"How could you say something like that?! Isn't that just asking for trouble?!"
"If we're talking about who's responsible for Xiuyi's death, you bear the greatest responsibility!"
In the end, Madam Jin, still feeling disappointed, tapped Empress Dowager Zhang's forehead.
From an unknown small family to its peak, and then to its current decline, Madam Jin already knows where the Zhang family went wrong.
The decline should have begun when Empress Zhang lost her composure.
Princess Xiuyi was only eight years old, yet she kept saying things like "deposed crown prince." Wasn't that because Empress Zhang didn't discipline and restrain her properly back then?
Mrs. Zhang's face finally fell.
Madam Jin's words struck a nerve.
It's all her fault for not avoiding Xiuyi, who was pretending to be asleep, when she was plotting with the palace servants back then, and Xiuyi overheard her.
Ultimately, this led to a major disaster.
Empress Dowager Zhang buried her face in Lady Jin's arms and wept bitterly.
I regret it now.
"Your Majesty, a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan. Why are you in such a hurry?" Madam Jin gently stroked her daughter's back and said softly.
To maintain stability, the emperor spared Empress Zhang's life, even though they had a falling out.
This is the Zhang family's opportunity.
If we win Wanwan over, and once she has a prince, we can support a new emperor and restore our glory. What difficulty would revenge be then?
Over there, isn't Empress Dowager Wang almost at her wit's end trying to force Yanruo onto the emperor?
The Zhang family has Wanwan as a trump card. If they don't make good use of it and instead ruin it, wouldn't they be incredibly foolish?
Empress Dowager Zhang was a smart woman, and of course she could calculate this.
He was just blinded by hatred before.
Madam Jin's words were like a wake-up call, making her much more aware of her situation.
The mother and daughter were embracing and weeping when a palace servant came to report: "Her Majesty the Empress requests an audience."
Empress Dowager Zhang slowly sat up straight, a hint of hatred still flashing in her red-rimmed eyes.
Madam Jin sighed, "Your Highness, you must not be willful anymore."
"Xiuyi is a cautionary tale. I'm old, and I can't bear the thought of an older person burying their younger one."
Empress Dowager Zhang nodded slowly, her voice filled with sorrow and resentment:
"Mother, I know the pain of losing my daughter, and I won't let you suffer that pain too."
Madam Jin was moved to tears by what she was being said.
When Su Wanwan entered the main hall, the atmosphere inside was still bleak and desolate, filled with sorrow.
Lady Jin stood up shakily and bowed: "This old woman greets Your Majesty the Empress."
After Madam Jin finished her greetings, Su Wanwan slowly stepped forward and bowed to Empress Dowager Zhang.
"Your Majesty, I have come today to say something."
Empress Dowager Zhang didn't want to pay attention to her and impatiently turned her gaze away, saying, "Speak."
Su Wanwan glanced at Madam Jin but did not speak.
Empress Dowager Zhang snorted coldly: "You had better come and explain that Xiuyi's death has nothing to do with you."
Su Wanwan smiled slightly, sat down on her own, and let He Ying go out first.
He Ying was worried.
The Empress has lost a lot of weight recently, and she looks like she could be blown away by the wind. She's all alone here, and if something were to happen to her, it would be terrible.
Wanwan patted her hand gently, her eyes softening: "These words are not suitable for you to hear. Go on."
He Ying could only nod: "This servant is right outside the palace. Just call out if you need anything."
I closed the door behind me.
Soon, the hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The atmosphere was tense.
All four eyes were on Su Wanwan.
Su Wanwan's expression was very calm. She looked Empress Dowager Zhang up and down, then glanced at Madam Jin, before returning her gaze to Empress Dowager Zhang.
"Zhang Chenjun, did you drive my mother to her death?"
Empress Dowager Zhang was suddenly startled.
I gasped.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" She shrank back in fear.
Su Wanwan's tone was too calm.
It was as calm as if they were having a casual chat.
Instead, it instilled fear and sent chills down one's spine.
Having witnessed how Su Wanwan had once forced Empress Dowager Wang to feign unconsciousness with just one sentence, Empress Dowager Zhang knew that Su Wanwan was no pushover.
She just pretends so well that people think she's a weak and easily bullied little white rabbit.
"Nonsense?" Su Wanwan lazily lowered her eyes and tidied the handkerchief in her hand.
"It was Princess Xiuyi who told me."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
That smile, however, was particularly chilling, revealing a coldness.
"Impossible!" Empress Dowager Zhang vehemently denied. "She knew nothing of these matters!"
Su Wanwan finally raised her eyes and looked at Empress Dowager Zhang with great interest.
Empress Dowager Zhang reacted as if she had been stung.
That bitch Su Wanwan, just like her cunning mother, dug a pit for her to fall into.
She only wanted to deny that Xiuyi knew about it, but indirectly admitted that Su Wanwan's mother's death was related to her.
However, Empress Dowager Zhang quickly regained her composure.
He sneered, "Not bad."
“That bitch Zhou Xiuyu has indeed been provoked by me.”
"But that was her own fault for wanting to die. What does it have to do with me?"
Su Wanwan was in a daze for a moment and then stopped talking.
The air fell silent once more.
Empress Dowager Zhang and Lady Jin exchanged a glance.
After much deliberation, Madam Jin finally spoke hesitantly:
"Wanwan, we're family, no need for formalities."
Su Wanwan didn't react.
Madam Jin cleared her throat and said, "Wanwan, you should have been surnamed Zhang, and you should have called me Grandmother and the Empress Dowager Aunt. These years... you have suffered so much."
Su Wanwan then looked at Madam Jin, a look of confusion flashing in her beautiful eyes: "What do you mean?"
Madam Jin looked at her with loving eyes and tears in her eyes:
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