“Imperial Grandmother—” Princess Zhenzhen suddenly looked toward Empress Dowager Yang with a face full of shock, only to meet the Empress Dowager’s gaze as calm as still water.

Her hands, hidden within her wide sleeves, clenched tightly, her pink nails turning pale white. Under the Empress Dowager’s watchful eyes, she slowly raised her hand to her veil.

“Zhenzhen—” Jiang Shiran couldn’t help but cry out.

She didn’t understand why the Empress Dowager, who was her good friend’s grandmother, would be so heartless as to make Princess Zhenzhen remove her veil in front of everyone.

Princess Zhenzhen paid no heed to Jiang Shiran’s words. Steeling her heart, she directly pulled off the veil, revealing a face too horrible to look at.

She stared fixedly at Qiao Zhao, her body trembling slightly.

Exposing this face in front of everyone made Princess Zhenzhen feel deeply humiliated. But she had no choice—she had already lost everything. Could she afford to lose the Empress Dowager’s affection as well?

She wasn’t even afraid of death now, but she felt so unwilling, unwilling to have her prime years ruined like this.

Imperial Grandmother had said she was a princess of the imperial family and would seek renowned physicians everywhere for her. Although she felt desperate after Physician Li’s death, what if there was still a chance? What if someone could still heal her face?

For that slim possibility, she wouldn’t give up.

“Third Miss Li, you have seen the Ninth Princess’s condition,” Empress Dowager Yang said, her expression dark as water.

Her son was single-mindedly pursuing longevity and had been a hands-off emperor for many years. The ministers had long been secretly dissatisfied. As the Empress Dowager, she couldn’t be too willful—she had to find solid evidence of wrongdoing before punishing anyone, lest she be criticized.

Fortunately, Zhenzhen was a sensible child.

Qiao Zhao was severely shocked by Princess Zhenzhen’s face. She truly hadn’t expected the Princess’s condition to be this serious.

“Empress Dowager, may I move closer? That way I can see more clearly.”

A flash of anger crossed Princess Zhenzhen’s eyes.

Jiang Shiran’s brows shot up: “Third Miss Li, don’t go too far!”

“Come forward,” Empress Dowager Yang said in a heavy voice.

She wanted to see how this little girl would handle this. The more she acted without knowing her place now, the harder she would cry later.

Noble Consort Li secretly clenched her fists, her neatly trimmed, beautiful nails digging into her palms as she thought darkly: How dare she mock my daughter like this? I’ll remember this debt. Even if the Empress Dowager doesn’t handle it, I’ll settle this score when I get the chance.

Qiao Zhao seemed oblivious to the treacherous undercurrents in the hall. She calmly walked about half a zhang away from Princess Zhenzhen and stood still, staring intently at the Princess.

Princess Zhenzhen endured it with lowered eyelashes, but finally couldn’t bear it anymore. She simply met her gaze, biting her lip and remaining motionless, though her eyes looked as if they wanted to devour the person before her alive.

Look all you want, look all you want—go ahead and look your fill! This Princess wants you to have nightmares tonight!

Qiao Zhao looked at Princess Zhenzhen, who suddenly widened her eyes, angry but trying hard to hide it, and inexplicably found it somewhat amusing. After carefully examining her, she nodded to Princess Zhenzhen and returned to her original position.

Empress Dowager Yang said flatly: “Have you finished looking?”

Qiao Zhao bowed in courtesy: “I have finished looking.”

“Then what does Third Miss Li have to say to this Dowager?”

Qiao Zhao sighed: “I have something to say to Miss Jiang.”

“Speak,” Empress Dowager Yang said, picking up her teacup.

Qiao Zhao looked at Jiang Shiran: “Miss Jiang, seeing Her Highness’s condition, I only want to say that using the wrong medicine can kill people.”

“What do you mean?” Noticing that everyone’s eyes were on her, Jiang Shiran’s face flushed.

