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"Your Highness, please be careful." Xueya pushed open the door to the room. Wang Zhiyue was lying on the couch, looking out the window.

"Is Your Highness intending to protect Madam Wei?" Lou Xuan ignored her and sat down on the wooden chair.

"Madam Wang, you need to change your stubbornness of not admitting defeat until you see the coffin. Once you're in the brothel, you won't have the arrogance to question my decisions." Lou Xuan rested her chin on her hand and glanced sideways at Wang Zhiyue.

"You think I can't see through such a simple trick? You don't even deserve to be a maid in the palace." Lou Xuan burst out laughing the moment she saw Wang Zhiyue's expression change.

"You wear your heart on your sleeve; you still need to work on your deceptive skills." With a single glance from Lou Xuan, Xueya walked up to Wang Zhiyue.

“Madam Wang, the people escorting you women to the capital will arrive tomorrow. Why don’t you think about how to survive in the brothel?” Xueya pinched Wang Zhiyue’s face. “Madam is quite beautiful. I think you can do well as a slave in the brothel.”

"Your Highness, please save me!" Upon hearing this, Wang Zhiyue instantly scrambled from the couch to Lou Xuan's feet.

"Your Highness, I do not wish to be a slave. Your Highness must have come here today because you think I am useful. Otherwise, why would Your Highness go through all this trouble just to tell me His Majesty's decree?"

"I enjoy dealing with intelligent people." Lou Xuan lifted Wang Zhiyue's chin with his slender fingers.

"My fifth brother is lacking a charming woman by his side. I wonder if Lady Wang is up to the task?" Lou Xuan's eyes were filled with murderous intent, as if Wang Zhiyue would become a corpse the moment she shook her head.

"I have a pill here. This pill is to be taken every two months. If you harbor any disloyalty, I will make you wish you were dead." Xueya pried open Wang Zhiyue's mouth and stuffed the poison in. After confirming that there was no residue left in her mouth, she helped Lou Xuan up.

"You are from a noble family, and coincidentally, my fifth brother also has a fondness for noble ladies. Maintain your arrogance, but remember not to go too far. After you enter the palace, I will arrange for you to meet him. You only have one chance; if you fail, I have no reason to keep you." Lou Xuan looked down at Wang Zhiyue.

"If you want to hate me, then hate me. But I suggest you don't make a futile struggle. The fate of an ant trying to topple a towering tree is something you can't experience yourself. If you want to try it yourself, I can send you on your way. You are a smart person, and I believe you can choose the best option."

Lou Xuan stepped out of the house without looking back, only saying, "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you a piece of advice: ruthlessness should be done in the shadows; poisoning is too foolish."

"Your Highness, Commandant Chang is waiting for you in the courtyard. Shall we go see him?" Xueya asked, holding an umbrella to shield Lou Xuan from the sun.

"Go ahead, Chang Yi might bring me some good news." Lou Xuan walked into the courtyard and saw Chang Yi sitting upright in the yard from afar.

"What urgent matter has Commandant Chang brought that has come to see me so many times?" Chang Yi handed the letter in his hand to Lou Xuan.

"The Fifth Prince intends to vie for Bianzhou." Chang Yi observed Lou Xuan's expression, only to see her give a cold laugh before her expression hardened.

"Some people try to run before they can walk. Well, I'll teach them what happens when they covet what belongs to me." Lou Xuan gave Xueya a look.

"Captain, my lord is feeling a bit stuffy after the summer heat. Would you mind fetching some iced grape juice from the kitchen?" Xueya gestured for him to leave, and Chang Yi, without lingering any longer, rose to take his leave.

"Your Highness, is this a message to the clothing workshop?" Lou Xuan took the paper and pen handed to her by Xueya. "Isn't he just starting to show his talent? Then I'll help him reveal his full potential."

Lou Xuan's face darkened as he wrote rapidly, "Remember to deal with the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, but I forgot to deal with him!"

The carrier pigeon flew over Bianzhou and directly to the imperial city. Emperor Wende sat on the dragon throne, looking at the letter in his hand.

"Lin Ben, do you think Wang Juesong is truly plotting a rebellion or just feigning one?" Wen Dedi picked up the letter in his hand and tossed it into the incense burner.

"This old servant doesn't know either, but His Majesty is wise and powerful, and naturally has made his decision." Emperor Wende tapped Lin Ben's face with the memorial, "You're getting more and more cunning as you get older."

"This old servant dares not." Lin Ben hurriedly knelt down, still holding Emperor Wende's teacup in his hand.

"Rise. Has the Crown Prince made any moves?" Emperor Wende took the teacup and drank a sip.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is somewhat dissatisfied with Commandant Chang. I imagine a younger brother will always have some reservations about his brother-in-law," Lin Mu said cautiously, his heart pounding with anxiety.

"I think it's dissatisfaction with Chang Yi's status," Emperor Wende said, closing his eyes. "Linben, tell me, among my children, who most resembles me?"

"Well... His Highnesses are all His Majesty's own flesh and blood, so naturally they resemble His Majesty. The Crown Prince's benevolence is like His Majesty's, the Third Prince's political acumen is like His Majesty's, and the Fifth Prince's filial piety is like His Majesty's. They are all just different in their own way." Lin Ben answered cautiously, fearing that he might fall into a trap and not be able to escape.

"I want to hear the truth. When did you learn such flattery?" Emperor Wende's deep voice, as he placed his teacup on the table, resonated in Lin Ben's heart.

