Two coiled dragon pillars loomed faintly through the curling incense smoke.
Shen Yu kept her head bowed, her eyes downcast, even her breathing carefully restrained.
The Empress seated upon the dragon throne did not speak at first.
Her gaze slowly swept over Shen Yu standing below the vermilion steps.
Her eyes were clear and sharp, carrying an air of scrutiny, along with a trace of surprise.
She was indeed thirty-two years old, tall and straight-backed, possessing a difficult-to-ignore majesty even while seated.
The twelve imperial insignias embroidered in gold thread on her dark ceremonial robe seemed to flow slightly in the light and shadow, yet they did not obscure the body’s own ample fullness.
It was not a pampered plumpness, but a fullness shaped by the passage of time, bearing the weight of an empire—her shoulders were straight and broad, seemingly capable of shouldering the state.
Her waist, cinched by a jade belt, still appeared slender, yet did not lose its upright posture.
The wrists emerging from her wide sleeves were defined, their bones prominent, steady as a rock when holding memorials.
Her face was a proper oval shape, her skin slightly pale from years of laboring over documents, which only served to accentuate her ink-dark brows and eyes.
Her eyebrows were long, extending towards her temples like two swords suspended yet to fall.
The outer corners of her eyes tilted slightly upwards, adorned with a delicate beauty mark, yet it held not a hint of coyness, only the sharpness of one who scrutinizes all things.
Her nose bridge was straight, her lips a stern, tight line when pressed together.
Only the slight, natural upward curve at the corners of her mouth, in extremely rare moments, could give the illusion of a trace of warmth.
“Physician Attendant Shen is indeed as rumored, a young beauty of peerless loveliness.”
The Empress’s tone was flat.
Shen Yu couldn’t tell if this was praise or teasing, and simply buried her head even lower.
“Eunuch Li, you may all withdraw. I wish to speak with Physician Attendant Shen alone. And Physician Attendant Shen’s little apprentice… can the vaccination not be performed by Physician Attendant Shen alone?”
The Empress instinctively glanced towards the somewhat stiff Yin Qiu beside her, who was clumsily imitating Shen Yu’s posture.
The meaning was already clear—she wanted Yin Qiu to withdraw as well.
“Of course. Yin Qiu… you go with Eunuch Li and wait for me outside.”
“Okay.”
Yin Qiu nodded understandingly, shooting a worried glance at Shen Yu.
She knew she couldn’t speak much here to avoid causing trouble for her sister.
She would just obediently do whatever her sister said.
Once everyone had left, the vast Hall of Mental Cultivation held only Shen Yu and the Empress.
This was the first time Shen Yu had been so close to the Empress.
She used to follow her grandpa’s lead in cursing the emperor, thinking an emperor was nothing special.
But now, having seen the Empress in person, she clearly understood… this position truly wasn’t something just anyone could sit on.
Especially since the throne the Empress before her occupied was one she had seized through her own ability.
“There is no need to be nervous. I am not some beast of prey. Previously, the Chief Eunuch presented me with a medicinal formula, claiming it could calm the nerves, aid sleep, and resolve my troubles with restlessness and insomnia.”
“That formula was reportedly from your hand, Physician Shen. However, after I took it, it had no effect whatsoever.”
Hearing this, Shen Yu was utterly bewildered.
“That’s impossible, Your Majesty. That medicine… may I see it?”
Shen Yu had extreme confidence in her own formula.
Forget the Empress falling asleep instantly; even a donkey drinking it would have its eyelids grow heavy.
“The Imperial Academy of Medicine just delivered it.”
The Empress showed no reservation, directly pushing her medicine bowl towards Shen Yu, then watching her with keen interest.
She noticed Shen Yu was different from the ministers.
When the ministers faced her, they were all extremely cautious, even their breathing patterns seemed restrained and tense.
Only Shen Yu, though somewhat reserved in her presence, was far more natural than those ministers and servants who viewed her as a beast of prey.
In this vast imperial palace, everyone who saw her was reverent and respectful—utterly boring.
Shen Yu’s somewhat casual reaction actually pleased the Empress greatly, as if her taut nerves had been subtly relaxed by Shen Yu.
“This medicine is wrong.”
