"Emperor Zhaoyuan, don't go too far."
Gu Heng glanced at the silent crowd, his voice carrying a warning: no matter how many faults Gu Qingling had, it was none of the King of Da Ning's place to comment.
"I'm not joking with you. If this were in Da Ning, he wouldn't even be able to get a chance at the position of Crown Prince."
Gu Lin walked straight to Jiang He and said, "Lord Dingyuan, I will soon be setting off back to Daning. If you are interested, you can come with me."
Although he only spent a few days in the prison, Jiang He's eyes had become much calmer.
"I am grateful for Emperor Zhaoyuan's kindness, but I am a Marquis of Daqing and it is my duty to serve the people of Daqing."
He was not serving Gu Heng, but serving the people of Daqing.
Only Gu Lin understood Jiang He's unspoken message, a slight smile playing on his lips beneath his mask: "If that's the case, if you change your mind someday, feel free to come find me."
Before leaving, Gu Lin gave Gu Heng a meaningful look, and then quickly disappeared from everyone's sight.
Before Gu Heng could exchange more than a few words with Jiang He, a palace eunuch knelt tremblingly before him.
"Your Majesty... Your Highness the Crown Prince... His other wrist has also been broken..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Heng kicked him hard to the ground. "Who did this? What are you all good for?"
"Your Majesty, the messenger is highly skilled in martial arts and says he has come on the orders of the monarch to demand an explanation."
Gu Heng trembled with rage, gritting his teeth as he looked in the direction Gu Lin had disappeared. "Men, go after him! Once you catch him, kill him without mercy!"
Gu Lin, who had already arrived in the outskirts of the capital, seemed to sense something and turned his head to look in the direction of the prison. He had said he would give him an explanation, and since Gu Heng refused, he would ask for it himself.
He also gave Gu Heng some medicine powder as a small amount of interest.
"emperor!"
"Father!"
Gu Heng collapsed to the ground, stunned, and fainted from anger.
"Uncle, please return to your residence to rest. We will summon you to the palace once Father Emperor has recovered." Gu Qingyan bowed deeply to Jiang He, doing what Gu Heng had originally intended to do that day.
......
During the time Gu Heng was unconscious, the news spread at an extremely fast pace.
"The invincible and bloodthirsty king of Da Ning openly said that His Highness the Crown Prince was immoral, and even brazenly broke His Highness's wrists."
"The Marquis of Dingyuan refused the invitation from the King of Daning and remained loyal to Daqing."
"And then there's the Third Prince... He seems even more humble and polite than His Highness the Crown Prince. The fact that he was able to investigate the case in Heng County suggests that the Third Prince is also extremely capable."
Various opinions intertwined, becoming a topic of conversation on the streets.
Bai Mansion.
"Ancestor, you dare to stir up trouble for the royal family? Be careful, the Emperor will investigate when he wakes up, and even your father won't be able to protect you!" General Bai was at his wits' end, looking at Bai Qian with her neck sticking out, and sighed helplessly.
"So Jiang He was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison for nothing?"
Bai Qian muttered, "Normally Jiang He is as stubborn as a donkey, but at times like this he's like a lamb."
"Nonsense, that's the Emperor. There's a distinction between ruler and subject."
Seeing this, Bai Qian stopped talking to her father and headed straight for the door. "Father, I'm going to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence to see Jiang He."
The palace was in complete chaos, leaving no time to deal with the rumors.
The fact that both the emperor and the crown prince were involved in incidents caused considerable turmoil in the Daqing court.
"Ayan, how is your father?"
Inside Zhaoning Palace, Jiang Yu held a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand. To an outsider, it would seem that Jiang Yu was praying for Gu Heng to wake up soon.
"Mother, the imperial physician said that Father Emperor was overcome with anger. He is now physically fine, but when he will wake up depends entirely on Father Emperor himself."
Gu Qingling lost both hands, Gu Qingfeng lost both legs, leaving only Ayan...
"Ayan, listen to your mother. She said that at tomorrow's morning court session, you..."
This is a golden opportunity bestowed upon her and Ayan by heaven; they must seize it.
After confirming with Gu Qingyan that he had remembered what she had told him, Jiang Yu took Ling Mama to the Dragon and Phoenix Palace.
"Is Mother here to laugh at me?"
Gu Qingling's eyes were bloodshot. "I have never seen such a heartless woman as you. You are so cold-blooded even towards your own flesh and blood. Why are you so good to Gu Qingyan? What are you after?"
"I treat him well, but I don't want anything in return."
"You easily outshone Gu Qingfeng, Gu Qingling, you must be secretly pleased."
Jiang Yu looked at Gu Qingling with a mocking expression. This Emperor Zhaoyuan was extremely ruthless; within three months, Gu Qingling even had trouble eating.
"I am merely reclaiming what I rightfully deserved."
Gu Qingling suddenly burst into laughter. He was seriously injured, but he kept thinking about Zhaoning Palace. He really wanted... really wanted this woman to come and see him.
But when she actually came, he wished he had never seen that look in her eyes.
Jiang Yu subtly observed the servants in the room, lowering herself to please Gu Heng. Gu Qingling wouldn't have thought of such a method without someone instructing her.
Besides Xu Dong, who else could it be...?
Jiang Yu only stayed with Gu Qingling for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Before leaving, Gu Qingling called out to Jiang Yu.
"My third brother also went to the imperial prison during the day. Mother, you are willing to make plans for my third brother, why are you unwilling to do the same for your child?"
He is the eldest son of the Empress, so why is it that he can't win her heart as much as Gu Qingyan in everything?
“Gu Qingling.” Jiang Yu’s eyes held a serious expression. “I have also treated you well in the past.”
I will never repeat the mistakes I made in the past.
"I only distanced myself from you because I listened to Consort Rong's instigation, but now I know I was wrong."
Despite Gu Qingling's calls, Jiang Yu never looked back at Gu Qingling again.
Only Gu Qingfeng and Gu Qingyao in the courtyard watched Jiang Yu leave with gloomy eyes. How much better were they than Gu Qingling?
"Yao'er, I lost both my legs, and he lost both his arms. Don't you think this is divine retribution?"
Gu Qingfeng pursed his lips, and finally lowered his head helplessly.
......
"My lord, do you really want to stay in Daqing?"
Gu Lin kept stroking the somewhat damaged jade pendant in his hand, his heart trembling slightly.
"With those old fogies in the court, there won't be any major trouble." Gu Lin glanced in the direction of the Daqing Imperial Palace. Now that he had come to Daqing, he couldn't bear to let Ayu go alone.
Now that Ayu knows Ayan's true identity, she will definitely want to fight for Ayan's life.
He has to stay.
"My lord..."
"My mind is made up."
Gu Lin slowly removed his mask. "Prepare your disguise."
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