Chapter 31: Worlds Apart

at her bracelet and hurriedly covered it. Dugu Cheng said lightly, “This bracelet was given to you by the former empress dowager, wasn't it You have never worn it before.”"This has nothing to do with...Feng Lingxi saw the suspicion in her eyes and explained, "My daughter-in-law can't draw a conclusion yet. We need to go and see for ourselves."

"Now then, let's go."

Feng Lingxi made a gesture of invitation and followed the old Empress Dowager to her bedroom. After entering, she smelled the fragrance in the room and swept her eyes over it, her gaze falling on the incense burner, "Mother concubine, who do you think lit this incense"

The old Princess Dowager hurriedly asked, “Is there something wrong with this incense”

Feng Lingxi walked to the table and poured a cup of water. She then walked to the incense burner and splashed the water on it, extinguishing the incense burning inside. This action caused the old imperial consort's face to change, and she questioned sharply, "Who lit the incense in my room"

A grandmother hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down, tremblingly saying, "Your Majesty the Dowager Empress, it was this old slave who lit the incense. Over these years, all your incense has been lit by this old slave. These are all incense bestowed by the Emperor, and there has never been a problem."

Feng Lingxi took the incense from the censer and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply. "Mother Consort, please don't worry, there's nothing wrong with this incense."

"Then you extinguished this incense"

When the old princess heard that there was nothing wrong with the incense, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

All the maids and ladies-in-waiting present were watching Feng Lingxi, afraid that she would say something that would incur the wrath of the Old Madam upon them.

"Although the incense is fine, there's something wrong with this incense burner."

Feng Ling Xi brought the incense burner to the table and took an embroidered needle from her hair. She scraped a layer of incense ash off the incense burner with it.

"Mother, I will take this incense ash back to study it. Don't use this incense burner anymore."

Feng Lingxi's words left the old Empress Dowager puzzled. She hurriedly said, "Xi'er, you haven't explained things clearly to your mother yet. What's wrong with this incense burner Could it be that someone is intentionally framing your mother"

Seeing the anxiety in her eyes, Feng Lingxi nodded.

The Old Madam's face suddenly turned pale, she glared at the maidservant kneeling on the ground, "Who put this incense burner in this concubine's room to burn incense"

"Your Majesty, this incense burner was a gift from the Empress to Your Grace. It was Your Grace who instructed me to use this incense burner to burn incense, and it has been many years now."

"Enough."

The Dowager Queen roared, "No one is to speak a word of today's affair, do you understand"

All the maids and old ladies present responded with a nod, standing tremblingly and daring not to utter a word.

Feng Lingxi's eyes swept over the maids and handmaidens present, her voice cold as she spoke, "You all should have spent quite some time in Prince Four's Residence. You should know that your mistress is the Imperial Consort, not anyone else. How the Imperial Consort treats you, you all have a clear understanding in your hearts."

When the Dowager Empress heard Feng Lingxi's words, her eyes swept over Liu Mama who was kneeling on the ground. She coldly questioned, "Liu Mama, do you know about the incense burner incident"

Nanny Liu's face turned as pale as a sheet, and she hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, I have served you for thirteen years. How could I possibly harm you I beg Your Majesty to see through my innocence."

"All of you, get out."

Feng Lingxi coldly opened her mouth, the old matriarch signaled for everyone to back down, leaving only the two of them in the bedroom.

"Xier, could this poisoner be Liu MaMa"

Feng Lingxi shook her head, "It wasn't Liu MaMa, it was someone else."

"Who are you talking about"

How could anyone from the Empress's side come here She hasn't been in the palace for so many years, yet the Empress still refuses to let her go

The Old Madam's face was very ugly. She couldn't believe that her illness was caused by the Empress.

"Mother, there's no need to worry. Just now, our words have already had a deterrent effect. I believe that person will soon appear on their own."

Feng Lingxi carefully collected the ashes and took out a box, handing it to the old matriarch.

"Mother concubine, this is a pill that the daughter-in-law made herself. You should take one every time you eat these days."

"Xi'er, is this saying someone wants to poison Mother"

Feng Lingxi, seeing her so wary, explained, “This is a pill to alleviate the toxins in your mother's body. I made it for you yesterday.”

The Old Madam of the Wang family opened the box and looked at the pills inside. They were all the size of chopsticks, and although they didn't smell very good, they were much better than the soup medicine.

"Is all this made especially for your mother"

Feng Lingxi responded, “These pills are more effective than boiled medicine. They are concentrated and easier to swallow.”

The Old Madam looked at Feng Lingxi, her eyes filled with joy. "Xi'er, you did a great job. Your mother is quite afraid of taking medicine, but like this, your mother isn't afraid anymore."

Feng Lingxi looked at her praising herself, thinking about her previous attitude towards her, it was really like two different people.

"As for Empress Dowager's condition, the daughter-in-law still needs to study it carefully. When it's time to take medicine, she still has to take it."

"It's alright, this body will recover. Taking medicine is nothing." The old Empress dowager held her hand, her eyes full of praise.

"Yesterday, your mother treated you like that, and I didn't expect you to still care so much for her. It seems General Feng has raised a good daughter."

The Old Empress Dowager was very pleased with Feng Lingxi, not only praising her but also praising her so-called father.

Feng Lingxi saw that she was in a good mood, and thinking about returning to her parents' home tomorrow, she asked, "Mother concubine, tomorrow is the day for my daughter-in-law to return to her parents' home. I wonder if it's possible to go back and see my parents according to the rules."

“Of course you should go back. Your mother will make sure the steward arranges everything properly for you. When you return to your family tomorrow, you won't be embarrassed in front of them. Although I can’t accompany you, the Fourth Prince’s Mansion won't let you lose face.”

Windling, upon hearing her words, quickly bowed and said, "The daughter-in-law thanks her mother."

"Don't be so polite to me, my child. If Cheng er were to return and see you, he would surely be delighted. Everyone says that the Wind General's only daughter is foolish, but it seems they are the foolish ones."

Wind Ling Xi heard the old Queen Mother's words and explained, "Mother Empress, your daughter-in-law only recently regained consciousness. Outsiders don't know this, so it's no wonder they misunderstand."

"So that's how it is. It seems if the betrothal were delayed, Cheng'er might not be able to marry you after all."

Feng Lingxi's face changed slightly, she hurriedly said, "Mother concubine, don't frighten your daughter-in-law. The marriage is the Holy Order, and it is my daughter-in-law's blessing from my previous life to be able to marry into the Fourth Prince's Mansion."

This remark, whether a test or just casual talk, made Feng Lingxi feel wary. This Fourth Prince, at such a young age, had already achieved remarkable military feats and been crowned the War God. His biological mother must certainly be no ordinary woman. She still kept her words and actions in check, lest she expose herself.

The Old Madam Queen saw that she was frightened and comforted her, "This Empress Dowager just saw you are exceptionally intelligent and joyful in my heart. There's no other meaning, let's continue talking."

"You don't need to use incense in the room. Mother, if you truly like incense, your daughter-in-law will prepare some for you and have Xiaoli deliver it."

"Mother Concubine thinks that smelling the fragrance can clear one's mind and invigorate oneself, but it doesn't matter if there isn't any."

Feng Lingxi responded, thinking that she had limited materials on hand, so she didn't say much more.oo rough of a night."Cheng'er, drink two more bowls. You've worked hard this past while, you need to make up for it.""Thank you, Mother."Dugu Cheng didn't doubt it. Empress Shu rarely treated him so k...