"Thump, thump, thump" A row of people instantly knelt on the ground.
One of the ladies cried out, “Your Majesty, it’s a miscarriage of justice! During the race, the horses were traveling right up to the rock obstacle, where their balance and speed were impaired. There was no way to stop them there.”
"Yes, Your Majesty, I didn't mean to, but I couldn't stop the horse at all, so... so I stepped over it..."
"Your Majesty, I didn't even notice that place at the time. Many people know this route, so I was very careful there. I never expected Princess Jiang Xuan to fall there. It was truly an accident."
One of the young ladies suddenly gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, I was right behind you at the time and saw what happened. I don't know whether Miss Mei helped Princess Jiang Xuan harm Princess Chen, but I did see Miss Mei and Princess Jiang Xuan have a conflict. Princess Jiang Xuan kept whipping her, and she angrily pulled down Princess Jiang Xuan's whip. However, many horses were already close by and wanted to stop, but the horses were uncontrollable in that situation."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I saw it all clearly. That's exactly what happened. It was Miss Mei who pulled Princess Jiang Xuan down from her horse, which is why Princess Jiang Xuan is in this predicament today."
"This humble woman also saw it..."
"That's right, it was made by Miss Mei..."
"Mei is the real culprit!"
At first, the young ladies didn't dare to speak up, fearing the Empress Dowager would make trouble for them later. But now that things had come to this, if they didn't speak up, they would be taking responsibility themselves. Who cared who the Empress Dowager was? At this point, saving their lives was the most important thing. Besides, there were so many people involved; could the Empress Dowager possibly make trouble for each and every one of them? Wasn't she afraid of incurring public outrage?
In fact, the Empress Dowager had already aroused public indignation after the young ladies said these words.
Although many people despise Jiang Xuan's loss of chastity, she is still a princess of a great state. If something happens to her, it will not be good for the Great Zhou, and may even bring disaster. If the two countries go to war, the Great Zhou will not only lose money, but its people will also be displaced and suffer unspeakable pain.
This is why, although Emperor Mingxian disagreed with Jiang Xuan entering the Chen Prince's residence, fearing it would embarrass the royal family, he still had to allow Sun Quan to marry her. Jiang Xuan ultimately represented the Daqian Dynasty, and Emperor Mingxian bore some responsibility for the events in Dazhou. If war broke out because of this, Dazhou would be the culprit, and they would be in the wrong. They lacked popular support during the war and were likely to lose. Even without war, they would still have to show some consideration to Daqian, and this compensation would likely be an exorbitant demand from Daqian.
When Emperor Mingxian can't come up with that much, he'll have to resort to the powerful clans. This has happened before. If the Great Zhou compromises, not only will the prestige of the country be damaged and Emperor Mingxian suffer a setback, but the powerful clans will also lose money, and even their daughters and heiresses will suffer losses.
In fact, how many battles are there on the Langya Continent? Although there aren't many major battles, there are constant small-scale conflicts. The nomadic tribes harass the borders of the Great Zhou from time to time, burning, killing, and looting like bandits. All the Great Zhou can do is drive them back to the border time and time again, and occasionally show its power to repel even more of them. Only then can the nomadic tribes be quiet for a while. The nomadic tribes have a bad reputation among the countries of the Langya Continent because they target more than just the Great Zhou.
However, their living environment is like this. They shamelessly harass various countries, but our country cannot be as shameless as them. Historically, countries need a reason to go to war. Even if there is no reason, they will make up a ridiculous one. This is roughly what is meant by "putting on a brave face when you're not strong enough".
If a war were to break out, they would be the guilty party, their cause would be illegitimate and their cause would be unjust. If they lost, it would be expected; if they won, people would say they were bullying others. Even if they won the war, it would not be a glorious victory. Therefore, even if relations between the two countries were tense, their envoys to other countries were generally treated very well, because their bets represented the prestige of their respective nations.
Jiang Xuan's death is nothing, but the death of the eldest princess of the Great Gan Dynasty in the Great Zhou Dynasty is a major event!
Mei's actions were tantamount to putting the Great Zhou on the fire, showing utter disregard for the Great Zhou, and were a heinous crime!
She was one of the most favored palace maids by the Empress Dowager's side and was deeply trusted by the Empress Dowager. When Jiang Xuan first proposed the horse race, it was also the Empress Dowager who took the initiative to propose the race. Was this really just a coincidence? Why was it only Jiang Xuan and Mei who had a conflict? Mei was just a lowly palace maid, and her status was far inferior to Jiang Xuan's.
