The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 16 - A Helping Hand

Song Chuning had never imagined that winter in the south could be so difficult to endure. Even with layers upon layers of clothing, the biting chill seemed to seep through, making her wish she could do away with her freezing hands and feet altogether.

Cuiguo brought in two more braziers and tightly shut all the doors and windows, sealing the room against any drafts, yet it made little difference. No number of braziers could compare to the heated floors back in the capital.

Blowing on her hands to warm them, Cuiguo spread some clothes over the brazier to dry, her ears flushed bright red from the cold.

Luyu entered with a fresh batch of charcoal, followed by a young maid carrying bolts of fabric. Smiling, she announced to Song Chuning, "Master ordered a few thick winter jackets for you. These fabrics are Songjiang cloth, brought all the way from the capital. Each bolt weighed a few pounds, so now, Miss, you can add a few new outfits to your wardrobe."

Having shared some hardships with them along the journey, Song Chuning had been kind to Cuiguo and Luyu since their arrival in Changsha. She even encouraged Song Yi to bring some of their family members from the countryside to join them. Over time, the girls had grown fond of her and now no longer acted so timidly around her.

The fabrics were high-quality and the colors were much more vibrant than the popular hues in Changsha. Song Chuning glanced at them briefly, finding them a bit uninteresting, and told Luyu to put them away.

Seeing her looking pale and drowsy, Luyu grew concerned. "The weather here in Changsha is nothing like back in the capital. Just the other day, Vice Magistrate Nie's family sent an invitation for you to view the snow with them. But with this bitter cold, even walking a few steps makes your feet ache—who could bear to go out? You'd be bored to death!"

Indeed, for all its charms, Changsha couldn't compare to the familiar warmth of the capital. Even the thickest cloaks and capes couldn't shield against the penetrating cold here.

With her swollen eyes half-open, Song Chuning suddenly asked, "Has Lady Fang arrived yet?"

This Lady Fang was a lady instructor hired from Hongdu. Skilled in both academics and needlework, Song Yi had gone to great lengths to bring her on, and she had always gotten along well with Song Chuning.

As Luyu scented her clothes with incense, she turned and replied with a smile, "I checked in the side courtyard when I first arrived; they said she's already up. Judging by the time, she should be here soon."

Winter in the south was so damp and frigid that Song Yi worried about Song Chuning's health and arranged for Lady Fang to teach her at home. As a result, Lady Fang had grown accustomed to moving freely about the inner quarters of the house.

Before long, the curtain lifted, and a gust of cold wind accompanied Lady Fang into the room. Song Chuning instinctively pulled her blanket up tighter around her shoulders.

"It may be colder here than in the capital, but is that a reason to stay buried in your blankets all day?" Lady Fang chuckled at the sight of Song Chuning bundled up. After instructing a servant to set up the chessboard, she beckoned Song Chuning to come and wash her hands. "Today, we're practicing chess again. You're improving quickly, so come and play a round with me."

Song Chuning dismissed Luyu and Cuiguo to the adjoining room to tend to her clothes. Wrapped in a thick cloak, she sat cross-legged by the stove, her expression impassive. "It's more than just a bit colder here. I don't even have to step outside; just a few steps across the room, and it feels like my feet are freezing through."

She yawned as she spoke, her lips tinged with blue.

Lady Fang gestured to the maid behind her, then personally served a bowl of hot ginger-infused egg custard sweetened with brown sugar from a gilded redwood box. "Here, freshly made. Drink it while it's hot. You don't like ginger tea, so I added a bit of ginger to the egg custard. It's much more pleasant this way."

Once the young maid had quietly exited, Song Chuning sipped the custard slowly, her large eyes fixed on Lady Fang as she asked, "No word from over there yet?"

"There's been news from both sides, but neither brings any good tidings." Lady Fang smiled as if unbothered by anything, even Song Chuyi's icy gaze. Calmly, she placed the first chess piece. "The incident caused Princess Shijia to lose her life, and the Zhang family to lose their rank. Fortunately, the Prince kept hidden, merely guiding from behind the scenes, or he would have been dragged into this as well. Even worse..."

Holding a chess piece between her slender, pale fingers, Song Chuning's gaze grew colder, and the veins on her hand stood out. She raised her head to look at Lady Fang, her tone finally breaking from its usual calm. "If every step went according to plan... why didn't it succeed?"

She had no concern for the scapegoats who had been pushed forward to take the fall. Failure had its consequences, and she accepted that. What troubled her was why the plan hadn't worked.

According to the memories from her dream, she'd deliberately chosen the Yun family. Yun Shi wasn't the biological child of Old Madam Yun, who had always been at odds with her, especially since her own daughter had married into the Zhang family. Cooperation should have been assured.

As relatives by marriage, the Yun family had even testified that the Song family was hiding poison, and with Song Chumi acting as an inescapable intermediary, the plan should have gone off without a hitch once things escalated.

So, where had it gone wrong?

"Noble Consort Xian's report says that nothing was found in Noble Consort Song's palace. The hidden operatives planted in the Eastern Palace and Fengzao Palace were all rooted out. On the day of the incident, the eunuch who was supposed to accuse Noble Consort Song ended up implicating Princess Shijia instead. Zhang Tiande was also implicated alongside her, and the embroidered pouch containing the poison was discovered by the Imperial Guard." Lady Fang kept her eyes fixed on the chessboard, even managing a smile. "It seems our plan was seen through from the beginning."

Song Chuning stared unblinkingly at her face, her expression severe.

Finally, Lady Fang looked up to meet her gaze. "Don't look at me like that. What, do you think I leaked the plan? It simply reminds me of our trip to Huangjue Monastery."

Song Chuning's eyebrows lifted slightly, and she motioned for her to continue.

"At that time, we thought our plan was foolproof too, but we were still defeated utterly in the end." She studied Song Chuning with interest. "Can you tell me why your Sixth Sister always seems to anticipate your every move?"

Song Chuning didn't answer right away but lowered her head in thought for a while. After a slight chuckle, she said, "Why don't you first explain to me why you all seem so pleased to see Empress Dowager Rongxian and the Zhang family fall? Isn't Empress Dowager Rongxian supposed to be Prince Duan's main supporter?"

Lady Fang looked at her in exaggerated surprise, then let out a laugh. "You see, that's where you lack your sister's sharpness. Every event that has unfolded over the past year has been just a bit too coincidental, which naturally leads people to overthink things. If this plan had succeeded and the Crown Prince had died, no one would think much of it. But if it failed... and Empress Dowager Rongxian turned out to be the mastermind, with the Zhang family enabling her to act so brazenly, wouldn't that outcome be just as satisfying? So, why be upset?"