Lin Wanwan's "virtuous" words of "advising the emperor to distribute his favors equally" were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples throughout the entire harem.
No one could understand the Queen's actions.
Those who were waiting to see a good show were dumbfounded.
Those who were hoping for a newcomer to take over are now confused.
The most bewildered of all was the other protagonist in this turmoil—Consort Xian, Su Jinxiu.
She probably racked her brains but still couldn't figure out what Lin Wanwan was up to.
What surprised her even more was that Xiao Che actually "followed" the Empress's advice.
Starting the next day, he visited Changchun Palace, where Consort Xian resided, several times.
This news shook the entire harem.
Everyone thought that this talented and beautiful virtuous concubine was finally going to overtake the Empress and steal away her favor.
For a time, Changchun Palace was bustling with activity, with a constant stream of concubines coming to pay their respects and hoping to curry favor with the palace.
Even the Empress Dowager specially sent someone to deliver a reward to show her appreciation for her niece.
On the surface, Su Jinxiu was experiencing the most glorious moment since entering the palace.
However, only she knew that this seemingly overwhelming "favor" was actually a red-hot iron, making her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles, unable to rest day and night.
Because every time Xiao Che went to Changchun Palace, he would just sit for a while and have a cup of tea.
He would discuss music, chess, calligraphy, and painting with her, comment on her new poems, and even point out the shortcomings in her paintings. He acted like the most perfect "soulmate" who appreciated the talented woman.
But he never touched her.
Even the tea and snacks she personally served him, he only ate a little bit.
He never stayed overnight at Changchun Palace, nor even ate a meal there. Each time, he would sit for a full half hour, then get up on time, say, "It's getting late, Consort Xian, please rest well," and then turn and leave.
This lukewarm, indifferent "favor" was more agonizing to her than any cold treatment.
She was like someone suspended in mid-air, unable to go up or down, completely unable to fathom the Emperor and Empress's true thoughts.
Her meticulously planned, step-by-step schemes were completely disrupted by Lin Wanwan's unconventional move.
She didn't know whether the emperor's "closeness" stemmed from genuine appreciation or was merely a performance orchestrated by the empress.
She had no idea what kind of tricks the "virtuous" empress was hiding.
The unknown is the most terrifying.
This feeling of being controlled and led by the nose made this talented woman, who always prided herself on being smart, experience the feeling of losing her composure for the first time.
Lin Wanwan, on the other hand, leisurely drank tea, read books, and tended to flowers and plants in her Kunning Palace.
She was like the most patient hunter, setting the most ingenious trap, then retreating into the shadows, quietly waiting for the panicked prey to walk into the net step by step.
She knew that with Su Jinxiu's pride and arrogance, she would never accept such a passive situation.
She panicked.
She will definitely find a way to break this deadlock.
When people are anxious, they are most likely to reveal their weaknesses.
This wait lasted for three days.
That evening, Xiao Che returned from "drinking tea" at Changchun Palace once again.
He went directly to Kunning Palace.
Lin Wanwan helped him change out of his everyday clothes, which were damp with night dew. He then sat down by the window, picked up a travelogue she often read, and casually flipped through it.
His face remained expressionless, as if he had merely taken a stroll in the Imperial Garden, rather than returning from another concubine's palace.
Lin Wanwan served him a cup of hot tea and asked casually, "Your Majesty, did you enjoy yourself at Consort Xian's place today?"
These words carried a touch of the wife's perfectly timed teasing of her husband.
Xiao Che paused for a moment as he turned the pages of the book.
He looked up at her, his eyes holding a knowing, playful glint in them.
He did not answer her question, but simply said, "She made soup for me today."
"Oh?" Lin Wanwan's heart skipped a beat, knowing that the main event was about to begin. "My sister's cooking skills have always been excellent, so that soup must be extremely delicious."
"I didn't drink it." Xiao Che's answer was simple and direct.
After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and continued reading his book, as if it were just a trivial matter.
However, Lin Wanwan smiled.
Because, the moment he uttered the words "I didn't drink," she clearly saw that the "bullet screen" above his head was showing a wonderful "trailer."
A cartoon figure dressed in the same palace attire as Su Jinxiu was furtively carrying a bowl of soup. A sinister smile played on its face as it secretly poured a packet of white powder into the soup.
The entire scene is filled with an atmosphere of conspiracy.
Next to it was a line of bold text that hinted at a spoiler: "[She finally couldn't resist and decided to tamper with my soup.gif]".
At this moment, all of Lin Wanwan's guesses were finally confirmed.
She panicked!
She was really panicking!
After several days of agonizing "boiling frog" treatment, Su Jinxiu finally lost all her patience and pretense.
She knew that if things continued like this, she would never have a chance to get ahead.
So she chose the fastest, but also the most dangerous, shortcut—drugs.
Lin Wanwan didn't know what kind of drug she had given him—whether it was an aphrodisiac that could make people lose their senses or a slow-acting poison that could create dependence.
But none of that matters anymore.
The important thing is that she made a move.
She loses as soon as she makes a move.
Looking at the emperor in front of her, who was engrossed in a book and seemed completely unaware of everything, Lin Wanwan felt an indescribable sense of pleasure.
The unspoken understanding between them, the joy of fishing together, was far more captivating to her than any sweet words.
She slowly stood up, walked to him, and poured him more tea.
In the candlelight, her voice was so gentle it could melt your heart.
“Your Majesty,” she said softly, “it is late at night and the wind is strong outside. You must be tired after returning from Changchun Palace.”
She paused, then gave a most considerate and gentle smile.
"How about... you come to my place and have a bowl of the calming soup I personally prepared for you, to warm your body and help you rest? What do you say?"
She deliberately emphasized the words "calming soup".
Upon hearing this, Xiao Che slowly raised his head from the book.
His gaze met hers.
He saw a fleeting, sly smile in her eyes.
He instantly understood what she meant.
The corners of his mouth curled up in a barely perceptible, tiny arc.
He closed the book in his hand and stood up.
“Very well,” he said, looking at her with a knowing smile in his voice.
Lin Wanwan looked at him and smiled.
She knew that a great show was about to begin in Changchun Palace.
And they will be the best directors and the only audience members in this great show.
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