Upon realizing this, Feng Hui frowned even more deeply. Since moving into Xuanzhi Palace, Song Shuhao seemed to be unhappy every single day. His Majesty often spent time with her, leaving the other concubines neglected. They were filled with resentment but there was nothing they could do; that place was filled with His Majesty's people, and any slight movement would easily expose them.
The palace servants noticed Consort Shu standing in the hall and, regaining their senses, hurriedly bowed. Feng Hui, however, remained staring at the sky until she saw the kite fall. She then sneered twice and returned to the hall. Song Shuhao feared that this butterfly kite, soaring high today while being adored by His Majesty, would be nothing more than that tomorrow.
She was looking forward to it, but not in a hurry. As she entered the hall, something suddenly occurred to her. Feng Hui summoned her head maid, Tingyu, and gave her a few instructions. Tingyu nodded repeatedly, understanding her meaning, and took the instructions to carry out the task.
·
After serving and accompanying Zhang Yu through lunch, and waiting for him to rest in the afternoon, Zhang Xin sent someone to Xuanzhi Hall to invite her over. So Ahao greeted Lü Yuan and Lü Chuan and went to Changle Palace.
A while ago, Zhang Xin kept saying she wanted to learn how to brew tea properly, and that it would be great if Ahao taught her. She even begged Zhang Yu for it. After much pleading and cajoling, Zhang Yu finally relented, and for this, Zhang Xin even gave up a set of black pearl jewelry that she had wanted for a long time.
When Zhang Xin burned her hand for the eighth time, even though she insisted, Ah Hao, who couldn't bear to let her continue learning, advised her to rest for the day. Looking at the small red marks on the back of her hand, Zhang Xin felt sorry for herself and listened to Ah Hao's advice, stopping for the time being and promising that Ah Hao would come to teach her again next time.
Ah Hao had no objection and agreed to Zhang Xin's request. Seeing that Zhang Xin looked a little sleepy, she didn't stay any longer and quickly took her leave from Yongle Palace, heading back to Xuanzhi Hall. When she was almost at Xuanzhi Hall, Ah Hao realized that the handkerchief she always carried with her was missing. She didn't know where she had left it but was afraid that someone had picked it up.
Worried, she went back along the way to look for him, but still couldn't find him. Ah Hao then went to Chang Le Palace and greeted Zhang Xin's head maid. After searching back and forth several times without success, she had to give up. When Ah Hao returned to Xuan Zhi Hall, Zhang Yu had already woken up from his afternoon nap and was reviewing memorials in the hall.
Knowing that Ahao had returned from Yongle Palace, Zhang Yu called her in. He was still looking down at the memorials when he asked her directly, "Why did you take so long?" Ahao explained, and Zhang Yu looked up at her and asked again, "Is there something about your handkerchief that can identify its owner?"
"Because it is a personal item, servants usually embroider their names on the corners." It is easy to identify one's identity, but if such a thing falls into the hands of others, who knows if they will use it for their own purposes? Ah Hao's worries are not unfounded.
"I'll send someone to look for it for you, don't worry," Zhang Yu said, then asked about Zhang Xin's progress in learning tea ceremony. Ahao immediately replied, "The little princess is working very hard, but she's been burned several times, which is heartbreaking to see. But Her Highness says it's alright and insists on continuing to learn. With such perseverance, what can't she accomplish?"
After exchanging a few words, Zhang Yu noticed that Song Shuhao looked quite tired, likely from searching for the handkerchief in the sun for a long time, so he quickly told her to go and rest. However, this time, like the kite before, the handkerchief was not found, so Zhang Yu took it to heart.
·
The next day, Ahao helped Zhang Yu get up and watched him go to the morning court. Perhaps because of her period, she was extremely tired. After a while, she couldn't hold on any longer and took a nap, which was unusual for her. After sleeping for about half an hour, Ahao still felt dizzy and lightheaded, but she got up anyway.
Not knowing if His Majesty the Emperor had returned, she struggled to walk from the side hall to the main hall to check the situation. Just as she reached the entrance, Granny Feng arrived with two strong eunuchs. A-Hao, puzzled, quickly went to greet her and asked what was wrong. Granny Feng, upon reaching her, said, "There are some things that I'm afraid we need to ask Aunt Song to speak clearly to the Empress Dowager."
