At first, Qi Yue had worried that the Emperor would want to go in and observe Little Prince Sima after surgery, perhaps even lift the sheets to look at the wound and such.

After all, this was intensive care, and while she could stop others, it wouldn’t be appropriate to stop the Emperor. However, the Emperor only stood at the partition door, glanced inside, and walked away. Qi Yue even felt he hadn’t really seen anything.

What a good comrade. Qi Yue was pleased she didn’t need to waste her breath.

“Your Majesty is wise,” she said.

The Emperor turned to look at her.

“Your Majesty, seeing a surgical scene for the first time without any panic, knowing it was treatment so not making a fuss, and not rushing to see the patient now—all because you understand everything should follow the doctor’s orders for the patient’s good,” Qi Yue said, looking at him with admiration. “Only someone as wise and mighty as Your Majesty would understand this without needing us doctors to explain.”

How shameless…

The Sima family members nearby were dumbfounded.

This was the first time they’d seen someone flatter so blatantly.

The Emperor clearly had no need to go see Little Prince Sima, but in this woman’s mouth, it became wise and mighty!

And the main purpose was to step on them!

True, they had clamored to go in, but wasn’t that normal? Which patient’s treatment doesn’t allow family visits?

How did this become unwise and unmighty?

She really dared! The Emperor wasn’t a fool!

This woman!

“If you can’t cure him, you’ll truly know how wise and mighty this Emperor is,” the Emperor said, looking at the woman with her worshipful expression.

“With Your Majesty’s wisdom and might present, Little Prince Sima will surely recover completely,” Qi Yue said with a bow.

Is this what a doctor says?

The Sima family members gritted their teeth again.

This should be what charlatans and Taoist priests say!

The Emperor said nothing more. His expression was calm as he turned and walked out.

Everyone bowed to see off His Majesty. No one saw the Emperor’s face suddenly break into silent laughter as he turned around.

This woman was too detestable!

The night passed without incident.

Qi Yue took over the morning shift before going to sleep, but perhaps because of the change of location, she couldn’t sleep soundly.

“Sister, lie over there.”

Someone pushed her.

This was her younger brother. Qi Yue saw she was lying on the sofa at home, with their mother cooking in the kitchen across the way.

This was a scene that only appeared in their house on weekends.

“Didn’t you go pick up Nan Nan?” Qi Yue asked, sitting up and looking at her brother, who was already sitting on the sofa watching a ball game.

“Sister, did you sleep so long you got stupid?” Her brother’s eyes didn’t leave the screen. “Didn’t sister and brother-in-law take Nan Nan abroad? She won’t be back until the end of the year.”

Qi Yue made a sound of acknowledgment and touched her head. The door opened.

“I’m back from walking the dog. Is Xiao Yue awake? She’s been sleeping quite long—should be awake by now, right?” Her father’s voice came in.

First through the door was a large dog, wagging its tail and pouncing toward her.

Qi Yue quickly raised her hands to block, but the thick dog fur still got in her face.

Before suffocating, Qi Yue opened her eyes and breathed heavily.

The room was filled with rosy light, and in the light and shadow, a man smiled, showing white teeth.

“Why are you staring blankly? Did you sleep yourself stupid?” Chang Yuncheng laughed, putting down the fan in his hand.

Qi Yue blinked at him.

“You suddenly sat up and bumped into this fan. It’s not like I was tickling you with it,” Chang Yuncheng said hastily.

Qi Yue spat and reached out to pinch Chang Yuncheng’s face without getting up.

Chang Yuncheng laughed and dodged.

“You’re lying,” Qi Yue said, breaking into a smile. “How did you get here?”

“Me? The Ministry of War had business, so I came along,” Chang Yuncheng said, straightening his clothes.

He was wearing official robes, though not the fifth-rank Military Strategy General attire from before. He had been demoted to sixth-rank Defense Official a while ago and hadn’t yet changed to the new uniform. Then due to the Rao Yufang incident, he was demoted again, and his current position was just a squad leader under the Zhangye Guard.

The new uniform hadn’t been made yet, so Chang Yuncheng was just wearing the most ordinary military attire.

