On the 4th of May, it was Song Zhao's birthday.
Originally, Xiao Jingheng had planned to throw her a grand and splendid banquet,
but Song Zhao politely declined his kind gesture.
She said that as a concubine, it wouldn't be appropriate to attract attention, and hosting a lavish feast would be wasteful. Instead, she suggested using the money to help the poor and needy, which would be a virtuous deed.
Therefore, Xiao Jingheng established a porridge factory in the outskirts of the capital to provide assistance to the impoverished.
This fulfilled Song Zhao's wish and further enhanced his reputation for caring about the people's well-being.
Although the banquet was not held, Xiao Jingheng didn't skimp on the gifts for Song Zhao.
He carefully selected precious jewelry that women liked and spared no expense to bring a smile to her face.
On her birthday, Xiao Jingheng even attended the morning court session before heading to Chang Le Palace.
After having lunch, the two of them planned to rest for a while,
but Xiao Jingheng's attendant urgently interrupted them,
"Your Majesty, the memorial tablet of the late Emperor in Fengxian Hall has fallen..."
"What did you say?"
Xiao Jingheng became furious, "How could those servants in the Imperial Household Department be so careless?"
The falling of the memorial tablet of the late Emperor was not a good omen, and it required the Emperor himself to personally set it upright again. It couldn't be taken lightly at all.
Song Zhao advised from the side, "Your Majesty, you should go and see it quickly. The Empress Dowager just sent gifts to us earlier. After she takes her afternoon nap, I plan to go and have a chat with her."
Xiao Jingheng nodded, "Then, I'll handle this matter first. After you finish with the Empress Dowager, come to Chaoyang Palace. I have specially instructed the kitchen to prepare dinner according to your taste. Although we are not hosting a banquet, it's still your birthday, and we shouldn't be too perfunctory."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Xiao Jingheng hurriedly went to Fengxian Hall,
while Song Zhao, after her nap, took a sedan chair to accompany the Empress Dowager in Xian Shou Palace.
Meanwhile, Consort Chen was filled with anger in Yonghe Palace.
It was because Qiu Lan heard some gossip from the Cold Palace.
"Zhao in the Cold Palace doesn't know how to behave. She often complains and even insults the Empress Dowager. It's really audacious..."
Consort Chen's eyes flashed with anger as she suppressed her fury and demanded, "What did she say about me?"
"Well..." Qiu Lan lowered her head in fear, "I dare not say."
"Speak up! I command you!" Consort Chen slammed the table forcefully and raised her voice:
"I want to hear it!"
Qiu Lan trembled in fear and finally timidly said,
"She said that you cannot conceive a child on your own, so you have to snatch someone else's child to raise. She said you have committed many sins, which is why you haven't been blessed with offspring..."
While Qiu Lan spoke, she cautiously glanced at Consort Chen's expression and lowered her voice even more,
"She also said... she said you stumble even on flat ground, and your miscarriage is your retribution..."
"This is outrageous! I can't stand her anymore!"
Consort Chen had always been irritable, and the matter of her miscarriage was a constant sore spot for her.
Upon hearing Qiu Lan's words, her anger soared. She stormed off to the Cold Palace, intending to confront Zhao and cause trouble.
Inside the vast Cold Palace, Zhao resided alone,
and with the palace gate locked, the Imperial Household Department only assigned two eunuchs to stand guard outside as a mere formality.
As soon as they saw Consort Chen, they immediately bowed respectfully.
"We pay our respects to Consort Chen, may you be blessed and secure."
However, Consort Chen didn't even glance at them. "Open the door for me!" she commanded.
"But... Consort Chen, according to the Emperor's decree, no one is allowed to see Consort Zhao. It would be better if you..." one of the eunuchs tried to reason.
"Are you daring to obstruct me?" Consort Chen narrowed her eyes and coldly threatened, "As the one in charge of the six palaces, I am responsible for managing the imperial harem for the Emperor. Even though Consort Zhao is a deposed concubine, her words can still cause harm, and I will not tolerate it! If you utter another word, I will have your tongue cut out!"
