Chapter 13 Song Zhao's Bedtime 1
Today's weather has been gloomy since the evening.
The air was filled with thick moisture, and occasional bursts of muffled thunder were heard from the dark clouds.
When the Luanming Chengen sedan chair landed outside the Chaoyang Palace, Song Zhao looked up at the dark sky.
It's been hot and humid for so many days, it's time for a good rain.
Zhang Jiugui bowed and guided Song Zhao into Chaoyang Palace, and took her all the way to the side hall, where a friendly-looking nanny was waiting.
Zhang Jiugui introduced to Song Zhao, "This is the etiquette nanny in front of the emperor. She is responsible for teaching the young lady the etiquette of sleeping with the emperor."
As a eunuch, he couldn't bear to hear what the women were saying, so he stepped outside the door and waited.
Nanny said to Song Zhao: "There are many rules for sleeping with the emperor, but there are also many rules. You just need to remember two things: obey and cater to others.
Our emperor is young, having ascended the throne at the age of twenty-one. He has been on the throne for three years now, and will only be twenty-four in September, after his birthday celebration. He is now in good health.
When serving the emperor, the young lady must not disobey the emperor's wishes and spoil his mood. In short, if you do everything according to the emperor's wishes, please the emperor, and let the emperor get rid of the hard work of working hard during the day, it will be your credit.
Before the emperor goes to bed, the imperial maid will take the young lady to bathe and change clothes, and then send her to the emperor's bedroom. After the emperor is done sleeping, someone will come to send the young lady back to the palace. Of course, if the emperor likes her and allows her to stay overnight, that would be even better."
After listening to her, Song Zhao nodded seriously, "Thank you for your teaching, Madam. I've taken note of it."
Then the nanny arranged for the imperial maid to take Song Zhao down to bathe.
When the concubines went to the emperor's bedchamber, after they finished bathing, there would be someone special to help them put on makeup again.
But Zhang Jiugui privately reminded the nanny,
"The red rash on Song's face is because the disease of disobedience has not yet healed. If you cover it with powder at this time, the rash may become more severe due to the stimulation, which is not good.
Mrs. Song has delicate features and a beautiful appearance. The rash alone does not hide her beauty. The Empress Chen wants us to send Mrs. Song to the Emperor without makeup. Do you understand what the Empress means?"
The nanny smiled and said, "Your Highness, what the Concubine Chen said is absolutely right. I know what to do."
So after Song Zhao took a bath and changed her clothes that night, no one came to put makeup on her. Instead, she was sent directly to Xiao Jingheng's bedroom.
When she arrived, Xiao Jingheng was sitting on the warm seat, reviewing memorials.
When he heard Song Zhao coming in, he did not look up, but continued to write his comments on the memorial in a casual manner.
The candlelight in the hall flickered at dusk, creating a warm atmosphere.
The smoke from the agarwood smoke burning in the Boshan stove was thick and white, rising up in wisps and lingering in front of Xiao Jingheng.
This was the first time Song Zhao saw her husband.
Just as the rumors said, Xiao Jingheng was born with unparalleled handsomeness, and his appearance was exactly like Chen Ning's.
His dense and orderly eyebrows and obsidian-like pupils make his eyes look deep and resolute.
His straight nose and thin lips added a sense of being unattainable and distant to him.
Or maybe this sense of alienation comes from his innate imperial arrogance.
Song Zhao spread out her skirt and slowly knelt down, greeting him respectfully:
"I promised Song that I would see the emperor. May the emperor live long and have great happiness."
Hearing this, Xiao Jingheng's pen stopped.
He raised his head and glanced at Song Zhao, "Look up and answer."
A low, scratchy sound hit Song Zhao's eardrum.
She raised her head in response, but because concubines were not allowed to look directly at the emperor during the formalities, although she raised her head, she lowered her eyes and avoided his gaze.
Jamel Xiao could see her nervousness and uneasiness, and also saw the dense red rashes on her face.
Long before she went to the queen's bedchamber, Xiao Jingheng had already heard about this Consort Song from the queen.
The queen said that she was born with unparalleled beauty and charming, but because she was not tolerant of the peach blossom pollen, she was infected with the disease and had some rashes on her face.
After meeting her today, I found that what the Queen said was true.
Although the rash on Song Zhao's face looked scary, one could still tell that her facial features were very good.
Xiao Jingheng's gaze did not linger on her for long.
He only took a quick glance and quickly turned his gaze back to the memorial.
But he did not leave Song Zhao alone, and said, "Come forward and serve the writing brush and ink."
"Yes, I obey your order."
Song Zhao walked to Xiao Jingheng's side with lotus steps.
She rolled up her sleeves slightly, revealing a small section of her fair and delicate wrist, then took out the cinnabar inkstone and began to grind the ink.
'Boom'
Outside the window, the thunder was getting louder.
Song Zhao's hand trembled as he was grinding ink, and the ink dot slipped out of the inkstone.
She quickly took the handkerchief from her waist and wiped off the ink spot.
Jamel Xiao glanced sideways and asked in a cold tone, "Are you scared?"
"No, I'm not afraid."
Song Zhao's voice was a little stuttering and trembling, and it was obvious that he was telling a lie.
Xiao Jingheng could tell that she was trying to show off, but he didn't ask any more questions and continued to review the memorials quietly.
Not long after, the sound of falling rain could be heard outside the window.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the wind was getting stronger and stronger, until it blew open the diamond-shaped window next to the warm seat. The moisture and strong wind poured in all at once, blowing off a memorial that was placed on the desk.
Song Zhao hurried to the window, closed the diamond-shaped window with force, and fastened it.
Then he turned around, picked up the memorial on the ground, and presented it to Xiao Jingheng with both hands.
While she was doing these things, Jamel Xiao didn't even look at her the whole time.
I just heard the sound of rain hitting the eaves outside the window getting louder and louder, and I recited a poem casually,
"One night, light thunder fell thousands of threads, and the clear sky light floated on the tiles in uneven green."
He didn't expect that a soft female voice would respond to him.
"The affectionate peony holds spring tears, while the feeble rose lies on the morning branch."
A glimmer of stars flashed in Xiao Jingheng's eyes, and he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and look at Song Zhao again.
"This is a hidden poem by Qin Guan. It is not very famous and is rarely known. But you know it?"
Song Zhao's beautiful eyes moved, her cheeks flushed, and she said in a delicate voice: "My father likes to read poetry and books, and I have learned a little bit from him. I showed off in front of the emperor, and he laughed at me."
This time, the distance between the two people was less than three feet, and Xiao Jingheng could see her more clearly.
There is a natural charm in her every frown and smile.
When she went to close the window in the rain just now, her cheeks and temples were wet with rain.
Xiao Jingheng reached out to wipe the water droplets off her cheek, but Song Zhao subconsciously took a step back, trying to dodge.
But it's too late.
The moment Xiao Jingheng's fingers touched Song Zhao's cheek, the water droplets were wiped away by him, and the red rash on that spot was also wiped away.
Xiao Jingheng rubbed the paint-stained water stains on his fingertips.
Song Zhao was shocked when he saw this and knelt down immediately.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
Xiao Jingheng's sharp eyes met Song Zhao's panicked look.
He flicked his fingers to wipe away the water stains on his fingertips, and his deep voice was full of oppression.
"You are doing this because you don't want to sleep with me?"
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