Chapter 325: Volume 1, Chapter 325 — Kicking Someone While They're Down

Su Ying was taken aback, looking at Song Huihe and asking, "Is this true?"

Song Huihe saw Su Ying's somewhat uncontrolled expression and immediately felt refreshed and gratified. She smiled and said, "Of course it's true. Why do you think the Empress refused to let me see my mother? Right after the landscape painting incident, my mother immediately requested an audience. I tell you, something must have happened. Now the Empress Dowager stands by and watches my family perish without helping; when the day comes for the Su family, I'd like to see whether the Empress Dowager is willing to save them. Tell me, when that day truly arrives, will the Empress Dowager choose the Su family or His Majesty? One is her maiden family, the other her son. Hahahaha, how interesting, how interesting."

Su Ying looked at Song Huihe's somewhat unhinged expression, a chill rising from the soles of her feet, making her every organ feel cold.

" Consort Hui, you don't need to scare me. Even if something truly happened, you and I are in the depths of the palace—what do outside matters have to do with us?" Su Ying said through gritted teeth.

Hearing Su Ying's words, Song Huihe was stunned. She looked at the other woman, at her calm expression, and only at this moment realized they were simply not the same kind of people. She still wanted to save her family; she shared their fate and was bound to them by blood—how could she stand by and watch them perish?

But Su Ying was different. In Su Ying's eyes, she could not see any worry for the Su family at all, and that was terrifying.

Recalling the gentle concern with which she usually spoke of her family, at this moment she felt as though she had choked on a sip of water.

"Su Ying, you truly make me see you in a new light. If something happens to the Su family, you really won't lift a finger? Those are the family members who raised you for so many years—can you really stand by and watch them perish?" Song Huihe stared at Su Ying and asked.

Su Ying's pupils contracted slightly, then she said, "Naturally, I will."

But Song Huihe no longer believed her; she did not believe she could do it.

"I truly never expected that you would turn out to be this kind of person. Go—I have nothing left to say to you," Song Huihe said with a cold face.

The Empress Dowager refused to see her, and she felt resentment and dissatisfaction, but thinking it over carefully, she had not contributed much to the Empress Dowager either, so the Empress Dowager's refusal to see her now was understandable.

But Su Ying was different. Many things had been discussed between the two of them; their relationship, while not quite that of close friends, could at least be called half-friends.

But looking at it now, she had been too foolish. She treated someone as a friend, while that person treated her as a stepping stone.

Moreover, this matter had been brought up by Su Ying to her first. Thinking about it now, why would Su Ying tell her about this matter at precisely this time?

The perfectly timed regret when she brought it up, provoking her step by step—that was why she had let anger go to her head and destroyed that painting.

When Song Huihe thought of all this, what was there left to not understand? She had probably fallen into Su Ying's trap from the very start.

If she had been trapped by this painting, then what about her family outside—had they also been set up by Prime Minister Su?

A family that could raise a daughter like that—could they be good people?

Song Huihe thought of her mother still kneeling—why was Madam Su not also kneeling?

Naturally, it was because the Su family still had the Empress Dowager behind them, but what about her family?

Song Huihe broke out in a cold sweat at the thought. From the time she entered the Dong Gong to her years in the Hou Gong, she had never once thought about these things. Now, suddenly looking back, her legs gave way and she slumped to the ground.

She should have seen it clearly long ago. His Majesty never favored daughters of noble families—whether her, Su Ying, or the other consorts in the palace, His Majesty never gave them a second glance.

She had always thought His Majesty truly had eyes only for the Empress, but now it seemed not necessarily so. Most likely, His Majesty intended to move against the noble families, which was why he would not touch these daughters of noble houses. Once he touched any of them, no matter which one bore a child, His Majesty would have misgivings when making his move against the noble families again.

Yes, it must be so.

This also explained why only her own mother was kneeling outside the palace gates while Madam Su was not—the Su family had the Empress Dowager; the Su family was His Majesty's maternal family.

Song Huihe's face went pale. So how was her Song family faring now?

She did not know.

The Empress would not let her see her mother, and the Empress Dowager refused to help. So what if she, Consort Hui, was one of the Four Consorts?

Unable to step beyond the palace gates, unable to get news from outside, and unable to meet His Majesty, Song Huihe felt as though the rest of her life had gone dark.

Leaving aside how Song Huihe was panicking in Yunhua Palace, on the other side, Rong Luoge was also waiting for news from Han Xinglan.

Soon Yuan Bao returned, panting as he stepped forward to pay his respects. "Your Ladyship, this servant greets Your Ladyship."

"Rise and speak. What exactly happened?" Rong Luoge looked at Yuan Bao and asked.

"The Marquis of Ningyuan has been imprisoned, and the Marquis of Ningyuan's estate has been confiscated. The family members were preparing to leave the capital for Suizhou, but they were stopped at the city gates. Where exactly they were taken, this servant does not know," Yuan Bao replied.

Rong Luoge's thoughts raced upon hearing this. Han Xinglan had acted decisively—she could have predicted the Marquis of Ningyuan's imprisonment, but she had not expected Han Xinglan to still leave the Song family a shred of dignity by not having the family members arrested and thrown into prison directly. That meant His Majesty had still left the Song family a way to survive.

She had not expected that instead of figuring out how to settle her family, Madam Su would go demonstrate at the palace gates—truly incomprehensibly stupid.

"Is Madam Su still kneeling?" Rong Luoge asked.

Rong Xin immediately stepped forward and said, "This servant will go take a look right now."

Yuan Bao hurriedly said, "When this servant was entering the palace, he happened to see Madam Su leaving with an unfamiliar woman. Judging by her attire, she was likely a stewardess from the Song family."

"Your Ladyship, should this servant still go take a look?" Rong Xin asked.

Rong Luoge gave a slight nod. "You don't need to show yourself in person. Find an unfamiliar young palace maid to make inquiries—see where the Song family's household members are staying now, and look into what they are planning."

If the Song family's household members could come to their senses, they would know what to do next. If they remained obstinately deluded, then they could not blame Han Xinglan for being ruthless.

Though Rong Luoge felt some reluctance in her heart, once battle was joined it was a matter of two opposing sides. To be merciful to the enemy was to be cruel to Han Xinglan.

Since that was the case, she could only be cruel to the enemy.

It was just a pity that Song Huihe was too foolish. If she had been a bit smarter and could have persuaded her mother to turn back from her misguided path, perhaps even the Marquis of Ningyuan could have been spared his life.

What a pity.

Rong Luoge's mood was not particularly good. From ancient times to the present, whenever military action was taken, once it involved imperial power, there was no draw—only victory or defeat.

"Your Ladyship, Consort De Su requests an audience," Que Cai lifted the beaded curtain and hurried in to report.

Rong Luoge's brow furrowed. What was Su Ying coming over for at this time?

Could it be that she wanted to kick Song Huihe while she was down?

Though she detested Su Ying, she still wanted to know exactly what Su Ying was coming to do—after all, the next target Han Xinglan would move against was the Su family.

"Let Consort De Su come in," Rong Luoge said in a low voice, then looked at Yuan Bao. "You go back to your duties. As soon as there is news, come back and report immediately."

"Yes," Yuan Bao immediately responded, bowed, and withdrew.