Free Web NovelChapter 105: Chapter 55: How Unfortunate, a Clash of Personas
The minutes ticked by, and Song Yunzhao felt increasingly hot. She stared intently at the hall doors. The moment they opened, she saw Song Yexi walking out. From their row, only Lu Zhixue had been kept.
Song Yexi and the others who were dismissed weren’t allowed to linger; they had to leave immediately with the palace maids. Before she left, Song Yexi glanced in Song Yunzhao’s direction and gave her a wide smile.
Song Yunzhao smiled back. ’It seems being eliminated wasn’t much of a blow to Song Yexi.’ She let out a small sigh of relief.
Row after row of concubines entered the hall, with a different number chosen from each group. Soon, it was the turn of Qin Xiyue’s row. As expected, she was chosen.
Han Jinyi, Feng Yunjin, and Fan Qingru were also chosen. ’Just like in the book.’
The sun was nearing its zenith, and Song Yunzhao’s row had to wait through the hottest hour of the day. Wiping her face with a handkerchief did little to stanch the sweat. She could even hear the girl beside her let out a soft sob, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. fгeewebnovёl.com
When their names were finally called, Song Yunzhao and the others in her row ascended the stone steps, walking one by one through the doors of the hall.
The doors to the hall opened. Stepping over the threshold, she followed the eunuch’s guidance to advance and perform her obeisance.
"This subject greets the Emperor. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years. This subject greets the consorts. May Your Highnesses be well."
This was all part of what the Housekeeper had taught them. Song Yunzhao followed the others, sinking into a deep curtsy.
"You may dispense with the ceremony. Rise."
Song Yunzhao was startled when she heard the voice. Then, her scalp tingled. ’Why does that sound so familiar?’
All thoughts of nervousness, the stifling heat, and her smudged makeup were instantly forgotten. She had no mind for such things now.
"Raise your heads."
Song Yunzhao heard a sweet, gentle voice speak. Sensing the others beside her lifting their heads, she did the same, but she couldn’t stop herself from sneaking a glance upward.
And then... there was nothing.
’Who was that?’
For an instant, Song Yunzhao’s mind went completely blank!
’Mr. Zhe Shan?’
’The Emperor!’
’Have I just shattered some kind of dimensional barrier?’
’Are my eyes playing tricks on me?’
Song Yunzhao forced herself to calm down. Before she could even think of a plan, she heard the same woman speak again. "I have long heard that among this year’s concubines is a young lady of extraordinary beauty. Your Majesty, wouldn’t you agree?"
Feng Yi’s gaze landed on Song Yunzhao. He could see that while she was trying her best to appear calm, her eyes betrayed her thoughts. He sat up a little straighter, feigning great interest, and said with a smile, "My dear concubine is absolutely right. Song Yunzhao... an excellent name, as well."
Song Yunzhao was internally fuming. ’Who the hell knows what’s going on here?’
Forcibly suppressing the chaotic thoughts that threatened to boil over, she did her best not to betray any hint of her turmoil. Hearing the Emperor call her name, she feigned shyness and lowered her head.
Feng Yi was left speechless. ’She’s quite the actress,’ he thought.
Consort Shu’s eyes swept over Song Yunzhao before turning to Princess Consort Zhuang. With a placid smile, she asked, "Princess Consort Zhuang, what do you think of Miss Song?"
At her words, Princess Consort Zhuang slid a fair finger along her nail guard. Her eyes rested on Song Yunzhao, but her face wore a very gentle smile. "Are you and the Miss Song who came before paternal cousins?"
Hearing Princess Consort Zhuang’s question, Song Yunzhao answered without looking up, "To answer Your Highness, yes."
"Oh, paternal cousins entering the selection together. How unusual," Princess Consort Zhuang remarked with a smile, turning her head toward Consort Shu.
Consort Shu nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Though there is precedent for sisters entering the selection, this is the first time I’ve seen it myself, so I can’t help but find it novel. Your Majesty, what are your thoughts?"
