《Hope Should I Win Your Heart》


 C1

    Agree, Imperial Concubine. Aren''t we all concubines? Since they are all concubines, why bother so much?


    "Under the decree! With the blessing of the heavens, under the decree of the Emperor, the direct daughter of the Shen family has a noble character, is gentle and virtuous, and is a first stage Consort Xian who has chosen a auspicious day to enter the palace.


    The west wing was filled with red candles, fine delicacies were placed on the round red wooden table, and there were also dishes and snacks for the children. There were red silk strings wrapped around the wine cup.


    The moment they entered the palace gates that were as deep as the sea and the innocent, kind and lively young girl from before had become an adult overnight, this feeling was even more suffocating.


    Shen Qing Wan sighed, for the past, for the future.


    Within the walls, in the harem, the bones of countless magnificent women had been buried. As for himself, in the end, he could not escape his fate and could not live up to the emperor''s will.


    Just as Shen Qingwan was about to wash up, a bright yellow figure slowly walked in.


    "Your majesty."


    Lian Yun immediately knelt down and saluted.


    Didn''t he come?


    The emperor''s head had long been lifted by Shen Qingwan, and the emperor''s body was emitting a faint dragon''s saliva. He stared straight at Shen Qingwan, as if he wanted to stare her out of the cave.


    "Your servant has been impolite. Your majesty, please forgive me."


    After a long while, the emperor finally said slowly, "General Shen''s daughter is indeed different from the other girls."


    These words that contained neither joy nor anger made the surrounding people''s hairs stand on end. Only Shen Qingwan''s face was as calm as water.


    She calmly said, "Your Majesty is too kind."


    "Consort Xian!"


    Fu Yuheng snorted coldly as all the servants in the hall fell to their knees.


    "The people of Shang Jing have said that General Shen has given birth to an incomparably intelligent daughter. In my opinion, Consort Xian isn''t very intelligent."


    Shen Qingwan smiled, slightly nodded her head, and remained silent.


    "Then do you know that according to etiquette, on the night that I entered the palace from a first rank consort, I was supposed to be resting in her palace?"


    Shen Qing Wan heard this and chuckled, "Chenqie knows that Your Majesty is not willing to stay here tonight."


    "How dare you!"


    Fu Yuheng could no longer remain calm. He looked at Shen Qingwan and said word by word, "Shen Qingwan, if it wasn''t for your father, I wouldn''t even spare you a glance."


    How could she not know?


    The daughter of the General Shen, a first grade Consort Xian right after entering the palace, how glorious was that! However, if she could choose, even if she had to abandon her identity, she would still choose to be together with her husband. However, in the end, she was just a powerless little girl. She was just a pawn the Emperor and her family had placed on each other.


    What about her?


    Abandon this identity and the lives of all 178 members of the Shen family. If he gave up this clan, how far could he flee?


    "It''s all your concubine''s fault, your majesty." Shen Qingwan immediately knelt down and nodded her head, then continued, "But chenqie wasn''t able to do it."


    Fu Yuheng sneered as he looked down at Shen Qingwan who was kneeling on the marble floor.


    "Uncontrollable?" He laughed out loud, "What a great saying. You mean that I am forcing you?"


    Shen Qingwan kowtowed, "Chenqie has no intention of doing so."


    What should she do? She might not even be able to enter the palace, and it would also be wrong to not enter the palace.


    "Shen Qing Wan, the position of Consort Xian was requested by your father. Since that''s the case, don''t blame us for not being polite! You know, you forced me to do all this. If you dare come up with any tricks, don''t blame us for not showing you any mercy! "


    Fu Yuheng gritted his teeth. He had left the position of Consort Xian with his, but because of a single sentence from Shen Tianao, he had no choice but to accept her daughter into the palace.


    Impossible, he was a great general of Shang Jing, with tens of thousands of soldiers in his hands, without Shen Tianao, he could not do it. He clenched his fists and silently swore to himself that one day, he would be the one to decide everything.


    Shen Qingwan was stunned, she was still unable to react, her father forced him to do so?


    His father had told him that the emperor''s orders could not be disobeyed, but he had no other choice. How could it be his father?


    "What does Your Majesty mean by this?" Shen Qingwan raised her head, her face was at a loss, "My father would never do that. Moreover, the Emperor is a ruler of the country, how could he be threatened by others?"


    Fu Yuheng bent over and ruthlessly pinched Shen Qingwan''s chin, then said coldly, "Consort Xian, ah, Consort Xian, why do you have to pretend to be ignorant? If you don''t believe it, why don''t you ask your father? You might understand. "


    Saying that, he fiercely threw her to the side.


    He glanced at the silk cloth on the bed and said with disgust, "I won''t favor you tonight. I won''t sleep with you for even ten years. However, it''s better if I do something good."


    Saying that, he took out the dagger from his body, pulled Shen Qingwan to the side of the bed, and pressed her hand onto the silk cloth. With a "si" sound, blood flowed down from Shen Qingwan''s finger and dripped onto the pure white silk cloth, like a lotus from hell.


    "Tomorrow morning, remember to send this silk cloth to the Palace of Tzu Ning!"


    When Shen Qingwan finally reacted, she let out a miserable laugh. What a pity!


    Fu Yuheng started to walk away, but was stopped by Shen Qingwan, "You want to leave before the show is done?" Isn''t this all a waste of effort? "


    She casually found a piece of cloth to bandage up her wound and said, "Your Majesty can step out of Changle Palace right now, but tomorrow there will be a rumor that Your Majesty did not rest in Changle Palace tonight. There are too many people in the palace, it''s not like the Emperor doesn''t know. "


    Fu Yuheng''s footsteps paused for a moment before returning.


    "Shen Qingwan, you''re threatening us?"


    Shen Qingwan lowered her eyebrows and said: "Chenqie doesn''t dare, I only know that what chenqie said is the truth. "Your Majesty is sleeping on a bed, I ¡­"


    Shen Qingwan stared at Fu Yuheng in shock. He actually hated his for using me as a servant girl?


    A teardrop rolled down his face, but he couldn''t bear to put on airs. Since he had entered the palace, since he was a concubine, there was nothing to resent.


    This was his life.


    Fu Yuheng was startled at first. Then, he glanced at Shen Qingwan who was obediently kneeling on the ground before she climbed onto the bed.


    This woman ¡­


    "If Your Majesty falls asleep, chenqie will put out the lamp."


    Fu Yuheng did not speak. As he listened to Shen Qingwan''s gentle footsteps, he was unable to calm down for a long time. She was not noisy, unlike other girls. In the darkness, Shen Qingwan''s face could not be seen clearly, and Fu Yuheng did not know what kind of feeling he had.

 C2

    The next day, when Shen Qingwan woke up, she was shocked to find herself lying on the bed. She suddenly jumped up in fright and looked around for Fu Yuheng''s figure.


    He saw a type of maidservant, who was holding a basin as he knelt beside him, quietly waiting for him.


    "What time is it now?" The grievances in Shen Qingwan''s heart could not be described with words, she was tired, but she would rather not have this glory that others viewed as their highest honor!


    Taking a deep breath, she walked in with light footsteps.


    Seated on the main seat was the queen, she was dignified and generous, her entire person looking elegant and noble, and beside her was Imperial Consort Liu. She leisurely drank her tea, with a disdainful expression on her face.


    "Greetings to the empress. Your consort has come late, please forgive me."


    Shen Qingwan had heard that the Queen was very kind and it was the first time seeing her, so she didn''t know what to do.


    Shen Qingwan was flattered and replied respectfully, "Thank you, esteemed mistress."


    Liu Chugrong slammed his teacup on the table. The whole room became silent.


    Shen Qing Wan had long heard that the Imperial Consort Liu was a person that was hard to mess with, but she didn''t expect to make things difficult for herself when she first met him. She had once challenged the imperial harem, and even the empress had to treat her with respect. After having the carrageenan, she was no longer that pampered, and her personality had become violent.


    "Please forgive me, Imperial Concubine. It was chenqie''s fault." Shen Qingwan''s butt hadn''t warmed up yet, but she had to get up and reply, "Chenqie is used to being lazy at home and isn''t used to it at the moment, so I came late today. This concubine knows that she doesn''t dare to violate the rules of the palace. "


    All of the concubines in the room rolled their eyes at Shen Qingwan. Those who didn''t speak up for her were all waiting to see her make a fool of herself.


    They were all jealous, entering the palace from the first stage Consort Xian, such a privilege, had never been seen before.


    On the other hand, carrageenan calmly said, "Elder sister, could it be that you are deaf? The Empress has already spoken and forgiven Elder Sister Consort Xian."


    This was a reminder to Liu Chugrong that she wasn''t the head of the imperial harem yet. Although the emperor had given her the power to assist in the affairs of the harem, the empress was still the one in charge.


    Liu Chugrong said fiercely, "You!"


    carrageenan smiled and did not speak further. The queen, on the other hand, smiled.


    "Is Consort Xian''s sister used to living in the Changle Palace?" The empress said slowly, "If there''s anything you''re not used to, or if the palace is lacking, come find me."


    Shen Qingwan sat down and obediently nodded her head. "Yes, chenqie understands. Thank you, esteemed empress."


    The empress waved her hand. "We are sisters of our own, there is no need for Consort Xian''s sister to be polite."


    The Consort De raised her eyebrows and said: "Consort Xian''s sister is indeed as beautiful as a fairy. No wonder people in the capital all said that there was a peerless young lady in the Shen Mansion who could match up all of us."


    The Consort De Zhao Yuan Rong was the head of the palace''s older concubines and had accompanied the emperor for a few years already. She had a princess by her side, and the emperor had accompanied her for many years before being promoted to one of the fourth concubines.


    Shen Qingwan nodded her head, looked around at the surrounding concubines, and said: "Big Sister Consort De is saying these words, with the Empress'' heavenly beauty, Imperial Concubine looks like a celestial goddess, moreover, how can I compare to the sisters here, Consort De is exaggerating."


    Hehe, Shen Qing Wan laughed coldly in her heart, each of them wanting to dig a hole for themselves to jump into. She respects the Empress and the Imperial Consort, but who do you think you Consort De are? Since they were all of the first rank, why would he let them go?


    "chenqie actually heard that when Big Sister Consort De was young, she could be called ''a fish out of a goose''. After so many years, big sister hasn''t changed one bit."


    When Consort De heard this, her expression changed. She was originally the oldest concubine here, and Shen Qingwan''s words of "a phoenix falling to its prey" were simply mocking her. The current Consort De didn''t have the slightest bit of her former beauty.


    When the crowd heard this, they burst into laughter.


    Consort De could not help but scold: "Consort Xian, you are too presumptuous!"


    "Elder sister, what you said isn''t right. You have the same standing as the Consort Xian, so where do you start from with this line of ''presumptuous''?" carrageenan opened her mouth again, she rolled her eyes at Consort De, played with the armor on her hands, and asked softly.


    Consort De wanted to say something, but the Queen stood up slowly, supported by the mama beside her.


    "I''m tired, so I''ll go back to my room to rest first. The sisters can stay here to chat about family matters."


    At this time, who would want to stay here? They all got up, with Liu Chugrong walking at the front.


    "Thank you for speaking up for me just now." Shen Qingwan and the carrageenan walked to the end and said gratefully to her.


    carrageenan snorted, "I''m not speaking up for you, it''s just that I didn''t like their haughty looks from the beginning. You need to know, you were the one who stole my Consort Xian''s position, so how can I help you? "


    In the face of carrageenan''s sudden coldness, Shen Qingwan was suddenly at a loss of what to do. By the time she reacted, the carrageenan was already long gone.


    Shen Qing Wan was startled, Lian Yun did not understand: "Empress, this ¡­"


    She shook her head and said calmly, "Let''s go."

 C3

    It had been more than half a month since Fu Yuheng left the Changle Palace. Shen Qingwan thought that Fu Yuheng had definitely forgotten about his.


    However, this was good as well. It was a good thing for him to be old and die in the palace.


    She was truly stunned. Why would Fu Yuheng come here?


    After a long while, she slowly knelt down and said, "Chenqie greets Your Majesty."


    Fu Yuheng did not allow Shen Qingwan to get up and only calmly replied, "However, it seems that Consort Xian does not welcome me very much."


    Shen Qingwan slightly nodded, "Chenqie doesn''t dare."


    "Stand up, don''t kneel. I will be eating lunch with you today."


    The words that looked like they were unconcerned caused Shen Qing Wan to be at a loss of what to do. After being stunned for a while, she ordered Lian Yun to have someone prepare lunch.


    "Your Majesty, how did you think of chenqie today?" Shen Qingwan gently asked as she poured tea for Fu Yuheng.


    Fu Yuheng stared at Shen Qingwan for a long time before replying, "This is my imperial harem. I can go wherever I wish."


    Shen Qingwan did not speak, as she could not refute her words.


    Before long, the servants brought their lunch over and placed it in front of the two of them.


    "Serve the dishes for me." Fu Yuheng instructed indifferently.


    Shen Qingwan also obediently stood up and began to help Fu Yuheng.


    "In this half month, I''ve been watching you rather obediently and didn''t cause any trouble." He had originally thought that General Shen''s daughter would be like a man, either irritable or unstable. You have really made us have a whole new level of respect for you. " Fu Yuheng smiled faintly as he looked at the dishes in the bowl.


    In the past half month, she had paid respects to the empress every day, but there had never been any mishaps that came up for favor. It was as if everything that had happened in the palace had nothing to do with her, as if it had nothing to do with her at all. When Fu Yuheng thought of this, he gave Shen Qingwan a serious look.


    Today, she was wearing a long, white dress and her hair was casually tied up. She only had a faint makeup painted on her face, and when she looked at the imperial concubines in the palace, she was the only one who dared to look down on her.


    This caused Fu Yuheng to feel a deep sense of defeat.


    "Is that so?" Shen Qingwan was also shocked, "But the emperor''s imperial edict clearly praised me for being gentle and gentle, as well as for being dignified and generous ¡­"


    Fu Yuheng choked and fell silent.


    Just as he was about to go to the Imperial Consort Liu Palace, just as he was about to pass by, he suddenly thought of that night when she did not seem afraid at all. If he had known earlier, he wouldn''t have come in here earlier.


    "Are you used to living in Changle Palace?" After a long time, Fu Yuheng finally broke the silence.


    Shen Qingwan nodded her head and said, "Of course, there''s no need for Your Majesty to worry."


    "You like Begonia?" Fu Yuheng asked as he turned his head and saw the crabapple blossoms in the bottle on the table.


    This Begonia bloomed in an extremely gorgeous, bright red. The color was extremely similar to the color of the blood on that night''s silk cloth.


    Shen Qingwan nodded her head, "Chenqie has always liked Begonia since she was young. In this March''s weather, Begonia is the most beautiful."


    The Emperor looked at Shen Qingwan for a long time before saying, "In the imperial court today, your father told me that your brother has reached the age of sixteen this year. He should be given an official position to work for the nation. I think inviting a doctor at court is suitable for your brother. What do you think, Consort Xian? "


    Shen Qing Wan''s body trembled, she stood up from the chair, and knelt down.


    "Chenqie doesn''t dare to speak without thinking."


    Her head was bowed so low that she did not dare to look Fu Yuheng in the eye. Since ancient times, the imperial harem had not been allowed to interfere in affairs. Now that he mentioned it himself, what was the meaning behind it?


    "You don''t dare?" Fu Yuheng suddenly laughed. "I can see that you''re very bold. Even as the daughter of the General Shen, you should have a heroic spirit. How can you be so submissive now? Speak, I will not blame you. "


    Shen Qingwan frowned, she did not know what her father was thinking, even if he was only a fifth-grade official, but her father was a general with a large army, and her brother still held a high position. To suddenly change from a little brat to a fifth-grade official, was just like how she was confused by the fact that she was a first-grade Consort Xian the moment she entered the palace.


    The tree was big and the wind was blowing. It was impossible for his father not to understand. How many people respected the Shen Mansion in the imperial court, how many people wanted to kill the Shen Mansion and watch it die step by step.


    However, she was still a child of the Shen family, so she definitely could not allow such a thing to happen.


    Shen Qingwan raised her head and glanced at Fu Yuheng. After a long time, she finally spoke. Her voice was very soft. "Ch¨¦n thinks that little brother is too young to be qualified for this position."


    Fu Yuheng was surprised. "Oh? What do you mean? "


    "My little brother has always been a stubborn playboy. Chenqie knows that father wishes for him to become a great man as soon as possible. However, he is not yet qualified to hold this position, so I ask that the Emperor reconsider."


    Fu Yuheng was confused as he stared at Shen Qingwan, trying to fathom her thoughts. He then nodded his head and said, "Consort Xian is right, then according to you, what official position should be given?"


    Shen Qing Wan''s lips moved. She looked up into Fu Yuheng''s pair of eyes that were like pools of water and said, "Chenqie is just a woman who isn''t familiar with the imperial court ¡­ But according to the emperor, chenqie will definitely persuade my father. "


    Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes as a trace of incomprehension flashed across his eyes.


    He felt that the Shen Qing Wan in front of him was still able to remain calm despite the pressure. If it was anyone else, they would have been at a loss for what to do long ago.


    But she was still a member of the Shen family.


    Thus, Fu Yuheng suppressed his gaze and said in an indifferent tone, "Consort Xian is still intelligent after all. I will be waiting for your good news." He got up and said while flicking his sleeves: "If Consort Xian wants to see your father, she should know what to say and what not to say."


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head. "From the day chenqie entered the palace, she knew that she was tied up with the emperor."


    She did not answer directly, but Fu Yuheng was very satisfied with her answer.


    Shen Qingwan watched Fu Yuheng leave the Changle Palace with his eyes before letting out a deep sigh of relief.

 C4

    A few days later, Shen Qing Wan was ordered to attend the royal family''s Moon-Viewing Banquet. On that day, she had just met her father and General Shen said that he did not seek a job for Shen Huanyu and had said those words in the imperial court.


    Shen Qingwan suddenly understood that Fu Yuheng had been probing his.


    Meanwhile, Fu Yuheng had only spoken a few words to the empress and not to the other concubines.


    As Wu Bi was speaking, he bowed towards the empress dowager and the emperor and said gently, "Your consort has made a fool of herself."


    Fu Yuheng nodded. "Good jump, reward!"


    All of the imperial concubines threw looks of envy at the sight of him not winning the first prize.


    carrageenan came out of the crowd.


    She was wearing an autumn fragrant long dress with endless little love flowers embroidered on it. Although her hair was combed into a simple Ruyi bun, it still wasn''t simple. Above it was a pearl jade coral hairpin with a long chain of tassels hanging down.


    "It''s rare to see everyone together today. How about you let your concubine guess a riddle for everyone?"


    When the empress dowager heard this, she became somewhat interested. "Everyone here can guess. If anyone guesses correctly, they will all be rewarded."


    The carrageenan gave a shallow smile and said: "A white snake crossing the river, a red sun above his head, a black dragon on the wall, tens of thousands of golden dots on his body."


    When everyone heard this, they were stumped.


    Shen Qing Wan naturally knew the answer, but she could not take the limelight, so she watched as they cracked their brains.


    Ninth Prince said, "This is simple, isn''t this the ''Flying Flow''?"


    carrageenan shook his head, discouraged.


    "The weighing rod."


    Suddenly, a guard came out from the back. He looked at carrageenan and asked shyly, "I wonder if this servant is right?"


    carrageenan nodded and said, "Then can you tell me how you guessed it?"


    "This riddle is right. The pole is a black dragon, the star is a golden star." This riddle is right, the pole is a black dragon, the star is a golden star.


    Shen Qing Wan looked at carrageenan, only to see her blushing red. Looking towards the direction of carrageenan''s eyes, she was startled.


    Ye Feng was also looking at carrageenan, his eyes were filled with deep love. Her head was cracked, the palace maid said that she was the one who snatched the position of first rank Consort from the carrageenan, but although she was cold to him, she had never had any enmity towards him. But carrageenan had never been a good person, could it be that ¡­ She did not care about status, was it just for Ye Feng?


    Just as Shen Qingwan was thinking, a girl''s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.


    "Little sister, let me toast you." Liu Chu Rong raised the wine cup at the side and was about to drink it when the servant, Lian Yun, stumbled and the wine cup fell. All the concubines looked over.


    Fu Yuheng also turned his head and asked unhappily, "What''s wrong?"


    Lian Yun''s face was deathly pale as she kneeled on the ground with a "plop". "Your Majesty, please forgive me.


    The Imperial Consort Liu said coldly, "What, the empress dowager and the emperor are both here watching, can I still poison your master?" She looked at Fu Yuheng and said, "Your majesty, I only wanted to toast to Consort Xian''s sister. I didn''t expect that this clumsy maid would knock down the wine cup ¡­"


    The words before and after were very obvious. Shen Qingwan secretly cursed, and quickly kneeled down as well.


    Lian Yun could not help but kowtow: "Your majesty, this servant did not do it intentionally. Someone just pushed this servant aside."


    "Pushed you? You only have your master behind you, could it be that Consort Xian''s sister suspected me of harming her, and purposefully pushed you to knock over this goblet of wine? " With that, the Imperial Consort Liu looked straight at Consort Xian, as if he was about to be stared out of the cave.


    "Drag him out and kill him."


    Fu Yuheng said each word coldly.


    Shen Qingwan quickly said, "Wait!"


    "Your majesty, chenqie just accidentally pushed Lian Yun a bit. If the emperor wants to blame someone, then blame chenqie."


    When Fu Yuheng heard this, he paused for a moment before raising his hand to look at Shen Qingwan. In her eyes, there was anxiety and terror.


    So there were still things that could make her panic.


    Seeing that Fu Yuheng did not say anything, Shen Qingwan continued, "Your majesty, Lian Yun was brought here by chenqie from the Shen Mansion. She is like a sister to chenqie, please spare her life."


    At that time, no one dared to say a word. No one wanted to be in contact with Shen Qingwan, this hot potato.


    "Your majesty, everyone came to the Moon-Viewing Banquet happily today. If there were any deaths, that wouldn''t be good." Since her mood had been ruined by this maid, why not punish her by kneeling at the door for four hours? "Besides, it is a good omen for sadness to celebrate."


    With that said, the carrageenan also blessed himself.


    Shen Qingwan gratefully looked at carrageenan, but discovered that she wasn''t even looking at her.


    Why did she have to help him time and time again?


    This was already the biggest doubt in Shen Qingwan''s mind.


    Fu Yuheng pondered for a moment before nodding his head. He personally helped carrageenan up and said with a gentle gaze, "Since carrageenan is begging for mercy, then do as carrageenan says and go kneel at the entrance."


    Liu Chu Rong was so angry that his eyes turned dry.


    When the banquet ended, Liu Chugrong walked to the end, her eyes were full of ruthlessness, and she said bitterly, "Consort Xian, consider yourself lucky!"


    "Imperial Concubine, ever since chenqie entered the palace, you''ve tried to frame me time and time again. What exactly does that mean?" He gritted his teeth as he stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Tonight, big sister has purposely wanted to kill my servant girl because it will be hard to do anything to me. Please do as you please." Lian Yun, that girl, is like a sister to me. If you want to deal with her, you need my permission first! "


    "Elder Sister Consort Xian, I accidentally fell down a few days ago, and there were scars on my legs. I heard that you have Congealed Gum, can I go to your palace to get some?" carrageenan walked over and pulled Shen Qing Wan over, it was a very cordial sight.

 C5

    carrageenan naturally did not return with Shen Qingwan. At that time, she was only there to help him out, and when she returned to the palace, she had been pondering about what kind of woman carrageenan was.


    It was rare for someone to come to the aid of help in this tight-knit harem.


    "Bi Lian, you didn''t say what you saw just now. You did well." Shen Qingwan knitted her brows, what kind of deep hatred did she have towards Liu Chugrong? " As for Lian Yun, that girl, she must have been wronged to be able to bring medicine to her. "


    "Qiushui, tell me honestly, are carrageenan''s sister and Ye Feng ¡­"


    Qiu Shui vigorously nodded his head. "Empress, I know that this is a crime of beheading, but on account of the fact that my Empress has helped you out several times, think of a way to save her."


    Stupid!


    Shen Qing Wan immediately stood up and said coldly: "Lian Yun, give me a cloak, we will make a trip to the Magnificent Jewel Palace."


    She walked outside, carefully reminding Qiushui of something along the way. Her proud back carried a trace of stubborn anger.


    The Magnificent Brocade Palace was completely silent. The joyous atmosphere was very different from before, and it was even more strange.


    Suddenly, a clear sound of a slap resonated throughout the entire palace, "carrageenan you slut, you have gone against me time and time again, and now I have caught you red-handed, let me see what else you can say!"


    Following this voice, on one side was the tied up Ye Feng, his entire body was covered with whip marks, it was obvious that he had been tortured, he could not move, seeing the carrageenan''s depressed look, his heart ached, he kowtowed once, and that sound was extremely horrifying.


    "Imperial Concubine, all of this is this servant''s fault. It has nothing to do with the Empress. Please be magnanimous and let it go ¡­"


    "Shut up!" Liu Chugrong said fiercely, "You dog and dog duo, let''s see what you can argue about when the emperor arrives!"


    Liu Chu Rong fiercely grabbed carrageenan''s chin, the strength in his hands became even stronger.


    carrageenan was no longer as arrogant and despotic as before, but more like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. Since there was no hope for this palace, since he was determined to die, since he had been discovered, what was there to struggle about?


    "carrageenan stole the emperor''s favor two years ago when he entered your palace. Who do you think you are, but you''re the daughter of the Minister of Rites'' Assistant Minister, what right do you have to compete with me? carrageenan, your good days have finally come to an end. " Liu Chu Rong spoke each word harshly, as if he was venting out all the hatred he had for the past few years.


    "Imperial Concubine means that as long as I die, your good days will come, right?" carrageenan suddenly raised his eyes, staring straight at Liu Chu Rong, his tone carrying a sense of ridicule.


    Then, Liu Chu Rong fiercely grabbed carrageenan''s hair and threw her to the side. With a "Putong" sound, she fell to the ground.


    carrageenan felt pain, but was unable to stand up again.


    "This face, I''m going to destroy it now." Liu Jiaorong took off the hairpin on carrageenan''s head and moved it closer to her face. "Since the emperor likes your face the most, then I will feel sorry for you, my sister."


    "No!" Ye Feng shouted.


    But carrageenan only closed his eyes, without a hint of panic or begging for mercy.


    She was such a resolute woman to begin with. For the sake of her own love, she did not care about her own life.


    "Wait!"


    Liu Chugrong''s hairpin drew closer and closer, when he heard a high-pitched voice outside.


    "Imperial Concubine, you barged into Imperial Palace in the middle of the day and even disfigured my younger sister''s appearance. If the Emperor finds out, I''m afraid he won''t spare you."


    Shen Qingwan saw that carrageenan was lying on the ground in a sorry state, the maidservants beside him were all being controlled. She then looked at Ye Feng, with fury burning in her eyes.


    It was not her style to not save him even when he was about to die. Furthermore, she had helped him previously in the carrageenan.


    She slowly walked in and only gave a slight bow.


    "Oh, it''s the Consort Xian. It''s great that you''re here, I''m afraid there will be a good show to watch later." Liu Chugrong threw away the hairpin in his hand, stood up and coldly looked at Shen Qingwan, saying, "Wait a moment, take a good look at how your good sister died!"


    With that said, Shen Qingwan''s entire body felt incomparably cold.


    The women in the harem were truly pitiful. They fought so hard for the man who was on top of them. Even if they couldn''t be pampered, they could only stay by his side for the rest of their lives.


    As for the carrageenan, she could be considered a tough woman. She had done so many unimaginable things for her love, and now that she was exposed, she probably didn''t want to live anymore.


    Shen Qingwan''s heart ached as she thought about it. She clenched her fists, I must save her.


    "Sister Concubine, what exactly is it that made you act so recklessly, and even made you sure that you could kill carrageenan''s sister?" Shen Qingwan said with a smile.


    Liu Chugrong sneered, "The grand concubine of the harem actually had an affair with the number one guard of the palace, Ye Feng. Do you think that this crime can kill her?"


    Shen Qingwan raised her eyes, and in that moment, their eyes met, causing a storm to break.


    "Why is elder sister so sure that carrageenan and Great Guard Ye were having an affair? Is it just because of a simple handkerchief? This is too absurd! "


    At that time, Fu Yuheng had already entered. Looking at this grand scene, his lips curled up into a sneer. Before he came, he had already heard everything.


    It was obvious that Fu Yuheng''s expression was not good.


    "This Magnificent Brocade Palace is really lively."


    Only then did Shen Qingwan react, she turned around and saluted, "Chenqie greets Your Majesty."

 C6

    "Why is the carrageenan lying on the ground? What''s going on with you people? Hurry up and help the carrageenan up!" There was no warmth in Fu Yuheng''s words, but his expression was still as cold as ever.


    Liu Chugrong turned around and kneeled on the ground, "Your majesty! It is absolutely true that the carrageenan and Great Guard Ye had an affair.


    At this moment, she appeared extremely calm in this great hall.


    Fu Yuheng appeared extremely calm. He did not have the anger of a disgraced imperial household. "What do you have to say?"


    Ye Feng instantly raised his head, "Your majesty, all of this has nothing to do with the carrageenan."


    Just as she said that, Empress Xiao Shushen walked in from the outside, looking extremely terrified.


    As soon as he entered the room, before he could kneel down, Fu Yuheng waved his hand and said, "There''s no need to bow. Look, this is the harem you''ve taken care of for me!"


    Xiao Shushen still kneeled down, kowtowing as she said, "Your Majesty, please forgive this concubine for neglecting her duty."


    "Look at the cloth on this handkerchief. Who would have such a thing in the palace?" The Imperial Consort said that only the Crown Prince and above would have this kind of silk. " Fu Yuheng was also infuriated as he flung the handkerchief in his hand viciously at the empress''s face.


    Xiao Shushen''s figure shook, she repeatedly nodded her head and picked up the handkerchief, but did not speak for a long time.


    "Mute?" Fu Yuheng snorted coldly.


    Xiao Shushen frowned: "Your majesty, this is just ordinary material, anyone in the palace can use it."


    Liu Chugrong exclaimed, "Impossible! How could I make a mistake? Esteemed Empress, take a closer look. "


    "Imperial Concubine, are you questioning me?" Xiao Shushen sneered, and then questioned: "If little sister doesn''t believe me, you can call the head of the Shang Yi Department to come and take a look, but I do want to ask, who gave you the authority to rush into the Jin Rong Palace without even greeting me first? Sister does not seem to have the power to assist in the management of the harem. "


    Liu Chuhong shook his head and looked at Fu Yuheng with wide eyes. He said, "Your Majesty, chenqie requests to call the head of the Shangyi Department."


    Fu Yuheng rubbed his glabella; it was really a headache.


    Shen Qing Wan''s eyes moved. She walked to the front of carrageenan and slowly extended her hand out. She slowly said: "Chenqie had told the imperial concubine sister long ago that this handkerchief is just ordinary material, that is to say, anyone can weave their name on it to blame the little sister of carrageenan." She paused for a moment, and continued, "It''s just that Imperial Concubine Big Sister abused his private punishment. Although your position is higher than carrageenan''s little sister''s, you still don''t have the authority to punish her right? Now that her hand is injured like this, wouldn''t Imperial Concubine Elder Sister give an explanation? "


    "Explain?" However, Liu Chugrong started to laugh, his voice carried a trace of pride, "carrageenan is a bitch, the secret relationship with Ye Bodyguard was discovered by me, I only helped the imperial family get rid of this scum. On the other hand, Consort Xian''s sister will deal with herself first!


    "Empress, can chenqie take a look at this handkerchief?" Shen Qingwan asked for instructions.


    Xiao Shushen got someone to pass the handkerchief to Shen Qingwan.


    After looking at it for a long time, she kowtowed and said, "Your majesty, the person who tried to frame little sister carrageenan is too careless. "Look ¡­"


    After she handed the handkerchief over to Fu Yuheng, Qiu Shui knelt down on the marble floor with a thump. "Your Majesty, Empress, this is all Qiu Shui''s fault. Qiushui had always admired Ye Bodyguard. Once, when she saw that he was injured, she used her own handkerchief to bandage him up. However, she didn''t know why she was picked up by Imperial Concubine ¡­ "


    Liu Chugrong shouted, "Nonsense!"


    Qiushui kept on kowtowing. "This servant isn''t spouting nonsense. I ask that Your Majesty and the Empress be enlightened." This servant''s nickname is Qi, and Master''s name is too heavy, so Master gave this servant a name of Qiu Shui. That handkerchief was embroidered before this servant entered the palace, so this servant''s name is on it, but Imperial Concubine did not see it clearly ¡­ "


    At that time, Liu Jiaorong pulled the handkerchief over, and the words "Qi" and not "Qi" were indeed written on it.


    She screamed, "This is impossible! Your Majesty, chenqie didn''t lie. carrageenan is really involved with Ye Bodyguard. "


    One kowtow after another resounded throughout the hall.


    Shen Qing Wan thought that Liu Chu Rong had gone mad. Ever since carrageenan entered the palace in these three years, her good days had come to an end. She was jealous of him, and always wanted to overthrow her and kill her.


    "Enough!" The corners of Fu Yuheng''s lips moved as he shouted.


    When the two words came out, even Shen Qingwan was shocked.


    "Your Imperial Consort has lost his virginity and became jealous. He is being punished with imprisonment for three months. Without my permission, you are not allowed to take a step outside the An Qing Palace! carrageenan did not properly discipline the servants, causing the servant girl to commit a grave mistake, and gave the carrageenan half a year''s salary as punishment. "


    Liu Chugrong scrambled to kneel in front of Fu Yuheng.


    "Your majesty, the emperor''s concubine isn''t lying. How can you trust the carrageenan so much and yet treat your concubine with such indifference? The emperor ¡ª"


    "Scram!" Perhaps Fu Yuheng didn''t understand why his beloved Liu Xiangrong would act like this all those years ago. Fu Yuheng kicked him away forcefully, then looked at the people in the hall and said, "Ye Feng, as the number one guard of the palace, you actually have an affair with a palace maid. Now, you have been punished. "I have done a great service for you in protecting me over the past few years. Today, I shall bestow upon you the marriage of Autumn Water, you must treat her well."


    carrageenan opened his eyes wide, watching everything unwillingly.


    Shen Qingwan had seen all of this, she tugged at carrageenan''s sleeve, causing him to react.


    "This concubine thanks Your Majesty for bestowing the marriage on me."


    Fu Yuheng ordered, "Li Hengshun, send the imperial physician to take a look at Empress carrageenan''s injuries."


    After speaking, he strode out of the palace.


    The moment Fu Yuheng left, he glanced at Shen Qingwan.


    A chill tore from the deep body, and the eyes... It was as if Fu Yuheng did not care about all this at all today. Furthermore, she even felt that Fu Yuheng knew the truth about everything that they had done. It was just that he didn''t want to say it, or perhaps he had something more important to say ¡­


    It was a terrifying feeling, as if he had always been a clown.


    When Xiao Shushen left, he gave Shen Qingwan a deep look and said: "Consort Xian, have you thought about how to repay me?"

 C7

    After everyone had left, only Shen Qingwan remained at Jin Rong Palace to pacify the carrageenan.


    "Ruo Tong." Shen Qingwan lightly called out, "This result is not bad. Ye Feng is alive, but you are too, aren''t you?"


    Qiu Shui fell to the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. "Esteemed Empress, Qiu Shui has let Esteemed Empress down. Your servant was only ¡­"


    Shen Qingwan thought for a while, and then said with a heavy tone: "I know what you are thinking, but if you die, what about Ye Feng? So for him, you have to live well. "


    carrageenan squinted, but his heart felt heavy.


    "Empress ¡­" Shen Qingwan was stunned for a moment. "I was only betting on something and let Lian Yun find a way to pass on the message. But if the empress doesn''t come, then I have other ways to deal with it. I won''t let you die like this. "


    "Elder sister, I''m sorry." carrageenan lowered her head and said in grief, "In the end, I was still careless. I already knew that the empress wasn''t a good person, but because I wanted you to work with her, I ¡­"


    "It doesn''t matter. Just do it, as long as it isn''t anything harmful."


    "Elder sister, my only warning is that you don''t have to do anything to the emperor." carrageenan suddenly said, "Don''t ask why, you just need to remember."


    After a long while, Shen Qingwan finally poked carrageenan''s forehead, her lips curled up into a faint smile, "Ruo Tong, although I don''t have anyone I love, I don''t like this harem either. So, you don''t have to worry. "


    "Sis ¡­" carrageenan was still a little worried, but Shen Qingwan said, "Qiu Shui, take good care of your master, I have things to do first."


    "Sis, take care." Watching Shen Qing Wan''s leaving figure, carrageenan couldn''t help but to show some respect. This girl was different from the others after all.


    Shen Qingwan left the Magnificent Brocade Palace and headed straight for the Kunning Palace.


    As she had expected, the Empress was sitting in the main hall, waiting for her.


    She walked over slowly. Hearing the sound of the door closing behind her, she walked even more calmly.


    "Chenqie pays respects to the empress. The empress has lived for thousands of years." She knelt down, kowtowed, and bowed, to thank her for her help.


    The Queen didn''t speak, Shen Qingwan just knelt like that.


    After half an incense''s time, the Empress put down the teacup in her hand and leisurely said, "Consort Xian, you have finally come. I have been waiting for you for a long time."


    "Pa!"


    Just as the teacup fell to the ground, the ground in front of Shen Qingwan was littered with broken cups.


    Shen Qingwan''s face did not have a single ripple, but she lowered her head.


    "Consort Xian, how dare you! If the Emperor had any doubts, I''m afraid even you and I would have our heads on the ground! "


    Shen Qing Wan suddenly raised her head, her eyes moved slightly.


    When Xiao Shushen saw her calm appearance, and how calm she looked, she couldn''t help but be surprised. Even the scene just now had caused her to be as calm as water.


    "Does the Empress want to punish him?" Shen Qingwan pursed her lips.


    For the first time, there was something in her voice.


    With just a few words, Xiao Shushen had raised her guard even further. She was almost certain that this woman in front of her was not simple!


    "Why did you come to find me? Do you know that if I don''t want to help you, or even go to the emperor to expose you, I''ll kill two birds with one stone even if I get rid of one person who is a threat to me?" Xiao Shushen stood up and slowly walked to the front of Shen Qingwan.


    Shen Qingwan raised her head and spoke word by word, "Because I am very important to the Empress, am I not? Moreover, there is no marriage between the Emperor and I. The Emperor only cared about me for the sake of my father. And you, esteemed empress, without the protection of your family, although you are the master of a harem, it is hard to make a move. "Only if I join esteemed Empress'' side and have the protection of the Shen family will esteemed empress feel better."


    Xiao Shushen frowned, she lowered her eyes and looked down at Shen Qing Wan, "Shen Qing Wan, you''re right. However, if the imperial concubine consort''s sin of fornication is too big, the emperor would not allow such a thing to happen, how can you be sure?"


    With that, Shen Qingwan became a little angry. She calmly replied, "The Empress knows that the carrageenan is an orphan. The Emperor doted on her to suppress the various powers in the harem. Empress can''t be clearer than me about who the Emperor is. I can only say that the carrageenan still has value. So he went with the flow and gave the Empress a way out. "


    Xiao Shushen suddenly laughed.


    "I didn''t expect that a girl who had only been in the palace for a month could see things even more clearly than someone who had accompanied the Emperor for so many years."


    "Don''t tell me that you saved carrageenan only because she helped you out a few times before?"


    Shen Qing Wan suddenly raised her head and said earnestly: "Your Highness has guessed right, I, Shen Qing Wan, am a person who returns the favor with a drop of water. It''s precisely because the empress has her eyes on chenqie that she helped me, isn''t it? "


    "You''re sensible!" Xiao Shushen said coldly, "However, you better not play any tricks on me!"


    Shen Qingwan kowtowed, "Chenqie doesn''t dare."


    By the time he returned to the Changle Palace, it was already evening and the sky was very dark.


    She kept her head down, thinking about what had happened today. Shen Qingwan thought that if anything went wrong with one step, she would probably die a graveless death.


    Lifting his head once more, he found that the chamber was brightly lit.


    When he thought of Fu Yuheng''s meaningful gaze when he left the Magnificent Brocade Palace today, he suddenly understood and calmly walked towards the house.


    "Chenqie greets your majesty."

 C8

    At night, the cold wind was bleak, but it was colder in the house.


    "I heard you went to the empress''s place?" Fu Yuheng looked coldly at Shen Qingwan, who was standing in front of him.


    If power were to run out, then they would be useless. They would be completely useless. Then she wouldn''t stay in this golden silk cage.


    Firmly, calmly, and without the slightest fear.


    Fu Yuheng knew that Shen Qingwan was resolute and unyielding, but he didn''t expect her to be so straightforward. It was as if she had never looked up to him.


    "How dare you!" Fu Yuheng snorted coldly. "Do you know that I can kill you with just those words of yours?!"


    "This Emperor has just treated you well, and yet you are already so full of yourself!"


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head and said, "Chenqie doesn''t have it. Please forgive me Your Majesty."


    "No?" Fu Yuheng locked gazes with her. Seemingly sensing the stubbornness in her heart, he approached her and asked, "What did you say to the empress?"


    "The empress asked me some questions about what happened at the Palace today."


    "You!" Fu Yuheng''s brows moved slightly. He lowered his voice and said, "Shen Qingwan, you''re very tactful. However, it''s better not to be too smart in this harem!"


    Shen Qingwan smiled, "Your consort naturally understands. Thank you for your advice, Your Majesty."


    "Get up!"


    Shen Qing Wan was startled at first, then she stood up, stunned on the spot.


    He was not planning to leave tonight?


    "Tonight, I will be staying with you." Fu Yuheng said in a mocking tone.


    Shen Qingwan was suddenly lost in thought, unable to make sense of the situation. She nodded her head, "Yes, chenqie will be on guard tonight."


    Fu Yuheng waved his hand. "No need. You''re tired today. Go rest in the side hall."


    Shen Qingwan withdrew.


    "Empress, what is the emperor doing? "Why did I chase you out ¡­" Lian Yun asked, puzzled.


    Shen Qingwan held her forehead. A series of events had caught her off guard, causing her to feel powerless. She had panicked, the harem was too dangerous after all.


    "He''s trying to push me to the heart of the struggle."


    Lian Yun was even more suspicious, "Empress, you mean ¡­"


    However, Shen Qingwan said: "I''m tired, Lian Yun, you can go and rest."


    The matter of the carrageenan had just passed, and the emperor had been resting in the Changle Palace the same night. Logically speaking, the emperor should go to the empress. By doing so, he should be pushing himself to the heart of the struggle, and the gazes of concubines should be attracted to the Changle Palace, which would make the situation in the carrageenan a little easier.


    How brilliant!


    Early the next morning, Shen Qingwan went to Fu Yuheng to change.


    Fu Yuheng, on the other hand, had a cold expression on his face. Looking at Shen Qingwan''s extremely clumsy actions, he had an impatient look on his face, "Why are you so stupid? Aren''t you usually pretty smart? You like to stand up for others. "


    Shen Qingwan was also secretly angry, these clothes were really difficult to wear. Furthermore, she had never served anyone before, so she couldn''t blame herself.


    "Your majesty, please forgive me. This is the first time chenqie has served someone else."


    "Consort Xian, I''m afraid there is much trouble in the imperial court today ¡­" Fu Yuheng suddenly said.


    For some reason, his initial dislike of the girl in front of him had changed to admiration. Other people might not have anything on her. Even though he didn''t like girls who were too smart, her intelligence was just right.


    Shen Qingwan''s pupils suddenly constricted. This was not the first time Fu Yuheng had mentioned the matters of the imperial court before his.


    What did he mean?


    "The Emperor must have his own ways of dealing with this." Today, there will definitely be a court official who will cripple the carrageenan. After all, her position is still considered high, so after crippling her, she will arrange for her daughter to enter the palace and kill two birds with one stone. "Chenqie thinks that this is a family matter that belongs to the Emperor, and outsiders have no right to ask about it."


    Fu Yuheng was stunned for a moment before he smiled deeply.


    "Consort Xian, if you are not the daughter of the Shen family, we should not have been prejudiced against you from the beginning."


    After leaving these words behind, Fu Yuheng left the Changle Palace.


    Shen Qingwan shook her head.


    Only he himself knew the importance of these words.


    After breakfast, Shen Qingwan dressed up and went to pay her respects to the empress.


    Because carrageenan was injured, the Queen specifically ordered for a few days of leave so that she could have a good rest.


    As soon as he entered the house, he saw the Consort De sitting there silently. The Queen had not come out yet.


    "Screech!" Why did the Consort Xian''s sister come so early today? Wasn''t little sister supposed to be rather tired last night? "


    Shen Qingwan heard her cold words and couldn''t help but frown.


    This old woman was really vicious.


    "It was too early for Big Sister Consort De to arrive." A single sentence stopped her from speaking. It meant that after so many years of not accepting too many favors, you came so early every day.


    Shen Qingwan thought that even if she wasn''t happy with Fu Yuheng, she couldn''t allow this old woman to bully her. As the saying goes, if someone does not offend me, I will not offend them. If someone offends me, I will be even worse off than dead.


    "You!" The Consort De saw that Shen Qingwan''s sharp tongue had fallen into a disadvantage, so she found another topic to mock her, "I heard about the vulgar and vulgar matter that your good sister, carrageenan, did yesterday. Consort Xian''s sister is at her prime, although she is also blessed, but when humans live in groups, Consort Xian''s sister should clean her body, not learn from your little sister carrageenan! "


    Shen Qingwan gave a shallow smile and said, "Big Sister Consort De, yesterday the emperor and empress have already investigated thoroughly. This was a misunderstanding. And now, the Consort De is saying that the carrageenan has done something so indecent that he''s accusing the Emperor and Empress? "


    Consort De had nothing to say after being choked by Shen Qing Wan. She could only glare at Shen Qingwan.


    At that time, most of the imperial concubines had arrived, and only the Empress was present.


    Seeing the smiles on their faces, Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes. She felt that she just couldn''t stand it and didn''t like to flatter them.


    Shen Qing Wan could not sit still anymore. At this time, she saw Xiao Shushen being supported by the Gui mama as she walked out.


    "I seem to have heard that the Consort De seems to be dissatisfied with me?"

 C9

    When the concubines heard Xiao Shushen''s voice, they all kneeled down, thinking to themselves that they should have done something more than a moment ago.


    Zhao Yuerong did not expect Xiao Shushen to appear at this moment. She looked at Shen Qingwan angrily, then kowtowed to Xiao Shushen in a slightly flustered manner, "Your concubine spoke too much. Please forgive me, Empress."


    "Consort De, you are an old man in the palace. Don''t tell me you don''t even know this little bit of rule?" Xiao Shushen stared at Consort De and said. Her eyes were filled with a cold gleam, making him seem fearsome.


    As soon as Xiao Shushen finished speaking, the aura that Consort De had towards Shen Qingwan instantly disappeared. Her face was filled with panic as she sneaked a glance at Shen Qingwan. Consort De suddenly thought of Imperial Consort Liu and an idea flashed through her mind.


    "Why mention her? Just now, I already said that you are an old man in the palace, why are you still so indifferent?" When Xiao Shushen heard the two words "Imperial Consort Liu", he immediately scolded him with a look of displeasure.


    Consort De originally wanted to borrow the Imperial Consort Liu''s power to divert Xiao Shushen''s attention. After being scolded by Xiao Shushen, Consort De once again lowered her head.


    Seeing Consort De like this, Xiao Shushen''s heart felt much more comfortable. Therefore, her face could be considered to be much more amiable than before, and her tone was also not as intense as before. "You''re not allowed to bring this matter up again in the future.


    "Chenqie shall obey." Consort De said weakly.


    Xiao Shushen saw that the hair on Consort De''s head was in a mess. She held onto her phoenix crown and said with a forgiving tone, "Get up, all of you.


    Almost all of the concubines let out a breath of relief before standing up and saying, "This concubine thanks the empress."


    Xiao Shushen had a fitting smile on her face, looking dignified and graceful. Only Shen Qing Wan knew how evil the people in the harem were.


    "Grant Seat!" Xiao Shushen''s voice echoed within the great hall, and the following steps seemed to be well-planned.


    There were female eunuchs who took out chairs and placed them behind each concubine, placing them one by one according to their rank.


    However, due to the matter of the Consort De, it had been delayed to this day. As a result, before the concubines sat down, they had to pay their respects to Xiao Shushen once more, "This concubine pays their respects to the Empress, and wishes the Empress good health and well-being."


    "There''s no need to be so polite. Sisters, take a seat." Although Xiao Shushen said that, she was actually happy in her heart. This was the Queen''s right. How fascinating.


    The concubines sat down in succession, and the hall fell into silence. The concubines were all afraid that they would offend Xiao Shushen if they said something wrong, hence they all chose to remain silent.


    "Why are you all not saying anything? Didn''t you say it would be fine when I came here? " Seeing this, Xiao Shushen frowned, the displeasure on his face was not concealed at all.


    "Your concubine is terrified." The concubines immediately stood up, and just as they were about to kneel down, they were interrupted by Xiao Shushen.


    "If everyone is in the palace, then we are all sisters. There is no need to kneel." Xiao Shushen glanced at her concubine sitting below him. These new concubines who had just entered the palace all had a beautiful appearance, which made the Empress jealous.


    However ¡­ Xiao Shushen''s gaze fell on Shen Qing Wan''s body, only to see her calculating eyes.


    Because of one of the empress''s words, the concubines were no longer silent, each of them talking about some interesting things that had happened in the palace. The main hall became lively once more, as if nothing unpleasant had happened.


    "The peonies in the imperial garden are opening very well." She then looked towards Xiao Shushen, and seeing that she did not object, she continued.


    "It''s as little sister said. We can go to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers when we''re free." Shen Qingwan replied. After she finished speaking, she looked at Shen Qingwan, gesturing for her to continue.


    The two began talking, one after the other. The other concubines also joined in to discuss the flowers. Seeing that the atmosphere had become lively, Shen Qing Wan retreated to the side and heard what they said. Xiao Shushen sat on the stage and looked at Shen Qing Wan, a look of appreciation flashing past his eyes.


    "Flowers can only bloom so well with the nurturing of a craftsman, so one must not forget one''s roots." Xiao Shushen suddenly said, her gaze stopped on Shen Qing Wan for a while before moving away.


    "The empress''s words are extremely true. One mustn''t forget one''s roots." With her beginning, the rest of the concubines fell in with her.


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head and did not say anything. How could the intelligent Shen Qingwan not know the Empress''s intentions? These words were probably said to her, Shen Qingwan sighed in her heart.


    Seeing that Shen Qing Wan did not say anything, Xiao Shushen asked: "Consort Xian, do you think so?"


    Shen Qingwan became the focus of everyone once again after being called out in public. Everyone''s gaze turned towards Shen Qingwan. There were those who were jealous, those who were envious, and those who did not care ¡­


    "The empress is right, chenqie has received her teachings." Shen Qingwan knew that since she had embarked on the Queen''s boat, she could only do whatever she wanted.


    Wasn''t the reason for the Empress''s actions just to signal that she would fulfill her promise to carrageenan and help her with the matters of the past? Shen Qing Wan smiled bitterly in her heart, it seems that there will be no peace in the future.


    "Yes, little sister has just entered the palace. In the future, come visit the palace more often." Xiao Shushen said with a smile, then held onto the mama''s hand and stood up, then said again: "I''m a little tired, so let''s leave first. Sisters, please feel free to go."


    "Yes, chenqie obeys the decree." Shen Qingwan stood up and bowed.


    Shen Qingwan suddenly received the empress''s attention. The Consort De was jealous of Hengsheng, and hated her from the bottom of his heart.

 C10

    After three consecutive months, Shen Qingwan didn''t walk around much in the palace and would occasionally go to the empress dowager''s palace.


    Right now, Shen Qingwan was in her bedroom reading a book. She had an elegant and relaxed mood, and the fragrant beauty was naturally a great sight to behold.


    After taking care of all the matters at the imperial harem, Xiao Shushen was helped to stand by the nanny beside him. The task of the imperial harem was extremely heavy, and was not as easy as the imperial court.


    As for Xiao Shushen, the person who gave her the sweet dates, the mama was watching by the side.


    Xiu did her best to massage Xiao Shushen''s legs. Time passed minute by minute, second by second, the room seemed a little boring.


    "Senior, how''s the scenery in the imperial garden today?" Xiao Shushen rubbed her temples, fatigue flowing out from her brows.


    The nanny motioned for Xiu to get up and leave. This time, Xiu was smarter. She immediately got up and left. The only thing she saw was the mama walking forward and gently massaging Xiao Shushen''s temples with her hand.


    "The scenery of the Imperial Garden is very good. Does the Empress want to take a stroll?" Mammy suggested.


    "Then go." Xiao Shushen said with her eyes closed. Then, she suddenly thought of Shen Qingwan and continued, "Call Consort Xian over as well. I want to talk to her for a bit."


    After the mama received Xiao Shushen''s orders, she stopped and called for the palace maid to notify Shen Qingwan to come to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers with the Empress.


    Shen Qingwan, who was reading and enjoying herself in the living room, was shocked by the palace maid who came in to report the situation. Shen Qingwan put down the book and looked at the palace maid who had just entered. He knitted his brows and asked, "What is it that caused you to be so out of control?"


    "This servant knows her wrongs. May the Empress forgive me." The palace maid was instantly scared pale by Shen Qingwan''s words, but she still had the truth to report.


    "Nothing, just get up and tell me what it is." Shen Qingwan had a relaxed expression, as if she did not care about anything.


    "The empress has invited the empress to the imperial garden to admire the flowers." The palace maid stood up and said with his head lowered, his eyes never leaving the ground.


    Because this was an invitation from the empress, no matter what, Shen Qingwan was going to fulfill it. Under the dressing of the palace maids, Shen Qingwan donned the appropriate palace attire and headed towards the imperial garden.


    The imperial garden was filled with a hundred flowers, and the fragrance of flowers was unrestrained. Such a beautiful scene was worthy of people to enjoy. Shen Qingwan looked at the scenery around her, a hint of worry showing on her face.


    No matter how beautiful they were, they lacked a few strands of spiritual energy and were trapped within the palace. Just like these women, they lost their freedom and lived their lives for one man.


    Shen Qing Wan thought that it would be hard for her to escape the palace in the future, so she became annoyed. She retracted her gaze and lowered her head as she walked forward.


    "This is ¡­" Consort Xian? " Imperial Consort Liu who was also planting flowers in the imperial garden saw Shen Qingwan, a trace of hatred flashed across her eyes.


    "Reporting to the Empress, that is the Consort Xian." The palace maids behind him replied the Imperial Consort Liu, and did not dare to raise their heads in the slightest.


    Everyone in the palace knew that the Imperial Consort Liu had a bad temper, so her palace maids and eunuchs were very cautious in their actions.


    "Let''s go. Follow me to meet her!" Liu Chugrong put down the flowers in her hands. Her delicate makeup carried a trace of viciousness.


    Let''s see who can help you today!


    Shen Qing Wan kept her head lowered as she walked, and did not notice Liu Chu Rong who was running towards her. Therefore, the Imperial Consort Liu intentionally passed by Shen Qing Wan.


    "This servant greets Imperial Consort Liu, Imperial Consort Wan An." When the palace maids behind Shen Qingwan saw Imperial Consort Liu, they all stopped to bow. Shen Qingwan also noticed that just as she was about to bow, Imperial Consort Liu suddenly fell in front of her.


    The scene in front of her eyes made her surprised. Why would a normal person suddenly fall in front of her?


    "Aiyo, Consort Xian, how can you push me down?" Liu Chugrong''s voice was sharp as he staggered backward.


    Shen Qingwan keenly saw the look of satisfaction in her eyes. She didn''t even need to look at it anymore. What the palace lacked the most was tactics and tactics. It was easy to dodge an arrow in the open, but difficult to guard against an arrow in the dark.


    Since they were already here, they would be better off. If they cleverly changed it, they would be able to live a peaceful life.


    "Big sister, it really wasn''t little sister who pushed me." Shen Qingwan said in fear. She was trying to defend herself, but Imperial Consort Liu did not listen. Her eyes were filled with anger.


    "Consort Xian, you were the one who pushed me, why don''t you admit it? Even though I have lost my favour, my position is still higher than yours. " Liu Chugrong spoke arrogantly, then stood up with the support of a palace maid.


    Shen Qing Wan tried to defend herself, but Imperial Consort Liu did not listen. Instead, he said that Shen Qing Wan had the heart to go against him. As Shen Qingwan listened to her words, she suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    Seeing that Shen Qing Wan became silent, thinking that she already had the upper hand, she decided to do something even bolder. She actually made Shen Qingwan kneel on the spot and beg for forgiveness ¡­

 C11

    Lamei helped Liu Chugrong up from the ground. Liu Chu Rong held his forehead with his hands and acted like a weak willow tree, which was very different from her usual arrogant and despotic attitude. Seeing her expression, Shen Qing Wan knew that Liu Chu Rong was going to be a monster again.


    Shen Qingwan no longer tried to defend herself. The only people who saw what had happened were Liu Chugrong and her, as well as the palace maid beside them, Liu Chugrong tried to frame her, but no matter what she said, it would be useless. She lowered her eyes and apologized: "The fault for offending the imperial concubine is my concubine."


    "Chenqie did not do anything to offend Imperial Consort." Shen Qingwan''s tone was light, neither servile nor overbearing.


    Shen Qing Wan raised her hand to stop Lai Fu''s movements, and said coldly: "Imperial Concubine, the face of us sisters are here to serve the Emperor.


    Just as Liu Chugrong wanted to make a move, a dignified voice interrupted her.


    "What, what''s going on now?" Following the voice, Xiao Shushen walked out from the corner, dressed in a beautiful and graceful dress.


    The two of them saluted together. After they were called out, Liu Chugrong said angrily: "Elder sister, just now, this concubine was admiring a flower, and coincidentally met Consort Xian. Originally, I wanted to forget all my grudges with her, but Consort Xian pushed me down.


    No one would ever believe that, how could Consort Xian offend Liu Chu Rong?


    Xiao Shushen narrowed her phoenix eyes and looked at Shen Qingwan, "Consort Xian is really as your imperial concubine has said?"


    "Chenqie didn''t push down elder sister." Shen Qingwan''s expression was calm, not the slightest bit flustered.


    Seeing that, Xiao Shushen had an idea of what was going on. She glanced at Liu Chu Rong again, and asked: "How does Imperial Concubine plan to discipline Consort Xian?"


    Liu Chu Rong''s eyes lit up, Xiao Shushen did not plan to protect Consort Xian anymore, and thought that the two of them had a common enemy, but who knew that it was just a superficial skill.


    A trace of complacency flashed in her eyes as she said pitifully, "Chenqie didn''t plan on punishing her, but to make her cautious with her words, chenqie wanted to slap twenty times for her memory."


    Twenty might not sound like a lot, but if he were to slap his face, his cheeks would definitely be swollen and he would need at least half a month to recover.


    Shen Qingwan had just been doted on by the Emperor, and it was time for her to be pampered.


    Xiao Shushen thought for a hundred times, but on the surface she did not show it: "Consort Xian bumping into an imperial concubine is a mistake, the punishment for slapping her is too heavy, why not let her kneel for four hours and think it through."


    Shen Qing Wan''s expression turned cold, she did not expect Xiao Shushen to punish her.


    Since Xiao Shushen had said so, Liu Chu Rong had no other choice in his heart. Fortunately, the sun was rising high up in the sky, so kneeling for four hours in such an open area like the Imperial Garden was enough for Shen Qing Wan to feel better.


    "Then as the empress said, let''s do it this way." Liu Chu Rong looked at Shen Qing Wan with a smile.


    At this point, Shen Qingwan understood that she couldn''t avoid this mysterious punishment.


    "Thank you, empress, Imperial Concubine will forgive us," Shen Qing Wan had no choice but to express her gratitude and knelt down. Seeing that, Lian Yun also knelt down.


    Liu Chu Rong laughed and didn''t look at her anymore, flattering Xiao Shushen, "The imperial garden flowers are so beautiful, why don''t the Empress and her concubine go to the pavilion in front of us to eat some tea and admire the flowers?"


    The pavilion wasn''t too far away from Shen Qingwan. Liu Chugrong and the Queen could see her, but they couldn''t hear her voice.


    Only then did Lian Yun ask in a low voice, "Empress, why didn''t the Empress help us this time?"


    "In the end, she helped me for a profit," Shen Qing Wan chuckled. "Furthermore, the Emperor has been coming to my place all this time. It''s hard for the empress to not have grudges against me, so she just took this opportunity to ring the alarm bell for me."


    After Lian Yun heard this, she did not speak anymore.


    He came to the imperial garden to enjoy the flowers in order to relieve his boredom and met Shen Qingwan on the way here. Now that he was bored, he said to Lamei, "That Pitiful Dance from a few days ago was not bad, send someone to find her and let her have a look for the Empress to see and make her happy."


    La Mei replied and called for a palace maid to do it. Seeing that, Xiao Shushen asked: "Does Imperial Concubine think of the pitying people she talks about, that group of people that entered the palace not long ago?"


    "That''s right," Liu Chu Rong didn''t say anything, but La Mei answered for him. "The Empress has always liked liveliness, so she can''t help but have people come over to sing and dance and look at someone she likes. She''s been staying in the palace for the past few days to enjoy it."


    "Chenqie likes it so much that it''s just right that she''s cheering up now." After taking a sip of tea, a smile appeared on his face and he seemed to be in a good mood.


    "Imperial Concubine knows how to enjoy himself. He has come out to visit the garden and there is no shortage of refreshments, he has even prepared a song and dance," Xiao Shushen took the tea from La Mei, lifting the tea cover and sniffing it, but did not drink any, "Is it because of this year''s new supply of pre-rain dragon well?"


    Liu Chugrong nodded. "The emperor rewarded chenqie not long ago, and chenqie hasn''t finished drinking it either. After all, there aren''t many people who offer it up to the emperor every year."


    "The emperor dotes on you. Just take it. Why be so reserved?" She was obviously showing off, but the empress remained indifferent, not affected in the slightest.


    Liu Chugrong only cast her a glance, without any expression, he said lightly, "Stand up."


    "Thank you, empress." That pitiful guy stood up, and under Liu Chugrong''s instructions, quickly sang while jumping up.


    To be able to attract Liu Chugrong''s attention, she was definitely not an ordinary person. Her lovable dance was extremely beautiful, and her singing voice was also like the beginning of an oriole, melodious and melodious. Even though Liu Chu Rong was appreciating it, Xiao Shushen''s eyes were filled with a layer of malice.


    As the master of the Sixth Palace, Xiao Shushen had seen many beauties and knew what the emperor liked. This pity was undoubtedly close to Fu Yuheng''s appetite.


    As for the matters of this world, whether or not one had thought about them properly, one could do as they pleased.


    Lianren was still singing and dancing when a bright yellow figure appeared from not too far away.

 C12

    Relieving Enclosure


    Xiao Shushen had sharp eyes, she immediately stood up and waved her hand, signalling for her to stop singing and dancing, she stepped forward and bowed: "Chenqie greets Your Majesty, Your Majesty is blessed."


    "Did the emperor come to see the flowers too?" Xiao Shushen asked with a smile.


    Xiao Shushen''s expression slightly paused, and explained: "Just now, when Consort Xian pushed down the imperial concubine, the imperial concubine punished her slightly, which was why she knelt down."


    Liu Chugrong''s eyes turned, and said pitifully, "How did chenqie know? Consort Xian''s sister is usually a reasonable person. At the beginning, Chenqie wasn''t on good terms with her and wanted to get back together with her. But who would have thought that she actually wanted to push Chenqie away. "


    Fu Yuheng did not believe Liu Chugrong''s words. During the time he had spent with Shen Qingwan, he knew her personality very well, and he would definitely not find trouble with her for no reason. Furthermore, Liu Xiugrong was used to being arrogant and domineering.


    Because of Liu''s family background, Fu Yuheng had turned a blind eye to most of her actions in the past. However, when he saw Shen Qingwan''s pale face from afar, he couldn''t bear it anymore and decided not to go with Liu''s personality.


    "The sun is rising. Seeing that the Consort Xian is not in a good condition, I shall let her get up." Fu Yuheng''s words could not be refuted, even if Liu Chugrong was unwilling, he could only obey. A profound meaning flashed past Xiao Shushen''s eyes.


    It seems that Shen Qingwan already had a place in the emperor''s heart. This would benefit her, but it would also be a threat to her.


    Xiao Shushen looked at Shen Qing Wan with an extra measure in her eyes.


    With Shen Qingwan''s words, Fu Yuheng was no longer in the mood to continue being hypocritical. He got up and strode towards the place where Shen Qingwan was kneeling.


    It had been more than two hours since Shen Qingwan knelt down. Her legs were numb, and her head was dizzy from the sun''s rays. She seemed to be drifting about in the air.


    Shen Qingwan only raised her eyes when she saw Ming Huang walking over and coincidentally saw Fu Yuheng''s worry.


    Shen Qingwan was stunned. She wanted to take a closer look, but that expression had already disappeared from Fu Yuheng''s face, as if it had never appeared before.


    "Chenqie greets your majesty." Shen Qingwan did not think about it anymore and knelt down to pay her respects.


    Fu Yuheng''s heart ached even more when he saw her pale face. He hurriedly replied, "Rise."


    Her legs were numb, making it impossible for her to get up from the ground gracefully by herself. Lian Yun, who was behind her, also knelt down together with her, so naturally she did not have the strength to support her. But if she did not get up well, and her appearance fell from side to side, that would be disrespecting the etiquette of a king, which was against the rules of a palace rule.


    However, she could not disobey the decree either. Xiao Shushen and the Imperial Concubine, who were both standing behind Fu Yuheng and wanting to see a joke, could only grit her teeth and struggled to get up from the ground.


    Even though Shen Qing Wan tried her best to stay normal, she was still unable to stand steadily. Just as she was half up, her body swayed, and she was about to fall down.


    Shen Qingwan''s eyes were tightly shut, but the pain didn''t come. Instead, she fell into a embrace with a faint dragon''s saliva.


    Her eyes widened in surprise. It was Fu Yuheng who had hugged her.


    As the two of them were very close, Shen Qingwan had never been so intimate with a man before. Her previous room was also a farce, coupled with Fu Yuheng''s broad and handsome face, it made her blush greatly.


    The two of them looked at each other for a moment. Shen Qingwan''s eyes widened as she pushed Fu Yuheng away and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Your consort is able to stand firmly."


    Fu Yuheng chuckled, and did not try to urge his to stay. He let go of''s hand and allowed Lian Yun to support Shen Qingwan.


    Thinking about the carrageenan, Liu Chu Rong became even angrier, but she could not do anything about it, so she bowed and said: "Your concubine will remember."


    "All of you, continue enjoying." Fu Yuheng said no more and turned to leave.


    Waiting until he was far away, Liu Chugrong glared at Shen Qingwan: "Consort Xian, today the Emperor will forgive you, but next time there won''t be such a good thing!" With that, she led her servants and left in a grandiose manner.


    Only Shen Qing Wan and Xiao Shushen were left behind, the atmosphere was heavy.


    "Chenqie understands the Empress''s difficulties." Shen Qingwan sneered in her heart, but remained respectful on the surface, "It was chenqie that did the wrong thing."


    Xiao Shushen patted the back of her hand, the bright red nutmeg making Xiao Shushen''s hand turn as white as paper, making people think about how many lives there were in her hands.


    "Liu Chugrong has this kind of personality. In the future, just try your best to avoid being alone with her," Xiao Shushen said sincerely and sincerely. "Don''t be wronged.


    Xiao Shushen''s words sounded really scary. This was definitely not the first time she had said this, and she was definitely not the first concubine to hear Xiao Shushen''s words.


    In Xiao Shushen''s opinion, they were probably just pawns.


    Seeing her silent, Xiao Shushen changed the topic: "Today you''ve suffered, so you must be tired, go back and rest."


    "Here," Shen Qingwan bowed and replied, "Then chenqie will take her leave first."


    Xiao Shushen nodded and watched Shen Qingwan''s figure disappear into the end of the road.


    After a long while, she picked up a flower and caressed the petals with her fingers, saying, "Gui mama, I''m afraid that I will raise a tiger and cause trouble."


    "Does the Empress have quite a few tigers?" "In the end, you were still toyed with by the Empress, so you couldn''t make a big fuss out of it."

 C13

    She let Lian Yun close the door, disregarding her image as she sat down on the bed, stretched out her hands to rub her knees, and also called Lian Yun who was about to pour her some tea: "Lian Yun, don''t be busy anymore, we''ll talk about it after a while."


    Lian Yun had a difficult expression on her face, "But this servant wants to serve the Empress. The Empress had knelt for such a long time just now, so I guess her throat is also dry and thirsty.


    After today''s incident, Shen Qingwan had almost understood her situation. After entering the Emperor''s side, she was a chess piece in the imperial court, a threat that everyone wanted to eliminate. Within the palace, her position was very eye-catching, not to mention her family, she had to take many steps to ensure that she did not make a wrong move, otherwise, what awaited her would be a deep abyss, with her body shattered into pieces.


    Shen Qingwan had originally thought that Fu Yuheng would also go to Liu Xiaorong''s place tonight, but she didn''t think that he would come here. However, she still didn''t have any feelings for Fu Yuheng, and only smiled faintly, "Don''t be so anxious, didn''t you have that crabapple egg two days ago? Just take it and put it on for me."


    Hearing that, Lian Yun revealed a knowing smile, in her opinion, it was indeed so. Didn''t the Emperor come to stay with the Empress to dress up uselessly, and in the end, even going to wear it. Furthermore, the Empress was naturally beautiful, it was already enough for her to be beautiful if she did not dress well.


    When Shen Qing Wan saw Lian Yun''s mocking expression, she knew that Lian Yun''s thoughts and hers were completely different. She didn''t explain anything, she couldn''t possibly tell other people that the Emperor only talked to her over a quilt every time he came, right? No one would believe it even if they spread the news.


    As the two conversed, Fu Yuheng had already arrived. He heard his father-in-law shouting loudly, "His Majesty the Emperor has arrived ¡ª!"


    Shen Qingwan then walked to the entrance of the hall and greeted Fu Yuheng, who came over to greet her. Fu Yuheng helped her up and dismissed the crowd.


    When only the two of them were left in the palace, Fu Yuheng asked, "How''s your knee?"


    Shen Qingwan was stunned for a moment, she did not expect him to ask about that, she shook her head and replied: "It''s fine."


    "Tell me the truth, did you push away this morning''s matter or not?" Fu Yuheng asked again.


    Shen Qingwan had never done it before, so she naturally would not admit it. However, she did not take the opportunity to make a complaint and only said: "Chenqie absolutely does not dare to harm Imperial Concubine. However, chenqie doesn''t like Imperial Concubine, and Imperial Concubine punishes chenqie as well."


    Seeing that she was reasonable, Fu Yuheng''s eyes flashed with admiration. Ordinary women would not miss such a good opportunity to confide in others after being wronged like this. Shen Qingwan, on the other hand, was able to hold back and take stock of the situation.


    As long as you understand, then it''s fine. "Fu Yuheng took out a jade bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Qingwan," This is a Jade Dew, it can activate the blood and remove blood stasis, and reduce swelling and scars. From the looks of it, you''ve knelt for a long time this morning.


    Shen Qingwan took the jade bottle, stood up and placed it in the drawer, "Thank you Your Majesty, will Your Majesty be staying for the night?"


    "Naturally," Fu Yuheng nodded. "Help me change."


    Shen Qingwan agreed and helped him remove her court uniform. This night, Fu Yuheng did not allow Shen Qingwan to watch the night. The two of them slept on the ground and did not speak for the entire night.


    The next morning, Fu Yuheng left early. When Shen Qingwan got up, she received his reward.


    The one who gave the reward was the emperor''s personal eunuch, Sun Ning. When he saw Shen Qingwan dressed in plain clothes, without touching her makeup, he knew that she had just woken up.


    "Sun Gonggong." Shen Qingwan smiled and bowed.


    Sun Ning said as his face broke into a smile like a chrysanthemum, "Concubine Xian, please receive it. The Emperor has specially given the Glazed Glass Mirror that is offered as tribute to the Empress this year. There are only three sides to this mirror."


    Shen Qingwan''s heart skipped a beat. She didn''t understand Fu Yuheng''s plan. If she gave him this mirror, it would be the true name of her beloved concubine. Those who hated her in the palace would only feel even worse.


    Although she didn''t know what was going on, she could only accept it with a smile.


    "Thanks to your majesty, I''ll have to trouble Sun Gonggong." Shen Qing Wan indicated for Lian Yun to accept the mirror, and took out a gold ingot from her sleeves to give to Sun Gonggong.


    These little gold ingots were only the size of a finger. Shen Qingwan had prepared some for him after she entered the palace, and it just so happened that she could use them now.


    Sun Gonggong received it with a smile, said a few more words of congratulations and flattery, then turned and left.


    "Empress, this Glass Mirror is indeed extraordinary," Lian Yun said as she lifted the cloth covering the Glass Mirror. The Glass Mirror had a golden jade frame and its surface shone with a brilliant light, as if it was extremely clear, "This mirror is much easier to use than the Copper Mirror.


    "No, I''ll put it in the warehouse first." Shen Qingwan also looked at the mirror. It was indeed a good item, but his words and deeds were being watched by the people in the palace, so he decided to keep a low profile.


    Lian Yun was puzzled, but she did not ask, and followed her orders.


    The news spread extremely quickly within the palace, to say nothing of Fu Yuheng, who gave out rewards like that and it didn''t take long for the entire palace to know about it. Everyone knew that the new Consort Xian was favored, and it was comparable to the new carrageenan when they were in their prime.


    Of course, Shoukang also received the news, when the Empress Dowager was looking at Richie in the glass mirror, her expression was neither sad nor happy, making it impossible to see what she was thinking.


    The Kangmama by her side asked: "There is only you and the Emperor in the Mirror Palace, and now you are giving it to the Consort Xian. Isn''t this a mess, how do you plan to handle this matter?"


    "Go and summon the Consort Xian."


    With that said, the empress dowager put down the grill, stood up, and picked up the buddhist beads to enter the buddhist hall. After the Kangmama helped her kneel on the prayer mat, he called for a palace maid to go and summon Shen Qingwan.

 C14

    In the imperial harem, the empress dowager lived in the most secluded quarters, and according to the rules, after the concubines paid daily respects to the empress, they also paid their respects to the empress. However, since Fu Yuheng had ascended the throne, the empress dowager had stayed behind in the palace to thank the guests.


    But today, the empress dowager wanted to see Shen Qingwan. This made her a little uncertain. Just what business did the empress dowager have with her?


    Lian Yun quickly picked up his jacket and helped her change into it. Dressed up, Shen Qingwan''s beauty was pushed down a lot, making her look even more graceful. After dressing up properly, Shen Qingwan brought Lian Yun to the empress dowager''s palace.


    The empress dowager did not make things difficult for her. She sat upright in the throne and said, "Rise."


    "Empress Dowager Xie." Shen Qingwan slowly got up, but didn''t sit down. It wasn''t until the empress dowager gave her a seat that she sat up straight.


    Seeing that Shen Qingwan''s etiquette was complete, the empress dowager''s eyes flashed with satisfaction. She opened her mouth to ask, "Consort Xian has been in the palace for a short while, are you used to it?"


    "The empress dowager''s sisters have had a peaceful life, and chenqie likes it very much," Shen Qingwan smiled faintly, "Esteemed Empress Dowager summoning chenqie here today, what fault did chenqie have?"


    The empress dowager didn''t beat around the bush as she replied, "You were called the concubine the moment you entered the palace, and you also got a great favor. This Dowager has to pay attention to you. The emperor has always been exposed to rain and dewdrops, so why are you giving him such a special favor?"


    Her face was kind and indifferent, but Shen Qingwan could see that there was a hidden meaning behind her words.


    "The Empress does not know that there are only three sides of the Palace''s Mirror. The Esteemed Empress Dowager and the Emperor each have one side." Kangmama added in time.


    At this point, Shen Qingwan finally understood why the empress dowager wanted to find her. It was because of the trouble caused by the mirror.


    Shen Qingwan quickly knelt down and said sincerely, "The empress dowager has redeemed herself. Since entering the palace, chenqie has always wholeheartedly served the emperor, and perhaps it''s because the emperor is considerate towards chenqie that chenqie has taken care of her. Chenqie absolutely doesn''t have any intention of monopolizing the Holy Pet!"


    "Even I know," the empress dowager said, still calm and composed. "Your grace is unpredictable, and the emperor is willing to pamper you, but as one of the fourth wives, you have to set an example and remind the emperor that both rain and dew are enough to keep the harem peaceful, do you understand?"


    "Well, chenqie will obey the empress dowager''s instructions." Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes and was extremely respectful.


    "Think about it for yourself," the empress dowager said as she rubbed her forehead. "This Dowager is also tired, you can leave now."


    Shen Qingwan then left as instructed.


    The news of the Consort Xian being summoned by the empress quickly reached Liu Chugrong''s ears. Although he didn''t know what the empress dowager, Shen Qingwan, had said, the empress dowager had just bestowed her with the Glass Mirror, and the empress dowager had summoned her again.


    He threw the teacup on the ground, but the shattering of the porcelain cup didn''t appease Liu Xiayong. "I''ve only seen the empress dowager a few times, she has to be summoned the moment she enters the palace. What a seductress!"


    "Empress Dowager, please calm down," Lamei patted Imperial Consort Liu''s back to ease her temper. "The empress dowager usually doesn''t see anyone, so maybe summoning Consort Xian isn''t a good thing?"


    "I''m afraid it''s a good thing," the Imperial Consort Liu said as she took a deep breath. She pondered for a moment, but was unable to calm himself down. "Take that string of Bodhi beads and come with me to see the empress dowager."


    La Mei responded. Not long after, she brought back a box, and the Imperial Consort Liu rode a chariot back to the Shoukang Palace.


    Arriving at the palace gate, Imperial Consort Liu sent someone to pass the message, but they only waited for Kangmama.


    "This old servant greets Imperial Concubine." Kangmama laughed, his eyes flashing with an unknown allure.


    Although Liu Chugrong was arrogant and despotic in the palace, he was still a little fearful of the people around the empress dowager. He said intimately, "Don''t worry, mama. I''ve brought some Bodhi pearls with me. I hope the empress dowager will like them."


    If she had received something good, she would immediately come and offer it to Her Majesty, hoping that Her Majesty would praise her.


    The Kangmama looked troubled, "The empress dowager is resting right now, it''s inconvenient for her to see Imperial Concubine."


    When those words came out, everyone felt like she was showing a warm face but sticking her butt to a cold place.


    Liu Chugrong''s face froze. He humphed coldly in his heart and clenched the handkerchief in his hand, "Really?"


    "Otherwise, the Empress Dowager would come back another day. You also know that the empress dowager''s body is weak and that she doesn''t normally see people," Kangmama could only advise when she refused to leave. "It''s already getting late. Empress Dowager should head back to the palace earlier."


    Now that things had come to this point, Liu Chugrong couldn''t force his way into the palace. After hesitating for a while, he could only leave bitterly.


    On the way back to the palace, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Why would Shen Qingwan be able to see the empress dowager, while she, a dignified imperial concubine, would be left alone?


    Liu Chu Rong''s expression was fierce, his long nails scratched the armrest of his carriage, and he snorted: "Go to the Consort Xian Palace!"


    La Mei looked at Liu Chugrong''s expression and knew that today''s matter was not going to end well. She couldn''t help but be a little worried.


    But La Mei was just a servant, she didn''t expect Liu Xiurong''s decision. After a few turns, they arrived at Shen Qingwan''s palace.


    Just as Shen Qingwan returned to the palace, before she even warmed her seat, a small palace maid rushed into the palace to report to her.


    "Empress, Imperial Concubine is coming this way." The young palace maid knew about Imperial Consort Liu''s despotic personality and hastily rushed over. He must have come to find trouble with his own mistress.


    Shen Qing Wan''s expression became serious, and Lian Yun said worriedly: "Empress, I''m afraid you have not come with good intentions."


    Liu Chugrong and Shen Qingwan were rivals, and Ying Yun was very worried about pushing her to her death.


    "Don''t panic," Shen Qingwan said to the little palace maid, "You can go down first, and do whatever you have to do. Don''t make a fuss."


    She wanted to see how Liu Chugrong would punish her for not provoking him!


    The young palace maid replied and left. Just as he was about to reach the door, Lian Yun asked again: "Imperial Concubine must be here to cause trouble. How does the Empress want to deal with this?"


    "A setback will increase a person''s intelligence," Shen Qingwan calmly replied, "Don''t worry, I won''t let her bully me so easily."

 C15

    You must know that Shen Qingwan already had a plan in mind. Only then did she let out a mouthful of impure air and feel relieved.


    At this time, the eunuch at the door transmitted, "Imperial Concubine has arrived!"


    Liu Chugrong didn''t refuse and sat down on the seat of honor with a sneer on his face. Shen Qingwan took the teacup from the maid beside her and walked to Liu Chugrong''s side.


    Lian Yun was very clever, her own mistress had followed her master since young, and knew how to do things easily. With Liu Chugrong''s strength, there was only one possibility for her to be in such a sorry state, and that was that Shen Qing Wan wanted to do it on purpose.


    Lian Yun''s expression was miserable, she turned to look at Liu Chugrong, who was still in shock, and questioned: "Imperial Concubine, why did you do this to my esteemed lady? Hurry and call for the imperial physician! "


    Looking at his hands, Liu Chugrong knew that it would be hard to wash them clean this time.


    Breaking free from the thousand jin of darkness in front of her eyes, Shen Qing Wan woke up with a dizzy spell.


    She shifted her gaze and saw Fu Yuheng sitting by the bed with his back to her. Beside him, an imperial physician was performing acupuncture.


    "Your Majesty, Concubine Xian is awake." When the imperial physician saw that Shen Qingwan had regained her consciousness, he was overjoyed and spoke to Fu Yuheng.


    Fu Yuheng turned around upon hearing what was said. With a concerned expression, he asked, "Consort Xian, is there anything else that you don''t feel well about?"


    Shen Qingwan once again saw the love in his eyes, it was the exact same look she had when she was punished to kneel. It was just an illusion that she had lied to him that time, but this time it was real. Could it be that Fu Yuheng had feelings for him?


    Shen Qingwan shook her head, shaking out all the chaotic thoughts in her mind. She asked knowingly, "It''s alright, what''s wrong with chenqie?"


    Although her face was pale, her words were clear. Fu Yuheng was relieved and his expression turned grave. "I''ll have to ask my imperial concubine."


    He turned around, and Shen Qingwan followed his line of sight and saw Liu Chugrong kneeling in front of the bed.


    Her face was filled with tears. She said sorrowfully, "Your majesty, chenqie really did not do it on purpose. It was just that when Consort Xian''s tea was poured on chenqie''s body, chenqie subconsciously waved her hands to dodge it.


    Liu Chugrong didn''t know how to reply. He looked at Fu Yuheng with fear in his eyes. His body couldn''t help but tremble.


    "Consort Xian, tell me, is what Imperial Concubine said true?" Fu Yuheng ignored Liu Chugrong and turned to ask Shen Qingwan.


    Shen Qing Wan''s eyes flashed a look of deep meaning, she lightly glanced at Liu Chu Rong, then said: "Previously, I didn''t get along well with Imperial Concubine Big Sister, Chenqie wanted to offer tea to apologize to Big Sister, but who would''ve thought, Big Sister purposely overturned the teacups, and even gave Chenqie a push."


    She sat up from the bed, and Lian Yun quickly covered her with the blanket. Shen Qingwan then said, "Elder sister, if you have any complaints, you can just mention them to my younger sister, but this elder sister has repeatedly harmed my younger sister. It really makes one''s heart turn cold."


    Liu Chu Rong looked at her in disbelief and finally realised that everything that happened today was Shen Qing Wan''s scheme.


    "You''re lying!" Her expression was sorrowful. "Your Majesty, chenqie didn''t have any intention of harming you. It was her who framed chenqie."


    "Enough!" Fu Yuheng scolded while Liu Chu Rongsheng remained silent.


    "I had warned you before to change your temperament," Fu Yuheng said with a deep sigh. For the destruction of the harem, we shall not have peace for even a moment! "


    Being accompanied by a monarch like a tiger, although Fu Yuheng was normally gentle and gentle, when he was angry, blood would definitely be shed.


    "I think you''re lawless. It''s not the turn of my harem to let you do whatever you want!" Fu Yuheng said coldly, "Your Imperial Consort has lost his virginity. He knows her wrongs and refuses to change them. He is forbidden to leave the palace unless ordered by me."


    Liu Chu Rong''s body swayed and he gasped. He looked at Shen Qing Wan with a ghastly expression.


    Shen Qingwan looked away, not meeting her gaze. She only heard Liu Chu Rong say, "Chenqie obeys the decree, thank the emperor." After that, she was chased out of the palace by Fu Yuheng.


    Waiting until Liu Chu Rong left, Shen Qing Wan looked at Lian Yun, who also came out of the hall to call the palace maids.


    Thus, there were only two people left in the great hall. Shen Qingwan softly said, "Your majesty, calm down."


    Fu Yuheng turned around and looked at Shen Qingwan. He saw that her expression was indifferent, as if she wasn''t affected by what had happened just now. There was a gentle smile in her eyes, calming his agitated heart by quite a bit.


    "Does it hurt?" He reached out his hand and lightly touched Shen Qingwan''s forehead that was covered by the gauze.


    His strength was extremely light, as if he was touching a fragile object. The feeling of being treasured made Shen Qing Wan''s heart warm up.


    She shook her head. "Chenqie shouldn''t be unable to bear such small injuries. I''ll have to trouble Your Majesty to make a trip for me."


    "Imperial Concubine is too arrogant and despotic, I''ve wronged you." Fu Yuheng did not answer.


    Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes, feeling a little guilty. After all, she was the one who did it on purpose, but she did not regret it. After all, it was Liu Chugrong who did it.


    When she raised her eyes again, she had an earnest expression on her face, "It''s nothing. I presume that Imperial Concubine Elder Sister''s actions today were unintentional. Although her temper is a little bad, she still loves the Emperor.


    "Why are you so reasonable?" Fu Yuheng''s expression was gentle. "There''s nothing bad about occasionally acting coquettishly."


    Shen Qingwan''s face curved into a smile, "Does the emperor like chenqie to act like a spoiled child?"


    It was rare for her to have such a bright smile on her face. Her peach blossom eyes curved, and her face was filled with kindness. Fu Yuheng stared at her in shock.


    Seeing his reaction, Shen Qingwan felt that it was funny. In her heart, the Emperor had always been a shrewd and cold person, she never expected him to have such a silly reaction. If this was any ordinary situation, she would have made fun of him. However, Fu Yuheng was the emperor, so she could only laugh in her heart.


    "The empress dowager was the one who told chenqie that the imperial harem could be harmonious with one another," Shen Qing Wan said. "Chenqie dares to have a request."


    Fu Yuheng raised an eyebrow. "Speak."


    "Sister Imperial Concubine was unintentional. I hope the Emperor will forgive you." However, Shen Qingwan''s words exceeded Fu Yuheng''s expectations.


    All the people in the harem were fighting with each other, wanting to fight to the death with each other, yet Shen Qingwan had no intention of fighting. On the contrary, she wanted to speak up for the person who had killed her, Fu Yuheng had never met such a woman before.


    "Why did you plead for the imperial concubine? Can it be for the harmony of the harem?" Fu Yuheng asked.


    Shen Qingwan shook her head. "Only one."


    "What other reason is there? Let''s hear it from you. If I am satisfied, I will do as you say." Fu Yuheng asked with great interest.

 C16

    The emperor has told his concubine that the imperial harem and the previous dynasty are at peace, "Shen Qing Wan said slowly," Your concubine knows that the previous dynasty is at peace, so the harmony in the harem is not only related to the emperor, it is also related to Dawn.


    Shen Qingwan''s argument was one that Fu Yuheng had never heard before. He never imagined that the family of generals would be able to bring up such a wondrous girl.


    Shen Qingwan could not hold it in for a while, and laughed: "I''m afraid that we won''t be able to do it, the Emperor has a lot of people, he has to take more care of us little girls."


    The incident of the harem had an impact on the previous dynasty, especially on the Liu Family, which exploded because of the restriction of the Imperial Consort Liu.


    Inside the Liu Estate.


    It was already the fifth fragment of the night, and the Prime Minister Liu was donned in court uniform by his wife.


    Madam Liu''s expression was somber: "Master, you said that I was bullied to such an extent by that Consort Xian, I am definitely very sad. You have to take care of this matter, no matter what, I am a imperial concubine, how can I let that Consort Xian ride on my head?"


    "The harem cannot handle politics, and vice versa. How do you want me to manage it?" Prime Minister Liu sighed helplessly, "It''s not like you don''t know my nature, to cause trouble everywhere, if I were to bully someone beside me it would be good, but this time she has angered the daughter of the Shen family, in the previous dynasty, the only one that can contend against me is the Shen family, and this matter was caused by her, for our family, it''s already enough, it''s already enough."


    "But you still can''t make Chu''er feel wronged?" Lady Liu''s face was filled with indignation.


    "Don''t worry, this loss will definitely not be for nothing. It''s just that for now, I can''t do anything to the Shen family. The Shen family will definitely suffer in the future." With that, the Prime Minister Liu turned and left the residence. Madam Liu could not do anything but worry for himself.


    When the Prime Minister Liu arrived at the palace, it was just in time. He greeted his comrades and the few of them then headed towards the imperial hall.


    When the time was up, the emperor entered the hall. Sun Ning then called out to the hundred officials to enter the hall, the officials were divided into two groups, the civil officials, one side, and the martial generals, all entered together and kowtowed to Fu Yuheng, greeting him in unison.


    Fu Yuheng raised his hand and said in a clear voice, "Esteemed officials, please rise."


    After the official thanked the emperor, he stood up. Then, Sun Ning said, "There''s a starter ¡ª ¡ª"


    "This subject has something to do!" Prime Minister Liu immediately took a step forward.


    Fu Yuheng agreed, and the Prime Minister Liu said, "Reporting to the Emperor, the harvest of the old years has already been fully accounted for, and is being exchanged for tens of thousands of silver. According to the rules, it is time to split the gold and silver.


    Fu Yuheng had yet to speak when a military general stepped forward. "Your Majesty, this subject believes that something is amiss. The border war may not be tight, but it could happen at any moment. Without the money from the soldiers, it might threaten our peace!"


    With these two making an example for themselves, the court soon began to argue with each other, from arguing about the division of the kingdom to attacking each other. Wen Chen said that generals only knew martial arts, did not have brains, and could not rule the country, while the Wu General scolded Wen Chen as someone who only knew how to talk about military matters.


    For a time, the entire imperial court was in an uproar. Fu Yuheng''s complexion darkened as the officials argued with each other. "How is it proper to be noisy in the imperial court?"


    When the emperor was angry, the officials were immediately silenced. Fu Yuheng tried his best to repress his anger and said coldly, "You guys are clearly separated. The civil officials and military officials are like two camps, aren''t they?"


    Fu Yuheng''s words made the officials even more uneasy. Although they all had their own factions in private, no one dared to tell the emperor about this matter, and as the emperor, he had always turned a blind eye to it. It was their quarrel that had caused the matter to turn serious.


    "You''re not talking, right?" The more Fu Yuheng thought about it, the angrier he got. He got up, and the beaded curtain on his head began to crackle, indicating how angry he was. "Regarding the matter of Ku Yin, I haven''t even spoken.


    "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty!" The other officials saw that something was wrong and immediately kneeled down, wanting to vent their anger on Fu Yuheng.


    Ever since Fu Yuheng came to power, all these officials had to talk about small matters and small matters. Previously, he had not been able to stabilize his position in the imperial court, but now, he could no longer tolerate it.


    Sun Ning anxiously watched Fu Yuheng''s departing figure. He hurriedly left the imperial court with a few words before chasing after Fu Yuheng.


    Although Fu Yuheng did not do anything in the imperial court, he was after all, not an unconscious ruler. When he returned to the palace, he calmed down and let Sun Ning take the imperial reports to review.


    When Sun Ning brought the paper slip over, Fu Yuheng opened a few books. His expression became increasingly gloomy, and when he opened one of the records, he raised the red ink brush and wanted to annotate it, but in the end he could not, and threw the brush fiercely onto the ground.


    Sun Ning, who was grinding the ink at the side, was shocked. He carefully asked: "Your majesty, what''s wrong?


    "What kind of papers are these!?" Fu Yuheng slammed the paper on the table and pushed the inkstone and the pen holder onto the floor. Amidst repeated crackling sounds, he was furious as he said, "I asked them to help me understand the world and govern the country. This paper is full of talk about money, and all that is in my eyes is money!"


    After saying that, he smashed the items on the table and angrily entered the inner hall, leaving behind only a sentence, "Don''t follow me!"


    Sun Ning looked at the mess in the palace with a worried expression, but Fu Yuheng was the one who smashed everything, just like how he placed the papers on the table and didn''t seem to be injured at all. It could be seen that this lord still wanted to criticize them, since this batch was angry and Sun Ning was worried.


    Sun Ning immediately summoned a young eunuch, and said to him, "Go ask the Concubine Xian to come here, tell him that the Emperor is anxious, and ask the Consort Xian to think of a way."

 C17

    Originally, the imperial harem could not do anything, but Fu Yuheng was so angry that he had to find an imperial concubine to resolve this issue. For the sake of preventing this incident from escalating further, and also for the sake of his own life, Sun Ning had to come up with this kind of plan.


    Ever since Consort Xian entered the palace, Fu Yuheng had pampered her greatly. Everyone knew that Imperial Consort Liu was grounded, and carrageenan was gradually being neglected. Fu Yuheng''s anger could be quelled if he wanted Consort Xian to step in.


    "Greetings to Concubine Xian, Queen Jin An." The young eunuch kowtowed.


    Sun Ning was in the palace cleaning up the mess with a few eunuchs. Seeing Shen Qingwan, he stepped forward and greeted her, "Greetings Concubine Xian."


    Shen Qingwan helped him up, "Eunuch need not be so polite, is the Emperor still angry?"


    "Sigh, exactly. Your majesty has really stirred up quite a bit today." Sun Ning heaved a long sigh.


    Shen Qingwan asked, "Why?"


    This morning in the imperial court, because of the matter regarding the ownership of Ku and Yin, General Wen Chen and General Wu had been arguing nonstop. When the Emperor felt that their party was clear, he was angered, "Sun Ning whispered," After returning to the imperial study and approving the papers, who would have known that all the papers were written about Ku and Yin''s affairs.


    The things that fell were scattered all over the place. Now that she found out the ins and outs of the matter, she felt even more troubled, as the Sovereign King''s greatest taboo was to form his own faction, officials forming their own faction would threaten the Emperor''s position, and as the daughter of a Great General, her family would be taboo to Fu Yuheng, so her persuasion would probably backfire.


    "Sun Gonggong, I''m afraid that I can''t advise His Majesty against it," Shen Qingwan''s expression was difficult, "As the imperial concubine of the palace, you shouldn''t meddle in the matters of the court."


    Sun Ning nodded his head, with an understanding look, he still tried to persuade them, "Your servant knows what the Empress is saying, but look, the Emperor destroyed the entire palace and he did not even touch the paper slip. He must have said the same after, but this batch of people are so angry that even us servants would feel sorry for them."


    At this point, Shen Qingwan couldn''t refuse anymore. She couldn''t possibly say that she didn''t care whether Fu Yuheng was angry or not. She was Fu Yuheng''s concubine, so she should treat him as the most important person.


    After thinking for a while, Shen Qingwan no longer hesitated, she placed the neatly arranged imperial reports on the table into a wooden tray, then picked up the wooden tray, and said to Sun Ning: "Eunuch, lead the way."


    Sun Ning''s eyes lit up, and brought Shen Qingwan into the inner hall.


    The entrance to the inner hall was behind a screen. Once they entered the hall, Shen Qingwan''s nose was immediately filled with the delicate fragrance of the ambergris that was always on Fu Yuheng''s body.


    Sun Ning stopped at the door and softly spoke to Shen Qingwan: "Esteemed Empress, the Emperor is inside. You will be able to see him after taking a few steps."


    Shen Qing Wan nodded at Sun Ning, who turned around and followed her out.


    Shen Qingwan walked in and turned the corner. She saw Fu Yuheng sitting on a rattan chair with his eyes closed, leaning on the armrest. Although her footsteps were light, it was obvious enough in the quiet inner room.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty. Your Majesty is filled with blessings." She wore a dress with a dress the color of a dress, with Begonia swaying on her cloud bun. Paired with her appearance and actions, she looked very elegant and refined.


    Fu Yuheng did not look too good. His anger had not yet subsided as he asked in a cold tone, "What''s the matter?"


    Shen Qingwan bowed respectfully and replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Your Concubine heard that Your Majesty is in a bad mood and is not in the mood to run a government. Thus, I wanted to share Your Majesty''s worries."


    "Divide the worries?" Fu Yuheng''s thought process was extremely cold, and the pressure around his body was extremely heavy. "I didn''t know that my Consort Xian still knew how to handle government affairs. It was also because General Shen taught women well."


    Under his accusation, Shen Qingwan did not panic at all as she calmly replied, "The imperial harem cannot interfere with political affairs. This subject will always remember, it''s just that the emperor''s anger is useless to the dragon''s body.


    Listening to her quiet narration, Fu Yuheng retracted his anger and said half-jokingly, "You''ve brought all those papers?"


    "Yes, the emperor smashed quite a few things in the palace, but he didn''t touch a single bit of this imperial report. This concubine thought that the emperor would eventually have to review it, so she brought it along." Shen Qing Wan said.


    "The reason why I didn''t touch these papers was because I didn''t want to give the historians a chance to remember me as an unconscious ruler," Fu Yuheng snorted coldly. "These papers were all about the same thing. It wouldn''t be excessive if I tore them up."


    Shen Qingwan did not continue the conversation, but changed the topic: "Chenqie has always liked to play chess, one black and one white, you come and go with me, and we both swallow each other down. In chenqie''s eyes, the two chess pieces are like Tai Chi and Yin Yang, seemingly black and white, unable to coexist, but in reality, there is white within black, and black within white."


    Her words were not without a beginning or end. Fu Yuheng could tell what she was implying the moment he heard her words.


    "In your opinion, the black and white chess pieces are clearly separated. Is that a good thing?" Fu Yuheng asked.


    Shen Qingwan shook her head, "How can black and white be separated?"


    Fu Yuheng looked at her fixedly for a while before suddenly smiling and raising his hand, indicating for her to get up. "Consort Xian, oh Consort Xian, you are indeed an intelligent woman.


    "Your majesty, it is naturally good to be prepared for future troubles." Shen Qingwan smiled, "When chenqie encounters a big problem, she will focus all of her attention on this matter. I presume everyone is like this."


    When Fu Yuheng saw Shen Qing Wan, he knew that it was Sun Ning''s attention. He did not expect Sun Ning to tell her everything, but she did deal with it in a coincidental manner, making him unable to be angry.


    "Give me the imperial report." Fu Yuheng beckoned to Shen Qingwan. She went forward and placed the imperial report on the table beside him. He lowered his hand and remained silent.

 C18

    With Shen Qingwan serving him, Fu Yuheng was no longer angry. He began to process the papers one by one.


    When he finished, it was already late. He rubbed his shoulder that was sore from lying on the table. Shen Qingwan saw it and took half a step forward to massage his shoulder.


    "Yes!" Sun Ning replied, but Shen Qingwan was not happy. Anyone with a good heart would definitely be able to see through her, but Fu Yuheng still wanted to come to her chambers tonight.


    Fu Yuheng nodded and she turned to leave.


    Lian Yun had been waiting outside the hall. When Shen Qing Wan finally came out, she immediately went to support her. Shen Qing Wan nodded towards Sun Ning, who had returned with the paper, and walked out the hall with Lian Yun.


    Once they left the imperial study, Shen Qingwan''s tensed nerves relaxed, and her legs went soft. She almost fell down, but luckily Lian Yun held her back.


    "Empress, what''s wrong?" Lian Yun said worriedly.


    Shen Qingwan shook her head and did not say anything else. She looked back at the Imperial Study and got on the carriage.


    Today, although her conversation with Fu Yuheng seemed ordinary, it was actually a surging undercurrent. If she had not been able to smooth things over at the beginning, she would have certainly been engulfed by his monstrous fury, and might have implicated her family.


    In the imperial harem, she represented the Shen family. If she took one wrong step, the Shen family would be implicated.


    She closed her eyes, suppressing the fear in her eyes. No matter what she faced, she had to be clever and not make any mistakes. Naturally, she couldn''t allow others to see through her fear.


    Shoukang Palace.


    The fragrance of sandalwood lingered in the air as the sound of the wooden fish echoed throughout the empty palace. The empress dowager was dressed in a simple robe and was kneeling on a prayer mat as she chanted.


    The Kangmama lifted the curtain and entered the palace. He walked to the empress dowager''s side with a troubled expression. "Empress Dowager, there''s news from the emperor."


    The empress dowager opened her eyes and stopped chanting. "Has the emperor''s anger dissipated?"


    "Yes, I''ve finished approving the paper." Kangmama said.


    The empress dowager smiled. "That''s good. This Dowager was still worried that he wouldn''t approve the paper, but which official advised the emperor?"


    Kangmama''s eyes turned slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "There is no minister seeking audience with the emperor."


    "Oh?" The empress dowager turned to look at Kangmama with a hesitant expression. "Then does the emperor need to calm down by himself?"


    "Yes... Consort Xian went to the imperial study room. Kangmama finally said those words after hesitating for a while.


    When the empress dowager heard this, anger surfaced on her usually expressionless face. "You said that the Consort Xian went?"


    "This servant has asked, the Sun Gonggong said it was his idea, and asked the Consort Xian to advise the Emperor. As expected, the Emperor wasn''t angry, and under the Consort Xian''s care, he approved all of the papers." Kangmama knew that she wouldn''t be able to hide it from the empress dowager, so she said everything out loud.


    The empress dowager took a deep breath and stood up, walking towards the outer hall. As she walked, she said, "What a good Consort Xian. I mentioned her not long ago and thought she was extremely intelligent. I didn''t expect her to be so stupid today."


    The more Kangmama helped her to sit down, the angrier the empress dowager became. She stopped drinking the tea and placed it heavily on the table, saying to Kangmama, "Go call Consort Xian over, This Dowager wants to see just how daring she is!"


    When Kangmama saw the empress dowager''s expression, he knew that she was truly angry. She was secretly worried for him, but could only accept his orders and go forward.


    When Kangmama walked quickly to the Joyous Palace, Shen Qingwan was eating. When he heard that the Kangmama had arrived, she immediately put down his bamboo and stood up to welcome him.


    When Shen Qingwan saw the Kangmama''s expression, she had a bad premonition. She asked: "Why did this mama come here?"


    "Concubine Xian, Esteemed Empress Dowager has sent you to the Shoukang Palace," the Kangmama said anxiously, "Don''t eat anymore, hurry up and follow me."


    Lian Yun asked, "Your mother is so anxious, I really don''t know."


    Although the empress dowager lived in seclusion, she still knew about the matters outside the palace. The empress dowager was very concerned about the matter of the thunder and lightning in the imperial court today, "the Kangmama said helplessly," Just now, the empress dowager sent a servant to ask about the situation and found out that you were going to accompany the emperor in his study. The empress dowager was furious, Concubine Xian, you were also confused, why did you allow Sun Ning to do whatever he wanted?


    When Shen Qingwan heard this, she forcefully suppressed the panic in her heart and did not say anything more. She left with Kangmama.


    Since this matter had already happened, she could only try her best to cover things up. If the empress dowager wanted to make a move, she could only bear it. If it was just a single scolding, she would have to let it pass.


    He just hoped that Fu Yuheng wouldn''t act against her because of the empress dowager''s attitude.


    "Chenqie greets the empress dowager. The empress dowager is a thousand years old." Shen Qingwan made a grand bow. The empress dowager sat at the head of the table and looked at her arrogantly. She had no intention of waking her up.


    After a long silence, the empress dowager said faintly, "Consort Xian, do you know why I called you here?"


    "Chenqie understands." Shen Qingwan did not have any intention of feigning ignorance as she readily admitted, "The Esteemed Empress Dowager summoned chenqie here, perhaps for the matter of chenqie going to the imperial study to persuade Your Majesty."


    The empress dowager laughed coldly, "You''re quite clear about this. Then, before you entered the palace, did you learn about palace rule?"


    "Chenqie has learned it and will remember it." Shen Qingwan''s heart skipped a beat, she knew that the empress dowager was going to make things difficult.


    "Among the palace rule, the most important one is to be obedient to women and not to be political," the empress dowager said, her tone becoming heavier. "Consort Xian, do you know?!"


    "Chenqie understands." Shen Qingwan closed her eyes.


    "I see that you''re very daring, knowing that you''re still going to commit the crime," the empress dowager was even more furious. "This time it''s to be the government. Are you going to hold court from behind the screen next time?"


    Shen Qingwan immediately replied, "Chenqie doesn''t dare."


    Shen Qingwan knew that she had already gone to the imperial study and had accompanied Fu Yuheng in his punishment. Since the crime of Qian Zheng couldn''t be removed, she didn''t refute him. She knelt there and scolded Empress Dowager Ren for less than an hour.

 C19

    Shen Qingwan had just entered the Shoukang Palace when someone reported to Xiao Shushen.


    "Esteemed Empress, the Consort Xian has been summoned by the empress dowager again." The palace maid, Yue Xi, asked.


    "How would I know?" Xiao Shushen played with the jade ruyi, his slender fingers caressing the white jade, his movements was slow, but his strength was not lacking.


    "Greetings to Concubine Xian, Queen Jin An." Yue Xi smiled.


    Shen Qingwan naturally could not recognize every single palace maid, so she said: "Rise, which palace are you from?"


    "To reply esteemed wangfei, this servant is from the empress palace. The empress ordered this servant to take you to see her." Yue Xi replied.


    Hearing the empress, Shen Qingwan secretly complained. It was obvious why the empress was looking for her right now. She had to deal with the empress after dealing with the empress. It must be hard work, even if she didn''t want to.


    When they arrived at the empress''s palace, Shen Qingwan made a big bow the moment she saw the empress. Her words were precise, "Greetings, esteemed empress. Your concubine is guilty and wishes to seek the empress''s forgiveness."


    Seeing that she was frank, Xiao Shushen raised his eyebrows and asked: Oh? Why do you have to ask for forgiveness the moment Consort Xian''s sister comes here?


    "Chenqie will violate the rules of the palace rule and the imperial harem. I hope the empress will punish me." Shen Qingwan didn''t want to be involved with the Queen, so she apologized.


    Xiao Shushen stared at her, she never expected Shen Qing Wan to admit it so straightforwardly.


    Her expression was solemn, and without getting angry, she revealed her might and said: "Consort Xian, I think you are an intelligent person. Since you understand that the imperial government has violated the palace rule, why do you commit such a crime? As one of the fourth concubines, you should be the model of the imperial harem."


    "Chenqie only cared about the Emperor''s dragon body and forgot about etiquette. In the future, you must be careful with your words and strictly abide by the palace rule." Shen Qing Wan''s face was full of regret.


    Xiao Shushen still wanted to make use of Shen Qingwan, so she taught her a few more lessons and let her off, "Get up.


    Thinking over and over again, there was no difference between not punishing her at all. Shen Qingwan knew that Xiao Shushen had treated her leniently, and said gratefully, "Thank you for your forgiveness, Empress.


    Xiao Shushen nodded her head, she then picked up the jade ruyi on the table, but this time, she played with it, her movements were much lighter than last time, she caressed the white jade and said: "You must have learnt your lesson today, it''s not early, kneel down and rest."


    "Here, chenqie will take her leave." Shen Qingwan then saluted and left.


    The news of the Consort Xian being in charge of government and being scolded by the empress dowager and empress had naturally reached Fu Yuheng''s ears.


    When Fu Yuheng learned of this matter, he then went to the empress dowager''s palace for a meal.


    Seeing his worried expression, Sun Ning asked, "Your majesty, should we go to the Consort Xian Palace to take a look?"


    Fu Yuheng had the same plan in his heart, but when he thought back to how she had tactfully rejected him in the imperial study, he knew that it would be inappropriate to go now.


    Fu Yuheng was once a prince and a member of the imperial harem. The harem was filled with twists and turns, and he naturally understood that if he were to go to Shen Qingwan''s palace tonight, her already difficult situation would become even more difficult.


    Previously, Fu Yuheng hated the Shen family for forcefully sending Shen Qingwan to the Imperial Palace, so he showed no restraints towards her. Previously, Fu Yuheng hated the Shen family for forcing Shen Qingwan to the Imperial Palace, and so he unrestrainedly doted on her, precisely to make her feel uncomfortable.


    Moreover, this time she was'' in charge ''of his affairs, so Fu Yuheng could no longer make things difficult for her.


    "No need." He shook his head. "Tomorrow."


    Sun Ning was suspicious, but did not ask, and followed the Emperor back to the palace.


    The next morning, Shen Qingwan was served by the palace maids. She put on a set of appropriate clothes and left early in the morning.


    As soon as they entered the empress dowager''s palace, quite a few concubines shot looks of schadenfreude at her.


    Shen Qing Wan''s gaze swept across them and saw their expressions, she knew that they had saved her a lot of trouble this morning.


    "Chenqie greets the empress." In her heart, she knew clearly that Shen Qingwan did not reveal her cowardice and respectfully greeted him.


    Xiao Shushen laughed: "Rise."


    "Consort Xian has come early today," Consort De Zhao Yuan Rong said first, "I was still thinking about what happened yesterday, Consort Xian''s sister will be a bit late."


    Shen Qing Wan turned her gaze and said indifferently, "Thank you for your concern, sister. I''m fine, why are you late?"


    "Big Sister Consort De''s words are wrong," Li Yu said with a smile. Her curved eyebrows raised and she said in a harsh tone, "Elder Sister Consort Xian is the daughter of a martial general, and is different from us. What''s a small fight like this?"


    Shen Lihan had hinted at Shen Qing Wan''s thick skin, but the words "daughter of a martial general" had not only mocked Shen Qing Wan, it had also ridiculed all the martial arts girls present.


    Naturally, there were people who were displeased. Their faces changed and were about to open their mouths to refute.


    When Xiao Shushen saw this, her eyes became bored. She opened her mouth and said, "Enough, the matter of the Consort Xian has already been taught to the empress dowager and this palace. You two should stop discussing.


    "But..." Shen Lihan was still unresigned, she continued to speak, but as soon as she spoke, she was stopped by Shen Qing Wan.


    "Empress''s words are true," Shen Qing Wan looked at Shen Lihan with her eyes, and gave him a half-warning, "If little sister wants to say it at this moment, does that mean that you''re in charge of the imperial harem? It''s not up to you to teach me a lesson about my mistakes. "


    Since the words had already come to this, if Shen Lihan still continued to pester her, it would be disrespecting the Queen. She could only glare at Shen Qingwan, and did not say another word.


    All the concubines chattered again, and after they spoke a few words of flattery, Xiao Shushen made them kneel down.


    When Xiao Shushen spoke, she was obviously protecting the Consort Xian, and the other concubines were no longer openly discussing the matter of Shen Qingwan''s political affairs, but there were always people secretly making fun of Shen Qingwan. Every time she heard this, she would ignore it, and when the people who spoke saw that her master did not react, they would immediately stop.

 C20

    In the past few days, the Emperor did not come to see her, and Shen Qing Wan was quiet. On the other hand, Lian Yun was a little worried. The Empress had been on tenterhooks these past few days, and had run into walls everywhere. She didn''t see the emperor come over to pay attention, so could it be that she was going to leave the Empress in the cold?


    It was said that the imperial harem was full of troubles. It was just that when the emperor didn''t go to her place for a few days, people began to speculate whether he had angered the emperor.


    Hearing this, the servant girl beside her knew that Liu Chugrong was talking about the Consort Xian, and passed the handkerchief to him, "Your Highness is right!"


    With this thought in mind, he raised his head and arrived in front of Shen Qingwan''s courtyard.


    When the gatekeeper saw the emperor come over, he hurriedly knelt down and paid his respects.


    Fu Yuheng waved his men to get up and sent a few people back to rest. He did not send anyone to inform anyone as he went in by himself.


    With this, Lian Yun, who was cultivating inside, was shocked.


    It indicated for Lian Yun to be quiet, and she wondered why Shen Qingwan was not the one doing so today. She asked softly: "Where is Consort Xian?"


    Lian Yun lowered his body, and did not dare to speak loudly, "The Emperor does not know, but the Empress''s body hasn''t been feeling well these few days. She''s always been a little dizzy, so she rested early." Lian Yun explained, she did not know if she should wake the Empress up.


    Fu Yuheng, on the other hand, did not speak further. He frowned slightly. Could it be that he had suffered too much damage in the past few days that caused him to feel unwell?


    Stepping past Lian Yun, Fu Yuheng entered his dorm. Lian Yun opened her mouth but did not say anything in the end. After all, this was the emperor.


    The bedroom bed hung down, and the wind blew in through the window, gently swaying it. Shen Qingwan was sleeping inside, and her hazy face looked even more beautiful.


    For a moment, Fu Yuheng was lost in thought.


    After a while, he finally reacted and went over to close the window. It was also an oversight, as long as he caught a cold, what should he do. Even he himself did not know what was going on today, why would he care so much about her.


    It was unknown if it was because the sound of the window closing caused Shen Qingwan, who was sleeping soundly, to move her eyelashes, showing signs of waking up.


    Shen Qingwan slowly opened her eyes. As she had just woken up, her vision had not recovered yet, and there seemed to be a shadow of a person in front of the bed, thinking that it was Lian Yun. "What time is it now?"


    "It''s time to eat." Fu Yuheng looked at the color of the sky and laughed involuntarily as he looked at Shen Qingwan, who clearly had yet to react.


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan felt that something was wrong, this voice was obviously a man! SShe immediately regained her consciousness and looked up. He hurriedly sat up and was about to pay her respects.


    Fu Yuheng held her down as he sat on the edge of the bed, but he did not notice the gentleness in his eyes. "My beloved concubine, you don''t have to wake up. I heard that you''re not feeling well, but you''ve been under too much pressure these past few days?"


    Shen Qing Wan knew that it was Lian Yun who said it, so she shook her head, looking slightly more relaxed, "Your majesty is joking, no matter how much pressure chenqie has to put up with, I''m afraid that compared to your consort, your majesty is the one who has truly worked hard."


    "No matter what, you have to pay attention to your body." Fu Yuheng stretched out his hand and probed her forehead. Fortunately, there was no fever. "Just now, I saw that the window of your room wasn''t closed. What if it got cold?"


    Shen Qingwan was slightly taken aback. She looked at the window and saw that it was already closed. She clearly remembered that it wasn''t related before she went to sleep, and from what he said, it should have been personally closed by him.


    What a privilege it must be to have the Emperor personally close the window for him. He raised his eyes and met Fu Yuheng''s gaze.


    The worry and gentleness inside seemed like it was about to overflow, flickering under the candlelight. The interior was deep and serene, like an abyss, making one unable to recover from it.


    "Thank you, your majesty, for your love." Shen Qingwan quickly averted her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze.


    Fu Yuheng did not speak further, as he called Lian Yun in to help her change.


    It was only then that Shen Qing Wan remembered what Fu Yuheng had said when she first woke up. The Emperor had yet to enjoy his meal as he quickly followed Lian Yun''s instructions and helped himself to eat well.


    "This servant will instruct the kitchen to serve the dishes!" Lian Yun saw that the Emperor was looking at him and requested for his order.


    Fu Yuheng waved his hand towards Lian Yun, and told Shen Qingwan to sit beside him.


    This was the first time he had eaten alone with her, and he feared that once word of this spread, there would be a bloody storm. But in this harem, who wouldn''t be moved by the emperor''s love?


    At this moment, Shen Qingwan was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, and even her movements had become cautious and prudent.


    Noticing her helplessness, Fu Yuheng raised his hand and tucked the hair bun she dropped behind her ears. He didn''t know why, but Shen Qingwan subconsciously felt a chill run down her spine.


    This action made him laugh out loud.


    "What''s wrong with your beloved concubine today? Seems like you''re a lot more timid now? " Perhaps he found this interesting, but he actually started to tease her.


    Shen Qingwan told herself to calm down, but her emotions were getting more and more out of control. The redness on her face became more obvious. Her already pale skin was even more transparent, causing Fu Yuheng to unconsciously be distracted.


    Lian Yun had already brought some people to bring the dinner over, but seeing the situation, they did not dare disturb him, and after setting up the dinner, they left.


    "Your Majesty, it''s time to eat." Shen Qingwan couldn''t find the right words to say in that moment. Being stared at made her feel awkward, so she quickly changed the topic.


    When Fu Yuheng saw that the meal was already prepared, he felt a wave of melancholy. He turned his head and glared at the servant serving at the side. This frightened the servants so much that cold sweat broke out on their backs. They all wondered if they had offended the Emperor in some way.


    Shen Qingwan let out a sigh of relief. Just as she picked up a piece of vegetable with her chopsticks, she heard a thread of warmth carrying a whisper by her ear. She was so shocked that the dish she picked up almost fell back down.


    "You can sleep with me tonight!"

 C21

    Shen Qingwan lowered her head and played with the handkerchief in her hands. Although she did not show it on the surface, her heart had already started churning. What does the Emperor mean by this? In the end, it was still a joke or did he really have feelings for her. However, after careful consideration, it seemed somewhat abnormal today.


    Fu Yuheng saw that she was silent and did not get angry. He merely leaned forward and said, "Could it be that you''ve been scared silly? Why aren''t you talking? "


    The conversation between the two was not low, even Lian Yun who was attending by the side had her ears turned red. The emperor is serious, how can he say such shameful words in such a public place.


    "My beloved concubine, have you finished eating?" Fu Yuheng leaned back in his chair and pulled Shen Qingwan into his embrace. "Then, he raised his hand to signal for everyone to clean up." "Come, let''s go back."


    "Chenqie''s meaning is ¡­"


    Before he could finish his words, Fu Yuheng laughed in a low voice. "That''s right, I''m tired. Why don''t you help me bathe and change?" At this moment, he didn''t forget to pull her in front of him.


    Shen Qingwan tightly held onto the handkerchief, her entire body was tense. In the end, she was still an inexperienced girl, how could she withstand such teasing? Ye Zichen also looked around randomly, while he didn''t know how to reply.


    "Since my beloved concubine won''t say anything, then I''ll take it that you''ve agreed." In his eyes, she was rather cute. She was not as indifferent as she used to be, and her eyes were filled with panic. Just like that little rabbit, it was so innocent that people couldn''t help but take liberties with it.


    However, since Fu Yuheng had spoken, he could only obey. He stopped his panicked expression and forced herself to take a bath while pretending to be calm and collected. He didn''t dare to be negligent for even a second.


    "My beloved concubine, I''m waiting for you." Leaving Shen Qingwan and Fu Yuheng, who had yet to react, walked into the room alone.


    Even though he is the emperor, he couldn''t care less when he meets Shen Qingwan like this.


    At night, the curtains of the bed swayed in the wind. The moon hid shyly behind the clouds. The incense was dense, and the entire room was suffused with a sense of shyness. People couldn''t help but sink into it, as if it was something else entirely.


    After three chimes, Shen Qingwan woke up, and rubbed her sleepy eyes. Her body was still sore, she turned around and saw that the seat beside her was empty. She reached out her hand to touch it, and even the temperature did not leave a trace. This made her feel somewhat disappointed, but she also knew that what happened last night was already a great favor.


    "Creak ¨C" The sandalwood door was pushed open. Shen Qingwan raised her head and saw that it was Lian Yun who had brought in the copper basin for washing up.


    "Empress, you''re awake?" Seeing that Shen Qing Wan had awoken, Lian Yun immediately ran over with a smile on his face to help her bathe.


    She looked towards the door and faintly saw that there seemed to be someone else standing there. Shen Qingwan was puzzled and frowned. Lian Yun, do you see anyone outside? "


    Only then did Lian Yun follow her gaze and looked over, and when he did, there really was a person standing outside the door. Empress, this servant will go take a look. "


    When he opened the door to take a look, Lian Yun saw that there was someone outside and quickly turned his body, "Sun Gonggong."


    "Ai ¡­" I wonder how Concubine Xian is doing? " The Sun Gonggong knew that the Emperor spent the night in Consort Xian''s palace and was very amiable towards Lian Yun. The Emperor has sent us to take a look! "


    "Thank you, your majesty, for your concern, Sun Gonggong." Shen Qingwan''s voice sounded from within the room. She took light steps and wore a simple bun after she finished bathing. Her tone was as gentle as ever.


    Sun Gonggong looked at Shen Qingwan in admiration, "Concubine Xian needs to rest well, the Emperor is really concerned about this." Finished speaking, he waved his hand towards behind him and said, "Men! Bring out the reward bestowed by the Emperor to the Concubine Xian!"


    Shen Qingwan was surprised to hear what Sun Gonggong had said. She remained calm on the surface, afraid that after today''s matter, it would be a fight to the death.


    "Thank you, your majesty!" Shen Qing Wan blessed her body and took the list with her hands. Shen Qing Wan didn''t forget to give him a gold ingot at the same time.


    "Take care, eunuch!"


    After sending off the Sun Gonggong, Shen Qingwan returned to her room. She didn''t know if she was happy or sad, but now, she had been pushed to the upper hand. Her hair was tied back in a bun by Lian Yun, and she had changed into a suitable palace uniform.


    "Esteemed Empress, it looks like this Consort Xian isn''t an easy target!" Gui mama whispered into Xiao Shushen''s ear while she rubbed her shoulders.


    Xiao Shushen fiddled with her own armor, and when she looked up again, there was a hint of hatred in her eyes. Humph! She wanted to see just how much this Shen Qingwan could create in this harem!

 C22

    "You ¡­" Xiao Shushen whispered into the ears of the Gui mama, the smile on his face making people feel cold.


    Gui mama listened and nodded his head, his face smiling incessantly.


    At this time, there were always people who were afraid of getting into trouble.


    Xiao Shushen looked up at Shen Qingwan, but didn''t let her get up. This was obviously a show of force on her. She knew that what happened last night wouldn''t be over so easily, but she didn''t expect it to be so unforgettable for the empress.


    The atmosphere suddenly froze. carrageenan could not watch any longer and put down the teacup in his hand. Empress Sis, Elder Sister Consort Xian is still waiting for you to let her get up. "


    Xiao Shushen looked like she had just seen it, she immediately raised her head and smiled apologetically at Shen Qing Wan, "Really, look at my eyes, I don''t see Consort Xian''s sister still standing here."


    Shen Qingwan was not angry, and raised her head to smile, "I''m afraid elder sister didn''t rest well last night, so I''m a little tired today." As though she was very considerate, she looked at Xiao Shushen with worry. "I remember that the things the Emperor sent over today included a hundred-year-old ginseng. After a while, my sister would go back to the courtyard and bring that ginseng over to elder sister to supplement my nourishment."


    These words were as sincere as they could be. However, when everyone heard them, they all felt displeased.


    carrageenan, who was drinking tea, nearly vomited when he heard this.


    "It looks like big sister really misses the empress!" As if she felt that she had not said enough, she added another sentence. Xiao Shushen''s eyes were bloodshot from sobbing, but he was not able to flare up.


    "Little sister, don''t joke around. Those things were gifted to you by the Emperor. Just keep them well. Big sister doesn''t lack anything here." Xiao Shushen clenched his teeth, and it was as if she was spitting out words from between his teeth.


    She only had two ginseng from over a hundred years ago, so she hadn''t seen them for a few days. She didn''t expect that the Emperor had already spoiled her to such an extent. He once again looked at Shen Qingwan in her heart. This Consort Xian was probably not as simple as he seemed.


    "Gui mama, did you bring the Falling Flower Hairpin that I asked you to prepare?" Xiao Shushen waved his hand towards the back.


    "Your servant has arrived." Gui mama hastily handed over a embroidered box. The brocade box emitted a strange fragrance, it seemed to be the fragrance of osmanthus flowers.


    Receiving the embroidered box, Xiao Shushen stood up and slowly walked forward, looking in the direction of Shen Qingwan.


    "Come here, little sister." Taking a step forward, he grabbed Shen Qingwan''s wrist and brought her back to the soft couch on top of her.


    "At this time, the brocade box opened once again." Little sister, look at this hairpin. Big sister specially made this flower hairpin for you a few days ago. You''ve put in a lot of effort in making it. Look. Is she good-looking? "


    Xiao Shushen''s sudden move to curry favor with her caused Shen Qing Wan to be stunned. She was unsure of what her intentions were, but she could only follow her plan and not decline.


    "What is elder sister talking about?" This hairpin looks very ingenious, so of course it''s pretty. " Shen Qingwan smiled as she held the handkerchief to her lips. She said it was the truth. This hairpin was made entirely out of gold, and the osmanthus flower on it was so lifelike that it must have cost a lot of silver taels.


    "Esteemed Empress can''t be merciful?" Otherwise the sisters would be jealous. " Liu Chugrong teased.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t raise her head, but kept on observing their expressions. As a result, the scheming in the empress''s eyes was also noticed. Right now, she could not see anything wrong with the hairpin, but from the looks of it, Xiao Shushen''s calculations were definitely related to the hairpin.


    "Since little sister likes it, this hairpin will be given to little sister. In these past few days, I haven''t given little sister a present. At most, I have only given her a present." Xiao Shushen stuffed the hairpin and the embroidered box into her hands.


    It was truly a good plan. No matter what happened to the hairpin in the future, everyone saw her taking it today. In their eyes, she was now part of the empress''s faction.


    "This hairpin is so precious, how can I accept it ¡­" Shen Qingwan seemed to truly not dare to do anything to him, both of her hands pushed him away, while worry and worry appeared in her eyes.


    "Could it be that little sister thinks my greeting gift wasn''t good enough?" When it came to acting skills, the people from the harem could only be said to be each stronger than the last. Xiao Shushen seemed to be a little hurt as she used her hands to cover her chest.


    "Just keep it Consort Xian''s sister. We sisters still can''t get the empress''s reward if we want it, so don''t be so cheap as to act good." Consort De opened her mouth in jealousy.


    As expected, when she raised her head, she saw that the other concubines were all looking at her, as if she didn''t know how to appreciate favors. However, she knew that this hairpin was not easy to obtain. Seeing this, Shen Qingwan could only accept the box, "Then chenqie will thank the empress very much."


    Just this one greeting was enough to cause a smell of gunpowder, so he didn''t know how to live the rest of his life.


    First of all, there was no doubt that the Empress Dowager was going to summon her.


    After returning from Phoenix Nest Palace, Shen Qingwan looked out the window in a daze, and sighed from time to time. This made Lian Yun very worried.

 C23

    What was wrong with the Empress? The emperor had obviously bestowed her quite a bit today, and even the empress had given her a hairpin. Why was she still sighing now? Lian Yun was naturally puzzled.


    Shen Qingwan looked at the brocade box beside her, smiling bitterly.


    But what could she do? No matter what, she couldn''t avoid coercion. As a member of the Shen family, she couldn''t just leave the Shen family be. Moreover, she still needed to consider the words that the emperor said to her a few days ago. She wanted to know what he meant by saying that her father forced her to do so.


    "Here!" Lian Yun lowered her head and retreated. When she turned around, he did not see a single tear fall from the corner of Shen Qingwan''s eyes.


    How many people would go to the harem in order to be rich and powerful? And how many people would be trapped in this cage because of this? Was it worth it?


    Not long later, Lian Yun returned with the zither. Empress, here is your zither. "


    Speaking of which, Shen Qingwan''s zither arts weren''t particularly good either, but she had learnt some, and she could even play one or two of the melody songs.


    At this moment, there was a melodious zither song in the courtyard, causing the entire atmosphere to become quiet and gentle. Like her, she was indifferent and incorruptible.


    It was exactly because she hadn''t entered this harem before. Was she now with someone she loved, respectful and without so much trouble?


    He sighed sorrowfully, and even the sound of the zither started to wail as well.


    Fu Yuheng could no longer hold on to the paper money as he stood up and left the hall. Just as Sun Gonggong wanted to follow, he saw Yue Yang raise his hand, signalling him to leave.


    When Fu Yuheng arrived at the front of Shen Qingwan''s courtyard, he could hear the sound of a zither coming from the courtyard. So it turned out that she also had his own troubles. So it turned out that she also had his own grudges.


    He raised his hand to knock on the gate, but in the end, he stopped and turned around to leave.


    Shen Qingwan who was inside did not notice. After the song, she went back to her room.


    The next morning, when he woke up, he felt extremely exhausted, and it was difficult for him to lift his eyelids. He rubbed his split head and opened his mouth, only to find that his voice was somewhat hoarse.


    "Lian Yun, help me pour some water."


    Hearing that, Lian Yun rushed in from the outside and poured water. Seeing her pale face, she became anxious. Could it be that she caught a cold last night?


    "Empress, why is your face so pale? Could it be that you''ve suffered from a cold?" Please take a rest, this servant will call the imperial physician over! " After tucking her in, Lian Yun ran out.


    As soon as he walked out of the yard, he ran into La Mei that he had bought for Liu Chugrong. In a panic, the two crashed into each other.


    "Ah, don''t you even have eyes? Can''t you see that there''s someone here? " The clothes in La Mei''s hands fell to the ground. There was a cry of surprise followed by a scolding. She was someone with the imperial concubine, so most female servants would avoid her. But now that she had been hit, they were naturally unwilling to accept it.


    Lian Yun quickly apologized. She was in a hurry to find Shen Qingwan''s doctor, she couldn''t waste too much time here.


    When La Mei looked up, she realized that it was Lian Yun who was standing next to Shen Qingwan. She thought to herself, "Oh, aren''t they people from Concubine Xian''s side? Why are you so flustered? What do you have to do? "


    Seeing this, it was obvious that there was some urgent matter at hand. This was a good opportunity.


    "My imperial concubine is sick, I have to hurry and get an imperial physician." Sorry to trouble you, big sister Lamei, but forgive me this time. " Lian Yun knew that she was someone close to Liu Chugrong, so he didn''t want to pester her too much.


    "But how could she possibly let him leave so easily?" "That won''t do. It must be known that our Empress specially ordered all of these clothes. Now that you''ve fallen on the ground and are blaming me for this, how am I supposed to report this to the Empress when the time comes?"


    Lian Yun was extremely anxious, she did not know what to do. It was true that she had bumped into her, but the Empress was still waiting for her to bring the imperial physician back. Sister Lamei, I really need to hurry back, but can I come back and find you after calling you? "


    Helpless, she could only lower her head. However, Lamei still refused to let go. Even after being pushed a few times, Lian Yun still fell to the ground.


    "Impudent!" What are you all doing!? " A dignified voice sounded from behind the two of them. The moment they turned their heads, the two of them hurriedly kneeled on the ground.


    "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"


    Lamei thought to himself, this is bad. How could I have met the Emperor at this time? Thinking of this, his face turned pale.


    "Do you all know the rules of the palace?" Fu Yuheng was clearly angry, but when he saw that one of them was actually the girl beside Shen Qingwan, he became slightly puzzled. "Speak, what happened?"


    When Lian Yun heard this, it was as if she had received an amnesty. She was no longer hesitant about angering Long Wei. "Your majesty, please save my esteemed mistress!"


    As expected, Fu Yuheng''s expression immediately changed the moment those words left his mouth.


    Shen Qingwan? What happened to her?


    Perhaps it was because of that night, or perhaps it was because she was his concubine.


    Ignoring the two kneeling on the ground, they walked towards Shen Qingwan''s yard in a few steps. Even the guards outside were shocked.


    What kind of great event had happened for the emperor to be so anxious?


    Pushing open Shen Qingwan''s door, she saw the person lying on the bed had a pale face, but her entire body was emitting heat.

 C24

    "Someone, call the imperial physician over!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Lian Yun rushed in with the imperial physician, his small face filled with anxiety. Your Majesty, the imperial physician is here! " After the Emperor left, she went to the Imperial Physician Courtyard without the slightest hesitation, just in time.


    "Your majesty!" "Move your finger away from Shen Qingwan''s wrist and turn around to bow." Concubine Xian probably suffered from a cold, and adding on the depression in his heart, it caused his Qi and blood to be insufficient. I hope that the Emperor will not be worried. This old official will help the Concubine Xian capture the medicine, and in a few days, he will be able to recover. "During this period of time, I hope that the Empress does not eat too much oil and just a little more vegetables."


    "You just said that fox spirit is sick?" As the anger in his heart dissipated, he remembered what Lamei had just said.


    "In reply to the Empress, yes." Lamei whispered as he didn''t dare to say anything else for fear of getting slapped again.


    Liu Chu Rong gloated a few times and in the blink of an eye, his expression became extremely sinister. His eyes were staring outside the window as if Shen Qing Wan was there. After a few breaths, he calmed down again, as if nothing had happened.


    "The Consort Xian''s sister is sick. As your big sister, I have to take care of her, no?" "She sat down and beckoned for La Mei, who was sitting beside her, to come over." Draw a gorgeous makeup for me! "


    Her courtyard wasn''t far from Shen Qingwan''s courtyard, and only a quarter of an hour passed.


    "Greetings Imperial Concubine!"


    "Eh? Isn''t this carrageenan? Why are you here? " It was quite a coincidence. As he was walking, he saw the carrageenan hiding inside the fake mountain.


    "No need to trouble Imperial Concubine. As for my sister''s problem, I will settle it myself." Li Ruotong pushed away the autumn water and walked out of the fake mountain. There were still obvious traces of tears on his face. His sister was a little tired, so she went back first. Thank you, Imperial Concubine, for your concern. "Autumn Water, let''s go."


    Liu Chu Rong stomped his feet in anger, swung his sleeves and stomped towards Shen Qing Wan''s yard. He didn''t know whether it was because he had gone out today and didn''t check out the calendar or if he had run into a wall everywhere.


    "Imperial Concubine, please wait a moment. The Empress is not well today. The Emperor has instructed that no one else is to disturb her." As soon as he walked to the front of the yard, he was met with another surprise.


    "Esteemed Empress, this ¡­" Lamei pursed her lips to the side.


    "Humph!" to the palace! " Liu Chu Rong''s face alternated between green and purple. He had already gained a favor, yet he still dared to treat her like this! She remembered what happened today. If the heavens were to suffer from her coldness, don''t blame her for being merciless! Her beautiful face was twisted, and Palace People quickly hid from her.


    Esteemed wangfei didn''t seem to be in a good mood today. She had to hurry and hide, or else she would be punished if she accidentally fell victim to any side effects.


    This matter couldn''t help but reach the empress dowager''s ears as well. She paused for a moment before opening her eyes to look at the sky and sigh. It''s all life! "


    Shen Qingwan sat on the bed. After the emperor and the imperial physician left, she had actually woken up. Furthermore, the autumn water just now was already over. However, at that time, no one had seen it.


    Ruo Tong, oh Ruo Tong, what do you want me to do!


    "Cough, cough ¡­"


    After lowering his head and coughing a few times, Lian Yun hurriedly passed the water over. "Empress, don''t worry. You''re still sick!" Her mistress was always like this, too kind-hearted. In this harem, she could hardly care about others, much less others.


    She secretly pursed her lips, Lian Yun did not say anymore, she was a servant she was full of thoughts, but her mother still did not listen to her advice.


    "Here!" Lian Yun replied. As sshe walked out, he closed the door.


    After leaving the fake mountain, Li Ruotong returned to her room. She felt a burst of frustration in her heart, but really, she had no place to vent it off. Qiushui, what did Elder Sister Consort Xian say? "


    Qiushui helped Li Ruotong fix the makeup on her face while shaking her head. Her eyes were somewhat blank as she said, "No, I only said that I wanted the Empress to calm down a little. "Please forgive this servant for being so stupid, but I can''t make out the meaning behind those words."


    Qiu Shui was confused by their conversation. She could not understand what the two of them were up to, and she could not ask too many questions about her master.


    The days passed quickly. After Shen Qingwan recovered from her illness, she liked to go out for a walk even more. Perhaps it was because she was not feeling well and always stayed in the house, but she actually wanted to go out for a walk at this time. She would go and talk to Li Ruotong whenever she had nothing to do, but because she was afraid that would talk to him, she didn''t do it every day.


    The old empress dowager hadn''t come to find her in the past few days, which was a lot quieter. However, Liu Jiaorong seemed to have calmed down quite a bit in the past few days, as if there was less provocation in going to the empress dowager. The only thing that wasn''t enough was that in the past few days, the Emperor hadn''t shown up even once, except when she''d just gotten sick.


    Ai, I don''t know what was on his mind. He clearly didn''t come to avoid a lot of trouble, but his heart was in a mess. From time to time, he would talk about that person outside the window. Could it be that he had really fallen in love? That was impossible.

 C25

    "Concubine Xian, the Empress invited you to the garden at the back." There was a bit of worry in Shen Qing Wan''s eyes. It had been a month since her recovery, but there hadn''t been any movements during these few days, so why did he suddenly call her over?


    Although she was puzzled, the empress had an invitation, so she naturally had to go over. Otherwise, who knew how much of a pampered and proud she was in the eyes of outsiders, to the point where she dared to reject the empress''s invitation.


    Xiao Shushen laughed in a natural manner, "Where are the big days? "It''s just that I''ve seen these flowers blooming so well today, and I''ve summoned you all here to relax." She picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and placed it in her mouth, then gestured for Shen Qingwan to come over and sit.


    "Yi, why don''t we go to the lake and feed the fishes? Since we''ve already come out, we might as well find some fun since we have nothing better to do." The Consort De''s eyes lit up as she looked at the lake not far away and suddenly made a suggestion. "What do you think, esteemed empress?"


    "Sure." Xiao Shushen''s eyes flashed, but she did not reject.


    At this time, Li Ruotong seemed to be in a bit of a difficult position. She slowly stood up and frowned, as if she was worried about something, and pulled on Xiao Qingwan''s sleeve. Xiao Qing Wan turned her head to take a look. She didn''t know what was going on with her, but she knew that she didn''t want to get too close to the lake.


    But before the two could say anything, Liu Chu Rong walked over, "Why aren''t you two here? Could it be that you think that this suggestion isn''t good? " When these words came out, not only the two of them, even the Consort De''s expression changed.


    "Of course not." Shen Qing Wan pulled Li Ruotong and walked down from the pavilion, her hatred towards her growing.


    There were many different colors of carp in the lake, and the ones swimming around were also very pretty. Every time the remains of the cake fell down, the fish would come swimming over.


    Xiao Shushen walked over from the side and stopped beside the two of them. Is my sister ill? I see that my sister''s face is a bit pale. " She didn''t know if she really cared about her, but she could actually lower her voice as if to cover her up.


    After Li Ruotong heard this, her face became even paler, and her eyes became a little panicked. Your concubine is fine, please rest assured esteemed empress. " She clenched her teeth and forced a smile, but still did not speak the truth.


    "Sister is probably thinking about something shameful, right?" Liu Chugrong rushed over from somewhere with a smile that made people feel a chill coming from behind. She then took another step forward, forcing Li Ruotong to retreat backwards. Just as she was about to fall into the lake.


    Li Ruotong lowered her head, her face becoming more and more pale as she protected her lower abdomen with her hands. When Shen Qingwan saw her current state, her heart froze as she looked towards her stomach. Could it be...


    Right at this time, without knowing what was going on, Liu Xiurong felt a pain in his leg, followed by his body becoming weak, and unsteadily pouncing towards Li Ruotong.


    Everyone cried out in alarm, but even the Queen who was closest to Shen Qing Wan couldn''t save him in time as they watched Li Ruotong fall. On the other hand, Liu Chu Rong fell to the ground a distance away from the lake.


    There was only a "splash" as a large splash of water flew out. All of the imperial concubines retreated in fright. Some of them were even more brazen than the others and started shrieking uncontrollably.


    Even Xiao Shushen had turned pale at this moment. If someone fell in front of her eyes, she would be implicated no matter what. The situation suddenly went out of control. Shen Qingwan wasn''t able to swim well, so she could only call the guards over to save her.


    Panic was written all over the faces of the imperial concubines ¨C they had lost all color. Who would have thought that such a thing would happen? After a few looks, their eyes were all on the Queen and Liu Xiugrong.


    Could it be because of these two? Everyone had this question in their hearts. It was the empress''s idea to come to the back garden after all, and everyone had seen Liu Xiangrong push people down.


    He would pass out if he fished him out of the water. There was no danger to his life.


    Xiao Shushen let all the imperial concubines head back first, and had them bring Li Ruotong back to her courtyard. It was only then that things settled down. After a while, there was only Liu Xiangrong left standing still. Until now, she still hadn''t realized what had happened. She clearly didn''t want to push her down!


    At this time, everyone had dispersed, but her mind was still in a state of turmoil!


    On the other side, the imperial physician, who had finished checking his pulse, came out and shook his head. Seeing that there were only the empress and Li Ruotong''s servant in the room, the imperial physician could only mumble out a few words before finally opening his mouth under Xiao Shushen''s attentive gaze.


    "Reporting to the Empress, this old official has already done his best. The Queen''s body is fine, but I''m afraid this child will not be able to protect her."


    With that said, Xiao Shushen''s body shook! Li Ruotong losing her child was naturally a good thing, but what she definitely shouldn''t have was that the accident happened while she was holding a tea ceremony to admire the flowers! If the emperor knew, she would definitely be implicated!


    At this time, only Liu Chugrong and a group of guards were left in the imperial garden.

 C26

    "The Emperor has arrived."


    Everyone crawled on the ground and shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" Fu Yuheng did not have the slightest trace of a smile on his face. His ice-cold expression emitted a domineering aura as if he was looking down on the world.


    By the time she regained her senses, Fu Yuheng had already walked up to her. Without his command, no one dared to stand up; they could only obediently kneel on the ground.


    The cold words seemed to have come from hell, causing Liu Chugrong''s heart to leap into his throat. Fu Yuheng wasn''t looking at her, but rather at the lake, which made her feel cold behind her back. He felt as if Fu Yuheng was looking at her.


    "Where''s the carrageenan?"


    "carrageenan... Oh, Little Sister carrageenan has returned to the palace to rest. " Because of Fu Yuheng''s words, he felt dizzy and didn''t know how to reply. Until the pain in his lips returned to her, she answered hurriedly and confidently, as if she had a flash of inspiration.


    "Really?" Fu Yuheng turned around and fixed his calm eyes on Liu Xiurong. He could clearly feel that his body was trembling slightly but he didn''t show it. He pretended to not know what had happened.


    The next second, Fu Yuheng asked harshly. The anger on his face made Liu Chugrong feel as if he was really done for. "But why did I hear that the carrageenan had fallen into the water?"


    Liu Chugrong didn''t hear Fu Yuheng''s words clearly. The word ''water'' magnified several times in her mind. The sticky feeling in her palm made her even more nervous.


    She quickly lowered her head. She was no longer as confident as before. On the contrary, she was feeling guilty.


    Fu Yuheng harrumphed. His gaze swept across the group of people at the side. Every time he looked at a person, he would see that person sweating like a man facing a great enemy.


    "Imperial Physician." Fu Yuheng said in a soft voice. Immediately, someone ran over and knelt on the ground.


    The imperial physician glanced at Liu Chugrong, his white hair hanging on the ground. He could not help but comment inwardly, "This official is here!"


    Fu Yuheng''s back was facing the imperial physician as he looked at the distant sky, and occasionally looked at the lake water in front of him. His deep and serene eyes made it difficult to clearly see what he was thinking, and his tone was flat, as if he didn''t really care about the carrageenan at all.


    "carrageenan, she... "She." The imperial physician was clearly hesitating. Liu Chu Rong''s thin body began to tremble more and more, as if she would faint the moment the imperial physician spoke those words.


    Fu Yuheng became slightly impatient. His voice carried a trace of impatience as he said, "Quickly, speak!"


    "The carrageenan is fine, but the child in her womb was not saved, please grieve, Your Majesty!" The imperial physician blurted it out.


    As soon as she said it, Liu Chugrong seemed to have seen a ghost. Her eyes were as wide as copper bells, filled with fear and worry. Her originally good looks, when matched with her expression, made people feel frightened.


    Fu Yuheng immediately turned around, looking extremely angry, "What? Tell me exactly what''s going on, one at a time, or else ¡­ When he said here, he suddenly stopped. Even if he did not continue, it would have been enough to let everyone know.


    After listening to all the speeches, Fu Yuheng smiled coldly. He had never laughed so much before, but most people did not like his laugh. On the contrary, he was nervous. Haha! Good! "Alright!"


    "Imperial Concubine, what do you say!" Fu Yuheng asked while glaring at her.


    Liu Chugrong lied without batting an eyelid. Fu Yuheng was increasingly disappointed by her gaze. It was as if she felt something and instantly understood something. He opened his mouth but did not say a single word.


    "Imperial Consort!" "You still want to give me an excuse even now?" Fu Yuheng faintly showed signs of going into a rage. However, he endured it in the end. He forcefully suppressed his anger, preventing himself from erupting on the spot.


    However, she still insisted that she was right.


    "Imperial Consort, you''ve really disappointed me." As if he was truly disappointed, Fu Yuheng shook his head as if he could not bear it any longer, and said with a trace of anger, "I declare that Liu Chugrong had lost his virginity because he was not a good person. He caused my child to die prematurely before he was even born, and his crimes have increased to the point of being worthy of nobility! "Considering the Liu Family''s contribution, I have spared you this time. You should reflect on yourself."


    After Fu Yuheng finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves and left.


    Like a puppet whose soul had been stripped away, she sat paralyzed on the ground, unable to live another life.


    The people around her had all disappeared, leaving only the few people in her palace to persuade her. Liu Chugrong was annoyed by them and shouted, "Scram for me." Just like a shrew.


    The servants didn''t say anything else and just quietly looked at Liu Chugrong.

 C27

    "What did you say!" Prime Minister Liu suddenly stood up from the writing, both of his hands slapped the table, causing the brush to shake, as it rolled down the floor, straight to the messenger''s feet.


    The servant who reported the news trembled in fear and lowered his head even lower. He had also just received news from the palace, so this had nothing to do with him! " Old... Old Master, Servant ¡­ This servant heard it from the little tree in the palace, so it shouldn''t be wrong. " The little tree was his playmate in the countryside, and he was the one who told him everything that happened in the palace.


    How could things turn out like this? It was with great difficulty that he managed to climb to the position of imperial concubine, but such a thing happened. He attacked the imperial concubine, and even caused harm to the emperor''s descendants?


    "Then old master''s meaning is ¡­" When Lady Liu saw his calm appearance, she knew that he had already made up his mind.


    Prime Minister Liu did not keep them in suspense, his fingers rhythmically drummed on the table, and said: "In a few days, the palace will calm down a bit, you can go to Chu Rong''s place, or ask Chu Rong for someone to bring back a message, and ask about the situation on that day."


    The two talked for a while before the Liu Estate finally calmed down. However, he had never expected that things would continue to go on like this. Shen Qingwan paced back and forth in her yard uneasily. She never thought that Li Ruotong would actually have a child, and that child might not even be the Emperor''s!


    That day when she was sick, Li Ruotong had sent a note to her from Jiu Shui sect, which was to inform her that she had an affair with Ye Feng! In the past few days, the Emperor hadn''t stayed in her courtyard, so the child was most likely his. It was no wonder why she seemed so abnormal in the garden. It was because she knew that he was pregnant.


    After thinking about it, Shen Qingwan also felt a little guilty. If it wasn''t for the fact that someone wanted to pull her down, this situation wouldn''t have happened. It would be alright if the emperor didn''t know, but if he knew that this child wasn''t his ¡­


    In the end, Shen Qing Wan still decided to wait until the limelight had passed in a few days, to go to Li Ruotong''s place and see what she had in mind before making her decision.


    The people outside the palace were in a state of panic due to the commotion, especially Fu Yuheng. That was his child, so how could he just let it go like that? However, Fu Yuheng did not look upset at all. After dealing with Liu Chugrong, he was even calmer, but it made everyone even more worried and anxious.


    Fu Yuheng sat on a chair, his chin resting on his hand. His gaze was unfathomable. Liu Chugrong, Liu Chugrong, this time, you have given me a good chance. If it wasn''t for her, he really wouldn''t have been able to find her father''s loophole.


    "Let''s go to carrageenan''s place to take a look." Raising his dragon robe, Sun Ning hurriedly followed along.


    He didn''t dare to suspect the Emperor''s thoughts, as he had been diligently these past few days, afraid of making any mistakes. Niangniang, why didn''t you tell this servant that you were pregnant! Otherwise, this servant will definitely be the first one to rush out and protect you! " Qiu Shui squatted on the side of the bed with tears in her eyes, holding Li Ruotong''s hand, her heart ached. Her concubine had treated her the best, but now she had failed to protect her. Her tears made Li Ruotong feel helpless.


    "Alright, silly girl!" It''s not your fault, why are you crying. " Li Ruotong laughed out loud. Fortunately, the child had only been pregnant for a month, so even if he had miscarried, his body still wouldn''t have any major ailments. However, this matter made her feel extremely disappointed. This was her and Ye Feng''s flesh and blood. Even if they knew that they might not be able to hold on, they would not be able to stop their hatred towards Liu Chu Rong.


    "Your majesty!" The voices outside the door attracted their attention.


    Qiushui was anxious to stand up, but she didn''t expect her legs to go numb from squatting for too long. She almost fell down, but she still steadied her body and stood properly. On the other hand, Li Ruotong bit her lips on the bed, she was in a panic.


    "We pay our respects to the Emperor!"


    "Rise!" Fu Yuheng looked at her indifferently as she knelt on the bed. He didn''t have the slightest intention of showing pity. Seeing that there were other people around, he pretended to say: "carrageenan''s health is not good, it''s better to lie down, there''s no need to be so polite." He stretched out his hands to help her lie down and then sat on the edge of the bed before waving them down.


    Sun Ning was already an elder of the palace, so he naturally understood the emperor''s intentions and took the lead to leave. The others left as well.


    "carrageenan''s stomach is really trying its best!" Fu Yu glared viciously at her. His gaze was clearly filled with anger, causing her entire body to feel ice-cold. It was as though even her blood was about to freeze over.


    "But I clearly remember that nothing happened between us, and where did this child come from?" His eyes narrowed slightly, his fingers picking at her chin.


    Li Ruotong felt a sense of suffocation, as though a pair of invisible hands was pinching her neck, making it hard for her to breathe.


    "Did he jump out from a rock?" Fu Yuheng put his head close to her ear, and the words with a smile that was not a smile drilled into her ear. They were like sharp blades that pierced towards her heart.

 C28

    "Your Majesty ¡­" "Ch¨¦n, ch¨¦n ¡­" Li Ruotong was so scared that her face turned white, and she started kowtowing on the bed.


    Fu Yuheng actually knew about her relationship with Ye Feng a long time ago, but because he truly didn''t have any feelings for her and since she was still useful, he had kept an eye out for her. However, he did not expect the two of them to do such a thing right under his nose. Although he was conniving, but it was still unjustifiable in who, not to mention that he was the emperor!


    He only felt dizzy for a moment, this meant that Ye Feng would definitely be implicated, right? She shouldn''t have kept this child for so long. If she had known earlier, she would have drank a bowl of abortion medicine! However, when she had brought the medicine to her mouth, she hadn''t been able to harden her heart. Tears rolled down her cheeks, drop by drop. How regretful she was!


    "Autumn water, I am fine, there is no need to go." Tears rolled down Li Ruotong''s face as he wiped them away. Fortunately, the Emperor didn''t want to kill them.


    Scratching her head, she was still puzzled by her mistress''s behavior. However, since she had smiled, she felt at ease.


    On her side, she did not receive too much punishment due to Fu Yuheng''s indulgence. She had only secretly let Sun Ning pass on a message, telling her not to go out for the time being.


    However, everyone in the imperial court was panicking.


    "Is the General Shen questioning this prime minister!?" Prime Minister Liu opened his eyes wide, and his beard fluttered.


    Salt merchants in southern Fujian have been running rampant recently, while local officials have been lax in their management. Even though the imperial government has monopolized most of the salt, there are still people who are taking advantage of the opportunity to sell it at a low price. Furthermore, he wanted to buy out the official salt and export it at a high price.


    "Your majesty, if this magistrate is not replaced, wouldn''t that be a disturbance in the imperial court? May your majesty be enlightened!"


    Fu Yuheng sat upright on the dragon throne and pondered over the following suggestion. However, when he heard the Prime Minister Liu''s words, he frowned.


    Although he is a martial general, he still has his own views on this matter. " Replace them? How could it be that easy? "First of all, let''s not talk about where we should find a local government official to take care of the salt problem. Even if it were someone else, how many people would be able to manage it?" Actually, there wasn''t just one local official in the southern part of the Ming Dynasty. There had already been one before, but that place was relatively chaotic, and basically, not many people were willing to go there.


    "Do you really want me to leave such a useless person around?" "Prime Minister Liu glared at him angrily, as if she was going to pounce on him and bite him at any moment." Your majesty, you must not leave this magistrate alive! "


    The person on the dragon throne frowned. Was this matter really that troublesome? The issue of the salt had long been brought up, but it had never been dealt with. What do the others think? "


    "This ¡­" The ministers looked at each other, but no one spoke.


    "You people can''t even raise a single opinion! What is the use of having the widows support you? " Fu Yuheng slammed his hand on the table, his almond-shaped eyes beaming with anger as they swept over the people kneeling on the ground in fright. Forget it, Prime Minister Liu will continue. "


    Even if he was angry, what use was it? Wasn''t it just kneeling and begging for mercy? Taking a deep breath, he calmed the rage in his heart.


    "Your Majesty, this old subject feels that the level 1 martial uncle of General Shen does not understand how to manage this matter. How about you hand this matter over to this old subject? This old subject will definitely find a capable person to manage it!" Prime Minister Liu promised confidently, but Fu Yuheng''s complexion had already turned purple.


    "Ha!" A light laugh rang out, and the entire imperial court became abnormally quiet, their bodies simultaneously trembling. Prime Minister Liu felt his entire body turn cold, and didn''t know what he said was wrong.


    "A capable person? I think it''s your own right-hand man! " Fu Yuheng threw the paper in his hand onto the ground. It frightened everyone so much that they all shrunk their necks, not daring to even breathe.


    "Your Majesty, please enlighten me. This old subject definitely doesn''t have that intention!" Prime Minister Liu kneeled down with a thump, cold sweat trickling down his forehead as he said uneasily.


    However, Fu Yuheng originally had the intention of suppressing him, so how could he let him off so easily? These years, the Liu Family had become more and more daring. Especially after Liu Chugrong became the imperial concubine, they became more and more eager to monopolize the court. In the whole court, there were not many people who dared to oppose him.


    "Does Lord Liu feel that he is overflowing with power recently? "Hrm?" Fu Yuheng had knocked on the table and was looking at him with a faint gaze. It made him feel fear from the bottom of his heart. He also understood that the Emperor probably wanted to suppress him.


    "A few days ago, Honorable Liu injured my unborn descendant. Did he really not ask Lord Liu for an explanation?" Fu Yuheng changed the topic and suddenly mentioned Liu Chugrong.


    Whispering could already be heard from below, as Prime Minister Liu''s eyes were also being scrutinized, some of them even had a look of schadenfreude. Normally, he wouldn''t suppress them the slightest bit. Now that the Emperor was looking for trouble with him, they were happy to see that as well.

 C29

    "Your Majesty ¡­" Prime Minister Liu opened his mouth, but in the end he did not say anything. He knew that it would not be that easy to pass this matter.


    When Fu Yuheng saw that he did not explain any further, the anger in his heart dissipated slightly. He waved his hand and sat down.


    In truth, Fu Yuheng was only suppressing his arrogance. His eyes gradually became calm, like a pool of ancient water, mysterious and profound. It was said that the Emperor''s thoughts could not be doubted, so these words were not spoken without reason.


    Besides, in terms of power, he was much more worried than that old fox from the Liu Family. He also knew the situation of Shen Qingwan in the palace. The emperor''s reminder today made him even more afraid.


    The news of Prime Minister Liu being suppressed quickly spread and reached Shen Qingwan''s ears.


    Shen Qingwan, who was pruning the flowers, heard the servants'' discussion. Her hands froze as she started to think.


    But suddenly thinking of something, he put down the scissors in his hand.


    "Lian Yun, help me change! I''m going to the carrageenan to take a look. "


    It had already been a while since Li Ruotong fell into the water, so she should pay a visit to her.


    ''s body had not fully recovered yet, so it was definitely inappropriate for her to wear such a gorgeous dress.


    Lian Yun followed behind her and did not make a sound, but when she reached the entrance of the courtyard, she looked at the guards with a conflicted expression, but a complicated expression was seen by Shen Qing Wan who had just turned her head.


    He shook his head and turned away.


    "Empress, Concubine Xian has come to see you!" Autumn Water recklessly barged in, passing the message to Li Ruotong.


    "Quick!" Quick, let her in! " Li Ruotong immediately sat up with a smile on her face.


    If she were to talk about the palace, the only person she trusted was Shen Qingwan. After all, in the palace, Shen Qingwan was the only one who cared about her. As for the others, hmph! It was nothing more than a cry from a cat.


    Pushing open the door, Shen Qingwan walked in with a smile. However, there was some unavoidably worry in her eyes. Is my sister better? " She sat on the side of the bed and pulled Li Ruotong''s hand.


    These days, she really did miss her. She was obviously soft-hearted, but it was as if her body was covered in thorns. However, he acted like a sister to her. After all, there was neither a conflict of interest nor an emotional conflict between the two of them.


    "All of you can leave first!" Li Ruotong saw that she was giving her a meaningful glance, she extended her hand to signal for everyone to retreat, the two of them could no longer continue to hide their words, it was better to just spit them out quickly.


    "Ruo Tong, tell me honestly, is this child really that person''s?!" Her expression suddenly became serious, and even if she did not say it directly, Li Ruotong knew that she was talking about Ye Feng.


    As she thought of this, she couldn''t help but cry again. It was different from her usual tears, but this time she looked like a child, aggrieved and heartbroken. "Elder sister!"


    Without waiting for her to say anything, Shen Qingwan knew that her guess was right. Her hands patted her back as her tone became more gentle. "Alright, stop crying. If you keep on crying, your eyes will swell up." After finishing her sentence, he saw that she had raised her head to wipe her tears away. Then, he pointed his finger at her forehead and said: "You, you! What should I say about you? "


    The crease between her eyebrows could no longer be unfurled. Now that things had come to this point, she could no longer say anything.


    "Do you know what would have happened if the emperor had known?" Shen Qingwan stood up, her eyes had a hint of disappointment in them.


    His eyes staring at Li Ruotong, Li Ruotong shrunk his neck back and lightly coughed a few times before blinking his eyes. "Elder sister, the emperor ¡­" At this point, she gritted her teeth as if she had made some sort of decision. Then, she continued, "His Majesty already knew!"


    He raised his head and looked at the dumbstruck Shen Qingwan. "His Majesty didn''t consummate the marriage with me ¡­" When he said that, he raised his head and looked at Shen Qingwan worriedly. She was like a child who had done something wrong, causing others to be at a loss as to what to say.


    Shen Qingwan was a little dazed. He didn''t try to get even with her, which meant that he knew from the start that this child wasn''t his. Furthermore, she was just a chess piece in his heart.


    Thinking about it, Shen Qing Wan looked at Li Ruotong, who had innocent eyes, and felt pity for him. Fortunately, Fu Yuheng was very indulgent towards her and could even be considered a form of protection. This allowed the pure and innocent her to survive in the harem. However, it could be said that scheming was possible. Otherwise, the harem wouldn''t have survived until now. One must know that there were people who wanted their lives here.


    After thinking through this matter, Shen Qingwan felt a lot more at ease. After all, she knew how Fu Yuheng treated her. If that was the case, he probably wouldn''t be too harsh on her.


    If one were to talk about Fu Yuheng''s understanding of him, although it had only been a few months, she did not know why, but she had such confidence in him.


    "Then has the emperor come to see you?" Shen Qingwan raised her brows, sizing up the unharmed person in front of her.


    "Hehe, the emperor has already come ¡­" Li Ruotong pulled her hand as if she was trying to curry favor with her, as if she was completely heartless. However, there was still a lingering fear in her heart.

 C30

    Shen Qing Wan looked at Li Ruotong without leaving a trace, she had to admit that this girl was really lucky, the Emperor did not blame her. However, it was no wonder. If not for her falling into the water, the Emperor would not have found any clues about the Prime Minister Liu.


    "Ruo Tong, you need to be careful in the future, you cannot be so willful, do you know that?" Helpless, he pulled up the brocade blanket for her, so he had more thoughts in his mind. The Emperor would not treat her harshly, at least not for a short period of time.


    "What is my beloved concubine thinking so deeply? You can''t even pay attention to the road? " There was a magnetic sound coming from beside her ear. The person''s hand was still on her waist due to the support of her body that was thrown backwards just now. Looking from afar, her posture was very ambiguous.


    Shen Qingwan lowered sher head, "Chenqie has already heard the rumors outside." In fact, she had been thinking about this as well, which was why she was lost in thought. She was worried that something would happen to her father if this continued, so she had been thinking of a foolproof plan. However, after thinking for a long time, he still couldn''t think of what she should do.


    "Then what do you think about your beloved concubine?" Fu Yuheng lifted her chin and stared straight into her eyes.


    Shen Qingwan did not avoid him and allowed him to do so, "Chenqie will find a time to tell Father." The emotionless gaze stared straight ahead without the slightest trace of fear.


    "Oh? "Alright, then I''ll be waiting for your good news." In the end, she was still the daughter of the General Shen. Fu Yuheng silently added another point to her heart.


    "Then chenqie will take her leave first." Only then did he take a deep breath and escape from the tense atmosphere. If she stayed with him for even a few more minutes, she would definitely be pressured by that powerful aura to the point that she wouldn''t be able to breathe. Fortunately, her reaction was fast enough, and she was able to escape this calamity.


    At night, Shen Qingwan was still troubled by this matter. Even when she was sleeping, Fu Yuheng had threatened her. If she did not make the General Shen hand over the military power, then the Shen family would not have a good ending. However, before she could say anything, she saw her father being tied up and sent to the guillotine.


    Shen Qingwan struggled, "No!" She suddenly woke up from her sleep and wiped the sweat off her forehead. However, the palpitation in her heart had yet to subside.


    "Empress!" But did you have a nightmare? " Lian Yun pushed open the door and entered. Just then, she had already guessed it when she heard the commotion inside, that Shen Qingwan already had this habit before she even married into the palace. Therefore, she was already used to it.


    She poured a glass of water and passed it in front of her, then carefully helped her carry it on her back. This made Shen Qingwan feel a lot better. The space between her eyebrows creased. As she recalled her dream just now, she also realized where the center was. That was the military power.


    The main reason why General Shen was feared by the emperor was because he held a heavy weapon in his hands. If he wanted to rebel, the emperor would definitely be threatened greatly, and it was also for this reason that no matter what, he would sooner or later be unable to reclaim the military power. However, it was impossible for them to hand over all the military power. Not to mention other things, they also needed this military power to protect the Shen family. If anything happened, the Emperor would have to weigh the pros and cons.


    After some thought, he finally made up his mind.


    In the morning of the second day, Shen Qing Wan ordered Lian Yun to send news back to Shen Mansion, after which she would be back for a trip.


    As the leader of the harem, the empress would naturally say that her guard was not strict. However, as the empress, she had to put up an act, and that was why she was punished, especially when she had to go to the ancestral hall to copy for three days'' worth of scriptures.


    "Empress, you said that the incident where the carrageenan''s Empress fell into the water, was it that person''s doing?" The maidservant beside Li Yu spoke in a low voice, his eyes full of schadenfreude and suspicion.


    "There''s no need for us to interfere in this matter, so don''t talk too much." He told her not to talk about it outside, but he had some guesses about it himself. She was there that day, and when the handkerchief landed on the ground, she lowered her sight and saw a stone flying over from the side and directly hit Liu Chugrong''s calf.


    That direction, was exactly the direction of Consort De! She had to make some guesses. After all, she was probably the only one who could do such a thing.


    Everyone had their own thoughts.


    This daughter of his had let him have peace of mind since childhood. Normally, he would be interested in training her, and the next few days, he would create a difficult problem for her to think about. This was also the reason why she had developed a calm and composed personality.


    Lady Shen was the happiest, after all, she was a daughter born in October. Before she was married, she held a treasure in her hands, but since she had married into the Imperial Palace, she could not return to the palace. As a mother, she missed it the most.


    "Go, Xiu-Er. Tell the kitchen to cook more dishes tonight." When people were happy, they liked to celebrate. Even though there were only these few people today, it was still very lively.


    "Sigh!" This servant will go right now! " Even the maidservants by the side had a happy look on their faces. Having received the order, they couldn''t even walk steadily and stumbled onto a rock.


    "Slow down!" When Madam Shen heard the commotion, she immediately turned her head and burst into laughter. It was obvious that she was amused by the maidservant''s actions. This child, although he had been serving in the mansion for several years, was still somewhat restless. However, because he was a child born into a family, he also felt amiable.

 C31

    While Shen Qingwan was still in the process of preparation, Liu Chugrong had already returned to the Liu Manor.


    The imperial concubines could return to their families after reporting to the emperor. However, they needed the emperor''s approval. Furthermore, in order to prevent the emperor from having any qualms, most of them didn''t dare to return often. Even if they did, they had to return only once every half a year.


    "Aiyo!" My poor daughter! " Even Lady Liu, who was standing at the side, could not hold back her tears anymore and started crying as well.


    Prime Minister Liu sighed, and glared at his daughter in disappointment. He knew that although her thoughts were ruthless, she did not want to push her daughter down when she said she did not want to push her into the water. In front of him, she would never lie, "Silly girl! You don''t even know that you''ve been treated as a target by others! "


    On the side, Lady Liu could hear his words. "Could it be that someone intentionally set up my family''s Chu Rong?" He raised his head abruptly and opened his mouth as if suddenly enlightened.


    Hearing his father''s words, he remembered that at that time, the pain on his lower leg felt more like it was hit by a stone. Even when he told Lamei to show her the next day, Lamei also said that there was a red mark on his leg, but because she was too excited at that time, she ignored it.


    "Who wants to frame me!?" I want to strangle her! " It was unknown which part of his body was stimulated, but Liu Chugrong immediately jumped up and started shouting. Even his hair was a little messy.


    Madam Liu quickly pulled her to a seat. "Calm down. You''re no longer a imperial concubine. You have to be careful with your words!" After saying that, La Mei, who was standing to the side, quickly closed the door.


    Even if she did, so what? Besides, he knew that the Emperor intended to suppress him, so how could he give her an opportunity to explain? Even if he spoke now, it would be of no use.


    At this moment, he could only record this matter down and pay more attention to it in the future.


    Liu Chu Rong calmed down, and angrily took off one of the pink jades from his armor and dropped it on the ground. It made a sound, which also hit on the minds of everyone in the room.


    Since she came back, she naturally couldn''t just talk about these annoying things. No matter what, she was still the only daughter, whether it was her father or her brothers who doted on her, otherwise her temper wouldn''t have reached this point.


    "Let''s not talk about the troublesome matters anymore. Come, Chu Rong, a few days ago, your grandmother came over to bring mother some exquisite jade hairpins. Take a look and see if there are any that are pleasing to the eye." As a mother, how could she not love her daughter? What good things were there for her? Madam Liu had always let her choose first and used the rest for herself.


    "Alright!"


    Prime Minister Liu was the only one left in the room, and the look in his eyes, where he buried his head in his hands, was a little dazed. Your majesty, your majesty, this is truly a good emperor!


    It was hard to tell if he was being nice or angry, but after laughing out loud, he calmed down for a moment, as if nothing had happened.


    Fu Yuheng''s heart quivered as he looked outside the door as if he sensed something. A cold light flashed faintly in his eyes. "Humph, Liu Chugrong, Liu Chugrong. This time, you have given the Liu Family a lot of face when you go back. If the Liu Family doesn''t know what''s good for them, don''t blame me for not showing any mercy!"


    The five-clawed golden dragon on the dragon robe was awe-inspiring, even the person in the dragon robe was awe-inspiring. The aura from his body seemed to cause even the air to stop fluctuating, causing people to feel suffocated.


    He was the son of the Heavenly Dragon, the exalted Emperor. Even so, he still had many troubles. The paper in his hand was like a match to his, causing him to feel extremely upset.


    The imperial harem had a hundred concubines competing for the favor, and the imperial court had a hundred officials vying for power. It was chaotic, truly chaotic!


    His steps faltered as he didn''t even turn his head back to say, "Zhen knows. Go inform the empress dowager that Zhen will be arriving soon!"


    When the empress dowager saw him, he naturally had to go. As a son, filial piety was a tradition and a rule in the history of the empress dowager. It couldn''t be bad, not to mention that he was the emperor.


    "What business does the empress dowager have with Zhen?" Before Sun Ning could leave, Fu Yuheng suddenly thought of something and asked.


    "Reporting to the Emperor, no." After finishing his words, he saw that the Emperor had no more orders, so he left.


    The empress dowager remembered that he and the Consort Xian had gotten too close a while back, and the empress dowager had even ridiculed her. Now that he didn''t favor her, could it be because of Liu Chugrong?


    But the Empress Dowager would never interfere with his decision. What was the purpose of today''s decision?


    Since he couldn''t figure it out, he stopped thinking about it. He didn''t think about it too much and didn''t hesitate either, striding towards the ancestral hall where the empress dowager resided.


    At this time, the Kangmama was already waiting in front of the empress dowager''s door.

 C32

    "Did the empress dowager need Zhen to come over for something?" Fu Yuheng lowered his body and helped the empress dowager sit down on the bed. This was his birth mother, so he naturally respected her.


    The empress dowager put down the sandalwood bracelet in her hand and shot a plaintive glance at Fu Yuheng. "It''s been a long time since your majesty has come to visit this old woman. If this old woman hadn''t called you over today, you probably would''ve forgotten about me, an old mother!"


    Right now, the empress dowager''s hair was already completely white, and she was dressed in simple clothes. Apart from the fine cloud satin, it was impossible to tell how luxurious the identity of the person in front of her was.


    "You know me!" Fu Yuheng laughed and no longer answered half-heartedly, "No matter what the Liu Family says, it is still a hidden danger in my heart!" He looked up at the sky and frowned deeply.


    The Liu Family had too much power and influence. It was taboo for the royal family to collude with other clans.


    The empress dowager did not ask any further questions. After all, this mountain and river was still Fu Yuheng''s, and not hers. The imperial harem could not be left to its own devices.


    The night was always sudden, but there was always someone who stayed up all night.


    "Lian Yun, quickly help me change!" Shen Qingwan rubbed her eyes that hadn''t closed the entire night. Unknowingly, the sky had already brightened.


    She had to return to the Shen Mansion quickly and discuss the seriousness of the situation with her father. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be able to sleep peacefully by hanging on her heart at this time.


    Power was indeed a good thing, but power had its advantages. Once power threatened the imperial family, it would become a knife that could kill at any time, allowing one to live in fear at all times.


    Fu Yuheng knew that Shen Qingwan had left the palace with a smile on her face. She was indeed a smart woman, and this made him more and more interested in her.


    But that was on the premise that this woman was not comparable to his mountains and rivers.


    "Quick, quick!" Concubine Xian is back! "


    The servant in charge of guarding at the door, upon seeing Shen Qingwan get down from the sedan, started running towards the manor. He had to hurry to inform the master and his wife.


    "Greetings Concubine Xian!" As soon as Shen Qingwan entered the door, she saw General Shen and Madam Shen walking out.


    Even if she was family, this sort of etiquette couldn''t be bad. She was now the emperor''s concubine, and even her parents had no choice but to do so.


    "Father, mother, what are you doing? Get up!" Helping the two of them up, tears could be seen in Madam Shen''s eyes.


    "Quick, let''s go back to the house to talk!" The smile on his face became more and more uncontrollable. Even the corners of his eyes revealed traces of a faint smile.


    Since she had entered the palace, she had basically not returned to the Shen Mansion. This was also to prevent Fu Yuheng from worrying too much. He had only come back this time to persuade his father to hand over 200,000 troops, so he didn''t stay any longer.


    Since they had returned to the Shen Mansion, there was no need for them to say anything. The family was happy and harmonious, and for her return, Madam Shen specifically ordered the kitchen to prepare a large table of food.


    "Big sister is really impressive when she comes back. She takes a whole table of dishes with her as soon as she comes back. Usually, we don''t treat her like this when we come back from the outside." Shen Qingyun, who was sitting down, curled her lips in displeasure.


    Ye Zichen reached out his hand to pinch her cheek. This child was her aunt''s daughter, but there were very few conflicts in the family. Usually, they were kind and amiable. Her father only had this one concubine, so her mother didn''t mind at all. Everything was done according to the rules, but Shen Qingyun had a pretty good relationship with her since she was young. Although she never said anything good about her, she always thought of her like a sister.


    "Humph!" He threw his head to the side, and without looking at her again, he lowered his head and started to eat.


    "Dad, your daughter has something to tell you!" Only in the evening did Shen Qingwan call General Shen to her study. She didn''t bring up these matters in front of her mother, as she didn''t want to make her worry too much.


    General Shen naturally knew that she had come back for an important matter to discuss, so he had actually been waiting for her this entire time.


    The father and daughter pair sat down, their expressions solemn. They no longer had their usual jovial expressions. After all, this was a matter that concerned the life of the family, and they could not afford to be careless.


    "Father, you have seen the outcome of Prime Minister Liu. Rather than saying that the Emperor was angry at him, it would be more accurate to say that he borrowed the power of the Imperial Consort Liu to suppress him." Shen Qing Wan did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point.


    General Shen frowned. He had already come to a conclusion regarding this matter, but even so, hearing her affirmation made him feel cold sweat trickle down his back.


    After pausing for a few breaths and seeing that her father was listening in, she finally spoke again.


    Now that the Prime Minister Liu has been suppressed, and the Imperial Consort Liu has been reduced to being the Honorable Liu, I believe that even without my daughter''s reminder, father knows that the next target of the Emperor will be our Shen family! "


    As he finished speaking, he broke out in another cold sweat. He clenched his fists so tightly that even his veins were exposed.


    "Then your meaning is ¡­" General Shen took a sip of tea and suppressed the unease in his heart.


    "Rather than letting the Emperor take it, it''s better if we hand in the military on our own accord!"


    When these words were spoken, the entire room''s atmosphere froze. It was as if a storm was brewing, and everything was calm.


    "How much?" General Shen stared at Shen Qingwan in front of him, his eyes bloodshot.


    "Two hundred thousand!"

 C33

    "Two hundred thousand." He repeated Shen Qingwan''s words and felt much older. Two hundred thousand! That was nearly half the army! How could he bear to be handed over like that!


    But so what if he couldn''t bear to? Waiting for the emperor to come and demand it? Would his family still be able to survive then?


    "Are you threatening your father!?" General Shen stood up with a whoosh, his eyes were red, as though he was going to pounce at him in the next second.


    It was night. The atmosphere of the palace seemed to be rather unsettled. In the darkness, a conversation could be heard from behind the fake mountain. It seemed to be the voices of a man and a woman.


    "Are you sure that Shen Qingwan will be returning to the palace at noon tomorrow?" A sharp female voice rang out, giving people goosebumps.


    "Yes, I am sure that the emperor has granted her permission to not return tonight. I also heard that when the Shen Mansion''s butler ordered people to buy them, she even prepared lunch tomorrow to come out. That must be before she returns to the palace, without a doubt." The man''s deep voice seemed to echo from her throat, hoarse to the point that it was slightly frightening.


    "Good!" Since that''s the case, bring someone to help me get rid of this little demoness tomorrow! so that she will never appear in the harem again! " "The lady gritted her teeth and ordered, until a low cry was heard." Ugh! What are you doing! "


    In order to prevent the guards outside from noticing, she could only lower her voice. However, she did not want to make that person more enthusiastic.


    "Since you want me to do something, you should at least give me a taste of your sweetness." The man''s aura was clearly unstable, as though he was somewhat anxious.


    "Don''t act recklessly, hmm ~ this is the palace. If someone discovers us, we won''t be able to bear the consequences!" The woman protested coquettishly, "I don''t want to lose my wealth."


    The man laughed softly. After a while, a figure appeared. It seemed to be a woman, but because it was dark, it was hard to tell her appearance.


    Above the Imperial Palace, before anyone could notice, a black shadow flashed through the air and finally landed outside the Imperial Palace.


    "Come out with me tomorrow for an errand." After sending down the order, he looked in the direction of the palace and smacked his lips, seeming as if he wanted to continue for the rest of his life.


    Fu Yuheng leaned on his bed and thought of that calmness, but he could not fall asleep. Since he had asked her to go back, then if she could not bring back an answer that would satisfy him, he would definitely not let her go.


    Perhaps he felt lonely, Fu Yuheng put on his outer robe again and walked outside. When he arrived at Shen Qingwan''s courtyard, he gave a slow smile. He thought to himself that he had worked too hard these past few days and turned back.


    The night was a little cold and the crescent moon high up in the sky appeared lonely and lonely.


    Gradually, as time passed, the crowing of chickens could be heard, and the white color of fish belly began to appear in the east, continuing on from the beginning of the day.


    "Forget it, I''ll just listen to you!" General Shen''s face had a look of exhaustion, his eyes a little empty, his eyes a little purple, indicating that his master had not slept for the night.


    "It''s good that Father understands." Shen Qingwan''s knowing and rational attitude made it impossible for him to get angry. After all, it was for the good of the Shen family that she spoke of it. However, his eyes seemed to be a little narrow-minded.


    He asked the steward to prepare the sedan early and wait for him to finish his lunch before leaving.


    "Then this old official will not stay in the Concubine Xian any longer." When the father and daughter were alone, they could still be at ease, but there would always be etiquette outside the residence''s door, "This subject will respectfully escort Concubine Xian out!"


    When he looked up again, he could only see the corners of Shen Qingwan''s clothes, she had already entered the palanquin.


    "Let''s go!" The manservant by the side shouted and did not turn back.


    On the palanquin, at a place where no one could see, Shen Qingwan''s eyes were filled with tears. How could she not understand her father''s feelings? But if she did not, how could she protect him?


    She silently held back her tears. She somewhat hated Fu Yuheng, hated his heartlessness, and also hated his helplessness.


    If he wasn''t the Emperor, he wouldn''t have done this, but if it was only if ¡­


    Along the way, the road was very flat, making Shen Qingwan feel drowsy.


    But by the time they reached the path, the palanquin was beginning to rise and fall.


    It was about two kilometers. However, it was unusually quiet at this moment, with only the rustling of leaves and the occasional chirping of birds.


    It was unknown if she was too sensitive, but at this moment, she felt increasingly uneasy in her heart.


    "Lian Yun, how long until we leave this small pathway?" Shen Qingwan opened the curtain and asked Lian Yun who was outside.


    "In reply to Empress, it will take at most an hour. Please calm down." Lian Yun turned her head and replied with a smile.


    However, Shen Qing Wan''s heart was feeling more and more uneasy. Even after hearing Lian Yun''s answer, she still felt that something was going to happen!


    "Shua!" Swish! "Swish!"

 C34

    At this moment, three figures in black suddenly jumped out of the forest.


    "AHH!" A scream came out from outside, it was Lian Yun.


    Hearing the sounds of fighting outside, Shen Qingwan curled up in a corner. She was extremely anxious, wanting to open the curtain and take a look outside, but just at this moment, one piece after another passed through from the front, barely escaping. Her forehead was already drenched in cold sweat.


    "Everyone stop!" Shen Qingwan suddenly said, at least the men in black and her people outside were stunned, they looked at her as if she was a fool.


    Could it be that the Empress'' brain was damaged, and she actually ran out on her own?


    But Shen Qingwan didn''t think so. Since these people were here for her, no matter how much she resisted, these people would definitely not be a match for these black clothed people. She might as well bear the burden herself and avoid implicating the innocent.


    He was looking straight at the men in black without a shred of fear. If they were to do this, they wouldn''t dare to act rashly.


    "Who sent you?" Shen Qing Wan frowned, her beautiful eyes blinked, as though she was treating it as though it was nothing out of the ordinary. On the other hand, Lian Yun who was at the side could not remain calm, "Empress!"


    Just as he was about to run over, he was stabbed in the leg by the black clothed man, "Lian Yun, don''t come over!" Shen Qing Wan''s gaze looked at the black clothed man who injured Lian Yun. It was one thing for it to come out on its own, but the person who hurt her was another.


    The black clothed man chuckled, and did not answer her question, "Now do you know what''s the use of all this? After today, you will just be a dead man. " He looked at her with disdain.


    Shen Qingwan gently smiled, her smile causing everyone to be dazed. How many people were able to remain so relaxed in such a life-threatening situation?


    "As you''ve said, I''m going to die soon. So what if you tell me?" His eyes became increasingly clear, but he would occasionally glance at the tree at the side.


    There was a piece of clothing there, with a picture of a auspicious cloud etched on the purple material. It must be someone of extremely high status, and she had heard some rumors that in the entire imperial hall, Ninth Prince loved to wear purple robes. That tree must be the Ninth Prince!


    He didn''t know if he was an enemy or a friend, but he had a plan in mind. If he could save her, then she would have a way out. However, Shen Qingwan knew that since he didn''t do anything at the beginning, he definitely wouldn''t want to be involved in this dispute.


    As a result, if she wanted him to make a move, he would have to show some interest in her. In fact, it could even be said that she made him feel that she was useful. That was why she was so calm. It wasn''t so much that she wanted to know who the mastermind was, but rather that she was stalling for time.


    "Such an interesting little girl." He picked up a leaf and put it in his mouth. It was as the others had said, carefree and peaceful.


    Looking at the scene below, he couldn''t help but stare. He didn''t want to get involved in the harem battle. He was just a woman, but what''s the use of having ordinary clothes?


    "Hmph. Even if you''re a dead person, why should I waste my breath on you?" The black clothed man coldly snorted. He clearly didn''t agree with Shen Qingwan''s words and felt that this person didn''t know what was good for him.


    Shen Qingwan''s palms were already drenched in cold sweat, but the person on the tree refused to move. This also made her more and more suspicious. Maybe this person didn''t even know how to save her. However, he had no enmity with her, so why did it have to be like this?


    He could not figure it out, but the situation in front of him had become even more anxious. Shen Qingwan smiled at her slightly. Even if she really did lose her life, she didn''t want to implicate her.


    The guards on the ground were all injured or dead. Looking around, it was a complete mess.


    "Don''t waste your breath talking to her. Just kill her!" The man in black beside him was a little agitated. It had already been a long time, but there was nothing he could say. Moreover, their goal would not be to kill this woman in front of them.


    "Attack!" The leader of the black-clothed men gave the order, and the three of them instantly surrounded him. Although there were only three people, they were much stronger than the guards by her side.


    Shen Qingwan knew that the situation wasn''t good. Even though she had already mentally prepared herself, she was still caught off guard and took a step back. As the sword was about to hit her, Shen Qingwan pulled out a dagger from her calf. She had brought this dagger with her when she first came out, just in case she needed it.


    After all, she was the daughter of the General Shen, so no matter how weak she was, she knew some martial arts. However, in front of these black-clothed men, she could not even look at them, and could only barely block one person''s attack.


    He looked towards the tree with an obvious pleading expression, causing the Ninth Prince on the tree to be stunned. It seems like he was discovered? What an interesting girl.


    Since that was the case, he no longer hid his body and jumped down from the tree.


    "Don''t you feel embarrassed for bullying a weak girl with so many people?" Fu Huaiyu held a fan in his hand, and waved it in front of him, as though he was a young noble of a rich family.


    "Who are you?" The leader of the men in black felt displeased when he saw someone interrupting him. "If you know what''s good for you, then hurry up and leave. If you don''t, then don''t blame us brothers for killing you together with her!"


    The expression on his face became even more vicious, causing the people around him to shudder in fear.

 C35

    But Fu Huaiyu still continued to smile, in his eyes, he was just a group of ants.


    Ignoring the black clothed man''s threat, he walked over to Shen Qingwan, who had several wounds on her body. He reached out to pick up her lower jaw, "You''ve aroused my interest. How about you follow me?"


    "You are not qualified to know my identity!" Fu Huaiyu turned around and glanced at the three people. His clothes fluttered slightly in the wind and the aura around his body had indeed turned from gentle to extremely cold.


    "You are but a few ants, yet you dare to act arrogantly in front of This King!?" He flung his sleeves and stood with his hands behind his back.


    At this moment, Shen Qingwan raised her head and saw that the three men in black had fallen to the ground, obviously no longer breathing.


    "Thank you, Ninth Prince!" Shen Qingwan bowed and walked forward with a complicated look in her eyes. She lowered her head and sized him up from the corner of her eyes. This person had really hidden himself too deeply that she didn''t dare to look him in the eye.


    "What is it? Could it be that you''re afraid This King will eat you? " Fu Huaiyu felt it was funny, he had just used him, but now, she did not dare meet his gaze? This King is your savior. Is this how you thank This King? "


    His heart tightened, but he still raised his head and smiled at him, "Ninth Prince is joking." Speaking of which, he could still be considered his imperial sister-in-law, but he never used it as a form of respect. This made Shen Qingwan a little fearful.


    "Don''t you see the status of these people?" Seeing the calmness in her eyes, he stopped teasing her and pointed at the three people lying on the ground.


    Shen Qingwan bit her lower lip. Those three people were obviously already dead. Although she had grown up in the General''s Estate, she still had some reservations towards dead people.


    "This ¡­" He struggled a few times, but endured the disgust and went up to check.


    Fortunately, Fu Huaiyu only used a sword to slit his throat when he killed people, so it was not too bloody.


    He reached out his hand to pick their clothes and saw a jade token falling out. This jade tablet was clearly only available in the palace, and it also made her more certain of her previous thoughts: as expected, it was someone from the harem.


    But at this moment, she wasn''t sure who it was. She could only wait until she returned to the palace before making her decision.


    Seeing her lowered her head in thought, Fu Huaiyu''s heart moved. The way she quieted down was really cute.


    However, this was not the place to speak, so he escorted her back to the palace, "Let''s go! "It''s not a long term plan to stay here. If you go back by yourself, I''m afraid that you will encounter other dangers on the way. This King will be the escort of a flower. I''ll send you back."


    Fu Huaiyu kept the sword in his hand, and then took out the fan in his chest, reverting back to the appearance of a gentle young master.


    She sighed at his fickleness, but he was indeed speaking the truth. If she were to go back by herself, who knew if she would encounter any assassins on the way? It would be better to have him protect her. Although she was wary of him, her life wasn''t in danger.


    Shen Qingwan did not argue. She pulled Lian Yun up and supported him, nodding to him, "Then I''ll have to thank Ninth Prince."


    Listening to their conversation, Lian Yun naturally knew about this person''s identity. However, she was still relatively innocent, and did not notice that the two of them were being cautious of each other. She only felt that Ninth Prince was a good person.


    "Empress, why do you think the Ninth Prince is so beautiful?" Lian Yun had been sneaking peeks on the way here, but after she finished speaking, she realized that she had misspoken and immediately covered her mouth.


    Shen Qingwan smiled bitterly, this little girl did not know how cold and warm the world was, she probably thought that she was a good person since she saved them. However, she couldn''t bear to destroy such simplicity. There weren''t many people as pure as her in this huge harem. If she had changed, then this harem would truly be deserted.


    "That''s right ¡­" He murmured in a low voice, but his mind was elsewhere.


    Moreover, he did not know that Fu Huaiyu, who was walking in front, had extremely hearing abilities, and unintentionally caused him to overhear his words, and a smile appeared on his face.


    I''ll just keep her for the time being.


    "Sigh!" Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his waist and a child dashed past him.


    "Empress, he stole my purse!" Lian Yun immediately shouted as she angrily stomped her feet.


    Shen Qing Wan followed her gaze and looked at her waist. Sure enough, the money pouch that was tied around her waist had disappeared without a trace.


    He thought about the pain on his waist and saw that the white jade pendant was gone.


    "What a bad luck." Fu Huaiyu chuckled from the side. Today was truly unlucky, first he was ambushed on the way back to the palace, then he met with a little thief.


    "Humph!" "Don''t let me catch him, or I''ll chop off his hand!" Lian Yun said as she gnashed her teeth.


    Shen Qingwan felt that it was alright, after all money was just worldly possessions. It was a pity that the white jade pendant was a birthday present from her brother.


    However, there was actually such a small number of thieves in the Imperial City, which meant that there were still many people starving.


    "What are you thinking? "You were so engrossed in his thoughts?" Fu Huaiyu used his fan to pat her forehead.


    But it also allowed Shen Qingwan to recover from her thoughts.


    Anyway, it was better to return to the palace first.

 C36

    "Humph!" Let you steal! See if I''ll cripple you today! " Perhaps today was not the best day to go out. After walking for just an hour, he saw a group of people gathered around him, pointing at him.


    "Lian Yun, go and see what happened." Rubbing her glabella, she felt that she was too exhausted today, causing her to feel dizzy and dizzy.


    "Let''s see if you dare to steal anything in the future!"


    Ignoring those kneeling on the ground, he turned around and waved at Shen Qingwan, then pointed at the little thief who no longer had any strength left, "Aren''t you going to go take a look?"


    Only now did she come back to her senses from the earlier scene. She didn''t expect him to be so high-profile. He quickly stepped over the kneeling figure and walked to the child''s side. When he walked in, he found that it was a girl, only her body was tattered, her hair was never tidied up, and even her face was covered by dust, making it impossible to discern her gender. Only from the skin on her exposed arm and the sound of her coughing could he tell that she was a girl.


    "Lian Yun, come over here quickly!" Shocked, he felt even more sympathetic. Fortunately, she had the habit of bringing silver taels with her when she went out. She then took out some crushed silver from her sleeve and handed it to her. "Go and buy some suitable clothes." She turned around to ask the servant who had been kneeling on the floor for a long time, "Do you have a cleaner room here?"


    The attendant hurriedly nodded his head. This was an inn to begin with, so it was only natural that he did. "This servant will go prepare some for you." These people were all important figures, so naturally, he did not dare to be negligent. He even ignored the matter of that little thief stealing his things.


    When Lian Yun returned, the two of them had already brought her to the guest room and had the servant put her on the bed. Only after Lian Yun returned and helped her wash up did he finally get a clear look of her face.


    Her young and tender face was only the size of a palm, but because of her small and exquisite facial features, she looked extremely delicate and pretty. She just could not understand why she would do such a thing even if she was poor. Furthermore, she had just stolen both her jade pendant and Lian Yun''s money pouch.


    As he thought about this, he instructed Lian Yun to check if there was anything that had just been stolen under her clothes, and he did not notice anything that happened on the bed.


    "Mmm ¡­" With a moan, his tightly shut eyes gradually opened up a crack. His eyes were still filled with confusion. "Ah!" Seeing that Shen Qingwan and a few others had obviously recognized the rich man she just stole, they panicked and wanted to run away. Just as they wanted to get off the bed, they threw themselves onto the ground. Only now did he realize that he was in a rather strange situation.


    She clearly remembered that she was caught stealing that manservant''s purse. Why did she suddenly land on the bed? When she recalled this, she felt as if she couldn''t bear it and fainted.


    "Stop moving!" Shen Qingwan turned her head to see her fall to the ground. She didn''t even put on her concubine''s airs as she walked over to support her. "You''re still wounded, the doctor will be here in a bit." With a soothing smile, he ruffled her slightly damp hair.


    The doctor? She couldn''t afford a doctor! He was helped to bed with a blank look on his face. Only then did he realize that his clothes had already been changed. His nose turned sour, and tears started to flow down his face. It had been a long time since she had received such treatment.


    Seeing her crying, Shen Qingwan''s heart was full of twists and turns. How could a little girl like her do such a stealing thing for no reason at all? Hence, she used a handkerchief to wipe her tears and asked why she was doing this.


    Her childhood name was A Wen and she only had one mother. She was so poor that she couldn''t even open the pot, but at least her mother could occasionally go and help people wash their clothes.


    However, not long ago, her mother suddenly became seriously ill, and because she was too young to do anything, she took the remaining silver taels from the family and went to the doctor to get a diagnosis. After that, she opened the pharmacy, but the prescription cost three taels of silver at a time, so she only had one tael of silver in her hands.


    In the beginning, she ran too slowly. She was always caught and scolded every time. Furthermore, she was beaten black and blue like this.


    After Shen Qingwan heard her words, she also understood in her heart. But suddenly, she remembered that her jade pendant was worth at least several hundred taels of silver, so she asked her: "Didn''t you take my jade pendant? It should be enough, right? Then why do we have to steal it again? "


    Frowning, he saw that A Wen''s face looked a little uneasy, "I looked at the jade pendant, and I knew it was definitely something valuable, so I didn''t sell it, and wanted to return it to you." There was a word ''Wan'' on the jade pendant. It was obvious that it was something very meaningful, so she hid it and didn''t sell it.

 C37

    "Ah!" "Mother ¡­" Lian Yun ran over, but just as she was about to call out to the Empress, she waved her hand and stopped him. "Madam, the purse is still there, but the jade pendant is gone." Finished speaking, she glared at A Wen who was on the bed.


    The person on the bed shrank back, looking at her with a little fear in her eyes. "I, I ¡­" A Wen obviously wanted to explain.


    "What do I want your life for?" Shen Qingwan found it a little funny. It seems like this child''s mind was still pure, and he was only forced to live by the pressure of life.


    "Lian Yun, go call that servant over." After some consideration, she decided to give that manservant some silver taels. She wanted him to take her to catch some medicine and send her home.


    Looking at the silver in her hands, she still didn''t dare to accept it. But thinking about her mother, she still received it with both hands and put it in her bosom. She then kowtowed and said: "If you ever need A Wen''s help in the future, A Wen will do it even if it means that he has to climb the mountain of blades!" He looked at her with moist eyes and felt incomparably moved in his heart.


    Seeing that the sky was getting dark, Shen Qingwan explained everything to the servant and then followed Fu Huaiyu back. Fortunately, this place was not far from the imperial palace, so she had managed to reach it before nightfall.


    "You really make us wait!" The moment she stepped into the room, she heard a dignified voice.


    Startled, she hastily made a grand bow. "Chenqie didn''t know that the emperor was waiting here. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."


    Fu Yuheng snorted coldly and sat down. He picked up the cup of tea on the table and took a sip. "Have you made it clear what is going on with General Shen?" He restrained the anger on his face and asked about the progress of the matter. He knew that her return this time definitely wasn''t as simple as a visit to his family.


    "Your Majesty will naturally know tomorrow." Shen Qingwan did not point it out, but he already knew what she meant. She was an intelligent woman who knew how to protect herself. "You don''t think that you can be doted on by me just because of this, do you?" Fu Yuheng sneered. It wasn''t good for a woman to be too smart, but seeing that she could make the right choice, it didn''t matter if he doted on her a little.


    Seeing her on the ground, she suddenly remembered that Sun Ning had reported to her that she came back with Fu Huaiyu. The anger in her heart flared up again, she took a step forward and bent down to pick up her lower jaw. With a smile that was not a smile, he said, "I heard that you came back with my ninth brother?"


    He knew that he would be suspicious, but he had already thought of an excuse, "To return to the emperor, chenqie met a bandit on the way here, and coincidentally, Ninth Prince passed by. That was why I saved chenqie''s life, and also why I came back with Ninth Prince."


    He lowered his eyes and bit his lips, as if he was worried that Ye Xiao would doubt his words, but that was the truth. Thinking of this, his heart sank again.


    "Oh?" Fu Yuheng raised his eyebrows as the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. He was rather satisfied with his answer. "Fine. Since that''s the case, then I believe that my beloved concubine is also tired. Let''s rest first." With that, he left without looking back.


    Shen Qingwan breathed a sigh of relief. Too many things had happened today that her mental strength wasn''t enough. Not long after she laid down, she fell asleep.


    She didn''t see a figure tiptoeing in from outside. If she were awake, she would have known it was the empress''s Xiu.


    Xiu had sneaked in. She had been rather naughty when she was young, often jumping over walls to play. As a result, she was quite good at it. She had just climbed over the wall. Coincidentally, the guards in the courtyard had gone elsewhere to inspect. Even Lian Yun who was too tired from the day was sent back to rest by Shen Qing Wan.


    At this moment, no one saw her come in. They were rummaging around on the dressing table and they saw the osmanthus hairpin. Picking up the hairpin and seeing that Shen Qingwan was still asleep, she went to the door to check if there was anyone outside and sneaked out.


    He walked all the way to the rear of the fake mountain and handed the hairpin to the Gui mama. Gui mama sneered, the viciousness in his eyes could make people tremble.


    Hmph, if he dared to oppose the empress, he could just wait for the empress to nibble away at him. Although I won''t let you lose your life, I''m afraid the Emperor will also have some grudges against you! Let''s see how you still receive the Emperor''s favor!

 C38

    In the morning, Fu Huaiyu had just left the Palace and went straight to the Fortune Mountain Pavilion. When the attendant saw him, he hurriedly came out to welcome him.


    "Ninth Prince, you''re here!" He went forward and laughed, his hand hidden in his sleeves, "Ninth Prince, this is the thing you dropped yesterday." Fu Huaiyu took out a hairpin and saw it. He knew that it was the osmanthus hairpin that Shen Qing Wan was wearing on her head yesterday.


    "Reporting to Your Highness, that girl has already returned home. As for the matter that your esteemed self sent out, how could I dare to neglect it?" The attendant smiled in a fawning manner, but his heart was filled with excitement. He must have had a stroke of luck these two days. People came over to give him silver taels in succession.


    "Your Majesty, this old subject has something he wishes to discuss with Your Majesty." After leaving the imperial court, General Shen stayed back. Gritting his teeth, he decided to give up some of his military power.


    Following him all the way to the study room, General Shen''s mood calmed down more and more. Forget it, letting him go at any time would be better than having his family members implicated. He never thought that at his age, he would not be able to see his own daughter''s future.


    "Your majesty, this old subject has already aged, and my body is no longer as healthy as it was in the past. Therefore, this old subject is willing to hand over the two hundred thousand soldiers in my hands to Your majesty. I hope Your majesty can accept this with a smile." He brushed his body and said what he wanted to say.


    Fu Yuheng was surprised to hear him say this. Two hundred thousand yuan was a huge sum of money. He didn''t think that he would hand over so much. He didn''t know if he should say that he underestimated Shen Qingwan, or if she was too loyal to him or the Shen family.


    However, he was shocked in his heart, and his expression remained as indifferent as water, "Has General Shen thought it through? "Once this military power falls into my hands, I will never be able to take it back." He looked at the person in front of him and said, "General Shen is obviously unwilling, Shen Qingwan''s coercion might still be of some use."


    "If you are unwilling, I will not force you." Noticing the hesitation in the other party''s voice, Zhang Xuan''s eyes turned cold.


    "This subject has already made up his mind. I hope the Emperor can grant my wish." He sighed in his heart and was defeated in the end.


    Fu Yuheng''s eyes lit up. "Since that''s the case, I''ll grant your wish." "Go back!"


    "This subject thanks the lord for his grace!" He knelt on the ground and retreated only when he saw the emperor allow him to rise. However, the moment he left the study, he felt his entire body go limp. Even though he was a martial general, his authority over the Emperor was not to be underestimated.


    He wiped off the cold sweat on his forehead and felt exhausted.


    Fu Yuheng reclined on his chair as he looked at the ceiling. He then thought of that person who had always seemed to be at peace with the world. How many people could match up to Prime Minister Shen with such meticulous planning when he brought out two hundred thousand soldiers? The admiration in his heart for her was not limited to just that. He got up and walked towards the harem.


    "Greetings Ninth Prince." Shen Qingwan had just gotten up, but when she pushed open the door, she saw Fu Huaiyu standing in the courtyard.


    Lian Yun walked over, "Empress, this servant wants to go in and call for you." When she saw the Ninth Prince coming over, she quickly stopped what she was doing. She wanted to go in and wake up the Empress, but she did not expect her to come out so quickly.


    Shen Qing Wan walked forward gracefully as she inquired about the reason for his visit, and asked: "Ninth Prince, why have you come this time?"


    While Shen Qing Wan and Fu Huaiyu were talking, they did not see a figure from the entrance of the courtyard.


    "Reporting to the empress, the Ninth Prince is already gone." Ah Xiu lowered her body and reported to Xiao Shushen.


    Xiao Shushen stood up, then turned and walked out the door as well, "Let''s go, we''ll go and see what the emperor is doing."


    Just then, the emperor walked in from the outer courtyard and saw Xiao Shushen coming over.


