Song Zhao had fainted, but even though she couldn’t open her eyes, she was still conscious.
She could hear all the sounds around her. She heard Xiao Jingheng anxiously instructing the imperial physician, "You must do your utmost to ensure the safety of Concubine Yi and her child! If you must make a difficult choice, you must prioritize Concubine Yi's safety!"
She heard Yun Shan crying beside her, begging her to hold on.
She heard the hushed whispers and sighs of the physicians and midwives.
After some time, Song Zhao heard the loud cries of a newborn baby and the joyous congratulations of everyone present.
After that, she didn’t know anything more.
Plunging into endless darkness, it was as if she was having a long dream.
In the dream, from the night she entered the palace and first met Xiao Jingheng during the stormy night he spent with her,
To the disappearance of Cheng Yu, when she was on the cusp of victory only to suddenly fail.
All sorts of past events converged into glaringly bright scenes flashing through her mind.
She had only been in the palace for two years, but it felt like so much longer had passed...
When Song Zhao opened her eyes again, the clamor around her had dispersed.
The bedchamber was empty, only Yun Shan was sleeping leaned against her bedside pillar.
Seeing Yun Shan's disheveled hair and swollen eyelids, she must have stayed by her side without leaving for a moment.
Song Zhao gently propped herself up, trying not to disturb the maid, but she still woke up.
"Mistress, you're awake!"
Yun Shan helped Song Zhao sit up, half anxious and half overjoyed. "Mistress, you scared me to death. After giving birth, you were unconscious for three days and nights..."
Song Zhao instinctively reached for her flat stomach and asked, "Where is my child?"
"Mistress safely gave birth to a little princess, she's here!"
Yun Shan called out towards the door, urgently summoning the wet nurse to carry in the little princess for Song Zhao to see.
The princess's face was a little wrinkled, fair with a healthy glow. Her big eyes that looked exactly like Song Zhao's stared roundly, curiously exploring the world and looking curiously at Song Zhao as well.
Song Zhao took her from the wet nurse's arms and held her tightly.
The little princess was so soft and warm, reminding Song Zhao of the first time she held Cheng Yu.
Back then, she had been so careful, afraid of hurting the child.
But in the end, she still couldn't protect her child.
Her eyes turned red. She asked again, "What about Cheng Yu? Any news?"
Seeing the tears flowing down Yun Shan's face, Song Zhao already knew.
She returned the child to the wet nurse and told her to take her away and attend to her. Then she said to Yun Shan,
"Is Xiao Fuzi alright?"
Yun Shan wiped her tears and nodded, "He's fine, just needs more recovery before he can come serve Mistress."
Song Zhao nodded slightly, "There's no rush, let him recuperate well."
Yun Shan was worried that Song Zhao hadn't eaten for days while unconscious. She hurriedly had the palace servants bring in the prepared chicken porridge, thinking that Song Zhao should at least eat a little to regain some strength.
But the smell made Song Zhao feel nauseous, she had no appetite at all.
Yun Shan anxiously said, "Mistress, you must eat at least a couple mouthfuls, or we can change it to plain porridge. You just gave birth and your body is weak, you can't go on not eating like this!"
She held up the bowl, stirring the porridge with the spoon, and brought a spoonful to Song Zhao's lips. But just then, the little eunuch steward came in uninvited.
He saluted Song Zhao, "This servant bids Concubine Yi good health. His Majesty requests all consorts and concubines to immediately proceed to the Chaoyang Palace."
"Go right now?" It was rare for Yun Shan to get angry. "Mistress has just woken up and it's not advisable for her to move after giving birth. Doesn't His Majesty know that?"
"Well..." The little steward was in a difficult position and couldn't say much, just standing there woodenly.
Song Zhao was silent for a moment.
Suddenly, she threw aside her blankets. With Yun Shan's support, she barely made it off the bed to stand. Her expression was one of utter resolve as she said,
"I was just about to go see him anyway."
When the sedan chair arrived at the Chaoyang Palace and Song Zhao went in, she saw that all the consorts and concubines were already present.
The others just glanced at her indifferently at most.
Only Rongyue and Wanshuang's eyes showed some anxiety, but they couldn't ask her if she was alright given the formal setting.
Xiao Jingheng sat imposingly at the head, his face overcast as if a storm was brewing. The atmosphere in the hall was extremely low.
