Upon hearing these words, Qi Yue was also startled.

Just this one sentence lifted Chen Shi’s long-suppressed mood.

“You truly are blessed by heaven,” she said with a slight turn of her head, smiling at Qi Yue.

This was the first time Chen Shi had shown a smile since they met.

Truly the emperor’s majesty – one word could determine life and death, joy and sorrow!

Qi Yue couldn’t help but sigh.

“Aunt, you jest – it’s you who are blessed,” she said hurriedly.

The eunuch ahead coughed lightly.

The two quickly stopped talking, not daring to delay. Chen Shi’s sedan chair immediately changed direction, heading toward a palace hall under the guidance of the two eunuchs.

Upon seeing the palace gates, a eunuch came forward with a smile to receive them.

It was the same plump eunuch they had encountered before.

“My young lady, it’s been so little time since we last met – why has your complexion grown so much worse?” he said in surprise, his expression worried and anxious.

Chen Shi reached up to touch her face, a trace of melancholy flashing in her eyes. She could no longer hide it now, and it would get worse in time.

“This isn’t like when I was little and you coaxed me to eat – saying such things won’t make me believe you anymore,” Chen Shi said with a slight smile.

The plump eunuch laughed and personally extended his hand to help Chen Shi from the sedan chair.

“Hurry now, His Majesty is taking a break from reviewing memorials,” he said in a low voice. Then, remembering something, he shook Chen Shi’s hand gently. “Young lady, do speak properly with His Majesty.”

Chen Shi couldn’t help but laugh again, raising her hand to swat away the plump eunuch’s hand.

“I’m already a grandmother, stop treating me like a child,” she laughed.

The plump eunuch also laughed.

“Young lady still looks best when smiling – the Grand Empress Dowager was indeed right,” he said with a smile.

At the mention of the Grand Empress Dowager, Chen Shi’s smile took on a bitter tinge.

“Alright, hurry inside,” the plump eunuch said.

Chen Shi nodded and stepped forward.

Qi Yue also hurried to follow, but the plump eunuch seemed to notice her for the first time and quickly reached out to stop her.

“Young lady, this…” he said, looking at Chen Shi with some question.

“Oh, my health isn’t good, and she’s my physician who stays with me at all times,” Chen Shi said, glancing at Qi Yue.

A physician?

The plump eunuch looked at Qi Yue with surprise.

“But, young lady, this won’t do – you know His Majesty’s temperament,” he said with difficulty.

Chen Shi hesitated. Indeed, this emperor’s temperament…

“How about this – I’ll have this madam wait in the adjacent hall, and I’ll personally stand guard here,” the plump eunuch said after a moment’s thought.

This meant that if anything happened, he would definitely bring her to Chen Shi’s side immediately.

This “anything” naturally referred to illness, though such things were taboo in the palace and couldn’t be spoken aloud.

This was the only way. At least the emperor was willing to see her, so the matter was nearly settled.

Chen Shi nodded.

“Listen well to the steward and wait here,” Chen Shi turned to whisper instructions to Qi Yue.

Qi Yue nodded, watching as Chen Shi slowly walked toward the main hall entrance.

The eunuchs standing at the door saw her and quickly, quietly took hold of the doors, pushing them open. Chen Shi stepped inside, and the doors closed again.

“This madam, please come with me,” the plump eunuch said, rubbing his hands together with a smile. “Though spring has arrived, it’s still quite cold.”

Qi Yue quickly smiled and bowed in thanks.

“Don’t be so formal,” the plump eunuch laughed, leading her toward a side hall while making small talk. “Madam Chen’s health…”

Speaking of this, Qi Yue also felt somewhat puzzled.

This time, Chen Shi’s spirit was clearly not as good as before. No, not compared to before, but compared to when she first arrived in the capital – she was like her old self again.

Her former self back at the Marquis Dingxi’s residence.

Was her illness acting up again?

Or was she worrying over Qi Yue’s affairs?

Thinking of this, Qi Yue felt guilty again. She should have told Chen Shi of her decision even if it meant quarreling with her face to face.

“Yes, her health is somewhat poor, and she’s recuperating,” she replied with lowered head.

Lost in thought while speaking, she had already entered the side hall.

“Steward!” a young eunuch ran over, calling loudly.

The plump eunuch made a sound of disapproval and immediately kicked at the approaching young eunuch.

“His Majesty has just taken a rest – what are you shouting for!” he scolded with raised eyebrows.

The young eunuch covered his stomach, not daring to cry out in pain, and quickly bowed his head.

“Master, please go take a look quickly – several ledgers don’t match up…” he said in a low voice.

The plump eunuch’s expression changed slightly.

Just then, a crash came from the side hall, as if something had fallen to the ground.

Qi Yue, already standing inside the hall, saw someone at a desk across the way frantically trying to steady himself against the table corner, but a vase still rolled off the table edge and fell to the floor. Fortunately, the floor was covered with thick carpet, so it didn’t break.

The moment the vase hit the ground, the person quickly ducked behind a nearby curtain.

“What happened?” the plump eunuch asked upon hearing the sound, leaning in from the doorway. His gaze swept across and accurately spotted the vase on the floor, his face immediately darkening. “Who’s there?”

No one answered.

The young eunuch beside him was frowning and urging him on. The plump eunuch couldn’t see anyone and had no time to deal with this matter, so he stepped forward.

“This madam, please wait here,” he said, then gave instructions to the eunuch standing by the door.

Qi Yue didn’t dare detain him, bowing and asking him to attend to his business as she watched the plump eunuch hurry away.

