The Crown Prince led a young eunuch out of the palace the next day, and then had Manbao put on his clothes and brought her into the palace.
Manbao stood between two eunuchs with her head lowered, following the Crown Prince into the palace. The Empress was startled upon seeing Manbao, then turned to look at the Crown Prince, whose face remained composed.
She sighed and reached out to take Manbao's pulse anyway.
After administering acupuncture to Manbao and changing the Empress's prescription, Manbao instructed her to relax before the Crown Prince's men escorted her out. She removed her outer garment in the carriage at the palace gate and handed it to the young eunuch who had been waiting outside, then went home with the guards who came to pick her up.
The Eastern Palace was within the imperial palace, and the Crown Prince could come and go freely, but recently, with the Empress Dowager being gravely ill, most of the imperial sons and grandsons were tending to her in the palace.
