Chapter 78: Watching the Tigers Fight, Part 1

Chapter 78: Watching the Tigers Fight, Part 1

Deep into the night, the palace was shrouded in silence.

Only the western side chamber of Yaohua Palace still had candles burning at this hour.

Song Zhao leaned alone against the warm seat at her desk, flipping through a book of qin music.

Although Xiao Jingheng's birthday had passed, she still diligently practiced her musical and singing skills.

After all, these were assets she could use to curry favor with Xiao Jingheng in the future.

Men always need to be kept interested,

When he completely loses interest in you, that's when the loss of favor begins.

'Thud, thud, thud.'

A crisp knock came from the door, and Song Zhao responded softly, "Come in."

Xiaofuzi entered, bowed, carefully closed the door, and then whispered to Song Zhao,

"My lady, your plan worked perfectly! Something has indeed happened at Zhongcui Palace."

"Oh?" Song Zhao closed her music score, unperturbed, "I only asked you to watch for two days, and she’s already lost her patience? Tell me what you saw."

Xiaofuzi reported, "I was watching outside Zhongcui Palace, and after midnight, I saw Qingyue wearing a cloak, leaving the palace. She headed to the Qianli Pond in the western part of the Imperial Garden.

That place is secluded, especially in winter, and even less frequented since the palace lanterns there broke two days ago, making it very dark. Even the patrolling guards avoid it.

Qingyue met an eunuch at Qianli Pond. From my hidden spot, I couldn’t hear their conversation, but after a brief exchange, Qingyue handed him a brocade box.

When the eunuch opened it, a large amount of white powder burst out, apparently a sleeping powder. He instantly passed out, and Qingyue pushed him into the pond. She left quickly after making sure he sank."

Song Zhao listened quietly to Xiaofuzi’s report, then asked, "You weren’t seen, were you?"

Xiaofuzi assured, "Don’t worry, my lady. I was well hidden and wasn’t discovered."

Song Zhao nodded lightly, sighing, "Consort Shu... I hadn’t regarded her highly before, but it turns out she’s the most cunning of them all."

Xiaofuzi asked, "But I don’t understand, why would Consort Shu drown a mere eunuch in Qianli Pond? Did he make a mistake and offend her?"

Song Zhao scoffed, shaking her head, "That eunuch must be from the Censorate. Tomorrow, Yinzhi is supposed to be released from there. Whoever ordered Yinzhi to fetch the serpent fern from the Imperial Pharmacy clearly didn’t want her to leave the Censorate alive.

If I’m not mistaken, Consort Shu arranged for someone from the Censorate to secretly kill Yinzhi, then used Qingyue to fake giving a reward to the perpetrator, conveniently getting rid of him as well, leaving no witness."

"So, are you saying that the snake encounter in Mei Garden was actually orchestrated by Consort Shu?" Xiaofuzi was increasingly confused, scratching his head, "But openly, we’ve always suspected the Empress. When did you realize something was off with Consort Shu?"

"Many things seem harmless at first glance but don’t stand up to scrutiny," Song Zhao raised her eyebrows at Xiaofuzi, countering, "Do you remember what Xiao Guiren said at the time of the incident, about Consort Shu teaching her to make sachets for the ladies of the harem?"

Xiaofuzi recalled for a moment and nodded repeatedly.

Song Zhao continued, "After the snake incident in Mei Garden, when Consort Chen fell near me, the people standing beside me, besides Xiao Guiren and Liu Changzai, included Qingyue, who serves Consort Shu."

"Xiaofuzi gradually realized Song Zhao's suspicions and expressed slight surprise, saying:"

"'So it was actually Consort Shu who instigated this, and the person who tripped Consort Chen might very likely be Qingyue, who seems the least likely!'"

"Song Zhao nodded calmly, his eyes and brows lowered as he played with the rouge on his fingernails,"

"After pondering for a moment, he also thoroughly sorted out this matter in his mind,"

"'At that time, I thought this was aimed at me, so I rushed out to save Consort Chen. But think about it, if I hadn't rushed out that day, how would the situation have unfolded?'"

"Xiaofuzi said: 'Then Consort Chen would definitely not have survived. In this case, the person who went to the imperial pharmacy to get the snake grass was Consort Xiao, the one eager to make sachets for all the concubines was Consort Xiao, and during the encounter with the snake in the Plum Garden, the person most likely to trip Consort Chen was also Consort Xiao!"

"All these events are linked, leading everyone to naturally assume that Consort Xiao, resentful over her ruined appearance, plotted to kill Consort Chen. If Consort Chen had really died, Consort Xiao might not have had the chance to be diagnosed with the imperial heir in her womb and would have been executed in the emperor's rage..."

"Xiaofuzi's analysis coincided exactly with what Song Zhao was thinking,"

"And the reason she suspected Consort Shu was actually another matter that had been overlooked by everyone."

"She said: 'On the day of the snake encounter in the Plum Garden, we always thought the smell of realgar came from the soup baby the Empress was holding. But think about it, Consort Shu arrived almost together with the Empress that day, and she stood by the Empress's side the whole time. It's not impossible that the scent of realgar came from Consort Shu.'"

"Recalling the scene of that day, Xiaofuzi remembered Consort Shu sticking closely to the Empress's side, and had an epiphany, exclaiming excitedly:"

"'Right! My master is so wise! We saw the Empress holding a soup baby and assumed the smell came from it. But if Consort Shu used realgar as her perfume powder, it's not impossible that the smell came from her!'"

"Song Zhao pondered for a moment before saying: 'This is the brilliance of Consort Shu's move. Even if Consort Chen didn't die, Consort Shu could still dissociate herself from the matter, and even implicate the Empress.'"

"Xiaofuzi sighed: 'Who would have thought that Consort Shu, seemingly gentle and graceful, harbors such sinister thoughts behind her façade...'"

"'Her sinister thoughts are far from just this.' Song Zhao's clear eyes gradually clouded with a shadow, and he said in a deep voice:"

"I suspect that her miscarriage in the past was also a storm she stirred up herself."

"This..." Xiaofuzi was astonished at the revelation, "Do you mean that Consort Shu caused her own miscarriage?"

After pondering, he found it far-fetched and shook his head repeatedly, "But that child was almost seven months along, and was the Emperor's first son, a precious heir. Your status is only a concubine, my lady. It doesn't make sense for Consort Shu to risk losing such an opportunity just to frame you."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhao suddenly looked up at Xiaofuzi, a faint smile playing on her lips as she raised an eyebrow at him,

"But what if she was going to lose the baby anyway?"