I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Chapter 168: Chapter 74: I’m So Ruthless, I’d Even Set Myself Up

Upon seeing Song Yunzhao, Zhu Ruolan immediately stepped forward and curtsied. "This concubine greets the Noble Consort."

Song Yunzhao sized up Zhu Ruolan. ’To have the nerve to swap out Lu Zhixue’s gift and still be unscathed... I refuse to believe she doesn’t have someone backing her.’

’Lu Zhixue was the one who ended up confined, after all.’

"Zhu Cairen?" Song Yunzhao did not permit her to rise, keeping her eyes fixed on her.

Zhu Ruolan remained in her curtsy, unmoving. Hearing Consort Song speak, she quickly replied, "It is I."

Song Yunzhao let out a soft laugh.

Hearing that laugh, Zhu Ruolan’s heart trembled. She kept her head lowered, completely still.

"You’re quite capable, Zhu Cairen. For Lu Pin to be taken down by you was truly unexpected."

"This concubine doesn’t know what the Noble Consort is talking about." Zhu Ruolan’s face paled, but she forced herself to calmly deny it.

"I don’t care whether you admit it or not, but Lu Pin’s confinement will be over soon. You’d best watch yourself, Zhu Cairen." With that, Song Yunzhao turned to leave.

Just then, Consort Shu’s voice rang out.

"Consort Song, what do you think you’re doing? There are rules in this palace, and they don’t permit you to reprimand and punish other concubines without cause."

Song Yunzhao looked up at Consort Shu and saw that the other woman’s malice toward her was impossible to hide.

’The timing is so perfect,’ Song Yunzhao thought. ’I’m starting to suspect Consort Shu has had someone watching me. Did she deliberately have Zhu Ruolan wait here to set me up the moment I walked this way?’

Just as she was thinking this, she heard Zhu Ruolan say tearfully, "I beg Lady Shufei to grant me justice! Consort Song is baselessly accusing me of framing Lu Pin. I’ve been truly wronged!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Shu’s face turned cold as she stared at Song Yunzhao. "Consort Song, how dare you!"

Song Yunzhao’s expression darkened as well. She looked up at Consort Shu and said, word by word, "I’ve heard people say that Lady Shufei is usually quite fair in her dealings. I see now that was just a false rumor."

"What?"

"So, Lady Shufei passes judgment after hearing only one side of the story, without even bothering to question the other aggrieved party. This is truly eye-opening for me." Song Yunzhao had always been a master of sarcasm. Now that she had decided to take a stand and confront Consort Shu head-on, she would show absolutely no mercy.

’If I can’t argue her to death, I’ll at least argue her half to death.’

She had already seen Xiangxue quietly slip away, surely to inform Princess Consort Zhuang. Because of this, she wasn’t afraid of what Consort Shu might do. ’In fact, I hope she tries something.’

"Consort Song, your words are insolent, and you have no respect for your superiors! Today, I shall teach you the meaning of ’rules.’ Attendants, slap her face!" Consort Shu stared viciously at Song Yunzhao’s face. ’If I don’t ruin that face today, it won’t make up for the humiliation I suffered yesterday.’

"I’d like to see who dares!" Song Yunzhao kicked an approaching palace maid to the ground. "What a show of power, Lady Shufei. You would declare me guilty without any inquiry or evidence. My rank may be low, but I am not some nameless servant. Furthermore, you immediately order my face to be slapped, intending to ruin my appearance. Such viciousness can only mean one thing: you’re abusing your authority to settle a personal score!"

"Nonsense!" Song Yunzhao’s words had hit a nerve. Consort Shu hardened her resolve. ’I can’t let Song Yunzhao get away with this today, no matter what. Even if something terrible happens, would His Majesty really punish me over a mere Noble Consort?’ "What are you all standing around for? Do it!"

Anshun and Shizhu, who were behind Song Yunzhao, immediately rushed forward to shield her. The two sides were instantly locked in a stalemate.

Consort Shu was furious. "Song Yunzhao, you dare to defy me?"

"Such arrogance, Lady Shufei. You’re not on the Empress’s throne yet, but you dare use the word ’defy’? I wonder what the Emperor would think if he heard that." At that moment, Song Yunzhao fully adopted the posture of an arrogant, favored concubine. After her retort to Consort Shu, she turned to the advancing palace attendants and said, "I have committed no fault today. If you dare disregard the palace rules and lay a hand on me... I may not be able to touch Consort Shu, but do you think I can’t touch you? You’d better think carefully. What is the crime for baselessly insulting and beating a concubine? Your own deaths are a small matter, but don’t drag your families down to the Yellow Springs with you!"

’So what if it’s a threat?’

’If Consort Shu can do it, so can I!’

Sure enough, the palace attendants who were about to make a move hesitated. However, Rouge, the maid beside Consort Shu, raised her shapely eyebrows in anger and said, "Consort Song’s disrespect toward Lady Shufei is plain for all to see. Even if the Emperor himself arrived, you would only need to speak the truth. What are you afraid of?"

Song Yunzhao was about to speak when Anshun shouted, "Our High-ranking Consort has never been disrespectful to Lady Shufei! Miss Rouge, you are truly a worthy right-hand woman to Lady Shufei, daring to slander a High-ranking Consort so casually. Where does that leave the palace rules? Where does that leave His Majesty’s authority? I suppose Lady Shufei, relying on Chancellor Lu’s power and influence, doesn’t even regard His Majesty, which is why she dares to act so wantonly in the harem!"