Yun Chu’s expression was extremely complicated.

Although the Dongling Kingdom was a tiny territory, its strength was not weak. All the surrounding island nations had been annexed by it, with military forces numbering at least two to three hundred thousand or more.

Yet His Majesty had only arranged eighty thousand men to punish Dongling.

No matter how divinely Chu Yi commanded troops, it would be very difficult to gain any advantage over the Dongling Kingdom.

There were only three days.

Yun Chu immediately wrote a letter to Consort Yun.

The next morning, Consort Yun temporarily arranged a flower-viewing banquet.

It was the early summer season, with various flowers blooming in competition. Butterflies danced in the Imperial Garden, making it very lively.

“His Majesty has been ill recently, and both the front court and inner palace have been gloomy and dismal. This palace is hosting this flower-viewing banquet to let everyone relax.” Consort Yun said with a smile. “The imperial physician said His Majesty just caught a wind-cold, nothing serious. With good care, he’ll recover in a while. Everyone need not worry.”

The Eldest Princess spoke: “We must also thank Ziyue for attending to the illness, so His Majesty could recover this quickly.”

The Eldest Princess and the current Emperor were from the same mother, so she naturally had favorable feelings toward the Su family. She pulled Su Ziyue to sit beside her and talk.

Su Ziyue pursed her lips, embarrassed: “These are all things Ziyue should do.”

“Princess Consort Zhuang is too modest.” Yun Chu had a smile on her face. “I have a younger sister the same age as Princess Consort Zhuang. When I see Princess Consort Zhuang, it’s like seeing my sister.”

Su Ziyue became even more embarrassed: “Then I’ll boldly call the Crown Princess ‘elder sister.'”

“This is osmanthus cake I made myself. Although it uses dried osmanthus flowers saved from last year, the taste is quite good.” Yun Chu picked up the osmanthus cake from the plate and handed it over. “Sister Ziyue, would you like to try it?”

Consort Yin nodded: “This osmanthus cake is truly excellent. Later, Chu’er can tell Nanny Guo the recipe, and I’ll make some too.”

Su Ziyue hesitated.

Her husband had told her not to eat anything anyone handed her outside, nor to drink any tea outside, fearing the little insect inside her body would die.

However, with so many eyes watching, the Crown Princess shouldn’t hide poison in the osmanthus cake, right?

If she collapsed in full view of everyone, the Crown Princess would certainly be hard-pressed to escape blame.

Thinking this, Su Ziyue took the osmanthus cake and took a small bite: “Thank you, Crown Princess elder sister.”

Just as she swallowed one bite of osmanthus cake.

She suddenly felt a violent surge in her chest, her heart spasmed, and her hands and feet couldn’t move.

But this only lasted an instant.

In the blink of an eye, she recovered, as if the discomfort just now was only her imagination.

“Sister Ziyue, is it good?”

Yun Chu asked with a smile.

Wu Yun had said that when the offspring gu died, the host would sense it. It seemed the first offspring gu was already dead.

Su Ziyue looked at Yun Chu’s smiling face and thought to herself that she must have been overthinking just now.

She smiled in reply: “This is the first time I’ve eaten such delicious osmanthus cake.”

For some reason, she felt somewhat uneasy.

She stood up: “It’s time for Imperial Uncle to take his medicine. I need to go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Ladies, Ziyue takes her leave.”

“Princess Consort Zhuang, I’ll go too! I haven’t seen Imperial Grandfather in so long!” Chu Hongyu bounced over from the children’s table. “I just wrote a new essay and can have Imperial Grandfather review it.”

As he spoke, he grabbed Yun Chu’s hand. “Mother, didn’t you and Father discuss Imperial Grandfather’s condition early this morning? Let’s go, let’s go together.”

The other consorts actually wanted to go too.

But these past days, every time they went over, they were angrily scolded and driven away by His Majesty. Constantly receiving cold rejection, they didn’t want to move anymore.

Yun Chu looked at Su Ziyue: “Sister Ziyue, if I take Brother Yu over now, will it disturb Father Emperor’s rest?”

