Chapter 427: Chapter 427: But It Had to Be You

Yan Wen stared at her, his expression earnest. "Second Miss Song, is it that you don’t trust me? Then I shall swear an oath right here..."

"Don’t!" Song Lianhe quickly stopped him. "If I can’t trust you, who can I trust? It’s just... I don’t want to get you involved in this. You’re the Top Scorer. Your future is boundless."

"Without you, there would be no Top Scorer."

"You can’t say that. You earned this title with your own abilities! I just did what anyone else would have done..."

"But it was you."

’If they keep this up,’ Su Huaqing thought as he listened to their back-and-forth, ’they’ll have to get married to put an end to it.’

He quickly raised a hand to interrupt. "You are both great scholars and great philanthropists. Now that we’re truly on the same side, there’s no need for such pleasantries."

It was no use for Song Lianhe to say anything more. Yan Wen knew too much; he had essentially become a core member of their group.

He continued, "The Holy Emperor has missed the morning court session for several days in a row. According to news from the Imperial Hospital, his body likely won’t hold out for much longer. He refuses to see anyone except Prince Hang and Consort Zhao Hui. Even the Empress has been turned away at the palace doors several times when she came to pay her respects."

Yan Wen said, "Whether this is his true intention or not, Prince Hang wouldn’t want him to see outsiders, lest it complicate matters."

Just then, Xuan Mei suddenly entered.

"Someone from the palace is here."

Song Lianhe went to the rear courtyard and found Fang Xiu, one of Empress Chun De’s personal attendants.

"Princess Qing!" Fang Xiu bowed, then hurried forward and pleaded, "This servant has come on the Empress’s orders to invite Your Highness into the palace to treat the Holy Emperor."

Song Lianhe was a little surprised. She quickly replied, "I am overwhelmed by the Empress’s undeserved favor. But my medical skills are not refined, and I fear my ability does not match my will." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

To be honest, Empress Chun De’s invitation to the palace had caught her completely off guard.

’In the original novel, Emperor Cheng Xiao’s death wasn’t mentioned in much detail; it was just a matter of course.’

’After his death, Zhou Junlin ascended the throne.’

’But now the Crown Prince is someone else, and Empress Chun De has come to ask me to save Emperor Cheng Xiao. Everything is spinning out of control, and it’s making me panic.’

"Princess Qing, the Empress knows your concerns. You don’t need to worry. Just go and treat him. No matter the outcome, no one will dare to blame you!"

As she spoke, she placed a Token into Song Lianhe’s hand. "Seeing this Token is like seeing the Empress herself. It can spare you from death once."

With things having come to this, if she refused again, it would seem deliberate.

Song Lianhe said she needed to prepare, then called for Xuan Mei and told her to inform Zhou Cangyan. ’It’s a good thing the Empress sent for me,’ she thought. ’If it had been anyone else, I would have refused outright.’

Song Lianhe then took Shuang Ye and followed Fang Xiu into the palace.

She was first taken to Empress Chun De’s Kunyi Palace. The Empress had been worn down by worry and toil recently, and her complexion was much worse than before, but she was still very warm and affectionate when she saw Song Lianhe.

"Come here." She beckoned to Song Lianhe.

Song Lianhe stepped forward, and the Empress took her hand. "You and Biwu truly suffered in Sishui City."

Fang Xiu added from the side, "When we first heard that Princess Qing had met with trouble, the Empress cried several times. Nothing this servant said could console her."

Song Lianhe looked at her again, feeling a surge of gratitude. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

"Don’t listen to her nonsense. I certainly did not cry."

Empress Chun De then asked about Zhou Cangyan before sighing. "Now that you’re back in Ling’an, you must be careful at every turn. It’s not like the outside world here."

Song Lianhe looked at her. ’Consort Zhao Hui must see the Empress as a thorn in her side now,’ she thought. ’After all, there can only be one Empress Dowager in this palace. Empress Chun De’s days must be difficult as well.’

’So, by inviting me to save Emperor Cheng Xiao, she’s also trying to save herself.’

