As soon as I returned to the Duke of Huguo's Mansion, I ran into Eunuch Cheng at the door.

"Eunuch Cheng." Su Xiaoxiao greeted him.

Eunuch Cheng said anxiously, "Madam Wei, the Queen Mother is not feeling well. She hasn't eaten much all day. I am so sorry to bother you..."

Su Xiaoxiao said: "Okay, I'll go right away."

Wei Ting said: "I'll take you there. I just need to go to the front hall to handle some business."

It was fake to handle official business, and it was real to give it to her.

Su Xiaoxiao did not refuse.

The two entered the palace.

Wei Ting went to the duty room in the front hall.

Su Xiaoxiao and Eunuch Cheng went to Fushou Palace.

Surprisingly, Princess Lin was also there.

She was playing chess with the Queen Mother.

The two of them sat on a cushion in the center of the hall, with a small table in the middle.

The Queen Mother holds the black pieces, and Princess Lin holds the white pieces.

The game is more than half over.

Su Xiaoxiao could see that the Queen Mother was bound to win.

It’s not that Princess Lin gave in to the Queen Mother, it’s that the Queen Mother’s chess skills are indeed better than Princess Lin’s.

Eunuch Cheng was about to speak up to remind the Queen Mother that Madam Wei was here.

Su Xiaoxiao gestured to him, walked over gently, and knelt down behind the empress dowager.

Princess Lin on the opposite side was pondering over what to do next when a figure floated by and she thought it was a palace maid.

Su Xiaoxiao massaged the empress dowager's shoulders.

The Queen Mother instantly felt very comfortable and closed her eyes in enjoyment: "It's here."

Princess Lin paused as she raised the chess piece. The Queen Mother asked her to move here? She placed a piece.

The Queen Mother looked at where she had placed the move and frowned, "This is not a very smart move."

Princess Lin was confused and subconsciously looked behind the Queen Mother.

It doesn't matter if you don't look at it.

This sight almost made her scream out.

The Queen Mother noticed her gaze and turned her head to look.

When she found out it was Su Xiaoxiao, she laughed in a reproachful manner: "Why are you here? Let me guess, is there someone so bold as to disobey my order and come to find you?"

Eunuch Cheng lowered his head.

Su Xiaoxiao continued to massage the Queen Mother's shoulders: "No, I miss the Queen Mother."

Is the Queen Mother so easily fooled?

However, since Su Xiaoxiao wanted to speak for Eunuch Cheng, the Queen Mother ignored it.

"It won't happen again."

The Queen Mother warned.

"Yes!" Eunuch Cheng agreed.

The Queen Mother took Su Xiaoxiao's hand, not wanting her to get tired: "Okay, sit down next to me."

The palace maid beside her hurriedly placed a soft cushion.

Su Xiaoxiao sat on it and greeted Princess Lin with a smile: "Princess."

Princess Lin smiled awkwardly: "Madam Wei."

The Queen Mother was surprised: "Do you know each other?"

Princess Lin felt nervous.

Su Xiaoxiao smiled and said, "We bumped into each other by chance on the street this morning and talked for a few words. I didn't expect to meet again so soon."

The Queen Mother's eyes softened as she looked at Princess Lin: "Then it can be considered fate."

Princess Lin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

God knows, she was sweating coldly.

Although she was a princess, she had to be summoned by a eunuch before she could see the empress dowager.

The fact that Madam Wei was able to enter the Queen Mother's bedroom without being informed showed how much the Queen Mother doted on the first daughter of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The Queen Mother didn’t play any more games after finishing this one.

Su Xiaoxiao took the empress dowager's pulse.

The Queen Mother’s poor appetite is caused by the hot weather. She just needs to make some slight adjustments to her diet, take more walks and increase her activity level.

Princess Lin often comes to visit the Queen Mother these days.

She once thought that the Queen Mother loved her.

Only when she is with Madam Wei, there is light in the empress dowager's eyes.

The Queen Mother asked how the two had come to talk.

Su Xiaoxiao only thought that they met while choosing jewelry in a shop.

There was no mention of Chen Haoyuan at all during the whole process.

