Yun Jiao did not use the palace carriage but had Ah Tie drive her.

Two eunuchs on small ponies led the way. After a while, Yun Jiao instructed Ah Tie, "Go towards the West Gate of the Imperial Palace."

Ah Tie obediently turned the carriage.

The two eunuchs riding in front quickly noticed that Yun Jiao’s carriage following them had disappeared.

They hurriedly searched around and luckily the carriage hadn’t gone far.

They quickly caught up, blocked the way, and questioned Ah Tie, "What’s happening? How could you stray? Don’t you know to follow us?"

Yun Jiao lifted the carriage curtain and calmly said, "I told him to go through the West Gate."

The eunuch was extremely displeased and said, "Clearly, going through the northern Hening Gate is closer!"

Yun Jiao smiled slightly, "I prefer going through the West Gate."

She then instructed Ah Tie, "Go!"

Ah Tie drove the carriage forward again.

The two eunuchs, infuriated, could only follow beside the carriage.

Upon reaching the West Gate, Ah Tie stopped the carriage several feet away from the city gate, and Yun Jiao got off.

She walked towards the palace gate on her own.

On both sides of the palace gate stood guards on duty.

On each side, there were a dozen palace guards, with more stationed along the walls at intervals of a few feet.

Apart from this, there were also patrolling guards circling the entire Imperial Palace.

Yun Jiao got off the carriage and approached the palace gate, where the two eunuchs held the ponies, displayed their entry and exit tokens, and then said to the guards, "This is Doctor Gu from Renxin Hall, summoned by Her Highness the Noble Consort."

The guard was about to let them through when Yun Jiao produced her golden waist card for the National Lady and held it under the guard’s nose, "I am the National Lady, and I wish to see His Majesty. Kindly report this for me, dear guard brother."

Having seen the golden waist card, the guard quickly went into the palace to report.

The two eunuchs were startled and somewhat flustered, saying, "What are you doing? Clearly, Her Highness the Noble Consort summoned you!"

Yun Jiao smiled faintly, "What’s the rush? It’s not too late to see Her Highness after I meet the Emperor."

The two eunuchs were at a loss about her intentions.

They hastily discussed, and one quickly went inside to relay the message to the Noble Consort, while the other watched Yun Jiao.

The guard soon returned, and respectfully said to Yun Jiao, "His Majesty invites the National Lady to the Imperial Study Room for an audience."

With that, the guard led the way, and Yun Jiao followed unhurriedly.

Yun Jiao had visited the Imperial Study Room before, and the West Gate was the closest palace gate to it, which was why she chose this route.

Upon reaching the entrance of the Imperial Study Room, the little eunuch stood afar, not daring to approach, his head lowered as much as possible.

After the eunuch at the door announced her, Yun Jiao entered.

There was no court session today, and His Majesty was in the Imperial Study Room reviewing documents. As Yun Jiao entered, he put down his pen and smiled, "National Lady, please rise."

He spoke in a familiar and friendly tone, "What brings you here today, worthy of a special visit to the palace?"

Yun Jiao knelt on the ground, not rising.

She slightly raised her head and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty."

"As the wife of a minister, from humble origins, there are many aspects of the royal protocol that I do not understand. I came today with a matter I hope Your Majesty could enlighten me on."

The Emperor, extremely astute, pondered while he replied kindly, "Speak."

Yun Jiao said, "I wonder, besides Your Majesty, who else is allowed to relay verbal decrees to officials or noblewomen?"

The Emperor’s expression slightly tightened, "Besides me, only the Empress Dowager and the Empress can relay verbal decrees to officials."