all vanished now that she knows about the long-standing feud between the Jiang and Gu families.

"Your Majesty, the First Prince has headed towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony."

Jiang Yu curled the corners of her lips. Gu Qingling was vengeful and would not let this go so easily after she had pretended to be crazy and left the prison.

"Return to Zhaoning Palace."

......

The Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Gu Qingling paused when she heard Jiang He's voice, then stepped into the hall as if nothing had happened.

"Your son greets Your Majesty."

"You've come at the perfect time." Gu Heng laughed a few times. "This is your uncle, the Marquis of Dingyuan in Daqing. He's going to lead his troops into battle tomorrow."

"uncle."

Gu Qingling stood obediently, letting Jiang He look her over.

"Did your mother take you to Lingxi Palace and Jinwu Palace just now?" Gu Heng didn't suspect anything, and even thought that Jiang Yu had already resolved the estrangement between her and Gu Qingling. "She came earlier than I expected."

"The Empress Dowager specially took me to visit Consort Rong and Consort Yi."

Gu Qingling felt a surge of frustration throughout her body, yet she had no choice but to put on an innocent smile. "After reading it, I had nothing else to do, so I thought I'd come to find Father Emperor."

"The eldest prince looks no different than before."

Jiang He's suspicion grew stronger; Gu Qingling's impeccable composure only fueled his suspicions.

"My dear minister, I will need you to teach Ling'er more in the future." Gu Heng was clearly in a very good mood. "Also, when Consort Yi's fourth child is born, you will need to train another person."

"Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your expectations."

The three talked for a while longer, then Cen Hai stepped forward and said softly, "Your Majesty, someone from Jinwu Palace has come to ask if Your Majesty wishes to have dinner?"

"Of course I'll go."

Gu Heng spoke without thinking, completely unaware of Gu Qingling's instantly darkened face, a scene witnessed by Jiang He.

"Father, I shall take my leave now."

Gu Qingling spoke softly, a slight smile playing on her lips. Even her father himself probably hadn't realized that his current affection for Jinwu Palace was almost as great as his previous affection for Lingxi Palace.

At that time, Lingxi Palace had two princes and one princess.

At present, Jinwu Palace only has one prince who is still in the womb.

A chill ran through her, and Gu Qingling's fingers involuntarily curled up.

"The First Prince."

As they walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Jiang He called out to Gu Qingling, who was walking forward with her head down.

"uncle?"

“If the Crown Prince wants to go to the military camp, he can go anytime.” Jiang He carefully observed Gu Qingling’s expression and then concluded in his heart that Gu Qingling was definitely faking madness.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Gu Qingling couldn't care less about Jiang He at the moment. His mind was filled with the image of his father leaving him behind to rush to Jinwu Palace. If this so-called fourth prince were to be born smoothly, would Gu Qingling still have a place in Daqing in the future?

He was not the Empress's child; his mother was only a concubine.

The unborn fourth prince's mother was at least a concubine.

He walked faster and faster, even though he had dealt with the fourth prince, his father would still have other sons.

Since that's the case, let's solve it once and for all.

A cruel smile appeared on Gu Qingling's lips, and even Qingyu behind her felt a chill run down her spine.