On the twenty-third day of the third month in the fifth year of the Qiyuan era, it was a bright and sunny day.
The Emperor, accompanied by his entourage including the Empress Dowager, set out for Suzhou. The affairs of the imperial harem were temporarily entrusted to Consort Yun.
Passing through six cities and seventeen towns, they indulged in the beauty of mountains and rivers, experiencing the joys of the common people.
After a sixteen-day journey, they reached Suzhou in early April, on the eighth day of the month.
Along the way, they encountered many rugged mountain roads that made travel difficult.
The Empress Dowager couldn't withstand the hardships of the journey and her health was not in the best condition. The Empress, out of concern, volunteered to accompany the Empress Dowager in the horse carriage to take care of her.
However, despite riding in the Empress Dowager's sedan, the Empress seemed preoccupied and her worries about Princess Jinghe and Prince Cheng Yu were evident on her face.
This slightly displeased the Empress Dowager, so she found an excuse to dismiss the Empress and asked Song Zhao to accompany her instead.
Princess Jinghe had been raised by the Empress Dowager since birth, and the Empress rarely had the opportunity to see her. It was understandable that on this journey, the Empress focused her thoughts on her own daughter.
But Song Zhao was different.
She could see Cheng Yu every day and knew exactly what she needed to do in different situations. Despite her young son also experiencing discomfort from motion sickness, Song Zhao never lost focus while taking care of the Empress Dowager. She attended to her every need, pouring tea, massaging her shoulders, and legs, displaying the image of a dutiful daughter-in-law.
Whenever the Empress Dowager felt dizzy, Song Zhao would promptly take out some peppermint oil for her to inhale, and she would engage her in conversations to distract her attention, bringing joy to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager even asked her, "I heard that Cheng Yu is also having a hard time and crying a lot. Why don't you go and comfort him?"
Although Song Zhao was concerned, she understood her duties well. She replied, "There are three wet nurses taking care of him in the same carriage. They have more experience than me, and if I were to go, I would only be in the way. As a woman, I must take care of both raising my children and serving my elders. We have been traveling for more than ten days, and I have spent most of my time by Yu's side. For the remaining few days, I would like to serve you, Empress Dowager, and fulfill my filial duties."
Because of Song Zhao's biological mother's close relationship with the Empress Dowager, she had always been particularly intimate with Song Zhao among all the concubines.
She spoke eloquently and was considerate in her actions, making the Empress Dowager naturally fond of her.
In fact, she treated her like a half-daughter and grew fonder of her as time went on.
When the convoy entered Suzhou's territory, the wind and sand outside the carriage gradually ceased. Song Zhao pushed open the window, allowing fresh air to pour in, hoping that the Empress Dowager would feel more comfortable.
As they traveled, she noticed many shops outside the city, each with a flag hanging in front.
On the flags, the word "Wei" was written in yellow characters on a red background, swaying in the wind and catching everyone's attention.
Consort Hui's name was Wei Linlan, so the "Wei" on the flags should represent her family, the Wei family.
The Wei family was a wealthy and influential family in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, so it wasn't surprising that they owned extensive properties. However, Song Zhao was puzzled by the prominent use of the imperial colors, red and yellow, on the flags.
The Empress Dowager explained, "These were all granted by the late Emperor. These shops that fly the imperial flags have to contribute half of their profits to the court, which is why the late Emperor gave the Wei family such great face."
After another fifteen minutes, they arrived at the gates of Suzhou, and the procession came to a halt.
Everyone got off the carriage and headed towards the city. At the city gate, they saw the prefect and local officials lining up in two rows, respectfully welcoming the arrival of the imperial family.
When Song Zhao approached, he saw Xiao Jingheng chatting and laughing with a middle-aged couple.
"It has been many years. Is everything well with the Wei family?" asked Song Zhao.
"Thanks to the grace of heaven, everything is fine," replied Wei Ying, the birth father of Consort Hui.
Standing next to him was a splendidly dressed woman, who was likely Consort Hui's stepmother, Mrs. Shao.
During their conversation, Consort Hui completely disregarded propriety. Without waiting to be summoned, she rushed out of the crowd, her voice trembling as she cried out to Wei Ying and Mrs. Shao:
"Father, Mother! I've missed you so much!"
