Chapter 69: Must settle the score with this quack!

Even after being so angry, the Emperor was still concerned about that Lin Guniang. It seems he really has taken a liking to Lin Guniang.

Eunuch Gao answered truthfully, "Qingdai sent someone to report that Lin Guniang has been in the latrine all afternoon. She has recovered a bit now and has already fallen asleep."

"It's good that she has recovered." Learning that Lin Jiaojiao could rest peacefully, Qin Yuan half-narrowed his eyes, as if he could see Lin Jiaojiao sleeping soundly.

The way she sleeps must be very lovely... Qin Yuan felt restless in his heart, but when his gaze swept over the aphrodisiac, he ultimately suppressed that impulse.

Eunuch Gao understood at a glance: the Emperor's aphrodisiac had been cleared, but the lust in his eyes remained. He clearly had developed true feelings for that Lin Guniang!

If one day that Lin Guniang really becomes a favorite concubine, not to mention whether he had any merit, at least he hadn't offended her, so she shouldn't make things difficult for him.

Thinking of this, he felt a little relieved: in the future, he must have people pay more attention to that Lin Guniang, keep an eye on the movements of the Qingju Pavilion at all times, and flatter her more.

At this moment, Qin Yuan's thoughts had already flown to the Qingju Pavilion, but Lin Jiaojiao in the Qingju Pavilion was not thinking about Qin Yuan at all.

She had had diarrhea all afternoon, was almost exhausted, her lips were pale, and her face was sallow.

Lin Jiaojiao always felt that in the medicine soup sent over, besides the medicinal herbs for clearing heat and detoxifying, something else must have been added.

Otherwise, how could she have such bad diarrhea?

Fortunately, she called for Qingdai to get some black pepper and an Aijiu Guanhé. She chewed the black pepper seeds and performed moxibustion on her stomach, only then did she gradually feel better.

This medicine soup originally had cold-natured things added, but it shouldn't have caused such severe diarrhea. It must have been that Imperial Physician Jia who played tricks!

Lin Jiaojiao hated this account in her heart, but now it was more important to rest well.

Once she recovered, she must settle the score with this quack!

After she fell asleep, Qingdai tucked the quilt for her and pulled down the bed curtain.

Lin Jiaojiao was hugging an Aijiu Guanhé to warm her stomach when she suddenly sneezed a few times in her sleep. She turned over and continued to sleep soundly.

At this very moment, she did not know that at the side of the Xiao Taihou, the master of the Inner Palace, someone was kneeling and crying, accusing her of being a femme fatale.

The person kneeling before Xiao Taihou and crying was Hui Guiren, who had just had her palace searched. Although nothing was found in the Guangyang Gong where she lived, it had been turned upside down, and she was very dissatisfied.

Plus, she was married into the Inner Palace because of her distant relationship with Xiao Taihou.

After entering the palace, the Emperor rarely visited the Guangyang Gong, and she felt even more aggrieved.

When the palace was searched today, she gave some snacks to the guards and heard the news that there was a new person in the Inner Palace, and she couldn't help but feel even more resentful!

"This newcomer has actually bewitched the Emperor. She hasn't even been given a title yet, and she has already made the Emperor stir up such a fuss, thoroughly investigating the Inner Palace," Hui Guiren prostrated herself on the ground, her thin shoulders shaking as she cried, her pair of slender hands wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, "If she is given a title in the future, how will we live!"

"Empress Dowager, I heard that Imperial Concubine Ning was demoted to a Concubine because of this." Hui Guiren had a pair of phoenix eyes that were full of affection, and her crying made people feel pity.

But the Empress Dowager sitting in front did not care about Hui Guiren's tears. She was pondering a game of chess in her heart, and Hui Guiren's crying only made her feel annoyed.

Hui Guiren cried and looked down at the high-heeled shoes made of Shu brocade, embroidered with golden phoenixes and inlaid with green gems, letting her tears drip onto the green gems.

Suddenly, a eunuch came in from outside to report, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the former Prime Minister's wife has come to request an audience."

