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

For some reason, Gu Youning always felt something was wrong, so he urged the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair to go faster.

When they arrived at Zhaoqing Palace, Gu Youning saw the queen's ceremonial procession as soon as he was helped down from the sedan chair by Tan Yin.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she subconsciously stopped.

"Xiao Shengzi, go to Qianming Palace immediately and invite the emperor over. Tell him that the empress and I are both in Zhaoqing Palace."

Although he didn't know what happened inside, Gu Youning would rather trust his intuition for once. If something really happened to Concubine Wen inside, with the Queen there, her people might not be able to come out to report the news.

Lady Wen treated her with sincerity, so even if today was a misunderstanding, she had to make full preparations.

"Gu Zhaoyi is here!"

After Xiao Shengzi left, Gu Youning led the palace maids of Changchun Palace inside. In addition to Tan Yin and He'er who were always by her side, this time she also brought four eunuchs including Xiao Shengzi and Xiao Zuozi.

There are some places in the palace that cannot be cleaned, so we have to take action.

Gu Youning already had a bad feeling in her heart, but when she saw Lady Wen kneeling in the wind without even wearing a cloak, her heart still sank.

"Empress, it's all my fault. I made Sister Wen angry. Please don't blame Sister Wen."

The queen was wearing a golden peony cloak and sitting on a chair specially brought out by the palace maids in the corridor. Lin Yu-nu knelt beside her with a pale face and begged for mercy.

"I send my regards to the Queen, may I wish you all the best."

Gu Youning walked quickly to the kneeling Lady Wen and bowed respectfully.

"It's freezing cold, why is Concubine Gu here?"

The queen raised her hand to exempt Gu Youning from the ceremony and spoke with a gentle expression.

"Lady Wen said yesterday that she would have lunch with me and the Crown Prince today. I waited a long time for her and became worried, so I came to see her."

"I wonder what happened in Zhaoqing Palace?"

Gu Youning looked puzzled.

"Sister Gu, it's all my fault. I didn't manage my subordinates well. I took some charcoal from Sister Wen, which is why Sister Wen got angry."

Lin Yu-nu knelt at the queen's feet and said with a trembling body.

"What does this have to do with you, Zhichun, quickly help Lin Yunv up, she's such a pitiful woman."

The queen looked at Lin Yunv with pity from a high position.

"Thank you... Thank you, Queen."

Lin Yunv was both frightened and grateful.

"The charcoal fires in the harem are distributed by the Shanggong Bureau according to rank. Lady Wen has always been afraid of the cold. The palace maids under Lady Lin secretly stole the charcoal fires from the Lanfang Pavilion. The palace maids around Lady Wen are naturally anxious and it is understandable that they acted impulsively."

Gu Youning said.

"Gu Zhaoyi seems to be very aware of the conflict between Lady Wen and Lady Lin?"

The queen smiled deeply when she looked at Gu Youning.

"Your Majesty, this is all my fault. It has nothing to do with anyone else. If you want to punish someone, please punish me."

Lady Wen knelt straight, full of the pride of a noble family.

"Of course it's your fault!"

The queen changed her usual gentle expression and spoke with a stern face.

"You are always impatient and at odds with all the sisters in the harem, but Lin Yunu and Zhang Cainu are both timid and obedient people. There is usually no trouble in Zhaoqing Palace. At most, I will give you a few words of admonition."

"But Miss Lin's copying of the Blood Sutra for the Queen Mother was a truly benevolent and filial act. In a fit of rage, you actually burned the Blood Sutra she painstakingly copied for the Queen Mother. Do you even care about the Queen Mother and filial piety?"

As the Queen finished her words, Jinqin, who was kneeling beside Concubine Wen, took two steps forward. "Your Majesty, this happened because a maid from Tingyu Pavilion stole our master's charcoal fire. That's why I came to Tingyu Pavilion to get it back. It was Shanhu, the maid from Tingyu Pavilion, who tried her best to stop them, and as a result, these scriptures accidentally fell into the charcoal basin."

"If your majesty wants to punish me, please punish me. It's all because of my careless behavior."

Gu Youning's eyes moved. Jinqin was deliberately explaining to him what happened today.

"Your Highness, I shouldn't have taken Lady Wen's charcoal. But since the beginning of winter, Tingyuxuan hasn't had any good charcoal. Even the ordinary black charcoal we get is only half a basket. You know our mistress's temper. She doesn't dare to care about these things."

"But the master needs to copy the Blood Sutra for the Queen Mother, which requires cutting her wrist to bleed. The room is too cold, and the wound will clot in a short time. I have no choice but to go to Lan Fang Pavilion to ask for charcoal."

Coral cried.

"It's the Shanggong Bureau's fault that Miss Lin's allowance is insufficient. You servants should ask the Empress to make the decision. Why bother with Concubine Wen?"

Gu Youning frowned and looked at Lin Yu and her servant.

"Empress Zhaoyi doesn't know. I've already checked at Lanfang Pavilion and asked the people at Zhaoqing Palace. Lady Wen's daily usage of silver frost charcoal far exceeds her allotment. The amount of silver frost charcoal in the Shanggong Bureau is limited. If Lady Wen has more here, then naturally there's less elsewhere."

"In this Zhaoqing Palace, Lady Wen's status is far higher than Lady Lin's. Given Lady Lin's background and status, she probably wouldn't dare to approach the Empress."

Zhichun stepped forward and said.

Gu Youning felt a pang in his heart when he heard this. He had shared all the extra silver frost charcoal from Lanfang Pavilion, but from what Zhichun said, it seemed that Lady Wen had never mentioned this matter.

He was in a hurry to interrupt her and the Queen just now because he was afraid of implicating himself.

"Miss Zhichun, are you saying that Lady Lin's Silver Frost Charcoal was withheld by Lady Wen?"

But now all her guilt and feelings were useless.

"I have already had someone investigate this matter. Tell me what you think."

The queen looked at the palace maids standing on the other side.

"I have seen Sister Shanhu, who is beside Lady Lin, crying and begging outside Lanfang Pavilion several times."

"I have seen this many times."

……

The palace maids of Zhaoqing Palace spoke out one after another.

A concubine's personal maid cried and begged in front of another concubine's door, looking like she was really being bullied.

"I know that Concubine Gu and Concubine Wen are on good terms, so I'm afraid she won't believe what these palace maids say."

The queen said this and glanced at Zhichun beside her.

"Bring up the people at the back."