Feng Yi just smiled and said nothing, his eyes remaining fixed on Song Yunzhao.
Seeing this, Consort Shu felt a pang of displeasure. Her eyes fell on Song Yunzhao. "Miss Song, are you aware that your cousin failed the selection? Do you believe you will be chosen?"
Song Yunzhao sensed Consort Shu’s malice. ’How could a concubine in her position answer a question like that?’
’She’s deliberately trying to put me in a difficult position.’
Song Yunzhao lifted her head to look at Consort Shu. ’The book said that Consort Shu was the most beautiful of all the concubines in the harem. In front of the Emperor, she played the part of a jealous little thing, adopting a persona of being straightforward and artless.’
’The kind of persona that says, ’I’m just brutally honest, so don’t mind me.’’
’She operated under the banner of being frank and artless, but her actions were like choking someone’s heart before twisting the knife.’
’Oh, dear. What an unfortunate coincidence. Our personas are clashing.’
Song Yunzhao looked at Consort Shu with a perfectly straight face. "In response to Your Highness, the concubines who are not chosen leave through the hall doors. Not just I, but all of us can see that. As for whether or not I will be chosen, how could this humble subject be so bold as to make such a claim? I would not dare to presume His Majesty’s intentions."
Feng Yi was inwardly delighted. ’What a comeback,’ he thought. ’"All of us can see that." Wasn’t that just a roundabout way of calling Consort Shu out for stating the obvious?’
’As for presuming my intentions?’
’That was her way of accusing Consort Shu of trying to probe my mind. She was lodging a complaint in disguise.’
Stung by the subtle rebuke, Consort Shu’s expression flickered. She huffed, "Your Majesty, it seems this Miss Song has quite a sharp tongue. The sisters in the palace are all gentle souls. I’m afraid they wouldn’t be able to handle her."
Feng Yi let out a soft laugh and looked to his other side. "Princess Consort Zhuang, what are your thoughts?"
When Consort Shu heard His Majesty ask Princess Consort Zhuang, she had a bad feeling. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
"Your Majesty, I find Miss Song’s temperament quite interesting. I took an immediate liking to her. If she were to remain, I imagine the palace would become a little more lively."
Princess Consort Wan, who had been silent until now, glanced at Consort Shu’s tense expression and scoffed inwardly. She then looked at Princess Consort Zhuang, who was putting on an act of being virtuous and understanding, and finally at Song Yunzhao, who stood in the middle of the hall. ’Not a trace of fear on her face. Interesting.’
Listening to the conversation above, Song Yunzhao felt things were taking a strange turn. ’Mr. Zhe Shan... no, the Emperor... he didn’t seem to have any special designs on me when we were outside the palace. So why is he now putting on a show of being so interested?’
In that instant, all her internal alarms began to shriek. She suddenly recalled how, in the book, the female lead acted as the Emperor’s "harem cleaner."
’The heroine shouldered the thankless task without complaint, but I have no desire to do so!’
Song Yunzhao’s mind raced. ’What should I do?’
’We met several times outside the palace, after all. There should be some shred of goodwill between us, right? The Emperor can’t be so heartless as to shove me into the great vortex that is the harem.’
Feeling a rising panic, Song Yunzhao threw decorum to the wind and raised her head to look directly at the Emperor.
Feng Yi felt Song Yunzhao’s gaze on him and immediately averted his eyes, looking toward Princess Consort Wan. He smiled and said, "Princess Consort Wan, and what do you think?"
"I have no particular opinion, Your Majesty," Princess Consort Wan said slowly, the very picture of deference. "If you think it is good, then it is good."
Song Yunzhao’s face tensed. ’Come on, Consort Shu, be a little more useful! Get me eliminated!’
"Your Majesty," Consort Shu said, looking at the Emperor. Though she smiled, her words were sharp. "I have heard that Miss Song does not get along with the sisters in her own family and that disputes are common. I am truly concerned that if she is chosen, how will she manage to live in harmony with everyone here in the palace once she enters?"
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