Since the crown prince consort was already aware of this matter, why wasn’t she frank about it, informing Her Majesty the Queen?
In other words, the crown prince consort also had some misgivings in her mind about Her Majesty the Queen.
If she could take advantage of the ill will between this pair of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law and put it to use, then perhaps she could…
In reality, Noble Consort Zheng had truly overthought it.
The little stoic had never viewed Noble Consort Zheng as an enemy, and she simply didn’t feel like poking her nose in the royal harem’s trivial matters.
In her eyes, Noble Consort Zheng was already a dead person. It was only a matter of whether this date was sooner or later. She wouldn’t be able to stir up trouble for much longer, so why did she need to waste more effort?
Moreover, she had previously only been harboring tentative suspicions.
After all, in that specially-made beautifying pill that State Uncle Zheng purchased at an astronomical price, she had also added other special drugs in addition to the heat poison.
This kind of drug could guarantee that Noble Consort Zheng need not think of getting pregnant in this lifetime.
However, since she couldn’t be certain, she was only suspicious at the very beginning.
She didn’t expect that a single encounter was all it took for her to bluff Noble Consort Zheng into revealing that she was indeed faking her pregnancy. It was absolutely hilarious.
After Qiao Mu took a seat, all the royal concubines came up to greet her one after another.
Qiao Mu greeted each person politely but distantly, after which she minded her own business and started whispering with Qiao Lin.
“The Vassal King Consort of An’nan is here.” After the announcement, a gaunt woman fully dressed in the attire of a vassal king consort walked in from the long passageway outside the hall.
“This subject greets Her Majesty the Queen.”
“Will the vassal king consort please rise.” After seeing Wu Hongmo, Queen Zhao put on a smile.
The Vassal King Consort of An’nan was one of the vassal kings that the late king had conferred this title upon, so the queen naturally was a bit more respectful towards the Vassal King Consort of An’nan.
“The vassal king consort has gotten much thinner.” Queen Zhao commented after observing Wu Hongmo.
“I’ve troubled the queen to worry.” Wu Hongmo smiled, and then she sighed, either intentionally or perhaps unintentionally. “Today is the first day of the new year, the day when the entire family gets together for a reunion. I don’t mind if Your Majesty the Queen laughs at us. Today, my sister-in-law woke up at dawn to go visit Xiaosu. Xiaosu is so pitiful, she’s a young lady, yet she has to be tormented in that kind of gloomy place that doesn’t see the light…”
The queen was a bit embarrassed, and she even furtively glanced at Qiao Mu.
Since her own son was the one who arrested her, she wouldn’t dash her son’s pride regardless and make the decision to let her out.
Yet when she looked over, the queen saw that the little stoic was conversing with her sister in a low voice, not even sparing Wu Hongmo a look out of the corner of her eye. She wondered if the little stoic was pretending not to have seen the Vassal King Consort of An’nan.
“Your Majesty!” The Vassal King Consort of An’nan suddenly knelt down. “This subject has a presumptuous request.”
Queen Zhao’s expression slightly shifted, and her gaze turned sharp. “Vassal King Consort, the New Year’s feast is about to begin, so you had better return to your seat quickly.”
Wu Hongmo proclaimed loudly, “This subject earnestly beseeches that the crown prince consort be merciful. Please pardon my niece Wu Xiaosu’s offense and release her from prison!”
Queen Zhao rubbed her temples with a headache. The matters that were occurring in succession early in the morning truly distressed her badly!
Queen Zhao’s gaze settled on Qiao Mu.
Furthermore, the gazes of all the royal concubines, commandery princesses, princesses, as well as the noble ladies and young misses, also turned to Qiao Mu.
Qiao Lin tugged at her sister’s sleeve while pressing her lips together tightly, and she couldn’t help be but enraged on the inside.
There were so many of these upsetting matters everywhere in the palace. After sending away a Consort Zheng, it was then some other vassal king who jumped out. No wonder Sister didn’t like the palace!
Qiao Mu slowly raised her head and settled her bone-chilling gaze on Wu Hongmo, while her voice contained a severe chilliness. “I have never been merciful. I only want to… kill!”