I insist

Chapter 242: The Emperor's New Favorite

"Imperial Physician Song, I have come today on the orders of the Empress Dowager to see you." Granny Hua bowed to Song Miqiu and said calmly, "You may come with me."

Song Miqiu blinked, unsure why the Empress Dowager had suddenly sought her out at this moment.

But the Empress Dowager held immense power, so even if Song Miqiu didn't want to go, she still had to.

She sighed helplessly, nodded, turned her body to let Granny Hua go out first, and followed closely behind.

Seeing this, Ming Taicheng wanted to follow, but Granny Hua frowned instantly. Song Miqiu, who was behind Granny Hua, saw everything very clearly.

She knew that Granny Hua definitely didn't want Ming Taicheng to come along, so Song Miqiu gave Ming Taicheng a reassuring look, telling him not to follow.

But the thought of having to meet the Empress Dowager alone made Song Miqiu very uneasy. She bit her lower lip and followed behind Granny Hua, trying to find out what was going on, but all she got in return was the answer that she would know when they arrived at Cining Palace.

This left Song Miqiu feeling helpless, but he couldn't say anything.

The two arrived at Cining Palace.

Granny Hua went in first and bowed to the Empress Dowager, saying, "Your Majesty, I have brought you this servant."

Song Miqiu lowered her head, her fingers interlaced, her nails digging into her flesh to keep herself from panicking when facing the Empress Dowager.

She didn't want to die at the hands of the Empress Dowager before she could even take revenge.

Song Miqiu bowed to the Empress Dowager, and when he looked up, he saw that there was another person in the Cining Palace.

Granny Hua stood beside Song Miqiu. Seeing that Song Miqiu looked at the concubine with great confusion, she knew that Song Miqiu did not recognize the concubine. She lowered her eyes and explained in a low voice, "That is Consort Ru, the Empress Dowager's niece, and the Emperor's new favorite."

After speaking, Granny Hua glanced at Song Miqiu in surprise. She hadn't expected that Song Miqiu didn't even know about this matter. How could she have become a favorite imperial physician in front of the emperor and the crown prince?

Granny Hua has noticed that now the Crown Prince and the Emperor call upon the imperial physicians, and the ones they trust the most are Song Miqiu and Ming Taicheng. When it comes to matters concerning a woman's pregnancy, Song Miqiu is even more skilled than the medical sage Ming Taicheng.

This made Granny Hua look at Song Miqiu with a more scrutinizing gaze.

Song Miqiu glanced gratefully at Granny Hua and immediately bowed to Consort Ru.

"Aunt, you're just having her take my pulse?" Consort Ru asked, her voice filled with displeasure. She lifted her skirt and walked to the Empress Dowager's side, tugging at her clothes as she said in a coquettish voice, "Doesn't the Imperial Hospital have Physician Ming Taicheng? Why call her here?"

Song Miqiu could sense that Consort Ru disliked her very much, which puzzled her, since this was clearly the first time she and Consort Ru had met.

"In matters of a woman's body, even Ming Taicheng is not as skilled as her!" The Empress Dowager patted Consort Ru's hand earnestly and advised in a low voice.

"It was she who cured my infertility!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Ru glanced at the other party suspiciously, but considering the purpose of her trip, she ultimately dismissed the idea.

Song Miqiu stood quietly with Granny Hua the whole time, watching the interaction between the Empress Dowager and Consort Ru. For some reason, she felt that Consort Ru's voice was somewhat familiar.

But she herself couldn't remember where she had heard it before.

The Empress Dowager looked at Song Miqiu, raised her hand slightly, and gestured with her eyes, "Take her pulse and see if she is pregnant!"

Song Miqiu was still thinking about Consort Ru when Granny Hua nudged her arm with her elbow, and only then did Song Miqiu come to her senses.

She looked up and saw the Empress Dowager looking at her with great displeasure. She lowered her head awkwardly, quickly agreed, and walked to Consort Ru's side. She placed a piece of cotton cloth under Consort Ru's wrist and gently placed her fingers on it.

"So, is there any result?"

No sooner had Song Miqiu placed her finger on it than Consort Ru impatiently asked a question.

This left Song Miqiu somewhat helpless. Just as she was about to find a suitable reply, the Empress Dowager spoke up, "She has only just placed her finger on it, and you're already asking whether she has it or not. Aren't you making things difficult for her?"

Consort Ru pouted, realizing that it was her fault.

Song Miqiu lowered his eyes, feeling very strange, but after thinking for a long time, he still couldn't figure out where he had heard those sounds.

She lowered her eyes, slowly stood up, and congratulated her with a faint smile, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! You are two months pregnant!"

A knowing glint flashed in Consort Ru's eyes, which Song Miqiu clearly saw.

Before she could think any further, she heard the Empress Dowager's hearty laughter from the side. She gave Granny Hua a look, and the latter understood. She took a small string of gold beans from a dressing table, walked up to Song Miqiu, and smiled as she stuffed the beans into Song Miqiu's hand.

"These gold beans, though not as valuable as Ah Gan's hairpin, are enough to feed you for several days! You should accept them; they are a gift from the Empress Dowager to please you!"

Song Miqiu was speechless for a moment. It would have been better not to give him any gold beans as a reward, since they were of lower value.

She knew the Empress Dowager was displeased with her, and even if she was happy, she wouldn't reward her properly. Sure enough!

However, Song Miqiu hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to bestow anything good upon her. She forced a smile and accepted everything.

"Since it is the Empress Dowager's good intention, I will naturally appreciate it."

A shrewd look flashed across the Empress Dowager's eyes. She glanced at Consort Ru's frail body and realized that it would be extremely difficult to save the baby without some medicine.

She looked at Song Miqiu and said, "Imperial Physician Song, why don't you prescribe some medicine to help Consort Ru prevent miscarriage?"

"Your Majesty, Consort Ru's fetus is developing very healthily, this medicine..." Song Miqiu was about to say that it was unnecessary to prescribe it when she was inexplicably glared at by the Empress Dowager.

Granny Hua sighed and immediately said, "The Empress Dowager says to move aside, so please do so. Even if Consort Ru's child is healthy, Consort Ru is frail, and the imperial heir is precious, so it must be protected carefully!"

Song Miqiu remained silent for a moment, then reluctantly lowered his head and agreed.

Just as she was about to prepare some simple medicine for Consort Ru from the medicine box, Consort Ru suddenly spoke up, "Imperial Physician Song, has something happened today?"

Song Miqiu had no idea why Consort Ru was suddenly asking about this.

She glanced at the Empress Dowager, then looked at Granny Hua before reporting truthfully, "Someone in the palace was having an affair. They were caught by the Imperial Guards and dealt with an hour ago."

For some reason, Song Miqiu always felt a venomous gaze on her, but when she looked up, she couldn't find out who was giving her that venomous gaze.

The Empress Dowager was clearly displeased; she hadn't expected that anyone would be having an affair in broad daylight in the palace!