Before the chaos in Mingyue Lake, Sheng Xiyan had already returned to Xuanyu Pavilion along the same route.

If she had not lived again, she would never have imagined that the so-called "suicide for love" in the previous life was like this.

There are many ants in the summer, so she had just sprinkled some special powder in the bushes near Suhe Garden. This powder would attract lots of small flying insects. These small insects swarmed in, and from a distance, it looked like smoke.

It might be okay on normal days, but now with the Queen Mother in the garden, no one would take it lightly.

Even if the eunuchs would soon discover that there was no fire, they would lead the ladies who were enjoying the flowers in Suhe Garden to go around Mingyue Lake and return to Xuanyu Pavilion just in case...

The play "Rouge Fan" on the stage has already reached its final act.

Chen Zhuangyuan was grateful for the deep affection of the daughter of the prime minister, but he couldn't bear to abandon his fiancée. He was in a dilemma and couldn't control his emotions. The fiancée was miserable and said that she was not worthy of him. She was willing to take care of his parents in his hometown and begged Chen Zhuangyuan to marry the daughter of the prime minister...

Sheng Xiyan: “…”

Looking at the noble ladies around her who were deeply moved, Sheng Xiyan covered her mouth and yawned uninterestedly.

Soon, the noble ladies from Suhe Garden came back one after another, their faces full of excitement. Faintly, they could be heard whispering to each other: "...Have you heard about Mingyue Lake?"

"King Zhao?"

“Yes, yes, yes.”

…

Sheng Xiyan picked up a piece of snow-white Poria cocos cake, took a bite, and watched the excitement with interest.

"Sister Yan!" A girl about fourteen or fifteen years old, wearing willow green clothes and a pearl headband, came over with her skirt lifted up.

Sheng Xiyan smiled: "Ayu."

Cheng Chuyu sat down next to her, her pretty face showing her excitement. She whispered, "It's such a pity that you didn't accompany me to Suhe Garden."

Her eyes were sparkling, as if saying: Ask me quickly!

Sheng Xiyan couldn't help but chuckle and poured her a glass of water: "Look at you, your head is covered with sweat." Then he followed her words and asked: "What's wrong?"

Cheng Chuyu drank most of the cup in one breath, and said excitedly: "Suhe Garden almost had a fire just now, but later I heard that it was just some small insects, but it doesn't matter!"

Cheng Chuyu looked around, then leaned close to Sheng Xiyan's ear and lowered his voice, "We saw King Zhao when we were coming back from Mingyue Lake!"

"King Zhao's clothes were half-opened, and he was holding a girl in his arms. There was also a man floating in the lake."

"I heard that two men were fighting over one woman...

Sheng Xiyan responded from time to time: "Really?", "Oh?", "Yes, yes."

After Cheng Chuyu finished speaking, he drank the remaining half glass of water in one gulp, and then said: "I don't know who the one in the lake is. I will go and ask around and then tell Sheng..."

The whispers around suddenly stopped, and a middle-aged eunuch walked into Xuanyu Pavilion.

He walked up to Sheng Xiyan, smiling, and said in a shrill voice, "Miss Sheng, the Queen Mother wants you to come over and talk."

There was no fluctuation in Sheng Xiyan's heart.

At this time in the previous life, this eunuch Cao announced a cold imperial decree, unilaterally telling her that she wanted to share the throne with someone else.

She didn't know that King Zhao was involved, so she never understood why the Queen Mother intervened. Even if someone told her that the Queen Mother was grateful for their deep love, Sheng Xiyan didn't believe it.

Sheng Xiyan was reborn three days ago, and it was too late to cancel the engagement, so she had to find another way.

Only a few people knew about Zhou Jingxun and Zhao Yuanrou's love suicide at the time, and it didn't cause a stir in the city. Thinking of the Queen Mother's arranged marriage, Sheng Xiyan guessed that it was the Queen Mother who suppressed it.

Therefore, Sheng Xiyan planned to make the matter public, to the point where even the Queen Mother could not suppress it. However, she did not expect that there would be such an unexpected surprise as "Prince Zhao".

Sheng Xiyan stood up and said with a smile, "Please lead the way, eunuch."

She has an elegant demeanor, a graceful manner, and a bright and peaceful appearance.

Eunuch Cao shook off his snow-white whisk and said with a smile, "Miss Shengda, please."

After leaving Xuanyu Pavilion, it took about a cup of tea to reach the nearest Changqiu Palace.

