Shangguan LingRan saw that Zi You’s face sunk again and his heart was bitter.
He thought it over. At least being allies was better than her ignoring him like in the beginning.
As long as she did not reject him and allowed him to see her every now and then, he had the confidence and determination to open her heart.
Thus, he no longer argued with her. It was more important to find ways to deal with their common enemies right now.
Since it was like this, Shangguan LingRan discarded his normal lazy and devilishly charming appearance and said seriously, “Taizi is very vigilant. He was named Taizi since the age of six. He already has his own power. That’s why the Emperor has started to favor Third Wangzi, so Third Wangzi can compete with Taizi. Taizi has four secret guards with very high martial arts around him. They never leave Taizi’s side, so it’s very difficult to touch him.
“Shangguan Lingluo’s Mufei has passed away. She and her twin brother Fourth Wangzi were brought up by the Empress and belong to Taizi’s faction. That is a certainty. It can be said that whatever she and her brother have today are given to them by the Empress and Taizi. But the Empress absolutely does not know about the affair between Taizi and Shangguan Lingluo. Otherwise, the Empress will be the first person who won’t let Shangguan Lingluo off. The Empress is focused on cultivating Taizi and will not allow any stain on him to affect his position.
“As for Third Wangzi, due to the Emperor’s intentional or unintentional indulgence and value these past two years, his Mufei Xian Fei and her father Marquis Weiwu had begun to garner support for him amongst officials. So, Third Wangzi seems to be harmonious with Taizi on the surface, but they attack each other behind the scenes and hate that couldn’t kill each other.”
“So it’s like this?” Zi You lowered her head in thought for a while. A gorgeous and resplendent smile then appeared on her face, like the pretty and dazzling red mandara flowers on the table. “That’s easy then. We don’t have to do anything. As long as we let Third Wangzi know about Taizi and Shangguan Lingluo’s affair, Shangguan Lingluo will certainly die.”
Zi You’s beautiful smile made Shangguan LingRan’s breath stifle. When he finished listening to her plan, he revealed a wickedly charming smile. “Our hearts really linked since we have the same idea.”
This scoundrel was doing it again. Zi You angrily looked at Shangguan LingRan. She pondered for a while and said, “I think that we shouldn’t let Third Wangzi know about it yet. Otherwise, if Third Wangzi makes it public, Taizi will be abolished and no one will suppress Third Wangzi. If Third Wangzi is the only one with power, the first thing he will do is to seize military power. Let’s leave Taizi to make trouble for him and have them fight each other, so that they will have no time to deal with us.
“Let’s make the matter known to the Empress. Once she finds out about her son and Shangguan Lingluo’s scandal, she will certainly not let Shangguan Lingluo hinder Taizi’s succession to the throne. As a result, Taizi and Fourth Wangzi will certainly hate the Empress. As long as there is a chink, with a little bit of stirring up, the chink will gradually become larger. As time pass by, it will become a bottomless trench. This is a very good thing for us. But this way lets Shangguan Lingluo off too cheaply. Her reputation should be destroyed and then she should be sent to hell. But like that, we cannot let the Empress know. Don’t be anxious. I have to think hard about it.”
Zi You was full of intelligence as she spoke. Her deep purple eyes sparkled vividly and brighter than gems.
Shangguan LingRan stared at her and felt that a light was flashing in her beautiful eyes, like the serenity of well water. They were also like constantly changing clouds. He was shocked with one glance at them.
Zi You was deep in thought and did not pay attention to where Shangguan LingRan was. She was muttering to herself, “How to make Shangguan Lingluo die an ugly death?”
Shangguan LingRan did not answer her, so she looked up. She then discovered that Shangguan LingRan’s expression wasn’t quite right.
She angrily sent her leg over and stomped on his foot. “Lecher!”
“Ouch!” Shangguan LingRan was in pain. He held his foot as he shouted, “Your husband is in pain!”
His face was full of resentment and he looked aggrieved at Zi You to complain. “You can’t blame your husband. Who let it be that my wife is so beautiful?”
Zi You saw that he had reverted back to his wicked charm and coldly said, “Shangguan LingRan, be a little more serious. If you speak any more nonsense, we don’t need to cooperate anymore.”
Shangguan LingRan became more aggrieved as he looked at her. “I am very serious right now. You’er, I call you ugly, but you don’t like hearing it. I say that you are pretty and they are your husband’s sincere words. They can’t be more real. Why aren’t you happy? Do you want to make things difficult for your husband?”
“Whose husband are you?” Zi You angrily asked. “I asked you how we are going to let the Empress know about Taizi’s scandal. Why are you spouting nonsense?”
“Hehe……” Shangguan LingRan laughed. “So my wife is blaming your husband, me, for not listening to you. That’s easy then. Your husband will do whatever you say. You want Shangguan Lingluo to die miserably, right? Don’t worry, wife. Leave it to your husband to take care of things.”
