Seeing that the Empress Dowager still disagreed, the Emperor couldn't help but say in disappointment, "Mother, you now feel sorry for Ajie, but did you ever feel sorry for me in the past?"
The Queen Mother couldn't stand him saying that. Perhaps, she was old and soft-hearted, and now her mind was filled with thoughts about her children and grandchildren.
She said quietly, "Since you have made up your mind, there is no point in me saying anything. Besides, I shouldn't interfere in government affairs. I have already issued an order to let Ajie enter the palace. When the time comes, you can issue the order. He has already detained Xia Zian. You can also ask him to bring Xia Zian to the palace and ask him about it. Maybe there is another story behind this matter."
"Have your Majesty order him to bring Xia Zian into the palace. If he disobeys the order and does not bring Xia Zian in, it will prove that he is deliberately protecting Xia Zian. In that case, I will be very disappointed in him." said the emperor.
The Queen Mother looked at him, sighed softly, but said nothing more.
The Empress Dowager returned to her bedroom. The more she thought about it, the more upset she felt. Firstly, it was because of the Emperor's decision to cut off his arm, and secondly, it was because the Emperor wanted to kill Xia Zian.
"Do you think the prince really likes Xia Zian?" The Queen Mother pondered for a long time and asked Eunuch Sun.
Eunuch Sun said, "Queen Dowager, anyone with a discerning eye can see that the prince cares about the princess."
The Queen Mother was in a very heavy mood. "If I let him bring Zi'an into the palace, Zi'an would definitely die. I really can't bear to do that."
Eunuch Sun was also unable to give any advice, as this incident happened too suddenly. In fact, everyone felt that it might not have been said by the princess, but the news outside pointed directly to the maidservant beside the princess.
The maid Caidie came in, "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine is here."
Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother rubbed her brows with her hand, "What is she doing here?"
Ever since the Empress Dowager knew that she had not given up, she no longer wanted to see her.
"He said there was something important and he had to meet the Queen Mother." Caidie said.
Eunuch Sun said, "Queen Dowager, at this critical moment, the noble concubine may not have good intentions when entering the palace, so it is better not to see her."
The Queen Mother thought for a moment and said, "Forget it, let her in. I don't want to be too obvious."
The colorful butterfly flew away in response.
Eunuch Sun sighed softly and shook his head. The Empress Dowager was always too soft-hearted.
If she had half the courage of the Empress Dowager, she wouldn't have to be led by the nose by the Noble Concubine.
Caidie led the noble concubine in. This time, the noble concubine also brought someone, who was Sun Fanger.
The Queen Mother was immediately furious. "You can come if you want, but why did you bring her here?"
Sun Fang'er is the shame of the Sun family. The Empress Dowager is the daughter of the Sun family, so naturally she cannot tolerate Sun Fang'er.
The noble concubine knelt down and said, "Sister, I came to the palace this time to ask for a favor."
The Queen Mother frowned. Such humility must have some ulterior motive.
She said coldly: "Let her go out first. I don't want to see her."
Sun Fang'er knelt on the ground and kowtowed, "Empress Dowager, Fang'er knows that I have done many wrong things in the past, and I dare not ask the Empress Dowager to forgive me for the sake of blood relationship. This time Fang'er came to the palace to treat the emperor's illness. Fang'er has seen the emperor's ghost face sore before, and I have cured it before."
The Empress Dowager snorted and said sarcastically, "I thought it was Rouyao who studied medicine in the Sun family. Is it you? I guess I remembered it wrong? It was you who studied medicine, and it was Rouyao who studied witchcraft?"
Sun Fang'er looked guilty and lay on the ground for a long time. When she spoke again, her voice was choked with sobs. "Fang'er deserves death and disappointed the Empress Dowager. After being driven out of the Sun family, Fang'er knew she was wrong. In order to make up for the mistakes she made before, she followed a divine doctor to save the people from illness. Although she is not talented, she has studied some stubborn diseases under the guidance of her master. Fang'er heard that the emperor suffered from ghost face sores, so she asked the noble concubine to recommend Fang'er to enter the palace. It was Fang'er's own request. If the Empress Dowager does not allow Fang'er to treat the emperor, don't blame the noble concubine. She is willing to help because she thinks her niece is eager to atone for her sins."
