The room was so silent one could hear a pin drop.
The Empress still wore a kindly smile, though it didn't reach her eyes.
But Shen Wei knew—this was a life-or-death question! It was like being a new employee at a company, where the chairman (the Empress) solemnly asks whether you want to overthrow another female director (the Princess Consort) and take her place.
Could she answer "yes"? Of course not!
The Princess Consort came from the Tantai family, a prestigious clan with centuries of history. Shen Wei, a peasant girl with no background or connections, could never replace her.
But if she answered "I dare not entertain such thoughts," she would demean herself too much.
