Gu Jiangli's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
satisfy?
What are you satisfied with?
"Your Majesty...what are you satisfied with?"
She asked innocently, but her unease was growing stronger.
The emperor curled his lips into a self-deprecating smile: "Zhang confessed her crimes and faced death, and Gu Jiangru only has a month left to live in the cold palace. Are their fates enough to quell the hatred in your heart?"
Gu Jiangli felt as if he had been struck in the heart by a heavy hammer.
She took everything into account, except for the emperor's wisdom.
The emperor had already seen through his scheme against Gu Jiangru when he first plotted against her in Lanfang Palace.
He rose from the son of a maid to the throne through countless schemes and cunning tactics.
How could the emperor not see through my tricks?
He figured it out, but said nothing, and once again cooperated with her in taking revenge...
"His Majesty..."
"The person in the entire harem who most longed for this child was the Empress Dowager, and the person who most abhorred witchcraft was also the Empress Dowager."
“If a child is lost and it is linked to witchcraft, it can be punished without even a very thorough investigation.”
"The swaddling clothes were found in Aunt Zhang's room, and the doll was found under the peach tree in Lanfang Palace. These two things alone are enough to sentence the mother and son to death."
"And I am merely a witness who recognized the source of your clothing, am I?"
Gu Jiangli shook his head helplessly, "Your Majesty, you've really misunderstood..."
"Li'er, do you hate me? Do you hate me for not finding out the truth about your mother's murder and letting her commit suicide out of guilt? Do you hate me for not overturning the case for her after her suicide and for not clearing her name?"
"No...I have never..."
How could she possibly hate the emperor?
The culprits were Gu Jiangru and Aunt Zhang, who helped Gu Jiangru.
How could she possibly direct that hatred at the emperor?
"But you are using this child to punish me."
Gu Jiangli paused, her face blank, letting large tears slide down her cheeks.
The emperor looked into her eyes, as if trying to see into her heart.
"Li'er, it was you who told me to move on from that lost life and embrace a new one. It was you who said that the child was not meant to be with me, and that sooner or later a child who was meant to be with me would become my son."
"I did as you said."
A bittersweet feeling filled Gu Jiangli's heart.
He remembered everything she said to him in order to win the emperor's favor and complete her mission.
At this moment, I feel like a traitor.
"When you were pregnant, I thought that Heaven had truly forgiven me, and that the dead child had also forgiven me."
"And you, Li'er, you hate me."
"When did you start planning to use this child in your womb as a bargaining chip to get him to help you with your revenge?"
When the emperor looked at her, there was no blame in his eyes. His pupils were surrounded by bloodshot veins, and he was enveloped in immense grief, making it hard for people to breathe.
Gu Jiangli felt as if a pair of large hands were gripping his throat, and all his explanations crumbled in the face of such genuine emotion.
"Li'er, the day you found out you were pregnant, you asked me to bring Consort Zhang into the palace. Was it from that moment that you started planning all of this today?"
The emperor's eyes were filled with tears that blurred his dark pupils, but they did not fall.
Gu Jiangli was also affected by his pain, and her heart began to clench with pain.
"From the moment you found out you were pregnant, you planned to use this child as a tool for revenge, didn't you?"
Grief is like a mountain.
Gu Jiangli could clearly sense that the emperor was on the verge of collapse.
She reached out to take the emperor's hand, but the emperor instead grasped her fingertips.
"Li'er, from the very beginning, you never intended to give birth to this child, did you?"
The emperor's voice trembled, and even the hand holding Gu Jiangli's trembled.
"No...no..." She wanted to deny it logically and convincingly, but all she could manage to say was a dry "no."
The emperor was about to speak when scalding hot tears dripped from his eyes onto the back of Gu Jiangli's hand.
"Li'er, in your heart, has there ever been even a little bit of affection for this child?"
"Or rather, have you ever... even the slightest bit... liked... me?"
All the things said before were not as shocking and alarming as the last question.
The emperor's eyes have shown no trace of reproach towards her to this day.
When I asked that question, it was with only a humble expectation.
She wanted to speak, but her lips moved only slightly before she could only swallow a mouthful of bitter saliva helplessly.
Her prized acting skills were completely useless at this moment.
Faced with her silence, the emperor lowered his head.
"I understand."
The emperor withdrew his cold hand.
"Heaven has never forgiven me..." These words sounded like something the emperor was saying to himself.
A cool breeze blew in through the doors and windows, and snowflakes were blown into the room.
Gu Jiangli felt a sudden chill.
"Your Majesty..." Her voice didn't sound like it was coming from her throat at all.
The emperor stood up as if he hadn't heard.
"Consort Gu, you were pregnant for the royal family, but you suffered a miscarriage. Your body is now weakened and depleted. As compensation, I will promote you to the rank of Zhaoyi."
"The Yunguang Palace will soon be fully renovated. Once you have recovered, you can move back there. That will be your bedroom."
The emperor's sudden change in how he addressed her made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
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