In the quiet of the inner chamber for a moment,
First, Yun Shan exclaimed, "This is unreasonable! I can tell that Li Mama is not a good person! Your Majesty, should we inform the Emperor about this?"
Song Zhao remained silent, while Xiao Fuzi interjected,
"What good would it do to inform the Emperor now? At most, he would execute Li Mama, but she would surely claim it was an accident and never reveal the mastermind behind it. After all, if something were to happen to you, Your Majesty, or to the young prince, the Emperor would be furious. Not only would Li Mama's family be in danger, but even her extended relatives would likely be unable to escape punishment!"
Yun Shan pondered for a moment, still perplexed, and asked,
"But what does she gain from this? Even if she has the money, she can't spend it if she's dead. Is someone threatening her with the lives of her family members? But that doesn't make sense... If something were to happen to you, Your Majesty, or to the young prince, and the Emperor became enraged, not only would her family be in danger, but her own life would be at stake too!"
Deep in thought, Xiao Fuzi responded, "That's why... there must be someone who possesses a secret that Li Mama doesn't want revealed."
Today, Xiao Fuzi, who was responsible for assisting Song Zhao in childbirth, had already investigated the backgrounds of the midwives.
He recalled, "I remember that Li Mama has no children of her own. She only has a husband. Over a decade ago, her husband fell off a cliff while hunting and has been bedridden ever since. Li Mama has been taking care of him." [Note: The midwives who assist with childbirth are not palace maids and are allowed to live their own lives outside the palace when not needed. This is a fictional setting and not related to actual history.]
Upon hearing this, Song Zhao contemplated for a moment before speaking, "That must be it. Regardless of gender, who wouldn't be full of vigor in their youth? If she had to spend her young years as a widow, and she is not a saint herself, how could she willingly accept it? I think, in all likelihood, she had a secret relationship with some other man in the past and conceived a child in secret. But this matter cannot be exposed."
If we follow Song Zhao's conjecture, it would provide a motive for Li Mama to risk everything.
If she had an illegitimate child with another man outside the palace, and someone found out and used it to threaten her,
Then, as a mother, she would do anything to protect her child. What could she not do?
Yun Shan asked, "Your Majesty, do you suspect that she had a child with someone else?"
Xiao Fuzi replied, "Li Mama went to such great lengths to carry out this suicidal act, suggesting that she had already anticipated that there would be no turning back for her. If the truth is exposed, she would die, her husband would die, but the child unknown to the world would survive. I believe Your Majesty's speculation has likely revealed the entire truth of the matter."
Song Zhao's eyebrows slightly raised, and she said coldly,
"The more she tries to protect someone, the more I will cherish that person. There will be no place for her to be buried."
Yun Shan asked, "But even if we tell the Emperor about her negligence, what can we do if Li Mama insists it was an accident and denies any mastermind behind it?"
"Who said we have to inform the Emperor of her mistake?" Song Zhao sneered, "Li Mama is meticulous in her actions. It was she who discovered that the scissors were tampered with and promptly replaced them, thus saving both myself and the young prince's lives."
She not only did not harm me, but instead, she is my benefactor. I am grateful and determined to reward her generously. Gold and silver are mere trinkets; I must seek the Emperor's approval to grant her an official position, only then will it be considered satisfactory."
If this had been said in the past, Yun Shan would have been completely baffled by Song Zhao's words.
But now, as she looked at the smiles on the faces of Song Zhao and Xiao Fuzi, she quickly understood the situation with a little thought.
She suddenly clapped her hands and exclaimed:
"The reward you're giving her will make the person behind the scenes think that Li Mama has said something to you, and that person will definitely become anxious and eager to kill Li Mama to silence her! And since Li Mama hasn't achieved her goal yet, the person behind the scenes will surely kill someone important to Li Mama out of frustration!"
She stared at Song Zhao with shining eyes and couldn't help but admire:
"Your plan is truly brilliant, Your Majesty! Without lifting a finger, you can wipe out Li Mama's whole family and expose the person behind the scenes!"
