But that Concubine Chu blatantly injured Helian Qi! How could the Empress Dowager be so blind as to still trust that venomous woman?
Just thinking about it, she couldn't help scratching her head hard. When Donghua saw this, she immediately walked up and comforted her, "Your Majesty, don't be angry. The Empress Dowager..."
"Stop. I don't blame her. But you must keep a close eye on that Concubine Chu. Don't let her cause any more trouble," Dongfang Yi said.
She suspected that the deaths of the two wet nurses in the Empress Dowager's palace were not an accident. It was very likely that someone had done something in secret, and that someone might very well be Concubine Chu.
If it was really her, it seemed that those few whips hadn't made her behave. Her reach was so long that she even dared to cause harm in the Empress Dowager's palace and tried to frame her.
"Your Majesty, do you suspect it's Concubine Chu?" Donghua couldn't help asking.
Dongfang Yi nodded heavily. After all, her intuition was always right. It was always a good thing to keep a close eye on that woman now. There couldn't be any more big problems.
"By the way, send a few secret guards to protect the Empress Dowager. I'm afraid Concubine Chu will do anything when she's cornered," she reminded.
Although the Empress Dowager had been very mean to her and always misunderstood her, she was still Helian Qi's mother. If something happened to her, Helian Qi would surely be heart - broken.
After everything was settled, she suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Is the wedding day of Su Luo and Rong Yi coming soon?"
Donghua nodded heavily after hearing this and replied, "It's the day after tomorrow!"
Hearing this, Dongfang Yi stood up and ran to the storeroom to rummage. Then she found a pair of blood - jade bracelets and an ancient fan. She took a good look at them and then handed them to the woman in front of her, saying, "Take these two. Give the bracelets to Su Luo and the fan to Rong Yi. Consider them as my gift for them!"
"Your Majesty means...?" Donghua stammered. She thought the Queen was going to leave the palace again.
But Dongfang Yi waved her hand and explained, "I won't go. But you and Ruyi can go on behalf of me and Helian Qi. And give them the gifts by the way."
"Me and Ruyi?!" Donghua asked in surprise.
But Dongfang Yi raised her eyebrows and smiled brightly. Then she replied playfully, "I'm giving you two a chance to cultivate your relationship outside the palace. And let Ruyi learn the wedding etiquette well so that he can marry you in the future."
After saying that, she threw her head back and laughed.
Donghua blushed when she heard this. She said angrily, "What are you talking about! I never said I would marry him!"
Her shy look was just like a young girl in love, which made the woman opposite her laugh even more. Then she reached out and scraped the tip of Donghua's nose and said playfully, "You're such a little Donghua who says one thing and means another!"
After saying that, she ran out of the storeroom. Donghua behind her also ran out blushing. She opened her mouth trying to refute but couldn't say a word.
Just then, a shout came from outside the palace, "His Majesty the Emperor is coming..."
Hearing this, Dongfang Yi immediately rushed out and jumped into the arms of the person. Then she looked up and touched his chin and asked, "Why did you come so early today?"
"I missed you so much today that I had no mind for state affairs."
Helian Qi always said the most touching love words with an extremely serious expression. A few casual words could make the woman in front of him fall in love.
"Your mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter. Let me see if you've been eating sweets."
After saying that, Dongfang Yi stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips. The palace servants around all lowered their heads in a hurry and busily did their own things. Even Donghua blushed and turned around, silently retreating to the backyard.
After the kiss, she smacked her lips as if really tasting something. Then she said, "It really is sweet. You must have been eating sweets!"
Helian Qi looked at her cute appearance and couldn't help curving his lips. Then he took her hand, leaned down slightly, and whispered in her ear, "You're talking nonsense. It's clearly you who are sweeter."
Then the two walked hand in hand into the sleeping quarters.
On the other side, in Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager was sitting on the grand master's chair with her head down, so it was hard to tell her expression. But her hands were tightly grasping the armrests of the chair.
"Empress Dowager, do you really suspect that all this was done by the Queen?" Wet Nurse Li frowned and asked.
Recently, it was not just the death of two wet nurses in Cining Palace. Yesterday, the silver needle turned black when testing the lunch for poison. It was obvious that someone was trying to harm the Empress Dowager.
There had also been a lot of dead things in the palace recently. Even the parrot that the Empress Dowager had raised for many years was dead. But no suspicious person was seen in the palace. It was really terrifying.
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager raised her head, with suppressed anger in her eyes.
"Who else would have the guts if it wasn't her? She dares to oppose me. She must be tired of living!" she roared coldly. Her voice was a bit hoarse.
"Empress Dowager, please calm down..." Wet Nurse Li quickly comforted her, afraid that the woman in front of her would get angry and hurt her body. After all, she was no longer as young as before and needed to take care of herself.
"Investigate for me. Find out clearly whether it was the Queen or not!"
The Empress Dowager roared again.
She remembered that when she was the Queen, she had never encountered such things. Someone actually dared to threaten her so blatantly. Leaving aside the safety issue, the person who did these things was challenging her authority.
Just thinking about it, she couldn't help widening her eyes and staring fiercely at Wet Nurse Li beside her.
The woman being stared at quickly nodded heavily and replied, "Empress Dowager, don't worry. This servant will surely investigate clearly and find out the person behind all this."
After saying that and seeing the woman in front of her nodding, she bowed slightly and then withdrew from the sleeping quarters.
At this time, in Concubine Chu's palace.
Concubine Chu's body had mostly recovered. Now that she heard that the Empress Dowager had lifted the palace ban on her, she became even more complacent. She couldn't help laughing and then asked the maid beside her, "How's the matter going?"
Hearing this, Cuiping sneered and replied, "Your Majesty, don't worry. This servant was very careful. Now the Empress Dowager already suspects the Queen. She'll probably find out something soon."
Hearing this, the successful smile on Concubine Chu's lips deepened.