I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Feng Yi squeezed Yun Zhao’s hand, glancing at her again and again. Her words had soothed his heart, leaving it soft and sweet.

"Your father performed a great service this time. He was the only Assistant Minister left in the Ministry of Revenue with a clean record, so he was the only one who could take the position."

Song Yunzhao found his words a bit strange. ’What does he mean by "a clean record"?’

"Your Majesty, do you think my father can handle being the Chief of Staff? That’s the Ministry of Revenue—the court’s purse."

"He’s your father. Don’t you know?"

"How would I know? When I was living at home, I never dared to ask about my father’s work. But I do know one thing: my father is an honest official."

Feng Yi was speechless.

’Those last two words are the real point, aren’t they?’

If there was one thing Yun Zhao was unhappy about, it was that Mrs. Cai would now be elevated to the status of a Minister’s Wife. She would be able to attend banquets at the palace from now on. The very thought was irritating.

But there was nothing to be done about it. A husband and wife were one entity; when the husband prospered, the wife shared his nobility.

Throughout their conversation, Song Yunzhao never once mentioned the Wang Family or Wang Zhaorong.

Since Feng Yi was in a rare good mood, Song Yunzhao pleaded with him to take her for a stroll outside the traveling palace. The two changed into plain clothes and went to the market again.

This was the lively, bustling atmosphere of the mortal world. Yun Zhao was bold. Taking advantage of being in a rural place like this, she held Feng Yi’s hand in the market without any attempt to hide. When people looked, she even swung their joined hands deliberately.

Feng Yi let her be, finding it rather interesting.

The country folk weren’t bound by as many rules as the noble ladies in the Capital City. Seeing them holding hands, most people just smiled kindly. Some of the bolder ones even praised the "young couple" for their affectionate relationship.

When Feng Yi heard people mistake them for husband and wife, he turned his head to look at Yun Zhao. He saw that not only was she not upset, but she was happily thanking the well-wishers.

’Husband and wife, huh?’

For a moment, Feng Yi was somewhat dazed.

Meng Jiuchang followed behind with guards in plain clothes, inwardly stunned by Song Zhaoyi’s actions. ’This one is certainly broad-minded. If it were Lady Wanfei, she would probably be in tears by now.’

’Only the Empress can be the Emperor’s wife. Song Zhaoyi is just a Zhaoyi. Not only is she not unhappy about being mistaken, she’s actually delighted.’

Meng Jiuchang really couldn’t figure out what Song Zhaoyi was thinking.

Song Yunzhao and the Emperor returned to the noodle stall they had visited before. She ordered two bowls of noodles and asked the owner to add extra vinegar. What was the point of eating noodles without vinegar?

Yun Zhao ate happily, saying to Feng Yi, "These noodles have a great texture. They’re really delicious. I’ve been thinking about coming back ever since I ate here last time."

Feng Yi thought, ’No matter how good they are, can they really be better than what the Imperial Chefs make? But Yun Zhao is this happy just because she’s able to get out. That’s why everything seems wonderful to her.’

"Since you like his cooking so much, why not have him come back with us and be your personal chef?" Feng Yi said.

Song Yunzhao quickly waved her hands. ’That’s some real overbearing CEO behavior.’ "No, I think it’s better not to. We won’t be here for much longer. What would happen to him then? If he follows us back to the Capital City, what about his family? If he stays at the traveling palace, I’m afraid he won’t be able to hold his own."

A place like the kitchen was not somewhere just anyone could survive peacefully.

An outsider like him, with no connections, would be the first to take the fall for any trouble in the Imperial Kitchen.

Song Yunzhao was already widely disliked. The Empress Dowager couldn’t stand the sight of her, and Princess Consort Zhuang, now Wang Zhaorong, probably hated her to the bone. If a chef labeled as "hers" went to the kitchen, Song Yunzhao knew without a doubt that he would become cannon fodder.

’Wouldn’t I just be bringing him harm?’

If she held some power in the palace, she might be able to protect him, but as things stood...

