Chapter 86: Failure at the Last Moment
Gu Huan straightened up instantly.
She made up her mind and spoke very quickly: "I have often heard people praising the Empress Dowager, and I have great respect for her, but today I have seen her face, and it is completely different from what people have heard.
The Empress Dowager has concluded that it is my fault without asking any questions. It is a small matter that I was beaten unjustly, but has the Empress Dowager also disregarded my father's reputation, the Duke of Yong's reputation, and the justice of the world? ”
In her early years, the Empress Dowager supported the emperor, who was not her biological son, to ascend the throne and controlled the government from behind the scenes. After the emperor took power, the two of them continued to compete secretly and seize real power from each other. This was something everyone in Bianjing City knew.
Even when Wenchang Marquisate was in decline, it was once the leader of the civil servants.
Duke Yong is the head of the five organs.
The Empress Dowager could punish a powerless little girl because of Jiang Ruoxi, but she could not ignore the impact on the court officials.
The Queen Mother raised her eyebrows and looked at Jiang Ruoxi: "So you are quite eloquent. No wonder you can't win against her."
Jiang Ruoxi felt wronged: "Ruoxi is considering the face of the royal family, how can she argue with a woman from a merchant town?"
Gu Huan kowtowed heavily to the ground, and when she looked up again, there was a big red and swollen bump on her forehead.
She didn't care about that anymore.
Fifty slaps would knock her unconscious on the spot, and she would die again with a fabricated excuse.
"Your Highness, there was a reason for the dispute between me and the county lady. Please allow me to explain. Otherwise, I will be wrongly beaten to death, but it will be a big deal to tarnish your reputation."
The Empress Dowager looked at her, then at Jiang Ruoxi, who avoided her gaze.
"No, it was just that Ri Xier accidentally broke one of her jade hairpins..."
Gu Huan immediately interrupted her: "What the county lady said is not true. I was supposed to give that piece of jade to my cousin's wife, but the county lady took it and smashed it for no reason. I asked the county lady to compensate for the cost, but she refused and has not compensated her to this day. Everyone who was present at the time can testify to this."
"You are slandering me! You bitch, you are slandering me!"
Jiang Ruoxi jumped up in anger and pointed at Gu Huan's nose and started cursing.
Gu Huan's lower abdomen was in unbearable pain. She held her abdomen with one hand and supported herself on the ground with the other hand, continuing to refute with all her strength.
"As a county lady, you have received the grace and guidance of the emperor. However, you are speaking rudely and ruining the reputation of the Empress Dowager. Are you worthy of the Empress Dowager's careful guidance?"
"you!"
Jiang Ruoxi was so angry that her face turned red.
How could the empress dowager, who had been in power for so many years, not know the importance of the matter?
The Queen Mother looked at the girl who was about to collapse but was trying to hold on, and her tone became gentler: "I have wronged you. Quickly help the second Miss Gu up and give her a seat."
All the blood in Gu Huan's body suddenly dissipated, and she almost fell to the ground.
The palace maid came forward to help her up. Her legs were trembling and her head was dizzy. She quickly sat down on the embroidered cushion handed to her by the palace maid.
"Great aunt..."
Seeing that the Empress Dowager let Gu Huan go so easily, Jiang Ruoxi stamped her feet in anxiety.
The Queen Mother glared at her and said, "Be patient."
"Duke Yong has arrived." The eunuch announced.
Jiang Ruoxi was overjoyed: "So my great aunt had already..."
The Queen Mother stopped her from speaking with a look, not keeping her composure at all.
Looking at the seemingly delicate girl, she was extremely shrewd and courageous. In comparison, she outshined Jiang Ruoxi, whom she had taught so carefully.
She was a little worried whether Jiang Ruoxi could control Mu Junyan. Gu Huan raised her eyes and saw a tall and familiar figure walking in from the opposite corridor.
For no reason, her heart suddenly calmed down. With him around, she should be able to survive.
The two looked at each other, but before they could make eye contact, Jiang Ruoxi jumped up excitedly and ran over.
"Brother-in-law, you are here."
Mu Junyan avoided her hand without leaving a trace and glanced at Gu Huan quickly.
The blood had drained from her face and her clothes were soaked with sweat.
Chi Yan came to report that she had fainted in the carriage. He was about to go and see her when he was summoned to the palace by the Emperor. After just chatting for two quarters of an hour, the Empress Dowager sent someone to summon him, saying that there was something important to discuss.
His Majesty naturally would not stop him and let him come.
He didn't expect that Gu Huan was also summoned into the palace.
It looked like she couldn't bear it anymore.
Mu Junyan retracted his gaze and bowed: "Your humble servant greets the Queen Mother."
"We are all family. There is no need to be so polite. Please take a seat." The Queen Mother's face was full of kindness.
Mu Junyan still stood there, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "I have something important to report to His Majesty. I wonder what instructions the Empress Dowager has for you?"
The Queen Mother was used to his attitude and didn't care. She smiled and said, "When Ruoxi talked about your bravery and fighting skills, we were all excited. When we heard that you entered the palace, we summoned you to come and tell me about it."
