Chapter 11: with translation of chapter title

At the Empress Dowager's command, the palace guards hurried in, only to be blocked by Xiao Yin in front of Gu Jiu Ling.

The situation changed abruptly; even Xiao Yin was somewhat surprised, his expression turning cold.

"Mother Empress! I don't know when my consort has offended you; please enlighten me!"

Gu Jiu Ling's expression also changed; she hadn't expected that upon meeting her mother-in-law for the first time, the mother-in-law would try to throw off her rhythm.

With the situation shifting rapidly, she momentarily felt dazed.

Empress Dowager Ning'an stared coldly at Gu Jiu Ling, a hint of extreme contempt flashing in her eyes: "Enlighten me?"

"Yin'er, you are not unaware of this woman's reputation in Shang Jing, are you?"

"A woman who indulges in lewdness in broad daylight in the palace, ignorant of propriety, pregnant, and who ruins the family's morals—how could she be fit to be my Xiao family's daughter-in-law?"

"Defiling the palace halls is a grave crime! To force the despicable blood in her womb upon our Southern Qi royal line is an even graver crime!"

Gu Jiu Ling furrowed her brows; Empress Dowager Ning'an clearly disliked the child she carried, and even more disliked Prince Rui having a consort.

From this, it seems Empress Dowager Ning'an does not treat Prince Rui as her own, as the rumors in Jing Cheng claim, nor does she dote on him.

After all, Prince Rui is already incapable of fathering children; if he has no heir, his mansion will eventually die out.

Moreover, Prince Rui himself doesn't care whose child it is; why is Empress Dowager Ning'an so concerned about it?

Gu Jiu Ling suddenly felt that this bamboo lodge had turned eerie and gloomy; indeed, the royal waters run deep.

She instinctively glanced at Xiao Yin; admitting she wasn't nervous would be a lie—if she misstepped, she'd be carried out sideways, or worse, lose her head.

Consort Duan, seated nearby, gave a light laugh: "Ninth Brother, really—just after losing his consort, even if he remarries, he shouldn't take this sort of goods…"

She didn't finish her thought, covering her mouth as she laughed: "Besides, everyone knows the eldest Miss Gu is already betrothed to our Crown Prince; if Ninth Brother marries again, his reputation will suffer."

Xiao Yin's eyes flashed, and he let out a derisive snort.

"Consort, watch your words—you are not yet my imperial sister-in-law, merely a concubine of the Xiao family, and do you dare call Ninth Brother so casually?"

Consort Duan's face instantly stiffened; she had been a consort for eighteen years, never becoming empress, and had been suppressed all this time by the dead Li clan.

She lifted her gaze and stared fixedly at Xiao Yin, yet couldn't utter a word.

Xiao Yin glanced at Consort Duan: "Consort, mind your speech and conduct, and don't wear such garish red—it's eyesore!"

"You!" Consort Duan sprang to her feet.

"Enough!" Empress Dowager Ning'an coldly regarded Gu Jiu Ling behind Xiao Yin: "In any case, the royal bloodline must not be polluted; a woman lacking virtue cannot be taken as a consort."

"Mother Empress!" Xiao Yin stepped forward: "The child in her womb is mine; where does the talk of polluting the royal bloodline come from?"

"It's nothing but what happened that day in the palace—indeed, it was I who did it. Back then, you failed to catch the adulterer of Miss Gu; the adulterer is the child!"

Gu Jiu Ling stared at Xiao Yin in disbelief, gratitude welling up instantly—he really is a good person!

For the first time, Empress Dowager Ning'an was talked back to by Xiao Yin in public; her expression grew displeased, a flicker of cold light crossing her eyes.

She slammed her hand on the armrest of the phoenix throne, coldly staring at Xiao Yin: "That day the palace held a banquet; you were far away in Chengzhou—how could you have returned to the palace in time, and how could you have been with this woman?"

"I returned early that day!" Xiao Yin stared firmly at Empress Dowager Ning'an, not yielding an inch.

Empress Dowager Ning'an's brows knotted tightly, her fingers gripping the armrest tensing slightly.

"Since you returned, why didn't you attend the palace banquet?"

"I drank too much on the road, fearing reproach from His Highness and you, so I went to the rear palace to find a place to rest!" Xiao Yin's voice rang clear; Consort Duan beside him was secretly startled.

