Chapter 647 - 425: Slipped and Fell into the Water

Chapter 647: Chapter 425: Slipped and Fell into the Water

Consort Shu questioned all the palace attendants who were on duty and found no oversights whatsoever. This indirectly proved that the little palace maid was telling the truth.

Even if Yun Zhao tried her best to nitpick, she couldn’t find a single flaw. The little palace maid had been terrified when answering, yet no matter how many times she was questioned, her story never wavered.

If someone were lying, they would surely slip up under repeated questioning.

As Song Yunzhao watched the matter being ruled an accident, she wondered if she was being overly suspicious. ’Am I overthinking things? Do I have to see a conspiracy in everything?’

Yanqing Palace needed to be renovated, and the side hall where Feng Yunjin lived required major repairs. Thus, Consort Shu decided to have her temporarily move to the West Hall of the main palace building. She could move back once her Qingxin Hall was restored. Since it wasn’t the primary residence of the main hall, it was an acceptable arrangement.

Seeing that everything was more or less settled, Song Yunzhao took her attendants and departed.

As she walked out of Yanqing Palace, she glanced back. Although the black smoke was gone, the acrid smell of the fire still lingered in the air.

Consort Shu quickly reported the matter to the Emperor. Feng Yi knew that Yun Zhao and Feng Xiaoyuan had a good relationship, and that Yun Zhao must be upset about Qingxin Hall burning down. So, he simply decreed that Feng Yunjin could move into the main palace building permanently; she wouldn’t have to move back even after Qingxin Hall was repaired.

Yun Zhao had long been bothered by Feng Yunjin’s inability to get promoted. Letting her move to the main hall on this occasion was a considerable show of grace.

Song Yunzhao was, as expected, delighted when she heard the news. ’Feng Yi really does understand me,’ she thought.

Feng Yunjin’s misfortune had turned into a blessing. For a small concubine to reside in the main hall of a palace was unprecedented.

Many people went to offer their congratulations. Yun Zhao also sent a gift, thinking she should gather a few friends soon for a lively get-together to dispel the lingering misfortune.

As the weather grew hotter, the incident of the fire at Yanqing Palace gradually faded from memory. With the heat came discomfort, and the Imperial Physicians found themselves summoned to the harem more and more frequently.

Yun Zhao had her own and her son’s ice rations, so her days weren’t difficult. However, the ordinary concubines’ rations weren’t enough to provide ice all day, making the days hard to endure.

It couldn’t be helped. The amount of ice stored in the icehouses each year was limited. Finding more was difficult, and it wasn’t easy to buy, even at a high price.

Yun Zhao had spent the previous summer at Jincui Garden. This year, staying in Yaohua Palace felt trying. With the Empress Dowager present in the palace, she was reluctant to take her son to the Imperial Garden, even after the worst of the heat subsided. The fire at Yanqing Palace remained a thorn in her side. Even though it had been ruled an accident, she couldn’t shake an unsettling feeling about it.

’Besides, I have the destiny of a cannon fodder character in a novel.’ Even though her life had been smooth sailing for years, she never dared to let her guard down.

Feng Yi was busy with matters of state, and his presence was rarely seen in the harem. However, since he had recently displeased Yun Zhao, he made a point to find time to dine with her every few days, even if he couldn’t spend every night at Yaohua Palace. As a result, Yaohua Palace remained the most dazzling place in the harem.

Song Yunzhao was awakened early by her son. Feng Ze was full of youthful energy and loved to move about. He would get up at dawn and want to run outside right after breakfast.

She would usually turn a blind eye when he went off to Taixi Hall, but today he insisted on playing in the Imperial Garden. Yun Zhao had no choice but to go with him. The morning sky was a splendid brocade of colorful clouds, and a cool breeze caressed their faces, bringing a pleasant, refreshing feeling.

Anshun followed close behind the Eldest Prince, not daring to even blink, leading a group of attendants to protect their young master.

Yun Zhao found a pavilion to sit in and gently waved her round fan. But in just a moment, the sky that had been filled with brilliant morning colors suddenly darkened as ominous clouds gathered, and thunder began to roll.

Song Yunzhao immediately had someone bring Feng Ze back to her. Taking her son’s hand, she started to head back.

The thunder startled Feng Ze, so he stopped being mischievous and obediently followed his mother. But the rain suddenly intensified, rendering their umbrellas useless. They had to find another pavilion to take shelter.

Once inside the stone pavilion, they shook the water from their clothes. A gust of wind blew past, bringing a sudden chill. Yun Zhao pulled her son into her arms, smiled, and asked softly, "Are you cold?"

Feng Ze shook his head. "I’m not cold." Then, he looked out at the curtain of rain and said cheerfully, "Mother, the rain is so heavy! I’ve never seen it rain this hard before."

Yun Zhao was amused. ’You’re only a few years old,’ she thought. Still, she nodded seriously. "As you grow older, you will see more and more new things."

Feng Ze giggled. Seeing her son so happy made Yun Zhao happy too. She took out a handkerchief to dry his damp clothes, waiting for the rain to stop so they could return.

"Your Ladyship, look. There’s someone over there."

Hearing Xiangxue’s voice, Yun Zhao looked up. Sure enough, she saw someone hurrying through the downpour. The rain was too thick to make out who it was, only a hazy, blurred silhouette.

"It’s probably a palace attendant on an errand. Why don’t they have an umbrella?" Song Yunzhao said with a slight frown.

"Perhaps it’s a little palace maid from one of the minor palaces," Xiangxue sighed. "The lowest-ranking attendants in the palace have it the hardest. They do the most grueling work and suffer the most injustice."

She herself had come up through the ranks that way.

They waited until the silhouette vanished into the rain, then sat in the pavilion for a while longer. At last, the rain stopped. Summer showers were always like that—coming and going in a flash.

Yun Zhao led her retinue back to Yaohua Palace. She first had someone prepare a hot bath for Feng Ze, then bathed and changed her own clothes. Her rain-dampened palace dress felt uncomfortably sticky.

When she came out, she saw Shizhu and a few other maids waiting outside, their faces grim. She asked casually, "What is it now?"

Shizhu stepped forward, her expression somber. "Your Ladyship, one of Feng Xiaoyuan’s little palace maids, Lingshuang, has drowned. They say she slipped and fell into the water."

Song Yunzhao froze. "Lingshuang?"

The name sounded familiar.

"It’s the same little palace maid from the fire," Shizhu said.

The color drained from Song Yunzhao’s face. "How could she just fall into the water?"

"The story is that the small tea room in Yanqing Palace ran out of charcoal, so she was sent to fetch more. On the way, she was caught in the downpour. She must not have been able to see the path clearly and slipped into the water. With the rain coming down so hard, no one saw it happen, so..."

Song Yunzhao was speechless for a long moment. Outside, the sky had already cleared up, showing no trace of the earlier storm clouds. But in that brief span of time, a life had been lost.

"What is the official word from Yanqing Palace?"

"Feng Xiaoyuan has already reported to Lady Shufei at Cuiwei Palace. Lady Shufei sent people to retrieve the body, but the heavy rain washed the area completely clean. It’s impossible to tell whether she slipped or if something else happened, so it has been ruled an accident."

The fire was an accident, and now the drowning is an accident.

’How could there be so many accidents in the world?’

A chilling, murderous glint flickered deep in Yun Zhao’s eyes. ’Both incidents have targeted Feng Yunjin. I fear this is truly aimed at me. Since Feng Yunjin is my ally, they’re simply starting with her.’