After Noble Consort Ru left, Zhao Hua leaned against the bed of Xiang Fei without saying a word, just sitting there in a daze.
Chenghuan was a child she had once truly loved and cherished.
And for Ning Wanshuang, Chenghuan was already like her own son.
After learning about these facts, Zhao Hua felt very distressed.
Then how should she break this heart-wrenching news to Ning Wanshuang?
During this time, Yun Shan silently accompanied Zhao Hua, until she saw Zhao Hua's eyes redden and hurriedly handed over a handkerchief to comfort her, "Miss, don't be too sad. Maybe...these things have nothing to do with the Crown Prince, just a coincidence..."
As she spoke, her voice grew weaker and weaker, clearly not believing her own words.
Zhao Hua's hands kept fiddling with the handkerchief as she said in a choked voice,
"I'm not sad, I just feel it's a pity. He is the son Ning Jiejie loves most, Ruo Xin's favorite brother. I really don't understand why he has become like this? Even if Ning Jiejie is not his birth mother, how has Ning Jiejie treated him over the years? Can't he feel it?"
After a brief pause, she asked Yun Shan, "Do you know who I thought of when I heard Noble Consort Ru say those things to me?"
Yun Shan shook her head, not knowing. Zhao Hua sighed faintly,
"The Emperor. Before the Empress Dowager passed away, she told me about her past relationship with the Emperor. That long mother-son affection could probably be summed up in just four simple words - raising a tiger leads to calamity.
Back then, in order to seek the throne, the Emperor did not hesitate to kill the Empress Dowager's son. Today, in order to become the Crown Prince, Chenghuan has also lost his mind and wants to make a move against Cheng Yu..." Then she sighed and said, "But unlike the Emperor, when he harmed his siblings, he was already nearly an adult. How old is Chenghuan now?"
In Zhao Hua's words, there was astonishment, distress, and resentment. These complex emotions could not be easily comforted by Yun Shan with just a few words.
Yun Shan knew she was clumsy, and was afraid to say more wrong words to hurt Zhao Hua. So she changed the subject and asked,
"Then Miss...are we still going to Yonghe Palace?"
"Go. Of course we have to go."
Zhao Hua answered this almost unthinkingly, then wiped away her tears, tidied up her appearance, and said solemnly,
"The lifelong regret of the Empress Dowager must not be repeated in me and Jiejie."
Later that day, Zhao Hua went to Yonghe Palace with a heavy heart.
When passing Yonghe Gate, the procession happened to encounter the Yonghe Palace Steward who had just come out of Yonghe Palace.
He respectfully greeted Zhao Hua. After Zhao Hua excused his etiquette, she asked him,
"Palace Steward Guo, what brings you to the Noble Consort's palace today? I remember the monthly date to check on the Noble Consort's wellbeing is at the beginning of the month. Is the Noble Consort unwell?"
Guo shook his head. "It was about the matter of the Princess. The Crown Prince was worried and fretful, making it difficult for him to swallow food, so the Noble Consort summoned me to diagnose the Crown Prince."
"How is Chenghuan?"
There was a fleeting flicker in Guo's eyes, but he quickly composed himself and said, "All is well."
Zhao Hua slowly nodded her head. "Thank you, Palace Steward Guo."
The phoenix sedan continued on its way. Only after passing Guo did Zhao Hua softly instruct the little maid Fu Zi,
"I saw he seemed reluctant to speak plainly with so many people around just now. Go and ask him clearly if he is concealing anything."
"Your servant obeys."
When Zhao Hua entered the main hall, she saw Ning Wanshuang sitting in the chief seat.
Her eyes were slightly red, as if she had just cried. But her expression was still calm.
Seeing Zhao Hua, she arrogantly gestured with her brows at the chair below the hall, and said coldly to her,
"Sit."
She was the Noble Consort, and Zhao Hua was the Empress. By rights, when Zhao Hua came to her palace, Ning Wanshuang should have gotten up and yielded the chief seat to her.
But if she really did that, she wouldn't be Ning Wanshuang.
Zhao Hua would also not haggle over such things with Ning Wanshuang.
But this time, she did not sit down, but first signaled Yun Shan to lead all the palace maids out of the main hall,
before bowing and walking to the center below the hall, saluting Ning Wanshuang.
Ning Wanshuang was even more puzzled. She quickly said, "What are you doing? You are the Empress, how can you greet me like this?"
Seeing that Zhao Hua persisted in the etiquette, she could no longer remain seated. She hurriedly got up and went below the hall, supporting Zhao Hua's arm to help her stand,
"What's wrong with you today? This is so strange."
Zhao Hua took the opportunity to hold Ning Wanshuang's hand gently, and said warmly,
"Today, there is no Empress or Noble Consort here, only Zhao'er and Jiejie. Zhao'er wants to say a few heartfelt words to Jiejie, but these words may make Jiejie feel unwell when said. Please don't blame me, sister."
Ning Wanshuang was even more confused. "Just say what you have to say. There's no need for so much circumlocution between us."
Zhao Hua nodded slightly, and after brewing for a while, she went straight to the point, "I feel there is something wrong with Jinghe's death."
"What?"
Zhao Hua said, "On the day Jinghe fell into the water, she was wearing a red lion costume that was originally worn by Cheng Yu. Jinghe thought it looked good and secretly switched clothes with Cheng Yu. I was thinking, if Jinghe had not wanted to change into that costume that day, the one who would have died might not have been her."
Ning Wanshuang asked, "Are you saying someone wanted to harm Cheng Yu?"
Zhao Hua slowly nodded her head, her tone also lowered slightly,
"That day, after the Emperor went to the study to see Cheng Yu and Chenghuan, he mentioned reinstating Cheng Yu as Crown Prince. Afterwards, the two children met several princesses in the Imperial Garden after leaving the study, and stayed to play together. Then...Jinghe had her accident in the Imperial Garden. Doesn't sister think it's strange?
Also, I asked the children, the one who first suggested wearing the costumes and pretending to be beasts to play catching games was Chenghuan. But Chenghuan has always been focused on his studies, seldom being a naughty 'good child' wanting to play. "
"Nonsense!"
As soon as Ning Wanshuang heard who Zhao Hua was implying, before she could even let her finish speaking, she immediately pulled her hand out of Zhao Hua's and irritably said,
"Song Zhao, do you hear what you're saying? Chenghuan will just be six next month. Could he do such a thing!?"
"But..."
"No buts needed." Ning Wanshuang waved her sleeve to cut off Zhao Hua's words, turned her back to her, and said coldly,
"If you've come to tell me this, then forget it. If you have evidence, go tell the Emperor to let him handle this matter. But if this is all just your speculation, I don't want to hear you slandering my son like this. I believe my son, and believe he would never lie to me."
Chenghuan was one of Ning Wanshuang's earliest weaknesses.
And now Ning Wanshuang's stubborn stance in protecting her son was also something Zhao Hua had anticipated before coming.
Things had come to this point,
She could only use the simplest, most straightforward, and also most cruel method to quickly make Ning Wanshuang sober up,
"Is that so? Has Chenghuan ever told you that he has long known Xiao Guifei is actually his birth mother?"
