"That's good," Su Yunmo breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll go see Big Brother later."
Lü Luo wiped her face and hands before helping her dress. "You can't see the Eldest Young Master yet. The doctor said he needs three days of rest."
"Besides, the Eldest Young Master knows you're worried about him. He asked this servant to tell you not to worry, and that he'll come to check your studies once he's recovered."
As Su Yunmo got out of bed, she heard this and her lips twitched fiercely. "Then perhaps it's better if he doesn't recover and just stays sick."
It would save her the trouble of being bothered as soon as he woke up.
Lü Luo chuckled.
Su Yunmo got out of bed to eat. "Tell Linlang to prepare the carriage. I need to go into the palace later."
She was supposed to visit Consort Liang yesterday, but her elder brother's situation had delayed it. She had to go today.
Moreover, she wanted to inquire further about the events of the past.
No matter how much Uncle Dong and the others investigated, they wouldn't know as much as the Empress Dowager herself.
"Linlang already knew you were going into the palace today and had the carriage prepared. You can go after you finish eating," Lü Luo said, diligently serving her porridge.
Lü Luo's cooking was always excellent.
However, Su Yunmo had no appetite today. She only drank half a bowl of porridge and ate two small steamed buns before leaving the manor.
After entering the imperial palace, she first went to see Consort Liang, but Liu Lanxue was still asleep and she couldn't see her.
So, Su Yunmo went to the Empress Dowager's palace.
Before she even reached the palace gates, she heard laughter from within.
Su Yunmo's eyes widened slightly as she recognized one of the voices, a flicker of surprise crossing her gaze.
"It's Momo! You haven't visited this old one in ages. Come here quickly and let me have a look at you." The Empress Dowager beckoned Su Yunmo forward.
Su Yunmo immediately put on a fawning smile and obediently took short steps, pouncing onto the Empress Dowager's lap. "Empress Dowager~"
She nuzzled her head into the Empress Dowager's embrace, acting as spoiled as possible, but her peripheral vision was fixed on the side.
Sitting on the other side, the person who had been joking with the Empress Dowager was Mei Yan.
"Good girl, I just had the small kitchen make a plate of pastries today. You're lucky to have a taste." The Empress Dowager picked up a pastry from a low table and offered it to Su Yunmo.
Su Yunmo accepted the pastry and thanked her.
Seeing her eat with delight, the Empress Dowager's face also showed some joy. She pointed at Mei Yan and said, "I haven't introduced you yet. This is the Princess of Southern Xinjiang."
Mei Yan bowed slightly. "Even if the Empress Dowager hadn't introduced me, it wouldn't matter. I've already met the young lady of the General's manor."
"Oh? That's perfect. Then the two of you can take turns coming to the palace to keep me company." The Empress Dowager patted the little dumpling's back, but her words were directed at Mei Yan.
Su Yunmo could tell that the Empress Dowager was very fond of Mei Yan, and she felt a sense of caution.
This caution wasn't just because of the Empress Dowager's affection for Mei Yan, but more so because of Mei Yan's current demeanor.
She spoke gently and calmly, as if she and Su Yunmo were friends.
But Mei Yan was not a fool. She should have guessed by now that Lin Yuning's earlier commotion was orchestrated by Su Yunmo.
In other words, the loss of her child was also Su Yunmo's doing.
Yet, here she was, sitting and talking so casually.
Could the hatred for the death of a child be resolved so easily?
Su Yunmo didn't believe it.
Her gaze fell upon Mei Yan's flat abdomen, a strange glint in her eyes.
The Empress Dowager also noticed Su Yunmo's gaze and sighed inwardly. "Although the current Emperor has many offspring, none of these imperial grandsons have managed to produce any descendants of their own."
"Although the Princess of Southern Xinjiang was pregnant at the time, it was still the King of Lian's misfortune. She brought trouble upon herself, and there's nothing that can be done if she reaps what she sows."
Mei Yan smiled faintly throughout, as if the person who had lost a child was not her.
Such a reaction sparked a thought in Su Yunmo's mind.
Perhaps Mei Yan had never been pregnant in the first place.
Or perhaps this woman harbored a secret that she had kept since entering the palace.
"Actually, Empress Dowager, there's no need to be anxious. It's not the princes' fault that they have no heirs," Mei Yan said calmly.
"It's simply that their households have no attendants. If they haven't established themselves, how can they have children?"
The Empress Dowager nodded. Although she understood that such matters couldn't be rushed, she didn't want to let go completely. "With no Empress in the harem, it seems these children's affairs will fall to me to worry about."
Su Yunmo frowned, a bad feeling creeping in.
As expected, Mei Yan said in the next moment, "As for the other princes, Prince Kun is an exception. His Majesty has already bestowed a marriage upon him."
"Oh? Who is it?" The Empress Dowager was indeed hearing this for the first time and was very surprised.
Mei Yan looked up at Su Yunmo, her lips curling into a faint smile as she uttered a sentence. "She's far away, yet right before your eyes."
Su Yunmo knitted her brows tightly.
The Empress Dowager, hearing this for the first time, was surprised, and then delighted. "If that's the case, then Momo can come to the palace to accompany me more often in the future?"
She laughed for a moment, then stroked the little dumpling's hair. "However, Momo is still young. I'm afraid I'll have to wait for a long time."
Mei Yan's tone shifted, and she continued, "If the Empress Dowager doesn't wish to wait that long, I do have another suggestion."
"What suggestion? Tell me about it," the Empress Dowager said with a loving smile.
Mei Yan's eyes flickered. "Although I was married to Prince Lian as his consort, Prince Lian has now committed a crime and left the capital. But regardless, I am still a princess who came through a political marriage."
"Since I cannot be Prince Lian's consort, I am willing to enter Prince Yu's manor."
Upon hearing this, both the old and young present were stunned.
Mei Yan rose and knelt on the ground.
"This concubine knows her current status and does not dare to presume to be worthy of Prince Yu. Nor does she wish to be a side consort. She only wishes to remain in the manor as a concubine, to have a reliance in the future."
Su Yunmo sneered.
This woman was thinking quite highly of herself.
Did she want to enter Prince Yu's manor so she could keep a constant eye on Ye Jingyu?
"Momo thinks this suggestion is not good," the little dumpling shook her finger and turned to look at the Empress Dowager.
"Momo knows Prince Yu. Momo understands his personality best. If we do as this elder sister suggests, I'm afraid Brother Yu will cause trouble."
The Empress Dowager also felt that this matter was not appropriate.
Although there were instances in the past where a brother succeeded his deceased brother's wife, it would be acceptable if it were an ordinary woman. But Mei Yan was a princess, and this involved a political alliance between two countries.
It wasn't something that could be decided lightly.
The Empress Dowager shook her head. "This is a major matter. Let the Emperor decide in the future. This old one has only just recovered, so I won't trouble myself with it."
Mei Yan did not refute this, merely saying "Yes" obediently.
Her demeanor suggested that her proposal was merely a casual remark and not something she had truly intended.
Su Yunmo frowned, suddenly unsure of what this woman was trying to achieve.
At that moment, Mei Yan also looked up.
As their eyes met, the air crackled with tension.
The Empress Dowager also sensed the awkward atmosphere but didn't want to play the peacemaker. "Alright, this old one is tired today. You may both leave."