Gu Heng paused, then couldn't help but glance at her again. "You want to share my burdens?"
"Yes." Seeing that he was not angry, Wen Ru felt more confident. "I have received Your Majesty's care, and it is only right that I share Your Majesty's burdens."
Gu Heng's heart stirred, and he suddenly softened his voice, "There is indeed something I need help with."
Wen Ruyi's face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly said, "If Your Majesty trusts me, I hope Your Majesty can entrust this task to me."
"Come a little closer," Gu Heng said.
Wen Ru felt a little uncomfortable when she saw that he no longer disliked her, but she still went forward as instructed.
After whispering something to her, Gu Heng asked, "Are you capable of handling this matter? If not, I will have Consort Tu do it."
“I can do it,” Wen Ruyi replied immediately.
Gu Heng's lips curled up slightly. "Very well, I await your good news. Once it's done, I will directly promote you to the rank of Imperial Concubine."
Upon hearing this, Wen Ruyi was overjoyed. "Your Majesty, I will certainly not disappoint you."
"Yes, I believe in your abilities." Gu Heng patted her shoulder, offered a few words of encouragement, and then went to the Imperial Study.
Watching the man walk away, Wen Ruyi was full of confidence.
Gu Heng asked her to go to Jingci Palace to find something.
Before she was pregnant, she couldn't guarantee she would be allowed into Jingci Palace, but now that she is pregnant, the Empress Dowager will surely not send anyone to expel her, considering her pregnancy.
If she can enter Jingci Palace, she will have the opportunity to find what Gu Heng wants. Once she succeeds, she will be promoted to Imperial Concubine.
Although what Gu Heng must be looking for to make such a promise must be something extraordinary, she didn't care, as long as she could achieve her goal.
What will Tu Tong be then?
She served Gu Heng every night, yet Gu Heng never mentioned her rank.
Once she became a Noble Consort and had another child, everyone in the entire harem had to be mindful of her feelings.
Thinking of this, Wen Ruyi became even more smug, as if she were already a royal concubine.
As soon as she left, Atuo Jianghua and Guo Yuzhen, who had been hiding behind the tree, emerged from behind the lush flowering trees.
"How obsequious!" Guo Yuzhen spat on the ground. "This Wen Ruyi is really restless. She's pregnant, yet she's always trying to get close to her cousin the Emperor. She's shameless."
A-Tuo Jiang Hua's focus was different from hers. She stroked her chin thoughtfully and said, "What did the Emperor just instruct her on? Why did he say that after it was done, he would promote her to the rank of Imperial Concubine?"
Upon hearing this, Guo Yuzhen immediately became anxious. "We can't let Wen Ruyi get this advantage for nothing. She's already pregnant with the emperor's child. If we make her a Noble Consort, wouldn't that be outrageous? When I see her then, I'll have to bow down to her."
A-Tuo Jiang Hua rolled her eyes at her, "So how do you plan to stop it?"
“Of course we’ll follow her. What can a pregnant woman do for the Emperor? It’s nothing more than palace matters. As long as we follow her, we’ll find out what the Emperor wants her to do, and then we can stop her,” Guo Yuzhen said.
A-Tuo Jiang Hua nodded. "Your method seems to work. Then you should do your best. Remember to let me know if you make any progress." With that, she patted her shoulder, yawned, and prepared to return to her own palace.
Guo Yuzhen quickly grabbed her, "Aren't you coming with me?"
"Why should I go with you? Even if Wen Ruyi becomes a concubine, she can't surpass me, but it's different for you," A Tuo Jiang Hua said indifferently.
Upon hearing this, Guo Yuzhen put her hands on her hips and said with dissatisfaction, "Looking at the entire harem, the two of us get along the best. We're always together, but now you want to leave me behind?"
Upon hearing this, Atuo Jianghua's lips twitched. "What do you mean by 'going out in pairs'? Don't try to fool me by saying I don't speak Chinese well. This phrase is clearly used to describe a close relationship between a man and a woman."
"Is that the point?" Guo Yuzhen said angrily.
Atuo Jianghua pulled her hand away. Seeing that she was still unwilling to give in, she had no choice but to say, "If the two of you follow together, you'll be too conspicuous. Here's what you'll do: you go and follow Wen Ruyi first. If anything happens, come and let me know immediately."
Guo Yuzhen was finally satisfied. "Alright, I'll go and follow Wen Ruyi first. If anything happens, you'll have to help me."
"Okay, go ahead," Atuo Jianghua said somewhat perfunctorily.
Guo Yuzhen then headed in the direction Wen Ruyi had left.
A-Tuo Jiang Hua muttered to herself, "Instead of following Wen Ruyi, I might as well go back to sleep."
However, when she was getting ready to get up and wash up in the evening, she suddenly heard a "thump thump thump" sound coming from the floor in front of her bed.
At first she thought she had misheard.
But after a short while, the sound rang out again, and became clearer and clearer.
She was startled and quickly got out of bed to put on her shoes, then squatted down to check where the sound was coming from.
"Knock knock knock..."
The sounds were incessant.
Just as she was wondering if rats were digging a hole, the floor tiles suddenly started to loosen.
Immediately afterwards, the brick was moved aside, and a jet-black head suddenly popped out.
"A ghost..."
Upon seeing this, Atuo Jianghua screamed in fright and fell backward to the ground.
"Ahhh... Ugh!"
Suddenly, a large hand reached out and tightly covered her mouth.
She realized what was happening and was about to punch the other person, but her fist was easily intercepted before she could even throw it.
"Princess, what has happened?"
A maid's anxious voice came from outside the door.
It was Atuo Jianghua who brought the maidservant from Xinjiang.
Immediately afterwards, there was a knock on the door.
Before Atuo Jianghua could think of a solution, she was dragged behind the bed by the other party.
As Atuo Jianghua was pondering a way to escape, a familiar voice reached her ears, "Atuo Jianghua, it's me."
She paused for a moment, turned her head and saw that it was an old acquaintance. She immediately glared at him and gestured for him to let go of her.
"I'll let you go, but don't scream, or we'll both be done for," Xiao Yan warned worriedly. Only after she nodded did he finally remove his hand.
Hearing the maid open the door and come in, Atuo Jianghua said in Uyghur, "It's alright, you can go out first."
"Yes," the maid replied, and led the others out.
"Xiao Yan, what are you doing in my bedroom?" Atuo Jianghua stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Xiao Yan warily.
Xiao Yan scoffed coldly, "What do you think?"
Atuo Jianghua hugged her arms. "I admit I'm pretty, but I'm warning you, don't you dare do anything rash..."
Xiao Yan gave her a sizing up without any politeness. "I'm not so desperate as to be indiscriminate in my choice of partners."
"What do you mean?" Atuo Jianghua asked, puzzled.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan shrugged. "It's nothing. By the way, I'm a little thirsty. Could you pour me a glass of water?"
Atuo Jianghua looked at him strangely, "You dug a hole into my house just to get water?"
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