Chapter 86: Love and Hate
Later, when they climbed to the top of Yuntai again, Song Zhao and Yunshan were more careful.
Both the master and the servant leaned against the mountain wall, making sure they took each step firmly before moving forward.
After climbing up the Yuntai and entering the Ten Halls of Bodhisattvas, Song Zhao kowtowed and knelt before the Buddha statue. He then took down the amulet placed in front of the Buddha statue, carefully wrapped it in a silk handkerchief and put it into his waist belt.
Before leaving, she said to the maidservant who was serving her:
"The iron chains protecting the two sides of the platform are broken. Arrange someone to repair them quickly and don't hurt anyone."
The maid responded repeatedly, but her face was full of confusion as she muttered,
"The chain was clearly re-secured last month. It's only been a few days. How could it break?"
Song Zhao didn't say anything after hearing this.
On the way down the mountain, Song Zhao kept thinking about what the Concubine had just said.
"The iron chains on both sides of the platform are as cold as ice in winter. Don't touch them if you can, or your precious hands will freeze off, which will make it difficult for you to protect the Queen in the future!"
If it weren't for the abrupt words from the Concubine Chen,
Song Zhao's life or death is probably uncertain at this moment.
After landing safely from Yuntai, Yunshan breathed a sigh of relief.
"What a dangerous road. The Queen has to go up to the Cloud Terrace twice a month. I thought it was just a bit hard, but I didn't expect that this place could cost someone their life if they are not careful."
Song Zhao sneered and said, "She has to do this to show how good she is to the emperor, doesn't she?"
"If she is willing to sacrifice her life just to make the emperor think she is good, I think it is better not to have such friendship."
In this matter, Yunshan sees things more clearly than the Queen.
All the concubines care about Xiao Jingheng, but the queen's concern is a little too much.
If you care for your wife too much without adjusting the limit, she will act more like a mother than a wife.
It’s no wonder that Xiao Jingheng always treats her with respect, but there is no love between husband and wife.
After walking about ten feet away from the platform, Yunshan turned back with lingering fear and looked at the iron chain hanging on the edge of the cliff halfway up the mountain. He couldn't help but take a breath of cold air.
"It was a close call just now. If the Concubine Chen hadn't mentioned the iron chain by mistake when she was teasing you, you would have been in danger if you had tried to climb up there."
"She mentioned it by accident." Song Zhao said in a deep voice, "She said it on purpose for me to hear."
"Intentionally? My lady, are you saying that Concubine Chen knew that there was something wrong with the chain?"
Song Zhao remained silent, staring straight ahead at the road.
Yunshan thought for a while, and suddenly realized: "Or, the iron chain is actually the Concubine Chen..."
Song Zhao glanced at Yunshan.
The walls of the palace have ears, even the wind has the ability to eavesdrop.
Yunshan understood and immediately slapped his lips to keep silent.
In fact, this matter has become very clear now.
Concubine Chen thought that the snake incident in Meiyuan was caused by the Queen's attempt to harm her, so she was determined to take revenge on the Queen.
Almost everyone in the palace knew that the Queen would go up to the Cloud Terrace on the 15th and 16th of every month.
Therefore, if Concubine Chen wanted to harm the Queen, the most direct way was to tamper with the iron chains of the Yuntai.
This method is the simplest and most brainless. If the truth is revealed, it will be easily discovered.
But this is very much like the usual style of the Concubine Chen...
Besides, the Concubine Chen did not worship Buddha, so why did her sedan chair go to Yuntai for no reason?
Most likely, she had been hiding in the dark, hoping to see the queen fall to her death with her own eyes in order to relieve her hatred.
The unexpected thing about the whole incident was the sudden appearance of Song Zhao.
After Song Zhao returned the amulet to the queen, they exchanged a few words of greeting and she left.
After coming out of the Queen's palace, Song Zhao did not go back to the palace directly, but took a detour to the Chenfei's palace.
When she arrived, the Concubine Chen was listening to an opera in the palace, so she stood aside and waited for about half an hour.
After the actors left, Song Zhao immediately walked to the center of the hall, knelt before the Concubine Chen without hesitation, and bowed to her.
"Thank you, Madam Consort Chen."
Even though the Concubine Chen looked down on everyone, she rolled her eyes at Song Zhao and said:
"What do you want to thank me for? I didn't do anything. If you want to thank someone, thank yourself."
Of course, Chen Fei had to pretend that she didn't understand what Song Zhao was saying.
Otherwise, wouldn't that be a disguised admission that she was the one who tampered with Yuntai's chains?
Song Zhao was also an understanding person, and he just said:
"I have frostbite on my hands, and the cold will only make them worse. If it weren't for the Queen Mother Chen's reminder today, I would have climbed up the platform holding the iron chain of my icy hands. By then, my hands would be numb from the cold, and I'm afraid even getting dressed and eating would be a problem."
The Concubine was silent for a moment, raised her hand and told Song Zhao to stand up, then sneered:
"You have to keep these hands, but you also have to know who you will use them to serve in the future, understand?"
Song Zhao nodded repeatedly and said respectfully, "I am where I am today entirely because of your Majesty's support. Your Majesty has been very kind to me, and I will never forget my roots."
The concubine stared at Song Zhao's flawless face.
Whenever she was alone with her, the Concubine would secretly admire how stunningly beautiful this woman was.
Especially when she saw Xiao Jingheng's eyes looking at Song Zhao, which were so burning and so full,
She wished she could tear off Song Zhao's face.
She could have done that.
But it was this woman who made her jealous, who saved her life...
The concubine narrowed her eyes, her eyes were full of sharpness, and she stabbed Song Zhao viciously.
Then she said with disgust: "You should not forget your roots. Otherwise, if I can send you to the emperor's dragon bed, I can also send you to the thick soil of the concubine's mausoleum! Yingxiang, ask her to leave!"
At the end of the day, Song Zhao was driven out of Yonghe Palace by Concubine Chen.
But she wasn't annoyed at all.
I just felt that Concubine Chen was so stupid, so stupid that it was hard to hate her.
Compared to everyone in the harem who is hiding in the dark and doing dirty things, people like Concubine Chen, who is open about what she loves and hates, seem less annoying.
After returning to Yaohua Palace, Song Zhao simply packed a few pieces of luggage and placed the bag he would carry with him at the head of the bed, planning to put it back in order later.
At this time, Xiao Jingheng came.
He still did not let the palace servants inform him, giving Song Zhao an unexpected surprise.
At that time, Song Zhao was fiddling with the bag on the bedside. Seeing Xiao Jingheng coming, she immediately covered the bag with a quilt in a panic, and then walked forward to greet Xiao Jingheng.
"Long live the emperor."
This awkward action was seen by Xiao Jingheng.
He calmly helped Song Zhao up, held her hand and walked straight to the bed.
"What good things are you hiding? You won't even show it to me?"
"No, nothing... inside are all the things that I will take with me to the hot spring villa." Song Zhao stuttered as she replied, her eyes evasive, which made Xiao Jingheng think that there was something wrong with her.
He suddenly pulled open the quilt, and the tied bag fell to the ground.
Xiao Jingheng bent over and picked up the bag. When he was about to untie it to find out what was inside, he saw Song Zhao biting his lips nervously and said timidly with a red face:
"There are only some common daily necessities in it, Your Majesty should not look at it..."
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