"Let them in."
The Empress Dowager carefully handed the small paper roll in her hand to the palace maid behind her.
Xiao Yi scoffed.
Prince Ling certainly arrived quickly!
It was as if he was afraid he would run away!
Xiao Yi lowered his eyes, and his hand resting on his knee couldn't help but pinch his trousers.
Soon, Prince Ling and his family walked in.
Duoduo saw that Song Shuyu's eyes were red, showing clear signs of having cried.
Duoduo carefully observed Prince Ling's family.
She noticed that both Prince Ling and Princess Consort Ling had very grim expressions.
They looked completely different from the smiling faces she had seen just a moment ago.
Xiao Yun'an was pulling his sister along, keeping a wide distance from Song Shuyu.
Duoduo saw a hint of smugness in Commandery Princess Anning's eyes.
Duoduo's eyes flickered.
It seemed that the relationship between Song Shuyu and Commandery Princess Anning was indeed as poor as the rumors claimed!
The Empress Dowager waited for everyone to finish paying their respects before she spoke.
"Rise."
Palace maids brought over chairs and placed them below the Empress Dowager's seat.
"Noble Consort Li, what happened to Prince Ling?" the Empress Dowager asked, examining Prince Ling who was lying on a chaise lounge.
Noble Consort Li stood up and bowed.
"To answer Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, this child accidentally took a fall upon entering the palace. The imperial physician told him to rest and recuperate."
"But this child missed you, having not seen you for so long, and insisted on coming to pay his respects to you before returning."
The Empress Dowager shook her head.
"Prince Ling, since you are injured, you should hurry back and rest."
"Your imperial father's birthday is approaching. If you are still like this by then, your imperial father will be heartbroken."
Lying on the chair, Prince Ling revealed a smile.
"Grandmother, your grandson is unfilial and cannot serve by your side."
"Since I have entered the palace, it is only right that I come to pay my respects to you."
The Empress Dowager nodded gently.
"Grandmother knows of your filial piety."
"Listen to the imperial physician, go back and rest well, and do not run around anymore."
"If you need any medicinal herbs, just send someone to fetch them. You absolutely must not let this leave a lingering ailment."
Duoduo lowered her eyes. She noticed that although the Empress Dowager's words were full of concern, they lacked the intimacy she had when speaking to her father.
Hearing this, Prince Ling's eyes reddened, and his voice choked with emotion.
"Grandmother loves her grandson the most! Your grandson will definitely be obedient and rest well."
"Once your grandson is well, I will come over often to keep you company and chat!"
The Empress Dowager smiled and nodded.
"Good, you are a filial child."
Noble Consort Li looked at the Empress Dowager with a beaming smile.
"Your Majesty, this concubine remembers that today is the day for your routine pulse check."
"It just so happens that the imperial physician is waiting outside the hall. Why not let him come in and check your pulse?"
"That way, if His Majesty asks later, this concubine will be able to answer him, won't I?"
The Empress Dowager glanced at Noble Consort Li and nodded.
"Yes, Noble Consort Li has a good memory. I had completely forgotten."
"I wonder which imperial physician is on duty today?"
Noble Consort Li replied with a smile, "It is Imperial Physician Zhang."
The Empress Dowager nodded. "Alright, let Imperial Physician Zhang come in."
Duoduo listened to their conversation and felt a bit bored.
Tired of standing, she quietly shifted her feet.
Suddenly, Duoduo noticed that her father's hand, resting on his knee, had pale knuckles.
Duoduo was a little puzzled.
Was her father nervous?
Soon, the imperial physician they had seen earlier in the Hall of Mental Cultivation walked in.
Upon entering the hall, he first knelt and paid his respects to the Empress Dowager.
"Rise, you have worked hard," the Empress Dowager instructed mildly.
Imperial Physician Zhang stood up, bowed his back, and walked over to the Empress Dowager.
The palace maid behind the Empress Dowager stepped forward, carefully rolled up the Empress Dowager's sleeve, and placed her wrist on the pulse pillow.
