Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

A commotion broke out outside.

There were three palace maids serving Wei Rong's tent. Qiao Yu was her personal maid, while the other two, on Qiao Yu's orders, were burning the shoes outside.

Shen Mingxiu arrived outside the tent at that moment.

After returning to her tent, she thought about it over and over again, but something still felt off.

Even more, they asked the painter to retrieve the sketches from when they received carrier pigeons in the past.

Zhihua said with a worried expression, "Your Majesty, this... if someone with ulterior motives discovers this and reports it to His Majesty, it will be a disaster."

These drawings were not supposed to be preserved, and even if they were, they could not be brought into the palace.

However, her mistress ignored the advice and treasured these things, storing them in a hidden compartment in the Chuxiu Palace.

The drawings were yellowed and the paper had rough edges, indicating that they were often taken out for viewing.

When unfolded, it reveals a series of interesting and lifelike landscapes or figures.

They were all funny scenes.

Apart from the signature on the first one, the names of the others are not visible.

As Shen Mingxiu looked at the drawings, she suddenly slammed them onto the table.

Her expression was angry, but then she suddenly realized something: "Zhihua, when we rescued that carrier pigeon back then, do you remember the handkerchief we tied to its wound?"

On that day, they were invited out to Yuan Chun Hall to enjoy tea with the noble ladies.

The Shen family held a low status in Yunjing, and it was rumored that Wei Rong, the eldest daughter of General Wei's mansion, was also going that day.

Shen Mingxiu naturally seized this opportunity and carefully dressed herself before going out.

However, Wei Rong was from a highly influential and prestigious family in Yun Jing at that time, and people were eager to show their faces in front of her, so she didn't have much of a chance to speak to her that day.

In desperation, she came up with a solution.

He then instructed Zhihua to steal Wei Rong's handkerchief when no one was looking.

If she pretended to have found it and returned it to Wei Rong, Wei Rong would surely take notice of her.

If we befriend Wei Rong, wouldn't it be possible for our fathers and brothers to be promoted in the future?

She just didn't expect that Wei Rong would see through her thoughts.

She held out the handkerchief, her posture humble, and said, "I am Shen Mingxiu. I found your handkerchief by the ancient well and have come to return it to you."

She thought Wei Rong would gladly accept it and then inquire about her family background.

But no.

Wei Rong didn't speak for a moment, but picked up the teacup, skimmed off the foam on top, and took a sip.

He looked at her with a half-smile, as if mocking her, and after a long while said, "I have never been to the ancient well."

Shen Mingxiu's heart tightened, and then she heard snickers from all around.

"The Shen family? The Shen Schoolmaster's family? The daughter of a mere schoolmaster, with a wicked heart, still dares to try and climb the social ladder by associating with the Wei family."

"Since Arong has never been to the ancient well, it is now clear how she came to have this handkerchief."

"She should look in a mirror. Does she even deserve to stand next to A-Rong?"

Shen Mingxiu stood there awkwardly, her cheeks flushed and cold sweat beading on her forehead.

She had no idea that those who used to call her sister would be so ruthless when they turned their backs on her!

Why should I?!

Just because Wei Rong was born into a good family, does that give her the right to humiliate people like this?

And she, simply because of her poor background, is subjected to such humiliation here?

She clenched the handkerchief in her hand, vowing that one day she would make everyone present bow down to her and regret the humiliation they had inflicted on her today!

Just as she was about to leave, Wei Rong gently placed the teacup in her hand on the table.

He smiled gently and said to her, "I have many handkerchiefs, so please throw this one away for me, Miss Shen."

Shen Mingxiu left the cheerful front hall, filled with rage towards Wei Rong.

Just then, a carrier pigeon flew into Yuanchun Hall. It was immediately seen that the pigeon was injured, so it did not fly very high and its cooing was weak.

It seemed to want to fly towards the front hall, but couldn't withstand its injuries and fell from the eaves to Shen Mingxiu's feet.

