I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Hearing Consort Lu’s words, Song Yunzhao thought, ’Just as I expected.’ She knew the minor incident in the Imperial Kitchen wasn’t enough to warrant Consort Lu humbling herself with a visit. Her smile faded slightly as she looked at Consort Lu and sighed. "Lady Lu, I’m afraid I really can’t help you with this matter. My cousin studied diligently for many years, only to end up with this result. If he doesn’t seek justice, how can his heart be at peace?"

Consort Lu said patiently, "My father is already investigating this and will certainly ensure justice is done. But your cousin is causing such a scene. The bigger this gets, the harder it will be to clean up. If he offends too many people, it won’t be good for his future career as an official."

Detecting the veiled threat in Consort Lu’s words, Song Yunzhao replied with a straight face, "While I agree with you, Your Ladyship, that what is too rigid is easily broken, I cannot change my cousin’s decision. As you know, our family branches have long since separated. It’s not my place to interfere in the affairs of the main branch."

Consort Lu didn’t believe a word of it. ’You don’t interfere in the affairs of the main branch? Then is the Madam Song who visits you in the palace each time just a paper doll?’

Consort Lu was no fool. She could tell that it wasn’t that Song Yunzhao couldn’t interfere, but that she was dissatisfied with the current terms. She frowned slightly. "Then what will it take for you to get involved?"

Song Yunzhao found Consort Lu’s question a bit amusing. "Lady Lu, it’s useless to ask me. I really can’t help."

’If it all falls apart at the last minute, wouldn’t all the effort I’ve put into setting this up go to waste?’

"Song Jieyu, I came here to discuss this with you in good faith."

"Lady Lu, have you considered that instead of threatening me to make my cousin stop his protests, it would be better to persuade the Right Minister to adapt to the situation? As you said, if the Right Minister is truly innocent, then he just needs to find the real culprit behind the scenes," Song Yunzhao said.

Consort Lu: "..."

’If it were that simple, why would I be in such a hurry?’

Recalling that Song Yunzhao came from the family of a minor official, she assumed she didn’t understand the intricacies involved. So, she explained, "This matter is so complex that one move affects the entire situation. Even if my father didn’t do such a thing, as the chief examiner, he can’t escape the charge of dereliction of duty."

"If he is guilty, then he should atone for his crime. The Emperor is a discerning man who knows right from wrong. As long as the Right Minister’s attitude is sincere, there will naturally be a way to resolve this," Song Yunzhao said earnestly.

"If he is guilty, then he should atone?" Consort Lu was slightly taken aback by these words.

"Yes. It’s just my humble opinion, but I think that if you make a mistake, you just need to correct it. Besides, if the Right Minister truly knew nothing about it, isn’t there a saying that the unwitting are not to be blamed? Even with a charge of dereliction of duty, as long as the Right Minister can atone for his misdeed with a meritorious act, won’t that even things out?"

’It’s impossible to completely even things out,’ she thought. ’The Emperor is so petty; he’ll definitely use this opportunity to weaken the Right Minister’s power. But it might not be impossible for him to hold on to his position.’

Consort Lu gave Song Yunzhao a long, deep look. ’A humble opinion, really?’

’I doubt it.’

’Even I hadn’t thought of such a plan, but Song Yunzhao did.’

Consort Lu fell silent.

Song Yunzhao lifted her teacup and took a sip. Among the three concubines, although Consort Lu was the most boisterous, she was far easier to deal with than Princess Consort Zhuang and Princess Consort Wan. If possible, she would have liked to be on peaceful terms with Princess Consort Zhuang, too.

In any case, she wouldn’t be able to reach the rank of a high concubine anytime soon, so she needed to be on decent terms with at least one of the three.

Initially, she had wanted to get on good terms with Princess Consort Zhuang, but after a few interactions, she realized she wasn’t a good choice.

Princess Consort Wan was out of the question. She was a refined, artistic type, completely different from Yunzhao’s own style. Yunzhao was a thoroughly pragmatic person; the two of them would never see eye to eye.

