I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Chapter 363: Chapter 141: Firsthand Drama Is Indeed Tastier

Princess Consort Wan was already struggling to stand. Hearing the other two use her as a pretext, her face grew even paler. She ignored them and looked directly at Zhang Maoquan. "Chief Steward Zhang, I am just recovering from a serious illness and truly cannot endure this much longer. Please have someone bring a chair over so I may rest for a moment. Today is the grand occasion of the Empress Dowager’s return to the palace. If I were to faint from the sun, it would bring misfortune upon the Empress Dowager, and that would be my fault."

Zhang Maoquan immediately waved for someone to bring a chair. He said not a word more than necessary to the three high-ranking concubines. He simply did as he was told, siding with no one and offending no one. He was as slippery as an eel.

The chair was placed in a shady spot beneath the palace wall. Leaning on Le Chun’s hand, Princess Consort Wan walked over and sat down, finally letting out a soft sigh of relief. Her limbs felt weak, and she was breaking out in a cold sweat.

But she was naturally proud and refused to let anyone see her weakness, so she sat there with her back ramrod straight.

Time ticked by, second by second. Song Yunzhao was also starting to feel unsteady. Beneath her skirts, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She wasn’t sure if the sun was too fierce today or if she had simply been standing for too long, but she was starting to feel dizzy. Since entering the palace, she had been favored and hadn’t suffered any hardships; on the contrary, she had been so pampered that she’d grown more delicate. ’If this were back when I was learning the rules at Zhichun Palace, this would have been nothing.’

But then again, she recalled that she had conveniently been injured when it was time to learn the rules and had avoided the training altogether. The thought made her fall silent.

Xiangxue noticed her mistress’s face had turned slightly pale and quickly reached out to support her, subtly using her own strength to hold her up.

Song Yunzhao glanced at Xiangxue. With her maid’s support, she breathed a small sigh of relief and felt a little of the strain ease.

Xiangxue grew anxious. ’Her mistress looks unwell, and who knows when the Empress Dowager will arrive. Princess Consort Wan can sit because she’s a high-ranking concubine, but my mistress clearly doesn’t have the standing to do the same.’

The situation wasn’t much better for Qin Xiyue; her maid, Fang Ping, was also holding her up tightly. The faces of all the waiting concubines were ashen. They were furious, but they dared not let it show.

Even if they were seething, they didn’t dare show it on their faces.

Just then, the Empress Dowager’s ceremonial procession finally came into view. Everyone immediately straightened their backs. Princess Consort Wan, leaning on Le Chun, rose and rejoined her place. The three high-ranking concubines stood together at the front, with the others arrayed behind them.

Zhang Maoquan scurried toward the Emperor. Song Yunzhao spared him a single glance before turning her attention to the Empress Dowager’s procession. Preceding it was the Emperor’s imperial carriage. Just then, the carriage halted, and the entire retinue came to a stop behind it.

The Emperor stepped down from his carriage. Song Yunzhao peered through the crowd and saw Feng Yi turn his head to glance in their direction. The distance was too great to be certain who he was looking at, but Song Yunzhao had a gut feeling he was looking at her.

Her spirits instantly took flight, as if they had grown wings.

No matter how displeased the Emperor was with the Empress Dowager, he had to put on a good show in public. He personally helped her down from her carriage and supported her as they walked forward.

"We pay our respects to the Emperor. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years! We pay our respects to the Empress Dowager. We wish Your Highness a long life of good fortune and health."

Song Yunzhao recited the greeting along with the three high-ranking concubines, performing not a simple curtsy, but a full, formal kowtow.

’I have to say, the Easy-Kneelers I strapped to my knees really do work. My knees don’t hurt at all. It’s just a bit stuffy.’

"All of you may rise." Feng Yi, seeing that the Empress Dowager had no intention of speaking, ignored her power play and gave the order himself.

As he drew closer, he noticed how pale Song Yunzhao was. ’It’s only been a short time. Could she have been bullied after I left the capital?’

Song Yunzhao could feel a gaze fixed on her and guessed who it was, but she didn’t look up.

’Exchanging loaded glances right under the Empress Dowager’s nose? That’s just asking for a death sentence.’

Just as she was thinking this, she heard the Empress Dowager speak. "My return to the palace is a trivial affair. There was no need for all of you to wait here."

