With a splitting headache, Gu Qingling curled up, clutching her head, as an unfamiliar memory surfaced in her mind.
In the image, he is wearing a dragon robe and refers to himself as "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I, the Emperor").
He sat on the dragon throne, and everyone called him "Long Live the Emperor."
"Xu Dong, draft the imperial edict."
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Empress Jiang has disturbed the inner palace and endangered the dynasty. I have just ascended the throne and hereby order the execution of Empress Jiang to rectify the court. I also grant a special imperial examination, which the whole country will celebrate."
Gu Qingling trembled all over. Why did he order his mother's death in this memory?
The scene shifts, and he arrives at the Cold Palace with Consort Rong, dressed in the attire of an imperial concubine, along with Gu Qingfeng and Gu Qingyao.
Why are you treating me like this?
Jiang Yu was in a terrible state, her almond-shaped eyes filled with disbelief and despair.
"I have tolerated you for a long time. As my mother, you have never taught me anything. Do you deserve the title of Empress Dowager?"
His expression was one of disgust, as if he were looking at some kind of enemy.
"You've tolerated me for so long?" Jiang Yu laughed. "Isn't my current reputation as a wicked empress all thanks to you?"
"Gu Qingling, you are a complete hypocrite!"
"Your Majesty, how can you speak of the Emperor like that? If this gets out, it will greatly damage the Emperor's reputation," Consort Rong said hypocritically.
The next second, he waved his hand and said, "For the sake of our past relationship as mother and son, you should end it yourself."
He watched helplessly as Jiang Yu died, but instead smiled and acted intimately with Consort Rong, issuing an edict to honor Consort Rong as Empress Dowager, without ever glancing at Jiang Yu again.
Gu Qingfeng and Gu Qingyao were also very close to Consort Rong, so Jiang Yu's death didn't even cause a ripple.
Off-screen, Gu Qingling's forehead was already beaded with cold sweat. Dead... His mother had died right before his eyes...
Just when Gu Qingling thought this absurd memory was finally coming to an end, a new scene appeared.
This time, it was outside the Cold Palace.
He and Gu Qingyan faced off.
Gu Qingyan angrily cursed him for being ungrateful and for ordering the death of his own mother.
He had just ascended the throne and was in the prime of his life. How could he tolerate such provocation? He pointed his bow and arrow at Gu Qingyan, but Gu Qingyan still insisted on collecting Jiang Yu's body.
At that moment, he felt guilty.
It seems that in his mind, everyone should despise Jiang Yu in order for him to feel at ease.
The sudden appearance of someone willing to die for Jiang Yu makes him seem like a shameless scoundrel.
"If you don't leave, I will kill you."
But Gu Qingyan ultimately died right in front of him, pierced by a thousand arrows.
His heart felt as if a piece had been ripped out, and he returned to the Hall of Supreme Harmony in a daze.
He couldn't sleep for nights on end; every time he closed his eyes, the images of Jiang Yu and Gu Qingyan's tragic deaths would appear before him.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has arrived."
"not see!"
He was like a trapped beast. Finally, in the dead of night, he ran alone to Zhaoning Palace, a palace that had long been deserted.
"Mother."
He nestled in the bed where Jiang Yu used to sleep, sobbing uncontrollably.
After he became emperor, he realized that being emperor was not the best thing in the world, and there was no one left who could help him or go to great lengths to consider his needs.
He was wrong, terribly wrong.
Consort Rong, now the Empress Dowager, couldn't find him anywhere. When she finally found him in Zhaoning Palace, she grabbed his shoulder in despair, "Why are you still thinking about that bitch Jiang Yu?"
"She is my mother, and I forbid you to speak of her like that!"
"I am your mother. You, Feng'er, and Yao'er are all my children!"
All images suddenly disappeared, and Gu Qingling abruptly opened her eyes.
His eyes were empty, and blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth. Why did he have such memories?
The Imperial Guards who came to check on Gu Qingling placed their hands under Gu Qingling's nose, and a very weak voice was heard, "I want to see Gu Qingfeng."
......
Several hours later, the sound of a wheelchair rolling could be heard, but Gu Qingling didn't even have the strength to lift her eyelids.
"You were looking for me?"
Gu Qingfeng looked at Gu Qingling's miserable state, like a stray dog, but he did not feel the excitement he had expected.
Why did you suddenly... suddenly change your attitude and treat Mother so well?
Gu Qingling twitched the corner of her mouth. "Did you also have a dream?"
Seeing that Gu Qingfeng remained silent, Gu Qingling smiled foolishly.
Not only Gu Qingfeng's attitude, but also the Empress Dowager's...
The Empress Dowager suddenly treated Gu Qingyan so well, and then suddenly changed her attitude towards them...
Also, my mother said she wasn't a demon queen...
All of this gave Gu Qingling a vague guess, an extremely ominous guess.
"Gu Qingfeng, that was just a dream, wasn't it? It was all fake!"
Gu Qingling's attitude suddenly became agitated, and his neck turned red. It was just a dream, how could it be real? How could he have really done such a heinous thing?
That wasn't a dream.
Gu Qingfeng seemed to have all his strength drained away. "Gu Qingling, that's not a dream."
“We really did do that.”
"impossible!"
“We are ungrateful wretches, beasts who don’t know how lucky we are.” Gu Qingfeng also became agitated. “Gu Qingling, we are all guilty, but you are the biggest sinner.”
"Hahahaha... Hahahaha..."
Gu Qingling lay on the ground, his body ice-cold; he was a sinner.
"So all along, you've wanted to atone for your sins."
"Gu Qingfeng, did she give you a chance to atone for your sins?"
Silence had already given Gu Qingling the answer.
Even Gu Qingfeng didn't have a chance to atone for his sins, so he couldn't possibly ask for any more.
Suddenly, Gu Qingling mustered all her strength, got up, and slammed her head against the wall.
Since that's the case, then let's fight fire with fire.
"Bang—"
Gu Qingling's body slowly slid to the ground, and Gu Qingfeng's eyes narrowed sharply. "Quick, someone come here!"
......
"Gu Qingling committed suicide by running into a wall?"
Jiang Yu's mind went blank for a moment. How could someone as selfish and life-loving as Gu Qingling have the audacity to commit suicide by hitting her head against a wall?
"Your Majesty, I heard that the imperial physician arrived in time and the patient's life is not in danger, but he is still unconscious."
Wanji glanced cautiously at Jiang Yu's expression before speaking softly:
"It's just...it's just that he keeps mumbling 'Mother' in his sleep."
"She's lucky to be alive."
Jiang Yu got up and walked into the house. Mother? Perhaps Gu Qingling was calling for the mother who carried him for ten months and gave birth to him.
In this life, she and Gu Qingling are destined to be enemies.
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