"Runiang is here?" The owner of the high-heeled Shu brocade shoes paused, her voice revealing a trace of joy, "Hurry and call her in."

But when she looked down and saw Hui Guiren, who was crying aggrievedly, her voice turned cold again: she had to drive away this annoying daughter-in-law first.

"Hui Guiren, the Emperor has his reasons for arranging things this way," the Empress Dowager said in an unhurried tone, "Today was just a search of the palace, and you were not punished. You should be happy. Go back, don't cry here in front of me."

"But," Hui Guiren raised her teary eyes, "Empress Dowager, this woman is definitely not a good person—"

"If the Emperor gives her a title one day and she does something that violates ethics and morality, I will definitely punish her severely." The Empress Dowager's voice had an undeniable pressure.

After hearing this, although Hui Guiren was not very satisfied with this answer, at least she had the Empress Dowager's promise, so she bowed and took her leave.

When she walked out of the Shoukang Palace, she ran into the former Prime Minister's wife, exchanged simple greetings, and turned away.

Her maid was about to serve her back to the Guangyang Gong, but she turned around and walked toward the Qingju Pavilion, preparing to meet this Lin Guniang.

And the former Prime Minister's wife, Cheng Runiang, who came to see the Empress Dowager, was Song Shijie's mother.

Led by the eunuch, she entered the Shoukang Palace and bowed to the Empress Dowager, "Cheng Runiang of the Song mansion pays respects to Xiao Taihou, may the Empress Dowager live for a thousand years."

As soon as the Empress Dowager saw Runiang, she completely shed her majestic appearance.

She walked straight down from the phoenix chair, personally helped Runiang up, and said happily: "Runiang, it has been a long time since you entered the palace to see me."

Cheng Runiang slowly raised her face and saw that noble face that was revered by ten thousand people.

On this face with powder and makeup, there were clearly a few more fine lines at the corners of her eyes than before. Even if she was happy to see her, she still couldn't hide the original fatigue and powerlessness.

"Look at you, you haven't aged at all. Love really nourishes people. How has that man surnamed Song been treating you lately?" The Empress Dowager looked through Cheng Runiang's face, as if seeing the bright and lively woman from her youth.

She couldn't help but miss the past, "Do you remember the last time you entered the palace? You and I were playing a game of chess, and we hadn't decided the winner. Now that you have time to enter the palace to accompany me, let's continue the chessboard!"

But how could Cheng Runiang be in the mood to play chess with the Empress Dowager!

What she was thinking about in her heart was her son Song Shijie, who had a high fever at home!

"Empress Dowager, it has been a long time since we last met," Cheng Runiang did not forget the original intention of entering the palace, "I came to request an audience today, not for that unfinished chess game, but for something else."

"Oh? You have something to ask of me? It doesn't matter, as long as you accompany me to finish the chess game, I will agree to your request."

Xiao Taihou took her hand and walked slowly to a chessboard, "Last time, after I was trapped by you in the chess game, I have been thinking about it day and night, and I have people replay the game with me every day. Now I have found a breakthrough method. You must accompany me whether you want to or not."

Cheng Runiang was between laughter and tears. How could this bosom friend still be as fond of chess as before after so many years? But she really didn't have time to accompany the Empress Dowager to ponder the chess game.

"Empress Dowager, my son has a fever and is sick, forgive me for not being able to play chess with you now!" Seeing Xiao Taihou's displeasure, Cheng Runiang hurriedly added, "Once my son recovers, I will definitely accompany you to play chess to my heart's content!"

"Shijie has a fever? Then I will help you call the best Imperial Physician to treat him!" Xiao Taihou's mood improved after hearing Cheng Runiang's latter sentence.

She said she was going to call someone to summon the Imperial Physician.

Cheng Runiang stopped her, "Empress Dowager, there is no need to trouble the Imperial Physician. The female physician who saved my son and has been treating his injuries is currently in the palace. I entered the palace today just to call her to treat my son and bring down his fever!"