Chapter 39

Xiao Jingheng saw the scars on Song Zhao and they burned holes in his heart.

He draped a shirt over Song Zhao's shoulders, looking at her with eyes full of compassion. "Why are you being so foolish?"

Song Zhao's clear gaze fell on Xiao Jingheng's face. She smiled lightly, "Because the Emperor is my husband. How could I bear to see the Emperor injured? I cannot stand it."

"You are distressed over Me, but how could I not also be distressed over you? Since you see Me as your husband, you should let Me protect you."

This incident had a profound impact on Xiao Jingheng.

He had always felt that Song Zhao was delicate and fragile - afraid of thunder, prone to illness, and unaware of the intricate schemes in the palace. She was very much in need of someone's protection.

Yet he did not expect that it would be a woman like her who would step forward to shield him at a critical moment.

Later, the imperial doctor prepared a medicinal ointment to activate blood circulation and dissipate blood stasis for Song Zhao, based on the injuries described by Xiao Jingheng.

Xiao Jingheng had originally intended to personally apply the ointment for Song Zhao, but Song Zhao said:

"The Emperor has an appointment with the Grand Academician and Minister of Personnel later to discuss state affairs. National affairs take precedence and it would be remiss of this concubine to delay important business for such a trivial matter."

She took the ointment from Xiao Jingheng very naturally and handed it to Yun Shan, "These are just minor injuries. Let Yun Shan help apply the medicine. The Emperor need not worry."

Seeing his woman injured trying to protect him, Xiao Jingheng selfishly wanted to stay and keep Song Zhao company.

But he did have important things to discuss with the Minister of Personnel today that he really could not delay.

So he firmly grasped Song Zhao's hand and patted the back of her hand, saying:

"Take good care of yourself. I will come see you after I finish my tasks."

Then he leaned down and left a scorching kiss on her forehead.

Later, when Xiao Jingheng returned to the Chaoyang Palace to receive the Grand Academician and Minister of Personnel, he was somewhat distracted. The scene of Song Zhao throwing herself before him to shield him kept replaying in his mind.

He also recalled her pained expression and the scars on her back, making him feel more and more troubled.

This woman really made one worry for her.

But after the feeling of being moved had passed, Xiao Jingheng felt something was off about the whole incident.

Under normal circumstances, when faced with sudden danger, one's instincts would make them try to evade out of self-preservation.

Even he, someone who had killed on battlefields, with superb martial arts, could not react in time to the incident earlier.

So how was it that Song Zhao, a woman confined to the inner palace, could react so quickly?

Unless...

She knew beforehand that there would be falling debris from the artificial hill, in fact this whole thing could have been a drama staged and directed by her.

The more Xiao Jingheng thought about it, the deeper his doubts grew. His thumb rubbed ceaselessly over his seal ring as his expression grew heavier.

After the Grand Academician and Minster of Personnel finished their business and took their leave, Jiang Deshun respectfully entered and reported to Xiao Jingheng:

"Your Majesty, the palace attendants responsible for repairing the artificial hill have all been caned to death. The supervisor of the Palace Affairs Department, Lin Tianhai, is waiting outside to plead guilty. Does Your Majesty want him summoned?"

"Let him in."

Jiang Deshun waved his horsehair whisk towards the palace gates. The attendant on duty brought Lin Tianhai inside.

Lin Tianhai had an anxious look. He stumbled with each step, falling to his knees immediately upon entering the hall. He crawled all the way to the foot of the dais and kowtowed repeatedly to Xiao Jingheng until his forehead bled. Only then did he stammer in fear:

"This slave deserves ten thousand deaths! Today's incident nearly injured Your Majesty. Please pardon this slave's crimes!"

Xiao Jingheng stared at him with narrowed eyes. "How do your subordinates work?"

"Your Majesty, quell your anger. There were signs that the viewing stones on the artificial hill had become loose recently. This slave had ordered people to repair it quickly. But those lazy subordinates dragged it out for two days before today's accident almost happened..."

Hearing this, Xiao Jingheng's thumb stilled over his seal ring. "It was showing signs of issues two days ago?"

Lin Tianhai fearfully replied: "Y-yes..."

Xiao Jingheng tapped his fingers lightly on the long table, making soft 'thud' sounds.

He was still unwilling to believe Song Zhao would plot against him like this. But he had to consider all possibilities,

Because everything had happened far too coincidentally. Since this summer began, he was busy with state affairs and had not even set foot in the Imperial Garden.

It was only today after feeling somewhat full from the afternoon meal that he mentioned taking a walk in the garden with Song Zhao.

If not for Song Zhao thoughtfully sending over a soup that suited his appetite, why would he, usually so restrained, overindulge?

Moreover, if other consorts were injured trying to save him, it could be considered a great service. Even if they did not seek rewards, they would at least seek affection and ask him to keep them company.

Yet as soon as Song Zhao heard he was going to apply medicine for her, she hurriedly shooed him away?

Xiao Jingheng recalled Song Zhao smearing fake rashes on her face to deliberately make herself ugly. His brows knitted together as he thought to himself:

Could it be the scars on her back now were also painted on by herself?

Thinking thus, Xiao Jingheng could no longer remain seated.

He rushed to the Yao Hua Palace, not allowing the palace maids to announce his arrival. Instead, he directly headed to the west wing himself.

Standing outside the doors, he happened to overhear voices conversing within. So he quietly listened for a while.

"Young miss, you really do not cherish your life! Fortunately those rocks only hit your back. What if they smashed your head? Have you forgotten Wang Gui from our household? He accidentally fell off a tree while trying to catch cicadas one summer. He hit the back of his head on the ground and died right there! Aren't you afraid of the same happening to you?"

"Of course I was afraid. But in that moment I really couldn't consider much else. My mind went blank, I just saw those falling rocks about to hit the Emperor and I couldn't think of anything else. I only thought that I absolutely could not let the Emperor get injured..."

"Alright alright, don't pout unhappily. I'm fine now aren't I?"

Listening outside, Xiao Jingheng felt Yun Shan had a point.

Even if this was Song Zhao's scheme, the trajectory of the falling rocks could not be controlled. Even the slightest deviation would be fatal.

With his doubts somewhat appeased, he finally pushed the doors open.

At that time, Song Zhao had her back facing the doors as she allowed Yun Shan to apply medicine to the injuries on her bare back.

Seeing Xiao Jingheng arrive, she hurriedly grabbed a shirt to cover herself and tried to stand to greet him. Xiao Jingheng strode over in two quick steps and gently pressed her shoulder, "You're injured, don't move about."

Then, he very naturally took the ointment from Yun Shan's hands. "Let me apply the medicine for you."

Song Zhao reflexively pulled the shirt draped over herself tighter and said awkwardly:

"Your Majesty... such menial tasks are not fit for you... This concubine..."

"It's nothing." Xiao Jingheng hooked a corner of the shirt with his fingertip and slowly peeled it off Song Zhao's shoulder. "You were injured because of Me. How could I begrudge this?"

Then he scooped some ointment onto his fingertip and gently applied it on the wounds on Song Zhao's back, massaging it in circles...