In Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager slowly opened her eyes. Everything before her was a blur, and only after a long while did it gradually come into focus.
Brocade quilts covered the phoenix bed, and red curtains hung around it.
The imperial physicians and eunuchs were all in the outer chamber. Zhao Hongzhuang sat beside the bed.
Zhao Hongzhuang nodded like a sleepy child, her chin occasionally dipping before jerking back up. She had clearly fallen asleep, but instinct compelled her to keep sitting upright.
The Empress Dowager raised her head slightly and looked at the sky outside the window. Dawn was approaching.
As she gazed at Zhao Hongzhuang's beautiful profile, a complicated expression surfaced in her eyes.
She had never imagined that a traitor would emerge from within the imperial family.
Her original plan had been to nurture the Jing Lord, Zhao Yuan, slowly, teaching him to become a true sovereign while also teaching him both to stand in awe of Fang Yun and to guard against him.
Everything had been going smoothly. Not long ago, Zhao Yuan had already begun to guard against Fang Yun.
After all, although Fang Yun was the imperial tutor, he might not teach Zhao Yuan even once a month. In a few years, the Empress Dowager would be able to distance Zhao Yuan from him.
Only yesterday had the Empress Dowager discovered that things had gone awry. She immediately realized that someone was influencing Zhao Yuan in secret. Upon asking, she learned that it was none other than her own sister-in-law, Zhao Yuan's paternal aunt, Zhao Hongzhuang.
Years of effort had flowed away down the river. The Empress Dowager's fury had assailed her heart, and with her old illness still unhealed, she had vomited blood and fallen unconscious.
As she looked at Zhao