In ancient times, she gave birth to seven daughters and was divorced by her husband's family.

The Empress Dowager and the Empress both froze. They exchanged a glance, and the Empress Dowager gave the Empress a meaningful look.

The Empress's confidant immediately stepped forward and covered Zhao Bingyu's mouth with a cloth bag, stuffing it into her mouth.

Zhao Bingyu whimpered and shook her body. The royal guards beside her immediately moved quickly and stuffed Zhao Bingyu into the large cabinet.

Everything was quiet inside the room.

The Empress sat inside the room and did not allow Shangguan Yi to enter.

The Empress Dowager coughed twice, straightened her clothes, and went out with a smile.

"Why did you come here?" she said gently to Shangguan Yi, who was dressed in a red bridal gown. "Your red veil is still waiting for your husband to come back and lift it. Why don't you go back quickly, and I'll have someone send you there."

At this moment, Shangguan Yi gently grasped the Empress Dowager's hand, smiled at her, and said, "Bailu sent me to come and take a look."

"Oh, it's Bailu?" Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was taken aback, her expression complicated. It turned out that Bailu and Shangguan Yi already knew.

Then Shangguan Yi said slowly, "If I don't come to check, I'm afraid Bailu will worry about this place."

"And this matter must not be known to Lie Zhao... Your Majesty, wouldn't you agree?"

The Empress Dowager remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded hesitantly: "Alright, then come in and take a look."

"I wonder what Bailu wants to do by letting you in here?"

Shangguan Yi smiled and said, "I can't tell you that."

The Empress Dowager's expression was somewhat strange. This little girl was actually trying to outsmart her!

However, since Bai Lu sent Shangguan Yi to see her, she felt relieved, presumably Bai Lu had her own plans.

Shangguan Yi is also a decisive and efficient person.

She nodded and pulled Shangguan Yi inside.

Upon entering the room, Shangguan Yi lifted her red veil, but not completely. Instead, she lifted a corner of the red cloth and used a hairpin to tuck the other corner into her hair.

The red veil will remain on her head for now.

Shangguan Yi bowed to the Empress: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."

Looking at Shangguan Yi, whose eyes were like autumn water and whose face was like a peach blossom, the Empress was very satisfied.

"I knew you were a beauty before, but you look even better dressed up like this. Lie Zhao is truly blessed." She kept praising Shangguan Yi, then waved her hand, quickly ordering the guards below to pull Zhao Bingyu out of the cabinet.

Zhao Bingyu was pulled out and looked at Shangguan Yi with eyes that seemed to spit fire.

Shangguan Yi said to the Empress and the Empress Dowager, "I have something I'd like to say to my mother-in-law alone. Is that alright?"

"Of course," the Empress Dowager and the Empress nodded. "But we need to have secret guards here, otherwise it might not be safe. What if Zhao Bingyu did something to you?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Guiying, Qin Liangyu, and Bai Qi entered.

The Empress Dowager and the Empress breathed a sigh of relief. "Then we don't need the royal guards. We can just have the three of them stay here with Miss Shangguan."

"Okay." Shangguan Yi nodded.

After they left, Mu Guiying and the others locked the door.

Shangguan Yi slowly and methodically untied Zhao Bingyu and removed the gag from her mouth. She then asked very considerately, "Mother-in-law, are you alright?"

Zhao Bingyu relaxed, thinking that Shangguan Yi was on her side.

She breathed a sigh of relief, looked Shangguan Yi up and down, and said rather rudely, "Although you come from a humble background, you are still sensible and know that I am Lie Zhao's mother and that you should be filial to me."

"Unlike the Empress and the Empress Dowager, who do not know which is more important."

She sneered, "You should know that I am Lie Zhao's mother, his flesh and blood."

"Unlike the Empress, she was just an aunt."

"Another empress dowager, who is worlds apart from Lie Zhao... with no blood relation whatsoever, has actually started meddling in these trivial matters."

Shangguan Yi was pointed out for her low social status and even verbally abused, but she showed no displeasure. She simply smiled and said to Zhao Bingyu, "Yes, yes, mother-in-law is right."

"As your daughter-in-law, it is indeed my duty to be filial to you."

Hearing her words, Zhao Bingyu completely relaxed and, without any hesitation, said to Shangguan Yi, "Since you are so respectful, you must be one of us."

“There are some things I’ll just tell you directly, and this is also a reminder from me as your mother-in-law.”

"Please speak, Mother-in-law." Shangguan Yi raised an eyebrow and gestured for her to sit down.

