Luo Peiyu was dressed as a palace maid.
Secretly, she was Xie Yuan's embroidered-robe messenger, but in public, she was just a female official by Empress Xie's side.
"Luo Peiyu, someone is looking for you!"
Just as Luo Peiyu was about to take advantage of her duty to carefully survey all the palaces, she heard the voice of a young palace maid.
"Oh! Here it comes!"
Luo Peiyu controlled her emotions and concealed her sharpness. She walked out slowly, just like an ordinary low-ranking female official.
As she entered the courtyard, she was about to look around when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her sleeve.
Luo Peiyu was startled, and all the muscles in her body tensed up.
In the years since she went to Lingnan, she is no longer the frail woman she was when she left the capital.
At the Yue King's Palace, he initially worked as a spy.
Later, she joined the princess's tutelage and began to receive various training programs.
The first lesson of the training was "military training".
Xie Yuan has her own military camp. Her maids, female officials, and adopted orphans all need to undergo military training if they want to advance further.
In the military camp, Xie Yuan's training methods were strictly implemented, which are the training subjects of some special forces in later generations.
Only those who can endure the three-month intensive training and successfully pass the assessment will be given important responsibilities by Xie Yuan.
Luo Peiyu chose to become an Embroidered Robe Envoy. She not only had to undergo military training, but also received more and more rigorous training.
Xie Yuan was training Luo Peiyu and several other women to be special agents.
Luo Peiyu did not disappoint Xie Yuan's expectations. She persevered despite the hardships and eventually became an Embroidered Robe Envoy.
She gathered a lot of intelligence for Xie Yuan in Lingnan, and Luo Peiyu made great contributions when Xie Yuan defeated Xie Ze and the local powerful families.
Xie Yuan always rewarded those who had rendered meritorious service, and he did not treat Luo Peiyu differently because of her original identity as a spy.
Today, Luo Peiyu has become Yaoguang, one of the seven commanders of the Embroidered Robe Envoys.
Yaoguang is both Luo Peiyu's code name and the name of the branch she leads.
Of course, these were all covert identities, and Helian Jue was unaware of the details.
All he knew was that this female official named Luo Peiyu was someone his A-Yuan valued highly.
If Helian Jue didn't know Luo Peiyu's true identity, how could Fang Dafu and Empress Dowager Ashina know?
They were still stuck in their past impressions, regarding Luo Peiyu only as a spy sent by Empress Dowager Xiao to the Prince of Yue's residence.
These two even used this incident as leverage to threaten Luo Peiyu—
"Luo Peiyu, do you think that apart from the Xiao family, no one else knows your true identity?"
"Ha! Although you were chosen as a palace slave by the late emperor and the Xiao family, I am the mistress of the Great Zhou Dynasty's palace."
"I know your situation perfectly well!"
“Your grandfather was an official in the court. He committed a crime and his family was confiscated by the late emperor. The men were beheaded and the women were sent to the inner palace.”
"You were only nine years old when you entered the palace. After serving as a palace slave for several years, you were selected by the Xiao family and sent to Yuezhou!"
Empress Dowager Ashina sat cross-legged on the couch, looking at Luo Peiyu with a disdainful gaze.
It was as if the person kneeling before her was not a person, but an ant that she could crush at any moment.
Luo Peiyu lay prone on the ground, her forehead pressed tightly against the floor, only the back of her head and her trembling body visible.
Empress Dowager Ashina couldn't see her expression at all.
But it doesn't matter anyway!
Normal people would be scared if their identity was exposed.
Didn't you see Luo Peiyu's body trembling?
"Luo Peiyu, I am very curious, how would Madam Xie react if she knew that she had mistaken a spy for a confidant?"
Empress Dowager Ashina became even more smug, and sighed dramatically, "Alas, my daughter-in-law is the most strong-willed person, someone who doesn't tolerate any injustice under pressure."
"If she finds out she's been tricked, she'll be furious!"
"And you, Luo Peiyu, are just a lowly palace maid. Your life or death depends entirely on Xie's word."
Upon hearing this, Luo Peiyu shifted slightly.
She seemed to have thought of something and wanted to refute it, but she was afraid of the Empress Dowager's power.
Seeing Luo Peiyu's appearance, Empress Dowager Ashina burst out laughing. "Oh, right! You're a member of the Xiao family. Are you still thinking that even if something happens and your true colors are exposed, the Xiao family will still save you?"
"Hehe! I advise you to give up on that idea."
"I know that woman, Xiao, better than anyone. She is the most selfish and cold-hearted person."
"You treat her as your benefactor and want to rely on her; but she treats you as a useless piece of trash and abandons you directly."
Empress Dowager Ashina couldn't help but get angry when she mentioned Empress Dowager Xiao.
When she spoke, her tone was clearly tinged with disgust and contempt!
"If you harbor any illusions about a woman like that, you won't even know how you died!"
After Empress Dowager Ashina finished speaking harshly, seeing that Luo Peiyu was trembling even more violently, she changed her tone and began to gently win him over, saying, "Actually, I quite admire your talent."
"To be able to gain the favor of the mistress despite being a palace maid bestowed by the emperor, Luo Peiyu, you are quite clever."
At this point, Empress Dowager Ashina seemed to have grown tired of Luo Peiyu's back of the head and suddenly raised her voice, "Luo Peiyu, raise your head!"
Luo Peiyu shuddered again.
Clearly, she was startled by Empress Dowager Ashina's sudden shout.
But after shivering, she timidly raised her head.
Empress Dowager Ashina finally saw Luo Peiyu's face. Her small face, no bigger than a palm, was a little pale, and there were tears in the corners of her eyes.
Oh wow, this girl is scared of her.
It's good that you know fear!
Empress Dowager Ashina stared into Luo Peiyu's eyes, looking confident of victory. "If you are willing to serve me, I will protect you!"
"It is true that Lady Xie is in charge of the entire harem, but she is my daughter-in-law, and I am the Empress Dowager!"
Empress Dowager Ashina was not entirely self-righteous.
She knew that, for the time being, she seemed to be at a disadvantage.
However, this does not prove that she was truly defeated by Xie Yuan.
As long as she remains the Empress Dowager, she has an advantage over Xie Yuan.
In the future, she may still have a chance to turn things around.
For a servant like Luo Peiyu, following her still offers a promising future and security.
Empress Dowager Ashina drew a cake that wasn't quite round.
Of course, making empty promises isn't her trump card; she has even greater confidence—
"Of course, if you remain stubborn, I will not be lenient."
"After all, Xie is my daughter-in-law, and I don't want to see her being deceived by that vile woman."
Empress Dowager Ashina's meaning was very clear: even if I can't protect you, I can destroy you.
Throw yourself at me, and you may still live.
But if you refuse to submit to me, you will surely die.
Xie was never a good-natured person.
Helian Jue was vengeful and never showed mercy to traitors.
Xie was his wife, and she probably wasn't the type to repay evil with kindness.
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