Su Yunmo was spun around in place with one wrist tied, feeling a little helpless.
"The old madam has regained consciousness!" the old servant exclaimed.
Su Qingtian looked up at the sound and frowned slightly upon seeing the old woman on the ground.
This old madam looked somewhat familiar.
He paused for a moment, then turned to look at the one in his hand, "What did you just give her to eat?"
Su Yunmo's eyes flickered, and she remained silent, lowering her gaze.
Su Qingtian sighed inwardly and asked no further questions.
The stout monk got up from the ground, "How dare you stir up trouble with the Tai Sui! If I don't show you my might today, you won't know how high the sky is! Guards!"
The monks in the temple, hearing the commotion, all rushed out with hammers and clubs.
Although they wore simple kasaya, they were different from the monks who merely served as decoration. Each of them had a fierce and menacing look on their faces.
They didn't look like people serving before Buddha, but rather like mountain bandits who had retreated from a mountain stronghold.
The stout monk pointed at them, "Throw these ignorant fools off the mountain."
Su Yunmo glanced at them, then turned and walked back to the old madam to check her pulse again.
Seeing those men surround Su Qingtian, the old servant looked worried, "Can your father fight them alone? Why don't we just appease them for now and avoid getting anyone hurt?"
Su Yunmo replied, "It's fine."
With General Su's martial prowess, he could fight a hundred of them without issue.
"The medicine is taking effect quickly, and there are no major issues for now."
As soon as she finished speaking, the old madam opened her eyes.
The old servant's face lit up with joy.
The old madam looked around, her gaze sweeping past Su Qingtian and landing on Su Yunmo. A steady light of wisdom flickered in her cloudy eyes, as if she were gathering her consciousness.
Su Yunmo clearly saw the inherent dignity radiating from her the moment she opened her eyes. Even with her intention to restrain it, her grace was unparalleled.
The old servant said, "Old madam, this child's pill saved you."
A hint of surprise crossed the old madam's pale face. She then nodded with a touch of approval, but her words were unrelated to her condition.
"Child, your father might be in trouble."
Su Yunmo blinked in surprise and turned to look.
At that moment, Su Qingtian, surrounded by the crowd, wasn't fighting. Instead, he was frantically searching through his clothes with one hand.
He paused halfway through his search when he felt Su Yunmo's gaze, but quickly resumed a serious expression and reprimanded the stout monk with an air of authority.
"This is a place of Buddhist cultivation, how can you draw weapons? I am the Victorious General bestowed by His Majesty. If you have any sense, you will retreat immediately!"
He stood tall, puffing out his chest like a general, holding a Buddha statue in his left hand, with more than a dozen prayer beads strung around his wrists, and ten or so strands of beads hanging from his chest.
Combined with his scholarly speech, he looked as incongruous as a nouveau riche entering a school to teach.
It was truly awkward.
Su Yunmo genuinely wanted to tell everyone.
This was not her father, and she did not know him.
Su Qingtian felt no shame.
He was rather proud.
Although he couldn't find his waist token to prove his identity, with his imposing demeanor, anyone could tell he was a general.
The little girl liked Xie Zhengping's type, didn't she? He had to let her know.
His own father wasn't just skilled with a sword; the mere title of 'Victorious General' surpassed Xie Zhengping, a mere scholar.
"What 'Yongsheng' or 'Yongjiang'? I've never heard of it," the stout monk said dismissively.
Su Qingtian's head felt like it was about to smoke.
If this Buddha statue hadn't been blessed, he would have smashed it against the monk's head immediately!
Ignorant, so ignorant!
The stout monk raised his hand.
"This temple mountain was renovated with the support of the Luo family. The Luo family is the Empress's maternal family. Don't talk about any damn generals; even if the Empress Dowager herself came, she would have to kowtow and pay homage here!"
The old madam's eyes flickered slightly.
The other monks, receiving the signal, charged towards Su Qingtian.
