The fake daughter of a fallen ghost is reborn

Ge Yuanhui's heart became more resolute. She said solemnly, "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, I was young at that time and only half understood what my aunt said. I didn't understand what she was going to do. I was just afraid for no reason. That night, the news of Prince Yumin's death spread. I was terrified and fell ill soon after. When I woke up, my memory was already blurred. Until not long ago... I fell into the water and vaguely remembered the scene of that year, and I also understood the key."

As she spoke, her eyes turned red: "I am terrified and dare not hide anything, so I have no choice but to tell the Queen about this privately! I hope you can forgive me!"

Concubine Ge vehemently denied: "Your Majesty, I really didn't do that!"

The emperor's voice was so cold that it made people shiver: "If this really didn't happen, why would your niece risk her life to report it?"

Hearing this, Concubine Ge was stunned... Did the emperor believe it so easily? No! The emperor was coming for the Ge family, and his methods were becoming more and more direct and cruel! There must be someone behind Ge Yuanhui! Is it Prince Cheng? The queen? Or is it the emperor himself!

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind: Perhaps Chong'er had already sensed her murderous intent during the last hunt... Then the person who instructed Ge Yuanhui was her son?

The thought froze her for a moment.

The emperor only ordered: "Concubine Ge is confined to Cuiwei Palace. I will have everyone in Cuiwei Palace and the Imperial Hospital interrogated carefully. Whether she is wrongly accused or not will be determined soon."

As soon as these words came out, Concubine Ge panicked instantly. She went from begging for mercy in panic to laughing wildly and cursing in despair: "Ge Yuanhui! You are a fool! He and his father are the same people! Cold-blooded, selfish and cold-hearted! Ge Yuanhui, you will not die well! You will not die well!"

This shrill voice made Ge Yuanhui shudder all over... Although her goal had been achieved, she couldn't stop trembling slightly, and her body seemed to be getting a little cold.

The emperor rubbed his forehead, feeling severe pain. He said in a deep voice: "The queen is too sad today, and my mother is also tired. Let's go back to the palace and rest. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."

When the Empress Dowager was leaving, Xue Zhiyi noticed that the Emperor did not mention whether Ge Yuanhui should be sent out of the palace, placed elsewhere, or detained for interrogation. He did not give any instructions.

Xue Zhiyi lowered his eyes: It seems that some things will not be as good as Ge Yuanhui expected.

The Queen and the Queen Mother had both left, and the Hall of Eternal Life was eerily quiet.

Ge Yuanhui knelt on the ground, facing the emperor who stood up and walked towards the bedroom. She felt anxious: the emperor did not order her to leave, so she could not leave without permission, but he did not give her any other instructions or punishment... This uncertainty made her feel empty and increasingly anxious.

The chill of early winter grew deeper. Ge Yuanhui knelt on the hard, cold ground in her thin palace maid's clothes. This made her, who had always lived a life of luxury, feel a little overwhelmed. Coupled with the fear lingering in her heart, she felt even more unbearable.

The sound of dripping water could be heard in the huge room. The palace servants who came and went were afraid of disturbing the emperor who had already gone to bed, so their footsteps made no sound at all, and they had no time to pay any attention to Ge Yuanhui.

She knelt like this until daylight, until her face turned pale, her whole body trembled, and her lips became wrinkled and cracked.

When the emperor stood up, he had already put on his court robes. He just glanced at her indifferently and walked out of the Changsheng Palace to prepare to go to court.

Looking at Peng Hui, she wanted to ask something, but her dry throat hurt so much that she couldn't make a sound.

Peng Hui seemed to have something to say. He stood in front of Ge Yuanhui and said loudly, "Your Majesty has an order!"

Ge Yuanhui was stunned for a moment, then quickly bowed down, barely able to utter a word: "Your Highness... accept the order."

"Duke Dingguo's daughter Ge Yuanhui has made great contributions in reporting the crime against Concubine Ge. She has served me all night and won my heart. I decree that she be made a noble lady and given the title 'Shun'. I decree this!"

For a moment, Ge Yuanhui did not understand what Peng Hui meant, and thought that he had lost his mind while kneeling, until Peng Hui reminded him, "Shun Guiren, please accept the decree and express your gratitude."

