Chapter 101: Noble
Song Zhao quickly knelt down and said respectfully:
"I just made a mistake in my words. Please forgive me, Madam Chenfei."
"It doesn't matter if you say something wrong for a while, but I'm afraid that once you gain power, your tail will be so proud that it will rise to the sky." Chen Fei looked at Song Zhao from top to bottom with sharp eyes, and said with a smile:
"What? The Queen Mother and the Emperor have been too lazy to pay attention to you recently, and you think of us sisters? We can't compare to your mother who is so proud. She is greedy for thousands of taels of silver without even blinking an eye."
Song Zhao lowered her head and bit her lip, a little aggrieved, "Your Majesty is right, but I have no idea what my mother did, and I will never do the same thing as my mother did. Please, Your Majesty..."
"Put away your coquettish look. I feel sick just looking at you." The Concubine Chen slammed her chopsticks on the table and said angrily, "Jiang did something that upset the Emperor. If the Emperor is unhappy, I will naturally not be happy. If you want me to not bother with you..."
She raised her eyebrows and glanced at the cold, hard jade floor, sneering, "Kneel there. Show your sincerity by kneeling down to serve us. I feel your sincerity, and I will naturally put aside the past grudges and remain sisters with you."
No matter what the rank of the concubines, as long as they were included in the register, they were all Xiao Jingheng's concubines.
Except for the queen, the legal wife, no one else has the right to ask other concubines to kneel and serve her.
The Queen's action was really overstepping her authority.
But that's just her personality. She's not surprised by such difficult things happening to her.
Concubine Xiao felt that this was inappropriate, but she was powerless and dared not speak. She just looked at Song Zhao, who was signaling her with his eyes to submit to Concubine Chen.
Shu Fei advised: "Chen Fei, Song Changzai is also a legitimate concubine after all. What you are doing is a bit..."
As soon as she said this, the sharp eyes of the Concubine Chen glanced at her.
With just one look, Shu Fei didn't dare to continue speaking.
However, no one expected that just when everyone thought Song Zhao would be in a dilemma, she suddenly knelt in front of the Concubine Chen and said respectfully:
"I am willing to serve Her Majesty the Concubine. It is my honor to serve Her Majesty at meals."
The Concubine Chen was stunned for a moment, then quickly smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Concubine Song."
Seeing such a great humiliation, Concubine Xiao felt sad for Song Zhao.
So when Song Zhao was serving her food, she said frankly that she was full and didn't need it.
Seeing this, Concubine Chen smiled and said, "Noble Lady Xiao is eating the food of two people with one mouth now. If you go hungry, it's a small matter, but if the heir goes hungry, it will be a big matter."
Concubine Xiao said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I have been suffering from indigestion recently, and the imperial physician has advised me to eat small and frequent meals."
"You are not so lucky." The concubine looked at the crabapple cake in front of her and said, "I think the crabapple cake is fried well today."
Song Zhao understood and immediately knelt down and picked up a piece of Begonia pastry and put it into Concubine Chen's plate.
But the Concubine Chen deliberately shook the food plate, and the Begonia pastry rolled off a corner of her cloak and fell to the ground.
She was immediately annoyed, "Did you do this on purpose?"
Everyone could see that the Concubine was deliberately picking on Song Zhao. Song Zhao was weak in character and did not dare to resist. He only said with tears in his eyes:
"My hands were shaking for a moment and I soiled your clothes. Please forgive me."
Concubine Chen said, "It's ok if you want me to not bother with you."
She deliberately used her toes to pick up the fallen Begonia pastry and said, "Pick up the fallen pastry and eat it immediately, and this matter will be over."
Song Zhao was extremely embarrassed. She pursed her thin lips, lowered her head and said nothing, while her tears as big as beans fell like pearls.
Shu Fei couldn't help but persuade her, "Chen Fei, why do you have to embarrass her like this? We are all sisters, you..."
"It's your business if you want to be her sister, but don't drag me into this." Concubine Chen glanced at Song Zhao with her eyebrows lowered, and said impatiently: "What? Do you want to eat or not?"
Song Zhao stretched out her hand to the Begonia Su, picked it up and choked up, "My concubine... obey your order."
After saying that, he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and put the Begonia pastry into his mouth.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Xiao Jingheng's sudden arrival helped Song Zhao out of the predicament.
