Princess Qinghua watched as Yun Chu walked up the stairs and knocked on the door.

She directly laughed in anger: “This princess already said that Doctor Wu won’t see anyone. What, do you think you’re that special one?”

As soon as her words fell, the door opened.

A young servant walked out: “So it’s Miss Yun. Please come in quickly. Doctor Wu has been waiting for a long time.”

Yun Chu smiled and nodded, stepping inside.

Princess Qinghua’s eyes were full of disbelief.

This—how could this be possible?

She was noble as a princess, yet hadn’t been permitted to enter. What gave Yun Chu the right?

On what basis—being a widow, being divorced, being from the declined Yun family?

Princess Qinghua took a quick step up the stairs and also followed through the door: “Didn’t Doctor Wu say he had business today and wouldn’t see guests? How is it that when this princess came he had business, but when others came they’re invited in? Looking down on this princess is one thing, but can Doctor Wu bear the crime of despising the imperial court?”

“The Princess’s words are too severe.” Just as she was speaking, Wu Yun walked out.

This was the first time Yun Chu had seen Wu Yun in half a year.

That man who originally had a face full of abscesses and wore a black cloak now wore light-colored robes, had his hair bound up, and showed his face.

Although there were still scars and pockmarks of various sizes on his face, it was much, much better than half a year ago.

Moreover, in those eyes of his was full of hope for the future after gaining a new lease on life.

“I have been under my master’s tutelage for less than a year. My learning is still shallow, so I dare not treat the Princess’s illness.” Wu Yun’s voice was humble but not servile. “Princess, please return.”

Princess Qinghua immediately became angry.

She had even brought out the crime of despising the imperial court, yet this Wu Yun still didn’t care. Very well!

She flung her sleeves and left.

Seeing that Yun Chu was slightly worried, Wu Yun said: “My master once said that when dealing with members of the imperial family, you cannot give them face. If my master were like worldly people in showing that kind of respect to the imperial family, then my master would certainly be confined within the imperial city. How could there be opportunities to travel the world? Miss Yun, please come inside.”

Yun Chu set her mind at ease. With Doctor Si backing him up, Princess Qinghua simply couldn’t do anything to Wu Yun.

As she walked, she said: “After returning to the capital, have you gone to see your mother?”

Wu Yun’s face showed a sincere smile: “Thanks to Miss Yun’s assistance, I was able to meet my master, cure this strange illness, and become my master’s disciple… This past half year I was in Qingzhou while my mother remained in the capital. It was all thanks to Miss Yun’s care that my mother gained weight and became much younger. Miss Yun’s great kindness and virtue—I don’t even know how to repay you. Therefore, I specially asked my master for a childbirth pill. My master spent eighteen years to create this one pill.”

He handed a pill to Yun Chu.

Yun Chu: “…”

It wasn’t that she couldn’t bear children—she didn’t want to, and there was no need to.

“Thank you for your kind intentions, but it’s not necessary.” Yun Chu returned it. “It would be better to keep it for someone who needs it.”

Wu Yun was very puzzled.

His master had said that although Miss Yun could bear children, her body needed a very long time of conditioning. If she took this pill, she would definitely be able to conceive within three months.

Miss Yun was about to marry into Prince Pingxi’s mansion, marry into the imperial family. If she didn’t have her own children, it would be as difficult as could be.

He thought he had given the right gift to repay her kindness, but unexpectedly Miss Yun didn’t want it.

Before long, Duling, Du Ying, and her fiancé, the son of the Vice Left Commander, also arrived.

Yun Chu, as the intermediary, made introductions for both parties. Then Wu Yun took out Doctor Si’s case files and examined the patient’s pulse while comparing them.

“This illness isn’t terminal. The main issue is that it’s rare, so the medicine hasn’t been prescribed correctly, which is why it’s gotten increasingly serious.” Wu Yun released the pulse. “My master encountered a patient with a similar condition a few years ago. Using acupuncture therapy was very effective. For the first treatment course, come daily for acupuncture. After seven days, change to once every three days. After another seven days…”

This speech let the Vice Left Commander’s son see hope. Duling and Du Ying also breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

They stayed behind to continue with acupuncture while Yun Chu got up to return.

