"Although I don't understand this kind of thing, but I heard that pregnant women tend to worry a lot, so I can only try my best to make her relax." He Qing said.

Upon hearing this, the Grand Empress Dowager looked up at her. "Now that you mention it, an idea has suddenly occurred to me. When it comes to comforting others, who in this palace can compare to you? Every time I speak to you, my heart feels much brighter. If Master Zhen has free time, why not visit Kunhua Palace often? If you can help Zhang Shi to relax and focus on caring for the prince, you will be a great hero to our Great Chu."

"This..." He Qing was embarrassed. "The Empress Dowager is joking. I don't understand anything about pregnancy and childbirth..."

"Those matters are naturally taken care of. Just go and talk to her, make her feel happy, and don't be so tense. It will also disturb the child in her belly." The Empress Dowager thought about it and thought this idea was a good one. She took her hand and said, "That's your nephew's only child. This idea was suggested by Master Zhen on my behalf. If you abandon me now, what will I do?"

"Then I'll give it a try." Having said that, He Qing could only bite the bullet and say, "If it doesn't work, I hope the Grand Empress Dowager won't be offended."

So the next day, He Qing went to Kunhua Palace.

While it was she who had changed the fate of Empress Dowager Zhang and her son, this was actually He Qing's first encounter with Empress Dowager Zhang in person. She was indeed graceful and gentle, with a gentle disposition evident at first glance. She lay sickly on the couch, looking frail. Her eyes were a dark blue, clearly indicating she hadn't rested much.

Seeing He Qing, she hurriedly tried to get up from the couch to greet him, but He Qing quickly stepped forward and held her down. "I heard the Empress Dowager wasn't feeling well. I've already disturbed you by coming here. How dare I bother you to get up and greet me? Besides, you're pregnant with your destined son. You should respect your status and just lie down and rest."

When Empress Dowager Zhang heard this, she just sighed, lowered her head and said nothing.

The maidservant standing by was very clever and quickly explained for her, "Our queen has been like this since she became pregnant. It's not intentional to neglect the master. The queen must be so happy that you can come over!"

As he spoke, he ordered tea and fruit to be served, looking more like the owner of the place. However, Zhang was just weak and indifferent, leaning against the headboard, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she was lost in thought.

He Qing couldn't help but shake his head slightly in his heart.

In reality, Empress Dowager Zhang's personality would have been well-suited to having such a strong-minded assistant by her side, managing all her affairs. However, the fact that this person wasn't a trusted confidant, but rather someone sent by the Grand Empress Dowager, her mother-in-law, was rather formidable. Seeing how this palace maid was meddling in everything, it seemed likely that Zhang's "rest" wasn't a happy one.

In this way, how can we relieve stress and open our hearts?

She looked at the maid and asked with a smile, "It's truly enviable that the Empress Dowager has such a capable maid by her side. What's your name?"

"This servant holds the incense."

"What a name! She would rather die with fragrance on the branches than be blown away by the north wind." He Qing nodded. "What a noble character! It's a shame that she can only be a maid in this palace."

Baoxiang's expression changed slightly. When she was about to explain, He Qing changed the subject. "How long have you been serving the Empress Dowager? Are you in charge of the affairs of Kunhua Palace now? How many people are there in the palace, and what are their responsibilities?" The series of questions almost confused her.

Baoxiang looked at He Qing with some uneasiness. She always felt that this true master had bad intentions, which made her feel uneasy, but she had no choice but to answer them one by one.

He Qing then realized that he had misunderstood the Empress Dowager. This girl was not given by her, but left by Empress Dowager Zhang herself.

Of the four maids who served the emperor that day, only Zhang was fortunate enough to conceive a prince, instantly becoming the venerable Empress Dowager. The rest were supposed to retire to the West Palace, but Baoxiang, familiar with Zhang, persuaded her to stay by her side. Because of her unique status, she was able to oversee all matters of Kunhua Palace.

The Empress Dowager took into consideration Empress Dowager Zhang's current condition and thought it would be better to have someone familiar around to counsel her, so she agreed.

The result is what it is now.

Empress Dowager Zhang must be very sensitive with a temperament like that. To avoid being overly sensitive, He Qing told her a few Taoist philosophical stories and gave her two Taoist scriptures so that she would have something to do and not lie there in a daze all day. Then he got up and said goodbye.

While appeasing Empress Dowager Zhang can be done slowly, the other matter can be resolved immediately.

Thinking Kunhua Palace wasn't far from Ziping Hall, where the Grand Empress Dowager was temporarily managing government affairs, He Qing decided to go there and tell her so that arrangements could be made immediately. Empress Dowager Zhang needed someone around her who could take care of her emotions. A comfortable environment would make her feel relaxed and happy, which would be good for both her and the fetus.

…

Gu Zheng came out of the Ziping Palace, followed by Liu Zhong, the official of the Inner East Gate Division.

He was summoned today by the Empress Dowager so that he could represent the court and go to the residence of Prime Minister Xue Zhidao to announce the imperial decree and appease the people.

When more than a dozen court officials impeached Xue Xianggong, he immediately submitted a memorial of apology and remained at home, claiming illness. Consequently, the Grand Empress Dowager sent several conciliators to appease him, from eunuchs in the Imperial Household Department to officials from the Ministry of Rites, and finally to Gu Zheng, the President of the Hanlin Academy and the Director of Imperial Edicts. The consignors, each of whom held increasingly high positions, received ever-larger rewards, demonstrating that the Grand Empress Dowager still held Xue Xianggong in high esteem and bore no grudge against him despite the impeachment.

At this moment, Gu Zheng was holding the imperial edict in his hand, chatting with Liu Zhong, but in his heart he was thinking about the audience he had just had.

The Empress Dowager's actions had become increasingly methodical over the past few days. He couldn't quite pinpoint the source of the feeling, but Gu Zheng had a strong feeling about it. This feeling had become even more pronounced during the audience today.

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