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

In Changchun Palace, Gu Youning was still unaware of the Queen's plan, but today, she did receive good news.

"You said He Jin will send someone out of the palace to deliver money to the He Mansion tomorrow?"

Gu Youning rarely showed a happy expression on her face. She had been wanting to check the connections of the Wen family in the palace these days, but these connections of the Wen family were scattered throughout the palace. If she asked her aunt to check, she was afraid that the movement would attract attention, and secondly, her aunt was afraid that she would not be able to do it.

However, as the eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, He Jin had extensive connections, enough to investigate the matter.

"This servant has inquired about the truth. Now the master's difficulties can finally be solved."

Tan Yin was also somewhat happy.

"While it's still early, ask your aunt to send a message to the Gu Mansion and have your father arrange for the person as soon as possible."

Gu Youning ordered.

"I will have He'er go to the Shang Palace Bureau quietly."

Tan Yin quickly called He'er over and gave her instructions.

"Fortunately, the fourth young lady is often in Ci'an Palace now, otherwise we would have to be careful not to be seen."

After He'er left, Tan Yin sighed.

It was this exclamation that made Gu Youning frown unconsciously.

Gu Youxin has been staying in Ci'an Palace almost all the time these past two days. Even before going to bed last night, someone from Ci'an Palace came to pick up Gu Youxin in a sedan chair.

The Queen Mother likes Gu Youxin so much?

Gu Youning felt something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Even when he was teaching his son to read before dinner, he was a little absent-minded.

"Mother, are you worried that the Queen Mother likes my aunt and that this will harm you?"

Xiao Yunzheng put down the book in his hand, looked up and asked.

Gu Youning put away the doubt on his face, chuckled and shook his head: "Mother is not worried about this."

She did not hide her relationship with the Gu family from her son. It was not surprising that her son could think of this given his intelligence.

"But the Queen Mother doesn't really like my aunt. She just has a terrible headache and needs to listen to the music to feel better, so she asks my aunt to come over every day."

Headache?

Gu Youning's eyes flashed with doubt, and he couldn't help but look at his son: "How did Zheng'er know all this?"

But Xiao Yunzheng, who was sitting on the chair, suddenly turned his dark eyes rapidly, and he was obviously feeling guilty.

"Zheng'er!"

Gu Youning raised his voice slightly and his expression became more serious.

"It was this morning. Mother hadn't come back yet, so Zheng'er went to the side hall..."

"You went to the side hall!"

Gu Youning's face changed before his son finished speaking. He held his son in his arms and began to check him up and down.

"Mother..."

Xiao Yunzheng was also shocked by his mother's reaction, but seeing Gu Youning's expression, he didn't dare to speak casually. He didn't even make a sound when his arm was pulled.

After a while, he held Gu Youning's trembling hand with his own, "Don't worry, mother. Zheng'er asked Aunt Xianyu and Xiao Zuozi to watch outside the door. No one went there."

"I'm sorry, Zheng'er. I was too anxious just now. Did I hurt you?"

Gu Youning met her son's worried and guilty gaze, and finally came back to her senses from her panic. She knew that she had scared her son.

Whenever she encountered something concerning her son's safety, she would lose control of her emotions. This was a sequelae of feeling her son's body getting colder and colder in her arms in her previous life.

"It doesn't hurt, mother. Zheng'er will be fine. I will only talk to my aunt alone when she is in Changchun Palace. If she is somewhere else, Zheng'er will definitely not do that."

Xiao Yunzheng shook his head and wrapped his small arms around Gu Youning's neck intimately.

"Mother knows Zheng'er is a very good person, but please don't do such things next time."

Gu Youning's expression softened and he spoke softly to his son.

"Zheng'er will definitely protect himself first."

Xiao Yunzheng, who has always been well-behaved, did not directly agree to Gu Youning.

"Mother loves Zheng'er the most, and Zheng'er loves mother the most too."

Seeing that his mother did not object immediately after hearing what he said, Xiao Yunzheng hugged her neck even more affectionately, and his childish voice became even softer.

"Okay, as long as Zheng'er promises not to take any risks, I will agree to let Zheng'er protect me."

Gu Youning hugged her son and closed her eyes lightly, but she still agreed to her son's request. Her son would go to the study room next year, and she couldn't always protect her son so tightly.

"But mother has a few words to tell you."

Since her son is born smart, she might as well teach him first.

In this life, although she loved her son very much, many times, she did not deliberately hide some things from her son.

It's just that she was too conflicted at first. She wanted her son to be happy and worry-free, but she also wanted him not to be as innocent and kind as he was in his previous life.

The mother and son huddled together and whispered for a while. Gu Youning listened to her son's childish voice and her heart slowly relaxed.

"Mother, Zheng'er is hungry."

"I will present the cakes to the eldest prince right away."

Tan Yin, who was standing by, immediately responded happily.

"Thank you, Aunt Tanyin."

Gu Youning looked at the two of them cooperating seamlessly, not wanting to speak up to stop them. She curved her eyebrows and gently pinched her son's face.

Anyway, it’s okay to eat more occasionally.

A hint of cunning flashed in Xiao Yunzheng's dark eyes. As expected, his mother liked to see his cute appearance. It was just right that he could eat a few more cakes. This was killing two birds with one stone.

No wonder both my father and teacher said that learning should be put into practice, and reading is useful only.

Gu Youning had no idea that his son was thinking.

Seeing that his son had eaten the pastries so diligently that he couldn't even finish his dinner, Gu Youning didn't get angry.

After letting Xianyu send his son to the back hall, Gu Youning called Tanyin over and gave her instructions.

"I've always felt that there's something wrong with the Empress Dowager's headache. It just so happens that Yuan Cai is on duty today. Go ask the Imperial Hospital if there's any other rumors."

Gu Youning instructed softly.

Tan Yin agreed and hurried out.

"Where did you come from, you dog slave? You even dare to offend me, Caiyuan, slap me hard in the face."

The silence outside the palace gate was broken by an angry shout.

"Go out and see."

Listening to the noise outside and the sound of slapping flesh, Gu Youning's face turned cold.

"stop!"

Gu Youning stood in the corridor and scolded coldly.

"Sister, you're here just in time. These two servants are so reckless. They're holding things in their hands and they bump into people. If they hurt me, how can I play for the Queen Mother tomorrow?"

"Sister, you must punish them severely. You can't let the Queen Mother think that the palace servants under your command are unruly."

Gu Youxin was supported by Cai Yuan and Madam Qu on both sides, and was completely unharmed.

Gu Youning glanced at the two trembling eunuchs kneeling on the ground and said gently, "Get up and clean up the things on the ground."

"Yes, I obey."

The two eunuchs stood up with gratitude and took away the bathing items that had fallen to the ground.

In the past few days, Gu Youxin relied on the favor of the empress dowager and acted more arrogantly in Changchun Palace than Gu Youning, the real owner. Every day when he came back, he asked the palace servants to prepare hot water and things for bathing. If he was late, he would lose his temper.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Bureau of Monks' Clothing naturally did not dare to say more out of consideration for the Empress Dowager's reputation.

"Sister, what do you mean?"

Gu Youxin said angrily.

"Those two eunuchs are from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Even if they made a mistake, they should be reported to the head eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for punishment."

"When will it be our turn as Changchun Palace people to punish them?"

Gu Youning's cold gaze fell on Cai Yuan who had just taken action.

"Jieyu, this servant is following the orders of the Fourth Young Lady."

Cai Yuan looked respectful, but she did not show any fear or sign of begging for mercy.

Is this something to rely on?