In fact, the Empress Dowager was really overthinking this time.

The Elder Lady of the Ji Family did not imply that Wang Dongxue could not have a proper pregnancy in the Palace, nor did she blame Wang Dongxue’s current condition on her entry into the Palace.

What the Elder Lady of the Ji Family said was entirely because she usually does not socialize with others, keeps her door closed to visitors, and does not go to other mansions. Having spent ten years in the countryside, she was just slightly more tactful in front of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

However, for those ministers’ wives who were used to hearing tactful words, what the Elder Lady of the Ji Family said did not seem tactful at all.

"The Elder Lady’s words are reasonable, Your Grace! Midwives entering the Palace need to go through thorough checks, which is time-consuming. If we return to the Ji Mansion, there aren’t as many rules, and midwives can assist the lady earlier with their pregnancy experience!"

Xie Pan’Er stepped up quickly, bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and swiftly provided a resolution for them.

The Emperor followed the suggestion and readily agreed.

"Pan’Er makes a good point. In that case, I’ll grant two sedan chairs to send the Elder Lady and the Second Madam back to the mansion!"

"I will also bestow some gifts, which will be sent to the Ji Mansion!"

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, the Empress Dowager added immediately.

"I also have some, and I’ve already ordered people to prepare them. They’ll be sent over as well."

The Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager with satisfaction, and she returned his gaze, then walked to the Elder Lady of the Ji Family and said to her,

"Take good care of her after leaving the Palace. Once everything is fine, come back to the Palace to keep this old lady company!"

The Elder Lady of the Ji Family promptly bowed and thanked them.

Outside, an Eunuch reported that the sedan chairs had arrived.

A group of Palace Maids helped Wang Dongxue and the Elder Lady get onto the sedan chairs, and they left the Palace quickly.

The aristocratic women’s circle in the Capital City immediately buzzed with excitement. Though the Ji Family’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law leaving the Palace wasn’t surprising,

what was surprising was that those two left the Palace in sedan chairs personally granted by the Emperor.

All at once, everyone was gossiping behind the scenes.

There was even louder chatter over at the Li Family of Zhongshu Province.

Today was a gathering organized by their Li Family to celebrate their little Lucky Star surviving after shielding the National Master from an attack.

The wives and women of the ministers’ families in the court all came.

A group of these women followed the servants to the Li Family’s banquet hall, and as they passed a rockery, they vaguely heard someone speaking.

"In the Capital City, it’s been circulating secretly for some time, it’s just you didn’t know, sister.

The Ji Family’s granddaughter was originally a little calamity star. She caused the death of her parents and harmed her own family kin, almost being sacrificed with torches to the heavens. It was the Elder Lady of the Ji Family who, unable to bear it, brought her back home.

To hide that she is a reincarnated calamity god, and her calamity star past, the whole family moved back to the Capital City."

"Oh! I really have heard some stories about that Princess. Some time ago, I heard she visited Qixia Temple, and thunder from a clear sky struck, destroying Mingwu Building and the Great Buddha Hall of Qixia Temple!"

"Exactly, exactly, I’ve heard that too, sister, you know? I just recently heard a shocking news.

What news? Please, tell us quickly!"

"Let me tell you, my seventh uncle’s eighth aunt’s sister-in-law’s little uncle’s cousin is a palace guard. I heard from him that, apparently, the Empress Dowager has summoned all the Imperial Physicians to the Palace today."

"Ah! The Empress Dowager has summoned all the Imperial Physicians, why is that?

Could it be that the Empress Dowager’s health is unwell?"

This person started speculating herself, then suddenly exclaimed.

"Ah! I got it, I heard that just this afternoon, His Majesty granted two sedan chairs to carry the Ji Family’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law from the Palace back to the Ji Mansion! Do you think this incident might have something to do with that Princess?"

"Oh! I know about this!

On my way here, I inquired a bit, and heard that the reason those two left the Palace in such a hurry was because there seems to be something unusual with the Ji Family madam’s pregnancy!"

"I see, but the Ji Family madam isn’t that young anymore, is she? 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

I heard she’s almost thirty, and it’s twins she’s carrying. It’s natural to feel uneasy."

"What’s natural? I heard that the Ji Family madam has been in good health all along, but yesterday His Majesty returned to the Capital, and naturally that Princess returned too. In this case, could it be that the Princess brought misfortune upon the Ji Family madam?"