The Empress Dowager knew that she shouldn't believe Sun Fang'er's words because both Concubine Linggui and Sun Fang'er were people who could not be trusted.
However, Sun Fang'er's words were extremely attractive, especially now that the situation was so urgent. There would definitely be court officials coming to the palace today to inquire about the emperor's condition.
When she thought about the emperor cutting off one of his arms to hide his facial sores, her heart was knotted with worry.
"You said you have seen ghost face sores and cured them. Then tell me, what is ghost face sores like? How do you treat them?" asked the Queen Mother.
Sun Fanger replied, "The ghost face sore can grow on the outside or inside of the body. Some have complete eyes, ears, mouths and noses, some even have hands and feet, and some are incomplete. The person Fanger treated before had a sore on his abdomen. After Fanger used the medicine, within a month, the ghost face sore fell off, and the patient's abdomen was smooth and shiny, as if nothing had ever grown there."
"What medicine?" the Queen Mother asked.
"Apply the powder made of thunder balls, light powder and Fritillaria to the wound, and take it with decoction for one month. After one month, the sore will fall off."
"Only apply three kinds of powder on the wound?" The Queen Mother saw that she spoke very convincingly and seemed to have some ability.
"Of course, the dosage of the medicine changes every day. During the treatment, the human face sore will form pus, which needs to be cut open and drained. The treatment is more troublesome, but it is effective."
The Queen Mother began to ponder, considering the pros and cons.
Eunuch Sun said first: "Miss Fang'er, although you can cure ghost face sores, the emperor does not have ghost face sores, it's just a rumor."
The noble concubine was slightly startled. "Is it a rumor? I thought it was true. This matter was spread by Xiaosun, a maidservant beside Zi'an. She said that Zi'an had been to the palace to see the emperor."
The Queen Mother's expression was gloomy. "Did you hear her say that with your own ears?"
The noble concubine shook her head, "No, it was a maidservant beside me who said it. She and Xiaosun went out to buy expenses for the mansion. When they were tired, they sat down to drink tea at a tea stall in Beijing and said it. Because there were common people in the teahouse, the story spread."
Eunuch Sun said with a smile: "Your Highness, how can you trust the maid's words? That girl is also a bitch. She said something else but made up a story about the emperor's illness. It seems that she needs to be arrested and punished."
The noble concubine breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, that's good, as long as it's not true."
After that, she said fiercely: "That girl is not only a bad mouth, but also dares to spread rumors about the emperor's illness. She deserves death. When I return home, I will beat her to death."
Seeing her indignation, the Empress Dowager said calmly, "It's rare that your noble concubine cares so much about the emperor. I am very comforted. As for the maid who talked nonsense, just beat her to death. Stand up and stop kneeling."
Sun Fang'er helped the noble concubine to stand up, and she also said in a coy tone: "Please forgive me, Queen Dowager. I believed it and even recommended myself to the palace to treat the emperor. I was really foolish."
The Empress Dowager was somewhat sobered by Eunuch Sun's reminder. She said coldly, "It's not that I'm confused. You and the Noble Concubine are both smart people, and both of you are very thoughtful."
This means that the two of them have ulterior motives, and everyone knows what their ulterior motives are.
When the noble concubine heard the empress dowager's sarcastic words, her face turned ugly. "I know that this time I have been a good person in vain, and I am regarded as a villain. However, even if I have a thousand thoughts, the emperor is a member of the Murong family after all. If he really suffers from the ghost face sore, it will damage the reputation of the royal family. The people will doubt whether the descendants of the Murong family have lost their morals and whether they are unworthy of ruling the world. Therefore, sometimes it is not us who have intentions, but the empress dowager who is suspicious."
The Empress Dowager was not angry at her tone, but instead began to think deeply.
Indeed, what she said made sense. If people knew that the emperor had a ghost-faced sore, no matter whether it was Prince Nan Huai or the crown prince who ruled the country in the future, they would inevitably be criticized.
Therefore, it is understandable that she is willing to treat the emperor with this intention.
(End of this chapter)