After saying that, she asked Dafu to take some small trinkets. When Su Muyao left the palace again, she was carrying a wooden box.
The wooden box was filled with all sorts of strange and wonderful things, but Su Muyao's favorite was a string of bells inside.
The Empress left the Empress Dowager's palace and hurriedly went to investigate what had happened.
"Xiao Qiu, go and check if Yao Yao brought all the palace maids with her when she passed by today."
"yes".
After Aunt Xiaoqiu brought all the palace maids to the Empress's palace, she began to ask which two palace maids had spoken out of turn to the young princess that morning.
One of the palace maids in blue was visibly trembling. The palace maid in pink next to her grabbed the blue maid's hand and whispered, "Calm down. We haven't met the young princess. Perhaps someone said something they shouldn't have to her. Why are you so nervous?"
The blue-clad palace maid breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Yes, although they had gossiped about things they shouldn't have, they hadn't encountered the young princess or said anything inappropriate to her.
Aunt Xiaoqiu asked around, but no one stepped forward to speak.
"Ha! You really think I can't do anything to you if you don't talk? If you talk today, at least your families can be saved. If you don't talk, then don't blame your aunt for being ruthless."
Upon hearing this, everyone knelt down in terror and begged for mercy.
At this moment, the Empress also came out of the palace and raised her hand to look at the kneeling palace maids: "You may all get up. I have no intention of punishing you."
It just so happens that the young princess happened to pass by today, and one of you mentioned something about Princess Zhu Hua?
"I simply want to ask you how you came to know this, and how you know there are so many twists and turns involved. Just step forward and come in with me!"
The two palace maids, one in blue and one in pink, exchanged a glance, stood up together, and followed the Empress into the palace.
Aunt Xiaoqiu: "Alright, you can all go back now!"
You all know what to say and what not to say, right? I don't need to remind you, do I?
All the palace maids nodded and replied "Yes," before he waved for them to leave.
Inside the room, the Queen asked the two men to recount what they had said during their conversation that morning.
The two of them could only grit their teeth and repeat the gossip they had shared that morning.
After listening, the Empress frowned and asked one of the palace maids, "Is what you said true? Did your friend see it with his own eyes?"
"Your Majesty, it was my sister who witnessed it firsthand and said it was extremely serious. I also heard that Princess Zhu Hua's dowry maids take this matter very seriously."
Furthermore, he prevented too many imperial physicians from examining the patient, claiming that he had brought his own renowned physicians with him.
When the Empress heard the last sentence, her eyebrows furrowed instantly.
I asked the imperial physician when I went there before, and he said it was just a common itch.
Looking back now, how could a simple itch be so severe?
"You two can leave now."
Upon hearing this, the two immediately knelt down to express their gratitude before hastily leaving.
The Empress then took Xiao Qiu to Zhu Hua Palace. The name of the palace itself revealed the Emperor's high regard for Zhu Hua.
Although she was a princess sent by a small country for a political marriage, she was quite beautiful.
When Princess Zhu Hua first arrived, the emperor was delighted and specially named the place Zhu Hua Palace.
I heard that quite a few palace maids came over at the time. Those maids were all scrambling to get into this palace, saying that Princess Zhu Hua would definitely win the emperor's favor in the future.
Xiao Qiu just complained from the side: "Your Majesty, the Emperor is paying less and less attention to you these days."
"They say there are too many trivial matters in the court, but in my opinion, they've just been bewitched by this vixen's charm."
The Empress gently patted Xiao Qiu: "I've been spoiling you more and more. Look at how little etiquette you've learned! And you're supposed to be a head maid? What a joke it will be if the servants find out!"
Xiao Qiu was originally the Empress's dowry maid, and having served her since childhood, she naturally spoke her mind freely. In addition, this girl was always rather lively.
The Empress naturally wouldn't blame her, but she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
The emperor was no longer the spirited young man she knew back then.
Since ascending the throne, he has become cowardly, always thinking things through before acting, but excessive thinking has turned into indecisiveness.
Similarly, he had long forgotten the promise he made to himself back then.
The spirited young man at that time hugged himself and said, "I don't care about that position. This way, I can be with you for life."
Later, he was forced to take that high position, granting himself a status second only to the emperor.
Later, to enrich the harem, more women moved in, and the initial casual affair became a more even distribution of favors.
It wasn't until later that he showed favoritism towards Consort Liu and the affection of Consort Wang.
As for myself, besides being grateful that I pulled him out of the mire when I was young, how much of that deep love from my youth is left?
She never competed or fought for anything, quietly taking care of all the trivial matters for him.
Xiao Qiu was still chattering away, recounting the Empress's hardships over the years.
"Alright, your young lady is now the Empress, having ruled the harem for many years. How could she possibly let a vixen like her overpower her?"
Xiao Qiu was momentarily lost in thought when she saw her mistress's bright smile.
It was rare to see their empress so happy in all these years, but what no one knew was that the empress had come to a realization: now that he had become the emperor, her heart should be focused on her son.
Forget about vying for favor and love! At this age, what need do I have for all that?
Even just treating each other with respect can be a kind of carefree attitude.
When the eunuch guarding the gate outside Zhu Hua's palace saw that it was the Empress, he hurriedly went to inform her and then stepped inside.
The imperial physician, whom Xiao Qiu had sent ahead of time, arrived in a hurry.
Princess Zhu Hua had just finished applying the medicine and putting on her clothes when her maidservant came to report that the Empress had arrived with the imperial physician.
Zhu Hua, her face pale, quickly waved for the female doctor to leave.
He endured the pain, put on his shoes, and got out of bed. At that moment, the Empress pushed open the door and came in, but upon entering, she smelled an unpleasant medicinal odor in the room.
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress, may Her Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
The Empress personally helped Princess Zhu Hua up, saying, "Please get up quickly. You've been ill for quite some time now. I came to see you a few days ago and you said you were almost fully recovered."
Today, a palace maid gossiped that your illness is getting worse. As the head of the six palaces, I'm usually quite busy, which is why I've neglected you, sister. Please don't take it to heart!
Logically speaking, Princess Zhu Hua has not yet been granted a title.
Everyone living in Zhu Hua Palace still called her Princess Zhu Hua.
Zhu Hua quickly bowed respectfully again: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. Your presence is already a great honor for Zhu Hua."
The Empress touched Zhu Hua's hand and said, "It's good that you're alright. That's why I specially asked Physician Li from the Imperial Hospital to come and treat you."
This Physician Li is the head of the Imperial Medical Academy; no matter how difficult or complicated the illness, he guarantees a cure.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Hua tensed up, knowing all too well what illness she had.
It is precisely because I have this disease that I cannot spread the word.
She has not yet slept with the emperor; if this were to be spread, she would only be destined to die.
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