    "This concubine greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live for tens of thousands of years."


    "Empress, where are you going?" Fu Yuheng lifted her up and looked in her direction doubtfully. It was clear that he was heading in the direction of his study.


    Xiao Shushen covered her lips and laughed, "Your majesty doesn''t know, chenqie just wanted to go see Consort Xian''s sister. I coincidentally heard that Your Majesty was waiting here and wanted to go with you."


    "Oh?" Fu Yuheng thought about what she had said and considered how believable her words were. "The empress has really thought it through."


    was startled by these words, he only felt his heart tremble. "If the emperor doesn''t want to go, then chenqie will go over first." She had no choice but to say such words. If the Emperor didn''t go, then wouldn''t her plan have been in vain?


    "Since that''s the case, I shall follow you." Fu Yuheng rolled his eyes, thinking that it would be fine even if he went to take a look. After all, he came here today to see Shen Qingwan.


    "I forgot about your hairpin at Fushan Restaurant last time. Today, when the King of Japan went over, a servant just happened to deliver it to me." Fu Huaiyu played with the hairpin in his hand, and a few teasing looks appeared in his eyes, "This king has specially come to give it to you."


    "Humph!" Ninth Prince is really in a good mood, and even specially came over to deliver something to my concubine. " Fu Yuheng let out a cold snort, causing Shen Qing Wan''s heart to turn slightly cold. Looking at the bright yellow figure, there was indeed another person standing beside his. It was the current Queen, Xiao Shushen.


    "That''s right!" Today, the King of Japan is in an extremely good mood! "

 C39

    Fu Huaiyu waved his fan, it was as though he did not bring the fan with him at all times. He smiled calmly. "But his Imperial Majesty''s mood doesn''t seem very good."


    "You!" Fu Yuheng shook his sleeves as he turned his head and glared at Shen Qingwan.


    A ghastly chill appeared in his eyes as he looked at Shen Qingwan. It was as if the temperature in the surroundings had dropped. "Does my beloved concubine have nothing to say?" Looking at her downcast brow, her anger grew even more intense.


    Judging from the relationship between the Emperor and the Ninth Prince, the relationship between the two of them could only be described as barely holding back, but now that they were tangled together, and the hairpins normally belonged to her, it was understandable that she was only picking them up. But it absolutely cannot be that he would personally gift them to her!


    Seeing the two of them not saying anything, Xiao Shushen only thought that they had nothing to say. After all, the truth was right in front of her eyes and no matter what, the Emperor would never believe that the two of them were completely fine.


    "Could it be that he has nothing to say?"


    Hearing Fu Yuheng say this, Fu Huaiyu did not explain either. He just stood there quietly, with a strange look on his face, and said: "Royal brother, why are you so angry? Wasn''t it just a hairpin? If that was the case, This King should return it. "Otherwise, giving it to the empress would be fine too."


    Fortunately, it was only the hairpin that made him angry. Fu Yuheng was choked with sobs, unable to speak. Seeing his expression change slightly, he continued: "This duke didn''t think that brother and Consort Xian''s relationship would be so good. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have provoked you." In just one sentence, he had managed to get the word out that the two of them were on good terms, and now he was holding both of them responsible for their crimes.


    "Ninth Prince, don''t joke with me. Chenqie and Ninth Prince just got to know each other yesterday, how could you possibly provoke them?"


    Xiao Shushen sneered in her heart, so what if you two only knew each other yesterday? It was a fact that the hairpin had been personally delivered into his hands. This was something the emperor had personally witnessed.


    "Ninth brother, do you have anything else to say?" However, Fu Yuheng was not Xiao Shushen after all, and he could not act according to her thinking. When he heard that Shen Qingwan had broken off all relations with him, the anger in his heart had dissipated. It was not because of the contact between the two of them, but because he was still a little hesitant.


    "Forget it, I never thought that Concubine Xian would actually be so heartless, to actually want to sever all ties with this king." Fu Huaiyu clutched his chest and acted like he was hurt, the expression on his face became even more bitter, "Forget it, looks like I''ll have to keep this hairpin for myself then." After saying that, he took the stronghold in his arms.


    Shen Qing Wan however, was abnormally calm. She sneered in her heart, although she did not know what Ninth Prince was scheming, it was still not a good thing for her. He opened his mouth coldly, "Ninth Prince can clearly see that the hairpin is not your concubine''s."


    "This hairpin, could it be that it wasn''t given to Consort Xian''s sister by me?" Xiao Shushen looked at Shen Qingwan in doubt. She shouldn''t have seen wrongly, it was obvious that they were the same.


    Besides, she had asked Xiu to bring the hairpin from her room. How could she be wrong about it?


    "Elder sister, did you forget? The hairpin elder sister gave sister that day was inlaid with a piece of pink glass, but this hairpin was clearly inlaid with pink jade. " Shen Qingwan took out a hairpin from her sleeve. The style was clearly the same.


    She had always felt that this hairpin would eventually be treated as an essay, so she had already gotten the craftsman to make it look exactly the same, but she didn''t expect that the hairpin would disappear so early in the morning. If she didn''t take care of the matter today, perhaps in the future, the emperor would have some thoughts for her and wouldn''t be able to completely trust her.


    Fu Yuheng took a step forward and took the hairpins from both of them. After comparing them, he discovered that the two hairpins were really different. He calmed down and thought back to the Queen''s actions.


    "I''m afraid that big sister was wrong. If I almost misunderstood little sister, then big sister would be here apologizing for little sister." These words were enough of a compliment to her, "I hope that little sister will forgive me. It''s also because big sister has been too tired these days and isn''t as relaxed as little sister. That''s why I remember wrongly."


    There were hidden meanings in his words, but no one could say anything.


    "Enough! Today, I am a little tired, you can all leave! " Fu Yuheng was extremely exhausted. Originally, he was in a good mood today, but this disturbance had annoyed him. "If Ninth Brother is free in the future, it''s best not to run to my imperial harem." In order to avoid falling into everyone''s trap. "


    With that blade, Fu Huaiyu acted as if he did not see it, and continued smiling, and felt that he could not see clearly anymore.


    "Then Chendi will take his leave." Before leaving, he did not forget to tease Shen Qingwan, "When the time comes, Concubine Xian better not forget this king just because we haven''t seen each other for a long time. "Haha ¡­"


    "There''s no need for Ninth Prince to worry." Shen Qing Wan''s words did not sound right, and the alertness in her heart towards this person had increased by quite a bit. It was best not to interact with him too much in the future. Otherwise, if he were to be sold one day, no one would know.


    "You can be more obedient for me in the future!" Fu Yuheng was disturbed and left without a word.


    "Here!"

 C40

    "Lian Yun, go and find out if there''s any empress who has been out for the past few days." It had been two days since he had returned to the palace, but there was no sign of the assassination that day. It was also because these few days had been too tiring that they had been delayed.


    "Empress, are you suspecting that it was the people from the palace who did this?" Although Lian Yun''s thoughts were simple, she was still a smart and astute person. Listening to her words, he could also guess a little.


    As he turned around and walked out of the room, Lian Yun looked around, and secretly went to the storehouse to collect the accounts. Usually, if a certain mistress bought something, it would be recorded in her account book for the majority of the time.


    Remembering this in his heart, he took out another jade pendant from his bosom. "Do you recognize this jade pendant?" This jade pendant was the one that fell from those assassins that day, perhaps they could find some clues.


    However, the storekeeper shook his head. He had never seen a lady wear such a jade before, nor had he seen anyone buy it.


    Lian Yun nodded her head, and stressed not to inform anyone about her visit today, and quickly left.


    "Empress, this servant has already asked all the questions she wanted me to know."


    After returning to the courtyard, he told Shen Qingwan about the results of the investigation.


    "I know." She already had a few answers in her heart. That jade pendant should have been bought privately, but it should have been worth a lot of money. She was afraid that it was not something she had saved up in one or two days.


    "Send this to the carrageenan." He took out a piece of paper from his sleeve. Due to the incident with the Ninth Prince last time, the emperor had always been neither cold nor hot to her. carrageenan had always been under the watch of the emperor, so if she went over now, it would implicate her.


    The weather outside the window seemed to be a bit gloomy. Thunder could be heard from time to time. It would inevitably rain tonight.


    It seemed as if things were getting restless. It didn''t matter if it was the harem or the sky.


    After about half a cup of tea''s time, carrageenan heard someone knocking on the door. These days, she had just gotten better and was quite happy. Just now, she had let Qiu Shui out again, so there was no one to pass the message to.


    "Go on in." He sat up on the bed and looked out the door.


    "Queen of carrageenan." Lian Yun stuck her head in, and only she was left in the room, and then she heaved a sigh of relief, "My mother told me to give this to you." She pulled out a piece of paper from her sleeve and placed it in her hand.


    "It was sent by the Elder Sister Consort Xian?" Li Ruotong opened the slip of paper and only saw that the person asking her about it was the concubine that the Emperor usually went to nearby.


    After thinking for a while, Lian Yun took a brush and brought it over, then picked up another slip of paper. However, just as she was about to write the brush, she seemed to find it funny and curled her lips. SShe put down the brush and called Lian Yun over. He whispered: "Go back and tell your mother, it''s Consort De."


    Lian Yun was at a loss. She had seen what the Empress wrote, but she guessed that this was the answer on the piece of paper.


    "Here." "Yes," Li Ruotong told her to stay, "and also told Elder Sister Consort Xian to come visit us whenever we have time." She had been really bored these days, but not many people could say anything about it. From this, it could be seen how bored she was.


    When Qiushui returned, she ran into Lian Yun who had just left. After entering, she asked why Li Ruotong had come over.


    Shaking his head and smiling, Li Ruotong did not answer.


    "Consort De ¡­" "It''s really unfortunate. Today, she finally managed to find a way to make herself a girl and wanted to get an embroidery handkerchief out. In the end, the tip of the needle pierced into her hand, causing her to turn red." It really makes me worry. " He put his finger in his mouth and sucked until all the blood on it was gone.


    How could such a large harem not accommodate her existence? She only wanted to stay here peacefully. She didn''t want to provoke anyone, didn''t want to fight for anything.


    However, there were always those people who would come and cause trouble for her. If she did not resist, she was afraid that they would look down on her and bully her like she was a soft persimmon.


    "Lian Yun, don''t you think it''s better to live a peaceful life? Why is there always someone coming to disturb us? " With a frown on his face, even his tone had turned somewhat sorrowful.


    "Empress ¡­" Lian Yun did not know how to comfort her, she only knew that her master was in sorrow again. It seemed that since she had arrived at the palace, the smile on her mistress'' face had lessened, and replacing it was more worry.


    "If not, we will leave this palace." Lian Yun was anxious and a little angry.


    How many eyes in the palace were fixated on their every move and speech, saying that if others were to listen to them, it would probably lead to some kind of disaster, "How can you speak nonsense like that?"


    Furthermore, she had no way of escaping this high wall courtyard. After all, she was a member of the Shen family.

 C41

    Now that the General Shen had handed over 200,000 troops, Fu Yuheng felt much more at ease. However, his ninth brother seemed to have become more and more restless lately. Although he was still wandering around leisurely like usual, his knowledge from the past few days had truly made Fu Yuheng suspicious.


    "Sun Gonggong." As he sat on the dragon throne, Fu Yuheng felt his heart grow increasingly unsettled. "Do you think that my ninth brother is as unambitious as he appears to be?"


    "Oh? "Is that so?" Fu Yuheng lowered his gaze, making it difficult to see the expression on his face. However, in the next second, he raised his head with a gloomy expression on his face. "I don''t think so."


    However, even if he wanted to, after the Emperor entered the palace, he still quickly retreated. He couldn''t afford to offend this lord, and he still wanted to live for a few more years.


    "Chenqie pay respects to the Emperor." Shen Qingwan placed the embroidered handkerchief to the side and hurriedly bowed. Why did he come here today? Ever since the Ninth Prince came by that day, he rarely came here anymore. "Your majesty, why have you thought of chenqie today?"


    When Fu Yuheng saw how cautious she was, he suddenly felt much better. "Could it be that my beloved concubine doesn''t want me to come?" He sat down and poured himself a cup of tea before beginning to drink slowly.


    "Chenqie doesn''t dare." Shen Qingwan replied meekly. Her tone was so gentle that it made people feel comfortable. Naturally, she could tell that he was in a bad mood today, and she did not want to go on a rampage. Therefore, she tried her best to follow his words.


    "That''s good." Fu Yuheng smiled. "My beloved concubine, please rise." He reached out to help her up and sat on his lap.


    Shen Qingwan originally wanted to struggle, but she couldn''t do anything as he held her too tightly. She could only sit there stiffly.


    "It seems like you don''t want to be a concubine?" Fu Yuheng whispered into her ear, his warm breath hitting her cheek. His ears turned red, as if he was shy.


    "Haha ¡­" He smiled in a great mood and suddenly pinched her chin. "Do you know why I''m in a bad mood today?"


    He turned her head and stared into her eyes, as if he wanted to see through her thoughts.


    Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes, "Your Majesty''s thoughts, chenqie doesn''t dare to guess." However, there was no fear in his eyes. There was only indifference. This made him even more angry.


    "Humph!" Today, I shall allow you to guess that I won''t punish you for your crimes. " Fu Yuheng lowered his hand and shook his sleeve, but the anger between his brows did not dissipate.


    "I beg the Emperor to punish me for my crimes. Chenqie is stupid, I really can''t guess." Shen Qingwan looked away, but his tone remained docile. He did not hit a smiling person. Her attitude made him unable to get angry, causing him to feel extremely frustrated.


    "You!" He pursed his lips, raised his hand as if he wanted to fling it on her, but then let it down in anger. Hmph, she was usually so clever, how could she not guess his thoughts today?


    Fu Yuheng stood up and spoke with some difficulty, "I want to take a bath. Go and fetch me some water."


    The person who had pointed out their surname didn''t let the maidservant go, instead, he had asked her to fetch water for him.


    "Yes." Shen Qingwan clenched the handkerchief in her hands tightly. She felt that he was just like a child, hard to serve.


    "Humph!" With another cold snort, Fu Yuheng no longer looked at her. He lowered his head and drank some tea as if he really did not care. However, the veins in his hand revealed what he was thinking. Could it be that she was really willing, and even so, she didn''t feel the slightest bit angry?


    With a "pa" sound, the teacup was thrown to the ground. "Someone, come!" Fu Yuheng rubbed his forehead. He had wanted to vent his anger on his servants, but after a long time, no one came in. He then remembered that when he came in earlier, he had his servants retreat first.


    The anger in her heart grew even stronger as she slammed her fist on the table. When Shen Qingwan came back, she also saw this scene.


    "Please calm your anger, your Imperial Majesty." As he bent down to clean up, he was stopped.


    "Serve This Emperor in a bath!" Annoyed, but seeing her abnormally cold appearance, he also felt an increasing desire to subdue her.


    "Here." It was still the same calm reply, as if he was already used to it.


    Even though he was trying to make things difficult for her, he was still calm. It seemed that it wasn''t difficult for her at all.


    "The Emperor must pay attention to the dragon''s body. Don''t ever do that. He''s often angered." Perhaps he felt that, in his heart, there wasn''t even the slightest bit of anger in his tone. Instead, it was somewhat joyful.


    Fu Yuheng was somewhat puzzled upon seeing her like this. "What are you laughing at?" The annoyance in his heart dissipated a bit.


    Only then did Shen Qingwan realize that she had lost control of herself. She replied honestly, "Your Majesty''s temper is still so bad, but even so, he still hasn''t made things too difficult for chenqie. chenqie just feels lucky." The words came out of his mouth.


    Fu Yuheng only felt his face grow hot as he coughed lightly. Did he do that? Why did he not even know himself?


    "Forget it, it''s better if you serve and bathe me with peace of mind!" He untied his dragon robe and submerged his body into the water. A trace of a smile appeared on his face. It was as if he was the most similar to himself.


    Shen Qingwan gently wiped his back with a towel and felt an indescribable itch in her heart.

 C42

    The rose petals floated on the surface of the water, exuding a faint warmth from her fingers. Even her eyes were intoxicated.


    Fu Yuheng extended his hand and scattered the bun, causing her to exclaim in alarm.


    Soon after, water splashed everywhere and Shen Qingwan was pulled into the water.


    "Do you still want to escape?" He quickly moved closer to her, and the Long Yanxiang on his body enveloped her within it.


    He could only feel his body growing weaker and weaker, and the strength in his hands was tickling like a kitten. Fear, grievance, and even more, intoxication could be seen in his eyes.


    After an unknown period of time, she finally lost consciousness.


    "Empress, Empress?" In a trance, she could only vaguely hear someone calling her from the side of her ear. Only then did she abruptly wake up.


    Was it a dream? When she thought back to what happened last night, she couldn''t help but feel that it wasn''t real. It was as if that person wasn''t him, and she wasn''t the one who was begging.


    However, when she turned around, she felt a tearing pain on her body. She lowered her head to look, and the dense marks on her body were still there. Even the sticky feeling on her body was reminding her that it wasn''t a dream, but something that had truly happened.


    For a moment, she felt even more wronged. She hugged her blanket and started sobbing softly.


    "Empress, what''s wrong?" Seeing her cry, Lian Yun was anxious and puzzled. The Emperor had obviously stayed over the night, why would the Empress be sad? Did the emperor bully the empress?


    Shen Qingwan did not explain, how could she say such things?


    But he clearly didn''t love her, so how could he force her to do this kind of thing?!


    Seeing her like this, Lian Yun did not know how to comfort her. He could only help wipe his tears away with the handkerchief non-stop, as his heart ached even more.


    He was so tired from crying that he gradually calmed down.


    "Empress, don''t cry anymore. If you keep on crying, your eyes will swell." Lian Yun pouted, "Why don''t you come to the welcoming party tonight? At that time, you won''t even be able to cover up your rouge and cosmetics."


    "Wind welcome feast?" Shen Qingwan looked at her doubtfully. What welcome feast?


    Lian Yun patted her forehead and said with regret: "Seeing this servant''s memory, I had forgotten to tell you. "The emperor asked this servant to tell you before he left that there was a general who came back victorious tonight. He wanted to celebrate." Just a moment ago, he had been so focused on comforting the Empress that he had actually forgotten about this matter.


    Shen Qingwan actually knows a bit about this matter. A few days ago she heard someone mention it, it seems that there was a war in the south, the scale was not big, and only sent a nameless little general in the past, he seems to be surnamed Chen, but now that he has returned triumphantly, the emperor is happy, so the banquet was set up.


    "Got it, Lian Yun, prepare some water for me. I want to bathe and change." Her body was unusually sticky, making her feel very uncomfortable.


    Only after taking a bath did he feel refreshed. He went to the empress''s place to pay his respects, and the gloom in his heart seemed to have dissipated a little.


    After thinking about it for a while, Xiao Shushen went to the empress to pay respects. Due to the matter of the Ninth Prince a few days ago, Xiao Shushen did not make things difficult for her, she only talked about family matters and let her go.


    Since the emperor had just finished his morning assembly, it would be inconvenient for her to disturb him. This way, it would be rather boring. One person walked around the garden, randomly picking a flower, but was accidentally pricked by thorns in the hand, out of small blood droplets.


    "Empress ¡­" Lian Yun looked at her with an aggrieved look, "Why are you so bored today? This caused this servant to not dare to speak anymore. " As she had been by her side since she was young, she was rather close to her and didn''t have much scruples when she spoke. Instead, it made her feel even more intimate and real.


    "I''m fine ¡­" He knew that she was worried about him, but no matter what, he couldn''t feel happy. The life in the palace was like a dream, yet it was broken and he couldn''t fly again.


    It was scattered, scattered, and there were birds flying in the sky. That kind of free figure caused her to be extremely envious. If she wasn''t a member of the Shen family, wouldn''t she be as free as he was?


    However, these words were just a thought. As children, how could they be picky of their parents?


    "Lian Yun, when you want to marry someone, you have to leave this powerful courtyard far behind." Shen Qing Wan turned around and smiled at her, but her tone was mocking. A while ago, she was staring blankly at the outside, and she could see it clearly.


    "What is the Empress saying, Lian Yun has to stay by your side and wait upon the Empress!" Lian Yun turned her head away, her mouth pouting in displeasure, but her ears were slightly red.


    Perhaps she still didn''t understand, but this was indeed what she wanted to warn her. If she had a choice, then she wouldn''t want to stay in this place no matter what.


    When they saw that the people from the royal kitchen were starting to get busy, which also meant that the welcoming banquet was about to begin, Lian Yun was summoned to go back and dress her up. Although they didn''t know why the emperor called her but he probably had his own plans and didn''t need her to worry about him.


    Because it was a palace feast, Shen Qingwan had no choice but to dress up a little, pulling up her ponytail, wearing a light purple flowery pleated skirt, a dark purple thin smoky cloth, and a jade double plum hairpin. She looked like a fairy who had fallen into the mortal world.


    "Empress, you are truly beautiful today." Lian Yun tilted her head, the smile on her face did not stop.


    "Don''t talk like that anymore." He smiled faintly, his face was like a blossoming peach, "The banquet is about to begin, we can''t be late."

 C43

    "My beloved concubine, this is General Chen." After he sat down, Fu Yuheng looked at her with a smile that was not a smile. The size in his eyes made her somewhat puzzled. She had clearly never seen this person before, and they also hadn''t interacted before. Why was it that the emperor''s intention was to introduce him to her?


    The moment he heard the emperor mention him, Chen Siming hurriedly stood up and bowed to the two of them. He was often out in the wind and sun. His face was already slightly bronze, but there was still a bit of shyness on his face.


    "Oh, so that''s how it is. Since it was brought up by the Ninth Prince, then his ability must be extraordinary. These words confirmed Chen Siming''s ability, but on the other hand, they also pointed out his position.


    "I''m very happy today, so there''s no need for all of you to be too restrained. Just enjoy yourself properly, that''s all. If there''s anything else, we can talk about it later." He raised his head and downed a cup of wine, the taste buds in his mouth popping out.


    "Your majesty, since we are so happy today, and the Concubine Xian is better off here, why not let the Concubine Xian dance a tune with us?"


    Heh, to cheer up? To put it in a good light, it was most likely a form of humiliation. Shen Qingwan looked at the Prime Minister Liu below her, thinking about her future plans.


    Even Fu Yuheng, who was standing at the side, looked at her as if he had never seen her dance before. It was just that this time was not really suitable, and his eyes were slightly displeased.


    "I''m afraid that Prime Minister Liu will be disappointed. Although chenqie is a fourth concubine, she does not like to dance. I presume that she has never had as many talents as Honorable Liu, and would not be able to embarrass herself in front of all the ministers." He specifically emphasized the words Honorable Liu and the various ministers to remind the few people sitting down that she might be a Fourth Concubine. Since that was the case, how could she possibly cheer the ministers up?


    As expected, the moment these words were spoken, the other ministers present at the banquet all looked at Prime Minister Liu with reproach. Fu Yuheng''s expression also turned cold. It seemed that this Prime Minister Liu had not learnt enough from his lesson.


    The atmosphere became awkward for a moment. General Shen stood up and bowed towards Fu Yuheng, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This old servant only knows how to fight, but I didn''t expect that I would be delayed from learning these things."


    Fu Yuheng gave everyone a way out, but didn''t say anything else. He waved his hand and sat him down. "No problem. My concubine still doesn''t need to fawn on others." He had lifted Shen Qingwan to a certain height, but that was the truth.


    Prime Minister Liu''s expression became more and more stiff. Helpless, he could only lower his head and struggle against the food in front of him.


    With Fu Yuheng''s consent, they turned around and let Lian Yun call a few pitiful people over. Thinking back to how they probably hated the dance at the banquet last time, and told them to prepare a new dance, the awkward situation had finally ended.


    Shen Qingwan wasn''t interested in this matter at all. She wasn''t a lady of a noble family, and now that she saw these pitiful people dancing in the past, she felt that it was boring.


    Fortunately, it was just for the fun of it, so he didn''t have much time to waste.


    When the General Shen saw that his own emperor was still protective of his own daughter, he heaved a sigh of relief. Back then when he sent her to the palace, it might not be entirely wrong, he hoped that she could understand his bitterness.


    Drinking one cup after another, accompanied by the depression in his heart.


    Chen Siming was the main character of the banquet. At this moment, he stood up and bowed to the crowd, saying, "This time, many thanks go to the emperor for his generous gift. In the future, I will definitely spare no effort in serving our country." They didn''t know if his words were true or false. They just replied in chorus. They hid their thoughts deep in their hearts. They couldn''t say.


    When he had finished his meal and wine, it was about time. Fu Yuheng saw that everyone looked exhausted. He also had matters to attend to, so he did not stay with them any longer. He only asked his servants to send them off.


    "Today''s the end. Everyone, leave."


    Shen Qingwan felt that these people were being hypocritical. Looking at the people sitting in the seat of honor, she could not help but feel some sympathy for them. Moreover, she felt that if he did so, as the Emperor, how would he be able to stay in this place?


    "Your Majesty, are you tired? Why don''t we rest today? " A voice as smooth as water rang out beside his ear, making him feel slightly better. However, he still shook his head and said, "Forget it, I still have matters to attend to. If my beloved concubine is tired, she should go rest first."


    Last night had already been a torturous night. In addition to accompanying him at the banquet today, seeing the deep purple in her eyes, he would probably lack rest as well. If he allowed her to stay here, it would truly be too harsh on him.


    "Why does the emperor say so? Chenqie is the emperor''s concubine, so she naturally has to relieve the emperor of his troubles as well." As he spoke ¡­

 C44

    Shen Qingwan followed right behind him. No matter what, she wanted to stay by his side today.


    Even though he was the Ninth Five Supremes, he was a man of flesh and blood, and if that was the case, how could he not be tired? Even if she was slightly unwilling to do what she had done last night, she was still someone close to her bed. There was no need for her to worry about such a trivial matter.


    About four hours later, Fu Yuheng finally raised his head from the table. He saw her leaning against it, his eyes slightly closed, as if he was already asleep. In his hands was an embroidered handkerchief.


    As the night grew darker, Fu Yuheng and she returned to her courtyard. Fortunately, there was no one outside and few people had seen them. However, the news would probably spread that they had been sleeping in her courtyard for two days straight. It was already too late. If she rejected it, it would give the impression that he wanted to welcome him but refused, so he might as well accept it with confidence.


    In the morning of the next day, Shen Qing Wan asked Lian Yun to prepare the materials to embroider the money bag. However, the way the money bag was embroidered made her feel unsure of what to do after thinking about it for a while.


    "Lian Yun, come with me to carrageenan." Since she really had no other choice, she could only go to Li Ruotong''s place and ask for help. At least, it would be better if she could ask for help by herself and think about it.


    It was unknown if it was because of the worries in his heart, but even his footsteps became faster.


    "Qiushui, is your mistress here?" When they arrived at the courtyard, they found that Autumn Water was about to leave, so they pulled her over to ask.


    "Concubine Xian?" Qiu Shui was stunned as she was grabbed by the sleeve. When she looked up, she saw it was Shen Qingwan. She quickly greeted, "Reporting to the Empress, the Empress is in the room." His mistress had just woken up and was on her way to fetch breakfast.


    Shen Qingwan let go of the hand that was holding her sleeve, and kept thinking. She didn''t notice her actions and words at the moment. She turned around and walked toward Li Ruotong''s room.


    Lian Yun, who was watching at the side, could only shake her head. The Empress had been extremely nervous these past few days, and was so worried that she refused to speak last night. Her face today was like peach blossoms, perhaps even she did not know.


    It could be said that when the bystanders saw the situation, Lian Yun felt that her own mistress had fallen for the Emperor.


    "Elder Sister Consort Xian?" When Li Ruotong saw her rushing in, he was startled, like autumn water, and obviously did not expect her to come so early in the morning. She thought that something had happened, but seeing that she could not hide her smile, she became suspicious.


    "Ruo Tong, I have something to ask you." Shen Qingwan sat on the edge of the bed without saying anything. He took out a black bag from his chest and looked a little worried.


    Receiving the bag in her hands, Li Ruotong turned it over and over again, only feeling that there was nothing abnormal, "What''s wrong?"


    Shen Qingwan pursed her lips. She felt a little embarrassed, but in order to complete the mission, she still struggled a bit before opening her mouth and asking, "If I were to embroider a lotus for the emperor, what kind of embroidery would be more suitable?" Her fingers moved back and forth on the corner of her clothes, and her heartbeat sped up.


    Is this to embroider a lotus pendant for the emperor?


    Li Ruotong looked at her doubtfully. She remembered that she didn''t know how to embroider things, so why did she suddenly remember to give the Emperor the embroidered bonus bag today? Thinking like this, she asked, "Elder sister, why did you give the embroidered bag to the Emperor?"


    Could it be that she was moved by the emperor? Frowning, she glanced at Shen Qingwan who was still immersed in her thoughts. She had clearly warned her before, but she didn''t expect that she would still fall in.


    "Since it''s the emperor, then the bag must have something with a creative concept embroidered on it. I''m afraid that elder sister can''t do it because elder sister can''t do it either. Otherwise, it would be like embroidering an auspicious cloud, or else, it would be a bit more vulgar and the bamboo would just have to come out."


    Shen Qingwan nodded, "Little sister is really smart, but this embroidery is really too difficult. Little sister, can you teach big sister?"


    "Sigh!" Forget it, I''ll get Autumn Water to bring some needle and thread over later. Seeing how smart big sister is, it definitely won''t take long. "


    Once the problem in her heart was solved, Shen Qingwan started to avoid seeing Fu Yuheng. Indeed, she had been getting too close to him in the past few days, and was finding it harder and harder to control his emotions.


    "Elder sister, you have to be careful." Li Ruotong saw her distress and thought for a while, before deciding to remind her again, "But once you fall for the Emperor, even if the journey is going to be difficult, I hope that you won''t be too reckless and stubborn. Perhaps, it might not be a bad thing. "

 C45

    Her body jerked and her hands trembled, and her purse almost fell off. Even she could clearly see what was going on, what was she thinking?


    If she could fight for it, she wouldn''t have been able to win it. However, she wasn''t willing to lose herself in this manner, just like those imperial concubines.


    As long as it was a day, it was better off if it was a day than if it was a day. Li Ruotong got Autumn Water to take the needle and thread to her, and taught her for an entire day.


    In fact, Shen Qingwan felt that the sound of the zither suited her taste. This state of mind was not common in the harem, so she wanted to meet the person who played the zither.


    After dinner, she went out for a walk. The zither music had already stopped, so she had no choice but to return home in low spirits. Once Lian Yun had an idea, she would definitely pay him a visit.


    "This is bad!" "I''ve lost!" At this moment, he heard a maid''s shout. He raised his head and looked in the direction of the voice. He seemed to be able to see a fire coming from there.


    Without a doubt, he rushed over. When he arrived, he saw a group of people gathered in front of the courtyard. They were all concubines who were just there to watch the show.


    After an unknown period of time, Fu Yuheng finally walked over from afar. It was obvious that he was unhappy.


    "What happened?"


    "Your Majesty, chenqie is so scared ¡­" Liu Chu Rong used the handkerchief in his hand to wipe his tears, then said with tears, "I almost couldn''t see the emperor again."


    These words caused Fu Yuheng''s heart to soften. Besides, the person in front of him was in a rather sorry state. He could not help but feel pity when he saw the teary face of the person in front of him.


    He patted her back lightly and lowered his head to comfort her, "Alright, I''m not afraid anymore. I''m here." Only then did he raise his eyes and look at the crowd before him. His tone returned to its usual majestic tone, "What is going on?"


    Shen Qingwan looked at the scene in front of her, not saying a word, her eyes cold.


    Instead, it was her wishful thinking.


    "Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your Majesty, please forgive me! " A maid ran out from the side. He looked young, his limbs were not very nimble, and from the looks of it, he was a new maid. Kneeling on the ground, his body trembling, his tears rolling in his eyes, he said, "Your servant accidentally knocked the candle down, that''s ¡­"


    "Speak, where did you come from?" Could it be that you want to harm us?! " Liu Chugrong''s eyes opened wide, wanting to tear the person in front of her into pieces. If it wasn''t for that, she wouldn''t be in such a sorry state right now.


    "This servant doesn''t dare!" Your servant doesn''t dare! "Your majesty, please forgive me!" The little palace maid was so frightened that he kowtowed and kept begging for mercy.


    Steward Mammy rushed out from the crowd, his hand was already sweating profusely as he said tremblingly, "Honored guest, please calm your anger. This servant is the new palace maid, and does not understand the rules, please forgive her this time." The maidservant was clearly young and had just entered the palace. She could not bear to see her lose her life, so he opened his mouth to say a few good words.


    "In that case ¡­" Fu Yuheng felt a slight headache. This palace maid was indeed too irritating.


    "Your Majesty! You must not let her off lightly! " Liu Chugrong gritted his teeth as he glared at that palace maid. Seeing that the Emperor seemed to want to let her go, he was extremely unwilling. He wanted to burn her courtyard to the ground. Did she still want to live?


    Xiao Shushen stood behind the emperor and looked at her with a cold smile.


    "If today''s matter doesn''t happen, forget it. After all, this is only her first time committing a crime. If she makes such a mistake next time, what happens if I behead her again?" Fu Yuheng consoled her, clearly wanting to calm the matter down.


    "Your Majesty! "Chenqie ¡­" Liu Chugrong obviously wanted to say something, but when he saw the emperor''s expression turn cold, he realized that his actions had made him unhappy. He clenched his fists and lowered his head, unwilling to do so, but in the end, it was still more important to win the emperor''s favor.


    He glanced at the kneeling palace maid out of the corner of his eyes. Today was the first day he had taken advantage of her. In the future, he would have a chance to take care of her.


    "Then let''s do as the emperor says." Liu Chugrong was obviously not stupid. He lowered his body and bit his lips.


    Fu Yuheng''s gaze softened as he enjoyed Liu Xiurong''s submission. "Don''t worry Honorable Liu, I''ll let you down for now. In a few days, I''ll have the craftsmen repair the courtyard for you. We''ll stay in the empress''s empty room for now."


    "Here." Liu Chugrong twitched his mouth and looked in the direction of the Queen. Although he didn''t want to, he still agreed.


    Xiao Shushen sneered, if not for the Emperor''s words, she would not have allowed him to stay in her place.


    From start to finish, Shen Qingwan was like an outsider as she looked at the scene in front of her. She looked at the palace maid with sympathy, at least she got a beating.


    The imperial concubines had already dispersed in groups of twos and threes, and she did not want to stay any longer. She brought Lian Yun, who was behind her, back to her own courtyard.


    The bag was lying by the pillow, but the person on the pillow was no longer interested and had been left alone.


    The night passed, and the palace was still as it was before. However, there was still a change in the human heart.

 C46

    The efficiency of the palace was extremely high. On the morning of the second day, the burnt courtyard began to be renovated. One could still hear two or three pairs of maidservants secretly discussing amongst themselves.


    "Hey, have you heard?" The little palace maid who had already been in the palace for a few years whispered to another palace maid, "Last night, that palace maid offended Honorable Liu and was not executed! "What great luck."


    Seeing this situation, Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but laugh out loud. In this palace, not everyone was so bored.


    Li Ruotong''s body was already in great condition, so shshehad only just left the courtyard today. In the end, as soon as she came out, he heard the servants discussing what happened last night, and her eyes revealed hints of schadenfreude.


    "Even you heard about what happened last night?" Shen Qingwan smiled.


    "That''s right!" She was in a very good mood. She didn''t like Liu Chu Rong to begin with. Now that something happened to her, she was happy to see it happen.


    Shen Qingwan shook her head in amusement. Seeing that she was in such a good mood, she decided to walk together in the garden.


    Laughing softly, he raised his head to look at the horizon. Was he angry? Actually, it wasn''t. It was just that he felt a bit disappointed.


    Shaking her head, she lifted her hand and slapped her forehead. "You, you always think of teasing me."


    Li Ruotong held her forehead, just as she raised her head, her eyes stared straight ahead.


    Following her line of sight, she couldn''t help but smile while covering her mouth. So, what happened to her at that time? So, it turned out that she saw Ye Feng from afar.


    "Ai, it seems that I have gotten in someone''s way." Ye Xiao sighed and pretended that he was going to leave.


    "AHH!" "It''s not like that." Li Ruotong was panicking, she grabbed onto her sleeves and looked up at her with a teasing face. Only then did she realise that she was being teased, and her beautiful face had flushed red.


    The small episode came to an end just like that, causing the two of them to have their own thoughts.


    One was unable to win a person''s heart, while the other was unable to take a person''s heart.


    After having lunch and walking out of the courtyard, he could hear the sound of a zither from the distance. Even though the zither music had changed, it was still as calm as before, and it made people feel more at ease.


    Shen Qingwan stayed in the pavilion for an entire afternoon, until the sound of the zither stopped.


    It had been like this for the past few days, even Lian Yun beside her had become anxious. Although she understood a little, she felt bored listening to it everyday.


    Only when the zither music stopped did Shen Qingwan stand up and smile towards the western courtyard. Her eyes were filled with the relief and joy of meeting a close friend, and also appreciation.


    Lian Yun thought to herself that these few days, the Empress was almost in a daze, and pursed her lips.


    The second time, the zither music suddenly stopped. Shen Qingwan frowned, her heart was filled with doubts. However, in the time it took for half a cup of tea to boil, a maid came out of the western courtyard and walked towards her. She was already very eye-catching in the pavilion, and the maid could tell with a single glance that she was the one who was playing together with her mistress.


    "This must be the Concubine Xian!" After greeting her before she left, the servant girl also had a cold personality. She probably followed her master and said, "My lady would like to invite you to her courtyard. Would you like to meet her?"


    Shen Qingwan had the same intentions in the first place, so she did not reject him. She wrapped the guqin on the stone table and passed it to Lian Yun: "Since that''s the case, let''s begin!" Perhaps it was due to the respect she held for her that she didn''t look down on this servant girl at all.


    The maid''s mouth twitched as if he was trying to pull a smile out of it.


    Just like the people inside, the arrangement for entering the yard was very simple. There was only a long stone table in the yard, but there were some flowers and plants in the empty space beside it.


    There was a zither on the stone table, but there was no one touching it.


    Just as he was wondering, he saw a woman in a green dress walk out from the room. Her hair wasn''t all tied up, and some of it was even draped over her shoulders.


    Her slender eyebrows were soft, but their eyes were cold. Every movement she made gave off a sense of estrangement.


    "Sit down." Even his words were very concise. After saying those two words, he no longer spoke.


    "I''ve long since heard my sister''s zither music, and I''ve always wanted to pay a visit. It''s just that I can''t disturb you." Shen Qingwan faintly said, as if the one excited by finding someone he was close with was not her, "Today, I have such a good opportunity, it really surprises my little sister."


    Wu Ling only raised her eyes when she heard this. She did not seem to expect her to say this. If she continued to treat others coldly, it would seem that she was not generous.


    "It''s my fault. I didn''t know there was such an elegant person in the palace." These words were a bit too heavy, but it was indeed what she was thinking. Almost everyone was busy scheming and scheming, and there was even the elegance to come listen to her zither music.


    Shen Qingwan understood the meaning behind her words and did not refute, "You''re a weird person." Not to mention the sisters, there was also a sense of closeness in her tone.


    When she met such an interesting person in the palace, she was only the second, while the first was Li Ruotong. But she only met such an interesting person because she liked him, and this was the first time she saw someone as indifferent as the person in front of her.

 C47

    Wu Ling signaled a servant girl with a cold expression to bring some tea cakes over. She smiled faintly and asked, "Aren''t you also very strange?"


    These words caused her to be stunned for a moment. She had forgotten that the reason why she was interested in her was because she felt that the two of them had similar personalities, right? So she was strange herself.


    "This girl has been following me ever since I was young. She has no parents, so her personality is a bit cold. Don''t take offense to her." Wu Ling looked in the direction of the kitchen and sighed.


    "You, how dare you speak nonsense, be careful of your tongue being pulled out one day!" Shen Qing Wan was in a good mood, but did not blame Lian Yun for her actions, and instead had the intention of teasing her.


    Lian Yun immediately covered her mouth, afraid that her tongue would be pulled out, and shook her head, looking at her pitifully.


    Seeing her act this way, she also softened her heart. She only warned her not to speak carelessly about matters in the palace outside. It wasn''t something that could be discussed randomly.


    She put away her zither. She knew most of the people in the palace.


    Wu Ling rarely came out and usually stayed in the yard by herself. She would only go out when there were important occasions or when she was summoned by the emperor. It was also because of this that she only found out about a person with such a personality in the palace. She had only heard about him in the past, but had never seen him.


    Ever since that meeting, when she was free, she would often go to sit at her place. The two of them said things that they liked to talk about, otherwise, they would play the zither together and their lives would be very uncomfortable.


    Occasionally, Li Ruotong would come along as well. Even if they couldn''t play the zither together, it would at least relieve the overly calm atmosphere between the two. From time to time, she would tease the two for a bit, making them laugh, which was quite interesting.


    "Your Majesty isn''t busy today?"


    It was unknown how Fu Yuheng came to know of their frequent visits. After he had completed his duties, he also had the leisure to come and take a look. Coincidentally, both of them were there.


    "Let''s begin." Fu Yuheng did not seem to care in the slightest. It was likely that he was already used to her personality. He only lifted up his robe and sat down, slightly closing his eyes as he listened.


    This seemed to be a tacit understanding between the two of them. Seeing that she started to play, Shen Qingwan also chimed in.


    At one moment, he could imagine running on the prairie, and at the next, he could hear birds chirping in the forest.


    Playing the zither primarily allowed one to listen to one''s mental state. The duo''s melody was indescribably leisurely, and even the tiredness from handling their duties for the entire day slowly faded away.


    "Alright!" After the song ended, Fu Yuheng laughed heartily, and the depressing matters were put to the back of his mind. "I, on the other hand, have raised two good concubines."


    Wu Ling had been practicing the zither since she was young. Normally, if she was too bored, he would occasionally come here to listen to her play to alleviate his depression. However, she had always been distant from him, so he couldn''t completely blame her.


    Now, he was giving him a lot of face.


    Shen Qingwan did not know what was going on, but she could see that in Wu Ling''s eyes when she looked at the Emperor, other than estrangement, there was also a more complicated feeling. It seemed to be resentment, and also some hatred.


    However, these words absolutely could not be said out loud. After all, that person was the Emperor.


    "It''s getting late, so I assume the emperor is also tired. It''s better for the emperor to go back and rest first." Wu Ling opened his mouth slightly. He sounded as if she wanted to chase him away.


    He faintly glanced at her and said, "It''s time for my Consort Xian to go back and rest." There was a hidden bitterness in Fu Yuheng''s eyes. "Follow me."


    Even if she had to leave, it would be too lonely for her to be alone, so she also pulled her along.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie will naturally leave as well. However ¡­" Shen Qingwan found it funny. Seeing how he looked as if he had suffered a blow, she added oil to the fire, "Your concubine doesn''t seem to be on the same path as your majesty the Emperor."


    The moment those words left his mouth, he realized that the other party was clearly embarrassed, and he didn''t know how to respond.


    He didn''t feel angry at all. He just shook his sleeves, as if he had lost his temper.


    "In that case, I shall take my leave first. You can do as you wish!" He stood up and left without looking back. The two disciples looked at each other and a smile appeared on their faces.


    "Then I won''t stay any longer. If I''m free in the future, I''ll come and bother you again." Shen Qing Wan kept the guqin in her embrace. She didn''t bring Lian Yun here today, so she was the only one left when they returned.


    Moonlight fell on his body, causing the chilly night to become somewhat more tranquil. Bird cries would occasionally resound by his ears as he walked along the road alone, feeling rather lonely.


    He didn''t know how that person was faring, but when he thought of Fu Yuheng leaving alone, he became more and more worried.


    He was clearly smiling a moment ago, but now, he seemed a little lonely.


    When they returned to the house, Lian Yun chattered beside her ear. Only then did she feel that the loneliness in her heart had slowly disappeared.


    "Empress." Lian Yun unhappily curled her lips: "Why don''t you bring this servant along? This servant is alone in the house and is very bored."


    Only then did Shen Qingwan smile. Bringing him along would be boring, but not bringing her along would be boring. It would be hard to serve her.


    "Then I''ll take you next time." Leaning on the bed, he felt a bit helpless, but he also felt a bit peevish.

 C48

    "Cough, cough ¡­" After Shen Qing Wan left, Wu Ling''s face became pale, "Mo Lan, help me back to my room."


    With the assistance of Mo Lan, she stood up and looked in the direction of the courtyard gate with regret in her eyes.


    After changing, he was wrapped in a white inner garment. During the day, he could only see a slightly thin figure. But now, he felt so thin that only his skeleton remained.


    "Hehe, this is a secret." He only saw the maid say arrogantly as he turned his head. This was what she said to the Ninth Prince when he passed by the study yesterday.


    At this moment, the Begonia in the yard had become a bit withered, leaving only a few leaves bitterly holding on.


    "How have these few days in Concubine Xian been?" Liu Chugrong couldn''t sit still. Her yard was not fully restored, so she slept for a few days in the empress''s yard. After a few days of peace, she came back to visit again. It was unknown what she was thinking.


    Shen Qing Wan looked at her but didn''t want to reply. Coincidentally, Lian Yun, who was cultivating the broken branch and leaf of the flower, arrived at her feet.


    "Could Honorable Liu please step down? You''re blocking the way." Shen Qingwan lowered her head to look at her feet. Sure enough, she was only a hair''s breadth away from the crabapple blossoms.


    Lowering her head, she saw Lian Yun looking at her with an aggrieved expression, she was slightly annoyed in her heart, a small servant dared to look at her in such a manner.


    His legs tilted, and his body fell towards Lian Yun''s direction.


    Lian Yun was originally a petite girl, although she did not know any martial arts, she was still quite nimble. Subconsciously, she took a step back, and because of this step, there was a splash on the grass.


    "AHH!"


    Apparently, even La Mei, who was behind her, didn''t have time to react. She fell to the ground, but luckily, the Begonia flower had just been pruned, so it didn''t hurt her face. However, from the looks of it, he was as embarrassed as he could get.


    "Chi ¡­" Shen Qingwan looked at this scene with a hint of schadenfreude, but who could she blame for this? She could only say that she stole the chicken but not the rice.


    "Honorable Liu, what are you doing? Even if you like my Begonia, you can''t just pounce on me like that."


    Liu Chugrong sat up, looking at her fiercely. He turned his head and glared at La Mei. "What are you standing there for? Help me up!"


    Lamey reacted and quickly went forward to help her up.


    On the other hand, Lian Yun continued to embroider the flower as if nothing had happened, and ignored her, just that she did not want to let her go like this.


    "What''s wrong with you, maid!" Could he be plotting to kill me! " Liu Chugrong raised his eyebrows and glared at her, as if she was the one who caused her to fall.


    Shen Qing Wan did not manage to block his kick and ended up kicking Lian Yun''s arm instead.


    "Today, I shall teach you, a maid, a lesson in place of your master!" With that, he asked Lamei to pull her up.


    Lamei was about to move out when he heard a furious roar and stopped in his tracks.


    "Stop!" Shen Qing Wan stood in front of Lian Yun, protecting him as she stared at him with a cold expression. Why, did the person who touched her have to greet her? Her servant girl was not someone who could be taught a lesson, "Honorable Liu, have you forgotten? Lian Yun is one of my people, furthermore, you are a noble now, shouldn''t I bow in respect when you see me? "


    Liu Chugrong''s expression changed. Honorable person, why did she have to be reduced to such a noble person?! Despite the anger in his heart, his body shook and he still bowed.


    She did not want to participate in their dispute from the start, but seeing that Lian Yun was being bullied, she could not sit still and watch, the look in her eyes becoming colder and colder.


    "Honorable Liu needs to think this through. You can''t touch my people!" He turned around and helped Lian Yun up, then gave her another Eye Knife.


    Normally, Shen Qingwan had a calm appearance and looked gentle and easy to bully. But today, she was truly shocked. She did not dare to go forward again. She bit her lips and stomped her feet in anger. In the end, she left with La Mei who was behind him.


    Staring in the direction the two of them left in, until their figures disappeared, her expression finally eased up, and her gaze became gentle, "Lian Yun, are you alright?"


    Seeing Lian Yun clenching her teeth in pain, she knew that her kick must have been heavy. She sighed, but it was she who harmed Lian Yun, "Go and rub some medicine."


    Lian Yun was also a strong person, the tears in her eyes went up and down a few times but she held them back. Like this, Shen Qingwan silently decided in her heart that she must not be this weak in the future.


    As for Liu Chugrong, she was unwilling to leave her yard, but now, as a noble person, she lost against her in terms of momentum. Previously, he only thought that she was easy to bully, but today, it was as if she had become a different person. Humph, if she hadn''t become a noble, who would have thought that she wouldn''t be respectful.


    After returning to the house, she crumpled the papers on the table into a ball and threw them all on the floor. It was as if this was the only way to vent her anger.


    "Humph!" "Useless thing!" It was unknown if it was because there was really no place for him to vent his anger, but he threw the handkerchief in his hand at Lamei''s face, "What''s the use of me raising you!"


    "Please calm your anger, Empress!" Everyone in the room immediately kneeled down, until she turned around and let them out of the room.


    Now, she could be considered as living under someone else''s roof. She couldn''t even throw anything in this room. She felt depressed and her face was twisted.


    "Esteemed Empress, the empress is here."


    While he was still fuming, he heard the announcement from outside. Liu Chugrong clenched his fists and a smile appeared on his face again.

 C49

    "Oh ~ It''s precisely because of this that my little sister is so angry." Xiao Shushen came in from outside like a pile of useless paper. She didn''t need to guess to know that she must have gone to find someone to make trouble for and ended up angering herself.


    Covering the handkerchief with a smile, he walked in.


    How could Liu Chugrong say it out loud? After all, it was a shameful thing. And because of this, he only forced a smile, saying that his maid had ruined his belongings, causing him to lose his temper.


    His words were just right. By informing her about the hunt, he was able to suppress her arrogance. It was likely that she would need to wait two days before the emperor would notify her of the hunt. Two days was obviously not enough time to prepare for anything, and that was why she''d told her beforehand.


    "Then, if there''s nothing else, sister will leave first."


    Only then did Xiao Shushen walk away step by step, leaving Liu Chu Rong looking outside the window with a gloomy expression. What a good hunt, the corners of her mouth raised, and the expression on her face made people feel fearful.


    He got the servants to bring paper and brush over and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Liu, telling La Mei to find someone else to send it out.


    At the same time, Shen Qingwan received the news from Li Ruotong. It was clear that the Emperor had no intention to announce this matter, and only mentioned it to a few people.


    She had heard of the imperial hunt before, and it was said that it was held once every two years, usually during the Spring and Autumn season. Today was the first time she had seen one in the palace, and it was said that the emperor would bring two or three concubines.


    Ever since she was young, Shen Qingwan had always been interested in these things. She loved freedom like a horse, because her father was a general and she would occasionally come into contact with him before.


    On the surface, she couldn''t conceal the joy on her face. She could only hope that the Emperor would bring her along when the time came.


    "Lian Yun, who do you think will be going to the hunt?" The excitement in her heart was unbearable, even Lian Yun who was at the side had a smile plastered on her face.


    "This servant doesn''t know, but I think Ninth Prince will definitely go!" ''s eyes lit up a little at the mention of the Ninth Prince.


    Shen Qing Wan thought that she was a useless girl, but in her heart, she was guessing whether Fu Huaiyu would participate in it or not.


    As expected, Fu Yuheng announced this matter three days later. It was unknown if he had felt her prayer and came to her courtyard that afternoon.


    "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"


    After kneeling down the entire room, Shen Qingwan also bowed.


    "Rise." Fu Yuheng sat down impolitely and gestured for her to sit beside him.


    "Have you finished embroidering my purse?" Fu Yuheng pulled her into his arms and whispered into her ear.


    Shen Qingwan was stunned. She thought that he had forgotten about it, but who would''ve thought that she would bring it up today. Seeing her in a daze, Fu Yuheng thought that she had not embroidered anything, and her expression did not look too good. It was only when she opened her mouth to say that she was finished that it eased up.


    Actually, she had already finished embroidering her purse two days ago. However, she was unable to find an opportunity to hand it over to him. Since he hadn''t come to get it, she thought that he wouldn''t take it.


    "Chenqie''s embroidery work is not good, so the emperor should not take offense." From under the pillow, he took out a black colored embroidered cloth. Golden threads painted the design of the cloth, and on the right side, there were white cranes drawn by the silver threads. The entire bag seemed very simple, but it was also very exquisite. Just by looking at it carefully, one could see that the stitches were a bit messy.


    Fu Yuheng, on the other hand, did not mind. He took the pouch and placed it in his sleeve.


    "We have received the favor of our beloved concubine."


    Shen Qingwan raised her head to look at him, only to see that he acted as if it was completely natural. However, when did she ever say that it was her wish, he was clearly the one who forced her to do it. For some reason, her ears felt hot.


    "Your majesty came today just for the sake of my purse?" Perhaps it was because his heart was filled with anticipation, but after being silent for a moment, he could not help but ask.


    Fu Yuheng shook his head. "No." This time, the reason he came here was to take his bag, and it was mainly for the matter of the hunt.


    Shen Qingwan''s eyes flashed with anticipation, coincidentally caught by him.


    As expected, she was not a peaceful person. She secretly laughed to herself, and a few traces of happiness appeared in her eyes.


    "I have come here today to ask if you want to hunt with me."


    Just as expected, Shen Qing Wan''s face revealed a joyous expression, she did not even think about it, and directly replied to him.


    "Of course!" Only when she spoke did she feel that her reaction was too excessive. She felt a little embarrassed, but she still nodded.


    "Haha!" Okay, she''s just the daughter of the General Shen. " Fu Yuheng laughed out loud. The more he looked at her, the more appreciative he became, and there was even a hint of gentleness in his gaze.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    That night, he rested within her palace. That night, the two of them slept in each other''s embrace without a word.


    The next morning, there was no one around him.


    "Lian Yun, help me prepare a set of clothes that would be easy to move." When the time came, she definitely couldn''t wear such a long dress to ride the horse. She definitely had to prepare a set of clothes to ride it.


    Seeing that there were still two days worth of time left, he hurriedly told Lian Yun to customize it and should be able to make it in time.


    After receiving the order, Lian Yun immediately went down to prepare.


    As she expected, there were three consorts present this time. Other than her, there was also the Empress and Li Ruotong.


    It was a pity that Wu Ling couldn''t go with her.

 C50

    He suddenly remembered, he wanted to go to Wu Ling''s place to take a look, but since Lian Yun had gone out to help her arrange clothes, she did not let the servants pass down the news.


    "Cough, cough ¡­" It was only when they arrived at the entrance that a servant came to inform them that they could hear coughing sounds coming from within the room. They could not help but feel somewhat worried.


    "You''re here." Wu Ling''s voice came from inside, she was obviously weak.


    "You don''t have to blame yourself." It was obvious that he had seen through her thoughts and had instead comforted her. She had long since gotten used to her body, and in the few days she had been here, she had indeed been very happy.


    "I heard that you''re going hunting with the Emperor in two days." Wu Ling coughed lightly and changed the topic.


    Shen Qingwan also realized that she did not want to talk about it anymore, so she did not pursue the matter any further. She looked up and smiled, the worry on her face seemed to have disappeared as she said, "Yes, I''ve already asked Lian Yun to prepare clothes."


    Mo Lan knew what she meant, so she turned around and left, closing the door behind him as he guarded the entrance.


    "You must be extra cautious when you head there. You can''t be as cautious as you were in the general''s manor before, especially now, when you''re in the imperial palace." Wu Ling''s words made a complicated look flash across her eyes. Previously, she was too focused on happiness that she forgot about it. Now that she brought it up, her mind became clear.


    Seeing that she understood her intention, he then continued, "As far as I know, other than the Ninth Prince, there are also people from the Liu Family. You must pay attention to these two things."


    Surprise flashed past his eyes, only to see that the person on the bed had already closed his eyes. She seemed to have underestimated her. She thought that they would be separated from the harem in the courtyard, but she didn''t expect her to know about it so clearly.


    "Thank you very much." He thanked them and retracted the expression in his eyes. How many people in the harem could really not know anything? On the other hand, she appreciated this exquisite mindset of hers that knew everything but never changed.


    After she left, Wu Ling opened her eyes again. Worry could be seen in her eyes. She had said everything she needed to say. She hoped that nothing would happen to her.


    The hunt was divided into two stages, one before noon, one after noon, and there would be a banquet in the evening.


    Other than the three of them, there were also two women. One was said to be a princess, and the other was the only daughter of a minister.


    "My beloved concubine, you have to hurry. Don''t fall off your horse." Fu Yuheng rode over to her side with a slight smile in his eyes.


    Li Ruotong and Xiao Shushen had both participated in hunting before, so it was not a problem for him to know that as well. However, it was her first time participating in hunting, so he did not know much about her riding skills either.


    Shen Qingwan faintly smiled. She was quite confident in her riding skills. "Your Majesty, just watch and see." With a rather confident reply, her eyes were filled with determination.


    "Let''s go."


    Soon, the hunt began, and the sound of horses galloping could be heard as a team of men charged into the forest.


    There were already many small prey in the forest, but there were no large sized ferocious beasts, so it was much more reassuring. Moreover, no one wanted to go into the depths of the forest.


    Shen Qingwan did not show any signs of weakness as she followed, seeing a rabbit leap in front of her. After slowing down, the rabbit stopped and turned back to look at her. At that moment, Shen Qingwan was pulled out an arrow, and shot from the bow.


    With a sneer, he rode his horse forward and sure enough, the rabbit was no longer moving.


    Naturally, there would be people after the prey was caught, so she didn''t need to bring it with her to search for the next target.


    After walking around, she bumped into a member of the Liu Family. When she raised her head, she saw that person sneering at her. She could not help but feel uneasy. She remembered what Wu Ling said to her before and made up her mind to go in the opposite direction.


    In this forest, if there were any mishaps, then once it was an accident, the matter could only be left unsettled. Moreover, she was a woman, so it was better for her to avoid it.


    The wobbly hunt passed and time was up. Shen Qingwan also rushed out of the hunting grounds. When she got out of the field, it was obvious that most of the people were already there.


    "As expected of the beloved concubine. She''s so heroic and unyielding." Fu Yuheng held a rabbit in his hand and threw it beside her horse. The arrow on the rabbit was the one that marked her.


    Shen Qing Wan laughed, seeing that Fu Huaiyu had also walked over.


    When Fu Yuheng saw her frown, he turned around and looked behind her as well. He then saw that person walking over with a smile that was not a smile.


    "Concubine Xian is truly amazing, causing this king to have a whole new level of respect for him." These words caused the expressions of both of them to change. If Shen Qingwan had a look of astonishment on her face, then Fu Yuheng was furious.


    What did he mean? Looking at the person in front of him who had no sense of touch, she had a new thought about him.


    "I imagine that Ninth Brother must have gained quite a bit today." Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes, a complicated look in his eyes. "Don''t let others see you as a joke when the time comes."


    Fu Huaiyu played with the fan in his hand, and shook his head, "This king has only come here to play, how can I let others see me as a joke?"


    To him, this match didn''t have any meaning at all. It just happened to suit his interests. Moreover, his prey wasn''t in the forest today.


    He gave Shen Qingwan a meaningful look before turning around and leaving.


    This glance was coincidentally caught by Fu Yuheng''s eyes. It was as if there was a ball of mist in his heart, causing him to feel both puzzled and furious.

 C51

    "Stay away from him." Fu Yuheng glared at her coldly before leaving with a word.


    Shen Qingwan felt that she was very innocent. She clearly didn''t say anything, yet she was dragged into it. However, she could only helplessly twitch her mouth.


    After a while, she had already hunted a few more prey, but it was said that there were deer in the forest, but she still hadn''t seen any.


    "Giddy up!" Shen Qingwan chased after the deer, but after chasing for a long time, the deer stopped and walked, but every time she nocked an arrow, the deer would run away.


    The deeper they went, the more desolate the scenery became. The surroundings were already devoid of other people, only now did Shen Qingwan feel that something was amiss, whether it was the deer''s vigilance or her current situation.


    Her premonitions were usually very strong, and she was getting more and more uneasy. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and shook his head, realizing that he had fallen into a trap. "Who''s there!" Suddenly, a wordy voice came from behind her, making her panic.


    "Heh, This King saved your life again." Fu Huaiyu came out from the bushes with a smile that was not a smile.


    However, the meaning in her words made her a little confused. What did he mean by saving her life? When was this?


    "Why are you here?" Shen Qingwan turned her horse and walked towards Fu Huaiyu''s direction. Only then did she realise that there were two black-clothed men lying in the grass behind him. He immediately understood what was going on, "Then I really have to thank Ninth Prince."


    Fu Huaiyu circled around her, and sighed silently: "You are truly hateful! These people are probably members of the Liu Family! " Ye Zichen clicked his tongue. There was a bit of interest in the way he looked at her, as if she was some sort of interesting toy.


    "If This King had not saved you, I''m afraid that you would be the one lying on the ground." While he was speaking sarcastically, he said with an expression that seemed as if he deserved a beating, "Last time, you did not repay Ben Wang. This time, you owe me another favor. Remember this well. Ben Wang will ask you for it."


    He wasn''t the least bit polite, but he heard the corner of her mouth twitch.


    "Ninth Prince is such a generous person, how could he possibly care about those worldly possessions?" Shen Qingwan also raised her eyebrows. Her actions and style were clearly the same as Fu Yuheng''s.


    "Sigh!" "Woman, it''s one thing if you aren''t grateful, but you''re destroying the bridge after crossing the river." Fu Huaiyu chased after him and didn''t stop to talk the whole way.


    On the other side of the forest, beside the man in black, a man on a horse came rushing over. It was the man from the Liu Family, "Damn it. If it wasn''t for that person, she would have died a long time ago." He clenched his fists inside his sleeves, tightly gritting his teeth. His face was dark and cold, and there was no attempt to conceal the dark shadow in his eyes.


    "Humph!" Ye Zichen let out a cold snort and got his men to pick up the two men on the ground.


    "Pah!" The sound of the teacup shattering could be heard as it fell to the ground. Prime Minister Liu sat on the chair with anger expressed on his face.


    "A bunch of trash!" He hadn''t expected that such a ridiculous plan would appear in the middle of his journey. All of a sudden, he interrupted his plans, "Do you know what this failure means?"


    This angry shout made everyone who was kneeling tremble in fear, and no one dared to say a word.


    "This means that the Ninth Prince will definitely know that our Liu Estate has done this. Even Shen Qingwan will know about it!" The fist landed on the table, and even the teacup on top of it vibrated with a sizzling sound.


    "This ¡­" The man kneeling on the ground looked at each other, but they all felt that Prime Minister Liu''s words were a bit too serious. With a prince like him, how could he possibly have such a brain?


    "You guys!" "Really!" Noticing the clear distrust in the crowd below, he could only sit down dispiritedly, feeling that he had failed. Others might not know, but how could he not know? Fu Huaiyu was basically a wild beast covered in sheepskin. Everyone could only see his appearance, but in that fellow''s heart, it was not as simple as it looked on the surface.


    "All of you, go down!" There was more to be considered. If word got to the ears of the Emperor, the Liu Family would suffer a huge blow.


    After Shen Qingwan came out, she didn''t go with him. There were too many people here, and if someone saw it, they would be suspicious.


    Fu Huaiyu also knew her worries, and a faint smile appeared on his face. In the end, he did not persist anymore and dispersed from her.


    There were still about two hours left. Shen Qingwan continued to wander in the forest and hunted down a prey from time to time. She only slowly walked back when dusk approached.


    Since she had something on her mind, she came back before everyone else. She tied the horse to the side and waited for everyone to return.


    What she did not expect was that the second one to come out was the man from the Liu Family. Their eyes met, and they were both cold.


    "What is elder sister looking at?" Li Ruotong also walked out and saw her staring into the distance. She patted her shoulder with a happy and mischievous expression.


    "Nothing." Withdrawing her gaze, she suppressed the thoughts in her heart. Sooner or later, she would have to settle this debt.


    Since the other party had already come knocking on her door, she had no reason to sit still and wait for death.


    "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. The banquet is about to begin, please wait for a moment." Fu Yuheng was seated in the front, obviously in a good mood.


    "Congratulations your majesty, we''ve hunted two deer." One of the ministers stepped forward and congratulated him. As he saw the smile on Fu Yuheng''s face grow wider.


    After the banquet was over, everyone returned to the tent and prepared to leave the next day. However, Shen Qingwan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep no matter how hard she tried.

 C52

    If not for the fact that Ninth Prince happened to pass by today, she would really be up to no good. At that time, she was in a daze, perhaps some kind of knockout drug. Fortunately, the amount of drugs he had inhaled was not much, so he had put those people down, allowing her to escape.


    The Liu Family was really troublesome.


    At this time, she was still confused. The Liu Family''s matter, the Ninth Prince''s matter, and his matter. However, at this time, she did not want to see him.


    "Aiyo, where are you going, sister?" When Shen Qing Wan came out to see Li Ruotong coming out from the courtyard with a blush on her face, she was extremely confused. She knew that Li Ruotong had invited her to come out.


    Li Ruotong did not expect to meet her here, and her face became even hotter, "Elder sister, stop teasing me."


    As she said this, she continued to walk forward, but was blocked by a thin figure. She raised her head and Shen Qingwan''s smile appeared in front of her, as if she didn''t want to leave until she said otherwise.


    Only after stamping her feet did she give way.


    Looking at the direction she left in, he felt envy in his heart.


    If the emperor and she could do the same, then how happy would she be? But in the end, the emperor was still the emperor, it was impossible for him to be like other people. He could only sigh and shake his head, getting rid of the thoughts in his head.


    It was a huge harem, and they were destined to meet each other, or it could even be a place where enemies killed each other. All sorts of accidents happened from time to time.


    "Empress, please slow down!" The maidservant warned her from behind, but Li Yu kept walking forward without a care. There was news from home that her mother was getting worse and worse. How could she not be worried?


    However, because he was thinking about this, he did not see that there was someone ahead. "Ahhh!" A cry of alarm rose as he raised his head to take a look. He was given a shock. "The empress, esteemed empress."


    The person he bumped into was none other than the empress. For a moment, even the empress''s eyes showed panic.


    "Do you not have eyes? Can''t you see the empress here?" Gui mama stepped forward and asked Li Rou.


    Xiao Shushen steadied her body. Originally, she was here to admire the flowers, so she did not see anyone coming over. When she thought of being hit by someone, she staggered a few steps, but did not fall down.


    "Chenqie didn''t do it on purpose. Forgive me, esteemed empress." Li Yu explained in a hurry, feeling even more anxious.


    "Pah!" "Pah!" Suddenly, two sounds rang out. She fell to the ground.


    His ears were ringing, and his face was burning. He stood rooted to the spot, unable to even think. She was beaten! The anger in his heart flared up, and he pointed at Gui mama, who had just lowered his hand, "You actually dared to hit me!"


    The Gui mama rolled his eyes at her before lowering his head again. "Beautiful and graceful, charging at the esteemed empress first. This servant is only anxious to protect the empress ¡­"


    "Empress." The maidservant by his side hurriedly helped her up, but she pushed his away.


    "If this servant can''t be taught well by the empress, little sister doesn''t mind helping you manage him." She stood up from the ground and covered her face with one hand. The fire in her eyes burned brighter and brighter.


    The Gui mama did not mind at all, his eyes still carrying a look of schadenfreude. "The Empress has quite the tone. This servant is the empress''s man, how could I be taught by you!" Her aura did not lessen at all as she took a step forward, forcing her to take a step back as well.


    "Liangyu, you should think better of yourself. This time, you offended our mistress, and this is what our mistress is kind-hearted. If we don''t get along with you, I''m afraid you won''t be able to keep your life if you were to offend the emperor one day."


    She stepped back a few more steps before she regained her balance. The fear in her eyes was obvious.


    "Shut up!" Xiao Shushen bellowed, causing Gui mama to freeze.


    "Is this what you should be saying!?" Hurry up and apologize to Li Rou! " Glancing at her with his eyes, Gui mama immediately understood.


    He took a step forward and knelt on the ground. "Aiyo, your servant spoke too much. It''s all your servant''s fault. Please forgive me."


    Beautiful Yu was obviously shocked by the situation. She didn''t know what to say, but she still felt depressed, "You!" But before she could finish speaking, Xiao Shushen took over again.


    "You saw it as well. Gui mama has already realized her mistake. I presume that Beautiful Yu also knows that it is taboo for imperial concubines to not recognize etiquette." Xiao Shushen had a dignified face, but her own imposing manner was still revealed, "It''s naturally better to be more harmonious. Now that Gui mama has admitted his wrongs, I believe that you, as a great person, do not mind this lowly person, and will not fuss about it with a servant."


    Every word she said was reasonable, but every word she said blocked her path of retreat.


    "I ¡­" The words were stuck in her throat, but she could no longer say anything else. There were also many people around her looking at her. If she were to punish her now, it would mean that she was too petty and not generous enough.


    It could only swallow the mixed blood of the teeth it had lost, no matter how bitter it was.


    Glaring at the two of them, he walked back to his own courtyard. He took a few steps forward, then turned around and clenched his fists at the empress, hatred in his eyes.


    Gui mama stood up and looked in her direction with disdain, "The Empress is still the strongest."


    Xiao Shushen, on the other hand, looked like she was at a loss of what to do.


    "Let''s go back to the palace."


    All of this fell into the eyes of the servants, but not a single one of them was willing to speak imposingly. Normally, everyone could see his appearance, but his image was far worse than the kind Empress''.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She clenched her sleeve and rubbed it so hard that it covered her chest.

 C53

    He hadn''t thought that even the dog slave beside the empress would humiliate him so casually. He really couldn''t take this lying down.


    "Empress, drink some tea and calm your anger."


    The maidservant hurriedly kowtowed, crying but not daring to speak.


    "I will go right after I finish eating. Beautiful Yu, please wait for a moment!"


    Lian Yun frowned, and waited for the messenger to leave before speaking up worriedly.


    "Why would Master want to go? You don''t have much of a relationship with Li Yu. I don''t know what she''s planning to do by inviting you out for no reason, but what if she wants to frame you?"


    The more Lian Yun thought about it, the more scared she became. She kept having the feeling that Master shouldn''t have agreed to this, and that she should push things a bit.


    "It''s fine. I originally did not have any intention to fight for their favors. Furthermore, I do not have any weaknesses, so there is no need for me to fear them. We should be more careful."


    "That won''t do. You should bring your servant along. If anything happens, your servant can protect master. At least, your servant can stand in front of master."


    Lian Yun''s words made Shen Qing Wan''s heart warm. She looked at her maid''s righteous face and couldn''t help but want to laugh.


    "You! This isn''t some dangerous place. How can she eat me in this palace? Besides, I''m the imperial concubine. She doesn''t dare to do anything to me."


    "But you and Li Yu ¡­"


    "You, if you really can''t be at ease, then come with me!" Shen Qing Wan brought Lian Yun and walked to the lakeside. From afar, she could see Li Rou constantly walking in the pavilion, and the anxiousness on her face couldn''t be more obvious.


    Liuyu also saw Shen Qingwan. She quickly walked over, bowed, and pulled her towards the pavilion.


    Lian Yun watched her nervously from the side, afraid that she would do something bad.


    "Liuyu, is it against the rules for you to pull me like this?" Shen Qingwan shook her hand off her sleeve.


    "Please forgive me, Concubine Xian. This concubine has an important matter to discuss with the Empress, so I''m lacking in manners for a moment."


    After hearing Shen Qingwan''s words, Li Xiuran''s face turned dark. She dug her fingers into her palms to calm her emotions and confess to Shen Qingwan.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t mind at all. She sat down on a stool and looked at her beautiful, red, and swollen face with some doubts.


    Li Gui looked at her doubtful expression and felt pleased with herself. Although she was beaten up yesterday, the mama did not have that much strength, and the palm print was long gone. However, today, before she met the Consort Xian, she had purposely drawn it so that it would make him feel scared.


    "Elder Sister Consort Xian probably knows about what happened yesterday. Yesterday, little sister accidentally bumped into esteemed empress, so she sent a mama by her side ¡­"


    "Forget it, I don''t think I have any relationship with Gongyu. If you have any business with her, let''s get straight to the point!"


    Her face stiffened, and her expression became more and more sinister. She tried her best to suppress her anger.


    "Hehe, then I won''t beat around the bush. Although Elder Sister Consort Xian just arrived not long ago, I''m sure you know the Empress''s actions, and your status is quite high. Father is also a General Shen, so you must have suffered a lot, right?"


    Liuyu poured a cup of tea for Shen Qingwan and looked up at her expression. Her voice was soft but it carried a hint of malice. She just wanted to arouse Shen Qingwan''s dissatisfaction towards the empress.


    Your father is also an important subject in the imperial court and is highly trusted and trusted by the emperor. Could it be that your sister is willing to be under others and see her reaction? "" Yes.


    Shen Qingwan looked at her and thought in her heart. It seemed that Liuyu was here to form an alliance with her, but she didn''t like fighting in the harem. Shen Qingwan lost interest for a moment and looked at the carp in the lake with a bored expression.


    Liuyue thought that she could make Shen Qingwan join her faction, but before she could hear Shen Qingwan''s reply, she called out to her again.


    "Elder sister, elder sister ¡­"


    Lian Yun looked at his own mistress staring at the lake in a daze, and gently pulled on her sleeve.


    "Ah, oh, has Aroma finished?" Shen Qing Wan came back to her senses, looking at the unsightly expression on her face, she looked extremely annoyed.


    As she spoke, she felt a little bored and said, "I have no intention of fighting. I just want to live a peaceful life in the harem. I am not interested in those words of yours."


    "Empress, could it be that you want to live a stable life, while others will let you live a stable life?" As the Fourth Concubine, I''m afraid that many people will view you as a thorn in their side. Even if you don''t want to fight, the waves in the harem will never die because of your thoughts. "


    She thought that even if Shen Qing Wan didn''t think for her sake, she would still have to think of her own father. She didn''t believe that Shen Qing Wan was really that noble. Which one of them in the harem dared to say that they were completely clean?


    "Even if you don''t think for yourself, think for the general''s estate. Think for your people as well. Since ancient times, the previous dynasty and the imperial harem were inseparable. Do you think that if you were framed by evil villains, your relatives would be spared? " Li Yu was deep in thought, but her mouth didn''t seem to be affected by his words as she looked at him uneasily.


    Shen Qingwan remained silent for a moment. She did not agree, but said that and pulled Lian Yun along.


    "The Emperor wishes for peace and harmony in the harem."

 C54

    "Elder Sister Consort Xian ¡­"


    After listening to Shen Qingwan''s words, Li Yu became even angrier. Everyone was in the palace, pretending to be noble and noble. However, it wasn''t good for her to flare up. After all, she still wanted to ally with her to fight against the empress.


    Liangyu was also shocked when she saw this. She lowered her body and tried to help him, but was pushed away by Lian Yun. She staggered and almost fell to the ground.


    "Empress, are you alright?"


    Returning to the palace, Lian Yun was still worried and questioned Shen Qingwan again and again.


    "It''s fine, it''s just that my leg is a bit swollen. You can go and get an ice bag to apply it."


    Shen Qingwan happily ate the Peach Blossom Cake that the servant brought over, hoping that Lian Yun would feel more at ease.


    "How can we do that? What if there''s an accident, we should still bring the imperial physician over to take a look!"


    Hearing Shen Qing Wan''s tone of voice that she did not care, Lian Yun became even more anxious and ran out in a panic.


    "Slow down, don''t fall."


    Shen Qingwan looked at his maid and her lips curved into a smile.


    But after a while, she could not laugh anymore. The entire imperial harem would know about it within a short while when Lian Yun went to look for the imperial physician, then Fu Yuheng would definitely know as well.


    Thinking about this, she was a little worried. After all, she hadn''t even decided how to face him. She hoped that he would come, but she didn''t want to see him.


    After Fu Yuheng left the morning assembly, he hastily went to find Shen Qingwan. On the way, he saw a woman dressed in luxurious clothing standing gracefully by the side.


    "Chenqie greets your majesty. Your majesty hasn''t come to see chenqie in a long time. Have you forgotten about chenqie?"


    When Liu Chugrong saw Fu Yuheng, he hurried over with a coquettish voice.


    Although Fu Yuheng was disgusted, he didn''t show it. He quietly withdrew his wrist from Liu Chugrong''s grip.


    "I still have something to attend to today, so you should leave!"


    "Your majesty." Liu Chugrong bit her lips in dissatisfaction. She knew in her heart that the Emperor no longer doted on her. He said it was because he wanted to speak with Shen Qingwan.


    "The empress is sick." Liu Jiaorong bit his lips as he looked at Fu Yuheng''s disappearing back and shouted those words. Even if it was the empress, she would not let Shen Qingwan off so easily.


    Fu Yuheng paused. The Empress was ill. As her husband, no matter what, he should go visit her. "Let''s go." Fu Yuheng brought Liu Chugrong to the palace.


    "The Emperor has arrived."


    Xiao Shushen, who was far away, heard the news and hurriedly looked towards the Gui mama, "Momo, is it alright for me to do this, do I look good?" Xiao Shushen tidied up her hair, and her face also flushed red.


    "It''s pretty good." Gui mama tidied up the bed for the empress calmly and looked at her calmly.


    Fu Yuheng led Liu Chugrong into the hall but did not see the empress.


    "Empress, the emperor has come to see you!"


    Liu Chu Rong cried out as he led the emperor into the inner chamber. The empress struggled to get up and kowtow, but was stopped by Fu Yuheng.


    "Since the empress isn''t feeling well, there''s no need to bow. Just take care of yourself."


    "Your majesty, chenqie is fine." Xiao Shushen did not get up. She merely leaned on her pillow and looked at Fu Yuheng with a face full of satisfaction. Your concubine''s body is fine, so it''s all their fault for making such a big fuss over nothing. Since you''ve disturbed the emperor, he doesn''t need to accompany your concubine when he''s busy with government affairs. "


    Fu Yuheng sized Xiao Shushen up, and refused to shift his gaze away, causing Xiao Shushen''s scalp to go numb.


    "Your majesty, is there something wrong with chenqie?"


    "It''s fine, since the empress is so magnanimous, then Zhen will go back to work." Fu Yuheng tucked Madam Xiao into his blanket and followed her words. Since someone wanted to act magnanimous, it wouldn''t be good for him to woo her.


    "The Emperor ¡­" Xiao Shushen''s smile froze on her face. She didn''t mean it that way, she didn''t think that the emperor would actually follow what she said.


    Xiao Shushen looked at Gui mama, who immediately kneeled on the ground, "Your majesty, please hurry up and persuade my mother!"


    "What is Gui mama doing?"


    "Our Empress has been ill for many days now. I''m afraid that the emperor will be distracted after learning of her illness and refuse to call the imperial physician to come see. If it wasn''t for your highness bringing the emperor here today, I reckon our Empress would have been even more ill by now."


    Gui mama was an old man who had been in control of his emotions for many years as well. With a snot and tears, he knelt in front of Fu Yuheng.


    "Gui mama ¡­" Xiao Shushen pretended to scold Gui mama angrily, then weakly looked at the Emperor. "Your Majesty, don''t listen to these servants'' nonsense.


    Fu Yuheng remained silent with a dark expression, as if he was pondering about something.


    The Queen looked at Fu Yuheng and gave him a look.


    "Your majesty, chenqie also knows that the empress has been ill for many days now. It''s only because she doesn''t want the emperor to worry that she never summoned the imperial physician to visit."


    "Gui mama, go get an imperial physician."


    "Your majesty."


    Fu Yuheng''s face turned increasingly gloomy. "Empress, you are the mother of a nation. Your body is not only yours. You can''t be willful again."


    Xiao Shushen looked at Fu Yuheng, her eyes filled with tears. She carefully asked about today''s purpose. "Can Your Majesty stay here to accompany chenqie tonight?"


    Everyone present looked at Fu Yuheng. The empress nervously pinched the corner of her blanket while Liu Jiaorong bit his lips. His jealousy was obvious.


    "Queen, don''t think too much. I will definitely protect you here."


    There was no longer any unwillingness in Fu Yuheng''s heart, but in the end, she was still his empress and his wife. As for the Consort Xian, he could only go see her tomorrow.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Gui mama, ask the little kitchen to cook a few more dishes that the Emperor likes to eat today. "

 C55 Submission to the Consort of Germany

    Shen Qing Wan sat by the window, holding onto a book, "What''s wrong, Lian Yun?" At this time, Lian Yun recklessly barged in and raised her eyes.


    "Esteemed Empress, I heard that the emperor is staying behind to take care of the empress due to the cold." Lian Yun was a little angry.


    With her lily-white hands, she gently tucked the scattered hair behind her ears, not showing much emotion. "Oh, I understand."


    Seeing that she did not seem to care about Lian Yun, Lian Yun opened her mouth to say something, but in the end, when she thought about his mistress'' personality, she decided to not speak. If even her mistress wasn''t in a hurry, what was she in a hurry for?


    Lian Yun sighed. Sooner or later, she would worry and become an old woman.


    "Empress, aren''t you angry? Isn''t it just a cold? "What''s the big deal, we just have to pester the emperor." Lian Yun muttered softly.


    This was too coquettish, even His Majesty was held back by her.


    Shen Qing Wan put down the book and looked at Lian Yun with a funny expression. This little girl knew how to worry, but she didn''t feel that it was unacceptable.


    "Lian Yun, how many times have I told you this? This is the Imperial Palace, and it''s not like when I was at home before.


    What he said was true. Since ancient times, the Heartless Emperor''s family had lived in a place like this! Shen Qingwan knew that she had told her the same thing several times, but she just couldn''t bear to listen to it.


    Lian Yun was shocked, then kneeled down in fear and trepidation, "Please punish me, Lian Yun knows your wrongs!" She was becoming more and more impudent before the Empress, and had actually forgotten her identity. If there was someone who wanted to make a fuss about it, wouldn''t that bring the Empress a great deal of trouble?


    Shen Qingwan did not let Lian Yun stand up immediately. It would be good if she could kneel for a while, it was a long memory.


    After a long while, Shen Qingwan had pretty much finished reading the first book, and estimated that about an hour had passed before she opened her mouth, "Get up! "Don''t be so straightforward in the future. After all, the price is too big, and is not something that you and I can afford to pay."


    At the moment, she was only giving Lian Yun a warning. She was her most loyal servant, so it was obvious that she didn''t want anything to happen to him.


    After Lian Yun stood up, she did not dare say anymore and could only stand quietly to the side.


    "Since you know your wrongs, then let''s go down! "Calm down and think about how to talk and act. For the time being, I don''t need to come over. I''ll be by myself for a while."


    "Yes, Empress. Lian Yun said her leave. After Lian Yun left, the empty house became even more deserted.


    Shen Qingwan rubbed her forehead, seemingly a little tired, but at the same time a little disappointed. Was this feeling of loss because of Fu Yuheng? She didn''t know, but she shook her head in amusement. Perhaps she was too tired from reading.


    Shen Qingwan continued her self-hypnosis. She took off her shoes and slowly climbed onto the bed. She was really tired. It would be better for her to rest early. Tomorrow, she still had to pay respects to the empress.


    To Shen Qingwan, this was the most boring and time-wasting matter. It was nothing more than a comparison between a group of women.


    Shen Qingwan had always been too lazy to care about these matters. She didn''t care who the Emperor wanted to touch or spoil, nor did she care. Her breathing was shallow, but it was still especially abrupt in this cold room.


    Without a dream, Shen Qing Wan slept extremely well. Of course she woke up early, Lian Yun was already waiting outside the door with water in his hands.


    "Lian Yun, come in!" Under Lian Yun''s care, she put on her clothes and took the handkerchief from Lian Yun''s hands to wipe her face.


    "Empress, rinse your mouth."


    When he finished washing up, it was already late in the morning. He knocked on the door, his head still a little dazed, but it was with Lian Yun''s support that he went to pay respects to the empress.


    The others had all arrived early, so Shen Qingwan naturally became the last one. When the other concubines saw her, they all turned their heads to the side as if she were a ferocious beast, but she did not move. It was just a pair of eyes, she could not lose anything.


    The empress didn''t come, which was something she''d expected. After all, she''d been sick the previous day and the emperor was staying here as well.


    "Do you think the empress is really sick?" The person who opened his mouth took a sip of tea and asked, "Why is he not here today?"


    "Perhaps. I heard that the Emperor took care of Liu here yesterday." On the faces of those who were listening, there was a bit of anger and a bit of jealousy.


    Seeing that no one agreed with her words, the woman who spoke first also lost her interest in gossiping. It was unknown what she was thinking as she looked at the teacup.


    Shen Qingwan continued eating her pastries, ignoring the chattering of these people.


    In any case, what they said was nonsense and it didn''t matter whether she listened or not. Since she had the time, she might as well eat more. She hadn''t eaten dinner last night, so she was really a bit hungry this morning.


    Chattering could be heard from every corner. Although they were speaking very softly, Shen Qingwan could still hear them. The topic of conversation was still the Empress and the emperor.


    Just when everyone was about to lose their patience, the Gui mama that went to request for orders returned. She seemed to be in a hurry to leave as she panted slightly. The empress had caught the cold and was unsuitable to come out. She was also afraid of passing her anger on to the empress dowager, so there''s no need to pay respects today.


    Gui mama bowed and saluted. Everyone laughed. It would be boring to stay here, so they left one by one. It was a good thing they didn''t have to pay respects to the empress anyway, lest they panic at the sight of the empress''s face.


    Since everyone had left, Shen Qingwan no longer had any intention of staying. She called out to Lian Yun and prepared to leave as well.


    "Consort Xian''s sister, please wait."


    Just as she turned around, she touched Consort De. Big Sister Consort De. " Out of politeness, she greeted him.


    "Since we''ve met, let''s go together!" Consort De was too enthusiastic today, causing her to feel a little uncomfortable. However, she could only smile and followed behind Consort De.


    Consort De calculated in her heart. Although there was a smile on her face and her heart was already in turmoil, the empress had already snared the emperor tightly with a chill, but the Emperor had ignored her when she was sick and bedridden. She naturally felt that it was unfair and wanted to recruit a few helpers.


    "His Majesty has been treating me more and more coldly lately. My heart is in so much pain!"


    Before they had even taken a few steps, Consort De spoke up with a sorrowful expression.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t answer, but quietly waited for her to continue.


    "Recently, the Empress has been going too far and has completely ignored all of my requests. I entered the palace earlier than most imperial concubines, but now, I''ve gone too far."


    Shen Qingwan handed over a handkerchief, but did not feel much sympathy for her.


    "Is my sister willing to help me?" She suddenly raised her head and looked at her with expectation in her eyes.


    Shen Qingwan felt a headache. She didn''t know why, but she couldn''t help but agree.

 C56 uneventful gallantry

    Fu Yuheng picked up the book and put it down again. He felt disheartened. These trivial matters caused his heart to ache. He really did not know what the ministers ate and could not handle everything properly. Rubbing his throbbing temples, a figure appeared in his mind.


    "Sun Ning, call the Consort Xian over."


    "This... Your Majesty, this isn''t appropriate. " Sun Ning hesitated for a while, but still asked. Originally, the harem couldn''t be used as a political place, moreover, the last time the Concubine Xian was here, he had already been scolded by the empress dowager ¡­


    "This Emperor''s words are useless!" Fu Yuheng glared at him. His cold gaze made him think that his head and neck would part in the next second.


    He hurriedly lowered his head, "This servant doesn''t dare." After taking three steps back, he started sweating profusely. The Emperor''s temper was getting worse and worse, and only the Concubine Xian could calm him down right now.


    In his heart, however, he felt sorry for her. After all, he had also heard about the incident last time. It was said that she was too stressed and sick. But now he had to summon her again.


    "Sun Gonggong, what kind of wind brought you here?" Shen Qing Wan smiled, the Sun Gonggong in front of her was sweating profusely, her hair was a little messy from the wind, and she looked like she was escaping.


    "Aiyo." Sun Ning frowned, he slapped his thigh and shouted: "Concubine Xian, don''t joke with us, quickly go into the study room, the emperor wants to call you so badly, even if I have to, I can''t stop you!"


    When Shen Qing Wan came into contact with the Emperor, she knew his temper. The Sun Gonggong must have come on his orders, so she didn''t make things difficult for him.


    "Sun Gonggong, please wait for a moment." She did not rush, and only waved for Lian Yun to come over, "Bring the soup from my kitchen over."


    When these words came out, Sun Ning appreciated the look in her eyes even more. Concubine Xian was the most considerate one, virtuous and virtuous, he was only so kind to the emperor, no wonder the emperor would place so much importance on her.


    However, at this moment, he was truly mistaken. Originally, she wanted to drink this bowl of soup by herself, but if she went to the emperor now, the soup would become cold for a long time. It was because of this thought that she brought the soup along with her, but it was only to offer it as a gift.


    Along the way, Shen Qingwan had thought of many things. Actually, it wasn''t the first time the emperor called her to his study, it was just that she would often try her best to avoid him, after all, it wasn''t a long term solution.


    Sun Ning saw that she seemed to be thinking about something and did not disturb her, but continued to lead the way.


    "Empress, we have arrived." He reminded her only when he reached the study door.


    "Thank you, Sun Gonggong." After recovering from his thoughts, he took the boiled soup from Lian Yun''s hands and entered the room.


    As soon as she entered, a book was thrown at her feet.


    "Humph!" Fu Yuheng sat there, fuming. He didn''t know what was bothering him.


    Shen Qingwan did not react, and only put down the soup in her hand. Then, she opened her mouth at a moderate pace, "Who has the guts to provoke the Emperor again?"


    With a "pa" sound, he threw the other paper onto the table. Even the soup was almost spilled.


    "It''s still that bunch of trash!" His fist was about to land on the table.


    She quickly picked up the bowl of soup. When her fist landed, the food on the table trembled. Just a little more and the bowl of soup would have been made for nothing.


    "Please calm your anger, your Imperial Majesty." Seeing that his mood had become slightly calmer, he put down the bowl in his hands and walked over to help massage his shoulders and back. Even Fu Yuheng was astonished. When had she become so virtuous?


    However, he could only squint his eyes in enjoyment, "You sure are obedient today." The depression in his heart became more dramatic. He looked down at the paper in his hand, read a few books, and then raised his head to look at the soup on the table. "Where did this soup come from?"


    He didn''t expect that she would bring soup with her today. He turned his head to look at the person who was massaging his shoulder. It was as if she had become a completely different person today, causing him to be unable to see it clearly.


    "Chenqie made that soup for you in the kitchen." Shen Qingwan replied honestly, but did not say who was the culprit behind this trip. As a result, he took it for granted that it was specially made for him.


    "Beloved concubine is kind." Fu Yuheng was more satisfied with this outcome, but he felt that something was amiss. Was she really that kind?


    He turned his head to look at her, who had lowered her head to look at his eyebrows, and her gaze became increasingly serene and profound. "Speak, you should have something to tell me!"


    Her words made sense. This soup was nothing, but today, she was indeed quite attentive to it.


    Shen Qingwan covered her lips and smiled, "Your majesty really knows your concubine."


    "Hmph, no need to be so polite." He stared thoughtfully at the soup on the table and signaled for her to bring it over.


    Shen Qingwan followed his instructions and scooped up a spoonful of soup. This soup was still warm, so she placed it on her lips and blew on it. Then, she placed it in front of him, "Your majesty."


    Being looked at with such a gaze filled with love made his heart feel dry. He really wasn''t used to her acting like this, so he placed the bowl of soup next to his mouth and said, "Whatever you want to say, just say it."


    It was unknown if it was because he was panicking or because he didn''t have the confidence to speak.


    "Mm ¡­" "Your Majesty, look ¡­" Shen Qingwan''s delicate voice made even her hair stand on end.


    Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Fu Yuheng, "Stop! "Lovely concubine, it''s better if it''s more normal." He coughed lightly, his ears turning red.


    This was the first time she saw him like this. She almost burst out laughing, but she still bit her lip to hold it in.


    "Then let me be frank with you." Originally, she didn''t like to beat around the bush, but today, she did ask for his help, which was why she was so bashful. He then returned to his normal tone before continuing, "I presume the emperor knows that there has always been a saying that a harem cannot be forced into politics, but chenqie is also willing to help the emperor resolve his troubles."


    Fu Yuheng nodded and motioned for her to continue.


    "However, chenqie often comes to the study room to receive pointers, but if someone sees me, they will definitely cause trouble." Shen Qingwan''s expression started to turn serious, and she couldn''t be careless about this matter. If this matter were to be used by someone, it would bring about a certain amount of loss to the Emperor''s reputation, or to be more accurate, the Emperor''s suspicions towards her.


    "That makes sense. Then, what should we do in this situation?" Fu Yuheng used his hand to support his lower jaw and rapped his fingers rhythmically on the table. This matter was indeed caused by his inconsiderate thoughts. As he listened to her words, he could not help but sink into deep thought.


    Shen Qingwan put down the bowl of soup in her hands and dropped to her knees. Fu Yuheng jumped up from his seat and asked, "What are you doing?"

 C57 Tender Offensive

    "Although chenqie is willing to share His Majesty''s worries, she is a fearless person. Although chenqie and His Majesty are sitting upright, rumors are rampant that the emperor''s brilliance cannot be harmed by this. If it is because of this matter that the people criticize him, chenqie will die without any hesitation." Shen Qingwan slowly spoke up as she looked at Fu Yuheng with her firm eyes. Her voice was gentle yet firm, "May Your Majesty grant me the title of female official so that I can properly share the Emperor''s burdens. Then there will be no excuses."


    Fu Yuheng stood up and helped Shen Qingwan up, holding her hand as they walked towards the table. "No, how can a dignified Consort Xian be conferred the title of a female official? This is impolite. No, I don''t agree."


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head and reached out to grab Fu Yuheng''s sleeve. "But Your Majesty, the empress dowager had already reprimanded chenqie for this last incident. Although chenqie doesn''t care about this, she also doesn''t want this incident to cause endless waves in the harem." She moved so coquettishly that it made people feel tender towards her.


    "But it doesn''t conform with the rules after all." Fu Yuheng really enjoyed Shen Qingwan''s coquettish actions. He had to admit that he really liked Shen Qingwan who acted like this. However, he still hardened his heart. After all, there had never been a case of a concubine becoming a female official in all the dynasties.


    Shen Qingwan felt a little wronged, and she understood Fu Yuheng''s concerns. However, this way, her situation was not optimistic, and it could even be said that she was in a dangerous situation.


    "Then what do you think we should do? Are we just going to put chenqie on fire like this? Ignoring the fact that the empress dowager is making things difficult for chenqie, even the empress dowager and the concubines have long treated chenqie as a thorn in their side!" Besides, the lords of the previous dynasty will not let this go. If they were to use this opportunity to suppress chenqie and father, what would the emperor do? Those who know say that chenqie is intelligent and those who don''t know will only say that the emperor is despicable. Chenqie is bewitching and controlling the political affairs of the imperial court and although chenqie doesn''t care about rumors, what will happen to chenqie''s family? "


    Fu Yuheng looked at Shen Qingwan''s appearance and his heart felt as if it had been stabbed by a blunt instrument. She wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes, and looked at her aggrieved and stubborn appearance with a pained expression, "I was careless. Don''t worry Consort Xian, I will give you an explanation."


    "Does the emperor agree with chenqie''s words?" Shen Qingwan''s bright eyes stared at him, blinking and blinking. Fu Yuheng felt her heart palpitate as she watched. She could only feel her entire body heating up.


    He carefully sized Shen Qingwan up. Her palm-sized face was filled with intelligence and strength. She had the gentleness of a lady, but she did not lose the heroic spirit of a general.


    Her bright eyes were clear and pure, and they were full of viciousness, calculation, and vanity.


    Her nose was small and straight, and she was standing straight above her red lips. Her dimples when she laughed added an untold amount of glamour.


    "This emperor thinks that our beloved concubine really has the ability to stir up trouble with beauties!"


    Shen Qingwan discovered that he was already blushing when he looked at her. Although she was a son of the general''s house, she was still a shy little girl. She couldn''t keep her face when she heard his teasing words and turned to leave.


    "Where is my beloved concubine going?" Fu Yuheng held onto Shen Qingwan''s hand and pulled her into her embrace with force. Looking at her flushed cheeks, she suddenly had a bad idea.


    "Is my beloved concubine throwing herself into my arms? I didn''t think she would like me so much. Can''t wait?"


    Shen Qingwan saw the smile on his face and became even more flustered. She no longer dared to look him in the eye and could only turn her face away, "Your majesty, this is the study room. Please take it seriously." Shen Qingwan''s tone was slightly angry, but not tough. To Fu Yuheng, it sounded like a woman coquettishly pouting with her husband. In an instant, most of the worries brought about by the imperial court also disappeared.


    "My beloved concubine is truly very interesting. Her blushing appearance is also very adorable, and it really pleases me."


    Shen Qingwan broke free from his embrace and accidentally fell towards Fu Yuheng. She then fell into her arms.


    "Haha." Fu Yuheng laughed out loud as he looked at the little woman in his arms.


    Shen Qingwan looked at him in shame. For a moment, she too fell into a trance. There were many dragons and phoenixes within him. Fu Yuheng, who was smiling, was many times more beautiful.


    "Ugh ¡­" "Hm."


    Seeing Shen Qingwan in a daze, Fu Yuheng moved closer and covered her lips, carefully feeling the taste of this little woman.


    By the time Shen Qingwan realized this, it was already too late. She couldn''t break free, so she could only whimper and clap Fu Yuheng continuously with her hands. He grabbed Shen Qingwan''s hand with both of his hands and she no longer struggled.


    "My beloved concubine, would you like to stay and drink some soup with me?" As she left Shen Qingwan''s lips, her mood turned slightly better, as she looked at Shen Qingwan, whose face was so red that it reached her ears.


    "No, there''s no need. The emperor has decreed that chenqie will be conferred with the title of female official. Chenqie will take her leave now." Without waiting for Fu Yuheng to speak, she left the study as if he was escaping, leaving behind a sentence. "Your majesty, remember to drink the soup."


    Fu Yuheng laughed out loud as he rubbed his lips while holding the bowl of soup that Shen Qingwan had brought over.


    "Consort Xian''s sister is so distracted, did something happen?"


    On the way back from the study, Shen Qing Wan bumped into Xiao Shushen. Seeing Shen Qing Wan coming out from the study, Xiao Shushen made a decision in her heart.


    "Esteemed Empress." Shen Qing Wan calmed down and paid respects to Xiao Shushen.


    "The emperor wanted to drink the soup made by chenqie just now, so he sent chenqie to the study room. Now, he''s not letting her go, so she''s coming out."


    Xiao Shushen understood in her heart, but she did not have any way to expose Shen Qing Wan, "Consort Xian''s sister, it''s best if we don''t go to this study too often. Last time, the empress dowager also warned little sister, that although little sister was going to deliver the soup, it would be bad for the emperor and little sister, after all!"


    Shen Qingwan bowed again and spoke softly, neither servile nor overbearing. "Thank you for your words, esteemed empress. Your consort will definitely bear this in mind. I won''t dare to go beyond my duty and damage Your Majesty''s honor."


    Xiao Shushen once again revealed a smiling face, "That''s good, and it''s not that I''m being nosy, it''s just that this is how it is in the deep palace. Little sister, you have to understand my difficulties, too, so don''t resent me." Holding Shen Qingwan''s hand and acting like a virtuous and virtuous person, she looked as if she was truly thinking for the emperor and Shen Qingwan.


    "Chenqie thinks of the Empress''s kindness and naturally doesn''t dare to resent her." Shen Qingwan and Xiao Shushen exchanged pleasantries, then both of them returned to their own courtyards.


    Although Xiao Shushen appeared calm on the surface, her heart was already in turmoil. Shen Qing Wan frequently going out of the study room was long against the rules and the Emperor was also indulging himself in his treatment of her.

 C58 The empress was infuriated

    The next day, in the imperial court, Fu Yuheng cleared his throat after settling some trivial matters with the ministers and probed, "My dear Elders, I heard that you all have some complaints about the Consort Xian. I would like to hear what you all think of her today."


    When these words were spoken, all the ministers looked at each other in dismay. Talking about the emperor''s imperial concubine in the imperial court was a great disrespect. Just what kind of medicine did the emperor sell in his gourd?


    Seeing that none of the ministers dared to speak, Fu Yuheng added, "Speak freely. I would like to hear from you all."


    With that, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Industry dared to be the first person to speak. He took a step forward and said, "The Concubine Xian is beautiful, talented, virtuous, and virtuous. Naturally, she is a good person who can help the Emperor."


    After Prime Minister Liu heard this, he coldly snorted and continued to admonish him, "Concubine Xian is naturally smarter than others. Furthermore, I have never been allowed to take matters into my own hands. This subject has heard that the Concubine Xian often haunts the Emperor''s royal study, and this subject believes that it is extremely inappropriate. "


    Fu Yuheng''s sword-like eyebrows creased slightly. "I also feel that it''s not right. It''s even more impossible to block the words of our beloved officials."


    The smile on Prime Minister Liu''s face had yet to surface when Fu Yuheng''s next sentence stunned him. "Therefore, I have decided to confer Consort Xian as a first rank female official. I will be joining all of you in the imperial court in the future."


    "What?" How can that be? "


    "The empress dowager is a female official. This has never happened before!"


    "To let a woman discuss the matters of the country, what kind of logic is that?"


    Instantly, a chorus of discussions sounded out in the Audience Hall, and it was a mess.


    Fu Yuheng had already predicted that such a situation would occur. It would be even harder to convince these stubborn old men than to ascend to heaven. However, since he had agreed to Shen Qingwan''s request, he had to do it, "I have already made up my mind, there is no need for all of you to say anymore."


    Just as his voice fell, the Prime Minister Liu kneeled down with a thump. "Your Majesty, you absolutely cannot! Letting the imperial harem take over the country is against the rules of thousands of years, and a disaster is bound to occur, your majesty! "


    Fu Yuheng''s complexion was already not good. It was because he was an old relic of the Prime Minister Liu, who relied on the fact that he was an elder of the three dynasties and did not have any taboos against him. He relied on his seniority to sell things to his seniors, treating the Consort Xian as a thorn in the side of his eye and a thorn in the inside of his flesh for some reason.


    "We understand the talent and character of the Consort Xian the best. Since she has come to serve as a female official in the imperial court, she will definitely be able to help us out. It is a great thing for Happy Nation!" Fu Yuheng continued to argue with logic and reason.


    However, even the assistant minister who had just praised Shen Qingwan stepped forward to object, "Your majesty, you can''t. No matter how talented the Consort Xian is, he can''t do anything.


    "How dare you!" Fu Yuheng slapped the armrest of his chair. "I am the ruler of a nation. I will do whatever I say. I will establish the rules for this country. It''s not up to you to teach me a lesson!"


    "The Emperor just said that he would listen to the words of the Hundred Families. Now, he''s going to give Consort Xian the position of female official without any hesitation?" Another minister came out to question Fu Yuheng.


    The Prime Minister Liu couldn''t wait to step out and splash dirty water on Shen Qingwan, "The Consort Xian''s position is already as high as an imperial concubine, and the emperor is even more fond of her. If that''s the case, what else is there that she''s not satisfied about, she still needs to be a female official. It can be seen that the Consort Xian is very ambitious. Let alone making her an official, even she cannot be at ease serving the emperor! "


    Although Prime Minister Liu''s words seemed to be sincere, he wanted to kill Shen Qing Wan with every word. There were too many ministers in the imperial court who were on good terms with the Prime Minister Liu, and as soon as Prime Minister Liu said this, he received the approval of the civil and military ministers.


    Seeing that so many people were supporting him, the Prime Minister Liu became even more pleased. "Your Majesty, if Your Majesty insists on doing this, then we will have to go along with it!"


    The three words "Qing Monarch''s side" made Fu Yuheng''s temples throb. He had never expected the Prime Minister Liu to be so audacious, causing him to turn livid. He stood up and roared at the civil and military officials, "How dare you! How dare you threaten me? Prime Minister Liu, don''t think that I wouldn''t dare to kill you just because you''re a chief elder of the imperial court! "


    Prime Minister Liu trembled in fear upon hearing this. He then kowtowed deeply and said, "This old one has served the imperial court all my life, weeping blood with every word. If this old one''s death can retract the emperor''s life, this old one''s death is not to be regretted."


    Fu Yuheng looked at the Prime Minister Liu in shock. He never thought that the Prime Minister Liu would be so fearless.


    After Prime Minister Liu had finished speaking, all the ministers of the imperial court knelt down beside him and said in unison, "I hope Your Majesty will retract your orders."


    Fu Yuheng was so angry that his veins bulged. He did not expect that in such a large imperial court, there was not a single person who supported him.


    At this time, he saw General Shen in the queue and was surprised. What about him, he actually doesn''t speak up for Shen Qing Wan?


    "General Shen, don''t tell me you don''t support us in bestowing you the title of a first rank female official?" General Shen who was called out was startled at first, but after that he walked out of the line and kowtowed: "Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject has nothing to say."


    "There''s nothing to say." Fu Yu sneered. "What a waste of time!" Fu Yuheng''s gaze was like a sharp arrow, sweeping across the entire imperial court and causing chills to run down one''s spine.


    For a time, there was complete silence in the imperial court. No one spoke, and it was as if a silent confrontation had broken out. The atmosphere was so heavy that it was hard to see through.


    After a long while, Fu Yuheng finally opened his mouth again and said in an irrefutable tone, "No matter how much you object, I, as long as I promise to keep my word, I will make Consort Xian a first rank female official."


    He was silent for a moment, and then added: "The fact that things have come to this point has a lot to do with everyone present here. As long as any of you are able to help me out, I will not allow my concubine to become an official. It was because of your incompetence that the Consort Xian was so talented. Instead of thinking about it yourself, you all are slandering Consort Xian for a hidden motive.


    Saying that, he flicked his sleeves and left, leaving the civil and military officials looking at each other in dismay.


    With such a huge incident occurring in the imperial court, the news quickly reached the imperial harem.


    In an instant, the imperial harem was in an uproar. The concubines had entered the imperial court as officials. This was something that had never happened in all dynasties. The imperial concubines could only compete for the emperor''s favor in this tiny piece of land called the harem. How could they hope to have the emperor do business with them?


    This time, when it reached Xiao Shushen''s ears, she was even more furious. He smashed the teacup in her hand onto the ground heavily, "Is what you said true? Is that true? " She could not believe her ears.


    Gui mama hurriedly nodded his head, "It is absolutely true. The previous dynasty was in an uproar, even the civil and military officials were advising the Emperor to retract his order, and the Prime Minister Liu was even trying to force him to do so with his death!"


    Xiao Shushen coldly snorted, her hand clenching into a fist, her sharp nails digging deep into her flesh, "I will definitely not let her do as she pleases."

 C59 Princess is very ill

    Just as Xiao Shushen was enraged, the maidservants outside ran in anxiously, "The Empress is in trouble."


    "Impudent! The sky hasn''t fallen yet! Panicking is disgraceful! Someone, drag him out and hit him with fifty sticks!"


    Xiao Shushen was raging in her heart.


    The maidservant knelt on the ground, his body trembling like a sieve as he cried out, "Empress, spare me!" "Empress, please spare this servant. Yes, the princess is sick."


    Xiao Shushen raised his hand, indicating for them to go down, and asked: "Princess, are you sick?"


    "Yes, esteemed wangfei, the mama serving the princess sent word that the princess had fainted in the imperial garden today and that the imperial physician had come to diagnose her. He still hasn''t woken up and has a high fever. He''s in great danger, so esteemed empress, please make the decision." The maid''s voice trembled and she almost lost one of her life. At this moment, she had already lost two of her three souls.


    "You can leave first. Once you return to the princess'' mama, I''ll go back later." Xiao Shushen looked at Gui mama beside him, as if he was thinking about something.


    "Gui mama had been with Xiao Shushen for many years, so he naturally understood Xiao Shushen''s thoughts the best," Empress, you still have to be careful if you want to face danger head-on, you can''t leave any evidence behind.


    "Gui mama, I trust you the most. Take my identity card and head out." As he played with the armor on his hand, he thought to himself.


    "Yes." Esteemed Empress, this old servant will definitely not disappoint the Empress''s request. "


    Xiao Shushen packed and then left the palace, but she did not go directly to the princess'' place. Instead, she went to the main hospital, found the imperial physician who was on duty today, and secretly chatted with him for a while before bringing him to the princess'' place.


    "The empress has arrived." the eunuch announced shrilly.


    "To attend the empress."


    Xiao Shushen went straight to the princess'' bedroom, and upon entering, flew into a rage, "How do you take care of her? If anything happens to her, I''ll send you all to the Hall of Punishment."


    "Esteemed empress, please forgive us, please forgive us."


    Everyone trembled and did not dare to raise their heads.


    "Imperial Physician, hurry and show the princess what''s going on. There''s no major problem!" The imperial physician knelt on the ground and carefully examined the Princess''s pulse, his heart uneasy.


    "Imperial Physician, how is it?"


    Xiao Shushen sat upright on the chair and asked with concern.


    The imperial physician stretched out his sleeve to wipe away the sweat on his forehead, then stammered in reply. "This ¡­ hiss, princess, princess ¡­"


    Xiao Shushen flew into a rage and slammed the table, her powerful voice made everyone afraid, "Why are you hesitating, speak!"


    "Esteemed Empress, please forgive me. This subject can''t confirm whether the princess came out of nowhere, but I feel like the princess isn''t sick. It''s more like someone poisoned her and plotted to kill her."


    When Xiao Shushen heard the answer that she wanted, the corner of her mouth formed a curve that was difficult to detect, "Come, let me inspect. Let me see which one of these people ate the courage of a leopard and actually dared to scheme against the princess. I will definitely not allow this kind of thing to happen."


    The Princess''s side was in a complete mess. Everyone was panicking; they were afraid that if they were not careful, their heads would fall to the ground in the next second.


    Shen Qingwan was holding onto a book and reading it with relish. She was so engrossed in reading that she forgot about the time.


    "Master, drink some water. It''s been four hours since you last saw it. If you look carefully, your eyes will hurt."


    Lian Yun carried a cup of tea up to her and took the book from Shen Qing Wan''s hands.


    "If you don''t say it, I don''t think so either. The more you say it, the more sore your shoulders feel."


    Shen Qing Wan took the tea that Lian Yun brought up, and lightly shushed her as she slowly tasted it. She enjoyed Lian Yun''s care, and felt very comfortable. Lian Yun''s hand techniques on her shoulder were getting better!


    "Mistress, I heard that the Emperor insisted on bestowing Mistress with the title of female official this morning. The Prime Minister was unable to stop him, and nearly knocked him to death on a pillar."


    Lian Yun felt that the Emperor was treating his own mistress better.


    "Lian Yun, the wall has ears, these kind of words are not casually said, I am afraid that after this matter is over, it will be difficult to remain calm!" Shen Qingwan became more and more worried. She knew that requesting her life would be difficult, but she never expected it to be this difficult.


    Shen Qingwan became more and more worried. She put down the teacup in her hands, feeling that something was about to happen.


    "Lian Yun, go and inquire about what is going on in the palace. My heart is in pain and I have a feeling that something big is going to happen."


    "Mn, Master, Lian Yun will go right away." Not long after Lian Yun left, she came back running while panting heavily.


    "What happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"


    When Shen Qingwan saw how flustered she was, she felt even more uneasy.


    "Yes, the princess is sick."


    "Princess?" Shen Qingwan thought for a moment. A few days ago, the princess was perfectly fine, why did she suddenly get sick for no reason? With a frown, he asked, "What''s wrong with the princess?"


    "I''m not sure. I only know that the empress invited an imperial physician to say that the princess might have been poisoned!"


    Poison? Shen Qingwan''s unease deepened. Who in the harem would be so bold as to poison the princess? What good would it do to poison her?


    "The princess'' place is in chaos. Look for the poisoner everywhere."


    "The Emperor has arrived."


    When Fu Yuheng saw the empress, he helped her up. "Empress, how is the princess?"


    "Reporting to the emperor, the imperial physician said the princess'' symptoms didn''t seem like an illness, but rather ¡­" The empress did not finish her sentence, but only pretended to stammer in fear.


    Fu Yuheng couldn''t be bothered to speak any honorable words. He massaged his aching forehead and said, "Empress, please speak your mind."


    "The imperial physician said that the princess didn''t seem to be sick, but rather poisoned."


    He was slightly surprised. "Who poisoned the poison?"


    "Chenqie is incompetent and has no clue at the moment. It''s just that the princess once drank a bowl of porridge sent by the Consort Xian." Xiao Shushen lowered his head, and carefully said it out loud.


    "Investigate, investigate for us." Fu Yuheng was a little angry. He naturally did not believe that Shen Qingwan was the one who did it.


    Although Xiao Shushen was a noble empress, she was still a little afraid when she saw the angry Fu Yuheng.

 C60 Extremely disappointed

    Fu Yuheng rubbed his temples, not allowing himself to calm down even for a moment. "Queen, get up!"


    Never before had he been as tired and physically and mentally exhausted as he was now. He closed his eyes and continued to rub his temples.


    "Thank you, your majesty." Xiao Shushen slowly stood up and summoned the imperial physician. The person who had been sent to check on the situation had returned as well.


    "Speak, if there is even the slightest bit of falsehood, I will definitely not let you off lightly."


    Xiao Shushen sat beside Fu Yuheng. He was indeed the mother of a nation, and the aura he should have was just right.


    "To reply esteemed Empress, I''ve asked the mama who served you before. The princess has lost her appetite and only drank a bowl of porridge sent from Concubine Xian. She hasn''t eaten anything else. This servant has brought the bowl. "


    The servant who had been sent to investigate knelt on the ground and reported. In front of him was the bowl of porridge that he had mentioned.


    When Xiao Shushen saw the Gui mama that had returned, he immediately gained a bit of confidence. She secretly rejoiced in her heart and wanted to see what tricks Shen Qingwan had up her sleeve this time.


    He shot a look at the imperial physician and spoke with dignity. "I''ll have to trouble you to observe carefully. This is an extremely serious matter, so we can''t afford to be careless in the slightest."


    "Yes, esteemed empress, this old subject will do his best."


    The imperial physician acknowledged her answer and picked up the bowl of porridge. He examined it closely, his face leaning towards the bowl. He used his nose to ask a few questions, then took out a silver needle. Only after a long time did he put the bowl down.


    Everyone in the room held their breath, not daring to make the slightest sound. The atmosphere was so heavy that it made people panic.


    "How is it?"


    The imperial physician was a little nervous when he heard the empress''s question. He used his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "To reply esteemed empress, the princess'' illness must be caused by this porridge. This subject has found traces of arsenic in the porridge bowl."


    Xiao Shushen did not punish Consort Xian but instead pretended to be concerned about the princess, showing her kindness as the mother of a nation, "Since she knows the cause of this problem, is the princess able to treat it?"


    "This old official will do his best."


    Xiao Shushen turned to look at Fu Yuheng, a troubled expression on his face. With the support of Gui mama, she got up and knelt in front of Fu Yuheng, narrating what had happened earlier in detail.


    "Your majesty, this porridge was sent by the Consort Xian''s sister after all. I''m afraid that we''ll have to inconvenience the Consort Xian''s sister a little. But if little sister is wronged, little sister must want to prove her innocence too, don''t you mind?"


    When he opened his sleepy eyes, Fu Yuheng''s eyes seemed to contain some kind of incomprehensible emotion.


    "No need. I, I''ll go ask for myself." After being slow for a while, he got up and left the princess'' place. He couldn''t say what he felt right now, although he believed in Shen Qingwan''s character, but now the evidence was conclusive.


    Fu Yuheng didn''t know what he was conflicted about. Perhaps he had wanted to personally hear her say that the congee was indeed sent by her!


    Shen Qingwan was still in a daze because of the Princess''s illness. She didn''t even hear Lian Yun call her several times.


    When Lian Yun saw Shen Qingwan''s anxious look, she asked worriedly, "Does Master feel that there''s something wrong with this?"


    Just as he was about to speak, he heard the voice of a eunuch from outside the courtyard.


    He was actually able to shock Shen Qingwan a little. In her impression, even if the sky were to fall, Fu Yuheng would still unhurriedly find a solution to solve the problem.


    "Your majesty, what''s going on? What happened? Come, drink some water." Shen Qingwan poured a cup of freshly brewed tea and placed it in front of Fu Yuheng.


    "Consort Xian, do you know your crime?"


    His face was gloomy. He did not take her tea. Instead, he was responsible for speaking it out.


    "What crime did chenqie commit?" He suppressed the doubts in his heart and looked Fu Yuheng in the eye.


    "Chenqie did send someone to deliver the porridge, but what''s wrong with the porridge? Is there a problem?" The unease in Shen Qingwan''s heart became stronger and stronger. Could there be a problem with the porridge?


    "Heh, what''s wrong? The imperial physician found arsenic in the congee you sent us." He looked at Shen Qingwan with ridicule in his eyes. His slender fingers were pinching Shen Qingwan''s chin and staring into her eyes, as if he wanted to see through her.


    "Chenqie didn''t poison you. Chenqie and the princess have no grudges in the distant past and have no enmity with each other recently. Chenqie has no reason to drug the princess. There must be someone framing Chenqie."


    Shen Qingwan did not avoid his gaze. Fu Yuheng saw the resolution on her face and became even angrier. "Are you saying that the princess is framing herself?"


    "Chenqie doesn''t have any reason to poison the princess?"


    "You should know the reason yourself!"


    "Your majesty, this bowl of porridge was gifted to me by this servant. This servant dares to guarantee with my life that there won''t be poison in this porridge, so I hope that Your Majesty will believe that my mother will not do such a thing. Everyone knows that my mother is the one who is at peace with the world and does not wish to involve herself in the battle of the harem!"


    Fu Yuheng kicked Lian Yun away and glanced at her in disdain, "Who do you think you are? You don''t have the right to interrupt when master is speaking. Didn''t your master teach you how to behave?"


    Shen Qingwan broke free from Fu Yuheng and hugged Lian Yun tightly. She looked at Lian Yun with a pained expression, "Lian Yun, are you alright?"


    "Master, Lian Yun is fine, hurry up and explain to the emperor!"


    She could not help but shed tears as she looked at Lian Yun''s miserable state.


    "Shen Qingwan, don''t you want to explain it to me?" Fu Yuheng felt some heartache as he watched her cry.


    Shen Qingwan let go of Lian Yun and straightened her back, looking at Fu Yuheng with calm eyes. "If Your Majesty doesn''t believe me, no matter how chenqie explains it, it will be useless."


    "Shen Qing Wan, my good Consort Xian, is this how you treat me?" Fu Yuheng felt grief in his heart. Despite the opposition of the officials, he had insisted on making her a female official and even had feelings for her. Yet now, he discovered that she was also a cruel and merciless person who would use all sorts of methods to reach her goal.


    Fu Yuheng saw that she did not seem to want to explain in the slightest. Angry and exasperated, he flung her to the ground.


    "Heh. "I was blind. I thought you were different from those women in the palace. I thought you were tall and stubborn, but your heart was kind. I didn''t think that you would actually do such a thing. Do you think you''re right about me?"


    Shen Qingwan raised her head to look at Fu Yuheng. She couldn''t find any trust on his face, she never expected that she would be so unbearable in his eyes.


    "Your majesty doesn''t believe in chenqie. It''s useless no matter what chenqie says!" Shen Qingwan looked at him in despair. Her voice was light, and her entire body had lost its life force. To think that the person she liked would be wronged and suffer so much.

 C61 Sent to prison

    After listening to her explanation, Fu Yuheng stroked his chin. To this princess, it seemed that he had truly neglected her. And yet, she didn''t seem like the person who had done her in the first place.


    "Enough. Is there anyone else here who has come close to this bowl of porridge?" The sharp gaze swept across Lian Yun, instantly clearing her mind.


    Lian Yun scratched her head and thought for a while. Suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration, remembering that a servant girl had come over to ask who she was sending the porridge to and even chatted with her for a good while.


    "Humph!" "It''s really useless." With a swing of her blade, Lian Yun felt her entire body shivering violently. She knew that this time, she was probably framed.


    Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes. "We can decide on this matter after we find that maid!" After saying that, he waved his sleeves and left, but it was still enough to make the two of them heave a sigh of relief.


    "Don''t go out for the next few days." After saying this, Fu Yuheng no longer looked at her and turned to leave.


    Shen Qingwan felt a little dizzy. She didn''t want to get involved in the dispute over the harem, but she was still dragged into it. On the other hand, that princess was a pitiful person who had been poisoned for no reason at all.


    "Lian Yun, go and check if there is anything wrong with the princess'' body. Also, find out where the maidservants came from."


    She was a person of the harem, but she had no choice but to protect herself.


    Lian Yun nodded in agreement. In her heart, she was blaming herself for accidentally implicating her own mistress, hence she was even more serious in her actions.


    The next morning, Fu Yuheng summoned her over. There was a maid kneeling below the main hall.


    "AHH!" It''s her! " Lian Yun pointed at the servant girl and screamed, the one who followed her that day was this servant girl.


    Fu Yuheng glanced at the two of them but did not reveal much of an expression.


    This maid was originally from the kitchen, so it was very easy to find out.


    "Did the Emperor summon chenqie here for something?" She already knew the answer, but her heart felt helpless. Why did she have to frame me like this? Looking at the people kneeling on the ground, Shen Qingwan was at a loss.


    "Speak, what happened!" Fu Yuheng glared with a face filled with majesty, causing one to be unable to help themselves from submitting to him.


    However, whether it was intentional or not, the maidservant looked at Shen Qingwan from time to time, his eyes filled with anticipation and fear. "This ¡­"


    "Speak!" Seeing her stuttering appearance, Fu Yuheng felt even more furious. "Did you get close to Lian Yun on the way to deliver the medicine that day?"


    The servant girl was startled, and subconsciously looked in Xiao Shushen''s direction, only to see her looking at her with a smile that was not a smile. She was shocked, and then she lowered her head, with a glint in her eyes, "Reporting to the emperor, this servant, this servant has approached you."


    "Mm ¡­" Hearing this, Fu Yuheng nodded his head. Looking at Shen Qingwan who seemed to have nothing to do with him, she felt helpless. He was worried about her, but she acted like nothing had happened.


    "Then did you poison it?"


    The servant girl seemed to be panicking and even her words were a bit halting, "Reply ¡­" To reply the Emperor, this servant has never! " His mouth was still stubborn, but his hands were drenched with cold sweat.


    "If you know what''s good for you, then speak the truth. If you have a lie, then be careful of your head!" At this time, Xiao Shushen opened her mouth and spoke in a lukewarm voice, "Don''t wrongly accuse the Consort Xian''s sister for your own selfish desire."


    Shen Qingwan didn''t know why she felt that there was something wrong with those words. Could she really be that kind to help her?


    Fu Yuheng was suspicious of the empress''s magnanimity, but he was pleased with it.


    "Speak!"


    The maidservant was suddenly startled. "Your Majesty, please spare my life. That poison was indeed put in by this servant." The sound of his head hitting the ground caused everyone to tremble in fear.


    The surrounding concubines looked over and pointed at her. At the same time, they looked at Shen Qingwan from time to time. It was unknown if it was sympathy or suspicion.


    With a cold expression, Fu Yuheng''s heart surged with a wave of anger. What audacity! As a servant, he actually dared to poison the current Princess!


    "Humph!" Just why did you poison the princess?! " His eyes were sharp as he looked at the man on the ground. Even though there was blood on his head, there was no trace of pity.


    The servant hesitated, but after seeing the cloth bag in the Gui mama''s hands, she steeled her heart.


    "In reply to the emperor, the second princess usually treats us very badly. Previously, she intentionally made things difficult for us by cooking her meals in the kitchen, and she even beat up and scolded us. Only then did hatred arise in this servant''s heart, and he poisoned her with a chronic poison." He finished his words in one breath, but his heart was filled with despair.


    "What poison is that?" Fu Yuheng straightened his body and frowned.


    "Arsenic ¡­" The servant girl calmed herself down, but there was less color in her eyes.


    Shen Qing Wan saw that she was looking at Xiao Shushen from time to time, and also looked at the hands of the Gui mama. It was a somewhat worn out cloth bag, which was obviously not one of the palace''s concubines, probably belonged to this servant girl.


    But even so, she was unable to help her. After all, the Queen was currently the head of the harem. If she interfered, it might bring harm to the maidservant.


    His eyes darkened, and he suddenly felt powerless.


    "Do you know your crimes!?" Fu Yuheng slammed his palm on the table, and the person on the ground quivered once again.


    "This servant knows that she has committed an unpardonable crime, and is willing to atone for it with her death!" As he spoke, he raised his head to look at the emperor. The despair in his eyes was enough to cause anyone to feel sorrowful.


    With that, he stood up and before anyone could even react, he had knocked his head against the pillar behind him and lost all signs of life.


    "AHH!" Some of the timid imperial concubines couldn''t help but yell out.


    Even Shen Qing Wan was stunned. She did not know if she was mistaken, but she felt that the person who looked at her before he died seemed to be feeling guilty.


    Shen Qing Wan quickly lowered her head, pretending that she did not notice anything, but she knew that the princess matter this time, would definitely have something to do with her.


    When Fu Yuheng saw this situation, he had no choice but to have everyone withdraw before calling the imperial physician over. But after the imperial physician went forward to take a look at his pulse, he shook his head, indicating that this person had no way to treat him. Only then did he retreat, a look of regret on his face.


    But in the end, dust returns to dust, the maid is dead, there is no need to pursue this matter any further. Any further investigation and it will be a dead cause and Shen Qingwan is no longer suspected.


    Gui mama kept the cloth bag in his hand, and with a mocking smile, he glanced at the man lying in a pool of blood, and then whispered into the ears of the servant beside him: "Remember to clean up a bit, and don''t leave a single person alive!"

 C62 Extortion of confessions by severe punishment

    Gui mama walked into the Inner Palace with a bowl of lotus seed soup in his hands., who was sitting upright on the Main Palace was looking at him with a thoughtful expression, and no one knew what he was thinking about.


    "Empress, drink some porridge!" The Gui mama''s words interrupted Xiao Shushen''s train of thoughts, she regained her senses, and spoke with an exhausted voice.


    "Momo, put it down. I''ll drink again in a while." Xiao Shushen rubbed between her brows.


    Looking at Xiao Shushen''s exhausted appearance, her eyes looked a little pained, "Esteemed Empress, drink more, the phoenix body is more important, it''s a pity that we didn''t bring down that bitch. It''s all her fault for being so cunning, and not knowing what demonic technique she used on the emperor, it caused the emperor to trust her so much."


    Looking at Gui mama''s furious expression, he sighed, then looked at the newly applied Kou Dan, and blew on his fingernails, "How about the new Kou Dan I applied?"


    "The Empress''s slender fingers are naturally very beautiful." Gui mama was a little puzzled by Xiao Shushen''s question.


    "The women of the harem are just like these Kou Dan with different colors, but they still covet the freshness, and no matter how beautiful the old tricks are, they can''t compare to the new ones. Now that Consort Xian has just entered the palace, it''s fine for the emperor to pamper her a little, but there will be a day when it''s troublesome." Xiao Shushen leaned on the chair, closed her eyes and smiled.


    "In the end, I am still an empress, a legal wife. This is a fact without a doubt. Madam Shen said that Consort Xian is a nice name, but she was just a concubine when she was in a good mood. No matter how much of a pampered she is, she can''t be above the legal wife. The good show is yet to come, this is just the beginning, there''s no need for Momo to be so anxious! "


    "Empress, you''re right. This old servant has been anxious!"


    After a few days, he received the imperial edict, giving Shen Qingwan the title of female official.


    The one with the most intense reaction was Liu Xiurong, who had been silent for a few days. After she found out, she kept pacing back and forth in the bedroom, unable to sit still at all. She did not expect that she could not bring down Shen Qingwan for poisoning the princess.


    "Empress, you have been walking for the entire morning. Rest!" Lamey advised.


    "Bitch, you can''t even take her down with this. I''m so angry." Gritting her teeth, her gaze was vicious, "No, I can''t let that slut, Shen Qingwan, continue acting arrogantly." Liu Chugrong''s eyes flashed. He made up his mind and went straight to Shen Qingwan''s place after dressing up properly.


    At this moment, Shen Qingwan was in the yard reading a book. Looking at the menacing Liu Chugrong, she felt a headache. She had endured it all the time, it seems they treated her like a soft persimmon.


    "What brings the Honorable Liu here?" She didn''t want to be polite either. She didn''t think that she had any relationship with Liu Chugrong, and she didn''t think that she was here to congratulate him.


    "I heard that the Emperor ignored the objections of all the ministers and insisted on making you a female official after the Consort Xian dragged you into poisoning the Princess. But I don''t see anything special about you! "


    Liu Chugrong''s voice was harsh and high-pitched, making people feel uncomfortable.


    "Your highness, what do you mean? Are you implying that I''m a fox that is bewitching its master, or are you implying that the emperor is being impolite?"


    With a slight frown, she looked a little unhappy. She stared at Liu Xiaorong''s eyes coldly and spoke with a strong voice. However, there was also mockery in her voice.


    "I-I didn''t mean to imply that the Emperor was being impolite. Don''t you dare spout slander me."


    Liu Jiaorong''s gaze made him a little scared. She hurriedly explained what she had said to him.


    "Heh, then the Honorable Liu''s meaning is that I am the fox like temptress, does the Emperor have a crush on women?" Shen Qingwan pressed on, her expression becoming more and more frightening. Looking at her eyes made people speechless.


    Liu Chugrong felt numb and broke out in a cold sweat under her gaze. You, you''re lying, you''re slandering me. " He stammered, not knowing what to say. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and leave. His heart was filled with rage, and he wished that he could stomp a hole in the ground.


    "Empress, are you alright?" Lian Yun had just come back from outside, seeing that her face was ashen, she immediately ran in, afraid that Shen Qing Wan would suffer.


    "It''s nothing, it''s just that the emperor bestowed me the title of female official. She''s not feeling well, so she came here to find fault." Shen Qing Wan gave Lian Yun a reassured look and explained to her.


    "Hmph, the decree came from the emperor. She doesn''t feel too good about talking to the emperor if she has the ability. Why are you looking for us?" Lian Yun was furious, her expression angry.


    Shen Qingwan looked at her angry face and thought it was funny, "Hur Hur."


    "Empress, what are you laughing at?" Lian Yun was completely confused by her laughter.


    "No, nothing. "Hehe." Although he said this, he still couldn''t help but smile.


    Lian Yun seemed to have come back to her senses, "Empress, you, this servant is dissatisfied on your behalf, and you''re still laughing at me." Ye Zichen pursed her lips and was a bit unhappy. She stopped laughing and stopped teasing her.


    "Empress, Consort De is here." The eunuch outside came to report, Shen Qingwan''s mood was quite good, "Quickly invite him in."


    Lian Yun arranged her clothes and then went down to urge the servant to serve her tea.


    "Why is the Big Sister Consort De here?" Shen Qingwan sat up straight and then looked towards the Consort De that came in from outside.


    After all, they were on the same side, so it was natural that Shen Qing Wan being pampered would benefit her. "I heard that Consort Xian''s sister was bestowed with a female official, so Sister found a few small things to give her a congratulatory gift, I hope Consort Xian''s sister won''t reject it."


    "What are you saying Big Sister Consort De? How can little sister dislike big sister? Come, serve tea." How could a little sister compare to a little sister? Big Sister Consort De has accompanied her for so many years, how could she be comparable to her? " Shen Qingwan said in a considerate manner, causing her face to flush red.


    After chatting with Consort De for a while, they heard the eunuchs outside come running in, "Concubine Xian, Gui mama has brought a congratulatory gift to congratulate the Empress."


    "It goes without saying that you and the Consort De should look at each other. Please come in! "


    "Yes." The servant then went down, and immediately saw Gui mama bringing a servant in, "This old servant greets Concubine Xian, greets Consort De."


    Shen Qingwan hurriedly helped her up. She was even more wary of the Queen in her heart. Now that she was able to calmly deliver the items to her, she was rather generous.


    "This old servant came here on Empress'' orders to congratulate Concubine Xian. The Empress is too busy to leave, so I sent this old servant here to congratulate you." Gui mama reached out his hand and had his men bring the chest over to open it. Inside the chest were some high-quality cloth.


    "Gui mama thanks the empress on my behalf. The empress sure is considerate." Shen Qingwan''s heart trembled, but she accepted it.


    "Then this old servant will not disturb you any longer, this old servant will take his leave first."


    "Momo, take care." Shen Qingwan stared at Gui mama''s back, seemingly deep in thought.


    Consort De said with a smile that was not a smile, "Consort Xian''s sister must be careful in the future."


    Shen Qingwan also naturally knew this in her heart and nodded her head in understanding.

 C63 Doubt

    "Is the princess better?"


    After so many days, Shen Qingwan put down the brocade handkerchief in her hands, her eyes filled with worry.


    "To reply the Empress, the princess'' body is fine." Lian Yun laughed, her mother had always been a kind person. When she lowered her head, she suddenly saw the handkerchief on the table that had not been finished embroidering. She blinked in surprise. "The Empress''s daughter''s red is getting better and better!"


    Previously, she remembered that the flowers the Empress had embroidered were still crooked, but now she had reached a small conclusion.


    However, it was no wonder that she had taken the time to embroider flowers every day for the past few days.


    "Are you making fun of me again?" Shen Qingwan glared at her coquettishly. Ever since she had embroidered the embroidery for the emperor, she had been getting more and more attentive.


    In the past, he could practice his martial arts at home, but in the palace, it was somewhat inappropriate.


    "Go take a look at the princess. My kitchen should still be cooking congee for the princess." Upon finishing his words, he suddenly recalled that it was due to the porridge that he was implicated in it. With a bitter smile, he hesitated.


    "Sigh ¡­" Originally, he wanted to tell Lian Yun to forget about it, but when he raised his head, he discovered that the person in front of him had already left.


    Forget it, let''s just consider it as the last time. It was unknown whether it was because he had married someone or not, but he felt that his personality had become more and more nosy recently.


    He removed the distracting thoughts from his heart and focused on embroidering.


    "I''ll have to trouble you to tell everyone that Concubine Xian sent me here."


    Lian Yun saw that the servant who was guarding the door was a little unfamiliar, he had some doubts in his heart, but the princess had met with mishap not too long ago, so he guessed that the servant must have changed.


    "Come in!" After a long time, the voice of the princess finally sounded from behind the door. She didn''t know if it was an illusion, but she still felt that the princess''s voice contained scruples.


    After all, he wasn''t their master, so he didn''t care too much about it. He just tossed it to the back of his mind.


    "Greetings to the princess." Lian Yun saluted, and a smile flashed in her eyes, "Has the princess recovered in the past few days? My mistress is very concerned, so she specially sent me to take a look. "


    A hint of surprise flashed across Fu Xinyan''s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by fear, "Concubine Xian?" With both hands tightly holding onto the blanket, he occasionally glanced at the bowl in Lian Yun''s hands.


    Lian Yun nodded and replied, "Yes, the Empress even asked me to bring over the princess'' favorite drink of lotus seed congee." Lian Yun''s face showed some complacency, she was extremely proud of her esteemed mother''s cooking, this porridge was personally made by her, if nothing else, the taste of the porridge was definitely something that others would not forget.


    "This porridge ¡­" Fu Xinyan subconsciously wanted to reach out to take it, but at this moment, she heard the servant girl beside her cough, "Ahem ¡­"


    The two of them looked at her, and the maid did not hide anything, he only bowed and said, "My apologies, Your Highness. It must have been the wind outside that made my throat feel uncomfortable."


    The servant''s words did not make Lian Yun feel that there was anything wrong with it. After all, she and Shen Qingwan did not hide anything and only felt that the relationship between the two of them was very good.


    "Put the porridge there first." Fu Xinyan smiled awkwardly, and the muscles on her face stiffened, "Go back and tell Concubine Xian that there''s no need to worry."


    Lian Yun was stunned for a bit, as she was unable to understand the princess'' words. In her eyes, there was obvious desire, but she still refused him. Ye Zichen pursed her lips and left.


    But just as he walked a few steps, he heard a pa sound behind him. Lian Yun was startled and turned around, only to see that the bowl of porridge had been thrown out and smashed onto the ground.


    "My princess said to go back and tell your mistress that there''s no need for her to fake her kindness in the future!" The maidservant held the door with both hands, a provocative smile on his face.


    "You!" Lian Yun was a little angry. His family''s mistress had good intentions for her to send him porridge, how could they do that?


    Suddenly, a feeling of grievance rushed over. She was acting on behalf of her mistress to not be worthy. Gritting his teeth, he turned around and ran back. His eyes were slightly red.


    Seeing Lian Yun returning back to Shen Qingwan, she was shocked and asked, "What''s wrong? But the princess is making things difficult for you? " She frowned, comforted herself, and asked about what had happened.


    Lian Yun was so angry that she immediately knelt down, "Empress, I beg you, please do not bother with that whatever princess anymore!"


    "Get up and talk." Seeing her in such a state, she knew that she must have been wronged. She was worried and doubtful as to what had happened.


    "You were kind enough to give her the congee, yet she didn''t thank you for not saying anything and even had her servant throw it out!" Thinking of this, she felt extremely wronged.


    On the other hand, Shen Qingwan did not care too much about it, but at the same time she was disappointed and a little skeptical.


    It was unknown if she misunderstood that she had truly harmed her, or if she was still unsettled. No matter what, she was still just a nine-year-old child.


    "Forget it, Lian Yun. Princess is probably not in a good mood, so don''t mind her too much." She tried to comfort her, but the worry only got worse.


    Fu Xinyan stared blankly at the door. That bowl of congee was her favorite lotus seed congee. Tears immediately flowed down her cheeks.


    "Princess, did you forget what the empress said?" After the servant girl closed the door, she no longer had the appearance of a servant girl. He took his time and looked at Fu Xinyan, who was crying on the bed.


    "I ¡­" Xiao Chen raised his head as he sobbed and looked at the servant girl with grievance. Since young, she had always been the only one that bullied others. However, now ¡­


    "Princess should hurry and pack up. The empress told you to go there and find her later." Seeing that she had almost stopped crying, the servant girl reminded her.


    Fu Xinyan was stunned. She was about to refuse, but then she seemed to remember something and nodded like a puppet.


    After the servant girl helped her change her clothes, she smiled in a comforting manner, "Princess, you don''t have to worry. As long as you behave, I will return that item to you."


    "Alright, I understand." She lowered her head and replied in a slightly hoarse voice, as if she had matured in an instant. However, the fear in her eyes could not be concealed no matter how hard she tried.


    "Let''s go. It''s getting dark if we don''t go now." Seeing that she was still frozen on the spot, the servant girl impatiently urged him. She stretched out her hand to tug on her sleeve, but Fu Xinyan subconsciously shook her sleeve, causing her to stumble.


    "You ¡­" The servant girl steadied herself, but when she looked into his calm eyes, she did not know what to say.


    "Didn''t you say you were leaving?" Fu Xinyan smiled. Her facial expression made people feel cold. "Let''s go." With that, he walked out of the room, not caring about the maidservants behind him.

 C64 slap twenty

    Lian Yun saw that Shen Qing Wan was not in a good mood these few days and did everything in a good mood. He couldn''t bring himself to be interested, so he wanted to go to the imperial kitchens to bring Shen Qing Wan her love to eat. After reaching the royal kitchen, he picked his way back and forth. Finally, he picked two pastries that he was satisfied with and headed back.


    "Master will definitely be very happy this time." Lian Yun continued to mutter to herself. She was only thinking about the happy expression that Shen Qingwan had when she saw the pastries, and didn''t notice Fu Xinyan who was not far away.


    Fu Xinyan had just come out of the empress''s room. She looked at the maid beside her with a bitter expression on her face. In truth, she knew that the empress had said she was protecting herself and that she was afraid she would be poisoned the next time they met, so she was only sent to spy on her.


    "Princess, look." Zi Xin suddenly pointed in front of him and said meaningfully.


    Fu Xinyan looked towards where she was looking. Seeing Lian Yun who was walking towards her from far away, she subconsciously wanted to turn around and dodge, but unexpectedly, the servant grabbed her arm and could not break away.


    "You, you''re too presumptuous." She looked at him angrily, her voice a little bitter.


    "This servant doesn''t dare. Princess, if the empress knew what the princess did, she would be unhappy. When the time comes, the princess ¡­" This servant fears that the princess will regret it! "


    Listening to her words, Fu Xinyan remembered the Queen''s warning to her, and her smile became more bitter. Since she was born in the royal family, she couldn''t do anything but be manipulated by others. She could only hope that Shen Qingwan would understand her difficulties.


    Gritting her teeth, she took a step forward and blocked Lian Yun''s path, and even deliberately bumped into him.


    Lian Yun saw that there were people in front of him, but when she focused her eyes, she saw that the food was not wasted at all on the princess, she was terrified and quickly kneeled down, "Princess, forgive me, I did not do it on purpose."


    Zi Xin raised her hand and slapped Lian Yun, causing half of her face to become red and swollen, and reprimanded him sternly.


    "How dare I, your servant, offend the princess."


    After he finished speaking, he was about to be pulled by Fu Xinyan, but he lowered his head and looked at Lian Yun with a serious expression and a domineering and arrogant voice.


    "Who are you to dare to dirty this princess'' skirt? I think you must be tired of living."


    "M, Princess, please forgive me." Lian Yun kneeled on the ground and kept on apologizing, but he felt wronged in his heart. She was obviously blocking in front of him on purpose.


    "This princess'' dress has been dirty by you just like that. Even my good mood has been ruined by you." Fu Xinyan bent down and grabbed Lian Yun''s chin, a playful smile appearing on her face. "How will this princess punish you? Let me think carefully ¡­"


    "Princess, this lowly servant has bumped into the princess. This servant thinks that we should lock her up in the cell and let her have a good memory." Zi Xin observed Fu Xinyan''s expression, but could not find anything wrong with it. He lowered his head and suggested to her fiercely.


    The moment her voice came out, Lian Yun, who was at the side, was shocked. She hastily continued to plead, "Princess, please spare our lives!"


    "Bastard, not fun." It seemed to be a casual rejection, but he was a little worried in his heart. If he didn''t give Lian Yun a serious punishment, Zi Xin would definitely give a small report to the empress.


    She did not dare to think about it anymore, but she could not bear to lock Lian Yun in the violent room. Locking the violent room would be equivalent to pushing Lian Yun into the gates of hell.


    "How about this, you pick up the pastries on the floor and eat them all. Maybe this princess will let you off the hook."


    Fu Xinyan said in a difficult tone, her eyes full of guilt and ridicule.


    Lian Yun looked at the pastries on the ground in a slightly embarrassed manner.


    Looking at Lian Yun, Fu Xinyan knew that she was not happy about it, but she could not be soft-hearted at all. Otherwise, if was found out, not only would Lian Yun''s life be in danger, she would also be in danger.


    Her tone was arrogant, her eyebrows flew up, and she had a domineering and difficult attitude, but only she knew how sad she was. "I don''t think you want to cause trouble for your master, right?"


    "Servant, servant will eat." When Lian Yun heard the princess talking about Shen Qingwan, it was as if something had blocked her heart. Indeed, master was already having difficulty staying in the palace, she could not make things difficult for Master anymore.


    Lian Yun picked up a piece of pastry with trembling hands as she tried to hold back her tears. She definitely could not let them see her tears, and could not let them look down on her.


    "That''s right."


    With a single step on Lian Yun''s hands, she could only constantly make things difficult for her, in order to save her life.


    "You ¡­ Hiss ¡­" Lian Yun half knelt on the ground, the pain in her hands becoming more and more intense. She bit her lips, not wanting to make a single sound.


    "What? Can''t take it anymore?"


    With a cold laugh, he increased his strength and continuously rubbed his feet against Lian Yun''s hands.


    "What a cruel and ungrateful person. It''s fortunate that my esteemed wangfei treats you so well." Lian Yun clenched his teeth in pain, his tears flowing down his face. He felt extremely wronged, and under the pain, his vigilance decreased by quite a bit. Although his voice was low, it was obviously heard by the two.


    Not only was she not grateful to her master for being so kind to her, she had also made things difficult for her several times. Last time, she had overturned the congee that her master had personally cooked, and she had overturned it just like that. The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt.


    "What did you say?"


    But Lian Yun stubbornly looked at the princess and did not say a word. She knew that she could not admit it.


    "Very good. Your mouth must have caused quite a bit of trouble for your master, right?"


    Fu Xinyan lowered her head and slapped Lian Yun''s face, asking sarcastically back.


    Lian Yun turned her face away, not wanting to look at her again. She had also missed her troubled expression. This maid, why didn''t she know anything? She didn''t know what a disaster would arise from her mouth.


    He frowned and carefully glanced at Zi Yun, who was beside him, feeling somewhat reluctant to part with her, but he steeled his heart, closed his eyes, and said with difficulty: "This lowly servant is disrespectful to this princess, slapping her 20 places, giving her a small punishment. Kneeling here without my order, she is not allowed to leave."


    After she finished speaking, Fu Xinyan staggered away with tears in her eyes. She couldn''t help it, she just wanted to keep what her mother had left for her, and hoped that she wouldn''t blame her.


    "Go and tell that lowly servant''s mistress to control her people properly in the future. If she dashes into me again, I''ll immediately be killed. I definitely won''t show any mercy."


    Fu Xinyan had sent a servant to warn Shen Qingwan, saying that they were questioning her, but in reality, they were telling her about Lian Yun''s situation and wanted her to think of a way to save her.


    I hope she understands her pains.


    After a few moments, blood spurted out of the corner of Lian Yun''s mouth, and bright red blood dripped down the corner of her mouth to the ground.


    Lian Yun clenched her teeth, did not make a sound, and stubbornly raised her head. His small face that was the size of a palm was swollen to the point that it could not appear anymore.

 C65 sex change

    When she heard that Lian Yun had been slapped, her heart was in turmoil, and her hands were shaking so much that she couldn''t even hold onto her book properly, falling to the ground. She had grown up with her, and although her personality was simple and her words were straightforward, she still had a sense of propriety.


    At this time, there was no time for Shen Qingwan to ponder over it any further. She found a few rare items in the storage room and sent a mama to apologize to the princess. As the saying goes, if you don''t hit a smiling person, the princess would not make things difficult for you.


    In less than an hour, the mama had supported Lian Yun back. Suppressing her trembling, she ordered someone to call the imperial physician for Lian Yun.


    "Grandma, you''ve worked hard. What did the princess say?" After the imperial physician looked over it for Lian Yun, she asked.


    Shen Qingwan looked at the mama, her expression seemed to have more to say, "Did mama find anything wrong with it?"


    "This old servant thinks that the princess did not truly want to make things difficult for Miss Lian Yun. Otherwise, she would not have sent people to inform the Empress and would not let them go so easily. Also ¡­" The mama seemed to have thought of something, but then hesitated.


    He knew that she had concerns, so he waved his hand, "Feel free to speak."


    The mama looked around before she whispered in her ear, "This old servant saw that the princess was accompanied by a servant girl. The princess seems to be very afraid of her!"


    "Afraid?" Shen Qingwan had all sorts of thoughts, but she was unable to make heads or tails out of them. "This mama is also tired. Let''s go and rest. There''s no need to attend to me in the next two days."


    He was still a little worried about Lian Yun in his heart, and didn''t have the strength to think about what the mama had said. However, the doubts in his heart grew bigger, so why should she be afraid of a servant girl?


    She forced herself into the house with her eyes sparkling, but out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Lian Yun''s swollen face. Shen Qingwan covered her mouth to prevent herself from making a sound, but the tears in her eyes had uncontrollably flowed down.


    "Master, Lian Yun has troubled you." Lying on the bed, seeing that Shen Qingwan was trying to struggle to get up but was pushed back down, she could only weakly open her mouth and accidentally pulled on the wound. She painfully sucked in a breath of cold air.


    "Lian Yun." Shen Qing Wan looked at her, choked with sobs. She had already been slapped twenty times, and under the sun, Lian Yun''s entire body was like a broken rag doll, weak and lifeless.


    "Mistress, your servant is fine. Your servant does not hurt at all." Looking at Shen Qingwan''s sad appearance, to make her not so worried, she forced out a smile.


    Shen Qingwan looked at Lian Yun who had pretended to be strong and endured the pain to comfort her, feeling even worse. She had always been on tenterhooks when she accompanied her into the palace, and now, she was riddled with injuries.


    At this time, a servant came over with a bowl of porridge, and brought it over to her to feed her. Lian Yun rejected her offer and wanted to take the porridge, but unexpectedly, all of the porridge fell to the ground. The mark of the princess'' stomp on Lian Yun''s hand was also exposed in front of Shen Qingwan.


    Lian Yun''s hand was red and swollen, some parts of it had already turned black and green. Shen Qing Wan''s mind could only think of one word, which was too horrible to look at.


    Shen Qingwan could barely hear her own voice. She did not know what kind of situation Lian Yun had been through, and she did not even dare to imagine it, nor did she dare to believe what she had seen. Holding her in his arms, she felt as if his heart was being eaten by countless ants. The pain of her fingers corroding her heart bit by bit was simply unimaginable.


    "It''s fine, Empress. I''m fine." Lian Yun hurriedly withdrew his hand and hid it behind her body.


    Shen Qingwan sighed, her eyes were filled with helplessness and determination, "What''s going on? I know you''re not someone who doesn''t know his place, why would the princess treat you like this?"


    She finally managed to voice out her doubts. Previously, she had also been pondering over this matter nonstop. It was as if her attitude toward herself had changed drastically ever since the princess was poisoned.


    "This servant gets angry just from talking about it." "When Lian Yun heard Shen Qingwan''s question, she remembered the princess'' overbearing and unreasonable appearance. She grinded her teeth in anger and said," I originally wanted to go to the imperial kitchens to bring the pastries to the Empress, but then I met the princess. The princess was blocking my path, and even intentionally knocked into a pastry box.


    Shen Qingwan frowned. She never thought that this matter would be started by the princess. Why was she doing this? A few questions popped up in her mind, and she frowned even harder, "And then?"


    "Then, the maidservant beside her slapped this servant the moment she came up. He went on to say that he wanted to send this servant to hell ¡­" Lian Yun trembled when he thought about it. The maid''s fierce look was truly terrifying, even thinking about it caused her to tremble.


    Suppressing the shock in her heart, Shen Qingwan signaled for her to continue.


    Only then did Lian Yun recount every single detail of the situation at that time, including what she had accidentally said in a fit of anger as she lowered her head. She also knew that if she held herself back and did not say anything, there might not be so many things happening and her master would not be in such a difficult situation.


    "Mistress, it''s all my fault. This servant shouldn''t have talked so much."


    "It''s fine. You should rest well. You should recuperate quietly in the next few days. Don''t think about anything else. Leave everything to me."


    Shen Qing Wan''s words made Lian Yun, who was trying her best not to cry, cry. However, Shen Qing Wan did not console him, she just could not bear to go out.


    Even though he hadn''t interacted much with the princess, he knew that she was definitely not someone who would be so cruel and unruly.


    However, she couldn''t figure it out for the whole night, so she decided to talk to the princess and get to the bottom of things.


    Coincidentally, they ran into Fu Xinyan walking over from the other side of the road. He was very happy, but when he saw that the maidservant beside her looked unfamiliar, he suddenly thought of what the wet nurse had said.


    Shen Qingwan took a few steps forward. Just as she was about to speak, she realized that she didn''t seem to see her and walked around her. She subconsciously reached out to grab her sleeve, but was thrown away.


    "My apologies, Your Highness is not in a good mood today and does not wish to talk to others." The maidservant turned around, his eyes full of schadenfreude.


    Suddenly, she wanted to find Fu Yuheng and ask for his opinion. However, he had been busy with political matters for the past few days and she couldn''t go over to look for him, so she gave up on this idea in the end.

 C66 Push into water

    Due to Fu Xinyan''s matter, Shen Qingwan had been absent-minded all day. She really couldn''t understand why her personality suddenly changed.


    "Empress? "Empress?" Lian Yun called her a few times. These few days, the Empress was always at a loss and asked her questions, but she just laughed it off. She could not help but be worried.


    Seeing that she had wasted another piece of Xuan paper, Shen Qing Wan did not have the interest to continue writing on it. She sighed and instructed Lian Yun to pack his stuff, sat on the chair and poured herself a cup of tea.


    "Hiss." As the scalding tea entered his mouth, his tongue felt numb from the heat. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he finally recovered from his deep thoughts.


    "Empress, are you alright?" Lian Yun immediately ran over upon hearing the noise. Seeing Shen Qingwan fanning her tongue with her hand, she felt that it was both a pity and a joke.


    "Nothing." Shen Qingwan''s pained face gathered together, but she still forced out a smile.


    Lian Yun hurriedly went to get her a cup of cold water. After chattering for a good while, she finally responded to him a few times and was not willing to give up.


    "Empress, your servant sees that your mind has been preoccupied these past two days. What''s wrong?" Lian Yun thought about it, but still couldn''t resist asking.


    "It''s nothing. I was just thinking about the matter of the princess last time. I kept feeling that something was amiss, but I couldn''t say it out loud, so I''ve been absent-minded all this time." Shen Qingwan''s tongue was still feeling uncomfortable, and even her words had turned soft and sticky.


    "It''s useless for Master to make all sorts of guesses here, why not ask the princess in all aspects?" Lian Yun tilted her head and blinked her clear eyes.


    Shen Qingwan thought for a moment and sighed, "So what if I don''t want to? It''s just that the princess avoided me the moment she saw me, so there''s really no chance for me. "


    "Empress, please try again. Perhaps Princess is willing to see you?" Seeing that she was so worried, she could only suggest this.


    Maybe. She shook her head. Maybe it was because she was in a bad mood that day.


    After making up his mind, he decided to try again and ask the servants to invite him.


    It didn''t take long for the voice to reach Fu Xinyan. It surprised her for a moment, but she looked at the person sitting beside her in panic.


    "Tell her that I don''t want to see her." For a moment, he was a little anxious, not knowing whether it was because he was afraid that Xiao Shushen would notice or hurt her. Without even looking at the maidservants, she directly rejected them.


    "Stop!" How could a princess be so unreasonable? Since the Concubine Xian has invited him, how can we not go? " However, Xiao Shushen pulled her sleeves, her smile was very graceful and dignified, and her entire person, under the protection of the yellow palace uniform, looked extremely noble.


    Fu Xinyan was extremely discontented. Everyone said that the Queen was virtuous and never got jealous. She only managed the harem once. Only she knew how scary she was, but on the surface, she pretended to be suspicious.


    "What, is the princess dissatisfied with me?" Xiao Shushen''s glare made her a little scared.


    "This son does not dare. But didn''t the Empress always forbid me to interact with the Consort Xian? "Your son really doesn''t understand why I agreed to meet her today. May the empress enlighten me."


    "Princess, come to me." Xiao Shushen slowly said, and called the princess in front of him. He whispered a few words into her ear.


    "No, that''s impossible. I can''t do that. " After hearing what the empress had to say, she moved to the side, a look of disbelief on her face.


    Xiao Shushen saw the struggling look on the princess'' face and did not repeat herself, but only continued to speak, "Heh, even if you did not do it, I would not force you. However, you must think it through clearly. Don''t you want your mother''s inheritance? Besides, I didn''t ask you to kill her. " Fu Xinyan spoke neither coldly nor warmly, as if it was a trivial matter, but her soft words were the most vicious to Fu Xinyan''s ears.


    "I promise you." The princess was trembling, and her eyes looked depressed. Her nails tried to dig into her palms but she didn''t feel much pain.


    "Then I''ll wait for my son''s good news." With that, he got up and left.


    At this moment, Fu Xinyan was like an eggplant caught in the frost. She lost all her energy and slid off the bed. She sat on the cold floor and mumbled, "Mother, what should I do with my daughter? She''s so tired."


    It was as if he could only feel a sliver of comfort by curling himself into a ball, as if his mother had put her arms around him.


    But even so, she still managed to adjust her state of mind under Zi Xin''s urging. She changed her clothes and was invited to go over, but she found it difficult to walk over to Shen Qingwan who was already sitting there.


    Shen Qingwan unintentionally raised her head to look at her, but when she walked up to her, she saw that her eyes were a little red and swollen. What''s wrong with the princess? Did something happen? "


    Hearing her concerned voice, Fu Xinyan felt even more guilty, but she only replied, "It''s fine."


    "Princess, what do you have to say to me?" Shen Qingwan looked at her and felt that her guess was right. She should have something that was hard to say.


    But the first thing to do was to find out what was going on from her mouth.


    "None of your business." Fu Xinyan lowered her head, her voice choked. Remembering the Queen''s pressure, she hesitated. She didn''t want to hurt anyone, but she wanted to save her mother''s treasure.


    "Princess, are you not feeling well?" Shen Qingwan held her hand as she tried to calm her emotions. She felt that the princess was indeed different these two days.


    But in the next second, she suddenly shook him off, "Don''t touch me!"


    "This ¡­" She looked at the Princess'' resistance to her emotions and felt a little strange. She released her hand and silently looked at her. However, the worry in her eyes became more and more obvious.


    Fu Xinyan''s eyes were twinkling, but she also knew that someone would be watching her every move.


    "Concubine Xian, you should know that there are some things that you can''t do anything about." He smiled bitterly, but on the surface, he continued to mock her. She couldn''t actually say how she felt about her. Was she happy? But she blamed her for not being able to help her. Hate? But she also coveted her kindness towards her.


    While she was still in a daze, Fu Xinyan''s mind started to waver. She stepped forward and pushed her hand out with empty eyes.


    Shen Qingwan watched as she approached, but didn''t know what she wanted to do, so she didn''t hide.


    It was only when he leaned back that he felt that he was inexplicably laughable.


    "You, why are you ¡­ "Why did you force me!?" Fu Xinyan woke up from her own state of mind. Looking at her flopping about in the water, she instantly became flustered.


    "Men! Men! Consort Xian has fallen into the water!" When the maidservants by Shen Qingwan''s side saw this situation, they quickly called for reinforcements, but most of the people around them didn''t know how to drink water, so they could only worry.


    Fu Xinyan muttered, "Don''t be afraid. I-I''ll go find someone to save you." Hurriedly running away, he stumbled and fell countless times.

 C67 chief culprit

    Not long after, Shen Qingwan was rescued by someone. However, when they looked around, she was nowhere to be seen.


    "Where''s the princess?" He grabbed the arm of a eunuch with a questioning look.


    The eunuch shook his head. She could only let out a bitter laugh and let him go.


    Being supported by everyone back to his own room, Lian Yun was so scared that he lost his seventh soul. He looked at Shen Qing Wan who was lying on the bed in a daze. Finally, the mama brought in the imperial physician, instructing a few palace maids to change her clothes and dry her hair. Afterwards, she made a large pot of ginger soup to ward off the cold.


    Lian Yun waited for the mama to finish arranging everything before she recovered her wits and cried out loud, "If I knew it earlier, I would have gone with the Empress. If I had, I would have protected the Empress."


    Shen Qingwan patted her back and comforted her, "Aren''t I fine here?" Your esteemed mistress is really lucky, you don''t have to worry. " As she said this, she felt that Fu Xinyan was too abnormal.


    When Fu Yuheng rushed over, she was resting on the bed. "Is my beloved concubine doing well?" Such a weak person like her was a rare sight, but unexpectedly, he made people feel some heartache.


    "This concubine is fine, I''ve troubled Your Majesty." He replied softly, yet in his heart, he was blaming the talkative servant who had informed him of this matter.


    "You ¡­" He hurried over as soon as he heard she was in the water, but forgot to ask about the situation.


    Shen Qingwan''s face was indifferent, as if the one who fell into the water was not her. "I just accidentally fell into the water, don''t worry, Your Majesty." With a few words, Fu Yuheng did not ask any further questions and left to busy herself with a few more orders.


    Ever since she fell into the water, she had not come into contact with Fu Xinyan for a few days.


    Half lying on the bed was a small mattress, while Shen Qingwan held a book. There was a fragrant tea on the table, as if it was isolated from the world. Anyone who looked at it would feel like they were looking at a fairy.


    At this moment, a knock on the door came from outside.


    "Empress, someone has come to report." "Lian Yun came in from outside the door, her face full of suspicion. She said that the princess wanted to apologize to him and make up for the mistakes she made previously. So I specially came to invite the Empress to the princess'' place. "


    "Are you speaking the truth?" Shen Qingwan felt that something was wrong. Why would the princess ask her to come over just to apologize? Or did she figure it out and tell her the truth?


    As he thought of this, he felt that it would be better if he went over to take a look. "Alright, I understand. I''ll be there in a bit." As he spoke, he sat up.


    On the other hand, Lian Yun was slightly unhappy, "Empress, the princess just pushed you into the lake a while ago, why do you still believe her!?" She stomped her feet and pushed Shen Qingwan onto the bed, "Your servant forbids you from going."


    "Kneel!" However, she suddenly shouted out, shocking Lian Yun to the point that she knelt down on the ground with a thump.


    "Do you know your wrongs?" He frowned and stared at the person on the ground, "You should know who is the master!" In actuality, she didn''t have the heart to blame her. It was only because she was a little anxious that she came up with this plan. She naturally knew that she was worried about her, but at the same time, she was also very worried about Fu Xinyan. Although she had some concerns, she still had to keep her appointment.


    Leaving Lian Yun in the house, Shen Qingwan followed the servant all the way to the front door of Fu Xinyan''s house.


    He stood outside the room and knocked on the door softly. However, there was no sound coming from inside. It was none other than Zi Xin. For some reason, she felt that there was something about this palace maid that was different from the other palace maids, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    Shen Qingwan''s gaze was focused on her for a while, causing her scalp to go numb. Her gaze flickered, as she lowered her head and avoided her gaze, "Concubine Xian, please go in, the princess is waiting for you inside!"


    Perhaps she was overthinking it, Shen Qingwan thought as she shook her head.


    "Come in." Fu Xinyan moaned softly. Her voice sounded a little weak, which made Shen Qingwan even more worried. Could it be that she was sick again? She didn''t think too much and walked straight in.


    "How is the princess?" For some reason, she felt dizzy and her temples throbbed. Only then did he slow down his steps. He gently stepped forward and gently placed his hand on his forehead.


    "Mm ¡­" Shen Qingwan felt a bit more at ease after hearing the reply, but her vigilance had also eased up by quite a bit.


    However, the more he walked, the more confused he felt. When he opened the curtain, he could see a faint figure inside. "Your Highness, what do you want to say to me?" He rubbed his forehead and realized that his vision had become blurry.


    She slowly walked towards the person on the bed. Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Then, her vision turned black and she fell to the ground.


    "AHH!" It was only when a woman''s scream rang out that Shen Qingwan suddenly woke up, followed by the sound of the door being knocked open.


    This is... Blood! He hastily lowered his head to look at his hands. Sure enough, both of his hands were sticky with fresh red blood that had been splattered on the floor.


    She suddenly raised her head and covered her mouth with her hands and feet, not daring to believe what had just happened. However, she instantly felt her hands and feet go cold, because she found herself kneeling in front of Fu Xinyan''s bed. A knife was stuck in her chest, and blood had dyed half of the bed red.


    Holding back her fear, Shen Qingwan''s hands trembled as she knelt at the side and turned to look at the door. The palace maid stood at the door and looked at her with fear in her eyes.


    "AHH!" The palace maid loudly shouted and abruptly ran out. However, she only sat blankly on the spot.


    What had happened? She clearly didn''t sit down, but she ¡­


    Before long, the area outside the door was full of people. She lowered her head and scanned everyone''s face with her eyes.


    This matter was certain that she had overlooked something. She knew that she definitely hadn''t done anything and that even the blood on her hands had just stained the ground. However, the princess had clearly just spoken to her, so how could she be so quick ¡­


    "Concubine Xian!" A voice called out from outside the door. It was the Gui mama beside the Empress.


    Shen Qing Wan''s heart skipped a beat, the hollowness in her eyes disappeared as she looked coldly at the door.


    Heh, it was her carelessness that made her forget the existence of such a possibility.


    It seemed that she had really looked down on the harem. She hadn''t thought that she would fall into a trap here today, but since that was the case, she could only hold it in her heart and discuss further.

 C68 Intrauterine incontinence

    Fu Yuheng had just finished dealing with his matters and was about to get up to rest when he heard a woman crying outside. The loud noise gave him a headache. "What''s going on outside?"


    He looked at the head eunuch unhappily, waiting for him to give a perfect explanation.


    "Reporting to the emperor, she''s one of the princess''s servants. We have to see you after all the ruckus. We really can''t stop her!" The head eunuch sobbed as he carefully replied, afraid that his careless words would cause the emperor to be unhappy.


    "Never mind, I''ll go out and ask." Fu Yuheng looked at the tear-stained palace maids outside and felt slightly annoyed. These ladies would always be crying. None of them were useful, just that woman Shen Qingwan ¡­


    Fu Yuheng sighed. Why would he think of her?


    "Speak, what happened?"


    "May Your Majesty follow this servant to the princess'' quarters. Concubine Xian, she, she ¡­" The maidservant knelt in front of Fu Yuheng, weeping until she was choked with sobs, unable to speak clearly.


    After patiently waiting for a while, he realized that he could not hear anything useful, so he could only turn around and head towards the princess with a calm expression. Along the way, Fu Yuheng had been thinking about what the palace maids had said. Did something happen to Consort Xian?


    However, Fu Yuheng had never expected that what he was looking at was such a scene. Consort Xian''s hands were covered in blood while the princess was lying in a pool of blood.


    He frowned as he studied her, the coldness and determination in her eyes, the hesitation and helplessness in her face.


    Looking at this bloody scene, his head started to hurt more. "Men, bring Consort Xian back to her chamber. Without my order, no one is allowed to enter or leave."


    Shen Qingwan did not say a word when she was taken down, nor did she start to plead for mercy like those people. Fu Yuheng looked at her calm and resolute demeanor and found it strange that she did not kill the princess.


    Fu Yuheng returned to his study room and sat on the Dragon Throne, reading a table full of reports. His thoughts had drifted off into the distance long ago, and one incident after another occurred in the imperial harem, affecting her. He only felt a headache and was not in the mood to flip through the reports.


    "Yes." The eunuch trembled as he walked down, his heart filled with fear.


    Looking at the candlelight on the table in front of him, Fu Yuheng recalled how he had summoned Shen Qingwan to his study several times. This woman always gave him a shock.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." Shen Qingwan''s clear and cold voice interrupted Fu Yuheng''s thoughts.


    Seeing her approach, he coughed lightly, lowered his voice, and slowly opened his mouth. Consort Xian doesn''t have anything you want to explain to us? "


    Fu Yuheng looked at the emaciated woman kneeling in front of him. She almost never cried or acted like a girl. She always knelt straight in front of him and endured everything.


    He raised his hand slightly, gesturing for her to stand up.


    "Would Your Majesty believe my concubine''s explanation?" Shen Qingwan met his gaze. There was resolution and mockery in her eyes, but she did not retreat or avoid his gaze.


    This gaze, in his eyes, made him a little dazed. He almost said the letter before changing his words, "Do you believe that I have to listen to your explanation, anyway?"


    Shen Qingwan tried her best to recall fragments from her memories. She had no recollection of the princess lying in a pool of blood or why she was covered in blood.


    However, he still managed to sort out some clues and slowly told her about the situation at that time.


    "Is there anything abnormal in the middle?" Fu Yuheng knitted his brows. His words made him feel mistrust. Did he not know anything? Or was it really her doing?


    "Ever since the princess woke up, she wasn''t willing to come into contact with me anymore. The porridge I sent over to her all fell to the ground." Shen Qingwan kept her eyes closed as she recalled the events from before. She then told Fu Yuheng everything that had happened.


    "What else?" Fu Yuheng did not feel that anything was amiss. Even the way he looked at Shen Qingwan now was filled with suspicion. From his point of view, the princess had an unruly personality, and these things were understandable.


    "Since chenqie fell into the lake, we have never come into contact with each other. So the princess sent someone to invite me. I have some doubts in my heart, but I still went."


    "When chenqie came to the princess'' chamber, the door was locked. chenqie knocked for a very long time before she found a chenqie who seemed to be the princess'' new palace maid. That palace maid''s behavior seemed to be a little inappropriate, but I''m not sure if it was an illusion, but chenqie felt that there was a big problem with this palace maid."


    Fu Yuheng looked at Shen Qingwan who was trying very hard to remember. The clarity in her eyes made him very conflicted. He also felt that she was a person, but he had seen it with his own eyes ¡­


    "You can go first. Don''t come out during this period of time. After all, this matter involves too much. However, what happened today is truly not your doing. We will naturally give you justice." Even though it was said so, the truth was that it was most likely a disguised form of house arrest.


    "I ask Your Majesty to believe that chenqie is not a vicious and venomous person. Chenqie will take her leave if the princess matter isn''t her doing." Shen Qingwan suddenly knelt on the ground and looked at Fu Yuheng resolutely, his words sonorous and forceful.


    Watching Shen Qingwan leave, he fell into deep thought.


    "Empress, the Consort Xian has been placed under the emperor''s house." It was already late, but the servants had come to report at this time.


    The Gui mama looked at the flower pot in Xiao Shushen''s hands, his tone lighthearted and filled with satisfaction. "The Empress has unparalleled shrewdness, that slut, Madam Shen, will definitely not be able to turn the tables this time!"


    Xiao Shushen did not raise her head, but only looked at the flower pot in her hand. "The women of the harem are like this flower pot, no matter how much they compete, as long as that day gets in my way, I can easily exterminate her. Shen Qing Wan was the one who brought this upon herself. She was the one who brought this upon herself, who asked her to be so eye-catching! "


    Suddenly, Xiao Shushen''s eyes lit up as she stared at the biggest and best flower that bloomed, and cut it down with her scissors.


    "The women of the harem are much calmer. They shouldn''t rely on their own talent to act unbridled and lead by force. If you want to live longer in this harem that eats people without spitting out their bones, you need to be mediocre and learn to act dumb. Therefore, the phrase ''a woman without talent is virtue'' was not wrong. Hui Ji must be injured! "Haha."


    Xiao Shushen laughed openly, laughed sinisterly, laughed while letting out a tear from the corner of her eyes. Who in the harem wouldn''t be cautious and cautious?


    "Gui mama, I''m tired. Please help me rest."

 C69 Sent to prison

    The quiet and elegant ancestral hall was accompanied by the fragrance of buddhist incense that permeated the air. The empress dowager sat to one side, her glazed fingers tapping carelessly on the table made of pear wood. Her long and narrow brows and lowered eyes hid her emotions, but the tension that shrouded the entire hall caused those standing around her to tremble uncontrollably.


    After a moment, the empress dowager moved. Her white fingers traced the rim of her cup as she said softly, "Go invite the emperor over."


    "Right." The sharp sound was accompanied by the sound of footsteps as they slowly disappeared into the distance. There was a hint of panic on his face.


    Fu Yuheng was sitting in the imperial study when the messenger arrived. The imperial reports were arranged haphazardly on the table.


    The distance from the royal study to the ancestral hall was not short, but even so, he still felt that it was too fast. In a short while, he arrived at the place.


    Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes and turned his head to look back with an unknown intention in his eyes. He then smiled and said, "Wait for me outside the hall."


    Fu Yuheng shook his sleeves and walked forward. "Your son pays his respects to Imperial Mother. I wonder if Imperial Mother is still enjoying the next few days?"


    "Relax?" The empress dowager let out a light sigh and took a sip of tea with her slender fingers. "How can this empress dowager''s heart be at peace with something as big as this one?"


    Fu Yuheng''s eyebrows jumped as he lowered his head. "Imperial Mother, please be at ease. Your son will definitely take care of this matter properly and give the princess an explanation."


    Hearing this, the empress dowager suddenly let out a soft laugh. Her slender eyes coldly stared down at Fu Yuheng without the slightest trace of warmth. "Of course I trust His Majesty. How does Your Majesty plan to deal with this?"


    "Imperial Mother, this matter has yet to be decided ¡­" Before Fu Yuheng could finish his words, he was blocked by a teacup that had exploded in front of him.


    Right now, the empress dowager''s smile was long gone. "In my opinion, you''ve been entranced by that woman!" Did you not see that she killed the princess with a venomous heart! "


    Fu Yuheng''s brows were knitted tightly. His thin lips moved twice, but he did not say anything.


    The whole sequence of events had long been made clear, and for some reason, he had always felt that there was something strange within it.


    Lifting his head, Fu Yuheng''s fierce gaze met the empress dowager''s. "May Imperial Mother calm down first. Your son will take his leave first."


    With that, he left.


    As he walked out of the hall, he waved his hand, allowing the waiting person to leave. He slowly walked along the small path in the garden with his hands behind his back.


    Since the ancient emperor''s will was unpredictable, the eunuch beside him did not dare to carelessly guess it out. He could only gently gather up the horsetail whisk in his hand and silently follow.


    At this time, he wanted to have some peace and quiet. However, this harem had never been a peaceful place, and he had not gone far when he saw a beautiful figure walking over from far away.


    She walked over gracefully with delicate steps, her hair swaying slightly in the breeze.


    "This concubine pays her respects to the Emperor." Xiao Shushen bowed lightly, and her pair of eyes that glowed with a watery light met Fu Yuheng''s eyes with tender affection.


    Fu Yuheng walked forward and helped his up, suppressing his emotions and said, "Did my empress come to admire the flowers today as well? They share a mutual understanding with us. "


    Hearing this, Xiao Shushen smiled slightly, "Your majesty, don''t make fun of me. Wasn''t it because your majesty''s charm is great?


    He sat down in the pavilion, his deep eyes staring at the ripples of light in the pond as he joked with her.


    "Your majesty, something big happened in the palace a few days later. It was chenqie who didn''t manage everything well and specifically came today to seek punishment from the emperor."


    Fu Yuheng did not seem to care much about the empress''s fingers as he raised his hand. "This matter can''t be blamed on you. Empress, you don''t have to blame yourself."


    "Sigh ¡­" The Queen sighed, a light flashed past her eyes, but immediately disappeared into the darkness, "I don''t know what is wrong with Shen Qingwan, how could she be so heartless. "Even if ¡­" Halfway through her words, she stopped and sat by his side with a look of worry.


    Fu Yuheng raised an eyebrow, confused. "Even if it''s what?" If the empress says so, then so be it. Is there anything else you can''t say to the empress? "


    "Of course not!" Seemingly afraid that the emperor would misunderstand him, he hastily waved his hands and widened his eyes in terror.


    The well-defined finger lightly tapped on the stone table. With a pair of eyes that hid emotions that no one dared to guess, he said, "Then tell me."


    After receiving the command, Xiao Shushen muttered to herself for a while, as though she was organizing her words. After a while, he slowly spoke, "The small matters that happen in the imperial harem are not worth bothering your majesty. These few days, there seemed to be some conflict between the princess and the Consort Xian. The princess treated her a bit harshly, which probably added a bit of animosity to her heart. "To do such a thing."


    Fu Yuheng seemed to agree when he heard those words and nodded slightly. "The harem is too much. It''s been hard on you, Empress."


    The empress smiled. "To be able to share the emperor''s worries is chenqie''s fortune."


    Fu Yuheng stuck his hand behind the empress''s disheveled hair and stood up. "Zhen still has other things to do. The empress should go back as soon as possible. It''s already late and the wind''s cold."


    With that, he slowly walked out of the pavilion and called over the eunuch who had been waiting by his side. "Is what the empress said true?"


    The eunuch couldn''t figure out what the emperor meant, so he could only reply truthfully, "This servant has heard some things."


    Fu Yuheng nodded thoughtfully. He raised his hand and rubbed his throbbing brow. "Find someone to check if there are any other clues."


    Fu Yuheng waved his hand in a fretful manner for those who came to report back. He casually tossed the pen on the table before him. His sharp eyes were tightly shut, and his brows were tightly knitted, showing his owner''s bad mood.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress requests an audience."


    Fu Yuheng took a deep breath, and when his eyes opened again, they had regained their former calmness. "Please come in."


    The empress didn''t have anything else to do with her visit this time. As soon as she entered the room, she sat beside Fu Yuheng. "Your Majesty, the princess'' matter has stirred up quite a commotion. If there''s no conclusion, then it''ll be hard to convince the people."


    After thinking for a moment, he still couldn''t come up with a better idea.

 C70 Extortion of confessions by severe punishment

    "Men, temporarily send Shen Qingwan to prison and await her orders!" Looking at the rooftop, her heart felt a little lonely. For the time being, let''s do it this way for now.


    "Your Majesty, Concubine Xian ¡­" Sun Ning trembled as he walked forward. Shen Qing Wan had looked over to him these past few days, he did not seem to be the kind of person who planned to kill the princess.


    "Get out!" The pen in his hand paused as his eyes became bloodshot. It was unknown whether it was due to anger or exhaustion.


    Sun Ning guessed that he was too angry, so he did not try to persuade his anymore. He only felt that it was a pity, that such a smart girl like her would be so unfathomable.


    Shaking his head, he turned around and left.


    Xiao Shushen shut herself in her room, the mask of kindness on her face looked as if it had been taken off, and a sinister look appeared in her eyes. What a Shen Qingwan, until now the emperor was still unwilling to execute her, truly despicable enough. Since the Emperor doesn''t want you to die, then live well.


    "Gui mama, go tell all the jobs in the prison to serve Concubine Xian well."


    Entering prison was something that Shen Qingwan had never thought of in her entire life. This was a completely unexpected calamity, since she was young, she had always lived like a prince. But now, in this prison, she was in a very sorry state.


    She didn''t panic; she just sat in the corner hugging her legs with a bit of disappointment in her eyes. She obviously didn''t do anything, but even so, even if she didn''t fight with anyone, she was still swept into the whirlpool of the harem.


    "Humph!" You are no longer a noble Concubine Xian, and since you are here, you should follow the rules here. " The head of the prison carried a whip in his hand as he walked step by step towards her cell door. "Come, open the door."


    He let the guard open the cell door with the key and swung the whip in his hand.


    "Are you admitting it or not?"


    Shen Qingwan looked up at him with disdain in her eyes. Was she preparing to torture him to death? Fu Yuheng had instructed him otherwise.


    "Hey!" Are you not convinced? I''ll let you see whether your bones are strong or my whip is hard. " Seeing that she didn''t make a sound, the head of the prison was immediately infuriated.


    Saying that, he swung the whip towards Shen Qingwan''s body, causing her to stagger but she did not give in. She glared at him fiercely, and crawled up from the ground while clutching her wound.


    "Beat her up! Beat her up until she confesses!"


    After the jailer waved his whip two times, it seemed as if the jailer was relieved of his anger and handed the whip to the jailer beside him. He had heard that the Concubine Xian was very favored by the Emperor and had treated his servants very well. Now, he felt that it was not easy to make a move, but under the orders from his superiors, he could only tremble and accept it.


    "AHH!" Shen Qingwan cried out in pain, feeling as if her bones were going to fall apart. Give up? That was impossible, since she wasn''t the one who did it. Even if he did kill her, she wouldn''t admit it.


    "Have you thought about it?" The head of the prison came back from drinking a glass of water. Seeing that her body was riddled with wounds, he signaled the guards to stop and went forward to pick up her lower jaw. There was a trace of schadenfreude in his eyes. The empress had said that he had to make her confess. If she didn''t confess, they''d fight until she did!


    Shen Qingwan was dizzy, her sight was blurry and her breathing was weak. The pain from the wounds on her body made her unable to breathe, but even so, she was unwilling to surrender.


    "Bah!" A mouthful of spittle was spat onto the face of the prison guard. At this moment, she no longer had any image to speak of. "You wish!" After saying those words, without anyone noticing, Zhang Xuan mustered the strength from his body and pushed the jailer onto the floor. Seeing the other party''s frenzied and distressed look, he started to laugh maniacally.


    "Fight!" Keep fighting! " The head of the prison wiped the saliva off his face and grabbed onto her hair, "Since you don''t want to confess, then enjoy it! Hit him hard for me! "


    His voice was already hoarse from the screams, but even so, his eyes were as sharp as ever. Who was she? She was Shen Qingwan. Even if she died, she wouldn''t have suffered such injustice in vain.


    "To see how she is?"


    The guard replied and turned around to check on her. However, he found that she had closed her eyes and had fainted.


    "Prison... The prison warden, she ¡­ She fainted. " After all, the other party was a concubine, so he had some fear in his heart. If the higher-ups were to blame him, even if he had ten heads, it would not be enough to kill him.


    The head of the prison relied on the esteemed empress''s words to back him up and looked fearless. "I fainted, did you think I passed out would be alright?" "Go and wake her up!" The look in his eyes suddenly changed, and the viciousness in his eyes was revealed without a doubt.


    "Yes sir!" The guards were ordered to bring a bucket of water and poured it all over her body.


    Shen Qingwan struggled to open her eyes. The two guards in front of her were both staring at her. She smiled bitterly in her heart, but they were not willing to give in.


    "Captain!" At this time, a jailer came running in from outside the door. He whispered something into the jailer''s ear. The jailer furrowed his brows and looked somewhat restrained. "You''re lucky today!"


    With these words, he quickly got up and walked out.


    Shen Qingwan breathed a sigh of relief. She felt that even the heavens would pity her now. They didn''t want her to die for no reason. Furthermore, she didn''t want to die for no reason.


    The guard locked the door and looked at her worriedly. However, he still turned around and left helplessly.


    Staying in the harem was truly a disaster for her.


    "Cough, cough ¡­" The wounds on his body were still painful. Coupled with the bucket of cold water he had just been splashed with, he felt cold all over and his head was getting more and more muddled.


    However, no one in the prison noticed her abnormality, and no one dared to interfere.


    "Ugh ¡­" When he woke up again, it was already midnight. He felt even colder. The wounds on his body were starting to pus. He tried to resist the pain and touched his forehead. It was very scalding. He was afraid that he would die here.

 C71 People pleading for mercy

    General Shen just happened to be eating when he heard about Shen Qingwan''s matter. The hand holding the chopsticks immediately lost all of its strength and fell onto the table, "Quick, prepare the palanquin." He hurriedly ordered some horses to enter the palace, afraid that there would be any delay.


    Logically speaking, he knew that his own daughter would never do such a thing. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have sent her to the palace. Now that something had happened, it caused him to panic for a moment.


    When Sun Ning saw him come over, he knew what was going on, but he still maintained a smile on his face and greeted him politely, "General Shen, why have you come to the palace in the middle of the night?"


    "Eunuch, may I trouble you to inform me. Tell me that this old official has urgent matters to discuss with you." Right now, he couldn''t care about anything else. His eyes were filled with panic.


    "This, General Shen, look, aren''t you making things difficult for this old servant!" Sun Ning already had a good face in the palace, the speed at which he changed his face was astonishing, from his previous flattering to a difficult situation, his sharp voice made people feel uncomfortable.


    "My humble respect, Sun Gonggong, please accept it." He took out a silver note from his sleeve and stuffed it into General Shen''s hand with a fawning smile.


    Sun Ning smiled, then spoke out, "Look at what General Shen is doing, well, this old servant will inform you, this old servant does not know whether or not the Emperor sees this old servant." With a grin, he stuffed the banknotes back into his pocket and walked in unhurriedly.


    "Your Majesty, General Shen requests an audience!" Sun Ning walked in front of Fu Yuheng, his face full of smiles.


    "Oh? "He came quite fast." Fu Yuheng knew this in his heart, but he did not say it out loud. "But why did you say it?" He asked the question knowing the answer, but he didn''t show it on his face.


    "This servant isn''t sure, but this servant sees that General Shen is unsettled and is very anxious." Sun Ning did not make anymore guesses. After all, the emperor forbade guesses.


    He did not make things difficult for him, but simply nodded his head, signalling for him to come in.


    Even when General Shen walked into the study room, he did not raise his head to give him a single glance.


    "This humble subject pays his respect to the Emperor." General Shen knelt in front of him, his voice was loud like a bell, carrying a bit of worry and anxiety.


    "Oh? It''s the General Shen! " Fu Yuheng raised his head slowly with an astonished expression. He sneered in his heart, This old fox was also knowledgeable about the matters in the palace. When he sent Shen Qingwan to prison, did he come all the way here to plead for leniency and to put pressure on her?


    "What is General Shen doing here?" Putting down the pen in his hand, he raised his eyes and stared at him.


    Your Majesty, this old subject has watched Concubine Xian grow up. This old subject knows that she has never been careful enough to even crush an ant, let alone kill them. General Shen looked down at the smile on Fu Yuheng''s face. He knew that Fu Yuheng had always been ruthless in his actions.


    "General Shen, your daughter has already married into the imperial harem, so naturally you don''t need your General Shen to worry about her. I assume you''ve worked hard for the entire day, go back and rest, we won''t give you any tea now."


    Although Fu Yuheng appeared gentle on the surface, his words implied that he had crossed the line. With that, he flipped open the imperial report, looking at it as if no one was present.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" General Shen was ignored by him, and was momentarily at a loss. In his heart, he still wanted to plead for Shen Qing Wan.


    "General Shen, I am free to make decisions now, so I won''t say anything more. Furthermore, I am worried that I can understand my daughter, so I won''t keep an eye on the movements of my imperial harem. Otherwise, I won''t be able to rest easy here." He picked up the brush and wrote a few words on the imperial report. His voice was very calm, but it could not be ignored.


    Fu Yuheng also wanted to use this matter to remind the General Shen not to do anything that would make him regret his actions.


    "But, your majesty ¡­" He was preoccupied with his daughter''s safety, but he did not notice the displeasure in Fu Yuheng''s words and was about to plead for mercy when he was interrupted.


    "General Shen doesn''t need to say too much. We have our own judgement. It''s getting late, someone, send General Shen out of the palace." At this moment, his face was already gloomy, he did not expect that the General Shen would actually not know when to advance and when to retreat, and did not know what was good for them.


    "What are you doing here!"


    He squinted his eyes to examine Li Ruotong''s purpose for coming here. Why would she come to serve him porridge?


    "When chenqie heard that the emperor had given an entire night''s worth of memorials, she was a bit worried, so she served a bowl of porridge to the emperor." When she heard that something had happened to her, she couldn''t sit still. She remembered what she had said to Shen Qingwan when they were joking, and hurriedly ordered a bowl of porridge to be made before coming to the royal study. She hoped that the emperor would forgive her for their past relationship.


    "Speak frankly if you have something to say. I don''t have the time to accompany you here to do riddles." Fu Yuheng went straight to the point. After sending the General Shen away, he no longer had the mood to deal with anyone.


    "When chenqie heard that the emperor had put the Elder Sister Consort Xian in prison, I wonder what mistake the Consort Xian has committed. I hope the emperor can forgive her on account of past friendships." Li Ruotong kneeled in front of Fu Yuheng, and said each word repeatedly in her heart, afraid that she would say something wrong.


    "carrageenan, I hope that you will behave yourself and not forget your position. Don''t ask about things that you shouldn''t ask about, otherwise, not only you, even the people you desire will not be able to keep your life. Do you understand?"


    Fu Yuheng felt an inexplicable panic in his heart when he heard about Shen Qingwan. It hadn''t even been a day and there were already two people pleading on her behalf. Fu Yuheng was very curious, just what kind of ability did she have?


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Li Ruotong was unwilling, and wanted to say something.


    Fu Yuheng''s tone made Li Ruotong''s face turn deathly white. She could ignore her own life, but Ye Feng ¡­


    "Chenqie will take her leave."


    As he watched Li Ruotong walk out, Fu Yuheng turned his head to look at the porridge on the table again.


    He remembered the last time when Shen Qingwan brought the porridge and asked him to make her a female official. That was the first time he saw her take the initiative to complain to him about a grievance.


    Fu Yuheng blew on the porridge on the spoon and brought it to his own mouth.


    "It doesn''t seem to be that smell!" Shaking his head, he felt strange about his thoughts. He must have been tired from reading the imperial reports, so he thought this way.

 C72 thoughts at night

    Fu Yuheng felt a little bloated after eating his dinner. He did not immediately return to the imperial study to settle his official business, but instead, Sun Gonggong accompanied him on a stroll around the backyard.


    "Your majesty, look at the moonlight today!"


    Sun Gonggong nodded as he walked beside Fu Yuheng, as if he was casually finding a topic to talk about. He also knew that the Emperor had been in a bad mood for the past few days, as there was a lot of things that happened in the previous dynasty, and the imperial harem had not been peaceful for even a single day.


    "Mingyue, don''t scare the magpie with your branches. Qingfeng, chirp in the middle of the night."


    It had been a long time since he had admired the moon. Ever since he had sat on this Dragon Throne, he had never had such a leisurely time of his life. Many people stared at their imperial throne, waiting for their fault to rip themselves off from those lofty Dragon Thrones, waiting to see how they would be smashed into pieces.


    "Sun Ning, since we have been sitting on the Dragon Throne for so long, do you think there is anyone who can no longer hold it in!?" Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes. His voice sounded exhausted, as if it had come from somewhere very, very far away.


    Sun Gonggong consoled Fu Yuheng as he looked at his depressed and anxious face. He had followed the Emperor since young and had walked step by step to this day. No one was clearer than he was about the hardships Fu Yuheng had suffered in his heart.


    "You, ah, will comfort This Emperor."


    She rolled her eyes at Sun Gonggong, and Fu Yuheng''s gloomy mood also dissipated quite a bit.


    "Sun Ning, do you think we should trust Consort Xian?"


    "Your majesty, this old servant doesn''t know. But this old servant knows that Concubine Xian can indeed relieve Your Majesty''s worries, and Concubine Xian''s heart is indeed kind. Although her personality is firm and stubborn, it always gives people the feeling that time is good."


    Sun Gonggong scratched his head. His simple and honest voice seemed to be useless, but it made Fu Yuheng recall many of Shen Qingwan''s benefits.


    "Indeed, when I''m with her, it''s as if time has stopped and all my worries have disappeared."


    Fu Yuheng''s voice seemed to carry a tinge of reminiscence and nostalgia. Being together with Shen Qingwan was indeed the only consolation he had in this palace. "Wuwuwu, wuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwu ¡­


    Sun Ning didn''t say anything, and only laughed, "Actually, Your Majesty already had a plan in mind a long time ago!" After all, he knew that the emperor''s thoughts were not something he could interfere with.


    Fu Yuheng followed the sound of the zither and searched the entire way. Finally, he saw Wu Ling in a corner. "Shufei?"


    He was surprised to see her. Ever since she had entered the palace, she had not treated him coldly, but she had paid him no attention. Ever since that incident, he had rarely seen her leave his house.


    Now that he saw her in the back garden, still playing the zither, Fu Yuheng felt that it was extremely inconceivable.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty."


    Wu Ling was not surprised to see Fu Yuheng. She had long since found out that he was taking a walk in the back garden, so she intentionally played the zither here to attract his attention.


    "Why are you here?"


    Fu Yuheng gestured for her to stand up and casually found a stool for himself. It seemed as if he wanted to chat with her for a bit.


    "Cough cough, chenqie was rather bored in her own palace. Remembering that I haven''t played the zither in a long time and that I''m afraid I''m not familiar with the place, I came to a corner of the imperial garden to practice by myself, lest my sisters make fun of me."


    Wu Ling had thought of a reason when she came back, so she was at ease with herself. She fiddled with the zither strings, but her gaze never left Fu Yuheng.


    There was no one else on the beam who was as handsome and valiant as Fu Yuheng. As a diligent emperor who loved his subjects, he had captured half of the woman''s heart without any surprise. However, Wu Ling didn''t admire him.


    When she found out that she was going to become an imperial concubine, the hatred in her heart became more and more intense. When she found out that she was going to become an imperial concubine, Wu Ling''s eyes dimmed.


    "It''s getting late, you should also go home early!"


    Fu Yuheng looked at Wu Ling who was fiddling with the zither strings. Unexpectedly, the image of Shen Qingwan''s face flashed through her mind. If she was still here, she would probably be playing the zither in peace!


    "Your Majesty, cough cough ¡­" Sometimes, what people see on the surface may not be the truth. Do not, for the sake of a moment of confusion, misunderstand the innocent people around you. "


    Wu Ling looked at Fu Yuheng. He gritted his teeth and made up his mind. Even though he hated Fu Yuheng, Shen Qingwan''s personality suited her. If he died just like that, it would be a pity.


    "I still have matters to attend to, you can go back by yourself!" His mind was currently filled with Shen Qingwan. When he was married, he thought of the cool-headed and intelligent Shen Jingbin, the tough and brave Shen Jingbin, and the shy and wronged Shen Jingbin in the royal study. Every aspect of her was being played back in Fu Yuheng''s mind, and this feeling made Fu Yuheng feel a little strange.


    "Yes, chenqie will take her leave." Wu Ling didn''t say anything. She packed up her zither and left.


    At this moment, Fu Yuheng''s thoughts were all on Shen Qingwan. Although he didn''t know what was going on with himself, he still turned around and walked towards the dungeon.


    When he arrived at the entrance of the prison, his impulsiveness had been diluted. He had also retracted his steps. What was wrong with him to care so much about Shen Qingwan?


    After hesitating for a moment, Fu Yuheng did not step into the dungeon. He turned around and returned to the study room.


    Liu Chugrong had passed by and happened to see Fu Yuheng standing at the entrance of the dungeon for a long time before he finally left.


    "Did you come to see Shen Qingwan?" Liu Chugrong clenched her fists. Her nails dug into her palm. The pain stimulated her nerves, but jealousy had already occupied her heart.


    He never thought that Fu Yuheng would actually care so much about that vixen, even coming to see her at night after she was locked up. This slut really gave her trouble at every moment.


    "Humph!" The cold snort was blown along with the wind into the vast imperial palace, carrying a sense of unwillingness and hatred.

 C73 unconscious

    Even at noon, when the sun was at its most poisonous, it could not pierce through the thick walls of the dungeon, leaving behind only a tiny bit of light. The wind blew in along with a few cracks at night, which made people even more terrified.


    Although Shen Qingwan had finally gotten the chance to take a breather after suffering their inhumane torture, she was, after all, the apple of General Shen''s eye, a daughter who had grown up in her hands. Even if her personality was tough, her body still wouldn''t be able to endure the torture.


    She tried her best to curl up into a ball and looked at her torn clothes. The skin inside was cut by the whip, and the flesh underneath was split open, showing the dark red blood that had already congealed long ago.


    For some reason, he thought of Fu Yuheng, who had accused him of a crime that day. As expected, Fu Ziyun still didn''t believe him!


    He snorted coldly. He didn''t know whether he was ridiculing Fu Yuheng, who was confused about the truth, or he was mocking himself, who still had a sliver of hope in him. Even if Fu Yuheng hadn''t hinted him, he probably would have accepted his'' care ''today.


    Shen Qing Wan thought of Lian Yun, her mind filled with images of her crying until she twitched. She had been by her side since she was young, and if something like this happened to her, she would probably cry all day.


    As he thought about it, he felt his face burning up. He forcefully lifted his arm and placed his hand on his forehead. It was unexpectedly very hot.


    After being splashed with a basin of cold water, his entire body was trembling. His teeth were tightly clenched and his eyelids were moving up and down, making him feel drowsy.


    "I, I, I definitely will not give in. I won''t, I won''t let them underestimate me. Fu Yuheng, you are also being underestimated."


    After an unknown amount of time, no one was able to discover the unconscious Shen Qingwan. The cell was still very dark, and occasionally there were some strange sounds.


    Footsteps came from the other end of the corridor, and the long corridor was filled with a terrible, dark clatter.


    "Hello."


    He walked to Shen Qingwan''s cell and saw her lying on the ground with her lips curled. These nobles seemed to be incomparably honorable, if they were to one day commit a crime and end up in this cell, they would definitely be inferior to these lowly people.


    He threw the food that he gave Shen Qingwan on the ground. Along with the huge movements, half a bowl of rice was placed on the ground, those dishes were things that even pigs and dogs wouldn''t be able to eat, but everyone in the prison will eat it. After all, humans are afraid of death, if they don''t eat it, then the only way out is death.


    "Stop pretending, let''s eat."


    The prison warden let out a few patient barks but there was still no movement. He could not help but be angry. This woman was already in this field but she was still so arrogant. Being a prison warden, she could not bear to see a prisoner''s arrogance.


    "Hmph, still treating yourself as that esteemed mistress? When I call you out, do you want to die ¡­"


    Pushing open the iron door, he kicked Shen Qingwan. Seeing that there was no response, the guard panicked a little, this man couldn''t be going to die here, right? In the end, this was still the palace lady, if she died ¡­


    "Nothing, nothing will happen to him, right?" The guard panicked. He heard that the woman being locked up here was a highly favored Consort Xian. If she died on the day he was on duty, even if he had a few heads, it wouldn''t be enough to cut them off!


    The jailer dared not think any further. He knelt on the ground and probed her breathing. Although it was a bit weak, he was still alive. He was relieved and shook Shen Qingwan a few times.


    Shen Qingwan felt that the external force had regained some consciousness, she only felt her head getting dizzy, her whole body felt like it had been torn apart, the pain went down to her bones. However, she suddenly felt that her throat was extremely dry, and even her lips had ruptured due to the severe lack of water.


    "Water... "Give me water ¡­" Shen Qingwan did not have any strength, and only relied on her desire to live, she shouted out a few words that sounded like a weak mosquito.


    The jailer let out a sigh of relief when he saw her slight movements. Amitabha, I finally got my life back. Just when she was feeling happy, she heard her voice. After she heard it clearly, the jailer ran out and poured Shen Qingwan a glass of water.


    After finishing their work, the guards saw that there was nothing wrong with her, so they locked the door and ran to the front of the prison.


    The head of the prison took out a silver and bought a pot of wine. Just as he opened the lid, he took a sniff.


    "Fragrant, this is so f * cking fragrant. Thirdie, give me a bite."


    The head of the prison looked at the guard and smiled. He poured a cup and drank it up, smacking his lips as he thought about the taste of the wine.


    "Head, not good. I''m afraid that the woman who was locked up here is about to die. Should we inform the higher-ups and let her see if she can take a look!"


    The prison warden was not in the mood to taste the rare wine, his heart only thinking about the unconscious Shen Qingwan, feeling a little flustered.


    "No need, bring me to see her."


    The head of the prison frowned. He hadn''t expected the women in the palace to be so uncontrollable. They''d been beaten just a few times, but they were done for. Even with the empress backing them up, it was still a troublesome matter to kill them all!


    The jailer led him to Shen Qingwan''s cell and carefully sized her up a few times. Seeing that she didn''t have any major problems, he spat at her in disdain.


    "Serves you right. To call you against the empress, this is what you deserve. Pfft."


    The head of the prison ran here for nothing. Holding in his anger, he went up and kicked her a few more times to quell his hatred. Then, he walked out in disdain.


    "What bad luck. You can look after her if she doesn''t die."


    After exiting the cell, the head of the prison turned around and looked at the prison warden, giving him some orders. Thinking of his own jug of fine wine, he hurriedly returned, but because of that, he missed Shen Qing Wan''s cold gaze.


    Being bullied by a dog when a tiger falls to the ground, that was true. However, it was only for a short period of time. If she were to go out one day and meet him again, she might not even be able to kneel down and beg for forgiveness.

 C74 Jiangnan line

    Jiangnan, since ancient times, the mountains and rivers depend on each other, people''s heart is relaxed and happy, and is also a place where all kinds of scholars and scholars have their outstanding talents. When the green willow leaf passed by, the misty rain that was entangled in it added a bit of a dream. In a restaurant on the most bustling street, a handsome person could be vaguely seen through the half-open window.


    "Your highness has been in Jiangnan for quite some time. I wonder, how have you enjoyed yourself?" Her voice was like a gentle breeze as she gazed at the person before her. The woman''s sleeves slightly moved as she slowly opened her mouth.


    "Jiang Nan was originally so lovable, but even I am reluctant to leave." Her slightly perked peach blossom eyes seemed to contain a smile as they lightly swept a glance at the girl in front of them. Under the contrast of Hei Zi, her slender fingers appeared somewhat indifferent.


    "Your highness, you seem to be quite relaxed." Bai Zi lightly fell, and the originally loose surface of the chess piece started to crumble.


    Her thin lips slightly curled up, appearing free and unrestrained. However, he did not refute him. "Hehe, being in the Monarch''s house, it''s rare for me to have a good time. How can This King let go of such a great opportunity?"


    The woman smiled. "Your highness is so generous." How could she not know that he wasn''t as carefree and carefree as the outsiders, but when she saw his current appearance, she was still slightly dazzled.


    "Hehe, even if this king is magnanimous, it will still be difficult for him to be tolerated by others." As Blackie descended, the chessboard suddenly disappeared into thin air. Faintly, it carried with it a strong murderous aura. From the looks of the situation, Bai Zi was also surrounded!


