The wicked imperial concubine is courting death again; the comments section teaches her how to win w

Chi Zheng was burly and strong, with astonishing strength; this slap was equivalent to four or five times the force of an ordinary person.

Wu Wanlan was slapped so hard that she rolled away.

The crowd was so frightened that they all hid, with the timid ones peeking through their fingers.

Gasps rose and fell from the waterside pavilion, "Hiss..."

In just that one moment, Wu Wanlan's face swelled up badly, she lost a tooth, and her mouth was full of blood and foam.

Qi Yitang still prefers this kind of simple and direct provocation, without having to guess who is behind it, what their intentions are, or when they will strike again.

Just get it done directly and that's it.

Handing Jia Sui over to Xie Yunxing, Qi Yitang coldly said, "Your Majesty is magnanimous, but I am not so kind. Since you are tired of living, I don't mind sending you down to keep your good son company."

At this moment, even Xie Yunxing was somewhat dazed, for he actually saw a hint of an emperor in Qi Yitang.

The girl who used to fight and bicker with him, and who would always be the one to accuse him first, now has an aura that intimidates everyone just by standing there.

"You are..." Wu Wanlan's lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Empress?

The arrogant and manic aura that had just been there seemed to have been completely dissipated by Qi Yitang's identity and that slap, leaving only panic.

She dared to challenge Princess Anping because she was her mother-in-law, and she could use filial piety to intimidate her.

However, even if Wu Wanlan was foolish, she knew how to behave properly in front of the Empress.

Her lips moved as if she was about to speak, when suddenly someone hurriedly walked in through the entrance of the waterside pavilion.

The newcomer was in his early fifties, looking slender and refined, dressed in a dark blue robe, and his face bore a resemblance to Gu Ziye.

He strode forward and said, "Your humble servant Gu Feiwu greets Your Majesty the Empress."

【Gu the Waste? What a unique name.】

Upon seeing the utterly disheveled Wu Wanlan, Gu Feiwu felt a fleeting, almost imperceptible, hint of disgust.

He showed no sign of it on his face, but instead stepped forward and stood in front of Wu Wanlan as if protecting his wife. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. After my wife lost her child, the doctor said that she has become mentally unstable and sometimes acts like a madwoman. Please forgive her this time, considering that she is the grandmother of two young princesses."

In fact, Gu Feiwu had a good reputation in the capital. He was the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and his son had become the second-highest scholar in the imperial examination and married Princess Anping. He had a bright future ahead of him.

Even though his wife was uncouth and just a countrywoman, he never looked down on her after he became successful.

Qi Yitang narrowed her eyes.

To be honest, even if Gu Feiwu acted like a normal person, she didn't have a good impression of him.

The father is to blame if the son is not taught. Gu Ziye is no good, and his father is probably no better.

Seeing that Qi Yitang didn't speak, Gu Feiwu turned around and scolded her.

"Madam Wu, hurry up and apologize to Her Majesty the Empress! Stop making a fool of yourself here!"

Wu Wanlan had already given up, but upon hearing this, her emotions surged up again.

"I'm shameful? Ye'er died and you didn't feel the slightest bit sad, you only care about whether I'm shameful or not?"

"That's right, you're a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Rites, with so many concubines and illegitimate sons, you certainly don't need one more! But I only have Ye'er... I only have this one son..." She covered her face and wept.

The ladies and young women in the courtyard, who had initially disliked her for being uncouth and lacking manners, found themselves somewhat sympathetic upon hearing her words.

Looking at Wu Wanlan again, her hair was mostly white and she was covered in wrinkles. She looked extremely old. Walking with the refined Gu Feiwu, she didn't look like his wife at all, but rather like his mother.

Most of those present were wives of principal wives; who doesn't have several concubines and illegitimate children?

They knew better than anyone else where their husbands' hearts lay.

Beneath the reputation of "a wife who has shared hardship should not be abandoned," how much affection does Gu Feiwu still harbor for her?

Ultimately, she was nothing more than a woman neglected by her husband, clinging to life only because of her son.

Her son is gone, her grandson is gone, and she couldn't take it anymore, which is why she came here in a daze.

Gu Feiwu's expression stiffened, and his lips twitched slightly. "Ye'er is my eldest son, how can I not be heartbroken?"

"Madam Wu, do not lose your composure in front of Her Majesty!"

Wu Wanlan suddenly scrambled to her feet, shouting hoarsely, "Then give my Ye'er back! Aren't you all-powerful? Give my son back to me!"

Seeing this crazy woman grabbing his neck and throwing a tantrum in front of all the distinguished guests in the courtyard, Gu Feiwu's decades of pent-up forbearance finally exploded at this moment.

"You're being completely unreasonable!"

He had only used a little of her family's money in the past, and he had tolerated this vulgar and stupid woman for decades.

Her son was also spoiled and became a good-for-nothing. Despite marrying a princess, he didn't know how to serve her properly and instead offended her, which led to his dismissal from his official post.

If he hadn't pleaded for them overnight, and the princess hadn't shown leniency out of consideration for their past relationship, the whole family would probably have been imprisoned.

Today was supposed to be the day to leave the capital, and Gu Feiwu was eager to set off as soon as possible to avoid the Princess pursuing the matter later.

Unexpectedly, due to a moment of carelessness, the foolish woman escaped.

The thought of divorcing his wife churned in his mind countless times, finally turning into an unventable resentment.

Gu Feiwu gave a shove, shoving the frenzied Wu Wanlan away.

Unexpectedly, she used too much force and staggered backward. Qi Yitang happened to be standing to her side and behind her, with the winding marshland covered in a thin layer of ice in winter behind Qi Yitang.

Wu Wanlan bumped into Qi Yitang, and the two of them lost their balance and fell towards the water's edge.

"Your Majesty!" Everyone was shocked.

It's still the first month of the lunar calendar, and the weather is freezing. If someone falls into the water, catching a cold is a minor matter, but those who can't swim could even risk their lives.

If something were to happen to the Empress here, none of the people present would likely survive.

Gu Feiwu's face turned pale instantly.

Qi Jiyun's pupils contracted, and he rushed out from the crowd, shouting, "Tangtang!"

"Help! Someone come quick!" Everyone panicked.

[Oh no, the female supporting character is only slightly better than someone who can't swim! Brother Wa, come quick and save my wife!]

[Hehe, I feel like the emperor is about to have another episode, a duet of imprisonment.]

[When did the female supporting character get the female lead's script? Everywhere she goes, things change and accidents happen. This is the protagonist's standard setup!]

[Even the comments section only shows the female supporting character's perspective, so how can she not be considered the main character?]

At the critical moment, just as Qi Yitang lost her balance, a dark figure darted out from the side.

It is a reliable red zither.

She grabbed Qi Yitang and, using the momentum, pushed him forcefully toward the shore, while she herself, following the reaction force, plummeted straight down.

"Thump—"

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

Chi Zheng was too strong. Qi Yitang felt like a roly-poly toy, being pushed around and spun in the air before crashing straight into a warm and familiar embrace.

Subconsciously looking up, I met Xie Ling's dark, deep eyes.