Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Su Zhi felt a lump in her throat.

A woman who should have been a role model for the imperial harem and an empress, yet she regarded human life as worthless and spoke of the life and death of others so lightly.

"And what about me? How does Your Majesty intend to deal with this disgraced woman?"

"Don't worry."

Zhao Shuo patted her shoulder, "You and Xiao Zong are deeply in love, but as far as I know, in your past life, the death of you and him, as well as Consort Zheng, has always been a knot in your hearts. Today, old friends meet again, and I am willing to act as a peacemaker and help you resolve this."

As the past was revealed in a bloody chapter, Su Zhi's heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm on the surface.

She glanced at him sideways, her smile turning cold.

"Appreciate further details."

Zhao Shuo fiddled with her prayer beads, her eyes slightly narrowed, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened.

"Xiao Zong is just as clueless about the times as he was in his past life. I went to great lengths to arrange for him to meet with Consort Zheng, but not only did he not appreciate it, he almost ruined my plans. In contrast, Consort Zheng is much smarter. Not only did she accept the person I sent, but she is also very obedient."

She slowly walked to the opposite side of Guanyin, her gaze sweeping over the warm white jade with a hook-like quality, as if she were looking at a stranger.

"On the day of her delivery, Consort Zheng drank two bowls of medicine, one of which was given to her by your aunt, Yuan Liusong..."

"Your Majesty, my surname is not Yuan!"

Su Zhi interrupted, not wanting to have anything to do with the Yuan family anymore.

When Yuan Liu sent her a bowl of medicine with safflower, it was ultimately just to help her raise Consort Zheng's child and ensure the Yuan family's wealth and prosperity!

She was unaware of the situation beforehand; had she known, she would never have allowed Yuan Liu to kill his mother and take his son.

"I spoke without thinking, Miss Chu, please forgive me."

As soon as she spoke, Zhao Shuo's eyes were piercing, but her complex emotions showed no trace of apology.

Su Zhi was too lazy to correct her anymore. She raised her hand and swept her shoulder, showing her disgust to the fullest extent.

"It's alright, Your Majesty, please continue!"

"This second bowl of medicine is a labor-inducing medicine that I sent. Consort Zheng knows how the child came to be, and she drank it willingly. She knows that her chances of survival are slim, so she asked me for two wishes."

"What wish?"

"First, she begged me to allow Xiao Zong's men to enter the palace to take care of Ji'er; second, she wants you dead."

Zhao Shuo spoke gently, but her words were like sharp blades, cutting open the seemingly flawless shell to reveal filth, stench, and little-known sins.

Su Zhi frowned. "I only wanted to raise Ji'er with her, I didn't want her dead, why did she want to kill me?"

Zhao Shuo chuckled: "Don't underestimate a woman's jealousy. If Consort Wei can be a moth drawn to a flame for love, why can't Consort Zheng?"

Su Zhi was shocked, suddenly recalling the scene of Xiao Zong saying that he had first fallen in love with her.

In my previous life, I was at the Leyang Imperial Palace.

She killed the man Yuan Pu had arranged to come in. Beneath layers of gauze curtains, Xiao Zong's knife arrived before he could even move. The crimson blood on her hands still held warmth. With courage, she returned his harassment one by one.

Tensions were high, and weapons were about to be drawn.

But he saw through her disguise at that moment.

That blood-stained, delicate hand bound the two of them together for two lifetimes.

"So, Consort Zheng thinks Xiao Zong has fallen in love with me, and that's why she wants to drag me down to hell?"

"maybe."

Zhao Shuo said nonchalantly.

"But you lied to her, didn't you?"

The palace was fraught with danger, and the child only had a chance to survive because he was protected by the Leopard Guards.

Zheng Xiangxiang did want her dead, but no matter how much she resented or hated him, she would never harm Xiao Zong.

"I only allowed Xiao Zong's men to enter the palace, but I never promised Consort Zheng that I wouldn't kill her beloved!"

Su Zhi's beautiful eyes almost spit fire. "You finally admit it! Tell me, why did you use me to get rid of Xiao Zong?"

Zhao Shuo walked over and placed a hand on her belly, "Be quiet, don't disturb the baby."

Su Zhi clutched her stomach and stepped back, staring warily at the person in front of her.

The other party withdrew his hand and smiled calmly, "I don't want to offend Marquis Changping yet, so I won't do anything to you for the time being. Don't worry."

"As for your question, ha, have you ever considered that the person I truly want to kill is not just Xiao Zong?"

Thinking of her son, Zhao Shuo was heartbroken and shed a tear.

When he looked up again, his expression suddenly became extremely ferocious.

"Whether it's the Leopard Guard, the Imperial Observatory, or every minister who has criticized my son, they all deserve to die!"

"Hahahaha-"

She burst into laughter, her expression one of sorrow, her behavior one of madness.

