On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

After Lin Yi finished reading the letter, he put it down, and the hall remained quiet for a long time.

Zhao Shuyu stared straight at the letter, her eyes unblinking.

She was thinking about what Zhao Boduan looked like when he was a child.

She was only fourteen years old at the time and had just been selected to enter the palace to await marriage.

On the day he was leaving, Zhao Boduan chased after her for half a block, crying and shouting, "Sister, don't go!"

She turned to her brother and told him that once she had established herself in the palace, she would bring him to the capital to broaden his horizons.

Later, she really stood firm, and Zhao Boduan really came.

But they didn't come to see their sister; they came to do business, build connections, and pursue official careers.

Over the years, Zhao Boduan has come to the capital no less than ten times, each time with a mission from the Zhao family.

It's either about smoothing things over or opening up channels for salt and iron.

After he arrived, he stayed at the Zhao family's villa in the capital. He went to the palace to see her once, but left in less than half an hour.

Zhao Shuyu kept comforting herself, saying that her younger brother was just busy.

But now that this letter is in front of me, all my self-comfort has shattered.

Zhao Boduan wouldn't even say a good word for her; there wasn't a single word in the entire letter pleading for his sister.

There was no "I hope Your Highness will treat my sister well," nor "My sister has worked hard in the palace for many years," or anything like that.

That cold remark, "It's no longer the Zhao family's intention," was no different from throwing away an old garment.

"Your Majesty." Lin Yi's voice brought her back to reality.

Zhao Shuyu raised her head, her eyes already red, but she held back her tears.

"I am not saying this to upset Your Majesty," Lin Yi said, pushing the letter in front of Zhao Shuyu. "I want Your Majesty to see clearly what cards you still hold in your hand."

Zhao Shuyu stared at the letter for a few moments, then suddenly reached out and took it, looking down to read it carefully.

It is indeed Zhao Boduan's own handwriting, not a forgery.

After reading it, she folded the letter and placed it on her lap.

"Zhao Boduan wants you to depose me." Her voice trembled violently. "You agreed?"

"I didn't agree."

Zhao Shuyu raised her head, her face full of disbelief.

"I did not agree," Lin Yi repeated. "If I had agreed, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to Your Majesty all this time. I could have just issued an edict to depose you and throw you into the cold palace, wouldn't that have been enough?"

Zhao Shuyu wanted to refute him, but it was indeed the truth; he was telling the truth.

If Lin Yi really intended to cooperate with the Zhao family, then he wouldn't be the only one entering Kunning Palace today; there should also be officials from the Ministry of Rites carrying the edict to depose the empress.

But he didn't.

Why?

Lin Yi looked at her: "Because I am not on the same side as Zhao Boduan. Zhao Boduan wants to use you as a pawn to exchange for peace, but I don't do business like that. I think Your Majesty is more useful than the Zhao family."

These two words made Zhao Shuyu's heart skip a beat.

it works.

What ironic and cold words.

But Zhao Shuyu felt more at ease after hearing it, because it was a realistic evaluation, without any emotion or deception.

In the arena of power, those who say you are useful are a million times more trustworthy than those who say you are good.

"What do you mean?"

Lin Yi didn't answer immediately. He stood up and walked to Zhao Shuyu.

Zhao Shuyu looked up at him; the distance between them was less than three feet.

Lin Yi looked down at her for a few moments.

The latter felt uncomfortable under his gaze and subconsciously leaned back in her chair.

However, Lin Yi suddenly reached out his hand.

Before Zhao Shuyu could react, he grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the phoenix chair.

Zhao Shuyu staggered and fell forward.

She instinctively placed her other hand on Lin Yi's chest, trying to push him away.

But Lin Yi's other hand had already wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his arms.

She struggled twice, but couldn't break free.

This man's grip was frighteningly strong.

"You, you're being insolent!" Zhao Shuyu gritted her teeth and tilted her head back. "Let go!"

Lin Yi gave a wicked smile.

The 39-year-old woman is indeed well-maintained; her skin is fair and her features are well-proportioned.

But he couldn't maintain that condescending air on his face no matter what.

He held her tightly in his arms, her toes barely touching the ground, her entire weight supported by his arm.

"Your Majesty, please don't move." Lin Yi spoke calmly. "The people outside are all my men; shouting won't make a difference."

Zhao Shuyu stared at his face, her voice trembling with anger: "Lin Yi, you've gone too far! I am the Empress! The Mother of the Nation!"

"I understand."

As he spoke, he didn't loosen his grip; in fact, he tightened it a little.

