Song Zhao was adept at calculating the opportune moment.
Her performance last night had greatly pleased Xiao Jingheng. Additionally, being the first concubine to reject sharing the bed with him, Xiao Jingheng couldn't help but be curious and decided to visit Yaohua Palace.
Song Zhao had long been aware of the time it took to travel from Chaoyang Palace to Yaohua Palace, having spent a month within the palace. That's why she had Yun Shan delay informing Yao Consort for an additional quarter of an hour.
She anticipated that Yao Consort would be afraid of taking responsibility and come to check on her, as well as knowing that Noble Consort Li would follow and criticize her. She even predicted that Xiao Jingheng would arrive just in time to witness Noble Consort Li's tantrum.
Every detail was interconnected, without the slightest deviation.
Yao Consort and Noble Consort Li hurriedly bowed towards the main gate, while Song Zhao, propping up her frail body, rose from the bed and spoke with them:
"I respectfully greet the Emperor and wish him good health."
After Xiao Jingheng entered, he noticed Song Zhao coughing and his gaze fell entirely on her.
At this moment, Song Zhao was dressed in a plain sleeping gown, her knees slightly bent, exuding a delicate and weak demeanor.
With her naturally fair complexion and the flush brought on by her high fever, her cheeks had a rosy tint, giving her a slightly intoxicated appearance.
Sensing Xiao Jingheng's gaze upon her, Song Zhao's body swayed slightly, fully embodying fragility. Her slender and feeble figure resembled a drifting waterweed, evoking even more pity.
Xiao Jingheng hastened his steps towards her and held her hand.
"Why is your hand so hot?"
As he spoke, he attempted to touch her forehead, but Song Zhao covered her mouth and nose, taking a step back to evade him.
"Your Majesty... this concubine is unfit to be in your presence while ill. It would be even more sinful to pass on my illness to Your Majesty. Please take care of your dragon body and refrain from..."
"Stop talking." Xiao Jingheng held onto Song Zhao's hand and didn't let go. On the contrary, he exerted a hidden force, pulling the delicate and willowy young girl into his embrace.
He used the back of his hand to feel Song Zhao's forehead and discovered that her fever was severe, causing him to feel even more distressed and self-reproachful.
Supporting Song Zhao to sit on the couch, he then called out towards the entrance:
"Jiang Deshun, go fetch Chu Imperial Physician for me."
Upon hearing the name Chu Imperial Physician, neither Song Zhao nor Noble Consort Li knew who he was, but Yao Consort's thoughts tightened.
That Chu Imperial Physician was the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital, and he had always treated only Xiao Jingheng. Who could possibly command him?
In an instant, Yao Consort understood Song Zhao's position in Xiao Jingheng's heart.
Whether it was for the sake of novelty or the pursuit of her youthful beauty, at this moment, Song Zhao held a higher position in Xiao Jingheng's heart than she and Noble Consort Li did.
Otherwise, Xiao Jingheng wouldn't have stayed here for so long, allowing them to be restrained by etiquette.
Thus, Yao Consort immediately said, "As the primary occupant of Yaohua Palace, it is my negligence for not taking good care of Sister Song. I ask for Your Majesty's forgiveness."
For such a trivial matter, Xiao Jingheng naturally wouldn't punish Yao Consort and said, "You have been busy attending to the Empress's illness these past two days. It's understandable to overlook things. Rise."
Consort Yao was called to attention and heard Emperor Xiao Jingheng coughing discreetly twice. He personally took a tea cup from the small table and handed it to Song Zhao, saying in a restrained manner, "If you need to cough, just cough it out. I am not a stranger. Have some water to soothe your throat."
Song Zhao blushed and timidly said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
All of this was observed by Noble Consort Li, who was still maintaining her decorum. Since Xiao Jingheng entered, she had been very reserved, and he not only did not ask her to rise, but he didn't even look at her directly.
She felt aggrieved in her heart.
Clearly, she had also caught a cold a few days ago, so why did Xiao Jingheng show no concern for her and instead showed such care for someone else?
Feeling uneasy, she pretended to cough intentionally twice.
This cough actually caught Xiao Jingheng's attention.
But his gaze towards Noble Consort Li carried a hint of gloominess.
Earlier, Zhang Jiugui had informed him that after Song Zhao had served him in bed yesterday, she somehow provoked Noble Consort Li's dissatisfaction and was punished by being made to stand in the rain for most of the night, which led to her catching a cold.
He was the emperor, and just yesterday he had promised Song Zhao that his favor would not bring her any danger.
But today, he broke his promise.
In that case, hadn't Noble Consort Li slapped him in the face?
Xiao Jingheng glanced at Noble Consort Li with a cold tone, "Is your illness not yet healed?"
Noble Consort Li thought that Xiao Jingheng liked women who acted pitiful and weak like Song Zhao, so she continued to pretend, "Your Majesty, cough... since I was young, I have always been weak. This cold has persisted for seven or eight days and hasn't improved... cough..."
"Oh? But when you were talking to Song Zhao just now, you seemed quite confident," Xiao Jingheng said with anger. "Living under the same roof as Song Zhao, you have already started to bring trouble upon her. As a woman, you display such fierce jealousy. I wonder how your father taught you in the past."
Noble Consort Li hurriedly defended herself, "Your Majesty, please understand! The matter of Song Zhao catching a cold has nothing to do with me. If you don't believe me, you can ask her!"
Song Zhao weakly pursed her lips and nodded, "I'm sick because of my weak constitution. It really has nothing to do with Noble Consort Li... Noble Consort Li has always been... very good to me. Your Majesty, please don't blame Noble Consort Li."
Xiao Jingheng, in his ears, heard Song Zhao's words defending Noble Consort Li as nothing more than her kind-heartedness.
He raised his hand and interrupted Song Zhao, "I only believe what I see and hear."
Noble Consort Li was completely panicked and fell to her knees with a loud thud, kowtowing repeatedly like crushing garlic.
"Your Majesty, please understand! Your Majesty, please understand! I really didn't do it, really didn't!"
"Just now, you claimed that your illness hadn't fully recovered. How come you can now respond so smoothly, without even a single cough?" Xiao Jingheng suddenly straightened his back, his dignified posture highlighting his imperial authority. "Did your father never teach you the consequences of deceiving and betraying the emperor?"
With this, Noble Consort Li had no room left to argue.
After all, she had just lied in front of Xiao Jingheng.
She had been sheltered and pampered since childhood, never having witnessed the might of the emperor. Now, she was so frightened that her soul seemed to have left her body, her head thudding against the ground, repeatedly apologizing, acknowledging her mistake.
Seeing her forehead bloodied, Xiao Jingheng, devoid of any tender feelings, remarked:
"In consideration of the fact that your father was a meritorious official, today's punishment serves as a warning to you, so that you may learn your lesson.
Issue the decree immediately, demoting Noble Consort Li to the rank of a common attendant and reducing her stipend for six months. If you fail to restrain yourself in the future, I will have no choice but to send you out of the palace and let your father personally educate you."