Song Zhao saluted Xiao Jingheng, but unlike his usual tender affection, Xiao Jingheng didn't show her any special consideration or exemption from rituals given that she had just given birth and her body was weak.
Instead, he just let her complete the full greeting ritual before saying,
"Sit. Concubine Yi has just given birth and is susceptible to cold, bring the brazier closer to her and go heat up a hot water bottle."
Although Song Zhao's seat had three layers of goose feather cushions, to her it still felt like sitting on needles.
Before she even had a chance to catch her breath, she heard Consort Hui's silvery laugh.
"Sister Song~ you're awake! We were all so worried these days you were unconscious~"
Song Zhao glanced at her.
Her smile was pure, her eyes clear without the slightest trace of malice.
But Song Zhao knew in her heart that even if Cheng Yu's disappearance was Xiao Jingheng's scheme, Consort Hui was definitely not innocent in this matter.
She withdrew her gaze, unusually ignoring Consort Hui's overture.
Consort Hui was unperturbed, still smiling as she took a white jade cake and enjoyed it. She asked Xiao Jingheng,
"Your Majesty called Sister Song here to the Chaoyang Palace right after she gave birth. Why is that?"
Only then did Xiao Jingheng explain, "There is a strange matter I heard about that I wanted you all to listen to."
As he finished speaking, the little steward clapped three times. Immediately, guards escorted in a disheveled woman covered in blood and filth.
Song Zhao looked at her - although unkempt, it was still evident she was a beauty.
But unexpectedly, as soon as the woman entered the hall, she violently broke free of the guards' restraint and threw herself at Song Zhao's feet. Grabbing her skirt desperately, the woman shrieked,
"Concubine Yi, save me!"
"Insolence!" The little steward brandished his horsewhip, slapping away the woman's hand clutching Song Zhao's skirt. The guards also rushed up again to restrain her.
Even so, the woman still screamed at Song Zhao, "Mistress, save me!"
Song Zhao frowned, "Who are you?"
"Ah!"
Before Song Zhao had even finished speaking, Consort Yao suddenly exclaimed,
"This...isn't this Qu Yanran, the assassin who tried to kill His Majesty in Lin'an? I only saw her briefly on the boat that day. Why does she recognize you?"
Song Zhao had fainted, but even though she couldn’t open her eyes, she was still conscious.
She could hear all the sounds around her. She heard Xiao Jingheng anxiously instructing the imperial physician, "You must do your utmost to ensure the safety of Concubine Yi and her child! If you must make a difficult choice, you must prioritize Concubine Yi's safety!"
She heard Yun Shan crying beside her, begging her to hold on.
She heard the hushed whispers and sighs of the physicians and midwives.
After some time, Song Zhao heard the loud cries of a newborn baby and the joyous congratulations of everyone present.
After that, she didn’t know anything more.
Plunging into endless darkness, it was as if she was having a long dream.
In the dream, from the night she entered the palace and first met Xiao Jingheng during the stormy night he spent with her,
To the disappearance of Cheng Yu, when she was on the cusp of victory only to suddenly fail.
All sorts of past events converged into glaringly bright scenes flashing through her mind.
She had only been in the palace for two years, but it felt like so much longer had passed...
When Song Zhao opened her eyes again, the clamor around her had dispersed.
The bedchamber was empty, only Yun Shan was sleeping leaned against her bedside pillar.
Seeing Yun Shan's disheveled hair and swollen eyelids, she must have stayed by her side without leaving for a moment.
Song Zhao gently propped herself up, trying not to disturb the maid, but she still woke up.
"Mistress, you're awake!"
Yun Shan helped Song Zhao sit up, half anxious and half overjoyed. "Mistress, you scared me to death. After giving birth, you were unconscious for three days and nights..."
Song Zhao instinctively reached for her flat stomach and asked, "Where is my child?"
"Mistress safely gave birth to a little princess, she's here!"
Yun Shan called out towards the door, urgently summoning the wet nurse to carry in the little princess for Song Zhao to see.
The princess's face was a little wrinkled, fair with a healthy glow. Her big eyes that looked exactly like Song Zhao's stared roundly, curiously exploring the world and looking curiously at Song Zhao as well.
Song Zhao took her from the wet nurse's arms and held her tightly.
The little princess was so soft and warm, reminding Song Zhao of the first time she held Cheng Yu.
Back then, she had been so careful, afraid of hurting the child.
