" Wan'er, you've also read the battle reports these days. The situation on the battlefield is still relatively stable. With me here, there's no need for you, the queen, to get involved. "
Su Wan'er had, of course, been reading the battle reports every day. However, she knew only too well that there were ambitious people in the army. It was just that the court had been keeping a close eye on them these days, so they wouldn't act rashly. But this situation couldn't last long. Moreover, it was a critical time when they needed every available person, so Si Junlin didn't dare to punish them too severely.
" I know, of course I know the situation. " A queen, of course, couldn't go on a military expedition. But what if the queen were deposed? She had so obviously revealed her true colors yesterday, framing so many concubines. The Empress Dowager would soon discover her plot. Once the old lady got angry, she would lose her position as the queen.
" I even had the people in your palace prepare crab - roe soup dumplings for you today. Come on. " Si Junlin unconsciously took her hand and absent - mindedly led her towards the main palace.
Su Wan'er actually felt uncomfortable and instinctively wanted to pull her hand back. But then she thought that she might be leaving in a few days. Maybe... she should just indulge herself this once.
" Your Majesty and the Empress are back. " The palace servants quickly lined up to pay their respects.
" What are you all busy with? " Su Wan'er saw that they were all sweating profusely, as if they were working on something.
" Your Majesty, everything has been taken care of. "
Fang Xi was actually here? Su Wan'er was surprised. No wonder there were so many people in her palace who weren't originally there. It seemed that Fang Xi had brought quite a few people.
" Go in and take a look. " Si Junlin looked at her with a smile.
Su Wan'er felt inexplicably nervous. What on earth were these people doing?
" It smells so good... " She didn't usually pay as much attention to such things as other palace servants, so she never used any spices or incense. Now, the strong fragrance suddenly filling the palace made it seem as if... she had walked into a flower greenhouse.
" Your Majesty, look at the wall. " Qingcao pointed it out to her like presenting a treasure. The whole wall was a clay - colored but golden - tinged color. This fragrance didn't seem to come from any spice, but rather from something like food.
" What is it? " Su Wan'er touched it with her hand. It seemed to still be warm.
" It's Chinese prickly ash paste. His Majesty specifically ordered us to make it early this morning! We set up a big pot in the kitchen and carefully selected the Chinese prickly ash to make this paste. It's still warm now, and it will smell even better when it cools down. " Qingcao could hardly hide her excitement in her words.
" You, Your Majesty? " Su Wan'er looked at Si Junlin, who was still standing at the door, smiling at her. Was this... the favor of the pepper - walled palace? Why was he doing all this now?
" Actually, these things should have been there on the day of our wedding. But it was so hasty back then. I'm sorry to you. " Si Junlin walked over, took her hand, and led her to the window.
The window was open, and there were several large red peonies placed in the sunlight. She vaguely remembered that when she was learning the palace rules, the nanny had said that only the queen could use red and peonies in the palace. But since she didn't like flowers much after entering the palace, she had rarely used them. Now, with so many flowers piled up here... it was truly a riot of colors as far as the eye could see.
" Are there still so many peonies at this time of the year? " Su Wan'er didn't know what to say at this moment.
" If I want them to be here, they will be. " Si Junlin locked eyes with her. " Wan'er, the queen of the Jin Kingdom can have everything the emperor gives her. Among the women in this palace, you are the only one I welcomed through the main gate after performing the six wedding rites and sending the betrothal gifts. You are my wife and can rightfully have everything of mine. "
There were his spies everywhere in the palace. He roughly knew what Su Wan'er had been up to these days. She was determined to go on a military expedition and was even willing to use her possible deposition as a queen as an opportunity. How could all this escape his eyes?
However, the position of the queen of the Jin Kingdom was what thousands of women dreamed of. He didn't believe that if he gave her everything he could with the power of the whole country, she could still let it go and be willing to leave!
So Si Junlin didn't stop her from using those means to frame other women with the help of the Empress Dowager, nor did he stop the Empress Dowager from investigating her. Anyway, Su Wan'er was his queen, and whether she was deposed or not was up to him. He wanted to see if Su Wan'er could really bear to leave him.
" You... I don't really like peonies. " Su Wan'er deliberately turned her head away, not looking at the flowers.
" Really? My Wan'er is truly different from those common women. " Si Junlin was like King You of Zhou who tried every means to make Baosi smile. He immediately raised his hand and called Fang Xi over. " Remove all these. Don't send any more flowers in the future. "
" Yes --- " Several servants quickly removed the clusters of flowers.
" Ah... there's no need. Just leave them there. It would be such a waste to throw them away. " They didn't have to be removed immediately. These were all cut branches. Wouldn't they wither in a day? They were in full bloom now. It was such a pity.
" Wan'er must be hungry. Serve the meal. " Fang Xi on the side seemed to have been waiting for this order for a long time. He immediately directed the servants to serve the dishes.
" That... Your Majesty, this subject... "
" I said, since we're in your palace, isn't it better for you to call me by my name? " Si Junlin interrupted her.
" Uh... Junlin? " What on earth was Si Junlin up to? He was the king of a country. Was this really necessary?
" You went to the Empress Dowager's place right after court. I'm sure you haven't reviewed today's memorials yet. You can't delay your work because of me. I won't keep you for the meal. " Su Wan'er always felt that the dishes served on the table were like a series of conspiracies. Si Junlin's schemes were unfathomable. She didn't know what he was up to with all these things in the palace today. She needed to calm down.
" Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll listen to you from now on. "
Su Wan'er was so shocked that her chin almost dropped. Si Junlin didn't even refute her? He just left so obediently.
" Qingcao! " Watching the grand group of people walk out and only the people in her own palace left, Su Wan'er nervously called for Qingcao.
" Your Majesty? " Qingcao had been in high spirits since she started helping Fang Xi prepare the rewards for the whole palace in the morning. Although she was the head maid of the queen in the past, there were always people saying that her mistress was just occupying the position of the queen without any favor from the emperor. But today, seeing all the hustle and bustle in the main palace, everyone in the palace knew that the queen was now the apple of the emperor's eye. She finally felt proud.
" Why did the emperor order all these things? " Could it be that this was something every queen in every dynasty had? How could Si Junlin have prepared these things?
" This servant doesn't know either. But the emperor specifically told us that the empress has been worried about the war on the front line these days and is in a bad mood. He told us to be obedient and never make you angry... "
" Stop stop stop! " Su Wan'er immediately interrupted her. Was this still the same Qingcao who had planned with her to get the queen deposed? She looked like a majestic head maid now. Had even Qingcao surrendered after she'd been away for just one morning?