Then Zhao Bingyu said in a deep voice, "I am Lie Zhao's biological mother. Logically speaking, whether he gets married or not should be my decision."

"But Lie Zhao and I haven't seen each other for many years, and he didn't even know I was alive, so he didn't ask me about the marriage beforehand, and just rushed into it like that..."

"He may not necessarily like you very much, he just hasn't seen anyone better."

"You come from a humble family, far inferior to my wealthy Bai family. Moreover, I've heard you have no parents, only an older brother who raised you. For so many years, you've been a lone woman venturing out into the world, always showing your face in public. What kind of behavior is that?!"

Although Zhao Bingyu had previously run a business and was quite public-spirited, she didn't want her son to marry a woman like that.

In ancient times, such a woman would have been too determined and difficult to control or manipulate.

Shangguan Yi listened quietly without frowning, her face beaming with smiles, appearing to be very well-mannered.

Seeing her smiling face, Zhao Bingyu truly thought she was an easy target, so she continued to say to Shangguan Yi, "Lie Zhao may not be a good match for you two after marrying you. But since the marriage has already taken place, there's nothing I can say."

"I'll keep an eye on your performance. If you don't perform well, don't blame me for not wanting you two to be together and breaking you up."

"Lie Zhao is now a general, young and promising, with a bright future. What kind of noblewoman couldn't he find? Even if he were to take a second wife, he could marry the daughter of a high-ranking official of the second rank..."

Zhao Bingyu was very proud of her son and had great confidence in him.

Shangguan Yi maintained a smile and said pitifully to Zhao Bingyu, "In that case, Mother-in-law, what do you think I should do to improve my relationship with my husband?"

Zhao Bingyu pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Naturally, it's to please my mother-in-law."

“My son dares not disobey my mother-in-law when she speaks.”

"Once I approve of you, you'll be set on your position as the matriarch."

Hearing this, Shangguan Yi nodded seriously: "What you say makes sense, Mother-in-law. So, Mother-in-law, what can I do for you?"

Zhao Bingyu smiled and said, "This time I came from the Western Regions to take a good look at Lie Zhao. I brought my daughter, Ru Bao, with me, but now she's been imprisoned for whipping the people of Da Wu..."

"If you can get her out, you'll definitely get your share of the rewards."

“In my heart, you are much better than Lin Shi’s eldest daughter-in-law! Not to mention your sister-in-law Bai Lu.”

"If your sister-in-law bullies you then, I will definitely not stand for it."

Hearing this, Shangguan Yi smiled: "Then I can get her here for you right now, isn't that simple?"

Zhao Bingyu's eyes lit up, and she showered Shangguan Yi with praise: "Are you serious?"

"real."

Zhao Bingyu immediately smiled and said, "It has to be you, Miss Shangguan."

"In that case... my daughter-in-law, you should go and rescue Ru Bao right away."

"Alright," Shangguan Yi said with a smile. "Then please wait here. Your daughter-in-law will bring you a pot of fine wine and set out a separate table with good wine and dishes. When the wedding banquet ends in the evening, I will naturally have Ru Bao come to find you. Please enjoy your meal."

She was considerate in everything she did and said, and her attentive service completely won Zhao Bingyu over.

Seeing that Shangguan Yi was young and docile, they were completely relieved.

Before long, the delicious wine and food that Shangguan Yi had promised arrived, filling the table to the brim.

Moreover, Shangguan Yi personally accompanied Zhao Bingyu to eat and drink, which made Zhao Bingyu even more smitten, and she was completely at ease.

Zhao Bingyu thought that Shangguan Yi should be very reliable.

After the wedding banquet ended in the evening, Shangguan Yi and Zhao Bingyu were a little drunk. Zhao Bingyu asked her, "Where is my daughter now?"

"Your daughter? Oh, I'll have her come over right away." Shangguan Yi said with a smile.

Not long after, a woman's figure suddenly appeared outside.

Zhao Bingyu's eyes lit up. She saw that the woman's figure looked very much like her daughter, Ru Bao. She rushed forward and threw herself into her arms, crying, "Waaah, my Ru Bao, Ru Bao!"

When she touched it carefully, she was shocked.

Then they saw something moving in the woman's arms.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a pug.

Zhao Bingyu was stunned and a little confused. Ru Bao also keeps a dog?

When she looked up again, she realized that it wasn't Ru Bao at all, but a woman who only looked somewhat similar to Ru Bao and appeared to be a maid!

The maid lowered her head and bowed to Zhao Bingyu and Shangguan Yi: "Madams, Ru Bao has been brought."

"What?!" What the hell? Zhao Bingyu was a little confused.

