Chapter 631 - 409: Going Too Far

Chapter 631: Chapter 409: Going Too Far

When Song Yunzhao arrived at Cuiwei Palace, she ran into Consort Shu right at the entrance as the latter was about to leave. Consort Shu paused, looked at her, and asked, "Are you here about Noble Lady Xu?"

Song Yunzhao nodded. "Yes. Are you heading out for this matter as well, Consort Shu?"

"Let’s talk as we walk," Consort Shu said, her tone and expression sour.

Song Yunzhao fell into step beside her. "I just received the news and rushed over to discuss it with you. I don’t know the full story yet. Do you?"

Consort Shu’s expression darkened further. "I don’t know much either, but Yunshang quietly made some inquiries. Yesterday, Noble Lady Xu went to Shouci Palace to pay her respects and stayed there for a full eight to ten hours. But we couldn’t find out what she was doing for all that time."

Song Yunzhao was speechless.

’So it really was the Empress Dowager who meddled in this.’

’Heh, just as expected of the brainless side villain who never gets a taste of justice in the book. With an intellect like that, she’s only on the throne of Empress Dowager because the author gave her a son who happened to be the male lead. Otherwise, she could forget it!’

"Paying respects shouldn’t take that long," Song Yunzhao said. "She went yesterday and is sick today. I’m afraid something is amiss."

Consort Shu snorted. "Isn’t it just? Why can’t we have a single peaceful day? Someone always has to stir up trouble. It’s so exhausting."

Consort Shu used to think that holding power in the palace was a sign of prestige. Now, she just felt it was an immense hassle—a hot potato she couldn’t get rid of.

"Let’s not jump to conclusions. We should go and see for ourselves first," Song Yunzhao advised.

Consort Shu nodded. "Let’s go."

The two of them made their way to Zhaoyang Palace. A Palace Attendant guarding the gate spotted them from a distance, turned, and hurried inside to announce them. Before long, Wang Zhaorong emerged to greet them.

"This concubine greets Lady Shufei and Lady Ming," Wang Zhaorong said, stepping forward to curtsy.

"Rise. There’s no need for such formalities," Consort Shu said. "Ming Fei and I heard that Noble Lady Xu is ill, so we came to see what’s going on."

Wang Zhaorong rose and led the way. In response to Consort Shu’s words, she replied, "Noble Lady Xu was fine when she returned from paying respects to the Empress Dowager yesterday. However, in the latter half of the night, my attendant on duty heard some commotion from Mingguang Palace. But no one from Mingguang Palace sent word to the main hall, and it quickly went quiet again, so Rouge and the others didn’t disturb me. I only learned of Noble Lady Xu’s illness today, when her maid, Caiqin, came to beg me to summon an Imperial Physician for her."

As the head concubine of the main hall, Wang Zhaorong’s approval was indeed required for Noble Lady Xu to request an Imperial Physician.

Consort Shu asked, "From the sound of it, she must have fallen ill last night?"

Wang Zhaorong looked at Consort Shu. "This concubine wouldn’t dare to say for certain."

Consort Shu was at a loss for words.

’Slippery old fox!’

Seeing Consort Shu fuming, Song Yunzhao stepped in to smooth things over. "Noble Lady Xu’s attendants haven’t said anything explicitly, so we shouldn’t draw any conclusions. Let’s go have a look first."

Consort Shu shot Song Yunzhao a glare. ’Always the peacemaker!’

Song Yunzhao simply pressed her lips into a smile at Consort Shu.

Consort Shu was exasperated.

Wang Zhaorong paid no mind to Consort Shu’s cold expression. After all these years, they knew each other inside and out.

The three of them headed directly for Mingguang Palace, where the Palace Attendant on duty immediately came forward to bow upon seeing them.

Consort Shu asked bluntly, "How is Noble Lady Xu now?"

The little palace maid at the door couldn’t even form a coherent sentence. Terrified by Consort Shu’s severe tone, she trembled and was at a complete loss for how to respond.

Song Yunzhao fell silent. ’Who on earth assigned these attendants to Noble Lady Xu?’ she thought. ’They’re so incompetent they can’t even answer a simple question.’

