Qin Yining followed behind the Empress’s retinue up the marble steps, taking advantage of when no one was paying attention to quickly glance at Qiu Lu.

Qiu Lu was first stunned, then understood and stopped walking, inconspicuously stepping back. After everyone entered the main hall, she turned and hurried toward the ornamental gate to first find the four “boxing masters” arranged by Qin Huaiyuan.

Here, Qin Yining personally brought tea for Li Yanyan, smiling and saying: “There is only some pre-rain Longjing tea here, naturally not comparable to pre-Qingming tea. Please don’t mind, Your Majesty.”

Li Yanyan took the simple white tea bowl and casually placed it on the Eight Immortals table beside her. Her right hand, wearing golden finger guards, picked up the tea bowl’s lid to fidget with it, while her eyes full of hostility and scrutiny fell upon Qin Yining.

“It seems you’re living quite well here? Weren’t you supposed to be cultivating and praying for the country? Why aren’t you wholeheartedly devoted to cultivation, yet still have the mind to care whether tea is pre-Qingming or pre-rain?”

Qin Yining’s smile grew fainter as she said gently: “Even in cultivation, one must survive. If drinking tea counts as affecting cultivation, I’m afraid people outside the world would have banned tea long ago. Does Your Majesty the Empress think that cultivators shouldn’t taste tea?”

“Silver-tongued.” The Empress loosened her grip on the bowl lid, and the white porcelain lid fell onto the tea bowl with a crisp “ding,” splashing a few drops of tea onto the Empress’s hand.

“The tea is too hot. This palace doesn’t have immortal flesh and divine bones like Master Xuan Su. This palace cannot protect the nation’s fortune, so naturally lacks the ability to protect myself, unlike you who can use such scalding tea.”

Qin Yining’s gaze gradually turned cold.

That tea was exactly the right temperature for drinking.

It seemed the Empress truly hated her to the bone.

Qin Yining’s smile remained on her face, but she had already put away her initially extremely respectful attitude.

She could see that even if she yielded, the Empress’s impression of her wouldn’t change, so there was no need to show weakness anymore.

She wasn’t a soft persimmon that could be squeezed and molded at will. She was a daughter of the Qin family and wouldn’t grovel in a way that invited contempt.

“Your Majesty the Empress teaches well.” Qin Yining’s voice was gentle and slow, but her words were full of sarcasm. “Your subject’s daughter doesn’t understand the way of tea and didn’t realize the tea I prepared was undrinkable. It seems people of certain status should do things befitting that status, and tea preparation should be left to servant girls.” She turned to instruct Ji Yun, “Go prepare fresh tea for Her Majesty.”

Ji Yun smiled and agreed, then went to prepare fresh tea.

Li Yanyan’s face turned ashen.

What did she mean? Was Qin Yining scolding her for not knowing what’s good for her, or scolding her for being unworthy of her position?

Li Yanyan’s face turned completely cold.

Where did she get the audacity to be so arrogant? It was all because the Emperor spoiled her!

“This palace merely said the tea was too hot, and you dare refuse to serve? It seems you not only don’t understand the way of tea, but have forgotten proper etiquette as well.”

“Your Majesty the Empress speaks truly. In this servant’s opinion, Master Xuan Su hasn’t been home long and hasn’t had time to learn proper rules yet.” Head Eunuch Liu Bao smiled and said, “Previously, everyone outside was saying Master Xuan Su and Great Zhou’s Little Prince Pang were a pair! That Little Prince Pang publicly called Master Xuan Su’s mother ‘mother-in-law’ and gifted such a large, valuable garden! If she were truly a proper woman, would she accept such a large garden from a man?”

“Indeed, she’s just pleasing to look at, that’s all.” Nanny Li sneered. “She’s not truly a refined young lady raised by her parents’ side. What depth could Your Majesty expect from her?”

Hearing this, Li Yanyan laughed with a “puchi” sound and asked curiously: “Do you still correspond with Prince Zhongshun now?”

