Without glancing at her, Gu Qiang retorted, “I’m looking forward to that. But I am curious. You love Shen Zhongbai deeply while he just accepts you as a concubine. It seems that you will have a miserable life.”
Then Gu Qiang returned to her room with Gusu Liang. Gu Zhihua rushed her but was stopped by a servant, who soothed in a low voice, “My Lady, please calm down. She is an infanta now. If you irritate her in her yard, the Prime Minister will scold you.”
Gu Zhihua was clear that the status meant everything, but she would burst with anger if she didn’t vent it.
It was dark when Gu Zhihua was pulled away by her servant.
Sitting before the window, Gu Qiang watched the sun-setting direction silently and couldn’t help sighing how long the day was. So many things came to her like dark clouds, leaving her no breathing space.
Fortunately, she had been accustomed to it. But she didn’t know… she took out her cherished diary. Was the Empress all right? Was she also fully occupied and exhausted?
At this moment, the Empress was sitting at the desk in her study, too. The study, which was not big, was filled with candlelight, which made she feel uncomfortable.
Ling walked in, observed the Empress carefully, and then said, “Your Highness, the Emperor has started.”
The Empress turned around to look at the candlelight on the desk, took a sip of tea resignedly, and said calmly, “It’s inevitable. Shen Qianshan is so excellent, while Shen Zhongbai is very jealous. He won’t tolerate Shen Qianshan sooner or later.”
Ling parted her lips, hesitated, and said embarrassedly, “Your Highness, you are more concerned about the Ninth Duke… are you?”
The Empress lifted her head suddenly and stared at Ling coldly. The servant girl was more embarrassed and apologized at once.
Though Ling didn’t talk about it anymore, she was clearer than anyone else that the Empress had fallen out of love with the Emperor and was much more concerned about the Ninth Duke than before. But the duke was still single, and it would cause rumors to get close to him.
However, the Empress didn’t care. Even Ling had no idea what the Empress was doing.
The Empress had a plan and stuck to it, but she seemed to be disorganized.
It looked like… a game of chess, whose result had been predicted. No matter what moves were made and how self-willed the player was, the result was still good.
Ling thought the Empress’s behavior was abnormal and wanted to remind her, but she found what the Empress cared about happened one after another before long.
“Go to the Imperial Study with me to rescue Shen Qianshan tomorrow.” The Empress said.
Ling lowered her head and responded resignedly, “The Emperor is still angry with you for going to the duke’s mansion at night. If you do so, I’m afraid the Emperor will fly into a rage.”
Though Ling had never mentioned it, the Empress was clear that it had been a long time since the Emperor came to the Weiyang Palace last time and he was less warm to her. Even if the former warmth was feigned, he was tired of feigning it now.
The couple remained together just to save the face. Ling felt pity for the Empress because she witnessed what the Empress had done for the Emperor, but now the Empress was given the cold shoulder. It proved that a man wouldn’t remain loyal to a woman forever no matter what she had done for him.
The next morning in the Guanyang Pavilion of the imperial garden, Shen Zhongbai drank three cups of spirits, patted Shen Qianshan who just entered the palace, and said smilingly, “We’ve got no chance to drink together since mother passed away.”
Shen Qianshan smiled faintly and responded, “It’s true. Brother, you are loaded with state affairs. How dare I come to disturb you?”
With a faint smile, Shen Qianshan looked calm. He found the spirits in his cup smelt different. He didn’t understand why Shen Zhongbai treated him in this way.
He had never coveted the position that didn’t belong to him or dreamed to replace anyone. He just wanted to live a peaceful life. Why was Shen Zhongbai still dissatisfied?
“You’re right. I’m exhausted by state and court affairs as well as you…” Shen Zhongbai withdrew his eyes from the distance and turned around to look at Shen Qianshan.
Shen Zhongbai’s eyes were as cold as ice in June, sending a chill down Shen Qianshan’s spine. He turned around to look at Shen Zhongbai’s eyes and found he was not joking.
