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

Recently, rumors have been circulating in the palace that the Second Prince's poisoning is inextricably linked to Song Shuangning.

Because of the autumn hunting grounds, Yun had harmed her before, so she suspected that Song Shuangning held a grudge and secretly poisoned her.

At first, it was a few palace maids and eunuchs who gathered together to talk about it, but it gradually became a topic of conversation among the concubines during their leisure time.

Such a flawed rumor was obviously spread by Song Luowei.

The rumors also reached Li Fuquan's ears. After much deliberation, Li Fuquan told the emperor.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan found it absurd and slammed his hand on the imperial desk. "Send all those gossipy palace maids to the Censorate for severe torture. Who instructed them to spread such rumors?"

"Consort Song, what are you doing?"

"Consort Song did not leave the Hidden Winter Pavilion today," Li Fuquan said.

Xiao Yan frowned and pondered for a moment, and the hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Li Fuquan lowered his head in fear.

After a long silence, Xiao Yan broke the stillness with a deep voice: "Let's go to Cangdong Pavilion."

Others may not know that Song Shuangning had pleaded for Yun Shi. But he did. Therefore, now that she was being accused of such absurd crimes, he found it all ridiculous and laughable.

She has always been timid, and now she is caught in a vortex of rumors. She doesn't even know to come to him. People say she is smart, but also stupid.

When Xiao Yan arrived at Cangdong Pavilion, he happened to see Song Shuangning swinging on a swing in the courtyard.

The woman's cheerful laughter reached his ears.

Li Fuquan cautiously peeked out, "Huh, Consort Song is so happy? If it were anyone else in this situation, they would have been panicking by now."

The swing swung higher and higher, her skirt billowing in the wind, but the woman was still not satisfied, laughing and shouting, "Higher, higher!"

Xiao Yan felt a little flustered and interrupted the cheerful conversation in a deep voice.

"Stop!"

Tinglu and Tingyu were startled and quickly grabbed the swing's rope to bring it to a steady stop.

Upon hearing the sound, Song Shuangning looked away, smiled, lifted her skirt, and ran to Xiaoyan's side.

"Why has the Emperor come?"

Xiao Yan had a stern face, intending to scare her, but to his surprise, she wasn't afraid at all and still smiled sweetly.

"You're really bold."

Song Shuangning smiled and said softly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have had the servants reinforce the swing. Nothing will happen."

Xiao Yan gave a light snort and went straight into the hall.

Song Shuangning cursed under her breath: How absurd.

Seeing the Emperor's displeasure, Li Fuquan followed Song Shuangning and said respectfully, "Your Highness, the Emperor heard about the rumors in the palace and was worried about you, so he came to see you."

"I understand." Song Shuangning jogged over and followed behind Xiao Yan.

Did Xiao Yan come here specifically for this purpose?

Worried about her? But if she appears too gloomy, it would only make her seem guilty and suspicious. Or perhaps, in Xiao Yan's eyes, she is simply a fragile person who can be easily defeated?

Xiao Yan sat on the couch, while Song Shuangning squatted down and leaned against Xiao Yan's legs, her hands resting lightly on his knees.

Song Shuangning's eyelashes trembled slightly. "So Your Majesty came here because you were worried about me. Your Majesty, please rest assured, these rumors have not affected me at all. I have a clear conscience about what I did not do, and I feel neither guilty nor secretly distressed. As the saying goes, rumors stop with the wise. I believe that the innocent will clear themselves, and these absurd claims will eventually fall apart on their own."

Xiao Yan gently placed his left hand on hers, his knuckles tightening slightly.

"It would be best if Ningning thought that way."

"Your Majesty, I will gradually learn to grow up and won't always trouble you with my affairs."

After saying this, Song Shuangning slowly pressed her face against Xiao Yan's palm.

Learn to grow slowly.

I won't always make you worry about your concubines.

Xiao Yan lowered his eyes, gently brushed his fingertips across her cheek, and rolled his Adam's apple.

"So well-behaved."

Song Shuangning: "Your concubine has always been so obedient."

"Mmm," Xiao Yan echoed her words, "You've always been so well-behaved."

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.

Song Shuangning thought no one would believe such a clumsy frame-up. But when she went to pay her respects that day, several concubines took the opportunity to subtly mock her.

"It's heartbreaking to see the Second Prince and the Eldest Princess suffer such a misfortune. Consort Song and Lady Yun had a conflict at the hunting grounds."

"Consort Song, that's not what I meant. It just so happens that the Second Prince is obsessed with this kind of eye candy, so anyone would think too much about it."

Consort Shu was three months pregnant. She gently stroked her lower abdomen, her expression gentle and calm, but her tone was sarcastic. "You lot are quite capable. You convicted Consort Song without any investigation or questioning. You're probably better at solving cases than the Minister of Justice."

"Indeed!" Consort Shao chimed in. "Your logic is truly novel. According to you, there's probably not a single clean person left in the palace! I was also at the hunting grounds that day. Hongcheng almost got into trouble, and it was only thanks to Consort Song risking her life to save him that he was safe. Yun's fate today is clearly self-inflicted and deserved, so why is it being implicated with Consort Song? Just because she saved Hongcheng, does that mean she's being falsely accused of poisoning the Second Prince?"

His gaze then swept over the concubines in the hall, his eyes suddenly turning cold: "Furthermore, you all have had many conflicts with the Yun family in the past. In terms of suspicion, aren't you even more suspicious than Sister Song?"

Song Luowei clenched her handkerchief tightly without showing any emotion, her expression filled with jealousy and disdain.

Why does Song Shuangning have so many people's favor? They've all been fooled by her seemingly innocent and harmless appearance!

When Song Shuangning met Song Luowei's gaze, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Since Song Luowei insisted on giving her this play, she would just accept it.

After the Empress came out, Song Shuangning rose gracefully, then walked to the center of the hall and knelt down: "Your Majesty, rumors in the harem are rampant. I humbly request Your Majesty to search my Hidden Winter Pavilion to prove my innocence."

The Empress's gaze swept over the concubines who were making a fuss. "Consort Song, you don't need to do this. There are no witnesses pointing to you, and no physical evidence pointing to you. I believe this matter has nothing to do with you, and we cannot rashly search the palace."

She was also afraid that offending the emperor by searching the palace would displease him. After all, Consort Song held a significant place in the emperor's heart.

Song Luowei secretly felt smug: Fool, you volunteered to search the palace? You're just asking for your death.

The more arrogant they are now, the more pathetic they will be later.

Song Shuangning straightened her back and said softly but firmly, "This concubine humbly requests Your Majesty the Empress to search the palace and restore my innocence."

The Empress lowered her eyes, her thoughts churning within her, unable to make up her mind.

The concubines exchanged glances and quickly followed up, saying, "Since Sister Song is willing to request a search of the palace, why not grant her wish? It would be a way to restore her innocence and justice!"

"Yes, Your Highness. Since Consort Song dared to propose searching the palace, she must have a clear conscience. Let's grant her wish, to give her justice and shut others up!"

The Empress said, "Since that's the case, in order to clear your name, I agree."

Then, she looked at Qingdai and said, "Take some men to search the palace in Cangdong Pavilion."

Song Luowei was overjoyed, and the corners of her mouth turned up uncontrollably, but she was afraid that others would notice her, so she forced it down, making her expression look a little strange.