"Your Majesty, my daughter, Yi Shangyun, requests an audience."
An old eunuch rushed in to report that everyone knew tomorrow was the deadline for the three-day agreement, and at this time everyone was keeping their distance, fearing that the emperor's wrath would implicate them.
"Send word!" Emperor Jing immediately gave the order.
Emperor Jing glanced at Xuan Yuanhan sitting beside him, and Xuan Yuanhan returned the same look, perhaps both of them somewhat surprised.
As Yi Shangyun stepped into the main hall, she saw the two cold, serious, and aloof rulers of the Western Qin Kingdom, but she felt no fear at all. She slowly walked in, bowed her head, and knelt down in worship.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Highness Prince Qin live a thousand years. I have successfully retrieved the top-grade Dendrobium officinale and sent it to the Imperial Pharmacy for testing and preparation. Your Majesty and Prince Qin are kindly requested to proceed to Yong'an Palace. You will soon witness the efficacy of the medicine."
"Yi Shangyun, you'd better pray for divine protection, otherwise this sin is not something you can bear."
Emperor Jing frowned and said fiercely, then got up and walked towards Yong'an Palace.
Xuan Yuanhan followed closely behind with a cold expression. However, when he passed by Yi Shangyun, he stood with his right hand behind his back, lowered his chin, and slightly raised his eyes to look ahead. He paused for a moment, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, without even glancing at her.
Seeing this, Yi Shangyun looked bewildered yet had a strange feeling about her. "Your Highness, thank you for saving my life last night, Your Highness Prince Qin. I will remember this forever."
Xuanyuan Han did not answer her, and walked out the door on his own.
When everyone entered, Physician Zhang had already performed acupuncture on the Empress Dowager, and the medicine maid was feeding her a decoction containing top-grade Dendrobium officinale. The decoction was slowly poured into the Empress Dowager's mouth, spoonful by spoonful. Because she was unconscious, it took a long time before the medicine maid finally managed to finish feeding her the entire bowl of decoction before standing up and leaning to one side.
Everyone present was waiting, waiting for a miracle to happen, a waiting atmosphere filled with a deep unease...
After a long while, the Empress Dowager remained motionless, unconscious. Emperor Jing seemed to be getting increasingly impatient, and everyone around held their breath and looked on expectantly. Seeing Emperor Jing's gloomy face, no one dared to make a sound or even breathe loudly.
If the Empress Dowager doesn't wake up, not only Yi Shangyun, but also the palace maids and eunuchs who serve her closely, and the imperial physicians who check her pulse every day, none of them can escape responsibility.
At this moment, almost everyone was sweating profusely, waiting and hoping that the miraculous effects of the top-grade Dendrobium officinale could save their lives.
"Guards, drag him away!" Emperor Jing finally couldn't contain his anger any longer and ordered. Xuan Yuanhan also hurriedly looked up at him, about to speak.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is awake! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is awake!"
At this critical moment, a palace maid serving closely cried out in surprise, and everyone turned to look. Then, the Empress Dowager's soft, murmuring voice rang out. Emperor Jing and Xuanyuan Han rushed over simultaneously.
The gloom on Emperor Jing's face immediately vanished, replaced by a beaming smile, his brows unfurrowing in a look of immense joy.
"Mother, you've finally woken up!" Emperor Jing said excitedly, sitting beside the Empress Dowager's bed and holding her hand.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong with me?" the Empress Dowager asked, trying to sit up. Emperor Jing quickly reached out and helped her sit up, then recounted the whole story in detail.
"Where is this girl now?" the Empress Dowager asked.
"Your Majesty, this servant is Yi Shangyun, the daughter of this disgraced official." Yi Shangyun quickly knelt before the Empress Dowager and bowed her head to reply.
"It's you. Why are you covering your face in front of the palace?" the Empress Dowager asked, seemingly puzzled.
"Your Majesty, because I am ugly, I fear I may offend Your Majesty and the masters, so I have covered my face with a veil. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me," Yi Shangyun carefully replied.
"So that's how it is. In other words, you saved my life."
"Your Majesty, I am filled with fear and trepidation. My father has failed in his duty. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and spare my father's life."
"She is indeed a filial daughter. Your Majesty, let them off this time," the Empress Dowager said to Emperor Jing with a kind smile.
"Since the Empress Dowager has personally pleaded for this servant, I will spare their lives for now. However, while they may be spared the death penalty, they will not escape punishment. Since you are quite skilled in herbs, I will punish you by sending you to the Imperial Pharmacy as a female herbalist. The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, so report for duty immediately after the festival without fail," Emperor Jing ordered.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. I accept your decree." Yi Shangyun kowtowed in gratitude, her voice firm and resolute. Xuan Yuanhan had never expected Emperor Jing to make such a decision.
