Consort Hui walked in sweetly, and was even more full of praise for Song Zhao's cooking skills,
"Sister Song Zhao's pastries are much more delicious than those from the imperial kitchen. In the future when Sister makes good pastries, can you let me come to the palace to try them too?"
Song Zhao laughed and said, "That's for sure." "It would be this servant's blessing if Consort Hui is willing to come to my palace more often."
The two chatted and laughed.
Yet Consort Yun's face had turned ghastly pale with fright.
She kept giving Consort Chen meaningful glances, her eyelids fluttering tiredly.
After considering for a moment, Consort Chen came up with a plan and said, "This servant has tasted the cakes, they are sweet but not cloying, very good."
She then signaled to Ying Xiang with a slight raise of her brow, "Go and help Song Zhao distribute the cakes, and let the sisters all have a taste of her skills."
Ying Xiang answered yes and swiftly snatched the food boxes in Yun Shan and Zhi Hua's hands.
Clutching a box in each hand, she headed towards the Empress. But after just two steps, she reacted as if she had just bumped into a ghost, tripping over her own feet and falling flat on the ground.
The boxes overturned as she fell, sending the cakes rolling across the floor.
The gazes of all the Consorts snapped towards Ying Xiang.
Panic-stricken, she climbed to her feet, knocking her head as she pleaded,
"Empress, please forgive this servant's offense... This servant did not mean it..."
"Foolish thing!" Consort Chen was furious. Pointing at Ying Xiang, she scolded loudly, "Song Zhao sincerely made refreshments, yet you deliberately ruined it all!"
"Consort Chen, this servant did not mean it!"
"You still dare argue? Slap your own face!"
Immediately, clear slapping sounds echoed in the hall.
Ying Xiang sobbed as she ruthlessly struck her own cheeks, beating herself until blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, yet she did not dare stop.
The sight frightened Consort Hui, who shrank into her seat. Voice trembling, she persuaded,
"Sister Chen, spare her... She didn't do it on purpose..."
Hearing this, Consort Chen gently stroked her temple. In a meaningful tone, she said,
"If the Empress and Song Zhao are unwilling to forgive you today, this servant will send you to the Cin Zhe prison. Don't remain by my side to serve me in the future."
Song Zhao also persuaded, "This servant made the refreshments hoping to please my sisters. If it ended up harming our harmony instead, it would be this servant's fault. Ying Xiang just slipped by accident, may Your Ladyship not hold it against her."
Ying Xiang gave thanks to Song Zhao for not blaming her, then continued kowtowing and pleading to the Empress for forgiveness.
The Empress listened to her wails with annoyance. Coldly, she said,
"Consort Chen, if you want to discipline your servant, you can slowly do so back in your own palace. Do not make a ruckus here in My Phoenix Hall."
Consort Chen glared at Ying Xiang. "Useless thing, wait until we return to the palace for this servant to properly teach you manners."
She then glanced at Song Zhao, casually saying,
"It was quite unfortunate for Song Zhao to have fruitlessly worked hard. This servant's palace just made some jujube glutinous rice cakes, light and suitable for the Empress's taste. Ying Xiang, go fetch them to let the sisters chat over some snacks."
Besides Song Zhao, Consort Chen, Consort Yun, and Consort Liu, none of the other Consorts knew what secret was hidden in these red date persimmon cakes.
Realizing that Consort Chen didn't want to escalate matters, Consort Liu's mind raced. She promptly stood and said,
"Song Zhao made refreshments for everyone, Consort Xiao also often shares seasonal fruits. It's this servant who has been most ill-mannered. This servant will pour tea for everyone, busybodies should keep their hands out of other's affairs."
As she busily scurried about refilling teacups, she intentionally trampled and mashed the fallen red date persimmon cakes into mush under her feet, erasing their original appearance.
Consort Yun had been afraid that the Empress would suspect something amiss with the cakes. Seeing this, she urged,
"These cakes are dirty and cannot be eaten now. And the Empress's Phoenix Hall has been made a dreadful mess. Zhi Lan, Ting Lan, hurry and help Her Ladyship clean the floor."
As she spoke, the Empress deliberately glanced at her.
The Empress's gaze held lingering doubts. Meeting Consort Yun's shifty eyes, she slowly smiled with a nod.
The fleeting changes in the Empress's expressions did not escape Song Zhao's notice. She smiled mysteriously to herself but said nothing.
In truth, the refreshments Song Zhao brought today were perfectly harmless.
She only wished to make Consort Chen and Consort Yun's guilty consciences apparent to the Empress.
Even the most seasoned dissembler would inevitably reveal their true nature once flustered.
When Consort Yun kept signaling desperately to Consort Chen the moment she saw the cakes, this behavior was witnessed not only by Song Zhao, but the Empress as well.
Moreover, Consort Yun and Consort Chen were usually outright adversarial, with Consort Yun rebutting anything Consort Chen said.
Yet today, Consort Yun not only didn't criticize Consort Chen for her blunder, but even took the initiative to have her own palace maid help clean up Consort Chen's mess?
All these little clues strongly suggested one thing - the hostility between Consort Yun and Consort Chen was but an act.
That night, as Yun Shan served Song Zhao's bath, she asked,
"Does Young Lady believe the Empress noticed anything peculiar about today's events?"
Eyes closed blissfully, misty vapor from the bathwater cloaked Song Zhao's porcelain skin, complementing her dazzling beauty even more.
"Whether the Empress noticed or not, Consort Yun will be unfortunate. If the Empress didn't notice, she would be unfortunate herself. Whichever misfortune occurs will benefit me, as it means they will be too preoccupied quarreling to always scrutinize me."
Yun Shan laughed. "The fiercer their covert feud, the less attention they can spare for Young Lady. Young Lady's scheme was truly ingenious."
Scooping up water, Song Zhao gently poured it over her own collarbone. Smiling, she said,
"I merely enjoy watching lively bustle, what malicious intentions could I have?"
Yun Shan fetched a towel. "Young Lady should get out of the bath now, this servant will help you dry off."
"No hurry." Still soaking in the tub, Song Zhao did not get up. "Wait a little longer."
Just as Yun Shan wondered what Song Zhao was waiting for, she suddenly heard the awkward squawks of three Oriental magpie robins from outside.
Song Zhao then said, "The water has somewhat cooled, go and add some hot water."
After Yun Shan withdrew, Song Zhao amused herself by playing with the flower petals floating on the water surface.
Gathering the petals to her chest, she cupped the water and tossed it high. Showered by the petal-speckled droplets falling upon her, she blissfully giggled like a carefree child.
Engrossed in her water play, she was startled when hot water began trickling into her bath from behind.
Eyes closed, Song Zhao leaned comfortably against the tub wall, softly saying,
"Yun Shan, see if the wounds on my back have fully healed. I was thinking that if they haven't, next time I spend the night you can cover them up with powder. If His Majesty sees them, it would inevitably remind him about the assassination. I don't wish for His Majesty to always recall that incident, or for His Majesty to... favor me solely because of that incident."
"Yun Shan? Are you listening?"
Receiving no response behind her for some time, a large palm was suddenly laid across her back instead, shocking Song Zhao into splashing about in the water.
Glancing back hastily, her pupils quivered intensely upon recognizing the figure.
"Y-Your Majesty?"
