·
The next day, when Ling Xiao came to examine Empress Shen's pulse, he noticed something was wrong. She should have been better that day, but seemed even worse than yesterday. Upon closer inspection, Ling Xiao noticed signs that she appeared to be suffering from a sudden, intense anger. Empress Shen had always maintained a calm and composed attitude towards her health. This situation must have been caused by some kind of emotional distress or hearing something she shouldn't have, leading to her anger and harming her body.
Observing Shen Wanru's expression, Ling Xiao did not ask her if she was overthinking things. Instead, Empress Shen asked her first, "Aunt Ling, did you have a good relationship with Aunt Song in the palace? I just remembered that when the Empress Dowager was recuperating, Aunt Song talked to you about many things in this regard. It seems that you two have similar interests."
No one knew more about Song Shuhao's recent affairs than Ling Xiao. Empress Shen's sudden inquiry about their relationship seemed more like an attempt to confirm something else. While Ling Xiao was still pondering this, Empress Shen suddenly grabbed her wrist, quite firmly, yet her expression remained gentle, and asked in a low voice, "Aunt Ling, tell me, what has Aunt Song been doing at the Imperial Hospital lately?"
Although Empress Shen was ill, she was not yet so weak that she could not move. She gripped Ling Xiao tightly, which hurt her. Her unusually imposing manner and threatening tone indicated that she was determined to make Ling Xiao explain herself. Ling Xiao, however, seemed not to feel the pain in her wrist and said with a smile, "Aunt Song said her eyes were uncomfortable, so she asked me for medicine. Since it's an eye problem, I can't neglect it and have to see a doctor often. That's all."
Ling Xiao looked at Empress Shen with feigned innocence, seemingly unaware of what Empress Shen wanted to know or the hidden meaning in her words. Shen Wanru looked at her for a long time, and seeing that her expression remained unchanged and she remained calm, she smiled again, released Ling Xiao's wrist, and said, "Aunt Song should take good care of her health. After all, she is now serving by His Majesty's side..." Ling Xiao lowered her head and remained silent.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Empress Shen finally allowed Ling Xiao to leave Fengyang Palace.
Ling Xiao, remembering Empress Shen's sudden words, worried that something might have happened to A-Hao. She quietly went to Xuanzhi Hall to warn her. However, A-Hao wasn't there, and Ling Xiao found no one there. She pulled aside a palace maid and asked where A-Hao had gone, but the maid said she didn't know either. Ling Xiao had no choice but to return to the Imperial Hospital. Upon arriving at the Imperial Hospital, she learned that A-Hao had looked for her, but she wasn't there and had left. Hearing this, Ling Xiao dropped her medicine box and turned back, her anxiety growing.
...
At dawn, around 3 AM, the Duke of Cheng passed away at his residence. A veteran official of three reigns and a man of great military achievements, Zhang Yu, after the morning court session, led his officials to the Duke's residence to offer condolences. Zhang Yu had already learned of the news when he got up and had informed A-Hao beforehand. A-Hao, knowing he would be late, and having recently used Ling Xiao's medicine which had greatly improved her eyes, went to the Imperial Hospital to bring her some gifts to express her gratitude. However, after waiting for quite some time without Ling Xiao returning, A-Hao went back to the Xuanzhi Hall first.
Although she didn't know why Ling Xiao was so short of money, A-Hao felt it was only right to repay him for the great help he had given her and the risks he had taken. So, she picked up some valuable jewelry and a few other items and took them with her. Unfortunately, Ling Xiao wasn't there, and she didn't dare entrust them to anyone else, so she had to bring them back. Therefore, A-Hao returned to Xuanzhi Palace and first went to her room to put the items back in the box. Just as she finished putting them away, a commotion erupted outside the room, followed by a large influx of people.