Song Yunzhao had not reached the rank of concubine, so palace authority was beyond her reach. It was better not to involve others.

Hearing this, Feng Yi looked at Yun Zhao and then smiled. "As you wish."

As they walked, they came upon the restaurant opened by the Xie family. The name hadn’t changed; it was still called Yuquan Building. Looking at it from a distance, she smiled at Feng Yi. "Do you remember the time we met at Yuquan Building?"

How could Feng Yi forget? That time, Yun Zhao had been very attentive to him, harboring thoughts of luring him back with her.

At that thought, Feng Yi smiled. "Shall we go take a look?"

Yun Zhao nodded. "Let’s go quietly, without alerting the Xie family."

"Alright."

It was peak dining time, so Yuquan Building was quite lively. As soon as they entered, a waiter came up to them. He enthusiastically led them inside, asking as they walked, "First or second floor for you two? The first floor is bustling, the second is quieter."

"Second floor," Song Yunzhao said.

On the second floor, Yun Zhao and Feng Yi took a table, while Meng Jiuchang and the guards sat at another. It was quieter than the first floor, with a few empty tables. Yun Zhao sat by the window, able to see the street scene with just a turn of her head.

Having just eaten noodles, she wasn’t hungry. Yun Zhao ordered a pot of tea for herself and Feng Yi, a table full of dishes for Meng Jiuchang and the guards, and a few plates of specialty snacks. She then sipped her tea and chatted slowly with Feng Yi.

"Is there no storyteller here?" Feng Yi felt something was missing. After a moment’s thought, he realized it was a storyteller.

Song Yunzhao thought for a moment. "There usually is. It is a bit strange. Why is there no storyteller today?" She beckoned the waiter over. "Does your restaurant not have a storyteller today?"

The waiter smiled and replied, "Gu’en Houfu is holding a banquet today, and our restaurant’s storyteller went over there to perform for the nobles. I’m terribly sorry, you two came at an unlucky time."

"How many storytellers do you have? Were they all called away?"

"Five. Aside from the one who was requested by Gu’en Houfu at the last minute, the other masters were all booked in advance. They’ve all gone to perform at various manors today."

Song Yunzhao understood. Gu’en Houfu hadn’t originally requested a storyteller, but for some reason, they had suddenly sent for one. With the Empress Dowager backing Gu’en Houfu, Yuquan Building couldn’t afford to offend them and had to send someone over.

The other storytellers had all been booked in advance, each with their own engagement, so the restaurant was naturally left without a performance today.

Regarding the affairs of Gu’en Houfu, Yun Zhao naturally couldn’t speak too freely in front of Feng Yi. Just as she was about to dismiss the waiter, she heard Feng Yi ask, "What’s the special occasion at Gu’en Houfu? They hired two storytellers, and made such a last-minute request for one?"

The waiter could tell from their clothes and bearing that the two were no ordinary people—probably a young master and his wife from some prominent family. Thus, his attitude was very careful and sincere. "They say it’s for the Duchess’s birthday banquet. Apparently, she wasn’t planning to celebrate, but the Empress Dowager sent a gift to the Marquis Mansion, so they decided to hold a banquet."

’Duchess Gu En’s birthday banquet?’

Song Yunzhao didn’t know if Duchess Gu En usually held a birthday banquet in the Capital City. Hearing the waiter mention it now didn’t strike her as particularly odd. It wasn’t strange for a Duchess to celebrate her birthday.

However, she noticed that Feng Yi’s expression seemed a little off. An alarm bell immediately went off in her mind.

Thinking of this, Yun Zhao looked at the waiter and asked with a smile, "The Duchess’s birthday must be a very lively affair. It’s not surprising they’d ask a storyteller to come and add to the fun."

The waiter chuckled. "You’re right, young madam. I hear many guests are attending the banquet today. It’s sure to be bustling."

’Many guests are attending?’

A glint flashed in Song Yunzhao’s eyes. ’Now that’s interesting.’