cold clothes

The palace, with its red walls and golden tiles, stood silent and solemn. On the western path leading to the city gate, two or three palace maids quietly swept the snow to the side of the road. Imperial guards, long swords in hand, stood ramrod straight, guarding the city gate. Suddenly, a sound like an earthquake was heard, and a carriage approached the gate.

The imperial guards stopped the carriage and asked, "Who goes there?"

"Her Majesty the Empress summons Miss Wang to the palace. Please grant her permission." The coachman presented the Empress's seal. After speaking, a delicate hand lifted the carriage curtain, revealing a beautiful and haughty face.

Leng Yi would surely be surprised to see this. Hong E had told her she was going out to shop, but she never expected to go to the palace to see the Empress.

"This notification is indeed true. Please come in."

The imperial guards opened the city gates, and the carriage sped all the way to the Renming Hall.

As soon as Hong'e stepped off the carriage, she saw Lady Yujing waiting for her. Lady Yujing stepped forward and said, "Her Majesty the Empress is waiting for you in the side hall. Please come with me."

"Thank you for your help, Aunt Yujing."

After passing through the garden and arriving at the side hall, Hong'e bowed to the empress, who was sitting on a soft couch with her nails painted on.

"No need for formalities," the Empress said calmly. "How is Ningbi, the one I asked you to observe, doing?"

Hong'e straightened up, a hint of malice flashing in her eyes, "Your Majesty, that courtesan Ningbi is cunning and has instigated His Highness the Third Prince."

"Oh? How to instigate?"

She subtly belittled the future princess consort, Miss Wang Yuqing, saying that a lady from a respectable family would only abide by such boring things as the precepts of womanhood, and would not know how to wield a sword, and was weak, foolish, and not worth laughing at.

"How could she be such a vile person?" The Empress slammed her hand on the table in a fit of rage, ruining the nail polish on her nails. She then kicked the palace maid who had applied the polish, causing the maid to kowtow in shock.

"That's right. A few days ago, when His Highness didn't go to the outer residence often, she was relatively well-behaved. But when His Highness decided to stay at the outer residence, she started using seductive tricks to seduce His Highness and spend the day with her. She also used words to sow discord between His Highness and Miss Yuqing, and even wanted His Highness to make her a concubine!"

"I absolutely cannot allow such a woman to stay by Qun'er's side!" the Empress said fiercely.

Hong'e lowered her head slightly. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will stay by His Highness's side to keep him in check and let him know her true colors." Hong'e spoke with righteous indignation, but in reality, she could hardly hide the exhilarating feeling of her scheme succeeding.

She's just a prostitute, why does she deserve His Highness's favor? She's been by His Highness's side for much longer.

So what if she can wield a sword? She knows martial arts too. What's so special about Ningbi? It must be her face and those blue eyes that bewitched His Highness.

"Hong'e, continue to observe that prostitute. When I have time, I will talk to Qun'er and tell him to abandon that slut. Only as a last resort should we send her to the Yellow Springs."

"As you command, Queen."

After experiencing such emotional turmoil, the Empress felt dizzy and unconsciously rubbed her forehead, looking exhausted. Hong'e carefully said, "Your Majesty, you must take care of your health."

"So many things have happened recently, how can I possibly take care of myself?" the Empress said anxiously. "The Wang family and Qun'er have been repeatedly impeached by Zhao Miao's faction, and the Emperor is indifferent to it, letting Zhao Miao's faction make baseless accusations. He even shows concern for Zhao Yin, humph, what use is it to care for a prince who has no heir! He doesn't care about Qun'er's wedding in early spring next year, and he actually makes me prepare for Zhao Yin's wedding..."

A venomous glint appeared in the Empress's eyes: "Is it because you pity Zhao Yin's entire maternal clan that was wiped out? Or do you think Zhao Yin is all alone and easy to manipulate... In any case, I will no longer let things go his way. Hong'e, has your master given you what I want?"

"Hong'e has brought it, Your Majesty the Empress." Hong'e revealed a sinister smile and presented a small box with both hands. Inside was the peerless poison newly refined by the master of Hanyan Pavilion, her master, which had no antidote in the world.