Today, a special message came from the palace, instructing Gu Jingchun to stay at home and not to go out.
Because today is the day the royal family presents their betrothal gifts.
Originally, this tax payment should have been done before the official investiture.
However, the situation was urgent at the time.
Moreover, Shen Hechuan wanted to find more good things from the storeroom to give to Gu Jingchun, which is why he was delayed.
Today, Lanxin specially dressed Gu Jingchun up in his finest attire.
Meanwhile, Little Shadow led a large group through the most bustling streets of Tiandu City, heading towards Gu Jingchun's direction.
This sparked a discussion among the surrounding residents.
The people all stood on both sides, so crowded that there was no room for anything else.
"Hey, what's all this commotion about? What are you doing?"
One of the men spoke up and asked.
Upon hearing this, the other person explained, "You don't understand, do you? Look at this ceremonial procession, and at this scale; it's clearly a royal tribute ceremony!"
After saying that, fearing that others might not understand, he added an explanation.
"It's about giving betrothal gifts."
"Wow, I see. Who is so lucky to become the Empress of our Great Cheng?"
Upon hearing this, the man glanced at the person who had asked the question. Seeing her tattered clothes and haggard face, he said disdainfully, "You must have just fled from a famine in another place!"
"No wonder you don't know. Who else could this empress be?"
"Of course, it's the Crown Prince's birth mother, Gu Jingchun."
"The Crown Prince's birth mother?"
"this……"
"How come I heard that Gu Jingchun was a widow with a child, and that's why she was kicked out of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion? How did she become the Crown Prince's biological mother and even the Empress?"
"With this identity, would the Empress Dowager agree?"
"Would the civil and military officials agree?"
After the beggar finished speaking, the people next to him couldn't help but speak up to explain.
"When did you receive this message?"
"You probably don't know, but Gu Jingchun's son is His Majesty's child."
Back then, when His Majesty was fighting on the border, he was wounded, and it was our Empress who saved him. They then married, and that's how that child came to be—the current Crown Prince.
"It's a pity that there was a war on the border at that time, and His Majesty, who was still the Crown Prince at the time, went to the border again to fight and kill the enemy."
Gu Jingchun was framed by villains, which led to him and his child suffering greatly before being redeemed by the Marquis of Yong'an.
The man sighed as he spoke.
"To be honest, the Marquis of Yong'an is a fool. His own daughter's child is a treasure, but they insist on praising that fake heiress."
He even expelled his own daughter from the Yong'an Marquis's residence.
He thought he had gotten rid of this burden, but little did he know that he had squandered his greatest stroke of luck.
"Otherwise, wouldn't the Marquis of Yong'an's mansion have risen to an even higher level and become the emperor's father-in-law?"
"Yes, it's fortunate that the Marquis of Yong'an is dead and his wife has been exiled. Otherwise, if she had known this news, she would probably have regretted it to the core."
"Yes, this is a great fortune for the nation, and it was just given away like that."
"Speaking of which, there is still one person in the Yong'an Marquis's mansion, namely the eldest son, Gu Erli."
He is quite clever.
He had been trying to get closer to the future empress.
See, this is an immediate benefit!
His Majesty not only spared him from punishment but also entrusted him with the border defenses, and he returned with great merit this time.
"Speaking of which, there's also that official Ye Wenxi, who recently recognized Gu Jingchun as his older sister. Won't she rise in rank along with him in the future?"
The group sighed again as they talked.
"So, it seems that the Marquis of Yong'an and his wife were both fools, and it's no wonder they ended up like this."
After they finished speaking, they left with regret.
The ragged lady stood there, as if she had lost her soul, until everyone had left. Only then did she come to her senses and stare blankly in the direction the royal procession had gone.
If someone saw her face at that moment, they would definitely recognize her.
This beggar was none other than the fool they had just been talking about, Lady Chu Qianlan, the wife of the Marquis of Yong'an.
After Chu Qianlan was exiled, she was constantly beaten and verbally abused.
Later, the officers guarding them got into a fight over a trivial matter.
Chu Qianlan was so terrified of being beaten that she took the opportunity to secretly run away.
Although she managed to escape, staying alive was a huge problem for her.
In order to survive, and more importantly, to evade the pursuit of the soldiers, she disguised herself as a beggar.
Unexpectedly, a few days ago, while she was fighting with a dog for a steamed bun, she was suddenly knocked unconscious by a man in black. When she opened her eyes again, she was back in Tiandu City.
At first, she was quite flustered, but Tiandu is Tiandu, even as a beggar, she ate better than before.
So, after a brief period of panic, she gradually adapted.
Originally, everything was normal.
But then, she saw the procession and learned all of this.
She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
"Gu Jingchun!"
"You're really something!"
"So, your bastard child is actually the Crown Prince's offspring. Even so, you didn't reveal a single word, keeping us completely in the dark and making us a laughing stock in the capital."
No wonder His Highness the Crown Prince spoke up for her back then, and no wonder he sent Gu Yunjin to prison.
No wonder the Marquis of Yong'an was imprisoned back then.
So that's why.
Thinking of this, Chu Qianlan could no longer hold back and walked directly with the crowd.
She hated it!
She's become like this now, so why should Gu Jingchun be able to be a high and mighty empress?
Why should she get to enjoy wealth and luxury?
No, she won't agree!
She absolutely will not let this happen!
Even if she dies today, she will stop all of this.
After returning to Tiandu, she went through many twists and turns and used all her persuasion to finally find out about Gu Yunjin. Upon learning that Gu Yunjin had been imprisoned, her hatred intensified.
Empress?
She should go to hell with them!
Chu Qianlan concealed a dagger in her sleeve and blended into the crowd.
Meanwhile, the ceremonial procession had already arrived at the gate of Gu Jingchun's residence.
Gu Jingchun, along with Ye Wenxi and Gu Erli, stood together respectfully and spoke to the official who had brought the betrothal gifts.
Looking at the radiant Gu Jingchun, Chu Qianlan recalled all the pain she had endured during this time.
Those dark and chaotic days.
Those days of being beaten black and blue and starving drove her to madness.
Why should I?!
Why should I?!
Why should Gu Jingchun be allowed to enjoy this wealth and luxury? Why should she be allowed to enjoy all of this?
She was like a rat in the gutter, despised and cursed by everyone!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
