General, you should rest now; the lady is even more ruthless.

Jiang Qiqi had been out all day and didn't return home until dark, only to find the study light off.

She had something to ask Shen Luo.

"Twelve, are you tired after following me all day?" Jiang Qiqi called out.

Twelve suddenly appeared from some obscure corner, head drooping: "Madam, you're still so perceptive."

Xiang'er was startled to see a living, breathing person suddenly appear before her, and she reacted as if she had seen a ghost: "You, you, you, Miss, he, he, he..."

Jiang Qiqi nodded: "That's right, he's been following us all day."

Twelve: ? You just said it so easily?

Jiang Qiqi didn't care whether she had hurt Twelve's little bit of confidence. Besides, in her opinion, Twelve and the others relied too much on martial arts, which caused them to always neglect the details. They should have practiced martial arts.

Seeing that he had failed, Twelve was about to leave dejectedly.

He was unconvinced about what happened last time. How could someone like Madam, who had no internal strength, discover him? It must have been a coincidence.

So when he saw the two of them disguised and leaving this morning, he followed them without thinking, since the probability of being discovered in the bustling city was much lower.

I didn't expect to be discovered, and it was discovered right from the start.

Seeing that Twelve was about to leave, Jiang Qiqi quickly called out to him, "Hey, wait a minute, where's your general? I need to talk to him." If it weren't for finding Shen Luo, she wouldn't have bothered to expose him; let him entertain himself.

Just don't cry.

Twelve was almost in tears.

He fell into deep self-doubt: What use is this internal energy to me? What good is this lightness skill to me?

He completely ignored Jiang Qiqi's question.

Xiang'er looked at the person in front of her, who was immersed in grief: "Miss, it seems that he has completely blocked your words."

Jiang Qiqi: "It seems so..."

"Ouch!!!" Twelve clutched his head, "Who hit me!"

Jiang Qiqi twirled the flute in her hand, smiling kindly: "Tell me, where is the general?"

"They went to...the palace."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was leaning against the bed talking to the Emperor.

She lay in bed in a daze for nearly four years, during which time she ignored the world and relied on medication to prolong her life. It was thought that her life would slowly end like a frog being boiled in lukewarm water. Unexpectedly, God took pity on her and a miracle doctor appeared who cured her.

The Emperor was sitting by the bedside, gently asking the Empress Dowager if she felt unwell. The Empress Dowager smiled and shook her head, creating a heartwarming scene of maternal love and filial piety to onlookers.

A servant came to report: "Your Majesty, the Empress, the Third Prince, and Doctor Xue request an audience."

The Emperor immediately said, "Summon him." He then turned to the Empress Dowager and said, "Mother, Physician Xue is the doctor who cured you. It was your grandson, Xiaofeng, who found him."

The Empress Dowager's smile remained unchanged: "My son, you must reward them handsomely."

The Emperor nodded: "Yes, Empress Dowager."

The three entered and were pleasantly surprised to see that the Empress Dowager was in good condition.

The Empress even wiped away her Schrödinger-like tears with a handkerchief: "Mother, you're finally better. It's truly a blessing from heaven."

The Third Prince, Chen Chengfeng, was also very excited: "Grandmother, your grandson pays his respects to you. It's so good that you're getting better."

The Empress Dowager ignored the Empress's words and extended her hand to the Third Prince: "Come here, Xiao Feng."

The third prince readily offered his hand and stepped forward to stand beside the bed.

It blocked the empress's increasingly distorted face.

"Xiao Feng, I heard from your father that you found Physician Xue?" The Empress Dowager's tone was full of satisfaction. "I really haven't spoiled you for nothing."

"Indeed, I met Doctor Xue by chance during one of my trips." The Third Prince was not in a hurry to take credit.

"Since my grandmother fell ill, my father has been worried every day and has spread many messages to find a famous doctor, but all of them have gone unanswered. I know that I am not capable, but I also want to share my father's worries. When I have nothing to do, I wander around the clinics and pharmacies. Fortunately, heaven rewards those who are diligent, and I have finally found the divine doctor Xue."

