The Empress Dowager’s cloudy eyes suddenly brightened. “Really?”
Although her headaches weren’t a serious illness, the pain was excruciating, accompanied by nausea and loss of appetite, tormenting her endlessly.
Unfortunately, the imperial physicians were all at a loss.
She had long heard that the divine physician Song He could revive the dead and mend bones with medicine. As long as a person still breathed, a few doses of his medicine could cure any illness.
However, he was eccentric by nature and traveled across the land year-round, rarely seen by anyone, let alone invited to treat illnesses.
If Jiang Qingyue truly was his disciple, it would be a great blessing for the royal family.
Jiang Qingyue smiled and stepped forward from beside Jing Mofeng. “Your Majesty, my master is indeed the divine physician Song He.”
The Empress Dowager’s expression shifted slightly. “Then come and examine me. However, as a side consort of a prince, it is presumptuous for you to address me as ‘Imperial Grandmother.’”
Jiang Qingyue immediately knelt on the ground in fear.
“It was a slip of the tongue. I beg Your Majesty to punish me.”
Huang Hou Niang Niang favored her, saying that although she was a side consort, she was equivalent to a principal consort and could address her as “Mother” just like the Third Prince.
She had assumed that the Empress Dowager would also pity her for lowering herself to become a side consort and allow her to address her as “Imperial Grandmother.”
Who would have thought this old hag would be so rigid?
“Since it is your first offense, the punishment is waived.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Emperor Jing Ye glanced at Jiang Qingyue with annoyance. “Now that you have entered the royal family, you must abide by its etiquette. Today, the Empress Dowager has been generous. If you misspeak again, you will receive thirty heavy lashes.”
He had always known that Jiang Wenxiang was a treacherous dog.
A mere concubine-born daughter, constantly rumored to be the Tianming zhi Feng—it was all his fault for not explicitly naming Jiang Qingyue in the imperial decree to marry into the Seventh Prince’s Mansion, allowing him to exploit the loophole.
Now, Jiang Qingyue was merely a prince’s side consort, yet she remained arrogant. If her pride wasn’t tempered, she would never realize her own lowly status.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Jiang Qingyue lowered her head, struggling to hold back tears of humiliation.
One day, when she became the queen of the nation, she would crush everyone who had ever humiliated her beneath her feet!
Carefully, she took the Empress Dowager’s pulse.
“Your Majesty, there is nothing seriously wrong with your health. It is merely due to years of overwork and advanced age that your condition has gradually declined. The headaches are caused by blocked blood vessels. I will prescribe a medicinal formula. If you take one dose daily for half a month, you will feel refreshed and the pain will disappear.”
The older people grew, the more they feared death, especially someone like the Empress Dowager, who held a high position and enjoyed endless wealth and luxury, making her all the more eager for longevity.
Hearing Jiang Qingyue’s words, her face brightened with a smile, and she softened considerably.
“The Third Prince’s side consort possesses miraculous healing skills and a virtuous heart. She shall be rewarded with a jade ruyi scepter and a pair of coral beaded gold hairpins.”
Jiang Qingyue was overjoyed. “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Her primary goal in coming here was to win the Empress Dowager’s favor, so that in the future, she would have the greatest backer when moving about the palace.
“Very well, I am tired. All of you may leave.”
“Yes.”
Throughout the tea ceremony, Jiang Qingran and Jing Moxuan were like invisible figures.
After leaving the Longevity Palace, Luo Shumin said, “Your Majesty, the sunlight is lovely today, and the plum blossoms in the imperial garden have bloomed. Since Feng’er and Mo Xuan have both brought their new consorts into the palace, why don’t we all take a stroll together?”
Jing Ye pondered for a moment. “Very well.”
Jiang Qingran had originally intended to return quickly, but now she had no choice but to follow them to the imperial garden, wondering what mischief the Empress was brewing this time.
After taking their seats, several palace maids and eunuchs began serving fruit platters and pastries one after another.
However, Jiang Qingran noticed that the eunuch serving Jing Moxuan was particularly rough, practically throwing the plate onto the stone table.
“Stop!”
Jiang Qingran called out coldly.
The young eunuch turned around, bowing slightly but with disdain in his eyes.
“Seventh Princess Consort, what are your orders?”
Jiang Qingran raised her eyes and glared at him icily. “What is your name? Which palace do you serve?”
“This servant is called Xiao Cunzi, from Huang Hou Niang Niang’s palace.”
Jiang Qingran stood up, lifted her head, and with all her strength, slapped him hard across the face.
“Ah!”
Xiao Cunzi cried out in pain and fell to the ground.
“Huang Hou Niang Niang, save me!”
Luo Shumin set down her teacup and said sternly, “Seventh Princess Consort, how dare you! His Majesty and I are still here, yet you dare to commit violence!”
Jiang Qingran smiled faintly, neither humble nor arrogant. “There is no lack of excuses for false accusations. How can Huang Hou Niang Niang pin such a grave crime on me? This wretched servant dared to disrespect Seventh Prince. I merely gave him a small lesson.”
If they bullied her, she might endure it.
But anyone who bullied Jing Moxuan would be punished on the spot.
Luo Shumin gritted her teeth, her eyes hiding a murderous intent.
“My servants are not yours to discipline. Guards, take him away and give him fifty heavy strokes!”
“Who dares!”
Jiang Qingran turned to look at Jing Ye.
“Father, whether Seventh Prince is ill or disabled, he is still your own son. To humiliate him is to slap your own face. Will you stand by and watch as a eunuch insults him without taking action?”