Song Zhao rushed to Xuanli Hall in a few steps. While helping Song Zhao change her clothes, Yun Shan exclaimed with feeling:
"I did not expect that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager would actually be an old acquaintance of the young lady."
Song Zhao smoothed out the folds on her plain robe sleeves, raised her eyes to look at the azure sky outside the window, and said with a smile tinged with some bitterness:
"I also did not expect that after my mother has been dead for so long, she would still be protecting me in some unknown way."
Song Zhao thought:
During this trip to the Hot Spring Mountain Villa, no matter what goes on between Consort Chen, Consort Shu and Noble Consort Xiao, she only needed to gain more of the Empress Dowager's favor during this period, and her position in the harem would definitely become easier in the future.
Since both Song Zhao and Yun Shan knew that the hot spring would leak today and their morning clothes would get wet, they would definitely have to change their clothes. So everything was prepared in advance, and there was no panic in changing clothes. Very soon, everything was neat and tidy.
Yun Shan looked Song Zhao up and down in her new outfit and smiled: "Young lady looks so beautiful, no matter what color clothes you wear, it highlights your fairness."
Song Zhao glanced back at her delicate features in the mirror, and smiled coldly:
"There has never been a shortage of beauties in the harem, what has always been lacking are minds that are clear and piercing beneath the appearance."
Yun Shan nodded thoughtfully, and after a while changed the subject: "Young lady has tidied up, let's go out quickly too, don't keep His Majesty and Her Majesty waiting too long."
But Song Zhao said, "There is no hurry."
She turned back and sat down again, absentmindedly fiddling with the gold threads on her sleeves,
"The hot spring spilled all over me, I must have been flustered. If I get dressed so quickly and go out, it would seem unusual instead. Also, I want to wait a while too, to let Her Majesty talk with His Majesty for a while."
Yun Shan did not know what Song Zhao was waiting for, but since her young lady said to wait, she did not urge her anymore.
After about half a stick of incense, Song Zhao finally stepped out slowly.
From afar, she saw Xiao Jingheng standing by the side of the Empress Dowager's carriage, chatting with Her Majesty inside the carriage.
The Empress Dowager's eyes had been staring towards Xuanli Hall. As soon as she caught sight of Song Zhao, she immediately waved and smiled at her.
Song Zhao quickened her pace and walked over. When she reached the side of the carriage, Xiao Jingheng said softly to her:
"It is rare that the Empress Dowager is so fond of you. On the way, take good care of her on my behalf."
"Your Majesty, don't worry."
Xiao Jingheng saw that she had changed into a new outfit, which set off her graceful figure even more beautifully. He couldn't help but pinch her slender waist lightly, and then helped her up into the carriage himself.
After Song Zhao got into the carriage and sat facing the Empress Dowager, the carriage moved forward steadily. Smelling the faint scent emanating from the Empress Dowager's body, she asked:
"Is Her Majesty using agarwood?"
"You recognize this scent?"
Song Zhao obediently nodded, "This scent is very familiar, and smells the same as my auntie. It's comforting."
The Empress Dowager nodded repeatedly as she felt emotional,
"Yes. Ordinary ladies prefer fragrant powder made from floral fragrances, but your mother and I had similar tastes. We both felt that the sweet scent was too cloying and not as clear and ethereal as agarwood, which calms the mind. So ever since Rui Er and I started using fragrance when we were young, we liked to use this scent. Later it became a habit and I haven't changed it for decades."
Song Zhao listened carefully to the Empress Dowager's words, nodding from time to time in response.
When the Empress Dowager slowed down, she tentatively asked:
"I remember when I was young my auntie often mentioned a sister Lan. I didn't think much about it at first, but now after some thought, could it be that the one my auntie was referring to is actually Your Majesty's given name?"
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager nodded repeatedly, rather emotionally,
"Yes, I was thinking of Rui Er, and Rui Er was also thinking of me. It is regrettable that we have been separated by fate, unexpectedly losing such an intimate friend from our boudoir like this."
