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

When Lu Yunv heard this, she turned around in surprise, but when she saw Gu Youning behaving intimately with the emperor with his face intact, an unconcealable astonishment flashed in her eyes.

Based on this alone, Gu Youning understood that Lu Yunu was by no means innocent in this matter.

The emperor also noticed it. With a stern look on his handsome face, he helped the woman walk inside.

Cao Zhong hurriedly placed the cushion in his hand on the first chair on the left.

Gu Youning slowly sat down with the emperor's support. Tan Yin, who followed behind him, placed a brocade-covered heater on his master's knees. The emperor also covered Gu Youning's knees with his cloak: "Don't get cold."

Lu Yunu was so jealous that her eyes turned red. She was not worthy of Gu Youning, such a vixen and bitch.

"Did the Lu family give you the courage to murder my Zhaoyi and the heir to the throne?"

When the emperor saw Lu Yunu's angry look, he felt even more disgusted.

"Your Majesty, you just blindly follow her every word. Apart from that alluring head, she has no family background and no talent. Not to mention the Imperial Concubine Sister, even He Cairen is a hundred times better than her."

When Lu Xiaoling entered the Eastern Palace, Gu Youning had already been sent to the temporary palace, but she had heard from the servants that Gu Youning could not play the piano, chess, calligraphy, or painting, and could not even read a few characters.

Such a person would be ashamed to be her maid, yet she had the nerve to step on her head. Especially since the emperor punished her shamelessly for such a lowly thing, she hated Gu Youning even more.

"Shut up!"

"You did such a wicked thing, and yet you're still making such a fuss here. Tell me, what did you put in the medicine?"

The emperor did not specify arsenic and oleander powder, obviously Gu Youning's previous words had worked.

He wanted to get more information from Lu Xiaoling.

"I didn't... I asked the eunuch to open the food box and take a look, but I immediately sent him away. I didn't do anything else."

Lu Xiaoling was not too stupid. Seeing this scene, she knew that the emperor had already known about her stopping people, so she did not quibble about it.

But what if she admitted it? Who could prove that she had tampered with it? She had disposed of the powder long ago, without leaving any behind.

"Then Ms. Lu, can you explain where this medicinal powder comes from?"

At this moment, Cao Zhong leisurely took out a packet of powder from his sleeve and handed it to Lu Xiaoling.

Seeing this thing, Lu Xiaoling didn't wait to say anything, but the palace maid Pei Yu, who was kneeling beside her, turned pale and fell to the ground: "How could it be?"

"This is……"

When Lu Xiaoling saw the reaction of her palace maid, she also knew where this thing came from, but didn’t Pei Yu promise that it had been cleaned up?

"This was found in Lady Lu's Lanfang Pavilion. Lady Lu wouldn't be unfamiliar with it, right?"

Cao Zhongdao.

"So what if it was found in my room? Could it be that someone deliberately framed me?"

Lu Xiaoling's angry gaze fell on Gu Youning's face.

Gu Youning pretended not to notice and stroked the heater in his hand leisurely. Now was not the time for him to speak.

"Ridiculous! You are just a mere imperial concubine. You are the only one who would frame all the other concubines in the palace, but you are the one who is trying to frame them."

"There are witnesses and evidence, I..."

"The Queen is here!"

"The royal concubine has arrived!"

The emperor was about to speak when a eunuch's announcement came from outside.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to His Majesty!"

Led by the empress and the imperial concubine, almost all the concubines from the six palaces arrived.

"No gift."

The emperor waved his hand coldly.

"Your Majesty, what happened again?"

"Gu Zhaoyi's face doesn't look too good either."

The queen walked up to the emperor, glanced at Gu Youning who was sitting still, and asked in a gentle voice.

"I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Empress and Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine. Please forgive my inconvenience in my legs and feet and my inability to complete the ceremony."

Before everyone came in, the emperor signaled with his eyes that he didn't need to stand up, so Gu Youning was too lazy to bother herself. Anyway, no matter how respectful she was, the queen and the imperial concubine would not let her go.

"But you were injured?"

The Queen asked with a concerned look on her face.

"It's freezing cold, Zhaoyi Gu should be more careful."

