As night fell, Xiao Jingheng came to Chang Le Palace as promised.
For tonight's dinner, Song Zhao had prepared hot pot, which didn't require much elaborate preparation as long as the soup base was tasty and the ingredients were fresh.
The dining table was moved into the courtyard.
Sitting around the stove surrounded by a sky full of twinkling stars, Song Zhao and Xiao Jingheng listened to the bubbling sound from the hot pot while catching glimpses of the shy crescent moon hiding behind thin, gauzy clouds, feeling rather content and relaxed.
When Song Zhao placed a sliced piece of tenderloin into Xiao Jingheng's bowl, he happened to notice the still unhealed wound on her palm.
Xiao Jingheng put down his chopsticks and gently grasped Song Zhao's wrist to open her palm.
Seeing the long, red scar made his heart ache for a good while.
"What happened?"
"It's n-nothing..." Song Zhao quickly closed her palm, her face blushing as she said, "This servant accidentally cut herself."
"That's not true!" Yun Shan couldn't help butting in. "Her Majesty knew His Majesty likes to eat thin slices of tenderloin when having hotpot..."
"Yun Shan, His Majesty was talking to Us, mind your manners."
Song Zhao scolded Yun Shan to stop her from continuing. But Xiao Jingheng had already guessed most of what happened from her words.
"Tenderloin has a soft and delicate texture. Placing it on a wooden cutting board to slice thinly would easily deform it. So..."
Xiao Jingheng's gaze suddenly became scorching hot. In his eyes, the scar on Song Zhao's palm now seemed to be burned into his own heart as well.
"Did Zhao'er place the tenderloin meat on her palm, using her palm's warmth to protect it while slicing so she accidentally cut herself?"
Song Zhao laughed lightly and shook her head. "There is little that this servant can do for His Majesty already. Compared to how well His Majesty treats me, this small matter is really not worth mentioning."
"Silly girl." Xiao Jingheng drew the young beauty into his embrace. The clear, cold moonlight spilled onto Song Zhao's exquisite, striking face, making her fair, porcelain-like skin appear even more lustrous and beautiful enough to seize one's soul.
The wisps of osmanthus fragrance lingering in her hair strand by strand plucked at Xiao Jingheng's stirred heart.
He lowered his head and placed a kiss on the girl's forehead. "Every bit of thought and care you show Me is no small matter."
With the darling beauty shyly nestled in his arms, Xiao Jingheng held her even tighter and continued,
"For this southern tour, other than the Empress and Concubine Hui, I had intended to bring you along as well. Our Chengyu will also come with us, so you won't have to worry about missing him."
Song Zhao had known early on that given her current standing in Xiao Jingheng's heart and her status as the chief imperial concubine, he would definitely bring her along for this southern tour.
So when she heard him personally announce this favor, there wasn't the slightest ripple in Song Zhao's heart.
She only pretended to be extremely delighted on the surface, expressing her gratitude again and again for the Emperor's graciousness.
After dinner this day, Xiao Jingheng did not stay overnight at Song Zhao's palace. On the excuse that he had many urgent state affairs piled up that required his attention, he said he was returning to Zhaoyang Palace. But he actually went to Yonghe Palace instead.
He told Noble Consort Chen the same words he gave to Song Zhao, adding more thoughtful details:
"I will definitely bring you along for this southern tour. And seeing that you've been so devastated recently, I also want you to go out for a change of scenery and mood. So I specially moved up the originally scheduled departure at the end of this month to the day after tomorrow."
When Xiao Jingheng mentioned the death of Noble Consort Chen's son, he was worried it might upset her sorrowful heart again.
But Noble Consort Chen reacted as if nothing had happened, even laughing as she replied:
"This servant thanks Your Majesty deeply~ It's just that the little princess is too young for such a long trip. With us both gone, I would not feel assured leaving her alone in the palace either."
Xiao Jingheng said, "I've arranged for the wet nurse to attentively care for her. If you cannot bear to part with your daughter, we can make the trip shorter."
As he spoke, he grasped Noble Consort Chen's hand tightly and gazed at her affectionately, "In any case, I must have you by My side."
More than anyone else, Noble Consort Chen was easily drawn into Xiao Jingheng's deep affection. After a brief struggle, she repeatedly nodded in agreement, "This servant also wishes to always accompany Your Majesty."