Let alone Jiang Xuan, even in some wealthy and powerful families, some small households don't treat their servants like human beings. Beating and scolding them is a common occurrence. Even if they beat you to death or maim you, what can you do? The contract of servitude is in the hands of others, and your life and death are entirely up to them.
Mei, a mere palace maid, dared to lay a hand on Jiang Xuan. Perhaps she didn't initially intend for Jiang Xuan to die, but the fact that she dared to do so is quite illogical. This shows that Mei is a reckless person. But in a place like the palace, where everyone she sees every day is of noble status, her willingness to disrespect Jiang Xuan indicates that she is accustomed to dealing with people of high status and doesn't realize her own lowly position. But who gave her this power and opportunity? Obviously, the answer is obvious – who else could it be but the Empress Dowager!
The Empress Dowager was of noble status, and Emperor Mingxian had always treated her with great respect. Even though she was not his biological mother, Emperor Mingxian had always treated her well. The Empress Dowager could be considered the most powerful person in the harem. These people did not have much contact with the Empress Dowager, and generally believed only the rumors about her. How could they know what the real Empress Dowager was like?
This incident clearly shows that they already had some doubts about the Empress Dowager.
Emperor Mingxian's eyes were cold, and the traces of a smile were faint at the corners of his mouth: "Mei, do you admit your guilt or not!"
"This servant...this servant confesses, this servant did not mean it. At that time, Princess Jiang Xuan was whipping this servant hard, and this servant reflexively resisted in pain. Who knew..." Mei said in a panic. She had originally thought of framing Ouyang Yue, but with so many mouths of those young ladies pointing fingers at her, how could she have that opportunity? If she didn't confess now, what else could she do?
Emperor Mingxian fell silent, and everyone else did too. It didn't matter if Mei confessed, because compared to Jiang Xuan's life, she was just a lowly palace maid. Even if they handed her over to Da Gan, he wouldn't let it go. She wasn't qualified to exchange her life for Jiang Xuan's.
Emperor Mingxian turned to the Empress Dowager: "Mother, what do you think we should do to handle this matter?"
The Empress Dowager froze, her anger burning. Did Emperor Mingxian expect her to apologize by carrying thorns on her back? She was the Empress Dowager, and if she were to lower herself to apologize for a palace maid's mistake, what face would the Great Zhou have left?
Emperor Mingxian was aware of this, but he was helpless. As the ruler of a country, he could not bring himself to do something as shameful as sending a lowly palace maid like Mei to apologize to Da Gan. Even without Da Gan's permission, he found it utterly ridiculous.
The saying goes, "When the master makes a mistake, the servant is punished." Similarly, when a servant causes trouble, it's impossible for the master to escape unscathed, especially with such a major incident. The Empress Dowager has suffered heavy losses this time. The Empress Dowager remained silent with a gloomy face. Emperor Mingxian was not in a hurry and said, "Let's return to the capital tomorrow. Mother, you should think about how to handle this. Ministers XX, XX, and XXX will come with me to discuss how to compensate for the major incident. Oh, and by the way, let the Lin family send a representative as well."
Emperor Mingxian stood up and spoke, his face showing no sign of distress over the matter, but rather a calm demeanor. The people of the Lin family, however, all looked unwell.
Not long ago, the Empress was executed, Lin Chenglu was tortured, and the second branch of the Lin family suffered a defeat. This time, it's because Mei, a subordinate of the Empress Dowager, is about to face further hardship. They have no doubt that this incident will be another heavy blow to the Lin family. If it happens again, the Lin family will truly be ruined. At the same time, some people in the Lin family harbor resentment towards the Empress Dowager. The Empress is the current head of the Lin family's younger sister, and the Empress Dowager is his aunt. After all, there is a distance between them and their biological mother. When the Empress died last time, the Empress Dowager did not plead for help or take care of the second branch of the Lin family, which made them dissatisfied with her. Now, because of her own mistakes, the Lin family has suffered another heavy blow. Even a clay figure has some temper. Even if the Lin family's rise was due to the Empress Dowager, they now resent her.
The Empress Dowager's face was gloomy. Supported by Zhan Mama and palace maids, she returned to her tent. Meanwhile, Emperor Mingxian was also leading a group to discuss solutions. The others gathered in twos and threes, discussing in hushed tones.
