Just now, this former empress almost took her master's life. Xiao Xiao was a bit reluctant, but she couldn't go against her master's words.
Helpless, she could only nudge the person beside her. "You go."
Ze Ze twitched the corners of his mouth. It seemed he was destined to be a cannon fodder.
He reluctantly poured tea for the former empress and then stepped back to one side.
Although Bai Su'er didn't know what trick Shi Muyuan was playing, she still sat down on one side.
"Tell me. Just now in that dangerous situation, why didn't you dodge? Aren't you afraid of what I might do?"
Gently blowing at the tea leaves in the cup and watching the small whirlpool formed by the wind in the middle of the tea, Shi Muyuan gradually calmed down.
"Your Majesty the former empress might as well drink some tea first. Don't worry, I didn't poison it. Look, I'm drinking it too."
Hearing this, Bai Su'er snorted coldly and directly picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp.
"I bet you wouldn't dare. If you don't explain things clearly to me today, I'll still kill you. Even if you have these people protecting you, it won't help."
Xiao Xiao's hot - temperedness almost got out of control. If it weren't for the person beside her holding her back, she might have gone up and fought with this sharp - tongued former empress again.
"Your Majesty the former empress had better watch your words. Our master has done nothing. Can we convict our master just based on what outsiders say?"
Bai Su'er's contemptuous look flashed across Aunt Xiao's face.
"You're just a higher - ranked maid. You're not qualified to talk back to me."
Her subordinate was being mocked right in front of her. Although Shi Muyuan was a time - traveler and used to be just a small urban management officer, after all these days, she knew her subordinates well.
Whether in modern times or here, she had always been the most protective of her own people.
So, Shi Muyuan let Xiao Xiao refute Bai Su'er.
"Your Majesty the former empress claimed to be dead for many years, but in fact, you were imprisoned in the cold palace. I don't know how you got out, but I advise you not to be too arrogant. Your status outside is even lower than mine, a maid."
Bai Su'er hadn't been talked back to like this for a long time. She was a bit dissatisfied and was about to retort when the silent Empress Dowager beside her spoke.
"Xiao Xiao is right. Your Majesty the former empress had better pay attention to your identity. If those people outside find out, even I won't be able to protect you."
"You! Fine, then explain it to me clearly. What's going on with that male favorite? You even took the emperor to find men from outside. Have you ever respected the late emperor?"
Shi Muyuan was neither hasty nor impatient. "Please clarify, Your Majesty the former empress. When did I ever have a male favorite that I didn't even know about?"
Her current identity was the current Empress Dowager and also the beloved little princess of the Shi family. If she was always being oppressed, not only would those old guys suspect something, but even she herself might think she was too timid.
Logically speaking, the person in front of her should respect her, and she didn't need to be afraid at all.
After figuring everything out, she decided to make full use of her identity.
And Bai Su'er actually hated this identity of hers the most.
The two of them had actually been good sisters a long time ago. If it weren't for the late emperor, they might have been good sisters for a lifetime.
The person who was once the closest to her had snatched her identity. No one would be able to bear this.
She felt that the person in front of her was not as overbearing as before, but she still didn't plan to give any face.
"Everyone in the palace knows about it. Why are you pretending here, Empress Dowager? You've done it, but you still don't admit it. I'm starting to look down on you."
"If I really did what you said about having a male favorite, I'd look down on myself."
Her firm words made Bai Su'er suspicious. Could it be that this matter was fabricated by someone else?
No, the Prince Li had just fallen from power. The most likely person in the palace to be an enemy of the Empress Dowager was Concubine Rui. She had no one to use now. Even if she wanted to use her, she could only exaggerate the facts.
Thinking of this, she carefully sized up this young Empress Dowager.
The two had grown up together since childhood. They often ate and lived together, and even liked similar things. After all these years, the main reason she never wanted to leave the cold palace was because of the late emperor.
But it seemed that the person in front of her had never been ravaged by time. After experiencing so many things, she was still as stunning as before, and every gesture exuded nobility.
Her facial features were still the same as in her memory. It seemed that with the help of the Shi family, she didn't have to worry too much, and there were no traces of time on her face.
This made all women even more jealous.
However, Bai Su'er was an exception.
No matter which camp they were in, she still sincerely hoped that this good sister could be safe and happy.
Suppressing all her thoughts in her heart, Bai Su'er coughed lightly twice.
"I heard that you found a rather good - looking male favorite outside in the name of a cooking exchange. Don't bother to refute. I've already seen that man."
So it was Yun Heng. Shi Muyuan explained everything one by one and told her all her thoughts.
After Bai Su'er listened, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Her reaction also caught the eye of the former urban management officer, and she understood immediately.
Anyway, the late emperor had been dead for so long. As a time - traveler from modern times, she didn't think that men were more important than revolutionary friendship.
So, she decided to make up with this former empress, which could also be considered an explanation to the original owner.
"You didn't just come here today to spy on the situation for the late emperor, did you?"
Her thoughts were easily seen through, but Bai Su'er just didn't want to admit it.
"You're overthinking. I just came here today to see if the rumors outside were true. If they were, I would definitely kill you."
Shi Muyuan nodded and said, "Now that you've asked your questions, why don't we sit down and have a good talk about the past?"
"What's there to talk about? I still have some things to do in the cold palace. I'll go back first."
Bai Su'er was a bit nervous. The two close friends reunited in this way. She didn't know what her former friend would say. Blame? Punishment?
She would accept it all, after all, it was really her who didn't think things through.
But what she didn't expect was that Shi Muyuan would want to reconcile.
"What could there be to do in the cold palace? I want to talk to you about our past. Have you forgotten all the experiences we've had? When the late emperor was alive, everyone knew in their hearts that he never touched me. He would rather go to the cold palace every night to accompany you."
The middle sentence made Bai Su'er turn back in surprise. She never thought this would be the result.
After all, Shi Muyuan was a person who had married the emperor. Outside, she was the envy of everyone.