Chapter 104: To Bleed Like a Pig
Xianzong nodded. “Linglong’s right. Zhao Beicheng felt guilty when thinking of Qinghui,1 so he admitted his wrongs.”
Jing Mo’s mouth twitched. What a pair this father and daughter make. Who are they trying to fool with those blasted lies?
Zuo You asked Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess, Zhao Beicheng’s still alive, right?”
Yu Xiaoxiao was about to hit the table but stopped at the sight of all the food resting on its surface. Withdrawing her hand, she said, “I didn’t hit him. I never hit people without reason.” Zhao Beicheng isn’t some zombie, so why would I need to beat him up as soon as I see him?
Jing Mo raised his wine cup to toast Gu Xinglang. “Royal Son-in-Law Gu, I congratulate you.”
Despite knowing that Jing Mo’s words were insincere, Gu Xinglang toasted him back. “Many thanks to eldest prince.”
Zuo You was in no mood to congratulate Gu Xinglang and asked Xianzong, “Your Majesty, will the princess follow Gu Xinglang to the frontier pass?”
Xianzong looked up at Zuo You. “To the frontier pass? This is Zhen’s own daughter!”
Really, this was enough!
Everyone did their best not to roll their eyes in public. Your Majesty, aren’t you afraid of chilling the hearts of the soldiers at the frontier pass with those words?!
In the meantime, Yu Xiaoxiao silently polished off a red-braised fish all by herself. She didn’t take any of Xianzong’s words to heart because mealtimes were supposed to be reserved for eating.
Gu Xinglang said in a low voice, “My feet have yet to heal, so naturally I’ll stay with the princess at the capital.”
Yu Xiaoxiao looked at Gu Xinglang and said, “It’s alright. When you’ve recovered, I’ll join you on the battlefield.”
Gu Xinglang smiled at Yu Xiaoxiao. How could he let his own wife put herself in danger like that? “How about asking the manager for more dishes?” he said, changing the topic.
Xianzong immediately followed along. “These dishes taste so terrible, but you’re all still eating them? Has my Fengtian no more good restaurants?”
As the host of the banquet, Jing Mo felt rather awkward after these words. He said, “The princess really likes the dishes at this restaurant.”
Zuo You nodded. He had invited Yu Xiaoxiao out at this restaurant too, so Xianzong’s words gave him no face. Yu Xiaoxiao ate a mouthful of hibiscus fried eggs before she added, “Think about the people who are starving.”
Xianzong tossed his chopsticks onto the table. “Has Zhen ever starved you?”
How was Yu Xiaoxiao supposed to answer that? In the past, she had really fought for her life just to eat her fill.
Xianzong said, “Tomorrow, Zhen will have the kitchens make a table full of dishes just for you.”
Yu Xiaoxiao ignored him. If it’s those tiny dishes in the palace, even a dog can’t eat its fill!
Xianzong then told Gu Xinglang, “Come with Linglong to the palace tomorrow.”
Gu Xinglang was about to accept the decree when he saw Jing Mo pushing a plate of peeled shrimp in front of his wife and promptly lost track of his father-in-law’s words. Xianzong saw that neither his daughter or son-in-law was paying him any attention and followed the latter’s gaze to see Jing Mo handing Yu Xiaoxiao a damp handkerchief to wipe her mouth. He immediately glared at Gu Xinglang and murmured, “Are you just going to watch?”
Gu Xinglang had a feeling that his father-in-law wanted him to fight.
Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t take Jing Mo’s offered handkerchief as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and told Gu Xinglang, “Hurry up and eat.”
Gu Xinglang replied, “I’ve already eaten my fill. Princess, tell me what you’d like to eat.”
“Fish,” Yu Xiaoxiao said simply.
Third Young Master Gu thus proceeded to pick out the bones from the fish on the table.
