Fourth Prince Xie Jinglan was also within Fengyi Palace.
However, unlike the other princes who were eagerly peeking out of the windows towards Spring Blossom Garden, Empress Zhong, with the help of Zhi Nan, entered the inner chambers and saw her good son playing chess with himself.
Empress Zhong, "..."
Looking at his nonchalant demeanor, one might think he was about to become a monk.
Upon seeing his mother enter, Xie Jinglan quickly rose to greet her.
Yet, Empress Zhong didn't even glance at him before heading directly into the inner room.
Xie Jinglan paid no mind and, lifting his robes, continued his game.
Zhi Nan, supporting the Empress, couldn't help but say, "Consort Xi truly grows more audacious."
Empress Zhong sneered, "Her disrespect is not a new thing. It's because the Emperor fancies her. While the Emperor enjoys indulging her, I have no time to pamper her. Does she really think I'm a fool, unaware of her schemes?"
"Your Majesty means..."
"Ji Renran's portrait was kept at Huaqing Palace, so it's natural for Consort Xi to champion her. But Ji Renran insists her injury is related to Ji Zizhao."
With a place to recuperate, the next step was naturally to find someone to treat her injuries.
This palace was never short of imperial physicians.
Why was Ji Renran so intent on implicating Ji Zizhao?
It was clearly to coerce Ji Zizhao into treating her. If Ji Zizhao refused, rumors of being ungrateful and cruel to her sisters would surely drown her. Her reputation would be ruined.
Zhi Nan pondered, "The eldest daughter of the Ji family and Miss Ji Renran are sisters. It is entirely proper for the eldest daughter of the Ji family to personally come and treat her."
Empress Zhong deliberately raised her voice, "That is true, but I fear that while treating her, she might end up becoming someone else's bride!"
Zhi Nan was chagrined, "Your Majesty speaks too harshly."
Empress Zhong huffed, "Where is the harshness? Consort Xi has laid out such a grand scheme, and I fear she will not rest until she achieves her goal. I do not wish to see Consort Xi succeed, but if I interfere, I will inevitably offend her. I am afraid Ji Zizhao will not appreciate it either, leaving me in the unenviable position of Pigsy looking in the mirror – a fool both inside and out."
Zhi Nan, "..."
Empress, your performance is a bit much...
Empress Zhong paid no mind and, becoming emotional, even choked up, "It's true I favor Ji Zizhao, but if she truly goes back to him, whether willingly or under duress, she cannot be allowed to stay. The more I think about it, the more my heart aches. Such a good person might not even get to eat dumplings this year..."
A slight rustling sound came from outside the screen. Zhi Nan quickly craned her neck to look.
On a table inlaid with golden cloud auspicious patterns not far away, an unfinished chess game remained.
However, the person who had been playing chess was long gone.
Zhi Nan's heart leaped with joy. She quickly turned and said, "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince has left!"
Empress Zhong clearly started, then grabbed the teacup by the table and drank it down in one gulp.
She was exhausted.
Zhi Nan looked on with concern, "Your Majesty has worked hard for the Fourth Prince and the eldest daughter of the Ji family."
Empress Zhong put down her teacup and waved her hand, "Do you really think Old Fourth hasn't seen through it?"
"But the Fourth Prince has already left!"
"If you want to wake someone pretending to be asleep, you have to stab them right in the heart."
Zhi Nan, "..."
"I am an experienced woman. If I cannot see Old Fourth's concern for Ji Zizhao, what have I been living for? It's just that Old Fourth thinks too much and carries too much. If I don't push him hard, not only will he lose his bride, but he might even lose his son."
Thinking of this, Empress Zhong felt a blockage in her heart.
Zhi Nan, not wanting the Empress to be sad, quickly changed the subject, "Your Majesty's intentions are profound. The Fourth Prince will surely understand. I wonder if it's too late for the Fourth Prince to intervene, as Consort Xi is about to make her move."
Empress Zhong was not worried at all, "My son, how can others compare? This time, we will just sit back and watch the show. He needs to struggle a bit himself to know how difficult it is to get a wife."
Only then would he cherish her more.
In life, having ties means having roots.
Compared to the lively scene in Fengyi Palace, the Imperial Hospital was a picture of tranquility.
Since Zou Siyan married into the Ji family, Zou Hansheng's attitude towards Ji Zizhao had become noticeably more hostile.
Ji Zizhao, however, paid no mind to this. Instead, her ever-doting master, Uncle Zhang, was displeased.
He cherished his disciple and wouldn't tolerate anyone else giving her the cold shoulder day after day.
Uncle Zhang, upholding the tradition of protecting his own, promptly sent Ji Zizhao to the Medical Records Pavilion within the Imperial Hospital.
The Medical Records Pavilion stood sixty feet tall, housing the medical records of royal offspring, empresses, and consorts from all previous dynasties.
Uncle Zhang declared that Ji Zizhao was to read all the medical records when she was not attending to patients. The implied meaning was that if Zou Hansheng wanted to scheme against his disciple, he could wait for another hundred years.
Zou Hansheng, "..."
He could only watch helplessly as Ji Zizhao entered the Medical Records Pavilion.
At this moment, Ji Zizhao, engrossed in flipping through the historical medical records within the pavilion, was unaware that Empress Zhong had almost hoarsened her voice discussing her matters.
The first floor of the Medical Records Pavilion contained the medical records of the imperial family and their relatives from various years.
Ji Zizhao casually scanned the records and, as if by fate, pulled out the medical file of the Fourth Prince.
The file meticulously documented the Fourth Prince's physical condition from birth until the previous year.
The Fourth Prince had been frail since birth. Later, imperial physicians diagnosed him with a heart condition.
In this era, heart disease was considered a congenital illness, incurable from the womb.
Later, a Miao ethnic witch doctor had the good fortune to enter the palace and, after personally treating the Fourth Prince, stabilized his condition.
The records stated that the Miao witch doctor administered a "Miao seed" to the Fourth Prince.
Ji Zizhao's heart skipped a beat.
The so-called Miao seed was the precursor to what would later evolve into Gu poison.
If the records were to be believed, the Miao seed given to the Fourth Prince by the witch doctor could indeed counteract his heart condition.
However, Ji Zizhao could not forget the agony the Fourth Prince suffered during his Gu poison attacks. If his heart condition were true, why the pain of Gu poison outbreaks?
Ji Zizhao tightened her grip on the medical record, a chill creeping up her spine as her thoughts raced.
"Is the eldest daughter of the Ji family here?" a voice suddenly called from outside.
Ji Zizhao placed the damp medical record back on the shelf, quickly composed her swirling thoughts, and opened the door to step out.
In the courtyard stood an unfamiliar wet nurse.
Upon seeing Ji Zizhao, the wet nurse stepped forward eagerly, her face etched with urgency, "Miss Ji Renran sprained her ankle today while speaking with the eldest daughter of the Ji family in the palace. Consort Xi specially sent an imperial physician for Miss Ji Renran. Supervisor Jiang was summoned to attend, but he caused Miss Ji Renran pain, and Consort Xi is punishing him!"