I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Meng Jiuchang left the capital with the letter that same night, and Song Yunzhao couldn’t rest easy.

The atmosphere in Shouci Palace was also dismal. The Empress Dowager’s expression was grim; she hadn’t expected An Shutong to be so useless. To be sent back by the Emperor midway through the journey was a complete and utter humiliation.

Qin Xiyue sat in her own palace hall, her gaze fixed on An Shutong’s chambers. A cold smirk played on her lips.

’I thought the Empress Dowager and An Shutong were supposed to be so formidable, but look at them now. They mocked me for being useless, but when it was their turn, they were no different, were they?’

Consort Shu was busy with palace affairs and had no time to worry about An Xiaoyi. After all, she wasn’t the one who had been disgraced, so she simply treated it as a bit of entertainment.

Among the newly arrived concubines, Du Wanneng and Qin Xiaoyin were on good terms. One lived in Feng Yunjin’s Yanqing Palace, while the other resided in Lu Zhixue’s Yihua Palace. Since both of their hostesses were close with Ming Fei, the attendants of both palaces were always very respectful toward Yaohua Palace. As for Du Wanneng and Qin Xiaoyin, they were even more meticulous in their conduct, not daring to show the slightest hint of dissatisfaction toward Yaohua Palace.

Du Wanneng invited Qin Xiaoyin to have tea with her. Feng Xiaoyuan had a gentler and more tender personality than Lu Pin, so Qin Xiaoyin tended to visit Du Wanneng more often.

The moment Qin Xiaoyin saw Du Wanneng, she blurted out, "Did you hear what happened yesterday?"

Du Wanneng nodded. "Sit down first. Have some tea before you say anything."

Qin Xiaoyin was in no mood for tea. Her face was clouded with worry. She had always been proud of her exceptional looks, believing that once she entered the palace, she’d have a chance to soar to the heavens and become the next Ming Fei.

Who could have known...

’There’s a world of difference between a dream and a delusion.’

She had barely entered the palace before she had a chance to display her talents, and Ming Fei had already packed them off to the traveling palace to escape the summer heat. She didn’t see the Emperor once for two months. When she finally returned, she thought her opportunity had come at last, only for the Emperor to leave on his northern tour.

Then, she figured Ming Fei couldn’t possibly accompany the Emperor on the northern tour because of the Eldest Prince, and wondered if she could snag a spot. But then Shouci Palace snatched the opportunity right from under her nose.

’Why is my life so miserable? I was born with a face as pretty as a flower, yet I’ve never even had a chance to meet the Emperor.’

A hint of schadenfreude flickered in Qin Xiaoyin’s eyes. "However glorious it was for An Xiaoyi to accompany the Emperor, her return is just as humiliating."

Du Wanneng frowned slightly at her words. "It’s one thing to say that to me, but don’t let anyone else hear you. You don’t want to give them something to use against you."

Qin Xiaoyin waved it off, completely unconcerned. "What’s there to be afraid of? No one even pays attention to us. Who would care?"

Du Wanneng shook her head. "It’s never wrong to be cautious."

This palace eats people alive.

Du Wanneng suspected that An Xiaoyi being sent back midway had something to do with Lady Ming. However, it was only a gut feeling with no proof, so she wouldn’t breathe a word of it in front of Qin Xiaoyin.

Still, since they were on good terms, she felt she should offer a few words of caution.

Qin Xiaoyin sighed. "What a waste of this face of mine. If I’d known..."

’If I’d known I wouldn’t even get to see the Emperor in the palace, I would have been better off not entering the selection and just getting married. With my looks and family background, I could have easily found a good match.’

After a few moments of lament, Qin Xiaoyin quickly changed the subject. "I heard things were quite lively over at Shouci Palace this morning. The Empress Dowager must be heartbroken over An Xiaoyi."

"An Xiaoyi is the Empress Dowager’s own niece. It’s only natural for her to be doted on a little more."

