"Ah Li," the Empress called out in a cold voice. Song Tangli trembled and forced a smile as she replied, "What does Your Majesty wish to do for me?"

"Now that you are the Crown Princess, it is not convenient for you to go out and show your face in public. Managing such a large Crown Prince's residence is already not easy. Why not let the Empress manage the shops in the capital for you?" The Empress understood Song Tangxue's implication and knew that it would be difficult to get anything out of her. She was a tough nut to crack.

Previously, she couldn't get her hands on it no matter what! Having learned from her previous experience, the Empress gave up and turned her attention to Song Tangli.

Song Tangli stammered, unable to answer, cold sweat beading on her forehead. She was somewhat confused as to how this fire had spread to her.

"What? Are you all going to defy me?" The Empress spoke these words slowly and deliberately, while Zhao, the old nanny beside her, glanced at the two below with an ambiguous look.

Empress Cheng placed the teacup on the table, the crisp sound shattering Song Tangli's last psychological defenses.

Song Tangli knelt down in a flash, a cold sweat breaking out on her back. The palace maids in the Empress's palace continued to perform their duties, while Ru Hua held a small fan and remained unmoved.

"Mother... I didn't mean that." Beads of sweat dripped onto the back of her hand, but Song Tangli dared not wipe them away.

Song Tangxue watched with amusement as the two turned against each other in the blink of an eye. How could the Empress not hate them? Her hard-earned wealth had been taken away. She should have stopped it all back then.

Or perhaps the position of Crown Princess should never have been promised to Song Tangxue in the first place. In any case, Song Tangxue loves Xian'er to the bone. If she hadn't had expectations from the beginning, she would have offered up all the money regardless of the position.

It's all Song Tangli's fault. Compared to those insignificant sentiments, the Empress values ​​the money she has in her hands more. Now that Song Tangli is blocking this path, the Empress is naturally not giving her a good look.

Song Tangxue slowly picked up the untouched teacup beside her, gently brushed it aside—it was last year's aged tea—and then calmly put it down again.

"And what about Tang Xue?" The Empress was displeased with her appearance and included her in the discussion. Song Tang Xue paused slightly, then knelt down beside Song Tang Li: "Your Majesty, I would not dare."

The Empress gave an ambiguous chuckle, then beckoned. A eunuch beside her brought over several basins of ice, and a maid opened all the windows in the hall. The scorching sun baked the earth, and heat seeped into the room through the windows.

It slowly filled the hall, leaving no place to hide.

Soon, sweat beaded on the foreheads of both Song Tangli and Song Tangxue, and beads of sweat rolled down their faces. Song Tangxue persevered, her back straight and neither humble nor arrogant, secretly calculating the time in her mind. She thought that the Empress Dowager should hear the news of her entering the palace soon.

The empress, seated high on her throne, closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, clearly intending to wear them down to the end. The ice blocks beside her emanated a chill.

Song Tangli rolled her eyes, pretended to sway weakly, her face was so white it was almost transparent, and her eyes were glazed as she tried her best to stay upright.

Granny Zhao raised her hand and glanced at her: "Your Majesty, it's time to summon the imperial physician to check your pulse."

Song Tangli's attempt to feign illness and faint was exposed. The Empress raised her phoenix eyes, and the ice block beside her had been replaced. The temperature inside the room was almost as high as outside.

Apart from the Empress, the main hall was unbearably hot.

Furthermore, due to the lack of air circulation indoors, it was even more stuffy and hot. The sunlight kept slanting down and shining on Song Tangli. Upon hearing that the imperial physician would be summoned, Song Tangli stopped swaying.

The Empress's phoenix eyes swept over Song Tangli, and she knew about her little tricks. In the past, she had turned a blind eye to it, but now that she didn't like her, she naturally made things difficult for her in every way.

Inside the Empress Dowager's palace, Granny Geng hurried in. Seeing the Empress Dowager worshipping Buddha and kneeling devoutly, she silently stood aside.

After the final kneeling, the Empress Dowager rose and Granny Geng stepped forward to help her up. The Empress Dowager walked towards the front of the hall, saying, "What has made you so hasty and impolite?"

The Empress Dowager sat down, and a clever little eunuch immediately served her hot tea. The incense in the hall had been changed to a different kind, lighter and more delicate. It was a list of spices that Song Tangxue had sent in, and it smelled much more pleasant.

"Miss Tangxue has entered the palace," Granny Geng replied. The Empress Dowager disliked palace servants mentioning the title of Crown Princess.

This was putting their imperial family's face on the ground, so when people around the Empress Dowager mentioned Song Tangxue, they automatically referred to her as Miss Tangxue.

Even the Song family was angered. It is said that Master Song was also kept in the Imperial Study today and has not come out yet. Obviously, His Majesty and Empress Dowager were angry about the Crown Prince's wedding. However, newlyweds always have to suppress their anger and did not make a scene on the spot.

Fortunately, the Song family was full of self-righteous fools who thought they had the imperial family under their thumb, but in reality, they had long lost the imperial family's trust and reliance.

If he can act on his own in such important matters, how can His Majesty entrust the affairs of the court to the Right Chancellor in the future?

"Is your purpose in coming to the palace to see me?" The Empress Dowager's mood improved considerably. Looking at the blazing sun outside, she instructed the young eunuch, "Take an umbrella to greet Tangxue. Don't let her get sunburned."

“No,” Granny Geng said after a moment’s hesitation. “Miss Tangxue was invited to the palace by the Empress.”

The incense burner in the hall emitted wisps of smoke, and the Empress Dowager's eyes unconsciously turned cold: "Empress? How come I didn't know about this?"

Granny Geng lowered her head in silence. The Empress Dowager was a smart woman and quickly understood what was going on.

"When did you arrive?" the Empress Dowager asked, gently waving her teacup.

"9:00 AM to 11:00 AM".

The Empress Dowager had already eaten lunch, and it was now past noon. The coldness in her eyes was becoming more and more obvious. She looked down at her teacup and said, "The Empress is becoming more and more arrogant. The mother and son are both clueless fools."

No one in the hall dared to respond; the silence was so profound you could hear a pin drop.

"Granny Geng..." After a long while, the Empress Dowager put down her teacup, her expression softening again, and she returned to her usual serene self: "Go to the Empress's palace and see her."

Kind and peaceful.

Inside the Empress's Palace, Song Tangli gritted her teeth and persevered. The scorching heat tormented her relentlessly, and sweat poured down like a stream. Song Tangli's knees had lost all feeling, and her mouth was unbearably dry.

In contrast, Song Tangxue was much more composed. Since her rebirth, she had been exercising diligently and her body had become much stronger. In addition, she knew beforehand that she would be in trouble, so she took some medicine in advance, including medicine to cool down and prevent heatstroke.

She never does anything without a plan, and everything that is happening now is still within expectations.

"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived!" The eunuch's shrill voice rang out from outside. The Empress abandoned her leisurely demeanor, her gaze sweeping quickly and darkly over the people in the hall before she stepped forward to the door and bowed.

The heat from outside inevitably hit her.

Song Tangxue and Song Tangli also changed directions, and Song Tangli knelt down despite the pain in her knees.

Upon entering the room, the Empress Dowager frowned as she was overcome by the heat. Looking at Song Tangxue kneeling on the ground through the crowd, she glanced at the Empress with even greater disappointment. The Empress Dowager gave her a look and said, "Empress, please rise."