    "The position of the prince is always in the way of some people, so I do need ¡­" Her red lips perked up, her words had not left her lips, the white piece had fallen, and the chess book had once more returned to its original calm.


    "Then we still have to see if This King is in a good mood." Playing with the jade in her hand, without any hesitation, she tapped the chess piece, causing the girl to frown. If Bai Zi had had a chance of survival just now, he would have been surrounded and surrounded on all sides.


    "I didn''t expect that your chess skills would become more and more exquisite, to actually be able to transform This King''s chess game." Looking at the Bai Zi that fell again, a trace of admiration flashed unknowingly in Mo Zilian''s eyes.


    "Prince, you are flattering me. This little girl just happened to be here for a moment. However, this chess game is quite dangerous." Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with a bit of contemplation as she looked at this game of chess. She had thought for a long time before making up her mind.


    "It''s not bad indeed. It''s just that it''s a hundred times more secretive than normal. If we ignore the consequences, we''ll be in danger!" The black dot fell, the white dot dispersed, and they were all separated.


    The woman in front of him, seeing the current situation, was unable to make a move for a while. Her fingertip held a hint of hesitation, and Mo Zilian did not urge her. Instead, he gently took a sip of the Ancient Dragon Well in Jiangnan.


    The path of tea was also the path of life. Chess, too.


    "This move is quite different from the previous one. If it was an ordinary person, it would have been extremely difficult to think of such a move. However, if it was you, you would truly be relieved." The girl in front of him was at a loss for a long time. In the end, she still hardened her heart. Even if she could be a little bit shaky, it was still equivalent to being completely naked.


    "To put one''s life on the line and live once and for all, this logic is thoroughly utilized!" The corner of his mouth curled into a smile. Although he was praising this chess game, his eyes were looking at the woman in front of him.


    "It was just a coincidence ¡­" The woman, who was seen by Mo Zilian, lowered his eyes as his face revealed some respect. He originally wanted to say something, but was cut off by Mo Zilian.


    The fan opened slightly. "You''re always so modest ¡­" On the contrary, it gave Mo Zilian a tinge of elegance.


    "Your Highness, someone wishes to meet you." An underling suddenly came in from outside the door and reported, "Enter." He was lazy with a bit of elegance.


    "Greetings, Your Highness!" The person knelt on the ground and saluted Mo Zilian.


    "Get up." Waving his hand, he unwittingly sized up the person that came. The person was none other than the person that he placed by Shen Yu''s side. If it wasn''t for something major happening, he definitely wouldn''t have come looking for him.


    "Hur hur, you can leave first." The fan moved slightly, bringing out an uninhibited elegance. At this moment, Hei Zi landed!


    Victory or defeat in the chess game had already been decided!


    "Then, the prince will take his leave." The girl saluted and left the room. The moment she closed the door, she couldn''t help but take a second look through the crack between the doors.


    A trace of infatuation appeared in her eyes, but she turned around with a bitter smile. This was originally an impossible task, and thinking too much into it was just a pipe dream. It was better for her to fulfill her duty. As long as he didn''t get caught, he had his own thoughts.


    "What happened?" The room was filled with smoke, leaving the two of them alone. Mo Zilian looked at the chess board thoughtfully and asked softly.


    "Your Royal Highness, the Concubine Xian has been thrown into the Sky Prison." As for Mo Zilian, he dragged his chin with a brilliance that could be seen from the depths of his eyes. With the dark black pupils of his eyes, it was unknown what he was thinking about.


    "Interesting, quite interesting." A hearty laugh came from Mo Zilian''s lips, carrying a bit of playfulness. Mo Zilian now felt that this Shen Yu was really interesting. Looks like this is a good show, and this show, how could he let it continue to act alone.


    Mo Zilian stood up from the soft couch and stretched his body a little. He had been used to being relaxed these past few days, but was instead a little bored.


    "Prince ¡­" The informant wanted to say something, "Alright, This King knows what to do." Gently waving his hands, the light in the depths of his eyes never changed.


    After Mo Zilian left the private room, he directly went downstairs.


    Since it was currently not any meal time, the restaurant seemed exceptionally elegant, with a different kind of emotion. The owner of the restaurant was originally a gentle woman, so how could this restaurant not be compatible with the restaurant he was in now?


    "Your Highness." The woman gently stepped forward and said, "It''s been hard on you these few days. I have some matters to take care of now, so I''ll take my leave from you first." The corner of Mo Zilian''s eyes carried a bit of a smile, and his expression was gentle.


    "This was originally my good fortune. If you say so, my daughter won''t be able to bear it." Gently covering his face with his sleeves, Mo Zilian burst out laughing loudly.


    "Alright, This King will be leaving first." After finishing his words, he did not waste any more time. There were many things that remained for him to deal with in this world. The Smoky Willow Land was not a place that would cause people to linger as they had said.

 C75 Return to visit

    "This old servant greets Ninth Prince."


    When he returned to his own residence, he saw the old steward waiting there with everyone. "It has been hard on you, Uncle Fu, to see me out."


    Uncle Fu shook his head with a smile and quickly said, "This is my duty. It''s not hard, not hard at all. Your highness, I have been tired from running all the way, please take a rest, this old servant will immediately prepare some food. "


    "No need." Fu Huaiyu waved his hand and passed his beloved mount to the little servant. "This king still has some matters to attend to, I''ll come back later."


    After leaving the residence, Fu Huaiyu immediately rushed towards the dungeon.


    "I wonder what business does the Ninth Prince have with us?" The head of the prison bent his body, and looked at Fu Huaiyu obsequiously.


    "Take it, this king wants to see the Consort Xian." Fu Huaiyu threw some silver on the prison guard''s head and was about to walk down the hallway with big strides.


    "Your ¡­ Your Highness, your servant ¡­" The head of the prison stopped Fu Huaiyu, he lowered his body, and said with a troubled voice, he did not know what to do.


    "What, did the Emperor say that no one is allowed to visit the Consort Xian?" Fu Huaiyu raised his eyebrows and said that with a faint smile on his face. It was just that his smile did not feel like a spring breeze, but the opposite was true.


    "This, this is not true. "However ¡­"


    "This King doesn''t care. Since the Emperor hasn''t even said anything, is this servant of yours who ate an ambitious leopard daring to block This King''s path?" Fu Huaiyu frowned, his voice becoming sharper with the words, his Dantian becoming thicker, full of vigor and vigor.


    The prison warden was already sweating profusely and did not even dare to breathe loudly. He originally thought that Ninth Prince was just a noble and idle person, he did not expect that his anger would be so frightening.


    "Go, go back to your highness. This Concubine Xian murdered the princess, and the servants will conduct the interrogation as per usual. You should also know that this interrogation ¡­ I''m afraid that if I were to offend you, these servants will not be able to afford it! " As he said this, cold sweat dripped down his cheeks and his eyes were filled with panic.


    "Abuse of lynchings! "Very well, if you don''t bring this king to see her today, this king will immediately report it to the emperor and see if you can keep your little life." Fu Huaiyu retracted the sharp look in his eyes. This woman was truly interesting, it seems like she had become a thorn in the side of many!


    The jailer''s face paled, "Your Highness, please forgive this lowly one. This lowly one has to listen to my orders as well!" She knelt on the ground and cried with tears and snot in her eyes. She couldn''t even compare to Shen Qingwan.


    "As long as you know how to beg for mercy, it''s fine. Bring This King to see her. This King will pretend that I don''t know anything. If you want to leave your life, it''s all up to you." Staring at this man without a shred of dignity with disdain, it was difficult for him to say even one more word.


    The head of the prison hesitated for a moment. After contemplating in his heart, he eventually decided to lead the way.


    Fu Huaiyu covered his nose and looked around. Fu Huaiyu knew what kind of place the prison was, but he still didn''t feel comfortable walking in for the first time, it was pitch black here with only a few dim candlelight, and inside each cell, there was only this tattered straw that could be used for shelter.


    "Cough, cough." Are you there yet? " Fu Huaiyu was not in the mood to continue watching, his voice was also somewhat irritable.


    "Scram, scram." After throwing him another silver ingot, Fu Huaiyu waved his hand and told him to leave.


    The head of the prison opened the door. He didn''t dare to stop for a moment as he staggered and ran out.


    Fu Huaiyu sneered and walked to Shen Qingwan''s side.


    "Cough, cough." Originally, he wanted to cough twice to attract Shen Qingwan''s attention, but seeing that she did not react, he opened his mouth and called out to her.


    "Shen Qingwan, This King has come to see you." However, the person in front of her didn''t react at all. With a heavy face and a myriad of thoughts running through his mind, he squatted down and pushed her twice.


    Fu Huaiyu looked at her red cheeks that had been stretched out, her forehead was burning hot, and his hair was still left on both sides of his face. A bit of hair was stuck to her cheeks, making his look extremely miserable, "Heh, woman, this king has only been away for a few days, and I have already turned myself into such a miserable state."


    He took out a medicine bottle from his chest pocket and stuffed two pills into Shen Qingwan''s mouth. "Fortunately, I still have a bottle of medicine on me. Otherwise, I don''t think you''d live for more than a few days." Fu Huaiyu reached out and ruffled the hair on Shen Qingwan''s face, then lowered his head and whispered into her ear with a bewitching voice.


    "Woman, you must remember that This King saved you once again!"


    With that, he settled Shen Qing Wan down and left.


    The moment Fu Huaiyu turned around, he did not see Shen Qingwan''s trembling eyelashes.


    The medicinal fragrance in his mouth dispersed, and he felt as if the dizziness in his head had somewhat lessened. Only then did he hear the words of that person clearly. However, because that person was him, he had some scruples and his body became a little stiff.


    The words beside her ear made her want to frown, but she just couldn''t move her body or speak.


    However, she was also slightly grateful in her heart. Otherwise, she might not be able to live until the truth of the matter came out.


    "Ninth Prince, you ¡­ you came out." Seeing him walk out, the head of the prison wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and hurriedly went forward to welcome him, afraid that he would incur the displeasure of the person before him.


    "Yes." Fu Huaiyu sighed in his heart, and looked towards the direction of the prison cell. "You have to be careful of this point from now on, this is the person by the emperor''s side." It was unknown if he was reminding him or explaining things to her.


    He shook his head in his heart and felt a little regretful. If such an interesting person were to be ruined like this, it would be meaningless.


    To him, Shen Qing Wan was more like a plaything, a form of entertainment when she was bored. However, he had to admit, she was still useful.


    "Here." The prison guard replied with a nod, but then a look of awkwardness flashed past his eyes. Previously, the empress had told him to "take good care of her", but now this lord had made him more cautious. Just who was he supposed to listen to?


    After thinking about it, he decided to pay more attention to her in the future. After all, the Empress was a woman of her generation, but the Ninth Prince was someone that the Emperor couldn''t do anything to.

 C76 Prince of the opposite sex

    "Oh, you''re finally back?" Once Fu Huaiyu entered, he saw Mo Zilian leaning on the chair, faintly smiling at him.


    He chuckled, "You''re not slow at all. You came back so quickly." Fu Huaiyu was obviously very familiar with him. He pulled him up from the chair and sat on it himself.


    "Mistress, you are treating your subordinate harshly." He nimbly turned around. His black clothes gave him a cold expression, but there was still a smile on his face.


    Ninth Prince, who was seated on a chair, looked at him, extended his hand and picked up a cup of tea, blowing on it lightly, he took a sip, "Oh? Is that so? "


    Towards Mo Zilian, he had been extremely patient. After all, he had grown up together with him, and could be considered to be the only one who could make friends with him.


    "Your Highness!" Uncle Fu, the butler walked in from outside and was startled when he saw the two of them. After seeing Mo Zilian dressed in black, he reacted and took a step forward, bowing to the person seated in the front.


    He had seen this person before, and he remembered that the first time he saw him, he was very surprised. Is there a prince''s twin brother in this world? How could someone look so similar?


    Fu Huaiyu waved his hand, signalling for him to continue.


    "Your Highness, there''s a maidservant looking for you outside the door. He said that he has urgent business with you." Uncle Fu opened his mouth, but his eyes looked a bit awkward. "The maidservant also said that we must ask for your help. Otherwise, she will be knocked to death in front of the door." At this point, even Uncle Fu felt a bit embarrassed. This girl was very simple. Could it be that he wanted to threaten the prince just because of this?


    However, when he saw the serious look on the maid''s face, he couldn''t bear it any longer and came in to report his help. However, whether or not the prince was willing to help was not something he could decide.


    "Heh, this servant girl sure has a lot of guts." Fu Yuheng chuckled. There was a hint of mockery in his tone. "This King doesn''t have the leisure to be a philanthropist."


    He stood up, lifted up his robes, and turned around, wanting to bring Mo Zilian to the study room to discuss matters, but he suddenly thought of something, and turned his head around as his eyes studied the place, "Then the servant told me who her master is?"


    Uncle Fu was surprised by these words. Did Prince Fu really want to help her? However, she could only open her mouth, "No, I only said that her name seemed to be Lian Yun."


    As expected, the moment these two words came out, Fu Huaiyu started laughing. Even Mo Zilian who was standing by the side looked over at him.


    "Forget it, go and tell her. Don''t worry, I will naturally grant her wish in this matter." He closed the fan in his hand, and the smile in his eyes became more obvious.


    What a good servant, he would even throw away his life for his master.


    Uncle Fu was at a loss. Why did he suddenly change his mind when he saw the look of disdain on Master''s face just now? Could it be that his personality had changed?


    But no matter how puzzled he was, he still had to settle the matter that his master had instructed him to do.


    "Let''s go to the study room." She found it funny, but that smile didn''t reach her eyes.


    Mo Zilian followed behind him. He was his friend, his bodyguard, or more accurately, his substitute.


    When he met Fu Huaiyu at the age of five, he did not know what was good or bad; he only knew that he could give him a bite to eat.


    But Fu Huaiyu kept him here, for more than ten years. When he was thirteen, his martial arts had already improved, but Fu Huaiyu was unquestionably strict with him. To him, he was like a big bowl of rice at that time, and thus, he had always been studying seriously.


    Until he was fifteen years old. Fu Huaiyu had given him a human skin mask, but the appearance of the mask was exactly the same as Fu Huaiyu''s. He said he would be his double from now on.


    Since it was like that, he did not refuse, and only used a year''s time to imitate Fu Huaiyu''s every move, including his demeanor, movements and even his voice.


    Since then, he wore this mask almost every single day, treating himself as another Ninth Prince.


    "Is there something wrong with that maid from before?" Mo Zilian asked with doubt.


    "Heh, that maid is the one in the prison." The corners of his mouth curled up and a smile appeared on his face.


    With these words, he also understood. "No wonder." Standing at the side, Mo Zilian pondered in his heart, just what exactly is so attractive about Shen Qing Wan? But to make him care so much?


    "Master, what are you planning to do?" One had to know that the matter at hand right now was not the slightest bit related to it. If the Emperor did not loosen his grip, it would be an extremely difficult matter.


    But seeing that Fu Huaiyu was careless, he laughed, "Of course it is to protect her life, you must know that such an interesting person is rare." The emperor had made his own decision, but he didn''t know which one of the prisoners would appreciate it.


    Actually, he already knew what Zhu Yan was thinking about him, but since it wouldn''t spoil his plans, even if he did, he wouldn''t mind. Moreover, Mo Zilian was there to block things for him.


    "Mistress, don''t say anymore. Every time I see her, I want to hide from her eyes. Otherwise, the grievances inside would swallow me up." Mo Zilian spoke in a seemingly helpless manner, but in reality, how could it be as serious as what he said? It was just to tease Fu Huaiyu.


    But how would Fu Huaiyu listen to him so casually? Furthermore, he had long known his character, and rubbed his forehead with a headache: "You sure become bolder and bolder, don''t you have been too free lately? Do you need This King to find something for you to do? " He said this indifferently, but the words that came out of his mouth caused Mo Zilian''s heart to tremble, and he hurriedly swung his hands.


    "No, no, no, there''s no need. I still have things I haven''t done yet. Besides, if I leave now, I won''t be able to find Yan Yan, right?" Mo Zilian felt a wave of discouragement in his heart. Fortunately, he had reacted quickly, otherwise, who knows where he might have been thrown off to.


    Tomorrow, I will go to the palace. You should remember to find a time to settle the matter with Jiang Nan and go take a look at Hu Youshan. That place is a little chaotic right now, remember to take off your mask and just say that it''s my man, after all, my man is in the palace.


    Speaking till here, Mo Zilian understood that there was already a Ninth Prince in the palace. If there was another person who thought that they would be exposed, then it would be very inconvenient to explain things to them.


    Laughing, Mo Zilian did not linger, after all, although the two of them had a good relationship, but no matter what, he was still his subordinate.

 C77 unreserved

    In the afternoon of the second day, Fu Huaiyu headed towards the palace alone. After all, this sort of thing happened, and it was better if he came knocking himself.


    "Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince wishes to seek an audience."


    Fu Yuheng''s hand that was holding the brush paused slightly as he raised his head to look at Eunuch Chen. He was puzzled and asked, "What is he doing?" In the past few days, Sun Ning had been sick, but he was not used to it.


    "This servant doesn''t know."


    "Let him wait a bit." Fu Yuheng frowned. His younger brother did not visit the Three Treasures Palace for no reason. Now that he had come, it was unknown what sort of tricks he had up his sleeve. After all, this was the man''s child.


    Fu Yuheng took care of all the official matters before going to receive Fu Huaiyu. "Why would Ninth Prince be in such a good mood to enter the palace today?" Although he didn''t like him very much, he still had to act as if he was there.


    "Chendi went out for a stroll this time, and before entering the manor, he had already thought of coming to pay respects to Royal Brother."


    The two of them feared each other, but their faces showed no trace of it. The scene of a pair of brotherly and respectful brothers filled the imperial garden. The two of them chatted as they walked, and unexpectedly, it was extremely harmonious.


    "Chendi heard that something big happened in the imperial harem recently?" But not long after, the patience of the two people was almost used up. Fu Huaiyu changed the topic and tried to bring up the matter regarding Shen Qingwan.


    "Ninth brother is referring to that matter. My harem is considered a big deal."


    Fu Yuheng looked at him in displeasure. It turned out that the reason why he had not entered the palace and had instead hurried back was because of his Consort Xian. Heh, what a joke.


    "I heard that the Consort Xian was sent to prison." Fu Huaiyu looked into the distance, his expression calm.


    "I''m afraid that Ninth Brother does not have the status to interfere in this matter!" Fu Yuheng''s voice was calm and steady, implying that he should pay attention to his own identity.


    "Chendi only thinks that this matter is suspicious, I am afraid that there is something that I am not clear on!"


    Despite Fu Yuheng''s stern expression, he still maintained his calm demeanor and calmly analyzed Shen Qingwan''s case with Fu Yuheng.


    "Ninth brother, this matter is not up to you to criticize." Killing intent welled up in his eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by other emotions.


    Fu Huaiyu looked at Fu Yuheng with a smile that was not a smile. He did not expect that this woman would actually be able to make him, who was neither happy nor angry, act like this.


    "If royal brother is not willing to investigate the case of Consort Xian, Chendi is willing to do so on his behalf." He smiled faintly, appearing to be an elegant and graceful young master. However, his smile only appeared on his face. In his eyes, there was only a pool of cold water.


    "I can see that Ninth Brother must be tired of running one step at a time, that''s why he''s spouting such nonsense. Someone, send Ninth Prince back to his residence." Fu Yuheng''s voice was very calm, but if one were to listen carefully, one would be able to hear his anger. The hand under his sleeve formed a fist, and there were some complex emotions in his eyes.


    The anger in Fu Yuheng''s heart roiled, but it was not good for Fu Huaiyu to flare up. After all, it was not good for both of them to fall out now.


    "If not, if royal brother does not want this concubine, why not give it to me? I am very willing to accept that." He spoke out in a provocative manner as he watched Fu Yuheng''s complexion turn slightly blue.


    That was his woman, where would it be the other men''s turn to criticize her?


    "There''s no need to trouble Ninth Prince. We will take care of this matter." He glared at him with a cold expression. He felt as if the air around him was suffocating.


    But Fu Huaiyu acted as if he did not feel it at all, and only waved the fan in his hand, "Since it''s like that, then elder brother should take care of it, if not ¡­ "Haha!" There was a hint of ridicule on his face. His angry look had inexplicably made him in a good mood.


    After Fu Yuheng sent him away, he became furious in his study room. He could smash anyone into a pulp. The servants waiting outside were all on tenterhooks, not daring to breathe.


    However, his mood improved a lot after finishing the meal. When he thought back to what happened to Shen Qingwan, he did discover a lot of strange things.


    Since she wanted to kill the princess, why did everyone know about her being caught red-handed? Wasn''t this a bit too unreasonable? Furthermore, they had been together for quite some time, so she really didn''t seem like this sort of person.


    "Shen Qingwan, Shen Qingwan, just what ability do you have that even my Ninth Brother would plead for mercy on your behalf? Heh."


    When he thought of Fu Huaiyu, Fu Yuheng''s anger surged once again, and he smashed the teacup that had just been served onto the ground. "You really are an shameless woman, no matter who it is, you dare to seduce them." He did not think that he had fallen for Fu Huaiyu that much. After all, even though he was usually careless, he did not have any hobbies for girls.


    "Aiyo, your majesty, what happened to you?" Eunuch Chen heard the noise coming from inside and hurriedly ran in. He gave the eunuchs behind him a look and told them to immediately pick up the things on the ground.


    He sat down on a chair, and Eunuch Chen hurriedly brought him another cup of tea. He tidied up the messy table as he tried to console him, "Your majesty, it''s better to drink a cup of tea to calm your anger. Since the dragon''s body is more important, if you get angry, who would the people of Dazhuang be counting on?"


    "It''s really nothing." Fu Yuheng held his forehead as his brows tightly locked together. He then opened his eyes and sighed. "I don''t wish for everyone to know about what happened today."


    "This servant knows." Eunuch Chen called all the eunuchs on duty over and gave them a warning.


    Fu Yuheng picked up the imperial report, but did not read a single word for a long time. In the end, he rubbed his glabella and said, "Chen An, drive to Shufei."


    Eunuch Chen saw Fu Yuheng standing up and following closely behind him. The group of people arrived at Shufei''s palace, and Fu Yuheng ordered everyone to return.


    "Shufei."


    At this time, Wu Ling was really leaning on the bed as a female worker. Her lotus flower embroidery was as lifelike as the embroidery ladies in the palace.


    Wu Ling was startled when she heard Fu Yuheng''s voice. The hatred in her eyes was quickly retracted as she forced herself to stand up and bow.


    "Your majesty, please take a seat. Go serve the emperor some tea." He turned around and instructed his personal maid, as he was his concubine after all, he couldn''t afford to neglect the proper etiquette.


    "I''m just feeling depressed. I want to come here and listen to the zither music."


    It was as if he was explaining to Wu Ling why he was here. He was too annoyed and couldn''t find an answer to his question. That was why he came to her place today. He felt that her zither music could calm him down.


    "Then chenqie will prepare." Wu Ling took out the zither and sat opposite Fu Yuheng. At first, she fiddled with the zither casually, but later, her fingers began to flutter about like flowing water. "Does the emperor have any worries?" He spoke blandly, as if he had seen through his thoughts.

 C78 Emperors visit

    Fu Yuheng looked at this weak but not weak woman before him and nodded without saying anything else.


    The Shufei smiled faintly as she asked, understanding the situation.


    "Is the Emperor doing this for the Consort Xian?"


    Fu Yuheng was stunned. He did not expect that his thoughts would be easily seen through by her. Fu Yuheng was not angry that his thoughts had been seen through. He only teased her with a smile.


    "Are you not a worm in my stomach?"


    Shufei smiled, then shook his head, casually playing with his zither.


    "Chenqie doesn''t dare."


    Shufei''s zither skills were extremely proficient. His fingers lightly echoed on the zither strings, and the gentle sound of the zither resonated through his fingers and resounded through the entire room. The sound lingered on and did not subside for a long time.


    As for Fu Yuheng, it was unknown what he was thinking. As he was lost in thought, the music suddenly stopped. Fu Yuheng''s thoughts were also interrupted. He turned his head to look at Wu Ling with a puzzled expression.


    "Why?"


    Shufei walked to Fu Yuheng gracefully and bowed.


    "I''m afraid that the Emperor''s thoughts are all on the Consort Xian and he''s not in the mood to listen to the zither at all. His deep thoughts have drifted far away already, and he''s still forcing himself to listen to the zither. Since the Emperor doesn''t have the intention to listen to the zither anymore, then why bother playing the zither with chenqie!"


    Wu Ling paid close attention to Fu Yuheng''s gaze. Seeing that he was hesitating, she continued to persuade him.


    "Since Your Majesty is worried, why did you have to make it difficult for yourself to sit here and listen to your concubine? It would be better for you to go to the prison and take a look at the Consort Xian. That way, your majesty will be able to calm down and live a happy life!"


    Wu Ling raised her head and saw Fu Yuheng sitting upright on a chair. He pursed his lips slightly and remained silent. It was unknown whether he was happy or angry. Wu Ling lowered her head and didn''t speak. After all, no one could easily guess the Emperor''s intentions and interfere with his plans.


    Fu Yuheng struggled internally for a long time after hearing Wu Ling''s words. Finally, he made up his mind. He stood up slowly and walked step by step towards the dungeon.


    On the way back to the prison, Fu Yuheng looked at the Imperial Palace shrouded in darkness. To him, this palace was like a huge prison, suppressing him and causing him to be unable to breathe.


    The garden was quiet at night, except for a few birds chirping on the branches, disturbing the silence. The wind blew across the lake, stirring up the leaves, bending the branches, and dispersing the clouds.


    However, Fu Yuheng was not in the mood to admire the night sky. His heart was filled with matters regarding Shen Qingwan. He wondered if it would be appropriate for him to rush over like this. Would Shen Qingwan be alright in the prison?


    After all, he hadn''t crippled her position as an imperial concubine, so the people below wouldn''t make things too difficult for her. [I wonder what that woman will say when she sees me. She should be staring at me with her pair of eyes that are as deep as the abyss!] She had never known how to submit to others. Her stubbornness was both exasperating and heartbreaking.


    Unknowingly, Fu Yuheng had actually arrived at the entrance of the dungeon. When he recalled how he had turned around and left after walking here last time, he felt that it was somewhat funny.


    The head of the prison was lying down leisurely on his chair, humming a song when he raised his head. When he saw Fu Yuheng, whose foot had already stepped into the doorway, he hastily tumbled down and scrambled to his knees before Fu Yuheng.


    "Your servant greets the emperor. Long live the emperor, long live the emperor."


    When Fu Yuheng saw the terrified prison guard pursing his lips without saying a word, a trace of anger emerged from his heart. He didn''t expect that his official, his prison guard, was actually this type of weakling.


    "Has anyone come to see the Consort Xian recently?"


    Fu Yuheng''s face was cold. His disdainful expression was overflowing. As he recalled what Fu Huaiyu had said that day, the atmosphere became even more stifling.


    "This, Ninth Prince had come before."


    The head of the prison knelt on the ground, wishing that he could lower his head and reduce his presence.


    "Heh, he''s so elegant!"


    Fu Yuheng sneered upon hearing this. This Ninth Brother of his was dishonest. He wanted to touch anyone''s woman, but he didn''t know if he had the ability to.


    The head of the prison was already scared out of his wits. In these few days, the empress, Ninth Prince and the Emperor came here one after another. After dealing with the Ninth Prince yesterday, the emperor came again today ¡­ He really had no way to defend himself!


    "What did he say?"


    Fu Yuheng suppressed his anger with every word. With just a question, he was forced to drop down to the ground. Now, he was on the verge of prostrating himself on the ground.


    "This, this Ninth Prince said to make this servant be more careful, said that Consort Xian is someone who served the Emperor."


    The head of the prison repeated the words to Fu Yuheng, afraid that he would move his head if he said something wrong.


    "He cares about you."


    Fu Yuheng mumbled to himself with a mocking expression. His eyes were filled with ice-cold anger.


    "We wish to see the Consort Xian."


    Fu Yuheng did not know that the prison warden had gone through a thousand twists and turns in his heart. He was also unwilling to speak another word to such a person.


    "This... Concubine Xian, she... "She ¡­"


    When the head of the prison heard these words, he had already lost most of his strength. He knelt down limply on the ground, trembling like a sieve, his face devoid of blood.


    Fu Yuheng had always been dissatisfied with him, but now that he saw that his eyes were wavering and his expression indecisive, his words stuttering and stuttering, he became even more angry. He kicked off the prison cell and walked towards it alone.


    He looked at the dim candlelight, smelling the pungent and nauseating smell. He didn''t know where the wind had come from, but it caused the candle flame to flutter, and Fu Yuheng saw his own swaying shadow, and wondered if Shen Qingwan was still well in this environment. After all, she was also grew up in the hands of that old fox General Shen, so she must have suffered a lot.


    The wind howled outside. It seemed as if they could not reach the end of the long corridor. Fu Yuheng quickened his pace and kept looking left and right.


    After Shen Qing Wan had eaten the Ninth Prince''s medicine, her fever had started to improve a little. She could still hold on for a little longer, but she still lacked the strength to move her entire body.


    She bent down to make herself feel better, but the continuous coughing made Shen Qingwan feel as if she wanted to vomit out all of her blood.


    "Cough, cough, cough ¡­"


    Heh, it really was all thanks to his medicine, otherwise ¡­


    Her hair was unkempt and unkempt, hanging down behind her back, and a few bundles of it clung to her thin face. Her lips were dry and pale from continuous torture, and there was dried blood on her cheeks. Her clothes were full of holes, and the surroundings were stained with blood. Her wounds were pus and festering through the wounds, shocking anyone who saw them.

 C79 leave prison

    Fu Yuheng walked along the prison cell, frowning slightly. He was especially worried about the cells on both sides and the occasional screams coming from the surroundings.


    In such an environment, coupled with the occasional miserable shrieks, if it was a normal person in this place, they would probably go crazy, let alone ¡­


    His heart was extremely anxious, and he didn''t stop walking. His bright figure, on the other hand, gave off a slight chill.


    His sleeve unconsciously wiped his forehead. What should he do now, but he didn''t even have the slightest clue as to what was going on. He originally didn''t think too much about it, but who knew that the emperor would suddenly appear here today without even the slightest bit of information?


    The head of the prison thought to himself, If the emperor knew the appearance of the person he wanted to see right now, it would definitely be ¡­ However, he hoped that he could survive through this!


    The jailer swallowed, but he knew that this was no different from a foolish dream. At this moment, the jailer was regretting his decision. This was not a job done by a human being.


    The prisoners in the dungeon were either sinners or sinners. Of course, there wouldn''t be a comfortable environment. In the depths of the prison, Shen Qingwan''s tender lips were tightly pressed together. Her light and elegant glass dress was no longer elegant like it used to be.


    However, her eyes were like the unchanging snow in winter, cold and indifferent. Even though she was currently in a sorry state, she could not stop her indifferent and tenacious temperament.


    There seemed to be some sound coming from outside the door, Shen Qing Wan reluctantly looked towards the door of the cell, but she could not hide the mockery in her eyes. It seems like being slandered was not enough, what, what kind of trick did she think of? He couldn''t just turn the blow into a move, but now it had to be a different move!


    However, when he saw the newcomer, he was shocked for a moment. There was only one person in black and yellow who had the qualifications to do so!


    Fu Yuheng did not expect that his encounter with Shen Qingwan would turn out to be like this!


    Her lips, which should have been tender and beautiful, were now so translucent that it was white, her face was bloodless, and her cheeks were unusually red, especially when she looked at Shen Qingwan, who had an endless amount of dignity, and swept her gaze over the body of the jailer behind her.


    "Your Majesty, spare me, your Majesty ¡­" At this moment, regardless of anything else, the head of the prison couldn''t hold on any longer and kneeled to the floor with a ''putong''.


    "What''s going on!?" "What big guts!" Fu Yuheng''s hand hidden in his black robe could not help but clench into a fist. Faint anger was amassed in his eyes, causing the other prisoners to kneel down.


    "They''re all mute!" I''m asking you! "Good, very good!" He was so angry that he laughed instead. His black eyes swept across everyone one by one. Those who saw him could not help but lower their heads. Their shoulders trembled even more violently.


    "Who''s the jailer here!" Seeing the trembling expressions of the crowd, Fu Yuheng truly felt that he had raised a bunch of trash. Especially when he saw Shen Qingwan''s appearance, he even wanted to drag these servants out!


    What had she experienced in the past few days? Fu Yuheng didn''t even dare to think about it. However, when he thought about these people, he realized that they all ignored his words. His eyes grew colder.


    "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Your servant ¡­" Slave ¡­ Is Here... "The prison warden ¡­" With a slight tremble, cold sweat trickled down the prisoner''s forehead as he was pointed out. Even his back was half wet!


    He didn''t know what to do. After all, this matter was handled with his own intentions, which was why Shen Qingwan was acting like this. However, who would have known that this sinner would actually receive the attention of two such important people! One of them, in particular, was His Majesty!


    "I''m asking you a question, who gave you the guts to go against the Consort Xian!" Under Fu Yuheng''s gaze, the head of the prison felt even more dizzy. For various reasons, he was stuck and didn''t know what to do.


    "I''m asking you a question!" Should he prepare to torture me next time too? Are you all deaf!? " Seeing the group of people who only knew how to calm their anger, Fu Yuheng directly kicked out. The head of the prison rolled twice, showing how much force and anger they had.


    "I see that you''ve done your part too!"


    "Your majesty, your majesty, spare me, your majesty ¡­" The head of the prison continuously knocked on the door, but Fu Yuheng was ice-cold!


    Even if Shen Qingwan was reduced to a prisoner, she was still a concubine. However, her son was still a minor official. How many people in the imperial court would dare to not give face to the Empress'' decree?


    But now, it was the same line of thought whether he said it or not.


    "Open the door!" Fu Yuheng felt that the more he looked at the prison, the more disgusted he became. He turned around and spoke to the people behind him in a deep voice. He then hurriedly opened Shen Qingwan''s cell door.


    The current Shen Qing Wan was a little dizzy and the whip wounds on her body had not been treated in time. Now, it was such a terrifying scene, if these wounds were placed on a girl''s house, how much pain would they have suffered?!


    A hint of gentleness emerged in Fu Yuheng''s heart that he did not even notice. Ignoring the wetness in the cell, he gently lifted Shen Qingwan from the bed. He suddenly realized that the person in his arms had become so light and nimble.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t have any expression on her face. If there was, she wouldn''t have been able to do it, but due to the events of the past few days, her body couldn''t take on too much.


    Fu Yuheng walked steadily, doing his best to give the people in his arms an incomparable amount of comfort. As for those kneeling on the ground, Fu Yuheng didn''t even spare them a glance. He would definitely deal with them properly when he got back.


    Shen Qingwan had fainted in Fu Yuheng''s arms due to a few days of mental fatigue. Fu Yuheng felt a slight pang in his heart. The wounds on his body had already become somewhat dark. It was evident that he had used a vicious attack!


    Fu Yuheng hoped that the imperial doctors would be able to remove the wounds on Shen Qingwan''s body. It would be best if they didn''t leave any traces on her. After all, these were no small matter to a woman.


    He gently placed Shen Qingwan on the soft couch and looked at her expression. Even in his dreams, he felt restless. Sighing lightly, he summoned a small eunuch and instructed, "Go and invite the imperial physician over."


    After giving Shen Qingwan her orders, she covered Shen Qingwan with the golden silk silkworm. Her expression was rather complicated.


    "Imperial Physician, how is Consort Xian?" Fu Yuheng was anxious as his face revealed a trace of impatience.

 C80 Life-Suspended Line

    "In reply to your majesty, Concubine Xian''s body was already weakened from the wounds on her body, but her wounds were clearly soaked in water, which was why she became inflamed. In addition to the cold, it caused her to become feverish, and her body is still weak now, but this was clearly due to someone giving medicine to the Empress before, which saved her life." The imperial physician seemed to heave a sigh of relief.


    If not for someone feeding her medicine, she would probably be a corpse by now.


    "What did you say!" Fu Yuheng picked up the imperial physician''s collar, his eyes glowing red.


    Momentarily, the impulse seized control of his reason. It was only when the imperial physician struggled a few times that his face turned red from anger. Only then did he regain his composure from his rage.


    She almost died! He had clearly not given the order to do this to her, so how could this happen?!


    As he grew suspicious, his face calmed down a little. He glanced at the imperial physician in his hand and tossed him to the side.


    "Humph!" Fu Yuheng snorted coldly. He knew in his heart that the person who had allowed Shen Qing Wan to keep her life was his Ninth Brother Fu Huaiyu, someone who knew how to pity others. However, this person was not someone he should pity.


    Perhaps, he was really careless this time around. If it wasn''t for Fu Huaiyu coming to find him, he probably wouldn''t have gone to look for her in the prison, and naturally wouldn''t have known of her situation. At that time, he might really let her die.


    Fu Yuheng took a glance at the person lying on the bed before sitting down and gently stroking her face with his finger. The person before him was no longer as agile as before; all that remained was his pale complexion and weak breathing. Even after staring at her for so long, she had not reacted at all.


    "It is my fault." He sighed.


    As the emperor, he was originally a pair of palms that controlled the entire world. It could be said that with a flip of his hand, he turned the clouds into rain, but now, he even made a mistake on such a small matter.


    "All of you can leave first." He waved his hand, signalling for everyone to leave. "Imperial Physician, I''ll leave Consort Xian in your care for now. If there''s anything you need, just tell me directly." He specially instructed the imperial physician before continuing to stare at the person on the bed.


    Shen Qingwan''s eyelashes fluttered, but there was no sign of her waking up at all.


    "It''s been hard on you this time." Fu Yuheng mumbled to himself, "I didn''t expect that I would be unable to accomplish such a small task even though I''ve set my heart on the world."


    He still hasn''t found out anything about Shen Qingwan''s matter. If she had known, she might have mocked him. After all, she was such a smart person.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to release her, nor was it that he didn''t have any feelings for her. However, he couldn''t. Under the pressure from all sorts of places, a single wrong step would result in him falling into the abyss.


    This world wasn''t really for him to reign supreme.


    "But how can you! How can you be confused with my ninth brother? Don''t tell me you don''t know that you are my woman! Or do you have no idea what shame is?! " Thinking of this, he felt a bit of anger in his heart.


    She was his concubine, so how could she throw herself at other men? How could she seduce other men!


    At this moment, Shen Qingwan''s finger moved slightly. Fu Yuheng lowered his head and saw this scene, causing him to feel slightly happy. Lifting his head, he shook her body and called her name a few times, but the person on the bed didn''t respond at all.


    "Forget it, it''s my turn now." He smiled sarcastically. Perhaps it was because he was too tired that he was like this today.


    She was a criminal now, and everything was not settled before the truth was revealed. How could he lose his mind for the love of his children?


    "Take good care of her." He walked out in large strides, summoning a servant girl to his side. For the time being, he would let her have a good rest.


    Everything would be decided after she woke up.


    The head of the prison collapsed to the ground. As he thought back to Fu Yuheng''s majestic and imposing back, he swallowed a breath of air with great difficulty.


    "Men, men!"


    "Boss, what''s wrong?" When the guard heard the prison guard''s voice, he ran over and looked at the prison guard, not knowing what had happened.


    "Quick, go tell the empress that the Consort Xian has been carried away by the emperor."


    The head of the prison looked anxious. He saw that the guard wasn''t in a good state so he went up to slap him. However the head of the prison was in danger and didn''t have the strength to hit him.


    The prison warden did not understand, but he still anxiously ran out, and brought up the details of Xiao Shushen.


    When Xiao Shushen heard the news from her subordinates, her heart was already in her throat.


    "What did you say?" With a look of disbelief, he asked again, unwilling to believe this fact.


    "Replying to the Empress, the people below sent word that the Emperor went to the prison to see Consort Xian, and that the Emperor had personally carried him out."


    "Esteemed Empress, esteemed Empress ¡­" Gui mama supported Xiao Shushen who was about to kneel on the ground, worriedly looking at her current expression.


    "Momo, he ¡­ he actually carried her out himself. I''ve been married to the emperor for so many years, but he''s never hugged me before. Even when we got along, he wasn''t willing to donate and give me a smile." Xiao Shushen hugged Gui mama and buried his head in her embrace, his voice was deep with a tinge of despair, but he was not hysterical.


    "Empress, no matter what, you are the emperor''s wife. You are the only one who can bury the emperor with him after he dies." Gui mama looked at her lovingly, carefully helping her onto the bed as she consoled her.


    Xiao Shushen did not care about her, she was just lost in her own thoughts, her face full of tears.


    "Esteemed wangfei, don''t be like this. There''s still plenty of time left. You''re the empress after all, so even if we can''t take her down this time, there''ll still be a next time." Gui mama''s eyes moistened as he looked at the dispirited and disappointed Xiao Shushen.


    Heh, Shen Qingwan is a good person. If I knew earlier, I wouldn''t have underestimated her. Xiao Shushen sighed softly and closed his eyes.


    In truth, she just loved him too much. However, Gui mama had already said this earlier, "Don''t be anxious, after all, the crime of killing a princess is still on her head."

 C81 Reject good intentions

    Fu Huaiyu returned to his own residence, while listening to his subordinates report the situation to him.


    "I heard that after you left, the Emperor went to the dungeon and got very angry. He then personally carried Concubine Xian out."


    "Understood, you can go down first!" Fu Huaiyu raised his hand to indicate that they understood, and the black-clothed man disappeared in a flash in front of Fu Huaiyu.


    Fu Huaiyu pondered over what he had said just now, a complicated look in his eyes.


    "Fu Yuheng, Shen Qingwan. Heh, but it''s getting more and more interesting." This Shen Qingwan was also being held responsible for the crime. Fu Yuheng had even directly carried her out of the prison, but he didn''t know how he would clear this interesting woman of the crime!


    Based on the current situation, it was very likely that Shen Qingwan would become Fu Yuheng''s weakness. If this person had a weakness, she could be easily defeated. She only hoped that she wouldn''t disappoint him!


    Fu Huaiyu sat in front of the candle and thought over the current situation, revealing a meaningful cold smile.


    The next day, Fu Yuheng went straight to Shen Qingwan''s courtyard. He had never felt that this road was so long before, but today, it was as if Fu Yuheng''s feet were filled with sand. Step by step, it was extremely difficult. Every single blade of grass and tree on this road was carved into the bottom of Fu Yuheng''s heart.


    Fu Yuheng thought back to yesterday when Shen Qingwan was lying on the bed with her life hanging by a thread. Her heart was filled with resentment; she really did not expect that she would be subjected to such cruel treatment. He didn''t know if she would complain, or even hate him.


    Fu Yuheng had yet to take a step into the courtyard''s entrance when he finally made up his mind. He slowly stepped into the courtyard.


    She looked around in confusion, and saw that the furnishings in the room were extremely familiar. It was actually her own sleeping hall, then she saw Lian Yun, who was guarding beside her bed, but she was unable to believe it.


    "Lian Yun."


    When Lian Yun heard the voice, she immediately woke up from her dream and looked at Shen Qingwan with a tearful smile.


    Shen Qing Wan looked at Lian Yun and swallowed her saliva. She had been lacking water for the past few days, so her throat seemed to be smoking.


    Lian Yun hastily poured a cup of water for Shen Qing Wan. Only after drinking two cups did she feel that her throat had become a little better.


    However, suddenly, Lian Yun started to cry after looking at her face. She kept saying that she did not take good care of her, which was why he made her suffer so much.


    Listening to Lian Yun''s narration, she was slightly taken aback before she quickly reacted. She couldn''t understand Fu Yuheng''s actions at all.


    Shen Qingwan laughed bitterly in her heart. She had to thank Fu Yuheng for suddenly being so pitiful in order to save her life, otherwise, if she died in prison in a unclear way, she might even be called a suicide by them. At that time, no one would care about her grievances anymore.


    After forcing himself to speak to Lian Yun, Lian Yun saw that the sky was already bright outside and shouted that he wanted to cook some porridge for her.


    Shen Qingwan felt like she was in another world. These few days were like an unattainable dream for her, in this dream she was so fragile, she could lose her life at any time.


    "I''ve come to see you." Fu Yuheng walked in with great difficulty, not daring to meet Shen Qingwan''s eyes. He did not dare to look at Shen Qingwan''s cold gaze, and was even more afraid of seeing the resentment in her eyes.


    "Are you feeling better?"


    Shen Qingwan looked at Fu Yuheng''s slightly gentle appearance coldly. The way he used the ''sweet jujube'' technique was really good. First, he had beaten himself to death, and now, he was pretending to care.


    In the past, he only felt that Fu Yuheng was cold and detached, but now, he felt that he had never met Fu Yuheng before. He ruthlessly made himself afraid, made himself afraid.


    "Chenqie is much better now. Many thanks to the Emperor for his pity. I shall spare your life, allowing chenqie to continue to live on with her life." Shen Qingwan''s voice was still hoarse. Even though she was weak, it carried a hint of coldness. She did not show any signs of weakness.


    When Fu Yuheng heard her words, he frowned and stared at his. His eyes were deep and unfathomable as he stared at him without showing any signs of weakness. That cold and distant feeling pierced into his heart.


    "Mistress, it''s time to drink the porridge."


    Lian Yun carried a bowl of porridge over. Seeing the awkward atmosphere between the two, she opened her mouth to say something, and looked at Shen Qing Wan with a pained expression.


    When Master was carried back by the Emperor yesterday, she was covered in blood, her wounds were infected with pus, her clothes were tattered and she had a high fever. Hearing the Imperial Physician tell him about Master''s condition, Lian Yun felt like his heart had been dug out.


    "I shall do it." Fu Yuheng naturally took the bowl of porridge from Lian Yun''s hand and scooped a spoonful. He blew the hot air around his mouth and placed it next to Shen Qing Wan''s mouth.


    "Chenqie dares not trouble Your Majesty." Shen Qingwan looked at him and slowly spoke. Her voice was cold and distant, as if she was a stranger.


    "Heh, if you don''t eat the porridge that I personally fed, it looks like Ninth Prince still has a way."


    Shen Qingwan''s attitude finally angered Fu Yuheng. Remembering that she was unclear about the Ninth Prince, Fu Yuheng also began to mock her in a bizarre manner.


    "Your Majesty, your concubine doesn''t understand your words. Your concubine has never tasted the porridge of the Ninth Prince before." Shen Qingwan looked at Fu Yuheng''s mocking expression and sneered in his heart. He never believed in herself.


    "Heh, although you haven''t eaten his porridge, the medicine is still there!" Don''t say that you don''t know that he went to see you in prison. The two of you were unclear and colluded with each other. You even know what was written in the training. Do you still have any sense of justice and shame in your heart? "


    Fu Yuheng was stung by Shen Qingwan''s cold smile, and recalled what Fu Huaiyu had told him earlier. He was infuriated, unable to speak further.


    "Chenqie and Ninth Prince only met by chance and didn''t know why he went to visit Chenqie in prison. Besides, chenqie has been familiar with the teachings of women since she was young and hasn''t forgotten about honor and honor."


    When Shen Qingwan heard his words, her heart was already numb. The disappointment she felt towards him caused her expression to fade, as he had never understood her.


    "Pa ¡­"


    Fu Yuheng was so infuriated by her confrontation that he lost his mind. He raised his hand and made a palm strike, and five finger marks were clearly imprinted on her ghastly face. Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t cry. She just stared at him with a blank look on her face.


    After wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he smiled and spoke mockingly.


    "Has the emperor vented his anger?"


    "You ¡­" Fu Yuheng was even more speechless after hearing those words. However, when he saw her appearance, he felt that he had really hit her too hard. He subconsciously reached out his hand to caress her face, but he stopped mid-air and turned around to leave.

 C82 Persuade to leave

    The matter of Shen Qingwan being brought back by Fu Yuheng quickly became a topic of heated discussion among the commoners. Everyone said that the Emperor was enchanted by the Concubine Xian, and couldn''t even do anything to her, who had committed the heinous crime of killing a princess. Some people even threatened that she would be the next Bao Si Da Zi.


    In the outside world, this matter had become the talk of the town, and many ministers in the imperial court had their complaints about it. There were many people in the Imperial Court who were dissatisfied with Shen Qingwan and felt that she was doted on by the Emperor. As her concubine, she was frequently in the government and the key point was that the Emperor trusted her, which made them feel threatened. Shen Qingwan''s crime this time was so heinous that it would be a crime that involved nine families in the murder of her son and the rest of the imperial concubines. However, the Emperor repeatedly protected Shen Qingwan and even brought her back to the palace to recuperate.


    Fu Yuheng could feel that the atmosphere in the court was not right. It was as if all the ministers were feeling angry. He knew the reason, but they could only pretend not to know. Shen Qingwan was being pointed at by thousands of people, but he still believed in her in his heart. However, as the emperor, she could only do things impartially and couldn''t help but feel wronged.


    At this time, the Assistant Minister of War stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this subject believes that it is extremely inappropriate for you to bring the Consort Xian back to the palace for treatment."


    Fu Yuheng looked calm on the surface, but he was secretly complaining in his heart. What was to come had finally arrived. Consort Xian is severely ill, We can''t possibly watch her die in prison. "


    "But the Consort Xian plotted against the Princess, dying is not worth it!" Prime Minister Liu also jumped out and said.


    He tried his best to suppress his anger, but his tone was slightly angry, "This is my family matter, there is no need for you all to worry." Moreover, it is still unclear whether Consort Xian has killed the princess or not. "


    "The fact that the Consort Xian murdered the Princess is already a matter with solid evidence. The Emperor can''t just turn black and white just because he doted on the Consort Xian."


    Then, Fu Yuheng became even angrier as he stood up and pointed at the officials below him. "The princess is my own flesh and blood. If the Consort Xian really killed her, I would naturally not shield her. Could it be that your feelings for the princess are deeper than the feelings I have for her?"


    "No matter what, there is still doubt in this case. Consort Xian should not return to the palace to recuperate. Please reconsider your majesty!" All the civil and military officials kneeled down and asked him to reconsider.


    Fu Yuheng was so angry that his face turned ashen. "The matters of the harem are not something you should interfere in. I have my own decisions to make. There''s no need to say anything else. Withdraw from the throne!" After he had finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves and left the court.


    Even though Shen Qingwan''s injuries were severe, they were only superficial wounds. In addition to Fu Yuheng sending all the doctors at the Imperial Physician Hospital to take turns checking her pulse, he also sent a few smart maids to guard her day and night. After drinking the medicine and taking careful care of her, Shen Qingwan''s condition had finally recovered by more than half.


    On this day, Shen Qingwan saw that the sun was shining outside and the weather was very good. After being cooped up in bed for so many days, she really wanted to go out for a walk.


    However, before she could step out of the door, two armored imperial guards stopped her. "My apologies, Concubine Xian, you cannot go out."


    Lian Yun was furious in her heart, and shouted: "Impudent! Our Empress has been sick for so many days, and her body is now just a little better. If you want to go out and take a breath of fresh air, you can still stop it.


    The imperial guards looked troubled, but they didn''t move their hands away from Shen Qingwan''s body. "I''m sorry, Niang Niang. It was the emperor''s order, she said you can rest in peace."


    "You!" The maidservant wanted to say more, but was stopped by Shen Qingwan, "Alright, if you don''t want to go out, then so be it. I won''t hold back for you."


    With that, he turned and left. The maidservant hurriedly followed, carefully looking at Shen Qingwan''s expression, only to see her indifferent expression, without showing any signs of joy or anger.


    "Ai, you, Empress, always keep everything in your heart and never show it on the surface, making it impossible for people to guess it."


    Is that so? Shen Qingwan thought absentmindedly as she looked out the window. However, she always thought that since she was innocent, then no matter what, her heart was clear. But now, she knew that that wasn''t the case. Looking at the imperial guards outside, he could only force a smile. What was the point of asking for favors?


    She could understand Fu Yuheng. She could understand the responsibilities that he had to shoulder as the ruler of a country. She could understand the choices that he had to make. However, Fu Yuheng still did not trust her. After spending so many days and nights together, how could he not know her personality? How could he believe that she was such a wicked woman?


    Forget it, she seemed to be overthinking things. So what if it was him? What did it have to do with her? Most likely, in his eyes, she was just one of the tens of thousands of women.


    Shen Qingwan understood in her heart that she was supposed to be recuperating, but in reality, she was being placed under house arrest. She couldn''t help but bitterly smile in her heart. Letting her lose her freedom and be trapped in such a small world was the most severe punishment she could receive.


    Shen Qingwan sat in front of the window for a whole day, not even eating dinner. She was so anxious that the maidservants were circling around, she barely managed to drink a few mouthfuls of the bird''s nest porridge.


    He listlessly read a few pages of the book and then went to bed early.


    However, Shen Qingwan did not sleep soundly that night. In her dream, Fu Yuheng had a ferocious look on his face as she pinched her neck and asked her why she wanted to kill his daughter.


    Shen Qingwan woke up from her nightmare, only to realize that her head was covered in sweat. Just as she was about to heave a sigh of relief, she heard faint sounds coming from the window, and immediately after, she saw a figure jumping in through the window.


    "Who?" Shen Qingwan''s heart leaped to her throat. She hastily stood up and wanted to run out to get someone, but someone held her mouth in the next second.


    "Shh, don''t make a sound, it''s me." The man in black took off his mask, revealing a pair of peach blossom eyes, as well as a face that caused people to unconsciously be moved.


    "It''s you?" Ninth Prince, why are you here? " Shen Qingwan widened her eyes in shock.


    Fu Huaiyu looked at her with a smile. "When I heard that you were under royal brother''s house arrest, I came here specifically to see you."


    "Shen Qing Wan frowned, and calmly took a few steps back, maintaining a distance from him." Thank you very much for your kind intentions, but at this time and place, I think it would be best for you to stay away from me, so as to not cause unnecessary misunderstandings. "


    His eyes narrowed slightly. Even in this dim light, his eyes were still frighteningly bright. "Misunderstanding?" Consort Xian is afraid of brother Huang misunderstanding, right? You really do have deep feelings for brother Huang. Unfortunately, he doesn''t trust you at all, otherwise he wouldn''t have placed you under house arrest. "


    This sentence seemed to be aimed at Shen Qingwan''s sore spot, she did not look at him, her heart was cold, but she still lowered her head and did not speak.


    Seeing that she was silent, Fu Huaiyu suddenly raised his chin, with a rare serious expression on his face, "Shen Qing Wan, are you willing to follow me? I''ll take you out of here. "

 C83 Refuse to leave

    Shen Qingwan was stunned. What did he mean?


    "Ninth Prince is joking." Shen Qingwan lowered her head, the light in her eyes flickered quickly. She then raised her head and spoke with a bitter smile, "Since I''m the emperor''s concubine, how can I leave with you?"


    Her already pale face now had a delicate temperament that made people feel pity, like a butterfly with wings on its back, and her heart trembled slightly.


    Fu Huaiyu obviously did not expect her to look like this, and he actually calmed down for a moment. Only, the emotions in his eyes slightly changed.


    But after a moment, he shook his head. How could such a stubborn girl give him such weak thoughts?


    "It''s better if you go back. After all, this place has been imprisoned by the Emperor. I''m afraid that before long, the guards outside will feel that something is amiss." In Fu Huaiyu''s eyes, it was undoubtedly because he felt that this woman had already lost all trust in the emperor, to the point where he felt that this woman could be used even more.


    "Then think about it first. If you figure it out one day, come find This King again." The smile in her eyes became even wider, as if she wanted to swallow the person in front of her.


    Shen Qingwan raised her head, her heart quivering just as she met her eyes. After a moment of absent-mindedness, she immediately lowered her head, "Then Ninth Prince can go back and rest, I won''t send you off." Her voice became a little softer. This was very different from her usual self.


    Fu Huaiyu glanced at her, who was sitting on the bedside, and started to size her up. This woman didn''t seem to be so tough today, as he stroked her chin, she finally turned and left.


    Avoiding the sight of his surroundings, he returned to his own residence.


    "Your highness, have you obtained anything?" Mo Zilian was already waiting inside the house. He had just came back from outside and was still covered in dust.


    "Hai." Ye Zichen let out a sigh, but there was no worry in his eyes. But she didn''t answer his question. Instead, she changed the topic and asked, "What about you? But did you get anything? "


    Mo Zilian shook his head, "Not yet, but I already have some clues." Although he was smiling on the surface, there was a deep look in the depths of his eyes. Things were not as simple as he had imagined.


    "Oh?" Fu Huaiyu laughed. It seemed that even his most capable subordinates were stumped, and it looks like he had met with a thorny problem. The smile on his face became even darker.


    Seeing his expression, Mo Zilian knew that he had to take care of this matter personally.


    "In the next few days, you should stay here and help me monitor the movements of the person in the palace." He was talking about Fu Yuheng here. It wouldn''t be long before there was a good show to see.


    "Yes, yes, yes. This subordinate will take a good look at the palace. Those two ¡­" He intentionally threw a flirtatious glance at her. A man who had grown up threw her a flirtatious glance but did not feel the slightest bit out of place. However, there was an additional sense of teasing.


    He was talking about two people, and the other one, needless to say, knew, was Shen Qingwan.


    Fu Huaiyu rolled his eyes at him, but he turned and went back into the house, and when he came out again, he had already changed into a new set of clothes, and his expression was extremely serious.


    "Let''s go."


    With that, he left the house, and Mo Zilian''s mission in the past few days was to properly play the role of a duke, and to help monitor the situation as well.


    Within the throne room, Fu Yuheng looked at the imperial report in his hand with a grim expression. Suddenly, he slammed his hand on the bright yellow table. He shook the mantelpiece on his head a few times and then pinched the bridge of his nose.


    In recent years, the imperial government had always been peaceful, but this time, there were many riots occurring. Furthermore, they were not the same place. However, in some areas, he had already sent people to suppress them and repel the enemy troops. But there were other places in turmoil, and the situation was getting worse and worse, to the point where it was almost uncontrollable.


    "Your Majesty, calm down." When the Sun Gonggong beside him heard him, he became alarmed. He quickly poured tea for him.


    Fu Yuheng frowned and shook his head in refusal. With the border riots, not only the citizens were suffering, but also the stability of the country. Once the enemy attacked the capital, the world would probably change hands.


    "What do you think of this, my liege?"


    As the ruler of a dynasty, how could he be at ease? He opened his eyes and looked at the ministers below him, feeling a surge of irritation in his heart.


    "Shen Aimin." He spoke with a heavy tone. It seemed that this matter still needed him! What happened at the wrong time.


    "This lowly general is here." When General Shen heard the emperor''s words, he kneeled down and kowtowed heavily. He stood up and kneeled down extremely straight, as if he was standing on a battlefield.


    "Right now, the borders are in chaos. If we don''t destroy them soon, I''m afraid ¡­" He didn''t need to say anything else. General Shen was a person of the army. The General Shen who was more familiar with the borders naturally understood what the Emperor meant. At this moment, he could only step forward as Shen Qing Wan was still in danger.


    The General Shen didn''t speak anymore. He just watched silently as the emperor wrote the imperial edict down and passed it to the Sun Gonggong beside him.


    "General Shen accepts the decree." When the ear-piercing sound reached his ears, he knelt down once more. Even if he wanted to stand back, how could he do so?


    "This lowly general is here."


    "According to the wishes of the heavens, the emperor decreed: In recent days, the thieves have caused chaos and disturbed the borders. I think that the General Shen has dominated the battlefield for many years, and they are invincible. I have sent a special order to clear the area of pirates, to return peace to the imperial court, and to set off immediately. "Here it is."


    "General''s decree." With another kowtow, the General Shen accepted the decree. Then, he glanced at the emperor who was sitting on the throne, turned around and left.


    Fu Yuheng watched him leave and did not want to stay any longer. He moved to the study room.


    As he thought about the border riot, he felt depressed. Since Shen Qing Wan''s matter had not been clarified and the General Shen was sent out, someone might use this opportunity to do something.


    "Sun Gonggong, tell me, did we do something wrong? If she wasn''t allowed to enter the palace that day ¡­" He sighed and his expression became sad.


    Perhaps it was really his fault, but so what if that woman, ah, really made his heart a little confused?


    "Your Majesty, don''t say that." Sun Ning was a little disappointed and frustrated for a moment. He naturally knew what he was thinking, but he couldn''t be blamed this time.


    "Whatever, you can leave now. I will be by myself for a moment." When he closed his eyes, Shen Qingwan''s image appeared in his mind once again. Especially that day, her body was covered with wounds, and that stubborn yet cold face of hers made him angry.


    "Shen Qingwan, ah, Shen Qingwan, what is your relationship with my Ninth Brother?"

 C84 cynicism

    Fu Yuheng was no longer in the mood to continue reading the imperial reports. He originally wanted to take a look at the weather and relax. However, before he knew it, he had already walked out of Shen Qingwan''s chamber. Glimmers danced in his eyes as a myriad of emotions surged in his heart.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" However, seeing their master''s current state, they were very worried. After all, they should have shared the worries of their master, but now, they were unable to do anything about it. "If your heart is unable to let it go, it''s better for your majesty to go see the Empress ¡­"


    "Forget it, let''s return to the royal study."


    The sunny weather outside the window made the palace more lively. Waves of melodious bird calls caused Shen Qingwan to be slightly lost in thought.


    It was still a dream after all, and he was rather envious of the free bird. Although he did not know the future, he still had his own world.


    "Greetings to esteemed empress ¡­" With the support of his palace maids, Xiao Shushen arrived at Shen Qingwan''s sleeping quarters.


    "Esteemed empress, the ¡­ the emperor ordered ¡­" The imperial guards looked somewhat embarrassed, but the person in front of them was not someone he could afford to hold back.


    "How dare you!" The palace maid behind him stared, but was stopped by Xiao Shushen, "Why are you being so rude, why aren''t you retreating!" With a gentle and cold shout, the palace maid couldn''t help but tremble. "Yes, esteemed empress."


    Xiao Shushen''s phoenix eyes slightly turned as she softly said: "I, too, know that everyone is in a difficult situation, but now that my younger sister is in this state, I am deeply moved in my heart. If it really becomes difficult, I will no longer disturb you." Her tone was tactful, completely showing the magnanimity a mother possessed, and causing the imperial guards to feel flattered.


    "Thank you for your understanding, Esteemed Empress. Esteemed Empress is a kind-hearted and benevolent person, so we took a risk today. Esteemed Empress, please come in. Only ¡­" The imperial guards on both sides looked at each other.


    "I understand. I definitely won''t make it difficult for you two. I just want to talk to my sister ¡­" Xiao Shushen seemed to be very considerate, the imperial guards praised him in their hearts. They took a detour to the side to facilitate the Empress''s entry.


    The palace maids behind him gently pushed the door open. Xiao Shushen waved his hands and had the little palace maids wait outside.


    "Empress ¡­" "But ¡­"


    Seeing the worry in the palace maid''s eyes, Xiao Shushen smiled and said: "It''s fine."


    Looking over, he was sitting beside a stone table dressed in plain clothes, with a zither in his hands. He did not play the zither, but with his current indifferent attitude, it was obvious that Shen Qingwan was a little dignified. Xiao Shushen narrowed her phoenix eyes. So what if she was beautiful, she was just a prisoner!


    "Heh, big sister is actually envious of little sister. Being able to be so relaxed and carefree, I think only little sister can think of such blessings!" The Queen smirked, but to Shen Qingwan, she was just a pitiful person who was blinded by jealousy.


    "I never would have thought that my little sister''s current state would not even have any form of courtesy left. Oh, big sister, now that I think about it, my little sister is someone who can even kill princesses, why would I care about all this!" He was a queen himself, but he didn''t have the slightest bit of respect for her. She was clearly a murderer, yet she was able to obtain the favor of Fu Yuheng. She was even willing to offend the entire imperial court''s civil and military officials for Shen Qingwan!


    Why was he doing this? How could he be inferior to Shen Qingwan! However, this little bitch was truly lucky. Even though she was tortured in her cell, she didn''t kill her!


    Although she really wanted Shen Qingwan to die quickly, she still had to put on an act on face.


    "If it was any other person, they would have long been pulled out to behead the son of the Royal family. But they could do nothing about it, the Concubine Xian is not an ordinary person. Xiao Shushen taunted her mercilessly. When she saw Shen Qingwan''s indifferent look, she was inexplicably enraged, wanting to tear her current appearance into pieces.


    "But even so, so what? Even if the emperor wants to protect you, you are only a criminal who murdered his successor!" to Xiao Shushen''s sarcasm.


    She had heard it many times, and in her heart, she was already numb to it. However, when she saw Xiao Shushen''s current appearance, she could not help but laugh in her heart, what did everything that happened today have to do with her?


    His life and death was just like an ant!


    The estranged and cold gaze slowly turned around, causing the fire in Xiao Shushen''s heart to burn even more vigorously.


    As she thought of something, the anger in her eyes started to dissipate, and she unconsciously felt a sense of schadenfreude. Since Shen Qingwan was imprisoned here, she probably did not know about some of the things that had happened. If she knew, who knows what kind of expression she would make.


    "Sigh, the new year is truly unlucky. There are times of war at the border, which is quite annoying. But, luckily the emperor is wise and wise, and he sent a respected general. I believe that before long, the country will return to its former tranquility." The words that came out unwittingly caused Shen Qing Wan to feel a sense of vigilance, the things that Xiao Shushen said, were definitely not groundless, and now that she was locked in here, she was completely unaware of what was happening outside!


    General? Could it be!


    "Speaking of which, aren''t you curious about who it is? "Speaking of which, this has something to do with my sister." The empress''s face carried a hint of pride, "Now you''re not going to tease my little sister. This person is no other than the famous General Shen! You said that suppressing the border isn''t just around the corner? " Her red lips parted and her phoenix-like eyes slightly perked, as if she was watching a good show.


    Initially, Shen Qing Wan had already guessed it from Xiao Shushen''s words, heh, this general surnamed Shen, would most likely be her father, and if so, she would agree with her guess.


    However, for some reason, there was a faint unease in his heart. After thinking about it carefully, the fact that he was facing such a situation and even sent his father to suppress him at the border, made him feel alarmed.


    "Aiya, sister is also afraid that sister will be bored staying here, so I intentionally told you about this."


    Shen Qingwan did not know about Xiao Shushen''s voice, but she was hoping that she was worrying too much.


    He prayed silently that nothing bad would happen to him when he went out to suppress the kingdom.


    Seeing that there was more anger on her face, Xiao Shushen felt that he had achieved his goal. A smile flashed in his eyes, and he also left.

 C85 pulling in the prime minister

    In a restaurant outside, a game of chess was placed on the table.


    Fu Huaiyu somewhat playfully raised his pair of peach blossom eyes, and in front of him, was a broken game, looking as though he was holding his chin with interest. Now that the game was complete, he did not know, that the person playing chess with him, was really interesting.


    With so many matters in the court now and the border issue at hand, everyone was extremely busy in a short period of time.


    An official with a high position had to follow the changes in the situation. If he was not careful, it was highly likely that he would be set on fire!


    Currently, in Jingya''s study, Prime Minister Liu was frowning. Accompanying a tiger like monarch, now that he had achieved the position of prime minister, was obviously not something that could be easily obtained. It was even harder to give up this feeling when he was in the center of power.


    Fu Huaiyu casually picked up a black chess piece and put it down.


    Suddenly, Bai Zi fell down, turning the situation around, and Bai Zi became the one being restrained. Fu Huaiyu smiled sinisterly, now it was time.


    "Men, prepare the horses!" Following which, the attendant accepted the order and quickly went to prepare the ingredients.


    He put down the black piece in his hand. This game of chess was not urgent at all. If it were to end now, how boring would that be? It would still take a few days for it to end.


    "Phew ¡­" The horse''s cry was accompanied by a cloud of dust. Fu Yuheng somersaulted and jumped off the horse. As he looked at the enormous Prime Minister Manor, a hint of amusement flashed through his peach blossom eyes.


    Reporting, old master, the Ninth Prince is here. He said that he has something important to discuss with the old master and is currently in the great hall. Just as the Prime Minister was dealing with the matter, the servant at the door came to report. Prime Minister Liu quickly put down the brush in his hand with a face full of shock.


    "Quick, invite Ninth Prince!" Prime Minister Liu anxiously stood up, he was still wary of Fu Huaiyu, he was not an ordinary person, and now, he actually found him, it seemed like it was not a simple matter!


    "Hahaha, Prime Minister Liu''s study is quite unique." The corner of Fu Huaiyu''s mouth revealed a smile, even his peach blossom eyes revealed a bit of a smile, but in the eyes of the Prime Minister Liu, it was not that relaxed.


    "Ninth Prince is too kind." After that, he ordered the servants to serve him some tea and invited him to take a seat.


    "Speaking of which, Prime Minister Liu, how have you been?!"


    That light and elegant greeting caused the Prime Minister Liu to start trembling uncontrollably, "Haha, I am indebted to Ninth Prince for your concern. May I know why you have come today?" He suppressed the fear in his heart and smiled. However, his heart was not as relaxed as it looked on the surface.


    "Phew, but it''s good tea!" Facing his question, Fu Huaiyu did not immediately answer. Instead, he took care of himself and raised the jade cup. The faint aroma of the tea from the jade cup would cause people to feel at ease, it was truly worthy of being a good tea!


    After taking a sip, the tea room had a hint of sweetness and the taste was slightly bitter. However, after a while, the fragrance of the tea slowly seeped into his throat and even cleared his mind, allowing Fu Huaiyu''s eyes to flash with a hint of praise.


    Although he was relaxed, Prime Minister Liu still felt uneasy. However, he couldn''t urge him either, and could only patiently wait for the next part.


    "I never thought that there would be such a good tea in Prime Minister Liu''s manor. If Prime Minister doesn''t mind, it seems like I need to get more tea to drink." Her slender fingers slid across the cup. Although she was talking about tea, her smiling eyes were looking at Prime Minister Liu.


    "You flatter me. If Ninth Prince doesn''t mind, then I will order some people to prepare some food for you later ¡­" Prime Minister Liu forced out a smile as the tea in his cup trembled.


    "In that case, This King can''t refuse." His gaze unwittingly fell on Prime Minister Liu''s body, "Speaking of which, Honorable Liu''s daughter, Honorable Liu Liu Chu Rong ¡­"


    The words that came out of his mouth caused Prime Minister Liu to be slightly stunned.


    "Ninth Prince mentioned my daughter. I don''t know ¡­" Prime Minister Liu was a little unable to guess. The Ninth Prince in front of him asked his daughter what was the meaning of this question, so he could only answer carefully.


    "But it''s not anything else. It''s just that, I wonder, is Prime Minister Liu willing to let your daughter recover her position as the imperial concubine?" Ninth Prince played with the teacup in his hand, and said slowly. However, the serious situation quickly turned into a calculation. This old fox was quite useful.


    "This ¡­" Hearing his sudden words, Prime Minister Liu was stunned for a moment, but he quickly reacted, if that was the case, then it was clear that he was trying to win her over, but it was just that this matter was not that simple, and he could not easily make a decision now.


    "This matter ¡­" After thinking about it for a while, she would look up at Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu from time to time, but did not know how to reply, so she just stammered.


    "On the other hand, this king is being rude. It''s getting late, and I won''t disturb you too much. As for this matter, the prime minister can slowly consider it. When I have an answer, I can come to the prince''s mansion to find me." Regarding Prime Minister Liu''s worries, Fu Huaiyu could guess that some things could not be rushed, so let him think about it carefully.


    "Oh, right. I have thanked the Prime Minister for his tea." Just as Prime Minister Liu heaved a sigh of relief, he suddenly turned around.


    "Take care, Ninth Prince." Prime Minister Liu wiped his cold sweat and hurriedly gestured for him to do so.


    Watching Fu Huaiyu''s leaving figure, Prime Minister Liu sank into deep thought for a moment.


    Facing his recruitment and the sincerity he threw out now, it could be said to be extremely attractive. However, this decision couldn''t be made casually, especially for someone like him who held a high position. If he wasn''t careful, he might never be able to rise again!


    After Fu Huaiyu left the Prime Minister''s Residence, there was not the slightest bit of anxiety in the depths of his eyes.


    "Giddy up!" The soft and gentle sound of the horses'' hooves added a bit of noise to the silence of the street.


    "Has Ninth Prince left?" Prime Minister Liu asked the servant.


    The servant quickly bowed, "Master, I just left."


    Prime Minister Liu waved his hand, ordering the servant to leave.


    Today''s matter was only known by the heavens and the earth. No one else knew about it. They could only sigh as they looked at the slightly steaming cup of tea.


    He went back to his chair in the study, but he had no desire to take care of these matters.


    After returning to his own residence, Fu Huaiyu''s mood was extremely good. The current situation was more and more similar to what had just happened in the midst of a calamity.


    In the chess game, if one was not careful, it would affect the whole body. In the chess game, it was very strange. The imperial court was no longer as stable as it was before. There were blade lights and sword shadows everywhere.


    "It''s destined to lose its calm." Fu Huaiyu thoughtfully looked into the distance, but when he turned around, he saw that he had once again gone out.

 C86 nine kingss assassination

    Since the last time Fu Yuheng was angered by Shen Qing Wan to the point that he left, he had not come again. Lian Yun leaned on her cheeks as she eagerly waited outside the window, afraid that she would miss out on the emperor''s figure.


    "Lian Yun, what are you doing?" Shen Qing Wan looked at Lian Yun in puzzlement and was curious about her actions. This little girl had been staring at the door for a few days already, if she continued to stand here, she would become a rock waiting for him.


    When Lian Yun heard Shen Qing Wan''s question, she didn''t turn her head, and didn''t even glance at her from the corner of her eyes. Her exquisite little face was filled with seriousness, and she didn''t even dare blink.


    "The emperor hasn''t been here since last time. This servant will watch the door for master. Once there''s a trace of the emperor, this servant will know immediately."


    Shen Qingwan bitterly smiled as she shook her head and let out a long sigh. After going through so much, she seems to have become even calmer.


    "Lian Yun, don''t trouble yourself. The emperor will not come." She reached out and picked up a book that she had been reading a lot. Although Shen Qingwan had memorized this book, she would still have new insights if she were to read it now.


    "Mistress, don''t be so dejected, you''ll definitely come." Lian Yun went up to Shen Qingwan and looked at her devoid face, her heart aching for her. She pouted her small mouth, which was shaking like a rattle.


    "Now that I''m wearing the body of a criminal, how could I dare to ask for anything more?" Shen Qing Wan looked at the innocent and cute Lian Yun and finally revealed a smile. However, very quickly, she became dispirited and occupied her entire face. She couldn''t see through the entire courtyard, and didn''t know how her father was doing.


    After Lian Yun heard Shen Qingwan''s words, she became depressed and dejected. Master, don''t say it like that, you are so kind, you are not the one who killed the princess! "


    In her heart, she was still a little complaining to the Emperor. After all, he was the one who turned Shen Qing Wan into this, but he personally carried Shen Qing Wan out, causing Lian Yun to feel grateful to him.


    "You believe me, but others don''t. So what if it''s me? They only want the answers that they think are correct."


    Shen Qingwan looked out of the window at the scenery. The flowers and plants in the yard were so bright and pretty, but as long as someone looked at it as an eyesore, it would be completely eradicated without leaving any traces of its existence.


    "Master, don''t say it like that. The Emperor will return you justice."


    Lian Yun really didn''t know how to comfort Shen Qingwan. Ever since Shen Qingwan was brought back from the prison, she felt that her entire person had changed a lot.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t say anything as she listened to her consolation, and only laughed it off. Even Fu Yuheng might not believe him, so how could she dare to hope that he would return her innocence? It seemed that she still had to investigate this matter herself.


    "Lian Yun, I''m hungry. Go and take some food for me." Shen Qing Wan was annoyed, she could not even read half a page into the book in her hands. She closed the book in her hands and placed it on the table, sending Lian Yun out to eat.


    Looking at her leaving figure, Shen Qingwan looked around and Fu Yuheng''s angry face appeared in her mind. Her words were still fresh in her mind.


    Honorable and just? How could she not know?


    Thinking of Fu Yuheng''s words that day, Shen Qingwan felt very helpless, because no matter how she explained it, the seed of suspicion had already been buried in his heart.


    After thinking about how he had to save her a few more times, Fu Huaiyu felt a headache coming on. Just how did he offend such a troublesome person, and why did he save her time and time again?


    When she thought about Fu Huaiyu, Shen Qing Wan''s almond-shaped eyes trembled slightly. That day, he had told her to leave with him.


    Although this Ninth Prince was dangerous, he didn''t seem to have harmed his at all. Instead, he had saved his a few times, and considering his current predicament, he might be a good choice, but if she really went to him, his father, Shen Qingwan couldn''t even imagine what kind of situation the entire General''s Estate would be in. Furthermore, his thoughts were really too hard to see through, and to her, it was much more dangerous than Fu Yuheng.


    After pondering over it alone for a few moments, she finally understood a little more.


    Due to Fu Huaiyu''s words, Shen Qing Wan hesitated, but the culprit had already left the capital, bringing her group of people and rushing straight towards Hu Youshan.


    "Your highness, this horse won''t be able to run as fast as I did. Why don''t we rest here for a while and then continue on our way?"


    The person beside Fu Huaiyu carefully asked, carefully observing his attitude.


    Fu Huaiyu glanced at the group and saw that they were indeed a little tired, his hands held onto the reins, the horse he was riding took a step forward and immediately stopped, "Alright, let''s rest here!"


    When everyone heard this, they relaxed and dismounted one after another. They found some water sources and spread it out to different places. Some of them fed the horses, while others sat on the ground.


    The man who had asked the question just now ran over to Fu Huaiyu''s side and poured a pot of water from the lake, handing it to him, "Your Highness, drink some water."


    Fu Huaiyu did not hesitate, he took the water and poured it into his mouth, his white neck and Adam''s apple rolled up, he did not care about the water that was being poured on his clothes.


    whoosh *


    Just as Fu Huaiyu was about to return the water, hearing the sound of the sword being unsheathed, Fu Huaiyu immediately became alert. His peach blossom eyes slightly squinted, and revealed an evil smile.


    The surrounding people shouted for him to be careful, Fu Huaiyu also picked up his own sword, his expression did not change, but the hand that held his sword secretly released power.


    Hearing the sounds coming from all around him, they all gathered around him. Their eyes looked around in search of the enemy hidden in the surroundings.


    The relaxed atmosphere instantly dissipated, the tense atmosphere pervaded the entire place. The man who brought him the water stood in front of Fu Huaiyu, who on the other hand, unconcernedly gestured for him to retreat, looking towards the place where the voice had come from, his voice raised.


    "Are you still not going to show yourself?"


    As soon as those words were said, a large number of men in black clothes sprang out from the surroundings and surrounded them, forming a circle around them. When they carefully counted their numbers, they were almost twice the number they had.


    The atmosphere was filled with a murderous aura. At this moment, the sound of falling leaves could be heard. Birds soared into the clouds, their voices echoing in the sky.


    But Fu Huaiyu did not put them in his eyes, and only thought about who sent them.


    He cupped his hands together and stood in the middle of the crowd. His bearing was extraordinary, and his voice was refreshing yet contained killing intent.


    "Everyone, since you want to kill me, can you let me know who bought my life?"


    The leader waved his hand, and everyone drew their swords.


    The group of people under Fu Huaiyu''s command had their backs against Fu Huaiyu and were in a state of battle, staring at the man in black in front of them, their expressions were heavy, and they did not dare slack at all.


    Seeing that, Fu Huaiyu''s smile became even wider, and he said: "Heh, you refuse a toast and will eat a forfeit!"

 C87 Assassination failure

    The atmosphere was terrifyingly tranquil, neither side dared to relax their guard at all, if it was one of them, the one who was the most relaxed, it would be Fu Huaiyu.


    "Since that''s the case, there''s no need to waste any more words. Let''s end this quickly." Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. If one were to carefully talk about his whereabouts this time, it would not be considered that many people knew about it. However, he did not expect that he would dare to make a move so quickly.


    A trace of disdain appeared in the Peach Blossom''s eyes. Unfortunately, being too impatient was not a good thing.


    With Fu Huaiyu''s command, the balance between everyone instantly broke. Even if the opposing side had twice the number of people as strong as his, the people on the Ninth Prince''s side didn''t have the slightest hint of fear on their faces.


    The cold light shone on his face. Originally, it was taking advantage of the moment when Fu Huaiyu''s men were being held back, when the rest of the black-clothed men immediately attacked him together, but he acted as if he didn''t notice it at all. He casually turned to the side, and at the same time, splashed water from the water bottle onto his face.


    It was unknown when the sharp sword at his waist had left its sheath, but the black clothed man just now did not even see clearly how Fu Huaiyu had made his move, and had already opened his eyes wide, falling onto the ground.


    The few men in black who were surrounding and attacking Fu Huaiyu looked at each other, they could see a trace of seriousness in each other''s eyes, but Fu Huaiyu seemed to have some fun, he was not in a hurry to take action.


    "Kill!" They were furious and their killing intent was even more intense than before.


    "That''s more like it ¡­" The slightly raised peach blossom eyes seemed to inadvertently look at the black clothed people. With a twist of her body, she dodged the attack from behind!


    At the same time, the shadows of the sabers became a flower. It was true that he was extraordinarily handsome, but the number of men in black was constantly decreasing.


    The leader among them knew that he couldn''t go on like this. With a flash, he wanted to leave, but how could Fu Huaiyu let them go back to report?


    His pair of peach blossom eyes were suffused with a tranquil demonic purple color.


    Fu Huaiyu tilted his head, and the shadow of the blade flashed past, the aura that could cut through the air seemed to carry an endless amount of force. Initially, he had wanted to kill with one strike, but the sound of sharp blades coming from behind forced him to retract his attack and change it to parry.


    Oh, I didn''t expect there to be hidden arrows!


    Although it was said that all of this did not have any effect on him, but in the end, it was still somewhat troublesome. Now that Fu Huaiyu had lost his interest and was preparing to end the battle, he did not expect that these people would actually hold back and actually think of attacking from the back.


    However, since that was the case, he would have to force him to show himself.


    Fu Huaiyu had already made his decision in his heart, at the same time, facing the onslaught of four experts, he was still able to move with ease, between blade and sword, his face revealed a hint of panic, he deliberately revealed a flaw, and as expected, the person behind him attacked again.


    The corner of his mouth raised into a smile. He had been waiting for this very moment!


    Just now, Fu Huaiyu was already completely sure where the voice came from. Now, he just so happened to make use of this flaw and attack, without holding back, directly sealing the throats of three people. Even that blade did not have a single trace of blood.


    With a flip of his hand, he heard the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground. Those who were carrying hidden arrows behind them also fell on the spot.


    The leading man in black was shocked!


    He knew that the Ninth Prince had some skills, but now that he was surrounded by these experts, being able to do it so easily, it was clear that he was normally hiding his weakness!


    It was just that it was too late to know about this now. If they had retreated just now, it would have been too late, but they were actually tricked by Fu Huaiyu.


    The number of men in black just now was obviously two times more than them, but not long later, they already suffered countless of casualties, but compared to Fu Huaiyu''s people, they were not injured at all, what did this mean!


    What the black clothed man was thinking couldn''t help but cause him to feel a sense of fear. Looking at the Fu Huaiyu who seemed to be unable to relax, he felt a chill run down his spine.


    "Distracting is not a good thing." A light and gentle voice sounded, causing the black clothed man to widen his eyes. It turned out that Fu Huaiyu had unintentionally moved behind him!


    Very quickly, the battle came to an end, and on Fu Huaiyu''s side, although there were some small wounds, they were not fatal, and compared to the black clothed man, other than the ones he had left alive, the rest were all dead.


    "Alright." Waving his hand, he told his subordinates to properly adjust. At the same time, the corners of his mouth raised into a smile of unknown meaning, "Speak, who sent you here?"


    "I don''t know!" The black-clothed man''s voice was hoarse. Although his heart was shocked by his movements, it was useless now that it had been exposed.


    "So it''s like that ¡­" Fu Huaiyu never planned to pry any useful information out of them, but now that he obtained this answer, he was not angry.


    Because, he could faintly guess who did this. Fu Huaiyu retracted the weapon in his hand, smiled and extended a slender finger, gently stopping the black clothed man''s neck. No matter how the black clothed man struggled, he was still unable to escape.


    Fu Huaiyu somewhat disdainfully released his hand, and casually clapped. In the time it took to chat and laugh, he had already taken a person''s life.


    It didn''t matter if he lived or died. It was just a matter of a flick of a finger.


    He hoped that the person behind him would not feel regret after falling into this trap.


    Fu Huaiyu quickly got on his horse, and the whining of the horses increased the noise. A group of people galloped in, with a cloud of dust flying, leaving behind blood all over the ground.


    If it weren''t for the corpses on the ground, no one would have thought of the massacre.


    Not long after, Fu Huaiyu and the rest arrived at the foot of the mountain. It was already late, Fu Huaiyu and the others were thinking about finding an inn to stay at first.


    As for the owner of the inn, when he saw the bloodstains and temperament on their bodies, he knew in his heart that they were definitely not ordinary people. Fu Huaiyu did not say anything more as he tossed over a gold coin to them.


    Fu Huaiyu had changed into a fresh set of clothes. Now that he had traveled so fast, coupled with the fact that he was fighting with the black clothed man, it made him feel extremely exhausted. However, he did not feel tired at all.


    This assassination attempt had probably been planned for a long time. However, he did not know whether this ending would still satisfy that person.

 C88 Discourse

    It was unknown whether it was because he had too many misgivings or because he was concerned about her, but Fu Yuheng finally decided to stop the brush in his hand and go to Shen Qingwan''s courtyard.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" When the guards of the imperial guards saw him coming over, they immediately wanted to bow, but he waved his hand and withdrew.


    The sky was a little bit red, shining down on the courtyard and reflecting the figure of the person sitting quietly. There was a bit more silence, but also less irritation.


    Fu Yuheng pushed the door open and entered to see Shen Qingwan staring blankly at the entrance. Seeing that her complexion was still very weak and that her entire body was listless, he still felt somewhat guilty in her heart when she saw her like this.


    "What is he thinking!"


    Shen Qingwan''s eyes blinked as she regained her senses. Looking at the bright yellow dragon robe, her eyes turned stern and her voice became cold. She stood up and bowed, "Greetings your majesty, I wonder what business your majesty has."


    Fu Yuheng sat on the chair and poured himself a cup of water. He drank it all in one go and went straight to the point, revealing his purpose for coming to Shen Qingwan.


    "Did I come today to ask your opinion on the princess'' matter?"


    Shen Qingwan was initially looking at his actions with a displeased expression. After he finished speaking, she was stunned. She didn''t expect Fu Yuheng to ask her opinion so directly.


    Sitting across from him, he lowered his head in thought, recalling the scene at that time and organizing the words in his mind, only then did he slowly open his mouth.


    "According to chenqie''s memories, there are two points of doubt. The first is the palace maid by the princess''s side, that palace maid acts furtively and his gaze is erratic. He has never dared to look chenqie in the eye, moreover, this palace maid has never seen his before. The second is that your concubine was brought into the room by her. He was dizzy and his limbs were weak. Before he could even react, he had already lost consciousness. "


    This wasn''t the first time she had told him about this, but he had never heard of it. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have asked anymore questions.


    After saying such a long sentence, Shen Qingwan''s weak body was already a little weak. She frowned and clenched her fists to alleviate her discomfort. Her expression was a little absent-minded, but she did not want to show any sign of it in front of Fu Yuheng.


    Fu Yuheng frowned as he looked at her expression and heard the doubts in her voice.


    "Think about it carefully. If you think of anything, tell me in time."


    Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes to recall it seriously. Her throat couldn''t help but dry up and cough lightly. She could not stop coughing. Tears welled in his eyes, and even her heart ached from the coughing.


    Seeing that she was coughing uncomfortably, Fu Yuheng hurriedly poured her a cup of water. He looked at her with concern and was at a loss as to what to do.


    He took the water and moistened his throat. Then, he stopped coughing.


    "How is your body, is it still uncomfortable? What did the imperial physician say?" Fu Yuheng looked at Shen Qingwan who was holding her chest with one hand with an uncomfortable expression on her face. He struggled in his heart for a long time before he finally asked.


    "The imperial physician said he needed some time to recuperate, but the wounds on his body are already healing. They should be healing soon." Shen Qing Wan lowered her eyebrows to hide the emotion in her eyes, her voice was low and deep, the atmosphere was gloomy.


    "Then, then you should rest well. Don''t let your thoughts run wild, just listen to the imperial physician''s instructions and take good care of your body." He didn''t know what to say, so he could only give some advice on things that were of no use.


    "Thank you, your majesty." Hearing Fu Yuheng''s concern, Shen Qingwan did not show much joy on her face. She had always maintained a calm face of honor and disgrace, and did not become as complacent as the others.


    Fu Yuheng, on the other hand, was looking at her with a slightly awkward expression. Looking at her emaciated body, he felt even more guilty, wanting to say something to her but not knowing where to start. Neither of them said anything.


    The next day, Fu Yuheng left for the morning assembly. He changed his clothes, went to the empress''s courtyard, and walked into it.


    When Xiao Shushen heard that the palace maid had come to report that the emperor had arrived, she hastily tidied her clothes and quickly walked out to greet his. When she saw Fu Yuheng, the corners of her mouth couldn''t help but rise upwards and her heart was overflowing with joy.


    "Your Majesty, if you''re here, why didn''t you send a servant to inform me so that I can dress myself up before receiving the emperor?" Xiao Shushen hurriedly invited Fu Yuheng into the room. Seeing him reveal the coquettish tone of a little girl, his sudden arrival caused her, who was usually calm, to lose her usual composure. However, he was also thinking if the emperor had already lost trust in Shen Qingwan.


    "No need, I''m just asking for your opinion on the matter of the princess."


    Fu Yuheng cut her off with a wave of his hand. Ignoring her happiness, he directly told her his purpose in coming here.


    When Xiao Shushen heard his words, the corners of her mouth stiffened. For a moment, she was at a loss of what to do, and there was embarrassment on her face, but she still braced herself and looked at him, "Your concubine is also at a loss regarding this matter. I do not have any good ideas, I beg your majesty, please forgive me."


    The Emperor had not come to see him for a long time, but instead asked him about Shen Qingwan. That matter had clear killing intent, and the evidence was conclusive, but the Emperor had always shielded this slut, so he came over to ask what he thought, and did not know what kind of bewitching medicine that slut, Shen Qingwan, had given him.


    "The empress is serious, I''m just asking. Don''t worry about it, empress."


    Fu Yuheng looked at Xiao Shushen and felt that her face was a little pale. He recalled that there were many matters regarding the harem that had been waiting for her to settle recently.


    "I can see that you don''t look too good, but there are too many things going on in the harem. Don''t be too tired, you need to rest. After all, your body is more important."


    "Thank you for your concern, your majesty." Xiao Shushen clenched his fists and bowed his head in agreement, but his unwillingness to do so completely exposed the depths of his eyes.


    He definitely wouldn''t let that slut Shen Qingwan off so easily, and he definitely wouldn''t let her wash away the crime of killing a princess so easily. Since she won''t let him feel at ease, then she will definitely not let him off.


    Fu Yuheng spoke a few more words with Xiao Shushen before leaving the room. Despite her repeated attempts to urge him to stay, she did not even eat.


    Walking out of the courtyard, he thought about what Shen Qingwan had said before. After some thought, he decided to ask the palace maid first.


    "Sun Gonggong, go take a look at Steward Mammy to see who the servant that was taking care of the princess before she died was. Check if there are any other clues."


    Sun Ning waved his whisk, and lowered his head, hoping that the situation would turn for the better. After all, he had seen Shen Qingwan''s actions back then, and hoped that she was truly innocent now.

 C89 reencounter sneak attack

    At the foot of Hu Youshan''s mountain, in an inn.


    Everyone was exhausted after traveling for several days. In addition to the fact that he had met an assassin who had tried to kill him, he had spent quite a bit of time and effort. Now, he was physically and mentally exhausted.


    Fu Huaiyu knew everyone''s condition so he dismissed the guards from his side, leaving not a single person to rest.


    These few days, he was also tired, and he even met an assassin that was very annoying. Very few people would know his true purpose in coming here. Who exactly was it that wanted to assassinate him? It must have been none other than those few people.


    Fu Huaiyu already had a choice in his heart. Since he wanted to play, then he would play with his. Thinking of this, he instead felt at ease. He closed his seductive eyes and slowly fell asleep.


    However, there was still a vague smile on his face.


    "Ah ¡­" Before he could even finish his words, he choked on his words, unable to come out. His voice was not loud, but it still made people feel terrified.


    Fu Huaiyu, who had always been a light sleeper, immediately opened his eyes when he heard the noise. The strong smell of blood made him frown in displeasure.


    He hated being disturbed the most in his life, especially when he was tired. He silently stood up, and his eyes were so deep that he wanted to go out and check.


    However, when he pushed open the door, he was greeted by another group of men in black. Heh, are these people so impatient? It was enough to make him a bit annoyed.


    Fu Huaiyu felt that the black-clothed man in front of him was extremely impatient, but he still carried a slight smile on his face.


    "Everyone, come here." The leader of the men in black had wanted to sneak into his room to kill him, but he didn''t expect that he was already awake. After a moment of astonishment, he called for his companions.


    The others listened to him and surrounded Fu Huaiyu.


    "Everyone, there are so many times in a day. Don''t you feel tired?" Narrowing her beautiful eyes, Fu Huaiyu''s tone was full of teasing.


    Did this group of people want his life? How weak did that person think of him, a dignified Ninth Prince, to be?


    "Cut the crap. Who cares who you are. Today is the day you die. Brothers, attack!" The leader of the group gave another order, and the remaining people took another step forward.


    After all, they had heard about the skills of the Ninth Prince in the past, and the brothers in the morning hadn''t returned either, so none of them dared to be careless.


    Looking at the cautious appearance of the black clothed man, Fu Huaiyu sneered. For a bunch of scum, don''t blame This King for being impolite. "


    As he finished his sentence, he took out a black clothed man''s sword and easily slashed across the man''s neck. Then, he quickly turned around and flew toward the nearest person.


    That person was killed by Fu Huaiyu before he could even react, and did not even have time to be afraid.


    "How is it, are you still coming?" Seeing the blood flowing from the sword, Fu Huaiyu said indifferently, but the smile on his face was like an emissary from hell. There was a limit to his patience, and this was their last chance.


    The leader swallowed his saliva as he looked at the sword, but he still braced himself and prepared to go over. If they couldn''t kill Fu Huaiyu and the rest, they would die at the very least. He no longer had a choice to make.


    "You really are ¡­" Stubborn. " His eyes suddenly filled with killing intent, and his tone became ice-cold. He didn''t like to kill people, but he didn''t want to be killed either. Therefore, if you choose one of them, don''t blame him for being impolite.


    Swiftly shuttling through the black clothed men, screaming everywhere he went, he soon regained his calm after a short while.


    "I''ve already said this before. You all are no match for me. Even if you all were to come here, you would only be throwing your lives away." Throwing down the sword in his hand, Fu Huaiyu looked at the leader who was still breathing and laughed sinisterly.


    He had been a little too gentle with this person, so he still hadn''t died. It was just that he was in more pain.


    "It was okay just now, but now I''m really tired." Fu Huaiyu yawned elegantly as he slowly returned to his room without even looking at the corpse behind him. He had killed so many people, yet there was not a single trace of blood on his hands.


    When he got up the next day, the corpses outside the door had already disappeared. He could not see the intense battle last night at all. It seemed that the innkeeper had encountered this kind of situation frequently, and it was easy for him to deal with it.


    "Prince, you''re awake." Seeing him go down the stairs, the guards who had been waiting for a long time stood up.


    "Yes, have you fed the horses?" Fu Huaiyu nodded, he had other things to do today and needed a horse.


    "Reporting to Your Highness, the food has been fed." The man who was fetching water yesterday spoke up again.


    Fu Huaiyu nodded his head, since he had fed them all, he decided to set off. It wasn''t that he couldn''t wait, but that he didn''t want to wait for so many assassins to arrive. Although they couldn''t injure him, they would get annoyed more often.


    "Prepare the horses. I want to go out for a while. You can stay here and wait." Fu Huaiyu said as he walked outside. Today seemed to be a pretty good day.


    "Although I don''t know where your highness is going, I hope that you can bring your subordinate along." The guard pleaded worriedly.


    The assassin who rested yesterday and the assassin in the inn obviously knew of Fu Huaiyu''s whereabouts, so they had to kill him no matter what. When Fu Huaiyu went out on his own, they really couldn''t rest easy.


    "No need, I''ll go myself." Fu Huaiyu raised his hand to stop the guard from speaking again.


    Even if they were to go, it would be useless to face an assassin. It would be better to be alone.


    Since it was Master speaking, he could no longer say anything. He could only watch as Fu Huaiyu mounted the horse and mounted Hu Youshan alone.


    The black horse was on the way up the mountain. Soon, it reached the place he wanted to go.


    "Halt! Do you know who this person is? Do you know where this place is? You are not allowed to walk around as you wish." He dismounted and heard the scolding of the guards outside the camp.


    Being scolded outside his own camp, Fu Huaiyu was not annoyed, he only laughed.


    He was dressed in expensive clothes and even if ordinary officials didn''t know him, they would still give him respect. Yet, such a small guard actually dared to stop him. This showed how well the military was governing the area.


    Fu Huaiyu took out his identity card as he walked in front of the guard.


    The top quality white jade mutton fat jade, the exquisite carving technique, on top of it was clearly carved the word "nine", indicating his position.


    "What, little brother recognizes who I am?" He waved the jade medallion in front of the guard and was in a good mood.


    "The guard naturally recognized it and hurriedly knelt down." This humble one pays my respects to Ninth Prince, this humble one has a bad eye, and thus did not know that Ninth Prince had come to visit us, so I hope that you can forgive me. "


    As he spoke, his body trembled as if he had been frightened out of his wits. He had only been in the army for a few days, he did not expect to run into Ninth Prince.


    "It''s fine." Initially, he thought that the other party would be a stubborn person. He didn''t expect that the other party would have such an ugly expression on his face after knowing who he was. A look of dissatisfaction flashed across Fu Huaiyu''s eyes, he then kept his jade tablet and walked towards the camp.

 C90 Clean

    Under the bronze mirror that glowed with yellow light, his facial features could not be seen clearly for a short period of time. However, the only thing that could be seen was his elegance.


    Dressed in red lipstick paper, Xiao Shushen''s rosy lips were slightly trembling, and the worry between her brows lingered, unable to be dispelled.


    "Slut!" A voice that was suffused with anger rang out. The rouge and powder that were neatly arranged on the table were all scattered on the ground, adding to his sorry state and pity.


    "Empress." There was a sudden cry of alarm, and the maidservants in the chamber all jumped in shock, as they hurriedly knelt down. Even Gui mama, who was standing beside the empress, was stunned.


    "Why? How could I be inferior to that slut!" "Why is it that she can obtain the favor of the emperor? Even this crime of murder couldn''t do anything to her!" Anger filled his heart, while hatred filled his unwilling heart!


    She had done everything but she couldn''t enter his heart. Why should she?


    The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he felt. His pretty face actually had a hint of malevolence to it.


    Gui mama watched from the side and felt his heart palpitate and his body tremble. After calming down a little, he said softly: "Your Highness, please calm your anger. You are just a dead person, why would you care about it?" Gui mama waved his hand and sent the maidservants out. For some reason, he felt some heartache.


    He had watched his master grow up, so he was helpless about it now. However, how many people in this palace had clean hands?


    "Grandma, what is all this about?" The current Xiao Shushen actually felt a little bit of pity, as tears rolled down her face. The slight bitterness in her heart, was something that she was unable to share with others.


    "Esteemed Empress, you and the Emperor are destined to be like dragons and phoenixes. Perhaps other people can''t break you apart, and the emperor only wants something new. Perhaps it won''t be long before he gets tired of it." Gui mama let out a long sigh in his heart. In this palace compound, there were countless complaints. Although they looked bright and beautiful on the surface, whenever midnight came around, the cold and desolate atmosphere would never disappear.


    "That''s right, mama. I am the mother of a nation. I am the queen. I am just someone who is about to die. She won''t make much of a fuss!" Seeming to have found some hope, in a moment of glory, Xiao Shushen once again reverted to his usual aloof self. He gently wiped the corner of his eyes with the gold silk handkerchief, and at this moment, he had returned to his previous self.


    Her red lips slightly parted as she curled up into a cold smile. Although the evidence was conclusive, it was hard to say if she would miss anything. Today, she would definitely make that bitch unable to turn her back on her!


    A trace of hostility started to permeate from the depths of his eyes.


    How could the Gui mama not see it, he just did not know what to say, now that they were servants, they could only do it for their masters, but did not know, if everything that happened now was the road to destruction?


    "Momo, there''s still no news of the princess. I''m afraid if we drag this on any longer, it might cause some trouble. Although the root of the problem has already been removed, there might be a possibility of leaving a mistake." Xiao Shushen stretched out her slender hand and adjusted the hairpin that had slightly shifted just now.


    "Then esteemed wangfei means ¡­" The Gui mama moved closer, her voice carrying a trace of depression.


    "Although I have dealt with the palace maids related to that day, I can''t guarantee that there won''t be any loopholes in the details. Moreover, I remember that the princess was waiting by her side ¡­" After saying that, Xiao Shushen seemingly inadvertently cast a glance at Gui mama, and the meaning behind her words, was not hard to guess.


    "Empress means ¡­" Gui mama made a neck-slicing gesture, but Xiao Shushen only had a smile on his lips.


    "This servant obeys ¡­" After saying that, the mama withdrew.


    Finally, Xiao Shushen reminded her, "You must remember not to leave any clues behind."


    In the blink of an eye, the large palace returned to its former tranquility. However, the wolf marks all over the ground spoke of the chaos that had occurred just now.


    Xiao Shushen looked at the rouge on the ground and couldn''t help but frown. She casually recruited a palace maid, and not long later, she returned back to her previous self once again.


    If you want to turn the case around, I will definitely let you turn the case around. Let''s see who can protect you this time around.


    At this moment, her gentle laughter became so ear-piercing. "Hahaha!" The image of the person in the bronze mirror revealed itself. He had a hint of insanity in his voice. That laughter, in this enormous chamber, actually caused one''s hair to stand on end.


    Although countless people had squeezed their way through and wanted to enter the palace, in more detail, how many tender flowers and tender leaves had been buried within this palace wall!


    There were too many grievances that could not be dispelled.


    On the morning of the second day, Sun Ning woke up very early. After all, it would be better to find out earlier about this matter.


    After all, this was an important matter, and the emperor was also worried about it, so it couldn''t be delayed for too long. He was just about to go look for the supervisor, but coincidentally, halfway through, he saw the figure in front of him. Wasn''t that Steward Mammy?


    However, for some reason, the mama had an anxious expression on her face. She was somewhat puzzled in her heart. Could it be that something had happened?


    His speed was a bit faster, and he saw that a group of maids and eunuchs were surrounding the well. He did not know what they were talking about.


    It seemed as if something had happened. A servant girl beside him seemed to have taken two steps back out of fear. She had never thought that there would be someone behind her and almost fell to the ground.


    "But be careful, you''re so impatient!" If Sun Ning had not reacted quickly, he would not have been able to avoid the pain. The little servant girl, who had raised her head only to realize that it was Sun Gonggong, hurriedly stood up and bowed.


    "No need for formalities, a group of people are gathered here, but what happened?" He frowned with displeasure in his eyes.


    "Reporting to eunuch, dead, dead ¡­" "How terrifying ¡­" As if he thought back to some terrifying scene, the maid''s face became deathly pale, and even his body couldn''t help but tremble. Sun Ning waved his hand, allowing the maid to leave first.


    Sun Ning could not help but look at his with a little surprise. Although this was the Imperial Palace and the deaths of maids were common, it was most likely a mistake, and it was due to Master ¡­

 C91 death without proof

    After all, there were many things within the imperial harem that he, as a servant, could not discuss about without thinking. However, he had excluded these two possibilities.


    As for the mama in charge, she had heard that someone had died in the well since early in the morning and hurried over. If it wasn''t something major, she wouldn''t have bothered Your Majesty.


    "Don''t worry, don''t be afraid. Find a few quick people and fish up the corpses." Compared to the shock of the other maids, Steward Mammy was not afraid of danger. After all, he had seen this kind of thing happen a lot in the harem.


    Steward Mammy turned his head back and comforted the crowd. After all, this was the first time the maids had experienced such a thing and they could not help but be frightened.


    Sun Ning squeezed forward a few steps, but the uneasiness in his heart became even more obvious.


    I hope it''s not such a coincidence.


    "Steward Mammy, we heard early in the morning that something happened. Which pitiful girl is it?" Sun Ning took two steps forward, and the maids and eunuchs surrounding him dodged to the side. After all, the status of Sun Gonggong was different from them.


    "Aiya, Sun Gonggong, what wind brought you here?" Steward Mammy was at the side summoning people, and when he looked, it was Sun Gonggong.


    "Which palace do you belong to?" Sun Ning glanced at the well, but he could not see it clearly, so he turned and asked Steward Mammy.


    "Sigh, isn''t this Zi Xin? I don''t know what''s wrong with that pitiful girl, but she probably thought of her master. As if to meet the occasion, the manager''s nanny even used the handkerchief in her hand to lightly wipe the tears at the corner of her eyes.


    The senior servant girl in charge sighed, "What a coincidence, today a servant came to fetch water from the well, but she did not discover Zi Xin''s corpse. That servant was rather frightened, sigh, I hope nothing happened."


    "So it''s like that. What a coincidence." Sun Ning chatted with the Steward Mammy for a while longer. After all, he had understood everything, and only felt a bit of regret. However, it was at the right time for him to die.


    Now, it could be considered as a lead that had been cut off again. Originally, he had wanted to look for Steward Mammy to ask him about some things, but it seemed that he had come too late.


    "Alright, we still have things to do, so I''ll leave these matters to Steward Mammy." After chatting for a while, Sun Ning immediately rushed over to the imperial study room. After all, this was not a small matter.


    It wouldn''t be a problem if an ordinary servant girl died, but this time, the servant girl was different from the others. Not only was she the princess''s servant girl, she was also connected to this case.


    At this moment, Fu Yuheng was in the imperial study, reviewing the imperial edicts. However, he did not have much patience. He had been flipping through the reports for a long time without writing anything.


    The movement that came from outside the study made Fu Yuheng raise his eyes slightly. "This old servant pays his respect to the Emperor." Sun Gonggong hurriedly bowed.


    "Come on, what''s the matter with the public?" Fu Yuheng was puzzled.


    The Sun Gonggong did not dare hide anything for a moment, and quickly told him about it, "Reporting to the Emperor, this morning, the princess''s servant girl, Zi Xin, died in a well, discovered by a servant girl who went to fetch water."


    "What!" Fu Yuheng''s brows were tightly knitted together. He was somewhat alarmed in his heart.


    A few days ago, Zi Xin was fine, why did she suddenly die today?!


    Moreover, it was related to this matter. Did this mean that the person who murdered the princess was someone else? However, if one thought about it this way, who was behind all of this?


    For a moment, his head was filled with worry, but he could not figure it out.


    The eunuch could only stand to the side and worry, but he couldn''t think of anything he could do for the moment. After all, this had happened too suddenly, making it impossible for anyone to guard against it.


    "I understand." Fu Yuheng''s voice carried a trace of exhaustion as he closed his eyes slightly. The color of the ring on his finger was pleasing to the eye, and it was indeed a good material.


    "Yes ¡­" The Sun Gonggong did not speak anymore and left.


    The development of the situation today was somewhat troublesome, and with Zi Xin''s death, there was no way to prove it either. Cold expressions began to surface in her mind.


    Even so, she was still as indifferent as before. It was as if there was nothing in this world that could move her heart.


    Fu Yuheng''s pupils became longer as he looked out the window towards the place where Shen Qingwan resided.


    The flowers in the palace were blooming very well, all the way it was fragrant and pleasing to the nose. Xiao Shushen had been bored staying in her sleeping quarters for the past few days, so today, seeing that the sun was rising, she decided to settle her mind.


    They arrived at the imperial garden in the imperial harem and started to swim around the garden. It was as if the ruthlessness of yesterday was short-lived, and after calculating the timing, it was about time for the Gui mama to return.


    His heart was filled with joy. From the looks of it, if he wanted to give Shen Qingwan a clean slate, the clues would have been completely destroyed.


    "Empress, Gui mama is here ¡­" Since he was tired from wandering in the garden, he wanted to go into the pavilion to rest for a while. Not long later, the palace maid by his side came close to his ear and whispered into it.


    "Yes." After a low hum and savoring the sweet and sour summer plum tea, the anxiety in his heart calmed down in an instant.


    He picked up the fish food from the servant girl''s hands and looked at the goldfish that were coexisting harmoniously in the lake. He raised his bare hands, and those fish seemed to have received some sort of summons as they all began to fight amongst each other.


    Not long later, the Gui mama arrived.


    After dispersing the servants to the side, Xiao Shushen sat inside the pavilion and fed the fish food in her hands. Watching them compete and fight, she actually felt extremely happy in her heart.


    "Empress, it has already been taken care of. I guarantee that there won''t be any future troubles." Gui mama whispered to the empress from the side.


    When she heard Gui mama''s words, the Empress''s heart abruptly relaxed. Even her face had a hint of a peachy complexion.


    "Heh, hurry up and eat the fish. You''ll only have strength after you''ve eaten your fill." After throwing all the fish food into the pond, a glint flashed across the depths of his eyes.


    "It''s been hard on you, Gui mama."


    "Empress, isn''t this old servant Zhexiu?" Gui mama wanted to kneel down immediately, but was stopped by Xiao Shushen. She covered her face and laughed, then wiped her mouth gently and looked towards the palace with an elegant and gentle expression, the fierceness in her eyes became even more obvious.


    Even if the Emperor became suspicious, he would definitely not let her off the hook completely. As for the people outside the palace, they could only make conjectures, but not let that slut leave behind any good reputation.

 C92 Princess Drill

    The sun was bright and it always made people lazy. There was a reason for them to sleep. However, Shen Qingwan was different. She didn''t like to sleep in the house all the time, but rather liked to relax in the yard.


    Shen Qingwan sat under the cold vine as she slowly read the book in her hands. Occasionally, she would pick up the teacup by her side and drink some water. After a while, she was able to see the bottom of the teacup.


    The grass near the inconspicuous wall began to move. Suddenly, there was a movement, as if something was crawling back and forth. After a while, a little girl''s head came out. The little girl looked around and saw no one. Then, she slowly climbed out.


    The little girl was not that old, she looked to be about four or five years old. However, her pair of eyes were darting around randomly, making her look really cute and quick-witted. Just as she ran out, she saw a hole in the wall. She tested it out and found that it was just enough for her to rush in. However, she didn''t know where this was. Her large eyes kept turning over and over again, deciding not to run around as she pleased.


    "Empress, I heard some movement over there. How about this servant go over and take a look?" Lian Yun added a pot of tea for Shen Qing Wan and immediately heard a movement against the wall. She remembered that there was a hole in the wall. He had said that he would make it up, but because of the matter with the Second Princess, he did not make a move.


    Shen Qing Wan did not hear anything while she was reading, but knowing that Lian Yun had always been meticulous, she agreed.


    "Don''t let anything come in." Lian Yun said as she walked towards the wall. It was summer time, the time when everything was lush and verdant, and the walls were covered with greenery. However, with a target in hand, she headed straight for the hole in the wall.


    She didn''t expect to see a living person standing by the wall and looking at her with a puzzled expression.


    "Who are you? Why are you here?" Lian Yun asked the little girl in shock. He wanted to pull her closer to him, but he was stopped in his tracks.


    "Hmph." The little girl proudly swung her head and crossed her arms. She didn''t even look at her. Lian Yun felt that it was strange, but seeing that the little girl was not like an ordinary person, she quickly went back to report to Shen Qing Wan.


    "How is it? What''s that noise? " Shen Qing Wan looked at Lian Yun who had returned and asked, but she did not look at him and focused on reading.


    The story in the book was very interesting, and although it was devilish, it was very pleasing to her to read, in a humorous language and with some truth in it.


    "What''s wrong?" Seeing Lian Yun not saying anything for a long time, Shen Qingwan felt that it was weird. After putting down the book, she felt that it was even weirder to see Lian Yun with an expression that said "I don''t know how to explain myself".


    "Reporting to the Empress, it really isn''t anything hurtful, but, just that ¡­" Lian Yun hesitated for a long time, but still did not know what to say.


    Shen Qingwan raised her eyebrows. Did something scare her?


    "Whatever it is, just say it."


    "Empress, a young girl only four or five years old came out from a hole in the wall." After thinking for a long time that he could not speak, Lian Yun decided to speak the truth.


    Shen Qingwan was confused, why would a child come to her house? Ever since the incident with the Second Princess, basically no one came to her house, they would even tell the child to stay away from her, so as to avoid losing their lives.


    He sighed and said, "Bring me there to take a look." As expected, he saw the little girl who was still standing at her original position.


    The little girl wasn''t afraid when she saw her, so she looked at her face to face. Her big eyes kept looking at her yard from time to time.


    She had always liked children, but now that she saw this little girl, she felt that she liked her very much. It was just that she didn''t know where she came from, so why did she come out from the hole in the wall?


    "Who are you? Why did you come to my courtyard?" Shen Qingwan squatted and asked the little girl at the same time. Even though the clothes she wore were a bit dirty after she drilled through the wall. However, the material and patterns of the clothes were very particular. One could tell with a single glance that they were not the children of an ordinary family.


    There may not be many children of this age in the palace, but it may be possible that someone from outside the palace will bring them in.


    The little girl looked at her and shook her head, "How can you ask who I am first? Shouldn''t you tell me who you are first?"


    Shen Qingwan laughed. Although the little girl was young, she was still a smart person.


    "This is the Concubine Xian." Lian Yun also thought that the little girl was interesting and answered for Shen Qingwan.


    Consort Xian? Which Consort Xian is it? I don''t think I know. The little girl tried her best to search through the memories of the person she was looking for. She felt that she had never heard of this name before.


    "Good morning, Concubine Xian." However, since they had come to someone else''s territory, they had to behave.


    "Okay, you too, but you still haven''t told me who you are." Shen Qingwan stretched out her hand to wipe the dust off the little girl''s face as she smiled and said.


    The little girl broke free from Shen Qingwan and ran to the side of the pool, "Lo, I won''t tell you. "Although you said who you are, I still don''t know who you are." As he spoke, he made a face.


    "Did you grow all these lotus flowers? Very beautiful. " The little girl pointed at the lotus in the pool and praised.


    Generally, children would like those bright colored flowers, so they rarely noticed the lotus flowers. This improved the little girl''s image in Shen Qingwan''s heart by a few points.


    "Yes, I think so too. "To come out of the mud untainted, to wash away the water with clear ripples, and not with demons." Reaching out his hand, Lian Yun told Lian Yun, who was beside him, to go to the side of the pond and pick a few flowers for the little girl. However, the little girl thought that he had sent someone to capture her, so she hurriedly ran back.


    "Although I don''t understand what you''re saying, I feel that you''re quite good." Seeing Lian Yun''s actions, the little girl knew that she had misunderstood and praised her.


    Lian Yun had already picked the lotus flowers and walked over. Shen Qingwan was about to walk over when she suddenly heard someone shouting from outside the wall.


    "Princess, where are you?" Hearing the voice, the three people in the courtyard were all stunned for a moment and looked at each other.


    "Princess, we''re not playing anymore. Hurry up and come out!"


    The little girl heard the sound and quickly grabbed Shen Qingwan''s sleeve. She looked at her pitifully and told her not to speak, "Shh, don''t talk for now, don''t move." The little girl put her finger in front of her mouth, still listening to what was happening outside. She waited until the sound was gone before she let go.


    Princess, could it be that this little girl is a princess? Furthermore, judging from his age and face, he really did look like the Consort De.


    "Empress, here''s a lotus for you." When Shen Qing Wan wanted to give it to the little girl, she didn''t see her at all. Presumably, the little girl had gone out after hearing the sound, and could only smile at this. However, the little girl had given her some warmth.

 C93 Release of house arrest

    He had originally thought that he would at least be able to find some clues through Zi Xin, but now that she had coincidentally died, all of his clues had been destroyed by her. It wouldn''t be easy for him to find out the truth in the short term, and Fu Yuheng had a headache as well.


    As he gazed into the distance, Fu Yuheng retracted his gaze as if he was examining something. It was likely that something was amiss with the Second Princess. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been in such a hurry to silence her.


    Fu Yuheng thought about it and pondered, but in the end, he still did not know what to do in the end. He was confused and could not make up his mind, amidst his depression, Fu Yuheng shouted loudly, wanting Sun Ning to give him some advice.


    "Sun Ning." Fu Yuheng rubbed his forehead and called Sun Ning in loudly. When Sun Ning heard Fu Yuheng''s voice from the outside, he immediately ran into the hall with a jittery pace, afraid that he would be neglected.


    He fiddled with the beads in his hands, his voice tinged with distress. He frowned as he looked at the beads in his hands, continuously fiddling with it to ease the irritation in his heart. "Sun Ning, what do you think about the Consort Xian?"


    Sun Ning bowed his head as he listened to Fu Yuheng''s words. His astute eyes stared fixedly at the ground, and after a moment of thought, he raised his head and carefully looked at Fu Yuheng, testing his attitude.


    "Your majesty, this servant has a plan, but I don''t know if I should say it or not."


    Fu Yuheng glanced at him and threw the object in his hand towards him. He did not seem angry at all, but instead vented his anger on Sun Ning.


    "If you have something to say, hurry up and say it. You even want to use this kind of method with me? I can see that you''re becoming less and less suitable."


    Sun Ning carefully took the object, and a smile appeared on his face, but he had been busy with things in the palace recently, and had become more open-minded.


    The emperor is wise, and this servant absolutely does not dare to play any tricks on you. In my opinion, this servant is stupid, and now that this clue has been broken, you might as well push the blame to the little girl, Zi Xin, who died today. As for the things that happened afterwards, you can slowly investigate.


    Fu Yuheng understood what Sun Ning meant, he looked at him, carefully mulling over what Sun Ning had said, and nodded his head as if he thought of it. Sun Ning''s words were indeed a good idea, after all, he did not have a better way to prove Shen Qingwan''s innocence right now, so he might as well blame it on this palace maid.


    He waved his hand, gesturing for Sun Ning to get down, and after a moment of serious consideration, he unhesitatingly picked up the brush on the table, opened up the bright yellow paper, dipped it in good ink, and sprinkled it on top of the paper. The handwriting was extremely powerful, even Fu Yuheng''s words were not inferior to those of the current world, and it made him sigh with emotion.


    The imperial edict mentioned that the Second Princess''s maid, Zi Xin, had ulterior motives. She had murdered the princess and her master, and had committed a heinous crime, such that she was afraid of being found out and thrown into a well to commit suicide.


    After all, he finally found a way to resolve the case that had been plaguing him for many days, and the stone that hung over his heart could finally be put down. Fu Yuheng then called over Sun Ning, asking him to announce the decree to the various palaces so that he could clear up Shen Qingwan''s sins.


    Shen Qingwan''s side was a lot more relaxed due to the childish atmosphere. The gossip in the palace these days was enough to drown them. Although she didn''t care, it still affected her mood. Her servants were also depressed.


    The little girl who came was Third Princess Fu Lingling, and Third Princess''s mother was Consort De. This little girl was naturally lively and lovable, causing Consort De to laugh out loud, but today, she was bored and took advantage of the palace maids not noticing her slip out, causing Fu Lingling, who was running out, to feel like a bird that had been released from its cage. She finally obtained her freedom, and wandered alone in the vast and boundless palace.


    Third Princess Fu Lingling ran away from Shen Qing Wan, but she did not escape the palace maids'' continuous search and was brought back to the palace, where she was watched even more closely.


    Su Yeyue was sitting in her own bedroom looking bored. She kept shaking her head, looking at the scenery outside the window and feeling depressed. It was so boring.


    Fu Lingling looked outside the window at the birds flying freely, and she was extremely envious in her heart. The playfulness of children was so heavy, that when Fu Lingling, who was sitting in the room alone for a while, could not sit still, and thought of the birds that had escaped with great difficulty, only to be caught by them.


    Fu Lingling stood up and prepared to push the door open, but she finally found the princess'' palace maid. Naturally, he was on guard, and the Consort De had ordered for the princess not to run around, if the princess was to leave, and if the Consort De found out, they would be punished, so a few people blocked the princess from going out.


    "Get up, can''t I go for a walk?"


    The little girl pushed aside the palace maid in front of her with a depressed look on her face. She had been locked up in her bedroom everyday, and there was no one to play with her. She felt really aggrieved.


    The palace maid kneeled on the ground and advised Third Princess not to let her go out. Just as he was about to be unable to stop him, Consort De came over with some pastries.


    "Ling Ling, why are you so mischievous? Didn''t mufei tell you not to run around? Now that something happened in the palace, you have to be safe and not go out and cause trouble, making your royal father unhappy."


    Fu Lingling''s eyes widened, mesmerizing the Consort De''s heart with a blink of an eye. She innocently looked at her mother in confusion.


    "But Ling Ling hasn''t seen royal father for a long time, didn''t mufei say that as long as Ling Ling does not cause trouble, royal father would come to see me? Ling has been obedient for the past few days, but I still haven''t seen royal father!"


    Fu Lingling''s words were like a sharp knife that pierced the heart of the Consort De, she did not know how to explain Fu Lingling, she could only continue to deceive her.


    "Good Ling Ling, your royal father was busy with government affairs, so he did not come to see Ling. Ling has to be obedient, and mufei brought your favorite pastries to Ling, eating with mufei, okay?"


    Fu Lingling revealed a happy smile, her small hands pulled at Consort De''s sleeves and quickly pulled her into the palace. She then sat down beside the Consort De, very obediently, making others love her.


    When Consort De saw the obedient Fu Lingling, her face was filled with satisfaction and happiness. She placed the pastries one by one in front of Fu Lingling, picked up a few of them and placed them next to his mouth. Fu Lingling opened his mouth to swallow them.

 C94 stay for meals

    Sun Ning had always been very efficient, not to mention that it was related to the Consort Xian. In less than two hours, Fu Yuheng''s orders had been passed down through all the palaces.


    Upon receiving this decree, the various empress dowager''s reactions varied greatly. The few people who were on good terms with Shen Qing Wan were all happy for her, while the Queen''s faction gritted their teeth in hatred. Xiao Shushen was so angry that his teeth had shattered, and she smashed the teacup in her hand onto the ground.


    Seeing the Queen''s rage, all the palace maids and eunuchs around kneeled in unison. Even the Gui mama could not help but tremble as he stepped forward and said carefully, "Calm down Your Highness, it was not worth it to be ill at the beginning."


    Xiao Shushen clenched her hands into fists, her sharp nails dug into the meat of her palms, but she did not notice it. "Truly ridiculous, does Your Majesty take everyone else to be idiots? It seems like I got lucky to that bitch. "


    When the Gui mama heard his master''s anger, he was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat. "Aiyo, esteemed wangfei, you don''t dare to speak carelessly of this. If anyone heard it, the emperor would misunderstand again."


    "Misunderstanding?" Xiao Shushen sneered, "He doesn''t care what I say or do, why would I misunderstand him?"


    Gui mama let out a long sigh and did not say anymore. He ordered some people to clean up the ground and helped Xiao Shushen to rest.


    Shen Qingwan was reading a book in the room, while Lian Yun was rushing in. The young and pretty face was filled with unconcealable joy and excitement. Raising her head to look at her, Shen Qingwan helplessly said: "What''s wrong, Lian Yun, why are you so happy?"


    "Empress, the imperial guards outside have retreated!"


    "Really?" Shen Qingwan put down her book and walked into the yard. She looked outside, and sure enough, the imperial guards who had been guarding the entrance for the past few days had really retreated.


    Just as Shen Qingwan was at a loss, Sun Ning walked in with a face full of smiles, "Congratulations, esteemed mistress."


    Shen Qingwan looked at him in puzzlement, her expression somewhat cold, "Why is Sun Gonggong free to come here?"


    Sun Ning had long gotten used to the coldness of the Consort Xian, and said with a beaming smile, "Concubine Xian probably doesn''t know, the emperor has already cleansed the grievances for the Empress, and everything has been made clear."


    After he finished speaking, he read out Fu Yuheng''s imperial edict.


    Shen Qingwan knelt on the ground and accepted the imperial edict, some of it even went beyond the situation. On the other hand, Lian Yun''s excited voice pulled her back to reality, "Empress, everything has been investigated clearly, we are free!"


    Shen Qingwan''s expression was a little heavy, "Everything is definitely not that simple, Zi Xin is just a little girl who doesn''t know anything. There is another person who is truly the murderer of the princess."


    However, Lian Yun disagreed. She helped Shen Qingwan up and said, "Empress, don''t worry so much, maybe Zi Xin''s mind will be muddled by the benefits for a while. Most importantly, Empress, your ban has been lifted."


    Although Shen Qingwan still had doubts in her heart, she still nodded with a smile.


    Lian Yun immediately beamed with joy. "That''s right, esteemed wangfei, it was hard to keep watch until the moon shines. We should celebrate it."


    Shen Qing Wan looked at the childish Lian Yun and knew that she was only happy for him, so she followed her lead, "Alright, how do you want to celebrate?"


    "Of course it''s to have a feast!" Lian Yun said excitedly.


    With that said, Lian Yun went into the kitchen to busy herself.


    Lian Yun''s culinary skills had always been good, and before long, she had cooked a table full of delicious food, making people''s appetite.


    "Empress, hurry and come eat. You were sick for a long time, and after you recovered, you were in a bad mood, so you didn''t eat much in the past few days. " Lian Yun called out.


    Shen Qing Wan nodded, thinking that Lian Yun was considerate, she sat down by the table. Just as he ate two mouthfuls, he saw a small figure rush in.


    Lian Yun was shocked, but just as she was about to say something, she realised that she was Third Princess Fu Lingling, the little girl who accidentally ran over to Shen Qing Wan''s palace a few days ago!


    Shen Qingwan was also surprised to see Fu Lingling here, but she still smiled gently: What''s wrong, Third Princess, why have you come here today?


    Fu Lingling nodded her head, her innocent and charming face filled with solemnness, she opened his little hands and showed it to Shen Qingwan like a treasure. It turned out to be a beautiful butterfly.


    "Concubine Xian, this is my gift to you. Thank you for not saying anything that day." Fu Lingling raised her small face and said seriously.


    Shen Qingwan smiled and patted her head, "Thank you, I really like this present." But next time you can''t run around, your mufei will be worried. "


    Fu Lingling lowered her head guiltily, and said softly: "I know."


    Shen Qingwan felt that this child could not help but make people like him and had a good character, which made people have a good impression of him. It just so happens that I have eaten as well, why don''t you leave Third Princess here with me to eat? "


    Lian Yun also chimed in from the side with a smile, "That''s right, Third Princess, you should stay and eat with us, your servant''s culinary skills are very good."


    Fu Lingling tiptoed and looked at the sumptuous dishes on the table. Her big eyes were filled with desire, but she shook her head and said: "No need, thank you Concubine Xian."


    Shen Qingwan saw that she was clearly salivating yet she rejected him, so she couldn''t help but be confused, "Why? Don''t you have any dishes you like here? "


    Fu Lingling shook her head, "I have to go back quickly. If I don''t go back later, mufei will talk about me again."


    Just as he finished speaking, a few servants'' anxious voices sounded, "Third Princess, where are you?"


    "Not good, mufei is here!" Fu Lingling''s face was filled with regret.


    Just then, a few servants from the Consort De Palace walked over and bowed, "Concubine Xian has disturbed you, it is this servant who did not have good impressions of Third Princess, and has caused trouble for the Empress."


    Soon after, Consort Xian also rushed over and hugged Fu Lingling, looking like a anxious mother, "Child, you are running around everywhere, how can you not listen?"


    Fu Lingling also hugged Consort De tightly, and said obediently: "I''m sorry mufei, Ling Ling will not do that again."


    The Consort De looked at Shen Qingwan apologetically, and said helplessly: "Little sister, I''m so sorry, I''ve always been a naughty child. I couldn''t control myself, and ended up running somewhere unnoticed, causing trouble for little sister."


    Shen Qing Wan shook her head and caressed Fu Lingling''s head, "Third Princess is carved jade, extremely intelligent, and extremely clever. Consort De is truly fortunate."


    Consort De merely shook her head with a bitter smile, and calmly changed the topic, "I heard that the Emperor has already investigated the culprit who murdered the second princess.


    Shen Qingwan politely smiled, "There''s no need to congratulate me, I just have a clear conscience."


    The two casually exchanged a few words of greeting, but Shen Qing Wan didn''t really mind at all, so she left the two of them to eat.

 C95 The Emperors Favorite

    "Your Majesty ¡­"


    Shen Qingwan picked up the dish and was about to put it into her mouth when she saw a yellow figure at the entrance of the courtyard. She put down her chopsticks and stood up, bowing. However, there was a clear look of dissatisfaction in her eyes.


    "The emperor really did come at the right time ¡­" He muttered softly, but didn''t expect that Fu Yuheng would pay attention to him.


    "The Consort Xian seems to be very against us?" Ye Zichen raised his eyebrows. This woman seemed to have become bolder and bolder ever since she came out of prison. Yet, she still dared to provoke him.


    However, there was no anger in his heart. Instead, there was a hint of a smile in his eyes.


    "The two concubines are really in a good mood today. Why didn''t they invite us to have a meal together?" As he spoke, he lifted up his robe and sat down.


    "Go and get a pair of chopsticks." Shen Qing Wan naturally did not want to say much, but Zhao Yuanrong waved his hand and asked Dong Xue, who was beside him, to go to the kitchen and bring out a bowl and chopsticks.


    Shen Qingwan, who was standing at the side, would definitely be able to see through it. However, she suddenly recalled that the Consort De didn''t seem to be very favored by the emperor, who probably hadn''t been to her courtyard for a long time.


    "Eh? royal father! " At this time, Fu Lingling, who had gone to wash her hands, also returned. Seeing that there was an extra person on the table, his first reaction was to stand in place blankly. When he looked again, he realized it was his own royal father, and the smile on his face immediately spread outwards.


    mufei didn''t lie to her. She was obedient, so Imperial Father really did come to see her.


    "Oh? Ling Ling is here too. " Fu Yuheng was taken aback for a moment before he also rejoiced. He stood up and took two steps forward. He extended his arm and pulled the little girl into his embrace.


    "Screech ~ ~" Have Ling Ling eaten some good food in the past few days? "It''s a lot heavier." As she teased, she rubbed her chin against her forehead, causing Fu Lingling to giggle.


    "Come down!" When Consort De saw this, she started to panic a little. Wouldn''t this make the emperor unhappy?


    As he thought of this, he quickly took a step forward and was about to take Ling Tian, but he was dodged by Fu Yuheng.


    "Consort De, what are you doing? We just want to be intimate with our daughter, don''t tell us that we have to do that too?" Ye Zichen raised his eyebrows, while his eyes were filled with anger.


    "The Big Sister Consort De is afraid that Ling would be too heavy. The Emperor has been tired for a long time, if he were to tire the Emperor to death, it would be our fault. "I was too anxious and forgot my manners. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Shen Qingwan saw that she had lost control of herself for a moment and sighed.


    It was because her love for the emperor had been too deep that she had gone too far in addition to the scheming and scheming within the palace.


    However, since she was already on her side, she would naturally help. She couldn''t let something go wrong at this moment.


    What''s more ¡­


    Shen Qingwan glanced at the little girl in Fu Yuheng''s embrace. She was extremely fond of her.


    "Forget it. Today, regardless of whether the Emperor or the officials present, let''s just let them go." After Fu Yuheng finished speaking, he once again teased Ling Tian, who was in his embrace, as his eyes grew a little gentler.


    In reality, it wasn''t because she had eaten too much in the past few days. It was just that Fu Yuheng hadn''t seen her in her bedroom for a long time. It was only because of this that he felt much heavier when she hugged him.


    Everyone knew this, but no one came out to point it out. On the other hand, when Fu Lingling heard it for real, she started to get annoyed. Could it be that she had really gotten fatter in the past few days, causing royal father to be unable to carry her anymore?


    "Father... Isn''t Ling Tian too fat, that''s why royal father doesn''t like hugging Ling Ling. " She lowered her head and spoke with a hint of disappointment.


    Just as these words fell, Zhao Yuanrong felt his heart thump loudly. When he looked at Fu Yuheng''s face again, he did not see anything wrong with it. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief.


    "Eh? No matter how heavy Ling is, I am still royal father''s princess, so royal father will naturally like it. Don''t say such words again in the future. " Fu Yuheng knocked on her forehead with a doting look in his eyes.


    He had just lost a princess, but now he treasured his relationship even more.


    Furthermore, thinking about it, he had indeed neglected Ling Ling for too long. In that moment, he felt a little guilty.


    Zhao Yuanrong only watched their interaction with trepidation. Now that her daughter was here, she was even more afraid of provoking the Emperor, so she vented her anger on her.


    However, it was clear that she was overthinking things. Fu Yuheng''s mood seemed to have improved a lot these few days. Especially since he had temporarily put down Shen Qingwan''s crime. His heart had fallen to the ground and he didn''t feel too much hostility.


    "The Emperor doesn''t know. Recently, Ling Ling has been talking about the Emperor. He said that he misses Imperial Father." Shen Qingwan was clear about it. She knew that Fu Yuheng was in a good mood and was willing to help Consort De.


    She then looked up and saw Fu Lingling also bury her head in Fu Yuheng''s chest. Her small face was flushed red, as if she was shy.


    "Father ¡­" Scratching his head with a little dissatisfaction, the atmosphere between the few of them became harmonious, and even Zhao Yuanrong began to laugh foolishly.


    "Your Majesty doesn''t need to be tired, but Ling Ling has been sticking closely to you for the past few days, which is quite embarrassing for your majesty." The smile on her face became more coquettish. It was as if a few peach blossoms had bloomed on her face, causing people to be unable to open their eyes for a while.


    Fu Yuheng looked at her with a slightly deeper gaze. It had been a long time since he went to Consort De''s courtyard. Now that he looked at her again, it was quite a different story.


    "Rong''er is too courteous, Ling Ling is my child, how could I avoid her?" A dubious look flashed across his face, causing the blush on Zhao Yuanrong''s face to spread even more, as if plum blossoms had bloomed in winter.


    Seeing the two of them act this way, Shen Qing Wan did not speak, but the taste of the dishes in her mouth seemed to have lightened up a little. However, she had really helped Consort De a lot.


    "I believe that my beloved concubine must be tired from taking care of Ling Ling these days. But I have been too inconsiderate and forgot to help my beloved concubine recuperate in the past few days." Fu Yuheng put down Ling Ling who was in his embrace and held Zhao Yuanrong''s beautiful hand.


    "Thank you, your majesty. I''m just a concubine, how would I dare trouble your majesty?" His words were flawless, but there was a hint of rebuke on his face.


    "Ha ha!" Fu Yuheng burst out in laughter. It was obvious that her actions and attitude were in accordance with his wishes.


    "I will come see you tonight, but remember to leave the lights on for me."


    As she spoke till here, Zhao Yuanrong''s eyes lit up. To her, this was a pleasant surprise, and she knew that it was due to Shen Qingwan''s contribution. She gratefully looked at Shen Qingwan, and then, shyly responded to Fu Yuheng.

 C96 Prime Minister Liu

    At this moment, however, in a restaurant, the unique elegance of the environment had attracted a few scholars. At this moment, in one of the elegant rooms on the second floor, there was a slight smile on his face as if he had discovered something interesting.


    He closed the fan lightly and looked at the person the waiter brought. The corner of his mouth could not help but curl up into a smile. It was just that he did not catch the eye.


    "It''s time." Fu Huaiyu gestured for the person in front of him to take a seat. The person in front of him was not polite either, it could be seen that the two of them were old acquaintances.


    The waiter poured a pot of tea and left.


    "Your highness is still so charming and elegant." The person in front of him was no other than one of Fu Huaiyu''s subordinates, Mo Zilian!


    Hearing his subordinate''s teasing, Fu Huaiyu did not care at all, he had long gotten used to it, "Sure, sure. If I am not so relaxed, I wonder when I will have the time to enjoy myself like this."


    "Speaking of Hu Youshan, you really frightened me quite a bit." Mo Zilian picked up the cup of tea in front of him and took a sip. With a face full of worry, he looked at the calm and collected Fu Huaiyu in front of him, and felt extremely terrified in his heart. If something were to happen that day, who could bear the consequences?


    "It''s not important, but it doesn''t matter." Fu Huaiyu obviously did not take it to heart, but once the fragrant tea was swallowed, it would bring about a little bitterness and sweetness.


    "Your highness really can hold it in." Honestly speaking, Mo Zilian was filled with admiration towards the Duke''s actions, if it was any other ordinary person, they would not be able to endure it. "Did you manage to find any clues?" Mo Zilian continued to ask, since this matter was extremely important, he could not afford to be careless.


    Fu Huaiyu''s eyes were long and serene, he looked into the distance, "For the time being, I don''t have any leads, but I believe it will be very quick." In that instant, not even Mo Zilian was able to see through the person in front of him.


    After putting down the teacup, he looked at Mo Zilian in front of him and had his own thoughts, "Actually, if the person behind the scenes wants to know, it would be easy as well. But right now, he can''t even move a muscle."


    "Prince, you mean ¡­" Mo Zilian, on the other hand, was looking at his own prince. Actually, he could not guess too much from his own prince''s thoughts, but he could guess a bit.


    "Actually, it''s not hard to know who the person behind all this is, but the key is ¡­" Fu Huaiyu paused for a moment to look at the curious Mo Zilian in front of him. Then, he stopped at a critical juncture, picked up the teacup in front of him at a leisurely pace, and swapped seats with Mo Zilian. When the time comes, bring up your restaurant''s signature cake and try it. "


    After that, seeing Mo Zilian''s expression, Fu Huaiyu''s mood was extremely good. It was just that his subordinate''s heart was troubled, and the curiosity in his heart was piqued, but the culprit in front of him, seemed to have nothing to do with him.


    "The person behind this person is no ordinary person!" Speaking of which, what Fu Huaiyu knew about the person behind him was only a general idea. However, it was hard for people to discover the one that was deeper.


    It was because there was an unfathomable connection between the two of them that Fu Huaiyu did not dare to act rashly. Currently, this person was just a bait, of course, as for the big fish behind him, no matter what, Fu Huaiyu had to know!


    "Then what does Your Highness plan to do next?" Now this was the most important issue. Because of this relationship, the current situation had become a little timid. To be honest, it made people feel a bit aggrieved. However, since their master was already like this, they could only bear with it a little.


    "Don''t worry, the cunning fox will one day show his tail." Fu Huaiyu''s mouth hooked up into a smile, but in Mo Zilian''s eyes, this smile looked like the smile of a fox. He only dared to say those words in his heart, but if he really expressed it, the consequences would be unimaginable for him.


    "I wonder who this is?" The question in Mo Zilian''s heart was extremely big, if this person was not an ordinary person, then the relationship behind him would not be able to find him, which meant that all of this was related. Looking at the look of his master, he did not know whether he would tell Mo Zilian or not, but he was extremely curious, afraid that his master would come back and cause trouble again.


    "He''s not just anyone else, he''s a deputy general called Liang Yu." This time, Fu Huaiyu stopped joking around and became serious. Regarding this person, he had already done some research and gained some understanding about him in the past few days.


    Mo Zilian frowned, he was extremely familiar with this official position, "Assistant general?"


    "This is how things are now. We must not act rashly. Let''s wait until things are settled before we do anything else." After all, no one could say for sure about the current situation. At the moment, they could only be a little more careful.


    "Your highness, your subordinate understands." Mo Zilian also understood the importance of this matter, and of course, he could not rashly make a move, so he could only do this.


    At that moment, the waiter pushed open the door and asked, "Sir, there''s a shop assistant outside who wishes to see you. I don''t know what you mean ¡­"


    On the surface, Fu Huaiyu had a smile on his face, but if it was as he had expected, "Oh, I''m curious, who is it?" If he was not wrong, then this person was definitely someone he was familiar with.


    "In that case, let him in." Fu Huaiyu kept his fan and smiled to the waiter at the door.


    "Greetings your highness. I was sent here from the Prime Minister Liu to ask Your Highness about the matter before. I don''t know if Your Highness would agree, but can you agree to it now?" The servant at the door was surprised, Fu Huaiyu sneered in his heart, but since he was the one who said it, he would definitely not change his mind.


    "If the Prime Minister truly makes friends and thinks highly of this king, then this matter has really been a slap in the face." Fu Huaiyu put down the teacup, his face had an amiable smile.


    "I have come with the intention of being the prime minister. If the king really wants to agree, the prime minister will do his best." The attendant at the side respectfully told his Prime Minister what he had said, while Fu Huaiyu ate the pastries in a myriad of boredom, obviously not knowing whether or not he was listening seriously.


    "I''ll go back and tell your prime minister. Since we''ve decided on the same boat, then there''s no need to doubt us. Otherwise, we''d be disheartened." Fu Huaiyu''s face was calm, he knew what the Prime Minister was worried about, but since he had already made up his mind, he couldn''t regret it anymore.

 C97 Threat

    "Esteemed Empress."


    Xiao Shushen looked at the palace maid who was kneeling on the ground, and touched the jade bracelet on his hand. Due to Shen Qingwan''s previous incident, she became much more furious, she only looked at her, and did not ask her to get up, "What is it?


    "Reporting to the Empress, this servant received news that Ninth Prince had hastily gone to Hu Youshan."


    Xiao Shushen muttered to herself, this news had also raised her interest. She looked at the palace maid, her eyes shining with brilliance.


    "Fu Huaiyu went to Hu Youshan. Do you know why Ninth Prince went to Hu Youshan?"


    "Your servant is useless. I am temporarily unable to find out. May the Empress punish me."


    Xiao Shushen sighed in disappointment, she went back to her seat and kept her excitement from before, "Got it, continue to keep an eye on Ninth Prince, if there is any news, report it at any time.


    Xiao Shushen sank into deep thought. Not long later, she seemed to have thought of something as the corner of her mouth hooked into a cold smile and her gaze also revealed a dangerous aura.


    Fu Yuheng knew that he had snubbed the Consort De and spent the night at the Consort De''s place because of him. The night was filled with soft words, but the words were also gentle and tender, warming the Consort De but also causing everyone else in the imperial harem to be unable to sleep at night.


    The next day, Zhao Yuanrong woke up early to help Fu Yuheng dress and eat. After watching him leave the palace, he sat blankly at the table and looked at the door with a silly smile.


    The news spread extremely fast in the imperial harem. The moment Fu Yuheng stepped out of Consort De''s courtyard, Liu Jiaorong slowly walked over with his delicate waist and a kind smile on his face.


    "Oh, this Big Sister Consort De''s complexion is much better than before. After all, it''s just a night of indulgence, which caused Big Sister Consort De to be radiant. She looks so bashful, even little sister cannot help but like it."


    Zhao Yuanrong looked at Liu Chugrong who came uninvited. His previous shyness had disappeared from his heart, and his face showed indifference and politeness, leaving behind only estrangement.


    "I wonder what business does Honorable Liu have with me today?"


    Liu Chu Rong saw that Zhao Yuanrong''s face was filled with an unwelcome attitude, but the smile on his face became even more dazzling, and completely ignored Consort De''s words, he still sat down.


    "Why do you say that, Big Sister Consort De? The entire imperial harem knows that the Big Sister Consort De has received a favor from you now. Your sister is here to congratulate you!"


    Although she was just a small rich person, she still had her mother''s family at her back. After all, it was not good for him to lose decorum with her, and he had to pretend that he knew what was going on behind her back, even if it was just on the surface.


    "Big Sister Consort De, could it be that this is how you treat your guests? After all, Chu Rong is your guest, you wouldn''t even be willing to take a sip of tea!"


    The Consort De did not pursue the matter with Liu Chu Rong, but Liu Chu Rong was the first one to shout, his voice was unconcealable and arrogant, one word at a time, with an ear-piercing tone.


    "Little sister is joking, but I''m in the wrong. I''ve been here for a long time, but I haven''t been able to get you any tea." Seeing that she had suppressed the anger in her heart, she thought it was a lie for Liu Xiurong to congratulate her. She smiled and looked at the maidservants below. With just a glance, someone went out to pour a pot of tea for Liu Chugrong.


    Looking at the tea flowing out, Liu Chugrong didn''t say anything. On the contrary, a little girl''s scream came in from outside.


    "Mufei, mufei, has royal father left?" Fu Lingling threw herself into Consort De''s embrace like a happy little bird, her eyes looking everywhere, looking for Fu Yuheng''s figure in all four directions.


    Zhao Yuanrong hugged Fu Lingling, and helped her tidy up the hair at her head. He also took out a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat on her forehead, that was caused by her movements.


    Seeing such a warm scene, Liu Chugrong bit his lips and clenched his fists. An idea popped up in his mind.


    "Big Sister Consort De, this must be the Third Princess, right? It''s so beautiful, no wonder the emperor likes it so much." Liu Chu Rong stood up and walked in front of Fu Lingling, taking the opportunity while the two were in a daze to hold onto Fu Lingling, his slender fingers caressing Fu Lingling''s face.


    "Elder sister, oh elder sister, you are really fortunate to have such a lovely princess. This Third Princess is so cute and tender, your little sister also really likes her very much. I presume the Emperor really dotes on her as well." With the Third Princess, the Emperor would often come to visit his elder sister, even if he was worried about Princess Jasmine. "


    Fu Lingling felt unwell. She wanted to struggle free from Liu Chugrong''s grasp, but she was grabbed even harder. No matter what, she couldn''t escape.


    "Mufei, mufei, save me ¡­" Zhao Yuanrong saw that Liu Chu Rong was extremely anxious, but she didn''t think that she would catch Ling Ling by accident. She was afraid that Liu Yu Rong would do something too extreme, so she just kept on staring at her, not daring to even blink.


    "What is Big Sister Consort De doing? The little sister only liked Third Princess because she was cute, so she couldn''t help but remind the older sister. Although the Third Princess was cute, but how could she be like the Second Princess? "Hahaha ¡­" Looking at Consort De, the smile on Liu Chu Rong''s face became more and more terrifying. His voice was soft and gentle, but it was filled with ruthlessness.


    Fu Lingling started to cry loudly in fear, she tried her best to struggle free, but her beautiful face was covered in tears, looking extremely pitiful.


    Zhao Yuanrong understood in his heart that Liu Xiugrong was pretending to praise Ling Ling, but he was actually saying that he was relying on Ling Ling to win her favor, and then she would use Ling Ling to threaten him.


    Looking at Fu Lingling who was crying so miserably, her heart felt like it was being gouged out. She couldn''t take it anymore, so she pushed Liu Xiurong away and nervously hugged Fu Lingling, wiping away the tears on her face with her heart, then turned around. She couldn''t hold back the anger in her eyes anymore.


    "Sister is right." "Since Ling Ling is the daughter of the Emperor, he will definitely protect her, so I will not trouble little sister to take care of him. Since little sister has also come to congratulate you, if there''s nothing else, you can go back. Ling Ling is also tired, so I will not stay any longer."


    After all, the Consort De had been in the palace for so many years, and had risen to the position of concubine. She was not someone to be trifled with, and so with a few words, she sent out the order to leave.


    Liu Chu Rong looked at Consort De and was extremely angry. This Consort De actually threw him out, Liu Chu Rong snorted coldly and flew out with a flick of his sleeve, his face extremely ugly.

 C98 Border Danger

    "Report ¡­"


    A long sound disturbed Fu Yuheng''s train of thought. He raised his head and Sun Ning signaled for the person to come over as he hurriedly ran over.


    "Report from the front, the General Shen encountered difficulties, and the situation is not looking good."


    Fu Yuheng''s heart tightened upon hearing the report as he did not expect the General Shen to be in trouble. He had just settled Shen Qingwan''s matter and thought that things would be a bit easier.


    Fu Yuheng and the man who had reported the details were brought back to rest. Fu Yuheng facepalmed as he faced a large table full of memorials. To Fu Yuheng, the intelligence on the front lines was undoubtedly adding insult to injury. He was already feeling even more annoyed and annoyed than before.


    Sun Ning saw that Fu Yuheng''s expression did not look good, and thought of Shen Qingwan who had just been released from her confinement.


    "Sigh, this Concubine Xian just escaped from a calamity, I''m afraid he''s worried sick."


    Hearing Sun Ning''s words, Fu Yuheng thought of Shen Qing Wan and her ice-cold, clear eyes. If she was here, he might be able to relax a lot.


    Now that she knew about the General Shen, she would definitely be deep in thought and worry. She wouldn''t be able to recuperate properly so she wouldn''t be able to find out.


    He went to visit her in her courtyard, and she had even unintentionally asked him about the situation of the General Shen. That concerned expression of hers was a little unbearable to face now that he thought about it, Shen Qingwan had always been indifferent to everything, as if only the General Shen could arouse her emotions.


    "Sun Ning, don''t mention this matter to Consort Xian first."


    And at this time, the General Shen was in a state of deep suffering.


    He was careless this time. He was caught in someone else''s trap and was trapped in a cave inside the mountain. There was only a group of people outside. It would be a battle to the death for the enemies outside.


    "General, what should we do now?" A soldier''s face was covered in cold sweat while his heart was filled with anxiety.


    Originally, the situation had shifted in his favor. However, it was unknown whether it was because too many things had happened in the family recently. In addition, he was somewhat dissatisfied with this matter. After all, he did not know what would happen to his daughter.


    In the morning, someone came to report that the thieves had run up the mountain. He brought a few more men cautiously, but when they reached the mountain, he found that their leader was running in another direction. Helpless, he could only split his troops into two.


    After the search, he only saw a shadow flash in front of the cave. Although he was suspicious, but a soldier said that he left a few numbers behind along the way, so it was likely that reinforcements would arrive soon. General Shen was not worried anymore and chased into the cave.


    However, only after entering did he discover that there was only one thief inside. Upon seeing them, he immediately committed suicide.


    Only then did he realize that he had fallen into a trap. When he looked back, the cave entrance had already surrounded them twice as many people. However, because they were inside the cave, the people outside didn''t dare to act rashly. The people inside couldn''t go out either, so there was a moment of stalemate.


    It had been half a day since he entered, but there was no sound from outside. They didn''t have much rations on them, so they could only sustain themselves for two days at most.


    However, logically speaking, the reinforcements should have come out to look for them after seeing that they still hadn''t returned after so long, so why hadn''t they heard anything from them yet?


    Doubt arose in his heart, but at this moment, he heard a mocking laugh coming from outside, "Hahaha! It seems like a dignified General Shen is only so-so, wouldn''t he be trapped here by us, waiting to die? " General Shen had heard this voice before, it was the leader of the bandits.


    "Humph!" With a cold snort, their eyes also turned cold. Right now they were like fish on a board, they could lose their lives at any time.


    "Are you sure you made the mark?" Frowning, General Shen looked at the soldier with doubt.


    If the mark was wrong, then they wouldn''t be able to find them even if they found the ends of the world. He knew that this cave was remote, but it had brought them great danger.


    "Haha!" Was the General Shen still waiting for reinforcements? That vice general of yours? " The people outside spoke again. They did not even need to look to know that it was a disgusting face, and secretly mocked him in their hearts, "General Shen actually has times where people can''t recognize each other."


    Hearing that, General Shen''s face also changed. He knew that his assistant general would definitely not betray him, since he was someone who had been following him the entire time.


    The surrounding people also reacted, and the gaze in which they looked at the soldier became more vigilant. They all took a step back, leaving a circle to surround him.


    Sure enough, the soldier''s legs went limp and his eyes were filled with panic.


    "General, please spare our lives!" Putong knelt down and actually started crying.


    General Shen was frustrated and disappointed by the soldier. He did not expect to be betrayed by someone, "I have never treated any one of you unfairly, why do you want to do such a thing?"


    The outcome of the battle was ever-changing, but if it were any more unpredictable, it would be the death of this team of men and women!


    He was not greedy for wealth, nor was he afraid of death. However, he was originally a person of this border, and went to the army to fight for his own life, but the leader had somehow recognized him and found his parents to threaten him. Furthermore, there was a young brother in the family, how could he be at ease!


    In a short while, they had no choice but to compromise. They had only left a mark at the beginning to confuse the situation. Afterwards, they had perfunctorily done so and no one had seen where they were leading them in another direction.


    "Whatever. You can decide for yourself." General Shen threw the sword in his hand over, right in front of the soldier.


    The soldier knew he was too ashamed to live, so he picked up his sword and slit his own throat.

 C99 A War Against the Water

    General Shen looked at the soldiers on the ground, a blood-red image appearing beneath him. He couldn''t bear to face the soldiers behind him, and only felt that he should not employ himself properly, and instead brought these brothers who had been bitterly following him down.


    General Shen''s eyes were sharp like a torch. Looking at the glaring red light, he couldn''t think of any methods at the moment, he only felt that his head was in a mess, barely stabilizing his mind, he vaguely heard someone shouting outside, extremely arrogant.


    "Someone with the surname Shen, get out here. Why are you hiding like a turtle? Is it not good for you to come out because you are afraid of your grandfathers?" "Hahaha."


    General Shen heard their curses clearly, his face ashen. The soldiers behind him also shouted at the same time and retreated, they could not allow them to insult the general.


    General Shen was moved when he saw the indignant soldiers. He organized the words in his mind and raised the swords in his hands, imposing and mighty.


    "Soldiers, listen to me, we are surrounded by the enemy, although there are so many enemies, none of the soldiers I brought out are cowards. For our wives and children in the capital, for the rivers and mountains that we painstakingly surrounded, we absolutely cannot admit defeat. I, a hot-blooded man, would rather die than kneel and live.


    General Shen''s speech was exciting, the atmosphere immediately became high-spirited, all of them were passionate and heroic, they could not wait to rush out and dismount the enemy leader. When General Shen saw the atmosphere as he had expected, he waved his big blade, causing sand and dirt to fly into the air.


    "Kill ¡­" Kill ¡­ "Kill ¡­"


    All the soldiers followed General Shen''s voice and shouted loudly. Their auras were like clouds and it was true that the blood of humans was gushing out.


    "General, you are the commander-in-chief after all. Without you, our soldiers are like a pile of scattered sand that disintegrated without a fight. Why don''t you change clothes with me? If you really can''t tear a bloody path open, you can take this opportunity to escape and take revenge for our brothers with your hopes!"


    Suddenly, the soldier closest to General Shen kneeled onto the ground as tears streamed down his face. General Shen hurriedly helped him up, but refused him with a face full of righteousness, "How can we do that, I definitely won''t abandon my brothers and not leave them behind. I have reprimanded the battlefield for so many years, I have never been greedy for my life or feared death.


    As a man, it was a great honor to die in battle, and it was also a great honor for him to die in the battlefield, "General, please listen to this subordinate. If you were to die here, what about our mountains, what about our wives and children, what about our brothers? I beg you, for the sake of the entire mountains, you can exchange with me."


    General Shen knew that no matter how hard the enemy tried to trap him here, they would never let him out alive. The soldier was right, he was not only carrying his own life, but the entire country, but this soldier would definitely die if he wore his own clothes. General Shen could not help but turn his face to the side.


    "You ¡­"


    The soldier tried his best to hold back his tears as he revealed a smile. Looking at General Shen''s gaze, the two of them looked at each other, and General Shen could see that he was determined to die.


    "General, it''s too late. Please agree."


    General Shen covered his face and silently wiped away his tears. He looked at his brothers behind him guiltily and felt that he had let them down. For the greater good, General Shen still changed clothes with this soldier, patted his shoulder, took a deep breath, and called all the soldiers over to his side.


    General Shen and the others formed a circle, who knew what they were talking about, but after a while, everyone nodded in acknowledgement.


    Two people carried some hay in their arms and took out a fire piston. Soon, fire was everywhere and thick smoke was drifting out along the wind. General Shen heard the panic outside and raised his sword, killing intent filling his eyes and shouted.


    "Kill ¡­"


    Following General Shen''s loud shout, all the soldiers rushed out of the cave. Everyone was like demons from hell, wantonly wielding their weapons, instantly becoming a river of blood.


    All the soldiers knew that the capital''s flowers were blooming brilliantly. The season when the flowers should have been blooming was suddenly filled with the sound of chopping and killing.


    The soldiers on both sides clashed with each other like mountains and seas. As if thunder rumbled through the valley, they also charged towards the mountains like raging waves. Longswords and scimitars clanged as spears and spears whizzed by. The rain of arrows covered the sky like locusts. The muffled cries of battle and short screams made the mountains and rivers tremble!


    When the iron men clashed, they would die without turning their heels. Their hideous faces, bloody swords, low howls, and dust filled the air. The entire sky was engulfed by the tragic atmosphere of this primitive fight ¡­


    Sword lights, sword shadows, horn drums, blood flowing on the oars ¡­ The enemy roared past General Shen with his blade in hand. A drop of his companion''s blood fell onto his face along the blade. General Shen used his sleeves to wipe away the blood on his face. However, he was tainted with much more blood and his eyes turned bloodshot.


    General Shen knew that he should have also been a warrior who didn''t fear death at all, accompanying his brothers who risked their lives and fought alongside him side by side.


    But he couldn''t do it for the General Shen. In a daze, he heard Shen Qingwan calling him his father, heard the shouts of the countless soldiers who were hoping for him to take charge of the situation, and saw the earnest gazes of the people he protected. He can''t die yet.


    Just like that, General Shen watched as his own soldiers fell one by one, their armor dyed red with blood. This also proved their bravery and magnanimity, the remaining soldiers surrounding General Shen, escorting him from the enemy''s encirclement.


    The thick smell of blood and sweat mixed together and filled the air. It was pungent and pungent, and those lives that were still alive a moment ago were buried in a pile of corpses. Although the General Shen had fought countless battles in his life, he still could not calm his heart down like water.


    Just like that, the General Shen escaped under the protection of a few soldiers, escaping from the pursuers of the enemies all the way as they ran back to the army camp in a sorry state. Every one of them had wounds of various sizes, and fresh blood flowed all over their bodies, as if they had just returned from hell.


    Everyone stared at them and cast gazes of admiration at them. This was because the soldiers were using their lives to protect the dignity of this country. They were the existences worthy of the most respect.


    With their protection, the General Shen returned to his tent smoothly. The General Shen who was relieved closed his eyes and fell on the ground unconscious.

 C100 out of proportion

    The Vice General Li Chang and the General Shen soldiers split up and chased after the enemy troops. He brought a pair of them and shuttled through the forest, but not a single person could be seen.


    Li Chang raised his head to look at the sky. At this time, he did not know what hour the scorching sun was at, and he and the general had separated for a very long time.


    Startled by his own thoughts, Li Chang looked at his comrades who were still looking around, gathering all of them together.


    "Brothers, we have searched here for a long time, but we have not seen any enemy troops, even the general has not heard anything." Brothers, we have searched here for a long time, we have not even seen the enemy,


    "Vice General, your subordinate is willing to accompany you."


    "Vice General, your subordinate is willing as well."


    "Vice General, your subordinate is willing to join as well."


    Everyone answered Li Chang at once, one after another. They moved him, and when he saw these soldiers that risked their lives bow to him, a thousand words could not even be compared to this action to express the gratitude in Li Chang''s heart.


    Just as Li Chang was about to continue raising his morale to look for the General Shen, a soldier suddenly ran from afar and ran to his side.


    "Reporting, General, General Shen has already returned to the barracks, but ¡­"


    That person stammered and looked flustered, but it was enough to make him flustered and he started to curse.


    "You f * cker, just say it. You talk like a woman, it''s normal for people to get worried."


    The soldier did not dare to speak, and his eyes did not dare look straight into vice general Li Chang''s eyes. Subconsciously, he lowered his head, and his voice was also extremely low and deep.


    Just that, it''s just that General Shen only brought three people back, and all of them were heavily injured. Just as we were about to return to the barracks, General Shen was unconscious, so before he fainted, he ordered his subordinate to look for you. "


    When Li Chang heard that the General Shen was unconscious and unconscious, his heart immediately burned with anxiety. He wished that he could grow a pair of wings on his back and fly back to the army camp immediately. However, he still had a group of soldiers pointing at him. After calming himself down, he brought the people back the same way they came, all the soldiers along the way were immersed in the General Shen''s coma, looking dejected.


    Returning back to the army camp and rushing straight back to the general''s tent, Li Chang looked at the unconscious General Shen, and became speechless from anxiety.


    "Army ¡­" Military doctors, General Shen, how is General Shen doing, when is he in danger, when will he wake up? "


    Li Chang was extremely anxious in his heart. Seeing the Military Doctor''s sluggish appearance, he was even more anxious. Walking around the Military Doctor made him dizzy, and he almost vomited on the spot.


    "Aiya. I said, Vice General Li, please don''t go. You left me in a daze. "


    Li Chang sighed, he stopped moving, and could only rely on rubbing his hands to ease his worry.


    He, Li Chang, knew that he was just a barbarian. Dispatching troops into formations was not enough, if General Shen were to fall right now, wouldn''t it be a mess? How could he not be anxious?


    Seeing that he finally stopped walking, the Military Doctor heaved a sigh of relief. He stood up and looked at Li Chang, but a smile appeared on his face.


    "Fortunately, General Shen is not in danger, General Li can rest assured."


    The news quickly reached the imperial harem.


    "Mother ¡­" "Empress!" The young maid, Xiao Man, hurriedly ran in. He almost tripped on the doorsill and fell to the ground.


    Shen Qingwan unhappily looked at her panting appearance. This maidservant had just arrived a few days ago, but she usually did things in a stable manner. She had never seen such a flustered and out of control before. She frowned and asked, "Why are you so flustered?"


    "Will... "Phew ¡­" Xiao Man ran too fast. Now that she was in front of Shen Qingwan to report the news she had just heard, she choked on her anxiousness and was unable to catch her breath.


    As a personal servant, Lian Yun had been waiting by Shen Qingwan''s side the entire time. After seeing Xiao Man act this way, his expression did not change a bit, and only poured out the tea in his hands and handed it over to Shen Qingwan. He then leisurely walked over and patted on Xiao Man''s back to ease her mood, "Calm down, why don''t you say it properly, don''t miss the matter of the Empress."


    "Empress," Xiao Man calmed down, pinched her uncomfortable throat, and said in a hoarse voice, "There was a news at the border saying that General Shen has been heavily injured there, and has been unconscious for a long time."


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head to taste the good tea that the emperor had bestowed upon her. The news was like thunder in a clear sky. Her hand slipped and the teacup fell from her hand. The temperature wasn''t low, so she didn''t feel hot on her hand.


    She asked in disbelief, "What did you say?!"


    "Empress ¡­" Xiao Man was frightened, and didn''t dare to repeat it.


    Shen Qingwan did not ask any further. It''s not that she didn''t understand, it''s just that she didn''t want to understand. She closed her eyes and forced herself to accept the news calmly. Her father had fallen and was still waiting for her.


    She slowly stood up. Although her face was not as calm as it usually was, she was still able to stop her trembling. She used her voice to be as calm as possible and asked, "Did anyone tell me the details of the message?"


    "To reply Empress, the messenger was a trusted aide of General Shen. He said that there was a spy in the army who had set General Shen up in a trap, and then along the way, he had been shot by a hidden arrow, and the arrow had been poisoned. Xiao Man did not dare to delay any longer, and quickly picked up the main point to speak to Shen Qingwan.


    "This won''t do, now that father is unconscious, how can I be at ease? Lian Yun, get ready. " Shen Qingwan did not care about being sad, she was worried about her father''s injuries, she had to do something for him as soon as possible.


    "Empress, the trusted aides of the General Shen will also be reported to the emperor. The emperor will deal with them. I''m afraid that if you rush over like this, it will displease the Emperor. " Lian Yun said worriedly.


    "However, how can I be at ease with my father''s current state? Lian Yun, you don''t need to persuade me anymore. " Shen Qingwan''s eyes were filled with grief. How could she not understand that her going would make Fu Yuheng unhappy? But that was her father, how could she not care about him?


    "This servant understands. I will prepare the clothes now." Lian Yun did not speak anymore, and helped Shen Qingwan pack up properly.


    Arriving at the entrance of the imperial study, Shen Qing Wan''s heart was filled with anxiety, seeing Sun Ning, she anxiously said that she wanted to see the emperor, the anxiousness in her eyes made Sun Ning surprised, when had he ever seen her like this? Even when it was about the Second Princess, she was only indifferent, but the Emperor said that she wouldn''t meet anyone ¡­ This...


    As he was thinking, he saw Shen Qingwan kneel down and straighten her body. This made her heart ache. Sun Ning waited for an hour, and seeing that she was not listening, he compromised and went to the royal study to pass on the message.


    At this moment, Fu Yuheng was sitting in his study room with a pair of sword-like eyebrows tightly knitted together. His heart was somewhat worried about what had happened this time around.

 C101 Kneel for an audience

    "Your Majesty ¡­" Just as he rubbed his glabella, Fu Yuheng heard Sun Ning''s voice coming from outside.


    What was Sun Ning doing here at this time? Fu Yuheng was somewhat puzzled, but he did not want to investigate any further. After all, there were eight or ten consorts who came here every day. When Sun Ning came in, he reckoned that it was because another consort was causing trouble outside.


    "Your majesty, Concubine Xian was waiting outside with an anxious expression. This old servant said that Your majesty was busy and did not want to see anyone, but in the end, this old servant said that he was kneeling in front of the palace and wanted to see you."


    He was not in a good mood due to the innumerable government affairs that were already going on. He turned his head and looked out the window. It seemed like noon was the most poisonous time.


    Sun Ning added in a very colorful manner, "The place where you are kneeling is still the most prosperous prince in the world. Your majesty, are you really not going to take a look? Or perhaps, invite Concubine Xian in for a drink of cool tea? "


    Fu Yuheng did not speak. He silently looked at the ice cube on the other side of the table. If that woman came in and blew with him, she should be able to relieve the heat in the courtyard a little bit.


    Sun Ning followed Fu Yuheng''s gaze as he seemed to pass by. He understood what was going on and silently retreated.


    As for Shen Qingwan, who was slightly confused due to Princess Qian Qian''s kneeling, she had long since been muddled by the General Shen''s incident. At this moment, she could not care about anything else.


    If not for her father''s sudden appearance, how could she have not been successful? She simply knelt down recklessly, hoping that Sun Gonggong would let Fu Yuheng out to meet her.


    She had no confidence that Fu Yuheng would divulge the news to her father just because she pleaded for mercy.


    Fu Yuheng originally wanted to reprimand her, but when he looked up, he saw that her face was pale and her expression was clearly more panicked than before. Even the words on the tip of her tongue were unable to leave her mouth.


    "If you disturb my business like this, I can punish you with a death sentence."


    "Chenqie knows how great of a sin it is to be a saint without an imperial edict."


    His voice was also different from before, but there was a hint of bitterness in his tone that inexplicably made his heart ache.


    "But even if the Emperor were to punish this concubine''s death, this concubine would dare to ask. Is this concubine''s father well?"


    Fu Yuheng didn''t speak. He just looked at her silently.


    "Father, may I ask what happened at the border? The soldiers Father brought out were all elite soldiers, and Father is the general, how could he be injured?" "Your majesty, please forgive chenqie''s feelings. As long as you answer chenqie''s question, chenqie is willing to accept the punishment."


    As soon as he finished speaking, he kowtowed heavily twice, causing his heart to sink with a loud ''bang''.


    Although she knew that in this woman''s heart, she cared a lot about her father, she didn''t even care about him. She only wanted to know how well her father was.


    Fu Yuheng''s heart suddenly skipped a beat. If he were to encounter danger in the future, would she be that worried about him?


    However, he immediately shook his head. As the ruler of a country, it seemed unlucky to think that he was in danger.


    In her current state, it was fine that she was only seen by him, but if others were to see her, the harem would be full of people who would talk about what had happened today.


    By the time Fu Yuheng had reacted, he had already strode to her side and helped his up onto the dragon bed. He comforted his in a rare soft voice, "Your father will be fine. If it were anyone else, I dare not guarantee. "But your father, as my subject, with the protection of my dragon aura, will naturally return safely."


    When Shen Qingwan heard this, she relaxed her tensed muscles and collapsed to the ground.


    When Fu Yuheng saw her powerless expression, he felt some heartache.


    Shen Qingwan, on the other hand, seemed to be in too much of a fluster. She even believed these words. Grabbing his hand, she looked at him expectantly: "Your majesty, you will protect Chenqie''s father when he returns safely, right?!"


    But now, Fu Yuheng seemed to have realized that no matter how much of a contrast there was between her calmness and his jubilation before him, he had always overlooked it. Now, she was only a girl.


    He would cry, he would make a ruckus, he would have no sense of security, he would search for safety, he was just like a young beast.


    Fu Yuheng stroked her head. Shen Qingwan was a very rare sight, but he felt very comfortable with it. He continued to comfort his, "Yes, your father will be fine. He will come back to see you give birth to a dragon for me. Take him to the battlefield to train, and support him."


    Shen Qingwan did not feel that anything was wrong. She held onto his hand as if she was hugging onto the last straw of the ocean, murmuring, "Yes, father will come back."


    Fu Yuheng took a glance at the fragrant tea that he had fed her when she wasn''t paying attention. There seemed to be some Spirit-Sobering Medicine added in it, causing the medicinal effect to take effect. Shen Qingwan slowly quietened down.


    However, perhaps Shen Qingwan still couldn''t fall asleep even though she hadn''t seen her father.


    Fu Yuheng didn''t act like a criminal and knocked her out. He had no choice but to call for a palace maid that was waiting outside and repeat a few words before letting his go.


    Shen Qing Wan quietly leaned on the carriage, looking to be in low spirits, the palace maids were all anxious.


    When he returned to the palace, Lian Yun stood at the entrance as he looked around. From afar, he saw a carriage heading in his direction, and after he focused his gaze, he noticed that it was her.


    When the esteemed Empress ran out in that state in the morning, she couldn''t stop her, but she was also afraid that the Empress had offended the emperor. Only now, seeing that her own Empress had returned with all her hair tied up in a bun, did her heart finally calm down.


    But when he came to pick her up, he saw that she didn''t have much energy left, so he tensed up again. "Esteemed Empress, what''s wrong? Your face is deathly pale. Did you follow the emperor ¡­"


    If she just hadn''t seen the emperor, that would have been fine. What she was afraid of was that the empress had offended the emperor, and he had reprimanded the empress.


    Shen Qing Wan came back to her senses and pulled Lian Yun''s hand, feeling a little lost: "Lian Yun, your majesty should have tacitly acknowledged that I am alright now. Tell me, is my father really alright? It can''t be that the Emperor lied to me to coax me, right? "


    So it was for this matter that Lian Yun actually calmed down and patted her hand, "Empress, don''t worry. The emperor has never said anything that isn''t a lie. Moreover, the emperor has never kept the Empress from him, so the Empress can rest at ease. "


    Only after Lian Yun had coaxed her like so, did Shen Qingwan finally regain her senses. Yes, Fu Yuheng would never lie to her. She was frightened, so she got lost.


    She seemed to be deceiving herself, but the panic in her heart was much calmer. Her tears slowly flowed from the corners of her eyes to her cheeks, revealing an additional weakness.


    She had always been indifferent, but now, she couldn''t calm down no matter what.


    Ever since she was young, her father had always been a hero on the battlefield, but now, news had spread and she was unconscious. How could she be at ease? Lying on the bed, perhaps because he was too worried, he also couldn''t sleep soundly.


    It had been a long time since Lian Yun had seen a child like her. She gently covered herself with a blanket, and then went to guard outside the door.

 C102 Pray for peace

    "Wan-Er, what did dad bring you?" In the midst of the confusion, everything that was familiar to him seemed to have returned.


    "Father ¡­" Shen Qingwan''s eyes that were filled with tears widened in disbelief. The smiling and amiable person in front of her was her father, "Father, father, it''s so scary. Wan''er had such a terrifying dream and dreamt of father ¡­" Shen Qingwan suddenly threw herself into her father''s embrace, holding back her tears for a long time.


    "Silly girl, you''re already so old yet you''re still crying? Is daddy such a useless person? "Be good, Wan-Er. You must be strong." General Shen looked kind, his eyes full of love.


    "Father ¡­" Lian Yun waited worriedly at the side. After all, Shen Qingwan''s current state of mind made people worry, and the current her, who was in her sleep, was not at all stable. She did not consciously rest, and even the pillow with the Luan flying inside was covered with tears.


    The sun rose, dispelling the unease he had that night. Seeing that Shen Qingwan was still asleep, Lian Yun went to prepare some breakfast.


    Shen Qingwan slowly sat up from the bed. Her black hair that was scattered all over the place revealed the paleness on her face.


    After she finished washing up, Shen Qingwan''s gaze turned deep. Outside the window, there was a beautiful sky. That pure blue color seemed to cause all the sadness in the room to disappear.


    Shen Qingwan had now returned to her usual temperament. It seems that the panicked appearance from yesterday was merely a momentary illusion.


    Shen Qingwan could only pray in her heart that her father would be blessed by the gods and that nothing bad would happen to him.


    Seeing how things were right now, Lian Yun who was serving by the side was filled with worry, but she was unable to help.


    "Empress, it''s time to eat." Lian Yun called out softly from the side, but Shen Qingwan seemed to be immersed in her own world at the moment, and there was not even the slightest reaction, "Empress, if you don''t use food, this taste would be unpleasant. Now that you are wasting your own body, if General Shen knows about this, how much pain will she feel in her heart? "


    Now that Shen Qing Wan was like this, Lian Yun felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart, even his voice was choked with sobs.


    "Lian Yun..." It seemed to be an endless ethereal, so ethereal that it made one''s heart ache.


    Lian Yun hurried forward, and the Empress'' entire body was wrapped in grief, "Empress ¡­"


    "Tell me, father will definitely be fine, right?" Shen Qingwan''s eyes were a little empty.


    Hearing that, Lian Yun was startled, but she quickly nodded her head, "It will, General Shen is my pillar, it will definitely be fine. Empress, quickly eat, or else the general will come back ¡­"


    "Alright." Shen Qing Wan looked into the distance and actually didn''t make a sound for a while. After a long while, she just came back to her senses and replied softly.


    This day was destined to not be peaceful.


    On the other side.


    "Giddy up!" The sound of the hooves of the horses tore the quiet street apart. The loud sounds of the horses roaring towards the sky brought with it a proud aura as they came to a steady halt.


    Fu Huaiyu nimbly got off the horse, and with a "shua" sound, he waved his fan slightly. The interest in his eyes became even stronger.


    "Heh, looks like this game of chess is even more interesting." A trace of light flashed in the eyes of the slightly perked peach blossom.


    Currently, the matter regarding Hu Youshan had been put to one side for the time being. After all, when it was time to come, no one could stop him.


    "Ninth Prince." When Prime Minister Liu saw the newcomer, he hastily went ahead and gave his official''s gift with a smile.


    Fu Huaiyu also put away his fan, and the corner of his mouth slightly curled up, "Prime Minister Liu." Actually, with regards to the Prime Minister Liu''s choice, he had already come to a decision in his heart, so there was nothing strange about it.


    "When I heard that Prince Hu Youshan was assassinated, this official is also very worried." Prime Minister Liu waved his hand and a pot of good tea was served.


    Fu Huaiyu picked up the cup of tea and took a sip, yet the corner of his eyes did not seem to care about it at all, "Heh, just some unsightly fellows, alright?


    "But who found out?" Prime Minister Liu asked.


    He put down the cup in his hand and said, "Perhaps this king is in the way and someone can''t wait anymore and wants to take this opportunity to clean up this king. Many thanks to Prime Minister Liu for your concern. This king will take care of these small matters." The corner of Fu Huaiyu''s eyes had a look of contemplation, "Now, Prime Minister, is there anything to worry about?"


    "Haha, as expected of the Ninth Prince. He can''t get away with this pair of Fiery Eyes of Truth." Prime Minister Liu was startled at first, then laughed out loud.


    "Ninth Prince, I truly troubled you. I still remember that Ninth Prince said that he could help my daughter ¡­" After all, to the person in front of him, he always felt that he was too strange, and could not even guess what he was thinking.


    "This king will take the relationship between Prime Minister Liu and this king very seriously. Prime Minister, do not worry too much." Fu Huaiyu slightly bent his elbow, and caressed his chin with his slender fingers. He could guess what the person in front of him was thinking, and it also allowed him to eat a peace of mind pill.


    "If that''s the case, then thank you, Your Highness." The Prime Minister Liu cupped his hands together. Honestly speaking, he felt that this Ninth Prince''s promise was trustworthy, so the two chatted for a bit more. Fu Huaiyu did not disturb them any further and said his goodbyes.


    The capital was different from before.


    Fu Huaiyu''s eyes that were filled with laughter, turned and looked thoughtfully into the depths of the Peach Blossom. A flash of killing intent passed through, but it was concealed well by Fu Huaiyu and not detected by the person hiding in the darkness.


    In the queen''s palace.


    Beautiful phoenix hairpins of various colors, carrying the power of the harem.


    Xiao Shushen''s fingertip gently streaked across and picked one up from the top quality sandalwood box. She carefully examined it, and found that it was indeed exquisite, especially that Feng Ao''s faint cry, which made people unable to let go of it.


    She gently pushed it into her hair and looked at herself in the mirror for a long time. Her enchanting red lips curled up into a charming smile, which captivated the soul. "All of you, step back."


    "Yes."


    Before long, Xiao Shushen was the only one left in the empty chamber, "Speak." Xiao Shushen looked at herself in the copper mirror and started to dress up.


    "Empress, Ninth Prince has returned to the capital." A deep voice came from behind, without any emotion.


    Xiao Shushen''s face had a smile on it, but taking advantage of the person in the copper mirror, she became even more radiant, "Oh, I never expected that. Keep an eye on them. If you have any news, report it to me in time. " His voice sounded a little lazy, as if she wasn''t really thinking about it.


    "Yes." The person behind him received his fate and fell silent.


    In the copper mirror, there was a strange, chilling smile.

 C103 burning grain

    How many soldiers were willing to risk their lives on the battlefield for the sake of the nation''s safety just to protect their homeland? Yet how many people, for their own selfish ends, actually treated the lives of these soldiers like grass?


    "AHH!" A roar that was filled with unwillingness came out from his mouth. The person lying on the bed was suddenly filled with killing intent. His eyes were also filled with boundless ruthlessness.


    "General!" After Li Chang, who had been standing guard outside the whole time, heard about it, he immediately rushed into the tent. Seeing the person sitting up on the bed, his eyes were filled with joy.


    "General." For the past few days, because of the matter of the general being injured, Li Chang had been working so hard that his head was burnt to a crisp. But one thing had to be said, the way the General Shen led their troops was truly admirable.


    This was a fatal blow to them, but now that the general had awoken, it was equivalent to him finding his pillar of support. In that moment, Li Chang''s heart was also set.


    "Li Chang? How long has this general been unconscious for!? " The injuries on his body had already been treated, but it was nothing serious, but now that it was urgent, he did not know what had happened to him in the few days he had been unconscious, and the reason why he could survive was all because of the soldiers trying their best to break through. Thinking of that day, General Shen''s throat tightened, and he swore in his heart that he would definitely use the enemy''s blood to pay tribute to these warriors'' souls!


    "General, you have been in a coma for three days." Li Chang replied, "General, what happened that day?


    "Then, the Japanese general was too careless. He actually ¡­" General Shen said briefly that the current situation was not favourable, so some things still needed to be considered carefully.


    "General ¡­" Just as Li Chang wanted to say something, someone suddenly came to report.


    "Reporting..." "Greetings, General."


    At this moment, General Shen had already collected his emotions, and in an instant, he revealed the full might of a general, "What is it? "Speak!"


    "General, the enemy outside the city is clamoring."


    General Shen''s gaze turned heavy, and even Li Chang had a face full of contemplation. "Keep probing." He waved his hand. With the current situation, it would not be good.


    "Looks like reinforcements from the enemy army have arrived." General Shen frowned. If it was the case, then many unfavorable factors must have come together. Now, it was unknown whether it was a coincidence or something!


    "In the past few days, I''ve been able to detect that the enemy forces have begun to camp here. I didn''t expect it to be so fast!" Li Chang also had a face full of worry.


    General Shen looked at the battle map in front of him. His many years of experience had made him calm as a mirror.


    No matter what, there must be a way to persevere. There were already so many soldiers who had shed their blood in vain. They could no longer reappear that day.


    "Do you know where the base is?" Li Chang walked forward and marked a point on the map, "This place is pretty close to us, if we start a war, reinforcements will arrive quickly." General Shen unconsciously frowned.


    "Although there is a disparity in strength now, it is not something that can be taken down in a day or two. Since I have chosen to camp, there must be a place to store the grain." Suddenly, a thought flashed through General Shen''s mind. If this continues, it could also be a method. Since he could not choose to fight head on, he could still let the enemy take care of themselves.


    "If that''s the case, then the location of the grain storage must be here." Li Chang also slapped his head and the two discussed with each other. In the end, they had a solution.


    "Now that news of the general''s injury has spread to the capital, it might cause panic among the masses." In fact, this was not only something that Li Chang was worried about, even General Shen was worried about this problem. But right now, it was best to first solve the problem that was right in front of him, and as for everything else, it could only be put on hold for now.


    "However, we can''t act rashly. We''ll send a team to attract their attention first, and then send another team to take a detour from behind and burn down their provisions!" General Shen''s eyes were sharp like a torch, his tone also carried a dense ruthlessness, while Li Chang who stood to the side was also unable to calm down, after all, they were all brothers who walked out of the army camp together!


    Just when the two of them had finished discussing, Li Yuan''s loud voice came from outside the door.


    "Li Yuan!" Seeing that, Li Chang''s face sunk. The one who came was none other than his own brother, just that due to his character, he did not change even in the army camp. The two people who rushed over also did not pull Li Yuan either.


    Brother, General Shen, this subordinate knows that I have made a mistake, but this subordinate is unwilling, I beg General Shen''s approval, and have this subordinate cut off that traitor''s tongue, then see how I fart! Li Yuan knelt down abruptly, his voice was filled with anger, it was obvious that he was confused.


    "Li Yuan, do not be impulsive!" The imposing voice of the General Shen came from above him. If he was released like this, then there would be no return. Now that he had a solution, how could he be so rash!


    "But ¡­" Li Yuan still wanted to say something, but he was met with a glare from his own brother, "This subordinate can''t take this lying down. This subordinate would rather kill the enemy on the battlefield than be a cowardly turtle!" Li Yuan had already hardened his heart, and didn''t care about the look in his brother''s eyes.


    "General, we can''t go on like this. The soldiers will definitely be affected." Mu Chang also said at the side. Although he was angry at the enemy''s clamor, he had a lot more calmness than Li Yuan.


    Liu Yangao''s eyes were also filled with anger. Even his fist, which was hanging by the side, was clenching so tightly that it made clattering sounds, "That''s the general. This is too despicable. Why don''t we just fight to the death?" All of you would rather die proudly on the battlefield than to suffer such humiliation here! "


    "General Shen, stop hesitating and give the order, we are not afraid of death, as long as you give us the order!" The three of them knelt on the ground, their eyes full of determination.


    "Haha, all of you are brave warriors, so this general naturally won''t be so useless. It''s time to teach them a lesson." To be honest, General Shen was very proud of himself. He did not have any cowards in his own army camp;


    Following that, Li Chang, who was at the side, gave them instructions on what to do. It was obvious that everyone was already impatient in their hearts, and now, they wanted to wash away their shame.


    "If that''s the case, then leave it to us. Remember, be careful!" With a gaze full of determination, Li Chang carefully and solemnly performed a military salute, and the warriors behind him did the same. Not a single one of them had even the slightest bit of fear on their faces, there was only an endless amount of strong courage and determination!

 C104 return from failure

    In a place that no one could see, a carrier pigeon flew out from the back of the encampment and flew towards the depths of the forest. In a place that no one could see, a carrier pigeon flew out from the back of the encampment and shot out toward the depths of the forest.


    "What a good plan." That person turned around and disappeared as soon as he said that.


    However, Li Yuan was unaware of this, under the cover of a large majority of the people, he led a group of people and went through a small path.


    At this time, General Shen was on the pavilion, and he felt very comforted when he saw them start to move. However, he did not see Liu Yangao, who was below him, smiling sinisterly with his head lowered.


    General Shen, you must not have thought of this, right?


    The flames of war flew everywhere, and all that was left of the sword light below the city gate tower was a bloody wreckage.


    On the battlefield, how could there not be any deaths? However, not a single person retreated. They were all covered in blood as they charged forward, as if they were machines.


    At this time, Li Yuan was heading towards the enemy camp from a small forest path. Previously, there were people who had already explored the path, but the enemy food was just right at the edge of the forest, so there was no need to find out, and they directly headed towards their destination.


    Food could be said to be of utmost importance to the army. Li Yuan also became more vigilant, and carefully proceeded forward.


    "Puff, puff ¡­" Just then, an unknown bird flew out from a tree at the side. Everyone was startled, Li Yuan also pulled out his blade, but there was no one around, only then did they heave a sigh of relief and continue walking.


    It was a safe trip, but the birds were alerted more than once, but there was never any change.


    "The enemy camp is right in front of us. General, should we go in directly?" The soldier at the side asked suspiciously, only to see Li Yuan shake his head and go straight in. That was no different from a sheep entering a tiger''s mouth, how could he burn food?


    Li Yuan laughed, and then spat the grass leaves out in his mouth onto the ground, and then said: Do you see the people patrolling by the side? His eyes shone brightly, but he already had a plan in mind, "Go and strip them of their clothes."


    The surrounding soldiers looked at each other and nodded their heads after hearing his words. At this moment, they were afraid that they had no choice but to do so.


    Perhaps it was due to the blessing of the heavens, but at this time, an enemy soldier was heading in their direction.


    The soldier looked around and found a corner that no one else could see and began peeing on a tree. At that moment, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and lost consciousness.


    Seeing him in such a state, the surrounding soldiers covered their mouths and snickered.


    "It really is ¡­" Li Yuan scoffed at the front of his nose, as if there was something dirty.


    He gave a glance to the soldier beside him, who reacted instantly. He quickly stripped the man and then put on his own clothes.


    Perhaps because the soldier hadn''t returned yet, he sent someone over to take a look. Unexpectedly, he still used a Sap and directly smashed him to the ground.


    "Very good, it''s going to be easy next." Li Yuan said confidently, but did not expect his every move to be noticed by others.


    After changing his clothes, he easily snuck into the midst of the enemy troops and got himself a few sets of clothes.


    "I heard that our general wants to take that Shen fellow down to his lair in one go today ¡­" His tone was full of satisfaction, but Li Yuan, who was at the side, found it extremely funny.


    He brought his men to the place where the grains were piled. Hmph, they even wanted to carry us off. They didn''t even know if their own homes were on fire.


    But logically speaking, even if that was the case, wouldn''t the number of people in this battalion be too little? The plan seemed to have progressed too smoothly. There weren''t many enemy troops on the way. They were simply shrimp soldiers and crab generals. Compared to the enemies they had encountered on the battlefield, the difference was like the difference between heaven and earth.


    Thinking about that, Li Yuan was startled, he looked around, and sure enough, he realized that the surrounding people''s vigilance was lacking by a lot, in an instant, the sound of the bell sounded, causing everyone to stop, and inform everyone to be cautious.


    At first, they did not think much of it, but after hearing Li Yuan''s analysis, they too felt fear, could it be that they had really fallen into his enemy''s trap?


    Sure enough, before they could get very far, they saw the torches brightly lit in front of them. The provisions were clearly displayed in the center, but there weren''t many guards around.


    But since they had come, it was useless to retreat now. They might as well fight to the death and complete the mission. If they did not, it would be too late to retreat now.


    However, he didn''t expect that just as he got close to the grain, he heard a scream. Not far away from him, a soldier was lying on the ground with a knife stuck into his body.


    Li Yuan was shocked, he immediately shouted, "Quickly retreat!"


    However, even though this was the case, there were still quite a few soldiers who had fallen into pools of blood.


    Shua, shua, shua. One by one, people jumped out from the grass stack. Each of them had a blade in their hands, shining brightly in everyone''s eyes.


    "Damn it!" Indeed, it''s fake! " However, he could only blame himself for reacting too late and not being able to retreat in time. Unexpectedly, even the rations were all fake.


    He thought for a while. Although he had a reckless personality, he had always been in the military. Now that his original plan had been messed up, he wouldn''t believe it even if he said no one was in the middle.


    He suddenly pulled out his blade, looking very determined, he wanted to enter as he wished today, but he needed someone to rush out and inform the General Shen about the situation, otherwise the situation would get worse and worse. If he did not kill the traitor, then there would be no peace at the border.


    "Retreat!" This was absolutely not the time to fight passionately. The surrounding enemy soldiers had already surrounded them, and now they could only fight their way out.


    It was a good thing that the people they brought today were all experts. Even if they were in the midst of so many people, they would still be able to contend against them.


    "General, be careful!" cried out in alarm. He turned his head to look, only to see a soldier blocking in front of him.


    "Retreat!" With another loud bellow, Li Yuan''s eyes also started to turn red.


    These were all his brothers! He could only watch on helplessly as they all fell to the ground one by one. They charged forward as if they were insane, not afraid of death at all as they blocked the sword and saber for him.


    But even so, when they escaped from the enemy camp, there would only be five people left.


    However, the enemies were still chasing them, so they had no choice but to escape.

 C105 total annihilation

    Li Yuan clenched his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. Because he had underestimated his enemies, the strategic plan was not reasonable, but now that the soldiers had all fallen, he did not have the ability to bring their corpses back. He wanted a bloody battle, wanted revenge, but he still had to pass the news to the General Shen, he absolutely could not stop here.


    The rest of the four warriors also followed him, trying their best to get back, their faces full of grief. Their plan did not succeed, and they already lacked so much combat power. Their losses were undoubtedly huge. If they couldn''t spread the news that there was a traitor, then the lives of their group of people would be given to the enemy for nothing.


    They could only run for their lives. Other than the whistling wind, they could not hear anything else. They also did not want to hear anything. No one could be sure if the pursuers had caught up or not.


    Li Yuan ran as he quickly thought about the current situation. Although he was reckless and impulsive, he was not stupid. When their small team secretly moved out to burn the enemy''s grain, the soldiers on the team only found out about the target content, let alone the rest of the troops. All the way to the enemy''s grain area, no one left or did anything to spread the news. If it was the soldiers who revealed the news, the enemy would not have had the time to arrange such a play.


    Therefore, the problem could only be found in the few people who had participated in the discussion on this matter in the General Shen.


    Li Yuan squinted his eyes, a ruthless look flashing past his eyes. Those few people that were in the General Shen''s tent were all trusted by the General Shen. If there were spies mixed in the General Shen''s trusted aides, he would also understand why such a cautious person like the General Shen would be assassinated.


    Li Yuan observed the terrain around him. They were shuttling through a forest, some places had dense trees, but they were not thick enough for humans to hide in. Some places only had two or three small trees scattered around, which made it even harder to hide.


    If this continued, then this place would still be quite far from their base. If the enemy had known of their plan, they would have already prepared a horse and horse to chase them down. If five people moved together in this forest, it would be too easy for them to be targeted.


    Thinking about this, Li Yuan decisively found a place with thicker trees, and indicated for the other four people to stop.


    "Listen up, by now you must all understand that our military''s plans will only be exposed if there''s a traitor. Since the enemy has come prepared, they will definitely not let this matter rest. The goal of our operation together is too big. We must act separately. Remember this well, we only have one mission left, and that is to go back alive to tell the news to the General Shen. As long as you say that the traitor was someone in General Shen''s tent, General Shen would understand. The traitor should know our route from the military camp to the enemy camp very well, so try to avoid the regular route and leave, do you understand? " Li Yuan lowered his voice and quickly passed on the important information to the soldiers.


    "Yes, General!"


    Li Yuan nodded, looked around to see that there were no unusual movements, and said: "Let''s go!"


    The five of them split up and ran in different directions.


    Li Yuan blinked his eyes. Actually, he still had a bit more to guess before he said anything, if the other party was truly the General Shen''s trusted aide, then they would definitely know that he was the leader of the group. Their biggest target would definitely be him. He needed to break away from the group and lure the pursuers away, so that the other four would have a better chance of returning and bringing the news.


    Although this path might have already been exposed, it was indeed the easiest and most smooth road to take away from the barracks. He needed to buy time and also need to divert the pursuers, so he had the courage to continue this path.


    Sure enough, not long after the five of them split up, Li Yuan heard some movement from behind him.


    It was a cavalry unit!


    Li Yuan''s expression congealed, he did not expect that the enemy had prepared all their cavalry, just so they could annihilate their team of soldiers!


    The sound of the horses'' hooves getting closer and closer. Li Yuan quickly turned his head to look at them and estimated the distance. In addition to his sword, he also had a life saving arrow in his sleeve, which could be of some use against cavalry.


    He silently speculated the distance in his mind. Sixty feet!


    He suddenly stopped and turned around. He raised his left hand and pressed it. A cold light shot out from his sleeve and entered the throat of the rider closest to him. Just as he was about to go up and snatch the frightened horse, an arrow flew towards him.


    Relying on his instincts to barely dodge the arrow, Li Yuan quickly turned his head to look in the direction of the arrow. Another squadron of cavalry had already surrounded them. The one holding the bow and arrow was the leader of the high-ranking officers.


    "Give up, General Li." You should all be wiped out. " The general looked at him contemptuously.


    Li Yuan was shocked in his heart, but he did not reply.


    The high-ranking officer smirked and continued in a good mood, "You think we can''t do anything just because we run separately? "When you were in my camp, you were already smeared with powdered incense. Wherever you go, there''s only death waiting for you."


    Li Yuan stared at the man, his hand gripping his sword tightly. The worst case scenario would be that the other four people had already died, and he could not afford to die here. He had to bring back the news.


    He quickly calculated the escape route in his mind, and his expression did not change at all.


    The high-ranking officer did not pay any attention to him and waved his hand nonchalantly, "Kill."


    The cavalrymen surrounding Li Yuan immediately rushed forward, and Li Yuan relied on his brute force to tenaciously fight back with his sword. However, they were outnumbered and soon suffered injuries.


    No! This won''t do! He must return alive! Li Yuan''s eyes turned red, he roared and slashed at the man in front of him, ripping a hole in the encirclement, he grabbed hold of the chance to escape, and with his life on the line, he ran towards the other side of the uneven ground.


    "Whoosh!" A sharp arrow pierced his left leg, almost causing him to kneel on the ground. He relied on his will to push forward a few steps, and then unknowingly tumbled down the hill.


    "General Li!"


    Just as he was about to run out of energy, the soldiers who had come to patrol the border spotted him. He hurried over and carried him back to the military camp.


    "First..." Bring me to the General Shen, I, I have something important to report. " Li Yuan said with his hoarse voice.


    Although the soldier carrying him was worried about his injuries, he was also afraid that he would miss some important information and directly brought him to the General Shen.


    "Will... General, "Li Yuan pulled on General Shen''s sleeve with much difficulty," No, it''s gone. No, I''m fine. The arrow was even poisoned. "The plan was leaked and the entire army was annihilated. Within the army, there was a traitor. It was yesterday, and the people in the account ¡­"


    As soon as he finished speaking, before General Shen could react, Li Yuan, who was holding his breath to pass on the military news, closed his eyes forever.

 C106 The Wrath of the General

    When General Shen saw Li Yuan who had already died, the anger in his heart burned like a thunderbolt in the sky, and he was unable to get rid of it without taking care of it. Looking at his dead right-hand man, his heart felt like it was being chopped by a thousand steel knives.


    Even if they were to talk about their relationship after all these years, with such a good brother falling in front of him without any forewarning, General Shen still found it hard to control himself.


    Even though he had been on the blade for so many years, he had told many of his brothers that even if their own mother were to fall in front of him, they should not panic.


    He understood the reasoning, but now that it was his turn, he suddenly felt that the reasoning was very weak.


    There were so many soldiers watching below, so he couldn''t panic. He said just now that there were spies among them and he didn''t know who they were, but now he had to focus even more.


    The General Shen had just calmed down, and Li Chang, who had received the news, had opened the curtain and ran in. He was staggering, and even forgot to take off the armor before being notified, but it was not important now.


    When Li Chang saw Li Yuan on the ground, he seemed to have drained all his energy and laid on the ground limply. He carefully reached out his hand and touched Li Yuan''s nose for a good while, making sure that Li Yuan was no longer breathing.


    How could this be? How long had Li Yuan followed him into the army camp? He''s not even married yet! How could he die?


    Li Chang continuously shook his head, and the seven foot tall Zheng''er''s eyes turned red in front of the crowd''s eyes. He asked with a hoarse voice, "General, how did he die? "Or ¡­"


    His brother hadn''t died in another place, at least he had left his body intact. That was probably the only consolation he had.


    However, the most important thing at the moment was to find the person who killed his brother! Li Chang glared, as though if that thief appeared now, he would be able to swallow that person alive.


    General Shen shook his head and sighed. His tone was filled with regret: "Thieves."


    After hearing the short three words, Li Chang gritted his teeth and turned, about to run out. This bunch of bastards! How old is my little brother? He hasn''t even gotten married yet! The two brothers had even arranged to go to the forest to drink together! They even said that after the battle, they would go home and build an ancestral home for the later generations!


    Even so, that group of thieves should have been hacked into pieces!


    The soldiers beside him did not know what to do. They had no idea what he was going to do next.


    General Shen reacted quickly as he shouted, "Men! Stop him! "


    A few guards reacted, they all rushed forward to support Li Chang''s arms and legs, but even so, they could not win against Li Chang''s brute force.


    It was difficult for the soldiers on one side to support him with their hands. Perhaps he was too sad, but he seemed to explode with more strength than before.


    General Shen silently sighed in his heart for this pair of brothers. Both of them were his right-hand men, one was already wrapped in horse skin, and the other one was a corpse. If he did not give them a proper explanation now, they would become his inner demons in the future.


    General Shen waved his hand, "Let him go."


    Li Chang only realized that he had let go of his hand and that his heart was filled with thoughts of revenge. He had not even run two steps when he heard a words from behind him that made him stop.


    "Li Chang, this general will only ask you one thing, do you have confidence that we can completely annihilate the bandits?"


    As the curtain was drawn back, Li Chang smashed his fist against the pillar. "Bang" a loud sound was heard, scaring all the soldiers to the side so much that they shivered.


    "Nope."


    The General Shen nodded and patted his shoulder, "If you still believe in me, recuperating is most important right now. The deceased are already dead. The living should be able to live well. "


    Seeing that Li Chang did not speak, and was slowly calming down, General Shen waved his hand and gave the order, "My army''s General Li, has sacrificed himself for our country and is now a role model for the three generals! Then, we shall take General Li''s body back to his homeland and bury him for good! "


    Now it was not only to honor the dead but to pacify the army.


    General Shen turned his head and looked at him with narrowed eyes: "Are you serious? Did the enemy retreat? "


    Li Chang also felt that this was a bit inconceivable, for a moment, the eyes of everyone in the camp were focused on Vice General Liu.


    Vice General Liu said affirmatively, "Our scouts have come to report that the enemy forces have retreated."


    The General Shen nodded his head in approval, "Li Chang, your brother''s death was worth it. Pass down the order! Tonight, we will stop our pursuit and rest here! "


    When these words were spoken, everyone''s minds relaxed.


    After all, he had been extremely nervous for so long. It might not be a good thing for him to suddenly relax.


    Even the soldiers on the sentries were slightly relaxed.


    In the early morning of the second day, there were still some stars in the sky, and an arrow pierced the air, brushing past the ears of one of the sentries, causing him to shiver in fright. Even the soldiers beside him were startled, but when they regained their senses, they looked outside the city wall, towards the distant smoke and dust billowing towards them like lightning, scaring the soldiers so much that they scrambled towards the war drums, desperately beating the war drums, hoping to wake up more comrades.


    But it was too late.


    General Shen immediately stood up, donned his armor and ran out. When the enemy invaded, the soldiers fought with the enemy, the battle was too sudden, all he could see was the soldiers on his side suffering, the only option left was to stop the battle!


    Taking out his steel blade, General Shen roared and rushed into the crowd, slashing horizontally and slashing vertically, his flesh and blood flying everywhere, as though he was a war god that came into this world.


    However, he had almost been cut in the ear by a thief. The sound of breaking air came to his ears as he dodged to the side, and with a backhand slash, the thief fell face down to the ground.


    Seeing this situation, the General Shen did not keep fighting and quickly gave the order to retreat. Behind a small group of soldiers, a large group of soldiers quickly retreated for more than ten miles.


    When they were counting the people, General Shen realized that although the battle this morning seemed to be tragic, it was possible that the counterattack was timely and did not injure the body. Only a few of the kitchen men and some of the sentries had died.


