Chapter 238
Her appearance suggested that she was expressing her indignation on behalf of the late empress.
A glint flashed in Shen Qingnian's eyes as she coldly asked, "What is this lady's relationship with the late Empress? How can she freely enter and leave the inner palace?"
She did not deliberately lower or change her voice.
When Madam Shen heard Shen Qingnian's somewhat familiar voice, her eyes widened, and her sunken cheeks made her look somewhat terrifying and eerie.
She murmured, "You really are the substitute His Majesty found; even your voice is so similar."
After saying that, her expression turned mocking, and she sneered, "Miss Liu, do you really think that just because you resemble the late Empress, you can win His Majesty's favor? Do you know that the living can never defeat the dead?"
Let me tell you something: the late Empress is still kept in that Ice Palace. For the past three years, His Majesty has had people guarding it day and night. Countless blocks of ice have been used in that palace. It is clear that His Majesty's true heart has always been with the late Empress.
As for you, Miss Liu, you're nothing but a plaything. Once His Majesty tires of you, your days are numbered.
Shen Qingnian was extremely surprised upon hearing this. Her eyes, which were visible through her veil, flashed with surprise and grief, and her voice trembled slightly: "You...you mean that His Majesty has not buried the late Empress in the past three years?"
From the moment the man found her until his return to the palace, she knew absolutely nothing about it, and he had never mentioned it.
Shen Qingnian felt as if something was tearing her heart apart, making it hard for her to breathe. Endless guilt and sadness overwhelmed her, and she even swayed.
Seeing her so distressed, Madam Shen felt that her words had worked. After coughing twice, she said triumphantly, "This time, I entered the palace to visit the late Empress in the Ice Palace. I hope Miss Liu will be aware of her past as a counterfeit."
After saying that, she gestured to Qingzhu to help her leave the pavilion.
This body double, who was the subject of much discussion both inside and outside the palace, was nothing special except for having a face.
Shen Qingnian stayed in the pavilion for a long time to calm down. Her emotions were churning, and she only returned to the Golden Palace after they had completely subsided.
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Inside the Shen Mansion.
After leaving the palace, Madam Shen dragged her frail body toward Shen Zheng's study, unable to suppress the joy on her face.
When Shen Zheng saw Madam Shen enter, he slapped her twice without saying a word.
The crisp sound of a slap echoed in the study. Madam Shen was knocked to the ground, her mouth filled with the smell of blood.
Looking at Madam Shen, who had collapsed in a disheveled state, Shen Zheng said viciously, "You wretched woman! I went to great lengths to heal you, and you can't even do this simple thing!"
He pleaded with His Majesty for many days and finally received permission to enter the palace to pay homage to the late Empress. Who knew that this wretched woman had failed again this time, not only last time but also now.
Shen Zheng's plan was to have Madam Shen go to the Ice Palace to burn down. Once the fire started, Qingzhu, who was beside her, would "leave" Madam Shen behind. Then, they would pretend that Madam Shen had committed suicide by burning down the palace because she missed the late Empress too much.
However, Madam Shen's repeated mishaps delayed Shen Zheng's plans from being completed.
Madam Shen, lying on the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and said repeatedly, "My lord, I saw the woman His Majesty brought into the palace this time! That woman looks very much like the late Empress."
Madam Shen: Shen Qingnian, you are just a pitiful substitute that His Majesty found!
Shen Qingnian: "Hehe."
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