That night, Song Zhao was still staying overnight at the Bitong Academy.
After the farce had ended, it was almost dawn.
The two of them lay in bed, eyes open, each harboring unfathomable thoughts.
Song Zhao lay curled against Xiao Jingheng, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat, her soft fingers tracing circles on his smooth chest,
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for protecting this concubine."
Xiao Jingheng had an arm around her fragrant shoulder, his fingertips gently caressing the smooth skin of the young woman,
"I said that as long as I am here, I won't let you suffer any grievances."
It sounded good,
but Xiao Jingheng did not seem sincere when he said it.
He looked very worried, not in high spirits at all.
Later, Jiang Deshun reported from outside:
"Your Majesty, the criminal maid Yingxiang has been executed. The convoy is currently at...at Consort Ning's residence tidying up. They should escort Consort Ning back to the palace in about a quarter hour."
Xiao Jingheng was silent for a while, then said, "It's a mountain road back to the palace. Dawn will break in about an hour. Send her back after daybreak. Also, send several more guards to keep an eye on her along the way!"
Jiang Deshun acknowledged the order and withdrew. Song Zhao also understood the implication behind Xiao Jingheng's words.
Send guards to watch over Consort Ning? Watch her do what?
No matter how arrogant and willful she was, she was just a delicate woman. If Xiao Jingheng was sending her back to the palace, could she escape halfway?
The so-called sending more guards was actually Xiao Jingheng's covert way of saying to protect Consort Ning well, for fear that something might happen to her along the way.
Everyone in the palace thought Xiao Jingheng favored Consort Chen because of her distinguished family background.
Only Song Zhao did not think so:
She had seen the lost look on Xiao Jingheng's face when he passed by the Xin Yi Forest,
She had seen his barely suppressed smile when he mentioned Consort Ning,
She had seen him deprive Consort Ning of her title, yet he still held her in his arms absentmindedly.
All these signs indicated that Consort Ning held a place in Xiao Jingheng's heart.
So Song Zhao said, "Actually, I feel...this matter may have nothing to do with Consort Chen."
"Whether Consort Ning knows about it or not, the people who tried to harm Noble Consort Yang and attempt the same on you again are from her palace." Xiao Jingheng sighed helplessly, his voice growing colder, "I used to think she was just a little arrogant, though mischievous, still cute. Now it seems that by indulging her again and again, I have only made her more unbridled."
Just now, Song Zhao still called Consort Ning "Consort Chen", testing Xiao Jingheng's attitude.
Hearing him address her intimately as "Consort Ning", Song Zhao changed her form of address and said:
"Perhaps Consort Ning really knows nothing about this matter? Your Majesty has already dealt with Yingxiang and stripped Consort Ning of her title, which is severe punishment. Please don't hold it against her anymore?"
Xiao Jingheng was surprised to hear this.
He held Song Zhao tighter and looked down at her,
"She almost killed you, yet you still plead for her?"
"I feel Consort Ning is not that kind of person."
Song Zhao nimbly flipped over and lay on top of Xiao Jingheng like a soft kitten, her bright eyes full of pure innocence,
"In my opinion, Consort Ning is just stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside. Does Your Majesty still remember when I first entered the harem and drew pockmarks all over my face to avoid your favor?
At that time, the Palace Eunuch Office had already taken down my green plaque. It was Consort Ning who took pity on me and ordered the eunuchs to hang up my plaque again, thus beginning my fate with Your Majesty.
Back then I was just a lowly invisible concubine in the harem. Consort Ning was willing to promote me even then and treat me like a sister. I have always felt she would not do anything so vicious."
Song Zhao sounded sincere in her plea for Consort Ning.
But when Xiao Jingheng heard this, it took on another meaning.
The Palace Eunuch Office reported directly to the imperial household. Even the Empress could not interfere. How could Consort Ning get Song Zhao sent to Xiao Jingheng's bed with just a word?
It showed that Consort Ning actually had improper ties with those eunuchs.
Xiao Jingheng did not show any reaction on the surface. He only said, "I also hope it's not her."
Song Zhao moved closer to Xiao Jingheng and fiddled with the beaded earrings she wore every day,
"Didn't Your Majesty praise how nice my beaded earrings look? They were actually gifted by Consort Ning. For her to bestow such fine beads on me... How could she harm me?"
Xiao Jingheng knew Consort Ning well.
A proud phoenix like her, why would she generously give such a valuable gift to Song Zhao for no reason?
Add to that what Song Zhao said, which was also his suspicion —
A woman in her prime, enjoying endless favor, yet still not pregnant after so long?
The more Xiao Jingheng thought about it, the more doubtful he became of the beaded earrings that Song Zhao wore almost every day.
He said casually, "As for children, success depends on the time, location and people. Don't be impatient. The earrings do look good on you, but the color seems somewhat muddy."
"Really?" Hearing this, Song Zhao took off her earrings and spread them on her palm for closer inspection, "Oh my, I didn't notice since I wear them every day. The color does look less vibrant than before."
"Beaded earrings need regular maintenance to keep the beads shiny and new," Xiao Jingheng picked up the earrings, seemingly casual, from Song Zhao's hand. "I'll have Jiang Deshun send them to the Qiaozhen Workshop tomorrow to restore them. It'll match you better."
Song Zhao smiled sweetly. "Then thank you, Your Majesty."
The next day at dawn after Song Zhao left, Xiao Jingheng called Jiang Deshun and asked him to check if there were any issues with the beaded earrings.
Having served in the imperial presence for a long time, Jiang Deshun had handled many treasures before. He weighed the beads in his palm and immediately noticed something off about the weight. Looking closely, he discovered an almost invisible crack in the middle of the bead.
Using a small pry bar to open the crack, a deep red powder began trickling out, accompanied by a strong peculiar fragrance.
Xiao Jingheng frowned, "What is this?"
Jiang Deshun summoned Xiao Yinzi, who had expertise in fragrances, to identify the substance. Xiao Yinzi came to a conclusion as soon as he took over,
"Your Majesty, this is musk!"
