"Father, are you so sure that Mother will come to the Marquis's residence on her birthday?"
Gu Qingyan asked while working hard.
"If your mother doesn't come to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence on her birthday, do you think you can go to the palace to celebrate with her?" Seeing that Gu Qingyan didn't react, Gu Lin couldn't help but step forward and tap Gu Qingyan's forehead:
"If your mother isn't coming, you can find a way to get her to come."
"Find a way to get Mother to come later?"
Gu Qingyan seemed to be deep in thought, while Gu Lin's lips curled into a triumphant smile.
The grand scheme to swindle the child begins now.
On the other side.
Gu Heng led Cen Hai straight to Lingxi Palace.
"Your Majesty, the Consort of Lingxi Palace has gone mad and can no longer speak. She should not be able to hinder Your Majesty's important affairs."
Gu Heng remained noncommittal. The gates of Lingxi Palace were opened, and a musty, foul smell wafted out. Gu Heng could hardly bear it and covered his mouth and nose with his hand.
What does it taste like?
"This... His Majesty ordered that no palace servants be left to serve Consort Rong..."
Gu Heng turned and left, saying, "Have someone clean up Lingxi Palace within half a day. As for Consort Rong, continue to send two people to serve her."
For Ling'er's sake, he could no longer let Consort Rong fend for herself as before.
Hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Consort Rong ran out clutching her pillow, her face filled with fear as she let out a hoarse voice.
"Your Highness Consort Rong is overjoyed! The Emperor says he wants to renovate your Lingxi Palace and has sent two maids to serve you, Hong'er and Qing'er. Why don't you come and pay your respects to Your Highness Consort Rong?"
Consort Rong's eyes narrowed sharply. She took off her shoes and socks and threw them at the two palace maids, then ran into the room and slammed the door shut.
“Eunuch Cen…” The two palace maids looked at Cen Hai helplessly.
"Consort Rong is a little mentally challenged... You all need to take even better care of her on a daily basis."
Cen Hai glanced in the direction of the house before he was finally relieved.
inside the house.
Consort Rong leaned against the door, silently shedding tears.
Why was she released out of nowhere? What does Gu Heng want to do with her?
......
Zhaoning Palace.
"Your Majesty."
Jiang Yu was practicing calligraphy when, upon hearing Ling Mama's voice, the character "忍" (ren, meaning forbearance) appeared prominently on the white paper.
"What's wrong?"
"The prince wrote a letter to the empress."
Upon hearing that the letter was from Gu Qingyan, Jiang Yu's expression relaxed slightly, and she reached out to take the letter.
The more Jiang Yu looked, the wider her smile became.
"This child wants me to go to the Marquis's residence tomorrow to celebrate his birthday."
"Her Majesty previously told the Emperor that she did not want to celebrate her birthday in a grand manner. It seems that the Emperor intends to invite members of the imperial clan to the palace tomorrow to celebrate Her Majesty's birthday." Granny Ling paused for a moment. It was no easy task for Her Majesty to return to the Marquis's residence to celebrate her birthday.
"It's rare for Ayan to make a request to me."
Her son, Ayan, was usually so sensible that it broke her heart. Since he rarely made a request, Jiang Yu naturally complied without hesitation.
Jiang Yu was completely unaware that this was entirely the work of a heartless person using A Yan's name.
On the eve of Jiang Yu's birthday, Zhaoning Palace, which should have been darkened early, was brightly lit.
Gu Heng, who was staying at Jinwu Palace, rushed over in a hurry, "What happened to the Empress?"
"Your Majesty, the Empress is having nightmares. She keeps saying she wants to find the old Marquis and his wife."
Gu Heng's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this. Inside the room, Jiang Yu was wearing her undergarments, her face deathly pale.
"Your Majesty, I dreamt of my father and mother. They said they died horribly in the battle of Lingzhou." Jiang Yu was somewhat delirious. "Tomorrow is my birthday, and my parents came to me in a dream specifically to tell me."
"Why did my parents, who had fought in countless battles, have to die in Lingzhou?"
Faced with Jiang Yu's questioning, Gu Heng remained silent. A chill gradually settled in Jiang Yu's eyes. Why was Gu Heng reacting this way? Did Gu Heng also know about it?
"Empress, wake up!"
Gu Heng wanted to step forward, but then abruptly stopped.
"I want to go back to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence, I want to go back to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence..."
Gu Heng felt as if a boulder had struck his chest. "Send the Empress to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence at dawn, and tell the public that the Empress wants to visit the Marquis's residence to pay her respects to the old Marquis and his wife."
Gu Heng practically fled in disarray after the battle in Lingzhou...
Gu Heng turned his head and took a deep look in the direction of Zhaoning Palace, his hands clenched into fists, hoping that the Empress was just having a nightmare tonight.
"Your Majesty, what about the banquet tomorrow night...?"
"Proceed as usual. I still need to bring Ling'er out of the imperial prison."
Inside the room, Jiang Yu's expression turned completely cold.
......
Inside the ancestral prison.
Someone had already sent Gu Qingling prince's robes in advance, and Gu Heng personally assigned a new eunuch to serve Gu Qingling.
"Your servant Qingyu greets the Crown Prince."
"His Majesty specially instructed me to deliver this to you. Tomorrow evening, His Majesty will take advantage of the Empress's birthday to invite you out for the banquet."
"Your Majesty the Empress?" Gu Qingling looked bewildered. "Is she my mother?"
“That’s right.” Qingyu said with a smile, “You are the first prince born to the Empress, the eldest legitimate son of our Great Qing.”
Following behind the eldest prince, one has a bright future ahead.
Gu Qingling twitched the corners of his mouth and reached out to touch the prince's robe. It was coarse linen clothing, and he hadn't expected to be able to leave the prison so soon.
"Father? Mother?"
Gu Qingling tried calling out, and seeing Qingyu's encouraging expression, Gu Qingling also laughed out loud.
Fool.
The next morning, Jiang Yu returned to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence by carriage.
The moment Jiang Yu stepped into the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence, she felt somewhat dazed.
Every road in the Marquis's mansion was lined with flowers, and the vibrant life under the sunlight refreshed Jiang Yu.
As you walk along the road, a breeze blows and a melodious bell rings.
"I want to live in a place full of flowers in the future, and preferably with bells tied to the branches, so that they will jingle when the wind blows."
"Also, I want my father to make me another swing."
The innocent words she uttered as a child resurfaced in her mind, and Jiang Yu involuntarily softened her breathing.
Beside the swing, Gu Lin stood quietly with Gu Qingyan in his hand, Gu Qingyan holding a wreath made of fresh flowers in his other hand.
"Mother!"
Gu Qingyan broke free from Gu Lin's hand, ran to Jiang Yu, and placed the flower wreath on Jiang Yu's head.
Happy birthday, Mother.
Gu Qingyan tilted his head slightly, put his hands behind his back, and gestured to Gu Lin.
Gu Lin reached out to cover his smile and walked step by step toward Jiang Yu.
Happy birthday, Jiang Ayu.
As soon as she finished speaking, countless butterflies suddenly appeared, and several of them landed on the flower wreath Jiang Yu was wearing, fluttering their wings incessantly.
"If butterflies come then, it means they like me too!"
The wish I made as a child has now come full circle.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com