"I think it's the Queen who's worried. I never imagined that Qu Chi, a mere country girl, would be so well-informed about my affairs and have such a clear understanding of my past secrets so soon after arriving in the capital."
Pretending not to understand her veiled sarcasm, Bo Ji had already prepared a response: "At first, I was just curious about who was so capable as to add to the reputation of the Ye Kingdom's craftsmen. Only after inquiring did I learn that she was General Yuwen's new bride. No wonder, if you didn't have something special about you, why would that arrogant General Yuwen have married you?"
The Queen is quite eloquent; let's see if she can keep going.
Zheng Quchi sneered inwardly, but on the surface she put on a dignified and gentle demeanor: "What the Queen says is absolutely right. Yuwen Sheng married me because I am virtuous, honest and upright, and do not collude with outsiders to engage in wicked deeds in private. It is because I am not corrupted by the lust for power and do not lose my mind. It is because my words and deeds are consistent and I do not bow down to the powerful. It is also because I prioritize the interests of the country and do not sell out my country for personal gain!"
Even if she's a rabbit, she'll bite if she's pushed to the limit.
Every word Zheng Quchi uttered, even every single syllable, caused Bo Ji's face to grow increasingly gloomy, which had been beaming with smiles and strategizing. When the last word finally fell, she seemed unable to bear it any longer; her chest tightened and her fingertips trembled.
Upon seeing this, the head palace maid Lan Xin immediately stepped forward, pointed at Zheng Quchi's nose, and angrily rebuked him: "How dare you! How dare you speak to the Queen like that?"
Yuan Chuhua was also stunned by Zheng Quchi's sophisticated rhetoric, which was full of veiled criticism and innuendo.
She's really daring.
When the court officials saw the general's wife being so arrogant and domineering, they immediately confronted the queen, and their words were so sharp that they made everyone's scalp tingle.
"Yuwen Zhengshi, how dare you speak to the Queen like that? You're acting like a country bumpkin, utterly lacking in manners!"
"General Yuwen is blind to have married such a woman."
"Judging from her unrefined posture and improper sitting manner, one can tell that she comes from a humble background and is unfit for such a refined occasion. It is fortunate that His Majesty and the Queen invited her to the banquet that night..."
The surrounding comments were like a raging torrent of poison, sweeping towards Zheng Quchi.
Amidst the turmoil, Zheng Quchi stood even more upright, head held high, body straight, fearless, and unyielding.
The stronger their counterattack, the more her words stung those who were truly guilty.
Now that things have come to this, she has no intention of giving up. In any case, from the moment she decided to send Yuan Xingzhou to Shengjing, she had already made a great enemy of the Queen of Ye. Now that the other party is not letting her go, Zheng Quchi is not afraid of offending her to the death.
"Isn't Your Majesty curious about what makes me special that Yuwen Sheng willing to marry me? I'm explaining the reasons to you, so why are you in such a hurry, and why are the ministers all in such a hurry? Is my explanation not detailed enough? Oh, right, I forgot to mention something. I've always hated evil and have a strong sense of shame and morality. I would never do anything as immoral as stealing someone's husband or ruining their family. I guess that's a special advantage of me."
Bo Ji's pupils constricted, and her face turned deathly pale instantly.
"presumptuous!"
This last sentence completely touched Bo Ji's sore spot. Everyone in the palace knew that she and the late queen were outwardly close sisters, but secretly she had stolen the late queen's husband, the Prince of Ye. Before the late queen died, she had secretly conceived a child with the eldest princess, Yuan Chuhua. As soon as the late queen died, she immediately took over the position.
This past event is now a taboo subject in the court, and anyone who spreads rumors about her or her past in private will be punished by the Queen.
Bo Ji waved her hand, and the guards with swords stationed in the palace banquet rushed over, ready to arrest Zheng Quchi as soon as the Queen gave the order.
But Zheng Quchi stood there without moving, and even when Yuan Xingzhou tried to speak up for her, she stopped him in advance.
"Your Majesty, you summoned me to the palace for a banquet just to bully me because you outnumber me, is that it?" Zheng Quchi sneered.
Bo Ji had no mood for arguing with her at this moment. This woman's words were so sharp, like knives stabbing her heart again and again. She was determined to make this vile woman pay the price!
“Zheng Quchi, this is the royal palace, under the emperor’s nose. How can we allow a widow like you to speak such foul and indecent words here? Guards, seize her. I will personally teach her what palace etiquette is.”
However, just as the guards with swords moved, a sharp and stern voice came from outside the palace gate.
"Who dares to bully our General's wife?"
Bo Ji and all the ministers and their families at the banquet, including the envoys from the three kingdoms who were watching the play, all turned their heads and saw Wang Zebang, Wei Yao, and... a handsome man dressed in flamboyant clothes rushing over together.
Not only that, but they were also followed by a squad of elite armored soldiers with murderous expressions.
The magnificent military bearing, imposing steps, and impressive formation immediately stunned Bo Ji and her entourage.
When Wei Zhuang, who was in front, saw the guards with swords about to disrespect the general's wife, his tough face instantly turned cold and stern. The soldiers behind him quickly stepped forward. There was no need for a fight. The bloodthirsty aura emanating from them alone was enough to frighten the incompetent guards in the palace so much that they would lose their legs and disarm on the spot.
They were forced to kneel on the ground, unable to move, just as the power and influence representing Bo Ji had been suppressed and extinguished, leaving them only listless and dispirited.
When Zheng Quchi saw Brother Wei and the others arrive, his eyes lit up instantly.
She said it was both unexpected and not unexpected, but their timely arrival surprised her as well as delighted her.
Why was Zheng Quchi able to guess that Wang Zebang and Wei Yao would arrive? It was because during the banquet, a palace servant secretly slipped her a message under the guise of serving dishes; the message contained only one sentence.
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