The widow becomes a fairy, and the time-traveling girl counterattacks and becomes the queen

As everyone was talking, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the door, accompanied by the maids' hurried dissuasion.

A figure staggered in. It was Cui Yingying's sister-in-law, Zhou Shen's younger sister Zhou Xiaoqian, who had returned from outside.

Zhou Xiaoqian at this time is completely different from the past.

She always paid attention to her appearance, but at this moment her hair was loose, with a few strands of black hair sticking messily to her sweaty forehead and cheeks. Her favorite red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin was hanging crookedly, swaying with her rapid breathing.

Her face was pale, without a trace of blood on her lips, and her almond-shaped eyes were filled with panic and fear. She had completely lost the calm demeanor of a lady from a well-educated family.

"Father! Something bad has happened!" Zhou Xiaoqian's eyes swept across everyone in the hall in panic, and finally fixed on Zhou Feihu, as if she had grabbed the only life-saving straw.

She practically fell to the ground, her knees slamming heavily on the cold gold bricks. Ignoring the pain, she grabbed the corner of Zhou Feihu's robe, tears streaming down her face before she could say a word: "My husband... my husband has been captured by the government! You have to save him, please find a way to save him quickly!"

Seeing his daughter lose her composure, especially in front of the Crown Prince and Cui Zheng, Zhou Feihu's expression darkened slightly. He felt both distressed and angry, and whispered, "Look at you! How can you be so rude? Can't you just say it nicely? Hurry up and get up!"

As he said this, he wanted to reach out and support her.

But Zhou Xiaoqian struggled to break free, stubbornly kneeling where she was, her tear-stained face tilted upwards as she sobbed relentlessly, "No! I won't get up! If my father doesn't agree to save my husband, I won't get up from my knees! He...he just rushed home from his post, and before he could even have a sip of hot tea, a group of officials burst in and took him away! I didn't even have time to ask why..."

"Later... I vaguely heard that a prefect who had disappeared for over a decade and was thought to be dead suddenly appeared and reported Minister Gou for forming a clique for personal gain and committing corruption and abuse of power.

My husband... my husband, as a subordinate of Minister Gou, was also implicated and imprisoned! That man... that man seems to be called Cui Zheng... Yes, it's Cui Zheng, he is... he is Cui Yingying's father! "

Having said that, Zhou Xiaoqian seemed to be suddenly awakened to the source of her hatred. She raised her head abruptly and looked fiercely at Cui Yingying who was standing beside her.

She almost exhausted all her strength, filled with resentment and anger, and screamed, "It's all your fault! It's all because of you! It's all your Cui family's fault! If it weren't for your father's meddling, how could my husband have suffered such an unprovoked disaster?!"

Cui Yingying was bewildered by this sudden accusation and subconsciously took a step back, her clear eyes full of confusion and innocence.

Ever since she married into the Zhou family, this sister-in-law has been looking for trouble everywhere, causing her countless embarrassments both openly and covertly.

She was not completely unaware of the rumors behind their backs, but out of consideration for her husband Zhou Shen's affection and not wanting to embarrass her parents-in-law, she always chose to endure and tolerate them, pretending to be ignorant.

But she never expected that Zhou Xiaoqian would be so unreasonable, even blaming her for the official involvement. What's more hateful is that she even insulted her father who had been separated from her for many years and had just reunited with her!

Cui Yingying was so angry that her whole body was shaking slightly. Her slender fingers were clenched into fists in her sleeves, and her nails dug deep into her palms.

She suppressed her anger and grievance, took a deep breath, took a step forward, and straightened her back.

Although his voice trembled slightly, it was still very clear and cold. "Zhou Xiaoqian, please be careful with your words! My father, Cui Zheng, was an upright official who was not afraid of the powerful. Now, he is even working tirelessly to eliminate corrupt officials for the imperial court. What is wrong with that?

As for your husband, if he really behaves uprightly and has nothing to do with Minister Gou, the court will make a fair judgment and the innocent will be cleared; if he is indeed in cahoots with Minister Gou and has violated the law, then today's disaster is his own fault and justice is clear!