With this question, everyone present turned their gazes in unison to Su Ziyue’s face.

Everyone felt a sense of discord.

Yun Chu, as the daughter-in-law, was going to visit His Majesty, yet she still needed permission from Su Ziyue, the niece.

Strange, truly strange.

They also suddenly realized that these past days, aside from attending servants and some ministers, only Su Ziyue could personally approach His Majesty.

Su Ziyue was Princess Consort Zhuang, and Prince Zhuang’s identity was not simple—he was the legitimate bloodline of the Empress Dowager, the biological son of the former Crown Prince!

In an instant, everyone’s expressions changed completely.

Under these gazes, Su Ziyue said somewhat awkwardly: “Imperial Uncle mentioned Brother Yu this morning. Seeing Brother Yu come over, he’ll definitely be very happy.”

“Then let’s hurry.” Chu Hongyu held his essay in hand, rushed to the front, and quickly walked toward the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

“The rest of us shouldn’t go.” Consort Yun smiled. “His Majesty is seriously ill and can’t stand the scent of cosmetics. Going would only displease His Majesty. Let’s continue enjoying the flowers.”

Yun Chu brought Brother Yu to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Just as they entered, they saw many elder ministers kneeling at the entrance to the great hall.

“His Majesty is now seriously ill and must have the Crown Prince supervising the state. If the Crown Prince goes to the front lines, who will govern this vast country?”

“Whether in sentiment or reason, the Crown Prince shouldn’t be allowed to lead troops to the front lines. Moreover, His Majesty only gave the Crown Prince eighty thousand troops—how can we take down the Dongling Kingdom?”

“We beg His Majesty to rescind the order!”

The Emperor sat at the edge of the dragon bed, forcefully rubbing his brow.

His head felt a bit heavy. He vaguely remembered that a few afternoons ago, he inexplicably wrote an imperial edict ordering Yi’er to lead troops to the front lines to punish the Dongling Kingdom.

Thinking back now, that decision was too hasty.

A nation’s heir apparent shouldn’t go to the battlefield, and even if he did, it should be when needed.

Moreover, he had only assigned eighty thousand troops.

What had he been thinking when he wrote that imperial edict?

“Eighty thousand men is too few.” The Emperor spoke heavily, but before he could finish his words.

A petite figure entered from the hall entrance: “Imperial Uncle’s health hasn’t recovered, yet you got up without wearing your outer robe. Continuing like this, this cough will truly be hard to cure.”

The important ministers kneeling on the ground were already used to this.

These past days, whenever they came to His Majesty, this Princess Consort Zhuang was always attending at His Majesty’s side, greatly favored by His Majesty.

“Forgive Ziyue’s foolishness, but eighty thousand men is not few.” Su Ziyue spoke with an air of ignorance. “The common people of An’ding City all added together don’t even number eighty thousand.”

She had occasionally interjected in the Emperor’s discussions with ministers before.

Her husband had told her that because she had a little insect inside her body, any words she spoke would influence His Majesty’s decisions.

Her husband’s identity was special and aroused vigilance in others, so she had to fight for more benefits for her husband.

However, this time, His Majesty didn’t follow her words and change his decision as before.

Those eyes showing age from illness fell on Su Ziyue, saying coldly: “When I discuss affairs with court ministers, how do you have the qualification to speak? Also, Eunuch Gao! When I am handling court affairs, anyone entering must be announced. If there’s a next time, you need not come either.”

Eunuch Gao immediately shuddered: “Princess Consort Zhuang, please!”

Su Ziyue stood there in a daze, escorted outside the hall.

She didn’t understand why His Majesty had suddenly changed.

Previously, when she asked His Majesty to bestow some good things on her husband, His Majesty bestowed them.

When she said the palace consorts harbored ill intentions, His Majesty forbade any consorts from entering the hall to attend to him.

When she had His Majesty issue an edict ordering the Crown Prince to the front lines, His Majesty wrote the imperial edict without a word.

Why now…

Wait!

Su Ziyue’s eyes suddenly widened as she looked at Yun Chu standing outside the hall.