"Just, Miss Song, don't regret it later."
Ning Ywan's expression was so smug and meaningful that a faint sense of unease welled up in Song Yiran's heart.
But thinking of An Xingzhi's plan, her eyes fluttered. She felt shy yet determined in her heart.
"Yiran sincerely apologizes to the Princess of De. Please let bygones be bygones, Princess."
Then Ning Ywan tilted her head slightly and turned to An Xingzhi standing beside her. "Since it's a reconciliation, why not Miss An have a drink with us too?"
There was a faint smile on her lips. "Let's resolve the old grudge today and never mention it again in the future."
Although it was phrased as a question, her tone was firm and brooked no dissent.
An Xingzhi hesitated. She had personally gone to the Prince of De's Mansion to apologize some time ago and thought that the two of them had already buried the hatchet.
Unexpectedly, in Ning Ywan's words, there was still some lingering resentment between them.
She bit her lip, cursing Ning Ywan for being so overbearing in her heart!
But for the sake of her goal, she could only suppress her anger.
Song Yiran always followed An Xingzhi. Seeing An Xingzhi hesitate, her mind started to wander.
Her eyes kept darting around, and her fingers holding the teacup trembled nervously, causing the tea to splash slightly.
Ning Ywan smiled. "If the two ladies don't drink, does it mean you're not willing to be on good terms with me?"
Her gaze fell on the teacup in Song Yiran's hand. "Or is there something wrong with this water?"
Damn it!
Song Yiran took a step back and shrieked inwardly. How did Ning Ywan know?
She almost lost control of her panicked expression and forced a smile. "This tea was arranged by Eunuch Wang. How could there be anything wrong with it?"
An Xingzhi also quickly forced a smile. "Xingzhi and Yiran were just too shocked. We didn't expect the Princess of De to be willing to be on good terms with us."
She was smart enough not to mention the tea at all.
But Ning Ywan seemed to see through their thoughts. She raised her teacup. "Since there's nothing wrong, ladies, please."
Song Yiran bit her lower lip. She didn't want to drink.
She had known in advance that Wang Fuhai had put drugs in the water.
But if she didn't drink, she was afraid that Ning Ywan would become even more suspicious.
She could only carefully exchange glances with An Xingzhi and said, "Princess of De, please."
She had planned to take just a small sip, but unexpectedly, the water quickly rushed down her throat. By the time they realized it, their teacups were already empty.
Song Yiran was stunned. The panic in her eyes was hard to hide. She wondered if she was hallucinating. She even felt that the tea seemed to have a life of its own and flowed freely into her throat.
She carefully tugged on An Xingzhi's sleeve. The latter gave her a reassuring look and then said to Ning Ywan, "Princess of De, please wait here for a while. I'll accompany Yiran to relieve ourselves."
Ning Ywan slowly sipped her tea. Hearing this, she only nodded slightly, seemingly not caring about their whereabouts at all.
An Xingzhi then led Song Yiran out. But they didn't go far. They just monitored Ning Ywan around the corner outside the palace.
"Miss An, could there be something wrong with that water?"
Cold sweat broke out on Song Yiran's forehead. She suddenly grabbed her chest. "It couldn't be that kind of filthy drug, could it? I'm still an innocent girl."
"What are you afraid of?" An Xingzhi raised her eyebrows. "Yiran, don't forget our plan!"
She had heard that if that kind of filthy drug entered the body, one would surely feel hot all over.
Since the two of them were fine for now, it shouldn't be that kind of drug.
Maybe there was no drug in the tea at all, and Wang Fuhai had used some other method?
"Will it really be okay?"
Song Yiran kept pestering her with questions. An Xingzhi almost couldn't maintain her gentle and dignified appearance.
She impatiently glared at Song Yiran. Seeing the latter's curious and startled expression, she managed to regain her composure.
"This matter is foolproof. You can rest assured."
Song Yiran slowly let go of her hand. It was obvious from her actions that she was just nervous but not completely unwilling.
An Xingzhi gently patted Song Yiran's slightly nervous hands and comforted her gently, "Yiran, I'm doing this for your own good. Don't you want to become a person of high status? Are you willing to watch Ning Ywan always be above us?"
Maybe the words "a person of high status" touched Song Yiran's heart. She swallowed hard and then nodded firmly. "I understand. I'm willing!"
"Good. You just follow the plan later."
An Xingzhi's gaze shifted away from Song Yiran. She would not only help Song Yiran but also "help" Ning Ywan harshly, making her "famous" today.
On the other side outside the Weiyang Palace, Wang Fuhai was hiding in the dark, monitoring the three of them.
Behind him, the Empress Chu and the Emperor Chu were sitting upright in the main hall of the Weiyang Palace. One was cold - faced but warm - hearted, and the other was warm - faced but cold - hearted.
"Has the Princess of De come?"
The Emperor Chu was anxious and hesitated to speak. But because of the Empress Chu, he suppressed some of his enthusiasm.
They had been husband and wife for thirty years, and the Empress Chu had long seen through his thoughts. So she simply asked the question for him.
But the sourness in her heart was rising and surging. The smile on her face almost cracked.
Wang Fuhai nodded and bowed. "She's in the side hall."
He hesitated for a moment. "But Miss An, the reading companion of Princess Nian'an and the granddaughter of Grand Secretary An, and Miss Song Yiran, the daughter of Minister Song, are also in the side hall."
The Emperor Chu had never paid attention to these two little girls. He squinted his eyes and tried to recall. He only vaguely remembered two slender and delicate figures. He casually waved his hand and said, "Find a chance to get the two of them out."
These two young girls who hadn't fully grown up didn't have the kind of peerless beauty that Ning Ywan had.
The Emperor Chu's eyes were deep, and his breath was unstable. It seemed that Ning Ywan's gorgeous face appeared in front of his eyes again. His heart was burning with desire. "Hurry up!"
Wang Fuhai nodded and exchanged a tacit look with the Empress Chu without showing any emotion. "This servant will go right away."
After Wang Fuhai left, the Empress Chu placed a porcelain bottle on the table. "Your Majesty, this is the Deer - Blood Pill that was offered by the northern region some time ago. It's extremely effective!"
She gave a cryptic smile, looking a bit shy. "The men in the northern region are all brave and strong because they've been taking the Deer - Blood Pill for a long time."
"Really?"
The Emperor Chu's eyes lit up. He couldn't wait to swallow the Deer - Blood Pill immediately.
He glanced at the Empress Chu's face. Seeing that she looked okay, he reached out and hugged her tightly. "My dear wife, only you in the harem understand my heart."
The Empress Chu smiled shyly, but her heart was actually filled with pain. If she could, she didn't want to be such a person.
The feeling of betraying human ethics and living in constant suffering and pain was so embarrassing.
So whenever she faced Chu Heyao or Yan Zhao, her regret and guilt became deeper and harder to relieve.
"Then this concubine will go to the front hall to make arrangements first."
Today was her birthday, and all the civil and military officials had already entered. The Empress Chu had to go and make arrangements in advance.
She also didn't want to stay here and listen to the Emperor Chu with other women.
Wang Fuhai received the Emperor's order. As soon as he left the main hall, he signaled the secret guards to knock out An Xingzhi and Song Yiran and send them away.
But the secret guards searched the entire Weiyang Palace but didn't find them.
"Could it be that they left first?"
Wang Fuhai stroked his chin and guessed. But since they weren't his target, he simply didn't think about it anymore.
He took a rough look at Ning Ywan, who had already fainted. A lecherous smile spread across his lips. "Princess of De, this servant has offended you."