Xiao Ruyan looked at the Empress in disbelief, her eyes full of mockery. How could someone with such a brain become an Empress?
How exactly did she manage to establish herself in the imperial harem?
Leng Zhizhi looked at the angry Empress, a hint of something unreadable flashing in her eyes, and then stood up: "Your Majesty, I was just trying to remind you out of kindness. After all, we both know Xiao Ruyan's character."
"The Third Prince is still young and may be misled without realizing it. I am a straightforward person and I say what I think. Xiao Ruyan is not a good match for the Third Prince."
Leng Zhizhi then looked at Xiao Ruyan, raised an eyebrow and said, "I really can't stand you. All you do all day is scheme and trickery. I'm not afraid to say it to your face, but you've been bewitching the Third Prince for so many years. One day the Third Prince will wake up. No matter how bad the Third Prince is, he is still the Emperor's own son and the Crown Prince's brother. You are not worthy of him."
A surge of anger rose within Xiao Ruyan.
She knew that Leng Zhizhi disliked her, but she never imagined that Leng Zhizhi would insult her to her face!
Leng Zhizhi took in Xiao Ruyan's expression and scoffed, "Fine, it's your family matter after all, you can handle it yourselves. But Your Majesty, you'd better be careful."
After saying that, Leng Zhizhi left immediately.
Once they were outside the Empress's palace, Zhan'er said, "I feel like something's off about Xiao Ruyan."
"What do you mean?" Leng Zhizhi raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhan'er, asking in confusion.
Zhan'er frowned, pondered for a while, and then slowly said, "Xiao Ruyan used to be easily angered. As she has grown older, she may have become more composed, but... but in the last few times we met, I always felt that she looked down on us. She acted superior, as if she knew something that we didn't, as if she were looking at us like we were ants."
"Heh." Leng Zizhi chuckled mockingly. "Perhaps you think you have some tricks up your sleeve, that you can manipulate us?"
"No, Your Highness, I'm not sure either, but we must be careful," Zhan'er said seriously. "Perhaps we can ask Princess Zhenguo."
Leng Zhizhi squeezed the bracelet Bai Tuantuan had given her and said slowly, "No need. We can't ask Tuantuan for everything. Let's just wait and see. We'll deal with whatever comes our way. If all else fails, we still have what Tuantuan gave us. Nothing will happen."
Zhan'er nodded.
The two had barely left when the Empress ordered Xiao Ruyan to be apprehended: "Search her! Find everything on her!"
She wanted to see what exactly was threatening her Run'er!
Yes, in the Empress's view, Xiao Ruyan must have some kind of leverage over Mu Yangrun, which is why Xiao Ruyan dared to be so presumptuous and gain Mu Yangrun's attention.
Xiao Ruyan never expected that her plan would be disrupted by Leng Zhizhi. Just a moment ago, the Empress was about to apologize to her.
She can also take the opportunity to express her own ideas!
What a cold-blooded person! As expected, anyone who is on good terms with Bai Tuantuan is a stumbling block for her!
On the other side, Bai Tuantuan and the others rode at full speed, traveling for a day and a night, and arrived at the Erdong Restaurant in Hero Town.
"I never expected that Xiao Ran would actually open the Er Dong Restaurant here," the Emperor said with a smile. "Any news from Elder Chen and Elder Bai?"
"Grandfather and maternal grandfather are inside." Bai Tuantuan hurried over. "Uncle, let's go in quickly, I'm starving!"
"Hahaha! You little glutton!" The Emperor closed his folding fan. "Let's go."
As soon as the group entered, the innkeeper greeted them: "Distinguished guests, please come in. The food and drinks are ready."
The group went inside and headed straight to the side room.
After testing the poison, Eunuch Cai went to the side room next door.
"Your Majesty." Bai Han and Chen Luo entered. Chen Luo slowly said, "Your Majesty, there is a martial arts competition in Hero Town in three days. I wonder if you would be interested?"
"Oh? A martial arts contest?"
Chen Luo sat down and then slowly explained: "Every year, Hero Town holds a martial arts competition. The winner becomes the town's security guard and receives a salary."
"In Hero Town, everyone knows martial arts. They start practicing martial arts from the age of three, regardless of whether they are men or women. As long as you are skilled in martial arts, you can practice."
"Nowadays, there are quite a few women in the county government office of Hero Town. Although they are not officially recorded as officials, the prefect of Hero Town pays their salaries out of his own pocket."
Chen Luo stroked his beard and sighed, "From what I've heard, the prefect of Hero Town is indeed a man of great vision! I've heard that in Hero Town, women hold up half the sky, and no one here dares to look down on women."
"What can a woman do? Is the prefect of Hero Town out of his mind?" Mu Yangrun rolled his eyes and immediately said to the Emperor, "Father, you must investigate this thoroughly. Isn't this reckless?"
Bai Tuantuan suddenly didn't like the duck in her mouth anymore!
Just as he was about to retort, he heard Ning Nanxiao's voice: "What men can do, women can do too, but what women can do, men may not be able to do."
"Heh." Mu Yangrun chuckled sarcastically, "Is there any woman in this world who can do what a man can't? Ning Nanxiao, are you out of your mind? Hahaha!"
"Can you give birth?"
Ning Nanxiao countered with a question.
Mu Yangrun's laughter stopped abruptly.
Mu Yangzhi chimed in, "Exactly! Can you even give birth? Besides, some women are smart. Take Tuantuan for example, she's more capable than ten of you. You're not as good at martial arts as Tuantuan, you're not as smart as Tuantuan, and you don't have the same foresight as Tuantuan. So, aren't you just inferior to women?"
"Her Majesty the Empress is a woman too. Does she know how much you look down on her?"
Mu Yangrun was furious and embarrassed: "Second brother, aren't you going too far!"
"That's the truth, there's nothing we can do if you don't admit it." Mu Yangzhi shrugged, his face full of helplessness.
Bai Tuantuan smiled happily and gave Mu Yangzhi a thumbs up: "Great job!"
Ning Nanxiao frowned, looking at Mu Yangzhi with obvious disdain, and then said in a low voice, "What, can't you praise me?"
Bai Tuantuan almost choked on her white rice!
But then she looked at Ning Nanxiao in disbelief, coughed twice, and slowly said, "Well, you were great too, thank you."
"Perfunctory."
Ning Nanxiao placed the peeled shrimp meat into Bai Tuantuan's bowl: "Eat."
Bai Tuantuan: ……
Bai Tuantuan took a deep look at Ning Nanxiao, and seeing that he was as usual, her beating heart calmed down.
After thinking for a moment, she tentatively said, "Thank you, Brother Nanxiao."
The soft, sweet voice almost made Ning Nanxiao drop her chopsticks, and she mumbled an indistinct "hmm".
Bai Tuantuan instantly understood that Ning Nanxiao doted on her like a younger sister!
That makes sense, since Ning Nanxiao is good friends with her two older brothers.
With this in mind, Bai Tuantuan no longer felt pressured and happily began to eat.
Mu Yangzhi, who was watching the two of them, winked at Ning Nanxiao and asked, "Brother Nanxiao, can you peel shrimp for me?"
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