·
The next day, A-Hao went to serve Empress Dowager Feng as usual. Hongling, the head maid of Empress Shen, came to see her, asking for needlework advice. She said there was a pattern she couldn't embroider no matter what she asked, and even after asking others, she couldn't figure it out. She asked Song Shuhao to take a look at it when she could. A-Hao understood that this was a message and naturally knew how to respond.
With Zhang Yu's explicit suggestion, her thoughts changed somewhat. She hadn't dared to consider Empress Shen before, but now it was different. Or rather, it should be said that she didn't necessarily want to side with Empress Shen; it was just that Empress Shen suited Zhang Yu's wishes, and she was merely going along with Zhang Yu's wishes.
"If Aunt Hongling isn't in a hurry, I'll go and take a look when I have some free time. But my skills aren't necessarily good, so I might not be able to help you much," Ahao said with a smile, agreeing to Hongling's suggestion.
Hongling smiled and said, "No rush, Aunt Song can come again when she has time."
Lanxiang secretly watched Ahao and Hongling chatting and laughing from afar. After Hongling left Changning Palace, she also quietly disappeared.
Chapter 43 Alliance
Her health hadn't improved for more than a few days when her condition worsened again. With her face turning slightly dark, Shen Wanru half-sat up and let Green Robe feed her medicine. She then put a candied fruit in her mouth to get rid of the lingering bitterness.
Just as Shen Wanru lay back down on the bed, Hongling came in to report that Song Shuhao had arrived. A few days later, Song Shuhao finally arrived at Fengyang Palace. With the help of a woman in green, Shen Wanru was put into a half-reclining position before she instructed that Song Shuhao be invited into the room.
Green Robe carried the bowls and plates out of the inner room with Red Ling. As they brushed past Song Shuhao, Green Robe glanced at her sideways. Red Ling tugged at her sleeve, and Green Robe reluctantly looked away, but her displeasure was not hidden.
After leaving the room, which was so hot from the burning charcoal brazier, and handing the things to the maidservant, Green Robe pulled Red Riding Hung aside and began to ask questions.
"What does she want with our Empress?"
There was a time when Shen Wanru went to Xuanzhi Hall to deliver a late-night snack to Zhang Yu, only to find that Song Shuhao had already finished the task. At the time, the woman in green was dissatisfied and said a few words, which resulted in her being punished. From then on, she couldn't stand Song Shuhao no matter how she looked at her.
Green Robe had heard all the rumors circulating in the palace. While she wouldn't believe them entirely, she was convinced of about 70-80%, especially the one about Song Shuhao using every trick in the book to seduce the Emperor. When Empress Dowager Feng sent Song Shuhao to greet someone, she almost caused Empress Shen to stumble. Green Robe believed that Song Shuhao was definitely involved in this whole affair.
Having been severely punished for her outspokenness, Green Robe became much more careful with her words, but her temperament couldn't be changed much in a short time. When she first saw Song Shuhao come to see Empress Shen, Green Robe assumed she had ill intentions and didn't understand why the Empress was treating her so well.
Hongling, who had served Shen Wanru alongside Green Robe for many years, easily saw through her thoughts. Hongling looked at her helplessly and said, "Your Highness has her reasons for doing things, and we cannot question them casually. You've already suffered a loss because of this for the first time, why don't you learn from it?"
Hongling's words indicated that it was the Empress's intention, which was tantamount to denying her own guess. Nevertheless, Green Robe still pursed her lips and reluctantly fell silent, not saying anything she shouldn't.
·
Passing by the gilded and white jade screen inlaid with peonies and carved ebony patterns, A-Hao curtsied to Shen Wanru on the couch. Shen Wanru smiled and asked her to rise, then offered her a seat.
Ah Hao sat down on the edge of the embroidered stool by the bed, looking at Empress Shen's dark complexion. She thought about how her health had improved a few days ago, but in the blink of an eye, it seemed that things were even worse than before. Although she was thinking about it, Ah Hao didn't ask Empress Shen anything because they weren't that close. Besides, patients are generally reluctant to ask about such things.
Feeling unwell and knowing that Song Shuhao shouldn't stay in Fengyang Palace for too long, Shen Wanru got straight to the point, without beating around the bush, and directly told her the purpose of asking her to come see her.
“Last time at Changning Palace, if you had paid attention, it wouldn’t have been hard to tell that you were set up. Since you investigated those broken ice pieces, you must have gained a lot, so I don’t need to repeat it again. Now that things have come to this, you know your situation in the palace better than I do. She found someone to back her up, so even if you just want to protect yourself, you can’t do without relying on others.”
“I don’t care or ask what happened during your trip with His Majesty, but what I saw was the change in the Princess’s attitude. Why did Xue Liangyue, who always tries to please you, step in to help you… You’ve thought about the reasons carefully, and you’re no less confused than I am.”
"They're targeting you, and they're targeting me too. In this palace, it's probably pointless to seek help from anyone else. His Majesty doesn't have the energy to constantly monitor you, but I'm different. I can help you more than you think. You don't need to do anything special, just cooperate with my plan. I can't offer you much in return, but ensuring your safety is no problem."
Shen Wanru spoke frankly to Ahao, saying, "You can't let go of your mother, so you must still value your life. I might as well be frank with you. If His Majesty truly values you, there will be many more people who can't tolerate you, especially some who were originally very tolerant of you."