"Do you think the Empress Dowager knew about this matter or not?"
"How dare you speak of the Empress Dowager's affairs! Shut up now!"
"What's there to be afraid of? So many people are saying it."
"To be honest, we can't be completely unaware of this. The Empress Dowager was the one who suggested that Mei participate in the competition."
"That's right, but it's hard to say who the Empress Dowager sent Mei out to deal with."
"Do you mean..."
One person confidently declared, "The Lin family is currently in decline, while the Sun family is steadily rising. Think about it, how fiercely the Empress and Consort Sun fought for power in the palace back then. Now the Empress is in power, and Consort Sun is dead, but the Sun family still has Consort Sun who is currently favored. Who does the Lin family have? In addition, Sun Quan, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Palace, is about to marry Princess Jiang Xuan of Daqian. He is currently riding high. If it really happens, it won't be long before the Sun family surpasses the Lin family, and the Lin family can forget about being the number one family in the Great Zhou Dynasty."
"But the Empress Dowager isn't that kind of person, is she? She used to be so kind and loving..."
"It is true that the Empress Dowager is kind, but she is also human. When the family is in trouble, she will make some sacrifices for the family. Right now, she has only sent a palace maid to kill Princess Jiang Xuan and ruin the Sun family's marriage. It is not necessarily something she cannot do."
"This..." Although this person spoke boldly, it was indeed the case. However, if the Empress Dowager were to disregard the Great Zhou Dynasty just to prevent the Lin family from being surpassed by the Sun family, then she would not be a benevolent Empress Dowager at all, but an evil and sinful one. This was too different from her previous image.
"Sigh, sometimes, when people are pushed to that point, they'll do anything."
Someone in the crowd sighed softly again, but everyone else agreed. Although it was hard to believe, there were witnesses and physical evidence of the incident, so people had no choice but to believe it.
The Empress Dowager ordered Jiang Xuan's death in order to suppress the Sun family. Naturally, Mei dared not admit that the Empress Dowager had instructed her to do so. However, in the eyes of others, it didn't matter whether she spoke or not, because they had already believed the Empress Dowager's real reason for doing so.
The Empress Dowager had a headache. Sitting in the tent, she angrily smashed a few things to vent her anger. The maids who followed her were terrified. Even when the Empress Dowager was angry, she had never smashed things like this before. Clearly, she was extremely angry this time, and everyone was afraid.
The Empress Dowager's biggest headache was figuring out how to resolve this matter!
That night, however, heavy snow began to fall, and the temperature suddenly dropped.
Inside the tent, Ouyang Yue and Baili Chen lay side by side on a makeshift bed, covered with two blankets and their cloaks.
Baili Chen gently stroked Ouyang Yue's silky black hair, which was scattered on the bed, and said, "You took too much risks. I feel a little scared when I think about it."
“I didn’t agree at the time, so why would Jiang Xuan give up? Besides, I was on guard, so I figured nothing would happen,” Ouyang Yue said with a smile.
"You know everything. There's no guarantee about these things. Seeing Jiang Xuan like that makes me shudder." Baili Chen was never a coward, but seeing Jiang Xuan's death, he was also terrified. If it weren't for Ouyang Yue's quick thinking and her ability to protect herself, an ordinary young lady would have been in terrible shape by Jiang Xuan and Mei.
Ouyang Yue squinted: "The Empress Dowager has already made her move, and Mei is targeting me."
"This old woman has finally decided to come out of her disguise." Baili Chen's face was somewhat cold. If the Empress Dowager hadn't had some tricks up her sleeve all these years, could she have been so successful in the palace? Could she have controlled the Empress and used the Empress to deal with the concubines, princes, and princesses in the palace? If the Empress was a ferocious wolf, then the Empress Dowager was a lurking tiger. A ferocious wolf is only fierce for a moment, but this tiger, waiting for its chance to strike you dead, is the most terrifying, because no one knows how much patience it has, or when it will make its move.
Baili Chen smoothed Ouyang Yue's hair. Over the years, he had hated the Empress. However, when the Empress was executed, he had a vague idea in his mind that the Empress Dowager was the truly ruthless person. If they wanted to live in peace, the Empress Dowager might be their biggest obstacle!
