On a deep spring night, a sudden northern wind arose, rustling the new leaves of a full tree of Chinese scholar trees.
Chill moonlight scattered in the tranquil and silent courtyard, alternately narrowing and lengthening the shadows of the two, their silhouettes crudely overlapping.
Xiao Jingheng's cold question still rang in Song Zhao's ears as she stared at him, watching the light in her eyes gradually dim, as if taking away the last glimmer of hope in his heart.
After a brief moment of surprise, like the passing wind, Xiao Jingheng calmly asked,
"Who told you?"
Song Zhao looked at Xiao Jingheng with no expression, as if her heart had sunk to the depths. Her tone was flat as she spoke,
"Does it matter who told me? The important thing is that the Emperor really did this."
Xiao Jingheng had imagined countless times what scenario might ensue if Song Zhao discovered the truth, but he had never thought this day would come so suddenly, catching him off guard.
Song Zhao's every word was cold and final, as if to lay out all the humiliation on the table, forcing Xiao Jingheng into speechlessness.
He could only feel a tightness in his throat, and finally spoke in a hoarse voice,
"I listened to slanderous words, wronging Cheng Yu and hurting you."
"Wronging?" Song Zhao let out a mocking laugh, as if she had heard an extremely amusing joke. "You are the Emperor. It has always been others who wrong you. When have you ever wronged others?"
Xiao Jingheng heard the sarcasm in her words, but due to his own guilt, he did not contend with her, only saying:
"I was wrong in this matter. I know your emotions are difficult to calm at the moment, but my coming to find you and being frank with you is to give us both a chance, is it not? Zhao'er, I understand that your feelings for me are rare and sincere..."
"You think my feelings for you are sincere now?" Song Zhao's anger made her smile bitterly. "You always say that your surroundings are filled with all sorts of schemes and calculations, and you find it so tiring living amidst all those intrigues every day.
You said no one understands your troubles, and my company by your side is a comfort. You said these words, and I believed them. But in the end, what did my trust in you bring me?"
Here, the twisted smile on her face froze for an instant, and suddenly she shouted at Xiao Jingheng with all her might:
"It brought me the rejection of my husband! It brought the unjust death of Cheng Yu!"
She lunged forward like a madwoman, pounding Xiao Jingheng's chest with all her strength.
Tears blurred her vision, and she could only chokingly sob:
"Cheng Yu had just turned one. He was so afraid of the dark, so timid, but you mercilessly had him buried alive in the imperial mausoleum? How could you bear it! At midnight in your dreams, when you see Cheng Yu smiling at you and calling you 'Father Emperor', how can you sleep soundly!?"
Song Zhao's heart-wrenching accusations hit Xiao Jingheng at his most painful points with every word.
He too had red eyes as he tried to embrace the emotionally distressed Song Zhao, hoping to calm her down first.
But Song Zhao reacted instinctively, desperately pushing Xiao Jingheng away, struggling out of his embrace.
She stepped back two paces, raising her hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks.
"Don't touch me! I feel disgusted!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingheng's expression visibly froze for a moment.
He clearly did not expect the woman who was once so gentle to utter such words to him.
He closed his eyes, restraining the wetness in them, and when he raised his eyelids again, those deep pupils were as inscrutable as a frigid pond.
"I was wrong, but I admit it. What more do you want from me? Cheng Yu was my precious son too. You grieve for him, but don't you think I grieve for him as well?"
Hearing the self-pity in his words, Song Zhao was even more disgusted to the extreme.
She simply disregarded any remaining dignity between them and coldly raised her eyes, enunciating each word:
"Grieve? Bearing offspring and burying fortune, using the lives of your own flesh and blood to extend your eternal dynasty. Your 'grief' is very inexpensive!"
These words seemed to pry open the wound that Xiao Jingheng had always hidden so well.
They called him weak and incompetent, greedy for life and fearful of death, a disgrace as a father.
Every word and syllable was like a priceless gem, extremely humiliating.
Each word, each sound, crashed down on Xiao Jingheng like a thousand pounds, and he trembled uncontrollably.
Suddenly, he raised his hand, his palm about to strike Song Zhao's cheek.
However, Song Zhao did not dodge. Instead, she stepped forward and brought her face closer, arching her brow at him.
Xiao Jingheng's hand froze midair, and Song Zhao smiled bitterly.
"Hit me? You've already hit me two years ago anyway, so this one more won't make a difference."
Xiao Jingheng curled his fingers and finally lowered his hand gently.
"Must you treat me like this?"
He asked, his icy fingertips tracing Song Zhao's unadorned black hair, just like when Song Zhao first lay with him.
The past seemed to flash before his eyes, but in the woman before him, only hatred remained in her gaze.
Song Zhao turned her eyes away, no longer looking at him, and calmly said: "If Your Majesty feels that I have spoken disrespectfully and offended heaven's might, you may very well issue an edict to have me buried alive as well. I would be honored to keep my dead son company on his lonely journey."
She did not cry anymore, nor make a scene.
She was even unwilling to look at him again.
Xiao Jingheng's fingers continued downward, caressing Song Zhao's cheek and lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"I know your heart is filled with bitterness. Today I came to take you out of the cold palace first..."
"No need." Song Zhao gripped his wrist, secretly using force to move his hand away, and then resolutely said:
"You have already cast me aside. What's the point of causing more discontent in the harem for the sake of a discarded concubine? After this autumn, the Empress's three-year mourning period will be over, and new consorts can be brought into the harem again."
She smiled wryly at this, then gently stroked her cheek and sighed:
"You never lack attendants by your side. Why must you cling to me, an ornament of gold and jade on the outside?"
Xiao Jingheng sighed. "You truly wish to be like this?"
But Song Zhao was too tired to say another word to him.
"I'm tired. Do as you please."
With that, ignoring Xiao Jingheng's repeated calls from behind, she returned to her room without turning her head.
[I forgot yesterday was the Dragon Boat Festival. So I'll deliver the fourth update today. Stay safe and healthy!]
