Chapter 530 - 308: Concubine and Marquis
Song Yunzhao was no innocent maiden. After all, she had already borne a child. Lying in the same bed with him that night, she could naturally feel the changes in the man’s body beside her. However, he was true to his word and didn’t touch her.
This was different from when she was pregnant. Back then, he was afraid of harming the child. Now that she had given birth, his restraint was a sign of his thoughtfulness and affection for her.
Song Yunzhao’s scant conscience pricked her with guilt. She didn’t sleep very well that night. The next morning, she rose with Feng Yi and, like an especially virtuous wife, helped him dress and wash up.
Feng Yi: ?
Song Yunzhao gleefully sent off a resigned-looking Feng Yi. Only then did she have time to get ready. Once she was done, she went to check on Feng Ze next door. The little one was still sleeping soundly, with a wet nurse watching over him vigilantly. Seeing Song Zhaoyi, the nurse quickly stood to pay her respects.
Yun Zhao had been observing Nanny Qi for a long time and was, on the whole, very satisfied. She was quite diligent. Previously, Xiangxue and Shizhu had juggled all other matters concerning Feng Ze. Now that Feng Yi had returned, it was time to select the other Palace Attendants.
After breakfast, Feng Ze woke up, and Song Yunzhao began to play with her son. A newborn who had just completed his first month was still adorably clueless. If you waved a finger before his eyes, his gaze would slowly follow it. If you made a sound, he would squirm about, searching for its source.
’So amusing.’
"My Lady, Manager Meng is here to announce an imperial edict!"
Song Yunzhao froze for a moment, then her heart leaped. She remembered what Feng Yi had said and immediately rose to change into formal attire to receive the edict.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: Zhaoyi Song, gentle and virtuous, graceful and elegant, dignified and wise, possessing both capability and tenderness, of a chaste and auspicious nature, harmonious and pure of heart. She is to be immediately conferred the title of Ming Fei. By My Imperial Hand!"
Before Song Yunzhao could even process it, Meng Jiuchang had already stepped forward to present the imperial edict, saying with a smile, "Congratulations, Lady Ming."
Song Yunzhao rose and accepted the edict, smiling at Meng Jiuchang. "Thank you for this, Manager Meng."
Xiangxue handed over a prepared sachet, which Meng Jiuchang accepted without hesitation. Who wouldn’t want to partake in the good fortune that came with such a reward?
After offering his thanks for the gift, Meng Jiuchang led his retinue away in a grand procession. Immediately, Wangyou Palace erupted in cheers. Their mistress was now a concubine!
Song Yunzhao immediately announced, "Everyone is rewarded with two months’ allowance!"
Cries of gratitude rose one after another. Nanny Yu and the others were grinning from ear to ear.
Song Yunzhao went inside, clutching the imperial edict. As she listened to the continued sounds of happy chatter outside, a smile touched her own lips.
’Ming Fei. The character for *ming*... I quite like it.’
’*Ming* means to illuminate, to shine a light on.’
’Hmph. The Emperor’s intention for me to clean up the harem hasn’t changed one bit.’
Song Yunzhao’s promotion to concubine wasn’t all that surprising. Everyone had been mentally prepared for it. Having given birth to the Imperial First Son, a promotion was only natural. She was already a Zhaoyi, the rank just below concubine, so the next step up was to become one.
It was her title that was somewhat unexpected. Ming Fei. It inevitably led people to speculate about the Emperor’s true meaning.
What was truly shocking was the Emperor’s decision to ennoble Song Nanzhen as Marquis Wenxin. This caused an immediate uproar. At court, an endless stream of courtiers voiced their opposition, arguing that it was against precedent. For a mere promotion to concubine to benefit her family so greatly—and with a direct enfeoffment as a Marquis, no less—the imperial favor was simply too extravagant.
However, Feng Yi’s stance was firm. Furthermore, Song Nanzhen did have a number of concrete achievements over the past few years, which were quite conspicuous when listed out. Besides, as the maternal grandfather of the Eldest Prince, being made a Marquis was not excessive.
Song Yunzhao hadn’t even fully processed the news of her own promotion when she received the joyous tidings that her father had been made a Marquis. This was even more thrilling than becoming a concubine herself.
