The Whole Dynasty Spoils the Tyrant's Beloved Youngest Daughter-Chapter 312: At Death’s Door
"The days go by so quickly; how can I not be anxious?"
The Empress Dowager showed no sign of physical exhaustion or extreme fatigue as she spoke, caressingly rubbing Jun Ning’s head, her eyes full of kindness.
Jun Ning did not miss the slightest hint of expression on the Empress Dowager’s face.
While seemingly casually conversing with the Empress Dowager, Jun Ning was actually carefully observing her. She had a dreadful suspicion in her heart that she had to verify personally.
And she needed to verify it thoroughly.
Unfortunately, she found nothing amiss on the Empress Dowager’s face. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
Jun Ning nestled close into the Empress Dowager’s embrace, looking up at her closely, saying coquettishly, "Yi Yi is still young! Qi Xiao is only five years old this year, even younger. There’s really no need to hurry."
The Empress Dowager smiled and gently stroked Jun Ning’s back, without saying a word.
Jun Ning added, "Grand Empress Dowager, you shouldn’t bother embroidering the wedding dress for Yi Yi. How about flying kites with Yi Yi? Yi Yi remembers you would often accompany her to fly kites a few years ago, but it hasn’t happened once these years."
The Empress Dowager sighed with regret, shaking her head as she refused, "The Grand Empress Dowager is getting old, can’t run around anymore, so I won’t go out to play with Yi Yi. You go ahead and play by yourself, the Grand Empress Dowager will continue to embroider your wedding dress."
Embroidering the wedding dress, embroidering the wedding dress—always embroidering the wedding dress?
Is there nothing else in life but embroidering the wedding dress?
Jun Ning felt powerless inside; she wanted to say something to argue with the Empress Dowager, but suddenly the Empress Dowager snatched the needle and thread, along with the fabric, from her arms and continued the embroidery.
Emperor Yongning’s attempts to persuade her were also in vain.
"Since you father and daughter have seen Aijia, you should go back quickly," the Empress Dowager said while embroidering patterns. "I am very happy you came to see Aijia, but there’s no need to come often. Aijia is getting old, with illnesses, and needs quiet rest. I don’t want you to often come and disturb Aijia."
"Imperial Mother!"
Emperor Yongning knew very well why the Empress Dowager said that.
He felt a stab of heartache because of it.
"Son, you should return to handle state affairs!" the Empress Dowager said, "Aijia knows it hasn’t been easy for you since General Qi passed away; you’re busy every day. So, don’t waste time here with Aijia."
Emperor Yongning wanted to say more, but ultimately said nothing, leaving with only a promise to visit the Imperial Mother again tomorrow.
Jun Ning, however, did not follow Emperor Yongning; she wanted to stay a bit longer with the Empress Dowager.
Even though she didn’t find anything wrong with the Empress Dowager, a voice inside her kept saying to spend more time with the Empress Dowager, to definitely spend more time with her.
"Grand Empress Dowager, Yi Yi has good eyesight; Yi Yi can help you thread the needle."
"Please don’t drive Yi Yi away. Let Yi Yi keep you company for a while, even if it’s just sitting and watching you embroider the wedding dress. Wouldn’t that be good?"
The Empress Dowager waved her hand, speaking earnestly, "Yi Yi, you’re just beginning your studies, already lagging behind your peers. You can’t hide here with the Grand Empress Dowager any longer; go back and study, okay?"
Jun Ning refused.
"Will you go or not? If you don’t, be careful, the Grand Empress Dowager will get tough with you."
Over the years, the Empress Dowager had almost never lost her temper with Jun Ning; today was the first time.
The Empress Dowager seemed very angry, with fury in her eyes, as if ready to burst out.
Seeing Jun Ning unmoving, she even told the people by her side, "Go, fetch Aijia the feather duster; if the princess won’t study, Aijia will make her go by force."
Jun Ning: "......"
Initially, Jun Ning thought the Empress Dowager was just scaring her, merely wanting her to study hard, not really intending to do anything.
But seeing that a servant indeed brought the feather duster, handing it to the Empress Dowager, and watching the Empress Dowager raise it toward her, she finally realized the Empress Dowager was not joking.
If she continued to linger, her backside might truly be in for a beating.
Seeing the feather duster swinging towards her, Jun Ning quickly got up and ran outside, still saying, "Grand Empress Dowager, calm down, calm down, I will study."
Jun Ning ran very fast, her small figure quickly disappearing from sight.
Thinking she had left, the Empress Dowager could no longer hold back, dropping her façade to the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Her complexion instantly turned ghastly, devoid of the slightest color, her eyes lacking the lively spirit from before.
She hunched her back, lowered her head, appearing utterly weary, like an old lady drained and powerless against illness.
"Empress Dowager, please lie down..." The palace maids seemed accustomed to this, neither surprised nor alarmed, quickly helping her to recline.
The Empress Dowager lay down, still murmuring, "Aijia doesn’t have much time left, Aijia must hurry to finish embroidering the wedding dress for Yi Yi."
Listening to this as she hid outside in a corner, Jun Ning felt a sting in her nose, tears welling as she covered her mouth.
Her small, palm-sized face was soon drenched with tears.
Unable to resist the turmoil within, she desperately wanted to question the Empress Dowager—why pretend everything was alright when her body was clearly... clearly at its limits?
Why strain oneself so, why work so hard on that wedding dress?
When she marries someday, any wedding dress embroidered by a palace maid would do; the Grand Empress Dowager really needn’t toil so.
She couldn’t bear it, it pained her to watch.
Jun Ning sniffed and wiped away her tears with her hand.
She dearly wanted to say these things to the Empress Dowager, but she understood her stubbornness.
Since she took up embroidery, she had to excel; entering the harem, she aimed to become the most esteemed woman...
What she wanted, she always strived to achieve with every ounce of strength.
In her very bones seemed a sort of obstinacy, never stopping without obtaining her desire.
Thus, her determination to embroider that wedding dress beautifully was impossible to dissuade.
Perhaps revealing the truth might backfire.
Rather than saying anything, better to use that time to find medicine to ease her pain, to extend her life.
Thinking of this, Jun Ning didn’t linger and hurried out of Cining Palace, heading back to Weiyang Hall to pack her things.
She wanted to make another trip to the Medicine King Valley.
The Medicine King Valley held many good medicines, perhaps enough to save her Grand Empress Dowager!
Earlier, the medicines from the Medicine King Valley saved her father’s life; surely, they could save her Grand Empress Dowager this time too.
Passing by the Imperial Hospital, Jun Ning stopped briefly to learn about the Empress Dowager’s condition, then returned to Weiyang Hall.
She told Qiong Hua that she planned to stay at the Qi Mansion for a while, and once Qiong Hua agreed, she packed light and left the palace. However, after leaving the palace, she didn’t go to the Qi Mansion, but instead headed to the Black Market Qianji Pavilion.
