She was wondering if the Empress Dowager had set her sights on the Third Princess. After all, the Noble Consort was her true niece. How could she possibly not be partial to the Noble Consort—her own niece—and instead help the Empress against her? That defied all reason. If, at this time, the Empress Dowager said she wanted to keep the Third Princess in Ningshou Palace to raise her, and in the future... hand her over to the Noble Consort to bring up, then in the end, wouldn't it still be someone from the Shih Family stirring the pot from within? Wouldn't all the Empress's long-time efforts and worries have been in vain?!
The Empress, holding the Princess, indeed stopped in her tracks. Thinking it over, she felt it was unlikely.
"Sister, what you said isn't impossible!"
"But... how long has it been since the Empress Dowager last saw the Noble Consort? She won't even see Shih Jieyu!"
