Just as Shen Ningyuan was thinking, the eunuch's sharp voice rang out: "The Queen is here!"
Afterwards, all the ladies present knelt down and saluted.
Shen Ningyuan and Song Yaner also knelt down. The latter, in a voice that only the two of them could hear, whispered a warning: "The Queen is here. You have to be careful at today's palace banquet."
"Sister-in-law, I know."
Shen Ningyuan's tone was calm, and she didn't seem worried at all.
"Everyone, please stand up. Today is a palace banquet to celebrate the Queen Mother's return to the palace. There is no need to be restrained."
He Yunshu walked towards the top position with graceful steps.
But when he passed by Shen Ningyuan, he deliberately slowed down his pace and then stopped.
He ordered in a cold tone: "You, raise your head."
Shen Ningyuan paused, then slowly raised her head and looked at He Yunshu.
After staring at Shen Ningyuan's face for a long while, He Yunshu said with a half-smile, "I haven't seen you for a month, and you seem to have gained a lot of weight. Why, as soon as your late husband was buried, you let yourself go?"
"Could it be that you've been hoping he'll die so you can find someone new?"
As soon as He Yunshu said this, it immediately caused an uproar.
Everyone knew that the queen was deliberately looking for trouble with Shen Ningyuan, so no one dared to look up casually.
"Chen Ningyuan, why don't you speak? Is it because I don't have the right to let you speak?"
Seeing that Shen Ningyuan did not respond, He Yunshu questioned in a cold voice.
Song Yan'er immediately spoke up, "Your Majesty, my sister just lost her husband and is very upset. If I have offended you, please forgive me."
He Yunshu glanced over coldly, "Did I ask you to speak?"
Then he glared at Shen Ningyuan coldly, "I want her to speak!"
When saying this, He Yunshu deliberately emphasized her tone, shocking everyone present so much that they couldn't help but tremble.
It looked like the Queen was determined to cause trouble for Shen Ningyuan.
There were even two people in the crowd who were whispering about this sudden situation.
"What's going on? Did Shen Ningyuan offend the queen?"
"Don't you know? When Shen Ningyuan entered the palace, she killed someone in the Queen's bedroom, forcing the Queen to move out of her previous bedroom."
"What? There is such a thing. Shen Ningyuan is looking for death!"
"That's right. Relying on the Shen family's power, they even ignore the Empress. Sooner or later, they will suffer."
"Exactly. I thought she was pitiful because her husband died, but I didn't expect she was such a shrew!"
"Stop talking, don't let anyone hear it."
As soon as the conversation between the two ended, Shen Ningyuan’s cold voice was heard.
"Your Majesty, your Majesty, this subject and your Majesty have been married for a long time, and everyone in the capital knows about it. Now that your Majesty has just left, you are throwing dirty water on me. How can this be justified?"
Shen Ningyuan asked directly, which made He Yunshu feel a little embarrassed.
His expression paused, and he continued to question in a cold voice: "Chen Ningyuan, I am kindly concerned about you, the widow of the Marquis's Mansion, why are you so harsh?"
"The Empress's concern is indeed thorough. She even knows whether there is anyone new in my backyard." Shen Ningyuan asked indifferently: "Why? Did the Empress plant spies in my backyard, always keeping an eye on my every move?"
"Chen Ningyuan, you——"
He Yunshu was almost mad with anger.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Chen Ningyuan, you have such a sharp tongue. If I can't find a reason, I really want to pull your tongue out!"
Shen Ningyuan: "..."
After hearing what He Yunshu said, Shen Ningyuan was choked.
I've heard before that the queen is a person with a big heart and no brains.
But I didn't expect that she would be so stupid.
How dare you say such words in public? Aren't you afraid of not being accepted by others?
Seeing that Chen Ningyuan didn't speak again, He Yunshu urged directly: "Chen Ningyuan, speak up! If you don't speak again, I will really pull out your tongue."
"Queen, please stop messing around."
Just as He Yunshu finished speaking, a steady voice came from outside the hall.
The crowd began to get restless and immediately turned around to look over.
Then I saw the Queen Mother walking in wearing gorgeous clothes, supported by two palace maids.
Everyone was shocked and saluted loudly.
He Yunshu also turned around immediately and walked towards the empress dowager.
As she approached, He Yunshu ignored the empress dowager's gloomy gaze and asked crisply, "Mother, the palace banquet hasn't started yet, why are you here so quickly?"
The Queen Mother did not respond to He Yunshu's words. She slowly restrained her expression and glanced at everyone present.
Finally, he set his gaze on Shen Ningyuan, and a barely perceptible complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
Shen Ningyuan seemed to have noticed something, looked up at the Queen Mother, and met her complicated gaze.
Strangely, the moment Shen Ningyuan looked over, the empress dowager looked away again.
This scene couldn't help but make Shen Ningyuan feel confused.
As far as she knew, the empress dowager's surname was Cui, and like her mother, she was from the Cui family of Qinghe.
Could it be that she has some connection with her mother?
When Shen Ningyuan was full of doubts, He Yunshu noticed that Empress Dowager Cui's gaze was always on Shen Ningyuan, and He Yunshu frowned.
Just as he was about to speak, he saw Queen Mother Cui gently shake off the palace maid who was supporting her.
She walked step by step to the center of the hall, looked at He Yunshu coldly, and said in a voice that was dignified without anger: "I was in the side hall and heard the commotion here. Queen, you are the mistress of the six palaces. At this palace banquet, in front of all the ministers, you are taking advantage of your position to embarrass a newly widowed widow. How can you be so disrespectful?"
He Yunshu's face turned pale, she bit her lower lip, and explained aggrievedly: "Mother, it was Chen Ningyuan who had no respect for her elders and did not take me seriously. She even talked back to me. I was so angry that I scolded her."
"Disrespectful to your elders?" Queen Mother Cui snorted coldly, "But I was just outside the palace and saw clearly that you were the first to target Chen Ningyuan. I was just arguing with you."
Queen Mother Cui then emphasized her tone and scolded in a deep voice, "As the current empress, you are so narrow-minded. How can you be called the mother of the country?"
He Yunshu was unwilling to be scolded in public by Empress Dowager Cui, but she did not dare to refute her casually.
I had no choice but to lower my head and swallow my anger silently.
It's really strange that this old woman who is devoted to Buddhism would actually protect Shen Ningyuan?
Then, Queen Mother Cui turned to look at Shen Ningyuan, her tone a little softer than before: "Get up!"
Queen Mother Cui said in a complicated tone, "Your husband died for his country, and you are still a widow at such a young age. It is truly not easy. If you have any difficulties in the future, please feel free to tell me."
"Although I don't stay in the capital often, I can still help you a little."
Shen Ningyuan was suspicious.
Why was Queen Mother Cui so good to her?
Although she was curious, she still bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration. I am deeply grateful."
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