Thinking of this, Chang Yuncheng hastily covered his clothing.

Actually, he was overthinking—Qi Yue couldn’t tell so much from just looking at clothes.

“Oh,” she drew out the sound. “You didn’t come especially to see me?”

Chang Yuncheng nodded with mock seriousness.

Qi Yue laughed and hugged his arm.

“Silly, you’re not convincing at all,” she laughed.

Chang Yuncheng smiled and pulled her close with one arm.

“I was worried sick, climbing through doors and windows to get in, and there you were, sleeping so sweetly. A’Ru said you’d been sleeping for almost a day…” he said, reaching to pinch her face. “Drooling all over your face…”

Qi Yue quickly wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

“What? Disgusted? Even a beauty drooling is still a beauty,” she snorted.

“Such vanity!” Chang Yuncheng laughed and pushed her forehead.

As he said this, he glanced outside.

“Seeing you puts my mind at ease. Keep sleeping,” he said.

Qi Yue held onto his arm and wouldn’t let go.

“We haven’t seen each other for over a day—it feels like three seasons,” she said, blinking pitifully.

Chang Yuncheng laughed heartily and pushed her forehead again.

“Smooth talker!” he laughed. “This master doesn’t fall for that.”

His mouth was grinning from ear to ear! Still claiming he didn’t fall for it!

Qi Yue laughed and pinched his face.

Seeing her expression, Chang Yuncheng couldn’t help grinning and laughing. Without saying or doing anything special, just sitting together like this made his heart bubble with joy.

But…

Qi Yue saw his joyful expression suddenly freeze for a moment.

“Don’t worry, I’ve successfully completed the surgery. The rest isn’t my concern. These are highly skilled imperial physicians—with them here, I can basically disappear,” she said, patting Chang Yuncheng’s arm. “I’ll leave the palace tomorrow. You’re not leaving tomorrow, right?”

Chang Yuncheng looked at the bright eyes of the woman before him and smiled again, nodding.

“It’s fine, I’ll find a way to see you,” he said. “Don’t cause trouble. Be more careful in your words and actions. This is the imperial palace—control that bad temper of yours…”

“Who has a bad temper?” Qi Yue snorted, poking his chest with her finger. “You’re the one with a bad temper. My temper is the best there is.”

Chang Yuncheng reached out again. This time Qi Yue cleverly dodged backward, not letting him pat her forehead.

“Ha, ha,” she laughed with some satisfaction.

Chang Yuncheng smiled and moved his hand downward, giving her bottom a firm pat.

“Get up, I’m leaving,” he said.

After seeing Chang Yuncheng off, Qi Yue simply washed her face and went to the temporary sickroom next door.

Using the Empress Dowager’s bedchamber as a sickroom—Little Prince Sima could consider it worthwhile.

Qi Yue looked around the room.

After changing clothes and entering, she saw A’Ru making records, one imperial physician taking the pulse, and two other imperial physicians discussing medication adjustments.

All these people had been disinfected and were wearing gowns and masks according to A’Ru’s requirements.

“Has he woken up?” Qi Yue asked.

“He woke up, then fell asleep again,” A’Ru answered, handing her the medical record.

Qi Yue took it and looked through it.

“Stop the pain medication from now on,” she said. “When he wakes up, help him do light exercises in bed, adjust to a semi-sitting position, and prepare for getting out of bed tomorrow.”

A’Ru responded affirmatively. The imperial physicians beside her couldn’t help interjecting.

“This… moving around so soon. Will it be alright?” they asked, pointing to the drainage tube placed in Little Prince Sima’s body.

“It’s fine,” Qi Yue said, bending down to check the drainage fluid basin.

A disciple entered at this moment, carrying a syringe and medicine bottle.

“Penicillin?” Qi Yue asked.

The disciple nodded.

“Is this the medicine Lady Qi mentioned that has life-saving effects on wounded soldiers at the front?” an imperial physician asked.

Qi Yue nodded.

“More or less,” she smiled, then bowed to the imperial physicians. “However, the patient’s recovery still depends on you seniors.”

