Chapter 7 Then I'll have someone wash it clean tonight and bring it directly to your bed.
Once everyone had completely disappeared, Li Yuanshu could no longer bear it and burst into tears.
The Imperial Concubine tenderly embraced Li Yuanshu tightly.
Li Yuanshu buried her face in her mother's arms, her voice hoarse, "Mother, how long are we going to let this vile woman run rampant?"
The Imperial Concubine hugged her daughter even tighter, her voice extremely low, "It'll be soon, Shu'er, be patient."
Li Yuanshu raised her head. "How long do we have to wait? Over the years, she has used her status as the eldest daughter to suppress me in every way. She has also often embarrassed me in front of servants and outsiders, making me unable to hold my head up."
The Imperial Concubine sighed and stroked her daughter's head. "Once your brother ascends the throne, we'll be in charge of the empire and the harem. Then, will we still have a chance to deal with her?"
"But... I really can't take it anymore."
Li Yuanshu, however, continued to cry bitterly.
The imperial concubine gently patted her daughter's back, but her eyes became deep and unfathomable.
Back then, as the eldest daughter of the Cui family of Qinghe, she fell in love with the emperor, who was then the Prince of Yan.
However, in order to seize the throne, the Prince of Yan actually married Shen Lang, the daughter of the Right General of the Imperial Guard.
Ha, what great general? He's just a brute who rose to power through military achievements.
How can a small, insignificant family like the Shen family be compared to a century-old family like the Cui family of Qinghe?
What's even more ridiculous is that after the Emperor ascended the throne, he actually set up a palace for that vile woman Shen Lang and never took in another concubine.
She abandoned her status as the eldest daughter of the Cui family and used every means to curry favor, even going so far as to persuade her father to let the Cui family fully support the emperor in stabilizing the court.
Unexpectedly, even with her entire family as a bargaining chip, she couldn't even get into the palace.
From then on, she knew that as long as Shen Lang lived, she would never have a chance.
Therefore, when Shen Lang was giving birth, she bribed the midwife and secretly tampered with the process, causing her to die from postpartum hemorrhage.
Moreover, simply killing Shen Lang is not enough.
Shen Lang gave birth to a son, the emperor's long-awaited legitimate son. If he were to be kept, he would surely become the crown prince in the future.
Even if she successfully enters the palace by then, what good will happen to the children she has born?
So she replaced Shen Lang's son with a newborn girl from a peasant woman.
She carried the baby boy to the riverbank and, under the cover of night, threw him into the icy water, intending to drown him and eliminate any future trouble.
But to everyone's surprise, the baby floated instead of sinking when it fell into the water!
Under the moonlight, the small body swayed gently on the water, frightening her out of her wits. She thought it was the vengeful spirit of Shen Lang protecting her son.
She ordered her assassins to take the "monster" to a desolate mountain and execute it that very night, determined to eliminate it completely.
She had calculated clearly that since the emperor had no son at the moment, powerful families and court officials would definitely use the excuse of "the importance of the nation's foundation" to force him to take more concubines.
He had only recently ascended the throne, and the situation was still unstable; it was impossible for him to completely go against the wishes of his court officials.
Sure enough, not long after, with the help of the Cui family, she finally got her wish and entered the palace.
Later, she successfully gave birth to a son and a daughter. With the support of her children and the Cui family, she was able to firmly establish herself in the harem and become a Noble Consort.
She originally thought that what remained was just a peasant woman's illegitimate child, nothing to be afraid of.
Unexpectedly, this child was so gifted and exceptionally intelligent!
Not only did she enjoy the emperor's exclusive favor, but she also subtly threatened her son's throne.
But now, she is helpless about it.
Over the years, she watched Li Yuanzhao steadily rise through the ranks in the court, wielding great power, and saw the Cui family gradually lose ground in their struggle against her, yet she was powerless to do anything about it.
Because she knew that once the truth came out, her scheme to bribe the midwife to kill Shen Lang and switch the prince would be completely exposed.
Not only will she herself die without a burial place, but she may also implicate her son and daughter, as well as the Cui family.
Now, she can only hope that His Majesty will pass the crown prince position to his only son as soon as possible.
As long as Yuan You ascends the throne, she will be the Empress Dowager.
By then, she will have plenty of ways to deal with Li Yuanzhao and make him wish he were dead.
Li Yuanzhao was on his way to Yanying Hall to report to his father when he happened to pass by the Imperial Garden and witnessed this scene.
Her visit today was certainly not a whim; she didn't have the leisure to teach her nominal sister a lesson or put on a show of "sisterly affection."
Since, as the "time traveler" said, it was the Imperial Concubine who switched her and Chen Yanqing, the Imperial Concubine clearly knew about her background.
Over the years, no matter how much he disrespected her and her two children, she always treated him with kindness and forced a smile.
Moreover, even though she had beaten Li Yuanshu so badly today, she still managed to remain calm and patient.
That can only be because... she doesn't dare to "post".
If she dares to reveal her true identity, the first one to lose her head will be this Imperial Concubine.
After all, the crime of deceiving the emperor is punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.
Even the Cui family couldn't protect her.
It seems that this potential problem is not a concern for the time being, and we can wait and see.
Just as they stepped out of the Imperial Garden, they saw the Second Prince, Li Yuanyou, hurrying towards them.
Upon seeing her, the boy's previously anxious eyes lit up instantly, and he quickly stepped forward to greet her.
"Royal sister, you're back!"
Li Yuanzhao glanced at him lazily and responded with a nonchalant "Mm".
Her tone wasn't exactly warm; it even carried her usual aloofness, yet it made Li Yuanyou's heart beat faster for no apparent reason.
He had just gotten up when a servant came to report that his elder sister was in the Imperial Garden, so he rushed over.
"You've been away in Suzhou for two months. I miss you so much."
He gazed at her longingly, his voice tinged with a hint of grievance.
"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao's lips curled into a half-smile. "What are your thoughts?"
These words made Li Yuanyou's cheeks flush red instantly.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found it difficult to speak, and could only lower his head in embarrassment.
After stammering for a while, he finally found a topic to talk about.
"I heard...I heard that my elder sister invited a man back to the palace from the street?"
"Please?" Li Yuanzhao scoffed. "You must have misheard me."
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanyou's eyes lit up. Sure enough, it was those corrupt officials spreading rumors and causing trouble again.
Before he could even feel happy, Li Yuanzhao casually said, "It's 'robbery'."
Li Yuanyou was taken aback, unable to suppress his curiosity, and asked with a hint of jealousy, "Was that man very handsome?"
Li Yuanzhao nodded, "Hmm, it's alright."
Li Yuanyou revealed a disdainful expression. How good-looking could a lowly commoner be?
"What? You like it?"
Li Yuanzhao glanced at him with a half-smile, "Then I'll have someone clean it tonight and send it directly to your bed."
Li Yuanyou waved his hands in embarrassment and panic, "No... I don't like it."
Seeing Li Yuanyou's expression, Li Yuanzhao finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
A touch of warmth appeared in her eyes and brows, dispelling her usual coldness.
Li Yuanyou then realized that his elder sister was teasing him.
"Sister, please stop teasing me."
After he finished laughing, Li Yuanzhao's tone returned to its usual indifference.
"Okay, I'm busy, I don't have time to play with you."
After saying that, she walked away without waiting for his reply.
Li Yuanyou watched her departing figure, feeling a slight sense of loss.
But then he thought about how his elder sister had smiled at him and talked to him so much today, and he immediately became excited again and went to school happily.
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