Song Jinzhao's gaze swept lightly across Attendant Hai's face, her index finger tapping a steady rhythm on the back of her hand.
There was no bad blood between them; it was highly likely that someone had instructed her to do this.
Were they trying to keep her in the palace? And who was the mastermind behind this?
During their meal, Song Jinzhao teased with a smile, "For someone with an upset stomach, you certainly have a good appetite. Are you still not full after downing two bowls of rice?"
Attendant Hai stopped her chopsticks awkwardly. "I'm just afraid of starving the royal fetus."
Song Jinzhao picked up the last boiled shrimp from the plate with her chopsticks.
"Pregnant women shouldn't eat too much, lest the child grows too large to be delivered. If the Emperor orders to save the child at the expense of the mother, I will have no choice but to cut open your stomach and take the child out."
Her heart skipping a beat, Attendant Hai looked at Song Jinzhao in disbelief.
"Cut open my stomach?"
Song Jinzhao nodded, using her chopsticks to gesture at the other woman's belly. "Just like gutting a fish, scooping out all the innards and roe."
"But don't worry, my blade is very fast. It will only hurt for a moment. Once you're dead, you won't feel any pain."
"Gulp." Attendant Hai swallowed nervously in terror, as if she could already picture herself being sliced open during childbirth.
Taking in the pale face and trembling hands, Song Jinzhao curled her lips in a cold sneer.
To dare scheme against someone with such little courage—the mastermind had certainly chosen a dull blade for the job.
After dinner, the sky outside had grown so dark that one couldn't see their own fingers in front of them.
Having entirely lost her appetite, Attendant Hai spoke to Song Jinzhao with a dry voice, "It is getting late. You should leave the palace soon."
It seemed she didn't want to keep her in the palace overnight; dragging it out this late was simply to wait for nightfall.
Song Jinzhao replied, "The palace gates are already closed at this hour. I shall stay overnight in your quarters today, just in case your stomach starts hurting again."
Attendant Hai quickly waved her hands in refusal. "It doesn't hurt at all anymore. Perhaps, as you said, I was just a little nervous because it's my first pregnancy."
"You see, there is only one room in my quarters, and the adjacent ones are for the servants. I truly have nowhere to host you."
"Didn't the Emperor grant you a token that allows you to enter and exit the palace freely? With that token, you can leave even if the gates are closed."
Seeing her insist on making her leave the palace, Song Jinzhao became even more certain that danger awaited her outside.
Noble Consort Jin from a few days ago likely had the exact same goal.
She was the biological mother of the Prince of Qi.
Could the mastermind be Xiao Rongche?
The imperial guards, having already changed shifts, saw someone trying to leave the palace and immediately stepped forward to stop the carriage.
He said sternly, "The palace gates are closed for the night. Everyone must halt. Who is sitting in the carriage?"
Song Jinzhao lifted the carriage curtain.
Upon seeing her, the guard who spoke immediately took a step back and lowered his head.
"So it is County Princess Linghui. Why are you out so late today?"
A few days ago, when he was on the day shift, County Princess Linghui had left the palace in the morning.
Song Jinzhao replied, "Attendant Hai was feeling unwell, so I stayed a bit later."
The guard said, "I see. Please wait a moment, I will have someone open the gates immediately."
Two men forcefully pushed the locked bolt to the right.
The creaking sound was exceptionally piercing in the silent, nocturnal palace.
Fan Guanshan, the commander of the imperial guards who was patrolling the palace walls, heard the noise and walked down the stone steps.
"Who is opening the palace gates?"
Normally, if someone needed to enter or exit the palace at night due to special circumstances, servants and imperial physicians would use the side doors.
Why was the side gate being opened now?
The guard opening the gate immediately stopped what he was doing, turned around, and explained, "Reporting to the Commander, it is County Princess Linghui who wishes to leave the palace."
Song Jinzhao stared at the approaching Fan Guanshan, a faint, dark glint flashing in her eyes.
Perfect timing.
"Commander Fan was here when I entered the palace this morning. Why haven't you finished your shift at such a late hour?"
Seeing that it was Song Jinzhao, Fan Guanshan dropped his guard.
"I was planning to do one more patrol before leaving. Why are you heading back so late today?"
Song Jinzhao feigned a troubled expression and said, "Attendant Hai had an upset stomach and kept holding onto me, refusing to let me leave. I had no choice but to stay this late."
"It is so dark, and it is only my maid and me. It is truly a bit frightening. Since Commander Fan is also leaving the palace, could you escort me back to my estate along the way?"
Fan Guanshan paused for a moment.
Didn't County Princess Linghui know martial arts?
Would someone who had killed people be afraid of walking at night?
Surely she couldn't be afraid of ghosts.
Song Jinzhao pressed, "Commander Fan?"
Fan Guanshan replied, "Please wait a moment. I will go get my horse."
Song Jinzhao stepped out of the carriage, extended her hand, and gestured, "The night winds and dew are heavy. Riding a horse in the wind might give you facial paralysis. It would be better for Commander Fan to ride in the carriage."
Just as Fan Guanshan was about to refuse, Song Jinzhao spoke again.
"If Lord Fan were to fall ill because of this, it would be my fault. Please hurry and get in."
Seeing Song Jinzhao slip back into the carriage after she finished speaking, Fan Guanshan had no choice but to follow her inside.
The carriage drove out of the palace gates, and the side gate closed again behind them.
Inside the carriage, Fan Guanshan sat as stiffly as a statue.
Remembering that Song Jinzhao was only eighteen, he spoke up, "Given your noble status now, you should bring a few more servants when you go out in the future. One maid is not enough; you should have at least one male servant."
Song Jinzhao curled her lips into a faint smile and said, "I am not used to bringing many people with me when I go out, and I didn't expect it to get this late today. Thank you for the trouble, Commander Fan."
Fan Guanshan shook his head. "It is a trivial matter, no trouble at all."
On the streets after the second watch, not a single soul could be seen.
The moon was veiled in a gray layer of dark clouds. The lantern hanging on the carriage was the only source of light on the street, while everything beyond three meters was pitch black.
After struggling internally for a while, Fan Guanshan couldn't hold back his doubts.
"I heard that in Xining City, you not only killed spies from the Shuobei Kingdom but also helped the county office slay quite a few bandits and robbers. How could you be afraid of traveling at night now?"
"From what I can tell, the maid driving the carriage outside also seems to know martial arts."
There were calluses on the webbing and palms of her hands from years of gripping a sword, which were especially obvious when she pulled the reins just now.
Song Jinzhao looked at him with an expression of deep sentiment.
"It is precisely because I have killed so many people that my heart is uneasy. I am not afraid of people, but of ghosts—especially evil spirits."
"Women have heavy yin energy and attract these things the most. Unlike Lord Fan, who, as a man, possesses flourishing yang energy that even ghosts and spirits must avoid."