She was always arrogant,
Even the Empress had to give her some face, so how could these two palace maids dare to obstruct her without question?
Helpless, they reluctantly unlocked the door and opened it.
However, what they didn't expect was that as soon as the door opened a crack, a disheveled and dirty madwoman rushed out from inside.
She collided with Consort Chen, knocking her to the ground.
After quickly getting up, the madwoman ran towards the distance.
"Consort Chen, are you alright?"
Consort Chen was not lightly injured, and the palace maids hurriedly went forward to support her.
She held her aching waist and looked at the retreating figure of the madwoman on the corridor, unable to believe it.
"That ghostly thing is Consort Shu?"
"Yes, Your Highness, it is Consort Zhao..."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Consort Chen herself panicked.
If Consort Zhao, this madwoman, caused trouble by escaping, it would be a big problem for her.
So she pushed the eunuch aside and scolded, "Useless trash! Go and catch her for me!"
The eunuch hurriedly chased after her.
Normally, Consort Zhao, who was crazy, didn't eat much and shouldn't have the energy to run far.
But strangely, when the eunuch saw her turn a corner, by the time he caught up, she had disappeared in the narrow corridor.
On the other end, Song Zhao had spent the afternoon chatting with the Empress Dowager.
Later, Xiao Jingheng came to inform that everything was ready and asked her to go over.
Song Zhao asked the Empress Dowager, "It's dinner time. Why don't you come along, Your Majesty?"
The Empress Dowager smiled and waved her hand, teasingly saying, "If this old woman goes, you and the Emperor will feel constrained. You go, let the Emperor accompany you and have a joyful birthday celebration."
The Empress Dowager truly liked Song Zhao.
She didn't even want to see the other concubines, but when Song Zhao came, she would even personally send her off.
The Empress Dowager accompanied Song Zhao to the gate of Xian Shou Palace. Song Zhao was supposed to get on the sedan chair, but the palace attendants who were supposed to carry it said:
"Your Highness, just now we discovered that the sedan chair's pole is a bit loose. It might be due to the recent humid weather, making it unstable when carried.
We are worried that if there is an accident and you get hurt, Your Highness, should we go to the Imperial Household Department to get a new one? However, it would require Your Highness to wait for a while."
Song Zhao fell silent.
With this back and forth, who knows how much time it would take?
And the Empress Dowager was watching from the side.
If Song Zhao really asked them to bring a new sedan chair, it would inevitably make people think she was being fussy.
She said, "No need. The Chaoyang Palace is not far from the Empress Dowager's Palace. Since the weather is clear today, I also want to take a walk and enjoy the scenery."
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "You are just like your mother, not one to be fussy. Go ahead, but be careful on the way."
She glanced at Yun Shan and instructed, "Take good care of your mistress and don't let her get hurt."
After bidding farewell to the Empress Dowager, Yun Shan supported Song Zhao as they walked along the long street leading to Chaoyang Palace.
It was the time when the guards were changing shifts, so ordinary palace maids were not allowed to move around, making the street quite peaceful.
The two of them leisurely strolled along, admiring the scenery and exchanging laughter.
"In the past, when the Lady was in the mansion, her birthday was never given much attention. But now, things have changed. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager both care about the Lady's birthday. It's no longer just the servant accompanying the Lady on her birthday."
Song Zhao looked at the open road ahead and smiled.
"Days will always get better."
"Ah!"
Suddenly, a shrill scream came from behind them.
Song Zhao quickly turned around and saw a disheveled woman wearing a dirty plain cloth dress running towards her.
She looked insane, with an extremely distorted and ferocious expression.
It wasn't until she was about to approach that Song Zhao recognized this deranged woman in front of her, who used to be the gentle and peaceful Consort Shu?
"Be careful, my Lady! She has a knife!"
Just as Yun Shan exclaimed, Zhao had already drawn a dagger and directly stabbed towards Song Zhao's protruding belly!