How can you blame me and my father for this mess without knowing the truth? This is absolutely ridiculous!"

These words were well-reasoned and powerful, which immediately choked Zhou Xiaoqian to the point of being speechless, and her face turned red and white.

But she had always been spoiled and had never been contradicted like this, especially by Cui Yingying, who she thought was the "culprit"?

After a brief silence, a stronger and more aggressive energy surged up.

She simply started to throw a tantrum, shouting without caring about anything: "You...you are making excuses! You are a jinx! Ever since you entered our Zhou Mansion, our Zhou family has not encountered any good things!

First, my brother went off to fight and never came back... Now it's my husband! Cui Yingying, I'm telling you, if anything happens to my husband, I... I will never let you off! I will never let you off!"

"Enough!" Zhou Feihu was shocked and angry when he saw that his daughter's words were getting more and more outrageous, especially when she was slandering Cui Yingying in front of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Cui Zheng, the people she should not have offended the most. He was afraid that she would speak without restraint again and cause a terrible disaster.

In a hurry, he raised his hand, with a bit of anger and fear, and gave Zhou Xiaoqian a loud slap in the face. The sound of "slap" echoed crisply in the hall.

Zhou Xiaoqian was caught off guard and her head was tilted away. A clear red mark of five fingers instantly appeared on her face.

She covered her face, looking in disbelief at her father, who had always loved her. Seeing that he not only didn't speak up for her, but actually hit her, she was instantly overwhelmed by the immense grievance and resentment. She cried even harder, practically rolling on the ground: "You hit me? You actually hit me for this stranger?! Father, you are confused!"

"Cui Yingying! You're the cause of all this trouble! You... you're a bitch who came out of a dirty place like Yihongyuan! I don't know what kind of seductive tricks you used to bewitch my brother, and now even my father is speaking for you! I... I'm going to fight you!" Zhou Xiaoqian completely lost her mind in anger, and roared out the scars buried deep in her heart that should not be revealed at this time and place, especially in front of Cui Zheng.

"Shut up! You evil creature! Shut up!" Zhou Feihu was so angry that he was shaking all over, his face ashen. He slapped his daughter twice more, even harder, and he wanted to shut her mouth immediately. His heart was cold, knowing that this was a hopeless situation.

Cui Zheng, who had been forcing himself to remain calm, felt a sudden jolt of lightning upon hearing the words 'Yihongyuan'. He turned to Cui Yingying with difficulty, his voice broken, filled with horror and pain: "Yingying...what did she say? Yihongyuan?! Tell Daddy, this isn't true!"

How he wished he had heard it wrong, or that Zhou Xiaoqian was talking nonsense.

When Zhou Xiaoqian called out the words "Yihongyuan," Cui Yingying felt as if she were plunged into an icy cave, her blood nearly freezing. The past she most feared, the past she most hated her father to know, the scars she thought she had buried, the scars she could start over, were now, in the most vicious and unbearable way, bloodied and exposed before the father she loved most. Her clenched fists tightened, the knuckles turning white. The immense shame and worry for her father's heartache made it almost impossible to breathe.

She met her father's eyes, filled with shock, confusion, and deep pain. Her heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, the pain indescribable. She fought back the tears threatening to burst, trying to keep her voice calm, even calmer. "Father... that... that was a long time ago, something that happened out of necessity. It's all over... it's all over. I'm doing fine now... my husband treats me well, and my parents-in-law... they treat me well too. I'm really doing fine..." She repeated "fine," as if trying to convince her father, but even more so, herself.

Very good? Was this what his daughter meant by "very good"? Being publicly humiliated by her sister-in-law at her husband's house, having her shameful past exposed? Cui Zheng looked at his daughter's forced appearance of strength, saw the vulnerability and pain deep in her eyes that could not be completely concealed, and thought of the suffering she might have experienced. His heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife. His eyes instantly reddened, and a layer of mist filled them. This old man, who had experienced many vicissitudes of life and was upright, now looked so old and helpless.

