"Send someone to convey a message to Consort Zhao. I want the list of embezzlers within three days. Otherwise..."
The cold anger on Queen Mother Wang's face suddenly dissipated. Her tone was as calm as if she were commenting on the fine weather today.
But only Granny Dou, who was standing very close, could detect the hidden killing intent and coldness behind the word "otherwise".
"Yes, Your Ladyship. Please rest assured. This old servant will give careful instructions. Don't be angry. Please drink the medicine first, okay?"
Queen Mother Wang closed her eyes briefly, quietly expelling the anger in her heart. Her complexion looked calmer. She nodded.
Zhiju soon brought in another bowl of medicinal soup. Not daring to look or say too much, she served the queen mother to drink the medicine obediently and respectfully.
"Reward her!"
After drinking the medicine, Queen Mother Wang felt much more comfortable. Looking at the obedient Zhiju, she took a fancy to her.
Zhiju kowtowed and thanked, "This servant thanks Your Ladyship for the reward."
After kneeling to thank the queen mother, Zhilan neatly tidied up and withdrew from the inner palace.
"Your Ladyship, Zhimei didn't come this time. This little girl Zhiju has become much more steady."
"She has good sense."
Queen Mother Wang's tone was somewhat meaningful. Granny Dou immediately understood.
"Tomorrow, send a message and ask Lady Xue to enter the palace. I haven't had a good chat with this good sister-in-law for a long time."
Queen Mother Wang's topic changed quickly, and Granny Dou quickly caught up, but there was a bit of hesitation on her face.
"Your Ladyship, Lady might..."
Granny Dou didn't finish her sentence, but the hidden meaning was enough for Queen Mother Wang to understand.
Although Lady Xue was also from a noble family, the Xue family today was not the same as before.
The current head of the Xue family, Xue Zhiyuan, was nominally Lady Xue's elder brother, but in fact he was her adopted elder brother.
After the death of Lady Xue's parents, as the apple of her parents' eye, she and Xue Zhiyuan were only superficially close.
If she hadn't married into the Wang family and had the title of the wife of the Wang family, it was hard to say whether that fox Xue Zhiyuan would "care" about her so much.
Could it be that Lady Xue would dare to resent her and the Wang family because of that stupid Wang Chengbi?
"Just send the message. Let Lady Xue think carefully for herself. Does she want to continue to be angry with the Wang family for a dead person, or does she want to think about whether her son will still have the current glory when he takes over the Wang family in the future?
If she can't figure it out, she might as well abdicate from the position of the wife of the Wang family."
Granny Dou was shocked. For some reason, looking at Queen Mother Wang's extremely cold expression, she felt a sense of panic in her heart.
The current situation of the Wang family was like a small boat drifting in the wind and rain. Before the bigger storm came, the inside had already started to fight and rot.
Would such days really clear up and become calm?
Granny Dou always felt that the storm was approaching.
---
"Your Majesty, will the queen mother fly into a rage and kill Shan Shan?"
"Is Shan Shan afraid?"
Jun Wuyuan casually hugged Ling Shan, twirling her hair with his fingers as if asking casually.
Was she really so in love with him that she was willing to betray the queen mother and stand by his side wholeheartedly without hesitation and without considering any external factors?
Ling Shan's eyes flickered.
She thought to herself: That dog tyrant must be daydreaming.
Standing by his side wholeheartedly, without hesitation and without considering any external factors, and always firmly choosing him?
Wasn't this just a daydream?
In this world, there was only one person worthy of Ling Shan's wholehearted devotion, and that was herself.
Apart from herself, no one else was worth her sacrificing everything.
However...
"Shan Shan is not afraid. As long as I can stay by Your Majesty's side, I'm not afraid of anything."
Jun Wuyuan's fingers paused. He stared at the person in his arms, and his heart suddenly churned.
He couldn't help but hug her tighter, and his voice became a bit darker.
"It's good that you're not afraid. I won't let anyone hurt you."
[Shan Shan, once you're by my side, there'll be no chance for you to escape!]
Ling Shan: "..."
"Shan Shan believes in Your Majesty."
Ling Shan buried herself in Jun Wuyuan's arms, seemingly very trusting.
But in her heart, she cursed secretly: That dog tyrant must not engage in that kind of dark and obsessive love. She didn't want to experience it.
Jun Wuyuan looked at the small and obedient figure in his arms, and his eyes softened unconsciously.
[I still have to speed up the process of getting rid of that bald donkey Wang and that old hag. Otherwise, I really can't feel at ease.]
Ling Shan's eyes moved, and she secretly agreed.
Yes, yes, Your Majesty, you'd better get rid of that old hag quickly. Otherwise, her life would really be in danger all the time.
It was time for the poison on her body to flare up painfully.
It was also time for Jun Wuyuan to suffer.
Let him know what kind of suffering and pain she had endured for loving him and for being able to stay by his side.
Ling Shan was really looking forward to what Jun Wuyuan would experience on that day.
"I'll be a bit busy these two days. If Shan Shan is bored, you can go out and enjoy the scenery. I'll take you out of the palace in a few days. Be a good girl."
Ling Shan's eyes suddenly shrank, but soon she heard his other inner thought and quickly regained her calm.
She had an important mission on her shoulders. How could she have the leisure to go out and enjoy the scenery?
But on the surface, she obediently agreed and watched Jun Wuyuan leave with reluctant eyes.
"What? Your Ladyship, you still want to go to Qingyun Terrace?"
Banchun was still a bit dazed and hadn't fully recovered. Only a few people had died after Yang Concubine and the others had drunk the poisoned wine.
Even if there were still some people who were confused and desperate, they couldn't possibly come at this time, could they?
"Go and see the flowers on Qingyun Terrace. It has been well decorated there, but there have been successive accidents. It's a pity for those rare flowers. Today, let's go there to enjoy the flowers and play with the water."
Banchun: "..."
There was too much sparkle in Ling Shan's eyes. Although Banchun had suspicions in her heart, she quickly served Ling Shan to get dressed and led the people to Qingyun Terrace.
Fortunately, the entire Yuhua Palace seemed to have entered a stagnant state.
Along the way, apart from the palace servants, they didn't meet anyone else.
Banchun couldn't tell whether she was relieved or disappointed.
If nothing unexpected happened, she would stay by Her Ladyship's side from now on and would no longer be the grand palace maid in front of the emperor.
In this way, Her Ladyship's future and status were related to her whole life's fate.
Naturally, Banchun disliked and was in awe of the other concubines.
No one could tell when the emperor's favor would come, how long it would last, or when it would leave.
Banchun only hoped that this period of exclusive favor would last longer. Even when everything settled down in the future and the emperor took full control of the court, Her Ladyship would still be the most gorgeous flower in the harem.
However, would Her Ladyship's actions like this cause problems in the future...