C186

Within the palace.

Qiao Qiao was still sitting upright in the great hall with Die'er's figure following closely behind him. Next was Qiao Qiao who had just brought back Xiruo from Fang Rou's great hall.

"Xiluo …" "Your Highness …" Qiao Qiao called out softly, pulling back the look of shock on his face.

"Your servant is here." Xiruo slowly walked forward and bowed to Qiao Qiao.

"In the future, you will stay in the palace and serve me together with Die'er." Qiao Qiao still nodded slightly, and took a sip of the teacup that was slightly cold in front of the table as he spoke softly.

"Yes, this servant understands." Xi Ruo slowly bowed, she did not look as sharp as she did before. The passage of time was indeed able to change a person's personality.

Qiao Qiao's eyes continued to shift slightly as a hidden smile appeared in them.

"Esteemed wangfei has arrived ~"

A voice drifted over from the entrance of the palace, causing the awkward atmosphere in the palace to vanish. Qiao Qiao's cold eyes swept over the crowd. Indeed, what was to come had to come.

"Sister Qiao ~"

Yu Ziyi's gentle voice slowly drifted past. His usual indifferent face gradually appeared in Qiao Qiao's eyes. It was a pity that the current Yu Ziyi still loathed him.

"Hui'er, you're here." Qiao Qiao still had a face full of smiles as she did not want to break off all decorum with Yu Zihui. After all, she had yet to find out what they wanted from her. If they revealed their cards too early, they would inevitably alert the enemy.

"That's right. A few days ago, the emperor ordered that no one was allowed in or out of the Palace. Even though Hui'er was worried, she couldn't come to see her sister. She was extremely worried." Yu Ziyi's expression was gentle as he slowly stepped forward.

Not to mention Qiao Yifan, even the always taciturn Die'er felt a sense of disgust when she saw this. Normally, esteemed wangfei and her own concubine had the closest relationship, so it wasn't inappropriate to walk around a little. But ever since last night, the Empress had brought her to personally see just how this gentle and refined esteemed wangfei looked like.

"That's right, I've always wanted to go out for a walk as well. Only today did the emperor give the order for me to go around as I pleased." Qiao Qiao continued to smile indistinctly. He raised his eyes to look at the slightly embarrassed Xiruo. "Xiruo, go down and brew a pot of tea to entertain esteemed wangfei."

"Yes." Xiruo bowed slightly, turned around, and retreated. When she passed by Zi Hui, her eyes met his with a profound gaze.

Yu Ziyi's expression became solemn, and he immediately walked past Xiruo, moving towards Qiao Qiao's side.

"I heard that Sister Qiao went to Rou Yi Hall and asked for a palace maid to come back. Is she the one that just left?" Yu Zihui asked Qiao Qiao with a surprised look on his face. He couldn't help but look in the direction that Xiruo had left in.

"That's right. Not all matters of the imperial harem are managed by esteemed imperial concubine. I'm lacking a palace maid here, so naturally, I have to ask her for some." Qiao Qiao continued to speak indifferently. There was nothing amiss between his brows.

"Big sister Qiao, aren't you afraid that Fang Rou will take this opportunity to take revenge on you?" "After all, she did not have any face back at the Green Lotus Pool …" Yu Ziyi's voice was getting softer and softer, as if he was thinking wholeheartedly for Joe's sake.

"In the end, I have the emperor's personally bestowed gold medallion in my hands. Even if she's unwilling, she wouldn't dare to openly send her people into my palace." Qiao Qiao still had a faint smile on her face. Naturally, she understood the meaning behind Yu Zihui's words. She could not help but pretend to be haughty as she spoke.

"But …" Yu Zihui thought about it and his expression couldn't help but gradually become cautious. His face was full of suspicion, and his voice was light and low. "Big Sister Qiao, you should be careful."

"I will. Thanks for reminding me, Hui'er." Qiao Qiao said with a face full of gratitude, but soon after, he raised his eyebrows indifferently, as if he was ignoring the words that Yu Hui had just said.

Before she saw Qiao once again, she was filled with curiosity, fantasizing about what kind of person her master would deal with with with great effort. After coming to this palace, and listening to how much of Qiao Qiao's intelligence, wit, and scheming ability was, she was thoroughly disappointed. The woman in front of her was simply a proud, ordinary person who did nothing but talk in her head. She truly didn't have the qualifications to have her master order so many people to surround her and do things!

She would tie him up and throw him onto Spirit Mountain, not afraid that he would lie to her! Don't do anything!

Even Qiao Qiao, who hadn't put much thought in Qing Xu's eyes, could feel such a look of contempt. She couldn't help but smile. It seemed like there was someone else by Yu Ziyi's side.

"Hui'er, I rarely see the servants by your side. Did you pick this girl from thousands or tens of thousands?" Qiao Qiao's brows were still slightly raised as his gaze rested on Qing Xu.

"Yes …" "Yeah." Yu Zihui really did not think that Qiao would still turn his attention to Qing Xu beside him. Her face was filled with surprise as she replied slowly.

"En, not bad. She looks like a clever little girl."

