At the same time, in Yonghe Palace.
Consort Ning sat upright at the head seat, looking down condescendingly at Song Zhao who was kneeling below and paying her respects.
Only after letting her keep her obeisance for a good while did Consort Ning say:
“Everyone has gone to the Empress Dowager’s Palace to pray blessings for the empress’s belly. Why have you not gone?”
Song Zhao solemnly said: “This concubine shares the same heart and virtues with Her Majesty. Whoever does not get along with Her Majesty is not getting along with this concubine.”
Consort Ning sneered coldly: “You don’t get along with her? Hmph, I saw that you’ve been going to her palace very diligently these past few days!”
Song Zhao quickly said: “If this concubine does not go, how can I probe the circumstances of the empress’s pregnancy this time!”
She lowered her voice, her tone mocking: “Esteemed Consort need not worry, the empress has a very difficult pregnancy this time, there will definitely be a time when she suffers!”
Consort Ning knew that Song Zhao had come to declare her loyalty.
She also did not know whether to say this woman was clever or stupid.
The Ning family had great power in the previous dynasty, so Consort Ning did have the capital to be willful and overbearing in front of Xiao Jingheng.
But Song Zhao was merely a lowly concubine without a prominent maternal background. She had only gained a little favor from Xiao Jingheng, yet she dared to publicly oppose the empress?
Originally, after learning of Xi Ying’s death, Consort Ning had suspected Song Zhao.
But after this matter, she was even more certain that Song Zhao was a complete fool. Her doubts towards her were also dismissed.
As such, Consort Ning did not make things difficult for her anymore. “You may rise and sit.”
After Song Zhao gave thanks and sat down, Consort Ning asked again: “Ever since I left the hot springs villa, that cheap woman Consort Shu must have been very smug right?”
Song Zhao awkwardly nodded: “She kept insisting it was Esteemed Consort who wanted to harm her. In front of His Majesty she wept tears of grievance, looking utterly pitiable. His Majesty felt distressed and accompanied her closely for several days. In fact, Esteemed Consort and this concubine both know that this whole matter was clearly Consort Shu deliberately causing trouble to frame Esteemed Consort! Only this concubine regrets being incompetent, also unable to think of a way to make His Majesty see the truth. I could only watch powerlessly as Esteemed Consort fell into dire straits yet was of no help whatsoever...”
Song Zhao mentioning Xiao Jingheng’s pity towards Consort Shu was meant to provoke Consort Ning.
And Consort Ning reacted just as Song Zhao had anticipated.
Her neck was stretched taut and one could faintly see the veins bulging from anger beneath her fair skin, indicating she was extremely furious.
"That cheap woman! If this consort ever lets her have a single peaceful day again, then I am not a daughter of the Ning family!"
Consort Ning was still fuming with rage. She impatiently dismissed Song Zhao so she could leave.
After returning to her palace, Song Zhao ignored everything else and went straight to bed for a nap.
Later, in her half-awake state, she felt the bed edge sink lightly as if someone was gently stroking her hair. Only then did she force her heavy eyelids open with difficulty: “Y-Your Majesty?”
She made to get up to greet Xiao Jingheng but was aggressively pulled into his embrace before she could fully rise.
“If you’re sick then rest properly, don’t make me worry.”
Song Zhao’s long eyelashes trembled lightly as she blamed herself: “This concubine is useless. To miss such a major event like blessing Her Majesty the Empress because of illness, this concubine feels awful...”
Tears sprang forth as Xiao Jingheng continuously caressed her shoulders, gently persuading:
“I understand. This is not your fault, do not blame yourself.”
“But...Her Majesty the Empress is pregnant. This sickly concubine should keep away, and Your Majesty too...”
As Song Zhao spoke, she lightly pushed Xiao Jingheng’s chest, turning her face away to muffle her coughs with her hand.
Right at this moment, Yun Shan came in with the medicine.