She couldn’t just throw all the embroidering of wedding items entirely to her mother to handle. When it came down to it, she was the one getting married, and moreover, this was a marriage she looked forward to.

Returning to the courtyard, Madam Lin and the eight embroiderers were still discussing some details. Yun Chu felt that if they continued chatting like this, they could discuss for three days and three nights without coming to any conclusion.

She walked over and said: “This hundred-flowers brocade wedding dress looks very nice.”

Madam Lin asked: “Since it’s hundred-flowers brocade, which hundred flowers will they be? We need to select carefully.”

Several embroiderers nodded and seriously began naming flowers.

Yun Chu: “…”

One hundred types of flowers, to slowly select—this… her head was already spinning.

Forget it. She had truly tried her best. Let it be like this.

She sneakily slipped out of the warm pavilion.

The next morning, on the seventh day of the first month, even the court ministers had formally returned to court, yet Chu Yi still had no news.

Yun Chu’s heart grew even more worried.

She coldly finished her breakfast alone when suddenly Tingxue came hurriedly to report: “Miss, an imperial decree has come from the palace.”

Her fingers paused.

Her first thought was that it was about the bestowed marriage.

But then upon reflection, Chu Yi wasn’t in the imperial city. The Emperor probably wouldn’t bestow the marriage at this time.

It might also be that yesterday she had encountered Princess Qinghua by chance, and Princess Qinghua had gone to make false accusations, so that’s why…

While pondering, Yun Chu had already quickly proceeded to the front courtyard.

The one who came to relay the message was the great eunuch by the Emperor’s side. Eunuch Gao smiled and said: “Court Lady Yun, the Emperor summons you. Please follow this servant into the palace.”

Yun Chu lowered her head: “Please allow this court lady to change clothes.”

Eunuch Gao saw that she was wearing home clothes, so naturally he nodded to allow her to go.

Yun Chu’s heart felt somewhat uneasy.

If it were Princess Qinghua making accusations, there was no way she could have persuaded the Emperor to specially send Eunuch Gao to relay a message.

It must be some important matter.

As she changed clothes, she said to Tingfeng: “Go relay a message to the Yun family, just say that I’ve been summoned into the palace by the Emperor.”

Tingfeng nodded and immediately went to the Yun family.

Yun Chu changed into an appropriate outfit and took a carriage to follow to the palace.

She walked for quite a while before finally following Eunuch Gao to the entrance of the Imperial Study.

“Your Majesty, Court Lady Yun has arrived.”

“Announce her.”

Yun Chu lowered her head and entered the Imperial Study.

This was her first time entering here. According to the rules, she couldn’t raise her head. She knelt down to perform obeisance. Only after hearing the voice above say to rise did she stand up.

From the corner of her eye, she saw several pairs of shoes. Based on the shoes, she judged that those present also included the Empress and Consort Yin.

“The weather is cold. You must be cold from walking all this way. Someone, bring a cup of hot tea.” The Empress spoke very gently.

Yun Chu curtsied: “Thank you, Empress, for bestowing tea.”

“Miss Yun is a clever person. This palace and His Majesty won’t speak in riddles.” The Empress continued, “A few days ago, the Imperial Astrologer matched the eight characters for Miss Yun and Yi’er, and also asked the venerable elder to examine the eight characters. The results are somewhat… unsatisfactory.”

Speaking to this point, the Empress sighed.

Back when her nephew Gongsun Ning wanted to marry Yun Chu, Yun Chu herself had said that her female official star was weak, somewhat meaning she brought misfortune to husbands.

She was afraid of affecting this marriage arrangement and had deliberately not mentioned this matter to the Emperor. Unexpectedly, it was still calculated by the Imperial Astrologer.

Yun Chu’s face showed no surprise.

From the moment she saw that Consort Yin was here, she knew that today’s mobilization of forces to summon her to the palace must definitely be for the marriage matter.