Chapter 422 - 200: Song Zhaoyi Trembling from Hunger

Chapter 422: Chapter 200: Song Zhaoyi Trembling from Hunger

Everyone in the hall froze. The Emperor was here?

No one had said the Emperor would be coming.

Song Yunzhao’s mind raced. ’Should I make an accusation or not? And if I do, how should I go about it?’

If she made a scene, it would only cement her reputation as a cunning vixen. But if she didn’t, everyone would think she was a pushover—schemed against by the Empress Dowager, yet not daring to flip the table even when the Emperor arrived. After this, who would ever fear her?

Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place.

There was no good way out.

The thoughts had barely crossed her mind when Feng Yi strode in. She looked up, and his eyes were fixed right on her.

Song Yunzhao’s mind went blank. ’He looked at me the moment he walked in!’

That single glance, in that one instant—all thoughts of a concubine’s grace, a concubine’s dignity, a concubine’s composure—flew right out the window!

’I have to make a scene. Not just any scene, a huge one!’

Her legs seemed to have a mind of their own, moving before her brain could even make a decision. Then her mouth followed suit. Song Yunzhao heard her own voice, thick with sobs, cry out, "Emperor, you must stand up for me! If you had come any later, they would have hounded me to death!"

Song Yunzhao threw herself at the Emperor. Feng Yi’s face went pale with fright as he scrambled to catch her. He saw that Yun Zhao’s face was pale with a bluish tint, a very bad sign indeed. Terrified, he bellowed, "Meng Jiuchang, fetch the Imperial Physician!"

Meng Jiuchang jumped in fright as well. Song Zhaoyi was always so full of life, a veritable whirlwind of energy. Seeing her face so pale and tinged with blue was enough to frighten even him.

Terrified, Meng Jiuchang bolted out the door, shouting as he ran, "Get the Imperial Physician! Hurry, get the Imperial Physician!"

Song Yunzhao had been putting on an act, but as Feng Yi pulled her into his embrace, she realized her legs had truly gone weak. His panicked tone startled her, and her face grew even paler.

’Well, this is convenient. No need to pretend anymore.’

"Emperor, what is the meaning of this?" the Empress Dowager demanded sharply. "Song Zhaoyi was perfectly fine a moment ago. Why has she suddenly put on such an act now that you’ve arrived?"

"Mother, can’t you see the color of her face?" Feng Yi was starting to feel regretful. He had been delayed by the courtiers for a discussion as soon as he arrived at the traveling palace. By the time he learned Yun Zhao was attending the banquet, an entire hour had passed. He had rushed here as fast as he could, but he was still too late.

The Empress Dowager insisted Yun Zhao was faking it, but he could clearly feel her trembling. His Zhaozhao had always been so bold, yet here she was, shaking with fright. ’What in the world happened to her before I got here?’

"Mother, we’ll know if it’s real or not once the Imperial Physician arrives." Feng Yi’s eyes were like chips of ice. Holding Yun Zhao, he whispered in her ear, "Are you all right, Zhaozhao?"

Song Yunzhao wanted to say she was fine, but she was trembling. This wasn’t an act—she was genuinely shaking.

The trembling frightened her, and a new fear took root—’What if something happens to my baby?’ She tried to speak, but a wave of sorrow and indignation surged up from deep within her, choking her throat. Her eyes reddened, but she couldn’t force out a single word.

Feng Yi’s heart seized when he saw her like this. Ignoring the Empress Dowager completely, he swept Yun Zhao up into his arms. "Don’t be afraid," he said. "I’m taking you away from here right now."

Song Yunzhao no longer cared about anyone else in the room, nor did she spare a thought for how the Emperor might punish the others. All she wanted was to see the Imperial Physician. She needed to know what was happening to her body.

The Emperor’s visit was a whirlwind. Seeing his dark expression, everyone braced for a storm. But who would have thought? All it took was for Song Zhaoyi’s face to pale, and the Emperor was so frightened he whisked her away.