Originally, because of Jiang Xuan's matter, this hunt could not continue, and Emperor Mingxian was also preparing to set off for the capital the next day. But who knew that it would snow that night, and it was a heavy snow. It snowed all night long, and even in the morning, snowflakes the size of fingernails were still falling. The ground was covered with a thick layer of silvery white, which shone with a beautiful crystal color under the bright yellow sunlight in the morning.
The scenery was extremely beautiful, but it was not suitable for travel in such weather. Moreover, the snow had not yet stopped, and traveling up and down the mountain at this time could be very dangerous. Emperor Mingxian had no choice but to order that they rest here for the time being and set off back to the capital when the snow stopped and the roads were less slippery.
Fortunately, this trip was led by Emperor Mingxian and Empress Dowager, and included members of the imperial family, ministers, and noble families. Preparations were thorough, and with the hunting grounds nearby, food was plentiful. However, the waiting time was agonizing, and the Empress Dowager refused to see anyone today, claiming she had fallen ill after returning yesterday. Many acquaintances were visiting each other, mostly discussing yesterday's major events and gossiping about the Empress Dowager's behavior.
Some people are already discussing solutions on their own. After all, if they really rely on the last-ditch effort of taking the initiative to apologize, the losses in the central court of the Great Zhou will be significant. If Da Gan makes an exorbitant demand for several cities, not to mention whether the Great Zhou will agree, many families have shops and estates scattered in the outer city. Even if only one or two cities are given away, their businesses will be affected, which will directly impact the interests of their families.
Li Rushuang got up early and let the servants dress and groom her. After having breakfast, she couldn't sit still. Actually, she hadn't paid much attention yesterday. On that gravel road, if Ouyang Yue hadn't intervened in time to stop Jiang Xuan's men from attacking, Li Rushuang's fate would probably have been similar to Jiang Xuan's. Thinking about Jiang Xuan's death, Li Rushuang often felt lingering fear and couldn't sleep. After telling her mother, she went to find Ouyang Yue. She wanted to ask what to do next. Li Rushuang was just impulsive and didn't like to think things through, but that didn't mean she was stupid. Given Mei's role and the Empress Dowager's previous attitude, she could tell that the Empress Dowager was intentionally targeting Ouyang Yue.
As Ouyang Yue's future sister-in-law, they would be family sooner or later, so she naturally didn't want Ouyang Yue to make any mistakes. She thought she should think of a way to deal with the Empress Dowager first. If she could secretly make the Lin family suffer even greater losses, so that the Empress Dowager wouldn't have the energy to deal with other things, that would be a good idea. Li Rushuang was just about to tell Ouyang Yue about this plan when Ouyang Yue sent a message asking her to come over.
The hunting camp was centered around the tent of the Empress Dowager Mingxian, with tents set up in order of rank from the inside out. Li Rushuang and the General's Mansion had two tents in the middle section, in the middle to the back. As they strolled around, she asked with some concern, "Did Princess Chen sleep well last night?"
The servant smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Miss Li. The Princess Consort slept well, but she was a little worried about you. She was still talking about it when she came. Seeing that you look alright, I am relieved."
Li Rushuang smiled faintly, but suddenly her expression darkened, and she abruptly struck the maid in front of her with her palm: "You are not Yue'er's maid! Who are you? What is your purpose?!"
The maid suddenly sneered, "You'll find out soon enough!" and then viciously struck Li Rushuang's face.
On the other hand, Ouyang Yue said to Dongxue, "Go and invite Miss Li over. I have something to say to her."
Dongxue went out to find Li Rushuang, but when she arrived at the Minister of War's tent, she heard some unexpected news.
"Eh, wasn't Ru Shuang called out by the servants of Prince Chen's residence earlier? Didn't Princess Chen see her?" Cheng Shi's expression also turned somewhat unpleasant upon hearing this.
Dongxue's expression changed drastically. She immediately asked to leave and rushed towards the tent of Prince Chen's residence: "Your Highness, Miss Li was asked to leave earlier. The Minister's wife said that the person was using the name of Prince Chen's residence. I sent people to look for her when I came back earlier, but there is still no news."
"Bang!" Upon hearing this, Ouyang Yue suddenly slammed the tea she was holding onto the table, her face contorted with rage that seemed about to erupt!
☆、289、A sheer cliff (Something to say, you must read)
Ouyang Yue's face darkened, and then she stopped and said coldly, "Send more people to investigate. I'm going to see the Empress Dowager."
