"The Northwest? There are troops stationed there, why would we send you there?"
"It is said that the situation is tense and I need to lead troops to provide support. There are many suspicious points in this matter, but I don't have time to investigate. Yu'er, you must be careful in the palace, protect yourself, and also protect our child."
After saying that, he glanced at Zhong Muyu's belly with lingering reluctance.
"Don't worry, I know what to do, and so do you. Since there are doubts, we must be careful in everything we do. I will also keep an eye on you at all times to see how much of what I brought you?"
"Because things happened suddenly, and since we were all from the capital's army, I didn't have the things you gave me with me."
"Ugh, what a hassle!"
Zhong Muyu shook her head in frustration. Wouldn't it be even more worrying to just go like this?
It's a pity that things can't be teleported in dreams, otherwise she would definitely have brought Lu Ziyuan a bunch of weapons.
Lu Ziyuan gently patted her shoulder to comfort her: "Don't worry, even without those things, I will protect myself and come back to see you successfully."
"Okay, remember what you said. It's getting late, you should get some rest. We have to set off tomorrow."
Zhong Muyu exited the dream and fell into a deep sleep.
However, I didn't sleep well and woke up at the crack of dawn.
She shifted her body and saw a figure moving by outside.
"who?"
"Your Highness, it is this servant."
Perhaps due to excessive caution, Zhong Muyu felt herself becoming paranoid, but the Empress's people were indeed cautious, watching her constantly.
Zhong Muyu said, "You can go out now. It's still early. I'm going to sleep a little longer."
"Then I will wait outside and wake you up in a while."
After the palace maid left, Zhong Muyu quietly pulled back the bed curtains, and after confirming that no one was outside, she sat up.
The situation is so dire that it seems things will be very difficult from now on.
...
A few days later, in the Cining Palace.
Empress Dowager Rongning leisurely sipped her morning tea, playing with the parrot beside her. Since becoming Empress Dowager, her days had been exceptionally leisurely. The concubines of the various palaces no longer needed to come to pay their respects every day, and even if someone did come, they all behaved themselves respectfully.
When I have free time, I often feel bored.
Just then, a palace maid walked in, and when Empress Dowager Rongning saw her, her eyes finally showed some amusement.
"How about it?"
"Your Majesty, the people at Jing'an Palace say everything is fine."
Empress Dowager Rongning showed a hint of surprise: "She is quite composed. That old woman must have revealed some things to her. She doesn't know anything about the outside world, yet she can stay there peacefully for so long."
At that moment, a eunuch's voice rang out from outside: "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress has come to pay her respects."
After saying this, the Empress, dressed in a phoenix robe, slowly approached Empress Dowager Rongning.
"Greetings to the Empress Dowager."
"You've come at the right time, come and sit down."
Empress Dowager Rongning beckoned her over. The Empress glanced at the palace maid beside the Empress Dowager, seemed to understand something, and immediately sat down next to the Empress Dowager.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready on His Majesty's side. However, I have heard that there has been no movement from Jing'an Palace. Zhong Muyu has always liked to act unexpectedly. Your Majesty, I am worried that she will try something again."
“In this deep palace, no matter how powerful she is, it’s useless. However, her quietness is a bit abnormal, and I’m afraid she might have some tricks up her sleeve.”
The Empress agreed, saying, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. Why don't we observe for a few more days?"
"What did the Emperor say?"
Mentioning the Emperor, the Empress's eyes darkened: "The Emperor seems eager to see her soon."
Empress Dowager Rongning sneered: "The Emperor really cares about her, he has come up with so many ways to protect her."
Neither of the two women wanted to keep Zhong Muyu in the palace, but they had no choice; Lu Ziying insisted on doing it, and they dared not disobey the Emperor's will.
The Empress was particularly saddened. Although she knew that as the Emperor, she would inevitably have many concubines, she was still unwilling to personally send someone to the Emperor's bed.
Empress Dowager Rongning saw her reluctance and said seriously, "You don't need to worry too much. The Emperor only values her ability and the secret in Lu Ziyuan's hands. I won't let such a troublesome person stay in the palace for long, much less let her give birth to a prince. Once she's no longer useful, we can get rid of her."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will do my duty."
The Empress readily agreed. Yes, she was the Empress, what did she have to fear? Once the plan succeeded, Zhong Muyu would be a woman of unknown identity, and everything would be under her control.
...
Meanwhile, at Jing'an Palace, Zhong Muyu accompanied and served the Empress Dowager, appearing serene and content.
In the past few days, she had not brought out anything new or interesting. With so many ill-intentioned eyes in Jing'an Palace, she had to be careful before things became clear.
The Empress Dowager couldn't do much. Every day she would talk to Zhong Muyu about the past and how to let go of the present. Although Zhong Muyu didn't like listening, she would listen with a smile. When she couldn't stand it anymore, she would run out to make desserts for the Empress Dowager.
"Grandmother, try this, it's a dessert I just made."
Zhong Muyu picked up a soft pastry and offered it to the Empress Dowager's lips. The Empress Dowager's eyes were filled with worry, and even as she ate it, she forced a smile.
"You are such a filial and good child. Having you by my side is a comfort to my wretched life."
"Grandmother, please don't say that. You are in good health and will surely live to be a hundred years old."
"Live to a hundred years old... For someone like me who has lived to a hundred years old, it might not be a good thing."
The Empress Dowager only ate two before she could eat no more.
Zhong Muyu fell into deep thought, wondering how Lu Ziyuan was doing. According to her dream perception, he seemed to be safe and sound these past two days, and she hoped that things would continue like this.
Just as she was pondering this, the Empress's men arrived.
"Greetings to the Empress Dowager and Princess Consort of Ling."
The Empress Dowager's expression immediately turned serious upon seeing them: "What brings you here?"
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Her Majesty the Empress was worried that Princess Ling might be bored in Jing'an Palace, so she specially invited Princess Ling to come and catch up."
Before Zhong Muyu could speak, the Empress Dowager preemptively replied, "She's not bored. I need her by my side. Go and tell the Empress that we'll invite her another day."
"Whether it's comfortable to stay here depends on what Princess Consort of Ling thinks."
The palace servants weren't afraid of her. Zhong Muyu knew that the Empress had begun to take action. She patted the Empress Dowager's hand, signaling her to relax: "Grandmother, there's no need to worry too much. Your granddaughter-in-law will come back. Let me go and see her, okay?"
"You child..."
"Grandmother, it's alright."
Zhong Muyu tried her best to reassure her, but the Empress Dowager, seeing that she couldn't change her mind, had no choice but to give up.
"You must bring Yu'er back as soon as possible. If anything happens to her, I will not forgive you!"
Although she made some harsh remarks, the Empress Dowager knew that they wouldn't listen.
Regardless, all she wanted to do was protect Zhong Muyu.
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