Madam Ma pondered and agreed with the reasoning.
Nobody is a fool, easily manipulated at will.
Having suffered so much in the Yun Family, Yun Jinnian would not have been able to leap out of that fiery pit without some skills,
clearly quite shrewd and calculating.
The Empress glanced at Madam Ma and smiled, "Let’s go and see what she is up to. It’s time to take the Emperor’s pulse!"
Although Hemei and Henuan did not understand why Yun Jinnian would treat a eunuch, they did not ask further.
Ru Yue also did not dare speak casually; the Imperial Palace was a place of majesty and rules, and she felt intimidated.
Shi Jiayu was also nervous.
Previously just a young lady from a small county town with limited experiences, she now found herself in the exquisite Imperial Palace, treading carefully.
She wanted to ask questions but didn’t dare.
Yun Jinnian looked at them, smiled gently, and said nothing further.
Perhaps she felt a need to make amends with Eunuch An from a past life when she had pushed away someone who had come to her for protection, which led to his death, as well as her own.
Or maybe in the previous life, Eunuch An had not sought Zhu Yan’s protection and was killed by Zhu Yan instead.
In this life, she met him first and remembered him; seeing him tormented by illness, she helped him. Perhaps in the future, this calculating Eunuch An could be of great assistance to her within the palace.
After all, this act of healing was not out of pure simplicity, but had calculations at its core.
"Fourth Miss, the Empress has arrived!"
Yun Jinnian stood up. The Empress had already entered the small hall, and she quickly kowtowed in greeting, "Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress!"
The Empress nodded slightly, "Rise!"
Yun Jinnian got up, and the Empress sat down on the Arhat bed, signaling Yun Jinnian to sit beside her. After Yun Jinnian was seated, the Empress said, "Clean yourself up and accompany me to Yangxin Hall to take the Emperor’s pulse!"
Regardless of the state of their marital relationship, the Empress maintained impeccable public decorum.
She went to the washroom to freshen up and tidy her appearance, then followed the Empress out of the Weiyang Palace.
By then, the sun was setting, casting a warm and tranquil glow that seemed serenely regal.
Yun Jinnian accompanied the Empress onto the Phoenix Carriage, heading to Yangxin Hall.
Logically, the Emperor’s sleeping quarters should be the closest to the Weiyang Palace, but it was strange that the Emperor lived in Yangxin Hall.
Upon arriving at Yangxin Hall, Eunuch Hai immediately greeted them, "This servant pays respect to Your Majesty the Empress and the Fourth Miss!"
"Hmm," the Empress acknowledged before leading Yun Jinnian into Yangxin Hall, proceeding directly to the Emperor’s sleeping quarters.
It was not yet dark, but thick candles had already been lit in the corners of the sleeping chamber.
The Emperor lay in bed, eyes closed as if he were asleep.
"Your Majesty, I have brought Jinnian to take Your Majesty’s pulse," the Empress said as she approached the Emperor.
The Emperor did not speak but extended his hand.
Hemei immediately handed a pulse pillow to Eunuch Hai, who placed it under the Emperor’s wrist, and Henuan passed a damp towel to Yun Jinnian to wash her hands.
After washing her hands, Yun Jinnian sat on a cushioned stool by the bed and carefully took the Emperor’s pulse.
"Your Majesty’s body has no serious ailments, but you are very weak. You need proper care and treatment!"
Having said that, Yun Jinnian stood up, opened a porcelain bottle, poured one pill onto the jade cup on the table, and handed it to Eunuch Hai, "Crush it, use one-fifth of it with warm water, and have His Majesty take it. His Majesty does not need to drink any other medicine tonight, I will come again early tomorrow!"
"Yes!" Eunuch Hai responded respectfully.
Looking at the pill in the jade cup, he saw the Empress and Yun Jinnian out of Yangxin Hall.
He then personally crushed the pill, divided one-fifth of it, and mixed it with warm water, releasing a sudden, cool scent of lotus flowers throughout the sleeping chamber.
Eunuch Hai exclaimed in surprise, "Could this be a pill made from the Snow Lotus?"