The Empress Dowager sighed and continued, "These years, this body has been growing weaker day by day. I suppose I will soon go to see the late Emperor and your maternal grandmother."
"Cough... cough..." The Empress Dowager coughed violently.
Feng Jin gently patted the Empress Dowager's back, helping her regulate her breathing.
"The moment I met you, I thought about protecting you more while I am still alive. However, the Emperor has enfeoffed you as a county princess, and with a fiefdom, your future days will be more comfortable."
"How dare I, Feng Jin, have the Empress Dowager make such plans for me."
A surge of emotion washed over Feng Jin.
"Let alone my closeness with your grandmother, just saving me from the gates of hell moments ago is a great deed. You deserve a reward."
After a pause, the Empress Dowager continued, "I have something I wish to entrust to you."
Feng Jin's expression stiffened. What could the Empress Dowager entrust to her, a country girl with no power or influence?
"This matter concerns the Second Prince, Chu Chenyi. This child broke his leg in an accident years ago. The imperial physicians said he would never be able to stand again. Feng Jin, you were able to pull me back from the brink of death, which shows the excellence of your medical skills. I wish for you to examine Chenyi's leg and see if there is any hope of him standing again."
She had summoned renowned physicians from all over to treat Chu Chenyi's leg ailment, but none had made any progress.
She was ready to give up, but since Feng Jin could save her, she believed Feng Jin might have a solution for Chenyi's leg.
Among Emperor Xuanwen's sons, only the Second Prince Chu Chenyi was the most suitable candidate for succession. She had always placed great hope in him, but who would have thought that her favoritism would bring about such great calamity.
After Chu Chenyi's accident, she had secretly investigated. That incident was not an accident but intentional.
From then on, to protect Chu Chenyi, she had intentionally or unintentionally distanced herself from him, pushing him to the periphery of the court.
Meanwhile, she secretly sought out divine doctors to heal Chu Chenyi.
"Your Majesty, Feng Jin is ignorant..."
"Good child, just try your best. If there's a way to cure it, all the better. Even if there isn't, I won't blame you."
Having sought countless renowned physicians, the Empress Dowager was already accustomed to the cycle of hope and disappointment.
Feng Jin couldn't bear to refuse the Empress Dowager any longer and reluctantly agreed, "This humble daughter will do her best to try."
"Good... good!" The Empress Dowager was filled with relief. "Feng Jin, you must treat Chenyi in secret. The struggle for the heir in the palace is fraught with hidden dangers. I was once too partial to Chenyi, which is why I brought such great disaster upon him. Do you understand the gravity of this matter?"
"Feng Jin understands and will proceed with caution."
She felt as though she had stumbled into a huge pit, and now that she realized it, it seemed there was no way to escape.
After ensuring the Empress Dowager was asleep, Feng Jin left the palace and saw Ling Mohan waiting for her.
"Why does your face look so troubled? Has something happened?"
Ling Mohan had stayed outside, not daring to leave. The palace was heavily guarded, and he had only received news of Feng Jin being enfeoffed as the Jia Ning County Princess.
"There are too many people here. Let's go back to the manor first."
Feng Jin pulled Ling Mohan into the carriage. Upon returning to the manor, Feng Jin mysteriously scanned the surroundings, then closed all the doors and windows before informing Ling Mohan of the Empress Dowager's request to treat the Second Prince.
The man did not seem surprised. He simply looked at Feng Jin calmly and asked in a lowered voice, "Then how do you plan to proceed?"
"What else can I do? My mind was hot, and I agreed to it. There's no chance to back out now; I can only go through with it."
Feng Jin was regretting it so much her intestines were twisting. Why had she agreed? She felt restless if she wasn't causing trouble for a day.
The troublesome matters of the Ling manor were not yet resolved, and now this had come along.
"Do you know why the Second Prince became crippled?"
Feng Jin was so consumed by her regret that she didn't notice the ruthlessness in Ling Mohan's eyes as he mentioned this.
"No, I only heard the Empress Dowager say he was framed, but I don't know who it was..." Feng Jin said, then looked at Ling Mohan suspiciously. "Do you know something?"
Right! She almost forgot. This fellow had once served as an imperial tutor. He must be familiar with the Second Prince, and perhaps knew some royal secrets.
Feng Jin became interested. "Do you know any inside story? Tell me, so I can make some preparations."
Ling Mohan looked at Feng Jin with cold eyes, unable to discern her thoughts.
"The incident of the Second Prince falling from his horse is related to the Empress."
Feng Jin's eyes widened. It was indeed related to the Empress. If she went to treat the Second Prince, wouldn't she be directly offending the Empress and the Third Prince?
No wonder the Empress Dowager had told her to proceed with caution.
If the Empress found out, could she even keep her life?
"It's over, it's really over. I shouldn't have agreed to the Empress Dowager..."
"Do you regret it?" Ling Mohan asked tentatively.
Feng Jin looked helpless. "Even if I regret it, it's too late."
She had no choice but to bravely face it.
"Can you accompany me to the Pingyang Marquis's manor tomorrow?"
Feng Jin had already decided to find a breakthrough from Lin Yuwei. By building a good relationship with Lin Yuwei, she would have an excuse to enter and exit the Jing Wang Manor in the future.
"Why?"
Why did he have so many questions? Did he think she was a hundred questions?
"Lin Yuwei was bestowed upon Prince Jing, Chu Chenyi, as his wife by the Empress Dowager. If I build a good relationship with Lin Yuwei, it will be less conspicuous for me to enter and exit the Jing Wang Manor."
Feng Jin explained patiently. Seeing that Ling Mohan remained silent for a long time, she asked impatiently, "Are you going or not?"
"I'll accompany you tomorrow," Ling Mohan said in a heavy voice. After a pause, he stood up and said, "Rest early. I'll return to my room."
After Ling Mohan left, Cai Qing brought in the meal. "Young Madam, the food is ready, prepared according to your instructions."
The aroma of the food made Feng Jin feel ravenously hungry. She dug into the meal and ate with gusto.
"By the way, has Master Ling the Second sent the money?"
"He sent it. It was ten thousand taels of silver notes," Cai Qing said in surprise. It was the first time she had seen so much money.
Master Ling the Second was truly wealthy, it seemed he hadn't skimped on corruption over the years.
However, with ten thousand taels of silver, it solved their immediate financial problem.
The next morning, people from various rooms gathered at the entrance of the East Courtyard to collect their monthly allowances.
"Young Madam, they are all gathered at the East Courtyard..."
Cai Qing seemed a little worried. The people from the second and third rooms had all come, and it was clear they were not here with good intentions.
"What are you afraid of? I am the Young Madam in charge now, and you are the head maid to the mistress of the manor. You must maintain your dignity."