The queen's laughter was mournful and eerie, sending shivers down one's spine.

  The empress dowager was indeed old and experienced in such matters. Her phoenix eyes flashed, and she sternly asked: "Are you telling the truth?"

  The queen knelt on the ground, wryly smiling: "Last time Mei Guifei invited that female divine doctor, although she didn't have any 'line pulse' special skills, in obstetrics and gynecology, she was also a rare expert. She said I didn't have any hidden illnesses, shouldn't be unable to conceive for three or four years, I asked her repeatedly, only then did she say - some wealthy families, the young master doesn't favor his first wife, there are those who use this trick - after two or three years still no legitimate son, what's left to say?"

  She sneered repeatedly and continued: "At first, I didn't believe it. It took a lot of effort to finally find an imperial tea cup in the emperor's bedroom, and only then was the poison he used discovered - Empress Dowager, from start to finish, he has been on guard against my Lin family!"

  The empress dowager only felt her temples jumping wildly, and she was dizzy for a moment. After calming down slightly, she said softly, "Ye Er."

  "Does Her Majesty have any instructions?" asked Ye Gu Gu, leaning in close.

  She worried that the empress would get angry and have a heart attack, so she went forward and supported her.

  The empress dowager pushed her away: "I'm fine!"

  Her eyes gleamed with a fierce light as she said word by word: "Pass the order to our people, from today on, all personnel and objects in the imperial palace will be kept under my close surveillance!"

  ****

  In the Qianqing Palace, although it was already late afternoon, Yuan Qi was still writing diligently, with red imperial comments, sparse but always hitting the key points. As time slowly passed, the thick stack of memorials also gradually decreased.

  The air was thick with tension, and beside him, someone with slender fingers was slowly grinding ink, the scent of pine and incense wafting around, yet no one spoke.

  Yuanyi finished writing a book, but didn't take it again, just gazing at the side, that busy snow-white and delicate - a little ink accidentally stained on it, even more set off its crystal clarity, like ice and jade.

  He wanted to say something, but just gazed at Chenlu's face as cold as ice and snow, unable to open his mouth again.

  A scene at dawn, as if it had become a deep chasm between the two people, no matter how thin the ice was, one step would be ten feet away, and they couldn't pass through calmly.

  "My imperial brother is indeed a man of refined taste, diligent in state affairs, and still has a beautiful woman with red sleeves adding fragrance!"

  The King of Jing entered the study and saw this scene, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  Yuan Qi smiled and didn't argue, but instead let the morning dew collect his brush and ink, stretched his limbs, and then said: "Second brother, how do you have leisure time today to come to this dull and uninteresting place?"

  The King remained calm despite the teasing: "That was in the past, when I was young and foolish. I thought that being an emperor meant having no worries except for administrative chores. But now that I've seen you, I realize how wrong I was - with someone as wonderful as Shang Yi serving by your side, isn't that even better than paradise?"

  Chenlu stood beside him, listening to his smooth talk, and coughed lightly before saying: "Please forgive me for being presumptuous, but wherever the King of Jing is, that's where the paradise on earth is. No wonder you're reluctant to leave - it's because of 'Yuetai Pavilion's' Wanwan, she's truly a wonderful person."

  Jing Wang was momentarily stunned, unable to utter a word. Yuan Qi burst into laughter, his voice clear and loud, shaking with mirth, almost breaking the ceramic cup. Finally, he said: "Today, you this chaotic demon king, have finally met your match!"

  His loud laughter swept away the heavy and awkward atmosphere in the room, Jing Wang looked at him with a bitter smile and said: "Forget it, little girl is eloquent, even if this king loses face, it's not a big deal!"

  Yuanyi smiled and said: "No trivial matter can be brought before the Three Treasures Hall - Second Brother, what brings you here today?

  The King suppressed his smile and said seriously: "Imperial brother, although I am not talented, I still dare not come to this imperial garden casually - after a while, it will be the day when the vassal kings from various places enter the capital. They are lawless outside, and they will not be able to live in peace when they return to the capital. This is not only related to national politics but also to the reputation of our imperial family. So I venture to ask, does Imperial brother have any plans?"

  Yuanyu quietly listened, hesitated and didn't speak for a long time. Finally, he sighed: "It's still you, second brother, who dares to speak out - how dare others mention such things in front of me? These uncles, brothers... are simply too outrageous!"

  He hated the fact that he couldn't become a good person no matter how hard he tried, and there was nothing more to say.