What followed was a heartwarming scene of the family of three reuniting and reminiscing.
Mrs. Shao joyfully stroked Consort Hui's hair, her eyes shimmering with tears.
"Consort Hui has grown into a fine young lady. Everything is good," she said, her voice filled with longing as she shed tears after just a few words.
However, as Song Zhao looked on, her tears didn't seem like tears of joy but rather tinged with a hint of sadness.
Before Song Zhao could dwell on it, Wei Ying announced that everything was properly arranged in the city. He led everyone to their lodgings to rest and prepare, and in the evening, they would hold a grand banquet to welcome Xiao Jingheng and refresh him from his journey.
Upon entering the city, dressed in casual attire, the common people didn't recognize their true identities and assumed they were high-ranking officials, paying little attention to them.
Along the way, Xiao Jingheng noticed many people hurriedly heading east. Out of curiosity, he casually asked a passerby next to him,
"Where is everyone rushing to?"
"They are going to the temple opened by Tan Immortal!" the person hastily replied before swiftly disappearing.
Xiao Jingheng was slightly puzzled. "Tan Immortal?" he asked.
The prefect answered, "Your Majesty, Tan Immortal is a renowned fortune-teller in Jiangzhou. He never accepts money for his divination, only relying on fate and temperament. However, his predictions are surprisingly accurate."
Xiao Jingheng, not placing much faith in these folk beliefs, smiled and let the matter drop.
Song Zhao followed the procession and arrived at the shores of Taihu Lake, where they boarded a luxurious boat to cross to Lake Heart Island.
Upon reaching the island and passing through the bamboo forest, they discovered a hidden paradise within.
Almost the entire Lake Heart Island belonged to the Wei family, with every brick and tile made of glazed glass. The courtyards were spacious and exquisitely arranged, and the numerous buildings dazzled the eyes, showcasing extreme luxury.
Following behind the esteemed concubine, Song Zhao couldn't help but remark, "Consort Hui truly has a remarkable background. The other day, when she mentioned that her family estate could accommodate more than a hundred people, I thought she was exaggerating. But now, seeing it firsthand, well, I should have known she was being modest."
Song Zhao continued, "The Wei family donates half of their annual income to the imperial court, yet they still manage to enjoy such wealth and prosperity. It seems the saying 'wealth begets wealth' holds some truth."
The servants guided each master to their respective chambers, and after settling in and freshening up, night had fallen, indicating it was time for a lavish banquet.
In the center of Lake Heart Island stood a magnificent Qionghua Terrace, with its steps and floor tiles embedded with green jade, surpassing even the grandeur of the Tong Hua Terrace in the palace.
As the guests marveled at the wealth and luxury of the Wei family, they sat down to enjoy delicious delicacies.
Being away from the confines of the red walls and green tiles, the change in scenery lifted everyone's spirits and improved their mood.
During the feast, the guests raised their cups and exchanged toasts, laughing and talking. Consort Hui received special permission from Xiao Jingheng to sit beside Mrs. Shao, fostering a close bond between them as mother and daughter.
While others paid little attention to Consort Hui, Song Zhao couldn't help but feel something peculiar about her. She discreetly stole glances at Consort Hui's seat.
She noticed Consort Hui constantly serving dishes to Mrs. Shao, and the mother and daughter shared laughter and intimate moments, appearing very close.
Suddenly, Cheng Yu, who was sitting next to Song Zhao and being held by his nursemaid, dropped a toy tiger made of cloth to the ground playfully.
As Song Zhao bent down to pick it up, she unintentionally caught sight of a detail. At the banquet today, Consort Hui sat to the left of Mrs. Shao, and Mrs. Shao's right side was occupied by her maid.
However, as Song Zhao glanced under the table, she noticed that Mrs. Shao's legs were leaning towards the right, creating a distance between her and Consort Hui, while she seemed closer to her own maid.
This behavior was highly unusual. Despite their apparent closeness on the surface, why did their physical gestures indicate such a level of detachment?
Could it be that Mrs. Shao, who hadn't seen her only daughter for five years, was less attached to her own flesh and blood than to a maid?
This made Song Zhao inevitably ponder whether Mrs. Shao didn't truly care for her daughter or if there was another hidden motive behind this.
