Ge Yuanhui's heart hardened a little more. She said solemnly, "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, I was young at the time and only half understood what my aunt said. I had no idea what she was trying to do. I was just terrified. That night, news of Crown Prince Yumin's death spread. I was terrified and soon fell ill. When I woke up, my memory of that time was already hazy. Until recently... I fell into the water, and vaguely recalled that scene, and I understood the key."
As she spoke, her eyes actually turned red. "I am terrified and dare not conceal anything, so I have no choice but to tell the Empress about this privately! I hope you can forgive me!"
Concubine Ge vehemently denied it: "Your Majesty, I really didn't do it!"
The emperor's voice was so cold that it made people shiver. "If this really didn't happen, why would your niece risk her life to report it?"
Hearing this, Concubine Ge was stunned... Did the Emperor believe it so easily? No! The Emperor was targeting the Ge family, and his methods were becoming increasingly direct and ruthless! There must be someone behind Ge Yuanhui! Was it Prince Cheng? The Empress? Or perhaps, the Emperor himself?
Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind: Perhaps Chong'er had already sensed her murderous intent during the last hunt... Then the person who instructed Ge Yuanhui was her son?
The thought froze her in place for a moment.
The emperor simply ordered, "Concubine Ge is confined to Cuiwei Palace. I will have everyone in Cuiwei Palace, as well as the Imperial Hospital, thoroughly interrogated. Whether she is innocent or not will be determined soon."
As soon as these words came out, Concubine Ge panicked instantly. She went from begging for mercy in panic to laughing wildly and cursing in despair: "Ge Yuanhui! You are a fool! He and his father are the same people! Cold-blooded, selfish and heartless! Ge Yuanhui, you will not die well! You will not die well!"
This shrill voice made Ge Yuanhui shudder all over... It was clear that her goal had been achieved, but she couldn't stop trembling slightly, and her body seemed to be getting a little cold.
The emperor rubbed his forehead, feeling the pain. He said in a deep voice, "The Empress has been extremely sad today, and Mother is also tired. Let's all return to the palace and rest. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."
When the Empress Dowager was leaving, Xue Zhiyi noticed that the Emperor did not mention whether Ge Yuanhui should be sent out of the palace, placed elsewhere, or detained for interrogation. He did not give any instructions.
Xue Zhiyi lowered his eyes: It seems that some things will not be as good as Ge Yuanhui expected.
The Queen and the Queen Mother had both left, and the Hall of Eternal Life was eerily quiet.
Ge Yuanhui knelt on the ground, facing the emperor who stood up and walked towards the bedroom. She was panicked: the emperor did not order her to leave, so she could not leave without permission, but he did not give her any other instructions or punishments... This uncertainty made her feel empty and increasingly panicked.
The chill of early winter grew deeper. Ge Yuanhui knelt on the hard and cold ground in her thin palace maid's clothes. This made it difficult for her, who had always lived a life of luxury, to bear. Coupled with the fear lingering in her heart, she felt even more unbearable.
The sound of dripping water could be heard in the huge room. The palace servants who came and went were afraid of disturbing the emperor who had already gone to bed, so their footsteps made no sound at all, and they had no time to pay any attention to Ge Yuanhui.
She knelt like this until daylight, until her face turned pale, her whole body trembled, and her lips became wrinkled and cracked.
When the emperor stood up, he was already wearing his court robes. He just glanced at her lightly and walked out of the Changsheng Palace to prepare to go to court.
Looking at Peng Hui, she wanted to ask something, but her dry throat hurt so much that she couldn't make a sound.
Peng Hui seemed to have something to say as well. He stood in front of Ge Yuanhui and said loudly, "Your Majesty has a decree!"
Ge Yuanhui was stunned for a moment, then quickly bowed down, struggling to speak: "Your Highness... accept the order."
"Duke Dingguo's daughter, Ge Yuanhui, has meritorious service in informing on the noble concubine Ge and has served me all night long, earning me great favor. I decree that she be made a noble lady and granted the title 'Shun'. I decree this!"
For a moment, Ge Yuanhui didn't understand what Peng Hui meant, and thought he had lost his mind from kneeling, until Peng Hui reminded him, "Shun Guiren, please accept the decree and express your gratitude."
Ge Yuanhui suddenly came to her senses and looked up in fear: "What do you mean... How could I be your Majesty's noble lady? How could I have ever been in his bed?"
But Peng Hui said respectfully: "This is the grace of His Majesty. No matter how happy you are, don't forget to accept the order."
Peng Hui's words and actions reminded Ge Yuanhui not to disobey the order and not to go against the emperor's will.
Ge Yuanhui's face turned pale. To help Gu Shichong win the throne, she had already abandoned her own family, and her family had long since abandoned her. She had done all this to become Gu Shichong's queen! If she were to be included in the emperor's harem today, how could she still marry Gu Shichong?
Moreover, the emperor is very old and he was once her uncle. How could she be the emperor's concubine!
"I want to see His Highness! Eunuch! I want to see His Highness Prince Gong! Please help me!" She was like a madman, begging for help from the people around her.
"Tell him I never slept with you! Tell him to plead with His Majesty to revoke his order!"
Peng Hui was also in a dilemma: "Noble Lady Shun, your accusation against Concubine Ge yesterday is known to the entire palace. Your whole night of serving His Majesty is also known to the entire palace. How can His Royal Highness Prince Gong interfere in the affairs of the harem? Please quickly receive the order, so that I can send someone to escort you to your palace."
Ge Yuanhui curled up hopelessly. She had not returned home all night in the Changsheng Palace. Once the imperial edict was issued, it would be too late. Everyone would know that Ge Yuanhui, who was once a role model for all the ladies in Huajing, had denounced her own aunt in order to climb into the emperor's bed. She was a person who would do anything to gain favor and was willing to be humiliated!
She could no longer marry Gu Shichong, and she could no longer be the queen! For the rest of her life, she could only grind away within the palace walls until her death... Her life was completely over!
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