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

The palace maids guarding outside brought in a bathtub and water.

Gu Youning pretended to be half asleep and let Xiao Heng do what he wanted.

Looking at the person snuggling in his chest like a child, a hint of tenderness flashed in Xiao Heng's eyes, but soon a gloom appeared on his face again.

The next day, just as the sky was getting light, Gu Youning felt some movement from the person next to him.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the emperor sitting up in a bright yellow robe.

"Is the Emperor awake?"

Gu Youning rubbed his eyes lightly and propped himself up.

"It's still early, you should sleep a little longer."

Xiao Heng stood up, looked at the sleepy person on the bed, and said softly.

"I will help you change your clothes."

Gu Youning shook his head and got out of bed.

"Help me change clothes? You can't even tie your belt properly."

Xiao Heng embraced the person who was standing unsteadily and chuckled.

"Your Majesty can teach me."

Gu Youning stood still, looking righteous and confident.

Xiao Heng couldn't persuade her, so he really started to teach her in front of the eunuchs and palace maids.

Suddenly, the palace servants in the hall looked at Gu Youning differently. The emperor had never been so gentle to anyone except the imperial concubine, but no woman could be so frank in front of the emperor.

It took Xiao Heng twice as long as the ordinary palace servants to serve him before he went out to attend court.

"Congratulations, master."

"Given His Majesty's love for the Master, perhaps the Master will soon be able to conceive another heir."

After everyone else in the hall left, Tan Yin spoke with a happy face while helping Gu Youning.

"Do you think it's a good thing that I'm pregnant now?"

Gu Youning turned around, held Xianyu's hand and sat down on the carved mahogany chair.

"master……"

Tan Yin stood there, her face turning red and then pale.

Gu Youning ignored him, took the teacup from Xianyu's hand with a calm expression, and took a sip.

thump.

Tan Yin knelt in front of Gu Youning.

"This servant said something wrong, please punish me, Master."

Tan Yin was smart and she quickly realized that her master was probably dissatisfied with what she had just said. Her words were indeed inappropriate. Although there was no one else in the hall, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be ears.

The master had reminded her yesterday that the palace maids in Changchun Palace might not be on the same page with them, but she didn't expect that she would forget herself in her joy today.

Gu Youning still didn't speak.

Tan Yin's back was covered in fine beads of cold sweat. For some reason, although her master had not spoken harshly to her or punished her, she felt as if she was enveloped in a sense of oppression and was filled with a kind of fear that made her heart tremble.

Just when Xian Yu, who was standing beside him, was about to plead for mercy, Gu Youning spoke up: "Is my question just now difficult to answer?"

Her heart was pounding wildly. Tan Yin was stunned for a long time before she remembered what Gu Youning had asked earlier: "The emperor only has two princes now, and the second prince is not favored by the emperor. The master already has the eldest prince. If she gets pregnant again, she will definitely be envied by the other masters in the palace."

"The Emperor's favorite concubines, Consort Zheng and He Chongyuan, are of higher status than the master, so it would be easier for them to attack the master."

"It is my fault for not thinking properly. Please punish me, Master."

Tan Yin figured out the twists and turns, and the guilt on her face became even stronger.

She and Xianyu said that the master obviously valued her more, but she was so short-sighted. However, seeing that the emperor favored the master more, she became proud.

"The ground is cold, get up first."

Gu Youning's expression relaxed slightly. Tan Yin was very smart. In her previous life, after she entered Ci'an Palace, she took care of all the affairs inside and outside the palace very carefully.

But now Tan Yin is young, too smart and too sharp, and has not been tempered by the world, so she is more likely to get into trouble than Xian Yu.

Therefore, Gu Youning deliberately used the power she had as the Regent Queen Mother in her previous life to warn others.

"Thank you, Master."

Tan Yin's expression was obviously more respectful and restrained.

"Please wash and change my clothes for me. We need to go to Fengyi Palace early today."

Tan Yin and Xian Yu hurried forward to serve.