Imperial Physician Zhang bowed slightly and reached out to check her pulse.
The room suddenly fell quiet.
In just a moment, Imperial Physician Zhang withdrew his hand.
"Your Majesty, have you been sleeping poorly lately, and occasionally finding your vision blurry?"
The Empress Dowager withdrew her hand and calmly nodded.
"Isn't this how everyone gets when they grow old? It is not a serious illness, no matter."
Imperial Physician Zhang paused. "Your Majesty, how about this humble subject prescribes a couple of doses of medicine for you to try?"
The Empress Dowager waved her hand.
"No need. I do not like drinking those bitter medicinal decoctions."
"It is normal to need less sleep as one gets older."
"As the old saying goes, it is also normal to have dim and blurry vision in old age."
"Alright, these are all minor matters. Do not record them in the medical log."
The Empress Dowager's pulse records were usually all documented.
Imperial Physician Zhang was stunned for a moment and looked toward Noble Consort Li.
Ever since the Empress passed away, it was Noble Consort Li who managed the inner palace.
A smile appeared on Noble Consort Li's face.
"Her Majesty has given her orders, Imperial Physician Zhang, you just need to follow them."
Imperial Physician Zhang bowed. "Yes, this humble subject obeys."
Seeing that Imperial Physician Zhang was about to pack up his medical box, Noble Consort Li smiled and looked at the Empress Dowager again.
"Your Majesty, why not let Imperial Physician Zhang check the pulse of the Prince of Pingyang as well?"
Duoduo looked up in surprise, throwing a quick glance at Noble Consort Li and then a peek at the Empress Dowager.
Then, Duoduo quickly lowered her head again.
She saw that her father's hand, which had been resting on his knee, moved away.
Duoduo was very confident in the anesthetic she had made.
After her repeated experiments, the current anesthetic could last for two full hours.
Furthermore, no imperial physician would be able to detect anything unusual from a pulse check.
Even Master Zhang was full of praise for her after experiencing it.
The Empress Dowager glanced at Xiao Yi. Xiao Yi had his eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
She then looked at Noble Consort Li and Prince Ling; both of their eyes gleamed with an inquiring light.
"I was just thinking the same thing. Noble Consort Li is truly considerate."
"Imperial Physician Zhang, check his pulse carefully. Let us see if, after two years, your Imperial Medical Bureau can cure the Prince of Pingyang's legs."
The Empress Dowager's tone seemed to carry a hint of mockery, or perhaps nothing at all.
Imperial Physician Zhang bowed in trepidation.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject's medical skills are inadequate; I cannot cure the Prince of Pingyang's legs."
"However, there are many capable and extraordinary individuals among the common people. His Highness might just happen upon a divine doctor who can heal his legs!"
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes and rolled the prayer beads in her hand.
Imperial Physician Zhang was Noble Consort Li's man. Having been called in, he naturally knew his purpose.
He bowed his back and approached the Prince of Pingyang.
"Your Highness, please extend your hand so this humble subject may check your pulse."
Xiao Yi lifted his eyelids and cast a glance at Imperial Physician Zhang.
The blood in Imperial Physician Zhang's entire body instantly ran cold, and his calves trembled slightly.
However, Xiao Yi merely gave him that single glance before calmly extending his hand.
Imperial Physician Zhang bent over and reached out to take his pulse.
Everyone in the hall watched Imperial Physician Zhang nervously.
The Empress Dowager kept her eyes closed, counting her prayer beads one by one.
The time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed, and Imperial Physician Zhang withdrew his hand.
Xiao Yi calmly rolled down his sleeve, looking completely indifferent to the results.
"Imperial Physician Zhang, has the Prince of Pingyang's health improved?" Noble Consort Li asked with a look of deep concern.
Seated above, the Empress Dowager's motion of counting the beads paused for a brief moment, and then she began to count faster and faster.
Imperial Physician Zhang bowed to Noble Consort Li.