Mu Junyan frowned, "I have been discussing national crises and military affairs with Your Majesty, so I have no time to talk to the Queen Mother to relieve her boredom."
The Queen Mother looked embarrassed.
But it just can't happen.
"I wonder why the Empress Dowager summoned Gu Huan to the palace?"
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Xi'er mentioned that your daughter-in-law has a younger sister who is temporarily staying at the Duke's Mansion, and praised her like a flower. I was so curious that I summoned her to the palace to take a look."
Mu Junyan didn't want to talk to her. "Gu Huan fainted in the mansion today. After all, she is my daughter-in-law's sister. If anything goes wrong, I can't report to the Wenchang Marquis' Mansion. Please allow me to take her back, Her Majesty."
The Empress Dowager's expression changed for a moment, but soon returned to normal. "I saw that the little girl looked unwell, and was just about to order someone to send her back."
Mu Junyan immediately strode towards Gu Huan.
Gu Huan was so excited that she tried hard to stand up. Suddenly, there were a few screams and a plop.
Gu Huan turned around and saw Jiang Ruoxi had fallen into the pond and was struggling hard.
The palace maids all around were in a panic, looking for sticks everywhere to rescue the person.
The Queen Mother stood up in shock and said, "Jun Yan, hurry up and save Xi'er. No one here can swim."
Mu Junyan frowned.
Gu Huan suddenly lifted her skirt and rushed over. Seeing the bottomless lake, she felt a little scared.
Every time she saw water, she subconsciously recalled the fear of suffocation before death.
The weather is cool in early autumn, and the water is even colder.
But if Mu Junyan went into the water to save people, he would be targeted by the Empress Dowager and would have to marry Jiang Ruoxi.
Her body was worthless. If she saved Jiang Ruoxi, the Empress Dowager would feel embarrassed to embarrass her again, and at the same time, she would help Mu Junyan out of trouble.
It's worth it to take a risk and get the guilt of both parties.
Everyone was stunned. Before they could react, Gu Huan jumped down with a plop and quickly grabbed Jiang Ruoxi's hand.
Mu Junyan's eyes darkened, and he leaped up and followed suit.
Jiang Ruoxi was pushed down by someone. In panic, she grabbed a hand and climbed towards the person in a panic.
The Queen Mother and everyone on the shore were stunned.
"Come quickly, save them." The Queen Mother shouted in panic.
Gu Huan was already shivering from the cold, and was instantly entangled by the drowning man like an octopus. Jiang Ruoxi also kicked her hard in the waist, and she almost lost consciousness from the pain.
She couldn't hold on any longer and sank into the water, but at the last moment she held onto Jiang Ruoxi's feet and pushed them upwards with all her might.
But this push actually pushed her deeper into the lake.
Someone who could swim came and hurriedly grabbed Jiang Ruoxi who was pushed to the edge of the waterside pavilion. The calm surface of the lake seemed to explode.
The icy lake water surrounded Gu Huan from all directions. Her whole body was freezing cold, her hands and feet were stiff and she couldn't move. Her ears and mouth were filled with lake water and she couldn't breathe.
Whether it was her body, her senses, or the memories of her near-death experience, they all made her lose the strength to support herself. Her limbs drooped limply and she slowly sank.
Mu Junyan was an expert swimmer. He dived up, but found that Gu Huan's shadow was no longer on the lake. He felt as if his heart was hollowed out for some reason, and panic and anger filled his chest.
Suddenly, he saw ripples on the lake not far ahead. He quickly dived into the water and saw a person waving his arms vigorously.
At the last moment before Gu Huan lost consciousness, the pain of struggling to survive in humiliation for two lifetimes flooded into her mind. She was finally reborn, and she was unwilling to give up.
She bit her lip hard, and the pain helped her regain some consciousness, and she stretched her hand towards the water.
Suddenly, I felt strong arms around my waist, and my head quickly emerged from the water. I didn't care about being choked and tried hard to open my mouth to breathe.
The cold body was held tightly in a warm embrace, and I opened my eyes dazedly.
Mu Junyan.
It was him...
Mu Junyan carried the person ashore. The palace maid handed him a blanket and wanted to take the person in his arms. Unexpectedly, he pulled the blanket over to wrap the person in his arms, turned over, and patted her back gently.
After spitting out a mouthful of saliva, Gu Huan felt that she was finally alive.
"Bring another dry blanket." Mu Junyan said in a deep voice.
At this moment, no one dared to make things difficult, and soon, the palace maid brought a dry blanket.
Mu Junyan quickly untied the wet blanket, pulled over a dry blanket and wrapped her up like a dumpling. He didn't care about the Empress Dowager's expression, nor did he look at Jiang Ruoxi who was rescued, and he just carried her away sideways.
The Empress Dowager was stunned for a moment, then looked at the crying Jiang Ruoxi and sighed.
"Useless stuff!"
In the end, all efforts were in vain!
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