Xiao Ruyan's eyelids twitched. Meeting the Empress's angry gaze, she took two steps back and curtsied, saying, "Your Majesty need not be so angry. The relationship between you and the Third Prince is naturally not something a concubine like me can sow discord between. However, Your Majesty is the mother, and I am the Third Prince's favorite person. If there is a conflict between us, the Third Prince will be in a difficult position. Your Majesty loves the Third Prince so much, you wouldn't want him to be caught in the middle, would you?"
The Empress looked at Xiao Ruyan in disbelief: "What do you mean by this? Do you really think Run'er would abandon his birth mother for a lowly woman like you?"
"Hehe." Xiao Ruyan laughed. "This... I naturally didn't know, but the Third Prince has already sent a letter asking me to disguise myself as a man and accompany him. I suppose the Third Prince treats me differently."
Upon hearing this, the Empress's eyes widened in shock: "What did you say?"
Xiao Ruyan lowered her eyes, deliberately showing a shy expression: "A day apart feels like three autumns. It is only natural that the Third Prince misses me and wants me to come and keep him company. However, in that case, I will not be able to help the Third Prince in the capital. Therefore, I can only entrust the affairs of the capital to Your Majesty the Empress."
"Smack!"
The Empress slapped Xiao Ruyan across the face again: "You slut! You slut!"
Xiao Ruyan covered her face, clenching her teeth tightly. Looking at the Empress's broken state, she laughed inwardly: "Your Majesty, it's alright if you hit me, but if the Third Prince sees the handprint on my face, what do you expect me to say if he asks about it?"
"Guards! Seize her!" The Empress was completely deaf to Xiao Ruyan's words and started yelling.
The old nanny quickly stepped forward to comfort the Empress: "Your Majesty, don't be angry. No matter who the Third Prince likes, he is still your son, and no one can change that."
“Your Highness, we can understand that the Third Prince is a man. She is just a plaything for the Third Prince to amuse himself. If the Third Prince really valued her, why would he let her dress as a man? Obviously, she is not presentable!”
The nanny's words brought the Empress a slight sense of relief, but her eyes still held resentment as she looked at Xiao Ruyan.
Xiao Ruyan clearly didn't want the Empress to have an easy time this time. She also heard what the nanny said, sneered, and slowly said, "Perhaps in your eyes I am just a plaything, but in the eyes of the Third Prince, I am not. What kind of women haven't I met along the way? Yet the Third Prince insists that I take a different path, disguise myself as a man, and stay by his side. Obviously, the Third Prince only wants me."
"If that's the case, and you still don't admit that the Third Prince has feelings for me, then there's nothing I can do."
“The Third Prince and I are in love. Even though he knows I am not a virgin, the fact that he still allowed me into his residence shows his sincerity towards me. Your Majesty, please don’t deceive yourself.”
“Originally, I also wanted to get along well with Her Highness, after all, we are both the Third Prince's people, but Her Highness has repeatedly picked fights with me and insulted me…”
"What do you want?" The Empress glared at Xiao Ruyan. "You want it back? Who do you think you are?"
"Of course I wouldn't lay a hand on Your Majesty the Empress," Xiao Ruyan said with a light laugh. "However, Your Majesty is surely aware of the power of pillow talk."
"You dare threaten me!"
The Empress looked at Xiao Ruyan in disbelief; she had underestimated her these past few days!
Xiao Ruyan raised her chin slightly: "I wouldn't dare threaten you, I'm just telling the truth."
"you!"
The Empress stared intently at Xiao Ruyan, and it had to be said that she was somewhat uneasy. After all, Mu Yangrun had already let Xiao Ruyan go, which was enough to show how important Xiao Ruyan was to Mu Yangrun.
Seeing the Empress's expression, Xiao Ruyan felt extremely pleased. These days, the Empress had bullied her quite a bit, and now, humph!
"I won't hold the past against Her Majesty the Empress. I only hope that Her Majesty will not cause trouble in the future, so that we can still get along peacefully. What do you think, Her Majesty?"
The Empress glared at Xiao Ruyan, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed her anger. Just as she was about to give in, she heard a cold, snarling voice.
"Your Majesty, although you are currently in the Cold Palace, you will be released by the Emperor in a few days. The Crown Prince's birth mother, the mother of the nation, is actually being threatened by someone who is not worthy of being mentioned in public?"
Leng Zhizhi slowly walked in, glanced at Xiao Ruyan, then curtsied to the Empress with a faint smile on her face: "Your Majesty, you are the Empress, how can you be so humble?"
"Men are all the same, aren't they? No matter how much they like someone, if they meet someone better, they'll naturally replace their current one."
"There are so many beautiful women in this world, the Third Prince is just after a fleeting moment of novelty."
"I refuse to believe that if you kill her, the Third Prince will disown you as his mother!"
Xiao Ruyan's face darkened, and just as she was about to speak, she heard the Empress say, "Why has Consort Li come?"
"Oh, it's been a long time since I've seen Your Highness, so I came to visit today." Leng Zhizhi turned to look at Xiao Ruyan, raising an eyebrow. "Luckily I came, otherwise Xiao Ruyan's conspiracy would have succeeded."
"What does Consort Li mean?" Xiao Ruyan asked in a deep voice.
The Empress also looked at Leng Zhizhi, her face full of confusion.
"You said that the Third Prince had you disguise yourself as a man to be by his side because he liked you, but as far as I know, that's not the case."
"The Third Prince was punished by the Emperor because of Li Rufeng's matter. Although there is no conclusive evidence that the Third Prince was also involved, it is clear that the Third Prince is a criminal in the eyes of the Emperor. Under such circumstances, the Third Prince will only try his best to clear his name. How could he let you go when he knows that he could be disliked by the Emperor at any time?"
Xiao Ruyan stared intently at Leng Zhizhi. She never expected that Leng Zhizhi would know so much!
The Empress suddenly looked at Xiao Ruyan: "Is what Consort Li said true?"
Xiao Ruyan raised an eyebrow: "So what if it's true? So what if it's false? At least I'm useful to the Third Prince."
"That's not necessarily true," Leng Zhizhi said slowly. "There must be something on you that the Third Prince needs, which is why he went through so much trouble to bring you over. All we need to do is take that thing from you and give it to another woman who is prettier and smarter than you. What do you think the consequences would be?"
Xiao Ruyan smiled: "Oh? So, does that mean Consort Li knows what it is?"
"I don't know." Leng Zhizhi sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, and said indifferently, "He's not my son, why should I care so much? I just don't like you, so I don't want your plan to succeed."
"Your Majesty, you decide what to do."
The Empress narrowed her eyes, looking at Xiao Ruyan's confident face, and said sarcastically, "What, speechless now? You don't actually think I'll be fooled by you again, do you?"
"Hand over the item, or I'll make you wish you were dead!"
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