I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Feng Yi pretended to be displeased. "You’re actually thinking about giving me away?"

Song Yunzhao wasn’t sure how much of his words were true and how much was just for show. But at this moment, she was willing to believe he meant it.

"I wouldn’t give you away even if I died," Song Yunzhao said softly. She pressed her hands lightly against Feng Yi’s chest, pushing him back onto the brocade mattress before leaning down to kiss him.

’Whatever. I’ll just be happy for now.’

She hadn’t realized when, exactly, she had grown so possessive of the Emperor.

The next day, Meng Jiuchang called out softly to wake them. Feng Yi opened his eyes at the sound and sat up. As he moved, a stinging pain shot across his back. He slipped on his inner robe, covering the marks, and glanced at Song Yunzhao, who had her face buried in the brocade quilt. He couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

’She’s awake now and knows to be embarrassed,’ he thought. He didn’t expose her, but instead leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before letting down the bed curtains and leaving.

Song Yunzhao waited until there was no more sound outside before poking her head out and letting out a long sigh.

’Who can I blame? He was the one who provoked me on purpose.’

’When the selection comes next year, the Empress Dowager will definitely pick beauties to send into the palace. We’ll see if he keeps his word and proves as chaste as Liu Xia Sui.’

Song Yunzhao couldn’t sleep anymore, either. She had to send the good news to her eldest aunt-in-law. She immediately got up, washed, and changed. After breakfast, she didn’t even have time to play with her son, heading straight to the study to write a letter.

In the letter, she cryptically informed her eldest aunt-in-law of the news. Her aunt-in-law would definitely go to the Jiang family to deliver the message and also write to her eldest uncle-in-law. Thinking of how happy she would be, Song Yunzhao’s eyes curved into crescents.

In the past, her relationship with Madam Song had been purely transactional. But over the last few years, her eldest aunt-in-law had done far more than their arrangement required. Since she treated her with such sincerity, it was only natural for her to repay the kindness.

Sure enough, when Madam Song read Song Yunzhao’s letter, she was so shocked she nearly jumped to her feet. She reread it carefully several times, confirming she hadn’t misread it.

Madam Song immediately called for her servants to help her change. She was going to her maiden home.

Her father had been an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Rites for over a decade. The whole family thought he would remain in that position until retirement. Who would have thought that such wonderful news would fall from the sky, allowing him to advance further?

Madam Song shed tears as she changed her clothes. Afraid of being found out, she purposefully applied some powder to her face. She checked carefully in the mirror to make sure there were no traces before getting into her carriage and heading to her family home.

The Jiang family had just finished breakfast. Mrs. Jiang was playing with her great-grandson when she was startled to hear that her daughter had arrived. ’Coming over so early... Could something have happened?’

She then recalled the troubles at the Marquis Wenxin’s Mansion and quickly had her daughter brought in.

As soon as Madam Song saw her mother, she went over, hugged her arm, and sat down close to her.

Seeing this, Mrs. Jiang quickly dismissed the servants. She even had the wet nurse take away the great-grandson, who couldn’t yet speak. Once the room was quiet, she asked, "What’s wrong? Is that sister-in-law of yours causing trouble again?"

"Mother, I have good news for you." Madam Song couldn’t hold it in any longer and let out a soft laugh, explaining the whole matter in detail.

Mrs. Jiang was both shocked and delighted. "Really?"

Madam Song nodded emphatically. "It’s true. Lady Ming wrote to me herself."

Mrs. Jiang had long given up hope for her husband’s promotion. They were already old enough to have a great-grandson, yet her husband remained as steady as a mountain in his position as Assistant Minister of Rites. They had only been thinking about his retirement in another eight or ten years. She never expected such a turn of events.

Mrs. Jiang clutched her chest, only speaking after a long moment. "Lady Ming is someone who knows how to repay a kindness. Your efforts to help her back then were not in vain."

Madam Song’s face was wreathed in smiles as she said gleefully, "Lady Ming also mentioned that if my husband receives an excellent evaluation at his next performance review, the Emperor will promote him. Although he won’t be an official in the Capital, becoming a local magistrate and being his own master is also a joyous occasion."