To Song Zhao, Yun Shan's clever plan was nothing out of the ordinary.
She didn't feel proud at all; instead, she calmly said:
"Evil people will eventually meet their end. The person who manipulated Li Mama might not necessarily expose themselves, but the people Li Mama wants to protect will surely die before her.
Moreover, times have changed. If anyone dares to plot against my son, I won't care about fairness or justice. I will make sure to annihilate their entire family, killing parents, children, and everyone, to find satisfaction."
The next day, during the morning rest period, Xiao Jingheng hurriedly came to Changle Palace to visit Song Zhao.
The young prince was also brought over by his nursemaid and placed in the cradle for infants, beside his parents.
Xiao Jingheng couldn't take his eyes off the child and the smile never left his face.
At that moment,
He held Song Zhao in his arms, gently stroked the sleeping baby's forehead,
And whispered, "I have come up with a name for our son. It is the combination of 'Cheng' and 'Yu,' how does Zhao feel about it?"
Cheng represents inheritance,
Yu carries the meaning of flame and fire.
The name Cheng Yu signifies passing down the flame, which shows Xiao Jingheng's deep affection for their child.
Since Song Zhao entered the palace, she has been cautious every step of the way, evading countless threats and dangers, to achieve her current position.
After giving birth to a noble child, she was destined to become a target. Even if she tried to conceal her sharpness, it would be in vain.
Rather than constantly being submissive, at this point, it was time for her to reveal her true strength and make others fear her.
So, she didn't refuse the name and simply said:
"The naming of children has always been the father's prerogative. As a humble servant, I don't understand these matters, but I will follow Your Majesty's arrangement. Cheng Yu... it sounds very pleasant."
Xiao Jingheng also smiled and said, "Cheng Yu is our precious child. Even if the name didn't have a good meaning, I would not bestow it upon him."
Later, Yun Shan brought the morning meal, and Xiao Jingheng, like a "virtuous husband," fed Song Zhao himself. His care and affection for her were evident in his words and actions.
After finishing their breakfast, both of them were busy pacifying their child. But suddenly, Song Zhao spoke up, "Your Majesty, I have a personal request to make."
Xiao Jingheng's mind stirred, thinking that Song Zhao couldn't hold back anymore and wanted to mention the matter of being conferred the title of a consort.
He looked at Cheng Yu in the cradle and calmly replied, "Go ahead."
"I want..."
*Creak*
Before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Fuzi pushed open the door and respectfully entered.
He paid his respects to the two of them and then said to Song Zhao, "Your Majesty, the gifts have been delivered, and Li Mama is very pleased."
"Li Mama?" Xiao Jingheng wondered, "Wasn't she the one who assisted you during childbirth yesterday? Why did you give her a reward separately?"
Song Zhao explained, "Actually, during the delivery yesterday, I encountered a dangerous situation. The scissors used to cut the umbilical cord had a slight rust on them, which went unnoticed by others. Fortunately, Li Mama noticed it and promptly replaced the scissors with a new one. If it weren't for Li Mama, both Cheng Yu and I would have been in grave danger..."
Xiao Jingheng furrowed his brows slightly, feeling displeased. "The people in the palace seem to be neglectful in their duties. As you said, Li Mama deserves a generous reward."
"Exactly," Song Zhao continued along with his words, "That's why I wanted to request Your Majesty's favor. I believe Li Mama is meticulous and experienced. If she could be granted an official position, even if it's a lower rank, she could devote herself to assisting pregnant concubines in the palace and attending to childbirth, which would also put Your Majesty's mind at ease."
Xiao Jingheng's gaze darkened, clearly surprised by Song Zhao's words.
However, he didn't show further astonishment and quickly composed himself. He held Song Zhao's hand, smiling warmly, and said, "Your choice is indeed a good one. Let's grant her the position of a seventh-grade female official, and she can focus on assisting the consorts in childbirth in the future."
[The last day of the holiday, going slightly crazy. Three updates today.]
