Chapter 23: Song Zhao’s Overnight Stay

Chapter 23: Song Zhao’s Overnight Stay

It was said that last night, Xiao Jingheng stayed in Yonghe Palace.

Today, during the morning greetings to the Empress, Chenfei arrived earlier than usual.

Upon seeing Lady Li, she said, "Lady Li, you seem to be in poor spirits today."

She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and chuckled, "Ah, I forgot. Now I should address you as Lady Li. It's quite an achievement. In all the years since the Emperor's ascension, I've only heard of promoting consorts, never demoting. This is a first."

Lady Li, blushing furiously, stood frozen in place, wishing she could disappear into the ground,

The Empress intervened, saying, "No one is perfect. The important thing is to recognize and correct one's mistakes. It's never too late."

Seizing the opportunity, Lady Li quickly responded, "Thank you, Empress, for speaking on my behalf and for the Emperor's lenient punishment. I am deeply grateful."

"Once you enter the palace, we are all sisters. We should support each other, not kick someone when they're down."

As the Empress said this, she deliberately glanced at Consort Chen.

Consort Chen, full of disdain, gave her a top-to-bottom look, scoffed, and then turned her head away, ignoring her.

Approaching autumn, the recent heatwave intensified, and even the Empress's palace, filled with ice, became uncomfortably hot when crowded.

Thus, the formal greeting was merely a formality, and after less than fifteen minutes of conversation, the Empress dismissed everyone.

After the greeting was over, Song Zhao had intended to return to her palace to rest, but on her way back, she unexpectedly encountered Consort Chen.

The Noble Consort, known for her fiery nature and directness, didn’t beat around the bush when she spoke:

"Noble Consort Chen asked, 'I heard that last night you sent the Emperor away. Why?'"

"Song Zhao respectfully replied, 'I had just served His Majesty the night before, and serving again so soon would break protocol. Firstly, I am suffering from a cold and should not attend to His Majesty; secondly, only Noble Consort Chen enjoys the privilege of consecutive nights of service. I am fearful and dare not compare myself to you.'"

"'Hmph, you are quite tactful,' Noble Consort Chen appraised her with a sly look in her eyes, then turned and instructed, 'Ying Xiang, bring her the item.'"

Yingxiang stepped forward and handed Song Zhao a brocade box. Opening it, Song Zhao found a pair of pearl earrings, more lustrous and round than the pair Chenfei had given to Lady Li.

"This... This gift is too valuable, I dare not accept it."

"Take it. You're going to serve the Emperor, and you can't look shabby. Stick with me, and there's more to come than just this."

Thus, Song Zhao hesitantly accepted the generous gift, "I am deeply grateful for Your Highness’s magnanimity and kindness."

As they parted, Chenfei advised Song Zhao to recover quickly and even mentioned she would find an opportunity to arrange for Song Zhao to attend to the Emperor.

Song Zhao didn't bother to decipher the truth in her words,

Even if Chenfei didn’t arrange it, Song Zhao had her ways to keep herself in Emperor Xiao Jingheng's thoughts.

For about ten days, Song Zhao remained unwell, and the Directorate of Ceremonial kept her attendance plaque hung up.

During this time, Xiao Jingheng visited her once but was again refused for the same reason.

Subsequently, as state affairs became busier, Xiao Jingheng stopped seeking her out.

Besides Chenfei, Emperor Xiao Jingheng didn’t summon any other consorts during these days.

There was a junior official in the Astronomical Bureau, who previously served under Song Shicheng.

The Bureau was responsible for observing astronomical phenomena and divining star patterns. One day, this official secretly passed a message to Song Zhao,

"Mistress Song, the Bureau Chief has calculated that tonight at midnight, a heavy rain will fall over the capital."

Having a plan in mind, Song Zhao sent Spruce to inform the Directorate of Ceremonial of her recovery.

As expected, that very night, Xiao Jingheng chose her attendance card.

This time, the Song Zhao attending to the Emperor was strikingly different from before.

She wore an exquisitely refined makeup, highlighting her facial features to their utmost advantage, stunningly beautiful to the point where even the eunuchs carrying her palanquin couldn’t help but steal extra glances.

Not to mention Xiao Jingheng, a man in the prime of his life.

He held Song Zhao's slender waist and whispered into her ear,

"My consort, your illness had me deeply concerned."

Song Zhao coquettishly responded, “I wonder if Your Majesty missed my company or my body.”

She was not one to lack understanding in romantic nuances,

As she spoke, her delicate, boneless fingers wandered under Xiao Jingheng's robe, softly tracing circles on his firm chest.

The tingling sensation instantly electrified his body, intensifying his interest in exploring her.

He assertively scooped Song Zhao into his arms, and they both tumbled onto the imperial bed, embarking on a primal journey of discovery.

During their intimate time, Xiao Jingheng was completely lost in the moment, their breaths mingling, sweat freely flowing.

It had been a long time since a woman had given him such an ethereal and intense experience.

Usually, after intimate moments with other consorts, he would quickly regain his composure and lose interest in such matters.

Yet with Song Zhao, it was completely different.

He lay flat on the bed, allowing Song Zhao to curl up in his arms like a docile cat, while his hands caressed her shoulders, occasionally wandering over her prominent collarbones.

This single intimate moment lasted nearly an hour.

As midnight approached, it was time for Song Zhao to return to her palace.

Xiao Jingheng held her hand, "Stay a bit longer with me."

His imperial facade dropped in the face of Song Zhao's charm, making his request sound almost pleading.

Song Zhao hesitated, about to refuse,

Suddenly, a thunderous boom resonated from outside the window.

Instinctively, Song Zhao shivered, and Xiao Jingheng promptly pulled her closer into his embrace.

He wrapped his arms around her protectively, "Don’t be afraid, I'm here."

The Astronomical Bureau’s prediction was incredibly accurate; shortly after the thunder, rain began to fall lightly.

Song Zhao, nestled in Xiao Jingheng's arms, stared at the rain outside the curtain, a mix of fear and awe in her expression, involuntarily snuggling closer to him.

Xiao Jingheng kissed her forehead gently, softly saying,

"Stay."

"Your Majesty, I cannot..."

"You didn't let me see you these past few days, fearing the illness might spread to me, saying it would make you uneasy. Now, with the thunderstorm outside, you’re scared of the thunder, and you’ve just recovered. If you fall ill again after returning tonight, wouldn’t that also prevent me from resting easy?"

Xiao Jingheng gently cradled Song Zhao's chin with his fingertips, slowly turning her head towards him,

His handsome brows and eyes loomed close, each breath falling upon her porcelain skin,

He leaned down, pressing a burning kiss on Song Zhao’s lips, then huskily whispered,

"Could you bear to see me restless?"

Song Zhao's heart raced, the thumping loud enough to mask the rain outside the window,

Overcome with shyness, she reached back to encircle Xiao Jingheng's neck,

Drawing nearer, inch by inch, she breathed softly,

"I... I can't bear it."