As Xuan Yuanhan approached the entrance to the side hall of Fenghua Palace, about to cross the threshold, he suddenly stopped. His eyes narrowed slightly as he turned to Yi Shangyun and Xuan Yuanyue behind him, and he said sternly, "I will fulfill all your requests to me today. However, I will absolutely not allow you to break a single word of your promises made to me today."

After he finished speaking, his figure gradually disappeared from their sight.

Meanwhile, someone in the palace was doing something that would astonish everyone...

A faint scent of sandalwood wafted through the Empress Dowager's Yong'an Palace. The Empress was personally helping the Empress Dowager, who had just finished worshipping Buddha, out to sit down in the main hall.

"Your Majesty, I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Yue'er has always been well-behaved and sensible. It must be that she has been corrupted by that girl named Yun'er by spending her days with those servants, which is why she has become so rebellious and unruly..." The Empress said angrily as she walked, reporting in detail to the Empress Dowager what had happened at Fenghua Palace yesterday.

"This kind of ignorant and arrogant lackey should be dealt with," the Empress Dowager said sternly after hearing this. No one would have thought that the Empress Dowager, who was a kind-hearted person who ate vegetarian food and chanted Buddhist prayers every day, would say such vicious and venomous words at this time.

"I'm afraid that if Yue'er finds out, it will create a rift between us, but fortunately His Majesty has already made a decision. In this freezing weather, kneeling for twelve hours a day and night will surely lead to death," the Empress said with certainty, while the Empress Dowager listened attentively.

At this moment, an eunuch came in from outside the main hall to report, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress, and the Princess Consort of Qin have arrived."

"Quickly, send it to the eunuch!" the Empress Dowager exclaimed with delight.

As soon as Mei Xiyuan entered, she smiled and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you, and may you enjoy a long life, my sister-in-law."

"Why has Princess Qin come today? Come over here and let me see. Look how cold her little face and hands are," the Empress Dowager said with a very satisfied smile. She reached out and pulled Mei Xiyuan to sit down, gently stroking her delicate hands.

"Yes, it's freezing cold today, Princess Qin, please take care of yourself," the Empress said with a smile.

"Empress Dowager, Imperial Sister-in-law, I should have come to the palace to pay my respects much earlier. However, since I was new to Western Qin and not used to the climate, and the weather has been quite bad lately, I have been cooped up in the palace all day, which has made it even harder for me to recover. So I have delayed my visit. I hope you will forgive me."

Mei Xiyuan's acting skills are quite good. As she spoke, she took out a silk handkerchief, gently covered her lips, and coughed a few times.

"Princess Qin is truly thoughtful. In that case, has she seen the imperial physician?" The Empress Dowager's concern was evident in her words.

"Your Majesty, the imperial physicians in the Prince of Qin's residence are all men, which makes things inconvenient, so I have not yet sought medical treatment," Mei Xiyuan replied while gently wiping her lips with a handkerchief.

"Oh dear, this won't do! You and the King of Qin have just married. The King of Qin is young and full of vigor. If you don't have a capable imperial physician by your side, what will happen if you get pregnant one day?" The Empress Dowager said with great concern.

Hearing the Empress Dowager's concerns, the Empress immediately understood and said with a smile, "Mother, how about I immediately select a few experienced and skilled female physicians from the Imperial Hospital and bestow them upon Princess Qin?"

"The Empress's method is excellent. Let's do as the Empress says and quickly order someone to carry it out. We must choose the most outstanding and clever ones. Today, Princess Qin happens to be coming to the palace to pay her respects. Let's quickly make a selection and then go back to the Prince Qin's residence with her to serve her well," the Empress Dowager carefully instructed the Empress.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty and sister-in-law. Actually, I am the only female member of the Prince of Qin's household at present, so there is no need for so many people to serve me. One person is enough, and besides..."

"Princess Qin, please speak frankly," the Empress said when she saw her hesitation.

