Chapter 4: Entering the Palace

Chapter 4: Entering the Palace

The next morning, the royal carriage arrived at the Song residence to take Song Zhao to the palace.

As she was leaving, Song Shicheng bid her farewell outside the mansion gates,

Crying profusely, he repeatedly admonished Song Zhao to take care of herself after entering the palace.

Yunshan, as a born servant of the house, was allowed to accompany Song Zhao into the palace.

After the royal carriage had left the Song residence, Yunshan remarked, “In the end, the master does care about you, Second Miss. In all my years serving in the mansion, I’ve never seen the master cry like that.”

Song Zhao smiled, gazing out of the window without a word.

Was he crying for her?

He was merely crying for the sake of those in the imperial court, trying to create the image of a loving father.

The carriage entered the Imperial Palace through the Wumen Gate and stopped outside the Jiangxue Pavilion.

As soon as it came to a halt, a sharp voice was heard outside the carriage,

"This servant, Xiaoshunzi from the Imperial Household Department, greets the young master respectfully."

The carriage door opened from outside, and Song Zhao glanced at the eunuch standing in front, smiling and nodding to him.

Xiaoshunzi, initially all smiles, changed his expression instantly upon seeing Song Zhao's swollen face.

Palace servants are experts at assessing situations and aligning themselves with those in power,

Especially those serving in the Imperial Household Department, adept at discerning imperial preferences and who would be favored or disfavored by the Emperor.

From Xiaoshunzi's attitude, it was evident that he thought Song Zhao's appearance would not win favor, so he didn't even bother to feign a polite smile.

After stepping out of the carriage, Xiaoshunzi led Song Zhao and her servant Yunshan into the Jiangxue Pavilion.

Yunshan asked him, "Excuse me, will the Emperor be coming here later?"

However, Xiaoshunzi acted as if he didn't hear her, continuing to lead the way without looking back.

Thinking he hadn’t heard her, Yunshan cleared her throat, ready to ask again louder,

But at that moment, Song Zhao pulled her back, shaking her head and signaling with her eyes not to ask further.

Upon entering the Jiangxue Pavilion, Song Zhao saw the other three selected beauties, who had already arrived.

Xiaoshunzi, who was rude to her, was all smiles and flattery towards these new beauties,

"Lady Li, Xiaochangzai, Liuchangzai, this is Song Daying. Please wait here for a moment. The Emperor will summon you after the morning court."

Among them, Song Zhao had the lowest status. She first paid her respects to the three,

They responded to Song Zhao with a mere nod, a perfunctory acknowledgment.

Standing at the front was Lady Li, dressed in rose-purple Yunjin brocade with a bird and flower pattern, adorned with gold and silver jewelry, clearly from a much wealthier background than Xiaochangzai and Liuchangzai.

She cleverly had her maid give several silver ingots to Xiaoshunzi,

"I’ve just entered the palace and am unfamiliar with many rules. I hope Xiaogonggong can guide me in the future."

Xiaoshunzi, accepting the silver, grinned broadly, "The young master is smart and beautiful, surely destined to win the Emperor's favor."

Xiaochangzai and Liuchangzai also gave him their gratuities,

Only Song Zhao fiddled nervously with her handkerchief, looking uneasy,

"Xiaogonggong, I didn’t bring much money with me to the palace, so here..."

She took off a silver earring and handed it to Xiaoshunzi, "Please accept this, and in the future..."

"No need for that," Xiaoshunzi waved his hand, refusing even to touch the earring offered by Song Zhao,

"How can I accept your personal jewelry? This item is precious, you should keep it for yourself."

After his sarcastic remark, he left, prompting giggles from Lady Li and the others.

Song Zhao, embarrassed, blushed and sat down in a corner, head lowered.

Noble Lady Li and Xiao Changzai glanced in Song Zhao's direction, their voices loud enough in their private conversation as if they wanted to make sure Song Zhao could hear them.

Xiao Changzai remarked, "Oh dear, the Duke is a high-ranking official of the second rank, and she comes from his household. How can she be so poorly presented?"

Liu Changzai added, "Sister Li is different. Her father is the Grand Canal Commissioner, also a high official of the second rank. But Sister Li entered the palace as a noble lady with a significant dowry. She’s far superior to a mere maid like her~"

Xiao Changzai laughed and continued, "Sister, are you confused? Sister Li is born of the legal wife, while that Song girl is just a concubine's daughter. It's only due to the emperor’s favor to the Duke's family that she didn't start as a common court lady. Look at her appearance; who knows if she has some hidden illness? We should keep our distance."

Noble Lady Li, basking in their flattery, was inwardly delighted.

So, she waved her hands and pretended to be magnanimous, "Enough, enough. Once in the palace, we are all sisters. Let's not speak ill of others."

These sharp words were like daggers, even making Yunshan feel bitter.

Yet, she saw Song Zhao maintaining a calm demeanor, even leisurely fiddling with the nail polish on her fingernails.

Yunshan whispered, "Miss, the master gave us two hundred taels of silver before entering the palace, specifically to give tips to the palace servants. Everyone else did, so why didn’t you just follow suit and give some to that eunuch?"

Song Zhao looked up at Yunshan and replied in lip language:

'He won’t live to spend it.'

Yunshan understood the words but not their meaning.

Just as she was about to ask further, they heard Xiao Shunzi’s scream from outside the hall:

"I have erred! Please spare my life, Your Highness!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xiao Shunzi being detained and kneeling on the ground, the bribes he had received spilling from his bosom as he bowed too fervently, scattering across the floor.

Standing before him was a tall and graceful woman in a crimson brocade robe with gold patterns, draped in a silver-threaded mantle, her hair styled into a cloud bun and adorned with gold filigree and kingfisher feather hairpins, radiating opulence.

She gently touched her hair bun, glanced down at Xiao Shunzi with a stern voice, and said:

"With the Emperor dealing with corrupt officials in the front court, how dare you extend your greedy hands to the inner palace? Which hand did you use to accept those bribes just now?"

Xiao Shunzi stuttered, unable to reply, when a palace maid spoke up:

"Replying to Consort Ying, it was his right hand."

Consort Ying raised a silk handkerchief to her nose, lightly pressed on her face powder, and said nonchalantly:

"Then cut off his right hand and send him to serve in the Xin Zhe Ku."

The punishment of amputation was severe, but from Consort Ying's mouth, it sounded as casual as killing a chicken.

This act was a warning to others. As Xiao Shunzi was gagged and dragged away, Consort Ying turned and entered the inner chamber.

Noble Lady Li and the others, including Song Zhao, were all sixteen-year-old young girls, pampered at home, and had never witnessed such a bloody scene.

Added to the fact that they had indeed given bribes to Xiao Shunzi, they were trembling with fear even before Consort Ying approached them, barely able to stand.

When they knelt in unison to pay respects to Consort Ying, Noble Lady Li’s knees gave out, causing her to stumble and nearly fall.

"We pay our respects to Consort Ying, may you be forever blessed."

Consort Ying's piercing gaze swiftly swept over them, and she suddenly smiled,

"Look at you all, just now chatting and laughing, and now what? Did my dealing with a guilty servant frighten you, sisters?"

After speaking, her gaze naturally fell on Song Zhao, standing in the corner.