Empress Dowager Feng, Empress Shen, Consort De, along with Granny Feng, Granny Yao, Hongling, Qingyi, and others… Turning around and seeing this scene, Ahao was somewhat bewildered. She still bowed and greeted them, wondering what was going on. They specifically chose to come when His Majesty was away, and their expressions were unfriendly; Ahao couldn't imagine what good could come of this. The only thing was that it was always such a grand affair, which seemed a bit excessive.
"Arrest this vixen!" Empress Dowager Feng roared, and palace servants stepped forward to seize Song Shuhao, seemingly giving her no chance to explain or resist. Just hearing Empress Dowager Feng's words was enough for Song Shuhao to understand the reason. Before, she always at least had an excuse; this time, was she not even going to make one?
The palace servants of Xuanzhi Hall were blocked outside the room and not allowed to enter. Ahao caught a glimpse of a palace maid standing behind Empress Dowager Feng, carrying a tray with a wine pot and a wine cup. She wondered if it was a cup of poisoned wine prepared in advance for her. Ahao had a strange premonition that these people had come to take her life, but she couldn't just sit and wait to die without any resistance.
As the people approached, Ahao said, "This servant doesn't know what wrong I've committed. Why does Your Majesty want to arrest me?" As she spoke, she stood up, grabbed a nearby blue-and-white porcelain vase, and smashed it at the two approaching palace maids. The vase shattered on the ground with a piercing sound, but her resistance only made Empress Dowager Feng's face even more gloomy.
Ah Hao struggled towards the window, secretly relieved that she had opened it first thing when she returned to ventilate the room. Now, if she wanted to climb out, at least she wouldn't have to open the window. Staying in the room meant she couldn't escape, and the doorway was blocked. Her only option was to escape through the window to get through this period. Even if she had made a mistake, it certainly wasn't because of anything between her and the emperor.
"Song Shuhao, you've really rebelled!" Empress Dowager Feng angrily pointed at Song Shuhao. "Hurry up and arrest her! I want to see who can save her this time without His Majesty!" Then two more palace maids stepped out from the crowd to arrest Song Shuhao as well.
She didn't care about what she could throw or smash, or what she couldn't throw or smash. She just threw and smashed whatever she saw, not letting anyone near her, and retreated towards the window. Empress Shen noticed her retreating towards the window and whispered to Empress Dowager Feng, "Mother, she wants to escape."
Upon hearing Empress Shen's words, Consort De glanced at her, but lowered her eyelids, concealing her emotions, and remained silent. Before Empress Dowager Feng could speak, Song Shuhao climbed onto the window, about to jump out of the room. Empress Dowager Feng raised her hand and said, "Stop her!" Others went outside to stop Song Shuhao, while the palace servants who had rushed in from inside also stepped forward to pull Song Shuhao back into the room.
Wearing a skirt made things a bit inconvenient, and the hem got caught somewhere, causing Song Shuhao to move slightly slower. Several palace servants rushed over, first grabbing her ankles, then her skirt and clothes, and forcefully pulling her into the room.
Empress Shen, Consort De, and others simply stood beside Empress Dowager Feng, quietly watching this scene unfold.
·
When Ling Xiao returned to Xuanzhi Hall, he found it in complete chaos. From afar, he could see palace servants kneeling on the ground, too afraid to move. As he approached, he discovered that even the guards who were supposed to protect Xuanzhi Hall were not the same as before, and he felt a strange sense of unease.
The lead guard recognized Ling Xiao as the one who had come not long ago, and seemed to know that she had a good relationship with Song Shuhao. After a brief explanation, he said to Ling Xiao in a deep voice, "Please, Aunt Ling, go and fetch someone to rescue Aunt Song as soon as possible. We must at least hold out until His Majesty returns to the palace."
Even if the people of Xuanzhi Hall dared to stop Empress Dowager Feng and Empress Shen, they were powerless against the late emperor's token held by Empress Dowager Feng. They could only obey Empress Dowager Feng's orders and stay outside, unable to interfere in what was happening inside. But precisely because of this, they were even more worried about disobeying the emperor's instructions and orders.
