"Mr. Ji, please wait a moment."

The Queen spoke, interrupting Wu Qing's departure.

She tried her luck, as if she had made some kind of resolution, gathering strength for her next decision.

"Xiwen." The queen shouted outside.

Aunt Xiwen, who usually reacted quickly, seemed a little absent-minded.

Hearing the queen's call, she staggered for a moment before she managed to keep her balance.

Aunt Xiwen came over and asked, "My lady, what do you want?"

The Queen glanced at her with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Xiwen, go and pass on the order." The Queen said firmly, "From today on, I will resume the custom of paying respects in the morning."

"Today, no concubine in the palace is allowed to be late."

It's time to make up our minds and alert everyone in the palace, she thought.

Xiwen looked embarrassed.

She hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke up to remind him, "Your Majesty, there is only one hour left before you pay your respects. Isn't this... a little hasty?"

In the past, concubines who lived in more remote areas had to get up early and arrive at the Queen's bedroom before the time to pay their respects.

For example, when Wu Qing lived in Lingmeiyuan before, she had to get up an hour in advance to prepare and dress.

What's more, they had to walk or ride in sedan chairs through the winding palace roads, and the time was difficult to calculate.

Judging from the current situation, I am afraid that even if the concubines are in a hurry, they will not be able to arrive on time.

The auditory hallucinations in her ears came again like a tide, and the sharp sounds were like countless steel needles, constantly piercing her nerves, making the queen more and more annoyed.

"Liu Yingfei, don't you want a good reputation anymore?"

"Are you going to destroy the image of benevolence that you have worked so hard to build over the years just because of this momentary impulse?"

The illusory venomous snakes tightly wrapped around the queen, and the chaotic sounds made it difficult for her to breathe.

"Are you angry with the Imperial Concubine? This is ridiculous. You have indulged her for so many years, are you really going to get so angry over a careless remark from Imperial Concubine Ji?"

"You are just trying to find a cover-up for your own weakness and incompetence!"

"You have been in charge of the harem for a long time, but you have allowed the concubines to fight each other and failed to stop them. Admit it, your incompetence has long become a laughing stock in the palace."

"You are the biggest sinner in the palace!"

The queen's usually pleasant face now showed an unprecedented look of displeasure.

Influenced by the voice, the Queen no longer had a good attitude towards Xiwen.

She rubbed her temple and said unhappily, "The emperor is not here, and they are taking so much trouble to dress up. Who are they doing this for?"

"Your Majesty, the concubines respect you, so naturally they will dress up appropriately," Xiwen said.

The queen chuckled, "Respect me? But in front of me, they have always been scheming against each other. How can they really take me seriously?"

Having been through the gates of hell once, the queen was extremely fed up with all these intrigues.

"I'm going to make this clear today. If they don't come today, then they won't have to come in the future."

Xiwen bit her lower lip and lowered her head to answer.

Notifying the six palaces is not something Xiwen can do alone.

After receiving the order, the palace maids in Kunning Palace quickly dispersed and ran to various palaces as fast as possible to inform the queens in each palace that the greetings would be resumed today.

Wu Qing was stunned.

——She had never seen the queen so angry.

Even when she said in front of the Queen that "Your Majesty is old and ugly", the Queen did not scold her.

[Is this... is this still the queen I know? Would the queen speak like this?] Wu Qing was a little dazed.

[But, how should I put it... such a queen...]

Wu Qing pondered, as if trying to find a suitable word to describe it.

The queen clenched her fist and gently pressed it to her lips, looking a little uneasy.

She was afraid that her words and actions would destroy the dignified and virtuous image she had established over a long period of time.

[This queen is so straightforward. I feel so good listening to her, hahaha!]

[That’s right. As the queen and the daughter of the Liu family, Queen Liu doesn’t need to be overly cautious. She can express her opinions as she pleases and criticize everyone.]

Wu Qing applauded the queen wildly in his heart.

The queen felt relieved, and there was a little more tenderness in her eyes as she looked at Wu Qing.

As the news of resuming the greetings came out, it immediately caused an uproar in the six palaces.

No matter whether the concubines were scolding or delighted, they had to get up from bed and readjust their work and rest schedules.

The palace servants of Kunning Palace were busy shuttling between the palaces, moving several charcoal basins to the long-idle main hall, in order to restore its former glory.

A quarter of an hour later, a pair of bare hands gently pulled aside the curtain.

The beautiful and graceful young concubine looked around and suddenly smiled when she saw Concubine Ji standing next to the Queen.

——The first person to arrive at Kunning Palace was Lu Changzai.

Xuefangxuan is not far from Kunning Palace. Lu Changzai has repeatedly expressed her willingness to come with Ji Guiren to serve the Queen.

After meeting Lady Ji today, Lu Chang finally felt relieved.

【My bestie is here! 】

When he saw her, Wu Qing instantly forgot about the Jinlian Society, Concubine Li and other troubles, and just wanted to spend time with his little sister.

The Queen raised her eyes and asked her, "I heard that you and Lu Changzai are close friends?"

Wu Qing nodded and praised: "Lu Changzai is kind and tenacious. He is indeed a rare and close friend in my heart."

At least in the plots she had seen, Lu Changzai consistently displayed the qualities of gentleness and self-reliance.

The Queen smiled, "Then let her come over and talk to me."

As a concubine, Lu Mengman had never stood so close to the queen before.

She saluted somewhat stiffly: "I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Queen."

The queen sits in the main seat.

Wu Qing stood behind the Queen and secretly winked at Lu Mengman.

The Queen nodded slightly, motioning her to stand up, and then spoke gently: "No need to be so polite, Changzai. I heard that you have a good relationship with Concubine Ji, and I just want to talk to you."

"I know your intentions. You have always wanted to serve me, but I have rejected you many times. Please don't hold a grudge against me."

The Queen said, "Firstly, even the imperial doctors in the palace are helpless to treat my illness. Even if you come, I'm afraid you won't know where to start. Secondly, I asked Concubine Ji to move into Kunning Palace to protect her from the turmoil in the palace."

The Queen explained to Lu Changzai why she rejected her.

Lu Changzai was flattered. She never expected that someone as noble as the Queen would care about the thoughts of a mere concubine like her.

Wu Qing said, "Sister, the Queen is a very nice person. I have food and drink in Kunning Palace, and I can also play with children."

Hearing this, Lu Mengman couldn't help but laugh: "You are not that old yourself, you are still a child."

The queen also smiled and nodded to show her agreement.

Wu Qing was puzzled and muttered in his heart: [How can I look like a child? I have been working for several years. Don't treat me like a child just because this body is only sixteen or seventeen years old. Damn it.]

"Noble Lady Ji, you said you have food and drink in Kunning Palace, does that mean you are being treated unfairly in Linhua Palace?"

A familiar, clear and pleasant voice floated into the house from far outside the door.

The voice arrives before the person arrives.