In the years of famine, I led a comfortable life with my husband

"Well, I know Zhizhi and I don't have much connection, so it's normal for her to be unwilling to help me, but..." Xu Wanqing didn't finish her words, but the two of them understood the meaning of her words clearly.

"Your Highness, you are too polite. I am where I am today because of your support. How can I refuse your request? It's just that I haven't met the Empress Dowager many times, so I haven't found the right opportunity to speak to her. I hope Your Highness will forgive me." Su Zhizhi knelt on the ground in fear.

Seeing Su Zhizhi groveling in front of her, Xu Wanqing was in a good mood. "Forget it, I guess Zhizhi isn't an ungrateful person. I was just joking. Why are you so nervous, Zhizhi? Get up quickly."

Su Zhizhi felt cold sweat on her back and stood up according to Xu Wanqing's instructions.

At this time, a little maid walked in from outside, holding a tray in her hands. Perhaps she was frightened by the atmosphere in the room, and the little maid's hands were shaking.

She originally wanted to place the things in front of Su Zhizhi, but she was too nervous and accidentally knocked the tray to the ground.

Su Zhizhi didn't think there was anything wrong and was about to lend a hand to help her when Xu Wanqing suddenly had an attack.

Her expression suddenly changed, and she shouted sternly, "Useless thing, you only bring shame to me. Come on, who brought this person in? Give me twenty lashes of the cane. As for this slave girl, just beat her to death!"

The maid quickly fell to the ground, trembling as she kowtowed repeatedly, "Your Highness, please spare me, Your Highness, please spare me. I won't dare to do it again. I won't dare to do it again. Please forgive me, Your Highness..."

But Xu Wanqing remained unmoved. Just as Su Zhizhi was about to speak, the maid was dragged away by two guards who came in from outside. In order not to disturb Xu Wanqing, the maid's mouth was blocked.

As the door was closed, the sound of beating could be heard faintly from outside. Su Zhizhi was horrified and looked at Xu Wanqing with fear in her eyes.

"Your Highness, it's just a tray that was knocked over. I don't think it's a crime punishable by death." Su Zhizhi thought of the maid's fear and the look of help she had just given her, bit her lower lip, and chose to persuade her.

Xu Wanqing sneered, playing with her fingers as she said, "She's just a lowly servant. Zhizhi, there's no need to feel so bad. Since she's been bought into my palace, she's my person. I hold the indentures. I have the final say on whether to beat her or kill her. Zhizhi, what do you think?"

Su Zhizhi stopped talking. She now understood that this was clearly a show of killing the chicken to scare the monkey in front of her. It was simply a warning to her not to make herself unhappy and to work well for Xu Wanqing. After all, Xu Wanqing still had the leverage over Su Zhizhi.

Su Zhizhi lowered her head, trying her best to suppress the overwhelming hatred in her heart, and said humbly, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I will certainly do my best to serve Your Highness."

Xu Wanqing was very satisfied with Su Zhizhi's reaction and understanding, so she smiled, took Su Zhizhi's hand and chatted with her for a few more words, and then asked someone to send Su Zhizhi away.

Su Zhizhi didn't quite remember how she got back to the mansion. She only knew that when she came out of Xu Wanqing's room, her hands and feet were cold, and her forehead and back were covered in cold sweat. Outside the door was the body of the little maid who had been beaten to death with a stick and had not been dealt with in time. Su Zhizhi couldn't control herself and ran to the side to vomit frantically. As soon as she closed her eyes, she seemed to see the little maid looking at her with her eyes wide open, as if questioning why she didn't save her.

Su Zhizhi was very anxious when she returned to the mansion. After this incident, she knew very well that if she dragged on like this, Xu Wanqing would know more and more about her, and the other party's appetite would never be satisfied. If this continued, she would definitely have no place to stay in the capital.

Xie Chengjin saw everything Su Zhizhi did, but before he could ask anything, he heard the doorman come and report that Shen Wenjun had arrived.

Xie Chengjin had no choice but to suppress his thoughts and ask someone to invite Shen Wenjun in.

But as soon as Shen Wenjun entered the room, his eyes were glued to Su Zhizhi and he couldn't pull them away.

Shen Wenjun keenly noticed that Su Zhizhi looked unhappy. Thinking that Su Zhizhi was feeling unwell, she quickly went over to ask about her well-being. "Zhizhi, what's wrong with you? Did you catch a cold last night? You don't look well. You should go back to your room and rest..."

Shen Wenjun kept chattering in Su Zhizhi's ear. Before Su Zhizhi could say anything, Shen Wenjun couldn't stand it anymore.

"Zhizhi has been my wife for a long time. Lord Shen might have crossed the line." Xie Chengjin walked up, pulled Su Zhizhi into his arms, and looked at Shen Wenjun provocatively.

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenjun rolled his eyes and said, "Thank you, sir. I just noticed Zhizhi looked unhappy, so I asked a few more questions. Is it necessary for you to be like this..."

Seeing that the two were about to quarrel, Su Zhizhi suddenly felt a headache. She was already worried enough about Xu Wanqing's matter, and the fact that these two people started fighting as soon as they met in front of her made her even more restless.

"If you have anything to talk about, go to the study. I'm a little tired, so I'll go back and rest first." Su Zhizhi got up from Xie Chengjin's arms, waved her hand casually, and left on her own. Xie Chengjin wanted to catch up with her to say something, but was tripped by Shen Wenjun. When he looked at Shen Wenjun, there was a knife in his eyes.

Later, Su Zhizhi didn't know what Xie Chengjin and Shen Wenjun had said. She was already exhausted and just wanted to have a good rest. She didn't even know when Xie Chengjin would return to the room.

The next day, Su Zhizhi slept until she woke up naturally. While eating breakfast, she heard Xie Chengjin say, "Zhizhi, Shen Wenjun came to see me yesterday and said that Concubine Wan had died suddenly in the palace..."

Su Zhizhi paused while eating, then asked casually as if nothing had happened, "When did it happen?"

Seeing that Su Zhizhi's expression hadn't changed, Xie Chengjin breathed a sigh of relief. "It must have been yesterday morning. I heard that he died in a tragic way. I wonder if he was murdered."

"Princess Wan had this ending because of her own fault." Su Zhizhi's tone was calm, as if she was talking about something insignificant.

"She usually bullies the good and fears the evil. Countless of the unfavored concubines have been mocked and oppressed by her. Now that Concubine Wan has fallen from power, those who have been bullied by her will naturally want everything back. It's just what they deserve, there's nothing to be sad about." Su Zhizhi seemed afraid that Xie Chengjin wouldn't understand, so she kindly explained it.