Hmmm, maybe ED saved emperor‘s life during the rebellion?

Hmmm...It means Emperor and Snake Dowager is not as close before thus she needs to drug him? Poor child got drugged since young. But what is the secret? Is he actually a biological son of Grandaunt? But that would be illogical if nobody find out. Maybe princess Ningan and Emperor was switch at birth too?

if the old concubine is just jealous and wanted to stole her position, that doesn't make sense because even if she knows martial arts, she's already very old and we don't even know how many years she could live after if she did beat ED to it, that's not worth it, maybe it's both her jealousy towards ED and the possibility that she is also a chess piece

Two things comes to mind. One is that Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing is playing the long game in order to get that Empress Dowager seat. Or her and Princess Ning’an are in it together. And is maybe colluding with that hostage prince. So essentially they’re traitors. 🤔🤔

If I have to guess, I'd say the key here is Princess Ning'an. She is someone who was dearly loved by both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and so they bonded over her. As for why IC Jing needed the white medicine... Could she have something to do with why Ning'an left?