"If you come here so directly, what if someone finds out? Even though we've captured that person before, we can't be sure that the Western Region King hasn't planted others here."
Seeing her nervous look, Lan Xi quickly spoke up.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty the Queen Mother. I've arranged everything. I've also taken care of any tails behind me. I came so late just to tell you the plan for tomorrow."
Hearing the last two words, Shi Muyuan swallowed all her complaints.
"Speak."
She had been feeling uneasy ever since nightfall, always feeling that something big was about to happen. Now that Lan Xi was here, she seemed to have found a clue.
Sure enough, as it turned out, a woman's sixth sense was the most accurate.
"The Western Region King plans to come here to kidnap the Queen Mother under the pretext of chaos as soon as he hears the news of the poison outbreak tomorrow morning. He also said that he wants to capture the Queen Mother and make her his maid."
Xiao Xiao, who was standing beside them, couldn't stand it anymore. She drew the sword from her waist and was about to rush out.
But she had only taken two steps when she was called back.
Shi Muyuan was both helpless and pleased with her behavior.
"I know you're always thinking about me, but we've already had a countermeasure for this. If you go now, you'll just be venting your anger. But he'll know from this that we don't trust him anymore. Alarming the enemy is the most unwise choice."
"I was reckless, Your Majesty. But who does he think he is? How dare he speak of the Queen Mother like that behind her back."
"Humph, it's just a few words. It won't hurt me. Why are you so panicked? Since he likes being a servant so much, we'll make him the chief eunuch in the palace in a few days. It won't be a waste of his 'talent'."
Everyone present couldn't help but twitch their lips. Right, how could they forget that this Queen Mother was never one to take a loss.
Seeing that she already had a countermeasure in mind, Lan Xi felt that her trip wasn't in vain.
"Then, Your Majesty the Queen Mother, I've completed my task. We'll just wait to reel them in tomorrow."
"Go back. Remember to clean up any tails behind you."
"Yes."
This night made everyone feel extremely uneasy.
It seemed that something was about to happen in the dark.
The next day.
As soon as Shi Muyuan stretched and got out of bed, there was an uproar outside.
She raised her eyebrows. "Xiao Xiao, what's going on outside?"
Xiao Xiao walked in with a solemn expression.
"Your Majesty, just as we guessed, the streets are full of the city's commoners. They want to see the divine doctor."
"Oh? Has everyone been affected by the poison?"
"No. At least half of the people in Changjing City have been poisoned. Some people seem to have water stored at home all year round and didn't drink the well water these two days, so they managed to avoid it. I think, Your Majesty the Queen Mother, you should go out and appease the commoners."
But Shi Muyuan lazily leaned back on the bed, as if she didn't even want to move.
"Didn't that Western Region King say that he's coming to make me his maid? Let those commoners wait for now. I'm going to wait for the grand arrival of the Western Region King."
Xiao Xiao pursed her lips. Why did her master look so charming when she was being so scheming?
"Then I'll go and have those commoners settled nearby."
"Okay. Make sure they're not hurt when the fight breaks out later."
"Yes."
As soon as Xiao Xiao walked out, there was another commotion outside.
Shi Muyuan blinked her eyes. Could the person have come so soon? Was the Western Region King really that eager to take her as his maid?
She put on an outer robe. Her hair fluttered in the wind as she walked out directly.
Ziyi didn't expect her master to come out looking like this. Looking at the national master in front of her, she felt very embarrassed. She could only awkwardly stand in the middle, trying to block the national master's view.
But it was obvious that with the national master's tall figure, how could Ziyi, a weak woman, block his view?
The first thing he saw was the woman with her hair loose. Although she was just casually wearing an outer robe, for some reason, under the sunlight, every part of this woman seemed extremely beautiful. It was as if she was surrounded by a dazzling light that attracted him.
Thinking of the last thought, he quickly came back to his senses and frowned slightly. He must have forgotten to take his medicine today, or else he wouldn't have thought this woman was beautiful.
It must be so. This woman must be using some means to bewitch him. She really never changed her nature.
Even though her recent performance had been quite good, it couldn't erase what she had done before.
Yes, he had to keep this thought in mind.
The man coughed twice and turned his head to the side. He glared at his subordinates behind him. Only after seeing them all turn their heads did he speak up satisfactorily.
"Your Majesty the Queen Mother should pay more attention to your appearance when you're outside. It's really not in line with the dignity of the royal family."
Shi Muyuan curled her lips. This was all her territory. How she dressed was up to her. This man was being too nosy.
She rolled her eyes and still asked Ziyi to go in with her to wash up.
After leaving two words, the curtain of the tent was lowered.
"Wait."
When she came out again, it had been about an incense stick's time. She still looked a bit lazy and casual, but compared to before, she looked much better.
Shi Muyuan was also very satisfied with her current appearance. She didn't expect that Ziyi had such good skills. With just a simple hairpin to tie up her hair, it brought out an elegant and lazy beauty in Shi Muyuan.
Cui Qizhou followed her into the tent. "His Majesty is worried about the safety of the Queen Mother, so he sent us here to protect you."
"National Master, you're a bit early. The Western Region King hasn't even come yet."
"Your Majesty the Queen Mother, I'll go and have my men set up the defense first. It's too conspicuous for so many people to be waiting outside."
"Go ahead. National Master, remember not to alarm the enemy. Otherwise, our delusional Western Region King will run away."
"Understood."
After everything was set up, Shi Muyuan was waiting in the tent, extremely bored.
"It's already been three hours, and the person still hasn't come. Could it be that he hasn't received the news here yet?"
"Lord Lan went there to deliver the news a long time ago. Maybe the Western Region King is still making his arrangements."
Just as she finished speaking, there were screams outside. Then, a familiar figure appeared in sight.
"Control all these people. See if there are any who know martial arts. If there are, kill them on the spot."
Soon, those black-clothed men dispersed to various parts of the epidemic area. Screams echoed one after another. There were already many people lying in ambush around Shi Muyuan's tent, and it was the quietest place in the entire epidemic area.
The Western Region King thought too simply. He only thought that this Queen Mother had slept in and wasn't up yet.
He curled his lips and flicked the non-existent dust on his sleeves.
"It seems that the Queen Mother still needs me to go and invite her in person."