"Your Majesty, the Empress has gone too far." Consort Rong's eyes were red. "She has detained Bai Qian in Zhaoning Palace, and she didn't even come to participate in today's final selection."
Consort Rong was so angry she was almost going crazy. Her painstakingly planned schemes were crushed by Jiang Yu's casual remark, making her feel like a clown.
"Rong'er, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on the Empress." Gu Heng frowned. Rong'er used to be the most obedient and submissive, what's wrong with her lately?
"If I were to actually bring Bai Qian into the harem, who knows what kind of trouble the Bai family would cause me."
Consort Rong looked at Gu Heng in disbelief, but Gu Heng did not pay attention to Consort Rong's expression. "This time, it was thanks to the Empress that the court was stabilized."
Just now they were criticizing Jiang Yu, and now they're praising her?
Consort Rong felt a chill run through her body. Was her rebuke just now merely a way to save face, which she had little left?
Gu Heng had clearly sworn in front of her that she would be the only woman in his life.
"Your Majesty, I am unwell and unable to serve you. It just so happens that many beautiful women have recently entered the palace, so I suppose Your Majesty has somewhere to go." Consort Rong cried as she shook off Gu Heng's hand, leaving Gu Heng somewhat embarrassed in front of everyone.
Gu Heng also changed his previous gentle attitude and said directly, "Then I will take my leave first. Please take good care of Consort Rong."
Consort Rong stared blankly at Gu Heng's departing figure until the nanny beside her spoke, bringing her back to her senses.
"Your Majesty is pregnant and should not overthink things."
"Granny, you can see clearly how the Emperor treated me in the past. Now, he won't even bother to coax me." Consort Rong's hands clenched into fists beneath her sleeves. "Is there no longer any place for me in the Emperor's heart?"
They were perfectly fine yesterday, but in just one day, their attitude has completely changed.
She just wanted the emperor to coax her.
Cen Hai watched Gu Heng walk faster and faster, inwardly groaning, "Is His Majesty heading back to the Hall of Supreme Harmony?"
"Back to the Hall of Supreme Harmony?" Gu Heng was also furious. The Bai family was just a bunch of hooligans from the military, yet Rong'er insisted on provoking them. "Didn't you hear what your Consort Rong said, telling me to go sit in another palace?"
"Shall we go to Zhaoning Palace?"
Gu Heng's expression visibly worsened. "I just had a disagreement with the Empress. What's the point of going to Zhaoning Palace now?"
To be honest, Gu Heng was afraid that Jiang Yu would kick him out.
The once lamb-like Jiang Yu has now become fierce and aggressive. The thought that even his empress's favorite concubine has turned out like this makes Gu Heng even more annoyed.
Jiang Yu, upon receiving the news, seemed lost in thought.
[Gu Heng and Consort Rong have actually developed a grudge. This is the perfect opportunity for me to make my move. I must take advantage of this to teach Consort Rong a lesson, otherwise, endless trouble will ensue.]
So, Jiang Yu began to sift through her memory for suitable candidates to challenge her.
[Got it!]
Jiang Yu's eyes suddenly lit up. "Granny Ling, is Consort An feeling any better?"
Consort An was selected during the first imperial concubine selection after Gu Heng ascended the throne; she was a daughter sent by Gu Heng's maternal family. They had hoped Gu Heng would show her some favor out of consideration for their cousin relationship, but unexpectedly, she was never summoned by him.
Jiang Yu clicked her tongue and shook her head. Consort An was aloof, but she had managed to stay in the palace peacefully for so many years.
"Back then, Consort Rong recklessly forced Consort An to drink a potion that would prevent her from having children. In recent years, Consort An has been staying in the palace all day long." Ling Mama still felt a chill when she thought about it. The fact that Consort Rong was forced to drink a potion that would prevent her from having children in front of the Emperor shows how much favor Consort Rong had for her.
"Go tell Consort An that her chance has come."
If Consort An wants revenge and wants to secure a future for the Chen family, she will definitely take action.
"This servant will arrange it immediately."
......
When the new concubine entered the palace, Gu Heng felt no interest whatsoever in seeing the beautiful and vibrant flowers.
While bickering with Consort Rong, he was also worried that Consort Rong might have a miscarriage. It seemed that ever since Consort Rong saved him, taking care of Consort Rong had become ingrained in Gu Heng's bones and blood, and had become an instinct.
On that day, Gu Heng couldn't resist taking Cen Hai to Lingxi Palace. When they passed the Imperial Garden, Gu Heng saw a slender figure.
"Your Majesty, it's a bit chilly outside. I'd better accompany you back to the palace so you don't catch a cold."
Gu Heng stopped in his tracks, a look of disgust flashing across his eyes. He had given orders that the concubines in the harem were not allowed to create such chance encounters to win his favor.
"Xing'er, I've been staying in Jing'an Palace for so long, I'm practically turning into a withered tree." The woman's voice was so faint that Gu Heng could barely hear her. "If I had insisted on not entering the palace back then, would I be better off?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Heng paused, then strode towards the beautiful figure. He wanted to see who had the audacity to regret entering the palace and becoming his concubine.
Zhaoning Palace.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty is staying at Jing'an Palace tonight."
[This Consort An is indeed quite capable; she managed to take Gu Heng to Jing'an Palace by taking advantage of Gu Heng's guilt and their blood relation.]
Jiang Yu suddenly shivered. There were many seemingly insignificant people in this palace, but it was precisely these kinds of people who could deliver a fatal blow at the crucial moment.
"Send more imperial physicians to Lingxi Palace." Jiang Yu lay back in the pear blossom tent. "Don't let Consort Rong miscarry from anger and then blame me again."
Even though Consort Rong provoked him several times, Jiang Yu never made a move on the child in Consort Rong's womb.
"Nobody outside knows that Your Majesty is the best Empress," Ling Mama said softly, lighting a calming incense stick for Jiang Yu.
She watched the Empress grow up, accompanied her when she married into the palace, and watched helplessly as the once radiant Empress fell ill and became bedridden.
Now that the Empress has the Third Prince, she seems to have undergone a complete transformation, but...
Ling Mama looked down at the remaining calming incense in her hand. The Empress had to light calming incense every night before going to sleep, and she would wake up from nightmares almost every few days. Sometimes, the Empress's eyes felt unfamiliar to Ling Mama.
“Granny, if I could, I would not want to be the Empress.” Jiang Yu’s eyes softened. “I would rather ride a horse with a sword than waste my life in this deep palace.”
For the next two weeks, Gu Heng spent almost all his time at Jing'an Palace.
Even when Lingxi Palace sent someone to invite him, Gu Heng refused with various excuses. Even when Consort Rong was bleeding, Gu Heng was still not allowed to step into Lingxi Palace. It was as if Consort An had drugged Gu Heng.
Consort Rong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, and even ran to Zhaoning Palace.
"Your Majesty, the new concubines have entered the palace but have not been favored by the Emperor for a long time. Consort An has monopolized the Emperor's favor." Consort Rong has lost a lot of weight. "If this continues, I'm afraid it will only increase resentment among the sisters in the harem."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu looked at Consort Rong in shock. A woman who had monopolized Gu Heng's favor for ten years was now coming to her to complain.
"Consort Rong, I don't think it matters which palace His Majesty visits," Jiang Yu said with a forced smile. "After all, I never stopped His Majesty from visiting Lingxi Palace in the past few years."
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