Director Hong said with difficulty: “In response to Your Majesty, it’s been so long that this servant really can’t remember clearly, but… it should have been around those few days.” She then asked: “Why does Your Majesty suddenly ask this? Has something happened?”

“Nothing. I was just asking casually. Alright, there’s nothing more for you here. You may go.” After Director Hong withdrew from Zhaoyang Hall as instructed, Hong Li said softly: “Strange, why would Eunuch Zheng suddenly go to the Bureau of Palace Attendants to get a swaddling cloth? A month before Your Majesty gave birth, the swaddling cloth had already been delivered to Zhaoyang Hall—it’s the very one in Your Majesty’s hands.”

“I’m afraid it’s no longer that one.” After this cryptic remark, Xiao Shi said: “Imperial Physician Zhao has already retired to live out his years in Jiangnan. Among those who knew about the events back then, besides Zheng Ying, only the midwife remains. The palace should have records of her name and residence. Go find her and bring her back to the palace. I want to question her thoroughly about what happened back then.”

Hong Li acknowledged and withdrew. After about half an hour, she returned with a serious expression, bowing slightly: “Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant looked at the records from when Your Majesty gave birth to Princess Jinyang. Regarding the midwife, it only records her surname as Cheng. Beyond that, there’s nothing else.”

Xiao Shi said in astonishment: “How is this possible? The palace has always been strict about hiring midwives. Not only their names and residences, but even their relatives and three generations of ancestors would be recorded.”

“This servant also finds it strange, but the records truly show nothing. It appears that…”

“It was deliberately erased.” Xiao Shi coldly finished her sentence, her expression extremely unpleasant.

Hong Li said with amazement: “Does this mean Your Majesty really gave birth to twins back then? But why has no one ever mentioned this? How could the other princess end up in Honghua Commandery? What exactly happened?”

The hall fell silent except for the sound of ice melting and water dripping into copper basins. The landscape patterns carefully carved by craftsmen on the ice blocks were gradually becoming blurred.

Xiao Shi feared heat, so as soon as summer arrived, Yang Guang would order the Bureau of Imperial Manufactories to deliver ice blocks daily for her cooling and heat relief. Every year, Zhaoyang Hall was the first to receive ice and the last to have it removed.

After sitting for a while, Xiao Shi suddenly rose and headed outside. Hong Li hurriedly followed: “Where is Your Majesty going?”

Xiao Shi ignored her words and walked out with a cold expression. Seeing something was wrong, Hong Li quickly blocked her path: “Your Majesty, please don’t act impulsively. Perhaps things aren’t as you imagine.”

Xiao Shi said coldly: “You know as well as I do whose man Zheng Ying is. Moreover, besides him, who else could arbitrarily erase palace records?”

Hong Li advised: “Though it is indeed suspicious, there’s still no concrete evidence. Let’s investigate clearly first before taking action.”

“How can we investigate? There are no records of the midwife, Imperial Physician Zhao has long since retired, and the remaining Zheng Ying is his confidant—how could he possibly tell me the truth?”

“But…” Before Hong Li could say more, Xiao Shi was already heading outside again. Unable to dissuade her, Hong Li could only follow.

The several palace servants guarding Qianyuan Hall showed amazement in their eyes upon seeing Xiao Shi approaching. They had served here for months or years, and this was the first time any of them had seen Xiao Shi voluntarily come to Qianyuan Hall. It was truly extraordinary.

After recovering from their shock, they hurriedly bowed. Xiao Shi paid them no attention and walked straight toward the hall. Seeing this, the palace servants quickly blocked her path: “Your Majesty cannot! Please wait here while this servant goes in to announce you, and besides, Consort Xuanhua is…”

“No need.” As she spoke, Xiao Shi had already pushed open the door and stepped inside, causing great panic among the palace servants. This was Qianyuan Hall—no one had ever dared to barge in without announcement before. If His Majesty blamed them, they would all lose their heads. Yet the person before them was the Empress of the Central Palace, and they dared not forcibly stop her. Caught between two difficulties, they broke out in cold sweat.

Inside the hall, Yang Guang was being intimate with Consort Xuanhua Chen Shi. Seeing Xiao Shi enter, he was first stunned, then immediately pushed away Consort Xuanhua who was sitting in his arms and quickly walked toward Xiao Shi. Besides surprise, his heart was filled more with joy and excitement. In the ten years since ascending the throne, this was the first time Xiao Shi had voluntarily come to find him—how could he not be delighted?

“Weiyang, why have you come?” Weiyang was Xiao Shi’s given name. As he spoke, he reached out to grasp Xiao Shi’s delicate hand, but she suddenly stepped back, avoiding his touch: “Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty.”

Yang Guang somewhat embarrassedly withdrew his hand and instead helped her up: “No need for such formalities.”

The palace servants hurriedly knelt: “Please forgive us, Your Majesty. We tried our best to dissuade her, but Her Majesty the Empress insisted on entering. We truly couldn’t stop her.”

Yang Guang said impatiently: “This has nothing to do with you. Withdraw.”

On the other side, Chen Shi had stood up with her maid’s support, though her lower body still ached faintly. Hatred flashed in her beautiful eyes. Over the years, no matter how much she and others like Consort Cai tried to please Yang Guang, they could never match Xiao Shi’s position in his heart. She truly didn’t know what was so good about that cold woman that made His Majesty so infatuated.

Chen Shi suppressed the jealousy and hatred in her heart, walked forward and curtsied: “Your subject pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy peace.”

Xiao Shi glanced at her and said coolly: “I have something to discuss with His Majesty. You may withdraw.”

Chen Shi had only recently arrived at Qianyuan Hall and was unwilling to leave so soon. Looking at Yang Guang coquettishly: “Your Majesty…”

Having only said two words, Yang Guang waved his hand in interruption: “Withdraw immediately!”

Chen Shi’s breathing caught, her pretty face turning pale as paper. However, she was tactful enough not to say more and withdrew as instructed. Only after exiting Qianyuan Hall did she snort heavily, biting her silver teeth and saying in a low voice: “Let me see how long she can remain smug!”

After Chen Shi left, Yang Guang noticed an inconspicuous red spot on Xiao Shi’s cheek. His expression darkened as he stared at Hong Li: “Why didn’t you hold an umbrella on the way here? Don’t you know the Empress cannot be exposed to sunlight?”

Though Xiao Shi was past forty, her skin remained as delicate as an infant’s. The moment her skin was exposed to sunlight, red blotches would appear.

Hearing this, Hong Li immediately knelt: “This servant deserves death. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.” To everyone except Xiao Shi, Yang Guang was a moody ruler who would bring deadly consequences for the slightest mistake. In her years in the palace, she had seen countless palace servants executed.

Xiao Shi said calmly: “It’s not Hong Li’s fault. I was in such a hurry to come that she had no time to fetch an umbrella to shield me.”

“No matter how urgent the matter, you must still take care of your health. Otherwise, you could have had a palace servant inform me, and I would have come to Zhaoyang Hall.” After speaking so gently, he turned his gaze to Hong Li, who was still kneeling, and said coldly: “For the Empress’s sake in pleading for you, I’ll spare you this time. If there’s a next time, you will be severely punished!”

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s mercy.” Hong Li stood up, drenched in cold sweat.