Eunuch Cao asked her to wait outside while he went in to pass the message.

Inside the Changqiu Palace, the phoenix-shaped copper stove emitted wisps of green smoke with a pleasant fragrance. In the corner were a few glass ice buckets, making the room so cool that it didn't feel like midsummer.

The Queen Mother sat in the main seat, her face looking slightly gloomy.

The empress dowager was well maintained and looked to be just over 40 years old. She held a string of Buddhist beads in her hand, her hair was neatly arranged, and she looked elegant and dignified.

The Queen Mother was originally watching a play on the second floor of Xuanyu Pavilion. It was not until someone came to report just now that she learned of such a scandal.

She had heard of Zhao Yuanrou. Her foolish son had been pestering her every day for the past few months, insisting on marrying Zhao Yuanrou as his principal wife.

The empress dowager really looked down on her. Not to mention that Zhao Yuanrou's biological father died early, and he only had a widowed mother to depend on, and now he was supported by his uncles and aunts, just seeing that she had bewitched her son and repeatedly disobeyed her wishes was enough to make the empress dowager displeased.

Thinking about how her son had caused a big scene yesterday because of Zhao Yuanrou and herself, the empress dowager felt even more disgusted.

How can a woman like this who flirts with other men be qualified to serve her son!

"My lady, Miss Shengda is here."

The Queen Mother rubbed her forehead and said calmly, "Let her in."

The Queen Mother had just had someone investigate, and it turned out that the person who was accidentally pushed into the lake by her son was Zhou Jingxun, the son of Marquis Yongning, who was engaged to Sheng Xiyan, the eldest daughter of the Minister of Rites.

While he was thinking, Sheng Xiyan walked in gracefully under the guidance of Eunuch Cao, with elegant and calm manners and extraordinary bearing.

"Your servant pays respects to the Queen Mother."

The empress dowager looked at the girl who was kneeling in greeting. She was just of marriageable age, with smooth and shiny black hair tied in a bun with two red coral beads on her head. Her small face, which was the size of a palm, had big almond eyes that were clear and bright, a delicate and straight nose, and lips as pink as petals. She was a rare and beautiful girl.

"A seat is given to you."

"Thank you, Queen Mother."

Sheng Xiyan sat down, placed her hands on her knees, and kept her back straight.

For such a little girl, the Queen Mother did not need to beat around the bush. She gently twirled the Buddhist beads in her hand and said bluntly: "Miss Shanda, the Ai family has heard that you have an engagement with Prince Yongning Hou?"

"Yes, Queen Mother." Sheng Xiyan answered, "It was my grandfather who arranged the marriage."

The marriage was arranged ten years ago. For Sheng Xiyan, she knew since she was a child that she had a fiancé, but that was all.

"This marriage is indeed a good one." The Queen Mother nodded in praise. "I have met the Prince of Yongning, and he is a good man. The Emperor once praised him in front of me, saying that among this generation of young noble men, the Prince of Yongning is one of the best in both civil and military strategy, and he will definitely be used in the future."

The Queen Mother paused deliberately.

Normally, anyone would be very happy if their fiancée could receive the emperor's praise, but Sheng Xiyan seemed to be smiling. Her smile was perfect, and even the curve of her mouth looked as if it was measured with a ruler, but there was no real emotion in it.

This made the Queen Mother a little upset.

I couldn't continue what I had planned.

The Queen Mother picked up the teacup and gently used the lid to brush the tea leaves on the water. Her voice became much colder as she said, "I heard that the prince of Yongning has a beloved girl, and they are very much in love. It can be said that they are destined to be together. This girl is also your cousin. I want to help them get married. What do you think?"

Sheng Xiyan replied gently, "The Queen Mother is right."

Just now, Sheng Xiyan ignored her words, and the Queen Mother thought that this girl had some extraordinary qualities. Unexpectedly, she overestimated her.

The Queen Mother took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, pressed the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, and said slowly: "Then..."

"Your Highness." Sheng Xiyan interrupted her at the right moment, smiling, "Your Highness, please also cancel the engagement between me and the Prince of Yongning."

The Queen Mother sat there motionless, clenching the red sandalwood Buddhist beads: "You don't want to?"

"Your Majesty, you have arranged a marriage for the son of the Marquis of Yongning, and I have no objection." Moreover, what does her willingness or unwillingness mean to the Queen Mother? If the matter had not been known to everyone, why would the Queen Mother call her here for show?

In front of the imperial power, she is nothing.

