Maybe it was the food, or perhaps Su Wan'er's concern.
"Recently, there have been reports from Xiye City..." Su Wan'er took out a secret letter in her hand. Her expression was rather solemn. "It seems that the Pei family, the traitors of the previous dynasty, have been quite active in Xiye City."
Si Junlin simply took it but didn't open it. Instead, he looked at Su Wan'er seriously and asked, "You're the emperor now. What's your take on this?"
Su Wan'er looked at his calm expression, and a thoughtful look flashed across her eyes.
She wasn't sure at the moment whether this was Si Junlin's test or if he truly wanted to know her opinion.
After a moment of silence, Su Wan'er decided to voice her most genuine thoughts. "Su Rian was a traitor of the previous dynasty. But if he disrupts the laws of this dynasty, he should naturally be dealt with according to the laws of this dynasty."
Seeing Su Wan'er's solemn expression, Si Junlin felt a bit confused inside. He didn't know whether he should trust Su Wan'er or not.
He could sense that a large part of him hoped he could trust her.
"Then do as you see fit." If the Su family harbored ill intentions, it would soon be exposed.
Su Wan'er nodded, and the atmosphere between them fell into silence again.
They sat there for a long time. Finally, the sound of the watchman's clapper came from outside. It was already noon, time for lunch.
"I'll go deal with the memorials first..."
"Wait a minute." Before Su Wan'er could finish her words, Si Junlin interrupted her.
Su Wan'er asked in confusion, "What's the matter, Your Majesty? Do you have something else to say?"
Si Junlin gave a light cough. "Stay with me today." This was the first time he had experienced a woman's menstrual period. Of course, he hoped to learn more about such issues from a real woman.
Su Wan'er was stunned. She didn't expect Si Junlin to ask her to stay. She couldn't help but look at him in disbelief.
Si Junlin coughed lightly again and said somewhat uneasily, "I need to talk to you about some things regarding women."
As he spoke, Si Junlin's face turned red. This was the first time he had encountered such a thing. Although he didn't need to be as reserved as a woman, it was still a bit... hard to talk about with a woman.
Even though he was the emperor who could remain calm in the face of the quarrels of many court officials, at this moment, he was just like a newborn baby who knew nothing.
Su Wan'er looked at his shy and confused expression. She roughly guessed what he wanted to talk to her about. After hesitating for a while, thinking that it was her own body after all. If it was damaged and they swapped souls back later, she would be the one to suffer. So she decided to stay and tell Si Junlin how to take care of this body.
It seemed that the two had reconciled. However, due to the matter of the Su family, there was a slight rift between Si Junlin and Su Wan'er.
The rift seemed small for now, but as time went on...
Anyway, during the day they spent together, for the first time, they didn't talk about state affairs or military matters, but about the differences in their bodies.
For seven days, Si Junlin was carefully taken care of by Su Wan'er. Outsiders all suspected that the emperor and the queen had reconciled again.
However, Concubine Xi didn't care. She had already been favored by the emperor. Once there was a first time, there would be a second, and even a third, fourth, fifth...
Knowing that the Empress Dowager held sway, she often brought some interesting trinkets to the Empress Dowager, chatted with her, and tried to please her...
Naturally, her second request was also approved by the Empress Dowager.
When Su Wan'er heard Fang Xi say that the emperor was going to summon Concubine Xi to the bedchamber again, an impatient look flashed in her eyes.
"Why is it Concubine Xi again?" Su Wan'er looked coldly at Fang Xi.
Fang Xi was stared at by her cold gaze. Immediately, countless beads of cold sweat ran down his back.
He quickly and respectfully explained to Su Wan'er, "It's Concubine Xi. Recently, the reason the Empress Dowager always asks Your Majesty to summon Concubine Xi is that she has been showing up in front of the Empress Dowager a lot, just to get more chances to serve Your Majesty in the bedchamber."
After saying that, he carefully glanced at Su Wan'er, afraid that she would blame him.
Su Wan'er frowned and thought for a long time. Then she said to Fang Xi, "Since she wants to serve in the bedchamber so much, then let her wish come true."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Fang Xi nodded and gave the order.
On her way to Concubine Xi's palace, Su Wan'er stopped by Si Junlin's palace for a while.
"Speak. What on earth did you come to see me for?" Si Junlin looked at Su Wan'er, who had a solemn expression as soon as she sat down.
Su Wan'er told Si Junlin what Fang Xi had said. "That's the situation. I just want to know if using those medicines too many times will cause harm to people?"
"All medicines have some toxicity. If used too many times, it will naturally cause harm to people." After thinking for a while, Si Junlin came up to Su Wan'er. "You're the emperor of the country. If you don't want to use those medicines, you can refuse anyone. Even if it's my mother, you have the power of life and death. As long as you can find a proper reason, you can do as you wish."
Su Wan'er stared at him blankly for a while, then finally nodded. "I... understand."
"If you don't want to go, we can find someone else to take your place." Si Junlin grabbed Su Wan'er, who was about to leave, and said to her.
"She's your concubine, your distant cousin. Do you treat her like this?" Su Wan'er looked at him disapprovingly, and a hint of disgust flashed through her heart.
Si Junlin shook his head. "She didn't have to enter the palace. But she deliberately schemed her way into the palace for the position of queen. Moreover, when Emperor Taizong was young, he almost had his power usurped by the imperial in - laws. The most untrustworthy people are these imperial in - laws."
Sure enough, there was no kinship in front of the emperor. All there was was the power of life and death, just a matter of weighing and choosing.
At first, she had hoped to develop something with him. But now, it seemed that she should keep some distance from such a man...
Don't say that she had been ambitious at first, hoping to make him trust her. Now, she had started to give up.
Facts had proved that such a man would never trust others, not even his pillow - mate.
"Forget it. I'll make my own decisions about my affairs. You just need to deal with your memorials." Su Wan'er didn't want to stay here for a moment longer.
After saying that, she didn't care about Si Junlin's expression, who was about to say something. She just turned around and walked out.