Chapter 122 Tianji Secret Order 3
At the same time, in Yonghe Palace.
Concubine Ning sat in the first seat, looking down at Song Zhao who was kneeling in greeting in the hall.
He let her politely wait for a long while before saying:
"Everyone went to the Queen Mother's palace to pray for the Queen's belly, why didn't you go?"
Song Zhao said solemnly: "I and your Majesty are of the same mind and purpose. Anyone who is not on good terms with your Majesty is not on good terms with me."
Concubine Ning sneered, "You don't get along with her? Ha, I noticed that you've been going to her palace quite frequently these past two days!"
Song Zhao hurriedly said, "If I don't go, how can I find out about the Queen's pregnancy?"
She lowered her voice and said jokingly, "Don't worry, your majesty. The queen has had a very hard time carrying this baby. She will suffer at some point!"
Concubine Ning knew that Song Zhao came to show his loyalty to her.
She didn't know whether to say this woman was smart or stupid.
The Ning family was quite powerful in the previous dynasty, and Concubine Ning had the capital to be arrogant and domineering in front of Xiao Jingheng.
But Song Zhao was just a small nobleman whose mother's family was unreliable.
Just after getting some sidelong glances from Xiao Jingheng, you dare to openly challenge the Queen?
Originally, after learning of Xiying's death, Concubine Ning suspected Song Zhao.
But after this incident, she was even more convinced that Song Zhao was a fool.
The doubts I had about her were dispelled.
In this case, Concubine Ning did not embarrass her any more, "You should sit up."
After Song Zhao thanked her and sat down, she asked again, "After I left the hot spring villa, that bitch Shu Fei was very proud, right?"
Song Zhao nodded awkwardly, "She kept saying that Your Majesty wanted to harm her, and she cried in front of the Emperor. She pretended to be pitiful and made the Emperor feel distressed, so he had to accompany her for several days. In fact, Your Majesty and I both know that this matter was set up by Concubine Shu to harm Your Majesty! I only regret that I am incompetent and can't think of a way to make the Emperor see the truth. I have to watch Your Majesty fall into trouble but can't help at all..."
Song Zhao mentioned that Xiao Jingheng had sympathy for Concubine Shu, with the original intention of provoking Concubine Ning.
After hearing this, Concubine Ning gave the reaction that Song Zhao expected.
She stiffened her neck, and you could vaguely see the bulging blue veins on her neck, which showed that she was extremely angry.
"Bitch! If I can make her live a comfortable life for one day, I am not a child of the Ning family!"
Concubine Ning was angry and too lazy to deal with Song Zhao, so she hurriedly sent her away.
After returning to the palace, Song Zhao ignored everything and just lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
Later, she felt the edge of the bed sink, and someone seemed to be stroking her hair.
Only then did he lift his heavy eyelids with great effort, "Your Majesty?"
She pretended to stand up and greet Jamel Xiao, but when she sat up, Jamel Xiao embraced her domineeringly.
"If you are sick, just take a good rest and don't make me feel bad."
Song Zhaoyu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she blamed herself, "I am useless. I was delayed in praying for the queen, such an important event, because of my illness. I feel really bad..."
Her tears came as soon as she said so. Xiao Jingheng couldn't help stroking her shoulders and comforted her in a gentle voice:
"I understand. This is not your fault. Don't blame yourself."
"Ahem... The Queen is pregnant, and I, a sick concubine, should avoid being with you. The same goes for the Emperor..."
As he spoke, Song Zhao gently pushed Xiao Jingheng on the chest, turned his face away, covered his mouth and coughed softly.
Just at this time, Yunshan brought in medicine. Sang Ying hated Yao, "You are sick because of me, how can I avoid you? Be good and drink the medicine."
He was very careful. He blew the medicine until it reached a suitable temperature before feeding it into Song Zhao's mouth spoonful by spoonful.
Xiao Jingheng stayed with Song Zhao all day until after dinner. After comforting Song Zhao to go to bed early, he rushed back to Chaoyang Palace to review the memorials that had been piled up for a day.
Not long after he left, Xiao Fuzi came in.
He closed the doors and windows tightly, and carefully handed the object wrapped in a silk handkerchief to Song Zhao.
"My lord, I got the things."
Song Zhao unfolded the silk handkerchief layer by layer, and a pure gold token with a phoenix pattern printed on it appeared in front of her.
The word "Tianji" was engraved in the middle of the token, which was indeed the Tianji secret order.
"Are your hands and feet nimble enough?" Song Zhao asked.
Xiao Fuzi nodded and said, "Today is a day of prayer, and the Empress Dowager is not allowed to keep servants in the palace. After I asked for leave for you, I slipped into the Empress Dowager's bedroom when no one was around, and took this thing out from the interlayer of the Buddhist shrine drawer. It only took a moment to go back and forth, and the palace servants guarding the door can testify for me that I did not stay for long."
The palace guards outside the gate could calculate when Xiao Fuzi went in, how long she talked to Xiao Jingheng, and when she came out.
If Song Zhao had not told Xiao Fuzi in advance where the Tianji secret order was hidden, Xiao Fuzi would have saved the trouble of searching and gone straight to the target. It would have been impossible for him to get the secret order so secretly.
He also had questions in his mind about this matter, "My Lord, why did you risk your life to get this thing? And how did you know where the Queen Mother kept it?"
"I'm tired, you go down."
Song Zhao evaded the question with just one sentence, obviously not wanting to talk to him more.
Xiao Fuzi knew what was good for him, so he stopped asking questions, bowed, closed the door and left.
Song Zhao sat alone on the warm seat, holding the Tianji secret order in his hand, his eyes darkening:
Naturally, it was Xiao Jingyan who told her where the Tianji secret order was hidden.
And everything that happened today was completely within Song Zhao's calculations.
The Empress Dowager was not close to the concubines and rarely allowed them to enter the Xianshou Palace.
So after returning from the hot spring villa this time, Song Zhao never went to the Empress Dowager's palace, just to avoid suspicion.
Then she indirectly asked Xiao Jingheng to change the place of blessing from Yuntai to the Queen Mother's Palace.
As a result, many people have been to the Queen Mother's Palace.
On the contrary, Song Zhao has never been in there.
By then, if the truth is revealed and someone discovers that the Tianji secret order is missing, no one will suspect her.
Doing so would allow her to prove her innocence;
Secondly, if she didn't go to pray for the Queen, Concubine Ning would think she was stupid and she wouldn't think about whether there was something fishy about Xiying's death;
Thirdly, Xiao Jingheng thought that she was sick because of him, so he should feel guilty about her and take good care of her.
There are still two days until New Year's Eve.
When the time comes, I will hand over the Tianji secret order to Prince An, and just regard it as sending away this plague god.
After Song Zhao carefully hid the Tianji secret order, he originally planned to take a rest.
Just as I lay down, I could vaguely hear some noise outside.
I felt something strange and just as I stood up and prepared to go out to check, I saw Yunshan running in in a panic, stammering:
"My lord! Something happened, my lord!"
She seemed to be frightened and was out of breath when she spoke.
Song Zhao said calmly, "Speak slowly, what happened outside?"
"For some reason, Fengluan Palace suddenly caught fire! The Queen seems to be trapped inside, and there is chaos outside right now!"
This news was like a thunderclap, exploding in Song Zhao's ears without any preparation.
She didn't have time to be surprised, she put on a cloak and hurried out of the palace...
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