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

She also wanted to see who the emperor would protect.

In terms of favor and the support of her mother's family, it seems that Concubine Gu has no ability to compete with He Chongyuan at the moment.

But the fact that the palace maids of Changchun Palace were able to invite the emperor shows that Concubine Gu still has some weight in the emperor's heart.

"Who was the one who spoke disrespectfully to Chongyuan just now?"

Xiao Heng gently turned the jade ring on his hand and was silent for a moment, then looked at the palace maid beside He Chongyuan.

"Your Majesty, it's Miss Gu."

Jinzhu walked forward with a smug look on her face.

The queen still had a smile on her face, but her eyes dimmed a little. However, Lady Wen had already turned her head away angrily.

However, Gu Youning, the main person in charge, just glanced worriedly at Aunt Lan who was kneeling behind him, then lowered his eyelashes and trembled his wings like a frightened butterfly.

Xiao Heng caught a glimpse of this, his eyes darkening slightly, but his expression remained impassive. "Since this is a violation of palace rules, she must be punished. I will give the girl from the Gu family thirty slaps on the face as a punishment."

"What do you think, Chongyuan?"

"Your Majesty, I naturally have no objection to your words."

He Chongyuan had now regained her usual calm demeanor, without any trace of the toughness she had shown just now in her determination to punish someone.

"Then do it."

"emperor……"

Gu Youxin's plea for mercy was slapped back before she could even utter it, and naturally she had no chance to speak again after that.

The palace maids in Guanju Palace had obviously used all their strength. By the time the slapping stopped, Gu Youxin's face had swollen like a pig's head.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace, and thank you, Empress Chongyuan, for your generosity."

Gu Wen grabbed her daughter who was about to faint and kowtowed to thank the emperor for his grace.

"Alright, Miss Gu has learned her lesson this time. She will be more careful with her words and actions in the future. Today is the day for Concubine Gu to reunite with her family. Don't let this incident spoil her fun."

"Come here, summon the imperial physician to Changchun Palace to treat Miss Gu. A girl's appearance is of utmost importance."

Seeing that the emperor had nothing to say, the queen spoke gently to Gu Wen's mother and daughter.

"The Queen can handle the rest. I still have memorials to review."

Xiao Heng came and went in a hurry, as if he had come just to support He Chongyuan, and then he got on the imperial carriage amid the respectful farewells of the crowd.

At the moment the bright yellow brocade curtain fell, the emperor's eyes met Gu Youning, who raised her head slightly. Seeing that the woman quickly lowered her eyes, as if she was panicked, a trace of depression flashed in the emperor's eyes.

Forget it. With this woman's simple mind, she probably doesn't understand what happened today and thinks she is supporting others.

Let’s talk about it tonight.

After the emperor left, He Chongyuan was the first to leave. Seeing the ostentatious ceremonial procession going away, the people in Fengyi Palace all looked at her unfriendly.

"Thank you, Queen. I will take my mother and sister with me and take my leave."

"Thank you, Miss Wen."

Gu Youning walked up to Lady Wen again and bowed to express his gratitude.

However, Concubine Wen had no intention of paying any attention. She bowed respectfully to the Queen, raised her chin slightly, and walked to the other side with her maid.

"Mrs. Wen has always been like this, don't worry."

The queen saw the confusion on Gu Youning's face and said with a smile.

Gu Youning pretended to smile awkwardly, but she didn't agree in her heart. She knew Lady Wen's personality well, and she was just pretending in front of others.

……

"It hurts so much, do you know how to serve me? Get out!"

In the main hall of Changchun Palace, Gu Youxin sat on a chair at the bottom, being served by palace maids who applied medicine to her.

But perhaps the maid's hand was a little too heavy and hurt the wound on her face, so she was so angry that she reached out and overturned the medicine box in the maid's hand.

"This slave deserves to die."

The palace maid was slapped in the face, and hatred was in her eyes. Although she said words of apology, there was a hint of disdain on her face.

"Tan Yin, have someone help her down and apply the medicine properly."

Gu Youning calmly took a sip of tea and said to the palace maid on the ground.

"Sister is becoming more and more confused. She's focusing all her attention on these lowly people. No wonder she has no dignity in front of the Emperor."

Gu Youxin sneered with a pig-headed face, and the contempt and arrogance in his expression were the same as when he was in the mansion.

"Xin'er, please don't be rude. Although your sister was born out of wedlock, she is now a noble lady in the palace. How can you still speak like that before?"

"Mother, what kind of noble lady is she? If she were a noble lady, my daughter wouldn't be suffering like this today."

"I failed to capture the Holy Heart, but instead I made enemies with the high-ranking concubines for no reason. Now, all of this falls on my daughter."

Gu Youxin yelled in dissatisfaction.

Gu Youning ignored the mother and daughter's echoing voice, and even seemed to be deaf to the word "illegitimate daughter" that her stepmother deliberately emphasized.

"Your sister has been spoiled since she was little, so she speaks bluntly. Please don't blame me, Concubine."

Although Gu Wen was dissatisfied with the fact that her concubine, who used to be submissive under her, was now sitting in the main seat, she was from the Wen family after all and had some experience. She knew that her concubine was now the imperial concubine and could no longer be ordered around by her openly.

As for private matters, as long as the Lan family is still in her hands, she is not afraid that Gu Youning will be disobedient.

Unexpectedly, Gu Youning slammed the teacup in her hand onto the table and looked at her stepmother with a half-smile. "But in the palace, no one will pamper you like mother does. Today's incident is a lesson. If you say something rude next time, you won't just get a few slaps on the face."

"I know that Concubine Jie has suffered some injustice in the mansion. It's all because I was busy with the chores before. You have many sisters and brothers in the mansion, so it's inevitable that I have not been able to take care of them. Now that Concubine Jie has entered the palace, I have no chance to make amends. However, I will definitely make up for the injustice that Concubine Jie has done to Concubine Lan in the future."

Gu Youning remained silent with a sullen expression. Gu Wenshi stopped her daughter from speaking indignantly and continued with a smile, "Madam Lan has done a great service in giving birth to the Concubine. I have been planning to discuss with your father these past few days to promote her as a concubine. This will make the Concubine look better in the future."

"Thank you very much for your consideration, mother."

Only then did Gu Youning relax his brows.

"Your Highness, your words are too kind."

Gu Wen breathed a sigh of relief. This concubine's daughter was still easy to control.

"Tan Yin, please ask my sister and aunt to go to the side hall and wait. I have a few words with mother in private."

Gu Youning's casual remark made Gu Wenshi look stunned. The concubine wanted to keep her to talk alone? It would be right to keep the Lan family!

Even after the reluctant Gu Youxin and Lan were asked to leave, Gu Wenshi was still hesitant.

To attack someone, you must first attack their heart. Gu Youning was very satisfied when he saw the uneasiness that was hard to conceal on his stepmother's face.

She was in no hurry to speak, and only looked up at Gu Wenshi after she finished the bowl of blood swallows that Tan Yin had just brought her.

Gu Wen naturally also saw the blood swallow, and her brows unconsciously frowned.

Born into a branch of the Wen family, she had some experience and knew that blood swallows were rare and not readily available even in the palace.