On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

Liu Jing nodded and walked back along Zhuque Street.

The wind was cold, and she tucked her hands into her sleeves, her right hand unconsciously touching the bronze medal.

When Zhao Shuyu gave her this plaque, she said, "Take this to the Regent's Palace, and the gatekeeper won't stop you."

You just need to plead for him; if you can't get him to forgive you, that's fine. But if you do get him to forgive you, remember to come back and tell me.

At the time, Liu Jing felt that Zhao Shuyu was helping her... well, although she also sent her a letter in the meantime.

After all, although the Zhao family and the Liu family are not from the same faction, Zhao Shuyu has fewer and fewer people she can use, while the Liu family still has some remaining value.

But looking back now, was Zhao Shuyu giving her this plaque really just to help her out?

If Lin Yi sees her and asks...

Liu Jing suddenly stopped in her tracks, realizing that she had been tricked.

Lin Yi's target was actually the list of corrupt officials; he wanted to take the initiative to come to them!

Zhao Shuyu was helping Lin Yi, but at the same time she asked him to go out and deliver a message. In other words, Zhao Shuyu was helping Lin Yi out of necessity, and she had her own plans.

Good heavens, these people spend all their time scheming and plotting against each other.

Aren't they tired?

……

In the study, Lin Yi sat back down in his chair.

Qiangzi came in from outside, and Lin Yi asked, "Did that girl leave just now?"

"They've left, heading towards the palace."

Lin Yi hummed in agreement: "You know she was carrying a bronze medal, right?"

"Yes, I noticed, but that sign has nothing to do with our Prince's Mansion. The servants at the gate don't recognize it at all; she was only allowed in after being announced."

"Hehehe, Zhao Shuyu is really something. She tried to trick Liu Jing into doing things for her this way. Liu Jing didn't know what was going on and thought Zhao Shuyu was one of my people, deliberately helping me. Sigh, I was tricked by this woman without even realizing it."

At this point, Lin Yi suddenly found it very funny and looked at Qiangzi, saying, "Qiangzi, you have to admit that Nangong Xiong is really amazing. With such a woman by his side, he can still live to be over fifty."

"Hahaha, Your Highness is right!" Qiangzi was also amused by this and laughed heartily. "But... Your Highness, I still don't understand what Zhao Shuyu's purpose is in doing this."

Because he had to bring a secretary, Qiangzi would often ask Lin Yi about things he didn't understand.

The latter didn't hide anything; he taught him what needed to be taught, because only by teaching him could he make things easier for himself.

"Fool, Zhao Shuyu definitely has other motives, but she doesn't want me to know, so she pretends to help me and pushes Liu Jing to my side. She knows I won't let the Liu family off the hook, so she'll make demands on Liu Jing. If Liu Jing agrees, Zhao Shuyu will have done a good deed; if she doesn't, it's none of her business. She gave Liu Jing that waist token so I'd know she was the one who released the person. Whether I sleep with Liu Jing or coerce her into agreeing to the conditions, it's all in my favor. At least it won't implicate her, and she can secretly accomplish her own goals."

"I see..." Qiangzi suddenly realized.

This sounds convoluted, but if you think about it carefully, the logic makes sense.

Zhao Shuyu wanted to deliver a message, but she didn't want Lin Yi to know, so she pretended to help and delivered a bargaining chip to Lin Yi.

Whatever Lin Yi does with this bargaining chip—whether he sleeps with her or negotiates—it will benefit him. Even if she doesn't agree, it won't do him any harm. This is a way to express Zhao Shuyu's loyalty to Lin Yi and thus cover up the fact that she secretly sent the letter.

But Lin Yi was too clever. How could Zhao Shuyu possibly outmaneuver a transmigrator who had survived the hardships of military life and quickly established himself after transmigrating?

Qiangzi said, "Your Highness, we can't just let Zhao Shuyu go like this, can we?"

"Of course not. Send someone immediately to investigate and find out what branches and henchmen the Zhao family has in the capital. Investigate their shops, houses, officials they associate with, and their undercover agents, and send the information to me."