If Princess Lin was only trying to protect herself during the day because of Su Xiaoxiao's identity, at this moment she was completely impressed by her character and charm.

Su Xiaoxiao was not deliberately covering up for Princess Lin.

I am too lazy to mention that scumbag's family, nor do I want to add insult to injury to Princess Lin.

…

When Su Xiaoxiao came out of the harem, there were four cold brocade boxes in her arms.

Wei Ting quickly took the brocade box and asked, "What are they?"

Su Xiaoxiao: "Lychee."

One box came from the Queen Mother.

Two boxes came from Princess Hui'an and Princess Jingning.

The last box was sent by Changping, who was beside Xiao Chonghua.

"Four boxes?"

Wei Ting's eyes were dangerous, as if he was saying, Queen Mother, Princesses, where is the fourth box?

Su Xiaoxiao blinked innocently: "Jing Yi gave it to me."

Wei Ting snorted and stepped aside expressionlessly.

Revealing Jing Yi behind him.

Jing Yi held an iced brocade box in his arms and stood there blankly, exhausting his lifelong shame to try to smooth things over:

"Then I'll... send you... a second box?"

Su Xiaoxiao: “…” - Emperor Jingxuan was in poor health, and the crown prince took over as regent.

Every day when Xiao Chonghua went to court, he would receive countless memorials, nearly half of which were impeaching Qin Canglan.

Unlike Emperor Jingxuan's laissez-faire attitude, Xiao Chonghua clearly stated his and his "father's" position:

Beiyan had evil ambitions, and Qin Canglan led his troops to fight in person to eliminate this great threat to Da Zhou, making him a meritorious official of Da Zhou.

Anyone who impeaches Qin Canglan again will be regarded as a spy from Northern Yan.

Such a swift and decisive attack caused an uproar in the court.

No one expected that the Third Prince, who usually looked gentle and cautious, would be so tough.

Not only that, Xiao Chonghua also restored the Qin family army's food and grass.

A group of elite soldiers were specially selected to transport food and fodder to the Northern Yan front overnight.

Emperor Jingxuan suffered a stroke and became paralyzed, with a crooked mouth.

Even though they knew what Xiao Chonghua, the rebellious son, had done, they had no way to stop him.

When someone gains power, someone else loses power.

The Rui Wang Mansion used to be bustling with people, but now it is deserted.

Xiao Shunyang drank to drown his sorrows in his room.

Suddenly, a figure came behind him.

He pulled out the sword from the table and stabbed backwards.

The other party easily blocked it with his folding fan and smiled: "Second Prince, please be patient. I have no ill intentions. I am here to help you."

Xiao Shunyang looked at the man in black in front of him warily: "I recognize you, you are the mysterious staff member who came out of my father's bedroom."

The man in black smiled and admitted openly: "Your Highness has good eyesight."

Xiao Shunyang put his sword on his neck: "The Imperial Master is your man, right? It's you who made my father like this!"

The man in black did not dodge, but sighed softly: "I'm afraid that Second Prince has misunderstood me in this matter. The elixir that the Imperial Master presented to Your Majesty did not contain laxatives. I don't know who tampered with the elixir, which caused Your Majesty to have a stroke."

Xiao Shunyang said coldly: "Do you think I will believe you if you say that?"

The man in black said, "Second Prince, why don't you think about it, after His Majesty falls ill, who will benefit?"

Xiao Shunyang frowned: "You want to say that the prince did it? How could he be so cruel to his own father?"

The man in black said nonchalantly, "If His Majesty had not suffered a stroke, would he have been the emperor?"

Of course it’s not my turn.

Could it really be the third brother?

Xiao Shunyang's expression turned cold: "You are not a good person either! Don't think I don't know that those so-called elixirs are nothing but poison that only quenches thirst!"

The man in black said fearlessly, "Second Prince, I am here to sincerely help you seize the throne. I know that some things are hard for you to accept at the moment, and I won't force you. If you figure it out one day, remember to come to Wanxian Tower in the north of the city to find me. Just say you are the Fourth Master's friend, and I will be waiting for you at any time."

Today is also an early second update 　　 　 (end of this chapter)