The Empress Dowager gave a perfunctory "hmm," then, enduring the pain, forced herself to close her eyes calmly.

Upon entering and seeing this, Shang Xiye and Ji Fengyao were not in a hurry. They slowly and deliberately bowed and greeted them.

"Greetings, Empress Dowager!" the two said in unison.

"I heard that the Empress Dowager is unwell. Is she feeling better?" Ji Fengyao asked knowingly.

What sounded like words of concern only irritated the Empress Dowager, who had no choice but to patiently respond: "Get up, all of you. You're so kind. My leg ailment is an old problem, it's nothing serious."

"It's alright?" Ji Fengyao's lips curled into a carefree smile. "When the Empress went to Qingyuan to see Physician Xiao, Your Highness and I thought that Your Majesty was in dire straits. Since I had also received some guidance from Physician Xiao, we rushed over as fast as we could, thinking we might as well try anything. Since it's alright, then I won't embarrass myself by offering my help. Let the imperial physicians in the palace take their time to recuperate Your Majesty."

Aunt Sun: "?!"

Empress Dowager: "?!!"

That damned bandit, I knew she was deliberately trying to cause trouble and annoy people!

Seeing the Empress Dowager in pain and anger, her face pale and lips turning purple, almost fainting, Aunt Sun quickly stepped forward with a smile to smooth things over: "Ninth Princess Consort, the imperial physicians in the palace have been treating the Empress Dowager's illness for quite some time now, but it keeps recurring without any improvement. Since you and the Ninth Prince have come with such filial piety, why not try some methods? Perhaps a different prescription will improve the Empress Dowager's condition?"

“Auntie is right, then I will give it a try.” Ji Fengyao clapped her hands, her movements rough, and swaggered forward, reaching out to lift the thin blanket covering the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager was so shocked that her face changed color. The Ninth Prince and Wuying, two grown men, were still inside the room.

If the blanket were pulled off in front of another man, she would lose all face!

"Ninth Princess Consort, you mustn't!" Aunt Sun quickly pressed the blanket over the Empress Dowager.

Ji Fengyao seemed to have just remembered the importance of etiquette, and suddenly said "Oh," before turning around and waving to Shang Xiye in an extremely cute manner: "Then please wait a moment outside, Your Highness."

Shang Xiye pursed her lips, but ultimately swallowed back the words "Don't cause a death."

If he said he believed her, then he should believe her; there's no need to remind him.

After Shang Xiye and Wuying left.

Under the suspicious and wary gazes of the Empress Dowager and Aunt Sun, Ji Fengyao casually ripped off the thin blanket and roughly pulled up the Empress Dowager's two trouser legs.

The Empress Dowager's legs were already swollen and painful. These two strokes from her loosened the swollen joints, causing her to feel a sharp pain that made her dizzy and unable to stop herself from groaning, "Do you even know how to treat patients? Are you trying to kill me?!"

Her legs, starting from the knees, were swollen to a great extent and could no longer bend.

Ji Fengyao shook her head inwardly as she watched.

With such severe rheumatism, how dare you come to a hot and humid place like Tongyou? You're just asking for trouble.

It seems she's really going all out for Princess Zhaoping.

"It's alright, I guess. When Little Yellow from our Vulture Village broke his leg, it was I who healed him." Ji Fengyao casually took out the silver needle that she had been hiding in her hair and pressed her slender fingers on a swollen knee.

"Little Huang?"

Aunt Sun had accompanied the Empress Dowager to Vulture Village, but for a moment she couldn't recall who Xiao Huang was.

"Yes, it's that half-grown puppy that often wanders around the entrance of the village. You've lived in the village, so you should have seen it," Ji Fengyao replied casually, raising her hand as she picked up the needle.

"Dog!" The Empress Dowager and Aunt Sun both changed color and exclaimed in shock.