The crowd was astonished, every face present wore an expression of disbelief. Only Ouyang Qinglin, who had followed Gu Qianying in, seemed accustomed to it.
"You know me?"
Gu Qianying looked coldly at Consort Shu, a stranger, yet her eyes and voice felt familiar.
"I... I don't know you, but I've heard of you. You're not a good person."
Gu Mingyue, who inwardly wished to flay Gu Qianying alive, dared not show any flaw on the surface.
"Is that so?"
A meaningful smile touched Gu Qianying's lips. After glancing at Consort Shu, she shifted her gaze to the Empress Dowager and stated her purpose directly, "Your Imperial Highness, these two are my people. I am here to take them away."
As she spoke, she pointed to Cai Xia and Meng Qier, who were severely injured and unconscious beside her, getting straight to the point.
Her words, lacking the self-address of "this consort" and instead using "I," were utterly arrogant!
With that, Gu Qianying, without seeking the Empress Dowager's consent, ordered Lu Zhu to take Cai Xia and Meng Qier away.
The Empress Dowager was furious at Gu Qianying's audacity.
However, what she wanted to understand more was how Gu Qianying, a convicted criminal, had suddenly become an Imperial Noble Consort. There was undoubtedly a conspiracy she was unaware of! The newly enthroned Nan Rong Qi was no pushover and would not allow himself to be manipulated at will.
Thinking this, the Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, looking first at Gu Qianying and Ouyang Qinglin, and finally settling her gaze on Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, had grown even more alluring and enchanting. Her beauty was irresistible to most men, and it was not unreasonable for Emperor Nan Rong Qi to desire such a beauty.
However... if Gu Qianying became an Imperial Noble Consort, it would mean the nephew had slept with the Ninth Imperial Aunt, a scandal difficult to bear.
The Empress Dowager, a woman tempered by hardship, merely showed a fleeting surprise before quickly accepting Gu Qianying's new status.
Yet, to dare demand two useless individuals on her territory, did she truly consider the Empress Dowager a mere decoration!
Just as she was about to reprimand her, a "Wait!" stopped her from speaking.
Nangong Zhen'er intervened, stepping forward and looking at Gu Qianying with a mocking expression, "Miss Gu, do you think this is a marketplace? You can take whomever you wish? Miss Gu, you have quite the nerve!"
Seeing the woman her husband often spoke of, Nangong Zhen'er wished she could scratch Gu Qianying's alluring face to pieces.
Whenever her husband, Hu Biao, got drunk, he would mistake her for Gu Qianying, kneel at her feet, apologize, and then embrace her intimately.
Although she knew Hu Biao had become a guard at the Gu manor out of gratitude for Gu Qianying's kindness and followed her, she believed that people strive for advancement. Her husband was an outstanding man, and she herself held a noble status; how could she settle for mediocrity?
Becoming a favored figure by the Crown Prince was her husband Hu Biao's wisest choice. Now, Hu Biao was an indispensable figure by the Emperor's side, and she had become a noble princess. Their destinies were meant to be this way.
As for betraying Gu Qianying, people must look out for themselves, or they would be destroyed by heaven and earth. Moreover, she was a princess fleeing from another country, and now she had merely replaced someone else to become a princess of Dong Sheng.
What difference was there between being a princess?
However, Gu Qianying, who had suddenly become an Imperial Noble Consort, was utterly repulsive to her.
An Imperial Noble Consort had to frequent the inner palace. In the inner palace, she would inevitably encounter her husband, Hu Biao. This meant that the person Hu Biao missed the most would soon meet him. How could she tolerate this!
She wished she could strangle Gu Qianying on the spot, but outwardly, she maintained the dignity befitting a princess.
Nangong Zhen'er's words were filled with mockery, and she certainly did not acknowledge Gu Qianying's status as Imperial Noble Consort.