Chen Chengfeng's words implied that the Emperor was worried about the Empress Dowager's illness, and also showed that he was filial and wanted to share the Emperor's worries. Everyone present was shrewd and naturally understood the meaning behind his words.

"Good, Feng'er," the Emperor said with a smile, patting the Third Prince on the shoulder. "You've grown up. You're truly capable of sharing my burdens."

As soon as these suggestive words were spoken, the Empress and the Third Prince almost simultaneously gasped, eagerly awaiting the Emperor's next words.

"Your Majesty, in terms of merit, Physician Xue is the greatest contributor," the Empress Dowager suddenly interjected, interrupting the Emperor's topic.

The Emperor nodded: "What the Empress Dowager says is true."

The Empress's face was beyond gloomy; it was obvious to anyone with half a brain that the Empress Dowager's interruption at this critical juncture was an attempt to silence the Emperor.

The empress lowered her eyes, her gaze filled with malice and scheming.

The Emperor asked, "Dr. Xue, I promised you before that if the Empress Dowager could be cured, I would give you whatever you wanted. A king's word is his bond. Now, just tell me what you want, and I will grant it to you."

Physician Xue replied, "Your Majesty, I have no other request but to be able to use the medicinal herbs in the palace for research. I have been obsessed with medicine all my life, but the medicinal herbs available in the countryside are limited, and I have not been able to understand the effects of many medicines. Therefore, I humbly request Your Majesty to allow me to use the medicinal herbs in the palace."

"Very well," the Emperor immediately agreed. "Physician Xue has dedicated himself to healing the sick and never forgets his original aspiration. I grant you permission to use the medicinal herbs in the palace at will."

The Emperor didn't forget the person standing next to him: "And Feng'er, you have done a great service by finding this Doctor Xue. Tell me what you want."

Chen Chengfeng replied, "Father, my greatest wish is that my grandmother is in good health and that everything goes smoothly for you. I ask for nothing more."

"Hahaha," the Emperor laughed, "Empress, look how much our Feng'er has grown up!"

Seeing the Emperor like this, the Empress secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the Emperor's worries about the Fourth Princess had been completely resolved.

She quickly agreed, "Your Majesty, the people say that dragons beget dragons and phoenixes beget phoenixes, so Your Majesty's son will surely resemble you more. Our Feng'er is so sensible because he is around you every day and learns from you through his daily interactions."

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction: "The Empress is virtuous and kind, and the Third Prince has been a great help to me. Since you two have no other requests, I shall think of a reward for you." The Emperor smiled mysteriously.

"What reward will Your Majesty bestow?" the Empress asked with a hint of anticipation, hoping it wouldn't be what she was thinking.

"Empress, I remember you said a few days ago that you wanted me to find a princess consort for Feng'er. I have already found one." The Emperor looked at his son standing beside him. "Feng'er, how about I bestow a marriage upon you today?"

The Empress almost couldn't help but sneer upon hearing this.

They had saved the Empress Dowager, who had been bedridden for four years, and yet the Emperor wouldn't even grant them the title of Crown Prince, let alone a Prince. He thought he could just send them away with a mere Princess Consort. The Emperor really had a clever plan.

"This, Father, your son..." Chen Chengfeng didn't expect this topic to be brought up suddenly, and he was about to refuse, but he swallowed his words when he saw the Empress's expression.

Even if the Empress cursed him inwardly, she couldn't show any dissatisfaction on the surface. Instead, she asked with a hopeful expression, "That's wonderful! Your Majesty has long hoped that Feng'er could marry a proper wife. May I ask which family's daughter Your Majesty has chosen?"

After all, they had just cured the Empress Dowager's illness, and at this critical juncture, the Emperor's bestowal of a marriage would certainly not be too bad.

If the other party is a powerful minister, then this marriage can give them wings.

"You all know that person. She's Lu Shuyi, the youngest daughter of Prime Minister Lu, who has always been the little shadow that follows you around since you were little, Feng'er."