The Concubine Chen looked towards the corridor bridge in panic and saw Xiao Jingheng walking towards the Lotus Heart Platform with big strides and a serious expression on his face.
She immediately stood up with Concubine Shu and Concubine Xiao to pay their respects.
"May the Emperor be blessed with good health."
However, Xiao Jingheng acted as if he didn't see them. He walked past them and went straight to Song Zhao. He bent down to help her up, snatched the Begonia pastry from her hand, and threw it into the lake.
The concubine smiled and said, "How come the emperor is in the mood to come today..."
"If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have seen how you treat other concubines behind their backs!"
Xiao Jingheng scolded Concubine Chen in a harsh tone, while wiping Song Zhao's tears.
The Concubine Chen's heart skipped a beat after he yelled at her.
Xiao Jingheng was rarely mean to her. Even though she had been rude to the queen many times in the past, Xiao Jingheng had never been so angry.
She hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, you have wronged me. Concubine Song was having a good meal with us, but when a cake fell on the ground, she insisted not to waste it and picked it up to eat. I have already advised her, but it was her own fault..."
"Do you think I'm blind?!" Xiao Jingheng shouted loudly, scaring Concubine Chen so much that she shuddered.
Song Zhaoze tugged at Xiao Jingheng's arm and advised tearfully, "Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with Concubine Chen. It's all my fault..."
"Stop talking." Xiao Jingheng took her hand and said, "You are introverted and gentle by nature, and you will only tolerate things. It is because of this that everyone can bully you."
These words were clearly meant for Concubine Chen to hear. Of course, Concubine Chen couldn't bear to hear Xiao Jingheng defending Song Zhao like this.
Because in her opinion, she was the one who had tolerating Song Zhao and her husband from giving his affection to other women.
She also felt aggrieved.
So, he suddenly became angry and questioned Xiao Jingheng.
"Did I hear you correctly? Your Majesty, who do you think Concubine Song is tolerating?"
"I said Zhao'er is tolerating you!" Xiao Jingheng did not spare the face of Chen Fei, and questioned her one after another.
"How could the people from Tianji Office find out about Jiang's affairs so quickly? Do you think I really know nothing? I originally didn't intend to investigate this matter. Could it be that Concubine Chen wants me to investigate it thoroughly to find out who is far away in Sichuan and Shaanxi, yet can still cover up the sky and interfere in the affairs of Kyoto?"
After hearing this, Concubine Chen was completely panicked.
She originally thought that her plan was flawless, but she didn't expect that everything was exposed right under Xiao Jingheng's nose.
Her eyes were red and she lowered her head, not daring to say anything more.
Xiao Jingheng ignored her, but protected Song Zhao and said to everyone in a solemn voice:
"Song Changzai has been looking for you these days, but you have all avoided me. Do you think I will be angry with her because of Jiang's matter, so you are afraid to avoid me?
Then I will tell you clearly today. Jiang is Jiang, Zhao'er is Zhao'er, and Zhao'er is completely unaware of Jiang's mistakes. I am not a tyrant, and I will not implicate Zhao'er in this matter. "
Xiao Jingheng saw all of Song Zhao's grievances today.
His attitude determined the concubines' attitude towards Song Zhao. Jiang was punished, and Song Zhao had to "endure humiliation and live" in the hot spring villa. Wouldn't he be bullied even more if he returned to the palace?
So he called Jiang Deshun forward and instructed him:
"You must immediately convey my order back to the palace. Inform the Queen and the six concubines. From today on, Song will be promoted to a noble lady."
"I obey your order!"
Jiang Deshun nodded in agreement, while Chen Fei and the others were so shocked that their jaws dropped.
No matter how hard they try,
Didn't Xiao Jingheng clearly ignore Song Zhao? Why did he suddenly promote her?
Song Zhao also looked terrified, "Your Majesty, I, your concubine..."
"No need to say. You are worthy of this position." Xiao Jingheng interrupted Song Zhao's refusal and said to everyone in a solemn voice:
"I don't want to pursue today's matter any further. If I see a high-ranking concubine bullying and humiliating a low-ranking concubine again in the future, don't blame me for being merciless!"
After saying that, he took Song Zhao's hand and left.
The concubine was left alone, as if her soul had been taken away, and she sat on the ground in a slump...
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