Song Yunzhao: ...

’Tsk. That tone, that attitude... Princess Consort Zhuang must feel right at home.’

Sure enough, Princess Consort Zhuang stepped forward with a smile. "Welcoming Your Highness back to the palace is our honor. You must be weary from your journey. We are here to escort Your Highness back to Shouci Palace."

The Empress Dowager gave Princess Consort Zhuang a long look, then turned to the Emperor and asked, "And who is this?"

Hearing the Empress Dowager’s question, Feng Yi replied flatly, "That is Princess Consort Zhuang."

The Empress Dowager’s expression instantly softened. "Ah, so you are Princess Consort Zhuang. I have heard the Emperor mention you. He said you were gentle and virtuous, and it seems he was right."

A smile bloomed across Princess Consort Zhuang’s face. "I am overwhelmed. I was only doing what is expected of me. I am not worthy of the Emperor’s praise."

Song Yunzhao: ...

’Heh. Watching this interaction between the Empress Dowager and Princess Consort Zhuang, it’s clear they have some secret understanding. My suspicions about Princess Consort Zhuang were right on the money.’

The Empress Dowager exchanged only a few more words with Princess Consort Zhuang, acting as if the other concubines were invisible, then set off toward Shouci Palace.

As Song Yunzhao walked along with the crowd, she vaguely glimpsed a young woman following beside the Empress Dowager. She couldn’t see much through the throng of people, but the woman’s back view revealed a perfectly proportioned, graceful figure. ’I remember the book saying An Shutong’s beauty was on par with the heroine’s. This silhouette certainly lives up to that description.’

The Emperor was escorting the Empress Dowager back to Shouci Palace, which meant Song Yunzhao and the others could not leave either. They had to see her all the way there. ’What a hassle.’

The walk from Taiji Palace to Shouci Palace was not a short one. Song Yunzhao had already been standing for a long time, and by the end of the walk, her vision was swimming with black spots and she was slightly out of breath.

"Are you all right?" Lu Zhixue was startled by the sight of Song Yunzhao’s face.

Hearing this, Han Jinyi also paused to look. Seeing that Yun Zhao’s complexion was indeed poor, she grew concerned. "Why are you so pale?"

Song Yunzhao shook her head slightly. "I’m fine. Don’t worry. Let’s keep moving."

Even though the three of them kept their voices low, huddling together would still draw attention. They couldn’t risk the Empress Dowager charging them with disrespect.

Once inside Shouci Palace, the Empress Dowager did not dismiss them. Instead, she seated herself on the main throne, looked at the Emperor, and said, "If Your Majesty has urgent business, please go attend to it. I’m feeling rather bored all by myself; this is a good opportunity to chat with everyone."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yi promptly sat down. Without looking at the Empress Dowager, he scanned the assembled concubines and announced, "My main duty today is to accompany the Empress Dowager. All other matters can wait."

Song Yunzhao was inwardly delighted to hear this. ’The Emperor’s words all but outright state that he’s here to prevent the Empress Dowager from stirring up trouble, acting as a supervisor.’

"His Majesty is a paragon of filial piety, so of course he puts the Empress Dowager first," Princess Consort Zhuang said with a smile.

Feng Yi’s face was a mask; he didn’t even glance at Princess Consort Zhuang.

The Empress Dowager paid the Emperor’s cold demeanor no mind. She looked at Princess Consort Zhuang and said, "I have only just returned to the palace. Princess Consort Zhuang, why don’t you tell me who everyone is, so that I may get to know them."

Princess Consort Zhuang immediately agreed and was about to start with Consort Shu. However, Consort Shu, who had long been displeased listening to the Empress Dowager elevate Princess Consort Zhuang at every opportunity, did not wait for her to speak. She rose on her own and declared, "I am of the Lu Family. I was fortunate enough to gain the Emperor’s favor and was granted the title of Consort Shu. I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager."

Princess Consort Zhuang: ...

Song Yunzhao smirked. ’What a line—"gain the Emperor’s favor." The Empress Dowager props up Princess Consort Zhuang, so Consort Shu plays the Emperor card to confront her head-on. That’s just like her.’

’Drama you get to see in person really is the juiciest.’