HLnovel Chapter 88 Empress Dowager Qin: !!! I'm going to kill this little slut!!!
Chapter 88 Empress Dowager Qin: !!! I'm going to kill this little slut!!!
The people behind lowered their heads even further.
They naturally dared not say such a thing.
The palace maids and eunuchs dared not, for they had just been warned by Lin Shiming and knew whose hands their lives were in.
The concubines dared not. Not to mention the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion behind Lin Shiming, Lin Shiming himself was someone they would never dare to provoke.
If you offend this ancestor, your life or death is just a matter of his word. There's no need to send these trivial matters to Lin Shiming as snacks.
Even the imperial heirs dared not disobey.
If this person sets a trap or finds a reason to drag them out and beat them with a cane, dozens of lashes could kill them, and it would be too late. Besides, even if someone were to die, could they really expect their biased father to stand up for them?
The fact that Emperor Longyun was able to make this ancestor kneel in the Fengxian Hall was already a sign of respect for them.
Besides, even if this matter is confirmed, the grudges between the Empress and the Crown Prince's faction and the Empress Dowager are well known throughout the court and the public. No one would want to cause trouble for the Crown Prince over this matter, and Emperor Longyun would most likely just say something casually and then let it go.
It's really not worth it.
Besides, it's obvious that the Empress Dowager is no match for Lin Shiming, so why should they offend someone even more terrifying for the sake of the Empress Dowager?
Nobody's stupid; they know who truly has the ability.
Empress Dowager Qin was furious. She looked at the kneeling crowd and said, "Tell me, did you all see it?"
For the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, everyone in the courtyard remained completely silent.
Lin Shiming smiled brightly and proudly raised his chin towards Lu Yuxi beside him, making Lu Yuxi feel a little itchy, as if she saw a proud and arrogant cat showing its chin and waiting for someone to scratch its neck for it.
Unfortunately, the occasion is not appropriate.
While the two were exchanging tender glances, Empress Dowager Qin was so angry at the silence of the crowd that her heart was clenching.
The greatest truths are the simplest; it is human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm. Truth and morality only exist where the sword can sweep across. This is what Lin Shiming learned in his previous life in the army and in history. This simple and direct approach is most suitable for someone like Lin Shiming who dislikes intrigue, so he learned it clearly and thoroughly, and used it with consummate skill.
Especially in ancient times, as long as you had enough power and status, you would become synonymous with justice and judgment. When faced with interests and life and death, regardless of whether those you intimidated were willing or not, they could only regard you as the only correct choice.
"That's just how it is, Your Majesty. You shouldn't make things difficult for them. What good will it do you to make things difficult for them?"
However, this will only create more enemies for yourself.
The Empress Dowager Qin knew perfectly well what was going on.
She had completely lost this round. Regardless of whether the people below were sincere or not, after weighing the pros and cons, it was clear that they were going to stand on Lin Shiming's side.
Even if one manages to release the information, the silence of those below will be interpreted as one spreading rumors and framing the crown prince.
Empress Dowager Qin realized once again that Lin Shiming was not the same person as the Empress or the former Crown Princess; she couldn't touch him at all. Emperor Longyun had suffered so much at her hands in the past, but now she had finally found a legitimate wife for her only remaining son, someone who could disregard the reputation of filial piety and who no one could suppress or torment.
Perhaps this was the real purpose behind the emperor son choosing a male consort for the crown prince.
"Get up, all of you." The voice sounded as if it wanted to bite off a piece of Lin Shiming's flesh.
The crowd below was finally relieved. After a slightly trembling salute, everyone forced themselves to stand up and sit down, despite the pain in their knees.
Lin Shiming smiled even more smugly at Lu Yuxi, who gently squeezed his hand, and Lin Shiming, seizing the opportunity, scratched his palm as well. The sight of the two smiling at each other made Empress Dowager Qin above furious.
But she also knew that she could not confront Lin Shiming for the time being, so she could only take a step back and deal with these bastards after careful planning!
Empress Dowager Qin suppressed her anger and looked around. Just as she was about to find some excuse to vent her anger on those who dared not resist, she saw several eunuchs carrying food boxes enter through the palace gate.
