Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

Bao Zhong and Feng Xi stepped out of the hall, and the hall door closed silently behind them.

Bao Zhong bowed slightly to Feng Xi, his expression respectful: "Thank you, Godfather, for helping your son out of that predicament."

Feng Xi didn't look at him, brushed past him, and walked down the steps one by one.

Bao Zhong glanced up, then bent down and followed.

The two walked along the empty street, their shadows stretched long by the sunlight.

Feng Xi then spoke, his voice unhurried: "Bao'er, tell your godfather, what exactly do you want to do?"

Bao Zhong's mind darkened, but his expression remained unchanged: "Catch the assassin."

Feng Xi paused, stopping in his tracks. He turned around, looked up at Bao Zhong, who was bowing his head, and a shrewd glint flashed in his cloudy eyes:

"Last night we went to Luqiong Pavilion, and today Xin Damao died in the Shenxing Division. Bao'er, you're a smart child, always meticulous in your work. How could you let Xin Damao die so easily right under your nose?"

Bao Zhong's lips curled slightly, and instead of answering, he asked, "Does Godfather also suspect that Consort Chong was the father?"

Feng Xi stared at him for a moment, a sinister smile creeping across his face:

"Baby, your godfather really doesn't understand you anymore. But remember what your godfather said yesterday. Our family can make you a favorite of the emperor, and we can also make you the second Xin Damao."

Just now in the hall, you saw that the Emperor had become suspicious of you. If I hadn't brought up Consort Mi in time, do you think you would still be walking out unscathed?

Bao Zhong lowered his waist even further: "Son thanks Godfather for getting me out of this predicament."

Seeing that he was still avoiding his words, Feng Xi felt a surge of suppressed anger in his eyes, but he still wore a smile on his face:

"No need to thank me. The Emperor has already ordered you to thoroughly investigate this matter. Don't let down the Emperor and my family's trust in you."

"Yes, Godfather," Baozhong replied.

Feng Xi turned and left, but after taking only a few steps, he casually tossed out a sentence: "Xia He, you'd better make arrangements for our family as soon as possible."

After saying that, he strode away and never looked back.

Bao Zhong remained bent over, watching Feng Xizheng's figure gradually shrink at the end of the long street.

His back slowly straightened, inch by inch. His deep eyes darkened, like a pool of water that had been stirred up and was now slowly settling.

Jinghe Palace.

Consort Su stood at the entrance of the palace and saw Consort Chong step into the East Palace from afar.

She was followed by only a eunuch and a palace maid, each carrying a simple bundle, her shabby appearance unlike that of a concubine.

Consort Su's eyes were full of disdain as she gritted her teeth and said:

"Why did Your Majesty specifically choose to let her live in my palace? Consort Chong has been like a dead person in Luqiong Pavilion for over ten years. She should have just stayed there quietly. What was she doing out here?"

The palace maid Jasmine beside him whispered:

"It's all because of the assassins. I heard that Xin Damao is dead, and the Emperor suspects that there is another assassin. In order to protect Consort Chong, he has moved in with the Empress, saying that they can look after each other, but no one is allowed to get close."

"What, does Your Majesty consider this a refuge or a shelter?"

Consort Su stared at the East Hall with a resentful expression, deliberately raising her voice so that it would travel through the courtyard and float into the open window of the East Hall without missing a single word.

"I just don't understand. How did an old concubine who has been confined in Luqiong Pavilion for more than ten years suddenly become so precious? Is it worth the Emperor going to such lengths to move her? Are you afraid she'll die? It would be peaceful if she died, saving everyone the trouble of moving her around."

After she finished speaking, her gaze remained fixed on the direction of the East Hall, as if she wanted to stare a hole through that window.

Inside the East Palace, Consort Chong sat on a rose chair, holding a mimosa flower in her hand.

The sunlight slanted in, making his graying temples and the wrinkles around his eyes clearly visible.

Su Fei's voice drifted in from outside, one sentence after another, but she seemed not to hear it, her eyes lowered, staring blankly at the flowers in her hand.

Xiao Sanzi placed the teacup on the table, bent down, leaned closer, and whispered:

"Your Highness, Consort Su has always been sharp-tongued and mean-spirited, please don't take it to heart."

The palace maid, Peach, was packing her bedding when she glanced out the window and replied unhappily:

"No matter what, our Empress is older than her, and she has no sense of propriety when it comes to her words."

Consort Chong stared at the mimosa flower in her hand, her fingertips slowly stroking the petals, her voice aged and calm: "What difference does it make if you argue with a dog?"

She paused for a moment, gently twirling the flower stem between her fingertips, her tone softening slightly:

"Xin Damao truly deserved to die this time. If we had known this would happen, we shouldn't have kept him alive until now. Now that he's dead, he has also brought me out of the shadows. We should not only thank him, but also Baozhong."

(under)

Jiang Shuoning had been bedridden for five days, and as soon as his health began to improve, he immediately got up to serve Consort Rong.

Just as they reached the entrance to the bedchamber, they heard Consort Rong's angry shouts coming from inside:

"What, do you think I'm too old??"

Xia He knelt on the ground, her voice trembling: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This servant only noticed a few gray hairs on Your Majesty's head and was distressed by Your Majesty's excessive worry."

