Si Junlin himself didn't realize that, over the past month, except for one aspect, he had basically adapted to this body. Especially when facing the two concubines he had doted on in the past, he was no longer captivated by their beauty. Instead, he began to suspect if there was a conspiracy behind every one of their actions.
Watching the chattering concubines, Si Junlin calmly sipped his tea.
The maid beside him gently fanned the air, also remaining silent.
The concubines around had basically voiced their opinions. All in all, they were either explicitly or implicitly suggesting that she shouldn't always keep the emperor by her side and that the emperor should visit the palaces of other concubines more often so that they could bear more children for the emperor.
Originally, they wanted to continue talking, but they helplessly found that no matter what they said, Si Junlin just didn't respond. Finally, they felt it was boring to keep talking and simply fell silent, waiting to see Si Junlin's reaction.
Finally, it was quiet all around. Only then did Si Junlin put down the teacup in his hand.
Everyone perked up, knowing that the queen was about to speak at this moment.
Even Concubine Mei and Concubine Xi focused their attention on Si Junlin. Although their eyes were full of disdain, they also wanted to see what this queen was going to do under the pressure of so many concubines. Surely she wouldn't offend all the concubines just to gain the emperor's exclusive favor?
A gentle smile curved Si Junlin's lips. "Ladies, I think you might have misunderstood something?"
He leaned back slightly, resting on the chair. With just this slight movement, the aura of a person who had been in a high position for many years burst out in an instant. "The emperor is the lord of the country. How could his affairs be decided by just one word from me? Over the years, you should know that the emperor turns over the name tags every night. If he wants to go to someone's palace, he will turn over that person's tag."
"You're just unlucky. Whom else can you blame?" Si Junlin sneered.
"You!" The concubines around were all angered by his calm words. However, they couldn't refute what he said, for it was indeed the truth.
"Didn't you promise the empress dowager that you would persuade the emperor to bestow his favors equally?" Concubine Xi spoke up at this moment.
For the emperor's matter, she had gone to the empress dowager back and forth many times. But every time, the empress dowager told her to wait and even recounted the conversation between her and Si Junlin as well as Si Junlin's promise.
This was why Concubine Xi was arguing with Si Junlin at this moment. She had been waiting as the empress dowager told her to, waiting for more than half a month, but still hadn't seen the emperor.
There was full of sarcasm in Si Junlin's words. "I did tell the emperor, but he didn't listen. What else can I do? Should I close the palace gate?"
"Then just close the palace gate! It's meaningless just to talk without taking action!" Concubine Mei said indignantly.
Si Junlin let out a soft snort. "I do want to close the palace gate, but I dare not stop the emperor. If the emperor insists on coming in, what can I do to him?"
"You! You're just quibbling." Concubine Mei snorted and stopped talking.
Everyone knew that since the day she fell into the water, the queen's temper and aura had changed. She had become more imposing and unpredictable.
Not only the queen but also the emperor had changed. Before, even though the emperor doted on Concubine Mei, he would still spend a night in the palaces of other concubines. But after falling into the water, except for the first few days, either the queen stayed in the emperor's bedroom or the emperor stayed in the queen's palace. It had reached the point of exclusive favor.
Other concubines were just jealous of this situation, but Concubine Mei, who had experienced the emperor's favor, was so jealous that she was angry.
Now she felt annoyed just looking at Su Wan'er's face and wished she could tear it off, for it was this face that had seduced the emperor.
Taking in her distorted expression, Si Junlin no longer had any hope for her.
Now, all he wanted was to find a mirror quickly or find Su Wan'er to soothe his eyes.
At this moment, he was also a bit annoyed, annoyed that after being the emperor for so many years, he still couldn't recognize the true faces of the people beside his pillow. He felt that he had wasted so many years.
The morning greeting ended with the concubines' persuasion being fruitless.
When Su Wan'er returned from court and learned about this, she couldn't help laughing.
"You can still laugh? Before the celestial master comes back, we need to find a way to solve this problem." Si Junlin was eager to know what Su Wan'er thought about this matter.
Su Wan'er shrugged indifferently. "What else can we do about this? If necessary, I'll just go to a concubine's palace to sleep tonight."
"Aren't you afraid of being exposed?" This was what Si Junlin was worried about.
If the fact that they had swapped bodies was exposed, it would surely be exploited by those with ulterior motives. By then, not only them but also the whole country would be in great danger.
"Do you have a better idea?" Su Wan'er shrugged helplessly.
No... If there was, he would have used it long ago.
After a long silence, a glint of inspiration flashed in Si Junlin's eyes. He turned to Su Wan'er and said, "Go to my bedroom tonight first."
Su Wan'er didn't quite understand what he meant, but she still went with him.
After they entered the bedroom, Si Junlin asked Su Wan'er to dismiss everyone. When there were only the two of them left in the room, Si Junlin said to her, "I hope you'll keep what happens from now on a secret even after we resume our original identities."
"Do you think I'm a gossip?" Su Wan'er said disdainfully.
Si Junlin shook his head helplessly. "I'm just reminding you. If it weren't for the fact that we've swapped identities, I wouldn't have taken you down there."
"Down there?" Su Wan'er didn't know what Si Junlin meant.
At this moment, Si Junlin didn't intend to answer her question. He just walked to the blue - and - white porcelain vase beside the bed and gently turned it.
"Click!" The sound of the lock unlocking rang out. Under Su Wan'er's curious gaze, the couch began to slowly lift up, revealing a dark staircase below.
"This..." She knew there was a passage behind the bookshelf, but she really didn't expect that there was a passage on the bed she had slept in several times, a passage leading to who - knew - where.
"Let's go." Si Junlin skillfully took out a luminous pearl from the bookshelf beside, then turned to nod at Su Wan'er and led her down the staircase.