He was shrewd and confident, saying, "My identity here is a barrier to her. To break through this barrier, I must become her savior and give her a reason to stay by my side without hesitation."

Little Cocoon was completely convinced of His Majesty's wisdom.

Ji Fengyao alighted from the carriage at the palace gate.

Because the ancestral hall was some distance from the palace gate, and she was dressed in formal attire, it was inconvenient for her to walk.

The palace then specially dispatched four eunuchs to carry a small sedan chair to fetch her.

The accompanying guards were all stopped at the palace gate.

Xique and Bailu followed beside the sedan chair. Neither of them knew the roads in the palace very well. They felt that the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair were going further and further astray, and they were quite puzzled.

"Miss, these eunuchs aren't going to lead us to the Cold Palace, are they?" Xique was a little worried that the old hag Taihuang might not play by the rules.

Ji Fengyao remained calm and composed: "Don't worry, I will definitely be included in the royal family's genealogy today. They are very shrewd and value their lives very much. They can't bear to see a divine doctor like me fall into obscurity. Moreover, that old hag, the Empress Dowager, is probably still plotting how to control me to cure her poison."

"Tch, she's dreaming," Xi Que thought to herself, reassured by Ji Fengyao's words.

That side of the ancestral hall.

The Empress Dowager had a blank, old face, her mouth constantly chewing on pastries, while her eyes rolled around on Shang Nanjue's face and body, as if she were helping Shang Nanjue prepare the pastries, and doing so with great relish.

Shang Nanjue couldn't help but twitch his face, feeling nauseous as if he had swallowed a dead fly.

I heard that old man has been acting very strangely these past few days.

They even openly committed disgraceful acts that defiled the palace.

I never expected it to be so despicable and disgusting!

Look at the look in her eyes, as if she wanted to devour him alive. Could it be that she's thinking of doing *that*? He's her own grandson!

"In a little while, the men below will bring that bandit to me," the Empress Dowager said, her mouth full of pastries, her words muffled. "That bandit and her maid are both skilled in martial arts, and she also has medical knowledge, so medicine definitely won't work. Have you brought enough men? Are you sure they can subdue that bandit and her maid?"

Shang Nanjue pointed to the two burly men behind him, avoiding the Empress Dowager's murderous gaze, and said with a forced smile, "They are both top-notch masters in the martial arts world. Let alone two mere bandits, even a martial arts champion would be no match for them."

"So...strong and robust?" The Empress Dowager paused in her chewing, her eyes finally shifting from Shang Nanjue to the two burly men.

The two burly men instinctively shuddered: "..."

Damn!

What is this old bastard up to? They're legitimate assassins!

No one knew the inner turmoil the Empress Dowager was experiencing at that moment:

A voice calmly advised her:

Have some self-respect, exercise restraint!

The other voice, however, shrieked loudly:

No, I am deeply poisoned, it is only natural that I cannot help myself!

"You two go out and wait. When that bandit comes, Jue'er, you can handle it yourself." The Empress Dowager finally refrained from making a move on the two burly men. She still needed to rely on these two to keep the bandit in check. She raised her voice and said, "You two guards at the door, come in."

Shang Nanjue: "..."

This old geezer! This is our ancestral hall!

The two burly men: "..."

The two exchanged a knowing look that said, "That scared me to death!" and then made their escape!