After taking several doses of medicine and undergoing acupuncture according to Buhui’s prescription, the Empress Dowager felt much lighter and not as heavy as before. Overjoyed, Feng Yan bestowed a string of rewards to the Prime Minister’s Mansion, not only to Buhui but also to the Mansion itself.

After all, it was the Song Minister’s Mansion that recommended Buhui to diagnose and treat her, thus making her feel lighter. Moreover, with the New Year approaching, it was quite common to send rewards to the families of favored ministers.

At the moment, the Empress Dowager was being entertained by several palace maids with jokes and laughter. One palace maid performed a mime, and to make her happy, boldly played a clown. The effect was obvious, as the Empress Dowager laughed until wrinkles appeared around her eyes.

Unfortunately, this joyful atmosphere didn’t last long and was interrupted by Princess Consort Ji requesting an audience.

The Empress Dowager’s smile faded, and she said, "Wasn’t it said that the Prince Mansion is surrounded? How can she still enter the palace? Do not see her, send her back, do not disturb my recovery."

"Yes."

The eunuch carrying the message hurried out, but not long after, the Empress Dowager heard Princess Consort Ji’s high-pitched shouting, crying about the late Emperor. That piercing voice made the Empress Dowager involuntarily rub her ears.

"Listen, listen to her; even those who sing operas can’t shout like this, doesn’t she care if her throat hurts?" The sarcastic tone carried a hint of anger.

Lian Qiao quickly comforted her: "If you don’t like listening, go rest in the bedchamber? I’ll have someone send her away."

"If she were someone who listened, would she be shouting like this?" The Empress Dowager snorted.

No sooner had she spoken than the noise at the hall entrance erupted—it was Princess Consort Ji attempting to storm the palace.

The Empress Dowager’s eyelids twitched; did this blockhead really think she was just clay, able to tolerate her at any time?

"Dowager, the Empress Dowager is resting, you cannot force your way in, Lady." Eunuch Hai stepped forward to block her.

"Pah, you spineless wretches try to fool me? She’s probably hiding inside, laughing at me." Princess Consort Ji brandished a Death Exemption Token from her neck: "Today, I’m definitely going in here. This Death Exemption Token was bestowed by the late Emperor, to see it is to see the Emperor himself. I dare any of you to stop me, and kneel before me."

Death, Death Exemption Token? 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Eunuch Hai’s eyes narrowed, and upon clearly seeing the token, he knelt down and hailed Emperor Qingwu.

Princess Consort Ji snorted proudly and strode into the hall door.

Once she entered the hall, it was as warm as spring. Sure enough, the Empress Dowager was sitting atop the phoenix throne, below her were several palace maids with painted faces, acting as clowns, causing her to spit heavily.

She knew it; these spineless wretches were just tricking her, nothing about resting, clearly just playing around.

"Pretending to rest just to deceive me, Wang Jingxian, they say you are too ill to get up, yet here you are full of energy to play games?" Princess Consort Ji said angrily, "You even dared to direct them to stop me. Without the late Emperor’s Death Exemption Token he granted to me, meeting you would be as hard as reaching the sky. Now tell me, what play are you enacting, what’s the intention behind accusing the Prince Min Mansion of harming you and seizing the chance to surround the Prince Mansion?"

The Empress Dowager was utterly shocked; the late Emperor actually secretly bestowed a Death Exemption Token to this witch of Princess Consort Ji?

What a late Emperor, guarding against them mother and son like this, yet protecting this witch and her son so favorably, how biased, so biased there are no boundaries.

Oh my, the stabbing pain in her heart.

The Empress Dowager held her forehead, grinding her molars in anger, and when she heard the witch’s accusations, cried out, face pale, that her head and brain were throbbing in pain.

Everyone immediately panicked, and Lian Qiao shouted for someone to call the Imperial Physician.

Princess Consort Ji: "???"

Is this acting getting addictive?