Is life in the palace really suitable for her personality? He worried.
The emperor was furious. After a false alarm, everyone dispersed. Xuan Yuanhan remained cold and taciturn, his eyes lowered. When he reached Yi Shangyun, who was still kneeling on the ground with her head bowed, he once again stopped and glanced at her sideways. Yi Shangyun, unaware that he was watching her, continued to kneel obediently with her head bowed. After a moment, Xuan Yuanhan withdrew his gaze, exhaled a deep breath, and hurriedly walked out of Yong'an Palace.
Walking alone on the way back to the Yi residence, Yi Shangyun could see the bright red lanterns filling the nearby streets from afar. Upon closer inspection, each lantern was uniquely shaped, with landscapes, pavilions, flowers, birds, fish, insects, and lifelike little figures painted on the silk. Various festive and auspicious patterns, along with decorative ornaments, created a truly colorful scene.
Yes, the Mid-Autumn Festival is getting closer and closer, but this Western Qin Kingdom is not fun at all. It's been so long, is it really impossible to go back? Yi Shangyun thought to herself and suddenly felt a little empty, and unconsciously revealed a trace of disappointment.
As soon as she entered the Yi residence, she saw the hall brightly lit and bustling with activity. But no one noticed her return. She paused for a moment, then walked in somewhat dejectedly.
"Yun'er greets her father. Father, you have suffered."
When Yi Shangyun entered, she realized that her father had been released. She quickly went over and bowed to Yi Shangkun.
Only then did everyone realize her return. Immediately, everyone cleared their throats and resumed their usual demeanor and posture. Only Yi Shangkun showed a different, indifferent attitude towards her than before.
He turned his gaze to Yi Shangyun, paused for a moment, then called her to stand up. He then slowly walked towards her and said, "I heard that this time you risked your life to go to the palace to remonstrate with the best Dendrobium officinale to atone for my sins?"
“Father, this is what a child should do, you don’t need to worry about it,” Yi Shangyun replied earnestly. She only wanted to find a place to settle down in this era and had no other grand ideas.
"But now His Majesty has ordered you to enter the palace as a medicine maid. Are you really willing to enter the palace?" Yi Shangkun nodded, looking at this daughter with some special regard, and even began to care about her.
“Father, you are mistaken. The Emperor’s decree is hard to disobey. Moreover, His Majesty has made it very clear that this is punishment. The death penalty may be waived, but the punishment will not be spared. How can I refuse?” Yi Shangyun said with a serious and calm expression.
“In that case, I will remember it. In the end, it was I who misled you… You have worked hard these past few days. Go and get some rest.” Yi Shangkun seemed to have something to say, but in the end, he couldn’t say it.
Yi Shangkun thought that since her engagement had been broken off, it was a fact. Rather than growing old alone in the mansion, it would be better to find something to do in the palace to distract herself.
Of course, the most important thing for him was to protect her mysterious identity, as this concerned the lives of too many people and even the entire Lingkong Continent.
As he pondered, his brows furrowed involuntarily, and he fell into a deep, unfathomable contemplation, as if it would never unravel.
“Master…” Seeing all this, Madam Nian quietly walked to Yi Shangkun’s side, looked at him, and shook her head. She was indicating to Yi Shangkun that it was not the time to tell this daughter the secret. In this mansion, only Madam Nian truly understood Yi Shangkun’s worries and helplessness all along.
Yi Shangkun then shook his head and sighed deeply.
Aunt Lan sat at the table to the side, a suspicious expression on her face. Her two children walked over to her, put their hands on her arms, and looked at her. They had no idea how big a secret Yi Shangkun and Nian Shi had that she didn't know.
She had always thought of Yi Shangyun as a useless, ugly, and neglected woman, but now it was she who had risked her life to save Yi Shangkun from prison. She did feel a little embarrassed for her two precious children.
But she believed that only her children would be the future masters of the Yi family, and that Yi Shangyun would never pose a threat to her again, because her face, like her reputation, was completely ruined.
So she didn't care what Yi Shangyun had done. She just felt that this girl's abilities had really improved since she woke up, and it was fortunate that she was going to enter the palace as a medicine girl, so she would no longer be in her way. That was fine.
Upon seeing Xuan Yuanhan return to the Qin Prince's residence, Cheng Liang hurried towards Chenghua Hall.
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