"Wah~ Wah wah!"
Just as they were immersed in tender feelings for each other, the little princess who had been sleeping quietly in the crib suddenly cried out.
Noble Consort Chen quickly let go of Xiao Jingheng's hand and ran to the crib to comfort the child.
She gently rocked the crib, beaming down at the little princess as she sang a lullaby with a smooth, lilting melody.
Meanwhile, Xiao Jingheng followed behind her and randomly picked up a pellet drum placed to the side. He shook it a couple times at the little princess.
Strangely enough, as soon as the little princess saw Xiao Jingheng, her crying obviously weakened.
As Xiao Jingheng shook the pellet drum faster and faster, the little princess actually broke into laughs, giggling at him delightedly.
A baby's smiles always brim with the warmest power.
Seeing this, Xiao Jingheng felt his heart would melt from the warmth. He also laughed along.
At that fleeting moment, a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.
If the son he had with Noble Consort Chen was still alive, wouldn't he be as adorable as the little princess too?
Seeing his father, no matter how fiercely he might be crying or fussing, he could calm down and laugh quickly as well.
Thinking of this, the smile on his face unconsciously froze again.
A child's cries come fast and also fade fast. As Noble Consort Chen rocked the crib, the little princess fell into sweet slumber before long.
Xiao Jingheng put down the pellet drum and softly said to Noble Consort Chen:
"Previously, the Imperial Household Department came up with a few names for our daughter, but I didn't like any of them. So I personally thought of one - calling her 'Jin Yue'. What do you think?"
"Jin Yue?"
Noble Consort Chen repeated it. She wasn't well read and didn't understand the meaning behind the name, only laughing as she replied:
"It sounds really nice to hear."
Xiao Jingheng glanced at the zither placed on the table and explained, "Not just sounding nice, the meaning is wonderful too. The zither and joy are pleasing, reflecting my delight in you. This name also represents the affection between Rou'er and Me."
Hearing his words, Noble Consort Chen was rather moved.
She nestled into Xiao Jingheng's embrace, feeling the warmth of his sturdy chest,
while freeing one hand to gently caress Jin Yue's face. She murmured softly:
"Little Jin Yue, did you hear that? You must really like the name your father bestowed on you too. So does Mother."
The next day, the list of people accompanying the southern tour was submitted to the Empress.
The names on the list were arranged according to precedence:
The Empress, Noble Consort Chen, Virtuous Consort Yi, Clever Consort Ying, Concubine Hui, Concubine Yao, and... Tong Changzai.
When she came across Rong Yu's name, the Empress' hand paused briefly.
"This Tong Changzai seems to be quite favored by His Majesty."
Shuang Ruo said, "Yes indeed. Among the newly entered imperial consorts and concubines, she's had her nameslip drawn the most times by His Majesty. Her father is also the Admiral of the Marine Forces, so her background is pretty good too."
The Empress lightly smiled and nodded. "It'll be good for her to come along on the southern tour too. It'll also let Bengong take a look and see if she can be of use."
As they talked, she flipped to the last page and saw the departure date written as "Leaving on the twenty-third day of the third month". She couldn't help exclaiming in surprise:
"Wasn't it decided to leave at the end of the third month to start of fourth month previously? Why is it suddenly the day after tomorrow for the departure now?"
"His Majesty said it's to comfort Noble Consort Chen and take her out of the palace early to ease her mind. But this servant has received a tremendously wonderful piece of news from Master."
Shuang Ruo leaned in to whisper in the Empress' ear:
"Yesterday His Majesty urgently summoned Master into the palace. He is finally unable to tolerate the Ning family any longer and intends to take action against them."
"Oh? Hahaha!" The Empress laughed and said: "How wonderful, this day has finally come. No wonder His Majesty is hurrying to leave. With the Noble Consort away from the capital, she won't know what has happened to her maternal family. Upon returning to the capital and learning her family has died in a tragedy after the southern tour, everything would have already been set in stone. Even if she knelt before His Majesty and cried her heart out, it would be of no use."
"Yes indeed." Shuang Ruo replied sinisterly:
"The Noble Consort relied on her family's power and bullied Empress Mother for all these years. Once the Ning family is completely eliminated this time, the Noble Consort will have lost her pillar of support. Wouldn't the decision of when to take her nameslip down then be completely up to Empress Mother?"
