When Empress Dowager Guo learned that Gu Linchao had lost his sight, resigned from his position as regent, and was to go to Xiangzhou to assume his fiefdom in two days, she could not sit still and left the palace with her entourage.
But as soon as she arrived outside the Prince's Mansion, she saw a dispute taking place in front of the gate.
She frowned. When did the servants of the Prince's mansion become so unruly?
As she took Qinglian's hand and stepped onto the stairs, she heard a woman's voice, slightly shrill from anxiety.
"My master can heal the prince's eyes, please let us in, we really can heal the prince's eyes..."
Empress Dowager Guo paused in her steps.
Seeing this, Qinglian shouted in a deep voice, "Who is making a scene in front of the Prince's Mansion?"
The servants of the Prince's mansion were all startled when they suddenly saw Empress Dowager Guo. They forgot about driving away the two people and hurriedly knelt down to pay their respects.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
Empress Dowager Guo walked up the steps and asked, "What happened?"
The servant immediately pointed to the two people beside him and said, "These two charlatans actually came here claiming they could cure the prince's eyes and insisted on barging in."
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Guo glanced at the two people the servants were talking about.
Seeing that it was an old man and a young man, he didn't take it to heart and said indifferently, "Drive them away. Not just anyone can run wild in front of the Prince's Mansion." After saying that, he was about to walk inside.
"Wait, Your Majesty, please wait! My master can really cure the prince's eyes. I hope Your Majesty can take us inside."
Just then, the woman spoke excitedly.
Empress Dowager Guo turned her head and glanced at her.
Seeing her beautiful face and elegant demeanor, I couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.
"How did you know that the Prince had an eye problem?" Empress Dowager Guo looked at the two of them scrutinizingly.
The woman was Shen Qingning.
After arriving in the capital with the Taoist priest Lingyin, she finally found the Regent's Palace, but the servants there looked down on them and wouldn't let them in or announce their arrival.
Fortunately, fate intervened and they encountered the Empress Dowager.
Shen Qingning smiled bitterly and said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, we had already met the Prince and treated him when we were in Yuquan Town, but he listened to the Princess and told us not to continue treating him."
His Highness cares deeply for the nation and its people. My master and I couldn't bear to see him blind, so we traveled a great distance to the capital, hoping to have the opportunity to treat his eyes. But alas…”
At this point, he looked helpless and stopped talking.
Empress Dowager Guo did not believe that they could cure Gu Linchao's eyes.
She shared the same view as her servants, believing them to be nothing more than charlatans who were there to freeload.
But upon hearing this, she clenched the handkerchief in her hand, a flash of resentment crossing her eyes—it was Wen Nongnong again.
Why doesn't she hope Gu Linchao gets better, and instead obstructs the doctor who can cure Gu Linchao's eyes?
Gu Linchao actually indulged her; he was truly bewitched.
Empress Dowager Guo now completely believed Shen Qingning's words.
She said, "If you can truly cure the prince's eyes, I will reward you handsomely; otherwise... you know the consequences."
"This humble subject dares not deceive the Empress Dowager," Shen Qingning said immediately, her heart filled with joy.
"Then let's go in together." Empress Dowager Guo glanced at her and entered the Prince's residence first.
Shen Qingning quickly pulled Master Lingyin inside with her.
When Steward Wang saw that Madam Guo had arrived, he naturally dared not neglect her and led her to the West Garden.
Wen Nongnong, Gu Linchao, and the Empress Dowager were talking in the room when Wang Houde walked in.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, Your Highness, and Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived."
Wen Nongnong frowned slightly, almost imperceptibly.
What did Mrs. Guo do later?
Could they be here as lobbyists?
The Empress Dowager was not surprised and sighed, "Let her in."
Soon, Empress Dowager Guo was invited in.
When she saw the Empress Dowager on the throne, Empress Dowager Guo was both surprised and unsurprised.
She quickly said, "Your Majesty, you must persuade Hengzhi. Heng'er still needs his assistance. How can he leave the capital at this time?"
The Empress Dowager said, "This matter is already settled, so there's no need to say anything more. As for you, you should advise the Emperor more often not to forget his roots in his dealings with others."
Empress Dowager Guo was surprised that the Empress Dowager gave her a warning right from the start, and she felt a little bitter.
More than anyone else, she didn't want Gu Linchao to relinquish his position as regent; she wished he would stay in that position forever and remain in the capital.
She was actually annoyed that Gu Heng hadn't refused Gu Linchao's request to resign during court yesterday.
"Your subject will certainly offer more advice and guidance," she said solemnly.
"It's good that you know." The Empress Dowager said, and then tried to stand up. "I've been here for a while now, and I have to go back to the palace. There's nothing to do at the Prince's residence, so you can come back with me."
Empress Dowager Guo was very unwilling upon hearing this.
She just arrived and is already leaving, without even saying a word to Gu Linchao.
Just as she was wondering how to refuse, she suddenly remembered Shen Qingning waiting outside the door and immediately said, "Your Majesty, please wait. I just met a divine physician outside the door who said he could cure Hengzhi's eyes. Why don't we invite them in to treat Hengzhi?"
As she said this, she gave Wen Nongnong a meaningful look.
Wen Nong Nong looked at her suspiciously.
What kind of miracle doctor?
The Empress Dowager did not believe in any miracle doctor, but she desperately hoped that someone could cure Gu Linchao's eyes, so she said with restraint, "Since he is a miracle doctor, then please come in and take a look."
Wen Nongnong was still wondering where Empress Dowager Guo had found such a divine physician when she saw Shen Qingning and her apprentice enter from outside the door, and she immediately understood.
"Miss Chen is truly capable, managing to come all the way to the capital. What, is she eager to become my prince's concubine?"
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Guo's expression changed slightly, and she looked sharply at Shen Qingning.
Shen Qingning remained calm and even somewhat helpless, saying, "It seems that Your Highness's prejudice against me is very deep. I am not yet married, Your Highness's jokes are not to be taken lightly."
Wen Nong Nong chuckled, "Now you're all virtuous and chaste. Well, you'd better remember what you said. After you've cured my prince's eyes, don't try to take advantage of me."
The Empress Dowager was completely confused, but after hearing the last sentence, her face lit up with joy. "Nongnong, these two can indeed cure Chao'er's eyes?"
Wen Nongnong glanced at the two of them and said indifferently, "Whether they have real skills or not, I'm not really sure. But back in Yuquan Town, we heard that they could cure the prince's eyes, so we asked them for help. But does Mother know what conditions they asked for?"
The Empress Dowager asked, "What are the conditions?"
Empress Dowager Guo also stared at her, eager to know.
Wen Nongnong glanced at her, her tone somewhat mocking, "This Miss Shen has excellent taste. She took a liking to the Prince and offered to treat his eyes on the condition that she could marry him."
How could the prince allow them to coerce him? He refused at the time, but the two men were persistent, coming to his door time and time again, and now they've even followed him to the capital.
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