After Zhen'er left, Cixi could no longer control herself and threw the vases and porcelain in the hall heavily to the ground.
Chuxiu Palace was immediately left in a mess.
Seeing this, Li Lianying dared not dwell on his own anger and quickly tried to appease Empress Dowager Cixi, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down!"
"Calm down? How can I calm down!" Empress Dowager Cixi glared angrily in the direction where Zhen'er lived, her eyes blazing with boundless hatred.
"This vile woman has gone too far! I want her dead! I want her dead!" Her trembling finger pointed at Li Lianying and the people in Chuxiu Palace, her voice shaking.
She looked nothing like her usual noble and dignified self.
Upon hearing that Empress Dowager Cixi wanted to kill Zhen'er, Li Lianying felt a chill run down his spine.
Although he also disliked Zhen'er, she was, after all, the Empress Dowager, and her status was higher than that of Empress Dowager Cixi. If he rashly suggested killing her, and the matter came to light, he would also be implicated.
Thinking of this, Li Lianying dared not utter a sound, but how could Cixi let him off? Cixi said coldly, "Quickly think of a solution for me, or you will not live now."
Hearing Cixi's threat, Li Lianying could only nod. But Cixi was too impatient and insisted that he come up with a solution within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, otherwise he would not be able to leave Chuxiu Palace alive today.
As a servant, he could only accept his fate. But Zhen'er was not so easy to deal with; she was the Empress Dowager, and her actions were not as simple as dealing with palace maids and eunuchs.
Just when he thought he wouldn't live to see the next day, he saw the shards on the ground and suddenly thought of a plan. He immediately smiled and whispered it in Empress Dowager Cixi's ear.
Upon hearing his plan, Empress Dowager Cixi's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands in approval. She then said to Li Lianying, "Very good. If that's the case, then let's do it this way. If this succeeds, you will become the highest-ranking eunuch in the entire Forbidden City."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Li Lianying said, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
The gloom that had just hung over the Chuxiu Palace was immediately swept away, and Empress Dowager Cixi laughed with joy.
...
Zhen'er remained as concerned about the country as ever. Since the Tongzhi Emperor was inactive, she naturally had to make a statement: she was not concerned with the continuation of the Qing Dynasty, but only with bringing benefits to the people.
Perhaps because she was too tired, her head would always ache slightly, but she didn't take it seriously.
One day, while she was stretching in the Imperial Garden, she discovered that someone was always following her.
"Who goes there?" She immediately became alert, turned around, and looked behind her.
The man didn't hide; he stepped forward and revealed his true face. He was none other than Hong Qing, whom Cixi had rescued some time ago.
He looked a little haggard, but his spirits were still good.
"What are you doing following me?" Upon seeing him, Zhen'er's tone softened, and her brows relaxed considerably.
"This humble subject has come to express gratitude to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager for saving my life," Hong Qing said sincerely as he knelt down. He knew that this debt of gratitude had to be repaid.
After he finished speaking, he took out a wooden box from his pocket, opened it, and found a pearl inside.
Pearls meant nothing to Zhen'er, but for Hong Qing, a mere cook, they represented a considerable investment.
Upon seeing this, Zhen'er quickly said, "I appreciate your kindness, but you should take this pearl back with you!"
But how could Hong Qing possibly agree? "Without Your Majesty, I would probably have died under a hail of blows long ago. I must repay this kindness no matter what! If you don't accept this pearl, I will not get up."
Seeing his insistence, Zhen'er couldn't help but ponder for a moment.
In the end, she accepted the pearl. "Alright!"
Upon seeing this, Hong Qing smiled with delight and then respectfully took his leave.
Zhen'er looked at the pearl carefully. Although it was not very full and round, it came from a person's true heart and was priceless.
But the more she looked at it, the more something seemed off; the pearl actually had a regular, neat crack.
She immediately realized something and was startled, but she pretended to be nonchalant, admiring the beauty of the Imperial Garden, and planned to return at sunset.
As night falls, palace lanterns are hung high, and the entire palace is bathed in a soft glow, making it as enchanting as a fairyland.
After Zhen'er returned to Cining Palace, she first summoned a palace maid to prepare hot water for her to bathe.
After the palace maids left, Zhen'er immediately opened the box containing the pearls and examined it carefully.
Sure enough, it was glued on. She easily tore the pearl in half along the crack.
Inside the pearl was a note, which she had no choice but to open and read. The note contained the following:
Empress Dowager, be careful! The dishes are poisoned; it was Empress Dowager Cixi who did it!
Those few simple words made her turn pale and break out in a cold sweat.
She wasn't afraid of Empress Dowager Cixi, but rather shocked by the system's inaction.
In the past, the system would have informed her of this situation long ago, but she never expected it to be like this. No wonder she has been feeling headache-prone today.
The system also saw all of this and said in a mechanical voice, "You... understand."
"Why?" Zhen'er asked disappointedly as she burned the note.
"You acted against the original owner's wishes, so this mission has failed," the system sighed.
"Failure is failure. Blame it on you for assigning this task," Zhen'er said coldly, seemingly much more mature.
Especially her recent memorials, which have made her even more determined to change the world.
"It's my fault. I didn't want to assign this task, but it's necessary, and I have no choice but to comply." It paused, then continued, "How about this, I'll give you fifty million, and you can withdraw from this task halfway through!"
Fifty million is a lot for her. Before accepting this task, she would have gladly taken it, but now she simply cannot do it.
"No!" Zhen'er refused without hesitation.
She has a stubborn personality; once she makes a decision, she won't back down easily.
"But if you forcibly change history like this, you will bear all the responsibility," the system advised again.
Zhen'er shook her head, "I'm willing to take on this responsibility..."
"Since that's the case, I have no other choice. You can stay in this world. From now on, you can never wake me up again," the system said resentfully.
Upon hearing this, Zhen'er's eyes welled up with tears.
The system stopped speaking and simply transmitted a message to her.
"Take care..."
"Yes, I will," Zhen'er said solemnly, and then completely blocked the system.
She was heartbroken, but she never regretted it.
She quickly came to her senses, took a bath, lied to everyone that she was going to sleep, and then quietly left.
She found Hong Qing's room and knocked on the door.
Upon hearing the sound, Hong Qing immediately opened the door.
"Your Majesty!" Hong Qing was extremely excited to see Zhen'er.
Zhen'er nodded, went into the room, and then closed the door.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