Qiao was still looking at Qing Xu approvingly, but Qing Xu turned his gaze away in disdain.

Qiao Qiao continued to smile coldly. It seemed that Yu Hui's helper was just like Luo Qingqing before; love and not love, joy and not happy. This kind of person was much easier to deal with than a shrewd woman like Yu Hui.

"Yes …" She was afraid that Qiao Qiao would still ask for Qing Xu. Now that she wanted the trust that Qiao still had, it would naturally be difficult for her to refuse him, but Xiruo was already at the Palace and if Qing Shui had asked, they would have already been exposed.

"I don't have to worry about a girl like that staying by your side." Qiao Qiao continued to smile with praise and did not open her mouth to tell Qing Shui about the matter. Today, she had already brought Xi Ruo back from the Rou Yi Hall. If she were to bring Qing Xu back from the Hui Jie Hall, perhaps Yu Ziyi would think too much about it.

Seeing that Qiao Qiao still had not asked for anything, Yu Ziyi couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. He turned to Qiao Qiao and said, "Look at my brain. Today, I have come to give Big Sister Qiao Lingzhi.

Finishing her words, Yu Zihui turned around and gave Qing Xu a look. Qing Xu passed by with a brocade box in her hand, bowing to Qiao Qiao.

"Look at you, why do you and I need to be so courteous?" Qiao Qiao continued to smile lightly and raised her hand to receive the embroidered box.

Die'er's heart was in disarray, but she did not show it on her face. After all, the esteemed wangfei had instructed her not to let Yu Zihui see any flaws. She naturally would not be any different from how she was before.

"Many thanks, esteemed wangfei." Die'er raised the embroidered box high up in the air and greeted him politely.

Qiao Qiao nodded her head in satisfaction. Die'er had now hidden her emotions within the depths of her heart.

"Sister has already sent the Lingzhi, so I won't disturb Sister Qiao anymore. Sister has just recovered and should rest more." Yu Zihui nodded warmly and said to Qiao Qiao.

"Why don't you let Hui'er eat dinner here before leaving? I'll have Die'er stew this Lingzhi for now." Qiao Qiao still passionately urged him to stay.

"Thank you elder sister Qiao for your kind intentions. I've been sleeping soundly recently, and don't you think the weather is getting tired? Next time, you and I will properly reminisce about the old days." Yu Zihui tactfully declined.

"Since that's the case, I'll get Die'er to boil this Lingzhi. Later, I'll bring you a bowl so that you can relieve your fatigue." Qiao Qiao continued to smile lightly.

"Then, I'll have to thank Sister Qiao …" Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Yu Zihui accepted it happily. He then nodded and left.

A light flashed in Qiao Qiao's eyes as he stared at Yu Zihui's departing back. After pondering for a long time, he was finally jolted back to reality by Die'er's gentle call.

"Empress, Die'er, take this Lingzhi and throw it away." Die'er knitted her brows. She loathed a person in her heart, and was extremely disgusted with the things that she gave him.

"No, take it to the imperial kitchens and cook it into a pot of soup. Send a bowl to Huijie Palace. Bring the rest to the palace." The corner of Joe's lips slowly curved upwards, drawing a beautiful arc in the air.

As expected, things had gone the way she had imagined …

At this moment, Yu Zihui and Qing Xu walked out of the palace. Their faces no longer had any traces of a smile on them.

"I don't think that woman is someone worth fighting against. Why would Master praise her so much?"

Qing Xu's disdainful gaze hadn't faded since she left the palace. Even after she left, she still grumbled at Yu Ziyi unwillingly.

"Hmph." Yu Zihui coldly snorted as he frowned, "Don't underestimate her."

Qing Xu couldn't help but sneer. She really didn't know what ability that woman possessed.

"I'm afraid she suspects us." Yu Zihui's expression was cold, but he was deep in his thoughts. He couldn't figure out where she had gotten into this mess. However, Qiao Qiao was still able to see through her.

"How could that be? Didn't you see how deep the affection she had for you was?" Qing Xu frowned as he looked at Yu Zihui's surprised expression. She couldn't help but speak indifferently.

"It is because the more deeply she acts as a sister, the more problems she will have." Yu Zihui was talking to himself in fear, and he couldn't help murmuring, "No matter what, we should still be more careful."

Qing Xu still maintained a nonchalant expression. With a snort, he followed Yu Zihui's footsteps.

"That Lingzhi, you didn't do anything, right?" Yu Zihui seemed to have thought of something as he grabbed the green leaf and asked.

"If you don't want me to use poison, then I don't have any." Qing Xu shrugged. Seeing that Zi Hui finally let out a sigh of relief, she added faintly, "But I released the medicine that made her feel the existence of her child …"

"What?!" Yu Zihui was shocked, he tightly held onto Qing Xu's shoulders, and asked anxiously, "What did you release?!"

"It smells like musk! She dares to snatch a man from Senior Sister, how can I, the Junior Sister, ignore her? Let's see how the Emperor pampers her now that she has no child in her womb!"

Qing Xu looked at Yu Zihui with a face full of pride and admiration, only to see the latter's face stiffen as he shouted at him:

"Nonsense!"