Taking Back Power, We All Make Our Moves

It was as if Holden Cui had anticipated Miss Serena's visit. As soon as she began, "Young Master Holden, I'd like to talk to you about your condition," he waved his hand, dismissing everyone from the room.

"Miss Serena, there's no one else here now. You may speak." Holden Cui's fingers were pale as snow, veins sharply visible, his frail body so delicate it seemed a breeze could topple him. A month of careful nursing hadn't brought much improvement.

Serena knew Holden's illness couldn't be put off any longer, so she cut straight to the heart of it: "Young Master Holden, your condition can't wait. I explained the treatment plan in detail last time—it's been a month, you must have thought it through by now."

Holden's hand tightened around his cup, a fleeting tremor betraying him before he forced himself back to calm. Serena, watching every nuance, caught it—and let out a quiet breath in relief.

That was a sign Holden was still willing to talk—good. She'd feared that after a month, he might refuse surgery, especially since she'd laid out all the risks and made it clear: if the operation failed, the Cui family couldn't blame her.

Serena raised her own cup, sipping gently. The warmth spread through her, loosening the tension in her face.

But Holden, after a moment's silence, didn't answer Serena's question. Instead, he deflected, his tone leisurely: "Miss Serena, how do you find the tea?"

Serena froze, her hand stiff around the teacup. She looked up, locking eyes with Holden—his gaze, shadowed with melancholy, was as deep and inscrutable as dark water.

Serena's brows drew together as she set her cup down with a soft thud. "Young Master Holden, since you haven't decided, I won't press you. Three days—I'll give you three days. If I don't hear from you by then, I'll take it that you've chosen to forgo treatment."

With that, she strode out without a backward glance, her steps steady as ever. Only Serena herself knew just how furious she was inside.

Evan Yuan didn’t answer right away. He solemnly replied, "Young Master, this is your life—no one else can decide for you. Whatever you choose, I’ll stand by you."

Holden opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. After a long silence, he murmured, "Let’s wait and see."

Serena didn’t dwell on Holden’s indecision. She left the Cui residence, her mind already racing with new plans.

She’d never bet everything on Holden Cui. If one door closed, she’d open another.

The Emperor was using Nolan’s mother’s imperial tomb to threaten him. Skyvault Palace was clearly involved. Serena needed to attack from a different flank and give Nolan space to deal with his enemies.

She headed to the House of Duke Ning. After saving Lady Ning and her twin sons, Serena was now a respected benefactor there.

Thanks to the scene at the city gate—Serena as the target, Nolan’s protection—most people who weren’t hostile to Ninth Royal Uncle now treated her with extra respect.

Lady Ning greeted her warmly, half-joking, "Is this an invitation to a snow-viewing or plum-blossom banquet? Are you acting as the lady of Ninth Prince Manor now?"

Serena laughed, brushing off the assumption. She presented an invitation card: she was moving back into her rebuilt Feng Manor and inviting high-ranking households like the House of Duke Ning.

The Phoenixfield estate had been burned down in a suspicious arson—no culprit found. Now, with the manor rebuilt, Serena planned a high-profile return. The invitation was a signal: her territory remained hers, stronger and more fortified than before.

How could a mere servant offer an opinion on such a matter? If anything went wrong, the whole Cui Clan would never let him off. Evan Yuan quickly bowed his head, "No matter what you decide, Young Master, I’ll support you."

"Enough. You may go. I’ll think it over myself." Holden let out a long sigh.

Serena left Holden’s place empty-handed, but she wasn’t discouraged. She hadn’t pinned all her hopes on Holden anyway. After composing herself and changing clothes, she headed out toward the House of Duke Ning.

Her wounds had only just healed, and she’d only just returned to the city—yet she was already running everywhere. Only Serena herself understood how exhausting it was. But upon hearing that the Emperor was pressuring Ninth Royal Uncle, she knew she had to act. Otherwise, Nolan wouldn’t be able to focus on dealing with Skyvault Palace, and she’d be dragged down too.

Because Serena had saved Lady Ning and her twin sons, she was a valued guest at the House of Duke Ning. Lady Ning personally welcomed her.

"Miss Serena, you really are a rare guest." After half a year of recovery, Lady Ning looked much healthier, and her attitude toward Serena was even more courteous than before.

It had to be said—after what happened at the city gate yesterday, everyone saw Serena as a target, but they also saw how much Ninth Royal Uncle valued her. Unless someone was an open enemy of Nolan, they’d treat Serena with extra courtesy.

"You’re too kind, Lady Ning. I came specifically to deliver an invitation." Serena never visited without a reason—she knew she needed a good excuse. If she seemed too eager, the House of Duke Ning would hold back. Some things had to happen naturally to be truly effective. If she didn’t wear out the Emperor first, she wouldn’t be worthy of her surname Feng.

"An invitation? Is Miss Serena asking us to enjoy the snow, or admire the plum blossoms?" With the year’s end approaching, the capital was full of banquets. Noble ladies and young misses took the chance to network, helping their husbands forge new ties.

There was no choice—annual Ministry of Appointments reviews were coming, and many officials’ posts would change. Everyone had to participate.

The two women entered the inner chamber. Serena wasted no time, discreetly activating her Smart Med-Pack. It wasn’t that she refused to use traditional pulse-taking, but postpartum gynecological issues simply couldn’t be diagnosed by pulse alone. And Lady Ning couldn’t possibly undress for a physical exam.

There was no way Lady Ning would let a male doctor examine her so intimately, so Serena relied on her Med-Pack, supplementing its results with careful questioning.

Sure enough, Lady Ning’s gynecological inflammation was severe. Serena withdrew her hand, checked the Med-Pack’s display, and then gently asked Lady Ning a series of questions.

Just as Serena expected: Lady Ning suffered from itching and swelling, yellowish discharge and debris, prolonged and irregular menstruation, constant discomfort and odor, and pain during intercourse.

If Lady Ning were like most noblewomen, her husband would have plenty of concubines and maids to satisfy him. But Duke Ning’s heir was devoted—he had only his legal wife and never strayed.

That devotion came with its own pain: every day, he held his beloved wife but couldn’t touch her, while Lady Ning was tormented by her condition. No matter how much incense she used, nothing masked the odor. She dreaded letting him near, terrified he’d be repulsed. Serena’s arrival was truly a lifeline in the snow.

"Madam, you should use less incense, especially on undergarments. Just keep things clean and dry—incense isn’t good for your body. I’ll prescribe you a cleansing medicine; send someone to my residence to fetch it, and use it for a few days." To show her seriousness, Serena carefully wrote out detailed instructions and a list of herbs to take regularly.

"External use?" Lady Ning was puzzled. "Isn’t medicine meant to be taken orally?"

"The less you take orally, the better. The medicine I’m prescribing is for external cleansing. Try it first—if it doesn’t work, I’ll come back. And if you don’t nurse your body back to health, conceiving again will be difficult, even with fertility medicine. If you’re not well, even the best fertility drugs won’t help much." Serena subtly hinted at her true purpose for today’s visit.

She did have medicine that could help with conception, and she didn’t doubt that such things would drive noblewomen absolutely wild.

The Emperor was using Ninth Royal Uncle’s mother’s tomb to threaten him—so Serena would use the women’s sphere to trouble the Emperor in return.

Lady Ning’s eyes lit up. She leaned forward and grabbed Serena’s hands. "Miss Feng, are you saying there’s a drug that can help women conceive more quickly?"

If such a medicine existed, then the young ladies recently sent into the palace by the House of Duke Ning might bear royal heirs faster than anyone else. Who knows, maybe their family would become the maternal clan of a future prince…