The Empress Dowager rebuked, "When palace servants make mistakes, the Empress, who holds the Phoenix Seal, is in charge of dealing with them. Besides, Lotus is not a servant in your palace. You are overstepping your bounds by punishing her privately. Are you not at fault?"
Gu Jiangru hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty was just heartbroken because the jade pendant was broken, and I couldn't help but act on it."
"But when my elder sister came to my palace, she maliciously beat me to avenge the palace maid. Does that mean my elder sister did nothing wrong?"
Gu Jiangli pretended to squeeze out tears as well, "Empress Dowager, please don't be so harsh on my sister. Actually, I couldn't help but hit her a little too hard."
"Actually, my purpose in coming to Lanfang Palace was not to harm my sister, but simply to find out the truth."
"However, my sister wasn't too keen on talking about what happened today, and in the ensuing scuffle, the gift His Majesty gave me was torn..."
Gu Jiangru jumped up from the ground in a panic: "What shoving? What nonsense are you talking about? Did I break anything of yours? You slapped me the moment you walked in! Everyone in Lanfang Palace saw it!"
She simply couldn't stand Gu Jiangli's blatant lying.
I thought Gu Jiangli had just admitted to hitting someone, but I didn't expect he was hiding something else!
But the Empress Dowager seemed not to notice any of that. Upon hearing the word "pushing," she was already terrified.
"What? You two even started pushing and shoving?! Are you hurt anywhere?" She put her arm around Gu Jiangli's shoulder, looking him up and down, her expression extremely anxious.
"Outrageous!" The Empress Dowager roared at Gu Jiangru, "Consort Gu is pregnant, and you actually pushed her! If the child in her womb is hurt, your heads won't be of any use!"
Gu Jiangru had just jumped up from the ground when the Empress Dowager scolded her, causing her to shrink back and immediately kneel down again.
"Your Majesty... I had no idea my sister was pregnant, and... we didn't push each other at all!"
"As for the claim that I damaged anything, sister... that's simply not true!"
"Sister is slandering me! There are so many eyes in Lanfang Palace! Everyone can testify for me!"
She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Why can Gu Jiangli tell lies as if they were the truth?
Why can she make such a pitiful face when she's lying?
Why did the Empress Dowager believe her even though it was clearly a lie?
Gu Jiangru cried uncontrollably, partly from anxiety and partly from anger.
Gu Jiangli gave a cold laugh, but quickly withdrew his smile.
She pretended to walk up to Gu Jiangru, forcefully pulled her up from the ground, gently wiped away her tears, and said softly:
"Little sister, don't cry. I don't blame you. It's all my fault. I was too impulsive."
"It was because my sister heard some of the things you said that she became too anxious and angry, which is why she hit you."
"It's all my sister's fault, so let's stop making a fuss and not upset the Empress Dowager, okay?"
Gu Jiangli's look of disgust appeared on the other half of her face, which was not swollen.
"What...are you talking about?"
Gu Jiangru felt like she was about to vomit.
Never in her life had she felt so disgusted.
However, the faint smile on Gu Jiangli's lips made her feel a sense of unfamiliarity and fear, which quickly suppressed the nausea.
Gu Jiangli held her hands and said, "Sister, stop making a fuss. You are my sister. The Empress Dowager is kind-hearted. As long as you admit your mistake, she may forgive you."
"Admit your mistake? Sister, are you crazy?" Gu Jiangru looked at Gu Jiangli's fake face, her anger completely exceeding her reason.
"What did I do wrong? You're the one who hit me! You're the one who ruined my face! What did I do wrong?!" Gu Jiangru shouted indignantly.
The Empress Dowager sighed and shook her head. It seemed that she would have to teach this arrogant Consort Gu a lesson today.
Gu Jiangli shrank back, as if she had been startled.
She held Gu Jiangru's hand tightly. "Sister, you wrongly accused Hehua of hitting someone first and then shoving me and damaging my things. I won't hold any of that against you. Let's... shake hands and make peace, and stop arguing, okay?"
Gu Jiangli's hand was on Gu Jiangru's wrist, pinching an acupoint and applying pressure.
Gu Jiangru was both angry and anxious, and the pain in her wrist fueled her rage.
She recalled the feeling of helplessness she had when Gu Jiangli slapped her, and instantly used all her strength to try to pull her hand out of Gu Jiangli's grasp.
"Let go!"
She shouted, and Gu Jiangli released her grip. Gu Jiangru's arm swung in a huge arc in the air, making it look as if she had forcefully pushed Gu Jiangli away.
Gu Jiangli exclaimed in surprise, "Ah—!"
He was pushed back several steps.
"Consort Gu!"
"My lord!"
Screams of alarm came from both sides.
She fell backward, trying to brace herself with her elbows to protect her head.
Suddenly, her feet left the ground, her body felt light, and after a dizzying spin, a familiar face appeared before her eyes.
The emperor was breathing rapidly, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face showed unprecedented panic and tension.
Gu Jiangli's heart skipped a beat.
She had never seen the emperor with such an expression before. Even in the original owner Gu Jiangli's memories, the emperor had never shown such a fearful look.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the Imperial Physician Wang following behind the Emperor.
The doubt was thus resolved.
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