Rebirth and Marriage: I am the Mistress of the Palace

The night was deep, and a light frost was falling.

In the Jade Dew Courtyard, Meng Yunlan's eyes were already swollen from crying.

She cried in a hoarse voice, "My husband, my father and mother have both been arrested and imprisoned in the imperial prison, and they did it right in front of me! Those people are vicious and cruel. My parents will surely be severely tortured in prison! Please help them, please go to the Crown Prince and plead for my parents, please let them go home!"

"Madam, I've already said that I can't help you with this matter."

Gu Qianling frowned slightly, but her tone was gentle, as if she was not angry with Meng Yunlan at all because of the Meng family's troubles.

“Your father has committed a grave error by keeping Ren Jingqiu, the legitimate daughter of the former Grand Secretary, and even forcing her to become pregnant with his child. His Majesty is furious. Not to mention me, even if the Crown Prince were to plead for him, he would likely be implicated.”

Meng Yunlan immediately shook her head: "Impossible! My father was an honest and upright official, and our Meng family was one of the most prestigious and respected families in the capital. Everyone could see that! My father would never do such a heinous thing! This is all a frame-up!"

Gu Qianling sighed: "This matter was initiated by Ren Jingqiu herself, who beat the accusation drum and filed a lawsuit against your father. She had been missing for many years, but suddenly reappeared, pregnant, and instead of suing anyone else, she only sued your father..."

Before he could finish speaking, Meng Yunlan interrupted him abruptly: "It must be that Ren Jingqiu who was bribed to frame my father!"

“Back then, it was my father who impeached Ren Hongru. Ren Jingqiu hates my father and feels that he ruined her family, so she deliberately sought revenge, which is quite reasonable!”

"The bastard child in her belly, who knows which bastard she slept with! How can you assume that child is my father?!"

“My father is such an upright man. He refused when my mother asked him to take a concubine. He even got angry when my mother forced one on him! He never cared about women, so how could he possibly be interested in someone like Ren Jingqiu!”

Gu Qianling frowned more deeply. He looked at Meng Yunlan's face and listened to Meng Yunlan's harsh words, his eyes revealing a hint of displeasure.

"What kind of person is Ren Jingqiu? What are you talking about? She was famous throughout the capital at the age of fifteen. She was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Her beauty was unparalleled, and she was pure and kind-hearted. Even the Emperor was moved when he saw her. Yet you say she is worthless."

Gu Qianling smiled gently: "Madam, it's useless for you to belittle Ren Jingqiu like this. Even if you curse her to the point of being devastated, it won't make up for your father's—filth and shamelessness!"

Meng Yunlan's face turned pale instantly: "Gu Qianling, what, what did you say? How dare you call my father dirty and shameless? He's my father! He's your father-in-law!"

Gu Qianling stood up and looked down at Meng Yunlan: "Having a father-in-law like this is quite shameful."

“You used to look down on your second sister-in-law’s family and her background, but now I think that apart from her background, she is worse than you in every way. Oh, no, she is worse than you in every way now, after all, her Shen family is not as sinful as your Meng family.”

“I’m starting to envy my second brother. At least he has a good, upright wife who doesn’t cover up for their father or defend him for his crimes. She even personally sends him to jail.”

"And you? You only know how to be biased, distorting the facts and maliciously smearing the victims in order to whitewash your father. You really disappoint me!"

Gu Qianling's voice was calm and gentle, without a trace of sharpness, yet it made Meng Yunlan tremble all over.

"What are you saying?! You're talking nonsense! My Meng family is far superior to that insignificant Shen family! My father is innocent! It was you, it was you who tried to kill my father! You all sided with Shen Wantang and deliberately conspired to frame my father!"

Gu Qianling sighed softly, "Madam, look at you, your manners are lacking, you're starting to talk nonsense."

"The Meng family actually failed to raise you very well. In the past, I always covered for you, cleaned up your messes, and dealt with things for you in front of my mother. I was quite tired."

"Now it's all right, I don't need to mediate for you anymore. You should just focus on cultivating your character! A married woman shouldn't suffer misfortune. No matter what happens to the Meng family, you'll be safe and sound with me protecting you."

Hearing him try to comfort her again, Meng Yunlan immediately stepped forward and hugged his waist: "Husband, I know you're good to me, and you've always protected me. I'm very grateful. But I can't live without my family, and you wouldn't want to see your father lose his official position and his life, would you?"

Gu Qianling stood there, neither pushing Meng Yunlan away nor hugging her as usual. He simply said gently, "I really don't want to see this."

"Yes, then you should go to the Emperor and plead for my father!"

Meng Yunlan adopted a persuasive tone: "The Emperor used to trust my father the most. Whoever my father impeached, the Emperor would investigate and punish. He was the Emperor's most trusted confidant!"

"The Emperor certainly doesn't want to lose such a loyal and trusted minister as my father. He needs someone to persuade him so that he can save face."

"Why don't you, my husband, be the one to persuade the Emperor?"

Gu Qianling smiled but didn't say anything.

Meng Yunlan's heart pounded: "Husband, what are you laughing at? Have you agreed?"

"I'm laughing. I, Gu Qianling, and the entire Gu family have treated you well, yet you show no consideration for me whatsoever and try to kill me. Meng Yunlan, you're quite ruthless. You've never treated me like a human being, have you? If I weren't surnamed Gu and wasn't the eldest son of the Duke's mansion, you probably wouldn't even give me a second glance, would you?"

"I didn't! How could I be that kind of person! I'm desperate, I have no choice but to beg you. If even you won't help me, who will?"

Gu Qianling pushed Meng Yunlan away.

The gentleness on his face faded, revealing a hint of coldness: "The woman that even the Emperor couldn't have, your father got. The Emperor has lost all face and dignity. He's so angry that he's even detained my father in the palace and won't let him return to the Duke's mansion."

"Do you think that I, a mere fourth-rank junior steward of the Imperial Household Department, can save your father?"

"What's the difference between asking me to plead with the Emperor on behalf of your father and asking me to go and die?"

Panic flashed in Meng Yunlan's eyes: "No, it's not like that. You are my husband. How could I bear to send you to your death? I want to seek justice for my father, but I can't see the emperor. I can only beg you."

“You are the Crown Prince’s study companion, and you grew up together with him. You have an extremely close relationship. I know better than anyone how much he trusts and relies on you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have become the Junior Chamberlain of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices at such a young age!”

"As long as you plead with the Crown Prince, he will definitely help you! With the Crown Prince's guarantee, my father's life can be saved!"