Long live Emperor Wu!

Wu Rou frowned slightly and said mockingly:

"I don't dare to turn around and let them take my life away."

"No, no, no... please forgive me."

Wu Rou was extremely impatient after hearing this. She raised her face and rolled her eyes. Then she looked at her again as if she thought of something and said:

"It's okay to let them out. Someone has to bear the blame for the death of our mother and son back then. Let's do this. If you go in instead of them, I will agree to change them out."

When Concubine Xiao Shu heard this, she raised her head in shock and mumbled "I...I..." twice, but nothing happened.

Seeing this, Wu Rou sneered again and said:

"Seeing you so eager to plead for them, I thought you, as a mother-in-law, felt very sorry for them. Also, how responsible can someone be who can use children to do bad things and let them bear the consequences for you?"

Concubine Xiao Shu suddenly turned purple from holding herself back. She knelt down suddenly and wanted to say something, but the flesh on her cheeks trembled violently, but she did not say anything.

She wanted to prove that she was not, but she really wanted to be imprisoned in place of her two daughters, but she couldn't say it.

If she goes in, there will be no chance for her to turn around.

"Queen...I...I didn't make any mistakes, why are you forcing me like this? Woohoo..."

"I've given you the opportunity. If you don't want it, if you dare to mention it again in the future, I will lock you up with the deposed queen. Do you hear me?" Wu Rou said in a sinister voice. No one would doubt that she meant what she said.

Concubine Xiao Shu's crying voice suddenly became much softer, and she did not dare to say anything.

Seeing this, the other concubines looked at each other, lowered their heads, and secretly rejoiced in their hearts that they had never done anything to offend Wu Rou before.

……

……

In a pavilion in the back garden of Taiji Palace.

Wu Rou was wearing the queen's palace attire, with gorgeous silk embroidered with golden flying phoenix patterns.

The dignified and elegant bun on the head is decorated with a natural peony flower, which looks luxurious and fresh.

She was holding a scroll in her hand and was looking at it carefully when a gust of wind blew slightly, fluttering her shawl and floating gently. No matter where you looked at it, it looked like a scroll.

Concubine Zheng listened to the summons and came to the outside of the pavilion. She glanced at her from a distance, pinched her clothes nervously, and then plucked up the courage to go in.

"I've met the Queen, and I'm here." Concubine Zheng bowed and said softly.

Wu Rou turned her head and glanced at her, scanning her up and down quickly, and saw that she still had a frightened look on her face. She was pale, thin and unhealthy. Coupled with the color of her clothes that made her look older, it made people feel unlucky.

She withdrew her gaze expressionlessly, raised her finger and pointed to the opposite side, saying:

"sit down."

When Concubine Zheng heard this, she shook her body cautiously twice and said:

"I don't dare."

Wu Rou did not raise her head this time, looked at the scroll, and said with a cold voice:

"Don't make me say it a second time."

Concubine Zheng was nervous for a moment, and then she sat down obediently.

At this time, the palace maid making tea next to her had boiled the tea and brought it to her. Concubine Zheng stood up subconsciously, walked to the side, took the tea cup tray from the palace maid's hand, and wanted to serve Wu Rou herself.

Wu Rou put down the book and turned to look at her. She was sitting and had to raise her head to look at Concubine Zheng, but Concubine Zheng was serving tea with her eyebrows lowered and she didn't even dare to raise her eyes.

Wu Rou knew that this was her habit of serving the Queen, just like a true concubine, serving the mistress of the house.

She didn't want to answer, so she turned to look at the maid making tea and said:

"The imperial concubine has taken over your work, so what does the queen want you to do?"

When the palace maid heard this, she quickly walked up, snatched the tea tray from Concubine Zheng's hand, and whispered:

"This slave knows that I was wrong."

Concubine Zheng was stunned, nervously not knowing how to deal with herself, until Wu Rou looked straight at her with sharp corners and charming eyes like iris flowers, revealing her dissatisfaction.

She sat back down tremblingly.

The palace maid served them new tea honestly. Next to them was the palace maid who managed the books. She put the book Wu Rou had placed on the stone table into a tray and stood aside.

Caiyi became the priest of the Queen's Palace at this time, and took the people out of the pavilion at the right time, giving the two nobles a space to talk.

Wu Rou took a sip of tea and said:

"I am not a queen, and I have no habit of abusing my subordinates. But I will only treat my people well."

Concubine Zheng's eyes trembled and she quickly said nervously:

"I am... I am yours, I am definitely yours."

Wu Rou smiled softly, raised her eyes and looked at her, and said:

“It doesn’t matter if they are not my people, as long as they are not enemies.

You are an old friend from His Majesty’s East Palace. The East Palace was a small court of its own, and had no connection with the harem of Emperor Taizong at that time.

You don’t know, I worked with Concubine Wei and Concubine Xu Xian back then and was taught by them.

What I believe in is that as long as we do things well and don't compete for favor through scheming, everyone will live in peace and share wealth.

No matter what the internal situation is, you are now a noble concubine. As long as I don't bully you, you will be the second most noble person among the concubines in the harem.

I hope you will act like the second most noble person, and don't always act like a doormat and embarrass His Majesty, do you understand? "

Concubine Zheng suspected that Wu Rou was testing her. She lowered her head, her hands on her abdomen were shaking, and she whispered "yes".

Wu Rou could naturally tell that she had been tamed for a long time and lost her self-confidence. It was impossible for her to really change after just one or two words, so she rolled her eyes and said:

"That's all, it's only a long time to come. As time goes by, you will naturally know.

But I’ll start with my ugly words. As a noble concubine, you have to assist the queen in managing the harem. In the past, the queen was deposed and she didn’t give you a chance.

Now I need someone who can really do things. If you are not qualified, then I will ask Your Majesty to remove you as a noble concubine and replace it with a capable person. You have to think about it.

In the harem, rank represents the monthly salary and various privilege levels. Even without His Majesty's favor, spending a lifetime guarding the wealth of a noble concubine is already a life that many women can only hope for. "

After hearing this, Concubine Zheng quickly raised her eyes to look at Wu Rou. Seeing that Wu Rou looked serious, she quickly lowered her head in panic and said:

"I know, I will definitely work hard."

Wu Rou thought for a while and felt that she had said everything she needed to say, and it would only depend on her performance from now on, so she nodded.

She picked up the tea cup and took another sip. Then she remembered something and said:

"Queen Fei used to bully you, and now she is imprisoned by Fei. If you have unresolved feelings and are so angry, I allow you to visit her once."

Unexpectedly, when Concubine Zheng heard this, she immediately waved her hands and was so anxious that she stuttered and said:

"I don't dare...I don't want to see her, I don't want to see her again!"