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

Perhaps she planned to go to the palace on the Empress Dowager's birthday to file a complaint against her heartless official father?

That shouldn't be the case. Even on the Empress Dowager's birthday, officials and their families from all over the country would come to the palace to celebrate her birthday, but they would all need an entry token to enter the palace. He couldn't just barge in, could he? He's not that stupid.

What did he mean by those words? She really couldn't figure it out.

"Lan Zhi, let me hold you while we sleep tonight, okay? I promise I won't touch you once before I officially marry you."

His words made her heart tighten.

She nodded, "Okay."

She believed him, without any reason.

"Go to sleep early, I have to go to the palace early tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he lay down with her fully clothed, holding her close in his arms, his upper body very close to hers, but his lower body far away.

She knew he was enduring it, but she saw through it without saying anything. She simply turned around, her back to him, thinking she could close her eyes and go to sleep as soon as possible.

But she noticed that the man behind her was breathing rapidly, and his body was slowly moving closer to her. When his body touched her buttocks, she trembled, and an indescribable heat washed over her.

She had thought he was about to lose control and would definitely do something to her tonight, but to her surprise, he just held her tightly, pressed against her, tensed his body, and remained motionless.

She couldn't help but chuckle to herself, then closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep in his embrace.

……

early August

With the Empress Dowager's birthday approaching, the palace and its surroundings are bustling with activity.

Because the foreign envoys who came to wish the Empress Dowager a happy birthday had arrived in the capital one after another, the Emperor, whose health had not been very good, came to the Changshou Palace today to ask the Empress Dowager what her requirements were for holding her birthday banquet.

This was the first time Lan Zhi had seen the Emperor since she entered the palace, and the Emperor was somewhat different from what she had imagined.

She had assumed that the Emperor was unwell and in poor spirits, but to her surprise, although he looked very weak, he did not look old, and his features were very similar to Mo Ning's.

She lowered her head, waiting quietly for the emperor to ask her questions.

"Are you Lan Zhi, the doctor known as the goddess of medicine by the people of Binjiang Town?"

Lan Zhi hurriedly bowed and replied:

"I wouldn't presume to call myself a miracle doctor; Lan Zhi merely possesses some medical skills."

The Emperor glanced at the Empress Dowager and nodded.

"Your Majesty seems to be in better spirits these past few days. It seems your reputation as a divine physician is well-deserved. Why don't you take a look at me and tell me what illness I have?"

Upon hearing this, Lan Zhi was somewhat surprised.

“Your Majesty, the imperial physicians in this palace are all highly skilled in medicine. I dare not show off in front of Your Majesty.”

"Do you not want to take my pulse? Or are you simply incapable of doing so?"

Hearing the Emperor's displeasure, Lan Zhi quickly changed her words.

"I dare not. I have some knowledge of medicine. Since Your Majesty trusts me, please allow me to give it a try."

The Emperor then rose from the soft couch, slowly walked to the table, and waved to her.

"sit down!"

Lan Zhi sat in the chair opposite him, then took out a pulse pillow from her medicine box and placed it in front of him. The emperor rolled up his sleeves and placed his wrist on the pulse pillow.

Lan Zhi placed four fingers on his pulse and began to take his pulse.

Time flowed silently, and no one present dared to utter a sound.

Judging from the Emperor's pulse, it was very irregular and strange, not like a serious illness, but more like poisoning.

She secretly glanced at the Emperor, then slowly withdrew her hand, stood up from her chair, bowed, and replied:

"Your Majesty, may I speak with you in private?"

Seeing her grave expression, the Emperor waved to the eunuchs and maids around him.

"Go back all!"

Upon hearing this, everyone withdrew, and only then did the Emperor look at Lan Zhi.

"Did you notice anything?"

Lan Zhi glanced at the Empress Dowager, who sat there with a kind expression, and after confirming that no one was around, she replied in a low voice:

"Your Majesty...you have been poisoned."

"what?"

The emperor slammed his hand on the table and stood up, then clutched his chest and began to cough violently.

The Empress Dowager's face turned ashen in an instant. She quickly rose from the soft couch, went to the Emperor's side, patted his back while scolding him:

"How old are you? Why are you still so easily agitated?"

Lan Zhi stood still, and after the Emperor's emotions had calmed down a bit, she whispered:

"Your Majesty, do you often experience symptoms such as nausea, convulsions, auditory hallucinations, and visual hallucinations? Sometimes you can't get over something, and sometimes you experience memory loss, even frequently forgetting certain people and events?"

Her words caused the Emperor's pupils to dilate instantly. He pointed at her and nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. I'm not afraid of you laughing at me, nor am I afraid of making Mother angry. I haven't come to see Mother these past few days because I've been absent-minded and have forgotten. I haven't been able to muster any energy these past few days, but I just managed to pull myself together today and rushed to Changshou Palace..."

"emperor……"

Before he could finish speaking, he heard the Empress's voice. The Emperor immediately frowned and waved his hand at Lan Zhi.

"Don't mention this matter again."

Lan Zhi nodded and then stepped aside. At this moment, the Empress walked in quickly.

When she saw that only the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and Lan Zhi were present, she reprimanded the servants around her:

"His Majesty is unwell, how come there isn't even anyone to take care of him? You dog servants, you're getting bolder and bolder."

The Emperor immediately waved his hand.

"Empress, I feel quite well today, so I thought I'd come to see you. Why are you angry?"

The Empress quickly adopted a concerned expression, bowed to the Empress Dowager, and hurried to the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, I heard you didn't take your medicine today? That won't do! The imperial physician said you can't stop taking your medicine."

At this point, she called out to the maid standing beside her, who was carrying a tray.

"Quickly bring the medicine to the Emperor; it will get cold if he doesn't drink it."

Looking at the bowl of medicine, the Emperor recalled what Lan Zhi had just said and immediately waved his hand.

"I feel good today, so I won't take my medicine."

"Your Majesty, you must take your medicine. I will feed it to you."

As she spoke, the Empress picked up the bowl of medicine from the table and slowly fed it to the Emperor. The Emperor frowned, then suddenly raised his hand and smashed the bowl to the ground with a "smash," followed by an angry shout.

"Does the Empress not understand what I'm saying? I don't want to take my medicine today."

The Empress, startled, took a few steps back, then knelt on both knees, her skirt swaying, and replied with a pitiful expression:

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I am worried about your health, so..."

The Emperor waved his hand impatiently.

"You may leave. I wish to spend some time with my mother."

The Empress bit her lip in resentment, slowly stood up from the ground, bowed to the Empress Dowager, and then turned and left Changshou Palace.

The scene that had just unfolded left Lan Zhi feeling lingering fear.

She wasn't sure if there was anything wrong with the medicine, nor was she sure if the person who wanted to harm the emperor was actually the empress.

"Lan Zhi, check if there's anything wrong with this bowl of medicine?"