[Is Consort Rong pregnant? Didn't she always say that she was determined not to have her own children for the sake of Gu Qingling and the other two?]

Jiang Yu's brow twitched slightly. In her previous life, Rongfei never had another child until her death. In this life, she was pregnant so early?

Those three ungrateful wretches reaped what they sowed; it's truly gratifying.

Jiang Yu was happy to watch the commotion at Lingxi Palace from the sidelines. She immediately ordered the palace servants of Zhaoning Palace to have less contact with Lingxi Palace, lest they be implicated and blamed at any time.

"Your Majesty, if Consort Rong is pregnant... I'm afraid this matter will have to be dropped." Granny Ling said indignantly. The Liu family had committed such a shameless act, yet they were now using pregnancy to exonerate themselves.

"Get Liu Yuelian away quickly." Jiang Yu's expression turned disgusted at the thought of Liu Yuelian. "Gu Qingyao is probably more affected by the news that Consort Rong is pregnant."

[Oh dear, Consort Rong is pregnant, and another imperial concubine selection is coming up soon. This drama is getting more and more exciting.]

Inside Zhaoning Palace, Jiang Yu leisurely sipped tea, while in the Imperial Study, Gu Qingyan frequently glanced at Gu Qingfeng out of the corner of his eye.

Gu Qingfeng was clearly distracted, and in just a few months, he had become so thin that he was practically skin and bones.

After school, Gu Qingyan silently followed behind Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng stopped in his tracks, a bitter look appearing on his face.

"Did you need something from me?"

That woman won't look for him. She didn't even ask about his kidnapping. Why would she need to find him?

"I want to know why Father Emperor ignores Mother and dotes on Consort Rong instead."

Gu Qingyan didn't think Consort Rong had anything special about her. It wouldn't be easy for a palace maid who served Gu Heng so closely to rise in rank.

“Because Consort Rong saved my father’s life.” Gu Qingfeng’s fingers trembled involuntarily. “I overheard my father and Consort Rong talking. Consort Rong saved my father’s life during an autumn hunt.”

Gu Qingyan felt it was absurd; why was Heaven treating his mother this way?

Her husband attributed the debt of saving her life to others and treated her mother like dirt. Her three biological children were raised to only be close to others, and her mother, who was bedridden for ten years, also spent ten years scheming for these same people.

“Gu Qingyan, sometimes I think, if it weren’t for Consort Rong, would things have turned out differently?” Gu Qingfeng turned to look at Gu Qingyan. “Father and Mother would be loving and affectionate, and the three of us siblings would be the happiest children in the world.”

"Gu Qingyan, doesn't it feel wonderful to be cherished and pampered by her?"

Tears streamed down Gu Qingfeng's face. He had done too many wrong things, and even stepping into Zhaoning Palace had become a luxury.

"Please, don't treat her like we did."

Gu Qingyan laughed, "Gu Qingfeng, in my opinion you are a coward. You say you regret it but you don't even have the ability to protect her. You only know how to wallow in self-pity. You are not worthy to appear in front of the Empress Dowager."

Am I not worthy?

Gu Qingfeng watched Gu Qingyan's departing figure for a long time before finally moving his numb legs.

Gu Qingyan is right. Before this, he had never thought of protecting that woman.

He is not as good as Gu Qingyan.

......

Granny Ling finally understood that as long as the Third Prince and the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence were safe and sound, the lady would not fight or grab anything else.

She was extremely cold to the emperor and her own princes and princesses, wishing she could sever all ties with them.

As for Consort Rong, the Empress didn't even give her a second glance.

"Your Highness, the imperial concubine selection will be held next month. The Ministry of Rites has already submitted the list of candidates." Ling Mama held a thick booklet, thinking that Jiang Yu probably wouldn't even know how to flip through it.

As expected.

"Take it directly to Lingxi Palace." Jiang Yu didn't even lift her eyelids. "Send an imperial physician with you, so as not to disturb Consort Rong's pregnancy."

If only being empress allowed for a divorce, I could simply take Ayan back to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence.

"By the way, also clean up all the palaces in the harem. The young ladies are all pampered noblewomen at home, so it's not good for them to be mistreated when they enter the palace."

In this second life, as long as no one bothers her, Jiang Yu will stay home and live her own life.

What nobility, glory, and bloodline—to her, they were nothing but mirages in the sea.

What Jiang Yu didn't know was that someone would help her get back all the grievances she had suffered in the future.

Lingxi Palace.

Faced with the silent Gu Qingling, Consort Rong was unusually weak, and even Gu Heng, who was standing to the side, did not know how to speak.

“It’s a good thing that Consort Rong is pregnant.” Gu Qingling’s gaze toward Consort Rong was not as affectionate as before. “Consort Rong, just take good care of yourself and give me a younger brother.”

"Ling'er, it's not what you think." Consort Rong reached out to grab Gu Qingling, but Gu Qingling dodged her. "This pregnancy... was really an accident."

Gu Qingling found it laughable; nothing had happened in all these years, yet an accident had to occur during such a turbulent time.

"I naturally trust Consort Rong, so I won't disturb her pregnancy. I'll go see Yao'er."

They told them with absolute certainty that they would not have their own children, but would treat them as their own and always be good to them.

But what about now? They've drifted apart from their birth mother, and their adoptive mother has her own child.

Gu Qingling quickened her pace, and soon Consort Rong could no longer see her. Consort Rong felt uneasy, "Your Majesty, has Ling'er really taken a grudge against me?"

“Rong’er, it would be entirely beneficial for us if they went to get close to the Empress at this time.” Gu Heng was obviously much calmer. “It would be best to have the Empress reconsider her plans for the three of them and give them everything from the Dingyuan Marquis’s mansion.”

"But... what if they no longer depend on me..."

Consort Rong was heartbroken. She had no feelings for the child in her womb, which was not yet fully formed, but the three children in front of her were the ones she had truly raised little by little.

“Rong’er, the status of being born of the Empress is too important.” Gu Heng lowered his eyes. “If Ling’er and Feng’er were not born of the Empress, the entire court would only call for Gu Qingyan to be made Crown Prince.”

The status of being born of the legitimate wife is too important, and the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion is also too important.

Consort Rong was stunned by the sight; it was the first time she had ever seen Gu Heng like this.

"Then I...I won't stop them from going to Zhaoning Palace."

Pregnant with this child resolved her current predicament, but Consort Rong was still somewhat confused. Was it really worth it? Because of this child, she felt estranged from her three siblings.

She completely pushed her own child into Jiang Yu's hands.

Zhaoning Palace.

"Your Majesty, the princess is causing a scene in the Dragon and Phoenix Palace, crying and demanding to see you," Wanji's voice broke Jiang Yu's feigned sleep.

"See me? No."

A lazy voice rang out, but the surrounding palace servants were already used to it.

"Just say that I am feeling unwell and go to Lingxi Palace to invite Consort Rong over."

"So you only think of coming to me now? It's too late."