When the palace maid announced the arrival of Princess Xiaoyao and Princess Pingting, Chu Yuan had not yet finished her daily scripture reading routine.

As Granny Ji entered the room, the Empress Dowager, without waiting for her to speak, said directly, "Take the Princess and the County Princess to the side hall. I have finished listening to the scriptures and will be there soon."

"Yes." Granny Ji glanced at Chu Yuan several times.

The Empress Dowager has been spending more and more time with this young master lately.

Even though they lived next door, the thought that came to mind most was for her to serve the emperor and bear children for the Dugu family.

Now, however, I see him every day, and the time has been extended from half an hour to an hour.

Moreover, the Empress Dowager would always be in a very good mood after listening to Consort Ji Yun recite the scriptures.

Occasionally, Granny Ji would be allowed to stay in the room to listen. Every time she listened, Granny Ji was amazed. It was just an ordinary way of reading, but Consort Ji's voice seemed to have a magical quality, making people feel exceptionally comfortable.

That's amazing.

"Your Majesty, your complexion has been getting better and better lately." Chu Yuan finished reading, closed the book, and smiled slightly.

The Empress Dowager instinctively reached out to her, and Chu Yuan stepped forward to help the old lady up.

The Empress Dowager got off the bed and said in a pleasant tone, "This is all thanks to you. I really didn't expect that listening to scriptures could cure diseases."

Chu Yuan didn't take credit, and quickly said, "No, it was actually the medicine from the officials of the Imperial Hospital that was effective. I was just reading to you to help you breathe."

Of course, if a person's emotions are not flowing smoothly, it will have a negative impact on their health to some extent, such as causing illness due to accumulated depression.

Once the qi flows smoothly and vital energy is abundant, coupled with the aid of herbal medicine, recovery will naturally be faster.

Chu Yuan stood with her eyes lowered, looking demure and charming. After she finished speaking, the Empress Dowager did not react for a long time. She wondered if she had given herself away while trying to be cool.

After a moment of silence, the latter suddenly took her hand and said, "It is the emperor's loss that he is unwilling to favor you."

Chu Yuan, "..."

Can't we just leave this topic out?

Fortunately, this time the old lady only said one sentence and then stopped, taking her hand and leading her outside, "Come on, let's go see the guests together."

Chu Yuan obediently followed, but her expression was troubled. "The Empress Dowager summoned the Princess Consort of Xiaoyao and Princess Pingting. She must have something important to discuss. Would it be inappropriate for me to be there?"

Actually, she really wanted to see what would happen to this troublesome mother and daughter!

As expected, the Empress Dowager did not mind, and even snorted in annoyance, "It's alright, this time I'm backing you up, they can't attack you."

One was older but stupid as a pig, the other younger but with a heart of a snake. The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes. She wanted to see how they would continue their act!

The moment Dugu Pingting saw the Empress Dowager leading Chu Yuan into the house, her already anxious heart pounded even harder.

Princess Xiaoyao merely glanced at Chu Yuan's face, inwardly cursing the vixen, and said in a sarcastic tone, "The Empress Dowager's Longevity Palace is always good for people. Look, after only a month of living there, Ji Yun's complexion is rosy and her figure has become much fuller."

She was thinking to herself, "I guess the emperor has already slept with her, hasn't he?"

She was just too embarrassed to say it, but once she actually got pregnant, she couldn't hide it anymore.

Of course, Princess Xiaoyao didn't want Chu Yuan to be pregnant. In fact, the possibility was very small. Dugu Tianxiong hadn't gotten many women pregnant over the years, so he must have some health problems.

That's why she wanted to push this vixen out of the way; the current ambiguous situation was the best option.

Without a legal status, it will be difficult for her to have children. Once time has passed and no one pays attention to her anymore, her life will be quietly ended!

Unexpectedly, because Dugu Pingting was favored and had previously been indulged by the Empress Dowager, the carefree Princess Consort suddenly heard the Empress Dowager roar, "Insolence! As a princess consort, you speak without thinking, frivolous and pretentious. Li, do you know your crime?"

"???" Li's eyes widened suddenly, and she was completely dumbfounded.

The Empress Dowager, her face stern and showing no mercy, said, "Kneel down! Lady Li, if you still acknowledge me as your Empress Dowager!"

Li was still in a state of disbelief and horror, unable to come to her senses.

Knowing the inside story, Granny Ji stepped forward with her hands clasped together and reminded her, "Your Highness, disobeying the Empress Dowager's decree is the same crime as disobeying the imperial decree."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Pingting reacted quickly and pulled Li Shi to kneel down with a thud.

Dugu Pingting's heart turned ice-cold; at this moment, she could no longer deceive herself into believing that it was a good thing rather than a bad thing.

The mother and daughter lowered their heads, trembling with fear, not daring to say or ask any more questions.

After kneeling for about half an incense stick's time, the Empress Dowager spoke again, "Now do you understand why I punished you?"

I have only two children, Tianxiong and Xuancheng. I believe I have never mistreated them, and I have never mistreated you either.

To ensure that Pingting was no less than Fushun, I practically raised her by my side from a young age, spoiling and doting on her. I also carefully selected a grandson from the Duke's family to marry her off, guaranteeing her a life of comfort and security.

Even so, my sincere heart was still wasted!

The girl, who was usually so delicate that she wouldn't even step on an ant, would not hesitate to murder her grandmother without batting an eye!

Lady Li, am I wrong to punish you for failing to properly educate your children?

"So lonely and graceful, shouldn't I feel heartbroken for you?"

The old lady's tone was stern yet tinged with sadness. Indeed, she was the most beloved junior, and she wished the youngest daughter a good and happy life. But when her dream shattered, she discovered that it was all a deception, something that would be hard for anyone to accept.

If it were Chu Yuan, she probably would have to slap him herself to vent her anger!

After some time, the Empress Dowager's anger had subsided considerably, and she now spoke more calmly.

"Go to the nunnery. I will issue an edict to cancel the marriage with the Yu family. I dare not marry such a ruthless girl and let her bring disaster to others. No matter how shameful Fu Shun is, she is not as bad as you."

“Grandmother…” Dugu Pingting’s eyes were filled with shock, and tears streamed down her face as if she were made of water. “Pingting is innocent. Pingting has never done anything to harm Grandmother. Grandmother, please don’t listen to outsiders’ instigation.”

Regardless of how the old lady found out or how much she knew, Dugu Pingting insisted that she hadn't.

How could she possibly admit it? Absolutely not!

Who would willingly lead themselves to utter ruin?

As she spoke, her tearful eyes glanced at Chu Yuan, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Princess Xiaoyao was even more direct, quickly pointing several fingers at Chu Yuan, "Empress Dowager, it's her, isn't it? It must be her who's making up stories about our Pingting! You're delirious from your illness, why would you believe the words of a slave from a fallen kingdom? You are Pingting's own grandmother, what good would it do her to harm you?"

Chu Yuan stood steadily to the side, too lazy to say a word, just watching the show.

The Empress Dowager was not affected by Dugu Pingting and Li's words at all. She still tacitly agreed that Chu Yuan could watch from the side, and sneered, "Li, I also want to ask you that question."

As she spoke, Granny Ji had already wrapped the blue sail ore that she had dug out of the ground earlier in a black cloth and threw it at the feet of the kneeling Dugu Pingting.

The Empress Dowager's voice suddenly turned sharp, "I'm getting senile, so I'd rather it wasn't her! Let her tell me herself how these things quietly infiltrated my Shou Kang Palace."

Also, from whom did she learn her medical skills?