The Girl Who Struggled Through Palace Intrigues to Become the Empress

"Your bastard child is dead, so my child can live!"

Zhao shrieked manically, muttering,

The dagger flashing coldly was about to stab Song Zhao in an instant.

In the flash of lightning,

Yun Shan suddenly pulled Song Zhao,

She didn't hesitate at all, and rushed forward to protect Song Zhao behind her, using her own body as a meat shield to block the blow for Song Zhao.

The blade of the dagger was almost completely inserted into Yun Shan's abdomen.

Yun Shan was the most afraid of pain. Usually, she would make a fuss for half a day if her hand was scraped a little when working.

But today she didn't know where the courage came from.

She gripped Zhao's wrist holding the dagger tightly, not allowing her to pull out the dagger, preventing her from hurting Song Zhao again.

"Yun Shan!"

Song Zhao was also shocked by the sudden attack.

But Yun Shan shouted to her, "My Lady, run away!"

It was impossible for Song Zhao to abandon Yun Shan at this time.

At the critical juncture, she pulled out the gold hairpin with inlay on her hair bun and stabbed it fiercely at Zhao's neck.

The hairpin pierced Zhao's neck, but did not hurt her fatally.

On the contrary, it drove her crazy!

Her eyes greedily and morbidly stared at Song Zhao’s swollen belly,

Repeating that sentence, "Your bastard child is dead, so my child can live!"

With that, Zhao stirred the dagger inserted into Yun Shan’s abdomen violently with brute force until Yun Shan painful loosened her grip before seizing the chance and pushing Yun Shan to the ground.

She held up the blood-stained red blade without any hesitation and stabbed towards Song Zhao again.

At the critical moment, a bright yellow shadow suddenly caught Song Zhao's eye.

Then a broad, powerful big hand pulled her small arm and drew her into his embrace.

Song Zhao first smelled the scent of month orchid.

After settling down, she saw that it was Xiao Jingheng who had appeared behind her somehow.

As Zhao's dagger fell, Xiao Jingheng raised his arm to block it with his forearm. His arm was accidentally injured.

He acted very quickly. Taking advantage of Zhao's absent-mindedness, he kicked her lower abdomen.

Zhao was kicked more than ten feet away and fell to the ground. Jiang Deshun immediately controlled her.

"Are you hurt?"

Xiao Jingheng looked at Song Zhao with eyes full of concern.

Song Zhao, still in shock, shook her head, but saw Xiao Jingheng’s arm cut open and blood oozing from the damaged bright yellow dragon robe, extremely conspicuous.

"Your Majesty, you are injured!"

Xiao Jingheng put his hand behind his back indifferently. "It's just a minor injury. The important thing is that you are unharmed."

When Jiang Deshun learned that Xiao Jingheng was injured, he was so frightened that he turned pale. He immediately came up to ask questions and ordered someone to invite the Imperial Physician quickly.

More and more palace maids surrounded Xiao Jingheng. Song Zhao was deliberately squeezed aside by the crowd.

As soon as she was free, she immediately threw herself to the side of Yun Shan who was lying in a pool of blood, and held her cold hand, saying,

"Yun Shan, hang in there!"

Yun Shan's body was very cold and kept shaking.

Song Zhao took off her coat and covered her with it, patting her shoulders. "It's okay. You'll be fine."

Yun Shan weakly raised her hand to wipe away Song Zhao's tears.

She looked relieved instead of painful, revealing a relaxed smile.

"My lady, it’s good that you’re fine. I can finally... protect you once..."

"Yun Shan! Wake up! Don't sleep!"

Yun Shan lost consciousness in Song Zhao's arms without responding.

Song Zhao shouted her name aloud and cried uncontrollably.

All of this was seen by Xiao Jingheng, and he felt even more distressed.

He asked them to take Yun Shan down to treat her injuries and be sure to save her life.

Song Zhao really wanted to stay by Yun Shan’s side the whole time, but after all Xiao Jingheng was also injured saving her. She couldn’t not care about Xiao Jingheng at this moment, so she had no choice but to urge Jiang Deshun and said,

"I'll have to trouble Lord Jiang to take good care of this. Yun Shan grew up with me like a sister. You must make the imperial doctors save her life!"

"Don't worry, my lady. This servant will find the best imperial doctor to treat her!"

