Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved-Chapter 521: The Servant Becomes the Master

Wang Yingluo returned the look of contempt to Murong Jiu.

"A few days ago, you didn’t think I was worth noting, but now, the death of your personal attendant has taught you a lesson in humility."

Being the Empress does not solve everything; if the Emperor does not have you in his heart, even if you were the Empress Dowager, you would not survive in the harem.

Looking at Murong Jiu’s icy gaze, Wang Yingluo giggled and said:

"Is Her Majesty the Empress angry? This commoner simply enjoys speaking the truth, and His Majesty favors such commoners. He said that this commoner’s thoughts are pure and kind, without schemes. Some women are accustomed to using shameful means of the inner palace; now, that is truly detestable."

"Oh dear, Her Majesty the Empress, do not glare at this commoner. His Majesty was not speaking of you, and as to whom he referred, this commoner naturally does not know. But if Your Majesty takes it personally, it would only upset Your Majesty, to the detriment of your health."

Bang!

Murong Jiu slapped the table, "Hong Yi, show the guest out!"

Hong Yi immediately came in.

Upon seeing this, Eunuch Li hurriedly stepped in front of Hong Yi, his voice sharp as he said:

"Miss Hong Yi, I too am saddened by Chun Tao’s death; such a lively person vanished just like that. Ultimately, she failed to see the situation clearly and lost her life needlessly. Miss Hong Yi, being wise, can surely see the situation clearly, right?"

The language was full of warnings.

Murong Jiu coldly swept her gaze towards Eunuch Li, "Eunuch Li, you certainly have the gall to speak provocatively and threaten in my presence. What is it, having switched to a new master, you no longer wag your tail at your old master?"

Eunuch Li clapped his mouth, cringing and in a lowly manner:

"Her Majesty should not be angered, my words, although harsh, are meant for Miss Hong Yi’s good. Now, everyone in the palace knows Miss Wang is His Majesty’s favorite; angering our Miss Wang would cost anyone more lives than they can spare."

"Wang Yingluo now holds no titles, but in the eyes of Eunuch Li, he seems to regard her as the New Empress already."

Eunuch Li hastily replied, "I dare not!"

Though he said he dared not, his tone still carried a hint of arrogance.

Speaking of which, Eunuch Li, a veteran who had even served the late emperor, continued to serve under Jun Yuyan because he was seen as opportune and had cooperated in the past concerning the Fourth Prince; he essentially became one of Prince Ling’s Mansion’s own in the later stages.

So even though Eunuch Li was not without flaws, Jun Yuyan continued to employ him without replacement.

Unexpectedly, Eunuch Li’s opportunism was overdone, truly a reed shaken by the wind, running towards whoever was in power.

Even if Eunuch Li had his difficulties concerning Madam Lin and his "descendants", using such methods was still undeniably disgraceful.

There are many in the world with hardships, yet not everyone resorts to dishonorable means.

Perhaps it was because Eunuch Li had been a servant for most of his life that he was unwilling to grovel before his old master, instead ready to kick him when he was down.

Wang Yingluo said sweetly, "As for the matter of status, there’s no need for Her Majesty to worry about this commoner, as His Majesty has his plans."

Her deliberate ambiguity was intended to make Murong Jiu speculate and feel uncomfortable.

The more irrational someone is, the more mistakes they make.

She wore a defiant expression, secretly staring intently at Murong Jiu’s collar.

Unfortunately, despite Murong Jiu looking furious, her collar remained tightly closed, revealing no trace of anything.

She then said, "Does Her Majesty the Empress really need to detest this common girl so? To make Your Majesty happy with my words, His Majesty will not select concubines; it shall be just us two in the palace, with no other women to intervene. Your Majesty also knows how much His Majesty cares about me."

"If you are here to flaunt your power, then you are mistaken, Wang Yingluo, Kunning Palace is not a place for you to throw your weight around, nor do I have the inclination to engage in idle talk with you."

"Why must Your Majesty the Empress be so heartless? If this humble girl speaks well of you in front of His Majesty, perhaps he might look upon you more favorably. Do you not wish to regain His Majesty’s favor?"

At these words, Murong Jiu’s gaze swept sharply towards Wang Yingluo.

"Do you think I need your flattery? You are far too full of yourself, and furthermore, Wang Yingluo, you surely understand perfectly well what His Majesty’s feelings towards you entail. Be careful of the day it backfires on you!"

Wang Yingluo’s heart sank; evidently, the Empress had noticed something; it was normal, given that the Empress and the Emperor had once loved each other deeply. She knew Jun Yuyan best, and with Jun Yuyan’s affection changing so swiftly, the Empress naturally suspected she had employed unscrupulous methods.

However, it mattered little; the Empress’s reign was coming to an end. Upon her death, everything would vanish like smoke in the wind, and then in Jun Yuyan’s heart, there would only be herself.

With this thought, she smiled slyly again.

"This humble girl does not understand what Your Majesty is talking about. Perhaps Your Majesty is overly distressed and prone to fanciful thoughts. Remember to frequently summon the Imperial Physician, lest it develop into hysteria," she said.

Hong Yi angrily exclaimed, "Miss Wang, are you cursing our Empress?"

Eunuch Li cast a sideways glance and said, "Hong Yi, you are being too reckless. Is that the tone you ought to have?"

Hong Yi replied coldly, "This servant naturally cannot compare to certain scum."

"You dare!" shrieked Eunuch Li.

"To shout and bellow in my Kunning Palace, Eunuch Li, you truly are audacious."

On hearing this, Eunuch Li hastily knelt down, "Oh, Your Majesty has misunderstood; it’s just that our Miss Wang is the woman His Majesty cares most about. His Majesty cannot bear to see her wronged, so naturally, I must protect her fervently, else I would be failing in my duties. Your Majesty, please forgive my indiscretion."

People like Eunuch Li, making mountains out of molehills.

He was fearless, believing that the Emperor’s heart was filled only with Wang Yingluo, having long forgotten his affection for the Empress. That the Emperor could execute Chun Tao for Wang Yingluo showed that no one else but Wang Yingluo resided in the Emperor’s heart at present.

And with the Empress having just lost Chun Tao, beaten down so harshly by the Emperor, how could she dare act against him?

So even if his words were unpleasant, the Empress dared not punish him.

At that moment, Eunuch Li felt as if he was no longer a servant, but rather a person puffing himself up over others.

Especially seeing the Empress’s grim face with nothing to say, he felt increasingly smug.

However, suddenly, the Empress snickered, then looked at him with a mocking smile.

"I recall, Eunuch Li, that you have no living relatives, but a few days ago, didn’t someone attempt to send you a message in the palace?"

As soon as these words fell, Eunuch Li’s complexion changed drastically, his smile vanished, and he grew stiff in his kneeling pose.

Wang Yingluo narrowed her eyes and said, "Your Majesty the Empress, even if Eunuch Li has no relatives, he still has adopted several foster sons who have left the palace. What’s this, they aren’t spies, are they? Does Your Majesty the Empress need to manage even the correspondence among eunuchs?"