The sun rose in the east, its golden light illuminating every corner of Jingjie City, and the imperial palace bustled into activity once more.
In the lounge beside the Imperial Study, Dongfang Liren had stayed up on duty and then been put through another bout of exertion. For once, she slept in and still had not woken.
The Empress had already risen and changed into red-and-black dragon robes. Accompanied by four palace maids carrying trays, she headed toward the centrally located Bedchamber.
The Empress's constitution far surpassed an ordinary person's. Even after only a few hours of sleep, her abundant energy had returned, and her complexion looked considerably better than usual. After all, her Dragon-Mingling Diagram was now entirely flawless, and she had gone from a maiden to a little woman. Naturally, her face carried a touch of springtime radiance.
Upon reaching the Bedchamber, the Empress raised a hand slightly, signaling the maids to wait outside. She entered the bedroom alone on quiet feet, approached the dragon bed, and lifted the curtains for a look.
The Empress Dowager had come to visit yesterday. After a long spell of intimacy, she had waited until Ye Jingtang fell asleep before quietly returning to her own Bedchamber, thoroughly satisfied.
Ye Jingtang had gone to sleep too late and had yet to wake. He still lay against the pillow beneath a thin quilt.
But having eaten a roast chicken late at night, without the Hand Warmer squeezing out his last scraps of energy, his complexion had recovered quite well. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady, and his face had regained some of its luster.
At the sight, the Empress inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. She sat sideways beside him without making a sound to wake him. Only after a long wait did