After Tian Mama finished speaking, Chu Qitong popped her head out from behind Ning Zhuanyan. She glanced at Tian Mama and vaguely recalled that when her mother was alive, there was an old nanny who often played with her, accompanied by a white cat.

The image of the old nanny in my memory gradually overlapped with the nanny Tian before me. She walked out from behind Ning Zhuangyan and squatted in front of Tian nanny, saying, "Nanny, where have you been these past few years? And why have you appeared here?"

After Chu Qitong's words fell, a trace of pain appeared on Tian Mama's face. Just as she was about to speak, Empress Wen walked over with her embroidered brocade.

Empress Wen gave a signal to Zhi Jin, and Zhi Jin stepped forward to help Chu Qitong up from the ground. However, Zhi Jin's exertion of force was more like forcefully pulling Chu Qitong up from the ground rather than helping her up.

After Chu Qitong was forced to open the brocade curtain, Wen Guifei raised her foot and kicked Tian Mama to the ground again. With her feet adorned in peach-red embroidered shoes, she stepped on Tian Mama's shoulder, adopting a superior posture as she said, "You are nothing but a lowly slave. What qualifications do you have to associate with Liu Hua? Even if you served the empress, so what? Do you think having this trump card can make Liu Hua promote you from the laundry department to the Qiwu Hall?"

After reprimanding Tian Mama, Empress Wen turned her gaze towards Chu Qitong and said, "Liuhua, I know you have been kind-hearted since you were young, but servants are always servants. No matter who they have served, they are still servants. You must not be lenient towards them, especially these rebellious slaves who look down upon their masters. Otherwise, who knows, one day they might take advantage of you."

Chu Qitong couldn't help but feel that today's Empress Wen, Wengui, was somewhat different. Usually, Empress Wen, Wengui, always cared the most about the benevolent and kind image she had painstakingly built for herself. This was the first time Chu Qitong had seen Empress Wen, Wengui, speak so harshly and completely cut off someone's future prospects.

Empress Wen does not like herself and Chu Mingze. Chu Qitong has always known this. Usually, because of her father's relationship, even if Empress Wen doesn't like it in her heart, she would still give herself some face. But today, Empress Wen couldn't help but disregard her own wishes and let Zhi Jin help her up. In front of all the concubines, she used a concerned tone to lecture Chu Qitong. Chu Qitong felt that Empress Wen was different today.

"Liuhua, do you understand what this palace is telling you?" Seeing that Chu Qitong remained silent for a long time, Empress Wen spoke again. As she spoke, her feet still hadn't moved from Madam Tian's shoulder.

Zhi Jin's hand continued to support Chu Qitong, but it exerted more pressure. She heard Empress Wen asking a question and spoke to Chu Qitong, "Princess, the empress is talking to you. You should respond."

Chu Qitong glanced at Zhi Jin and then at Empress Wen. Her eyelashes fluttered lightly, and finally, she obediently said, "What the Empress says is true. Liu Hua will heed the Empress's instructions."

After hearing Chu Qitong speak, Empress Wen shifted her gaze away from her face. However, she continued to support Chu Qitong’s woven brocade as she whispered softly, "Princess, please don't blame the empress. The empress is only worried that you might be deceived by this cunning slave."

Ning Zhuangyan, who had been standing not far away all along, could see that Chu Qitong was being controlled by the Zhi Jin clamp. She made a slight movement with her hand, and Chu Qitong shook her head slightly at her. Immediately after, Ning Zhuangyan saw Chu Qitong turn to the maid beside Empress Wen and say with a smiling face, "Miss Zhi Jin, you worry too much. The kind-hearted Liuhua of the Empress understands. Liuhua naturally knows who is ungrateful."