Chapter 94 Have you ever been attracted to the emperor?

How could Xiao Yao have ever been confronted so bluntly? She had come here to provoke a fight and vent her anger, hoping to hear some polite and polite words, not such blunt and honest words.

Yun Zhao's words were like icy spikes, piercing her body to the bone. Xiao Yao's face suddenly turned red with anger, and her voice became shrill: "Yun Zhao! How dare you speak to me like that! Are you tired of living? Believe it or not, I will slap you in the face right now!"

Yun Zhao showed no fear. Instead, he met her angry gaze and calmly asked, "Your Highness, may I ask, which of my words just now was wrong? Which of them was considered presumptuous and disrespectful?"

Xiao Yao was choked by her question. She really couldn't find any specific mistakes. In her humiliation and anger, she blurted out, "You! Don't think that just because your father holds military power and your brother has your back, you can do whatever you want in this harem! These six games are huge and complicated. I don't believe you can do it perfectly! If you have the ability, don't let me catch you making any mistakes!"

Yun Zhao bowed slightly, his gesture respectful, but his words were laced with sarcasm. "I will bear in mind Your Highness's instructions and will fulfill my duties conscientiously, living up to the trust placed in you by Your Majesty and the Queen Mother. Please also, Your Highness, supervise and encourage me at all times."

Xiao Yao was so angry, she had nowhere to vent. She suddenly grabbed a teacup on the table and slammed it to the ground! The sound of the porcelain shattering was particularly harsh. She raised her chin and said with a malicious smile, "Oops, my hand slipped. I'm so sorry. I'll have to trouble Concubine Yun to clean it up herself."

After saying this, she snorted coldly and left with a group of palace maids, like a victorious rooster.

Yun Zhao's expression remained unchanged, and he simply instructed the palace servants to clean up the debris on the ground.

After standing still for a moment, she turned and walked towards the main hall of Yanying Palace.

By the afternoon, Xiao Jin was already in the palace reviewing memorials. Zhang Fuan, upon seeing Yun Zhao arrive, beamed with joy and hurriedly whispered, "Your Majesty, Consort Yun is here."

Xiao Jin paused with the red pen in his hand, without looking up, and asked calmly, "Hmm? Is there something wrong with her?"

Zhang Fuan observed the emperor's expression and replied cautiously, "The palace lady is waiting outside the palace, but she hasn't said anything yet."

Xiao Jin's gaze remained fixed on the memorial, his tone devoid of emotion. "If there's nothing else, let her go back and have a good rest. I don't have anything else to do here for now."

Zhang Fuan was stunned and couldn't help but say something extra: "Your Majesty, I just saw that the Eighth Princess seemed to have gone to the side hall... The Palace Lady is coming here now, maybe..."

Xiao Jin then raised his eyes, his gaze deep, but he instructed indifferently, "Then go ask her if she has anything important to report."

"Hmm." Zhang Fuan bowed and left. Seeing Yun Zhao still waiting outside the palace, he hurried forward and whispered, "Palace Lady, His Majesty asked me to ask if you have anything important to report?"

Yun Zhao was slightly startled when he heard this, and then a trace of disappointment flashed across his eyes. He whispered, "It's nothing important. I just haven't served before the Emperor in a few days, and I've been worried about him, so I came to see if His Majesty needs any help. Is His Majesty... displeased because I haven't been here for a few days?"

Zhang Fuan quickly comforted him, "That's not the case. Your Majesty has been busy with government affairs since he recovered from his illness, and there are people waiting on him. Please rest assured, Shang Gong."

Yun Zhao uttered a soft "Oh" and nodded. "In that case, I will go and take care of the affairs of the bureau first. If His Majesty summons me, please send someone to inform me immediately."

"Of course, of course."

Zhang Fuan returned to the hall. Xiao Jin didn't see Yun Zhao, so he casually asked, "Where's she?"

"Your Majesty, Consort Yun said she has some matters to attend to and has to take her leave. Your Majesty, please allow me to pass on the message now..."

"No need." Xiao Jin interrupted him, picked up the red pen again, and looked calmly back at the memorial, as if what he had just asked was just an ordinary inquiry.

For three consecutive days, Xiao Jin did not summon Yun Zhao, and Yun Zhao did not take the initiative to step into the main hall of Yanying Palace.

She put all her energy into purging the Six Bureaus, and used iron-fisted methods to root out spies from all sides. She swiftly replaced the heads of many key positions. Her actions were swift and ruthless, causing undercurrents in the harem and making everyone feel insecure.

However, a summons from the Cining Palace broke the apparent calm.

Yun Zhao received the order and went there immediately.

After not seeing her for many days, Empress Dowager Zhou seemed to have aged a lot. The gray hair on her temples could no longer be concealed. Although she was trying hard to look energetic, the haggardness and depression between her brows were obvious.

Yun Zhao followed the etiquette and did not kneel fully, but his posture was still extremely respectful: "Your servant Yun Zhao pays homage to the Empress Dowager and wishes her good health."

"Get up." Queen Mother Zhou raised her eyelids slightly, slowly twisting the Buddhist beads in her hand, and her voice showed no emotion.

"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Yun Zhao stood up to express his gratitude and stood with his head bowed.

Empress Dowager Zhou seemed to be chatting casually, her tone calm but concealing a hidden meaning: "I heard that you are doing very well as a palace lady. Is everything going well?"

Yun Zhao replied cautiously, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Thanks to the good fortune of Your Majesty and Your Majesty, the affairs of the Sixth Bureau, though complex and cumbersome, are proceeding smoothly."

"Hmm," Empress Dowager Zhou replied with an ambiguous tone. The Buddhist beads in her hand paused, and her gaze suddenly sharpened, piercing Yun Zhao. "You've practically exchanged blood for six rounds. Yun Zhao, what exactly do you intend to do?"

Yun Zhao's heart trembled, but his expression remained calm. "Your Majesty, what I do is naturally for Your Majesty and for the peace and tranquility of the harem. Your Majesty is busy with countless affairs. If you worry about trivial matters in the harem, it would be a dereliction of duty. Only by eliminating the accumulated evils and eradicating the pests can I live up to Your Majesty's grace."

Empress Dowager Zhou sneered and suddenly asked a shocking question, her eyes fixed on Yun Zhao: "You have gone to such great lengths to seize power and secure your position, but do you intend to... replace me as Empress?"

Yun Zhao's back instantly straightened, and his voice was resolute and clear, echoing throughout the palace: "I dare not even entertain such delusions! From the day I broke off my engagement with His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin, I swore that I would never marry into the royal family! I wish to remain single for the rest of my life, and only dedicate myself to serving Your Majesty and managing all matters of the harem!"

Just as she finished speaking, a bright yellow figure happened to walk to the door outside the hall and heard the words "I will never marry into the royal family in this life" and "I wish to remain single for the rest of my life" clearly.

Xiao Jin's footsteps suddenly stopped.

Empress Dowager Zhou glanced vaguely towards the palace gate, taking in Yun Zhao's reaction. Then, slowly, she inquired, her words like the sharpest needle, attempting to penetrate the deepest part of her heart: "Oh? Is that so? But the Emperor treats you differently, with great favor. With such honor and favor, do you really... never have the slightest thought for the Emperor?"

Moved?

She didn't!

She died so miserably in her previous life, how could she easily fall in love with someone else?

[Being tempted by the Emperor? That's a dead end!]

[The emperor has been taught since childhood to have no sincerity!]

[Will Xiao Jin be sincere to me? ]

【Why did the Queen Mother suddenly ask such a question? 】

Yun Zhao was confused and didn't know how to answer.