From the moment she stepped into the capital, Gu Qingling felt endless humiliation.
The strange looks from the ministers, and the awkwardness of the palace servants not knowing how to bow to him... all stung Gu Qingling's eyes.
"What is the Dragon and Phoenix Palace doing?"
Watching the palace servants carrying things in and out, Gu Qingling grabbed a palace maid, her eyes filled with coldness.
"Your Highness, the Empress has ordered that a room be prepared for Prince Yan."
"Your Highness Prince Yan?"
Now he has become the eldest prince, while Gu Qingyan has become the Prince Yan.
In an instant, Gu Qingling felt extremely wronged.
Zhaoning Palace.
"Your Majesty, the First Prince is outside requesting an audience."
Jiang Yu didn't immediately realize who the Crown Prince was calling. After a few moments, she suppressed her smile and said, "Let him in."
But when Gu Qingling saw Jiang Yu for the first time, she actually pouted and her eyes reddened.
"Mother."
During his time alone in Daning, he had been tormented and lost a lot of weight. Now that he saw Jiang Yu, all his grievances came flooding back.
Seeing that Jiang Yu remained silent, Gu Qingling took a few steps forward and knelt down.
"The child is back."
"It's good that you're back."
Jiang Yu's voice was flat and emotionless, showing neither joy nor pity.
Gu Qingling suddenly looked up, "Mother, why can't you care about your child a little more, even just a little bit?"
"I have made mistakes before, Mother, but I have never seen a mother as cruel as you."
Gu Qingling burst into tears, asking why her mother treated that stepson so well!
Can the past be so easily dismissed with a simple "I made a mistake before"?
Jiang Yu did not respond to Gu Qingling, but a hint of sarcasm appeared on her face.
Gu Qingling, you truly have no heart.
The scene of being sentenced to death in her previous life reappeared before Jiang Yu. Back then, Gu Qingling was dressed in a dragon robe, but now Gu Qingling was kneeling in front of her, and Jiang Yu felt a sense of satisfaction.
[What did I get in return for all those years of giving my heart and soul? Even a little dog knows to wag its tail at me, but what about you, Gu Qingling?]
Listening to Jiang Yu's heartfelt words, Gu Qingling felt utterly desolate.
"Your Majesty, Consort Yi is carrying a prince!"
Gu Qingling straightened up and roared in a near-collapse, "If Father Emperor doesn't reinstate me as Crown Prince, what good will that do for Mother Emperor?"
"My second brother has a broken leg and cannot inherit the throne, and my third brother is not your biological son." Gu Qingling thought her words were sincere. "Mother, it is the best outcome for you if I inherit the throne."
"I am already the Empress, and whoever ascends the throne, I will be the Empress Dowager."
Jiang Yu looked at Gu Qingling coldly, and the words she spoke sent a chill down Gu Qingling's spine.
Who can predict what else someone who would do if they could turn against their own brother?
"But I am your own child!"
"You endured so much hardship to give birth to me, why do you want to give me up so easily now?"
"Gu Qingling, do you really want to know why?" Jiang Yu interrupted Gu Qingling's accusation.
At this moment, Gu Qingling suddenly didn't want Jiang Yu to continue speaking.
He was afraid of hearing things from Jiang Yu that he couldn't accept.
Well, you'll find out soon enough.
Jiang Yu curled the corners of her lips, turned around and was about to walk into the house, her intention to get rid of the guest was very clear.
"Mother!"
Gu Qingling spoke anxiously, and seeing that Jiang Yu's steps did not stop at all, Gu Qingling completely panicked.
"As long as my uncle speaks up for me, my father will restore me to the position of crown prince."
He thought that his father would restore him to the position of crown prince once he returned to the capital, but when he returned, his father did not even summon him. In everyone's mind, he became a sinner.
"As long as I remain the Crown Prince, I promise I will treat my third brother well."
Jiang Yu stopped in her tracks, turned around and looked at Gu Qingling as if she were watching a joke, "He is already the Prince Yan now. When he gets older, he will have his own mansion. How he lives in the future is entirely up to him."
"You don't need to worry about him."
The sound of the door closing rang out, and Gu Qingling fell silent.
His plea was so earnest, yet it did not elicit even the slightest bit of pity from his mother.
......
"Your Highness?"
Xu Dong spoke softly, and Gu Qingling had been standing in the courtyard of Zhaoning Palace for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
"Let's go back."
Gu Qingling spoke softly, her eyes utterly shattered.
"Why is Mother so cold to me?" Gu Qingling couldn't help but ask. He had really missed his mother when he ran to Zhaoning Palace. "I'm only eleven years old this year, why does Mother treat me like this?"
"Perhaps there is some misunderstanding between Your Highness and Her Majesty."
Xu Dong has been much more restrained lately, and the wizard's whereabouts have been unknown for a long time, making Xu Dong as frightened as a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow.
"Misunderstand?"
Gu Qingling pursed her lips. "Sometimes, I feel that my mother and I are not like mother and son, but rather like enemies separated by a blood feud."
If that's not the case, why would she be willing to treat Gu Qingyan with all her heart, but not even give him a smile?
Returning to the Dragon and Phoenix Palace in a daze, Gu Qingfeng had been waiting for a long time.
"So you've come to laugh at me now?" Gu Qingling straightened her back, not allowing herself to be at a disadvantage in the slightest.
"right."
Gu Qingfeng's straightforward answer surprised Gu Qingling.
"You just came back from the Empress Dowager's palace, didn't you?" Gu Qingfeng stared intently at Gu Qingling. "Are you trying to get the Empress Dowager to persuade your uncle to put in a good word for you with the Emperor?"
"Gu Qingfeng! How dare you!"
Enraged that her true thoughts had been exposed, Gu Qingling retorted angrily, "Do you even have any respect for me as your older brother?"
"Is it the eldest brother who was captured alive by Da Ning because of his ambition and love of quick success?"
"Or is he the eldest brother who endures humiliation just to survive?"
"Or... is it that my broken leg wasn't enough for my older brother, and he wants to poison me again?"
Gu Qingfeng pushed the wheelchair closer and closer, forcing Gu Qingling to remain silent.
When will I poison you again?
Gu Qingling subconsciously looked at Gu Qingfeng's legs, "Don't try to throw all sorts of dirty water on me?"
Gu Qingfeng smiled foolishly.
She leaned close to Gu Qingling's ear and said, "Big brother, that so-called miracle doctor of yours gave me opium poppies that only exist in the Di Kingdom, and made me addicted."
"Do you know how much I suffered to quit this?"
Seeing Gu Qingling's eyes widen suddenly, Gu Qingfeng's eyes were full of mockery. His mother was right. He didn't even have the ability to distinguish right from wrong. What kind of crown prince was he?
"You're talking nonsense!"
Gu Qingling pushed Gu Qingfeng away, and Gu Qingfeng fell off his wheelchair.
But Gu Qingfeng was completely oblivious, only staring at Gu Qingling, "Big brother, your hands... have they really been healed?"
In an instant, excruciating pain shot through my wrists.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com