According to protocol, even when the Empress Dowager governed from behind the curtain, the Jing Lord had to remain beside her while she handled affairs of state.
At first, things were manageable. But as Fang Yun produced more and increasingly specialized drafts, officials from the Left Prime Minister's Office had to explain many of them before the Empress Dowager could understand. After all, even those officials needed Fang Yun's explanations to understand them.
These explanations took still more time. The Jing Lord was young and could not hold out for long. He often grew increasingly impatient, and sometimes fell asleep while listening.
In the end, the Left Prime Minister's Office proposed that if the Jing Lord was unwell, he need not attend.
Thus, the Empress Dowager began handling the drafts and affairs of state with the officials on her own.
A sovereign had far too much to do. Even ordinarily, there were all manner of state affairs to handle; now there was a relentless flood of drafts as well. Even a robust man might not have endured it, much less the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager's nerves were constantly taut. She had to guard against Fang Yun and the officials, avoid any appearance of impropriety lest she be condemned for meddling in government, attend to state affairs, and understand policies and decrees that even ordinary scholars found difficult. On top of that, she had to spend long hours reviewing memorials and drafts. Both her body and mind were pushed beyond their limits.
Thus, after a month, the Empress Dowager finally fell ill from overwork.
Even a Grand Academician of the Medical School who treated her personally could not resolve the problem. Only a divine treasure could restore her health.
But the imperial clansmen would never allow the Empress Dowager to