He Qing hardly slept that night. He kept looking over the memory and reciting it over and over again to understand it.

The first eighteen years of her life were a waste, and she hadn't learned anything useful. The only book she had read was "The Women's Ring." This meant she was doomed to suffer when talking to others, just like she didn't immediately understand what Gu Zheng wanted to say yesterday.

But He Qing was not convinced. She didn't think she was not smart enough, but simply had not learned these things, so she was a little behind.

For now, the only solution is to make up for my shortcomings with hard work.

She had never felt this sense of urgency before, because there were so many smart people in the world, and she could leave the task of turning the tide to others, and she only needed to take advantage of the situation. But now she thought, why should others listen to her?

A rebellious person like Gu Zheng must have his own ideas about everything and would never listen to her orders.

Even if they listen, they might pretend to obey but actually disobey and try to fool around.

It is not easy to be in a superior position. If you want the people below you to obey you, you must first put yourself in a higher position than them and be wise and resourceful. This way you will not be led by others, ignore important parts, or be fooled.

She would never let anyone look at her with such contempt again.

The result of staying up late is that you have no energy in the morning. During the car ride to the outskirts of the city to attend the sacrifice, He Qing fell asleep in the car and had a dream about what happened before his death.

The room, renovated like a new home, was ablaze with red. The candlelight illuminated it, creating a spooky, eerie feeling instead of a festive one. She was alone in the room, feeling restless.

At that time, she must have had some expectations for her husband and her future life, right?

But the groom was carried in by two strong maids, his legs seemingly powerless. No amount of powder could hide his haggard appearance and lifeless eyes. The wedding wine was not drunk, presumably out of concern for the groom's health. Even so, after the entire ceremony, the groom could only collapse on the bed, breathing more out than in.

Everyone was in a state of panic, and when they called for a doctor, he was already dead.

The cold and creepy feeling of watching someone die in front of him remained in He Qing's heart forever and he never forgot it.

He Qing suddenly opened his eyes and found that he was sweating again.

After the Empress Dowager moved to Yangshou Palace, He Qing went to visit her every day. Even if he couldn't see her sometimes, he still had to go through the motions.

To use the words of the time-traveling girl's memory, it is to show presence.

In the past, she had been too docile and obedient, always staying in Fangchen Palace, quietly and unobtrusively, waiting for no one to notice her. However, facts had proven that such an approach was ineffective, and the ultimate result was only drifting with the tide and ending in tragedy. Given this, He Qing naturally had to make some changes.

Of course, she also couldn't destroy her image as a "worldly person", so she only talked about metaphysics and philosophy with the Empress Dowager. Unless she was asked, she would never involve state affairs. Even if she mentioned it, she would only touch on it briefly.

The Grand Empress Dowager obviously had a good impression of her and trusted and relied on her more and more. Now she talked to He Qing almost every day, which was a bit like the "confession" in Western religions or the "tree hole" in fairy tales in her memory. She would pour out all her troubles to her, and she would feel much more relaxed.

Once they found their place in the relationship, He Qing quickly adapted. She wasn't one for talkativeness, so being a listener was perfectly suited. As the Empress Dowager's control over the court deepened, their relationship grew increasingly harmonious.

But that afternoon, when He Qing went to pay his respects at Yangshou Palace as usual, the Empress Dowager's face was filled with worry.

"What's wrong, Her Majesty?" He Qing greeted her, sat down opposite the Empress Dowager, and asked.

The Grand Empress Dowager sighed softly, and Aunt Qiu said, "Isn't it for the Empress Dowager and the dragon child in her belly? Master, you don't know, the Empress Dowager's body is already fragile, and pregnancy has made it even more difficult. Therefore, the Grand Empress Dowager specially allowed her to rest in Kunhua Palace without being disturbed, but she hasn't seen any improvement."

"We received a report this morning that she has fallen ill. The Empress Dowager has already gone to see her, and the imperial physician said it was due to difficulty in eating and sleeping. These are normal signs of pregnancy, but if this continues, how can her body withstand it? How can we not be worried?" Probably because He Qing was a trustworthy person, although Aunt Qiu spoke in a tactful way, she pointed out the real reason: Empress Dowager Zhang was overly worried.

This is not difficult to understand.

Empress Dowager Zhang was originally a palace maid of humble origin, fortunately chosen to teach the late emperor about human affairs. With such a status, even if she gave birth to an imperial heir, it would hardly have truly changed anything. Suddenly becoming empress dowager, with the entire world watching her unborn child, Empress Dowager Zhang was likely terrified by the immense pressure before she could even enjoy the honor and glory.

What if she didn't take good care of the child? What if it turned out to be a dragon girl? What would she do if the outcome wasn't what she had hoped for?

There were no answers to these questions, and they were very tiring. No wonder she had trouble eating and sleeping.

The Empress Dowager's current glory rested on this unborn child. If anything went wrong, all her previous efforts would be wasted, and she naturally shared in the worry. She had already tried to console Empress Dowager Zhang once today, but she herself was one of the biggest sources of stress for her. The more she talked, the more nervous she became, which was why she was so frustrated.

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!