Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 64: Song Yunzhao Can Really Talk
However, Lu Zhixue, who resided in Yihua Palace behind Wangyou Palace, was far from pleased. Her face was grim, and she had completely lost her appetite.
Song Yunzhao’s rise to favor was no good thing for her. She would rather see Qin Xiyue in the spotlight.
At this thought, Lu Zhixue could no longer sit still. She headed straight for Huayang Palace. As she passed Wangyou Palace and heard the laughter of the palace attendants inside, her expression soured even more.
Braving the scorching sun, Lu Zhixue was drenched in sweat by the time she arrived at Huayang Palace. Qin Xiyue had just finished her lunch and was preparing for a nap. When she heard Lu Zhixue had arrived, she personally went out to welcome her in.
"The sun is so harsh. Why did you come all this way without an umbrella?" Qin Xiyue asked with concern, quickly ordering her palace attendant to bring them tea.
The moment Lu Zhixue stepped into the hall, she felt the cool air and let out a long sigh. "I was so angry I didn’t even think about it. I just rushed over."
"Angry? Who upset you?" Qin Xiyue asked in surprise. "Have some tea to soothe your throat first. Then you can tell me all about it."
"Who else? The one in Wangyou Palace, of course," Lu Zhixue said huffily after taking a sip of tea. "She only attended to His Majesty once, and look how arrogant it’s made her. The whole of Wangyou Palace is in an uproar. It’s infuriating."
Qin Xiyue was always sharp, so she understood at once. After Song Yunzhao returned from attending to His Majesty, there must have been quite a commotion at Wangyou Palace, and Lu Zhixue had clearly been vexed by the noise.
"That’s nothing to be angry about," Qin Xiyue said with a smile.
"You’re not angry?" Lu Zhixue asked, looking at Qin Xiyue. ’I don’t believe that for a second.’
Qin Xiyue shook her head. "It’s not worth getting angry over. It’s simply that you and I lack her luck, that’s all."
"Luck?" Lu Zhixue scoffed. "She’s just relying on that pretty face of hers."
Hearing Lu Zhixue’s words, Qin Xiyue lowered her gaze slightly. "There’s no need to be so angry. We’ve only just arrived in the palace. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
Lu Zhixue stared at Qin Xiyue. Seeing her serene gaze and calm expression, utterly devoid of jealousy, she found herself at a loss. "Are you just going to stand by and watch Song Yunzhao get ahead of us like this?" she asked hesitantly.
"What else can we do?" Qin Xiyue looked up at Lu Zhixue, her expression serious. "Zhixue, I know you’re indignant, but what good will that do? The fact that Consort Song managed to get a step ahead is a testament to her ability. Besides, it’s not just you and I in this palace. There are others. If you can’t keep your composure, you’ll just end up being used as a weapon by someone else."
A lump formed in Lu Zhixue’s throat. Of course she knew that. It was precisely because she knew, yet had nowhere to vent her pent-up frustration, that she had come to talk to Qin Xiyue.
She had never been one to admit defeat, nor was she typically an impulsive person. Yet, for some reason, whenever it came to Song Yunzhao, she always let her emotions get the better of her.
"You’re right. I can’t let myself be used," Lu Zhixue said, taking a sip of tea as her racing thoughts began to slow. "We’ll be able to see our families soon. We should tell them about this. It might be difficult for us to move against Song Yunzhao inside the palace, but the Song Family outside shouldn’t expect to have an easy time."
This time, Qin Xiyue didn’t object. Instead, she said thoughtfully, "The Song Family isn’t without its own foundation."
"So what? That was ages ago. Their glory days are long gone. They’re nothing to worry about," Lu Zhixue sneered. "As long as something happens to the Song Family that enrages His Majesty, Song Yunzhao’s good days in the palace will be over."
"I’ll mention it to my family as well, but what they choose to do about it is beyond my control," Qin Xiyue said with a light sigh.
Lu Zhixue pouted inwardly at her words. She hadn’t gotten the reaction she wanted from Qin Xiyue and, unwilling to linger, she rose to take her leave.
Qin Xiyue saw Lu Zhixue to the door. Only after she had left did Qin Xiyue turn and return to her own bedchamber.
After dismissing the palace attendants, Qin Xiyue lay down and stared up at the bed canopy. The embroidery was far more exquisite than what she had at home—rosette patterns stitched with silver thread that shimmered with the slightest movement. The flickering light only made her more irritable.
She finally sat up, leaning back against the soft pillows. For the past few days, a question had been nagging at her. ’I feel like I’ve seen His Majesty somewhere before, but I just can’t place it.’
Thinking it over, she realized there was really no occasion where she could have met him. Although her father was the Grand Tutor and His Majesty would occasionally visit their estate to see him, the front and inner courtyards were strictly separated. She had never seen His Majesty. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
She was a daughter born to her father in his later years, the youngest child in the family. Her older siblings were all much older than her, but none were particularly outstanding. She feared there was no one to carry on her father’s legacy.