"Lianhe, you know why I have summoned you. I am also well aware of how difficult the road has been for you and Biwu. I truly feel I am in your debt..."

Song Lianhe looked at her and suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, I have but one bold question."

"Does this mean you agree?" A light appeared in Empress Chun De’s eyes. "What is it? Go on, ask!"

But as she met Song Lianhe’s gaze, she seemed to guess what the other wanted to ask. Or perhaps it was her own uneasy conscience, for she hastily averted her eyes.

In that single instant, Song Lianhe understood.

—

At Chongzheng Hall, Empress Chun De was once again denied entry.

"Insolence!"

Fang Xiu stepped forward and slapped the young eunuch who had relayed the message.

Empress Chun De pressed her thin lips together, her expression cold.

"I am the Empress! Who dares to stop me?"

She took a step forward, only to hear a pleasant laugh.

"Sister, don’t be angry. Why lower yourself to arguing with a mere servant?"

Hearing this voice, Song Lianhe, who was disguised as a palace maid, looked up slightly. She saw a delicate beauty approaching gracefully. An entourage of eunuchs, matrons, and guards followed behind her—a vast procession that put Empress Chun De’s own to shame.

’So this is Consort Zhao Hui?’

"Consort Zhao Hui, was it you who ordered people to stop me from seeing the Holy Emperor? How audacious of you! Do you know your crime?!"

Empress Chun De was filled with pent-up fury. This time, she would not back down, no matter what. Otherwise, where would her dignity as the Empress be?

"Sister, you’ve wronged me. How could I dare stop you? It’s the Holy Emperor whose health is failing; he is unwilling to see outsiders. My attempts to persuade him were also useless. He even threw a huge tantrum at me."

Empress Chun De sneered. "What’s the use of saying so much? Who doesn’t know what you and your son are plotting?"

"SHHH~" Consort Zhao Hui smiled bewitchingly as she slowly approached. Standing on higher ground, she looked down on Empress Chun De, her body leaning in little by little. "Your Majesty, you mustn’t speak so recklessly. If the Holy Emperor were to hear you, it would surely make him unhappy."

"You bitch—"

Song Lianhe suddenly reached out and grabbed Empress Chun De. "Your Majesty, your cold has not yet healed. I fear you might pass the illness to the Holy Emperor."

"Heh," Consort Zhao Hui said with a dry laugh. "In that case, Sister Empress, you should hurry back to your Kunyi Palace and recuperate. I am here to look after the Holy Emperor, so there’s no need for you to worry."

Consort Zhao Hui straightened up, her eyes filled with contempt as she looked down at Empress Chun De.

Empress Chun De was so angry she ground her teeth. Song Lianhe shot a look at Fang Xiu, and the two of them immediately supported the Empress and left.

Consort Zhao Hui gave a cold smile, then beckoned with her finger to a young eunuch behind her.

"That palace maid... she looks very unfamiliar. Go investigate her."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Back in Kunyi Palace, Empress Chun De exploded with rage. "That vixen! I let her off the hook before, and now she’s gotten this audacious! I am still the Empress! How hard could it be to have her punished for a crime?"

Song Lianhe took the tea from Fang Xiu and offered it to her. "If you do that, Your Majesty, you’ll fall right into Consort Zhao Hui’s trap."

Empress Chun De froze. She turned to look at Song Lianhe, slowly taking the tea from her hand. "What do you mean by that?"

"Didn’t you notice, Your Majesty? She was trying to provoke you at every turn today."

Empress Chun De took a sip of tea, her brows furrowed. After a moment of thought, she nodded. "Now that you mention it, that’s true. She was always detestable, but she never dared to be so arrogant in my presence before! So..."

"So, she must be plotting something."

Song Lianhe said, "To find out what it is, we don’t need to confront her head-on. We just need to investigate Chongzheng Hall tonight, and everything will become clear."

"Investigate at night?"

Empress Chun De looked troubled.

Song Lianhe smiled. "A small matter like this is best left to me."