"Master is indeed Master, so amazing, he can see so much at a glance." The little bandit girl flattered Mo Linxian earnestly, and sincerely admired him.

"It's nothing. It's just that your master has seen more, has higher cultivation, and is more experienced than you. Once you reach your master's level, with your talent, you will definitely be much stronger than your master," Mo Linxian sincerely encouraged the little bandit.

After finishing breakfast, Ji Fengyao went to Consort Yin's palace with the maid.

Ji Fengyao still vividly remembered how luxurious Chengxiang Palace, where Consort Yin once resided. But Chenghua Palace, where Consort Yin now resided, was merely a facade, with sparse trees and flowers, old buildings, and simple furnishings—it was worse than an ordinary farmhouse.

Upon hearing that Ji Fengyao had arrived, Consort Yin disregarded her status and personally came out to greet her.

Ji Fengyao noticed that although her face looked somewhat haggard, her complexion was still good, and she remained graceful and charming.

However, her alluring fox-like eyes now held less of a competitive spirit and more of a sense of propriety than before.

However, he didn't seem to be seriously ill.

"Princess Chonghe, I never expected to see you in the palace again." Consort Yin stepped forward warmly, grasped Ji Fengyao's hand, and personally led her into the room. After dismissing the servants, she whispered, "Now that the princess has left the capital, why has she returned to this den of wolves alone?"

Ji Fengyao was taken aback. She thought that women in the inner palace like Consort Yin were full of self-interest and power struggles.

Although Consort Yin's words were partly a gamble, she could tell that they were mostly sincere.

"I came here because it was something important, Your Highness need not worry about me," Ji Fengyao replied politely. She then asked, "Who is it that Your Highness went to such lengths to invite me here for treatment? I need to see him as soon as possible and then rush back. Your Highness must also know that I am surrounded by their spies, so it is not convenient for me to stay here for long, lest I bring trouble to Your Highness and Thirteenth Prince?"

"Princess, please follow me," Consort Yin personally led Ji Fengyao to the back.

The group arrived at an even more dilapidated side courtyard.

In a fairly clean and tidy room, a gaunt woman lay on a kang (a heated brick bed) by the window.

"This is Thirteen's birth mother, Consort Nie," said the Dowager Consort Yin with great apology. "I know that the Princess is of noble status, and it is indeed improper for you to treat her. But Thirteen is still young. Please, Princess, for Thirteen's sake, take a look at her. If she can be saved, Thirteen will have someone to take care of her; if she cannot be saved, when Thirteen grows up, she cannot blame me for not doing my best."

Bai Lu rolled her eyes immediately upon hearing this.

She secretly transmitted her voice to Ji Fengyao, saying, "Your Highness, I thought Consort Yin was genuinely concerned for you, but it turns out she's only thinking of herself, so that when the Thirteenth Prince grows up and mentions his birth mother's death, he won't blame her. In my opinion, Consort Nie's illness is just a result of years of neglect. Consort Yin is merely using today's defeat as a pretext to put on a show and silence everyone."

Ji Fengyao was also disgusted by Consort Yin's actions.

However, looking at Consort Nie, who was now just skin and bones on the kang, and recalling the beautiful woman she had once seen in the Imperial Garden, adorned with a blue feather hairpin, she couldn't help but sigh.

Ji Fengyao ignored Consort Yin's words and went to the front of the kang (heated brick bed). A palace maid had already brought over a stool with a new cushion.