After a long silence, Shen Qianshan smiled slowly and said, “Do I upset you so much?”
He was at a loss what to do. Perhaps Shen Zhongbai wouldn’t feel relieved until he died.
“Yes.” Shen Zhongbai nodded. Two people came near. One of them was the Empress. Shen Zhongbai was not worried because she usually stood on his side. She could do anything and kill anyone to help him hold the throne.
“Brother, I’m sorry. Forgive me.” Shen Zhongbai said with sadness and seemed to suffer heartache. Then he pushed Shen Qianshan’s cup forward and gestured him to drink the spirits.
He did it as naturally as he treated Shen Qianshan before, but the alcohol before was not poisonous.
Shen Qianshan looked down at the cup with complex emotions. Finally, he gave a smile and said, “Now that you want me to drink it, I will.”
He lifted the cup. When he was about to drink the alcohol, his body shook suddenly and then toppled over. His cup was thrown far and smashed to pieces on the ground.
Shen Qianshan turned around in confusion and saw the Empress standing before him apologetically. She wanted to lift him but was also afraid it was improper, so she just stood still at a loss.
“Are you all right? I was so careless. Sorry. Are you hurt?” the Empress said and intended to help Shen Qianshan up.
Her hands were hit hard and stopped. Shen Qianshan looked up and found Shen Zhongbai was sitting there and his face was dark with anger.
“Your Highness, you and His Majesty are both good actors!” Shen Qianshan picked himself up, brushed the dust off his robe, and then walked away.
Noticing the liquid on the cup fragments were blue, the Empress knew she arrived in time. If Shen Qianshan had drunk the poisonous alcohol, he might have died.
What did Shen Qianshan mean? The Empress stood there with her head lowered. She had no idea why Shen Qianshan cursed her along with Shen Zhongbai.
She helped Shen Qianshan. Couldn’t he see that? If she hadn’t arrived in time, he would have been forced to drink the poisonous alcohol and then died.
She didn’t expect Shen Qianshan would repay her favor with bitter sarcasm, so she felt aggrieved. But she concealed her mood.
Shen Zhongbai turned around to look at the woman and smiled for no reason. Then he swept all items on the table to the ground and stood up suddenly. His unique fragrance filled the vast but enclosed space and gave the Empress a headache.
“Tell me. What do you want to do?” Shen Zhongbai asked coldly and sulkily. He glowered at the Empress with icy eyes as if he wanted to shred her, but he tried to refrain from his anger.
The Empress lifted her head slowly. She had done what she wanted and was not scared of what he would say. What could he do to her?
Shen Zhongbai didn’t expect there was not a hint of scare in her eyes. She used to be awed by him, but now where was her respect and worship? They all disappeared! The firmness and calm in her eyes made Shen Zhongbai shudder.
“Your Majesty, what do you think I am doing?” The Empress didn’t notice that it was the first time that she had talked with Shen Zhongbai in this way. Her eyes were so cold that even Ling thought them incredible.
The Empress was unexpectedly bold. Ling couldn’t help feeling respectful and worried about her. It was scary to challenge the Emperor overtly. After all, his words were powerful enough to scare others, who even couldn’t ensure their lives.
Though the Empress was holding a high position, she couldn’t challenge or even irritate the Emperor disrespectfully. Ling was clear about what Shen Zhongbai would do to punish the Empress.
As expected, Shen Zhongbai lifted his eyebrows, concealed his rage, and put on an artificial smile. Meanwhile, he clenched his fists and his fingers snapped. He was itching to slap her bewitching face. It took him a long time to win her heart, and he once loved her, but now he was sick and tired of her face.
“How dare you talk with me in this way? You must be clear what I am thinking about. How disrespectful you are! Have you fallen in love with my brother?” Shen Zhongbai asked in a trembling voice. She knew he was not jealous. They had been estranged at heart, and she didn’t expect to be reconciled with him. He was just not resigned to the possibility that his wife cheated on him.