    However, if he had continued to fight and the bandits came to their aid, then half of them would have died today.


    At this time, all the emotions had been swept away, and the entire army was enveloped in a fearful atmosphere.

 C107 Suspicion in his heart

    "Pah!" The sound of a cup shattering could be heard, and fury seemed to erupt from his eyes. Sun Ning, who was at the side, instantly knelt down, as it had been a long time since the emperor was angry like today.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."


    "Calm down? How can I quell my anger? Look, here! This is a complete waste of our trust in him! " He flung the paper roll in front of Sun Ning, and even the dust around it trembled.


    Sun Ning bent his body as he picked up the paper roll, but didn''t dare look straight at the emperor in front of him.


    "The border is broken!" To think that he would have the face to tell me! " With a cold snort, Sun Ning who was kneeling on the ground did not even dare to breathe out. The location of the border was already extremely important, and General Shen had always been a heroic enemy, so it was rare for him to lose guard. But now that something happened, and he did not have the time to settle this matter properly, how could he be angry!


    "All of you will cause trouble for me!" This was naturally about the General Shen and Shen Qingwan. A few days ago, the Second Princess had just passed, and now that the General Shen''s borders were broken, the Shen family was frequently in trouble.


    "Go and call the Consort Xian over for us!" With a wave of her hand, she sat back down. However, the rise and fall of her chest made it obvious that she was not calm.


    Sun Ning immediately crawled up from the ground, and sighed in his heart that the Emperor''s emotions were really too frightening, but he did not dare say anything else. "Yes, your servant will go right now."


    After she left, the only thing she could do was pray for Shen Qingwan.


    Currently, Fu Yuheng was probably very angry. If he were to say something wrong, the outcome would probably not be any better.


    "Concubine Xian ¡­" This servant has come to find you again. " The moment Sun Ning entered the courtyard, he shouted loudly. This couldn''t be blamed on him, if one had to blame him, it could only be blamed on His Majesty''s current temper, which was simply too difficult to fathom.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t feel that surprised when she saw him come over. She had already heard from someone that the Emperor was furious, but she didn''t know why.


    "Don''t worry Sun Gonggong, but did the Emperor ask you to come and summon me?" His face was still indifferent on the surface, but it made Sun Ning break out in a cold sweat. The facial features of his face were just about to scrunch into a ball, yet he still did not have the intention to relax.


    "Oh Empress, please don''t be so slow. Today, the emperor was infuriated because of the matter with the General Shen ¡­" Sun Ning stomped his feet in worry, he had accidentally said too much.


    Sure enough, Shen Qingwan''s brows furrowed, then she started to worry, could it be that something happened to her father? With a pale face, she was about to fall, but Lian Yun reacted quickly and held her.


    "Empress, don''t worry. You''ll know once you go with my family to see the emperor." Seeing her like this, Sun Ning knew that she was overthinking it and quickly shut her mouth. After all, the Emperor was still waiting to see her. If she were to fall, how would he report to the Emperor?


    "Alright, I''ll go with you." She steadied her body and brushed the hand Lian Yun was holding her with, but her face was still pale white.


    "Your Majesty, the Concubine Xian is here." Sun Ning told her to wait outside before he went in to report to the court.


    At this moment, Fu Yuheng was sitting on a chair, his mind at ease. He was still frowning, but his anger had already mostly dissipated.


    "Empress, come in." It was only when Fu Yuheng agreed that Sun Ning dared to let Shen Qingwan in. He also conveniently told her to speak as little as possible, so as to not make the emperor unhappy.


    Shen Qingwan nodded her head, but she was also absent-minded.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." He secretly looked up with a worried expression, but she didn''t dare to disturb him like this. She could only wait quietly to the side and maintain a respectful posture.


    After a while, Shen Qingwan felt that her relationship was going to go numb. Only then did Fu Yuheng notice her existence. "Get up and find a place to sit." He knew that she was too lost in her thoughts, so he didn''t notice that she had been waiting for a long time, so he didn''t make things difficult for her.


    "Why did the Emperor call chenqie here today?" Shen Qingwan bit her bottom lip, feeling uneasy. She was afraid something had happened to her father, just in case ¡­


    Fortunately, Fu Yuheng''s next sentence made her heave a sigh of relief. "Don''t worry. Your father is fine." It was as if he could read her thoughts. He told her not to worry before she said it out loud, telling her not to worry too much.


    Perhaps it was because Shen Qingwan''s appearance a few days ago had left a deep impression on him. At this moment, he couldn''t bear to make her worry too much.


    "Look at this." Reaching out, he handed the paper to her, indicating that she should take a look for herself.


    Shen Qingwan was puzzled, but the paleness on her face had already receded. However, after receiving the paper, her expression changed again. However, there were still some doubts within her heart.


    "What does Consort Shen think of this matter?" Fu Yuheng looked at her with a smile that was not a smile, as though he was inspecting her. He wanted to see what she would say now.


    "Your majesty, chenqie feels that there''s something fishy about this matter." That was her father. She knew that her father wasn''t someone who would easily lose a battle, but now the truth was in front of her. If she said that there was nothing to do, then how could she believe it?


    When Fu Yuheng saw her expression, he felt that it was rather interesting. If he could remain so calm at this moment, there would probably be very few women like her in the entire world.


    "Oh? "Then tell me, what do you think is so strange about this?" Fu Yuheng smiled, waiting patiently for her explanation. However, his eyes seemed to contain more interest.


    Shen Qingwan pursed her lips. She naturally had confidence in her father, but the emperor might not be so sure. "Chenqie''s father must be rather trusting. Otherwise, why would he hand such an important matter over to father?"


    Fu Yuheng nodded and continued, "Since that''s the case, how could father be defeated so easily?"


    When General Shen was injured a few days ago, he had clearly resolved most of the situation. Since that was the case, then the enemy would naturally not be that strong.


    Hearing her words, Fu Yuheng also felt that what she said made sense. Indeed, with General Shen''s strength, it shouldn''t have been so easy for them to lose, so what was going on?


    "So, what do you mean?" He asked with his eyes fixated on Shen Qingwan''s expression and thought about her words.


    "Chenqie thinks that something might have happened to the military."


    These words caused Fu Yuheng to be stunned. Surprise? Did she mean that there was a spy?


    Shen Qingwan did not speak further. Last time, a subordinate of the General Shen told her that there was a spy in the army, so who knows if there is only one? Or perhaps there was an even more powerful existence?

 C108 Agree to a thorough investigation

    Fu Yuheng frowned slightly. He had been too anxious earlier and had forgotten about this crucial point. If it wasn''t for Shen Qingwan''s help, he really wouldn''t have noticed.


    Although Shen Qingwan looked indifferent on the surface, her eyes were still mixed with worry and panic. After all, everything was decided by the emperor, so she wasn''t confident.


    If there really was a spy in the military, then the reason why her father was ambushed was also due to someone''s intentions. With such a person by her side, Shen Qingwan''s calm heart started to slowly float again.


    "Your majesty, now it seems like there''s something fishy about this matter. My father has fought in the battlefield for tens of years and has done meritorious deeds, so how could he be so stupid?" Shen Qingwan took a deep breath and calmly analyzed from the side.


    "And you, my king, think that if you do this, what good will come of it? Now that the battle of the country is of utmost importance, we have heard from a general under my father''s command that there is a spy in the army. I''m afraid this matter will be related to you. Shen Qingwan''s eyes were filled with magnanimity, the handkerchief hidden under her sleeve had already been messed up.


    "Alright, allow me to think about it." What Shen Qingwan had said was unreasonable. Currently, the three generals of the army were all Old General Shen, and their daughter also had an illustrious status, to the point where she would never do something that would not make up for her loss. Fu Yuheng did understand the logic of not using people, but right now, he could not judge, and even if he trusted the Old General Shen, how could the officials and officials in the imperial court block the public''s mouth?


    If there really was someone who intentionally framed the Old General Shen, then the intent behind it would truly cause one''s heart to tremble!


    There were some military newspapers that did not know about it in time. If there was really a spy in the military tent, then the safety of Old General Shen would become a huge concern to everyone. After all, if the commander was killed, it would bring a devastating blow to the morale of the entire army.


    Shen Qingwan''s heart felt like it was on fire. She could only use other methods to divert her attention away from her thoughts, allowing her to not let her imagination run wild. However, her concern for her father turned even deeper.


    As for Fu Yuheng, who was sitting on the Dragon Throne, he inadvertently lifted his head and looked at his tightly knitted eyebrows. There was a moment of panic in his heart. Was there a place for him in her heart?


    Even though he had a few answers in his heart, it wasn''t the result he wanted.


    "You ¡­" Fu Yuheng''s eyes were as dark as ink, causing one to be unable to see through his meaning. "Rest assured, This Emperor will thoroughly investigate this matter."


    It was like the howling wind of death in the battlefield, bringing with it a bit of coldness and sadness. "We assure you that we will return justice to the Old General Shen, and not allow this old general to feel cold."


    "This concubine thanks Your Majesty for his trust!" Shen Qingwan inwardly lowered her gaze. What Fu Yuheng had said just now seemed more like a promise. After all, it was good that he believed her.


    "The only thing is that the Old General Shen is the commander and his status is very important. If there really is a spy, even if we do not know who he is, we cannot act rashly or alert the enemy." This was also what Shen Qingwan was worried about. To be able to hide in the barracks and not be discovered, it showed that his status was not low. However, such a hidden danger could destroy an entire country!


    "I only hope that my father will be blessed, and pray for the dragon''s blessing." When her father was mentioned, even if Shen Qingwan was usually calm and indifferent, she still felt a little panicked. After all, he was someone close to her.


    "My beloved concubine, don''t worry. I will, I definitely will!" Fu Yuheng looked at his originally calm and tranquil dark pupils. At this moment, they were actually so empty and lifeless, and his heart ached. He subconsciously stood up and walked over to Shen Qingwan''s side.


    In reality, that feeling was hard to part with. However, there was something else in Shen Qingwan''s heart, so she didn''t really care.


    The Sun Gonggong that was waiting outside the study room had always been uneasy. If it wasn''t for the imperial edict, he probably wouldn''t have been able to endure it any longer.


    He had something on his mind and his body was like a wheel, constantly walking on the spot. When he thought about the Emperor''s expression just now, he was truly terrified.


    "Eunuch, I think you should relax. Concubine Xian will handle this matter well, and Eunuch, don''t be anxious. Lian Yun bit his lips at the side. Although he was saying some comforting words, his ears were sharp, if there was any movement inside the study room, he would need to react quickly.


    "Someone, come." The stone that hung above both of their hearts was called out in a calm and deep voice, causing one to unconsciously feel respect for it.


    "This old servant is here." Sun Gonggong immediately pushed the door and entered. The room was quiet, but his heart was hanging by a thread, but he put it back to its original place.


    "Bring my word, go find Ye Feng, remember, don''t let anyone else know." It was a secret edict, so Fu Yuheng waved his hand, signalling for Sun Gonggong to hurry over. Sun Gonggong knew that this was an important matter, so he could not be careless.


    "Eunuch, please slow down." Lian Yun''s tensed up heart had also been eased. Looking at Sun Gonggong''s state, she couldn''t help but start to joke around.


    Before long, a well-built man pushed open the door and entered. He knelt before Fu Yuheng and saluted him.


    "This subordinate pays his respects to Your Majesty, Concubine Xian." Fu Yuheng indicated for him to rise. At this moment, the person in front of him was no other than the number one guard, Ye Feng!


    "I think the Sun Gonggong has already revealed it to you. Now that this matter is of such great importance, we can''t be at ease leaving it to anyone else. I hope you do not disappoint us!" Emperor Na


    "Your subordinate will definitely complete the mission. Thank you, your majesty." Ye Feng''s look was indifferent but firm. Fu Yuheng also nodded, "But, this mission is exceptionally dangerous. I hope that the number one bodyguard will be safe and sound." Fu Yuheng''s voice carried a tone of cherished friendship, just like those brotherly feelings on the battlefield. A simple reminder was the first treasure of friendship!


    Ye Feng''s heart also trembled, "I accept the order!"


    "Ye Feng..." Shen Qingwan''s heart was slightly moved as her lips trembled slightly. Her soft warning seemed to carry a boundless sigh. If it was him, she would be much more at ease.


    As if he knew the complex and worried feeling in Shen Qing Wan''s heart, Ye Feng''s face became solemn, "Rest assured Concubine Xian, this subordinate believes in Old General Shen. This subordinate will definitely find out the truth!" Fu Yuheng narrated once again this matter in detail. After receiving his order, Ye Feng started to march forward on his horse, bringing along the unknown road ahead of him.

 C109 Unexpected message

    The matter had finally come to an end, Shen Qingwan did not linger any further. Just as she left the royal study, Lian Yun hurried forward to support her. Shen Qingwan had clearly seen the worries in her eyes, and she could not help but smile calmly.


    "It''s all thanks to the Empress''s magnanimity that she was able to smile." Lian Yun, on the other hand, felt embarrassed, and felt extremely worried outside.


    "Alright, alright. Are you alright? Go back to the palace." Shen Qing Wan said softly. Lian Yun was angry for a while, but in her heart, there were many different feelings.


    Now, Fu Huaiyu had also sent guards to investigate this matter, but the direction of the investigation was different.


    Shen Qing Wan suppressed the worry in her heart, while Ye Feng went to the border, who knows how the carrageenan would feel.


    One must know that in the harem, it was already a rare kind of friendship. To have such a character, it was really hard to make friends with, but carrageenan was an exception. His personality was also carefree, and he was actually a woman who dares to love and hate.


    Originally, the palace was like a golden prison, and it was not easy to find a husband one liked. But now, he was sent to the border, and he felt guilty in his heart, because if it wasn''t for him, all of this wouldn''t have happened.


    He had just entered his bedroom and hadn''t even had a sip of hot tea when the sound of burning footsteps came from behind him. The person hadn''t arrived yet, but his voice had already drifted over.


    "Elder Sister Consort Xian ¡­" The moment the girl in front of him saw Shen Qingwan, she quickly walked over. Her face was covered in a layer of sweat from her excitement.


    "Ruo Tong, look at you. Quickly sit down and rest." Shen Qingwan also knew why Li Ruotong had come over, so she allowed Lian Yun to pour them a cup of refreshing tea before she dismissed all her servants.


    "Ye Feng..." Li Ruotong''s thoughts were all on Ye Feng, and as for the tea leaves, he had no other thoughts.


    "Ruo Tong, calm down first, do not worry, this matter is not as you think ¡­" Shen Qingwan''s heart ached, and she quickly comforted him.


    "I know that. After all, he''s not an ordinary person. However, I can''t let this go at all. The place he''s heading to is filled with dangers. I''m just afraid ¡­" Li Ruotong''s eyes were slightly red, but they were sparkling and translucent, making Shen Qing Wan feel a little upset.


    "It''s okay, don''t let your imagination run wild. Ye Feng is the number one bodyguard in the palace. In normal times, he would be kept in the palace and the Emperor is also someone who values his talent. He will definitely do his best to ensure his safety." Shen Qingwan held her hand and could feel the fear in her heart. Her fingertip even gave off a chilling aura as tears fell from the corners of her eyes. It felt like hot oil was burning one''s heart.


    The sky outside the window was still blue, but in the end, it was just the view outside the window. He couldn''t let it go.


    As she spoke, Shen Qingwan''s voice was choked with sobs. She thought about her father who was far away at the border, fighting so hard for the country, and the soldiers who were far away from her family.


    Ever since she was young, her father had told her that only the weak would be weak. On the other hand, on the battlefield, the enemy would not go easy on you just because of your tears. On the contrary, you have to take up a weapon to protect yourself.


    Under the setting sun, it was so bright that it looked like endless mountains and rivers were shining. Fu Huaiyu looked at the peak of the mountain which reached into the clouds and was rugged, as though it was a painting between heaven and earth.


    One of them jumped onto the horse, and the loud and clear sound of the horse''s hooves kicked up a cloud of dust.


    The interest in the corner of his eyes intensified. He did not know how interesting he would become this time. Don''t disappoint This King.


    Hu Youshan was the same as before, and the scenery in the mountain was also pleasant. Compared to the first time, there were no surprises this time around.


    "Who are you!" Hearing this slightly familiar voice, the corner of Fu Huaiyu''s mouth rose into an evil smile.


    In the past, it was precisely this little soldier that was stopping him. But now, it was still him!


    "Nine ¡­" Ninth Prince... " When the soldier saw it, he instantly became respectful. Fu Huaiyu did not even look at him and directly went past, "About that ¡­ Ninth Prince, I will have to trouble you to give me your order badge, otherwise ¡­ " The guard was clearly afraid, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet. Fu Huaiyu only had his phoenix eyes pricked slightly, making others unable to tell whether he was happy or angry.


    "Looks like it was not bad when This King mentioned it casually last time." Taking back the order badge, the guard started sweating profusely, Fu Huaiyu had come for an important matter and did not waste any time.


    "Haha, Ninth Prince, what wind brought you here?" The high-ranking officer inside smiled as he greeted them.


    Fu Huaiyu also smiled as he dealt with it. After he greeted everyone, Fu Huaiyu started his journey.


    "Ninth Prince." The person in front of him was a small soldier, who respectfully saluted. It was just that he was a little uneasy in his heart, as he didn''t know why Ninth Prince had called him here.


    "There''s no need to be nervous. This King is only asking you a few questions." Fu Huaiyu folded his fan and opened his eyes.


    "Yes." The little soldier had a resolute expression on his face, and he looked rather simple and honest.


    The reason why Fu Huaiyu called this little soldier here by himself was because he accidentally met with an opening when he was chatting with the soldiers earlier.


    "Tell me about the vice general Liang Yu that you know about." Fu Huaiyu looked at the soldier in front of him, neither anxious nor impatient.


    "Vice General?" The little soldier was stunned for a moment before quickly regaining his senses.


    "It was just a coincidence. One night when we were celebrating something, we happened to go into the forest and take a piss. We saw a deputy general, and he had a pigeon in his hand. That''s right." The soldier honestly told everything he knew.


    "Speaking of which, I don''t know if this is unusual or not. I can often see deputy generals leaving at night. However, I don''t know where they are going or what they are doing." The soldier thought about it for a moment, and then decided that there was nothing else he needed to add.


    Fu Huaiyu waved his fan in satisfaction, but the depths of his peach blossom eyes made his feel a chill down his spine.


    It seemed like the proof he obtained this time was correct. He did find some gains and this trip was not in vain. However, he could not confirm any of this now and needed to improve.


    Things were becoming more and more interesting these days.

 C110 exposed foot

    The moonlight was bright, and Fu Huaiyu, just in case, brought along one of his trusted aides to guard the forest outside the camp. If he guessed correctly, the person in the army probably couldn''t wait any longer, too.


    They were all tough and tough. Even if their hands were covered in blood, it was still the blood of their enemies. It was a type of pride and pride, but unfortunately, some people''s hands were stained with the blood of their own people.


    The trusted aide standing behind him felt his feet go numb, after all, he was used to being careless and careless. However, when he looked at his prince, he could only restrain his temper, as he had gone through so much to follow his prince, but he couldn''t afford to mess things up. His temper was rising, so he cursed in his heart, "I wonder which bastard it is.


    Fu Huaiyu, however, seemed to be one with the night. His eyes seemed to be lazy, but he was constantly paying attention to the situation in the army camp.


    At the latest, tonight, the spy should have detected the movement in the military camp. If there were no accidents, tonight, he should have sent a distress signal to his mastermind.


    Now that everything was ready, it all depended on when that person wouldn''t be able to hold it in.


    It seemed like that person didn''t make them wait for long!


    When Fu Huaiyu heard the cries of the pigeons, his mouth raised in an evil smile.


    Behind him, his trusted aide saw a pigeon fly out from the bamboo forest outside the camp on the right.


    Normally, there would be carrier pigeons coming and going in the military camp, but now, it was the middle of the night. It was quite strange. If something happened, how could the military camp be so free?


    That should be the messenger pigeon sent out by the spy.


    Without any hesitation, when the carrier pigeon flew over, Fu Huaiyu immediately shot out the small stone in his hand, at the same time, he raised his skill and firmly grabbed onto it.


    The trusted aides behind him couldn''t help but admire him, but what they felt more of was a strong sense of motivation.


    Fu Huaiyu only focused on looking at the carrier pigeon. After confirming that there were no traps on it, he took out the small slip of paper tied up on its leg and carefully examined it.


    After confirming that there were no other communication signals, Fu Huaiyu was still the same ¡­


    After being shocked, one of his trusted aides did not receive Fu Huaiyu''s signal. He did not dare to rashly walk forward, and only stood by the side with his hands crossed.


    Fu Huaiyu opened the slip of paper with just a few words: Empress, if your identity is exposed, how should I deal with it?


    Heh, this matter is really interesting, if it was the one that attracted Fu Huaiyu the most, then that person''s identity as the mastermind, would actually be extraordinary!


    Who would have thought that this matter would involve the Emperor''s harem, Xiao Shushen!


    Ninth Prince kept his silence in his heart. He never thought that the Empress''s hand would be so long that even the military camp could be arranged. There was really some anticipation, but he just did not know if it was really like what was before him.


    One of his trusted aides did not step forward and carefully sized up his expression, "General, what is written inside?"


    Fu Huaiyu casually handed the slip of paper over to him, with a smile on his lips. "Tell me, is this the emperor''s decision, or does the empress decide for herself?" It sounded like he was mumbling to himself, but the voice seemed to be talking about something that had nothing to do with him. However, deep within his peach blossom eyes, a cold light was faintly accumulating.


    A strange dot suddenly appeared in Fu Huaiyu''s heart.


    A trace of anger could be seen on the face of that ill-tempered trusted aide from before. "Subordinate is slow-witted. No matter who is behind this, will Your Highness still continue to endure like this?"


    Fu Huaiyu shook his head, and raised his hand to stop him from continuing: "This is all I can do."


    That person became even angrier, "Does Your Highness want this matter to end here?"


    Fu Huaiyu''s expression was dark as he looked at the carrier pigeon. After quickly returning the small slip of paper to its original state, he raised his hand and sent the carrier pigeon flying. However, there must be a reason for his actions, so he did not ask.


    Fu Huaiyu only sneered, and silently left with his people. The Hu Youshan at night, was not destined to be calm.


    The empress was very anxious, but a few days later, Fu Huaiyu saw a pigeon being delivered from the side of the desk. After calculating the time, she should have received a letter and replied immediately, thus she got there quickly.


    Now that there was no reply from the empress, the one in the military must be burning with anxiety.


    He didn''t know how long he could stay in such a peaceful manner for. If he had a good mentality and was able to remain calm even in this kind of situation, it would be because he had guts.


    If he was in a bad mood, he would definitely expose himself within a few days.


    If he was like this, how could the one in the palace be any better?


    Fu Huaiyu dragged his chin with his slender white fingers. It seemed that there was going to be a good show soon, when Hei Zi fell and Bai Zi was defeated, it would only take a second for them to win or lose.


    Liang Yu was like an ant on a hot pan, anxious to the brim.


    Why hadn''t the empress sent him a reply yet? Did he feel like he was about to be exposed, so he treated him like an abandoned child? Or had something happened at the empress''s place that made it difficult for him to protect himself? The military officer had finally relaxed for a few days, but he still hadn''t replied. The next time when the military was under martial law, it would be even more troublesome to communicate with them.


    In this kind of weather, Liang Yu was actually drenched in cold sweat as he paced back and forth in the tent. He calculated various possibilities, and the more he calculated, the more terrifying he became.


    Liang Yu''s heart was in turmoil. If something really happened to the carrier pigeon, he would definitely be the abandoned child. What should he do?


    His heart was in a mess, but there was nothing he could do! If nothing unexpected happened, the empress would tell him what to do next, whether he should continue or not, just like this!


    At this moment, the tent was opened and a man walked in. Lu An was also familiar with him and didn''t have much of an intention. "Vice General Liang, the prince is inviting you out for an important matter."


    "Ha, that... Did you say what it is? " His mind rumbled. His military uniform under the armor was already soaked in cold sweat. He had a pale smile on his face, but he had already decided on the worst case scenario.


    "Ah, the prince didn''t say anything. Lieutenant General, quickly go. When we get back, the prince will be anxious." The man apparently did not notice anything amiss with Liang Yu and urged him on.


    He forced himself to calm down. He couldn''t afford to make a ruckus now. It really didn''t matter if the empress was held up because of something else.


    Liang Yu consoled himself in his heart, and in the end, he was only making a false alarm.


    With a wry smile, he shook his head. Leaning back on the couch, he closed his eyes as countless thoughts ran through his mind.


    If he ran now, would Fu Huaiyu notice anything strange? If he was lucky, the empress didn''t name him. If so, would she at least be able to keep him alive?


    But what if he named it? If he was lucky, he would be exiled to the north. If he was unlucky, he would be chopped into pieces! Thinking about the punishment for being a spy, Liang Yu could not help but shiver all over.

 C111 Chat In Ledger

    "One, kill!"


    "Two, kill!"


    From time to time, deafening drills could be heard coming from a wide training ground. Fu Huaiyu was quite satisfied with the uniform set of movements.


    After all, on the battlefield, swords and sabers were merciless. If one practiced hard and left behind sweat, they might be able to save their lives.


    "Ninth Prince, do you want to say a few words in front of the warriors?" The deputy general of the military camp beside them had a smile on his face and a respectful expression.


    Fu Huaiyu squinted his long and narrow eyes slightly, looking extremely lazy and content, "Vice General, please don''t be like this. This king is only here to find some peace and quiet. The corner of his mouth curled up as if he was smiling.


    "Your highness sure likes to joke around." The deputy general on the side replied in a low voice.


    "Heh." However, that person seemed to have felt something and turned his head around vigilantly, as if he had not noticed that gaze just now. His heart did not dare to relax, but at this moment, Fu Huaiyu was casually playing with a black chess piece on her palm. Deep within her peach blossom eyes, was an unfathomable expression.


    When Fu Huaiyu returned to the tent, the people he sent out before had already returned.


    Although the current Liang Yu looked no different from normal on the surface, he was still suffering greatly in his heart.


    He had originally thought that Fu Huaiyu would leave very quickly, but now, he did not have the slightest intention of doing so. Facing this kind of situation everyday, Liang Yu was actually truly worried that there would be an inkling of a problem one day, so what?


    However, there was a saying in the ancient book: What''s there to be afraid of?


    At that time when the tent was opened, Liang Yu had some impression of the person who came, because he was the person who was with Fu Huaiyu, and was just now here, what exactly was going on?


    Along the way, Liang Yu had thought of hundreds and thousands of possibilities, if it was any other person, it would be fine, but it was only against the Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu, Liang Yu had no confidence at all, and no one could figure out who he was, so it would be better to be careful and deal with him.


    Liang Yu also wanted to know some details from the side, but because of the silence of the people in front, he had no choice but to give up.


    "Your Highness, vice general Liang Yu has arrived."


    "Vice General Liang Yu greets Your Highness."


    "Vice General Liang, there''s no need to pay attention to this in the military camp. Stand up." Fu Huaiyu raised his eyebrows slightly, and the light in his eyes unwittingly fell onto Liang Yu''s body. And at that instant, it caused Liang Yu to feel somewhat uneasy.


    He waved his hand to signal the people next to him to go down first. At that moment, there were only the two of them in the tent. The atmosphere was quite silent. Although it was quite rowdy outside, there seemed to be another place within the tent.


    Ninth Prince did not say it, but Liang Yu did not dare express it.


    "Vice General Liang, did you get used to being in the military camp during this time?" Suddenly, the voice of Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu came into his ears, bringing Liang Yu''s attention back to him. Although his voice was usually carefree, it gave Liang Yu a lot of pressure.


    ~ What is the meaning of Ninth Prince acting like this?!


    Liang Yu was puzzled, one had to know that he had already stayed in the army camp for more than a year, but now the king had asked him what exactly his plans were!


    In an instant, he had thought of a general idea, but he could not figure it out.


    "Reporting to Your Highness, it''s quite good." Liang Yu replied carefully.


    "Yes, This King actually does like this military camp. I can live freely and freely here, and I can feel the affection of these brothers." Fu Huaiyu''s gaze turned slightly longer, "Speaking of this, do you have any brothers and sisters in Vice General Liang''s family?" Fu Huaiyu slightly bent his elbow, and at the same time, leaned his head on the back of his hand, his gaze not moving the slightest bit from the book.


    "We don''t have brothers and sisters, I am the only son of the family." Liang Yu laughed bitterly, "Then does Vice General Liang have any other relatives in his family? My wife, my old mother, has Vice General Liang ever thought about them?" The Ninth Prince continued to ask.


    Liang Yu shook his head, "Gao Tang has already entered the Western Sky, but we still have a five-year-old son at home." Fu Huaiyu keenly felt that, considering that moment he had with his son, Liang Yu''s expression was somewhat dim.


    "This King feels that Vice General Liang''s son will definitely be proud of his father."


    "Your highness is too kind." Fu Huaiyu then chatted with Liang Yu about a few things related to relatives, making them sound a little more at ease.


    After sending Liang Yu off, Fu Huaiyu clasped his palms, and then knocked on the table in a rhythmic manner, as though he was thinking about something.


    "Someone, quickly go to Deputy General Liang Yu''s hometown and confirm if he has a fifteen year old son." After receiving his orders, the tent regained its previous silence. Fu Huaiyu actually felt that Liang Yu''s son was a good breakthrough point, if he were to see it now, it would seem that it was fake.


    After exiting the tent, Liang Yu was alarmed. He was too nervous just now, and now, his robe was covered with perspiration.


    He turned around and looked at Fu Huaiyu''s tent thoughtfully before leaving.


    Liang Yu actually had a son. This was true, but the things that made people feel suspicious about him still existed.


    Because two months ago, Liang Yu''s son was taken away by someone, but as to who it was, it was still unclear. Fu Huaiyu nodded, waved his hand, signalling them to leave, and then, alone, he began to ponder.


    What a coincidence, if she was taken away, then who could it be? Judging by what had happened, the possibility of the Queen being here was very high. After all, with more chips, one could better control others to work for them. However, things could not be generalized.


    It had to be known that his identity was not something that could be seen by anyone. If that was the case, then it was possible that all of this was done by Liang Yu because he was afraid that it would involve his own son and he would send someone to send him away ahead of time. Now, it seemed that it was possible for both of these to be the case, but at this moment, he could not make a conclusion.


    Fu Huaiyu gently placed the military manual on top of it, and the black object in his hand was tossed forward, yet steadily fell into his palm. It seemed that he still needed to inspect it carefully. "Squeak squeak ~ ~ ~"


    At this moment, he wasn''t the only one who was worried.

 C112 Fu Feis illness is severe

    It was drizzling and filled with endless sorrow. The falling flowers outside the window only left behind the sorrowful look of the land. The current capital seemed especially desolate.


    "Empress, the wind is very strong outside, so you should be careful of catching a cold. This servant has specially brewed this noble Geng Lotus Seed Congee to warm Empress''s body." His heart ached a little. Ever since the general had met with trouble, his own mistress had always been this restless, and he did not know how to comfort the Empress''s heart. Now, he actually hoped that the general could return safely, otherwise the Empress ¡­


    Lian Yun took a cape from the bed and gently tied it around Shen Qingwan''s neck. With the Empress''s current state, her personality was even more cold and aloof.


    "Empress ¡­" After a long while, there was no response, so Lian Yun called out to her softly.


    "Yes, I understand." Shen Qingwan''s voice sounded ethereal in response to the current atmosphere.


    Although the Emperor had sent Ye Feng to investigate, he did not know how the situation was and whether he had found out anything. Furthermore, his father was still well at the moment.


    Shen Qingwan''s gaze seemed to pierce through the thick walls and see the northern wind whistling through the borders, as well as the familiar face of her father.


    Just a moment ago, it had been drizzling, but now it was clear, causing everyone''s heart to be filled with joy. Within the imperial garden, the flowers were delicate and beautiful, the droplets of water, under the sun''s light, causing them to lose their color, even the female servants who were passing by couldn''t help but stop themselves from taking a few more glances.


    Shen Qingwan had completely disappeared, because she suddenly thought of someone, that might be able to resolve her worries. Thinking of this, her footsteps became faster, causing Lian Yun, who was behind her, to be alarmed, reminding her to be slower.


    When she just arrived at the Shufei''s chamber, Shen Qingwan did not look at the servant girl outside. Her eyebrows slightly raised, and she could faintly hear coughing sounds coming from the chamber.


    "Shufei?" It was clearly dark inside the room, and the coughing sound was getting louder and louder. Shen Qing Wan raised her head and looked at the person lying on the bed: Shufei.


    "Shufei, what''s wrong with you?" At this moment, her face was pale and cold sweat was dripping down her forehead from time to time. When she heard a sound, Wu Ling struggled to open her eyes and saw that it was Shen Qingwan. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something, she suddenly coughed.


    Shen Qingwan quickly calmed the Shufei down and had Lian Yun, who was by her side, quickly summon the imperial physician over.


    Before long, the imperial physician arrived. He tied a silk handkerchief around Wu Ling''s wrist and carefully took her pulse.


    "Imperial Physician, how is the Shufei?" After the imperial physician recuperated his pulse, Shen Qingwan''s eyes were filled with worry as he looked at the Shufei lying on the bed.


    "Reporting to the Concubine Xian, the Empress has always been weak. The weather when she came in was a little cold, so I accidentally caught a cold. I will prescribe a few medicines for the Concubine Xian, but I need some time to recuperate." Shen Qing Wan nodded, asking Lian Yun to send the imperial physician away.


    At this moment, Wu Ling was much calmer than before. She wasn''t as powerless as before. "Ah, sister ¡­" Cough * * Cough * * cough * This is as good as dead, so there''s no need for little sister to worry. " Wu Ling forced a smile as she thought to herself that Shen Qingwan''s heart was being broadened.


    "Big sister knows her limits. How could I not pay attention? One must know that one''s body is their own." Shen Qing Wan did not like the way the Shufei said it, it was a coincidence, if it was the next time, what would she do?


    "Alright, alright. I know that my sister is thinking for my sister as well ¡­" Cough cough ¡­ "Think about it." Wu Ling smiled and said, "Sister, please drink some tea first." Shen Qingwan took the small bowl from Lian Yun''s hands, but Shufei did not reject her.


    Seeing the last bowl of water, Wu Ling''s complexion improved, "Oh, by the way, Shen Qingwan, why did you think of coming here today?" He wiped the corner of his mouth with the handkerchief, feeling a little curious.


    "Could it be that little sister has to be busy before you can come and see big sister?" "I''m not thinking about you, but I didn''t expect that you would be so worried." Shen Qingwan''s gaze softened and the coldness in his eyes receded a little. He was still a little girl after all. When he met a sister he was familiar with, he opened his heart to them.


    In fact, Shen Qing Wan originally wanted to ask about her father''s matters, but seeing how unwell Shufei''s body was now, she could not let her worry so much. After Shufei''s health gets better in a few days, she will talk about it again.


    And Wu Ling could guess, since Shen Qing Wan had already said so, she did not expose him, and the two chatted for awhile about family matters. Seeing her slightly exhausted expression, Shen Qing Wan did not linger, and only reminded her repeatedly before she left that she was worried, causing the corner of her mouth to curve upwards, and told the maid that she was close to her side to settle everything properly, before leaving with Lian Yun.


    Now that things had not been resolved, so she could not be anxious either. After all, the Shufei was not in a good condition right now, even if she said that, there would be one more person to worry about, and now that hope was placed on Ye Feng, she did not know what had happened to Ye Feng, and did not know if he had found out the truth behind the matter. At this moment, Shen Qingwan was somewhat envious of the birds flying in the sky, and could freely go to the place she wanted to go, but she could only stay in this place.


    "Sigh, there''s no one who can talk these days." He let out a long sigh, feeling sorry for himself.


    Even if the flowers fell to the ground, it would just be a leaf falling back to its roots and starting anew. It was just that Shen Qingwan didn''t know where she would end up from now on.


    Shen Qingwan faced the direction of the border, her hands clasped together devoutly. She prayed that the heavens would bless her, that this battle would be a victory, and that her own father would be safe and sound.


    Right now, the only thing he could do was pray here. He didn''t know if his father at the border could feel his worry and hoped that this matter could be resolved perfectly.


    Under the peach tree, a beauty dressed entirely in white stood under a group of flowers as she pointed at the falling flowers and floated above her shoulders. Her eyes, which contained a glimmer, were originally calm as they entered the water, but right now, they were rippling.


    Where he was at, however, the scene was very different.

 C113 Doubt is nine king

    After all, there were some matters, even if it was in private, they were believed to be true, but in the public, it was not allowed to have any selfish thoughts, because it was fair!


    Ye Feng finally arrived at the border, and of course, he also knew that the real reason for this was because there was a spy in the army!


    In fact, Ye Feng also let out a long sigh of relief in his heart. In this way, Concubine Xian Shen Qing Wan could finally relax, and it would be a happy occasion.


    He thought that it was an urgent time for the war. If there was any chance to change, the spies in the army would think of ways to spread the news or meet with his mastermind. They could also find a way to get rid of this hidden scourge and tumor!


    If she was caught by him, she would definitely not let him have an easy time!


    However, Ye Feng also knew that there were some things that couldn''t be rushed, so he controlled his temper and secretly mixed into the army camp. This way, he could immediately discover the abnormality of the people in the army, and if he continued to keep this scourge here, then he would definitely nibble away the entire army camp!


    After several days, he still hadn''t found anything abnormal, and now that he was doing this, Ye Feng was a bit anxious. He had carefully gone to the barracks, so he should not have any news about this, but why didn''t he make any movements these few days?


    The night at the border appeared vast and bright. The sky was like a fine purple jade and blue ink that was suffused with a demonic purple glow. However, it also gave one a peaceful feeling, which was pretty good.


    At this time, Ye Feng happened to be unable to fall asleep, so he came out of his tent to walk around. His ears twitched, and at the same time, his figure flashed, completely hiding itself.


    As soon as he saw Ye Feng hiding his figure, a figure carefully walked out from behind and looked around from time to time. At the same time, his footsteps were also very fast as if something was attracting him.


    Ye Feng''s sword-like eyebrows trembled. In the middle of the night, he was indeed extraordinary. If he was not a spy, then there must be some kind of secret hidden away.


    Ye Feng quietly followed, but the soldier in front of him was indeed very cautious, he looked around in all four directions without any precautions, which made Ye Feng have to be very alert.


    Unknowingly, he arrived at the lakeside in front of him. Because he could see everything in front of him, he could no longer follow them. He also didn''t know what dangers were lurking in front of him, and it seemed like he could only wait here for now!


    Not long after, the soldier from before had already walked back the way he came from. He was only barely able to catch a glimpse of the person shrouded in dark robes. As for his face, it wasn''t very clear.


    The soldier did not let down his guard. He continued to observe his surroundings, but in the next second, his whole body felt like it was being pierced through. He stood there stiffly, not daring to move at all.


    That''s right, just now Ye Feng was hiding behind a big tree, taking advantage of the soldier not noticing, and the blade was slowly unsheathed with a cold light, carrying a little weight and a little chill. The moment it made contact with the soldier''s skin, it brought a few wisps of coldness.


    "Spare my life, brave man! Good man, don''t kill me! Don''t kill me!" Before Ye Feng could open his mouth to ask, that soldier couldn''t take it anymore and started begging for mercy while standing at the side.


    "What do you have that could be exchanged for your little life?" The corner of Ye Feng''s mouth slightly lifted into a funny smile. He never thought that this soldier would be so timid, if he was a spy, then he would have committed suicide by taking poison. Moreover, he never thought that this soldier would be so careful, and this was a clear contrast with his courage.


    "I ¡­ I can give you all of my savings. I can give it to you, I can give it to you ¡­" The soldier was obviously frightened. His entire body was trembling, as if he would fall to his knees at any moment.


    "Not at all." After all, he had been by the side of the emperor for so many years, and the title of number one guard was already a symbol of power.


    "Hero, have mercy, good man, have mercy. As long as you don''t kill me, I will agree to any request you make!" When the soldier heard this, he immediately changed his tone.


    "Who did you see just now? What are you all plotting! " These words gave Ye Feng a strong imposing aura, and in an instant, that soldier said everything out loud, "Please spare my life, I will tell you."


    "I''m not sure who that man in black is, but I heard he said that the Ninth Master had already made arrangements. Hero, I was forced to be helpless and spare my life." After Ye Feng heard this, he couldn''t help but to feel puzzled in his heart, "Ninth Master?" The only person he could think of was the current Ninth Prince, Fu Huaiyu!


    Ye Feng had made a prompt decision and had to inform Fu Yuheng of this news. Although he had a lot of thoughts in his mind, in the end, the one who had made the decision was the Emperor.


    "Hero, I said everything, don''t kill me ¡­" The soldier said carefully while rolling his eyes.


    "Conspiracy with a tiger, harming oneself and others!" Ye Feng sneered, this kind of person, even if he stayed, he would still be a disaster, and immediately cut his neck, that soldier''s eyes opened wide in dissatisfaction, and he fell to the ground.


    After taking care of this matter, Ye Feng''s eyes were full of complex emotions. He had never thought that this matter would involve someone with such a complicated background. At present, everything was going to be very difficult to figure out.


    Ye Feng looked at the place where the man in black had just disappeared and saw that everything seemed to have returned to normal. It seemed as if nothing had happened, but people''s hearts were very unsettled and if not for the corpse on the ground, then everything would have been an illusion.


    Ye Feng did not dare to stay here for long, after all, this matter was very important, and he had to go back and report this to the emperor. Ye Feng stood in the forest, and the night wind blew at the mortal dust under the curtain.


    In this bustling capital city, there were many hidden factions that were eyeing this scene covetously. They were plotting everything. This was destined to be a day of injustice.


    Right now, it was better to return to the Imperial Palace as soon as possible. After all, some things had already been investigated, and it was time to report back to the Imperial Palace.

 C114 Ye Feng came back

    Compared to the vast border, the capital was bustling with activity. It seemed to have an air of nobility about it, but it also made people feel a little dizzy.


    Ye Feng was galloping at a very fast speed and looked like he was worn out from the journey, but he did not have the time to be lazy. In his heart, he was anxious and wanted to report this matter to the emperor.


    Now that the matter of the general had occurred to the emperor, his heart was filled with worry, plus with the addition of the hundreds of officials in the imperial court, there was a bit of pressure, and Ye Feng could not be slow.


    Just like that, he rushed into the palace. After slightly tidying up his clothes, he didn''t lose etiquette.


    It was quite a coincidence now, perhaps because he was anxious, but he would often go to the pavilion at the entrance of the palace and sit down, hoping to receive news of his father as soon as possible.


    At first, Shen Qingwan thought that she was seeing things. She lightly wiped the corner of her eyes with the tight handkerchief in her hand. She had thought that she was just a little anxious, but now she actually appeared.


    As a result, the coldness on Shen Qingwan''s body subsided.


    "Greetings Concubine Xian." Ye Feng also saw it and slightly bowed.


    "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. How can Ye Feng accept the kindness of the Empress? Everything is under the responsibility of the Emperor and the Empress. It is also a great honor for the Empress to be able to help the Emperor and the Empress." Ye Feng''s attitude was humble and polite. Although the two of them could be considered to be familiar with each other, since they were at the entrance of the palace, they still needed to be polite in order to avoid people behind their backs chewing on their tongues.


    "Does Ye Bodyguard need to go find the Emperor? Since this is the case, I think it would be better to travel together and listen to the experiences Ye Bodyguard had in the past few days. " The corner of Shen Qingwan''s mouth slightly rose, appearing a little lively.


    "As you command."


    Shen Qing Wan backed off from the crowd and chatted for a while. In the end, she asked the question that was on her mind the most, "Ye Bodyguard, what did you discover during this trip?" Shen Qingwan''s heart trembled a little. She was afraid that she would hear some bad news. However, it was a good thing. She heaved a sigh of relief. After all, she had a huge burden in her heart today.


    "I was hiding in the barracks, but I really did discover the spies in the army." Ye Feng seemed to recall the scene from that day, and Shen Qingwan was also somewhat astonished. Now she actually hoped that there weren''t any more spies in the army camp. After all, these soldiers who were willing to risk their lives for their country were all innocent!


    "I never thought that even the military camp would be infiltrated with spies. If we don''t get rid of this spy, it will be a hidden danger in the end." Hearing this, Xiufeng frowned. He knew what kind of place in the military could have spies planted inside!


    Thinking this way, Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but feel a chill run down her spine. After all, the real mastermind behind all of this was probably not a simple person.


    "In that case, the Ye Bodyguard has found out about the spies, but have you found out who the mastermind is?" After all, everything was controlled by someone. If they were unable to find him, even if a spy missed out on him, they could still choose to abandon him. After all, there was still going to be some trouble.


    "This ¡­" After all, these matters have yet to be reported to the Emperor, and should not be told to others, but when he thought about the matter with Li Ruotong, it was all thanks to the support of the Concubine Xian.


    Perhaps because she saw that Ye Bodyguard was in a difficult situation, Shen Qing Wan did not want to force the issue. She wanted to say it out loud, but Ye Bodyguard got there first, so she explained the whole situation.


    After hearing about it, Shen Qingwan''s brows tightly knitted together. This matter actually involved Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu, and now, it was difficult for his to calm down.


    "Ye Bodyguard, I feel that this matter should not be disclosed ¡­" Shen Qingwan''s brows furrowed as he thought for a while before he slowly opened his mouth and said.


    After all, he himself understood Fu Yuheng. If he were to say it out loud, based on his character, it would be hard for him to not believe it. If he were to accidentally alert the Ninth Prince and arouse suspicions, things would become difficult in the future.


    "Then esteemed wangfei''s meaning is ¡­" Ye Feng also knew that Shen Qingwan must have her reasons for saying so. If she thought about it carefully in her heart, she could have some idea of it.


    "This matter needs to be considered from a long-term perspective. Ye Bodyguard, when the Emperor comes back, can you temporarily hide the mastermind behind this? I''m worried ¡­" Shen Qingwan did not say anything else, but her heart was sunk in a quagmire. It was as if everything was like a mist quietly covering everything, making it hard for the people inside to guard against it.


    Ye Bodyguard agreed readily and continued to chat with Shen Qingwan for a while. Fu Yuheng, who was at the side, also found out about Ye Feng''s news and sent his eunuch, who was standing beside him, to bring Ye Feng over.


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty." Ye Feng''s voice was loud and clear, and Fu Yuheng, who was in the middle of preparing the imperial report, looked him up and down. After confirming that he was unharmed, he heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Get up. How is the investigation going in the military?" After all, the matter at the border was extremely important. The current situation within the army was related to the safety of one''s country.


    "Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble servant had concealed himself within the army this time and discovered some spies in the army. Now, it seems that General Shen was framed." Fu Yuheng frowned slightly. "Have you found out who the mastermind is?"


    "Not yet." Ye Feng also remembered Shen Qing Wan''s request, but he did not tell her about it. After all, this was a dispute within the royal family, and if it was not handled well, it would be the misfortune of the country.


    Fu Yuheng bent his abdomen and lightly knocked on the corner of the table. From the looks of it, the military was not peaceful either.


    "A bunch of gluttons!" Fu Yuheng was not angry. That was a lie. After all, these people were actually doing such things while enjoying the salary of the imperial government. These worms, of course, would be severely punished if they were found out!


    Fu Yuheng then asked about the situation of some of the military camps at the side before letting Ye Feng rest. Now, it was proven that the General Shen was probably innocent.


    His gaze was very long, as if he could see the scenery outside the window. As he thought of something, the smile on his face softened.


    He thought to himself, if Shen Qingwan knew about this news, who knows what kind of reaction she would have?


    For some reason, his heart began to look forward to it.

 C115 Heart Concealment

    "Empress, is there anything troubling you?" Lian Yun, who was waiting at the side, was filled with worry. After the Empress had finished her discussion with the Ye Bodyguard, she did not say anything along the way, but only slightly frowned her brows.


    "No problem." Shen Qingwan softly said, but her heart was unable to calm down. After all, this matter was no small matter. She never would have thought that her father''s matter would involve such a complicated matter.


    Towards Fu Huaiyu, it was hard to evaluate him in Shen Qing Wan''s heart. That pair of peach shaped eyes that had a bewitching purple hue, was forever hung with a playful smile. On the surface, it seemed kind on the surface, but in her heart, it was like a misty fog that prevented others from detecting even a little bit of it.


    Just as Shen Qingwan was lost in her thoughts, the eunuch outside the palace shouted, "The emperor has arrived!"


    "Empress ¡­" Seeing that his own mistress had no reaction, Lian Yun hastily pulled on Shen Qingwan''s sleeves.


    Shen Qingwan was wondering in her heart, what a coincidence, when she raised her eyes, she was caught off guard by the black star-like eyes, as though it was the calm sea surface, but hidden within was destruction.


    "This concubine greets Your Majesty." Fu Yuheng''s heart ached. In the past few days, Shen Qing Wan must have been troubled by the General Shen''s matter, so he thought that if he told her about the news about the general, how would his current cold face react?


    Fu Yuheng had a bit more anticipation in his heart. That was why he hurried over when he found out that it was the right time to do so and wanted to share it with him.


    "Esteemed wangfei, please forgive me. I have been quite haggard these past few days. If General Shen knew about this, how could my heart be at ease?" Fu Yuheng felt slightly more reproachful, and of course, he felt more pampering towards her. It had been quite tough on her these past few days.


    Even though Shen Qingwan already knew about her father''s recent situation, she was still on the border battlefield. One day, when the border was unsettled, she held it in her heart, afraid that some bad news would come, "Thank you, your majesty. Now that my father is in danger, how can I be at ease?"


    "Don''t worry, General Shen is a brave and warlike person, the title of being a leader is not just for show, my beloved concubine does not have any trust in General Shen at all?" Fu Yuheng also knew that there was no use in saying those words. The best way was to settle the situation at the border as soon as possible. This way, once the General Shen returned, Shen Qingwan''s heart would be at ease.


    "Oh right, my beloved concubine, we do have some good news about the General Shen. My beloved concubine, do you want to hear it?" In his heart, he actually hoped to see Shen Qingwan''s other face. However, Shen Qingwan had already found out the result, and his cold personality made it difficult for him to cooperate with her. However, he didn''t want to arouse Fu Yuheng''s suspicions, so the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.


    Honestly speaking, Fu Yuheng felt a bit disappointed in his heart when he saw Shen Qingwan''s reaction. However, when he thought about it, perhaps he had been too distracted for the past few days, he did not react in the slightest. Although he was puzzled in his heart, he still told his everything that Ye Feng had told him.


    "My beloved concubine, you don''t have to worry about the General Shen. We had promised you before that now that the general''s matter has been resolved, there is indeed a spy in the army. We will definitely give him and you an explanation." The matter that had caught her attention now was none other than related to the Ninth Prince, after all, if this matter was really done by the Ninth Prince, then what would happen to Fu Yuheng in the end?


    But now, he couldn''t just rely on one person''s words to determine the crime of Ninth Prince, what if someone intentionally set him up? If ¡­ Someone is purposefully provoking the relationship between the Ninth Prince and the Emperor!


    However, even he himself did not believe this. That person might have really done such a thing. He had hidden his strength so deeply, so how could he not have any ambitions in this vast imperial palace?


    As he thought about this, his expression turned serious. He was the one hiding the truth from him, and his expression was stiff.


    "What is your beloved concubine thinking?" Fu Yuheng noticed that her expression appeared to be somewhat disorderly, and some doubts arose in his heart. Was there something she was hiding from him?


    In her heart, however, she tried to explain. Perhaps she had been too worried for the past few days.


    "Chenqie doesn''t dare." Perhaps Shen Qing Wan sensed that the atmosphere wasn''t right, she came back to reality and upon hearing his question, she forced a smile, but her words were less convincing.


    "Since my beloved concubine is in such a rush, I won''t disturb you. I think that the general will be fine, so I can be at ease now." Honestly speaking, Fu Yuheng felt slightly sour in his heart. Even though he had treated her well enough, she was still neither cold nor hot.


    Fu Yuheng left with a flick of his sleeve. After all, he was afraid that if he stayed here any longer, he would lose control of his mind. However, he was still confused. Was Shen Qingwan hiding something?


    He could sense from what he felt just now that Shen Qingwan had been distracted, but now that the matter of the general had been settled, there was no need to keep it in her heart. What was that thing that caused her to be like this?


    With regards to the slightest reaction from his own mistress, Lian Yun felt that he had let her down. However, after a long and bitter speech, her mind swam away again, as if a fist had just landed on cotton, and he felt a soft and weak feeling.


    Rather than thinking random thoughts here, she might as well ask him for an explanation. That would be fine, Shen Qing Wan felt grateful towards Fu Huaiyu in her heart, after all, he had helped her multiple times, so how could she not feel anything when her heart was full of flesh and blood?


    Shen Qingwan had some thoughts in her heart, but now, if this matter gets out of hand, it would not be good for anyone.


    After all, Fu Yuheng and Fu Huaiyu were both descendants of the imperial family.


    Currently, the imperial government could not afford to go through all of this. Since the situation at the border had not been resolved, if it was a fight between the royal families, it would definitely involve a bunch of border generals.


    And at this time, the Ninth Prince had already returned to his own Duke Palace, and was discussing the matter of Hu Youshan with him in the study room.

 C116 coincidentally, they just happened to run into each other …

    Shen Qingwan woke up early in the morning, feeling unsettled. The matter with the General Shen had always been a knot in her heart, it was like a thorn stuck there, causing her to feel suffocated.


    "Lian Yun." Her delicate eyebrows were slightly knitted, and her face had a hint of gentleness to it. I felt pity for her.


    Hearing her summons, Lian Yun anxiously pushed open the door and rushed in, "Esteemed Empress, what happened? Is there something wrong with it? " Seeing her pale face, Lian Yun became even more anxious. In the past few days, the Empress had always worked hard on the general''s affairs, making her look more haggard.


    "Prepare the carriage. Remember, do not attract anyone''s attention." Shen Qing Wan pulled Lian Yun closer and whispered a few words to her. It was best that less people knew about this matter, if they were to see it, it would not be good. However, she had to make this matter clear. Otherwise, it would be difficult to solve her father''s problem.


    Lian Yun agreed and then left the house. She naturally knew what the Empress wanted, and so she only called for a carriage from outside. She did not prepare a sedan chair, in order to not attract attention.


    She was dressed in plain clothes, and her hair was simply tied up. She had a bit of a heroic air about her, and even though she was a bit softer and weaker, she did not give off a sense of unfamiliarity. Instead, she gave people a comfortable feeling.


    "Empress, everything is ready." Seeing her dressing, Lian Yun was only stunned for a moment before he came to his senses.


    Perhaps because she felt too much uneasiness in her heart, Shen Qing Wan''s footsteps became faster. Walking out of the courtyard, she only felt a chill and her body trembled. It was Lian Yun who noticed it and immediately ran back to get her cape.


    The carriage outside the palace was already waiting for them. Shen Qingwan got on the carriage and headed towards Ninth Prince''s Mansion.


    "I hope it isn''t him." She was really too afraid of Fu Huaiyu, as he had hidden himself too deeply. That person''s eyes had never been able to see through him, and it was as if he was water, causing her to tremble in fear.


    The wind blew gently, the fishes in the pond were wandering around, suddenly converging towards a direction, beside the pond was a man in a purple robe, it was Fu Huaiyu, with a jade crown on his head, the elegant young master.


    "He came quite quickly." It was unknown who he was speaking to, but soon, someone came to report.


    "Your Highness, the Concubine Xian is here to pay a visit." When the servants saw him, they were like mice that had seen a cat. Their eyes were filled with fear and respect.


    Fu Huaiyu patted the residue in his hands, "Ok." The two words squeezed out from his thin lips, adding a hint of coolness.


    "Ninth Prince." Before long, Shen Qingwan appeared in front of him. The wariness in her eyes was not concealed in the slightest, "I came here today to ask the Prince."


    Fu Huaiyu raised his head to take a look, but he was still nonchalant, "What is it?" In fact, he already had the answer in his heart. With her intelligence, how could he not sense that something was amiss with the General Shen? But he didn''t expect it to be so soon.


    "Has Ninth Prince ever heard of my father''s matter at the border?" Shen Qingwan did not beat around the bush and directly asked.


    It was just that he did not expect Fu Huaiyu to be that kind of person. He pursed his lips and laughed in a way that captivated others. It was likely that some of the ladies in the capital would be mesmerized if they saw this scene.


    Fu Huaiyu took a step forward, closing the distance between them, "What exactly do you want to ask?" The words that came out of his mouth made him feel a bit oppressed.


    "Hmm?" A soft voice rang out like a bell in Shen Qingwan''s heart.


    At this moment, she felt that she had been too careless and had lost her sense of propriety. Seeing him like this, she felt that her plan was too simple. She was afraid that she wouldn''t be able to get anything out of him.


    "Ninth Prince only laughed at me. I was just casually mentioning it." He bit his lips, feeling even more worried.


    Seeing her like this, Fu Huaiyu laughed in his heart. She was really an interesting chess piece, which made him more and more interested in her.


    "Oh?" Fu Huaiyu laughed somewhat maliciously, his clothes fluttering in the wind, the emotions in his eyes were even more unfathomable, "Concubine Xian must have forgotten, but you still owe this duke a few favors." As she spoke, she raised Shen Qingwan''s chin, but was dodged by Shen Qingwan.


    "Of course I remember. I will naturally return the favor of the prince." Taking a step back made him even more frustrated. Right now, it was a bit of a situation where he was sending sheep to the tiger''s den.


    As he said this, his feet moved as if he was about to leave, "I remember that I have something to do, so please forgive me. I was rude today." As he concentrated, he could clearly feel the estrangement on Shen Qingwan''s body.


    However, the moment he turned around, his arm was suddenly grabbed.


    "Leaving just like that?" Fu Huaiyu laughed softly as a glint flashed past his eyes. He was sentimental and emotionless as he said, "This king may know something about the General Shen."


    With that sentence, Shen Qingwan had no choice but to stop in her tracks with astonishment on her face. "You ¡­"


    "What are you doing!" Before Shen Qingwan could finish her sentence, she heard an angry shout coming from the entrance of the courtyard. That voice was very familiar; it was His Majesty.


    The two of them were stunned. They obviously didn''t expect him to come over at this moment.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" He subconsciously shook his hand off his arm. After saluting, there was some panic in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down.


    "Why does royal brother have the time to come to Chendi today?" Fu Huaiyu unconcernedly opened his mouth, increasing Fu Yuheng''s anger.


    He walked forward and pulled Shen Qingwan along. With a hint of danger and warning in his narrowed eyes, he said, "If I don''t come today, how can I see you two like this?" With a cold snort, even the surrounding air became slightly colder. Yu, who was in the pond, also felt the danger and dispersed into the distance.


    It was good that he was so concerned about her, but he couldn''t get involved with her. Anger welled up in her heart.


    "I''m afraid that the Emperor has misunderstood. Just now, chenqie almost fell down, that''s why she was supported by Ninth Prince." Before the two of them could speak further, Shen Qingwan interrupted them to prevent things from going beyond their expectations, "Of course, if the emperor really does not trust this concubine or if the prince intends to do so, this concubine will have nothing to say."


    Her words were watertight, not only did she excuse herself, but it also made Fu Yuheng more vigilant of Fu Huaiyu, and even gagged him.


    "Concubine Xian is right. This king has only supported you for a short while." On the surface, he was smiling, but he was secretly cursing at the little fox.


    Fu Yuheng naturally still had his doubts. After all, she did not greet him when she came out to see him today. Furthermore, he had too many connections to her previously, so he had no choice but to suspect her.


    "Humph!" "Come back with me!" He pulled Shen Qingwan away without saying anything. Today, Japan wanted to take a look around and discuss with them about the situation in the imperial court. However, they did not expect to see such a scene.


    The anger in his heart was unable to be quelled. After returning to the palace, he threw Shen Qingwan down, "You should take care of yourself!" With that, he turned and left.

 C117 A nobleman wrongly accused

    Shen Qingwan''s matter had rooted itself into his heart, causing him to unconsciously feel pain in his heart. However, she herself was unsure of the reason, and could only blame it on her frustration.


    After parting with her, he went to the Imperial Gardens, where he could somewhat calm down.


    On a nearby path, the two palace maids left and right, not noticing his figure as they spoke.


    "This place originally has very few people. Now that the two of us have been sent here to take care of it, we''re probably causing some sort of mama to be unhappy." The palace maid took a bucket and poured fresh water on the cut flowers.


    "Then admit it. After all, even after entering the palace, you still have to listen to your master." The palace maid who was holding a pair of scissors in hand replied to her absent-mindedly.


    "Yes, that''s true." She muttered a few words in a low voice as if she thought of something. Her eyes lit up. "Hey, have you heard about it?" She took the water to water the flowers and called to another palace maid who was cutting the leaves.


    "Heard what?" The palace maid''s scissors in his hand paused as he turned to look at her with a puzzled expression. It felt as if she had missed something.


    "Do you remember how to push carrageenan into the water, causing him to lose all his children, and how to go from a imperial concubine to a noble''s Honorable Liu?" The palace maid was excited, he put down the basin of water in his hands and ran to her side to continue talking.


    "I heard that she was wrongly accused ¡­" The palace maid who was watering moved closer to her, seemingly whispering to each other, making it impossible for others to hear. However, her voice was so loud that even those within a few feet of her body could hear her, completely unaware of the slight change in expression of the palace maid beside her.


    After she finished speaking, she noticed that her expression was a bit unnatural. She patted the palace maid who was cutting the flowers, and couldn''t help but slightly frown. "What''s wrong? Your face is weird, is your body uncomfortable?"


    The palace maid suddenly kneeled on the ground, trembling as he spoke, his head staring fixedly at the ground, not daring to look up. Huang ¡­ Your Majesty, your servant greets your servant. "


    After saying that, there was another muffled sound. The palace maid who was talking to her just moments ago also knelt on the ground. "Servant ¡­" "Servant ¡­" "We pay our respects to the Emperor." Only the submissive could be heard by the emperor. If His Majesty really blamed his, then his life would be forfeit.


    "What were you talking about just now?" Fu Yuheng was expressionless, but his voice made people tremble in fear when they heard it. He had not yet recovered from his anger, and now he was even more unhappy.


    The two palace maids kneeling on the ground didn''t even dare to breathe loudly, afraid that if this ice-cold person spoke a single word, they would lose their lives.


    "Raise your head and look at me, repeat what you just said." He examined the two kneeling on the ground. Although his tone was less cold, his imposing manner made the two palace maids tremble in fear. However, they didn''t dare to disobey, and could only obediently raise their heads to look at him.


    "Huang ¡­" Your Majesty, we were just talking about ¡­ Honorable Liu was wrongly accused. " The palace maid who was cutting the flowers still shakily opened her mouth.


    "What?" Fu Yuheng shot them a glance, but it made them feel as if they had reached the end of their lives. "I will investigate this matter clearly and will not argue with you guys today. If you continue to spread rumors in this palace, be careful of your brains."


    Fu Yuheng waved his sleeve, indicating that he did not want to pursue the matter. However, he was suspicious of the matter. "Forget it, go and receive your own punishment." There were simply too many things happening today, so he wasn''t in the mood to be entangled with these two palace maids.


    "Thank you, your majesty! Thank you, your majesty!" After a few kowtows, the two palace maids almost crawled away.


    After that, he rarely visited her place. If he remembered correctly, her courtyard should have already been repaired a few days ago, so he reckoned that she had moved back from the Queen''s place.


    However, why was there a rumor about a palace maid who was wrongly accused? Could it be that there was something fishy about this matter?


    Fu Yuheng shook his head. He was prepared to return to his study to review the imperial reports, but after some thought, he decided to head straight to Liu Xiangrong''s place.


    "Phew ¡­" "That was close. I almost thought I was dead." After Fu Yuheng had left, the palace maid from before stroked his chest that was moving up and down as he panted heavily.


    "You''re still talking! If you didn''t discuss that matter for no reason, how could we have provoked the Emperor? " The palace maid beside her glared at her, somewhat angry.


    "Alright, don''t be angry. We''re fine." She patted the palace maid''s shoulder to comfort her, but a dark light flashed in his eyes. The task that his master had entrusted his with was finally completed, and it was no longer her responsibility.


    "We''re lucky this time. In the future, we shouldn''t discuss things that we shouldn''t discuss." The palace maid''s tone softened.


    "Mm, I definitely won''t do it again." As she spoke, she strode forward to keep up with the palace maid''s pace.


    Liu''s yard had just been renovated a few days ago, so it was relatively quiet. There were no signs of people coming around the corridor, but the surrounding plants seemed to have been cut, so it looked lush but didn''t look messy.


    It was unknown where all the servants had gone. Fu Yuheng did not meet any servants when he walked into the courtyard. He walked straight to Liu Chugrong''s window.


    Since the window was open, he could clearly see that Liu Xiangrong was sitting in front of the dressing table, combing her makeup. It was exceptionally quiet.


    A palace maid stood to the side, quietly waiting. She slowly combed his long hair, his face was unadorned, and he looked very delicate and pretty.


    The previous insolence and arrogance was much quieter than before, but another figure appeared in his mind. The corner of his mouth slightly curled up as he shook his head and tossed the figure in his mind away. When he looked again, Liu Chu Rong was a rare sight, but his heart was slightly moved.


    Her delicate and pretty face turned slightly pale. That thin figure seemed to have lost a lot of weight as she stared blankly. However, he didn''t have the heart to disturb this scene. He resisted the urge to step forward and greet them. He withdrew his gaze, turned around and left, returning to his study with hurried footsteps.


    After Fu Yuheng left, Liu Chugrong turned around slightly with a slight smile on his face.


    However, this action caused La Mei, who was at the side, to feel somewhat puzzled. If it was before, with her character, she would have already pulled on the emperor''s sleeve. But why was it so quiet today?


    "No need." Liu Qingrong replied indifferently as she stared at her limpid appearance in the dressing mirror, as if she was talking to herself.

 C118 underestimate her

    Blinking slightly, she came back to herself. On the dressing table, there was a row of simple and elegant hair ornaments, but in the drawer, a shining gold light took up a space, and in that gold light, there was an object that stood out the most. It seemed to be made of bronze, with a faint greenish-green color.


    Liu Chugrong opened a small box at the furthest corner with his slender fingers.


    Lamei thought there would be something very precious inside, but when Liu Chugrong opened it, she saw that there was no extra hair ornament inside. It was just a piece of paper.


    The paper slip was very thin. Perhaps it was because of the friction from being kneaded back and forth, but there were already many traces of wrinkles on the paper. The words on the paper seemed to indicate the calligraphy owner''s indifference. There was only a simple line of words: Be a bit more obedient in the near future. Naturally, you will get what you want.


    This note was sent by the palace maid who was talking about Liu Chugrong the other day. Initially, she was still puzzled, but the palace maid directly put the note into her hand. When she finished reading the note and wanted to ask who was the one who sent her here, the palace maid had already left.


    What she did not know was that at this time, the owner of the paper slip was sitting in the Ninth Prince''s Mansion, drinking his tea leisurely, as if everything that happened had nothing to do with him.


    "Your Royal Highness, the matter of the carrier pigeon has been settled." The tea was still steaming hot, Fu Huaiyu placed the cup down and casually glanced at the person in front of him.


    "Oh? But what did you find out? " It was just an ordinary sentence, but it gave off an inexplicable sense of oppression.


    That person was lying on the ground, fully dressed in black, clearly not flustered at all. "In reply to Your Highness, this subordinate has been watching for a long time. That carrier pigeon really did come from the empress."


    Hearing that, Fu Huaiyu directly and clearly tapped the table with his hand, as though he was thinking about something, while the black clothed man just stood there, waiting until Fu Huaiyu waved him off, and then got up to leave.


    "What do you think?"


    With that, Mo Zilian walked out from the shadows. He waved his fan gently and smiled playfully, "Looks like the emperor does not know about this matter ¡­"


    Tsk tsk, the heaviness and frivolity on the surface of Mo Zilian''s eyes actually formed a clear contrast. If one were to look at them separately, then those serious eyes of his would seem as if they did not belong to him.


    "Looks like this empress really isn''t that easy to get along with." Fu Huaiyu took over his words, and his eyes revealed a trace of sinister viciousness. "Before she came here, I had underestimated her, and she hid her strength well."


    Xiao Shushen had always been a virtuous and virtuous person in the palace, so he thought that she was at most a little smart, and could be used on the imperial harem. However, he never expected that she would actually be so scheming, and that she would even be involved with his side, Hu Youshan.


    "Let''s let this matter rest for now. What about the border? " After changing the topic, he suddenly recalled how Shen Qingwan looked when she arrived that day. She was not as calm as she had expected, but she still appeared to be very interesting.


    "Your Highness, General Shen''s body is fine now, but he retreated more than ten li. Right now, the aura of the military is also lowered by more than half." The smile on Mo Zilian''s face deepened, as if he wasn''t talking about a life or death matter, but a small matter.


    "We should settle the matters at the border as soon as possible, so as to not cause too much trouble." When he thought of how Shen Qingwan looked like before, he started to worry in his heart. If he did this, she would probably be very sad, but he immediately steeled his heart.


    But even so, there was still some worry on his face. It seemed like he was unable to control his chess piece for some time. But in the chess game, how could he give up the whole situation just for a chess piece?


    Mo Zilian watched from the side, not really worried, only curious. He never thought that there would still be someone in this world that could move his heart, but it was a pity that this person was already the Consort Xian of the Emperor, so what could he do even if he was tempted?


    Sighing faintly, Mo Zilian hid himself in a dark corner again, as though from beginning to end, Fu Huaiyu was the only one in the room.


    It was said that beauties brought calamity upon themselves, but that was not necessarily the case.


    Shen Qingwan did not know what to do. Now that she was sure that the border issue was related to Fu Huaiyu, without any proof, it would be futile even if she went to the gods.


    It could only be a long-term plan.


    "Esteemed Empress, the Emperor hasn''t come to visit in the past few days ¡­" Lian Yun looked at Shen Qingwan with some worry. She could tell that although she seemed cold towards him, she wasn''t without feelings. On the contrary, when things went wrong, she would actually rely on him.


    But she was just a woman, how could she not care?


    "No problem, you don''t have to worry." Shen Qingwan smiled. She naturally knew what she meant and also knew that she was worried about her. But since the matters regarding her father were not settled yet, how could she have the mind to consider the private affairs of her children?


    "Go and get my zither." She suddenly wanted to play the zither. When she was young, her father never forced her to learn anything, but her mother always made her want to learn it.


    Fortunately, at that time, she was still somewhat interested in playing the zither, which was why she was able to learn it. Even now, it was only a rare pastime in the palace. In this large palace, she might not be able to escape the control of the imperial power, but she would also cover up a small part of the world for herself.


    "Esteemed wangfei, your zither ¡­" It didn''t take long for Lian Yun to come out with the zither in his arms. He was already at a loss of what to say, but in his heart, he hoped that he could find a good opportunity to lighten the frustration in Shen Qingwan''s heart.


    It was a pity that Fu Yuheng was with Liu Chugrong now.


    After that day, this was Fu Yuheng''s third time going to Liu Chugrong''s place.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Liu Chugrong''s personality changed. Instead, it became more gentle. However, when he lowered his head, he could not hide the pride in his eyes.


    "What is it?" Fu Yuheng lowered his head and looked at the woman in his arms. Liu Chugrong''s light makeup made him feel very fresh, and his mood improved a lot as well.


    "I hope that the Emperor will uphold justice for this concubine!" Tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes, causing Fu Yuheng''s heart to ache as well. He also felt that he had truly wronged her back then.

 C119 frivolous relation

    The guilt in Fu Yuheng''s heart grew even more as he listened to Liu Chugrong''s words. He lovingly tucked her hair behind her ears and said gently, "Don''t worry, I will investigate this matter thoroughly."


    The blush on Liu Jirong''s face slowly spread. He lowered his head in Fu Yuheng''s arms and peeked upwards from time to time. His appearance was like a frightened little beast, but it was even more painful.


    "Your Majesty ¡­"


    With a single mutter, the maidservants withdrew from the room.


    "Your Majesty, regarding the matter of the General Shen ¡­" Before Sun Ning could finish his words, he saw Fu Yuheng frown impatiently. He did not want to mention this matter today, so Sun Ning could only shut his mouth.


    When Sun Ning saw this, he immediately followed suit.


    The melodious and euphemistic sound floated out from the pavilion within the imperial garden. A faint green color quietly sat within the pavilion. Her black hair, instead of being completely tied up, gently swayed in the wind.


    The scene before him caused Fu Yuheng to be stunned. The anger within his heart lessened as the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.


    Sun Ning snickered behind him. Could it be that Concubine Xian finally opened her eyes and purposely waited for the Emperor?


    However, when Fu Yuheng walked forward again and saw the hairpin on her head, his expression changed. That hairpin was the one given to her by the Queen earlier, and although it looked extremely exquisite on her head now, it made him feel that it was too inconvenient. He remembered clearly that Fu Huaiyu had specially given her the hairpin that day, and even though it was a misunderstanding, it made his heart sour.


    Shen Qingwan had never raised her head, she had never seen him come over, and since she had already spent all her time to get a set of cloak for Lian Yun, there were no palace maids by her side anymore.


    The veins on Fu Yuheng''s hand were exposed, and a hint of displeasure could be seen in his eyes. He quickly walked over, but he did not see her raise her head to look at him, let alone bow.


    "Hmph, you really can sit still!" He gave a cold snort and stared at the person playing the zither. He only saw Shen Qingwan raise her head, but her eyes were even more indifferent than before. This indifference caused him to feel a chill in his heart.


    "Your majesty''s words are extremely true. Chenqie should naturally be able to sit still." With a slight smile, she looked at him as though she was looking at a stranger.


    "You!" Fu Yuheng choked on his words, to the point where even Sun Ning, who was standing at the side, became anxious. The Empress really did want to smash her head into the fire, so she raised her hand to wipe the cold sweat off her forehead.


    Shen Qingwan calmly stood up and saluted before looking him straight in the eye. There were chitchat in her heart, "Your majesty is joking, chenqie has always been very timid." He didn''t trust her that much, so why should she give him any face?


    When Fu Yuheng heard her words, the anger in his heart was hidden in his pupils, yet he could not flare up. He could only smack his palm on the stone table, causing a loud bang.


    "Are you and Fu Huaiyu still entangled in this?" He felt a slight pain from the vibrating force in his palm, but he couldn''t feel it at all. His mind was filled with rage, "I really don''t know what my Ninth Brother gave you that you couldn''t forget about it!"


    He actually did not trust her so much. She thought that the two of them could be considered to understand each other, not to mention that they were sharing the same bed, yet she said those words out of the blue.


    It was extremely laughable.


    "Your Majesty, why do you say that?" She sighed with regret. Most of them were probably disappointed. After all, even animals had feelings for each other after spending so much time with each other. Furthermore, they were the right people to sleep next to them.


    "You don''t even know what you have done. If I hadn''t disturbed you a few days ago, the two of you would have probably done something even more outrageous!" Fu Yuheng flung his sleeves as he glared at her with eyes filled with fury, as if she had committed some heinous crime.


    Sun Ning did not remember that he had wiped off the cold sweat on his forehead a few times, he looked at Shen Qingwan, wanting to show her that he was being soft, but unfortunately, she was not looking at him, so anxious that he almost spoke up to advise her otherwise, instead he opened his mouth a few times, but every time he opened his mouth and swallowed his words.


    "Your majesty has wronged your concubine. Your concubine has already explained that it was just a misunderstanding on that day." Her voice was neither servile nor overbearing. She had never done anything to let him down, so how could she swallow such grievances?


    Fu Yuheng wanted to force her to lower his head when he saw how unyielding she was, but Shen Qingwan just stood there calmly, not showing any signs of letting go.


    "Do you know what happens to those who try to bully the sovereign?" Fu Yuheng clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his forehead began to show. His pair of phoenix eyes were slightly red.


    "What chenqie said is the truth. If the emperor doesn''t believe it, then whatever the emperor says should be the truth." Shen Qing Wan smiled bitterly, if she didn''t believe him, why would she ask him? Heh!


    Fu Yuheng felt upset upon seeing her like this. He raised his fist and let it go, but the anger in his heart could not be vented. His eyes were bloodshot. However, he was unable to do anything when he hit her.


    After being silent for a long time, Shen Qingwan did not speak anymore. Sun Ning was anxious and worried, but she did not know what to do.


    "Does the emperor still have matters to attend to?" Perhaps it was because she had been in silence for too long, she didn''t know if she was annoyed or helpless. Shen Qingwan still opened her mouth, but her words were unusually distant, making people angry.


    "Consort Xian!" Fu Yuheng''s eyes widened in anger. He stepped forward and threw the zither on the stone table onto the ground. Instantly, it broke into two halves.


    When he saw Fu Yuheng looking at him, he quickly kneeled down and apologized. However, Fu Yuheng did not pay any more attention to her and instead turned around and left with large strides.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Sun Ning hurried to keep up, but was also extremely worried.


    "Lian Yun, let''s go back." Shen Qing Wan retracted the emotions in her heart, and did not continue looking at the guqin on the ground, Lian Yun''s eyes were filled with anxiety, but she did not know how to respond.


    Shen Qing Wan walked quickly, her heart was a little blocked, so she was like this in his heart! After being together for so long, he didn''t have the slightest bit of trust.


    As his mind was filled with uneasiness and disappointment, Lian Yun followed closely behind at a brisk pace, even as the cloak in his hand unnoticeably brushed against the ground.


    Forget it, since he did not believe it, what else could he say, his heart felt a little depressed and uncomfortable. Shen Qing Wan felt that in this huge palace, there was not even a little bit of the world that belonged to her.


    Since he didn''t believe it, there was no need for him to explain.

 C120 Deliberately angering her

    The air was bustling and intoxicated. Even back then, it was still as beautiful as before, but now, he felt that something was amiss. Fu Yuheng was furious. In all the harem, she was the only one who could be like this!


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Sun Gonggong sighed in his heart. The Emperor and the Consort Xian were opposing each other, but the two of them were people who refused to give in. Right now, this made them, the servants, worry.


    Fu Yuheng returned to the imperial study. He had wanted to do something and temporarily stop what had just happened, but with the imperial reports laid out flat, such miscellaneous matters left him unable to calm down for a long time. She did not even have the slightest explanation for the nonchalant manner in which she had acted just now!


    "Bam!" A sound of a brush hitting the table rang out, causing Sun Gonggong, who was waiting to the side, to be startled. After following his master for so long, he had some understanding of their habits.


    Sun Gonggong thought to himself: Concubine Xian, this time, you have truly angered His Majesty.


    "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Everything has to be done in the light of the dragon''s physique!" Sun Ning replied anxiously. If he did not stop them, they might not be able to keep the things in the royal study.


    "Heh, please calm your anger. How can I possibly calm down?" Fu Yuheng could only feel a stifled feeling in his heart. If he did not leave now, he would probably lose control of himself due to Shen Qingwan!


    Looking at the stack of memorials in front of him, he felt particularly disturbed, especially the tone used by the Consort Xian in the imperial garden. As he thought about it, he felt a wave of frustration in his heart, and so, with a sweep of his wide dragon sleeve, he felt better in his heart. But very quickly, he felt that his heart was unable to calm down.


    "Your majesty, this old servant has the guts. You should know about Concubine Xian''s character as well. I''m afraid there''s something hard to say about all of this. This old servant doesn''t think that Consort Xian is that reckless person!"


    "After all, your majesty, this matter concerns the reputation of the Consort Xian and it is inevitable that you would be a little impatient. I''m afraid that right now, you''re regretting it, your majesty ¡­" Sun Ning could only try to guess carefully. Now that she couldn''t persuade his to do so, it would be difficult for his, and being a servant now wasn''t that easy either.


    Fu Yuheng looked at the scattered memorials on the ground and was barely able to calm down. After thinking about it carefully, perhaps he had been a little anxious just now, but Fu Yuheng did not believe that Sun Gonggong would regret his words.


    "Consort Xian, oh Consort Xian, we have treated you well, and this is how you treat us?" Fu Yuheng stood with his hands behind his back, looking out of the window with his pitch-black eyes. He was somewhat regretful in his heart. He really hoped that Shen Qingwan could be like the other concubines and be a little more obedient.


    A faint figure appeared in his mind, depicting a faint green dress, a clear and cold face, and a familiar corner of that brows. Right at this moment, Liu Jiaorong happened to walk out of the window, and another figure superimposed onto him. For some reason, Fu Yuheng felt a burst of annoyance, and shook off the figure in his mind, allowing Sun Ning to lure her in.


    "Honorable Liu, the Emperor has asked us to lure you in." Sun Ning''s face revealed a smile, but his heart was not that high, he knew very well which concubine was in the harem, and Honorable Liu, using his status, had tortured others from the start, he was not a good person.


    Although he had restrained himself for a bit now, Sun Ning felt that the nature would not be so easily changed.


    Sun Ning was aware of the methods used by the imperial concubines to fight for the position, and now, he felt that Shen Qing Wan was a lot more reliable. Although she had a stubborn personality, she could do nothing about it, but she could only wait carefully by the side and give an appropriate reminder.


    "Your majesty?" Liu Chu Rong''s beautiful eyes were filled with light, and his clean face gave off a little more elegance. His body was no longer the same as before, it was filled with a light lotus aura.


    "Yes, please, milord." Sun Ning''s aged eyes flashed with a bright light. How much true love did the women of the harem have?


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." Such a melodious voice caused Fu Yuheng to turn his gaze towards Liu Chugrong. "You may rise." Fu Yuheng had already adjusted his mood. He took a few steps forward and gently held the white and tender hand, which made Liu Chu Rong blush slightly.


    As Fu Yuheng led him, the corners of his eyes were filled with pride. However, it was only for a moment. When Fu Yuheng turned his head, Liu Chugrong returned to his gentle state. "Sit down." Liu Xiaorong thanked him again as her beautiful eyes inadvertently looked at the memorial that was scattered on the ground. "Your majesty, what happened?"


    "It''s nothing. It''s just something troublesome. It''s not important." Fu Yuheng''s eyes dimmed as he followed Liu Xiangrong''s gaze, but apparently, he didn''t want to talk about it. He didn''t know why, but it was better for him to play a good role.


    "Oh right, why did you suddenly come to the royal study?" Fu Yuheng looked at the woman in front of him. It would have been great if Shen Qingwan was like this as well.


    "Chenqie deserves to die a thousand times for her crimes. Originally, I wanted to raise my spirit and nurture my Dew Flower, so I wanted to gather some for the emperor. I didn''t expect to disturb the emperor so much. Your majesty, please forgive me!" However, Fu Yuheng could not help but blame Liu Chugrong for his generosity.


    "I hadn''t thought of what my beloved concubine said. That''s right, if that''s the case, what would I reward her with? What would I want?"


    "Your majesty, chenqie doesn''t dare be extravagant. I only hope that chenqie can return her innocence!" This made Fu Yuheng''s heart soften. From what he had heard before, it seemed that there was something that was difficult to explain about this matter. He suddenly thought of someone, and didn''t know what kind of expression he would have on his face if he entrusted this matter to her!


    "Relax, my beloved concubine, I will investigate this thoroughly!" At the same time, he told Sun Gonggong to call Shen Qingwan over. There was something he needed her for.


    Shen Qing Wan followed Sun Ning over, but she was actually a little unwilling. The matter that had originally stayed in her heart had not disappeared, and now that she was summoned again, it made her even more unwilling.


    "Your majesty, what''s the matter?" His tone was cold and hard, making others uncomfortable.


    "There''s something strange about her, I''ll leave it to you to investigate." Fu Yuheng calmly looked at her as if she was something that could be swept away at any moment. However, Shen Qingwan was only slightly disappointed. After all, she was already disappointed and didn''t have the strength to do so.

 C121 exposure relation

    Since ancient times, the situation in the imperial court had changed constantly. Of course, even though the people from the imperial harem didn''t show it on the surface, they were still connected to each other.


    The splendid imperial palace was a symbol of power and authority, causing people to become intoxicated with it.


    "Empress ¡­" A maidservant hurriedly walked over. This person was one of the queen''s trusted aides. His red lips were like fire and gave off an alluring feeling as he waved his jade-like hands at the maidservants in the chamber and turned to look at the person kneeling on the ground.


    "What is it?" The people Hu Youshan had arranged for himself didn''t know how he had been doing recently, so he hadn''t received the slightest bit of news.


    "Empress, something big has happened! Hu Youshan''s informant was killed!


    With a crisp crack, the empress didn''t seem to have noticed anything amiss. Instead, her heart was in great shock. What was going on now?


    He had to put in a lot of effort to get in that spy. He had always been safe and sound, so how could something like this suddenly happen?! It had to be known that this was also the trump card in his hand.


    There was no need for him to disguise himself. In between, Xiao Shushen frowned, but on the surface, he was not as generous as usual, and was instead panicking for a moment.


    "Empress ¡­" At this moment, another servant hurriedly ran in. She felt that the atmosphere was not right and wanted to invite the culprit to leave. After all, the empress was not in a good mood right now.


    "What is it, speak!" I am troubled by your hesitation. " The empress''s eyebrows knitted together as her voice rose in volume. She wanted to see if there was anything else.


    "Esteemed Empress, Honorable Liu Liu Chugrong has been summoned by the Emperor these few days. I''ve heard that he feels that his benefactor is being wrongly accused everywhere, so he wishes to re-examine the matter." The maidservant was somewhat anxious. His head was lowered as he laid on the ground. Even his voice was trembling slightly.


    "Bam!"


    "Slut!" The brush in Xiao Shushen''s hand suddenly smashed towards the sandalwood table, and her heart was about to spew fire!


    Now that they had discussed it one by one, they had all gathered here. Liu Chugrong, being your benefactor, was still so restless!


    Xiao Shushen suddenly felt that the fire in her heart could not be quelled. His body that had stood up suddenly felt weak in her limbs, so she quickly held onto the table''s corner to stabilize his body.


    Xiao Shushen sat back down on the chair. Even though his face was a bit pale, it wasn''t as panicked as before.


    Now that everything was in one place, he needed to sort it out bit by bit.


    Xiao Shushen suddenly thought back to what happened. One must know that she did not reply to the pigeon she sent out a few days ago, hence she was initially confused, but after thinking about it, maybe it was because the movements of the informants were delayed.


    Thinking of this, Xiao Shushen couldn''t help but feel a chill down her spine.


    If that was the case, it meant that he had been exposing himself for the past few days!


    Xiao Shushen closed her eyes tiredly, telling the servants to go down first. Now that the situation had changed, she needed to think things over carefully, and with his current situation, if she was not careful, she would simply burn herself in flames!


    Right now, Xiao Shushen was a little worried, hoping that the emperor did not know.


    Now, the matter was getting more and more troublesome.


    Originally, Lian Yun was still overjoyed. After all, the Emperor wanted to summon Shen Qing Wan to the royal study, so that meant that he did not have to worry about it, but if his own family gave in, that would be the end of the matter.


    This caused Lian Yun to nag on the side quite a bit, but her own mistress'' personality gave him a headache.


    He had originally thought that it would be a good thing, but now that he had left the royal study, he felt a little humiliated.


    Recently, rumors had been spreading throughout the palace that the Honorable Liu had been wrongly accused. However, he had not expected that Fu Yuheng would actually give him a huge gift, and that was to reinvestigate the matter regarding the Honorable Liu at the time!


    Shen Qingwan was only slightly astonished, but she quickly recovered. After all, it was fine for the emperor to have people investigate this matter, but now, she had actually found her.


    The faint thoughts in her heart didn''t show on her face. However, whether or not she caused the Emperor to be displeased was outside Shen Qingwan''s realm.


    After receiving Fu Yuheng''s orders, he did not ask Shen Qingwan to stay any longer and left the Imperial Study.


    "Empress, it seems that the Emperor still trusts the Empress. If it wasn''t for that, the matter of the Honorable Liu would have been entrusted to the Empress''s hands." Lian Yun''s heart was actually filled with dissatisfaction. After all, her own Empress was someone who suffered greatly, but the Emperor was acting like this. On the contrary, Lian Yun felt wronged and wronged for her own Empress.


    They never would have thought that in the blink of an eye, the emperor would actually change his side to Honorable Liu! Furthermore, he even told his own mistress to investigate the previous case! No matter how Lian Yun thought about it, she felt that her own Empress should not have accepted this decree.


    "Lian Yun, it''s fine." Shen Qingwan on the other hand, had a cold expression on her face. She knew what Lian Yun was actually thinking, and there was a faint sense of disappointment and disappointment in her heart.


    However, when he thought of what Fu Yuheng had said before, his heart was filled with cold intent. He did not expect that in the blink of an eye, the Honorable Liu beside him would be so ironic!


    "Esteemed Empress, the emperor just temporarily ¡­" Lian Yun was actually worried that his own mistress would let her imagination run wild. Just as she was about to say something, she was stopped by Shen Qingwan.


    "Lian Yun, there''s no need to comfort me anymore. I''m really alright." The noon sunlight was filled with a gentle warmth, which actually dispelled a lot of the cold in her heart. Currently, it was not the time for Shen Qingwan to be worried about these trivial matters, but other matters could be left behind, but now, her father was the one who was more concerned about her, and she did not have any other thoughts, therefore, she did not care too much about it. In fact, thinking about it now, it was not really good, as for anything else, it was fine.


    Lian Yun could only sigh in her heart, but it was not good for him to persuade her. After all, these were the Empress''s thoughts, and she hoped that things would turn better. This way, she could heave a sigh of relief.

 C122 private meeting between two people

    The moonlight was like water, making it coincidentally the best protective talisman in this deep palace. There would always be some people who would secretly do some small things, not caring about the lives of others, but only for their own wealth.


    Liu Chugrong rubbed the paper in his hand. It was broken, but the words were clear: Be more careful these days. Naturally, you will get what you want. Although he did not know who had sent the young palace maid to deliver it to him, he could be considered to have fulfilled his wish.


    "Empress, dinner is ready." Lamei didn''t know what Liu Chugrong was thinking, so he called to her in a low voice, even though he had been by her side for so long. However, she did not dare to compliment the temper of this noble.


    Liu Chu Rong was really dissatisfied after his thoughts were interrupted. He glanced at La Mei for a second and then put her paper back, carefully locking it before he went to have his meal.


    The maids around watched Liu Chugrong eat carefully, afraid that they would be punished if they were careless. If it was light, then it was just a superficial wound. However, if it was heavy, he might not even be able to survive.


    Liu Chugrong didn''t care about the thoughts of the people around him, he just enjoyed it. Although her grade had yet to be restored, the Emperor''s intentions towards her had already been made clear. He was only missing a clear decree. So she waited, and waited. Thinking of this, he couldn''t help but smile.


    "My beloved concubine, what did you think of? Why are you smiling so happily? You''re lost in thought." Suddenly, a voice came into his ears. He got up and saluted.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty. I didn''t know that Your Majesty had descended, I beg your forgiveness." Fu Yuheng smiled as he helped her up before sitting down with her again.


    "What''s going on with you servants? Why did the emperor come and spread the news? Are there any rules?" After taking their seats, they turned around and sharply reprimanded the servants beside them. Everyone in the room then kneeled down and begged for forgiveness.


    She had just regained her favor and was now most afraid of losing the Emperor''s heart again. How could she tolerate their mistakes? Fu Yuheng only frowned and did not speak up to stop them from leaving.


    "Alright, stop being so popular. Why were you smiling so happily just now?" As she spoke, she gently caressed Liu Chugrong''s face. She used to think that her delicate and pretty appearance was different from before, but today, she felt it was a bit eye-catching.


    In the end, he still looked very much like that person! Thinking of Shen Qingwan, Fu Yuheng felt annoyed again.


    "Reporting to your majesty, chenqie only thought of seeing the Emperor everyday for the next few days, so she was very happy." As Liu Chugrong spoke, he leaned lightly against Fu Yuheng. The servants retreated upon seeing him.


    That was true. That was what she was happy about. As long as Fu Yuheng was able to make it here, then the day of her being crowned as one of the Six Palaces was just around the corner. When that happens, Shen Qingwan and the carrageenan will be the ones to take revenge!


    Although he thought this in his heart, he still maintained the delicate and touching posture of a pitiful little woman, holding onto Fu Yuheng''s clothes and not letting go.


    "Alright, as long as my beloved concubine is happy, then it''s fine. I''ll properly compensate you for the grievances you''ve suffered a while ago." He stood up and carried Liu Jiaorong to the bed.


    Half a room in the Spring Festival Glow, the night was Spring Festival Gala.


    Since ancient times, the imperial harem could not be separated from the family, so Liu Chugrong was pampered in the harem, once again gaining the favor of the emperor. The days in Prime Minister Liu were much better, and now, they were full of joy every day, no longer frowning.


    This morning, he had instructed the butler to prepare a carriage to announce that he was leaving. He only brought a few attendants with him as he walked all the way to an inconspicuous restaurant. He looked around but didn''t see anyone. Then, he hurriedly walked in.


    "This humble subject pays my respects to Ninth Prince, Ninth Prince is well." When they arrived at the private room on the second floor, Prime Minister Liu bowed respectfully.


    Fu Huaiyu heard the sound and put down the teacup. He stared at the person who came over with a smile and a pair of peach blossom eyes. Prime Minister Liu need not be so polite. Sit down, please. "


    Seeing that this old man was in such a good mood and had even specially arranged to meet him, it seemed that his plan had succeeded. However, he was still careful as he knew that he chose an inconspicuous place to hide from others.


    "Hehe, I still need to thank you. If it were not for the prince, my daughter would not have been able to regain her favor. I''m afraid my Liu Manor would not have been able to get up." The Liu Residence was implicated in Liu Chu Rong''s loss.


    Originally, he was extremely worried about this matter, but fortunately, he had received help from the Ninth Prince. That was why he was able to protect Liu Chugrong and the wealth of the Liu Residence.


    "The Honorable Liu was only framed by someone. This king can''t bear to see it, so I came up with a plan." He picked up the teacup and savored it. The tea was good, but the cup was a bit worse. If he did, it would be perfect.


    He poured another cup and passed it to Prime Minister Liu, who accepted it with a smile and took out a silver note from his sleeves.


    "This humble servant knows that the prince was born rich, and must have seen many fine things. "There''s nothing to bring here today. I hope that Your Highness can accept these banknotes. This old man will consider it as a thank-you gift." The other items were too eye-catching, and the banknotes were the most valuable.


    Even the butler didn''t know about this. He went to the bank to retrieve the banknotes himself. This could be considered a generous gift.


    Fu Huaiyu looked at it for a moment, then accepted and placed it on his body. As a prince, he was naturally interested in whatever he wanted. The thing he lacked the least was silver. However, since it was the Prime Minister Liu''s intentions, he naturally accepted it.


    "Alright, but I should still tell Honorable Liu. He should be more obedient during this period of time and not act so recklessly." After the tea was finished, it was time to leave. He had given such a huge favor to this Prime Minister Liu and there would be a lot of places that he could use it in the future.


    The Prime Minister Liu didn''t dare stop them, and followed Fu Huaiyu down the stairs. The two exchanged greetings in front of the door for a while longer before leaving.


    Only after he sat in the carriage did his heart calm down. Liu Chugrong was fine in the palace, and he was no longer scolded by the emperor in the court. As for this Ninth Prince, he will talk about it later.


    The two of them left separately, thinking that the matter was over. However, there was no wall in this world that was impervious to the wind. Naturally, there would be other eyes that would be able to see it.


    "Jiu''er, what are you looking at? Why are you so lost in thought?" A small maid touched a small, stunned maid with a delicate jewelry box.


    She had not spoken since the beginning, and had been in a daze. It was unknown what she had seen.


    "Ah, nothing. We''ve already gotten the jewellery the empress wants, let''s hurry back. It''s about to close. " The little palace maid called Jiu''er shook his head and quickly walked forward.


    She had just seen the Ninth Prince together with this Prime Minister Liu as if there was some sort of deal, but she was still the Empress''s person. Therefore, this matter could only be told to the empress. Right now, it was imperative that they return to the palace.

 C123 empress scheming

    Within the imperial palace, it was dazzling in gold and jade. As the Empress, Xiao Shushen naturally had a noble and elegant demeanor, as she sat on the soft couch and listened to the palace maids'' reports. She raised her eyes after a long time, but her tone was still lazy.


    "Do you see the truth?" is it the Prime Minister Liu and the Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu? " Even though his words were lazy, they carried the majesty of a royal family.


    "Reporting to the Empress, this servant sees it as true. and Ninth Prince aren''t wrong. These two are both influential figures in the capital. Although this servant is humble, I still recognize them. " The court lady lowered her body even more, almost touching the ground.


    Prime Minister Liu and Ninth Prince? "The two of them will meet up again. Her phoenix eyes narrowed and her eyes returned to the body of the young palace maid." Did you hear what the two of them were saying? "


    "Reporting to the Empress, I only saw them after I finished taking out the jewelry. I was rather far from the two sirs, so I didn''t hear anything." But from the looks of it, they seem to have something to discuss. " After thinking for a moment, the little palace maid finally opened his mouth.


    The empress was even more confused after hearing this. What were these two discussing? They were actually running to such a remote place. If he hadn''t been seen by this young palace maid today, perhaps no one would have discovered him.


    "Alright, I got it. You did a good job this time. Go down and receive your reward." As she spoke, she slowly sat up from the soft couch, as if she had thought of something.


    "Yes, this servant thanks the Empress." The young palace maid thanked Xiao Shushen upon hearing this and followed his father-in-law out of the room. His heart was filled with uncontrollable joy.


    "Gui mama, go to the storehouse and take out the two phoenix hairpins that the Emperor bestowed to me last time. "Pick a few more precious items and come with me to see someone." There was naturally no need for Xiao Shushen to be concerned about giving some rewards to the palace maids. There was someone else that she wanted to see.


    Gui mama had been by her side for many years, so she naturally knew what she was thinking about. "Everything was ready in a moment." "Esteemed Empress, we''re already prepared. Let''s go."


    The empress had always used a phoenix for her departure, but to maintain her image. Xiao Shushen had always used a carriage, but this time she used a phoenix throne, because the person she was going to meet was truly unusual.


    "Momo, look ahead, it''s the Honorable Liu''s residence. Tell me, what did she rely on to rise from the ground and reignite her ashes?" When they could already see the courtyard of Honorable Liu, the Queen spoke seemingly carelessly.


    "Empress, this servant is unsure. However, the methods used in this harem are, in general, only those which you should know. " As the Gui mama said this, he himself also understood it very well.


    The empress could only laugh at his words and say no more. After making such a big mistake, he thought he could be more honest after being demoted to a noble. He didn''t expect that there would actually be a way to seduce the emperor!


    "The empress has arrived." The eunuch at the door had his sharp eyes on the empress''s attire and reported it indoors with a loud voice. Liu Chugrong went out to receive him even though he found it weird.


    After staying in the palace for so many years, she had earned the trust of the emperor and was also able to manage the imperial harem in a neat and orderly manner. He didn''t just rely on tricks, he also relied on scheming. Despite the hatred in his heart, he was still gentle and generous when he saw the group of women.


    "This one greets the empress. I didn''t know that the empress had come, so I came to greet you." Seeing Xiao Shushen, Liu Chu Rong immediately bowed respectfully, no one could find anything wrong with him.


    This surprised Xiao Shushen, this Liu Xiugrong did not place her in her eyes before, but now she actually bowed to her obediently? Very rare.


    "No worries, we''re all sisters from the same family, there''s no need to be polite." While saying that, he helped Liu Chugrong up and the two of them walked towards the yard. Perhaps it was because the emperor had been coming here for the past few days, but there seemed to be a lot of life in the courtyard.


    "I heard that my younger sister was injured today, but it seems like there are a lot of things happening in the palace. Only until now did I come to see my younger sister. These are some medicinal ingredients that little sister should be able to use. " After saying that, the palace maid took the herb and handed it to the person beside Liu Jiaorong.


    Liu Chugrong thanked him without even looking at him. Heh, her body is unwell, so the happiest person should be her empress.


    "Also, this was bestowed to me by the Emperor. Today, I will bestow it to you. "I think it''s a congratulation to you, sister, for regaining your Holy Pet." When the Gui mama heard him, he handed over all the gifts that he had prepared, but Liu Chugrong didn''t even glance at him.


    She was about to recover her favor, so this favor from the empress naturally didn''t enter her eyes. Her previous attitude was just for the others to see. She didn''t want her bad reputation to reach the emperor''s ears.


    "Little sister thanks the empress very much. I''m indebted to Your Majesty for your love. Little sister will definitely live up to the empress''s wishes." I will definitely serve the Emperor well. " When she looked up at Xiao Shushen, there was a provocative look on her face.


    Since she had risen again, she would naturally not waste this opportunity and would definitely seize it.


    As expected, this woman''s nature remained unchanged. The Emperor had told her about Liu Chugrong''s transformation in the past few days, but now it seemed that he was just a wolf in sheep''s clothing. Fake. After the report was sent out, only two people remained.


    "Of course, it''s a good thing that my younger sister is able to regain her Holy Pet. However, I advise my little sister to restrain herself. The Emperor''s current favorable impression of you is merely because of your personality. Don''t expose yourself too early, and capsize when the situation turns sour. " He walked over to Liu Chugrong and murmured a few words before walking out.


    She really didn''t care about this place. She had thought that Liu Chugrong was smart, but in fact, it was nothing special, so she didn''t take it to heart.


    Seeing the empress leave, Liu Chugrong was about to explode with anger. This woman had been unable to defeat her from the start. If it wasn''t for the fact that she was the empress, she would have long thought of a way to kill her!


    He raised his teacup in anger and was about to throw it away when he accidentally saw the dressing table. Yes, she should behave herself now and find a way to deal with the empress when she recovers her favor.


    On the other side, Liu Chu Rong was flustered and exasperated while Shen Qing Wan looked completely different. Although he had been punished, he was very relieved. What''s more, a small guest had come.


    "Why is the princess looking for me today?" Shen Qingwan was embroidering when the little princess sneakily ran over. She was stunned by the sound of the Concubine Xian.


    Little Princess Fu Lingling was a mischievous child. Her mouth was filled with the pastries that Shen Qing Wan had given her, but she was unable to say anything. She could only smile at her.


    Shen Qingwan was helpless, but she maintained a calm face to prevent choking and asked again, "How is your mufei recently? Do you know that you''ve come out? "


    "Mm, my mufei is pretty good. She also knows that I''ve come to look for the esteemed empress." But Empress, what are you embroidering? Why do I look so familiar? " Fu Lingling forced himself to swallow the food in his mouth, he stared at the embroidery on the side and asked curiously.


    "This ¡­ Lotus flower, you''ve seen it before." The two of them met for the first time. Shen Qingwan originally wanted to give it to her, but the little girl ran away.


    Fu Lingling nodded and asked Shen Qingwan a lot of questions. In the end, she was still a child and was curious about everything. Having lost interest, the little princess said that she would go back to find her mother''s consort, and even brought some pastries with her before she left.

 C124 Incitement to Consort De

    These few days, he had been rather idle. When he thought about how he had finished embroidering the Proud Snow Flower Plum and now that he had finished embroidering the other half, he suddenly heard a voice from the outside.


    With a helpless and doting look at the corner of his eyes, this child could not stay idle for even a moment.


    "Mufei, mufei." Fu Lingling''s footsteps were cheerful as she directly drilled into the mufei''s embrace. "Child, if you remember your identity, how could you be so reckless?" Although it was a reprimand, the voice was still very soft.


    Fu Lingling on the other hand, made a face, which made Consort De smile, "Oh right, how is Concubine Xian?" When she thought about going to Shen Qingwan''s place today, she felt a bit of worry.


    "Mufei, everything is fine in Concubine Xian, but ¡­" Fu Lingling tilted her head, unwittingly looking at the servants around, Consort De understood, although she was suspicious, she still left the group of people.


    "Mufei, before we left, this was specifically entrusted to my daughter by Concubine Xian, who urged me to give it to mufei." Fu Lingling spread open his palm, and impressively tightly gripped a piece of paper inside.


    Consort De took away the slip of paper. In that instant, her expression became a little solemn.


    On the slip of paper, there was only a short sentence, which was written: The Emperor wants to search for the Honorable Liu.


    She felt a headache coming on. Now that Liu Xin Rong had received a favor, she did not expect that she would have to investigate the past again, and now that Shen Qing Wan was assigned to deal with it, things were going to be a little tricky.


    When he thought about what happened that day, Consort De was shocked. Previously, when carrageenan fell into the water, she was the one who threw the stone at Liu Chugrong''s legs. Now that the Emperor wants to investigate, isn''t that very dangerous?


    "Mufei, are you feeling unwell?" Fu Lingling blinked her crystal agate eyes, her expression carrying worry, while Consort De had instantly recovered his original look. She didn''t think about it too much for now.


    "No problem, mufei is just a bit tired from embroidery." The corners of Consort De''s eyebrows were soft, but Fu Lingling didn''t think too much about it. She obediently let mufei rest, and didn''t disturb him too much.


    [This matter will have to be solved eventually, but it won''t be for long. What should I do!] Consort De felt a headache coming on.


    Judging from the attitude of the emperor, it would be difficult to investigate the matter of Liu Chugrong.


    On the other hand, Consort De was feeling extremely frustrated in her heart. She had actually thought of a few ideas, but they were all useless now.


    Vulgar language: There is no eternal friend, but there is an eternal interest.


    At that moment, Li Rou thought that nothing was wrong, so she went to Consort De''s place to have a look, and casually chatted.


    In this harem, even the tiniest bit of news had spread like wildfire. Now that Liu Xiugrong was frequently favored, some of the imperial concubines could not help but grumble inwardly. Although this showed that they were unable to fight back, they could still secretly complain about it.


    "My lady, I request an audience." Dong Xue entered the room to report.


    "Let her in." Consort De was slightly unhappy. She didn''t know how to deal with this issue now, so she was rather bored.


    "Chenqie greets Consort De." Consort De waved her hand, allowing Li Yu and Dong Xue to sit, then Dong Xue poured some tea.


    "What are you worrying about, Consort De? If you don''t mind sister''s stupidity, sister is willing to share the burden." Seeing the frown on Consort De''s face, she knew that she had something on her mind.


    Sigh, it''s not really a big deal. These few days, the Honorable Liu has been quite enviable. Consort De only laughed, trying to find an excuse to calm down. After all, he didn''t have the time to fight with Li Yu, he just wanted to get something out of it.


    "What you said was not wrong. I didn''t expect to be able to be like a fish in water, but envious of the bystanders!" She was smiling like a flower, but that smile made people feel uncomfortable.


    "Sigh, only the newbies laugh, who would hear the old people cry? "Oh yeah, big sister, the emperor hasn''t come for some days." She slightly raised her finger, her long eyelashes cleverly shielding her eyes, making it difficult for people to pry into her thoughts.


    "His Majesty is busy with official business. Of course, the country''s affairs are his top priority." The Consort De''s heart was as though she had found a mirror, unintentionally raising her brows a little.


    "What Big Sister said is extremely true, but I''m afraid the Emperor''s heart is more on beauties." The tone that was slightly raised by Li Rou further deepened the meaning of her words.


    "Previously, the Honorable Liu caused the carrageenan to fall into the water. For them to be able to attract the emperor''s pity again after committing such a crime, it is truly worrisome." She looked at Consort De as if trying to figure out something from her expression, but the latter was as calm as water. She was disappointed but not discouraged.


    "Sigh, little sister is rather envious of big sister. However, she has a bosom friend, my son. It seems that it has been a long time since Princess Ling Ling Ling has seen your majesty."


    The current Honorable Liu is so kind, I''m afraid that it won''t be long before the good news spreads out. At the end of the day, the harem will be very lively, and even Princess Ling Ling will have a companion. The other meaning of this line was simply to let the Consort De take advantage of the fact that the children were here to fight with Liu Chu Rong. If they were to fight against each other in the future, perhaps they would not even have a chance, and her child could only become a green leaf.


    Consort De was not happy at all. She felt slightly frustrated in her heart. She wanted to become a stepping stone for herself, as there were a lot of things she needed to do now.


    After a long while of talking, she finally revealed herself to be a playboy. It was a bit embarrassing, but after thinking about the steps, she decided not to stay any longer, and Consort De sent Dong Xue there to send him off. Finally, the palace became a lot quieter.


    As he thought of that day, Consort De started to wonder if he should go and take a look at Liu Chu Rong''s Honorable Liu. After that, he decided to go and find out about Liu Chu Rong''s background first. This way, he would have a plan in his heart, and he wouldn''t have to be extremely uneasy here.

 C125 metrarine

    A little bit of news only lasted for a short period of time. On the other hand, the back palace was in an uproar.


    Now that the Honorable Liu was favored, many of the imperial concubines who had previously offended her felt uneasy.


    Now, the emperor was resting in the Honorable Liu''s chambers once again. This made some of the imperial concubines, who had wanted to wait and see, even more so, make up their minds.


    There were always some people who didn''t want to see this kind of situation.


    "Pah!" A clear sound of cups colliding rang out. The shivering body of the servant girl revealed that she was in a bad mood.


    "She really looks like a fox girl!" Xiao Shushen felt even more unwell in her heart. How could she change anything just because of what Liu Xiugrong was like before?


    "Damn it, let''s see how long we can be complacent for!" Under the noble phoenix robe, it had a friendly and approachable appearance, with a hint of malevolence.


    Xiao Shushen felt that she would be suppressed to the point that she was about to go crazy.


    Xiao Shushen was originally very unhappy, but at this moment, the maid outside informed him that the Honorable Liu had come to pay his respects.


    Xiao Shushen laughed coldly in her heart, she was afraid that what she said was not true, and the truth was that they were here to demonstrate their might!


    A cold light flashed through her phoenix eyes.


    "Greetings to the empress." After all, the Emperor had placed him in a very difficult position in his heart, and there were quite a few concubines who had come to teach him well. In the end, it was inevitable that he had started to raise his tail in his heart, but in the end, he would still pay a little attention in front of the Emperor; after all, the reminder from the note seemed to be a lost cause.


    "Get up." Xiao Shushen squinted her eyes, her expression was calm, her voice did not allow anyone to guess what was going on, and it was as though she was not in a hurry to greet the Honorable Liu.


    "Thank you esteemed Empress, I was a little tired from yesterday''s torment, so I was a bit late today. I hope esteemed Empress can forgive me." Although Honorable Liu was a little dissatisfied in his heart, he still remembered the Emperor''s current favor. After all, there were times when there was a need for more days to come, but this did not mean that he was easy to bully!


    Xiao Shushen''s heart was set ablaze because of these words. Now that Liu Chugrong did not have to wear makeup, it made people feel more pity for him. However, it was all ruined by that vulgar aura.


    "In the past few days, chenqie has been worried about delaying the emperor from handling the affairs of state. However, I can''t dissuade you from doing so, and my heart is filled with fear." Even though she said that, her tone did not sound guilty at all. She was more pleased with herself, especially when she saw the empress''s expression, which made her feel even better.


    Even if she was the Queen, what could she do now? Liu Xiangrong''s contentment instantly turned into admiration. It was rude to even speak.


    "Pah!"


    Her fair face blushed a little. Liu Chugrong looked at the Queen with disbelief.


    Now that Xiao Shushen had slapped down, the anger in her heart instantly dissipated by quite a bit. The Phoenix Luan handkerchief in her hand was used to wipe her palm.


    Liu Chugrong was furious. Her beautiful eyes were burning with anger, as if she wanted to burn the person in front of her.


    Xiao Shushen leisurely opened her mouth, "Oh human, you need to have a long memory to do that, Honorable Liu, this slap from me will definitely wake you up."


    "At the end of the day, you are merely a noble. You must pay attention to your own identity. If you don''t like it, you are like an ant now." Xiao Shushen brought a strong warning with him, causing Liu Chugrong to clench his teeth, as though towards today''s humiliation, he would definitely make her, Xiao Shushen, pay the price!


    That slap earlier was done with Xiao Shushen''s full strength, it was not light, Liu Chu Rong did not expect it, and he was caught off guard by the force of the slap, causing him to stagger to the ground, his hair was in a mess, and he had an extremely sad look on his face.


    Coincidentally, when the Consort De heard that the Honorable Liu had come to visit the Empress, she was just thinking of an opportunity.


    "Greetings to esteemed empress, what''s wrong, Honorable Liu is?" Consort De was surprised at first, but after that, she stepped forward to support Liu Chugrong, and her gaze moved around the two of them.


    "Heh, I''m just teaching her the rules!" The empress flicked her sleeves, her eyes a little cold.


    "Empress, please calm your anger. Honorable Liu is also a man of character, he can''t help but straighten himself out a bit. In any case, noble people are still young, and sometimes don''t really understand. I hope Empress can forgive me." The Consort De now knew that helping the Honorable Liu would also be helping himself. After all, Liu Chu Rong was currently in a flourishing position.


    Liu Chu Rong was not grateful to Consort De''s help, he thought in his heart, but he did it to curry favor with him, while Xiao Shushen''s heart was in a mess, she was actually loyal to that bitch!


    Seeing that there was nothing wrong, the Consort De did not stay any longer, and brought the Honorable Liu along, as she left, and Xiao Shushen obviously did not want to see the Honorable Liu in front of him, nor did she try to stop her. The Honorable Liu was angry, but his face was burning with pain, and with one look, he knew that it was most likely swollen, and his heart was filled with hatred, thinking that if there was a chance, he would definitely want her to look good, even if it was the Empress, so what?


    Even though his heart was full of malice, this was not the time for him to lose decorum!


    Liu Chugrong felt that the reason the Consort De helped him was only because of his current identity. As for the reason why the Consort De did this, it was simply to find out if he had left any evidence behind, and after chatting with the Honorable Liu for a while, he did not discover anything, so he could not help but let out a sigh of relief in his heart. From the looks of it, he did not need to worry too much, since his goal had been achieved, he did not need to stay any longer.


    Coincidentally, the two walked to the pavilion, where a group of palace maids were pruning flowers. They were extremely busy, and it seemed as if they didn''t notice the two of them. They were currently whispering to each other.


    I heard from the other palace maids that they saw a rock thrown by the Consort De and it smashed onto Honorable Liu''s leg! "" That''s right!


    In an instant, Consort De''s heart fiercely jumped as a sense of unease began to spread from the bottom of her heart.

 C126 Help Hide

    Hearing the palace maid say that she had hit the stone on Liu Chu Rong''s leg, Consort De, who was chatting with Liu Chu Rong, had a change in expression. She was secretly worried and pretended to look towards Liu Yu Rong.


    Very quickly, he brought Liu Chugrong back to her palace. Consort De also had no intention of staying, Liu Chugrong didn''t care too much about it, so he didn''t try to keep her.


    Consort De walked very quickly along the way, afraid that things would become difficult to control if she was too late.


    Consort De''s face was filled with worry, she paced back and forth in the room, thinking and thinking, but she was still unable to find a good solution.


    "Dong Xue, when we were sending Honorable Liu back to the palace, do you still remember the two maidservants we bumped into?


    After giving the order to Dong Xue, Consort De heaved a sigh of relief. Even if she couldn''t stop the palace maids from talking nonsense, she at least knew about it in advance.


    Dong Xue did not stay any longer. She found the two palace maids from before and quietly followed behind them. Because she was worried about being discovered, she could only stay far away. Hence, she was unable to clearly hear what the lady was saying. However, her orders were only to follow them, and there was no need for her to risk being discovered and listen to what they had to say.


    Dong Xue was currently following the two palace maids wholeheartedly, and did not notice the person behind him at all.


    "Dong Xue, why did she follow those two palace maids?" Behind Dong Xue, Lian Yun frowned, her face full of confusion.


    Lian Yun thought about it and decided to follow along, just in time to see what was going on, while Dong Xue continued to stare at the two palace maids, not noticing Lian Yun who was behind him.


    After following her for a long time, without seeing any other movements from Dong Xue, Lian Yun couldn''t help but to be a little confused in her heart.


    After some thought, Lian Yun sped up her footsteps and walked forward. Because Dong Xue purposely slowed her steps, he was quickly caught up by her.


    "Dong Xue!" Lian Yun waved her hand and laughed.


    The relationship between Shen Qing Wan and Consort De was not that bad, and the servants knew each other well. After all, it was not that bad to look for someone, but in their hearts, the matter regarding their master was more important. After all, it was good to have a reliable master in the palace.


    Hearing someone call out to him, Dong Xue''s heart jumped, he turned and looked, only to realize that it was Lian Yun, his lips curled up into a faint smile, considered as a response, and then looked at the two servants in front of him.


    "What are you doing?" Lian Yun looked at Dong Xue, and asked knowingly.


    "It''s nothing. The Empress has something that she needs me to do." Dong Xue answered absentmindedly, and his voice carried a bit of a perfunctory tone.


    Lian Yun had already mentally prepared herself long ago, knowing that she wouldn''t be able to ask anything. Regarding Dong Xue''s reaction, she wasn''t too surprised.


    After waving goodbye to Dong Xue, Lian Yun sped up her footsteps and slowly caught up with the two palace maids that were following him. As the distance between the two palace maids shortened, the sounds of conversation between them gradually became clearer, and they whispered into her ear little by little.


    "Although Consort De has a bad temper, I never thought that she would actually do such a thing!"


    "Aren''t all the women in the palace the same? If you don''t have a snack bar, how can you survive here safely?"


    "That''s true, but that Liu Chugrong is not a good person either."


    The two were still whispering to each other. He didn''t notice that two pairs of eyes were staring at him from behind.


    By now, Lian Yun already knew the ins and outs of what had happened. Smiling, she quickly headed towards her own Empress''s sleeping quarters. Because she did not stay by their side for long, while Dong Xue''s attention was always focused on the two palace maids, Lian Yun did not arouse any suspicions.


    Inside Shen Qingwan''s chamber, Lian Yun had already returned.


    "Empress, this servant has something to tell you?" Lian Yun lowered her head and said respectfully.


    "What is it?" Shen Qingwan lowered her head and played with the flowers in front of her, her voice was as calm as water.


    The flowers were blooming just in time. Unfortunately, there was always someone who needed to admire them.


    Lian Yun had long gotten used to this. Shen Qingwan''s personality was just like this. Sometimes, she, as a servant, would worry for her mistress.


    "Empress ¡­" Lian Yun wanted to say something but hesitated. She looked at the palace maids and eunuchs around him with some difficulty.


    Shen Qingwan saw that she didn''t speak for a long time and raised her head to look at her. Just as she wanted to ask why she didn''t say anything, she met her troubled expression.


    Understanding what Lian Yun meant, Shen Qingwan waved her hand: "All of you can leave first!"


    In the blink of an eye, only the two of them were left in the large room. The surroundings instantly became quiet, and one could even clearly hear the breathing of the two of them.


    "What is it?" "Go ahead."


    "Empress, this servant saw that the Consort De''s servant, Dong Xue, was following the two palace maids. She was curious and followed along to take a look. Lian Yun paused, as if she was calming down.


    "I heard that the reason Liu Xiugrong pushed others into the water was because Consort De hit her leg with a stone." Lian Yun''s voice was mixed with indescribable emotions.


    Shen Qingwan slightly nodded her head, indicating that she already knew.


    "Then the Empress ¡­" Should I speak of this matter? " Lian Yun asked. He believed that if this matter was spread out, the Consort De would inevitably be punished by the Emperor.


    Shen Qing Wan shook her head. She was very clear of Lian Yun''s thoughts, but if she were to say anything now, the Emperor knew that Liu Xin Rong was wrongly accused, and she, who was originally favoured, would definitely be even more favored by him. Consort De''s daughter, Fu Lingling was lively and intelligent, which made her quite fond of her.


    "Don''t tell anyone about this."


    Shen Qingwan said softly, her fair face was still indifferent, without any expression.


    Since Shen Qing Wan had already spoken, Lian Yun naturally did not say anything more. After all, the Empress had her own reasons and concerns, and these were not her worries.


    "When you have time, go and meet Dong Xue. Tell her to be more careful in her actions, and not let any more people know about this matter." If someone with ulterior motives were to find out and tell the Emperor, it would be impossible for her to hide it even if she wanted to.


    Lian Yun replied, she did not want to stay any longer, and went to look for Dong Xue.

 C127 Substitute Lamb

    Lian Yun quickly found Dong Xue, who was still staring at the two palace maids, and brought her to a secluded corner without saying a word. Only then did he let go of the hand that was holding onto her clothes.


    "Lian Yun, what are you doing!" Dong Xue frowned, suppressing her anger. She was following the two palace maids closely, and now that Lian Yun had messed things up, if she turned her head and could not see the two palace maids, how could she report back to the Consort De?


    As if he understood her thoughts, Lian Yun smiled softly. He didn''t pay too much attention to her angry expression just now.


    "I know what you want to do. Those are only two palace maids. They usually gossip about nothing. They don''t have that much courage, so don''t worry." Lian Yun''s explanation had logic and evidence, making people unable to find a reason to refute.


    "It has nothing to do with you. Of course you would say that." Dong Xue muttered. With her hands folded across her chest, she tilted her face once, staring at the pillar by the side, her lips tightly pursed, as though she was unwilling to care about Lian Yun.


    "Dong Xue, we are all working for our master, so of course we don''t want our master to have anything to do. Concubine Xian knows about Consort De''s affairs, and the Empress told me to remind you to be careful, as there are many spies in the harem." Dong Xue acted as if he didn''t want to talk anymore, so she didn''t plan to continue persuading her, and instead told her her real purpose in coming to find her.


    "I don''t understand what you''re saying." When Dong Xue heard this, he frowned. In his heart, he was on guard, but Lian Yun was only responsible for reminding him. As for whether or not he had heard it, it was not a question that she should answer.


    "That''s how it is. Think about it carefully." After Lian Yun finished, she turned around and left, leaving Dong Xue with a pensive look on her face.


    On the same day, Consort De was enjoying the tea in the cup in front of him with a smile on her face. She praised, "My sister''s tea making skills are so good. It''s so fragrant and pleasant. It''s not that simple!"


    Liu Chugrong was also full of smiles. "Sister, you don''t need to say that. My skills are not comparable to yours."


    "Sister, you''re too modest. You''re so clever, how could I compare to you?" The Consort De continued to praise.


    Liu Chugrong felt comfortable hearing this. He started to feel a little smug as he proudly raised his head slightly. When Consort De saw this, she pretended not to see it and continued to sip the tea in the cup.


    In the blink of an eye, four hours had passed. Consort De then stood up and took her leave.


    After leaving Liu Chugrong''s palace, Consort De felt relieved. It seemed that Liu Chugrong didn''t know about that matter yet, otherwise, he wouldn''t be as intimate as he was now, although it wasn''t true!


    And Liu Chugrong, after Consort De left, the smile on his face instantly disappeared as well. He squinted his eyes as he watched Consort De''s back.


    Consort De, what is your goal?


    In the past few days, Consort De often came to find her. Usually, the relationship between the two wasn''t that good and they basically didn''t have any interactions with each other, but in these few days, Consort De''s behavior was so abnormal. As the saying goes, when there is an anomaly, there must be a demon. This made Liu Chugrong wonder why Consort De was doing this to him.


    Liu Chu Rong himself had already been demoted to a noble, although he was very favoured, but Shen Lihan was now a Consort De, her position was higher than him so she shouldn''t need to specially come over to curry favor with him.


    Since they weren''t here to curry favor with him, they could only hope that they were planning some sort of scheme against him.


    When he thought about that, Liu Chugrong''s eyes turned cold. He reminded himself to be careful of the Consort De.


    The Shen Qing Wan in the palace, however, was burning with anxiety.


    At this moment, she was frowning and her face was filled with worry. Her gaze was still fixated at the direction of the palace gate.


    Not long after, Lian Yun appeared in her line of sight, and her eyes flashed with hope. She got up and ran towards Lian Yun.


    "How is it? Is there any news? " Shen Qing Wan asked anxiously.


    Lian Yun panted heavily, and shook her head with difficulty.


    Shen Qingwan instantly calmed down, a look of loss flashed across her face, but it quickly changed into her usual indifference.


    After taking a breather, Lian Yun''s breathing finally started to calm down. She consoled her, "Empress, you don''t have to worry too much. Old General Shen has fought in a war for a lifetime, and is very experienced, so he won''t be defeated that easily.


    Shen Qingwan softly sighed and nodded her head to show that she knew. However, she still couldn''t let go of this worry in her heart. If it wasn''t for her identity, she wouldn''t be so worried.


    That was her father after all, the border was in danger, and there had been very little news of him ever since he set off. Now that there was the matter of the spy, how could Shen Qingwan be at ease!


    Now, he still had to settle the matters of the Consort De, after all, the Emperor had already intervened in this matter, and he could not be biased, after all, if he did not handle this matter well and left any traces behind, he would definitely cause trouble for others, and might even implicate his father.


    Shen Qingwan sighed as she thought of this. Her brows involuntarily knit together.


    She put a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes. She didn''t do anything for a long time.


    "Empress?" Lian Yun tried to call Shen Qingwan.


    Shen Qingwan slowly opened her eyes, but the worry in her eyes did not disappear.


    "Are you alright?" Lian Yun''s heart was filled with worry.


    Shen Qingwan lightly shook her head and replied with a smile, indicating that she was fine.


    "Are you still thinking about the old general? Although the battle at the border is not good, isn''t the palace very quiet now? I presume there shouldn''t be any big problems, so you shouldn''t worry too much. " Seeing Shen Qing Wan being so worried, Lian Yun could not bear to comfort his again.


    Lian Yun''s words were not unreasonable, but it was impossible for her not to worry.


    Shen Qing Wan nodded her head, but was unwilling to speak further, so Lian Yun could only shut her mouth.


    She then looked out of the hall and came in. She had a lot of things to do, and was very busy, and had to settle the matters between Liu Xiurong and Consort De as soon as possible. Since she could not find a good way to deal with this matter, she could only find a scapegoat for Consort De.


    Shen Qingwan gently lifted the teacup in front of her with her fingertips. The sweet, sweet, and sweet aftertaste of the dewy rain made her feel a little uncomfortable.


    The Consort De wasn''t the time to lose her, and the harem still needed to balance.

 C128 Forcing down public opinion

    The current Hu Youshan was in complete order. With the absence of the tumor, he could even display the iron-like integrity of a soldier!


    While Fu Huaiyu was in the imperial city, there were some things that were inconvenient for him to do, but there was no harm in doing so, he handed over all the matters to his own Mo Zilian, although he was helpless in his heart, but he did not dare delay any further, if he did not slip away quickly, who knew what other special mission he would have to hand over.


    Seeing Mo Zilian''s expression, Fu Huaiyu could guess, the corner of his peach blossom eyes raised, the fan in his hands moved slightly, the style written by a famous person seemed to have become even more free and uninhibited.


    Now that he had gotten rid of Hu Youshan''s spy, but there would always be some problems that needed to be dealt with properly, so Fu Huaiyu would not feel at ease about who was going to get involved in this matter, so he could choose Mo Zilian instead, allowing him to rest for a few days. Now that the imperial city was in an unstable situation, he could not underestimate any of the chess pieces in this game, because if a chess piece was missing, this game could get ruined!


    Under the evening wind, there were many pavilions and great pavilions. Dressed in a white robe, the aroma of tea lingered on the stone table. This was a game of chess. All the people in the world were gathered in this game!


    He just didn''t know if the heart was the original body or not.


    All the officials present in the court would make use of this matter to present themselves. As a result, it had already been a few days. Although Fu Yuheng was not satisfied, he could only temporarily retreat and advance forward.


    "General, what should we do now?" These warriors who followed him in life and death all had faces of their youth, but now, they had no choice but to put on their battle robes, pick up their weapons, and roar in this ten thousand li of flat sand!


    When a hero dies, the soul should return to the home. How can he be a wandering soul?!


    In the enemy''s attack last time, General Shen was sent to his death by a group of soldiers. In the end, he managed to save his life, and now that he had recovered, he was not in the mood to rest. Now, however, he was busy discussing the military situation with his subordinates, and had forgotten about the pain on his body.


    However, the army had the rebel army and the enemy''s fierce attack. Although General Shen had made the decision on the spot to temporarily protect the army''s current strength, he had suffered a loss, and now, he could be relieved a little, that would be the lowest injury, the smallest one. However, it also brought about a series of problems now, the soldiers'' battle prowess seemed to be extremely low.


    The midnight moon started to rise. Currently in the military camp, all the soldiers were exhausted from the horses, as they had just blocked a new round of attack from the enemy, but now they all hurriedly slept in preparation for the upcoming war. General Shen walked out of the camp and stood on the watchtower with his hands behind his back.


    As he thought about it this way, a gentle smile slowly surfaced on the corner of General Shen''s mouth. She should be like him, thinking about him in her heart, but it was a pity that they were in a hurry right now, so the letter transmission was affected a little. She hoped that the night breeze would be able to carry away what she was thinking.


    She must have been affected because of him. No matter what, she could only hope that she would be able to live a peaceful life. Then, she wouldn''t have to take responsibility for herself!


    Within the bustling imperial city, many families were filled with joy. However, if it weren''t for the soldiers who were defending their own country at the border, how could there be such a peaceful way of saving trouble!


    In the end, however, he had forgotten. In the imperial court, the light, the shadows, and the arrows were all waiting to be released. After all, benefits were eternal.


    Of course, his position in the imperial court could not be easily shaken. After a long time, some people''s hearts were unavoidably filled with dissatisfaction, and they would normally still rely on each other, but the matter of the general''s border, had attracted many discussions.


    In the great hall filled with the majesty of an emperor, all the officials kneeled on the ground together as a majestic voice sounded from above their heads. But how many people could actually understand the loneliness above?


    "Your majesty, the war at the border has become more and more urgent, and the Old General Shen has been forced to retreat step by step. If word of this gets out, it will damage the prestige of our Great Liang Nation!" An assistant minister stepped out from the crowd of officials, attracting the attention of many ministers.


    "Your majesty, the Old General Shen''s military achievements are illustrious, and indeed, many indelible achievements have been made. But time flies, no matter how good the weapon is, there will be a day when it rusts and turns rotten!" The Minister seconded.


    Fu Yuheng frowned slightly. So many officials were unable to solve their problems. Now, it was apparent!


    "Dear ministers, please be at ease. General Shen is a person who has experienced a lot of battles, he has fought many different battles, who can compare to him in terms of battle experience and intelligence!" Fu Yuheng gave a light cough, and the discussions of the other ministers gradually grew softer until they disappeared.


    Fu Yuheng swept his gaze across the crowd. Even though it was so dull, it carried an irresistible force.


    In an instant, the palace hall became deathly silent. After all, when looking over, there was truly no one who could stand out.


    "Everyone has witnessed the prestige of the General Shen. Now that the war at the border is strained, it is natural for everyone to work together to resist the enemies. But now, it seems that it is truly a mockery!" Fu Yuheng was truly infuriated. After all, there were so many officials around. How could he be so carefree?


    "We, the heroic warriors of the Great Liang, have worked hard to defend the Great Liang''s prestige at the border. However, all of you are here, afraid of death! How pathetic, this must be enough to make the border generals feel cold! " Fu Yuheng obviously did not wish to give face to these ministers. Once he said those words, everyone''s expression changed slightly.


    "Please calm your anger, your Imperial Majesty." All of the officials kneeled on the ground, looking extremely terrified. Even though they looked like they had received a lesson on the surface, what they were thinking in their hearts was still something else that had to be said.


    Fu Yuheng flicked the sleeves of his dragon robe. At this moment, he only knew how to calm his anger, but he knew how to do anything else!


    Now, I actually hope that the war at the border can be settled as soon as possible. Everything depends on the Old General Shen, I hope the General Shen does not disappoint me!


    What I can do now is really not much at all!


    Fu Yuheng felt a slight helplessness in his heart, but it caused him to feel extremely frustrated.


    Xiao Yan''s gaze carried some length as it followed the main hall of the imperial court to look outside. It appeared as though it penetrated everything in front of him as it looked toward the battlefield that was filled with killing intent!


    The Shen family had truly thrown him a difficult problem. If any bad news were to spread, then perhaps ¡­

 C129 two ways are difficult to choose

    "Gui mama." Xiao Shushen reached out and stuck a hairpin onto her head, a look of impatience appeared in her eyes. Liu Xiugrong suddenly becoming favoured had to be related to the Ninth Prince, which was undoubtedly a threat to her. Moreover, the Ninth Prince was not as simple as it seemed, if he really got the upper hand, then she, the Empress, would naturally not be able to remain calm.


    Gui mama came in from outside with a vase in her hands. She was just about to take the vase to the warehouse when she heard Xiao Shushen''s summons. All the surrounding palace maids ran off to somewhere at this time, carrying the vase in their hands.


    "Aiyo, is there something important for the empress to summon this old servant?" His face was filled with flattery, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were all gathered together. However, he seemed to feel that it was not enough and continued to pile up.


    "Go to Prime Minister Liu and beat him up. Right now, the emperor has the final say in the imperial court. If he doesn''t know what''s going on ¡­" The expression on Xiao Shushen''s face became more and more terrifying, like a man-eating flower, with its fangs bared, and its sinister mouth exposed.


    "Here." After Gui mama left, Xiao Shushen''s expression returned to normal, seeing the copper mirror reflecting her original appearance, the hairpin on her head became crooked, she gently raised her hand to balance it, and the golden phoenix arrogantly raised its head, revealing its own brilliance, even with its wings, it was still a level higher than the others.


    After Gui mama entered the palace, he boarded a horse carriage. The Empress had just given him silver, but he was now generous enough to give the coachman one tael of silver.


    In these few days, the Ninth Prince would occasionally send subordinates over. Although as guards, they could not participate in master''s matters, they still had to serve him well.


    The guard had just returned from the restroom when he saw a horse carriage leisurely walking over. His head was covered in a layer of cool air as he hurriedly mustered up all his energy.


    "Hey, may I ask who this noble person is? This little one will go and report to the others. " The servant asked in a low voice.


    The servant was surprised to see a young man wearing palace clothing. He had previously been fortunate enough to accompany the servant in a trip to the palace, and in this outfit, it was obvious that he was a mama.


    Just say that the Gui mama is here to visit you. The servants of the Prime Minister''s Residence were like ants in her eyes. If not for the Empress'' decree, she would not have bothered to see them.


    was surprised to see him so flustered. If the people from Ninth Prince came, it would not be like this, so it must be someone else?


    The servant stammered and stammered, only after a while did he say that the Gui mama was here.


    Prime Minister Liu turned pale with fright when he heard it. Others might not know about Gui mama, but those were people under the Empress''s command.


    With his expression, it was impossible for Lady Liu to not be surprised. After all, he was still a high official in the imperial court and was highly respected by the Emperor. Furthermore, his daughter was favored by the palace and had been pampered to six palaces. Naturally, he had seen a lot of things, so why was he so unsettled about it now?


    As a result, as soon as Prime Minister Liu left, Madam Liu followed closely behind. She was also very curious as to who the person was. When he arrived at the front hall, he found that there was only one woman, and she looked like she was from the palace.


    "Husband, who is this person?" He slowly walked to Prime Minister Liu''s side and asked in a low voice, scaring Prime Minister Liu to the point where he quivered again.


    He had just been frightened by the empress, and now his wife was coming as well. Even though he was dissatisfied, he still replied, "This, is someone from the empress''s side. Gui mama can be considered an old man in the palace. It''s just that you don''t go to the palace very often, so it''s natural that you don''t know them. "


    When the Gui mama heard the Prime Minister Liu''s introduction, his expression did not change at all, and he gave a humble bow to Lady Liu. Although she was the empress''s person, she was still just a servant.


    "I was wondering who it was. So it was someone by the empress''s side." It''s also because I can''t see clearly, and I should have recognized Grandma''s temperament a long time ago. " After hearing that, Madam Liu''s smile blossomed, and she pulled Gui mama to sit down.


    "Madam truly is this old servant, how could I dare to be entertained like this." However, Gui mama walked to the side with an ungrateful attitude.


    Seeing Gui mama''s actions, Prime Minister Liu''s face immediately darkened. Although he was afraid of the Queen, he wasn''t afraid of being humiliated by a servant.


    Madam Liu''s expression did not change much as she looked at Gui mama unkindly. At the end of the day, wasn''t it because of the empress of the palace that he was being so courteous to her? Otherwise, why would he give her so much face? However, she still hoped that her daughter, Liu Chugrong, could be the Queen.


    However, this was a special time, so Prime Minister Liu could only flatter Madam Liu and make faces at his.


    "Please have a seat. Come, serve the guests some tea." Since she was one of the empress''s men, she did not dare to be negligent at all. She immediately ordered some people to serve tea, but she was somewhat unwilling.


    "Lord Liu, Lady Liu doesn''t need to be so courteous. Esteemed Empress sent me over today, but I''ve recently heard rumors that Lord Liu and Ninth Prince have been rather close. Although Your Majesty and Esteemed Empress still believe you two very much, but ¡­" After saying that, the Gui mama paused for a moment, before taking a sip of tea.


    "Empress was also afraid that Lord Liu would lose his mind for a moment, and did not know what was correct. If Lord Liu accidentally chose the wrong path, then it would not be good, after all the emperor treats Lord Liu well, and the emperor''s daughter is also his concubine. Lord Liu is a smart person, so he knows what should be done and shouldn''t do."


    Prime Minister Liu also nodded. At this point, his head was dripping with cold sweat.


    "The moment this person goes wrong, there will be no way back. At that time, not only will the Lord Liu be in danger, I''m afraid that even the entire Prime Minister''s Mansion will suffer a great calamity!" Seeing that Prime Minister Liu had not dared to retort, Gui mama was even more impatient, and his gaze became even more arrogant.


    The Prime Minister Liu sat in the high position, listening to the people''s side attacks, and understood that the Queen was beating him up. It was likely that the Queen had noticed something, so she specially sent people to investigate his attitude.


    "Yes, yes, yes, the empress''s suggestion was right. I hope the empress can be at ease as well. This old subject is loyal to the emperor and definitely won''t do anything that would harm his majesty."


    Prime Minister Liu nodded his head repeatedly, submissively and obediently. It was as if he could make people feel his sincerity.

 C130 light to dark depending on

    "Alright, this old servant can only say this much, I won''t stay here to bother you two anymore." "I only hope that Prime Minister and Madam can think over the words this old servant has brought for the Empress." Seeing that the two of them understood what she meant, Gui mama did not say anymore and turned to leave.


    Prime Minister Liu sent servants to respectfully send Gui mama out of the Prime Minister''s Residence. After confirming that the person had walked far away, the Prime Minister Liu dragged his wife into the Inner Palace''s room, and ordered all the servants to retreat far away before closing the door for a secret conversation.


    "Old master, why has this Gui mama come today ¡­" "Did the empress already know something?"


    Prime Minister Liu paced back and forth in his room, saying: "I don''t think so. Gui mama only came to beat us up, to make us stand in formation. If the empress already knows about the matter between us and the Ninth Prince, it shouldn''t be just for the Gui mama to say these words. "


    Madam Liu''s brows relaxed slightly. "It looks like the empress is suspecting us as well. We have to be more careful."


    Prime Minister Liu nodded his head, "This matter concerns the future of our Liu Family. We must be extremely careful. Madam, you can go ahead and make the arrangements. If we are to come into contact with the Ninth Prince, we must send some new faces from the capital. Do not let anyone find out anything about our Liu Family. "


    "Master, don''t worry. I am unable to help with matters of the imperial court. There is no need for Master to worry about the employment of people." Madam Liu also knew that this was not something to be careless about and solemnly agreed.


    "Sure." I will find some time to personally meet with the Ninth Prince and inform him of this matter. "Our next cooperation will be to redesign our plans for this sudden development." The Prime Minister Liu sighed helplessly. As expected, the Empress was very well-informed, and it was just that they had been in contact with the Ninth Prince a little.


    Madam Liu also knew that the empress was suspicious by nature. Normally, she would rather kill by mistake than let a person who might harm her get away. Today, she suspected that the Liu Family would be involved in all sorts of troubles for the Liu Family tomorrow. But things had already gotten to this point. Unless they clearly joined the empress''s faction, there was no way to dispel the empress''s suspicions towards them.


    The two of them thought about the situation with Liu Chugrong and gritted their teeth, not giving up this opportunity to work with the Ninth Prince.


    On the other side, Liu Chugrong, who had finally gotten some free time, was taking La Mei for a leisurely walk in the palace. She did not know that the Empress had already found her home. She had always been fantasizing about her own glory after becoming the Queen.


    "Lamei, do you know which part of the palace has the most beautiful scenery?" Liu Chu Rong proudly raised his head, looking at the beautiful scenery in the garden and asked.


    "Empress, is this the Lotus Pond? I heard that these lotuses came from the foreign lands, and that the Imperial Palace is the only place where they could be found in the capital. " Lamei didn''t know why his wife would suddenly ask such a pointless question, but he obediently answered.


    "Shallow." Liu Chu Rong snorted, "Which part of the palace is lacking in beautiful scenery? The most beautiful scenery, of course, is in the heart of the Emperor. "


    Lamei looked confused. He didn''t understand the meaning behind Liu Chugrong''s words.


    Liu Chugrong looked at La Mei''s expression and knew that she didn''t understand the meaning behind her words. He didn''t care about it and just smiled to make her want to go by herself. Before the matter had been settled, she had put on a front that was quite impressive. She did not know that this attitude would not be considered as arrogant by her personal maid. If anyone in the palace were to hear this, they would only laugh at her stupidity.


    Liu Chugrong''s heart was filled with longing for his beautiful future. From how respectful he would be towards the Palace People, to how the Emperor would be gentle to her, to the point of inattentiveness, he was like a small palace maid running into him.


    "Ouch!" The palace maid seemed to be in a hurry and didn''t notice the two people in front of his. This time, Liu Chugrong was hit hard.


    Rumei quickly helped his master up carefully. He didn''t have time to see who hit Liu Chugrong, he just thought that his master should not be hurt by the impact.


    When the young palace maid saw who it was, he was frightened out of his wits. Although Liu Chugrong wasn''t a particularly favored concubine, she was still the Prime Minister''s daughter and held a very high position in the palace. She couldn''t afford to offend a small palace maid.


    "Your Highness, please forgive me. This servant truly had no intention of bumping into you. I was only called over by my master, so I was in a hurry. I didn''t see the person clearly, please forgive me." The young palace maid frantically knelt on the ground, begging for forgiveness with a trembling voice.


    Liu Chugrong''s fall was not light. With a rub of her palm on the ground, a small piece of skin was removed. She, who had never suffered any injuries, was rendered speechless by the pain. After Lamei helped her up and helped her up, she finally recovered. Hearing that damned servant still telling her a bunch of reasons, she became so angry that she wanted to drag her out and kill her!


    In the palace, when beating a dog, one only had to look at the owner. If the palace maid offended someone, he would only dare to say "master of his own clan", and he wouldn''t be able to get his title back. It seemed that he was also a nobody.


    She looked coldly at the palace maid who was kneeling on the ground, trembling. Looking at her injured hand, she berated: "How dare you! "Why are you here in the palace ¡­"


    Just as he was about to place a crime of uneasiness on this maid and teach his a lesson for no reason, Lamei pulled on his clothes from behind.


    Liu Chu Rong was still rational after he had recovered from the initial effort. He stopped when he was stopped by La Mei. In such a situation, there must be something important going on. She clearly understood her own personal maid. Sure enough, she cast a glance at her surroundings out of the corner of her eye and realized that Fu Yuheng was walking towards her.


    In the past few days, she had gone out of her way to gain some favor with Fu Yuheng. If he were to see her teach this palace maid a lesson today, he would definitely be displeased with her. If Fu Yuheng had a bad impression of her because of this trivial matter, then the gains would not make up for the losses.


    Therefore, she changed the subject of her words. Her voice was still cold, but there was no longer any anger in it as she said, "To act so rashly in the palace, sooner or later, you will lose your head due to offending others. Fortunately, the person you knocked down today was me. If it was another person, perhaps you would have received a good meal today. Just take today''s matter as a lesson, and remember to pay attention to the road in the future. "


    The palace maid was stunned. He had originally thought that he would be unable to escape this calamity when he saw how furious the Empress was. He had not expected this development. Of course, she was happy, so he thanked him and left.


    After the palace maid left, Liu Chugrong stole a glance at Fu Yuheng, who was standing on the side and secretly observing them. As expected, he saw him nod in gratification.

 C131 Big Defeat Message

    At the border, the battlefield was filled with shouts of war. Soldiers were rushing to retreat one by one, and the enemy soldiers were charging towards them in an unstoppable manner.


    It was obvious that this time, it was another huge loss. General Shen stood on top of the city walls and helplessly looked at the retreating soldiers, feeling extremely depressed in his heart.


    He did not dare to say that he had been through hundreds of battles, but he had fought for his entire life. Even so, he had been defeated time and time again under his leadership.


    If this went on, it would definitely affect the military''s fighting strength. General Shen had specially planned to win a beautiful battle to cheer the soldiers up, but who knew that everything would go according to his plan. In the end, he actually fell into the enemy''s trap, and got himself killed.


    The enemy general seemed to be able to predict the future, and every time he fought, he would know of the enemy''s plan and counterattack.


    Right now, the border was a mess, there were all kinds of bandits and other people running everywhere, the people running everywhere, and the army was panicking. If not for General Shen''s reputation, some of the soldiers would have already lost their will to fight and run away.


    Only after seeing the enemy troops stop and begin to retreat did the General Shen let out a sigh. He walked down from the city walls and lost yet again, he still wanted to report the situation of the battle to the Emperor.


    A few days later, the letter was finally delivered to the capital of Liang Country.


    "Your majesty, there''s news from the border."


    There were very few news about the border. It was not easy to get news about it now, but it made people uneasy.


    "Hand it over." Fu Yuheng received the letter from the eunuch with both worry and anticipation. He had suffered continuous defeat at the border wars, and this truly made him uneasy. He eagerly hoped to hear the news of the victory.


    After taking a deep breath to calm his heart, Fu Yuheng opened the letter.


    The contents of the letter were very short, but he read it over and over again, and his brows unconsciously knitted together. Sure enough, General Shen was defeated once again.


    Fu Yuheng let out a helpless sigh. Without even thinking, he knew that it was time to deal with the doubts of the officials.


    Fu Yuheng shook his head. After changing into his court uniform, he went to the imperial court.


    "Your majesty, I heard that the was defeated once again. This General Shen has been through hundreds of battles and has a lot of experience, we all know that, but why did he keep losing?"


    His and General Shen''s politics were at odds, so he would naturally not let go of such a rare opportunity to suppress General Shen.


    Fu Yuheng frowned slightly and sighed in his heart.


    "Your Majesty, this subject believes that the General Shen has been defeated consecutively for several days and should be punished. Give the fallen soldiers an explanation!" Prime Minister Liu continued to propose.


    The officials who were attached to the Prime Minister Liu and wanted to watch him make a fool out of himself also agreed one after the other.


    As the Sovereign King, Fu Yuheng did not want to punish the General Shen. However, since the hundred officials were forced into such an urgent situation, he could not do anything about the anger in his heart. "Shut up! Send down an order on us, if we do not command properly, we will be punished for two years! "Retreat!"


    After Fu Yuheng finished his sentence, he left without waiting for the other ministers to react.


    Leaving the officials looking at each other, Prime Minister Liu secretly clenched his teeth, this was truly troublesome, he did not expect it to still not be able to pull him down, but he wanted to see, just how long could General Shen last?


    Lian Yun was originally prepared to go out to prepare some refreshments for Shen Qing Wan, but just as she was about to go out, a milky white dove flew over from the sky, flapping its wings and flew towards the window in front of the house. Seeing that, Lian Yun could not remember what she had thought about at the moment, she anxiously ran into the object, she knew that the dove was a tool for Master and Miss to deliver the message, during this period of time, the Master had been out fighting, and the Miss had to rely on the information from the dove to be able to feel at ease.


    "Miss, the pigeons have entered!"


    Shen Qingwan also saw the pigeon in front of the window. She reached out and gently held it, and skillfully removed the letter on its leg. When Shen Qingwan received the letter, she immediately became worried, and constantly worried about her father''s situation, afraid that bad news would come from the border.


    "Miss, quickly take a look!"


    Seeing that Shen Qing Wan only held the letter in her hand and did not open it for a long time, the hesitation on her face couldn''t be more obvious anymore, and she couldn''t help but urge Shen Qing Wan.


    Shen Qingwan took a deep breath and opened the letter in her hands. Her heart sank when she saw the first line and frowned slightly. She finished reading the letter word by word and then read it three or four times.


    At first, she was a little disappointed, but soon after, she was more worried. The general meaning of the letter was that the border was in chaos, and if the strategy was leaked out, the General Shen would once again be defeated.


    She could tell that the soldiers in the border area had lost the war, so their morale was definitely low. It was likely that her father''s situation wouldn''t be any better.


    Her worried emotions were all hanging in her eyes as she paced back and forth in her room. Her heart was filled with the scene of General Shen pondering and worrying at the border gate, she could no longer hold back, she raised her leg and was about to walk out the door, Lian Yun saw her movements and immediately stopped her.


    "Miss, what are you doing!"


    She looked at Lian Yun and said with determination, "Lian Yun, I''m going to look for the emperor so he can agree to let me go to the border trials. Father definitely won''t be in a good situation right now, I need to go help."


    Lian Yun looked at the flustered Shen Qingwan, she knew that something must have happened to the old master at the border. But the young miss was now a concubine in the imperial harem, she absolutely could not reveal herself, let alone go to a place like the border.


    Miss, you can''t go to the border, the Emperor won''t agree to it, and Master won''t agree either. What you should do now is to protect yourself, so that Master won''t have another body. You have to believe in Master.


    Lian Yun''s words caused Shen Qingwan to calm down. It was just as Lian Yun had said, even if she went to the Fringe, she would not be able to help out in this battle, instead, she might be a burden. It would be better to just stay in the capital, to pay attention to the happenings in the previous empire, and maybe even help out.


    She sat on the chair, feeling bitter in her heart, the smile on her face was filled with helplessness. After all, she knew that her father was in a difficult situation, but she had no other choice than to quietly watch on in the carefree capital city.

 C132 Difficult to hide panic

    Under Luo Mu''s curtain, one could hear the melodious sound of a zither slowly sounding, causing one''s mind to turn calm.


    On the wall, there were some fine poems written by the literator Mo Xian, but they showed the elegance of this place. Compared to the hustle and bustle outside, this place seemed to have its own unique style.


    Inside the private room, the white jade teacup was emitting some steam, which made everything in front of him hazy. The slight curve on the surface of the cup was like the blooming of a brandy, intoxicating.


    "Interesting. Very interesting." Her slender fingers gently placed down the teacup in her hand. A crawling smile appeared in her enchanting peach blossom eyes. Wearing a violet robe, she appeared extremely charming.


    "Prince ¡­" One of the subordinates standing behind him respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Go." A somewhat lazy voice came from Fu Huaiyu''s mouth, and after the subordinate received his orders, he quickly disappeared.


    His fingertips unintentionally knocked on the top-grade rosewood tea tray. He felt that it was funny, but he didn''t expect Fu Yuheng to actually punish General Shen with two years'' salary. This was somewhat interesting, but so what?!


    Originally, he was a noble and elegant gentleman, but now, he was an arc in Fu Huaiyu''s heart and soul.


    Xiao Yan played with the folding fan in his hand. His gaze passed through the window as he watched the end of the road. It was as though he had sensed the battle at the border.


    Now it seemed that he had to work harder on the border issue! Fu Huaiyu had already used up a lot of time and energy, but now, he felt that the time was right, he could store the net now, and he had used up a lot of time.


    Fu Huaiyu opened his fan, and the sound of the zither came from downstairs, as though it was writing a new chapter.


    Now, not only did the matters at the border become troublesome, but there were also many troublesome matters in this harem.


    Half of the Lovers Twin Flying Diagram was already embroidered on his hand, but Shen Lihan''s hands had evidently stopped moving slightly on the golden silk threads, and was unable to move his fingers even a little. He felt a little helpless in his heart, as he was in such a state, ever since that day, he had not been able to relax a little.


    In the end, she still let out a long sigh and placed the embroidery in her hands on the table. Dong Xue, who was beside her, immediately went forward and helped Consort De up.


    Shen Lihan knew what she was thinking, but she didn''t have a good idea. She hoped that she could calm down a little, and when she looked at the various strange flowers and herbs in the courtyard, she felt a bit bored.


    "Empress, is there anything troubling you?" Beside him, Dong Xue rarely saw her like this. Normally, she carried a gentle look on her face, but now that she had something on her mind, even her delicate eyebrows were knit tightly together.


    "Hey, Dong Xue, why is the butterfly Luo Hua a little withered?" Shen Lihan sighed, but her gaze still managed to discern that the dejected Rice Orchid seemed to be listless compared to the plant beside him.


    "In reply to the Empress, perhaps the maidservants did not put much effort into taking care of it. Now, a new stalk of Purple Jade Orchid has been moved to the Empress''s courtyard, so I was careless." Dong Xue followed her gaze and explained the doubts in her heart.


    "Violetjade Orchid has grown quite well." Shen Lihan''s gaze, with a hint of complexity, fell on the Purple Jade Orchid.


    The two flowers in front of him had the same feeling as his fate. At the moment, he looked a bit like the butterfly falling flower. He didn''t know when, but maybe it would turn out like this.


    Withdrawing his gaze, the panic in his heart did not dissipate much. Now it seemed that he needed to make a trip.


    "Dong Xue, give me some clothes to wear, I want to go to Honorable Liu." Shen Lihan said to Dong Xue. In the past few days, she had become a frequent guest of Liu Chugrong, and the two chatted quite well, but occasionally she would probe Dong Xue a bit. After all, the old saying was correct, and one had to be wary of others.


    Even though he still maintained a kind smile on his face towards Consort De, his attitude was even more complacent and haughty than before. Consort De might not be happy, but right now, it was the turn of events and he was completely blind to it.


    After Shen Lihan walked out from Honorable Liu''s place, the unease in her heart subsided a little, but she could not do anything about it. With her current state, if there were people who were suspicious and wary of him, it would be difficult to handle it, but when she thought about the maids from that day, it was hard to not reveal her secret, so it would be troublesome for them to overhear him. In the imperial harem, there were too many wronged dead spirits, and she needed to be careful of everything.


    "Did the person keeping an eye on that servant girl discover anything unusual?" Seeing that there was no one around, Shen Lihan asked Dong Xue who was beside him.


    "In reply to the Empress, for the time being no." Dong Xue replied respectfully.


    "Continue to have people keep an eye on them. If anything happens, immediately notify me." After confirming once more, the uneasiness in his heart subsided a little.


    "Yes, Empress." In these few days, there were many concubines that had come to look for Liu Chugrong. Now that she was favored by the emperor, and the emperor had even started to thoroughly investigate the matter for her, it could be seen that the current Liu Chugrong was different from the past, so he absolutely could not be discovered. Although it was already considered as a beautiful plan, but they were all worried, since no one could guarantee that they would not be able to rest peacefully.


    On the other hand, Shen Lihan paced herself a little, and thought that this matter was not a solution. Previously, she had to thank Shen Qingwan for reminding him, but now, she couldn''t think of a good solution at the moment. She could only go look for Shen Qingwan and discuss this with her, maybe there would be a solution.


    After making up his mind, he turned around and walked in another direction.


    "Empress, did you forget to take anything? "How about this servant ¡­" Dong Xue saw his own mistress change her direction, and thought that something had landed at Honorable Liu''s place, and asked.


    "No, let''s go." Consort De waved her hand, whether or not she should go to Honorable Liu''s palace or not, instead, he should head towards Shen Qingwan''s palace.


    Now, he hoped that Shen Qingwan would have some good methods to deal with it.


    Shen Lihan was at a loss of what to do, but she did not panic to the point that she was in a mess.


    Perhaps it was because he was too anxious, but even though his pace was a lot faster, he still walked forward with his makeup intact.

 C133 Triple Secret Conversation

    Shen Lihan rushed to the palace where Shen Qingwan resided. The palace maid standing guard outside also knew that the Empress would often come to discuss things with her master. As usual, she wasn''t surprised.


    "Is your master in the palace now?" she asked a familiar palace maid.


    "In reply to the Empress, Master is currently admiring the flowers in the pavilion in the palace." The palace maid respectfully replied with a bow.


    Shen Lihan nodded slightly and sent the palace maids to do her own thing. She entered Shen Qingwan''s palace and headed straight for the pavilion.


    "Ah!" I forgot to tell Consort De that there are other guests in the pavilion. " The palace maid who answered him called out lightly, only to see the Consort De already rushing towards the pavilion, without a trace.


    "Stupid!" "However, this is not an important matter. The Empress can see it for herself. If there is something important to talk about, the Empress will naturally think about it so that there can be someone else present. It''s no problem." After another palace maid said this, the palace maid finally felt at ease.


    On the other side, Shen Qingwan was indeed admiring the flowers in the pavilion, two beautiful women in plain clothes were leisurely sitting, and the other was carrageenan Li Ruotong.


    "I presume that sister''s visit this time is not only to visit elder sister''s palace to admire the flower in the pond, but also to taste the tea in my palace?" Seeing that Li Ruotong did not say anything after coming here for a long time, yet had a face full of worry, Shen Qing Wan could only take the initiative to ask.


    "Ai, I won''t hide it from sister. Sister has been seeing He Ye Feng for a long time now, and sister is worried that she might not be able to detect any changes in the situation. So, I came to sister to ask and ask about it." Seeing that Shen Qing Wan asked, Li Ruotong did not conceal his worry anymore and told her the truth.


    "So, it''s about this matter. Sister, don''t worry, I haven''t found out about any changes, not to mention, Ye Feng is a very reliable man, normally he would not make any mistakes." If we don''t report this, it might be good news. " Shen Qing Wan said.


    Li Ruotong nodded, "Big sister is right."


    The moment Shen Lihan walked into the pavilion, she could see that the two seemed to be happily chatting with each other. When she saw that the other person was Li Ruotong, she subconsciously wanted to leave without batting an eyelid.


    On the other side, Shen Qingwan was sitting in the direction that led to her arrival. Her sharp eyes saw that she had turned around and was about to leave, so she called out to her: "Elder sister, you must have something to discuss with your little sister. Why are you leaving without saying anything?"


    Shen Qingwan understood that the reason the Consort De came over at this time was to ask her about Liu Xiurong. Li Ruotong had no intention to speak to the Emperor, so there was no harm in listening to it. It was only because she was too lazy to go to her palace to discuss this matter with her that she stopped her.


    Shen Lihan could only turn her head and look at Li Ruotong, who was standing opposite of her, with hesitation.


    Shen Qingwan understood and explained: "It doesn''t matter, Ruo Tong is also one of us, there is no need to hide."


    Although she had her doubts, she still believed that the important news would not leak out, and she no longer cared about Li Ruotong''s existence as she walked into the pavilion.


    "Yo, when did the wind bring us busy Consort De over, hehe ¡­" But just as she sat down and was about to speak, Li Ruotong laughed wickedly and mocked her.


    Shen Lihan''s face changed, she was about to say something, but Shen Qing Wan raised her hand and stopped her.


    Shen Qingwan stared at the restless Li Ruotong, seeing that she was sticking her tongue out to calm down, she turned and apologetically said: "Elder sister, please do not take offense, Ruo Tong does not have any ill intentions, I only love to do mischievous things, I hope elder sister will forgive me."


    Although he was angered by Li Ruotong''s words, Shen Lihan did not want his relationship with someone from his own faction to be damaged. He forced a smile and said: "Little sister must be joking, for a small matter like this, is fine."


    Shen Qing Wan did not want to continue talking about this matter, so she went straight to the point: "Did elder sister come this time for the Honorable Liu?"


    "Exactly." Shen Lihan became serious, "Does little sister have any good methods to solve this problem?" She looked worried, but she couldn''t do anything about it.


    Although the names of the people had yet to be mentioned, the three of them all knew what was going on.


    "That''s right," Shen Qingwan gently smiled, and told him all the plans she had in her mind, "Honorable Liu is the Prime Minister''s daughter, just this point, this matter will not end well. I think my elder sister also understands this point."


    The other two nodded, indicating Shen Qingwan to continue speaking.


    Shen Qing Wan waved her hand, gesturing for the two to whisper in each other''s ear, "Since it''s like this, we''ll use its proper way to end it. This crime has to be committed by someone, but this candidate still has to be someone from the harem."


    When the other two heard this, they were shocked. They also asked in a small voice, "How do I find a scapegoat? Who should I find?"


    Shen Qingwan smiled mysteriously and told Shen Lihan her plan in detail.


    Shen Lihan was shocked, and the way she looked at her also changed. This Consort Xian was indeed not a simple woman, and this method was indeed the best solution at the moment. However ¡­ She stealthily glanced at the confident Shen Qingwan. To be able to think of this plan, she still had not found out whether she was an enemy or not. Hopefully, she wouldn''t become an enemy.


    However, as he thought of this in his heart, he also understood how to settle down within the harem.


    "This is very good, so use your method. If you have matters to attend to, then I shall take my leave first. " Shen Lihan was already anxious about Liu Chugrong''s matter. Now that she had a way to resolve it, she heaved a sigh of relief. She had no intention to stay any longer, so she quickly took his leave.


    "Since there''s a guest here, I won''t send you off." Shen Qingwan nodded and watched Consort De leave.


    "Elder sister, this Consort De is also involved in this matter?" Seeing that the others were walking further away, Li Ruotong spoke out.


    Shen Qingwan smiled but did not reply.


    Shen Lihan returned to her own palace, dismissed the palace maids, and started walking around her room alone. There was no need to worry about Liu Chugrong, but Shen Qingwan had no choice but to reevaluate this person.


    Thinking back and forth, she could only make herself more agitated. Thinking that this person was temporarily on her side, she forced herself to stop worrying about her and calmed down.


    Furthermore, Li Ruotong stayed in her palace until sunset, and the two of them walked out of the pavilion and talked about her room, but it seemed as if they hadn''t said anything interesting enough.


    Shen Qingwan looked at the color of the sky, and had no choice but to open her mouth to interrupt Li Ruotong who was talking to himself. I''m afraid you won''t be able to finish it in three days and three nights. It''s just that if you don''t return to the palace now, I''m afraid your palace will be worried. "


    Li Ruotong stopped anyway, stuck out her tongue, and said: "Alright, since big sister chased me away, I can only return to my own palace, and come look for big sister another day."


    She lightly patted Li Ruotong''s head and scolded him: "Enough, stop talking with me. Hurry back to the palace."

 C134 deep tenderness

    After sending off Li Ruotong, they soon heard someone reporting from the outside.


    "The emperor has arrived!"


    Shen Qingwan''s expression did not change as she respectfully greeted the people in her palace, "Welcome your majesty."


    "No need for formalities." Fu Yuheng waved his hand and told the Palace People to leave, leaving him and Shen Qing Wan alone in his room.


    She did not know why he had come this time, but regardless of why he had come, she remained indifferent and did not give him any face.


    Fu Yuheng did not get angry when he saw her disinterested attitude. Instead, he was extremely patient and had a smile on his face the entire time. He no longer had his usual righteousness. However, the smile on his face quickly disappeared as he was constantly pondering on how he should explain the General Shen to her. The thing that he did not know was that she had already known about this matter and had been extremely worried.


    As if he had thought of a suitable solution, Fu Yuheng took two steps forward and arrived in front of Shen Qingwan. He looked all over her body before finally landing on her frail and frail shoulder. Her shoulder was covered with a few fallen leaves.


    When he brushed away the fallen leaves, she unconsciously took a step back. Her expression was neither cold nor hot, and instead, she respectfully bowed to Fu Yuhong.


    "Many thanks to Your Majesty ¡­"


    Fu Yuheng''s hand was still suspended in mid-air, hovering over his previous action. He watched her distancing himself and lowered his slender hand. There was still no trace of anger on his face. Instead, he wore a smile on his face.


    Yet, he took another step forward, pressing right in front of Shen Qingwan, his hands easily wrapped around her, hugging her tightly. This intimate action caused Shen Qingwan, who hadn''t been prepared in the slightest, to exclaim softly, only that Fu Yuheng had already carried her horizontally and sat down beside the chair.


    Shen Qingwan wanted to break free from Fu Yuheng''s embrace, but men and women had different strengths. Therefore, no matter how hard she struggled, she was unable to get up.


    "Don''t move, I came here today to tell you about your father!"


    As Fu Yuheng mentioned the General Shen, Shen Qingwan no longer struggled. He just sat quietly in his arms and listened to what he was going to say to his.


    Although Shen Qingwan already knew about the matters of the General Shen, she still couldn''t help but worry when she heard Fu Yuheng''s narration. Shen Qingwan seriously listened to Fu Yuheng''s words as she creased her delicate brows.


    Seeing this, Fu Yuheng stretched out his hand and kissed on Shen Qingwan''s forehead.


    The gentle Fu Yuheng made Shen Qing Wan sink into his deep thought.


    "Did you come here today just to tell me about this?" Shen Qingwan leaned on Fu Yuheng''s arm and his voice became gentle. For the time being, she would indulge himself once. The events of the past few days had caused her to be unable to breathe. The gloom in her heart had all surged, and his eyes had also become moist.


    "If not, what else do you think I have to say to you, or what you are looking forward to?" Fu Yuheng said with a smile. There was a trace of pampering in her eyes. Today, she was rather obedient. If it were the past, he would probably act like a little hedgehog again.


    Thinking of this, Fu Yuheng closed his eyes and ran his hand through Shen Qingwan''s hair.


    "Your father... This time, things will not be so easy. " Fu Yuheng suddenly frowned as he recalled the discontent of the officials in the imperial court. His gaze turned sharp as well, and he turned into a bunch of old foxes who would take advantage of the situation.


    Shen Qingwan pursed her lips. She naturally knew that there were already many people in the imperial court who disliked her father, and now that they gave him such a good opportunity to make use of it, how could they let this opportunity slip by?


    However, there was nothing she could do except feel resentment in her heart. If it wasn''t for the fact that a spy had sprung up in the army, her father wouldn''t have fallen into such a predicament.


    "The military base was supposed to be a place of vigilance, but now there''s been a spy. I''m afraid the military order isn''t strict enough, so I feel that my father is easy to bully." Shen Qingwan clenched his fist tightly, his nails digging into his palm. He could no longer feel the pain, the anger in his heart seemed to have suppressed all the pain.


    Blood slowly flowed down through the gaps between her fingers. Fu Yuheng held onto her hand and only felt a slight warmth and wetness. He subconsciously lowered his head to look. It was only when he saw the bright red color stain his fingertip that his eyes widened.


    This woman! Could it be that he had gone mad from anxiety?


    "Let go!" His tone suddenly turned cold. The words that he originally cared about were actually reprimanded by him.


    It was unknown if she was too weak now, or if his tone was too cold and hard, but the tears that were stored in Shen Qingwan''s eyes suddenly flowed down. For a moment, it caused Fu Yuheng to be at a loss.


    "You ¡­ "Don''t cry." She usually looked strong, or else she would cry weakly like last time, intentionally to mess with him. However, she had never been like this before, silent, and unable to stop her tears from streaming down her face.


    Fu Yuheng was helpless as he wiped her tears away. Even his sleeves were wet with tears. However, he was still unable to stop her tears.


    She had been worried about her father in the first place, but he still scolded her in the end. The sadness in her heart was like a dam that had burst, and she could no longer suppress it. Even the indifferent attitude that she had kept in her mind ever since she was young was now forgotten.


    "Why are you yelling at me ¡­" It was unknown when it happened, but the number of times she lost her cool in front of him increased. Now, she was like an ordinary girl, weakly speaking.


    When Fu Yuheng saw that she was speaking, he heaved a sigh of relief. Seeing how pitiful she looked, he could only comfort her, "Alright, alright, it''s my fault. I shouldn''t have yelled at you. Don''t cry, alright? "Hmm?"


    The long tail sound was like a coaxing sound for a child, but it was exceptionally useful for Shen Qingwan.


    With that sentence, although Shen Qingwan was still sobbing, she clearly wasn''t as sad as she was just now.

 C135 Her Majesty summoned the

    After sobbing for a while, his mood finally eased up a bit. Shen Qingwan, on the other hand, felt a little embarrassed. She seemed to be getting more and more willful, like a child in front of him. This was different from her personality and the way she treated others.


    "How is it? Are you feeling better?" She still spoke gently, afraid that the girl in her embrace would misunderstand again. Fu Yuheng would never have thought that one day, he would be so careful and doting towards a girl.


    However, both of them were preoccupied with their own things, so they didn''t notice anything different about each other. One was rare for her to be weak, while the other was rare for her to be gentle.


    "Yeah, much better." As he spoke, he tried to break free from Fu Yuheng''s embrace, but failed after a few attempts. This person had always been exceptionally domineering towards her.


    "The way you are doing things today, it is truly ¡­" The words were about to come out of his mouth, but he didn''t say it out loud. No matter who it was, they had met with their own relatives being framed. They would probably lose their composure, let alone a woman.


    Fu Yuheng was halfway through his words when Shen Qingwan wanted to know the rest of what he wanted to say. However, she failed after asking him a few times. A sense of sadness arose in her heart. Even though she had been disappointed by his actions before, he was the only one who could make her show weakness.


    "Are you afraid of me feeling sad? I know things are definitely not as simple as that, right? " After a moment of silence, Shen Qingwan softly said.


    What she heard was the same as what Fu Yuheng had told her, but much more serious. As the emperor, he must have investigated more clearly, and he must have known more than she did. However, what he told her was the lightest thing.


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng was stunned and could only tightly hug the woman in his embrace. If she was this intelligent, was it good or bad? What should he do?


    "No, don''t think too much. Sleep, everything will be fine tomorrow." With that, he got up and carried Shen Qingwan onto the bed. He never thought that she would become so light after not seeing her for so long.


    Shen Qingwan looked at Fu Yuheng. She knew that he was worried as well, so she was unwilling to give him any more pressure. He closed his eyes and prepared to fall asleep, but the man beside him seemed to be worried that she wouldn''t be able to sleep, so he coaxed her gently.


    Perhaps it was a good thing for her to be so willful today. She could consider him treating her well today as a temporary acceptance.


    For a moment, Fu Yuheng''s voice was the only thing in the room. Everyone else was waiting outside the door. He actually enjoyed this kind of tranquility. He was not the King, but he did not like the conspiracies either. But he was the Emperor, and he had to do it.


    "Sleep well." After a long while, Shen Qingwan had already fallen asleep, afraid that she would wake up. Fu Yuheng spoke gently and helped her cover herself with the blanket before leaving.


    When he came out, the people outside heaved a sigh of relief, especially Sun Gonggong. When he saw Concubine Xian''s attitude, he thought that the two of them would have to argue again, but he did not expect that they would actually calm down after so long, which made him feel more at ease.


    Furthermore, when they saw Fu Yuheng appear in a pretty good mood with a doting expression on his face, they felt even more gratified. If both masters were willing to open their hearts to him, then who knows how much better it would be.


    "Your majesty, should we head back to the palace or to someone''s residence?" Walking to Fu Yuheng''s side, Sun Gonggong saluted and slowly spoke.


    Fu Yuheng remained silent. He turned his head and glanced at Shen Qingwan''s door before walking out. Where are we going? He also didn''t know that he was extremely annoyed.


    The imperial study still had a large pile of papers waiting for him to deal with, and the noble madams did not understand this, so they could not say much to them. There was actually a time when he didn''t know where he was going in this huge harem.


    Seeing Fu Yuheng walk without a word, the eunuchs beside him lowered their voices even more so, not daring to disturb the emperor. Sun Gonggong also stayed by Fu Yuheng''s side and did not speak.


    "Sun Gonggong." After walking a few laps, Fu Yuheng suddenly spoke out. Sun Ning was startled when he heard it.


    "Your majesty, this servant is here." After thinking for a while, he finally spoke up respectfully.


    "How long have you been by my side?" As if he had thought of something, Fu Yuheng opened his mouth slowly and rubbed his temples. Sun Ning immediately went over when he saw this.


    Knowing that the Sun Gonggong was trying to help him, Fu Yuheng waved his hand to indicate that there was no need. With that one sentence, all the Sun Gonggong s and attendants around them kneeled down in fear.


    "Your majesty, your Sacred Heart is a dictator, and you are also thinking for the common people. It''s only natural that you are a wise ruler through the ages." Just as he finished speaking, Fu Yuheng pulled him up and took a few steps forward.


    "Yes, you''re an enlightened lord. Why can''t I think of a way to solve the affairs of the General Shen?" Not only Shen Qingwan, he was also troubled by this matter. It was not only because he was the emperor, but also because he was afraid of hurting Shen Qingwan''s heart.


    Without waiting for Sun Gonggong to think of something to comfort him, Fu Yuheng continued, "General Shen was originally an old general who had experienced two dynasties. I''m afraid that the old general would be disappointed if we were to take over his troops like this. Furthermore, the Consort Xian was filial, she would be unhappy. "But if we just let it go like this, I''m afraid the court officials will be dissatisfied."


    There was one more thing he did not mention, the Old General Shen''s military might. How could he not be afraid of those words that were said to have the power to shake the master?


    Sun Gonggong didn''t know how to console her when he heard her words. He was just an attendant. Even though he had been heavily favored by the emperor, he could not overstep his status and could only urge Fu Yuheng not to make things too difficult for himself. He did not know who it was that had made things difficult for.


    Knowing that asking was useless, Fu Yuheng decided to head for the imperial study. What needed to be dealt with should still be dealt with.


    "Your majesty, the Esteemed Empress Dowager invites you to the ancestral hall." When the morning assembly was over, Fu Yuheng was just about to read the imperial edict when he received a message from someone close to the empress dowager.


    Hearing that, he raised his head and glared unhappily at the palace maid. The matter with the General Shen had already troubled him enough. Was the empress dowager coming to teach him again? After all, the empress dowager didn''t really like Shen Qingwan, so she would probably take this opportunity to suppress her with the matters of the General Shen.


    "Muhou." However, he still had to go. As the emperor himself, he had to set an example and not let the world think he wasn''t filial. When he arrived at the ancestral hall, he saw the empress dowager kneeling on a praying mat.


    Fu Yuheng called out to the empress dowager but there was no response. He then knelt on the prayer mat and helped her up.


    "My son, you''ve come. This one wants to see how you lost so much weight." "Are you worried about the matters of the imperial court?" Following Fu Yuheng''s hand, the empress dowager slowly turned around to size up Fu Yuheng.


    Once the empress dowager said this, she would probably talk about the affairs of the General Shen. Fu Yuheng intentionally changed the topic, but the empress dowager still did not budge.

 C136 Subsequent

    "This Dowager knows that your favorite Consort Xian is only for the sake of the Fu family''s Jiang Shan and the commoners in this world. Regarding the matters of the General Shen, you should still think about it more. " Sure enough, he ended up talking about Shen Qingwan.


    Fu Yuheng listened helplessly to the empress dowager''s nagging. For the past few years, the empress dowager''s words had sounded like calluses in Fu Yuheng''s ears, almost like rivers and mountains and lands. Because of General Shen''s matter, Fu Yuheng was very frustrated and had no patience to continue listening to the empress dowager''s nagging.


    "You are too worried. How can I not know how to value mountains and rivers?" "I''m just afraid of hurting the old general''s heart, that''s all." He had to say that he would definitely think about it carefully. With the land of the land above everything else, he definitely wouldn''t let down the previous emperor. Fu Yuheng rubbed the center of his brows. The empress dowager seemed to have intervened more broadly, but she had no choice but to nod her head.


    The empress dowager seemed to know that he had a lot on his mind lately, so she didn''t continue nagging after receiving her satisfactory answer. Instead, she nodded and moved the beads in her hand, gradually calming her heart as she accompanied Qingyan.


    Fu Yuheng could only feel a lump of air close to his neck, unable to swallow.


    Forget it ¡­ Let''s take a step at a time...


    The news about the harem spread as fast as the plague, so when Fu Yuheng came out of the ancestral hall, the news about the harem reached Liu Chugrong''s ears.


    "What did the emperor say?" After all, their honor was still tied to the emperor. If the emperor was fond of Shen Qingwan, then the empress dowager wouldn''t be able to go against his wishes no matter how much she wanted to.


    "In reply to the Empress, the Emperor said that he would definitely consider it carefully. Everything should be done in accordance with the conditions of the land and the land." La Mei''s face was filled with joy. Now she wanted to see how that Consort Xian would turn over.


    Originally, he thought that Shen Qingwan would definitely be affected by the influence of her father. Now, he was very proud of himself, and compared to sher, he was very happy in his heart, his alluring eyes also revealed an unquenchable sense of pride, he only felt that he could finally take advantage of the current situation to suppress Shen Qingwan a little, and he couldn''t help but become arrogant on the surface.


    When Fu Yuheng came out of the ancestral hall, he had originally been feeling anxious and depressed. Now, he was even more depressed and only felt that the affair of the General Shen was already enough to give Fu Yuheng a headache.


    "Sun Ning, bring some wine over!"


    Fu Yuheng usually did not like drinking alcohol. After all, he was always strict with himself, so his thoughts were completely focused on proper business. The only thing he rarely drank was drinking alcohol. However, today, he suddenly wanted to use alcohol to ease his worries.


    "Your Majesty, this ¡­"


    Sun Ning also knew that his problem was that he was always by Fu Yuheng''s side. This little matter was neither big nor small, and if they all gathered together, it would be enough to suppress this heaven''s pride expert who seemed to be overflowing with power to the point of not being able to breathe at all, especially when it came to the matters of the General Shen. Not only could it disappoint generals, it also had to stop officials from talking.


    "As the proverb goes, how can we relieve our worries? Only Du Kang and Sun Ning can bring us our treasured wine. Today, we will follow the example of our ancestors and drink to ease our worries."


    As if he had made up his mind, Fu Yuheng kept urging Sun Ning to get the wine. No matter how Sun Ning tried to persuade him, it was to no avail.


    Fu Yuheng held the wine cup and scrutinized it closely. The smell of the wine constantly wafted into Fu Yuheng''s nose, and the strong smell of the wine made him praise Fu Yuheng. Fu Yuheng picked up the wine cup and finished it in one gulp.


    "Ahem, good wine."


    Fu Yuheng drank a few more cups in succession, and was about to finish the entire pot of wine. However, he did not feel the slightest bit drunk, and the things that he wanted to forget still lingered in his mind.


    He raised his glass and felt a sense of desolation towards the Moon Wine. He was no longer in the mood to drink. He put down his glass and the alcohol immediately subsided.


    On the morning of the second day, Fu Yuheng lost his sleepiness and lightly rubbed his forehead to alleviate the aftereffects of drinking yesterday.


    Right at this moment, he heard footsteps outside the door, followed by Sun Ning who pushed it open and entered, "Your majesty, Prime Minister Liu requests an audience, he said he has an important matter to discuss with your majesty."


    It was said that he would not visit the Three Treasures Palace for no reason. Presumably, Prime Minister Liu''s visit this time was not a good thing, he had just woken up, but his voice was still rather lazy. "Let him wait for me in the great hall, Sun Ning.


    Only after the time it took to burn an incense stick had almost passed did Fu Yuheng unhurriedly return to the main hall. At this moment, Prime Minister Liu had already been waiting for a long time as he anxiously rubbed his hands together and looked outside the door.


    "This old official pays his respect to the Emperor!" When Prime Minister Liu saw Fu Yuheng slowly walking over, the anxiousness on his face faded as he cupped his hands and greeted him.


    "Sorry for the wait."


    As soon as Fu Yuheng entered, he spoke and walked straight towards the Dragon Throne. He waited until Fu Yuheng had properly sat down before letting Prime Minister Liu stand up. Afterwards, he looked at Prime Minister Liu without any expression, though it was unknown if it was due to displeasure or what.


    "Liu Aiqing came to find me early today and wanted to report this matter to me. I wonder what big matter did Liu Aiqing come to report to me so urgently?"


    When Prime Minister Liu heard Fu Yuheng''s words, he could not make out his tone. He only felt that there was some displeasure in his words, which was why he immediately kneeled on the ground and hurriedly apologized.


    Last time, when the carrageenan fell into the water, I was truly wronged. For the sake of my daughter''s innocence, this old subject took the liberty to come and disturb the Emperor''s rest. This old subject truly committed a sin, I beg the Emperor to punish me.


    Fu Yuheng was not surprised to hear the purpose of Prime Minister Liu''s visit, it was just that he was still investigating the matter of that day.


    It''s not a big deal, Prime Minister Liu loves his daughter very much, we can understand that, but Lord Liu said that he was wronged, I wonder, does Prime Minister Liu have any evidence? Fu Yuheng looked at the Prime Minister Liu. At that time, he was somewhat curious as to what Prime Minister Liu had found that led him to this matter.


    "Reporting to the emperor, this old subject doesn''t have any evidence right now ¡­"

 C137 complete defeat

    When Prime Minister Liu heard Fu Yuheng talk about the evidence, his voice instantly became much softer. He did not manage to catch any evidence, but he knew that his daughter''s leg was covered in red marks that day. Thinking of this, Prime Minister Liu''s voice became much softer.


    "However, this old subject has heard my daughter mention the red mark on her leg that day. I believe that someone took advantage of that moment of panic to frame my daughter and ask the emperor to make a clear decision. Right now, it is definitely not something my little girl does, and this old subject has often taught her at home, so I believe that there must be someone who framed my little girl.


    The more he spoke, the more indignant he became, the more he was filled with righteous indignation, as if he had already found evidence to prove Liu Chugrong''s innocence. As he spoke, he even kowtowed to Fu Yuheng, begging for confirmation from the emperor.


    Suddenly, he remembered Liu Chugrong''s face and what the palace maid had said. He couldn''t figure it out for a while, but it was not the right time to mention it now. Right now, the matter of the General Shen was still in front of him, but when he added this matter on top of that, it made him even more annoyed.


    "Lord Liu will get up first. Don''t worry, Lord Liu, we will definitely investigate everything thoroughly. If Honorable Liu is truly wronged, we will definitely make it up to her and restore her to the position of imperial concubine."


    Fu Yuheng looked at Prime Minister Liu and waved his hand to get him to stand up. He agreed to it temporarily, as this matter had to be investigated thoroughly.


    As for the Prime Minister Liu, Fu Yuheng immediately agreed with a happy smile on his face. It was as if he had restored Liu Chugrong''s position. He was extremely grateful to Fu Yuheng.


    Because Fu Yuheng was not in a good mood over the past few days, he did not have the heart to deal with the Prime Minister Liu.


    The border region was the focus of attention of the entire imperial court. However, at this time, only the ground was covered with blood and the shouts and roars of the soldiers could be heard.


    As the cold wind blew, it was as if the heavens were observing with cold blood. There wasn''t even the slightest bit of warmth within the wind, making the chilling aura in one''s heart appear even more.


    "Charge!" An angry shout accompanied by a howling wind came out. The owner of this voice was not unfamiliar, it was the General Shen that Shen Qing Wan was worried about.


    The armor shone brightly in the sunlight, but the red spots on the armor were unusually chilling, causing people to shudder.


    "Now, we are at the final battle. Success or failure depends on one blow. My brave warriors, charge!" With a loud shout, all of the soldiers in the military camp became excited. Some of them even had red eyes.


    "Charge!" Everyone answered and rushed forward without a care for their lives.


    Blood spurted out from the wound, as if he was splashing in the air because of General Shen''s words.


    The smell of blood was so strong that it was hard to open one''s eyes. However, the soldiers continued to swing their sharp blades.


    "Pfft!" However, accidents always caught people off guard. Just as the soldiers were rousing themselves to attack the enemy, an arrow pierced through the sky and pierced into the chest of General Shen in front of everyone''s eyes.


    The soldiers at the side didn''t even have the time to stop him. All that was left was the wide-eyed look of shock in their eyes. "General!"


    General Shen looked at the arrow in his chest and did not dare believe it either.


    He spat out a mouthful of blood and looked towards the enemy troops. A person who was also clad in a high-ranking officer''s armor was riding on a horse. He was still holding the bow in his hand and was looking at the enemy with a mocking expression.


    As if he had suddenly aged a decade or so, General Shen''s body instantly became limp.


    "Quick, cover the general and leave!" Assistant General Li Yan quickly commanded the surrounding personal guards to help General Shen up and escape towards the back.


    On the way, the enemy troops blocked his way, but fortunately, the soldiers protected him, so he rushed out of the encirclement, but the wounds on his body could not be delayed any longer.


    "General, general, how are you?" The personal guards by his side supported him as they tried to help him escape while calling for General Shen, afraid that he would faint. The road ahead was even more difficult.


    He did not know what kind of anger he would receive when he returned to the Imperial City. Once, he had been so proud and powerful, like losing a battle, fighting on the battlefield, killing countless enemies, and winning a great war. Thinking back, he was standing on top of the imperial court in the past, a hero who was respected and proud.


    But was all this just going to end like this? He had spent half his life fighting, but in the end, he was put in the middle of this battle. He was unwilling to give up! He couldn''t accept it!


    General Shen thought of the glory of the past, thought of the past, and how miserable he was now under the reflection of the glory of the past.


    He used to be brave, but now he was miserable.


    It was true that he had been too careless this time around. However, what could he do? Everything had already become a foregone conclusion, and he was only a person in the play. He might have long since reported his defeat to the imperial government.


    General Shen protected his chest with his right hand and his left hand on the janitor''s body. Half of his body was leaning on the janissary, his face was pale, and the blood on his lips seemed to have flowed out completely from the arrow in his chest.


    He struggled to keep his eyes open. After running for so long, he was drained of blood. His eyelids could not support the fight anymore. He opened and closed half of his eyes when he heard the janissary''s loud shout.


    General Shen was not willing, he himself was once a great general capable of bringing fear and terror to the enemy, how could he be reduced to such a state!


    To him, defeat was like an arrow rushing for his life, and it was even more painful than the arrow stuck in his chest.


    "General, be patient. The doctor will be here soon!" This was the last sound he heard before he lost consciousness.


    Ye Feng hid his body under the soldiers'' armor and stood beside General Shen. Ever since he came to the border, he had changed into the appearance of a soldier and had been protecting General Shen in the dark. If not for the fact that there were too many people pestering him, the General Shen would not have ended up like this.


    Thinking of this, Ye Feng could not help but blame himself, how could he explain this to Concubine Xian? Before he left, he had promised Shen Qing Wan that he would help protect General Shen. But now, he was fine, but General Shen was lying on his bed unconscious.


    Secretly sighing, Ye Feng could only pray that the General Shen would be able to escape from this danger as soon as possible.


    The news of the battle at the border had spread like wildfire. There were also urgent messages sent day and night. Soon, news of the defeat reached the imperial court.


    The General Shen was defeated, and the glory of War God collapsed overnight. Some people were happy while some were worried.

 C138 The Emperors Worry

    In the bustling capital, the light of dawn just so happened to light up the street corner, and a stallion with a strong fighting spirit galloped by.


    "Reporting, your majesty, there''s urgent news from the front." Fu Yuheng, who was initially dealing with the reports of the ministers, raised his head from the dragon case. A trace of urgency appeared in his ink-black eyes.


    "If you have anything to say, just say it!" Fu Yuheng had stopped the greetings. Now that the ministers and officials of the imperial court were discussing amongst themselves, coupled with the interference of the empress dowager from the side, if there was any good news, Fu Yuheng really did not know how to delay the matter.


    "Reporting to Your Majesty, we have lost in the border trials. General Shen was heavily injured, and it is unclear whether he is still alive or not!"


    "Bam!" A sudden muffled sound startled Sun Gonggong, who was serving at the side. Fu Yuheng''s complexion was a little dark and unclear now, and there were sounds of battle and defeat coming from the borders, as well as the continuous pressure from the civil and military officials. Not to mention protecting the General Shen, even if the General Shen was able to continue to be the commander of the army, it would still be a problem.


    "Let''s keep this a secret for now." Fu Yuheng felt a slight headache coming on as he rubbed his temples. He had already been feeling a great deal of frustration recently, but now, he felt an even greater headache.


    Sun Gonggong gave that person a look and told him to get down first. He then carefully cleaned up the imperial reports that were scattered all over the ground. Now that he knew that the emperor was in a bad mood, Sun Gonggong wanted to speak up a few times, but he managed to restrain himself in the end.


    "General Shen, oh General Shen, how should I handle this!" It seemed like he was mumbling, and also asking Sun Ning, but no one could answer his question.


    After venting his anger, he felt a bit better. He also felt that something wasn''t right, but he couldn''t quite put his finger on it.


    One must know that he had sent someone to protect the safety of the General Shen, but why was he so heavily injured, and whether he was dead or alive?


    However, what was even more troublesome was how should he account to the ministers!


    Although Fu Yuheng had tried his best to hold up the news, it was still a war. Many ministers'' eyes were fixated on this matter. Very soon, everyone in the court knew about it.


    Assistant Minister Li Yuhang had just come out from the Prime Minister Liu Palace yesterday, and the two of them had a discussion about the General Shen, and felt that this was a good opportunity for them. Originally, the Prime Minister Liu''s and the General Shen''s forces were evenly matched, so now that they had the chance to take down the General Shen, how could they miss it!


    One had to know that since ancient times, no one would be able to save themselves; it was as if the heavens were being destroyed and the earth was being destroyed.


    The moment he received the news, Assistant Minister Li Yuhang and a group of ministers who were standing on the side of the Prime Minister Liu collectively wrote a letter asking the Emperor to settle this matter. At the same time, he also thought of a way to lure some of the wavering officials into his camp, forcing Fu Yuheng to make up his mind!


    In the morning assembly, Fu Yuheng''s face was covered with a frosty expression. Unfortunately, even though this was the case, Li Yuhang, the leader of the group, did not give up on this opportunity, "Your majesty, now that the General Shen has been consecutively defeated in the border trials, the morale of the troops is low.


    "That''s right, your majesty. Heroes also have a vicissitudes of life. Although the General Shen has the prestige of being brave and warlike, I ask your majesty to reconsider!" As if they had agreed upon it, the moment the Vice Minister finished speaking, Prime Minister Liu stood out and many voices of support for his views were heard.


    "Please reconsider, Your Majesty!" The civil and military officials below all knelt on the ground. Their voices were filled with a sense of oppression.


    "Your majesty, please forgive this old subject for speaking too much. The General Shen has already failed at his job and betrayed your trust. This has even caused the citizens of Dazhan to lose their lives. Your majesty, you have to give the people of the world an explanation, your majesty!"


    "That''s right. Right now, the people at the border can no longer survive. That''s why there are so many refugees. Your majesty, please enlighten us."


    No one noticed that the palm on the handle of the dragon throne was turning slightly white.


    Fu Yuheng was barely able to hide his anger. He knew that the Prime Minister Liu was trying to use this matter to suppress them and win over the civil and military officials, but there was no way to do so now. Moreover, it was because of this matter, and the people being displaced was also true.


    "We will naturally make a judgement on this matter. If there is nothing else, we will withdraw first."


    Although he sighed in his heart, he still needed to deal with the current situation. He could only temporarily calm the emotions of the Minister.


    The reason why she was in such a hurry to leave the imperial court was that she wanted to escape for a while. She wanted to take a stroll around, but the empress dowager had already sent people after her departure from the morning assembly.


    Fu Yuheng''s gaze was filled with a faint trace of impatience. He had truly agreed upon it all at once. Was it to make up his mind for me as soon as possible?!


    He couldn''t help but laugh coldly in his heart, and the aura around him was like the winter.


    "Your Majesty, sit down." The empress dowager was elegantly dressed, but her complexion was rosy. Although the passage of time did not spare her, it was still unable to block her youthful beauty.


    "This Dowager has also heard of the border trials, so she shouldn''t have said these things. But your majesty the Emperor''s words are extremely loyal! This Dowager knows that you are unwilling to accept this, but without the land and land, how can the Emperor be at peace!? " Empress Dowager looked at Fu Yuheng''s expression with a somewhat probing expression.


    "General Shen does indeed have outstanding battle achievements, but in the end, they can''t stay on the battlefield forever. The Emperor isn''t the only one with mountains and rivers, and as for the Consort Xian, This Dowager is also a wise person. She will definitely understand the Emperor''s painstaking efforts." The empress dowager''s beads stopped in their tracks as she waited for his reply. "Your majesty, I''m old enough to say that water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn a boat."


    The joints on his hands were distinct, and his veins were popping out.


    Fu Yuheng picked up the teacup before him and took a sip. It was just to conceal the helplessness and bitterness in his heart. "I understand."


    "This Dowager is tired, but people are useless all the time."


    Fu Yuheng did not linger any further and turned to leave.


    All along the way, Fu Yuheng''s heart was in slight disarray. The civil and military officials, the empress dowager, and the Consort Xian were all waiting for an explanation, but now they wanted him to make this choice.


    Long Xiu clenched her fists tightly. The empress dowager''s words did indeed make sense. He was the emperor, so everything had to be done according to the order of the nation. Not only that, he had to do everything for the people of the world!


    Moreover, the empress dowager''s intention was to weaken the General Shen''s military power. Fu Yuheng''s gaze seemed to be filled with endless complex emotions, but in the end, he still chose to compromise.

 C139 General awakening

    Ever since General Shen was shot by the arrow, he had been in a coma. Although the doctors had already treated him, and every day they would come to check that he was fine, they still did not wake up. Ye Feng and the soldiers were all worried.


    Although General Shen had always been the War God of the Liang Empire, and had suffered a crushing defeat this time. The people of the Prime Minister Liu in the imperial court were beginning to look down on the General Shen, but in the hearts of the soldiers, he still charged into the fray with them, leading them to repel the enemy War God General Shen again and again.


    On this day, the doctors came as usual to check the pulse of the General Shen. Ye Feng quietly stood at the side, not daring to even breathe, for fear of disturbing the doctors.


    A few breaths later, the doctor put down General Shen''s wrist and covered him with a blanket.


    "Doctor, how is the general?" He was afraid that the General Shen would not be able to wake up, otherwise, he would not have the face to see the Emperor and the Concubine Xian again.


    "It looks like his pulse is stable. He should be fine." The doctor slowly said as he stroked his gray beard.


    It was the same answer as yesterday. For the past few days, the doctor had been talking like this and Ye Feng''s ears almost started to get calluses, but General Shen still did not wake up.


    Although Ye Feng was anxious in his heart, he didn''t have any complaints to the doctor and could only send him off kindly.


    After sending the doctor off, Ye Feng had just arrived outside General Shen''s room when he heard a faint coughing sound coming from the room.


    There was no one else in General Shen''s room, then could it be that the general had woken up? Thinking of this, Ye Feng couldn''t help but feel overjoyed in his heart, and in a few steps, he rushed to his bedside.


    At this time, General Shen was sitting up from his bed. He was startled by the sound of the door opening as he pushed it open, and was unable to react for a moment, when Ye Feng had already arrived in front of him.


    Seeing that he had woken up, the worry in his heart was finally relieved. No matter what, General Shen being still alive was the best thing that could happen to him.


    At this time, General Shen was also looking at Ye Feng, but his vision was blurry because of his injuries, so he couldn''t see the person in front of him. However, his face was filled with righteousness, his four limbs were strong and his gait was steady. Even though he was wearing the uniform of an ordinary soldier, it was obvious that he was an expert.


    General Shen, who had experienced hundreds of battles, had a sharp eye for battle, so he naturally noticed the difference in Ye Feng and asked: "Young man, you are not an ordinary soldier right? Why are you alone at my side? "


    Although the General Shen could see that Ye Feng was different from the others, he was not worried. If he wanted to harm Ye Feng, he could have attacked Ye Feng when he was unconscious.


    "General has good eyes, I can''t hide anything from you." Ye Feng laughed heartily.


    "To tell you the truth, General, I am Ye Feng, the Imperial Guard of the palace, under the orders of the Concubine Xian, to protect the general. Before this, I have been hiding among the ordinary soldiers and did not protect the general well, please forgive me!" Ye Feng continued to speak with an apologetic tone.


    "You don''t have to blame yourself. A war is inevitable, injuries are inevitable. I don''t blame you for this." He knew that Ye Feng was not the number one guard of the Emperor. He did not leave the Palace at the very least, he had to have the permission of the Emperor, because he was afraid that the Emperor also had his own intentions.


    Although he was at a disadvantage fighting at the border, not only did the emperor not give up on him, he even sent his first guard to protect him. As a subject, how could he not dare to make a move?


    Although General Shen was a noble general, he did not have the airs of a general. Ye Feng was also very considerate, and the two chatted happily.


    "What happened to the war at the border after I was shot dead that day? How are the soldiers? " General Shen suddenly asked. Actually, this was what he wanted to say the entire time.


    But General Shen had been unconscious for a long time, and had just woken up, worried that he would be provoked. Ye Feng did not plan to tell General Shen about it, but he could not come up with a lie to deceive the General Shen, so he could only keep silent.


    General Shen had been quietly waiting for Ye Feng''s reply, both of them did not speak for a while, and the atmosphere in the room immediately became heavy.


    Seeing Ye Feng''s expression, General Shen had already guessed that the border battle would be another huge loss.


    Thinking about those Liang soldiers who were killed and forced to leave their homes, General Shen felt an incomparable sense of guilt and couldn''t help but shed tears.


    "It''s all my incompetence!" The General Shen clenched his fist and punched the bed with all his might, his face filled with grief and indignation. He hated that spy, hated him for betraying them, and caused them to suffer so many defeats. He hated himself for his incompetence, watching the spy betray his country time and time again, but he could not find him, and hated himself for not being able to reverse the situation.


    Seeing this, Ye Feng hurriedly comforted: "General, don''t get too excited. Your body is more important, when you recover, we will find that spy together. At that time, we will take back everything we have lost ten times or even a hundred times!"


    Under Ye Feng''s comforting words, General Shen''s emotions finally calmed down: "Good, good, once I''m cured, I will definitely find that traitor and let him pay for the deaths of my soldiers!"


    "General, don''t worry. We will definitely find him." Ye Feng continued to comfort General Shen, and helped him lie back on the bed.


    Not long after, a light snoring sound could be heard. Ye Feng looked towards the bed and discovered that the old general was already asleep, his chest was rhythmically moving up and down, although his complexion was somewhat pale, but he was still healthy overall, so Ye Feng could be considered relieved.


    If not for that hateful spy, they would not have lost again and again, and would not have suffered so many losses. They would not have ended up like this, where everything that happened was because of that traitor.


    At this moment, Shen Qingwan had already received news of the border. When she learned that her father had been injured and lost consciousness, she only felt extremely worried. She did not expect her father to be heavily injured even with Ye Feng''s protection.


    However, although she was very worried for the safety of the General Shen, she still maintained her indifferent expression in front of the others and did not reveal it.


    As the emperor''s concubine, it was impossible for her to go to the battlefield. Even if she could imagine that the emperor wouldn''t allow her to go, she could only pray for her father''s sake every day at the borders of the imperial palace. She hoped for good news as soon as possible.

 C140 Cover your worries

    "The carrageenan''s Empress ¡­" Lian Yun looked at Li Ruotong who had barged in, and felt a little helpless in her heart. Although the carrageenan Empress had a good relationship with her own mistress, her actions were too thoughtless. If it were anyone else, they would probably think that she was here to cause trouble.


    Lian Yun sighed silently in her heart, but her movements were unambiguous. She brought Li Ruotong to Shen Qingwan''s side, then left some space for the two of them to make tea.


    "Are you okay?" As soon as he came up, Li Ruotong grabbed her hand, causing her to be stunned.


    Seeing that she did not say anything, she became even more anxious, "Aiya, speak up, could it be that you have been scared silly by the matter of the General Shen?" Li Ruotong stomped her feet anxiously, afraid that Shen Qing Wan would make a mistake.


    Only now did Shen Qingwan come back to her senses. Naturally, she wasn''t frightened by her father just now. It was just that Li Ruotong had been so impulsive from the start, thinking that something had happened. He didn''t react to it, but unexpectedly, she had misunderstood him.


    "Hehe, why would I be stunned because of my father?" Shen Qing Wan smiled. No matter how worried she was, it was not the time to show her weakness. On the contrary, she should be the strongest.


    Seeing her say that, Li Ruotong patted his chest, and turned back to look at her: "Then why aren''t you saying anything, I thought you were scared silly." Ye Zichen pouted. Shen Qingwan had given him quite a fright just now.


    "You''re asking me? If you didn''t rush over here in such a hurry, why would I have been so shocked that I wouldn''t have been able to say anything?" Shen Qing Wan knocked on Li Ruotong''s head, her eyes turned soft and gentle.


    "Ah ¡­" Only then did she realize that she had been scared by Ye Zichen after making a ruckus for a long time. Li Ruotong suddenly thought back to her previous appearance. She was indeed too impulsive, but before she could close her mouth, her eyes were wide open.


    "Not good, then wouldn''t that be seen by others?!" A look of regret suddenly appeared on his face.


    "Pfft!" Shen Qingwan couldn''t hold back her laughter, "My good little sister, did you just realize that?"