Beside them,
Confused and with all her attention focused on Gu Qianying, Nangong Xuan Ning suddenly heard Nangong Zhen'er's words. She turned her head sharply and retorted indignantly, "So what if we have nerve? Who's like you, having no face to use? Hmph!"
Regardless of why Gu Qianying had become an Imperial Noble Consort, the moment she saw Gu Qianying, Nangong Xuan Ning finally felt emboldened.
In the vast imperial palace, she was isolated and felt extremely wronged!
"Nangong Xuan Ning, you!" Nangong Zhen'er was choked with anger.
She truly didn't understand why this useless Nangong Xuan Ning was so proud after seeing Gu Qianying!
Was it just an Imperial Noble Consort title? What was there to be so arrogant about!
In saying this, she was merely a "concubine" who could not attain the primary position.
If she had spent the night in the Emperor's chambers a few days ago, Gu Qianying would never have had the chance to be called Imperial Noble Consort!
It was precisely the restriction of her princess title that prevented the Emperor from sleeping with her. Otherwise, with her beauty, she could have been Empress, let alone Imperial Noble Consort!
Thinking this, Nangong Zhen'er felt much better.
"Slap!"
A sudden slap froze the expression on her face.
"What are you, to hit me! Do you want to die!" Nangong Zhen'er clutched half her face and glared fiercely at the swift Lu Zhu.
"Addressing the Imperial Noble Consort by name and showing such disrespect to our Imperial Noble Consort warrants a slap as punishment!"
"You lowly servant, are you insane? I am a noble princess, am I not even as important as this Imperial Noble Consort?" Nangong Zhen'er was furious.
Lu Zhu, however, calmly replied, "Your Highness the noble princess, when we came, His Majesty personally said that our Imperial Noble Consort's status is incomparably noble, and she can walk sideways in this inner palace, not needing to regard anyone else. And 'anyone' naturally includes Your Highness the princess! Could it be that Your Highness the princess admits you are not human? Otherwise, you must properly respect our Imperial Noble Consort in this inner palace. Do you understand, Your Highness the princess!"
These words were enough to infuriate Nangong Zhen'er to death, and also caused the Empress Meng Shi, who had been silent, and Consort Shu, who was watching the show, to change their expressions.
Both of them secretly cursed Gu Qianying as a shameless vixen in their hearts!
However, they did not know that this "not needing to regard anyone else" had its conditions.
Exchanging a treasure that everyone desired for the title of "Imperial Noble Consort" was not a loss!
Moreover, her lady had already found evidence that Old General Gu and Young Master Gu were framed, as well as evidence of her lady being slandered as a cruel demoness who massacred the Gu manor. This would soon spread throughout the streets and alleys, and Old General Gu and Young Master Gu would soon be vindicated.
Her lady was so capable and a powerful figure with profound inner energy. The title of Imperial Noble Consort was merely a low-tier reward for her lady.
"Impossible! The Emperor would not say such things, you lowly servant are talking nonsense!" Nangong Zhen'er did not believe Lu Zhu's words.
Lu Zhu smiled, looking at Nangong Zhen'er as if she were an idiot, "His Majesty's words are golden, how could they be false? It seems, Princess Jingning, you not only disrespect our Imperial Noble Consort but also dare to question His Majesty's words. Princess, is your head hanging around your neck itching?"
After a round of mockery, Lu Zhu returned to Gu Qianying's side.
Nangong Zhen'er was so angry her nose smoked, and she could not utter any more harsh words.
In a battle of wits, she was no match for this little maid beside Gu Qianying.
"You are presumptuous!" Nangong Zhen'er was so angry for a long time before she could utter this sentence. Glancing at the iron cage behind Gu Qianying, a sinister smile curved her lips. With a flick of her finger, the three beasts in the iron cage, each with residual蛊 worms on their bodies, suddenly twitched twice on their necks through the skin.
"Hoo!"
The three beasts confined in the iron cage suddenly went mad...