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The grandfather and grandson were both stunned. Empress Dowager Zhuang was very particular about rules, and also often emphasized ostentation and extravagance. On normal days, seven or eight palace maids and eunuchs were always waiting upon around her——
Empress Dowager Zhuang personally reached for the teapot on the table to pour tea for herself.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang frowned, looked at the two servant girls and said, "What are you doing just standing there? Why don"t you serve tea to the Empress Dowager quickly!?"
The two people rushed forward to pour tea.
Empress Dowager Zhuang slammed the teapot on the table, obviously with a hint of impatience, causing the two servant girls to go down on their knees with horror.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was fl.u.s.tered for a very brief moment, as though she realized that her reaction was out of place. She said lightly, "Pour it."
"Yes!" The two servant girls exchanged quick glances before standing up. One of them poured tea while the other served some snacks.
Empress Dowager Zhuang had no appet.i.te, she simply took a sip of tea and asked them to step down.
"What happened during this period of time?" Empress Dowager Zhuang asked soberly.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang exchanged a look with An Junw.a.n.g, and they both saw surprise in each other"s eyes.
An Junw.a.n.g opened his mouth, "Doesn’t Empress Dowager… remember what happened?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang pressed her aching temple, "Aijia only remembered that she had contracted leprosy and was forced to be sent to Leprosy Mountain. Aijia escaped when people were not paying attention. After that, Aijia seemed to have gone to many places and finally fainted from hunger... Aijia doesn"t remember much about what happened after that. Where did you find Aijia? Was Aijia in a coma for several days?"
Coma, several days?
The two men in the room couldn’t help but gasp.
The Empress Dowager remembered the things from the past, but not what happened in the recent period. Her memory stopped on the day she fainted in the village.
Thinking of something, Empress Dowager Zhuang asked again, "By the way, how is Aijia"s leprosy?"
An Junw.a.n.g said, "Empress Dowager’s leprosy..."
“Your Majesty doesn’t have leprosy! It"s a misdiagnosis!" Grand Preceptor Zhuang interrupted An Junw.a.n.g.
"A misdiagnosis?” Empress Dowager Zhuang frowned.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang said seriously, "That"s right, it"s a misdiagnosis! To be honest, Your Majesty has been missing for more than a year. If Your Majesty really had contracted leprosy, the present circ.u.mstances are impossible!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at her hand, and then touched her face, "Aijia clearly remembers that Aijia has symptoms…"
Grand Preceptor Zhuang said, "Leprosy can"t be cured. Your Majesty merely exhibited similar symptoms, but it"s not leprosy!"
In the State of Zhao, leprosy was indeed something incurable. It was said that only the most powerful State of Yan possessed the means to treat leprosy.
Empress Dowager Zhuang paused and added, "Then where did Aijia spend all the days when Aijia was missing?"
Grand Preceptor Zhuang answered, "Your Majesty is under the control of His Majesty"s people! This official doesn’t know what medicine they have used on Your Majesty, which actually made Your Majesty lose your memory. This official came to their door several times to recognize Your Majesty, but was blocked mercilessly every time. Today, this official had no other choice but to dispatch the dark guards under me to get Your Majesty back, but Your Majesty was injured in the process. May Your Majesty the Empress Dowager punish this official!"
An Junw.a.n.g wanted to say something as well but hesitated.
“Grandaunt! Grandaunt!”
Suddenly, Zhuang Mengdie’s voice could be heard from outside.
Empress Dowager Zhuang went into a trance again.
A blurry name flashed through her mind. It was as if someone else had called her the same before, but she couldn"t remember the name of the person.
"It"s Mengdie." Grand Preceptor Zhuang smiled. "She should be with her sister. Your Majesty, do you want to meet them?"
Mengdie.
Was Mengdie the one she recalled calling her Grandaunt before?
Right, otherwise, which other girl would call her Grandaunt?
Empress Dowager Zhuang nodded, "Come on in."
Zhuang Mengdie pushed open the door and entered the room happily, "Grandaunt!"
"It"s Empress Dowager!" Grand Preceptor Zhuang reminded his granddaughter with a stern look.
"Oh." Zhuang Mengdie reluctantly replied, and gave a respectful salute, "Mengdie has met the Empress Dowager."
Zhuang Yuexi, who entered the room together with her, also bowed down and saluted. "Yuexi has met the Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Zhuang nodded her head.
Zhuang Mengdie sat down beside Empress Dowager Zhuang, hugged her arm and said intimately, "Empress Dowager, I miss you so much! Why didn’t you summon me?"
Grand Preceptor Zhuang’s face remained stern, "Don"t be unruly!"
Zhuang Mengdie harrumphed.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was very fond of several children of the Zhuang Family. Firstly, she had no children of her own, and secondly, these children were really pleasing to people.
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at Zhuang Mengdie beside her, then at the gentle and demure Zhuang Yuexi.
Actually, Empress Dowager Zhuang used to dote on Zhuang Mengdie more. After all, as the saying went, the crying child gets to have the milk. Zhuang Mengdie always acted cute and spoiled in front of her, so she naturally got more love.
Today, however, Empress Dowager Zhuang inexplicably wanted to get close to the quiet Zhuang Yuexi.
She stared at Zhuang Yuexi blankly.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang cast a meaningful glance at Zhuang Yuexi, who immediately got his meaning. She went over and sat down on the other side of Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Empress Dowager Zhuang raised her hand and touched Zhuang Yuexi"s left face, "There’s nothing here?"
"Nothing?" Zhuang Mengdie asked curiously.
Right, what exactly was this nothing?
Empress Dowager Zhuang herself didn"t know.
……
Medical hall.
Gu Jiao stood quietly at the entrance of the lobby. She was still injured. Cold wind was pouring in, bringing the frigid rain along.
Xiao Liulang held an umbrella over her head.
"Grandaunt is gone." Xiao Liulang said.
"Will she come back?" Gu Jiao turned around, looked straight into his eyes and asked.
At this moment, she was finally showing the innocence and uncertainty that a fifteen-year-old girl should have.
But Xiao Liulang wasn’t pleased in the slightest.
Xiao Liulang sighed, lowered his eyes, and said in a low voice, "JiaoJiao, she isn’t Grandaunt, she won"t be any more."
Gu Jiao looked blankly at the heavy rain, and her little body seemed to be shrouded by loneliness.
Xiao Liulang put down the umbrella in his hand, pulled her body over, and gently wrapped her with his arms.
Her head rested on his tight chest.
She shook her head, opened her eyes and said earnestly, "I’m fine, I don"t feel unwell."
Xiao Liulang"s hand around her waist tightened, and his large palm gently clasped her head, "En."
In the courtyard in Bishui Alley, Gu Yan was sleeping. All of a sudden, he woke up and sat up with his eyes open.
Yao shi was startled by him, "What"s wrong?"
Gu Yan didn"t speak as a tear slid down from his eyes. He wiped the tear with his fingertip and stared fixedly at it.
Yao shi also saw it. She was surprised, "Why are you crying?"
Gu Yan: "I"m not crying."
This was not his tear, but JiaoJiao"s.Raz P."s Thoughts
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