Back in the Chang Prince's manor, Song Zhaoyu could not find peace.
The Wen Prince's manor had no other movements regarding the music, but the situation in the palace seemed to have some undercurrents—
For years, Mu Changxi's birth mother, the Noble Consort, had always been the Emperor's most beloved.
Although she never acted presumptuously due to her favor, it was precisely because of this that she could "stand firm" in the palace.
However, this time the Noble Consort's illness was very strange.
At first, she thought she had caught a cold, then she stayed indoors and called for imperial physicians.
At that time, Mu Changxi and Song Zhaoyu had visited the Noble Consort once, and even the Emperor had visited her. She was not in good spirits and only said a few words before wanting to sleep, so no one disturbed her further.
However, two days later, her condition worsened.
She refused the Emperor's visit and then shut herself in the Dengque Palace.
Naturally, her explanation to the Emperor was that she was ill and her complexion was haggard, making it inconvenient to meet the Emperor.
At first, no one thought much of it.
But the situation escalated—
Another two days later, let alone the Emperor, even the few palace maids who usually served the Noble Consort were not allowed into the Dengque Palace by the Noble Consort.
When the Emperor wanted to see the Noble Consort, she always made excuses.
The imperial physicians said that the Noble Consort's illness might be contagious, so even the Emperor and Empress were barred from entry.
Until these past two days, the imperial physicians were busy coming and going, unable to explain the Noble Consort's condition, and the Noble Consort still refused to see anyone.
Not only the Emperor, but even Mu Changxi, she refused to see. This naturally indicated that something was wrong.
Even if Mu Cangxi didn't say anything, Song Zhaoyu had already decided to enter the palace to see the Noble Consort in the next couple of days.
The Noble Consort's life had been dedicated to the Emperor and Mu Changxi.
Especially for Mu Changxi, she had endured countless hardships.
Now that she was in trouble, how could Mu Changxi and Song Zhaoyu stand by and do nothing?
Therefore, the day after returning to the Chang Prince's manor, Song Zhaoyu sent a calling card into the palace.
She first sent the card to the Dengque Palace, thinking that if the Noble Consort returned it, she would send another one to the Empress.
In any case, she had to enter the palace first. Today, she had to see the Noble Consort no matter what.
It was just that Song Zhaoyu did not expect the calling card not to be returned!
So after lunch, Song Zhaoyu successfully entered the palace.
She naturally went to pay her respects to the Empress and the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager's attitude towards Song Zhaoyu remained as indifferent as ever.
But the Empress was truly worried about the Noble Consort.
Over the years in the palace, although they both served the Emperor, their relationship was quite good.
The Empress genuinely regarded the Noble Consort as her sister. Seeing Song Zhaoyu now, she took her hand and said, "Alas... these days she has shut herself in the Dengque Palace and sees no one. I am truly worried. Now that you are here, please go and see her for me and find out what is wrong!"
Song Zhaoyu nodded, but then asked the Empress, "Mother Empress, I have one more thing to ask. Is Mother Consort truly just suffering from a cold? What did the imperial physicians say? Is there something else, some private matter, that I do not know?"
Song Zhaoyu's question indeed made the Empress sigh, "This matter, only the Empress and the Emperor know, not even the Empress Dowager."
The Empress said that at least at the beginning, the imperial physicians were certain that the Noble Consort had merely caught a cold.
However, after taking the medicine prescribed by the Imperial Hospital for two days, not only did she not get better, but she seemed to be getting worse.
At the same time, some small rashes and spots began to appear on the Noble Consort's body.
The Imperial Hospital felt that the Consort's body might be reacting negatively to the medicine they prescribed.
Therefore, over these past few days, the Imperial Hospital had changed several types of medicine for the Noble Consort.
But these medicines were not very effective, and instead, the Noble Consort's cold symptoms seemed to worsen.
Two days ago, in the Noble Consort's Dengque Palace, the palace maids who served her closely also contracted this symptom.
So the imperial physicians felt that this was likely a contagious illness.
The Emperor and Empress also guessed that the Noble Consort might have isolated herself in the Dengque Palace out of fear of infecting others.
However, in the past two days, as the Noble Consort seemed to worsen, the imperial physicians stated that the Noble Consort's illness might not be a cold.
The imperial physicians could not explain it, and the Noble Consort refused to see anyone, so the situation remained at a stalemate.
Therefore, today, when the Empress heard that Song Zhaoyu was going to see the Noble Consort, she placed all her hopes on Song Zhaoyu: "The Noble Consort only has one child, Prince Chang, and she likes you very much. Now that she is willing to see you, it is a good thing. No matter what, the Empress and the Emperor are very worried about the Noble Consort. You must persuade the Noble Consort to at least let the imperial physicians examine her!"
Song Zhaoyu naturally agreed to the Empress, but her heart felt as if it were covered by a layer of gloom—
If nothing major had happened, why would the Noble Consort be like this?
However, as she walked all the way to the Dengque Palace, Song Zhaoyu also realized that the Emperor truly cared about the Noble Consort.
Outside the Dengque Palace, imperial physicians were stationed for twelve hours a day, not to mention eunuchs and palace maids.
As long as the Noble Consort had any needs, the people sent by the Emperor could satisfy her immediately.
When Song Zhaoyu arrived at the Dengque Palace, Yaran, another senior palace maid who served the Noble Consort, was also waiting outside the palace.
Seeing Song Zhaoyu, she seemed to see a savior and hurried forward, "Your Highness the Prince's Consort has finally arrived! The Consort's condition is not good now, and I fear only the Prince's Consort can persuade her!"
Yaran's opening words made Song Zhaoyu understand a little: "So it wasn't that Mother Consort wanted to see me, but after my calling card was delivered, you, as the senior palace maid of Dengque Palace, replied to my card?"
"Yes, this servant has overstepped."
Yaran lowered her head, but her worry for the Noble Consort was not diminished in the slightest: "This servant just feels that the Noble Consort has been seeing no one these past few days, nor letting in imperial physicians, and has only stayed in the Dengque Palace with Sister Jingran. It is truly too worrying. This servant fears that something might happen to the Consort, and thought that perhaps only if you came would the Consort be willing to see you."
"You did well."
Song Zhaoyu certainly did not blame Yaran: "It's alright, now that I am here, things will be resolved. Let me go in first and see if Mother Consort will see me."
As Song Zhaoyu had expected, as she approached the Noble Consort's sleeping quarters in the Dengque Palace, not only were the doors to the sleeping quarters tightly shut, but even the windows were sealed shut.
There was no sound from within. One did not know what the Noble Consort was doing.