This was the first time that Concubine Zheng appeared in public since her last house arrest. Although there was a hint of sadness between her brows, her expression was different from the anger that everyone expected, especially when she actually spoke gently to Gu Youning.

"Thank you both ladies for your concern."

Gu Youning leaned forward to express his gratitude, without any intention of saying more. In fact, his eyes had already looked back and forth between the two of them. Neither of them looked at Lu Yunu who was kneeling on the ground, and their expressions were very natural.

Cough!

At this time, a weak cough sounded among the concubines.

Everyone's attention was drawn over there, and Gu Youning also glanced at the crowd.

There was a person standing behind Concubine Wen. She was wearing a bright brocade palace dress that seemed to be hanging empty on her skeleton. Her face was pale and she was almost half leaning on the palace maid. This was Concubine Yan from Changning Palace. She had been bedridden for many years. Gu Youning had never seen her many times, whether in past or present life.

"Your Majesty and Your Majesty, please forgive me. I..."

"You're not feeling well. Sit down quickly."

The queen's face was filled with worry.

"Everyone, take a seat."

The emperor looked at Concubine Yan with pity in his eyes.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Although the emperor had granted seats, there were only a few chairs in the main hall of the rear hall, which were only enough for concubines with the rank of talent and above to sit down. The rest of the people could only stand at the back.

"Your Majesty, my sister is very heavy now, and I'm afraid she can't stand for long."

However, Concubine Zheng did not sit down immediately, but bowed to the emperor and said with joy on her face.

Feeling heavy?

Everyone's face changed, this meant they were pregnant.

Everyone knew that Zheng Baolin was sent to the palace by the Zheng family to have children, but no one expected that Zheng Baolin would be the second person to have good news after Fang Cainv.

"Congratulations, His Majesty, and Congratulations, Your Majesty."

The concubines who were close to the Zheng family were busy flattering him happily.

Zheng Baolin was pregnant, a year earlier than in her previous life. Gu Youning's hand holding the heater moved slightly.

"Have you asked the imperial physician to see it?"

There was a barely perceptible trace of anger across the emperor's sword-like brows, but nothing could be seen on his face.

As for Cao Zhong standing next to him, he lowered his head tightly.

"Of course. I'm not in good health and don't have the honor of bearing an heir for His Majesty. Your child is mine, so how could I not be devoted? I've already had the Imperial Physician prescribe a pregnancy-maintaining medicine. Court Judge Li says your pregnancy is looking good, and you'll definitely give Your Majesty a healthy prince next year."

Today, Concubine Zheng was very friendly and called her sister all the time.

"Zheng Baolin has met with joy, Cao Zhong, please give him a seat."

The emperor's solemn gaze fell on Zheng Baolin, who was standing behind him with his head lowered, for a while. He pursed his thin lips, and the light in his eyes became more and more flickering.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

Zheng Baolin was still so timid. Even though she was pregnant with the envied royal heir, she still didn't even dare to raise her head in front of others.

"Today is truly a good day. I congratulate Sister Zheng on getting what she wished for."

The Queen chuckled.

"However, the Emperor summoned me here today. I wonder why?"

"This Lu Yunu..."

The queen casually mentioned this great happy event in the harem, and her doubtful eyes wandered over Lu Yunu.

"Ms. Lu Yu attempted to poison Consort Gu and her son. Her crime is unforgivable."

The emperor lifted his robe and sat down, but his expression softened when he faced the empress.

"Poison?"

The Queen's face suddenly showed shock. She looked at Lu Xiaoling who was pinned to the ground by the eunuchs and asked, "Ms. Lu?"

"I don't have any!"

Lu Xiaoling was frightened by the emperor's anger, and seeing her miserable appearance being seen by so many people, she was anxious and angry. "Your Majesty and Your Majesty, please understand. I did not harm anyone. That powder was... oleander powder. I simply couldn't stand Concubine Gu's seductive behavior and wanted to teach her a lesson. This pollen will only cause a rash all over her body, it won't kill her."

"You still dare to quibble? You only put oleander powder in Concubine Gu's medicine?"

The emperor still did not reveal the existence of arsenic.

"I didn't lie. If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, you can ask the imperial physician to examine me."