"It's because of Su Qingyue?" Qi Zhenzhen found it unbelievable. This was a disaster that befell them for no reason, wasn't it?
Discovering Su Qingyue and taking her in were both unexpected occurrences.
"She thinks that if we hadn't intervened, Su Qingyue would have been dealt with long ago. Either by the Empress or the Lu family, she would have been completely resolved. Now, the Second Prince, feeling guilty towards Su Qingyue, is showering her with compensation and neglecting her. This debt is being chalked up to us." Gu Sinian gritted his teeth. If it weren't for his quick reaction, if it weren't for him and Zhenzhen being lucky, they might have suffered a double fatality.
"Don't worry, I will avenge this," Gu Sinian said, gently patting Qi Zhenzhen's hand. "However, it's a critical time now, and it's not convenient to act. I'm afraid it would disrupt His Majesty's plans."
"My child and I are fine, so I don't want to pursue revenge. Such matters should be left to fate," Qi Zhenzhen replied.
Even without seeking revenge, Lu Ruoyun's fate wouldn't be good in the future.
A person like her, with ambition, would be unable to bear it if her ambitions couldn't be realized, even without anyone else's intervention.
Even if the Second Prince tried his best to protect her then, her life wouldn't be easy.
Therefore, Qi Zhenzhen wasn't fixated on revenge.
After all, Emperor Chongwen was preparing to move against the Lu family.
Alerting them to the danger would be unwise.
In the palace, Emperor Chongwen soon learned the full story.
He frowned and gave a few instructions to his confidant, telling him to pass a message to those around Su Qingyue: no matter what, they must protect Su Qingyue and her child. After all, in this matter, Su Qingyue and the child were innocent. Moreover, he truly cared for his second son. He finally had an heir, and he couldn't let his Empress Mother and the Lu family ruin it!
Furthermore, the cleanup of the Lu family needed to be expedited.
These days, the Lu family and the Empress had treated him like a 'puppet emperor,' using his authority to issue many orders and eliminate several officials who opposed the Lu family. He outwardly complied, but privately arranged for people to appease them and play along. This showed the extent of the Lu family's ambition. Even if he passed the throne to the Second Prince, the latter wouldn't be able to hold onto it. In the future, the empire of Da Feng would become the empire of the Lu family.
Emperor Chongwen drew a large cross on the Xuan paper, then crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the waste bin.
At Empress Lu's residence, just as she finished reading her father's letter, a palace attendant arrived with a message: the Second Prince's Consort had entered the palace and would arrive shortly.
Empress Lu already knew that Su Qingyue had been taken back to the Second Prince's residence. She guessed that the matter her niece had come to discuss was undoubtedly related to Su Qingyue.
She didn't know what Su Qingyue had been like before, but Su Qingyue's choice to return to the Second Prince's residence surprised her. Knowing her attitude, Su Qingyue still dared to go back; it seemed she had a backing.
She wanted to see how long Gu Sinian and his wife could protect her.
Now that Consort An was confined to the deep palace and the First Prince remained indoors, Gu Sinian and his wife, without their reliance, what could they possibly achieve?
"Aunt," Lu Ruoyun said plaintively.
"Speak slowly, don't worry, Aunt will support you," Empress Lu gestured for Lu Ruoyun to sit beside her.
Lu Ruoyun recounted the events at the residence, and Empress Lu listened, her brows furrowed. Indeed, she had underestimated Su Qingyue before.
After sorting through the entire affair, she could basically confirm that Su Qingyue had orchestrated the entire thing.