I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Although Princess Consort Zhuang flattered the Empress Dowager at every turn, she was still unwilling to be her pawn.

The Empress Dowager wanted to promote An Shutong, and she had no desire to be a stepping stone for someone else.

Mrs. Wang arrived quickly. Upon seeing Princess Consort Zhuang, she stepped forward and bowed. "I greet you, Your Highness."

Princess Consort Zhuang personally helped Mrs. Wang to her feet. "Mother, please rise. There’s no one else here, so there’s no need for such formality. Let’s sit and talk."

Mrs. Wang did as her daughter said and took a seat, but she still didn’t dare to be too casual. Even though this was her own daughter, she was also one of the Emperor’s concubines. Naturally, she could not be disrespectful.

"Mother, you came in such a rush. Is there something you need to tell me?" Princess Consort Zhuang asked, looking at her mother.

Rouge brought them tea, then retreated to stand in attendance behind Princess Consort Zhuang.

Mrs. Wang sighed softly. "Ji Yunting has returned to the Capital City."

Ji Yunting?

Princess Consort Zhuang was taken aback. "Wasn’t he assigned to a post outside the capital? How could he return to the Capital City without cause?"

"That Young Master Ji is such a delicate flower. He was at his post for only a few short months and fell ill three times, nearly dying in the process. When the Left Minister saw it wasn’t working out, he personally petitioned the Emperor to have him transferred back to the Capital City." Mrs. Wang’s tone was steady as she recounted this, but a careful listener could detect a hint of disappointment.

Princess Consort Zhuang’s brows knitted together. "What illness?"

"He couldn’t acclimate to the climate and environment."

Princess Consort Zhuang fell silent.

’In that case, there’s nothing to be done.’

"You came to the palace to tell me this. Does Father have some sort of plan?"

Mrs. Wang nodded slightly. "Madam Ji has invited me for tea twice, subtly hinting at a marriage alliance between our families. Your father and I are undecided, so we wanted to ask for your opinion."

Princess Consort Zhuang was quite surprised. "A marriage alliance? Madam Ji has always been incredibly arrogant. Our family was interested before, but she looked down on us. And now she’s willing?"

Princess Consort Zhuang was still displeased at the memory. Although her father was a subordinate of the Left Minister, he had served as the Assistant Prime Minister for many years and harbored ambitions of advancing further. He had once hoped for a marriage alliance between their families. That way, once the Left Minister retired, her father could naturally assume his position.

But the Left Minister had his own plans. He only told her father to wait, neither agreeing nor refusing, simply stringing him along. Her father was so firmly entrenched in the Left Minister’s faction that he couldn’t switch allegiances even if he wanted to.

Two years ago, hoping to bring the families closer, her mother had sounded out Madam Ji about a potential marriage. But Madam Ji, who treated Ji Yunting like a precious treasure, had naturally refused to consent.

’For her to turn around now and propose a marriage with their family... how laughable.’

"First, Ji Yunting’s engagement to Princess Ming’an was broken. Now, his assignment outside the capital has ended in failure, forcing his return. It’s hard to say what his future prospects will be; he may not even live up to his father’s legacy. Madam Ji must be afraid that if she waits another two years, it will be even harder to arrange a marriage for Ji Yunting, so she’s been forced to lower her standards. That’s why she’s in such a hurry now," Mrs. Wang said with a sneer.

"So what do you and Father think?" Princess Consort Zhuang asked.

"If it were up to me, I’d say no. Your younger sister is the apple of my eye. With Madam Ji’s temperament, I’m afraid she would suffer greatly if she married into that family." Mrs. Wang sighed. "But your father feels the marriage isn’t out of the question. Ji Yunting’s reputation in the Capital City is currently on the decline. If we form an alliance with them now, it would be like offering a helping hand in their time of need. The gesture would carry much more weight."

Princess Consort Zhuang’s lips pursed as she carefully considered the match. Ji Yunting was, after all, considered one of the most brilliant young men from the Capital City’s elite families. Just a few years ago, many people had their eyes on him.

