Palace Intrigue?: I Make the Emperor Cry by Rewinding Time!-Chapter 98 - 93: Save Point Nursing

When the two arrived at Changle Palace, the Empress was already there.

Outside the door, Consort Ji saw her coming and whispered to her, "The Empress Dowager doesn’t want too many people to disturb her, so concubines below the rank of consort don’t need to come. That’s why there aren’t many people here... Sister, you’re the last one to arrive."

Lady was sitting inside, and only then did Consort Ji dare to remind Yun Jiao.

This news hadn’t reached Xianfu Palace, Yun Jiao thanked her and entered the room, saluting the Empress.

The Empress glanced at her indifferently, "You and Concubine Li arrived quite early."

Indeed, it was a trap for her.

If Yun Jiao didn’t know that concubines below the rank of consort didn’t need to come, and saw so few people outside thinking she really arrived early, she might have missed the chance to explain, risking the impression of being "unfilial and disrespectful."

"Concubine and Sister Concubine Li thought of serving the illness, changed clothes to not disturb the Empress Dowager’s attire, so we took some time. However, concubine thought, serving illness is not something to be taken lightly, it’s like rescuing someone from the water, don’t you think so, Lady?"

Concubine Li and the palace maids brought by the Empress were shocked.

That was inserting credit too awkwardly!

The two matters weren’t related at all!

Yet the Empress indeed was taken aback, her expression subtly froze.

Just like how a boy over 1.8 meters tall will find ways for others to know, Yun Jiao told the Emperor and Princess Consort Jing that she didn’t think it was a big deal, that anyone would do the same upon seeing it, then promptly used it as a strategy in all palace intrigue events, almost adding a parenthetical note with a bow to the Empress, "Concubine greets the Empress (155cm, saved a drowning Prince)."

"... Concubine Xi is indeed meticulous, just come earlier next time. You’re not needed here, go sit and wait."

The Empress turned to ask the Imperial Physician about the Empress Dowager’s health, Yun Jiao couldn’t make heads or tails but remembered most of it and used the excuse of relieving herself to go out and repeat it to Consort Ji, who, with a speechless face, quietly translated for her, "Last night the Empress Dowager found the room stuffy and opened a crack in the window to enjoy the cool air. Unfortunately, the temperature dropped during the night, and with her already weak Qi, she caught a chill, feeling unwell. The Empress Dowager has always had this ailment; when unwell, she can’t eat."

It didn’t sound like a serious illness, but with the Empress Dowager, nothing is minor.

Everyone around was very serious, and all the on-duty Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Hospital had arrived, discussing the symptomatic remedies.

Yun Jiao: "But I saw their prescription list was so long."

"Isn’t that how it is with doctoring? A short list means the doctor isn’t attentive, and the rarer the medicinal material, the better." Seeing Concubine Xi didn’t understand, Consort Ji continued educating her. In treating wealthy people, even if the prescription was tested on countless patients, some rare medicinals had to be added to distinguish nobles from commoners. A noble must not suffer a commoner’s disease.

"Consort Ji knows a lot."

"Just from seeing much."

Consort Ji glanced at her, "These are the intricacies of wealthy families, Concubine Xi, you and your children will understand in the future."

In her opinion, the family of Concubine Xi had already changed their status.

"Then I’ll head inside first."

Yun Jiao shook her hand.

"Go ahead."

As soon as Yun Jiao sat down inside, she heard the latter part of the Imperial Physician’s serious medical advice, "... The Empress Dowager should nourish herself with food and drink these two days, to boost her Qi and blood."

"I don’t want to eat anything,"

Lying on the bed, the Empress Dowager, whose complexion was not bad, looked displeased.

"If Lady truly does not wish to eat, then drink more soup; even on an empty stomach, the ailment can be cured this way."

This was one of the palace’s medical mysticisms.

Fasting to heal, considering food reduction as a remedy; one must admit there’s an element of gambling in this, yet either the illness or the patient must endure through it. If suffering from a gastrointestinal problem, eating less and eating light indeed makes sense, but to stop eating for weakness, headaches, or fevers means even white blood cells would lack nourishment to fight bacteria and viruses.

"I shall go prepare the medicine."

"The Empress Dowager’s health is waning. Though she likes solitude, we need to take turns serving her illness to show filial piety."

The Empress paused, remembering that Consort Jiang was still standing outside.

Consort Jiang hadn’t instantly stepped forward to curry favor, which was quite unusual.

"It’s an honor for me to serve the Empress Dowager. I await Lady’s arrangements."

Concubine Feng nodded in agreement.

To serve the Empress Dowager was an honor, one not available to those of lower rank.

"I originally planned to arrange you in pairs, but the Empress Dowager doesn’t want too many people nearby. Let’s have two people a day, dividing the day and afternoon. The Empress Dowager’s intention is that the Eldest Prince cannot do without his mother, hence Princess Consort Jing need not come. I and Lady will bear more responsibility, each taking a day."

"I thank the Empress Dowager for her kindness."

Princess Consort Jing knelt to thank her, looking even paler than the Empress Dowager lying on the couch.

Yun Jiao was assigned to the afternoon of the third day, with Consort Jiang in the morning.

This grouping chosen by the Empress had Yun Jiao looking it over—Concubine Wei and Concubine Li on one day, Concubine Lan and Consort Ji on another... This attempt to force rivals into companionship, not caring about the consequences, had a sort of reckless beauty.

Yun Jiao’s assignment was a day later than Concubine Li’s; she waited for her return from serving the illness for a meal, asking with concern, "Was your day at Changle Palace tiring?"

"Tiring indeed, I nearly didn’t outwit Concubine Wei."

Yun Jiao: ?

"Weren’t you serving the illness?"

Concubine Li retorted, "What do you think serving the illness is?"

"Pouring tea, emptying chamber pots for the Empress Dowager."

Yun Jiao was truly well-versed in hospital bedside care.

This understanding persisted even after she traversed into the palace, unaffected by any embarrassment or discomfort with others attending to her every need, all because eating, drinking, and toileting assistance were so familiar!

"No such thing, Changle Palace has plenty of palace maids, eunuchs, and governesses; these tasks needn’t us, and consider us clumsy hands ruining the imperial body—while we might not feel humiliated, the Empress Dowager cannot tolerate such hardship."

Concubine Li chuckled, and Yun Jiao realized that serving the illness was more about keeping company, a mere formality.

The Empress Dowager was merely bored from lying down, enjoying the concubines’ chatter.

Thus, during the handover, before Wei Concubine departed, she exchanged a few acidic words with Li Concubine, who couldn’t hold back and argued. The Empress Dowager not only didn’t stop them but rather enjoyed the spectacle, only after they had reached a conclusion did she call Li Concubine in to serve.

"..."

Yun Jiao began to suspect the Empress’s scheduling was intentional, meant to entertain the Empress Dowager with dramas.

However, when it was Yun Jiao’s turn, the Empress Dowager wasn’t in such a good mood.

Upon entering, she was scolded for many faults and eventually driven out.

Seeing her bewildered expression, the governess kindly comforted her, "The Empress Dowager hasn’t eaten for four days... unable to stomach anything, eating little daily, she’s on edge; Lady, don’t worry, the Empress Dowager isn’t truly blaming you, it’s partly due to Madam Jiang irritating her during the morning visit."

Pain and hunger making a patient irritable and unreasonable, others might not understand, but Yun Jiao did.

She truly wasn’t upset or wronged by the scolding.

But now knowing the root of the problem, Yun Jiao felt she could do better.

Thus, she decisively chose to return to the morning.