Yonghe Palace.
The sudden cold wind rolled up the withered yellow leaves of the maple trees in the courtyard, swirling and falling at Consort Chen's feet as she leaned against the door frame of the bedchamber.
She tilted her head slightly, gazing at the moon alone, letting the cool breeze blow her hair into disarray.
Ying Xiang draped a cloak over her shoulders, worriedly saying, "Your Highness has been standing at the palace gate for over an hour. You have been frail ever since giving birth. The imperial doctor ordered that you must not be exposed to the wind. Please return to the palace to rest."
Consort Chen still had her head raised, not at all inclined to go back.
She asked Ying Xiang, "The Emperor will come see me, won't he?"
Upon hearing this, Ying Xiang was momentarily at a loss for words.
It was almost midnight.
Zhang Jiugui had come earlier saying he saw with his own eyes Song Zhao putting on the hibiscus hairpin.
If Xiao Jingheng wanted to come, he would have come long ago...
After a brief silence, Ying Xiang changed the subject, advising again, "Your Highness, if you want to wait, then wait inside the palace. If you hurt your health over this matter again, it would pain the Emperor."
Consort Chen was unmoved, still foolishly looking at the bright moon.
Strangely enough, she and Xiao Jingheng had enjoyed the moon together countless times before.
Gazing at its round silvery disk, they had felt that the perfect pairing of the moon and people was profoundly satisfying.
Yet today, although the moon remained full and bright, Consort Chen saw it hanging solitary in the sky, feeling endless sorrow.
She murmured forlornly,
"Ying Xiang, do you think the Emperor's affection for me has faded?"
Ying Xiang quickly denied, "Nonsense, Your Highness. The Emperor still treats you so well that even the Empress looks on enviously. How could His Majesty's feelings possibly change?"
"If he cared for me, he would believe me. I may dislike that he favors other women, but the Phoenix Head Lute was the late Empress Dowager's treasure. How could I bear to destroy it and cause the Emperor grief?"
Consort Chen clearly knew the reason for Xiao Jingheng's coldness towards her.
He held her responsible for the broken lute strings.
So she felt even more wronged.
She didn't understand when she had become so undeserving in Xiao Jingheng's heart.
In the past, even when she made mistakes, Xiao Jingheng had always steadfastly stood by her side.
As she thought of this, her heart ached, and her vision began to blur with tears.
Warm tears slid down her cheeks.
She raised her hand, palm up, brushing the tears away as she shook her head with a bitter laugh, murmuring, "Enough, enough."
Consort Chen took Ying Xiang's arm. With her support, she had just turned to return to the palace when she suddenly heard a familiar male voice behind her.
"It's cold tonight. Why are you standing alone under the eaves?"
That voice drilled into her ears then mixed into her blood, straight to her heart.
The heart that had felt chilled just a moment ago instantly warmed.
Consort Chen joyfully looked back to see Xiao Jingheng striding towards her.
The silver moonlight spilled onto his bright yellow dragon robe. The gold thread embroidery glimmered faintly, and to Consort Chen, that faint glow was dazzlingly bright.
Forgetting the decorum expected of a consort, she rushed into Xiao Jingheng's arms, hugging his slender waist tightly and burying her head in his chest. Unable to restrain her tears, she said,
"I was afraid Your Majesty would never come see me again..."
Xiao Jingheng also embraced her.
His broad palm pressed against her back, gently patting and soothing her.
"I've been busy with state affairs these past days and neglected you. Don't take it to heart."
Whether he had truly been occupied with state affairs and unintentionally neglected her, Consort Chen knew clearly in her heart.
But she could not nitpick or explain to Xiao Jingheng that she had nothing to do with the broken Phoenix Head Lute strings.
After all, Xiao Jingheng had never clarified this matter. If she brought it up now, it would seem she protested too much.
"As long as Your Majesty still thinks fondly of me. This concubine feared you have found a new favorite and forgotten your old lover."
Only Consort Chen daringly uttered such presumptuous words when sulking with Xiao Jingheng.
Yet Xiao Jingheng did not rebuke her. On the contrary, he tenderly wiped her tears and smiled brightly.
"Look at you. Standing in the wind has made your little nose red."
He shielded her from the wind on his right side as he led her by the hand towards the bedchamber, saying,
"The bayberry and honeydew in your palace are the best. I've worked up quite an appetite. Have you prepared any...?"
Before Xiao Jingheng could even finish speaking, Consort Chen had already begun calling for Ying Xiang to ready everything below.
That night, Xiao Jingheng stayed over at Consort Chen's palace.
Yonghe Palace had always maintained the strictest secrecy, so none of the other consorts heard about this.
The next day when Song Zhao went to pay her respects to the Empress, she saw the long absent Xiao Changzao there, surprisingly.
The consorts had not seen her for some time. Even if it was merely perfunctory politeness, they still exchanged a few words.
Consort Shu said, "It's good you finally came out. Grief can be endured, but life must go on, no? Having just experienced the loss of a child myself, I can understand how you feel."
Consort Yin said, "You haven't come for so long that we were worried for you."
Consort Yun added, "The scars on your face don't look so serious either. If one doesn't scrutinize, they aren't noticeable."
Faced with everyone's concern, Xiao Changzao thanked them one by one. Then she said,
"It's all thanks to the Empress not looking down on me. These days I have been chanting sutras and worshiping Buddha every day under her guidance. Through comprehending the Buddha's teachings, I have come to understand many matters clearly."
The Empress replied gently, "It is Xiao Changzao who has an affinity with Buddha. For others who come here, they may find the smell of incense too overpowering to even sit still."
The one the Empress described as 'unable to sit still' was naturally Consort Chen.
She had not come again today. Consort Yin picked up where the Empress had left off,
"Why has Consort Chen come late again today? When she was favored, being late to serve His Majesty could be forgiven. But now that the Emperor rarely even acknowledges her, who is she putting on airs for?"
Consort Yun mocked, "Some people are accustomed to lack of propriety. Rules must be set for her. Empress, you cannot always indulge her so much. She must be disciplined to set her straight!"
"Consort Chen pays her respects to the Empress."
The consorts were mid-conversation when they suddenly heard the attendant formally announce outside.
Everyone looked towards the door and saw Consort Chen entering slowly, surrounded by a large group of palace maids.
Her retinue stopped outside the door. Only Ying Xiang supported her as she gracefully walked inside.
Today Consort Chen wore a scarlet cloak with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix embroidery pattern. Around her neck hung a Hanging Cloud Pearl that looked exactly like the Eastern Pearl. She was covered in jewels and radiated luxury and brilliance.
The 'hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix' pattern imitated the design reserved only for the Empress, 'hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix'. The Hanging Cloud Pearl also imitated the Eastern Pearl.
These were things that only the Empress could use.
Although the consorts were long accustomed to Consort Chen's rampant arrogance, her grand outfit today was clearly meant to intimidate the Empress. Their expressions inevitably changed.
Song Zhao secretly glanced at the Empress.
She remained smiling, unruffled.
Consort Chen, meanwhile, headed straight for her, not even glancing at the other consorts on both sides.
Standing below the hall, she lazily bent her knees slightly as a cursory bow. Not waiting for the Empress to permit her to rise, she arrogantly took her seat before everyone's eyes.
