"Your Majesty, may this concubine pour the wine for you?"
The Lady of Grace was dressed in a noble and solemn purple palace dress. A magnificent and exquisite hairpin was inserted in her hair. With a fair, gentle and graceful face and that gentle and alluring voice, she was truly a peerless beauty!
Perhaps having grown accustomed to Ling Shan's bright, pure yet seductive beauty, the tipsy Jun Wuyuan seemed to be in a rather good mood.
His drunken, charming peach blossom eyes were fixed directly on the Lady of Grace. He looked extremely noble, yet also more amorous and alluring.
Jun Wuyuan was already extremely good - looking. When drunk and looking at someone so directly, even the Lady of Grace couldn't help but feel flustered. A blush climbed onto her cheeks, making her look even more charming.
Jun Wuyuan seemed to be quite taken with her. Not satisfied enough, he raised his hand to beckon the Lady of Grace closer.
The Lady of Grace gave a shy smile and walked forward gracefully.
However, before she could get close to Jun Wuyuan, just when she reached the imperial table, a loud noise interrupted her.
Ling Shan, sitting beside Jun Wuyuan, seemed to have a darkened face. She angrily slammed the wine cup on the table.
Although the court officials and noble ladies below in the palace hall still kept their eyes straight ahead, most of their attention was focused on the imperial table.
Seeing the intense competition for the emperor's favor between the Lady of Grace and the Lady of Brightness, who would have the mind to look at the cold meals in front of them?
They all pricked up their ears, wishing they had a pair of thousand - mile eyes and a pair of super - sensitive ears to hear the latest gossip immediately.
The Lady of Grace's shy face seemed to be startled by Ling Shan's sudden outburst of anger. Her body trembled violently.
She bit her lip, and her face instantly turned deathly pale. Her body swayed unsteadily.
Jun Wuyuan also seemed to wake up. He withdrew his drunken, charming eyes from the Lady of Grace and turned to look at Ling Shan beside him.
The Lady of Grace actually saw the emperor reach out and gently pat Ling Shan's hand, coaxing her tenderly. He didn't look like a high - and - mighty emperor at all.
In an instant, the Lady of Grace seemed to be forgotten. Her face was truly as white as a sheet.
At that moment, the Lady of Grace felt as if a large bowl of bitter water had been poured into her heart, making it feel astringent.
She didn't love Jun Wuyuan. She only desired the high - ranking position. But just now, she had been gently looked at by the emperor, and the next moment, his eyes were attracted by another favored concubine.
Inevitably, a sense of humiliation and unwillingness welled up in the Lady of Grace's heart. Her fingers gradually tightened, and a glint of darkness flashed under her thick eyelashes.
"When did the Lady of Grace start to like competing with the tea - pouring maids for work?"
Ling Shan still sneered without hiding her disdain, just like the continuous troubles she had caused in recent days. She didn't show any restraint.
The Lady of Grace showed a proper look of grievance on her pale face, but she endured it gracefully.
In her heart, she thought: It was said that His Majesty doted on the Lady of Brightness very much and even ignored the beauties in the harem. She thought it was a joke.
Not to mention that Jun Wuyuan was a high - and - mighty emperor. Even an ordinary man wouldn't be restricted to just one woman.
The so - called extreme favor was just a necessity under the circumstances.
True love? Affection?
Such things would never exist in the royal family.
She wanted to see if the currently favored Lady of Brightness would still be so proud after everything was accomplished.
"Your Majesty, this concubine sees that the Lady of Grace has good intentions. You haven't said whether you want someone to pour the wine or not."
Ling Shan's tone was soft and charming, exuding a hint of allure.
It was as if the woman standing opposite wasn't the second - rank Lady of Grace but just a low - status maid.
This was simply an insult!
But Jun Wuyuan seemed not to notice. His drunken eyes fell on the Lady of Grace again.
"Aren't you going to offer a toast? Come here."
The Lady of Grace's face stiffened. Although she had been mentally prepared, a strong sense of humiliation still welled up in her heart.
"Yes, Your Majesty. This concubine will pour the wine for you now."
The Lady of Grace's grace and charm were truly unique. Even when pouring the wine, she exuded a gentle and elegant charm.
"Your Majesty, this concubine's wine cup is empty too."
The Lady of Grace's hand froze. Hearing this coquettish voice, her eyes turned cold.
Without waiting for Jun Wuyuan's order, the Lady of Grace first smiled gently, with a caring tone in her voice:
"Sister Lady of Brightness, although the jade - nectar wine is good, it has a strong alcoholic content. Don't drink too much."
"The Lady of Grace should mind her own business. This palace doesn't need your reminder."
Hiss -
The atmosphere beside the imperial table was clearly heard by the noble ladies and court officials who were closer. They all couldn't help but gasp.
Who would have thought that the delicate and favored concubine was so arrogant?
Looking at His Majesty, although he was very drunk, one could still see the doting look in his eyes. It was obvious that the favored concubine was truly favored.
Everyone could only marvel in their hearts. It seemed that although the Lady of Grace seemed to have the bearing to be the mother of the nation, for the time being...
Suddenly, a sudden change occurred at the imperial table.
While everyone was secretly gossiping in their hearts, they saw that Jun Wuyuan, who was just a bit tipsy with a flushed face, suddenly turned pale. He spat out a mouthful of blood and then fell straight down right in front of all the court officials and noble ladies in the hall!
Before anyone could react, the Lady of Grace in her purple palace dress also spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted!
In an instant, the entire hall was in chaos.
Screams, shouts of protecting the emperor, and the clanging of the armor of the imperial guards surrounding the hall mixed together. It was as if the end of the world had come, and everyone's hearts were raised high.
Except for the one in power who controlled life and death!
The Empress Dowager's face darkened. Her fingers trembled as she stood up. Shaking unsteadily but with a firm voice, she pointed at Ling Shan.
"Poisonous woman! How dare you poison the emperor and the Lady of Grace!"
Whoosh -
"Someone, arrest this unfilial and heartless woman for this empress dowager. Summon the imperial physician!"
"Who dares!"
As soon as the imperial guards and palace servants moved, Ling Shan gently laid Jun Wuyuan down and stood up with great momentum!
The Empress Dowager was stunned for a moment by Ling Shan's fierce shout. She never expected that the usually delicate and charming Ling Shan would show such a side.
But soon, the boiling blood in her body woke her up. Her eyes were filled with disgust.
She roared angrily, "Why aren't you moving? Can't this empress dowager order you around anymore?"
"Empress Dowager, I wonder when the empress dowager became the only miracle doctor in the world? The imperial physician hasn't even arrived yet, and you can already conclude that His Majesty has been poisoned? And how did you manage to tell at a glance that this concubine is the one who poisoned them?"
"If it wasn't you, then who else could it be?"
The Empress Dowager's tone was cold. "There were only the three of you drinking together at the imperial table. The emperor and the Lady of Grace vomited blood and fainted. What else could it be but poisoning?
Moreover, you're the only one standing there unharmed. I'd like to ask, if it wasn't you who poisoned them, then who was it?"
Ling Shan sneered without giving in an inch:
"If that's the case, then this concubine would like to say that it was the empress dowager who poisoned them!"