Song Zhao stared at Xiao Jingheng's smiling eyes in a daze for a good half a day, and was at a loss for words for a moment.
It was Consort Yao who laughed and said,
"Is my younger sister so overjoyed that she even forgot to give thanks?"
Only then did Song Zhao come back to her senses. She quickly shook her head and said,
"Your Majesty... I have been in the palace for a short time and my status is still shallow. How could I deserve to be one of the four imperial consorts? It would be better if..."
"It doesn't matter,"
Before she could make excuses for a few more sentences, Xiao Jingheng waved his hand to interrupt her,
"I said you are worthy, so you are worthy."
Then he pointed at Consort Yao and said, "You are close with Consort Yao, why don't you ask her?"
Consort Yao was upset in her heart, both envious and bitter.
But she still had a bright smile on her face, and the flattering words came out smoothly,
"My younger sister has given birth to a noble son and is favored by His Majesty, she naturally deserves to be one of the four imperial consorts."
Song Zhao lowered her brows and bit her lips, murmuring softly,
"Even my elder sister is making fun of me..."
Xiao Jingheng held her in his arms, "It's late September now, after Cheng Yu's one month celebration next month, I plan to hold your investiture ceremony on the auspicious day of the 15th of November. I will have the Office of Ceremonials take your measurements for your ceremonial robes. Your investiture ceremony will be grand."
Usually the Office of Imperial Workshops would be in charge of the ceremonial robes for consorts,
while the Office of Ceremonials would only be responsible for the Emperor, Empress Dowager, Empress and Imperial Noble Consort's attire.
Even for an investiture ceremony, Song Zhao was only being raised to a consort now, but Xiao Jingheng was having the Office of Ceremonials attend to her personally for everything, showing his favoritism towards Song Zhao.
Song Zhao knew that the key to feigning reluctance was actually in showing willingness.
She had already declined Xiao Jingheng once, if she declined again it would dampen his enthusiasm,
so she shyly nodded and snuggled into Xiao Jingheng's arms, whispering softly:
"I'll listen to Your Majesty's arrangements."
Consort Yao said from the side: "Speaking of auspicious days, wouldn't the 7th day of the 10th month be perfect?"
She counted on her fingers and said, "That's a very auspicious day, if Song Zhao's investiture as Consort is held then, followed by Cheng Yu's one month celebration, she would be able to attend the one month celebration in the status of a Consort, that would be best."
"That date is already taken," Xiao Jingheng said lightly, as if just stating a mundane fact,
"I plan to officially promote Consort Chen to Noble Consort on the 7th day of the 10th month."
With that one sentence, Consort Yao's expression instantly turned stiff, and she fell silent.
Yet Song Zhao was still all smiles as usual, "That would be congratulatory news for Consort Chen."
Previously when the Office of Imperial Workshops took Consort Chen's measurements for robes, the other consorts had speculated that Xiao Jingheng might be planning to promote her to Noble Consort.
But now that the date of investiture has been set, and in the afternoon, the imperial edict announcing Consort Chen's promotion to Noble Consort was also delivered to Yonghe Palace, making it a done deal.
When the other consorts got this "good news", they didn't dare to complain openly, but they were still somewhat unhappy in their hearts.
Even when Consort Chen was still a Consort, she was already domineering and rampant over the six palaces. Now that she has become Noble Consort in one move, and is pregnant, she holds even greater power over the six palaces.
It's likely she would become even more prominent than the Empress...
And the more prominent she becomes, the more miserable life will be for others.
However, this prominence did not even last for a few days.
On the 3rd day of the 10th month, a big incident happened in the former dynasty.
After Xiao Fuzi got wind of the news, he immediately rushed back to the palace to tell Song Zhao about it,
"Your Ladyship, a big incident happened in the former dynasty today!"
From his tone, Song Zhao could not detect any emergency, but rather heard a hint of schadenfreude,
so she asked: "The country is peaceful and calm, what could have happened?"
Xiao Fuzi stepped forward and said in a low laugh,
"Prince Rui and Consort Chen's elder brother Ning Xiuqi, got into a conflict for some reason after leaving court today, and the two actually got into a big fight on the steps outside Jinluan Hall!
Ning Xiuqi has been following Ning Bochuan on military campaigns over the years, and has trained his muscles. How could Prince Rui be his match? I heard the fight was fierce, and Prince Rui's arm was broken..."
"How could this be?" Yun Shan said in surprise: "Within the forbidden grounds of the imperial palace, right under the Son of Heaven's feet, Consort Chen's brother dared to be so arrogant as to assault a prince?"
In contrast, Song Zhao did not look surprised at all, and simply asked lightly,
"You found out clearly? What did the palace attendants who served in court say? Who started it first?"
Xiao Fuzi said, "It was Prince Rui who attacked first."
The grudge between Prince Rui and the Ning family was not formed in just the last few days. (Chapters 139, 140)
Earlier, because Song Zhao had a severe allergy to peach blossoms, Xiao Jingheng ordered the Empress to have the peach trees near Zhongsi Gate removed.
It just so happened that Consort Chen was overseeing the six palaces then, so the Empress deliberately assigned this matter to Consort Chen.
Recklessly, Consort Chen directly ordered for all the peach trees to be chopped down.
But the peach trees near Zhongsi Gate were personally planted by the late Emperor for Prince Rui's mother, Princess Dowager Yu.
Princess Dowager Yu had always been sickly, and when she suddenly heard about this, she died from rage.
After finding out about this, Xiao Jingheng assumed it was just an accident, and had Princess Dowager Yu properly buried, without punishing Consort Chen.
But with the murder of one's mother, there could be no peaceful coexistence under the same sky. And Prince Rui had always been hot-tempered and prone to holding grudges. How could he easily let the Ning family off?
Today, the enemies met and saw red. Naturally, after just a few words, fists started flying.
Xiao Fuzi said that currently Xiao Jingheng was dealing with the matter. Then he added gloatingly,
"Consort Chen is about to be promoted to Noble Consort soon. At this time, her elder brother injuring a prince in the palace, a subject assaulting a prince is a grave offense and crime! I reckon the matter of promoting her to Noble Consort will also have to be postponed..."
"I don't think so."
Song Zhao lowered her head and continued embroidering pearls on a tiger head shoe for Cheng Yu.
"In my opinion, not only will His Majesty not postpone Consort Chen's investiture ceremony this time, he might even grant more glory to the Ning family."
Xiao Fuzi and Yun Shan looked at each other, somewhat puzzled.
Song Zhao slowed her needlework, smiled coldly and said,
"Let me ask you, Prince Rui rarely goes to court, and Ning Xiuqi has been on military campaigns for years, so he doesn't return to the capital to give reports often either. Why did these two, who rarely frequent the court, just so happen to run into each other there today?"
After thinking briefly, Xiao Fuzi's eyes lit up, "Does Your Ladyship mean that..."
Before he could speak his guess aloud, Song Zhao slightly nodded and said:
"In times of turmoil in the realm, military generals who campaign and conquer the lands become heroes. But in times of peace, those former heroes would naturally become the greatest threat to the ruler.
If I haven't guessed wrong, His Majesty's successive actions recently are to raise the Ning family's power to the apex.
When a towering building is about to collapse, it must first be built up tall, piercing the skies, only then can it be razed to the ground in one move, leaving not a single brick or grain of sand behind."
