Later that night, Zhaojun Palace.
Consort Hui woke up from a lengthy nightmare, shocked and drenched in sweat.
The moment she opened her eyes, she instinctively reached down to touch her belly.
Chan Er saw that she had woken up and quickly said, "My Lady has awakened! You were unconscious for three days, scaring your maidservants..."
Consort Hui weakly asked: "What about my child?"
Chan Er's eyes instantly reddened as she knelt before Consort Hui's bed and bowed down,
"My Lady, please endure the grief!"
Consort Hui stared wide-eyed in disbelief,
"How could this happen? Why did this happen? My child... He was perfectly fine, who wanted to harm him!?"
-"His Majesty has arrived!"
The court eunuch's announcement echoed from afar to near, and Consort Hui looked up to see Xiao Jingheng had already swept aside the gauze curtains and stepped into the inner chamber.
Overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, she waited until Xiao Jingheng came near before hurriedly grabbing his sleeve and crying:
"Your Majesty! Our child is go--"
But before she could finish speaking,
Xiao Jingheng suddenly flung her hand aside and fiercely slapped her across the face, hitting her hard enough to make her see stars.
The crisp, decisive slap shocked the palace maids to their knees as they trembled and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please restrain Your anger!"
Xiao Jingheng's rage did not diminish as he shouted, "All of you, get out!"
After the palace women had filed out, the newly-slapped Consort Hui finally regained her senses.
Not knowing where she had offended Xiao Jingheng, she quickly knelt before him and said,
"Your Majesty, restrain Your anger. This servant does not know why she has angered Your Majesty, please enlighten me."
Xiao Jingheng glared at her for a moment before his temper flared up again.
He clutched her slender neck with his large hand and shoved her against the wall, his eyes bulging as he demanded,
"What have you told Yi Consort!?"
Petite Consort Hui hung suspended in midair, her feet barely grazing the floor, as Xiao Jingheng gripped her neck.
Her naturally pale complexion after losing her child now turned purple from asphyxiation.
She desperately pried at Xiao Jingheng's hands to gasp out a few words,
"This servant...did not..."
"You didn't? Apart from you, no one else among the harem ladies knew about the Crown Prince's matter. If you didn't say it, then who did? Was it Prince An who has nothing to do with Yi Consort, or is it that overthrown former dynasty's remnant that We flayed alive from the Imperial Astronomy Agency!?" Xiao Jingheng angrily spat out this torrent of words before finally loosening his hand to allow Consort Hui to breathe again.
Consort Hui collapsed on the floor, coughing violently and gulping air.
In this time, her mind raced -
The former dynasty's remnant Xiao Jingheng spoke of must be referring to Tan Yuezhi. Flaying him alive meant the secret was already exposed, but Xiao Jingheng did not punish her, so Tan Yuezhi must not have implicated her homeland.
Consort Hui quickly calmed herself.
At this time, she absolutely could not let Xiao Jingheng suspect she had any connection with Tan Yuezhi.
Thus, she did not even ask about Tan Yuezhi, only arduously crawled to Xiao Jingheng's feet and cried,
"Your Majesty, it is true that when Song was deposed to Cold Palace, this servant did go see her. I also told her that the Crown Prince was buried alive."
"Wretched woman!" Xiao Jingheng was furious beyond belief and kicked Consort Hui aside. "Why did you do that!?"
Unexpectedly, Consort Hui did not show an ounce of remorse, instead harboring deep resentment as she said,
"This servant wanted her to be devastated with grief and anguish, dying of despair if possible! She plotted against Your Majesty, arranged the assassins in Lin'an that wanted Your Majesty's life and great Qi's rule! This servant's life was once saved by you, how could I let anyone who wishes Your Majesty harm continue living in this world!?"
As she spoke these words, she clutched at her chest in agony, her weeping reaching an extreme pitch of grief.
Hearing this, Xiao Jingheng also felt somewhat moved.
There was solid evidence of Song Zhao planning the assassination, so Consort Hui's actions were reasonable.
Yet his stern expression toward Consort Hui did not soften one bit.
"The assassination attempt in Lin'an has been investigated clearly, it was not Zhao'er's doing. She has been by my side, never seeking anything from me. It is I who have wronged her, wronged Chengyu."
Seeing his knitted brows in pain and regret over his words of affection, Consort Hui knew that Yi Consort whom she finally brought down would soon rise again...
She crawled to Xiao Jingheng's feet once more, stroking his knee as she wept and pleaded:
"This servant has been following by Your Majesty's side since being saved on Mount Mang at fourteen. I am an orphan who has long treated Your Majesty as my only family these past ten years. Everything I do is out of consideration for You, I ask that you direct any punishment or beating at me instead, but do not damage the Imperial health over my pent-up grievances, for that would be this servant's unpardonable crime."
"Hmph."
Xiao Jingheng gave a cold snort and roughly grabbed Consort Hui's hand, pulling her up to face him.
As they gazed at each other, breath intermingling, he said in a bone-chilling voice:
"Remember this clearly: you are but a pawn to me, a tool used to check the former dynasty and the harem. A pawn should not, must not have its own ideas, nor presume my will. Understand?"
Consort Hui nodded forlornly, "For all these years, that is how I've been."
Xiao Jingheng abruptly released her wrist, "If you dare act privately against my wishes in the future, I promise I will make you suffer more than death."
After he finished speaking, he turned and left.
The dejected Consort Hui who had collapsed on the ground maintained her grief-stricken expression, but once she could no longer see even a glimpse of Xiao Jingheng's back, the light in her eyes gradually turned sinister.
Warm liquid flowed from the torn corner of her mouth.
Consort Hui's expression was indifferent as she used a fingertip to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, then brought it to her lips and softly licked, murmuring,
"I have underestimated you... Song Zhao."
