The Grand Empress Dowager looked at her with interest. "In that case, this matter will be entrusted to you. I await your good news."
"Yes, Grand Empress Dowager, this concubine obeys." Consort Shu bowed, her mind already formulating a plan.
After the surprise and commotion, the Grand Empress Dowager was also tired. After dismissing the people in the hall, she returned to her sleeping quarters to rest, attended by her personal maids.
"How is my good sister doing now?"
The Grand Empress Dowager lay half-reclined on a chaise lounge, her eyes slightly closed, her expression weary.
"Reporting to the Grand Empress Dowager, Madam Shi could not endure the torture and has fainted again."
At that moment, the Grand Empress Dowager's eyes snapped open, her gaze sharp. "She must endure it even if she cannot. Go, wake her with ice water and continue soaking her in poisoned wine. Just make sure she doesn't die!"
"Yes, Grand Empress Dowager." The maid accepted the order and prepared to withdraw. As she bowed and reached the doorway, the Grand Empress Dowager called out to her. "Didn't she fall gravely ill? She's almost dead. How about this, out of kindness, I will, in my name, post notices throughout the capital, summoning renowned physicians from all over to enter the palace and treat her. The pretext will be that I have a headache, and it will appear to be a treatment for me. Do you understand?"
Though the maid harbored doubts, she dared not voice them.
"Yes, this servant obeys."
After the maid left, the Grand Empress Dowager dismissed all the maids serving in her chambers.
A figure, unnoticed, climbed through the window and approached the chaise lounge. Under the Grand Empress Dowager's playful gaze, she directly embraced her.
Outside the window, the wind was somewhat strong, rustling the leaves. On the rooftop, Duan Xifeng, clad in black, quietly lifted a roof tile and peered down through the opening.
Inside, two bodies were entangled madly.
Duan Xifeng watched with great interest for a long time, constantly muttering to himself, "Pah, pah, pah! A slut is a slut regardless of age, it only depends on her capability! Look at this Grand Empress Dowager of the Eastern Victory Kingdom, she really knows how to play.
Oh, oh, oh, that's a good position. Hmm... it's just that this old hag's face is too ugly, and her body is too withered. It's only this young stud who can get it up. If it were me, I would have vomited long ago.
In less than a moment, peace was restored within the room.
Hiding on the rooftop, watching Duan Xifeng in action, he rolled his eyes. "Tch!" Just these two moves? That's all? Too cowardly!
He glanced up at the darkening sky, casually replaced the roof tile, and lay down on the rooftop, crossing his legs. He pulled a wine flask from his waist and drank contentedly.
At this moment, he seemed to be waiting for something.
After Gu Qianying, accompanied by Nangong Xuanning, Lu Zhu, and others, left the Grand Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters, they all returned to Jiuhua Palace, which Gu Qianying resided in after becoming Imperial Noble Consort.
Ouyang Qinglin, having been injured, returned with the escort of his subordinates.
As for Gu Qianying, upon entering the palace, she immediately instructed Lu Zhu to quickly place Caixia and Meng Qier on the bed. She then proceeded to examine them. After a period of busyness, the sky began to darken.
Fortunately, although Caixia and Meng Qier appeared to be severely injured, they had only sustained superficial wounds and no internal injuries. After treatment, their appearances could finally be discerned.
Caixia's face was crisscrossed with several cuts, the wounds already scarred. Meng Qier, on the other hand, was slightly better off. However, what was most infuriating was that Meng Qier's private parts had been severed, and the wounds had also scarred. Such harm was fatal for a woman!
Looking at the tragic state of Caixia and Meng Qier, Gu Qianying's cold eyes were coated with a layer of ice. "No matter who administered the poison, they will die! Rest assured!"
This was Gu Qianying's promise to them!
Caixia's eyes reddened. She was so excited that she couldn't speak. At that moment, she no longer cared about her disfigured face; she only cared that her Princess Consort had finally returned.
Meng Qier, who had sat up, began to cry. She cried loudly. Gu Qianying did not stop her, merely watching her cry quietly. After her crying subsided a little, Gu Qianying finally spoke, "You could have betrayed me."
Meng Qier was Lan Qingqing, and Lan Qingqing was Meng Qier.
Lan Qingqing had lived in the Ninth Prince's mansion for so many years and had vied with her for so long. Now, in this state, it was because of her. If Lan Qingqing had said just a little more to Nanrong Qi, she wouldn't have ended up in such a miserable state.
She had indirectly caused Lan Qingqing's plight. She did not resent it, but rather felt grateful.
Regardless of any agreement she had with Lan Qingqing in the past, regardless of Lan Qingqing's ultimate intentions, she had never betrayed her. Gu Qianying saw this.
Hearing Gu Qianying say this, Lan Qingqing sobbed. She glanced at Caixia and said, "If I had betrayed you, Caixia would have killed me. Why would I seek my own death?"
