Jinghe Palace.
Both the emperor and Gu Jiangli had medicine in front of them.
One bowl is for preventing miscarriage, two bowls are for treating illness.
Gu Jiangli downed the medicine for preventing miscarriage in one gulp, and the emperor also drank his medicine without hesitation.
Seeing the emperor drink the medicine so readily, Gu Jiangli felt quite relieved.
He does seem to want to live a good life now.
"Xiao Anzi said that His Majesty has already visited Cixi Palace?"
She still brought it up.
Xiao Anzi was left in Jinghe Palace by the emperor to take care of her. Liu Feng and Xiao Anzi often communicated, and many news items were told to her by Xiao Anzi.
The emperor did not deny it, "I went, and I also told the Empress Dowager about Chu Tan'er's desire to become Empress Dowager."
"What did the Empress Dowager say? Will she side with His Majesty?"
The emperor was somewhat dazed and replied, "I don't know, but she has always favored Tan'er. Perhaps in her eyes, my life is not that important, and she might choose Tan'er instead."
Gu Jiangli could hear the disappointment in his words.
Although she hadn't noticed how close the Emperor was to the Empress Dowager before, she would probably still be heartbroken if she wasn't chosen by her mother at this time.
At this moment, Liu Feng appeared outside the door. He hesitated several times, clearly having something to say.
Gu Jiangli saw him and immediately called him in.
"Eunuch Liu, please speak frankly about what's on your mind."
Liu Feng hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and approached Gu Jiangli and the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort, and the Empress Dowager... quietly left the palace half an hour ago."
Gu Jiangli was startled and immediately turned to look at the emperor.
The emperor closed his eyes, as if he had expected this, and gave a self-deprecating smile. "I understand. You may leave."
"Yes." Liu Feng left with a worried expression.
Looking at the emperor's expression, Gu Jiangli could easily guess the reason for his pain.
The Empress Dowager had not stepped out of the palace for many years. If she were to leave the palace now, it could only be to find Chu Tan'er.
But she only went out after learning about Chu Tan'er's plans from the emperor.
Therefore, the Empress Dowager's choice becomes obvious.
She chose Chu Tan'er, her stance firm and her actions decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
She had to choose between her son and her daughter.
Gu Jiangli put her arms around the emperor's shoulders and whispered in his ear:
"Your Majesty, they have made their choice, and we should make ours too."
"It's alright, I will always be with you."
The emperor slowly raised his hands and embraced her back.
He didn't speak, but opened his eyes again, his gaze becoming even more resolute.
————
Outside the palace.
A luxurious carriage was parked outside the Ma residence.
A light drizzle was falling from the sky. A woman wearing a white cloak was helped down from the carriage and was respectfully welcomed into the house.
Chu Tan'er was sitting in the main seat of the room when she saw the person who came. She was both surprised and delighted.
"Mother, how could you..."
Before she could finish speaking, the woman raised her hand and slapped her hard across the face.
With a sharp "smack," Chu Tan'er was caught off guard and took the slap head-on. She twisted her ankle and fell to the ground.
"Mother, you hit me?"
The Empress Dowager removed her cloak and slightly raised her hand, causing everyone around her to retreat in fear.
"Tan'er, you have disappointed your mother greatly. How could I not have thought of this? How could it be you who instigated Consort Lan to put the medicine in the soup?"
Chu Tan'er paused for a moment, then slowly got up from the ground.
Seeing her mother's resentful expression, she knew that her attempts to argue were futile, so she made no attempt to hide anything.
"The Empress Dowager came here specifically to interrogate me."
"So it really is you?"
"Yes, Consort Lan is a fool. She believes everything I say. She's willing to be used by me, so why should I turn away a blade that's been delivered to my door?"
"That bowl of medicine you were originally going to give to your imperial brother?"
Chu Tan'er's eyes darted away, but she still did not deny it. "Yes. I did not mean to harm Mother. It's just that Consort Lan is stupid and useless. She even mixed up the soup."
"You want to harm your imperial brother? If he drinks it, he will die!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Tan'er suddenly shouted, "Yes! So what? My brother was going to die anyway! What's wrong with dying sooner!"
"I only regret that I didn't carry out this plan sooner! Otherwise, how could that slut Gu Jiangli have gotten pregnant with my brother's child!"
The Empress Dowager raised her hand high once again, but before her slap could fall, Chu Tan'er had already raised her face, ready to receive the slap that had not yet landed.
But her actions left the Empress Dowager's hand frozen in mid-air.
"Why did Mother stop hitting him? You clearly don't like my brother that much, so why pretend to be such a loving mother in front of your daughter?"
"What did you say?" The Empress Dowager's eyes widened in anger, almost spitting fire.
"Did I say something wrong? From childhood to adulthood, when have you ever treated your elder brother as your son? He was nothing more than a tool for you to ascend to the position of Empress Dowager." Chu Tan'er's eyes were crazed and extremely ferocious.
"How many things did Mother Empress do in secret to help my brother ascend the throne? How many people did she kill? Do you think I don't know?"
"What? If you could do it back then, why can't I?!"
Chu Tan'er let out a roar, her eyes reddening, like a demon possessed.
The Empress Dowager's raised hand trembled continuously, but eventually fell limply to her side.
"Tan'er, do you want Xun'er to be the emperor?"
"Yes! You went to great lengths to put my brother on the throne back then, and I can do the same."
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