Shao Wanru was more and more favored by the Empress Dowager. She could not only understand her hints but also cooperate with her. Most importantly, she was sincere.

The Empress Dowager had been flattered by many people. She had been the Empress Dowager for so many years and had always been superior from the previous dynasty to the present. Although there was the Empress in the harem, the power in the harem had always been in the hands of the Empress Dowager. Even if she was not in charge of things, the imperial concubines would come to ingratiate themselves with her.

If the Empress Dowager was willing to meet people, the Palace of Benevolent Peace would always be crowded.

The imperial concubines in the harem had different characteristics. Some were beautiful, intelligent, clever, or eloquent, others were delicate or charming. But in the Empress Dowager’s mind, they were all the same. They were all ingratiating themselves with her so that they could have better access to the Emperor.

However, she had a different feeling towards Shao Wanru. Shao Wanru was virtuous. Although part of this feeling was because of Chu Liuchen, the Empress Dowager genuinely felt that Shao Wanru was close to her. It was the kind of closeness that juniors had towards their elders.

This had nothing to do with personal interest.

“Your maternal grandma will arrive soon. Don’t go back now. Sit down and listen to what we are going to talk about!” The Empress Dowager said with a smile.

“What is my maternal grandma doing here?” Shao Wanru was certainly happy to see Rui’an Great Elder Princess, but she was still very surprised that she would come to the palace at this time.

Judging from the Empress Dowager’s words, she should have specially summoned her maternal grandma to the palace.

“Guess why?” The Empress Dowager asked in a good mood.

Shao Wanru’s lips curved in a smile as she said, “Is it about Commandery Prince Qing?”

What had happened before was about Commandery Prince Qing. The Empress Dowager should have summoned her and her maternal grandma at the same time. She arrived a little earlier through the side door, while her grandma arrived a little late through the main door as she had taken a detour.

“Why would I summon your maternal grandma because of Commandery Prince Qing? He has nothing to do with your maternal grandma.” The Empress Dowager didn’t expect Shao Wanru to be so smart. She became more interested in her and deliberately asked this question.

“Imperial Grandmother invited my maternal grandma here because of Old Madam?” Shao Wanru asked tentatively with a smile in her watery eyes, looking like a cunning child.

“You are so clever!” The Empress Dowager reached out her finger, knocked on Shao Wanru’s forehead gently, and said to her with a smile.

Shao Wanru rubbed her forehead gently and said with a little grievance, “Imperial Grandmother, I guessed right. But instead of rewarding me, you punished me. It’s so unfair!”

When the Empress Dowager talked to her in a pleasant manner, Shao Wanru had already regarded her as Old Madam Qin in her heart. So she said those affectionate words naturally, as if she was her real granddaughter, which made the Empress Dowager burst into laughter.

“She is a really adorable child.

“However, she is also a poor child. Her biological parents couldn’t take care of her, and her grandmother didn’t treat her as a descendant at all. Seeing that I was kind to her, she proactively got close to me. She is both smart and piteous. What was Old Madam of Marquis Xing’s Mansion thinking? She didn’t care about such a good granddaughter but cared about those shameless people instead.

“Not only is Old Madam shortsighted, but she is also too coldhearted,” The Empress Dowager thought to herself.

“Empress Dowager, Rui’an Great Elder Princess has arrived!” A eunuch came in and reported.

“Let her in!” The Empress Dowager raised her hand and said.

After a while, the eunuch ushered Rui’an Great Elder Princess in. Seeing Shao Wanru, the Great Elder Princess was also very surprised. She bowed to the Empress Dowager and then sat down.

Shao Wanru hurriedly got up and bowed to Rui’an Great Elder Princess.

“Let’s sit down together!” The Great Elder Princess reached out to take Shao Wanru’s hand and sat down with her.

Shao Wanru had only been married for a few days, so she hadn’t visited the Great Elder Princess yet. She had to stay in her husband’s house most of the time, except when she went back to her parents’ house.

Shao Wanru had originally decided to visit the Great Elder Princess’s Mansion in a few days. Unexpectedly, she met her in the Palace of Benevolent Peace, which made her both surprised and happy.

With the Great Elder Princess taking her hand, she smiled gently, looking a little like a girl spending time with her elders.

She would only show such a charming manner in front of the elders who really loved her.

She had always been delicate, but she used to look cold and distant, which made her look composed at such a young age, lacking the young girl’s unique pettishness and charm.

But now she had shown that part. She looked like an ordinary girl, which made people love her tenderly from their hearts.

“Is everything alright with you and Prince Chen these days?” With the Empress Dowager present, the Great Elder Princess couldn’t play straight, so she could only ask Shao Wanru implicitly. However, her question was unnecessary. Chu Liuchen promised her that he would never hurt Zhuozhuo or make her live as a widow at such a young age. At her question, Shao Wanru’s face turned red instantly. The shyness on her face all showed that she was living a good life.

The Great Elder Princess felt relieved.

“Grandma, we are fine!” Shao Wanru blushed and lowered her head. Being stared at by the two elders with burning eyes, she felt that she could not bear it. After all, she was not as cheeky as Chu Liuchen.

