Those of lower status before were not even worthy of tying her shoes.
The King of the Western Regions naturally knew that she wouldn't agree so easily, so he patiently coaxed her beside her.
"My king knows you've been wronged. In the Great Liang, you were at least a grand - consort, but in the Western Regions, you'll have to endure such hardships. My king is really helpless now. The princess consort is a shrew. She's so strict that there must be no other concubines in the harem."
His embarrassed look made the Grand - Consort Rui swallow all her words. Since things had come to this, there was nothing more she could say.
Her expression was as if she had eaten a fly: "Your Majesty, it's okay. I truly want to help you. Although I was a grand - consort in the Great Liang before, it was only after I met you that I realized I was blind to have taken a fancy to the late emperor. You've been so good to me, using such an important opportunity to ensure my safety. I'm grateful to you. What does it matter if I'm just a concubine? As long as I can be by your side, I'll have no regrets even if I die."
Seeing her infatuation for him, the King of the Western Regions was overjoyed.
The two looked into each other's eyes. Before long, blushing and heart - pounding sounds came from the room.
The shadow guards standing guard at the door were used to this. They dug their ears and vigilantly watched the surroundings.
The next day.
When the Grand - Consort Rui woke up, she found that the King of the Western Regions seemed to be plotting something big and wouldn't let her participate no matter what.
She frowned, knowing that it wasn't the time for her to inquire yet.
So, she obediently stayed aside. When the King of the Western Regions came back, she said with a smile, "Can we set off for the Western Regions? After all, it's not safe to stay here for too long."
"Coincidentally, my king came here just to tell you this."
The King of the Western Regions tucked a strand of hair behind her ear: "The carriage is ready outside. We can set off at any time."
"Okay, but, Your Majesty, what if the princess consort deliberately targets me? Then won't I have to endure grievances? Actually, it doesn't matter if I endure some grievances. But since I'm the one brought back by Your Majesty, if I'm always wronged, Your Majesty may lose face. At that time, the whole Western Regions will think that Your Majesty is incompetent. I just hope that Your Majesty can look good in front of others."
She looked so sincere, as if she really had the man in front of her in mind.
No man in the world would admit his own incompetence, nor would he think that things could get out of his control, especially a man like the King of the Western Regions.
So after hearing this, there was a look of disdain on his face: "Indeed, it's been wronging you to go back and be just a concubine. I've long been tired of that woman. That old hag can't even compare to half of your goodness. Humph, after we go back, I'll still make you the Consort Rui. I can't let you be wronged like this all the time. When I weaken that old hag's maternal family, that will be the time for you to be the princess consort."
Getting the answer she wanted, the Grand - Consort Rui, no, the Consort Rui happily thanked him.
...
On the other side, Shi Muyuan went straight to sleep after returning to the palace.
Although the young emperor had a lot of questions in his heart and wanted to ask his mother, he still waited until she had enough rest.
"Mother, you were so strange yesterday. Did something happen?"
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan curled her lips: "It seems that the emperor is becoming more and more meticulous. He can even notice such a small thing. But this is a good thing for you."
Ji Heng was praised and patted on the head. His face blushed a little: "Mother, please tell me what happened quickly. And why did you ask me to deliberately let those two go?"
"The King of the Western Regions must have prepared everything before leaving the Western Regions. Has the emperor forgotten that the princess consort in his harem is not simple at all? She's overbearing and autocratic, and her maternal family controls half of the power in the Western Regions."
Hearing this, the young emperor remembered what Cui Qizhou had introduced to him and the rumors he had heard.
"I've heard that if it weren't for the princess consort's maternal family, we would have taken that area of the Western Regions long ago."
"You're right. That woman is not easy to deal with. She can't tolerate even a speck of sand in her eyes. Although she's very capable, she's also turned the King of the Western Regions' harem upside down. Do you think she can tolerate the Grand - Consort Rui? Moreover, the King of the Western Regions has been betrayed by the Grand - Consort Rui once, so he must be on guard. She won't have a good life there. I'm just waiting for them to offer the Western Regions to us on their own initiative."
The young emperor had lost count of how many times he had admired his mother. Her talent and strategy were comparable to a man's. If she were a man, she might even be fit to be an emperor. Even though she was a woman, her maternal family was strong enough to support her to usurp the throne, but she had done nothing and had whole - heartedly assisted him.
How could such a mother not touch the young emperor?
"Mother has long had a plan. I'm relieved. Were you injured yesterday?"
"The King of the Western Regions stuffed another gu worm into me later yesterday."
She said this casually, but it shocked the young emperor.
"What? Mother, are you okay? Someone! Immediately ask the divine doctor to come and take a look."
Shi Muyuan smiled faintly and stopped the maid.
"I'm fine. The emperor doesn't need to be so anxious. I had already prepared before going. Look what this is?"
She spread out her palm. When the young emperor was puzzled, a lively gu worm appeared.
The gu worm seemed to be very uncomfortable. It kept struggling and trying to escape, but was controlled by Shi Muyuan.
He was a little surprised: "Aren't these gu worms supposed to enter the body directly? How did you make it stay outside, Mother?"
"I have to thank the divine doctor for this. He gave me a sachet before I left. The sachet is filled with herbs that gu worms dislike. People can't smell them, but the worms can."
"Then, Mother, quickly throw away this harmful thing. Keeping it alive may have an impact on us in the future."
The young emperor was about to ask someone to bring fire, but was stopped by Shi Muyuan.
"No, we must keep this gu worm. We still need it to make the King of the Western Regions come back."
"Oh? What do you mean, Mother?"
"Thanks to what the King of the Western Regions said when he put the gu on me. This worm can bewitch people's minds. At that time, he can control the offspring through the mother worm. That's why I deliberately pretended to be very scared at that time, because the King of the Western Regions must have wanted to use me to let him go."
It turned out that everything was under his mother's control. After hearing this, the young emperor let out a long sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, Mother was foresighted. Otherwise, this venomous worm might have hurt you. After I go back later, I'll reward the divine doctor well."
"No, the emperor should first take this gu worm to the divine doctor and ask him to develop a large amount of antidote. I have a feeling that something may happen."