Xiao Jingheng was lost in thought,
Song Zhao saw his handsome brow slightly frown, eyes full of doubts, and realized her careless words had aroused Xiao Jingheng's suspicion of the Empress.
So she was in no hurry, and continued tidying her quilt, giving Xiao Jingheng time to think things through clearly about the whole matter.
Only after she was done with what was at hand did Song Zhao casually and unnoticeably look at Xiao Jingheng, smiling lightly and calling out twice,
“Your Majesty? Your Majesty?”
“Hmm?” Xiao Jingheng came back to his senses, his expression did not reveal any abnormality.
“What is Your Majesty thinking about? So lost in thought?” Song Zhao picked up his clothes, pretending to dress him, “It is getting late, Your Majesty still has to go to the Empress's palace, concubine will attend to Your Majesty changing clothes.”
“No need.” Xiao Jingheng grabbed the clothes from Song Zhao's hands and casually threw them on the nearby screen, only holding her wrist, said: “I will stay with you tonight.”
The Emperor had to stay in the Empress's palace on the night of New Year's Eve and the first day of the new year, this was the rule set by the ancestors.
If it was any other day, Song Zhao would have definitely persuaded Xiao Jingheng,
but today, Song Zhao put away her understanding of propriety and righteousness, and treated herself as a wronged little woman who also needed her husband’s company.
Didn’t the Empress like to confine her?
Then let the Empress have a taste of what it feels like to be home alone without being confined.
At the beginning of the new year that night, Song Zhao nestled in Xiao Jingheng’s arms, the smile at the corner of her lips was particularly sweet.
Early the next morning, Jiang Deshun knocked on the door of the west wing of Yao Hua Palace.
Seeing Song Zhao sleeping soundly, Xiao Jingheng did not call her. He got up, put on a shirt by himself, walked lightly over the screen, and called Jiang Deshun to come in.
At this time, the ‘deep asleep’ Song Zhao's ears stood up like a pair of sensitive rabbit's ears. She heard Xiao Jingheng’s deep voice behind the screen, “Did you take care of things?”
Jiang Deshun said somewhat awkwardly: “Your Majesty, Wei Zhengde is dead. But... this was not done by the Secret Guards.”
Xiao Jingheng was silent for a moment, then asked, “How did he die?”
“Your Majesty originally asked this slave to gather the Secret Guards to behead Wei Zhengde. After midnight, Wei Zhengde was drinking merrily at the Chunri Pavilion in the capital. When the Secret Guards rushed over, they just happened to see him fall out of the window on the third floor and break his neck. He couldn’t be saved. Wei Zhengde was heavily drunk. Perhaps he had fallen down drunk, it is hard to tell...”
“Fell down himself? Huh...” Xiao Jingheng scoffed lightly, sounding meaningful, “He died rather timely.”
Jiang Deshun of course knew what Xiao Jingheng meant behind his words, he was suspecting the Empress.
However he could only pretend not to know and remain silent.
After a long silence, Xiao Jingheng spoke again, “Forget it, dead or alive it’s the same for him, this matter ends here.”
Jiang Deshun took his leave, while Xiao Jingheng walked back to the couch.
However now his mood was not to go back to sleep.
He sat on the edge of the couch, staring at Song Zhao intently, enjoying the beauty of her sleeping posture, couldn't help reaching out to touch the strands of black hair scattered on both sides of her face.
At that moment, the fast asleep Song Zhao very naturally turned over,
the quilts slipped off, revealing her snow-white beautiful back to Xiao Jingheng.
Along with the alluring spring scene entering Xiao Jingheng’s eyes, there were also a few faint purple bruises.
That was the scar left when Song Zhao was hit by falling rocks when she risked her life to protect him.
Although the imperial doctor had done his best to treat her, Song Zhao was born with fair and delicate skin. Such beautiful skin is easily scarred.
So even though the wound had healed, it would take some time for the bruise to completely fade away.
It was this unintentional move that quickly diminished Xiao Jingheng's doubts about her.
As the ruler of a country, Xiao Jingheng held supreme power in his hands, and precisely because of this, everyone around him seemed to approach him with ulterior motives in his eyes.
He was tired of the flattery and fawning, but true feelings were hard to come by.
So he really should not doubt a woman who was willing to sacrifice her life for him.
The doubts in his mind turned into remorse,
he pulled the quilt to cover Song Zhao’s exposed frosty jade skin.
And Song Zhao woke up at this time.
“Your Majesty?”
She rubbed her sleepy eyes like a lazy cat, yawned, and said with a smile: “Today is Your Majesty’s day off, why did Your Majesty still get up so early?”
Xiao Jingheng stroked her cheek with the back of his finger, smiling as well: “You are still confined, I was worried about this, and wanted to get you out of the misfortune as soon as possible, to lift your confinement with a clear conscience. Of course I could not indulge myself to sleep in.”
Song Zhao sat up halfway, hooked Xiao Jingheng's neck with her hand, and rubbed her nose on his prominent adam's apple. She coquettishly said:
“As long as Your Majesty accompanies concubine, confinement or not, concubine does not care.”
“I know, but I want to restore innocence to my beloved woman.”
Xiao Jingheng's words were sincere. After speaking, he bowed his head and planted a kiss on Song Zhao's lips,
“You will be able to walk out of here fair and square soon. I promise you, rest assured.”
There were tears shining in Song Zhao's bright eyes as she nodded vigorously.
Of course she was reassured.
But this reassurance was not because of Xiao Jingheng's promise.
It was because with her own means, she had once again saved herself from the mire.
Her destiny was always in her own hands,
so how could she not feel reassured?
It has to be said that Xiao Jingheng’s actions were quite fast this time.
That afternoon, when Song Zhao woke up from her nap, little Yinzi came to Yao Hua Palace to pass her a message,
“Miss Song, His Majesty and the ladies of various palaces are currently in Kun Ning Palace, summoned you to go there.”
“Understood, thanks to the eunuch for conveying the message.”
Song Zhao calmly touched up her makeup, to look sickly yet beautiful,
when she arrived at Kun Ning Palace, the six palace concubines had all gathered,
from the corner of her eye, Song Zhao saw that the Empress's face looked somewhat blue, but concubine Ning was very proud,
from time to time she glanced at the Empress, with a sneering smile at the corners of her mouth, as if waiting to laugh at her openly.
After Song Zhao paid her respects to the Emperor and Empress, Xiao Jingheng gave her permission to sit down.
She had just sat steadily when a male official dressed in official uniform rushed in and greeted everyone with a bow,
"This insignificant official is the vice minister of the Imperial Observatory, Li Yun, pays respect to Your Majesty, Empress, and all the young mistresses."
