Chapter 38 The Player in the Game, No Path to Choose From
Upon hearing this, Gerile was also startled. "Is the Empress Dowager so intolerant of me?" Tears fell involuntarily, whether from fear or something else, it was unclear.
"You don't understand, you don't understand. Back then, Empress Dowager Hailanzhu suffered too much, and the late Emperor suffered the same way. So, even the slightest hint about the matter of exclusive favor can cause him to lose control. I dare not gamble on it."
"Gerile, why don't you speak to the Emperor?"
No matter how much Gerile didn't want to, she still needed the Emperor's permission to speak up.
The Emperor always kept quiet about this matter, and whenever she brought it up, he would leave under the pretext of state affairs.
“Aunt, I did mention it, but the Emperor was unwilling.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager trembled, her eyes filled with even deeper sorrow as she looked at her niece with loving eyes.
I regret it.
"Gerile, hurry up and get pregnant." She hoped that her aunt would let Gerile go for the sake of the child.
She shouldn't have let Gerile get involved at this time; she shouldn't have.
The Empress Dowager was very clever; she immediately understood the Emperor's intention after hearing Gerile's words.
No wonder he immediately made Gerile a concubine after seeing her; now I understand.
“Aunt.” Gerile was startled by the Empress Dowager’s words. “I’m still young. If I get pregnant now, I’m afraid…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but she believed her aunt would understand.
The Empress Dowager understood, "If you don't get pregnant, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you." The Empress Dowager was even more anxious than Gerile at this moment.
"Gerile, it's all my fault. If I had known, I shouldn't have let you enter the palace so early." I regret it so much.
I was so blinded by the Empress Dowager's promise that I made such a wrong decision.
If Gerile were to enter the palace next time, with his character and appearance, he would certainly be able to establish himself in the harem, instead of being used as a pawn in the power struggle between his grandfather and grandson, as he is now.
"My poor Gerile." Now that she's in the inner palace, no one outside can interfere anymore. It's all her fault that she ruined her poor niece.
"Aunt, don't cry. Maybe we have other options." Gerile was very calm at this moment, as if she wasn't the one who was about to die.
"What other choice do we have?" The Empress Dowager was puzzled, but upon hearing this, a hint of surprise and hope appeared in her eyes. "Who else in this harem can help us?"
The Empress Dowager would definitely choose the Emperor over Gerile. Now that the Empress Dowager wants Gerile dead, who else can save her Gerile?
Gerile gently patted the Empress Dowager's hand, then whispered a name.
"Would she be willing?" Although I've spent a lot of time with her, I know a bit about her personality.
Although she won't side with the Empress Dowager, she will definitely side with the Emperor. So, can she really help Gerile?
"Aunt trusts me, the Empress will definitely help us." As for where Gerile got her confidence, it was because she believed that she had a great deal of profit to tempt the Empress.
It wasn't that the Empress Dowager didn't believe in Gerile's abilities, but she wasn't familiar with the Empress and didn't know her well, so how could she be so certain?
"Do you have something on the Empress?" the Empress Dowager asked uncertainly.
Gerile shook his head. "No, but Aunt, you've forgotten that I have the Khorchin Grassland behind me. If Her Majesty the Empress is a smart person, she should know how to make the right choice."
The Empress now has a legitimate son by her side. As long as she is willing to make plans for her son, she cannot refuse any offer of help.
Fanghua had no idea that someone underestimated her so much, thinking that the interests of a Mongolian tribe could sway her.
"But, but if it really comes to that, you'll never have another chance to get pregnant."
Everyone's smart enough to know how to eliminate future troubles.
The Empress wasn't stupid. If she really used this as a bargaining chip, Gerile would never be able to have any children of her own again. She believed the Empress was capable of doing such a thing.
"Aunt, let's save your life first. What's the point of talking about the future if you lose your life?" Gerile didn't want to be pregnant at all. No matter what her reasons were, she had a 50% chance of dying now that she was pregnant.
Therefore, she naturally wouldn't gamble on the other 50% chance.
The Empress Dowager seemed to be persuaded by Gerile and agreed with Gerile's request to ask the Empress for help. "You haven't moved into the inner palace yet, so it's not easy for you to see the Empress. Why don't I have someone invite the Empress over?"
The Empress Dowager said that she was thinking of Gerile wholeheartedly.
"No need, Aunt. The day for paying respects to the Empress will be coming soon. I believe the Empress will not want me to embarrass her again. I will find an opportunity to ask the Empress for help when I pay my respects."
It has to be said that Gerile is really smart.
She is also very meticulous.
Naturally, it was also quite bold.
People who don't understand much dare to gamble their lives like this.
They're not afraid of being sold out and then helping the seller count the money.
Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager cherished her even more than Gerile had imagined.
After she left, he ordered someone to invite the Empress.
Fanghua never expected that the Empress Dowager would send someone to invite her.
She inquired with the old nanny and learned that it was the Empress Dowager herself who had invited her, and she smiled.
"Please wait a moment, Granny. Chenghu has just woken up and is very fussy. Would it be alright if I calm Chenghu down and then we go to see the Empress Dowager together?" Fanghua asked the visitor very politely.
The nanny by the Empress Dowager's side was naturally willing to give the Empress face. Besides, that was the eldest son of the legitimate wife. Everyone knew that Prince Chengrui was useless. In the future, Prince Chenghu would be the eldest son of the legitimate wife and would be extremely noble.
Not to mention her, even the Empress Dowager could wait.
"Your Majesty is too kind. Offspring are important. This old servant will wait."
Fanghua didn't say anything more, nodded, and returned to the back hall.
As soon as she got back, she immediately called Xiaofeng over, "Do you know what happened?"
Qiaoling was left alone in the room to serve her, since she needed someone to help her change her clothes. Besides, she had already subdued the senior palace maids around her, so she wasn't afraid of them knowing certain things.
Xiao Feng was much smarter than she was in front of outsiders at this moment. "Master, the Empress Dowager summoned Consort Hui today."
Could it be said that it was very well-behaved today, didn't leave Kunning Palace, and therefore doesn't know much about the outside world?
"I see. It seems that this aunt and niece have seen through some things. Alright, Xiao Feng, keep an eye on Cheng Hu. I'm going to Cining Palace later."
Fanghua didn't keep the nanny waiting long; she came out with her entourage in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.
When she arrived at Cining Palace, she did not go directly to the Empress Dowager's palace, but first went to pay her respects to the Grand Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager looked very unwell. After hearing that the Empress had paid her respects and inquired about the reason, she was sent directly to the Empress Dowager's residence.
However, after Fanghua left, the Empress Dowager asked Su Ma, "What did Qiqi want to see the Empress for? Do you know?"
The Cining Palace is only so big, and it houses two masters. So, if anything happens there, everyone will know.
Although Su Ma didn't know what the Empress Dowager and Consort Hui talked about, she could guess some of it.
"In the morning, the Empress Dowager met with Consort Hui. When Consort Hui left, her eyes were a little swollen."
It has to be said that there are truly no secrets in the imperial harem.
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