Shou'an Palace.
Cui Lujin knelt down respectfully. Empress Dowager Cui lowered her phoenix eyes slightly and said nothing, looking at her gracefully and calmly.
After a long time, Cui Lujin finally couldn't bear it any longer. She looked at Queen Mother Cui and said softly: "Auntie, I..."
Queen Mother Cui raised her eyes and raised her hand to pat the armrest. The jade-inlaid agate armor made a crisp sound when it hit the armrest.
"Do you still know that Aijia is your aunt?"
"You even dare to touch banned drugs! The Ai family sees that you are becoming more and more lawless!"
Cui Luyi trembled, lowered her head and said aggrievedly: "I really don't know what aunt is talking about..."
"That's all for others. Do you still want to pretend to be stupid when you are here at the Ai family?"
Empress Dowager Cui said coldly, took a deep breath to calm down her anger, and said slowly: "It seems that the Ai family has been in the temple for too long and failed to control you in time. It is all the Ai family's fault."
"I have listened to my aunt's teachings, but I really don't know about the ban on drugs."
Empress Dowager Cui looked at Cui Lujin, who was sitting down with her back straight and showed no sign of admitting her mistake, and took another deep breath in anger.
"When you grow up, the Ai family won't be able to control you that much, but if you bring your idea to the palace, the Ai family will have to control you."
Cui Lujin's calm expression changed slightly. Her eyelashes trembled and she said warmly: "Auntie, I will take care of it."
Empress Dowager Cui sneered: "Handle it? If you handle it well, will you still go to the emperor? Even if Wang is not clear, there is no guarantee that the emperor will not notice it."
"Besides, why do you need to use banned drugs to deal with her? Do you know how much trouble your father will have to deal with if he is discovered?"
Cui Lujin bit her lip after being questioned one after another, feeling a little unconvinced.
"But aunt, this is the first time in the past few years that your majesty is so interested in a woman. She is not a good person now, and I just want to get rid of the trouble as soon as possible."
"What kind of status do you have that you want to deal with her?" Empress Dowager Cui stroked the agate on her armor, her eyes getting colder, "Now that the emperor is concerned, and something suddenly happened, there is no guarantee that he will not be suspicious of you."
Cui Lujin frowned: "But aunt, if you just leave it alone, what will happen if Your Majesty really gets serious?"
Queen Mother Cui was silent, she did not give up the idea of replacing an obedient puppet emperor, so she still wanted to keep Xie Hengwu for use.
But this thought must not be told to this little niece.
"The Ai family has its own plans for the future, so you don't need to think too much about it." Empress Dowager Cui ended the topic rudely and said rather coldly, "The Ai family is in the palace now, and there are some things that we know better than you. In the future Without the permission of the Ai family, you are not allowed to be as reckless as you are today, do you understand?"
Cui Lujin reluctantly lowered her eyes and said warmly, "My lord, I understand."
"And Mrs. Wang, are you sure she is strict enough?"
"Don't worry, aunt. Wang's father will resign in front of His Majesty and will leave Beijing soon."
Empress Dowager Cui nodded, but did not feel relieved: "How can this be safe...Since Mrs. Wang took the Five Stone Powder by mistake, it is reasonable to think that she is in a coma."
Cui Lujin raised her eyes and frowned slightly: "Auntie, this is unnecessary, right?"
She and the Wang family are not deeply in love, and they should spend some time together, otherwise they would not let her do what they did tonight.
Empress Dowager Cui snorted: "When you did this, didn't you think it was too much? If the Ruoai family is not your aunt, they will naturally not do this."
Cui Lujin didn't say anything more and thanked him respectfully.
The matter was settled, and Queen Mother Cui's tone softened: "Lu'er, don't blame aunt for being troublesome. What should be yours will be yours. If you act too hastily, you will only harm yourself."
Cui Lujin nodded, not sure if she listened.
Queen Mother Cui sighed: "Don't worry, Mrs. Xie, the Ai family will not keep her for long. It's just that she is still useful now. The Ai family hopes that nothing will happen to her for the time being."
Cui Luyi's eyes flashed, and she seemed to understand something.
"My daughter understands."
Queen Mother Cui then smiled: "Come here, the Ai family may not have seen you for a long time."
Cui Lujin then stood up and walked to Queen Mother Cui's side, obediently rubbing her shoulders.
"What does aunt want to keep her for? She is not from my court, so there is no guarantee that she won't have any dissatisfaction."
"What do you know? It is precisely because she is helpless that the Ai family can use it with peace of mind." Empress Dowager Cui closed her eyes and looked a little lazy for a moment, "It's just a beautiful vase, it is not a threat to you."
