"Why did you seal off my Lingxi Palace?"
In the courtyard of Lingxi Palace, Consort Rong, heavily pregnant, was shouting. The palace servants behind her carefully supported her waist, but the eunuchs showed no trace of their usual fawning attitude and instead guarded Lingxi Palace to the death.
"By order of the Emperor, no one is allowed to enter or leave Lingxi Palace."
Consort Rong fell backward in disbelief, but was fortunately supported by the palace servants behind her. "How could this be? How could His Majesty seal off Lingxi Palace? Eunuchs, I wish to see His Highness the Crown Prince."
"His Majesty is unwell, and His Highness the Crown Prince and several other young masters are keeping watch over him in the Hall of Supreme Harmony."
Consort Rong finally realized the seriousness of the situation. Her steps faltered, and a bad premonition arose in her heart.
On the other side, Jiang Yu, who was walking out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, happened to run into Gu Qingling and Gu Qingfeng, who were rushing over.
"Mother, has Father woken up?" Gu Qingfeng asked between heavy breaths, having no time to think about anything else.
Jiang Yu nodded. "Go in and take a look."
"Mother." Before Jiang Yu could take more than a few steps, Gu Qingling caught up with her. "Consort Rong is no longer able to fight against you, Mother. Why don't you both take a step back? It would be better for everyone."
[Should we each take a step back?]
Jiang Yu turned back to look at Gu Qingling with interest, still pretending to be a gentleman.
"I am also thinking of you, Mother Empress," Gu Qingling continued. "There is still affection between Father Emperor and Consort Rong. Don't push Consort Rong to the brink and then turn around and bite you."
Jiang Yu smiled, leaving Gu Qingling somewhat puzzled.
"I am never afraid of being bitten back. What I like to do most is to drive the dog into a dead end."
Why didn't Gu Qingling call Rong's mother "Consort" today?
Jiang Yu found it extremely funny. Gu Qingfeng, who was about to walk into the Hall of Supreme Harmony, also heard Jiang Yu's thoughts and stopped in his tracks.
[These three ungrateful wretches, so obsessed with Consort Rong, have turned out to be thieves who stole my life-saving grace. I wonder if Gu Heng has the face to tell them this?]
Jiang Yu left gracefully, leaving Gu Qingling and Gu Qingfeng staring at each other in a daze: it was actually their mother who saved their father back then.
"Wanji, how's the matter I asked you to investigate going?"
Jiang Yu spoke in a deep voice, saying that Rong Pin had no chance of turning the tide in the current situation. Only by pushing Rong Pin to the brink would she reveal the truth of what happened back then.
“Your Majesty, the midwife who delivered your baby has disappeared without a trace.” Wanji rarely showed any distress. “Anyone who was involved in your delivery can not be found.”
On the day of her delivery, Ling Mama was detained by Consort Rong, throwing Zhaoning Palace into chaos. Looking back now, it all seems like a pre-planned operation.
"It's alright, investigate slowly. I have plenty of patience."
......
"Mother."
Passing by the Imperial Garden, Gu Qingyao emerged from behind the artificial hill, her hands twisting her robes, looking extremely reserved.
"Are you here to plead for Consort Rong?" Jiang Yu looked at Gu Qingyao in front of her, her expression neither sad nor happy.
Gu Qingyao quickly shook her head. "I have something I want to say to the Empress Dowager. This matter is of great importance. Can I...can I go to Zhaoning Palace to say it?"
"Let's go."
What exactly does Gu Qingyao want to say to me at this particular time?
Jiang Yu considered many possibilities in her mind, but when Gu Qingyao knelt in front of her and told her that she was Rong Pin's child, Jiang Yu was still stunned. She did not expect that Gu Qingyao would make such a choice.
“I know… I don’t really know either.” Gu Qingyao’s eyes were red from crying. “But I’m not Mother’s child. Mother… please don’t hold back because of me. I’m not worth your trouble.”
"And Gu Qingling and my second brother, Mother... you should also investigate them."
Seeing the incredulous look in Jiang Yu's eyes, Gu Qingyao knelt down and came to Jiang Yu's side, grabbing Jiang Yu's hand. "I don't want to sow discord between you, Mother. Apart from Gu Qingyan, please don't make plans for anyone else."
In your past life, only Gu Qingyan was kind to you; everyone else was a sinner.
Even her second brother wasn't sure if he would treat their mother the way he did in her dream.
"Gu Qingyao, you have lied to me many times. Do you think I will believe you again?" Jiang Yu pulled Gu Qingyao's hand away. "I will pretend that you never said anything today. Once you leave Zhaoning Palace, you are not allowed to tell anyone about this."
[Gu Qingyao, if anyone else finds out about this, you won't be able to save your life.]
"Hahahahahahahaha." Gu Qingyao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. So her mother knew about her background. No wonder! No wonder her mother suddenly sent her food, no wonder she suddenly said she wanted to see her after she was imprisoned in the dark dungeon.
Does this mean we can be certain that it wasn't a dream, but something the Empress Dowager truly experienced?
Thud—Thud—Thud—
Gu Qingyao knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Jiang Yu, saying, "I'm sorry."
[What a pity, I no longer need this belated apology.]
Gu Qingyao stumbled out of Zhaoning Palace. The May sun shone brightly, but Gu Qingyao felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. She could never go back. She and her mother could never go back.
......
"Your Highness, the Emperor has decreed that no one is allowed to enter or leave Lingxi Palace."
Outside Lingxi Palace, Gu Qingling was stopped by the eunuchs guarding the entrance.
"I will bear all the consequences myself. I will only go in for half an hour." Gu Qingling's face was tense, and the eunuchs had no choice but to let him go.
"Ling'er?"
Upon hearing Gu Qingling's voice, Consort Rong immediately came out of the room. The moment she saw Gu Qingling, Consort Rong was overjoyed.
"Ling'er, you've finally come to see your mother." Consort Rong hugged Gu Qingling tightly. "You don't know that your mother thought your father was angry with her, and all three of you ignored her."
During the short few hours she was confined in Lingxi Palace, Consort Rong thought of many things.
Everyone who knows about Gu Qingling and the other two's backgrounds except for her is the Emperor's man. Even if the Emperor kills her, Gu Qingling and the other two won't go against the Emperor because of her "foster mother." And then there's Gu Qingyao... Gu Qingyao hates her now.
Consort Rong grew increasingly desperate, unable to understand why the Emperor was so furious.
"If Consort Rong has nothing better to do, she should think about whether it was you who saved the Emperor during the autumn hunt back then."
Gu Qingling coldly pried Rong Pin's hand away, looking at her as if she were looking at something filthy.
"What do you mean?" Consort Rong protectively clutched her stomach. "What exactly do you mean?"
"I'm only reminding you of the care you've shown me before," Gu Qingling said with a slight smile. "From now on, our relationship ends here."
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