“I’m too lazy to bother with you.” Zi You knew that he was probably going to be like this now, so she didn’t pay any more attention to him. She issued an eviction notice, “I’m sleepy. I want to sleep. Scram out of my sight!”
Shangguan LingRan walked in grievance towards the door.
Zi You suppressed that strong feeling of not being about to bear it in her heart. She turned away and didn’t pay attention to him.
At that time, Shangguan LingRan suddenly flew over to her and kissed her face.
As he ran away, he said, “Wife, your husband is going to do what you told him to do now. Take care of yourself. Remember to think of and dream about me.”
Zi You froze and two spots of red appeared on her face.
She wanted to tell him to be careful too, but she calmed down and didn’t say anything.
The next day, after Zi You finished her class with the female medical team and returned to the fu, she saw Nee Liu come over.
Something must be wrong. Otherwise, Nee Liu would not come over to disturb her as soon as she finished classes.
Zi You quickly let Nee Liu into the hall and quietly asked, “Is something wrong, Aunt?”
Nee Liu dismissed the servants and whispered in reply. “The Palace’s De Fei sent someone here. He said that she wants to see you, so she summoned you into the Palace.”
De Fei? Second Wangzi immediately appeared in Zi You’s mind. That lonely and indifferent handsome young man in a wheelchair.
Then she thought about how her godly medical skills were gossiped about after she cured Zhao HongXiang’s leg. She immediately understood why De Fei wanted her to go to the Palace.
Thus, she was calm as she asked, “Where is the person?”
“Your uncle is accompanying him in the drawing room.” Nee Liu looked somewhat worriedly at Zi You. “Why don’t we ask your uncle to send him away? Lao TaiYe and your uncle are a bit worried about you going the Palace.”
Zi You smiled comfortingly at Nee Liu. “Don’t worry, Aunt. Nothing will happen. I will tidy up and immediately go meet him.”
She called Shiyun in and said, “Make a more dignified hairstyle for me. I’m going to the Palace immediately.”
Shiyun immediately asked for Zi You’s opinion. “Xiaojie, is a Baihua bun okay?”
“Okay.” Zi You nodded.
Zi You’s four first-rank maidservants had their own specialties. Shiyun knew about makeup, hairstyles, embroidery, and clothing. Moreover, she was calm and careful. She was the oldest among Zi You’s four first-rank maidservants and the one whom Zi You trusted the most. She managed Zi You’s jewelry, clothing, and makeup.
Moyun knew accounting and managed Zi You’s small coffer and finances. She was also fourteen years old, but younger than Shiyun by four months.
Haiyun was the third oldest. She was bright, lively, warm, and generous. She was the easiest to get along with, so she was sent by Zi You to gather information from all of Mu YingRui’s concubines. She was very beautiful, just like Shiyun.
The youngest Shuiyun was an excellent cook with a foundation in medicine. She was also very clever. Zi You was cultivating her into a dietician.
The four maidservants were all following Zi You in learning medicine and martial arts. They were very close to her. It could be said that they were her sisters and comrades.
The skillful Shiyun quickly helped Zi You comb her hair into a Great Yan unmarried female’s popular Baihua bun.
Zi You looked and added some light makeup. She wore a gold-inlaid red jewel hairpin. A red ruby drop hung between Zi You’s delicate and smoky eyebrows. It was really gorgeous and eye-catching against her white and smooth skin.
She put on an elegant white silk brocade dress, a delicate and cute plain-embroidered coat, and a red damask cloak with a fox fur collar that set off her beautiful face even more.
The person who came was De Fei’s most trusted confidant, Eunuch Dong.
Once he saw Zi You, who was cold, but delicate, even though he was used to seeing all kinds of beauties in the Palace, his eyes were stunned.
He secretly praised, ‘Very beautiful! If she can marry the very handsome Second Wangzi, how fitting will it be! Unfortunately, Second Wangzi is crippled. Who knows if Old General Mu will like him.’
Zi You didn’t feel that it was strange to see Eunuch Dong’s amazed face.
She walked over and curtsied. She calmly and naturally said, “Chennu pays respects to Eunuch Dong.”
Eunuch Dong was an attendant. Technically, Zi You did not need to perform any greetings to him. But considering that he was a trusted confidant of De Fei’s, she thought that it was better if she could win him over rather than offending him.
Zi You’s curtsy made Eunuch Dong’s favorable impression of her increase some more.
He felt that it was remarkable that a Di daughter of a general who had military power didn’t have the slightest bit of arrogance.
Eunuch Dong immediately said pleasantly, “Nucai [literally: “this (male) slave”] pays respects to Mu Xiaojie. Would Mu Xiaojie come with Nucai to the Palace to see De Fei?”
Zi You performed a slight greeting again. “Please show the way.”
Zi You then smiled comfortingly at the worried Old General Mu. “Grandfather, I’m going to the Palace now. When I return, I will make a steamed dish for you.”
