Chapter 4: First entry into the Imperial Chambers

Chapter 4

The second day early in the morning, the imperial carriage came to the Song mansion to pick up Song Zhao to enter the palace.

At the moment of parting, Song Shicheng saw her off at the gate of the mansion.

He cried with tears streaming down his face, and kept urging Song Zhao to take good care of herself after entering the palace.

As a family-born maid, Yun Shan could accompany Song Zhao into the palace.

After the imperial carriage left the Song mansion for a while, Yun Shan lamented, "In fact, when all is said and done, the old master still cares about Second Miss. This servant has worked in the mansion for so many years, and has never seen the old master cry like this."

Song Zhao smiled and looked at the scenery outside the window without saying a word.

Was he crying for himself?

He was just crying for the people in front of the emperor, trying to cry out an image of a kind father for himself.

All the way into the palace through the Meridian Gate, the imperial carriage stopped outside the Crimson Snow Pavilion.

Just as it stopped steadily, a shrill voice was heard outside the carriage,

"This humble servant is Little Shun Zi from the Palace Affairs Department. I humbly greet the young miss."

The carriage door opened from the outside, and Song Zhao took a look at the eunuch standing at the front of the carriage and nodded to him with a smile.

Little Shun Zi was all smiles originally, but his expression changed instantly when he saw Song Zhao's swollen face.

The palace servants were most adept at discerning the situation, flattering the powerful and looking down on the weak.

Especially those who worked in Palace Affairs Department, they were best at sensing the emperor's preferences, knowing which kind of people could please the emperor and which would be unwelcome.

From Little Shun Zi's attitude, it could be seen that he felt Song Zhao's appearance was surely unattractive and not favored, so he was too lazy to even pretend to be polite.

After getting off the carriage, Little Shun Zi led Song Zhao and Yun Shan into the Crimson Snow Pavilion.

Yun Shan asked him, "Excuse me for asking, will His Majesty come here later?"

But Little Shun Zi ignored her as if he didn't hear, and kept leading the way ahead, too lazy to even turn his head.

Yun Shan thought he didn't hear, so she cleared her throat and wanted to ask again in a louder voice.

At this time, Song Zhao pulled her and shook her head, signalling her not to ask any more.

After arriving at the inner hall of Crimson Snow Pavilion, Song Zhao saw that the other three chosen beauties who entered with her were already there.

Little Shun Zi was rude to her, but fawned over these new beauties with smiles,

Yun Shan whispered, "Young miss, before entering the palace, the old master clearly gave us two hundred taels of silver, for us to bribe the palace servants. Everyone else gave money, why didn't you give that manager something, just go along with them?"

Song Zhao looked up at Yun Shan and mouthed:

'He is doomed.'

Yun Shan seemed to understand, but didn't know what it meant.

Just as she was about to ask more, Little Shun Zi's miserable screams were heard from outside:

"This servant knows his wrongs! Spare my life!"

Everyone looked towards the sound and saw Little Shun Zi being seized and kneeling on the ground. The benefits he had just received fell out from his bosom as he kowtowed too hard, scattering all over the floor.

Standing in front of him was a tall and graceful woman, wearing a crimson gold-threaded satin robe, draped in a silver yarn coat, with clouds styled hair, and phoenix gold hairpin and jade stepsway.

She gently stroked her coiffure, glanced coldly at Little Shun Zi, and sternly said:

"His Majesty has been purging corrupt officials, yet you still dare stretch your claws into the harem? Which hand did you use to take the bribe?"

Little Shun Zi did not dare to answer stammering. A palace maid beside said:

"Replying to Consort Yin, it was his right hand."

Consort Yin raised her kerchief to below her nose, patted the powder on her face, and casually said:

"Then chop off his right hand and send him to Xinze Prison for hard labor."

Severing a hand was an extreme punishment, but it sounded as casual as killing a chicken when said by Consort Yin.

Killing a chicken to warn the monkeys, Little Shun Zi was gagged and dragged away. Consort Yin then turned and entered the inner hall.

Like Song Zhao, Noble Consort Li and the others were just sixteen-year-old girls who had been pampered at home. They had never seen such bloody affairs before.

Plus the bribes were indeed given by them, so before Consort Yin even approached them, they were already trembling with fear and could barely stand steadily.

When saluting Consort Yin, Noble Consort Li's knee went soft and she almost fell to the ground.

"This concubine pays respect to Consort Yin, may Consort have good fortune and health."

Consort Yin's sharp eyes glanced over them swiftly, then she smiled,

"Look at you, just now still chatting and laughing. What's the matter now? Could it be you were frightened by this consort punishing the criminal?"

As she spoke, her gaze naturally fell on Song Zhao standing in the corner.