It was the Hour of the Monkey that afternoon.
Jia Huan led his men back to the Divine Capital, bringing eighty crates of blood-and-qi medicinal ingredients to the Northern Commandant Office to distribute among the elite Embroidered Uniform Guards.
For someone standing at the pinnacle, obtaining resources was all too easy.
He entered the Ninefold Palace and arrived at Sweet Dew Hall.
Inside, dozens of powerful commanders from across the realm stood in ordinary robes, watching the young emperor on the imperial throne with complicated expressions.
Footsteps sounded in the corridor, and a golden figure slowly approached.
The commanders hurriedly bowed. However unwilling they were, their outward demeanor remained utterly respectful.
"Greetings, Prince Regent!"
Jia Huan nodded lightly, then looked toward the imperial throne and said respectfully:
"Your Highness the Empress Dowager, please come with me."
Empress Dowager Chen took the emperor away without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing this, the commanders felt even colder inside. They knew the Prince Regent's power towered to the heavens, but witnessing the Empress Dowager obey his every word brought an endless surge of anguish. Whose realm was this Jiang domain, truly?!
Sovereign and subject came to the Flower Garden. Jia Huan took a fingernail-sized portion of ointment from his sleeve and offered it with a smile.
"Your Highness, try this and see whether it works."
Empress Dowager Chen froze briefly, then her eyes filled with wild joy.
She had thought the Prince Regent had merely made a casual promise. She had never expected him to follow through with such care.
Taking the ointment, Empress Dowager Chen's wrist trembled slightly. She impatiently lifted her thick fringe, revealing a horrifying face crisscrossed with scars. One ran from her forehead all the way to her chin; not a single patch of her face remained unblemished.
This was