On the surface, Ziyi was on the side of the Empress Dowager. So it was estimated that she had blocked her on the Empress Dowager's orders.
Sure enough, Shi Muyuan was sitting calmly on the high seat.
"Sister, you'd better explain today's matter clearly. Otherwise, you won't be able to leave the Shoukang Palace."
The Concubine Rui looked back with a fake smile.
"Didn't sister say today that you wanted to make a deal with me? Now that I've helped you sort this out, are you trying to back out?"
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan's face immediately turned cold.
"It seems you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. There's no need to lay some things out in the open and make everyone lose face, right?"
"Sister, I don't understand what you mean. If you force me to stay, I have no way to stop you. But if anything happens to me, the news that you've killed me today will spread like wildfire."
Shi Muyuan couldn't hold back any longer. She jumped down from the high seat and slapped the Concubine Rui.
"Do you take me for a sick cat just because I don't show my claws?"
This time she used all her strength. The corner of the Concubine Rui's mouth immediately bled.
"Does sister really want to kill me?"
"Don't you already know that my hands are stained with blood? One more life means nothing to me. Why should I be afraid?"
The Concubine Rui stared wide - eyed. She suddenly felt that the woman in front of her might really take her life.
She took two steps back, trying to escape, but was grabbed back by her hair. And that man she once loved deeply just stood by and watched coldly.
She felt heart - chilled. "Sister promised to spare me. If you treat me like this now, aren't you afraid that it will ruin the reputation of the Shi family when it gets out? Moreover, the late Emperor left an imperial edict that no one from the Shi family can lay a finger on me."
Hearing this, Xiao Xiao suddenly remembered something and quickly stepped forward to stop her mistress.
"Mistress, the late Emperor did leave such an imperial edict. The Shi family must not move against the Concubine Rui."
Shi Muyuan turned around in surprise. Looking at this annoying woman, she almost couldn't resist tearing her face off.
"Should a woman like her be allowed to live a good life?"
"Mistress, even if we want to do something, we can't. Otherwise, we'll be defying the imperial edict."
Since she had traveled to this world, there had always been traces of that man. She cursed under her breath, "Shit!"
Slowly releasing the Concubine Rui, Shi Muyuan gritted her teeth. "Even if I can't kill you, I have plenty of ways to deal with you. Tell me, what's going on with that letter? Did you plan it all along?"
Since that maid was the Concubine Rui's person, it was very likely that the Concubine Rui also knew about the letter.
Thinking that if the Emperor hadn't come in time to stop them just now, a more serious consequence would have occurred. She almost ground her silver teeth to pieces.
The Concubine Rui finally recovered and quickly got up. Since the matter had been exposed and this woman couldn't do anything to her for the moment, her expression became even more arrogant.
"Yes, I did arrange that letter. Oh, and the love letter too. I just didn't expect that sister would still be so good at threatening people at the critical moment."
Seeing her like this, Shi Muyuan and Qin Feng felt disgusted.
"You're really bold to admit it. Since you like to scheme so much, if I don't teach you a lesson this time, you'll do something even more excessive next time."
Shi Muyuan's expression suddenly changed from gloomy to sunny. The Concubine Rui had a bad feeling.
"What do you want to do? The late Emperor left an imperial edict that I can't die and I can't be deposed."
"Come on, don't worry. You can still sit in your position safely. It's just that our Concubine Rui, out of longing for the late Emperor, tried to kill herself in public but failed and is now ill in bed. As the Empress Dowager, I'm showing concern and asking you to stay in the Qingning Palace for three months to recuperate. Sister, you should understand my good intentions."
The Concubine Rui opened her mouth in surprise. It meant that she couldn't go out for three months, which was even more unbearable than killing her.
"No, I can't accept this!"
If she couldn't go out, how could she instruct Ziyi to do things? And her next - step plan hadn't even started.
Shi Muyuan didn't care about all this. As long as she could lock this woman up for three months and prevent her from harming others for the time being, she could have some peace.
Soon, the maids came to drag her away.
When the world finally quieted down, Shi Muyuan let out a long breath.
"As long as General Qin doesn't take that position, he'll always be at risk of being pulled down."
After watching the farce, Qin Feng was in a good mood. "Don't worry, Empress Dowager. I've already made a plan. It won't be long."
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan raised her eyebrows. "Once you achieve your goal, move out of the palace as soon as possible. An outside official can't stay in the harem all the time. What would people say if this got out?"
She noticed the man's eyes lingering on her maid and felt a bit annoyed.
She always had the feeling that a pig was trying to eat her family's cabbage.
Qin Feng naturally understood the meaning behind her words and smiled helplessly. "I understand."
After arranging everything, Shi Muyuan collapsed on the bed, exhausted.
Since she had traveled to this world, she had never been this tired.
"Not a single person can let me have a moment of peace."
Just as Xiao Xiao was about to take off her shoes and socks to let her have a good rest, there came a voice from outside.
"Mistress, the Emperor asks you to go. He said that the envoys from the Western Regions have arrived."
Shi Muyuan's tone was a bit impatient.
"Can't the national master handle such a trivial matter? Why does he need me to go?"
"It's the Emperor's order. I have no choice, Empress Dowager. You'd better go quickly."
Helplessly, thinking of the young Emperor facing those Western envoys alone, she finally softened her heart.
"Got it."
After tidying herself up, Shi Muyuan stared at the person in the mirror and could hardly recognize herself.
"Xiao Xiao, your hands are getting more and more skillful. Look at this makeup and this hairstyle. You're simply a combination of a professional stylist and a makeup artist."
The young maid blinked her eyes. There were many times when she didn't understand what her mistress was saying.
"Mistress, you'd better go to the Emperor's place first. I'm sure the Emperor has been waiting impatiently, and we can't let the envoys wait for too long."
Shi Muyuan admired her makeup. She always felt it was a waste for those men to see her like this.
However, she still went out.
As soon as she reached the imperial garden, there came laughter.
"I knew that Your Majesty is young and talented. You can rule the Great Liang Empire all by yourself."
"The envoy flatters me. But it's been a long time since I last visited your Western Regions. How's your king recently? I heard that he was ill some days ago, right?"