After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

When passing by the wall of the spacious and magnificent hall, everyone was surprised to see Kuang Tie standing there, waving his strong and powerful fists, smashing the wall again and again. Only the dull sound of impact resounded throughout the hall, making people look sideways.

"That weirdo, what on earth is he doing?" Xianfei's face turned pale, her delicate body trembling slightly, and she clung to the Queen Mother like a frightened deer. Her beautiful face was now filled with fear and confusion, and her beautiful eyes were wide open, staring straight at Kuang Tie's every move.

However, the previously calm Queen Mother suddenly became nervous after witnessing this scene. Her brow furrowed, her lips slightly parted as she whispered, "Queen, he must be exhausted after all this time. Let him rest for a while." Before she had finished her words, a sharp "crack" rang out, and the entire scene was instantly thrown into chaos.

Then, a panicked palace maid hurried in to report that a mysterious tunnel had been discovered within the palace! This sudden news was like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone present. Especially the Queen Mother, who, upon hearing the news, felt a sudden jolt, her vision went dark, and she fainted.

"Hurry up! Where is the imperial physician? Send for him!" Seeing this, Concubine Xian was extremely anxious. She quickly reached out to support the teetering empress dowager and shouted for help. Although she didn't know what was going on at this moment, judging by the empress dowager's reaction, it was obvious that something serious had happened.

"It's okay, don't panic!" Tang Wenshu hurriedly stepped forward, gently patted the back of Concubine Xian's hand, and comforted her softly, "Don't panic, I'll take care of everything." After that, she looked calm and composed. She slowly stretched out her right hand, accurately touched the philtrum of the Empress Dowager, and then pinched it hard without hesitation.

Time passed minute by minute, and everyone's hearts were in their throats, staring at the empress dowager intently. Finally, with Tang Wenshu's unremitting efforts, the empress dowager's tightly closed eyes trembled slightly, then slowly opened, and she gradually regained consciousness.

As soon as the Queen Mother regained consciousness, she eagerly demanded, "What on earth has happened? Why did I suddenly faint here?" As she spoke, she glanced suspiciously at the people around her. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she feigned surprise and asked, "Could it be... could it be that there's something wrong with the tunnels built by the previous imperial palace?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked. Who could have imagined that, at this point, the empress dowager would still attempt to argue and completely shift the blame? However, before anyone could respond, a majestic and steady voice rang out from the palace entrance: "The truth will be known after I send someone to investigate." Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Emperor Zhao Rui who had arrived.

It turned out that Tang Wenshu had secretly sent his trusted guards to inform the Queen even before the incident. That was why Zhao Rui was able to arrive so quickly to handle the matter. At that moment, with a solemn expression, she strode into the palace and went straight to the Queen Mother.

"Mother, please go with me and take a look!" Zhao Rui carefully supported the Queen Mother, and the two of them slowly walked towards the entrance of the underground palace. Each step seemed particularly heavy, as if it was stepping deep into the Queen Mother's heart.

Slowly descending the steps, they found themselves in a dark and silent state, their surroundings lit only by the flickering light of candles on the walls. Step by step, they finally reached the underground palace. There lay a long, narrow tunnel, seemingly endless. Surprisingly, the entire tunnel was spotless, evidently meticulously cleaned regularly.

At this moment, Tang Wenshu suddenly discovered a jade pendant in a secluded corner. The jade pendant had a smooth texture, intricately carved with dragon patterns, and the word "Hong" (Hong) engraved on the back. This unusual character puzzled Tang Wenshu for a moment. She quickly handed the jade pendant to Zhao Rui and whispered, "Your Majesty, look at this jade pendant..."

Zhao Rui took the jade pendant and examined it carefully, frowning slightly. After thinking for a moment, he ordered, "Send someone to check immediately to see if there is anyone in the capital whose name contains the character 'Hong'." Although she and Tang Wenshu had already guessed that it might be General Zhao's daughter Zhao Hong, they had no solid evidence at this time. Moreover, this item was found in the underground palace, the Kunning Palace where the empress dowager once lived. The relationships between the people involved were too complicated and unpredictable to allow them to draw conclusions easily.

"Mother, this..." Tang Wenshu looked at the warm jade pendant in his hand with a complicated expression. After hesitating for a long time, he finally took a deep breath, walked straight to the empress dowager, then slowly stretched out his hand and gently placed the jade pendant on the table in front of the empress dowager.

Just then, Tang Wenshu opened her mouth to speak, "I remember..." However, before she could finish her words, the Empress Dowager suddenly raised her hand, interrupting her. Then, she spoke urgently, "Zhao Hong is the one I specially selected for Rui'er. Now that you've noticed, bring her into the palace as soon as possible! As for the position in the harem, the honor of Imperial Noble Consort will naturally be reserved for her."

Hearing the Queen Mother's words, Zhao Rui, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly raised his head. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the Queen Mother with a half-smile. He spoke slowly, "Have you forgotten something crucial? General Zhao is, after all, from the royal family. If Hong'er were to marry me, wouldn't that be a violation of ethical principles and a violation of the cardinal rule of incest?"

The Queen Mother's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but she quickly regained her composure. She glared at Zhao Rui and said sternly, "Rui'er, stop your nonsense! Back then, General Zhao committed a grave offense and was severely punished by the late Emperor. He was demoted to a commoner and has no further ties to the Imperial Family. How can he be considered a member of the Imperial family?"

"Then if mother insists, then I'll do as you say." Zhao Rui sighed lightly, shook his head helplessly, and said slowly.

That night, all was silent, the candlelight flickering in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Zhao Rui sat at his desk, brow furrowed slightly, lost in thought. Shu Shu stood quietly beside him, awaiting his next words.

After a moment, Zhao Rui finally broke the silence and spoke, "Shushu, do you think there's any relationship between the Queen Mother and General Zhao? I heard that Zhao Hong's mother was married to General Zhao in the northwest frontier. Unfortunately, she died during childbirth due to complications, and no one in the capital has ever seen her. This is truly strange!"

After hearing this, Tang Wenshu thought for a moment and replied softly, "Sister Rui, since you have doubts in your heart, why not send someone to the Cheng'en Marquis's Mansion to investigate thoroughly and find out what happened before the Queen Mother got married? I think even though time has passed, there will always be people who remember some of the past."

Zhao Rui nodded slightly in agreement, his eyes gazing deeply into the distance, as if trying to see through the thick fog to the truth hidden behind the matter...