Xiao Jingheng showed no intention of leaving at all. He received the medicine bowl and said, “You’re sick because of me. How can I avoid you? Be good and drink the medicine.”
He was very attentive. He gently blew on the soup to cool it to a suitable temperature before carefully feeding Song Zhao spoon by spoon.
That day, Xiao Jingheng accompanied Song Zhao until evening when he had finished dinner. Only after coaxing her to sleep early did he hurry back to Zhaoyang Palace to review the accumulated memorials and documents.
Not long after he left, Xiao Fuzi came in.
He shut the doors and windows tightly, very cautiously taking out a parcel wrapped in a silk handkerchief from his bosom and handed it to Song Zhao.
“Young Miss, I've brought the item.”
Song Zhao unfolded the layers of wraps. A pure gold seal engraved with a phoenix pattern emerged before her - the unmistakable Tian Ji secret order.
The characters ‘Tian Ji’ were embossed in the center.
“Did it go smoothly?” Song Zhao asked.
Xiao Fuzi nodded: “Today at the blessing ceremony, lower servants were not permitted to remain in the Empress Dowager’s Palace. After your servant went to report being absent on your behalf, I took the opportunity when no one was around to sneak into the Empress Dowager’s bedchamber. I took this item from the hidden compartment inside the cabinet by her Buddhist shrine. Going in and out did not take long. The palace maids guarding outside can testify for your servant - I did not linger.”
When Xiao Fuzi entered and left, and how long he spoke with Xiao Jingyan, the maids outside would have kept time.
If Song Zhao had not told Xiao Fuzi beforehand where the Tian Ji secret order was hidden for him to make a beeline towards the target, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to take the order so stealthily.
He also had doubts about this matter: “Young Miss, what is the use in taking such risks to obtain this object? And how did you know the location where the Empress Dowager kept it?”
“I’m tired, you may leave,” Song Zhao dodged the subject clearly unwilling to say more.
Xiao Fuzi tactfully retreated upon realizing she did not wish to speak further.
Alone on the heated couch, the gaze in Song Zhao’s eyes gradually darkened as she clenched the Tian Ji secret order in her hand:
Naturally, it was Xiao Jingyan who told her where the secret order was hidden.
And everything today had also completely been within Song Zhao’s calculations.
The Empress Dowager was not close to the consorts and seldom allowed consorts to enter Xian Shou Palace.
Therefore, after returning from the hot springs villa this time, Song Zhao also did not go to the Empress Dowager, deliberately avoiding suspicion.
Then through insinuations, she got Xiao Jingheng to change the blessing ceremony's location from Yuntai to the Empress Dowager’s palace.
This way, the number of people who had gone to the Empress Dowager’s palace increased sharply.
On the contrary, Song Zhao had not gone at all.
If the secret order was discovered missing in the future, no one would suspect her.
By doing so:
Firstly, she could prove her own innocence.
Secondly, by not going to bless the empress, Consort Ning would further believe she was a fool and no longer dwell on whether there were shady dealings behind Xi Ying’s death.
Thirdly, because Xiao Jingheng thought she was sick due to him, he would naturally feel guilty and dote on her in every possible way.
The eve of the new year was in another two days.
By then, passing the Tian Ji secret order to Prince An would be akin to sending this harbinger of ill fortune away.
After carefully hiding away the Tian Ji secret order, Song Zhao originally planned to rest.
But she had just lain down when she vaguely heard a commotion outside.
Feeling strange, she had just gotten up, intending to go out and take a look when Yun Shan rushed in flusteredly:
"Young Miss, something's happened!"
She seemed badly frightened, panting for breath between words:
Song Zhao said firmly: “Speak slowly. What happened outside?”
"Somehow, Feng Luan Palace suddenly sprung a leak! Her Majesty the Empress seems to still be trapped inside. It’s chaos out there now!"
This news was like a sudden clap of thunder, blasting by Song Zhao's ears without warning.
She did not have the time to react with surprise, only throwing on a cloak before hurriedly running outside...