This was clearly a rhetorical question, obviously using the opportunity to mock and wound Qin Yining’s heart. No matter how good things were before, any contact now would be treason and betraying the country. Moreover, Qin Yining had been forced into cultivation. Though as a lay practitioner she could marry, it was still improper for women to correspond with men.

Qin Yining smiled slightly. “It seems Your Majesty the Empress came today with the intention of touring the great hall. However, your subject’s daughter just finished praying and questioning heaven, exhausting my spirit. I’m feeling unwell now and cannot accompany Your Majesty. Please make yourself at home.”

After speaking, Qin Yining bowed to Li Yanyan and walked upstairs.

Ji Yun also put down the tray and followed closely behind.

Li Yanyan finally couldn’t bear it anymore and slammed the table as she stood up. “Qin Yining! Stop right there!”

Qin Yining stopped but didn’t turn around. “What other instructions does Your Majesty have?”

“You’re so arrogant because you rely on the Emperor’s support, aren’t you? While cultivating here, you still don’t forget to charm and seduce the Emperor. Aren’t you afraid of divine punishment?”

Qin Yining turned back to look at Li Yanyan calmly.

Li Yanyan was involuntarily stunned by her cold gaze.

“Your Majesty the Empress is at least a refined young lady. You understand everything in your heart, so why make things so ugly and lower your status as Empress?”

Such a casual statement felt like a mountain crushing down on Li Yanyan.

She indeed understood in her heart that it was the Emperor’s one-sided affection for Qin Yining. If Qin Yining had wanted to be Empress back then, there would be nothing for her now.

But watching her husband being unable to forget Qin Yining, how could she be willing? The Emperor favoring Gu Chang was understandable – Gu Chang was at least the Emperor’s consort, a concubine.

But what was Qin Yining? Speaking plainly, at most she was a mistress!

As the legitimate wife, she could allow her husband to sleep with concubines, but couldn’t tolerate her husband keeping a mistress!

“Didn’t you say this palace shouldn’t lower the Empress’s status?” Li Yanyan said through gritted teeth. “Guards! Qin Shi has offended this palace and committed insubordination. Arrest her!”

“Yes.” Among the small attendants the Empress brought, several had martial skills. They stepped forward to grab Qin Yining.

Ji Yun immediately blocked Qin Yining’s front, pushing the small attendants away in two or three moves, scolding: “This place is a quiet cultivation site bestowed by the Emperor. If Your Majesty the Empress wants to do anything, please think thrice.”

Li Yanyan, in her rage, least wanted to hear someone using the Emperor’s status to suppress her.

Hearing Ji Yun’s words, Li Yanyan not only wasn’t afraid, but became even more consumed with jealous fury.

“Good! You dare to indulge your servant girl in openly lecturing this palace! Guards, arrest them both!”

As the Empress’s words fell, the guards she brought who were standing outside the door were about to rush in, but were blocked by the “boxing masters” called by Qiu Lu and the imperial guards originally stationed here by imperial decree.

The two groups of guards faced off tensely with drawn swords.

Inside the hall, Ji Yun blocked in front of Qin Yining, neither yielding to the Empress.

Qin Yining said coldly: “Who would have thought the imperial family bullies the weak this way. Today Your Majesty the Empress wants to fabricate charges to arrest me – is this for private grievances, or does your Li family have treasonous intentions?”

“You’re slandering!” Li Yanyan panicked. This accusation was too serious for the Li family to bear!

“If your Li family has no treasonous intentions, why does Your Majesty the Empress today look as if you want to tear me to pieces? Has Your Majesty forgotten I came here to cultivate? If Your Majesty harms me, don’t you care about the nation’s fortune?”

Li Yanyan’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and her mind, which had been unable to calm down under the impact of jealous fury, finally cooled down.

Seeing her stunned like a wooden chicken, Qin Yining sneered. “Your Majesty the Empress, brains are a good thing. Remember to bring yours next time you go out.” After speaking, she ignored Li Yanyan and turned to go upstairs.