Free Web NovelChapter 135: Chapter 64: That Mouth of Song Yunzhao’s
After finishing his tea, Feng Yi rose. "Take your time with your storybook. I have memorials to review."
Song Yunzhao nodded quickly. "Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I absolutely won’t disturb you."
Feng Yi smiled and returned to his memorials. Song Yunzhao did quiet down, holding the storybook as she read, but her mind was racing.
’The characters in the book were just paper cutouts, entirely dependent on one’s imagination to be fleshed out. It’s just like the saying: a thousand readers, a thousand Hamlets.’
’The Emperor wasn’t quite what she had imagined from the book. Perhaps it was because they had really met outside the palace before. At least, he seemed a bit more familiar with her than he was with the protagonist at the start of the story.’
’He never once told her to rein in her personality, and he even offered her a guarantee of protection. I guess that makes him a decent person.’
’After all, in the early stages of the palace infighting in the book, the protagonist had to rely entirely on her own strength. Does this mean I’ve successfully latched onto a powerful backer?’
’At least, in this moment,’ Song Yunzhao thought, ’my chances of making it to the end in this harem have increased quite a bit.’ freewebnøvel.com
Song Yunzhao considered her next move. ’First, I should see my family.’ She was oddly eager to see the look on Mrs. Cai’s face.
A little over an hour later, the number of courtiers requesting an audience with the Emperor began to grow, so she tactfully took her leave.
This time, Feng Yi didn’t ask her to stay and had Zhang Maoquan escort her back.
Before leaving, Song Yunzhao looked at the Emperor. "Your Majesty, when can I see my family? I miss them quite a bit."
Feng Yi glanced at Meng Jiuchang.
Meng Jiuchang hurried forward to answer, "There is a palace regulation: newly arrived concubines may see their families within their first month in the palace, but the visiting days must be staggered."
Song Yunzhao understood. This was where rank came into play.
’I’m a Noble Consort, the highest-ranking of the new arrivals!’ she thought, then immediately spoke with a hint of delight, "Then I’ll surely be able to see them soon, right?"
Meng Jiuchang’s chest tightened. He looked up at His Majesty, only to find the Emperor already looking at Consort Song.
"You want to see your family that much?"
"Of course."
Feng Yi considered her family situation and figured Song Yunzhao wanted to let off some steam, so he readily agreed. "I’ll have Meng Jiuchang arrange it for you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Song Yunzhao was delighted. ’The first perk from the Emperor, not bad at all.’ Turning to Meng Jiuchang, she said with a smile, "Manager Meng, I’ll be counting on you. The sooner, the better."
Meng Jiuchang was at a loss for words.
’She certainly doesn’t pull any punches. Aside from His Majesty, she is the first person to order him around so brazenly!’
But since His Majesty had spoken, Meng Jiuchang could only bite the bullet. He even had to put on a smile and reply, "Rest assured, High-ranking Consort."
Song Yunzhao departed in high spirits. On the way back, she said to Zhang Maoquan, "Chief Steward Zhang, there’s something I’d like to ask, if it’s not improper."
Zhang Maoquan immediately replied with a smile, "High-ranking Consort, please ask anything you wish."
’He was willing to do her a favor simply because she had put Xu Sixi in his place today.’
"That Mr. Xu seems rather hostile," Song Yunzhao said with a puzzled expression. "I don’t believe I’ve done anything to offend him, have I?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Maoquan said, "High-ranking Consort, you’ve only just entered the palace, so there are some things you wouldn’t know. Xu Sixi often serves several of the other high-ranking concubines, and he has a very proud temperament."
Song Yunzhao understood. He was a foe, not a friend.
Xiangxue, following behind them, remained silent, but she committed Zhang Maoquan’s words to memory.
She had been in the palace for several years, but she hadn’t served directly under a master before, so she was not privy to certain information.
Xu Sixi did often deliver decrees for His Majesty, but she really hadn’t known that Mr. Xu also worked for several of the other concubines.
"So that’s how it is. No wonder," Song Yunzhao said with dawning realization. "Then I must ask for Chief Steward Zhang’s guidance in the future. I’m completely in the dark about palace affairs, and I’m afraid I’ll accidentally make a mistake and cause trouble for the Emperor."
Zhang Maoquan was taken aback by Consort Song’s words. ’She really is bold,’ he thought. But judging by her behavior while attending the Emperor today, she wasn’t just bold with her words, she was bold with her actions too.
"High-ranking Consort, just say the word if you need anything," Zhang Maoquan said, extending an olive branch. He and Xu Sixi were rivals. Now that Xu Sixi had offended Consort Song, it was only natural for him to step in.
"Then I must thank you, Chief Steward Zhang." Song Yunzhao stopped before Wangyou Palace, thanked Zhang Maoquan, and waited for him to depart before heading inside.
The entire staff of Wangyou Palace swarmed forward the moment they saw her return.
Song Yunzhao was in a wonderful mood. She loved having a large, lively crowd around, so she even spent her own private silver to order several extra dishes from the Imperial Kitchen as a reward for her servants. Instantly, all of Wangyou Palace buzzed with excitement.
The commotion quickly reached the adjacent Roufu Palace, but Princess Consort Wan paid it no mind. Having been in the palace for several years, she had seen far more dramatic displays. This was nothing.