"Your servant pays homage to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."
"No manners! Dinner should be taken to the side hall, why is it being brought to the main hall! Guards, take them away—"
“Your Majesty,” Lu Yuxi looked up, “you have misunderstood. This is milk tea that I prepared for my younger siblings who are not used to bitter tea, not for your dinner.”
As she spoke, Lu Yuxi ignored the Empress Dowager Qin's distorted face and turned to Yuan Ye and several eunuchs, "Change the clothes for the princesses and the two princes."
Empress Dowager Qin watched helplessly as Lu Yuxi made the decision right in front of her, changing the teacups of several people, and even Yuan Ye took out a few small dishes of dried fruit from the food box and placed them next to Bai Qiongzhu, Lu Yuxi and Lin Shiming.
Lin Shiming picked up his teacup and took a satisfied sip.
Empress Dowager Qin was furious at the sight of the bitter tea in her hand and the ordinary rice cake on the table.
"Oh, I've heard that the sons of the Duke of Zhenguo's family all came from the military, so why is the Crown Princess so delicate and unable to endure hardship, even inferior to the other concubines?" Empress Dowager Qin said sarcastically. "Could it be that after getting married, she really thinks of herself as a young lady!"
Lin Shiming didn't care at all. He happily put another dried mango, which was a tribute from the south, into his mouth. The sweetness made him feel great.
"There's nothing I can do. My family is well-off, and I'm healthy, so we can afford to feed me, and I can afford to eat as well. It's not like the Empress Dowager who needs that bitter tea to nourish her body and reduce internal heat. As for whether I look like a young lady or not," Lin Shiming smiled brightly at Empress Dowager Qin, "I'll prove it when I go to the northern desert and fight a couple of battles!"
You absolutely cannot not mention the Northern Desert!
Empress Dowager Qin was breathing rapidly, and her nostrils appeared much larger.
"With such confidence, isn't the Crown Princess afraid that if something happens to your family in the future, you won't be able to be so smug anymore!"
Lin Shiming tilted his head. "Like you?"
Empress Dowager Qin: !!! I'm going to kill this little slut!!!
Empress Dowager Qin's breathing became more rapid, and she exhaled through her mouth, which Lu Yuxi vaguely noticed as a trace of blood foam in her mouth.
Lu Yuxi frowned slightly in disgust, then turned around and squeezed Lin Shiming's hand again, signaling him to tone it down a bit.
Unfortunately, Lin Shiming was in the middle of a great time and had no idea what would happen "after him" tonight.
"No, no, no, my family can't be like yours!" Lin Shiming put on a fake but melancholy expression. "Our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion and the royal family are interdependent, like ruler and subject, and our fates are intertwined. If my family suffers misfortune, then I imagine the whole of Changping will be in trouble too."
Lin Shiming seemed to suddenly realize something, "Could it be that the Empress Dowager deliberately used this to curse my Changping Dynasty?"
Several loud crashes rang out, and many people's teacups fell to the ground. The palace maids and eunuchs serving nearby immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
Everyone looked at Lin Shiming with a mixture of fear and apprehension.
Empress Dowager Qin nearly collapsed from shock, but fortunately, Yuan Ye, who was in the corner, reacted quickly and flicked a small pebble that struck Empress Dowager Qin's acupoint, instantly waking her up and preventing her from falling.
Yuan Ye was a servant trained by Lin Shihe specifically for Lin Shiming, and also served as a guard. Therefore, his methods were secretive. In addition, most of the people present were women from the harem, and their attention was focused on Lin Shiming. So, apart from Lin Shiming, no one else noticed his little tricks.
Even the Empress Dowager Qin thought that she had just lost her breath and regained consciousness.
Only Lu Yuxi, because of her considerable martial arts skills and her constant attention to Empress Dowager Qin, managed to witness the attack in the wilderness.
He met Lin Shiming's somewhat guilty gaze meaningfully and whispered something to him.
"This is the last time, but there may be a next time..."
Lu Yuxi, with a meaningful look, glanced at Lin Shiming's buttocks for a moment amidst Lin Shiming's ingratiating smirk.
Lin Shiming felt a chill run down his spine and immediately became much more docile.