Time Travel: The actress's acting skills exploded, and she was favored by the harem

Shen Zhiyao was caught off guard by the question. Her peach blossom eyes widened a little, and her small mouth opened slightly, seeming very surprised, but after a moment, she smiled knowingly.

There is always the Queen's eyes and ears in the harem. The conversation between me and Concubine Zhao in front of Fengyi Palace yesterday was obviously known to the Queen. It is actually a good thing that she can ask me directly now.

Shen Zhiyao said frankly, "Your Majesty, after I paid my respects to you yesterday, Princess Zhao did talk to me for a while, and she did want to invite me to Yuquan Palace to taste the incense."

Shen Zhiyao paused deliberately to observe the Queen's reaction. The latter had been wearing a calm smile since she spoke, and it did not change because of Shen Zhiyao's answer. However, the Queen's narrow and long phoenix eyes were always staring at Shen Zhiyao's face intently, full of scrutiny.

These shrewd and insightful eyes seemed to be able to see through lies. The queen was the most clear-headed and sober woman among all the concubines in the harem.

Shen Zhiyao suddenly realized that in most matters, there was no need for her to deceive the queen, or it was impossible to deceive her at all.

"Noble Concubine Zhao is a second-rank noble concubine. She has the eldest prince by her side, and has an absolutely distinguished family background and status. It can even be said that she is currently a concubine who ranks only below the Empress. Logically, if she can invite me to the palace for a chat, I should be happy to go."

Shen Zhiyao looked into the Queen's eyes, her eyes were clear and sincere, as if every word she said came from the heart.

"Yuquan Palace has many good things and is definitely worth a visit." The queen said meaningfully.

Shen Zhiyao smiled calmly and said, "Your Majesty, what the Queen said is very true. Although I have only been in the palace for a year and have not had much contact with Concubine Zhao, I can see that Concubine Zhao will definitely not tolerate me. Her good impression will only be temporary. Although I am stupid, I can still see right from wrong."

The Queen smiled and said, "Well, your understanding of Concubine Zhao is quite fair... If one day I invite you, will you come?"

Shen Zhiyao rolled her eyes secretly in her heart. Why did the queen always like to give her "death questions"? If she answered satisfactorily, she could escape the disaster. If she answered incorrectly, the queen's favorability would drop to negative values.

Fortunately, Shen Zhiyao had done her "homework" on the Queen in advance. She understood the Queen's character. Generally, she disdained to win over concubines who were difficult to succeed. The Queen and the Emperor were very similar in one aspect: they both extremely "hated stupidity."

Fortunately, Shen Zhiyao had rich social experience, and after a little thought, she had a plan to deal with it. She smiled and said, "I will naturally be happy to go and chat with you about interesting things. I am afraid that you will dislike my vulgarity."

Shen Zhiyao looked at the queen intently, trying to make her feel the sincerity in her words. She didn't want to take sides easily, but being neutral was not a long-term solution. If she had to choose a side, she would rather choose the queen, even though the queen's power was not as strong as Concubine Zhao's.

Shen Zhiyao never looks at short-term gains and losses, she looks further ahead.

The queen nodded with satisfaction. Very good, Shen was not stupid. "Free chat" was a very neutral word, which could be used either way.

Before the chance encounter tonight, the Queen was only somewhat interested in Shen Zhiyao, but from this moment on, the Queen had plans to re-evaluate her.

Only now has Shen Zhiyao officially entered the Queen's vision.

When she married Bo Muxi, he was still the least favored prince. She followed Bo Muxi in his hard work, using all her connections and trying every possible means to achieve her current status. But the situation is still unstable now, with various forces eyeing the situation covetously. The Shen family and the Shen family are exactly what they need.

"Okay, it's already the evening of the 10th hour, it's time to go back to the palace. The heat has been severe these days, I will have someone send you two an ice container tomorrow." The Queen said in a gentle voice, her concern flowing into the ears of Shen Zhiyao and Concubine Wei Kang.