Qiangzi clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, I will take care of it right away."

"Don't rush, but don't drag it out too long, and especially don't cause panic! Qiangzi, you're still young, don't be impulsive, understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I am grateful for your guidance and will serve you with my life."

"You're even using fancy words now. Fine, go ahead."

"Yes!" Qiangzi turned and left.

Lin Yi leaned back in his chair and couldn't help but sneer.

Zhao Shuyu's biggest bad habit, which she can never shake off, is that she can never stay still.

If you give her an inch, she'll demand a foot.

He had already given her a chance last time; he wouldn't depose her or kill her, and he would let her continue to be empress, on the condition that she keep an eye on Nangong Xiong for him.

But what was the result? She turned around and had Liu Jing act as her eyes and ears to spy on the prince's situation.

While pretending to comply, they continued to pull these little tricks.

Fine, since you're not being honest, then don't blame me for tightening my grip.

Lin Yi got up, took the empty teacup back to the study, and saw Yi Fei waiting there. He smiled and said, "Fei'er, go and get me a new pot of hot tea."

"Yes, Your Highness."

……

It was almost dark when Liu Jing arrived at the entrance of Kunning Palace.

In winter, the days are short, and by the time the sun sets in the late afternoon, the palace road is pitch black.

Fortunately, there were still lights inside Kunning Palace, and two palace lanterns at the entrance illuminated the steps.

The palace maid guarding the gate recognized her and didn't stop her. She just glanced at her and whispered, "Miss Liu is here? Her Highness is inside."

"Yes, thank you, Auntie." Liu Jing nodded and stepped over the threshold to go inside.

A charcoal brazier was burning inside the main hall, making it much warmer than outside.

However, the temperature was still much lower than at Lin Yi's residence.

Zhao Shuyu was reclining on the phoenix couch, and a little palace maid was squatting beside the couch, gently massaging her legs.

Another palace maid stood beside her, peeling an orange and feeding it segment by segment to Zhao Shuyu's lips.

This life is much better than the three of them living in the side hall, exposed to the cold wind.

Liu Jing didn't seem to care. She took the bronze plaque out of her sleeve and gently placed it on the small table next to Zhao Shuyu.

Zhao Shuyu, with a segment of orange in her mouth, turned her head, glanced at it, and said, "You're back?"

"Yes."

Zhao Shuyu didn't rush to ask anything else. She swallowed the orange in her mouth, took a handkerchief from the maid to wipe her mouth, and then lifted her foot.

Liu Jing noticed that she wasn't wearing shoes or socks, and her toes were painted with nail polish.

Yes, very beautiful feet.

The palace maid naturally loosened her collar, held Zhao Shuyu's feet, and placed them inside her clothes, close to her skin.

After doing all this, she finally asked, "Was the letter delivered?"

"It's been delivered," Liu Jing said. "The old manager of Moxianzhai accepted it, but didn't ask me to bring a message back."

Zhao Shuyu nodded: "And then? Did you go to the Prince's residence?"

"I've gone."

"Did you see Lin Yi?"

"I saw him."

Zhao Shuyu's large eyes flickered slightly, and she asked, "What did Lin Yi say?"

Liu Jing went over Lin Yi's words in her mind.

"The prince said that the Liu family must be buried in the dust and never be able to rise again."

"Hehehe, is that all?"

"No." Liu Jing lowered her head. "He also said that he would give my brother a chance to pursue a career in government in twenty years, but he could never become a principal official."

"Uh..." At this moment, the palace maid lowered her head and hummed softly.

Zhao Shuyu's expression hardened, and she kicked out.

"You unruly brat, take him out and give him twenty lashes."

"Yes."

"Ah? No, Your Highness! I know I was wrong, I couldn't help myself..." The palace maid was so frightened that she immediately burst into tears and knelt on the ground begging for mercy.

But the palace maid who had just been peeling oranges still pulled her out.

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs dared not utter a sound, as this was Zhao Shuyu's usual style.

She enjoyed abusing young and beautiful palace maids and servants, and anyone who resisted would be beaten to death.