Di Lanmo thought to herself, "That's exactly it!" She had clearly been summoned into the palace by the queen!
In fact, she didn't want to play with the queen at all. Judging from the queen's behavior, did she and the emperor really want to have a good time with her and Chu Zhiyan?
What kind of game was it that ended up trying to kill someone?
Di Lanmo looked at the queen, hoping that the queen would offer a corresponding explanation for the imperial concubine's question.
When she looked up, the queen was just raising the tea cup to her lips. Her gaze, which had been on them before, shifted away, as if she were observing the tea dregs in the cup.
Di Lanmo murmured to herself and then put on an innocent look. "Your Highness the imperial concubine, you make it sound like that. I was just planning to pay my respects to Your Highness after the queen summoned me."
The implied meanings were: First, I was summoned by the queen, not coming into the palace on my own initiative to play with the queen. Second, I also wanted to come and play with you, but the queen just wouldn't let me go!
The imperial concubine smiled. "I heard that the Prince of Qin is ill. I suppose the queen summoned the princess for some urgent matter?"
Di Lanmo forced a smile on her face while cursing inwardly!
Do all the women in the harem speak so obliquely?
Your Highness the imperial concubine, with all due respect, if you really don't get along with the queen, just confront her directly. Don't use me as a pawn, okay?
I'm a living person, not a heartless weapon!
And as for the queen, you're the mother of the nation. How can you allow this coquettish woman to bully your guest on your territory?
Well, it was obvious that the queen didn't pick up on Di Lanmo's provocation. Di Lanmo had to deal with the imperial concubine on her own. "Your Highness is joking. The queen is worried about my lord. Since she can't visit him in person in the deep palace, she summoned me to report back."
The imperial concubine nodded gracefully and said meaningfully, "It seems I overthought it."
Di Lanmo just wanted to tear the imperial concubine's mouth apart now. You didn't overthink it. You're absolutely right. Can you just shut up? You're going to get me killed!
At this moment, the queen put down the tea cup and looked down with a smile. "Sister, why do you have the time to come to me today?"
Was it accidental or on purpose?
The imperial concubine also smiled, but it was completely different from the queen's dignified smile. She smiled coquettishly and said to the queen, "Sister, what you said makes it sound like I can't come and talk to you if I have nothing to do!"
Di Lanmo couldn't help but sigh. Being the emperor was indeed a great job. Just look at the girls in the palace, all shapes and sizes, each with her own charm.
The queen adjusted her sleeves gracefully. "I thought I did something wrong to upset you when I saw you criticizing me with the Princess of Qin just now."
The queen was clearly pointing it out to her, but the imperial concubine's expression remained unchanged. "After all these years, doesn't sister know me yet? I'm just a straightforward person. My words always tend to upset people. Sister mustn't blame me!"
Look at that coquettish look. She really looked like a little sister acting coquettishly with her elder sister.
But among the three people present, who didn't know each other? They were all old foxes. They just didn't want to expose each other.
But the imperial concubine still refused to give up. She dragged Di Lanmo in as a shield. "Moreover, when did I criticize sister? I have the Princess of Qin as a witness. Sister mustn't wrong me."
Di Lanmo was tired of cursing inwardly. Her smile gradually stiffened. She quickly stood up. "Your Highness, I've calculated the time. It's time for me to treat my lord. I'll go back to the mansion first."
Since she gave this reason, the queen naturally couldn't stop her openly. She said with a smile, "It's my oversight. I'll have someone escort the princess out of the palace."
"No need to trouble yourself. I've walked this way twice. I know the way in the palace."
Since she said she didn't need it, the queen naturally wouldn't insist.
After leaving the Chenxi Palace, Di Lanmo quietly let out a sigh of relief. Although the air in the palace was still oppressive, it was much better than in the Chenxi Palace.
On the way, a young boy was sitting under a tree, pounding the ground. His knuckles were already covered in blood.
As she got closer, Di Lanmo noticed that the boy was the Third Prince who had spoken up for her during their chance meeting in the palace.
"Your Highness the Third Prince, what's wrong with you?" She walked up and squatted in front of the Third Prince.
Chu Xiuqi looked up and saw Di Lanmo squatting in front of him. His eyes lit up. "Ugly girl, it's you!"
Di Lanmo thought, "You really don't have to remember me so clearly. And with this face of mine now, anyone would say I'm a beauty. Why does this little kid only remember me when I was ugly?"
Moreover, she should be this little kid's imperial aunt now, right?
Thinking that she was the elder, she didn't bother about Chu Xiuqi's inappropriate words. "It's me. I see that Your Highness doesn't seem very happy. I wonder what's bothering Your Highness?"
"You can't help me!" When it came to his sad story, Chu Xiuqi lowered his head again, looking very dejected.
"Maybe I can?" Di Lanmo glanced at the bow and arrow beside him and roughly guessed why he was unhappy. "Does Your Highness like archery too?"
Chu Xiuqi looked at the famous bow beside him and felt even more ironic. He, a person who couldn't even shoot an arrow, didn't deserve this bow at all. So he started to feel self - pity. "They're right. I'm not worthy of using this Wandiao Bow at all!"
"Who said that!" Di Lanmo looked surprised. "Since this Wandiao Bow is in Your Highness's hands, it means that Your Highness is the most suitable person to use it."
Chu Xiuqi didn't believe it. He thought Di Lanmo was just comforting him.
In fact, Di Lanmo was indeed comforting him, but it wasn't just that.
"Doesn't Your Highness know that the famous weapons in the martial world all have spirits? In the hands of an unworthy master, they can't display even a bit of their power."
Chu Xiuqi gave Di Lanmo a sidelong glance. He was wrong. This ugly girl wasn't here to comfort him. She was here to mock him.
Wasn't he just unable to display even a bit of the power of the Wandiao Bow? He had been laughed at in the martial arts field for a whole morning. He finally managed to hide away, but now he was being mocked by this ugly girl. What bad luck!
But Di Lanmo's next words piqued Chu Xiuqi's interest. She said, "I think Your Highness has a remarkable bone structure and should be a martial arts prodigy. This simple archery skill should never trouble Your Highness. Could it be that Your Highness's master is all bark and no bite?"
Chu Xiuqi glared at Di Lanmo again. This ugly girl was not only ugly but also couldn't speak properly!
The master who taught the princes martial arts was the number one expert in the imperial palace. Saying that he was all bark and no bite? Ridiculous!
Di Lanmo ignored the contempt in his eyes and said excitedly, "How about I teach Your Highness?"
Chu Xiuqi looked at Di Lanmo's small body and curled his lips. He said disinterestedly, "You can shoot arrows too?"
"I never miss!" Di Lanmo patted her chest and promised. In her line of work, there was usually no chance for a second arrow.