Looking at this sincere, generous woman, the imperial physicians felt much emotion.

From written accounts and others’ words, this Lady Qi was truly arrogant, rude, and discourteous. But after contact, she seemed amiable, generous, and modest.

Which doctor would generously let others observe her exclusive diagnostic techniques while also thinking of not implicating others?

On this point alone, they felt inferior.

When night fell, the Emperor put down his memorials and closed his eyes briefly.

“Enough reading,” he said, flexing his hands.

“You haven’t rested all day—your eyes can’t take it. Your Majesty, shall we go out for a walk?” Cai Zhong said hastily.

The Emperor opened his eyes.

“Where to?” he asked.

Seeing the Emperor’s expression, Cai Zhong felt awkward.

“To… to see Little Prince Sima. I heard he’s awake,” he said, steeling himself.

The Emperor said nothing, slowly stroking the cover of the memorial.

Cai Zhong felt cold sweat on his back.

“It’s good that he’s awake. This Emperor can sleep peacefully now,” the Emperor said. “Prince Sima should be arriving in the capital soon?”

Cai Zhong breathed a slight sigh of relief and responded affirmatively, not daring to say more, leading the Emperor toward the bedchamber.

Layer upon layer of curtains fell.

Cai Zhong turned to leave.

“Don’t be too clever,” came the Emperor’s faint voice from behind the curtains.

Cai Zhong immediately knelt down.

“If you’ve taken someone’s money, let them enter the palace straightforwardly,” the Emperor’s voice continued.

Cai Zhong prostrated himself and responded tremblingly.

There was no more sound from within. Only then did Cai Zhong slowly withdraw.

This time he really couldn’t figure out what the Emperor was thinking!

Not only couldn’t he understand the Emperor’s thoughts, but also Chang Yuncheng’s thoughts.

Following Cai Zhong’s orders, his people came personally to find Chang Yuncheng the next day.

Chang Yuncheng wasn’t home. He had gone to the Ministry of War early in the morning and had just finished handing over his duties. He was having a simple bowl of tea soup at a tea shop when the eunuch found him there, which surprised him somewhat.

“Is it Lady Qi…?” he asked.

“No, no, Lady Qi is fine,” the eunuch said with a smile, waving his hands with undisguised flattery. “Master Chang, I’ve taken care of what you asked me to do.”

He said this while pushing over a token.

Chang Yuncheng was even more surprised. The day before yesterday, when he learned Qi Yue had entered the palace and hadn’t come out, he tried to get news, but the Chen family ignored him. The more he heard nothing, the more worried he became. He had sought connections and spent money to enter the palace to see Lady Qi, but all his usual channels suddenly closed to him—probably seeing his stripped title and reduced position. People becoming distant when your fortune changes was normal. In the end, he had to use connections through a familiar official at the Ministry of War to get in for a look.

Why was this person coming to him proactively today, even giving him a token?

Chang Yuncheng smiled and pushed the token back.

The eunuch was stunned.

“No need,” Chang Yuncheng said. “I’ve already seen her and know she’s fine. That puts my mind at ease.”

“But you could see her a few more times for more peace of mind. Lady Qi won’t be leaving the palace anytime soon,” the eunuch said, pushing it back again.

“No need. This is fine—seeing her once put my mind at ease. Going to see her constantly would make things difficult for her instead,” Chang Yuncheng said with a smile, pushing it back again.

The eunuch was about to go crazy.

“Master Chang, you’re leaving soon. Once you go to Liaodong, who knows when you’ll be back. Why not see her more, and settle the marriage before you leave…” he said.

Chang Yuncheng’s expression paused slightly.

“Marriage… let’s forget about that,” he said.

The eunuch was even more stunned.

“Why?”

After asking this question, the eunuch was startled and quickly covered his mouth.

He knew he wasn’t a man anymore, but had his voice become feminine too?

Chang Yuncheng was also stunned. He turned toward the door.

Qi Yue stood in the doorway, looking over with a surprised expression.

“Why?” she asked again.

Only then did the eunuch see her. He breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest. Thank goodness, I haven’t turned into a woman yet…