The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Cining Palace.

Empress Dowager Wang looked at the old woman before her with incredulity. It took quite a while before she blurted out: ”Imperial Concubine, how have you aged to this extent? You look older than I do, as though you’re seventy years old.”

The Princess Consort Ji in front of her was dry and thin, with gray hair and a face full of wrinkles, devoid of any vitality. She was a completely different person compared to a few months ago.

Empress Dowager Wang knew well the suffering the Princess Consort Ji and her son had endured in the past few months. With the death of Minister Ning of the fallen Xia Dynasty and the fall of Xia Houzhe, there was no longer any medicine to alleviate the accompanying poisonous insect affecting the Princess Consort Ji and her son. When it acted up, it was truly life-threatening.

At the time, just hearing about it made her skin crawl. But seeing the Princess Consort Ji now, indeed, her plight was undeniable.

If it wasn’t truly painful, how could one age so rapidly in such a short period? The Princess Consort Ji seemed not yet fifty years old.

The Princess Consort Ji had come to the palace by sheer force of will. In these months, the poisonous insect had tormented her to the brink of death. Every time it acted up monthly, she thought death would claim her on the spot, yet she survived each ordeal.

Survival, however, was just a gasp of breath, and her body swiftly weakened, revealing such evident signs of aging.

If she was thus, then Chu Ze, who had already been in decline, was even frailer, like a piece of paper.

At that moment, hearing Empress Dowager Wang’s words, Princess Consort Ji nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

She tremulously knelt down: ”Lady, I am guilty. I am a sinner.”

Empress Dowager Wang: ”...”

Could this be an impersonator of Princess Consort Ji? To actually confess and humble herself before me?

Could she be possessed?

The Princess Consort of Min County also knelt, supporting Princess Consort Ji, looking down at her trembling hands pressed on the stone floor, and sighed inwardly.

Princess Consort Ji cried with a quavering voice: ”Lady, my crimes are beyond redemption. Death would not be an overpayment. To end like this is a retribution, I have no defense. Down below, I would not have the face to meet the late emperor.”

Empress Dowager Wang, seeing her about to cry again and noting her weakness, said: ”Why are you here nonsensically pleading guilty? Speak clearly. Your words leave me confused, leaving me in a fog. Princess Consort of Min County, help her up.”

The Princess Consort of Min County respectfully complied and was about to help, but was pushed away by Princess Consort Ji.

”Lady, let me kneel and speak, otherwise I will not be at ease in my heart.”

Empress Dowager Wang’s forehead twitched, saying: ”Stop this nonsense with me. I won’t indulge you, nor see how decrepit you are now. If you kneel yourself into a bad situation, it would mean I’m criticized for deliberately pushing you to your death, adding salt to the wound. I will not give you this chance. If you want to speak, do so standing, or don’t speak at all. I won’t see you off.”

Princess Consort Ji: ”...”

Wang Jingxian is cornering her!

Having favors to seek, Princess Consort Ji dared not confront directly, and obediently stood up with the Princess Consort of Min County’s support, even sitting down, before gazing at Empress Dowager Wang.

Crying.

Empress Dowager Wang felt a bit overwhelmed, leaning on her chin lazily, said: ”Young girls weep like a weeping willow, pitiful and delicate. You, on the other hand, are like a setting sun, your crying is only desolate, just spare your breath and state your purpose.”

Princess Consort Ji held back repeatedly, saying: ”I know, Lady, you dislike me and I won’t irritate you further. Lady, I fear I won’t live much longer. You, in your great compassion, for the late emperor’s sake, have mercy on Ze’er, and save him somehow. He, too, calls you mother.”