Song Xibai exclaimed in surprise.

Soon after, clothes were thrown out of the quilt and landed on the ground.

Spring is in full bloom, melting away the ice and snow.

The next day, Song Xibai woke up and sat at the dressing table by the window. She saw a patch of green outside the window and was surprised.

What is that?

Fu Liu quickly said, "It's because the Crown Princess wanted to admire the flowers, so the gardeners from the Imperial Garden specially selected more than a dozen potted plants and sent them over. There are also two potted plants outside our palace."

Song Xibai nodded slightly, changed into the pale yellow dress, and then led Wei Hong to the central hall to pay her respects to the Crown Princess.

She needs a pair of cards to visit the Empress Dowager.

Just as Song Xibai had expected, the Crown Princess looked much better. Although she had lost some weight, her complexion was rosy, and she was having breakfast.

She was dressed in a bright red palace dress and sat at the table. Twelve skirts were spread out, each embroidered with exquisite patterns of flowers, birds, insects, and fish.

The front and back of the top are embroidered with flying phoenixes in gold thread.

Song Xibai wondered: Why dress so formally for breakfast?

She stepped forward and bowed, but the Crown Princess did not immediately tell her to rise. Instead, she slowly finished her porridge, ate a couple of bites of jujube pastry, rinsed her mouth, took the handkerchief handed to her by Yao Huang, wiped her mouth, and then spoke in a surprised tone as if she had just seen Song Xibai.

"Why can't you get up, little sister? There's no need for such formalities between us."

Her tone was warm and friendly, as if she and Song Xibai were truly sisters.

Song Xibai stood up without changing her expression: "Is Your Majesty feeling much better? It seems that Physician Hong's medical skills are quite good. He truly deserves to be a veteran physician from the Imperial Hospital!"

The Crown Princess's eyes flickered.

She only took the medicine prescribed by Physician Hong for a few days when she first fell into a coma, and later switched to other physicians she trusted more.

The Crown Princess glanced at Song Xibai a few times, her smile unchanged, and asked about the Crown Prince's daily life.

“That day I originally wanted Wei Zi to serve the Crown Prince, but unfortunately the Crown Prince didn’t think much of her. Sigh! Wei Zi has served me since she was a child and has been with me in the palace for so many years. She is exceptionally attentive to her servants. Since the Crown Prince is unwilling, why don’t you, Consort, persuade the Crown Prince? She’s just a palace maid. I think you, Consort, wouldn’t mind?”

Song Xibai didn't understand why the Crown Princess had become so aggressive lately.

The former Crown Princess was somewhat polite to her! Especially during the time when she was first ill, Song Xibai often came to pay her respects, which touched the Crown Princess deeply.

Their attitude has changed in just a few days?

Song Xibai guessed in his heart, but still put on a respectful appearance.

"Your Majesty's kindness is too much for me. However, I have no say in His Highness's affairs. I am merely a concubine, how could I be qualified? Your Majesty should speak with His Highness properly! As you said, I am just a palace maid. His Highness could not possibly refuse Your Majesty's kindness. At worst, I can just be kept as an ornament in the room."

Upon hearing these words, the Crown Princess's eyes flickered, revealing a clear look of surprise.

This Xi Liangdi, isn't she jealous at all?

The Crown Princess's heart stirred slightly, and she seemed to have thought of something. She affectionately took Song Xibai's hand.

"Your idea puts my mind at ease. You've been in the Eastern Palace for over three months now, and there's still no good news. His Highness and I are quite anxious. For a woman, bearing children and continuing the family line is of utmost importance. It's not proper for her to keep running around outside."

That finally hit the nail on the head.

Song Xibai suddenly understood why the Crown Princess's attitude had changed so drastically and why she was being sarcastic and indifferent towards him.

So, it was because of the Crown Prince taking him to the Prince of Wu's residence before the New Year?

Does the Crown Princess care about such things?

Song Xibai glanced at the Crown Princess a few times without showing any emotion, and then readjusted his opinion of her.

The Crown Princess gave her a few words of advice, but Song Xibai remained obedient, only letting them go in one ear and out the other, treating it as if the other party was just lecturing her.

She was thinking about something else when Wei Zi's voice rang out from outside.

"Your Majesty, Consort Feng has come to pay her respects."

"Let her in!"

The Crown Princess waved her hand, and then Feng Ying, dressed in a pink dress, entered with a palace maid and gracefully bowed to the Crown Princess.

Song Xibai hadn't seen Feng Ying for several days and was somewhat surprised by her current appearance.

Appearance is secondary; it's mainly her temperament. That timid look in her eyes evokes pity in people.

The Crown Princess waved to Feng Ying, but her words were directed at Song Xibai.

"Your Highness has only stayed in Consort Xi's room for the past three months. It's time to see the others. Our Eastern Palace is too quiet. If we could have more children, it would be more beneficial for Your Highness, wouldn't it?"

Suddenly, Song Xibai understood everything.

So, were the things the Crown Princess said about Wei Zi earlier intentional? Was it to shut herself up?

Song Xibai's expression was slightly cold, and he seemed somewhat annoyed.

She couldn't say she was unwilling, but she was even less willing to go along with the Crown Princess's words.

So she simply stood up, flicked her sleeves, and said calmly.

"Since Your Highness is accompanied by Sister Feng, I shall take my leave now."

Then, she curtsied to the Crown Princess and led Wei Hong out of the central hall.

The master and servant walked quickly, and soon left the East Palace and headed towards Renshou Palace.

Upon arriving at Renshou Palace, the elderly women were visibly surprised to see Song Xibai, but they quickly recovered and went inside to report to her.

The Empress Dowager, who slept little, woke up very early. By this time, she had already eaten breakfast and was chanting sutras in the Buddhist hall. Upon hearing the report, she casually waved her hand.

The old woman came out of the small Buddhist hall and gave Song Xibai an apologetic look.

"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is currently reciting scriptures and is unavailable. Consort Liang, please come another day!"

With a smile, Song Xibai beckoned to Wei Hong: "I know that the Empress Dowager is a Buddhist. This is a Buddhist scripture that I copied myself. Please give it to the Empress Dowager, Granny."

Wei Hong handed over the small box she was carrying. The old woman opened it and saw that it really was a Buddhist scripture. Her expression relaxed slightly.

Song Xibai bowed in the direction of the small Buddhist hall, and then left with Wei Hong.

On the way back, Song Xibai's thoughts continued uninterrupted.

It wasn't surprising that the Empress Dowager didn't see him. She probably didn't want to see him after what happened with Zhu Qianqian.

Although he didn't see the real person, Song Xibai could probably rule out the Empress Dowager as a suspect.

If the Empress Dowager ordered the poisoning of several palace women, then the person behind it would certainly want to know the outcome.

Normally it's hard to find out, but even when I came to her door, she didn't come out to see me. In fact, those old women stood quite far away from me, so I couldn't even touch them.

If it's not the Empress Dowager, then who could it be... the Imperial Concubine?

Song Xibai thought to himself, feeling somewhat worried.

Seeing the Empress Dowager is relatively easy, but seeing the Imperial Concubine is much more troublesome.

The Imperial Concubine was not the Crown Prince's biological mother, and her relationship with the Crown Prince's faction was not good. There was no reason for her to test him.