I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Han Jinyi and her two companions had long since become a seasoned team, working together with perfect tacit understanding. Naturally, Wang Zhaorong was the one who lost in the end. Lu Zhixue, her partner, wore a look of resignation.

’I knew it would end up like this.’

While the group scrounged a meal at Yun Zhao’s place and played cards all afternoon, rumors were flying wildly outside. Onlookers were completely baffled. What was going on?

Wang Zhaorong returned to her palace with a spring in her step. "I haven’t been this happy in a long time," she said to Rouge.

Rouge’s eyes reddened. She took a breath before smiling. "My Lady, you can be this happy every day from now on."

Wang Zhaorong entered the inner chamber, removed her outer cloak for Yun Dai to take, and changed into a light, casual robe. Only after sitting down did she speak again. "I was wrong about some things. Today was a real eye-opener. I never knew life could be so carefree and relaxed."

"Yes, I find Song Zhaoyi quite fascinating," Rouge said. "Even someone as eccentric as Lu Pin is willing to spend time at her residence, so there must be something to it." Rouge then recalled Song Zhaoyi’s palace attendants; every one of them was always so cheerful. ’It’s true,’ she thought, ’the servants reflect their master.’

Leaning against a soft cushion, Wang Zhaorong gazed at the sunset painting the sky outside her window. She had thought this was it for her—despised by the Emperor, forced to live out her days with the empty title of Zhaorong.

But seeing Lu Zhixue and the others, she suddenly felt that perhaps, a different way of life wasn’t out of the question.

Her life before had been so exhausting—scheming against one person after another for the sake of her family’s glory, wearing a mask that wasn’t her own whether in public or private. She had worn it for so long, she was on the verge of truly becoming someone else.

Tearing off that mask now felt awkward and uncomfortable, certainly, but it was also a great relief.

Maybe now she could finally live for herself. As Song Yunzhao rightly said, if you spend all your time thinking of others, who will be there to think of you?

Thinking of her younger sister’s accusations, Wang Zhaorong felt it was all meaningless. She had tried earnestly persuading her, even scolding her, but it had all been for naught.

Now that the Wang Family had fallen, her sister suddenly decided the marriage alliance with the Ji Family was a good idea after all—but the Ji Family now looked down on her.

Wang Zhaorong knew her sister was causing scenes at home, knew their mother was too busy trying to save their father to pay her any attention, and knew she had written to their brother and sister-in-law for help. But so what?

You can’t just bend over and pick up something you’ve thrown away yourself.

She wouldn’t meddle in her sister’s future marriage prospects again. One must personally harvest and taste the bitter fruit of their own sowing.

She herself had been demoted from Princess Consort Zhuang to Zhaorong—who could she possibly complain to?

Having come to terms with it all, Wang Zhaorong felt her spirits lift, and she drowsily drifted off to sleep.

Enjoy life while you can; never mind the storms others face.

It was all she could do to manage herself right now; how could she possibly worry about anyone else?

The next day, Wang Zhaorong woke with a splitting headache. She sat at her vanity for a long time before suddenly pushing the mirror away. ’No one’s going to see it even if I do my makeup,’ she thought. ’Why waste the effort?’ She had Rouge style her hair in a simple bun, secure it with a jade hairpin, and called it done.

It was so liberating.

"My Lady, Lu Pin sent a messenger asking if you’re going to her place for cards. She said she needs to win back what she lost yesterday and is determined to make Feng Xiaoyuan and Han Guipin pay for today’s treats."

"I’m going!" Wang Zhaorong shot to her feet. "Why wouldn’t I? I’ll take every happy day I can get." After a few steps, she remembered something and asked, "Is Song Zhaoyi going?"

"Lu Pin said that anyone else could be absent, but Song Zhaoyi absolutely must be there to witness it."

"Let’s go, quickly." Wang Zhaorong hurried out the door. ’Playing cards is this much fun?’ she thought. ’How did I never realize it before?’

"My Lady, you should at least put on some makeup!"

"Who would I be putting it on for? This is perfectly fine."

