Chapter 55 Killing Three Birds with One Stone? What's the use?

The Empress gave the old nanny a wink.

The old nanny understood and turned to enter the inner hall.

A moment later, she came out carrying a white porcelain bowl.

The bowl contained a thick, dark medicinal liquid that emitted a bitter smell.

The old nanny handed the bowl to Wanyan.

Wanyan looked at the bowl of medicine, her hands trembling slightly.

She took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress all her hesitation and resentment.

Then he reached out with both hands and steadily took the bowl.

Without further hesitation, she tilted her head back and, as if drinking wine, downed the bowl of bitter medicine in one gulp.

The medicine dripped down her lips, carrying a sense of resolute determination.

She gently placed the empty bowl on the ground, making a crisp sound.

Before long, Wanyan suddenly experienced excruciating abdominal pain, as if being cut by a knife.

His face drained of all color in an instant, turning ashen white.

She bit her lip hard, forcing herself to bow her head again, her voice trembling so much it was almost incoherent.

"This servant... thanks Your Majesty for the medicine."

The Empress looked at her knowing and understanding expression, and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

That smile held a hint of triumphant control, and also a touch of venting pleasure.

"very good."

She raised her eyes, her tone carrying an undeniable certainty.

"From this day forward, you are mine. Take her away and take good care of her. She will be of great use tomorrow."

"Yes, sir!"

The old nanny stepped forward in response and then spoke to the side.

"Hurry up and help him down!"

Two eunuchs immediately stepped forward and supported Wanyan, who was already unsteady on her feet.

Her steps were unsteady, and she was almost being half-dragged and half-supported.

They slowly retreated from the main hall, following the old nanny.

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The atmosphere inside the East Warm Pavilion of Yongshou Palace is warm and leisurely.

Jiang Nan lay sprawled on the soft couch, chatting idly with Dai Jia, whose complexion had regained some color after she had changed into dry clothes.

Dai Jia sat obediently on the embroidered stool at this moment.

His eyes were full of gratitude and undisguised admiration for Jiang Nan.

Jiang Nan, however, was pondering something else.

I've accepted this girl, but we need to establish a proper relationship with her soon... otherwise, things will always seem a bit illegitimate.

Should we go to the Qianqing Palace, summon the big boss Kangxi, and ask him to expedite the onboarding process?

But then I thought about it again.

Hmm… she actively sought out a pimp, isn't that a bit too much? It feels kind of awkward…

She was struggling with whether or not to do the job.

The chief eunuch, Zhao Deyi, hurried in from outside.

His face had lost its usual smoothness, replaced by seriousness and solemnity.

He walked quickly to the bedside, bowed, and whispered.

"Your Majesty, something has happened."

Jiang Nan's lazy expression vanished instantly, and she sat up straight.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Zhao Deyi lowered his voice and spoke faster.

"Your Majesty, we have just received news that the old nanny from Kunning Palace led a group of people to the Shenxing Division and took that Wanyan woman away, bringing her directly back to Kunning Palace."

"What?"

Jiang Nan's pupils contracted slightly, and the lazy expression on her face vanished instantly.

He immediately became wary and quickly tried to figure out the Empress's intentions.

The atmosphere inside the warm pavilion instantly became somewhat stagnant.

Dai Jia also nervously clenched the handkerchief in her hand, a worried look on her face.

Jiang Nan's brain raced through various possibilities and instantly reached a conclusion.

Once she felt confident, she reverted to her lazy demeanor.

His gaze casually swept over the few trusted confidants present.

Fangruo, Chunlan, Zhao Deyi, and the newly adopted Daijia.

She decided to check the IQ of the people around her.

"You all tell me what you think."

Jiang Nan's voice carried an undeniable air of authority.

"At this critical juncture, the Empress has pulled that wicked Wanyan from the Imperial Prison and brought her back to her own Kunning Palace... What is she really up to? What is she planning to do?"

Fangruo, as the head palace maid, was meticulous and thoughtful.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking first, her tone filled with worry.

"Your Majesty, this servant feels that... Her Majesty the Empress is clearly challenging you and trying to make things difficult for you. This morning, in the Imperial Garden, in front of so many people, you said that even the Empress couldn't protect such a person, and this afternoon she got the person out of the palace. Isn't this a blatant slap in your face, telling everyone that in this harem, it is still the Empress who calls the shots?"

Jiang Nan nodded to Fang Ruo, then turned her gaze to Chun Lan.

Although Chunlan was mainly in charge of medicine, she was insightful and added to Fangruo's train of thought.

“This servant thinks the same as Sister Fangruo. Her Majesty the Empress’s move is intended as a show of force. She wants to tell you, and everyone in the harem, that no matter how favored you are or how much power you wield, you cannot touch the people she wants to protect.”

Jiang Nan nodded again, thinking to himself that he was still too young and didn't think things through deeply enough.

Finally, their gaze fell upon Zhao Deyi.

The head eunuch, Zhao Deyi, frowned deeply. He was an old hand in the palace and had seen too many struggles and ruthless methods.

Clearly, he had thought about it more deeply.

He carefully recalled everything that had happened that day.

Especially the Empress's pathetic state when she was so angered by the Empress Dowager that she broke down and cried.

And the Empress's words, each one piercing to the heart.

After putting himself in the shoes of the character, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

His voice was lowered, carrying a sense of certainty.

"Your Majesty, this servant believes that Fangruo and Miss Chunlan are right, but Her Majesty's intentions are probably not as simple as just showing off and causing trouble,"

He paused, organizing his thoughts.

"This servant dares to guess that Your Majesty took that Wanyan woman away because you probably wanted to turn her into a knife, a mad dog specifically used to deal with Your Majesty."

"oh?"

Jiang Nan raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself that this Old Zhao was quite something.

He was signaled to continue.

Zhao Deyi analyzed.

"Your Majesty, think about it. Today, Wanyan was exposed in public by you, losing all face and being sent to the Censorate, almost losing her life. She must hate you to the bone. Your Majesty's rescue of her is like giving her a second life. To save her life and to avenge Your Majesty, Wanyan will surely be loyal to Your Majesty wholeheartedly."

"Her Majesty the Empress is currently pregnant with the Emperor's child and it is inconvenient for her to fight against you personally. She needs someone who is full of hatred for you and dares to be ruthless to openly oppose you. This servant estimates that Her Majesty the Empress will not only protect Wanyan, but may also give her a title and support her, making her a thorn in your side."

The more Zhao Deyi spoke, the more alarmed he became, and the faster his mind raced.

"Moreover, Her Majesty the Empress might use this matter to attack you. She would say that your judgment today was hasty and lacked sufficient evidence, making it a miscarriage of justice, while the Empress was discerning and saved the innocent. In this way, she not only saved a knife but also slapped you in the face and gained a reputation for fairness for herself—killing three birds with one stone!"

After listening to Zhao Deyi's meticulous analysis, Jiang Nan remained silent for a long time before a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

"Zhao Deyi, Zhao Deyi, your analysis is quite good. It seems that our Empress did not cry in vain after returning home. She actually read a few pages of a book, and her intelligence has increased significantly."

She stood up, paced around the warm pavilion a couple of times, her eyes flickering, and then suddenly stopped.

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Jiang Nan felt that she was overthinking things and immediately wanted to laugh at herself for making a fuss over nothing.

It's just that there's another concubine who has a grudge against her, what's the big deal?

She even went to great lengths to rack her brains for a solution.

There's really no need for that. Do the Empress and Wanyan Shi even deserve it?

"It's alright. We'll deal with whatever comes our way. If Hesheli wants to play, I'll play along with her."

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