The flickering candlelight danced, casting a shimmering reflection on Song Zhao's exquisite profile.
Xiao Fuzi observed the sly smile playing on her lips, feeling a chill running down his spine.
Yet, this chill wasn't solely due to the imposing aura emanating from Song Zhao. Instead, he found solace in it.
"Your Highness, now that you've hardened your heart, things have changed. Recalling how the former empress harmed you, you still harbored compassion for her innocent child. Only after she successfully gave birth to Princess Jing and Prince Chang did you seek revenge..."
"If Consort Hui's son is innocent, what about my son?" Song Zhao interrupted Xiao Fuzi, not out of anger toward him but due to the painful reminder of Cheng Yu.
Surviving was a stroke of luck for the child, but the anguish of mother and son being separated haunted Song Zhao every day.
All of this was courtesy of Consort Hui.
She took a deep breath, her voice resolute, "If Consort Hui intends to bury my son alive, she shouldn't be surprised when I repay the injustice Cheng Yu suffered tenfold on her own son. Death is too easy; I don't want her dead. I want her to suffer, to wish for death!"
Seated at the dressing table, she gazed at herself in the mirror, slowly removing the adorned pearls and jade from her hair.
"Cheng Jing deserves the fate he gets with a mother like Consort Hui. Let's see how lucky he is, evading not just the first day but also the fifteenth."
Outside the window, the night grew even quieter.
After the palace curfew, the silence within was often unsettling. Yet, at this moment, cries of pain echoed from the direction of Yao Hua Palace.
It was the court physician using pristine white gauze to dress the wounds on Consort Yao's missing knee joint.
Amidst these sounds, Song Zhao calmly sipped her calming tonic, allowing Yun Shan and others to attend to her.
This spectacle had been in the making since Song Zhao reconciled with Xiao Jingheng and developed an interest in butterflies.
Initially, she instructed Xiao Fuzi and Yun Shan to capture numerous butterflies from the imperial garden and release them in Chang Le Palace.
After encountering Consort Yao in the imperial garden, Song Zhao informed Yun Shan beforehand that, regardless of Consort Yao's words, Yun Shan should stay behind alone, slap Consort Yao a few times, and the harsher, the better—provoking Consort Yao's hatred.
When visiting Ning Wanshuang to pay respects that day, anyone could see the red marks on Consort Yao's face were from slaps. However, nobody delved deeper into the matter.
Upon Song Zhao's return to the palace, Consort Hui soon visited her. Song Zhao intentionally released all the captured butterflies, allowing them to flutter gracefully before Consort Hui.
Knowing Consort Hui's cunning mind, even with her current 'amnesia,' she would undoubtedly find a way to eliminate Song Zhao.
As clever as Consort Hui was, witnessing the multitude of butterflies, how could she not think of Song Zhao's allergy to peach blossom pollen?
However, knowing Consort Hui wouldn't act directly, Song Zhao instructed Xiao Fuzi to tail her after Consort Hui left Chang Le Palace.
Until Xiao Fuzi saw Consort Hui entering Yao Hua Palace, Song Zhao knew that the fish had taken the bait.
Later, Xiao Fuzi became more vigilant, patrolling near Chang Le Palace daily.
Sure enough, she spotted Fu'er, who often lurked around Chang Le Palace, sometimes releasing butterflies from the glass bottle she carried. Xiao Fuzi deliberately created distractions, leading the guards patrolling near Chang Le Palace astray and coincidentally witnessing Fu'er's unusual behavior.
When the chess pieces were set, it was time for Rongyue to make her appearance.
Song Zhao, leveraging the convenience provided by Tian Ji, captured Xiao Yaozi, responsible for purchasing outside the palace, along with his entire family. She coerced Xiao Yaozi into buying Five Poisons Powder for her.
She then handed the Five Poisons Powder to Rongyue, instructing her to discreetly place it in Consort Yao's sleeping chamber during the celebration of Consort Yao's birthday.
When Xiao Jingheng came to visit her, using Ruo Xin's indiscreet words, Song Zhao mentioned never having seen her own brother, prompting Xiao Jingheng to personally invite Consort Hui and Chengjing to Chang Le Palace.
On the day Consort Hui and her son were to visit, Ning Wanshuang boldly took Ruo Xin away in advance.
Once Chengjing arrived, he would be captivated by the numerous butterflies dancing around Spring Flower and Autumn Moon. Xiao Fuzi deliberately let them overhear the method of "attracting bees and butterflies" mentioned by her and Yunsan.
As soon as Chengjing played with Spring Flower and Autumn Moon in the courtyard, Xiao Fuzi took the opportunity to release butterflies with Five Poisons Powder on their wings towards them.
The powder fell like fine dust as the butterflies fluttered, leaving Spring Flower and Autumn Moon, both of whom were Xiao Jingheng's informants in Chang Le Palace, with no way out. Chengjing, being closest to them, would naturally not escape.
After the plot was exposed, Song Zhao thought that if all the evidence pointed directly to Consort Yao, it might seem too deliberate.
So, she used the threat of Xiao Yaozi's family to make him stage a dramatic turnaround in court, providing evidence against Consort Yao.
This entire plan could have eliminated Xiao Jingheng's informants placed around her and made Consort Hui endure the pain of losing a son, while also getting rid of the ungrateful Consort Yao – a triple victory.
However, there was one thing Song Zhao didn't anticipate.
Consort Hui's attendant, Chun Lan, would actually risk her life to protect Chengjing?
Now, having finished her evening preparations, Yun Shan, attending to Song Zhao's bedtime arrangements, heard her ask:
"I heard from Xiao Fuzi that Chun Lan, by Consort Hui's side, was a servant assigned to her only after Chan's death by the Internal Affairs Department?"
Yun Shan nodded, saying, "Yes. She has been serving Consort Hui for only three months. Despite not being promoted to the position of head palace maid, she always accompanies her wherever she goes, inside and outside the palace."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhao couldn't help but feel puzzled, finding it even more strange.
"If she had only served for three months, how could she be so loyal to Consort Hui? On that critical day, she even disregarded her own life to protect Chengjing, holding onto him until her last breath?"
She raised her eyebrows suddenly, looking at Yun Shan with suspicion filling her eyes. "Don't you think this whole situation is just too irrational?"
Yun Shan pondered for a moment before responding, "Before Miss mentioned it, this servant didn't think much of it. But upon further reflection, Chun Lan, unlike other palace maids who enter the palace merely for gain, doesn't hesitate to risk her own life..."
The two exchanged a glance, but neither of them continued with the unsaid words.
After a moment of silence, Song Zhao softly instructed, "Have Tian Ji's men investigate Chun Lan and find out who she really is."
