General, your wife has gone to deliver another calf for your horse.

Chapter 570 Is Imperial Physician Jiang resenting me?
Xiao Yuanshan seemed to have anticipated this question. As he parted his thin lips slightly, his brows remained perfectly still: "This matter... is entirely up to His Majesty to decide."

As he spoke, his voice trailed off, carrying a barely perceptible depth: "Your Majesty, the urgency of the war here is a minor matter. Your health has only just begun to improve; you mustn't overexert yourself. And you, at a time like this, dare to suggest suicide to trouble Your Majesty? You truly deserve to die!"

Upon hearing this, all the officials felt insecure, and the previous chaos vanished. Even the official who had been accused of causing the accident, Lord Yu, clasped his fists and said to the Emperor above, "This old minister is guilty."

Xiao Yuanshan did not look at the crowd behind him, but only glanced at the still young emperor on the dragon throne: "Your Majesty is fine as you are, but please do not let the affairs of state affect your health."

Upon hearing this, the officials below immediately clasped their hands in unison and echoed, "We earnestly hope that Your Majesty will take good care of your health!"

The Emperor's face still held a smile, but his fingertips, gripping the dragon-patterned armrest, had turned white from the force. In a daze, he took a deep breath and raised his hand to rub his temples. The movement concealed the fleeting cold glint in his eyes.

"Alright, I know you are concerned for my health. We can discuss this matter later." The Emperor withdrew his gaze from the ministers behind Xiao Yuanshan, took a breath, and then said, "Let's talk about the disaster. Physician Jiang, you just returned from the Great Wilderness. You must have encountered many disaster victims on the way. Tell my ministers, what is the situation there?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's attention once again fell on Jiang Nuanzhi.

Indeed, after learning that she was Li Rong's wife, those who had previously ignored her began to look at her with newfound interest.

After all, a fifth-rank female official is nothing to fear, but Li Rong's wife is a completely different story. Some of the military officers at the banquet have even set their sights on her.

Jiang Nuanzhi was suddenly called out, and a string in her heart was pulled up.

She was still observing the situation in the court and felt that the emperor was really aggrieved, but the next second he pulled her out.

She respectfully clasped her hands in greeting and stepped forward to report, truthfully recounting everything she had witnessed in the Great Wilderness.

In my heart, I've cursed these people countless times.

When the Kings of Hell fight, the little devils suffer!
She's a doctor, all she wants is to treat patients properly, earn some money, and live a good life with her husband and children. Why is it so damn difficult for her?

However, the emperor was still giving her meaningful glances.

Clearly, seeing the Emperor's weak and listless appearance, Jiang Nuanzhi knew that he was on the verge of collapse.

After replying, she served him tea, subtly adding a life-saving pill to the tea.

However, after doing all this, she took a breath and turned to look down, only to meet Xiao Yuanshan's probing eyes. Clearly, he had noticed the cup of tea.

"Your Majesty, there are still quite a few memorials pending, and I am unsure what to do. I would be grateful if Your Majesty would take a look at them."

As he said this, Xiao Yuanshan ordered someone to bring up the thick stack of memorials.

Jiang Nuanzhi glanced at it and gasped.

Good heavens, is he trying to work the emperor to death?

Originally, the Emperor planned to return from court in half an hour. However, due to Xiao Yuanshan's deliberate delay, it took nearly two hours before he finally left, under Xiao Yuanshan's sinister gaze. Jiang Nuanzhi glanced at the Emperor, who seemed on the verge of collapse, and felt a chill of fear. Thankfully, he hadn't collapsed in court. If he had, she would definitely have been the first to be sent out to take the blame!

At this moment, after avoiding his ministers, the emperor had no time to return to his bedchamber before ordering Jiang Nuanzhi to administer acupuncture to him immediately. It took him a while to catch his breath.

"It is truly my good fortune to have Physician Jiang."

The Emperor had a smile on his lips, seemingly in a good mood. He glanced back at the court, as if taking in all the changes in the situation, and then ordered with a smile, "Let's go back to our palace."

Jiang Nuanzhi listened to the morning court session with trepidation, her legs almost cramping from all the turning. The information was so dense that she eventually didn't want to listen anymore. Indeed, being a subject was not easy.

Fortunately, the acupuncture had been administered and the emperor had taken his medicine. It was almost noon, so there was no need to stay by the emperor's side any longer; he could go to the Imperial Hospital for his meal.

Following the Emperor back to his bedchamber, Jiang Nuanzhi was just about to find an excuse to leave when she heard a noise from inside the bedchamber, and she abruptly stopped in her tracks.

The familiar sounds of laughter drifted from the emperor's bedchamber. The sound of children's laughter was most soothing, yet Jiang Nuanzhi felt a pang of anxiety. She quickly took two steps forward and looked into the bedchamber.

Inside the small pavilion in front of the sleeping quarters, Xiao Er, Baozhu, and Xiao Xuanting were squatting together, their little heads huddled together, doing something. Every now and then, they would giggle and laugh out loud.

Jiang Nuanzhi's heart sank suddenly. Almost instinctively, she shifted her gaze to the Emperor in the sedan chair.

The Emperor was also looking at Jiang Nuanzhi at this moment. When he saw her looking over, he did not dodge, but just smiled and said, "Knowing that Physician Jiang has been worried about the safety of the children, in order to prevent Xiao Yuanshan from doing anything underhanded, I brought the children into the palace."

Jiang Nuan unconsciously rubbed her fingers without saying a word.

The Emperor's expression remained gentle: "After all, there's nowhere safer than the Imperial Palace, right here beside you and me?"

Jiang Nuanzhi took a deep breath, but still couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, the children are still young."

Enslaving herself is one thing, but why drag her child into it?
The children's ending in the book wasn't good, and Jiang Nuanzhi didn't want them to have anything to do with the palace. Also, the original female lead, the one Xiao Er loved to death—the one who betrayed him even by her own brother and sister, causing his life to be entangled in a whirlpool of emotions—it's best to avoid her.

Seeing Jiang Nuanzhi's obvious unhappiness, the Emperor seemed to feel even better, his smile deepening: "Is Imperial Physician Jiang resenting me?"

"Your humble servant dares not," Jiang Nuanzhi replied indifferently.

The Emperor, however, said good-naturedly, "I am also a father, how could I not know Physician Jiang's thoughts? It's just that these past two days, Xuan Ting has been worried about my health, unable to eat or sleep, and he's become skin and bones. He's good friends with Jun'an and Baozhu. Sending them to the palace can be a way to offer some advice. Since you're on duty in the palace, I had them brought over. This will also prevent any malicious people from harming them. Don't worry, I will protect them. You just go and do your work."

“That’s right, that’s right.” Seeing that Jiang Nuanzhi was still silent and that the Emperor’s smile had faded, Eunuch Li carefully advised, “Physician Jiang, aren’t you going to the Imperial Hospital later? And you’ll also be going to the Grand Princess’s place and the Regent’s Palace later. It’s not safe outside, and you can’t bring the children with you on your long journey. It would be best if the children stayed with the Sixth Prince, right under the Emperor’s nose.”

As he said this, he kept winking at Jiang Nuanzhi from behind the Emperor.

(End of this chapter)