Chapter 23

It was said that yesterday night, Xiao Jingheng stayed at the Yonghe Palace.

Today when the concubines went to pay their respects to the Empress, Consort Chen arrived earlier than usual.

As soon as she saw Li Changzai, she said, "Concubine Li, how come you don't look so well today?"

Then she raised her handkerchief to cover her mouth and chuckled, "Oh, I forgot. I should call you Li Changzai now. You are quite capable, these years since the Emperor ascended the throne, I've only heard of raising the ranks of concubines, but degrading them is the first time I've seen it."

Li Changzai was so embarrassed that her face turned red and she wished she could find a crack in the ground to hide in.

It was the Empress who came to her rescue, "No one is a sage, who doesn't make mistakes? The important thing is to know your mistakes and be able to correct them, then it's not too late."

Li Concubine quickly took the opportunity to decline, saying hurriedly, "Thank you Empress for speaking up for this concubine. Letting His Majesty punish me lightly, this concubine is extremely grateful."

"Once you enter the palace, you are all sisters. We should all try to help each other, who would kick someone when they are down?"

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

Consort Chen looked at her disdainfully from head to toe, sneered, then turned her head away and ignored her.

As autumn was approaching, these last two days the autumn tiger had become more and more ferocious. Even though the Empress's palace was full of ice, with so many people it was still hot and suffocating.

Therefore, paying respects was just a formality, and it didn't even last a quarter of an hour before the Empress let everyone disperse.

After paying respects, Song Zhao had originally planned to return to the palace to rest, but on the way back she happened to run into Consort Chen.

Consort Chen was fiery-tempered, not the kind of person who liked to beat around the bush. Seeing Song Zhao, she got straight to the point and asked, "I heard that you drove the Emperor away last night? Why?"

Song Zhao respectfully said, "This concubine attended the Emperor two nights ago. If I had attended him again last night, it would have broken the rules. Firstly, this concubine has caught a cold and is not suitable to serve the Emperor; Secondly, in the entire palace, only Consort Chen has the fortune to serve the Emperor consecutively, this concubine dare not compare with Consort Chen."

"Hmm, you are quite self-aware." Consort Chen looked her up and down frivolously. Turning her head she ordered, "Ying Xiang, give it to her."

Ying Xiang came up and handed Song Zhao a brocade box. Song Zhao opened it and found a pair of pink pearl earrings inside, even bigger and rounder than the ones Consort Chen had given to Li Changzai last time.

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

"Just take it since I'm giving it to you. You are the one who will be attending the Emperor, you can't dress too shabbily. If you follow me, the benefits will be more than just these." So Song Zhao reluctantly accepted the generous gift, "Consort's enthusiasm is hard to decline, this concubine is very grateful for Consort's bestowal."

Before leaving, Consort Chen urged Song Zhao to recover soon, and even said she would find an opportunity to arrange for Song Zhao to serve the Emperor.

Song Zhao was too lazy to guess how true Consort Chen's words were. Even if she didn't arrange it, Song Zhao had her own ways to make Xiao Jingheng obsessed with her.

After that, for about ten days, Song Zhao's health had not fully recovered, so the Office of Rites continued to hang up her green plaque.

During this time, Xiao Jingheng came to see her once, but was still rejected by her for the same reason.

Later, busy with the affairs of the previous dynasty, Xiao Jingheng did not come to find her again.

These days, apart from Consort Chen, Xiao Jingheng had not summoned any other concubines.

In the Imperial Observatory under the Ministry of Rites, there was a minor official who had previously worked under Song Shicheng.

The Imperial Observatory was responsible for observing celestial phenomena and astrological divination. That day, the minor official secretly passed a letter to Song Zhao,

"Lady Song, the Chief Astronomer has calculated that there will definitely be a heavy rain in the capital at midnight today."

Song Zhao already had a sense of it. She asked Yun Shan to go to the Office of Rites and report that she had recovered.

Sure enough, that night Xiao Jingheng immediately flipped over her plaque.

The Song Zhao who attended the emperor this time was completely different from before.

She wore extremely delicate makeup, bringing out the best of her features, so beautiful it was mesmerizing. Even the inner eunuchs carrying her palanquin couldn't help but take an extra look at her.

Needless to say, it aroused the desire of Xiao Jingheng, a vigorous man even more.

He put his arm around Song Zhao’s willowy waist, whispering in her ear,

"Beloved Consort has been ill for so many days, you really made me miss you."

Song Zhao giggled and said, "I wonder if His Majesty misses this concubine's person, or misses this concubine's body."

She was not an insensitive person either. As she spoke, her slender, boneless fingers slipped into Xiao Jingheng's lapel, gently and softly circling his muscular chest, arousing him.

The ticklish feeling spread all over his body instantly, bringing Xiao Jingheng's desire to explore her to the extreme.

He arrogantly picked up Song Zhao with one hand and they both fell onto the imperial couch, beginning an primal exploration.

When attending the emperor, Xiao Jingheng was intoxicated, their breaths intertwined and sweat flowed freely.

It had been a long time since a woman had given him such an ethereal experience. Usually after intimacy with his concubines, he would calm down quickly and lose interest in it.

But with Song Zhao, it was completely different.

He lay flat on the couch, letting Song Zhao snuggle into his arms like a docile kitten, while his hand hugged her shoulders, drifting along her pronounced collarbone from time to time.

Just this one encounter consumed nearly an hour.

As it approached the hour of zi, it was time for Song Zhao to return to her palace.

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

Letting go of his imperial status, under Song Zhao's tender assault, this sentence seemed to have a hint of pleading in it.

Song Zhao shook her head reluctantly, just as she was about to decline,

suddenly, there was a deafening rumble of thunder from outside the window.

Song Zhao shuddered instinctively, and Xiao Jingheng took the opportunity to pull her back into his arms.

He hugged Song Zhao with both hands, protecting her tightly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

The Imperial Observatory's observation of the heavenly bodies was extremely accurate. After a couple rumbles of thunder, the rain began to drizzle down.

Nestled in Xiao Jingheng's arms, Song Zhao stared at the rain outside the curtains, her expression both startled and fearful, unconsciously shrinking further into Xiao Jingheng's embrace.

Xiao Jingheng kissed her forehead lightly and said gently,

"Stay."

"Your Majesty, I cannot..."

"The last few days you didn't let me come to you, afraid of passing your illness to me, saying you would feel uneasy about it. Now there is thunder and rain outside, you are afraid of thunder, and your health has just recovered. If you go back today and get sick again, wouldn't it make me worry?"

Xiao Jingheng tilted Song Zhao's chin with his fingertips, slowly turning her head to face him.

His handsome brows pressed against Song Zhao's eyes, each breath spraying on her porcelain skin.

He leaned down and planted a burning kiss on Song Zhao's lips, then hoarsely said,

"Can you bear to make me uneasy?"

Song Zhao's heart was beating very fast, the 'thump thump' sound even overwhelmed the sound of rain outside.

She was extremely shy, turning back to hook Xiao Jingheng's neck,

moving closer to him inch by inch, breathing heavily and saying,

"This concubine...cannot bear it."