Just like that, he carried her away.

He didn’t even spare a glance for the Empress Dowager.

They had all heard that Song Zhaoyi was the Emperor’s favored concubine, but the words lacked real impact until now. Seeing it with their own eyes, they finally understood the true weight of his immense favor.

With the Emperor gone, everyone glanced at the Empress Dowager’s thunderous expression and quickly made their excuses to leave. Who would dare to linger and watch her humiliation?

Han Jinyi and her companions left even more quickly, their expressions grim. Feng Yunjin thought she heard Qin Wan Yi call out to her, but she feigned deafness and hurried away.

The noble ladies filed out of the traveling palace in twos and threes, their conversations inevitably turning to Song Zhaoyi.

One of the ladies sighed. "They all say Song Zhaoyi enjoys the peak of imperial favor. Seeing it today, I know the rumors don’t do it justice."

Even the late Emperor was never so anxious and protective of his most favored concubines. And this one is carrying the Emperor’s first child... she is of the utmost importance.

Marchioness Wu Xin’s expression was particularly foul, and her pace quickened. Song Zhaoyi’s favor should have been a good thing for them, but because of Song Qinghan, it had become the opposite.

’Back then, I just thought, so what if the sisters have a poor relationship? Plenty of prominent families in the Capital have discord. It’s not so easy to make a clean break.

But who could have guessed Song Zhaoyi would be so ruthless? We haven’t been able to gain a single advantage from her position.

In that case, this marriage is completely useless. That’s why I’ve been thinking of getting rid of Song Qinghan. But if our family dares to divorce her, Song Nanzhen might plead with Song Zhaoyi. If she were to interfere, things would get complicated.

If I want to go through with the divorce, my only hope is for Song Zhaoyi to fall from grace. Once she loses the Emperor’s favor, we can divorce Song Qinghan without fear.

But... things never go as planned.

Not only is Song Zhaoyi still favored, her influence is even greater than the rumors suggested.’

It would be a wonder if Marchioness Wu Xin were happy. Not only could she not divorce Song Qinghan, but for now, while Song Zhaoyi was in favor, she couldn’t even let her son treat her too poorly.

’If I had known it would turn out like this, I never would have listened to Madam Ding Nanbo’s silver-tongued promises.’

「Meanwhile」

The Imperial Physician took Song Zhaoyi’s pulse. After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke softly, not daring to raise his head. "Zhaoyi is not in any serious danger. She simply hasn’t eaten in a long time. Her stomach is empty, which is why she feels weak and her vision went black."

Song Yunzhao: "..."

Feng Yi: "..."

Feng Yi turned his head to stare at Yun Zhao.

Song Yunzhao met his gaze, utterly speechless. She hadn’t expected such an absurd fiasco either.

The Imperial Physician dared not look at their expressions. No prescription was needed; she would recover as soon as she ate something.

After the Imperial Physician withdrew, Feng Yi looked at Yun Zhao. "Why haven’t you eaten?"

Song Yunzhao answered, looking a bit sheepish, "I didn’t dare to eat anything from out there."

Feng Yi’s expression faltered. Seeing Yun Zhao’s anxious look, he realized his own oversight. ’Of course. The Empress Dowager is hostile toward her; how could she possibly dare to eat the food there?’

"Zhaozhao..."

"Emperor..."

They spoke at the same time.

Their eyes met, and they both couldn’t help but smile.

Song Yunzhao gently tugged on Feng Yi’s sleeve and said tentatively, "It’s not that I don’t trust the Empress Dowager... I just couldn’t take the risk. If it were just me, it would be one thing..."

"I know," Feng Yi said, cutting her off before she could finish. "I wasn’t thinking. This was my oversight. It won’t happen again."

Song Yunzhao stared at Feng Yi in astonishment. ’The Emperor would actually say that?’