Gu Youning chose a goose yellow silk palace dress to wear, a sky blue brocade shawl on her arm, and a pair of gold filigree butterfly-flower hairpins inserted in her cloud-like bun, all of which were gifts from the Queen yesterday.

Considering Gu Youning's position as a concubine, this outfit was not luxurious, and was even a little simple.

The queen was indeed a thoughtful person. She not only gave gifts to show her goodwill but also reminded herself to keep her duties.

Gu Youning's eyes dropped to her belly. The hearts of people in the harem were unpredictable. The major families were fighting from the court to the harem, and there were also the emperor's thoughts, so she would not have children anymore.

What's more, she already has a well-behaved and clever Zheng'er. Now, she just wants to protect him and let him grow up safely to make up for the regrets of her previous life.

But she could not refuse the favor, and even tried her best to seek it so that she and her son could live comfortably in the palace.

The issue of avoiding children needs to be resolved as soon as possible.

Gu Youning still took Tan Yin out, which put the girl's mind at ease and made her look energetic again.

It was already autumn, and the wind was quite chilly in the early morning. The eunuchs who were responsible for sweeping the palace roads were still wearing thin clothes, but the head eunuch was already wearing a padded jacket, his back was straighter, and he sounded very majestic when he shouted at people.

If this is the case for eunuchs, what about the concubines in the palace? The winner will be rich and powerful, while the loser will even lose his life.

As they walked along, Gu Youning's heart became more and more determined.

"You came early today, just in time to have a chat with me."

Queen Cui looked at Gu Youning who was led into the palace by the palace servants and smiled gently and intimately.

"Your Majesty is truly as clear-minded as a mirror. I do have something to ask of you today."

Gu Youning bent down with a smile on his face, looking extremely happy about the Queen's closeness to him.

"What is it?"

Queen Cui still had a gentle smile on her face.

But she couldn't help but admire him in her heart. Others used clothes to enhance their appearance, but Gu made this ordinary dress look fresh and beautiful. Even the most common butterfly-shaped hairpin in the palace looked extraordinarily pretty when she wore it on her head.

With such looks and figure, even if she is stupid and brainless, there are many men in the world who are patient and willing to coax her for some time.

If she hadn't known that the emperor had his own ambitions and that women were just a tool to keep him in check and please, and that it was impossible for him to be tempted by them, she would have really taken precautions earlier.

"I haven't seen my family since I left for the temporary palace two years ago. I miss them terribly. Your Majesty, could you please allow them to visit you in the palace?"

In the Dazhao harem, concubines were not prohibited from meeting their closest relatives, but they needed permission from the Empress Dowager, and the rank of the concubine had to be the third rank or above.

"You have just been granted a title, so it is understandable that you want to see your family. Today, I will send someone to Minister Gu's residence to convey your order."

Queen Cui originally intended to win over Gu Youning to serve her, so naturally she would not be embarrassed by this matter.

"What else is there? There's no one else here, just talk to me."

Queen Cui saw Gu Youning holding the handkerchief in his hand, looking hesitant but hesitant to speak, so she asked gently.

"Your Highness, you don't know. I am only a concubine's daughter. If Your Highness's heir were to enter the palace, my father would only let my mother come. Aunt..."

When Gu Youning mentioned the word "concubine's daughter", her voice was particularly soft, and the handkerchief in her hand was twisted into a mess.

"You want to see your birth mother, right? Although this is a bit against the rules, I have secretly instructed the eunuchs to bring your birth mother into the palace with you."

Queen Cui appeared very understanding, but in her heart she felt somewhat disdainful of Gu Youning's cowardice and weakness.

She was also born out of wedlock, but she never felt that she was inferior to her legitimate brothers and sisters. Since her biological mother could not give her a noble status, she could seek and seize it on her own.

Isn’t she now sitting in the position of the mother of the country?

However, people with such soft spots are easier to control, and she feels more at ease using them.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Gu Youning stood up and bowed happily.

"Your Majesty, Concubine Zheng has arrived."

At this time, a palace maid came in from outside the hall and bowed to Queen Cui.