When the ash in the incense burner had burned out, Song Zhao ordered Yun Shan:
"Go call Xiao Fuzi in. I have some questions for him."
At that time, Xiao Fuzi was in the courtyard with Zhi Hua, Xi Ying and others, trimming the flowers, grass and dead branches. As soon as he heard Song Zhao was looking for him, he quickly wiped the mud from his fingers onto his pants. This made Yun Shan frown in disgust.
"Why are you so messy?"
Although the young girl's face was full of contempt, she still used a handkerchief to brush the floating dust off the edges of his pants.
Xiao Fuzi was a little embarrassed and scratched the back of his head, staring at Yun Shan with a silly smile.
Yun Shan glared at him and said impatiently, "What are you smiling about? The young mistress is calling for you!"
"Oh right, I'll go now!"
He hurried into the main hall. Zhi Hua smiled at Yun Shan and said, "Sister Yun Shan, you really care about Xiao Fuzi. I don't see you asking me or Xi Ying if our hands are dirty too, even though they are."
Yun Shan's face turned red at the teasing. "I...I don't! He's going in to see the young mistress. Being dirty would offend her eyes!"
Having said that, she lowered her head in embarrassment and helped Zhi Hua and Xi Ying prune the dead branches.
On the other side, Xiao Fuzi, who had entered the bedroom to respond to Song Zhao, couldn't help but smile on his face too.
Song Zhao looked him up and down and asked with a smile, "What happy event made you so cheerful? Tell me too."
Xiao Fuzi quickly wiped the smile off his face and said somewhat awkwardly, "No...nothing. What instructions does the young mistress have for this slave?"
Song Zhao took out the sachet that Concubine Xiao had sent and handed it to him, "Take a look. See if anything is wrong with it."
Xiao Fuzi took the sachet and nimbly took it apart.
He examined the dried flowers and herbs inside carefully before saying,
"In response to the young mistress, they are all things that calm the mind and settle the spirit. Nothing seems wrong."
Song Zhao was silent for a moment and asked hesitantly, "What exactly is inside this? Tell me one by one."
Xiao Fuzi said, "There is mint, woolly tea, magnolia, sophora flavescens, snakeflower, and cuscuta in it..."
"Wait. Did you say there is snakeflower in it?"
Xiao Fuzi nodded in confirmation and skillfully picked out a blade of grass to show Song Zhao.
As soon as it was brought to her face, Song Zhao smelled a strong foreign fragrance.
"I remember this stuff is used by snake catchers to lure snakes. Why would it be in the sachet?"
Xiao Fuzi explained, "The peculiar smell given off by snakeflower does attract snakes by exciting them. But this smell is harmless to humans and actually has excellent tranquilizing effects.
Now that winter has arrived, the snakes are dormant. The efficacy of the herbs in this sachet will fade in two to three months. By next spring when the snakes emerge, the snakeflower inside will have lost its power to lure them. So the young mistress doesn't need to worry that this sachet will attract snakes."
Song Zhao pondered for a moment, deftly fiddling with the snakeflower in front of her, and said coldly with a laugh:
"The snakes outside the palace may hibernate, but inside the lively palace, people can hardly sleep soundly, let alone those reptiles.
This sachet is after all a token of Concubine Xiao's feelings. I shouldn't discard it outright either. Take this sachet and store it properly in an airtight box in the warehouse."
Xiao Fuzi never asked why about Song Zhao's orders.
He just knew Song Zhao wanted him to do something, so he would get it done.
After lunch break, Song Zhao said she wanted to go to the main hall to pay respects to Consort Yao, and took Xiao Fuzi with her.
After greeting each other as sisters when they met, they chatted for a while. Then Song Zhao smiled and said:
"I heard Mother mention the legs of the yellow pear wood table in her bedroom were a little loose. My Xiao Fuzi at the palace is the best at repairs and tune-ups. Let him take a look for Mother, shall we?"
"Then I'll have to trouble my little sister."
Consort Yao led Xiao Fuzi to the table while Song Zhao followed her at her side. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Consort Yao was already wearing the sachet sent by Concubine Xiao at her waist.
So Song Zhao staggered and threw herself at Consort Yao. Consort Yao reflexively steadied her.
"What's the matter?"
Song Zhao calmed herself and said somewhat awkwardly, "This concubine is muddled. I managed to trip over myself while walking on flat ground and nearly knocked into Mother."
When she bumped into Consort Yao, her right hand grabbed the sachet at Consort Yao’s waist and yanked it forcefully, throwing it onto the ground.
Now looking at the sachet on the ground, she said, "Xiao Fuzi, quickly pick up the sachet for Mother Consort."
When Xiao Fuzi bent down to pick up the sachet, he deliberately squeezed it hard in his hand to leave some of the smell on his palm.
After finishing the table repair for Consort Yao, Song Zhao took him back to the West Side Hall. Hearing him say:
"In response to the young mistress, the sachet worn by Consort Yao is the same as yours. It also contains snakeflower."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhao was somewhat puzzled.
She had originally thought that Concubine Xiao regarded her as an enemy, so she came up with some vicious trick to harm her.
But Consort Yao was completely innocent towards Concubine Xiao from beginning to end. Why would there be snakeflower in the sachet Concubine Xiao gifted Consort Yao too?
Or could it be...
It wasn't just Consort Yao. The sachets Concubine Xiao gave everyone were all equal?
The minds of the women in this palace were becoming more and more inscrutable to Song Zhao.
However, having doubts was also good for being vigilant early on.
It looked like it would snow in another two days. The Empress’ palace would also stop receiving greetings then. The consorts and concubines in the palaces would rarely go out then.
So no matter who Concubine Xiao intended to harm,
tomorrow when the six palaces went to enjoy the plum blossoms in the Plum Garden together would be her best chance.
Xiao Fuzi seemed to sense Song Zhao’s worries and said,
“Is the young mistress still going plum blossoming viewing tomorrow?”
Song Zhao looked at him with a smile and nodded calmly,
“Of course I'm going. If everyone else goes and only I don't, then if something strange happens in the Plum Garden tomorrow, wouldn’t it all be counted against me?”
In winter days, the sky always brightened very late.
The next day, while it was still dark, Song Zhao had already gotten up.
After washing up, she told Yun Shan, "It looks very cold today. And we’re going to the Plum Garden. Help me get thicker underwear and socks and shoes."
The reason why Song Zhao wanted to wear thicker underwear and socks and shoes was not to fight the cold. After all, who knew if the hibernating snakes would suddenly wake up out of nowhere and bite her.
It was best to wear thicker clothes over the parts of her body that could be bitten, just in case.
When she went out, Song Zhao said to Yun Shan again: "The palace maids’ clothes are too thin. You’ll freeze badly following me."
Then she looked at Xiao Fuzi standing to the side, "Let Xiao Fuzi accompany me today. His skin is thick and won’t freeze easily."
At first, Yun Shan was unwilling. She felt that Xiao Fuzi was after all a man, clumsy in waiting upon others, and was worried that he would not be able to take good care of Song Zhao.
But she really could not overcome Song Zhao’s insistence, so Yun Shan had no choice but to reluctantly agree. She also deliberately put on a fierce look and threatened Xiao Fuzi fiercely:
"You'd better take good care of the young mistress. If she comes back sick from catching cold, don't think I'll let you off easily!"
Although being threatened by her, Xiao Fuzi still had a silly smile on his face.
"Don't worry, I will take good care of the young mistress!"