    The relationship between the two of them was naturally not so quarrelsome, making fun of each other, extremely relaxed, while Li Ruotong had a very carefree personality, and was actually extremely sincere in this harem.


    Perhaps, only this few people in the harem could be considered close friends. With a faint smile, she suddenly thought about the Shufei that she almost never stepped out of her house of, and hadn''t seen her for a few days.


    "I wonder how Ye Feng is doing recently." Li Ruotong''s words changed, he suddenly became quiet, and his eyes became gloomy.


    Shen Qingwan knew that sshe was worried about Ye Feng''s condition. After all, since the last time he came back, Ye Feng had not sent any news to him, so logically speaking, he should be by his father''s side right now, but he didn''t know the actual situation.


    "Don''t worry. With how skilled Ye Bodyguard is, nothing unexpected would naturally happen." In truth, she could only console her. The border was a place where danger lurked all around. Who could guarantee that nothing bad would happen? However, these words were absolutely impossible to say in front of her.


    "Forget it, let''s not talk about those dejected words." Some things should be kept in the bottom of her heart. Shen Qingwan''s temperament suddenly became calm, as if nothing had ever happened.


    There were many things in this world that couldn''t be changed. Even if it was grief, so what?


    It was as if her emotions were too infectious, and even Li Ruotong had calmed down and started smiling. She could only hope that the person she was thinking of returned safely.


    "Empress ¡­" At this time, Lian Yun also brought tea and snacks over, and no longer talked about such vexing matters, the two of them continued to chat and laugh.


    At this moment, a message came from the imperial study.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Sun Ning waved the horsetail whisk in his hand.


    Hearing his voice, Fu Yuheng raised his head from the pile of papers. "Consort Xian ¡­" Have you been there yet? "


    She should be very worried, right?


    Seeing his worried look, Sun Ning paused for a moment and continued, "To reply your majesty, this old servant has already been there. It''s just that Concubine Xian and Mother carrageenan were having a good chat, so I didn''t enter." After wandering around Shen Qingwan''s courtyard for a while, he knew that the two of them were worried.


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng was stunned. It seemed that he was overthinking things. How could someone like her be immersed in grief? If that was the case, then it wouldn''t be her.


    "Go down!" Waving his hands, he turned his gaze to the table before him once more. He was the emperor, and there were many things in this world that he needed to do. It was a bit pretentious.


    Seeing that, Sun Ning did not stay any longer, but before he closed the door to the Imperial Study, he sighed, and shook his head.


    This Concubine Xian was clearly different from the emperor, but the two of them probably didn''t realize it yet. One of them had a personality as indifferent as water, while the other one had gone through a lot of troubles for the Rivers and Mountains Society, Yue Lao, right?


    He naturally could not interfere in the business of his master. He could only hope that one day, the two of them would be able to take care of each other and not miss each other.


    "What is Sun Gonggong thinking? "He''s actually so lost in thought?" It was unknown when Fu Huaiyu had appeared in front of Sun Ning, but a pair of peach blossom eyes revealed ripples that seemed to be able to bewitch people''s hearts, making them involuntarily want to speak.


    Fortunately, Sun Ning was a person who had seen much of the world, so he was not confused by his actions. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Where are you from, Ninth Prince? Sun Ning covered his face and laughed, although this Ninth Prince was not close to him, he had grown up in the palace, so he was still cautious towards him.


    "Sun Gonggong is kind, but this matter of master is not something that a servant like you can participate in, don''t accidentally lose your life." When the fan in Fu Huaiyu''s hand closed, he leaned his body forward slightly, and the darkness in his eyes shone into Sun Ning''s eyes.


    "This old servant will follow Ninth Prince''s teachings." Sun Ning stabilized his body. He knew that the Ninth Prince was warning him that he did not need to participate in the matters between him and the Emperor.


    "Ai, I''m old now, and useless now ¡­" Sun Ning''s figure instantly became a little listless, and he left while muttering.


    It was only then that Fu Huaiyu retracted his gaze. He originally wanted to take a look at Shen Qingwan''s situation, but he didn''t expect that carrageenan was still there and was unable to enter.


    His gloomy gaze swept past the tightly shut door to the imperial study, and after a few breaths, he turned his gaze away and walked out of the palace.


    It seemed that some of the chess pieces had already left his control, and Shen Qingwan was one of them.

 C141 Halfway kill

    "General, do you want to rest?" Ye Feng opened the curtain of the carriage and looked inside. General Shen was leaning on one side and his lips were pale.


    glanced at him, then shook his head. Now was not the time to rest, the news of the defeat at the border must have already reached the Emperor, so he had to quickly return to report. Furthermore, his daughter would probably be very worried, so how could he waste time this time.


    Perhaps it was because of the wind, General Shen began to cough lightly. Ye Feng''s eyes were full of worry, but he knew what General Shen was thinking.


    After all, the current general was the commander of the troops and could not leave the battlefield. The General Shen knew what was important and what was not, and agreed.


    Right now, they were in a rush to recover their lives, but there was no time for them to rest. After all, the situation at the border was unsettled, and the General Shen was not around, so they did not know what would happen.


    or how many were the reasons for the martial practitioners, General Shen''s body''s recovery rate was also very fast, as long as it was paid more attention to normally.


    Although right now, there was no need to hurry, but because the General Shen was not able to let go of the issue at the border, so Ye Feng did not dare to delay any bit.


    The border under the setting sun was in stark contrast to the bustling capital. Now that the yellow sands were moving closer and closer to the howling wind, it could be seen that the citizens all had sad expressions, each of them carrying their luggage. There were also many hungry children, causing General Shen to be filled with remorse and indignation.


    "General, you don''t have to worry too much. The situation on the battlefield is very strange, and the most important thing right now is to uncover the spies from the military. That way, we can quell this war earlier!" Right now, the two were somewhat exhausted. After all, they had not rested for a long time, so now that they were really close to the border, General Shen''s tensed heart relaxed by quite a bit.


    Just when he was about to get kicked by the horse, he heard General Shen''s worried sigh. Ye Feng''s expression turned cold as he consoled the horse.


    "Sigh, it''s quite a suffering for this commoner!" The General Shen was like a rock that had crawled its way through the vicissitudes of life, still defending its arrogance.


    After resting for a while, Ye Feng waved his whip, and the horses snorted. The sound of the carriage rolling was exceptionally clear on the quiet road.


    Although it was said that the citizens were rarely seen, but seeing some of the border guards patrolling, General Shen revealed his own name plate, causing the soldier to feel a sense of respect. One must know, the General Shen''s name resounded throughout the entire army, but he did not expect to see the person himself, and quickly gave way.


    Initially, because he was in a hurry to reach the Imperial City, he didn''t make it in time. Now, he needed to have a good understanding of the situation.


    Ye Feng looked at General Shen''s pale face and thought that perhaps the journey would be bumpy today, so he temporarily asked about it on behalf of the General Shen.


    Not long after, Ye Feng came back, but his complexion was not too good. His dark eyes seemed to be thinking about something, and he seemed to be in a trance.


    "What happened?" General Shen was just napping inside the carriage when he heard the sound of footsteps. When he opened the curtain, he saw Ye Feng frowning slightly.


    At the same time, he had a bad feeling about this.


    Ye Feng''s voice was a bit heavy, "General, the situation at the border is not too good right now." After the General Shen heard about the situation from Ye Feng, his sharp eyes started to show signs of movement, because right now, all of the members of the war were either dead or injured!


    Currently, Li Chang, Li Yan, had died in battle and Mu Chang had been severely injured, but at least he had managed to preserve his life. This was the only thing that made him feel slightly relaxed, but one of them, indeed, made General Shen and Ye Feng feel that something was amiss, because the other one was only slightly injured!


    This person was Liu Yangao!


    General Shen stood at the side, deep in thought. One had to know the current situation of the border, and all the high ranking officers were severely injured.


    In fact, General Shen was hoping that he was overthinking things, but he had to be careful around him now. After all, there was still no clue about the spies in the army, and it was still a hidden danger.


    Ye Feng was standing silently at the side because at this moment, he suddenly thought of something, but he didn''t know if there was any connection between the two.


    After hesitating for a while, he said: "General, before, this humble servant had inadvertently found out that Ninth Prince might be connected to a spy in the army ¡­" Then, Ye Feng told him everything about when he first saw the soldier in the forest.


    General Shen was shocked. No matter how calm he was, he was still shocked by this matter.


    "It must be true!" General Shen looked at Ye Feng''s face, but he also knew that if there was no proof, how could Ye Feng say such a thing.


    General Shen saw Ye Feng nod his head with a heavy expression and immediately had a complex feeling in his heart.


    If this was really related to the Ninth Prince, what would they do then? The current General Shen''s gaze was a little long.


    "After all, this matter involves the Ninth Prince. We should discuss this after considering further." Ye Feng also knew that this was not a good opportunity, and if this was really related to the Ninth Prince, then at this moment, if they were to take any actions, it would all be to alert the enemy, so they had to be extra careful. In addition to the situation at the border, there was no need to be anxious!


    After bidding farewell to the high-ranking officer, the two of them began to move inside. However, they coincidentally entered a place that bandits frequently visited.


    The air seemed to be a bit heavy and oppressive because at this time, even the sound of the Fallen Leaves Bird was hard to hear. On Ye Feng''s face, there was no expression, he only quietly tightened his grip on his sword.


    At that moment, the General Shen in the carriage had a hawk like gaze, filled with endless killing intent. With a sharp noise, the air was torn apart, and the place where no one should have been was suddenly filled with dust, at the same time, a group of people with black masks quietly appeared, surrounding the carriage.


    "Who?" Ye Feng drew his sword from his waist, and a cold sound penetrated the air, just like an arrow shot in the dark, causing people to be shocked by this imposing aura.


    General Shen stuck his head out of the carriage.


    The bandit obviously did not expect Ye Feng to be a martial artist, but now that he saw that there were only two people in General Shen and Ye Feng, he could not help but panic a little. Moreover, it seemed that the person in the carriage was heavily injured, so he was not really afraid.

 C142 A long talk with the Prime Minister

    "This... "This road is mine, and this tree is mine! If you want to pass by, leave behind the money you need to buy the road!" The leader stuttered, the blade in his hand trembling.


    Ye Feng sneered, with this kind of character, how could he become a bandit? He wasn''t afraid of being laughed at. Today, he would be considered to have eliminated harm for the sake of the common people.


    A figure quickly flashed past and arrived in front of those people within a breath''s time. The bandit was obviously frightened and hurriedly brandished his blade back and forth. However, his hands and feet were messed up.


    Ye Feng was also calm, but his attack was ruthless and tricky, obviously the other side had a lot of people, but he did not gain any advantage. Although General Shen''s injuries were not yet fully healed, he could only watch from the carriage, but seeing that Ye Feng was so skilled, he relaxed.


    Those people saw that they did not have any advantage at all, so they hastily made a hand gesture, and everyone began to retreat, leaving a few people behind to pester Ye Feng.


    "Forget it..." "Cough, cough ¡­" General Shen opened his mouth in the carriage, since he still had things to do, he would not delay his journey by too much.


    The corners of Ye Feng''s mouth curled up in a mocking smile as he looked at the remaining bandits'' miserable appearances. He then used his sword to cut open the waist of one of the bandits.


    "Let''s go!" When the voice of the General Shen came through, Ye Feng did not pursue him anymore, he only looked at him indifferently, "Yes!"


    Elsewhere, at the Liu Manor, in the Prime Minister Liu''s study.


    "Prime Minister, you are extremely knowledgeable and you worry about your country. You are truly a person who is a pillar of our nation. With you here, my Big Dipper will definitely flourish for a long time." Li Yuhang clasped his hands and said to the Prime Minister Liu with a face full of smiles.


    "No, no, Vice Minister Li is too kind. I was just doing my job."


    Hearing Vice Minister Li''s praise of him, he was naturally happy, and the expression on his face also eased up quite a bit.


    "No, no, the prime minister is too modest. If it weren''t for you, who would be able to help His Majesty out? If it weren''t for your assistance, how could the emperor have managed the country so well?" The Vice Minister Li continued to flatter the Prime Minister Liu, not stingy with his words at all.


    The Prime Minister Liu hurriedly explained. As an official, he should not speak carelessly, "You must not speak carelessly with these words. His Majesty is a martial artist, and is extremely talented. "Everything is the same as when our emperor was wise." Although he said that, he still enjoyed hearing Vice Minister Li''s words.


    "Isn''t this General Shen called the War God of our Liang Country? "But now, we have lost again and again, causing countless soldiers to be stained with blood. The people at the border have been displaced, how can they be compared to you, Prime Minister?"


    Since General Shen had been defeated time and time again, and his whereabouts were unknown, it was likely that the powers in the imperial court would not be able to win against him, and the Prime Minister Liu would definitely monopolize the imperial court.


    Li Yuhang''s calculations were very shrewd, now that he had taken the initiative to get closer to the Prime Minister Liu, and completely destroy his power in the, the Prime Minister Liu would definitely place importance on him, increasing his position would be just around the corner.


    "Even though you said that, the power of the General Shen in the imperial court cannot be underestimated." Towards Li Yuhang''s flattery, Prime Minister Liu clearly understood that this was him trying to curry favor with Li Yuhang, but he did not hate him in the slightest.


    However, the two of them had been opposing each other for many years, and they had always been evenly matched. Even though the whereabouts of General Shen was no longer clear, the power within the dynasty was still not to be underestimated. If Prime Minister Liu wanted to suppress this group of people, just based on his strength alone, it would not be easy.


    And at this time, Li Yuhang took the initiative to express his goodwill, and was willing to suppress General Shen with his, so Prime Minister Liu naturally wished for nothing more.


    "Don''t worry Prime Minister, the two of us will work together, will there still be any chance of survival standing together with the people of General Shen?" Li Yuhang smiled craftily, he had already confirmed that the General Shen was already dead on the border.


    Although Prime Minister Liu did not say it explicitly, he knew in his heart that the two people''s most important matter was to first suppress the stumbling block, General Shen.


    "Alright, let''s work together." Prime Minister Liu''s murky old eyes flickered with a sharp light.


    Li Yuhang thought quickly, and thought of Liu Chugrong''s body, "I heard that you, Prime Minister Liu, are the emperor''s concubine in the sky, and he really likes it!"


    "It''s true!" "Yes," Prime Minister Liu replied, but his expression was anxious. Liu Xiugrong was demoted previously and her status in the palace was lower than Shen Qingwan''s.


    As the Assistant Minister, Li Yuhang knew a bit about the matters at the palace. However, he would definitely not mention such unpleasant things like Liu Chugrong being demoted to the Prime Minister Liu. After all, he still had to suppress the General Shen together with the Prime Minister Liu.


    Li Yuhang revealed a flattering look and continued to speak: "Prime Minister, don''t worry, since you yourself are like this, your daughter will naturally not be bad. Who doesn''t know that your daughter is being pampered by the palace? I believe that it won''t be long before the emperor ascends to the position of empress. "


    "Thank you, Vice Minister Li, for your auspicious words." The smile on Prime Minister Liu''s face became even wider, the wrinkles all over his face bunching together. Even in his dreams, he would only dream of his own daughter becoming Empress, and at that time, his position would definitely be even more stable.


    As the two of them were chatting, there was a knock on the door, followed by a servant''s voice saying: "Master, Ninth Prince is here. He said that he wants to see you, and is currently waiting in the hall."


    The two of them looked at each other, they could see the confusion in each other''s eyes, why did the Ninth Prince suddenly come to find them.


    Although the two were puzzled, the person who came was, after all, the prince. They didn''t dare to be negligent, and immediately went forward to receive him one after the other.


    "Your Highness, we have come late, please forgive us!" Prime Minister Liu and Vice Minister Li both came before Fu Huaiyu and said respectfully.


    "Where, where. This King had rushed here. How can we blame the prime minister?" Ninth Prince who was drinking tea in the main hall stood up and returned the greeting. When he stood up, he also saw the Vice Minister Li following behind the Prime Minister Liu.


    A pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly squinted, looked at him, but did not show too surprised expression. He was aware of Prime Minister Liu''s ambition, and that''s why he came to find him.


    "I wonder why Ninth Prince is looking for me?" After the three of them sat down, Prime Minister Liu looked at Ninth Prince and asked.


    "This king has come here this time to congratulate Prime Minister on finally suppressing General Shen." Ninth Prince smiled, a pair of peach blossom eyes that captivated the soul.


    "Then, thank you for your good intentions, Prince!" As shrewd as he was, how could he not see that Ninth Prince''s sudden visit to him must have been more than just to congratulate him?

 C143 self-pity

    As for the conversation between the two, Vice Minister Li had been listening from the side the entire time. Both of their statuses were higher than him, so without their permission, it was better for him not to speak up.


    "However, Prime Minister Liu, you should not be too relaxed. Since the military power of General Shen has not been withdrawn, you should still act with caution." Ninth Prince turned around and warned him. His voice was gentle and his eyes were charming. Although it was a warning, it did not make anyone feel disgusted.


    "Write the Ninth Prince''s reminder, this official will definitely remember it." Prime Minister Liu agreed.


    Fu Huaiyu''s peach blossom eyes slightly hooked up, a smile forming on his lips, but the chill was self-evident, "I''ll have to remember Prime Minister Liu''s words." He whispered these words softly beside the Prime Minister Liu''s ear. These words, he only said them for the Prime Minister Liu to hear.


    The Prime Minister Liu nodded his head hurriedly. He naturally understood the meaning behind Fu Huaiyu''s words, even though he did not point it out, he was also reminding him of his position. If they blocked his path, then perhaps they would not have a good ending.


    Fu Huaiyu fanned himself with the fan in his hand and walked out.


    After finally sending off Fu Huaiyu, Prime Minister Liu watched his back as he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He couldn''t help but reach out his sleeve to wipe the cold sweat on his forehead.


    Li Yuhang who was quietly listening to their conversation had his head lowered, pretending to be calm. However, it was hard to conceal the joy in his eyes.


    He never thought that the relationship between Prime Minister Liu and Fu Huaiyu would actually be so good. It looks like he had picked the right person. Li Yuhang thought happily in his heart.


    However, the Prime Minister Liu was panicking in his heart because of Fu Huaiyu''s arrival. If Fu Huaiyu could see through his thoughts, the emperor would probably be able to see through it as well. Thinking back to when the Gui mama beside the Empress had come to him to teach him a good lesson, he couldn''t help but break out in a cold sweat.


    "Is there still no news from the General Shen?" Fu Yuheng held a paper roll in one hand and a teacup in the other. He placed the teacup on his lips, then his sword-like eyebrows creased, adding to his spirit.


    "In reply to the emperor, there hasn''t been any news yet ¡­" The guards kneeling below said in a regretful tone. It had to be said that the General Shen was like a god of war in the eyes of these guards, but now that they were unable to determine whether he was dead or alive, it was really hard to accept.


    "Do you have any traces of the Ye Bodyguard?" Fu Yuheng clenched his teacup tightly.


    General Shen was nowhere to be seen, and there was no news from Ye Feng at all. It would be good if the two of them were to be together, but if they were not, then wouldn''t that mean ¡­?


    As he thought of this, Fu Yuheng felt a headache coming on. He waved his hand and said, "Stick around!"


    The situation at the border had already reached such an end, but the General Shen was still the old general after all. In the end, he was still a little afraid of the little general that Fu Huaiyu had promoted previously.


    The current General Shen of the Imperial Court had already lost his power, so it was not a small problem for the Prime Minister Liu to be independent and grow strong. It would not be a problem in the short term, but if time went on, the world would probably fall into chaos.


    The paper in his hand was like a snake with venomous fangs. At this moment, he couldn''t wait to take it out.


    The peach tree outside the window was already sprouting, just like the conspiracy in the court. It gradually sprouted, and in the unprepared night, it gradually prepared itself.


    "Empress, where are you going?" Lian Yun saw that Shen Qing Wan had wrapped up the zither, and was somewhat suspicious. Usually, only when the Empress was about to go out and play, would she wrap the zither up, making it convenient to take it away.


    "To the western courtyard." Lian Yun nodded in understanding. Indeed, it had been a long time since the Empress had gone to the Shufei to visit the Shufei.


    "I''ll bring some pastries as well." Shen Qing Wan lowered his head and played with the Zither, his mouth did not forget to instruct Lian Yun. Yesterday, she had nothing better to do, so he made some pastries.


    Lian Yun nodded, she had already tasted the pastries before, so the Empress''s cooking skills were undeniably good. The pastries were sweet and not greasy, and there was a faint aroma of tea, "Yes." He turned around and left, but because of this, he missed the sadness that flashed across Shen Qingwan''s eyes.


    Since her father''s whereabouts were unknown, how could she not be worried? It was just that she hid all of her emotions deep within her heart and did not reveal them again in front of others.


    In the end, what was she supposed to do?


    The worry in Shen Qingwan''s heart was reflected in her eyes, but no one could see it.


    She still remembered that Fu Yuheng had told her when she first entered the palace that her father had forced her to enter. However, she had no idea if that was true or false, and she had no idea why. She had always wanted to find an opportunity to ask her father, but every time the words reached her mouth she couldn''t get them out, so she gave up.


    "Empress, everything is ready." During the time that she was thinking, Lian Yun had already brought back the pastries, so he didn''t think about it anymore and just smiled to himself.


    Fortunately, the weather these days could be said to be beautiful, and walking around outside made people''s hearts feel better. It was not that depressing, and the birds were also becoming more energetic. They were chirping merrily.


    "Why are you here today?" When Shen Qingwan arrived, Wu Ling was also in the yard playing her zither. When she saw Shen Qingwan come over, she stopped what she was doing and looked at her with a faint smile.


    "I have nothing better to do today, so I remembered that I didn''t come to see you for quite a few days. Come and have a talk with you about yourself. " Shen Qing Wan asked Lian Yun to place the guqin on the stone table by the side, then sat down, "I made these pastries yesterday, the taste isn''t bad, I''ll have a taste with you, if it tastes good, I''ll make some for you another day."


    Wu Ling extended her hand and took a piece of cake when she heard this. She could not help but nod her head repeatedly when she heard this. "You are quite thoughtful. It is likely that you are the only one still thinking about me in this harem." As Wu Ling said this, her eyes dimmed. She didn''t want to come to this harem even if it cost her her her life.


    "You can''t say those words like that. If you don''t, your little girl will not be happy after hearing it." Shen Qingwan covered her mouth and smiled. She then turned to look at the person beside Wu Ling, who had been silent all this while.


    Wu Ling was startled, as though she also felt the gaze from behind, she turned around, only to see Mo Lan pursing her lips and staring at her, and then she laughed out loud, "It''s my fault, though." Wu Ling smiled. "Well, it''s my fault. Don''t blame me, okay?"


    She had been by her side since childhood, and if one were to talk about it, they would feel heartache even more. When one heard her say it to him in such a way, he hoped that she would still remember that no matter what, she was still by her side.


    "Since you''re here, let''s play a song together." Wu Ling looked at the zither beside Shen Qingwan''s hand with a gentle expression. There weren''t many people who liked the zither in this world, so how could a person of similar interests be considered one of them?

 C144 Who is behind this

    The cold wind blew in from the window late at night, and the blanket on her body was even tighter. Shen Qingwan''s mind was filled with helplessness, the news from her father was in chaos right now, it definitely isn''t a good thing for her, but now is the right time to take advantage of this situation.


    After a while, even though he closed his eyes and opened them again and again, he was still not sleepy at all. From time to time, the sound of wind could be heard outside the window.


    He couldn''t fall asleep even if he was lying down. He sat up, put on his windbreaker and walked out of the room.


    "Esteemed Empress, why did you come out ¡­" Lian Yun leaned on the door and was sleepy when he saw Shen Qingwan come out from her room. She immediately regained her senses and said, "It''s windy outside, let''s go in quickly."


    Seeing her thin clothes, Lian Yun was a little worried. However, Shen Qingwan only shook her head and walked towards the courtyard.


    It was unknown what he was doing at this moment. The person who sat at the top seat was probably worried as well, but this wasn''t necessarily a bad thing for him. He had feared his father for a long time and now was a good opportunity.


    The corner of his mouth lifted into a mocking smile as he reached out to pluck a Night Fragrance beside him. This flower usually only bloomed at night, but the fragrance overflowed into the surroundings, causing one to uncontrollably indulge in the fragrance.


    "Cough, cough ¡­" Perhaps it was because he had been outside for a long time, but he could not help but feel chills on his body. He then lightly coughed a few times.


    Seeing this, Lian Yun''s face was full of reproach, "This servant will speak, I will definitely suffer from the cold, the Empress will not listen ¡­" She muttered a few sentences, revealing a deep sense of concern.


    Thinking about what he had said to the Shufei in the daytime, wasn''t he the same as well? When he looked down and saw Lian Yun considerately putting on the strap for her, he did not feel that cold anymore.


    The night was getting darker, and it was already midnight. The people in the courtyard also returned, quieting down once again.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty!" It was early in the morning, and Fu Yuheng had only just returned to the imperial study after the morning assembly. Shen Qingwan had already arrived. "I''m sorry for disturbing the emperor so early in the morning."


    Fu Yuheng obviously did not expect that she would come so early. Furthermore, he would usually ask the Sun Gonggong to summon her when she came to the imperial study. It was still rare for his to come here on his own accord.


    "Since you know you''re bothering me, why did you still come over?" Fu Yuheng said with a smile that was not a smile. When he saw the mockery in her eyes, he was afraid that she would not come to the Three Treasures Hall for no reason.


    Shen Qingwan moved forward and said helplessly, "Chenqie originally didn''t want to come here so early either. However, I didn''t dare to delay the Emperor''s orders, so I had to report in early in the morning." Actually, what she didn''t say was that since they had just left the morning assembly, it was obvious from his tightly furrowed brow that there were a number of troublesome matters at hand. Coming over here at this time was the easiest way to get away with it.


    "Oh? "What is it?" For a moment, he could not remember what he had instructed her to do. Only when he saw Shen Qingwan''s slightly cold expression did he remember that he had asked her to go investigate the matter about Liu Chugrong in order to anger her. But seeing her cold face, with her heart feeling bored, and then the scene of Fu Huaiyu and her that day surfaced in her heart, made her feel even colder.


    "Speak, what did you find out?" When he spoke again, he had already returned to his original haughty appearance. Since she is so heartless, then don''t blame him for being unjust.


    Shen Qingwan nodded and slowly explained.


    "That day, in addition to the Empress, carrageenan, Consort De, Honorable Liu and I, there were also Xu Sang and the rest who were present." As soon as the words left her mouth, it gave her the space to think. She had purposely said yes to Xu Tingsheng''s request.


    Just as expected, he saw Fu Yuheng frown. "Continue."


    "When chenqie was in the garden, she overheard a palace maid talking about what happened that day, but I heard that she saw a rock hitting Honorable Liu''s leg, causing Honorable Liu to slip and fall, and coincidentally pushed carrageenan into the water." Shen Qingwan paused for a moment before continuing, "Originally, chenqie entered the palace late, so many of the palace''s sisters didn''t know much about it. They only paid attention to it in the past few days, they didn''t expect ¡­"


    "But I didn''t think of anything like that?" It was easy to believe half-truths and half-truths in the first place, and now that she said it, it made her believe it quite a bit.


    Shen Qingwan knew that he was starting to have doubts, "I didn''t expect to know so many things that I never noticed before." She inadvertently glanced at Fu Yuheng''s expression and snickered in his heart, "There are many sisters in the palace who are dissatisfied with Honorable Liu. It is said that one day, they unintentionally agreed to charge into Honorable Liu, and at that time, Honorable Liu even sent someone to break the leg of her servant girl.


    Speaking of which, it went without saying. It could be said that everything was ready only for the east wind, just missing a witness.


    "Do you have evidence?" Fu Yuheng''s brows twitched as he lowered his head to glance at her fingertips. He could not help but have his throat move.


    At this time, Shen Qingwan took out a piece of paper from her sleeve, "This is a palace maid''s self-narration, I hope the emperor can read it." She took a step forward and held out the silk paper in front of him. There was no trace of panic in her eyes.


    Fu Yuheng took the piece of paper and glanced through it indifferently. "Since that''s the case, I understand." With that, he placed the paper on the table, "It has been hard on you, my beloved concubine. You must have talked so much and are thirsty. I''ve just brewed some tea to moisten your mouth."


    The palace maid who was serving by the side understood and quickly poured a cup of tea for Shen Qingwan. For some reason, Shen Qingwan felt that there was some other meaning behind his words. However, she was indeed too tired in these few days, so he didn''t pay much attention to it. His reaction seemed to have slowed down a bit as he received the cup of tea in a daze. Unexpectedly, it made his feel very interesting.


    "After you finish, go back and take a good rest." Fu Yuheng''s pupils darkened as the smile on the corner of his mouth stiffened.


    The sleeve inadvertently stained with some ink, but the person dressed in the dragon robe did not care. He rested his chin on his hands and looked at the paper, thinking of something.


    "Do you agree?" Slightly opening his mouth, his voice was low and hoarse, causing one to be infatuated with him. "Fine, he''s just an unimportant person ¡­" "Haha ¡­" Low laughter seemed to come from the slit between his throat as his fingertips drummed on the table.


    Shen Qingwan had been in a trance ever since she came out of the royal study. In the end, the matter of imprisoning her sins into someone else''s hands still made her feel uneasy.


    But he had promised her that he had carefully selected her from the harem, so Lian Yun had investigated her before. Before agreeing, he was a palace maid, but after being favored by the emperor, he also had some tricks up his sleeve, which was why he was able to reach the position of consent. As for those concubines who had been favoured by the Emperor, the reason why not many of them gave birth to princes was because of her methods.

 C145 The position of imperial concubine

    The empress and the others knew, however, that they did not wish for anyone other than themselves to be pampered. Naturally, they were happy to see it as well. As long as it did not threaten their own status, they would turn a blind eye.


    As for the other matters, they were also true. The palace maid had long since been bribed by her, so she didn''t have to worry about any mistakes.


    Speaking of which, I have let down the lost child in the carrageenan, but even if nothing unexpected happened, the child still wouldn''t be able to survive in the palace.


    In less than a day, the imperial edict had already been passed down. This dispelled a part of Fu Yuheng''s worries; after all, these days, it was all about the Consort De and it could be considered as a plan for both sides to achieve their goals. However, his heart was feeling somewhat depressed.


    The gist of the imperial edict was just that Liu Chugrong''s action of pushing the carrageenan into the water was a complete misunderstanding. Now that it had been ascertained, he was to be reinstated as the imperial concubine.


    This was a major matter of the harem, so early in the morning, Sun Gonggong had specially gone to read out the imperial edict. Now, Liu Chugrong''s heart was full of joy, and the people who came to congratulate the harem''s concubines were even more numerous.


    In addition, his father was the prime minister of the imperial court, and was now a imperial concubine. Many of the imperial concubines had the intention of fawning on him.


    Shen Qingwan gave a calm smile in the face of all this. However, there was still a faint worry that could not be dispelled between her brows. After all, the current situation was something that could be swapped for a price.


    In this harem, there were many new disciples that laughed, but how could they hear the cries of old people?


    Right now, in a remote part of the Imperial Palace, there were weeds growing everywhere and the bricks and tiles on the walls were already in ruins.


    The person on the bed trembled. Perhaps because he had thought of something, he suddenly jumped down from the bed, and his combed hair was a little scattered. However, the figure did not seem to have sensed it as he shouted to the person outside the window.


    "Let me out, I want to see the emperor. What crime has chenqie committed to be locked in this cold palace? Let me out, let me out ¡­" There was a high-pitched sound, which made the guard outside frown.


    The imperial edict was not only about Liu Chujun, but it was also about the people in the Cold Palace.


    And now, even if he agreed, he still didn''t know why? His thoughts began to return to the moment when everything seemed to have changed.


    He had originally thought that since the Honorable Liu had already regained her status as a imperial concubine, even though her status was low, she was still a member of the imperial harem. He had wanted to go forward and congratulate her, but an imperial edict had arrived!


    The moment Sun Gonggong finished reciting, Xu Tingsheng felt as if the sky had fallen.


    "The imperial edict said: ''You are allowed to enter the Cold Palace because of your unbecoming character and conduct. Here is my letter.''" When Sun Gonggong saw that his agreement did not even have the slightest reaction, he reminded him, "Xu Tingsheng agrees to accept the decree?"


    He would not easily accept the imperial edict no matter what he said. He thought about how much effort and effort he had put into doing everything that he had gone through in order to achieve his current status, and now that he said it out loud, it would be akin to destroying all his blood and sweat, and saying he wouldn''t accept anything.


    "Sun Gonggong, Sun Gonggong, I''m begging you, bring me to the emperor, I want to see the emperor, chenqie didn''t do anything, why did you send chenqie into a cold palace!" On the other hand, Xu Xiang had a hint of a sobbing tone as he tightly pulled on the corner of Sun Ning''s clothes, making it a little difficult for Sun Gonggong to do it.


    "Xu Qiuyi, after hearing this old servant''s words of advice, we now have conclusive evidence. Xu Sang, it''s better that you agree first ¡­" Sun Gonggong did not know much about this matter, but after all, it was the emperor''s will, so there was nothing he could do.


    "If that''s the case, then this chenqie will personally ask the emperor for an explanation!" Looking at Sun Gonggong''s expression, Xu Nan knew what he was thinking, she then stood up from the ground, as if she wanted to charge out forcefully.


    However, the guards at the side had already made their preparations. After all, this was to guard against those imperial concubines who would throw their weight around and refuse to acknowledge their wrongs. However, those guards did not care about it at all. On the other hand, when he did try to force his way out, Sun Gonggong actually shot a look at the guards, who immediately restrained him, causing him to be unable to move for a while.


    "I agree. Now that the emperor has ordered me to do something, this old servant has to obey his orders and can only accept. I feel wronged." After Sun Ning finished speaking, he waved at the guards, as though he knew of the consequences of his departure, and started to struggle without caring about anything, but he was still not as strong as the masters, and thus, was forcefully dragged into the cold palace.


    However, Sun Gonggong felt that after entering the cold palace, Xu Yu Heng might have been able to rest in peace, which was something he didn''t expect. After all, the Emperor had issued several death orders, which were now extremely troublesome to deal with. In the end, when Fu Yuheng heard about it, he had sent a few more guards to guard him, so as to not cause any trouble.


    If one were to talk about the joyous event in the Imperial City, it would undoubtedly be the Prime Minister Liu!


    In fact, everyone knew that he had just restored Liu Chugrong''s status, while Prime Minister Liu was overjoyed, after all, his own daughter had been reinstated as the imperial concubine. For a prime minister like him, this was a good thing.


    "Congratulations, Prime Minister Liu. Your daughter has been reinstated as an imperial concubine, and is now deeply favored by the Emperor. Now that Prime Minister Liu has gained power, don''t forget about us, ah." In the Prime Minister''s Residence, a few officials from the imperial court were all smiling. After all, the current Prime Minister Liu was exceptionally powerful, causing all the people from the imperial court to have the intention of making friends with him. Although they wanted to congratulate Liu Xiugrong for regaining his position as the imperial concubine, most of them took this opportunity to express their goodwill towards him.


    The Prime Minister Liu was naturally happy, and replied on the surface, "Thank you, ministers. This Prime Minister will not forget everyone''s help."


    Since the ancient times, it had always been hypocritical and dishonest. But now, it was nothing more than a joke.


    And on the other side, three days had passed. General Shen and Ye Feng had already arrived at the city gate, and the two kept a low profile as far as possible along the way, in order to not cause too much trouble.

 C146 General Return

    "This... Is this the General Shen? " The gate guard was shocked and widened his eyes. Right now, the news of the border incident had already spread far and wide. Who didn''t know that the border had been defeated? It was said that no one knew if the General Shen was dead or alive, and there were no clues at all. But now that someone had appeared in front of him, how could he not be excited!


    "Shut up!" Ye Feng shouted. Since General Shen''s body had not fully recovered yet, it was best not to let too many people know about it.


    The guard was shocked and quickly shut his mouth. However, there were already many people surrounding them.


    "Is this General Shen? It is said that the General Shen uses troops like a god, but he has suffered a great defeat this time. Some people said that he is about to die! " A young man in the crowd whispered to someone beside him, but his voice was still heard.


    Soon after, whispers could be heard from the surroundings of the carriage.


    "Tch!" And he said he was a wargod, but he still couldn''t beat him, and in the end he almost got himself beaten to death? " Someone started it, and it stopped.


    However, there were some elderly who stood up and spoke up for General Shen. After all, they had lived for a long time, and had a certain understanding of the affairs of General Shen.


    "Hmph, what does a kid know? General Shen has been on the battlefield for most of his life, so naturally, he can''t be compared to us mortals. Moreover, if one was not a saint, how could he not be one? "How can you view everything from success or failure in one round!"


    At this time, many people were discussing about it, but they were worried about Ye Feng. If this continued, the news of the General Shen would certainly spread, and at that time it would not be easy for people to enter the capital.


    "Hurry up and get out of the way. If you delay the matter, who will bear the responsibility?" Can you bear the responsibility? " With that loud shout, the surrounding people immediately quieted down. They all stepped back, making a path open up for them.


    "Cough, cough ¡­" The voices of the people outside were not very soft. Adding to the fact that General Shen was a martial artist, his hearing was much better than ordinary people. There were many things that reached General Shen''s ears.


    He sighed, "Sigh..." Haha, it seems like this old man has not lived his entire life in vain! "Haha!" The General Shen was rather open-minded. Someone talking meant that there was still someone who remembered him, this old man. It could be said that he didn''t come to this world for nothing.


    Ye Feng heard the laughter coming from the carriage and was a bit confused. Today, the crowd''s evaluation of him was not clear, but it was clear that this time''s border incident had a huge impact, so why would the General Shen laugh? Was he infuriated?


    "General, they are just commoners in the city, don''t be too angry. The border incident isn''t all the fault of the general." No matter what, Ye Feng still decided to comfort her, but he did not expect the General Shen to laugh.


    "Do you think this general has gone dumb from anger?" General Shen laughed, revealing the magnanimity in his heart, "So it''s... I believe you will understand this logic sooner or later. You will understand it in the future. " Regarding Ye Feng, he only felt that he had to fear the younger generation, and it was not easy to reach such a state at such a young age.


    Ye Feng nodded. It seemed like the General Shen naturally had its own considerations. In the end, he was still young and couldn''t compete with others.


    In less than a day''s time, Fu Yuheng received the news that the General Shen had returned. He immediately sent people to assist his, and the matter at the border had already passed.


    "Has the emperor made his decision?" Sun Ning stood at the side with a somewhat worried expression. He had followed the emperor for a long time so he naturally knew of his troubles for the past few days. But now that the General Shen had returned, he had to make a decision.


    Fu Yuheng rubbed his glabella, but no longer worried. "It all depends on the will of the heavens!" These words caused Sun Ning to be stunned. Looking at the smile on the person in front of him, he suddenly felt that he couldn''t see through the current Emperor.


    "Your servant greets your majesty! Long live the Martial Monarch! Long live the Martial Monarch! " With the support of Ye Feng, the General Shen came in and directly knelt on the ground with a "putong" sound. His eyes were slightly red.


    When Fu Yuheng saw this, he was somewhat moved. However, he still could not lose his dignity on the surface. "General Shen, rise." The people who abhor the imperial family''s reputation the most are also people who like to doubt and doubt. However, he rarely tried to intimidate him. Instead, he did his best in the war.


    "This subject does not dare, this subject deserves to die a thousand times. Please punish me, Your Majesty!" Hearing his words, General Shen still refused to get up. Instead, he kowtowed once again, and his tone was filled with guilt.


    Seeing this, Fu Yuheng could only sigh. It was true that he was a cherished genius, and that the General Shen had contributed greatly to the imperial government. It was a pity that he had too much military power and made the royal family feel threatened. His end was already decided.


    How could General Shen not know that? He had already realized that to the emperor, he was already a type of fear.


    "As for the border matter, we will naturally punish you. As long as General Shen follows our orders. But now that you have just returned, your injuries have not yet healed. It would be better for you to return early to rest and recuperate from your injuries. " Fu Yuheng had long discovered that Ye Xiwen''s injuries were severe. Moreover, Ye Feng was beside him, so he had some things he wanted to ask.


    "Then, this subject shall take his leave first." Seeing that, Fu Yuheng signaled Sun Ning with his eyes. Sun Ning immediately understood and called for a servant to help General Shen out.


    The atmosphere in the hall suddenly turned solemn.


    "Ye Bodyguard, it''s been hard on you these days." During these days, Ye Feng had always been by General Shen''s side, so he must have suffered a lot.


    "The Emperor is too serious. It''s your subordinate''s fault for not protecting the General Shen properly." Although he had been rather tired these past few days, he did not receive any substantial injuries. Instead, he did not manage to protect the General Shen well, making him feel very bad.


    Fu Yuheng waved his hand and said, "Ye Bodyguard, you don''t have to blame yourself. Tell me, what have you discovered in the past few days?" Back to the main topic, what exactly had happened at the border that caused General Shen, who had been fighting for so many years, to fall to such a state, that was what he wanted. Plus, he already promised Shen Qingwan that he would give her an explanation.


    In the end, he decided to temporarily hide the matter of the Ninth Prince. "If you go back to the Emperor, your subordinate will find out that there is a spy at the border, but because the other party is too cautious, we weren''t able to find out. However, my initial assumption is that he should be a deputy general. "


    "Do you have anyone in mind?" Fu Yuheng''s thoughts changed and his gaze turned cold. He would never have imagined that there would actually be such a person in the army. He was quite bold.


    "This ¡­" Ye Feng was a bit hesitant. Although he had his suspicions at this time, he still could not find any evidence.


    Fu Yuheng glanced at him. "Just say it directly. There''s no need to be so restrained."

 C147 pseudomorph

    "Reporting to the emperor, this subordinate suspects that it''s the vice general Liu Yangao. This person normally doesn''t perform too arrogantly, but he doesn''t seem to be such a good person." Ye Feng recalled the way he saw Ye Xiwen bullying the small soldiers behind their backs and recounted the story from his mouth.


    Fu Yuheng did not have much of an impression of this person, but he had heard of his name before. It was said that his hometown was in the capital, but his family had declined, so he had entered the barracks to make a living.


    "That Liu Yangao has returned with you?" Fu Yuheng frowned.


    Ye Feng shook his head, "No." Fu Yuheng had never thought that he would actually hide the truth regarding the border region from him, but he did not ask him about it. "Are you injured?" Ye Zichen looked him up and down, but didn''t find any blood on him.


    "This subordinate is uninjured. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." Ye Feng bowed.


    After the two had finished talking, Sun Gonggong walked out from behind the screen. He had vaguely heard the conversation between the two just now, but seeing Fu Yuheng''s contemplative appearance, he did not dare to inquire further.


    And when Ye Feng came out of the hall, the first person he thought of was Li Ruotong. It was just that since there were so many people in the palace, they did not dare to openly meet her. They could only call a palace maid and take out a jade bracelet, instructing the palace maids to deliver the item to carrageenan, before stuffing her with one tael of silver.


    The palace maids had been in the palace for a long time, so they were not surprised by this matter. They kept the silver and rushed to carrageenan''s courtyard.


    The news of Ye Bodyguard and General Shen returning to the capital had already spread far and wide. Li Ruotong had always been concerned about Ye Feng''s condition, and had even received the news a long time ago. She had only heard from the servants that she was discussing matters with the Emperor, so it was inconvenient for him to disturb him.


    She was just anxiously pacing around the courtyard when she saw an unfamiliar face of a palace maid who was about to enter when he was stopped by a guard at the entrance.


    "Wait!" "Let her in!" Li Ruotong''s face revealed a burst of happiness. At this time, other than Ye Feng, she really couldn''t think of any other reason to ask the palace maids to come and find her.


    "But someone asked you to hand over something to me?" Li Ruotong''s eyes lit up, and her tone lightened up a little.


    The palace maid was stunned at first, but quickly recovered and took out the jade bracelet, "This is what Ye Bodyguard told me to bring back to the Empress." The palace maid lowered his head and secretly looked at Li Ruotong''s expression from the corner of his eyes. He guessed that the two might have a special relationship, his ears were slightly red, it was unknown whether he was shocked or embarrassed.


    Li Ruotong snatched the bracelet from the palace maid''s hands. Doing that would be like admiring a rare treasure. But what else is there to say? " She looked at her expectantly, waiting for her reply.


    However, the palace maid''s words evidently caused her to be somewhat disappointed. "No, Ye Bodyguard only said that he must hand this over to the Empress."


    With just that one sentence, the palace maid could feel the aura around Li Ruotong become sluggish, "I understand, you can leave now." Ye Zichen twitched his mouth to the side, while his entire face was filled with displeasure.


    However, she still had to go. This was their secret signal, so she had to go meet him at the fake mountain.


    Previously, she had already meticulously dressed up and was just waiting for him to send a message.


    "In that case, there should be no problem ¡­" He mumbled to himself as his eyes swayed left and right. The red blush on his face was like the glow of sunset.


    It was already late at night, and the weather was gradually getting colder.


    Ye Feng had been standing at the foot of the fake mountain for a long time. He wondered if she was happy and if she had thought about him. "At this time, a familiar figure could be seen approaching from afar, strolling towards us." Ruo Tong... " Her voice was low and hoarse, but it also had a bit of a choke.


    Even though he was known as the number one guard, in front of her, he was nothing more than a man led by his beloved.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting." Li Ruotong felt the scorching gaze from him, and felt even more embarrassed. Her entire face was slightly flushed, and the handkerchief in her hand was in disarray, "Are you injured? "Did you take good care of yourself in the military camp?"


    Suddenly thinking about Ye Feng''s whereabouts these days, he started to worry again. The person in front of him had become a lot thinner than before, even his cheekbones had become a lot more prominent.


    Seeing her looking all over his body, Ye Feng was moved. He immediately pulled the girl in front of him into his arms, wishing that he could completely merge her into his own flesh and blood.


    "Feng ¡­" Li Ruotong comforted her gently, but the tears that were accumulated in her eyes betrayed her emotions.


    The two talked for a long time until the sun started to set. Finally, Li Ruotong was able to calm herself down and looked at Ye Feng innocently: "Feng, if you don''t need to in the future, don''t do such a dangerous thing, right?"


    Ye Feng looked at her and nodded. However, this was only to let her feel at ease. With his identity, it was destined that he wouldn''t be at ease. Besides, there was no need to say anything unnecessary. If the king wanted this official to die, then this official had no choice but to die.


    "Have you been to the Elder Sister Consort Xian?" Li Ruotong suddenly gasped in a low voice and slapped her forehead. However, she was too busy being warm with Ye Feng that she forgot about her. After General Shen returned to the capital, she went back to her residence. No one had told her about her injuries.


    "I will send someone to inform the Concubine Xian, do not worry too much." Speaking of this matter, Ye Feng felt a burst of guilt in his heart. General Shen had been severely injured, but in the end, he was still unable to protect Ye Feng. From an angle that Li Ruotong could not see, a hint of dejection flashed past his eyes. Although he was called the number one guard, he could not even protect a single person.


    Night slowly spread and he did not want to stay any longer, just in case the other Palace Masters saw that Li Ruotong was still injured. Thus, she did not stay any longer and went back to her own place, but she had her own thoughts.


    Li Ruotong was happy, but Ye Feng was worried.


    "Empress, a servant has sent word that the general''s health is not too bad anymore, but he still needs some time to recover. Empress, I hope that you do not worry too much." Lian Yun pushed open the door and entered, his tone carrying joy and rejoice.


    At this moment, Shen Qingwan was pouring a cup of tea and pouring it into her mouth. Hearing that, she shook her hand and poured the entire cup of tea onto her body. The corners of his mouth could not help but rise, as she did not care about the water stains on his body. "Got it, thank the person who sent the message."


    Lian Yun sighed. His wife was like this, always not caring about her own situation. As she replied, Lian Yun quickly used a handkerchief to wipe off the water droplets on her body.


    "Empress, the general has returned safely. You should rest early." She helped Shen Qingwan to the side of the bed, and only withdrew after Shen Qingwan nodded her head repeatedly.

 C148 five horses dismembered

    In the army camp that Hu Youshan was in, a man with the same appearance as Fu Huaiyu sat in the center. His eyes slightly narrowed as he sat at his desk, picked up a pen, and wrote on the paper: "The traitor Liang Yu has been apprehended, Ninth Prince is willing to decide."


    He seemed to ponder over it for a long time. Finally, he stood up and rolled up the slip of paper. "Someone, bring the carrier pigeon."


    With that, there was a knock on the door. "Your Royal Highness, the carrier pigeon is here."


    "Come in!" Mo Zilian said softly. When the door was pushed open, the soldier carried a birdcage, inside which was a snow white pigeon.


    Opening the cage, Mo Zilian took out the pigeon, then placed the recently rolled up paper slip into the small bamboo tube at the pigeon''s feet, allowing the soldier to release the pigeon. Yet, he turned around and slowly walked towards the dungeon.


    In the dark dungeon, a stench assaulted their nostrils. Most of them were disobedient captives, and there were even some who wanted to rebel. Mo Zilian leisurely walked to the front of Liang Yu''s prison and had just returned to Hu Youshan a few days ago. Mo Zilian had first exposed Liang Yu''s crime and then locked him in the dungeon. At this time, the blood stains on Liang Yu''s body had already dried up, and his lips were slightly white.


    Looking at Liang Yu who was already scarred by the attack, Mo Zilian sneered, "Heh, it''s really day and night defense, a home thief is hard to guard against! Liang Yu, Liang Yu, what are you trying to do that makes you want to be a traitor, you better enjoy the last moments of your life! "Hahaha!" The sinister laughter was like a talisman of death, causing one''s hair to stand on end.


    Hearing these words, Liang Yu slowly raised his head, looked in the direction of the voice, and saw that there was wave after wave of fear on Mo Zilian''s dark and cold face. At this time, Mo Zilian was still wearing the same kind of human skin mask as Fu Huaiyu, showing a cold and detached look like an evil ghost that had crawled out of hell, as he licked the last bit of hope in his heart.


    Liang Yu knew Fu Huaiyu''s methods, and Mo Zilian''s were extremely ruthless, even more so than Fu Huaiyu''s. Very few of the people executed in his hands were whole. Mo Zilian looked at Liang Yu who had revealed a terrified face and sneered, then glanced at the wet ground beneath Liang Yu with disgust. Mo Zilian looked down on him in his heart, as he did not have much courage in the first place, to actually want to learn to be a spy.


    Early the next morning, Mo Zilian received a message from the Ninth Prince. There wasn''t much pen and ink on it, only the word "kill", which was exceptionally clear in the middle of the white paper.


    Mo Zilian sneered and said: "Men, pull Liang Yu out of the dungeon and force him onto the execution grounds."


    "Yes, Your Highness." After these few days of interaction, he already knew that the person in front of him was definitely not a good person. A few days ago, one of the soldiers had sounded dissatisfied, but this prince had directly pulled him out to beat 50 boards.


    Seeing that the time was approaching noon, Mo Zilian calmly walked towards the execution grounds. When he arrived, Liang Yu was already at the execution grounds.


    Mo Zilian looked at Liang Yu whose breathing was no longer normal, yet there was a warm smile on his face and his heart was filled with fear. It was as if he saw a demon that killed without blinking waving at him.


    Liang Yu really wanted to struggle, but he was already tortured by Mo Zilian to the point where he had no strength left in his body, and he just stood there motionlessly.


    When the soldier saw him coming over, he stepped forward and reported, "Reporting to Your Highness, criminal Liang Yu has already been placed on the execution grounds, I request Your Highness to execute him."


    Mo Zilian waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to retreat. He headed in the direction of Liang Yu.


    "How is it? The weather today isn''t bad, is it? But do you feel much warmer? " After these few questions, it was as gentle as usual. It was just that the current Liang Yu did not think this way.


    He hadn''t been in the water for an entire day, and now that he was basking in the sun, he only felt that the water on his body was evaporating bit by bit, and his lips were drying up even more. He opened his mouth, but felt a tearing pain from his throat. Other than a few hoarse voices, he could not utter a single word.


    Mo Zilian had already expected this situation to happen, but he still extended his hand to bring over a cup of water, "Here, feed it to him."


    The soldiers were puzzled, but since the King had spoken, they naturally had to obey. Liang Yu, who was extremely thirsty, did not resist and obediently drank the water.


    "How is it? Do you feel much more comfortable?" Opening his fan, he looked at the person before him with a smile.


    Liang Yu felt a bit of strength in his body, he nodded his head and looked at Mo Zilian with hope. If was willing to give him water, does that mean he still had a way out? The despair in his eyes seemed to have lessened a lot, but he did not expect that it was right in the middle of Mo Zilian''s heart.


    "Go prepare five horses. This King doesn''t need to tell you what''s left, right?" It was just that the hope in Liang Yu''s heart did not manifest for long, before Mo Zilian''s next words extinguished the light in his eyes.


    Obviously, they were dismembering!


    Liang Yu''s body was tied to one of the five strong horses. Only then did Liang Yu finally realize that hope and despair were the biggest sources of pain. But until now, Liang Yu could only shout with all his might, "Don''t!"


    "This is only the beginning ¡­" Mo Zilian''s voice seemed to be the last command that came from hell. At the same time, the five horses ran like madmen in five different directions, forcibly splitting Liang Yu up.


    On the other side, Xiao Shushen, who had received the news that Liang Yu had been dismembered, sat uneasily and furrowed her brows. Since Liang Yu was already dead, this meant that the matter had been exposed.


    Her long nails dug into the pastries in her hands and instantly split them into pieces on the ground. "Gui mama, send orders for Hu Youshan''s men to withdraw as soon as possible. "Also, don''t let anyone find out about this. If anything goes wrong, you know the consequences ¡­" His voice trembled, and he felt a chill down his spine.


    In the end, Fu Huaiyu had still underestimated his methods.


    "Yes." Gui mama wiped his cold sweat, his eyes were full of seriousness, Hu Youshan had already planted more than 10 spies. However, their defenses were very tight. It seemed like only a few people had put in so much effort to get in, and many people had died along the way. But now, they had no choice but to withdraw, how could they be willing!


    Xiao Shushen sat paralyzed on the bed, her face was covered in perspiration. "Oh?" Qing Shui unconsciously looked into the mirror. The beauty of the past had been replaced by the beauty of the past. She only felt anger rushing up her spine as she took out a hairpin and threw it at the mirror. Crack! The sound of the mirror breaking echoed out. There were fragments left on the ground.


    What a good Ninth Prince, as long as she wants it, she would never be able to get it in this world!

 C149 Deprivation of arms

    Fu Yuheng sat upright on the dragon throne, his eyes sharp as he watched the officials bow before him. "I, I have decided to withdraw the authority of the General Shen. Do you have any objections?"


    His words were like a pebble, causing waves in this calm atmosphere.


    This matter was naturally a good thing for the Prime Minister Liu. One must know that he had been opposing the General Shen for so many years, and now that his opponent had fallen, how could he not be happy?


    Looking at the civil and military officials discussing animatedly amongst themselves, Fu Yuheng could only feel frustrated. He could only know how to fight internally and not know how to properly govern these fellows.


    "Withdraw the authority of the General Shen?" The assistant minister of the Military Department was a little hesitant, the position of the General Shen in the Imperial Court was obvious to all, for him to be accepted as a soldier like that, it could be said that he had bad luck.


    However, at this moment, an elderly official came out, looking anxious. "This old official feels that this matter is rather inappropriate, as it will affect the future of the Jiang Han Empire!" However, as soon as he finished speaking, someone began to refute him.


    Assistant Minister Li Yuhang looked at the official who spoke disdainfully, and spoke with a firm tone: "What''s wrong with that? Shen Feng lost a war at the border, so he deserves to be punished! " He and the Prime Minister Liu had long reached an agreement with Ling Ling, of course they would take revenge on the enemy.


    Sure enough, once he said those words, many of the ministers who had just begun to waver also steeled their resolve.


    "That makes sense!" Another assistant minister of the Ministry of Industry also spoke up.


    "Cough ¡­" At this moment, Fu Yuheng furrowed his brows and coughed. "Dear Elders, do you have nothing to say?"


    "Your Majesty, this humble subject has something to say." As a civil servant, his thoughts were naturally more thorough. Moreover, as a first-rate official, he had more power and influence.


    "Speak." Fu Yuheng raised his brows. He had not expected that the normally taciturn Luo Xingyong would actually open his mouth at this moment.


    Her white hair was crowned, but she could still see that she must have been a bookish, elegant gentleman when she was young. Luo Xing Yong nodded his head: "To return to the Emperor, it is not appropriate to remove the General Shen''s military power. Victory or defeat is a common occurrence for a soldier, General Shen''s military power cannot be removed in a single failure, please reconsider, Your Majesty!" His words could be said to be filled with emotion, but Prime Minister Liu''s expression changed.


    Damn it, there are always a few annoying people coming out to mess things up.


    However, Fu Yuheng was somewhat deep in thought after he finished listening. It seemed that there were still people who could be of use within the dynasty.


    "Reporting to the Emperor, this humble official thinks that Your Majesty''s actions are very wise. To defeat our country''s might, at this rate, how can we make other countries pay tribute year after year?" If General Shen was allowed to reverse the situation, then they would have to wait for the next opportunity. Who knew how long this would take? Or perhaps, if he lost this opportunity, he would never have another chance. Moreover ¡­ Where the Ninth Prince is...


    It had to be said that most of the people in the imperial court were like fence-sitters, and General Shen had obviously lost his power. Prime Minister Liu could be said to be an independent power in the imperial court, if he did not help now, how long would he have to wait?


    "Your majesty the Emperor is brilliant!" Moments later, the ground was filled with kneeling.


    Fu Yuheng sneered in his heart but his expression remained unchanged. The end of the General Shen was already decided. The people in the court and the empress dowager all needed him to finish this. Besides, military power was something that the emperor was afraid of since ancient times. If it wasn''t held in his own hands, he would worry about his position in the kingdom eventually.


    "As you have said, we will disarm the General Shen." Fu Yuheng took a glance at General Shen, who had been standing there without making a sound the entire time, and a trace of helplessness flashed past his eyes. "General Shen, do you have anything else to say?"


    Fu Yuheng tapped his fingers on the table. It was obvious that although a few of the ministers felt that his actions were not inappropriate, most of them sided with Prime Minister Liu, saying that his actions were very clear. Now, it seemed that Prime Minister Liu would become a poisonous tooth sooner or later. Being too ambitious was not a good thing.


    "This old subject has nothing to say in reply to the emperor." General Shen raised his hand and bowed, his expression a little lonely. Since his injuries had not recovered yet, what could he say?


    Fu Yuheng nodded. He knew that someone as intelligent as him would naturally not say anything.


    "From today onwards, remove the military power held by the General Shen." With the final word, the border incident finally came to an end.


    Fu Huaiyu was very well-informed, and very quickly, he received the news.


    Hu Youshan''s matter was no longer within his worry, he was completely at ease leaving the matters there to Mo Zilian. He had already thought about the empress''s situation. If she interfered again, he wouldn''t mind having another drop of blood.


    The peach blossom eyes that normally would be full of smiles were now even more sinister than before. The corners of his mouth hooked into a bloodthirsty smile.


    "General Shen ¡­ "Haha ¡­" Fu Huaiyu played with the teacup in his hands, he was very satisfied with the Prime Minister Liu''s way of handling this tea, but he was not disappointed at all, "Royal brother, you''re really as naive as you were in the beginning!"


    With a slip of his hand, the teacup fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.


    "Right now, everything has been settled. I''m just missing a son ¡­" On the chessboard at the side, there was a clear line of black and white. However, it was obvious that Bai Zi was like a poor crossbow, he no longer had any leeway to fight back.


    "That little fox, perhaps he should thank Ben Wang, haha ¡­" Ironic laughter filled the entire room, adding to the gloom.


    Fu Huaiyu sneered when he received the news. Now that the authority of the General Shen had disappeared, the Emperor who had lost a large portion of his forces was already like a tiger without claws.


    However, that person, that chess piece that had escaped his control, was something that he cared a lot about. If possible, that chess piece really wanted to stay there forever. Let her see, in the end, this mountain still belonged to the victor.


    "Bring me some wine for This King!" Fu Huaiyu hooked his fingers, and the woman who was sitting by the side immediately stood up, and after a while, she brought a jug of wine in.


    "Pour for This King..." Fu Huaiyu reached out and wrapped his arms around the woman''s waist, but then casually flung it away.


    A figure flashed across her narrowed eyes. That person, or perhaps it was just her, was different in this world after all.


    He picked up the wine cup in front of him and downed it in one gulp, but he didn''t know why.


    "Scram!" With a loud shout, the woman trembled in fright. She quickly put down the wine pot in her hands and staggered out, not daring to complain at all.


    Just as the woman left, she heard a gentle voice, "Is that grandpa inside angry?"


    The woman nodded, and the man lightly smiled. "Go, don''t take it to heart." He felt as if the pain in his heart had been completely healed. When he raised his head again, that person had already disappeared.

 C150 Go home and visit

    "Empress ¡­"


    Lian Yun pushed open the door and walked in. Her tone was slightly hesitating, her brows tightly knitted, and her gaze was filled with deep worry.


    Yesterday, Shen Qing Wan started to worry about her father anxiously. With regards to the border, the battle with the troops was not a joke and she was not at ease. She called Lian Yun to ask her about her father''s matters.


    Right now, seeing how she wanted to speak yet was unable to do so, it was likely that she had guessed correctly the thing that she was worried about in her heart.


    "What''s wrong?" Shen Qingwan glanced at him and slowly opened her mouth. She tried her best to keep a calm and natural expression on her face, but her frown revealed the anxiousness in her heart, "Just speak your mind."


    "The Empress guessed right ¡­" When the General Shen went to the border, he did not expect that Vice General Liu Yangao was actually a spy. He actually leaked the strategy, causing the general to be defeated in battle.


    Lian Yun stood at the side and started to recount the news she had discovered.


    Shen Qingwan, who was sitting on the wooden bench, couldn''t help but frown the more she listened. Sure enough, father was still ¡­


    "Okay, I got it. "Get ready, I''ll go to the emperor later." Shen Qing Wan''s frown did not relax, he stood up from the wooden chair, walked to the dressing table and sat down, and instructed Lian Yun in a soft voice.


    "Yes." Lian Yun answered, she walked up to Shen Qingwan''s side and started to comb her body.


    She looked at herself in the dressing mirror with a worried expression. Her hands were on her face and the cold feeling from her hands made her heart slightly tremble. When she brought her hands over, her face had already regained its calmness.


    "Your Majesty, the Concubine Xian wishes to seek an audience." Sun Ning walked to Fu Yuheng''s side and respectfully bowed as he whispered into his ear.


    "Oh?" Fu Yuheng''s brows twitched when he heard this. He then opened his mouth and said, "Let her in."


    "Yes." After he received the order, Sun Ning walked out of the hall, and said respectfully to Shen Qingwan who was waiting at the door: "Concubine Xian, the Emperor declares that he wishes to meet you, please enter."


    He waved his sleeves and made a ''please'' gesture, silently retreating to the side of the main hall to guard the door. Today, it was probably better to speak less.


    "Yes, thank you, Eunuch." Shen Qingwan lightly nodded her head and strode into the main hall. She bowed slightly and lowered her head, making it hard for others to see her expression. "Chenqie greets Your Majesty."


    "Yes." Fu Yuheng responded faintly and glanced at her. "My beloved concubine, what do you need from me?"


    "When chenqie learned that her father was defeated and heavily injured at the border, and that his military authority was stripped away, she wanted to return home to check on father''s condition."


    Shen Qingwan still had her head lowered. Her tone was neither servile nor overbearing, but it allowed Fu Yuheng to feel a hint of pleading.


    She knew that Fu Yuheng stripping her father of his military power was an act of helplessness. However, her father''s condition had caused her to start worrying.


    After a long while, when he heard the unanswered questions from above, he slowly raised his head and looked up.


    She coincidentally met Fu Yuheng''s scrutinizing eyes, causing her heart to tremble slightly. The deep meaning hidden within her eyes was something she could not understand.


    "When I found out that my father was heavily injured, chenqie was extremely worried. I hope that the emperor will agree to allow chenqie to return and visit." Shen Qingwan half-knelt on the ground, her expression serious.


    "Yes." I agree. "You may leave." Fu Yuheng''s irresistible voice entered her ears like an order.


    "Thank you, your majesty." Shen Qingwan stood up and slowly walked out of the hall.


    She paused at the entrance of the hall and could not help but slowly exhale a mouthful of impure air. She knew that he would definitely agree.


    The wutong tree in the courtyard was lush and verdant. It stood tall and straight at the left corner of the courtyard, which made it particularly eye-catching.


    Many flying birds chose to stay here. Standing on the branches, they emitted clear and melodious bird calls.


    In General Shen''s residence, the atmosphere in the guest hall was a little too quiet.


    "Father, are you alright?" Shen Qingwan walked into the living room of the General Shen Palace and saw her father calmly sitting in front of her.


    He seemed to be more haggard than before. Even though he pretended to be serious, his pale face allowed Shen Qingwan to see through a lot.


    She hurried forward and entered her father. Just when she was about to check on her father''s injuries, General Shen waved her hand and told her to stop.


    "It''s nothing serious. Although his injuries are a bit serious, he hasn''t touched his bones yet. He''ll be able to recover after a while."


    Hearing her father''s words, Shen Qingwan''s taut strings finally loosened a little. "The border ¡­"


    "It can be considered as my carelessness to be ambushed at the border. Not to mention, it''s more like I''m giving myself one ¡­" "Hiss ¡­" "Lesson." Perhaps it was because his words had affected the wound, causing him to take in a deep breath.


    "And he said it''s fine. "Look, it''s involved in the wound again." Shen Qingwan was slightly blaming him, but she was also relieved.


    Fortunately, his father was not so depressed because of the situation at the border. Thinking about it, his thoughts were too serious.


    What kind of person was a father? Would he be depressed because of the defeat at the border?


    "What do these injuries count as? If we were to march and fight, it would be unavoidable for us to suffer some injuries." However, if one''s own military power is taken away, someone might make use of this opportunity. " The General Shen sighed. It was clear that he felt some regret over having his military power taken away.


    However, due to him being stripped of his military authority due to the defeat at the border, he, the General Shen, had nothing to say and could only reply with a low voice.


    "Father, now that you are injured and the military power has been taken away, you should stay at home to recuperate and temporarily avoid this limelight." Shen Qingwan paused for a moment before continuing, "As for the other matters, we are not in a hurry. We will think about them further."


    "Mm. Alright." General Shen agreed straightforwardly to Shen Qingwan''s words as if he was dissatisfied with them.


    In this period of time, he should indeed avoid the limelight, lest he be caught in it.


    "Also ¡­" Be careful of the Ninth Prince. " At this point, Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but become serious and vigilant, "I feel that the matter of the border being leaked out is definitely not a coincidence, I suspect ¡­"


    "You''re saying, Ninth Prince ¡­" General Shen frowned, he knew that there must be something wrong with her words.


    "No." Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but shake her head, "Liu Yangao is most likely one of his men. This person is extremely ambitious, it''s better not to get involved for the time being. Just be careful."


    "Yes." General Shen replied with a heavy tone, "The matter of our strategy being leaked, if it really is related to him ¡­" Speaking till here, General Shen did not speak anymore, no matter how much he said it, it would only increase his worries.


    "My father has been resting well recently. If he is not properly treated, he should not be able to recover in a short period of time." Shen Qingwan looked at the sky outside and said, "It''s getting late, I''ll be leaving now. If there''s anything, please send me a letter."


    "Yes." General Shen replied as he watched Shen Qingwan walk out of the living room. Only then did he lean back against the wooden chair, slowly closing his eyes and beginning to ponder.

 C151 slapping the maid

    Liu Chugrong had been favored by the emperor recently. Fu Yuheng would go to him whenever he had the time. All the concubines in the imperial harem were jealous and envious of him, but they could do nothing to him.


    Liu Chugrong was originally the daughter of the Prime Minister Liu and her family was prominent. Now that the General Shen in the imperial court that was originally able to contend with the Prime Minister Liu had lost because of the war at the borders, he was slightly pushed down by the Prime Minister Liu. At this moment, the Emperor was still very fond of her, so no one in the imperial palace felt that anything was wrong with her.


    Liu Chugrong was not someone who knew how to restrain himself. Relying on the favor of the emperor, he acted more and more arrogantly in the imperial harem, not putting others in his eyes.


    Usually, bullying of the palace maids and being rude to the other concubines was a common occurrence. Although the others didn''t dare to say it on the surface, they all held a grudge against Liu Chugrong in their hearts.


    Liu Chu Rong didn''t feel anything. He just continued doing his own thing every day.


    Today, Liu Chu Rong had nothing to do, so he decided to take a walk in the palace''s garden with his maidservants.


    Arriving at the garden, he discovered that the Queen was there with her maidservants. The maidservants were watering the flowers in front of them while the Queen was leisurely admiring the various flowers with a carefree expression.


    Although she was the Queen, the arrogance on Liu Chugrong didn''t decrease in the slightest.


    With the support of the maidservants, Liu Chu Rong held his head high and looked towards the sky. He walked step by step in an extremely deliberate and exaggerated manner and soon arrived in front of the Queen.


    Liu Chugrong didn''t seem to see the queen beside him. He started to walk towards her. Unexpectedly, he bumped into a palace maid watering a flower.


    Caught off guard by the collision, the palace maid let out a scream as the object in her hand instantly fell off her hand and fell to the ground.


    The water splashed everywhere and hit Liu Xiugrong and that palace maid. Both of their clothes were instantly soaked.


    "Ah, what are you doing!" Before the palace maid could react, Liu Chugrong, who had been so arrogant a moment ago, suddenly shouted. Looking at his wet clothes, he completely ignored the image of his imperial concubine.


    The empress''s maidservant hurriedly apologized, "Your Highness, I am sorry. Your servant was blind. Please forgive me!"


    It wasn''t her fault, but in this palace, even if she was the empress dowager''s maid, she was just a lowly maid with a lowly status. Liu Chugrong was the empress, so there was no way she could compete with him. Thus, at this moment, she could only choose to lower her head.


    "Your dog eyes have been blinded!" Can''t you see that I have to pass through here? " Liu Chugrong didn''t give up. Her chest rose and fell, and she was obviously angry. She didn''t appreciate the servant girl''s apology at all.


    "Imperial Concubine, please calm your anger. It''s all my fault for being careless!"


    "Humph!" How can you be like this in the future? I''ll give you two slaps this time as a reminder! " Liu Chu Rong glared at the servant with an angry face.


    The empress who had been watching from the side suddenly spoke up. "Elder sister, isn''t this a bit too much?"


    She had clearly seen what had happened just now. Liu Xiurong''s arrogant attitude deserved to be splashed with water.


    "Too much. How is that too much?" Because of his anger, Liu Chugrong''s chest kept rising and falling. He continued, "Besides, as a servant, you should act like one!"


    "Little sister, how about we spare her this time on account of big sister?" The empress''s slender fingers gripped the green handkerchief tightly as she took a step forward and continued to plead.


    At this time, Liu Chugrong''s position in the harem was so low that few people could compare to him. How could her current arrogance be quelled?


    From the imperial garden not far away came waves of a fragrant smell. Beneath the Four Corner Pavilion, Fu Huaiyu was holding a chess piece with extreme interest, and landed calmly.


    If the so-called wise Emperor saw this scene, how would he end it?


    The king of a country should stand with Liu Chugrong, who did not differentiate good from evil, or should he punish this matter fairly and harshly. A pair of peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, looking at Fu Yuheng who was walking in the distance, he mocked him with a smile.


    At this moment, they saw Liu Chuhong walking around the empress. Her face changed again and again.


    As the saying goes, once the imperial court favored her, they would look down on the imperial concubine of the imperial harem.


    From far away, Xiao Shushen had actually witnessed it on this day.


    The empress was wearing a windbreaker, but her aura had not diminished even up to this point.


    She walked lightly, then suddenly turned around and stood straight against the wind. At the moment, Liu Xiugrong took the opportunity to slap the palace maid coldly.


    The palace maid didn''t know what Liu Chu Rong''s next move would be, now that he looked again, his face turned red from the beating.


    A crisp slapping sound could be heard as the empress tried to think of a countermeasure. Who would have thought that Liu Chugrong would dare to hit his own people in front of the queen of the world?


    If word of this got out, wouldn''t it embarrass the empress? Even the royal family lost all their face?


    The thought of the disgrace of the royal family made those words unmistakable. The empress suddenly thought of a way to advance and retreat.


    The empress was actually able to endure this anger that none of the empress dowager could swallow as she approached step by step. Who would have thought that Liu Chugrong would jump up with his eyes wide open and his waist tucked in, as if he didn''t want to bow to anyone.


    "What, the empress wants to seek justice for this little palace maid?" Liu Chugrong said coldly.


    "But after the Emperor heard this, I don''t know which side to stand on. Elder Sister must think this through clearly."


    Liu Chugrong was so arrogant and despotic. With the love of the Emperor, he was afraid the Emperor would be annoyed with her sooner or later.


    Thinking about it, the Qi that Xiao Shushen had been receiving for the past few days, vanished like smoke in thin air. She gently stroked her finger as the jade on her wrist let out a moving glow.


    Thinking about the result of Liu Chugrong, would it be the same?


    "Little sister, the lesson just now was right." Only after a long while did Xiao Shushen finally speak gently.


    "That palace maid has just made my sister unhappy, and now she is being dealt with by my sister." The Queen clenched her teeth and said.


    After hearing this, the palace maid seemed to be able to see the reason behind it. He also quickly fell to the ground and begged for mercy, "Empress, this is all your servant''s fault. Your servant will do as you say."


    She actually showed weakness to the empress, who was so high up in the sky. Liu Chugrong walked proudly to the palace maid, and suddenly gave her another slap. It was crisp and vicious.


    Not far away, after witnessing this scene, Xiao Shushen almost tore the handkerchief in her hands to shreds, but her expression did not change her joy or anger.


    Unexpectedly, Liu Chugrong said, "Sister, for your sake, she won''t give the punishment prison to you."


    "Big sister thanks you for your great kindness." Xiao Shushen said without changing his expression.


    Then, Liu Chugrong raised his leg, twisted his slim waist and swaggered away.


    At this point, the Queen exhaled, and a strange smile appeared on her face. The trench coat on her body was still sparkling, and she exuded an oppressing aura. Just now, she was merely making a move to retreat.


    He believed that Liu Chugrong would soon be rejected by even more people.

 C152 heartfelt gratitude

    The weather was sunny and the sky was sunny. Fu Lingling got up early and started humming an unknown song in the morning. Presumably, she was in a good mood.


    "Mufei ¡­" A soft voice rang out, and a small head peeked in from the door as a pair of big eyes rolled around.


    However, in Fu Lingling''s heart, there was no time left. She did not want to become a slim and graceful girl, because at that time, she would be at the exact same age as flowers and as jade.


    Mufei had taught her ever since she was very young, so whether it was when she was young or when she grew up, she had to act dignified and virtuous.


    However, Fu Lingling had always loved to play around with people since she was young, so she naturally did not like the etiquette and advice that would cause him a headache.


    Furthermore, he was currently at a very playful age. Fu Lingling did not want to find some small friends to play with him at all times. However, there were very few princesses in the palace, so there were fewer friends who could play together with her.


    Shen Lihan carried Fu Lingling over so that she could sit on her lap and tidied up the hair on her head before she took a look at her clothes.


    "You, you''re always so naughty!" His fingers touched the tip of Fu Lingling''s nose, his eyes filled with love. This child was the flesh and blood of her pregnancy in October after all.


    "Mufei, can this son go outside to play today? It has been many days since I have left the palace of my mother''s concubine. " Fu Lingling shook Shen Lihan''s arm, her innocent eyes carrying hope.


    "Little girl, you only know how to play in your heart. "Well, where do you want to go?" Shen Lihan was helpless. She knew that Ling Yi was acting so cutely because he wanted to go out and play.


    "No, there''s still mufei in Ling Ling Ling''s heart." Fu Lingling heard that Shen Lihan agreed and laughed, "Ling Ling has not decided where to go to play yet, how about we report this to mufei when we leave the house?"


    "Sure." "Why aren''t you addressing yourself as your son now, like a little adult?" Shen Lihan pinched Fu Lingling''s face and said.


    "Hee hee ¡­" Fu Lingling only climbed down Shen Lihan''s leg with a naughty smile, and ran out after rubbing her hands a few times.


    He walked around the courtyard alone, but he was bored to death. After some thought, he decided to let his mufei take him outside. She then turned back to look for Shen Lihan, only to see that her personal servant was talking to her, and vaguely hearing the Consort Xian''s name, she quietly stuck to the door, listening for any movements inside.


    "Empress, I''m afraid Concubine Xian is in a bad mood these few days. Now that I mentioned this to her ¡­ I''m afraid that''s not appropriate. " The maid was worried.


    It is true that General Shen has just been accepted into the army, he must be suffering. It is inappropriate to disturb her with this matter, I have been negligent. Shen Lihan nodded, "Then you may leave, I''ll think about what to do next."


    "Yes." The maid nodded and left.


    Seeing that the servant was about to leave, Fu Lingling quickly hid behind a pillar and waited for her to leave. Ye Ci rolled her eyes. She had already decided where she would go to play.


    On the other side, Shen Qingwan was sitting alone in her room, her heart full of worry. She didn''t know who she should talk to. It was hard for her to let go of her father''s enlistment, and she could do nothing for her father. She could not even plead for mercy in front of the emperor, which made her feel like she had never been defeated before.


    "Concubine Xian!" Shen Qingwan raised her eyes in shock and saw Fu Lingling''s small body standing at the entrance.


    "Ling''er? Why are you here? Where''s your mufei? " She hurriedly walked forward and held Fu Lingling''s hand as they walked towards the room. "Sit."


    "Mufei''s in the palace. I came myself." Fu Lingling sat beside Shen Qingwan and hugged her arm intimately. "I heard that you weren''t happy recently, so I came here specifically to send you off."


    Shen Qingwan laughed. This child was pretending to be serious, which made her unable to restrain her laughter.


    "Good girl. Come, let''s have some snacks." Shen Qing Wan pushed the snacks on the table towards Fu Lingling.


    Fu Lingling did not hold back, she immediately grabbed the snacks and stuffed them into her mouth. She had previously eaten a snack here, and knew that she had made this herself, it was more delicious than what she usually ate.


    However, just as the two of them were getting warm, an unexpected guest arrived at the palace.


    "Empress, Imperial Concubine is here." Lian Yun ran in and whispered into Shen Qingwan''s ears.


    At that moment, a woman in a light pink dress walked into the courtyard.


    "Yo, Consort Xian really has a good relationship with Third Princess, but why are you discussing and doing good deeds together?" Liu Chugrong said darkly as soon as he entered the door.


    "Discuss how you can not meet someone you don''t wish to meet." Shen Qingwan lightly said, her eyes seemed to carry a sharp blade.


    "Consort Xian, quickly put away that fake lofty appearance of yours. Now that General Shen has lost the war and has been taken over by the Emperor, your Shen family is really sad about this."


    Fu Lingling was frightened by Liu Chu Rong''s sudden fierce tone and trembled, which was noticed by Shen Qing Wan. She hid her behind him and didn''t take Liu Chugrong''s words to heart. She continued to speak expressionlessly, "No need for Imperial Consort to worry."


    As Shen Lihan had not seen Fu Lingling all this while, shsshehad come out to look for him. When she first saw Liu Chugrong coming over, he was already a little worried. As such, he followed behind him, but she didn''t expect to see such a scene.


    All the mothers in the world cared deeply about their children, and now that she had protected her daughter behind her back, her heart felt warm, and she felt even more grateful towards Shen Qingwan.


    "Imperial Consort Liu is in a good mood." Shen Lihan walked over from behind her, "Did you manage to serve the emperor well?"


    In one sentence, Liu Chugrong didn''t know what to say. "There''s no need for someone as old as you to interrupt the matter between this imperial concubine and the emperor!" For a moment, he could not find the right words to say.


    Shen Qing Wan subconsciously looked towards Shen Lihan and saw her expression change. His heart moved, and he moved to the side. Just as Shen Lihan wanted to move forward, he grabbed her arm.


    Shen Lihan finally regained her senses from her anger, but her eyes had dimmed down.


    That''s right, she was already old. If not, why would the emperor stop visiting her? Even the number of times he looked at Ling Tian was pitifully low. Last time, with Shen Qingwan''s help, it took the emperor a lot of effort to care about the two of them.


    All of a sudden, Shen Lihan felt a bit of self-pity. Shen Qing Wan could naturally see that, and was a little impatient, she pulled the two of them and left, leaving Liu Chu Rong alone in the courtyard.


    "The Imperial Concubine wants to see you off. I will not stay any longer, I will not send you off."


    Liu Chugrong didn''t feel uncomfortable and walked out proudly.

 C153 Mysterious Two

    Since ancient times, there had been an uncountable number of places where information had gathered. However, if one wished to obtain all of it, there would be a place that they could do so.


    In a quiet place in the capital, there was a teahouse that was neither big nor small. This teahouse was not like the other teahouses. Other people''s teahouses were all located in this bustling city.


    Besides, the owners of the teahouses knew that if they opened the teahouses in a remote and desolate place, they would only be waiting for the door to close. None of these tea owners would take the risk. They would rather have their business take the risk of being competitive, which was better than not having anyone taking interest in it.


    However, the owner of this teahouse was different. He had purposely opened this teahouse in such a remote place. It was surprising that the business of his teahouse was so good and there were many customers. However, there were not many people who had seen the real face of the owner of the tea house. Even the waiter was unsure how long it would take before he could meet the boss once more.


    As usual, the teahouse business was very good. The waiters were extremely busy, and didn''t even have a chance to rest.


    At this time, a man in white clothes walked in from outside the tea shop. He exuded a holy aura that made people feel that he was inviolable. The white-clothed man found an empty table and sat down. He observed his surroundings, but didn''t seem to see anything.


    He just sat there quietly, as if in that noisy environment, as if he was the direct immortal in the painting, as calm and elegant as ink.


    Currently, his business was extremely good. The waiter was unable to stop for even a moment, so he did not have much time to greet the dignified man. The shopkeeper, who was originally counting the accounts book at the counter, also put down what he was doing and helped out from the side.


    "Sir, would you like some tea?" The shopkeeper''s face was filled with respect and gentleness. He thought that this person was definitely not an ordinary mortal, so he didn''t dare to slight him.


    "Have a Longjing." The man in white smiled gently like Mingyue Qingzhao. The shopkeeper quickly called for the servant behind him to bring a pot of Dragon Well.


    Outside the window, it was drizzling heavily. The dream-like scene added a touch of elegance to the scenery.


    The white-clothed man''s gaze was quite long. Looking at the scenery outside the window, he felt as if he had been separated from the world. It made people feel as if the man in front of them was a hidden expert.


    Even though it was a bit cold outside, it was more suitable for drinking a cup of hot tea. Firstly, it was to get rid of the cold air, and secondly, they were to have a chat.


    Not long after, the fragrant and intoxicating tea shop spread out, causing one''s heart to sink into a state of tranquility.


    "Dear customer, here''s your tea." The shopkeeper gently placed the teapot on the table. "Thank you." The white-clothed man gently smiled like a spring breeze, causing one to feel abnormally calm.


    A cool breeze blew past and lifted up the elegant robe, causing the fragrance of the tea to cause one to be dazzled.


    "Oh right, shopkeeper, do you know what happened in Beijing recently?" The white-clothed man poured himself a cup with a single hand. His long, slender fingers were as white as jade when accentuated by the violet clay pot.


    The man in white spoke in a gentle manner, so the shopkeeper didn''t mind speaking a little more.


    "This esteemed guest is not aware of this. If we were to talk about the recent sensational events, it would be because the General Shen suffered a huge defeat in the war. Now, their military power has been stripped away." The shopkeeper was unusually respectful, but he was not the least bit impatient.


    "So it''s like that." A trace of an unfathomable expression flashed across the depths of the white-clothed man''s eyes.


    The white-clothed man picked up the cup of tea in front of him. He was not in a hurry and only swayed slightly. He gracefully blew at the steam rising from the cup, adding to his haziness.


    "Power." When the white-clothed man heard this familiar voice, the corner of his eyebrows unconsciously raised slightly. He took a sip of his hot tea in an unhurried manner and thought, "Hm, that''s pretty good."


    "Shang, what is it?" "Since you''re here to drink tea, why don''t we drink together?" The man in white who had been called Quan Zouhua had eyes like the spring wind as he looked at the person in front of him with an amused expression.


    The newcomer was dressed in black, surrounded by a faint coldness. It gave off a very estranged feeling, a sharp contrast.


    If the white-clothed man was spring, then the black-clothed man was autumn. The two of them gave off a very complementary feeling and felt that they were both indispensable.


    The man in black, Shang, looked at the cup of tea with a slight frown on his face. His eyes were cold. "I am not here for tea." Her voice was like thin ice, without a trace of emotion.


    After hearing what was said, Quan slowly put down the teacup in his hand. There was a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. It was obvious that he was not surprised by the black-clothed man''s appearance.


    "What a pity then." The man in white shook his head regretfully. He had to know that this tea was truly diligent. It was a different taste when it came to tasting it.


    "Go back quickly, that person is sick again." After the man in black finished speaking, he showed no mercy and walked out of the teahouse.


    Quan Zai smiled helplessly. He was originally going to reach out for the teapot, but now, he somewhat retracted his hand.


    "What a waste of this good tea." With a troubled tone, coupled with the expression on his face, he really did attract the attention of others. The man in white straightened his sleeves and stood up. He walked over to the shopkeeper and said, "Shopkeeper, here''s the tea fee." Saying that, he was not stingy at all. The shopkeeper was just about to find some loose money to exchange, but he was stopped by the white-clothed gongzi.


    "Oh yeah, thank you for telling me that this is the gift of gratitude." He lightly nodded his head and didn''t give the shopkeeper any time to react. A cool breeze blew past, and the white-clothed man in front of him no longer had any trace of his original shadow.


    The shopkeeper was slightly startled at first and he rubbed his eyes. Now, not to mention the white clothed man, even the black clothed man had disappeared at this moment. However, he quickly recovered his wits. After all, the owner of this teahouse was not an ordinary person. It was obvious that the shopkeeper had seen a lot of things. However, he wasn''t in a hurry. He turned around and called for the waiter to hurry up with the tea.


    The empty table from before was now just for the steaming cup of tea. It had not disappeared one bit, as if it was waiting for its owner.


    The crowd was also in an uproar, no one seemed to have noticed when such an elegant person had appeared.


    The rain outside the window was even more intense.

 C154 Accompanied by Incense

    "Esteemed Empress, the empress dowager''s mama came earlier to pass on a message for you to come to her palace before noon."


    "Understood, you can leave first." Shen Qingwan waved her hand and sent him out.


    She could only sigh helplessly. The empress dowager definitely wanted to talk to her about the matters of the past few days, but she didn''t know how much attention she was paying and was afraid it wouldn''t be easy to deal with them. Although she wasn''t very willing to go, she was the empress dowager after all, so she could only obey. Seeing that it wasn''t too far away from noon now, she turned over her appearance before rushing to the empress dowager''s Tzu Ning Palace with her personal maidservant.


    "Elder sister, I have to trouble you to inform the empress dowager that Concubine Xian has come to see you." The personal maidservant made a small bow to a maidservant from the Palace of Gentle Serenity and said in a gentle voice.


    "Wait." The maid glanced at the two of them, but did not make things difficult for them. He went straight in to pass on the message.


    Not long after, a mama came out to announce that the empress dowager was waiting for her at the Full Moon Pavilion in the backyard.


    Shen Qingwan nodded, signalling for the maidservants to wait outside for her. The mama led her in a zigzag to the empress dowager''s place.


    Her Majesty poured tea for herself in the pavilion, but there was no palace maid around her. Seeing that Shen Qingwan had arrived, she only looked at her indifferently. Her hands didn''t stop moving, and only signaled the mama with her eyes to move away.


    Although Shen Qingwan didn''t know what the empress dowager was planning to wait for her today, she still bowed politely and didn''t move forward. Instead, she waited on the spot for the empress dowager to speak, leaving no room for mistakes.


    After a long while, the empress dowager put down the tea set and spoke at a moderate pace. "Ah, Consort Xian ¡­"


    "Chenqie is here."


    "You''ve been in the palace for quite a while. It seems like you know my temper, so I won''t beat around the bush." The empress dowager carelessly picked up the teacup and took a sip, frowning. It was unknown if it was because she was dissatisfied with the tea or because she was giving Shen Qingwan a look.


    "Yes." If you have any orders, just say it. " Shen Qingwan lowered her head.


    "This one knows that you are the daughter of a noble general. You have always done as you pleased, but you have already married into the royal family, so every action you take represents the royal family''s dignity. I hope that you will always remember your current status and know your limits." Although the empress dowager didn''t say any harsh words, her tone carried an indescribable dignity.


    "Chenqie understands." No matter what the Empress said, she could only agree.


    The empress dowager nodded with satisfaction and said, "In two days, This Dowager will be going to the Buddhist temple to burn incense. You can accompany This Dowager."


    "Yes." Although she really didn''t want to, she couldn''t disobey the empress dowager''s words.


    "Alright, This Dowager knows that you have a lot of things to do, so I won''t keep you here for food. Gui mama ¡ª" The empress dowager raised her voice, then called the mama over.


    "Yes," the mama answered, then indicated for the Consort Xian to follow her. "Empress, please."


    "Chenqie will take her leave." Shen Qingwan did not even bother to pay her respects and left.


    Not long after, news of Gui mama sending Shen Qingwan back to the palace spread. Everyone was wondering what the empress dowager was thinking.


    Fu Yuheng had sent people to keep an eye on Shen Qingwan''s movements the entire time, and now he knew that Shen Qingwan had been invited by the empress dowager to discuss the matter. In his heart, he was extremely displeased with her actions. After all, she was not his birth mother, so there wasn''t much kinship between them. He usually treated her with utmost respect out of filial piety, and he had always followed her decisions, which she did more and more.


    The emperor played with the pearl in his hand. It seemed like it was time for him to make some changes.


    On the other side, Ninth Prince also heard that the empress dowager wanted Shen Qing Wan to accompany her to the Buddhist temple to burn incense. He felt that Shen Qing Wan would definitely be unwilling, but it would be difficult for her to reject the empress dowager.


    "Empress, the Emperor has come." The maidservant came to report.


    "Your Majesty? "Bring him in." Shen Qingwan paused for a moment. Fu Yuheng, who had just gone to the empress dowager, had arrived. It was probably not a coincidence, but he had come to discuss some matters.


    "Yes." The maidservant nodded.


    "My beloved concubine, did Imperial Mother make things difficult for you today?" Fu Yuheng did not beat around the bush and asked directly.


    "Your Majesty, don''t worry. Esteemed Empress Dowager wouldn''t make things difficult for me." Shen Qingwan gently smiled. Although she did not want to go to the Buddhist temple, it was indeed a small matter and could not be considered a problem.


    Fu Yuheng saw through her with a glance and said, "She asked you to accompany her to the Buddhist temple? If you don''t want to go, then don''t. I''ll help you speak up for the empress dowager. "


    "Thank you, your majesty." She knew that he was afraid that she would make things difficult for him, so he specially went to find the empress dowager to reject her request. He was making a big fuss over nothing, and perhaps the empress dowager would hate her even more, "It''s fine even if you don''t want to go to the Temple of Law, but since the empress dowager has asked me to go, I might as well go with you."


    "But ¡­" Fu Yuheng wanted to persuade her, but Shen Qingwan shook his head, signalling for him to stop. She had already made her decision.


    Fu Yuheng also knew that it was rare to change something that Shen Qingwan had decided on, so she had no choice but to give up.


    "If that''s the case, then I won''t say much. If the empress dowager makes any excessive demands, then come find me." Fu Yuheng still had many things he needed to do, so he did not linger any longer. "Then I''ll go back first. If there''s anything else, just come and find me."


    "I won''t send you off. Thank you for your trouble, your majesty." Shen Qing Wan was blessed.


    Fu Yuheng came and left in a hurry, but for the sake of her safety, she felt extremely grateful. He also silently remembered this favor in her heart.


    Liu Chugrong had also heard about Shen Qingwan''s rumours, but she didn''t think that the empress dowager had any good intentions in finding Shen Qingwan. She must have given her a lecture. Since she had nothing to do, she decided to go to Shen Qingwan''s residence and say a few words about the matter today. She didn''t expect to see Fu Yuheng in a hurry on the way.


    Liu Chu Rong rolled his eyes, thinking that he wasn''t in a hurry to step on Shen Qing Wan''s matter, there were plenty of opportunities, and he didn''t know why the Emperor was in such a hurry. Thus, she quickly walked up to meet Fu Yuheng, who was walking towards her.


    "Your Majesty, why are you in such a hurry?" Liu Chu Rong said.


    "Imperial Consort Liu." Fu Yuheng frowned as he looked at Liu Xiurong in front of him, a little displeased. "Is there something you need?" If there is nothing else, you can leave. "


    "Chenqie only wanted to share the Emperor''s worries. She didn''t expect the Emperor to be so heartless towards her." Liu Chugrong pretended to feel wronged as she looked at him with her watery eyes.


    "This ¡­" Fu Yuheng felt very helpless. He did not expect her to say such a thing.


    "If Your Majesty has no urgent matters, can you eat with chenqie? "Chenqie knows that the emperor has matters to attend to, but she can''t get busy and break down just for official matters. It''s more important to take care of the dragon''s body!" Liu Chu Rong didn''t care that he didn''t want to be troubled, he just wanted to achieve his goal.


    "That''s good too." Looking at how Liu Chugrong refused to give up until he reached his goal, Fu Yuheng could only nod in agreement.

 C155 Signature intention

    Rejecting Fu Yuheng''s good intentions, Shen Qingwan still followed the empress dowager to the Buddhist temple two days later. The imperial family had always been a mighty force when they went out. They only needed to burn incense at the Buddhist temple and they sent out 10% of the capital''s military. This allowed Shen Qingwan to have a peaceful time in the carriage.


    The Buddhist temple was a place specially provided for royalty to burn incense and worship. It was not too far from the palace, and the journey to the city was only half a day. Because the empress dowager greatly admired the buddhist path, there were quite a few distinguished individuals who came to worship the buddha.


    The temple stood halfway up the hill, and when she reached the bottom, she alighted from the carriage and motioned for everyone to stay at the foot of the hill.


    "Esteemed Empress Dowager, I am afraid this is not appropriate. Please at least have two of your bodyguards around you." Before coming out, the emperor had personally appointed two servants to protect the empress dowager''s safety. Hearing the empress dowager''s arrangements, one of them couldn''t help but worry as he spoke.


    "No problem. This area of the Mausoleum of Mausoleum of Books is the territory of the imperial clan; I believe that the Emperor has good governance. " The empress dowager waved her hand, not listening to her guard''s words. She only asked Shen Qingwan to accompany her up the mountain. "Consort Xian, can you accompany This Dowager up?


    "To reply Empress Dowager, this mountain is not steep. I presume it won''t be too tiring."


    The empress dowager smiled and didn''t say anything else. She simply held out her hand in front of Shen Qingwan and allowed her to support her as she slowly walked up the mountain.


    Shen Qingwan accompanied the empress dowager to burn the incense and praise the scripture.


    "You youngsters are more likely to be attracted by these things. If you like them, then go and ask for a signature." Her Majesty was surprisingly understanding.


    Shen Qing Wan thanked the empress dowager and went to request a signature that she was really interested in.


    However, what he got was not good news. The content of the signature was not complicated. There was only one word, "Tribulation." It was simple, but difficult to see through. Shen Qing Wan quietly held onto the lot and worriedly asked her husband: "Master Fang, is this a good sign?"


    The abbot glanced at the empress dowager standing not far away, but smiled without saying a word.


    On the other side, the empress dowager had already finished what she was about to do and was looking over at them. Although she didn''t say anything, Shen Qingwan didn''t dare to let the empress dowager wait for her for too long.


    She carefully hid the lot in her sleeve and returned to the Empress Dowager''s side.


    They left the palace in the morning, and by the time they arrived, it was already noon. If they hurried back again, they would have to walk through the night, which was inconvenient and not safe.


    After dinner, the empress dowager summoned the two servants in charge of the empress dowager''s safety and the mama in charge of the empress dowager''s living quarters. After she was done, the empress dowager returned to her room to rest.


    Shen Qingwan wandered around the temple for a while, and since there was nothing to watch, she went back to her room to rest. She tossed and turned at night, unable to sleep. When Shen Qingwan finally fell asleep, she was woken up by the noise outside.


    "This way!" I can''t control the fire anymore! "


    "Water is coming from there!" "Move faster!"


    Shen Qingwan quickly put on her clothes, opened the door to look, there was a fire in the southern part of the temple, and all the servants were in the middle of a commotion trying to extinguish the fire.


    She frowned as she looked at the rising fire. When she got closer and saw that it was quite far away from the empress dowager''s room, she secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He was about to find someone to ask about the empress dowager''s situation when he saw the abbot standing not too far away, staring at the sea of fire.


    She suddenly changed directions and walked towards the abbot, asking, "Why is abbot not even a little bit anxious when there is such a big fire in the temple? "Even though I know that it is impolite to ask such a question, I am truly curious. I hope that Reverend is not to blame."


    He stared at the sea of fire and sighed, "What should come will come eventually. There''s no use being anxious."


    "Reverend, why do you say that?"


    "You and I can be considered to be fated, so let this old one complain to you for a while. Before turning into dust, I had once had a grudge with a mortal, so I left home in a hurry without settling it properly. This could be considered as owing a grudge. "However, this creditor will not let go of this grudge just because I am already wholeheartedly devoted to Buddha. Now, this fire is something that he has let go just for the sake of this grudge." Fang Dang shook his head helplessly. "I''ll return the favor. If I don''t let him burn it down for a while longer, I''m afraid it''ll be difficult to calm him down and cause more complicated things to happen."


    Shen Qingwan remained silent. Although she wasn''t particularly intelligent, she was still able to figure out the reason behind her words. As a result, she didn''t have the status to persuade him and could only sigh in her heart. This Reverend was truly a merciful person.


    "Time is up, this old one is going to walk the path that this old one should take. Miss, this old one will call you Miss regardless of your status when I see your friendly face. " The abbot finally turned his head and looked at Shen Qingwan, "I guess the lady still remembers today''s lot. You did encounter a huge calamity, but it''s not enough to make you lose your way. "If you can handle it well and carefully, it will be a sunny day after you''ve passed."


    Shen Qingwan came here with the intention to ask the abbot if she would like to sign the contract. After hearing the abbot''s words, she had a rough idea of what she was talking about.


    "This little girl thanks Fang Dang. It''s just that ¡­" According to the abbot, the way to go ¡­ "I wonder where Lord Fang is going now?" Shen Qingwan followed the abbot and stopped calling himself ''I''.


    He pointed to the place right in front of him where the fire was raging towards the sky and said, "Naturally, we have to eliminate this grudge. Go back to your room. The fire will naturally go out in a moment and won''t disturb you and the empress dowager anymore.


    Shen Qingwan could only blankly watch as she slowly walked towards the sea of fire, step by step. She couldn''t even open her mouth to stop the cycle of karma.


    Seeing that her abbot''s back was getting further and further away, she could only let out a long sigh and find someone to confirm the Empress Dowager''s safety before obediently returning to her own room to continue her interrupted sleep.


    The noise outside the door seemed to disappear in a moment, and the temple returned to its night tranquility. The suffocating smoke also gradually dissipated, and it was likely that the fire had not been extinguished yet, or at least that it had been contained.


    However, it was difficult for Shen Qingwan''s heart to return to being at peace. She thought about what her abbot had said, and thought about what had happened in the palace recently. The calamity that had befallen her was probably what she had to bear now that she was in the palace. The abbot had asked her to be cautious, but she could understand this. Who in the palace would not be cautious? But in the end, she couldn''t do everything. She secretly made up her mind to be more careful of the people around her today.

 C156 Consort De

    Early the next morning, the empress dowager ordered people to wake Shen Qingwan up. After a simple breakfast, she requested for everyone to leave. Shen Qingwan secretly observed the empress dowager''s expression, making her look normal. She didn''t ask anyone about the fire last night, as if she didn''t know.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t know if she should say that the empress dowager was mature and steady, or that she didn''t care about the lives of others, but no matter which one, it was not her place to care.


    Until the group set off on their journey, Shen Qingwan also didn''t see that respected abbot from yesterday. Everyone also acted as if they didn''t notice anything and took the initiative to mention abbot.


    Of course, Shen Qingwan wouldn''t do such an insensible thing. She just silently followed by the empress dowager''s side, trying her best to reduce the feeling of her own existence. The incense had already finished burning. When she returned, she wouldn''t have to face the empress dowager at such a close distance. Just thinking about it made her heave a sigh of relief.


    The empress dowager didn''t like her very much. She could feel it, which was why she felt numb at the thought of the empress dowager asking her to accompany them in burning incense. Fortunately, the empress dowager didn''t seem to want to make things difficult for her along the way, so she decided to take an outing.


    As she was thinking, she heard the empress dowager call out to her. "Consort Xian?"


    "Yes, chenqie is here." Shen Qingwan quickly replied.


    "What are you thinking about? This one shouted at you many times, but you didn''t respond." Her Majesty looked at her with a slight frown.


    Shen Qingwan secretly complained in her heart. She really did what she was afraid of, and could only reply: "Chenqie was distracted for a moment, I hope Esteemed Empress Dowager does not blame me."


    "Alright, I''m not blaming you for being so indiscriminate. You came here, you accompanied me all the way. This one has seen your carriage bumpy all the way, and there aren''t any softer cushions in it. I''m afraid it''s going to be tough on you. "Let''s go back to the same carriage as This Dowager." He did not care about Shen Qing Wan''s reaction and just let them help him into his carriage.


    Shen Qingwan was helpless and couldn''t refute the empress dowager. She could only follow the empress dowager into the carriage. "Thank you for your grace, empress dowager."


    The empress dowager''s carriage was equipped with better items than Shen Qingwan''s, but it definitely didn''t have the luxury of being in her own carriage.


    Fortunately, the empress dowager didn''t have any intention of talking to her, so she got into the carriage to rest while narrowing her eyes. Shen Qingwan let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes as well. However, she was secretly tidying up the mess that had happened recently.


    On the other side, Fu Yuheng had always felt that something was amiss within the palace, as if something big was about to happen. As he thought about it, the only ones he was worried about were the Consort Xian and the empress dowager. He called the steward and asked where they were.


    "Reporting to the Emperor, the Esteemed Empress Dowager and the Concubine Xian have yet to return to the palace. According to the usual practice, they should arrive at the palace at noon."


    Right now, it was not far from noon, and they were probably not far from the palace either. He ordered, "Have the second squadron bring some people to meet the empress dowager and Consort Xian."


    "Yes."


    On the road.


    "Esteemed Empress Dowager, Concubine Xian, please be careful not to kowtow in the woods where the road is not peaceful again." The driver reminded them.


    The empress dowager didn''t reply. She didn''t even open her eyes, so Shen Qingwan could only answer and secretly pay attention to the bumpiness of the carriage.


    Suddenly, the carriage driver pulled on the ropes, causing the horse to stop. The two people inside the carriage unavoidably swayed for a bit. The empress dowager unhappily opened her eyes and signaled Shen Qingwan to ask.


    "What''s going on outside?" Shen Qingwan asked loudly.


    "Return to Concubine Xian! There are evil people blocking the way, please do not come out with Esteemed Empress Dowager, just let us handle it! " someone answered from outside.


    The evil people outside seemed to have come prepared, and did not talk much with the guards. After a while, the clanging sounds of swords and sabers clanging against each other could be heard.


    Shen Qingwan was anxious, she quietly pulled open the curtain on the side of the carriage, only to see a group of masked men in black fighting with the guards. Their numbers were not any less, and their martial arts were also quite strong.


    Shen Qingwan thought to herself. Just as she was thinking of a way to escape, she heard a sonic boom coming from above.


    "Empress, be careful!"


    Shen Qingwan reacted the moment she heard the sound. She pounced on the empress dowager and dragged her to the other side of the carriage. A ray of sword light followed, slicing the carriage in half.


    The two servants then arrived and began to fight with the man.


    Shen Qingwan pulled the empress dowager and observed her surroundings. She slowly retreated to a safe place and the crowd gradually formed a protective circle around them.


    "Esteemed Empress Dowager, I''m afraid the enemy''s strength is only limited to us. Do you have any way to inform the Emperor?" Shen Qingwan asked.


    The empress dowager''s usually calm face was a little flustered from being assassinated. She only shook her head when she heard Shen Qingwan''s words.


    Just as the two of them were panicking, another group of people arrived and joined the battle.


    "It''s the second squadron of the imperial guards!" Shen Qingwan cried out in alarm, she had seen the commander of the second squadron before.


    Seeing that the situation was gradually being controlled by the imperial guards, the empress dowager could finally heave a sigh of relief.


    Not long after, the evil people were subdued and the imperial guards tied up those who weren''t completely dead before bringing them back for interrogation. After a series of twists and turns, they finally returned to the imperial palace.


    Fu Yuheng had naturally received the news that the two had been assassinated. After becoming furious, he had sent people to investigate the matter. A tense atmosphere enveloped the entire palace. The Emperor was enraged and everyone was in danger.


    Fu Yuheng first went to the empress dowager''s ancestral hall. Although the empress dowager''s matter had displeased him, he was still her mother in name. Only when she saw that the empress dowager was fine did she instruct the servants to take care of her and leave.


    "Does the emperor want to go to the Consort Xian to take a look?" Sun Ning asked from the side.


    Fu Yuheng nodded. Naturally, he had to go.


    But not now. The assassin had to be investigated thoroughly. After all, this matter was related to the Consort Xian and the empress dowager. They absolutely could not let it go so easily.


    "Your majesty, after a careful search and confirmation, we discovered that the jade pendant that we found in the arms of the leader was indeed owned by the Consort De." The miscarriage of concubines was a serious crime, and they would only dare to report it after they had confirmed it.


    Fu Yuhong expressionlessly took the jade pendant from his subordinate and scrutinized it carefully. He could not be wrong to see that the Consort De had worn this jade pendant before.


    "Alright, I''m afraid I''ll have to clean up my harem." Someone! imprison her in my palace, and without my permission, she is not allowed to take a step out of the courtyard! "


    Consort De? How could it be her? Actually, Fu Yuheng also had his doubts. But now the evidence was conclusive, and his anger had made him lose his usual calm.

 C157 Assassination of the Truth

    After dealing with the matters of the Consort De, Fu Yuheng went to Shen Qingwan''s palace. Seeing that she was injured made his heart ache. This time, the empress dowager should be satisfied, right? In the end, Shen Qingwan had been protecting her.


    "How is it? Does it still hurt?" As he spoke, he went to help Shen Qingwan up from the bed. He really couldn''t bear to see those scars. One by one, they were all shocked beyond belief. She was once the daughter of a noble general, and now she was his concubine. She had never felt so wronged before, yet she had never said a word about pain since her return.


    "It doesn''t hurt, it doesn''t hurt from the beginning. It''s just a superficial wound. The Emperor needn''t worry about chenqie. " Shen Qingwan saw the worry in his eyes and smiled as she shook her head.


    Actually, she had thought that she would die at the beginning. She did not expect Fu Yuheng to send someone to fetch them. Thus, he was already satisfied to be able to return. As for Fang Dang, his words seemed to bear witness to his every word. Perhaps this was her fate.


    "He even said it was a superficial wound. It''s already like this." You''ve always only ever been brave. " The more sensible she was, the more he wanted to break this peace.


    "It''s fine, it''s really fine. Chenqie is from a general''s family. Although she doesn''t know how to dance spears or play with swords, her father has told her to me since she was young. As a woman, you shouldn''t be too delicate, so this sort of injury is nothing to me. " She could see the worry in Fu Yuheng''s heart. She didn''t know why, but she felt some joy in his heart.


    "We have already investigated this matter thoroughly. Maybe the Consort De did it. "This emperor will handle the rest and definitely seek justice for you and the empress dowager!"


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan was stunned for a moment. Consort De? could it be the Consort De? " Your Majesty, have you gone to see Her Majesty? This time, the empress dowager''s fear probably won''t be light. " Fu Yuheng was silent. Shen Qingwan only thought that he did not go.


    "It''s better for the emperor to go see Imperial Mother. Don''t let Imperial Mother misunderstand me again." Shen Qingwan knitted her brows, this time round, she was indeed in great danger.


    Fu Yuheng heard her words but did not explain. Instead, he left.


    Shen Qingwan waited for Fu Yuheng to leave before she got up and washed up. She purposely avoided Fu Yuheng because this time, she said that she was assassinating the Consort De. Actually, she didn''t believe it, so she wanted to ask about it.


    "Esteemed Empress, the Emperor has already investigated everything. What are you still going to do?" Lian Yun did not understand her actions, and asked curiously.


    "I always feel that the truth is not like this, so it''s better to ask more clearly." With that, they entered the Consort De Palace. The guards saw that Shen Qing Wan did not dare stop them and just let them in.


    After all, the reason the Empress was locked up was because she had sent people to assassinate the Concubine Xian.


    Shen Qing Wan then went straight to Shen Lihan''s room. Shen Lihan was originally in a daze, and immediately pounced upon her the moment he saw her. " Little sister, big sister is really wronged, why would I send someone to assassinate you? "


    Shen Qingwan looked at her teary red eyes and felt a little sad. Get up first, I have something that I want to ask you. As she spoke, she supported Shen Lihan up. After not seeing her for a few days, he felt that she had lost a lot of weight.


    "Little sister, if there''s anything you want to ask, just ask. Big sister has a clear conscience." Shen Lihan softly said as she followed Shen Qingwan''s hand and sat on the soft bed. She had been crying so hard these past few days.


    "You said that it wasn''t your doing, but the Emperor found your things in those people''s hands. How do you explain that?" When Shen Lihan''s emotions stabilized, Shen Qingwan finally spoke up. Her eyes were still searching for the little princess.


    She didn''t know if the events of the past few days had scared her, but she was truly worried. However, there was still no sign of her.


    "You and I are both from the imperial harem. The methods of this harem should be clear. There were too many ways to harm others, too many ways to frame them. "Although it is mine, but how did it appear and how did it happen to be seen by the Emperor? I''m not too sure either, there must be someone framing me!" As Shen Lihan said this, she began to cry, causing Shen Qingwan to feel comforted.


    Hearing what she said, Shen Qingwan was also thinking. Based on her character, she would never do something like this. She was too careless. There were too many holes, and even if she and the Empress were excluded, it would not do her any good.


    "Alright, I understand. Elder sister, rest well. I will come back another day." What should be asked had already been asked. The most important thing was to go to the emperor and try to persuade him.


    Ever since she had left Shen Lihan''s palace, Shen Qingwan had walked all the way to Fu Yuheng''s residential hall. Fu Yuheng saw that she was frowning and reproaching him.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie is fine. However, chenqie felt that there was something fishy about this matter. Chenqie and Consort De had always been good friends. I''m sure she wouldn''t do such a thing. There might be someone else. " Shen Qingwan, who was sitting next to Fu Yuheng, seriously said.


    "Then, in your opinion, what should we do?" Hearing her words, Fu Yuheng also nodded. He pulled Shen Qingwan into his embrace.


    "Your Majesty, chenqie wishes to investigate it herself." After all, that person was trying to kill me. " Without looking at Fu Yuheng, Shen Qingwan calmly spoke.


    She always did things the way she always did. She always did things herself. She had to know even the worst. Fu Yuheng knew her personality and agreed, "Since you want to investigate, then go. But if you find out that it was done by the Consort De, then don''t blame me for being ruthless!"


    With Fu Yuheng''s support, Shen Qingwan quickly began investigating. From the moment they went to Fashan Temple to investigate, if she guessed right, that fire was also set by that group of people. Seeing that she wasn''t injured, he chose to assassinate her on the way back to the palace.


    "Lian Yun, send someone over to ask around!" He put down the xuan paper, feeling a little upset. He should have known better.


    Very quickly, Lian Yun received a message, but after she organized the clues by her side.


    Unexpectedly, all the clues pointed to the Queen. This caused Shen Qingwan to be a little surprised. If it was the work of the Queen, then what was her goal? She felt a chill in her heart. Even the person beside her could not stop her? What did she want? After thinking for a long time, she finally decided to tell Fu Yuheng.


    "Alright, stop it." However, Fu Yuheng interrupted her with a frown. He seemed to be very annoyed.


    "What''s wrong?" Shen Qingwan did not understand, and looked at him suspiciously. Fu Yuheng, on the other hand, felt upset. He turned his back and walked to the window.


    He knew this matter wasn''t simple, he just didn''t expect the final clue to be the empress. Thus, he was annoyed and interrupted her words. Shen Qingwan was looking at his back.


    "Don''t investigate this matter anymore. Leave everything to my people." All you need to do now is to recuperate from your injuries, so don''t think too much. " In the end, Fu Yuheng could not help but turn around and console Shen Qingwan.


    "Yes, chenqie obeys." Although she was unwilling, Shen Qingwan still agreed. After all, she was just a concubine. However, she had her doubts the entire way from residential hall.


    The results were obvious, yet Fu Yuheng had such a reaction. It made her very depressed.

 C158 disobedience to Her Majesty

    "Did you hear? It was said that Consort De was released again." A palace maid spoke softly to another palace maid, and it just so happened that Lian Yun, who was at the side, heard the conversation. She initially wanted to ask about it, but after thinking about the relationship between Consort De and her own master, she immediately left.


    The news of Consort De being under house arrest and being released had already spread throughout the entire palace, and even Xiao Shushen was no exception.


    "Damn it!" The sound of her scolding showed the restlessness in her heart.


    Gui mama advised while avoiding the fragments of the tea cup that the Queen had smashed down, "Calm down, Queen!"


    The Queen glared at Gui mama at the side, but quickly calmed down again and asked, "Gui mama, what do you think?"


    He really did not expect that after assaulting her several times, she would still be safe and sound. Even though he wanted to frame Consort De, he did not succeed.


    "According to this old servant, this Concubine Xian should be eliminated as soon as possible. Otherwise, the master''s grand scheme will be ruined sooner or later." Gui mama''s eyes were cold, the words that came out of his mouth made people shudder, but luckily there were only the two of them in the room.


    Hearing that, Xiao Shushen nodded her head, the Consort Xian was getting out of control, if she did not quickly get rid of it, it was possible that she would become a stumbling block for her in the future.


    "You''re right, we can''t let this person stay any longer." Xiao Shushen''s expression grew colder and colder, and she could no longer conceal the sinister look in her eyes.


    The two words "Consort De" could not be spoken of too deeply in the palace. The Consort De was placed under house arrest and then released. In the end, Fu Yuheng did not give everyone a proper explanation. As a result, many people were dissatisfied, including the empress dowager.


    "Your majesty sure has a good heart." The empress dowager turned her head away, not even looking Fu Yuheng in the eye. "You even have to spare the person who tried to commit suicide." As he spoke, his tone became even more unfriendly.


    Fu Yuheng was startled. He knew that Yun Che was talking about the Consort De but he was unable to explain the reason for this matter. As such, he could only keep silent.


    But the empress dowager had no intention of letting him go. "What? "Does the emperor think that This Dowager''s words are wrong?" These words seemed to contain an intention to interrogate him.


    "I have thought about this matter. Please rest assured that I will take care of it myself." Fu Yuheng knitted his sword-like brows tightly, but his tone was still as gentle as possible.


    "Hmph, does the emperor mean that this one is meddling in other people''s business?" The empress dowager''s peaceful expression suddenly changed, and she looked at him with a slightly unhappy expression.


    She had watched him grow up and had always treated her with respect and filial piety. She had never expected that since then, Wu Ni would act so courteously towards her. For a moment, she felt displeased in her heart.


    "The empress dowager can rest in peace here. Zhen will take care of my matters." Fu Yuheng was impatient, but his tone was firm. If she continued like this, perhaps one day, she would think that this world was hers.


    The empress dowager opened her mouth, but felt a lump in her throat as she swallowed back the words she was about to spit out. In the end, she could only sigh.


    If it was before, Fu Yuheng would definitely step forward to console him. However, it was true that he had nothing to say now.


    "I still have some work to do, so I won''t disturb your leisure." With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.


    Xiao Shushen felt uncomfortable when she was in the courtyard, so she wanted to go for a walk. Coincidentally, she met two palace maids there, chattering away.


    Upon hearing those words, Zhang Xuan was astounded.


    "The emperor actually disrespected the empress dowager for the sake of the Consort De!" As the palace maid spoke, she did not notice that there was already someone else listening beside her. Furthermore, it was the Empress!


    "It has to be said that our emperor has always been filial and filial. This is a true disaster for a beautiful woman."


    Xiao Shushen was shocked. It was definitely not that simple for the Emperor to let go of the Consort De. It was probably because her scheme had been discovered that the Emperor had concealed it. One or two times would be alright, but if she were to stay long, the emperor would sooner or later give her a break.


    "Don''t tell me that none of you are afraid of your tongues being cut off!" Xiao Shushen stepped forward and shouted. The venom in his words caused the two palace maids to kneel down in fright.


    They had not seen when the Empress had appeared behind them. Now that they heard them talking about it, if they were to be jealous of the Consort De, they might ¡­


    "Queen, spare me!" Queen, spare me! " "This servant just doesn''t like the emperor being so good to the Consort De, it''s just that I feel unsatisfied, so I just said a few more words, I hope esteemed Empress can forgive me." This palace maid had been in the palace for a long time, so he was quite quick-witted and knew how to vent her anger.


    "You actually know that this is nonsense!" Xiao Shushen snorted, "Gui mama, drag him down and beat him into ten different groups. This is a next time offense, then throw him out of the palace!"


    When the two palace maids heard this, they hurriedly kowtowed to express their gratitude. The ten boards were still considered few. If it was according to the rules of the palace, discussing about their master would have their tongues pulled out.


    "Remember not to do it again!" After saying that, Xiao Shushen no longer looked at them.


    The moment Shen Lihan was released from her confinement, she rushed straight to Shen Qingwan''s courtyard. He knew that if it weren''t for his help, she would probably be imprisoned for the rest of her life.


    What I really care about is not how the Consort De is, but why the Emperor was so biased towards the Queen, and even did not hesitate to accept the gossip from the crowd to suppress this matter.


    "Esteemed Empress, I''ve brought her to you. This palace maid said she worked by the empress''s side before. She knows why the emperor treats the empress so special." Lian Yun brought a palace maid in, and upon entering, that palace maid looked to be quite old.


    "Oh?" Shen Qingwan didn''t expect to find someone she knew so quickly. She thought she would have to look for someone for a while.


    "This servant greets the Empress." Seeing Shen Qingwan let her get up, she then stood up and continued, "This servant was originally the empress''s first maid, but after making a mistake, I was reduced to being a rough maid."


    Shen Qingwan nodded her head in understanding.


    The servant girl continued to explain. It was late at night when Shen Qingwan told her to go back. However, she already knew the whole story.


    The reason why Fu Yuheng treated the empress so differently was because he wanted to start from the moment the empress entered the palace. At that time, an envoy came to pay his tribute, but he did not miss his shot at the time of the hunt, and the arrow was aimed directly at him. In order to save him, Xiao Shushen had used his own body to block the arrow. However, after so long, not many people knew about this matter. Adding on to the fact that many people had already been switched out, only a few knew about it.

 C159 Soldiers come to explore

    Knowing the reason behind this, Shen Qingwan made a new plan in her heart. Xiao Shushen saved the life of the emperor. With the emperor''s personality, this favor of saving his life must be unforgettable. Therefore, it would be difficult for Fu Yuheng to obtain justice for the sake of the Empress.


    Since the empress had already bought someone to assassinate her and also framed the Consort De, she must have felt that they were in the way and couldn''t let their lives go. Thinking about it, Shen Qingwan''s gaze turned cold. Although she did not have much desire for power and status, and did not want to risk her life, but if there were people who did not see her as alive, she would not let them have it.


    The empress had already done what she had said on the surface, and the emperor had also hastily revealed his intentions. If she wanted to live through the empress''s tactics and win against her, she''d have to think things over carefully.


    On the other side, Fu Huaiyu put down the matter that he was not in a rush to do. Although it was a bit dangerous to travel alone, there were still a lot less things to worry about. Furthermore, Fu Huaiyu often went south, so he knew this route much better than most people. Naturally, he avoided the area where accidents often occurred, and walked through the bustling streets. Before long, he arrived at the courtyard he had set up in Jiangnan.


    The yard was not in his name, but was in the property of one of his trusted subordinates. This was the signal that he and his subordinate Jiang Li had set for him. If an outsider did not knock on the door according to this pattern, the person who came out to meet this guest was not his elites that he had groomed but their butler.


    A moment later, the door opened softly.


    "Long time no see, Jiang Li." Fu Huaiyu smiled slightly as he looked at the swordsman dressed in black who walked out. Jiang Li was a swordsman that he had personally trained himself, he had a steady personality and was good at leading soldiers to practice martial arts, so he had arranged all the hidden guards that he had trained himself to be under his command here.


    "Your Royal Highness, you''ve come." Jiang Li cupped his fists in greeting, but he was not surprised to see Fu Huaiyu, he only greeted him calmly and invited him in, then peeked his head out to look, to make sure that no one was around to close the courtyard door.


    "Your Highness, please come in." I''ve just called everyone to wait in the drawing room for Your Highness. " Jiang Li''s words carried the tenacity of a martial artist, but because of his delicate and pretty appearance, he carried a trace of a scholar''s aura, which unexpectedly sounded very nice to hear.


    Fu Huaiyu followed him into the guest room in the courtyard. He saw 20 odd men wearing black tights standing in the same posture, their eyes were filled with determination and killing intent. It was obvious that they were not to be trifled with.


    Fu Huaiyu nodded in satisfaction and asked Jiang Li: "How''s their training progress recently?"


    "Reporting to Your Highness, the training was done according to plan. These people are all elites carefully selected. The training effect is better than expected, there is no problem." Jiang Li said.


    "En," Fu Huaiyu was very satisfied as he patted Jiang Li''s shoulders and said, "I''ve been really busy recently, you manage everything here by yourself. It''s been hard on you."


    "I am deeply honored to be able to work for you, your highness. I do not find it difficult at all." Jiang Li said firmly. It was Fu Huaiyu who saved him from the abyss of suffering, provided him with food to eat, even taught him martial arts, let him lead the dark guards. Everything he had today was given to him by Fu Huaiyu, he would not refuse even if it meant going up the mountain of blades or down the sea of fire.


    Fu Huaiyu was very clear about this sword artist''s character, and did not bother to be courteous with him, he only smiled at him, then spoke to the rest: "Go and do what you need to do, Jiang Li will stay behind to report to me about the situation."


    The rest of the twenty over people cupped their fists and bowed, then disappeared from the room in a flash. Their movements were extremely clean, and Fu Huaiyu couldn''t help but view them with more respect.


    "Jiang Li, how''s the situation here? Are there any spies asking about it?"


    "Reporting to your highness, all the nearby houses have people assigned. According to our observations, no one has come to investigate." Jiang Li replied.


    "Sure." Continue to disguise yourself, and do not divulge your whereabouts. What about the one hundred thousand elite soldiers who were secretly trained? "


    "He is in good condition, although he can go to war. The places that the Prince has provided are well hidden and undisturbed. "


    Fu Huaiyu was extremely satisfied. After he said a few more things, he said, "This time, I will stay here for a few days. You can make the arrangements, and this king will review the results of his training."


    "Yes."


    At the same time, a few of General Shen''s subordinates came to the place where the high-ranking military officials were recuperating. The leader was Mu Chang, and he was extremely loyal to the General Shen.


    "It is an important place in the army. No one is allowed to enter." Two guards at the door raised their swords to block them.


    We are the subordinates of the General Shen. Previously, the General Shen was poisoned and the war had not been resolved, so we have no time to split up. Mu Chang stopped the other few people who wanted to go up and argue, and said politely to the two guards.


    One of them said: "There is an order above to have those from the General Shen''s army come to visit General Shen. As long as they can take out something to prove their identity, they will be allowed to pass."


    Mu Chang smiled gratefully at them, and indicated for the others to take out their military badges, along with his own piece, he handed it over to the guards. After the two carefully checked if it was real or fake, they let them in, and even thoughtfully brought them to General Shen.


    After thanking the person who led the way, they knocked on the door and entered after waiting for a reply.


    Seeing General Shen, who was previously majestic on the battlefield, now bedridden with pain, the few of them could not help but have their eyes turn red.


    "General." A few people shouted.


    "Heh, the few of you have come to see me. My movements are too slow, so I won''t get up. You can sit as you wish." Seeing them, General Shen was actually very happy.


    General Shen exchanged greetings with the few of them, then asked about the current situation of the army, after understanding the situation slightly, he nodded his head and did not speak anymore.


    The other few understood what was going on and retreated outside the door to wait, leaving the place for Mu Chang and General Shen.


    The General Shen sat up a little as he placed his hand on Mu Chang''s shoulder with great effort, and said: "Mu Chang, why are you so skinny now? It would not be good if the soldiers were too thin and lacked the strength. Sigh, it''s my fault as well. For the army to place so much pressure on you all, I guess you all must be very tired. "


    "General, it is my duty to be a soldier to share in the affairs of the army. Moreover, what our subordinates have done, how can it be compared to what the General Shen has done in the army. It''s just that General, it''s not complete without you in the barracks. The soldiers are all waiting for you. When you get back, you can continue to be our general. " Mu Chang held onto General Shen''s hand, looking at him with determination and reluctance.


    General Shen was very touched, but he could only sigh, not responding to his words for a while.

 C160 Chinese damping-paper

    "Alright, you guys have seen my physical condition. Let''s talk about this later." After a long while, General Shen finally sighed and brought up the topic.


    Seeing that the General Shen did not want to continue discussing this matter, Mu Chang did not continue. He just chatted with General Shen for a while longer before taking his leave.


    Fu Huaiyu stayed in Jiangnan for three days, he had a rough idea of the skills of the twenty odd secret guards, and went to train the hundred thousand elite soldiers in a simple manner. It had to be said that Jiang Li was indeed a genius in command, and he had led so many soldiers well.


    "Your Highness, it''s been so long since you''ve come. Now that you''ve come to inspect, are you going to use them?" Jiang Li who was accompanying Fu Huaiyu around the training grounds asked.


    "That''s not the case. I just want to verify my actual strength, so I have a plan." Fu Huaiyu only laughed, "Oh right, Jiang Li, I have pretty much seen enough of the training grounds in the past few days, for the rest of the time, I will be staying here to take care of some matters. You can make some arrangements, and during this period of time, do not let anyone disturb me in the courtyard."


    "Yes, Your Highness." Jiang Li nodded, and arranged for his subordinates to go prepare the relevant matters.


    "Mm ¡­" There is another matter, "Fu Huaiyu walked into the discussion room at the side." Bring me a piece of paper and a pen.


    On the other side, the guard standing guard at the meeting hall immediately gave the brush and paper that was placed in the house to Fu Huaiyu.


    Fu Huaiyu took the pen and paper and started writing. He paused for a bit, and still did not write the letter in a straightforward manner: "We''re in Jiangnan. I wonder what''s going on with the previous discussion? "


    After writing, he folded the paper and handed it over to Jiang Li: "Send this letter to the Concubine Xian s in the palace. Find someone yourself.


    "Yes."


    Three days later, Shen Qingwan''s palace.


    "Esteemed Empress, the weather is good today. Do you want to take a walk outside?" Lian Yun looked at the clear sky outside the window and asked Shen Qingwan happily.


    "Okay." Shen Qingwan was about to reply when she saw an unremarkable note beside the table. She saw the words written on it with her sharp eyes and changed the topic, "Wait, I''m a little tired now, I''ll go for a walk later."


    "Oh ¡­" This servant will go out first then. Empress, please rest well for a while. " Although Lian Yun felt that it was a pity that the weather was so good, she still felt that his own Empress''s rest was more important.


    "Yes." Shen Qingwan gently smiled at her, "For the time being, don''t let anyone disturb me."


    "Yes." Lian Yun quickly turned around and closed the door.


    After waiting for a while, Shen Qingwan picked up the slip of paper between her fingers and looked at it carefully. Indeed, it said: "Your highness has something to tell me, so it''s not appropriate to have others."


    "Come out. Everyone has already left. " Shen Qingwan said lightly to the air.


    The next moment, a man dressed in black appeared in front of Shen Qingwan. He was so fast that she couldn''t even see where he came from.


    The black clothed man passed a letter to Shen Qingwan and said, "Your Highness has instructed me to be careful and to ensure that I deliver this letter to you personally. I hope that Your Highness does not mind your subordinate''s actions."


    "It''s alright. Besides this letter, does Your Highness have any other instructions?" Shen Qingwan asked.


    "This is the only letter," the black clothed man handed another flute to Shen Qingwan, "Your Highness asked the Empress to think carefully and not to rush to answer. "I''ll be here for a few days. If the Empress has thought of how to reply or not, just choose a special flute when no one is around."


    "I understand. Go ahead."


    The man in black saluted and disappeared from the room.


    Shen Qingwan was silent for a moment before she opened the sealed letter.


    There were only two lines in total. Shen Qingwan quickly finished them. She couldn''t tell what she was feeling right now. When she had been framed and killed by the Second Princess in the palace, it had been difficult for her to take even a single step. Fu Yuhuo had asked her if she wanted to leave this dangerous place with him.


    At that time, she had hesitated. In the end, she had no choice but to leave. After that, he saved her many times from the abyss of suffering. Every time it was in time, it was already a great favor to her. She was sincerely grateful to him, but on the other side, the border issue had always been related to Fu Huaiyu.


    Thinking about the situation at the border, Shen Qingwan did not choose to reply to this letter. However, she did not immediately call out the man in black to carry back the message. Since Fu Huaiyu had his men stay, and gave her a few days to think about it, she was not in a hurry to respond.


    She really needed to think about it and prepare for her escape route. Currently, the empress''s killing intent towards her was already deep. The first time she made a move, the second and third time wouldn''t be lacking. With this instability, she felt very uneasy. The emperor was rather dubious about the empress''s actions. She didn''t know what he was planning, but she really didn''t want to rely on the emperor to fight against the empress.


    Although the letter didn''t have a recipient or sender, it was still hard to explain when someone saw it. Shen Qingwan took out an iron pot and a candle, burned the letter to ashes, and poured the ashes out.


    After she finished doing all this, she carefully hid the flute given to her by the black clothed man. Then, she heard the sharp voice of a eunuch from outside, "His Majesty has arrived ¡ª"


    Shen Qingwan panicked a little, but quickly calmed down. When the Emperor entered, she bowed to him in peace.


    "Please, my beloved concubine." Fu Yuheng helped Shen Qingwan up. She did not act pretentiously, and took the opportunity to straighten her body.


    "How can a concubine be alone in a house? "The doors and windows are even so tightly shut?" Fu Yuheng looked around left and right, feeling that something was amiss within the house.


    "Reporting to the emperor, ever since that incident last time, chenqie''s health hasn''t been very good and will catch a cold as soon as the wind blows. She just closed the windows to change clothes and rest for a while, then you came over, your majesty." Shen Qing Wan said.


    "Oh? This is not my fault. It was indeed a mistake on my part to come over during the lunch break. Did you call an imperial physician to take a look? " Fu Yuheng shook his head in frustration. It was unknown whether he was sincere or acting.


    "The imperial physician has already seen it. He''s been frightened, it''ll be better if we rest for a few more days." Shen Qing Wan secretly thanked Lian Yun, who had forced her to call the imperial physician to examine her body a few days ago. Otherwise, it would be hard for her to lie today.


    Fu Yuheng was about to say something more when he suddenly realized that something was wrong with the room and the smell of burning things. He asked, "My beloved concubine, were you burning things inside the house just now?"


    "Oh, no, there was a fire working on something earlier. The smell drifted into the room, and then I closed the door and the window. It probably didn''t dissipate for a while." Shen Qingwan reacted quickly and made up a proper lie.


    Fu Yuheng nodded and did not ask further, but a seed of doubt was planted in his heart.

 C161 Grand Princess

    In the blink of an eye, it was time to pay tribute to the other subordinate states. Every year at this time, many small countries would arrive one after another. Although they were all vassal countries, the empress would attend the annual reception as a show of respect.


    But this year, when it was time to attend the party, the empress was untimely ill, and could only give the chance to entertain to Consort Xian Shen Qing Wan.


    If it weren''t for the special circumstances, she would definitely not have given this opportunity to the Consort Xian. The Consort Xian was in the limelight, and with the emperor''s love, there were many people in the palace who wanted to see her become a joke, so the empress was very afraid of her. But because of this, she couldn''t attend. If she didn''t give this opportunity to Consort Xian, it wouldn''t make sense to the Emperor, so she could only grit her teeth and give Shen Qing Wan some convenience.


    This year, the first people to come to court were the The Great Luo Country, and the envoys that were sent were the Prime Minister Li Yi and Princess Hua Moer.


    After resting in the palace for two days, the other countries began to arrive one after another. When they saw that most of the envoys had arrived, the emperor, Fu Yuheng, arranged a banquet to welcome them to the palace.


    In the evening, the glazed lights of the Clear Dust Palace circulated about. The brick-red tiles were lit up by the lights, giving off a sense of joy, as if they were also celebrating this night.


    A figure dressed in bright yellow sat at the very top position of the Clear Dust Palace. Fu Yuheng, who had always maintained an expression of calm and might, revealed a rare faint smile. This period of time, which was known as the Hundred Empire''s tribute, was indeed a joyous occasion for the palace.


    On his left was an elegant and noble beauty. She was dressed in a lavish purple dress that accentuated her otherworldly temperament. Her usually cold face now had a smile, adding a touch of gentleness, this was the Consort Xian, Shen Qingwan.


    After everyone had taken their seats, they stood up again and bowed to the two people in the main seat: "This subject greets Your Majesty. Concubine Xian.


    Fu Yuheng leaned back slightly and laughed heartily. "There''s no need to be overly courteous, all of you, take your seats."


    "Thank you, your majesty." With that, everyone seated at their seats.


    "Today, we are welcoming a welcoming party for all of you, so there is no need to be restrained. You can drink to your heart''s content." Fu Yuheng''s dignified gaze swept across the crowd before continuing, "The empress only had the chills that prevented her from appearing, so I and the Consort Xian will be hosting you. I hope you''ll forgive me."


    The Consort Xian was calm and composed, he was assured that she would take care of things for the empress.


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan''s face showed a generous smile. Her calmness and pampered demeanor was not something that an ordinary woman could learn.


    The envoys all came to understand that this Consort Xian was highly appreciated by the Emperor and was definitely not a simple person. Everyone had their own plans and plans for this situation.


    At the beginning of the banquet, the envoys were still somewhat restrained. However, after being slowly infected by the atmosphere, they all became a little more casual. Some of them were even already greedy for wine.


    Just then, the The Great Luo Country envoy suddenly looked at Hua Moer. The girl had a pretty face and very white skin. She bit her lower lip and frowned, as if she was hesitating about something.


    However, the envoy kept instigating her, so she still carried a glass of wine and stood up.


    Almost no one noticed her petite figure, but she did not have the chance to retreat. With a blush on her face, she did her best to raise her voice towards the main seat, "Your servant wishes to the emperor."


    The people who were still flattering each other finally noticed the woman in the corner, and all of a sudden, their gazes gathered on her.


    Shen Qingwan''s gaze lightly fell on her body, revealing a faint smile.


    Fu Yuheng glanced at her before raising his goblet and gulping it down. "I shall drink."


    Hua Moer heaved a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to sit down, a light voice floated over from the other side. It seemed to carry a hint of drunkenness and ridicule: "Is this the princess of The Great Luo Country? It''s really good to be alive! "


    The man in front of him looked to be around 30 years old. He had a drunken look in his eyes and spoke frivolously.


    Hearing that Hua Moer had lowered her head even more, she was born to be a coward, and was not good at handling such situations.


    "It is said that the women of the The Great Luo Country are good at dancing. I wonder if we can see the Princess''s dance today?"


    Hua Moer was startled, she raised his head and looked at her in disbelief, thinking that this person was too rude.


    Hua Moer remained silent and did not say a word. She did not want to cause trouble, and even more so, she did not want to arouse the enmity between the two countries.


    Seeing that she was unable to answer, Li Yi hurriedly explained, "How can The Great Luo Country''s songs and dances be compared to a large country''s?"


    The Great Luo Country was weak and was often humiliated by other small nations. She didn''t think that they would even dare to bully the princess.


    The crowd was petrified. The man felt that he had lost face and begged the emperor to avenge him.


    Just as Fu Yuheng was pondering over how he should settle this matter, the voice of a woman came from beside him.


    "There are geographical differences in singing and dancing, and there are no differences in quality. However, there are different opinions on the people who are enjoying it." Her voice was calm but it carried the dignity of a person in power. The smile on her face was still there, but it gave off a sense of oppression.


    Shen Qingwan''s voice instantly attracted the attention of everyone. Even Hua Moer who had just lowered her head couldn''t help but raise it to look at her.


    Feeling that gaze, Shen Qingwan looked at her and smiled at her in a comforting manner, making people feel at ease.


    Furthermore, Princess The Great Luo Country''s daughter is also a daughter, how can she openly dance in the great hall?


    Shen Qingwan''s words caused the man to be stunned. She was speechless for a while.


    Seeing that the atmosphere in the main hall had become tense, she spoke in a softer tone, "Could it be that the country''s dance isn''t satisfactory enough for the envoys?"


    Although she was joking, she had the feeling of asking a question with her germplasm.


    It would be wrong of the man to continue arguing. He was no fool, so he could only dejectedly apologize and continue drinking his wine.


    After this farce ended, everyone looked at Shen Qingwan with admiration, especially the The Great Luo Country''s Li Yi and Hua Moer.


    After dispersing, Li Yi specially found Shen Qingwan and respectfully saluted to her, "Thank you Concubine Xian for speaking out to help Princess."


    She smiled gently, looked at Hua Moer gently and said: "The Great Luo Country and I have been friends for generations, how can I allow Princess to suffer grievances while we''re here, my hospitality is not good, I hope Princess will forgive me."


    Hua Moer quickly stopped, she did not dare accept it. Shen Qingwan then chatted with this timid and weak princess for a while before letting the palace maid bring them to a place to rest.


    Fu Yuheng was extremely satisfied with her performance today and could not help but praise her.


    "Your Majesty is flattering me. Your concubine has taken the initiative to speak too much. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me." Shen Qingwan did not reap any rewards from being praised. She would always remember her identity and would never be pampered.


    The corners of Fu Yuheng''s lips curled up slightly as he listened. He really liked Shen Qingwan''s calm and dignified character. After all, she was a girl from one of the famous sects. Ordinary people couldn''t compare with her.


    He was so happy that he gave half of the tribute to Shen Qingwan. This action made many of the beauties in the harem envious.


    When Xiao Shushen heard this, she was even angrier. She had originally wanted to make the Consort Xian look bad in front of everyone, but did not expect that she would make use of this opportunity to show off in front of the Emperor.

 C162 greediness tribute

    When Liu Chugrong heard that Shen Qingwan had received a lot of tributes during the visit of the The Great Luo Country Emissaries from the Subordinate Countries, he wanted to go and take a look.


    "Empress, Imperial Consort Liu is here." Just as he was deep in thought, he saw Lian Yun walking in.


    Shen Qingwan was puzzled. Why would she come here at this time?


    But now, she couldn''t just keep Liu Chugrong out. After all, losing this battle had already given her father a headache. If Prime Minister Liu were to target her father at this time, perhaps... Thinking till here, Shen Qingwan still allowed Lian Yun to bring her in.


    As soon as Liu Chu Rong entered the screen, his chin raised, "Oh, my sister is really in a good mood, now General Shen ¡­" At this point, she suddenly covered her mouth and exclaimed, "Ah, it''s elder sister''s fault. You shouldn''t bring up such sad thoughts." This time she deliberately dressed up very extravagantly, no more than for her to see. But seeing that she didn''t care about this at all, her heart became even more angry.


    "Elder sister, why have you come today?" The recent events had already given Shen Qingwan a headache. Furthermore, she was a person with a short temper, so she naturally didn''t want to argue with these people. She just wanted to be at peace and see everyone off.


    "I heard that a messenger from a small country came to visit a few days ago and presented a lot of tribute. It was said that you were with the emperor at that time, so I''m afraid the emperor pitied you, so my sister got a lot of benefits." As she spoke, the greed in her eyes was not concealed at all. Shen Qingwan could naturally hear it as well.


    "I wonder if elder sister will be able to see it for herself?"


    "Lian Yun, go and bring it over." Shen Qing Wan didn''t care about the mockery in Liu Chu Rong''s words at all, she was clear about where these offerings came from, the whole court had long since spread the word. Lian Yun immediately agreed and turned to look for the tributes that had already been placed down. Liu Chugrong sneaked a glance at Shen Qingwan, as if nothing had anything to do with him.


    From the moment Shen Qingwan entered the palace until now, she felt that she had never been placed in her eyes.


    Lian Yun found a few maids to help her carry it while she stood in a straight line. Liu Chugrong was confident that she would be the daughter of the Prime Minister Liu, even if it was precious jade she could call it a stone, intending to humiliate Shen Qingwan a bit. However, she never expected that these offerings would be so special. The silk cloth was as smooth as silk, and the gold and silver accessories were sparkling. These supplements were rare even in the imperial palace.


    Shen Qingwan slowly stood up and carelessly touched all of the jewelry. There wasn''t a single ripple in her heart. These common things were not worth mentioning in her eyes. What she cared about now was only her father.


    "It seems like elder sister really likes it." Shen Qingwan called out ''big sister'', but the estrangement in their words made it clear that the two weren''t really calling each other ''sister''. Although Liu Chugrong was envious of these offerings, he naturally didn''t want to yield in front of Shen Qingwan. He stubbornly said, "Heh, I thought it was some rare and precious thing. So it''s these common things."


    Shen Qingwan didn''t have any reaction, but her heart was even more contemptuous towards her. With a wave of her hand, under her shocked gaze, she told Lian Yun to keep his things properly, "Since you have seen the things already, and the person has said so, the time is about right. An overflowing sense of expulsion.


    How could Liu Chugrong not know what he was trying to say? He wanted to say one or two things, but when his eyes met Shen Qingwan''s indifferent gaze, he couldn''t say it out loud, "Little sister is really stingy, now that your father has lost his power, I didn''t expect you to be so arrogant, are you not afraid of being remembered by others?"


    Shen Qingwan did not care much when she saw her anger, but her heart was impatient. She coldly said, "My father and Prime Minister Liu have been fighting for most of his life already. I''m afraid that everyone knows about this. You and I are both concubines of the emperor, and this time, you have caused a ruckus and disharmony between us. I don''t think it''s a big deal for your father to plead on behalf of my father, but I do wish that the two of us can live in peace and not offend the emperor. "


    Shen Qingwan enunciated every word. She seemed as if everything that she said and said had nothing to do with her.


    Coincidentally, the moment Liu Chugrong left, Sun Gonggong''s voice came from outside the door, "The Emperor has arrived."


    Upon hearing that Fu Yuheng had arrived, Shen Qingwan''s expression immediately turned serious, but her expression remained respectful.


    "My beloved concubine ¡­" Fu Yuheng raised his hand in an attempt to hold hers, but stopped in the next second.


    "Your Majesty, why have you come today to order chenqie to do something?" Shen Qingwan bowed, refuting his feelings, but not losing etiquette.


    However, Fu Yuheng understood her meaning.


    "Looks like you''re blaming me." Fu Yuheng felt a little helpless. Indeed, he did not want to punish General Shen, but if he did not punish him, how could he submit to the masses?


    "Chenqie doesn''t blame Your Majesty. These are matters of the imperial court and have nothing to do with the harem." Even though she said that, Shen Qingwan treated him with such estrangement. It was even more so than before.


    Even though Shen Qingwan didn''t say it out loud, and even though she was stubborn, he knew that she still broke her heart. She was still blaming him. Her estrangement, her reverence, made him sad. Although she was usually a person with a short temper, it was different from being estranged from others.


    Fu Yuheng didn''t understand why he was so disappointed. In fact, this was a common occurrence at court. However, when it happened to Shen Qingwan and he saw her beginning to distance herself from him, he felt as if his heart was being pressed down by a huge stone.


    The two of them looked at each other speechlessly. The atmosphere between them was terrifyingly heavy. Shen Qingwan raised her head to look at the zither in her hall, but didn''t ask if he wanted to listen.


    Today, she was not in the mood to talk, so she could only use music to amuse herself.


    Fu Yuheng was originally very happy when he saw that she was willing to play the zither. However, it didn''t take long before he felt even more upset. Even though her zither skills were superb, perhaps it was to conceal the anguish in her heart, she specially chose to play a cheerful tune. But there was no concept to speak of. Her heart was somewhere else, not here. He was unwilling to play the zither for him. Fu Yuheng suddenly felt sad. He didn''t know if it was because he felt sad or because he felt sad for her.


    "Stop playing." Fu Yuheng grabbed onto Shen Qingwan''s hand that was caressing the zither strings. He felt the slender fingers in her hand tremble slightly.


    Although she was relatively indifferent, it didn''t mean that she didn''t care.


    "Rest early." Looking at her, who had been playing the zither just now but was now frozen in front of the zither with a terrifyingly empty gaze, Fu Yuheng opened his mouth with great difficulty.


    Even so, Shen Qingwan did not bow to him. When Fu Yuheng walked out and turned to look at Shen Qingwan, she was still sitting in front of the zither without moving.


    He let out a long sigh and left without looking back.

 C163 turbulent dark tide

    Witnessing all of this, Lian Yun tried to persuade her, "Why does the Empress torture me like this? This time, the emperor was helpless. The fact that the emperor came to see the Empress proves that he''s still worried about the Empress and is concerned about her. "


    "Lian Yun, you don''t need to say anymore. "You may leave." She pursed her lips, suddenly not knowing how to face him.


    Lian Yun was a sensible girl, so she didn''t say anything else and obediently withdrew himself. Shen Qingwan blew on the candle and climbed onto the bed, curled up and fell asleep.


    Unexpectedly, on the second day, Shufei''s personal servant Mo Lan delivered a painting to him. An eagle pecked at its feathers, its entire body was drenched in blood.


    Lian Yun saw and did not understand, so she opened her mouth to ask Mo Lan: "What does that mean?"


    Mo Lan did not say anything, she already had good intentions in her heart to come here and deliver the painting.


    On the contrary, it was Shen Qingwan who stared at the painting, "Please go back and thank your mistress on my behalf, I like this painting very much."


    Shen Qingwan stared at the painting sent over by the Shufei as she pondered in her heart. If her imagination wasn''t wrong, then this painting meant that she had put her life on the line and died. Thinking of this, he felt an epiphany in his heart, "Lian Yun."


    "What''s wrong, Empress?"


    Shen Qingwan raised her hand and handed Fu Huaiyu''s whistle over to her. As Lian Yun held onto the whistle, she didn''t understand Shen Qingwan''s intentions. Shen Qingwan immediately glared at Lian Yun, causing him to quickly shut her mouth.


    The walls had ears, and this was something that could never be forgotten in this palace.


    Shen Qing Wan sighed, kept the Shufei painting, and told Lian Yun as she kept the painting: "You don''t need to ask anymore, just throw it away, and don''t let anyone else pick it up."


    Lian Yun nodded her head, and agreed immediately and carefully put away the whistle.


    "In addition, help me prepare the palanquin. I want to go see the Emperor." Shen Qing Wan sat in front of the dresser once again, combing her hair. When Lian Yun heard that Shen Qing Wan wanted to go see the Emperor, she thought that Shen Qing Wan had thought it through, and couldn''t help laughing happily. It was as though she was afraid that Shen Qing Wan would regret her words, she immediately walked out and prepared to drive her out.


    Fu Yuheng was truly surprised. The last time he had gone back to the Consort Xian, she had been so respectful, and her tone so distant. He thought that from now on, their relationship would no longer be as close as it was before. However, today, he had come to find his on his own accord. Besides being surprised, Fu Yuheng was also pleasantly surprised.


    "Why is my beloved concubine free to come today?" As if afraid that she would be tired, Fu Yuheng saw her coming and quickly went forward to greet her. He grabbed her arm gently, but with great strength, as if he was afraid that she would turn around and leave. Shen Qingwan frowned, as if she did not like his touch, and brushed away his hand that was holding her arm.


    Immediately, an injury flashed across Fu Yuheng''s eyes.


    Shen Qingwan looked at Fu Yuheng very seriously. However, there was only coldness in her eyes. "I''ve come this time to discuss something with the Emperor."


    Fu Yuheng was puzzled. However, he felt guilty towards Shen Qingwan, so he could only say, "As long as I can do it, I will do my best."


    Shen Qing Wan smiled, her smile was faint, but it seemed to have some warmth to it, "Your majesty will definitely be able to do it, it''s not a big deal. Chenqie just wants to go to Fashan Temple to pray for blessings."


    Hearing this, he was stunned. This was not a difficult matter, but Fu Yuheng was very worried about her safety. He still had some lingering fear from the assassination attempt. But then she thought, now was indeed not the time for her to be cooped up in the palace. It was also good to take advantage of this opportunity to relax, at least after coming back.


    "Alright, it''s a good thing that my beloved concubine wishes to pray. I''ll immediately have someone prepare it. It''s just that you have to protect yourself and not let yourself get hurt. " Fu Yuheng originally wanted to grab Shen Qingwan''s hand, but when he thought of her actions last time, he still clenched his fist.


    "Chenqie understands."


    Just as the empress dowager finished her soup, she heard a message from a palace maid. "Consort Xian is going to Fashan Temple?" The fact that the Consort Xian was about to go to the Fashan Temple to pray for her blessings was beyond the empress dowager''s expectations.


    "Did the Consort Xian go to see the Emperor to pray for the Emperor?" Her Majesty seemed uncertain as she repeated the question in astonishment.


    "To reply to Her Majesty, that is indeed the case." The palace maid naturally didn''t dare to lie. "Now that Consort Xian has set off, and someone has been keeping an eye on Consort Xian, I ask that Empress Dowager be at ease." The empress dowager nodded, she finally believed that the Consort Xian was really going to Fashan Temple to pray for good fortune.


    She already had many prejudices against her, and the precedent set by the Emperor for her made it difficult for her to calm down. However, Shen Qingwan''s decision to go to Fashan Temple made her feel slightly more at ease, "I didn''t think that Consort Xian would have such meticulous thoughts." She had gone there with her the last time and he remembered it now. In her eyes, it seemed like she was trying to curry favor with her.


    "Then does the empress dowager still want to keep an eye on Consort Xian?" one of the ladies asked, and saw that the Empress''s gentle eyes had become sharp again.


    "Watch, of course we''ll watch." Although this time she took the initiative to go to Fashan Temple to pray for blessings, in the end, she is still worthy of the words'' Consort Xian '', who knows if she truly wants to pray for blessings, or is it just for us bystanders? "For the sake of the emperor and his ancestors, I will not allow any woman to do anything that might go against the rules and cause a disturbance to the king''s heart." The empress dowager was very excited, and had no choice but to pant heavily after she finished speaking.


    The palace maid quickly brought out the clear water and the empress dowager drank it before regaining her usual calm. The beads in her hand rolled about.


    According to Fu Yuheng''s usual work and rest schedule, he was currently reviewing the memorial. Although he would be distracted from time to time and was worried that Shen Qingwan might encounter some mishaps, he was still a sovereign and would still carefully examine every memorial that was presented to him.


    Following the report from the eunuch outside, Xiao Shushen, dressed extravagantly as she brought in a box with her right hand. It was obvious that she had dressed up well, "Your majesty, come and taste the soup that chenqie specially made for you."


    He took out the soup from the box and smiled meekly at Fu Yuheng.


    Fu Yuheng stared at her. He was already annoyed to begin with, but when he saw her walk in, he became even more conflicted.


    When Xiao Shushen saw that the emperor was looking at her, her face flushed red. "Chenqie heard that the emperor has been busy with government affairs lately, and also heard that the empress dowager and Elder Sister Consort Xian were assassinated last time, causing quite a few injuries.


    When he mentioned the assassination attempt, Fu Yuheng immediately turned serious. A hint of doubt and suspicion appeared in his eyes.


    Xiao Shushen was not nervous either, as she leisurely blew at the soup, as if she was afraid that the soup would be scalded, "But chenqie knew that it would be hard for the emperor to endure the pain of the medicine, so she asked the imperial physician about the skills of the broth. It''s just my first time doing it, if it''s not that tasty, I hope your majesty won''t blame me. " Fu Yuheng took the spoon and bowl from her mouth.


    On the contrary, it didn''t look like the first time he was making it. From this, it seemed that he had put in a lot of effort into this. Such a virtuous and dignified woman was not someone who would do such a thing.

 C164 white gongzi

    "Why are you suddenly concerned about being assassinated?" Fu Yuheng paced back and forth in his heart. Whether he should trust Xiao Shushen or rather believe that Xiao Shushen did not believe him, he should properly investigate him.


    Xiao Shushen obviously stiffened, "Does Your Majesty suspect that Chenqie was involved in the assassination attempt?" As she spoke, her tears were on the verge of falling, "Chenqie couldn''t bear to have Your Majesty worry so much, so I prepared to boil the soup for Your Majesty to drink. If the assassination was really your chenqie''s doing, how could chenqie obediently send herself over? "Your majesty''s harem has three thousand beauties, how could he suspect me? Why do I care so much about your majesty and treat it as a guilty conscience?" Xiao Shushen''s tone was filled with grievance, but what she said was not without reason.


    When Fu Yuheng heard her words, he actually felt somewhat guilty. Back then, she had saved his life. How could he have doubted his? "Alright, stop crying." Fu Yuheng rubbed his temples and felt somewhat helpless. Putting the bowl to the side, he patted her shoulder and she fell into his embrace.


    Because of Xiao Shushen''s sorrowful state, she gulped a little. Fu Yuheng felt that it was his own fault, and felt that it was too embarrassed to push her away.


    This time, he didn''t want to doubt her anymore. After all, every word she said made sense. In addition, according to Xiao Shushen''s usual style, he didn''t seem like the kind that would assassinate the empress dowager and Consort Xian.


    "Enough, enough, I apologize to you. It was my bad, I shouldn''t have blamed you so wrongly ¡­"


    She was now in the Consort De''s camp. Although the Consort De was one of the four concubines, she had slowly lost the favor of the Emperor. If she stayed by her side, she would not be able to see the Emperor in half a year, and could only slowly grow old in this deep palace.


    "What do you think?" Li Yu lowered her head and asked the maidservant who was kneeling on the ground.


    The maid''s face was red and swollen. At this moment, he trembled as he raised his head, but he did not dare to meet his gaze.


    "What a woman fears the most in this palace is letting her youth die in this palace without the appreciation of any man. Based on the situation with the Consort De, if they really met the Emperor in an organic manner, the Consort De would have to grab the opportunity herself. If that''s the case, then when will the Empress be able to rise above the rest? "


    Her beautiful eyes became sharp, and the maid nodded in agreement. She felt that he had already been by Consort De''s side for a long time, but the current situation made his feel very disappointed. She did not want to wait for the day when people aged and turned yellow, and if that day really came, she might not be able to accomplish anything in her entire life, and might even be kicked out of the palace.


    The only way out was to seek a better solution. And the one that Liuyu had set her sights on was the current Empress. The empress was different from the Consort De. As the empress was the head of the imperial harem, she wanted to act as a mother to the world and promote the royal family''s bloodline. Thus, she could not have any selfish thoughts in her heart, and could not monopolize the emperor and not let go. If he was close to the empress, it was highly likely that he would see the emperor often. Only this way would he have a higher chance of being favored.


    After thinking it over for a long time, she decided to seek refuge with the Empress. Her youth that was destined to die in the palace was not in vain.


    "Consort De, don''t blame me. It''s just that you''re really too old, and you might as well still pity yourself in the courtyard ¡­" She reached out her hand and tore off the flower branch beside her. Blood dripped from her fingers, but she didn''t notice it at all.


    After about half a day, Shen Qingwan also arrived at Fashan Temple. This time, her journey was much quieter than the last time she travelled with the empress dowager.


    Originally, Shen Qing Wan had went to Fashan Temple to pray for her blessings and to meet with Master Fang. However, after walking for a long time and not seeing him, she was also confused. Seeing a young monk looking around, he went over and asked, "Where is your Lord Fang?"


    Seeing that she was not surprised at all, the little monk raised his hand and said, "Amitabha, seeing that Master is at the back of the mountain, I''m afraid it will take a while before I can see you. If you want to meet Master, why don''t I help you lead the way?"


    The scenery at the back of the mountain was very beautiful. It could even be said that it was lush and verdant. The birdsong was crisp and melodious, and one could feel the freedom and independence of the birds. It was like a hermit living in a place that was extremely peaceful and full of life.


    "We''re here." The little monk saluted, only then did Shen Qingwan come back to her senses.


    Looking up, he saw the abbot playing chess with a white-clothed gongzi. However, when this scene appeared in front of Shen Qingwan''s eyes, it was as if two otherworldly experts were playing chess. One could only observe from afar and absolutely not go close to blasphemy.


    "Reverend, it seems like an important guest has arrived." After the white-clothed gongzi finished his Blackie, he turned around to look at Shen Qingwan. He had already discovered her and turned to smile at her.


    Shen Qingwan was stunned for a few seconds, then quickly walked over.


    That white-clothed gongzi was like precious jade, delicate and fair, with a myriad of words in his eyes. However, he didn''t say a single word to her and only smiled at her. That smile seemed to even make the flowers lose their color.


    Shen Qingwan did not know what to do, and could only smile at him. His aura was as if he was in a trance, so much so that she was too focused on admiring her pure temperament that she didn''t even notice that he had left.


    "Is female benefactor here to find me?" Fortunately, the abbot reminded her in time. Shen Qingwan came back to her senses and immediately said: "This little girl is being rude." The abbot only smiled faintly, as if this was a common occurrence.


    "Who is that man in white? Who is he?" Shen Qingwan was cold and aloof, but she was extremely curious and had her own guesses towards the white-clothed gongzi.


    "Lord Buddha said: ''Don''t say it.'' This humble monk shouldn''t reveal too much, and the female benefactor doesn''t need to worry. You and the white-clothed gongzi will meet again very soon."


    See you again? How did Fang Zheng know? Why are you so sure? He guessed in his heart but didn''t ask any further questions.


    The fact that the abbot did not answer made her more curious about the identity of this white-clothed gongzi.


    "Almsgiver, you''re not going to the main hall with me like I am. As for who the young master is, Almsgiver will find out sooner or later, so why are you in such a hurry?" Fang Zheng''s mouth was sealed, he was unwilling to reveal anything. Shen Qingwan nodded, but did not ask any further. Since Fang Shen had already said so, there was no point in continuing to ask.


    This time, Shen Qingwan had thought of many things. About this unfathomable harem, this unfathomable imperial court ¡­ She could only try her best to protect herself. As for what would happen in the end, that would depend on her fate. But just as the Shufei had said, throwing one''s life on the line to live wasn''t out of the question.


    After bidding farewell to the abbot, he left the Fashan Temple and returned to the palace.

 C165 The murder of a palace maid

    "Empress, there''s a letter." Gui mama called the other palace maids out and respectfully passed the slip of paper he received to Xiao Shushen.


    Xiao Shushen took it, looked at it absent-mindedly, and passed it back, "I understand. You take care of this and don''t let a third person see it. "


    "Yes." Gui mama had been by the Empress''s side for so many years, and had done this many times already.


    Xiao Shushen lightly nodded on the table. The previous time they met, she had already made the emperor suspicious of her. Now that she had asked her to meet him, she had to be even more careful. After some thought, she still decided to set the location at the fake mountain where very few people would go at night.


    She raised her hand and whistled at the window. Sure enough, one of the carrier pigeons circled and landed on the windowsill. She scribbled a note and tied it to the leg of the carrier pigeon. The carrier pigeon shook its head and slowly flew away.


    Xiao Shushen tidied up her appearance leisurely. After waiting for Gui mama to finish her business and return, he told her: "If you want to see me, then send the people at the side door away. After I go out, anyone who sees you will know that I''m not well, and will go to bed early today."


    "Empress, let this old servant accompany you as well, so that I can take care of you." Gui mama said.


    "No need. If there are too many people, we won''t be able to act properly. Furthermore, you have to stay in the palace to guard against any unexpected situations. " Xiao Shushen waved her hands and felt that it would be safer to go alone.


    "This old servant understands." Gui mama nodded and did not speak further.


    Xiao Shushen raised her eyes to look at the sky outside the window, and said: "You should go and chase them away, in fifteen minutes, I will leave from the side door."


    "Yes." Gui mama replied and left the room.


    When Xiao Shushen arrived at the fake mountain, a black-clothed man was already there waiting for him.


    "What if you stand here in broad daylight and attract the attention of others?" Xiao Shushen frowned, she was not satisfied with the way the black clothed man did things.


    "Empress, don''t worry. I was extremely careful when I came down, and carefully scouted the surroundings as well. Only then did I relax and appear here." The man in black said.


    "All right. I hope you also understand that such things require caution. Why did you call me out today? " Xiao Shushen knew that it was useless to pester this matter any further, so he did not beat around the bush.


    "The higher ups only wanted to remind the Empress of two things." First, because of the assassination attempt, someone had already found out about the Empress''s identity. For some reason, they suddenly stopped and did not do anything for a long time, so the Empress could only pay more attention. Second, the matter has already been completed. I hope that the Empress will not forget the matter of the promise of organization. " The black clothed man also had no intention to exchange pleasantries with Xiao Shushen, and only spoke of his purpose for coming here.


    Xiao Shushen was silent for a moment, thinking that the person above her was probably the Emperor, but upon thinking about it, she did not want to investigate any further. From the looks of it, she had to be even more careful. If the emperor''s image was ruined, then it wouldn''t be worth it. As for the second point the black-clothed man said, she said without much emotion: "I understand. "Rest assured, as long as you do your job well, the amount of time I have to promise you all wouldn''t be less than a single cent."


    "If that''s the case, then ¡­" Just as the man in black was about to leave, he heard a sound from the bushes beside him, "Who''s there!"


    Xiao Shushen also looked over, only to see a small palace maid anxiously looking in his direction, then running away in fear.


    Just as the black clothed man was about to chase up and silence her, he was stopped by Xiao Shushen: "Don''t make a move here, it''s easy to arouse suspicion. Follow her, I''ll get the Gui mama to contact you and find a suitable place to deal with her."


    The man in black nodded and went after the little palace maid.


    Xiao Shushen returned to the palace and explained the situation to Gui mama. She told her to join forces with the black clothed man and take care of him properly, so as to not get involved with him at all.


    On the morning of the second day, Lian Yun sent all of the laundry to the raccoon room. Seeing that the door of the small house beside them was left ajar, she walked over and closed the door tightly, so that no one would be able to touch them.


    Just as she walked into the little house, Lian Yun smelt a thick smell of blood. She opened the door suspiciously, but she was scared by the scene in front of her and retreated, screaming out: "Ahhh! Someone, come!"


    A young lady''s corpse was lying in the room. Her neck was cut open and blood spilled all over the floor. There was a terrified expression on her face. Before she could even close her eyes, she had been killed.


    Hearing the noise, the imperial guards rushed over to Lian Yun and asked, "Why are you in such a panic?"


    Lian Yun pointed to the room with trembling hands, "Corpse ¡­" The corpse is inside. "


    The imperial guards walked forward and then pushed open the door. The imperial guards, who had seen many scenes of life and death, also frowned at the tragic sight inside.


    "This matter must be reported to the police. It will take a long time to deal with it." You must be from the Consort Xian Palace right? How about this, you go back first, if there''s anything that you need assistance with, we can come look for you again. " The imperial guards said.


    "Alright ¡­" With a pale face, Lian Yun walked towards the Consort Xian Palace while trembling in fear.


    Only now did Gui mama, who was hiding in the distance to observe, retract his gaze. Seeing that the imperial guards were still inspecting the surroundings of the corpse but had no results, he revealed a satisfied expression and sneakily returned to the palace.


    "You''re back. How''s the matter?" Xiao Shushen asked.


    "In reply to the Empress, the old servant had the black-clothed man kill the palace maid and place his in the coachman''s room. He also cleaned up the area. It was just that when Lian Yun went to deliver the clothes to the Consort Xian Palace and accidentally bumped into the corpse, people found it much earlier than expected. "However, it''s fine." The Gui mama replied.


    "It''s the Consort Xian Palace again, just like her master." Xiao Shushen sneered, "But we''ll find out sooner or later, just treat it as washing her eyes."


    When Lian Yun returned to the palace, just as she was about to return alone and take a breather, Shen Qingwan saw him.


    "Lian Yun, what''s wrong? You look so awful? " Shen Qingwan asked with a worried expression.


    Lian Yun rubbed her arms as she told Shen Qingwan everything that had just happened in a low voice.


    Shen Qing Wan patted Lian Yun''s shoulders and consoled him: "You shouldn''t have delivered the clothes so early. It''s scary to see this kind of thing in the morning, don''t worry about other things today, I allow you to rest up for the day."


    "Thank you, esteemed Empress." Lian Yun did not push the matter away either, she truly only wanted to rest.


    After watching Lian Yun return to her room, Shen Qingwan started to secretly ponder over this matter. No one would unreasonably target a small palace maid, and no one had heard of anyone that had been rashly attacked recently. She had no idea who did it.

 C166 Investigate dead bodies

    On the other side, the imperial guards quickly reported the discovery of a palace maid''s corpse in the racetrack and reported it to the emperor. Fu Yuheng was still having a headache over the mastermind behind the assassination incident a while ago, but when he heard the news of the death in the palace, he flew into a rage and scolded the Commander of the imperial guards harshly.


    "I ordered you to protect the palace and the corpses of the palace guards, but you guys didn''t even manage to catch a whiff of the news! What do I need you for! Are you going to assassinate me next time? You are still enjoying yourselves leisurely! "Where are the clues!?"


    "Your Majesty, please forgive us. It was this official and his guards who failed. I am ashamed to say that this murderer has done all the work cleanly without leaving any traces behind. This subject and others might be able to find out some useful information. " The head of the imperial guards, Liu Ran, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead as he inwardly cursed the imperial guards who were patrolling around the room yesterday. "May Your Majesty give the imperial guards a chance to thoroughly investigate this matter and atone for their actions."


    He closed his eyes and calmed his emotions as he said in a low voice, "Listening to the situation, the perpetrator must be very skilled and was also extremely familiar with the palace. It is likely that he had some sort of relationship with the people in the palace. You must do this in secret, and do not alert the enemy. "


    "This subject accepts the order."


    "Go, go." Fu Yuheng waved his hand impatiently. "Also, the palace guards are on full alert. Don''t disturb me with this sort of thing ever again."


    Liu Ran cupped his fists and hastily went to do what Fu Yuheng had instructed him to do.


    Since the emperor had said to investigate in secret, the imperial guards had kept a low profile as they carried the corpse away. However, no matter how low-key the imperial guards tried, the palace was a place that was hard to keep a secret. Within half a day, the news of a palace maid''s tragic death had spread throughout the palace. Although no one had the courage to talk big about this, they were still gossips in private.


    People from all sides held different views on the current situation. Rumors were being passed around, and soon, all sorts of rumors were being spread throughout the palace.


    "Empress!" The servant Xiao Man returned from the outside in shock, walking straight in front of Consort Xian.


    Lian Yun had been summoned to rest for a day, so Shen Qing Wan allowed this little girl to accompany her for a day. The reason why she hadn''t handed over the important tasks to Xiao Man was not because she didn''t trust her, but because Xiao Man was too straightforward and did things with a thick nerve. She was someone who couldn''t handle things that needed attention.


    Shen Qingwan frowned and scolded him, "Xiao Man, I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of the rules in the palace. How can you be so shocked?"


    Xiao Man knew that she had made a small mistake, so she stuck out her tongue and quietly explained, "Isn''t this in front of you, esteemed wangfei? You treat us so well, so if I don''t pay attention, I''ll randomly order some."


    "Alright, even if I don''t care, it would be unavoidable for others to see it. You have to pay attention to the things that I''ve taught you." Shen Qingwan shook his head. Xiao Man''s character really isn''t suitable for a human eating palace. It seems like she has to find a suitable time to marry her to a good family outside the palace and get her out of this mess as soon as possible.


    "This servant understands." She also knew that the Empress was doing this for her own good, so she also took her words to heart. However, she was born with such a straightforward character. It would be difficult to be satisfied with just a few changes.


    "Why have you come to me in such a hurry?" Shen Qingwan only wanted to hit her, not say anything more.


    "Speaking of this, esteemed wangfei, the Palace People outside truly angered me to death," Xiao Man asked after she remembered her original intention. The fire in her heart that had just subsided started to burn again, "The matter that big sister Lian Yun found out about this morning has now spread throughout the entire palace. Everyone has been talking about it, but I can see that in the short span of half a day, some rumors had come out of nowhere and forcefully linked the matter to you, esteemed wangfei. If I didn''t happen to pass by and listen, I would have to let them slander the Empress! "


    Shen Qingwan frowned, and asked: "Why do you say that you have a hook with me?" But what did you say? "


    "This... "This ¡­" Xiao Man hesitated.


    "No worries, just speak. Don''t you know my character? "It''s not like I''m going to be angered by this little trick." Shen Qingwan secretly smiled and shook her head.


    Xiao Man fell silent for a moment, but still spoke the truth. "They say that Empress you are the bane of the world. Ever since you entered the palace, many mishaps have occurred at the palace. There are even people who place many bad things on Empress''s head."


    Shen Qing Wan laughed, and patted Xiao Man''s shoulder, and said unconcernedly: "Just those words, they only dare to bite the tongue, which master of the palace doesn''t have complaints? You just happened to hear the discussion about me, and didn''t cause me any trouble. Since you didn''t let me hear it, then let them talk about it. "


    "But ¡­" Xiao Man was about to say something else, but was interrupted by the shrill voice of a eunuch coming from afar.


    "Dao of imperial edict!"


    Shen Qingwan, on the other hand, calmly saluted her father-in-law who had come to deliver the edict. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly. She only heard the eunuch recite: "Obeying to the heavens, the Emperor''s edict says: The peace in the palace is not so good these days, we have already sent this matter to a special person to handle it, the other unrelated personnel cannot participate, cannot discuss about it, and has specially ordered the palace ladies to keep an eye on the mouths of their own people. This is it! "


    "Chenqie shall obey." Shen Qingwan received the imperial edict with both hands and ordered people to prepare some gifts for her father-in-law.


    The eunuch smiled as he received Shen Qingwan''s gift, and said with a hint of intention in his voice: "Empress, you don''t need to be in a bad mood because of all the gossip."


    Shen Qingwan also smiled and agreed. After respectfully sending her father-in-law off, she said to Xiao Man who was standing by the side, "I was right, you can''t hold on much longer. "In that case, the emperor has personally given orders to each palace, so no one will speak out again."


    Xiao Man didn''t understand the Emperor''s intentions, and could only attribute this to the Emperor''s love for Shen Qingwan.


    Just as Shen Qing Wan was about to exit the palace to get some fresh air, she was stopped by someone in front of the palace entrance.


    The one leading them was a concubine who was close to Liu Chugrong. The other concubines, big and small, were all part of the Imperial Consort Liu''s lineup.


    "What do you mean, sister?" Shen Qingwan''s tone did not carry much emotion, but her expression was one of impatience.


    "Of course I''m asking big sister for an explanation," the concubine said proudly. "Today, my maid only told me a few facts, but he ended up getting slapped by your palace maid Xiao Man. Does big sister really think you can run rampant in the palace?"


    Shen Qing Wan understood what was going on. She should be talking about the person Xiao Man saw talking about her behind her back. The corner of her mouth was raised as she replied, "Then may I ask little sister what was the truth?"

 C167 Channel qi wives

    "Elder sister, don''t blame your words. My palace maid only said a few sentences. Elder sister is a calamity, how could you say that? Ever since you came to the palace, the palace has not been at peace. " His concubine probably felt that with Liu Chugrong backing her up, she dared to say such words in front of everyone.


    "Heh, then it''s really a good fight." Shen Qingwan sneered.


    "You!"


    "How is it? Should the servants not be punished for talking so much about their master? One slap isn''t enough. I hope that you can hand over the person so that I can help you teach him a lesson so that I won''t offend others for my sister in the future. " Shen Qingwan looked at this group of people with disdain, "Allowing your subordinate to discuss Master, little sister, you''re the one who wants to run rampant in this palace, aren''t you? The emperor has just passed down the order today. Don''t tell me all of you don''t understand? Or did you forget? "


    Everyone looked at each other, but was rendered speechless by Shen Qingwan''s words.


    Seeing that everyone was shocked by her, Shen Qing Wan understood that it was enough. She changed the topic and spoke softly: "But I saw that my sister had the leisure to come to my sister''s place to take a walk, so she should have the time to train the people in my palace. "Big sister won''t fight with you for this job, please go back."


    That concubine''s face turned green and white when she heard this. She glared fiercely at Shen Qingwan and angrily led the crowd away.


    "Phew." After they had all left, Xiao Man let out a breath of air, "It''s really too hateful. Do you really want to fight with others?"


    Shen Qing Wan looked at Xiao Man coldly and said: "Xiao Man, wasn''t I too lenient on you? "You dared to slap someone in her palace? If she wasn''t too stupid to say those words out loud, I might not even be able to protect you with that imperial edict."


    Xiao Man knew that she had caused a disaster and could only apologise with a smile, "I''m sorry esteemed wangfei, this servant knows my wrongs. There won''t be a next time."


    On the other side, La Mei who was mixed in the crowd earlier frowned and followed the crowd and left Shen Qingwan''s palace. She went straight back to Liu Chugrong to report the situation.


    It was Liu Chu Rong who ordered someone to spread the rumor that Shen Qing Wan had said that she was a bane. When the rumors reached a certain point, she once again instigated people from the camp to go to Shen Qingwan Palace to stop her. It was just that she didn''t expect that coincidentally, the Emperor''s edict would arrive at this critical juncture. She didn''t stop them from causing trouble, which allowed Shen Qingwan to resolve this problem.


    "Damn it," hearing La Mei retelling Shen Qingwan without missing a single word, Liu Chu was so angry that he threw a cup, "She knows how to take advantage of the Emperor to pressure us. Let''s see how long she can take it. Lamei, contact the people of the Prime Minister''s Estate and ask father to come here.


    "Yes."


    Coincidentally, the Prime Minister Liu didn''t have any major matters to take care of today, so after hearing La Mei''s message, they went to the palace with her. Liu Chugrong ordered all the servants out, leaving only the two of them.


    "Father, from what Shen Qingwan said, you are really too arrogant," Liu Chugrong passed on what happened today to the Prime Minister Liu, "I can''t tolerate her any longer, I need to get rid of her as soon as possible, otherwise this stumbling block will grow bigger and bigger."


    Prime Minister Liu nodded, and patted Liu Chu Rong''s head lovingly, and said sinisterly: "Indeed, Consort Xian is getting more and more troublesome, I need to think of a way to get rid of her as soon as possible. This matter needs to be carefully arranged, "said Meng Hao." Don''t be impatient.


    What he was thinking was that the Emperor was willing to give such an imperial decree for the sake of the Consort Xian, so anyone who wanted to see it would be able to see through his thoughts. It was difficult to predict the Emperor''s intentions, so there was no guarantee that the Emperor would not make any changes for Shen Qing Wan, harming their interests.


    Shen Qingwan was blocked at the entrance of her own palace. Although she had chased them away, her heart was still very depressed. Thinking it over and over again, she was unable to calm her emotions, so she decided to bring Xiao Man along to carrageenan Li Ruotong''s courtyard.


    "Elder sister, why are you here?" Seeing the two entering, Li Ruotong immediately ordered some people to prepare some tea.


    "Sigh, it''s hard to find peace." Shen Qingwan roughly recounted the farce from before.


    Li Ruotong sighed: "The people from Liu Chugrong''s camp are getting bolder and bolder, daring to say anything. But that''s also good, being arrogant will sooner or later ruin their plans. "


    "Exactly." Shen Qingwan shook her head, she did not want to talk about this matter anymore, so she asked again, "I met your personal maid before, she said that you''re not in a good mood today, what''s going on?"


    "Sigh ¡­" Speaking of which, Li Ruotong could only sigh.


    Shen Qing Wan chuckled, and teased, "Could it be that you''ve gotten into an awkward situation with Li Feng?"


    "As expected, elder sister is smart. Just a guess and you''ve hit the mark." Li Ruotong climbed on the table listlessly.


    "What''s the matter? Why are you two at loggerheads again?" These two weren''t that easy to deal with. Sometimes they would cause a ruckus, sometimes they would make a small ruckus. They really worried others to death.


    Li Ruotong pursed her lips, feeling wronged, "Sigh, it''s hard to say. It''s just a quarrel, it''s so annoying. "


    "You two ¡­" Seeing that Li Ruotong didn''t want to explain the reason, Shen Qingwan didn''t pursue the matter further, she only consoled him, "It''s not that big sister is against you, but every single time you were in an awkward situation, it was all because of some trivial matter. Originally, you two rarely saw each other. Could it be that you both want to waste your time on these things? But it was worth it? You are usually so quick-witted, why are you not even thinking at this time? "


    "But he never cares about my feelings!" Li Ruotong retorted, unwilling to accept it, "I always felt that it was a one-sided wish on my part, which probably annoyed him a lot." His eyes immediately lost their color and dimmed.


    "Then you still have to think about it. If you think that he doesn''t care about how you feel, then why aren''t you thinking about how he feels? Moreover, the Ye Bodyguard has always been a busy man, so there are many things that you should worry about, and things are not as complicated as you think. " Shen Qingwan was stunned, she never thought that she would actually think like that.


    Li Ruotong was silent. Actually, it wasn''t that she couldn''t think of Shen Qing Wan''s point, but every time she couldn''t hold it back, when she was in front of Li Feng, she couldn''t think of any big reasoning.


    "Alright, stop wasting your time on meaningless arguments. Take a step back, it''s better for everyone." Shen Qing Wan said.


    Li Ruotong just needed someone to give her some pointers on the surface, and now that she had thought it through, she reverted back to her carefree and open-hearted self. She excitedly stood up and walked out, saying to Shen Qing Wan, "Little sister understands! Write to him! It''s been so long since the Cold War, but it''s been holding me back. Your sister must be very busy in the palace, so I won''t be sending you off. "


    Shen Qingwan was speechless. She had come to Li Ruotong to make fun of him, so she decided to enlighten him first. Forget it, one or two of them had the temperament of a child. It was better for her to think about such complicated matters. She shook her head and helplessly took Xiao Man back home.

 C168 Luck in a brothel

    Inside the palace, Shen Qingwan was kneeling on the floor, looking at the steaming cup of tea in front of her, as if she was deep in thought.


    He could not help but think of Fu Huaiyu. Normally, he would have a weak personality and would spend his days immersed in the art of zither, chess and painting.


    A few days ago, she received Fu Huaiyu''s message that Shen Qing Wan was not willing to help him deal with Fu Yuheng. However, Fu Huaiyu had helped her before.


    To be able to hide it from everyone, making Fu Huaiyu not have any doubts about him at all, to be able to make things come to this point, was evidently not something that could be done by just any random person. He was such a sinister person, Shen Qingwan did not dare to interact too much with him, if not it would be difficult to ensure that he would scheme against his in the future.


    Thinking about Fu Huaiyu, Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but frown. After a long while, she shook her head and let out a long sigh of relief, no longer thinking about Fu Huaiyu.


    Shen Qingwan raised her head, holding onto her cheeks with one hand, her bright eyes swept across the room, searching for something interesting.


    Suddenly, her gaze stopped on the young eunuch next to her. Her lips unconsciously curled up and her eyes narrowed like two crescent moons.


    "Lian Yun!" Shen Qingwan called out with interest.


    "Empress, what orders do you have?" Lian Yun walked up and asked respectfully.


    Shen Qingwan called her over and whispered into her ear.


    "Empress, this isn''t good!"


    Lian Yun looked at her in shock, not expecting Shen Qingwan to have such a thought.


    "It''s fine. Hurry up and prepare!"


    Lian Yun tried to advise her otherwise, but she could not change her mind.


    Very quickly, Lian Yun returned with a bundle, and handed it over to Shen Qing Wan. Shen Qingwan accepted the bag with satisfaction and walked into her bedroom.


    A moment later, Shen Qing Wan came out of her bedroom with a folded fan in hand and one hand behind her back. Her fair face had a smile on it, giving off a scholarly vibe.


    It was Lian Yun''s first time seeing Shen Qingwan like this, and couldn''t help but light up her eyes.


    "Keep this a secret for me!" Shen Qingwan blinked her eyes at Lian Yun, then left the room under Lian Yun''s somewhat absent-minded gaze.


    The streets outside the palace were bustling with people. There were all kinds of restaurants on both sides of the road, and there were an uncountable number of peddlers selling all kinds of small things.


    Although Shen Qingwan had always lived in the capital, she hadn''t seen such a lively scene in a long time as she lived in the palace. All sorts of interesting things made her dazzled and her mood improved.


    Shen Qingwan had just bought an accessory from a street vendor, and in the blink of an eye, she saw a brothel not too far away. Many of the masters and young masters of the rich families were blocking the entrance, and they were all rushing to enter, as if they were afraid of missing something.


    She thought for a moment and squeezed in behind the crowd.


    Once they entered, they saw a woman in revealing clothes and dressed beautifully waving her handkerchief, giving off a fragrant smell. Many men couldn''t help but reveal a shameless smile. Only Shen Qingwan slightly frowned.


    Her face was pale, and she had the air of a bookworm. It didn''t take long for people to notice her.


    "Aiyo, little brother, you''re so handsome!"


    A woman walked up to her side and grabbed her arm as she spoke with a bewitching voice.


    Shen Qingwan was truly shocked by the sudden appearance of this woman, she had to use a lot of effort before being able to pull her arm away. She took two steps back, with a stiff face, she pulled at the corner of her lips and nodded towards the girl, then turned around and blended into the crowd like she was escaping, causing the other women to giggle.


    I don''t know how you would feel if you knew I was a woman. Listening to the laughter of the women behind her, Shen Qingwan secretly thought.


    While Shen Qingwan was lost in her thoughts, the crowd''s noise suddenly stopped. A middle-aged woman appeared on the stage in the middle of the stage. Shen Qingwan herself was the brothel''s bawd.


    "I guess everyone knows what day it is today, so I won''t waste any more words. Today''s show will begin soon. When that happens, I hope that all of you officials will not be stingy with your money." The old procuress laughed heartily as she finished her sentence. Then, she left amidst the curses from the men around her, disappearing into the crowd.


    Then, bright red petals began to fall from the sky. Before Shen Qingwan could clearly see the Courtesan Belle''s face, she was attracted by the familiar sound coming from her surroundings.


    "This Lian Niang is still as crazy as before." Fu Huaiyu sat on the VIP seats, thoughtfully waving the fan in his hand. However, it made Shen Qingwan''s pupils constrict.


    Why was he here? He couldn''t help but be confused.


    At this time, Fu Huaiyu seemed to have sensed her gaze, and turned to look in her direction.


    Shen Qingwan was shocked and quickly turned her head, only to realize that she had been stunned for too long and had actually missed Hua Kui''s dance.


    "May I ask what business do you have with me?" A moment later, the old procuress came over. Shen Qingwan quickly pulled the old procuress.


    "Do you know the young master over there?" Shen Qing Wan asked with a smile.


    The old procuress followed her gaze and looked over, only to see Fu Huaiyu sitting there. She immediately broke into a smile like a flower. And then he asked, "Does young noble mean that esteemed guest? This must be the young noble''s first time here, right? That Young Master is a frequent customer of ours, the current Ninth Prince! I once spent a great deal of money for a flower girl! "


    Shen Qing Wan did not expect Fu Huaiyu to have such a side to him.


    "Thank you very much." He stuffed a silver note into the old procuress''s arms. It was getting late, and Hua Kui''s performance had already come to an end. He did not want to stay any longer.


    After roughly an hour, he was shocked when he arrived in the courtyard.


    Lian Yun knelt on the ground and looked at her, begging for help.


    It was none other than Fu Yuheng.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." Shen Qingwan was a little flustered, if he found out that she went to the Flower Pavilion, then ¡­


    "Where did the Consort Xian go?" Fu Yuheng said indifferently. However, her imposing manner was self-evident.


    Shen Qingwan smiled lightly, concealing the panic in her heart, "Chenqie was just out for a walk." Seeing him staring at his own clothes, she continued, "Chenqie knows very well that it would be inconvenient for a girl to go out. That''s why she changed into male attire."


    With these words, Fu Yuheng looked at her with doubt in his eyes. However, in the end, he did not say anything else and left.


    At this time, Lian Yun finally let out a sigh of relief and stood up.

 C169 single word power

    After living in the palace for a few more days, Shen Qingwan felt extremely bored. If she didn''t see Fu Yuheng every day, she would see the Empress of the palace. She couldn''t help but think of her last trip out of the palace. She had grown up in the general''s estate since young, so she still liked the life outside.


    However, the last time she went out, it was not long ago. Furthermore, she had been very careful and wasted quite a bit of time. Most importantly, because she wasn''t able to clearly see Hua Kui''s dancing posture due to Fu Huaiyu''s presence, she felt extremely unbalanced. She wanted to go out again to find an opportunity to clarify the matter regarding Fu Huaiyu.


    "Esteemed Empress, the last time you went out the emperor was already angry. Are you still going out like this?" Lian Yun asked uncertainly when she saw Shen Qing Wan acting in such a manner. She even helped her tidy up her clothes.


    "Of course." She nodded and said, "Don''t worry, I will be back as soon as possible. I''ve already told the emperor in advance, so you don''t have to worry. " Shen Qingwan tightened her belt and tidied up her clothes.


    This time, she still disguised herself as a man and went out. Her long hair was tied up. She really did look like a handsome, jade-like face, causing Lian Yun to blush a little. She did not expect that not only would the Empress be beautiful, but the man would also be so beautiful.


    After she finished dressing up, Shen Qingwan was ready to leave the city. She thought that it would be troublesome, but when she mentioned that they were here to handle matters for the Consort Xian, he actually let them go.


    "Empress, I think we should go visit somewhere else." This place is not suitable. " Looking at the bedraggled appearance of the lady in front of the pavilion, Lian Yun felt both embarrassed and anxious. In her mind, this was a place where bad people would come.


    "Alright, it''s already here, what are you still talking about?" No one will find out, just call me Young Noble. Don''t be mistaken. " Shen Qingwan didn''t care about it as she leisurely strolled around. Seeing her go in, Lian Yun followed her helplessly.


    Although no one would find out, it was actually just Shen Qingwan''s way of consoling Lian Yun. In fact, Fu Yuheng of the palace had long known that there would be a maid reporting his departure. He specifically inserted this little palace maid into Shen Qingwan''s palace to see what she was doing.


    "Have you looked carefully?" Fu Yuheng asked again after listening to the young palace maid''s words. The tone of ''not angry but imposing'' caused the young palace maid to tremble, and he hurriedly lowered his head even lower.


    "Yes, this servant saw clearly, that Concubine Xian did indeed go out disguised as a man." Fu Yuheng''s brows were already furrowed after he finished answering the question. He had no idea what this woman was doing or what she wanted to do.


    Shen Qingwan had only come here once last time, so the Brothel Keeper didn''t feel like there was anything new this time. Instead, she walked up to greet them skillfully.


    "Young master, did you not have enough fun last time? Young master, let''s see what you like today. As she spoke, she wanted to lean on Shen Qingwan.


    The fragrance that assaulted her face made her sneeze, and she hurriedly took a few steps back. What do you mean unfamiliar? She clearly only came here last time. However, she had heard the same thing the last time she had come here.


    "No need, Mom. I came to look for someone." Seeing that the old procuress still wanted to come closer, Shen Qingwan quickly spoke up and stuffed a bag of silver into the old procuress''s hands.


    The Brothel Keeper had wanted to take advantage of the situation to get a better look at herself, but who knew that she already had an owner. However, for the sake of silver taels, it was not impossible to accept.


    "Alright, who is Young Master looking for? I have all kinds of girls here. " As he spoke, he surveyed his surroundings. As the capital''s number one Flower Pavilion, she had everything she needed here.


    "That''s fine, Mom. I don''t want anyone else either. He''s the Courtesan Belle who I saw here last time and felt very fond of. " Shen Qingwan nodded her head and spoke up, but the bawd''s expression instantly changed.


    "That girl is the prettiest one here, she won''t easily meet anyone." As he spoke, he waved his handkerchief and a fragrant wind assaulted the room. Shen Qingwan quickly held her breath and waited for the scent to dissipate before she spoke.


    As the saying goes, money can make a fool of itself. She understood this principle very well, so she stuffed another bag of silver into the hands of the old procuress. After weighing it in her hand, the old procuress said awkwardly, "This is not that I don''t want to find it for you, it''s just that she has been taken away by someone. Even if this Ninth Prince wants it, I too ¡­ "


    Shen Qingwan understood her words. This old procuress was purposely taking money but not doing anything. But there was no helping it, she had come too late. The old procuress had no choice but to find another room of the best quality, but she still refused her request of calling the girl over.


    After sitting in the room for a while, she was curious as to why Fu Huaiyu was here. After thinking for a long time, Shen Qingwan was still at a loss. She did not continue thinking and stood up instead.


    "Lian Yun, wait for me here. I''ll go out for a while, don''t follow me." After thinking about it for a while, Shen Qingwan decided to go out and look for Hua Kui''s house. She might be able to hear something.


    Cautiously reaching the door, he heard voices coming from inside. Initially, he had even thought that Fu Huaiyu had the hobby of looking for flowers, but the more he listened, the more he felt that something was amiss. They didn''t seem to be talking about their girlfriends, but about the border!


    Shen Qingwan didn''t hear it clearly, and walked a few steps closer.


    "Your highness, the matters at the border have come to an end. Have you prepared the final conclusion?" The woman''s gentle voice sounded, causing Shen Qingwan to be stunned.


    "Yes, of course. However, Lian Niang is being a little too magnanimous. Do I need you to teach me a lesson for my matters?" Fu Huaiyu''s voice sounded, carrying unhappiness within it.


    Shocked, Shen Qingwan absent-mindedly broke a vase.


    "Who''s outside?" When the two people inside heard this, they both stopped and Fu Huaiyu had already walked out. Shen Qing Wan turned to run, but was stopped.


    "Who are you? What did you hear? " As he said that, he closed in step by step. For a moment, Fu Huaiyu felt that the person in front of him was familiar, but he couldn''t remember who he was. But since she found out, she couldn''t keep it.


    Shen Qingwan was born in the General''s Estate and had learnt martial arts since childhood. She really wasn''t a match for him. After a few moves, she didn''t even have the chance to fight back.


    Fu Huaiyu approached his step by step, his moves were ruthless and his goal was to take Shen Qingwan''s life.


    But just then, a white silhouette flashed over, startling Fu Huaiyu, and at the same time, the two of them disappeared.


    "Are you alright?" The white clothed man softly placed Shen Qingwan on the floor and spoke softly as they entered a room. He didn''t expect to see her in a flowerbed, dressed as a man.


    "No problem, thank you." Shen Qingwan shook her head and also recognized the person who had saved her. It was the young master whom she had met at the abbot''s place, and she was even more curious about his identity.

 C170 Explanation of origin

    However, he had never expected that the speed would be so quick as he had said it that day.


    Seeing that she was fine, the man in white didn''t say anything more and turned to leave.


    "I wonder if you could tell me your name. Thank you for your help in the future." Shen Qingwan quickly opened her mouth and frowned.


    "All names are fleeting. A single name means'' power ''. This young lady will remember it well." The man in white didn''t hesitate. With a faint smile, he turned around and left, leaving only a white afterimage behind.


    Shen Qing Wan was in danger, if not for the white clothed man saving her, she would probably have been beaten to death by Fu Huaiyu. She felt very lucky about this, but she didn''t feel that there was anything wrong with her coming out. If not for this risk, they would not have been able to confirm that Fu Huaiyu was truly related to the matters at the border.


    Fu Yuheng, who was in the deep palace, clearly didn''t understand this. Ever since the young palace maid came and told him that Shen Qingwan had secretly slipped away. He could only feel anger assaulting his heart as he could not take in the sight of the official matters at hand.


    "Sun Gonggong, what do you think of this Consort Xian?" She couldn''t think of anything, so she had to ask someone close to him. Although he was the Son of Heaven, there was only one person standing beside him all the time.


    Sun Gonggong didn''t know how to reply. After all, he was the emperor''s concubine. He looked at Fu Yuheng with a troubled expression and chuckled.


    "You don''t need to make things difficult for us. Speak the truth, and I will forgive you for your innocence." Seeing that the Sun Gonggong was in a difficult situation, Fu Yuheng waved his hand and spoke. There were still a lot of papers in front of him, but he had no interest in reading them anymore. Right now, all that was in his eyes was Shen Qingwan.


    "Your Majesty, Consort Xian is a transparent person." Since Fu Yuheng had already said this, he had no choice but to speak. However, he still carefully thought about what he should say.


    "You, hur hur, only you know how to play tricks on others." Hearing Fu Yuheng''s words, how could the Sun Gonggong not see through them?


    Shen Qingwan is an extremely intelligent woman, he knew from the beginning. But her intelligence worried him, and he had been suspicious of her for some time. That was why she had sent someone to keep an eye on him. She hadn''t expected her to do such a thing.


    The imperial concubine was disguised as a man as she strolled around the brothel. If others knew what to say, would they still have the face of the imperial family? What''s more, she only had a palace maid by her side, so if anything were to happen ¡­


    "Come out of the palace with me." Fu Yuheng did not dare to think any further. He pointed at the Sun Gonggong. He then went to change his clothes, and when he came out, Sun Gonggong was also dressed like an ordinary person.


    After following the emperor for so long, he naturally understood his intentions. The two of them changed into their clothes and went to look for the Concubine Xian, and as expected, the two of them went all the way to the brothel.


    Fu Yuheng looked at the brothel with some embarrassment. Although he had done private interviews with the brothel before, this was the first time he had entered the brothel. He hoped that he wouldn''t be able to recognize her. After hesitating for a moment, he thought of Shen Qingwan and grinded her teeth as she entered.


    It was unknown if Fu Yuheng''s aura was too strong, but no one in the pavilion dared to stop him. Lian Yun, who had been acting normally ever since Shen Qingwan disappeared, also jumped in shock when he saw him and immediately rushed over to pay her respects.


    "Where''s your master?" Fu Yuheng did not look at her, but kept on asking about Shen Qingwan''s whereabouts. However, Lian Yun was trembling violently. Shen Qingwan had already been out for a few hours and had searched for a while but didn''t see anyone.


    "Your Majesty, the Empress ¡­" "Your majesty should follow me back to my room first." With that, he took the lead and returned to the room. Even if he disrespected the emperor, he would still die if he lost the Empress. There was only one word for it, ''death''.


    However, when she arrived at her room, she saw that Shen Qingwan was already there. Shen Qingwan''s eyes were still hinting at her not to say anything.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." Shen Qingwan stood up and bowed slightly, not even sparing Fu Yuheng a glance. The white-clothed man had just left. Luckily, she had returned in time, or who knew what she would have to face.


    Fu Yuheng''s expression was calm as well. He stepped forward and left while carrying Shen Qingwan. He had nothing to say the entire way.


    "Shouldn''t you give me an explanation?" Fu Yuheng put Shen Qingwan down, her eyes dark.


    Shen Qingwan wasn''t the least bit flustered. On the contrary, she was very calm. She originally had a clear conscience, so why should she be afraid of him? "I wonder what kind of explanation does Your Majesty want chenqie to give to the emperor?" He gave a faint smile, but his smile was less estranged.


    Fu Yuheng was startled. He then clenched his fists and frowned. "I saw that Ninth Prince left before you. Could it be that you want to tell me that you have nothing to do with him?" The anger in his heart seemed to be about to burst out from his eyes.


    "Is this not how the Emperor views chenqie?" Shen Qingwan sneered, she had done so much for him, she didn''t expect him to still think this way about her, "Your majesty, don''t tell me you don''t even dare to believe the person beside your pillow?" Shen Qingwan shook her head.


    Perhaps, she had really concealed too much from him, causing such a misunderstanding.


    Fu Yuheng felt that the anger in his heart had somehow calmed down when he heard her words. Originally, he did not suspect her in particular, but he had been implicated with Fu Huaiyu time and time again. Adding to the fact that she had been cold and hot to him over the past few days, it made him feel as if he was out of his control.


    Yet now, she calmed down and thought about her character. She felt that she absolutely should not be such a person. She also had some doubts in her heart. Then, what was the reason for her actions?


    "I ¡­" "I was rash, tell me about it." Fu Yuheng paused for a moment, but his tone became much better.


    Seeing that his anger had mostly dissipated, Shen Qingwan slowly spoke out, "Chenqie and Ninth Prince do have something to do with each other." As her words fell, the surrounding air grew even colder. However, Fu Yuheng did not interrupt her. He only indicated for her to continue.


    "Does Your Majesty know that the Ninth Prince has repeatedly saved chenqie''s life?" had actually saved her a few times, but her nominal husband had doubted her a few times in a row, which was rather ironic.


    Fu Yuheng was startled upon hearing this. Other than the time where Fu Huaiyu had pleaded for mercy on her behalf, he really did not know that there were other times.


    Shen Qing Wan explained slowly, letting him know that Fu Huaiyu had actually saved her three times.


    "Could it be that you like him for this?" Fu Yuheng frowned. His eyes were abnormally aggrieved and disappointed. When he saw Shen Qingwan, he smiled.


    "Your Majesty must be joking. Chenqie is already someone of the emperor, how could she give her heart to others?" It''s just that Ninth Prince is not as simple as it looks on the surface. " Shen Qing Wan shook her head, her eyes became deeper.


    Fu Yuheng was startled. He had never been too concerned about that Ninth Brother of his, so when he heard Shen Qing Wan''s words, he was extremely surprised. After all, on the surface, Fu Huaiyu was just a idle prince.

 C171 Keep an eye on the Nine Kings

    "Your Majesty might not know, but this chenqie had sent people to investigate some of the things that happened to her before. The figures of Ninth Prince could be faintly seen, and that''s why she became so concerned about them. She felt that they weren''t simple and needed to be prepared for them." Shen Qingwan had also predicted that Fu Yuheng would be very different from her, so she didn''t pay much attention to his stunned expression. If not for too many clues pointing towards Fu Huaiyu, she wouldn''t have suspected anything.


    "How could this happen? "Why does This Emperor not know?" Fu Yuheng was slightly displeased. This sort of feeling was like being kept in the dark, causing him to be slightly dissatisfied.


    "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. After all, this is related to a prince. Before we have concrete evidence, who would dare come here and talk nonsense like you?" It was only because the emperor felt that his concubine was disloyal that he brought up these matters. "Can you listen to me explain in detail ¡­" Shen Qingwan comforted Fu Yuheng a little and told him what she had told Ye Feng to find out.


    "You mean to say that the spy is related to the Ninth Prince?" Fu Yuheng frowned, not understanding why Fu Huaiyu would do such a thing.


    "Exactly. The last time chenqie went to the Duke''s Mansion was also to ask about this matter with Ninth Prince. " Shen Qing Wan said.


    "I''ve misunderstood you and caused you to suffer." After hearing the cause and effect of the matter, Fu Yuheng felt somewhat guilty for misunderstanding Shen Qingwan about this matter. He couldn''t help but treat her with even more gentleness.


    "It was chenqie who did not explain clearly. How can I blame Your Majesty?" This time, chenqie went out to thoroughly investigate the Ninth Prince. In the end, she discovered that the matters at the border were related to you, which made her even more worried. That''s why people felt that chenqie really cared about you. " Shen Qingwan gently smiled to express her understanding before continuing to explain.


    Fu Yuheng''s frown deepened. After being silent for a long while, he said, "It sounds very complicated, but if Fu Huaiyu has really done something to this matter, it seems like he is in danger. It''s better for my beloved concubine not to continue interacting with him, and there''s no need to investigate. Now that I know of these matters, I will naturally arrange for people to take care of it. "


    Shen Qing agreed from the ground. She can''t give the Emperor any face. As for whether or not he''ll continue, she''ll have to see how the situation continues. It wasn''t that she didn''t believe Fu Yuheng. It was just that she was able to control the situation in her own hands. That was the most reassuring thing.


    Fu Yuheng looked at Shen Qingwan''s obedient appearance. Her usually cold and indifferent expression was clear, as if nothing could break her calm and collected attitude. After the two of them had resolved the misunderstanding, Shen Qingwan revealed even more expressions towards him. Her unusual appearance really attracted him.