Dongxue said urgently, "Your Highness, you mustn't! If the Empress Dowager arrests Miss Li, her biggest goal will be to get Your Highness to go there. If you go there now, you'll be falling into her trap."
"If the Empress Dowager isn't senile, she wouldn't have done this to me in front of everyone; otherwise, she'd be courting death." The Empress Dowager is currently under criticism, and if she makes any further mistakes now, it would truly be her own fault. The Empress Dowager would never dare to harm Ouyang Yue in front of everyone; otherwise, even if she were the Empress Dowager, she would be courting death, causing the foundations of both the Great Gan and Great Zhou kingdoms to waver, and now they're fighting amongst themselves, eliminating her sister who has the backing of the Great Zhou's First General—what else could it be but self-destruction?
Isn't she afraid that Xuanyuan Chaohua will be angry and start a rebellion? Even the most foolish person wouldn't harm themselves like that.
Dongxue wanted to say something more, but Ouyang Yue had already gotten up and left, so she had no choice but to give up and send someone to look for her. She followed Ouyang Yue, who went to several tents along the way and called many people over. Her purpose was naturally to see the Empress Dowager.
So when Ouyang Yue arrived at the Empress Dowager's tent, she was followed by at least ten families, a total of twenty people. The group came over in a grand procession. Because of Mei's previous incident, even the Empress Dowager's servants were intimidated by this large group, fearing that they had come to settle scores later: "Please inform the Empress Dowager that we have come to pay our respects. We have heard that the Empress Dowager is not in good health and we were just about to come and visit her."
Ouyang Yue's tone was very friendly, and the servants were relieved. One of the maids went to ask for instructions, and soon after, Granny Zhan came out. When she saw Ouyang Yue standing in front with so many people behind her, even if the Empress Dowager was really unwell and didn't want to see her, she couldn't. This would offend so many people. The Empress Dowager used to be fearless, but now she had to think about it. Moreover, the Empress Dowager had always wanted to maintain her gentle and kind image, and it was not easy to dismiss people like this.
Granny Zhan glanced coldly at Ouyang Yue and said, "The Empress Dowager is very grateful to Princess Chen and the ladies and young ladies of various households for coming to visit. She has just taken her medicine and is waiting for you all in the tent."
This tent was naturally different from their own residence. Normally, once inside a tent, one could see a wide view and the whole scene. However, the Empress Dowager was of a different status. About a meter inside the tent, there was a four-panel screen embroidered with chrysanthemums. Only after the group passed through the screen could they see the full view of the tent. On the left was a large bed, in the middle were a table and chairs, and on the right was a simple dressing table. Around the table were several pots of plum blossoms, some red, some pink, and some white.
Ouyang Yue smiled faintly. Outsiders only knew that the Empress Dowager was kind and generous, but who knew that she was a cunning and ruthless person. Outsiders only knew that the Empress Dowager had not interfered in politics for many years and was strict with herself, but just by looking at the furnishings in this tent, who would dare to say that the Empress Dowager was frugal? You can only see things from the details. The Empress Dowager's extravagance was probably hidden in the dark.
"Your granddaughter-in-law, your humble wife, your humble daughter present this to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, wishing Your Majesty a long and peaceful life." As soon as they entered, Ouyang Yue and the others bowed to the Empress Dowager to pay their respects.
The Empress Dowager lay half-reclined on the bed, her face pale and her spirits not very high. She nodded and said, "Get up, all of you. I'm fine, but I have nothing to do. I'm sorry to have troubled you all."
Ouyang Yue smiled and said, "Look at what Grandmother is saying. Even without this incident, it would be right for us granddaughters-in-law to come and visit you. Moreover, Grandmother is seriously injured now, so we should do our best to show our filial piety." Ouyang Yue smiled faintly, not caring at all about the somber expression on the Empress Dowager's face, and said, "Granddaughter-in-law knows that Grandmother is saddened and remorseful for the big mistake Mei made yesterday. I think Grandmother doesn't need to blame herself. Isn't it all Mei's own fault? She had a conflict with Princess Jiang Xuan, but in the end, it was Grandmother who suffered. It's a terrible crime that deserves to die. Grandmother even fell ill because of her. It's truly her fault, and she can never be forgiven for this."
Granny Zhan said with a gloomy face, "Princess Consort Chen is truly filial to the Empress Dowager. Only you would dare to say such a thing."
