Chapter 126 When Soldiers Come, Generals Will Block Them

Meng Xinzhu looked up at Lu Zhaoxue and saw that she had a rosy complexion. She smiled and said, "I see that you look very well now, sister. It seems that His Majesty is treating you well."

Lu Zhaoxue smiled slightly, gently stroking her lower abdomen, her eyes full of tenderness: "Sister, I feel much more at ease now that you are by my side. You are a good doctor, so please help me take care of this child in the future."

Upon hearing this, Meng Xinzhu quickly got up and walked to Lu Zhaoxue's side, carefully taking her pulse.

After a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Sister's pulse is steady and strong, the baby in your womb is very healthy, sister just needs to rest and take care of the baby."

Just then, a eunuch's announcement rang out: "His Majesty has arrived!"

Meng Xinzhu and Granny Liu quickly got up to greet them.

Chu Huaiyu strode into the hall, his gaze falling on Lu Zhaoxue. Lu Zhaoxue slowly rose and was about to bow in greeting when Chu Huaiyu quickly stepped forward to pull her up and made her sit down again.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Meng Xinzhu and Granny Liu curtsied, their tone respectful.

"No need for formalities, rise." Chu Huaiyu waved his hand, then turned his gaze back to Lu Zhaoxue, and smiled:

"I heard that Miss Meng and Granny Liu have entered the palace, so I came here specifically to see them."

Chu Huaiyu looked at Meng Xinzhu and said, "I heard from Zhaoxue that you have excellent medical skills, Miss Meng. In the future, I will have to trouble you to take care of Zhaoxue and the child in her womb."

"I am unworthy of such praise. It is my honor to serve Your Majesty the Empress," Meng Xinzhu replied humbly.

Chu Huaiyu nodded and said to Lu Zhaoxue, "I have already had the documents prepared for Miss Meng and Granny Liu to open a clinic. Once the location of the clinic is decided, construction can begin."

Meng Xinzhu quickly stood up to express her gratitude.

Seeing Lu Zhaoxue's joyful expression, Chu Huaiyu was also very happy. He only sat for a short while before getting up and leaving, giving them time to catch up.

After Chu Huaiyu left, Lu Zhaoxue instructed the palace servants to make sure Liu Mama was settled in.

Afterwards, when only Lu Zhaoxue and Meng Xinzhu remained in the hall, Meng Xinzhu took Lu Zhaoxue's hand and whispered, "Sister, I never thought that I would see you again one day."

When the Lu family suffered such a terrible fate, I was deeply worried about you, but being in a merchant family, I was barely surviving myself, so there was nothing I could do to help you.

Lu Zhaoxue held her hand tightly, her voice full of gratitude, "Sister, please don't say that. When Zhaoxing fell ill, if it weren't for your constant visits and care, I'm afraid he would have died long ago..."

"Don't worry, sister. With me here, no one will dare to bully you again. You can stay in the palace now and start your own clinic after I give birth."

"With your medical skills, sister, you will definitely be able to gain a foothold in this capital and live the life you want."

Meng Xinzhu nodded heavily, her eyes glistening with tears, yet also radiating an unprecedented hope.

Within these palace walls, she not only found the warmth of reuniting with old friends, but also the opportunity to be reborn.

——

The news that Chu Huaiyu was always by Lu Zhaoxue's side spread throughout the palace, and the palace servants all talked about how much the emperor favored the empress.

This news also reached the ears of Empress Dowager Rong and Huo Chengbi.

At this moment, Huo Chengbi gripped the handkerchief tightly, her tone full of confusion and resentment: "Empress Dowager, why does His Majesty care so much about the Empress?"

She committed such a disgraceful act; by all accounts, His Majesty should hate her to the core. Even if there were hidden reasons, he would never show such favor to a woman who had been married twice.

Empress Dowager Rong also looked dejected as she sat down in a rosewood chair covered with mink fur, propping her forehead with one hand and looking impatient.

The red gold and pearl-encrusted hairpin at her temple swayed slightly, revealing her distress:

"I can't figure it out either. When was Huaiyu ever this disobedient before? For the sake of Lu Zhaoxue, he opposes me at every turn!"

Empress Dowager Rong's voice was full of reminiscence of the past, and even more so, it concealed her helplessness in the face of the current out-of-control situation.

Huo Chengbi pondered for a moment, then his gaze darkened.

She slowly leaned close to Empress Dowager Rong's ear, her voice extremely low and seductive: "Your Majesty, do you think... could it be that Lu Zhaoxue used some underhanded means to bewitch His Majesty?"

Empress Dowager Rong frowned slightly, raised her hand to signal her to be quiet, then gestured for the palace servants to leave before slowly nodding and saying:

"Your guess is not entirely without merit."

If it weren't for Lu Zhaoxue's trap, how could her usually calm and composed son be acting like he's gone mad, single-mindedly trying to hold Lu Zhaoxue tightly by his side?

Even if Lu Zhaoxue were stunningly beautiful, it would be impossible for Chu Huaiyu to be so reckless! Even court officials who had the slightest criticism of her ended up with disgrace and ruin.

"Your Majesty, my nanny once met a remarkable person in her youth, known as a 'reincarnated immortal,' who specialized in solving such mysteries for high-ranking officials and nobles."

Huo Chengbi lowered his eyes, speaking respectfully, but a hint of calculation flashed in his eyes.

"Such a powerful figure?" A strange light flashed in Empress Dowager Rong's eyes.

"Indeed. Your Majesty, would you like me to invite them to assist you?" Huo Chengbi asked cautiously, afraid of offending Empress Dowager Rong.

Empress Dowager Rong was caught in a dilemma, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the carvings on the armrest of her chair.

She had only recently begun to mend her relationship with her son, so she naturally did not want to cause any more trouble. However, if Lu Zhaoxue really used evil magic to bewitch Chu Huaiyu, she absolutely could not stand idly by!

After a long silence, Empress Dowager Rong said in a deep voice, "This matter needs to be discussed carefully. We must not let the news leak out and make ourselves a laughing stock."

She knew in her heart that even if she privately cursed Lu Zhaoxue as a vixen who bewitched the emperor, she could not actually stage an exorcism or demon-catching performance. The most taboo thing in the deep palace was witchcraft, and the slightest carelessness would bring trouble upon herself!

"Your Majesty, I obey." Huo Chengbi bowed her head respectfully, but a faint smile crept onto her lips, for she already had other plans in mind.

Within days, news spread through Empress Dowager Rong's palace that she had suddenly fallen seriously ill and was bedridden.

The imperial physicians took turns treating him, but none of them could do anything about it.

Just as everyone was in a panic, news came that the atmosphere in the palace was chaotic, possibly caused by evil spirits. It was necessary to immediately perform a ritual to exorcise the evil spirits in order to find the root of the problem and cure Empress Dowager Rong's illness.

Soon, Empress Dowager Rong ordered Huo Chengbi to bring in a "reclusive master" from outside the palace, named Gao Lishi.

He was dressed in a Taoist robe and held a peach wood sword, claiming that he could slay demons and pray for the Empress Dowager's well-being.

Inside Chengqian Palace, upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoxue's lips curled into a cool smile, a hint of understanding and mockery flashing in her eyes.

It seems that some people finally couldn't hold back any longer.

Fine, since they want to play, she'll play along.