Ji Dynasty.
Away from the chaos going in Xia city, Zhao Ming was busy finding a solution to the chaos going in her head.
Now she not only has to find that thing but also has to improve her stamina and increase her strength in three months.
She has no idea why Shen Jia asked her to do something so strange, but knowing her special abilities, she knows that she can't take her words some nonsense. If she has asked her to do something, then she must have her reasons.
However, she has no idea how to work on her strength. If it was her world, she would have gotten a gym membership or would have gone for Zumba or aerobics classes. But what can she do here? They don't even have music, so Zumba and aerobics are out of option.
It would be hella awkward to dance without music. The imagination was enough to make her feel repulsive towards this idea.
For a person, who barely moved her body and has done exercise, this was a big task for her. She was walking in the garden in front of the palace while Lu shi was following her. She was walking back and forth to think about a way to make herself strong. However, Lu Shi's presence and the way she was following her, made her annoyed.
She paused in her steps and turned around and glared at her, "What are you doing? Will you stop following me for a minute? Give me some space, bro." She said annoyingly.
" B..Bro?" Lu shi mumbled in confusion. She was again speaking some alien language.
Zhao Ming sighed helplessly and shook her head. " Leave it. Don't try to understand what I say. Just remember, to not follow me. Stand here. Don't move an inch, okay?" She said while pointing at the spot where she was standing.
Lu shi's expressions twisted as she felt wronged hearing her words.
Before she could say anything, her complexion turned pale when she saw the two intimidating figures coming from the Palace.
Zhao Ming had her back towards the palace so she turned around to see where Lu shi was looking.
She frowned when she saw Xiao Li and her father Xiao Ruogang walking towards them with their sly smile on their faces.
She pursed her lips and turned to face the duo which was walking towards her.
Xiao Li looked at her with a smug smile on her face and didn't even greet her. Zhao Ming also stood there and stared at the duo without saying anything.
Xiao Ruogang frowned and said, " I never knew that the Empress of the Ji Dynasty can't even follow the basic formalities. The King of L country is standing in front of you and you're not even greeting me?"
"Zhao Ming, do you know that you could get into big trouble for not following these formalities?" He asked with his brows raised with a hidden meaning behind them.
Zhao Ming sighed softly wondering why these two people are so obsessed with formalities. Even after getting humiliated many times, they still come to her to get humiliated. She smirked and said, " Don't worry, King Xiao Ruogang. You don't need to worry about me since your dear daughter is doing the same. If I am supposed to be punished then she will not be exempted either. We will take the punishments together. Right, Consort Xiao Li?" She said with a grin.
Since he didn't address her as Her Majesty and called her with her name, she didn't address him as His Majesty either and just called him King Xiao Ruogang.
His expressions twisted upon hearing her poisonous words. He has to accept that she has the nerve to make anyone hate her. Her tongue is too sharp and can make anyone irritated with her words.
" Zhao Ming, you're shameless. You can insult me but not my father. He is not anyone who will hear your insulting words." Xiao Li used her father's name to get justice for herself.
" He is the king of L country if he hasn't helped Ji Cheng back then than you won't be able to stay as Empress for long. The Ji Dynasty would have crumpled before she could enjoy your status as the Empress. So don't forget what he did back then. Now apologize to him." Xiao Li who was standing beside him shouted at her. She has proud and arrogant expressions as she used her father's decision to support the Ji Dynasty as her weapon. She wanted Zhao Ming to feel as she owes her and her father because of what he did to save the country.
Xiao Ruogang patted Xiao Li's hand and said, " Xiao Li, don't say that. She is acting like this because she doesn't know that she is in this position because of me. If I hadn't helped Ji Cheng back then than there won't be any Ji Dynasty. She just forgot her place because of her status as the Empress."
Zhao Ming raised her brows seeing the whole new Xiao Li. She has never shouted in front of her by now at least. She always wore a fake polite smile on her face, however, it seems like she has decided to change her strategy now.
' Well, too bad. Even her changed strategy won't work on her.'
" Consort Xiao Li, I don't think that I said anything which can insult the king of L country. For you, he is your father, but for me, he is the kind of L country which not only has alliance with us but has a peaceful trade relationship as well."
" Now if we think about it since this alliance has been made, Ji Cheng has taken your help only in the beginning when His Majesty was at war with the other state. However, even at that time, your troops came later when the battle was about to end and victory seems to be on our side." She raised her head and rubbed her chin with her finger and said while thinking about something.
" Not only that, but this alliance has also helped L country more because of the trade between two states and your father has saved so much money because of the heavy discounts given to him because he is your father. Since the Ji Dynasty has expanded the territory and strengthen its power, L country has always used our connections and power to maintain its reputation in the world of politics "
" Consort Xiao Li, now L country is not as powerful as it used to be before. Now, whatever L country has was all because of His Majesty. If Ji Cheng hadn't helped the L country back then, the epidemic which has spread last year would have finished the whole nation. So in that sense, don't ever say that Ji Dynasty owes L country. Ji Cheng has paid great compensation in exchange for help at that time."
" Now you are just a consort of His Majesty, just like others. Don't think highly of yourself because other than buttering Empress Dowager, you had done nothing to contribute to the workings of the palace." Her words were direct and straight to the point.
Xiao Li's expressions turned pale hearing Zhao Ming's words. She pursed her lips and huffed before leaving the area with her father. Her father was equally angry and wanted to teach this shameless woman a lesson, but Xiao Li pulled him away because she had spotted Ji Cheng coming from afar.
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