After having breakfast, the Empress Dowager came over. She heard that Liu Liu had been frightened yesterday and came personally to check on her.
Upon hearing that Jiang Cheng had died protecting his master, the Empress Dowager was moved. She hadn't expected that servant to go that far.
Hearing that the Emperor had ordered him to be buried with honors, the Empress Dowager sighed. She held Liu Liu's hand on the phoenix couch, examining her from head to toe.
"Is Liu Liu alright?"
"Liu Liu is fine, Mother Empress, please don't worry." Liu Liu shook her head. Although the Empress Dowager was a noble woman, she had always been kind and amiable to her. Her life in the palace had always been under the Empress Dowager's care.
Liu Liu was very affectionate towards her, holding the Empress Dowager's hand.
"It's good that you're alright. Although Jiang Cheng is dead, the Emperor has already buried him with honors. Liu Liu, you shouldn't be too sad. Mother Empress was just worried that your excessive grief might affect your health, so I came to see you," the Empress Dowager said softly, gently patting Liu Liu's delicate hand.
"Thank you for your concern, Mother Empress." Although Liu Liu's face was cold, a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. The Empress Dowager had good intentions. She was feeling troubled and it wouldn't be right to make the Empress Dowager worry. Moreover, the Empress Dowager had become much thinner due to Wu Yang's matter.
"It's good that you're alright. Mother Empress feels a little more at ease. Only for Wu Yang, I wonder how she is doing outside?"
The Empress Dowager was indeed worried about her beloved daughter again. Her entire face looked somewhat desolate, as if the little princess had suffered immense hardship outside.
Liu Liu quickly took her hand.
"Mother Empress, please don't always dwell on Wu Yang's matters. She will be fine. If something happens, she will return. It's precisely because nothing has happened that she hasn't returned."
The Empress Dowager listened and thought it made sense, so she relaxed her mind. Thinking of other matters, her eyes fixed on Liu Liu's stomach. Liu Liu was a bit confused: "What's wrong, Mother Empress?"
The Empress Dowager took Liu Liu's hand and asked with a smile, "Liu Liu, have you had any food cravings recently? Or felt nauseous, and always sleepy?" She spoke more and more happily, her whole face shining with radiance.
Liu Liu shook her head. She didn't know why the Empress Dowager was asking her these things. Seeing her staring at her stomach and connecting it with these strange questions, her face couldn't help but blush, and with a hint of shame and anger, she quickly shook her head, "Mother Empress, you're thinking too much. Nothing is happening. Please don't let your imagination run wild."
"Ah?"
The Empress Dowager's mouth fell open, clearly disappointed and deeply struck. Her son still had no heirs, how could she, as his mother, not be anxious?
Before, there was Zhang Xiuyi, who had been in the harem for a full two years without conceiving. Later, it was discovered that she was too weak to conceive, which was why a selection was held to ensure the royal bloodline.
But currently, the Emperor only favored Consort Shu, Consort De, and Liu Liu. If Liu Liu could become pregnant, she would be the Crown Princess, and the Liu family would truly bring honor to their ancestors.
After hearing Liu Liu's words, the Empress Dowager shook her head in disappointment and sighed. It was only after a long while that she reluctantly got up and returned to her Cining Palace.
Once the Empress Dowager left, Liu Liu lazily leaned back on the phoenix couch. Thinking about the Empress Dowager's words, she couldn't help but find it amusing. She and Feng Xie had only been together that night when the aphrodisiac was used. Could it really be that accurate?
Smiling to herself, her brow furrowed, and she thought of a plan. Tonight, she would expose Jin Jiali's true colors.
Cui'er and Cai Xia saw their mistress first unhappy and then happy again, looking at her curiously. Liu Liu beckoned Cui'er over and ordered her to prepare a few things. Cui'er obeyed, secretly wondering what strange things her mistress wanted.
Although curious, she also had self-awareness. Her mistress would absolutely not tell her.
