The Emperor rushed over: "Mother, you wanted to see me?"
The Empress Dowager looked at the flowers in front of her and said, "Someone wants to kill me!"
The Emperor was shocked upon hearing this: "Who is it? Who is so audacious as to harm the Empress Dowager! If the truth is found, they will surely pay the price!"
The Empress Dowager turned to look at the Emperor: "What if it's the person you cherish most?"
The Emperor: "The person most precious to my heart? The person most precious to my heart is my mother. She is the most important person to me in this world, and no one can replace her! Who else could be more precious to my heart than my mother?"
Empress Dowager: "What if it were Consort Zhang?"
The Emperor exclaimed, "Her? How could that be? I have always treated her the best; she would never harm the Empress Dowager!"
The Empress Dowager pointed to the flowers in front of her and said to the Emperor, "This pot of flowers was just delivered by her. She said that she had angered the Empress Dowager today and was making a special apology."
The Emperor looked at the flowers and asked, "Is there a problem with this?"
Empress Dowager: "Imperial Physician, speak!"
The imperial physician reported: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this flower on its own appears to be fine. However, considering Your Majesty's diet over the past two days, several things have interacted negatively. After smelling this flower, Your Majesty has been at risk of fainting for the next day or two, and even..."
Emperor: "Even what?"
The imperial physician exclaimed, "She could even die! The person who sent the flowers is trying to kill the Empress Dowager within the next couple of days!"
The Emperor was furious: "Outrageous! How dare they harm the Empress Dowager! Whoever it is, I will not tolerate it! Empress Dowager, I will order an investigation into Consort Zhang. If she did it, she will be executed!"
Empress Dowager: "Are you willing to do that?"
Your Majesty: "This is a matter of principle, and there is no room for compromise. I will never tolerate anyone harming the Empress Dowager! Your subject will take his leave now."
After the emperor finished speaking, he left in a rage.
The Empress Dowager watched the Emperor's retreating figure and nodded with satisfaction.
Oh right, where's Chirp? We have Chirp to thank for all of this. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't be alive in a day or two.
Empress Dowager: "Guards!"
A eunuch rushed in: "Empress Dowager!"
Empress Dowager: "Check if the First-Rank Lady and her family have left yet. Tell them to come and see me!"
Eunuch: "Yes, Your Majesty."
Xu Ruyun and the children had already arrived at the palace gate in a carriage.
A eunuch came running up, panting.
"Madam, please wait, please wait—"
The carriage stopped.
Xu Ruyun peeked out and saw a sweaty eunuch running towards her.
"May I ask what business you have with me, sir?"
Eunuch: "The Empress Dowager requests your presence. She requests the presence of the First Rank Lady and her children."
Xu Ruyun asked cautiously, "I wonder what business the Empress Dowager has with me?"
Eunuch: "I don't know."
Chiu Chiu had been sleeping soundly when she was woken up. She sensed her mother's worry and silently prayed to herself.
"Mother, the Empress Dowager is a very kind person; she won't make things difficult for us. It's alright, don't worry."
Xu Ruyun dared not disobey the Empress Dowager's order, but after hearing what Qiuqiu said, Xu Ruyun felt much more at ease.
"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, Father-in-law."
The father-in-law gestured, "This way, please—"
The Empress Dowager has already prepared gifts for Xu Ruyun and the children.
When they arrived, the Empress Dowager personally went to the door to greet them.
[Yes, it seems the Empress Dowager's crisis has been resolved. This disaster has been averted.]
The Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief; hearing what Qiuqiu said, she finally felt at ease.
Xu Ruyun and the children: "Greetings, Empress Dowager!"
Empress Dowager: "No need for formalities. Oh, Qiuqiu is awake. Let me hold her."
The Empress Dowager looked at the smiling baby in the swaddling clothes with a face full of affection.
Xu Ruyun thought to herself: Did the Empress Dowager summon us here just to hold Qiujiu?
The Empress Dowager looked at the stunned Xu Ruyun and the children and said, "Don't just stand there, I've picked out some gifts for you. Go and see if you like them."
The three young masters, seeing the chest full of gifts, quickly exclaimed, "We love them! We love them!"
Xu Ruyun coughed twice, reminding her sons to follow the rules.
The three princes bowed respectfully to the Empress Dowager: "Thank you, Empress Dowager!"
The Empress Dowager happily teased the baby in her arms, saying, "Don't be shy. If you need more, just tell me and I'll give you more."
Xu Ruyun, flattered and overwhelmed, said, "That's enough, that's enough. Thank you, Empress Dowager!"
The Empress Dowager, still playing with the baby in her arms, didn't even look up. She said to Xu Ruyun, "If you have nothing to do these next few days, stay in the palace! It's too tiring to travel back and forth with several children for the three-day birthday banquet."
Xu Ruyun: "Thank you, Your Majesty! It's no trouble at all."
Before Xu Ruyun could continue, the Empress Dowager told the maids, "Prepare the best rooms for the First-Rank Lady and the young masters, and arrange for them to stay!"
Maids: "Yes!"
The Empress Dowager's words left no room for rebuttal, so Xu Ruyun could say nothing more.
"No wonder it was so lively in the Empress Dowager's palace! It turns out you've all arrived!"
Everyone turned around and saw the princess walking towards them with a smile.
Xu Ruyun, the three young masters: "Greetings, Princess!"
Princess: "No need for formalities! Greetings, Mother! Mother, when did you become so fond of children?"
The princess was also very surprised to see Chiu Chiu in her mother's arms.
Even the emperor's sons were never held so tenderly and reluctantly by the empress dowager.
The Empress Dowager has been so good to us, what should we give her as a gift? How about wishing her longevity, good health, and that she may look younger?
He blew on the Empress Dowager with a chirping sound.
If it were any other child, the Empress Dowager would have already disliked them. But she understood what Qiuqiu meant and knew that Qiuqiu was doing it for her own good, so she looked at Qiuqiu with a smile from beginning to end.
The Empress Dowager thought to herself: You little brat, what ability do you have to make me young again?
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