Mei Xiyuan paused for a moment and then continued, "Your Majesty, I suddenly fell ill the day before my wedding. Princess Yue brought a female medicine doctor with her. She is very skilled in medicine and a nice person. I also feel very compatible with her. So I wonder if Your Majesty, my sister-in-law, could bestow that female medicine doctor upon me?"

"The medicine girl that Yue'er brought, could she be..." the Empress murmured to herself.

Then she hurriedly asked, "Since Princess Qin already has someone she likes, do you know the name of the medicine girl? If you don't know, please send someone to ask Yue'er. Since you already have someone who suits Princess Qin's taste, that's for the best. Otherwise, if you choose someone unsuitable and they don't serve you well, it will ruin important matters."

“Sister-in-law, Xi’er asked the name of that medicine girl that day, and her name was… Yi Shangyun,” Mei Xiyuan said to the Empress with certainty.

"It really is her," the Empress thought to herself. She then exchanged a glance with the Empress Dowager, and then seemed to want to confirm again, "Is Princess Qin sure it is Yi Shangyun? I have met that servant before, and he doesn't seem to be as outstanding as the Princess said?"

"Your Majesty knows about this medicine girl? That's wonderful, it will save us a lot of trouble in searching for her." Just as Mei Xiyuan finished speaking, her father-in-law's urgent announcement came from outside the hall.

"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived! His Highness Prince Qin has arrived!"

Emperor Jing: "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Xuanyuan Han: "Your subject greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, and wishes Your Majesty a long and happy life."

"Get up quickly, both of you. Why did you two come together today?" the Empress Dowager asked with delight.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects," Mei Xiyuan said, rising quickly to bow to Emperor Jing.

Emperor Jing: "Princess Consort of Qin, rise."

After Emperor Jing, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, took his seat, he replied to the Empress Dowager, "After the morning court session this morning, I learned that the Prince of Qin had brought his Princess Consort to the palace to pay their respects to Your Majesty, so I invited them to come along."

"Has Princess Qin adapted to the land and water of my Western Qin?" Emperor Jing asked, seeing Mei Xiyuan sitting quietly to one side.

Mei Xiyuan was about to answer when the Empress Dowager interrupted, "You've come at the right time. I was just looking for the Prince of Qin."

"Why does Your Majesty summon me?" Xuan Yuanhan asked, puzzled.

The Empress Dowager then said with a reproachful look, "I was originally very happy that you two had come together to pay your respects to me today. But now, hmph..." Then the Empress Dowager glanced at the Empress beside her.

The Empress, seeing the Empress Dowager's knowing look, said jokingly, "No matter how busy Prince Qin is, he can't neglect the Princess's health. She's responsible for bearing children for the Xuanyuan royal family, yet the Prince's residence doesn't even provide her with a personal physician. You two are newly married; what if she gets pregnant?"

The Empress Dowager hurriedly echoed, "The Empress is right. The Prince of Qin is far too careless. If anything goes wrong, how will you face our Ancestor?"

Upon hearing what the two were saying, Xuan Yuanhan immediately raised his usually cold eyes and looked at Mei Xiyuan sitting to the side.

Mei Xiyuan hurriedly explained, "Mother, sister-in-law, it's all Xi'er's fault for being unwell, it's not Your Highness's fault."

"Alright, everyone knows you're newlyweds, so stop defending him," the Empress Dowager's attitude seemed to soften somewhat.

The Empress then turned to Emperor Jing and said, “Your Majesty, my mother and I were discussing and originally planned to select a few skilled and intelligent female physicians from the Imperial Hospital to bestow upon Princess Qin. However, Princess Qin already has someone she has her eye on.”

"Oh, the Princess Consort of Qin has only been in Western Qin for a few months and rarely enters the palace, yet she knows people in the palace?" Emperor Jing, who was always suspicious, began to wonder again whether she was a wingman for Xuanyuan Han to form cliques and engage in private activities in the palace.

Xuanyuan Han was well aware of the meaning behind Emperor Jing's words. However, he had always maintained a clear separation from Mei Xiyuan and they were not related. This marriage decree was arranged by Emperor Jing himself, so he had no qualms about it and let Emperor Jing make wild guesses.

