Watching Gu Qingfeng's departing figure, Gu Qingyao shed tears of despair.

Gu Qingling's expression immediately changed, as if the brother-sister relationship she had with Gu Qingyao over the past ten years was all an illusion. She even showed a look of disgust as she looked at Gu Qingyao. "Gu Qingyao, don't ruin Feng'er's future."

Gu Qingyao opened her mouth again and again, but the "elder brother" that she used to say so easily was now impossible for her to utter.

On the other side, Jiang Yu, who was walking on the palace road, spoke after a long while, "The princess's ban has been lifted, and there is no need to keep her locked up in the Dragon and Phoenix Palace anymore."

"yes."

[Gu Heng and Consort Rong have pressured Gu Qingyao to this extent, and even Gu Qingling has become extremely cold-hearted. Yet, she insists on releasing Gu Qingyao, allowing her to move freely in the public eye, keeping everyone involved in a state of constant anxiety.]

"Furthermore, spread the word to the ladies in the capital that if any family holds a banquet, they should invite the princess. I also want the princess to make more friends."

Does Gu Qingyao feel sorry for her now that she's fallen so low? Jiang Yu closed her eyes; this is what Gu Qingyao deserves.

That night, Gu Qingyao had a very long dream.

In the dream, the Empress Dowager did not adopt Gu Qingyan, but devoted herself entirely to the three siblings.

Most importantly, in her dream, no matter how close she was to Consort Rong, she was still her mother's daughter and the legitimate princess of Daqing.

However, she, Gu Qingling, and Gu Qingfeng acted like demons, using the adoption of Consort Rong to blackmail the Empress Dowager, making the Empress Dowager bear all the blame for them and be cursed as a demonic empress by the people of Daqing.

In her dream, her mother was always bedridden, and Consort Rong seemed to be the true mistress of the harem.

Gu Qingyao was a little anxious. She wanted to tell the self in her dream not to treat her mother that way and to be a good daughter to her mother, but no matter how she shouted, the scene in the dream continued to roll on without any effect.

Finally, her eldest brother ascended the throne, and she and her second brother were both given titles. However, her eldest brother turned around and honored Consort Rong as Empress Dowager, while imprisoning their mother in the Cold Palace.

Gu Qingyao watched in horror as her eldest brother ordered the execution of their mother. In her dream, she saw her and her second brother forbidding their mother from being buried in the imperial mausoleum, and instead leaving her body exposed in the wilderness.

And then there's Gu Qingyan... He angrily berated the three siblings for being unfilial, and ultimately died at the gates of the Cold Palace.

Gu Qingyao woke up with a start, her whole body covered in cold sweat.

So, the mother in the dream was killed by those three people?

Gu Qingyao laughed wildly as if she had gone mad, alarming the palace servants outside. Gu Qingyao frantically pounded the bedding, wondering why she treated her mother that way in her dream.

Suddenly, Gu Qingyao fell silent.

Gu Qingyan!

The Empress Dowager's attitude towards the three of them suddenly changed, and she adopted Gu Qingyan as her son, wholeheartedly thinking about Gu Qingyan. However, the three of them also suddenly began to hear the Empress Dowager's inner thoughts.

Gu Qingyao's mind had never been so sharp. She recalled Jiang Yu's cold and ruthless gaze and realized something.

The scene in the dream... Did Mother really experience it...?

The three of them really did cause the Empress Dowager's death once.

Even breathing became difficult. Gu Qingyao slapped her face repeatedly. No wonder her mother no longer had any expectations for the three of them. No wonder her mother called them ingrates.

"What's wrong with the princess? Quickly, summon the imperial physician."

Her cheeks were swollen from being slapped, but Gu Qingyao seemed oblivious to the pain. The commotion in the room alerted Gu Qingling, and when Gu Qingyao saw Gu Qingling rushing towards her with her clothes disheveled, she smiled strangely.

"Your Highness, do you know? We are all sinners."

Gu Qingyao pointed upwards with her finger in a nervous manner, "Even the gods three feet above our heads know that we are ungrateful bastards."

"Therefore, we are destined to have no good ending."

Gu Qingling's heart skipped a beat. "Gu Qingyao, have you gone mad?!"

"Hahahahahahaha! Your Highness, you will be the one who suffers the most, you will be the one who suffers the most."

Gu Qingyao was overjoyed. Her second brother had changed his ways, but the Crown Prince in front of her was the only one who remained—this selfish and self-serving Crown Prince.

"I'll wait and see what happens to you."

......

The extent of Consort Yin's favor was beyond everyone's expectations. In less than half a month, Consort Yin was promoted to the rank of Noble Lady again and given the title of Yi.

This forced Consort Rong to even keep up with her daily greetings, just so she could say a few more sarcastic remarks to Noble Lady Yi in Zhaoning Palace.

"Your Majesty, I've noticed that the other young ladies who recently entered the palace don't look as good as before, except for Noble Lady Yi." Consort Rong deliberately flaunted her already showing belly, as if showing off something.

"It seems that Long En really does nurture people."

[This Consort Rong comes to my palace every day, is it just to harass Consort Yi?]

Jiang Yu rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking that Consort Rong had been too easy to deal with before, but now that she had suffered a setback, she had completely lost her composure.

“I don’t think Consort Yi can respond to what Consort Rong said,” Jiang Yu said, trying to help Consort Yi out of the predicament. “His Majesty has not only favored Consort Yi in the past half month.”

Upon hearing this, Consort Rong's face turned even uglier. The Emperor had not only summoned Consort Yi, but he had only visited her Lingxi Palace three times and had not stayed overnight once!

It seems Gu Heng has tasted the sweetness of favoring his new concubine and has left the pregnant Rong Fei aside. It's true what they say, men are often fickle.

"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation." With a single glance from Jiang Yu, Consort Yi immediately knelt cautiously before Consort Rong.

The next second, Gu Heng walked into the room and helped Consort Yi up. "Rong'er, you're being childish again."

Consort Yi looked at Gu Heng like a frightened little rabbit, which completely aroused Gu Heng's protective instincts. "Consort Yi is new to the palace and does not know the rules. Rong'er, please be more tolerant."

Seeing that Consort Rong's eyes were red with anger, Gu Heng did not pull her into his arms and coax her gently as usual.

"Empress, I heard you lifted Yao'er's ban?" Gu Heng asked casually.

"I thought that Yao'er is, after all, the legitimate princess, and I was heartbroken to see her condition a few days ago." Jiang Yu's expression was well-controlled. "So I lifted the ban and let Yao'er go out of the palace to relax more."

"It's good that the Empress has this intention." Seeing that Jiang Yu didn't suspect anything, Gu Heng felt relieved and turned his gaze to Consort Yi. Consort Yi was gentle and had the same charm as Rong'er back then.

The peaceful days that followed were short-lived. Gu Qingyao seemed to have reverted to her previous arrogant and domineering nature, even going so far as to cause trouble at the Princess Yu's banquet by pushing the Princess Yu's own grandson into the lake.

However, the people from Prince Yu's residence all had rather strange expressions when they came to Zhaoning Palace to report:

"The princess specifically instructed me to report to Her Highness that the princess said it was Consort Rong who taught her to do that."

Jiang Yu almost burst out laughing. Gu Qingyao, well done!