Qiao Zhao glanced sympathetically at Princess Zhenzhen and explained: “Her Highness’s facial festering is due to toxin invasion. The discharge of yellow fluid is the process of toxins being expelled outward. At this point, it’s still far from the time for scabbing. But Miss Jiang gave the Princess scar-removing medicine, which is equivalent to forcibly promoting scabbing in these festering areas. This way, all the toxins are trapped within the skin. The toxins and the medicine’s properties are like two opposing armies at war—the more intense the battle, the more tragic the battlefield becomes…”

She didn’t continue, but everyone understood what she meant.

Princess Zhenzhen looked at Jiang Shiran with a pale face.

Jiang Shiran panicked inwardly and bit her lip: “Zhenzhen, she’s talking nonsense to shirk responsibility! What toxin invasion, what two armies fighting—she’s not even a doctor. It’s complete gibberish!”

Whether it was gibberish or not, the others present had their understanding.

Empress Dowager Yang set down her teacup, glanced sideways at Princess Zhenzhen, and asked Qiao Zhao: “Third Miss Li, you say the Ninth Princess’s face became like this due to toxin invasion? How can you prove your words are true?”

“It’s simple. I can help Her Highness expel the toxins from her face.”

Princess Zhenzhen suddenly stood up and exclaimed: “Are you speaking the truth?”

Qiao Zhao remained calm: “Your Highness, please don’t get excited. I have more to say first. After the toxins are expelled, it will only stop your face from festering and will look somewhat better than now. But the scars that remain will need separate treatment.”

“First, help the Ninth Princess expel the toxins from her face,” Empress Dowager Yang decided directly.

Noble Consort Li was very worried: “Empress Dowager, shouldn’t we consult the imperial physicians first?”

Letting a young girl mess with her daughter’s face seemed too rash.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Noble Consort Li and simply asked Princess Zhenzhen: “Zhenzhen, what do you think?”

Princess Zhenzhen said decisively: “Please let Third Miss Li treat your granddaughter.”

Even the Director of the Imperial Medical Academy was helpless—what opinion was there to seek? Since she needed someone to treat her, she might as well be decisive about it.

Thinking of this, Princess Zhenzhen nodded slightly to Qiao Zhao: “I entrust myself to Miss Li.”

Empress Dowager Yang followed up: “Whatever Third Miss Li needs, speak directly to Laixi.”

“Could you arrange a quiet room?” Qiao Zhao asked the Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager Yang nodded: “Certainly. Laixi, lead the Ninth Princess and Third Miss Li there.”

Jiang Shiran refused to believe that this girl, who was even younger than herself, could treat illness and expel toxins. She lifted her feet and followed them.

Qiao Zhao wrote down the needed items and handed the list to Eunuch Laixi to collect. Once the medicinal materials were gathered, she mixed them in proper proportions, added honey and other substances to make a medicinal paste. After applying acupuncture to Princess Zhenzhen, she evenly applied the paste to her face and said gently: “Your Highness should sleep for a while. When you wake up, you can wash off the medicinal paste from your face.”

“This Princess… cannot sleep…” Because her face was covered with the medicinal paste, Princess Zhenzhen’s voice was faint, just like her current anxious mood.

Could her face still be saved?

“You will fall asleep,” Qiao Zhao said, extending both hands to gently massage Princess Zhenzhen’s scalp.

Drowsiness overcame her, and Princess Zhenzhen unknowingly closed her eyes.

Qiao Zhao stood up. Noble Consort Li, who had been sitting not far away, also stood: “Miss Li, the Princess—”

“Her Highness has fallen asleep. Your Ladyship should wait outside and let her sleep well,” Qiao Zhao said softly.

“How long will she sleep?”

“About an hour and a half.”

An hour and a half later, Princess Zhenzhen woke up. Qiao Zhao personally helped her clean her face and said gently, “Please have the eunuch bring a mirror for Her Highness to see.”

The mirror was placed before her, but Princess Zhenzhen kept her head lowered, not daring to raise it for a long time.