Seizing the throne, abolishing the adopted son, the imperial concubine rose to prominence

Yes, in Gu Youning’s eyes, Shouchang is a lunatic, and she won’t reason with you.

When Gu Youning arrived at the outer room, Princess Shouchang had already sat down in the main seat, with two strong-looking maids standing beside her.

All the palace servants in Jing'an Residence knelt on the ground.

Gu Youning's heart trembled, and she bowed respectfully, "Jieyu Gu pays her respects to Her Royal Highness the Princess."

"Zheng'er has met the Imperial Aunt."

Xiao Yunzheng also stood beside him and greeted him obediently with his fists clenched.

"You are indeed a foxy girl. No wonder you can charm the emperor so much that even the emperor's wife has to flatter you."

Princess Shouchang did not even shout, but sneered three times.

"The Empress's virtues are so great that not only the concubines, but also all the sisters in the harem are deeply grateful to her."

Gu Youning lowered his eyes and held his breath, remaining motionless in the posture of greeting.

However, this sentence also made it clear that it was the Queen's intention that Gu Youning suffered the unexpected disaster today.

"He's a smooth talker and a restless person."

As Gu Youning expected, everything she said was wrong.

"The Empress's sister-in-law said the eldest prince was ill. I think he is doing very well. It's true that like mother, like son."

"Living in Ci'an Palace, instead of serving tea and water to the Empress Dowager and showing filial piety, it's fine, but you only care about enjoying yourself. My brother and sister-in-law are willing to be lenient, but I will not tolerate any sand in my eyes."

Shouchang felt even more uncomfortable when he saw the clothes the two men were wearing, both of which were made of fine Shu brocade.

Shu brocade is luxurious and is not suitable for people from a humble family to wear. Even if it were used to make shoe soles for oneself, it would be more suitable for this mother and child.

What's more, Gu Youning also snatched the blood swallows that should have belonged to her. Ever since she married Shen Huan, she had the support of the empress dowager and was respected everywhere. She had never suffered such injustice.

"Someone, please ask Consort Gu and her son to kneel on the cobblestones ahead and learn some etiquette."

"Slave, you obey!"

Shouchang raised his hand, and the two strong maids beside him walked towards the mother and son.

"Please reconsider, Princess. It's freezing outside, and the Master and the Crown Prince can't stand being punished by kneeling."

Tan Yin knelt aside, her face pale with anxiety.

"How dare you, a lowly servant, contradict the princess? Go up and slap her in the face!"

Shouchang's personal maid shouted.

Seeing one of the maidservants walking towards Tan Yin, Gu Youning's pupils shrank. These two maidservants were left by Shen Huan, who loved his wife dearly, to serve Princess Shouchang. They were strong and powerful, and were very vicious. In her previous life, a palace maid accidentally bumped into Princess Shouchang and was slapped twice, leaving her deaf in one ear.

"It was I who made the princess angry. I am willing to be punished."

Gu Youning hurriedly crawled on his knees and stood in front of Tan Yin.

Seeing her master being so humble, Tan Yin knew that it was to protect herself, so she also kowtowed to the ground and said, "This servant said something wrong. I am willing to kneel outside with my master and reflect on my mistakes."

Without waiting for the two strong maids to come forward and drag him away, Gu Youning took his son with red eyes and walked towards the cobblestone path under the corridor.

Tan Yin followed behind with her head lowered, not even daring to step forward to help, for fear that the eldest princess would take the opportunity to attack again.

Seeing Gu Youning's humble behavior, Princess Shouchang showed a look of satisfaction on her face.

As expected, he was born in a humble family, and he could only be servile and fawning. Even his bones were soft, and even his son was stupid.

Seeing the three people kneeling obediently on the cobblestone road, the two maids went in to report.

"Don't be afraid, Zheng'er. Stay close to mother."

Gu Youning lowered her head and whispered to her son that fortunately she was worried that smelling too much charcoal would be bad for Zheng'er's throat, so the charcoal in Jing'an Residence was not burning very strongly, so the mother and son were dressed quite warmly.

"As long as I'm with mother, Zheng'er is not afraid of anything. Mother, don't worry."

Although Xiao Yunzheng moved closer as his mother asked, he knelt straight. He didn't know this imperial aunt, but he knew that this person came to cause trouble for his mother on purpose. He was still young and had no other skills, but he could do nothing but not cause trouble for his mother.

Gu Youning smiled with relief and held his son's little hand with his wide sleeves.

"Master, rest assured. I just saw Xiao Shengzi sneak out. I believe we can invite the emperor here soon."

Tan Yin whispered from behind.

Gu Youning nodded slightly, which was one of the reasons why she did not resist and allowed the punishment.

"Why is this room so cold? Why don't you light up some more charcoal braziers?"

"And this tea. The princess loves rose tea the most. Go and make some."

The three of them were kneeling in the cold wind, while Princess Shouchang was enjoying hot tea over charcoal fire in the room.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

The emperor arrived later than expected. The mother and son were kneeling on the cobblestones, almost losing consciousness, when they heard the report.

"Concubine, please pay your respects to the Emperor."

"Father!"

Gu Youning and her son were so cold that their lips had turned purple and their noses were red, but neither of them dared to shiver. Instead, they knelt straight.

"You fool! Hurry up and help Zhaoyi and the eldest prince up."

Seeing that the emperor's eyes were red, Cao Zhong hurriedly scolded the palace maids behind him.

"Shouchang meets my brother."

When Gu Youning and his mother were helped up by the palace maids, Princess Shouchang was also brought out surrounded by people.

She was wearing a sable cloak and holding an exquisite heater in her hands, with no sign of guilt at all.

"Is the Imperial Sister here to visit Mother?"

There was cold anger in the emperor's eyes.

"Of course, my mother is ill, but my brother didn't even inform Shouchang."

"That's not all, but he even allowed his favorite concubine to act tyrannically in Ci'an Palace. If people outside knew about this, it would damage my brother's reputation."

"I hope your Majesty will not be offended by my sister's overstepping of the bounds in teaching you a lesson."

Shouchang glanced disdainfully at Gu Youning and his mother, who were shivering from the cold, and showed little respect for the emperor in his words.

"The Imperial Sister..."

The emperor was about to speak with a stern face when his left hand was held by a pair of cold and soft hands.

He turned his head, and the woman beside him pulled his hand and knelt on the ground: "It's all my fault. I made the princess unhappy, and it's only right that the princess teaches me a lesson."

Xiao Yunzheng also knelt down following his mother.

Shouchang's eyes were filled with even more smugness and disdain. She was indeed a despicable person. He really didn't know how her, the emperor's sister-in-law, managed the harem. He had only given her a slight punishment, but the woman was already scared out of her wits. Why should he hold on to such a good thing?

Looking at Gu Youning who lowered his eyes and kept silent, the emperor's hand that was held trembled slightly, and his chest was filled with anger, but he really couldn't do anything to Shouchang now.

"Commander Shen is already waiting for my sister outside the palace. It's freezing cold, so my sister should go back home early."

The emperor had a warm smile on his face, but his hands behind his back were clenched into fists.

"He is just making a fuss about nothing. How could I possibly suffer any injustice from my mother and my brother? He is still worried about me."

Shouchang knew that the emperor was unhappy, but so what? Her husband controlled 70% of the border troops, and her royal brother would not dare to attack her.

"This is also the blessing of the imperial sister."

The emperor almost gritted his teeth when he said the word "blessing".

"Indeed, it was thanks to my father, the emperor, and my mother, the empress, that I was able to have the life I have today."

"Then I will take my leave first."

Shouchang made a perfunctory exit and left with his maid.

"Ning'er!"