As they were chatting, Yun Shan knocked on the door and came in, bringing a freshly brewed pot of hot tea for Xiao Jingyan and Song Zhao.
Song Zhao caught a whiff of the fragrance - it was a refreshing plum scent.
Yun Shan smiled and said, "This is a new tea that Sister Tong asked Prince An to bring over for the young miss. The winter plum blossoms in the plum garden have bloomed. This red plum blossom is auspicious. Brewing tea with it can regulate one's spleen and stomach, balance qi and dispel gloom. It would be best for the young miss to drink this now."
Song Zhao held up the teacup, letting the rising steam blow onto her face.
She lowered her eyes to look at the plum blossoms resting on the surface of the tea, clearly understanding the message that Rongyue wanted to convey to her.
The character of plum blossoms represents the ability to persevere in cruel environments, to remain undaunted even when facing difficulties and hardships, to live on from near death.
Song Zhao took a sip, then looked towards the open door and the rows of tall, dilapidated palace walls that enclosed them.
Although it was very difficult to see beyond them, there would always be light seeping in through countless tiny cracks and gathering in one place, paving a gorgeous, romantic path.
As she watched this, her heart settled.
She looked at Xiao Jingyan and said firmly,
"I will certainly get out of here, and I will walk step by step back to the Emperor's side to repay his great kindness and virtue towards me."
Xiao Jingyan looked at her with some satisfaction.
"It's good that you've made up your mind."
Yun Shan was usually very proper. She should have left after pouring the tea, but uncharacteristically, she stood frozen by their side, biting her lip, her face full of thoughts.
With one glance, Song Zhao understood what Yun Shan was worried about, so she asked Xiao Jingyan,
"There is still one more thing I'd like to trouble you with. My palace servant Xiao Fuzi has always been loyal to me. He was severely injured protecting Chengyu. Although he has recovered now, with me in such dire straits, he has lost his livelihood. Prince, if it's convenient, please help him out and make sure others don't secretly harm him because he once served me."
Xiao Jingyan said, "You don't need to worry about this. Rongyue shares your thoughts, she knows that only Yun Shan and Xiao Fuzi are the most loyal servants to you. So after your incident, Rongyue used her status as an imperial consort to ask His Majesty for Xiao Fuzi to serve her, on the grounds that she was an unattended consort in the palace. After he recovers from his injuries, he will attend to Rongyue."
This method killed two birds with one stone. Firstly Rongyue could protect Xiao Fuzi, and secondly, Xiao Fuzi was smart and could serve Rongyue well.
Upon hearing Xiao Jingyan’s words, Yun Shan was overjoyed. She repeatedly thanked him, “Thank you Prince, thank you Little Miss Tong!” Then she quickly raised her sleeve to wipe her tears, afraid that she might break decorum by crying in front of her mistress.
“The Prince has brought some coal, this servant will go tidy it up to warm up the room for the young miss~”
After she left, Xiao Jingyan’s eyebrows quirked up as he teased Song Zhao,
“Is there something going on between those two?”
Song Zhao just smiled without answering. Instead she asked Xiao Jingyan,
“I’ve never really understood, what exactly is the relationship between you and Sister Rong? No one knows your true identity, you’re an esteemed Prince. If you and Sister Rong have feelings for each other and you ask Xiao Jingheng for her hand in marriage, how would he not agree? Yet you don’t even mention it, and just let Sister Rong enter the palace. Why?”
As soon as she uttered this, Xiao Jingyan’s smile instantly froze.
Obvious sadness flashed across his eyes, and his face greyed for a moment.
“Many things, you can’t get results just by trying hard. And not everything happens according to my wishes, even if I act.”
He clearly did not want to talk more about this matter. After a brief silence he quickly collected himself and changed the subject,
“I’ve brought many medicines for treating various illnesses, and passed them to your maid to store properly, so if either of you fall ill from the cold in this palace, you can alleviate it. From now on if you lack anything just tell Qin Tai privately.
Rong and I will be waiting for you outside. And so will your son.”
At the mention of Chengyu, Song Zhao still felt a twinge of heartache.
“Thank you for taking good care of Chengyu on my behalf.”
“He is my grandnephew, of course I will take good care of him.” Xiao Jingyan joked, and then said,
“I’m going south at the end of the month. I was thinking that with me gone, if it was only Rong attending to you, as she is only an imperial consort her resources may fall short, and she may not be able to look after you thoroughly. But having heard of your close relations with the Consort, I feel more assured leaving.”
“Going south at this time?” Song Zhao’s heart clenched. “After the floods, epidemics broke out in the south. I heard this outbreak is very serious, recurring and highly dangerous. Why do you want to go?”
She paused briefly before asking again, “Did Xiao Jingheng ask you to go?”
Xiao Jingyan laughed. “The people of Jiangnan bitterly complain, so disaster relief and disease control are one thing, but in order to stabilise the country, appease public resentment, there must be imperial relatives who go down south to endure the same hardships as the common people - that would have the best effect.
Officially I am Xiao Jingheng’s most trusted younger brother. For this matter I am the best person to go, in order for it to have the greatest effect. Also since I hold no military power, by going I can demonstrate my loyalty to him, and he will not guard against me.”
Realising it was inappropriate, he then self-deprecatingly added, “At least not for the time being.”
Speaking of epidemics, Song Zhao thought of someone.
“When I had the plague, many court physicians in the capital were helpless, but there was one called Zhang Hangche. He was originally an itinerant folk doctor. By chance he entered the manor to treat me, and cured my plague. Only then was he hired by my family.
I heard his ancestors had a prescription that could treat various epidemics, and he also used it to cure me. Maybe he could be of use? Also I have some connection with him - Xiao Fuzi is his younger brother. And previously he was just an external physician for the Duke of Guo's estate, so the court has no record of him or his relationship with me and Xiao Fuzi . If you can find him and bring him along to Jiangnan, it would also keep you safe.”
Xiao Jingyan seemed indifferent to her concern, simply responding with a dismissive “I see, I see.”
Then he patted Song Zhao's shoulder and said, "It's not proper for me to stay here too long, take care, I'm leaving first."
As he turned to leave, Song Zhao quickly called out,
"Hey——"
A word stuck in her throat, unable to come out. So instead she said somewhat shyly,
"You...be careful."
Xiao Jingyan looked back at her and couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"I'm not called Hey!"
"Oh..."
"Uh..." Xiao Jingyan shrugged helplessly and sighed, then turned to leave with a casual wave of his hand.
"Forget it, I'm going~"
"Hey!" Song Zhao called him again, but this time her tone was markedly louder.
"What now!?" Xiao Jingyan whipped around, annoyance written all over his face.
But he saw Song Zhao looking at him with clear bright eyes, a tranquil smile murmuring:
"Thank you, brother."
[Cold Palace for three years, but I won't write about Lady Song enduring Cold Palace. The storyline will be Lady Song secretly plotting, then Rongyue, Wanshuang and Prince An acting in different capacities within the palace to assist Lady Song's comeback against the odds. The plot progresses very quickly, Lady Song will emerge from Cold Palace with a whole new image within 10 chapters. Then it's Imperial Consort returning to the palace, transforming into a Goddess of Death!]
[Running a fever so can't write more, next update on June 20, 4 updates. *kowtows to cute readers*]