Ouyang Yue even nodded in agreement: "The others are not in the same relationship as the Empress Dowager, so naturally they wouldn't dare to do that. It's not that I'm bragging, but my respect and love for the Empress Dowager is probably unmatched by many. That's why I was so anxious when I heard the news that the Empress Dowager was ill. Empress Dowager, this is not your fault, so why do you have to work yourself up for Mei? She's just an ungrateful wretch. It's better to see her true colors sooner rather than later, so as not to cause you even more trouble in the future. You should think more positively about this."
The Empress Dowager, who had been slumped on the bed, suddenly sat up. Her eyes, which had been drooping slightly as she pretended to be ill, were now piercing Ouyang Yue like ice blades.
Ouyang Yue's words sounded somewhat sarcastic. Leaving aside how Mei had offended someone of Jiang Xuan's status, even if they had a conflict, she shouldn't have retaliated and escalated it into such a serious crime. She shouldn't have had the guts. Of course, some people wanted to continue investigating, but the Empress Dowager's status was different. If they investigated further and found nothing, offending the Empress Dowager would be a greater loss than gain. So no one was foolish enough to bring it up, and the matter was thus suppressed.
Of course, Emperor Mingxian entrusted this matter to the Empress Dowager. The reasons for this are worth exploring. The Empress Dowager clearly intended to deny responsibility for the case; since Mei's arrest, she hadn't sent anyone to see him, not even to question him, clearly indicating her abandonment. But if the Empress Dowager was truly innocent, why would she be ill? Whether it was a real illness or a feigned one, no one cared. They only knew that for the Empress Dowager to fall ill at this time suggested a guilty conscience.
The Empress Dowager had originally intended to avoid being bothered by these people, hoping they would prompt her to devise a better solution. However, with Emperor Mingxian entrusting the matter to her in front of so many people, there was no possibility of finding another way. She was better off not trying to come up with a solution, as the Lin family would suffer a severe blow, which would do her no good. But now, Ouyang Yue had come with a group, ostensibly to visit her, but their veiled accusations were clearly an attempt to shirk responsibility for her current injury, which utterly humiliated the Empress Dowager.
Those who followed but couldn't speak would occasionally exchange glances, their expressions towards the Empress Dowager all carrying a meaningful meaning.
The previous events had happened so suddenly that many people, though harboring some doubts about the Empress Dowager's character, dared not be certain or speak too openly. Today, Ouyang Yue was going to visit the Empress Dowager, providing a perfect opportunity for them to observe. Therefore, upon learning this, they rushed over, most with the intention of conducting a covert investigation. In truth, none of them knew that someone who had survived the struggles of the palace and ultimately ascended to the position of Empress Dowager was no ordinary person. It was just that the Empress Dowager had acted so well that many had selectively forgotten that she herself was a woman who had emerged victorious from this very struggle. The events involving Mei and Shi Xuan had surprised them greatly, leaving them with a lingering feeling of being deceived.
Now, after hearing Ouyang Yue's words, they felt even more displeased with the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was truly skilled at deception, treating them all like fools. She probably even mocked them from time to time in secret. Even if they hadn't noticed it themselves, they were now blaming the Empress Dowager for their misbehavior. It's true; people are often lenient with themselves and strict with others, and few can be strict with themselves and lenient with others.
What seemed like a mere greeting was actually stirring up hatred in the Empress Dowager; how could she not be furious?
The Empress Dowager stared at Ouyang Yue and sneered, "Seventh Prince's wife is the most considerate. She came to see me so early this morning. As people get older, their health doesn't improve. I've rarely left the palace these past few years, so this week's journey has been quite tiring. Plus, I was quite frightened by what happened before, and I didn't expect to fall ill like this." The Empress Dowager looked helpless, and looking at her aged face, she really seemed to have aged several years in an instant. Some people with soft hearts felt infinite sympathy for the Empress Dowager.
Ouyang Yue smiled as she sat on the soft couch, gently taking the Empress Dowager's hand and saying, "Look at what you're saying, Grandmother. You're the youngest grandmother I've ever seen. If word got out, no one would think you're a great-grandmother. They'd all think you're some beautiful mother-in-law. Grandmother, you'll surely live to be a hundred. Although your complexion is a little pale, you still look quite well. Grandmother, I don't know much about medicine, but I do know a little. The most important thing for a sick person is to relax. If you relax, what is there to be afraid of? Don't you think so, Grandmother?"