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

After thinking for a moment, Gu Youning gave instructions to Tan Yin.

"Master, why must you save this maid? After all, she has offended the Emperor. If this gets known, even if the Emperor doesn't care, Concubine Zheng and her people won't let this opportunity go."

Tan Yin was a little confused.

"Tan Yin, do you know how hard it is to be a fish?"

Gu Youning's eyes were a little far away. Now the Changchun Palace was decorated with luxurious things. She and Zheng'er lived in fine clothes and delicious food, and were respected by the palace ladies. But in her previous life, in the same palace, with snow falling all over the sky outside, she and Zheng'er could only hug each other tightly to keep each other warm.

Until Zheng'er's body in my arms slowly cooled down.

"The servant knows."

The lives of servants in the palace are worth less than grass. Their life or death depends on a word from their master.

Not to mention the countless tombstones in the palace ladies' tombs on the outskirts of the city, even underground in this deep palace, there is no telling how many dead bones are buried.

"To survive in the palace, the emperor's favor is certainly important, but it is like flowing water, not a very solid support."

"Even if the emperor's grace is always there, and he is the ruler of the world, what do you think he will choose between state affairs and his children's personal affairs?"

"If I want to be the butcher, I need to accumulate my own strength. The imperial court and the harem are full of aristocratic families. If I want to carve out a path for my mother and me, I will need many people. Some with power, some with hatred, some with wisdom, and even some with weaknesses."

Gu Youning's expression was already stern.

"I understand. I will definitely assist my master in the future."

Tan Yin listened and a look of excitement appeared on her face.

What she had always wanted was to follow a master like this.

……

Day two.

After breakfast, Gu Youning heard Tan Yin say, "Just now, the eunuch went to the Imperial Food Bureau to get food and heard someone say that the emperor did not stay in Roufu Palace last night, but returned to Qianming Palace."

"What happened?"

Gu Youning was a little surprised. How could Concubine Lu not be able to keep the emperor with such means?

"I heard that yesterday, when the Emperor was about to rest with Concubine Lu, Concubine Lu's personal maid went outside the door and knelt and begged, saying that her mistress was in great pain all over her body."

"Later, for some unknown reason, Lady Lu and Lady Lu started fighting."

"The Emperor was furious and punished both of them, but he still favored Concubine Lu and only fined her three months' salary. However, Concubine Lu was demoted to a concubine. In just a few days, she was demoted two levels, which is a rare occurrence in the palace."

Tan Yin was somewhat happy. Lu Cairen had been an accomplice to the evil that day and had even wanted to attack her master. Now it was her retribution.

"Since Baolin has been demoted to a concubine, shouldn't two of the palace servants be laid off?"

"Yes, Master, this is a good opportunity for you to get the person out, but it would be best if the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs could cooperate with you."

Tan Yin quickly understood what her master meant.

"Master, Lan Sizhen is here."

As soon as Tan Yin finished speaking, the little palace maid came to report outside the door.

"Please ask Lan Sizhen to come in."

Gu Youning's eyes also flashed with anticipation. Her mother had told her that she and her sisters had a very good relationship. When her family was convicted, her aunt was brave enough to hide her mother in a water jar, and she was taken into the palace and sent to the Ye Ting.

"This servant greets Concubine Gu."

"No gift."

Gu Youning looked at the person in front of her. In fact, if you look closely, Lan Sizhen looks 50% similar to her mother, but her mother's face is gentle, while her aunt is fierce.

This is also because the two people's circumstances are different. Her mother is a concubine who has to please the master in a tactful way, while her aunt has to survive in this treacherous palace without any temper. I am afraid she would have been bullied into a pile of bones long ago.

"There's no outsider here, so there's no need to be too formal, aunt."

Tan Yin had already taken away all the palace servants in the hall.

"I understand Concubine Jie's intentions, but there are many people in the palace who talk too much, so I'll just call her Concubine Jie."

"Lan Sizhen is still the most thoughtful one."

Gu Youning is quick to accept advice.

Her aunt was a wonderful person. She didn't respond with the word "slave" which showed her gratitude for her kindness, but she kept calling her "Jieyi" as if she was following the rules.

"I won't be polite today. Mother and Si Zhen should have communicated through letters. Si Zhen should also understand what I want to do, but whether to help or not is entirely up to you."

"The sisterly love between you and mother is one thing, but helping me is another."

Gu Youning had never met this aunt since childhood. As for their feelings, they both knew her because of her mother.

"Since I'm here, I'll obey your orders."

"I've been struggling in the palace for all these years. Besides staying alive, the only thing I care about is your mother."

"Now she is completely devoted to you. Only if you are safe and sound in the palace can her life be better and I can rest assured."

"Regardless of these ties, even if I were to seek service from my master, Concubine Jieyu wouldn't be a good choice."

Lan Sizhen finally said with a smile.

"Then I would like to thank Si Zhen first."

After getting the answer, Gu Youning stood up and bowed without any hesitation.

Lan Sizhen sat down and took it.

"I have asked Si Zhen to come here for a few urgent matters. I wonder if Si Zhen can help. The first one is to help look after a maid named Yu Lian in the palace. She was punished with fifty boards for offending the emperor. I have asked the imperial physician to go and treat her quietly, but someone still needs to look after her on weekdays..."

Gu Youning briefly explained the story of the brother and sister, and did not hide the fact that the palace maid was punished by order of the emperor.

"These two things are not difficult. I have acquaintances in both the Palace of Eunuchs and the Internal Affairs Bureau."

As Gu Youning expected, Lan Sizhen agreed without any hesitation.

"One more thing, I want Lan Sizhen to pass a few words to Ci'an Palace for me..."

Xiao Yun'an has memories of his past life and is a vicious person. Now I don't know what he is thinking. He wants to be close to me and even wants to come to Changchun Palace.

She was at odds with He Chongyuan, but there was no need for her to make a fuss over Xiao Yunan and Guanju Palace.

"Now is the time when the palaces are making winter clothes and jewelry, and the people from the Shanggong Bureau have to go in and out of various places anyway, so this can be done."

Although the task was not difficult, Lan Sizhen still looked deeply at this strange niece.

"Thank you very much, Sizhen."

Gu Youning knew that her aunt was surprised at her cruelty, as she would actually attack a five-year-old child, but she could not explain what happened in her previous life, and Xiao Yun'an still looked like a pitiful little thing.

Both of them were straightforward and efficient. After finishing their business, they called in the palace servants from the Shanggong Bureau who were waiting outside the hall.

The four palace maids each held a tray in their hands, which was filled with gold, jade, and gemstone head ornaments that matched Gu Youning's status.

"Concubine Gu, please first check to see if there is anything that suits your taste. If none of them suits your taste, I will have someone make it according to your wishes. There is still more than half a month before the Queen Mother's birthday, so it should be in time."

Lan Sizhen stayed beside Gu Youning and watched.

"I don't understand these things either, but they all look good. Lan Sizhen has good taste, so please pick a few for me."

"Master, Miss Lin is asking to see you outside the palace."