In the competition for the position behind the throne, apart from Song Zhao, the person with the greatest chance of winning is undoubtedly Consort Yin.
Rongyue approached Consort Yin with the intention of gaining her trust, hoping to learn many of her hidden secrets that are unknown to others.
These hidden secrets might be the key to overthrowing Consort Yin in the future.
This idea was originally proposed by Rongyue.
Song Zhao initially didn't want her to do it because if Rongyue openly sided with Consort Yin, not only would the other consorts be wary of her, but even Xiao Jingheng might distance himself from her.
However, Rongyue smiled and said, "Oh? In that case, I'm even more eager."
"..."
Today, although Rongyue couldn't get close to Cheng Yu privately, her love for the child overflowed between the lines.
"The little one will be one year old next month, coinciding with the Emperor's birthday. We must celebrate in a grand way. Just thinking about it makes me happy."
Song Zhao teased, "What's the use of just being happy? Sister, don't think you can escape the ceremony."
Rongyue smiled and said, "Where would I escape? I've been preparing for it three months in advance. What we give to Cheng Yu must be the best in the world."
Song Zhao curiously asked what it was, but Rongyue pretended to be mysterious, teasing her by flicking her nose and saying, "It's a secret. I won't tell you. You go ahead and see~ Haha~"
After returning to the palace, the two sisters finally had a chance to be alone without arousing suspicion. Even if they only spoke idle talk, they were happy in each other's company.
After a short while of chatting, Song Zhao suddenly asked Rongyue with a serious expression, "Has Lord Tong made any progress in investigating Qu Yanran's matter?"
"How can it be so easy to investigate?" Rongyue shook her head helplessly. "All the people involved in the incident who should have died are dead. Qu Yanran disappeared after escaping that day. It's not easy to find one person in the vast sea of people."
Song Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "The person who can carry out such a secretive act outside the palace must have some influence. This time, the Emperor will have many suspects."
"That's why it's a good thing," Rongyue held her hand and said, "You have no family background, so the Emperor naturally won't suspect you of anything. That's enough."
Song Zhao nodded slightly and relaxed before saying, "Sister, can you ask Lord Tong to investigate in detail outside the palace and find out the true identity of that Tanyue?"
Rongyue couldn't help but be curious and asked, "What do you suspect about him, Zhao'er? The background of anyone allowed into the palace has been thoroughly investigated, so there shouldn't be any problems."
Song Zhao furrowed her brows and shook her head, "I can't pinpoint it, but I always feel that there's something strange about him, both inside and out."
"Your Majesty! Something serious has happened!"
From outside the door, Xiao Fuzi's urgent voice gradually approached.
He rushed into the inner chamber, disregarding all formalities, and after glancing at Rongyue, he stuttered, "Jiangnan... is suffering from a flood!"
Upon hearing this, Song Zhao's heart tightened.
Jiangnan is Rongyue's maternal hometown, so naturally, Rongyue was extremely anxious. "What happened? Take your time and tell me. Is it serious?"
Xiao Fuzi nodded vigorously, his face filled with worry. "The situation is severe! Chidong Dam has burst, and the people are going to suffer..."
"What?"
Rongyue stood up in distress, clutching the front of her clothes tightly with her right hand, her breath becoming rapid.
"Why did the Chidong Dam, which was recently reinforced and built, suddenly breach?" she asked anxiously.
Xiao Fuzi replied, "I don't know... The Emperor is extremely worried about this matter. He has summoned the court officials to the palace to discuss disaster relief strategies, and funds have been allocated for the flood relief."
Song Zhao looked at Rongyue trembling and embraced her shoulders, comforting her softly, "Sister, don't worry. Tong, the Admiral of the Navy, is well-versed in water matters, and your maternal family is familiar with water as well. They will surely be safe."
Rongyue bit her lip tightly, her crimson lips becoming even more vibrant, as if blood was about to burst out.
"But I need to find out the news... With the severity of the flooding, I'm afraid the information won't be able to reach us," she said.
She felt her whole body go weak and leaned against Song Zhao, tears streaming down her face.
Song Zhao comforted her gently, but at the same time, he found it very strange.
Could the divination of Tanyue Zhi really be so accurate? Could he foresee natural disasters like floods in advance?
*
Later, Song Zhao learned that the severity of this flood in Jiangnan was unprecedented, unheard of.
In late summer and early autumn, incessant torrential rains plagued Jiangnan day and night.
Combined with the breach of the Chidong Dam, flooding poured into the Five Yan River, causing Taihu Lake to overflow.
In Lin'an, the situation was even worse. Within a thousand miles, land and sea merged, and floating corpses were everywhere, chilling the bones.
Xiao Jingheng was busy dealing with the aftermath for several days, not having a moment's rest.
The Empress Dowager, accompanied by the palace ladies, recited sutras day and night in Fahua Hall, praying for blessings.
In the midst of all this hustle and bustle, the Empress Dowager ended up exhausting herself before achieving any success.
It wasn't until early September that news from Jiangnan finally reached the palace.
The good news was that the flood had not caused significant damage to Rongyue's maternal family. Except for her aunt who accidentally drowned, the rest of her relatives were unharmed.
The bad news was that the flood was fierce, and the death toll among the people in Jiangnan numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
But that was not the worst part.
Jiangnan was known for its rice production, and now, during the harvest season, the flood had ruined the crops. Famine was imminent.
Furthermore, after a major disaster, it was difficult to swiftly and properly handle the corpses of humans and animals, which would be followed by an outbreak of epidemics.
This unprecedented calamity had the full attention of the court. Almost all available manpower, resources, and finances were invested in Jiangnan.
Xiao Jingheng even issued an imperial decree, instructing that every effort must be made to treat the surviving victims, leaving no room for negligence.
However, with the entire nation focusing on disaster relief, it was also the weakest time for Qi Dynasty.
If the external countries that had previously pledged allegiance were to take advantage of this situation and launch a war, it would be a matter of life and death for Qi Dynasty.
Fortunately, the Ada Tribe and the Mongolian tribes did not seize the opportunity to plunder. Instead, they provided financial and material assistance, wholeheartedly helping with the disaster relief efforts.
Especially the Ada Tribe, they mobilized their entire tribe to ensure the safety of Qi Dynasty during this calamity.
Deployed to the border to prevent a potential uprising by the recently subdued Zhu Yin, who had just submitted to the reign of Emperor Qichao, Xiao Jingheng found himself juggling state affairs while also making time to be with Consort Yin by his side.
Consort Yin's maternal family had achieved great merit, solidifying her path to becoming a noble in the future. This accomplishment did not go unnoticed within the palace, and everyone began to fawn over and flatter Consort Yin.
In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere in the palace changed due to this natural disaster. The once prominent Song Zhao fell into silence, and it seemed that Consort Yin had become the center of attention, radiating her brilliance throughout the entire palace.