    "Oh right, your majesty, there are also various indications that Fu Huaiyu''s martial arts is extremely strong. Your majesty, please send someone to investigate him or go in person to get in contact with him. You must be careful and careful so that you don''t fall for his tricks." Shen Qingwan couldn''t help exclaiming.


    "I understand." Fu Yuheng was very touched to see Shen Qingwan so concerned and worried for him. He could not help but scold himself, who was previously suspicious of Shen Qingwan''s disloyalty, a little more.


    "Your majesty has overpraised me. Chenqie was merely lucky enough to catch hold of some useful information." Shen Qing Wan said.


    "Not bad, not bad." Fu Yuheng patted Shen Qingwan''s shoulder. His eyes were filled with gratification. "Then, my beloved concubine, please go back first. My mind is currently in a mess. I need to calm my mind and properly organize my thoughts."


    "Yes." "The emperor shouldn''t wait too late either. Let''s rest early." Shen Qingwan said softly and left after he nodded.


    After watching her leave and disappear from his sight, Fu Yuheng raised his hand and rubbed his temple. The amount of information he had today was too much. Before this, he had always been bewitched by Fu Huaiyu''s act of disguising himself, and had truly assumed that he was just an idle prince. It seemed that one really couldn''t judge a book by its cover.


    In this intricate network of relations between the royal family, it was difficult to distinguish between sincerity and hypocrisy, between true nature and a false mask. As the emperor, Fu Yuheng had seen countless people, and it was also a day where he misjudged them.


    Since Fu Huaiyu had already done a lot of small things behind his back, he couldn''t just sit there and wait for death, in case he was too passive.


    "Someone, come." Fu Yuheng called out to the air.


    "Your subordinate is here." He could only hear the sound, but not the person.


    "Investigate Fu Huaiyu carefully. This person is not simple. You must be careful and not alert the enemy. "


    "Yes."


    Fu Yuheng heaved a long sigh, feeling rather helpless. Even if Fu Huaiyu really had ill intentions, he wouldn''t be able to do anything to him now. Not only was the situation nervous, it was unsuitable for them to fall out with each other.


    He could only temporarily send people to investigate, and then he would have more snacks for him. The Prime Minister Liu was now the sole ruler of the imperial government. The sound of him choking back and forth had also gradually faded away. What he had said in the imperial court today was something that no one could refute. It was also something that gave Fu Yuheng a great headache.


    If there was no one controlling Prime Minister Liu in the imperial government, his position would be in danger. It seemed that it was time for him to take some action.


    On the other side, the empress dowager also received news that Shen Qingwan had disguised herself as a man and left the palace. She felt that her actions were rather impolite, and angrily ordered people to hurry and summon her to her palace.


    Thus, before Shen Qingwan could return from the palace to her own palace, the Gui mama brought her to the empress dowager''s Tzu Ning Palace.


    "Do you know why This Dowager allowed you to come?" Shen Qingwan, who gave her luggage to Shen Jingbin, was expressionlessly staring at his from behind the window. He didn''t even get up to let Shen Qingwan talk to her in his luggage posture.


    "Chenqie doesn''t know." Shen Qingwan was neither humble nor arrogant.


    "How dare you!" The empress dowager''s anger was piqued, and she threw a cup at Shen Qingwan''s feet. "You''re the noble concubine of the emperor, it''s not just one or two days since you''ve entered the palace. Do you want me to explain the etiquette and shame to you?!"


    Shen Qingwan remained silent and did not speak, lest she anger the empress dowager even more.


    "How preposterous! How preposterous!" The empress dowager was angry, but how could she not be happy with Shen Qingwan now? "Since you don''t know and don''t understand, there''s plenty of ways for me to make you understand."


    "Someone, come!" "Bring the Consort Xian to the main entrance of the Palace of Tzu Ning and watch her kneel for four hours. Not a single moment less!"


    Gui mama said to Shen Qing Wan, "Esteemed Empress, please."


    Shen Qingwan finally understood that the empress dowager was in a bad mood. She had probably bumped into the sword blade when she disguised herself as a man, so she could only inwardly sigh at her bad luck. She obediently followed Gui mama to the door and knelt down.

 C172 mild estrus

    Ever since his fight with Shen Qing Wan in the brothel, Fu Huaiyu had immediately sent people to investigate secretly because he was worried that his secret would be leaked. However, because Shen Qingwan was disguised as a man, no one could have imagined that there would be even less information on the man in white. There was simply no way to investigate, so the matter was put on hold.


    In the past few days, he had not been able to rest well. Until now, he did not know who the person who fought with him in the brothel was, nor did he know how much he had listened to about what he had said that day. If he were to tell Fu Yuheng about it, not only would his preparations be for such a long time go down the drain, even his own life would be in danger.


    At this moment, a person walked in from outside. He was dressed like a servant, but his footsteps were steady and steady. His eyes glimmered with a light that showed that he was no ordinary servant.


    "Prince, there is news from the palace." The man nodded slightly and said respectfully.


    Fu Huaiyu stopped thinking and looked at him, "Oh, what is it?"


    "I just received news that Consort Xian was punished by the empress dowager to kneel outside the palace for four hours." The person''s voice was calm and emotionless.


    Shen Qingwan''s personality was indifferent. She rarely stirred up trouble, so how could she anger the empress dowager? Fu Huaiyu was suspicious in his heart as he continued to ask, "Why are you punishing her?"


    "I heard that it''s because Consort Xian women disguised themselves and snuck out of the palace. They ran to a brothel and were brought back by the Emperor himself in the end."


    Hearing that, Fu Huaiyu could no longer sit still, an expression of shock flashed across his face, it seemed that the one fighting against him that day was her.


    As expected of the daughter of the family of generals!


    Fu Huaiyu sighed in his heart, and started to praise Shen Qingwan even more.


    He was very clear on the extent of his martial arts. On top of that, he was worried that his secret would be broken that day. Although Shen Qingwan had to struggle very hard to defend, she could still survive a few attacks from him, and she wasn''t injured at all.


    "Consort Xian, oh Consort Xian, you truly surprised me!" Waving his hand to send off the person from just now, Fu Huaiyu spoke with a halting voice, his heart becoming more appreciative of Shen Qing Wan.


    If he could get this unique girl to stand by my side and watch the rivers and mountains together with me, it would definitely be a good thing, Fu Huaiyu thought.


    It was unknown when Mo Zilian had appeared, but he had a slight smile on his face. He whispered into Fu Huaiyu''s ear, "Your Highness, I''m back."


    "You''re back? How''s the situation going? " Seeing him, Fu Huaiyu also smiled slightly. Her peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, a few days ago she sent him to take care of Hu Youshan''s spy. Now that he was back, she reckoned that he had dealt with it pretty well.


    This Mo Zilian had an extremely similar personality to him, and the two of them usually interacted quite a bit. This was also the reason why he trusted him.


    "Your Highness, don''t worry. I have already ordered people to dismember that spy and have assigned him a new deputy general." Mo Zilian''s face was full of smiles, as if he was talking about an extremely ordinary thing.


    Hearing that, Fu Huaiyu also nodded with a smile, "That can''t be better!" Obviously, he was very satisfied with his actions.


    Meanwhile, outside the empress dowager''s palace.


    Lian Yun was frowning as she walked around anxiously. She silently calculated the time, Shen Qing Wan had already knelt here for a long time.


    Finally, four hours had passed. Lian Yun hurried over and helped her up from the ground.


    Just as Shen Qing Wan stood up, she felt an aching pain from her knees, causing her to stagger a few steps. Fortunately, Lian Yun helped her up, so she did not fall down.


    Seeing his own mistress trying hard to resist, Lian Yun felt very sad. His eyes were actually shining with tears, "My lady, let me help you return to the palace!"


    Shen Qingwan smiled, indicating that she was fine. Although her expression was indifferent, it had a unique beauty to it.


    Finally, with Lian Yun''s support, they arrived at her own sleeping quarters. The two were already exhausted, and Shen Qingwan immediately collapsed onto the bed. The pain in her knees caused her to uncontrollably suck in a breath of cold air.


    "Empress, let me apply the medicine for you."


    As Lian Yun said that, she gently lifted up Shen Qingwan''s skirt, revealing her calves that were as white as jade. Looking upwards along her calves, there was a purple patch at her knees.


    "Empress, does it hurt?"


    Looking at Shen Qingwan''s knees, Lian Yun asked with both grievance and heartache.


    "The emperor has arrived!"


    Before Shen Qingwan could say anything, the voice of a eunuch came from outside the door. It didn''t take long for Fu Yuheng, who was dressed in dragon robes with an incomparable vigor, to walk in. He had only been here for a few days.


    "Lian Yun, help me up!" She immediately pulled down her clothes to cover her knees and told Lian Yun to let her help him up as she prepared to greet him.


    However, Fu Yuheng had already seen the injury on her knee previously. He frowned and a trace of pity flashed in his heart. He quickly walked forward and pressed Shen Qingwan down, telling her to continue sitting down, "My beloved concubine, it''s inconvenient for you to take care of your health, so you don''t have to bother with these formalities anymore."


    "Thank you, your majesty." Shen Qingwan was stunned for a moment before she smiled faintly. She did not reject him. After she told him about what had happened, she grew closer to him.


    "Let me see your injury." Fu Yuheng felt his heart clench when he saw the slight crease between her eyebrows.


    "Your Majesty''s concubine is fine, there''s no need to worry so much about me." Her voice was soft and calm, as if nothing had happened. However, her hand was still tightly holding onto the hem of her skirt, covering her knees. It was obvious that she didn''t want him to see it.


    How could Fu Yuheng not see through it? He could not help but feel a little guilty. If he had not forcefully brought her back without changing her clothes, she probably would not have been punished. Reaching out, he forced her hand up, and saw that her knees were red from kneeling for so long.


    "My beloved concubine, it''s been hard on you." There was an undisguised sense of remorse in her voice as she lowered her head to look at Shen Qingwan''s knee, "Let me apply the medicine for you."


    He turned around and took the medicine from Lian Yun''s hands and squatted down, smearing the medicine on Shen Qing Wan''s knees little by little. His actions were extremely gentle and he would occasionally look up at Shen Qing Wan''s expression, afraid that he would hurt her.


    Seeing Fu Yuheng being so interested in his, Shen Qingwan''s heart couldn''t help but be moved. If the two of them were able to continue acting like this, how great would it be?


    However, she suddenly shook her head. She felt that her way of thinking was too childish. Fu Yuheng was the emperor, and there were countless beauties by his side. How could it be her turn so easily?


    What she did not know was that Fu Yuheng was thinking the same thing.


    Lian Yun stood quietly at the side, looking at the two''s expressions, as though they were a loving couple. She couldn''t help but feel happy in her heart, it had been so long that the relationship between Fu Yuheng and Shen Qing Wan had finally made some progress.

 C173 Unexpected promotion

    "My beloved concubine, you shouldn''t go out for these few days. Have a good rest in the palace." Fu Yuheng took care of Shen Qingwan''s power and said.


    "Chenqie understands." Shen Qingwan nodded and revealed a gentle smile towards Fu Yuheng. Although she knew that it was impossible for the two of them to remain as they were, his concern for her was still quite satisfying.


    "Yes." Then I will go back and deal with the political affairs. When I have time, I will come to see you. Lian Yun, pay attention to your mother''s injuries. Fu Yuheng said.


    "Yes, this servant understands." Lian Yun lowered her head and complied.


    Shen Qingwan watched Fu Yuheng leave with reluctance and pity in his heart. If Fu Yuheng was not the emperor, they would not be in the center of power and might be able to live a loving life like ordinary families.


    "Empress, what are you thinking about?" Lian Yun called out to Shen Qing Wan but no one replied, she helplessly waved her hand in front of her to wake her up.


    "Ah, nothing. "What''s wrong?" Shen Qingwan quickly regained her senses, and couldn''t help but blush at the thought of what she was thinking. The light in the room was a little dim, so Lian Yun didn''t notice it.


    "This servant asks if the Empress needs some pastries." Esteemed Empress Dowager was so heartless that it really caused the Empress to kneel for four hours. The Empress must be very tired. " Lian Yun was complaining.


    "Enough, don''t talk about what the empress dowager is up to." You can go to the kitchen and make some food. " Shen Qing Wan waved her hand, signaling Lian Yun to go out.


    After a while, Shen Qing Wan did not wait for Lian Yun to bring the pastries over, but waited for another piece of news instead.


    "Empress, didn''t you find out that Liu Yangao was a spy at the border?" The emperor just promoted him to general, so this ¡­ " When Lian Yun heard this news, she did not go to the kitchen anymore.


    Shen Qingwan knitted her brows. She had already told Fu Yuheng everything she had discovered. He also knew about the matter of the spy. How could she still act in such a manner? She couldn''t understand, so she simply brought Lian Yun and asked to see the Emperor directly.


    When the emperor saw Shen Qingwan in the imperial study, he was very surprised to see her hurrying over, "Didn''t I tell you to rest well? What are you doing here? "


    Shen Qingwan did not beat around the bush and directly said, "I heard that Your Majesty mentioned Liu Yan as a general? "Why is that?"


    "So it''s this matter. We have our own plans." You can go back now. " Fu Yuheng did not have any thoughts of explaining anything.


    Shen Qingwan was silent for a while, but knew that it was inconvenient to ask about it, so she could only return to the palace in doubt.


    After Fu Yuheng had taken care of all the important government affairs at hand, he brought the guards to the General Shen.


    "Your Majesty, why have you come ¡­" When the General Shen saw the Emperor coming over, he wanted to get off the bed in a hurry to greet him.


    Fu Yuheng hurried over to stop him, and said, "No need to be so courteous, beloved one. I just came to visit you. You are wounded, so you don''t have to care about the red tape. "


    "Sigh," General Shen didn''t reject the Emperor''s good intentions, and spoke to him while laying down, "Your Majesty is very considerate."


    "I have let you suffer." Fu Yuheng patted him on the shoulder. "I know that there are spies at the border, and I have already arranged for them to not let him escape. General Shen only needs to take good care of his health and when the time is right, we will capture him and deliver him to the General for him to handle himself. "


    The General Shen was very grateful for the emperor coming to visit him personally and tell him about this matter.


    On the other side, Liu Chugrong was dressing up in his palace while the maid helped him take care of it.


    "Hmph, this Consort Xian sure has a good reputation. Now she''s losing a lot of face in front of the empress dowager." Liu Chu Rong sneered, then looked at himself in the mirror, very satisfied with his beauty.


    The maid on the side kept silent, he just stayed by Liu Chugrong''s side.


    "Empress, there''s a letter." Rumei hurried in from the outside with a letter in his hand.


    Liu Chu Rong signaled the maid to go out and waited until she and La Mei were the only ones left in the room. Then he opened the letter and read it.


    "Why do you have so much to do," Liu Chugrong threw the letter angrily, "You want me to poison Xiao Shushen with this poison, how can it be so easy?!"


    La Mei quietly picked up the letter and carefully folded it and advised in a low voice, "Please calm your anger, Empress. This is probably part of the Prince''s plan, but it is indeed difficult. How about Niang Niang reply and ask the prince to find someone else? "


    Liu Chugrong said irritably, "Let me think about it again."


    She really didn''t want to do this. The risk was too great, so she couldn''t do it. But she also understood that this must be a very important part of Fu Huaiyu''s plan, and it must also be because he couldn''t find a suitable candidate that he made her do this. After all, if she was exposed, it wouldn''t do him any good, and it might even implicate him.


    "But this servant was on her way back just now and heard the palace maids passing by, so the empress told them to send some pastries over." But they forgot in a moment that the empress dowager also needed it, so they sent it to her. The pastries for the empress should still be in the imperial kitchens. " Rumei brought up the news just right.


    Liu Chugrong looked at her with satisfaction, but still hesitated to do it.


    "Consort Xian''s side also just went to get the pastries, so the palace maids that are on duty at this time should not be there anymore." Lamey said again.


    Liu Chu Rong thought about it and decided to take the risk.


    When the two arrived at the imperial kitchens, they indeed saw a plate of the empress''s favorite pastries in a conspicuous place. Liu Chugrong told Lamei to keep watch outside as he walked in quietly and sprinkled the prepared poison on the outermost piece.


    After making sure that there were no traces of any celebrities left, Liu Chugrong said to Lamei, "Go back first and watch what''s happening in the palace. I want to personally see the empress eat it. "


    Lamey answered and left in a hurry.


    As expected, not long later, the two palace maids came over and carried the plates out. Liu Chugrong took a shortcut and peeked at the garden outside the empress''s garden before the palace maid arrived.


    The empress chided the late arrival of the palace maid, and unhappily picked up the outermost layer of pastries to prepare the entrance.


    Liu Chu Rong was looking at this scene happily when he was caught off guard by the carrageenan and exclaimed, "Ah! Isn''t this Big Sister Imperial Concubine? "


    The empress was startled by the loud shout, and the pastry in her hand fell to the ground.


    Liu Chugrong stood up straight in embarrassment and hurriedly made an excuse for his shameful posture, "I see these flowers are very beautiful, I want to pick one to admire."


    "Big sister truly loves beauty. However, there''s no need for you to personally take it off. Carefully, you''re holding hands." carrageenan said sinisterly.


    Liu Chu Rong didn''t have time to care about carrageenan''s sarcasm, he was afraid that his plan would be exposed, so he quickly made an excuse and left in a sorry state.

 C174 Consort Shus mind

    On the other side, Fu Yuheng had ordered for Ye Feng to be summoned to the royal study.


    "Your subordinate pays his respects to the Emperor." Ye Feng held his sword and saluted with his head lowered.


    "No need for formalities," Fu Yuheng said as he waved his hand, "There have been more government affairs lately, so I won''t beat around the bush. This Emperor sent you to work at the border, you think you are qualified? "


    "It is this subordinate''s honor to gain the Emperor''s trust. This subordinate definitely won''t disappoint the Emperor." Ye Feng replied.


    "Okay, don''t let anything happen to him. Be careful." Fu Yuheng valued Ye Feng''s confident personality very highly. He believed that he would be able to complete any mission well, so he didn''t say much, "The war at the border has just been extinguished and the army and the towns at the border are still in the process of adjustment. This must be a chaotic scene." "Help me keep an eye on Liu Yangao."


    "This subordinate understands." That General Mu Chang... "


    "Oh, I almost forgot to mention it," Fu Yuheng said as he rummaged through his desk. He took out a sealed letter and handed it to Ye Feng, "Help me pass this letter to Mu Chang, he will understand what I mean if he reads it."


    "Yes." Ye Feng respectfully received it, and without even looking at it once, carefully put it into his inner pocket.


    "I''ve got someone to prepare a salute and a good horse for you. The city has been under martial law recently, so you are not allowed to ride your horse into the streets. When you exit the city, you will see the people waiting there." Fu Yuheng nodded, and after finishing the whole thing, he signaled Ye Feng to set off immediately.


    Ye Feng did not waste any time, he immediately rushed towards the city gate after leaving the palace. As expected, as soon as he left the city gates, he saw two soldiers holding a bag and leading a horse towards him.


    He took the horse and the bundle and thanked the two of them. Then, he mounted the horse and rode straight to the border.


    Ye Feng had traveled to the border and the capital quite a few times already, so he had planned out the journey every day very carefully. When it was night time and he could no longer continue to travel, he would always have a place to rest.


    A few days later, Ye Feng arrived at the border city. He showed the pass that the Emperor had prepared for him. The soldiers at the entrance assumed that he was from the outer city. After a simple search, they sent him into the city.


    He snuck into the general''s manor where Mu Chang was. Coincidentally, Mu Chang had just discussed the situation with the rest of the officers and was resting in his own residence.


    "General Mu." Ye Feng shouted from outside the door.


    Mu Chang looked over, and saw a flash of surprise on his face. Seeing that he did not directly come in to understand what kind of secret he was talking about, and made the servants withdraw, Ye Feng entered the room to pay his respects.


    "You and I don''t need to be so courteous." Mu Chang supported him, "Did you come to the emperor this time to pass a message to me?"


    "Exactly." Ye Feng handed the letter to Mu Chang.


    Mu Chang quickly opened it and carefully read the contents, his expression becoming more and more solemn, after reading it, his expression was not one of shock, but one of shock.


    "I understand. For now, you can stay in my manor." Mu Chang did not explain the contents of the letter, he only asked for Ye Feng to stay in the mansion.


    Fu Huaiyu had been busy lately, and had only just found out that Liu Yangao had been promoted to a general. He was filled with doubts. He was well aware of what Liu Yangao had done in the army. Contribution could never make him a general. Although he was suspicious, this wasn''t the time to think about it. He could only continue to rely on him to scout the military.


    "Someone, come." he whispered.


    "Your subordinate is here." A black-clad figure appeared in front of him.


    "Tell Liu Yangao that since his current position is more convenient, he should be able to control the army from the shadows." Fu Huaiyu pinched his fingers, he could only bet that Liu Yan Gao had been promoted at this critical point in time, that it was Heaven who had come to make things easier for him.


    Shen Qingwan went to Wu Ling''s place to talk to her, only to see her silently sitting there sighing. Even when she came in, she did not react at all. Shen Qingwan frowned, not knowing what had happened.


    "Elder sister, what''s wrong?" you look haggard? "


    Wu Ling looked a lot more haggard and didn''t seem to be in the mood to dress up. She just wore plain clothes and sat in a daze in her palace. Hearing Shen Qingwan''s question, she did not hide anything and only sighed, saying, "It''s just a few things from the past. At that time, my father was found out by the court to have committed corruption and was beheaded. However, I am well aware of my father''s character, no one in this court can be found guilty of corruption by my father, he must have been framed. "But the emperor didn''t even give us time to defend ourselves. After we were convicted, we were executed ¡­"


    As she spoke, she thought of her father''s miserable state, and tears welled up in her eyes once more.


    Shen Qingwan also knew that Wu Ling''s father was a good and clean official. She felt that it was a pity, but there was nothing she could do. She could only pass a handkerchief to Wu Ling to wipe her tears.


    Wu Ling took her handkerchief and nodded her head. "When father was in prison, the family was already implicated." "In front of the imperial government, you have to behave like a man with your tail between your legs. The young officials who surrounded Father used to praise us so much, but now they step on us so painfully."


    "My mother was surrounded by civilians who did not know the facts and did not know the government, causing all sorts of difficulties. When my father left, she could not bear the pressure and followed him. When my brother first found out that my father had been framed for embezzlement, he disliked the ways of the court and disturbed the court. He offended the emperor and was then sent to jail. "It did escape the wrath of the indignant commoners."


    "Then your elder brother ¡­" You''re still trapped in the dungeon? " Shen Qingwan cautiously asked.


    "Yes." The Emperor never let him out. My father was executed, my mother committed suicide to follow him, and our palace was utterly defeated. I didn''t know where to go, but the Emperor asked me to follow him into the palace. Naturally, I wasn''t willing to bury my freedom in the palace, but the Emperor still had my elder brother in his hands. He threatened me with his life, so I had no choice but to agree to enter the palace. But the Emperor didn''t spare my elder brother for that. Wu Ling smiled bitterly.


    "So that''s how it is. There''s a lot of fighting in the palace. No wonder you never took part. Your style of doing things in the palace is also different from most concubines. If you are forced into the palace, then there are indeed many things that can be made sense. " Shen Qingwan thoughtfully nodded her head, her heart felt a little more tender towards this pitiful girl.


    "I''m not afraid of telling you the truth. I really don''t like everything in this palace until I meet you. You''re a good person, and with a glance, I can tell that you''re different from others. The one who doesn''t like it the most is the Emperor who pulled me into this huge cage. " Wu Ling lowered her head and wept.


    Shen Qingwan was at a loss as she comforted Wu Ling. In her heart, she couldn''t agree with Fu Yuheng''s actions. She hesitated for a moment.

 C175 Late Night Visits

    It would be a blow to the other officials if they were to die like this. At this rate, the number of officials in the court would be less and less.


    Moreover, Wu Ling was involved in this matter and was one of her few friends in the palace. Since this was the case, it would be easy for her to help him.


    After returning from Wu Ling''s side, Shen Qingwan felt helpless. There were many pitiful people in this palace. As she thought about these things, even when she was eating dinner, he only felt that it tasted like chewing wax.


    Maybe it was because he was tired during the day, or maybe he was just thinking too much and only felt dizzy, so he decided to sleep earlier. Just as he blew out the candle, he heard a chuckle.


    "Haha ¡­"


    Shen Qingwan''s figure stopped, but she soon frowned, "What are you doing here?" There was a hint of displeasure in her words.


    Even if the figure in the darkness didn''t clearly see her appearance, she was still very familiar with it. It was just that she didn''t know why he had come over at this time. If he wasn''t careful, he might have been discovered by the guards outside ¡­


    Fu Huaiyu, on the other hand, seemed to be in a good mood. He sat down and rubbed the rim of his cup with his fingers, and unhurriedly said: "What, do you not welcome this king?" He raised his eyebrows. In the darkness, he appeared to be as calm and collected as usual. "You have to know that This King came to see you on purpose, but I didn''t expect you to be so heartless." There was an indescribable sense of grievance in his voice.


    Shen Qingwan opened her mouth, but didn''t know what to do next.


    "I wonder what''s so good about your majesty that you actually made up your mind like this." As he spoke till here, the aura on Fu Huaiyu''s body suddenly became much sharper, and it was unknown if it was because he was a little angry in his heart.


    "Ninth Prince is cautious. The emperor is naturally good. Moreover, chenqie is the emperor''s concubine, how can she have any second thoughts?" Lowering her eyes, she thought about the meaning behind his words. She didn''t dare to relax in front of him in the slightest.


    "Chi ¡­" "Concubine Xian sure has a good mouth, but is his heart really as determined as he says it to be?" Fu Huaiyu mocked him slightly, but the strength in his hands continued to increase.


    Shen Qingwan naturally did not deny this matter. She originally only wanted to answer his question, but as for whether she had second thoughts, she did not know, "Your Highness, could it be that you''ve come today to cause trouble?" A trace of impatience flashed in her eyes. This person seemed to be causing her more and more fear. For some reason, she had the feeling that he was deliberately approaching her.


    Fu Yuheng was startled. It seemed as if he didn''t expect that she would actually say such cold words. However, he soon realized that this was indeed her original personality. It was just that she wasn''t so distant because he had saved her previously. But now, they could be considered to have broken off all decorum. "Of course not."


    "The Ninth Prince is really interested in us. After we hurt father, we can still talk leisurely with him." He didn''t need to think about it to know that they were talking about the border. Now that he mentioned it, thinking about her father''s condition at that time, Shen Qingwan''s nose turned sour and his eyes became slightly moist.


    never expected this. As a member of the imperial family, he was naturally indifferent to family relationships, and furthermore, his mother was still alive, so he naturally could not experience the feeling of someone close to losing their loved one.


    Shen Qingwan did not act pretentious. Her tears rolled in her eyes a few times before turning back, "Does Your Highness still have any other matters? If you have nothing to do, then go back. If you still want to ask if I want to be on the same side as you, then I can tell you that it is impossible. " Each word was sonorous, but it was as if nails had pierced into Fu Huaiyu''s body.


    "Ha!" That''s impossible! " Fu Huaiyu stared at Shen Qing Wan for a few breaths of time, then suddenly said: "Then let''s wait and see. One day, I will make you beg me to stand by my side!" That''s right, once he obtains the throne, let''s see how she can still be so unyielding then!


    The aura of hatred spread out from her, and she looked at Shen Qingwan like a poisoned rose, full of unwillingness and hidden feelings.


    That''s right, he had fallen for her. He didn''t know when, but he had unexpectedly fallen for this girl who didn''t know what was good for her!


    "Humph!" With a cold snort, his body slightly moved, turning around and flipping out of the window.


    At this time, Shen Qingwan finally let out a sigh of relief. She really was a difficult character to deal with. As she thought of this, the wariness in her heart increased. This person was still able to talk to her in peace, so she had to admit that such a patient attitude was quite rare.


    "Empress!" Lian Yun''s voice came from outside the door, as though she was a bit worried, and recklessly pushed open the door. Seeing that Shen Qingwan was standing inside the house unharmed, she fell onto the ground.


    "Lian Yun?" Seeing that, Shen Qing Wan immediately went forward to check, only to see that Lian Yun was crying: "What happened? Why are you crying? Could something have happened? " This was the little girl who had always been by her side. Even after all these years, she had never cried a few times.


    "It''s all my fault, I can''t even guard the door." Lian Yun choked up. Originally, Fu Huaiyu had knocked her out just now, so as not to inform Fu Yuheng of his whereabouts.


    When Lian Yun woke up, she found that she was actually sleeping on the floor, and there seemed to be sounds of conversation coming from the room. Immediately after, Fu Huaiyu flipped out of the window, confirming that there was someone inside. He was worried that Shen Qingwan would comfort him, hence he recklessly entered.


    Shen Qingwan knew that Fu Huaiyu''s arrival had worried her, so she helped her up and comforted him softly, "Aren''t I still here?" As she spoke, she intentionally circled around a few times as if he was offering a treasure. When Lian Yun came in, she had already lit up the candle, so he could see him clearly.


    Lian Yun wiped the tears at the corner of his eyes, but the remorse in his eyes had not disappeared.


    "If there is anything wrong with the Empress, then this servant will not be able to continue living." Ye Zichen glared at Shen Qingwan with an aggrieved look in his eyes. It seemed as if he was going to kill her if anything happened to her again.


    "Haha ¡­" Seeing her expression, Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but chuckle, "Silly girl, your mistress is so lucky, how could something happen so easily?" He covered the corner of his mouth and his eyes were filled with affection.


    Hearing that, Lian Yun finally nodded her head, but her eyes still refused to look away from her body.


    This made her feel somewhat helpless, "Sigh, whatever. I''m afraid that tonight, I''ll let you continue to stand guard outside. You won''t be able to rest at ease, so you should stay behind. Go rest on the bed over there." Shen Qing Wan then returned to her own bed, and as for Lian Yun, he was worried, so he did not pay much attention to etiquette, and stayed behind.

 C176 Investigate Consort

    It was a little boring not to go out for a few days, but a few days ago, she had been punished by the empress dowager for going out. As a result, she did not plan to go out.


    However, there were always some people who appeared to be extremely annoying. It was unknown whether or not they had some sort of relationship in their past life that led to them going against each other.


    Looking at the pavilion, there was a girl in a dress. It was Liu Chugrong.


    At this time, Liu Chugrong also noticed her, and his eyes turned sinister. He clenched his fingers tightly and stared in Shen Qingwan''s direction, like a leopard ready to attack at any time.


    Seeing her like this, Shen Qingwan felt very bored. The grudge from her father''s generation all the way to her generation could be considered a grudge from generation to generation. However, she didn''t like this kind of scheming and scheming, so if she wanted to hide, she had to. However, trouble always seemed to come knocking, forcing her to counterattack.


    "Sigh ¡­" Sighing lightly, he tidied up his clothes and slightly shook his head while looking at Liu Chugrong. Now that he was here, why would he need to hide?


    "Elder sister, you''re in a good mood today. Are you here to admire the flowers as well?" Shen Qingwan took a step forward and spoke first. She didn''t want to hit a smiling person, but the person in front of her clearly wasn''t someone who cared about these things.


    When Liu Chugrong saw Shen Qingwan, his eyes were like blazing fire. His heart was also filled with anger, "Who wants to be like you?" He opened his mouth and spoke sarcastically with his chin slightly raised. It could even be said that he was looking down from the top.


    Shen Qingwan knitted her brows, obviously unhappy with her words. However, just as she was about to speak, she suddenly stood up.


    "Ya, it''s true. Look at my memory, I forgot that my sister is still standing." Saying that, she pulled Shen Qingwan down to sit, her expression appearing much more gentle.


    This unusual action of his naturally attracted Shen Qingwan''s attention. She was extremely suspicious of her actions. There must be something wrong if things happened too often. She didn''t know what Liu Chugrong was planning. She had originally thought that he might be plotting something, but when she turned around and saw Fu Yuheng, who was standing not far away, she understood. So it was just a show for him to see?


    Shen Qingwan felt that it was funny, but then she realized that Liu Xiugrong was different from before. If it was before, she would most likely not care about Fu Yuheng being present. But now, the speed at which she changed her expression was so fast that it left one speechless.


    "Elder sister''s eyesight has become quite good." As expected, her expression changed, but she still maintained her gentle appearance.


    "Little sister must be joking. I''m just afraid that I''ll be tired. Little sister, don''t think too much." Liu Chu Rong''s face was a little stiff, he did not expect to be exposed so quickly, but when he thought of the note Fu Huaiyu gave her, he still tried his best to maintain his image in front of Fu Yuheng.


    He covered his mouth and laughed. Although Liu Chugrong was a shrewd and arrogant man, it was obvious that he was not very shrewd. He might have been taught a lesson by someone else. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have acted like this.


    Suddenly, he recalled that Fu Yuheng had just regained her position as imperial concubine a while ago. The gaze he used to look at her became more and more probing.


    "The two concubines are in a good mood today." Fu Yuheng walked over from a short distance away. He could naturally hear the conversation between the two, and he noticed that they seemed to be getting along quite well. A smile appeared on his face.


    "Why has the Emperor come today?" Liu Chu Rong smiled bashfully, his eyes full of love.


    "I''m tired today, so I came out to relax." He pulled up his robe and sat down as well. As he answered Liu Chugrong, his gaze would occasionally look at Shen Qingwan.


    Liu Chugrong also noticed it. She was a bit unhappy, but she tried not to show it on the surface. Her pretty face was a little twisted.


    Shen Qingwan only focused on her movements. She was rather interested in why she had become like this, and was thus ignored by Fu Yuheng.


    "Is sister tired?" Liu Chugrong sounded worried, seemingly very concerned about her body. However, she was the only one who knew the real meaning behind it.


    "Right." Shen Qingwan nodded her head before getting up. "The emperor is chatting with my elder sister. Your concubine is feeling a little tired, so I''ll be going back to rest first." Ignoring his surprised gaze, she bowed and left.


    After she left, Liu Chugrong felt a lot more relaxed. She even smiled at him.


    After Shen Qingwan returned to her room, she had always been considering the reason behind Liu Chugrong''s actions. However, no matter what, she couldn''t figure it out, so she decided to go to her yard to have a look.


    As for Liu Chugrong, he chatted with Fu Yuheng for a while. Since he still had matters to attend to, he left and returned to his courtyard.


    At that moment, the palace maid came in and handed a piece of paper to her. Seeing the content, Liu Chu Rong frowned, he could only continue to urge her to get rid of Xiao Shushen.


    But how could that be easy? Ever since her previous failure, she had tried many times, but each time, she had failed. In fact, she had almost been found out.


    He pushed the paper into a ball with his hand and threw it on the ground. But then he seemed to remember something and quickly picked it up and burned it on the candle. It was unknown if it was because the heavens were against her, but just as she was about to burn them down, she heard the palace maid''s announcement from outside, "Imperial Concubine, Concubine Xian has come to see you."


    Liu Chu Rong''s heart skipped a beat, the note in his hand also fell to the ground due to his trembling finger. At that moment, the door opened.


    "What is elder sister doing?" Shen Qingwan pushed the door open and entered. With her eyes fixed on him, the panic-stricken Liu Xiaorong became even more suspicious of her actions. With such a panicked expression, she wouldn''t believe it if she was telling the truth.


    "Hehe ¡­" Why did little sister come here today? " Perhaps it was out of guilt, but there was a hint of flattery in his tone.


    Shen Qingwan seemed to have not heard her words as she stared at the slip of paper on the ground. This slip of paper had clearly fallen to the ground halfway through its burning process. If it was going to be burned, then it must be something unknown.


    "Elder sister, I''m a bit tired today. I don''t want to come see you again in a few days." Seeing her staring at the slip of paper on the ground, Liu Chu Rong became even more panicked. He moved a few steps to the side and covered the slip of paper with his clothes. He didn''t know that she gave off a feeling of three hundred taels of silver.


    Now that the matter that she wanted to confirm had been confirmed, Shen Qingwan had no intention of staying any longer. She then left after exchanging some pleasantries. The moment she closed the door, Liu Chugrong collapsed on the ground. But someone picked up the note and burned it.


    He hadn''t thought that he would be almost found out, or perhaps it could be said that he was already suspected.


    "Someone, come!" He shouted in panic and quickly took out a piece of paper.


    Right now, the only thing left to do was to see how that man would react.

 C177 Whipping the grass to alert the snake

    It was a sunny day, but the weather was clear. These few days, all the servants in the palace had seen the flowers in the imperial garden bloom just right. Thus, Shen Qing Wan arranged for Zhao Yuanrong to take a walk and admire the flowers.


    "Empress, look at the flowers. They are extremely gorgeous." Hearing this, Shen Qingwan only curled the corner of her lips slightly, not saying anything.


    Zhao Yuanrong had interacted with her for a long time, so he was naturally clear of her indifferent personality.


    "Although the flowers in the imperial garden are beautiful, they''re not even the slightest bit as charming as my sister''s." A slight smile hung on Zhao Yuanrong''s lips, and he looked at her in the eyes.


    Shen Qingwan uninterested glanced at the flower that was blooming just in time, and slowly spoke up.


    "Has elder sister been in contact with the Imperial Consort Liu recently?" Her eyes seemed to contain a pool of autumn water, but her body also had an indifferent aura, but there wasn''t the slightest bit of disharmony.


    When he mentioned Liu Chu Rong, Zhao Yuanrong couldn''t help but frown.


    Normally, she was extremely arrogant and domineering, so everyone in the palace probably didn''t like her.


    After considering it for a moment, Zhao Yuanrong stared intently into her eyes and slowly spoke, "A few days ago, it was showing off, but I don''t know what happened recently, but it did not move at all."


    If one were to say that a person who was used to being arrogant would actually change his personality and settle down, Shen Qingwan would not believe it. Even though Liu Chugrong was very obedient, she still felt that this was not normal.


    "Is there any difference in her behavior?" They were also from the same camp, so they didn''t need to worry about their own people hearing these words.


    "I''ve been paying attention. It''s just that I''ve been slightly more obedient than usual and haven''t done anything that attracts my attention." Zhao Yuanrong told everything he knew.


    Hearing this, Shen Qing Wan''s gaze became complicated, her eyes flashed a light.


    Liu Chugrong''s abnormal behavior during this period of time was not a coincidence. If someone had not told her about it, she would not have been able to do it.


    Was he ordered by someone else? Then what did that person want to do through Liu Chu Rong? What was his purpose?


    These series of problems caused Shen Qingwan a headache. She didn''t even sit in the imperial garden for long as she allowed Xiao Man to help her back.


    "Pay close attention to Imperial Consort Liu. If there is anything unusual, come and inform us." Xiao Man was able to use her powers without worry. After all, she was a servant girl that he was close to.


    Xiao Man didn''t want to be lazy, so she went to the other palaces to ask about it the same day.


    She was in no hurry to get to the main topic at hand. After the two of them started interacting, the palace maid, Xiao Lv, also let her guard down.


    "Recently, the Imperial Concubine has really become a lot more amiable. It''s not like they''re used to calling us palace maids." Xiao Lv said in disbelief. After all, the previous Imperial Concubine was not like this.


    Xiao Man pricked up her ears and listened, but pretended not to care, and asked casually: "Did Imperial Concubine get into contact with anyone, and change their personality?"


    Being guided by her, Xiao Lv suddenly became interested, mysteriously looked around, and after confirming that there was no one around, he moved closer to her.


    "I think I overheard Imperial Concubine saying that Prime Minister Liu and he have been very close recently."


    "Huh?" Xiao Man pretended to be shocked, "Ninth Prince?"


    Xiao Lv firmly nodded her head, "Recently, the people from the Ninth Prince have also frequently come over to Imperial Concubine, but every time, I will not be there to serve them."


    Xiao Man memorized these words as the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.


    Xiao Lv''s somewhat panicked voice sounded beside her ears, "You better not talk about this anywhere, otherwise Imperial Concubine will definitely skin me alive!"


    "Yes." Xiao Man nodded, but her thoughts were different.


    Shen Qingwan was currently sipping her tea in her room. Her expression was calm and she had an otherworldly aura.


    "Empress!" "Empress!" Xiao Man, who was standing outside the hall, had already run over while shouting loudly. She had a carefree look on her face and didn''t care about the gazes from the surrounding people at all.


    Shen Qingwan''s face unconsciously revealed a trace of a smile. She liked her straightforward personality.


    Xiao Man ran all the way in and was already panting heavily. She stuck out her tongue and gasped for breath, unable to speak.


    "Xiao Man, don''t worry. Sit down and drink some water." Shen Qing Wan waved her over and poured her a cup of freshly brewed tea.


    Shen Qingwan continued pouring the tea into her mouth, not caring about anything else as she continued drinking. After knowing that she had finished the entire pot of tea, she scratched her head in embarrassment.


    Seeing that she had finally calmed down, Shen Qingwan smiled and asked, "Have you obtained any news?"


    "I heard that Prime Minister Liu and Ninth Prince have been very close recently, and that the two of them have met in private many times." Xiao Man opened his mouth with a mysterious look, as if he was talking about some big secret.


    "Is all this news true?"


    "Of course!" Xiao Man patted her chest and promised.


    With Liu Chu Rong''s pampered temperament, she was not afraid of the heavens or the earth, and dared to provoke anyone. However, if it was said that she could be honest with ordinary things, Shen Qingwan felt that it was impossible. And now that she had turned into such a person, there must be some unspeakable secrets hidden within.


    It looked like there was only one possibility, and that was that all of this was part of Fu Huaiyu''s plan. Shen Qingwan was secretly on alert.


    After thinking for a long time, he decided to tell Fu Yuheng about this matter.


    "Are you sure this has something to do with him?" He slammed his palm on the table, then stood up. His eyes were filled with anger, as if he had heard something he couldn''t accept.


    Indeed, no matter who it was that heard that the person beside his pillow had ill intentions towards him, they would definitely not be able to accept it, let alone the lofty and aloof him.


    "Not sure yet, but pretty much." Lowering his eyes, complicated expressions could be seen on his face. That person seemed to be extending his hands longer and longer, and now he was extending his hands into the harem.


    "For the time being, don''t spread the news. The most important thing right now is to not alert the enemy." Fu Yuheng was silent for a moment before the corners of his mouth gradually curved into a slight curve.


    "Chenqie understands." Shen Qingwan raised her head and looked at him. How could she not understand this logic? I hope that Your Majesty will be more careful. " There was concern in her voice.


    Hearing this, he clenched his fist without leaving a trace. In his heart, there was indeed an additional smile. Her concern was quite rare.


    "You can go back first. We will take care of this right now." The tiredness on her face showed that she had not rested well in the past few days. If she was allowed to stay, it would appear that he was being too harsh on her.


    "Here." Shen Qingwan was indeed tired, but these matters had to be settled well before she could let them go.

 C178 Huayens treatment

    The night was as cold as water, and the moonlight outside the window was like a layer of silver cloth, blending into the mysterious night. At this moment, the inside of the palace was completely silent. Only the patrolling people were walking back and forth. From time to time, the sounds of birds chirping could be heard, but it was also very quiet.


    Shen Qingwan had already turned off the candles and slept. Perhaps because she did not sleep well the previous night, but today, she confirmed that Liu Chu Rong was ordered by Fu Huaiyu to go to sleep by Fu Huaiyu.


    Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Shen Qingwan, who was already drowsy, immediately tensed up.


    The footsteps drew closer and closer. Then, "Bang!" With a sound, the window of Shen Qingwan''s room was slammed open.


    She suddenly sat up and looked towards the window with a tense expression.


    From the size of his body, it was obvious that he was a man. One of his hands covered his chest as he panted heavily. His eyes swept around the room and finally stopped at Shen Qingwan''s location.


    Shen Qingwan even had a feeling that even in the darkness, the pair of peach blossom eyes were just as mesmerizing.


    She stepped forward and lit the oil lamp. The dim light dispelled the darkness in the room.


    Shen Qingwan''s heart was slightly startled. He actually came to her room at such a time, and she was even injured.


    Fu Huaiyu withdrew his gaze, moved his body, and found a place to sit down. His simple action seemed to have affected his wounds, causing him to suck in a breath of cold air while grimacing in pain.


    Shen Qing Wan closed the window, looked at Fu Huaiyu and asked softly: "What''s wrong with you, why are you injured?"


    He raised his head and looked at her. His eyes were cold, enough to make people shiver.


    Seeing that he was unwilling to speak, she did not pursue the matter. He had barged into her room late into the night. Being alone in her room was not really appropriate. Logically speaking, she should have kicked him out, but Fu Huaiyu was her benefactor, and now that he was injured, she could not watch on helplessly. Moreover, she did not like the feeling of owing favors to others the most.


    "I''ll go buy some medicine for you. Wait for me here." Shen Qingwan''s lips moved, and then he turned to look for Lian Yun.


    "Empress, what orders do you have?"


    Shen Qingwan whispered into Lian Yun''s ears, "Lian Yun, help me buy some medicine. "Be careful, don''t let anyone see you."


    Lian Yun looked at her in confusion, not understanding why she suddenly bought the medicine, she thought that she was injured, but seeing her shake her head, she knew that she was asking something she shouldn''t have. Therefore, she did not say much and silently left the palace.


    As she watched Lian Yun''s figure disappear into the night, Shen Qingwan turned around and returned to her room. Fu Huaiyu was still standing at his original spot without moving an inch.


    Shen Qingwan looked at her own bed and walked forward. She extended her arm to help him up, not just because of the heavy injury, but also because he seemed to have lost all her strength. This close proximity made her feel uncomfortable, and she didn''t like being too close to others.


    After expending a great deal of effort, he finally managed to place Fu Huaiyu on the bed beside him. He frowned as he looked at him. Who could have hurt him? A string of questions piled up in his mind, but he didn''t ask them again.


    "Esteemed Empress, I''m back ¡­" Just at this moment, Lian Yun hurried back from the outside and deliberately lowered his voice as he spoke. He passed the medicine he bought to her.


    "Did anyone see him on the way?" Shen Qing Wan asked worriedly. If someone were to see her in the palace, it would be a huge crime against her.


    Lian Yun shook her head, and smiled somewhat pridefully. "Empress, don''t worry. I was extremely careful along the way, and no one noticed us."


    Shen Qing Wan then relaxed, and looked towards Fu Huaiyu who was lying on the bed with a weak face.


    She went forward to untie Fu Huaiyu''s clothes and carefully smeared the medicine on his wounds.


    A numb feeling spread to his brain along with the pain from the wound, stimulating his nerves. He was confused as to what was happening as he looked at her painstakingly applying the medicine. However, his eyes turned darker.


    An hour later, he was finally done with his wounds. He lifted his hand slightly to tidy up his clothes, and looked at her with a strange expression in his eyes.


    "Dong, dong, dong!" There was a knock on the door.


    Fu Huaiyu''s eyes turned cold. He glanced at the door and then disappeared in a flash in front of Shen Qingwan.


    After seeing his body disappear behind the screen, Shen Qingwan then walked towards the door, thinking about how to deal with the people outside.


    Thinking of this, she had already reached the door. He put his hand on the door and paused. She took a deep breath before opening the door. The ones outside were two palace maids. She secretly heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Why are you looking for me so late at night?" Shen Qingwan''s voice was the same as usual, no difference could be made.


    "In reply to the Empress, this servant came here specifically to deliver to you the flower seeds you wanted today." said the lady, raising her hand, and holding in it an elaborate brocade sack.


    Shen Qingwan opened it and took a look. It was indeed a flower.


    "Thank you for your hard work today, but don''t come looking for me so late in the future." He looked at the two palace maids in displeasure, as if blaming them for not understanding the rules.


    "Empress, please don''t blame me. This servant will definitely not dare to do so again. Please forgive me!" When the palace maid heard the displeasure in her voice, he nodded his head repeatedly. He naturally knew that he had not paid enough attention to the timing and had disturbed the Empress''s rest. It was just that even though Shen Qingwan was usually indifferent, she was very tolerant of her servants. As a result, they weren''t particularly afraid, but they were very respectful.


    "Forget about it this time, just pay more attention in the future. You guys can leave first." Shen Qingwan waved to the palace maids, signaling them to leave.


    "Thank you, Empress, thank you." After thanking them, the two palace maids hurriedly left.


    She smiled slightly, returned to her room and closed the door. Not long later, Fu Huaiyu struggled out from behind the screen, his movements just now in a hurry was too wide, it was evident that he had injured himself, and his face had also turned pale.


    "Let''s rest here for the night and go back tomorrow when my injuries are better." Shen Qingwan secretly frowned when she saw his appearance. She was afraid that he would be noticed the moment she stepped out of the door.


    Fu Huaiyu still did not answer, she was helpless, and could only help him to sit on a bed to the side.


    There were people in the room who could not sleep well, but they could not bear the fatigue of the past few days and fell asleep before daybreak.


    The night passed quickly, and Shen Qingwan opened her eyes. The room was empty except for her, as if what happened last night was just a dream, but the medicine bag was still left on the table. She also took it.

 C179 Shufeis sensation

    "Empress, the Shufei''s Queen has come." Lian Yun hurriedly came in from the outside and whispered into Shen Qing Wan''s ear.


    Before Shen Qingwan could react, Wu Ling already walked into the house by herself with a faint smile on her face.


    "Little sister, I suddenly remember ¡­" Saying that, Wu Ling paused, seeing Shen Qingwan looking at her with a strange expression, she couldn''t help but ask, "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing ¡­" Shen Qingwan sighed at the bad timing, and curled her lips in embarrassment. The room had yet to be cleaned up, and with her meticulousness, she would definitely discover something.


    Wu Ling knitted her eyebrows in doubt. She did not dwell on this point and continued speaking her unfinished words, "I suddenly remember that you forgot to bring your things to me. I always forget to deliver them to you. I have always been bored in the yard and come to visit you today."


    Receiving the item from her, Shen Qingwan pursed her lips and said: "It''s just a small accessory, how can I have to trouble elder sister to personally deliver it. I''m not in a good condition, hurry up and sit down."


    "Naturally, he also misses his sister. "What''s more, I remember that the Emperor specially brought this hairpin to you a few days ago. You should keep it well ¡­" At this point, Wu Ling suddenly wrinkled his nose. "Sister, your house ¡­" Why does it smell like blood? "


    Shen Qingwan thought to herself, as expected, before she could think of how to respond, Wu Ling saw the blood stains on the collapsed area with her sharp eyes. She quickly walked to the side of the bed and bent down to take a closer look. After confirming that there was really blood on the bed, she asked with a serious and worried expression, "Little sister, what is going on? You were assassinated? "


    Seeing that Wu Ling''s face didn''t show any signs of worry, Shen Qingwan sighed lightly and decided to tell her the truth. "Elder sister is overthinking it, this ¡­"


    Wu Ling was shocked and replied after a while, "I''m afraid this isn''t appropriate ¡­" If the Emperor finds out about you and Ninth Prince, I''m afraid he will blame you. "


    "Sigh, it''s precisely because it''s not too appropriate that little sister wants big sister to do me a favor and keep this matter a secret." Shen Qing Wan said helplessly.


    "Of course. It''s just that I don''t understand why you did that. Aren''t you afraid of getting into trouble? Tell me the truth, what exactly is your relationship with the Ninth Prince? " Wu Ling''s expression was cold, clearly disagreeing with her decision. As a friend, she was naturally thinking for her life. As for the others, what did they have to do with her?


    "You might not know this, but Ninth Prince saved me many times and helped me out. Now that he''s in trouble, I can help him to repay his kindness. Although he has helped me many times, we are destined to become enemies because of his position. " Xiao Yan frowned slightly. It was obvious that he was helpless against this matter. He sighed, "The thing that I dislike the most is owing someone a favor. This way, it will be much easier."


    "So that''s how it is." Wu Ling nodded her head in understanding. She didn''t ask why a concubine like her and a prince were destined to be enemies, "There are many things involved, so you making your own decision is the best." "Just think carefully, don''t make the wrong decision. If you think about it in the future, regret it and you will lose."


    "I understand." Shen Qingwan was naturally grateful to this close friend of hers. It was already a great comfort for his to say such words.


    "In that case, I''ll head back first. As for this matter, I will not bring it up again, so you should be extra careful. " His face returned to its indifferent expression, but there was a clear look of worry on it.


    After waiting for her people to leave, Shen Qingwan muttered to herself for a while, before instructing Lian Yun who had been standing quietly at the side, "Go and fetch me some water and rouge, and find a new set of bedding."


    "Yes." Lian Yun lowered her head and replied.


    When Lian Yun took all the things over, Shen Qingwan used water to wipe all the blood stains off the bed. She also took off the dirty blanket and gave it to Lian Yun after drinking all the water, "Take it to the Raccoon Clothing Workshop to wash."


    He then used the handkerchief to wipe off the blood on the bed, adding a thick layer of rouge and called Xiao Man over.


    "Take care of this blanket, it''s been dirty by rouge." With a cold and detached face, he cautiously explained, "Be careful to cover up for others."


    Xiao Man respectfully received it. Seeing that she seemed to be in a bad mood, she didn''t dare to ask any further questions.


    After checking for a few times to make sure that there weren''t any traces of blood, Shen Qingwan finally placed the new bedding on top of it. At this time, Lian Yun also returned from the outside and reported to her: "Empress, leave all of this to our reliable palace maids to wash."


    Shen Qingwan nodded and said, "Help me burn the incense we got from the Fashan Temple."


    He opened all the windows in the room. It just so happened that the wind was relatively strong today. After blowing for a while, Shen Qingwan could clearly feel that the smell of blood in the room had weakened.


    Because Shen Qingwan wasn''t used to using incense, Lian Yun searched for a long time to find the Calm Incense that Shen Qingwan had prayed to at Fashan Temple a few days ago.


    Lian Yun lit up the incense in the room, and then gently fanned it with her fan to help it dissipate its smell. After a while, the room was filled with the smell of incense, and because the windows were open, there was also a light fragrance.


    "Forget it, you don''t need to keep an eye on it. Just let it burn." Only when she felt the smell had almost completely covered her did she ask her to stop.


    Shen Qingwan was just about to close the window when a sharp voice came from the outside, "The emperor has arrived!"


    "Welcome, your Majesty." Panic flashed through his eyes, but he quickly covered it up. However, he wasn''t discovered.


    "Please dispense with the formalities." Fu Yuheng waved his hand, indicating for the two of them to rise.


    "I didn''t know that Your Majesty would come ¡­" "What is it?" Shen Qingwan opened his mouth to probe.


    "Nothing, I just came to visit you." Fu Yuheng said. He was surprised to see the incense burner in the room and asked, "I smell the fragrance wafting around your courtyard. It turns out that my beloved concubine is burning incense in her room. "However, I remember that you didn''t have the habit of using incense before ¡­"


    "Chenqie hasn''t been sleeping well recently, so using a few popular methods won''t work. After thinking for a while, I''ll give this incense a try." This incense was retrieved from the Fashan Temple by chenqie a few days ago, and I didn''t manage to grasp it properly, causing the smell in the room to become too strong. Thus, chenqie could only open the window and let out some fresh air. " Shen Qingwan calmly prepared an excuse for the details, "If the emperor likes this smell, then chenqie can bring some back to Fashan Temple next time."


    "So that''s how it is. But why didn''t your beloved concubine look for the imperial physician? " Fu Yuheng nodded but did not ask too much about this matter.


    "Chenqie''s matter can be big or small, but the imperial physician is busy. How could he have the nerve to bother the imperial physician with such a small matter?" Shen Qingwan smiled.


    "What are you talking about by your beloved concubine? But if this incense is really useful, then it''s much better than medicine." Hearing her words, he didn''t say anything more. "Then my beloved concubine, you should pay more attention to rest. Don''t be too vexed." After speaking, he left for a few more hours before leaving.

 C180 Her Majestys status

    Not long after the emperor left, the empress dowager sent someone over to tell Shen Qingwan to make a trip to the ancestral hall.


    Shen Qing Wan quickly tidied herself up and followed the Gui mama who came to deliver the message to the ancestral hall. She was filled with doubts. The empress dowager had clearly made her feel that she wasn''t very satisfied with her before. Why was it that she''d been summoned so frequently recently? Other than the time when he was punishing her, the other times did not seem like he was making things difficult for her.


    After thinking about it for a while, she still didn''t understand. Shen Qingwan didn''t want this question to bother her, so she just tossed it to the back of her mind and stopped thinking about it. In any case, in this palace, besides those related to each other and standing on the same side as the empress dowager, the relationship between the empress dowager and the concubine could only be further apart. And it was the Empress Dowager who left, and they watched her go.


    "Empress, Empress?" Gui mama saw that Shen Qing Wan''s thoughts were far away, and called her back to her senses.


    Shen Qingwan lightly shook her head, looking at Gui mama who had stopped by the side, she asked: "How is it?"


    "Empress, we have arrived. "The ancestral hall is an important place for the imperial priests. The rest of you are not allowed to enter until you have received a special summons. You''ll have to let the Empress in." Gui mama said.


    It was only then that Shen Qingwan realised that they had already reached their destination. After thanking the Gui mama, she walked straight into the ancestral hall. The tightly guarded ancestral hall did not have anyone stopping her from speaking, so she must have received an order in advance.


    Entering the ancestral hall, Shen Qingwan saw the empress dowager kneeling in front of the buddhist hall with her eyes closed, devoutly chanting the scripture. She did not come forward to disturb him, but merely stood respectfully by the side.


    Not long after, the empress dowager opened her eyes and made as if to get up from the ground. The empress dowager allowed her to support him as well, standing straight while Shen Qingwan helped the empress dowager stroke her clothes.


    "You''re here." Only then did the empress dowager speak at a leisurely pace.


    "Chenqie has come late, Esteemed Empress Dowager, please punish me." Shen Qingwan lowered her head and said.


    "Alright, This Dowager didn''t say that you came late again. As for you people, no matter what happens when you open your mouth, you will just be asking for forgiveness. The empress dowager was displeased and stopped speaking, gesturing for Shen Qingwan to stop.


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head. She didn''t dare to accept such words, so it was better to stay silent.


    The empress dowager didn''t expect Shen Qingwan to give her any response, so she continued, "Since you''ve come, help This Dowager copy the Buddhist scriptures."


    As he said that, he passed a thick scripture to Shen Qingwan.


    Shen Qingwan received it with both hands and didn''t ask the empress dowager how many copies she would like to make. She just followed the empress dowager''s instructions and went to the desk in the inner room, quietly sitting down and copying every word.


    Although she didn''t know the Empress Dowager''s purpose, she still did what she was asked to do. For the entire afternoon, one of them was reciting scriptures while the other was copying the scriptures. They were at peace and were getting along harmoniously.


    When the sky outside darkened, the empress dowager walked in and took the scripture Shen Qingwan had copied.


    "Even copying a scripture is so slow." The empress dowager tsked, seeming unsatisfied but not making things difficult for her. "Alright, it''s night now. Let''s go back with This Dowager."


    Since the empress dowager didn''t say anything more about her, she naturally wouldn''t continue the topic of copying the scriptures. She could only obediently reply.


    On the way back, she sat in the same palanquin as the empress dowager. Due to her previous experience riding in the same carriage, Shen Qingwan didn''t feel too stifled. The Empress Dowager was just as she had been the previous time, closing her eyes and dozing off as soon as they set out.


    The servant took her back to her courtyard as instructed by the empress. She got off the palanquin and thanked the empress. The empress dowager did not even open her eyes. She knew enough not to speak, and watched the sedan chair go far away before entering her own courtyard.


    "Empress, you''ve finally returned. The emperor has come twice to ask. Esteemed Empress Dowager didn''t make things difficult for you, right? " Lian Yun saw his own mistress coming back from outside and immediately went forward to support her.


    "No. The Emperor came? Did he ever say what it was about? " Shen Qing Wan frowned, the Emperor has something to tell her?


    As they were discussing, a bright yellow figure accompanied the eunuch''s sharp voice, "The emperor has arrived!" He walked into the room.


    Fu Yuheng raised his hand to stop the two people who were about to bow and say, "No need. I came over for a few words before leaving."


    Lian Yun did not dare to skip the formalities and left after giving a gentle bow to the two of them, leaving the two of them with the space.


    "I heard that the emperor has come to chenqie a few times already because he has something important to discuss?" Shen Qingwan asked.


    "Not really. I had just remembered to tell you something about Her Majesty, and you were sent away by Her Majesty. It''s not like Zhen can ask about news from time to time from the empress dowager''s side, so we can only take a look once we pass by. " Fu Yuheng answered as if he did not care.


    "I don''t know what Your Majesty is referring to?" Shen Qingwan nodded, his heart was filled with suspicions.


    "The empress dowager is Fu Huaiyu''s mother. This Emperor doesn''t know if you know or not. "It''s not really a big deal, but recently, the empress dowager has always been interfering with my affairs, both openly and covertly, and has often come into contact with you. I feel that I should give you a reminder to be on guard against the empress dowager." He sighed and summarized the complicated situation.


    After a moment of silence, she seemed to be digesting this news, but also seemed to be pondering on how to respond. She didn''t stay silent for too long. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. You''ve personally come to remind chenqie of this." This concubine understands and will keep an eye out for you. "


    "Mm." Fu Yuheng nodded. "I have said what needs to be said. I will be going back now. I''ve come to your courtyard many times today, and tomorrow, someone will have to change his way of speaking. "


    Shen Qingwan smiled bitterly in her heart, and could only respectfully send him off.


    For several days in a row, no one came to disturb her in her courtyard. It was rare for her to have a few casual days. Fu Huaiyu did not appear in front of everyone for a few days as well.


    He was severely injured that day, so he went back to find a hidden house to rest. After recovering from his injuries, he recalled that after Shen Qingwan had saved his life, she no longer had anything to do with him.


    After thinking about it again and again, he still felt unwilling to give up on her. Thus, he chose a dark and windy night and once again sneaked into Shen Qingwan''s room while wearing his night clothes.


    Shen Qing Wan was already prepared to take off her clothes to sleep, but seeing that there was an extra black-clothed person in the room, she quickly redressed and asked with slight anger: "What is the meaning of this, your highness? I should have already explained it clearly last time, why did the Prince choose such a time to meet again? After all, there is a difference between men and women. If Your Highness has any matters to discuss with me, you can come and visit me in my courtyard in broad daylight. "


    Fu Huaiyu was silent for a moment, and did not answer her, but asked her again: "You should know, that I have come, and just wanted to ask you one more time, are you willing to follow me? If you are truly unwilling to follow This King, then it''s alright. As long as you join This King''s camp, This King will not have to hurt you and will definitely not treat you unfairly. "

 C181 Paying a visit to concubine

    "Your Highness, we are in a difficult position, I hope Your Highness won''t force me. In this lifetime, I will only follow one person, the Emperor, and be on the same side as him. " Shen Qingwan looked into his eyes and said seriously.


    Fu Huaiyu was speechless, looking at Shen Qingwan''s resolute expression, the last bit of rationality in her heart was about to be severed, she frantically wanted to destroy the person that he could not get.


    In the end, Fu Huaiyu suppressed the craziness in his heart, and turned back to look at his with a pair of peach blossom eyes, his tone becoming distant, "This is truly regretful. Since this is the case, this king will not disturb you anymore, I hope your choice is correct."


    Then, just as if he had suddenly come, he suddenly disappeared from her room. However, once some crazy thoughts appeared, even if they could be suppressed, they would never disappear. One day, this kind of thoughts would make people take action.


    Shen Qing Wan rubbed her temples and did not take Fu Huaiyu''s words to heart. On the other hand, she was relieved that the two of them had made things clear. When she thought of how she didn''t need to get entangled with him anymore, she finally felt a lot more at ease.


    After a dreamless night, Shen Qingwan slept soundly, and the next day, she was in a very good mood.


    "Lian Yun, is there anything important to do in the palace today?" In order to be absolutely safe, Shen Qingwan and Lian Yun would often check on the important matters in the palace together.


    "In reply to the Empress, there is nothing important to do today." Lian Yun replied.


    "Alright, then prepare yourself to accompany me to the imperial palace. Please send a travel pass here and accompany me to take a look around the streets outside the palace." I also miss my father. I need to go visit him. " Shen Qing Wan said.


    "Alright." Lian Yun could tell that Shen Qingwan was in a good mood today. She wasn''t surprised that she had brought up the idea of going for a stroll, but she was a little worried that this pass wouldn''t be easy to obtain.


    Fortunately, Fu Yuheng seemed to be in a good mood today. He didn''t let Shen Qingwan say much and generously gave them two passes, allowing them to leave the palace. Of course, the reason Shen Qingwan gave was to return to the General''s Estate to visit her father.


    This was because the two of them planned to stroll around the streets before returning to the general''s estate. The two of them changed into the clothes of ordinary young misses and maidservants. They only had two guards secretly protect them before leaving the palace.


    "Miss, we haven''t left the palace in a long time, where are we going today?" Lian Yun had already followed Shen Qing Wan out quite a few times, she was already used to changing her mind.


    The last time Shen Qingwan had disguised herself as a man and left the palace, the empress dowager had been angered for many days. For the sake of avoiding suspicion, she hadn''t brought up the idea of leaving the palace for a long time.


    "Let''s go to our usual house ¡­" As she said that, Shen Qing Wan suddenly saw a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. She paused for a moment, signalling Lian Yun not to make a sound, then quietly walked closer to that person.


    He saw a woman in light pink clothing leaning forward. Not far in front of the two of them, she was talking to another person.


    Shen Qingwan pretended to pass by, and after hearing what the two were saying, she said in her heart, "As expected."


    This woman was precisely one of Fu Huaiyu''s concubines that she had seen in his residence when she went to find him because of the border issue. Because she had only met her a few times, she felt that she looked familiar, and coincidentally, she was talking about Fu Huaiyu with the people around her, allowing her to confirm her thoughts.


    Coincidentally, she needed to find someone beside Fu Huaiyu to ask about his usual ways. Such a careful person would definitely not tell something too confidential to a concubine who was not too favoured, so she definitely would not know that they had fallen out. So she brought Lian Yun and walked forward, pretending to be puzzled as she asked: "Ah! Young lady, have we met before? "


    "..." You are... Concubine Xian! " The concubine exclaimed softly when she saw her face.


    Shen Qingwan raised her hand and made a small gesture, saying: "Shh, I secretly went out of the palace to visit you, don''t expose my identity and make it difficult for me."


    The concubine immediately covered her mouth and whispered apologetically, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I was just surprised. Miss has indeed seen me before, I am a concubine in the Ninth Prince Palace. "


    The person who was talking to this concubine knew that Shen Qingwan had something to talk about, so he tactfully took his leave.


    Shen Qingwan brought them to a place where there were less people and asked: "I remember now, no wonder I heard my sister talk about the Ninth Prince. It was also a fortuitous encounter between me and my sister. I wonder if I could ask you to do me a favor? "


    "Mother ¡­" Miss, just speak frankly. I will do my best. " The concubine said.


    "Speaking of which, I''m not afraid of my sister''s jokes. Actually, I have always worshipped the Prince, which is why I took the opportunity to listen to more about the Prince''s deeds. "My sister is someone close to the prince, so she must know a lot of the prince''s personality. Can you tell me more about it?" This was the explanation that Shen Qingwan had already thought of long ago.


    Seeing that her concubine was a little hesitant, Shen Qingwan said, "No worries, I''m just curious and won''t make a fuss about it. So whatever little sister wants to say, I''ll just say it."


    That concubine then said submissively, "Sigh, I have also seen too many people worship your highness, I understand. Miss, you don''t know this, but although the prince is very handsome and looks kind and easy to get along with, he is actually very temperamental.


    Shen Qingwan thought that this was a good thing, but on the surface, she looked puzzled as she asked: "What do you mean?"


    "Earlier, a concubine accidentally touched something of his. She apologetically apologized to him. She thought that with the prince''s personality, it shouldn''t be a big deal. In the end, that person was moved to the desolated courtyard. After a short while, he went crazy." The concubine said in a low voice.


    Shen Qingwan was surprised, she did not expect Fu Huaiyu to be such a person. Originally, even if the two of them were not from the same camp, they could still be considered as enemies. However, in her heart, she still respected Fu Huaiyu a lot. From the looks of it, it was just a skin of his own.


    She said, "I didn''t expect that Your Highness would do such a thing. It really makes one''s heart feel cold."


    The concubine was quick to spit it out, but only then did she recall her fear. "This ¡­" "I didn''t mean to chew on prince''s tongue behind his back, but ¡­"


    "I understand." Shen Qingwan signaled his concubine not to be afraid, "I''m not from the Royal Mansion. I''ll only listen to these words and won''t spread them out. "Don''t worry."


    The concubine was very grateful and thanked Shen Qingwan profusely before leaving.


    The General Shen''s body was already pretty much recovered. After greeting his daughter for a while, she was in a good mood again, indicating that he would be returning to the military camp to take a look.


    Seeing that her father was alright, and that he was in a good mood, she was also very happy. She stayed at the general''s mansion for dinner before General Shen sent someone to escort the two of them back to the palace.

 C182 Follow Wing Ling

    After leaving the General''s Estate, Shen Qingwan returned to her bedroom and couldn''t help but recall what Fu Huaiyu''s concubine, Wen Ling, said to outsiders.


    Shen Qingwan thought about it carefully. This concubine didn''t seem to have any reason to lie to her. Curious, she decided to visit the Ninth Prince''s Mansion.


    However, she was dressed in a woman''s attire. Once she was there, her identity would be recognized by others. If she were to do that, it would be impossible for her to find out about any unknown matters.


    Shen Qingwan changed into men''s clothing again, taking advantage of the lack of people in the morning, she quietly left the palace.


    Not long after, she arrived outside the Ninth Prince''s Mansion, pretended to be wandering around casually, looking all around, but in reality, she had been observing the situation inside the Ninth Prince''s Mansion. Because she had camouflaged herself well, no one suspected her.


    In the blink of an eye, she had already circled the Ninth Prince''s Mansion a few times, clearly seeing the situation outside. However, she did not find anything unusual.


    Seeing that there was no harvest, she was prepared to give up and just as she was about to leave, a beautiful lady walked out from the Ninth Prince''s Mansion. Shen Qingwan recognized her as Wen Ling from yesterday.


    After some thought, he followed her to a jewelry store far away.


    It was here that he saw her yesterday. Furthermore, from the way she and the boss were chatting and laughing, she must have been a regular customer. That was why they were so familiar with each other.


    Shen Qingwan also followed him into the shop.


    Sure enough, as soon as Wen Ling entered, a shop assistant walked up to enthusiastically entertain him, leaving Shen Qingwan in the dust.


    However, this would be more in line with Shen Qingwan''s intentions. She didn''t want Wen Ling to be suspicious of her. She casually pretended to look at the various items in the shop while attentively observing Wenling.


    Not long later, the boss walked down from the second floor and greeted him with a wide smile.


    "Boss, the bracelet that I took a fancy to yesterday is already in stock now?" Wen Ling fiddled with the golden hairpin on his head and asked.


    "Yes, yes. Please come with me." The boss smilingly brought Wen Ling to the counter.


    He gave a meaningful glance to the shop assistant at the side. The shop assistant understood and quickly ran away.


    The shop owner continued to chat with Wen Ling. Not long later, the shop assistant ran back again, a wooden sip in his hand, and handed it over to the shop owner. Taking the wooden sip, the owner gently opened it and handed it to her.


    Shen Qingwan, who was standing to the side, saw a light green jade bracelet in the middle of the wooden sip.


    The corners of Wen Ling''s lips unconsciously curled up. He impatiently took the jade bracelet into his hands and gently caressed it. It was obvious that he was very satisfied.


    "Why don''t you take a look?"


    The boss obviously knew how to read the situation, and at the right moment, he opened his mouth.


    When Wen Ling heard his words, he placed the jade bracelet on his hand and raised it high above his head. The jade bracelet was emitting a sparkling and translucent luster under the sunlight. The surrounding people were all praising it, making her enjoy it.


    After buying the jade bracelet, Wen Ling did not stay any longer and left the shop. Shen Qingwan paused for a moment before following him out.


    The shop owner glanced at Shen Qingwan''s back and clicked his tongue disdainfully, treating her as if she was the type of person who was unable to buy anything just by looking at her.


    Shen Qingwan chased out of the store, expecting Wen Ling to return just like that. Unexpectedly, she looked around warily, then turned around and walked into an alleyway.


    Since the space in the alleyway was narrow, he purposely stayed there for a while. He estimated that Wen Ling had walked over, and Shen Qingwan had followed him over this time.


    After walking a few steps, he heard the laughter of two people not too far away. Shen Qingwan recognized that one of the voices belonged to Wen Ling, but the other person was a man.


    Shen Qingwan lowered her footsteps and stuck close to the corner of the wall, listening to their conversation. From time to time, she would stick her head out to observe the two of them.


    Wen Ling then walked into the room with the man. Soon, some heavy breathing could be heard.


    Shen Qingwan, who was outside, suddenly blushed. She hurriedly walked far away and accidentally knocked into some trash on the floor and made a sound. The two people in the room did not notice this.


    After four hours, Wen Ling walked out of the alleyway. Shen Qingwan, who had been impatiently waiting, immediately noticed her. She stared at her out of the corner of her eye with a strange expression.


    It seems that this Fu Huaiyu could not control his either! Shen Qingwan thought.


    Wen Ling looked around at the people around him before he lowered his head and walked in the direction of the Ninth Prince''s Mansion.


    Shen Qingwan stopped at her original spot and continued to wait. Sure enough, not long later, a man walked out from the alleyway. He was also strong, had a sturdy build, had a resolute expression on his face, and at first glance, seemed to have a rough temperament.


    Shen Qingwan pondered for a while and secretly noted down the man''s appearance.


    It was already past noon. Shen Qingwan raised her head and looked at the sky. After coming out for so long, it was time to return. She didn''t continue heading straight for the palace.


    In a building by the southern river, Fu Huaiyu was drinking tea and enjoying the scenery of the river with a leisurely expression.


    "Prince is so interested! I, Zhu Yan, am truly courteous to you. " In front of him, a girl sat down, poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip.


    The lady was dressed in tight clothes, her expression was resolute, she was obviously not an ordinary person, and her relationship with Fu Huaiyu was obviously not ordinary.


    Fu Huaiyu raised the corner of his mouth and looked at her with interest: "I wonder if this lady is willing to spend the night with me?"


    His eyes flickered and a peculiar feeling rose from within his heart. Even though she was his subordinate, she loved him a lot, but she knew that it was impossible between the two of them and she could only hide this fondness deep within her heart.


    Seeing Fu Huaiyu who had already turned his head and was looking at the scenery by the river, Zhu Yan opened his mouth, but no words came out. And Fu Huaiyu was also joking just now, obviously not taking what he had just said to heart.


    "Your Highness, you must be joking." Zhu Yan forced a smile out of her mouth.


    Fu Huaiyu looked at her with a profound look, then turned his head again, no longer paying any attention to her. She sighed softly in his heart. Fu Huaiyu was clearly an ambitious person, yet he pretended to indulge himself in debauchery all day, making everyone think that he was a useless trash. She could not figure out what he was thinking.

 C183 Jiangnan flood

    The reason why Fu Huaiyu came to Jiangnan this time was mainly for the elite soldiers of Jiangnan.


    He originally wanted Shen Qingwan to stand on his side, and even stood by his side in the future. However, he didn''t expect that he would reject him again and again.


    It really was a disobedient chess piece.


    Fu Huaiyu played with the two black chess pieces in his hands, with a slip of his hand, the chess pieces fell to the ground, causing him to look a little unhappy.


    Heh ¡­


    "Zhu Yan, do you know what happens to people who go against this king?" The words that came out of his mouth caused the woman sitting across from him to shudder.


    "Of course they would kill without mercy." Suppressing the fear in his heart, Zhu Yan remained calm on the surface as he indifferently answered his question.


    Fu Huaiyu chuckled, "Killing without mercy, you truly make people unwilling to part with it ¡­" There was a hint of coldness in his eyes, but he didn''t seem to want to give up. Instead, it seemed like he was determined to get it.


    Seeing him reveal such an expression, Zhu Yan laughed bitterly in his heart. There were probably only a few people in this world that could make the Duke feel unwilling. He knew that she was being surrounded by a cold aura around her. Only then did she come back to her senses, only to see Fu Huaiyu''s pair of peach blossom eyes looking at her with a smile, but his eyes were cold and deep, "You go down and receive your punishment."


    Zhu Yan trembled as she lowered her head, "Yes." At the very least, the Prince would never be reluctant to part with her.


    Inside the imperial study, Fu Yuheng was concentrating on reading the imperial reports and reviewing them one by one.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past. A man dressed in black quietly appeared beside Fu Yuheng. This person exuded a sharp aura that made one feel intimidated upon seeing him. However, he was currently waiting for Fu Yuheng respectfully.


    Putting away the things he read carefully, he picked up a new one and continued looking at it. He did not even raise his head as he asked, "Do you have something to report?"


    "Reporting to the emperor, there is a sudden flood in Jiangnan. The situation is critical, so I hope the emperor can make a decision soon!" After that, that person stood there motionlessly like a dead animal.


    Fu Yuheng''s hand trembled slightly as the brush in his hand slipped. Jiangnan had always been peaceful and calm, but this time, there was suddenly a flood. It was likely that many citizens were going to be displaced again. Sighing, he waved his hand and the man disappeared from sight.


    When the imperial government was finally dealt with, Fu Yuheng ordered someone to pass on a message to Shen Qingwan. Firstly, he wanted to see her; secondly, she was extremely intelligent; he wanted to see what she could do.


    "Your majesty, why are you frowning?" Since the beginning, Fu Yuheng''s brows had always been locked together because of the incident with the water disaster. Shen Qingwan opened her mouth and asked.


    "I have heard that there is a flood in Jiangnan and that the common people have to suffer. I am depressed."


    "Then the emperor should have sent someone to direct the management right away. Otherwise, more people will be affected by the disaster if time passes." When Shen Qingwan heard this, she was also worried. She urged Fu Yuheng to send someone to manage it as soon as possible.


    "If it''s really as simple as you say, why would I have to worry about it?" Fu Yuheng shook his head. His brows were still knitted tightly and his face was filled with helplessness. The ministers and officials of the court were all useless people who had nothing to eat and were unwilling to accept such a mess.


    "Does the Emperor not have a suitable candidate?" Seeing that he wanted to say something, Shen Qingwan quickly understood what the problem was.


    Fu Yuheng nodded his head slightly, but his frown deepened. "The ministers of the court are all lazy eaters. There aren''t many who can truly use it."


    Shen Qingwan pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of something, her eyes had a hint of calculation, "Your majesty, from Chenqie''s point of view, I am not a useless person."


    "Oh?" Fu Yuheng looked at her in astonishment, not knowing what she wanted to say.


    "Don''t we still have the Ninth Prince to help the Emperor? I believe Ninth Prince is very willing. "


    She was only saying this to other people, but Fu Yuheng understood her goal. She wanted to take this opportunity to not only deal with the water calamity in Jiangnan, but also take the chance to test Fu Huaiyu.


    He also wanted to find an opportunity to test Fu Huaiyu. Now was not the time to alert the enemy.


    However, if she were to probe him directly, it would arouse his suspicions. However, if she were to use him at this moment, he would be at a loss. No matter how smart he was, he would not be able to guess her intentions.


    However, he was still a bit worried. After all, the matter of Jiangnan was not as big as it sounded, and not as small as it sounded. There was still a need to think carefully about it.


    "This matter, I will consider carefully." Fu Yuheng massaged the pain between his eyebrows as he felt a slight irritation in his heart.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t stay much longer as she had to consider this herself. After all, the only thing she could do was make suggestions and she would decide on the final decision. Besides, with her understanding of him, he was bound to do so.


    After Shen Qingwan left, Fu Yuheng pondered for a moment. At this time, a carrier pigeon came in through the door, its wings producing a fluttering sound.


    He tore down the letter and unfolded it. The words written on it made him smile. It seemed that this was heaven''s will.


    "Someone, come!" Sun Ning, who was always outside, also came in at this time.


    "Your majesty, is there anything you need a servant to do?" A fawning smile appeared on Sun Ning''s face. He had seen the smile that flashed across Fu Yuheng''s face just now with his sharp eyes, so he knew that he was in a good mood right now.


    Fu Yuheng took an imperial edict and passed it onto Sun Ning''s hand, "Send someone to deliver this imperial edict to the Jiangnan Ninth Prince. You must do it quickly and without delay!" The red phoenix eyes emitted a light that made people unconsciously feel affected. The imposing aura that was so strong that it made people unconsciously want to submit.


    Sun Ning accepted the call, and his face became serious. He knew that this must be an important matter, so he stopped smiling.


    After Sun Ning left, a figure walked out of the door and towards Shen Qingwan''s courtyard. It was Xiao Man.


    "How is it?" Shen Qingwan asked nonchalantly, as if she already knew the result.


    "Empress, the emperor has agreed." Xiao Man had a smile on her face, and was even more respectful to her own mistress.


    She knew that Fu Yuheng would definitely do as she said, because this was already the best course of action. Now that the enemy was in the dark, if he didn''t lure the snake out of its cave first, he would be at an even greater disadvantage.


    "Looks like father should go over and give some pointers." Shen Qingwan smiled, her fingertips fiddling with the zither strings, releasing a crisp sound, but at the same time, it was as if her heart was being hit, as though her entire person was being seen through.

 C184 Her Majesty summoned the

    Even if he couldn''t get Shen Qingwan, he would be fine in the court. Fu Huaiyu was happy and at ease in the southern region of the river, as the flood in the southern region did not harm him at all. After all, he was a prince, so he naturally received a lot of protection.


    However, as I was practicing archery like usual, I received an imperial edict from Fu Yuheng, who was far away in the capital. Coincidentally, the Ninth Prince was in Jiangnan and had given his orders. I hope that Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu can think of a way to alleviate the disaster in Jiangnan. It could also be considered as helping me relieve my worries and doing things with great rewards. "Here it is."


    "This official accepts the decree." Receiving the order from the person who gave the order, Fu Huaiyu was filled with suspicions. He wondered what Fu Yuheng was planning to do this time. He put down his bow and arrows and returned to his room.


    "What does Your Majesty mean by this?" Looking at the imperial edict, Fu Huaiyu couldn''t help but mutter to himself. He had never been able to understand Fu Yuheng''s thoughts. He had never been able to understand Fu Yuheng''s thoughts even when their relationship in the past was considered to be quite good.


    Because he could not see through it, he kept his eyes hidden, trying to disguise as a idle prince. Fu Yuheng didn''t seem suspicious at all, but how could he be at ease and hand over such an important matter to him?


    "Fu Yuheng, you asked for this yourself. You gave me the chance, and if something were to happen in the future, then you can only blame your bad luck. It''s actually mine, isn''t it? " But regardless of the reason, Fu Huaiyu knew that this was his best chance.


    He could communicate with the ministers of the court through handling the Jiang-Nan flood. Moreover, if he succeeded, his reputation would also rise greatly, and the citizens of Jiang-Nan would also be grateful to him. At that time, it would be much easier for him to do anything.


    "Men, prepare This King''s horse. This King will personally go to the place with water and take a look." After deciding on a few things to do, Fu Huaiyu immediately had his men prepare horses and prepared to go to the disaster area to take a look. When he arrived at the disaster area, he saw that the victims were all over the place. His mood also turned bad.


    However, he had a plan. He ordered people to clear up the flood. The next step was to cure the victims. In just a few short days, the situation had become slightly controlled.


    When the decree was passed to Jiangnan, Fu Huaiyu happily accepted it and took this opportunity to rope in the rest of the officials. The people of the imperial court, however, were dissatisfied when they heard this. One by one, they began to speak to Fu Yuheng.


    "Your majesty, Jiang Nan is such a big affair. It wouldn''t be appropriate for you to let a idle prince go, right?" The central command was the first to oppose.


    "That''s right, your majesty. The Ninth Prince is just a idle prince. "Since I''m used to eating and enjoying myself, I''m afraid that I won''t deal with these matters. This subject humbly requests the Emperor to choose another person with courage and ambition." The Book Proclamation echoed his sentiments.


    "Your Majesty, this old subject feels that the two sirs are right. You know, Jiangnan is a rich place, and most of the fine offerings I made in the coming year came from Jiangnan. And Jiang Nan happens to be a township too, so I''m afraid that the Ninth Prince is unable to control the disaster this time. " The Revenue Minister also objected.


    When the others saw the three lords in the lead come out to speak, they too began to oppose it. In fact, their worries were not unreasonable. In their eyes, Fu Huaiyu was someone who only knew how to eat, drink and play, not caring about the matters of the imperial court.


    Normally, it would be difficult for him to get to the previous court and he had never dealt with anything before, let alone this flood. If she gave it to him, it would only become more and more serious.


    "Your Majesty, why aren''t you saying anything?" The crowd tried to persuade Fu Yuheng, but he still did not respond. He looked to be deep in thought and could not help but feel anxious.


    Fu Yuheng had actually been listening to their discussion the entire time, but he still asked the silent Prime Minister Liu at the side. Normally, he would be the one who spoke the most.


    "Prime Minister Liu, why are you not saying anything? What do you think about this time?" After throwing these words to Prime Minister Liu, the other officials kept quiet and looked at him. They were all hoping that he would speak up to persuade the emperor.


    "Your Majesty, as this old official sees it. Even though the Ninth Prince is an idle prince, this old subject feels that the Ninth Prince is not as useless as all the Masters have said. Moreover, things have not started, so how could the Masters be able to sentence the Ninth Prince to death? " Unexpectedly, the Prime Minister Liu agreed with Fu Yuheng''s actions.


    Seeing this, the officials were completely shocked. The Prime Minister Liu was actually speaking up for the Ninth Prince, and looking at Fu Yuheng''s nodding expression, they actually agreed with what he had said. Prime Minister Liu had always had a high position in the imperial government, so when he said those words, the voices of opposition became quieter.


    "Alright, let''s not talk about that anymore. Since my mind is made up, I will leave this matter to Ninth Prince. "If you have something to report, report. If you have nothing to report, then leave the court." Interrupting the discussion that was still going on, Fu Yuheng made his decision.


    Inwardly, he was sneering at these people. Normally, they could only see the matters of the imperial court, but they did not understand Fu Huaiyu at all. Prime Minister Liu saw Fu Yuheng insist, and felt that his words had made a difference. He looked at everyone coldly, but in his heart, he was overjoyed.


    "If not, how would I be able to see his movements ¡­" Ye Zichen''s finger started to beat a rhythm on the table, but no one noticed the light in his eyes.


    The imperial edict had already been sent out for a few days, so the empress dowager of Peace Palace had naturally received the news as well. She had also been hearing about Fu Huaiyu''s actions in Jiangnan, but she still couldn''t help but feel a little worried.


    "Majesty, enough time. You should get up." When Wu mama saw that the empress dowager had already knelt in front of the Buddha statue for a long time, he couldn''t help but open her mouth to speak. The empress dowager was awoken by the Wu mama, and when she realized that she had lost her mind, she couldn''t help but feel apologetic towards the Buddha.


    "Guilty." As he spoke, he waved towards the Buddha statue a few more times before returning to the ancestral hall. When he looked at the ancestral tablet, he felt another wave of absent-mindedness.


    They all said that the victor was the king and the loser was the thief. Fu Huaiyu was her son, so she naturally understood him. Although he seemed like an idle prince, he was actually very ambitious. Could it be that Fu Yuheng discovered something ¡­


    She no longer had the heart to continue kowtowing. She only wanted to find Fu Yuheng and ask him about the situation. Empress Dowager, what''s wrong with you? " Seeing her tensed expression, Wu mama was also shocked and quickly stopped her.


    "It''s fine. Help This Dowager find the Emperor. This Dowager has something to ask him." He was anxious, but he was too old and too used to living like a prince in the palace, so he didn''t have the strength to do so for the time being.


    "Go, go call the emperor over. Tell him that this one wants to see him." Helpless, he could only instruct the Wu mama beside him to go over. She was really worried for Fu Huaiyu.


    Wu mama was an old man by the empress dowager''s side after all. She knew that she must be in a hurry because of an urgent matter. After instructing the palace maids to take good care of the empress dowager, she quickly went to find Fu Yuheng.

 C185 Praise the Nine Kings

    When he arrived at residential hall, he happened to be surprised to see that Fu Yuheng had just returned. But then he realized that the empress dowager must have thought of something and couldn''t help but sigh that she really couldn''t afford to be idle for a moment.


    "Your majesty, this Esteemed Empress Dowager invites you to the Tzu Ning Palace. He says that he has something he wishes to discuss with you." Sure enough, the Wu mama came over to pay her respects as soon as she saw him.


    "Yes, I understand." "You can go back first. This Emperor will go after changing." Fu Yuheng felt irritated and only wanted to stay for a while.


    Thinking about the empress dowager''s instructions, the Wu mama didn''t dare to leave, only standing in front of the door. "This old servant will wait here for the emperor." Otherwise, the empress dowager would definitely punish her when she returned. She already had an old arm and an old leg, so there was no way to twist her body.


    Unhappy in his heart, Fu Yuheng coldly glanced at Wu mama and entered the residential hall. Heh, was he going to do this to him now? If it proved that Fu Huaiyu had other intentions, then he would have to take measures as well. At that time, what would the empress dowager think of him?


    "Your majesty, lift your foot." The Sun Gonggong saw that Fu Yuheng was lost in thought and reminded him in a low voice, "Your majesty, don''t think too much. It''s time to leave." Knowing what he was thinking, he walked out by himself after saying those words.


    He went out to converse with the Wu mama in a low voice, and Fu Yuheng packed his things before following him out. He decided to walk to the Empress Dowager himself, which would also ease his mood.


    "Empress Dowager, the Emperor is here." When they arrived at the Palace, the Wu mama went in first to report, and the empress dowager quickly came out as well.


    "I have something to discuss with the Emperor. You can leave first." After reporting back to the people around her, the Empress Dowager opened her mouth to voice her concerns.


    Because of her current identity, she would not brazenly ask about Fu Huaiyu, so she could only indirectly ask. Ninth Prince is always free, what do you think?


    He didn''t even realize that he was in a hurry to say it. Fu Yuheng heard it clearly, but the empress dowager was still the empress dowager. Normally, she wouldn''t do anything to hurt him, so he couldn''t say anything. He could only gently persuade her.


    "Imperial Mother is overthinking things. Although Ninth Brother is a bit idle normally, he is still a prince after all." At this moment, no one is more suitable than him. " As he spoke, he patted the back of the empress dowager''s hand, trying to reassure her.


    Not to mention how the empress dowager usually treated him, just the word ''filial piety'' was enough for him to properly appease the empress dowager.


    "If you say it''s appropriate, Emperor, there are many useful people in your court. As far as This Dowager is concerned, why don''t we just change another person? Don''t let him be careless and do the wrong thing, and delay the time for treatment of the disaster. " The empress dowager, however, was still worried. There was more worry on her face, and she couldn''t help but feel that things weren''t as simple as they seemed.


    Suddenly giving Fu Huaiyu such a big job, anyone would think about it. Moreover, both of them were not ordinary people. One was the lofty Emperor, while the other was a prince that could threaten at any time. In the royal family, there were too many examples of brothers who ended up getting killed by each other. She couldn''t just watch helplessly as her own son also became a victim like this.


    The empress dowager''s words had already explained her thoughts, and Fu Yuheng was somewhat unhappy to hear them. "Imperial Mother, believe me. He is my ninth brother, born with the late emperor, so he is naturally not too weak. And I only sent him there because I trust in his ability. "You don''t want to see him always be an idle prince, do you?"


    Moreover, he had also heard a bit about Fu Huaiyu''s performance in Jiangnan during this period. He didn''t realize that this idle prince would actually have such a brain. If it wasn''t for Shen Qingwan''s suggestion, he probably wouldn''t have understood it.


    "It''s enough as long as you''re alone. Isn''t it good for him to be a prince?" He could avoid a lot of trouble, but he could also avoid participating in battles like this. She didn''t have any other thoughts, she only wanted her son to be safe and sound.


    "Alright, Imperial Mother. I''ve already decided on this matter, so don''t try to persuade me anymore. Everything will wait for the results to come out. " He wanted to see what kind of abilities this idle prince had.


    Although he was worried, looking at Fu Yuheng''s attitude, it was likely that he would become suspicious if he were to continue speaking. The empress dowager could only keep her mouth shut. "Alright, then I won''t say anymore. There''s no use for breakfast. This one has ordered someone to prepare the stomach porridge and your favorite side dish. Today, you can eat at my place. "


    The words of the empress dowager caused Fu Yuheng to recall the days of his childhood. It was the same back then. He had been fond of playing in the empress dowager''s palace and having her protect him from the late emperor''s punishments. He had even been able to eat a beautiful meal.


    "Alright, mother, don''t think too much. Your body is still the most important. I can see that your expression isn''t good, so you must be thinking too much. "I''ll ask the imperial physician to prescribe some medicine for you to calm your nerves." After saying that, he ordered the Sun Gonggong outside to invite the imperial physician. The two of them chatted for a while after dinner before leaving.


    Yet the empress dowager''s words never left Fu Huaiyu''s side, which made it difficult for him to not think too much. Meanwhile, Fu Huaiyu, who was far away in Jiangnan, didn''t know what was going on in the palace. It wasn''t to help him, it was just to improve his reputation.


    "Have you sent out all the porridge?" After working hard for an entire day and returning from the front lines, Fu Huaiyu asked the guard worriedly. The amount of food he could eat during the Jiang-Nan flood was very little, and this was something that he had to use his private storage to buy.


    In the past, he only knew how serious the disaster was, he only knew about it after he personally took care of it. How uncomfortable it was to watch everything happen while I was helpless.


    "Reporting to your highness, it has already been sent. And the herbs that you asked for, I''ve sent them out. " The guard answered truthfully. Not only the commoners, even those who had escaped, Fu Huaiyu had to find ways to take care of them.


    Because of his meticulous efforts, the Jiangnan flood disaster had already been clearly controlled. To open the door and release the water, to dig a ditch to drain the water, and to have all the soldiers in the government help, most likely only Fu Huaiyu could do that. No matter what his purpose was, he had still helped the people.


    "Ninth Prince, he is a living Bodhisattva." The citizens who were saved all spoke of him with praise as well, and once word got out, Fu Huaiyu''s name quickly spread throughout the whole of Jiangnan.


    "That''s right. I heard that the imperial government didn''t want the prince to come at the beginning. They said that the prince was a carefree prince who didn''t do anything." This is great, you must have had a slap in the face, it''s all thanks to the prince. " Seeing that others were praising Fu Huaiyu, everyone else also followed suit.


    This was the situation that Fu Huaiyu wanted to be in. He had done what he had done, so he should have received these praises. He just didn''t know if the emperor, who was far away in the capital, would have any regrets.

 C186 Xiao Shurens Mind

    Fu Huaiyu had already gone to the south of the river to handle the flood. This matter was already known to the entire imperial court and even to the harem.


    Fu Huaiyu, who had received great importance from Fu Yu, if it was really because of this that he had become the next successor, then ¡­


    Although Ninth Prince merely looked like a playboy that wandered amongst the flowers, Xiao Shushen still felt that he did not look as simple as she looked, and that he had other motives.


    If the truth was as he had guessed, then the emperor would no longer have any protection. Her position would also be affected because of this.


    Thinking like this, she felt even more uneasy. She felt that she should have taken action.


    "To the royal study." Frowning, she got up and went to the royal study.


    Her anxious steps involuntarily sped up. When she arrived at the imperial study, Fu Yuheng''s head was slightly lowered as he earnestly read through the imperial reports.


    She picked up her pace and sauntered over to the table, not bothering him, but standing quietly to one side and grinding him.


    When she was not Xiao Shushen''s opponent, she had been doing this often, but now, it seemed like it was an act.


    She frequently warned herself that the first thing Xiao Shushen had to do was to show that she was satisfied with the Emperor. Only with real power would she not have to worry about those beauties in the harem.


    After a while, Fu Yuheng finally raised his head from his busy schedule. When he raised his head, he saw Xiao Shushen standing next to him.


    Xiao Shushen put down the ink in her hand, and smiled faintly as she blessed himself. On the surface, she had a dignified and generous appearance, "Chenqie greets Your Majesty."


    "Why is the empress here?" His tone was light, even a little tired. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.


    "Chenqie was afraid that the emperor would be too busy with official business to rest, so she came here to visit the emperor." Her voice was rather coquettish and charming, making Fu Yuheng feel rather comfortable.


    In his eyes, Xiao Shushen was indeed a graceful, generous, and dignified woman. When he thought about how he had saved her life in the past, he felt different emotions.


    "I know." As he spoke, the weariness on his face was long gone as he solemnly and indifferently picked up a imperial report from another stack.


    Xiao Shushen weighed the matter in her heart for a few times, and the gaze she used to look at Fu Yuheng was also somewhat complicated.


    The Emperor Fu Yuheng was an extremely shrewd person, so he naturally felt the gaze and knew that Xiao Shushen would not come to the imperial study for no reason.


    "Is the empress really here for the sake of Zhen''s Dragon Body?" The man''s gaze remained fixed on the imperial report, but the words that came out of his mouth were directed at Xiao Shushen.


    Hearing this, Xiao Shushen was startled, and found it hard to say anything for a moment.


    However, how could she sit idly by for the sake of her status and status? She lowered her eyes to clear her thoughts before raising her head once again.


    "Chenqie heard that the Ninth Prince was ordered by the Emperor to go to Jiangnan to handle the flood." She tried to keep her voice calm, but she couldn''t help feeling a little queasy.


    Fu Yuheng raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. A cold light flashed in his eyes for a moment, but he did not speak.


    But Xiao Shushen felt that since she had already opened it, he would not be able to retract it, so she simply said it.


    "There is no lack of talented people in the court, and Ninth Prince normally doesn''t have the heart to run a government, I''m afraid that Chenqie ¡­" She purposely revealed an expression of difficulty and worry, "Chenqie was worried that the Ninth Prince would not be able to handle the situation and instead delayed the best time to manage the flood."


    "Ol''ninth is our little brother and we personally appointed him. Does Xiao Shushen not trust us?" Fu Yuheng still had a smile on his face as he said this, but his eyes were ice-cold.


    He was the ruler of a nation. His decisions did not require the suspicion of others, let alone those from the imperial harem.


    When Xiao Shushen heard it, her face immediately became pale, and it became even more difficult for him to look at her with her ice-cold eyes.


    Xiao Shushen, who had been stunned for a long while, slowly calmed herself down, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted. "Chenqie also doesn''t understand matters of the court, it''s only a guess, don''t take it to heart, your majesty."


    Hearing that, Fu Yuheng retracted the smile on his face, but Xiao Shushen was still unresigned.


    "A while ago, chenqie noticed that the Ninth Prince was slightly better, and came to the palace to take a walk when there''s nothing else to do." She said lightly, "In the end, I''m still brothers with the Emperor. Naturally, my character isn''t bad either."


    Although she was praising Fu Huaiyu, the main focus of her words was on the first half of the sentence.


    Fu Yuheng frowned again upon hearing her words. Why did he feel that the normally virtuous and gentle Xiao Shushen had become so overbearing today?


    Not only did she express the views of the servants towards him, she also tactfully advised him to distance himself from Fu Huaiyu.


    Leaving aside Fu Huaiyu''s character and threat, he was somewhat disgusted with women interfering in government affairs, especially Xiao Shushen who had always performed so satisfactorily.


    Xiao Shushen frowned, the uneasiness in her heart was magnified to the extreme.


    "Since the emperor still has many official matters to attend to, chenqie will take her leave first." After saying that, she blessed him again, and when she turned around, the smile on her face disappeared, turning into an icy coldness.


    After she left, Fu Yuheng no longer thought about her words. He did not expect that the gentle and gentle her in his heart would actually have such exquisite thoughts! It was really good to hide it well.


    And in another part of the palace someone was rejoicing in the same thing.


    The Prime Minister Liu had already informed Liu Xiurong about the King''s beginning to cherish Fu Huaiyu. With the Liu Family being so close to Fu Huaiyu, if he could reach the Clear Sky Peak, she could also benefit from it.


    "The Emperor has placed great importance on the Ninth Prince. If he manages to deal with the Jiang Nan flood properly, then ¡­" She sat in her own palace, and when she thought about the effects of this matter, she felt happy, "I have endured it for so long, and I will soon let Consort Xian and the others have a good taste of the consequences!"


    In this period of time, she had been listening to Fu Huaiyu and Father Liu''s advice to not move at all.


    She must get everything back!


    Xiao Lv originally came in with a fearful heart, but who knew when her master would start to throw a tantrum.


    However, Liu Chugrong only considered the good side and neglected her status as Fu Yuheng''s concubine. If the Ninth Prince became successful in the future, perhaps she would have an even worse ending.


    "Empress, the imperial kitchens'' meals are here. Do you need some?"


    She was in a good mood today, and the smile on her face became even more pronounced. Suddenly, she felt that her appetite was also quite good.


    "Announce them." A hint of happiness could not help but appear in her voice. "That''s right, if there''s any matter regarding the Jiangnan flood, you must inform me immediately."


    She wanted to know about this as soon as possible.


    Although Xiao Lv had some doubts in her heart, she still nodded her head. After replying to her, she prepared to go out and summon them in, but just as she turned around, he heard her voice coming from behind him.


    "Your performance today was quite good. I''ll go to Li mama''s later to collect some rewards."

 C187 Proper handling

    Xiao Lv was overwhelmed by the favor, he seemed to be the same as usual, but she still kowtowed to express her gratitude.


    After a few days, Fu Huaiyu returned with good news.


    He did not expend much effort in dealing with the Jiangnan floods, but it was not so in the eyes of others.


    Even Fu Yuheng had agreed to wait for him to return so that he could give him a proper reward.


    On the second day he returned, Fu Huaiyu headed to the imperial court in high spirits. He preferred purple, and even his official uniform was a deep purple, contrasting with his Peach Blossom Eyes, they were even brighter.


    The gazes of all the court officials were fixed on him. Not only were they attracted by his appearance, but more importantly, they were all interested in him.


    "Ninth Prince is really amazing!" A few court officials also noticed that the Emperor was rather interested in the Ninth Prince that had brought him back with them, so they also wanted to go up and fight for the good fortune.


    With one person''s praise, the others couldn''t hold it in anymore. How could they let one person get rid of such a good job?


    "Ninth Prince is truly a dragon and phoenix amongst men. It''s just that they have been hiding it too deeply." Even the dissenting Scholars came forward to praise him.


    "That''s right, the Emperor is smart and wise, and now he has the Ninth Prince as his left and right hands. That is truly a cause for celebration!"


    Exclamations of praise could be heard endlessly. Regarding this, Fu Huaiyu only pursed his lips with a faint smile, he looked extremely relaxed, as though he did not take the strict atmosphere of the palace to heart.


    Fu Yuheng only narrowed his eyes slightly, taking in every single movement of the officials in the imperial court. These people were more or less sincerely congratulating Fu Yuheng, as he was well aware of the number of people who were just watching a good show.


    In the past, Ninth Prince gave everyone the feeling that he was uninhibited and carefree, free and leisure throughout the day. Even the late emperor''s son couldn''t compare to one-thousandth of the current emperor. Now, it seemed that this Ninth Prince wasn''t to be underestimated.


    At least, a foppish dandy in the eyes of others who had suddenly tried to help Ye Xiao could solve such a thorny problem like the Jiang Nan flood disaster. He was definitely not a simple person.


    Indeed, the descendants of the late emperor were not easy to deal with!


    Fu Huaiyu stared at the person at the top who did not say anything. He wanted to see what his royal brother would say.


    The person at the front loosened his lips, revealing a gratified smile.


    "Ol''ninth really did a good job this time, it really surprises even me!" His face seemed to soften a little, but at the same time, it seemed even colder, making it hard to tell what he was really feeling.


    "Royal brother''s praise of Chendi makes me proud." His attitude was the same as before, "It was all thanks to royal brother''s blessing, Chendi was just benefiting from royal brother''s good fortune."


    Fu Yuheng''s sharp gaze stayed on him for a moment before shifting away. A meaningful smile still hung on his lips as he looked at the officials.


    Fu Yuheng was not stingy either, giving him many gold and silver treasures. He even encouraged him with his words. "Since royal brother is so capable, you must be my right-hand man in the future and take part in the imperial government."


    Hearing this, Fu Huaiyu frowned slightly, why does he still wish for me to participate in the politics?


    His heart was suddenly filled with doubt, and the words he said also came out of his mouth in a carefree manner, "Royal brother is too kind."


    "What about it? Many of the officials in the imperial court were also praising their royal brother''s capabilities. "Could it be that I am still spouting nonsense?" Although there was a hint of mockery in his words, it was filled with dignity.


    "What the emperor says is reasonable. Ninth Prince need not be so humble." A official immediately stepped forward in agreement, "Ninth Prince''s abilities are obvious to all."


    Fu Huaiyu frowned, he raised his eyes and looked at the man above, his lips curled up in a relaxed manner, as though he was calm and unperturbed, but at the same time had the determination to win.


    He lowered his head, unable to explain his thoughts.


    "Ninth Royal Brother, in the future, you must not stay in this romantic place. That place will only cause you to lose your identity." The smile on his face disappeared, as if he was a strict father, "After all, you are a descendant of the royal family. If others were to look at you, you would only know how to talk back! Do you understand? "


    Fu Huaiyu clasped his hands together, and respectfully replied, "Chendi will remember this."


    Fu Yuheng brought up some more political matters before leaving the court. Fu Huaiyu was still thinking about what the emperor meant when he walked out of the hall.


    "Ninth Prince, please take care of me in the future!" Along the way, many officials flattered and fawned on him. He was frustrated that he was unable to guess Fu Yuheng''s intentions, so how could he have the mood to deal with these people?


    After dealing with him for a while, he returned to his own residence. However, he was still troubled by that smile on his face. The more he could not guess, the more irritable he became.


    Normally, her peach blossom eyes were also cold, but at this moment, a girl with thick makeup suddenly appeared.


    Dressed in revealing clothes, she tenderly held onto his arm, her voice sweet and tender, "Prince, you''re finally back. You''ve really missed me to death!"


    Normally, he would just tease them for a bit, or perhaps, have an intimate moment with them, but today, he wasn''t in the mood at all.


    She originally wanted to break free from the restraints on her arms, but the woman didn''t have the slightest discernment and insisted on sticking close to her. "Your Highness, why are you being so rough today?"


    Normally, they had never seen Ninth Prince being so unreasonable. His peach blossom eyes were always staring at them until their faces turned red, but today, they only thought that they had a little temper and wanted her to coax them.


    She tugged at his arm and leaned on him so hard that she didn''t even see his darkening face.


    "Your Highness, do you not even want me? "Then I''ll be in a lot of trouble." She wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed when she saw his unsightly expression, "My lord, who are you angry with? How about you allow me to help you relax? "


    Her suggestive nature was extremely strong, and she even offered a kiss on her own initiative. But before she could even touch her ice-cold lips, she was thrown away.


    "AHH!" The girl was smashed into the ground, the anger in Fu Huaiyu''s stomach slowly ignited as well.


    "My prince, my bones are about to break from the fall, why aren''t you coaxing me!" Originally, she was sent over by the assistant to adjust Fu Huaiyu''s mood, but he had gone to Jiangnan the moment he was sent in, so he had not been able to come in contact with her. Being thrown down now was not a little bit of pain!


    Fu Huaiyu coldly glanced at her, and the words that came out of his mouth were extremely cold, "In three seconds, disappear right in front of my eyes, or else I will really break your bones!"


    He had a stomach full of anger and had no place to vent it. Since she wasn''t afraid of death and wanted to deliver herself to him, then don''t blame him for being impolite.


    "Prince, you ¡­" The woman on the ground slowly narrowed her eyes, revealing a terrified expression. However, his expression was too frightening, and she did not dare to pursue the matter any further. She also did not care about the pain in her body.

 C188 Fu Feis father

    In the blink of an eye, it was already the end of autumn. Leaves swirled and fell from the tree, dancing like butterflies.


    In the pavilion in the garden, there was a rare hint of laughter.


    "Ling Ling, come, open your mouth." Fu Yuheng was in a good mood as he held a piece of pastry and teased the little girl in front of him.


    "Ah ¡­" Ling Tian, on the other hand, was exceptionally well-behaved, with his small eyes rolling around as he revealed a fawning smile.


    However, the action of a young adult made Shen Qingwan, who was at the side, laugh. As for Fu Lingling''s mother, Zhao Yuanrong, he could only helplessly look at the father and daughter pair, but his heart was also gratified.


    "It has been a long time since I have been like this." Fu Yuheng carried Fu Lingling and looked at the chrysanthemum in the garden with eyes that could not be hidden.


    In recent days, all sorts of things had been happening, and he was busy with all kinds of official matters. However, there were very few times where he had the leisure to do so.


    "That''s right, it''s been a long time since the emperor has smiled so happily." Zhao Yuanrong also followed along, and looked at Fu Lingling with eyes full of tenderness. Her daughter might really be her lucky star.


    Fu Lingling''s appearance was originally pleasing to the eyes, and coupled with her lively and quick-witted appearance, there were many people in the harem who liked her a lot.


    Fu Lingling swallowed the dim sum in her mouth, a puzzled look appearing in her eyes. "I feel that royal father is very happy whenever I see him." The little head gently tilted to the side and then looked towards Fu Yuheng as if asking for confirmation.


    Seeing her like this, he laughed out loud, "Yes yes, Ling Ling is my royal father''s fruit of joy!" As she spoke, she gently nuzzled her head.


    Hearing his words, she continued to eat her snacks proudly.


    After some time, Fu Lingling''s face revealed an exhausted look. Zhao Yuanrong knew that she must be tired since he was just a child, "Your majesty, looking at Ling Ling, he seems to be tired. Furthermore, since you have carried her for so long, I''m afraid that it''s about time for you to get tired.


    Fu Yuheng looked at the little girl in his arms whose eyelids had already begun to move, and patted her head lovingly. Then, he placed her in Zhao Yuanrong''s hands and said, "Go."


    After the two of them left, he turned to look at Shen Qingwan, "My beloved concubine, is there anything you want to say?" With a teasing look in her eyes, she looked at the handkerchief that had been crumpled in her hand, as if she had seen through her thoughts long ago.


    Shen Qingwan was startled, she never thought that he would be able to see through her. Soon after, she felt relieved, the two of them are probably the same kind of people, that''s why she could guess what they are thinking.


    "Chenqie indeed doesn''t know when to speak." After pondering for a moment, he frowned. He had always had a knot in his heart when he heard what Wu Ling said. Since she said that what happened at that time was wrong, there must be a reason for it. But after all, it had already been so long, and now that the palace had finally calmed down, she didn''t know if it was appropriate to bring it up now.


    "If there''s anything you want to say, just say it. If you''re worried that I''ll blame you, I promise that no matter what you say today, I''ll forgive you." He had already made many exceptions for her, so he didn''t need this one.


    "This ¡­" Even though he said that, she still hesitated, but thinking about Wu Ling''s depressed look, she gritted her teeth in the end. "Chenqie saw that there seems to be a misunderstanding between the Emperor and Big Sister Shufei, but she doesn''t want to see the Emperor and Big Sister Shufei distressed, so she wanted to ask about the reason behind this." Shen Qingwan took a glance at his expression as she was afraid that he would be displeased.


    Fu Yuheng was stunned. He had thought that it would be related to the General Shen, but he didn''t expect that she wanted to ask him about the grudge between him and Wu Ling. Thinking of this, he sighed.


    "This matter has been going on for quite some time." Wu Ling entered the palace a year or so earlier than Shen Qingwan and it had been almost a year since she entered the palace. If that was the case, it was two years ago. Fu Yuheng''s mind drifted away. He remembered that when he first met Wu Ling, she was just like Shen Qingwan. She was a cold and aloof woman, but her courage was much smaller than hers. He remembered shouting at her when they first met, and then her tears came.


    Seeing him reminiscing, Shen Qingwan didn''t want to disturb him, so she just waited quietly. Only after a long while did he regain his senses.


    "This matter will start from the matters of the Wu Shang Shu back then." Fu Yuheng''s expression was one of enlightenment. He was indeed a little reckless for what happened that year. Back then, when the Wu Shang Shu''s family found out about Wu Shang Shu''s corruption, in addition to the crime of cheating the Emperor, they were all destroyed by him. Of the remaining two children, one was still in prison, and the other was Wu Ling, who had been forced by him to enter the palace as his concubine. However, he did not investigate deeply when he was convicted. When he thought about it later, there were still some suspicious points.


    He had only said these things indifferently from his mouth. After all, it had been two years. All the regret he felt before had faded a lot now. However, he still felt somewhat ashamed of Wu Ling. After all, if she had not entered the palace, she would not have fallen into the water in the harem.


    Shen Qingwan''s heart ached a little for him as she listened to him speak. He was probably still in her prime two years ago. It wasn''t impossible for her to understand that she had made the decision on impulse.


    "Then why hasn''t the emperor overturned the case?" Even though he had already been convicted, he could still restore Wu Shang Shu''s innocence. However, just as he said that, a bitter smile appeared on his lips. He was stunned for a moment and realized that there was something wrong with his words.


    "How can I not?" "But ¡­ I am the Emperor ¡­"


    It was just a sentence, but it already made Shen Qingwan understand a lot, because he was the emperor. A single decision could cause many people to change their positions, if they could not convince the masses, how could they stabilize the throne? Moreover, the Wu Clan collapsed because of his decision. Whether they die or run away, now that she had released the descendants of the Wu Clan, how could she not take revenge?


    Shen Qingwan was a little speechless, if her thoughts were too simple, she thought that as long as the case was reversed and the Wu Shang Shu was acquitted, everything would be solved, but she forgot that as the emperor, every decision he made would cause a huge ruckus in the imperial court.


    "Chenqie has spoken wrongly ¡­" Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes. She had thought that she could help Wu Ling resolve the worries in her heart, but she didn''t expect that at this point, she would have to back down.

 C189 consenting investigation

    At this moment, she felt a warm palm land on her shoulder. Shen Qingwan raised her head and met Fu Yuheng''s eyes. There were complex emotions within those eyes that made her unable to understand what she was saying.


    "Whatever, if you want to check, then go ahead and do it!" There was a trace of love in his words, and also a sense of relief.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" After recovering from her shock, Shen Qingwan looked at the person in front of her with a puzzled expression. She really couldn''t guess what he was thinking this time.


    He only smiled gently in response. "This matter was my fault in the first place. It''s time to return the favor to the Wu family. It can also be considered as returning the favor to me." The words at the end sounded like he was mumbling, but Shen Qingwan was already close to him, so she could hear what he was saying clearly.


    It was likely that he had been thinking about this matter ever since. It was just like Wu Ling''s music at night, lingering in his mind.


    "Chenqie will definitely not disappoint the Emperor." Shen Qingwan clenched her fists as determination flashed across her eyes. Her promise to him could also be considered a promise to Wu Ling.


    "Right." He had said what he needed to say, and the rest of what he wanted to say did not matter. Fu Yuheng responded indifferently. After arranging his clothes, he left alone.


    Shen Qingwan looked at his back and felt for the first time that he was actually lonely. She was so lonely that it made people''s heart ache. She was so close to her, yet it seemed like she was so far away.


    She laughed softly in her heart. When did she become so concerned about him? He then knocked on his forehead. He wanted to get rid of this ridiculous thought or get it out of his mind. However, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the figure was too eye-catching. He couldn''t forget about it no matter how hard he tried.


    With Fu Yuheng''s consent, she began her investigation. Fortunately, there were quite a few people who knew about the Wu family''s matters, so her investigation was rather convenient.


    On the contrary, everything was in an orderly fashion on Shen Qing Wan''s side. The Prime Minister Liu Mansion was in a state of chaos.


    On one side, it was because Fu Huaiyu had successfully treated the Jiangnan flood a few days ago that his position became a bit heavier in front of the emperor. On the other hand, it was because he heard that Shen Qing Wan was going to investigate the Wu family''s matter that time.


    "Master, please calm down first. Perhaps things might not be so bad. After all, she is just a woman. As long as we do the right thing, what can she find out?" Madam Liu''s words caused Prime Minister Liu, who had been pacing back and forth in the courtyard, to gradually stop in his tracks. His eyes finally began to emit a sinister light.


    Heh, he had almost been thrown into disarray by this little bitch. She was as difficult to deal with as her father.


    Prime Minister Liu sneered in his heart, obviously agreeing with what Lady Liu said.


    "Humph, Madam''s words are reasonable, she is just a little girl. This Prime Minister would like to see just what kind of heaven she turns up in the capital!" She threw a cup on the ground, "If she is unable to find anything this time, then the end of this cup will be her."


    Her gaze was like that of a venomous snake, causing people to feel a chill down their spines even in the middle of the day.


    At this moment, Shen Qingwan still did not know. She was just abnormally troubled by the direction of the investigation in her hands.


    Back then, the matter of the Wu Shang Shu had involved too many people, and many ministers had been implicated, including the Prime Minister Liu and the current successor, Liu Tan.


    The clues were in a mess and he couldn''t figure it out for a while.


    "Empress should pay attention to rest, don''t harm your own body for the sake of investigating this matter." Lian Yun saw that her face was filled with worry, and was also a bit worried. It was the same with her mother, as long as there was something, she would completely ignore her body. Sometimes, she wouldn''t even be able to take care of three meals a day.


    He poured himself a cup of water and adjusted the temperature so that his tongue wouldn''t burn like before.


    Just as expected, Lian Yun had just placed the cup on the table. Shen Qing Wan then picked up the cup and put it directly in her mouth without even looking at it.


    Seeing this, Lian Yun felt that it was lucky. Sometimes, she really didn''t know if she should call her own mistress stupid or smart.


    Shen Qing Wan was busy organizing her thoughts, writing on a piece of xuan paper, completely unable to sense Lian Yun''s thoughts. Only when there was a knock on the door, did she stop writing.


    "Lian Yun, go take a look." Rubbing her aching eyes, Zhang Xuan stretched her body and looked outside the door.


    Helplessly replying, Lian Yun went to open the door, but when she saw the person outside, she felt even more helpless.


    "Empress, an underling has come to inform you of the clues you have just found."


    Before he could finish his sentence, the eyes of the people in the room suddenly widened. They immediately stood up from their chairs and ran a few steps to the entrance, completely forgetting about their identities. It was only when they saw the helpless look in their personal maidservants'' eyes that they thought of themselves.


    After adjusting his condition, he asked the person outside, "Have you found anything?"


    When the servant saw her so flustered, he was probably frightened by her anxious look.


    "No worries, just speak your mind." At this moment, what Shen Qingwan cared about the most was the results of her investigation. As for anything else, she didn''t care.


    "Reporting to the Empress, this servant found out that before Wu Shang Shu was found to have embezzled money, the Prime Minister Liu was very close with the current Liu Shangshu, and there seems to be a reference to the Wu Shang Shu in his words." Speaking till here, the words seemed to be a little rushed, after coughing a few times, Shen Qing Wan asked Lian Yun to pour him some water.


    After drinking a few mouthfuls of water, he continued, "It''s said that one of Liu Shangshu''s nieces married into the Wu Shang Shu''s family and became his concubine. Now that the Wu Shang Shu has been caught, there''s no trace of him anymore after he embezzled."


    When Shen Qingwan heard this, she also had some thoughts in her heart. Who could say that the disappearance of that concubine had nothing to do with this case? This might be an important clue, but she had yet to figure out why the Prime Minister Liu and Liu Shang Shu had such a close relationship.


    After nodding to the servant, the servant left after understanding the situation.


    "Empress might as well ask Empress Shufei, maybe she will know something or someone else." Lian Yun thought for a while before she suddenly thought of something and said.


    However, when these words entered Shen Qingwan''s ears, she was suddenly enlightened. Wasn''t there someone from the Wu family here? In other words, she was the only one who knew about the Wu family.


    Without further ado, Shen Qingwan put on a cloak and walked towards Wu Ling''s yard.


    Seeing this, Lian Yun slapped her forehead and chased after her in a hurry. It was true, he actually abandoned her, she really did not know why the Empress was in such a rush. With regards to her mistress'' personality, she could only smile helplessly. As a servant, she had truly put her heart into it.

 C190 Acacia

    "How come Li-Gen is free to come to my place today?" Xiao Shushen sat upright on the seat of honor, looked down at the beautiful and elegant dress, and frowned slightly. It was obvious that she was displeased with him, but she still maintained a smile on her face, and looked amiable and amiable.


    Li Yu had a flattering smile on her face as she waved her handkerchief in front of her, covering her face and smiling, "Big sister empress, what are you saying? Sister, I didn''t come over to take a look because I was worried about my sister''s health. I remember a few days ago, big sister suffered from the cold, I wonder if you''re better now? "


    Although that was what he said, but it had already been a long time since Xiao Shushen had caught wind of the cold, if he mentioned it again, it would be a bit fake.


    But in this harem, how many people are that real? It was just a superficial skill.


    Even Xiao Shushen herself didn''t feel that anything was amiss, but she was laughing coldly in her heart. She was afraid that the concern she had for him was fake. But as she thought about it, she still smiled faintly and said: "I''ve really troubled you little sister. My body is fine now, but I just don''t know if little sister came to see me just now?"


    The moment she said that, the expression on her face changed. "Empress Sis knows my sister very well. I didn''t know that my sister has been depressed for the past few days." As he spoke, he even used his hand to stroke his forehead, pretending to be worried.


    Xiao Shushen was already used to the people from the harem acting in such a manner, so she did not expose her and followed along to ask, "What is it? for my sister to be so worried? "


    "A few days ago, my sister and Big Sister Consort De were walking in the garden and heard that she would not hesitate to use her daughter, the Third Princess, as a bargaining chip in order to meet the Emperor. Hearing that, little sister felt cold all over, but she didn''t want Big Sister Consort De Yu to hurt her relationship with him, so she didn''t sleep well for the past few days. She only felt that her head was hurting. "


    Her words were naturally an exaggeration but she had only seen Zhao Yuanrong getting along well with Fu Yuheng with Fu Lingling.


    But these words were completely different from what Xiao Shushen had heard. They were really trying to get the emperor''s attention and use any means at all ¡­


    He sneered in his heart, but so what if he had a daughter as a bargaining chip? It was because he was old that he was not favoured.


    "What can we say about this even if we are outsiders? After all, it''s the mother and daughter pair''s business, so it''s not good for us as sisters to say anything more. However, this person can actually send his own daughter out as a bargaining chip. That''s quite heartless of him. Besides, this is how he treats his own people, not to mention outsiders. "


    Xiao Shushen shook her head slightly and sighed. She seemed to feel that it was a bit of a pity, but her words did not mean that it was wrong to suggest for Liangyu to stay away from her.


    She could hear the allure in her voice, and she felt like everything was under control. She had said those words just to get back at Ye Ci. It could be said that she had gotten what she wanted. A look of joy appeared on his face, and in just a moment, he returned to his normal self. "What big sister taught is that little sister has received her teachings."


    After exchanging compliments for a while, the two went to rest.


    When Shen Qingwan returned from Wu Ling''s place, her tightly knitted eyebrows loosened up a little. She now had a general idea of the situation regarding the Wu Shang Shu.


    "Unexpectedly, it''s actually like this ¡­" Lian Yun sighed from the side.


    After getting back from Wu Ling, he found out that the concubine of the Wu Shang Shu was actually unwilling to marry him. He had originally wanted to give up, but for some reason, as if Liu Shangshu had said something to her, he suddenly changed his mind. Although he was unwilling, he still married his.


    Even later on, in Wu Shang Shu''s house, the concubine would not be an honest person and would occasionally cause trouble.


    Now that he thought about it, there was probably something wrong with that concubine of his.


    Now that he knew about this, he had a direction to investigate.


    Now that things had reached this point, Shen Qingwan was no longer as anxious and anxious as she was before. Instead, she felt a lot more at ease.


    Lian Yun was also relieved, she was finally willing to take care of her own body.


    "Niangniang, a few days ago General Shen took out a servant and brought you some mist ointment. It is said that it is eye-catching, do you need a servant to bring it back?" He suddenly remembered that General Shen had asked his subordinate to bring some ointment over a few days ago. It might still be useful at this time.


    Shen Qing Wan nodded. When Lian Yun brought it over and applied it to her temples, she felt much more comfortable and gradually fell asleep.


    The next day was the day after which she finally rested for such a long time. By the time she woke up, it was already late in the morning.


    "You''re awake?" A low and magnetic voice rang in her ears, causing Shen Qingwan''s blurry eyes to suddenly become a bit clearer.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" A bright yellow figure appeared in front of him, and he subconsciously wanted to get up and pay his respects, but he was pushed back onto the bed to lie down.


    "There''s no need, I heard from Lian Yun that you went through so much trouble in the past few days to investigate the affairs of Wu Shang Shu, and that you were unable to sleep peacefully day and night. Naturally, the concern on his face couldn''t be faked, and his sword-like eyebrows softened.


    Shen Qingwan saw that he didn''t say anything more and just nodded her head, saying, "I''ve asked my subordinates to investigate this matter in the next few days. They really did find some clues."


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng was rather surprised. Now, in just a few short days, she was able to find out what the clues were. He raised his eyebrows as the corner of his mouth hooked into a faint smile. "You''re quite fast." There was no lack of praise in her voice. He had never doubted her ability, but he had never expected his to be so fast.


    "So, what did you find out?"


    "This chenqie still doesn''t dare to say." Shen Qingwan shook her head, it was still too early to say. After all, everything was just her guess, unless there was conclusive evidence, she could not make an assertion.


    "Alright, I understand." Fu Yuheng nodded in understanding. He already expected that she would not tell him the result of his conjecture. She would only clarify the matter one by one after confirming his suspicions. "Rest first. This matter is not urgent."


    She already had a plan for this matter, so it wasn''t too late. But very soon, she would prove the results and tell him about it. This way, it would be able to end the annoying matter in Wu Ling''s heart, and she would also feel much better in Fu Yuheng''s heart.


    "I''m going back, you must take care of your body." After saying this, only the bright yellow back gradually disappeared into the distance.

 C191 Xianfeis allergy

    The Prime Minister Liu came to the palace specially because of the incident with the Wu Shang Shu.


    "Rong''er, no matter what you do, you have to stop Shen Qingwan from investigating this matter. Otherwise, it will affect us as well!" Prime Minister Liu''s tone was very serious, even Liu Chu Rong couldn''t ignore him.


    After sending off the Prime Minister Liu, Liu Chugrong thought about how he should deal with Shen Qingwan, and how he should take advantage of this opportunity to teach her a lesson.


    "Xiao Lv, I heard that you have some connection with Consort Xian''s servant Xiao Man?" She lazily leaned against the beauty bed, probing her words, "You are a person of my palace, so you should know who this heart is for."


    Xiao Lv knelt on the ground devoutly, lowered her head and did not dare to say a single word.


    The people of the palace all knew that the relationship between Consort Xian and Xiao Man wasn''t good, and now that the Imperial Concubine was aware of her relationship with Xiao Man ¡­


    "Don''t worry, I''m not an unreasonable person." She disdainfully swept a glance at Xiao Lv who was kneeling on the ground, "If you help me find information on the Consort Xian, we''ll consider it as you making amends for your past deeds."


    Xiao Lv nodded and left the room. After two days, she asked around and found out that the Consort Xian was allergic to almonds.


    Since she wanted to get mixed up in Wu Shang Shu''s corruption, she had no time to worry about it.


    On that day, she ordered someone to make a cake with almond powder. Looking at the exquisite pastries in the box, her lips curled up into a proud smile.


    She directly went to Shen Qingwan''s palace and wanted to personally send it. Only after watching her personally eat the almond-filled pastries would she feel at ease.


    "Consort Xian''s sister, why haven''t we seen Consort Xian''s sister go out?" The corner of her mouth curved into a smile, and she greeted him with a very intimate tone. "I''m looking forward to having a good chat with my younger sister."


    Shen Qing Wan frowned, feeling suspicious of her arrival.


    Why would she suddenly come to look for him?


    His heart was filled with doubts, but his expression was still calm. There was a smile that was neither too gentle nor too unfamiliar.


    "Chenqie has a cold personality and doesn''t like to make too much noise."


    What she said was the truth. Her personality was not that boisterous, and she would normally only speak a few more words with Consort De. The rest of the people did not even say a few words.


    "Today, I brought some pastries to visit my sister because I want to rebuild the relationship between us."


    Without waiting, she sat down and called Xiao Lv to place the box of pastries on the table and opened it.


    Shen Qingwan pursed her lips, looking at the exquisite pastries on the table, she felt even more puzzled.


    It was too far-fetched to use the word "old friendship" between them. When had they ever been good?


    "This is a new pastry prepared in the royal kitchen. I thought that my sister might not have the energy to look for it, so I sent it to her palace." It was natural for her to call her little sister, but Shen Qingwan didn''t give her that much of face and didn''t even address her as big sister.


    Recently, when she was busy investigating the affairs of the Wu Shang Shu, she didn''t have time to care about any pastries. She was just thinking about the clues, but unexpectedly, she interrupted her.


    She was busy sending Liu Chugrong off, so she picked up a piece of cake from the box and took a bite.


    This pastry was worthy of being taken from the royal kitchen. It melted in the mouth and tasted very sweet.


    The corner of her mouth lifted, her pretty eyebrows slightly raised, "The pastries are very delicious, thank you Imperial Concubine."


    Seeing that she had taken a bite without hesitation, a smug look flashed in her eyes.


    He had nothing to say to her to begin with, and when he saw that she did not stop after eating, he said that she had matters to attend to in the palace and left.


    After Liu Chugrong left, she was not in the mood to eat pastries. She casually put it in the pastries box and continued to think about the Wu Shang Shu.


    However, for some unknown reason, he felt some discomfort in his body, but he couldn''t say what it was.


    "Xiao Man, pour me some hot tea." She frowned and pressed her hand to her chest. Could it be that all the pastries from before were parched?


    Xiao Man turned around to find some hot water, but was immediately struck dumb when she returned.


    Shen Qingwan, who had been sitting by the table, fell to the ground. She immediately put down the hot water in her hands and ran over.


    "Empress, what happened to you?" Wake up! Imperial Physician! Imperial Physician! "


    Xiao Man called for someone to help Shen Qingwan up and personally went to the Imperial Physician''s hospital to look for her.


    At this moment, the Emperor was sitting by Shen Qingwan''s bedside, his handsome face showing a hint of worry. As for the imperial physician, he knelt on the ground to give her her pulse.


    "How is Consort Xian?" His voice was low, but it carried a hint of anger.


    Only then did the imperial physician withdraw his hand, his voice calm. "Concubine Xian''s fainting was caused by allergies."


    "Allergy?" Fu Yuheng couldn''t help but frown. His gaze turned cold as it descended upon Xiao Man, who was standing at the side. "How did you serve her?!"


    Xiao Man was Consort Xian''s personal servant. Normally, she would come here to help with her daily life, so how could she even bring food that was allergic to her?


    With his eyes wide open, he glanced worriedly at the Empress lying on the bed before replying.


    "The emperor shall atone for his sins. The imperial concubine has always been strict with her food servants. There won''t be any mistakes ¡­" She also did not know what had gone wrong. She knew that the Empress was allergic to almonds, so she had specifically instructed the imperial kitchens to not add anything related to almonds.


    "Concubine Xian doesn''t have much to eat, I''ll be fine after I prescribe a few portions of medicine." The imperial physician said in a low voice.


    Hearing the imperial physician''s words, Fu Yuheng felt much more at ease. Fortunately, it was only a light dose.


    "What did the Consort Xian eat today?" He wanted to see if it was an accident or if there was someone behind it.


    "Today, the Empress just ate some congee in the morning. She left some in the kitchen, and the rest ¡­" Xiao Man racked her brains to think of what the Empress had eaten today. Her gaze swept across the table as she suddenly thought, "There''s also pastries."


    When the imperial physician heard of this, he called for people to bring out the two items. He only needed to examine them to know which one was the problem.


    Xiao Man didn''t dare to stay any longer as she quickly placed the two dishes on the table.


    Fu Yuheng stood by the table, watching as the imperial physician bent over and tasted the dishes one by one. After eating the porridge, he took another bite of the pastries and suddenly frowned.


    "This pastry contains almond powder!" he said firmly.


    "Where did this cake come from?" Fu Yuheng''s black eyes slowly narrowed, exuding a dangerous aura. He kept having the feeling that this matter wasn''t as simple as it seemed.


    Xiao Man suddenly thought of the Imperial Consort Liu''s visit to the palace today. "Today, Imperial Consort Liu suddenly rose up to visit the Empress, and said that he would rely on these pastries to rebuild the relationship between the two of us."


    She suddenly realized that Imperial Consort Liu wanted to harm the Empress!


    "It must be the Imperial Consort Liu! "She watched as the Empress ate and then left in a hurry." Now that she thought about it, she realized it too.


    After Fu Yuheng found out, his eyes were filled with rage. He even personally went to Liu Chugrong Palace and cursed at her.


    After calculating the time, he thought that it was to change his character, but he didn''t expect that he would actually do such a harming thing!

 C192 100-year-old ginseng

    However, it must be said that passing out due to Shen Qingwan''s allergy had indeed delayed the progress of the investigation on the Wu Shang Shu. However, Liu Chugrong was shaking in anger in the room.


    If it wasn''t for this damnable slut, it wouldn''t have destroyed the image she had in the Emperor''s heart! As he thought of this, he began to use more and more strength to throw things. He couldn''t grasp it properly in an instant, and fragments flew out. There were even a few that stabbed into his skin, causing him to feel a burst of pain.


    "AHH!" With a cry of alarm, tears began to fall from his eyes, "Quick!" Someone come quickly! "Rumei!"


    La Mei, who had been standing guard outside the whole time, hurriedly came in upon hearing her alarmed cry. She supported a table on the side and asked, "Imperial Concubine, what''s wrong?" Unable to care about anything else, he hurriedly helped her sit on the bed.


    "Leg ¡­" Liu Chujun grimaced in pain, feeling it difficult to even speak.


    Lamei quickly ran out to call the imperial physician. When he came back, Liu Xiaorong was already sweating profusely from the pain and his face looked pale.


    "Imperial Concubine, please endure for a moment." When the imperial physician saw the wounds on her body, he didn''t seem nervous at all. He''d long since gotten accustomed to minor injuries like this, so he didn''t feel worried at all. However, she was still the Empress, so her delicate body was definitely too precious to bear such hardships.


    At this time, Shen Qingwan was also in the heat, her whole body was boiling as she lay on the bed, and she still hadn''t woken up. Lian Yun was also extremely anxious, but luckily the imperial physician said that she was alright, that she could recover after a while, and that was how she managed to stabilize her mind.


    "Sigh, it''s all the fault of that Imperial Consort Liu. If it wasn''t for her, the Empress wouldn''t be lying here like this." Xiao Man grumbled in dissatisfaction, "What if something happens to the Empress?" Shen Qingwan usually treated them very well. Now that she was like this, they, as servants, were also very worried.


    "Forget it, Xiao Man, let''s not talk about it anymore. If others hear about this and cause more trouble, then the Empress will be even more worried." Lian Yun pulled Xiao Man back. She remembered that it was precisely because of her that she went through such troubles.


    After changing a handkerchief for Shen Qingwan, she suddenly saw her eyelashes flutter slightly.


    "Empress?" Lian Yun tried to call out gently, and as expected, she received a reply.


    "Mm ¡­" With a groan, Shen Qingwan felt that her head was in chaos. Her body felt slightly hot, she wanted to raise her arm, but felt completely powerless.


    "What happened to me?" He asked Lian Yun in a daze, as he was a little unclear about her current situation.


    Lian Yun pursed her lips, and looked at the pastries on the table.


    "Is there a problem with the pastries?" Shen Qingwan was a little confused, this seemed to be what she meant. But in this palace, Liu Chugrong shouldn''t have the guts to poison her, so what''s going on?


    "Esteemed wangfei, could it be that you''ve forgotten about yourself? You''re allergic to almonds. This pastry contains the almond powder, so you fainted because of your allergies." Seeing her at a loss, Lian Yun felt even more unsatisfied towards Liu Chu Qing. The Empress had no enmity with her, but she kept on harming her, which made him feel extremely disgusted.


    Hearing Lian Yun say this, she remembered that she had never eaten almonds ever since she was young. Furthermore, she didn''t expect Liu Chugrong to know about this. She suddenly felt angry.


    Now that there was a clue to the corruption in the Wu Shang Shu, she and Fu Huaiyu could pretty much collude with each other. She had not gone to look for her yet, but had instead gone to look for him.


    He sneered in his heart, "Lian Yun, have there been any other people who came to this place while I was unconscious?" His body had recovered some of its strength. He used his arms to support his body as he sat up. The light in his eyes dimmed.


    "Is little sister feeling better?" Just as Shen Qingwan finished speaking, a crimson silk cloth walked in from the entrance.


    He retracted the gloom from his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his pale face. He seemed to be somewhat powerless. "Why is the empress free to visit chenqie today?" Xiao Shushen''s face was filled with weakness, showing off his sickly look. This Xiao Shushen was not easy to deal with, he still needed to be careful.


    Xiao Shushen walked to her bedside and pulled out a chair to pass it to her. She then sat down, "I heard that my sister was sick, so I came here to visit. If sister needs anything, you can just tell me."


    His concern on the surface was ordinary. If he did not know, he would have truly thought that she was his sister. However, the relationship between the two of them was not as friendly as it seemed.


    However, Shen Qingwan had no choice but to fawn on her. "Thank you for your kind intentions, big sister. If it wasn''t for big sister, I''m afraid little sister would be troubled for quite some time." However, he was sneering inside her heart. Since she was going to help, then she might as well help to the end!


    Hearing that, Xiao Shushen was startled, what did she mean? Could she not understand the perfunctory meaning behind her words? How is that possible! However, the words had already left her mouth, and she could no longer take them back. "Sis, if you have anything to say, just say it."


    The imperial physician said that it would be best to have a hundred year old ginseng to make up for it. It''s just that such a rare object like this, little sister, does not exist here. He sighed, looking extremely troubled. "I presume elder sister is the esteemed empress of the empress, so there will naturally be one. May I borrow one from younger sister?"


    It could be said that she had lost her teeth and blood, so it was impossible for her to not agree. Although she said she borrowed it, she really couldn''t take it back, or else she would not be magnanimous enough. Xiao Shushen could only curl the corner of her mouth, "Of course there is. Later, when big sister goes back, I will get someone to send it over to little sister." The words seemed to be forced out word by word, and the tone was stiff.


    With the fingernail in his hand, Xiao Shushen no longer had the mood to stay still. Looking at Shen Qingwan''s pale face, he suppressed his anger into the bottom of his eyes.


    "Little sister, rest up. Big sister will go back first."


    "Lian Yun, respectfully send the Empress off." Shen Qingwan spoke indifferently, she no longer had that respectful expression from before.


    In reality, it was just a matter of time before he broke out in open. In fact, he knew the other party''s true appearance very well.


    "Esteemed Empress, please." Lian Yun did not have any good impression of the fake Xiao Shushen and immediately sent her out.

 C193 Request for a visit

    "Your Majesty, the Shufei Empress requests an audience." Eunuch Chen came in to report.


    "Let her in." Fu Yuheng leaned on her bed as her phoenix eyes narrowed, revealing a hint of doubt. She rarely left the courtyard and would only occasionally play the zither in the pavilion or at Shen Qingwan''s place. She didn''t expect to see him today.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." Wu Ling lowered her eyes, unwilling to look him in the eye. The other day she told Shen Qingwan that she wanted to go to the prison to see her brother, so she suggested that she come and beg the emperor. She had thought about it for a long time these few days, and was only willing to give it a try.


    He threw down the paper in his hand and said in an unexpectedly gentle tone, "My beloved concubine, come and sit by my side." He had hardly touched her since she had been in the palace for so long, and every time he met her despairing, resentful eyes he felt a wave of discomfort, and because of that he had rarely been in her yard before, only occasionally, when he was depressed, listening to the guqin, but doing nothing else.


    "Lovely concubine, do you have something you want me to help you with?" Even when Wu Ling was sitting beside him, he didn''t touch her. Instead, he just stared at the side of his face. Did she see him as a man-eating tiger?


    Wu Ling was shocked. She did not expect it to be seen through so easily. Now that she was sitting beside him, her scalp tingled. But in order to meet her brother, she just stood there and didn''t do anything. "Your majesty ¡­" He pouted, but it was hard to say what he was going to say.


    "Just say it." Seeing her nervous look, Fu Yuheng knew that it was likely that she was here for the Wu Shang Shu incident. However, since Shen Qingwan''s investigation already had a general idea of the situation, she did not hide anything from it.


    "Chenqie, chenqie wishes to meet with brother." Wu Ling bit her lower lip and finally said what she was thinking.


    Fu Yuheng was not surprised by what she said. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Based on his understanding of her, she definitely wouldn''t directly come to find him, and this idea might have been suggested by Shen Qingwan.


    Since it was just a token, he didn''t show any embarrassment on his face. "Do you blame me?" Zhang Xuan stared at the ground. At that moment, it was impossible for anyone to read his eyes.


    Wu Ling''s body trembled. She opened her mouth but couldn''t say anything. How should she answer? Of course he was angry, but he was still the emperor, so he couldn''t say those words out loud. "Chenqie doesn''t dare."


    But as he said those words, he didn''t have the slightest bit of agreement. He only shook his head with a smile, but there was also a bit of bitterness within that smile. Perhaps only he himself knew.


    "Forget it, even if I asked you, you wouldn''t tell me the truth." With that, Wu Ling''s expression tightened. However, he raised his hand and gave her a token. "Go."


    She widened her eyes. She hadn''t thought that he would happily give her the command medallion. She had originally thought that he would have to pay some sort of price, but he didn''t expect it to be so easy.


    "Chenqie thanks Your Majesty." If he had said the first few words in a perfunctory manner, then those words were filled with true meaning. Even his voice was choked with sobs.


    Shen Qingwan had been lying in bed for two days now, so she could take a stroll and walk back and forth. As soon as they arrived at the garden, they met Wu Ling who was approaching them. She looked much better today. She had long since heard that Fu Yuheng would be very happy to see her elder brother.


    At this moment, Wu Ling was on her way to visit her brother in the prison. She was a bit agitated and nervous, but when she saw Shen Qingwan coming over, she could only nod slightly and greet her brother.


    She didn''t have the heart to think about anything else. The anxiety in her heart was like a ball of fire, burning away the rationality within the depths of her heart.


    He quickly walked out of the palace and got into a sedan under the guidance of the Sun Gonggong.


    "Wait for me ¡­" Wu Ling murmured. The handkerchief in her hand was already wrinkled. Sweat flowed down her forehead as she wiped it away, but it could not hide the impatience in her heart.


    "The Shufei''s Empress, we have arrived ¡­" Sun Gonggong shouted, her tone also carrying a hint of happiness, she had finally reached her limit and had been in the palace for such a long time, it had been hard on her.


    In fact, Sun Gonggong had a good impression of Wu Ling. Although she rarely came out, she never stirred up trouble and would not criticize the servants harshly.


    Wu Ling jumped down from the palanquin and walked straight towards the door.


    "Who are you!" The guard let her pass and stopped him in a displeased manner.


    "How dare you!" Sun Gonggong quickly shouted out. Seeing this, the prison warden''s face changed.


    "Sun..." Sun Gonggong, why are you here? "This is ¡­" She looked at Wu Ling with confusion. However, looking at her plain clothes, I''m not too sure.


    "You don''t have eyes, but this is the Shufei''s Empress. Your grace is being visited here on the orders of the Emperor, hurry up and get out of the way." Sun Ning rolled his eyes and led Wu Ling in.


    As soon as they entered the cell, a nauseous smell assaulted them. Wu Ling was even more worried as she ran forward.


    "Big brother!" Looking at the dirty man sitting inside, Wu Ling couldn''t help but cover her mouth and sob.


    The man slowly opened his eyes. When he saw the look of shock on her face, he exclaimed, "Sis!" Why would she come to this place?


    Even though his heart was filled with doubts, he couldn''t help but miss his family.


    "Big brother, it''s all because of little sister. There''s no way to save you right now." As he said this, he began to cry again.


    Wu Yan subconsciously wanted to wipe her tears away, but when he saw the dirt on his hands, his eyes darkened. He put his hands down and asked, "What kind of silly words are you saying, how can big brother blame you?"


    "Did you come here for the emperor?" Wu Yan was a little worried. It would be alright if the emperor knew about it, but if he didn''t, then he would definitely be punished when he returned. How could he watch her suffer?


    Wu Ling nodded, "Don''t worry big brother, little sister will definitely think of a way to get you out." As he spoke, his eyes grew firmer and firmer. He had to find out more about his father, only then would he be able to make the ancestors of the Wu Clan feel at ease.


    "Sigh ¡­" Wu Yan let out a sigh, his heart still harbored some resentment towards this matter. At that time, there was a high chance that he had been killed by a traitor, but now he could not find any evidence. In addition, the Emperor was afraid of his status as the son of the Wu Family, so what could he do?


    The two chatted for a while. It was obvious that Wu Ling was reluctant to leave, but staying here for a long time would cause gossip, so she could only reluctantly leave.


    "Big brother, wait for me ¡­" She wiped away her tears, her firm eyes shining.

 C194 sDoubt it is her! s

    The originally peaceful Imperial Palace instantly erupted again due to a matter.


    It was unknown where the news came from, but it said that Empress Xiao Shushen had been poisoned. For a moment, the imperial harem was in a state of panic.


    A few days ago, Consort Xian Shen Qingwan was allergic to food and her legs were injured. Now, it was the Queen''s turn ¡­


    Hearing this, the imperial physician rushed to the empress''s palace to check on her injuries.


    "Imperial Physician Li, how is the empress?" Xiao Shushen''s trusted Gui mama asked worriedly, but her eyes were filled with viciousness, there was actually someone who dared to attack the Empress!


    Imperial Physician Li carefully finished the pulse of the Empress. It just so happened that Fu Yuheng walked in quickly.


    He wrinkled his brow, a sharp and irritable glint in his eyes. How could he not be annoyed by the numerous incidents that occurred to concubines in the imperial harem?


    "Greetings, your Imperial Majesty." Imperial Physician Li immediately turned around to face Fu Yuheng.


    "What''s wrong with the empress now?" Fu Yuheng knitted his brows as dark light suffused his eyes.


    Imperial Physician Li didn''t dare to hesitate. "Esteemed Empress took a small dose of arsenic, so there''s no problem. You can just prescribe some medicine to recuperate."


    The appearance of arsenic in the harem was shocking.


    Fu Yuheng cast a glance at the Queen who was still unconscious on the bed. He felt slightly irritated.


    "Your majesty, the person who poisoned the empress must have malicious intentions! He wants to kill the empress!" Gui mama kneeled onto the ground with a thump. Although his face showed grievance, his words still resounded with each word he spoke.


    "The emperor must seek justice for the empress!" "Your majesty!" She kept kowtowing to him. As a servant, she didn''t think much of it. As long as the emperor protected the empress, she could find the person who poisoned the empress.


    He was even more agitated by her words. These people were making trouble for him right under his nose. They were truly lawless.


    Fu Yuheng waved his hand and spoke with anger and authority, "Investigate this matter thoroughly for This Emperor!"


    With these words of his, the marble temple naturally did not dare to be negligent. All day long, he had been investigating the matter of Xiao Shushen''s poisoning.


    Perhaps it was because they knew that he was truly angered this time, but everyone in the palace was panic-stricken, especially the one who started it.


    Ever since he learned that Fu Yuheng was going to investigate this matter, Liu Chugrong had been restless.


    Originally, she didn''t want to harm Xiao Shushen either, but those were Fu Huaiyu''s instructions. Currently, he had a close relationship with the Liu Estate, so he could not be disturbed by anything.


    It was because of this that she had taken the risk to poison Xiao Shushen.


    She was trembling from head to toe all day, and even her mood had worsened a bit. Unfortunately for her, Xiao Lv had also knocked over a small item with his hands and feet.


    Such a scene immediately made Liu Chu Rong irritable, he pointed at Xiao Lv and started to criticize him, "How do you all do things! None of them were nimble! I really don''t know what I have to do with you all! " He was already in a bad mood, so it was easy for him to be ignited.


    Xiao Lv was so scared that she immediately knelt to the ground, bowed her head and begged for forgiveness, "Imperial Concubine, please spare me, please spare me!"


    "You went out and kneeled in front of me, what an eyesore!" He turned his body away from her contemptuously.


    Hearing that, Xiao Lv felt wronged, but she did not dare say anything, and could only do as she said. As a servant, how could she dare to compete with Imperial Concubine?


    Looking at Xiao Lv''s figure that was rushing out, she felt annoyed again, "These are truly things that make people worry!"


    As for Shen Qingwan, she had already taken a few sets of the imperial physician''s soup, so she was almost fully recovered from her allergies.


    "The empress has been poisoned?" He raised his eyebrows and a trace of interest flashed through his eyes. Although she was in the palace all day, it was hard for her not to know about this matter even if it caused a huge commotion.


    Xiao Man was passing her the soup for today, pouting as she said, "Empress, it''s time to drink the medicine."


    It was that bitter taste again. Her eyebrows creased, but there was nothing she could do. She didn''t have any strength left in her body, so she picked up the bowl of soup and drank it up.


    "That''s right, the empress had been poisoned a few days ago. The imperial physician said he''d taken a small dose of arsenic, but it''s not that serious."


    Arsenic?


    Someone had used arsenic in the harem. That thing was the deadliest and most deadly of them all.


    "The emperor is thoroughly investigating this matter, causing everyone in the imperial harem to be terrified." Xiao Man continued shaking her head.


    It seemed that Fu Yuheng also felt that the recent news was not a coincidence. The last time he came, it was because of Liu Chugrong. Then what about this time?


    It wasn''t that she was prejudiced against Liu Chugrong, but she was the most daring one in the harem and had the most reason to poison.


    "Any leads?" Shen Qingwan raised her hand and placed it on her forehead. With the bitterness still in her mouth, she picked up the candied fruit on the bed and started chewing. The marble temple had been ordered to investigate this matter, they should have found some clues.


    "There doesn''t seem to be any clues, but this servant sees that the emperor is serious this time." Xiao Man pondered as she smiled at her, "Does the Empress have any guesses?"


    Xiao Man had been by her side all this time and was naturally intelligent to begin with.


    Hearing that, Shen Qingwan curled her lips slightly, but did not answer. Instead, she asked a question in return, "How is Imperial Consort Liu doing recently?"


    Mentioning Liu Chugrong, Xiao Man unconsciously showed a disgusted look on her face, "She also got what she deserved. Since she injured her leg last time, she can''t do anything about it."


    She had hurt her leg, and it seemed like she couldn''t do anything on the surface. However, after her lesson last time, Liu Chugrong probably wouldn''t risk his life again.


    Shen Qingwan was silent, while Xiao Man seemed to have thought of something, as if she had just awoken from a dream, "Empress, are you suspecting that she was the one who poisoned him?"


    "We can''t jump to conclusions until we find out." She cast a deep glance at Xiao Man, "You must pay attention to what you say in the harem."


    Knowing that she had made a mistake, Xiao Man lowered her head in annoyance, "This servant understands."


    Seeing her like this, Shen Qingwan couldn''t help feeling a little annoyed, "But like you said, I do suspect her."


    Hearing this, Xiao Man''s bright eyes lit up again, "Actually, this servant also suspects it."


    "Go and check if there''s anything wrong with her." Shen Qingwan smiled, a light flashing across her eyes.


    "Alright!" Xiao Man agreed. She had some connections with Xiao Lv, who was next to Imperial Consort Liu.


    He found some time to look for Xiao Lv in the Imperial Consort Liu Palace and only said that he had matters in the palace that needed her help. Xiao Lv did not reject her request and brought her to her room. During this time, Xiao Man unintentionally looked at the Imperial Consort Liu''s palace.


    "Empress!" When he returned, Xiao Man couldn''t wait to run into her room. "Greetings, Empress."


    "There''s no need to be so polite. What''s the situation?" Shen Qingwan''s gaze was filled with deep probing.


    "This servant did not see Imperial Consort Liu, but ¡­" Her eyes darkened, and she looked around to make sure no one was there.


    "But this servant discovered a palace maid sneakily hiding something under a big tree. He had a panicked expression, as if he was quickly seen by someone." She only happened to glance at a corner of the courtyard wall when Xiao Lv called out to her, so she didn''t have the chance to look carefully.


    Shen Qingwan''s eyes dimmed a little because of her words. It seemed like this matter really wasn''t that simple.


    Liu Chugrong didn''t do it himself, but what was that palace maid burying?


    She instinctively felt that this matter had something to do with the matter of Xiao Shushen''s poisoning. Even if it wasn''t Liu Jiaorong''s method, it at least had something to do with her!

 C195 lead broken

    Liu Chugrong was completely unaware of Shen Qingwan''s actions, but he was still a little fearful in his heart.


    No matter what food was brought in from the kitchen, she was sickly and had no appetite. On top of the fact that the injury on his leg had not yet healed, his mood was even more gloomy.


    "Someone sent a letter to Imperial Concubine ¡­" Xiao Lv carefully walked in, his face red and swollen, with scars from the beating he received a few days ago.


    Liu Chu Rong, who was lazily lying on the beauty bed, raised his eyelids and glanced at her. He then casually nodded. "Here."


    There shouldn''t be many people who could send her a letter, if it wasn''t her father, then it should be Fu Huaiyu right?


    Thinking about Fu Huaiyu, her mood finally became a bit better, and some energy appeared on her face.


    Xiao Lv brought the envelope in front of her, and stood there respectfully, not daring to say a single word.


    He was afraid that if he said or did something wrong, he would be beaten up.


    She took the letter. There was no signature on the envelope, so she could already guess who had delivered it.


    "Who else knows about this letter?" Her face was cold. She stared at her bowed head and asked, "Was it only by your hand?"


    Xiao Lv''s pupils contracted as she obediently nodded her head.


    Liu Chugrong raised his eyebrows and looked at her fiercely, "Only you know about this. If others hear about it, you know what will happen."


    She, Liu Chugrong, was not a kind person. Whoever dared to block her way would be killed.


    This sentence was spoken calmly, but it carried a hint of ruthlessness, causing Xiao Lv to kneel down at her feet involuntarily. Her voice trembled, "This servant does not dare to speak carelessly, Imperial Concubine, please do not blame this servant!"


    She bit her lip with difficulty, beginning to regret her actions just now. Why did she have to pick up that letter?


    "Get down."


    "This servant will take his leave." Xiao Lv stood up quickly, blessed herself with the ability to walk out of the house quickly.


    Xiao Lv did not know who sent the letter, it was a new face, but suddenly, something happened to her.


    Opening the envelope, it was indeed Fu Huaiyu''s letter. The letter praised her and made her fear that the Emperor would not investigate this matter.


    Seeing him write this, she felt slightly more at ease. She also began to believe that the emperor wouldn''t find out that this matter was related to her, after all, the harem was so large, and she didn''t personally administer the poison so it shouldn''t be too much of a problem.


    In the evening, another servant came to the palace. It was sent by Prime Minister Liu.


    When Prime Minister Liu heard about the Queen''s poisoning, and that the Emperor was thoroughly investigating the matter, he couldn''t help but be a little worried.


    Liu Chu Rong''s mind was at ease, and he called the servant to pass on the message to the Prime Minister to the Prime Minister Liu.


    As long as she had Fu Huaiyu''s protection, she was not afraid. Fu Huaiyu was no longer as stubborn as before.


    "Prime Minister, it was this Ninth Prince''s idea. He was also instructed by him to poison the empress."


    "What?" Prime Minister Liu turned pale with fright, "Really?"


    The servant was very sure of his answer, "Imperial Concubine said so."


    Prime Minister Liu was anxious, his brows knitted tightly.


    Previously, Fu Yuheng was already somewhat angry towards Liu Chugrong because of the incident with the Consort Xian. This adventure of poisoning Xiao Shushen, if was found out, it would be ¡­


    The more he thought about it, the more uncertain he felt. However, this was Fu Huaiyu''s decision, even if it was himself, he was afraid that he would be unable to refute it.


    Seeing that the Prime Minister''s face was filled with worry, the servant added, "Imperial Concubine even praised his actions this time and promised that this matter would not be discovered."


    Hearing that, Prime Minister Liu''s face became better, but he was also an old cunning fox, how could he be as easily deceived as Liu Chugrong?


    Moreover, Fu Huaiyu had always been indifferent towards the matters of the outside world, so why would he suddenly make a move for the Liu Manor? That would be even more suspicious.


    His abnormal behavior had made many people look at him in a different light. If he were to help the Liu Family now, it would attract more attention. No, he couldn''t let Liu Chu Rong take the risk. Even with Ninth Prince''s promise, he couldn''t let his guard down. It seemed like he had to take action now. Even if it wasn''t for Liu Chu Rong, it had to be for the Liu Residence!


    Prime Minister Liu paced around the room and made a decision.


    At this time, in Ninth Prince''s Mansion, Fu Huaiyu was playing chess with his sage.


    A pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes retracted its usual smile, unexpectedly could also reflect a vicious light, slender and good-looking, clinging to a black game, beautiful eyes staring at the chess game, the corner of his mouth slightly curled up.


    "Why would I risk my life?" The sage standing opposite him did not seem to understand Fu Huaiyu''s actions. He was not such an impulsive person.


    He smiled sarcastically, and everything suddenly lost its color.


    "Imperial Consort Liu is not a powerful being." However, with the title of Prime Minister''s Father and Imperial Consort, scheming was not enough.


    He was worried about Fu Huaiyu using someone like this, more so worried about his doing something so dangerous.


    "She isn''t mature enough, I''m afraid that I will ruin my great plan."


    The sage looked worried, but he acted as if it had nothing to do with him. After a while, he spat out, "Foolish people are easier to control."


    Of course, he also knew that Liu ChuRong wasn''t mentally mature, so he didn''t put her in an important position. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have ordered her to do such an obvious thing.


    In the beginning, he valued Shen Qingwan, but that woman was simply too hard to control and he was unable to grasp what she was thinking.


    "What does this have to do with This King? You''re just a jealous woman from the harem, what does that have to do with me? " He elegantly smiled, a pair of peach blossom eyes bright and bright, a beauty that even the women of the world could not resist.


    "Prince ¡­"


    "The pawn of the Liu Family is just a springboard. Do you really think that this king is that rare?" If he had not taken a fancy to Liu Chugrong''s position of imperial concubine and the power of the Prime Minister Liu, how could he have chosen the Liu Family?


    The Saint heard and did not say anything, while Fu Huaiyu slowly placed the black stone in his hand into an inconspicuous yet fatal position, his eyes filled with killing intent.


    Thinking of the empress, she murmured, "It''s just a small warning this time. Next time ¡­"


    He did not finish his sentence, but the sage clearly understood the meaning behind the latter half of the sentence.


    The Prime Minister Liu was afraid that Xiao Shushen''s case would cause suspicion, and was also afraid that Liu Chugrong would be exposed, so he bribed one of the officials in the marble temple to destroy the clues he got from the search.


    "What''s going on?!" Seeing that the clues they had gathered had been burnt overnight, the marble temple scolded angrily.


    "If I find out who was the one that took advantage of the situation and destroyed the clues, I won''t let them off lightly!"


    There were obstructions in the handling of the marble temple, and all the clues had been destroyed. For a moment, there was no clue as to what to do, but the emperor was urging for the results here.

 C196 To the border

    The fact that the clues about the marble temple had been broken had spread to the Imperial Palace, causing Fu Yuheng to feel slightly more worried. Behind him, there was probably someone controlling the other party. If not, with marble temple''s strength, it would not be impossible for them to continue on.


    He could not help but feel annoyed. The world was getting more and more unstable. Could it be that he was acting too gently these days? So much so that the people behind him were beginning to get restless.


    Fu Yuheng leaned back in his chair as if he was playing with the jade thumb ring that emitted a slight chill. His sword-like eyebrows slightly creased, and his half-closed eyes shone with a cold light.


    Was the person who was truly in control really his imperial concubine?


    "If you think that I love you, then who does this have to do with you?" Fu Yuheng stopped and raised his eyes. He turned his body and looked at Shen Qingwan.


    Shen Qingwan had always been a smart person, and this matter definitely belonged to her alone. If she listened to him a little, it would be beneficial for her judgement in the future.


    At the very least, he wouldn''t blindly make such an assertion.


    "Chenqie ¡­" Shen Qing Wan was lost in thought just now, but when she heard the emperor calling her, she was startled for a moment. She paused for a moment before continuing: "Chenqie is stupid, I don''t know."


    Shen Qingwan had a plan in her heart, but there was no evidence right now. She didn''t want to incriminate someone without any evidence.


    When Fu Yuheng saw this, he pondered for a moment. Finally understanding, he consoled, "Why are you belittling yourself, Consort Xian. You only need to say it to hear your opinion. There is no need to be burdened."


    Shen Qing Wan remained silent, but could not resist his repeated attempts. She pursed her somewhat dry lips, "According to chenqie, that person is most likely a Imperial Consort Liu."


    "You mean Liu Chugrong?" With a thought, most of his laziness disappeared. He straightened his body and looked at her.


    "It''s just a guess." Shen Qingwan lifted the teapot and poured a cup of tea for both the emperor and herself. She raised her hand slightly and handed it to Fu Yuheng, "All these years, the things that the imperial concubine has done have changed. If not for something secretly changing her, how could a grand concubine in the inner court of the harem have such a huge change? That''s why chenqie dares to make such a presumptuous conclusion. "


    Fu Yuheng heard this and the cold smile on his face grew warmer. He reached out his slender hands and wrapped them around Shen Qingwan''s slender hands as a hint of praise flashed in his eyes. "I also think that the Imperial Consort Liu is the most likely person to poison the Empress. Consort Xian is really intelligent. "


    Shen Qingwan''s watery eyes flashed with light, her gaze was downcast, but she remained unfazed. "Chenqie thanks Your Majesty for his presumptuous praise."


    "Forget it, you seem to be tired for a long time now." Forget it, you seem to be tired for a long time now. Fu Yuheng parted his lips slightly, a doting look in his eyes. Within this harem, she was the most different and the most intimate.


    When she mentioned lunch, she remembered that she had never eaten breakfast before. Now that she was hungry, she nodded in agreement, "Yes."


    "Sun Gonggong, have you finished taking care of Shufei?" Fu Yuheng suddenly recalled that Wu Ling had visited her brother yesterday and Shen Qingwan was investigating the Wu Shang Shu. He wondered if there was any useful information.


    But the pity was that when Sun Ning heard it, he shook his head and felt helpless. Thinking back to how Wu Ling acted like a pear blossom in the rain yesterday, he started to cry too.


    "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Shufei and the Empress have already made preparations. I hope Your Majesty can be at ease." He gently waved the horsetail whisk in his hand. He naturally had to do what he was told.


    "Any other news?" Fu Yuheng glanced at Shen Qingwan, who was eating with her head lowered, and felt a little helpless in her heart. Logically speaking, she should be interested in this.


    "Reporting to the emperor, there isn''t ¡­" Sun Ning suddenly realized something, and remembered that the Concubine Xian was investigating the matter of the Wu Shang Shu.


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head. She felt his gaze and felt funny. In reality, it wasn''t that she wasn''t interested in this matter, it was just that she had guessed that there wouldn''t be any important news.


    In fact, it would be better if he explored the Prime Minister Liu, but she did not say it out loud. It was because the Liu Family and Fu Huaiyu were very close, and if they were to accidentally alert the enemy, everything they did would be for naught.


    She knew that a person who did great things was someone who didn''t care about small matters.


    "Is the emperor worried about the matters regarding big sister Shufei?" He covered his lips and smiled, but there seemed to be a trace of tenderness in his eyes, causing him to become infatuated.


    "Your majesty?" Seeing that he did not say anything, Shen Qingwan spoke up again to remind him. Sun Ning on the other hand, forced himself to smile.


    "Mm ¡­" Fu Yuheng answered absent-mindedly. However, when he glanced at her collar, it seemed as if ¡­ I haven''t been to her place for a long time...


    Shen Qingwan naturally didn''t know what he was thinking, but she felt that he wasn''t really listening to what she said. She felt a little unhappy, so she stopped talking and continued to head down to eat. She didn''t talk much about food. It was the ancient rule, but she didn''t seem to care much about it recently.


    They each had their own worries in the harem. Wu Ling was worried about her brother. And Li Ruotong, for the past few days, had not thought about food and tea either.


    "Esteemed wangfei, you should eat some. If this continues, I''m afraid your body won''t be able to take it!" Qiu Shui stood beside Li Ruotong. Seeing her worried look, she became anxious.


    Li Ruotong had been in this state ever since the Ye Bodyguard left for the border. She knew that he was unable to control herself with the military order, but the longing in his heart made it impossible for her to not care.


    "Tell me, could he be like me right now, staring at the sky in a daze?" Actually, she rarely had the chance to quieten down, but for some reason, she couldn''t get any more lively.


    Qiushui opened her mouth, but she didn''t know how to comfort her. She was about to open her mouth, but then she saw that she was answering her own question.


    "I doubt it ¡­." He should be busy and probably won''t have time to think about me. " Looking at the red sunset, Li Ruotong laughed bitterly in his heart, if it was for too long, would he have forgotten about her?


    "Empress ¡­" Qiu Shui looked at her worriedly. She did smile like a newly bloomed gardenia. It was cold and lonely. Perhaps she had been with Shen Qingwan for a long time, but she still remained indifferent.


    "Go back ¡­" He wrapped his cloak around his body. It was already late autumn, and it was a bit cold ¡­

 C197 Never seen

    "My son seems to dislike this one more and more these days ¡­" The empress dowager let out a faint sigh, her eyes revealing traces of grief as she looked at Fu Yuheng, who was seated at the side.


    "What is the Queen Mother saying?" The shadow beneath his eyes masked his expression. The empress dowager had frequently asked him to accompany her these past few days, but he was still a little confused.


    "In the past few days, has Huaiyu caused any trouble for you?" After a long period of silence, the empress dowager finally spoke up and asked Fu Huaiyu about his recent progress.


    Was he really more concerned about his own son?


    Fu Yuheng''s gaze turned slightly cold. In the end, his heart was still somewhat cold. However, from the looks of it, she didn''t seem to know that his son was conspiring against his.


    "Imperial Mother is overthinking it. Ninth brother is very shrewd, but there is no need for me to worry." Sure enough, after he said those words, her complexion paled, and his eyes revealed a bit of surprise. In merely a few breaths, he returned to being calm, as if nothing had ever happened.


    "Is my son joking?" She was trembling slightly, revealing her tensed state of mind. What did those words just now mean? Looking at Fu Yuheng before her, it was the first time she felt that he was so far away from her. It was as if she was unable to see through him.


    Actually, she had already known that Fu Huaiyu was ambitious. This was also why she didn''t want him to be involved in politics.


    Fu Yuheng saw that her expression was a little absent-minded and did not continue speaking. Instead, he consoled her, "Imperial Mother, you need not think too much ¡­"


    With that, he instructed the Wu mama at his side, "Take good care of the empress dowager. If there''s anything you need, go and inform Sun Gonggong directly."


    Currently, Li Ruotong was not the only person in Li Ruotong''s courtyard. Shen Qingwan was shockingly present as well. It could be seen that her expression was somewhat annoyed.


    "Nonsense!" Shen Qingwan shouted. Her originally watery eyes were now full of power. Just a single glance from her was enough to make anyone shiver.


    "NO!" I still want to go! " Yesterday night, Li Ruotong thought about it for an entire night. No one knew what she thought, but today, she had to rush to the border grounds. But fortunately, Autumn Water had informed Shen Qingwan of this matter in time, and only then was she stopped, not causing any consequences that could not be persuaded to stay.


    Facing such a stubborn her, Shen Qingwan felt a little helpless. She knew how much she missed Ye Feng, but he was Fu Yuheng''s concubine after all. If he went to the border without considering the consequences, it would only bring about a bad influence.


    "Are you done yet!" He lowered his voice a little, this matter was not suitable for him to publicize, "Do you know what the consequences are for you to do this? If I get caught, not only you, even Ye Bodyguard will be affected. "


    Shen Qingwan forcefully flung her hand away, causing her to stagger a little. What she said also made her freeze on the spot, speechless.


    "What is it? Now you know how to be afraid? " She crossed her arms and looked at Ye Zichen''s changing expression with a playful look in her eyes. It wasn''t that she was making things difficult for her, it was just that this was the only way she could wake up.


    Li Ruotong then regained consciousness, and immediately tears began to fall. Yesterday night, he had thought for a long time before finally falling asleep. However, when she dreamt that something had happened to Ye Feng, she immediately went to the border and lost her mind.


    Only after recovering from their shock at this moment did they feel how laughable their actions were. If they were careless and let others find out, the two of them would probably end up like the lovebirds in the underworld.


    "I... I''m sorry, I''ve caused you trouble again. " Tears were still rolling down her cheeks, this dejected and teary look made Shen Qing Wan feel heartache. Most of the time, she was just like a heartless person, and it was rare to see her like today, which showed just how important Ye Feng was to her.


    "Forget it. Hurry up and get up. Be careful not to catch a cold." Earlier, Li Ruotong was afraid and directly sat on the ground, but now that she helped him up, he felt a little embarrassed.


    But seeing that she had recovered her usual look, Shen Qing Wan heaved a sigh of relief, hoping to settle the situation at the border early. If it continued, she was really afraid that Li Ruotong would not be able to hold on, and impulsively ran over to the border.


    He sighed as he felt that he was born to worry about his life.


    In this palace, there were only two people who could speak. One of them was depressed every day, while the other was troubled by his feelings. None of them could make her worry.


    Although she was helpless, she still had to help. Who asked her to make these two her soulmates?


    Coincidentally, she heard that Xiao Shushen had also woken up, so she pulled Liu Ruo Tong and went over to have a look, since she was the empress, if she did not make a trip, it might cause people to be speechless.


    "Gui mama, is the empress better now?" The two did not go in, but instead asked Gui mama who was standing guard by the door.


    Seeing them come over, Gui mama didn''t show the slightest bit of panic on his face, bowing politely. "Empress just woke up from her coma, and is still very weak right now. The two esteemed ladies want to visit, please come back tomorrow." She didn''t like them from the start, so she didn''t give them any face.


    Shen Qing Wan did not mind, she was happy that Xiao Shushen did not see them again.


    After they left, Xiao Shushen''s voice finally came out from the door. "Cough cough ¡­ Gui mama... "


    Her voice was still weak, and her pale face revealed the weakness of a woman. She had lost her usual dignified and generous appearance, and from what I could tell, she looked pitiful.


    "Are they gone?" She hated it when people looked at her weak and weak appearance. Ever since she was young, her mother had taught her to be strong, to not be bullied by others.


    In the beginning, she didn''t think much of it. It wasn''t until she was ten years old and had been beaten up to the point where her body couldn''t even be considered complete because of her cowardice that she understood what her mother had said.


    She couldn''t lose.


    "He''s gone ¡­" Gui mama felt her heart ache when she saw her weak appearance. She had followed her for a long time, but rarely saw her like this.


    Xiao Shushen sat up with her support and drank a bowl of porridge before her complexion eased a little.


    "If anyone comes to visit, tell them that I have already fallen asleep." She did not want to see anyone now, not even Fu Yuheng.


    Gui mama agreed and tucked her in before closing the door. In the end, he even sighed and looked worriedly at the person who was sleeping inside.


    During this time, Li Gui, Yue Yang and the others had also come over, but they were all blocked outside the door by her, and not a single one of them let her in. However, Liu Chugrong didn''t come.

 C198 A feeling of pity arose in his heart

    "Is the empress awake?" Fu Yuheng looked at the tightly shut door and inquired. After being unconscious for such a long time, logically speaking, he should have woken up already. However, he didn''t know why he said that she didn''t see anyone.


    "Esteemed Empress woke up this morning, but ¡­" Gui mama was a bit hesitant. He didn''t know if he should say that the empress didn''t see that many people. After all, the person in front of him was the emperor, even if the empress said she didn''t even see him. But she knew she still wanted his attention.


    "But what difficulties?" When Fu Yuheng saw her hesitation, he felt that she had something to say.


    "There are many ladies who came to visit you, but the Empress rejected them all ¡­" "Your servant saw that the Empress''s mood wasn''t very good ¡­" After saying that, she still hoped that he would be able to comfort Xiao Shushen.


    "Creak ¡­" The door was pushed open with a loud creak.


    Xiao Shushen was also awakened by this sound, she rubbed her drowsy eyes, obviously still lacking in spirit, the color of her lips was light and emitted a special softness, "Gui mama, is that you?" She raised her head and looked at the door.


    "It''s me." A low and deep voice came from behind the screen, followed by a bright yellow figure that appeared in her line of sight.


    She had clearly instructed the Gui mama not to let anyone in, but she didn''t expect that he would still let him in. However, she soon understood. After all, she was the Emperor. Even if he wanted to do something, she, a mere servant, wouldn''t be able to stop him.


    Struggling to move, it was a pity that he didn''t have the strength in the end. "The emperor forgives his concubine and can''t pay respects for the emperor." There was a hint of disappointment in her voice. She hated herself for being so powerless.


    Fu Yuheng viewed her as a different person from the past. Everyone said that women were made of water, and now, he had experienced it for himself. No matter when she blocked the arrows for him, or when she was at court, she had never admitted defeat, so it could be said that she was very strong.


    Seeing her weak and delicate appearance, he suddenly felt some pity for her, and a feeling of wanting to protect her grew in his heart.


    "It''s alright. Take good care of your body. I''m only here to see you today. If there''s anything wrong, please come and tell me." I will accompany you when you are better. " His gaze softened as he beckoned to Gui mama. "Did your esteemed mother drink the medicine?"


    Hearing that, the Gui mama shook his head, "Not yet."


    Fu Yuheng knew this, and reached out his hand to tuck Xiao Shushen in. "Bring the medicine here, I''ll personally feed it to her."


    How could such a meticulous girl have such malicious intentions? Fu Yuheng doubted his previous thoughts. Could it be that he had wrongly blamed her? After all, she had always been dignified and virtuous in the palace. Even when he would sometimes ignore her, she would not complain.


    "Your majesty, medicine." The Gui mama returned quickly and passed the medicine bowl to him.


    Xiao Shushen endured the bitterness in her mouth, and only frowned slightly, but did not display any discomfort.


    He had not treated her so warmly in a long time, especially since Shen Qingwan had entered the palace, and the number of times he had come to her palace was extremely few.


    "Do you feel any pain?" He was about to offer it to her again when he noticed her frown and asked.


    "Not really." As Xiao Shushen said this, her face was more elegant than usual, and also more delicate.


    It was bitter, but there was nothing more bitter than his indifference to her.


    She actually had some joy at his arrival, but she knew that it would only be temporary and would not last for long.


    His eyes darkened. He was the one who left her alone, so how could he blame her?


    Once the medicine was exhausted, Fu Yuheng did not stay any longer and left after giving a few instructions.


    But because of this, he did not notice the hint of madness that flashed past Xiao Shushen''s eyes.


    Shen Qingwan''s allergies were already better, so she did not stay in her room to rest and continued to investigate going to the Wu Shang Shu. After learning about the Queen''s matter, the marble temple''s side gave up their clues. They raised their eyes and looked in the direction of Liu Chugrong''s courtyard with some laziness.


    It seems like this really is a big problem ¡­


    After pondering for a short while, she had already figured out the relationship between the two of them. Xiao Shushen was not a simple person, she must have long discovered that Fu Huaiyu had a lot of patience. Now that he had begun to attack, she was an enormous hindrance to him. If she did not remove her from the picture, it was likely that she would also end up falling into a state of restlessness.


    The chill seeped into her four limbs along with the wind. She had wanted to find a safe place in this huge harem, but she couldn''t do anything about it. Someone would always drag her into this muddy water. Furthermore, she knew from a young age that this world was cold. If this world were to be touched by these treacherous officials, it would be even worse for the common people.


    "Does little sister know how to find peace and stability?" As he spoke, he exuded the aura of an otherworldly fairy, as if he had seen through the mortal world.


    Li Ruotong, who was sitting face to face with her in the pavilion, was slightly startled, and shook her head.


    She did not make things difficult for her and only chuckled, "If I don''t become stronger and get squeezed by others everywhere, how can I be at ease?" Helplessness was reflected in his eyes. At first, she only wanted to live a peaceful life, but then she entered the harem. In a place like this where people ate people, how could she live a peaceful life if she wasn''t strong?


    Li Ruotong understood in her heart, and the eyes he looked at her with felt a little more pain. She knew that she didn''t like scheming and scheming, but those people came looking for her, causing her to have no choice but to resist.


    "Let nature take its course ¡­" He sighed and picked up a fallen leaf from the ground. He then landed on the ground and returned to his original position. His life was nothing more than that.


    She did not want to be involved in Xiao Shushen''s matter, but without the aforementioned information, it was still a matter of time. If she dragged it on for too long, the clues would have been erased sooner or later.


    Now, she suddenly started to investigate. The Prime Minister Liu must have already started preparing for it.


    Perhaps it was due to the blessing of the heavens that Shen Qingwan received the news from a guard in the evening. She said that she had found the old housekeeper of the Wu Manor years ago, the one who had stuffed the framing account book into the Wu Shang Shu''s study.


    "How did you get him to tell the truth?" Shen Qingwan revealed a surprised expression. Logically speaking, if it involved him, he would definitely not be willing to tell her the truth.


    The guard''s face turned red. He was the one in charge of guarding this courtyard, but a few days ago, she had called him to investigate some clues. "In reply to the Empress, the old housekeeper has a son. I originally did not know what to do, but it was Miss Lian Yun who reminded me. That''s why I used his son as a threat."

 C199 sudden enlightenment

    Shen Qing Wan suddenly remembered something, and looked up and down at the guard. Previously, she saw Lian Yun look in the direction of the guard a few times, so she had paid attention to him, but now, she realised that she was the same person.


    "What''s your name?" There was a trace of admiration in the depths of his eyes. He was obviously quite satisfied with this guard.


    The guard was flattered. "To reply esteemed wangfei, your subordinate understands."


    Mu X brought Shen Qing Wan to a small hut outside the palace, where the old butler was already waiting. The moment he saw him, his entire body began to tremble. This humble commoner was merely possessed by a mind of his own for a moment, and thus did such a foolish thing. Please be magnanimous and let this son of mine live. "


    When Shen Qingwan saw this, she frowned. Mu Eleven could see her displeasure, "Shut up!"


    His whole body quivered, and the old butler quieted down. He lowered his head in fear, not daring to speak again.


    "Tell me everything you know." Shen Qingwan casually pulled out a chair and sat down. She closed her eyes as she weighed the truth in his words.


    The old steward was obviously scared and he spoke in a staccato manner, but he clearly narrated what had happened. After all, he was a steward, so his words were very orderly.


    He made it clear that someone had given him a huge sum of money and allowed him to steal the Wu Shang Shu''s account book. That was the reason why the Wu Shang Shu was imprisoned. As a result, he did not know who the other party was. However, from the direction that he was leaving in, it seemed like he was most likely going towards the residence of the Prime Minister Liu.


    After listening to his story, Shen Qingwan opened her eyes. A complex look flashed across her eyes, as if she was in deep water. Relying on his few testimonies, it could only mean that the Wu Shang Shu was indeed framed, but it was unable to uncover the identity of the culprit.


    After entering the palace, Shen Qingwan went straight to the imperial study room and informed Fu Yuheng of this matter.


    "Really?" He slammed his fist on the table, anger burning in his eyes as he felt a surge of energy and blood in his heart. It really was his good prime minister, actually doing such a thing behind his back.


    It was just that without evidence, he couldn''t do anything to the Prime Minister Liu. Moreover, with Prime Minister Liu''s current position in the palace, it was truly a thorny matter.


    If it was really as Shen Qingwan had said, then he really had to clean up these ministers. After all, without the help of those ministers, he wouldn''t be able to do so much no matter what.


    After Shen Qingwan told Fu Yuheng about this matter, she also felt relieved. The burden on her shoulders was immediately lifted.


    Fu Yuheng thought about it again and again. Finally, he decided to go over to Liu Chugrong''s place to test it out. If it was really as Shen Qingwan had said ¡­ Then...


    When he thought of this, the expression in his eyes became even more intense, causing others to feel a sense of danger.


    Liu Chugrong didn''t know that Fu Yuheng had already become suspicious of her. As he ate the Dragon Eye that he had brought from Jiangnan in a leisurely manner, he felt at ease.


    Ever since Xiao Shushen was poisoned, she no longer made any movements, and instead spent most of her time in the courtyard to rest, so as not to reveal anything. However, she had forgotten about the matter that prevented Shen Qing Wan from investigating the Wu Shang Shu.


    "Loving concubines is so elegant." Fu Yuheng''s brows twitched as he looked at her with a smile that was not a smile. It was as if he was just here to see her.


    Liu Chugrong didn''t feel anything was amiss either. Seeing him come over, he revealed a happy expression. "Chenqie greets Your Majesty." She hadn''t expected him to come today, and his expression didn''t seem to be questioning her, so she was more at ease.


    "You have been quite quiet these days." Fu Yuheng pointed, but he still wore a gentle smile on his face. "It has saved me a lot of trouble."


    "Your Majesty, please don''t tease chenqie." She was slightly startled, but then she snuggled up against him and thought back to when she had first entered the palace. Back then, she had always been in trouble and always wanted him to help her take care of the aftermath. He lowered his eyes slightly, appearing a little shy. "It''s chenqie''s fault."


    "Well, what''s wrong with that? Since my beloved concubine has already entered the palace, she''s one of my people. I naturally won''t let you suffer any grievances. " With a chuckle, his deep voice carried a hint of charm. However, his heart was cold. "However, it''s good for you to be obedient. After all, you''re already one of us, so it''s better to not cause any trouble." With that, Fu Yuheng sized up her expression from the corner of his eyes. Sure enough, he saw the change in her expression, panic appearing in her eyes.


    Liu Chugrong felt his scalp tingle, but he acted as if he didn''t know anything, as if what he just said was just a whim. He pretended to be calm, but his fingertips were trembling slightly. "Your majesty is right."


    However, it was clear that he didn''t have any intention of letting her go. He slightly raised the corner of his lips, "My beloved concubine, what''s wrong? "I can see that you don''t look too good." After saying so, he used his hand to hold her fingertip, causing her face to turn even paler.


    "Chenqie is just a little tired today." Liu Chugrong couldn''t figure out his intention as his palms started to sweat.


    "Could it be that you''ve been tired after doing something these past few days?" Fu Yuheng furrowed his brows. He looked very nervous, but it only increased the panic on her face.


    She had clearly stayed in her room to rest for the past few days, but when he asked this question, she couldn''t help but worry that he had noticed something. However, looking at his appearance, it seemed as if he was just a normal care and concern, causing her to be a bit unsure.


    "Since my beloved concubine is tired, then let''s rest early. I''ll come see you in a few days." When he turned around, Fu Yuheng''s gaze turned colder. However, it had only lasted for a single breath, but it had returned to its normal state, causing people to be unable to understand what he meant.


    It was only a few sentences, but it made Liu Chugrong feel as if he had just walked through the gates of hell. His hands were already wet.


    She didn''t know if it was because she was too nervous, but she felt that his words just now were a reminder to her. Since she was his person, she should be at ease. After all, she was already his person.


    It could be said that the water poured out by her married daughter was only an outsider to the Liu Estate. However, she also knew that with the Liu Family around, he would not let her go.


    As for Fu Yuheng, who had turned around and left, he was also recalling her expression just now. His eyes were serene and cold, like a thousand years old ice. Now it seemed that there was something wrong with her, he had underestimated her before.


    The Liu Family had raised a good daughter. It seemed that the Prime Minister''s position was too secure ¡­


    His knuckles crackled, and the corners of his mouth drew out a slight curve. "Since that''s the case, why don''t you let me loosen your skin and bones ¡­" Perhaps, it was time for them to exchange blood above the imperial government. Otherwise, wouldn''t they be terminally ill? "Haha ¡­" A low voice resounded within the hall, like the demon notes from hell.

 C200 The princess be in trouble

    After what happened yesterday, Liu Chugrong felt a little depressed, so he decided to take advantage of the sunny day to take a walk outside. Thus, he brought Xiao Lv to the imperial flower garden to relax and take care of his own emotions.


    Xiao Lv lowered her head and followed behind her, not daring to say a word, afraid that she would be punished by the Imperial Concubine again.


    Walking slowly beside the mirror lake in the imperial garden, looking at the palace''s unchanging scenery, she couldn''t help but feel somewhat at a loss. When she had first entered the palace, she also didn''t understand anything.


    Liu Chu Rong stretched out his slender fingers and held onto the railing of the lake. He exerted a bit of strength, and even his knuckles turned white.


    "Imperial Concubine, be more careful. This lake is dangerous." Although Xiao Lv was afraid of punishment, she couldn''t help but warn him. She couldn''t possibly just watch as Imperial Concubine took the risk, right?


    Liu Chu Rong frowned and was about to give a lesson, but before he could finish his sentence, he heard a loud voice not far away. It was an extremely young voice.


    Subconsciously, her attention was attracted as well. She saw a small figure wearing a pink dress scurry around the imperial garden, heading in her direction.


    "Third Princess! Third Princess, don''t you dare run away! " The palace maid behind her panted as she ran, her voice out of breath.


    However, Fu Lingling still continued to walk, and even intentionally sped up, and turned her head to the palace maid and smiled, "Ah''Shan, hurry up, you can''t even catch up to me!" As she spoke, she raised her eyebrows proudly and ran away quickly.


    "Third Princess! Your servant really can''t run anymore. Shall we continue tomorrow? " Ah''Sang said in a tone of agreement, but a crafty look flashed across his eyes.


    "You can''t run anymore?" Fu Lingling could not help but slow down her footsteps, "Interesting, then let''s continue tomorrow."


    She pouted unhappily, but just as she stopped to let her guard down, Ah''Sai pounced on her from behind!


    By the time Fu Lingling reacted, it was already too late. She hurriedly turned around and ran, but Ah''Shan''s hand had already pushed her away, and hers ¡­


    "Ah ¡­"


    Accompanied by a desperate and panicked cry, Liu Chu Ronghua was pushed into the lake ¡­


    "Imperial Concubine!" Xiao Lv reacted and leaned on the railing as she shouted.


    Hearing that, Fu Lingling realized that she had caused a disaster.


    Ah Shan, who was behind him was also stunned, and immediately shouted, "Someone, come! Help! Imperial Concubine fell into the water! "


    Liu Chugrong was not good at swimming, so he kept jumping up and down, but eventually fell down again and again.


    "Save ¡­" Help! " Fu Lingling was completely stunned as she moved her body up and down. When she finally regained her senses, all the palace maids around her had begun to shout as well, but no one knew how to swim.


    Fu Huaiyu, who was passing by, heard the noises coming from the lakeside and looked around, only to see Liu Chugrong''s servant, Xiao Lv.


    "Save me! The Imperial Concubine has fallen into the water!"


    Liu Chu Rong fell into the water!


    Fu Huaiyu could not help but frown in displeasure. What a woman!


    Originally, he didn''t want to bother with it. He wanted to find the emperor to discuss the court affairs, but he didn''t want to lose the chess piece, Liu Chugrong.


    Seeing him walk over quickly, Xiao Lv''s eyes lit up, "Ninth Prince, Imperial Concubine fell into the water, please save the Empress!" His tone was hasty and her eyes were filled with pleading.


    "Ninth Royal Uncle, quickly save the Imperial Concubine, she ¡­ She seems very uncomfortable in the water. " Fu Lingling also cried as she tugged on the corner of his clothes and pleaded. After all, it was her who had caused this.


    He glanced at Fu Lingling indifferently, then looked at Liu Chugrong who was still struggling in the water.


    She was jumping so fiercely that Fu Huaiyu couldn''t help but despise her in his heart. Like this, he would sink even faster.


    "Ninth Imperial Uncle ¡­" Seeing that he still hadn''t made a move, Fu Lingling only thought that he didn''t want to help herhisinth Imperial Uncle ¡­" Seeing that he still hadn''t made a move, Fu Lingling only thought that he didn''t want to help her.


    He suddenly raised his peach blossom eyes, smiled at her, and pinched her face. "Don''t worry, Ninth Imperial Uncle will save you."


    Then, he jumped into the water and pulled Liu Chugrong up.


    Liu Chugrong was lucky enough to not faint. He just choked a few times, his body was already soaked, and his delicate hair was in a mess.


    "Imperial Consort Liu, are you alright? I... I didn''t mean to. " Fu Lingling was not familiar with her, and his voice trembled slightly.


    Liu Chugrong was so angry that his heart trembled after she pushed him into the lake. However, he couldn''t say anything. "You!"


    Fu Huaiyu immediately swept her with his cold gaze, although Liu Chu Rong was furious, but he did not offend her, so he could only glare at her and did not say anything else.


    Fu Huaiyu chuckled, "Third Princess is naturally lively, you should be more careful in the future."


    With that, he turned his head towards Liu Chuhong and said, "It''s not convenient for Imperial Consort Liu. Let this king escort you back to the palace." His words were extremely natural, causing people to be unable to find any mistakes.


    "Then I''ll be troubling Ninth Prince." Liu Chu Rong was polite on the surface, but he was happy inside.


    This farce ended when Fu Huaiyu sent her back to the Palace. A short distance away, Shen Qing Wan saw this scene, and a light flashed across her eyes. She couldn''t help but smile. Perhaps ¡­ This was a good opportunity.


    Seeing that they had all left, Fu Lingling looked in their direction still and lowered her head in disappointment.


    Shen Qingwan slowly walked back, "What is Third Princess thinking?"


    Hearing the familiar voice, Fu Lingling could not help but turn her head, and saw her. Then she smiled: "Ling greets Concubine Xian."


    "Seeing me being so courteous, it seems that I was truly frightened." She smiled slightly. Fu Lingling was usually smart and cute, but today he was scared by this sudden development.


    When she mentioned this matter, the smile on her face slowly disappeared, "Imperial Consort Liu seems to be very angry at me."


    "Third Princess does not need to think too much into it. Ninth Prince arrived in time, and it did not even amount to a substantial injury." Shen Qingwan gently stroked her soft hair as she consoled, "Imperial Consort Liu doesn''t blame you, right?"


    "Yes, indeed ¡­" But she also wanted to say something, right?


    "Don''t think too much into it. I promise you, Imperial Consort Liu won''t blame you." Shen Qingwan interrupted her words.


    Her eyes slowly brightened with anticipation. "Really?"


    Shen Qingwan resolutely nodded her head.


    As for Liu Chugrong''s side, Fu Huaiyu had already safely sent her back to the courtyard.


    "You can''t even keep your heart in check in front of a child?" There was a smile on his face, but his eyes were chilling.


    "Ninth Prince, I ¡­" Liu Chugrong mumbled.


    "There''s no need to say so much. In the future, just be more careful when dealing with things." He seemed to have thought of something. "This King doesn''t want to see anything like what happened today."


    The more he talked about this, the more Liu Chu Rong felt dissatisfied with Fu Lingling. If she didn''t recklessly mess with him, would she be in such a miserable state?


    Fu Huaiyu swept a glance at the miserable her and didn''t want to say anything more. He was going, after all, he still had matters to attend to.

 C201 Two Sides

    "To the emperor."


    Fu Yuheng threw him a glance before lowering his head. He reached for another imperial report and opened it. "Speak."


    "Imperial Concubine was accidentally struck by the Princess yesterday and fell into the water. Now that you''ve caught the cold, what do you think?" The eunuch bowed and said respectfully.


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng did not reply for a long time. Just when he thought that he had already forgotten about this matter, he heard a magnetic voice sound out calmly. "He really is a troublemaker. He can''t stand the cold."


    The person sitting on the seat of honor coldly snorted. He was so frightened that his legs instantly became weak.


    "Let''s go. Since our imperial concubine is suffering from the cold, we should go and take a look." Fu Yuheng swung his wide yellow sleeves, stood up, and slowly walked down the stairs. "Prepare a palanquin."


    "Yes." With that said, the eunuch accepted the order and left.


    The cool breeze mixed with the light drizzle blew over, landing on his long and slender hand that had lifted the curtain.


    Fu Yuheng''s fingertips trembled slightly as he wiped away all the emotion in his eyes. He got off the sedan chair and narrowed his long and narrow almond-shaped eyes. The eunuch at the side hurriedly helped him get an umbrella as he silently followed by his side.


    "Lamei, how is Imperial Consort Liu?" he asked, with a touch of concern in his voice.


    La Mei then bowed her head and replied, "In reply to Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine''s health is slightly better. Many thanks to Your Majesty for your concern."


    "That''s good." He nodded his head and looked over to the eunuch who put away the umbrella, "You stay here for now, I''ll go in and take a look at my imperial concubine."


    "Yes." The eunuch bowed and stepped aside to open the door for him.


    When he entered the room, he saw Liu Xiangrong leaning on the soft seat. His usual clothes were gone, but now he looked simpler and less outstanding.


    He took a few steps forward. His tone was full of concern, but his heart was still a little displeased. "My beloved concubine, is your health alright?"


    Liu Chugrong then opened his eyes. When he saw Fu Yuheng, he stood up and bowed to him. He was secretly delighted. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Your concubine''s health has improved."


    "That''s good. You''re my beloved concubine, so it''s only right that I care about you. Rest well and don''t overwork yourself. With the imperial physician here, this chill will naturally be better." He sat at the side and looked at her. If he ignored the indifference in her eyes, the gentleness in his eyes would have overflowed.


    "Your majesty." Her red lips pursed slightly, regret in her eyes. Her slender hand lightly tugged at Fu Yuheng''s sleeve. "The princess accidentally pushed chenqie away. If it wasn''t for that, chenqie might have been able to serve the emperor."


    Liu Chu Rong complained with a bewitching tone, and his eyes lit up. If he was an idler, he would have long been numb to his tailbone.


    Fu Yuheng released her hand without batting an eyelid, "Ling Ling was indeed a bit rash on this matter. I will tell you about her later." "However, she is still a child. As your senior, just let her be."


    Sighing, he extended his hand to stroke her forehead, but his expression was slightly cold as he embraced her shoulders.


    "That''s true. He''s a child after all." She lowered her eyes and tried to look like a virtuous concubine of the Emperor''s.


    Fu Yuheng nodded and got up. "Since my beloved concubine is fine, then I will leave first. There are still matters of governance that need to be handled by me."


    "Yes, chenqie will respectfully send you off, your majesty." He said he was going to take care of the country, so what reason did she have to keep him? Letting out a breath, she looked at his back as he disappeared into the distance.


    "Empress ¡­" Xiao Lv lowered her head, seeing her sinister gaze, she trembled.


    "Go take a look. Where has the emperor gone? Report back to me." Liu Chu Rong held back the hatred in his eyes and muttered to himself, "Remember not to be discovered, otherwise ¡­" "Consequences ¡­" Lowering his eyes to look at the kneeling Xiao Lv, he said sinisterly.


    "Yes ¡­"


    If she could not obtain this harem, how could others have access to it?


    At this moment, she was close to becoming a devil. His desire for Fu Yuheng''s sole favor had already reached its peak and she could no longer suppress it.


    She longed for this expression of concern that he would show only to her, not sharing it equally with others.


    Xiao Lv followed behind Fu Yuheng until he saw him enter the Empress''s palace hall.


    "Sigh ¡­" She sighed helplessly. She knew that Liu Xiangrong would probably scold her again when she got back.


    She had been by her side for several months, but she had never been able to get used to this person''s temper.


    "How does the Emperor plan to deal with the matter of the Wu Shang Shu?" Shen Qingwan rested her cheek as she looked at Fu Yuheng, who was seriously reading the imperial reports.


    Her phoenix eyes were gentle, yet also a little boring. She had been with him ever since he had called her over, but he didn''t seem to have anything to say to her. This confused her quite a bit, but she could only wait patiently. At this moment, she finally couldn''t hold back and found a topic to talk about.


    "I have not thought it through." Fu Yuheng cast a glance at her hopeful eyes. A trace of a smile flashed through them before it disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    "Haven''t you come to a conclusion?" Shen Qingwan slightly frowned, showing her little daughter''s dissatisfaction, "Your majesty''s efficiency is a little too slow." He mumbled in a low voice, but he didn''t see the ridicule in the eyes of the people around him.


    "Do you know, beloved concubine, that if others speak of us like this, they''re going to kill us?" Fu Yuheng stroked his pen with his finger, as if he was pondering about something.


    Shen Qingwan was stunned for a moment before she smiled. "The emperor also said that someone else ¡­" Her phoenix-like eyes slightly perked up and a hint of a smile appeared in them.


    "You''re in quite a good mood today." He looked at her in the blink of an eye.


    "Of course." Ye Zichen nodded without paying much attention, but didn''t say anything more.


    When Fu Yuheng saw her act this way, he was astonished in his heart. "Why are you making your beloved concubine so happy? "It''s better to just let me hear it ¡­" His body slightly leaned in her direction, looking somewhat flirtatious.


    "Secret!" Shen Qingwan wasn''t afraid, she just stared straight into his eyes.


    The depth of that gaze was like a deep valley. It was mysterious and unfathomable, yet it had a surprising attractiveness.


    "Have you seen enough beloved concubines?" The smile at the corner of her mouth had a slight charm to it, making her feel a bit dizzy.


    When did she become so unsteady?


    A blush flashed across his face, but it soon dissipated.


    "I''ve seen enough." Shen Qing Wan came back to his senses, but did not panic. He lowered his eyes and spoke indifferently.


    "If you haven''t seen enough, you can just watch it." Fu Yuheng chuckled. He only felt that her embarrassing state was extremely interesting. It was the only thing that could make him feel relaxed other than this complicated task.


    "If you have nothing else to do in the future, come and take care of official business with me."


    Shen Qingwan raised her head and looked at the relaxed face and the person who buried himself in the case. Her eyes turned soft again, "That''s good ¡­"

 C202 Princess Lu

    Since he had nothing to do, Li Ruotong decided to take a look around the imperial garden.


    "I heard that Imperial Consort Liu fell down by the Mirror Lake that day." The servant girl beside her reminded Li Ruotong, who was standing beside the railing.


    Hearing that, Li Ruotong laughed sarcastically, "With this railing protecting her, she can actually fall down? How stupid!" His mocking words were spoken so clearly that they were not concealed in the slightest.


    The servant girl behind him also laughed. It took only a few seconds for her smile to stop. "Empress, look over there!"


    Li Ruotong followed the direction of her finger and saw a light yellow figure. That person had a slender body, and looked like he was extremely weak. She narrowed her eyes in order to confirm that person''s identity. She complacently raised her eyebrows and walked towards that direction.


    She would be able to recognize it even if it was burned to ashes.


    Li Ruotong acted as if no one was around and walked over, as though he was ignoring her, she brushed past her shoulder and bumped into her a little.


    "Who doesn''t have eyes for walking!" Liu Chugrong frowned unhappily and turned around to glare at her.


    Seeing the identity of the yellow man, Li Ruotong raised his eyebrows with a smile that was not a smile, and swept the weakness on Liu Chu Rong''s face: "So it''s Imperial Consort Liu, I really couldn''t recognize it in front of my own eyes."


    After falling into the water, she had been burning up. Even now, her body was still not completely fine. She was originally in a bad mood, but after being hit by someone for no reason, she felt even more frustrated.


    He originally thought that it would be some rash little palace maid, but he didn''t think that the one he would see in front of him would actually be the carrageenan! How dare a mere concubine be so disrespectful to a concubine like her!


    His fingers slowly clenched into a fist, and Xiao Lv hurried to support her. Imperial Concubine''s body had not fully recovered yet.


    "Empress, are you alright?" Xiao Lv asked worriedly.


    When these words landed in Li Ruotong''s ears, she could not help but laugh, "I really did not see Imperial Concubine, but I did not expect the Empress to be so delicate and weak."


    In Li Ruotong''s opinion, Liu Chugrong was probably faking it, if he really was weak, then that would be asking for it!


    Hearing her words and seeing the disdain on her face, Liu Chu Rong wanted to go up and slap her, "Does carrageenan know the rules of the palace?"


    "I naturally know, but it was Imperial Concubine who couldn''t remember it clearly, right?" Li Ruotong laughed happily, "Placing almond powder in Elder Sister Consort Xian''s pastries will make older sister allergic to it, Imperial Concubine really knows a lot about palace rule."


    She called Shen Qingwan "elder sister," but she ignored her, the imperial concubine!


    "What are you talking about?"


    An extremely dignified male voice suddenly appeared, interrupting the conflict between the two.


    Li Ruotong turned her head around and saw a bright yellow figure walking towards them. The ridicule in her eyes immediately disappeared and was replaced with a faint smile.


