When the Empress arrived at Taiji Palace, she saw that the gate was closed, but Liu Wenan was standing outside. Obviously, Xia Huanyu was in the palace, talking something important with someone.
After thinking for a while, the Empress approached the gate.
"Your Majesty. Please wait a moment. His majesty is discussing some important affair in the hall." Liu Wenan greeted the Empress with a smile.
The Empress was a little displeased, but she didn't lose her temper as the eunuch in front of her was a favorite by Xia Huanyu.
"Lord Liu, who is the Emperor with?" The Empress asked calmly.
Liu Wenan seemed to be in a dilemma. "Well..."
The Empress frowned, "I'm not asking you what His Majesty is discussing. I'm just asking who is in the hall. Why are you hesitating?"
Liu Wenan was about to reply when the door creaked open from inside. The Empress turned around and saw a smiling face behind the door.
The Empress's face suddenly turned pale. After a long silence, she suddenly sneered, "Oh... It turns out that Lady Shu is here? No wonder His Majesty refused to see me."
Lady Shu seemed to be surprised too and she swept a custsy to the Empress. But after listening to the Empress's words, she slightly raised the corners of her mouth and said, "Your Majesty, you must be kidding. Your Majesty can't meet you just because he is talking with Prince Qi. And Your Majesty should have just arrived, right? I have been in the palace all the time, but I haven't heard Lord Liu announce Your Majesty's arrival."
After saying that, Lady Shu ignored the Empress and turned to Liu Wenan, "His Majesty said he was hungry and asked you to prepare lunch." After glancing at the hamper in the hand of the maid next to the Empress, Lady Shu continued with a smile, "His Majesty must be very tired after dealing with political affairs for the whole morning. Please prepare some ginseng soup. Prince Qi has brought many valuable wild ginseng from the Qi city, which is said to be very nutritious."
Liu Wenan replied and took a glance at Liu Wenan and Lady Shu before he stepped back and ordered another eunuch.
Clenching her hands in her sleeves secretly, the Empress looked at Lady Shu up and down. Lady Shu's face was still a little pale, as she saw it in Wu Yan Palace the other day. And she did lose a lot of weight and her eyes look much bigger on her pinched face, which made her look more pitiable.
Staring at her watery eyes, the hatred in the Empress' heart thickened. "I forgot to congratulate you, sister. You are such a beautiful lady, how could anyone have the heart to let you stay in the Cold Palace for long."
Lady Shu lifted her eyes to glance at the Empress and said with a smile, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Since you are serving the Emperor in Taiji Palace, I'm relieved. I'
become capable generals His Majesty could rely on."
"The infantry of the State of Xia is the strongest while the cavalry is the weakest. This time, Prince Qi brought a group of excellent war horses from Qi City. Besides, Prince Qi found that although Qi City is barren, the quality of the water plants is very good. The war horses raised in Qi City were not as fat and strong as those in the State of Yelang, but they are better in terms of endurance and are more suitable for long-term travel in all kinds of terrain as there are many mountains in Qi City." Lady Su sighed, "Prince Qi is a filial son. He said he was willing to offer all the war horses, but on condition that Lady Shu should come out of the Cold Palace."
"Prince Qi's request is not excessive, so all the officials in the court have no objection." Lady Shu patted the hand of the Empress and said softly, "Now the Emperor is in use of Prince Qi. You must remember that no matter how unhappy you are, you can't go against the Emperor. It doesn't matter that there is one more concubine in the imperial household. Besides, Lady Shu is also the enemy of other concubines. You should know how to murder a person with a borrowed knife."
The Empress nodded slightly. After a long time, she said, "I have endured it for so many years. It doesn't matter to tolerate her for a while more. And she will not be arrogant for long. Prince Qi... Huh..."
Hearing her words, Lady Su hurriedly said, "You'd better not play tricks on Prince Qi for the time being. We need to wait for a suitable time. Why are you in such a hurry?"
Hearing this, the Empress lowered her head and didn't say anything. She thought, 'Tomorrow, I'll see how arrogant Lady Shu and Prince Qi can be when the stone tablet is sent to the Jin City? She couldn't expect what she will suffer just one day after she went out of the Cold Palace.'