“It’s good that you two are fine. I heard that you went to Marquis Xing’s Mansion again today. What were you doing there? You are now married, so you can live a good life with Prince Chen from now on. The affairs of Marquis Xing’s Mansion have nothing to do with you. They didn’t treat you as a family in the past, so you don’t have to care about them. They have treated you badly before, how dare they have the nerves to ask you for help!?” The Great Elder Princess sneered and said rudely.

She really hated the people from Marquis Xing’s Mansion. Starting with Old Madam of Marquis Xing’s Mansion, she disliked every one of them. Of course, her grandson and granddaughter were different from those people.

“Grandma, it’s about Commandery Prince Qing!” Shao Wanru said implicitly. Since the Empress Dowager had asked her maternal grandma to come over, she must have something to say. She could not become the center of attention.

“Empress Dowager, why did you summon me here? Is it because of Marquis Xing’s Mansion?” Rui’an Great Elder Princess nodded and turned to the Empress Dowager. The eunuch who read the imperial edict had told her that it was because Commandery Prince Qing went to Marquis Xing’s Mansion, but she didn’t know the specific details.

“Great Elder Princess, Wanru is now the legal wife of Chen’er. Marquis Xing’s Mansion should not always ask for help from Wanru. It’s inconvenient for me to say it, but it’s convenient for you to do so!” The Empress Dowager didn’t intend to be reserved and said straight.

She didn’t want Shao Wanru to be involved in the affairs of Marquis Xing’s Mansion and got Chu Liuchen involved at that time.

The Emperor increasingly disliked Marquis Xing Shao Jing. He even got angry the other day at her palace and called Shao Jing a villain.

If the next generation of Marquis Xing’s Mansion was good-for-nothing, Marquis Xing’s Mansion would be deposed. The Emperor disliked Marquis Xing’s Mansion very much now.

First, it was Shao Yanru, and then it was Shao Hua’an’s wedding. The Emperor was satisfied with all these things, and they were Shao Jing’s children. It was said that they had the best reputations before.

Of course, Shao Jing’s wife, who had an excellent reputation, was now proved to be kind on the outside but selfish and vicious on the inside.

The Emperor was not satisfied with anyone in Marquis Xing’s Mansion now. The next generation of Marquis Xing’s Mansion started with Shao Hua’an, but the Emperor disliked Shao Hua’an because of what had happened on the wedding day.

The Empress Dowager was afraid that once Marquis Xing’s Mansion lost its power and influence, Shao Wanru would be involved. This was extremely unfavorable to Chu Liuchen.

“Empress Dowager, do you want me to make trouble in Marquis Xing’s Mansion about this matter?” Rui’an Great Elder Princess understood the Empress Dowager’s meaning as soon as she heard this. She sat up straight and asked.

She was happy to do this kind of thing. She had disliked Old Madam of Marquis Xing’s Mansion for a long time!

“We should expose today’s matter and let people see that Old Madam forced Wanru to do this. Wanru has married into Prince Chen’s Mansion and has nothing to do with Marquis Xing’s Mansion. She has not been raised in Marquis Xing’s Mansion. She has been framed again and again before, so she has no feelings for Marquis Xing’s Mansion. In the future, she’d better stay away from Marquis Xing’s Mansion, in case Prince Chen’s Mansion gets involved again!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess said.

The Empress Dowager nodded. She had come up with this idea just now. Shao Wanru did not need her family’s resources, but she could not be pestered by Marquis Xing’s Mansion. As a junior, she could not say these words. How could she say such unfilial words?

However, Rui’an Great Elder Princess could do that. She had been at odds with Old Madam of Marquis Xing’s Mansion. Even if she exposed this matter now, others would not say anything about her. On the contrary, they would get to know Marquis Xing’s Mansion’s selfish behavior. In the future, Marquis Xing’s Mansion could not use Prince Chen’s Mansion to achieve its goals.

Marquis Xing’s Mansion had been leveraging filial piety to make Shao Wanru submit to their intentions.

Since Shao Wanru was the girl chosen by Chu Liuchen, and that had not changed for three years, the Empress Dowager knew that Chu Liuchen favored Shao Wanru, so she had to protect her for him.

She would not let Marquis Xing’s Mansion ruin her reputation!

There was a good opportunity at the moment. There would be such an opportunity in the future. Of course, the Empress Dowager would not let Shao Wanru cut off her ties with Marquis Xing’s Mansion immediately. However, after a few more incidents like this happened, Marquis Xing’s Mansion could no longer leverage righteousness and order Shao Wanru at will.

“Empress Dowager, I understand. I’ll go now, in case a long delay causes trouble!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess’s eyes lit up. This time was different. She had the Empress Dowager support her and was not afraid of the imperial censor speaking evil of her in front of the Emperor. She stood up and felt that this matter could not be delayed.

“You are in such a hurry!” The Empress Dowager burst into laughter.

“I am indeed in a hurry. I have waited for this day for more than ten years!” Speaking of this, Rui’an Great Elder Princess thought of her daughter and son-in-law who had died young, and her eyes turned red. If she could, she really wanted to go and fight with the vicious Old Madam of Marquis Xing’s Mansion to vent her anger that had been held back for so many years!