Gu Jinzhi was in the palace and did not know about the situation at home, she also did not know that her mother was pregnant.

  Every night I dream of my mother.

  Especially last night, she had a long dream.

  Since she was born, nearly thirteen years, she has never been away from Song Pan'er for so long, so every day is a longing, and every night is a dream?

  In my dream, she was living in modern times, and also in this space-time. Myself in the dream was always young, sometimes calling out "mom", sometimes "mother dear".

  All the women who turned around were Song Dang'er with a beautiful gaze and a smiling face.

  The image of her mother in her past life has been completely replaced by Song Xiang'er.

  After waking up, Gu Jin'er stared blankly with her eyes open, trying to recall the appearance of her mother from her past life. But she could only think of a faint outline, as if her mother's entire body was shrouded in white mist, vague and indistinct. Her eyebrows, her smile, her gentleness... Gu Jin'er had forgotten everything...

  Or perhaps Gu Jin had never remembered in her past life either.

  Is it unfilial or just a lack of family affection?

  She let out a sigh of relief.

  But she knew that Song Pan'er was at home, eagerly waiting for her return. Then with a happy smile, she pulled her, haha laughed loudly, her eyebrows flying high with joy, and Gu Yu's heart felt warm and cozy all over, her lips slightly curled up.

  Xiao Gong Nü heard the noise from the inner chamber and came in to serve Gu Jin getting out of bed.

  "Has Her Majesty the Empress Dowager woken up?" Gu Jinzhi asked the little palace maid.

  The little palace maid replied respectfully: "Not yet. However, Your Majesty has already arrived..."

  The fourth watch drum has just been struck, but a few rays of light have already shone through the window.

  The moonlight is like water, and the jade flowers are scattered between heaven and earth, reflecting a clarity like that of daytime.

  The emperor rises at the fifth watch every day to attend court, and by the fourth watch he must get up and come here to pay his respects to the empress dowager.

  Wanting to be a wise and just ruler is also exhausting...

  The emperor comes every day. Gu Jinzheng is about to go over. He always has the patience to ask about the queen's condition.

  The little palace maid served Gu Jin's dressing and went to Kun Ning Palace. The moonlight was bright, and the little palace maid only brought a small lantern with a clear corner.

  The emperor wore a dragon robe, dressed neatly, and after Empress Dowager woke up and paid her respects, he went directly to the imperial court.

  Gu Jin knelt down and paid his respects to him.

  He smiled, letting Gu Jinzhi calm down, then asked: "Cheng Gugu said that the Empress Dowager only coughed twice last night. She went to bed at the beginning of Hai and coughed once at midnight, after which she fell asleep again within half a cup of tea; afterwards, she slept soundly. At the beginning of Chou, she coughed five or six times in her sleep... This is something that has never happened before..."

  Gu Jin has been giving medicine to the Empress Dowager for four days now.

  The Empress Dowager's coughing gradually subsided, not as severe as before. By the third day, she didn't cough at all during the day. The Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and all the nobles in the palace were overjoyed. Yesterday was the fourth day, and she hardly coughed even at night.

  It used to be worse at night and I couldn't sleep at all.

  The emperor's delight is beyond description.

  There was a royal physician who also cured the empress. She too recovered gradually after drinking medicine for half a month.

  Gu Jinzhi has been taking this medicine for only four days and has already achieved such results.

  The Empress Dowager said to the Emperor yesterday: "My chest has been aching tightly, and every doctor says it's due to coughing. There have been several times when the cough was cured by them, but the chest pain did not subside. Now, my chest is no longer painful, and my chest is not so stuffy. In the past, even if I felt relieved for a moment, I would still cough non-stop at night and couldn't sleep. Now, I even cough in my dreams, I know it, but I want to sleep..."

  The emperor knew this was a symptom of recovery.

  "Guī zhī, how should I thank you?" the emperor asked with a smile. His tone was exceptionally sincere, he really wanted to use every method to thank Guī Zhī.

