Si Junlin looked up at Su Wan'er and then buried his head in the memorials again. "I'd better not go. This body will only annoy her."
Su Wan'er let out a disdainful sound. "You're just afraid of your mother, aren't you?"
Si Junlin's hand trembled. Apparently, Su Wan'er had seen through his mind.
At first, he naively thought that based on his understanding of his mother, he could make Su Wan'er win his mother's favor quickly. But after several attempts, Si Junlin realized he was wrong. No matter how Su Wan'er tried to please his mother, the queen mother always showed disgust in her eyes.
Gradually, he seemed to understand why Su Wan'er had always been reluctant to go to the queen mother's palace. It was really hard to bear the feeling of offering one's kindness only to be rebuffed.
Seeing his reaction, Su Wan'er knew he was really afraid of hearing the queen mother's harsh words again.
However... since she was going to face the queen mother whom she feared, she naturally needed to bring someone who could share the pressure from the queen mother with her.
"I don't care. If you don't go, I won't either. Anyway, there are still so many memorials to be reviewed..."
"All right, I'll go with you." In the end, Si Junlin agreed to go with Su Wan'er to pay respects to the queen mother.
On one hand, he really wanted to visit his mother. On the other hand, he was not very relieved about Su Wan'er. Last time, Su Wan'er had made the queen mother stay in her palace for several days.
But judging from Su Wan'er's expression, she should not have said anything excessive.
At this moment, he felt that his identity as the queen was a bit of a hindrance. If he were still the emperor, he could use the power of the secret guards to get any information he wanted, instead of just speculating and worrying like this.
When they entered the queen mother's palace again, Su Wan'er hesitated a bit. For her, the queen mother's palace was like a nightmare. But because she had promised Si Junlin, she had to step into it.
"Lin'er, you've finally come." The queen mother looked at Su Wan'er and didn't know what to say.
Not only the queen mother, but Su Wan'er and Si Junlin also didn't know what to say.
Su Wan'er coughed lightly and said to the queen mother, "I've kept you waiting, mother. I've been so busy recently that I haven't been able to come and visit you. I'm really sorry."
The queen mother waved her hand repeatedly. "It doesn't matter. Lin'er, you're busy with state affairs. Don't worry about me. Concentrating on handling government affairs is the most important thing for you."
Si Junlin sat on the other side. He was very familiar with his mother's every move. Although his mother said it was okay, her eyes were full of longing for "him" to come often.
He wondered what his mother thought of him now.
While he was still daydreaming, the queen mother's gaze shifted to him. "Empress."
"Yes." Si Junlin quickly came back to his senses.
He originally thought he couldn't escape another scolding, but the queen mother's words stunned him.
This time, the queen mother said, "Thank you. If it weren't for you saving Lin'er in time, I think it might be Lin'er who is weak now."
After being stunned for a long time, Si Junlin said to the queen mother, "You're welcome, queen mother. This is what I should do."
The queen mother didn't say anything else. The thanks just now seemed like a mere formality.
Si Junlin shook his head helplessly and comforted himself in his heart, "It's already a great improvement that the queen mother can go through the formalities of being polite now."
After all, before this, he had deeply felt the queen mother's "coldness". Not to mention going through the formalities of being polite, she probably didn't even bother to look at him.
Was this change in attitude because he had blocked the "arrow" for the "emperor"? Or was it because of what Su Wan'er had said before?
Looking at Su Wan'er and the queen mother in the distance, whose atmosphere seemed a bit more harmonious, he was secretly happy in his heart.
It seemed that the queen mother was also changing her attitude.
However, after going to the queen mother's place today, Si Junlin began to worry when he returned to his palace.
Qingcao walked up puzzledly and asked, "Is there something bothering you, your ladyship?"
Si Junlin looked up at Qingcao. Suddenly, he remembered that Qingcao seemed to be Su Wan'er's personal maid brought from the Su family. In that case... "Qingcao, if I want to find out the news of the concubines in each palace, what should I do?"
Hearing this, Qingcao burst into tears. "Your ladyship, are you finally going to fight for the emperor's favor?" Although the old lady had never allowed the young miss to fight for favor in the palace, every time she saw the other concubines showing their arrogance in front of the lady after getting the emperor's favor, she felt very indignant.
Their own young miss was good-looking and had a good family background. What did those concubines have to be proud of? If their young miss really decided to fight for favor, those clowns would have no chance.
Si Junlin was helpless. Seeing Qingcao on the verge of fainting from excitement, he had to explain, "I dare not go against the wet nurse's order. I want to know the news of the other concubines mainly because I hope I can predict the danger in the harem earlier."
"Oh..." Hearing Si Junlin's words, Qingcao's expression suddenly fell.
She actually hoped that her young miss could fight for favor. After all, no matter how high one's position was in the harem, the emperor was the real master. Gaining the emperor's favor was more important than any status.
But since the young miss had said so, she could only answer Si Junlin's question truthfully. "Actually, it's quite easy for your ladyship to find out the news of the other concubines in the harem."
"How so?" Si Junlin continued to ask.
"It's very simple. Your ladyship has read a lot of books. You should have heard the saying, 'Money makes the mare go.' In this harem, if you want to know the news, just buy it with money." Qingcao explained.
However, as soon as she said this, Si Junlin rejected it.
"Spending money is a trick for ordinary concubines. It won't work for concubines with deep backgrounds and high positions. Moreover, I don't want to meet someone who sells me the information on one hand and tells my news to her master on the other hand." As he said this, Si Junlin couldn't help but think of Cuisi's situation.
This was not what he wanted...
"I see. If your ladyship wants, there are actually still some people who can be used." Qingcao said slowly.