Free Web NovelChapter 101: Chapter 54: If You Dare to Borrow His Power, Then You Must Be His
"I know what you’re saying makes sense, but I can’t accept it. I still have to go and ask him after I leave the palace." He Lan Yun made up her mind.
Song Yunzhao nodded. "County Princess, you have great courage. I admire you."
He Lan Yun looked faintly at Song Yunzhao. "I can’t help but feel like you’re mocking me."
"I was being completely sincere," Song Yunzhao said, feeling a little wronged. She truly had meant it.
He Lan Yun glanced at Song Yunzhao again, trying to find any sign of insincerity on her face so she could find an excuse to convince herself that everything Song Yunzhao had said was a lie.
"Well then, County Princess, I wish for all your dreams to come true. May everything go smoothly, may you find a wonderful husband, and may you have a blissful life." Song Yunzhao stood up to take her leave.
’I’ve said everything I can. I even feel like I’ve crossed a line. This is the first time I’ve done something like this in all the time I’ve been here.’
’I’ve done my best, so I have no regrets.’
’As for He Lan Yun’s choice, that’s up to her. I still hope she can avoid the ending from the book, but if I’ve done all I can and nothing changes, then there’s nothing for it.’
He Lan Yun watched Song Yunzhao leave just like that and felt even more unsettled. ’Why don’t you try persuading me one more time?’
If Song Yunzhao had tried to persuade her again, she probably would have gotten truly angry.
But now that she wasn’t, it felt as if something was missing. freewebnoveℓ.com
After Song Yunzhao left, He Lan Yun’s mind was in a turmoil, constantly replaying her interactions with Ji Yunting over the years.
’Maybe Yun Zhao was right. I’ve always been the one chasing after Ji Yunting. I’m always the one going to see him, always the one initiating gifts. It seems he’s never once come to see me on his own, never once given me a gift.’
He Lan Yun had always believed she could melt that iceberg of a man, Ji Yunting. But now, it was as if Song Yunzhao had pulled the fuel from her blazing fire, and its heat was no longer enough.
’This is so frustrating.’
’Why is it so hard to like someone?’
’Can’t it just be that I like him, and he likes me back?’
’I have a good family background and I’m beautiful. What’s not to like?’
’Why doesn’t he like me?’
He Lan Yun couldn’t sleep all night and left the palace the next day with huge dark circles under her eyes. She didn’t say goodbye to Song Yunzhao, afraid of receiving another verbal blow from that sharp tongue of hers. ’It’s better if I just sneak away.’
Song Yunzhao stood at the window, watching He Lan Yun leave. She didn’t go out to say hello, but when she saw the state of her eyes, her own curved into a slight smile.
’It’s not that I don’t care at all. If she can just remember a few of my words, I hope it’ll be useful to her. It would be my way of repaying her for taking care of me lately.’
’He who speaks too much is bound to misspeak. I really did talk a bit too much yesterday, but I don’t regret it. It is what it is.’
Since there were no scheduled tasks for the day, many of the concubine candidates went to Jincui Garden in groups. Song Yunzhao wasn’t interested. When Song Yexi came to ask, she just said she wanted to rest, so Song Yexi went off with the other candidates.
’I’ve really come to understand my knack for attracting trouble since this selection started. Other people might have a perfectly happy and uneventful stroll through the gardens, but I doubt I would.’
’The inspection is tomorrow. I don’t want any more accidents.’
’Anyway, I’ll be eliminated tomorrow and get to leave the palace. If I can catch His Majesty’s eye, I might even be lucky enough to have him arrange a marriage for me. I’ll just stay in today and save up my luck.’
「In Taiji Palace」
Feng Yi finished reading his memorials, pinched the bridge of his nose to rest for a moment, and then recalled Zhang Maoquan’s report from yesterday.
A small smile played on his lips at the thought. An incident like a boat collision and falling into the water was rare, even after so many years of concubine selections. It figured that someone as unlucky as Song Yunzhao would run right into it.
