The Empress Dowager was silent, resting with her eyes closed.
The nanny beside the Empress Dowager glanced at her expression, then stepped forward with a light chuckle.
"Your Majesty is entirely correct, but I seem to have faintly heard in the inner palace that there might be some hidden tricks behind Zhao Jing's honors..."
The Da Ban beside the Emperor stepped forward and said, "Folk rumors are just for our amusement. How could Nanny Tan take them seriously? The Imperial Examination was personally invigilated by Prince Ning, who also shares the merit of assisting in governance. Mr. Xu is even more respected for his noble character. Both of them were handpicked by the late Emperor to assist Your Majesty, and their character is beyond reproach. By believing in rumors and speculating on their integrity, are you not being disrespectful to them?"