For so many years, her husband had always been someone’s subordinate, and his official career hadn’t been very fulfilling.

"Good, good, good..." Mrs. Jiang was overjoyed. She had been a little disappointed when the Emperor had previously granted Third Master Song a title. That Mrs. Cai not only failed to help Lady Ming but actively hindered her at every turn. It had always been her daughter who worked tirelessly for Lady Ming.

Now that she knew Lady Ming had kept it all in her heart and even the Jiang family had benefited, Mrs. Jiang grasped her daughter’s hand and said, "It wasn’t for nothing that you exhausted yourself running errands for Her Ladyship. Since the Jiang family has received her grace, from now on, anything concerning Lady Ming and the Eldest Prince is also the Jiang family’s business."

Madam Song nodded, her heart filled with joy. As a married daughter, it wasn’t her place to meddle in her maiden family’s affairs. But with this wonderful news, her family would naturally pay more attention to matters concerning Yun Zhao and the Eldest Prince.

The Song Family was tied to Yun Zhao’s boat, but the Jiang family was not. She was just a married daughter, after all.

Now that the Jiang family had benefited because of Yun Zhao and the Eldest Prince, they would naturally have to repay this favor in the future.

Madam Song returned from her family home in high spirits. She wrote another letter to her husband, clearly explaining the connections and implications. She trusted her husband to know what to do next.

The Salt Transport Bureau was certainly a good post, but being a local magistrate was always better than living under someone else’s roof.

’In a few more years, once Yun Zhao and the Eldest Prince are firmly established in the palace, I want to go and reunite with my husband,’ she thought. ’Although a post outside the capital isn’t as comfortable as being here, we can’t stay separated forever. With only a concubine by his side, how could he socialize with the local officials’ wives? Proper madams and ladies can’t be expected to associate with a mere concubine.’

Of course, Yun Zhao didn’t know what Madam Song was thinking. She only knew that a few days later, Zeng Yan submitted his resignation again. This time, the Emperor approved it. A day after that, Jiang Lun was promoted to Minister of Rites.

A few more days passed, and soon almost everyone knew that Jiang Lun was Madam Song’s father, and Madam Song was Ming Fei’s paternal aunt-in-law.

’Is the Emperor paving the way for Ming Fei?’

Immediately following this was the Empress Dowager’s birthday. Lately, Song Yunzhao and Consort Shu had been run ragged by Shouci Palace. Teacups and wine pots, tables and chairs, seating arrangements, fine wines and delicacies—they had to be consulted on every single detail.

Song Yunzhao was so angered by Shouci Palace that her face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Consort Shu was also in a foul mood. Every time she got hopping mad, she would come to Yun Zhao’s residence, close the door, and vent. Because of the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, the relationship between Consort Shu and Song Yunzhao skyrocketed, their battle-forged friendship deepening another layer.

It wasn’t that Song Yunzhao couldn’t confront the Empress Dowager. It was just that Feng Yi had just promoted the Jiang family, so she had to keep a low profile. She couldn’t let people think she was arrogant, domineering, and throwing her weight around. Besides, this was the Empress Dowager. If she were branded with the crime of being unfilial, the Empress Dowager would be laughing in her sleep.

’Isn’t she causing all this trouble just to force us to lose our tempers?’

Since Song Yunzhao understood the Empress Dowager’s intentions, how could she let her succeed?

The Empress Dowager was making trouble for her and Consort Shu, so Song Yunzhao turned around and made trouble for the entire Six Departments. Under the banner of the Empress Dowager, if there was anything remotely unsatisfactory—from the Six Departments at the top down to the Imperial Kitchen at the bottom—she would make a huge fuss about it.

’Unhappy?’

’Not convinced?’

’The Empress Dowager is not satisfied with your work. Even if you’re unhappy, you have to stomach it. Even if you’re not convinced, you have to endure it!’

With a flick of her wrist, Song Yunzhao redirected a huge wave of resentment toward the Empress Dowager.