She remarried a cold-faced, powerful man, and the scumbag regretted it and cried his heart out.

The carriage from Fengyi Palace stopped in front of the Pingyang Marquis's residence. This unusual move immediately alarmed every household.

In no time, various speculations and rumors about Shen Jingshu quietly spread through the streets and alleys of the capital.

Xu Gugu, a favorite of the Empress, came in person, saying that she had come on the Empress's orders to invite Shen Jingshu to the palace for an audience.

Upon hearing this, Song Wan's heart tightened. Xie Wanqing's matter had just been resolved, so why were people from the palace coming again?

She looked at Shen Jingshu with concern, hesitating to speak.

Aunt Xu took in Song Wan's expression and smiled, reassuring her, "Madam, please rest assured. Her Highness has just missed Miss Shen very much since she hasn't seen her for a long time, so she specially invited her to the palace for a chat. There will be absolutely no problem with it."

Despite Aunt Xu's confident assertions, Song Wan's worries remained undiminished.

As a mother, she was terrified that her daughter had almost been harmed right under her nose. Now she is extremely anxious and sees everyone as having ulterior motives.

She hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Aunt Xu, may I accompany Jing Shu to the palace? That way, I can have someone to look after her."

Aunt Xu said, "Madam, Her Majesty only summoned Miss Shen. If you go with her, it would be against the rules."

Song Wan wanted to say something more, but Shen Jingshu tugged at her sleeve, "Mother, don't worry, nothing will happen."

She knew perfectly well that her trip to the palace this time was most likely related to Xie Wanqing's matter.

But what she was even more eager to know was whether the "Lingxi Wangyue Pearl" held any hidden secrets.

The precious pearl that Wen Huaiqing presented at the Thousand Autumns Banquet remained a source of unease for her.

Now that Xie Wanqing has been exposed and expelled from the Marquis's mansion, Wen Huaiqing will definitely take some action. She must go to the palace in person to check on the Empress's condition.

Song Wan looked at her daughter, and finally sighed softly, nodding, "Alright, then be careful in everything."

……

The Empress's carriage could naturally proceed directly to the outside of Fengyi Palace without any hindrance. Shen Jingshu got off the carriage and followed Aunt Xu all the way into the palace.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, the Empress had been sitting on her phoenix throne for some time. She wore a golden phoenix crown and a magnificent robe embroidered with golden phoenixes, exuding majesty and solemnity. However, upon closer inspection, the fine lines on her well-maintained face seemed to have deepened, and a hint of weariness was evident between her brows.

"Your subject, Shen Jingshu, greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be well." Shen Jingshu stepped forward and curtsied in a standard palace salute.

The Empress raised her hand, gesturing for her to rise. "Jing Shu, there's no need for such formalities. Come and sit beside me."

Shen Jingshu followed the instructions and sat down in the seat below the Empress. She secretly glanced up and quickly observed the Empress's expression, but saw that her face was normal and there was nothing unusual about it.

"Are you feeling any better?" the Empress asked with concern, her voice gentle, like that of an ordinary elder caring for a younger person.

"Your Majesty, I am now fully recovered. Thank you for your concern."

The Empress nodded. "That's good. You're such a worry, child. How could you have been poisoned out of nowhere?"

Shen Jingshu lowered her eyes and said, "Perhaps it was my carelessness that offended some people."

The Empress glanced at her, and after a long while, she spoke again: "Jing Shu, you are a smart child. There are some things that I know even if you don't say them."

Is the Empress targeting her?

Shen Jingshu raised her head, met the Empress's gaze, and asked feigning ignorance, "Your Majesty, I am foolish and do not understand your meaning. Please enlighten me."

"Don't understand?" The Empress chuckled, a hint of meaning in her voice. "Do you truly not understand, or are you feigning ignorance?"

Before Shen Jingshu could speak, she continued, "Do you know that His Majesty has issued an edict forbidding Xie Wanqing from ever setting foot in the capital again?"

She paused, seemingly observing Shen Jingshu's reaction, before continuing, "His Majesty will make his own decision regarding Xie Wanqing's matter. Do you have any grievances?"