’But so what? He took an official post outside the capital only to be sent back because he couldn’t acclimate. That has completely cut off any possibility of him becoming a high-ranking regional governor in the future. He can only climb the ladder step by step here in the Capital City.’

’With his father, the Left Minister, in his position, the Emperor will certainly not promote Ji Yunting excessively. Ji Yunting will only have his day in the sun after the Left Minister retires.’

’This marriage has its pros and cons. Since Ji Yunting can no longer use his father’s influence to advance his career, the possibility of her own father advancing is greater. For the Ji Family to choose an alliance with them at this juncture is, without a doubt, their best option.’

"What does Yun Hua think?" Princess Consort Zhuang asked her mother.

"Your sister is willing, of course." Mrs. Wang didn’t know what to say when it came to this daughter of hers. "That Ji Yunting is brilliant and dashing; countless young ladies in the Capital City have secretly lost their hearts to him."

Princess Consort Zhuang fell silent again.

’I shouldn’t have asked.’

’Thinking about her sister’s temperament gave her a bit of a headache.’

"I think you should put this matter on hold for now. We can discuss it again after we return to the Capital City from the traveling palace. I imagine Madam Ji can wait a few months," Princess Consort Zhuang said thoughtfully. "Did Ji Yunting accompany the imperial procession on this trip?"

Mrs. Wang nodded. "Of course."

"Then please keep a close eye on my sister. Don’t let her interact too much with Ji Yunting," Princess Consort Zhuang said.

’A young lady must maintain her modesty. Otherwise, Madam Ji will only look down on her all the more.’

Mrs. Wang nodded. "I know. Rest assured, I will watch her. It started raining right after we arrived at the traveling palace, what unfortunate timing. Are there any plans for a banquet here after the rain stops? The Empress Dowager surely won’t remain this quiet."

’The Empress Dowager brought that young lady from the Gu’en Houfu with her. Who couldn’t guess what she’s planning?’

At this thought, Mrs. Wang recalled the events of yesterday’s banquet. She frowned slightly and asked, "Is Song Zhaoyi alright?"

Hearing her mother’s string of questions, Princess Consort Zhuang wasn’t sure which to answer first. She simply said, "I don’t yet know what arrangements the Empress Dowager has in mind. But since she brought An Shutong along, the Empress Dowager will certainly make plans for her. We’ll just have to wait and see."

She paused, her tone shifting subtly as she brought up Song Yunzhao. "With the Emperor personally looking after her, how could anything be wrong with Song Zhaoyi? This morning, someone from the Empress Dowager’s retinue went to check on her, but they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of her. The Emperor is still there, standing vigil."

Mrs. Wang’s expression soured. "How can Song Zhaoyi monopolize the Emperor like that when she’s already pregnant? Thinking back to how she acted after seeing the Emperor yesterday, I’m afraid it was all deliberate. She is a very calculating person. You must be extremely careful."

"In the palace, with the Empress Dowager above me and Song Yunzhao below, there is only so much I can do. It would be better if we could get some help from the outside," Princess Consort Zhuang said, looking at her mother. "Song Yunzhao has the Emperor’s exclusive favor. I imagine the other families with daughters in the harem aren’t willing to let this situation drag on."

Mrs. Wang understood her daughter’s meaning. "Many people have come to the traveling palace, and banquets are held among the officials and their families every day. I will make sure everyone hears about this."

’Once word gets out that Song Zhaoyi is bewitching the Emperor even during her pregnancy, everyone will surely band together.’

"But you must not reveal your involvement," Princess Consort Zhuang immediately cautioned. "If word reaches the Emperor’s ears, it will make my life in the palace very difficult."

Hearing this, Mrs. Wang felt a pang of sadness. "Of course I won’t be directly involved. Someone else will surely do it." She looked at her daughter. "There’s one more thing. Princess Fuke’s Prince Consort has passed away from illness."

Princess Consort Zhuang had to think for a moment before she recalled who Princess Fuke was. "He passed away, so be it. What’s there to discuss?"

"Before Princess Fuke was married, she and the Emperor got along fairly well. Now that her Prince Consort is gone, if the Emperor feels any attachment to their old bond, he might summon her back to the Capital City," said Mrs. Wang.