Li Jingshu did not sleep the whole night. It was not until the sky began to brighten that she returned to the Prime Minister's Mansion with her personal maid.
The Prime Minister's wife, Gu Manqing, was no ordinary woman. Over the years, she had successfully ensured that Li Mingfu didn't even have a concubine or maid. She even orchestrated the murder of Li Mingfu's only concubine, Xian Ge!
Gu Manqing's tactics were so shrewd that they drew everyone's attention. She was meticulous and adept at planning, commanding immense prestige both within the palace and at court. Li Jingshu, knowing Gu Manqing's formidable abilities, had to ask her mother for advice on how to deal with Luo Lingyue.
From the moment Li Jingshu entered the Prime Minister's Mansion, she felt an invisible pressure coming at her. Everything here seemed so strange and familiar, but she knew she could no longer return to her carefree past.
However, Li Jingshu would not easily succumb to the arrangement of fate. There was a fire burning in her heart. If she could kill Luo Lingyue once, she could kill her a second time!
Li Jingshu threw herself into Gu Manqing's arms with tears streaming down her face, choking with sobs as she confessed, "Mother! Those two shameless women actually bewitched the Crown Prince to such a degree that he stayed with them all day. I'm truly terrified... If they give birth to children first, I'm afraid my position in the Eastern Palace will be in jeopardy!"
Gu Manqing's face was distorted with anger. She gnashed her teeth and cursed, "If I had known this would happen, I should have ruthlessly eradicated these two bitches!"
Li Jingshu's eyes were filled with malice and hatred. She said fiercely, "The reason they were able to become concubines must be a conspiracy carefully planned by that insidious and cunning Luo Lingyue!"
Gu Manqing's eyes flashed with calculation: "The Queen Mother's birthday is in a month, and His Majesty will definitely celebrate her birthday. We can take this opportunity to get rid of those two bitches!"
Li Jingshu said hesitantly, "Those two people have been following the Crown Prince all the time, inseparable from him. It's hard for us to find an opportunity to take action. Besides, if we deal with them, will the Crown Prince be implicated? Otherwise, why don't we get rid of Luo Lingyue first!"
Gu Manqing replied unhappily, "Luo Lingyue is no longer a threat to you. She's at the peak of her powers right now. If we act rashly to eliminate her, it might just cause some trouble!"
Li Jingshu's eyes flashed with anger, and she shouted excitedly: "Mother! If we don't get rid of her now, after she and Xiao Jinghan get married, the Luo family army and the Xiao family army will definitely support the King of Qin with all their strength. Only by getting rid of Luo Lingyue first will the Xiao family army stop supporting the King of Qin. Then, we can choose a suitable official's daughter from the prince's camp to marry Xiao Jinghan! In this way, the Xiao family army will be able to stand on the side of the prince in the future!"
Gu Manqing let out a scornful smile as she sneered, "The Xiao Family Army? How could Xiao Jinghan possibly have the ability to seize power from Xiao Jingyi? But strangely enough, Emperor Wen treats Xiao Jinghan even better than his own son. This Luo Lingyue is indeed a bit tricky!"
Li Jingshu frowned and looked at Gu Manqing with concern. She asked seriously, "Does mother have any foolproof plan?"
Gu Manqing smiled slightly and said confidently: "Don't be anxious, this matter needs long-term consideration. Don't worry, at this court banquet, I will definitely make the Queen Mother and His Majesty disgusted with her!" A hint of cunning flashed in her eyes, and it seemed that she had already thought of a countermeasure.
Li Jingshu slowly walked out of the Prime Minister's Residence, her mind full of thoughts. She walked lightly towards the Imperial Palace. Along the way, she silently pondered the relationship between herself and the Crown Prince, her heart growing heavier.
After entering the palace, Li Jingshu came to the Queen's bedroom. The Queen was sitting on the couch, looking out the window with a worried look. When she saw Li Jingshu, a trace of heartache and helplessness flashed in her eyes.
The Queen sighed softly and said to the humble Li Jingshu, "Jingshu, don't worry! Mother will definitely go to the Crown Prince to have a good talk! How could those two lowly concubines allow the Crown Prince to treat his Crown Princess so coldly? This is outrageous!"
Li Jingshu lowered her head slightly and whispered softly, "Mother, please don't blame the Crown Prince. It's all because Jingshu is not good enough and can't keep the Crown Prince's heart..."
Upon hearing this, the Queen's face turned blue with rage. She slammed the table and stood up, "The Crown Prince is the future ruler of a country. How can he be deceived by those seductive women? Madam Liu, take someone and bring those two vixens to me immediately!"
Li Jingshu pretended to be extremely anxious and knelt down to dissuade her: "Mother, please calm down! No matter what, they are the prince's concubines after all. I hope you will think twice!" Her voice was full of anxiety and earnestness, for fear that the queen would do something extreme in a moment of impulse.
The Queen stepped forward and helped her up, saying, "Jingshu! In our Li family, your aunt only recognizes you. How dare those two unrespectable seductresses seduce the Crown Prince! I want them to know who is the mistress of the Eastern Palace!"
Matron Liu moved swiftly, bringing Li Xuemei and Li Xuelan before the Empress in a matter of moments. The Empress was taken aback upon seeing the sisters. She vaguely remembered them coming to pay their respects a few days ago, but she hadn't paid much attention to their appearance then.
Now, taking a closer look, I could only see that these two women were incredibly beautiful, their gentle beauty radiating dignity and grace. They knelt respectfully on the ground, performing a standard ceremony before the empress. However, the empress did not allow them to stand, but continued playing chess with Li Jingshu as if nothing had happened.
For a moment, an eerie atmosphere permeated the entire palace. Li Xuemei and Li Xuelan lowered their heads, feeling a sense of unease. They didn't know why the Queen wouldn't let them rise, and they didn't dare to ask. They could only kneel there quietly, awaiting the Queen's instructions.
The two concubines knelt on the ground very seriously. Time passed bit by bit. After about an hour, the prince finally hurried to Kunning Palace. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw his beloved concubines kneeling on the ground, and saw Li Jingshu sitting there playing chess with the queen.
The Crown Prince was immediately enraged, feeling that his dignity had been severely violated. Seeing his expression, the Queen simply said, "Jingshu, take the two concubines back to the East Palace and teach them the proper etiquette of the palace!"
Although the Queen's tone was calm, the majesty contained in it was impossible to ignore. After hearing this, Li Jingshu stood up, saluted the Queen, and then left Kunning Palace with the two concubines.
The prince watched them leave, his anger growing more and more difficult to calm down. He knew that this must be Li Jingshu's trick again, she wanted to humiliate him and his concubines in this way. The prince secretly vowed to find an opportunity to take revenge...
The prince was afraid that Li Jingshu would make things difficult for the two sisters in the Eastern Palace, so he wanted to go back with her!
The Queen said coldly, "Prince, please stay! Your Majesty has something to tell you!"
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