As soon as the pug heard the words "Ru Bao," it happily waddled over to Shangguan Yi.

Shangguan Yi chuckled as she picked up the dog from the ground and said to Zhao Bingyu, "This is my 'daughter' Rubao, and also my dog. I'm giving it to my mother-in-law."

Zhao Bingyu was stunned by these words. Her face turned pale, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably. She was so angry that she couldn't say a word.

"You...you...you..."

His daughter was incredibly beautiful, with a face that could shame the moon and flowers, and a beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky.

The pug in front of me has black fur all over its body, with some spots on it, just like that rascal!

To compare one's beautiful daughter to a dog?!

Zhao Bing's tone was furious: "You tricked me!" She felt immensely humiliated. "How dare you trick me!"

She immediately slapped Shangguan Yi across the face, and Shangguan Yi's face swelled up with a "whoosh".

Shangguan Yi didn't dodge, but just looked at Zhao Bingyu with a smile and said to Zhao Bingyu with a smile, "So what? Your daughter Rubao is just a dog in my eyes!"

"So what if I'm playing you? What can you do to me? Can you kill me with your own hands?"

"Let me tell you, that bitch Ru Bao is rampant in the Great Martial Realm and has even harmed the lives of ordinary people. The fact that we in Great Martial Realm haven't killed her is already out of consideration for you. We've only allowed the Emperor of Great Stone Kingdom to take her back and discipline her."

"And you're still not happy about it?"

"What right do you have to be unhappy?!"

Seeing her daughter-in-law, who had been so docile just moments before, suddenly erupt in anger and even humiliate her daughter, Zhao Bingyu was furious: "Ah!!!"

"I kill you!"

She went up and took out her short knife to slash Shangguan Yi, but Shangguan Yi quickly dodged it.

Mu Guiying and the others stepped forward and restrained Zhao Bingyu.

Zhao Bing was exasperated, but Shangguan Yi said with a smile, "Mother-in-law, don't be anxious. If you wanted to kill me, it shouldn't be now, after all, today is the wedding night of your son and me."

"This is a major life event. Are you really going to ruin your son's life?"

"Between your son and Ru Bao, who is more important?"

Zhao Bing's tone was almost insane.

Then, she couldn't help but laugh, and she laughed calmly: "Shangguan Yi, luckily I never believed you in the first place."

"I have already sent men to ambush the prison, so I suppose... they have succeeded by now."

Shangguan Yi stood there calmly, her expression completely unchanged.

Although she was the daughter of a merchant, she possessed a composure that even Zhao Bingyu admired.

Then Shangguan Yi said with a smile, "Yes, since we have already sent people to ambush the prison, General Zhou and his men must have captured the relevant people there as well."

"At that time, we will naturally present these people from the Western Regions to the King of Da Shi. Da Shi will certainly be overjoyed."

"At that time, it will be difficult for you, Mother-in-law, to continue to live peacefully in the Great Stone Kingdom, since you have damaged the diplomatic relations between the two countries."

Zhao Bingyu's expression suddenly changed, and she stared intently at Shangguan Yi: "You...you actually have such a scheming mind?"

“Of course I don’t have that ability. This was Bai Lu’s doing.” Shangguan Yi raised an eyebrow. “From the beginning, we were wary that you might try to ruin my wedding with Lie Zhao at this time. But Lie Zhao kept saying that he wouldn’t. Although he hates you, he doesn’t hate you too much, after all, he grew up by your side since he was a child.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bingyu couldn't help but lower her head.

Shangguan Yi continued coldly, "He didn't want to be so cautious, but Bai Lu felt she had to be. Now it turns out she was right to be cautious."

She sneered, "You might not do anything to Lie Zhao and the others on ordinary days, but today your precious daughter is involved after all."

"If you had to choose between your precious daughter and your precious son, I'm sure you would choose your daughter without hesitation, wouldn't you agree, mother-in-law?"

Zhao Bingyu was speechless, only continuing to curse angrily: "You shameless woman! Born into a merchant family, yet engaged in such a lowly profession! If I were here, how could I have let my son marry you?!"

"Yes, but you're not here, so what right do you have to criticize me?"

"You abandoned them and went to the Western Regions back then, but now you're standing on the moral high ground to try and blackmail us. Aren't you just dreaming?"

"You're really putting on an act, who's really being despicable?" Shangguan Yi's small mouth was like it was coated with poison, and she kept talking until Zhao Bingyu broke down.

Now that the auspicious time has passed, even if someone wanted to sabotage it, they could only upset Bai Liezhao, not ruin his wedding.