The two left. Chu Nian could still hear the young emperor's voice coming from outside: "Grand Tutor, I used to always ask you to stay overnight in the palace whenever you were busy until very late, but you always refused. What's wrong with you today?"
Jiang Bai: "When Your Majesty mentioned the Marquis of Weiwu, I was a little worried about the safety of the palace."
The young emperor sighed helplessly, "Grand Tutor's concerns are well-founded. But you are just a civil official. Even if you stay in the palace, what can you do to the Marquis of Weiwu?!" His tone became somewhat desolate as he spoke.
Jiang Bai said, "Your Majesty need not worry too much. As long as I am alive, I will never allow the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty to be humiliated by that villain."
The young emperor said, "I've known all along that of all the officials in the court, only the Grand Tutor truly cares for me; the others all have their own ulterior motives!"
Chu Nian felt that the young emperor was too naive, because in her opinion, Jiang Bai must also be harboring ulterior motives, but Chu Nian couldn't figure out what those ulterior motives were for the time being.
However, as long as it doesn't interfere with her affairs, she doesn't plan to meddle in the relationship between this couple. She'd better get some sleep: the original owner's body is too weak; she's probably overworked herself a lot over the past thirty years and feels like she's almost at her limit.
But in the middle of the night, she vaguely felt someone sitting by her bed, and she muttered helplessly, "What are they spying on now?"
Then the man said softly, "This pill can strengthen the body and prolong life. If you feel unwell or often feel unwell, you can take one. But given your current physical condition, you can only take one a month at most. Do not be greedy."
Chu Nian opened her eyes when she heard the other person speak, only to find that there was no one by the bed, but there was a small jade elixir bottle next to her pillow. She opened the bottle and smelled it, and a light, delicate fragrance wafted out.
She closed the elixir bottle again and put it back into the Soul Ruins, then lay down and fell asleep again.
The next day, she got up very early and went for a walk (or jog) in the garden. Afterward, she climbed the artificial hill, which startled Wenwan, who was following beside her, so much so that her heart almost jumped out of her chest, fearing that she might lose her footing and fall off the hill. After coming down the hill, she did some simple exercises in the open space in the courtyard of Cining Palace.
The original owner's frail health wasn't something that developed overnight. She didn't like to exercise for many years, and the food she ate when she was a concubine's daughter in the Baili family wasn't particularly nutritious. In addition, she was anxious and depressed all the time, so it's no wonder that her health was poor.
Relying solely on elixirs to enhance physical fitness and strength is ultimately unstable. To sustain her divine abilities, she must diligently cultivate herself.
However, the bottle of pills the visitor gave her last night was quite good. Having traveled through so many worlds, she already understood pharmacology, and she could tell the pills were good just by smelling their aroma.
At noon that day, Chu Nian was focused on having her lunch. In recent days, the lunches at Cining Palace had become much more lavish than before, and they were all Chu Nian's favorite dishes. She suspected that Jiang Bai had secretly made arrangements for this.
This guy seems to know her quite well, and so does Chen Zhao. They must be someone they knew before. Who could it be? Chu Nian wondered.
Judging from Lou Qianzong's appearance, this timeline should be when Lou Qianzong was a child, but Chu Nian couldn't tell whether Jiang Bai's core existed before or after Chen Zhao.
Anyway, neither Lou Qianzong nor Jiang Bai have shown any ill intentions towards her yet, so Chu Nian can keep a close watch on them secretly without worrying too much.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Lady Weiwu requests an audience," a young eunuch suddenly announced from outside.
Chu Nian asked in bewilderment, "Why is she running to the palace at this hour instead of having a proper meal at home?"
The little eunuch had no idea and could only wear a bitter expression.
Chu Nian then said, "Fine, let's announce it!"
A moment later, Baili Xi strolled in leisurely, bowed to Chu Nian, and Chu Nian said, "Sister, there's no need for such formalities. You've come at the perfect time. Let's have a meal together!"
Baili Xi smiled and said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is too kind, and I should not refuse. However, I have already had lunch and I really can't eat anymore."
Chu Nian thought to herself: You're afraid it's poisonous, aren't you!
These masters of profound energy are immune to ordinary poisons; otherwise, Chu Nian would have used them long ago.
She said, "Then I'll have to use it myself. Sister, is there something you need?"
Baili Xi said, "Look at what you're saying. We're sisters, and if there's nothing else, it's not wrong for me, as the older sister, to miss my younger sister and come to the palace to visit the Empress Dowager. However, the Empress Dowager is right this time. I do have something to offer her. I've come to present a treasure to Her Majesty."
Chu Nian feigned curiosity and asked, "What treasure?" In reality, her mental energy had already detected a group of people standing outside.
Baili Xi then called out to the outside, "Come in, all of you!"
Then a bunch of handsome young men came in all at once, each one so good-looking and captivating!
Chu Nian chuckled and asked, "What's this, sister?"
Baili Xi: "My younger sister is widowed at a young age, which must be extremely painful for her. It is my fault as her older sister for not being able to take care of her. That's why I've come today specifically to present these boys to the Empress Dowager, hoping that she will like them."
Chu Nian sighed, "I like them, but you know how many rules there are in the palace. Men have to be castrated before entering the palace. Did you explain this to them before you brought them here, sister?"
The handsome young men were quite excited when they first came in, and they all squeezed forward as if they were afraid that Chu Nian would not see them. But when they heard Chu Nian's words, their faces changed color and they all looked at Baili Xi in horror.
Baili Xi laughed and said, "Sister, whether or not to castrate him is up to you."
Chu Nian shook her head helplessly and said with a wry smile, "The Emperor will make a scene."
Wen Wan, who was listening from the side, was furious: Baili Xi kept calling her "sister" over and over, making it sound like the two of them were really close, but in reality, she didn't respect the Empress Dowager at all: no matter what relationship a subject has with the Empress Dowager, she must respectfully address her as "Empress Dowager".
Even if they were brothers and sisters born of the same mother, once the younger sister entered the palace and became the Empress Dowager, she still had to strictly observe the etiquette between the emperor and his subjects. Moreover, Baili Xi and the Empress Dowager were only half-sisters, and they had never been close in the Baili household. What was the point of pretending to be close now?
But seeing Chu Nian chatting and laughing, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Baili Xi had come specifically to annoy her, Wen Wan, the maid, couldn't say anything and could only stand by and get angry.
Baili Xi said, "The Emperor is still young, and my sister is capable of making her own decisions in all matters."
Chu Nian smiled and said, "Why don't we send these young men to the Emperor and tell him and his ministers that they were given to me by my sister? What do you think?"
Baili Xi immediately frowned and scolded, "Sister, you're just trying to please your younger sister. How can I be selling you out to the court?"
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