Empress Xu raised her hand to drink tea, then casually ordered, "Send Physician Sun over to take a look."
"Just say that this palace knows Eldest Miss Pei is ill and is very worried, so I've specifically sent him over," Empress Xu continued.
Granny Zhao's heart tightened, and she immediately understood the Empress's intention.
Physician Sun was Empress Xu's person.
In the end, whether Eldest Miss Pei's illness was mild or severe would be up to the Empress to decide, wouldn't it?
Moreover, this way, Her Ladyship could also gain a virtuous reputation for caring about Eldest Miss Pei.
...
Jin Ning lay in bed for a long time before her frozen body began to warm up.
At this time, the imperial physician also arrived.
Jin Ning then extended her hand, allowing the imperial physician to take her pulse.
Haitang's voice came from the side, "Miss, Empress knows you are ill and is very concerned, so she specifically sent Physician Sun over."
Hearing this, Jin Ning looked up at Physician Sun with some surprise.
Physician Sun was in his fifties, slightly plump, and looked very amiable. It was said that his medical skills were also superb, and his reputation was quite good.
But...
this person was Empress Xu's subordinate.
Therefore, he could not be trusted at all.
She did not believe that Empress Xu would be so kind as to send an imperial physician to treat her.
The reason for sending an imperial physician to see her today was probably to find out how serious her illness was. If she was seriously ill... then it would be easy to get rid of her without leaving any trace.
If she was not seriously ill.
Perhaps, she could also find a way to make her illness worse.
Pei Jingchuan stood by worriedly and asked with great urgency, "How is Ning Ning now?"
After taking her pulse, Physician Sun looked at Pei Jingchuan with a heavy expression, "Eldest Miss Pei's emotions are suppressed, and she has caught a chill, resulting in a cold."
"Get to the point!" Pei Jingchuan became even more anxious.
"Her illness is very dangerous... with the slightest carelessness, she could lose her life." Physician Sun looked at Jin Ning, whose face was pale on the bed, with a look of pity and sighed powerlessly.
"I will now prescribe medicine for Eldest Miss Pei," Physician Sun continued.
Haitang followed Physician Sun out.
Only Jin Ning and Pei Jingchuan were left in the room.
Pei Jingchuan walked to the bedside, bent down, picked up Jin Ning's arm that she had just placed outside, and intended to tuck it back under the covers for her.
But the moment Pei Jingchuan's hand touched Jin Ning's arm.
Jin Ning forcefully pulled her arm back.
As her arm was raised, her sleeve slipped, revealing a wrist covered in purplish-blue scratch marks.
These were left today when Pei Jinning grabbed her hand and dragged her to see the Marquis Yong'an.
Seeing this, Pei Jingchuan was slightly stunned. He couldn't help but recall how Jin Ning looked when she was ill a few years ago.
Looking at Jin Ning's pale and fragile appearance again, Pei Jingchuan's heart softened, and he even felt a sense of guilt.
Jin Ning had been away from home for three years, and she had only been back for two days. How could their brother-and-sister relationship have deteriorated to this point?
He called out in a hoarse voice, "Ning Ning..."
Jin Ning pretended not to hear.
Pei Jingchuan reached out again to check the temperature of Jin Ning's forehead.
However, Jin Ning turned her head to the inner side of the bed, avoiding Pei Jingchuan's hand.
Regarding family affection, regarding this Second Brother, she had held hope, yearned for it, and looked forward to it.
But now.
She had long since seen through it all.
It was impossible for her and Pei Jingchuan to go back to how they were before.
Pei Jingchuan's hand met empty air, and at that moment, he suddenly felt a void in his heart.
Jin Ning's weak but cold voice came, "I am tired and want to rest. Brother, please leave."
Pei Jingchuan wanted to say something more, but at this moment, Jin Ning had completely turned away and closed her eyes.
Pei Jingchuan looked at Jin Ning's back and said with a slightly hoarse voice, "Ning Ning, I know you don't want to talk to me, but... I still want to tell you that no matter what, you are my sister, and that will never change."
After Pei Jingchuan finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Jin Ning was silent for a moment before turning around.
The room was empty; Pei Jingchuan had already left.
Jin Ning slightly furrowed her brows, "But I will never regard you as my brother again."
...
Not long after, Haitang returned with the medicinal soup.
"Miss, please drink it while it's hot. Physician Sun said he specifically added many nourishing herbs to help you recover quickly."
Haitang said this with a smile, "Empress is truly concerned about you."
Jin Ning looked at the bowl of medicine, her gaze flickering slightly.
Recover quickly? Concerned?
If she didn't drink it, she might just get sick for a while. Her body had always been healthy, and a cold illness wouldn't be fatal.
If she drank it, even if she didn't die immediately, it would be like a slow draining of life.
She wanted to break off the engagement but was unwilling to bear the consequences of defying an imperial decree or the bad reputation of breaking faith.
Therefore, she wanted to use such methods to ruin her and eliminate her.
As an Empress, her methods were indeed extraordinary.
Jin Ning said, "Put it down."
Haitang said, "Let me feed you the medicine, Miss."
"Put it down!" Jin Ning looked at Haitang and said in a deep voice.
Haitang was slightly stunned, somewhat surprised. She had been with her young lady for a long time, and her young lady had never scolded her like this before. What was happening?
Jin Ning said helplessly, "I'm in a bad mood and want to be alone. I know you care about me. Don't worry, I will drink the medicine."
Only then did Haitang walk out.
Jin Ning propped herself up, picked up the bowl of medicine with a blank expression, and poured it away.
Then, she began to ponder.
Shiliu could not be used, and Haitang could not be fully trusted... She needed someone truly loyal to her by her side to act more conveniently.
Of course, most importantly, she could not rely on anyone in the Yong'an Marquis Manor.
She needed to find an opportunity as soon as possible to add some chips to that Emperor's heart, then reveal her identity and seek his protection.
Otherwise, she really didn't know if she could survive.
Thinking of her current predicament, Jin Ning couldn't help but think of her grandfather... If grandfather were still here... If grandfather were still here, how wonderful it would be!
It hadn't been long after Pei Jingchuan left.
Madam Song came by again.
Jin Ning did not want to speak with Madam Song, so she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
Madam Song, inside the room, put on a show and gave a few orders, "Make the charcoal fire warmer. If the Eldest Miss feels unwell, inform me immediately."
By this time, it was already dark.
No one else came to see Jin Ning.
At first, she was pretending to sleep, and later, she genuinely fell asleep.
The three years she spent as a ghost, never sleeping a wink, had brought Jin Ning only one benefit: it made her sleep exceptionally well now.
Even though immense matters weighed on her heart at this moment, she still slept soundly through the night.
...
Early morning, Qifeng Palace.
When Xiao Yi entered, Empress Xu was holding a string of prayer beads, her face full of worry as she pondered something.
After Xiao Yi sat down, Empress Xu seemed to just realize his presence, "Your subject greets Your Majesty. I was lost in thought just now and didn't realize Your Majesty had arrived. Please forgive this subject's transgression."
Before Xiao Yi could ask, Granny Zhao, standing nearby, took it upon herself to explain, "Last night, Her Ladyship heard that Eldest Miss Pei was ill and sent an imperial physician to see her. Who knew the imperial physician would return and report... that Eldest Miss Pei's condition was not good."
"Her Ladyship is very worried and did not sleep soundly all night. She woke up early this morning to pray for Eldest Miss Pei," Granny Zhao continued.
Hearing this, Xiao Yi raised his eyes and asked, "Eldest Miss Pei? Pei Jinning?"
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