After talking non-stop, Shen Wanru couldn't help but cough a few times. Ahao handed her a teacup from a small table. After drinking the tea, Shen Wanru felt much better and thanked Ahao.
Since Shen Wanru spoke so frankly, Ahao didn't beat around the bush with her either. Taking the teacup she handed over and placing it back on the small table, Ahao then asked her, "What does Her Majesty the Empress wish for me to do?" The question was no different from the one she had asked Zhang Yu not long ago.
“Wait.” Shen Wanru quickly responded to Ahao. “It’s not you or me who are anxious, it’s others. We just need to wait patiently now. The New Year is coming soon, it won’t be long.”
Song Shuhao nodded slightly and said only to Shen Wanru, "This servant will consider it carefully."
...
After Shen Wanru rested, Ahao came out of the room, and Hongling immediately came up to her, handing her the things she had prepared in advance, saying, "Auntie, take this back and take a look at it for me. If it's feasible, let me know."
A-Kai glanced at them and saw that they were two unfinished embroidery pieces. She smiled and said, "Okay, Aunt Hongling, don't worry." She then left Fengyang Palace with the items.
·
South of Changning Palace, beneath two magnolia trees that were devoid of blossoms and fragrance, Princess Zhang Jin and Xue Liangyue stood facing each other. Zhang Jin looked somewhat impatient, her brows furrowed, while Xue Liangyue suddenly knelt before her.
"If I cannot win His Majesty's favor, it is because I am useless. But does Her Highness the Princess really abandon me? Everything is not settled yet, and there is still room for maneuver. Give me a little more time, and perhaps I can succeed?"
Xue Liangyue pleaded desperately, her words choked with sobs, trying to persuade the person before her. Her words, however, did not soften Zhang Jin's expression; instead, her brows furrowed even more. Looking down at Xue Liangyue, Zhang Jin spoke, her words anything but polite.
"You're not one of my people, so how can you say I don't care about you? You don't need my permission to do what you want, so how can you say that if you have a little more time, you might be able to accomplish it?"
Xue Liangyue continued, "She has now pledged allegiance to the Empress and has gone to Fengyang Palace. Does Your Highness, do you think there's nothing wrong with this? The Empress Dowager adopted us; how could she do such a thing?"
"What does that have to do with me..." As if suddenly realizing something, Zhang Jin's brows relaxed slightly, and she replied, "You really are useless. You had so many opportunities in the past but didn't seize them. Now that you've become like this, you're getting anxious. You only see what you're thinking, just like seeing a snake in a cup. Looking at it this way, Song Shuhao is indeed much smarter than you."
As the eldest princess, her wealth and status were inextricably linked to the emperor's attitude. If the emperor treated her warmly, her life would naturally become better day by day. If the emperor neglected her, then even with her status, she wouldn't necessarily be able to do whatever she wanted.
The emperor has undoubtedly been very good to her so far, and she naturally hopes that this goodness will continue, so that her life will become increasingly beautiful. Zhang Jin, who understands this well, is happy to cater to Zhang Yu's preferences in certain matters.
During the winter hunt, Zhang Yu and Song Shuhao were alone, but nothing happened between them. Zhang Jin didn't care what others thought, but to her, this was extremely unusual information. Of course, it wasn't that a lone man and woman had to be intimate; what Zhang Jin valued most was Zhang Yu's ambiguous attitude.
Matters between men and women are often inexplicable. Zhang Jin remembered that there had been several emperors in the history of the Great Qi Dynasty who were devoted to only one woman, and she couldn't guarantee that her younger brother wouldn't follow the same path.
As for who that person was, it didn't matter much to her. Since Song Shuhao had that possibility, it wouldn't be difficult for her to offer her some small favors. Even if Song Shuhao and Shen Wanru really did get together, it would simply be their doing. If she cared about these things, she wouldn't have needed to take that action that day.
Xue Liangyue had no idea what Zhang Jin was thinking. She only knew that the change in the Princess's attitude was marked by the winter hunt, and that the Princess's past kindness towards her was simply because she valued her or hoped she could become a concubine. Even if Song Shuhao claimed there was nothing between her and His Majesty the Emperor, how could anyone believe her?
Already feeling that Song Shuhao had ruined things, Xue Liangyue's eyes flashed with resentment and unwillingness when she heard Zhang Jin praising Song Shuhao and belittling her. She controlled her voice and said, "Your Highness is right, I should really examine myself."
Zhang Jin naturally didn't care what Xue Liangyue thought. After talking nonsense with her for so long, she felt that her temperament was good enough. Upon hearing Xue Liangyue's words, Zhang Jin couldn't wait to end the conversation and said to Xue Liangyue, "Relying on me is useless. Think about it yourself."
Kneeling on the ground, watching Zhang Jin leave, Xue Liangyue noticed a figure flash by in the corner. Although she noticed it a little too late and couldn't see it clearly, she could still vaguely recognize that the person was Lan Fang.
Lanfang usually had a good relationship with Song Shuhao. Now, she was eavesdropping on her conversation with the Princess from a distance, probably to send a message to Song Shuhao... Thinking of this, Xue Liangyue bit her lip and got up angrily.
As she pondered, Xue Liangyue bent down and brushed the dust off her skirt, concealing all the emotions she should and shouldn't have. For a moment, her face remained expressionless; she simply pursed her lips, put her hands in her sleeves, and strode quickly toward the main hall of Changning Palace.