The whole family of villains listens to my heart, the Regent Prince treats me dearly.

Everyone knelt down to greet them.

"Greetings, Empress Dowager! Long live the Empress Dowager!"

Zhai Rongyu turned around and looked back.

The Empress Dowager, dressed in a brocade robe with dragon and phoenix motifs, gracefully approached amidst the cheers of her palace attendants.

When the Three Pure Ones saw their savior arrive, they scrambled to the Empress Dowager's feet.

"Your Majesty, save me! Someone wants to kill me!"

"The True Immortal has been frightened." The Empress Dowager helped the True Immortal Sanqing up, glanced at him with her phoenix eyes, and ordered the palace servants beside her: "Hurry up and take the True Immortal to Shou Kang Palace to rest."

"Wait a minute," Jun Ce spoke, his indifferent voice revealing no emotion.

"The Three Pure Ones stole someone's magical treasure and then committed fraud and misled the heavens during the blessing ceremony. They have not yet been severely punished. How can they leave so easily?"

"Severe punishment?" The Empress Dowager narrowed her phoenix eyes, her gaze radiating authority.

"The emperor is now hanging by a thread, only saved by the elixirs of the Three Pure Ones. Yet the Regent says he wants to severely punish the Three Pure Ones?"

She parted her red lips and spoke in a cool, indifferent voice, "Such behavior inevitably leads people to speculate that the Regent harbors rebellious intentions and intends to disregard the Emperor's life."

Upon hearing this, everyone trembled with fear and dared not breathe.

My goodness, how can they listen to such words?

Everyone lowered their heads even further, fearing that one wrong move could cost them their heads.

Jun Ce's eyes darkened, and the coldness emanating from his dark pupils almost solidified.

"Your Majesty, please be careful with your words!" the Empress said anxiously. "His Majesty is unwell, and it is thanks to the Regent that the court is stable and has been spared from disaster. Your Majesty's words may discourage loyal ministers!"

"Why is the Empress in such a hurry?" the Empress Dowager said calmly. "I am only thinking of the Regent, so that he will not make mistakes and be criticized."

She turned to Jun Ce, her face full of affection, and said, "Don't you think so, Ce'er?"

Holy crap, this old hag can change her expression, how terrifying!

[With a stepmother like that, it's no wonder Huai Xu went on such a killing spree later on.]

In the original book, the regent Jun Ce and the current emperor are half-brothers.

Jun Ce's birth mother was Consort Jingxian, who was highly favored by the late emperor.

It's a pity he died so young.

Jun Ce was also fostered under the care of the Empress Dowager.

He only learned later that his own mother had been murdered by the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager hated his mother for being favored by the late emperor, and by extension, she hated him as well.

Therefore, she never treated her stepson well from a young age.

Later, when he became regent, the empress dowager was always worried that he would harm her son, and she often opposed him behind his back.

[I never imagined that the Three Pure Ones had latched onto such a powerful patron.]

However, it is indeed not the time to take his life.

[I just used too much mental energy to cast a spell. If I were to commit further killing now, it would likely diminish my merit and be of no benefit to my recovery.]

Well, consider him lucky to be alive today.

If you dare to provoke me again, I'll settle all scores, old and new!

Jun Ce suddenly smiled, “What the Empress Dowager says is absolutely right.”

His cold gaze fell upon the Three Pure Ones: "Get out of here now!"

The Three Pure Ones hurriedly expressed their gratitude and took their leave. Before leaving, they glared at Zhai Rongyu with a venomous look.

Zhai Rongyu raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

……

Qianqing Palace.

The princes stood guard before the emperor's bedside.

The Three Pure Ones had previously stated that during the prayer ceremony, all the princes should accompany His Majesty and gather the power of the royal bloodline to protect His Majesty's heart, so as to ensure that His Majesty would not be disturbed when there were unusual celestial phenomena.

The regent remained at the ceremony to maintain balance.

Therefore, they could only hear about the grand scale of the prayer ceremony from the palace staff.

The Sixth Prince was alarmed upon hearing the palace servants' account.

Zhai Rongyu is indeed not someone to be trifled with!

You have to stay far away from her!

The Third Prince secretly sighed: This Miss Zhai is truly formidable! I must cling to her coattails from now on!

Zhai Rongyu had no idea that she had gained a male admirer.

The Fifth Prince lazily raised his handsome peach blossom eyes, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

The right knuckles are lightly tapped at the side of the body.

