Chapter 681 - 459: As long as I reign for a day, you will have a day of splendor and dignity

Chapter 681: Chapter 459: As long as I reign for a day, you will have a day of splendor and dignity

After the madam left Jincui Garden, Song Yunzhao sat by the window, deep in thought.

The matter with the Cai Family was merely a pretext. The ultimate goal was to make the Emperor resent her and grow to dislike the Eldest Prince.

At the end of the day, the Cai Family was her maternal family. Even if she wasn’t close to them, that connection couldn’t be erased.

Fortunately, her relationship with Feng Yi was strong right now. If their bond had been even slightly weaker, there was no telling what the Emperor might have thought.

Before long, Song Yunzhao received news that the Emperor had reprimanded Steward Cai and stripped him of his post. Fortunately, his life had been spared.

Marquis Wenxin’s Mansion and Ning’an Bo Mansion were not implicated in any way. The Imperial Censors had already drafted their memorials, but before they could be presented at the imperial court, the Emperor had already handled the Cai Family. How could they submit their memorials now?

When Song Yunzhao heard this, she let out a long sigh of relief. This crisis was over.

That evening, Feng Yi came to see her. Seeing her looking so listless, he smiled and teased, "It was just a small matter. It’s not worth you being so upset."

"How could it be a small matter? Ultimately, for what the Cai Family has done, my father and I must both face the criticism." Song Yunzhao sighed and leaned on Feng Yi’s shoulder. "It’s only because Your Majesty trusts me and my father. Otherwise..."

Feng Yi squeezed Yun Zhao’s hand. "Don’t overthink it. The more you dwell on it, the more you’ll be playing right into their hands."

Song Yunzhao couldn’t help but laugh. "You’re just trying to cheer me up."

Feng Yi knew what Yun Zhao was afraid of. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. "I know the nature of your relationship with the Cai Family better than anyone. So even if this was someone’s plot, it was obviously a failure."

Song Yunzhao hugged Feng Yi’s waist tightly. "It’s only because I know that you know."

Feng Yi looked at her. ’Rather than let her suffer like this, I should do something else,’ he thought. And so, he lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Song Yunzhao was in no mood for intimacy and reached out to give him a gentle push.

Feng Yi’s hand slipped beneath her clothes, his cool fingertips brushing against Yun Zhao’s warm skin. Song Yunzhao stiffened slightly, and Feng Yi took the chance to pull her fully into his arms. A gentle heat bloomed between them, enveloping them both.

Feng Yi carried her behind the bed curtains, letting them fall with a single sweep of his hand. Song Yunzhao’s face was flushed crimson, and she swallowed hard under his intense gaze.

"Zhaozhao, as long as I am on the throne, you will have a lifetime of glory and honor."

Song Yunzhao froze, her eyes reddening. ’These were the most beautiful words of love she had ever heard.’

’She was just a cannon fodder side character who had struggled so hard to get to where she was today. Meanwhile, the original female lead was still relentlessly trying to crush her, to climb to the top over her dead body.’

’She lived in constant fear, and his words stirred a torrent of bittersweet memories and emotions within her.’

’She could never tell anyone that she had transmigrated into a book. She had to guard this monumental secret all by herself. Though she seemed to be smiling all day, only she knew the hardship she carried in her heart.’

The lamplight filtered dimly through the bed curtains, casting faint shadows on them. Feng Yi watched as Yun Zhao’s tears fell even harder. Forgetting everything else, he pulled her into a tight embrace. "Don’t cry. I’m here."

’But it’s because of you that I’m crying!’ The thought only made Song Yunzhao want to cry more.

At that thought, a sudden boldness surged through Song Yunzhao. She reached out, pushed Feng Yi down, and climbed on top of him.

Feng Yi wanted to laugh but didn’t dare, so he simply played along and let her push him down...

The next day, Song Yunzhao woke up and covered her face, refusing to get up. For once, the man beside her hadn’t risen early to deal with court affairs. Seeing her hiding under the brocade quilt, he held back a laugh and lifted her into his arms.

"If you don’t get up soon, Feng Ze is going to barge in."

Face flushed, Song Yunzhao dressed with her back to Feng Yi. It had been a long time since he had seen Yun Zhao like this, and the more he watched, the more amused he became. He was tempted to pull her right back into bed, but the thought of the waiting courtiers finally compelled him to rise and get dressed himself.