Consort Rong's phoenix eyes were fixed sharply on her, and she said through gritted teeth, "Do I need a lowly servant like you to feel sorry for me? What do you think you are?"

As he spoke, he noticed a pink velvet flower in her hair, and immediately grabbed the teacup beside him and smashed it over her shoulder.

"All you do all day is dress up in bright red and green, looking like a vixen. What, do you think I'm too old and want to overstep your bounds and serve the Emperor?"

The teacup struck Xia He's forehead and shattered with a crack. Blood trickled down her temple, mixing with stray strands of hair and sticking to her cheek.

Xia He trembled violently, prostrating herself on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger, this servant dares not, this servant dares not..."

Fengchun, standing at the entrance of the palace, shrank back in fright and dared not go in.

Turning his head, he was startled to find Jiang Shuoning standing behind him. He quickly put on a concerned expression and lowered his voice:

"Sister Shuoning, why are you up? You're not fully recovered yet."

Jiang Shuoning looked into the room, not at him, and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

Feng Chun sighed, took half a step closer, and said in a low voice:

"That girl Xiahe was combing the Empress's hair when she noticed a few gray hairs and blurted out something. Women hate being told they're old, especially our Empress. That Xiahe girl is really blind. Well, she deserves to be scolded."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuoning slowly lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow on his eyelids.

She didn't reply, but just stood there quietly, listening to Xia He's sobs coming from inside, rising and falling like dull knives cutting into cloth.

After a long pause, she gently raised her eyes, her face expressionless, and whispered:

"I'm going to pay my respects to Her Majesty."

Feng Chun stood there, stunned, watching her back. He wanted to stop her but didn't dare, so he could only shut his mouth.

Jiang Shuoning stepped into the bedchamber and saw Consort Rong standing in front of Xia He in a rose-red nightgown. Her long, silky black hair cascaded down to her waist, and the morning light made the few white hairs on it particularly conspicuous.

His gaze quickly swept over Xia He again. Half of her hair was disheveled, blood was still wet on her forehead, and her face was smeared with tears. She was kneeling on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly and admitting her mistakes.

Jiang Shuoning withdrew his gaze, took a few steps closer, and bowed slightly to Consort Rong: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Consort Rong turned her head, her sharp gaze falling on her, sweeping her up and down, her tone still carrying lingering anger:

"Why are you up? Have you recovered?"

Jiang Shuoning slightly raised her eyes, her voice gentle: "This servant's health is not worth Your Majesty's concern. It's just that this servant has been thinking of Your Majesty while lying in bed, and I only feel at ease when I'm by Your Majesty's side."

She paused for a moment, then added just the right amount of concern to her tone:

"The weather has been dry these past few days, so Your Highness must not be sleeping well at night. I'll have the kitchen prepare a calming soup, and then I'll massage Your Highness's head to help you relax."

After saying that, he bent down and stepped forward, gently lifting Rongfei's arm and leading her to the soft couch by the window.

Consort Rong glanced at Jiang Shuoning from the side.

Her hair was neatly combed up without any headdress. Her cheeks were fair and delicate, without any rouge or powder. The only bright spot was a cinnabar mole between her eyebrows.

She wore a light blue robe, clean and neat without a single wrinkle, and her whole being was elegant and refined, like a still pool of water untouched by dust.

The anger in Consort Rong's phoenix eyes subsided silently by a third.

Jiang Shuo Ning knelt on the couch and pushed open the window, letting in a gentle breeze carrying the morning light.

Then, he helped Consort Rong lie down on the couch, resting her head on a pillow, and knelt beside her, gently pressing her temples with both hands, the pressure neither too strong nor too weak.

Consort Rong then slowly closed her eyes, and her body gradually relaxed.

Jiang Shuoning glanced sideways at Xia He, who was still sobbing, his voice low but clear:

"Don't get in my way. Go tell the kitchen to cook a bowl of mung bean porridge, and bring it over with some light and refreshing dishes and snacks."

Xia He wiped the blood from her face with her sleeve, choked back a sob, and quickly retreated, bending over.

The hall fell silent.

A few wisps of breeze blew in through the window, gently brushing against Rongfei's cheeks and stirring a few stray hairs at her temples, which swayed in the sunlight.

Consort Rong closed her eyes and spoke in a low voice:

"Shuoning, I've been in the palace for almost sixteen years. Outside, I'd be old enough to be a grandmother. Tell me, am I getting old?"

Jiang Shuoning's hands didn't stop moving; the pressure remained neither too light nor too heavy, and his voice was gentle:

"What does Your Highness mean by old age? Your Highness is beautiful. There are many people in the palace who are younger than you, but in terms of charm, who can match Your Highness even a fraction?"

Otherwise, over the years, if it were anyone else, the Emperor would have long since neglected them. But Your Highness, the Emperor has always favored you the most. Furthermore, those few strands of white hair, which would make someone look old, only add to Your Highness's charm.

She paused, gently smoothing the tension on Consort Rong's forehead with her fingertips, and continued:

"But those ignorant and arrogant girls, relying on their youth, have no sense of propriety. Why should Your Majesty get angry with them and ruin your health? It's not worth it."

Consort Rong didn't reply, her eyelids twitched slightly, as if she had swallowed something back.

After a long pause, she slowly exhaled, her voice softening: "Only you know how to talk to make me happy."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Shuoning saw a green figure rush past the window.