I was sold when I opened my eyes! My sick and disabled husband comforts me every night after he wake

The Empress Dowager raised her hand to cover her mouth, coughed twice, and then spoke again.

"Where are you from? Do you know anyone in the capital?"

Lan Zhi shook her head.

“This humble woman comes from Binjiang Town, which is far from the capital, and she has no acquaintances in the capital.”

The Empress Dowager seemed quite satisfied and nodded.

"Come closer and talk."

Lan Zhi looked up, puzzled. The Empress Dowager beckoned to her and repeated herself.

"I invite you to come closer and speak."

Lan Zhi swallowed nervously, slowly walked to the bedside, and whispered:

"Your Majesty, please speak freely. I will keep my mouth shut."

"hehe!"

The Empress Dowager was very pleased to hear the words "keep your mouth shut".

"Very well, what a clever girl. I've been waiting for you."

what?

The Empress Dowager's words surprised Lan Zhi.

She looked at her, puzzled.

"This humble woman does not understand what Your Majesty means by these words?"

The Empress Dowager suddenly grinned, her smile radiating kindness.

Lan Zhi recalled what Mo Ning had told her: "The Empress Dowager is kind-hearted and will not make things difficult for you."

Although she didn't know where he found out, she was certain from the moment she met the Empress that Mo Ning's words were not unfounded.

"Lan Zhi, I have a favor to ask of you."

"If Your Majesty has any requests, please just give them. Do not use the word 'beg,' for I cannot bear such a burden."

"No, I mean what I say. Let me finish. Whether you can agree or not, do not let anyone know about our conversation today. Can you do that?"

From the Empress Dowager's serious expression, Lan Zhi seemed to realize that what the Empress Dowager was about to say to her was very important.

She nodded emphatically.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I would never dare to utter a single word to outsiders."

"Ugh!"

With her permission, the Empress Dowager breathed a long sigh of relief.

"After you leave, tell the Crown Prince that you can cure my illness, but it will take time. You can stay in the palace to treat me and prevent them from harming innocent people again. Of course, I will not treat you unfairly."

Staying in the palace?

Lan Zhi was stunned for a moment.

"How long will it take for the Empress Dowager to fully recover from her illness?"

"It depends on your medical skills; I cannot give a definitive answer."

Her question was subtle, and the Empress Dowager's answer was also tactful.

“But I am not traveling alone; I have family with me. If I stay in the palace for too long, my family will probably worry.”

"Oh?"

The Empress Dowager frowned, pondered for a long while, and then spoke:

"How about this: I will allow you to leave the palace at any time, and you may stay at home for one night every three days. Is that acceptable?"

Lan Zhi was still a little embarrassed.

“But my family is currently staying at an inn. It’s fine for a short time, but it’s really inconvenient for a long time. If Your Majesty feels unwell, I will prescribe a medicine for you and I guarantee it will cure you. But it’s really inconvenient for you to stay in the palace for a long time. Please do not stay for me, Your Majesty.”

"Ugh!"

The Empress Dowager let out a long sigh.

"It's not that I want to make things difficult for you, I really have no other choice!"

Lan Zhi looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Since the Empress Dowager is in good health, why is she pretending to be sick to deceive people?"

As soon as she asked the question, she realized she had misspoke, quickly lifted her skirt, and knelt down.

"I misspoke and meant no harm. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

The Empress Dowager's face darkened slightly, but she didn't get angry. Instead, she nodded calmly.

"I admire your courage to speak frankly, but this is not something that can be explained in a few words. However, since I have told you about this, you must overcome all difficulties and stay in the palace. As for your family, I will order someone to arrange a residence for them. When I recover my health, I will bestow that residence upon you. At that time, you can either stay or sell the residence and leave the capital."

This……

The Empress Dowager's meaning was clear: she already knew the Empress Dowager's secret of feigning illness, and now it was no easy task for her to escape safely!

She took a deep breath, feeling worried about the unknown path ahead.

"I am very grateful for Your Majesty's kindness. I will do my best to cure Your Majesty's illness."

Seeing that she agreed, the Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction and then called out to the people outside.

"Madame Sun..."

Granny Sun walked in quickly.

"Queen Mother..."

"Give the order: I have taken a liking to Lan Zhi, so she will be my personal physician from now on. There is no need for me to search for famous doctors everywhere. Oh, and arrange a house for her family in the capital."

"Yes, I will make arrangements now."

"Also, give her one of my personal tokens so that she can move freely inside and outside the palace, making it easier for her to treat my illnesses and take care of my family."

Granny Sun hesitated for a moment.

"Your Majesty, this...she's new here, isn't it a bit inappropriate?"

"I feel a connection with her and naturally trust her. Do as I instruct!"

Although Granny Sun had objections, she dared not disobey the Empress Dowager's decree. After bowing, she took out a token from her sleeve and handed it to her.

"Since the Empress Dowager trusts you, you'd better keep this token safe. If you lose it, you'll lose your head."

Lan Zhi reached out and took the hot token, then bowed respectfully, feigning composure.

"I understand. Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty, and thank you, Granny Sun."

The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction.

"That's good. Go and report to the Crown Prince first, and then write a prescription and prepare medicine for me."

"The people's daughter follows the decree."

Lan Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, took a few steps back, and then turned and left the Empress Dowager's inner palace.

To this day, she still doesn't understand why the Empress Dowager pretended to be sick, nor does she understand why the Empress Dowager took a liking to her.

Perhaps none of those older men were as clever as her!

She could only console herself with this thought.

Regardless, she knew in her heart that the Empress Dowager had already bestowed a house upon her, and she wouldn't be able to leave the capital anytime soon. She just didn't know if Mo Ning would be unhappy if he found out about this.

"What are you thinking about?"

After she came out of the Empress Dowager's inner palace, she was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into Wei Jian'an's arms.

She quickly took a few steps back, lowered her head, and replied:

"Your Highness, I am able to cure the Empress Dowager's illness. The Empress Dowager has already bestowed upon me a token and appointed me as her personal physician. I have come to report this to Your Highness."

Hearing her words, Wei Jian'an frowned slightly, but still nodded and said:

"If it can be cured, that would be best. So tell me, what illness does the Empress Dowager suffer from?"

Lan Zhi replied without hesitation:

"The Empress Dowager has been suffering from chronic illness for many years. Although her illness is not serious, she is in a daze all day long, weak all over, listless, and even has difficulty getting out of bed. If she is not treated in time, she will probably get worse."

Wei Jian'an nodded in agreement.

Do you have a treatment? How long will it take to heal?

"I cannot disclose the treatment method. As for how long it will take to heal, it depends on how long it takes for the Empress Dowager to resolve her inner conflict. However, I will do my best."

Wei Jian'an's eyes flickered a few times before he nodded.

"That would be best. Someone, arrange accommodations for Physician Lan, and also assign him a palace maid to serve him."

Lan Zhi hurriedly shook her head and refused.

"I am just a peasant girl and have no need for anyone to serve me. Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

Wei Jian'an looked at her with his phoenix eyes half-closed.

"You used to be a peasant girl, but now you're practically a palace lady. As long as you can cure the Empress Dowager's illness, you'll be rewarded handsomely. But the prerequisite is that you must guarantee that you can cure her. Otherwise, the consequences might not be as simple as you think."

His reminder made Lan Zhi's heart clench.

How could she not understand the reason behind this? However, the Empress Dowager must have had a reason for feigning illness. If the truth were to be revealed one day, she would definitely be implicated, which made her a little scared.