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

"Gone."

There was pity in Xiao Heng's eyes. The woman in his arms was not happy that he was supporting her, but was concerned about an unborn child.

"But it has nothing to do with you. It's all her own fault."

Thinking of the guilt the woman felt yesterday when she learned that the two eunuchs were dead, Xiao Heng hurriedly added another sentence.

The emperor felt more and more that he should protect the person in his arms well and not let her be tempered by the dirty things in the harem.

Gu Youning didn't know what the emperor was thinking at the moment, and she certainly didn't feel sorry for Fang Cainu. If she hadn't acted decisively and happened to be good at water, she would have been charged with the crime of harming the royal heir. Even if she hadn't been banished to the cold palace, her and Zheng'er's lives would definitely not have been easy.

Even if Fang Cainv can keep the baby in her belly this time, she will still find a way to make her fall into the abyss if she wants to step on her to get to the top.

"She wants to harm me. I don't sympathize with her, but it's a pity for the child..."

"Oh? She wanted to harm you. Didn't you say yesterday that you accidentally fell into the water?"

The emperor didn't want to talk about the child with the woman, so he made a joke on purpose.

"Your Majesty! I'm not stupid. You've already dealt with someone, so how could I not understand?"

Gu Youning pretended to be angry, but in his heart he was really surprised that the emperor seemed too cold towards Fang Cainu's child.

Even though Fang Cainu was not favored by the emperor, the emperor was not a heartless person. He still had a fatherly heart towards Xiao Yunan.

"Your Majesty, Master, the eldest prince wishes to come in and pay his respects."

The emperor was smiling and trying to comfort the angry woman in his arms when Cao Zhong's voice was heard outside.

"Your Majesty, please help me comfort Zheng'er. When he learned that I fell into the water yesterday, he cried and refused to leave. He insisted on staying with me."

"I finally managed to coax him away. Now he must have learned that the Emperor is coming, and he has another excuse."

Seeing that the emperor seemed to have no intention of leaving, Gu Youning thought for a moment and said in a magnanimous tone: "As long as the emperor can coax Zheng'er, let's forget what happened just now."

Cao Zhong, who was behind the screen, staggered with fright. This Concubine Gu was really daring!

"You are getting bolder and bolder, and you are calling me to do it."

But he only heard a doting scolding, and the emperor actually came out.

"What are you doing standing still?"

Xiao Heng glanced at the person with blank eyes.

Cao Zhong quickly apologized and followed.

"Your Highness has greeted His Majesty, Father. May I go in and see Your Highness?"

"Your mother is afraid that the disease will spread to you..."

……

"Father is the Son of Heaven, and he has dragon energy to protect him. Naturally, those diseased energies dare not..."

"Then I will spend more time with Father today. If I am imbued with his dragon energy, I might be able to visit Mother tomorrow."

"This... What has Zheng'er been studying these past two days? Does he have any questions for Father?"

The voices of the father and son outside the hall gradually faded away.

Gu Youning was just about to lie down again when a voice came from the window.

"Eunuch Cao."

This is Xiao Shengzi's voice.

Gu Youning and Tan Yin looked at each other.

"It's Xiao Shengzi, you must be very... blessed..."

The voices outside the window suddenly became quieter, and Gu Youning and his servant in the hall could only vaguely make out a few words.

When it was completely quiet outside the window, Tan Yin went out to take another look.

"Master, Xiao Shengzi and Eunuch Cao seem to be somewhat familiar with each other."

Tan Yin said hesitantly.

As the chief eunuch of Qianming Palace, Cao Zhong's position was not high but he was powerful, while Xiao Shengzi was just an ordinary eunuch.

Gu Youning thought of Xiao Shengzi's previous abnormalities and had a vague guess in his mind.

If the speculation is true, it will be a mixed blessing for Gu Youning.

Gu Youning was even more grateful that he had not let Xiao Shengzi get involved in the dark affairs before.

"Go ask the eunuchs who went to ask for Imperial Physician Yuan yesterday how they came across the Emperor."

She was busy yesterday and didn't notice that the emperor came at such a coincidence.

"Yes."

Tan Yin left quickly and returned to Gu Youning a moment later: "I asked Xiao Zuozi and the other two, and they ran into the emperor on their way back. The emperor hurried here because our master fell into the water."

Gu Youning was cautious. There were many tricks in the palace, and falling into the water was a common means of framing and harming people, so two of the four eunuchs who were to carry the sedan chair were good at swimming.

After Gu Youning fell into the water that day, although Tan Yin was anxious, she still ran to call the two eunuchs who could swim to rescue her master, and then asked the other two eunuchs who carried the sedan chair to rush to the Imperial Hospital to ask for help.

As the chief eunuch of Changchun Palace, Xiao Shengzi naturally stayed in the Imperial Garden.

Therefore, no one from Changchun Palace went to invite the emperor, and it was naturally even more impossible for other concubines to do so.

"My mind was on the master at that time, and I didn't pay attention to Xiao Shengzi. I don't know if he left."

Tan Yin obviously also wondered why her master asked this question.

"Master? Master!"

Tan Yin called out several times but received no response, and a look of worry and hesitation appeared on her face.

She felt that Xiao Shengzi had no bad intentions, and even secretly gave her a lot of advice.

She even felt that it was not a bad thing that Xiao Shengzi was familiar with Eunuch Cao.

Gu Youning was thinking about his past life at this moment.

In her previous life, Zheng'er died of illness because no one treated him. The emperor ordered all the palace maids in Changchun Palace to be sent to the Ministry of Punishment. However, although she was heartbroken at that time, she still pleaded for mercy and saved Tan Yin and Xian Yu who had always been with them.

She didn't know what happened to the other palace maids, and she didn't pay attention to it later.

But if Xiao Shengzi was someone arranged by Cao Zhong, even if the emperor ordered them to be confined to Changchun Palace at that time, Xiao Shengzi should be able to spread the news.

Was Xiao Shengzi bribed by Cheng'an Palace or did something else go wrong?

"It's okay. If Xiao Shengzi is familiar with Eunuch Cao, it will be a good thing for our palace. However, those things we do in private must not be revealed."

"Yes, the servant understands."

Eunuch Cao is the most loyal to the emperor, and if he knows it, the emperor will know it too.

At this time, Gu Youning was thinking about taking Xiao Shengzi into his own service. At least Xiao Shengzi was still innocent at the moment. Otherwise, if he had invited the emperor to come in time yesterday, he would have also taken credit and shown his loyalty in front of her.

But now most of her staff in the palace rely on her aunt. Not to mention that her aunt is also busy with the affairs of the Sizhenfang and has limited energy. If she moves too frequently, others will become suspicious.

What she needs most now is capable and reliable personnel. She has her aunt in the Shanggong Bureau, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs...

Oh, right, the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Gu Youning's eyes lit up. How could she have forgotten about this?

"Tanyin, bring the pen and ink, and go guard outside."

While the emperor and the courtiers were in the back hall, Gu Youning stood up, put on his clothes, and quickly wrote two lines of words.

"Let He'er deliver it immediately..."

Gu Youning remembered that her father had not returned from Dengzhou yet, her mother could not do this, and she could not trust anyone else in the Gu family.

"After the emperor leaves, please ask Imperial Physician Yuan to come over."

Gu Youning hesitated for a moment, but finally made a decision.