Chapter 20: The Demotion of Lady Li

Chapter 20: The Demotion of Lady Li

Song Zhao had meticulously planned the timing.

Her performance last night had greatly pleased Xiao Jingheng. Being the first consort to refuse the imperial bedchamber visit, even if Xiao Jingheng wasn't concerned about her health, he would be curious enough to visit Yaohua Palace.

Song Zhao had already calculated the time it would take to travel from Chaoyang Palace to Yaohua Palace, having been in the palace for a month.

That's why she had asked Spruce to delay reporting to Consort Yao by a quarter of an hour.

She anticipated Consort Yao's visit out of fear of being blamed, Lady Li's accompanying scolding, and perfectly timed Xiao Jingheng's arrival to witness Lady Li's outburst.

Every single detail was interconnected and executed flawlessly.

Consort Yao and Lady Li, flustered, bowed in the direction of the main entrance. Song Zhao, struggling to maintain her sickly demeanor, rose from the bed to join them in greeting.

"We wish the Emperor peace and prosperity," they said in unison.

Upon entering, Xiao Jingheng, hearing Song Zhao's cough, focused all his attention on her.

At that moment, Song Zhao, dressed in a simple nightgown, appeared frail and delicate, kneeling submissively.

Her naturally fair skin, coupled with the heat from her high fever, tinted her cheeks a flushed red, giving her a slightly tipsy appearance.

Sensing Xiao Jingheng's gaze on her, Song Zhao's body swayed slightly, fully portraying her frailty.

Her thin, sickly, and wronged figure resembled a helpless waterweed adrift, evoking even more pity.

Xiao Jingheng quickly strode over and took her hand,

"Why is your hand so hot?"

He attempted to touch her forehead, but Song Zhao, covering her mouth and nose, stepped back to avoid him,

"Your Majesty... it's improper for you to be near my sickbed. If I were to transmit my illness to you, it would be a grave sin. Please, take care of your health and don't..."

"Nonsense," Xiao Jingheng, holding onto Song Zhao's hand, didn't let go. Instead, he gently pulled the fragile girl into his embrace.

He backhandedly felt Song Zhao's forehead, finding her feverishly hot, which made him feel even more distressed and self-reproachful.

He helped Song Zhao to sit on the couch and then called out towards the door,

"Jiang Deshun, go fetch Imperial Physician Chu for me."

Hearing the mention of Imperial Physician Chu, both Song Zhao and Lady Li were unaware of his identity, but Consort Yao's heart tightened upon hearing his name.

This Imperial Physician Chu, being the head of the medical institute, only attended to Xiao Jingheng personally. Who else could command his attention?

Consort Yao immediately understood Song Zhao's significance in Xiao Jingheng's heart,

Whether it was for the novelty or her youthful beauty, it didn't matter.

At this moment, in Xiao Jingheng's heart, Song Zhao was evidently more important than both her and Lady Li.

Otherwise, Xiao Jingheng wouldn’t have allowed them to maintain such formalities for so long after his arrival.

Thus, Consort Yao immediately said, "As the principal consort of Yaohua Palace, it's my fault for not taking good care of Sister Song. Please, Your Majesty, forgive me."

For such a minor matter, Xiao Jingheng naturally wouldn’t punish Consort Yao and said,

"You've been busy attending to the Empress's illness these past days. A momentary oversight is understandable. Rise."

Just as he allowed Consort Yao to stand, he heard Song Zhao coughing softly again. Xiao Jingheng personally picked up a teacup from the small table and brought it to Song Zhao's lips,

"Cough if you need to, I'm not a stranger. Drink some water first to soothe your throat."

Song Zhao said timidly and gratefully, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

All this was observed by Lady Li, who still maintained her formal posture,

Ever since Xiao Jingheng entered, she had been following protocol. Not only had Xiao Jingheng not permitted her to rise, he hadn't even glanced at her once.

Naturally, she felt aggrieved.

She had also caught a cold a few days ago, yet Xiao Jingheng showed no concern for her. Why such profound care for someone else?

Feeling unhappy, she too coughed deliberately a couple of times.

This cough indeed caught Xiao Jingheng's attention.

However, the look he gave Lady Li was tinged with a trace of gloom:

He had just been informed by Zhang Jiugui that after Song Zhao's attendance in his chamber last night, she somehow displeased Lady Li, who punished her to stand in the rain for most of the night, leading to her catching a cold.

As the emperor, he had promised Song Zhao just yesterday that his favor would not bring her any danger,

But today, he had broken his word.

Wouldn't this mean that Lady Li had made a fool of him?

Xiao Jingheng glanced at Lady Li and said indifferently, "Has your illness not improved?"

Thinking Xiao Jingheng preferred women who acted pitiful and weak like Song Zhao, Lady Li began to exaggerate her condition.

"Your Majesty, cough, cough... I have been frail since childhood, and this cold hasn't improved for seven or eight days, cough, cough..."

"Oh? But just now, when you were speaking with Song Zhao, didn't you sound quite confident?"

"This consort... I didn't..."

"How could Song Zhao fall ill, and you be unaware?" Xiao Jingheng rebuked angrily. "You and Song Zhao live under the same roof, and yet you've been troubling her since you entered the palace. Such jealousy and malice in a woman... I wonder how your father taught you back at home."

Lady Li hastily defended herself, "Your Majesty, please see the truth! Song Zhao catching a cold has nothing to do with me. If you don't believe me, ask her!"

Song Zhao, appearing fragile, pursed her lips and nodded, "My illness is due to my weak constitution, truly unrelated to Sister Li. She has always been... very kind to me. Please, Your Majesty, don't blame her."

To Xiao Jingheng, Song Zhao's words seemed to stem from her kind heart.

So he raised his hand to interrupt her, "I only believe what I see and hear."

At this, Lady Li completely panicked, falling to her knees with a thud, bowing repeatedly,

"Your Majesty, please understand! I truly did nothing, really nothing!"

"Didn't you just say your illness was severe? How come you can now speak so fluently to me, without a single cough?"

Xiao Jingheng suddenly straightened his back, his imposing demeanor as an emperor becoming more pronounced, "Did your father never tell you that deceiving and disrespecting the emperor is a crime of the gravest nature?"

Now, Lady Li was left without a leg to stand on,

especially since she had just lied in front of Emperor Xiao Jingheng.

Raised in luxury and privilege, she had never faced the emperor’s formidable presence. Terrified, she kept knocking her head on the ground, repeatedly admitting her faults.

Despite seeing her forehead bruised, Emperor Xiao Jingheng showed no compassion, merely stating:

"In consideration of your father's contributions, I'll let this pass with a minor punishment as a lesson for you.

Issue my decree: Demote Lady Li to a common concubine and dock her stipend for six months. If you fail to restrain yourself in the future, I will have no choice but to send you out of the palace for your father to discipline you."