    Liu Chugrong''s eyes also gradually lit up as he glared fiercely at Li Ruotong. Now was not the time to spoil her life for such a small matter, so he decided to temporarily endure it.


    "Get up." Fu Yuheng paused his gaze on Liu Chugrong and frowned slightly.


    "What are you two doing?" The two of them weren''t compatible people, so it was a bit incongruous for them to be together now.


    Speaking of this, Liu Chugrong''s eyes looked wronged. He wanted to say something, but was beaten by someone beside him.


    "Chenqie had just bumped into Imperial Concubine." Li Ruotong pretended to be apologetic and looked at the people beside him, then her eyes lit up again, "But Imperial Concubine has a large number of experts, I do not want to bother with chenqie."


    As she said this, she smiled and expressed her gratitude to Liu Chugrong, as if there really was such a thing.


    Liu Chugrong was furious. She said that, even if it wasn''t the truth, she couldn''t say anything else. Otherwise, the emperor would have to say that she was a scaredy cat.


    Fu Yuheng frowned slightly as he looked at Liu Xiurong. "Is that so?"


    She had no choice but to agree with a smile, "carrageenan''s sister did not do it on purpose, how can chenqie blame you?"


    Although he said this, his heart was filled with hatred.


    Fu Yuheng raised his eyebrows and looked at Li Ruotong meaningfully. How could he not know that Liu Chugrong had a crafty personality? And how could Li Ruotong be such a polite person?


    However, he was not willing to help Liu Chugrong, so he cleared his throat and said, "Okay, just pay attention next time." He then nodded slightly in the direction of Liu Chugrong, "You are not well yet, so you should walk around and recuperate in the palace."


    With that, he left, and Li Ruotong did not want to waste anymore time with her, so he went to Shen Qing Wan Palace. He told her about the Imperial Garden, and his face was filled with pride.


    "Elder sister, you don''t even know how angry Liu Chugrong is. You really make people clap and cheer!"


    Shen Qingwan only raised her eyebrows in disdain, disdaining Liu Chugrong.


    The two of them chatted for a while before Zhao Yuanrong came over. Li Ruotong knew that they had something to say, so she tactfully left.


    "I wonder why Big Sister Consort De is here today?" Shen Qingwan''s tone was light, it was hard to tell what she was thinking.


    Zhao Yuanrong had a smile on his face as he gratefully pulled her hand, "Little sister, thank you so much for comforting Ling Ling that day."


    "It was nothing." Actually, she didn''t take the matter to heart. After all, Liu Xiugrong was a thorn in the side in Fu Yuheng''s eyes. However, he looked like he was trying to please Fu Yuheng by raising the corner of his mouth.


    "Sis, if you have something to say, just say it." Shen Qingwan didn''t want to see her like this either. After all, their relationship wasn''t that bad.


    "Then sister will be frank." She sighed helplessly. "The emperor cares so much about you. I hope my sister can speak up for him. She''s only a child, so she lost her sense of propriety while playing around."


    She was afraid that the emperor would be angered and punish An Lingling.


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan gave a shallow smile, neither too much nor too little. She could tell that the emperor didn''t like Liu Chugrong. No matter what the reason was, as long as the emperor didn''t like it, she wouldn''t be too protective.


    Her tone was firm as she comforted her, "Elder sister, don''t worry. Third Princess is still young, the Emperor will definitely not punish him."


    "Really?" Zhao Yuanrong''s eyes revealed joy, seeing her determined look, his heart became a lot calmer, "Thank you, little sister!"


    Shen Qingwan was indifferent towards this.


    In these few days, due to the progress made in the matters of the Wu Shang Shu, he encountered a bottleneck, so he had nothing to do, and was prepared to go out for a walk.


    He never thought that he would actually see the The Great Luo Country princess, Hua Moer, on the streets. Alone? She had a deep impression of this princess at the banquet last time, she was too weak!


    Although he had his suspicions, he was prepared to ask, but he did not expect Hua Moer to recognize him.


    Hua Moer took the initiative to walk towards her. She looked around anxiously, as if she was dodging something, "Concubine Xian." She bit her lips, feeling a little uneasy, and avoided looking at Shen Qingwan.


    Shen Qing Wan was even more suspicious, Hua Moer had given her the impression of a quiet and reserved person, so how could she be here alone?


    "Why are you here?"


    Hua Moer had a very good impression of her. After all, he had helped her during the palace banquet, and now, she still felt that if she was the one who saved him, she would be a lot more at ease. "Concubine Xian, can you help me out by letting me hide here for a while?"


    Shen Qingwan narrowed her eyes in suspicion, looking at her suspiciously. Hide and hide? What did that mean?


    "What happened?" In the end, she couldn''t help but ask.

 C203 Promise to hide

    "This ¡­" Hua Moer stammered and bit her lips. Her eyes were watery and she looked very pitiful, but she seemed to have something that was hard to say.


    However, this way, Shen Qingwan must ask clearly. After all, she was the princess of a country. If it was a normal person, it would not be a big deal to help her hide herself, but with her identity, if she was not clear about it, it would probably lead to a dispute between the two countries.


    "Princess, if there''s anything you want to say, just say it. If that''s the case, then I''ll help you." Shen Qingwan stared into her eyes as if she wanted to see through her. There was a hint of suspicion and a faint smile in her eyes, she did not want her expression to scare away the little princess.


    Hua Moer awkwardly bit her lower lip, as if she was hesitating on whether he should inform her or not. After all, this was no small matter. If she didn''t trust someone, she would be in trouble if word of this spread.


    The person on the other side was not in a hurry either, patiently waiting for her reply. The one who needed help was Hua Moer, it was her turn to worry.


    Hua Moer who was struggling in her heart clenched her teeth. In the end, she trusted her and told her everything about her current situation.


    "Actually, it was my royal father who wanted to point out a marriage for me." Her voice revealed a trace of loneliness and helplessness, "Concubine Xian ought to know the position of the The Great Luo Country in all of the small nations."


    Eyebrows furrowed, she listened to her in silence.


    "Imperial Father arranged for me to marry someone else, but ¡­" Tears welled up in her eyes, her eyes were so red that they made people feel pity for her, "But I have never seen who that person is, not to mention, I already have someone to take over my heart!" She spoke firmly, but her voice was very soft.


    Her daughter''s family''s words had embarrassed her, but now that the situation was so urgent, she couldn''t care less.


    "That''s why I sneaked out." Hua Moer rolled his eyes, trying to swallow the tears in his eyes, "But my royal father will definitely send someone to find me, I''m afraid... I''m afraid he''ll find me. "


    Even though she had swallowed her tears, her eyes were still red.


    Her words caused Shen Qingwan to be stunned, she never thought that it was because of the marriage alliance.


    Looking again at the woman in front of her, although she seemed gentle and weak on the surface, she did not expect that she would do this for love''s sake. This made it difficult for her.


    To have the courage to flee from The Great Luo Country to this place showed that she was not an ordinary princess.


    "You are truly unwilling?" Shen Qingwan still had some questions, so she asked, "Do you know what the consequences are?"


    If she really was determined to not go back, if her royal father finds out ¡­


    As she thought of this, Shen Qingwan couldn''t bear it any longer. When she thought about how she didn''t have her wish to enter the palace, she knew very well what kind of pain she was in.


    Moreover, Hua Moer already had a lover, what kind of mood did she have to abandon her beloved and marry someone she had never met before?


    "I understand the Empress. I only hope that the Empress can help me temporarily." In truth, she didn''t hold too much hope. After all, they had only been together for a year.


    Even if it was a tragic rejection, it was reasonable. No one wanted to bring disaster upon themselves.


    However, she heard the girl laugh. Her smile was like a spring breeze, making Hua Moer look extremely comfortable.


    "I accept." She withdrew her smile, her expression somewhat grave. "I have come to my aid, but I can''t guarantee your safety for long."


    "Mo''er thanks Concubine Xian!" Hua Moer smiled gratefully, and her face lit up.


    This could not be delayed. She found a quiet place at the end of the market and let her stay there.


    "You''ve temporarily stayed here for a period of time. Although it''s not as luxurious as the palace, it''s still able to protect your living and rest." Looking around, the environment here was very quiet and very suitable for people to live in.


    Usually, there weren''t many people who came, so it was more suited for her current situation.


    "As for the maidservants, I will send one to the palace. You can use it as you wish." It might be bad if the people outside didn''t know enough about the situation.


    "Concubine Xian ¡­" Hua Moer didn''t know what to say for a moment.


    "There''s no need to be polite." The corner of her mouth curled up slightly, interrupting the gratitude she wanted to express. The reason for helping her was not because she was greedy for her gratitude. "It''s just that you need to be more careful when you go out in the future."


    Hua Moer nodded obediently. At this point in time, she would say whatever she wanted to say.


    "Concubine Xian, if you help Mo''er like this today, in the future, if the Empress has any matters, just say them out, and I will definitely do it!"


    Hearing that, Shen Qingwan''s eyes flashed a look of gratification, it seems that this princess does not only have a weak character, her words are similar to the princess of The Great Luo Country.


    After giving her a few more orders in the courtyard, she left. It was not good to stay here for too long. By the time he returned to the palace, the sky had already darkened slightly. As he passed by the Imperial Gardens, he saw a bright yellow figure.


    There were only two people in the palace who could wear this color, and it was obvious that they were women.


    After the relaxed and joyful atmosphere outside dissipated, she had changed into her usual cold demeanor. It was not a good thing to be overly enthusiastic if the woman in the imperial harem was thinking too much.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to the empress." She turned her gaze to the bright yellow flower in front of her. There was an embroidered peony flower on it. It was delicate and beautiful.


    Xiao Shushen never thought that he would meet her, she raised her eyes and said, "Get up." Although the amount of arsenic was not much, it was enough to torture her body. After lying in bed for half a month, she was still in good shape. She took advantage of the slightly darkening sky to take a walk, all for the sake of avoiding encountering all the consorts.


    "How is the Consort Xian here?" Her voice was calm, but it carried an invisible pressure.


    Shen Qingwan''s expression did not change as she replied indifferently, "Chenqie, go back to the palace and pass by this place."


    Her thoughts were a bit gloomy. She didn''t want to say anything more to such a scheming girl. Fortunately, Xiao Shushen''s body had not recovered yet, and had only raised his eyes to look at her, his face still somewhat pale.


    "The night wind is a little cold, so it''s best for Esteemed Empress to return to the palace as soon as possible." Her tone was flat, without any hint of flattery or arrogance.


    Even so, Xiao Shushen was still a little displeased. What qualifications did a concubine have to discipline her?


    "Chenqie will take her leave." Without waiting for her response, Shen Qingwan blessed her once again and left the imperial garden.


    Xiao Shushen stared at the figure that had just left with hatred in her eyes.


    When Shen Qingwan returned to the palace, she told Xiao Man to find a tactful and trustworthy palace maid. Xiao Man picked out a plain and gentle looking woman.


    "Do something for me." She leaned on the beauty''s bed. "Go and take care of the Princess of The Great Luo Country''s daily life. If there is anything you need, come back and report to me."


    She had clearly told the palace maid that it was the Princess of The Great Luo Country, Hua Moer, to test if she had sufficient ability.


    Concealment would instead cause doubts in the palace maid''s heart, causing unnecessary trouble. It would be better to explain everything to her at once.


    "This servant understands, and will do my best to take good care of the princess'' daily life."


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan raised her eyebrows in satisfaction, her voice still as calm as before, "Not many people know about this matter. If news of the princess being here were to spread, who would you think I would suspect?"


    The palace maid was stunned for a moment, then gave a sincere kowtow. "This servant understands."


    "Go."

 C204 The Prince comes looking for you

    After sending someone to take care of Hua Moer, Shen Qing Wan felt a lot more at ease. Despite her personality, she was still not used to coming to a foreign country alone.


    But it had only been a few days, and The Great Luo Country had already sent an envoy once again. This time was not the time for them to visit, but rather, to pay respects. However, it was a neighbouring small country after all, so Fu Yuheng did look for a place to entertain him.


    "This subject pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor, long live and long live the Emperor?" When envoys come here, they will follow the rules and kneel before the emperor.


    "Please rise, envoys of the The Great Luo Country." Fu Yuheng sat at the top position as his deep black eyes swept the area below him. This time, not only was the previous Grand Duke present, there was also a Prince of the The Great Luo Country.


    "The Great Luo Country came here before, is there something wrong with that?" Fu Yuheng''s tone was dignified. Although there was a smile on the corner of his mouth, it did not reach his eyes.


    Prince of The Great Luo Country Hua Luxiu raised his hands and bowed. His appearance was ordinary and not outstanding, but he had a sense of justice. He replied respectfully, "This subject has a request for Your Majesty."


    Hearing that, Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He looked at him with scrutinized eyes, and was not in a hurry to answer. He only continued to speak, "I wonder if Your Majesty has seen my little sister Hua Moer before?" He did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point. He looked straight at Fu Yuheng, a trace of anxiety in his eyes.


    Hua Moer? There was only a slight impression of her. It was the woman who kept her head down without saying a word when she was on the pilgrimage. However, she was saved by Shen Qingwan in the end.


    When he thought of that refined and reserved woman, Fu Yuheng''s brows relaxed once again. It had nothing to do with the current dynasty. "No, didn''t Princess Mo''er already return?"


    "I have indeed returned." An unnatural look flashed past Hua Luxiu''s eyes for a moment, as if he was pondering about something.


    "However ¡­" He wanted to speak, but he hesitated. How could he tell the Emperor that it was to avoid marriage? If they said it out loud, it would ruin Hua Moer''s good name and princess'' image, moreover, it would seem even lower than the The Great Luo Country.


    With his acute senses, Fu Yuheng naturally noticed something amiss. He was not anxious, this was a matter of the The Great Luo Country, if they did not mention it, he would not be in any serious trouble with the current dynasty.


    Fu Yuheng asked indifferently, "What happened?"


    "Mo''er likes to play. After leaving the The Great Luo Country, she hasn''t been able to find any traces of him for a few days." When he said these words, his brows were deeply furrowed with worry.


    So it was a missing person. Could it be that he came to this dynasty? Fu Yuheng raised an eyebrow.


    Seeing that Fu Yuheng did not have too much of a reaction, Hua Luxiu spoke again, "The scout said that he found out that Mo''er seemed to be here. I hope that Your Majesty can help this subject search it out."


    The land under his feet was under the control of the man above. As long as he wanted to investigate, there would be results.


    The news of Hua Moer''s disappearance had always been locked up, and she did not dare to say anything to the country that was getting along with him. Otherwise, Hua Moer would naturally be punished, and it would not be so good in the future either.


    "Prince, rest assured. If the princess is in this dynasty, I will definitely help out." Fu Yuheng nodded. If that was the case, there was no harm in helping out.


    "This subject thanks Your Majesty."


    Fu Yuheng had arranged for them to go to the side chamber to rest first. He was not at a loss when he looked for them, he just did as he was told.


    After thinking about it for a moment, he still felt that he should go find Shen Qingwan and listen to her opinions. In this palace, she was the only one who could solve his problems.


    "Why has the emperor come today?" Seeing Fu Yuheng appear in his own palace, Shen Qingwan was a little taken aback, but he quickly recovered. "Xiao Man, look at the tea."


    Fu Yuheng walked in and sat down at the table. Although he looked at her calm and composed appearance, he felt much more at ease. "There''s no need to be so courteous, Consort. Take a seat."


    "Thank you, your majesty." She smiled slightly and sat down beside him.


    Xiao Man quickly brought over some hot tea. With a happy expression, she tactfully left, leaving the two of them in the room.


    Every time she came to her palace, she was neither as attentive as the other concubines nor as impatient as the others. She only wanted to curry favor with him, and sitting with him so simply was already very comfortable for him.


    "Your majesty couldn''t have come today just to sit with chenqie, right?" There was a hint of mockery in her tone. There was a slight smile hidden in the corners of her eyes, and her eyes were lowered. She looked really charming.


    The cold expression on Fu Yuheng''s face gradually faded as he looked at her with a gentle gaze. "Today, the The Great Luo Country Prince has come."


    "The Great Luo Country?" Shen Qingwan could not help but frown as she mumbled these three words. She already had a guess in her heart, could it be that she came because of Hua Moer?


    He nodded, he did not notice the abnormality in her eyes, "Do you still remember the The Great Luo Country Princess that you saved last time?"


    "Chenqie still remembers." Her expression was calm, but she had already thought about tens of thousands of possibilities. In the end, she felt that she should remain calm, "I wonder why The Great Luo Country is here." she asked tentatively.


    Fu Yuheng did not want to hide it either, so he briefly explained what happened in the hall just now. Only then did she understand that it seemed that it was indeed related to Hua Moer.


    She wanted to help Hua Moer, but things were getting complicated. She already knew what it was, but she still pretended to be confused.


    "Chenqie wants to meet the Prince of The Great Luo Country and ask him about the princess." Her words were natural, and the request she made was not excessive either. Fu Yuheng agreed and brought her to the side chamber.


    Hua Luxiu had also heard of Shen Qing Wan''s reputation, and when he saw her, his eyes lit up, "And to thank Concubine Xian on behalf of my lil sis."


    The most important thing for their The Great Luo Country was their loyalty and righteousness. She was Hua Moer''s savior.


    "There is no need for the prince to be so polite." She didn''t want to drag him over, and that wasn''t her purpose in coming here. "I heard from the emperor that Princess Mo''er has disappeared?" The corner of her mouth was slightly raised, and her cold demeanor also had a hint of gentleness to it.


    "Yes." Hua Luxiu''s gaze drooped.


    She stared at him with her watery eyes as she smiled meaningfully, "I wonder why Princess Mo Er left the The Great Luo Country, and how the Prince is so sure that she has come to our dynasty?"


    "This... "Some spies reported that they''re heading this way." There was a trace of wavering in his tone.


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan pretended to be enlightened, and looked at him, "The Prince still hasn''t answered my first question."


    Why did Hua Moer leave the The Great Luo Country?


    "If Princess Mo''er was just playing around normally, she would definitely leave behind a note and return in a few days ¡­" Shen Qingwan patiently guided him, "I wonder what the truth is."


    Hua Luxiu looked at the girl in front of him with a little surprise. The smile that was hidden in the corner of his eyes was not very deep, but he could not be ignored.


    He was unwilling to speak, but he had no face to speak of the The Great Luo Country. He wanted to marry another country, but the princess ran away. However, what Hua Luxiu did not know was that the girl in front of him knew everything.


    Shen Qingwan was not anxious either, she could only smile and replied, "If the prince is not sincere, then we can go back and find him."

 C205 Explain why

    Hearing Shen Qing Wan''s words, Hua Luxiu''s face turned white, as if he did not expect her to reject them, and did not give The Great Luo Country any face.


    Fu Yuheng, on the other hand, was not surprised by these words. This was her personality.


    "Actually, Mo''er left because of a marriage alliance. If the neighbouring countries were to find out about this, it might cause something bad to happen." This was his worry, so he did not want more people to know about this matter. However, he had no choice but to tell them.


    Shen Qingwan already knew what was going on, but she still pretended to be surprised on the surface and raised her eyebrows, "The Prince really has something to hide."


    Her voice was cool and sarcastic, but the other two men took it for granted.


    "Princess is truly willful." Fu Yuheng frowned slightly as a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "The marriage alliance was the princess'' mission in the first place."


    Hearing that, Shen Qingwan''s eyes sunk, her tender lips slightly pursed, revealing a trace of stubbornness and displeasure.


    Did this seem like a duty that should not be violated in the eyes of the emperor?


    "My little sister is so mischievous that she actually left to use as a form of coercion." There was a trace of disbelief in Hua Luxiu''s tone. From what he could see, with Hua Moer''s cowardly nature, she would never be rejected no matter what he arranged for her.


    The way the two men spoke seemed to have forgotten that they were standing on one side with their backs straight and their bodies radiating coldness and coldness.


    "Therefore, I hope that the Emperor can help me. If Mo''er doesn''t return, I can''t explain this to the neighboring countries!"


    "Go back?" She suddenly turned around to face the man who had just spoken. A trace of ridicule could be seen in her eyes. Her voice sounded a little distant. "Princess, if you go back, you''ll be able to live your entire life."


    In their eyes, Hua Moer was just a pawn, a pawn that could strengthen the The Great Luo Country!


    Hua Luxiu stared blankly at the sharp eyed girl in front of him, as if he felt a wave of unease.


    "Since the prince is the princess'' older brother, has he truly thought for her?" Since she was his younger sister, couldn''t he think carefully for her happiness and not only for the sake of his country?


    "My beloved concubine ¡­" Fu Yuheng could not help but frown as well. Looking at the woman''s determined back, he felt a great discomfort in his heart, as if his heart was blocked.


    But Shen Qing Wan did not care about the voice of the person behind her, and looked straight at Hua Luxiu, forcing him to look her in the eyes, "Have you ever thought about how the princess feels? Even if she is the The Great Luo Country Princess, Prince, do not forget that she is still your blood sister! "


    After entering the palace, her emotions did not fluctuate much. She had an ice-cold appearance when facing others, but today, her emotions exploded in the side hall.


    When she thought about Hua Moer, she couldn''t help but think of her own self back then.


    Fu Yuheng and Hua Luxiu, on the other hand, were stunned. They stared at the woman in front of them without blinking.


    Complicated emotions flashed through his black eyes. Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes, as if he wanted to see through her. However, after entering the palace for so long, he seemed to have never understood her.


    "Concubine Xian... "Mo''er has always been very obedient and never disobeyed royal father''s orders ¡­"


    "So?" "Is it only because you have been obedient that you have to accept it?" Therefore, everything has become natural, and your plan requires her to bear it. She is just a weak woman, has the Prince ever thought of doing so? "


    His words rendered Hua Luxiu speechless, and he could only look at her in a daze.


    "I didn''t ask her for her opinion when I chose her husband, nor did I consider it for her sake." She suddenly felt that the woman in the royal family was really sad. She mocked, "Even the most obedient of people have times when they''re anxious. When she bites, all you want to do is to drag her back into the cage."


    Although Shen Qingwan''s sudden interrogations and taunts made people feel that it was unexpected, it did not embarrass Hua Luxiu. Instead, he started to carefully think about what she had said.


    ~ All these years, did he really treat Hua Moer like this?


    Thinking about it, it seemed to be the truth. Because she was a weak person that could be easily bullied, no matter what, they would first come to a decision before notifying Hua Moer. However, they had never once thought about whether she was willing or not.


    After being suppressed for so many years, the cute little bunny finally started biting people?


    "Concubine Xian ¡­" Thinking things through, Hua Luxiu''s eyes were filled with shame and regret. He couldn''t even compare to a girl!


    "The more Concubine Xian''s words, the more likely you can wake me up, this official ¡­" He sighed with great difficulty, and then his gaze turned resolute, "This official will definitely return to discuss this with royal father, I will not let Mo''er suffer any more!"


    With that, he led the envoy out of the side chamber, leaving behind only Shen Qingwan and Fu Yuheng.


    The hall was completely silent. She could even hear her own heartbeat, which had yet to calm down.


    Seeing Fu Yuheng remain silent, Shen Qingwan organized her thoughts and calmly replied, "Your consort, please forgive me." With that, she prepared to leave.


    But just then, the man behind him spoke up. "So ¡­" Is that what you''re thinking? "


    Perhaps he hadn''t been able to confirm it in the beginning, but the helplessness and desolation she had hidden had stung his eyes. Was this what she had done back then?


    Her steps paused, and her heart felt as if it had been stabbed.


    "You are also unwilling to enter the palace because of this difficult situation."


    Hearing this, the corners of Shen Qingwan''s mouth curled up slightly. She slowly turned around and met the person''s unfathomable black eyes. Her smile was a little cold, and her voice was as cold as usual. "Didn''t the emperor see that back then?"


    He was startled by the piercing pain in her eyes and felt pain in his heart. There was a faint sadness hidden in the eyes of such a woman. He really wanted to embrace her, and he had indeed done so.


    Walking to her side, Fu Yuheng wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace, gently pressing his chest. "Don''t move."


    His voice was gentle, softening her initial struggle. She hated the palace, and she did not want her fate to be left at the mercy of others, to spend the rest of her life in red brick.


    This was a gentleness that he had never felt before. She was stunned and wanted to push him away, but he restrained her from moving at all.


    "Your majesty?" She looked with suspicion at the man who was just inches away from her. Her clear and cold voice suddenly turned soft. After realizing this, her face couldn''t help but flush red. "Your Majesty, quickly let go of chenqie."


    "Why don''t you try to understand me?" His voice was coaxing as it gently blew past her ears. His cheeks were red, and his heartbeat seemed to have quickened.


    Although the feeling was not that real, she could feel the man''s strong heartbeat and his warm arms. The noise and the sadness in her heart had all died down, and what came up was the peace.

 C206 Chapter 206 - Ye Feng

    The envoy of the The Great Luo Country had already left, and Shen Qingwan didn''t know what to do with Fu Yuheng either.


    "What are you doing here? Sneaking around, are the two esteemed ladies inside? " When Qiushui who went out to retrieve her things came back, she saw an eunuch who was constantly peeking inside. Doubtful, she walked over and asked with a stern voice.


    When the young eunuch saw that the autumn water had arrived, he was not afraid at all. On the contrary, he felt relieved. "Aiya, Miss Qiushui, you''ve finally come out. I''ve come to report to the Empress." Since you''re here, I''ll just say it directly to you. " He scratched his head with a somewhat vexed expression and explained the news about the border.


    "Really?" Qiushui was a little taken aback when she heard this. The young eunuch hurriedly nodded his head. How could he joke around with something like this. I understand. I''ll go in and report to the Empress right now. " After entering the room, Autumn Water looked as if her soul had left her body.


    In the end, she still did not know how to tell this matter to the Empress. She was afraid that she might not be able to take it. However, the more worried he was, the more mistakes he would make.


    In the end, Li Ruotong could no longer bear to continue watching, "What''s wrong with you? Why are you so careless after going out for so long?"


    "Empress." Qiushui saw that she wanted to say something, but she hesitated. "Empress, we just received news at the border that Ye Bodyguard is injured. It seems that he is rather serious." In the end, he decided to speak the truth.


    Hearing that, Li Ruotong''s smile immediately froze, and the teacup in her hand dropped down, "Are you speaking the truth? Who told you that? " Seeing her like this, Shen Qingwan could only ask.


    Qiushui told Li Ruotong the full story of what the little eunuch said, and after Li Ruotong heard it, her tears fell.


    Shen Qingwan was also full of worry, "You may leave, I''ll have a chat with your master." Autumn Water also knew that she treated Li Ruotong well, so she bowed and left.


    Waiting until everyone had left, Li Ruotong finally couldn''t hold back and cried out loud, "How could I?! If you didn''t promise me, you would have been fine. How could you be injured?" She really couldn''t accept it. The person who had confidently promised to return safely in front of her had now received news of serious injuries.


    Hearing her crying, Shen Qingwan also felt her heart ache. She walked up and hugged her, "Don''t worry, there were a lot of injuries on the battlefield. Ye Bodyguard was only injured, after the matter is settled, he will be back."


    In the past, when her father had gone to war, she and her mother had been worried at home. He was afraid that he would be injured and fail, never to return ¡­ Therefore, he could understand Li Ruotong''s current mood very well.


    "I know he''ll come back, but how long will it take? On the battlefield, swords and swords have no eyes, and he has always been by the side of the emperor, so how would he know any tactics? "


    Ye Feng used to be Fu Yuheng''s personal bodyguard. Although martial arts were not a problem, but after all, he hadn''t been to the battlefield for a long time. How could she not be worried? Thinking about this, he couldn''t help but cry. Luckily, the one accompanying him was Shen Qingwan. There wasn''t anyone in the courtyard who could speak, and she was afraid that she would be driven mad.


    "You should trust him. He must be a hero and will come back alive to see you. " Shen Qingwan couldn''t do anything, she could only hug her tightly. Hearing her cry like this made her sad as well.


    And at this time, Li Ruotong''s heart was only filled with Ye Feng, she could no longer hear any other voices. When she cried till the end, her voice was so hoarse that she couldn''t speak. Seeing this, Shen Qingwan decided to ask Fu Yuheng about the situation so that she could be at ease.


    "I''ll go ask the emperor. How is General Ye now? You should rest here and don''t cry anymore." Li Ruotong nodded gratefully. In the palace, the only person who truly cared about her was Shen Qingwan.


    Upon arriving at residential hall, Fu Yuheng was obviously worried about this as well. He even smiled when he saw her coming. "You''re here."


    "Mm, chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty. I also heard about Ye Feng''s matter, cheating concubine''s sister ¡­ What was the matter with him? Although I have never been to the battlefield before, my martial arts skills are still sufficient for me to protect myself. " Regarding the matter of Ye Feng being injured, Shen Qingwan always felt that it wasn''t that simple.


    Fu Yuheng paced back and forth in annoyance. He knew that it was not that simple. "He''s been by his side for so many years, he knows it the best." You can''t blame Ye Feng, he also did it to protect others. "


    After listening to his explanation, Shen Qingwan finally understood the reason behind Ye Feng''s injury. Indeed, it was not because they had not been to the battlefield yet, but to protect Vice General Mu Chang.


    "How is he now? Is he seriously injured?" She had asked this question on behalf of Li Ruotong. If she asked clearly, she would be able to rest assured if Ye Feng told her about it.


    "After all, swords and sabers were blind on the battlefield. It was fortunate that they were treated in time. "However, I am still a bit worried." Fu Yuheng knitted his brows as he asked Sun Gonggong to come in and ask for the imperial physician.


    When the imperial physicians of the imperial hospitals heard that the emperor wanted them personally, they immediately packed up and rushed to the residential hall. Fu Yuheng sat on the dragon throne as he watched them. His gaze swept across everyone present.


    "May I know which part of your body is feeling uncomfortable, your majesty? The old officials shall do their best. " The imperial physician, seeing that Fu Yuheng was silent, was the first to speak with some doubt.


    As for Fu Yuheng, he shook his head. Even though he was the head of the Imperial Physician Guild, he was old and going to the border might cause trouble. After all, the choices he made were all fixed on the young man.


    "Do you have any concerns about your family?" After watching for a while, he finally chose a contestant. That person shook his head when he heard the emperor''s question. His parents had died when he was young, and he was found by the hospital''s head.


    "Very good, Ye Bodyguard Ye Feng was injured at the border, we are very worried." This time, we will send you to the border. You must be careful. " He waved his hand and wrote down the imperial edict. This way, everyone would feel at ease.


    Shen Qing Wan knew that he had done this to treat Ye Feng and also so Li Ruotong would be at ease. After bowing to Fu Yu, he returned to the Li Ruotong Palace.


    The girl from back then who had been jumping up and down and chattering non-stop whenever she saw her had now become so silent. She felt her heart ache and hurried over to comfort him.


    "Sister, how is it? Is he seriously injured? " When Li Ruotong saw her, thinking of Ye Feng, she couldn''t help but cry. She couldn''t imagine what she would do if something really happened to Ye Feng.


    "You may leave." After the report was sent out, Shen Qingwan revealed the information she had received, "It''s alright now, you can rest assured. He was only injured, not killed. Besides, the emperor had already sent an imperial physician over. I don''t think anything else will happen. "


    That was good news. However, Li Ruotong was still worried, tears continued to flow down her face and she kept muttering to herself, "That''s good, that''s good."

 C207 Princess Return

    The next few days were very peaceful in the Imperial Palace. The Prince of The Great Luo Country and the envoys had already returned, and it looked like everything was over. However, only Fu Yuheng and Shen Qing Wan knew that they were waiting for news.


    When news of the negotiation between Hua Luxiu and the The Great Luo Country Emperor arrives, whether Hua Moer will stay or not will be up to them.


    Just as a few days passed and Shen Qingwan was feeling a little discouraged, the The Great Luo Country sent someone over to inform her that Hua Luxiu had achieved his goal of returning and advised the emperor. In the future, he would no longer force Hua Moer to do anything that she did not want.


    When Shen Qingwan heard this news, she felt relieved and let out a sigh of relief. It was clearly not her, but she felt that she had helped a woman who was lost and as helpless as she was before.


    This result made Fu Yuheng somewhat happy. He did not do this for anything else, but only for Shen Qingwan''s happiness.


    "Then you don''t have to worry about it anymore." Fu Yuheng personally went to her palace and informed her of the matter. "The Great Luo Country has sent word that she will ask for Hua Moer''s opinion in the future."


    "Yes." Shen Qingwan''s tone was flat, but the faint smile in her eyes couldn''t fool the man in front of her.


    Looking at the woman''s bent face, his heart softened. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile, "This time, as long as we can find her whereabouts, we can safely return to The Great Luo Country."


    As she spoke of this matter, Shen Qingwan''s brown eyes flickered. Hua Moer had been taken care of by her during this time, and she had never told him about it. Who knew what kind of reaction it would give.


    She slowly lifted her gaze and looked into the man''s black eyes. Suddenly, she blessed herself and with a slightly grave expression, she said, "Your Majesty."


    "Hmm?"


    "Chenqie requests the Emperor to punish her." As she spoke, she was about to kneel down, but Fu Yuheng helped her up and made her stand up. Chenqie has always known where she was. " Before Fu Yuheng could reply, he continued to explain, "When chenqie met Hua Moer on her way out of the palace, she asked chenqie for help. Chenqie could not bear for her to be forced into a marriage alliance, so she arranged for her to stay in a mansion in the city and sent a palace maid to take care of her."


    She made a long story short, her words ringing, pleading for forgiveness but not humility or arrogance.


    She had thought that Fu Yuheng would react in surprise, but unexpectedly, he only raised his handsome eyebrows thoughtfully, looking as if he really was.


    "My Consort Xian really did make me ¡­" There was a meaningful smile on his face, but a deep smile could be seen in his eyes. He did not finish her words.


    In fact, he had suspected that Shen Qingwan and Hua Moer had a relationship from the start, he didn''t think that it would be true.


    "Does the emperor not blame chenqie?" Shen Qingwan was astonished when she saw that he didn''t react. She looked at him in disbelief. "If the emperor ¡­"


    "Send someone to take her back to the palace." After throwing that sentence, he sent someone to follow Shen Qingwan to the courtyard outside the palace to bring Hua Moer back.


    Although Shen Qingwan suspected that he did not do anything, but she understood later on. She did not create any trouble by doing this, and instead helped him out, didn''t she?


    "I really don''t know how to thank you for your kindness ¡­" Hua Moer cried tears of joy, holding her hand, gratitude couldn''t even express her gratitude.


    "Get on the palanquin. It''s not good to let people see it." Shen Qingwan wasn''t someone who liked to take credit for her work. Furthermore, she didn''t really help out, she was just a lobbyist.


    Hua Moer felt grateful in her heart, but she knew that this place wasn''t suitable. After all, she had stepped onto the palanquin for the sake of the young lady who had just left the pavilion.


    Fu Yuheng had sent people to protect the area. The sedan chair was also a luxurious sedan chair that came from the palace. The commoners all rushed out to take a look, wanting to see the elegance of the people inside.


    "I wonder which family this lady is from. She''s carrying a big palanquin, so this official is probably from the palace as well, right?"


    "That''s right, the old lady Wang from the tofu business on Third Street saw with her own eyes the palanquin from the palace!"


    "A palanquin from the palace. Nineteen eighty-nine is someone the emperor has his eyes on!"


    The news spread like wildfire. The people would always hear these kinds of rumors along the way. Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but smile as she sat in the sedan, finding it funny.


    His Majesty, do you think that the young miss of any household would bring them back to the palace like this? Her curiosity was piqued.


    They entered the imperial palace under the gaze of the commoners. Hua Moer, who came to the imperial palace once again, was still a little timid.


    "This subject''s daughter greets the Emperor." Hua Moer bowed obediently. She didn''t even raise his head as she lowered his head to look at the ground.


    Fu Yuheng had a solemn expression on his face as he glanced at Shen Qingwan who was standing at the side. He then slowly shifted his gaze to the person kneeling on the ground. "Stand up."


    Hearing that, Hua Moer stood up, she could express her gratitude towards Shen Qing Wan, but she did not dare to be presumptuous in front of the Ninth Paragon.


    "This subject does not know how to repay the Emperor and the Concubine Xian for their great kindness." To her, marriage was a matter of life and death, and it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that it was a great kindness.


    "Your royal brother must be the person who has contributed the most. The princess should be glad to have an elder brother who dotes on her." Her voice was very calm, but there was a trace of undetectable envy in it.


    She lowered her head and bit her lips. This escape must have made it difficult for Hua Luxiu as well.


    Fu Yuheng saw that the two of them did not speak much. After they exchanged a few more words, he said, "Since the princess is fine, I shall send someone to inform The Great Luo Country to bring you back."


    "Thank you, your majesty." Hua Moer felt grateful in her heart, "This subject will write to them to inform them." As she spoke, he bowed towards Fu Yuhong to express her gratitude.


    Fu Yuheng nodded and told Shen Qingwan to arrange her residence.


    Shen Qing Wan let her stay in her own palace for the time being and arranged a small room for her, "Princess, you can stay here for a few days. Once the letter is sent to The Great Luo Country, someone will come to pick you up." Her voice was not warm when she spoke, but it was as if there was a magic to it that made people want to continue investigating.


    Hearing that, Hua Moer smiled, seeing how pure she was, she could not help but want to say a few more words, "Princess is a person who has thoughts, but in the future you must be careful, and not always be able to avoid danger." Shen Qingwan didn''t explain it as clearly as she said it, but she clearly pointed out her thoughts. She didn''t seem that weak and easy to bully.


    However, if this time she didn''t meet him, but instead met an inhuman person, she might not be as lucky as she was now.


    Hua Moer naturally understood what she meant and raised her eyes to look at her with a smile. Although she still felt that the woman in front of him was distant from him, but her words at that moment had such warmth to them.


    "Mo''er will remember the teachings of the Concubine Xian, and will definitely think twice before acting in the future." Her voice slowly drifted over, "Mo''er being able to meet Concubine Xian is Mo''er''s fortune. Even though this gratitude is insignificant, it weighs a thousand pounds on Mo''er."

 C208 Between Poems

    After Hua Moer followed Hua Luxiu back, Shen Qing Wan also felt very comfortable. Furthermore, Liu Chu Rong rarely came to look for trouble with her, so she was quite happy.


    It was the beginning of winter, and the weather was not too cold. Thus, he took this opportunity to hold a poetry gathering in the palace. All the famous girls that were invited to Beijing came over. Firstly, they could communicate with each other, and secondly, they could observe the movements of the various families.


    The palace was also bustling with activity because of this matter. There were busy palace maids and eunuchs everywhere, and everyone was very happy. Seeing Fu Yuheng and Xiao Shushen coming over to pay their respects.


    "Alright, get up." Fu Yuheng was in a good mood and treated the Palace People nicely as well. At this time, Xiao Shushen who was following behind him could only smile and maintain a dignified manner.


    Everyone loved this kind of peaceful times, and he was no exception. However, there were always people fighting for power that caused the entire palace to be filled with miasma.


    A fierce look flashed across Fu Yuheng''s eyes. Since he wanted to take the items from him, he would have to prepare to trade with his life!


    "This humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty, Empress. May Your Majesty live for tens of thousands of years, and the Empress live for thousands of years." At this moment, the sound of a bow came from behind him.


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng frowned, almost indiscernible. He then turned his head and saw the Prime Minister Liu''s respectful appearance, "Exempt from formalities. Now that we''re in the imperial government, it''s all thanks to the Prime Minister Liu." Recently, he had been acting like he was the best in the court. If he didn''t know what personality he had, he would have been tricked by the respectful look on his face.


    "The Emperor is too kind. His Majesty is wise and wise, and this old subject is only doing small things for the Emperor." Although Prime Minister Liu knew what Fu Yuheng meant, he still forced himself to speak.


    Liu Chu Rong had finally gotten his favour again after much difficulty. Originally, he had wanted to rely on her to contribute to the family. However, recent events had occurred in the harem, so he could only stabilize himself before making his plans. After all, Fu Huaiyu still had to make more plans.


    "Your majesty, chenqie will first go inside and take a look at the ladies of the various families." Seeing the two of them talking, Xiao Shushen knew that it was inappropriate for him to be here. She whispered a greeting into Fu Yuheng''s ear, and then bowed slightly.


    "Mm, go ahead." Fu Yuheng did not stop Xiao Shushen as he watched him enter. Only then did he return to the Prime Minister Liu to exchange pleasantries with him.


    "This humble subject dares to ask Your Majesty, I wonder how my daughter is doing. I heard that he was shocked when he fell into the water a few days ago. " After Xiao Shushen left, the Prime Minister Liu could not help but ask. His own daughter had been bullied in the palace not only to herself, but also to the entire prime minister''s estate, so he had no choice but to ask.


    Fu Yuheng had other intentions when he heard this. Of course, he knew that Liu Chu Rong had fallen into the water. It was because Third Princess Fu Lingling loved to play and was not careful, that she pushed Liu Chu Rong into the water.


    However, both of them were fathers, so he doted on the weird Fu Lingling a lot. Furthermore, Liu Chu Rong and Fu Huaiyu were in cahoots, so how could he look good?


    "It''s nothing serious now, it''s just that I''ve had a bit of a cold, and I''ve already had the best tonics sent over by the Grand Hospital. "My beloved concubine has always been healthy and healthy, I am much more at ease." It was not a bad thing for him for Liu Chugrong to fall into the water. Just by looking at Shen Qingwan, he felt much less troubled.


    "This old official thanks Your Majesty for your kindness on behalf of my daughter. However, the emperor is also a father, so he should understand this old official''s vexation. After all, this old subject is of flesh and blood, and has been wronged. This old subject''s heart aches a lot! " Fu Yuheng wanted to side with him on purpose, but he insisted on holding on to him. On the surface, however, he looked as if he was in deep pain.


    "Mn, regarding Third Princess, I have already punished her with a punishment, but she is still a child after all. Presumably, my beloved concubine will not bother with her." Fu Yuheng knew that he would not easily compromise and had already thought of an excuse. Since he did not want to pursue the matter any further, then what reason did he have to lecture even as a father?


    At this point, Prime Minister Liu also understood Fu Yuheng''s intention. It was obvious that he would not pursue the matter. "Your Majesty is right." This humble subject didn''t have any other intentions, it''s just that Chu Rong is this humble subject''s most beloved daughter. I hope your majesty can forgive me. "


    Prime Minister Liu''s words were sincere, but he was naturally unwilling to do so. However, even if it was so, he definitely wouldn''t dare to lose all decorum with him at this time. Now that Fu Huaiyu''s grand plan had failed, in the end, he was still a prince. If Fu Yuheng gave his order, the whole world would probably shake violently.


    "Mm. It''s good that you know it." Fu Yuheng nodded and was silent for a moment before speaking again, "Without the General Shen in this court, I''m afraid we won''t be able to remain safe in the future. Now that you have less of a threat, I will have to trouble Prime Minister Liu to take care of you. " He had noticed everything that he had done recently, and now that there were no longer any restraints on him, he became even more arrogant.


    "Yes, this humble subject will remember that this humble subject will also bring up a few more officials in the future." Having been an official for so many years, the Prime Minister Liu naturally understood Fu Yuheng''s meaning. This was a reminder to him that if he did not restrain himself, his achievements would likely be great and the consequences would be unending. His face was full of fear, but he still complied.


    Fu Yuheng left without even looking at him, leaving Prime Minister Liu standing on the spot, his hand covered in cold sweat. He only hoped that the fact that he had defected to the Ninth Prince''s side would not be discovered, and he even hoped that the Ninth Prince could act faster.


    The poetry meet had already begun, and all the ladies were no longer restrained in their rooms, but were full of liveliness. However, this was the palace, so he could not lose face for himself.


    "Whose daughter is this? "It doesn''t look too bad." Shen Qingwan watched on the side and was in a very good mood. When she was in her room, she also liked to read some books, but her martial arts skills were not wasted either.


    "Reporting to the Empress, this is Minister Liu''s daughter, Liu Nian." She''s famous in the capital for being a talented girl. " Hearing her question, Lian Yun immediately spoke up.


    Shen Qingwan nodded her head, it seems that the ladies this time are all not bad.


    "This is the daughter of the Vice Minister Li, Li Yin." Lian Yun pointed to another lady in a red dress and said. Li Yin had been pampered since he was young, so he was not very popular amongst the ladies, but he was also a bit talented.


    Looking up, a woman in a green gown walked forward and said, "The early snow shadows rise to the sun, the plum blossoms are shameful. "To cherish a king is undesirable, but to ponder over such a thing is to be unable to sell." She was dignified and elegant as she walked, and her actions did not lack the spirit of everyone. When he finished, he attracted the applause of the crowd.


    "Sister Liu is really talented. I''m not as talented as you." Liu Nian nodded, his tone carrying a trace of humility.

 C209 Fire in the yard

    Li Yin, on the other hand, waved her sleeve nonchalantly. "I''ve long heard that the Second Young Miss of the Liu Family was taught to be reasonable since childhood and was very different from the Imperial Consort Liu. Now it seems that it is really better to see her for myself."


    It could be said that no one was unwilling to listen to others praise themselves, but ¡­ Even though he said that, Liu Chugrong represented the Liu Residence''s image after all. If that was the case, the Liu Residence would be belittled.


    "Looks like sister has been in the house for too long. If not, I would have seen her a long time ago." Liu Chu Xin covered his mouth with the handkerchief and laughed, as if he was just joking.


    But in Li Yin''s ears, the tone had changed. Was he mocking her for being ignorant and ill-informed? But because she was in the palace, she didn''t dare to flare up, so she could only bear with it.


    Fu Huaiyu sat in the pavilion far away, and looking at her movements, he had also put down a chess piece on the chess board. The corners of his mouth hooked up slightly, and his peach blossom eyes revealed a terrifying expression, making it hard for people to guess what was on his mind. This Lady Liu''s stomach was really trying its best, but ¡­ This might be a good chess game... "Haha ¡­"


    The poem soon came to an end, and Shen Qingwan also returned to the courtyard.


    "Is the Empress tired today?" Lian Yun saw her rubbing her forehead as she asked a question that she was a little worried about. But when she heard that, Shen Qingwan shook her head, she did not feel tired, after all, Xiao Shushen was in charge of everything during the poetry meet, and she was just here to watch the show.


    "Could it be that he has something on his mind?" Blinking his eyes, Lian Yun tilted his head and asked.


    Shen Qingwan felt really helpless. In reality, it was just because she couldn''t sleep well last night that she was fine. No longer paying any attention to Lian Yun''s chatter, she pushed her out, changed her clothes, and collapsed on the bed.


    "You can leave now. Don''t call me unless it''s urgent." He faced Lian Yun''s figure and ordered, and did not speak anymore.


    It was only strange that after lying in bed for a while, she felt dizzy, but it didn''t seem too tiring. It''s just that I''m really sleepy ¡­ He quickly fell asleep, and in his trance, he also felt that something was very unpleasant.


    "Empress, the Empress has woken up. The palace has lost its waters. We have to get out of here. " Shen Qingwan who was woken up by Lian Yun was still a little confused. She didn''t know what had happened, but the bad smell in her nose had made her feel a little sober.


    "What''s going on?" Shen Qingwan coughed a few times as she spoke. Although she had woken up, her headache was still severe, and she still looked drowsy.


    "He went astray." Lian Yun did not have time to explain, and quickly pulled her out. Fortunately, the fire was not too big under the control of the Palace People, so he did not sustain any injuries.


    Shen Qingwan felt a little strange when she was told to rest, so she did not leave. She stayed outside the door to guard Shen Qingwan, but fell asleep due to being too sleepy. Only when she smelled something burning did she feel that something was wrong. However, she found that the fire had started to spread. Thus, she had no choice but to call for help. Thinking of Shen Qingwan''s safety, she still ignored the dangers and charged in.


    "How are you? Are you hurt?" Fu Yuheng pulled Shen Qingwan to the left and right nonstop. He couldn''t take off her clothes to check even with so many people around him. All he could do was slightly furrow his brows.


    Why would the palace be on fire?


    "I''m fine." Shen Qingwan knew that he was worried about her, so he held onto his forehead and shook his head. Other than a slight headache, it really was nothing.


    "That''s good." Fu Yuheng also nodded. His eyes were filled with worry. His face was slightly pale, but he had probably confiscated some injuries. When he looked down, he saw Shen Qingwan only wearing his undergarment, and had taken off her cloak and draped it over her.


    He had just run out from inside and she was still in a sorry state. Now, seeing her in front of him, he felt a bit of heartache.


    "Your concubine greets Your Majesty. Your concubine has heard that the Consort Xian''s sister has lost water here in the palace. "I was worried so I wanted to come over to take a look. Is elder sister alright?" It was unknown where Liu Jiaorong got the news, but he rushed over and spoke to Fu Yuheng charmingly. Then, he turned around and looked at Shen Qingwan with a worried expression.


    Faced with Liu Chugrong''s fake concern, Shen Qingwan was no longer in the mood to reply. He coldly looked at her, "Big sister isn''t resting in my own courtyard, but here to watch the show?" There was no lack of mockery in his words. No matter who was in a sorry state in their sleep due to a fire, they would definitely not have a good face. Since Fu Yuheng was still around, she didn''t want to say anything more. "I naturally have nothing else to do."


    Liu Jiaorong''s face changed when he heard her words. He knew what she meant, but he didn''t expect her to be so careless in front of Fu Yuheng. "It''s great that my sister is fine. I''ve been worried about her in the palace." She could only pretend as if she hadn''t heard anything, but in her heart, she wished that she would hurry up and die.


    Shen Qingwan clearly didn''t want to care about her hypocrisy, she just let her continuously chatter in her ear as the corner of her mouth curled into a cold smile. She wanted to see just what kind of flowers she could spout.


    "Little sister, why aren''t you saying anything?" Your Majesty, look at the Consort Xian''s sister. " Seeing that Shen Qingwan had ignored her, she looked towards Fu Yuheng in grievance. Furthermore, as a Consort Xian, she didn''t care about being polite, so wasn''t that also saying that she didn''t know etiquette?


    "Could it be that little sister hates big sister to the point that she doesn''t even want to accept big sister''s care and concern?" Her almond eyes glimmered with tears as if she couldn''t believe what she just saw.


    However, Fu Yuheng did not even want to bother with her at the moment. He knew how to act. How come he never realized that there was such a talented person in the harem that was suitable for acting? He glanced at his sarcastically, but still didn''t speak up.


    Being ignored by two people in a row, Liu Chugrong felt embarrassed, and the way he looked at Shen Qingwan became vicious.


    Right now, she was an imperial concubine, so there weren''t many opportunities for her to be condescending like this. She was merely a concubine, how dare he treat her in such a manner? He hid the viciousness in his eyes and lowered his gaze.


    At this moment, Shen Qing Wan was blown away by the wind and her mind became much clearer.


    There was definitely something wrong with the tea or pastries today. Someone must have drugged her and tried to kill her while she was unconscious. However, she still could not figure out who had such terrifying thoughts. After thinking about it, he decided to expel everyone from the harem. Xiao Shushen was afraid that he would not be able to get back his time while he was busy preparing his poems. On the other hand, Liu Chugrong was obviously suspicious of Fu Yuheng and did not dare to act rashly. She had no idea who else was in the harem.


    In the midst of the silence, Empress Xiao Shushen also walked over. However, she only bowed to Fu Yuheng and said a few words of concern before falling silent.

 C210 No Word Token

    The fire this time wasn''t really serious, it was just that there were some traces of fire on the side of the main yard, so Li Qi arranged for the Queen and the others to stay in the side hall.


    Because the fire was not big, after a while, the fire in the yard was put out and cleaned up. However, the next day, someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs had to come and fix it.


    As the Palace Mistress, Luo Qing naturally could not let Li Qi handle this matter alone, so she stayed behind to help investigate this matter.


    "It''s cold at night. Esteemed Empress can go back to the palace to rest." Li Qi didn''t really want the Empress to stay here. This was a matter of her palace, it was better to investigate on her own.


    Luo Qing, who was seated on his seat, had a look of dissatisfaction on his face. However, he quickly concealed it and put on a proper smile, "As the master of the rear palace, how can I ignore the loose water in the Consort Xian Palace?"


    Her words made it so that Li Qi didn''t have to persuade her anymore, and she also didn''t bring it up again.


    They did not fall asleep that night as they waited for the results of the investigation.


    When the sky lit up slightly, Lian Yun hastily ran into the side hall and blessed the two of them.


    "Greetings, esteemed empress, Concubine Xian."


    Luo Qing looked tired, with a deep frown on his face. He glanced at her impatiently, "Can you find out why?" For no reason at all, she sat here all night just to show her majesty as the empress and to make the emperor more satisfied with her.


    Lian Yun gasped for breath as she stopped. "Reporting to the Empress, they found out that a palace maid accidentally touched a candle and lit a quilt, causing a fire in the palace."


    She told him the truth about the results of marble temple''s investigations, but she was still a little suspicious in her heart.


    Hearing this, Li Qi''s brows slightly furrowed, her lowered eyes seemed to be thinking about something.


    It couldn''t possibly be this simple. She had clearly been drugged, so how could it just be a mistake on the part of a young palace maid?


    However, she did not voice out her doubts in front of the Queen. Luo Qing did not seem to be satisfied with this answer, but she still felt relieved. "Since that''s the case, let that palace maid fetch the twenty tablets." He actually got such an insignificant answer in exchange, and couldn''t help feeling a bit angry in his heart. "If you''re this careless, how can you serve the palace? How can you serve the imperial concubine?!"


    The empress''s unprovoked anger actually caused Li Qi to be stunned, her words seemed to be all for her own sake.


    "Since it''s an order from the empress, let her take the board herself." Without leaving a trace, she once again pushed the blame onto the empress ¡­


    The empress didn''t feel comfortable listening to this, but she was too tired to pursue the matter any further. She spoke a few words before returning to her own palace.


    After sending the empress away, Lian Yun sent the small palace maid who was in trouble back to bring the board back. By the time he returned, Li Qi was already ready to dress up.


    "Lian Yun, do you think it''s really that simple now?" She gazed at the woman in the bronze mirror, her expression calm. Her voice was very soft, but it was loud enough for her to hear.


    Lian Yun was also not a young palace maid who was not familiar with the affairs of the palace, so it was naturally hard for her to believe him, "Did the Empress sense anything?" If it wasn''t for her sensing that something was amiss, she probably wouldn''t have asked her this question.


    "Last night, my room was drugged. Luckily, I didn''t use that much, or else ¡­" At this point, she clutched the pearl hairpin tightly and her pupils shrank.


    "Conundrum medicine?" Lian Yun was shocked, her face full of worry: "Is the Empress''s body in a serious condition?"


    She waved her hand, "I''m fine, but it''s not that simple."


    Hearing her words, Lian Yun could not help but think deeply about it, worrying about the Empress''s safety.


    Although Li Qi treated people coldly, but she did not go around to form hatred with them, it was not enough to make his imperial concubine hate her to the point of wanting to burn her to death, right?


    "I still do not know who it is, but I will not let it slide!" If he couldn''t find the source of the panic, how could he feel at ease?


    "For such an important matter like this, the Empress should report it to the emperor. If the emperor comes forward to investigate, we can protect the Empress as well." Lian Yun had always thought of things that would save her some grievances and allow her to do less dangerous things.


    But she shook her head resolutely. It wasn''t appropriate for him to investigate this matter. Luo Qing had already convicted that palace maid. If she said that the culprit was someone else without a proof, then it would be feared that Long Li would be displeased and the person behind the scenes would be alerted.


    "Only the two of us know about this. I will personally investigate and definitely not leak it out."


    Although Lian Yun felt uneasy, she did not dare to retort and agreed.


    Some of the pieces of wood on the other side of the main yard had been burned black. She had purposely made the people from the Internal Affairs Bureau come back a day later, so that she could find out if there was anything she could do before the scene was cleaned up.


    After walking around his house, he did not find any clues. However, before he left, he found a small corner of the wall outside the house ¡­


    Picking it up, she saw that it was a token without a word. Her heart was filled with doubt. In the imperial palace, the palace maids and eunuchs all had tokens that clearly indicated their identities, but this token didn''t have a single word on it.


    But why did she feel so familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before?


    Since it wasn''t the palace''s command medallion, it was very likely that the mastermind behind it wasn''t someone who lived in the palace for a long time.


    She decided to leave the palace to see if she could find any clues. He had changed into casual clothes and disguised himself before leaving the palace. Originally, he was going to go to the restaurant to inquire about the news, but he just happened to run into a group of people.


    A luxurious palanquin stopped in the middle of the road, and from it walked out a jade-green lady. She had a slim waist, but her facial features were slightly delicate and pretty. The corners of her eyes were slightly raised with a somewhat arrogant expression.


    She walked out lightly with a gentle smile on her face. Li Qi recognized it with a glance. It was the Dragon Valley concubine''s room temperature mountain range she had seen a few days ago!


    Hiding in the dark, he quietly observed her movements.


    As soon as she stepped out of the sedan chair, the owner hurried out to welcome her. "You''re finally here!"


    "Have you seen any beautiful flowers recently?" Her voice was pleasant to hear, but her gaze was extremely arrogant, causing the onlookers to have no choice but to make way for her.


    The owner smiled obsequiously. "I''ll leave all the good stuff to you! I''m waiting for you to pick one! "


    Hearing this, Wen Ling raised his eyebrows in satisfaction. She actually liked the envious looks of the crowd. Who didn''t know that she was Ninth Prince''s Mansion''s concubine? Even if she wasn''t his concubine, she was still Ninth Prince''s Mansion''s concubine after all.


    Li Qi had no interest in her, but just as she was about to leave, she was attracted by a ray of light. It was on the waist of the guard standing behind Wen Ling. It was a token without words!


    The nameless order badge came from the Ninth Prince''s Mansion? Could the mastermind be the Dragon Valley? In an instant, she seemed to have woken up, but her brows were tightly knitted. She did not expect that this matter had something to do with the Dragon Valley!


    If he wanted to deal with her, he wouldn''t need to burn her in his sleep, right? If he thought about it, there were many ways to kill her, but he shouldn''t have to take the risk of being discovered. Moreover, if he wanted to get rid of her, then why did he have to save her time and time again?


    However, she suddenly recalled the bait that Long Gu had thrown at her and slightly frowned. Perhaps it was because she did not agree to cooperate with him, which was why she wanted to silence him. Refusing again and again seemed to bring about a fatal disaster.

 C211 Buying Warm Ridge

    Li Qi, who understood the meaning of this, was instantly shocked awake. She had to grab hold of something!


    She quickly thought about it in her mind. Just as Wen Ling was about to walk into the shop, she suddenly had a flash of brilliance. A trace of craftiness flashed across her eyes.


    "Isn''t this Sister Wen?" Just as she was about to step into the shop, Li Qi suddenly pretended to be surprised and quietly walked to her side.


    Hearing this, Wen Ling stopped in his tracks, and when he turned around, he saw Li Qi, who was walking towards her from a short distance away.


    Her face was very indifferent, but right now, it had an aggressive beauty to it. Wen Ling slightly frowned. Seeing her smile gradually rise, she was startled for a moment before recalling something.


    While she was in a daze, Li Qi had already walked in front of her. She had a face full of surprise, and when the words that were about to come out of her mouth came out, she stopped her.


    The look in Wen Ling''s eyes indicated that she should not reveal her identity. As someone with good judgement, Wen Ling nodded his head in understanding.


    The two had met several times before, so Wen Ling was able to recognize her with just a few glances. Li Qi was also a favoured master within the palace. Although she hadn''t seen much, this could still be considered an opportunity.


    "Just call me sister." Li Qi had a plan in his mind, so he didn''t mind calling her such a small thing. "Little sister, are you here to buy rouge and water powder?"


    Li Qi''s eyes swept past the guards behind her. She couldn''t have been mistaken about the nameless insignia!


    While talking, the two of them walked into the shop. The shop owner saw that Wen Ling had respect for Li Qi and guessed that her identity was not ordinary, so he tactfully brought over some good goods.


    "I wonder why elder sister is here?" Wen Ling asked. The arrogance he had shown in front of the boss had been replaced with a gentle expression.


    There was a faint smile on his lips, but Li Qi raised his eyebrows with a hidden meaning, he was not in a hurry to answer her, he indifferently looked at the cosmetics that his boss had brought out.


    "This is the best rouge and cosmetic powder in the store. The ladies have unique eyes, so they will definitely be able to tell whether this is the best goods or not." The boss had a glib tongue. These words not only praised their goods, but also raised their status.


    She didn''t think much of it and only glanced at the boss. On the other hand, Wen Ling''s eyes were filled with pride, but on the surface, he acted as if nothing had happened.


    "Since you have nothing better to do, come out for a walk." He put away the smile at the corner of his mouth, then looked at the jewelry again, "The craftsmanship is quite exquisite, it can be said to be top quality."


    After staying in the palace for so long, she could easily distinguish the difference between a jewel and a real jewel. With Li Qi''s confirmation, the smile on the owner''s face became even wider, thinking that this was a master who knew what was good for herself!


    Wen Ling could not help but be suspicious. It was said that the Concubine Xian was cold and did not like to communicate with others, but today, he took the opportunity to exchange a few words with her. Why was that so?


    At the same time, Li Qi had already picked up a string of good quality Agate. She gestured in front of her and smiled with satisfaction, "This is very fitting for you."


    The onyx in her hand was so clear that it looked like high quality. Sweeping the doubt in Wen Ling''s eyes, the smile in his eyes became even wider. "Wrap it up and give it to Madam as a gift."


    Madam, this form of address shocked Wen Ling completely. She was merely the concubine of Ninth Prince, yet she called him Madam ¡­


    "Huh?" Wen Ling was surprised for a moment, and then instinctively asked, "Elder sister, you bought this from me?" She found it hard to believe that the two of them did not have a close relationship, yet they were able to present such a precious gift after a few encounters ¡­


    "I find Madam to be rather kind, not to mention, Madam is someone from the Ninth Prince, so there is no need to decline this invitation." With a single sentence, she seemed to reveal her goal, allowing Wen Ling to instantly understand.


    So it was because of the Ninth Prince?


    Li Qi did not completely point it out, and Wen Ling was not an foolish person, so these words were enough for her to understand.


    "Madam ¡­"


    Seeing her eyes, the feeling of rejection had already subsided. A hint of ridicule flashed past Li Qi''s eyes, and her tone became firmer, "Wrap it up."


    Since it was because of the Ninth Prince Wen Ling that he stopped pushing things away, there was no woman in this world who would not be valued highly by others. Now, even the Emperor''s favored concubine had spoken in such a manner, so how could she possibly refuse?


    How could she not know the smug Li Qi in her heart? She just didn''t care much about it.


    Her heart was already fluttering as she held the bunch of agate in her hands. This agate was no ordinary jewellery, it must definitely be worth a lot.


    "Elder sister, if you need my help, just say it. I will not refuse." As she spoke, her face was also overflowing with joy. If he fawned over her, what would she have to worry about? She had heard from the housekeeper that the Dragon Valley treated her differently. Now that they had met, there was no need to worry anymore.


    "Little sister is really a straightforward person." Looking at the sky outside, it was getting late. "It''s time for me to go back. I''ll talk to Madam in the future if I have the chance." Li Qi intentionally emphasized the word "Madam", and the meaning contained within the words was needless to say.


    "Elder sister, do you need me to send you off?" Wen Ling remained courteous on the surface, but Li Qi also knew, and immediately rejected her a" beautiful idea ''.


    After staying at the jewelry store for a while, it was already late when he returned to the Ninth Prince''s Mansion. However, Wen Ling was in a very good mood.


    Just as she entered her own courtyard, she saw a man dressed in a purple robe. His slightly raised peach blossom eyes were very eye-catching, causing the girl''s face to become hot upon seeing him.


    "Your Highness, are you waiting for me here?" Seeing Long Gu''s actions, her heart softened, and she only wanted to pounce over.


    However, when he stood in front of him, he discovered that his face was gloomy. Wen Ling lowered his eyes to ponder for a while, but still couldn''t find what he had done wrong recently. He then asked in a softer tone, "What''s wrong with you, Prince?"


    "Why did you come back so late?" His voice was cold and unlike his usual flirting tone. This made Wen Ling feel somewhat unfamiliar.


    "I went to the jewelry store, so I stayed longer with the goods, and ¡­"


    "Shut up!" Long Gu impatiently interrupted her chattering, "What do you think your identity is? What kind of place do you think This King''s palace is!? "


    Wen Ling froze. He didn''t know where the anger was coming from, and the joy he felt just now had completely dissipated.


    "Prince ¡­" Originally, she wanted to talk about meeting the Concubine Xian, but now, she didn''t dare.


    "A mere concubine is already so popular." His voice was even colder at night. "Kneel here for four hours."


    "Your Highness!" Wen Ling simply could not believe his ears. The usually amorous Ninth Prince actually made her kneel here for four hours just because she came back a bit late.


    "Four more hours of nonsense!" With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.


    Wen Ling stood there stupidly. Although he did not dare to disobey his order, he still did not dare to do so. He obediently knelt down.


    However, her heart slowly sank. How could she forget? He was a temperamental person, but in the past few days, he hadn''t lost his temper. She almost thought that he was always so gentle.


    But the more she thought about it, the more unwilling she became. She also began to have a hatred towards the Dragon Valley. What right did he have to treat her like that!?

 C212 undetermined number of places

    "I wonder who was so daring as to make this elder angry?" A woman in a red blouse gradually appeared from behind the screen. She walked forward gracefully with a slight smile on her face. Her watery eyes seemed to be able to absorb a person''s mind.


    "Zhu Yan, you sure have some guts today, to actually dare make fun of this king." Dragon Valley peach blossom eyes slightly hooked up. Her fingertip lifted up a strand of her black hair and gently stroked it. There was a teasing tone in her words, but it was not deep in her eyes.


    Following his movements, Zhu Yan obediently sat down beside him. She naturally knew that she wasn''t in a very good mood, and as for smiling, it was merely a habit.


    "This little girl naturally doesn''t dare." In reality, she was only trying her best to not let herself shout out, "However, if you can get me to laugh, I will gladly accept this loss of my life."


    Her eyes were like silk, and her body was boneless. She was originally a brothel lady, but later on her body was redeemed by him, so he decided to stay in the Jiangnan restaurant and act as the boss'' wife. However, the truth was that they were only people under his control. But she was the only one who had fallen in love with him. That was true. After all, he was the one who had saved her from the abyss of suffering, allowing her to have the motivation to continue living.


    "You have a tongue." Dragon Valley lifted her chin, gently caressed her lips and stomach, softly whispering next to her ear. However, the coldness in her eyes made her want to cry.


    "If Your Highness likes it, then your concubine will help you get it." He smiled wryly in his heart, yet he still maintained the appearance of being passionate.


    "That''s good. I hope you won''t disappoint this king. If you do well, then don''t regret saving you back then." Words without emotion were let out from her lips. It seemed that she was just an unimportant person.


    Only after Zhu Yan left the room did Dragon Valley take out a black egg from the chessboard. After playing with it for a while, the corner of her mouth hooked up into a mocking smile.


    Today, this game of chess was becoming more and more interesting. It was just that some people no longer had the time to play and needed to stay.


    "Has grandpa given up?" Mo Zilian came in from outside, but he was only leaning against a pillar, and looked at him with a smile that was not a smile, "That fire, I''m afraid it will hurt a certain person''s heart!"


    Long Gu''s raised his hand into the air, a hint of madness in his eyes. "Whatever this duke has set my eyes on, I have never said that I would give it up." A chess piece fell down, heading towards despair.


    That''s right, the fire in Li Qi''s courtyard was created by him, and even the command tablet was done by him on purpose.


    "Humph!" With a cold snort, he said, "But if This King is unable to obtain it, others can forget about obtaining it!" The fist under his sleeve clenched tightly.


    "It really is ¡­" Mo Zilian lowered his head and sighed, in his opinion, Li Qi was not even as understanding as him.


    After Li Qi arrived at the courtyard, she began to leisurely drink her tea.


    "Empress, why did you come back so late today?" Lian Yun looked at the sky outside, it was already getting dark, and in the past, even when she went out, she rarely came back this late, so there must have been something that delayed him.


    Her guess was naturally correct. After Wen Ling left, he turned around and avoided her gaze. He specifically told the shopkeeper about her whereabouts and told her everything.


    In the end, she didn''t expect that she would really ask him something. From the storekeeper''s mouth, Wen Ling originally had a wet nurse. However, for some unknown reason, he had offended the Dragon Valley and was thus killed by the staff. She even felt sorry for him for a while. Even in front of him, she became a lot colder. It wasn''t until some days later that she felt better.


    "I already know who set the fire." Li Qi slowly drank his tea, and then said with a smile.


    This result was naturally unsatisfactory. However, it was, after all, only on the surface.


    Lian Yun was startled, she did not expect that after leaving her palace for so long, she would have already found the real culprit, "Are you from the harem?" She could not help but ask doubtfully.


    The person in front of her shook his head. His meaning was very clear, so it was obviously not what she had guessed.


    "That''s ¡­" If it weren''t for the people from the harem, she would have been even more confused. She really couldn''t think of anyone else who could do such a thing to her, other than these imperial concubines. After all, she hadn''t provoked anyone. However, just as she was about to speak, she seemed to have guessed what she was about to say and shook her head again.


    "Ninth Prince!" Li Qi said indifferently, as if she wasn''t there at all. But only she herself knew the answer, but in reality, not even she herself could believe the result. The person who had saved her time and time again seemed to want her life now. No one would be able to accept such a situation if they were given to someone else.


    "What!?" Empress! This... "How is this possible!?" Lian Yun cried out in alarm. Although she also knew that Dragon Valley was not as warm as he had seen it, she had always been good to her own mistress.


    Li Qi shook her head and no longer explained.


    His motive for doing so was only to guess, but in reality, he had no way of knowing what it was for.


    He closed his eyes as the entire scene in the palace spun in his mind.


    In these few days, everyone seemed to have changed. Those who could guess what was on their minds were now completely unable to see through them.


    As he thought about this, under Lian Yun''s puzzled gaze, he fell asleep.


    On the other side, Luo Qing had also received the news. Even though she was the queen, in Long Li''s eyes, she was not as important as Li Qi.


    Although the Imperial Palace seemed calm and serene on the surface, in reality, it was still turbulent. It could be said that they each had their own ulterior motives, and they all moved closer to Luo Qing step by step. In order to protect their daughter, An Rong was even more cautious.


    Ever since the news of Ye Feng''s severe injury had spread, there hadn''t been any news for a short period of time, which had made Li Ruo miserable. Every day, she would look in the direction of the border by herself, but all she could do was silently pray in her heart.


    Now in the harem, Wu Ling was probably the most free one. She didn''t have to worry about her lover and didn''t have to worry about being pampered. She could play the zither in the yard everyday but it was much easier.


    Now that the situation in the palace had yet to be decided, no one dared to say that they would be the last to laugh. But no matter what, all of this was just a play with a flip of his hand.

 C213 awakening from a nightmare

    In the evening, Xiao Shushen felt that her body was a little tired, so she rested early every day.


    She felt as if she were standing on a soft surface, her whole body on the verge of collapse. She couldn''t help but grasp the covers on her body, the crease in her brow and the beads of sweat on her forehead revealing the restlessness of her sleep.


    She wanted to shout, but no sound came out of her throat. Xiao Shushen pressed down on her neck anxiously, and then extended his hand to ask someone to pull her out.


    In the darkness, she felt uneasy, but suddenly a circle of light lit up around her and two people stood inside.


    She squinted her eyes and struggled to look. Both the woman and the man were dressed in bright yellow robes. That man was none other than Fu Yuheng. However, the one wearing the empress''s attire was not her, but Shen Qingwan!


    "From now on, you are my queen." His eyes revealed a doting and loving look as he grabbed Shen Qingwan into his arms. The girl''s smiling expression stung his eyes.


    She was the empress!


    "Your majesty, chenqie is your empress!"


    Only now did those two notice her. The woman glanced at her with disdain and disdain, while Fu Yuheng had a look of disgust on his face.


    "Drag her away and behead her!"


    "Your Majesty! Your majesty! This concubine is the empress, this palace is the empress! " The two of them were so pleased to see her decapitated in public.


    When the executioner''s knife was about to land on her neck, she woke up with a start and sat up in bed. "No!"


    His body was covered in sweat, and the hands that tightly gripped the blanket were also covered in sweat, sticky and uncomfortable. She looked around her in panic, and then her heaving chest began to calm down. It was still in the Queen''s Palace, and all that had just happened was just a nightmare!


    When the Gui mama heard the commotion in the room, he immediately ran in with a worried look on his face, "Esteemed Empress, what happened?"


    who had awoken had a fierce look in her eyes, there was a killing intent hidden in them, even though it was a nightmare, she still had some lingering fear. who made the Consort Xian the empress and even beheaded me in public! " Even if the dream was absurd, she still felt that it was impossible for the dream to reflect something like that.


    Hearing that, Gui mama was shocked, but she was still a smart person, in the blink of an eye she restrained herself and comforted softly, "This is just a nightmare, you, esteemed Empress, are still the empress. How can a mere daughter of a general whose power has been taken away from her?"


    The dream was so real that it made her uneasy.


    The Gui mama saw that her face seemed to be deep in thought, and continued to persuade her. "Empress need not worry about others, the Emperor will not forget his old relationship with Empress."


    Although Xiao Shushen did not manage the harem well, but at the very most, they were all well-behaved. Fu Yuheng had some respect for her, so how could he possibly be such an unpredictable, useless descendant?


    After being comforted by Gui mama''s words, her heart calmed down a little, but she was still unable to completely break out of the nightmare.


    "From today onwards, you must pay more attention to the Consort Xian. If anything happens, immediately report to me." She squinted her eyes dangerously as she looked in the direction of Shen Qingwan''s residence, "I won''t leave her any chance!"


    Gui mama nodded his head, his expression solemn, "This servant understands." She had followed Xiao Shushen for so many years, so she naturally could sense her temperament and personality.


    On the other hand, Shen Qing Wan''s side did not know that she had caused such an impact to Xiao Shushen. She and Fu Yuheng invited her to visit her father, and he allowed her to do so.


    "How is father doing?" Although her personality was indifferent, but after entering the palace, the chances of her seeing the General Shen s decreased even more, and she couldn''t help but feel a little guilty.


    General Shen was startled by this, "It''s alright." He sized her up, but didn''t know why she''d come back today.


    The father and daughter duo did not talk much, but they did not feel awkward when they got along with each other.


    "I''m going to the army camp today, do you want to come with me?" General Shen knew that his daughter was not a normal girl, and was very interested in these things.


    Sure enough, Shen Qing Wan agreed. She hadn''t been to the army camp for a long time, so she thought it would be good to go.


    He took her to a nearby military camp. It wasn''t too far, and they arrived in less than an hour.


    Although he had already been stripped of his military power and authority, the General Shen still had some prestige in the army camp. After all, he was the one who had brought all these soldiers and soldiers with him.


    When the soldiers saw him arrive, their morale rose and they shouted, "General Shen!"


    "Alright, I am no longer your general. You don''t need to call me that." When he spoke to them, he became unwittingly serious.


    However, they refused to listen, "One day for a general, one day for a general!"


    How could he not know their heartfelt feelings? Shen Qingwan felt a little complicated in her heart upon seeing this. Although she was happy, she was also a little worried. After all, even though this military might was a good item, it was still the easiest to be coveted by others.


    "This subordinate pays his respect to Concubine Xian!"


    Even if they had to bow, it would be General Shen and then she, and here was the loyalty and loyalty of their warriors. Shen Qingwan lightly nodded his head.


    Vice General Yuchi Yi also came forward to welcome him, but remained as respectful as before. "The general has returned."


    General Shen sighed, he did not want to explain anymore, he could understand why. He had been used to calling out like this for more than ten years, it was not easy to change it now.


    A rare smile appeared on Yuchi Yi''s face, but his tone was respectful. "Even if the general wasn''t here, your subordinate would still watch over him."


    Hearing that, the General Shen nodded his head in satisfaction. With this, he could rest assured.


    Shen Qingwan followed behind the two of them, not saying a word, only hearing the two of them say something of no importance. She suddenly felt that this was pretty good. Her father no longer needed to get involved in the battle of power. Perhaps this was also a blessing.


    "Right, has there been any turmoil recently?" He had been leading soldiers his entire life, so he wasn''t used to suddenly having free time. He always wanted to ask about matters regarding the military camp.


    Yuchi Yi did not hide anything from him. He told him about what had happened recently, and finally smiled. "General, don''t worry. The situation has been stable lately, and there''s been some unease."


    He heaved a sigh of relief and nodded in relief, "Since that''s the case, I am relieved."


    With that, he glanced at the soldier who was still practicing, his eyes flashing with reluctance and helplessness. "I can rest assured that you''ll be in charge, but since everything is fine, I''ll have to go back. Otherwise, if I get caught in someone else''s mouth, I''ll have to write something bad."


    How could he not know about the people who were secretly causing trouble? It didn''t matter to him anymore, but Yuchi Yi still had a bright future ahead of him.


    "General, please go back. This subordinate will take care of it properly."


    General Shen looked at her and said, "Let''s go."


    It wasn''t that she didn''t see the reluctance in his eyes, but she couldn''t say anything. She only followed him back to the estate.

 C214 send woman

    After a few days, the palace became lively again. The reason was because the Mongolian had come to visit, as for why everyone more or less knew about it.


    In order to show the sincerity and strength of the dynasty, Fu Yuheng had hosted a banquet to entertain the envoys of the Mongolian. Their purpose in coming to the empire seemed extremely simple, which was to send a beautiful woman to Fu Yuheng for a good relationship between the two countries.


    The graceful woman was called Tuo Bamin, she was a princess of the Mongolian, and wasn''t highly regarded, but she was still a princess after all.


    "This time, I have come to bestow upon the Emperor the title of a concubine, the princess of Mongolian. I hope that he can enjoy eternal peace and tranquility." The envoy did not hide anything and directly stated his purpose of coming here.


    For the sake of the relationship between the two countries, Fu Yuheng naturally could not refuse, and thus accepted Tuo Bamin as his concubine. As for his status, it was not urgent either. After sending Tuo Bamin over, the envoy of the Mongolian left, upon learning of the matter, Xiao Shushen was unhappy, the nightmare she had a few days ago was still fresh in her mind, but now, this Mongolian actually wanted to use her marriage alliance to bring the beauty over to win her over! Wasn''t this sending Fu Yuheng off on a new lease of life?


    "Mongolian is not an easy target!" Xiao Shushen angrily slammed the table. She did not expect Fu Yuheng to accept her so easily!


    "Empress, please calm your anger. She''s just a princess of a small country, and is an unfavoured lord in the first place. The emperor is only giving Mongolian face." Gui mama analyzed calmly. How could she not understand the twists and turns of the imperial harem?


    But even so, Xiao Shushen was still a little against it. With a new person appearing in front of her, how could she not feel threatened?


    "The Empress should emphasize the greater picture. The Emperor is concerned with the relationship between the two countries. Moreover, the Emperor wouldn''t indulge himself in women''s beauty. So what if it''s a mere princess of a small country? " Gui mama''s words were filled with disdain and contempt.


    These words made Xiao Shushen feel a little more comfortable, Gui mama was indeed what she liked the most.


    This matter had already been settled. Even if she was unwilling to, she could only swallow her anger. After all, on the surface, she was still a dignified and virtuous queen.


    Tuo Bamin was arranged to stay in a courtyard at the side. Fu Yuheng had sent a personal maid named Lan Re over to her.


    This was the first time that Tuoba Min came here because she wanted to know more about the matters of the palace.


    "I''ve just entered the palace. Has there been any dissatisfaction?" She came from Mongolian, an unremarkable little country, and also an unfavoured princess. If she could have a place in the current dynasty, then she would be able to get rid of the Mongolian, and at that time, wouldn''t she be able to fly up the tree branch and become a phoenix?


    Lan Re also couldn''t keep his mouth shut, "Reporting to the Empress, there are naturally many people crowding around when there''s a new person entering the palace. But since there''s someone pressing down from the Concubine Xian s themselves in the imperial harem, the crowd probably can''t say much either." Shen Qingwan was famous for being cold and aloof, but she was spoiled. She didn''t say anything, and the other concubines didn''t dare to say much.


    Tuo Bamin listened attentively, and when she heard the second half of the sentence, her eyes flashed with a strange light.


    Tuoba Min called out softly, "Is Concubine Xian really that powerful?"


    "Concubine Xian has an indifferent personality, he doesn''t befriend anyone in the palace, and is a strange lord." Lan Re spoke with relish, but he did not notice anything strange about her.


    Hearing what Lan Re had said, to be able to suppress the harem with such a strange and indifferent personality, he must be extremely spoiled.


    She came from the Mongolian, so she was not clear about the etiquette of the dynasty. Fu Yuheng had only given the position of nobility, not low, but not high.


    She had been bored senseless in the palace all day, so she brought Lan Re to the imperial garden. She was surprised to find that the imperial gardens of the dynasty were much grander than the imperial gardens of the Mongolian.


    "Tell me about the harem again." She needed to get familiar as soon as possible before she could find the entrance.


    "The one with status in the imperial harem is the empress, Imperial Consort Liu, Consort Xian ¡­"


    However, she didn''t hear what Lan Re said after that. She naturally understood that it was the emperor''s legal wife, and it seemed that the emperor had indeed pampered the Consort Xian.


    "Does that mean that Concubine Xian is the second master of this harem, and he is below the Empress?" She was originally a female from the Mongolian, but her personality was not as calm as the Han Chinese. She only felt that the one who got the favour was the best in the harem, hence she asked.


    When she said that, Lan Re was startled, she did not think about the second master of the harem, but her words did not seem to be wrong.


    Lan Re thought that her answer was right after she fell silent. She had already made plans in her heart, "Concubine Xian is even more favored than the Imperial Consort Liu and the Empress. This empress dowager ¡­"


    "How dare you!"


    Before she could finish her words, she heard a scolding from behind her. There was anger in her words, which made Tuo Bamin frown and turn his head.


    She did not recognize any of her concubines after entering the palace for a few days. She looked at Liu Chugrong, whose face was ashen, but luckily, Lan Re, who was standing beside her, reminded her softly, "This servant greets Imperial Consort Liu."


    Only then did Tuo Bamin realize that he was in Imperial Consort Liu, and imitated Lan Re''s actions and saluted: "Paying respects to Imperial Consort Liu."


    "Oh?" This is the woman from the Mongolian, she has never seen the real world! " Her eyes were sharp from anger, and her words were irritable as well. "A small noble actually dared to speak such arrogant words!"


    She had just said that Shen Qingwan was the most favored woman in the harem, and she was now below the empress.


    "I wonder why Imperial Consort Liu is doing this? What did I say wrongly? " Tuoba Min was displeased, but she did not know what she was wrong about. After being scolded, her eyes were already shining with tears.


    "You still dare to call yourself my disciple in front of me, what a rule." She disdainfully glanced at Tuo Bamin, and immediately came to a conclusion, "Today, I''ll properly teach you the rules of the palace."


    Just as she was about to take action, a sharp voice was heard.


    "Stop!"


    The moment the bright yellow figure appeared, Liu Chugrong''s hand awkwardly stopped in the air and mumbled in a daze, "Your Majesty ¡­" Your consort pays her respects to the Emperor. "


    lowered his head, curled the corner of his lips, and bowed to him.


    Fu Yuheng had been standing by the river for a while, wanting to see what Liu Chugrong would do. Indeed... It did not disappoint him!


    "Imperial Consort, you have quite the manner." There was a cold glint in his eyes and a smile on his face, but it was enough to send chills down everyone''s spines.


    "Chenqie ¡­" She tried to explain, but he cut her off.


    "Noble Min has only just arrived and yet he wants to make your Imperial Concubine act in such a grand manner. Is this how we treat our guests in this dynasty?" He snorted with displeasure. "Imperial Consort, are you still not going to go back and reflect?"


    Liu Chugrong was still about to explain when Fu Yuheng''s unfriendly expression disappeared. However, her heart was unwilling to accept this. He was merely a little noble person yet she dared to charge at her!


    She did not immediately return to the palace, but went to Xiao Shushen''s place. Presumably, she was not feeling well, too, because if she was able to provoke her, she would not need to personally do anything.


    Liu Chu Rong''s heart was filled with beautiful thoughts, but in the end, he was rejected by Xiao Shushen.


    Xiao Shushen sat in the rocking chair, her body slanted. She wasn''t a dull person, how could she not know Liu Chugrong''s thoughts? Furthermore, she was afraid that the incident of her being poisoned was related to Liu Chugrong, so why would she wade in muddy water?


    She was the empress, so all she had to do was sit on the mountain and watch the battle between the tigers.

 C215 Can be dissatisfied

    When Fu Yuheng left for Shen Qingwan Palace, she was sitting by the desk, earnestly reading a book. Golden sunlight shone from the window onto her soft hair, coating the contours of her face with a layer of light.


    Shen Qing Wan stunned him for a moment. When he came back to his senses and met her gaze, he was able to calm himself down.


    To think that he was so infatuated with her as she looked at him, yet Fu Yuheng suddenly felt somewhat uncomfortable. He lightly coughed a few times.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." Shen Qingwan had already regained her senses, putting down the book in her hands, she stood up and stood beside the chair.


    "What kind of book are you reading?" He walked over and casually glanced at the book on the table before sitting down on a chair.


    She lowered her eyes to arrange the scattered books, her tone was calm, "I just found some random books to pass my time."


    Fu Yuheng had no intention of delving deeper into this matter. He indifferently nodded his head and changed the topic. "I''ve come here today to ask you a question."


    "Your Majesty, please ask." Her voice was cold, but much softer than before.


    Fu Yuheng did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "What do you think of the Mongolian''s princess?"


    Hearing this, she withdrew her brows and was not surprised at all, as if she had already guessed it. She had heard quite a bit of criticism from Xiao Man recently, so she hadn''t said anything. Now that the Emperor had asked, she could only voice her thoughts.


    "The reason the Mongolian gifted the princess to the Emperor was to establish a good relationship with the Emperor. The Emperor is wise and wise, and thus, the Emperor does not need to come here to seek a concubine." Her words were neither servile nor overbearing. There was not the slightest bit of flattery or flattery. Her last sentence even made Fu Yuheng understand the playfulness of her words.


    Shen Qingwan raised her eyes to look at the pair of eyes that carried a hint of admiration and astonishment, and continued, "In order to display the etiquette of the imperial court, we cannot neglect the princess, but the emperor does not need to be condescending, so we will follow the words of the Mongolian''s envoy and bestow upon her the Mongolian princess as a concubine, and give her a title. "She won''t make things difficult for the emperor, and he won''t let anyone make a mistake."


    Although her words were so casual, she felt a bit disappointed. She didn''t know where this feeling came from.


    Listening to how open-minded she was and following the principle of being official, Fu Yuheng felt an indescribable loneliness from speaking without the slightest flaw. He couldn''t help but ask, "What about you? Only from your point of view, do you have any complaints? "


    From the perspective of a woman, would she have even the slightest bit of unwillingness towards the princess of Mongolian? He was actually looking forward to her answer.


    Shen Qingwan was stunned, she immediately shook her head with a smile, what complaints and dissatisfaction could she have, "The Emperor is the ruler of a country, and there are three thousand emperors in the empress dowager''s palace, what grievances does chenqie have? As long as it can help the Emperor share his worries. "


    She threw his question back at Fu Yuheng, leaving him speechless. He felt a little uncomfortable in his heart, but was unable to put his finger on it.


    Fu Yuheng did not stay any longer. The two of them did not speak. He just sat there for a while before leaving.


    By the side of the chariot, she wished only that she could keep her heart from falling into the red walls and the green tiles. It was not worth it. Besides, her mind was not entirely set on these love affairs. She only wanted to help her father and gain some good fortune for the people.


    When Tuo Bamin was promoted to noble, he also knew that it was Shen Qingwan who had spoken a few words in front of the Emperor, thus he felt that she had a good impression of him, and was happy in her heart. Furthermore, as one of the Fourth Concubine, she was doted on by the Emperor, if he could curry favor with her, how many people in the palace would be able to touch her?


    After carefully selecting the hairpin, Tuoba Min specially prepared a few items to go to Shen Qing Wan''s courtyard and brought some Mongolian''s trinkets.


    "Greetings Concubine Xian." Before coming here, Lan Re had taught her how to salute and address the Empress.


    Her gaze was indifferent, without any hint of contempt or happiness, but it was as if she was looking at an insignificant person, and upon hearing that the Consort Xian s in the palace were cold and unfriendly, Tuoba Min also felt at ease.


    "Get up." Although she only glanced at her, Shen Qingwan could tell that this woman was not an ordinary person.


    "Chenqie kowtowed and thanked Concubine Xian." Not only did she not get up, she even kneeled on the ground and kowtowed to her.


    Shen Qingwan was shocked, her eyebrows knitted together. She never thought that she would suddenly perform such a great act and was even more puzzled about the purpose of her visit.


    "Chenqie kowtows to thank the Empress for her promotion." She knew that she had said something in front of Fu Yuheng that would allow her to enter the palace without any problems. Otherwise, she might not even have a single seat. However, she did not know if she was mistaken.


    Shen Qingwan looked at the girl in front of her. Her face was elegant and had a few points of beauty, but no one liked her.


    She had already understood the meaning behind Tuo Bamin''s words, it was for her position. She did it only for the sake of the dynasty, but it had nothing to do with her.


    After changing into an expression that didn''t quite reach her eyes, she looked at the woman who was still kneeling on the ground and didn''t ask her to get up, "Honorable one, why do you say that? Since your esteemed self is the princess of the Mongolian, you naturally have an extraordinary identity and are blessed. "


    She didn''t take credit for it, and she didn''t want to talk to her too much.


    Seeing Shen Qing Wan talking to him, a sense of satisfaction rose in Tuo Bamin''s heart, but she still had to give herself some face and speak a few words to others while being cold.


    She also didn''t think that this was related to her status as the princess of Mongolian. After all, that identity didn''t bring her any honor.


    "These are the little things that chenqie brought from the Mongolian. If the Empress doesn''t mind, then I''ll give them to the Empress." He then passed the gadgets in front of Shen Qingwan as if he was offering a treasure.


    Those small accessories were made in a unique way that was hard to see in the dynasty, but she wasn''t someone who was fond of small things like that. She waved her hand and said, "No need to be courteous noble, I don''t like these things. Your highness can keep them for myself."


    Being short-handed, she did not want to owe Tuo Bamin a favor, what''s more, she did not know what she meant.


    "Is the Empress someone who loathes chenqie''s little toy unable to be taken out of the fight?" Tuo Bamin put on an aggrieved expression and stared at her innocently, but Shen Qing Wan remained unmoved.


    To her, this was just an act of a woman, something she had seen many times in the imperial harem. She no longer had a heart, but she could not easily show it on her face. "Please rise, milord."


    When Tuo Bamin heard this, he immediately stood up. He had complaints in his heart but he could not say them out loud, furthermore, Shen Qing Wan probably said these words to him because she had a good impression of him, right?


    She thought happily in her heart, so she became even bolder. "Empress should keep it, or else chenqie will feel uneasy." "These are not some valuable things, just think of it as a thought."


    She tried to dissuade Shen Qingwan a few more times, but the two of them were too ugly so they accepted it.


    Seeing that she accepted Tuo Bamin even more happily, and even wanted to get closer to her, Xiao Man however, saw through her own mistress''s unwillingness and found an excuse to dismiss her.


    Once she sent Tuo Bamin away, Shen Qingwan gave the accessories that she left behind to the people in the palace called Xiao Man, which made her feel uneasy.


    Tuo Bamin didn''t even know that he felt different about Shen Qing Wan.

 C216 spy result

    As Fu Yuheng was reading through the imperial reports, the guards outside the hall informed him that there was a report for a spy. The spy''s eyes never strayed from Fu Yuheng''s face. His brows remained calm as he called for the spy to come in.


    "Your subordinate pays his respects to the Emperor." The spy respectfully bowed and then began to report, "A spy reported that Ninth Prince went to Hu Youshan."


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng''s hand that was holding the imperial report faltered slightly. With a slight frown, he immediately placed the imperial report down. "Did you see it clearly?"


    "Yes."


    "Is that true?" He uncertainly asked again, "Did he really go to Hu Youshan?"


    The spy nodded his head firmly, "The truth is, we have seen it with our own eyes."


    Fu Yuheng waved his hand, indicating for him to go on, and also instructed him to keep a close eye on Hu Youshan''s movements.


    If he really went to Hu Youshan, that would be a good opportunity. He had made up his mind to go to the Ninth Prince''s Mansion to investigate and see if he had gone to Hu Youshan. If he had, he would naturally think of a reason to explain himself.


    He only brought two personal guards with him. When he arrived at Ninth Prince''s Mansion, the guard didn''t dare to stop him, and allowed Fu Yuheng to enter the inner room. He pretended to inadvertently look around and asked, "Is Ninth Prince in the manor?"


    The maidservant nodded and respectfully bowed. "Reporting to Your Majesty, Ninth Prince is in the Residence."


    Fu Yuheng raised his eyebrows, but he was suspicious in his heart. There was definitely nothing wrong with the news of the spy, but why would Fu Huaiyu appear in his residence? Did he have another method or a substitute to do things for him? If he knew that Hu Youshan had rushed back in such a short period of time, even he wouldn''t be able to make it back in time ¡­


    As he was thinking about how he was already in the hall, before he even stepped into the room, he heard a girl''s laughter coming from inside. "Your Highness is really annoying." She laughed and laughed. From the sound of her voice, it was obvious that she was a beautiful woman.


    "Your Highness, please be gentle ¡­"


    These words from inside the woman made Fu Yuheng feel somewhat disgusted, but he did not reveal it on the surface. Since Fu Huaiyu had always been famous, it was normal for his to be like this in the palace.


    "Your Highness, the Emperor has come." The maidservant wiped his sweat with embarrassment and called softly towards the room behind them, "Prince, the emperor is waiting for you."


    Normally, it didn''t matter if the prince liked to play around, but today he was doing it right in front of His Majesty.


    The girl''s laughter gradually died down, followed by the sound of clothes being put on. Fu Yuheng did not enter, but sat down in the middle of the hall and waited for him. But after a while, Fu Huaiyu walked out untidy clothes, a pair of peach blossom eyes revealed a slight smile, her body still had a enchanting scent.


    "Greetings your majesty. Chendi did not know that royal brother would be here. Please forgive me for being late." He cupped his hands in a gesture of apology. A trace of doubt could be seen in his eyes.


    Fu Yuheng''s gaze did not rest on him. He took the cup of tea from the table and took a sip. He nodded his head in approval. "This tea is brewed pretty well." The corner of his mouth curled up. "Get up."


    "We only felt that our future Ninth Prince''s Mansion had suddenly become interested and came uninvited." His tone was calm, and his black eyes held a hint of a smile, yet it caused others to feel chills all over their body.


    Hearing that, Fu Huaiyu laughed cooperatively, "What are you saying, royal brother? royal brother is the one who brings glory to your humble house when you come to the Ninth Prince''s Mansion. "


    Fu Yuheng lowered his brows and took another sip of tea.


    Seeing him so relaxed, a sense of urgency flashed across Fu Huaiyu''s heart, could it be that he already knew about it? He immediately denied this possibility in his heart. How could he be able to see through what had happened so easily?


    When he turned around, he saw Fu Yuheng looking at him with downcast eyes, deep in thought. The sneer on Fu Yuheng''s lips disappeared in a flash. "What is Ninth Prince thinking?" He casually asked, "I don''t intend to go back to the palace for now. Ninth Brother, do you have any ways to entertain me?"


    Entertainment? Fu Huaiyu scoffed in his heart, did they think he was a three year old child? However, he still remained respectful on the surface, "Chendi is always bored, so I occasionally play chess to relieve my boredom."


    "Good!" We will play with you today! " Chess is like the situation in life, you can see a person''s style and character on the chessboard. Fu Huaiyu naturally could not reject these words of his, so he called for people to prepare a chess board.


    Fu Yuheng was an unscrupulous person. Every step he took seemed to be extremely casual, but he was not at a disadvantage at all, appearing abnormally relaxed. However, Fu Huaiyu was extremely cautious and did not want him to see through his ambitions. It was naturally uncomfortable to be tied down like this, and he still had to think about the reason why he came to his residence today.


    How could he not understand his absent-mindedness? However, he did not expose it, and only said lightly, "This Emperor remembers that you never liked playing chess ever since you were young." Perhaps it was because he had been hiding his true colors since he was a child that he avoided them.


    Fu Huaiyu''s heart skipped a beat, and then he raised his peach blossom eyes and laughed, "That''s right, Chendi''s ambition is not here.


    Is that true?


    But he smiled but did not speak, and the smile on the corner of his mouth seemed to have some profoundness, "I heard that Hu Youshan is not at peace today, and bandits frequently come and go." Fu Yuheng sighed helplessly, as if he was worried about Hu Youshan.


    But what Fu Huaiyu heard was not this. Why did he not know that Hu Youshan had bandits? Could they be hiding it? Or was it that he really had discovered something?


    He put down the black chess in his hand, and quietly observed''s reaction from the corner of his eyes, "Looks like it''s time for Hu Youshan to clean up."


    Hearing that, Fu Huaiyu''s face darkened, the previous relaxed and complacent look was completely gone. The Fu Huaiyu who stopped joking with others was not a simple Ninth Prince, but someone with immense ambition.


    Fu Yuheng''s black eyes narrowed dangerously. He looked at the sky and got up. "It''s getting late. It''s time to return to the palace."


    After absentmindedly sending Fu Yuheng off, he immediately sent a message to Hu Youshan, informing him to be careful. If he did not have spies in Hu Youshan, why would he come and probe? The more he thought about it, the more worried Fu Huaiyu became, and he immediately called for Zhu Yan.


    The current Zhu Yan was no different from her usual self, she was dressed in red, although his eyes were indifferent, there was a hidden tenderness in his eyes.


    "Is there anything abnormal happening recently?"


    "Not at all." Her answer was always concise, which also made Fu Huaiyu feel very comfortable. Recalling what Fu Yuheng had said today, he was secretly worried. "You must be more careful when you do things today. Don''t let anyone else find out about this."


    What he was most afraid of was that Fu Yuheng would catch him red-handed and destroy his plan.


    Zhu Yan heard the seriousness in his tone and could not help but ask, "Your Highness, did something happen?" Not only was she worried about their plans, she was even more worried about what dangers he might encounter ¡­


    Naturally, Fu Huaiyu would not talk about this with her, he only shook his head, and ordered coldly, "Just do your own things."


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to say that he didn''t trust her, but even if he did, it wouldn''t do any good.


    Zhu Yan did not pursue the matter any further, and her eyes revealed a slight sense of loss, "Yes."

 C217 poison preparation

    The reason he went this time around was to gather information, so Fu Yuheng had to consider Fu Huaiyu''s words multiple times. It was already night when he returned from Ninth Prince''s Mansion. However, he didn''t want to go back to the palace and wanted to chat with Shen Qingwan.


    "Where is the emperor going?" Sun Gonggong, who had always been following them, saw that the young eunuch beside him was not sensible and immediately berated him. It was never their business to ask where the emperor was going. Moreover, only one person would be able to make Fu Yuheng want to see it for the first time.


    Shen Qingwan had not gone to bed yet, so she sat quietly by the table. Under the candlelight, her expression became even more gentle. She actually did not notice Fu Yuheng''s arrival.


    Fu Yuheng dismissed everyone, leaving him to slowly walk towards her.


    "It''s already so late, why aren''t you resting?" His words were filled with love and affection, and one could tell that he was in an exceptionally good mood today.


    She slowly raised her head and saw Fu Yuheng''s smiling face. Shen Qingwan was a little absent-minded. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen him in such a good mood. It seems that even she was infected by him, so she stood up, "It''s not too late, it''s usually this time as well. "But today, the emperor seems to be exceptionally happy."


    Even though she had seen through his intentions, he didn''t hide it in the slightest. The only person who could make him let down his guard like this and show off all of his emotions was her. This was also the reason why he was willing to talk to her whenever he had something to say.


    "You do understand me. Today, I went over to Ninth Brother''s place." Pulling her down, Fu Yuheng recounted the events of the day.


    Fu Huaiyu was not a simple person, if he went to his place, he must have sensed something, and in his heart, he wanted to know what happened so he quickly asked.


    "It seems that this ninth brother of mine is not as calm as he looks on the surface." Our spy said that he went to Hu Youshan, but today, we saw our ninth brother in Ninth Prince''s Mansion. What do you think? " He raised his sword-like eyebrows and the smile on his face was unfathomable. He was also surprised by the situation today.


    Hearing that, Shen Qingwan was a little shocked, she never thought that Fu Huaiyu''s thoughts would actually be so deep, it had even exceeded her imagination, "Your majesty, have you investigated everything clearly?" For the sake of accuracy, she still wanted to ask.


    "Of course, the spy that I personally groomed could also be fake." Fu Yuheng nodded faintly. He believed in this news, which was why he had personally confirmed it.


    Even though she had been investigating Fu Huaiyu the entire time, she was still unsure. Although she was the general''s daughter, the outside world was still a little strange. "Your majesty, in my opinion, it''s better not to act rashly right now. We''ll do it when we''re done with our investigation, so we won''t alert the enemy."


    Fu Yuheng nodded in agreement. Actually, he had no intention to question Fu Huaiyu right now either. Who knew how much preparation he had made.


    "Then rest well today, I''ll go to residential hall to take care of the papers." Due to Shen Qingwan''s body, he did not plan to stay the night. After bidding farewell, she returned to the residential hall.


    He was surprised that the thing he was worried about was about to happen, but fortunately, it was discovered in time. It was not too late yet.


    "Lian Yun." After Fu Yuheng left, Shen Qingwan prepared to start her own plan. When Lian Yun was called in, her serious expression let Lian Yun know that there was something important going on.


    "Empress, what orders do you have?" She looked respectful and ready to obey her orders at any time.


    "Go over to Wenling and take a look." Shen Qingwan kneaded her forehead.


    Receiving the orders, Lian Yun immediately called him out as per the signal she had agreed on with Wen Ling, "How is it, has he made any movements recently?" She carefully observed her surroundings, afraid that others would notice.


    Wen Ling also had a cautious look on his face. He knew that she was Shen Qingwan''s personal maid so he respectfully replied, "Not yet. Who knows what he''s been busy with recently? "But don''t worry, I''ll get him tonight." The him that they spoke of was naturally Fu Huaiyu.


    Afraid that people would notice, Lian Yun nodded his head and prepared to leave, "Alright, be careful yourself." After saying that, he went back to the palace and told Shen Qingwan everything she knew, hoping that it was news she wanted to hear.


    "No rush. Since Wen Ling said it''s okay, we just need to believe him. We don''t need to worry about anything else." Shen Qing Wan did not feel anxious when she heard it, according to Fu Huaiyu''s character, he would definitely be very careful.


    He did not go to Wen Ling''s place for a few days, and it was understandable that he would go and prepare his own things. After all, Hu Youshan probably still needed a little more concentration. However, since Wen Ling said so, they would wait and see. He only hoped that the task given to her could be completed smoothly. He was, after all, a stepping stone for this world.


    After parting with Lian Yun, Wen Ling returned to her residence. It seemed to be the same as usual, but she had already thought of something else, "Someone, go and invite the Prince over. Tell him that I''m not feeling well."


    "Uncomfortable? Where is the uncomfortableness?" Just as he finished speaking, he heard Fu Huaiyu''s voice, making him sound like he was in a good mood. Wen Ling quickly tidied up his clothes and then patted his face. Luckily, his sickly makeup had already been applied.


    She took the opportunity to hug his neck, "Your highness hasn''t been here for a few days, I thought you had forgotten about me. My illness is due to me missing you."


    Normally, she wouldn''t say such words, but today was different. Fu Huaiyu was surprised by Wen Ling''s gentleness today.


    "All of you can leave first." After the servant was dismissed, only two people remained in the room. Wen Ling had been teasing him whether intentionally or not.


    "This King is very happy that you can think of This King. However, This King has been busy with important things recently. As long as you succeed, you will definitely have a higher status. " Hugging Wen Ling, Fu Huaiyu''s eyes flashed with gentleness. If someone didn''t know, they would definitely think that the person who was temperamental a few days ago was not the same person.


    When Wen Ling heard this, he also did as he said, "Then this humble one will first congratulate Your Highness. I hope that Your Highness will succeed." "Actually, as long as I am together with Prince, I will be satisfied. I don''t need any status or position." As he spoke, he even moved forward and lightly touched Fu Huaiyu''s forehead.


    This kiss clearly made Fu Huaiyu beast, as he carried her into the tent.

 C218 Flying Pigeon Message

    Wen Ling quickly stopped him. "Prince, don''t be in such a hurry. Why don''t you drink a cup of wine first. It''ll be fun later on." Her charming eyes were like the waves as she teased the man in front of her.


    Fu Huaiyu nodded and let Wen Ling down, then went back to the tent to wait. Wen Ling also took this opportunity to soak the poison Shen Qingwan gave her into the wine.


    "Alright." He took the cup from Wenling and downed it in one gulp. She followed his actions with relief.


    Fu Huaiyu, you asked for all of this!


    By the time Fu Huaiyu finished the alcohol, even the usually cautious had already let his guard down due to the alcohol.


    "Wen Ling, you seem a little different today than before." Fu Huaiyu squinted his eyes and spoke. Wen Ling pouted, then leaned even closer to him.


    "Does Your Highness not like it?" Her soft and gentle tone made Fu Huaiyu smile even more.


    How could she win without getting into the tiger''s den? Since she had chosen this path, she had to succeed no matter what. Even if he ended up in a miserable state.


    After the charming room was over, Fu Huaiyu had already fallen into a deep sleep. Wen Ling opened his eyes, and looked at him with cold and resentful eyes: "If you were willing to cherish me, I wouldn''t have become like this." Her voice was so soft that only she could hear it.


    From the looks of it, she was the noble concubine to the Ninth Prince, the most doted on by Fu Huaiyu. But in reality, she was just a lowly concubine in his eyes. When he thought of her, he would favor her. If he couldn''t remember, he could only bitterly wait here until he died.


    Looking at Fu Huaiyu''s sleeping face, she practically had the urge to stab him to death. However, he still endured it for the greater good. He stood up slowly and walked to the window to avoid alarming her.


    "I will work hard on this matter. But now, I hope that it will be of help to you. I also hope that you will fulfill your promise." Holding the carrier pigeon, Wen Ling couldn''t help but mutter to himself.


    After the carrier pigeons were sent out, Wen Ling quietly waited in the courtyard. It was just that in the evening, Fu Huaiyu came to her place once again. Furthermore, his face was extremely gloomy, causing Wen Ling to feel that it was a little strange.


    "What''s wrong with you, your highness?" Walking in front of Fu Huaiyu, Wen Ling carefully asked. His expression changed slightly when he saw the carrier pigeon in his hand, but he immediately let out a mocking smile. He was really wary of her.


    Seeing that she had already noticed, Fu Huaiyu did not hide anything and directly placed the pigeon in front of her, "Speak, what happened? The guard said that you stealthily got up in the middle of the night to release the pigeon, who are you giving it to?"


    No wonder it was so different last night. So it was for this! It was a waste of his trust, but luckily the guards at the mansion were smart enough to discover the pigeon in time. Otherwise, his plan would have gone awry ¡­


    "Your Highness, what are you talking about? I don''t understand." Calming his mind, Wen Ling laughed and wanted to climb onto Fu Huaiyu''s shoulder. However, Fu Huaiyu took a step back and dodged him.


    "Can''t understand? Didn''t you want to release this carrier pigeon? "Still trying to quibble with me." Hearing that, Fu Huaiyu became a little angry, "But I did not open it to see exactly what it is, I just wanted you to give me an explanation." As he spoke, he moved the carrier pigeon again.


    The carrier pigeon was originally a timid animal, it cried continuously due to Fu Huaiyu''s actions. Wen Ling was a little annoyed listening to it, "Explain? Does Your Highness not believe me? I did not say that this carrier pigeon was not mine. "


    Since the guards saw that she was the one who let them out, she had no intentions of evading the issue.


    "However." After stroking the injured carrier pigeon, Wen Ling sadly said, "This is only me wanting to take it out to get my family letter. The reason why I''m letting it out at night is because I''m afraid that you''ll worry about me missing my family. " The moisture in his eyes spread.


    Fu Huaiyu laughed coldly, did this woman treat him as an idiot?


    "Wen Ling, what do you take This King to be? A three year old child? Don''t you understand This King? " He grabbed the carrier pigeon with one hand and Wen Ling with the other. He was truly angry.


    "I know that Your Highness is suspicious, but it can''t be that Your Highness doesn''t understand my body, right? Since Your Highness does not believe me, then please inspect. "


    Hearing her say that as if she didn''t feel wronged, Fu Huaiyu released Wen Ling and opened the letter on the carrier pigeon. It was actually a short letter from his family that recorded Wen Ling''s homesickness.


    After reading it, Fu Huaiyu''s face immediately became ugly, and Wen Ling also took this opportunity to sob, "Your Highness, do you believe me this time? Have I ever done anything that would let you down? " She wanted Fu Huaiyu to feel guilty towards her, so that he could lower his guard against her.


    "This King was wrong about you." The letter that was written on the letter made Fu Huaiyu feel embarrassed and he asked coldly. However, he really couldn''t believe that Wen Ling was only sending a letter out so late.


    The two of them stood in a silent confrontation in the room. Wen Ling could be considered completely relieved. She had long since known that Fu Huaiyu would not be at ease, so she had already prepared everything beforehand and let the carrier pigeon send it home to test it out. As expected, Fu Huaiyu was very cautious of her.


    "Alright, it''s This King''s fault. This King will go punish those servants who are blind." After a moment of silence, Fu Huaiyu was the first to break the silence. After saying that, he quickly left. However, he wouldn''t be at ease as he still needed to investigate carefully.


    After seeing Fu Huaiyu''s figure completely disappear into the distance, Wen Ling was finally relieved. Sitting on the stool, she was still trembling a little. If she hadn''t thought it through, she would have been decapitated by now.


    "Don''t be afraid, everything is fine." Grabbing the carrier pigeon, Wen Ling opened his mouth and asked softly. He didn''t know whether these words were meant to comfort him or to comfort the poor pigeon.


    Picking up his so-called letter, Wen Ling could not help but sneer. The real news was not here. Furthermore, the original letter had been dealt with, so it would not be discovered that easily.


    After confirming the integrity of the message, Wen Ling frowned and looked at the injuries of the carrier pigeon in his hand. He had no choice but to switch to another carrier pigeon to continue sending the message.


    "Fly, fly. Go to the place I told you to go." Patting the pigeon''s head, Wen Ling smiled gently.


    The carrier pigeon had long been trained by Wen Ling. Hearing her words, it flew straight to the palace and brought the things that she wanted to know in Shen Qingwan''s courtyard.


    After Fu Huaiyu left, although he still had some doubts, he wasn''t as alert as before. He only frowned slightly as he looked at the carrier pigeon that had just flown away. He hated being betrayed. He hoped that such a thing wouldn''t happen.


    It was a little chilly, but the wind was blowing gently, causing one to involuntarily feel a little melancholy. But out of all these scenes, it was the most suitable place to discuss strategy.

 C219 Trace Results

    Fu Yuheng went to Shen Qingwan''s courtyard when he had nothing else to do, and it was much easier to chat with her during his free time.


    Beside her was a bright crimson peach blossom. When she took the cup from her hand, her previous tiredness had also lightened a bit. When her black eyes swept across her face, she couldn''t help but soften.


    Slightly sipping a mouthful of tea, a faint, delicate fragrance assaulted his nose. He woke up from his stupor and put down the teacup. He raised his eyebrows in appreciation. "There is a faint tea taste, strong but not bitter, fragrant but not astringent."


    "Your majesty understands tea, but chenqie is just casually drinking it." Her voice was plain, but with the fragrance of the Six Pines Cucumber, she also felt that it was very sweet.


    "The palace has received some Jun Shan''s silver needles. Next time, I''ll send someone to deliver some to you." Shen Qing Wan did not like playing around with knowledge in front of him, but how could he not know her intelligence?


    Hearing this, she shook her head and tactfully rejected his good intentions. "Chenqie doesn''t understand the Way of Tea and would only waste that good tea for nothing."


    A meaningful smile appeared on Fu Yuheng''s face as he glanced at the peach blossoms at the side. "A cave mansion has been opened, a mountain of kings has been carved out of the hearts of men." He turned his gaze to her. "You''ll like the smell of it."


    Since it was a grand friendship, it wouldn''t be appropriate for her to refuse it again. "Then chenqie will thank Your Majesty for the gift." There was a smile on his face.


    His hand slowly covered her slender fingers, and his fingers gently caressed her abdomen. His voice was somewhat soft, but very pleasant to listen to. "This Emperor will teach you how to taste tea."


    Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, her face turned red, and she unnaturally raised her eyes to look at him before lowering her head. There was an indescribable feeling in his heart, but he really didn''t reject his intimacy. "Thank you, your majesty."


    Fu Yuheng did not press him any further. He leisurely retracted his hand, and a trace of the fragrance of her body seemed to still remain on his fingertip. He immediately felt his mouth turn dry and his tongue turn dry as he raised his teacup to take another sip.


    For a moment, the atmosphere became more subtle. No one spoke a word.


    The corner of her mouth lifted slightly, however, but it wasn''t big enough to see clearly. "Many thanks to Your Majesty for not disliking chenqie''s stupidity." As she spoke, her tone had clearly become a bit more relaxed, and there was even a hint of ridicule in her tone.


    Fu Yuheng''s gaze was fine and fragmented as he propped his forehead with his arm. The corners of his mouth curled up into a smile. "If I were to say you''re stupid, I''m afraid you''re an unintelligent person."


    Shen Qingwan didn''t refute or express her opinion on this matter. She only smiled meaningfully, picked up a piece of Dragon-Sore Soup, and started eating. It was unknown whether it was because she had something on her mind or because she had also been disgraced, but she actually choked on this tiny Dragon Tooth Sesame.


    Upon seeing this, Fu Yuheng immediately took the cup in front of him and placed it next to her lips. His voice also carried a comforting tone. "Be careful. Drink some water."


    Not caring about the fact that this was a cup that he had used before, she accepted it and drank a gulp to ease her breathing before recovering.


    The sudden turn of events caused her to feel somewhat embarrassed. Her usual calmness seemed to have dissipated as she looked at the cup in his mouth, her ears unconsciously tinged with the color of peach blossoms. "Chenqie, you''re disrespectful."


    Not only did Fu Yuheng not blame his, he even found it novel and novel. Normally, she was too restrained and indifferent, which was more like her true personality. "It''s alright." He looked like he was in a good mood.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t know what to say. At this time, Xiao Man coincidentally ran over with a pigeon in her arms.


    "Empress, there''s a letter over there." After bowing to Fu Yuheng, she took off the letter tied to the pigeon''s leg and passed it to him.


    Shen Qingwan''s expression immediately became serious, and the bashfulness of the woman she had just revealed disappeared. She waved her hand, signaling her to withdraw.


    She did not mind Fu Yuheng sitting opposite her nor did she intend to show him the contents of the letter. This had been her plan in the first place.


    There were only a few words on the letter: Preliminary success.


    She pursed her lips and slowly stuffed the small slip of paper into her pocket. As for Fu Yuheng, he had a frown on his face.


    He did give her a lot of freedom and trust to do her own thing. But when she was so oblivious to his calculations, he felt bad again. He wanted to know what she was doing, so he couldn''t help but ask, "What is it?"


    Shen Qingwan stuffed the slip of paper into her pocket. She was in a good mood, and when she saw the black eyes of the man, she frowned. Remembering the face she had just lost in front of him, she wanted to take it back.


    "Does the emperor want to know?" She asked this question somewhat seductively, a provocative and charming smile in her eyes.


    "Yes." Fu Yuheng nodded, his heart slightly sour.


    He is the emperor, even when interrogating others, he has to maintain the majesty of a royal family. Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but want to laugh, "Really?"


    "Yes." It was the same word, but his eyes were filled with urgency.


    Shen Qingwan''s smile also gradually widened, and she suddenly winked at him with a hint of playfulness, "This is a secret!"


    Her pure smile and curved eyes were like the cleanest thing in the world. They weren''t contaminated by the world at all. Her purity shocked him.


    "Your majesty, there is no need to be anxious. All you need to do is patiently wait." Seeing him in a daze, she only thought that he was shocked by her words and slightly tilted his head. However, after finishing his sentence, he did not bring up the matter of the letter. It was strange that Fu Yuheng did not wish to ask any further. It was as if he was still lost in his own thoughts.


    On the other hand, Liu Chugrong''s yard was a different scene. She paced about restlessly, looking out of the house anxiously. However, it was very quiet outside, with not the slightest movement.


    "Xiao Lv!" She anxiously called out a palace maid and repeatedly confirmed, "Has Ninth Prince really not sent anyone yet?" She still hadn''t received a reply. If there was any change to her ¡­ The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. This was not good, she could not sit still and do nothing, "Send someone to Ninth Prince''s Mansion to investigate!"


    "Yes sir!" After Xiao Lv replied, a young eunuch was ordered to quietly leave the palace. She wanted to find out more about the situation and bring back a reply from the Ninth Prince.


    However, he didn''t know that as soon as he stepped out of the palace gates, he was being followed. It was the person that Fu Yuheng had sent out. He had already planted spies on Liu Chugrong''s side.


    "This subordinate has been following you all the way. It was the palace in the palace that sent you to the Ninth Prince''s Mansion." His eyes were resting on the ground, but the cold voice that came out of his mouth sent chills down everyone''s spines.


    Fu Yuheng narrowed his black eyes dangerously but said nothing. Indeed, as he expected, he was his good Imperial Consort. His thoughts were extremely vast, to the point where even the position of Imperial Concubine couldn''t be held back.


    He sat on the throne and lowered his head to look at the people on the ground, waiting for them to continue.


    "If your subordinate is not wrong, it should be. As for whether it is someone who is plotting against you or some other person who is plotting against you, I do not know." His job was to follow the person who went out of Liu Chugrong''s courtyard, "That person stayed in Ninth Prince''s Mansion for a long time, Ninth Prince''s guards did not stop him, and he has probably gone there more than once. But seeing as how you''re sneaking around, it''s definitely not doing anything good! "


    Fu Yuheng nodded thoughtfully. "Continue watching. I''d like to see exactly what she wants to do."


    How dare he commit a crime right under his nose?

 C220 Consort Xian was robbed

    Due to Fu Huaiyu''s matter, he already had some idea of what to do. At this moment, Shen Qing Wan was in the courtyard thinking about the news that Wen Ling had reported, and his mood was extremely good. He had already drunk the chronic poison she had given him, and that would lessen his concerns. However, he still could not tell Fu Yuheng about this matter, lest some mishap occur.


    "Empress, you''ve been giggling here for a long time. What is going on?" Lian Yun watched Shen Qingwan who was laughing in a daze, and asked curiously.


    Her own mistress had been depressed all this time. She knew that it was unlikely she would be like this for the sake of a Tuoba Min Empress, but she did not dare ask the reason. Seeing her so happy, she dared to speak up.


    "It''s fine. How is the Emperor?" Shen Qingwan smiled as she shook her head. Fu Yuheng had not been here for several days since she received Wen Ling''s message.


    Although he knew he might be busy, he still couldn''t help but want to know.


    Lian Yun thought for a while and told her everything she knew, "The emperor has always been in residential hall, other than the imperial court, he was busy preparing the imperial reports. What, does the Empress miss the Emperor? " She even teased her, but she never realized that she cared about him so much. It wasn''t easy to meet her today so she naturally wanted to tease her. Fortunately, her mistress and servant had a deep affection for her, so she wouldn''t be angry at her.


    "Don''t talk nonsense. "Oh you, it''s about time you shut your mouth properly." Shen Qingwan shook her head to show that she didn''t have that intention. She stretched her waist and wanted to take a look, but she stopped halfway through.


    Lian Yun looked at her master strangely, not understanding what she was about to do. She only reacted when the two of them went back to the palace to change.


    "Empress, are we really going to do this?" The emperor would probably be angry if he knew, but before that ¡­ " Touching the man''s clothes on his body, Lian Yun spoke with a little difficulty. She seemed to have understood Shen Qingwan''s meaning. However, when she was caught previously, it seemed that the Empress Dowager had even punished him.


    "It''s fine." Shen Qingwan waved her hands nonchalantly. He was so busy right now, she probably didn''t have time to care about her. Furthermore, she had been in the palace for such a long time that she already felt bored. It would be better for her to take advantage of this opportunity to slip out and have some fun.


    When they reached the entrance of the palace, she did not forget to remind Lian Yun, "And you, remember, I''m a gongzi now, not some empress. Everything is still the same as before."


    The two of them used their identity tokens to trick the guards and walked out. Walking on the main street, Shen Qingwan was as happy as a little bird that just came out of its cage. She didn''t like being bound like that in the first place. However, she was born in the general''s estate, so she had no choice but to ¡­


    It was completely different from her happiness. Lian Yun had a worried look on her face as she followed behind her. The last time Shen Qingwan came out, she had met an assassin. If it wasn''t for someone saving her, the consequences would have been unimaginable. This time, if there was any problem, the Emperor would have taken her life.


    "Alright, you''re already out. Don''t look so depressed. "Come, you don''t like the food in front of you the most, I''ll take you to buy it." Seeing her worry, Shen Qingwan tried her best to comfort her. Lian Yun forced out a smile.


    The two of them slowly walked on the street, with all sorts of delicious things playing around, making Lian Yun forget what happened last time, she looked around and unknowingly walked further away.


    "Mother ¡­" Young Master, Young Master, let''s head back, this place is too far away. " Pulling on Shen Qingwan''s sleeve, Lian Yun asked softly. There was only one stall owner here, as if to lure them in.


    She looked behind her and nodded. The two of them were about to leave, but were stopped by the black-clothed man.


    Lian Yun was a little panicked, but Shen Qingwan was still calm.


    It seemed like these people were really unwilling to give up and kept a close eye on her. Ye Zichen laughed mockingly. This guy really doesn''t know what to do, it seems like his luck isn''t good.


    "Do you want to follow us yourself, or do you want us to knock you out and take you away?" The leader of the black clothed men was the first to speak. Shen Qingwan sneered, but did not show any signs of compromise.


    Lian Yun watched anxiously from the side, but she did not have any martial arts, and in the end, was knocked out. When she woke up, it was already evening. There was also a familiar person at his side.


    "Why is it you? Where''s my esteemed mistress? " This person knew that they were dressed as men, so Lian Yun did not bother about them.


    Hearing that, Quan Quan was stunned: "What do you mean? I saw you fall to the ground. Could something have happened to you? " Ye Zichen frowned slightly. He was just passing by and saw her fall on the ground a moment ago.


    Lian Yun then told her about the two being ambushed, feeling extremely regretful in her heart. If not for the fact that she was useless, she reckoned her own mistress would not have been captured.


    "Did you see their faces or their identities?" Quan Xiu clenched her fist tightly as she was enraged in her heart. That person wasn''t someone that her group of people could touch.


    "No, I only saw them wearing black robes." Lian Yun shook his head in remorse. She was knocked unconscious before he could even take a look.


    If he didn''t know anything, it would be difficult. Quan Zou thought for a moment before saying: "Alright, I got it. You can go back and tell that person that I''ll investigate later." After he finished speaking, he sent Lian Yun out of the palace gate.


    Before she left, she took a long look at the palace walls. Just how many girls were imprisoned here, did she ever regret it? However, he didn''t have the time to think about it now, so he decided to find her first.


    Although Lian Yun was somewhat fearful when she returned to the Imperial Palace, she still had to tell Fu Yuheng about this matter. She immediately decided to look for him. It was a good thing that they soon found him. They knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty." Seeing Fu Yuheng, he could not help but start crying.


    "What''s going on?" What are you doing dressed up like this? " When he saw Lian Yun enter, he thought that Shen Qingwan had only asked her to come over. However, seeing her current state, he knew that things were not that simple.


    "Your Majesty, this servant is guilty. It''s all my fault that this servant didn''t think well of the Empress. She left the palace today and was taken away by someone. " After stabilizing his emotions, Lian Yun finally said with a choked voice. If there was another chance, she would try her best to stop Shen Qingwan.


    Fu Yuheng was surprised to hear this news. "Where? Do you see who it is? " After asking the same question as Quan Quan, Lian Yun told the whole story again while crying.


    The atmosphere in the imperial study was terrifyingly quiet. Fu Yuheng gripped the imperial report tightly. Did that group of people even take him seriously, wanting to hurt his concubine over and over again?


    "Alright, I got it. Bring the guards to the place where the accident happened, and try to find the Consort Xian." However, he knew her character. This little girl definitely could not stop her, and in the end it was still Shen Qingwan''s own idea.

 C221 Cold Servant

    These few days, he had been busy investigating Fu Huaiyu, and had neglected her, but he guessed that he was too bored. Now, he could only hope that she would be safe, and that Lian Yun''s punishment would come later.


    Fu Yuheng thought that he should save her as soon as possible.


    At this moment, the person everyone was worried about had just woken up.


    "Hm." Shen Qingwan absentmindedly opened her eyes. She felt that it was very heavy and wanted to fall asleep just like that.


    Slightly shaking her head, she restrained waves of dizziness that came rolling in again and again. As far as the eyes could see, it was a wooden beam. There was no carving at all, it was simple and unadorned.


    "Where is this place?" She opened her mouth slightly, but naturally, no one replied to Shen Qingwan.


    Everything about this place was completely foreign to her. She forced herself to calm down and struggle to get up. However, there was a sharp pain coming from her wrist. When she turned around, her eyes were slightly red. Shen Qingwan just realized that her wrist was tied with a thick hemp rope. It was probably because she had been bound for too long, her wrist had already been scraped clean.


    Frowning almost imperceptibly, she subconsciously turned her body back and shrunk back. She then muttered to herself, "Just who did I offend to tie me up and throw me here?"


    Raising her head, after confirming that there was no one around, she carefully crawled towards the window. Using her forehead to quietly open the window, Shen Qingwan squinted her eyes, looking at the scenery in the distance.


    The leaves were lush and verdant. The chilly sunlight shone down, leaving spots on the ground.


    Before she could think about it, the door of the cabin opened with a creak.


    "Who is it?" She turned her head to the side and frowned slightly. Her elegant yet fair face carried a sense of vigilance. Her slender hand could not help but subconsciously clench her slender hand. "Who are you?"


    That person walked into the room from under the light. Shen Qingwan finally saw her face. This lady had a head of black hair that was lightly tied up with a wooden hairpin. Her face was delicate and pretty, and she pursed her lips, but did not say anything.


    "What is your purpose?" she asked again, seeing the situation.


    At the same time, Shen Qingwan also did not forget to size her up. The probing gaze carefully examined the girl from head to toe. Dressed in plain clothes, the material used was not the finest brocade. It was slightly coarse, and its skin was not a bit dark yellow like that of a lady from a noble family.


    Even though he had the bearing of a virgin, he was still lacking compared to the cold temperament that he had experienced since he was young. It was easy to tell that he was superior and inferior; he seemed to be a servant girl.


    With this thought, Shen Qing Wan straightened her body as though she had regained some confidence, "Call your master over. If he really has the ability, then he shouldn''t be hiding in the dark."


    The girl seemed to be mute and didn''t say anything. She just stood to the side and looked at Shen Qing Wan quietly. Her lips were pursed, but her eyes seemed to be filled with a dense coldness.


    Shen Qingwan had obviously noticed it. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she looked to her side, seemingly puzzled.


    "You should at least respond when I speak to you, right?" Seeing that the maidservant still didn''t speak, Shen Qingwan was also a little angry. After all, no matter who it was, being tied up in an unfamiliar environment for no reason would make anyone unhappy.


    However, no matter what she said, the maidservants did not want to talk to her. She sneered. It seemed like this girl did not treat her well. However, right now, she could only observe the surroundings.


    It looked like a run-down house, but there wasn''t any dust or cobwebs, so it could be said that it was either occupied or purposely prepared for her. But why? Who had tied her up?


    Shen Qingwan couldn''t figure it out, and the maidservant also went out while she was thinking about it. Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but frown at the fierce slamming of the door, "Such a big temper." After the maidservant left, she continued to look at his surroundings.


    Although he didn''t know who he was, he should be an extraordinary person. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to leave behind a single clue.


    "What was the purpose of tying me here?" Whether it was intentional or not, Shen Qingwan did not know.


    After looking for a while and seeing nothing, she could not help but feel a little disappointed. After the maid entered, his expression became even more obvious, and he wanted to ask a few questions, "You should at least tell me why?" This was what she wanted to know the most right now.


    The servant girl ignored her and just placed the spoon next to her mouth. She didn''t like her at all. If it wasn''t for her master''s orders, she definitely wouldn''t have cared about her life and death. He quietly looked at Shen Qingwan, a hint of hatred flashing past his eyes.


    "I don''t eat." Seeing the food in front of her, Shen Qingwan also became angry. She had endured being hunted for a long time already, but her good temper did not mean that she would continue to compromise.


    The maid did not pay any attention to these words. The maid turned around and looked out the window as if he was thinking of something. He did not even give Shen Qingwan a glance.


    "What''s the use of you doing this? Even if it''s a hunger strike, I won''t let you out. With that, he brought the spoon to her mouth once more. He glanced at the rope around her wrist. This was a rare occasion for her to be patient.


    Hearing this, Shen Qing Wan was a little shocked, not because of her shocked attitude, but because of what she said, what did this mean? However, she was right, she couldn''t just keep eating and drinking like this.


    "It''s better to eat. This way is good for you, so it won''t be hard for me to report to you." Seeing that Shen Qingwan did not open her mouth, she patiently advised again. However, in her heart, she was extremely impatient. If it wasn''t for her master, she wouldn''t be like this.


    Shen Qing Wan was stunned, but opened her mouth, but her actions were gentle and did not make any sound, she looked like a lady from a noble family. The maidservant crouched at the side, looking even more displeased.


    Was this the kind of girl that the Master liked? He had gone through so much trouble to bring her here, and he still needed to treat her well.


    "Thank you very much." After eating, Shen Qingwan sincerely sighed. The food was still considered tasty, at least it wasn''t some leftovers.


    However, the servant girl coldly snorted and left without even looking at her.


    Seeing her leave once again, Shen Qingwan felt relieved. She could already guess that the person who kidnapped her didn''t want to take her life at all, or rather didn''t even have the intention of harming her. If not, he would not have prepared food for her and would have brought a maidservant here on purpose.


    "But, what is it for?" Facing the window, she could not help but mutter to herself. Such a cold and detached girl should not be an ordinary family''s servant girl.


    Normally, a little girl would either be timid or not understand anything. Even Lian Yun, who was by her side, would be like this and would always have some shortcomings. But this maid actually dared to look straight into her eyes.


    Unfortunately, even if they had a clue, they wouldn''t know who it was.

 C222 Get Message

    In the great hall, mighty and dignified, Fu Yuheng sat upright on the dragon throne, dressed in yellow robes as he listened to the advisors of his ministers. His words were truly annoying. However, he was the ruler of a country, so he had to bear it.


    "Your majesty, how do you think we should settle this?" As the leader of a hundred officials, Prime Minister Liu had the most right to speak.


    On the other hand, Fu Yuheng''s thoughts were no longer here. Sun Gonggong called out to him a few times before he regained his senses.


    "Your majesty?" Seeing that he did not speak for a long time, the Prime Minister Liu asked again. It was clear that he did not have any worries about him, but there were some suspicions in his eyes. Could it be that something big happened today?


    "Let''s discuss this later. If you have anything else to say, tell them as soon as possible. If not, leave the court. " He impatiently glared at Prime Minister Liu, but didn''t reply to his question, only glancing at the other ministers.


    The ministers looked at each other in dismay. They felt that Fu Yuheng was different from before, but they could not tell what was the problem. They could only kneel down and say, "We have no basis for starting anything." Only after he left did everyone start whispering again.


    Prime Minister Liu tidied up his official''s uniform, some doubts were still lingering in his mind as he looked in the direction that Yue Yang had left. What in the world was going on?


    After the assembly, Fu Yuheng returned to residential hall impatiently. Ever since Shen Qingwan was kidnapped, there was no news of her at all. This made him panic.


    "Your majesty." After waiting for a moment, the hidden guards returned. However, they only lowered their heads and did not dare to meet her gaze. Fu Yuheng''s heart immediately sank.


    "Speak the truth." His indifferent tone made people shudder when they heard him. This was a clear sign that he was about to get angry.


    The secret guard kneeled on the ground as he thought over what to say, but he was still raised by the royal family, so he wasn''t afraid to the point of being unable to speak. After a long while, he slowly spoke up.


    They went to the place Lian Yun mentioned, and only found out that there was a person who set up a stall there. Furthermore, they searched through all the restaurants in the surrounding area but couldn''t find any trace of Shen Qingwan. It had to be said that that person was extremely intelligent.


    "Hmm, have you found any clues?" Fu Yuheng was already somewhat disappointed when he heard that no one had been found, but when he heard that there was no clue at all, he became furious.


    He glared at the guards, but knew that he couldn''t vent his anger on them. He secretly clenched his fists. He still didn''t know who had such ability to dare act against his concubine.


    "Forget it, you can continue investigating. If you find any clues, immediately come and tell me." The most important thing right now was still her whereabouts.


    After the Dark Guard left, Fu Yuheng sat on the Dragon Throne and pinched the bridge of his nose. The mountain of memorials in front of him no longer had the mood to take another look. It was unknown when it had begun, but she had already become someone who could affect his emotions. The Sun Gonggong tactfully retreated, leaving Fu Yuheng alone.


    "Hai." She sighed heavily, she was doing it for Shen Qingwan, "Everyone says that the imperial power is supreme, but not everyone likes it." Otherwise, she would not have been repeatedly wanting to leave the palace and even got ambushed.


    Although he was the Emperor, he had too many reasons. Just as he was deep in thought, he heard Sun Gonggong''s voice from outside. "Esteemed Empress has arrived." Not long later, Xiao Shushen walked in.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Imperial Majesty." When she saw him bowing to her, she did the same thing as a queen. The phoenix robe on her body could be said to be extremely beautiful. If it was before, he would have paid attention to it, but now, he was no longer in the mood.


    "There''s no need for the empress to be so courteous. Why have you come to us?" He didn''t go and help her up. Instead, he walked to a nearby stool and sat down. He looked a little dazed.


    "Seeing that the emperor has been in a bad mood these past few days, I think he must have something on his mind. I''ve specially cooked the emperor''s favorite porridge of the Eight Treasures Lotus." As he spoke, he personally carried it to him.


    Fu Yuheng frowned as he glanced at the porridge, then slowly placed it on the table. "The empress is very considerate." He then picked up the imperial report and pretended to be focused, not looking at Xiao Shushen anymore.


    Xiao Shushen had no choice but to withdraw, "Hmph, this Shen Qingwan, just what kind of bewitching soup did she give the emperor?!" After exiting residential hall, she could not help but mutter under her breath, but there were still servants around, so she could only hide her hatred.


    Although the previous Imperial Consort Liu was arrogant, in the end, it was just an embroidered pillow that was easy to grasp. However, the current Shen Qingwan really couldn''t understand it. Furthermore, the thing that angered her the most was Fu Yuheng''s different attitude towards them.


    Xiao Shushen was still fuming on the side, while the man in white on the other hand was worried about Shen Qingwan''s safety. He wanted to do his best to save her, but after investigating, he still couldn''t and finally arrived at a teahouse.


    "Elder brother." Upon arriving at the teahouse, Quan Zouhua raised his eyebrows slightly as he spoke to the man in black. The information he wanted to know was probably something he needed to request of him to complete.


    Shang nodded, indicating him to sit down, "What is it? Sit down and we''ll talk. " However, he already had a different feeling in his heart. He was brothers with Quan Ben, but even so, their personalities were completely different.


    Quan Xi wore white clothes, his personality was gentle and calm, and he treated everyone with the same gentleness. On the other hand, he was extremely cold and would not easily interfere in other people''s business. I''m afraid that the only thing in the world that can make him make an exception is this.


    This was also the first time he had ever read of such anxiety in his letters, when he wrote to inform him of an urgent matter. That was why he had hurried over. However, it seemed that he wasn''t in a hurry.


    "The Consort Xian was taken by someone. I still haven''t found out who it was. I would like to ask for your help, brother." Quan Qian sat down and slowly sipped his tea. If not for the anxiety that was revealed in his eyes, it was likely that anyone would feel that he was not the least bit bothered by this matter.


    Hearing this, Shang laughed, "She? A single woman could actually make you feel that anxious. You wouldn''t be ¡­ He must have had other thoughts. If there is, it''s best to stop and remember her identity. "


    After saying that, he waited for Quan Quan''s reply. If that was the case, he was still prepared to give another advice. However, Quan Zouhua clearly didn''t have any plans to speak anymore. Helpless, he could only leave. He never seemed to refuse his request.


    Any other thoughts? Actually, he didn''t even know it himself. Looking at his back, she smiled bitterly. To him, that woman was a very important existence. Just as the Reverend Fashan Temple had said, she was his tribulation.


    After leaving for a while, Shang came back and stood in front of Quan. Seeing that Quan still had no intention of opening his mouth, he could only tell him what he knew.


    "Thank you brother, I will definitely repay you in the future." Quan, who had been listening to the news, finally had some movement. He smiled faintly, cupped his hands, thanked Shang, and left.

 C223 Find ways

    Shen Qingwan had been imprisoned inside the wooden house for a day or two now, and even if she had a calm heart, she wouldn''t be able to continue. Putting aside what happened to Lian Yun, whether she would be saved or whether she would save her, she could not place all her hopes on someone else.


    She had to save herself! At this moment, her arms were tied behind her back and she was unable to move. Since the maidservant hadn''t come in yet, she must still be out on business. Right now was the perfect opportunity.


    Her sharp eyes scanned the room. The decorations were very simple, there was nothing sharp that could cut off her rope. When his gaze stopped on the vase on the table, he suddenly thought of something and the corner of his mouth raised slightly.


    There was also a rope tied to her foot, so her movements were not nimble. She could only rely on her body''s balance to slowly move towards the table. He had to observe the movement outside the window as he moved, in case the servant girl suddenly came back and saw through his plan. It would not be so easy to escape.


    It wasn''t hard, though, to have an idea, and at the table she tried to swing her body to slam into the vase.


    With a "pa da" sound, the vase broke into pieces on the ground, turning into small, sharp pieces.


    She raised her eyebrows with joy and anticipation in her eyes. However, she still didn''t forget to observe the outside world from the corner of her eyes. She needed to be even more careful at this moment. He bent down and sat down, feeling for a piece of porcelain about the right size. He was about to cut the rope when the door opened.


    His heart was in his throat, as if he had been discovered doing something bad. However, she could only calm her breathing as she tried her best to calmly face the servant girl''s questioning and scrutinizing gaze.


    He covered the panic and unease in his eyes and tightly gripped the porcelain piece hidden behind his back.


    "What are you doing?" Looking at the shattered vase and porcelain pieces on the floor, she sat awkwardly on the ground, looking even more dissatisfied. "Such a big commotion!"


    From the maid''s point of view, Shen Qingwan''s plan was to use her voice to attract the attention of the surrounding people. Originally, she was too lazy to bother with her, but now, she did not have any plans to investigate further ¡­


    Shen Qingwan pretended to be calm as she turned her head away and complained, "I was not careful."


    Even though she explained it this way, there was still a bit of investigation in the maid''s eyes, and there was some doubt in her words.


    The more nervous she became, the calmer her expression became. She glared at her coldly and said in an overbearing tone, "You''re tying my arms and legs and even drinking water is troublesome. Now that you''ve broken a cheap vase, you still want to show me your face?"


    She was sure that she was useful to her, and she did not want to be wronged. She might as well pretend to be a proud and arrogant person.


    Hearing this, the doubt in the young maid''s eyes lessened. However, his resentment grew, but Qing Wan didn''t care. "Leave. I don''t want to see you."


    "You!" That servant girl seemed to have never expected her to be so arrogant and rude.


    "What is it? Even if I''m tied up by you, I still have a temper. " Her eyes were filled with contempt and disdain.


    The maidservant wanted to go up and teach her a lesson, but when he thought of the matters that had occurred, he suppressed his anger. He fiercely glared at her and heavily injured the door.


    Shen Qingwan secretly breathed a sigh of relief after she left. She shifted her position and started cutting the rope. She couldn''t see behind her so it wasn''t very smooth. It took a while before she managed to cut it open.


    Carefully putting away the rope, he climbed onto the window to observe the scene outside. The maid no longer seemed to be guarding the outside of the house. If he rushed out now, he might be able to escape.


    Even if she couldn''t succeed, she still had to try. Shen Qingwan didn''t choose to go through the main entrance but went out through the side window. She hadn''t eaten much in the past two days, so her strength had naturally decreased a little, but this didn''t stop her from escaping.


    She started to run away, but no one seemed to be following her. She felt uneasy and wanted to find the end of the forest as soon as possible. However, before she could even run two steps, a maid angrily shouted from behind her, "Good, you! You actually dare to run! "


    Shen Qingwan frowned, her heart sank, she had actually been discovered! However, what she could do now was to try to escape with her fastest speed. However, how could her physical strength compare to that of a person who practiced martial arts for many years?


    The maidservant quickly grabbed her shoulders, causing her to stop in his tracks.


    "You dare to run!"


    "Let go!" She tried her best to free herself, but no matter how she tried, she couldn''t. Her voice was filled with anger and anxiety. "What are you trying to do with me!?" He kept her in the cabin for two days without making a sound.


    She didn''t care what she said at all. The servant girl held her hands behind her back and dragged her towards the wooden hut.


    But just at that moment, the bamboo leaves in the forest slightly moved. It was not as gentle as the gentle breeze, but instead, it emitted a fierce force.


    Shen Qingwan also noticed that something was amiss. She raised her head to look around her surroundings and naturally felt that something was amiss. Just as she was about to hurry up and head for the wooden house, a white figure suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Her snow-white clothes fluttered in the wind. The man looked back at Shen Qing Wan who was standing behind the maidservant. The corner of his mouth was raised and he looked extremely gentle. In a moment, all the colors in the world seemed to have lost their color.


    "Long time no see." His voice was also very pleasant to the ears, causing Shen Qingwan to be stunned for a moment.


    He was overjoyed. It was that mysterious man. He didn''t have time to think about why he was here, but he immediately felt at ease.


    "Who are you?" The servant girl also reacted and stared at the man in front of her. Although he had a gentle temperament, it made her feel that he was not simple.


    Quan Zou ignored the maidservant, his gaze never left Shen Qingwan''s body. He saw that her face was a little pale and her lips were dry. He pursed her lips invisibly and her eyes dimmed.


    He did not give her any time to react. He had already made his move before the maid saw clearly. The maid abruptly stretched out his hand, but he suddenly discovered that Shen Qingwan was no longer behind his.


    When she looked up, she saw that the man was holding her in his arms, smiling at her in an absolutely possessive manner. Before Shen Qingwan could react, she felt a wave of dizziness and she was already by his side.


    "I won''t play with you today." These words were said to the maid. He was stunned for a moment, but it was enough for him.


    Taking advantage of this free time, he hugged Shen Qingwan''s slim body and jumped up. When she realized it, it would be time for him to settle down. What happened just now seemed unreal as if it was a dream. It was actually so simple that it was saved!


    Ye Zichen looked at the smiling man in front of him in surprise, while his heart was filled with gratitude. This was not the first time he had received help from Ye Zichen.


    "Thank you, Young Master Quan, for saving me." Unfortunately, she didn''t know his identity. She only knew that he was called Quan.


    A gentle smile slowly appeared on his lips. He found it funny when he looked at her solemn expression. "How do you want to thank me?"

 C224 As Villa Owner

    Shen Qingwan didn''t expect him to continue like this, but she didn''t know how to thank him.


    Before she could reply, she heard the gentle voice of the man next to her, carrying a trace of a teasing tone, "How about you promise me your life?"


    For some reason, there was a hint of expectation in his voice, as if she would really consider it. Hearing this, Shen Qingwan was stunned. Staring at him in a daze, was he joking with her?


    The smile on the corner of his mouth melted when he saw his reaction. She really was an interesting girl, it was worthy of him saving her a few times. He didn''t want to scare her anymore after she''d just gotten out of danger. He wiped the joy from the corner of his eyes and relaxed his tone. "I''m just joking with you."


    She frowned and thought to herself that she was overthinking it. Apart from that, Shen Qing Wan did not know what else to say to him, but she fell silent. Even saying ''thank you'' did not seem to be enough to express her gratitude.


    After a while, a black clothed man came looking for them. "Manor Lord, has the matter been resolved?"


    The man with the right to address the manor lord subconsciously looked at Shen Qingwan who was following behind him. However, he only stopped for a few seconds before withdrawing his gaze.


    Quan nodded, "I still have some matters to attend to, you can go back first." He still needed to escort her back to the palace. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to rest at ease while she escaped danger. Hearing this, the man respectfully bowed once more, then left.


    Shen Qingwan was puzzled as she listened to their conversation. Manor Lord? What was his identity? Why did he always save her? Why did he always come and save her? Many doubts arose in her heart, but she did not ask any further. This was his private matter, and if he was unwilling to say that she was her, it would be difficult for him to bring it up.


    Indeed, Quan Zou didn''t mention what happened just now. She only said lightly, "I''ll send you back."


    Shen Qingwan originally wanted to refuse, but she didn''t eat much food, so she didn''t have enough strength on her body. She might be caught if she left, but thinking about this, she nodded in agreement, "Then I''ll be troubling Young Master Quan."


    This kind of man is like a goddess, the aura on his body is uncontrollably admirable, he is definitely not an ordinary person, Shen Qingwan thought in her heart.


    The two of them did not say much until they saw her to the entrance of the palace, "That way, I can be at ease." After escorting her to the palace gates, it was unlikely that anything would happen again. After all, that person should be protecting her.


    Shen Qingwan looked at him and suddenly took a step back. She then bowed deeply and said sincerely, "I don''t know what to say to Young Master other than thanks. Young Master has saved me many times. If you need my help in the future, I will do my best to help." It was the only promise she could give.


    Quan Zouhua faintly smiled. Unexpectedly, she really took this matter to heart, "Alright."


    Not far from the entrance of the palace, a tall and handsome man was looking around worriedly. Although his actions did not match his identity as a Sovereign King, he was momentarily worried that he could not care so much. From afar, he saw two figures getting closer and closer. Who else could it be other than Shen Qingwan?


    The corners of his mouth lifted as he quickly went up to greet her. "My beloved concubine." There was a hint of urgency in his voice. The person he hadn''t seen in a few days seemed to have lost some weight. He wanted to pull her into his embrace, but his sense of reason restrained him.


    Shen Qingwan, who was still thanking him, raised her head in surprise.


    "Your majesty." She let out a somewhat foolish cry, and her uncharacteristically red eyes unexpectedly turned slightly red. But in the end, she still gave a proper bow. "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty."


    "Get up." Fu Yuheng hurriedly helped her up. Joy could be seen in his eyes as he said, "I am relieved to be back." These words seemed to contain a thousand kilograms of worry and helplessness.


    Right now, a faint smile could be seen on Quan Zouhua''s face. It was only when Fu Yuheng''s astonished gaze landed on him that he felt slightly blessed. "This commoner pays his respects to the Emperor."


    Fu Yuheng''s black pupils contracted when he saw him. There was a trace of surprise. Did he really save Shen Qingwan? There were too many questions to ask, but it was inconvenient to stand in front of the palace gate.


    "Follow me to the palace first." He held Shen Qingwan''s waist with one hand as if he wanted to protect her in the crook of his arm. His gaze would become soft when it touched her.


    As she spoke, she brought the two of them into the palace. At first, she suspected that he would bring authority into the palace, but after thinking about how he was her savior, it seemed reasonable.


    "Have you been wronged these past two days?" His voice was a little heartbroken. "I''ve made you suffer."


    Initially, I felt a bit uncomfortable, but after hearing his comforting words, my heart felt much better and I felt a bit warm. "Chenqie is fine."


    She was like this. Even if she was wronged, she was still used to swallowing it into her stomach. This made his heart ache even more. He tightly held her hand. "Zhen ¡­" Looking into her eyes, her voice suddenly turned somewhat dry. "I will make it up to you."


    "Chenqie is really fine. What''s more, it''s all because chenqie was careless that she ended up like this. Your majesty, there''s no need to ¡­"


    "This is the imperial edict." Shen Qingwan chuckled when she heard that. The two of them acted as if no one else was aware of the power that lay behind them.


    Fu Yuheng seemed to have talked a lot today. He was still worried and asked about her injuries. "Are you injured?"


    She shook her head. Although the maid seemed to hate her, she had never done anything to her, so her body wasn''t injured. "Your majesty, don''t worry. They haven''t done anything to me yet, and they haven''t sustained any injuries either." Her voice was calm, but it sounded very comfortable.


    "We''ll call the imperial physician to take a look at you when we get back, or else Zhen won''t be able to relax." Since he insisted, she didn''t say anything else.


    He then asked a few questions about the past two days, which Shen Qingwan answered one by one. When she thought about how such an imposing and tyrannical man like him could actually act so humbly and humbly today, and how he had abandoned his position as the emperor, she felt a warm feeling in her heart.


    "I''ll send someone to send you back to the palace. I''ll visit you later." He summoned a eunuch to his side and gave Shen Qingwan to him. He didn''t forget to tell him to summon the imperial physician to the palace for her to see.


    "Chenqie will take her leave first." Before leaving, he did not forget to take a look at the smiling and gentle man and followed the young eunuch.


    After she had walked a distance away, Fu Yuheng''s gaze was still fixed on her. He only withdrew his gaze when the figure had moved further away. His eyes turned from gentle to gloomy, sweeping a glance at Quan behind him. "Let''s go."


    "Where is the emperor taking this commoner?"


    His smile was very pretty, but Fu Yuheng only gave it an indifferent glance. "The royal study."


    With that, he took the lead and left. Fu Yuheng was extremely surprised to see that he would actually intervene to save her. He was rather surprised.


    Quan Quan lowered his eyes and laughed when he heard this, but didn''t say anything as he lifted his feet and followed.

 C225 Manor Lord Mo You

    Quan followed Fu Yuheng into the imperial study. The silence between the two almost blossomed.


    Other than him keeping his regal demeanor and putting down his pride when facing Shen Qingwan, the rest of them do not have such privileges.


    After entering the imperial study, Fu Yuheng walked straight up to the Dragon Throne and sat down. His black, obsidian eyes stared fixedly at the man below. His leisurely posture and domineering demeanor made one feel pressured just by looking at him.


    If it was an ordinary person, they would have been intimidated by his aura to the point that they wouldn''t even dare to lift their eyelids. However, Quan Quan was not a person who had no experience in the world. His deep eyes were calm without any ripples, and the corner of his mouth was gently moving. His face was warm and refined, and his white clothes made him seem like a god from the heavens.


    The two of them did not speak, but they did not feel awkward either.


    "Why is Manor Lord Mo You here at the royal palace?" His black eyes were like a whirlpool. He couldn''t tell what was hidden inside. His voice was low, and he put a hand on the table. The pressure came, but Quan only smiled faintly.


    Quan Zouhua used to like to roam the world and wander around everywhere. The thing he didn''t want to come in contact with the most was this square wall. But today, he had come to the Imperial Palace, which inevitably made him suspicious.


    "This commoner would never interact with the imperial government." He had a gentle smile at the corner of his mouth, and his words were gentle. He gave a slight nod of his head, and was so modest and courteous that no one could find fault with him.


    He did not say the reason directly. It was as if he was walking in circles. Fu Yuheng was not in a hurry either, seeming to be very relaxed as he waited for him to continue speaking.


    Quan Zouhua chuckled. He knew that if he did not reveal the reason why, he would not let him off. His gaze also became a little lazier. "Now, this commoner naturally has something to do."


    "Something important?" Raising his brows, Fu Yuheng seemed to be savoring the aftertaste of the two words, but he also seemed to be doubting the meaning behind the two words.


    "Yes."


    Fu Yuheng slowly retracted his slightly leant forward body. His eagle-like gaze swept across his calm face, but he did not continue questioning him. He was an emperor. There were some things that did not need to be asked so clearly. Letting others tell others about it was his dignity, and what he guessed was his own ability.


    "You have to reward the Consort Xian after saving her." The corner of her mouth curled up slightly, but her smile did not reach her eyes. "I shall give you a thousand gold to express my gratitude."


    "This commoner is ignorant and ignorant, there is no need for the Emperor to reward him in such a manner."


    His refusal caused Fu Yuheng''s black eyes to gradually grow interested. His eyes became ice-cold.


    "This commoner was fated to be with the Concubine Xian, that''s why they came to our rescue." His voice was soft, casual, but firm.


    Fate with the Concubine Xian? The words sounded so uncomfortable that Fu Yuheng narrowed his eyes, as if he was trying to figure out what the old man was trying to say.


    "Therefore, please retract your order, Your Majesty."


    The darkness in his eyes gradually dissipated, and his eyes suddenly lit up. He waved his hand. "Alright!" Since he didn''t want the money, he wouldn''t force it. He would just treat it as him filling up the national treasury.


    Quan Shuang smiled but didn''t say anything, but he understood in his heart.


    How could Fu Yuheng not see through his compassion? The way he treated Shen Qingwan outside the palace and the way he looked at her were not things that a casual meeting should have. Because fate had saved her, how could he not know that his thoughts towards her were not simple? His voice couldn''t help but become colder as his black eyes changed unpredictably. His gaze was dark. "Since she''s my concubine, I''ll thank her on her behalf."


    The temperament of an overlord could be easily changed. This was also the principle of accompanying a monarch like a tiger. Although this sentence wasn''t very clear, it was still very swearing.


    Shen Qingwan was the concubine of the imperial harem, so she could only be his woman. It wouldn''t be right for other men to have even the slightest bit of consideration for her.


    Hearing this, Quan Zouhua''s complexion still remained unchanged. However, his eyes did not calm down in the end. He shook his head mockingly. "This subject will not obstruct the emperor. This subject will take his leave."


    A warning was already sufficient. Fu Yuheng did not keep him and simply answered with an "En."


    When Quan arrived in front of the door, he suddenly stopped. He straightened his back and said in a clear and bright voice, "Watch over her." With that, he quickly left.


    When they left the royal study, they saw Shen Qingwan in a pavilion not far away. Her eyes couldn''t help lighting up, she coincidentally turned her head, and the two of them looked at each other in midair for a while.


    Her gentle eyes narrowed, and she moved her gaze away. She walked up to her and asked, "Why did you come out again?" She had just returned to the palace and was supposed to be raising her.


    "Thank you, Young Master Quan, for saving me." Shen Qingwan smiled leisurely.


    Quan couldn''t help but smile, the corner of his mouth even more gentle. "How many times have you said ''thank you''?" Even though she said that, she couldn''t think of how to thank him without thanking him.


    "Saving you is my problem, so there is no need for you to thank me." His resolute words interrupted all her thanks.


    Shen Qingwan had no choice but to give up, recalling that he had just come out from the imperial study. "What did the emperor tell you?" She was curious as to what Fu Yuheng had talked about with him. After all, his temperament was not something she could fathom.


    "It''s nothing. Zuo just thanked me for saving you."


    His words did not cause Shen Qing Wan to doubt him, but she did not believe that it was just a simple conversation. However, she didn''t ask any further. Suddenly, a carrier pigeon flew over and landed in his hand.


    He opened a note on the carrier pigeon, and his facial expression changed drastically.


    Shen Qingwan saw that his expression was a little strange, she wanted to ask him what she wanted to ask first.


    "I still have things to do, so I''ll be leaving first. You should be more careful in the future." Even though there was something urgent, his tone was still gentle, making it hard for people to resist.


    Knowing that he was doing it for her own good, Shen Qingwan nodded her head in gratitude.


    "Empress, who was that young master just now?" Lian Yun could not help but ask after he left. "Seeing that she seems to be familiar with the Empress, this servant is very curious about his identity. I have never seen him before." could not help but take a few more glances at Quan Zou''s back.


    She was just as curious about his identity as Lian Yun, but he was too mysterious, making her unable to guess his identity.


    Seeing that she did not reply, Lian Yun continued to ask, "Empress ¡­ "Ahhh!" However, just as she opened her mouth, she was knocked on the head. Although it wasn''t painful, she could feel it. She stared at Shen Qingwan, feeling wronged.


    "The Empress has turned bad." He joked as he rubbed his forehead.


    "There''s no need to think too much about his identity. We won''t have any interactions in the future." She thought that he had only acted out of good intentions to save her a few times. In the future, they would be people that she would not be able to meet again.


    Lian Yun did not have the mind to guess, since the left side was just a unrelated person. However, she suddenly thought of something and panicked for a moment. "I promised Xiao Man that I would help her get her clothes from the Raccoon Department. I forgot about that!"


    Shen Qing Wan smiled. When did she become unsteady again, "Go, I''ll stay here alone for a while."


    "Then this servant will go first." With that, he hurriedly left.

 C226 Imperial Consorts Jealousy

    Shen Qingwan stood at the same place, watching Lian Yun''s leaving figure.


    He would have to be extremely careful even in the palace. Even if his identity was suspicious, he still didn''t know what Fu Yuheng had said to him. However, it only aroused her curiosity. However, he was unwilling to say that she had no reason to force him.


    Liu Chugrong, who was hiding in the dark, gritted his teeth. He was surprised to see that man in white clothes. Why was he here? You''re still talking to that bitch?


    He thought about how cold he had been to her when he met her in the Liu Estate before entering the palace. He had completely disregarded her status as the Liu Clan''s daughter and had not given her any face, yet now he treated that woman with such gentleness!


    Liu Chugrong bit her red lips in frustration. Her hands subconsciously tightened their grip, wishing she could go up and tear that woman into two!


    Why did such an outstanding man, Fu Yuheng, and Fu Huaiyu, treat her so highly? What ability did she, Shen Qingwan, have?


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he felt as he looked at the girl''s back. He loosened his grip, and sweat started to form on his palm.


    "Shen Qingwan!" She did not care that she was in the Imperial Palace, did not care about her identity, and rushed out while calling her name. The voice was filled with indignation and indignation. It was a sharp one that made people feel uncomfortable.


    Shen Qingwan, who was still lost in her thoughts just now, slightly frowned when she heard this, a look of displeasure appearing on her face. In her astonishment, she realized who it was. Who else could be so presumptuous and hostile in this palace except for Liu Xiugrong?


    Seeing that she didn''t react, Liu Chugrong felt even more resentful, "I called you by your name, and you actually went as far as pretending to be deaf and mute!"


    The angry Shen Qingwan''s eyes were blazing with fire. Shen Qingwan lightly glanced at her, not intending to pursue the matter any further.


    "Anger is not good for your body. Imperial Consort Liu does not value your body that much, I do not want to be your partner." There was a trace of mockery in his tone as she turned around and left without waiting for her reply.


    However, Liu Chugrong grabbed her hand. His eyes dimmed a little as if he was trying to control his emotions. "What''s your relationship with that man?"


    Shen Qingwan slightly frowned, the power to save her life had appeared in her mouth, making her feel uncomfortable.


    "What does it have to do with you?" Although she looked calm on the surface, she couldn''t help but be suspicious. Why did she ask about authority? Could it be that these two knew each other?


    "Don''t forget that you''re a palace concubine, and you''re actually having an affair with another man?" There was anger in her eyes, and even more so, envy. Why did she get so many men''s favors when she was doing all right?


    "Imperial Consort Liu, you can eat whatever you want, but you can''t say whatever you want." She ridiculed, "Since that''s the case, then is it not appropriate for Imperial Consort Liu to be so concerned about other men?"


    "You!" Liu Chu Rong was angry, but seeing that she still had a natural look, he calmed down and asked, "What is your relationship with him? Why is he so gentle like you? "


    Shen Qingwan smiled contemptuously, "It has nothing to do with you, you have no right to care."


    "I''m warning you, don''t refuse a toast!"


    "Really?" However, the thing that I hate the most is the food that comes in vain, and the thing that I am most adept in challenging is the provocation. " How could she be afraid of her? Besides, what weakness did he have to be in her hands?


    "You! How can you be so presumptuous! " A layer of jealousy and doubt appeared under Liu Chugrong''s resentful eyes. Why was she so magnanimous and afraid of nothing?


    Shen Qingwan untied herself without any hesitation, cast a glance at her and prepared to leave.


    Unexpectedly, after just two steps, the woman behind him began to clamor again. "Do you believe that I''ll report this matter to the emperor?" The worst taboo for a harem woman was to be entangled with other men. She actually had connections with power, and it seemed like their relationship wasn''t that simple. If Fu Yuheng knew about this, would he still trust her so much?


    Hearing that, a look of ridicule appeared in Shen Qingwan''s eyes as she smiled and said, "Don''t you think that the guards in this palace are just decorations that the emperor doesn''t even know about?"


    Liu Chugrong was surprised, he didn''t think of this.


    Shen Qingwan did not say a word. Her expression was light and indifferent, making her feel uncomfortable all over. She actually got into a disadvantageous position, and left in a short while.


    Just as she left, Zhao Yuanrong came over with Third Princess. She had seen the scene just now, it was just that she did not want to interfere. It would be a piece of cake for her to deal with her.


    "Little sister is indeed a wonderful person." Zhao Yuanrong could not help but exclaim, "Only my little sister in Imperial Consort Liu can cure someone as arrogant as her." Most of the people in this palace didn''t dare to fight her head on because of her illustrious family background. Only she wasn''t the least bit afraid of her.


    Fu Lingling was also very happy, "Just now, Ling Ling saw Lady Liu''s flustered and exasperated look, it was really exciting."


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan did not say much and only smiled as she glanced at Fu Lingling. She did not wish for her to know too much about children. She didn''t want to anger Liu Chugrong either. If she didn''t provoke him, then he would be safe. However, this woman just couldn''t get along with him, so he couldn''t blame anyone else.


    "Imperial Consort Liu is way too arrogant, I''m afraid that only my little sister would be able to see her beaten up like this." Zhao Yuanrong could not help but sneer, thinking back to when Liu Chu Rong left with his sleeves flung, and felt satisfied.


    Shen Qingwan declined to comment, "I don''t want to cause trouble, but I''m not afraid of trouble either." It was admirable that she was indifferent but not afraid of trouble.


    "Have you called the imperial physician to take a look?" When she heard that Shen Qingwan had just returned to the palace, she wanted to take a look, but she unexpectedly met her on the road.


    Shen Qingwan nodded her head. After returning to the palace, there was an imperial physician who came to see her. He was even worried that he''d prescribed some tonics for her, "It''s alright." In the palace, she was also willing to talk to her a few more times.


    "You should be a bit more careful. There are countless pairs of eyes staring at you in the harem." Worry flashed in her eyes when she said this.


    Shen Qingwan nodded. She had her own thoughts, she would be more careful in the future, "I understand."


    After exchanging a few more pleasantries with her, she returned to the courtyard. After all, she had just returned to the palace, so it wasn''t appropriate for her to show off.


    Just as Ninth Prince''s Mansion was leisurely flirting with his concubine, he was interrupted by a guard, "Your Highness." The guard appeared to be in a hurry, as if something had happened.


    Fu Huaiyu''s Peach Blossom Eyes that was raised, gradually dimmed down, and he was pushed out.


    "Prince ¡­" That concubine still hadn''t given up. She wanted to lean on him, but Fu Huaiyu pushed her away without mercy.


    "Get down."


    The concubine bit her lips in dissatisfaction, and didn''t dare to say anything as she quickly left the room.


    "What is it?" Fu Huaiyu''s eyes became slightly serene, but he had a bad premonition in his heart.


    The guard''s expression did not look good, "The Concubine Xian has been saved!"


    Saved? To be saved, Fu Huaiyu''s eyes turned gloomy, his entire body was filled with a gloomy aura, his heart was slowly filled with rage.


    A bunch of useless trash couldn''t even stand a weak woman and was saved!

 C227 Nine Kings Anomalies

    After sending off Liu Chugrong and Consort De, Shen Qingwan felt much more relaxed. Since she was tied up and returned to the palace, her ears had not been at peace. Third Princess welcomed her to play as she liked children after all. However, the others seemed a little noisy.


    "Esteemed Empress, don''t be so willful in the future. This servant won''t be able to protect you ¡­" Lian Yun was very happy to see that she was safe and sound, but at the same time, he felt slightly guilty. She wanted to congratulate Shen Qingwan a long time ago, but she couldn''t open her mouth since someone was always here.


    Logically speaking, she was a servant, so she should have protected Shen Qingwan properly. But she got carried away because of a little bit of food, and in the end she was kidnapped. She kept blaming herself.


    Shen Qingwan also saw Lian Yun''s mood and laughed indifferently, "It''s alright if you have a good fortune. However, she was unlucky to be caught several times. This can''t be blamed on you. This means that I, your Empress, am more important. "


    He didn''t take her life, nor did he hurt her in the slightest. Furthermore, he knocked her out and took her away on the day she left the palace. So this person must have been very scheming and had been planning for a long time. She couldn''t avoid him even if she wanted to. Even now, she still couldn''t figure out who or why.


    "Don''t be sad, this matter naturally isn''t your fault." Seeing that Lian Yun wanted to cry and wanted to say something, Shen Qing Wan stopped him immediately. She had never been comforting, and she had other things to do now.


    Being stopped by Shen Qing Wan, Lian Yun could only look at the ground with her head lowered, and sob softly.


    "Alright, stop crying." Shen Qing Wan helplessly smiled, "Let''s go find Shufei. She must be worried sick about him." The two of them shared the same temperament and could even talk about themselves.


    As expected, they entered the yard and Wu Ling had been waiting for a long time. She was very happy to see Ye Ci. "I am relieved to see that you are fine." As she spoke, she pulled Shen Qingwan to a seat, and placed her favorite pastries in front of her.


    In this deep palace, the only person that could speak the truth was Shen Qingwan. Even though she had been in the palace for many years and Fu Yuheng had been indulging her, no one understood her and thus cherished her as a friend.


    "I''m so sorry. Sorry to trouble you, sister." Hearing her sincere concern, Shen Qingwan felt very warm inside. Did she not see her as a friend?


    The two girls looked at each other and smiled. They didn''t need to say anything to understand each other''s words. When she arrived, Wu Ling was playing the zither, so she didn''t do anything else.


    "Sister''s zither arts seem to have improved." When the song ended, Shufei could not help but open her mouth to praise. She only smiled faintly, but there was also a sense of pride in it. He rejoiced in his heart. Thankfully, he had returned safely. Perhaps it was because of this that he was able to gain some understanding in his heart.


    Wu Ling saw the worry in her eyes and couldn''t help asking, "Sister, what happened? She was fine just then, but then she suddenly remembered something." In his heart, he was certain that it was because of the binding technique.


    Shen Qingwan nodded and told him what she thought, as well as some details about being locked up in the wooden house. Wu Ling frowned when she heard this. "This is really strange. Why did they take her away?" After hearing the other party speak of the same question as her, she found it hard to make heads or tails of it. It was already a shocking news that a concubine had been taken.


    Shen Qingwan being rescued was a good thing for them, but for Fu Huaiyu, it was definitely a bad thing.


    Just who was that white-clothed man!


    "Just who could have such ability?" He had asked himself this question no less than four or five times, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t think of who it might be.


    "What is the prince thinking? Why are you so annoyed?" This is the Stomach Nourishing Porridge that chenqie made for you today. Wen Ling saw that Fu Huaiyu was annoyed, but he had already come to a conclusion. However, in front of him, he had to look gentle and gentle.


    When he saw Wen Ling, he did not lose his temper, but the darkness in his eyes was creepy. You sure are considerate to prepare these for This King every day. " Receiving the stomach nourishing porridge, Fu Huaiyu smiled.


    Wen Ling stood by his side and watched him drink his wine before finally feeling at ease. His plan seemed to be going smoothly, just as she had intended.


    "It''s just that I don''t know why I feel so irritated these days." After standing for a while, Fu Huaiyu spoke again. These days, for some reason, it was easy to get angry.


    "Perhaps it''s because of the weather. Early spring is always like this." Hearing this, Wen Ling smiled and said, but in truth, she was very clear about the reason. After listening to her explanation, he nodded in agreement. The weather had warmed up, and the room seemed to be starting to get stuffy.


    Besides, even if he felt annoyed, it was useless. He needed to think things over carefully. He couldn''t bear to hurt Shen Qingwan. However, Fu Yuheng, that Emperor, might not be the case.


    Under Wen Ling''s consoling, Fu Huaiyu''s heart relaxed. The Prime Minister Liu of the Prime Minister''s Estate, however, felt that it was a bit strange that he did not make a single move in the past few days. There wasn''t even a single person relaying the message.


    Prime Minister Liu picked up the case and put it down, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to have increased.


    However, there was still good news. Shen Qing Wan had not been keeping track of the Wu Shang Shu anymore, otherwise, she might really be implicated. If the matter of him framing Wu Shang Shu was discovered, Fu Yuheng would not let him off so easily. After all, this was such a good opportunity.


    When that time came, he would probably end up like the Wu Shang Shu, which was really scary just thinking about it.


    "Master, new news is coming from outside." Just as he was thinking about it, the butler walked in hastily and whispered a few words into Prime Minister Liu''s ears.


    "Alright, I understand." Prime Minister Liu nodded his head after hearing what he said. Shen Qingwan''s luck was really great, but the only person who dared to do so was probably the unknown Ninth Prince.


    "Has there been any news from the Imperial Concubine for the past few days?" Staring at the butler''s eyes, Prime Minister Liu became slightly impatient. This daughter of his would usually cause trouble for him, but he was his own flesh and blood after all.


    "No, it''s just ¡­" The steward''s eyes seemed to wander, as if there was something hard to say.


    The Prime Minister Liu was a little confused, he waved his hand and indicated for him to continue.


    "This old servant has seen Second Miss walk very close to the Ninth Prince in the past few days." He rubbed his hands, and the meaning behind his action was clear to see.


    This piece of news was somewhat unexpected. In his impression, his second daughter had always kept her edge hidden. Other than the fact that she revealed her head during the last poetry meet, she really didn''t feel like she existed.

 C228 nameless drug

    Since she had nothing better to do, Shen Qingwan sat in her study room and read books. Usually, the palace was very boring and she didn''t have the heart to fight for the favor of scheming, so she spent most of her time in the study room. With so much free time, she might as well enrich herself. The book had its own beautiful appearance and its own wonderful aspects.


    Lian Yun knocked on the door of the study, and a melodious voice came out from inside, "Come in." Hearing that, she slowly walked in with the lotus seed soup in her hand. "Empress, take a rest. Careful eyes."


    Sometimes, Shen Qingwan would open the book for a few hours. It was really different from other concubines. She seemed very calm, not flippant at all.


    Hearing this, she only nodded slightly before putting down the book in her hand. She then glanced at the lotus seed soup that she had placed on the table. Let''s put some medlar in tomorrow. " When she read the book, her eyes were slightly tired. She picked up the lotus seed soup and carefully savored it. The taste was still the same as before, but she wasn''t greedy either. She only had to taste a few mouthfuls before putting it down.


    Lian Yun took the opportunity to pass a handkerchief to her and let her wipe her mouth before slowly opening her mouth, "Wen Ling sent a message."


    With that one sentence, she raised her eyebrows and declined to comment, waiting for her to continue speaking.


    "Things went smoothly."


    The corner of her mouth curled up slightly, carrying a hint of joy that she was determined to win. As long as everything went smoothly, Wen Ling had made good use of this informant.


    Now that she had almost mastered Fu Huaiyu''s movements, Fu Yuheng''s warning also raised his vigilance. Thinking of him, Shen Qingwan stood up. A trace of craftiness flashed across her eyes as she looked at the palace, "Go pay respects to the emperor."


    Arriving at the entrance of the imperial study, Sun Ning saw that the Emperor was busy with government affairs, so she was told to go to the side hall to rest and wait. After following Sun Ning to the side hall, he started fiddling with the books inside. There were quite a few books stored here. Some of them could not be flipped through, so she found a few scrolls and skimmed through them before stuffing them back into the drawer.


    Just as she was putting away the book with her back, a familiar and low voice was heard, "Consort Xian is here to search for my books?" There was a hint of mockery in her voice, but she wasn''t anxious. She slowly turned around and gave a respectful bow.


    Fu Yuheng was not annoyed when he saw that she did not accept his invitation. She always maintained a pampered appearance. "You haven''t been out of the palace recently. Now, remember to get up and go to the imperial study." The handsome side of his face was as sharp as a knife, but there was gentleness in it. It was only when he treated her that he acted this way.


    "Since when did the Emperor like to tease people so much?" Shen Qingwan didn''t look at him. A pair of eyes as gentle as spring water fell on the jade on his waist. With a neither humble nor arrogant voice, she said, "If this is the case, then this concubine will not disturb you in the future." It was hard to tell the emotions in her voice. It sounded calm, but it also sounded like a silent protest.


    When Fu Yuheng heard this, he could not help but curl the corner of his lips. Looking at her obstinate expression, he felt that she was abnormally gentle at this moment. These words did not seem like they would come out of her mouth.


    Fu Yuheng straightened himself and asked, "How long have you waited?" As soon as he finished dealing with government affairs, Sun Ning came over to inform her that he was waiting for him at the side hall.


    "Just for a moment." She wasn''t in a hurry. There were a lot of books for her to amuse herself with.


    Fu Yuheng nodded in understanding. A look of exhaustion flashed across his face as he walked up to her and pulled her delicate hand. "Accompany me for a walk."


    A warm feeling came from her hands. She was stunned for a moment before she nodded her head. Her eyes contained a little confusion, so she followed him out for a walk.


    "Does the emperor have any worries?" she asked tentatively, glancing at his face as she walked along the edge of the mirror lake in the imperial garden.


    Fu Yuheng remained silent. She then moved his hand. "The imperial harem has been relatively calm lately. Your Majesty need not trouble yourself about this."


    The girl''s hand was as soft as a bone, but it felt as though a force had pierced through his body. His black eyes met her clear gaze, and a rare sense of peace filled his heart. And then, a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes. "She''s probably the only one who can cause a ruckus in the harem."


    Shen Qingwan naturally knew that she was referring to Liu Xiurong, but she didn''t expect the emperor to be so dissatisfied with her. She didn''t even bother to put on an act in front of her.


    "Your Majesty, when do you need to pay attention to these trivial matters? As long as you manage the imperial court, everything will be fine." She naturally believed that he had the ability to do so.


    From her firm gaze and firm words, his eyes lit up even more, and he unconsciously tightened his grip.


    "The affairs of the previous dynasty were complicated, and even the brothers who were born with them could betray each other." His black eyes narrowed as a dangerous glint flashed through them. "However, I will not forgive anyone who goes against the will of the government."


    "Chenqie believes that the Emperor can do it."


    There was no need to speak too clearly between them, but they understood each other. This was a mutual understanding, and it was also because of this reason that there were many words that did not need to speak too much.


    The two strolled around the imperial garden again. Fu Yuheng had matters to attend to so he sent someone to escort her back to the palace.


    Once she returned to the palace, she dismissed the palace maids from her room, leaving Lian Yun behind. After having a conversation with the Emperor, she had become even more confident after returning. It seemed that her idea was definitely not bad.


    From his sleeves, he took out a packet of medicinal paper and handed it over to Lian Yun. She took it doubtfully but did not know what she meant. However, Shen Qingwan wasn''t completely at ease. She only stared at her with a bit of vexation and had no choice but to ask, "Empress, what is this thing?"


    "This is medicine." As for what the medicine was, she didn''t say it out loud, as long as she was clear on its uses.


    "What''s this medicine for?" Lian Yun subconsciously pinched the medicinal paper in her hand. She already had a kind of premonition in her heart, "The Empress is using it ¡­"


    "That''s right." Lian Yun''s intelligence made her feel much better, and she nodded in praise, "Take it first. After a few days, the Ninth Prince will enter the palace and place it on the Imperial Consort Liu. Do you know?"


    Her beautiful eyes were fixated on her body, as if she was trying to see through her thoughts. Under her meaningful gaze, Lian Yun seemed to understand as well.


    This medicine was used on Imperial Consort Liu, could it be that it has something to do with Ninth Prince? Was this step of the Empress''s somewhat risky? He asked almost subconsciously with caution, "How did the Empress know that the Ninth Prince would come to the palace in a few days?" Although she knew that the Empress was intelligent, she did not expect her to be so confident that the Ninth Prince would enter the palace.


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan did not explain, but only smiled in an extremely mysterious manner. She only needed to wait for Fu Huaiyu to enter the palace before she can carry out her plan. From Fu Yuheng''s attitude today, it was obvious that he would not help them with the subsequent matters.


    Although Lian Yun was puzzled, she still did as she was told and placed the medicinal paper on her body, "This servant understands."


    There were those who were happy, there were those who were sad. Shen Qingwan''s side was peaceful and peaceful, but the scene with Empress Xiao Shushen was a completely different story.


    Xiao Shushen leaned lazily on the beauty bed, her face filled with anger.


    "Empress, the imperial kitchens have sent over the bird''s nest." A palace maid came in to report.

 C229 The empress was infuriated

    The little palace girl''s voice was not loud, but Xiao Shushen was immersed in his own thoughts, and the moment he thought of her empress palace being so cold, his mood immediately turned sour.


    "Esteemed Empress, do you want Eunuch Xuan to come in ¡­" The voice of the little palace maid became softer and softer, her chin almost buried in her chest.


    "Who let you in!" Xiao Shushen''s eyes swept across and she was startled by her. She glared at her fiercely and ran off gracefully. "What are you standing here for!"


    The little palace maid was so frightened by her scolding that he immediately knelt down, his small mouth trembling as he begged for mercy. "Servant ¡­" "Your servant is ¡­"


    "How dare you!" She was already in a bad mood, so this little palace maid''s provocation only made her worse. She got up from her beauty bed and said, "How dare you talk back to me!"


    "Empress!" This servant doesn''t dare, this servant deserves to die ¡­ "Esteemed Empress, please spare this servant ¡­" The little palace maid was so scared that his entire body was trembling, and his shoulders were heaving.


    The more she begged for mercy, the angrier she became. She raised her hand and sent a slap flying.


    There was too much movement inside the room, Gui mama hurriedly walked in, and immediately frowned upon entering.


    "Esteemed Empress!" Gui mama immediately walked to her side and pulled on her clothes, secretly shaking her head. Xiao Shushen still harbored resentment in her heart, but when she saw the look in Gui mama''s eyes, he could only calm her anger down and fiercely glare at the little palace maid.


    Gui mama comforted her as she sat on the beauty bed. "Empress, please don''t hurt your body because of this lowly girl."


    Earlier, she had sent the rage in her heart to this small palace maid because she had nowhere to vent it on. Now, she had long since come to her senses. She was the dignified and gentle empress, so how could she allow herself to lose all decorum with this young palace maid?


    The Gui mama turned around, his face dark and sinister. He glared at the tearful little palace maid on the ground and said, "You ignorant girl actually charged at the empress to bring back the twentieth board yourself." He gave her a contemptuous glance and did not want to speak to her.


    When the young palace maid heard this, his eyes were filled with disbelief and despair. The twentieth plank was not meant to take her life! But her cries were useless and he was dragged down.


    It was only after a while did the hall regain its calm. The Gui mama patiently advised, "The Empress should not have gotten angry at a young palace maid."


    "I was just unable to control my emotions for the time being." His tone of voice was still not very good. He hadn''t spent the night in her palace for over half a month and normally wouldn''t come over, but Shen Qingwan''s place was bustling with noise and excitement.


    How could she, a dignified empress, endure this? But how could she be willing to say these words to others? She was the mother of a nation. If she did not have this much temper, she would be criticized by others.


    Not only Xiao Shushen, even Liu Chugrong felt that the Emperor was becoming colder and colder towards her, and didn''t give her any trust at all.


    "Xiao Lv, go tell the emperor that I''m sick." Liu Chugrong spoke with vigor, asking the palace maid to put down her bun and let it fall behind his back. However, he couldn''t bear to remove all of his makeup. He just made his face pale.


    Lamei had even asked the imperial physician to come and take care of her. The imperial physician took her ingot and followed her meaning to say that her body was a little weak.


    After sending off Imperial Physician Liu Chu Rong, he lay back on the bed and waited for Fu Yuheng to arrive. However, he was not the only one who had come.


    The moment she saw the Emperor, she revealed an expression of joy, but that expression froze when she saw Shen Qingwan.


    Instantly, Liu Chugrong clutched the quilt tightly with resentment burning in her eyes. She had also come with him!


    But seeing that the emperor had walked in, she could only withdraw her gaze, feigning a delicate and pitiful appearance, and had Xiao Lv help her. "Chenqie ¡­ Your consort pays her respects to the Emperor. "


    She originally wanted Fu Yuheng to step forward and help her, but she did not expect him to ignore her and allowed Xiao Lv to help her up.


    Shen Qing Wan looked at the unwillingness in her eyes and couldn''t help ridiculing her in her heart. Who was she trying to show off her pitiful appearance to?


    Fu Yuheng did not want to come, but he advised his to go and see what was the matter.


    However, when he saw the pretentious look on the man''s face, contempt and disgust flashed across his eyes. He waited for her to finish saluting before indifferently saying, "If your body isn''t well, then get up."


    Liu Chugrong looked like a weakling who helped the wind up. He raised his hand and coughed a few times, "Chenqie disturbed the emperor''s official business. Chenqie is really useless."


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng''s expression became indifferent. It was not because of a single word from her. Now was not the time for him to fall out with her. "If your body isn''t well, then speak less. Just lie down on the bed."


    Seeing that his tone had eased up a bit, Liu Chugrong''s face became a little better and he finally had a smile on his face.


    Xiao Lv helped her up onto the bed. Shen Qingwan only watched coldly as she heard her say, "Consort Xian''s sister is really considerate. You even accompanied the emperor to my palace."


    "The Emperor is a man after all, how can a woman be so meticulous?"


    This sentence was a slap to her face. Her body wasn''t feeling well, but she needed the busy emperor to come visit her instead, wasn''t that the same as being insensible?


    How could Liu Chugrong not know what he meant? His face turned pale, but he braced himself and said, "Sister is a wonderful person. How else could I get the king''s pity?"


    Hearing Shen Qingwan''s words, Fu Yuheng turned his head and gave her an indifferent glance. With just a glance, he had a faint smile on his face. He was not as cold and emotionless as he was towards Liu Chugrong.


    "Since that''s the case, I shall return. If you''re not feeling well, then invite the imperial physician over to take a look. " Then, he walked out of the room, ignoring Liu Chugrong''s reaction.


    Liu Chu Rong wanted to ask the emperor to stay, but he found that the king had already left the room.


    Shen Qingwan stood on the spot and stared at him as if she was watching a play. Liu Chugrong felt uncomfortable from her stare, and his tone was also a bit unfriendly.


    "Why aren''t you leaving?" His voice was not soft like his voice just now. It was filled with vigor. There was no sign of weakness in his body.


    As soon as she said it, she realized that she was wrong and her eyes froze.


    Shen Qing Wan laughed, and ridiculed her: "How could you know that Imperial Consort Liu''s acting is so brilliant if you don''t stay? Even the capital is less famous than you, right? "


    Liu Chu Rong had always treated her badly, and now she didn''t want to laugh it off. Since he had the guts to act, he should be prepared to be seen through. Moreover, before, she didn''t like to cause trouble, but now ¡­


    "What nonsense are you talking about!" Liu Chugrong''s face turned white and red as soon as he heard it. He avoided looking at her with his eyes, but his voice lacked the confidence he had before.


    Shen Qingwan looked around her like she was admiring her surroundings. She looked a little regretful but at the same time sincere, "Imperial Consort Liu will properly cherish this glory and wealth as well as this peace."


    Ye Zichen was stunned by her words, and didn''t react for a long time. Shen Qingwan had a mysterious smile on her face as she turned to leave.


    Some things were too clear, so there was no meaning.

 C230 News of the matter

    "Your Highness, this isn''t good." The guard hurriedly ran into the study room. With raindrops still dripping from his body, he staggered and knelt on the ground, kowtowing as he spoke. Perhaps it was because he was too anxious or perhaps it was because he was afraid, causing his last words to tremble.


    Fu Huaiyu''s eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly, the tip of his brush paused, he raised it and placed it on the ground, he stood up with a warm smile on his face, "Why are you in such a hurry, what happened?"


    That person forced himself to tremble, but he still replied with a trembling voice, "There''s so much gossip in the palace right now. It''s said that there''s a deep relationship between the prince and Lady Liu, and there''s a suspicion that there''s blood between them. It''s said that they might even have some sort of relationship. I don''t know how many people believe it."


    Dye? What nonsense! Fu Huaiyu''s expression slightly darkened as a complex ray of light flashed across his eyes. It was so deep that it made it impossible for one to pry anything out of it. The guard quickly bowed his head and no longer dared to look.


    Who could it be? Did he really know that he was connected to Liu ChuRong, or was it just a framing?


    "You ¡­" He suddenly raised his eyes and shot a sharp gaze at the kneeling guards below him.


    The latter subconsciously lowered her head, "This servant is here."


    "Investigate for This King who the mastermind is. If that''s not possible, then there is no use in This King having you bunch of trash. " Fu Huaiyu sneered, probably because he was so angry, causing his handsome face to become twisted, making people who saw him feel their hearts tremble, as though their surrounding was filled with a burst of cold.


    The guard was so scared that he started trembling. He gritted his teeth and hurriedly said, "This servant obeys."


    Fu Huaiyu did not pay any attention to him. He raised his eyes and stared in the direction of the Imperial Palace for a long time. Do not let him know who it was, or else he will have his body torn into ten thousand pieces! His fist hit the wall with a loud sound, and his white joints turned red.


    Fu Huaiyu''s eyes became more and more sinister, as if he had been poisoned.


    "Your Highness." Suddenly, from outside the study room came a clear and charming voice, followed by a few short knocks on the door.


    The darkness in Fu Huaiyu''s eyes dimmed, the corners of his mouth raised in a cold smile, his voice was clear and pleasant, "Come in."


    "What is it?" He stretched out his hand and gently ruffled the hair of the approaching person as he asked. Although he was smiling, his eyes were still filled with coldness. Wen Ling''s delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, but he remained calm and collected.


    She stretched out her slender hand and took his long arm. Her fair cheeks blushed a little. "I want to let you off the hook. It''s not worth it to do this kind of thing. It''s not good for your body to be angry."


    Fu Huaiyu glanced sideways at her, and the smile on his face did not decrease in the slightest, "This king doesn''t think that I''m angry."


    He felt as if he was being stared at by something, and only after a moment did he come back to his senses. "The prince''s temper hasn''t been very good in the past few days, if you encounter any problems, you can let me know. I can help you resolve your worries." Wen Ling had a pampered smile on his face. "You''re hiding something in your heart. It feels really bad."


    The setting she gave herself was the Flower of Interpretation, so she definitely could not change it.


    Unknowingly, Fu Huaiyu''s gaze towards her turned gentle, with a bit of warmth, Wen Ling unconsciously heaved a sigh of relief, he could not be careless.


    He had always been an unpredictable person, but who knew when he would suddenly become irritable?


    "Prince?" She cast a sidelong glance and asked carefully.


    Frowning, Fu Huaiyu lightly waved his wide sleeves and waved Wen Ling''s small hands, "You go back first."


    Wen Ling''s eyes flashed with a dark light, but before he could notice it, it had already disappeared. Her red lips pursed, her small hands tightly clenched. "Your Highness doesn''t like me anymore?"


    "No, This King just wants to be alone." Fu Huaiyu turned, took the pen, and quickly wrote something on the xuan paper.


    Wen Ling froze for a moment. Then, he answered softly, "Yes." He then respectfully bowed, opened the curtain, and left.


    Meanwhile, on the other side. Liu Fei''s delicate eyebrows were slightly raised. Her daubed hands tightly gripped the handkerchief in her hands as she walked back and forth in the room. She actually no longer had the same thought of embroidering as before.


    "Empress." La Mei saw that she had been pacing with furrowed brows for some time. She could not help but open her mouth and advised, "You should rest for a while. The bridge is straight. It will eventually pass."


    Unexpectedly, Liu Chugrong didn''t agree with her suggestion. Instead, he threw the handkerchief in his hand to La Mei''s feet.


    "Rest? "You speak quite lightly. Tell me, how do you think we should settle this matter?" Liu Chu Rong sat down on the side and drank it all in one gulp. The bottom of the glass knocked heavily on the table, scaring La Mei so much that she trembled. If such a hat were to be buckled on, how would I defend myself? "


    La Mei immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times. Her eyes were red as she pleaded, "This humble servant is ignorant. Your highness has a lot of them, do not take them to heart."


    "Hmph." Liu Chu Rong snorted coldly and turned his head away. "Since you have done well in the past, I will forgive you. Go and deduct your salary."


    Lamei bowed gratefully and left after responding.


    "Esteemed Empress, your servant just heard a joyous event. Would you like to hear it?" Gui mama, who was serving beside Xiao Shushen, opened the curtains and walked in.


    Hearing that, Xiao Shushen glanced at her, then closed her eyes. Her tone did not seem to mind, "Tell me."


    Gui mama took a few steps forward to help her massage her shoulders, "The relationship between Ninth Prince and Imperial Consort Liu is very deep." She lowered her voice and whispered into the empress''s ear.


    She seemed to have just gained some interest. Her phoenix eyes slightly opened as she glanced sideways at her. "Really?"


    The Gui mama laughed: "Of course. How could this old servant dare to amuse the Empress? "When I heard you talking about it earlier, I felt that it was rather interesting."


    This rumor was enough for him to enjoy a pot of tea. The corner of Xiao Shushen''s mouth raised in an arc, and her eyes were filled with undisguised schadenfreude.


    Could it be that his plot had been exposed? She leaned back in her chair, thinking. But, Fu Huaiyu was a cautious person, he shouldn''t have been like this.


    "Gui mama." She waved her hand.


    "This old servant is here."


    Xiao Shushen tilted her head, and said with a dignified and imposing manner, "Go, call out my spies who are buried in the Ninth Prince''s Mansion."


    Gui mama answered yes, then stood up and left. After a while, she came back with a maid beside her. When he saw her, he immediately kneeled on the ground, not daring to raise his head.


    "Tell me, how has Fu Huaiyu been recently?" Xiao Shushen lowered his head, and played with the jade bracelet on his wrist, "If you answer well, I will reward you with this bracelet."


    maid lowered his head, looking at his own kneeled on the ground. "To reply the Empress, Ninth Prince''s temper has been bad recently, and his temper is unstable."


    He had a bad temper? What the hell was going on?

 C231 Liu Cheng worried

    The sky was dyed with night, and everything was shrouded in deep black. Only one room in the Prime Minister''s estate had candles lit up.


    "The Prime Minister is in trouble. There was news from the palace that Imperial Concubine had been wrongly accused of colluding with the Ninth Prince. Moreover, the news has already spread far and wide. Before long, everyone outside the palace will know as well. " The man in black said hastily. The moment he received the message from Liu Chugrong, he rushed over.


    When Prime Minister Liu heard the news that was sent back by his subordinates, he could not help but clap the table in anger. "Who spread the news!? Could it be that he''s too bold, and doesn''t even put our Prime Minister''s Estate in his eyes? " His voice slowly grew deep, and he slumped into a chair, mumbling to himself.


    His eyes were filled with rage. He had sided with Fu Huaiyu, but now that news had come over, what should he do? The emperor would definitely think of him. After all, his daughter could represent him. Furthermore, he had always been able to endure it patiently and was always on guard against everything. He would definitely not let anyone see anything amiss. Just what was going on!?


    The people under his command lowered their heads and pretended not to hear anything. This was a conspiracy! It would be fine if he succeeded, but what if he failed? It was a matter that involved the nine families!


    However, Prime Minister Liu did not avoid him. After all, he knew that there was only one path for these people, and that was to follow him onto this path, or perhaps expose him. However, their families were all in his hands, so he was not afraid that this matter would be exposed!


    He calmed himself down and calmed down a little. He then instructed the people under him, "Go and find out if this information is true or false. See how it is spread!"


    Squinting his eyes, the black-clothed man dispersed the fear on his face, and said with a cold voice. "Yes, Prime Minister." After which, he left the Prime Minister''s Estate.


    Prime Minister Liu squinted his eyes as a trace of light flashed across his eyes. He had to do something! If Fu Yuheng were to find out everything, not only would Fu Huaiyu be unable to escape his death sentence, he definitely wouldn''t let him and his daughter live on in this world!


    Inside the palace, Fu Yuheng was revising the imperial reports. Sun Ning went forward and whispered in his ear.


    His eyes were filled with danger, but he casually replied, "Oh? Is that so? "If it''s really as you say, why don''t I prepare a proper gift of thanks?" After a moment of sluggishness, he continued to review the memorial. There were a lot of things happening today, so he wondered if tomorrow''s morning assembly would be just as interesting.


    Sun Ning did not say anything, he knew that he shouldn''t say too much, after all, the Emperor''s choice could not be changed by others. He simply bowed down and quietly waited for him to finish his review.


    About two hours later, Fu Yuheng had finished correcting the imperial edict on the desk. He put down the brush, and Sun Ning immediately got the palace maids to clean it up. Picking up the cup of hot tea on the table, he took a sip and asked casually, "What is she doing now?" This news had most likely come from her. There was probably no one else in the palace who knew of this matter, but by doing so, it was obvious that she had his own plans.


    Sun Ning followed beside Fu Yuheng for many years, as he clearly knew the meaning behind his words. He lowered his head and replied, "The Empress is in her chambers ¡­" His love for Shen Qingwan was well-known. However, there were still rumors flying all over the harem, and he still had the mood to ask about her. Could this have something to do with her? Sun Ning did not understand, but he kept quiet and did not ask.


    After Fu Yuheng asked this question, he fell silent for a while. With a trace of affection on his face, he mumbled to himself, "I suppose she must be having quite the time, right?" After a moment of silence, her fingers caressed the Dragon Throne, "She has already done this. It looks like she will be able to relax a little. However, this snake should have already left its cave."


    He fell into his own deep thoughts, and Sun Ning did not say anything to disturb him. She maintained her posture, and did not feel tired either. After all, this was the emperor. No matter what, he had to have a servant by his side.


    "What do you think will happen?" He suddenly asked, startling Sun Ning.


    Towards his question, Sun Ning did not know how to answer, but he had to say, "This old servant thinks that the Emperor should not let this news spread, it would be detrimental to the dignity of the Imperial Family." he whispered.


    "Oh? It would harm the face of the royal family, but I think that they are setting a long line for a big fish. Who can say if the Ninth Prince and the Prime Minister Liu have any designs on each other? " He looked out of the window. "I''m tired. You can leave first."


    I wonder if Shen Qingwan''s move can cause Prime Minister Liu and Ninth Brother to show their faces? I''m really looking forward to it. Hopefully, I won''t disappoint him!


    The next day, Tuoba Min walked leisurely around the imperial garden with a few palace maids by her side. The palace maids on both sides were giving her access to the imperial concubines. Just as she talked about Imperial Consort Liu, Tuoba Min thought about the latest news that came out. She impatiently waved her hand, and said unhappily: "Imperial Consort Liu? Heh, she''s just a brainless woman. It''s said that she is involved with the Ninth Prince. How could the Emperor allow such a woman to enter the palace? "


    They, Mongolian, had never seen such a woman, a woman who had second thoughts towards her husband.


    She was suddenly covered up by the palace maid, "Mistress, you can''t say that. If anyone hears about it, it will lead to a fatal disaster. Furthermore, Imperial Consort Liu is the daughter of the Prime Minister Liu, with a high position and authority.


    Tuoba Min raised her eyebrows, disagreeing. She had the Mongolian as her backing, and Shen Qingwan and Fu Yuheng were protecting her, so why should she be afraid?


    In the imperial garden, Liu Chugrong was venting her anger at a bunch of fresh flowers. Rumors about her and the Ninth Prince flew all over the palace. What should she do now? His father had yet to send him a reply, so he should have already begun to investigate.


    However, she was still a bit worried. After all, she was the emperor''s concubine, yet she had caused such a thing. If she did not implicate her father, then it would be easier for her to rely on her father''s tree, but if it involved her father''s interests, she would definitely give up on him. However, this matter was not only related to her, but also to Fu Huaiyu and the entire Liu Estate!


    As he thought of this, his face darkened. She wanted to vent her anger, but she had to pretend that nothing was wrong. If she got angry, someone would start a rumor.


    However, she did not expect to hear the sounds of discussion from the garden. She slowly walked over, stepping on the petals.


    There was a bit of anger in her eyes. Even the imperial concubines knew about this, but no one dared to loudly discuss it. Furthermore, these words could be used to punish a crime of slandering the imperial family''s face. He never thought that there would be someone who would be so happy about it.


    The closer they got, the clearer her words became, "Imperial Consort Liu actually dared to confront Ninth Prince, then he wants to betray your majesty! "We should just immerse ourselves in the pig cages." Tuoba Min continued speaking, and did not sense her approach in the slightest.

 C232 Lesson Palace Man

    The palace maid at the side glanced towards the side, just in time to see Liu Chugrong, signalling for Tuoba Min to stop, yet she was unable to understand what she meant.


    Tuoba Min''s eyes were high as she said, "She is the daughter of the prime minister, so how can she look down on the face of the imperial family?


    The rest of the sentence passed into Liu Chu Rong''s ears. Looking at the arrogant man in front of him, Liu Chu Rong''s lips curved up into a dangerous smile. Under the startled gaze of the palace maid, he arrived in front of Tuoba Min.


    Tuoba Min was shocked, she did not expect her to hear it, but quickly her face returned to normal, she stuck out her chest and raised her head, looking straight at Liu Chu Rong.


    Liu Chugrong''s eyes were cold as he shouted, "How dare you talk about your imperial concubine here, you are just a small noble man. You really have the guts!"


    "What right do you have to talk to me about a woman who is unfaithful to her husband?" Tuoba Min''s tone was equally unyielding. In her opinion, people like Liu Chugrong were worthless.


    Liu Chugrong stared at the unchanging Tuoba Min, "What qualifications do you have? Let me tell you, what qualifications do I have?


    She reached out her hand to summon the palace maid behind her. There was a trace of coldness in her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. Today, she would definitely teach this pretentious bitch a lesson!


    She didn''t want to hear about it now. She wanted to crush them at the very mention of her.


    Tuoba Min stood there with her arms crossed in disdain, staring: "You dare? Be careful that I tell the Emperor! "See if the emperor will punish you or me when the time comes!"


    The two palace maids at the side kneeled down, kowtowing violently, and begged non-stop: "Imperial Concubine, please spare us! This servant will not dare to do so again! "


    The Imperial Consort Liu was not someone they could offend, and she was different from the other concubines as well. The Prime Minister Liu was the daughter of the Prime Minister Liu, and had a very high position in the imperial court. If she really wanted to do something, perhaps no one would be able to stop her. Furthermore, they were palace maids with low statuses. Even if Liu Xiugrong beat them to death, no one would say anything.


    Liu Chugrong''s eyes slightly narrowed. Hearing the two palace maids'' apologies, the anger in her heart didn''t disappear; instead, it increased a lot. She pointed her pure white finger at the two palace maids, her chest rising and falling as she said, "Who do you think you are? What can I do that you can''t even discuss?"


    "No matter what, they are still better than a woman who is unloyal to her husband! A person like you will definitely be despised by everyone in our Mongolian! " Tuoba Min couldn''t help but ask when he saw her ask the palace maids.


    Liu Chugrong suddenly raised her hand and heavily slapped her face without saying a word. She was caught off guard and never thought that she would actually make a move.


    With a "pa" sound, a bright red handprint immediately appeared on Tuoba Min''s face, which was especially glaring!


    "You actually dared to hit me!" Astonished, she covered her face with her jade white hands and frowned.


    After this slap, Liu Chugrong was still angry. She raised her hand and slapped again. A red palm print appeared on the other side of her face.


    "AHH!" Tuoba Min screamed. The stinging pain on her face almost made her cry.


    Liu Chu Rong held his chin high, looked at her out of the corner of his eyes and disdainfully said, "What qualifications do you barbarians have to teach me? No matter what you did at Mongolian, remember this. You are nothing here. "


    Tuoba Min was furious in her heart. As the princess of Mongolian, although she was not favoured, she had never been treated like this. However, she endured it. She didn''t want to be slapped anymore.


    Seeing that she didn''t say anything, Liu Chugrong didn''t say anything else. She rudely knocked her away from the road in front of her, causing her to stagger back a few steps. Then, she walked forward without turning her head back.


    Looking at her back, Tuoba Min''s eyes gradually moistened. She felt wronged and angry at the same time, it was simply too much.