"What’s the use of being her niece? She’s still just like us..." She trailed off, then corrected herself. "Well, at least she got to accompany the Emperor. Even though she was sent back, she still had the chance. If she’s fortunate enough to get pregnant from this, then her future will be completely different."

Du Wanneng understood what Qin Xiaoyin was implying. She looked up at her and said, "My attendant went to the Laundry Bureau this morning and overheard something. They said that after An Xiaoyi left the palace, she never once had a chance to see the Emperor on the road. The Emperor rode on horseback, and the carriage was too slow. That’s supposedly why she was sent back to the palace."

"Is that true?" Qin Xiaoyin was stunned, her voice cracking. Even with such a shocked expression, she was still beautiful.

"Who knows if it’s true? But where there’s smoke, there’s fire."

"You have a point. For a rumor like that to spread, someone must know the inside story," Qin Xiaoyin mused. "And Chief Steward Meng went to Yaohua Palace... Do you think... the rumor could have come from there?"

Du Wanneng didn’t dare speculate. She had heard plenty about Ming Fei even before entering the palace. She had only intended to go through the motions during the selection, so she was surprised when she was actually chosen to stay.

This untouchable consort’s reputation was renowned both inside and outside the palace, and Du Wanneng had no intention of ever crossing her.

Hadn’t she seen how both Consort Shu and Princess Consort Wan now protected her? Even the former Princess Consort Zhuang, now Wang Zhaorong, followed her every command. She was well aware that the fall of the Wang Family had a great deal to do with Ming Fei.

Du Wanneng knew she didn’t possess the cunning to compete with Ming Fei, so she had decided to just lie low after entering the palace.

"Yaohua Palace always acts based on evidence," Du Wanneng reminded her. "Don’t make accusations without proof. If someone from Yaohua Palace were to overhear you, they would certainly set you straight."

Qin Xiaoyin pursed her lips, a little indignant. ’It’s not like she’s the only one blessed with divine beauty,’ she thought. But then she remembered Ming Fei’s temperament and shrank back.

Still, she couldn’t quite swallow her pride. "No flower blooms forever. Who can stay fresh and beautiful indefinitely?"

Du Wanneng was speechless.

Qin Xiaoyin, oblivious to Du Wanneng’s expression, continued, "I wonder when the Emperor will return from his northern tour."

She had been practicing a dance in private, hoping to perform at a palace banquet and win the Emperor’s favor.

Seeing the hopeful glint in Qin Xiaoyin’s eyes, Du Wanneng shook her head. "I don’t know. But I imagine he won’t be back anytime soon."

Qin Xiaoyin sighed. ’My life... why is it so hard?’

Song Yunzhao had no idea someone was already calling her a flower past her prime. She was busy examining the ledgers Ling Yunhe had sent over, which detailed the sales from the Ling Family’s various shops.

Song Yunzhao currently had few people she could rely on, so she couldn’t post an accountant at every single shop to monitor the books. However, she wasn’t comfortable entrusting everything to the Ling Family either. So, she came up with a convenient solution: wholesale.

She would sell the goods from Baozhuang Building and Treasure Pearl Building to the Ling Family for a lump sum, and she wouldn’t concern herself with the prices they set in their own stores.

She didn’t have enough accountants, and besides, even a mighty dragon can’t crush a local snake. As a concubine confined to the palace, she couldn’t possibly control shops so far to the south. It was better to separate their interests right from the source.

The Ling Family was naturally agreeable, but Ling Yunhe felt this arrangement wasn’t ideal. If Ming Fei could cooperate with the Ling Family this way, she could just as easily kick them to the curb and work with another family in the future.

The main branch of the Ling Family, however, was ecstatic, seeing greater profits in this method. Ling Yunhe couldn’t hold out alone, so the matter was settled.

Nevertheless, Ling Yunhe remained in the capital to handle these affairs with Ming Fei. He carried out every procedure with the utmost sincerity, striving to leave a good impression on her.

Song Yunzhao finished flipping through the ledger, a thoughtful expression on her face. She picked up another ledger she had previously set aside and opened it again. As she examined it closely, her eyes narrowed.