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

Sheng Junwei was stunned, and an unexpected emotion surged in her heart. "Why do you have to do this?"

Zhang took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Wei'er, today I have something to say to you from the bottom of my heart. If you had encountered such an incident when you first entered the Pei Mansion, I might have considered finding a concubine for Yu to ensure the continuation of the Pei family's bloodline. In addition, the emotional distance between the two of you is estranged, and the matter of Han Yue'er is like a thorn in my heart. I might have tacitly allowed you two to be well."

"But Wei'er, we are not plants or trees, so we cannot be heartless. Your parents love you and remember everything you have done for the Pei family. I will never sit back and watch you walk into the abyss of no return."

Zhang's tone became heavier, full of affection and determination, "You are still young and full of passion. You are confident that you can make your own way in the world and live a wonderful life without the protection of the prime minister's mansion. But silly child, this world is always too harsh on women. A divorce may sound like a peaceful breakup, but in fact it is no different from being divorced."

"Once the world treats you with prejudice, your intelligence and independence, which you are proud of, may become an unbearable edge in the eyes of others..."

A trace of barely perceptible sadness flashed across Sheng Junwei's brows. She was about to speak to express that she didn't care, but Zhang took the lead.

"Don't rush to refuse. How about listening to what mother has to say?"

"Mother knows that you are still upset about Ayu abandoning you on the day of your wedding, and you are also bothered by Han Yue'er's incident. Mother will not force you to accept Ayu immediately, and will not force you to fulfill your marriage."

"Why don't we give each other some time? After a few years, if you still can't let go and don't want to maintain the shell of this marriage, your father and I will stand by you and give you the right to pursue your freedom."

Zhang's words were warm and hopeful, paving a possible new path for Sheng Junwei.

"These few years are enough for you to fully display your talents and firmly establish your position. At that time, no one will dare to belittle you easily. Even if you are disturbed by rumors, you can stand up straight and silence those gossips with your own strength and achievements. While proving your own value, you will also make people convinced."

"As for Ah Yu, we promise that in the next few years, we will never allow him to take a concubine, nor will we allow him to have affairs when he goes out, causing unnecessary trouble and disputes. This arrangement is both a respect for you and a protection for this marriage."

Judging from the perspective of an outsider, for Sheng Junwei, who is currently unable to decide the direction of this relationship, the plan proposed by Zhang is undoubtedly full of irresistible temptation.

however……

Sheng Junwei's brows twisted unconsciously, and the balance in her heart swayed back and forth: "It doesn't seem reasonable to do this..."

Zhang interrupted immediately upon seeing this, her tone filled with anxiety and self-blame: "It is indeed unreasonable! What happened on the wedding night is not only A-Yu's responsibility. As a member of the in-laws' family, I am also to blame..."

Sheng Junwei was shocked and puzzled when she heard this: "How did this involve you again?"

Just as the conversation reached a delicate stalemate, a clear knock on the door rang out in the house.

"Mrs. Pei, has the young mistress woken up now?"

This sudden interruption seemed to give Zhang some room to maneuver. She let out a breath, a hint of relief flashing across her face. "Let me go see who it is."

The person who opened the door to greet her was actually a eunuch beside the emperor in the palace. He bowed and saluted, and his words were humble but unquestionable: "Your Majesty has ordered to summon the young lady immediately."

……

The Queen Mother slowly opened her eyes, and her consciousness gradually emerged from her haze as if the dawn had just broken.

Feeling the concern and tense atmosphere around her, her eyes swept across everyone in the room and finally stopped on the emperor's furrowed brow.

The emperor's inner worries were like the dark clouds on a summer afternoon, thick and urgent. He was afraid that any slight negligence would lead to unpredictable consequences.

So he hurriedly dispatched his most agile eunuch to rush to invite Sheng Junwei, who was praised by both the court and the public for her wisdom and strategy.

Sheng Junwei, who received the call, knew that this trip was a heavy responsibility. She was wearing a simple yet elegant dark blue dress, and she walked into Shoukang Palace with steady steps, her eyes revealing an extraordinary calmness and confidence.

Under the gaze of everyone, she calmly began to examine every corner of the palace.

After a careful investigation, Sheng Junwei saw the hidden danger and said slowly, "Although the Queen Mother seems to be fine at the moment, I found an object that may become a loophole for evil spirits to invade if it is not dealt with immediately."

As soon as these words were spoken, the tense atmosphere in the air suddenly solidified.

At this moment, although the empress dowager looked weak and powerless, leaning lightly on the edge of the bed, her well-maintained face looked youthful beyond her age.

Her pale face concealed her former majesty and tenacity. Even though she was ill, one could still vaguely see the figure of the powerful female hero who had once dominated the world.

The emperor had a keen eye and immediately asked, "What exactly is it?"

At the same time, the Queen Mother also struggled to sit up straight, with a hint of curiosity and vigilance in her eyes.

Sheng Junwei hesitated for a moment and finally said, "It is the Hetian jade bracelet that you, the Queen Mother, often wear."

The texture of the jade bracelet is as smooth as fat, and its luster is gentle and unobtrusive. Even a layman can recognize its extraordinary value and taste at a glance.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were both surprised and looked at each other in disbelief.

The Queen Mother instinctively shook her head in denial: "This is impossible! This jade bracelet has been with me for many years and has never been the slightest bit different."

The emperor's trust in Sheng Junwei had never wavered, and he asked first, "Sir Sheng, what's wrong with this jade bracelet?"

Sheng Junwei slowly said: "This jade bracelet was originally given by the late emperor. For the empress dowager, it is not only a decoration, but also a symbol of her emotions, so she keeps it with her day and night."

The emperor nodded to show his understanding, while the empress dowager raised her eyebrows slightly, as if surprised by Sheng Junwei's information channel.

Sheng Junwei didn't pay attention to the Queen Mother's subtle reaction and continued, "Queen Mother, you usually wear the consecrated Buddhist beads obtained from the Huguo Temple. In theory, they should be able to effectively ward off all evil spirits."

At this point, her eyes dimmed slightly, revealing a trace of regret. "However, due to an accident, the string of Buddhist beads was damaged, and the Queen Mother was unable to replace it with other accessories with the power to ward off evil spirits in time, which gave the evildoers an opportunity to take advantage of it."

"As for the Hetian jade bracelet, as far as I know, Your Majesty, apart from when you were bathing, you only used it half a year ago..."

As soon as these words were spoken, a complex emotion flashed across the empress dowager's eyes, like memories, but also like a secret that she didn't want to mention.

The emperor caught this subtle change and became extremely curious about what happened half a year ago.