You cause trouble and I collect your body, the little emperor’s aunt abuses the scumbag again

She deliberately emphasized the word "refined and elegant," her sarcasm was quite obvious.

Meng Siya was so frightened by the scene that she shrank back and quickly pulled Sui Sui down to kneel.

"This humble woman greets Your Highness the Crown Princess."

Her head was bowed low, and her voice trembled slightly.

Shangguan Yun'er was very satisfied with her reaction.

This was exactly the effect she wanted—to make this vile woman understand that even if she got involved with the Empress Dowager and even if the Crown Prince protected her, she was ultimately someone who couldn't be brought to the table.

"Get up."

Shangguan Yun'er walked up to her and used the handle of her fan to lift her chin.

"I heard that my sister is ill, so I came to see her. Although Tingyu Pavilion is quiet, it is not a place for someone of your status. If you stay here for too long, I'm afraid you will offend the noble atmosphere of this place."

She paused, her gaze falling on Sui Sui beside Meng Siya, and her smile grew even colder.

"After all, this is a place the Crown Prince left as a memento for the dead man in his heart. We living people should be sensible."

Meng Siya's body suddenly stiffened.

She cooperated by feigning a panicked expression and tightening her grip on Sui Sui's arms.

Seeing her frightened expression, Shangguan Yun'er's anger finally subsided a bit.

That's exactly what she wanted to do—to peel away the woman's disguise little by little, to make her suffer and feel humiliated.

"I've heard that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager greatly admires your cooking, sister?"

Shangguan Yun'er changed the subject.

"My sister is truly skilled. A mere cosmetics seller can make the Empress Dowager so happy. Unlike me, who occupies the position of Crown Princess but can't even get to see the Empress Dowager."

That's a sarcastic remark.

Meng Siya lowered her head and spoke even softer.

"This humble woman dares not, this humble woman only... only knows some folk remedies."

"Folk remedies from the countryside?"

Shangguan Yun'er smiled.

"What could possibly make His Highness the Crown Prince so infatuated? It can't be some legitimate folk remedy, can it?"

"Sister, you must be careful. In this palace, the most taboo thing is a demon of unknown origin. If it absorbs the dragon's energy, it will be punished by heaven."

After she finished speaking and had enjoyed Meng Siya's pale face for a while, she left with her people, satisfied.

The courtyard gate was closed, isolating it from everything outside.

The fear and panic on Meng Siya's face immediately disappeared, leaving only calm.

She slowly stood up, supporting herself on her knees, and patted the dust off her skirt.

Every word Shangguan Yun'er said just now made her heart tighten.

But she wasn't in pain.

People who have died once are no longer afraid of pain.

She just found it funny.

Just now, she had looked Shangguan Yun'er up and down.

That red-gold hairpin came from the largest Jinlou Baocui Pavilion in the capital and was worth three thousand taels of silver.

That gold-embroidered phoenix-tail skirt was made of Yun brocade from Jiangnan, which was priceless and unavailable on the market.

The Prime Minister, Shangguan Hong, received only one thousand taels of silver in salary per year.

Honestly, he couldn't wait to wear the incriminating evidence on his body to show her.

She took out a notebook from her sleeve, which Lin Daxiong had made for her using modern accounting methods.

The document was densely filled with details of the Shangguan family's various illicit incomes and corruption over the years.

Each stroke of the pen was enough to lead to the execution of the entire Shangguan family.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

The palace maid looked at her with concern.

"fine."

Meng Siya carefully put the notebook away, a slight smile even appearing on her face.

"Go and make the stove burn brighter; it's getting cold."

No sooner had Shangguan Yun'er left than Ji Yongyan rushed in.

His face was full of anger, and even his outer robe was askew.

"Did she come to cause you trouble?"

He grabbed Meng Siya's shoulders and looked her up and down, as if afraid that she had suffered any injustice.

"No."

Meng Siya shook her head.

"The Crown Princess is only here to visit the sick."

"Visiting someone in the hospital?"

Ji Yongyan sneered.

"I know what kind of person she is better than anyone else!"

"Ya Ya, don't be afraid, I'll go kill her right now! I'll make sure she can never..."

Before he could finish speaking, Meng Siya covered his mouth.

"Kill her?"

Meng Siya looked up at him, her eyes cold and clear.

"Ji Yongyan, have you forgotten that she was your lawfully wedded Crown Princess, the granddaughter of Prime Minister Shangguan? By killing her, do you want the entire Shangguan family to fight you to the death, or do you want the Emperor to depose you from your position as Crown Prince?"

Ji Yongyan's body stiffened.

"Then...what should we do? Are we just going to let her bully you?"

"You're bullying me?"

Meng Siya laughed, but there was a hint of ruthlessness in her laughter.

"Killing her now would be too easy on her."

She leaned close to Ji Yongyan's ear and spoke in a low voice, but it carried a chill.

"Let her climb to the highest point, and when she is at her most proud and thinks she has everything, then pull her down and smash her to pieces."

"That's what revenge is."

Ji Yongyan looked at her and felt a chill run down his spine.

The woman before him was still his Ya Ya, yet she was no longer the same.

……

In the following days, the rumors in the palace grew increasingly intense.

It is said that Meng Shi of Tingyuxuan is a reincarnation of a fox demon who can absorb dragon energy, which is why His Highness the Crown Prince listens to her so readily.

They also said that she had used sorcery to bewitch the Empress Dowager, and that the Great Xia Dynasty would suffer a calamity.

Meng Siya completely ignored this.

She simply stayed indoors, spending her days paying respects to the Empress Dowager and accompanying Sui Sui in Tingyuxuan.

She occasionally fiddled with bottles and jars, and no one knew what she was preparing.

At this time, in a secret workshop on the outskirts of Beijing, the furnace was burning very brightly.

Lin Daxiong, shirtless and covered in sweat, directed the craftsmen.

"Angle! Adjust the angle by another three inches!"

"That gear, yes, grind it a little thinner! Otherwise it won't turn!"

An old craftsman wiped his sweat and came over to ask.

"General Lin, what exactly is the purpose of all this trouble we went through to build this iron lump?"

Lin Daxiong smiled mysteriously and patted the large device that was just beginning to take shape.

"This is good stuff."

"If we put it in the sky, it'll scare the emperor to death!"

……

Time flies, and Mid-Autumn Festival is here in the blink of an eye.

The palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, creating a festive atmosphere.

But everyone wore expressions of anticipation, as if they were watching a good show.

Everyone knows that tonight's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet will not be peaceful.

Inside Tingyu Pavilion.

Meng Siya dismissed all the palace servants.

She took out a dress she had prepared from the bottom of the trunk.

It was a very ordinary plain-colored long dress, without any patterns or embroidery.

But under the moonlight, there seemed to be light moving at the hem of the skirt. Upon closer inspection, one could see that there were some incomprehensible runes embroidered on it with fine silver thread.

She changed into a long dress and walked to the clear water mirror.

The woman in the mirror was very beautiful, but her eyes were cold.

She slowly curled the corners of her mouth up in front of the mirror, but there was no smile in her eyes.

"Shangguan Yun'er, the stage is ready."

"Please don't let me down."

The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was held in Zhaoyang Hall, which was brightly lit by glass lamps.

Music was playing in the hall, and dancers were waving their water sleeves as they danced, creating a lively scene.

However, the civil and military officials in the main hall were all somewhat distracted.

Everyone's gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, drifted toward Crown Princess Shangguan Yun'er.

She was undoubtedly the focus of the entire event today.