The room inside and outside returned to quiet, with corridor eunuchs and guards all around standing solemnly and expressionlessly.

Qi Yue stood at the hall entrance, not daring to enter or leave, so she simply stood in place and spaced out, her gaze wandering around.

This must be the emperor’s office area? It was much more imposing than the Grand Empress Dowager’s palace that Chen Shi had shown her.

As she looked around the hall, she saw the curtain move, and the person emerged from behind it, slowly walking out a few steps.

Qi Yue could see his appearance clearly – around thirty years old, wearing a simple black robe. The man also looked her way, and Qi Yue quickly lowered her gaze.

She heard a soft sound, presumably the vase being picked up and put back, followed by shuffling footsteps.

“Thank you.”

A voice spoke nearby.

Thank me for what?

Qi Yue didn’t raise her head.

“Second Steward has a bad temper – if he had caught me, I would have gotten a good scolding,” the man’s voice continued. “Thank you for not exposing me, madam.”

Qi Yue kept her head down, playing deaf and dumb.

The people in this palace were strange – she didn’t dare provoke them lightly.

“Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

The man continued asking.

Well now, this pickup line was apparently universal across all times and places.

Qi Yue snorted inwardly. Playing this game with me…

She continued to keep her head down, neither moving nor speaking.

“Do you know Elder Li?”

The man persisted undeterred.

Elder Li?

Qi Yue paused. Not many people knew about her treating Elder Li, and she had left immediately after the treatment. The Li family might have publicized her name, but not many had actually seen her in person.

Could he really have seen her before?

Qi Yue raised her head slightly for a glance. The man had moved closer, and she could see his features clearly – handsome, with an innate dignity and nobility.

No impression…

Qi Yue lowered her head again.

“Oh, the beard fell off.”

The man said again, with some amusement.

What? Qi Yue was confused for a moment, then suddenly understood and looked up at the man.

“Oh,” she said.

She still remembered the fat man with the fake beard that day. It was really quite funny – she didn’t know what kind of person would come to the Li family in disguise, and such a poor disguise at that…

A smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of Qi Yue’s mouth.

Vaguely, it seemed that fat man had been accompanied by a man who looked like a bodyguard…

So it was him?

Seeing her finally show recognition, the man smiled, but before he could finish smiling, Qi Yue had lowered her head again, continuing her act of seeing and hearing nothing.

The man’s smile froze slightly on his face.

How interesting. Usually others went to great lengths to speak with him, and now here he was making conversation himself.

He had originally planned to take one look to confirm and leave, but unexpectedly knocked over the vase and was discovered. Since he was staying anyway, and after saying a few words, he became increasingly interested.

He wanted to see how long this woman could keep this up.

“Which family are you from?”

“What’s your surname?”

“How old are you this year? You look about thirty?”

One abrupt question after another.

Qi Yue kept her head down and rolled her eyes, but stood firm as a rock, neither hearing nor responding.

The eunuchs outside remained quiet, as if they could neither hear nor see what was happening inside.

The Emperor looked at the woman before him, his smile growing deeper.

Excellent, excellent – this woman was interesting. Obviously an “I know you’re being deliberate so I’ll be deliberate too” attitude.

Any other woman would have been flustered and embarrassed by now.

But she maintained an appearance of respectful caution while actually being relaxed and at ease.

Even though the Li family would receive her at the front gate because of Chen Xue, this woman walked through that front gate far too casually and freely, with a kind of tranquil indifference to honor and disgrace.

Not everyone could possess such composure.

Bringing her into the palace twice – what was this woman’s relationship to Chen Xue…

He hadn’t sent anyone to ask Consort Dong. If he had, who knew what speculation it might cause. Better to ask himself.

Besides, he’d had enough fun teasing Chen Xue.

The Emperor stroked his chin and walked outside.

There was no bowing or greeting outside – in the eyes of these eunuchs and guards, this man seemed to be invisible.

Qi Yue exhaled in relief.

A prince? An imperial son? An immortal? A demon?

As for guards, eunuchs, and the like…

She, Qi Yue, wasn’t some unworldly young girl. Having mixed with all sorts of people in the hospital, that was a place where one could develop quite sharp judgment.

Qi Yue frowned slightly. This palace visit seemed to be getting interesting…

Meanwhile, Chen Shi was growing impatient and was about to question the standing eunuch when footsteps sounded outside.

“Sister, what a rare guest indeed.”

A hearty male voice laughed.

Chen Shi felt a great weight lift from her heart as she turned to bow.

“This subject’s wife greets Your Majesty,” she said.

The Emperor strode forward, waving his hand to indicate she should dispense with ceremony.

“Sister has been back in the capital for so long, yet if it weren’t for my invitation, sister still wouldn’t come to see me,” he said with a laugh.

The Emperor actually addressed Chen Shi as “sister” – even addressing princesses of the same generation, the emperor would only use their titles.

But at this moment, neither the one speaking nor the one hearing seemed uncomfortable, as if this was quite habitual.

The Emperor sat on the dragon throne with casual ease, stretching out his long arms and legs while looking at Chen Shi with an expression between smiling and not smiling.

Chen Shi exhaled, looked up at the Emperor once, then knelt down.

“Your Majesty, I won’t hide anything, and please don’t torment me anymore – I’ll speak plainly,” she said.

The Emperor continued looking at Chen Shi with that same ambiguous smile, saying nothing.

Chen Shi looked up at him.

“I’m going to die in a few days,” she said.

The Emperor’s smile froze slightly.

This was quite a shocking opening line.