The "family banquet" at Cixi Palace finally came to an end in an atmosphere of outward harmony but inward scheming.

After bidding farewell to the smiling Empress Dowager and the humble Consort Xian, Lin Wanwan and Xiao Che walked side by side on the palace road back to Kunning Palace.

Night had fallen, and the cool moonlight cast a soft glow on the white marble floor. A gentle breeze rustled the osmanthus trees lining the road, carrying their sweet fragrance.

Xiao Che remained silent, simply walking quietly beside her.

Lin Wanwan's mind was still replaying the "tea tasting" emoji above his head.

That discovery completely put her mind at ease, which had been on edge because of Su Jinxiu's appearance. She even felt an unprecedented, mischievous excitement.

She originally thought that Su Jinxiu, such a highly skilled "perfect white lotus," would be the most troublesome enemy she would encounter in the palace.

But now it seems that all her "perfection" has become a joke in front of Xiao Che, who is a walking "green tea detector".

And she was the sole, esteemed VIP audience member in this farce.

This is just... so funny!

A bold idea suddenly came to her mind.

She decided to take the initiative and test the waters.

She not only wanted to verify the accuracy of this "tea tasting" function, but also wanted to see how her hypocritical emperor would evaluate the "tea master" in his eyes.

She turned her head to look at Xiao Che, who was standing silently beside her.

In the moonlight, his profile was sharply defined, as if sculpted by a knife and axe, his handsome features almost otherworldly. His deep eyes were staring straight ahead, revealing no emotion.

Lin Wanwan cleared her throat and spoke in a heartfelt and sincere tone of praise, "Your Majesty, today I think that Consort Xian is truly a wonderful person."

Her voice was exceptionally clear in the silent palace corridor.

Xiao Che did not stop walking, but his gaze turned slightly to her face, with a hint of inquiry.

She met his gaze and continued her "performance".

“Look at her,” she said, counting Su Jinxiu’s virtues on her fingers, “she is well-educated, talented, and would surely find great harmony with you when discussing music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Moreover, she is gentle and considerate, and her conduct is impeccable. There is not a single fault to be found in her. Even I cannot help but feel happy for her.”

She spoke with genuine emotion, a gentle smile on her face, as if she were truly happy that the emperor had gained such a perfect concubine.

As she spoke, her peripheral vision remained fixed on the empty space above his head.

That place was the "examination room" where she would verify her guesses.

After hearing her heartfelt praise, Xiao Che's face remained calm and composed.

He simply uttered a faint syllable from his throat to indicate that he had heard: "Hmm."

Just one word, nothing else.

If it were anyone else, they would surely think that the emperor had tacitly agreed with her statement and perhaps also admired Consort Xian.

However, Lin Wanwan smiled.

Because, at the very moment he uttered that indifferent "hmm," the "comment section" above his head staged a spectacular "face-changing" drama.

A cartoon little girl dressed in the same palace dress as Su Jinxiu was trying hard to squeeze out two tears, putting on a pitiful look. But the next second, her expression changed instantly. Her eyes, which were originally full of affection, rolled back to huge whites, and the corners of her mouth curled into a disdainful arc.

The entire meme is filled with extreme sarcasm and disdain.

The image was accompanied by a flashing text: "[Fake Smile Girl.gif]".

Lin Wanwan felt much more at ease!

Bingo! You guessed right!

This "tea tasting" function is not only accurate, but also full of witty remarks!

She could finally be 100% certain that the "sisterly affection" Su Jinxiu put on in front of her, and the "talent and virtue" she displayed in front of Xiao Che, were nothing but a hypocritical and low-class performance in the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor.

This discovery filled her with an indescribable joy.

She found the ultimate "cheat code" to deal with Su Jinxiu!

From then on, she no longer needed to bother guessing the truth or intentions behind every word Su Jinxiu said and every action she took.

She only needed to glance at Xiao Che's reaction.

He was no longer just her husband, her lover.

He was her most accurate, most reliable, and absolutely bug-free human radar in this high-level palace intrigue!

With this radar, all of Su Jinxiu's pretenses will be exposed before her. In her eyes, she will no longer be a formidable opponent, but a clown who can be exposed at any moment.

Once she understood this, she felt much more relaxed.

She decided to "test" it further.

Looking at Xiao Che's still cold and stern face, she feigned ignorance and continued to ask, "But... it seems that Your Majesty doesn't particularly like Consort Xian? Has my sister done something wrong that displeased Your Majesty?"

She threw the question directly at him, wanting to see how he would use words to conceal his true feelings.

This time, Xiao Che stopped in his tracks.

He turned around and quietly looked at her in the cool moonlight.

His gaze was deep, as if he could see right through her.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, his voice low and clear: "She's fine."

He first gave a positive evaluation, then changed the subject.

"Having a concubine like her in the harem is the Empress Dowager's intention, and also for the balance of power in the court." His tone carried a calmness unique to emperors, a calmness that seemed to see through everything. "She did a very good job, so good that... she made no mistakes."

He said she was "good," but so good that she seemed like a "tool" that needed to be placed in the right position.

Finally, he looked into her eyes and said, in an unprecedentedly serious tone, word by word, "I simply feel that the Empress alone is enough."

This sentence moved Lin Wanwan more than any sweet words of love.

It was like a warm current, instantly flowing through her limbs and bones.

He wasn't saying sweet nothings; he was stating his position.

He told her that no matter how many more women were added to the harem, it was all just a political exercise for him.

In his world, having her as his queen was enough.

Her heart was pounding, but she maintained a calm demeanor.

She looked at him, only to find that the emoji above his head had changed again.

This time, it was a pixelated little figure nodding frantically and forcefully, so fast that it almost left a blur. The little figure's face also wore an excited expression that said, "You've finally spoken my mind."

Next to it was a line of large text: "[You're absolutely right.jpg]".

It turned out that her earlier statement, "His Majesty seems to dislike Consort Xian," sounded so "correct" and "perfect to his liking" to him.

Lin Wanwan finally understood.

Between her and him, regarding Su Jinxiu, a tacit and unique "silent understanding" had been reached.

Looking at his still serious face, she finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Her laughter sounded particularly clear and crisp on the quiet palace path.

Xiao Che's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "What are you laughing at?"

Lin Wanwan smiled and shook her head, took a step forward, took his arm, and gently rested her head on his shoulder.

“It’s nothing,” she said, tilting her head back to look at him, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “I just think the moonlight tonight is really beautiful.”

He didn't ask any further questions, but simply let her hold his arm, and silently continued walking towards Kunning Palace.

She knew that from tonight onwards, this palace intrigue had changed.

It was no longer a battle she fought alone.

Now, it's "them".