Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Consort Hua was taken aback. It took her a while to recall that Consort Zhuang and Xi Qiao's birth mother had been beaten to death by the Empress when she was still a secondary consort.

Xi Qiao felt no guilt whatsoever. “Your Majesty is right. The Empress Dowager is indeed my former master, but she is only the Empress Dowager.”

"To put it bluntly, even if you and the Nian family are among the most powerful people in the world, you and the Nian family actually do not have the ability or skill to kill the Empress Dowager without implicating yourselves. All you and the Nian family can do is take your anger out on the Wuya family. In that case, why should I worry about the Empress Dowager's safety?"

Consort Hua was speechless, because Chunrong was absolutely right. She and the Nian family really had no way to kill that old hag without implicating themselves!

“My sister and I hate the Empress, but the Empress Dowager is the Empress’s aunt, and she is wholeheartedly dedicated to maintaining the honor of the Uya and Ulanara clans. To say something Your Majesty may not like to hear, even if the Empress has committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor, as long as the Empress Dowager is still alive, the Empress can still secure her position as Empress.”

"It is clear that it is extremely difficult for the two of us to deal with the Empress who is protected by the Empress Dowager. But we believe that anything is possible, and we must try to know the outcome. Even if the outcome is not satisfactory, at least we have tried and fought, and we will not feel guilty and unable to sleep in the dead of night."

"Moreover, my sister and I are not fighting alone. We have Your Highness and the Nian family to help us on this path. Although our goals are different, we have the same enemy. My sister and I, along with Your Highness and the Nian family, can be considered as allies in another sense."

Consort Hua was shocked. She never expected that the shrewd and sophisticated Chunrong would be so crazy and determined at heart.

However, Consort Hua was not afraid of what Xi Qiao said and did; on the contrary, she was very happy and appreciative.

Yes, they are indeed kindred spirits!

The Empress Dowager was their common enemy.

Consort Hua looked at Xi Qiao with eyes full of admiration and affection. A woman like Xi Qiao, who dares to hate, act, think, and fight, is truly rare.

At the same time, she couldn't suppress the feeling that she was not alone on her path.

Her eyes shone brightly as she looked intently at Xi Qiao. "Alright, I will immediately arrange for someone to keep an eye on the people on that list. If you ever need my help in the future, just let me know. I and the Nian family will do our best to help."

Xi Qiao's eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly; he was a little unaccustomed to the empress's blatant gaze.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I will keep your words in mind. If I ever need your help in the future, I will never speak ill of you."

Consort Hua was quite pleased with her impoliteness.

When Xi Qiao came out of Qingliang Palace, news had already spread that Imperial Physician Wen Shichu had tampered with Consort Zhuang's medicine in an attempt to harm the palace concubine.

Xi Qiao was completely unaware of how anxious and agitated Zhen Huan was after learning the news, but she was very satisfied with Xiao Lezi's actions.

She hurried back to Anlan Garden, changed into her own clothes and jewelry, and after tidying herself up, Xi Qiao went to the Empress's Peach Blossom Pavilion to request an audience—to ask the Empress to send someone to escort her back to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager.

Given the Empress's control over the harem, she naturally knew about Zhen Huan's meeting with Wen Shichu yesterday. She had long been dissatisfied with the favor shown to Zhen Huan's team and was happy to have someone take action to deal with Zhen Huan, so she naturally wouldn't stop her.

So, less than half an hour after leaving Qingliang Palace, Xi Qiao boarded a carriage to return to the palace.

An hour later, she presented the Empress Dowager with Prince Guo's handwritten letter.

"After the imperial physician left, Consort Zhuang complained to me that the medicine he prescribed was bitter. I felt sorry for her, so I asked Xiao Lianzi to ask the imperial physician if he could add some hawthorn or red dates."

"When Xiao Lianzi arrived, the medicine had already been prepared. The young apprentice opened the medicine packet, but unexpectedly found something extra in the medicine. The apprentice was immediately terrified, and Physician Liu was also frightened, so he reported the matter to the head of the hospital."

Xi Qiao looked relieved. "After Xiao Lianzi noticed that there was an extra ingredient in the medicine bag, he became more cautious and secretly observed all the imperial physicians, medicine boys, and female physicians present. Unexpectedly, he discovered that Imperial Physician Wen Shichu was covered in sweat."

"He became suspicious and kept an eye on Physician Wen's actions. Unexpectedly, after Physician Liu reported the matter to the head of the hospital, he saw Physician Wen secretly hiding something in a medical book."

Xi Qiao didn't need to say anything more; the Empress Dowager could guess what was going on.

At this moment, the Empress Dowager had finished reading the letters and the list.

With a furious expression, she said, "That seventeenth prince! That Consort Shu! What are they trying to do? Huh? The Emperor and I have taken such good care of them, mother and son, yet behind their backs, they are such disloyal, unfilial, heartless, and unjust scoundrels!"

The Empress Dowager was furious and smashed the Buddhist prayer beads that she always carried with her.

The reason she was so angry was not only because Prince Guo had instructed Zhen Huan in his letter to get rid of Yu Ying'er, but also because this mother and son had actually placed someone next to her most beloved Fourteenth Prince!

This was absolutely too much for the Empress Dowager.

"Your Majesty, please calm down." Xi Qiao picked up the Buddhist beads with concern and placed them back in the Empress Dowager's hand, and then told her about Yu Ying'er falling into the water yesterday.

"You must already know the details of Consort Zhuang's fall into the water and encountering danger yesterday."

When Xi Qiao wrote the letter, he had already mentioned suspicious details such as A Jin's hair being soaked and bloody holes on his body resembling hairpin punctures.

"Although all the evidence points to A-Jin, given the disgraceful scandal that occurred between Prince Guo and A-Jin in the courtyard, I suspect that someone deliberately did it to frame Prince Guo. Therefore, I did not make a fuss, but only wrote a letter to Your Highness."

Speaking of this, the Empress Dowager had to praise her, "You are a sensible person. Fortunately, you still care about the face of me and the Emperor, otherwise... It's just a pity that the seventeenth prince is a treacherous man!"

The face of the royal family is the face of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. There are many hidden details involved in a prince plotting to murder a concubine; if word gets out, the court officials and the public will laugh at the royal family.

Xi Qiao immediately curtsied to the Empress Dowager and said humbly, "I am unworthy of Your Majesty's praise. It is all what this servant should do."