Her family’s weak foundation had always been her greatest vulnerability. She knew Feng Yi was shoring up this weakness for her.
She had anticipated that Feng Yi would reward her family, but she never expected such a wonderful surprise.
Song Yunzhao’s emotions were in turmoil. Faced with Feng Yi’s utter sincerity, she felt terribly conflicted. ’I have a dark, hidden side, while he is so genuine. My conscience feels like it’s being seared on a hot griddle.’
’In the novel, the Emperor wasn’t even this generous to the heroine. How could I not feel like a complete fraud?’
Whether she felt like a fraud or not, the benefits were now firmly in her grasp. Her family now held the title of Marquis, patching up a major weakness. The path ahead was still difficult, but it was much better than she had anticipated.
At the same time, the Emperor also formally issued an edict bestowing the name Feng Ze upon the Eldest Prince and ordering a full moon banquet to be held the next day. Three imperial edicts in a single day—it was enough to send everyone’s hearts into aflutter.
The Emperor stated in the edict that because he had been away inspecting the waterways, the Eldest Prince’s third-day bath ceremony had not been held. Therefore, the full moon banquet would be a grand affair for all the courtiers. At the same time, the Emperor also declared a general amnesty across the land to pray for blessings for the Eldest Prince.
Song Yunzhao: ...
’The Emperor specifically mentioned the third-day bath ceremony... It couldn’t be because of my complaint, could it?’
In any case, the Empress Dowager was sure to be displeased when she found out. And if the Empress Dowager was displeased, Song Yunzhao was pleased.
Of course, the Emperor had provided an excuse to spare the Empress Dowager’s dignity, claiming the ceremony wasn’t held because he was away. But the Empress Dowager was in the palace. With the Emperor absent, couldn’t she have presided over the ceremony?
When the third-day bath ceremony wasn’t held, it had sparked a great deal of suspicion both inside and outside the palace. Her mother had even written a letter to her, and it was Yun Zhao who had to reassure her family.
The Emperor’s words were skillfully phrased, but whether anyone actually believed them was another matter entirely.
The Empress Dowager’s dislike for Song Yunzhao was nothing new. What’s more, the two had clashed several times during her postpartum confinement, sparking all sorts of rumors. Now, with the Emperor’s edict, the matter was finally settled.
Song Yunzhao had emerged the victor.
’It’s utterly refreshing. I couldn’t feel better.’
Song Yunzhao waited for Feng Yi in Wangyou Palace, too distracted to even pay much attention to her beloved eldest son. As she watched the baby, her mind would wander.
Seeing this, Nanny Yu gestured for the wet nurse to carry the Eldest Prince out, allowing Her Ladyship a moment of peace.
Feng Yi returned at lunchtime.
When Song Yunzhao heard the attendants’ greetings, she shot to her feet. She started towards the entrance just as Feng Yi was stepping into the hall. Coming face to face with him, she rushed forward without a second thought. She was still in the heavy, cumbersome formal attire she had worn to receive the edict, and as she threw herself at him, the ornaments in her hair swayed, creating a melodious chime.
Feng Yi quickly caught her. "What’s all this?"
’Isn’t this a happy occasion? Why is she crying?’
"The Emperor is too good to me. I feel I don’t deserve it," Song Yunzhao said, hugging Feng Yi tightly. She truly felt a pang of guilt and shame. She had schemed her way to this point, investing very little genuine affection in return. Compared to everything Feng Yi had done for her, she felt she came up short.
Feng Yi’s arms tightened around Yun Zhao as he said softly, "This is all what you deserve. You bore me a son, taking such a great risk. If your time in the harem weren’t so short, I would have wanted to make you an Imperial Concubine directly."
Song Yunzhao: ...
"That would never do. The memorials of impeachment from the courtiers would fly thick and fast. I imagine the Emperor has already received quite a few impeaching my father as it is."
With a slight exertion of his arms, Feng Yi lifted Yun Zhao and carried her into the inner chamber, setting her down on a soft couch. Only then did he say, "Don’t pay them any mind. Those men accomplish little of substance but fixate on the most trivial matters. I am no longer the new emperor they could push around. And your father’s enfeoffment as a Marquis wasn’t entirely because of you. His record of achievements these past two years has been genuinely good. Besides, he is my son’s maternal grandfather. He deserves this honor."