Mu Xu really wanted to roll his eyes. Was he hesitating because he was afraid she would see him sleeping?

Unfortunately, Jiayin, holding the little fox, went behind the screen.

Mu Xu stood for a while, then sat down and began to eat heartily.

After eating and drinking his fill, he lay down fully clothed and listened intently, but there was no sound inside.

So, he blushed slightly and couldn't help but guess.

Do all girls sleep this quietly?

Little did he know that behind the layers of bed curtains, there was only a pillow under the blanket.

Jiayin had already taken the little fox into the space.

This is the safest place in the world, a world completely under her control!

In Zhilan Palace, everyone, from masters to servants, had gone to sleep.

But inside the Shou Kang Palace, the lights remained on for a long time.

The old nanny, her face wrinkled, couldn't help but feel anxious as she watched her master sit on the soft couch, his prayer beads spinning rapidly in his hand.

But she still had to persuade her, so she could only bite the bullet and step forward, saying, "Your Majesty, you can't not eat. This old servant has cooked some bird's nest porridge, please at least eat a few bites."

The Empress Dowager looked up, and the kind and gentle expression she used to have was completely different now. Her eyes were full of hostility, and she asked in a hoarse voice.

"Were all those families raided by the Marquis of Xinting?"

The old nanny trembled slightly, but she tried her best to steady herself and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, most of the Imperial Guards have been replaced. There are less than twenty people who can still obey orders now."

"Twenty people!" The Empress Dowager sneered, raising the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand and smashing them hard on the ground.

"What a wicked Marquis of Xinting! How dare he keep bringing his knife to my throat! Does he really think that because I am weak, I have no way to deal with him?"

"Of course not!" The old nanny crawled over, picked up the prayer beads, held them in both hands, and said carefully, "Your Majesty, you are a master strategist who summoned Princess Kangle to the palace long ago. You should know that she is the apple of Marquis Xinting's eye, and everyone in Tianwu knows her."

"As long as the Empress Dowager keeps Princess Kangle in her grasp, Marquis Xinting will definitely not dare to be so presumptuous again! He will even do whatever you command him to save his adopted daughter's life."

The Empress Dowager took a few deep breaths, took the prayer beads, narrowed her eyes slightly, and pondered for a while before saying, "No, that scoundrel is focused on recovering Jiangbei, and he might not be willing to be used by me for the sake of a little girl."

"But it would be good to test his bottom line for now, distract him, and make him hesitant to act rashly."

"If we can hold out until next year, when he truly sees victory in sight, that will be the time when he, that fool in the Imperial Study, and even the entire Tianwu will be at their weakest."

"I will wipe them all out in one fell swoop, and let everyone know who is really in charge of Tianwu!"

The old nanny dared not interrupt again and listened obediently.

Sure enough, after a moment, the Empress Dowager's breathing gradually calmed down, and she suppressed her anger before ordering, "Make arrangements to send that girl from the Li family a small gift. If I'm not happy, then no one will have a peaceful day!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Don't worry, this old servant has been in the palace for forty years, and my specialty is disciplining disobedient maids." The old nanny breathed a slight sigh of relief, almost patting her chest to assure her.

"Go away, you don't need to serve me here. Tomorrow is your turn!" The Empress Dowager waved her hand, and the old nanny quickly withdrew...

Jiayin slept soundly in the space, picked fruit, brewed medicine, and organized various medicine bottles and trinkets, keeping herself very busy.

When we went outside, it was just getting light.

The little fox was sent to scout outside the screen and then brought back an empty plate.

Mu Xu had already left sometime earlier.

Jiayin read for a while before Shuiling gently knocked on the door and came in to help her wash up and change clothes, while Shuiyun had already gone to the kitchen.

Shuiling was afraid that her mistress would suffer a loss today, so she presented the jacket and skirt that had been prepared last night and kept asking her mistress questions.

"Princess, where is that dragon-patterned pendant that the Emperor bestowed upon you? Quickly find it and put it on. In case any fools try to bully you, you'll have to be more cautious."

As she said this, she took out two more snow rabbit skin knee pads and neatly tied them to Jiayin's knees.

“That old hag will definitely cause trouble. What if she makes you kneel? This will keep you warm.”

Jiayin was both amused and exasperated, and advised, "If someone is looking for trouble, there's no point in being on guard. Besides, I didn't come to the palace to be mistreated. If anyone bullies me, I'll definitely retaliate!"

Shui Ling hesitated for a moment, but eventually took off the thick knee pads. However, she still insisted on finding the dragon-patterned pendant.

She couldn't help but mutter, "Princess, you mustn't be careless. I've heard a lot from Granny He; the methods used to harm people in the palace are particularly vicious! Last night, I was so worried about going to Shou Kang Palace today that I had nightmares for most of the night."

"If you are bullied, Shuiyun and I will be too ashamed to go home!"

"Okay, okay!" Jiayin patted her shoulder and instructed, "You and Shuiyun should wear more clothes. People don't want to make things difficult for me, but they won't be polite to you."

"You all need to be careful too. If you get bullied, tell me. Don't suffer in silence."

"Understood, Princess," Shui Ling mumbled a reply, her subordinates still busy and not paying any attention.

In her eyes, they were servants, and it was a small matter to suffer some bullying and grievances.

We must protect the princess!

Soon, someone was sent from the main hall, and Jiayin took Shuiling out.

The three little foxes were left to guard the house, keeping watch over a pile of dried fish and dried meat; they didn't cause any trouble.

The third princess had two dark circles under her eyes and kept yawning. When she saw Jiayin come in, she grabbed her arm and protested.

"I was afraid you'd get bullied today, so I barely slept last night. How come you look so healthy? You're so heartless!"

Jiayin smiled and pulled her to sit down and eat, comforting her, "It's not like it's a den of dragons or tigers, why are you so worried about it?"

"The Empress Dowager is such a kind and gentle person, and she loves us younger generation the most. How could she possibly make things difficult for us? You're really overthinking it."

"Even if we are truly being put in a difficult position, it is because the servants below us acted on their own initiative and tried to prevent us from getting close to the Empress Dowager."

"What we need to do is tell the Empress Dowager, so that she won't be kept in the dark and think that the maids serving her are all good."

"This is also our way of showing filial piety, don't you think?"

The Third Princess blinked twice, then suddenly smiled and replied, "You're right. We, as the younger generation, should be more filial to the Empress Dowager."

Jiayin rolled up her sleeves, picked up a crystal steamed dumpling for her, and said with a smile, "You're a quick learner! Try to consider others' perspectives more often and think from their point of view."

"As long as it's for her own good, even if we act recklessly, who can blame us two young girls? We mean well!"

"Yes, we mean well, we mean well!" The Third Princess's eyes lit up, as if she had discovered some amazing method. She took a bite of half a dumpling, overjoyed.

Granny Hao stood guard at the door and listened to the whole thing. She was extremely glad that she had chased all the palace maids out earlier.

Are these things something that can be discussed so openly and honestly?

Our princess has been corrupted, corrupted!

Jiayin and the Third Princess didn't care what she thought; after eating and drinking their fill, they headed to Shou Kang Palace with high spirits.

Shou Kang Palace was also eagerly awaiting their arrival...

Served at midnight~~