  These two days, the Empress Dowager has been a bit more gentle and no longer calls Gu Zhen "Miss Gu", but instead asks for her given name. It is said that she is called Zhen, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor both say that the name sounds good, and they directly address her by name.

  Such glory is unaffordable for anyone except princesses and a few countesses from royal families.

  It has now fallen on Gu Jin's head.

  The Empress Dowager said that she would heavily reward the commoner girl. Gu Jinzhi said, "If Your Majesty rewards her again, it will be considered as a separate reward from the Empress Dowager's."

  The emperor was taken aback.

  He thought Gu Jin would definitely say that doing his best for the empress dowager was his duty and did not require a reward.

  Unexpectedly, she's really being impolite.

  But it's also what she deserves.

  The emperor burst out laughing, in an extremely good mood.

  "Good!" said the Emperor, "After the Empress Dowager has rewarded you, I will reward you again."

  Then he let Gu Jinzhi sit down and carefully inquired about the Empress Dowager's condition.

  "...First calm the liver fire. When the liver heat subsides, the lungs will naturally clear up. The Empress Dowager originally had a minor illness, but it was delayed for too long, so we need to take it one step at a time. Your Majesty can rest assured that the medicine is personally brewed by me, and I absolutely won't delay the Empress Dowager's recovery." Gu Jin said.

  The emperor nodded.

  The eunuch outside came in and said, "It's time for the morning court."

  The Empress Dowager had yet to wake up.

  The Empress Dowager slept particularly well today, so the Emperor naturally wouldn't disturb her. He ordered Gu Jinzhi and Sheng Gugu to serve the Empress Dowager with care, then went to court.

  The emperor had just left for less than half a cup of tea when the empress dowager woke up.

  She let out a soft sigh, smiling at the several female officials beside her and said: "It's so refreshing! I feel like I've been parched from the scorching summer heat, but after drinking a bowl of cool honey tea, my whole body feels comfortable. This sleep was truly wonderful. I almost forgot what it felt like to have a good sleep! Where's Zhen?"

  "Jing'niang is in the side hall, decocting medicine for the Empress Dowager. She said that once the Empress Dowager wakes up, she can eat." Sheng'gu'gu replied with a smile.

  The empress nodded.

  Gu Jing emphasized again that decocting medicine is also particular. She herself opens the prescription, she herself decocts it, and the efficacy is the best, no one can help with it.

  In the side hall, a medicine stove had been specially set up, and occasionally the fragrance of medicine wafted in...

  The empress dowager had no choice but to follow her.

  The palace ladies helped Empress Dowager get up.

  After washing and dressing, Gu Jinzhi brought in a medicine bowl on a red lacquer tray.

  The elder sister-in-law hurried forward to receive it and presented it before the empress dowager.

  Gu Jin also stepped forward and paid his respects.

  She was sweating all over her forehead, and the medicine had left a patch of ash on her face. The empress dowager told her to relax, pulled her closer, took out a handkerchief and wiped the ash off her face, smiling: "I know you're filial to your family, but there's no need to be like this. You look like a beggar, where is the dignity of a young lady from a good family?"

  Actually joking with Gu Jinzhi.

  All the female officials in the house echoed with laughter.

  Cheng GuGu silently remembered it in her heart. She entered the palace at the age of 13 and had been serving beside the Empress Dowager for 15 years. The Empress Dowager had never given birth to a princess, so Cheng GuGu had never seen her treat that girl with such warmth.

  This is the first time I've ever seen someone wipe a girl's face and take her handkerchief.

  "After returning home, I'm not everyone's ideal daughter-in-law, just a little jade from the Yanling Fu family." Gu Jin replied with a smile.

  The Empress Dowager feigned surprise: "Where is Biyu? I seem to see that she looks like a beggar?"

  She burst out laughing herself after saying that.

  Everyone in the hall covered their mouths and giggled.

  It's been a long, long time since the Empress Dowager's laughter was heard. The palace staff in Kunning Palace almost forgot that the Empress Dowager used to be kind and gentle, not the irritable old woman she is now due to her illness...