Hearing the commotion, Caiqin hurried out from inside. "Your servant, Caiqin, pays her respects to Lady Shufei, Lady Ming, and Wang Zhaorong."

Consort Shu glanced at the little palace maid who was trembling like a leaf, pursed her lips tightly to keep from reprimanding her, and began to question Caiqin instead.

Caiqin finally began her explanation. "My lady developed a slight fever late last night after returning from Shouci Palace. But it was very late and the fever wasn’t severe, so she instructed us not to disturb Zhaorong. Who knew that by today, her fever would suddenly spike? I was terrified, and that’s when I went to beg Zhaorong for help. The Imperial Physician has already come. He said that my lady has a fever because she was exposed to the cold wind and caught a severe chill."

’Exposed to the cold wind and caught a severe chill?’

’To fall ill like this in this kind of weather, one would have to have been outside for a very long time.’

Song Yunzhao now had a fairly clear idea of what had happened. She looked at Consort Shu and said, "Shall we go in and see Noble Lady Xu first?"

Consort Shu nodded, and the three of them entered the hall.

The hall was filled with the thick smell of medicine, which was slightly overwhelming upon entering.

Upon entering the bedchamber, they saw Noble Lady Xu lying in bed with a damp cloth on her forehead. Her face was flushed, she looked to be in a very bad state, and she was still asleep.

It was clear they couldn’t question her in this condition. Yun Zhao watched as Consort Shu had Caiqin bring out the prescription written by the Imperial Physician. After looking it over, Consort Shu’s expression grew even uglier.

Song Yunzhao couldn’t make sense of the prescription, so she asked Consort Shu, "How is it?"

"Not good. The fever is severe," Consort Shu said in a cold voice.

Song Yunzhao turned to Caiqin. "Where is the Imperial Physician?"

’Her fever is so high, why isn’t the Imperial Physician here attending to her?’

At this, Caiqin’s eyes welled with tears. "The Imperial Physician was here not long ago, but a Palace Attendant from Shouci Palace came and summoned him away, saying the Empress Dowager was feeling unwell."

Song Yunzhao, who had remained expressionless until now, could no longer contain her anger. Her face turned grim. "Is he the only Imperial Physician in the entire Imperial Hospital? Did they really have to summon the one away from Mingguang Palace?"

Hearing Ming Fei’s words, Caiqin dropped to her knees with a THUD. "Please, Your Ladyship, save my lady!"

Consort Shu looked at Noble Lady Xu’s delirious state and immediately ordered Yunshang, "Go to the Imperial Hospital and summon another Imperial Physician. While you’re at it, have the Dean of the Hospital personally make a trip to Shouci Palace to check on the Empress Dowager’s health. The physician who was at Mingguang Palace must not be skilled enough, how could he possibly be fit to diagnose the Empress Dowager!"

’This is utterly outrageous!’

Upon hearing this, Caiqin immediately began to kowtow to Consort Shu. The sound of her forehead hitting the floor made even Song Yunzhao wince in sympathy.

"Get up. Your priority is to look after Noble Lady Xu," Song Yunzhao said, quickly stopping her from continuing.

Caiqin offered her thanks before rising to her feet and quickly changing the cloth on Noble Lady Xu’s forehead.

With Consort Shu so publicly sending for another Imperial Physician, it wouldn’t be long before everyone in the palace knew that Shouci Palace had snatched away the doctor from Mingguang Palace.

Song Yunzhao quite admired Consort Shu’s confrontational stance. She spoke up, "Should we report Noble Lady Xu’s situation to the Emperor?"

"Of course, we should," Consort Shu said at once. "I’ll leave that to you. Wang Zhaorong and I will stay here and watch over Noble Lady Xu."

Noble Lady Xu looked to be in a bad way, and Consort Shu worried that if she didn’t stay, Shouci Palace would find another way to drive off the new physician. If Noble Lady Xu died, the Empress Dowager would certainly hold them responsible.

The mere thought was infuriating. Consort Shu refused to give the Empress Dowager the opportunity.

’Xu Mingying is truly unlucky,’ she thought. ’She fought tooth and nail to enter the palace, but was it just to throw her life away?’

’Even if one attains wealth and glory, one still needs the good fortune to be able to enjoy it.’