That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

In the main hall, Li Fuquan had already bowed and finished his reply.

Song Luowei (Song Chongyi) remained silent for a long time, her tone revealing neither anger nor remorse, and simply said, "I understand."

"This servant takes his leave." Li Fuquan bowed and withdrew.

As soon as Li Fuquan's footsteps disappeared outside the hall, Song Luowei's calm expression crumbled instantly. She slammed her teacup to the ground, sending shards of porcelain flying everywhere.

She paced back and forth in the hall, her skirt rustling as it swept across the floor.

"Great, that's really great!"

"She's really gotten bolder these days. She actually dared to intercept someone from my place! Does she even respect me as her elder sister?"

"Or is it that she's no longer satisfied with the status quo and wants to climb over me to rise to power?"

"In a few days it will be the anniversary of Yong'an's (the Fourth Prince's) death." Song Luowei sat down again in disappointment.

These past few days, she's dreamt of Yong'an every night, dreamt of him crying, dreamt of him laughing. So she prayed in the Imperial Garden that the Emperor would come and keep her company, so that Yong'an, in the afterlife, would know that his father still remembered him!

The Emperor clearly agreed!

Consort Song murmured, "How can the Emperor be so biased?"

She had only lived a few days in Yong'an, and that was all she had left. How dare that vile woman, how could she, intercept the Emperor at this very moment?

As she turned around, she saw her distorted face reflected in the bronze mirror. She grabbed a comb from the dressing table and smashed it against the mirror. The mirror shattered, and she said, "I regret it."

Tinglan asked, puzzled, "What does Your Highness regret?"

"I regret letting her into the palace."

Her voice was hoarse and filled with ruthlessness.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Hidden Winter Pavilion.

Tingyu carried the dark bowl of medicine into the hall. When Song Shuangning caught sight of the bowl, she immediately frowned and shrank back, leaning against Xiao Yan.

"Your Majesty, this medicine is too bitter. I don't want to drink it."

Tingyu curtsied, as if complaining, "Your Majesty, the young lady hasn't taken her medicine all day. The imperial physician said that she should take at least one dose of this medicine every day."

"Tingyu, you're so mean." Song Shuangning glared at her fiercely.

Looking at her like this, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up with a smile. He reached out and gently hooked her chin. "You're the most pretentious one."

Despite saying that, he still personally took the medicine bowl, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and held it to her lips. "Be good, you'll get better if you drink this. I'll get you some candied fruit after you finish."

Song Shuangning obediently opened her mouth and drank the whole bowl of medicine.

Looking at her face, Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh and ask, "Is it that painful?"

Suddenly, Song Shuangning leaned forward and quickly pecked Xiao Yan's lips.

Her eyes glistened with tears, her expression innocent and naive: "Your Majesty, why don't you try it and see?"

Xiao Yan was stunned. The soft touch of her medicine still seemed to linger on his lips. What was so bitter about the medicine? It was clearly a lingering sweetness.

"Ningning is getting bolder and bolder." Xiao Yan pinched her cheek.

Song Shuangning nestled happily in Xiao Yan's arms: "You're so spoiled by the Emperor."

With such a soft and fragrant woman in your arms, it's impossible not to have some thoughts.

The smile in Xiao Yan's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a dark, husky desire. He leaned close to her ear and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you fully recovered?"

The implication in his words was too obvious. Song Shuangning couldn't pretend not to know. She looked up at him, the innocence in her eyes fading, leaving only allure.

Xiao Yan's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and his palm slowly slid down her back, causing Song Shuangning to shudder slightly.

Fifteen minutes later, Xiao Yan picked up a handkerchief from the side to wipe his hands, looked at her reddened eyes, and let out a low laugh: "Pathetic."

Song Shuangning wrapped her arms around his neck and said in a soft, coquettish voice, "Your Majesty is naughty."

After saying this, she smiled and looked up at Xiao Yan, her long, soft hand slowly sliding down.

"It's time for the concubines."

……

Tinglan ran to Cangdong Pavilion, crying, "Steward Li, my mistress has suddenly developed a high fever. Please help me inform her."

Li Fuquan glanced inside the hall, then led Tinglan away a bit. "It's not that I'm unwilling to help you, but the Emperor is staying in Cangdong Pavilion. It's obvious he's going to spend today with Consort Song. You'd better hurry and fetch the imperial physician to examine Consort Song."

He could tell whether the concubine was genuinely sick or feigning illness, or whether she was just throwing a tantrum.

Tinglan knelt on the ground with a thud. "This servant only begs Steward Li to inform Her Majesty this once, that Her Majesty has already begun to talk nonsense."

Oh, are you really sick?

Li Fuquan frowned deeply, and finally sighed heavily: "Fine, you wait for me here."

Song Shuangning's outer garment was half-undone, and Xiao Yan buried his face in her neck.

"Your Majesty, Consort Song has developed a high fever. Please come and take a look," Li Fuquan said in a loud voice, trembling with fear.

Song Shuangning's previously dazed eyes instantly cleared. She deliberately snuggled closer to Xiao Yan, but said, "Your Majesty should go and take a look."

A bead of sweat slid down her neck and gently landed on Song Shuangning's clothes.

Xiao Yan's eyes were as deep and unfathomable as a still pool. "Ningning, do you really want me to leave?"

Song Shuangning lowered her eyes: "This concubine does not wish to, but my elder sister needs the Emperor."

"Don't you need it?" Xiao Yan asked deliberately.

Song Shuangning's cheeks flushed bright red, like ripe cherries.

Li Fuquan: "Your Majesty?"

Xiao Yan looked up and said coldly, "If you're sick, go and summon the imperial physician. I can't take a pulse, much less treat illnesses."

Li Fuquan shuddered, muttering to himself, "What foolish thing did I do today? Why did I soften my heart and relay the message for her? The Emperor is clearly going to spend the day with Consort Song."

He went outside and said to Tinglan, "His Majesty said that if Consort Chongyi falls ill, we should summon the imperial physician. We must not delay."

Disappointed, Tinglan returned to the main hall. She brought a cup of warm tea and held it to Consort Song's lips. "Your Majesty, please have some water. The imperial physician will be here soon."

Song Chongyi propped herself up and sat up, her eyes still holding a glimmer of hope.

"Your Majesty, has he arrived?"

Tinglan lowered her head, her voice barely audible: "The Emperor... did not come."

The light in Song Chongyi's eyes went out instantly.

"Clang—" She slammed the teacup to the ground, sneering, "How could the Emperor be so heartless?"

"It must be that bitch Song Shuangning who's been clinging to the Emperor."

"Tinglan, I really regret it."

After venting her anger, Song Luowei collapsed to the ground, feeling utterly exhausted, too weak to even lift her hand.

"I regret bringing her into the palace. I no longer wish to use her to conceive a royal heir; she is unworthy. I want her dead, and I want her dead right now!"