As the black mist dissipated, Lin Shuang's body trembled slightly, and she regained consciousness.

She clutched the black porcelain bottle tightly in her hand, as if she were holding her future destiny and happiness in her hands.

Finally, Lin Shuang hardened her expression and put away the black porcelain bottle.

Just as that person said.

Xiao Chen is already of marriageable age, and the prince and princess might introduce him to a good match someday. If she waits until she grows up and tries to become Xiao Chen's wife, it will be too late.

But things are different now.

While she still has some standing with the princess, and while Brother Xiao Chen still has some affection for her.

Once she and Brother Xiao Chen have consummated their relationship, he will take responsibility for her out of both reason and emotion!

Not long after Lin Shuang returned to the Zen temple.

Hu Ji also quietly returned to Ji Fengyao's room and reported: "Your Highness, Miss Lin Shuang just went to the spring to fetch a bucket of water. She didn't see anyone else along the way, nor did she linger."

(When Lin Shuang took the medicine bottle, Hu Ji assumed she was fetching water and did not see her take the medicine bottle.)

"Shang Beiyu has not made any unusual moves so far," Ji Fengyao said in a complicated tone. She wanted to verify the person's identity, but she didn't want the person to be Shang Beiyu.

It was simply because Shang Beiyu's background was too pitiful, and he acted too well in front of her.

He was injured like this because of her; any normal person would feel grateful to him.

Although Ji Fengyao is not a saint, she is still human and not a cold-blooded person.

When the Empress Dowager woke up, she was hungry because she hadn't eaten a single grain of rice all day.

She tried to sit up, but found that she had lost all feeling in both of her legs.

"Naxiang, Naji!" the Empress Dowager cried out to her personal maids, "Quickly summon Imperial Physician Sun to take a look at me! What's wrong with me?!"

Naxiang and Naji also quickly came over and lifted the curtain to check.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager was perfectly fine and showed no signs of distress, they observed that she was well.

Naxiang asked with concern, "Empress Dowager, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"My legs are immobile!" The Empress Dowager lay stiffly on the couch, her mind in a panic.

Na Xiang: "..."

Najib: "..."

Has the Empress Dowager gone mad from sleeping? Her legs have been immobile for a long time!

When the Empress Dowager saw the two palace maids staring at her blankly with the look of someone looking at an idiot, she flew into a rage, raised her hand to hit them, and roared, "I told you to go and fetch Imperial Physician Sun! Are you deaf? What are you doing here!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Naxiang and Naji quickly agreed, turning around eagerly.

Na Xiang, however, ran even faster, disappearing outside the door in the blink of an eye.

Naji ran to the center of the house and found himself left behind, so he had no choice but to stay.

She slowly turned around and saw the Empress Dowager on the bed looking at her with a sinister gaze. She couldn't help but shiver and said cautiously, "Empress Dowager... this servant... this servant will help you to get up."

The Empress Dowager remained silent.

After Naji helped her sit up, she suddenly grabbed Naji's hair, pulled her head down, and slapped her several times across the face. Then she gritted her teeth and said angrily, "Is serving me an insult to you? Why are you in such a hurry to leave my side as if you're running away?"

"Your Majesty, I didn't! I'm innocent!" Naji cried out in terror, not daring to struggle.

The Empress Dowager thought of her completely crippled leg and her new illness;

Then she thought of how she had repeatedly run into obstacles with those bandits, and how nothing had ever gone smoothly for her;

Her anger erupted like a volcano, and she became increasingly enraged as she fought, her strength growing heavier and heavier.