"Long live the Emperor."
Consort Wan led a group of palace maids and eunuchs in a proper formal salute, her expression somewhat cold.
Jin Moli hurried forward two steps and helped her up. "Didn't I tell you before? There's no need to salute in private."
"Rules must not be discarded!"
Consort Wan rose indifferently and shook off his hand.
Jin Moli frowned slightly, waved the others away, then took her hand again and led her to sit beside the couch.
He gently pulled her into his arms. "Wan'er, why are you unhappy?"
Consort Wan pushed him away. "I'm already overjoyed that the Emperor could come. How could I possibly be unhappy?"
She said she was happy, but there wasn't the slightest hint of happiness on her face. Instead, she looked somewhat cold.
Jin Moli sighed, took her hand, and explained softly, "Wan'er, I know why you're angry. I promise you, things aren't as you imagine. One day, you'll understand."
The resentment Consort Wan had been bottling up these past few days eased slightly, but she was still very unhappy.
"What could there be that even the Emperor, the ruler of an entire country, wouldn't dare say? Does the Emperor really have to watch other people's expressions before speaking and acting?"
It had been a year and a half. The Emperor had long since secured his throne, so there was no reason for such a problem to exist.
"That's right. Consort Ying is carrying the imperial heir, so it's only proper for the Emperor to visit and look after her more often. Who can blame my belly for being so useless?"
Whenever she thought of the thing she had desperately wanted but could never obtain, while that woman Su Qiao had acquired it with ease, Gu Wanting felt miserable.
Jin Moli