As the Consort Shu, Gu Mingyue, spoke, the Grand Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, lost in thought.
“I want to see the Empress Dowager, all of you, get out of my way!” Nangong Xuanning, accompanied by her personal maid, was blocked outside the hall.
“Princess, the Grand Empress Dowager specifically instructed that you are not to enter today…”
The guards at the door blocked Nangong Xuanning, looking troubled.
“Get out of the way!”
Nangong Xuanning pushed the guards aside.
After being pushed away, the guards stepped forward again. “Your Highness, Princess, you cannot enter!”
“If you don’t move aside, I’ll deal with you!”
Nangong Xuanning shouted at the two guards.
The two guards dared not move aside and could only block her forcefully.
“Slap!”
The long whip in Nangong Xuanning’s hand lashed out fiercely. The two guards, to save their lives, quickly dodged to the side.
She strode forward, kicked open the hall door, and then entered with her personal maid. As soon as she entered, she kicked aside the two old wet nurses who were holding the two blood-soaked women, and then positioned herself protectively in front of the two severely injured women.
At this moment, Cai Xia, who was covered in blood and had no intact skin on her body, slowly raised her head and looked at Nangong Xuanning, who was protecting them. She felt deeply moved.
Although she knew that the Princess was saving her out of respect for her mistress, Gu Qianying, the Ninth Prince’s Consort, she was still very touched. They were just lowly servants. To be treated with such regard by the Princess was a blessing in their lives. However, doing so would offend the Grand Empress Dowager.
“Princess… no…”
Cai Xia’s words were intermittent, blood constantly flowing from the corner of her mouth. She wanted to persuade the Princess not to offend the Grand Empress Dowager for the sake of their lowly status.
Their lives were not worth it!
Meng Qier, who was also severely injured and lying next to her, crawled a couple of times on the ground, trembled, and then fainted.
“Xuanning, how dare you! Do not be presumptuous!”
The Grand Empress Dowager’s cold reprimand echoed.
All the maids serving in the hall and the few old wet nurses knelt on the ground. Consort Shu, the Empress, and Nangong Zhen’er also stood up in unison.
“Your Highness, Princess, they are merely two lowly servants. What are you doing? Do you intend to anger the Grand Empress Dowager?”
Gu Mingyue looked at Nangong Xuanning, deliberately emphasizing Nangong Xuanning’s ignorance in front of the Grand Empress Dowager.
“Exactly, sister. You brought people and weapons to storm into Grandmother’s palace. Are you rebelling?”
Nangong Zhen’er’s words directly accused Nangong Xuanning of disrespecting the Grand Empress Dowager.
“You…” Nangong Xuanning was choked with anger. She was never good with words and certainly not adept at those underhanded schemes. But facing the Consort Shu and her “outcast” sister, who mocked and slandered her, she truly wished she could tear their mouths apart.
“Empress Dowager, these two servants are my people. I have come today to take them away.”
At this moment, the three wild beasts confined in iron cages, smelling the scent of blood, became excited. They bared their fangs and claws, roaring incessantly, right behind Nangong Xuanning.
Hearing the terrifying roars of the three beasts, Nangong Xuanning felt a little scared, but she still puffed out her chest, forcing herself to be brave.
“Heh! Your people? So, these two little wretches who risked their lives for the convicted criminal Gu Qianying are your people? My dear sister, when did you collude with that little wretch Gu Qianying? Oh, no, perhaps from the beginning, you and that little wretch Gu Qianying were in league, and now, you’re afraid this lowly servant will betray you, which is why you rushed over here, asking the Empress Dowager to take these two? Is that right?”
Nangong Zhen’er twisted the truth, a disdainful smile playing on her lips as she looked at Nangong Xuanning.
She wondered how this fool Nangong Xuanning managed to survive in the palace!
“No, I didn’t.” Nangong Xuanning spoke up to explain in a hurry, but then she realized that no matter how she explained, her Empress Dowager would not believe her.
Moreover, as long as Consort Shu, her “good sister,” was present, she would always be the one ostracized and mocked.
Resigned, she decided not to waste any more words here.
She instructed her personal maid to help the unconscious Meng Qier up, while she herself also helped Cai Xia, who was lying on the ground.
“Empress Dowager, Xuanning has nothing to say, no matter how you punish Xuanning today. Xuanning admits it all. But today, these two, Xuanning must take them away.”
Cai Xia was the maidservant by Gu Qianying’s side and also a person from the Ninth Prince’s Mansion. As for Meng Qier, although she had been close with her Crown Prince brother, now the Emperor, not long ago, she had personally admitted that she was Gu Qianying’s person.
Currently, in the Gu family mansion, only Gu Kun, Concubine Han, and Gu Qianying, whose whereabouts were unknown, remained. For the sake of the deceased Gu Yefeng, she had to protect the other members of the Gu family, including these servants by Gu Qianying’s side.
Nangong Xuanning, without any further words, picked up the injured Cai Xia and the unconscious Meng Qier and turned to leave. However, this was the Grand Empress Dowager’s palace, with Consort Shu and others present.
How could she leave so easily?
“How dare you! Guards, stop them! I don’t believe you, Nangong Xuanning, would dare to take my people away right in front of me!”
Several old wet nurses surrounded Nangong Xuanning.
Nangong Xuanning took out her long whip.
“Xuanning, what are you doing? Quickly put down the whip, do you not wish to live?”
Empress Meng Shi cried out urgently, trying to stop her. Among everyone present, only she had a look of worry on her face.
To reprimand someone in front of the Grand Empress Dowager, wasn’t that showing no regard for the Grand Empress Dowager? It was simply courting death!
“Nangong Xuanning! You!”
The Grand Empress Dowager was furious.
“Nangong Xuanning intends to assassinate me! Guards, arrest Nangong Xuanning!”
Guards from outside rushed in.
She could handle one or two old wet nurses, but facing over a dozen guards, Nangong Xuanning was in a difficult situation.
However, having decided to intervene in the current matter, she was determined to see it through!
At this moment,
A young eunuch hurried in to report,
“Reporting to the Grand Empress Dowager, Imperial Noble Consort, and the State Preceptor request an audience!”
The Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress, Consort Shu, and Nangong Zhen’er were all stunned.
State Preceptor? Who? Ouyang Qinglin?
Everyone looked confused. But what was more confusing was the Imperial Noble Consort?
There was no one in the harem who had been conferred the title of Imperial Noble Consort!
What the devil was this “Imperial Noble Consort”?
It wasn’t until the Grand Empress Dowager and the others saw the woman dressed in red, with her flamboyant demeanor, that they were all taken aback.
Consort Shu’s handkerchief dropped to the floor. She looked at the person standing in the hall in disbelief, her mouth agape.
It’s you… it’s actually you… How is this possible! How could you possibly be the Imperial Noble Consort? No, it’s impossible! Gu Qianying, you are merely a vicious fugitive, you cannot be the Imperial Noble Consort!”