Cui Lujin thought that Xie Hengwu was so calm tonight, and she was suspicious of Queen Mother Cui's words.
However, her mind changed and she thought of Empress Dowager Cui's palace. Perhaps she really believed that Xie Hengwu was not a threat.
What's more, Cui Lujin was also dissatisfied with Empress Dowager Cui's secretive attitude.
They were indeed aunt and nephew, but not that close. As Cui Lujin grew older, she still did not see the fulfillment of her "Queen" promise, and she was not without resentment towards Empress Dowager Cui.
Perhaps it should be admitted that Cui Lujin, to a certain extent, wanted to see Empress Dowager Cui defeated.
She was tired of her aunt judging her from above.
Just like tonight, if Wang didn't go wrong, Xie would have been solved long ago.
Why delay until later? I'm afraid there will be endless troubles.
Cui Lujin only thought about these words silently in her heart.
"If my aunt wants to use the Xie family for her own benefit, I have a plan." She said softly, and the massage force was just right, making Queen Mother Cui squint her eyes in comfort.
"explain."
--
After the palace banquet on Yuanri, Xiao Yanzhou had three days of rest. Xiao Yanzhou did not have to go to court early, and it was rare that he got up late.
This is also due to Xie Hengwu.
When Xiao Yanzhou opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the person still sleeping peacefully in his arms.
He didn't have the habit of staying in bed, but it was rare that he didn't get up immediately.
Xiao Yanzhou lowered his head and buried his head in her hair. The rose water mixed with her body fragrance, exuding a different kind of fragrance.
Since she got up late, Xiao Yanzhou didn't get up in a hurry. He entangled a lock of her black hair with his fingertips and played with it.
Xie Hengwu was finally tricked into waking up.
Noticing that her eyelashes were trembling, Xiao Yanzhou withdrew his hand before Xie Hengwu opened his eyes.
"Your Majesty?" Xie Hengwu's eyes were filled with confusion, and his voice was still lazily hoarse like Fang Xing's.
"It's still early, just rest."
Xiao Yanzhou stood up as he spoke and decided to go to the side hall to read the book for a while.
Xie Hengwu on the bed snorted in confusion, turned over and fell asleep again.
In Shou'an Palace, Queen Mother Cui once again received news from Zichen Palace.
"Your Majesty said that thanks to the beautiful lady's hard work yesterday, there is no need to pay her respects today." The palace servant who came to deliver the message cautiously reported.
The so-called "tiredness" naturally makes people think.
Cui Lujin stayed in Shou'an Palace last night. At this time, she got up and sat next to Queen Mother Cui. She was slightly dissatisfied after hearing this.
"No matter what, there is a distinction between seniority and inferiority, and there is an order of elders and younger ones. She should come to pay homage to the Queen Mother."
Only then did Empress Cui speak out: "It doesn't matter, since she is tired, let her rest. It just so happens that the Ai family has prepared some nourishing snacks, Luer, you can send them to the emperor."
Cui Lujin immediately understood what the Queen Mother meant.
She lowered her eyes and said, "Yes, I obey your order."
--
Cui Lujin was an unmarried girl, so this behavior was originally inappropriate, but considering that she was also Xiao Yanzhou's cousin, it was barely justified.
Zhao Quan looked at Cui Lujin who appeared outside Zichen Palace early in the morning and said bitterly: "Ms. Cui, Your Majesty hasn't gotten up yet, so just give the things to the slave."
Cui Lujin's expression did not change, her tone was soft but firm: "The Queen Mother has asked me to hand the things into Your Majesty's hands. I will not leave until I see Your Majesty."
She paused, frowned and said, "Besides, it's getting late, why didn't your majesty get up? Isn't my father-in-law lying to me?"
Zhao Quan was indeed lying to her. When he heard this, he said "Oh!" "Ms. Cui, how dare I lie to you? Your Majesty really hasn't gotten up yet. You can just leave it to me."
"How about this? Eunuch Zhao lets me in, and I'll put the things outside so as not to disturb His Majesty, okay?" Cui Lujin softened her voice, not forgetting to mention the Queen Mother, "After all, it was my aunt's word, even if I can't personally Leave it to His Majesty, why don't you go into the palace in person and put it down?"
Zhao Quan glanced at the food box in her hand and wondered: "Ms. Cui, it's not that I won't help you, it's just that no one is allowed to enter the palace without His Majesty's will."
After he finished speaking, he thought that Cui Lujin was the Queen Mother's niece and His Majesty's cousin after all, not to mention that she came in the name of the Queen Mother, so it seemed inappropriate to turn her away like this.
