In this state of extreme panic and anxiety, the original host soon became frightened and unable to sleep for nights on end, becoming weak and frail. Coupled with the fact that she did not return when the late Emperor Jingwei passed away, and that the Duke of An, who had just conquered a country while on campaign, was about to lead his army back to the capital.
This further intensified the original host's panic and sense of urgency.
She constantly felt that.
As soon as the other party returned, they might usurp the throne or something.
Then she died of fright, or perhaps she died of a heart attack due to prolonged lack of sleep, exhaustion, and heightened nerves.
But regardless, she was dead.
Ding Yun had arrived.
And if nothing unexpected happened, the Duke of An would lead his army back to the capital in three days.
After sorting through the original host's memories, Ding Yun could somewhat understand her feelings. After all, their strength as a widowed mother and young son in the imperial court was too weak. Her maternal family's influence had waned due to her father's death and the late Emperor's fear of the empress's relatives gaining too much power.
The imperial clan was already sparse.
Many had died during the initial uprising.
The remaining were mostly the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled, equally unable to offer any substantial help.
The imperial harem and eunuch system had only recently been established.
It was far from being able to contend with external officials.
Furthermore, the control of military and financial power was not within the grasp of the original host or her son. In such circumstances, how could the original host feel at ease as Empress Dowager?
Most importantly, this was not the past.
This was no longer an era where morality and etiquette could restrain everyone, and imperial power reigned supreme, with no one daring to harbor other ambitions. In the past two hundred years, more than a hundred emperors had died, and no less than seventy to eighty countries had perished. Both officials and commoners no longer held the same reverence for imperial power as before, nor did they consider it ordained by heaven.
Now, they firmly believed that power came with troops.
With power and troops, one could become emperor.
Rather than residing in the dragon's aura and having divine mandate.
People were no longer easily fooled, and everyone was wide awake. When imperial power was weak, it was naturally dangerous.
At this point, Ding Yun had no good ideas.
Because the original host did not know much about the current court or the state of the world. After giving birth, she spent most of her time raising her child.
Only after her husband's death did she begin to try and understand these matters, hoping to carve out a future for her son. But the situation she discovered was dire, and before she could delve deeper, she was frightened to death.
Given the relatively limited existing information.
Ding Yun found it difficult to make a decision.
She could only continue to check her golden finger.
[Ding, The Peerless Enchantress Red Packet Group has been joined]
"The Young Empress Dowager has joined the group chat"
[Nine-Tailed Demon Empress]: So touching, finally someone else has joined the group. Newcomer, quickly tell us about your life.
[Humanity's Singing Girl]: Welcome to the group, newcomer.
[Lotus Steps]: Why is it another Empress Dowager? Nine-year-old Empress Dowager, come out and greet your guest. Another one of us has arrived.
[Nine-Year-Old Empress Dowager Xiao]: I've told you eight hundred times, my surname is Xiao, not young. If you count my previous life, I'm old enough to be your grandmother.
Young Empress Dowager, that, did your old man die young, or was it because your old man was like a pear blossom pressing down on a crabapple, a sixty-year-old man marrying a beautiful young bride?
[Bewitching Heart Nymph]: Empress Dowager Xiao, can you be a little more gentle and dignified? Your tone and manner of speaking are lowering the class of our group. If people didn't know better, they'd think this was a group of bandit chieftains' wives.
[Humanity's Summer Visitor]: Is the newcomer scared? Why haven't they said anything yet? We're not bad people, nor is this a gathering place for demons and monsters. In the end, we are all women whose destinies were unfortunate.
Those who can join, even if they are doing well now, will surely face various tragic fates in the future. But here in the group, we can trade with each other, and even give each other our special skills.
So there is still hope for a comeback.
Don't despair, we can defy fate.
[Chang'e in the Moon]: ...
Seeing this, Ding Yun's mouth twitched. She truly hadn't expected to randomly get such a golden finger this time. What use was this golden finger to her?
Was she supposed to use her beauty to charm officials?
Or take on the script of a universally adored figure, turning all civil and military officials into lapdogs? But for her, an Empress Dowager, to do this.
Wasn't it a bit inappropriate?
After a moment of shock, Ding Yun didn't think this golden finger would be truly useless. At the very least, she could exchange resources. Remaining silent was not a good way to interact, so she quickly replied.
[Young Empress Dowager]: Greetings, sisters.
My late husband was nine years older than me, so he could barely be considered of the same generation. It's not quite a case of a sixty-year-old man marrying a young bride. It's just that I'm young, only twenty this year, and I have only one son, who has just ascended the throne at the age of three and a half.
[Nine-Tailed Demon Empress]: Tsk tsk, isn't this a standard plot of a widowed mother and young son being exploited and having their family wealth plundered?
If I'm not mistaken, what's next will either be abdication, a poisoned wine, or some other accident leading to a sudden death?
It seems my dear sister will have a difficult time ahead.
[Smile That Overturns Cities]: This is something this palace truly has no advice for. I suggest you ask Empress Ci'an.
She was a regent Empress Dowager a few years ago, and the court situation was said to be extremely dangerous. However, she has now ascended the throne as Emperor, so perhaps she might have some good advice.
[Lotus Steps]: Hahaha, one was a regent Empress Dowager, and the other is an ordinary Empress Dowager with no power in hand, only a three-year-old emperor. How can they compare?
[Bewitching Heart Nymph]: I do have a skill called "Bewitching Heart" that can confuse those with weak wills. I'll give you this skill. If something really happens in the future, you might be able to use this skill to confuse those who intend to harm you, at least to save your life.
[Bewitching Heart Nymph] sent a targeted red packet.
[Young Empress Dowager] has received the red packet.
[Empress of the Cold Palace]: My dear sister, listen to your sister's advice. Absolutely do not use this skill on someone with physical ailments, especially those who are impotent in that regard. This is my lesson. This skill can only charm normal men.
[Young Empress Dowager]: ?
[Bewitching Heart Nymph]: How could I know that your emperor was a eunuch, and also psychologically perverted? After using the Bewitching Heart skill, he became infatuated with you, but due to his physical condition, he couldn't... so he became perverted and turned his love into hate. Can you blame me for that?
[Chang'e in the Moon]: Um, different skills, in different worlds, and even when used on different people, the effects might not be the same. In my world, which has cultivators, it would be mistaken for a demonic charm technique, so be very careful!