As she spoke, she seemed to recall something, turned to look at Gu Qianying, her voice trembling slightly, "Is... is he... really dead?"
Gu Qianying's body trembled slightly. Her voice revealed neither sorrow nor anger. "Yes."
A simple, quiet word was her response to Lan Qingqing's question.
But only she knew that her heart ached constantly.
The "he" spoken of by both of them was understood by each other.
However, this prompted Nangong Xuanning, who had been waiting for Gu Qianying to explain, to ask, "Who is really dead? What are you talking about? I don't understand anything. Oh, and Gu Qianying, when did you become Imperial Noble Consort? Was it a title given by that scumbag Nanrong Qi? Why did you follow him? Yes, and why did you divorce my Ninth Imperial Uncle?
Now, my Ninth Imperial Uncle has mysteriously disappeared, and he still hasn't been found. Instead of looking for him, you've returned to the palace and become Imperial Noble Consort to that scumbag Nanrong Qi. What exactly are you trying to do? They all say you killed everyone in the Gu family. Is it really you? How can I not believe you are a bloodthirsty demoness?
Scumbag Nanrong Qi has declared you a fugitive of the court. Are you alright now that you're back?"
Nangong Xuanning blurted out a string of questions without taking a breath.
Gu Qianying looked at her. The simple-minded and foolish Nangong Xuanning was still as adorable as ever, as if everything in her world was simple. It was good to be like this; at least she would live more happily.
"Is the little thing I gave you still there?"
Instead of directly answering Nangong Xuanning's barrage of questions, Gu Qianying asked a question.
Nangong Xuanning, recalling the somewhat presentable but extremely annoying seven-colored silver snake, couldn't help but pout. "It's not dead. I've bullied it so much that it only dares to hide under my bed in my chambers and doesn't dare to come out."
Nangong Xuanning's words were boastful, but her heart was truly miserable.
She didn't know why Gu Qianying had given her a seven-colored silver snake. It scared her all day long, and every few days, she had to have her maids sleep with her. It was so miserable.
"Hmm, very good."
Nangong Xuanning glanced at Gu Qianying. Although she didn't say anything, it was Gu Qianying's first gift to her, so she would never return it. However, in her heart, she cried out: It's great, my foot! It scared me to death!
However, Nangong Xuanning had already decided that no matter how afraid she was of the snake, she would not return it because it was a gift from Gu Qianying.
But what she didn't know was: the seven-colored silver snake was a treasure all over its body. It could detoxify and release poison. Keeping it by Nangong Xuanning's side was also to protect her.
Gu Qianying vividly remembered Nangong Xuanning being bewitched last time. That was why she had given the seven-colored silver snake, which she had already trained, to Nangong Xuanning. Although Nangong Xuanning didn't understand the intricacies, it was enough that she understood. It was good that the person she protected was living well.
Nangong Xuanning sat in Jiuhua Palace for a long time. After she left with her personal maid, she still hadn't found out the real reason why Gu Qianying had become Imperial Noble Consort. However, she didn't care anymore. Now that Gu Qianying and she both lived in the palace, she could visit Gu Qianying often in the future to play. This was the best thing; nothing else mattered.
Thinking this, Nangong Xuanning returned to her chambers with her personal maid to get her beauty sleep.
"Again! I won't sleep with you, you ugly snake, get lost! Ah, Xiao Chunzi, come sleep with me..."
At this moment, within Jiuhua Palace,
Caixia and the others were carried away to rest. Gu Qianying stood alone by the window, her eyes gazing at the dark sky with a few stars. The wind tonight was a bit cool.
Lu Zhu walked over and draped a cloak over Gu Qianying. "Miss, it's late, you should rest."
Her miss had been sleepless for several days, and she felt very distressed.
Gu Qianying's gaze was fixed on the bright stars in the sky, her voice devoid of any emotion. "I wonder which star in the sky he is. Lu Zhu, what should I do? I still miss him a little."
Although her tone was flat, Lu Zhu could sense the sorrow in her miss's eyes.
"Miss, if you want to cry, just cry it out. Perhaps crying will make you feel better."
Lu Zhu didn't know how to comfort her miss, but she felt that crying was better than bottling everything up.
"Cry? Why should I cry? Crying is so ugly."
Although Gu Qianying said this, her eyes were filled with tears, but they stubbornly refused to fall.
"Little lady, are you about to cry? What is it that makes little lady so sad? Come, let this young master listen, and perhaps this young master can hold you and comfort you."
A white figure suddenly appeared before Gu Qianying. She saw that the person was standing upside down on the rooftop, revealing half of their body, with a silver mask on their face, engraved with a tiny rose pattern.
Gu Qianying frowned, showing no reaction. Lu Zhu, drawing her sword, shouted angrily, "Bold scoundrel, how dare you disrespect my miss! You're seeking death!" She flashed forward and pursued him.