If I were born again, I would marry a strong but short-lived husband.

Shen Suian had been standing outside Zhaoxi Palace for half an hour.

She felt a little uneasy.

Concubine Yao seemed to be criticizing her.

But what should she be hit with?

Shen Sui'an was puzzled. Why did her recent actions displease Concubine Yao?

Although it is already the end of summer, it will still be hot if you stay in the sun for too long.

Her back was already sweating.

The clothes stuck to her sweaty skin, which was very uncomfortable.

"Princess Le'an, please follow me." Qinghe finally walked out of the hall and knelt down to bow to Shen Sui'an.

Shen Sui'an nodded slightly and followed Qinghe to a room in the side hall to change clothes.

She was a little wary and did not take off her clothes immediately.

Qing He smiled and said, "County Lady, I will help you change your clothes."

Shen Sui'an glanced at her and said, "No need, I can do it myself."

"Don't be alarmed, Lady County. The Queen is waiting for you in the palace," Qinghe said.

"Aunt Qinghe, I am dull and have never seen the world. Did I do something wrong to make the queen unhappy?" Shen Suian took off the jade bracelet on his wrist and stuffed it into Qinghe's hand.

"You're too polite, Princess. Her Majesty has always praised you for being dignified and intelligent. If Princess Guangning could be half as good as you, she would feel at ease." Qinghe said with a smile.

Princess Guangning?

It seems that Concubine Yao ignored her because of Guangning.

But it was always Guangning who made things difficult for her. Although she had plotted against Guangning, she had done so in a very subtle way. If Imperial Concubine Yao had found out, it would have been impossible for her to just leave her outside in the sun for half an hour.

There must be another reason.

Shen Suian racked her brains but still couldn't figure out why Concubine Yao was angry with her.

"County Lady, please come in." Qinghe's voice interrupted Shen Sui'an's thoughts.

"Okay." Shen Sui'an had already changed into a set of clean clothes.

Follow Qinghe to the main hall.

Concubine Yao wore a light yellow double-breasted dress with orange trim and light makeup on her face. Even though she was the mother of three children, she still maintained herself very well, with fair and delicate skin, a well-proportioned figure, and still had charm.

She was flipping through the book in her hands.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Shen Sui'an knelt down and bowed.

"Stand up and come and sit down." Concubine Yao raised her eyes and glanced at her.

Shen Sui'an was uneasy and followed Concubine Yao's orders obediently.

Concubine Yao curled her lips, but she didn't look angry.

"When Guangning wanted to kill Song Xiuzhi, was it you who saved her?"

"..." Shen Suian's heart skipped a beat.

It has been so long since the incident happened, and no one else knows about it except Fuqiu.

The most Concubine Yao could find out was that someone sent Song Xiuzhi to see a doctor, but that doctor had already returned to his hometown.

Even if it was found, it would be impossible to trace it back to Fuqiu.

At that time, Fuqiu had disguised herself and also found other common people to confuse the public and send Song Xiuzhi to the clinic.

Concubine Yao was just testing her.

Shen Sui'an's agitated heart gradually calmed down.

"My queen, before I broke off the engagement, I went to find Song Xiuzhi. At that time, I was filled with anger and didn't understand why I was inferior to a bartender who was inferior to me in every way."

"I am not a saint. I did know in advance that Song Xiuzhi was kept in the pleasure boat, but at that time I... intentionally wanted the princess to know so that I could teach Song Xiuzhi a lesson."

"I have taken advantage of the princess, and I am guilty of a crime that deserves death."

Concubine Yao's expression was still unfathomable, and she just listened to Shen Suian's words expressionlessly.

"So, it was your idea that the girl from the Qu family deliberately reminded Guangning?"

Shen Sui'an bit her lip, her expression revealing a bit of timidity and nervousness, "Actually... to be honest with you, Your Majesty, I didn't want the princess to know at that time. At that time, the princess and her husband had just been married for a short time, and I couldn't bear to see the princess sad."

Imperial Concubine Yao snorted coldly, "Guangning treated you like that, and you're still soft-hearted?"

Shen Sui'an lowered his eyes, "Because I know the pain of being betrayed."

"I don't mean to blame you." Concubine Yao said calmly, "It's just that if you had said it earlier, perhaps many things would have been different later."

What would be different?

Would Concubine Yao take direct action to deal with Song Xiuzhi, so Guangning would not be humiliated?

If Concubine Yao thought so, she would definitely not let me go.

But today he only left her outside in the sun for half an hour, and now he treated her the same as before. Doesn't Concubine Yao mean to blame her?

If I had known so much earlier, I would have disciplined Guangning strictly and not raised him to be arrogant, so that many things that happened later would not have happened.

"Song Xiuzhi is in my hand. I let her experience every day how she murdered Guangning. I also have people use top-grade medicine to keep her alive. She will not be allowed to die." Imperial Concubine Yao suddenly said softly.

"..." Shen Sui'an looked at Concubine Yao in shock, feeling a chill in his heart.

She knew that Song Xiuzhi had been captured, and Concubine Yao would definitely find out the truth.

but……

What a tragic ending it is to repeat Guangning's experience every day.

She couldn't imagine the pain Song Xiuzhi was going through now.

I had guessed that Imperial Concubine Yao was not a kind person, but today I finally understand why she has been able to sit firmly on the throne of Imperial Concubine for so many years.

How could Concubine Yao, who was able to defeat the Qu family and the Queen and secure her position as Queen Mother in her previous life, be a kind-hearted person?

Song Xiuzhi really deserves it!

I offended someone I shouldn't have, and thought I could get away with it.

The ignorant are always fearless.

"There is a question that I am not sure about yet." Imperial Concubine Yao stretched out her white hand, picked up the teacup and slowly took a sip.

"With Madam Lu and Song Xiuzhi doing what they did and being able to get away with it, I suspect there is someone helping them behind the scenes, and it must be someone in the palace," said Imperial Concubine Yao.

"Didn't Yongning want to win you over? Go and help me find out if Yongning is helping them behind the scenes."

Shen Suian was stunned for a moment. Concubine Yao wanted her to get close to Yongning and find out whether Princess Guangning’s affairs had anything to do with her?

"Your Majesty, how could I have the ability to find out something that you can't even find out?" Shen Sui'an said helplessly.

She didn't want to get involved in the fights among the nobles in the palace, as it would not benefit her.

"In fact, I don't think it was the Queen and Yongning who did it." Concubine Yao said, "But everything I found pointed to Yongning. There may be a traitor around Yongning."

"If I were to find it out myself, Yongning would definitely not believe it."

"Le'an, I have never had any intention of killing the Qu family or the Queen. Do you believe me?"

Shen Sui'an lowered her eyes and nodded sincerely, "I believe it."

"I don't want others to take advantage of me. Since Yongning wants to win you over, you should take this opportunity to help her eliminate the people around her." Concubine Yao said.

"..." Shen Suian wanted to refuse.

Imperial Concubine Yao looked at her with a smile and said, "I won't ask you to do things for nothing. You can also put forward conditions. As long as I can do it, I will definitely help you."

Shen Sui'an sat up straight involuntarily. If that was the case, she felt it was acceptable.