In fact, when Song Zhao’s mother was little, she never mentioned any Sister Lan to Song Zhao at all.
When Bai died, Song Zhao was only six years old. Even if she had mentioned it, Song Zhao would not have any memory of someone she had never met.
The reason why Song Zhao said this was to deliberately convey a message to the Empress Dowager - that Bai had been thinking of their friendship all these years.
As for the Empress Dowager’s name, it was not really a secret to begin with.
It was obvious that Song Zhao’s words struck a chord with the Empress Dowager. Her previously calmed emotions became agitated again, and her eyes became moist again.
Later, when the Empress Dowager asked Song Zhao, "How did your mother pass away?"
Song Zhao's expression became unnatural, her words vague:
"My auntie, she... Her illness could not be cured and she died accidentally."
Her answer was clearly not the one the Empress Dowager wanted to hear.
The Empress Dowager's expression darkened slightly as she shook her head:
"Are you trying to protect your unscrupulous father and that overbearing legal wife?"
"I dare not..." Song Zhao was shocked and immediately bowed down.
The Empress Dowager only sighed and did not blame her,
"You get up. I do not intend to punish you." She held Song Zhao's hand and gently caressed it. "You really are as kindhearted as your mother. Just now, I asked the Emperor and he told me that your mother was flogged to death by Jiang, Duke of Protector's legal wife, for the charge of theft."
She took a breath, her tone becoming more and more angry. "I grew up with Rui Er since childhood, and knew her temperament best of all. She was aloof by nature and would never demean herself to that. I do not believe she would do such an underhanded thing."
Song Zhao said with some loss:
"In fact, I also believe in my auntie's innocence. But it has been so long since it happened that there is no way to investigate what really happened back then. I ask that Her Majesty not pursue this anymore..."
"Hmph." The Empress Dowager snorted coldly. "With Jiang in power, your days under her must have been difficult. Rest assured. As Rui Er's bosom friend, I will never let her die with injustice unaddressed. When we return to the capital from the Hot Spring Mountain Villa, I will personally make Jiang explain this matter!"
Since the Empress Dowager insisted in this way, Song Zhao pretended to be at a loss and did not say anything more.
Later along this road, the two no longer mentioned the unpleasant matters. They only chatted about daily life and happy things.
Song Zhao had asked the elders in the palace about the Empress Dowager’s likes early on. She subtly brought up topics of the Empress Dowager’s interest as they talked, amusing her greatly, making her even more fond of Song Zhao.
In fact, the reason why Song Zhao deliberately came out of Xuanli Hall a little later after changing was because she expected that the Empress Dowager would definitely ask Xiao Jingheng about how Bai died. Xiao Jingheng had no reason to cover for Song Zhaocheng, so he would definitely tell her the truth.
Then when the Empress Dowager asked Song Zhao about it later, Song Zhao only needed to present herself as someone unwilling to stir up trouble but endured humiliation with kindness and gentleness in front of the Empress Dowager.
After all, which elder would not feel distressed about and like such an obedient, sensible and magnanimous girl?
The more obedient Song Zhao behaved, the more displeased the Empress Dowager would be with Jiang.
The Empress Dowager, wasn’t she the most venerated woman under heaven? Offending her, I’m afraid Jiang’s days of dominance would soon be over...
The female lead's mother knew the Empress Dowager, so why was she still oppressed by Jiang?
It was because the female lead's mother had died ten years ago when the Empress Dowager was still just a lower-ranked consort without much status. Also, she and the female lead were just close female friends, not family members. Song Zhaocheng and Jiang possibly did not even know about this. Even if they did, the Empress Dowager was not even the Empress yet at that time, while the female lead's mother could not enter the palace, so Jiang had no need to be wary of her at all.
That concludes the translation. Finally, I wish you a happy Monday ahead!