The fact that she was so polite, even though she seemed ready to forcibly take someone away if they didn't obey, suggested there was room for negotiation. Ah Hao asked her, "What is it that Granny Feng is referring to?"
Seeing her like this, Granny Feng sneered and said, "What Auntie did, I'm afraid you don't need to ask others, you should ask yourself to know best." She was far from the peaceful way she used to get along with Ah Hao. Her attitude was quite cold and nasty, and she refused to say another word.
Ah Hao had a feeling that this was not something she could easily resolve. She thought about the handkerchief that had gone missing yesterday and still hadn't been found... She remembered that Zhang Yu had arranged for someone to report to her immediately if anything happened to her and he wasn't there.
Thinking that she should be able to hold out until then, Ah Hao said to Granny Feng, "Since Granny says there's something to discuss, I'll go with you and explain things clearly. I haven't done anything wrong, so I'm not afraid."
Following Granny Feng to Changning Palace, Ahao and Empress Dowager Feng paid their respects and saw many people sitting in the hall, including the Empress, Consort De, Consort Shu, and the rarely seen Consort Xie, as well as many other concubines and ladies-in-waiting. This gathering seemed even larger than the last time.
A familiar butterfly kite and a familiar handkerchief were placed in front of her. Although Ah Hao didn't understand how these two things had ended up together, she understood what was going on. She tried hard and thought about it carefully, but still couldn't figure out what it was supposed to do.
Shen Wanru glanced at everyone and then at Empress Dowager Feng's expression. She pursed her lips slightly and asked Ahao, "Does Aunt recognize these two things?" Ahao nodded and said they looked somewhat familiar. Shen Wanru's expression became even more complicated, as if she was angry at Ahao's lack of self-control. "How could Aunt disregard palace rules and do such a foolish thing?"
Ah Hao was confused and could only explain, "The kite was lost because I was clumsy and the string broke. The kite flew away and fell to another place in the palace. The handkerchief..." Song Shuhao looked through it and confirmed that it was indeed her handkerchief. Then she explained, "The handkerchief is indeed mine, but I accidentally lost it this afternoon. I don't understand what Your Majesty is saying."
Empress Dowager Feng sat at the head of the table in the hall, one hand resting on a small table, her expression not good. She looked at Song Shuhao without saying anything, then glanced at Feng Hui. Feng Hui had just put down her teacup, wiping the tea residue from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, and began to speak.
“Aunt Song, it’s nothing much. You said the kite and the handkerchief were lost separately, but the palace maid who found the kite said the handkerchief was tangled in the kite. There’s no other meaning, but… how could such a secret exchange and clandestine dealings be done?”
After Feng Hui's explanation and reminder, Ahao finally realized why the kite and the handkerchief were tangled together. She was even more surprised that these two items had been picked up by an ordinary person; otherwise, they would never have ended up in such a predicament.
Flying a kite in the palace, especially in the back garden of Xuanzhi Hall, and with some of her paintings on the kite, it's quite remarkable that they could even make such a connection. Ah Hao also felt that it was equally rare that no one recognized the Emperor's painting; besides, why couldn't it be His Majesty himself flying the kite?
As Ah Hao was thinking this, she remembered the change in Zhang Yu's attitude towards her that she had witnessed. Although it was far less unusual for him to personally fly the kite than to do it himself, she finally understood why he had directly decided on her.
"Your Majesty, I have no right to do anything that would disregard palace rules. Yesterday, the little princess sent for me to go to Chang Le Palace, and the handkerchief was lost on my way back. I searched along the way several times without finding it, and I even informed the people around the little princess that if they saw it, they should keep it for me and thank them another day. All of this can be verified, and there is absolutely no falsehood in it. If I have lied, please punish me as you see fit, Your Majesty."
After hearing this, Consort De snorted lightly, "How do you know if you've conspired to do something shady? Even if it is just one person, how can it be more credible than this irrefutable evidence?" Her words were slightly sarcastic and disdainful towards Song Shuhao.
Empress Dowager Feng looked coldly at Song Shuhao, but her mind was elsewhere. Back then, because of the witchcraft incident, the Emperor had demanded people from her and made many requests, which she had generally agreed to, indicating that none of them were difficult. However, seeing the Emperor's increasingly intriguing attitude towards Song Shuhao, and Song Shuhao seemingly ignoring her words, it was clear that a gentle nudge was necessary.
