"Xu Dong, why are you walking so slowly today?"
Gu Qingling frowned. He had invited Old Madam Fan to the palace today to put in a good word for him with the Empress Dowager, but he never expected that the Empress Dowager would not even give Old Madam Fan any face.
What Gu Qingling didn't know was that for Xu Dong, every step he took brought him more pain in his groin. However, Xu Dong dared not report the truth and could only endure the pain and quicken his pace.
"This Wei Sheng is really impatient." Gu Qingling was also somewhat angry with Wei Sheng. "Now look what's happened, I can only stay in the palace and watch my father's expression."
"Your Highness, perhaps Lord Wei is overly worried about you."
Gu Qingling paused, turned to look at Xu Dong, and asked, "You seem to have a good impression of Wei Sheng?"
"Your Highness is wise."
Xu Dong was so frightened that he immediately knelt down, "As long as it is good for Your Highness, this servant will like it."
Gu Qingling then snorted coldly and continued walking forward, flicking her sleeves.
It seems he can only stay in the palace for the time being, waiting for his father's suspicions to dissipate before making any further plans.
The next day.
Gu Qingfeng was pushed to the Hall of Supreme Harmony in a specially made wheelchair.
"Why are you here, Feng'er?" Gu Heng was clearly pleased to see Gu Qingfeng willing to come see him. "How is your leg?"
"Thank you for your concern, Father. I've gotten used to the wheelchair." Gu Qingfeng lowered his eyes sadly. "I heard there was some misunderstanding between Father and my elder brother..."
"But because of my leg?"
Gu Qingfeng gently raised her head, her cautious demeanor meeting Gu Heng's eyes and causing Gu Heng's heart to ache.
"I don't blame my eldest brother anymore. It was my stubbornness in insisting on going to Heng County with my third brother that made him shoot an arrow at me." He was trying to excuse Gu Qingling, but the sadness in his eyes didn't seem fake. "My eldest brother was aiming at my hand. I fell to the ground by myself."
"Enough!"
Gu Heng wiped his eyes. "Did your older brother send you?"
Feng'er is straightforward and honest, unlike the Crown Prince, whose thoughts are unfathomable even to his father, the Emperor.
“I came here voluntarily; it has nothing to do with my elder brother.”
However, Gu Heng had already concluded that Gu Qingfeng's trip was at Gu Qingling's behest, which increased his wariness of Gu Qingling.
"I have said what I needed to say, so I will not disturb Father Emperor's handling of state affairs any longer."
Gu Qingfeng gestured for the palace servants to push her out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but Gu Heng stopped her, saying, "Feng'er, stay here and keep me company."
"Father, how can I possibly help you like this?"
He has broken both legs and is unable to practice martial arts.
"Your elder brother can help me review memorials, so can you." This sudden display of paternal love prompted Gu Heng to speak hastily; he genuinely felt sorry for Gu Qingfeng at the moment.
“There is a distinction between ruler and subject. I will only help Father Emperor sort the memorials.” Gu Qingfeng paused. “As for reviewing the memorials, I will have to trouble Father Emperor.”
Gu Qingfeng stayed in the Hall of Supreme Harmony for a whole day, and Gu Heng's mood was also good for a whole day.
When Gu Heng examined Gu Qingfeng from the perspective of an heir for the first time, he discovered that his second son had an excellent quality: he knew how to be tactful.
Always remember the distinction between ruler and subject.
Before leaving, Gu Heng instructed Cen Hai to personally escort Gu Qingfeng back to the Dragon and Phoenix Palace.
"Second brother, did you spend the whole day in the Taihe Hall?" After Cen Hai left, Gu Qingling slowly emerged from the shadows, her face grim.
"I went to see my father today to plead for my elder brother."
Sitting in his wheelchair, Gu Qingfeng could only look up at Gu Qingling.
"I don't need you to plead for me." Gu Qingling turned her face away stiffly. "I know you hate me."
Since Gu Qingfeng broke his leg, their brotherhood has almost completely ended.
It was also because of Gu Qingfeng that he was doubted about his character by the old ministers, and gradually fell to his current state.
"Brother, I don't hate you anymore."
Gu Qingfeng smiled calmly, noticing out of the corner of his eye the hem of his robe fluttering in the wind outside the Dragon and Phoenix Palace. Gu Qingfeng's expression became even more sincere. "Let's pretend that what happened before never happened. Brother, you should forget about it too."
Gu Qingfeng left, leaving Gu Qingling standing there.
Under the moonlight, the tears in Gu Qingling's eyes were especially noticeable. Did he regret it? No, he didn't regret the arrow he shot at Gu Qingfeng.
......
"Did the Second Prince really say that?"
Upon hearing this, Cen Hai bowed, "This servant heard everything clearly outside the Dragon and Phoenix Palace."
Gu Heng remained silent for a moment, then led Cen Hai toward Lingxi Palace. Gu Heng had walked this road from Taihe Hall to Lingxi Palace for ten years, so familiar with it that he could know exactly where he was even with his eyes closed.
"Open the door."
The tightly closed palace gates were opened, and the woman's maniacal laughter rang out.
"My child, my child." Consort Rong looked at Gu Heng as if he were a stranger, then turned her gaze back to the pillow she was holding. "My child, why haven't you learned to walk yet after all this time?"
Gu Heng sat on the soft couch and stared at Consort Rong for a long time.
"You lied to me back then, saying you were my savior." Gu Heng recalled the scene from back then through the current Consort Rong. "I know you came from a humble background and it was not easy for you to survive in the palace. My mother went through the same thing."
"Child, there are bad people. Don't be afraid, your mother will protect you." Consort Rong hugged her pillow tightly and looked warily at Gu Heng, who had spoken.
"I wanted to give you the best, and I promised to make your child the crown prince. I conspired with you to scheme against the empress."
Gu Heng's eyes were a little sore. "My mother did not live to be honored as Empress Dowager, so I want Ling'er to ascend the throne and honor you as Empress Dowager in the future."
"But you lied to me! You treated me like a complete fool!"
Gu Heng suddenly reached out and snatched the pillow from Consort Rong's hand, then grabbed her by the neck. "You have such a good son. Now that he's grown up, he's forming cliques and coveting my position."
Consort Rong struggled desperately, her face flushed red.
Just as Consort Rong was about to suffocate, Gu Heng finally let go and threw her to the ground.
“I can see that Feng’er now only recognizes the Empress as his mother.” Gu Heng’s expression turned gloomy. “If Feng’er ascends the throne, even if he is not the Empress’s biological son, you will not be the Empress Dowager. Liu Rong, you are not fortunate enough to be so.”
Consort Rong crawled toward the pillow, but Gu Heng kicked her even further away.
"It's good that she's gone mad. If she's mad, the things that happened back then will never be known to outsiders." Gu Heng stood up and gave Rong Pin one last look. "And you, you will only ever be that childless Rong Pin."
"I'm sparing your life out of consideration for the three siblings."
After Gu Heng left, Lingxi Palace became even more desolate. The palace servants guarding the palace gate could still hear Consort Rong's shrill screams, and crows circled around the top of Lingxi Palace again and again.
It implies the end of a certain relationship.
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