"If anyone is most similar, it would be Your Majesty's first child—Princess Zhaoyang. These old servants have witnessed you personally teaching the princess back then, and the princess's demeanor in the harem does bear some resemblance to you." Lin Mu took a deep breath and apologized, "This old servant has overstepped his bounds, please punish me, Your Majesty."

“You’re telling the truth, so why should I punish you?” Emperor Wende sighed as he recalled Zhaoyang’s childhood. “Now that the child is grown up, he doesn’t tell his father anything that’s on his mind.”

"Your Highness is a woman, and young girls are always a bit shy," Lin Mu said, smoothing things over at the right moment, which resonated with Emperor Wende.

"Has anyone touched the medical records?" Although Emperor Wende asked a seemingly random question, Lin Ben understood the meaning behind it.

"They've already moved; it seems someone suspects His Highness the Crown Prince has been poisoned."

"Never mind that, just dispose of the medical records." Emperor Wende, having achieved his goal, saw no need to keep the medical records.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Observatory has already chosen the date for the Empress's investiture ceremony, and the Bureau of Imperial Ceremonies says that the Imperial Concubine desires a pearl from the East Sea as the main pearl for her ceremonial crown."

"If she wants it, give it to her. Why bother me with such a trivial matter?" Emperor Wende said dismissively.

“This… the Imperial Crafts Bureau said they don’t have the kind of mermaid pearl that the Imperial Concubine wants, the kind that is perfectly round and warm to the touch. This old servant remembers that His Majesty has one in his private treasury.”

"What a clever scheme! They've already set their sights on the best things in my private treasury. They're already planning to make her empress before even being officially appointed—are they planning to climb onto my throne?"

Emperor Wende snorted coldly, "Tell the Consort not to be extravagant. She can only use the pearls from the East Sea provided by the Imperial Workshop. If she is dissatisfied, she can come to me. There's no need to make things difficult for the palace maids!"

"Yes." Lin Ben sighed after receiving the decree. Seeing the Emperor's attitude, if the Imperial Concubine was still not satisfied, she would be in for a major setback.

In the Shujing Palace, Consort Fang was leaning against a couch when a maidservant presented her with peeled lychees placed on a plate.

"Your Highness, the Bureau of Imperial Sacrifices has already reported this to Eunuch Lin. It seems Your Highness will soon have your wish fulfilled." A maid carefully fanned Consort Fang.

"It's just a mermaid pearl. His Majesty dotes on me so much, he might have already sent Eunuch Lin to deliver it," Consort Liu said smugly.

"Your Highness, Eunuch Lin has arrived." A maidservant entered to announce this. Consort Fang remained seated with her eyes closed.

"This old servant greets Her Highness the Imperial Concubine." Lin Ben sneered inwardly. Someone who hadn't even been crowned Empress yet was already so arrogant; she was truly beyond redemption.

"Does Your Majesty wish for Eunuch Lin to deliver the mermaid pearl?" Consort Fang swallowed the lychee in her mouth and stretched out her fair hand toward Lin Ben. "Give it to me directly."

"Your Majesty means that the coronation ceremony should not be extravagant. The East Sea pearls provided by the Bureau of Imperial Sacrifices are of very good quality. If you are not satisfied, you can go to His Majesty. There is no need to make things difficult for the palace maids."

With each word Lin Ben uttered, Consort Fang's face darkened further. "What? His Majesty really said that!"

At this moment, the imperial concubine could no longer maintain her previous elegance and composure, staring at Lin Ben with disbelief.

"Why should my coronation ceremony be so simple? When Wei Shu got married, the pearls on his wife's headdress were East Sea mermaid pearls from the Imperial Workshop. Do you expect my headdress to be the same as that woman's?" Consort Fang's face turned red with anger. "I'm going to see His Majesty!"

"Your Highness, please reconsider. His Majesty is furious about the matter of Wang Juesong, the Prefect of Bianzhou. If Your Highness goes there now and is angered by his actions, it would be a great loss."

The maidservant beside her quickly stopped her, saying, "Even pearls from the East Sea come in different sizes. The main pearl that woman is wearing is just a small embellishment on Your Highness's crown. Your main pearl is a newly presented gold pearl this year. Besides, how can the craftsmanship outside compare to that in the palace? Her crown is just an accessory to Your Highness."

Consort Fang calmed down a bit after being persuaded, but she still felt she had lost face. "Go and bring Lady Wei's hair ornament into the palace. Tell her that I am very interested in her hair ornament."

"Your Highness, General Wei and his wife are not in the capital. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for our people to go directly to the Wei residence to retrieve it?" The maid looked at Lin Ben with pleading eyes.

"Your Majesty, trespassing on an official's residence is a serious crime. If Your Majesty does not have a special reason, the court officials will impeach you. Please do not miss the coronation ceremony."

Lin Benyan said no more, for it is difficult to persuade a damned fool. If Consort Fang were to lose her position as Empress herself, it would be her own retribution.

"Your Highness, perhaps we should just let it go. We can have Madam Wei bring the hair ornament to the palace when General Wei returns. She's just a woman; how can she be compared to Your Highness?" The maidservant advised Consort Fang with trepidation.

"Alright, I'm kind-hearted and consider that Wei Shu is His Majesty's confidant, so I won't hold it against that woman. Let's wait for them to return before we talk about it. I'm tired, help me to rest."

In the days since Lou Xuan left the palace, Consort Fang has become quite plump without her constraints. She now wishes Lou Xuan would never return; how dare a junior interfere in palace affairs? If it weren't for His Majesty's favor towards Lou Xuan, she would have already dealt with her severely. Now that she has the Empress's position, she'll see how arrogant Lou Xuan is in front of her.