Song Zhao awoke in the late afternoon of that day.
Upon waking, she heard the soft rustling sound of paper pages turning not far away. She opened her eyes a sliver and glanced in the direction of the sound from the corner of her eye.
She saw Xiao Jingheng sitting at a small table not far away, reviewing memorials while keeping watch over her.
She drew her gaze back and looked out the window at the sky dyed red by the setting sun, thinking that she had only been unconscious for two hours. If she wanted to pretend to be pitiful and delicate, passing out for such a short time after being poisoned was clearly not enough.
So she simply closed her eyes again and went back to sleep.
When she woke up again, the sky had gone completely dark, nearing the hour of zi.
Xiao Jingheng still sat at the small table. His elbow was propped on the tabletop, his left hand supporting his forehead, eyes lightly shut, seemingly having fallen asleep.
Song Zhao watched the flickering candlelight dance across his face, the hazy warm glow setting off his handsome features even more strikingly.
Among all the women in the palace, even if Consort Shu had taken ill, Xiao Jingheng had never kept watch at her bedside for so long.
It was clear that Song Zhao’s decision to poison herself this time was not a mistake.
"Cough, cough..."
The girl's weak coughing roused Xiao Jingheng from his light sleep. Seeing Song Zhao awake, he quickly got up and sat down next to her, gazing at her with a face full of distress.
"You're finally awake. How are you feeling - does anything feel uncomfortable?"
Song Zhao dazedly shook her head. Very quickly, a gleam flashed in her eyes, as if she had thought of something terrible. She suddenly bolted up in bed and threw herself into Xiao Jingheng's embrace, tightly encircling his slender waist with both hands. She said in a trembling voice:
"Your Majesty... someone wants to kill your concubine!"
"Don't be scared, I will protect you. No one will dare harm you again."
Xiao Jingheng lightly stroked Song Zhao's back with his broad palm, speaking with utmost gentleness. "The poison didn't affect you too deeply. The imperial physician has already purged the remaining toxins, you will be fine. As for the one who harmed you, I have ordered her to be strangled to death. You have suffered this time because of her."
Huddled in Xiao Jingheng's arms, Song Zhao took two deep breaths before timidly and weakly asking: "Who wanted to kill your concubine?"
"Li." Xiao Jingheng subconsciously held Song Zhao even tighter. "The arsenic in your meal was slipped in by her."
"Sister Li?" Song Zhao suddenly raised her head, looking at Xiao Jingheng with an astonished expression. "Why would she want to harm me? I have never offended her..."
Xiao Jingheng gazed at Song Zhao’s face, which was beautiful and striking even without any cosmetics on. He couldn't help but lightly caress her smooth, tender cheeks with his fingertips. "The innocent become victims when the guilty start fearing the consequences of their crimes. Li was jealous of you and wanted you dead so that she could feel better. So she harmed Consort Shu and her unborn son, intending to frame you for it. When she saw I was determined to investigate the matter to the bottom, she tried to silence you by killing you."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhao froze for a good while before she came back to her senses.
She tightly clutched the front of her clothes to her chest. Sounding both frightened and aggrieved, she said:
"Your concubine has never harmed Sister Li before. Why would she treat me this way? If she dislikes your concubine, she can just take her grievances out on me instead of harming Consort Shu! The little prince was going to be born in just two months. Whenever I think about this, I feel extremely distressed."
When talking about herself her tone was plain, but when she mentioned Consort Shu and her son, her tears spilled from her eyes like a snapped string of pearls.
Xiao Jingheng wiped her tears for her while comforting her, "Don't cry. You're still recovering, crying too much will only hurt your health."
Song Zhao nodded with tears in her eyes. "Your concubine thanks Your Majesty for restoring her innocence and believing in her."
Hearing this, Xiao Jingheng was silent for a moment before he gave a slight nod in response.
In fact, he didn’t really believe in Song Zhao. To be precise, he didn’t believe anyone, only the facts laid out before him.
Song Zhao also knew better than to be too dramatic here.
She knew Xiao Jingheng was not feeling good about losing his child either, so she comforted him instead.
"Your Majesty said your concubine has become thin, but aren't you the same way?"
Her boneless fingers stroked Xiao Jingheng's cheek. She said distressedly:
"Your concubine knows you are also feeling unwell over what happened to the little prince. When I was young, my aunt told me that departed loved ones will reunite with us again soon. Your Majesty and Consort Shu are both still young. I believe that once Consort Shu has recovered her health, we will soon receive good news again. By then, the little prince will return to see Your Majesty."
Xiao Jingheng gave a nod. Gripping Song Zhao’s hand tighter, he said:
"You must also recover quickly. Don't make me worry, understand?"
'Knock, knock, knock.'
Soft knocking sounds came from outside the door, then Jiang Deshun's voice:
"Your Majesty, your servant has something to report."
"Come in and speak."
Jiang Deshun entered and bowed to Xiao Jingheng and Song Zhao. He said:
"Reporting to Your Majesty: Li is making a scene in the underground prison. After Lord Li heard about this, he also sent someone to make a plea to you."
Xiao Jingheng's brow sank. He asked sternly: "What is he pleading for?"
"Lord Li says Li has made terrible, irreversible mistakes. He takes responsibility for failing to teach her properly. He volunteers to forfeit one year of his salary and begs Your Majesty to show her grace by allowing Li an intact corpse."
Xiao Jingheng said: "Have someone tell Li Heng that his daughter has committed crimes warranting extermination of nine generations of her clan. I have already given him enough face by not pursuing punishment against the Li family. Tell him to resign himself to his fate!"
Hearing this, Song Zhao understood that even though Xiao Jingheng was furious, he didn't let Jiang Deshun convey any harsh words to the Li family. This showed he still feared them in his heart.
He had only been emperor for four years and his power was not yet fully established. Many of his subjects were officials from the previous dynasty. Offending them recklessly would not do.
What’s more, it was currently August. The annual autumn grain tribute shipment would start next month. Li’s father, Li Heng, was the shipping minister overseeing all the empire’s grain transports. At such a critical time, offending Li Heng could be disastrous if he nursed resentment and sabotaged the transport operations.
Xiao Jingheng was the emperor and had to keep face. Even if he feared Li Heng, he could not simply grant every request from the Li family.
So this was when someone needed to provide him a way to back down gracefully.
Thus Song Zhao spoke up timidly: "Your Majesty... Sister Li made a terrible mistake in a moment of poor judgment. Although she has violated the law and her crimes warrant execution, your concubine was close to her after all and does not wish to see her given the punishment of ligature and dismemberment. If possible, your concubine hopes Your Majesty can show her a final grace and dignity as a woman by allowing her an intact corpse."
Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Jingheng picked up the conversation:
"She harmed you to this extent, yet you plead for her forgiveness?"
"But she didn't end up harming your concubine. It’s just that your concubine feels sorry for Consort Shu..." Song Zhao paused before continuing: "Your Majesty, your concubine also wishes to see her one last time to ask why she acted this way against me."
After a moment of silence, Xiao Jingheng nodded in acquiescence. "She does owe you an apology. Very well, since you have pleaded for her, I shall show special grace and allow her to take her own life."
"Your concubine thanks Your Majesty deeply."
Seeing Song Zhao trying to get up to bow, Xiao Jingheng quickly stopped her:
"You’re so good in every way, and far too kindhearted for your own good."
As he spoke, he leaned down and pressed a scorching kiss to her forehead.
Recognizing his cue, Jiang Deshun discreetly exited to give them privacy.
