Chapter 156: The First Strike

For dinner tonight, Song Zhao deliberately prepared the dish of ice-cooked mutton.

So that Xiao Jingheng can also taste the flavors of Shu Fei's palace while staying with her.

At the same time, Xiao Fuzi mentioned while sweeping the courtyard that tomorrow was the Waking of Insects, which was also arranged in advance by Song Zhao.

Because the day before the Waking of Insects last year was the auspicious day when the imperial physician diagnosed that Concubine Shu was two months pregnant.

Song Zhao looked back at the palace servants who were still busy in the four corners of the courtyard, and said lightly:

"Today is the day when the Imperial Hospital diagnosed Shu Fei with pregnancy last year. The Emperor treats everyone in the harem with great affection, especially when it comes to the heir, which cannot be taken lightly. When the Japanese imperial concubine is appointed, he can leave me to accompany Chen Fei to celebrate the anniversary of their deceased son. I think that with his deep affection, he will probably leave Chen Fei to visit Shu Fei today, right?"

The corners of her lips curled up into a playful smile, and she shook her head slowly and said:

"Oh, who knows?"

The next day, Song Zhao resumed paying his respects to the empress and went to Kunning Palace early.

Now that Concubine Chen has obtained the power to assist in managing the six palaces, she comes here every day.

However, she did not come to pay her respects to the Queen, but to ask other concubines to listen to her lectures in order to highlight her noble status.

But today, the Concubine Chen seemed to be in a bad mood.

She sat in the first seat and rolled her eyes at every concubine.

After seeing the beaming Shu Fei, her eyes almost rolled up to the sky.

She wanted to say something bad about Concubine Shu.

But the Queen spoke before her:

"I heard that the emperor turned over Shu Fei's card yesterday?"

Shu Fei smiled and said yes. The Queen also smiled and said, "Okay, the Emperor hasn't turned over the cards for some time. He promised you the marriage the next time he turned over. This shows that the Emperor still cares about you. You too, don't stay in your own palace all the time. You should also go to the Imperial Court more often to accompany the Emperor."

She looked at the old faces in the palace with a dignified manner, and said, "You are all old people in the palace, you should serve the emperor more attentively."

Shu Fei said: "Your Majesty and I said the same thing. I was depressed for a long time because of my miscarriage, which also offended Your Majesty's concern. What Your Majesty said to me yesterday, I will cherish and remember it well."

"Oh, you really should remember this."

The Concubine Chen sneered and said in her usual sarcastic and playful tone,

"You only sleep with the emperor once every year or so, so you should remember it well. It would be best if the Ministry of Internal Affairs made you a golden plaque, inscribed the date on it, and you should worship it every day in the palace."

Shu Fei's face fell instantly, but she did not argue with Chen Fei.

She knew the character of Concubine Chen too well.

If she said one word in defense, the Concubine Chen would surely have eight or ten more words of ridicule waiting for her.

It would be better to turn a deaf ear and remain mute, and just leave the Concubine Chen alone.

Seeing that the atmosphere in the palace was somewhat awkward, the queen looked at Huipin who was eating non-stop at her seat.

"Princess Hui, you turned fourteen after your birthday a few days ago. I asked the Imperial Household Department to hang up your green card. The etiquette nanny will come to teach you the rules of serving the emperor in the next two days. You must learn it well."

Huipin swallowed the cake in her mouth whole. She choked and coughed twice. She quickly drank water to suppress the cough, then smacked her lips and said:

"Okay! Then can I also be pregnant with an heir to the throne like the Empress and Sister Song?"

Everyone was speechless for a moment.

The Concubine Chen glanced at her impatiently and said, "You are so young, how come you have no shame at all? How dare you say such things?"

Seeing that everyone was trying to hold back their laughter, Huipin felt a little embarrassed.

But she didn't understand what she had said wrong.

I could only lower my head, puff out my cheeks, and mutter something aggrieved.