Su Yunmo flipped her wrist.
General Su was unreliable; it was better to handle it herself.
A gentle yet commanding voice echoed from a distance.
"Who speaks with such arrogance? Who can casually utter the Empress Dowager's title?"
Su Yunmo heard the familiar voice and stopped her actions. Her eyes lit up as she turned, "Godfather!"
Xie Zhengping arrived in official attire, dignified and imposing, with the gentle demeanor of jade and a hint of imperial authority.
Behind him followed a squadron, each wearing yellow robes, standing alert, as if surrounding everyone in the courtyard.
Su Qingtian, who was about to display his martial arts, gritted his teeth resentfully, "Why have you brought so many palace attendants here?"
Why was he everywhere!
Xie Zhengping strode over, first ruffling Su Yunmo's hair and saying, "Good girl." His gaze fell on the old madam, and the latter part of his statement was in response.
"This humble subject is here on His Majesty's orders to escort the Empress Dowager back to the palace."
He cupped his hands and knelt on one knee in greeting.
Everyone was astonished by this announcement.
Su Qingtian was also taken aback, then realized.
He remembered seeing the Empress Dowager once at the late Emperor's funeral more than ten years ago.
No wonder she looked familiar!
Everyone present knelt to pay their respects.
Su Yunmo was also pulled to her knees, and a fleeting glint appeared in her eyes as she lowered her gaze.
Although she didn't know why the Empress Dowager was at this small temple, perhaps her opportunity had arrived.
The old servant helped the Empress Dowager to rise.
A group of palace maids, about twenty in number, emerged from behind Xie Zhengping, each holding a tray.
The trays held outer garments, accessories, and similar items.
The palace maids gracefully approached and helped the Empress Dowager put on the items.
Moments later.
The Empress Dowager was adorned in a bright yellow brocade robe, embroidered with lush green bamboo on her chest, a golden dragon-embroidered jade belt at her waist, a phoenix-tail hairpin on her head, and a golden forehead band with two dragons chasing a pearl across her brow, exuding an aura of grandeur and nobility.
The palace attendants brought a sedan chair, and the Empress Dowager was helped to the main seat.
Everyone then shouted in unison, "Long live the Empress Dowager!"
The Empress Dowager placed her hands on the sedan chair's handles, her grace revealing a touch of dominance, "Does this empress still need to kowtow and pay homage now?"
The stout monk's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground, "Never, never. This humble temple is without merit. The Empress Dowager is a true Buddha. This monk did not know of the Empress Dowager's arrival and begs for your forgiveness!"
He could never have imagined the Empress Dowager would appear here!
"For years, I have been guarding the imperial mausoleum for the late Emperor. I did not realize that the temples in the capital have become so worldly. It truly disheartens me," the Empress Dowager said with authority.
The stout monk felt an immense pressure, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he desperately kowtowed.
"Empress Dowager, spare this monk. This monk was blind and did not recognize the Empress Dowager's noble person. I beg the Empress Dowager to spare this monk for the sake of the Luo family."
A faint gleam appeared in Su Yunmo's eyes.
If she remembered correctly, the current Empress was chosen by the Empress Dowager from her maternal family. These two were originally from the same family.
Since the Luo family also had a stake in this temple mountain, it would be difficult for the Empress Dowager to punish them too severely, lest it damage her relationship with her maternal family.
However, given the current situation, if the Empress Dowager did not punish them, it would compromise her status. It would be embarrassing for the dignified Empress Dowager to be insulted and then have the matter dismissed lightly.
Punishing or not punishing was indeed a difficult dilemma.
The Empress Dowager furrowed her brows and her gaze fell upon Su Yunmo.
"Little one from the Su family, you saved my life, and I am very pleased. They were about to lay hands on your father just now. How you wish to deal with them is up to you. Consider it my reward for your merit in saving the empress."
Su Yunmo's eyelids twitched.
Very good, the dilemma had been transferred.