Shen Yu sniffed it for a long moment, then simply picked up the medicine bowl and took a sip.
With just a slight taste, she immediately discerned the medicine was wrong, vastly different from the formula she had prescribed.
“Hahahaha.”
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the Empress actually laughed out loud.
Only then did Shen Yu realize what she had done.
Accustomed to being casual in Qingfeng Village, she relaxed whenever topics of formulas or diagnosis came up.
She had actually handled the Empress’s medicine bowl, and even taken a sip?
Looking at the spot she had just sipped from, there seemed to be a faint lip color imprint, strikingly similar to the crimson on the Empress’s lips.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Since I have appointed you as an Eighth Rank Medical Attendant, it proves I already regard you as someone close. Your willingness to test the medicine for me is appreciated. Weren’t you afraid there might be poison in my medicine, placed by someone with ill intent, and you would be implicated?”
“Your Majesty, this humble subject is absolutely loyal. But this medicine, if you continue to drink it, not only will you not sleep, I fear even your life…”
Shen Yu stopped mid-sentence, not daring to continue.
She could sense the atmosphere around her beginning to shift, becoming strange.
The Empress seemed… angry.
“This is also why I trust you. You come from humble origins, possess noble medical ethics, and are unlike those useless, pampered wastrels in the Imperial Academy of Medicine.”
“You say my medicine has a problem. I believe you. But as for exactly where the problem lies… this secret you must keep buried in your heart. Otherwise, I fear even I may not be able to protect you.”
“From now on, my medicine will be delivered from your Mu’en Hall. I have suffered from insomnia for many days, my mind and spirit are weary. Do not disappoint me, Physician.”
The Empress spoke a great deal on her own.
Shen Yu didn’t understand, but she only felt a creeping dread.
In this imperial court, it truly wasn’t a place where the emperor’s word was absolute.
Miss Xiaoyue had been completely right.
As the saying goes, the stronger the imperial power appears, the weaker it may be; the weaker it appears, the stronger it may be.
The Empress, such a formidable person, could control the overt court politics but not the covert ones.
But Shen Yu was merely an Eighth Rank Medical Attendant.
What could she possibly do?
“Yes, this humble subject will remember. Your Majesty, actually, it’s not necessary to drink medicine. This humble subject knows some acupuncture techniques, which can also improve your stubborn ailments of headaches and insomnia.”
Shen Yu weighed her words carefully.
Honestly, she really couldn’t master the flowery, overly formal way the ancient ministers spoke.
She felt like an awkward imitator, everything she said felt wrong.
However, the Empress didn’t seem to mind too much, even using more plain speech when talking to Shen Yu.
“That’s even better. I need to disrobe, correct?”
Before Shen Yu could speak, the Empress had already taken the first step, loosening her own dragon robe.
It was called a dragon robe, but its construction was rather similar to a bathrobe.
With a tug on a bright yellow silk sash, the Empress’s jade-like, snow-white skin was fully revealed.
A bright yellow silk undergarment covered her chest, accentuating her ample curves, seemingly ready to burst forth.
That was mother-level fullness!
Whether it was because Shen Yu was close or because the Empress used some scented sachet, the moment the dragon robe fell, a pleasant, warm fragrance instantly filled Shen Yu’s nostrils.
Shen Yu was momentarily stunned.
Your Majesty… you, you undressed too quickly, didn’t you?
Why does this speed of disrobing seem familiar?
Didn’t Miss Xiaoyue also undress this quickly?
“What is it? Staring at me… is there something wrong with my body?”
“N-no, Your Majesty’s body is priceless, this humble subject…”
Shen Yu’s mouth felt parched.
Honestly, the Empress was indeed the Empress.
That figure was truly one that made it difficult to look away.
“We are both women, what is there to avoid? Or do you think I am unclean?”
“N-no, it’s not that.”
“Then if Physician Attendant Shen feels uncomfortable, why not also disrobe? Let us, sovereign and subject, face each other with complete honesty. It would also be good to speak some intimate words. What do you say?”
The Empress’s words caused Shen Yu to freeze on the spot.
“I… I have to undress too? Your Majesty… this humble subject need not, surely.”
“Hmm? Do you think I am discussing this with you? I never discuss anything with anyone. I just said… disrobe!”
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