After such an exhausting lunch, Ying Yue once again was being 'tortured'. She dozed off a little as Xiao mama's melodic voice drifted inside the hall.

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning shook her head helplessly. Seems like today's lesson needed not to continue...

She wanted to tell Xiao mama to stop, but the voice of senior eunuch Fu diverted her attention.

"Her Highness Empress Zhao and Second Princess Min have arrived."

Everyone in the hall looked at the direction of the main entrance.

A beautiful young woman in her twenties, wearing a red and golden imperial consort robe embroidered with 'a five-color Phoenix ascending to heaven', gracefully walked in, followed by a teenage girl in white and pink robe.

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning's gaze was especially frosty at the sight of the girl walking at the empress' side.

The second princess, Ji Yawen.

The girl was at most thirteen years old with a slim figure and skin as white as snow. Her willow brows fitted a pair of pear blossom eyes.

The pair of mother and daughter respectfully bent their knees in front of Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning.

Her highness Empress Zhao: "This consort greets Imperial Mother. May Imperial Mother live on for thousands of thousands of years."

Ji Yawen: "This granddaughter greets Imperial Grandmother. May Imperial Grandmother live on for thousands of thousands of years."

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning nodded her head before letting them sat on the chairs at her left side.

Ying Yue moved her wheelchair forward and bowed her head: "Ying Yue greets Imperial Mother and Imperial Elder Sister."

Empress Zhao smiled gently: "Good girl. Every day you run to Anxiang Palace to play. Your Imperial Mother greatly misses you. This morning also, you didn't attend the morning greeting."

She continued: "You are already this big. Your Imperial Mother believes that you are able to understand many things. Your Imperial Grandmother is already old and should have spent her life in peace, without worrying about anything. Every day she has to take care of you, Imperial Mother is worry about your health."

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning creased her brows.

This woman was truly daring. To reprimand her beloved granddaughter in her presence at the pretext of caring about her well being... what was her purpose this time?

Who did in this Imperial Palace not know of her dislike towards the empress? This kind of woman seemed to have a benevolent and cultured personality, but the truth was she is very scheming and ruthless. She cared only herself and would use every means and everyone for the sake of power.

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning moved her gaze to Ying Yue who keeps silent with lowered head. Her mother was also a victim. Nobody knew about the truth of seven years ago, except the mastermind... and herself. Perhaps, the emperor was also not totally in the dark, but as he didn't favor the woman, he wouldn't care whether she would live or die.

The empress came to Anxiang Palace this time, Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning didn't believe that because she cares about her Imperial Mother or misses her foster daughter...

"The empress no need to worry. This dowager is happy to be accompanied every day by Yue'er. Since the passing of the late emperor, this dowager is staying in this Anxiang Palace to pray for the country. With Yue'er being here, this solitary palace becomes a bit more lively."

Her Highness Empress Zhao kept an amiable smile but didn't seem to want to back up: "How can this daughter not worry about Imperial Mother's well being? Your phoenix body is precious, we must put a lot of care."

She looked at Ying Yue again: "Your Imperial Mother is thinking about you joining your other sisters to learn about palace manners and four skills under Deng mama's tutelage. Starting tomorrow, you shouldn't trouble your Imperial Grandmother anymore."

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning almost lost her temper: "Learning under Deng mama's tutelage? How can that be possible?"

Her Highness Empress Zhao: "Answering Imperial Mother, this daughter thinks that this is a good idea. Deng mama, although already very old, is a senior mama who had attended to the previous Empress Dowager as her close-knit. To learn under her tutelage was very beneficial for Yue'er."

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning scoffed. This Deng mama, who didn't know that she was very loyal to the empress? Letting Yue'er join the other princesses to learn under her, wasn't that mean that she threw her beloved granddaughter into the mouth of a tiger with her own hands?

Ji Yawen who obediently sat at the empress' side in silence, secretly threw a hostile gaze towards Ying Yue before sweetly spoke to support her mother: "Imperial Grandmother, Yawen and fifth imperial sister will be glad if the third imperial sister can really join us. Three of us are sisters after all. Imperial Mother always said that sisters must care about one of each other."

Sisters must care about one of each other?

These pairs of mother and daughter were very alike! Treating her like a fool, had they eaten bear heart and leopard gall?

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning didn't want to waste any more unnecessary words. She couldn't chase away the persistent people if she didn't speak right to the point. Her tone was harsh: "What nonsense is both of you spewing just now? Are you treating me as a muddle-headed? With her physical condition, how can Yue'er stand Deng mama's method of teaching?"

Li mama immediately stepped forward to appease her anger.

Her highness Empress Zhao was taken aback of the empress dowager's sudden outburst. She immediately got up from her seat and kneeled: "This daughter is asking for Imperial Mother not to be angry. This daughter only thought about your and Yue'er well being. Deng mama is very experienced. This daughter believes that she knows how and what will be taught to Yue'er. But if Imperial Mother doesn't agree, then this daughter will not persist."

She sighed inwardly. This matter could only be dismissed for now. It wasn't good to put too much pressure hence leading to the Empress Dowager's suspicious.

Although no longer interfered with the harem, this Imperial Mother of hers wasn't someone can be easily trifled with. She had cultivated her own force for a decade that even the current emperor is wary about.

As clever as she was, the empress understood that she couldn't afford to offend this old woman.

Ji Yawen followed her mother kneeling on the ground. Dared not to open her mouth any longer. She couldn't be resentful towards her Imperial Grandmother hence she could only count this matter as third imperial sister's fault.

With the excuse of feeling unwell, Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning then coldly asked both mother and daughter to leave. Ji Yawen followed her mother back to her compound, couldn't help but feeling indignant.

She looked back at the figure of Ying Yue who is being told to stay behind. What was exactly her Imperial Grandmother seen in such an useless being? How couldn't she compare?

Her Highness Empress Zhao looked at her dishearten beloved daughter and sighed. She still had a long way to go...

At the moment, Ying Yue was very anxious: "Imperial Grandmother, are you okay? Should we call imperial physician?"

Li mama: "Third princess no need to worry. Esteemed Empress Dowager is fine."

Empress Dowager Ning snorted: "Those people really have galls. Trying to fool this dowager..."

She hit the little tea table on her couch: "Fu gonggong!"

Senior eunuch Fu hastily ran inside. He bent his upper body to form a perfect 90° bow.

"This servant is at your command."

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning: "Send two spies of our Ying Long Zhi Feng to monitor the empress' movements and find out what she is planning!"

Senior eunuch Fu respectfully answered: "This servant has inserted moles into the FengQi Palace. This morning they sent a report that His Majesty The Emperor had given a secret order to call Great General Xu and his two sons from the border back to the capital. They will arrive at the end of the month."

Empress Dowager Ning promptly sat straight at her seat.

"Senior elder brother is back? To secretly gave an order for him to return, there must be something happened. Did you find the reasons why?"

Senior Eunuch Fu: "Please forgive this servant. His Highness The Emperor didn't visit the harem and slept in his own room these days. Our people have no ways to enter Imperial Study either."

Esteemed Empress Dowager Ning sighed. With a wave of her hand, she ordered senior eunuch Fu to retire.