When Zhu'er returned to the Palace of Longevity, Concubine Rui's face had already darkened. She quickly knelt down and crawled to her feet.
"Your Ladyship, this servant is late."
"You still have the nerve to say so! Good-for-nothing! I sent you to gather information, and Shi An had already left the palace gates by the time you came back," Concubine Rui kicked her to the ground. "Tell me, where did you go?"
"Your Ladyship, you've wronged me! When I was on my way back, I was bumped into by Zihuan, the maid beside Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. She grabbed me and demanded an apology. She even beat me up. I told her I had to attend to Your Ladyship, but she wouldn't let me go. She simply doesn't put Your Ladyship in her eyes!" Zhu'er quickly crawled back and showed the bruises she had inflicted on herself by slapping her own face twice on the way.
Concubine Rui pinched her face and examined it carefully, then flung her away forcefully. "That damned Shi Muyuan doesn't even put me in her eyes!"
"Your Ladyship, you mustn't let her off! A mere maid, just because her mistress is the Empress Dowager, dares to treat you like this!"
"Humph! Who asked for your opinion?"
"Your Ladyship, have mercy! Have mercy!"
Concubine Rui ignored her and simply tidied up the skirt that had been messed up by her previous actions. After listening to Zhu'er's pleas for mercy for a while, she finally spoke. "Tell me, what did you find out there?"
"Yes, thank you, Your Ladyship. General Shi only stayed in the Palace of Health and Longevity for a short while and then left. They only talked about trivial family matters."
"Nothing else?"
"Yes. Before General Shi left, he selected a few eunuchs and maids who were working in the Palace of Health and Longevity and presented them to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. It seemed like he only wanted to keep these people."
"Only a few? Go to the Chamber of Etiquette and see if there are any changes in the roster of servants in the Palace of Health and Longevity."
Shi Muyuan always has someone to protect her. It's really envy-inducing! She was going to see what tricks the Shi family was up to this time to protect that bitch Shi Muyuan.
Zhu'er took the order and left. She soon returned with the news.
"Your Ladyship, the records in the Chamber of Etiquette show that almost half of the servants in the Palace of Health and Longevity were replaced as punishment after Her Majesty the Empress Dowager was assassinated last time. I heard there were some changes today, but they haven't been recorded yet."
Concubine Rui stroked the comb placed in front of the dressing mirror and thought for a while. "Spread this news and tell them to seize this opportunity to plant someone in there."
Many of their people had been replaced during the last reshuffle in the Palace of Health and Longevity. This was a new opportunity.
"Go and invite Concubine Qi to the Garden of Elegance."
Zhu'er, having escaped punishment, didn't dare to make a sound and obediently left again.
As soon as Shi An left the palace, he galloped back to the military camp. Entering the tent, he saw his silly younger brother still burying his head in the documents on the table. He directly pulled him up from the chair.
Shi Li was extremely startled and shook off his elder brother's hand. "Big brother, what are you doing? I haven't caused any trouble!"
"It's not about that."
"Then what is it that makes you so anxious? Could it be that something has happened to our little sister again?"
"Something did happen in the palace, but don't worry. It's not a big deal. I've already arranged for the people in the palace to be replaced again to get rid of those planted by the old guys. But now we have to go home. Stop looking at these tiring things for now."
"Okay, let's go then." Shi Li thought his elder brother must be going home to settle the family elders.
In the Shi Mansion, the people from each branch were quite confused when they were suddenly summoned to the front hall. They didn't know what was going on. But some of them had already received the news from the palace and were quite angry. However, they were in the wrong, as it was their people who had been secretly planted.
"Big brother, what are you doing?" A young man standing in the middle of the hall asked doubtfully. He was Shi Song, the eldest son of the second branch of the Shi family. He was still at the age of studying and had just come of age. After Shi Li returned, he had been following him to learn, hoping to pass the imperial examinations.
Seeing him standing there, Shi Li walked over. "Why are you here?"
"Second brother, I came with my father and grandfather to take a look."
"You can go back. You juniors don't need to get involved in today's matter."
"Second brother, I'm already twenty. I'm not a junior anymore."
"You still have to study. Don't let your mind wander."
"Okay, then I'll leave first."
Shi An walked to the middle, cleared his throat, and attracted everyone's attention.
"I'd like to discuss something with you all today."
"Most of the elders in our family are old." Before he could finish his sentence, many elders were dissatisfied. They blew their beards and glared at Shi An.
Shi Li stepped forward and interrupted him. "Big brother, let me say it."
Shi An looked at the situation below and nodded. "Okay. You're better at speaking. If I finished speaking, I might be expelled from the family genealogy later."
"Big brother, don't worry. No one will expel you. You're a great general now," Shi Li whispered. Then he stepped forward and took Shi An's place.
Shi Li with a gentle and amiable look said, "Uncles and uncles, last time our little sister was attacked. Big brother's original intention was to protect her, so he replaced the people in the Palace of Health and Longevity with our own. But we never expected that the enemy would come from within. Second Grandfather, do you have anything to say about this?" Shi Li's eyes suddenly turned sharp as he looked at the old man standing beside him.
The old man's hair and beard were a bit gray, his skin was wrinkled, and he was holding a tiger-headed walking stick in his hand, looking quite imposing.
"I was just worried about Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, so I watched from the side and gave some advice when necessary. What's wrong with that?"
"Second Grandfather, when our little sister entered the palace, you promised us that you wouldn't let her get involved in these things. You only said that the position of the empress must be held by someone from our Shi family."
"I did say that. But Yu girl is the Empress Dowager in the palace. How could she have nothing to do with these things? An'er, you brothers are just deceiving yourselves."
"Second Grandfather is confused. After thinking it over, my second brother and I also think that since you're old, you may not be able to understand these things clearly. So we've decided to send you to the old mansion to enjoy your remaining years in peace, so that you don't have to worry about these things and can live a more relaxed life."
"How dare you!" Shi Shibo was so angry that he stamped his walking stick on the ground several times.
"Yes, An'er, how could you do this?" Some other elders also voiced their dissatisfaction.
"If any of you uncles feel that it's not good, you can accompany Second Grandfather there. Then you don't have to worry," Shi Li was like a smiling tiger at this moment, with a sharp knife hidden beneath his amiable appearance.
"What are you talking about?" Someone said awkwardly. Shi Li was too lazy to argue with them. Anyway, their purpose this time wasn't directed at them.
"An'er, is this the right thing to do? My father has contributed so much to the Shi family. How could you drive him away!"
"Second Uncle, that's not right. How can you call it driving him away?"