Later, Song Zhao had no choice but to accompany Xiao Jingheng back to Chaoyang Palace.

When the imperial physician was bandaging his wound, on the one hand, Song Zhao was worried about Yun Shan’s injury, and on the other hand, she was somewhat moved by Xiao Jingheng’s rescue.

She knew Xiao Jingheng.

When the fire broke out in the Empress’ palace, Xiao Jingheng was able to preserve himself, standing still as a rock outside the fire.

How could he disregard his own safety today and help block the knife for her?

This was really not like the cold and unemotional emperor she knew...

The people serving in the imperial court worked very efficiently.

Xiao Jingheng’s wound had just been bandaged when Xiao Yinzi came in to report,

"Replying to Your Majesty, Consort Chen had already gone mad in the Cold Palace. Her assassination attempt on Imperial Concubine Song should have been accidental."

Xiao Jingheng frowned in displeasure, "She was locked up in the Cold Palace, how did she get out?"

"Well..." Xiao Yinzi hesitated, "It was because Consort Chen went to see her and accidentally let her escape."

——"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you okay?"

An anxious and somewhat erratic female voice sounded outside the door. Xiao Yinzi had just mentioned Consort Chen when she came to the door herself.

Consort Chen ran into the inner bedroom crying.

She loved beauty the most, but at this moment her tears had blurred her makeup after obviously crying all the way here. It could be seen that she was very anxious.

As soon as she entered, she didn't even bother to greet them properly, and ran up to Xiao Jingheng in a fluster, asking long questions

"How is it? Imperial Physician Chu, is His Majesty's injury serious or not? Why is there still so much blood even after the bandage?"

She covered her nose and tears kept streaming down her face.

"It's all my fault, it's all my fault! If anything happens to His Majesty, what am I going to do..."

Song Zhao could see that Consort Chen's tears were not fake this time.

She was really worried about Xiao Jingheng, so anxious that she didn't even want to cover up her own mistakes.

Seeing her cry like this, Xiao Jingheng frowned and sighed,

"What made you provoke Zhao for no reason? Didn't I tell you that no one is allowed to visit her without my permission? Did you take my words as just air?"

Consort Chen said, "This is all my fault. His Majesty is injured by that madwoman, I deserve ten thousand deaths. I beg His Majesty not to get angry... otherwise the just bandaged wound may open up again, which would be bad."

She was only concerned about Xiao Jingheng’s well-being. No matter how Xiao Jingheng scolded her, she agreed to everything.

It seemed as if Xiao Jingheng was injured, her world had collapsed.

Later when the Empress heard the news and rushed over,

she first asked about Xiao Jingheng’s injury, and did not forget to give some words of comfort to the shocked Song Zhao.

Then she scolded Consort Chen,

"Consort Chen, you caused such chaos in managing the six palaces. Zhao injured His Majesty’s dragon body and almost harmed the imperial heir in Imperial Concubine’s womb. Do you even know what you are doing?"

Unlike usual, Consort Chen did not argue with the Empress. "Zhao said insane and insulting things to me in the Cold Palace. I was so angry that I wanted to go argue with her..."

The Empress said sternly, "She has gone mad. Did you go mad with her too? What kind of nonsense can a madwoman say that is worth you arguing with her about it?"

Although this was an accident, the blame ultimately lay with Consort Chen’s recklessness. Xiao Jingheng also had to punish her.

So he said to Consort Chen,

"You still have this kind of temperament, reckless and impetuous. How can you manage the six palaces well? Before the Empress gives birth, let Consort Yin be in charge of the affairs of the six palaces. You can reflect well in the palace and change this impulsiveness as well."

Consort Chen repeatedly nodded and sobbed,

"I can give up everything, as long as His Majesty is safe and sound."

From the corner of her eye, Song Zhao noticed that although the Empress's expression was normal when Xiao Jingheng was speaking just now, her naturally hanging fingers were gently twisting her handkerchief.

It could be seen that the Empress was very happy that Consort Chen had lost power but she pretended well by not saying anything more to ask Xiao Jingheng to punish Consort Chen further. Instead, she asked,

"Then what should be done with Zhao?"

Xiao Jingheng was silent for a moment, and spat out extremely coldly,

"Secretly kill her without announcing the death."