After the man finished speaking, he quickly left, leaving only his back for the woman.
Shi Muyuan withdrew her gaze. Just as she lay down, Xiao Xiao's urgent voice came from outside.
"Empress Dowager, something big has happened outside."
Even without being told, Shi Muyuan knew what it was. But she still had to put on a good show.
"What happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Having received permission, Xiao Xiao strode in and reported the situation outside, "Empress Dowager, Consort Xiao's courtyard is on fire. Should we go and have a look?"
Shi Muyuan raised her eyebrows. "Consort Xiao is from the palace. It would be okay if I weren't here now. But since I am and such a big thing has happened, I should naturally go and console her."
Just as she finished speaking, Consort Shen came in response. "Sister, why don't I accompany you?"
"Okay."
By the time the two of them arrived, the fire was almost under control.
However, in the fire - fighting team, everyone was surprised to see someone who shouldn't have been there.
Shi Muyuan's and Cui Qizhou's eyes met in the air and quickly drifted apart. No one noticed this little move.
The abbot stepped forward first and asked, "Why is His Holiness the State Preceptor here all of a sudden?"
Cui Qizhou was as cold as ever.
"I was just planning to come and have a look. I didn't expect such a big thing to happen. But it's good to see that everyone is okay."
Shi Muyuan knew that if she wanted to completely expose Consort Xiao, she had to step in herself.
She coughed lightly and said seriously, "Since the State Preceptor is here too, you should have gone inside just now. Do you know what caused the big fire?"
Hearing this, Cui Qizhou's face became vigilant. "This matter is of great importance. Empress Dowager, it's better to wait until Consort Xiao comes back to talk about it."
"Fine."
While they were talking, Consort Xiao had rushed back. Seeing the mess in the courtyard, she immediately sensed something was wrong.
She looked up and was about to speak, but her words stopped abruptly when she saw Shi Muyuan.
"Why is the Empress Dowager here?"
Shi Muyuan had long guessed that Consort Xiao wished she could die inside. A sneer played on her lips.
"According to what Consort Xiao means, shouldn't I be here? Then tell me, where should I be?"
As soon as these words were said, the faces of everyone present showed different expressions.
Consort Xiao also knew that she had been tricked. But they were all veterans in the palace intrigues, so she quickly smoothed things over.
As usual, she put on a gentle look.
"The Empress Dowager's words make this subject wife feel so terrified. This subject wife just thinks that this place has now turned into ruins, so it's no longer worthy of the Empress Dowager's attention. The Empress Dowager might as well go back and rest. This subject wife will naturally take care of this place."
Thinking of what the woman in front of her had done to her, Shi Muyuan just couldn't be in a good mood.
"Sister might as well explain why the fire suddenly broke out. Coincidentally, His Holiness the State Preceptor is also here today. After the matter is investigated clearly, there's no need to trouble the Supreme Court."
Suddenly, everyone's attention was attracted. After all, it was hard to believe that there was no fishy business behind the sudden fire in an empty courtyard.
Consort Xiao knew that the matter was exposed. She just wanted to clear herself and then take the opportunity to escape.
She forced a perfunctory smile on her face. "This subject wife is not clear about the specific situation. Did His Holiness the State Preceptor go inside just now?"
This sentence was actually a test. She wanted to know if there was anyone else besides Shi Muyuan who knew her secret. If it was only Shi Muyuan, then she could quietly do something to make this young Empress Dowager shut up.
However, things could never develop as she imagined. The State Preceptor sensed her intention and directly stepped closer. "I did go inside. So, I hope Consort Xiao can explain the things in the secret room to me."
Cui Qizhou directly punctured the layer of window paper, leaving Consort Xiao with nowhere to escape.
Everyone around gasped in surprise. The seemingly kind - hearted consort actually had a secret room in her own house. There must be something big going on inside.
Consort Shen had long disliked Consort Xiao and added fuel to the fire at this moment.
"Sister, aren't you devoted to Buddhism? Why do you have a secret room only in your own room?"
Since all her secrets had been exposed, Consort Xiao simply stopped pretending. Her face gradually darkened.
"Empress Dowager, it seems that you have really discovered a lot of things. I have to say that I underestimated you. I didn't expect you to be able to escape from there. It seems that all my hard work over the years has been ruined by you."
Shi Muyuan knew that she must not provoke her at this time, or she would be asking for a beating. She hadn't forgotten that the letter clearly stated that Xiao Yue had learned martial arts since childhood and was trained as an important figure by the family.
As for her, a pampered young lady since childhood and a gentle urban management officer who had traveled from modern times, she was definitely no match for this woman.
Cui Qizhou sensed her fear and scoffed in his heart. She was really timid. She wasn't afraid of the puppet just now, but was afraid of a living person.
If Shi Muyuan knew what was on his mind, she would definitely retort loudly, "Don't you know the saying, 'I'm afraid of ghosts, but ghosts have never hurt me. I'm afraid of people, but people have hurt me all over'."
"Since Consort Xiao has confessed to what she has done, please come with me to the Supreme Court."
Xiao Yue sneered. Her eyes swept across everyone and finally settled on Shi Muyuan.
"Empress Dowager, do you think that just because you're hiding behind others, I can't do anything to you? Don't forget that I once learned the art of witchcraft. You've already seen the things in the secret room, haven't you?"
Actually, she was guessing that only Shi Muyuan had seen the things inside. Cui Qizhou should have gone in after the fire.
As long as she killed the Empress Dowager, she might still have a chance to turn the tables.
Shi Muyuan sensed Xiao Yue's malicious gaze and tightly grasped Xiao Xiao's hand, forcing herself to appear calm.
Consort Shen wanted to show off in front of Shi Muyuan and took the initiative to stand in front of her.
"Now that things have come to this, it's better for Consort Xiao to surrender. This way, you'll suffer less in the Supreme Court. Do you want to end up like your father and brother?"
These words completely enraged Xiao Yue. She hadn't forgotten how much suffering her father and brother had endured to achieve what they had today, but it was all ruined by Shi Muyuan.
She was not willing to accept it!
Cui Qizhou was the first to notice her abnormality. He wanted to step forward and arrest her himself, but it was already too late.
Before everyone could react, Xiao Yue had rushed in front of Shi Muyuan.
"Empress Dowager, if it weren't for you, my plan could have continued. Now, come and be buried with me!"