Longle Palace.
After Song Zhao returned to the palace, she took out the unfinished embroidery on the waist warmer and continued sewing. There were two waist warmers, one sky blue and the other bright red, so no matter if she gave birth to a son or daughter in the future, both bases would be covered.
After busying herself for a while, she heard the door to the inner chamber being pushed open.
Song Zhao didn’t even lift her head and simply asked, “Finished beating?”
Yun Shan nodded and said, “Consort guessed right. This servant had only just finished delivering the gifts before going in. Sure enough, at the door, I heard that Mongolian woman badmouthing Consort.”
Song Zhao scoffed disdainfully, “Mongolians have many cows and horses, she must have grown up eating grass. She doesn’t have half a brain.”
Yun Shan smiled lightly and said, “Consort wrote the letter herself and placed it in the jewelry box as well before handing it to Sister Tong.”
“Mm.” Song Zhao picked up the waist warmer, held it up against the bright sunlight outside the window, compared it for a bit, then calmly said,
“Go tell Zhi Hua that Consort Hui has recently taken a liking to jump rope, hasn’t she? Consort Hui finishes her evening meal early, so after she’s eaten dinner later, have Zhi Hua take her to the back garden to play to her heart’s content.”
“This servant understands.”
After Yun Shan withdrew, Song Zhao did some more embroidery for a while. Seeing that the time displayed on the copper water clock was about right, she touched up her makeup in the mirror and had the palace maid carefully dress her up.
Consort Hui ate her evening meal early. After resting for a bit, Zhi Hua and Chanyi then accompanied her to the back garden to play jump rope.
And now was the time for Song Zhao to have her evening meal.
Today's dishes on the table were all sweet and sour.
There was sweet and sour squirrel fish, vinegar braised meatballs, pickled vegetable and pork, vinegar soaked bamboo shoots...
Just the smell was enough to make one's mouth water.
But Song Zhao ate with great relish.
It must be said that her cravings during pregnancy were also quite strange.
She didn't like sour or spicy foods, instead preferring light flavors.
Of course, today's dishes weren't prepared for her.
Sure enough, the main guest arrived shortly after.
"My Zhao'er has been increasingly fond of sour foods recently."
Upon hearing Xiao Jingheng's voice, Song Zhao was first startled.
Looking back and seeing he was already standing outside the main hall, she hurriedly said, "All muddled, Your Majesty has arrived yet no one announced?"
She got up to greet Xiao Jingheng, but he waved his hand at her and told her to stay seated, laughing as he said,
"This was intentional on My part, to not have them make a ruckus."
"Oh." Song Zhao responded perfunctorily. Just now her face still held joy, but now she pouted, somewhat unhappy.
She also didn't look at Xiao Jingheng, only concentrating on continuing to eat her meal as she said,
"I have yet to congratulate Your Majesty on gaining a beauty today."
"Tsk tsk, I thought there was a smell of vinegar in this hall. Turns out it was someone eating vinegar?"
"That's not it at all." Song Zhao said somewhat stubbornly, "Why would your subject eat vinegar? Your Majesty is revered by all under heaven, the hope of every woman. If your subject were to eat vinegar, wouldn't I eat until my bones turned soft?"
"And you say you didn't eat vinegar?" Xiao Jingheng laughed as he took the chopsticks from her hand and grasped her hand to warm it. "Just now you congratulated Me on gaining a beauty, this is incorrect as well. The beauty is already by My side, what need is there to gain another? The others are vulgar rouge and powder, they cannot compare to My Zhao'er."
Song Zhao lightly drew circles in Xiao Jingheng's palm with her fingertips. Her voice was bewitching and coquettish as she said,
"Your Majesty is accustomed to comforting your subject's heart. This afternoon your subject accompanied the Empress Dowager in paying respects to Buddha. On the way back to the palace, we happened to pass by Hongxue Pavilion. Seeing the new concubines had already moved in, I took the chance to go greet them.
Seeing them one by one with exceptional beauty, it made your subject feel inadequate. Especially that Mongolian Ru Naren, her adornment was captivating and she was very beautiful, quite remarkable."
"Oh?" Xiao Jingheng's voice rose, "I heard she insulted you today, yet you speak well of her?"
Song Zhao was astonished and hastily rose, bringing Yun Shan with her to bow and pay respects to Xiao Jingheng,
"Your Majesty, please forgive."