"Then, are my words credible or not?"
Zhang Yu's voice interrupted Empress Dowager Feng's thoughts. She slightly raised her face and saw Zhang Yu step into the hall. Everyone rose to pay their respects, but he walked straight to the head of the table, sat down, and looked around at everyone present with a half-smile.
After slowly dismissing their formalities, Zhang Yu laughed and said to Empress Dowager Feng, "I just finished the morning court session when I heard that my kite had finally been found and was right here with you, Mother. I rushed over to see if it was true. I didn't expect it to be so. It seems I should meet the person who found my kite."
Empress Dowager Feng turned to look at Zhang Yu upon hearing this and asked, "Why is Your Majesty suddenly interested in kites?" Zhang Yu tapped the table lightly with his finger and said, "Mother should ask me how to say that it is my kite. That way, I can tell you that it was made by my own hands."
Chapter 64 Update
Zhang Yu's words startled many in the hall. Xie Lanyan, sitting among the concubines, smiled almost imperceptibly upon hearing them. Now, watching the Emperor's series of actions, she found it quite amusing. In the past, Zhao Jian had unilaterally believed that Song Shuhao was deeply in love with the Emperor; now that he had finally achieved his wish, the feeling must be wonderful. Knowing he was uncomfortable made her feel at ease.
It seems she really needs to seriously consider her future. The emperor seems determined to win many things, Prince Ning has no chance of getting anything out of the way, and Zhao Jian is still the same old Zhao Jian... She might as well sit back and watch them fight it out, and if she can reap the benefits, all the better.
For her, the palace was no longer a place to linger. To find a new way out, she had to plan carefully. She should try anyone she could still use and any method she could attempt, regardless of the cost. Too many people wanted her dead; if she stayed any longer, her life would be even more in danger.
Empress Dowager Feng's casual question was met with Zhang Yu's slightly sarcastic remark, which made her feel somewhat embarrassed, but she suppressed her emotions. The next moment, a smile appeared on her face, and she said to Zhang Yu, "You made this yourself, Your Majesty? I didn't know that Your Majesty was quite interested in these things."
Looking at the tattered and broken kite, Empress Dowager Feng said regretfully, "If I had known it was His Majesty who made it, I should have told them to be more careful. This kite is already quite broken; it's a pity His Majesty went to so much trouble."
"There are probably many things that the Empress Dowager doesn't know," Zhang Yu replied casually, as if there was a deeper meaning in his words. He then continued, "Now that they've been found, whether good or bad, they're all mine. I'll take them with me in a moment."
As he spoke, his gaze swept across the hall, and he chuckled, "There's no rush to talk about that. What I'm more interested in now is who found my kite and brought it to Mother Empress. Who can tell me all about it?"
Although Zhang Yu appeared calm and unhurried, and his expression wasn't particularly somber, the gaze he cast upon everyone carried an indescribable sense of pressure, making it impossible to ignore and causing everyone to instinctively tense up. A small number of people, even those who knew it had nothing to do with them, couldn't help but worry for themselves.
A sudden silence fell over the hall, time seemed to stand still for a moment, and even breathing became cautious. Most of the concubines lowered their eyes, showing no intention of speaking, nor did they want to seize this opportunity to have a conversation with His Majesty the Emperor. But there were still some who were willing to fight for themselves, hoping that the Emperor would glance at them even once.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say." A sweet voice broke the strange silence in the hall. Everyone looked up and saw Consort Chen Feiyi rise from her seat and curtsy to Zhang Yu.
After receiving Zhang Yu's permission, she continued, "I originally went to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers. Later, on my way back to Yijing Palace, I saw Consort Gu's head maidservant walking hurriedly with something that looked like a kite in her hand."
"Although I didn't see it very clearly at the moment, this kite looked familiar, and I can't help but..." She deliberately stopped there, not continuing, and slowly glanced at Gu Yunqi, "I suppose Consort Gu should know more than I do."
Gu Yunqi, who had essentially been directly identified, paled instantly. Feeling the emperor's gaze upon her, her heart pounded wildly. She didn't know why, but at that moment, she remembered the tragic death of Consort An before her eyes. After rising from her seat, she hurriedly knelt on the ground, attempting to defend herself.