No one knows whether Queen Mother Cui will return to the temple, or whether the future queen is the one in front of her.
Although His Majesty is unwilling now, what about in the future? Those who are slaves should always plan more.
Your Majesty is still in the side hall, if you do it quietly... maybe you won't be noticed.
Zhao Quan thought this and his attitude relaxed slightly.
"How about this, Mrs. Cui gives the things to the slave, and follows the slave and watches the slave deliver the things, okay?"
Then Cui Lujin lowered his eyes and hesitated for a while, then softly said "Hello" for a long time.
As long as she can enter the palace, the goal will be achieved.
Zhao Quan took the food box from her hand, opened it and inspected it, and said at the same time: "Ms. Cui must be careful not to disturb His Majesty and...don't disturb His Majesty's rest."
He realized that he had made a mistake and took back what he almost said.
Zhao Quan raised his eyes and quietly looked at Cui Luyi's expression. Seeing that the latter's expression had not changed, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
However, the hands in Cui Lujin's sleeves had already been clenched tightly, and her nails, which were several inches long, dug out a few red crescents in the palms of her hands.
Although Zhao Quan didn't finish what he said, Cui Lujin didn't understand what he wanted to say.
It must be that beautiful lady Xie.
The stinging pain in her palms made her barely maintain a calm expression. Cui Lujin said softly: "I understand, Eunuch Zhao, these foods are all the same, right?"
Zhao Quan covered the food box and said repeatedly: "Nothing has happened, Madam Cui, don't worry, come with me."
Cui Luyi nodded and followed Zhao Quan's footsteps.
The palace attendants standing outside saw Zhao Quan leading the way. Although they were surprised that Cui Lujin was following behind, they did not stop him.
Huo Heng cast a doubtful look, and Zhao Quan winked. Regardless of whether Huo Heng understood, he whispered and urged him to open the door.
It was extremely quiet in Zichen Palace. The gauze curtain in front of the window had not been lifted, and the palace was as dark as night.
The two stepped on the black floor tiles one after another. Due to Zhao Quan's instructions, Cui Lujin deliberately walked lightly and was silent for a while.
Zhao Quan placed the food box in the side hall next to the sleeping hall, turned around and was about to talk to Cui Lujin, but she disappeared.
Zhao Quan's eyes narrowed and he secretly said something bad.
At this time, Cui Lujin had slipped away to the dormitory.
She tiptoed and approached the dragon couch.
The gauze curtains were heavily covered, and there was only a symbolic lamp lit in the hall, but in fact nothing could be seen clearly.
But she was inexplicably persistent in wanting an answer.
Cui Lujin finally stood beside the bed. She was so nervous that she unconsciously held her breath, and her hand touching the gauze curtain couldn't help trembling.
Her white fingertips hooked the gauze, she raised her arms and gently lifted the bed curtains.
In the dim couch, a slender and delicate figure could be vaguely discerned.
With trembling hands, Cui Lujin took a candle and lit it.
On the couch, the beauty Begonia sleeps in spring, her black hair tangled around her temples like mist. Her hands reached out of the brocade quilt, and the snow-white middle coat became more and more dazzling on the black dragon-patterned brocade quilt, clearly declaring her sovereignty to Cui Luyi.
The bed that belonged to Xiao Yanzhou was filled with her fragrance.
Cui Lujin felt like someone had grabbed her heart.
At this moment, the lights suddenly went out.
Someone grabbed her wrist.
Cui Lujin looked back in shock and subconsciously wanted to scream, but someone covered her mouth again.
She met Zhao Quan's angry and horrified eyes.
Cui Lujin knew that she was in the wrong and allowed Zhao Quan to pull her out.
Zhao Quan didn't care about the etiquette and held Cui Luxi until he was outside the Zichen Palace.
"Ms. Cui, do you want to kill this slave? How can you enter the bedroom area easily?"
Zhao Quan was angry, but he didn't dare to get angry at Cui Lujin. He was so depressed that he changed his words several times.
Cui Lujin smiled apologetically: "I'm sorry, Eunuch Zhao, but I was negligent. If your majesty holds you accountable, Eunuch Zhao will say that it was my will."
"Oh, that's not what I said!" Zhao Quan was so angry and frightened that he even forgot to call himself "slave", "Ms. Cui, please go back quickly. If your Majesty asks you about it later, I won't be able to explain it to you. "
Cui Lujin nodded, turned around and left.
As she turned around, waves of quenched poison surged in her clear eyes.
