The mistress just wanted to be bad, but she took off after being replaced

The sound of her abacus making crackling sounds seemed to carve deep marks on her cheeks, painful and clear.

Just as his thoughts were in a state of confusion, the palace servant's announcement was like the first ray of light before dawn, breaking the solemnity in the palace.

Prime Minister Pei and his wife and Pei Yu came to visit.

Sheng Ruijiao's eyes suddenly flashed with an excitement that was hard to conceal. This pleasure made all the fatigue and pain in her body miraculously disappear, and was replaced by unprecedented excitement and strength.

Sheng Junwei's gaze involuntarily followed the line of sight leading to the palace gate, with complex emotions surging in her heart.

The palace gate opened, and the three members of the Pei family suddenly appeared before them. Prime Minister Pei looked anxious, and without waiting for any polite words, he knelt on the ground, his voice steady despite his urgency: "Your Majesty is very observant, and Junwei would never speak rashly."

Afterwards, Zhang followed closely and said earnestly: "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to use Junwei's ability to exorcise evil spirits for the Queen Mother. Delaying will only lead to more troubles and disastrous consequences!"

Although Pei Yu remained silent, his eyes were firm and he silently supported his parents' ideas. Their unspoken understanding showed that their positions were as solid as iron.

Faced with this sudden reversal, Sheng Junwei's heart was in turmoil. The Sheng family members looked at each other in shock, but more than that, they were in disbelief.

Sheng Ruijiao's resentment was almost boiling, especially when she caught Pei Yu's caring look that he inadvertently revealed, which made her even more furious, and her teeth were almost broken.

The man who had doubted her at every critical moment now trusted this imposter completely without questioning her! Why?!

Minister Sheng questioned in disbelief, with a hint of anger in his tone: "Prime Minister Pei, are you confused for a moment? Jun Wei may know a little about divination, but this is not a unique skill. The current situation cannot be easily dismissed with a few words. What we are facing is..."

However, Prime Minister Pei had made up his mind and did not want to waste any more words: "My eyes are not blind, and my heart is clearer. Whether Junwei is truly talented or not, I can tell for myself, and there is no need for others to comment. In a word, I believe in her."

The emperor watched these scenes coldly, and finally fixed his eyes on Sheng Junwei: "Doctor Sheng, what do you have to say?"

Sheng Junwei did not make any excuses, because she knew very well that in the ears of some people, any explanation of hers would be weak and even a sophistry.

She sighed softly, revealing a hint of helplessness in her words: "I'm afraid we have missed the best opportunity."

"Sheng Junwei!" Minister Sheng's anger was evident in his words: "I once showed you mercy, but you refused to repent. So I am hereby stating that if you continue to insist on doing so, the Sheng family will sever all ties with you!"

The calm lake deep in Sheng Junwei's heart was stirred up by ripples caused by the sudden appearance of the boulder.

At that moment, there were so many emotions mixed in her eyes - confusion, disappointment, and even a hint of imperceptible sadness.

Her eyes were clear and peaceful, as if they could penetrate all hypocrisy and reach the deepest part of people's hearts, leaving no room for escape under such gaze.

"Are you sure this is the result you want?" Her tone was calm and firm, making people re-examine their decision.

Minister Sheng's heart trembled, as if his thoughts were seen through by an invisible eye. He could not help but look away in panic, unwilling to meet those clear yet sharp pupils.

After this sudden avoidance, he suddenly realized that his behavior just now was so inappropriate.

Being stared at by a young woman made his heart beat fast and his cheeks felt slightly hot.

His words became even colder: "Indeed, if you still persist in your wrongdoings, there will no longer be a place for you, the eldest lady, under the lintel of the Sheng Mansion!"

A clear and audible crisp sound seemed to be heard in Sheng Junwei's heart. It was the causal thread that closely linked her fate to that of the Sheng family. At this moment, most of it was broken, leaving only a tiny trace of connection, which was precarious but not completely severed.

Even though the connection was as thin as a cicada's wing, there was no trace of nostalgia or weakness in her eyes.

She lowered her eyes, her deep gaze piercing the void in front of her, as if she was talking directly to the imperial power: "I beg Your Majesty to bear witness to this. Today's separation is because the Sheng family insisted on drawing a clear line between us. From now on, no matter whether I am honored or in trouble, it has nothing to do with me, Sheng Junwei."

"Of course, I should remember where my roots came from. I, Sheng Junwei, will always remember the love and care that the Sheng family has given me for seventeen years. I am willing to give everything I have to repay them for every bit of effort they have put into me over the years."

"From today on... our relationship is nothing more than a name in the past. You are no longer my closest relatives, father, mother, brother..."

"Similarly, I am no longer your daughter, sister, or elder sister. To repay the Sheng family for raising me, I will take sole responsibility for today's matter. If the Queen Mother can regain consciousness, that would be the best. If not, or if it is found that the Queen Mother is indeed suffering from illness and not the work of evil spirits, I, Sheng Junwei, am willing to accept the death penalty to comfort my heart and to atone for my mistake."

Pei Yu pursed his lips and fixed his eyes on Sheng Junwei, and found that her face, which was already whiter than snow, was now even more bloodless.

Her face was as calm as water, but her eyes were as cold as ice, without a trace of warmth.

The emperor silently complained in his heart, knowing very well that everyone in the world loves gossip, especially stories like this that are intertwined with love, hate, and vengeance. However, he did not delve into it further at this time. He just nodded slightly as a consent, but a hint of worry unconsciously locked between his brows.

The emperor's indifference and hidden worries formed a sharp contrast, and the Sheng family members all breathed a sigh of relief at the same time. In their hearts, they actually did not believe that Sheng Junwei could really do anything. All this was of no concern to them.

Sheng Junwei's choice is just her personal choice to them. As long as the Sheng family can be safe and stable, it is enough.

However, as soon as this thought came to mind, the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed.

The empress dowager, who should have been sleeping on the bed, suddenly sat up with a speed that was shocking.

Sheng Ruijiao exclaimed: "The Queen Mother is awake!"

Minister Sheng heaved a sigh of relief immediately, while King Xiaoyao on the side sneered and seemed to be hesitant to speak. The last word "will" was stuck in his throat, solidifying into silent horror.

Not only him, but everyone present showed an expression of disbelief.

The once gentle and weak empress dowager was now crawling on the ground using her hands and feet. Her eyes were flashing a strange red light, her fangs were slightly exposed, and she made a low and hoarse sound to everyone. Her posture did not make her look like the mother of the emperor on earth. She looked more like a wild beast lurking in the dark night.

The Queen Mother's posture of getting on all fours was indeed strange, but what was even more difficult to ignore was the red light in her eyes that seemed to be burning with flames, blazing and strange.

Under the dazzling red light, the timid people screamed, and some even fainted from fright. The first to be hit was the terrified Sheng Ruijiao.