Zhou Xiaoqian, knocked to the ground by the blow, covered her face in her hands, staring blankly at the scene. It was only then that she realized the other people standing in the hall were of extraordinary stature, definitely not servants of the Zhou Mansion or ordinary business partners. The young man in particular, though not dressed in finery, exuded a dignified aura between his brows. The woman beside him, with her stunning appearance and noble temperament, stared at her coldly, her gaze as sharp as an icy blade.

But when Zhou Xiaoqian heard Cui Yingying address the devastated old man as "father," the string of reason in her mind completely snapped. As if she had found the source of all her troubles, she poured out all her fear and resentment, screaming like a shrew: "You are that old, immortal Cui Zheng, right?! You've been dead for over a decade, so why did you come back? Why are you still harming people?! If anything happens to my husband because of this, I, Zhou Xiaoqian, swear I will not forgive that bitch Cui Yingying! Even if I become a ghost, I will not let your Cui family go!"

"Miss Zhou," a cold female voice rang out, interrupting Zhou Xiaoqian's hysterical cries. Wang Xinyao slowly stepped forward, her pretty face frosty, her gaze piercing the disheveled Zhou Xiaoqian. Her voice was low, yet filled with undeniable authority. "I'd like to hear how you plan to 'not forgive' my Sister Cui."

At the same time, Zhao Haoxuan's expression darkened. He turned his gaze to Zhou Feihu, whose face was pale and covered in cold sweat. His voice was low, yet powerful: "Master Zhou, today, I have truly been greatly enlightened. Is this the family education of your Zhou family? You allow your daughter to slander court officials, insult your sister-in-law, and even roar in the hall?"

"You... who are you?" Zhou Xiaoqian was intimidated by Wang Xinyao's aura, but she still forced herself to be tough and shouted in a timid voice, "This is my family affair, how can you outsiders just interrupt me?" However, as soon as she finished speaking, her eyes finally focused clearly on Wang Xinyao's breathtakingly beautiful yet chilling face, her body trembled violently, as if she suddenly remembered something extremely terrible, and her pupils suddenly contracted.

She remembered this face clearly! Just a few months ago, when Princess Zhao Yue'er came to the Zhou residence for a small gathering, she was accompanied by a girl with such elegance and grace that even the Princess treated her with great courtesy. Wasn't that the person before her? She had secretly envied her for a long time back then... Oh my God! She was... She was Wang Xinyao! The daughter of the Wang family who was rumored to have a close relationship with the Crown Prince and was about to be canonized as the Crown Princess!

"You...you are Wang...Wang Xinyao? When...when did you return to Beijing?" Zhou Xiaoqian's voice was instantly filled with fear. She took a few steps back using her hands and feet, as if she had seen a ghost, her body shaking like a leaf in the wind.

At that moment, Madam Zhou, hearing the news, hurried into the hall. She witnessed Crown Prince Zhao Haoxuan's sullen expression and Zhou Feihu's kneeling apology. Then she heard her daughter's reckless words. Terrified, Madam Zhou, without a second thought, hurried forward and dropped to her knees, pleading in a tearful voice, "Your Highness, please calm down! Madam, please calm down! My daughter...my daughter is young and ignorant. She was provoked and spoke without thinking, which has offended Your Highness and Madam, as well as Lord Cui and Yingying! Please, Your Highness and Madam, have mercy on her and forgive her this time! I will discipline her strictly from now on and will never let her talk nonsense again!"

"Your Highness? Mother... what are you saying? How could he be His Highness?" Zhou Xiaoqian was struck by lightning when her mother addressed her. Her eyes widened, and she stared in disbelief at the young man, who had stood silently and with a noble demeanor. Seeing that he wasn't wearing the attire that signified his status as crown prince, she still held onto a glimmer of hope. But her mother's utterly terrified expression, kneeling and begging for mercy, and her father's face, ashen and trembling, shattered her last illusions. Her legs gave way, unable to support her any longer. With a thud, she collapsed to the ground, her face drained of all color, pale as paper, and even her lips trembled.