"Your Highness, the decision to exile Liu Feng and confiscate the Liu family's property was personally made by the Emperor in the Golden Palace. Just because Liu Feng was killed doesn't mean the Liu family will be safe."
They were rough men in the army, and what they hated most was people like Liu Feng who embezzled military funds. They were worried that the emperor would change his mind after the meeting in the Taihe Hall and not confiscate the Liu family's property, so they rushed over with their weapons.
Moreover, Gu Qingling was using the banner of the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion to try to get them to back down, so the atmosphere began to freeze.
Gu Qingling, however, was still preoccupied with the withdrawal of the secret guards. The only way to withdraw the secret guards could be by order of Jiang Yu himself.
Gu Qingling left dejectedly, ignoring Old Master Liu's cries for help, determined to return to the palace to find out if Jiang Yu truly didn't want to acknowledge him as her son.
"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager loves you the most. As long as you sincerely apologize to her, she will treat you as before." Xu Dong, the eunuch beside Gu Qingling, said softly, "In any case, you are the Crown Prince born of the Empress."
A bitter smile touched his lips. "Xu Dong, do you think the identity of being the Empress's legitimate daughter is important to me?"
Xu Dong remained silent, but Gu Qingling already knew the answer.
If it weren't important, why would the Emperor and his uncle rather adopt Gu Qingyan to Jiang Yu than adopt the three siblings to Consort Rong? And what about the common people's words that I just heard? Half of his prestige comes from Jiang Yu.
"Wasn't it ridiculous that I went to Zhaoning Palace to make a scene and threaten the Empress Dowager, demanding to be adopted by Consort Rong?"
"Your Highness..." Xu Dong looked at Gu Qingling with concern. He was a servant who had followed Gu Qingling since childhood, and Gu Qingling was his only master. "Her Majesty has always been soft-hearted..."
"No, this time is different."
Gu Qingling slumped against the carriage, feeling utterly dejected. He could tell that Jiang Yu truly didn't want him anymore this time.
As soon as Gu Qingling returned to the palace, she was summoned by the palace servants of Lingxi Palace.
"After Her Highness woke up and heard that His Highness had gone to the Liu residence, she sent this servant to wait for you at the palace gate." The little eunuch smiled obsequiously, but Gu Qingling remained somewhat absent-minded.
As soon as Consort Rong saw Gu Qingling, she struggled to get up. "Ling'er, how is the Liu family?"
"Mother Rong, when I arrived there, the Liu family had already been raided." Gu Qingling pursed her lips, and Jiang Yu's thoughts suddenly echoed in her mind that day: Such a crown prince who cannot distinguish between good and evil, even if he has the blood of the Jiang family in his bones, is not worthy to be a descendant of my Dingyuan Marquis's mansion.
As if possessed, Gu Qingling spoke again: "Lord Liu's death and the confiscation of his property can be considered an atonement for the crime of embezzling military funds."
Consort Rong abruptly released Gu Qingling's hand, tears streaming down her face. Gu Qingfeng, standing nearby, couldn't help but speak up, "Brother, why are you speaking to Consort Rong like that? She is already very heartbroken."
“That’s right. Lord Liu was sentenced to exile before, and now he’s been inexplicably killed. The Liu family shouldn’t have had their property confiscated in the first place.” Gu Qingyao glared at Gu Qingling in disapproval. “Brother, you should apologize to Consort Rong.”
Gu Qingling opened her mouth, but ultimately could not utter a sound.
According to the laws of Daqing, Liu Feng's embezzlement of military funds was so egregious that he should be executed by slow slicing and his entire family exiled to the frontier.
"Hearing Ling'er say that, I am actually very happy." Consort Rong's back teeth were almost ground to powder, but her face was still tearful. "Ever since Her Majesty the Empress fell ill and sent you three siblings to Lingxi Palace, I have been worried every day that I cannot raise you to be meritorious people of Daqing. For this reason, I have been drinking contraceptive medicine every day, determined not to have my own children."
"Seeing that Ling'er prioritizes Daqing, I am already content. Let me and the Liu family bear the sins together." After saying this, Consort Rong fell into a coma again.
Gu Qingling hurriedly stepped forward to support Consort Rong, a hint of hesitation appearing in his eyes. Could it be that what Jiang Yu said wasn't true, and that he had misunderstood Consort Rong's mother?
"Brother, if you treat Consort Rong like this again, I won't speak to you for a month." Gu Qingyao's eyes were filled with tears. "Just now, Consort Rong was eagerly waiting for you to bring back good news."
"I understand, this time it was my brother who misunderstood."
Gu Qingling lowered her head and paused, dispelling the various conflicting feelings about Jiang Yu in her mind. For the past nine years, the one who had truly been by the side of the three siblings was clearly Consort Rong.
......
Inside Zhaoning Palace, Jiang Yu couldn't stop smiling when she heard that the military officers had forcibly seized the Liu family's property before the end of the small court assembly in Taihe Hall. Perhaps because of the successive arrival of good news, Jiang Yu's complexion had obviously improved a lot.
It seems that as long as I stay away from Lingxi Palace and those three ungrateful wretches, Heaven will favor me.
Jiang Yu was overjoyed. In her previous life, she had worked tirelessly for her three children, only to be branded a demon queen and end up with her body left to rot in the wilderness. Now, in this new life, she was not only at peace, but things were also going in her favor!
It turns out that she was truly blessed by heaven to be reborn.
Then she must live up to the image of a legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan.
"Mother, will the Liu family fall like this?" Gu Qingyan rested his head on his hands, his eyes crystal clear.
Meanwhile, the palace servants of Zhaoning Palace, who had long since figured out Gu Qingyan's temperament, couldn't help but shiver. How could an orphan have survived in the royal family until now?
The young master only acts like a child when he's with the Empress; otherwise, his stern face and silence are enough to make everyone feel suffocated.
But everyone likes this kind of young master, because only such a young master can protect the Empress in the future.
"No." Jiang Yu couldn't help but reach out and pinch Gu Qingyan's little face. "As long as Consort Rong is here, the Liu family will not fall. But none of this has anything to do with us. I will just raise you."
Hmm, it feels good, but there's not enough meat. Looks like we'll have to add more.
Gu Qingyan's ears turned bright red, yet he adored Jiang Yu's affection for him, and even his cheeks began to flush. "But if Lingxi Palace becomes too powerful, Mother will be bullied."
"Once your uncle returns to the capital in triumph, you'll know whether or not your mother will be bullied."
At the same time, inside the palace of Da Ning, the palace maids, whose dresses were almost motionless, were walking around, and the entire palace was extremely quiet.
"My lord, Liu Feng is dead."
The person on the dragon throne wore a mask, and the oppressive aura emanating from him made people afraid to even lift their heads.
His hawk-like eyes narrowed to the border of Daqing on the map, and his thin lips parted slightly, "It's been a few years. Is Marquis Dingyuan so weak that he has to fight for several years against a tiny country? When he faces me, I'm afraid I can crush him with a little force."
"My lord, should we lend a hand to Marquis Dingyuan?"
"No need, he always wins honorably." A low laugh came from behind. "Send more people to deliver it to the Daqing Imperial Palace."
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