Jiang Yu was unusually happy to see Gu Qingyan after not seeing him for several months.
She told Gu Qingyan everything that had happened in Daqing over the past few months, and Gu Qingyan also told Jiang Yu about his experiences in Daning.
The mother and son chatted and laughed. Ling Mama breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief. The prince was back, and the empress would feel much more at ease.
"Mother, he has named me Crown Prince?"
Gu Qingyan raised his eyebrows, seemingly in disbelief. Given Gu Heng's personality, how could he possibly pass the throne to him knowing that he was the son of his father and mother?
[I wonder how Gu Heng knew about his past life...]
Gu Qingyan shuddered. What past life?
Now, how many of Gu Lin, Gu Heng... and Gu Qingyao... actually know about their past lives, and how did they find out?
Jiang Yu frowned as well; this feeling of the unknown made her uneasy.
"Mother, I would like to go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony."
Gu Qingyan grasped Jiang Yu's hand. "He passed the throne to me. I want to go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to see him."
"He has been unconscious for a long time."
Gu Qingyan had something on his mind, but the smile on his face didn't change at all. "I noticed that Mother has lost a lot of weight. Granny Ling, please cook some more soup for Mother to help her recover."
"Mother, please rest here. Leave the rest to me."
Watching Gu Qingyan's departing figure, Jiang Yu murmured softly, "This time, Ayan has really changed."
It's as if the somewhat childish Ayan from before has vanished in an instant.
Upon reaching the outside of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Gu Qingyan saw Gu Qingfeng sitting in a wheelchair.
"Third brother is back."
Gu Qingfeng glanced in the direction of the palace, "Father has not yet woken up; he has been unconscious for four days now."
Gu Qingfeng felt a sharp pang of heartache. The Gu Qingyan before him... was the child his mother had been tricked into giving birth to.
So what kind of feelings did the Empress Dowager have every time she saw Gu Qingyan?
"It's alright, I'll go in and take a look."
Gu Qingyan gave Gu Qingfeng a deep look, then strode into the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was filled with the pungent smell of medicine.
When Gu Qingyan arrived at Gu Heng's bedside, he could hardly recognize Gu Heng anymore; he was so thin that he was just skin and bones.
“Uncle, I am Gu Qingyan.”
Gu Qingyan spoke softly, but Gu Heng's eyelids began to tremble.
"I've come here to ask what happened in my past life?"
Gu Qingyan clenched his fists tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging slightly. "In my past life, how exactly did you bully my mother?"
Gu Heng's whole body was trembling, but he still couldn't open his eyes.
Do you really want to know?
Gu Qingfeng's voice rang out, and Gu Qingyan turned around abruptly, "You knew about it too?"
“In our past life, my siblings and I only ever used our mother. We used her power and her title as empress to do things, which made her a notorious empress that everyone in Daqing hated.”
"After Gu Qingling ascended the throne, he honored Consort Rong as Empress Dowager, and then issued an edict to order the death of his mother."
"What?" Gu Qingyan's eyes were bloodshot, and the oppressive aura emanating from him made it difficult for Gu Qingfeng to speak.
“We watched our mother die, and then we wouldn’t allow her to be buried in the imperial mausoleum. Instead, we wanted to leave her body to rot in the wilderness.” Gu Qingfeng’s neck was being gripped, and his face began to flush red. “And then… you came to the Cold Palace to collect our mother’s body.”
"You died too, pierced through the heart by a thousand arrows."
"Gu Qingfeng, you are not worthy to call her Mother." Gu Qingyan's grip tightened, as if Gu Qingfeng would die in the next second. Just then, a commotion came from outside the palace.
"Your Highness, the Second Prince and Prince Yan are inside the hall."
"How could you let Prince Yan into the palace so casually?" Prince Yu's urgent voice rang out. Gu Qingyan released Gu Qingfeng's neck, chuckled a few times, and walked out of the palace.
"King Yu."
Gu Qingyan's voice rang out, "You mean, I will commit regicide?"
"you!"
Faced with Gu Qingyan's straightforwardness, Prince Yu was momentarily at a loss for words.
Gu Qingyan's gaze slowly shifted to Gu Fanbing behind Prince Yu. "What are Prince Yu's true intentions in bringing his grandson into the palace?"
Gu Fanbing was so frightened by Gu Qingyan's gaze that he kept shrinking behind Prince Yu.
Gu Qingyan was on the verge of exploding. Her mother had suffered so much in her past life!
These people are all accomplices!
"So many people have come today." Gu Qingyan glanced at the civil and military officials behind Prince Yu. "Coincidentally, I do have something to say to you all."
The next second, Gu Qingyan produced the imperial edict establishing the heir apparent.
"I am the rightful crown prince of Daqing."
"How could this be! How could the Emperor possibly make you the Crown Prince?" Before Prince Yu could finish speaking, guards from the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence appeared and restrained Prince Yu and his grandson.
Gu Qingyan walked past the assembled officials, his gaze instilling fear in them.
"I am returning to the capital today to give everyone one last chance. If you want to go and join the traitor Gu Qingling, then leave on your own. If you miss this opportunity, I will not tolerate even a grain of sand in your eyes."
No one had the courage to leave.
"Qin Wei, proclaim to the world that I am the Crown Prince of Daqing."
Gu Qingyan is determined to become the Crown Prince of Daqing. He will not let any of those who harmed his mother go unpunished.
The wicked empress of Daqing, hated by everyone?
A bloodthirsty glint flashed in Gu Qingyan's eyes. Then...kill them all...
The crowd dispersed, leaving only Prince Yu and his grandson.
"You... what exactly do you want to do..." Prince Yu stammered. He rushed over as soon as he heard that Gu Qingyan had returned to the palace, but the Gu Qingyan in front of him... how could he be so terrifying?
"Gu Fanbing, do you want to be the emperor?"
Gu Qingyan spoke softly, which frightened Gu Fanbing so much that he burst into tears, begging Prince Yu to save him.
"I have no patience. Once you return, you shall never step out of the Yu Prince's Mansion again. If you disobey, you shall be executed."
After Prince Yu and his grandson were taken away, Gu Qingyan stood outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony for a long time.
The chill almost penetrated Gu Qingyan's body, but Gu Qingyan seemed completely unaware of it.
Why were his father and uncle not by his mother's side in his past life? Why can't he dream of his past life?
And Gu Qingling... she really is... damn it.
“Ayan.”
"Don't pretend to call me by my name." Gu Qingyan's face was full of sarcasm. "Gu Qingfeng, you and Gu Qingyao are only being so good to the Empress Dowager to make up for your guilt, aren't you?"
"How can a person so full of sins have the face to appear before the Empress Dowager again?"
"You can kill me." Gu Qingfeng's expression was calm, indifferent to life and death.
"You want to die now? That's too easy on you."
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