When Xianzong next realized that Zuo You was waiting on his daughter as well, he grew unwell all over. He might not like Gu Xinglang, but a royal princess of the Yu Clan wasn’t some red plum tree jutting over a courtyard wall, ah. No matter what, she had to wait until Gu Xinglang died before taking another man! “Linglong,” Xianzong called out. “Restrain yourself.”
What am I supposed to restrain while eating? Yu Xiaoxiao wondered. She decided to ignore Xianzong’s words until she was finished with her meal.
At the same time, Consort Zhao’s court ladies and eunuchs were in an uproar at Morning Skies Palace. Consort Zhao herself was pale-faced and dripping with perspiration. If she could move, she would be rolling around on the floor in pain. Her stomach felt like someone had stabbed her with a knife. As the agony stretched on, her soft whimpers turned into high-pitched shrieks of pain.
Consort Zhao’s trusted servant Jadeite rushed out of Morning Skies Palace and straight towards the imperial study. Jing Zhong was standing at the entrance when the harried servant girl arrived. Frightened by her appearance, he asked, “Something’s happened to Consort Zhao?”
Jadeite was in a panic. “Head Eunuch, esteemed consort suddenly said her stomach hurt. This servant wants to beg an audience with His Majesty.”
Jing Zhong led Jadeite quickly into the imperial study, where the dancers and musicians were still carrying on. Jing Zhong stood outside the screen and said loudly, “Your Majesty, Consort Zhao’s suddenly taken ill.”
No one answered him.
Jing Zhong could only try again. “Your Majesty, Consort Zhao’s fallen sick.”
Again, no sound came from behind the screen.
Jadeite fell on her knees in tears. “I beg Your Majesty to save esteemed consort.”
When Xianzong still didn’t reply, it felt like the world inside the room had been severed completely in half, with one side distanced from the other.
“Your Majesty?!” Jing Zhong cried.
Meanwhile, neither the musicians nor the dancers dared to stop without Xianzong’s personal word. Jing Zhong wavered briefly at the entrance before walking inside and calling out to the screen directly. “Your Majesty, servant Jing Zhong begs for an audience.”
Once again, no voice replied.
Jing Zhong finally walked behind the embroidered screen wall, only to find that there was nobody there. Xianzong’s outer robes were still lying on the long divan while his wine was being warmed by a little stove on the side. Jing Zhong pushed the screen aside and asked the performers, “Where’s His Majesty?”
The musicians and dancers all knelt on the ground in kowtows. None of them could tell him where Xianzong went.
“Go and search,” Jing Zhong ordered loudly. Chaos soon descended on the imperial study.
Jadeite saw that Jing Zhong was going to lead everyone out and quickly held him back. “Head Eunuch, what about esteemed consort?”
“Go find an imperial physician,” Jing Zhong replied. “Whatever happens, wait until I find His Majesty first.”
Jadeite didn’t get to say another word before Jing Zhong hurried off. The four shadow guards by Xianzong’s side had vanished as well, which convinced the head eunuch that Xianzong must have gone off to another consort’s palace in a sudden fit of fancy.
Jadeite had no choice but to run for the Imperial Physician Courtyard.
Meanwhile, the court lady waiting at Consort Zhao’s bedside suddenly cried out in terror. “Blood! Esteemed consort’s bleeding!”
A few of the palace momos came over and saw that the bedsheets beneath Consort Zhao not covered by her quilt were stained a blackish red. One of them promptly pulled the covers off her body.
“Ahhhh!” various court ladies screamed at the same time.
Consort Zhao was bleeding like a pig,2 her blood soaking through the bedsheets.
“Your Majesty,” Consort Zhao had no more strength to scream. She could only call out repeatedly for Xianzong in a feeble voice.
None of the momo dared to touch her now. The oldest amongst them coaxed, “Esteemed consort, hold on a while longer. His Majesty will be here very soon. Just endure it a bit more, you’ll be alright, esteemed consort!”
Translator’s Note: The moment you realize there’s actual scheming going on in the background of this story and beyond the jokes we’ve got blood and court intrigue too~ Looks like a certain someone’s ploy has come to fruition, oh my…
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