"You and your habit of bowing at the slightest thing, can it not be changed? If you keep startling and bumping into things, are you asking for Me to be worried?"
Xiao Jingheng supported Song Zhao up and waved his hand at Yun Shan to tell her to rise as well.
"I know the whole story of this matter, why do you apologize? Consort Chen already beat her yet she remains unrepentant, even daring to slander you behind your back?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Yun Shan and praised,
"Your servant did well. Loyally protecting her mistress is a virtuous servant."
Song Zhao understood Xiao Jingheng too well.
He would definitely have people keeping an eye on new consorts entering the palace.
So when she saw Ru Naren's arrogance today, Song Zhao did not react.
She knew early on that Consort Chen would surely establish her authority and punish Ru Naren, so she left that matter to Consort Chen.
After Ru Naren received Consort Chen's discipline, she would definitely complain about Song Zhao,
And at that time, having Yun Shan come forward to discipline the new concubine would be reasonable.
In summary, in this whole matter, Song Zhao did not lift a finger from beginning to end. On the contrary, she kindly gifted all the new concubines.
Where was there anything bad to be said about her?
At this time, Song Zhao continued, "Ruimei is a Mongolian, her personality is uninhibited and she speaks directly from the heart. She didn't mean anything by it."
Xiao Jingheng said, "Intentional or not, My cherished consort is not someone she can casually talk about."
Song Zhao's face flushed red as she allowed Xiao Jingheng to pull his chair closer so they sat side by side.
In the interim, Xiao Jingheng helped fill Song Zhao's plate while saying,
"There is a Tong who seems to have lived at your residence for a period of time. I was thinking that if you were on good terms, I could have her move here to accompany you, and be a companion."
To this, although Song Zhao said 'that would be good' with her mouth, her expression did not show any joy.
So Xiao Jingheng asked, "What's the matter? You're unwilling?"
"It's not that... it's just Sister Rongyue is the legitimate daughter, so naturally she was closer with Eldest Sister when living in your subject's maternal home. But now Eldest Sister has..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingheng already understood.
Before Song Zhao could finish speaking, he waved his hand and said, "Forget it, since you're only passing acquaintances, don't let her come bother you."
"Plowing the fields at noon, sweat dripping onto the earth below! Oh no, that's wrong! You made a mistake! Again, again!"
As the two were speaking, sudden raucous laughter sounded from the back garden.
Feeling it was noisy, Xiao Jingheng knitted his brows and asked, "What are they frolicking about?"
Song Zhao smiled and said, "They must be playing jump rope. Little Sister Consort Hui loves these childish amusements."
Yun Shan also added from the side, "Yes. It's the height of summer now, hot days and nights plagued by mosquitoes make it hard to sleep. Consort Hui enjoys lighting the lamps and playing with the palace maids in the back garden to liven things up."
Hearing this, Xiao Jingheng's expression became even more unhappy.
"She's having fun, but your household's mistress is pregnant and needs peace and quiet. Yet they don't advise her?"
Song Zhao quickly said, "Your Majesty need not fuss over Little Sister Consort Hui about such trivial things. Your subject is not bothered."
Xiao Jingheng was silent for a moment before shaking his head and saying,
"I originally had her come keep you company, thinking you were lonely during your pregnancy and needed a companion. But now it seems she is instead disturbing you. I will tell her later to move back to Zhaochun Palace tomorrow. Now there are new consorts in the palace, people to live with her, she will not act out from fear and sulk again."
Song Zhao said, "It's no bother, Your Majesty. Your subject living together with Little Sister Consort Hui, chatting idly to dispel boredom has been quite nice. Why not let her..."
Xiao Jingheng grasped her hand again, tightening his hold.
"You are the priority. Everything else is unimportant."
At this, Song Zhao's face flushed as she finally said, "If so, then this spacious Longle Palace will only have your subject again. If your subject feels stifled, Your Majesty must come accompany your subject frequently~"
"Hahaha, my Ni'er is increasingly adept at wheedling. I will naturally accompany you, my heart stays here, as will I."
Xiao Jingheng pulled Song Zhao into his embrace.
Song Zhao pressed close to his chest, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat on one side, and Consort Hui's unbridled laughter from the back garden on the other.
So she also smiled silently.
