Eavesdropping on Fu Bao's inner thoughts, emptying the stored grain and fleeing the famine

During the latter half of the birthday banquet, everyone had their own thoughts, and apart from Lian Rongrong and a few others, no one else was in a good mood.

Especially Hua Ling, according to the Empress Dowager's original plan, was to bestow a marriage upon her in public at today's birthday banquet.

But things have escalated to this point, an imperial marriage is impossible. After all, that couple really dared to defy the imperial decree.

At the birthday banquet, the Empress Dowager had already lost face twice. If she were to make a fool of herself again by arranging the marriage, her authority as Empress Dowager would be completely destroyed.

After the birthday banquet ended, everyone went home, but Hua Ling was kept behind by the Empress Dowager.

Lian Rongrong and Li Yuanqi sat in the carriage. Fu Bao, who had eaten and drunk her fill, fell asleep as soon as she got in the carriage.

"It seems your grandmother won't be satisfied until she forces you to take a concubine."

Lian Rongrong's sarcastic tone immediately ignited Li Yuanqi's survival instinct.

"My heart belongs only to my wife, how could I take a concubine? Whoever likes her can keep her."

Li Yuanqi abandoned his usual aloof demeanor and suddenly flashed a fawning smile.

"Look, today, in order to show my loyalty to Madam, I specially created an opportunity for Madam to deal with that flower spirit herself."

How about that? Does it feel satisfying or not?

It would have been better if Li Yuanqi hadn't brought it up; the mere mention of it only made Lian Rongrong angrier.

"So, you dragged me into this battlefield, and I'm supposed to thank you, Your Highness?"

"No need for that!" Li Yuanqi waved his hand, looking quite proud.

[Master, why does he look so smug?]

"I also think it's pretty despicable, so despicable that it makes my hands itch."

Li Yuanqi heard Lian Rongrong and Xiaobai's conversation clearly. Seeing that his wife was really ready to fight, Li Yuanqi immediately backed down.

"Madam, please calm down! Madam, please calm down!"

Lian Rongrong rolled her eyes at Li Yuanqi before changing to a serious tone and continuing:

"I know what you mean, but I don't think today's events are enough to make the old hag and the green tea give up."

Your grandmother, who has always disliked you, is suddenly showing concern for your household affairs. Isn't that strange?

Li Yuanqi nodded; he had already thought of this.

"What do you think?" Li Yuanqi looked at Lian Rongrong seriously.

"I guess it's because Li Yuanyi is no longer as obedient."

“Just as I thought!” Li Yuanqi chimed in. “If what Fu Bao said is true, Li Yuanyi was actually only one step away from that position in his previous life.”

Li Yuanyi's ability to turn the tide was likely not easily achieved by himself alone. After all, his father had never favored him.

Therefore, he must have someone supporting him. And this person must be powerful enough to rival the Emperor.

And the only person in the entire court who could rival my father was my adoptive grandmother. However, Li Yuanyi was ruthless.

He didn't want the throne to be manipulated by others. Once Li Yuanyi had his own power, the first to be eliminated would be the Empress Dowager's faction.

It seems we're currently at a delicate juncture in the relationship between this grandfather and grandson.

“Yuanqi, I suddenly remembered something.” Lian Rongrong looked up at Li Yuanqi, her expression somewhat heavy.

"what's up?"

"Do you remember what Fu Bao once said? In her past life, the Hua family lied and claimed to have raised your offspring. But Father Emperor found out later."

“I remember Fu Bao also said that although the Emperor spared the Hua family, the entire Hua family was wiped out after leaving the capital.”

"Yes, the Hua family dared to commit the crime of deceiving the emperor because they must have someone backing them up, and the person who was able to wipe out the richest man in Dasheng in one fell swoop was no ordinary person either."

"what do you mean……"

"Queen Mother!"

Li Yuanqi had already guessed Lian Rongrong's speculation and took it to heart.

Indeed, from any perspective, the Empress Dowager had a greater incentive to do these things.

Lian Rongrong nodded, "And I discovered that many things actually overlap with my previous life."

It's just that my rebirth caused some key events and details to change. For example, the famine in the Kingdom of Shang and the snow disaster in the Great Sheng Dynasty.

These things all actually happened. As Fu Bao said, only the timing was different.

Therefore, I think the old hag and the Hua family's collusion will be the same as in the previous life.

"But since our Prince Qi is still full of energy, it's better to just put Hua Ling in your bed and have a real son than to create a fake heir."

No wonder Fu Bao called that Empress Dowager an old hag; that old woman is a real dog.

She's the grandmother of that lowly prince? I feel like she's more like his grandson!

Xiao Bai's mouth was definitely just like his master's, but Li Yuanqi and Lian Rongrong both agreed with what he said.

That old hag is a real grandson. And right now, inside the Cining Palace, the old hag is still doing even more grandson-like things!

Cixi Palace

Hua Ling wept softly, tears streaming down her face, while the Empress Dowager gently rubbed her forehead with some impatience.

"I had hoped to impress you with your dance and then bestow you upon Prince Qi. I never imagined you would be so useless."

The Empress Dowager's usual kindness was gone, and her voice became colder and sterner.

Hua Ling stopped crying, knelt before the Empress Dowager, and said weakly, "It's Ling'er's fault for being useless! But Lian Rong was really too presumptuous."

Relying on the Lian family as her backing, she recklessly defied the Empress Dowager.

It doesn't matter if Ling'er suffers some grievances, but Your Majesty is the most honored woman in the Great Sheng Dynasty.

This Lian Rong is really…

Hua Ling almost blurted out the word "Damn it," but noticing the Empress Dowager's strange expression, she immediately shut her mouth.

"What do you want to say?" The Empress Dowager suddenly looked coldly at Hua Ling. Seeing this, Hua Ling lowered her head and dared not say anything more.

"You mean to say that Lian Rong deserves to die?" The Empress Dowager's tone was unpredictable, making it impossible for Hua Ling to guess what she was thinking.

Just as everyone thought the Empress Dowager would continue speaking, she suddenly turned to the head maid beside her and gave an order:

"Bring me the box that wasn't opened today."

Before long, the head maid brought Yan Mingyue's wooden box to the Empress Dowager.

"Open it and see what surprise Princess Yi has prepared for me?"

"Yes." The head maid didn't say much, just kept her head down and did her work.

The wooden box was opened, revealing a painting of longevity symbols with gold trim.

This "Hundred Longevity Characters" painting is quite exquisite, using a hundred different calligraphic styles for each of the one hundred "longevity" characters.

Moreover, this "Hundred Longevity" painting is not large, so it can be placed on a table as a decorative screen.

However, the Empress Dowager was not foolish enough to think that Yan Mingyue would be a stepping stone for Lian Rongrong. She stared coldly at the painting of a hundred longevity symbols.

Hua Ling, who was kneeling to the side, also looked up, but for a moment she couldn't figure out what was wrong with the Hundred Longevity Painting.

But just as Hua Ling was confused, a horrifying scene unfolded.

One hundred "longevity" characters simultaneously "bleed" (bleed).

Hua Ling screamed in fright, but after the scream, she realized that the Empress Dowager and the head maid were both calm and indifferent.

Realizing she had been impolite, Hua Ling quickly knelt down to make amends: "Your Majesty, this...this was done by the Princess Consort of Yi?"

"He's a bit timid, but at least he's not too stupid!"