The cruel little princess

"County Lady!" Imperial Physician Yang and Imperial Physician Wang stepped closer. "Are you satisfied with what I just said?" Imperial Physician Yang asked Shen Youyou with a slight smile. He felt a little uneasy, wondering if the County Lady would think what he had just said was a bit too serious. After all, this matter could affect her reputation and future marriage. However, Shen Youyou's answer was beyond his expectations.

Shen Youyou nodded gently and said to them softly, "Okay! But I want you to do me a favor!" Her voice was calm and firm, as if she had already made a decision.

Doctors Yang and Wang exchanged a glance, then both looked at Shen Youyou, awaiting her next words. Shen Youyou continued, "Spread the word that I'll be infertile. I want to see who's behind this!" Her tone was filled with sarcasm, her face calm, but her eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "If you want a fight, then fight! Sneaking around is nothing! I'll definitely find the person behind this and give him thirty lashes!"

Imperial Physicians Yang and Wang were stunned. They realized that the county lady was just as valiant as she had been at the border! She wasn't someone to be bullied, but someone with her own ideas and resolve. They all nodded in agreement, offering to help spread the word. They also promised that if the county lady needed any help or support, they could always ask for it.

Shen Youyou looked at them gratefully, her eyes firmly fixed on the curtain above her head, as if declaring her determination to the enemies hiding in the dark.

At the same time, the Empress emerged from the side hall and saw His Royal Highness Prince Rui pacing anxiously in the doorway. The Empress immediately understood his purpose. She knew that if there was no profit to be made, His Royal Highness Prince Rui would never condescend to visit a drowned woman! He was especially distraught upon learning that she was unwell. Now, seeing him so nervous, the Empress wondered what to make of him.

When His Royal Highness Prince Rui saw that the figure coming out was the Empress, he hurried forward and saluted, saying, "Your son pays homage to the Queen Mother. May the Queen be blessed with good health!"

"Well, get up!" The Queen Mother was too lazy to be polite with him. This prince only knew how to eat, drink and have fun all day long, and did not do any serious work. In her eyes, such a person was not of much use. Moreover, she only had one daughter. No matter which prince succeeded to the throne in the future, she would become the rightful empress dowager. In addition, the current emperor was in his prime and had at least twenty years of rule left, so she did not need to deliberately please any prince. "Tell me, what do you want to see Princess Rui'an about? She caught a cold after falling into the water, and the imperial physician is treating her inside, so it is not convenient for her to see guests." The Queen Mother rejected him bluntly.

"My dear mother!" His Royal Highness Prince Rui took a step forward and said respectfully, "Just now, when my mother and I were admiring the scenery in the greenhouse on the high building over there, I suddenly saw through a telescope that a woman by the lake was pushed into the water by a little palace maid. However, Princess Rui'an was not afraid of danger at all and jumped into the water to save her without hesitation! This noble character really makes me admire her! Therefore, I have come to visit you specially to express my respect and show the great grace of our royal family!" His Royal Highness Prince Rui deliberately acted like a righteous and sensible person.

Little did she know that this behavior was quite boring to the Empress. She even thought to herself, "If the emperor was referring to Prince Rui when he said last night that a prince had taken a fancy to Princess Rui'an, then he is truly unworthy of Princess Rui'an!"

However, the Empress did not show any emotion on her face. She only opened her red lips slightly and said, "Princess Rui'an is still in a coma. It is unknown whether she can make it through the night safely. Prince Rui should go back first! Come visit her after she is out of danger!" After saying this, she waved her hand and turned back to the side hall. Then a guard came forward and bowed to Prince Rui, saying, "Your Highness, Prince Rui, please come in!"

His Royal Highness Prince Rui saw that the Queen Mother stopped him from entering, and he couldn't make a fait accompli at this moment, so he just waved his sleeves, snorted, and left.

The Queen returned to the side hall. The three ladies had already left, and only two imperial physicians, under the guidance of Shen Youyou, helped her with acupuncture to eliminate dampness and cold.

As the banquet approached, the Empress couldn't afford to be absent without a reason. She had to ask the Imperial Physician if Princess Rui'an and Miss Xu could be moved. If they could, she ordered the maids to carry the sedan chairs and take them home to recuperate, lest the palace gossips cause them to be offended. This matter concerned the girls' reputations, so she couldn't be careless.

If it cannot be moved, then she will send more capable maids and servants from her palace to surround the place tightly.

The two imperial physicians glanced at Shen Youyou from the corner of their eyes. Seeing Shen Youyou nodded imperceptibly, they readily replied, "Your Majesty, as long as the two young ladies take care to keep warm, they can be sent back home to recuperate!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress immediately ordered Imperial Physicians Yang and Wang to perform acupuncture on Princess Rui'an and then accompany her back to the palace to continue the treatment. Meanwhile, Court Judge Xu and Imperial Physician Li were sent back to the palace to accompany Miss Xu to treat her.

The Empress frowned slightly as she watched the busy palace servants in front of her, worried that other princes would take this opportunity to come and "visit". She turned to the palace maid beside her and ordered, "Go and call the capable maids and servants in our palace. Have them guard here and not allow anyone to approach." The maid responded and hurried away.

After a while, a group of palace maids and old women came to the front of the palace and surrounded it tightly.

The Empress then said to the two imperial physicians, "You must take good care of Princess Rui'an and Miss Xu and ensure that their health stabilizes."

The two doctors replied respectfully, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, we will do our best to treat them."

Afterwards, the Empress said to the others, "Don't panic, everyone. Everything will be fine. There's a dinner tonight. Except for Madam Xu, who will stay here to take care of Miss Xu, everyone else will go with me to the banquet. We can't let this incident affect everyone's mood."

After the Empress had made all the necessary arrangements, she hurried to the banquet venue with her maids and servants. Meanwhile, Madam Wu and Madam Zuo apologized to Madam Xu, saying they had to attend the palace banquet and could no longer accompany her. They also requested that Madam Xu take care of the Princess of Rui'an during this time. Madam Xu, undeterred by the slightest indifference towards the benefactor who had saved her daughter's life, readily agreed.

Shortly after the Empress stepped out of the palace, she suddenly caught sight of a figure swiftly passing around the corner. The figure was dressed in the attire of a prince, and the sapphire blue of his garments struck her as strangely familiar. Could it be... Prince Jin? However, his speed was so rapid that the Empress began to wonder if she was hallucinating after a long day of activity. Prince Jin should have been accompanying His Majesty, awaiting the start of the banquet. How could he have come to the Imperial Gardens to enjoy the scenery for no apparent reason? The Empress shook her head at this thought and led everyone back to the palace.