I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

When Feng Yunjin saw her expression, she hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "I tested the waters today. Song Jieyu didn’t take the bait at all. From what I can see, getting her to recommend you at the imperial court is impossible."

Hearing this, Lu Zhixue looked up at her. "You could tell?"

Feng Yunjin nodded. "I mentioned your family and subtly laid out the connection. If Song Jieyu wanted to align herself with your family, she should have taken the hint, but she said nothing."

"Then she’s just too arrogant. Her exclusive favor is only because His Majesty finds her novel right now. Does she really think she can keep it forever?" Lu Zhixue’s brow furrowed tightly. "Back when we were at Zhichun Palace, I knew she wasn’t easy to deal with, but I never expected her to be this difficult."

Seeing Lu Zhixue’s face darken with anger, Feng Yunjin shook her head inwardly, but she advised, "Song Jieyu is basking in the Emperor’s grace right now; it’s best for you to avoid her. Since she has no intention of joining forces, let’s just drop the matter."

"Is there really no other way?"

"At the Seventh Night Festival banquet, that Dancing Girl merely resembled her, and it was enough to make her fly into a rage. Not only did she embarrass Princess Consort Wan, but she also stormed off. And what did His Majesty do?"

Lu Zhixue’s expression stiffened at the memory of that day. "With a temper that domineering, she’s bound to take a fall one day."

"That’s for the future. For now, if we can’t be allies, we also can’t afford to offend her," Feng Yunjin said in a soft voice. "Look at Han Xiao Yi. She’s so close to her, but months have passed, and she has never recommended her to His Majesty. To this day, Han Xiao Yi has not received his favor. If she won’t even recommend Han Xiao Yi, it’s clear how much she loathes sharing the Emperor’s affection."

Feng Yunjin’s thinking was that there was no rush. They should wait a few months for His Majesty’s novelty to wear off, then reassess the situation and decide what to do.

However, because of the incident at the Seventh Night Festival banquet, everyone in the palace had grown wary of Song Jieyu. Now, they practically kept a wide berth from her at the mere mention of her name. This was not a good thing.

In a place like the palace, what good could come from being isolated and without support?

Song Jieyu was only concerned with her own immediate happiness; her future might not be so easy.

"Who knows what Han Jinyi is thinking? Fawning over Song Yunzhao all day long. Other people don’t take her seriously, but she’s still as happy as a fool."

Hearing Lu Zhixue’s words, Feng Yunjin didn’t try to persuade her further this time. She said softly, "Since it has come to this, I’ve done all I can. It’s getting late, I should be heading back."

Lu Zhixue stood to see her off, looking at Feng Yunjin. "In any case, thank you for making this trip on my behalf today."

Feng Yunjin smiled. "It was nothing. But after this, I won’t be going to Wangyou Palace to plead your case again."

’There won’t be a second time, let alone a third. If I go again, Song Jieyu might just have me thrown out.’

Lu Zhixue nodded. The path through Song Yunzhao was a dead end; she would have to find another way.

Feng Yunjin left Yihua Palace and walked slowly along the palace path. The evening glow filtered through the treetops, and when she looked up, half the sky was bathed in red.

Ai Ju noticed her mistress’s somber expression and said softly, "My Lady, since you’ve already made things clear with Lu Pin, why are you still unhappy?"

Feng Yunjin gazed at the sunset glow for a long while before speaking. "I don’t know when I’ll ever see a way out of this. Everyone says Song Jieyu is bound to lose favor sooner or later, to fall from the clouds into the mud."

"No flower blooms forever, My Lady. That day will come," Ai Ju said quickly. ’Didn’t my mistress say the same thing to Lu Pin back at Yihua Palace?’

Feng Yunjin started walking again. She had a faint feeling that Song Jieyu wasn’t afraid of losing favor. Or rather, that Song Jieyu didn’t believe she ever would.

If she were afraid of losing favor, Song Jieyu would have done as Lu Pin suggested—joined forces with others and recommended new Beauties to the Emperor. But as she recalled Song Jieyu’s expression today, her heart grew heavy.

Song Jieyu made no attempt to hide her desire to monopolize the Emperor’s favor. It meant she was either extremely confident in herself, or... His Majesty had no interest in any of the rest of them.

’Either way, it wasn’t good news for me.’

Feng Yunjin knew that among the concubines, she was not the most beautiful or the most learned. Her personality wasn’t particularly captivating either. Standing out in the harem would be incredibly difficult.

That was why she had wanted to join forces with someone. But after entering the palace, Lu Zhixue was like a different person—impulsive, quick to anger, and prone to losing her head whenever Song Yunzhao was involved. Even after suffering setbacks, she didn’t seem to have learned much.

She wouldn’t choose any of the three concubines. The Emperor had long been dissatisfied with their families. Her father had told her that as the daughter of a Military General’s Family, she was to keep her distance from concubines who came from the Prime Minister’s Mansion.