Ge Yuanhui suddenly came to her senses. She looked up in fear and said, "What do you mean... How could I be your Majesty's noble? How could I have ever slept with you?"

But Peng Hui said respectfully: "This is the grace of His Majesty. No matter how happy you are, don't forget to accept the order."

Peng Hui's words and actions reminded Ge Yuanhui not to disobey the order and not to go against the emperor's will.

Ge Yuanhui's face turned pale. In order to help Gu Shichong win the throne, she had already abandoned her family. Her family had already regarded her as an abandoned child. She did all this to become Gu Shichong's queen! If she was included in the emperor's harem today, how could she marry Gu Shichong!

Moreover, the emperor was very old and he was her uncle. How could she be his concubine?

"I want to see His Highness! Eunuch! I want to see His Highness Prince Gong! Please help me!" She wanted to beg for help from the people around her like a madman.

"Tell him that I never slept with you! Ask him to ask His Majesty to revoke his order!"

Peng Hui was also in a dilemma: "Shun Guiren, everyone in the palace knows that you reported Concubine Ge yesterday. Everyone in the palace also knows that you served His Majesty all night. How can His Royal Highness Prince Gong interfere in the affairs of the harem? Please accept the order quickly, and I will send someone to take you to your palace."

Ge Yuanhui curled up in despair. She had not returned home all night in the Changsheng Palace. Once the imperial edict was issued, it would be too late. Everyone would know that Ge Yuanhui, who was once a role model for all the ladies in Huajing, had informed on her own aunt in order to climb into the emperor's bed. She was a person who would do anything to gain favor and was willing to humble herself!

She could no longer marry Gu Shichong, and she could no longer be the queen! In the days to come, she could only grind away in the palace until death... Her life was completely over!

Perhaps because he had been kneeling for a whole night and suffered such a blow, Ge Yuanhui's eyes rolled back and he fainted on the ground.

……

When Xue Zhiyi heard the news from Jingchun, he was shocked.

Jing Chun covered her mouth and whispered, "I never thought she was that kind of person. You said she was born in a noble family, and she is so talented and beautiful. She has a bright future. Even if her appearance is damaged and she can't be the prince's principal wife, she is more than qualified to marry into a duke's family. Why would she do such a thing that disrupts the moral code?"

Xue Zhiyi only reminded her: "This is His Majesty's decision. If you talk about His Majesty, do you want to die?"

Jing Chun curled his lips: "I'm not telling you this in private. We are so familiar with each other, what's wrong with a few words in private?"

"..."

Xue Zhiyi ignored her. This matter seemed like the emperor was crazy, but wasn't it also his plan?

The emperor wanted to destroy the Ge family step by step, but he couldn't force them too hastily. Logically speaking, for something like killing a prince, even if the entire family was not executed, the entire family must be executed. If the emperor implicated the Ge family at this time, the Ge family members far away in Yueling Pass would probably rise up in rebellion immediately.

Although the Ge family had evil ambitions, they also had their own considerations. What they wanted was to control the court after the emperor's death and before the new emperor gained a firm foothold, and then pass on the throne. But if the emperor wanted to kill them at this time, they would have no choice but to raise an army in a hurry to survive. In this way, the rebellion might only have a 60% chance of success. If they were not forced to do so, they would not take the risk.

Therefore, the emperor gave both parties a way out: he explained Concubine Ge's act of murdering the late crown prince as her own viciousness and cruelty, which could not represent the position of the Ge family. Instead, it was Ge Yuanhui who reported the crime for the sake of justice, which showed the loyalty of the Ge family.

Therefore, the emperor wanted to give Ge Yuanhui a great reward to show his favor.

As for this reward, it is the emperor’s grace and favor, so how can it not be considered a reward?

Giving Ge Yuanhui the status of a concubine was a two-birds-at-one-stone move, as it would prevent Ge Yuanhui from ever having the chance to marry any prince and would also put an end to the Ge family's desire to become an in-law of the emperor.

Although it is not uncommon for a son to inherit his father's wife in ancient times, there are only a handful of people who can and dare to do so. With Ge Yuanhui's temperament and Gu Shichong's ability, they cannot do it.

It's just a pity that Xue Zhiyi in his previous life could never have imagined that Ge Yuanhui had the best cards but could play them so badly.