  "My uncles are easy to talk to; they just want more favors for their children and grandchildren, but can't stir up much trouble... It's just my two younger brothers who are really..."

  The king sat beside him, analyzing and hesitating, unable to make a decision for the time being.

  The "two younger brothers" in their mouths were the last two sons of Emperor Yuan Xu, ranking third and fourth. However, within the palace, they were rarely referred to as the Third or Fourth Princes, but rather directly addressed by their royal titles.

  This is also a coincidence, the current emperor and King Jing are born to Empress Zhong and Consort Huifeng respectively. Both of them were born into noble families and had been close since childhood. However, those two princes' mothers were extremely low-born, and the previous emperor did not like them either. When they were three or four years old, he sent them away to be enfeoffed as vassals early on.

  The palace is the most flattering and humiliating, for the sake of pleasing the empress dowager and the current emperor, in their conversations, they only refer to An Wang and Ping Wang, never addressing them as "Your Highness", after a long time, the palace simply does not regard them as the former emperor's children.

  "I understand that these petty people in the palace can say anything shameless and vicious. My two brothers have been wronged, with a belly full of evil fire, they can only vent to me!"

  Yuan Qiji sighed and said, Jing Wang listened to the side and smiled: "The emperor is really kind-hearted, if so, when they come to Beijing, I will find them to chat, anyway, I am also a idle king, what fire will not be fired at me."

  The King of Jing chatted for a moment before standing up to bid farewell. Yuan Qi gazed at his free and easy figure, asking casually: "What do you think of this humble servant's close attendants?"

  Chenlu thought for a moment and replied, "When it comes to right and wrong, one must be a person of discernment - Jing Wang is not an ordinary person."

  "Oh?" Yuan Qi smiled: "This is exactly like Taifu's evaluation back then."

  "It is said that 'if it doesn't make a sound, then it's fine; but if it does make a sound, it will shock people.' The calm king feigns madness and the fierce wind blows, but in reality, it's just hiding its light and keeping a low profile."

  "Unfortunately, there are few people in the court who have your vision - the two kings of Anping are just minor annoyances, but this unruly and unbridled good second brother of mine is the real danger lurking within."

  Yuanyu sighed and spoke without reserve about her most secretive feelings, obviously trusting her very much.

  "Your Majesty speaks of fraternal strife in front of me; isn't he afraid that I, a minor official, will leak the secret?"

  Dew suddenly asked.

  "Who?"

  Yuan Qi lost his smile: "You don't even care about the honor that women in the palace dream of, how can you betray and sell me out for something else?"

  He felt a pang of sadness, recalling the "Tai Ah" sword that had been placed at his neck that morning, its icy chill seeping into his bones. His heart ached as if it were splitting apart, and his mouth was filled with an unbearable bitterness.

  Even if you're the emperor, what can you do?

  ****

  Chenlu was not on duty in the evening, she returned to Bimonth Palace, had just changed out of her court attire, when Qu Yun arrived.

  "What exactly happened last night? The Empress Dowager's side was extremely unusual."

  He asked directly.

  "Hmm... She can't sit still anymore!"

  Morning dew faintly smiled, in her clear and bright eyes, a dazzling flame flashed.

  She roughly told the story of last night, and coldly smiled: "The Empress originally wanted to use old feelings to move people, a spring breeze once, and then become pregnant with the dragon heir. However, how could I let the Lin family have their way?"

  "It's fortunate that Consort Mei is also heartbroken over the loss of that child. I'll have her take the same dose of Red Star Seeds, and Empress will be left speechless, even more suspicious and paranoid - she must have gone to the Dowager Empress today to complain!"

  "Wasn't it Lin Yuan's idea about the medicine?" Qu Yun was slightly surprised.

  "Of course not, she is as innocent as snow, but the Emperor will definitely put this account on her head... Moreover, she has no heart to clear it up now... Xiaoyun, the secret agent of Cining Palace, has all come out?"

  After getting a definite and surprising answer, she smiled leisurely: "Everything is under control... Lin Yuan will soon investigate the emperor's infertility and the empress's inability to give birth. This mother and son have long been like fire and water - this arrow on the string can no longer be held back."

  "Could it be... all of this is because of you?"

  "Xiao Yun, with the Empress's intelligence, if no one had enlightened her, she would have only sought help from ghosts and gods. How could she have discovered Yuan Qi's secret medicine - that 'Female Divine Doctor', Mei Guibin used it, the Empress used it, I... also used it!"

  Her eyes widened in shock and she was stunned, finally realizing that throughout the entire event, everyone had been nothing more than her puppets on strings.