Survive, the rules of rebirth for the villain witch

"Royal sister, why don't you come to see me?"

Yu Chuxi had been reviewing memorials for most of the day and was about to take a break when a palace maid came to report that Princess Shude wanted to see her for an urgent matter.

Princess Shude stepped forward and presented the painting box, saying, "Before the Imperial Sister tells you what happened, Your Majesty, please take a look at a painting first, and you will understand why the Imperial Sister is talking about something urgent."

"Ah Heng." The empress called softly.

The personal female official stepped forward, opened the painting box and took out the scroll inside.

Ah Heng opened the scroll, and Princess Shude stood beside the painting and said, "Your Majesty, please look at the person in the painting and remember her appearance."

In the painting, a woman in colorful clothes stood on a city wall facing the wind. The empress carefully identified her and said, "The facial features are somewhat similar to Shen Zhaojun, but the eyes and temperament are very different."

Ah Heng agreed and said, "Mrs. Shen is bright and beautiful, with a fierce look, but the person in the painting is very cold and distant, as if she doesn't care about anything."

"What's the secret behind this portrait?" the empress asked in confusion. The person in the painting looked somewhat similar to Shen Zhaojun, nothing special about him.

"Of course there is no mystery in the portrait..." Princess Shude thought for a moment and said, "The one who has the mystery is Chu Youhuang, the daughter of Chu Ce and Shen Zhaojun."

"As for Chu Youhuang, I have read the poems she wrote. She is indeed quite talented..." The empress first affirmed Youhuang's talent, then suddenly changed the subject and said, "But she grew up in the market, and her temperament is too wild and unrestrained. I wonder what is wrong with such a person."

Princess Shude glanced at the empress and continued, "Your Majesty, do you know whose portrait this is?"

"It's just an ordinary portrait, without a signature. How would I know?"

The empress had no idea what her royal sister was planning and thought she was trying to alienate her from the Marquis of Wushen Mansion.

Princess Shude sneered, "Your Majesty has been in high office for many years now, and only the credit goes to the Marquis of Wushen Mansion. I'm afraid you have forgotten who they are descendants of."

"Just say it straight, don't keep us in suspense." The empress was a little angry when she heard this. Princess Shude smiled and said, "The person in the painting is the empress Chu Zheng of the Dalin Dynasty. Although the history books have tried their best to avoid and delete the information about her political achievements, her traces are everywhere in the Seven Kingdoms."

"The governance system established by Empress Da Lin is indeed impeccable at present." The empress did not deny the achievements of Empress Da Lin, but there was no need for her to compete with the dead.

“Your Majesty, this is not the point that my sister wants to talk about,” Princess Shude recalled Youhuang’s face and said calmly, “My sister was at Xueyuan Temple and ran into people from the Marquis of Wushen’s Mansion and the Duke of Qi’s Mansion. She saw an almost identical face among the group.”

"The exact same face as Empress Dalin!"

The empress was shocked when she suddenly found out that someone in the Wushenhou Mansion had the same face as Empress Dalini. However, she did not show it on her face.

Princess Shude continued, "Now the ministers are strong and the emperor is weak. Your Majesty's throne is already in jeopardy. But a girl who looks just like the empress has appeared in the Marquis of Wushen Mansion. What do you think people will think if they know about this? Will they think she is the reincarnation of the empress Dalin and will unify the seven kingdoms again?"

These words really touched the heart of the empress, but she would never unreasonably doubt the Marquis of Wushen Mansion just because of a painting.

After thinking for a moment, he said to her in a soothing tone, "Okay, I understand what the Emperor is thinking, and I will order someone to investigate it."

After saying that, he gave Ah Heng a look.

Ah Heng immediately put the painting away but did not return it to Princess Shude.

"Your Majesty, this concerns your throne..."

"It's just a nameless painting without a date mark. How can I believe that the person in the painting is Empress Dalin? How can I make the court officials believe it?"

Although the empress had her doubts, she would not completely believe what Princess Shude said, and said calmly: "The Marquis of Wushen has been guarding the border for the court for generations, and they are loyal. If I suspect him of having ulterior motives just because of a portrait, wouldn't it chill the hearts of the court officials and fulfill the wishes of the six countries?"

"His Majesty……"

"Go back."

Princess Shude had just opened her mouth when she was interrupted by the empress.

Seeing that the empress was undecided, Princess Shude had to take her leave. If she wanted to make a move on Chu Youhuang, she had to find another way.

After leaving the palace, Princess Shude got into the carriage, only to find that there was another person in the carriage. She was startled for a moment and then sat down and said sarcastically, "Prince Yuan is here, I wonder what you have to say?"

Yuan Qingnian was also a handsome man when he was young, but the presence of the brothers Chu Ce and Chu Yi overshadowed his brilliance. If he had not married the empress, no one in heaven would have remembered him.

"I heard your conversation in the Imperial Study, and I feel it is necessary to have a chat with my sister."

Yuan Qing sighed and said, "According to the rules, I cannot interfere in government affairs, but the prince is my own flesh and blood, and I will never allow anyone to covet what belongs to him."

Princess Shude was still a little hesitant at first, but after hearing his next words, she said calmly: "Prince Yuan, you may as well speak up if you have any ideas. If you don't overthrow the Marquis of Wushen Mansion, the Crown Prince will still be unable to sleep and eat even if he ascends the throne, and your Yuan family will never be able to make a name for themselves, right?"

"Royal sister, don't just talk about my good points. The Princess Palace is working so hard to target the Marquis of Martial God Palace. Don't you have any purpose?"

Yuan Qing is not as sentimental as Yu Chuxi. He has no blood relationship with Princess Shude. As long as he can keep his son's throne, he can ignore everything.

Princess Shude naturally would not reveal her purpose, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty still has a little sisterly love for me. If Your Majesty falls, I will definitely be liquidated and retaliated."

"I am dead if I die, but Cheng Jing must live, even though his arrival is not welcome." Princess Shude thought of the past and still couldn't let go of the hatred in her heart.

"Let's not talk about the past." Yuan Qing was also a member of the royal family, so he naturally knew some of the truth. He changed the subject and said, "Chu Ce's daughter looks like Empress Dalin, which was originally a good move, but you acted too hastily, so it's normal for His Majesty to have doubts."

“Your Majesty, just find another painting of the empress and compare it with Chu Youhuang, and you will know.” Princess Shude said hastily, “How much Chu Youhuang looks like the empress Dalin.”

"Your Majesty has already accepted the painting..." Yuan Qing said slowly, "Give Your Majesty some time. She can't just order Chu Youhuang to be executed because of a painting. The Marquis of Wushen Mansion is not that easy to deal with. If you want to suppress them, this alone is not enough."

"It's the army and the military power." Princess Shude said coldly: "Gu Xi is right. No matter how much evidence there is, it can't withstand the shock of a large army approaching the border."

"Marquis Wushen's military power cannot be taken away for the time being." Yuan Qing glanced at Princess Shude and said, "At present, Fuguang has no generals who can replace Marquis Wushen. Once the six countries know that Marquis Wushen's mansion has lost its military power, they will immediately join forces to attack Fuguang. Then we will gain nothing and may even give the country to Marquis Wushen."

"Imperial sister should have heard that Zuo Yihai and his subordinates are gone..." Prince Yuan lowered his voice and said, "There is news, and Chu Youhuang knew it before Your Majesty."

"What does this mean?" Princess Shude disagreed.

"She participated in the operation on her behalf."

Yuan Qing said meaningfully: "Chu Youhuang is not simple. I'm afraid she is more difficult to deal with than her father."