’And she even dared to threaten the Housekeepers of Zhichun Palace. Now that’s some serious nerve.’
What’s more, she actually succeeded, forcing the Housekeepers of Zhichun Palace to handle everything flawlessly. He knew Consort Shu and her cronies had tried to interfere, but they too had been forced to retreat in failure. She had a masterful command of using an opponent’s strength against them.
Feng Yi wasn’t angry that Song Yunzhao had secretly borrowed Zhang Maoquan’s influence. He’d anticipated this might happen when he sent Zhang Maoquan to make an appearance at Zhichun Palace in the first place. But Song Yunzhao was different from the others. She hadn’t overtly used Zhang Maoquan’s name, yet she had managed to make the several stewards wary all on their own.
To handle the situation with such nuance at her age... Feng Yi grew even more cheerful as he imagined the look on her face when she saw him at tomorrow’s inspection.
Of course, Consort Shu and the others weren’t afraid of Song Yunzhao herself, but of her making a scene and bringing the issue directly to them.
Song Yunzhao was the first person who dared to leverage the Emperor’s authority like this.
’If she dares to leverage my authority, then she’ll have to become my woman.’
Meng Jiuchang, who was serving cautiously nearby, noticed His Majesty’s good mood. ’Could it be the courtiers’ memorials didn’t vex Your Majesty today?’ he wondered.
’That’s good, that’s very good.’
’When His Majesty is in a good mood, we servants don’t have to walk on eggshells.’
Song Yunzhao had successfully holed up in her room for a day, thinking she’d finally get through one peacefully. But she hadn’t counted on Song Yexi returning in the afternoon with some entertainment. frёewebηovel.cѳm
"Everyone went to the Buddha Fragrance Pavilion to burn incense and pray for good luck, so I went along to join the fun. I’ve learned my lesson about chasing crowds," Song Yexi said with a look of lingering fear. "Those steps are so high, and Qi Xiuni and a few others just rolled right down. They can forget about the inspection tomorrow."
Song Yunzhao: ...
’Good thing I didn’t go,’ she thought. ’If I had, I’d probably be the one who tumbled down.’
"What caused the accident?" Song Yunzhao asked, still curious.
"Ugh, don’t even ask. It was just a stroke of bad luck. They keep a flock of pigeons outside the Buddha Fragrance Pavilion, and everyone was having fun feeding them. Qi Xiuni and her friends saw that Qin Xiyue could get pigeons to land on her arm. They thought it looked fascinating and wanted to try too. They were so busy chasing the pigeons that they weren’t watching their feet and just tumbled right down the stairs."
Song Yunzhao was at a loss for words. ’Is Qin Xiyue involved in this? Technically, yes.’
’But it’s not like she actively tried to harm anyone. If others have an accident while trying to poorly imitate her, you can’t blame the original for being too beautiful, right?’
"How are they? Are they seriously hurt?"
"One sprained her ankle, one injured her leg, and another landed on her face and got some scrapes. Thankfully, the injuries aren’t too severe. They’ll be back to normal after resting for a few months," Song Yexi said.
Song Yunzhao sighed internally. ’This protagonist’s halo is way too powerful. Thank goodness I’ll be eliminated and out of the palace tomorrow.’
’Because of the falling-in-the-water incident, I’ve offended Consort Shu and her group. They’ll definitely make sure I’m not selected. The only unknown is whether I can get His Majesty to arrange a marriage for me.’
’I have a faint feeling that’s not something I can count on. It’s probably more reliable to just get out of the palace and depend on my dad.’
Song Yexi took a palm-sized brocade box from her sleeve, placed it on the table, and said softly to Yun Zhao, "My mother asked me to give this to you. You should wear it for the inspection tomorrow."
Song Yunzhao froze, a sudden and inexplicable guilt washing over her.