"I just miss my parents..."

When paying respects today, the Concubine Chen was extremely angry.

On the way back to the palace with Concubine Xiao, she said angrily:

"The Queen herself is pregnant and cannot sleep with you, so she is rushing to send Shu Fei and Hui Bin to pounce on you?"

Concubine Xiao followed behind her timidly, too frightened to say a word.

Listen to Chen Fei continue: "That little vixen Huipin pretends to be innocent and pure, and says shameless things. In my opinion, she is the most lustful one! And Shu Fei! The emperor clearly agreed yesterday to come and watch the moon and stars with me, but at the last minute he summoned Shu Fei?"

She became angrier and angrier as she spoke, and her ears turned pink.

"She had a miscarriage when she was six or seven months pregnant. Her belly is full of wrinkles. It's disgusting to look at! Why would the emperor care about her? This bitch must have used some trick to trick the emperor!"

Just like that, after listening to what Concubine Chen had been saying, Concubine Xiao did not dare to say a word, for fear that she might offend someone by speaking out of turn.

When she returned to the palace and stepped into the palace gate, she said to the Concubine Chen:

"Empress Chen, I am a little tired and would like to go back to the side hall to rest first..."

The concubine looked at her from top to bottom with her sharp eyes, and said with disgust:

"Are you going to take a bath again? You should use less water. If there were no servants from the Water Department to deliver water to Yonghe Palace eight times a day, people who didn't know would think that I have a giant Kun from the East China Sea!"

Concubine Xiao was so embarrassed that her face turned red. She whispered "I know" and hurried back to her room.

After the concubine returned to the main hall, she sat on the phoenix-patterned chair holding her pipa.

I wanted to play a song to calm my heart, but the more I played, the more upset I became.

He simply threw the pipa aside in anger, causing quite a noise.

Qiulan came in to check, picked up the pipa and put it aside, and poured a cup of tea for the concubine.

"My lady, please calm down."

How could the Concubine Chen have the mood to drink tea at this moment?

She pushed the teacup aside, splashing water all over the table.

"Shu Fei, this bitch! I haven't even settled accounts with her about the trick she played on me at the Hot Spring Villa, and she still dares to argue with me? I think she's tired of living!"

She thought for a moment, then told Qiulan, "Go and call Concubine Yi over to me. I have something to say to her!"

*

Song Zhao arrived very quickly.

When the two met, Concubine Chen first asked her with concern, "Are you feeling well?"

Song Zhaoying said: "It's nothing serious, thank you for your concern, madam."

The concubine asked again: "So who do you think wanted to harm you in that incident in the corridor?"

"Didn't the Emperor say this was an accident?"

"An accident? Ha." Concubine Chen sneered, "Song Zhao, can you use your brain? I have inquired about it. The day Concubine Shu went to visit you, and then you had an accident. You still naively thought that this was an accident?"

"Your Majesty, do you mean that Concubine Shu wants to harm me?" Song Zhao looked puzzled. "But I have no grudge against her, why would she want to harm me?"

Concubine Chen said impatiently: "Is this the first time she has harmed you? Have you forgotten how she stuffed the Soul-Separating Powder into the flower bud at the Hot Spring Villa before, intending to kill you and then put the blame on me?

You are favored by the emperor, and now you have an heir. She is jealous of you and wants to harm you. Is this hard to understand? "

Hearing this, Song Zhao was horrified. He subconsciously protected his lower abdomen and asked timidly:

"Then, what should we do? How about telling the Emperor about this?"

"Fool!" Chen Fei scolded her, then shook her head helplessly, "What are you going to say to the emperor without any evidence? But don't worry, since you are attached to me, I will definitely protect you. Since Shu Fei has already made up her mind to harm you, one thing will happen and the other will happen."

She stood up and leaned close to Song Zhao's ear, lowered her voice, and said word by word:

"If you want to protect yourself, you must put aside your stupidity and cowardice and know how to strike first!"