The family of three had a late breakfast, after which Feng Yi and his son left in a hurry. Feng Ze was now quite used to going with his father, having become his little shadow. Besides, there were playmates for him there.

After sending the father-son duo off, Yun Zhao’s legs still felt sore and weak. She leaned back against a soft cushion and began to attend to her duties.

Today, she needed to review the accounts from Baozhuang Building. She was also preoccupied with the developments concerning Qin Xiyue. Once she was busy, she temporarily forgot about the wildness of the previous night.

"Your Highness, the letter was delivered to Qin Wan Yi. However, since receiving it yesterday, she has made no move."

"Has the list been released?"

"It was released this morning."

Song Yunzhao nodded. "Then keep watching her."

’With the two-pronged attack of the list and the letter, I refuse to believe Qin Xiyue can just sit back and do nothing.’

To avoid arousing suspicion, Song Yunzhao continued to stay inside. She felt completely languid, perhaps from overindulging the previous night. Today, her lower abdomen felt heavy, making her even less inclined to move.

Another day passed with no movement from Qin Xiyue. Song Yunzhao had someone send a message to Xu Ji at the Imperial Awakening Temple, telling her that Qin Wan Yi was making no effort to arrange her return to the palace and was clearly treating her as a disposable pawn.

Qin Wan Yi could keep her composure, but the same could not be said for Xu Ji.

As expected, Xu Mingying grew impatient. She had originally requested to leave the palace for the Imperial Awakening Temple because she was confident she would be able to return smoothly. The trip was merely a show for the Emperor, a preparation for future plans.

’But what if she could never return to the palace?’

’She would be forced to live a quiet, ascetic life at the Imperial Awakening Temple forever. How could a young woman in her prime endure such hardship?’

Xu Mingying sent a third letter to Qin Xiyue, threatening that if she didn’t act soon, Xu Mingying would drop all pretenses and ensure neither of them came out of this well.

Consort Shu finally found the time to visit Yun Zhao. Holding the letter, she tutted, "A dog-eat-dog fight. It’s just so satisfying to watch."

"An Xiaoyi isn’t following you around today?" Song Yunzhao teased.

Consort Shu’s expression soured. "She’s like a piece of flypaper."

"Once she latches on, you can’t get her off."

Song Yunzhao burst out laughing.

Consort Shu shot her a look.

Song Yunzhao immediately wiped the smile from her face. "You’ve worked hard, Sister Shu. This whole affair is about to come to a close. I’ll have to trouble you for just a few more days."

What else could Consort Shu say? She looked at Song Yunzhao and asked, "What do you think Qin Wan Yi will do to get Xu Ji brought to Jincui Garden?"

Song Yunzhao truly had no idea. She shook her head and said, "I can’t think of anything either."

The next day, they found out what Qin Wan Yi’s method was. The Empress Dowager had suddenly fallen ill, and someone from the Astronomical Bureau reported that it was due to an inauspicious astrological alignment. They claimed a person whose stars were favorable to the Empress Dowager was needed to attend to her personally.

That person, of course, was Xu Ji.

Song Yunzhao was dumbfounded. ’As someone from the modern era, I don’t really believe in this stuff, but people in ancient times took it very seriously.’

Although the Empress Dowager disliked Xu Ji, the discomfort of her illness was painful enough that she immediately dispatched people to the Imperial Awakening Temple to bring Xu Ji to Jincui Garden.

A chill entered Song Yunzhao’s eyes. ’Bringing her back is out of the question.’ She immediately sent people to investigate the Astronomical Bureau’s findings, as well as the cause of the Empress Dowager’s sudden illness.

Furthermore, Song Yunzhao requested an imperial decree from the Emperor to intercept the party on their way to the Imperial Awakening Temple and have them turn back. Meanwhile, the message that reached Xu Ji was still one suggesting that Qin Xiyue was about to betray her.

Xu Mingying felt like a caged animal at the Imperial Awakening Temple. Unable to get a clear picture of what was happening at Jincui Garden, she sent a message to her family, requesting to see Marchioness Wu Xin.

Of course, Marchioness Wu Xin couldn’t go—after all, how could she leave the house while she was "sick"? Worried about her daughter, the Marchioness sent Mrs. Pan and Song Qinghan to go in her stead.

Having received a message from Song Yunzhao, Song Qinghan went to the Imperial Awakening Temple with a wooden expression.