I don’t know what I’m thinking about.

The crown prince narrowed his eyes, his handsome face darkening.

In his past life, he clearly remembered that Mu Ling's younger sister did not have such abilities.

How now...

Moreover, in her memory, she wasn't kind to Mu Ling.

He pondered for a moment, and when he looked up again, his eyes seemed to be brewing a storm.

……

After returning to Shou Kang Palace and settling the Three Pure Ones, the Empress Dowager lay down on her couch to rest.

The palace maid Wenyue gently massaged her temples.

"Wenyue, at today's ceremony, the Regent addressed me as 'Empress Dowager.' Do you think he still cares about me as his mother?"

Wen Yue paused for a moment, then said, "The Regent adheres to etiquette and naturally addresses you as a subject to a ruler in front of others."

"Hmph." The Empress Dowager sneered.

"In the end, they're just ungrateful wretches who can't be tamed."

She changed the subject abruptly, asking, "What about the men we sent out? Not a single one has returned?"

Wenyue stopped massaging and knelt on the ground to reply.

"A while ago, we found several corpses at the foot of Yunshan Mountain."

"Trash! They are all a bunch of trash!"

The Empress Dowager sat up, her fingers gripping the edge of the bed tightly. "I've raised them for so long, and they can't even handle this simple matter! What use are they to me now!"

"The Queen Mother calm down!"

Wen Yue raised her head and said, "Now that the Regent has many experts around him, and he is already on guard, it will be difficult to take his life. Your Majesty, why don't you try a different approach and deal with him slowly?"

"what do you mean?"

"Princess Cheng'an will be returning to the capital soon."

The Empress Dowager pondered for a long time, then smiled.

She twirled her nail guard lightly with her fingers and said, "You are the only person I can rely on. Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Wen Yue said with a sigh of relief.

*

Upon returning to the Minister's residence, Zhai Rongyu received two letters.

One letter was from the shopkeeper of Lanyue, saying that the jewelry shop had suddenly received many orders for white jade bone hairpins.

He inquired and learned that his master had made a great splash at the palace banquet that day.

This prompted many women in the capital to follow suit.

Not only the white jade bone hairpin, but even the clothing store that was responsible for customizing the talisman-patterned green dress for Zhai Rongyu was flooded with orders.

Zhai Rongyu's lips twitched.

This fashion trend is changing way too fast...

The other letter was an invitation from the Gu family.

Madam Gu invited her and Zhai Muling to her residence to admire the flowers.

Please make sure she comes tomorrow.

After pondering for a moment, Zhai Rongyu sent a servant to report back.

The plan was to use this palace banquet to make Lan Yue famous, but with the incident involving the Three Pure Ones, a suitable opportunity couldn't be found.

This flower-viewing banquet at the Gu residence is probably more suitable for the ladies of the capital, as most of the guests are likely women.

She lifted her foot and walked into the house.

Zhai Sangjie entered the house at that moment.

"Little sister, I brought you some pastries from Caizhizhai. Try them." He placed a box of pea flour cakes on the table.

Zhai Rongyu looked at him for a while and said, "Brother, why don't you come with me to the flower viewing banquet at the Gu residence tomorrow?"

Zhai Sangjie looked at her with some confusion.

What would he do at a women's banquet?

Zhai Rong chuckled and said, "Tomorrow, all the prominent women in the capital will be attending. My elder brother was busy with patrols during the palace banquet and didn't have a chance to meet any. Why don't you take advantage of tomorrow to choose a sister-in-law for me?"

"I have no interest in matters between men and women."

You may not care now, but once the princess of Nansang takes a liking to you, I'll see where you'll be crying then.

[This rotten romance is what got you killed in the water dungeon of Nansang Kingdom!]

It would be better to find a good marriage now and avoid many misfortunes later.

[Furthermore, Gu Xiruo was the only one who, after hearing of your treason, still believed in you and even died for you.]

Such deep affection is hard to find even with a lantern!

Zhai Sangjie: A double suicide? That young lady from the Gu family?

He frowned, racking his brains, but still couldn't recall much about the person.

Zhai Rongyu's words echoed in my ears.

The only person who was willing to believe in him and give up their life for him...

I suddenly feel like going to see it.

Zhai Sangjie coughed lightly and said, "However, the Gu family doesn't have a very good relationship with our family. For my little sister's safety, I'll still go with you tomorrow."

Zhai Rongyu: ?

A man's heart is like a paperclip.