Shen Jingshu remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

The Empress's words, seemingly out of concern, actually contained a hidden test. She was testing whether I was satisfied with the way I had handled Xie Wanqing, and even more so, whether I would continue to investigate.

"You must understand that Xie Wanqing is just a pawn. The real enemy is the person behind her," the Empress said earnestly. "What you need to do now is not to keep targeting Xie Wanqing, but to protect yourself and the entire Pingyang Marquis's residence."

Shen Jingshu was shocked; she finally understood the Empress's deeper meaning.

She was warning herself not to continue the investigation, or she would only get herself into trouble.

"Your Majesty's teachings are etched in my mind," Shen Jingshu said respectfully, bowing her head. "I know what to do."

"It's good that you understand." The Empress nodded in satisfaction. "His Majesty attaches great importance to your marriage with Jin'an, and I also hope that you two can live happily ever after. In the future, you must think twice before you act, and never act rashly and impulsively like you did this time."

Shen Jingshu thanked the emperor again, and then said, "Your Majesty, I have come today with another request."

"What's the matter?"

"This humble woman wishes to witness the splendor of the 'Lingxi Moon-Gazing Pearl'," Shen Jingshu finally revealed her true purpose.

Upon hearing this, the Empress's expression changed slightly. She stared at Shen Jingshu with a sharp, piercing gaze. "Why do you want to look at that bead?"

Shen Jingshu calmly replied, “Your Majesty, I was simply curious. I had the good fortune to see this pearl at the Thousand Autumns Banquet that day, and I found it to be dazzling and rare in the world. Even now, I still can’t forget it, so I dared to make this request to Your Majesty, and I hope Your Majesty will grant it.”

The Empress was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, before saying, "That bead is a token of the Fourth Prince's filial piety, which I greatly admire. Since you wish to see it, then I will grant you this opportunity."

She instructed Aunt Xu, "Bring me that 'Lingxi Moon-Gazing Pearl'."

Aunt Xu responded and turned to go to the inner hall.

A moment later, she came out carrying a brocade box and placed it on the table. The Empress opened the box, and a dazzling pearl appeared before Shen Jingshu's eyes.

The bead was smooth and lustrous, emitting a faint glow, and it was even more beautiful under the sunlight.

Shen Jingshu looked at the bead, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

She observed the Empress's reaction discreetly, only to find that the Empress's eyes were full of affection and there was nothing unusual about it.

"It truly is a rare treasure," Shen Jingshu exclaimed sincerely. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for allowing me to feast my eyes on this magnificent sight."

"I'm glad you like it," the Empress said with a smile. "Can you figure out anything about these beads?"

Shen Jingshu shook her head. "This humble woman is dull-witted and cannot see anything special about it. I just feel that this bead suits Your Majesty very well. If Your Majesty were to wear it, it would surely enhance your radiance."

Upon hearing this, the Empress laughed even more heartily, "You little rascal, you certainly have a sweet tongue."

She picked up the bead and played with it in her hand. "I like this bead very much. However... although this bead is beautiful, I cannot wear it all the time."

Shen Jingshu's eyes lit up as she keenly noticed the unusual tone in the Empress's words. She tentatively asked, "Why is that? I am ignorant and would appreciate Your Majesty's explanation."

"This bead has an extraordinary origin and contains extraordinary energy that is not something an ordinary person can control."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingshu understood.

It seems that this bead does indeed hold a secret, but the Empress's attitude toward this matter is rather ambiguous. It is unclear whether she is truly unaware of it or if there is another hidden reason.

“Your Majesty is absolutely right,” Shen Jingshu said. “While this pearl is indeed precious, it is not as important as Your Majesty’s health.”

The two chatted for a while longer before the Empress sent her back to her residence.

After leaving Fengyi Palace, Shen Jingshu looked back. Although she did not get a definite answer during this trip to the palace, she did not come away empty-handed.

At least, she was certain that there was something wrong with the "Lingxi Moon-Gazing Pearl".