Gu Jiangru, sobbing, led the Empress Dowager in. As soon as she entered, she pointed at Gu Jiangli with one finger, as if trying to identify her.
But Gu Jiangli beat her to it, quickly running to the Empress Dowager's side, giving a slight bow, as if she hadn't heard their conversation outside at all, her eyes glistening with excited and happy tears, and said:
"Your Majesty, I was just about to come to you. I have some good news to tell you."
The Empress Dowager's originally cold expression changed instantly. She turned around and saw the excited Imperial Physician Wang kneeling beside her. A sense of joy suddenly arose in her heart.
She grabbed Gu Jieyu's forearm, her expression anxious, "What good news?"
Gu Jiangli smiled shyly, everything was understood without words.
Could it be...?
The Empress Dowager's voice trembled slightly as she turned her gaze to Physician Wang.
"Imperial Physician Wang, is it Consort Gu...?"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, Consort Gu is one month pregnant." The wrinkles around the eyes of Imperial Physician Wang deepened.
Gu Jiangru's body stiffened as if struck by lightning, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
The Empress Dowager clutched her chest, worried that she might be overwhelmed by the excitement.
"really?!"
Gu Jiangli nodded and said, "Your Majesty, I have been feeling weak and have little appetite lately, so I thought I would ask the imperial physician to take a look. I didn't expect that I am pregnant."
The Empress Dowager smiled, her eyes glistening with tears. "Good...good...the Emperor finally has an heir."
Gu Jiangli touched her lower abdomen, her face gentle and full of maternal love, "It is my blessing to be able to bear children for Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager smiled broadly and quickly pulled Gu Jiangli to sit on the edge of the bed. "Don't stand up. You're heavily pregnant now, so you mustn't overexert yourself."
Gu Jiangli nodded obediently.
The Empress Dowager turned to Physician Wang and said, "Physician Wang, quickly go and tell the Emperor this good news! The Emperor will be very happy!"
Physician Wang smiled, overjoyed.
This is the first concubine in the harem to become pregnant! If he were to personally tell the emperor the news, the emperor might be so pleased that he would reward him handsomely!
This is a great job, and he's been waiting for it for ages.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go immediately."
Gu Jiangli watched the Imperial Physician Wang's retreating figure with a smile.
Go ahead, go ahead.
If you go to the emperor at this time, he might just happen to witness a grand spectacle.
As the imperial physician Wang passed by Gu Jiangru and walked out of the palace, Gu Jiangru swayed as if a passing gust of wind could blow her over.
She stared at Gu Jiangli in disbelief, unable to understand why.
Why?
Why is it that she hasn't gotten pregnant despite being favored for so long, while Gu Jiangli has been living in Guangming Palace for only a month and is already pregnant with His Majesty's child?
Gu Jiangru's eyes were bloodshot, her heart filled with hatred.
Gu Jiangli naturally noticed her gaze, but still pretended to be innocent and asked the Empress Dowager:
"By the way, Your Majesty, is there something important that you have come to Guangming Palace to see me today?"
The Empress Dowager then realized that her original intention in coming to Guangming Palace was not to congratulate Consort Gu on her pregnancy.
She looked at Consort Gu, whose face was red and swollen, sighed, and said:
"Consort Gu, tell me yourself, what happened?"
The Empress Dowager, who was originally immersed in joy, couldn't help but feel a little impatient when she thought of how Consort Gu had thrown a tantrum and begged her to make a decision.
Consort Gu, her eyes filled with tears, suddenly knelt on the ground, wailing and crying out:
"Please, Your Majesty, do justice for me! My sister barged into Lanfang Palace without any explanation and slapped me several times without saying a word. The servants around us... no, the palace maids, dared not stop her because of my sister's status."
"She is my elder sister, and I dare not retaliate. I just can't understand what hatred could make my sister hate me so much that she would go so far as to disfigure me!"
Like weeping and lamenting, grief penetrates to the bone.
Gu Jiangli just wanted to roll her eyes in her mind.
It was clearly Gu Jiangru who couldn't beat her, so why did it sound like she was reluctant to fight back because of her status as her sister?
They even said it would disfigure me. It'll just be swelling for ten days or half a month. It's not like I can't recover.
This exaggerated skill is consistent with her character.
The Empress Dowager frowned as she listened, and touched Gu Jiangli's hand, asking kindly, "Consort Gu, is what your sister said true? If you have been wronged or misunderstood, tell me, and I will stand up for you."
Gu Jiangru's eyes widened.
Why did the Empress Dowager suddenly change her mind so quickly, even abandoning justice, simply because Gu Jiangli is pregnant?
Gu Jiangli chuckled inwardly.
She guessed the Empress Dowager's attitude.
In fact, after the Empress Dowager learned that she was pregnant, her desire to protect herself became quite obvious.
But you still have to play your part fully.
She lowered her eyes, stood up from the bedside, then knelt down, lifting the hem of her skirt, her expression sorrowful and dejected.
"Your Majesty, Consort Gu is telling the truth. The injury on her face was indeed inflicted by me."
The Empress Dowager ignored what Gu Jiangli was saying and immediately helped her up from the ground.
"Gu Jieyu, what are you doing? From now on, no matter what it is, you don't need to kneel, lest you hurt the child in your womb."
"Thank you for your understanding, Empress Dowager. It was indeed I who did what my sister did. I... maliciously beat a concubine in the harem, and I am willing to accept the punishment."
Gu Jiangru didn't expect Gu Jiangli to confess so easily, and immediately cried even louder.
"Your Majesty! Since my sister has already admitted it, I beg Your Majesty to do me justice."
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