Zhao Shuyu felt the tightness around her waist like an iron hoop, making it hard for her to breathe.

She tried to push him away, but her palms were pressed against his chest, where hard muscles were hidden beneath his brocade robe, and she couldn't budge him.

Lin Yi said, "As I just said, Your Majesty is still the Empress, but in all these years sitting on this chair, besides being a patron for the Zhao family, what have you done for the Great Zhou?"

Zhao Shuyu wanted to scold him, but before she could speak, Lin Yi silenced her with his mouth!

"Ugh!!"

Zhao Shuyu was immediately dumbfounded.

He... he actually kissed me!!

Zhao Shuyu realized what was happening and was about to bite down when Lin Yi dodged away.

"Gah!"

The sound of teeth clenching came, and Zhao Shuyu gasped in pain.

Lin Yi burst into laughter: "Hahahaha!"

"Lin Yi...you...don't you have any sense of morality or ethics?! I am the Empress!"

"The Empress is also a woman. As long as she is a woman, why can't I kiss her? Besides, it's been many years since Nangong Xiong has kissed your beautiful lips, hasn't it?"

Indeed, as an old married couple, they no longer had many passionate moments, and Nangong Xiong rarely even came to her palace.

They come twice a month, on the first and fifteenth, eat, and then leave.

With so many young and beautiful concubines in the harem, how could the emperor possibly stay overnight with a middle-aged woman?

Therefore, that shocking kiss just now made Zhao Shuyu feel ashamed rather than angry.

At this moment, Lin Yi reached out with his other hand, pinched her chin, turned her face towards him, and forced her to look directly into his eyes.

Those eyes held no emotion; they simply stared at her blankly.

"Has Your Majesty considered why the Zhao family sent your younger brother to talk to me, instead of someone else? It's because Zhao Boduan is Zhao Tiande's eldest son, and his words carry weight in the Zhao family. Using him to discuss this matter indicates that Zhao Tiande has already given his approval."

Lin Yi moved his thumb slightly on her chin, feeling her smooth skin.

"Your brother wrote very clearly in his letter that as long as I am willing to cooperate with the Zhao family, the Zhao family can remove you from the position of Empress. In other words, Zhao Tiande is prepared to sacrifice you."

While feeling ashamed of Lin Yi's kiss, Zhao Shuyu also felt betrayed and abandoned by her family.

Several emotions mixed together finally brought tears to her eyes.

But she still didn't cry. She blinked hard twice to hold back her tears.

After saying this, Lin Yi released his grip: "Your brother didn't even write a plea for you. It's pathetic."

A woman who had been fighting in the palace for over twenty years regarded the Zhao family as her last resort, only to be betrayed by them first.

The feeling of being abandoned by your closest relatives is more painful than having a knife stabbed into your stomach.

But Lin Yi didn't intend to give her too much time to adjust.

"But I am different from Zhao Boduan. Zhao Boduan treats you as a pawn, but I do not."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shuyu was visibly taken aback.

Lin Yi continued, "I believe Your Majesty is more useful than the Zhao family. Your Majesty has been in this palace for over twenty years. No one knows the connections, spies, and methods within the harem better than Your Majesty. It would be a great pity to waste these resources."

Zhao Shuyu understood.

Lin Yi was talking to me about business.

"You want me to do things for you?"

"right."

"Who are you keeping an eye on?"

"Nangong Xiong".

Zhao Shuyu fell silent.

Having been in the palace for so many years, she knew Nangong Xiong's every move like the back of her hand.

But knowing everything about someone and spying on your husband for someone else are two different things.

"Why should I do such a thing for you?"

Lin Yi said, "Your Majesty still wants to be Empress! As long as Your Majesty does this well, you will still be in charge of the harem. Your food, clothing, and daily necessities will remain the same, and your rank will not change. I guarantee to give you whatever you want. But if Your Majesty doesn't do it well..."

Lin Yi slapped her on the buttocks.

"I can get angry."

"you……"

Zhao Shuyu blushed deeply, her fair cheeks practically dripping blood.

The hall fell silent again.

A spark flew from the charcoal brazier in the corner, landing in the copper dish and extinguishing it.

Zhao Shuyu and Lin Yi stared at each other for about a minute, and finally she revealed a cold smile.

It could also be a bitter smile, like resignation or a sense of relief after recognizing one's place.

"Lin Yi".

"Um?"

"You're even more ruthless than your grandfather."

Lin Yi laughed loudly: "Hahahaha, that's for sure, otherwise how could it be called 'the student surpasses the master'?"