"I also want to settle scores and cut them to pieces, but I can't! I can't! His Majesty doesn't love Xin'er. If I fight to the death, who will protect my grandson? My poor grandson! So, I switched the medicine you gave Xiao Zong and ended his life prematurely!"

Zhao Shuo held her head, muttering in utter bewilderment, "But why? Why did Heaven grant me a second chance at life, yet refuse to let my son come back to life? I've tried countless times, but I still can't find the key to rebirth. Madam Xiao, please help me! Tell me, is it something you and Xiao Zong did that allowed us to be reborn? Tell me, and I will repay you handsomely!"

As she spoke, she moved closer, gripping Su Zhi's hand tightly, her whole body trembling with excitement.

Su Zhi swung her elbow forcefully, her expression as cold as frost.

"I do not make deals with the enemy."

Moreover, she was unaware of the key to bringing the late Crown Prince back to life.

Zhao Shuo clutched her chest, her pupils vacant, and said earnestly, "It's possible."

Her eyes gleamed as she explained, "Your death in the previous life was not my doing, but His Majesty's! He was worried that you would expose Consort Zheng and Xiao Zong's affair, which would damage the imperial family's reputation, so he ordered someone to push you into the water!"

Su Zhi's mind went blank. After a short while, a faint, mournful cry escaped her lips as the cold air stuck in her throat poured out, and immense sorrow instantly overwhelmed her entire body.

It was actually His Majesty!

The man who once showered her with endless favors killed her!

She clenched her fists, and the slight pain from her nails digging into her flesh brought her back to her senses from the shock.

"Her Majesty the Empress's skill in using others to do her dirty work has become increasingly refined. This time, is she trying to get me to deal with His Majesty?"

A hint of confusion appeared in Zhao Shuo's eyes. "I've already admitted to killing Xiao Zong, so there's no need for me to lie to you about this."

Su Zhi pursed her lips. Even if what she said was true, it didn't mean she could cooperate with her.

Whether it's Your Majesty or the Empress.

Those who harmed her and Xiao Zong deserve to die!

"Even in your madness, Your Majesty can still refer to yourself as 'this palace.' Should I say you're used to honor, or should I bluntly say your disguise is full of holes? Your Majesty knows very well that if I truly understood the art of reincarnation, my mother and father wouldn't be separated by death. You've put so much effort into staging a grand drama, but you've chosen the wrong audience. What a pity."

Zhao Shuo composed herself, the madness on her face vanished instantly, and the smile on her lips grew wider and wider.

"You're much smarter than you were in your past life. Wouldn't it be better to be a fool?"

"not good."

Su Zhi took out the letter from her bosom and stretched out her arm to hand it to her.

"No one will be a pawn forever, and no one wants to be the knife in your hand to kill. Let's settle our own scores. How long are you going to hesitate, Your Majesty?"

"what is this?"

Zhao Shuo looked apprehensive; her intuition told her she couldn't accept the offer.

"Evidence that His Majesty killed the former Crown Prince!"

Su Zhi stared intently at her with piercing eyes, "Didn't Your Highness want to avenge Crown Prince Heng? You killed the former commander of the Leopard Guard, eliminated several princes who stood in your way, and sent my husband to the battlefield. Now, the only enemy left who is safe and sound is you!"

Zhao Shuo's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "Are you trying to bewitch me? You want me to kill His Majesty so you can reap the benefits?"

"So what if I want to reap the benefits without lifting a finger? Aren't you just like me? No, no, we're not the same kind of people! I've lived a carefree and unrestrained life, loving when I love and hating when I hate, while you're nothing but a rat curled up in the deep palace, looking glamorous on the outside but just as stinking, filthy, secretive, and despicable on the inside!"

"Shut up! Stop talking!"

Ignoring her rebuke, Su Zhi approached step by step and grabbed her collar.

"I have children, a husband, and a family that loves me. Even if I were to perish here with you today, I would have no regrets. Your Majesty, are you sure you can do it?"

"Shut up! I order you to shut up!"

Zhao Shuo's lips were pale, and she roared tremblingly.

"You knew all along that His Majesty was responsible for the Crown Prince's death, but you've been running away from it! What are you afraid of, Your Majesty? Are you afraid of His Majesty? No, you're afraid that you still love him and can't bring yourself to do it, isn't that right? Even a night of marriage brings a hundred days of kindness. You and His Majesty were childhood sweethearts, and your kindness has lasted far more than a hundred days. So, you use this kindness to forgive him, even though he neglects you and favors other women, even though he killed your own son, you've forgiven him for everything, haven't you?"

"Stop talking! Stop talking!"

With her deepest secrets so brutally exposed, Zhao Shuo covered her ears, on the verge of collapse.

Su Zhi pried her hands apart, like a cold-faced judge from hell, grimly revealing her crimes.

"A hundred years from now, when you see the concubines, court officials, and princes you have harmed, how will you explain this to Crown Prince Li Heng?"

"Zhao Shuo, your so-called revenge is nothing but self-deception!"