Rouge chased after her, a look of exasperation on her face but a joyful smile in her eyes. ’As long as My Lady can let go and live well from now on,’ she thought, ’I can finally be at ease.’

Lu Zhixue and the other two lived close to one another. When Wang Zhaorong arrived, Song Yunzhao hadn’t gotten there yet. The four of them didn’t wait, starting a game on their own. By the time Yun Zhao arrived, she found Wang Zhaorong’s face covered in paper strips—a sight that made her double over with laughter.

Wang Zhaorong was speechless.

’When it rains, it pours,’ she fumed. ’How can my luck be this rotten?’

"Again!"

Wang Zhaorong refused to accept it. She rolled up her sleeves, completely devoid of the dignified air she once held as Consort Zhuang.

Song Yunzhao, meanwhile, leaned against a soft cushion, cracking melon seeds and sipping tea as she watched the drama unfold.

’A Princess Consort Zhuang like this,’ Song Yunzhao mused, ’is far more interesting than when she was always so prim and proper.’

They had lunch at Lu Zhixue’s residence. Song Yunzhao went to the kitchen to order a few extra dishes, adding a bottle of fruit wine as well. She herself couldn’t drink, but the others could.

Full and satisfied, Han Jinyi watched as Lu Zhixue challenged Wang Zhaorong to a drinking contest. "I never would’ve imagined," she said softly, "that Wang Zhaorong could be so easy to get along with."

"Those who have been humbled are always easier to get along with," Song Yunzhao said with a smile. ’If the Wang Family hadn’t collapsed when it did, Wang Zhaorong would have kept up her prim-and-proper persona right until the grand finale.’

’That’s how it was in the book. However, in the book, when Princess Consort Zhuang fell, she had no chance to get back up. The female lead wouldn’t give her an opportunity like that—it was a single, fatal blow, leaving no chance for a comeback.’

Yun Zhao wasn’t some saint, but she knew she had to unite all the forces she could. With the Wang Family no longer a pillar of support, Wang Zhaorong’s desire to live a good, even glorious, life aligned perfectly with her own interests. They could now ride the wind and break the waves from the same boat.

Wang Zhaorong was a fighter and a schemer. Pairing her with Feng Yunjin could yield extraordinary results. Yun Zhao was the type of person who’d pull a whisker from a passing mouse; how could she possibly let a sharp mind like Wang Zhaorong slip through her fingers?

As long as their stances were aligned, even enemies could become friends.

That night, Feng Yi came to Yun Zhao’s residence. After he had washed up, they lay talking behind the bed curtains. "I hear you’ve been getting along quite well with Wang Zhaorong lately?"

Song Yunzhao blinked, then said to Feng Yi with a perfectly straight face, "That’s right. I knew Your Majesty wouldn’t want to see Wang Zhaorong become a stepping stone for someone else. Besides, she’s decent enough. Makes for a qualified card-playing companion."

Feng Yi gazed up at the bed canopy. The smoky-blue fabric seemed to shimmer in the lamplight. A warm current surged through him as he listened to her words. "You figured it all out?"

"Figured what out?" Song Yunzhao turned on her side to face Feng Yi, a smile on her face that was both sweet and beautiful.

Feng Yi turned to look at her. "You guessed it. That I did it on purpose, and that you’re trying to prop Wang Zhaorong back up to save my face."

Song Yunzhao was stunned.

’Is that what happened?’ she thought. ’I don’t think so...’

But the Emperor was handing her credit on a silver platter. How could she refuse?

When golden pies rain from the sky, you catch them with everything you’ve got—so long as they don’t kill you on impact.

"I just want you to be happy."

Flatterer Zhao made a timely appearance.

Feng Yi reached out and gently pinched Yun Zhao’s already slightly rounded cheeks. Looking at her, he said softly, "Zhaozhao, for all the years to come, let us walk together, side by side."

Song Yunzhao froze. ’Walk together, side by side, for all the years to come?’

’Is the Emperor confessing his feelings to me?’

’Does he want to hold my hand and grow old with me?’

The surprise was so sudden she was having trouble processing it.