Seven years have passed; this person has been depressed for seven years, and today, for the first time, he confronted the Empress Dowager—her thoughts began to grow intricate.

Could it be that he has been acting for seven years and can no longer keep up the pretense?

Empress Dowager Ning'an fell silent, her gaze toward Xiao Yin turning icy to the bone.

Xiao Yin continued: "I happened to encounter Miss Gu, also drunk; a lone man and woman, dry tinder meeting flame—naturally…"

"Silence!" Empress Dowager Ning'an's cheeks flushed slightly, her expression darkening severely.

Xiao Yin seemed like a rebellious brat who wouldn't rest until he'd angered his elders, smiling: "Only afterward did I realize I'd caused a great disaster, so I fled."

"Now Gu Jiu Ling carries my seed; I cannot refuse to acknowledge it!"

Consort Duan sucked in a breath; Prince Rui having a consort is most unfavorable.

Seven years ago, all military authority fell under the Prince Rui's mansion; half of the court officials were on good terms with him—if he had a consort…

Consort Duan's face grew grave as she stared fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling's belly, smiling faintly: "Wasn't it said… that Imperial Uncle was injured seven years ago?"

Xiao Yin gave a cold snort, looking at her: "Consort, do you know whether I am capable in bed? If you think so, aren't you afraid His Highness will be jealous?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Consort Duan was utterly enraged, her eyes turning red: "If Imperial Uncle continues to be so frivolous, I will go before the Emperor and speak my mind."

Xiao Yin chuckled: "Consort, you overthink—'frivolous' is a label I cannot bear; even if I were frivolous, I wouldn't like frivolous old women."

Consort Duan's face lit up as if she'd opened a paint shop; Gu Jiu Ling wanted to laugh for some reason, but hastily held it in.

Xiao Yin snorted coldly: "You could discuss with His Highness his brother's abilities in that regard; the rear palace may not meddle in politics, but you may interfere in my private affairs—go ahead and speak."

Consort Duan's heart jolted; she dared not say such a thing, then let out a cold hum and slowly sat down.

Xiao Yin grasped Gu Jiu Ling's hand and laughed: "Heaven seems to favor me; my ability is sometimes effective, sometimes not, but with Miss Gu it works—indeed, a double gain, consort, you're impressive!"

"Cough… Prince, you overpraise… overpraise…" Sweat beads rolled down Gu Jiu Ling's forehead; she suddenly realized she might have been schemed against by Xiao Yin this time.

She remarked that Xiao Yin's swift agreement to marry her wasn't just about money—he truly needed a child now.

She had originally thought Xiao Yin was the prey, but gradually she realized he was using the guise of prey to trap her in his scheme.

A hint of cold frost crossed Empress Dowager Ning'an's brows and eyes as she stared coldly at Xiao Yin, her visage devoid of any maternal expression.

This time Xiao Yin married Miss Gu; she was at the imperial villa in the suburbs and couldn't rush back in time—by the time she returned, everything had already been settled.

The Emperor's body was weak, gravely ill, also soaking in medicinal springs at the villa to recuperate; Xiao Yin's timing was just right.

Xiao Yin married Gu Jiu Ling, gained an heir, and also obtained a lavish dowry—wealth and personnel, he now had them all.

The wings broken seven years ago—have they healed, readying to fly?

She fixed her stare on Gu Jiu Ling: "The royal bloodline must not be polluted—summon the imperial physician!"

Gu Jiu Ling's expression grew grave as she instinctively shielded her abdomen; having transmigrated, she suddenly found two lives within her, and maternal instinct compelled her to protect these two children.

Soon after, the Director of the Imperial Medical Institute, Imperial Physician Dong, hurried in and kowtowed to Imperial Consort Ning An.

Imperial Consort Ning An pointed at Gu Jiu Ling and said, "Imperial Physician Dong, We have heard that in your Imperial Medical Institute there is a prescription passed down from the previous dynasty, which can be used to perform a blood-drop kinship test on a fetus inside a woman's womb?"

Imperial Physician Dong was stunned. This is indeed an ancient prescription handed down from the previous dynasty; ordinary people hardly ever use it in this way.

He hastily bowed and replied, "In response to the Empress Dowager, we do have such a prescription."

Imperial Consort Ning An stared at Gu Jiu Ling, each word deliberate and cold: "Help Princess Consort of Rui take the test!"