With the emperor absent, who could he turn to at this time? Anxious, Ling Xiao remembered that the little princess had a good relationship with Song Shuhao, and that this might buy him some time. He hurried to Yongle Palace to find Zhang Xin. Before Zhang Xin could even understand what was happening, Ling Xiao had already dragged her to Xuanzhi Hall.
The guards didn't stop them, and Ling Xiao and Zhang Xin easily found Song Shuhao's room. On the way, she overheard Ling Xiao say something, but her mind was still a complete blank. Seeing many people kneeling at the door, and Empress Dowager Feng's men guarding it, Zhang Xin wanted to go in but was not allowed.
"You dare stop me, Princess? Do you have a death wish?" Even if Zhang Xin was oblivious, she knew this was definitely not a good thing, so she personally pushed the two palace maids aside. They didn't dare touch Zhang Xin and didn't dare resist at all. Zhang Xin's face was full of anger, and she dragged Ling Xiao inside.
Song Shuhao resisted countless times, successfully subduing two palace servants with the self-defense techniques Zhang Yu had taught her, but it was all in vain. She was still captured and forced to kneel before Empress Dowager Feng and the others. The room was in complete disarray, with broken porcelain shards scattered everywhere, a far cry from its previous neat and clean appearance.
When Zhang Xin and Ling Xiao burst in, besides these sights, they saw Song Shuhao kneeling on the ground, her hands bound behind her back by two palace servants. Two servants stood in front of her, one forcing her to open her mouth while the other poured something into it. Song Shuhao continued to struggle, and the clear liquid flowed from the corners of her mouth, wetting her clothes.
In a moment of shock, Zhang Xin rushed forward, shoving the palace maid who was force-feeding Song Shuhao to the ground, then pushing away several other palace maids, shielding Song Shuhao in her presence. Even though she didn't understand why, Zhang Xin only felt angry. It was the same last time, and it was the same again this time.
When Feng Yuan's incident occurred, Zhang Xin felt something was amiss when her mother didn't believe Song Shuhao. After all, Song Shuhao had served her mother for so long; could anyone know her better? Even if she had committed a grave mistake, her mother hadn't bothered to interrogate her or ask any questions, and had instead rushed to punish her.
"Mother, what are you doing?" Zhang Xin glared at Empress Dowager Feng, her face puffed up with anger, and asked loudly. Ling Xiao followed her over and helped push aside several palace servants to help Song Shuhao up. He then touched the liquid at the corner of her mouth with his finger and sniffed it, and couldn't help but frown.
Empress Dowager Feng was displeased to see Zhang Xin protecting Song Shuhao so much and scolded her, "This matter has nothing to do with you, go back." Zhang Xin naturally ignored her and said with a hint of annoyance, "No matter what your reasons are, no matter what Ahao has done, you should wait until my brother the Emperor returns before interrogating her carefully. Why treat her like this?"
Ling Xiao tried to help Song Shuhao to her feet, but found that the sharp end of the porcelain shard she had been kneeling on was embedded in her knee, and she could no longer stand. He didn't know how much she had been given, or if it was poisoned; Song Shuhao's eyes were unfocused, and she seemed dazed. Ling Xiao then whispered something in Zhang Xin's ear, and Zhang Xin was instantly stunned.
Empress Dowager Feng, not wanting to waste words with Zhang Xin, simply ordered someone to pull her and Ling Xiao apart. Hearing Empress Dowager Feng's words and seeing Granny Feng and Granny Yao approaching, Zhang Xin screamed, grabbed a shard of broken porcelain from the ground, and recklessly threw it at her neck.
"Don't come any closer! Nobody is allowed to come any closer! Otherwise, I'll kill myself in front of her!" Ling Xiao said that A-Hao might lose her life, and Zhang Xin was almost paralyzed with fear. She didn't know what she was thinking when she made such a move. Fortunately, it had some effect; both Granny Feng and Granny Yao immediately stopped in their tracks, and Zhang Xin breathed a sigh of relief.
