At night, after Xia Ruqing had gone to bed and the mosquito netting was drawn, Zi Yue moved the lamp and left.
Once she heard the door close and a while had passed, Xia Ruqing quietly got up.
She opened the window and then partially opened the quilt before lying down and falling back to sleep.
It was a chilly night in early spring.
At first, she was so cold that she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Eventually, as she grew drowsy, she drifted off into a hazy sleep.
Indeed, she had intentionally let herself catch cold for two reasons. First, the Empress and Noble Concubine Shih were currently locked in a rivalry. Even the slightest impact from their clash would be more than she could withstand. And most importantly, she had no choice but to be involved. Second, it would become known to others that her health was indeed poor.
When Xia Ruqing could no longer bear the cold, she felt a twinge of sorrow.
