Xiao Jinyao gazed into Su Yunzhao’s deep, pond-like eyes but ultimately said nothing.
Su Yunzhao naturally made the bed and lay down on it.
“Heir Apparent, we must rise early tomorrow for the palace visit, so it’s best to rest now. If you’re unaccustomed to sharing a bed, please find another room for yourself.”
Her tone remained as natural as ever, as if stating the obvious.
Xiao Jinyao wasn’t sure how he ended up lying down, but he managed to say, “When we enter the palace tomorrow, refrain from saying anything unnecessary. Too many words invite trouble.”
Su Yunzhao replied, “Rest assured, Heir Apparent. If I cause trouble, I’ll bear the responsibility alone. If I bring honor, I’ll share a bit with you.”
Xiao Jinyao furrowed his brows briefly before relaxing. This person’s way of speaking was indeed a style he had never encountered before.
Before long, Su Yunzhao had fallen asleep. By the moonlight, Xiao Jinyao studied her delicate and lovely face.
How could Marquis Wei Bei bear to marry such a beautiful daughter to a sickly man like himself?
He was certain that Marquis Wei Bei’s family had no idea Su Yunzhao knew medicine. They had sent her here to accompany him in death, not to cure him…
A young woman sent to a dying man—her earlier extreme behavior was perhaps understandable…
Early the next morning, after waking up, Su Yunzhao changed directly into the ceremonial attire that had been delivered to the marquis’s residence along with her wedding dress before the ceremony. Once again, she looked completely refreshed.
“Heir Apparent, we may leave now.” Su Yunzhao carried her small medicine chest, feeling somewhat nervous.
She had yet to meet the Emperor of this world.
Rumors said he cared deeply for Xiao Jinyao. If not for his insistence over the years, Xiao Jinyao’s position as heir apparent would likely have been lost long ago.
But among the imperial family, who was truly simple?
Xiao Jinyao had changed into his clothes, but the luxurious attire could not conceal his sickly pallor.
When they reached the gate, the gatekeeper informed them that the prince had already taken the second young master and his wife into the palace.
Seeing their cautious demeanor, Xiao Jinyao merely said, “Understood,” without any additional reaction.
Su Yunzhao was not surprised. Empress Dowager had always favored Prince An, her youngest son. Because Xiao Jinyao’s health had always been poor, Empress Dowager also paid more attention to her grandson, Xiao Luofan.
Since the Emperor had summoned them, Empress Dowager naturally did not want Xiao Luofan and Su Yunxiu to lose face.
“What? Are there no other carriages in the residence? Since His Highness left early, does that mean we cannot go?” Su Yunzhao asked directly.
The gatekeeper quickly replied, “Of course not. It’s just that if the Heir Apparent and Consort wish to catch up with His Highness, you might need to hurry…”
Su Yunzhao did not press him further and said lightly, “His Highness knows my husband is unwell and did not wait for him to depart together. I doubt he minds if my husband arrives later. Why should we rush to catch up?”
Upon hearing this, the gatekeeper dared not respond.
Xiao Jinyao had just boarded the carriage without issue, but as the journey progressed, his complexion began to look increasingly unwell.
Using her small medicine chest, Su Yunzhao retrieved a potent health-preserving pill from her Mini-Pharmacy and handed it to Xiao Jinyao.
“If you’re feeling unwell, Heir Apparent, take this first.”
Xiao Jinyao glanced at it warily. “What is this?”
"Of course, it's something good to help the heir apparent alleviate his condition. Having offended so many people, if anything were to truly happen to the heir apparent, what kind of good days could I possibly have…"
Seeing the sincerity all over her face, Xiao Jinyao recalled the acupuncture she had performed on him that day and finally convinced himself to take the pill and swallow it.
A moment later, the comfort that spread throughout his body left him deeply astonished.
Over the years, he had tried countless methods, none as effective as the Xuanmen Eight Needles from that day. He had also taken innumerable medicines, none as immediately effective as the pill he had just taken.
"Did you also learn to make this medicine from a medical book by chance while in the Su family?" Xiao Jinyao asked.
Su Yunzhao's eyes sparkled: "You could say so, but the Su family has always looked down on anything I brought out."
Xiao Jinyao closed his eyes and said, "They are blind…"
The carriage swayed along until it reached the palace gates.
Xiao Jinyao and Su Yunzhao alighted from the carriage and saw someone already waiting there.
"This old servant greets the heir apparent and the Consort of the Heir Apparent…"
A eunuch respectfully approached, bowing in greeting.
"Eunuch Huang, please rise."
"His Majesty is already waiting. May the heir apparent and the Consort of the Heir Apparent follow this old servant…"
Eunuch Huang was very composed, making no mistakes throughout.
He had also prepared a sedan chair in advance for Xiao Jinyao to sit in.
However, shortly after they set off, they saw a group of people approaching from a distance, led by an elderly eunuch.
Recognizing the newcomer, Eunuch Huang immediately inquired politely, "Eunuch Lin, does Empress Dowager have any instructions?"
When Eunuch Lin looked at Xiao Jinyao and Su Yunzhao, his eyes did not hold the complete reverence a servant typically shows toward nobility.
"Empress Dowager learned that His Majesty summoned Prince An's heir apparent and his consort to the palace today. Coincidentally, Prince An brought the second young master and his new wife to pay their respects early this morning. She thought it would be better to seize the opportunity, as the Consort of the Heir Apparent and the second young master's wife both originally come from Weibei Houfu and are now sisters-in-law. It would be good for everyone to meet together. At this moment, His Majesty and the Empress have already set off for Empress Dowager's palace…"
Su Yunzhao thought to herself, indeed, this Empress Dowager, despite her age, was not idle and had come to stir up trouble.
Xiao Jinyao remained silent. He did not like this imperial grandmother.
Eunuch Huang knew he could not take them away now, so he calmly followed behind Eunuch Lin toward Empress Dowager's palace.
Upon entering the palace gates and reaching outside the bedchamber, they could already hear bursts of laughter from inside—Su Yunxiu's and that of a vigorous elderly woman.
Presumably, this was Empress Dowager.
Indeed, for a favored grandson, even if he was born of a concubine, his new wife was equally favored.
When Xiao Jinyao and Su Yunzhao appeared in the bedchamber, everyone's attention turned toward them.
Su Yunzhao properly paid her respects and had not yet had time to observe the people present when she heard Empress Dowager say, "So you are Yao'er's Consort of the Heir Apparent?"
"Replying to Imperial Grandmother, that is correct."
Empress Dowager's well-maintained face showed a trace of disdain.
"Do you know your mistake?"
This remark made even the Emperor, who had just arrived, feel somewhat awkward, while Su Yunxiu listened with a look of triumph.
"Mother…" the Emperor attempted to say something.
Prince An interjected from the side, "Imperial Brother, Mother is reprimanding Yunzhao. We should not interrupt…"
Su Yunzhao had long thought that if others respected her, she would naturally reciprocate with respect; if others looked down on her, there was no need for her to curry favor.
As if suddenly enlightened, she respectfully said, "In reply to Your Majesty, I know I was wrong…"
Xiao Jinyao raised an eyebrow, wondering what mischief she was up to.
The Empress Dowager thought her show of authority had worked and asked further, "Since you know you were wrong, tell me what exactly you did wrong."
Su Yunxiu eagerly brought over a cup of tea like offering a treasure. The Empress Dowager took it and patted her hand.
But Su Yunzhao's words nearly made her drop the teacup.
"My mistake was that on our wedding night, when my husband fell ill, I should not have volunteered to treat him with acupuncture but should have watched him die."