Sheng Xiyan's mind was clear, and she said, "But, Your Majesty, please cancel the engagement for me first."

The Queen Mother grew increasingly angry. She looked at her coldly and snorted.

Sheng Xiyan was neither hurried nor slow, her eyes and eyebrows were smiling, with an indescribable softness, "Queen Mother, Prince Zhao was competing with someone for marriage, and everyone in the garden knew about it. In the blink of an eye, you want to give Prince Zhao's sweetheart to someone else. You really took great pains to protect Prince Zhao's reputation."

Sheng Xiyan's attitude was so natural, as if she was just chatting with the empress dowager.

The Queen Mother's eyes were blazing with anger. She slammed the table and shouted, "How dare you."

The maids and nurses who were serving around all knelt on the ground, chanting in fear, "Queen Mother, please calm down."

If it were someone else, they would have prostrated themselves on the ground to apologize at this time, but Sheng Xiyan just stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to cancel my engagement with Zhou Jingxun. Then, it will be more legitimate for you to arrange a marriage for them. Don't you agree?"

Since her rebirth, Sheng Xiyan has deduced the situation she would encounter today countless times.

In her previous life, she was forced to marry a legitimate daughter and had no power to resist.

In this life, she planned every step carefully and seized the opportunity to get to this point. She will never make the same mistake again.

She clenched her right hand, which was hidden in her sleeve, and looked directly at the Queen Mother without hesitation.

The Queen Mother was willing to allow someone to succeed the heir in order to preserve Prince Zhao's reputation, and she was also able to tolerate someone daring to negotiate with her for Prince Zhao's sake.

"Are you threatening me?"

The Queen Mother's voice was cold and stern, intimidating without even being angry.

The girl in front of him had bright and clear eyes, with an ethereal look as if she could see through everything. She opened her red lips slightly and said, "Empress Dowager, I dare not."

The word "I dare not" was met with a sneer from the Queen Mother. She dared not? She was quite brave!

The Queen Mother slowly turned the Buddhist beads in her hand, and her fingertips turned slightly white.

The Queen Mother was harassed by her youngest son for so long that she finally decided to summon Zhao Yuanrou to the garden to take a look. If she was okay with it, she would let her enter the palace as a concubine, which would also fulfill her youngest son's kindness.

But Zhao Yuanrou is not content with her life and is involved with other men.

She would never let a woman like this into the palace!

The Queen Mother also knew that her youngest son was very stubborn, so she planned to arrange a marriage for Zhao Yuanrou and the Prince of Yongning since they were in love with each other, which would also make her youngest son give up completely.

She had intended to end the Gordian knot quickly, but unexpectedly, she hit a tough thorn in Sheng Xiyan's side.

If this matter had not been so serious and she did not want to attract criticism, she could have simply issued an imperial decree and would not have endured the anger of a mere minister in vain.

At that moment, she also thought about giving Zhao Yuanrou to someone else, but the incident of "two men fighting for one woman" had already caused a lot of uproar, so who would still want Zhao Yuanrou?

If Zhao Yuanrou was given a piece of white silk, her youngest son would definitely turn against her.

It's not worth damaging their mother-son relationship for a woman like this.

"Miss Shengda, have you made up your mind?" the Queen Mother asked calmly, her voice without any ups and downs.

Sheng Xiyan's eyes were firm: "Please ask the Queen Mother to cancel the engagement for me."

Every word is sonorous and powerful.

"Okay." The Queen Mother sneered, "Since you don't want this marriage, I will grant your wish."

Sheng Xiyan could hear the displeasure in the Queen Mother's voice.

However, she didn't care. If she had to spend her whole life to make the Empress Dowager "happy", she would rather the Empress Dowager be "unhappy".

Sheng Xiyan curled her lips and said, "Thank you, Queen Mother."

"But." The Queen Mother paused, "Since I have ruined your marriage, I will give you another pile as compensation. What do you think of the Prince of Zhenbei?"

Sheng Xiyan's heart skipped a beat, and the Queen Mother continued, "The Prince of Zhenbei is a prince, who has just come of age, and has no concubines or maids in his house. This is much better than the marriage you 'gave' to me, what do you think?"

The Chu family, the King of Zhenbei, is the only king of a different surname in the Darong Dynasty, and has guarded the northern border for generations.

Three months ago, the current Prince of Zhenbei, Chu Yuanchen, defeated the Northern Yan in a great battle and fled, but he himself was also seriously injured and his whereabouts are unknown. His life or death has not been determined to this day...