Therefore, Consort Lu might just be salvageable.

As long as the Right Minister didn’t fall from power, Consort Lu’s position as a concubine would be secure. If the Right Minister truly was unaware of the scheme this time, then as Consort Lu had said, the worst he would face was a charge of dereliction of duty. He could definitely hold on to his post.

Under these circumstances, Song Yunzhao had to plot for her own greatest benefit.

It wasn’t just the protagonist who knew how to use an enemy’s strength against them. Now that Qin Xiyue had become a Wanyi, Yunzhao had to be even more careful.

Consort Lu returned to Cuiwei Palace from Wangyou Palace. After long and careful consideration, she wrote a letter to her father. She was so conflicted she felt like she could spit blood, but in the end, her concern for her father’s safety won out.

A small part of her thought that what Song Yunzhao said made sense, but she didn’t want to admit it.

She wrote half a page, then decided it wasn’t quite right. After fuming for a moment, she tore it up and started again. This time, her emotions were more stable, and the words came much more easily.

’As long as I can help Father navigate this crisis and turn danger into safety, so what if I have to admit that Song Yunzhao is a little bit smarter than me?’

’I can use Song Yunzhao’s cleverness to keep my father out of harm’s way. That’s a skill others don’t have.’

With that thought, Consort Lu’s heart felt much lighter.

After finishing the letter, she had a trusted confidant deliver it at once. Back in the palace, Consort Lu waited anxiously for a reply from home.

In the Right Minister’s Mansion, Right Minister Lu Lin had just flown into a rage. The metaphorical fire of this scandal had ignited quickly and burned fiercely; he refused to believe that someone wasn’t fanning the flames from behind the scenes.

However, what made the situation tricky for him was that the one leading the protests was Song Buran. He wouldn’t have cared about one Song Buran, but behind him was Song Jieyu—the very same Song Jieyu who had just recently caused his daughter to suffer a major setback, even costing her a title.

Now, his opponent was coming on strong, and the Right Minister couldn’t help but suspect a conspiracy. Could it be that Song Jieyu wanted to replace his daughter, and that’s why she had Song Buran lead the scholars to escalate the matter? If something were to happen to him, his daughter’s position in the harem would surely not be safe.

The more the Right Minister thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Just then, Consort Lu’s letter arrived.

After reading the letter, the Right Minister fell into a long silence. Jiang Quan dared not disturb him, but he was growing anxious. Her Ladyship was still waiting for a reply.

The Right Minister looked up at Jiang Quan. "Besides this letter, did Her Ladyship have any other instructions?"

Jiang Quan shook his head. "Prime Minister, Her Ladyship gave no other orders."

The Right Minister’s brow furrowed. He pondered for a moment before asking, "Does Her Ladyship have dealings with Song Jieyu in the palace?"

Jiang Quan was taken aback. How was he supposed to answer that?

"You couldn’t really call it ’dealings.’ A few days ago, there was a small incident in the Imperial Kitchen..." Jiang Quan recounted the affair. "Because this new matter involves Song Jieyu’s cousin, Her Ladyship went to see her."

Chancellor Lu’s expression grew even more perplexed. Song Jieyu hadn’t used the Imperial Kitchen incident as a pretext to cause trouble. The little palace maid in his daughter’s palace had committed suicide out of guilt, and if Song Jieyu had wanted to stir things up, she could have easily framed it as his daughter murdering someone to silence them. But not only did she not do that, she didn’t pursue the matter at all.

This Song Jieyu’s temperament was so hard to fathom. When you thought something was minor, she insisted on making a scene. When you thought something was major, she paid it no mind.

’With such a fickle personality, what on earth does the Emperor see in her?’

Chancellor Lu did not understand. He really did not understand.

And yet, the suggestion in the letter, proposed by Song Jieyu, was one his daughter found feasible and beneficial to him.

But Chancellor Lu had been an official for many years and was deeply familiar with the treacherous ways of the court.

’My daughter is still too naive. This Song Jieyu is just like Xiang Zhuang, performing a sword dance while her true intent lies elsewhere.’