Xingkui placed her hands together in front of her waist, speculating about the future developments of the harem story.

Chen Yuwei turned her head and glanced indifferently at Xingkui standing in front of her. "The Empress Dowager's health is even worse than the Emperor's. She should be concerned about her own diet instead of the food in the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

Even if Hongli acted recklessly, he was still the Empress Dowager's son, and there was a difference of more than twenty years between them.

"Now the Empress Dowager lies in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness, hah."

A mocking smile appeared on Chen Yuwei's lips. She thought to herself, "When Hongli faints again, it's hard to say whether the Empress Dowager will still be around."

She's outlived several of her own descendants who entered the palace. Your Majesty, it's time for you to leave.

Chen Yuwei made no attempt to hide her malice towards the Empress Dowager, after all, anyone would be extremely annoyed if their relationship was stirred up for no reason.

The Empress Dowager may have foreseen something, but unfortunately her remaining lifespan was too short to cause any trouble.

Chen Yuwei was always wary of the Empress Dowager, because the only person in the entire harem who could bring her trouble was the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace.

Whether it was due to their inherent seniority or the Empress Dowager's long-standing ambition, the conflict between them was similar to the conflict between Chen Yuwei and the Emperor.

"Speaking of the Empress Dowager, have I not recently paid my respects at Cining Palace?"

"I should find an opportunity to go and visit the Empress Dowager."

If they don't see each other again, there won't be many more chances. After all, Chen Yuwei herself wants to live to be a hundred years old, and she won't accompany the Empress Dowager to pass away first.

The breakfast that Xingkui had previously sent up was already laid out in the main hall outside the screen.

Helping Chen Yuwei up from the bed, the two of them went to the main hall.

"Your Majesty, the people in Cining Palace have been saying that the Empress Dowager is seriously ill and is refusing visits from the concubines."

Since your last visit, apart from Consort Ying and Noble Consort Ling, no one else in the harem has been able to see the Empress Dowager.

After Xingkui finished speaking, she turned around and served Chen Yuwei some food, and also ladled out a bowl of soup that her mistress liked to drink.

Chen Yuwei picked up the soup and tasted it first, casually commenting that the soup was lacking in flavor.

"The Empress Dowager is shrewd and experienced; she even carefully selects the concubines she summons," said one of them, who had a strained relationship with her and didn't get along with her.

Who would believe the Empress Dowager has no ulterior motives? She's getting more and more untrustworthy with age.

Chen Yuwei slowly ate the food that Xingkui picked up for her.

The breakfast was quite light, which was Chen Yuwei's usual taste.

"Have someone keep an eye on Cining Palace. Since the concubines are refused visits, I won't go there to cause trouble for the Empress Dowager."

Otherwise, if the Empress Dowager falls ill, the blame will be placed on Yikun Palace.

Although Chen Yuwei may have had the intention of killing the Empress Dowager, she doesn't have to take the blame for everything.

There's plenty of time; we'll find an opportunity later. The Empress Dowager and Hongli's frail bodies can't possibly outlive us.

Xingkui nodded in agreement, her chopsticks moving quickly as she served the food, afraid that her master wouldn't have enough to eat.

...

Returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, after resuming his normal diet, Hongli was in an unprecedentedly good mood.

In addition, when he went to bed at night, there were concubines who would come to serve him when he couldn't bear it any longer, so he could be said to be in a blissful state.

Hongli's spirit could withstand it, but his already exhausted body could not.

Within three months, Hongli was walking unsteadily, speaking weakly, and eating with trembling arms. He seemed to have returned to the state he was in before he fainted.

Seeing that things were not going well, Gao Yu quickly sent someone to fetch the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital.

As a result, the imperial physician ran into the people from Cining Palace on his way there.

The Empress Dowager, whose health was already not good, fainted when she heard that her own son had gotten into trouble again.

Chen Yuwei, who hadn't done anything while staying in Yikun Palace, received two huge gifts: ...

Standing up, Chen Yuwei looked at Xingkui with clear eyes, trying to confirm what had happened to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Xingkui tried her best to keep her voice steady and told her master that both of them had fainted.

She fainted?!

Chen Yuwei clapped her hands. She had finally waited for this moment. It was truly a good thing that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had both fallen.

"Prepare the sedan chair. We'll go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation first, then to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility."

Xingkui nodded and turned to have the palace servants of Yikun Palace bring out the sedan chair.

"Help me change my clothes and remove some of the jewelry I'm wearing; it's too flashy."

There was a patient lying in both the Hall of Mental Cultivation and the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility. It was uncertain whether I could simply go there happily.

Xingkui behaved obediently and sensibly, basically doing whatever Chen Yuwei told her to do.

Change clothes? Yes; Take off jewelry? Yes.

Finally, Xingkui took the face powder and applied it to her master's face again.

"Your Majesty, we can go now."

At least on the surface, there's no visible flaw, and we can't use external factors to explain things in the past.

"Okay, let's go."

Chen Yuwei reached out and touched the dangling tassels; the beads clashed together, making a tinkling sound.

Xingkui helped Chen Yuwei into the sedan chair and gestured to the eunuchs carrying the chair to lift it.

The sedan chair was stable, and Chen Yuwei rested her hands on the armrests on both sides, looking straight ahead.

After turning a corner and walking through a long corridor, the buildings belonging exclusively to the Hall of Mental Cultivation came into Chen Yuwei's view.

The sedan chair stopped at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and Chen Yuwei entered while straightening her clothes.

The situation inside did not appear chaotic, because the Hall of Mental Cultivation had experienced far too many incidents like the Emperor's death.

"Imperial Noble Consort"

When Gao Yu saw Chen Yuwei arrive, he quickly invited her to rest in the side hall.

The emperor is lying in the main hall and is still unconscious. Apart from the imperial physicians and the palace servants who are responsible for taking care of him, no one else is allowed to enter for the time being.

"How is it? I still need to go to Cining Palace. The Empress Dowager's situation is the same as the Emperor's."

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