The Bingjian of Zhao State is an extremely precious container for ice cubes, which can emit cold air and make the room cool. However, ice cubes were extremely precious in ancient times, and even within the palace, it was not something that ordinary concubines could enjoy.

This is another difference between the Queen and Concubine Zhao. Concubine Zhao is narrow-minded and believes in the life creed of not releasing the eagle until she sees the rabbit. When she was trying to win people's hearts in the early stage, she was only loud in words, as if she was afraid that others would take her benefits for nothing.

On the other hand, the Queen has a very magnanimous mind and bearing. She is willing to offer tangible benefits first, even if this "investment" is likely to result in a total loss.

This kind of wisdom of giving up is impressive, and this is the fundamental reason why the queen is better at winning people's hearts.

"The Queen..."

Seeing the Queen and Concubine Wei Kang turning around and leaving, Shen Zhiyao couldn't help but call her.

"What's the matter?" The queen paused, turned around and asked with raised eyebrows.

"The Queen is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in the harem of Zhao Kingdom, no doubt about it!" Shen Zhiyao suddenly blurted out these words without any reason, but her tone was extremely sincere.

"You... are fooling around..." A faint blush immediately appeared on the queen's face. She pretended to be angry and ruffled the hem of her skirt. Without waiting for Shen Zhiyao to say anything, she turned and left.

Concubine Wei Kang shook her head helplessly, turned around and followed him, thinking to herself: This Shen is so weird!

Shen Zhiyao laughed twice and was also helped by Qiuyue to walk away. Even Qiuyue felt embarrassed. Her own queen was really too naughty. How could she be so rude to the queen? Who would say such a thing?

On the way back to Fengyi Palace, the queen sat on the imperial sedan chair, her cheeks still burning. From princess to queen, the journey was too difficult and dangerous. She almost forgot that she was also a woman who needed praise...

Bo Muxi praised the queen many times, but mostly with words like virtuous and kind, and he never really praised her beauty.

The queen touched her smooth cheeks. Yes, which woman doesn't like to be sincerely praised? But she was not a queen who served the king with her beauty.

After returning to Cuiweixuan, Shen Zhiyao was not idle either. After asking Qiuyue to get pen, ink, paper and inkstone, she locked herself in the room to sort out the "results" of her late reading last night. She simply drew a "mind map" of the complicated situation in the harem.

When the late emperor was alive, both Queen Dowager Zhao and Bo Muxi were out of favor, and it could even be said that they were not liked.

The most favored ones at that time were the late emperor's beloved concubine, Sun, and the third prince born to her.

When the late emperor was reviewing memorials, he often brought the third prince with him and personally taught him how to handle state affairs. This shows how favored the third prince was.

Unexpectedly, things did not go as planned. According to legend, the third prince died of smallpox. After the late emperor lost his beloved son, his health deteriorated. Among the remaining six princes, Bo Muxi ranked fourth.

Through the efforts of the Zhao family, and with the support of some loyal ministers as well as the political wisdom of Bo Muxi, the late emperor finally made up his mind to appoint Bo Muxi as the crown prince after much difficulty.

Today, three years have passed since the struggle for the throne. The court has gradually formed a three-way balance of power, with the "royalist" faction headed by the emperor, the meritorious family faction headed by the Zhao family, and the princes faction headed by Prince Rui.

From the emperor's poems, Shen Zhiyao could taste the emperor's complex emotions towards his biological mother, Queen Dowager Zhao.

Queen Dowager Zhao was Bo Muxi's biological mother. There is no mother in the world who does not love her children, but Queen Dowager Zhao was also a very ambitious woman.

Since Bo Muxi ascended the throne, Queen Mother Zhao has been making plans and promoting and training many outstanding successors to the Zhao family. Now, the Zhao family is growing stronger and stronger, and there is even a tendency to break the balance.

As an emperor with political foresight, how could Bo Muxi sit idly by?

Now, Shen Zhiyao is faced with an important decision, a choice that concerns her own fate and the fate of the entire Shen family. Should she choose the "royalist" forces headed by the emperor and the empress, or should she join the powerful forces of a meritorious family?