Chapter 81: Sincere Concern

Consort Yu was feeling deeply stifled. Shen Qing, on the other hand, didn’t show much reaction after receiving her reward. If people wanted to label her as part of the Empress’s faction, then so be it. Since she had already made an enemy of Consort Yu, there was nothing wrong with others weighing her position more carefully. Riding on the Empress’s influence wasn’t a bad thing—so long as she didn’t actually serve the Empress with her life, what harm could there be?

She couldn’t have endured all those rounds of playing the underdog for nothing, could she?

She handed the fabrics and jewelry she had received to Chunhua, instructing her to put away what needed storing and to have new clothes made from what was suitable. The Empress Dowager’s birthday was coming up, but she wasn’t a key figure and had no need to stand out.

Shen Qing now felt that the Empress Dowager might be a little muddle-headed, but given her status, Shen Qing would keep to the proper decorum. There wasn’t much else to be concerned about.

While preparations for the Empress Dowager’s birthday were in full swing, the Empress Dowager herself actually fainted from rage.

Usually, whenever Xuanyuan Ling came to greet her, the Empress Dowager would already feel aggrieved. This time, because of the birthday preparations, she had another disagreement with him. Upon learning that Xuanyuan Ling had investigated the officials responsible for delivering tribute tea from Qianzhou and taken the opportunity to purge the court and set an example through harsh punishment, the Empress Dowager was so furious that her vision went black and she fainted on the spot.

The entire Shouxiang Palace was thrown into chaos. Cuiyun, the head palace matron, after some careful thought, realized that they couldn’t avoid reporting this to the Emperor. But it also couldn’t be done recklessly—otherwise, the Empress Dowager would surely blame her.

So she decided to summon the imperial physician first and wait until it was confirmed that the Empress Dowager was fine before sending a message to the Emperor.

However, when the imperial physician arrived and took her pulse, his brows furrowed in concern, and his heart grew anxious.

Cuiyun asked anxiously, “How is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager?”

The physician didn’t quite know how to answer. At that moment, the Empress Dowager woke up. She exhaled slowly, looked at the physician with a darkened expression, and, feeling the numbness in her hands and feet and general unwellness, panicked. “Tell the truth. What exactly is wrong with me?”

All the eunuchs and maids around them fell silent in fear. Cuiyun ordered them all to leave, leaving only one physician behind. Sweat beaded on the physician’s forehead as he explained, “Your Majesty is experiencing excessive liver yang, rising heart fire, and yin deficiency with excessive internal heat. This imbalance of yin and yang is what caused your dizziness.”

“I don’t need to hear all that jargon,” the Empress Dowager interrupted sternly. “I just want to know: when will I recover from this illness? Will I continue to faint like this in the future?”

The physician truly didn’t dare give a clear answer.

Seeing his expression, the Empress Dowager’s vision darkened again. She forced out a question: “Will it endanger my life?”

“Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. I have a tranquilizing heart tonic here. It will ensure your safety.”

“Ensure my safety?” The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes. “So, not a cure?”

The physician was terrified. “I…”

He truly couldn’t bring himself to say the word cure.

The Empress Dowager pressed her forehead and took a deep breath. “So I will be tormented by this illness from now on? Frequent headaches and sudden fainting spells?” Her hand trembled—she was frightened. How had this happened so suddenly? She was supposed to celebrate her forty-fifth birthday soon.

“It’s not like that,” the physician said cautiously. But he knew the Empress Dowager wasn’t someone easy to deal with. He had been serving her since she was a consort, and he knew her temper well. Thinking of his mentor who had suddenly died five years ago, he didn’t dare take risks. Choosing his words carefully, he said, “Your Majesty’s condition is not severe, but it isn’t something that can be cured quickly.”

The Empress Dowager looked at him and slowly calmed down. “So, it can’t be cured in the short term, but it’s not incurable?”

The physician nodded with difficulty and said, “Yes.”

“If I administer acupuncture, Your Majesty’s numbness in the limbs will quickly subside,” he added.

The Empress Dowager hadn’t quite believed him, but after the acupuncture treatment, her numbness did indeed improve significantly. This made her believe him, and she gradually relaxed. As long as it was curable, she could accept it. Still, she couldn’t help but resent the Emperor. If it weren’t for his actions in court, how would she have gotten sick from anger?

Truly unfilial!

The Empress Dowager summoning the physician naturally ended up being reported to Xuanyuan Ling. He frowned and asked, “What did the physician report?”

“He said it was due to yin deficiency and internal fire, likely related to the dry weather,” Zhao Hai answered hesitantly.

Xuanyuan Ling understood why Zhao Hai was hesitant, but didn’t take it to heart. “Have the physician monitor her condition closely. Send over some tonics.”

He couldn’t just pretend nothing happened. As for visiting—if he went, it might make the Empress Dowager even angrier. If she was sick, then let the physician handle it. That was fine.

He had already stirred up the court to his satisfaction. As for the Empress Dowager—she was just being unreasonable. This would pass in time.

At this moment, Xuanyuan Ling had completely pushed thoughts of the Empress Dowager out of his mind. If she wanted to have a grand birthday celebration, fine—he would let her. Play the act of a loving mother and filial son. She could have her party, but he would not give her face in court. He would do his own thing.

In the past, he had still let the mother-son relationship restrain him. But now, it actually felt liberating.

Xuanyuan Ling thought that he owed it to Shen Qing this time. If she hadn’t gone to visit the Empress, he wouldn’t have realized things so quickly.

Exactly—if Shen Qing could still serve him dutifully, yet go through the motions of paying respects to the Empress with lip service, even deceiving her—then why couldn’t he keep the court and the Empress Dowager separate? Why must they be of one mind?

This way, he could enjoy himself and avoid unnecessary trouble.

In the end, they had reached the same conclusion through different paths.

Xuanyuan Ling thought of Shen Qing again and wanted to go see her. But today wasn’t a good time, so he gave up the idea. However, since everyone had been talking about birthday celebrations lately, Xuanyuan Ling suddenly remembered something. “When is Noble Lady Xi’s birthday?”

How could Zhao Hai not know that? Ever since Xuanyuan Ling started favoring Shen Qing, he had been paying close attention to her. She was now someone who could bring the Emperor joy. He answered, “According to the palace registry, she was born on the fifteenth of the fifth month.”

Which meant her birthday had already passed not long after she entered the palace. But he hadn’t known and missed it entirely.

Xuanyuan Ling said, “Find a piece of jade—make sure it’s of good quality. I’ve noticed she doesn’t like to wear much jewelry, but the ones she does wear are often exquisite. Likely, she has her own preferences. After you deliver it, ask her what design she wants. Carve it according to her wishes so it suits her.”

It was a small way to make up for missing her birthday.

Zhao Hai had barely turned to leave when Xuanyuan Ling added, “Also, make sure the Imperial Kitchen doesn’t slack off. Just because she’s feeling better doesn’t mean they can get careless with her meals. If she wants something to eat, she should be able to instruct the kitchen directly. Go personally to the kitchen and tell them to prioritize Zhaohua Palace—but keep it quiet.”

Once outside, Zhao Hai finally exhaled. This was protection, special attention, and even a specific order to keep things low-key to avoid stirring jealousy toward Noble Lady Xi.

In the past, any rewards were given out publicly and boldly. Now that the Emperor was thinking of Noble Lady Xi, he didn’t even want others to know.

This was true concern.

Zhao Hai had once wondered whether she might lose favor a year or so later when new consorts entered the palace. But seeing the current situation—he wasn’t so sure any newcomer had what it took to surpass her.