The long day finally passed, and the night descended. Every capillary in Liu Liu's body became active. She wanted to avenge Qiao'er and Jiang Cheng.
As for Xiao Yun's death, she brought it upon herself. Having made her choice, she had to be prepared to be destroyed at any moment.
There was no moon tonight, and it was pitch black, perfect for some eerie events. It seemed Heaven was also helping her. Liu Liu snorted coldly inwardly, then turned to look at Cui'er.
"Have Xiao Anzi go invite the Emperor. Tell him that this consort wants to invite him to watch a play."
"Watch a play?" Cui'er looked at her mistress's sinister expression, which was like a ghost envoy from the dark night, revealing a mouth of white, glistening teeth, making her involuntarily shiver. However, she was still a little curious.
What play was there to watch in the middle of the night? But since her mistress had said so, she would just follow the order. She quickly stepped out of the sleeping chamber's door and instructed the eunuch Xiao Anzi to immediately invite the Emperor.
The Empress wanted the Emperor to watch a good play, so Xiao Anzi dared not delay and rushed off.
Feng Xie was reclining on the couch, reading a memorial. There were bandits in Qingshan, numbering many. They often robbed travelers on the mountain roads. Most importantly, they claimed to be remnants of the former dynasty, and their ranks were growing. Therefore, local officials had submitted memorials stating that their attempts to suppress them had failed.
Qingshan had treacherous terrain, steep valleys, and layers of guards, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Feng Xie looked on with a stern expression, contemplating a countermeasure, when he saw Xiao Wanzi enter the study.
"Your Majesty, the Empress has sent a young eunuch to invite Your Majesty over. She said she wants to invite Your Majesty to watch a play."
"Watch a play?" Feng Xie raised an eyebrow, his astute gaze flashing with sharpness. This was clearly the Empress wanting to cause some trouble. She was not the kind of woman who would invite him over for no reason.
However, he was still a little happy that she had sent someone to invite him. He hoped their relationship would improve because of this. Thinking of this, Feng Xie put down his memorial and flashed out of the study, heading towards Weiyang Palace.
In the night, mist swirled, and the village shadows swayed. A gust of wind blew, and a few eerie wails were heard, chilling the bone. In a corner of Guangyang Palace, several black shadows flickered intermittently, disappearing without a sound.
Feng Xie did not crouch down as Liu Liu had instructed. Instead, he leaned diagonally against a thick tree trunk, with his arms crossed, standing there. Fortunately, the sky was dark, and no one could see his silhouette clearly. He could roughly guess what this woman was up to.
He hadn't expected an Empress to resort to such underhanded tactics. She was truly special, specifically inviting him to watch her act.
If she could find evidence of Jin Jiali's attempt to murder the Empress, he would not forgive her lightly. In the dark night, his eyes glowed with a faint green light, like a wolf's eyes, terrifying.
In the main hall of Guangyang Palace, the lights flickered, and the gauze curtains swayed gently. The palace maids and eunuchs had retreated. A seductive woman in red was reclining on a high seat, but her face was drawn, with two dark circles vividly imprinted on it, greatly diminishing her beauty.
To her left, a clever palace maid was massaging her legs and spoke softly.
"Your Majesty, please go inside and rest."
As soon as the woman reclining heard the young palace maid's words, she turned over and sat up, shaking her head in terror, "Wanrong, I dare not sleep. As soon as I close my eyes, I see them standing before me. I am so scared."
"Your Majesty, don't be afraid. It's alright. It's all in the past," Wanrong said, gently patting Consort Shu's shoulder and embracing her.
Jin Jiali nodded, feeling a little more at ease. But at that moment, a gust of wind flashed from outside the hall door, making the door creak slightly. Suddenly, all the palace lamps in the hall went out. In the dark space, it was exceptionally eerie. Jin Jiali immediately jumped up and clung tightly to Wanrong's shoulder, screaming, "They're back, they're back!"