Lan Jieyu was so angry she almost stood up from the ground.
"You...you're talking nonsense! You said the palace rules stipulate that both parties should be punished together, you said His Majesty would punish both of us! You're simply...distorting the truth!"
Gu Jiangli revealed a mocking smile.
"Is water in Lan Jieyu's ears, or is water in her brain?"
"Your Majesty's concubine did indeed tell you about the rules of the inner palace and relayed His Majesty's words to you."
"When I saw Consort Lan go to receive her punishment, I thought you had figured things out, but I didn't expect you to have misunderstood."
"Since you believe you are innocent, and you have already been tortured, and now you are making such a big fuss in front of the Empress Dowager, do you think His Majesty is at fault and that you have been wronged?"
Lan Jieyu's eyes widened in surprise.
She couldn't believe that Gu Jiangli could say such a thing.
"You, you are simply sophistry! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! You must not believe her words. She disregards palace rules and His Majesty's decrees, these are indisputable facts!"
Gu Jiangli remained calm, bowed respectfully to the Empress Dowager, and said:
"Your Majesty, many palace maids witnessed what happened that day."
"As I turned around, Consort Lan pushed me into the Taiqing Pool. If I hadn't been good at swimming, I would have died on the spot."
"The reason why Consort Lan did this was simply because she looked down on my background."
"She is the Prime Minister's niece and is related to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, so naturally she has a noble status."
"As for me, I am merely the daughter of a fifth-rank official, of lowly status."
“But after I entered the palace, I was granted the same rank as her, so she harbored many grievances against me.”
“After a few exchanges of words, he did such a vicious thing to me.”
"Your Majesty, you and His Majesty hold the reins of the nation, your minds are clear as mirrors, and your thoughts are quick. Naturally, you are better able to distinguish right from wrong than your humble servant."
"Lady Lan was dissatisfied with the Emperor's arrangement of her rank, but she vented her anger on innocent concubines."
"Your Majesty, I am but a humble woman, and my words carry little weight. I have no influence over the decisions of the Empress Dowager and His Majesty."
"But I believe that the Empress Dowager and His Majesty would not want to see the inner palace in turmoil and unrest. I dare to say..."
"I beg Your Majesty to demote me to the rank of a sixth-grade noblewoman. If I could be one grade lower than Consort Lan, I believe that what happened today will never happen again."
Gu Jiangli finished speaking at length.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The shock on everyone's face was unmistakable.
Gu Jiangli's words contained many hidden meanings.
Firstly, Consort Lan, relying on her noble birth and connections with the Prime Minister and the Empress Dowager, was dissatisfied with the Emperor's arrangement of her rank.
Secondly, Consort Lan was audacious and reckless, daring to kill the concubines in the palace.
Even the emperor's most favored concubines dared not question His Majesty's arrangements like Consort Lan did!
That alone is enough to punish her for the crime of disrespect!
Gu Jiangli stepped back two steps and humbly asked the Empress Dowager to demote her rank, her purpose being simply to restore peace to the harem.
Even the old nannies who had been in the palace for decades had never seen such behavior before!
Gu Jiangli remained calm despite the surprised gazes directed at her.
The calmer she remained, the angrier Lan Jieyu became.
"No...when have I ever been dissatisfied with His Majesty's arrangement of my rank? You...you're slandering me!"
"Whether I am slandering you or not, Consort Lan knows in her heart. You yourself said it to me, that the daughter of a mere fifth-rank official is of the same rank as you, and that I am not worthy."
"I am indeed unworthy. Otherwise, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager could demote me to the lowest rank of Ninth-Rank Consort. I think this rank would be a suitable match for Consort Lan."
"Yes, you are of noble birth and have the Empress Dowager's support. How can a woman like me, born into a humble family, be worthy of enjoying the same status as you?"
Consort Lan's face turned a deep shade of liver with anger. "You...I...Your Majesty, I didn't mean that!"
Every word Gu Jiangli uttered expressed her dissatisfaction with His Majesty's arrangements.
Every word and phrase was meant to link her to the Empress Dowager.
It was as if the Empress Dowager was intentionally protecting her if she said even one word in her favor.
However, the Empress Dowager was not actually related to Lan Huier at all. The Empress Dowager would never take on controversy for a descendant who was so distant!
Consort Lan looked at the Empress Dowager with trepidation; the Empress Dowager's expression was already quite unpleasant.
At that moment, Eunuch Liu's voice came from outside the door: "His Majesty has arrived—"
Everyone knelt down to pay their respects, and the Empress Dowager's expression also became much more composed.
"Why has the emperor come?"
Gu Jiangli frowned.
She wanted to ask too.
Why has the emperor come?
The emperor has never liked to interfere in the affairs of the inner palace, so it's really puzzling that he came here on his own initiative today.
The emperor walked in slowly, looking tired, and sat down next to the empress dowager.
"I came to see you. I hope the Empress Dowager won't be upset."
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "How could that be? It's always good if the Emperor comes at any time."
Gu Jiangli watched the conversation between the mother and son with surprise.
The relationship between these two... something feels off. There's absolutely no intimacy between them, only a sense of distance.
Just as she was wondering, Lan Jieyu couldn't wait to defend herself.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me! What Consort Gu said is all untrue. I have never been dissatisfied with Your Majesty's arrangement of my rank, nor have I ever thought that the punishment Your Majesty gave me was inappropriate. Those are all words Consort Gu used to frame me. Please, Your Majesty, investigate thoroughly!"
Lan Jieyu was both afraid and terrified.
Seeing how bad the Empress Dowager's expression was just now, he already seemed to be trying to distance himself from her.
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