Chapter Eighty-Eight: A face like a bodhisattva, a heart like a serpent.

The autumn hunt has officially begun.

The first contest was fiercely fought between the men, with bowstrings twanging and horses galloping.

On the female side, Song Yiqiu noticed that Song Sangyu had somehow moved around to Princess Xingrong's seat.

A woman was sitting next to Princess Xingrong.

The woman looked to be only in her early thirties, but she was probably older.

She was dressed in a simple palace gown, without much makeup. Her figure was so slender that she was almost frail, and her face was sickly pale. She sat there quietly, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

Qingzhu whispered an explanation to Song Yiqiu from the side.

“Young Miss, that is Consort Zhao, the birth mother of Princess Xingrong. It is said that Princess Xingrong was born when His Majesty and Consort Zhao were deeply in love. As soon as she was born, she was given the title ‘Xingrong’, which means prosperity and glory. This shows how much the Emperor favors her.”

"Consort Zhao came from a humble background. It is said that she was promoted from a palace maid in the palace of a deceased imperial concubine. She was frail all year round and rarely went out. Everyone in the palace said that she was gentle and unassuming, and was highly respected."

Bai Mei smacked her lips and whispered:

"He did look very frail, constantly covering his lips with a handkerchief and coughing softly, as if he had some kind of ailment."

Song Yiqiu observed silently, her gaze falling on Princess Xingrong, who was nestled affectionately in Zhao Jieyu's arms, and she understood:

"No wonder he's so spoiled; he grew up in a pampered environment."

As they were talking, a young palace maid, who looked no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, nervously poured wine for Princess Xingrong.

Overwhelmed by nervousness, her hand trembled uncontrollably, causing the spout of the jade pot to veer slightly off course, spilling a small amount of wine onto Princess Xingrong's skirt, where a small, dark stain quickly spread.

The young palace maid was instantly terrified, collapsing heavily to her knees with her forehead pressed to the ground, trembling with fear, and crying for mercy:

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I deserve to die! My hand slipped, I didn't mean to. Please, Your Highness, Your Majesty, have mercy and spare my lowly life! I will never dare to do it again, please! Please!"

She cried and kowtowed so hard that she almost broke her forehead.

Princess Xingrong was taken aback by this sudden accident. Looking at the stains on her skirt, her eyebrows furrowed, and she was about to lash out.

Zhao Jieyu, standing beside him, didn't even lift her eyelids, and spoke softly in a gentle voice:

"You're clumsy and disturb the imperial carriage. Drag him away and beat him to death."

The two simple words instantly silenced the surroundings.

Before the young palace maid could even cry out, she was quickly dragged away by two expressionless eunuchs.

Everyone else seemed unfazed, suggesting this wasn't the first time it had happened.

Song Yiqiu was slightly shocked. This gentle Zhao Jieyu was not as indifferent to worldly affairs as she appeared.

Song Sangyu clearly saw this scene as well, but her smile remained unchanged. Instead, she became even more attentive and flattering towards Princess Xingrong.

"Your Highness looks incredibly dashing in your riding attire today. I'm sure you'll come out on top during the mixed hunt later, leaving even the men in awe!"

Ruan Jiawen, clutching her embroidered handkerchief, followed along, trying to ingratiate herself:

"Your Highness, your riding attire today is truly radiant! This material must be the gold-embroidered brocade from Jiangnan, right? It shimmers with such golden light under the sunlight; only a noble person like Your Highness is worthy of wearing it!"

He Jianren immediately chimed in:

"It's not just her clothes! Her Highness's overall demeanor is truly captivating. Her heroic figure as she rode in just now was truly a testament to her prowess, even those young noblemen were mesmerized! In my opinion, the prize for today's mixed hunt will definitely belong to the princess!"

Princess Xingrong was overjoyed by their flattery, and proudly raised her chin, clearly enjoying it immensely.

Song Sangyu smiled and handed over a cup of warm fruit wine, saying softly:

"Your Highness is of noble birth and exceptional talent. Not only is she skilled in riding and archery, but her composure is also unmatched. To be able to accompany the princess is truly a blessing that Sang Yu has accumulated over many lifetimes. It's just that there are some people who are in the way, otherwise it would be even better."

Princess Xingrong, flattered and pleased, suddenly remembered something after being reminded by Zhao Jieyu. She tugged at Zhao Jieyu's sleeve, pouted, and said:

"Mother, has that pesky kid arrived yet? He's the one who's always going against me!"

Song Sangyu remained silent, her gaze drifting thoughtfully towards Song Yiqiu's direction.

Princess Xingrong immediately followed her gaze and saw Song Yiqiu. Pointing at Song Yiqiu, she shouted at Consort Zhao:

"Mother, it's her! She's been picking on me time and time again. Throw her into the imperial prison and lock her up for ten days to half a month. Let's see if she dares to be so arrogant again!"

Zhao Jieyu frowned slightly, lazily raised her eyes, and glanced at Song Yiqiu in the direction her daughter pointed.

She casually waved to the eunuch behind her, her tone remaining indifferent:

"It's such a small matter, you can make the decision yourself. If it disturbs the peace, drag it away."

"yes!"

Upon receiving the order, the two eunuchs immediately walked towards Song Yiqiu's direction.

Bai Mei was shocked and shouted:

"Young Miss! Who is this Consort Zhao? How can she treat a woman from an official family so casually? What should we do now?"

Song Yiqiu's eyes were cold, but she remained calm.

As the two eunuchs approached, she stepped forward, curtsied respectfully, and spoke in a voice that was neither humble nor arrogant:

"Your humble servant, Song Yiqiu, pays her respects to Lady Zhao."

Zhao Jieyu, who was originally leaning lazily against the back of the chair, paused slightly when she heard the name Song Yiqiu.

She had initially thought she was just the daughter of some insignificant minor official, but she never expected her to be...

She slowly sat up straight, her gaze returning to Song Yiqiu.

Princess Xingrong, however, didn't think much of it. When Song Yiqiu introduced herself, she assumed she was afraid and proudly raised her chin.

"Hmph! Now you know fear? Too late! Your mother will punish you severely!"

Just as the eunuch's hand was about to touch Song Yiqiu, Consort Zhao suddenly spoke:

"Wait. Lift your head."

The eunuchs immediately stopped and respectfully stepped aside.

Song Yiqiu slowly raised her head, her entire face exposed to Zhao Jieyu's eyes without any cover. Zhao Jieyu felt as if she had been struck by something, and her pupils suddenly contracted.

The teacup she had been holding gently rolled to the ground and shattered, splashing water everywhere, but she seemed oblivious.

Staring intently at Song Yiqiu's face, his breath caught in his throat, incredulous:

"Who...who are you?"

Song Yiqiu's mind raced, but a puzzled smile appeared on her face:

"Your Majesty, didn't you just hear that...?"

Zhao Jieyu seemed not to hear her answer; her gaze was fixed on Song Yiqiu's face, especially the charm in her eyes and brows.

She leaned forward abruptly, her voice filled with both fear and urgency:

"Shen Ruyi...who are you to me?!"

Song Yiqiu understood.

It seems that the rumors that she looks remarkably like her grandmother Shen Ruyi when she was young are indeed true.

Moreover, Zhao Jieyu's reaction went far beyond simply knowing her.