    "Empress, are you alright?" The two palace maids who had pleaded for mercy stood up and asked in concern. However, she did not reply as she lowered her head and ran over. No matter how the palace maids behind her shouted, it was useless.


    Very quickly, Tuoba Min ran back to her own courtyard. Right now, she was looking in the mirror, the palm imprint on her face still remained.


    She gently touched the red mark with her fingertip. However, the moment she touched it, she felt a sharp pain that caused her to gasp.


    Her eyes repeatedly examined the scars on her face. She couldn''t help but think of Liu ChuRong. Her arrogant attitude and domineering character really made people feel disgusted.


    "She''s just a water lily lady! Today''s matter cannot be let go of just like that. We''ll just wait and see, I''ll definitely make you pay! " Tuoba Min talked to himself non-stop in the mirror in front of him.


    Just as she was speaking, a palace maid suddenly came over to report that Concubine Xian was here, and without thinking, she immediately ordered someone to bring her in.


    "Sister, how does it feel to come and live in the palace? Is there anything wrong with it?" Very quickly, Shen Qingwan was brought in by a palace maid. When she walked in, before she had time to look at the situation, she asked.


    Tuoba Min forced out a smile, but the corner of her mouth suddenly felt a stinging pain, causing her smile to appear very stiff. She tried her best to maintain a good-natured expression as she whispered, "Thank you for your concern, sister. I''m having a good time here. Please don''t worry, sister." However, as she said this, her eyes lit up with tears.


    Shen Qingwan still had a faint smile on her face. She had already heard about it on the way here. Perhaps this was a good opportunity for him. She relaxed her brows, and then put on a caring expression, "That''s good! "But little sister''s face ¡­"


    "If there''s nothing wrong, Concubine Xian, please don''t bear it in mind, let alone listen to it with the Emperor." As he spoke, it was as if he was very understanding.


    However, Shen Qingwan wasn''t only looking at the person on the surface. She smiled mockingly in her heart, but she still comforted him, "This is too much ¡­"


    Maybe because he felt that she had a good impression of him, Tuoba Min on the other hand, started to chat happily, and in the blink of an eye, a few hours had passed. Shen Qingwan smiled lightly as she stood up, "Little sister, I''ve already pestered you for so long. Elder sister should leave, I''ll definitely come again tomorrow."


    "Sis, take care!" Tuoba Min also stood up with a rare bright smile on her face. She followed Shen Qingwan and sent her out of the hospital before returning.

 C233 Scheduled for

    In the great hall of Ninth Prince''s Mansion sat a man.


    At this time, a guard came to report, so Fu Huaiyu didn''t hesitate to let them in. The guard saluted him. Anxious, he waved his hand and said in an irritated tone, "Speak."


    Seeing the fierceness in his eyes, the guard did not dare to be vague and immediately reported, "Your Highness, this subordinate found out that the rumors in the palace seemed to have come from the Concubine Xian''s palace."


    It''s actually Consort Xian? It was her? A flash of astonishment appeared in her eyes, but she was probably the only one with the ability to find out in the palace, and the only one who had the guts to spread these rumors.


    However, the rumors spread extremely fast in the palace. If he did not stop it, it would bring about a fatal disaster.


    Fu Huaiyu dangerously squinted his beautiful eyes, and said a few words with his thin lips. Is it believable? " He needed to confirm the credibility of this matter. If it really was Shen Qingwan, he would need to think about it a little more.


    The guard''s tone was firm. "Indeed."


    "This King knows." Fu Huaiyu stood up with a gloomy face, he had an idea in his mind. This matter must be resolved as soon as possible, since the news came from Shen Qingwan''s palace, he would cut off all sources.


    He did not send anyone to spread the news, but instead went in person.


    Fu Huaiyu rushed all the way to Shen Qingwan''s courtyard. There was no one who obstructed him along the way since his identity was special.


    "Ninth Prince?" Xiao Man had just walked out of the palace gate when she saw the aggressive Fu Huaiyu heading towards his palace. She hurriedly saluted, "Greetings Ninth Prince."


    Since he had urgent matters, he could only give a simple "hmm" and walk straight ahead. Xiao Man felt that something was wrong and blocked his path.


    Fu Huaiyu usually had a pair of bright and alluring peach blossom eyes, but today he had a serious look, making people feel suspicious.


    "Where is Ninth Prince going?" She blocked Fu Huaiyu, raised her eyes and looked at his peach blossom eyes and asked, "How can Ninth Prince enter and leave the imperial harem as he pleases?"


    Since he was already at the palace, he did not rush it. He stopped and looked at the woman who stopped him, a faint smile on his face, but there was a trace of contempt in his eyes. "Naturally, I am looking for Concubine Xian."


    "Does the Ninth Prince have an imperial decree? It''s not a small crime to trespass into the harem. " Xiao Man wasn''t afraid of him at all. The little girl in the palace would easily be enchanted by his peach blossom eyes. On the other hand, she was very clear-headed.


    The more he acted this way, the more interested he became. He inadvertently smiled and extended his hand, wanting to grab her chin, but she dodged.


    The unexpected result made the disdain in his eyes deepen. "Does This King even need to be restrained by you?"


    "This place is ¡­"


    "Xiao Man." Xiao Man had not even finished speaking when she heard Lian Yun walking out from the palace. She spoke in a serious tone, "Don''t be rude."


    The two people who were arguing were instantly attracted by the voice. Xiao Man pouted unwillingly after being lectured and stomped her feet in annoyance. However, Fu Huaiyu squinted his eyes, as if he wanted to see clearly what Lian Yun had done.


    Lian Yun then walked over step by step, and blessed him: "Greetings Ninth Prince."


    Her tone was calm, and she seemed much more magnanimous. Compared to Xiao Man, she was actually more difficult to deal with. Fu Huaiyu pondered, but on the surface he called her up.


    "Don''t be angry Ninth Prince, the training of the Concubine Xian Palace is strict, and ordinary men are not allowed to enter or leave the palace as they please." Lian Yun''s character and Shen Qingwan''s were somewhat similar. She had always been calm when doing things, even when facing the Ninth Prince, he had always been calm and composed, "I hope that Ninth Prince can forgive me."


    "But ¡­" Xiao Man wanted to explain more, but was stopped by Lian Yun in a low voice.


    "Alright, hurry up and go do something."


    Xiao Man felt a bit of reluctance in her heart, but there was nothing she could do. She could only give a casual bow before leaving the palace.


    Looking at her back as she left, Lian Yun then glanced at Fu Huaiyu once again, the corners of his eyes were suppressed with a sneer, the Empress''s foresight was indeed like a god. As soon as he entered the palace, she was certain that her own Empress was right.


    If she let him in that easily, it would make him suspicious, so he arranged for the little barbarian to lead the way.


    "In the end, Aunt Lian Yun is tactful." The corners of Fu Huaiyu''s mouth curled up, but he also felt disdain. To him, these people being respectful to him was only a matter of course.


    But Lian Yun did not continue, and the ridicule in her heart became even more intense, "I wonder why Ninth Prince is here?"


    "This king has something to talk to Concubine Xian about."


    Lian Yun smiled lightly, "Since you have matters to attend to, I will not dare to delay any further. It''s just that the Empress is not in the main hall, but in the west wing."


    Fu Huaiyu did not suspect her words, and going to the west wing was possible, "I will go find him myself." Today, he had to see Shen Qingwan no matter what. If she dared to spread rumors in the palace, then he must have the courage to bear the price.


    Hearing that, the smile on her face became even wider, and it carried a sense of absolute confidence, "This servant will bring Ninth Prince along." With that, she took the lead and led Fu Huaiyu to the west wing''s door, "The Empress is inside, this servant will take his leave first."


    Fu Huaiyu laughed with satisfaction, this was a man who knew his place. After watching her leave, Fu Huaiyu pushed open the door. What he did not notice was that Lian Yun did not walk far, but had instead listened to his movements from around a corner.


    When he walked in, he found that there was a screen that blocked his view. But from the reflection on the screen, it could be seen that it was a woman. She sat there motionlessly, as if she was Shen Qingwan''s personality.


    She didn''t send her palace maids to stop him, but allowed him to enter. Could it be that she already expected him to come to find her today? The more he thought about it, the more his eyebrows creased. Hearing the footsteps outside, the woman behind the screen moved slightly, as if she was tilting her head to identify the person.


    Fu Huaiyu did not hide anything and increased his speed. He bypassed the screen and walked over, his mouth raised in a charming manner, and the smile on his face immediately disappeared.


    "Why is it you?" Seeing that the woman sitting upright in front of him was actually Liu Chu Rong, Fu Huaiyu''s face became serious, and his body also felt a bit strange.


    Hearing this, Liu Chugrong raised her eyes and realized that her face was abnormally flushed. In front of her was a plate of pastries. Her lips were slightly open and her eyes were filled with a hazy desire.


    "Prince ¡­" As soon as she said that, she felt that something was wrong. Why did her voice become so hoarse? It even had a trace of charm to it.


    "Why is it you instead of Consort Xian?" He gradually realized that something was wrong, so he asked, "Did she ask you to come here?"


    How could it be so coincidental? She appeared here, and she herself appeared here. In addition to those rumors in the palace ¡­


    His mind felt heavier and heavier, and his thoughts drifted away from him. The fatigue on his body also gradually faded, and a feeling of helplessness forced him to want to continue persevering.


    At this moment, Liu Chugrong felt his body getting hotter and hotter. He desperately wanted to get rid of the cold and entangle the man in front of him, but he couldn''t stand straight either.


    In the end, Fu Huaiyu felt dizzy and powerless as he fell to the ground.

 C234 time of retraction

    Shen Qingwan sat on the beauties'' couch in the room, her hands holding onto a book on military strategies as she calmly read through it. Beside her stood a stick of incense. The incense was almost burnt to the end.


    Lian Yun carried some tea in, poured her a cup and handed it over, "Empress, drink some tea."


    Her gaze did not leave the book, and only slightly tilted her head to take the teacup from Lian Yun''s hands, before putting the book down.


    Lian Yun could not help but laugh, "The moment Empress read the book, she forgot the time." There was a hint of warning in her tone. Hearing that, Shen Qingwan could only raise her eyebrows noncommittally. Time was indeed very important, how could she forget about it?


    He turned around and glanced at the incense that was about to burn up. The corner of his mouth slowly curled up into a beautiful smile. Following her gaze, Lian Yun also looked over, a crafty look flashing past his eyes.


    She looked away and daintily touched the top of her teacup to the tea floating on the surface of the water. She took a sip. He could not help but exclaim, "The taste of the Silver Needles of Junshan is indeed excellent." This was the Silver Needle of Jun Shan mentioned by the Emperor last time. She didn''t drink it often when it was delivered to the palace, but today she felt it was very sweet and delicious.


    He only took a sip before placing it on the side of the table. He then got up leisurely. "Let''s go. It''s time to put away the net." There was a smile on his face and a hint of determination to win. He had planned for a few days, and it was about time for him to see the results.


    Lian Yun followed behind her and went straight to the west wing, gently pushing open the door but there was no movement. She walked in step by step, and the clothes of the man and woman on the ground were all messed up.


    Gradually, Shen Qingwan sped up her footsteps and moved to the position of the bed in the room. The hibiscus tent was warm, the muslin cloth was fluttering, and the two bodies in the room stuck together like that, accompanied by the breathing of the woman, caused Lian Yun''s face to unconsciously turn red.


    "You all ¡­ "You guys ¡­" Shen Qingwan''s eyes opened wide in shock, disbelief was written all over her face and eyes.


    In this ambiguous atmosphere, her frightened voice sounded extremely strange, instantly startling the two people on the bed. Fu Huaiyu''s strength had also gradually recovered, but his mind was still a little dizzy. He immediately got off Liu Yu Rong''s body out of fear.


    "How could you guys ¡­" Shen Qingwan was shocked as she covered her mouth, but her voice became louder, enough for everyone around to hear.


    "Ninth Prince and Imperial Consort Liu ¡­ You are actually doing such a thing! " Lian Yun also started to shout loudly.


    The two people on the bed woke up in a flash. Only then did Fu Huaiyu realize that his clothes were completely faded and he was together with Liu Xiurong. Furthermore, the feeling coming from his body had already told him what had just happened.


    He thought to himself, "Oh no, why would I be by her side?" Liu Xiurong was waiting furiously for him. Her face was red, and there were vague marks on her neck. She was also staring at him in fear.


    How could this be?


    Neither of them noticed the smile on Shen Qingwan''s face, which was replaced by a stern expression.


    "How dare you mess with the palace! This is a capital offense! " Shen Qing Wan coldly stared at the two of them, and then turned to Lian Yun and said: "Go and ask the Emperor to come."


    Upon hearing "Your Majesty", Liu Chu Rong immediately panicked. His face became pale as he looked at Lian Yun''s retreating back, "Don''t spout nonsense!"


    "Imperial Consort Liu should first take a good look at the good deeds he has done before making excuses." She condescendingly glanced at him with contempt and disdain in her eyes.


    "You did it!" Fu Huaiyu had already come to his senses a long time ago, why would he be here? How could Liu Chugrong appear? All of this was a conspiracy of hers!


    Shen Qing Wan smiled, but her eyes were cold. "Ninth Prince is joking, what can I do? Could it be that I was the one who tied you to the bed? "


    "You!" Astonished at her sharp tongue, he was momentarily at a loss for words to refute.


    Seeing this, her smile became even more radiant. Turning around, the couple truly made her feel uncomfortable. When she saw that scene just now, she felt it. After all ¡­


    "The two of you should think carefully about how to explain the Emperor coming here." Perhaps Fu Yuheng might have ignored the previous matter, but the matter today had truly tarnished his reputation. It was unknown whether or not he would be blamed.


    News of this spread within the palace very quickly. Fu Yuheng knew this and quickly rushed over with a gloomy face.


    "Chenqie will take part in the imperial palace." Shen Qingwan didn''t expect that he would come so quickly. She even carefully measured his expression as she bowed.


    Seeing the two''s disheveled appearance, his handsome face looked even more severe. His pair of black eyes narrowed slightly, and the stifling atmosphere grew even more oppressive because of his arrival.


    The two greeted each other in a low voice, while Liu Chugrong buried his face in his.


    "My good imperial concubine and my good little brother!" His voice was filled with endless darkness and coldness, causing people to not dare to say a single word. "What is going on?!"


    Hearing that, Lian Yun immediately knelt down, "Your majesty, it is this servant''s fault." "Ninth Prince came to the palace to talk to Concubine Xian about something important, and this servant accidentally brought you to the west wing. Afterwards, when this servant went to the east wing and found out that the Empress was there, I felt that something was wrong and immediately brought the Empress to the west wing, but I didn''t expect that ¡­" As she spoke, her voice became softer and softer. "I didn''t expect to see this scene ¡­"


    Lian Yun''s explanation only explained why the Ninth Prince appeared in the west wing, but five people knew how they rolled onto the bed with Liu Chugrong.


    "Your Majesty, we cannot entirely blame Lian Yun at this time. She had merely brought the wrong side of the house, so why would the Imperial Consort Liu and the Imperial Consort Liu ¡­ "No one knows." Just as Lian Yun finished speaking, Shen Qingwan started to plead for her.


    Fu Huaiyu''s heart was already on fire from anger, he did not expect this woman to have this ability!


    Liu Chugrong also understood that this was definitely not a coincidence. "Your Majesty, chenqie was wronged, but chenqie didn''t know! Someone is trying to harm chenqie! Your Majesty, do you believe in chenqie ¡­ "


    "framing? How do you want to frame it? " Fu Yuheng''s eyes turned increasingly cold, causing her body to involuntarily shudder.


    "Your majesty, all of this is Shen Qingwan''s scheme, it has nothing to do with chenqie. Chenqie and Ninth Prince don''t have anything to do with each other, they were framed!"


    Clutching the corner of his shirt tightly, Liu Chugrong was panicking. If he didn''t explain it clearly, it would be a dead end for him!


    "Imperial Consort Liu, this is a frame-up, right? I don''t even know what happened in the east wing, how did I come to frame you? " Shen Qing Wan pretended to be wronged and frowned, "Furthermore, this is my palace. If I were to frame you, I wouldn''t sully my own place!"


    "You bitch!" Liu Chu Rong started to curse, she was already trembling from fear, but when Fu Huaiyu saw her expression, his expression darkened, she was truly a foolish woman.

 C235 Sinking into the Celestial Prison

    "Take these two down and lock them up in the prison. We''ll wait for their orders!" Fu Yuheng ordered with an icy look in his eyes. Then, he turned his head away in disgust. He did not look at Liu Chugrong, who was still lying on the ground with an ashen face.


    "Your majesty, chenqie is wronged!" Liu Chu Rong still didn''t give up as he looked at the guards neatly walking in from outside. He used his hands and legs to throw himself at Fu Yuheng''s feet, shouting, "Chenqie, please be merciful, Your Majesty!"


    "What are you waiting for!" "Take him away!" Fu Yuheng parted his lips coldly and took a step back. He took his dragon boots out of Liu Chugrong''s embrace and quickly retreated away from him. He did not conceal the disgust in his heart at all.


    After the guard heard the order, he sped up his actions and picked up Liu Chu Rong, who was still sitting on the ground, and prepared to take her away. Just as the guard was about to leave Fu Yuheng''s side, her voice rang out once more, as if she had lost all her strength.


    "Is the emperor really going to treat chenqie like this?" Liu Chugrong''s eyes stared at him. Her body couldn''t help but tremble. Everything was settled, but she still didn''t want to give up.


    An indescribable sense of oppression had come about just like this. The last shred of desire in her eyes had also disappeared, and Shen Qingwan, who was standing at the side, had a calm expression as she watched Fu Yuheng being brought out of the west wing.


    Fu Huaiyu who was carried up by the guards did not say a word, the look of regret on his face was hard to conceal, but most of it was the unwillingness that was hidden in his heart. He had sensed that something was wrong, but he hadn''t expected that he would be tricked in the end. He had never thought that he would capsize in the sewer today.


    In the end, he had still underestimated this woman. He couldn''t blame others and could only hate himself for missing out on everything.


    Seeing that the two of them had been brought out of the west wing, Shen Qing Wan slowly walked to the emperor''s side and handed over a cup of good dragon well tea that she had instructed Lian Yun to brew, "Your majesty, drink a cup of tea, calm the fire, don''t be too angry."


    She had witnessed his reaction. If it was an act, she would not have been able to catch any traces of it.


    Fu Yuheng''s eyes narrowed. He accepted the teacup, wiped the tea from his face, and took a sip. He was not in the mood to drink tea.


    On the other side, Prime Minister Liu was rummaging through some ancient records in his study at home. Suddenly, a person entered the study in a flash. He turned his head to look, only to realize that it was one of his trusted aides from the Imperial Palace.


    "Is the news true?" Prime Minister Liu looked anxious, and couldn''t help but ask again.


    "Absolutely." His trusted aide lowered his voice, his expression somber. As soon as he received the news, he hurriedly rushed out of the palace to tell him.


    After hearing the words of his trusted aide, Prime Minister Liu''s heart trembled. This time, he was in big trouble.


    He never thought that his daughter would cause such a huge ruckus in the palace. Right now, she was still imprisoned in the prison by Fu Yuheng, but she was doted on by her family since she was young. He really couldn''t bear to see her suffer in prison.


    However, what made him even more panicked was that the matter between Liu Chugrong and Fu Huaiyu had been exposed. If he did not handle this matter well, it would be a big blow to the Liu Family. Not to mention, what crime was there to add to it? What was there to be afraid of? He might have been found out.


    The situation was critical and there was no time to delay. Prime Minister Liu hastily changed his clothes and ordered the servants to prepare a carriage.


    Fu Yuheng was flipping through the imperial reports in the hall. At this time, Sun Ning came over and reported that the Prime Minister Liu was asking for an audience.


    "Nope." Fu Yuheng''s voice was cold as he lightly pulled on his lips. He knew that the Prime Minister Liu would definitely come here to act after hearing the news, however, he did not expect it to happen so quickly. If they get entangled, we''ll drag them away. "


    "Yes, your servant will return the favor." Sun Ning bowed, then took a few steps back and left the hall.


    Prime Minister Liu felt as if his heart was thrown into an ice cellar after hearing what Sun Ning had to say.


    "This old official wishes to seek an audience with the Emperor!" While kneeling on the stone platform in the great hall, he continued to shout loudly towards the great hall, hoping that Fu Yuheng would be able to hear him.


    Fu Yuheng narrowed his sharp eyes and retracted his gaze from the imperial report. He turned a deaf ear to the incessant shouts from outside the hall. He was very clear on what this old fox was thinking in his heart.


    "Your majesty, all these years since Liu Fei entered the palace, her sincerity towards you is clear. She must have been wronged this time. Please be enlightened your majesty!" His head hit the ground, a bright rainbow appearing between his brows.


    "Didn''t the Prime Minister Liu say that the Emperor did not differentiate between black and white?" Sun Ning was still standing at the entrance of the Point Hall, looking at the Prime Minister Liu with a look of helplessness, as he replied faintly.


    Hearing that, Prime Minister Liu''s heart became even colder, he paused for a moment, then started to kowtow again, while shouting, "Your majesty! This old official has yet to speak, but I beg you, for the sake of past relations, let Liu Fei out of prison first, so that he does not have to suffer from the prison! "


    "Prime Minister Liu should return. Since the Emperor has ordered it, he will definitely not meet you today, and as people pass through the main hall, no small number of them have noticed Prime Minister Liu''s attitude. Prime Minister should return to the palace to await news." Sun Ning tried to persuade him kindly, but the Prime Minister Liu was still willing and still struggled to enter the great hall.


    Seeing that, Sun Ning gave a signal to the guards on both sides, and they immediately pulled Prime Minister Liu who was paralyzed on the ground away.


    After Shen Qingwan sent the emperor off, she stayed in her own palace, recalling everything that happened. She knew that Fu Yuheng must be making use of this opportunity to get rid of the Liu Family and Fu Huaiyu, and all that she had done before was to help him.


    "Esteemed wangfei, let''s eat a piece of pastry. What happened just now has troubled the Empress quite a bit. This is a personally made ice skin osmanthus cake made by this servant. It would be great if it could be matched with this West Lake Longjing Tea." Lian Yun held onto a jade coloured osmanthus cake, and then placed the newly brewed tea onto the table.


    "You were the one who thought it through." Shen Qingwan took a sip of the tea and her voice became warmer. It didn''t sound like the scream that Liu Xiugrong had made when he was still here.


    The reason why she had Wen Ling poison Fu Huaiyu before was so that he wouldn''t be able to clear his head, which was why she was able to walk step by step into her trap today. And today in the west wing, it was due to her ordering someone to mix with the drugs that had the antidote to the medicine that had caused him to faint all of a sudden.


    "This servant truly admires the Empress for her divine foresight. Even if the Ninth Prince were to take the bait obediently." Lian Yun said happily as she poured tea for Shen Qingwan from the side.


    Shen Qing Wan''s thin lips curved upwards, feeling that Lian Yun was naive, how could he have expected such a thing like a god? He had to think about it, pay close attention to the details, and then, slowly pull out the cocoon, only then would he be able to finish the big plan.

 C236 profundity of mind

    On the other hand, Fu Huaiyu was already imprisoned in the Sky Prison. But since he was still the Emperor''s blood brother, the conditions of the cell were naturally much better.


    "Ninth Prince, your subordinate has been slow." Although there was a smile on the jailer''s face, the mockery in his eyes was obvious.


    As long as they were imprisoned, so what if they were royalty? Not to mention, he had heard that Fu Huaiyu was involved with a dignified imperial concubine, so Fu Yuheng naturally could not let him off so easily.


    Thinking about that, he became even more pleased. Fu Huaiyu glanced at him, that glance was sharp, as if he wanted to cut that person into ten thousand pieces.


    These dog slaves looked down on him. Even if he was put in jail, he still had not made up his mind. If he went out, he would die a horrible death!


    The prison guard laughed, as if he felt that Fu Huaiyu was overestimating himself. After entering the cell, he still didn''t know how to control himself, and thought that he was Ninth Prince! The head of the prison shook his head disdainfully and walked out, "Ninth Prince should just rest well. If I''m lucky, maybe I can wait for the emperor to give me a break."


    "Scram!" Fu Huaiyu growled out in a low voice, the unwillingness in his heart pushed to its greatest limit.


    In truth, this was what he said, but everyone knew that once you entered the Heavenly Prison, even if Fu Yuheng was willing to let you off the hook, he would still suffer greatly.


    He realized that everything that had happened was definitely not a coincidence. Now that he thought about it, it was all her scheme. Before, he was still a little uncertain, but now he felt that it could be confirmed.


    She had expected that he would go to the palace to find her. She had arranged for Liu Xiaguang to be drugged in the west wing, but why did he suddenly faint? This was something that he had yet to figure out. If Lian Yun had not consumed enough time, in addition to the fact that she could not have administered the poison under his nose, it would be impossible for her to do so.


    A pair of bright and beautiful peach blossom eyes gradually became gloomy, its eyes dangerously squinted with a dark light. Could it be that besides the spy at his side? She really was a good method to be able to contact even the people beside her. If he had cooperated with her back then ¡­


    Thinking of this, he slowly clenched his hands in his sleeves. Liu Chugrong was too disappointing, she actually fell into Shen Qingwan''s trap so easily! It was not easy for him to hold on until now, but it was all destroyed!


    His chest rose and fell due to anger. He used one hand to brush the kettle on the table and knocked over the table. His plan had been ruined. How could he swallow his anger?


    Fu Huaiyu''s indignation and Fu Yuheng''s carefree attitude were in stark contrast. At this moment, a trace of happiness flashed in his eyes as he looked at Sun Ning, who was reporting the information below.


    "Ninth Prince has already been captured in the palace. As for Hu Youshan ¡­" The corner of Sun Ning''s mouth curled into a satisfied smile. He could finally retract the net.


    "The emperor is very scheming. This time, Ninth Prince has no excuse to escape." Sun Ning couldn''t help but to praise his scheme. He originally thought that it would be easy to scheme for a period of time, but he didn''t expect it to be completed so early.


    Speaking till this point, he thought about the lady who had an indifferent expression. She could take down Fu Huaiyu with ease, she was indeed a woman that he had his eyes on. He unconsciously lifted the corner of his mouth as a trace of gratification flashed across his eyes. He spoke in a low and melodious voice, "This is not my credit."


    Hearing this, Sun Ning frowned. He did not know why Fu Yuheng would say such a thing, but Sun Ning only thought that it was his humble excuse.


    After immersing himself for a while, he straightened his expression, solemnly looked at Sun Ning and said, "Hu Youshan can finally settle this, you can send people over to settle it."


    "Yes, your servant will send someone to handle it." Joy appeared on Sun Ning''s face. He was happy that Fu Yuheng was finally able to suppress the Ninth Prince''s rebellion. Fortunately, there was no bloodbath.


    Looking at Sun Ning''s leaving figure, his eyes shone like torches, his thoughts floated far away.


    In the imperial power, there were no brothers.


    Fu Yuheng tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. A trace of affection flashed across his eyes. It was all thanks to her this time. Otherwise, he would probably need a long time.


    But how she did it, he was actually curious.


    He put away the case, got up and walked outside.


    It was the beginning of spring, and the grass on the ground was letting out a green mist. Shen Qingwan, dressed in white, sat in the middle of the yard.


    "Truly, it has been three days since I last saw him. I should have a whole new level of respect for him." Fu Yuheng approached with a smile on his face. "I didn''t expect that my concubine would be so intelligent."


    Shen Qingwan was a little startled upon hearing his words, but kept it to herself, "Your majesty praises me too much. Chenqie didn''t do much. Chenqie just did what chenqie was supposed to do and wanted to share Your Majesty''s worries." Her tone was as indifferent as before, but her expression was slightly raised, with a hint of complacency on her face.


    Since he had already guessed it, there was no need for her to hide it any longer.


    Fu Yuheng sat down next to her and helped himself to a cup of tea. He twirled the tea on his finger tip, "Now, other than the two hidden dangers, there''s only one stone and two birds. I''m afraid even I can''t think of such a plan, thanks to you. "It looks like it''s my fortune to meet you." There was a teasing look in his eyes, but it was actually what he was thinking.


    If she had not reminded him, he would not have realized that the person he had been ignoring had actually had ill intentions towards him, and that would have given him a fright. Fortunately, he had discovered it in time. This was the only way he could prevent anything from happening ahead of time.


    Shen Qingwan did not refuse, and only gave a shallow smile. She stared at the teacup in his hand, "Is the emperor praising chenqie?" This made him seem a bit more mischievous, and the alert between her brows loosened.


    He nodded his head and blew on the steam coming from the tea as he slowly took a sip. He always loved to drink tea, but he felt that the tea here was much better than elsewhere. Perhaps because he was in a good mood.


    "Of course, beloved concubine, do you want any rewards?" He reached out and pulled her into his embrace.


    She shook her head instead. "Right now, it isn''t appropriate for the emperor to give chenqie any sort of reward. Something like this just happened in the palace; this is the emperor''s way of showing too much pleasure. I''m afraid someone might fall ill!"


    Compared to his happy expression, she was much calmer. When these words left his mouth, it didn''t make him pause for a moment. On the contrary, he had forgotten such an important matter because he was relieved. He slightly shook his head, finding it a little funny. Right now, it was not as clear as the girl in his embrace thought it was.


    "Forget it, we can discuss about it after this matter. I am rather curious about your methods. Can you tell me what you think?" Thinking of the reason for his visit, Fu Yuheng changed the topic.


    But Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes. "Doesn''t Your Majesty think that chenqie is being too scheming?" Even she herself felt a little unwell ¡­

 C237 Empress Dowagers Reminder

    It was rare for Shen Qingwan to have such an attitude, but Fu Yuheng felt that it was exceptionally moving. He reached out his hand to stroke her hair, shook his head and said, "Of course not, there are some things that are forced to be done in this world. If you ask me how deep your heart is, wouldn''t it be unforgivable? Moreover, these two people really should be cleaned up now. "


    He had been controlled by the Prime Minister Liu even after he had ascended the throne for so long. Although it was not very obvious now, he still felt uncomfortable. As for Fu Huaiyu, this Ninth Brother whom he had never held in high regard, actually had thoughts of rebelling.


    Ever since he knew Fu Huaiyu''s thoughts, he had been looking for an opportunity to give him a crime. Shen Qingwan''s way of doing things had helped him. As for the profoundness of his mind, if he was able to reach the throne in this palace, how could he be lacking blood and gore? Compared to her, he was even better.


    "Your Majesty, since you know about this matter, how do you plan to deal with it?" It''s true that the Ninth Prince and the Imperial Consort Liu are a mess, but it''s your ninth brother after all. " Hearing this, the confusion in her eyes gradually disappeared and was replaced with clarity. Right now was not the time to think about such things. Furthermore, the reason she dared to frame two people like this was because she knew what he was thinking.


    However, at this moment, Fu Yuheng had fallen silent. The image of the two leaving just a moment ago still appeared before his eyes. His gaze was filled with unwillingness and malice. "I haven''t thought about this yet. My beloved concubine, there''s no need to think any further." After a moment of silence, he stood up and spoke slowly. He was still most worried about the Empress Dowager.


    Now, although he respected the empress dowager, he wasn''t his own mother, but Fu Huaiyu''s birth mother. Now that Fu Huaiyu had been sentenced to prison, he would definitely be scolded. And if things went on like this, he and the empress dowager would inevitably fall out.


    "The emperor told chenqie not to think too much. Chenqie should be more at ease with the emperor." Knowing the reason behind his silence, Shen Qingwan opened her mouth again.


    She knew this Empress Dowager very well. Even though it seemed like he didn''t care about the affairs of the country and didn''t care about anything, he was actually very protective of his own people. As a mother, she would have guessed Fu Huaiyu''s temper, but she did not try to stop him. However, the two of them seemed to be very strange, as if they had never met each other before. But perhaps the empress dowager already knew the news.


    "It''s better for the emperor to sit down and rest for a while. Things have just progressed, so it''s better not to worry too much. After all, the emperor still has to deal with the rest of the matters."


    Fu Yuheng nodded. However, just as he took a sip of tea, the empress dowager sent someone over. "Your majesty, Esteemed Empress Dowager has invited you."


    Looking at Wu mama, Shen Qingwan faintly smiled, as she expected.


    The reason the empress dowager asked the Gui mama to personally come and notify him this time was definitely because of Fu Huaiyu. After exchanging a glance with him helplessly, Fu Yuheng headed for the empress dowager''s palace.


    She could only hope that the empress dowager didn''t say anything too excessive. After all, Fu Huaiyu''s crimes could already be punished by death.


    After reaching the ancestral hall, Wu mama left, leaving behind two people.


    "You''re here." Hearing the commotion, the Empress Mother slowly stood up from the praying mat, ignoring Fu Yuheng who extended his hand in an attempt to support her.


    How could she not worry when her own son was captured and sent to prison? "There''s no need to pay respects to This Dowager. This Dowager only wants to ask you, is the news from the palace true?" Her Majesty''s eyes were fixed on him, as if she was trying to find the slightest flaw in his words.


    Fu Yuheng nodded as he saw the empress dowager''s feigned calmness. "Yes, the two of them were still undressed when Zhen arrived." If not for Consort Xian discovering us, I''m afraid that we would not even know that such a huge hat has appeared. " His tone was filled with anger.


    He was the Emperor, the Ninth Paragon. It had always been someone else''s duty to respect him and please him. How could he not be angry? Although this was planned by someone, the fact that the two of them colluded with each other was a fact.


    "That''s your ninth brother. Have you thought about how to deal with him?" The empress dowager''s eyes burned as she looked at him. No matter what, that was her flesh and blood. She could not allow him to be convicted just like that.


    Everyone said that blood was thicker than water. Even though their relationship was not very good, it was still the result of her giving birth to a child in October.


    Fu Yuheng avoided her gaze unintentionally. He knew that the empress dowager might not know about Fu Huaiyu''s plan to rebel, but he could not say it clearly either. "Please take a rest. We will make a decision on this matter." Xiao Yan gently waved his sleeves and his lips moved a couple of times. In the end, he was unable to say anything.


    "You! "Forget it, my words are useless ¡­" A tear fell from the corner of her eye. She was the empress dowager now, but he was the emperor, and the world was his after all. The thing she didn''t want to see the most was probably something that could no longer be saved.


    Fu Yuheng knew what she was thinking, but he still resolutely left.


    Time seemed to be struggling with him, and these few days passed by very slowly. Fortunately, he was able to talk with Shen Qingwan from time to time, which made his mood a lot better.


    "Your Majesty, the great hall is up ahead." Seeing that he was in a good mood, Sun Gonggong reminded him softly from behind. He believed that Fu Yuheng would understand what he had to say.


    Right now, it was not just the imperial court, he had to face all the ministers and officials of the imperial court, so their attitude towards Fu Huaiyu would definitely be different. There would be a lot of differences in opinion, and as his personal father-in-law, he was afraid that Fu Yuheng would feel annoyed.


    "I know, I want to see what these old things can say now." Fu Yuheng nodded and strode into the great hall. Under the gazes of the crowd, he sat down on the dragon throne, one step at a time.


    "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" When the courtiers saw Fu Yuheng enter, they all knelt down to pay their respects. After receiving the command, they all stood up in unison. They looked at each other as if they had something to say.


    As for the always active Prime Minister Liu, he closed his eyes and lowered his head, not daring to even raise his head to look at Fu Yuheng. He had begged him for so long, but not only had he not succeeded, he had even been seen as a joke by others.


    What they wanted to talk about was naturally Fu Huaiyu, and the news of him being imprisoned in the Sky Prison quickly spread throughout the capital, but most of the people knew that he and Liu Chu Rong were in a mess, and very few people knew the truth, so many people wanted to plead on Fu Huaiyu''s behalf.


    "Your majesty, this subject believes that the Ninth Prince may be at fault, but it''s not a crime worthy of death." The first one to speak was the one with the best relationship with Prime Minister Liu, Vice Minister Li Yuhang. In the past, he was on the same side as the Prime Minister Liu, so he knew a lot of things, but now that he thought about it, he might just follow the wrong camp.


    But even though he was not a small official, he was still raised up by the Prime Minister Liu, and the only one he could rely on now was him. Furthermore, the matter between the Ninth Prince and Imperial Consort Liu would definitely not be a small blow to the Prime Minister Liu. If the Prime Minister Liu lost his power, then it would probably not be an easy thing for him to do in the future, even if he were to face hundreds of civil and military officials.

 C238 private elite soldier

    Fu Yuheng, wearing a dragon robe, sat on the dragon throne and coldly looked at Prime Minister Liu who was standing below him upon hearing his words. Was this the helper he had found after pleading for help? The biggest taboo in the imperial court was forming alliances.


    In the past, it was fine if the Prime Minister Liu was like this, but now, a good opportunity had come knocking on his door ¡­ If something like this were to happen, he should have restrained himself.


    "You think?" Looking at Li Yuhang, Fu Yuheng smiled faintly, making it difficult for one to tell his or his emotions. Li Yuhang also nodded brazenly, thinking that he heard it.


    "This isn''t right, your majesty." There were also others who were against this, and the older man stepped forward to stop him. He had already felt that the Prime Minister Liu was not a good official, but now, it had become even more corrupt.


    Fu Yuheng raised an eyebrow, indicating for him to continue. He wanted to see how many officials in the imperial court were reasonable.


    "Your Majesty, although this Ninth Prince is your own brother, he is of royal blood. But the Son of Heaven should be guilty of the same crime as the people, and should not be forgiven. And for him to do such a thing, it is simply a disgrace to our country. " Seeing him nod his head, the Grand Scholar continued to express his opinion.


    "Therefore, from this old official''s point of view, this matter cannot be appeased. It still requires a severe punishment." He did not intend to target Fu Huaiyu, he just focused on the matter.


    She looked up at him, waiting to hear his decision. Fu Yuheng merely smiled and did not speak, giving Li Yuhang an opportunity to continue refuting his words.


    "The Grand Scholar''s words aren''t wrong, but Ninth Prince isn''t an ordinary prince. He is the empress dowager''s own son, and during the Jiangnan flood last time, Ninth Prince did a great service." Li Yuhang glared at the talkative Grand Scholar, intending to use Fu Huaiyu''s contribution to speak up. But in his heart, he was panicking. Prime Minister Liu should have been able to speak a few words at this time.


    At this time, the Prime Minister Liu wished that Fu Yuheng would not be able to see him. But in the end, the imperial harem and the previous dynasty were still separated, so he only needed to work for the Emperor more in the future. But he was more worried about whether or not his relationship with Fu Huaiyu had been exposed.


    "So what if you have merits? "Don''t you see what kind of thing he did this time? This is a great disrespect to the emperor!" The Grand Scholar also retaliated with an unyielding stance. He lightly raised his hands and cupped his fists towards his seat, but his eyes were staring straight at Li Yuhang.


    Some of the people in the hall who were colluding with others had started to talk about the matter, some were in favor of letting Fu Huaiyu go, and some were in favor of punishing him severely. Fu Yuheng knitted his brows and listened for a while before telling everyone to shut up.


    Everyone immediately went silent. The great hall was completely silent as everyone looked at the bright yellow figure sitting in the seat of honor.


    "I know that all my loved ones are doing this for me, Ninth Prince is indeed my royal brother, and has contributed greatly. Furthermore, although this matter is wrong, it is still a matter of the imperial harem. " Glancing at the crowd, Fu Yuheng calmly spoke.


    The Vice Minister Li thought that he was going to let Fu Huaiyu go and looked at the Grand Scholar proudly. However, his next sentence scared him out of his wits.


    "But now, this matter is not only related to the harem, but also the entire river and mountains! Ninth Prince was secretly raising his private troops at Hu Youshan''s place, the various loved ones said, if he were to be charged with this, how will he be punished? " As he said this, Fu Yuheng''s face was filled with disgust.


    He really didn''t expect that this royal brother of his had such ambition and actually had the guts to covet his throne!


    This... This was a heinous crime!


    When the ministers heard this, they all looked at each other in shock, completely at a loss as to how to continue the debate. They were raising their own private soldiers. This was a rebellion. Furthermore, the matter of him and Imperial Consort Liu being in a mess was just an introduction, they did not know what kind of role Prime Minister Liu was in here.


    They looked at each other, and in the end, their gazes were all focused on the shocked and despairing Prime Minister Liu, their eyes filled with curiosity.


    "Your majesty, this humble subject is guilty. I haven''t found out the ins and outs of the matter, I ask that Your Majesty punish me." Li Yuhang kneeled down with a ''putong''. It was a huge crime to exonerate this criminal.


    However, on the surface, he seemed worried, but in his heart, he was also blaming the Prime Minister Liu. He actually didn''t tell him earlier that the conspiracy between him and Fu Huaiyu had also been discovered.


    "Those who do not know are innocent. We have not fully investigated this matter. Let''s discuss it in the future." Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Fu Yuheng did not continue to scare them. He waved his hand and announced that he was retreating towards him.


    The rest of the officials looked at the mighty Prime Minister Liu with different expressions before finally leaving on their own. Prime Minister Liu, who had not spoken a word, tremblingly returned to his own residence.


    "It''s over, it''s all over." Once they reached the manor, the Prime Minister Liu paced back and forth. Fu Huaiyu had already lost, and if he went to him, he would probably be dragged into the water as well. He didn''t expect that the matter of the conspiracy would be discovered. The entire Liu Estate would probably die by now.


    In addition to what happened to Liu Chugrong in the palace, he actually became sick in despair.


    With the fall of Prime Minister Liu''s backer, Fu Huaiyu, as well as the fact that he was bedridden, this was undoubtedly a good opportunity. Fu Yuheng''s mood improved greatly.


    Sun Ning entered the imperial study with a face full of joy and bowed towards him, his voice even louder than before, "Your servant greets the emperor."


    A smug look flashed across his face for a moment before he suppressed it down. He put on a stern expression and said, with the demeanor of a king, "What is it?" His voice was slightly heavy, and his deep black eyes looked over at him in high spirits.


    "Hu Youshan has sent the news and it has been successfully completed." Sun Ning''s voice was unable to conceal his joy, the grand plan that he had planned for so long had finally been completed.


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng was not surprised, but his gaze wandered for a moment before shifting away from his body. This was within his expectations, "Continue to send a portion of people to protect Hu Youshan, so that no one will pay attention to him." In order to ensure that this matter was done cleanly, he could not slack off in the slightest.


    "This servant knows."


    He gave a light "En" and told him to leave. His bottomless black eyes narrowed as he looked towards that direction. The corner of his mouth slightly curled up as he revealed a mocking smile.


    He was overestimating himself.


    And at this time, the Ninth Prince''s Mansion had already been thrown into chaos. Within a night, the Ninth Prince had been imprisoned and no one dared to come forward to plead for mercy. The lord of one of the residences was imprisoned, and the imperial court had yet to give Fu Huaiyu and the Imperial Consort Liu a clear crime, so it was not good for them to make a move against the Duke Palaces.


    Fu Yuheng had only sent troops to guard the Ninth Prince''s Mansion to prevent anyone from entering or exiting it. This was merely catching a turtle in a jar, but being convicted was only a matter of time. The reason he had sealed the Ninth Prince''s Mansion was to prevent his subordinates from being able to rebel.

 C239 Warming Ridge Rescue

    Mo Zilian who was in Ninth Prince''s Mansion was even more anxious. The people in the imperial court were currently watching over him tightly, the people outside could not enter, and the people inside could not go out. What should he do?


    After all, the Ninth Prince had been his savior before. Even if he had to use his life in exchange, he definitely had to save the Ninth Prince.


    The butler frowned as he saw the anxious look on Dudian''s face. "What should I do?"


    "We must not sit still and wait for death, and we must not let down the expectations of the Ninth Prince!" Mo Zilian''s face turned gloomy, the playboy look had disappeared and was replaced with a stern face: "I need to think of a way to save Ninth Prince!"


    "But how?" The butler was infected by his words and also held onto hope: "Jailbreak?"


    "No way!" The risk of a prison break was too great. If it was not possible, he would just throw his wife away and break his army, "We want to exchange the Ninth Prince for them." He had transferred the Ninth Prince from the prison out without anyone noticing, and then planned to kill the Emperor in surprise!


    Hearing this, the housekeeper''s eyes immediately lit up. This was a good idea, so the two of them began to prepare.


    While the two of them were plotting, Wen Ling was thinking about something else in the other courtyard of Ninth Prince''s Mansion. Now that the Ninth Prince''s Mansion was surrounded, it wouldn''t take more than a few days before they die, but she didn''t want to die.


    What''s more, she was working for Shen Qingwan now, and she promised her that she would send her away. With that in mind, she wanted to leave the house. The house could not stay any longer, if the people from Ninth Prince found out that she was a traitor, then the only road left for her was death.


    She pretended to be calm as she walked to the entrance of the mansion, but she was stopped by a guard at the entrance.


    "Halt!" The guard blocked her way expressionlessly, "No one is allowed to leave the manor!"


    "Master Guan, I am just an unfavoured concubine in Ninth Prince. I really don''t know what he has done. I hope Master Guan can let me leave the palace as soon as possible." She was pretending to be pitiful, but her tearful look really made people''s hearts ache. However, the guard in front of her was unmoved.


    "No one is allowed to leave the mansion without an order!" The guard''s expression was still cold as he coldly said.


    When he raised his eyes, he pretended to be delicate and touching, "Sir, please take pity on this little girl. This little girl is alone, I just want to live a peaceful life, I don''t want to be imprisoned, ah!"


    Her voice was mournful, but the guards still ignored her. If she was an obedient girl, how could she climb up to Fu Huaiyu? Furthermore, the Ninth Prince''s Mansion was a place guarded by the imperial court, who would dare make the slightest mistake?


    "Sir Guan ¡­" She wanted to continue crying, but the guard had already impatiently pulled out his sword and threatened, "Go back!"


    When Wen Ling saw the swords, he immediately turned pale with fright. With a trace of anger in his eyes, he finally left one by one.


    When they returned to her courtyard, she was even more worried. It seemed that Fu Yuheng did not plan to let Fu Huaiyu off lightly, as the current Ninth Prince''s Mansion had already become a living hell!


    But she wasn''t going to sit still and wait for death. She still had Shen Qingwan as her backer, so she took out the messenger pigeon.


    After she had written her creed, she put the pigeon away, placed all her bets on him, and said that she would arrange for her to leave when she was done. Now was the time. If she did not leave now, she would not be able to escape death.


    But the pigeon startled Mo Zilian, those who were still communicating with the outside world must be Ninth Prince''s Mansion''s spies.


    He wanted to stop the carrier pigeon, but it still managed to escape. Fortunately, he clearly saw the direction of the carrier pigeon; it was Wen Ling''s residence. His eyes were blazing with fire. He never thought that Wen Ling would actually become a traitor, and what he hated the most was betrayal!


    Almost instantaneously, he broke into Wen Ling''s courtyard and placed one hand on her neck, causing her to be unable to breathe.


    "AHH!" The sudden attack caused Wen Ling to lose his ability to think. He could only hear the man''s cold voice that sounded as if it came from hell.


    "Slut!" Who do you communicate with? You are actually the traitor of Ninth Prince''s Mansion! " The dark expression on his face was emitted from his eyes as if they were solid.


    When Wen Ling saw who it was, his eyes widened in shock. His eyes flickered with unease and panic. Had he already been exposed?


    His two hands reached out to help him hold on to his neck, "Let go of me ¡­" I didn''t, I didn''t betray, I didn''t betray Ninth Prince ¡­ " Even at the very last moment, she could not admit that he had lost her life to someone else ¡­


    "You still dare to argue! "Humph!" He saw it clearly. The carrier pigeon had flown away from her courtyard, so she could not stay. At this point, she would rather kill a hundred wrongly than to let off a single one.


    She knew how she would explain that he would not be able to be trusted, so she shouted, "Help! "Help!"


    Mo Zilian realized that her intention was to increase the power in her hands, but the guards in the courtyard had already rushed in and pulled out their swords, "Let go!"


    The Emperor ordered the people of the Ninth Prince''s Mansion to not go in or out of the city without any accidents.


    Initially, Mo Zilian wanted to kill her easily, but after thinking about how he had abandoned his plan to save Fu Huaiyu, he angrily let go of Wen Ling, who was already exhausted. At this time, it was not wise to make a sound or attract attention. She fiercely glared at him with murderous intent flickering in her eyes.


    "Go back to your own residence, you''re not allowed to walk around without permission!" The guard escorted him back. Although he was unwilling, he still resigned himself to his fate and returned.


    Next time, he would definitely not spare Wen Ling, the woman who betrayed the Ninth Prince.


    Wen Ling, who had fallen to the ground, coughed violently. His face was flushed red and the thought of suffocation caused his heart to feel empty. If she had been even a second later, her life would have been taken!


    Shen Qingwan, who was at the palace, frowned as she received Wen Ling''s carrier pigeon. She had indeed forgotten about it. After placing the carrier pigeon back in her room and putting away the slip of paper, she stood up and went to the imperial study. Sun Ning did not stop her, and allowed her to go straight ahead.


    "Your majesty, chenqie has something to begin with." After blessing the person seated in the seat of honor, she lightly said, "May Your Majesty pardon Ninth Prince''s concubine Wen Ling''s life."


    Hearing that, Fu Yuheng''s black eyes narrowed, as he was extremely dissatisfied with the three words "Ninth Prince".


    Shen Qingwan saw his displeasure and calmly continued, "This is a deal between me and her."


    "Oh? "Trade?" Fu Yuheng raised his eyebrows with interest as he looked at her with a somewhat complicated gaze. "I wonder what kind of deal it is?"


    "It was Wen Ling who helped Chenqie in grasping the movements of the Ninth Prince. The Emperor could also take over the Ninth Prince in one go." "That''s why, chenqie implored the Emperor to save Wen Ling. If the people of Ninth Prince''s Mansion find that something is amiss, they will take her life." "His Majesty is an enlightened ruler of an era. He will definitely save Wen Ling."


    There was always a way for an intelligent woman to make others unable to resist her, and Shen Qingwan was such a woman.

 C240 soothe Wuling

    Since she had already said so, he seemed to have no reason to refuse. Fu Yuheng raised his eyebrows. He really wanted to ask a reason. "My beloved concubine is right. But what if I have to ask?" There was a hint of ridicule in Qing Qing''s voice.


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan lightly furrowed her brows and slowly bowed. "Then chenqie can only apologize to the emperor. I''m afraid that chenqie can''t say." She had purposefully left him in suspense. There were some things she didn''t want him to know. After all, as the Emperor, he must have some scruples regarding his betrayal.


    What''s more ¡­ No matter what, he would never be able to understand her thoughts. Love breeds hatred, but it was a common occurrence in this world. He would just help her hide it when she left the capital.


    "Whatever, since my beloved concubine has spoken, then I shall be a bit more lenient." This woman''s life can be forgiven, but as for how to bring her out, that will depend on yourself. " Seeing Shen Qingwan insist like this, Fu Yuheng did not ask any further questions.


    He could roughly guess what Shen Qingwan was thinking. Such an intelligent woman must have her own ways of doing things. If it was an ordinary concubine, he would definitely nod his head without hesitation. However, Wen Ling was different.


    She was someone from Fu Huaiyu''s residence, and Fu Huaiyu had thoughts of conspiring against her, so she was probably not a good person either. He had been surrounded by people from the Ninth Prince''s Mansion to prevent any problems from happening, but now that he brought his men out, it was definitely going to be troublesome.


    "Chenqie thanks Your Majesty." Seeing Fu Yuheng agree with a slight smile and an indescribable gentleness, Shen Qingwan felt grateful in her heart.


    He must be very wary of Fu Huaiyu''s thoughts, to think he could actually go easy on his. How could she not be moved by this? Although her original intention in bribing Wenling was to help Fu Yuheng.


    "Exempt from formalities, other than other people''s matters, does the beloved concubine have nothing else to say to me?" He looked expectantly at Shen Qingwan, he hadn''t touched her for a long time.


    Shen Qingwan frowned as she thought about it. She didn''t quite understand what Fu Yuheng meant, but a moment later, she seemed to have thought of something and continued to speak, causing the man in front of her to have a cold expression.


    "Yes, but chenqie said not to blame chenqie for this." Hearing Fu Yuheng''s mischievous tone, Fu Yuheng felt very comfortable and hurriedly nodded in agreement.


    Shen Qing Wan gave a look to Lian Yun, who was beside her, to allow her to bring the servants down. Lian Yun then took them all away, and when she was the only one left in the room, she spoke in a serious tone: "Your majesty, chenqie wants to ask for a death sentence. If you want a woman, chenqie has uses for it." Since he had already decided to save Wen Ling, he must choose the most appropriate method.


    Once the matter of Fu Huaiyu''s conspiracy was exposed, everyone in Ninth Prince''s Mansion would probably die with him. Wen Ling was no exception. If he wanted to bring her out, then he must prepare in advance. At that time, he would have to replace Wen Ling with a death sentence ¡­


    "Death row?" Fu Yuheng raised an eyebrow in surprise at her bold idea, but he immediately understood. After a moment, he calmed down and said, "Alright. I''ve agreed to it."


    Ye Zichen looked at her eyes playfully while holding her chin. The light from her eyes seemed to be more and more interesting.


    Shen Qingwan was also preparing to go to the Ninth Prince''s Mansion after receiving his permission. Wen Ling was probably getting anxious, he didn''t know how much she had suffered in the palace.


    "Empress, there''s no need for Empress to be in such a hurry, is there? She''s just an informant, nothing more." Lian Yun consoled her as she saw her anxious look. She did not have a good impression of Wen Ling.


    The first time he saw her, he didn''t like her. That kind of girl who had her eyes high up didn''t make people feel comfortable just by looking at her. Furthermore, she betrayed her husband so easily. She didn''t seem like a good person at all.


    "Shut up." Shen Qing Wan glared at Lian Yun and said, "She has also helped me a lot. Although it''s a deal, it doesn''t mean that I have to destroy the bridge after crossing the river." Without Wen Ling''s help, she probably wouldn''t have succeeded. After all, it was rare for him to be so vigilant.


    If he didn''t have that medicine, even if he knew that Fu Huaiyu had thoughts of betraying him, even if he told Fu Yuheng, he wouldn''t have any evidence at all. Secondly, he had the support of the Prime Minister Liu, so it would be difficult to take him down.


    "Yes." This servant knows her wrongs. " After being scolded by her, Lian Yun did not speak anymore and followed her to Ninth Prince''s Mansion.


    The once grand and majestic manor was now a little desolate. The commoners passing by were all pointing at it, their words filled with resentment and disbelief.


    "Let''s go." Shen Qingwan looked at him coldly for a moment before she used her identity card to enter the house. Her world was cold and she couldn''t say anything more. Ye Ci found her courtyard on Wen Ling''s letter, but she was still startled when she saw it.


    In just a few short days, that beautiful girl had actually turned into this appearance. The most frightening part was the deep purple scratches on her neck.


    "When Wen Ling saw her, he immediately rushed over." "Empress, Empress, you''ve finally come." After kneeling down in front of her, Wen Ling couldn''t help but burst into tears. She thought that she wouldn''t be bothered about it after she used it, but luckily it didn''t disappoint her.


    "Get up and tell me what happened to you." Lifting her up, she pointed at her neck and asked.


    Wiping away the tears on his face, Wen Ling recounted what happened that day.


    Fu Huaiyu was already in prison, so his subordinates should have restrained themselves for his sake and actually dared to kill.


    "Alright, I understand. It seems that you are in danger here." Shen Qingwan softly said as he handed over the medicine he brought with his. Fortunately, he brought the medicine with his due to his frequent injuries.


    "But you don''t need to worry. Even if the Ninth Prince is a death sentence, I have the ability to save you." Knowing what Wen Ling cared about the most, she continued to speak.


    When Wen Ling heard her words, he also let out a sigh of relief. It was good that he survived, so he didn''t ask what the method was. "But I''m afraid that he might be killed before you can save me."


    She still had some lingering fear over the matter of Mo Zilian making a move against her. If not for his then struggling with all his might, he would have already lost his life.


    "Yes, I understand." Shen Qing Wan wanted to protect her so she definitely wouldn''t let her die.


    As he dragged Wen Ling out of the room, the guards outside all greeted Shen Qing Wan when they saw her.


    "No need to be courteous, this person is a key figure. You must protect him well, and no one is allowed to get close to him." As long as the guards were around, no one would be able to harm Wen Ling on the surface. If she waited any longer, she would definitely save her.


    "Yes." The guard had to obey orders and nod his head. After settling all the matters, Shen Qing Wan brought Lian Yun and prepared to leave. Wen Ling could be considered safe now, after that, it would be Fu Huaiyu''s greatest calamity.

 C241 Jiangnan foothold

    On the way back, the more she thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong. How could his subordinates be so daring? "


    His footsteps paused for a moment, and then he suddenly recalled Fu Yuheng''s words about Fu Huaiyu possibly having a substitute. Since she could use a death sentence to exchange Wen Ling for one, then Fu Huaiyu should be able to ¡­


    Thinking of this, Shen Qingwan couldn''t help but nod her head. Furthermore, once Fu Huaiyu went out, what kind of things would they face ¡­ Shen Qingwan didn''t dare to think further.


    "Hurry up, I need to get back to the palace as soon as possible." Right now, she could only quickly tell Fu Yuheng the news. Even if she was overthinking it, she should still be prepared for it. They would rather believe it to be true than not.


    It was already night by the time they arrived at the palace. However, Shen Qingwan was not in the mood to rest. She changed her clothes and headed towards his sleeping quarters. The anxious look in her eyes caused Fu Yuheng to feel a little puzzled.


    "What happened? Did something happen?" Fu Yuheng gently said as he pulled Shen Qingwan along. He really couldn''t think of anything that could cause her to lose her composure. Furthermore, she had even directly arrived at his chambers.


    "Nothing happened. It''s just that chenqie remembered something." Perhaps chenqie was overthinking things. But Your Majesty, you should listen to chenqie speak. I''m afraid this matter ¡­ " Shen Qingwan shook her head and bit her lips, "Chenqie only suddenly thought of it. I hope the emperor won''t take offense to it."


    "Oh? "What is it? Tell me." He frowned slightly as he reached out his hand to brush away her tightly biting lips.


    "It''s about the double ¡­" She told him what she had in mind without changing a single bit, and her eyes turned serious.


    He did not feel that she was just making a guess out of nowhere. Since Fu Huaiyu had been able to endure by his side for so many years, it was enough to see his personality.


    "Yes, I understand." Fu Yuheng nodded with furrowed brows. Now, the people outside only knew about him and Liu Chugrong, and thought that they were just messing around in the palace.


    The ministers of the imperial court knew something, but they couldn''t let him kill Fu Huaiyu now. He still needed some evidence. Shen Qingwan knew that he was worried, so she also pondered on the side.


    At the same time, Sun Ning also walked in. He glanced at Shen Qingwan before kneeling down, "Your majesty, this is a message from Imperial Guard Lin, it was sent by a pigeon at the fastest speed possible." She even emphasized on the pronunciation of the word ''message'', making people feel that it was not normal.


    Shen Qing Wan walked over and took the slip of paper from Sun Ning''s hands, wanting to pass it to him.


    "My beloved concubine, read it out for This Emperor." Fu Yuheng closed his eyes and gestured for her to read it to him.


    Sun Ning knew his place and left. They should not care too much about master''s matters, so they only needed to appear at the right time.


    Shen Qingwan slowly opened the slip of paper. It was indeed Lin Feng''s handwriting, and it clearly stated what happened at the border.


    It turned out that Liu Yangao had inadvertently revealed Fu Huaiyu''s plan after getting drunk. It turned out that not only Hu Youshan, but even in the Jiangnan Region, there was still a stronghold.


    "Jiangnan? He sure knows how to pick a place. " Fu Yuheng sneered coldly upon hearing this. Earlier on, he hadn''t thought too much into it when he was sent to deal with the Jiangnan flood disaster. But now, it seemed that his usually idle younger brother had truly committed a great deed in Jiangnan that was beyond his expectations!


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Shen Qingwan gritted her teeth. Elite soldier? A death soldier, I''m afraid!


    "Now it seems that they will surely take action!"


    Fortunately, they were not completely in the dark. At least, they knew what his ability was, so they could be on guard against any unforeseen events.


    "Yes." Fu Yuheng nodded in agreement and continued, "Since he is unwilling to give up, I''ll let him know who the master of this world is."


    As she spoke, she slammed the table, causing Shen Qingwan to be shocked, "It''s getting late, the emperor should rest early, chenqie will take her leave first." Fu Huaiyu had already informed him of the news, so he should also tell Li Ruotong about Lin Feng.


    After leaving the residential hall, Shen Qingwan went straight to Li Ruotong. Seeing her slim face, she couldn''t help but feel sorry for her.


    "Why is elder sister here? It''s already so late." Elder sister''s health is not good, so don''t come out at night from now on. " Seeing her coming over, Li Ruotong forced a smile.


    Ever since she found out about the incident with Lin Feng, she had been dispirited and was worried that Lin Feng might be worried too much. She didn''t even pay much attention to the news of Liu Chugrong''s accident a few days ago.


    "Don''t worry about me for now. Are you still worried about the Imperial Guard Lin?" Holding her hand, Shen Qingwan teased. If this girl knew that Lin Feng was fine, she would be so happy.


    In front of her, she did not try to hide her emotions, and nodded as if tears were about to fall, "Elder sister, do you know how it feels to be worried about someone? I wish I could fly to him right now and see how he''s doing. "


    Shen Qingwan gently wiped off the tears from the corner of her eyes, but immediately smiled, "You, don''t worry, Imperial Guard Lin just sent a message, it should be fine."


    Seeing that she did not seem to believe him, she continued, "From the looks of it, the handwriting is very powerful. After everything in the imperial court is settled, Imperial Guard Lin will return to the capital, at that time ¡­ " She didn''t finish what she wanted to say before the person in front of her froze.


    A strong sense of joy filled Li Ruotong''s mind, and even the hand holding her was trembling a little, "Really? Sister, really? He''s fine, that''s great. " As she spoke, he couldn''t help but cry.


    The person she thought about day and night was safe. This was the greatest joy for her, so she could understand why she couldn''t control herself. Shen Qingwan could only let her cry, but not comfort her.


    "But you still have to be careful. You have also seen the situation in the palace. It has been quite chaotic recently, so you better be careful not to get caught up in any trouble. " She could not help but exhort her repeatedly. After all, it was better to be careful when in trouble.


    This girl was young and didn''t have any schemes, so she wasn''t safe in the imperial harem. She still needed his help.


    "Alright, I understand." Li Ruotong nodded his head when he heard him, there were still some tears on his eyelashes, and she sighed once again.


    Knowing that Lin Feng was fine, she felt a lot more relieved. She then thought about Liu Chugrong''s situation, "But big sister, how is Imperial Consort Liu now? I also heard about the matter between her and the Ninth Prince. But that''s good too, it''s all retribution! "


    She didn''t like him from the start, but now that something had happened, she only felt a sense of relief and schadenfreude.

 C242 decapitation

    After thoroughly investigating Fu Huaiyu, no one dared to interfere in the imperial court. Now that the evidence was in front of them, no one dared to speak more and they would become Fu Huaiyu''s accomplices.


    Fu Yuheng sat on top of the Hall of Golden Chimes. Dressed in a yellow robe, he looked even more spirited. His grave and stern face was filled with a cold intent as he swept his gaze over the officials below with a condescending aura.


    "Now with regards to the Ninth Prince, do you have anyone else to say anything?" He had a pair of sharp eagle eyes, so those who felt guilty did not dare to look him in the eye.


    His words seemed to be a test to them. At this time, if anyone dared to risk their life to come forward and warn them, that would be suicide!


    Seeing that the ministers looked at each other in dismay, he lowered his head. The corner of his mouth had a smile that said he was determined to win. Who would dare to say anything in such a situation?


    His expression was solemn, and his voice was actually dignified. "Since none of you dearest officials have any objections, then I will not side with my own brothers!"


    "The Son of Heaven shall commit the same crime as the commoners! Moreover, Ninth Prince has committed the crime of rebelling, we will definitely not let you off lightly! " These words showed his benevolence as the emperor but also reflected his selflessness. The ministers standing below were naturally speechless, "Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu intended to rebel and cause chaos in the court. "The Liu Family colluded disloyally and killed nine Clans!"


    The officials all sighed a short while before kneeling down and calling out loudly, "Your Imperial Majesty!"


    Since ancient times, battles for the throne had always existed between emperors and princes, and now that Fu Huaiyu had also fallen to such a state, the imperial family truly had no brotherly feelings for him.


    This verdict soon spread throughout the palace and the streets of the capital, and everyone began to talk about it.


    The news of Fu Huaiyu decapitating at noon three days later quickly spread to the empress dowager''s ears. Even if the Palace People wanted to block this matter intentionally, it would still spread far and wide, not to mention the current Ninth Prince.


    "Behead him in three days ¡­" When the empress dowager heard this, she fell powerlessly to the ground and chanted, "Beheading ¡­" "My son ¡­"


    She was the one who gave birth to Fu Huaiyu, but she had never suffered in any way since she was young. Right now, being imprisoned in the heavenly prison must be really uncomfortable, and the worst thing was that after three days, she would have to behead Fu Huaiyu ¡­


    The mama serving the empress dowager couldn''t bear to see this. She walked up and pulled her along. "Esteemed empress dowager, get up quickly and take care of yourself."


    But the empress dowager didn''t seem to hear. She remained in her original position, her aged eyes already filled with tears. Thinking of her son, her heart couldn''t help but ache.


    It was a piece of meat that had been cut off from her body. He did not want to think about such a good fortune, but instead wanted to provoke that person with the intention of usurping the throne to rebel!


    "How can the emperor be so heartless? No matter what, he''s still his own little brother!" With his elder brother as his father, and the tiger poison as his son, he did not leave Fu Huaiyu any chance at all.


    "Esteemed Empress Dowager, if you care so much about Ninth Prince, why not try to advise the Emperor? "The Emperor has always treated you with great respect. I presume he wouldn''t ¡­"


    "He is the Emperor." Without waiting for the mama to finish speaking, he interrupted her, his eyes filled with despair. He was the emperor, so how could he let her off so easily?


    Furthermore, this might have been a trap from the very beginning, and it might not have been easy for him to get the net closed. How could he forgive Fu Huaiyu just because of a few words from her?


    No matter how sad she felt, she still clearly saw this situation. This time, he was determined to execute her.


    Although the empress dowager was very dissatisfied with Fu Yuheng''s actions, she was also helpless. After all, she was only the empress dowager''s mother, while he was the emperor.


    "My son has chosen the wrong path ¡­" He shouldn''t have fought with the Emperor. If he had won, the Emperor would have been his. " There was a tinge of desolation in her voice as the empress dowager wiped away the tears on her face and let the mama help her up. "Send out the imperial decree to stop the jailor from making things difficult for Ninth Prince, just treat it as the last thing this mother has done for him."


    The mama let out a helpless sigh. "This servant will give the orders."


    Other than the palace, the Liu Mansion on the other side of the capital was also in chaos. The decree of exterminating the Nine Clans had been passed down, and not a single Liu Family member could escape.


    Fu Yuheng immediately dispatched his imperial guards to guard the Liu Manor, not allowing anyone to enter or leave.


    Suddenly, the Liu Mansion was filled with shouts and cries. The servants and maids did not want to die. They were just servants, but doing their duty had brought about a fatal disaster.


    "Prime Minister!" Prime Minister, please save us! " The servants and maids kneeled in front of Prime Minister Liu''s legs, tightly holding onto his clothes, not willing to let go. It was as if releasing them would cause their lives to end.


    Prime Minister Liu Tian, who had come this far, already felt quite bad. Ignoring everything else, he kicked away the few girls'' servants as if he was venting his anger, "You useless things, stop them now!" Prime Minister Liu cursed, his mouth started to cough, he was so angry!


    When the official who came to deliver the decree saw that he was still as imposing as ever, his eyes were full of ridicule, "Even now, the Prime Minister Liu still thinks that he is the prime minister?" He had long been unsatisfied with the Prime Minister Liu, and now that he was able to see the greedy and useless Prime Minister Liu imprisoned, he felt even more satisfied.


    The Prime Minister Liu snorted coldly, he was still the Prime Minister even after being thrown into his cell!


    He gestured to the guard behind him with a cold smile, "Why aren''t you inviting Prime Minister Liu to the jail?"


    knew that he would not be able to escape this calamity today, so he did not struggle, but there was unwillingness and fury in his eyes.


    How did these people treat him in the past, and what did they do to him today?


    The guards took Prime Minister Liu to the death row, and no one left the place alive.


    On the other side, Fu Huaiyu who was in the sky prison also knew that three days after he was executed, the Liu Family was imprisoned, but his heart was filled with endless sadness. He never thought that a dignified Ninth Prince like him would end up like this!


    Seeing his dejected look, the prison warden couldn''t help but laugh mockingly, "In any case, in my entire life, I have been a prince. I shall be satisfied with my wealth and fortune! "In my next life, if I throw an animal, tsk tsk tsk ¡­"


    Hearing this, he did not move nor did he look at the head of the prison. Ever since he entered the prison, he had been ridiculed by many people here.


    "The empress dowager knew that the Ninth Prince was about to pass away for three days, so she specially told me to treat you well so that you would have no regrets in your life." The prison warden could not stop himself from lamenting about the fate of men. As a prince, he had the protection of an influential official even after he had been imprisoned. If it was any ordinary person, they would have long been tortured to death.


    Presumably, the Ninth Prince was also lucky, even when he went to the execution grounds, he still looked like a jade tree with the wind.


    Fu Huaiyu laughed bitterly in his heart. No regrets in this life?


    How could there be no regrets? He could have replaced Fu Yuheng as the emperor, but who would have thought that he would be discovered at the last moment? How could he be willing to accept this in this lifetime?

 C243 abrogation

    After knowing that Fu Huaiyu was about to be beheaded, Shen Qingwan decided to go to the dungeon. She had one more thing to accomplish.


    "Concubine Xian." When the guards of the prison saw Shen Qingwan, they all bent down to pay their respects and raised their spears and swords to make a path for her.


    "Where is that person?" Shen Qing Wan looked at the guards and asked.


    "We''ve already done as instructed and locked up in the prison. We''ve been waiting for the Empress to come over."


    "Bring it out." Shen Qingwan''s tone was flat. After giving her orders, she turned around and continued walking.


    "Yes." The guard took out the key from his waist, opened the door to a nearby dungeon, and brought out a prisoner. This person was part of her plan for today, and she was going to replace Wenling with him soon.


    The path of the prison was dirty and wet. Shen Qingwan took out a handkerchief and lightly covered her mouth and nose, and slowly walked to Wen Ling''s cell. Before she could say anything, the guard had already opened the door.


    Wen Ling slowly stood up and looked toward the door. Upon seeing who it was, her eyes immediately lit up, and she could not hold back her excitement. She ran up to the woman and shouted, "Empress!"


    After shouting, Wen Ling stopped. Looking at his clothes that had been dirty in prison for the past few days, he hurriedly took a few steps back and relaxed. However, it was difficult to conceal his joy as he continued, "Empress, you''ve finally come."


    "Come out." Shen Qingwan calmly opened her mouth, which was a stark contrast to the woman who was extremely excited at the moment.


    "Empress, are you trying to save me?" Wen Ling was so happy that his eyebrows were raised. He looked at the guard behind her and the man in the prisoner''s uniform, who was in heavy shackles. For a moment, he was unable to react.


    "Yes, this is a prisoner on death row." After saying that, Shen Qing Wan turned to look at the guard. The guard immediately understood her meaning and brought the prisoner back to the cell in front of her, changing his clothes that he had prepared beforehand.


    "Many thanks, Empress." She looked at Ye Zichen with gratitude in her eyes, then walked up to pay her respects.


    "No need for any more words of thanks. It''s just a trade between us." Shen Qingwan''s eyes were as black as paint, her cold voice seemed to want to immediately extinguish the fervor of the person in front of her.


    When Wen Ling, who was lying on the ground, heard her words, the smile on his face froze. He didn''t know whether to laugh or not.


    "Quickly get up and follow the guards out. Otherwise, we might cause more trouble." Shen Qingwan lowered her voice and did not say much. After all, she had other things to do today.


    "Yes, thank you, Empress." He slowly rose to his feet, but his steps that had been about to leave with the guards suddenly came to a halt. "Empress ¡­"


    Shen Qingwan slightly frowned, "Do you still have something to say?" It was obvious that she was hesitating to speak, which also piqued her interest.


    "That''s right. On the night before I was brought here, I saw the man in black who wanted my life jump over the wall and leave." Wen Ling whispered into her ear. In that instant, Shen Qingwan''s face changed.


    Unexpectedly, she had guessed correctly. After Wen Ling left, she continued along the small path until she stopped in front of a slightly empty cell. A ray of light from the cell''s small window fell upon the thin figure standing in the center of the cell.


    "Heh, I didn''t expect the Empress to come back after so much work." A voice that was as cold as ice rang out from the cell, making the originally cold cell even more terrifying.


    The hand that Shen Qingwan used to pick up the key froze awkwardly in the air and she looked at the person inside the cell without batting an eyelid.


    "I brought some food, let''s eat while it''s hot." With his other hand, he handed over the food box he had been carrying to the cell.


    "Why must you be so hypocritical? We are all people on the verge of death. Who would care about a mouthful of food like this?" Fu Huaiyu turned his back on her, his black eyes emitting a faint cold light, the corners of his mouth revealing a cold smile.


    "After all ¡­" "Eat a little more." She pursed her lips and pretended not to hear the coldness in his words. She quietly bent down and opened the wooden box, taking out the food inside.


    "Looking at how I am, you must be very happy. Are you finally satisfied?" Fu Huaiyu coldly opened his mouth as he stared at her every move with a gloomy expression.


    "No. If it''s possible, I don''t want to be enemies with you at all. I don''t want to be like this for the rest of my life." Shen Qingwan''s eyes were squinting, her long eyelashes were trembling, and under her eyes was a shadow. The light in the cell wasn''t good, he didn''t notice that she wasn''t as indifferent as she used to be.


    Shen Qingwan''s mind replayed the scene of him saving her. At that time, he was in high spirits, and she couldn''t be compared to the lonely and stern figure in front of her.


    Whose fault was it? How did she end up like this? She had saved his life, but all she could do was push him to his death step by step.


    "Is that so?" The corners of Fu Huaiyu''s mouth drew a strange curve before returning to his ice-cold tone. He continued to speak somewhat mockingly, "If it''s really as you said, then you, Leng Xue Wuqing, today, do not seem to be lying at all."


    Shen Qingwan arranged the dishes and stood up slowly. She did not say anything and just looked at him.


    Who could blame all this? What she did not know was that if he did not have such a wicked mind, he would not have reached his current state. After a moment of silence, the departing footsteps no longer hesitated.


    However, just as she was about to leave the prison, a sharp voice came from the corner, "You bitch! "Don''t go!" She didn''t even need to turn around to know that the source of the voice was Liu Chugrong.


    "Alright, I''ll let you handle it for now." Shen Qingwan stopped walking and walked to his cell.


    Liu Chugrong''s hair, which was originally not a bit messy, was now messy and his clothes were covered in dust. His eyes, which were originally glowing, were now filled with endless hatred towards her.


    "Don''t be complacent! It''s all your fault, you set me up, you set me up like this! " Liu Chu Rong screamed and swung his arm over the bars of the cell. He wanted to grab her, but how could she escape the prison?


    She stood a few steps away from her cell and looked at her futile struggles. Her eyes were shining and her tone was slightly high-pitched, "You are doing this now, but you reap what you sow!" I can''t blame others, and I can''t blame myself. "


    "Nonsense!" Nonsense! It''s not enough for you to harm me. You even dragged the entire Liu Family down with you, you vicious woman! I won''t let you off! "


    Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes and sneered, "Whatever you want, it''s up to you." However, I would like to advise you that you should not waste your time. "


    After saying that, she ignored her curses and walked out of the prison, leaving Liu Chugrong crying.

 C244 Her Majestys departure

    After everything was settled, half of Fu Yuheng''s worries were gone. In the end, he was still imprisoned in the Sky Prison, preventing him from conspiring against others. Otherwise, it would be another massacre.


    As he reviewed the imperial study, he noticed that many of the ministers he was on good terms with were trying to get rid of the suspicion. He smiled mockingly and placed the imperial report on the table.


    At this time, Sun Ning rushed in from the outside and bowed to him, "Your majesty, Esteemed Empress Dowager has left the Fashan Temple!"


    Sun Ning''s voice carried some anxiety, and upon hearing this, Fu Yuheng frowned, a trace of dissatisfaction appearing between his brows. The empress dowager was actually going to Fashan Temple for Fu Huaiyu!


    "When did you go?"


    Sun Ning''s expression was also extremely solemn. After all, everyone knew why the empress dowager had left. He carefully glanced at the gloomy face of the man above, "He said he''s going out to cultivate!"


    "Cultivation abroad?" The moment Fu Yuheng heard these words, he immediately became furious. The dignified empress dowager had actually went off to cultivate without saying a word.


    He could be considered to be extremely filial and respectful to the empress dowager. Despite Fu Huaiyu''s actions, he still respected her as the empress dowager, and she was making things difficult for him.


    Seeing that he was so angry, Sun Ning immediately kneeled down and advised, "Since the empress dowager has already decided, it is not the emperor''s fault." He was afraid that he would forgive Fu Huaiyu because of the empress dowager, but based on his understanding of him, he wasn''t that kind of person.


    The anger on her face slowly faded, leaving behind a chill. Her face gradually turned cold and her eyes became ice-cold. "Let her go." If she felt that just because of this she could make him regret, regret would be too naive, and he had to get rid of Fu Huaiyu no matter what.


    The current Ninth Prince''s Mansion was like an ant on a hot pan, Fu Huaiyu had already convicted him three days later, if there were no accidents, then he would probably be convicted in the next two days.


    That night, Mo Zilian and the butler was secretly discussing something, and the butler lowered his voice, "You must be careful!"


    "Mn, pay close attention to the movements in Ninth Prince. I''ll be back in Jiangnan very soon."


    "Now that the Ninth Prince''s Mansion is heavily guarded, it won''t be easy to get out." The butler looked worried, "We must not let anyone know."


    Mo Zilian nodded seriously. He had to go to Jiangnan tonight and ask the butler to look out for him.


    However, the sky was unpredictable, and people were able to see it.


    That night, Wen Ling was so anxious that he couldn''t sleep. He had been waiting for Shen Qingwan''s reply, but was worried that Mo Zilian would directly rush to her courtyard and take her life. As a result, he became even more anxious and went to the courtyard to see if there was any reply. Unfortunately, he saw the scene of Mo Zilian discussing with the butler.


    She hurriedly hid her body into the darkness and pricked up her ears to listen to their conversation. After listening to it, she found out that Mo Zilian was planning to sneak off to Jiangnan.


    Seeing Mo Zilian trying to escape from her heart made her feel a lot more at ease. At least he wouldn''t try to scare his.


    The next morning, someone was sent by the palace to arrest all the people from Ninth Prince''s Mansion.


    "Help! I don''t want to die! "


    Wen Ling''s heart started to roll when he saw this tragic sight. She was betting on whether Shen Qing Wan would rush over in time to save her life. In the end, all the members of the Ninth Prince''s Mansion were locked in death row, and once in there, there was no possibility of survival.


    He was worried that there might be a villain working with them from within the mansion, so he would be willing to kill one not too far away.


    Within the imperial study, Fu Yuheng was still vexed over the empress dowager''s matter. He was silent for a long time. Even though he had those thoughts in his mind, he still got his ninth brother in the end. Besides, he would not accept it, Empress Dowager. Sighing lightly, he was not prepared to continue this topic.


    "Don''t worry, your majesty. Tomorrow is the execution day for Ninth Prince." Shen Qingwan saw that he was annoyed and softly said, "I even personally made some tea, but the tea was really good, it was very fragrant."


    Indeed, there was no point in overthinking it. However, the execution tomorrow would likely require more people to watch. Jailbreak was something that was unavoidable. This time around, he managed to catch all of them in one fell swoop.


    When the bamboo hat was at noon, the crowd outside the execution grounds was already packed with people, but they all wanted to see how this noble Ninth Prince would look like after being beheaded. Before Fu Huaiyu even appeared, they were already discussing amongst themselves.


    "What a pity, I heard that the Ninth Prince has a very high reputation in Jiangnan. The citizens have already thanked him for the last disaster." A woman with her hair pulled up whispered to her husband.


    "That''s right, but we still have to thank the Emperor for his kindness if not for his grace." We don''t have such a good day, and for the Ninth Prince to actually sleep with the emperor''s concubine, it definitely won''t be tolerated. Furthermore, treason is a crime worthy of the nine familial extermination! " Her husband nodded.


    This world belonged to Fu Yuheng. They were the subjects of such a great country, so they shouldn''t have any second thoughts.


    After a moment, the sun was shining fiercely, and it was almost a quarter to noon. A prisoner wearing black cloth slowly walked out. The crowd fell silent, but soon followed by even more heated discussions.


    "This is the Ninth Prince? What a pity. " Although they couldn''t see Fu Huaiyu''s face, they could see that his attire was magnificent, causing people to feel that he was a young man that was graceful, many people felt that it was a pity.


    This was something that Fu Yuheng had specially ordered his men to change before he was sent here.


    Seeing that it was noon, the executioner also gave the order.


    "Ninth Prince Fu Huaiyu and his imperial concubine Liu Chu Rong mixed up in the harem, they both have the thought of conspiring against others, colluding with the Prime Minister Liu, they are unscrupulous, and should be killed according to the rules! "Execute the punishment!" The red cinnabar''s words were like flames, blazing and flickering in the eyes hidden in the darkness.


    The executioners were ready to attack when they received the order. At this moment, cries of alarm could suddenly be heard.


    "Men, men! Someone is trying to break out of the prison!"


    Just as Fu Huaiyu was about to be rescued and taken out of the pillar by the black clothed man, Fu Yuheng had already made arrangements for the guards to stand out as well. "Heh, your majesty''s guess is right. As he said that, he also headed towards Fu Huaiyu''s direction.


    On one hand, they stopped the guards, and on the other hand, they brought Fu Huaiyu out. He just did not understand how Fu Huaiyu, who was present today, wasn''t moving at all.


    As for Fu Yuheng, who was sitting on the high seat, the corners of his mouth slightly twitched. However, he instantly changed into a worried expression.


    You want to save him just like that? How could it be that easy? Everything had already been arranged, and it all depended on whether or not they were sincere towards that person.

 C245 jailbreak

    "Bold, do you know what you are doing? Jailbreak is a capital offense. " The guards'' martial arts weren''t bad, but they couldn''t handle so many people. They could only watch as Fu Huaiyu was taken away and shouted coldly.


    However, the black-clothed man ignored him. They were all ordered to save Fu Huaiyu. There was still a chance for him to live after he saved his. If he could not save his, he would have to commit suicide to atone for his sins.


    The people at the side did their best to delay the guards, and the people at the other side had already brought Fu Huaiyu out safely. Although they were stopped when they reached a remote area, their goal had already been achieved.


    "Very good, you guys have done a good job. Go on." After ordering the black-clothed men to leave, the leader of the group slowly untied the ropes on the person in his embrace, trying to remove the shackles on that person. However, that person was at his mercy, not moving at all.


    Feeling that something was not right, he suddenly removed the black cloth from that person''s head, only to discover that it was not Fu Huaiyu at all. Amidst his fear, he shouted angrily. It was obvious that he had been tricked!


    The person that leaked the black cloth was not Fu Huaiyu, but rather a completely dead body! No wonder there had been no sound or movement. He was already dead.


    "Not good, I fell into a trap. Hurry up and go back." Realizing what he was doing, he quickly called for the people around him to hurry back, but it was already too late ¡­


    The execution grounds would definitely be in chaos at this point of time. They could say that they had walked right into a trap when they returned.


    Ever since the black-clothed man had come out to rob the prison, the execution grounds had been a mess. The commoners who had come to watch the show were also in an uproar.


    There was actually someone who would take away the current Ninth Prince in broad daylight, so it seemed that the matter of him rebelling was definitely true.


    "Ahh, look. Look at who those two are. Why did they bring two more people here?" One of the sharp-eyed people, who was still discussing among themselves, suddenly noticed what was going on and shouted loudly.


    "Yeah, what''s going on?" The Ninth Prince has already been taken away by someone, why is the execution still going on? " Everyone found it strange and began to discuss the matter.


    Since he knew that Fu Huaiyu had the intention to rebel, and was even taken away by someone. This was the time to quickly go over and capture those people. How could he still have the mood to continue executing those criminals?


    However, when the two of them were slowly brought closer, the commoners finally understood. So this was the real Ninth Prince, and the one beside her was the Mo Zilian who had thrown himself into a trap to exchange for Fu Huaiyu!


    "Isn''t this Ninth Prince, didn''t they get taken away? "How could it be ¡­"


    Fu Yuheng already knew that his subordinates would make their move today, so he had already made his preparations. And the real Fu Huaiyu had been secretly moved away long before the execution, so the person that had just appeared was merely a death row prisoner.


    As for Mo Zilian, he was someone that they had used to trade for the crown prince''s inheritance. However, they had never expected that the person they had exchanged for him was just an illusion.


    When the black-clothed man saw that the real Fu Huaiyu still wanted to attack, he quickly returned with an order. The two executioners had already been beheaded!


    Seeing Fu Huaiyu having his head chopped off, the black-clothed men were all taken aback. They did not know what they should do at this moment, and their decadent vigilance was also dispelled.


    "You want to leave?" Fu Yuheng, who was standing on a tall building to the side, witnessed the entire process. He wanted to see what the group of black-clothed men looked like after discovering that he had saved the wrong person. Did he really think that he was a useless emperor?


    "Leave none alive." With Fu Yuheng''s order, the guards that had been lying in ambush gradually appeared behind them.


    The sudden appearance of the guards scared the man in black out of his wits, "Oh no, we were ambushed." However, just as he was about to hurry up and leave, a sword pierced into his chest.


    This time, everyone understood. The mantis stalked the cicada and the oriole. They had fallen into a trap. Today, there was only one word that could be used to describe him: "die".


    "You dare to challenge His Majesty''s authority, kill without mercy!" The guard saw that the man in black was already in a state of panic, and his momentum was even greater. The group of men in black were originally unprepared, so they immediately fell into a state of confusion.


    There were still a few kneeling and begging for mercy who wished to live, but Fu Yuheng had said that he would not spare anyone and would only leave behind their lives.


    In the end, Fu Yuheng''s intentions were still for the common people of this world. Once Fu Huaiyu was saved by someone today, they would have to face an endless war.


    "Don''t blame us. You can only blame yourself for following the wrong person." The guards couldn''t bear to kill so many people, so they could only console themselves with a few words. The man in black was already in a panic and had no sense of reason. He had actually been completely annihilated.


    When all the black-clothed men were eliminated, the lead guard returned to report to Fu Yuheng. "Your majesty, all of them have been dealt with." He was kneeling down respectfully.


    Fu Yuheng glanced at the corpses strewn all over when he heard this and snorted coldly. "Clean it up." With that, he got up and prepared to return to the palace.


    He had merely brought about such an outcome for Fu Huaiyu. If he could safely stay in the capital and be an idle prince, he would definitely not make a move against him. Moreover, if it was some other minor offense, even if it was on the face of the empress dowager, he would still be disgraced.


    But unfortunately, he had always trusted his Ninth Brother, this Ninth Prince. He was actually thinking of conspiring against her. How could he bear with this!


    When they arrived at the palace, the first person Fu Yuheng went to find was naturally Shen Qingwan. In his heart, however, Keane''s heart grew heavier and heavier.


    "Chenqie pays her respects to Your Majesty. I wonder if everything is going well?" When she saw him coming over, she stood up and greeted him with a gentle and soft appearance. However, Fu Yuheng knew that she was not such a weak woman.


    "Let''s sit down first." He nodded, pulled Shen Qing Wan and sat down, then dismissed the Palace People s around him, the look of weariness on his face clearly showed.


    His current appearance made her frown, and he didn''t seem very happy either. "Your majesty, what happened? Did chenqie guess wrong?" Causing the Emperor to waste his time? If that''s the case, then please punish me, your majesty. "


    "No." Fu Yuheng gently rubbed his glabella, a slight trace of impatience in his eyes. "My beloved concubine has guessed correctly. He has indeed made a move." He told her everything that had happened at the execution ground.


    When Shen Qingwan heard this, her frown deepened. She thought about when she first met Fu Huaiyu, how such a carefree and unrestrained person, such a carefree and indifferent person, had actually become like this in the end. She sighed and lowered her head slightly.


    "Does my beloved concubine think I''m too heartless? After all, I''m my own younger brother." When Fu Yuheng saw that she was silent, he spoke with slight sadness. The empress dowager''s side also made him feel somewhat disheartened in the end.

 C246 Temple Denied

    "No, that''s not it. Why would the emperor care so much about it?" If the world were to fall into his hands, I am afraid that blood would flow like a river within the palace. " Shen Qing Wan shook her head. If Fu Huaiyu were to obtain this world, none of them would be able to survive, and with his ambitions, the entire continent would probably be wiped out.


    Moreover, when she framed those two earlier, he also didn''t blame her.


    Hearing this, Fu Yuheng revealed a hint of smile, but then, as if he thought of something, he embraced her in an instant. He could not help but exclaim in admiration, "Speaking of which, I still have to thank my beloved concubine for her scheme. We''ve already discovered the clues early on and stopped them from moving. Otherwise, we still don''t know how we would have ended up like this in the future. "


    From the moment they found out that Fu Huaiyu had other plans to capture and prevent a prison break, it could be said that most of the credit went to her.


    "Your Majesty is flattering me. Chenqie only wants to help Your Majesty out a little." Shen Qingwan raised her head slightly. As she lowered her head, the spot where her neck was temporarily white caused one to involuntarily stare foolishly.


    Yet in his delight she was not as pleased as she looked. Fu Huaiyu had been beheaded, but she felt that she was missing something, but she couldn''t say what it was.


    "Alright, Fu Huaiyu''s problem has been settled. The big rock in my heart can be considered to have landed on the ground. The bamboo hat day is the Liu Estate. This Prime Minister Liu actually dares to think like this behind our backs. This is truly outrageous! "


    From the moment Shen Qingwan had entered the palace, Liu Chugrong had used his position as the imperial concubine to bully her. It was not that he didn''t know, but because of Liu Chugrong''s status and the power of the Prime Minister Liu, he couldn''t act rashly.


    But now it was different, the two big problems were about to be eliminated. He was very happy, and he believed that Shen Qingwan was also feeling the same way. Thus, on the morning of the next day, Liu Ming went to the imperial court in a good mood. The Liu Estate was also on the verge of destruction.


    "Congratulations, sister." Of course, everyone in the palace knew about the Liu Family being extorted. The concubines who had been bullied by Liu Xiangrong seemed to be gloating. The usually arrogant and domineering Liu Chugrong didn''t have any chance to turn the situation around.


    Even Zhao Yuanrong, who usually didn''t like going out, couldn''t help but to go and report to Shen Qing Wan. If he didn''t try to please her now, how long would it take?


    "What is elder sister saying?" Shen Qingwan did not quite understand what she meant as she opened her mouth to ask curiously. Her confused appearance seemed to have more of a cuteness to it compared to her cold appearance.


    When Zhao Yuanrong saw this, his heart skipped a beat. No wonder Fu Yuheng doted on her so much. She was actually different from those jealous women in the harem. This was something even the empress could not compare to.


    "Sister should know that the entire Liu Manor was executed by the Emperor. This time, Liu Chugrong would never have the chance to be arrogant again. I''m afraid she will go to hell. Just thinking about it will vent her anger. Zhao Yuanrong said with a proud look, "Then no one can stop my sister." As he said that, he couldn''t help but congratulate her.


    When Shen Qingwan heard this, she did not say anything. She didn''t think so. After all, she had never had the intention to be pampered. This harem was not enough to confine her mind.


    After Fu Huaiyu was beheaded, Fu Yuheng still felt that he should go to the Fashan Temple to have a look. After all, the empress dowager was the empress dowager.


    "Get ready, we are going to the Fashan Temple." He lowered his head and read the imperial reports earnestly, without even lifting his head, he instructed Sun Ning to prepare.


    Sun Ning carefully raised his head and observed him for a moment, then revealed a faint smile on his face, "This servant will go prepare now."


    He only brought Sun Ning and a few guards with him when he went to the Fashan Temple this time. It would inevitably attract the attention of the people if he called on too many people, so he did not want the matters of the family to be known by the whole world.


    Shen Qingwan only furrowed her brows in worry when she heard of this. He must have put down his face to make up with the empress dowager, but how could the empress dowager let it go so easily? She didn''t know why, but there was a trace of anxiety in her heart. Even though she knew that he would crash into the south wall and return, she still felt uncomfortable in her heart.


    The journey to Fashan Temple wasn''t very far, it only took him half a day to reach there. The Fashan Temple could be considered a imperial temple, so there weren''t many people here. This made Fu Yuheng feel a lot more at ease. If it wasn''t a place where fish and dragons were mixed together, then there would be another layer of safety.


    As soon as he arrived at Fashan Temple, he brought the monks to pay his respects, "This old monk greets the Emperor."


    As a clan member, he was free to kneel and not pay his respects. Fu Yuheng frowned majestically as he cast a sidelong glance, then nodded slightly with his chin. "Please excuse me."


    "I didn''t know that Your Majesty would come, and I''m unable to welcome you. I hope that Your Majesty will forgive me."


    "There''s no need to make such a big fuss, Zhen is only here to see the empress dowager." His voice was steady and strong and commanding.


    Hearing this, the empress''s eyes shifted before returning to normal. "The empress dowager is fine here."


    Everything okay? It''s not good to be in the palace, though? The wrinkles on her forehead deepened, and her lips pursed slightly. Her voice grew even colder. "Where is the empress dowager? Zhen will go take a look personally." The reason why she came today was not just to hear whether she was good or not.


    With that, Fu Yuheng lifted his leg and prepared to leave, but he was stopped by the host. He looked at Fu Yuheng with slight anger and confusion before lowering his body.


    "What do you mean by ''host''?"


    "Please forgive this old woman for speaking bluntly. The empress dowager has been in a bad mood recently, and even more so, no one is allowed to disturb her. She says that she''s not seeing anyone."


    Fu Yuheng smiled coldly as his eyes turned sinister. "I can''t bear to see it either?"


    The host lowered his head again to express his thoughts. When he saw Fu Yuheng unconsciously tighten his dragon robe and stare coldly at Fashan Temple for a moment, he finally flung his sleeves and left. He was an emperor, yet he was being treated so coldly! He mounted the horse and returned to the palace.


    Hearing the gradually fading sounds of horse hooves outside, Wu mama sighed helplessly. "Empress Dowager, is it really alright for you and the emperor to be in a stalemate?"


    The empress dowager who was dressed in gray stared blankly out of the window. Upon hearing that Fu Huaiyu had been beheaded, her heart ached. Although they didn''t interact often, it was still a piece of meat that had been cut off from her body. How could she not be angry with the emperor so easily?


    "The Emperor is the ruler of a nation. Now that he has personally come to the Fashan Temple, it means that he wishes to express his goodwill towards the empress dowager ¡­" The Wu mama didn''t finish her sentence. How could she not know what kind of astute person the empress dowager was?


    "My son''s bones have not turned cold yet, I can''t face him in peace."


    Hearing that, the Wu mama did not say anything else and just let her sit in the room alone.

 C247 wave rise

    As soon as Fu Yuheng returned to the imperial study, he saw Shen Qingwan. She was sitting by the side, reading a book. The moment she heard the commotion, she stood up and bowed. "Chenqie will participate, Your Majesty." She swept a glance at him, who was filled with anger, and understood.


    He had not expected her to appear here, so he walked past her. "Get up."


    Seeing this, Sun Ning tactfully retreated, leaving only the two of them behind.


    "Is the emperor unhappy to see chenqie?" She deliberately relaxed her tone, making it sound more like a pout.


    Fu Yuheng was stunned. When he saw the slight raise of her lips, he knew that she was doing it on purpose. He watched her walk towards him step by step.


    "Ninth Prince is the empress dowager''s son. He must have some complaints about the emperor." She even met his eyes with hers as she spoke, but only then did she speak softly when she saw the sternness in his eyes. "But what His Majesty did was for the greater good. Why did you go to the empress dowager for grievance?" "Chenqie believes that the empress dowager is not an unreasonable person. In the future, she will definitely understand the Emperor."


    He sat down on the Dragon Throne in silence. Shen Qing Wan moved to his side, placed her hands on his shoulders and started kneading them.


    This action caused Fu Yuheng to be stunned as he heard her clear voice come from behind him.


    "Your consort knows that the emperor has already put his heart into it. The empress dowager is only still immersed in the pain of losing her son." She comforted him softly. "If chenqie was the empress dowager, she wouldn''t have immediately faced the emperor."


    This was the first time she spoke softly. She was like the jade wife of a small family. She had lost her usual coldness, which made him stunned and his heart go soft for some reason.


    "Therefore, there''s no need for the Emperor to be angry. It''s not good for the dragon''s body."


    Her voice was very soft, and the strength in her shoulders was just right. It caused his tense mood to slowly relax, and the anger in his heart to slowly subside.


    Her large hand gripped the hand on her shoulder tightly, and her voice also became a lot softer. She raised her eyes to look directly into hers. Her eyebrows curved into a curve, and unexpectedly, he actually laughed along with her.


    Just as Shen Qingwan left, a man came in from the side door and knelt down.


    "How is the handling of the border situation?" Fu Yuheng was seated high up as he stared at the people below with lazy eyes.


    The person below was dressed in armor, with only a pair of eyes revealed, but if Li Ruotong was here, he would definitely recognize that person, it was Lin Feng.


    "Reporting to the Emperor, now that the borders are in General Mu Chang''s charge, the spy Liu Yangao has already been killed on the battlefield." Lin Feng enunciated each word clearly. Even though he said those words, it was true that Liu Yan''s death was not that simple.


    "Haha ¡­" Fu Yuheng laughed a few times. He was feeling extremely carefree in his heart. The worms in the imperial court had all been removed, and even the borders had been cleaned up. It could be said that everything was progressing according to his plan. "Good!"


    However, the mood of the people below were not as good as his, and their eyes were filled with anxiety. After entering the palace, he had gone to the main hall to report, and had indeed not seen the person he wanted.


    From the corner of his eyes, Fu Yuheng naturally noticed that his expression was unnatural. He shook his head slightly, and also guessed why he was acting this way. However, he was still his concubine, so he didn''t say too much, "Forget it, since this matter is over, you can go and rest. If there''s anything else, report back." This was already his greatest boon.


    Seeing Lin Feng leaving in a hurry, the figure of a woman gradually surfaced in the noisy sea. If he did not return after a long time, would she be in such a hurry? It was funny in his heart. Since when did he become so hypocritical?


    In this world, there was only one word that could cause the crowd to be puzzled. Even for those overweeningly powerful Overlords, they were unable to so easily escape their shackles.


    Sun Ning walked in from outside and when he saw''s expression, he could only laugh lightly. Only at this moment, would he truly be him. He had been by Fu Yuheng''s side for more than ten years, but he could not really find the time to relax.


    When all the princes in the imperial palace were playing around, he was the only one who worked hard. Originally, he wasn''t the most pampered, only working step by step.


    When it came to his personality, it could be said that he was very decisive in his actions. Compared to Fu Huaiyu''s caution, he was much more magnanimous.


    After Lin Feng left the imperial study, he walked straight towards Li Ruotong''s courtyard. However, he forgot to avoid anyone''s eyes or ears, causing the imperial harem to once again be filled with gossip.


    "What do you think the Imperial Guard Lin is going to the cheating concubine''s courtyard for?" Behind the fake mountain in the garden, a small palace maid had her own guesses, but they were only guesses.


    However, at this time, the relationship between Liu Chugrong and Fu Huaiyu had just passed, so others could not help but gossip.


    Lan Xin, who was working at the empress''s side, stuck her head out from the side as the corner of her mouth curled slightly. "Humph, you don''t have to hide anything, the matter of the Imperial Consort Liu has just passed and these two are quite brazen. She had long since heard that there was definitely something going on between the two of them.


    However, the young palace maid from before didn''t agree. After all, in her heart, there shouldn''t be any woman who would abandon the emperor like a little imperial bodyguard.


    However, what she did not expect was that there were people in this world who could ignore everything for the sake of their circumstances.


    Lan Xin glared at her, turned around, and left, returning to Xiao Shushen''s courtyard.


    "Why is there something to report?" Seeing her unsatisfied face as she walked in, Xiao Shushen looked like she wanted to say something, but she hesitated. Other than Dan Kou, who gently swiped her finger across the dragon eye in front of her, there was nothing else. Her phoenix eyes slightly perked up, revealing an endless sense of elegance.


    He purposely looked around to make sure that there was no one around before closing the door, "To reply esteemed wangfei, this servant has just seen Imperial Guard Lin walk towards the cheating concubine''s courtyard."


    "Oh?" Xiao Shushen''s gaze moved, fixed on her face, as if confirming her words with his own eyes. "Did you see it with your own eyes?"


    "Yes." Lan Xin proudly agreed.


    She placed the longan in her hand into her mouth and said, "Go and report this matter to Lord Min." Surely that woman would be very happy to see such a thing happen.


    These harem harem often have wave after wave of peace, where is the peace?


    "Here!" Lan Xin took her life and left, yet she missed the viciousness that flashed across Xiao Shushen''s eyes.


    Now that Liu Chu Rong had been removed, Fu Huaiyu, the stumbling block that could threaten her position, had been decapitated. And next, it was her turn ¡­


    He inserted a purple jade grape into his finger tip, and the juice flowed down from his fingers.

 C248 imperial collision

    Because of Xiao Shushen''s orders, the news quickly reached Tuoba Min''s ears. The matter regarding Liu Chugrong previously was the most amazing of all her words, perhaps because the people of Mongolian were born not good at hiding their thoughts, and because they had nothing to fear, they did not hide anything from the rumors.


    "Are you speaking the truth!" Tuoba Min raised her voice, her eyes opened wide as she looked at the palace maid in front of him, with a look of disbelief, but then she smirked, "I never thought that there would be someone with so much courage. With a light snort, a malicious smile appeared on his face. This was a good opportunity for her.


    "In that case, let''s go and see how shameless that person is." He gently pinched the handkerchief and waved it in front of his eyes a few times as if he despised something.


    Lan Xin hid behind the door. She clearly heard the conversation between the two of them, and after that, she smiled a little and went back to report.


    And at this moment, two people stood within Li Ruotong''s courtyard. However, as they were within the palace, they didn''t dare make any happy movements.


    "Why are you so reckless today? You actually came straight to my courtyard. If others were to see this, I''m afraid that some trouble would have been caused." Li Ruotong frowned and glared at Lin Feng in displeasure. She pouted her lips which were as tender as peach blossoms, causing others to be unable to resist kissing her.


    Fortunately, he had been at the border region the entire time. Hence, his face was not extremely pale, but he could not say much, "Cough cough, I was too anxious today. After all, I have not seen you for many days ¡­" He lowered his head as he spoke. It seemed like he didn''t want to continue.


    On the contrary, the girl in front of him giggled, "Haha, I didn''t think that you would have such an enlightened day."


    When he said those words, he felt even more embarrassed. Previously, he was indeed not good at expressing himself, but on this trip to the border, ever since he was heavily injured, this was the first time he felt such an unforgettable longing.


    If something happened to him, would he never see her again? Because of this, he was able to persevere through from the beginning to the end without having any thoughts of giving up.


    "You ¡­ Have you thought about me in these past few days? " He could only grit his teeth and share his thoughts as he stared at her.


    This time, however, it was Li Ruotong who felt embarrassed. She did not expect him to say it so openly, "You ¡­ "I ¡­" Even the words weren''t fluent.


    At this moment, sounds of argument sounded out from outside the courtyard door.


    "How dare you slut! How dare you block my path? Do you want to die?" The source of the voice was Tuoba Min, her eyebrows were raised, her current state was different from her usual gentle and weak appearance, she looked just like the other Liu Chugrong.


    "Oh, noble Min, what happened to you today? However, never would I have thought that there would be such a time when she was so angry, she looks very much like the Imperial Consort Liu from back then. " Li Ruotong walked over to the source of the voice as she lightly covered her face, revealing a mocking smile, "I do not know when a small noble person will casually call himself this Palace, nor does he recklessly decide the life and death of others. "According to what I know, in this world, only the Emperor has the right to decide life and death at will."


    With his limelight extinguished, Tuoba Min''s face carried a bit of resentment, but his attitude immediately softened. "What''s the meaning of this, big sister? Could it be that she thinks her status is low and isn''t worthy of being the emperor''s concubine? " He bit his lips and looked like he was about to cry.


    However, in her eyes, there wasn''t the slightest trace of pity. "Oh, what are you saying, little sister? Could it be that elder sister''s words weren''t clear enough? " Li Ruotong replied with a strange tone, only to see Tuoba Min''s face instantly changing.


    The meaning of her words were not hard to understand. She could not find the words to continue for a while, so she could only lower her head slightly and stand there awkwardly.


    But in the blink of an eye, it had changed to a sincere and earnest look. "Elder sister, why do you need to explain? Since little sister knows, the reason why little sister is so displeased with little sister, must be because little sister saw big sister having a reunion with Imperial Guard Lin, so she wanted little sister to leave. " His eyes rolled back and forth, but he said something intriguing.


    However, these words caused Li Ruotong''s face to pale and she stuttered as she opened her mouth. Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught sight of Fu Yuheng, who was walking towards him.


    What should he do? If he saw it, would he blame it? After all, Liu Chugrong''s matter had just passed. Now that she and Lin Feng had met, would he think that they had other intentions?


    Li Ruotong''s silence and tightly furrowed brows had obviously added a little bit of pride on Tuoba Min''s face. Just now, she had seen Fu Yuheng''s figure, which was why she had acted that way earlier.


    "Did little sister guess it?" He pretended to be extremely surprised and took a few steps back, "Big sister, what you''re doing is truly outrageous!" If the Emperor knew about this, he would probably end up like Imperial Consort Liu, why are you so confused, Big Sister! " There was a hint of urgency in his voice, as if she was a real sister. It was all for her sake, but the meaning behind his words were very misleading.


    When she said that, Li Ruotong wanted to cover her mouth, when it came to her mouth, it would be hard not to misunderstand.


    "What happened?" Just as Li Ruotong wanted to speak, Fu Yuheng, who had just walked over, took a step ahead of him.


    Seeing him coming over, Tuoba Min immediately bowed, "Your majesty, your majesty!" His tone was somewhat panicked, but his gaze was directed towards Lin Feng, who was in the courtyard, "This ¡­"


    Fu Yuheng raised his eyebrows at the sight of her hiding something. He had just heard her words and came over. Now, he wanted to see what sort of tricks she had up his sleeve. "But what is it that''s hiding?"


    "Nothing ¡­" It''s just that I just saw Imperial Guard Lin coming to big sister''s courtyard ¡­ " At this point, she hurriedly put on an expression as if he had just thought of something. He raised her hand to cover his mouth and suddenly shook his head.


    Li Ruotong naturally knew of her plans, "I ¡­" However, just as she was about to speak, she was stopped by Fu Yuheng with a raise of her hand.


    "Are you talking about the Imperial Guard Lin?" Frowning, he looked towards Lin Feng, who was feeling a little uneasy in the courtyard.


    Tuoba Min was at a loss for words as she played with the handkerchief in her hand, looking as if she wanted to say something, but was unable to. She turned and faced Li Ruotong once more, "Big sister, even though this matter might not be good for you, little sister truly cannot lie to the emperor." As if she had just made up her mind, she spoke with determination, but there were tears in her eyes.

 C249 Help out

    Fu Yuheng looked at her with interest. He seemed to be considering the credibility of her words, but he was actually sneering in his heart. It was really difficult to make this imperial harem a little more peaceful!


    "cheating concubine, is there anything you want to explain?" Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the look of anger on Ye Ci''s face, and she felt that it was a bit funny.


    "There''s nothing to say." Li Ruotong was already aware of the whole situation, if he wanted to blame her, it would be useless no matter how hard she tried.


    "Elder sister, you can''t possibly be colluding with the Imperial Guard Lin, right?" Tuoba Min said with a face full of shock. She was clearly pointing something just now, but now, it was as if she didn''t know anything.


    She snappily glanced at him, "Hypocritical." And then he also kept quiet. However, when he looked in Lin Feng''s direction, his eyes were filled with worry.


    Hearing her words, Tuoba Min was a little angry, but in front of Fu Yuheng, there were only tears in his eyes. "Elder sister, why do you say that of your younger sister? My sister is just stating the truth. "


    The moment those words left her mouth, she had thought that Li Ruotong would be the one to be blamed, and a proud look flashed past her eyes.


    "Enough!" Fu Yuheng rebuked angrily. Both of them had lingering fear in their hearts as they hurriedly knelt down.


    In truth, both of them had guessed that he would get angry, but they had only guessed at the beginning.


    Tuoba Min was still sobbing slightly, but suddenly, she was stunned. She stared at the scene in front of her with wide eyes.


    He actually walked in front of Li Ruotong and helped her up. Then, he comforted her in a gentle voice, "My beloved concubine was shocked, it was my fault. If I had explained everything clearly from the very beginning, you wouldn''t have suffered from the unwarranted suspicions of others."


    After he finished speaking, even the person involved didn''t come back to his senses. He only stared at Ye Zichen with a mumbling expression, while his lips were slightly opened.


    "What is it? Could it be that there is something dirty on my face? Or did you fall for it for the time being? " He blinked as he spoke.


    At this time, Li Ruotong finally reacted and guessed that he was helping her out, "That''s right, the Emperor has never had such tender moments like this." Ye Zichen leaned lightly on his chest with a hint of playfulness in her eyes.


    , who was kneeling at the side, was angered to the point that his eyes turned red, the two of them seemed to have forgotten her existence, and everything had already exceeded her expectations. What was going on?


    However, Fu Yuheng turned around and looked at her after a few breaths of time. "You are targeting my cheating concubine at every turn. Do you have any objections against her?" He narrowed his eyes. There seemed to be some anger leaking out from his eyes. "Imperial Guard Lin is just passing some words on my behalf to cheating concubine, what about it? Could it be that we have to report this to Honorable Min? "


    "Your majesty, chenqie was only able to hear the palace maids discussing this matter in the garden today. Moreover, if they really did see Imperial Guard Lin here, that''s why a misunderstanding occurred, I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."


    "Oh?" Fu Yuheng raised his eyebrows. "So Lord Min doesn''t know about this palace lady''s rumors?" May I know which palace he is from? Why don''t you bring him here for me to take a look? You can''t leave such a gossipy person in the palace. " A chilling aura poured out.


    "Your majesty, your majesty, everything was your concubine''s fault. I hope your majesty will forgive my concubine this time. From now on, I won''t dare to randomly believe rumors." He cursed in his heart as he thought to himself, "Damn it!" But in his heart, he cursed the palace maid who had previously told him the information. He didn''t expect that if she didn''t have the intention to harm him, she wouldn''t have ended up like this.


    In the eyes of the two, Tuoba Min was staggering and leaving.


    "Remember to take care of the aftermath of today''s matter." Fu Yuheng left behind a few words before leaving with her.


    The disciple left Li Ruotong standing there in a daze, but when she realised what was happening, she could only look at his direction with gratitude.


    If it wasn''t for the explanation she had just given to him, he would definitely have walked up to take on all the blame. Fortunately, Fu Yuheng did not seem to blame him, which made him heave a sigh of relief.


    "Are you okay?" Seeing her absent-minded appearance, he couldn''t help but blame himself in his heart. Today, it was all because he was too impulsive.


    Li Ruotong shook her head, bidding her farewell then returned back to the house.


    Shen Qingwan also heard the news from Lian Yun''s side. She was also stunned for a moment, and then smiled. Who would have thought that the person he usually liked to guess at would actually help the two of them today? This did not seem like his usual style, but perhaps it was because she was in a good mood due to the fact that most of the matters had been resolved!


    "That Mongolian woman ¡­" She frowned slightly and mumbled to himself. From the looks of it now, she was definitely not a good person.


    As he thought about it, he fell asleep early.


    What she did not expect was that while she was still sleeping, she heard a faint sound of movement from beside the bed. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw a blurry figure standing beside the bed.


    Then, he cried out in alarm, "AHH!" He subconsciously dodged, but his body was stabbed in the shoulder.


    That person did not seem to think that she would actually dodge, and was a little upset that he did not take her life. However, the sound of servants rushing over came from outside, so he could not delay any further, and quickly jumped out of the window. But before leaving, he would still unwillingly glare at Shen Qingwan.


    Then, Lian Yun pushed open the door and shouted in panic, "Empress!"


    Just now, a palace maid had come to call for her, so she didn''t pay too much attention to it. Knowing that she had just heard her call, he hurried over.


    He charged over and Shen Qingwan quickly stopped him. However, even with such a small involvement, she still couldn''t help but take in a deep breath.


    "Lian Yun, light." Fortunately, she had reacted in time. Otherwise, her corpse would have been here.


    As the candle flame lit up, his face turned even paler. It seemed that there was more than one person who wanted her life. She thought that if Fu Huaiyu and the Liu Family were killed, she would be safe for a while.


    Who was it? He actually wanted to kill her so much?


    At this time, Fu Yuheng had also rushed over under the instructions of the palace maids. He saw that her body was already dyed red with blood and that Lian Yun was right beside her, helping her to stop the bleeding.

 C250 deliberate concealment

    "Did you clearly see that person''s appearance?" Fu Yuheng was a bit angry when he walked over to her side. She really had quite the guts. Even though she was assassinating in the harem, it seemed that there were still quite a few worms there.


    Shen Qingwan shook her head, "No." Because she did not hold the candle flame, her vision was completely dark. In addition to the fact that the person was also wearing a mask, she could only vaguely see the person''s figure, "Furthermore, it looks like he is an assassin. Even if she knows his appearance, she would have already escaped from the palace."


    "Yes." The atmosphere suddenly turned silent. The imperial physician had rushed over at this moment and was rather helpless when he saw the injured person. Was it this master again?


    As if she had guessed his thoughts, she could only smile and nod, "Sorry for the trouble." His words made the imperial physician feel rather embarrassed.


    "Your majesty!" At this time, Lin Feng came in from the outside and bowed towards Fu Yuheng.


    "How is it?" He frowned slightly and asked about the result.


    Lin Feng shook his head, "That person seems to have a thorough plan. The moment we left the courtyard, he sped up, and with a few turns, he had already disappeared. He seems to be familiar with the palace''s roads." It was rather strange. Logically speaking, with their skills, it shouldn''t be difficult to catch a little thief. However, this person was extremely slippery, using the palace''s topography extremely cleverly.


    "Your majesty, may chenqie return to the General''s Estate for a few days?" Shen Qingwan looked at the already bandaged wound. The suggestion was that they would be more careful in the harem. These days, they had been physically and mentally exhausted.


    When he heard this, his face turned slightly cold, but the imperial physician actually spoke up as well. "I''m afraid the Empress has overworked herself these days and is already very weak. If I stay at the palace, it might not be good for my wounds to recover."


    Shen Qingwan''s reputation had always been pretty good in the palace, and the people from the Imperial Physician''s Palace knew that as well. Seeing how tired she was, even he felt pity for her.


    He pursed his lips, but Fu Yuheng was still clearly slightly unwilling. However, looking at her pale complexion, he finally gave in and nodded. "Alright, you can stay in the General''s Estate for the time being. When your injuries are better in two days, I''ll send someone to bring you back."


    Hearing him say so, her eyes filled with gratitude really made things difficult for him. His heart must have been feeling terrible over the past few days as well.


    She returned to the general''s estate the next day, escorted by a guard.


    When General Shen saw her, he was obviously a little shocked and couldn''t figure out why he came back.


    "Father ¡­" Shen Qingwan''s call brought him back to reality. At this moment, she was like a child who had not returned home for a long time. Her eyes were filled with tears as she threw herself into his arms.


    "You ¡­" General Shen''s words were stuck in his throat right at this moment. He looked at the person in his arms at a loss of what to do, but his eyes were also slightly moist.


    It had been a long time since she had been so intimate with him like a child. Ever since she had become sensible, she had always been a lady of a noble family. It was a long time since she had such a childish side to her.


    He reached out and gently stroked her back. "But does the Emperor blame you?"


    After all, this was within the palace, so he had no choice but to think this way.


    However, Shen Qingwan raised her head in his arms, "No, it''s just that my daughter misses you." She rubbed the shy girl in his arms. Seeing the worry on Lian Yun''s face, Yu Guang gave her a warning look.


    General Shen did not notice anything abnormal about her and only instructed the servants to make some preparations.


    After returning to his room, Lian Yun closed his door and looked at her reproachfully, "Empress!"


    "Lower your voice ¡­" As expected, he glared at her before slowly taking his time to take off his shirt, revealing the bloodstained cloth underneath. "If that''s not the case, how can father be at ease?"


    What he said was reasonable, but Lian Yun was still clearly not satisfied, "If you are like this, the general does not feel bad, but has the Empress thought of this servant?" Her small mouth slightly pouted, and her eyes showed that she felt wronged.


    Shen Qingwan opened her mouth slightly, blaming herself for her negligence, but she was touched by her words.


    "Alright, I understand. I definitely won''t do that again in the future." Seeing the pitiful look in her eyes, she could only obediently agree.


    Only then did Lian Yun let out a breath of relief and went forward to help her rebandage her wound. As she said this, her hand movements became lighter.


    Shen Qingwan smiled helplessly at this. She knew that she was naturally worried about her, so she didn''t blame her.


    In the current study room, General Shen was sitting in front of a table with a strange expression on his face. He tapped the table with his fingers, as if he was waiting for something.


    At this moment, a servant came in from outside. His training was average, and he looked very well-mannered. "General."


    "Has there been any news from the palace?" General Shen waved his hand to get him to stand up.


    After all, they had been generals for so long, it was impossible for them to not have a single trusted aide. Even though their positions had been stripped, there were still a few spies in the palace, but they would not use them unless it was absolutely necessary.


    "Reporting to General, it is said that the Empress was injured by an assassin, so she has come back to recuperate." The servant spoke unhurriedly, without a trace of emotion in his voice.


    "Assassin?" He suddenly slammed the table and stood up with a hint of anger on his face. "Did you find out who did it?" Zhang Xuan''s eyes narrowed, and a tinge of red flashed through them.


    "No." As the servant spoke, he lowered his head. "Even the emperor doesn''t have a single clue." He had already asked around, but that assassin seemed to have disappeared into thin air. After that, there were no more news about him. Even Fu Yuheng had been extremely worried for the past few days.


    "Humph!" "Go and check again!" Even though he usually didn''t show much concern for her, in reality, the father and daughter were on good terms with each other.


    "Yes." The servant accepted the order, but then immediately thought of something, "General, there is still a matter that I don''t know if I should tell you."


    Hearing this, he looked at him again, "If you have something to say, feel free to say it." As long as it was something related to Shen Qingwan, it was extremely important to him.


    "This subordinate found out that the empress has always been hostile towards the empress, I wonder ¡­" The servant seemed to be hesitating, but in truth, he guessed that Xiao Shushen was the one who did the assassination, but there was no evidence.


    "Empress?" He rubbed his forehead. This person was quite troublesome to deal with. "Fine, you can leave now." He had previously heard that Xiao Shushen had helped Fu Yuheng before. If it was really her doing, then it would be difficult.

 C251 Ching Yi Pet

    The matter of Fu Huaiyu''s rebellion had ended, and the palace had quietened down.


    However, when they arrived at a certain place, they could still hear some of the young palace maids and eunuchs gathered together to discuss this matter. They were even more proud of knowing more.


    Today, when Hua Xiangwei had nothing better to do, he brought her personal servant girl to the imperial garden''s backyard to pick some flowers. Whether it was to make pastries or to bathe them, it was extremely good.


    "Empress Zhao Yi, leave these matters to me." Lan''er, the personal servant girl, followed closely behind Hua Xiangwei and advised, "Does the Empress need to do all this?"


    Hearing that, Hua Xiangwei smirked, as though he was satisfied with her praise, and enjoyed the treatment.


    Although concubines didn''t need to do anything, she''d heard that the Emperor didn''t like ordinary women. It was inevitable for them to gain a saint''s favour just by pretending.


    Hua Xiangwei held onto a flower basket, walked between the flowers, and knelt down to smell it, "I had nothing better to do, but I wanted to come out to take a walk, anyway, it''s not tiring work." Her words were light and there was a hint of kindness in her expression, but there was also a hint of pride in her eyes.


    Lan''er smiled and no longer tried to persuade him otherwise, and followed behind to protect him.


    Along the way, there were more flowers in the flower basket. She smiled in satisfaction. No one could harm themselves if they could defend themselves from the flowers they picked, "Let''s do this. Take these down, I''ll wait for you here." He handed the basket to Lan.


    There might be bees or bugs in the bright flowers, and before they were brought back to the courtyard they would have to be examined by the ladies.


    Lan''er accepted the order and took the flower basket down. She felt bored, so she admired for a while. Suddenly, a wave of conversations attracted her attention.


    Shifting his gaze from the flower to the source of the sound, he saw a few court ladies huddled together, sneakily discussing something.


    There were many people gossiping about in the palace, but as long as it had nothing to do with her, she couldn''t be bothered to care about it. She quietly listened, and vaguely heard some words regarding the Ninth Prince s.


    "I heard that the Ninth Prince was preparing to rebel since a long time ago. The Emperor already knew about it."


    "Really? I even thought that Ninth Prince was really just a normal elegant and outstanding playboy! "


    "How many royal juniors are easy to deal with?" The palace maid carefully glanced at his surroundings before lowering his voice. "Even blood brothers would kill each other for the throne!"


    The palace maids broke out in a cold sweat when they heard this. If anyone heard these words, they would definitely lose their minds!


    Hua Xiangwei stood there and heard everything clearly, and she couldn''t help but frown. She was actually hesitating whether she should make a sound to stop this, this was a matter concerning the Imperial Family, if she were to make a move to stop it ¡­


    "You can''t just casually say these things!"


    "How dare you!" After experiencing a struggle within her heart, she still decided to speak out.


    The hearts of the palace maids were already in their throats. Now that they had lost their souls from the scolding, they immediately knelt to the ground.


    "This servant greets the Wah Zhao Yi Empress ¡­" The court ladies were all trembling, their voices tinged with tears. "Empress, please spare us! Empress, spare me! "


    "To think that the palace rule is spouting nonsense here, they truly think that the palace is their own home!" Hua Xiangwei scolded her sternly. She had always had experience teaching her servants, if she did not take out some strength, these palace maids would not use her as a punishment!


    Hearing her cold voice, the palace maids were all frightened to the point of hastily kowtowing. "These servants made a slip of the tongue, a moment of confusion. Please forgive them, esteemed lady!"


    But Hua Xiangwei only snorted coldly, everyone here is just a cheap bone, if good advice can do it, then there will be no torture in the prison, and even if these people do not receive any punishment, they will not be able to remember, "Speaking of the Royal Family in front of everyone, do you know that this is a capital punishment?!"


    "Esteemed Empress, have mercy, this servant did not mean to ¡­" Hearing this, all the palace maids'' faces turned ashen as they continued to plead for mercy.


    This greatly satisfied her vanity, and her heart felt even more proud. "If I let you off this easily, would the harem still be able to rely on me in the future?" As he said this, he ignored their pleas for mercy, "Each of you go and claim twenty plates. In the future, if I hear any more of these unpopular words, no one will be able to protect you!"


    She did not have the guts nor the right to directly sentence them to death, but these twenty pieces of wood were not light either.


    The palace maids did not dare to say anything, so they could only silently go down to retrieve the wooden board.


    When Fu Yuheng, who was not far away, saw this scene, he could not help but narrow his eyes. He did not notice that there was such a thing as Hua Xiangwei in the palace, but his actions and actions did not seem like a girl''s pettiness.


    What they discussed had to do with Fu Yuheng. No matter what, it was still a royal scandal, so she had done a good job.


    Hua Xiangwei looked back in shock, and was shocked to see that it was him. "Your concubine greets your majesty."


    "Get up." As he said this, he coughed lightly. Recently, he had accidentally caught a cold.


    She felt uneasy. She didn''t know when the emperor had arrived, or whether he would blame her for what she had done.


    The man''s calm voice sounded from above her, "Why are you so restrained now?"


    She looked at him suspiciously. There was a hint of ridicule in his eyes. He must have already seen what she was doing.


    "The Palace People s of the imperial harem love to gossip, what you did just now was not a bad idea." His praises were faint, no different from normal, but after hearing it, Hua Xiangwei''s heart shook, a pleased look flashed past his eyes.


    The Emperor was actually praising him!


    She was silent. She didn''t know what to say, but she was extremely anxious. She then heard him cough once more. She couldn''t help but frown and put on a worried look. "Is the Emperor sick with the dragon''s body?" Do you want to ask the imperial physician to take a look? "


    Hearing this, he waved his hand, "No need, Little Feng Han is no problem."


    "What''s wrong with the Emperor''s body?" As he spoke, his tone was filled with authority. "Your Majesty, please return to the palace to rest."


    Fu Yuheng looked at her deeply, but didn''t say anything and returned to the palace. After that, for the past few days, Hua Xiangwei always brought a bowl of soup to the imperial study, and when he saw that she insisted, he allowed her to take care of him.


    This was Huang En''s magnanimity, and she was very proud of him, thinking that he had seen her.


    The news of Wah Zhao Yi taking care of the Emperor day and night quickly spread and many people were jealous. Such a good opportunity for her to go!


    She was jealous, so she learned to deliver soup to the Emperor every day, but she was rejected.


    "Just what ability did this Hua Xiangwei use!? Instead, all the benefits were taken away by her! " She was extremely envious, it was not easy for the Consort Xian to return to the General''s House, they were not in the palace, they had all gotten the chance, but they did not expect that before she could take action, they were already snatched away by Hua Xiangwei, how could they not be angry?

 C252 help bandage

    "That''s a good move, Wah Zhao Yi ¡­" Xiao Shushen stared at the pancake in her hand, and would occasionally glance at the people below him. The smile on her face didn''t seem to exist, as she leaned on the phoenix couch, the bright red palace clothing was embroidered with golden threads, it was elegant and luxurious.


    "Compared to you, esteemed empress, chenqie is but a small trick that can''t match up to my position." Wah Zhao Yi smiled obsequiously. He had a flattering look on his face, which was completely different from the generous and decent attitude he had during the day.


    Gui mama poured tea from the side and glanced at Wah Zhao Yi.


    Seeing her flattering look, Xiao Shushen was a little satisfied. He leaned his body slightly back, leaning lazily on the beauty bed.


    "In front of the empress, chenqie is just making a fool out of herself, that''s all." She slightly raised her gaze to watch Xiao Shushen take a sip of the tea in her hand, and the corners of her eyes slightly lifted, as she was satisfied with her tactfulness and obedience.


    "Wah Zhao Yi has indeed received his Holy Pet, there''s no need to belittle yourself." Her lips parted slightly, covering the taunting in the depths of her eyes.


    Hua Xiangwei smiled faintly, and naturally knew that the Empress was just testing him.


    "Chenqie has no one to rely on in the imperial harem, so it would be nice to see the Empress here today." As he spoke, he gave her a look of adoration and reverence. "The empress is virtuous, virtuous and dignified. She''s the empress and head of the imperial harem. Chenqie has revered her for a long time."


    Hua Xiangwei''s words had not only raised Xiao Shushen''s status, but also expressed her intention to rely on him.


    How could Xiao Shushen not understand? Her gaze swept past her as if she wanted to see through her and see if she was sincere.


    Seeing that she was still doubtful, Hua Xiangwei immediately got up and knelt in front of her, "Chenqie is willing to serve the Empress!"


    Regardless of whether she was sincere or not, she could not create much of a commotion with just her little Zhaoyi. It would be great if she could have another chess piece assigned to her.


    "Wah Zhao Yi is indeed an exquisite person." Although he spoke with admiration, his eyes were filled with coldness and disdain.


    She was sensible enough to know that she was the Queen, so if she joined Shen Qingwan''s side, she wouldn''t be so disgraced as to lose all face!


    Shen Qing Wan who stayed in the general''s mansion all day long was bored, so she decided to take a walk around the streets.


    General Shen was worried that they would send a few people to follow her, but she felt that they were too ostentatious so he let the guards protect her from the shadows. She did not want to attract attention.


    She put on the light clothing of a woman and put down her complicated headgear. She was like an unmarried lady and really missed those days and didn''t have to be mixed up with the matters in the palace.


    She went to a few shops she used to love, and the owner there, who still had an impression of her, said a few more words to her. He then looked at the stall in the street market and bought a few interesting gadgets. The palace was full of wonders, but without these simple and honest things, bringing them into the palace was a good choice.


    Satisfied, Shen Qingwan was about to head back to her house when she heard a slight noise coming from a narrow alley. She stopped in her tracks, puzzled. Wasn''t there someone who was begging?


    She pressed her ear to the wall to listen. Her voice was even more obvious, like the sound of a patient breathing.


    Curiosity prompted her to move forward, down the narrow alley, and she felt the sound getting closer as she turned the corner.


    Her natural vigilance caused her to silently hold down the dagger in her sleeve, and then she appeared at the corner.


    Ye Zichen frowned even more deeply, while his vigilant eyes became worried. The only reason was that the person in front of him was not someone who was begging, nor was he an assassin. Instead, he was ¡­


    "Young Master Quan." She called his name with some urgency and ran to his side.


    The moment he saw her, his brows relaxed, and he couldn''t help but reveal a gentle smile at the corner of his mouth.


    She squatted down beside him and saw that his face was slightly pale. Blood flowed from his arm and dyed his white clothes red.


    "Are you hurt?" Subconsciously, she grabbed his arm and looked at the patch of blurry blood. Her clear and cold eyes were already filled with worry.


    He was strong in martial arts, how could anyone hurt him?


    "Nothing." The corners of his mouth twitched, not wanting to worry her.


    But how could she not worry? He was his savior, but now he was injured.


    "Why are you here?" There was a smile hanging from the corner of his mouth, his eyes were pure, he could not bear to be refused.


    Shen Qingwan who was still calm was also dazed for a moment, but then she frowned, "I just came out to stroll."


    Seeing that he still wanted to ask something, Shen Qingwan hastily interrupted him, "Let me bandage you up, otherwise you won''t be able to stop the bleeding."


    Hearing this, Quan Zouhua was slightly surprised. He slightly raised his eyebrows and spoke with a hint of pleasant surprise, "You know medicine?"


    "I read some books, but I still understand how to bandage them." As he spoke, he tore off a piece of cloth from his skirt and, under his shocked gaze, went closer to Han Li to bandage his wound.


    "How did you get hurt?" she asked automatically, then realized that maybe he didn''t want to tell her.


    Sure enough, Quan only smiled and met her eyes, "That''s not important."


    How could it not be important? To be able to injure you, one must have good martial arts. Moreover, who would fight for no reason?


    Shen Qingwan looked at him deeply, she was sure that he wasn''t willing to tell her.


    "If you don''t want to say it, then I won''t ask."


    Shen Qingwan coldly said, before he could say anything she asked him the next question, "You are the Manor Lord?"


    Hearing this, Quan Quan once again looked at her with a strange expression. He didn''t deny it, only lightly smiled, and said with a gentle voice, "How did you know?"


    "I''ve heard your subordinates call you this before. I''ve remembered it."


    Hearing her say this, he could only nod in understanding and no longer explain.


    Shen Qingwan''s bandaging technique was still considered good, it would be done in a moment.


    His heart warmed as he looked at the green cloth on his arm. His gaze towards her became gentler. He originally wanted to talk with her a little more, but he couldn''t stay for long.


    "Thank you for today."


    "Young Noble Quan''s words are like this to a stranger. You saved me a few times, but it was just a simple matter of raising my hand."


    The two of them looked at each other and smiled. They then looked at the sky and said, "I have something to do, so I''ll be leaving first."


    "Take care, Young Master Quan." Shen Qingwan watched him leave. Although she had her doubts, she did not think too deeply about it.


    She knew that he was not an ordinary person. Calling him ''take care'' was equivalent to telling him to be careful ¡­


    Everyone in this world had their own secrets and secrets. It was their right, and she didn''t want to cross the line.


    It was already late in the morning. She gathered her thoughts and headed back to the general''s estate.


    General Shen had already waited at the entrance of the palace for a long time, he was not at ease with this woman either.


    "Father, why do you still treat me like a child?" Shen Qingwan couldn''t help finding it funny and walked in with him.


    General Shen was not good with words and did not say much, but his gaze clearly showed everything. As he walked, he suddenly felt something unusual, and he stared at her strangely.


    "What is it, father?" Her steps slowed as she noticed his gaze.


    "Why do you smell blood?" He had been to so many battlefields that he couldn''t have smelled the blood wrong.


    His aged eyes were filled with worry. Could it be that he encountered some danger, but the guard didn''t inform him.


    Hearing this, Shen Qingwan also raised her arm as if she had something to say. There was indeed the smell of blood, perhaps it was left behind when she was bandaging Quan Quan.

 C253 Called from Actual

    "This ¡­" Shen Qingwan was a little surprised, she did not expect him to find out.


    General Shen frowned. He suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward, "You came with me to the study room. I have something to ask you." After saying that, he pulled her forward without a care.


    Shen Qing Wan was a little confused for a moment. Now that the matter with Fu Huaiyu was over, plus he did not have many matters to take care of, what did he have to ask her?


    He walked in his direction until he reached the study.


    "The wounds you had on your body a few days ago should have almost healed by now, right?" The moment she opened her mouth, she was stunned.


    Could it be that he already knew about her assassination a few days ago? But why did he not ask her that time, and only now did he remember? However, if that was not the case, there were no other injuries on her body. "Yes." However, she still indifferently agreed. The injuries on her body had indeed mostly healed. This could not be faked.


    "That''s good." The General Shen nodded, but his expression did not show it, causing her to panic a little, but he heard him continue to speak: "Do you know that I am your father?" At this time, his face suddenly turned serious, and as his voice fell, everyone''s hearts couldn''t help but tremble.


    Shen Qing Wan suddenly raised her head and stared at him, she did not know what to think, but she still nodded her head.


    "Since that''s the case, why must you hide everything from your husband?" Sighing slightly, his face softened once more. He didn''t blame her in the slightest, but seeing how strong he was, his father''s heart ached for him.


    "Your daughter has been inconsiderate ¡­" She opened her mouth, but her eyes were slightly bloodshot. Until now, she understood that her father was just worried about her.


    He reached out and grabbed her wrist, allowing her to sit next to him. "Be honest with me, father. Have you been safe in the palace recently?" The wrinkles on the back of his eyes scrunched together, giving off the impression that he was a bit older than he was before.


    She opened her mouth, but in the end, she did not say anything. Her eyes dimmed.


    Is it safe? Logically speaking, as one of the fourth concubines, she should have been safe, but in reality, she was in grave danger. Not only did he have to consider the threat from the harem, he also had to be vigilant of any upheaval. This concubine of hers was about to be busier than the Emperor.


    Seeing her act this way, the General Shen had already guessed the answer, but he could only helplessly say, "You have to be careful with the empress. A woman who doesn''t have any background to rely on, being able to reach the empress''s position, is definitely not an easy thing to do." When he thought about how he heard the servant come to report a few days ago, he still voiced the worries in his heart in the end.


    "Daughter will be careful." How could she not know that Xiao Shushen was not as simple as she looked? It was just that she did not want to provoke him and did not want to bother about him.


    "Have you thought that the assassin might be the empress''s man?" With these words, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly became solemn, mixed with a sense of heaviness.


    "Empress ¡­" Speaking of which, she really did not think that Xiao Shushen was the culprit for this test. After all, she did not provoke her during this period of time, and logically speaking, she should not have been so reckless. But hearing General Shen mention it now, she had no choice but to reconsider.


    "Ai, foolish child ¡­" General Shen patted her shoulder with a helpless look in his eyes. "Do you know that not everyone has their own difficulties in this world? There are always people who would sacrifice a lot of innocent people for their own path?"


    "This ¡­" His words made her suck in a deep breath. Her eyes flashed. Although she was more knowledgeable than most women, she was after all, a woman. Moreover, she had been born in the General''s Estate.


    "Forget it, you can slowly experience this yourself." Seeing her confused look, he said no more and changed the topic, "Where did the stench of blood on you come from? I know it''s not your own wounds. "


    "I just bandaged an old friend''s wound. Does father know what kind of a villa exists in this world?" After not knowing his identity for a long time, she also wanted to try her luck and see if her father knew anything.


    Sure enough, the General Shen nodded his head, "I do know a little. Among them, the most famous is Mo You Manor, and the Villa Master always wears a white robe and is the most famous."


    "Does father know his name?" Her breathing quickened, but she suppressed the excitement in her heart.


    Is it him?


    "One word, one power."


    Shen Qingwan''s eyes widened, as if she couldn''t believe it. She had originally been curious about his identity, but now that she asked her about it so easily, she found it hard to accept. But in the end, she still nodded, "Daughter is a bit tired, I''ll go rest first."


    After she left, General Shen immediately sat down.


    Was it the best choice to send her to the palace?


    Inside the palace''s raccoon room, two small palace maids were whispering to each other. Autumn Water had coincidentally come to get Li Ruotong some laundry that had been washed, and seeing this, she was a little curious, so she also went over.


    "What are you guys talking about? Why are you guys chatting so happily?"


    When the two palace maids saw her, they were startled. However, when they saw that she did not have any intention of berating her, they were no longer on guard. Thus, they relayed what they had just discussed in detail.


    "We told you that you''re not allowed to tell anyone else. Otherwise, you''ll lose your life." After she finished speaking, the little palace maid was still a bit worried, so he specifically instructed the maidservant.


    Qiu Shui suppressed the shock in her heart and hurriedly left after answering.


    "Empress, Empress!"


    Qiushui anxiously ran in, Li Ruotong grabbed her arm, "What''s wrong, why are you in such a hurry?" She was just thinking that Lin Feng''s birthday was coming up and what kind of presents he should give when his thoughts were interrupted by her, causing her eyebrows to furrow almost imperceptibly.


    "Niangniang, this servant just heard from the other palace maids that before Ninth Prince was captured, they were actually involved with the Second Young Miss of the Liu Manor!" She had a mysterious look on her face.


    However, to Li Ruotong, she was already a dead person, so she did not think much of it, "So what?"


    "Huh?" Qiushui blinked her eyes, confused. That seemed to be the case too! He was already a dead man, what was there to talk about? Thinking of this, he lowered his head bitterly.


    However, he suddenly felt a pain in his head, "Aiyo!" Clutching her head, she looked at Li Ruotong with dissatisfaction. But when she saw him laughing happily, she could only mutter with dissatisfaction, "The Empress is the worst."

 C254 panic-stricken and helpless

    At noon, Tuoba Min stood outside the residential hall and stamped her feet in hatred.


    She had personally brewed the soup and sent it over to Fu Yuheng. She did not expect to be stopped outside the door by Sun Gonggong the moment she arrived.


    "Oh, isn''t this Honorable Min?" Beautiful Yu saw this from afar, she swayed her sleeves and walked over, but her tone was strange, "What''s wrong? Why is she standing outside the door of the emperor''s chambers? Could it be that she was rejected when she threw herself into his arms? " After saying that, he covered his mouth and laughed sarcastically.


    It was difficult for her to suppress the anger in her heart. She took a few steps forward with the soup. However, when she was right in front of her, she suddenly tilted her body and spilled the entire bowl of soup on Li-Jin''s body.


    "AHH!" A loud scream rang out.


    At this time, Fu Yuheng was resting inside when he suddenly heard the cries from outside. He immediately came to his senses and sent his Sun Gonggong to check on what had happened.


    "Aiyo, two young mistresses, what''s going on?" Seeing the two mistresses standing there in a daze, Sun Ning slapped his hands and legs as he shouted.


    "How can big sister be like this? This is the soup that my sister painstakingly made! " Seeing Sun Ning coming out, Tuoba Min''s face changed, and tears started to fall.


    Beautiful Yu was obviously still in a daze as she looked at her clothes. However, when she raised her head, the person who was standing in front of her had already ran out crying. He opened his mouth, but nothing was clear.


    "Sigh ¡­" Lady Gongzi, take care of yourself! " Sun Ning faintly sighed, as he was not someone that was easy to deal with. With that, he no longer paid any attention to her and returned to the hall to report back to Fu Yuheng.


    "It''s just a little trick." He placed his hand behind his head and glanced outside, revealing a disdainful smile. In the blink of an eye, he looked to Sun Ning, who was standing by the side, "To the left and right, it should be time for our Consort Xian to return, right?" As he said this, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes. When he thought of that person, his mood became much happier.


    "Yes." As he replied, Sun Ning, who was serving at the side, also laughed secretly. It would probably be a few days since they last met, so he might miss his a bit.


    "If not, why would this servant send someone back to the Concubine Xian?" Although he asked this, he had already made up his mind to leave.


    As expected, Fu Yuheng''s eyes lit up when he heard this. "Mm, it''s time to bring her back. Send someone to prepare his. You must bring his back safely before tonight." He forcefully suppressed the urge in his heart. He had been out for such a long time, shouldn''t he be able to calm his heart and return?


    Sun Ning accepted his orders and went out to prepare.


    Hua Xiangwei had also guessed that Shen Qingwan would be returning soon, hence she tried her best to please Fu Yuheng.


    "Where is Sun Gonggong going?" Just as he was about to go to Fu Yuheng''s place to take a look, he found Sun Ning who had just came out. Logically speaking, he should be attending to him right now. At this time, he should have something to do.


    "This servant greets Empress Zhao Yi." The Sun Gonggong knew that Shen Qingwan would not be here for a few days. Hua Xiangwei was the most favored person in front of the emperor, hence her tone was very respectful, "The emperor has ordered this servant to do something. Empress Zhao Yi, are you planning to go ¡­"


    Hearing him say this, she knew that she probably wouldn''t be able to get anything out of him. "I was just thinking of going over to the emperor''s side to take a look."


    "I''m afraid that the emperor has already rested. Empress Zhao Yi should return!" Fu Yuheng had just instructed him to bring Shen Qingwan back to the palace. How could she possibly be asleep now? When she thought back to how he had acted just now, even if she had gone, it would have only been to shut the door. However, these things weren''t easy to say, so he could only say that he took a break.


    As expected, after hearing those words, the smile on Hua Xiangwei''s face disappeared in a short while, and her expression became a little stiff. Her lips twitched as she said with a fake smile, "Since that''s the case, then I''ll go back later!" Saying that, he turned around and left as well. The handkerchief in her hand was tightly clenched, and a few wrinkles had already appeared due to the excessive force.


    "Sigh ¡­" Sighing, Sun Ning left.


    "Wah Zhao Yi, do you have something to report?" When Gui mama saw her coming from afar, he also took a step forward and bowed.


    "Is the empress here?" Hua Xiangwei looked into the room, but because the door was still closed, she could not see what was going on inside.


    "In reply to Empress Zhao Yi, the empress is here. I wonder if there''s anything Empress Zhao Yi needs to report?" When Gui mama saw that she did not answer, his tone became more impatient. He was just fawning on the empress for a small token of his sincerity. He was probably going to forget his identity just because he was pampered these few days.


    But at this time, Hua Xiangwei naturally could not care about the obvious mockery on Gui mama''s face. She was in a hurry to discuss something with Xiao Shushen.


    "Then I shall trouble Wah Zhao Yi to wait here, this old servant will go in and report now." Gui mama lowered his body, leaving her alone outside the door.


    After waiting for a long time, the door finally opened.


    "Wah Zhao Yi, come in." The Gui mama''s voice came from inside.


    Hua Xiangwei couldn''t wait any longer, shshequickly entered in two or three steps. When she accidentally tripped on the doorstep, he fell and laid flat on the ground, in a sorry state.


    "Oh, what''s wrong with little sister Zhaoyi? Why is it that when we first came in, this group was so grand? " Xiao Shushen sat in front of the dressing table and handed the hairpin to Gui mama. Seeing this, she seemed to be surprised.


    He knew he''d lost face like this, but he had to get up and dust off his body. "I''m really anxious and confused. Otherwise I wouldn''t have let the empress sister see the joke." The hairpin on his head had become crooked from the fall, but he could only adjust it slightly.


    "Oh? What has made my sister so anxious? " Xiao Shushen was surprised, she did not know what caused her to panic like this.


    "I''m afraid the Consort Xian is returning to the palace." Her eyes were clearly filled with disgust, but her expression was only that of a worried person who just happened to be in the right place.


    It wasn''t easy for her to get closer to Fu Yuheng. If Shen Qingwan were to return now, he would definitely have a whole new level of respect for her. When that time came, where would she be able to find a foothold? This was also why she had hurriedly come to find Xiao Shushen.


    "Is the news true?" Hearing that, Xiao Shushen also frowned, she was indeed a big stumbling block, if she did not remove it quickly, the situation would become worse and worse.


    A trace of viciousness flashed across his eyes.


    "Does little sister have any good ideas?" She waved her hand, allowing the palace maids, who were serving in the surroundings, to leave first.

 C255 Consort Xians Return

    "I believe that she will be returning today. However, if she is not, then ¡­" She had clearly seen the calculations in Hua Xiangwei''s eyes, but she had only lowered her head, and her lips moved slightly.


    Stabbing? If he could do it, he wouldn''t have to wait until now.


    "But what''s wrong?" Seeing that she didn''t say anything for a long time, she started to hesitate.


    "Little sister, it''s better not to waste any more time. Just calmly wait for a few more days." His fingers exerted more strength, and the wooden hairpin in his hand was broken into two, just like that. With a loud ''pa'' sound, it was cut into two halves.


    "Elder sister, do you have any good ideas?" Hua Xiangwei immediately asked with a fawning smile on her face.


    However, Xiao Shushen shook her head, "Just you wait, little sister."


    At this time, Sun Ning''s palanquin had already reached the General Shen Palace. Shen Qingwan bid her farewells to the General Shen, and then left with Sun Ning.


    Passing through the familiar streets, he couldn''t help but think back to the past. Especially when he had walked with Fu Huaiyu at that time, Young Master Wandering had now become the person who had plotted to kill him. One had to say, the world was unpredictable.


    "Phew!" Suddenly, she heard some noises coming from outside. Shen Qing Wan opened the curtain and looked out, only to see a woman lying in the middle of the street. She seemed to have fainted, and pointed with her delicate hand, "Go and take a look over there." There was a carriage in front of the woman, which seemed to belong to a noble family. The woman''s body was in tatters, and if the person on the carriage didn''t listen to reason, then he would be bullied for nothing.


    Although she wasn''t a kind-hearted person, she did feel touched today and was willing to help out.


    "Where did these beggars come from? Are they blind?" A manservant got out of the car and shouted at the people on the ground, "What bad luck!" As he spoke, he waved his hand as if he was extremely disdainful.


    "I wonder whose honored guest he is?" Shen Qing Wan got down from the sedan chair and walked over, staring at him with slight anger.


    "And who are you? "Isn''t this woman just sitting in her room waiting for her husband and coming over here to meddle in other people''s business?" The servant saw that she was only a girl and didn''t have any precious jewelry with her. He might have thought that she was a woman from an ordinary family, "Even if I told you, you wouldn''t be able to stand up to the people in this carriage! It''s better if we hurry back! " With that, he waved his hand as if he was shooing away flies.


    This action made Shen Qingwan even more unhappy, "Oh? "Why don''t you tell me about it?" In the capital, she really didn''t know who she couldn''t climb up to.


    "Humph!" The servant raised his neck, looking somewhat haughty: "Inside here is the great nephew of the Vice Minister Li!" The Vice Minister Li here was referring to Li Yuhang.


    "So, I know. I would have told this to the Emperor." She sneered, and the words that came out of her mouth were extremely cold.


    All of a sudden, the surroundings became noisy. Everyone was trying to guess who this woman was. He could actually speak to the Emperor.


    "You! Stop talking nonsense! Just with you, I''m afraid you won''t even be able to touch the hairs on the emperor''s body. " That manservant immediately became a bit anxious. Although he felt that it was impossible for her to really see the emperor, he was truly startled.


    Shen Qing Wan didn''t pay any more attention to him and turned to help the girl on the ground. But when she saw her face, she was shocked.


    There was actually a large scar on her face. It seemed to be scalded, but her face was covered with half of it, making her look horrifying.


    "Whose girl is this?" She could not help but mutter to herself. Although she had some sympathy in her heart, it was only for a moment. Even so, she should have her own life.


    "Bring this person back and clean him up." She turned and commanded Sun Ning who was behind her.


    When the attendant saw her leave, he said with an angry expression, "How ridiculous." After muttering to himself, he got back into the carriage.


    After a cloud of smoke and dust passed, it returned to its usual tranquility.


    "Empress." Lian Yun frowned, looking at the person she brought, she was puzzled, where did this woman come from? Why was he by her side? Since it was her decision, it wouldn''t be good for her to interfere as a servant. Besides, it was more important to go back to work now, so he didn''t ask any more questions.


    "Paying respects to Concubine Xian, the Empress is thousands of years old, thousands of years old." After entering the palace, the woman also woke up. After knowing her identity, she directly knelt on the ground and gave a grand bow as she looked at her with gratitude.


    "What''s your name?" Shen Qingwan helped her up, looking at her dressing with dissatisfaction.


    "In reply to Empress, this humble one has been left all alone since childhood, and only has the name of ''Qing`er''." The woman shook her head with a bitter expression on her face.


    Shen Qingwan was startled, but felt relieved. After all, the poor did not have a proper name, "Fine, if you do not mind, how about I give you a name?" Thus, he also suggested it.


    The woman knelt to the ground once more. "Thank you for your grace, esteemed Empress!"


    "Then call you Qing Ling." After thinking about it for a moment, she decided to keep her previous name.


    Qing Ling only expressed her gratitude towards her, so Shen Qing Wan let Lian Yun take her to wash up.


    "I heard that the concubine brought back a woman?" At this moment, Fu Yuheng walked in from outside with a slight smile on his face. "Do you know the background of that woman?"


    After all, he was the one who was staying with him, so it was better to be safe. This kind of unknown woman was not allowed to stay in the imperial palace. However, if she brought her here, she could just send someone to keep an eye on her.


    "Never." She also knew that he was worried about something. Originally, she had also thought about this matter, but every time she saw the scar on her face, she couldn''t bear to leave her behind. In the end, it was just her heart that was moved.


    "Be careful when you''re in love with your concubine. Don''t be careless and get plotted against." Fu Yuheng held her in his arms and breathed in her ear.


    Her whole body couldn''t help but tremble as she subconsciously pushed him away. At the same time, she heard joyful laughter beside her ear.


    She turned her head to look at him in surprise, only to see him looking at her flirtatiously, causing her to blush all of a sudden.


    "Is the emperor looking for chenqie for something?" Following that, she changed the topic. Unexpectedly, his next words made her face turn even redder.


    "No." He used his hand to support his cheeks as he stared at her. "I was just thinking of my beloved concubine, so I came to take a look."


    "This ¡­" All of a sudden, she didn''t know what to say, so she simply clenched her teeth and asked, "Then does the emperor have a good impression of her?" Then, she glared at him angrily.


    "Mm ¡­" He frowned and was silent for a moment. "Not yet."

 C256 Drink All

    The news of Shen Qingwan bringing an ugly woman of unknown origins to the palace quickly spread and soon, it was a huge commotion.


    At this moment, a man in black kneeled on the floor of the royal study.


    "How is the management of Jiangnan Fu Huaiyu''s base going?" Xiao Yan''s finger tapped gently on his forehead. His brows were knit together slightly. It seemed as though there was something bothering him.


    "Reporting to the emperor, we have basically finished dealing with it. It''s just that our original forces, in addition to the troops we''ve already paid for in Ninth Prince''s hands, lack a general ¡­" The man raised his eyes to look at him before quickly lowering his gaze. The meaning within his gaze was self-evident.


    "Actually, since This Emperor knows about it, you should just take care to manage it well." He pressed his temples lightly. There were not many generals in this court who could save his mind. General Shen must have rested for a long time, so it should be enough, "Where are the survivors of the Liu Family? "But what progress has there been?"


    No matter what, the Liu Family was big and had a lot of resources. Although they said that they would be exterminated nine times, in reality, their operation was not that simple.


    The man in black shut his mouth, and the atmosphere turned silent.


    "Looks like there''s no progress. In the capital, you have to send more people to keep an eye out. Don''t let anyone take advantage of the loopholes." Sighing, he thought about the girl that Shen Qingwan brought back and couldn''t help feeling a little helpless. It was really rare for her to be so irrational. In that case, let her do it once.


    "Go." He waved his hand and let the man leave.


    Now that the Prime Minister Liu was no longer in the imperial court, he had become more obedient like before, but at least there was someone who could take over the position of Prime Minister, thus he could only promote Minister Qi from before.


    "Your majesty, are you worrying about matters within the imperial court again?" Shen Qingwan walked in and poured a cup of tea for him.


    "Yeah, the biggest problem has been removed, but the people in the court are still short. Those who colluded with the Prime Minister Liu in the past need to be removed one by one." He took the teacup and put it by his mouth. Then, he took a sip. When the fragrance entered his mouth, it cleared up his mind by quite a bit, but he was still a bit annoyed. "You know quite well."


    He turned his head to look at her, but there wasn''t the slightest hint of blame in his gaze. Instead, it was only praise. There were not many women in this world that could be so transparent!


    Shen Qingwan only smiled and did not claim the credit. "Being able to help the Emperor is my fortune. Moreover, I hope that the citizens can live a stable life."


    These words were really what she was thinking in her heart. Previously, when she was by General Shen''s side, how many times had she seen the civilians being displaced?


    "You''re quite considerate." He smiled faintly. "My beloved concubine must remember what I told you yesterday." He was, of course, reminding her about the woman.


    She pursed her lips, nodding in the end. "I''ll investigate this thoroughly. The emperor doesn''t need to worry about chenqie." If she really had any bad intentions, even if she was not willing, she would personally send her to the marble temple.


    During their conversation, the harem had already been thrown into chaos.


    It was obvious that once Shen Qingwan returned to the palace, many of her concubines wouldn''t be able to sleep peacefully.


    Hua Xiangwei delivered the soup as usual, but stopped outside the door, "Sun Gonggong, is the emperor present?" She was a little surprised to see Sun Ning standing guard outside the door. Logically speaking, he shouldn''t be standing guard outside.


    "The Emperor is here." After Sun Ning bowed, he answered honestly. However, his tone was somewhat subtle, and Fu Yuheng was not the only one who answered.


    At this time, Hua Xiangwei had clearly heard the sounds of laughter coming from inside. Her expression changed slightly as she lightly bit her lower lip, "Are there other people inside?" That voice was clearly a woman''s voice. If she guessed correctly ¡­


    "Reporting to Empress Zhao Yi, Concubine Xian is also here." Sun Ning lowered his gaze. The current Empress Zhao Yi was far from being as generous as he usually was, and his eyes seemed as if they were spitting fire.


    Hua Xiangwei tightly clenched her fingers, and the soup in her hands lightly trembled.


    "Empress, be careful of the soup ¡­" Seeing her current state, Sun Ning could not help but frown, as she was not even comparable to the Concubine Xian, and just by being like that, she had already lost some of her rationality, but she still warned him.


    "Ah ¡­" She regained her senses and laughed, then handed the soup over to Sun Ning and left while staggering.


    "Your Majesty ¡­" Sun Ning naturally carried the soup in front of Fu Yuheng as per her instructions. However, it was clear to see that the person in front of him was not that happy.


    "Hmm?" He looked at the soup in his hand but did not extend his hand to receive it. He had already drank some tea, so he could no longer afford to drink anything. Moreover, Shen Qingwan was here now. For some reason, he felt that if he were to receive the soup, there was something wrong with it.


    "Huh?" On the other hand, Shen Qing Wan spoke up to help Sun Ning out, "This soup smells so good! Which sister made it? "


    Praising her, she extended her hand out to receive the soup, raised her head and thought of Sun Ning, and mischievously blinked her eyes.


    Knowing that she was doing it on purpose, Fu Yuheng could only reply helplessly, "Concubine Xian is asking you a question."


    Sun Ning was originally in a difficult situation, and was unable to understand her meaning, thus he remained silent and did not reply. Now that even the main character had said it like that, he opened his mouth and replied, "Reporting to the Empress, this was sent by Wah Zhao Yi." Thinking back to how Hua Xiangwei had lost control of herself when she left, and the current Shen Qing Wan being so generous and proper, she felt like there was a world of difference between them. It only served to increase his impression of her.


    "Oh ¡­" "So it''s little sister Zhaoyi." He deliberately dragged out his words with a mischievous tone. After tasting a bit, he still felt that it was not over yet and licked his lips, "This really is a good soup."


    Although she didn''t like to fight over anything with others, she still wasn''t too happy when other girls threw themselves at her husband in front of him.


    "From the looks of it, the Emperor doesn''t seem to like it. If that''s the case, I''ll gift it to chenqie." Although he said that, he didn''t seem to ask for his opinion. He just continued to drink the soup.


    Fu Yuheng did not obstruct her but allowed her to do so. "Since my beloved concubine likes it, in the future, if Wah Zhao Yi sends soup over, I will have the palace maids bring the soup over to you." She reached out her hand to gently stroke her hair. If she were to raise her head at this moment, she would definitely be able to see the doting look in his eyes.


    In regards to this, Sun Ning naturally had nothing to interrupt, he only felt a little sympathy towards Hua Xiangwei. The soup that he had gone through great difficulty to brew was finally delivered into the mouths of others.

 C257 The origin of the young girl

    "Damn it!" After Hua Xiangwei returned to her own courtyard, she was extremely unwilling. As expected, Fu Yuheng had been completely bewitched by her the moment she returned. As he thought of this, the handkerchief in his hand was crumpled into a ball, but he suppressed the anger in his heart. He quickly adjusted his state, and it became as calm as if nothing had happened.


    She had been well-bred since she was a child and had never been happy. Ever since she was young, her mother was originally just an aunt. However, it was only by slowly getting rid of the main wife that she was able to become the direct descendant of the main wife.


    "Meng''er, has the empress notified us?" He turned to ask Meng''er with a smile, but his tone was still kind and gentle.


    "In reply to the Empress, I have already notified you." Meng''er nodded.


    "That''s good."


    At this time, Xiao Shushen was leaning on the phoenix bed, listening to the palace maid''s report below.


    "Esteemed Empress, do you need to go and take a look at that new palace maid?" The Gui mama suggested, "After all, he is a woman that you can casually pick up. He comes from a poor background, so it should be very easy to bribe her."


    Xiao Shushen turned her head to look at her, then pondered for a moment, before slowly sitting up, "There''s no rush, let''s go see what kind of sacred woman she is first, to actually enter the palace like that, logically speaking, this unknown woman should not be able to enter, since she has this kind of ability, she is probably not a simple person either." It was obvious that she was thinking too much. After all, she had spent so much time and effort in the harem.


    "Then this servant will go and make the arrangements." The Gui mama said and left.


    After a while, he returned and followed Xiao Shushen to Shen Qingwan''s courtyard.


    "Greetings, esteemed empress." Shen Qingwan felt slightly blessed and was slightly surprised at her arrival. Other than greeting her, she rarely saw her during this period of time. She hadn''t thought that she would actually come to her courtyard today. "I wonder what business does the empress have today?"


    With a raise of his hand, he gave Lian Yun a look. Lian Yun understood what she meant and went down to pour some tea.


    "What, does sister not welcome elder sister that much?" Can''t you come and see if you have nothing to do? " She wasn''t polite at all, and she didn''t need to say anything before sitting down. Her aura was very upright, giving people a feeling of elegance.


    Shen Qingwan shook her head. This was the Queen, she could not say that she did not welcome him, "Of course I welcome you. Since elder sister came, isn''t it better to let little sister make her presence known?" She smiled gently, gently, estranged.


    But Xiao Shushen did not come this time to ignore her, it was just that she was not here to see her, but to meet the Qing Ling she brought back.


    It just so happened that Qing Ling came out from the back, her body had already been cleaned up, adding that his foundation was already good, it could be seen through without the scar on her face.


    "Is this the palace maid that you brought back a few days ago?" Xiao Shushen raised her eyebrow and asked, but there was doubt in her eyes, why does she look so familiar?


    Shen Qingwan didn''t feel that there was anything wrong with the question. After all, no matter who it was, anyone who casually brought them into the palace would be questioned by others. However, there wasn''t the slightest bit of disrespect on their face, "That''s right." Then, he waved her hand. "Come, Qing Ling, come and greet the Empress."


    Qing Ling looked at Xiao Shushen, concealing the shock in her heart. She lowered her eyes, looking a little uneasy.


    "Get up." Xiao Shushen raised her hand, and saw that there was a trace of a smile on her face, but within this smile, there was scheming, "What a wonderful person." If he ignored the scar on her face, wouldn''t she be a perfect beauty? A cold sneer appeared in her heart. Perhaps this was an opportunity for her.


    "Here, this jade bracelet is for you. In the future, you have to serve your esteemed mistress well." She took a few steps forward and walked to her side. Lowering her head, she whispered into her ear. She purposely bit down on the word ''service'' in her heart.


    Qing Ling bit her lips, but maintained her composure and said, "Thank you, Esteemed Empress."


    "Gui mama, let''s go!" He had gained a lot from this trip.


    "Esteemed Empress, this woman ¡­" After waiting in her courtyard, the Gui mama finally spoke up. Seeing the smile on her face, she couldn''t really make out what she meant.


    "We don''t need to interfere with this girl. If she has the ability, she will naturally give us a huge gift." Xiao Shushen''s expression became a little sinister.


    Hearing her words, although the Gui mama didn''t understand what she meant, he was still relieved and followed her back to the palace.


    "Qing Ling, go and prepare some hot water. I want to take a bath." Shen Qing Wan said her instructions, but still decided to leave some thoughts in her mind and let Lian Yun follow her.


    "Yes ¡­" Qing Ling replied.


    While she was bathing, Shen Qing Wan told Qing Ling to go out, but kept Lian Yun, "Is there anything abnormal with her during these few days?" Ye Zichen rubbed his eyebrows and asked. It had to be said that she was actually quite concerned about her background.


    "In reply to the Empress, no." For the past few days, she had been paying attention to her every move. However, it was as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She had always been very obedient.


    She nodded, "You have to pay more attention to this for the next few days. If there is anything abnormal, you have to report it to me." Thinking of what Fu Yuheng had told her before, although she felt a little helpless, she had indeed remembered it in her heart.


    "You''ve been by her side these past few days. Can you see any of her characteristics?" She suddenly thought of something and asked. If it was just based on her actions, she probably wouldn''t be able to tell anything.


    "Mm ¡­" Lian Yun was quiet for a moment, then suddenly raised her eyes, "Reporting to the Empress, there is a butterfly shaped birthmark on her back, I have asked her about it before, she only said that she never cared about it, after all she is a woman, and thus cannot be seen by others, and she does not know either."


    "So ¡­ "In a few days, you can go to the place where we met her and ask if we know her." He stretched out his hand to pick up the floating flower petal, then put it back into the water and let it slowly float.


    It was as if she was thinking in her mind, floating back and forth.


    One day the truth would come out, or at least she would be wary of him until she could prove that he had no ulterior motives.


    This couldn''t be blamed on her. After all, during this period of time in the harem, she had been dragged into the whirlpool countless times.

 C258 Investigate Lilacs

    "What does Empress Zhao Yi mean by this?"


    Separated by the courtyard wall, Shen Qingwan could faintly hear these words. She stopped, raised her eyes, and looked out from a small hole at the side. The girl dressed in green, was the Qing Ling she had brought back, but when she saw the person in front of her, she couldn''t help but frown.


    "Meng''er?" What was she doing here? Why did she come to Wah Zhao Yi''s courtyard instead of following beside him at this time?


    They muttered to themselves for a while, but continued to watch. They were not discovered by the two of them.


    "There is no need for Miss Qing Ling to be this alert, it is just a little bit of kindness from Empress Zhao Yi, that''s all." Meng''er stuffed the hairpin into her hands. From time to time, she would look around, afraid that someone would see something.


    She sneered in her heart. Was he trying to bribe the people around her? What a good plan!


    "If you have no merits, just accept it. This hairpin should be taken back by Empress Zhao Yi!" Qing Ling''s eyes were cold and detached, this rejection, made her look at it a few more times.


    "Since Wah Zhao Yi is willing to give this item to you, you can keep it."


    The voice came from behind Qing Ling, causing the pupils of the two of them to constrict, "Greetings Concubine Xian."


    Qing Ling straightened her body, she looked like she was sitting very straight, but compared to Meng''er, who sat at the side, her head was lowered, obviously worried that she would blame her.


    Speaking of which, she was only doing things for the Empress Zhao Yi, if she suffered injustice in vain, then the gains would not make up for the losses. After all, no matter how she thought about it, she knew that Hua Xiangwei would definitely not offend Shen Qingwan for a mere palace maid like her.


    But at this time, Shen Qingwan''s gaze was not focused on her, it was only on Qing Ling who was kneeling at the side.


    "Take it!" Finally breaking the oppressive atmosphere, a smile appeared on her face. She really was an extremely intelligent woman.


    Meng''er finally realised that she was not joking just now. She dazedly took out the hairpin that she had just retrieved and handed it over to Qing Ling.


    While they were still in a daze, she had already returned to the courtyard.


    "Empress, is there something on your mind?" Seeing her frown, Lian Yun could not help but ask. He hadn''t seen her in a bad mood these past few days.


    "Nothing ¡­" She shook her head, but she was still lost in her thoughts. She couldn''t help but take the book in her hands.


    Lian Yun reached out to take out the book in her hands. Shen Qingwan glared at him in displeasure, not realizing why she had done so.


    "Empress, your book has been brought down." She reminded Chu Lian that if she didn''t explain this matter properly, she was afraid that she would be hacked to pieces by her scimitar.


    Shen Qingwan lowered her head and looked at her empty hands, then laughed awkwardly. She was too engrossed in her thoughts that she did not notice.


    Once again, he took the book back into his hands, and without further ado, he began to silently read.


    It was already May. Many flowers were already blooming in the garden. This was also the time when concubines loved to pick petals. Whether it was for bathing or making cake flowers, everyone was in a very good mood.


    "Slow down!" Zhao Yuanrong followed behind Fu Lingling. There was a smile in his eyes, but there was a sense of helplessness.


    She was a daughter, and didn''t have the airs of a princess. She should be sensible now, but she was very resistant to palace rule, and like a silly little girl every day, she liked to run around the garden.


    "Mufei''s running too slow, I can''t believe she can''t catch up to Ling." She turned around and looked at him with her hands on her hips. Her face was full of anger, just like a small golden fish. She looked very cute.


    "In this entire garden, you''re the only one who runs. You are a princess after all, you should learn the etiquette of this harem." He approached her and tapped her forehead with his finger.


    "No, mufei, those rituals are the most boring." After Fu Lingling heard this, her small face instantly fell.


    Zhao Yuanrong''s face was sullen, but in reality, he was helpless. Just as he wanted to say something, he heard a gentle voice from behind him.


    "Since Third Princess doesn''t like it, then don''t force her." There was obviously a smile in her voice as she looked directly at Fu Lingling.


    Hua Xiangwei took a few steps forward, wanting to approach her, but she ran away with a look of disdain. The little adult stared at her, full of wariness.


    Inwardly, she felt that this little girl was unlikeable, so she could only embarrassedly withdraw her hand.


    "This... If I remember correctly, it should be the Wah Zhao Yi, right? " Zhao Yuanrong was unable to figure out the reason for her visit, and his expression was one of confusion.


    "Elder sister really has a good memory." These words made him clench his teeth.


    "Oh ¡­" Fu Lingling replied, but there were no more words.


    In the distance, when Lian Yun saw this scene and saw the change in color on Hua Xiangwei''s face, she could not help but burst out laughing, "Empress, this Third Princess is such an interesting person." Tsk tsk, how amazing. She felt that such a small person was extremely interesting.


    Shen Qingwan nodded and covered her lips with a smile, "That''s right, Third Princess is really intelligent."


    The cleverness and innocence in the child''s eyes was something rarely seen in this palace.


    "How is the investigation I told you to do?" Suddenly, he changed topics and asked about Qing Ling.


    "Nothing yet." Lian Yun looked at her with some suspicion. After getting along with her for the past few days, Qing Ling had not shown any signs of abnormal behavior. Instead, she seemed to be more mature than her in her work, and was rather easy to get along with in her eyes.


    "Yes." He raised his head and looked at the sky. Suddenly, he felt a little disappointed. If he was not within this high wall, would he not be so scheming?


    "Empress ¡­" Seeing her change, Lian Yun felt a little more guilty. Even though he saw that she was like this, she was just a small palace maid who could not really help, she could even be said to be powerless.


    "Forget it, let''s go back." Tightening the cloak on his body, even though the weather had started to become hot, there was indeed less emotion in this harem. Even a bit of chilliness had appeared in his heart. This chilliness continued to spread to his body.


    "Here."


    And at this time, on the other side, Zhao Yuanrong had already brought Fu Lingling back as well.


    "Esteemed Empress, this flower cake ¡­" Meng''er held onto the basket in her hands, and looked in her direction, her eyes revealing a look of conflict. Originally, she had told her to make a flower cake and give it to Fu Lingling, but looking at it now, it was of no use.

 C259 Assistant Minister for Lessons

    "Do you have something to say?" Fu Yuheng raised his head from the pile of paper and looked at Shen Qingwan who was hesitating to speak. He was slightly surprised. When did she become so restrained?


    "It''s not really that big of a deal. It''s just that when I suddenly thought of what happened a few days ago, I seemed to have forgotten to mention it to His Majesty." He moved his hand away from his cheek and raised his eyes to look at Ye Zichen.


    "Oh? "What is it?" Hearing her say this, his interest was piqued. He actually forgot about it. Thinking about it, it was not an important matter. However, he had a headache from being annoyed by a paper roll just now, so he was willing to listen and watch.


    She playfully stuck out her tongue, then slowly said, "A few days ago, when chenqie saw Qing Ling, she encountered some small matters, but she still cared about it in her heart." "That nephew of the Vice Minister Li is doing well in the capital. He did not care about the lives of the commoners at all, so I can''t bear to see it. I hope the emperor can take a fancy to the officials'' usual ways." She knew that when she recalled the attitude of the attendant back then, she was still slightly angered.


    When he first saw her bringing Qing Ling into the palace, he did not ask her in detail about the reason behind it. However, it seems now that he still had something he did not know.


    "Can you describe it in detail?" His eyes were fixed on her, and he no longer dealt with the cases on the table. He became interested in the matter. Besides, what she said was very reasonable. The people could be said to be the foundation that supported the world. If the people were not at peace, how could there be peace and prosperity?


    To a certain extent, the ways of officials represented the importance the imperial government placed on the citizens. The officials of the imperial government were originally paid by the imperial government, but if the citizens were squeezed on the other side, it could be said that they were deceiving the government.


    "Yes." Shen Qing Wan nodded her head and recounted what happened back then. When the person in front of her heard this, her eyebrows creased even more.


    It could be said that he dared to do that right under his eyes. Besides, it was disrespectful towards his concubine. Even if he didn''t know her identity at that time, he could not be completely innocent.


    When she saw that he took her words to heart, she didn''t say anything more. He still had to decide for himself on other matters. In fact, her actions were actually quite selfish. That young servant really wanted to suppress his arrogance.


    "Sun Ning!" He suddenly shouted towards the door, catching everyone off guard.


    "Your majesty." Sun Ning hurriedly came in from outside, and wiped the cold sweat that did not exist on his face. This master here, what does he need to do for him to be in such a hurry to get him in here?


    "Go call the Vice Minister Li over for us." Fu Yuheng drummed his fingers on the table as a hint of ridicule appeared in his eyes.


    Before, when Li Yuhang and the Prime Minister Liu were close, it was not as if he did not know, but there were just too many people to clean up in the near future, so he temporarily shelved it.


    "You go to the back first." Pointing at the screen, Shen Qingwan understood and did not stay any longer. She followed the palace maid to the back and the hall suddenly became quiet.


    Li Yuhang''s residence was not far from the imperial palace, and before long, he had already rushed to the imperial study.


    "Vice Minister Li has been quite idle lately." He raised his eyebrows and faintly smiled at Chen Changsheng. "Does this capital still match your intentions?"


    After these words, cold sweat broke out all over his body. The meaning behind these words were big and small.


    For a small one, I''m just asking how he''s been doing? However, if one were to say who was the bigger one, who would dare to judge whether the capital was his own intent or not? This world was not his to begin with, so whether or not it suited his wishes should also be decided by the Emperor.


    Li Yuhang''s face immediately paled as he dropped to his knees and kowtowed. "Your majesty the Emperor is enlightened, this subject has absolutely no ill intentions towards Your Majesty!" At this moment, his back was covered in cold sweat, and he was lying on the ground, unwilling to get up.


    "Ah?" "Since when did I say that my beloved official was heartless?" He seemed to be puzzled and puzzled by the question. At the same time, he made people feel relieved, but also worried about whether his intentions were that simple. "I''ve heard that my beloved has a nephew. Is this true?"


    Fu Yuheng lowered his head and looked at him. The rhythm of the knocks on his fingertips caused his heartbeat to involuntarily quicken.


    "This ¡­" Mentioning this made him even more flustered. Why would the emperor mention his nephew for no reason? If there wasn''t something on his side, then it was that good-for-nothing nephew of his who had stirred up something. But since it was something that could let him know, it was definitely not a small matter.


    His body trembled like a sieve, but he had to answer truthfully, "To return to the emperor, this subject does indeed have a nephew in the capital, but he is not close to me, so this subject has little control over him." At present, the most important matter was still to break away from his relationship with the Emperor. However, he still couldn''t help but ask, "But what did that nephew of mine do to make the Emperor unhappy?"


    From time to time, she would glance at him, worried that he would blame her with a single change in her expression.


    "In that case, it is likely that my beloved will not stop him if we punish him, right?" Hearing his answer, he obviously didn''t believe it. Since he had already said so, then the other side would follow his orders.


    There was a scheming smile in his eyes. Only those close to him would discover that he was like a fox, his narrowed almond-shaped eyes already tinged with a hint of coldness.


    "This subject will be decided by the Emperor." By this point, he was almost certain that his nephew had gotten into some trouble, and felt some resentment towards him. If it wasn''t for him, he wouldn''t have been called to the royal study.


    At this time, he still did not know that when he was colluding with the Prime Minister Liu, Fu Yuheng had already sent out spies to inform the person with the greatest authority in the world.


    "This subject is helpless against his nephew. He has never learned anything since he was young and has tried to persuade him many times. However, he just refuses to listen." He sighed and put on a helpless expression, as if there was nothing he could do to his nephew. "I didn''t expect that we would cause such a disaster today. As his uncle, this subject is willing to do whatever it takes to deal with him."


    Those righteous words would make it so that no one would be able to find fault with them.


    "Since that''s the case, I''ll punish him with fifty shards of wood. As for his Daughter of Love, since he''s an elder, he has responsibilities of management. If his discipline is not strict, you will be punished with twenty shards."


    A cold voice came from above, causing him to instantly collapse to the ground. Fifty boards down, it could be said to be a cripple.

 C260 Empress Dowagers birthday

    Fu Huaiyu''s plan to rebel had already been executed, and the Liu Family had been executed as well. However, one thing after another, the ministers and officials started a new topic of discussion.


    Her Majesty''s birthday was coming up, and the palace had already begun preparing for it at this time of the year. But this year was different, because the empress dowager''s heart was hurt because of Fu Huaiyu.


    "Your Majesty, although this Fu Huaiyu was executed at the same time, the Esteemed Empress Dowager ¡­ This year''s birthday should be held, right? " The ministers no longer called Fu Huaiyu Ninth Prince, they only called him by his name. After all, he was a traitor, different from the past.


    Fu Yuheng, who was sitting on the dragon throne, also knew that it would be a few days later. He also had the thought of giving the empress dowager her birthday, but the empress dowager had gone to the Fashan Temple in sadness over Fu Huaiyu''s matter.


    "Zhen knows that as well. However, this matter isn''t something Zhen can decide. It still depends on the empress dowager''s wishes." Fu Huaiyu was the empress dowager''s only son. Now that he had been executed, the empress dowager would definitely blame him. If she didn''t want to come back, even persuading her would be useless.


    Since she no longer cared about her previous mother''s and son''s feelings and directly went to Fashan Temple, didn''t this mean that she was telling everyone that he was unfilial? Moreover, he had already gone to the Fashan Temple before, but the Empress Dowager never saw him.


    "Your majesty, in this old official''s opinion, no matter what Esteemed Empress Dowager says, this birthday must be held. Otherwise, the citizens will definitely criticize your majesty." Seeing Fu Yuheng in distress, Prime Minister Qi stood up and suggested.


    Since the Prime Minister Liu had already been executed, they naturally had to bring a new prime minister, and he was that person. Fortunately, he was still a loyal official and did not give Fu Yuheng any trouble.


    "But with the empress dowager''s current mood, I''m afraid she doesn''t want to pass this birthday." Fu Huaiyu had just been executed, the empress dowager would be extremely saddened at this moment.


    The other ministers did not say anything after hearing this. They just looked at each other, waiting for him to make his final decision. Fu Yuheng also felt that this was a thorny matter, but he could only wave his hand for the officials to withdraw. "We''ll discuss this matter tomorrow."


    The empress dowager being Fu Huaiyu''s biological mother was not bad, but she was, after all, someone who had raised him for a long time. If that was the case, he too would have feelings, and if the Empress Dowager was cold to him because of Fu Huaiyu, he would probably be ridiculed by the people.


    But the empress dowager had already made up her mind that she wouldn''t come back. He was also in a dilemma, so he could only look for Shen Qingwan to find a solution.


    "Does the emperor really want to hear chenqie''s suggestion?" Hearing his worries, Shen Qingwan couldn''t hold back her laughter. Everyone said that the Emperor was heartless, but he didn''t seem to be like other people.


    In the beginning, if she didn''t realise that Fu Huaiyu had some ulterior motives, he probably wouldn''t have known about it. And now, the empress dowager''s birthday, although it was said that she was afraid of the citizens'' opinions, was actually just to make the empress dowager happy.


    "Mm, if my beloved concubine has any thoughts, feel free to speak your mind." Fu Yuheng nodded. He had been worried about this matter for many days.


    Shen Qingwan smiled as she handed over the tea to Fu Yuheng. "Since the empress dowager isn''t willing to come back because of Ninth Prince''s matter, and this birthday isn''t going to end here either, why don''t we go to Fashan Temple instead?" In the end, she still could not put down the matter with Fu Huaiyu.


    Thinking up to here, he paused before continuing, "Esteemed Empress Dowager has always liked to pay respects to buddhas. It would be better for the emperor to repair them in the name of the empress dowager, it could be considered as doing a good deed."


    "Hmm? It doesn''t seem impossible. " Her suggestion was not bad. It would both silence the people outside and make the Empress Dowager happy. He nodded, a smile finally appearing on his face.


    "Your majesty, how about we prepare it now?" As Shen Qingwan spoke, she smiled again, to the extent that it reached Fu Yuheng''s heart.


    He already knew that this woman wasn''t an ordinary person, but he didn''t expect her to have such a delicate heart. It seemed that letting her stay by his side was the right decision.


    "Alright, we''ll do as my beloved concubine says. I''ll get someone to prepare it." Nodding in agreement to her suggestion, he felt much more at ease with himself.


    With such a "strategist" by his side, he could feel more at ease about many things. In fact, all he wanted was a life like this. He didn''t need everyone to be afraid of him.


    Shen Qingwan took this opportunity to head to Fashan Temple once more. She knew that the empress dowager definitely wouldn''t want to see her, so she directly went to look for her abbot.


    "Benefactor." Fang Xun remembered Shen Qingwan and greeted her respectfully. Shen Qingwan also returned the greeting, it really has been a long time.


    When she thought back to the last time, she could not help but feel that time passed really quickly. It was also a change in times, and things changed when people changed.


    "Master Fang, the chess game from last time isn''t over yet. Why don''t we have another game?" Shen Qingwan said with a smile as she got into her mood today. The abbot did not refuse. The two of them actually played the same game as before.


    The only difference was that she no longer had the same appearance as before. The death match from that day did not seem to be unsolvable. With just a few steps, she had actually resolved it.


    "Almsgiver''s chess skills have improved by a lot. With a set of rules, it seems like Almsgiver has also thought through some things." After the first round ended, Shen Qingwan had only lost a few rounds.


    She thanked him with her head. After so long, she should have changed a little. "Thank you, Reverend, but I wonder how Esteemed Empress Dowager is doing recently?"


    "The Esteemed Empress Dowager is fine. I was just thinking about the sad things that happened in the past, Amitabha." Since the abbot had said this, she could be considered to be much more at ease.


    Because of Shen Qingwan, Fu Yuheng also followed along. Firstly, he wanted to repair and repair the Fashan Temple, and secondly, for the Empress Dowager. After all, it was the Empress Dowager.


    "Your Majesty, the empress dowager said that her health isn''t good today and that she won''t be able to see anyone." However, when they arrived at the empress dowager''s temple, the Wu mama still stopped them.


    The empress dowager had long since heard the news that Fu Yuheng was going to come, so she had long since instructed the Wu mama to stop him here. This was because she knew that he definitely wouldn''t do anything against her.


    "Then is the empress dowager well?" He still wanted to be concerned about the empress dowager, but Wu mama spoke up with a cold expression. "Nothing."


    She was originally a little girl who accompanied the empress dowager to marriage, and had always been following the empress dowager even when she was old. Furthermore, she had watched Fu Huaiyu grow up as well, and had certain feelings for her. This time, Fu Huaiyu was killed, and not only was the empress dowager sad, she was also sad.


    "Good." He nodded and still wanted to enter, but the Wu mama was obstructing him so badly, he did not have the chance to get close.


    "Forget it, give this to the empress dowager so she won''t be too sad." After a while, Fu Yuheng took off the jade pendant at his waist and handed it over to Wu mama.

 C261 Recruitment to the Palace

    Returning from the palace, Li Yuhang''s back was already drenched. The emperor''s temper was constantly changing unpredictably. As his subordinates, they too felt anxious and fearful. Especially since he had a bad feeling about this earlier.


    "Go, call that disappointing fellow over." However, since Fu Yuheng had mentioned his nephew, the matter was definitely still with him, so he had to get to the bottom of this.


    When the butler saw the situation, he did not dare to delay and immediately ran out. Since there was no one in the mansion, he naturally went to the Willow Street. As expected, he had found him in the brothel.


    "Aiya, what''s the matter? I don''t see that I''m busy." Ignoring the butler''s anxiety, Li Gang still touched Hua Kui''s hand beside him. The steward was so anxious that he was like an ant on a hot pan. Only then did he drag her back.


    "The old master is calling you, and he doesn''t look too good, so you need to be careful." Only after entering the mansion did the butler cautiously speak. It was rare to see the old master so angry.


    But Li Gang didn''t think so, what else could it be? Moreover, he was his favorite nephew, so he swaggered into the study.


    "Kneel." Seeing Li Gang coming in, Li Yuhang immediately shouted angrily. Li Gang did not understand, and obediently knelt down, but he was still unconvinced.


    "But what did nephew do to make uncle so angry? Uncle should just listen to my explanation." Although he said so, he had other thoughts in his mind.


    After hearing what he said, Li Yuhang once again thought of Fu Yuheng''s scolding and stern voice from today, and asked: "Have you offended anyone in the recent few days, or should I say, offended someone?"


    Because what Fu Yuheng had said was completely related to Li Gang, not the slightest bit of concern to him.


    Li Gang kneeled down and thought about it, then shook his head, "Nephew has always been a proper nephew, how could he possibly offend others?" Li Yuhang glared at him. He himself was not clear about who he was.


    "Think about it carefully, or else I won''t be able to save you." Li Gang could only continue thinking, and his expression changed back to one of calmness after a moment.


    "Yes, my nephew''s carriage bumped into a woman in the market a few days ago, but she was just a beggar." After all, she was just an ordinary girl, so how could she be worthy of his eyes?


    He remembered that when he bumped into that girl, there was another girl that came out to stop him. Furthermore, he even spoke so arrogantly as to inform the Emperor that his attendants had ruthlessly looked down on them.


    But now that they thought about it, what happened in the past few days could only be them.


    "Woman, do you remember what sort of woman I am? Tell me honestly." Li Yuhang frowned, thinking that she was right, but he didn''t know what kind of person could make the emperor angry.


    However, Li Gang had an unhappy look on his face. After kneeling for so long, his legs had gone numb, "It was just an ordinary woman, but he was born pretty.


    "Furthermore, she is not wearing any precious gold or jewelry on her body. She should just be a girl from a normal family." It was because of this that his manservant would look down on that woman.


    But to be honest, that woman was truly beautiful. His temperament was very different. At the very least, he was different from all the females he knew. He was fresh and refined, and there was not the slightest bit of fear in knowing his identity. Instead, he spoke arrogantly and arrogantly.


    "Anything else?" Li Yuhang also frowned when he heard this. It was impossible to determine who it was with such a small lead. However, Fu Yuheng''s attitude was also very serious.


    "Uncle, why don''t you just tell your nephew what happened?" Li Gang was already kneeling in a rather displeased manner, and wanted to stand up by himself. However, he could only kneel in front of Li Yuhang.


    After thinking about it for a moment, he remembered that there was another person by the woman''s side. Looking like a butler, he told Li Yuhang the truth, "Uncle, your nephew can only think of this much."


    "Appearance of the butler? Do you know which family it is from? " Li Yuhang was still not satisfied. Today, he would definitely get to the bottom of this matter.


    "I don''t remember his appearance, but I think the woman called him Sun Ning." It caused him to recall that what happened so long ago was truly torture to him, and only after a while did he nod his head in confirmation, "That''s right, it''s Sun Ning!"


    Sun Ning? Li Yuhang was pacing around the study room nonstop. He was familiar with this name, but he couldn''t think of who it might be.


    "Sun Ning? Sun Gonggong. " He suddenly recalled that the Chief Eunuch by Fu Yuheng''s side was surnamed Sun, and upon comparing it with the feeling he had when he described the woman earlier, he was undoubtedly the current Concubine Xian. Who didn''t know that Fu Yuheng valued Shen Qingwan very much? If she said it, she wouldn''t be surprised.


    However, it was also obvious that he had gotten himself into big trouble!


    "You, ah, you really are a failure when it comes to doing things." Li Yuhang was simply about to burst with terror as he scolded Li Gang in disappointment.


    Who was Shen Qingwan? She was a treasure that the emperor held in his hands. Normally, these ministers wouldn''t even dare to say that their nephew was really reckless.


    "What''s wrong with me? It''s just a woman." Even Li Gang, who was scolded by Li Yuhang, was not convinced. It was just a woman, how could he be so angry? Earlier on, he had forced a girl to death, but he didn''t say anything.


    "Don''t say anything else, quickly come with me to the palace to beg for forgiveness." Li Yuhang no longer had the mood to continue explaining to Li Gang, he hurried into the palace with him to find Shen Qingwan.


    When he saw that the person he clashed with that day was the current Concubine Xian, Li Gang realized how big of a mistake he had made, and immediately kneeled down and begged for mercy.


    "Empress Lucky, this lowly one had no eyes to see that day and bumped into Empress. I hope you can forgive me." As he spoke, he continuously kowtowed. If he wasn''t careful, he would lose his life.


    Shen Qingwan looked at Li Gang as if he was a joke. Where did the arrogance from back then go?


    "Oh?" The handkerchief in his hand lightly brushed past the corner of his lips and he slowly opened his mouth. "Vice Minister Li, this is?" This kind of villain was the one she looked down upon the most, and intentionally looked towards Li Yuhang at the side.


    "This is this humble subject''s nephew. A few days ago, he accidentally bumped into the Empress. He has come today to beg for forgiveness." Cold sweat trickled down his face, and he wished he could find a hole to hide in.


    Shen Qingwan suddenly realized something, but she laughed coldly in her heart. Back then, she was well aware of the matter of him colluding with Prime Minister Liu.


    "Apologize? Apologize for what? The person Vice Minister Li''s nephew bumped into is not me. " There was a hint of coldness on his face as he stared at the person on the ground.


    "Qing Ling!" Waving his hands behind him, a lady walked over with her head lowered.


    Initially, Li Gang wanted to apologize, but when he saw that it was Qing Ling who was unwilling, he said that he was just a small palace maid, for him to apologize, wasn''t that humiliating him?

 C262 The Emperors Birthday

    "What is it? Not willing? As a person of my Asgard, there is naturally no reason for people to casually bully Qing Ling. " Shen Qing Wan raised her eyebrows, seeing that he did not make a move for a long time, displeasure appeared on her face.


    "Miss Qing Ling, I was blind to offend you that day, please do not take offense to it." Even if he was unwilling, he could only apologize in order to survive.


    "Are you satisfied with your beloved concubine?" The two men had just left when Fu Yuheng walked over from an unknown place. It surprised her and a few blush appeared on her face.


    She was afraid that he had already seen through her little thoughts. Even if she said she was doing it for the world, the most important thing was her own selfishness. However, that boy was quite infuriating. If he didn''t teach him a lesson, he wouldn''t be willing to accept it ¡­


    "What is the emperor saying?" Your concubine is thinking for the sake of this land of rivers and mountains. " He covered his lips and smiled. Traces of light rippled out from his eyes. He was also quite charming.


    "Lovely concubine, you''re quite the eloquent one." He did not expose her, but looked at her with a hint of ridicule in his eyes.


    "Emperor Muzzin." He gave a proper bow and suddenly slapped his forehead. "Let''s not talk about this. How are the preparations for the empress dowager going?"


    He shook his head, and spoke with slight helplessness, "She seems to still be unwilling to see us, but to pass Fu Huaiyu''s jade pendant as a last resort, it can be said that she has done her best."


    Seeing his depressed look, Shen Qing Wan couldn''t help quieting down as well and forcing the Emperor to such a state. This made her feel a little sorry for him.


    "I really never thought that the lofty Emperor would have such a helpless moment." When she said this, there was a hint of mockery in her tone.


    Fu Yuheng couldn''t help but cast a sidelong glance at him. "Are you joking with me again?" He raised his eyebrows, but the atmosphere was a bit relaxed.


    "How would chenqie dare? If I''m not careful, then I might not be able to keep my life." The corner of her mouth curled up. She knew that he wouldn''t punish her, so she wasn''t stingy with her jokes or two.


    But unexpectedly, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her straight into the room.


    Lian Yun couldn''t help but snicker when she saw the two making fun of him, there was probably someone else in the palace who would be jealous for a while yet.


    When she woke up, the sky was already bright. Unsurprisingly, there was no one by her side.


    He sighed and looked out the window. In fact, even if they stayed in the palace, it was not bad that the two of them were able to stay like this for so long.


    As he thought of this, he shook his head. All those unrealistic ideas were thrown to the back of his mind.


    When did she become like this? However, once this thought appeared in his mind, it would not disappear so easily.


    However, how many women in this world would actually be willing to share their husband with other women?


    Just as he was sighing to himself, the door creaked open from the outside.


    The person who entered the door indeed surprised her. Why didn''t he leave?


    "Your majesty?" He blurted out, "Why is the emperor here?"


    Fu Yuheng stared at her in a good mood as he let Lian Yun place the dishes on the table. He then closed the door and asked, "What, is it strange?" He walked up and ruffled her hair.


    She nodded. "It''s just a little strange. Why didn''t the emperor go to the imperial court today?" After all, as a monarch, he couldn''t casually stay away from court.


    He seemed very happy today, but he didn''t tell her, only letting her guess. She thought about it, but she still couldn''t guess the reason. However, she knew that she definitely wasn''t going because of her, so something big must have happened.


    Seeing that she was unable to guess, Fu Yuheng sat down beside her and let her lean against his chest. His gaze was deep and long, as if he was recalling something.


    Shen Qingwan didn''t interrupt him, but continued to ponder about what was so important.


    "Today is my birthday." When she lowered her head, she heard a deep voice coming from above, causing her to be stunned. The instant she raised her head, she was sure that there was a hint of loneliness in his eyes.


    With just one sentence, she felt as if something had choked her throat, making her unable to speak.


    It had already been two years since he had entered the palace, but she had never noticed it. However, now that she thought about it, it seemed like he had never been born before. Logically speaking, the Emperor''s birthday should have been celebrated without restraint, but he was different.


    "Since young, I''ve only had my birthday when mufei was still around, but never since I was eight years old." He raised his head to the sky, but his vision was blocked by the roof, but it was enough to cover up his slightly red eyes.


    For a man to feel wronged for such a small matter, perhaps he really did lose a lot of face.


    Shen Qingwan snuggled up to his arm. For the first time, she felt that even someone as strong as him would have such a sorrowful and helpless time.


    This kind of person made her heart ache, but she was used to being indifferent since she was young. She didn''t know how to comfort him, so she could only silently look at the side of his face.


    He must have had a hard time, right? Previously, she had heard from Sun Ning that Fu Yuheng''s mother had passed away when he was eight years old. However, at that time, she had only found her corpse in a well.


    He couldn''t help but touch his face, startling the person in his thoughts.


    "Looks like my beloved concubine is really going to laugh at me this time, hur hur." He grabbed her hand and tightly hugged her in his embrace, as if he wanted to rub her into his body.


    In fact, he didn''t know what was going on with him today. He couldn''t help but tell her what was on his mind.


    "My beloved concubine, have you seen enough?" Seeing that she was staring at him, he started to tease her instead.


    He intentionally changed the topic, and Shen Qingwan did not get involved with the matter from before, "Since today is the birthday of the Emperor, then let your concubine help you pass."


    She suddenly had an impulse. In the future, she would always be by his side, no matter if it was for his love or his selfishness. At the very least, he would let her take a part of him, and only take a part of her.


    After washing up, Shen Qingwan went to the kitchen alone. When she was at the General''s Estate, she often cooked for herself, so the dishes she cooked were also very delicious.


    However, he was, after all, the Emperor. After having his meal, he returned to the imperial study to handle official business. Shen Qingwan took this opportunity to secretly ask Sun Ning a few things, including some things that he liked and what happened back then.


    Sun Ning watched him leave and felt a wave of gratification. Finally, someone was willing to truly care for him, who looked extremely powerful but was actually lonely. As a servant, he had truly gone to think for him. After all, when he was young, he was already by his side.


    Even now, after seeing him grow up and sit on the tall throne, he still felt extremely lonely. There was not even a single person who could speak the truth. He felt heartache from the bottom of his heart.

 C263 The Crown Prince returns to the palace

    "Esteemed Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince has returned!" Gui mama respectfully stood at the side and reported to her, but he couldn''t conceal the joy in his eyes.


    "Chen Er is back?" Hearing her words, Xiao Shushen''s tightly shut eyes suddenly opened, and the brilliance in her eyes, was practically brighter than a candle''s light.


    Two years ago, for some reason, Fu Yuheng, despite the objections of the crowd, sent her son, the current crown prince, out of the palace to train. At that time, he was only a four year old child, yet he left her just like that. However, it was the emperor''s decision after all. Even if she had any more objections, she could only comply. Now that he had finally returned, naturally, she was extremely happy and wanted to cry.


    "This son greets mother empress." Her sword-like eyebrows and pair of phoenix eyes were eighty percent the same as Fu Yuheng''s. However, those thin lips were exactly like Xiao Shushen''s, making him seem slightly cold.


    "Come, my Chen Er, come quickly and show it to Imperial Mother. After not seeing his for two years, Chen Er has grown a lot taller." He tightly held onto his shoulders, as if she was afraid that he would disappear right in front of her eyes.


    In the end, Fu Mo Chen was only a six year old child. Tears soon appeared in his eyes, but he endured the pain and did not let them fall.


    "Chen Er has grown up, but he''s become much stronger than before." He took a few more glances and pulled him into his arms.


    When they saw each other again, even the palace maids began to shed tears.


    "Your Highness, the Emperor is calling you over." At this time, a small palace maid walked in. This was the personal palace maid that Fu Yuheng had sent her. She had been following him for the past two years.


    "Go." Xiao Shushen tidied up the clothes on his body and watched him leave.


    "Esteemed Empress, His Highness the crown prince has returned. Do you want to ¡­" Gui mama glanced at the direction Fu Mo Chen left in and suggested a suggestion.


    Xiao Shushen wiped away a few tears from the corner of her eyes and returned to her usual self.


    "Let''s talk about this in a few days!" Chen Er has just returned, so as his mother, I still have to get closer to him for a period of time. " A sincere smile appeared on her face. She was afraid that she would only let down her guard when facing him.


    Gui mama watched on from the side and shook his head. It could be said that his highness the crown prince was the empress''s biggest weakness.


    "How have you been these past two years?" Fu Yuheng sat on the dragon throne and looked down at Fu Mochen.


    "Not good." The little girl raised her head. There was a trace of dissatisfaction in her eyes. After throwing him into the desolate mountain forest, although he had learned a lot from the instructor in the past two years, he had been separated from his mother for two whole years.


    He pursed his lips unwillingly, but the person sitting on the platform had seen everything clearly. He silently shook his head in his heart.


    Moreover, he was protected extremely well by Xiao Shushen in the palace. Adding to the fact that up to now, this imperial harem only had this prince and there was no competition at all. Furthermore, he didn''t feel the slightest sense of crisis in his heart.


    "You should be more sensible now." She opened her mouth and stared at him, lost in thought.


    This child''s appearance was similar to his, but this sort of character still required a long period of training. If he stayed in the Imperial Palace for a long period of time, with his and Xiao Shushen''s protection, he would probably become more and more spoiled. This was also the reason why he threw him out to train for two years. But it was obvious that he didn''t understand.


    "Yes." Lowering his head, Fu Mo Chen''s answer was somewhat forced. Although he was somewhat unwilling, after all, he had studied for two years, so his etiquette was not the least bit lacking. Compared to ordinary adults, it was not inferior in the slightest.


    "You just came back, so you should take a good rest!" Xia Keke picked up the paper in front of her and didn''t give him a look.


    "Yes, your son shall take his leave." He saluted again and left.


    In June, the lotus blossomed again. Shen Qingwan sat in the pavilion beside the pond and played the zither, but Wu Ling wasn''t there today. When Prime Minister Liu was beheaded a few days ago, it was also discovered that Wu Shang Shu framed the incident back then. Thus, Fu Yuheng acquitted Wu Shang Shu of his crimes and released her brother from prison. Therefore, he had been accompanying him for the past few days.


    "Eh? When did this palace have a prince? " Just as he was about to become excited, he suddenly heard Lian Yun''s surprised shout from the side. An accident occurred in her finger technique, and a "Zheng" sound suddenly reverberated in the air.


    Only then did Lian Yun suddenly realize that she had misspoken, and immediately covered her mouth, as she looked at her with a fawning expression.


    Shen Qing Wan was a little helpless, but she could not do anything to her, so she could only sigh. Then, he thought of what she had just said and felt a little curious. "You were talking about the prince?" She really hadn''t seen any prince around the palace. Previously, she had been feeling weird, but she hadn''t asked him about it.


    Following Lian Yun''s line of sight, she just happened to see Fu Mo Chen throwing a stone into the pond. His small face was filled with displeasure.


    Just then, Xiao Shushen walked over and pulled him away. When he saw the two of them, she smiled at her.


    Shen Qingwan frowned. From the looks of it, she was the one who sent this prince, he should be the crown prince. It was just that for some reason, no one had mentioned it before.


    "Lian Yun, go and call Eunuch Chen over. Tell him that I have something to ask him." There was no point in thinking any further. He might as well find someone to ask.


    Not long after, Chen An arrived in front of her. He knew that she was the favorite concubine of the Emperor, but he was still a little scared. Compared to Sun Ning, she was much weaker. However, the more such a person was, the easier it was for him to ask that question.


    Indeed, under her questioning, she finally asked about the identity of that prince just now ¡ª ¡ª Fu Mochen, the only prince in the palace.


    However, when he heard that Fu Yuheng had sent him out for two years, he also felt that it was somewhat strange. However, after asking about the reason, Chen An merely shook his head.


    Since she had already asked enough, she didn''t continue to pester him and asked him to go back and serve Fu Yuheng.


    Xiao Yan paced around the pavilion for a long time. However, he was unable to find anything. He felt somewhat vexed.


    "My beloved concubine, what is it that makes you so preoccupied?" Fu Yuheng saw her pacing here from afar, so he came over to ask.


    But when he heard her question, he didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    She had been in the palace for a long time, but she still didn''t know that there was a crown prince in the palace. It was truly strange.


    "Presumably, my beloved concubine has been busy these past few years searching through Zhen''s books, right?" With a faint smile, he explained everything to her.