But in the end, she still couldn't protect her child.
Her eyes turned red. She asked again, "What about Cheng Yu? Any news?"
Seeing the tears flowing down Yun Shan's face, Song Zhao already knew.
She returned the child to the wet nurse and told her to take her away and attend to her. Then she said to Yun Shan,
"Is Xiao Fuzi alright?"
Yun Shan wiped her tears and nodded, "He's fine, just needs more recovery before he can come serve Mistress."
Song Zhao nodded slightly, "There's no rush, let him recuperate well."
Yun Shan was worried that Song Zhao hadn't eaten for days while unconscious. She hurriedly had the palace servants bring in the prepared chicken porridge, thinking that Song Zhao should at least eat a little to regain some strength.
But the smell made Song Zhao feel nauseous, she had no appetite at all.
Yun Shan anxiously said, "Mistress, you must eat at least a couple mouthfuls, or we can change it to plain porridge. You just gave birth and your body is weak, you can't go on not eating like this!"
She held up the bowl, stirring the porridge with the spoon, and brought a spoonful to Song Zhao's lips. But just then, the little eunuch steward came in uninvited.
He saluted Song Zhao, "This servant bids Concubine Yi good health. His Majesty requests all consorts and concubines to immediately proceed to the Chaoyang Palace."
"Go right now?" It was rare for Yun Shan to get angry. "Mistress has just woken up and it's not advisable for her to move after giving birth. Doesn't His Majesty know that?"
"Well..." The little steward was in a difficult position and couldn't say much, just standing there woodenly.
Song Zhao was silent for a moment.
Suddenly, she threw aside her blankets. With Yun Shan's support, she barely made it off the bed to stand. Her expression was one of utter resolve as she said,
"I was just about to go see him anyway."
When the sedan chair arrived at the Chaoyang Palace and Song Zhao went in, she saw that all the consorts and concubines were already present.
The others just glanced at her indifferently at most.
Only Rongyue and Wanshuang's eyes showed some anxiety, but they couldn't ask her if she was alright given the formal setting.
Xiao Jingheng sat imposingly at the head, his face overcast as if a storm was brewing. The atmosphere in the hall was extremely low.
Song Zhao saluted Xiao Jingheng, but unlike his usual tender affection, Xiao Jingheng didn't show her any special consideration or exemption from rituals given that she had just given birth and her body was weak.
Instead, he just let her complete the full greeting ritual before saying,
"Sit. Concubine Yi has just given birth and is susceptible to cold, bring the brazier closer to her and go heat up a hot water bottle."
Although Song Zhao's seat had three layers of goose feather cushions, to her it still felt like sitting on needles.
Before she even had a chance to catch her breath, she heard Consort Hui's silvery laugh.
"Sister Song~ you're awake! We were all so worried these days you were unconscious~"
Song Zhao glanced at her.
Her smile was pure, her eyes clear without the slightest trace of malice.
But Song Zhao knew in her heart that even if Cheng Yu's disappearance was Xiao Jingheng's scheme, Consort Hui was definitely not innocent in this matter.
She withdrew her gaze, unusually ignoring Consort Hui's overture.
Consort Hui was unperturbed, still smiling as she took a white jade cake and enjoyed it. She asked Xiao Jingheng,
"Your Majesty called Sister Song here to the Chaoyang Palace right after she gave birth. Why is that?"
Only then did Xiao Jingheng explain, "There is a strange matter I heard about that I wanted you all to listen to."
As he finished speaking, the little steward clapped three times. Immediately, guards escorted in a disheveled woman covered in blood and filth.
Song Zhao looked at her - although unkempt, it was still evident she was a beauty.
But unexpectedly, as soon as the woman entered the hall, she violently broke free of the guards' restraint and threw herself at Song Zhao's feet. Grabbing her skirt desperately, the woman shrieked,
"Concubine Yi, save me!"
"Insolence!" The little steward brandished his horsewhip, slapping away the woman's hand clutching Song Zhao's skirt. The guards also rushed up again to restrain her.
Even so, the woman still screamed at Song Zhao, "Mistress, save me!"
Song Zhao frowned, "Who are you?"
"Ah!"
Before Song Zhao had even finished speaking, Consort Yao suddenly exclaimed,
"This...isn't this Qu Yanran, the assassin who tried to kill His Majesty in Lin'an? I only saw her briefly on the boat that day. Why does she recognize you?"