"Who are you to risk your life to protect her?!" Empress Dowager Feng was furious, pointing at Zhang Xin and saying, "She seduced your emperor brother, causing him to abandon so many women in the harem. That's how Consort Shu offended her, which is why your emperor brother deposed her. Yet she also drank the contraceptive soup without permission, which is tantamount to murdering the imperial heir. Tell me, which crime wouldn't warrant her death? And yet you still protect her?!"
Zhang Xin was stunned, instinctively sensing something amiss with these words. Before she could refute them, she heard palace servants greeting the emperor from outside and exclaimed in surprise, "Emperor Brother!" Empress Dowager Feng and the others undoubtedly heard the greetings, and were all surprised that Zhang Yu had returned much earlier than expected. By the time everyone turned around, Zhang Yu had already stepped into the room. He had probably heard Empress Dowager Feng's words and immediately said, "Mother, you can repeat what you just said in front of me."
Shen Wanru's face turned pale, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Zhang Yu. Consort De's heart skipped a beat, and she also looked away. Empress Dowager Feng's expression grew increasingly unpleasant. She recalled how Zhang Yu had used the Feng family's reputation as a bargaining chip to negotiate many conditions with her, and had even taken Song Shuhao away. And now... she could only feel displeasure.
Zhang Yu didn't look at them; he entered the room and his gaze fell on Song Shuhao. Seeing that she was not in good condition, he strode over, took her from Ling Xiao's arms, and carried her in his arms. Looking down at Song Shuhao, he saw that her face was deathly pale and her lips were purple, and his eyes grew even more somber.
His face darkened instantly, and he hurried outside. Reaching the door, he turned slightly to the side and said, "Stay here. Not a single one of you is allowed to leave. When I return, I will hold you accountable." He beckoned to Lü Yuan and Lü Chuan, saying, "Have men keep a close watch on them. If even one of them escapes, I will take your heads!"
These words, refusing to join Empress Dowager Feng and others in persecuting Song Shuhao, had no effect on the two of them. Zhang Xin pulled Ling Xiao and chased after them, not glancing at anyone in the room again. Zhang Yu's words and actions at that moment, however, chilled Empress Dowager Feng, Empress Shen, and Consort De, leaving them all feeling uneasy.
In a daze, Ah Hao felt someone come to help her up and then feel someone pick her up. She seemed to hear voices in her ears, but she didn't know what they were saying. In her hazy state, she felt the person holding her, their embrace familiar and warm. She remembered that someone had said they would always protect her. But her consciousness was wavering, and she felt that she couldn't understand any of this.
·
Not knowing how long she had slept, when Ahao woke up, she felt uncomfortable all over. She opened her eyes and saw Ling Xiao. There were candles lit in the room, so it was already night. After looking around a couple more times, she realized that she was in the place where Zhang Yu usually rested.
Ling Xiao sighed inwardly, thinking of the situation outside, but only said to A-Hao, "It's good that she's awake, she's awake, everything's alright." She'd been given medicine several times and vomited a few times, which was considered a stomach pumping procedure; now that she's awake, there shouldn't be any major problems. Ling Xiao thought to himself, thankfully he arrived in time and wasn't forced to drink too much poisoned wine, otherwise…
Ah Hao, however, smelled the stench of blood, and it seemed quite noisy outside. She listened intently for a moment, then turned to look at Ling Xiao and asked, "What's going on outside?" Ling Xiao pressed her lips together, looked away, and remained silent.
Chapter 75 Update
Upon receiving news of the incident between Zhang Yu and Empress Dowager Feng, Zhang Jin rushed to the palace. She was still in the Xuanzhi Hall, standing outside the main hall, speechless at the horrific scene in the open space outside. Beside her were Empress Dowager Feng, Empress Shen, and Consort De. All the concubines of any rank in the palace had been summoned by Zhang Yu's men and stood in a more distant area.