Sheng Zixi was quite provoked. When she arrived at Chengming Palace, even the Empress was startled. She was dejected and showed no signs of the high spirits she had displayed in the past few days.
During the days when he impeached senior officials in the court one after another, he became incredibly arrogant.
To be precise, from the moment he started targeting Sheng Jingyu, he was arrogant and conceited, thinking that he could deal with Sheng Jingyu.
I only realized today that there's a huge difference between them.
Before the Empress could speak, someone came in and whispered a few words in Sheng Zixi's ear. Sheng Zixi's expression changed at first, then she sighed, her face turning ashen.
He initially arrested several of Sheng Jingyu's men, but now those men have been taken away by Sheng Jingyu.
In short, Sheng Zixi's efforts were all for nothing.
After asking, the Empress carefully comforted Sheng Zixi, telling him not to be anxious.
As they were talking, a palace maid brought in tea and snacks. The Empress quickly invited Sheng Zixi to try them to distract him.
To put the Empress at ease, Sheng Zixi casually picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.
The sweet taste caught his eye, and he couldn't help but ask, "Who made this? It tastes different from before."
The Empress was puzzled, so she took a bite and found it was a bit too sweet. She turned her head and asked, "Were today's desserts taken from the Imperial Kitchen?"
Granny Cheng didn't know, so she went to ask others.
To her surprise, it was Su Lin'er who did it. She knew that the Empress was worried about Su Lin'er's contact with Sheng Zixi, so she concealed the news and said that it was taken from the Imperial Kitchen.
The Empress sensed something was amiss but did not ask further questions.
Sheng Zixi was indeed hungry, and he ate the whole plate of snacks, praising them as well-made, saying he would go to the imperial kitchen to get some later.
Seeing that his mood had improved, the Empress was completely relieved.
"If Your Highness wishes to eat this, I will make a trip and deliver it to you. I will also ask how it is made. Your Highness is busy, so there is no need for you to go in person," said Granny Cheng.
Granny Cheng had always been by the Empress's side, and the two were of one mind.
Although the Empress was unaware of the truth, she was willing to cooperate with Granny Cheng and help her take on this task.
Only after Sheng Zixi left did the Empress inquire about the reason.
“Those pastries were made by Su Lin’er. Wasn’t Your Majesty worried that Su Lin’er would pester the Eighth Prince? So I didn’t say that, and only said that they were made by the Imperial Kitchen.”
The Empress's expression changed drastically, and she asked angrily, "Where is Su Lin'er? Tell her to come here right now! How dare she try anything under my nose!"
Granny Cheng frowned and said, "Su Lin'er is not here. She went to the Buddhist hall after getting up this morning and didn't even have breakfast."
The Empress summoned several of the nannies who served Su Lin'er and asked them about the desserts.
Upon learning that she had decided to make it on a whim the night before, they went to the imperial kitchen to ask for some honey.
After they finished cooking this morning, they shared some and sent some to the Empress.
The nannies thought she was trying to curry favor with the Empress, and knowing that the Empress disliked Su Lin'er, they didn't tell the Empress. They simply placed it in the small kitchen, thinking that if the Empress sent someone to deliver some snacks, they would send them up together.
Unexpectedly, Sheng Zixi got to eat it, and she really liked it.
The whole process didn't seem intentional at all; it was just a coincidence.
Sheng Zixi came in a hurry after the morning court session because something happened; normally he wouldn't come.
Su Lin'er decided to make the desserts last night, and she never expected that Sheng Zixi would end up eating them.
"It seems I was overthinking it. Since Zixi likes it, let her make some more and send someone to deliver it to her. There's no need to say who made it or tell Su Lin'er that it's for Zixi."
The empress wanted to use this laborer for free.
Granny Cheng said she understood and would make the arrangements.
Su Lin'er, who should have been in the Buddhist hall, unexpectedly appeared in Xuanming Palace and spoke to Sheng Yuanhe inside through the wall.
“Sheng Zixi likes to eat pastries made with honey. The Empress didn’t even know that. The Empress doesn’t care about such a small thing. I only found out by chance when I discovered that he was secretly eating pastries.” Sheng Yuanhe’s voice was hoarse and weak.
Su Lin'er looked around warily and asked, "Can you really manage with just a plate of pastries?"
“One plate isn’t enough. We have to keep making it for a while before he gets a chance to eat it. As long as he likes what you make, you’ll have a chance. You can’t rush it.” Sheng Yuanhe leaned against the wall and said calmly.
Su Lin'er gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, I'll be staying in the palace for a long time anyway, so I have plenty of time."
Sheng Yuanhe warned, "You'd better think this through. In the end, you'll still have to resort to some... dishonorable methods."
The snacks were just a stepping stone, giving her the opportunity to get started.
Su Lin'er laughed miserably, "I just want a way to live, I don't care about whether it's honorable or not."
"I wish you all the best. Don't forget your promise to help me get my mother out." Sheng Yuanhe stretched, stood up, and went back to his room.
During his confinement, he enjoyed a rare period of relaxation and freedom, without having to think about anything.
But this kind of freedom cannot be enjoyed forever; one must eventually regroup and continue to plan for oneself.
Su Lin'er was having a hard time in the palace, and when she was thinking of a way out for herself, she thought of Sheng Yuanhe.
He was once the crown prince, so he definitely knows more about palace affairs than she does and can offer her some advice.
She wasn't worried that Sheng Yuanhe wouldn't help her, since she was essentially a free agent and could also do things for Sheng Yuanhe.
As long as Sheng Yuanhe is still clear-headed, he will definitely help her, and as it turns out, he is still very clear-headed.
Su Lin'er went to great lengths to be able to speak with Sheng Yuanhe.
First, we need to find a way out, and then we need to get rid of the maidservant around us. Once we get here, we need to find a way to call Sheng Yuanhe out, and we're afraid of being discovered by others.
Fortunately, the Emperor cared about Sheng Yuanhe, so he didn't assign many guards to watch over him. Behind Xuanming Palace, there was a place where no one passed by.
The two of them first spoke here, and every subsequent communication and exchange took place here as well.
Sheng Yuanhe knew it would be difficult for her to leave and that she needed the right opportunity, but Consort Wan was different.
Wan Pin's idea was simply a matter of the Emperor's word; there was no need for the officials to make things difficult for her.
As long as Consort Wan can come out, he will have hope, and it will be easier for him to do things.
Thus, the two decided to join forces. The first trick that Sheng Yuanhe taught her was to create a connection between her and Sheng Zixi.
She and Sheng Zixi had absolutely no contact whatsoever, they were completely unrelated, so how could there be any further development between them?
A plate of snacks is a small thing, but at least it will ensure that Sheng Zixi remembers her.
After finishing her story, Su Lin'er carefully avoided the palace servants and guards, first returning to the Buddhist hall and then to Chengming Palace.
On her way back to Chengming Palace, she already knew that Sheng Zixi had just left Chengming Palace.
Then, Granny Cheng told her that the pastries were delicious and asked her to make some more.
Su Lin'er asked casually, "Has Your Majesty tried it? It's my first time making it, so I don't know if Your Majesty likes it."
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