The soldiers came to their senses. They didn't know why, but ever since the national advisor arrived on the first day, they had unconsciously developed a bit of fear towards this national advisor.
"Busy! Of course we're busy! We haven't even had our meals yet. Your Majesty the national advisor and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager can have a good chat. We'll take our leave first."
These people came quickly and left even quicker. In the blink of an eye, they all scattered without a trace.
Shi Muyuan pursed her lips, feeling a bit bored.
"The national advisor is still as much of a spoilsport as ever."
"Heh, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager should be most worried about how to get Miss Lin to leave now."
He seemed not to notice the person kneeling over there, whose body went stiff because of this remark.
And this was the first time Shi Muyuan had ever seen someone so brazenly suggest driving someone away right to their face.
She slightly parted her cherry-like lips. "Do you think it's appropriate for you to say so, national advisor?"
"What's inappropriate about it? Anyway, Miss Lin knows full well that she has done something wrong, and she should bear the most severe consequences."
Unconsciously, because of the man's words, the tears of the person kneeling on the ground flowed even more fiercely.
"I... I really know I was wrong. Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, national advisor, please, I'm begging you. Now, besides you taking me in, I have nowhere else to go."
She used her lightness kung fu and quickly reached Shi Muyuan's side, grabbing onto her sleeve.
Shi Muyuan's expression remained cold. She didn't change her attitude because of this action. Instead, she gently pulled out her sleeve.
"The matter is already a foregone conclusion. Miss Lin should think about how to live her life from now on."
Lin Sun collapsed on the ground dejectedly. At this moment, she was extremely regretful.
Maybe she had been wrong from the very beginning. She shouldn't have rescued her grandmother from there. If her grandmother had still stayed there, at least she would have been safe and no one would have troubled her. She could still have stayed by the Empress Dowager's side. But now it was too late. She could only resign herself to her fate and leave with her grandmother without looking back.
Shi Muyuan stood in the tent, while Xiao Xiao beside her looked helpless.
"If Your Majesty has a soft heart, you can call them back. We can still afford to support these two people."
"No. This time she broke into the prison for the sake of her grandmother. Who knows what terrifying things she might do next time. Forget it. From now on, she can walk on the broad road while I'll walk on the narrow footbridge. Let the Emperor stop issuing a wanted order for these two people."
Alas, in the end, Her Majesty still had a soft heart. But Xiao Xiao thought that Her Majesty like this was the best.
...
On the other side.
Concubine Rui had been living a prosperous life in the palace recently. Since she had used the power of the princess consort, she had won the trust of the King of the Western Regions and learned that this man was brewing an even greater conspiracy.
One day, she walked into a secret chamber in the imperial study with ease.
"Your Majesty, has there been new progress in your research?"
"Sure enough, only my beloved concubine understands me. That's right. Take a look at what this is?"
A poisonous insect jumped up from the King of the Western Regions' hand. If Concubine Rui hadn't been mentally prepared, she might have been startled by this insect.
During this period, the King of the Western Regions would often show her the results of his research, and she had already gotten used to it.
However, the poisonous insect in his hand was a bit different from the others. This one was obviously darker than those she had seen before. In the Western Regions, there was a saying that the darker the outer body of a poisonous insect, the purer its bloodline and the more obedient it was to its master.
She curled her lips. "Your Majesty should be almost successful. Once you succeed, this entire continent will be ours."
"Beloved concubine, it's all thanks to you. If it weren't for your assistance, I wouldn't have been able to succeed so quickly. Don't worry. Once I succeed, I will never forget all that you've done."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The two were chatting happily when Concubine Rui timely spoke up. "Your Majesty, the people you sent to the border should have already taken action. Why don't you go there in person to take a look?"
"You're right. It's been so long, and there's still no news from there. If I don't go there to supervise in person, those people might become lazy."
"That's right. Your humble concubine also hopes that Your Majesty can complete your great cause more quickly."
"En. Then I'll set off in a few days. But leaving you alone in the harem, will that be okay?"
"It's okay. The princess consort will protect me."
"Then that's good."
The two exchanged a smile. The next day, the King of the Western Regions left.
Concubine Rui immediately changed her expression. She looked at Qiao Meng and said, "Are our people all ready?"
Although she said "our", in fact, those were all people from the Zhao family. During these days, Concubine Rui hadn't been idle. She had recruited most of the people from the Zhao family. Thanks to the "help" of the princess consort, everything had gone smoothly. If they were to seize the throne now, no one would notice.
Qiao Meng had finally waited for this first step.
"Don't worry. It's foolproof. We're just waiting for Your Highness's order."
"En. Keep an eye on those who have objections to this humble concubine. If they dare to resist, kill them all without mercy."
"Yes."
The two began to make tense preparations. They had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
However, they didn't know that while they were talking, a faint sound flashed by.
"Your Majesty the Consort Ning, it's bad! Concubine Rui is plotting a rebellion, and it will happen in a few days. You should go and stop her quickly."
"What! She actually has the audacity to do this."
Consort Ning immediately planned to go and find the princess consort, but then she remembered her elder brother's warning. Helplessly, she had to retract her steps.
"My elder brother said not to let me get involved in this matter."
"Your Majesty, are you just going to watch Concubine Rui seize the throne? Then you won't have a place in this harem at that time. We've witnessed the whole process, and we'll surely die."
Consort Ning knew the stakes involved. She gritted her teeth and finally made a decision.
"Then let's take this gamble."
The two whispered to each other. The maid seemed to have found a backbone. After listening, she quietly went to find the princess consort.
At this moment, the princess consort's eyes looked a bit vacant. The control of the poisonous insects during this period had almost made her lose her sanity. Even her speech and actions were a bit mechanical.
"Who's there?"
"Your Majesty, I'm the personal maid beside Your Majesty the Consort Ning. I've come here because of something important."
"Speak. What is it?"
Her eyes were unfocused, and the maid didn't notice. After telling the whole thing exactly as it was, she waited for the princess consort to say something.
But after waiting for a long time, she didn't hear anything else from the princess consort.
The maid finally noticed something was wrong. She waved her hand in front of the princess consort.
"Your Majesty the princess consort, what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. Alright, this princess consort knows. You can leave first."
The maid felt that something was getting more and more wrong. According to the princess consort's personality, she would never just sit back and wait for death like this.