Chapter 228: Chengyu In Distress

Chapter 228

At this moment, Kang Yubin came in to report,

"Noble Consort Chen, Qingzhu Auntie from the Empress Dowager's side has arrived."

"Oh?" Noble Consort Chen quickly closed the painting album beside her, "Why did she come in this snowy weather? Please invite her in quickly."

After Qingzhu came in, she dusted off the snow and paid her respects to Noble Consort Chen,

"Noble Consort Chen, good fortune and safety. Today is the first snow. Every year on the first snow, the late consort would go to Plum Garden to pray for blessings. The Empress Dowager said this year she wants you to be in charge of this matter. Lately the Empress Dowager's health has improved, and she also wants to join in the fun."

Praying for blessings in Plum Garden had always been handled by the Empress. Now that this matter fell into the hands of Noble Consort Chen, she was naturally overjoyed. She smiled at Qingzhu, Upstodatee from n(0)/ve/lbIn/.(co/m

"It's troublesome for Auntie to convey my words to the Empress Dowager. I will definitely make proper arrangements for this."

Qingzhu smiled with a nod, then looked at Yi Concubine Song Zhao beside her, and added,

"Since Concubine Yi is also here, it saves this old servant another trip. The Empress Dowager said she misses Crown Prince Yi very much as she hasn't seen him for a long time. She asked Concubine Yi to bring the Crown Prince with her tomorrow and told her to dress the Crown Prince warmly."

Upon hearing this, a hint of loss flashed through Noble Consort Chen's eyes.

Chenghuan was raised on her knees, he should have been Xiao Jinghuang's eldest son,

But Xiao Jinghuang did not recognize this child. The servants also acted as if this child did not exist, and only addressed Song Zhao's Chengyu as the Crown Prince smoothly.

Song Zhao just smiled and said, "Of course. And Chengyu has never seen snow before, he will surely be delighted."

After Qingzhu left, Noble Consort Chen said unpleasantly to Song Zhao,

"Alright, you can go back for today too. Since the Emperor wants you to assist in managing the six palaces, I'll hand over the miscellaneous chores of sweeping and preparing for tomorrow's plum garden viewing to you. The Empress Dowager will also go tomorrow, you must make proper arrangements for everything, don't disappoint me or make the Empress Dowager laugh at you."

Song Zhao bowed respectfully to Noble Consort Chen, "This concubine is grateful for Noble Consort's guidance."

On her way back to the palace, Song Zhao was quietly thinking to herself, leaning against the sedan curtain.

She heard Yun Shan muttering outside,

"The miscellaneous chores have always been done by the servants of the Imperial Household Department. When Noble Consort was in charge of the six palaces, she didn't even manage these things. Why is it that when it comes to Concubine, she nags about this and that, finding faults in everything?

Just now she even forced Concubine to drink ginger tea, and placed a brazier by Concubine's desk to warm her. How could she be so considerate? I suspect she deliberately made things difficult for Concubine after noticing Concubine was wearing thick clothes!"

Song Zhao did not respond to Yun Shan's words.

Because even she herself did not know,

whether Noble Consort Chen did this to deliberately make things difficult for her after noticing her thick clothing,

or for some other reason...

In any case, Noble Consort Chen handed the cleaning of Plum Garden to Song Zhao. Song Zhao did not dare to be negligent.

"Sister Song, this is for you!"

Song Zhao smiled as she received it. She also noticed the snow fox fur collar around Consort Hui's neck today.

The fur was snowy white and translucent, very beautiful.

It also protected her neck tightly, not letting in any wind.

Song Zhao said, "The fur collar looks very good on you today, it makes you look very lovely."

Consort Hui stroked the fox fur and smiled cutely, "Hehe, I really like it too!"

She was like a child who never grew up.

After speaking, she hopped and skipped into Plum Garden again.

But she was too focused on playing around and not watching her steps. The new snow had fallen on the old muddy snow. Consort Hui leaped up and stepped down, accidentally slipping. She fell hard on her bottom and started crying.

Song Zhao was the closest to her and immediately went over to help her up.

Her cries also caused the people walking ahead to stop and look back.

The Empress Dowager asked sharply, "What happened?"

But she did not know if it was because she had turned her head too quickly, or because her health was still unstable with lingering illnesses,

the Empress Dowager suddenly felt dizzy and unsteady on her feet.

The swaddling clothes she had been holding tightly in her arms also slipped from her hands, causing Chengyu to fall head first towards the ground.

"Chengyu!"

Song Zhao watched in horror as her child was about to crash onto the ground.

She was so shocked that her heart almost jumped out of her throat.

But she was helping Consort Hui up, and was at a distance from the Empress Dowager.

Even though she had already thrown herself into the mud, there was no time to save Chengyu in this split second.

At this critical moment, everyone exclaimed in shock.

But Song Zhao noticed that a slightly stout figure had jumped out without any hesitation.

She steadily caught Chengyu in midair, while twisting her own foot and falling to the ground herself.

This person was none other than the...

Noble Consort Chen, who was five months pregnant!