  They chatted for a while. The medicine also looked better, and Empress Dowager drank it down.

  Then, the palace people arranged for breakfast.

  The Empress Dowager held Gu Jin's hand. The two of them had breakfast together.

  The food in the palace is much better than what was made outside. However, after all, it's ancient cuisine, and the seasonings are not as good as those of later generations, so no matter how delicious it is, it's still limited. It's just like that when Gu Jin tasted it.

  She followed the Empress Dowager and ate about 80% full.

  The Empress Dowager was delighted with her meal.

  After dinner, she actually wanted to go for a walk in the Yu Garden.

  "Since I got this illness, the Empress Dowager first said it was just a cold and couldn't afford to catch another chill, so she wouldn't let me out of the palace. But later on, my condition only worsened, and I haven't left the palace in over a year now. Jinzhi, accompany me for a walk..." The Empress Dowager instructed Gu Zhenzhu. Then she told Sheng Gugu, "Go fetch my cloak, I want to take a look outside."

  The elder sister-in-law was greatly shocked.

  Although it's already spring, outside is still bitterly cold and windy, blowing so hard that it feels like your bones are going to scatter.

  The Empress Dowager coughed. She had just gotten a bit better and was particularly susceptible to wind and cold.

  She hastily knelt down: "Your Majesty, it's freezing outside. You should take care of your body. Why not wait for a sunny day to go out and stroll? At present, except for the winter plum blossoms, there are no other flowers or grasses in the imperial garden..."

  The empress dowager was very resolute.

  She said: "Has our family never seen flowers and grass? Our family just wants to go out for a walk..."

  Cheng's aunt saw that her advice was not being heeded, so she gave a signal with her eyes to Gu Jinzhi alone.

  Gu Jin smiled and said: "Dress warmly, it's okay to go out. The empress dowager's illness has nothing to do with wind chill, a little breeze won't hurt."

  The smile at the corner of Empress Dowager's eyes grew thicker.

  Cheng's aunt couldn't help it, so she looked for a thick cloak, also found Guanyin pot, and took hand warmer, lit the small stove.

  Everything is ready, outside the blue sky has no clouds, although there is a biting cold wind, but the rising sun shines on the body, and it's warm again.

  Gu Jinzhi and Cheng Gugu supported Empress Dowager on either side as they exited Kun Ning Palace.

  The empress dowager had been ill for a long time and hadn't taken many steps before she became breathless and her heart was racing, she panted heavily.

  The old lady's heart was in her throat as she heard the empress dowager panting, and she hastily said: "Your Majesty, shall we return? We can go out again tomorrow..."

  The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, although reluctantly, nodded: "Sitting in the house doesn't know, coming out to walk around, only to feel that legs and feet are all soft. Wait for some days of recuperation, having gained some strength before coming out to stroll again."

  Then Gu Jinzhi and Sheng Gugu supported her back to Kunning Palace.

  Kun Ning Palace is the central palace, and many eyes in the palace are staring at it.

  The news that Empress Dowager's illness had alleviated a bit spread out, and it has already caught everyone's attention in the palace, with all eyes on Kun Ning Palace.

  The Empress Dowager stepped out of the palace, causing a stir throughout the six palaces, even though she only took a few steps.

  The emperor went down to court, and the first thing the eunuch did was to tell him that the empress dowager had left Kunning Palace, walked a few steps along the palace wall, and then returned.

  The emperor was shocked: "Just a little better, what's going on? Freezing again and adding serious illness, how can this be good?"

  He hastily made his way to Kunning Palace.

  As soon as I entered the inner palace, I heard the empress dowager's laughter.

  The emperor felt his heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, suddenly return to its normal position.

  His eyes felt sour: It had been more than a year, and this was the first time he heard his mother's laughter again.

  ——*——*——*——

  Thanks for the rewards from 熱戀^^, 老君新华路730 and 小院子 etc.