Shen Mingxiu wanted to kick it away.

She had just encountered Wei Rong's predicament and was worried about finding a way to vent her frustration when this carrier pigeon, oblivious to her surroundings, insisted on running into her.

But as soon as he lifted his foot, Lin Changying came straight at him.

Both the Lin and Wei families were military families, and Lin Changying was particularly close to Wei Rong.

In terms of family background, she is even better than Lin Changying.

With her foot abruptly pulled back, Shen Mingxiu squatted down, held the carrier pigeon in her palm, examined its injury, and then used the handkerchief to tie a knot around the wound.

Lin Changying stopped and asked curiously, "This is Arong's handkerchief, why is it in your hands?"

Each of the young women's handkerchiefs was embroidered with their maiden names, making them easy to identify.

"Reporting to Miss Lin, Miss Wei asked me to throw away this handkerchief for her, but I felt sorry for the pigeon, so I bandaged it up, and it wasn't a complete waste of the handkerchief."

Lin Changying had no doubts: "You are kind-hearted. Chun Tao, give this girl the ointment you carry with you. The pigeon should be able to survive."

After she finished speaking, she walked past Shen Mingxiu and entered the front hall.

Shen Mingxiu had no choice but to apply the ointment to the pigeon's wound and tie the handkerchief around its neck.

But his hand touched the letter that was to be delivered to its leg.

Shen Mingxiu paused, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.

But in an instant, her hesitation turned into decisiveness, and she untied the letter and spread out the paper.

......

I stared at the yellowed letter in my hand.

The first card she untied from the carrier pigeon's leg that day was a sketch of a young woman, drawn with just a few strokes, standing in front of a grand mansion, laughing loudly.

The signature reads: Ling Xianru.

Zhihua observed her expression and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, did you lift the handkerchief because you have some suspicions?"

It's not a doubt.

Looking back now, the details are strange in every way.

Shen Mingxiu murmured, "He said this wasn't for me."

The carrier pigeon flew into the Shen residence, bringing with it sketches that Ling Xianru said were not meant for her.

Right.

If it was for her, how come he passed by the Shen residence three times and never spoke to her?

Why would she paint such unrelated pictures, pictures that she couldn't figure out the purpose of?

The answer is, these weren't meant for her at all.

Who is it for?

Who else was present on the day the carrier pigeon was found?

The carrier pigeon, which she had wrapped in a handkerchief bearing Wei Rong's name, landed back in Ling Xianru's hand. It was this handkerchief that gave him certainty that the pigeon had delivered the letter to the right person.

That's why there was such a continuous stream of messages afterward.

Yes—Wei Rong.

The woman who married was Wei Rong.

The person who had just listened to Xianru's attempts to conceal her identity was Wei Rong.

"Hahahahahaha—"

Shen Mingxiu suddenly threw her head back and burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face and disappearing into her hair.

"Why, why Wei Rong again?!"

She slammed the box containing the letters to the ground, causing a loud crash.

Shen Mingxiu did not believe in fate, so she kept climbing up the social ladder. Even if it was a man as fierce as Xiao Heng, she would still enter the palace as a concubine, just because one day she would be able to surpass Wei Rong.

Instead of being constantly held back by her background, and having the whole world tell her that she is inferior to Wei Rong!

She did a great job.

She was the emperor's favorite, holding the position of Imperial Concubine, and was only one step away from becoming Empress.

Therefore, she could even abandon Ling Xianru, even though she had been in love with her for a long time.

But why is it Wei Rong again!

Wei Rong is like a vengeful ghost, omnipresent. Just when she thinks everything will go smoothly, she always comes to stab her in the back.

"Your Majesty!" Zhihua hurriedly knelt down, "Please don't be agitated. You are not the same as before. Even the Empress cannot rival you. Why be so sad?"

Correct.

Shen Mingxiu touched her lower abdomen.

A sinister glint flashed in his eyes.