Mei Xiyuan was about to speak when the Empress spoke first, "Your Majesty, the person that Princess Qin has chosen is the medicine girl who serves Yue'er... Yi Shangyun."

"It's her." Emperor Jing was stunned. At the same time, Xuan Yuanhan was also somewhat surprised and puzzled. However, he was used to suppressing his anger. He simply raised his icy face, which was imposing without anger, to look at Mei Xiyuan. Mei Xiyuan smiled at him.

The Empress nodded to Emperor Jing and continued, "When the Princess Consort of Qin first arrived in our Western Qin, she suddenly fell seriously ill the day before her wedding. At that time, Yue'er, who was at the Prince of Qin's residence, learned of this and took Yi Shangyun to treat the Princess Consort. In that sense, they were destined to be together. Moreover..."

The Empress paused for a moment before continuing, "Besides, Yue'er is still young and willful. I am planning to send her some older, well-mannered servants to teach her a lesson."

The Empress's words were clearly intended to separate Yi Shangyun from Xuan Yuan Yue, as they still believed that Xuan Yuan Yue's current disobedience was inextricably linked to Yi Shangyun.

She hadn't really figured out how to deal with this useless, ugly girl, but now that Mei Xiyuan had personally requested Yi Shangyun, she didn't mind throwing this hot potato away to avoid Xuan Yuan Yue hating her for it.

Emperor Jing understood the meaning behind the Empress's words and said, "Since Princess Qin has taken a liking to that servant, it is her good fortune. Princess Qin, you may take him back. However, that servant has made a mistake and is being punished. He probably won't be able to serve you for the next few days. With the end of the year approaching, how about we wait until after the New Year and let him go to the Prince Qin's residence to serve you?"

"In that case, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and my sister-in-law thank you for your generous gift." Mei Xiyuan, having achieved her wish, quickly rose and bowed in gratitude.

Xuanyuan Han observed the words and actions of the people before him and guessed what was going on. However, he did not object.

At that moment, he was thinking that Yi Shangyun was probably much safer under his nose at the Prince of Qin's residence than by Xuan Yuan Yue's side in the palace.

After Mei Xiyuan stood up, she said to the three high-ranking masters, "I have not seen Princess Yue for a long time and I miss her very much. May I go and visit her? Also, please forgive that girl, okay?"

"Of course, Yue'er has been saying all day in the palace that the divine butterfly from the Princess's motherland is the best in the world. She will surely be delighted to see the Princess. Besides, since that girl has already been given to the Prince of Qin's residence, then the Prince of Qin's residence will be responsible for disciplining her. Someone, lead the way for the Princess of Qin," the Empress hurriedly arranged.

After Mei Xiyuan left, there were finally no outsiders in the main hall, and Xuan Yuanhan began to talk about his important business.

"Royal brother, Empress Dowager, Imperial sister-in-law, I've heard that Yue'er is to be married off to the Northern Lie Kingdom. Is this true?"

The Empress Dowager and the Empress immediately turned extremely pale, while Emperor Jing began to suspect again, "My brother's information network is truly impressive."

Over the years, Xuanyuan Han had grown accustomed to Emperor Jing's sarcastic remarks, but for the sake of the overall situation in Western Qin, he didn't want to waste his breath arguing with him.

At this moment, he simply said to himself, "If your younger brother has a better strategy, I wonder if Your Majesty would be willing to rescind your order?"

As soon as Xuanyuan Han left Fenghua Palace, he already had a foolproof plan in mind for what those two poor people should do.

The King of Qin of the Western Qin Kingdom, hailed as the God of War of the Lingkong Continent for his wisdom, high position, cold-blooded ruthlessness, and bravery, is not just a figurehead.

Upon hearing his words, the three men widened their eyes and eagerly anticipated that Xuan Yuanhan's good strategy could help the Western Qin Kingdom overcome its current predicament; otherwise, they would truly have a hard time getting through the year.

What exactly is the better strategy that Xuanyuan Han mentioned?