I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Chapter 177: Chapter 76: The Emperor’s Elixir (Part 2)

Just as the Madam had said, even if Zhu Ruolan wasn’t sentenced to death, Consort Lu would never have let her live to become a pawn used against her. As long as Zhu Ruolan was alive, she was a threat to Consort Lu.

Besides, if Zhu Ruolan hadn’t died, how could Consort Lu have been dealt with?

Too harsh a punishment, and Chancellor Lu would certainly not have let it go. Too light, and the Emperor wouldn’t have been happy.

At the time, she only wanted to give the Emperor a push, which was why she made the decision to feign fainting, allowing him to punish Consort Lu justifiably.

’Looking back now, that spur-of-the-moment decision was absolutely the right one.’

"With Zhu Cairen’s death, on the surface, it looks like Consort Lu was spared. What are your thoughts on this, Concubine?" the Madam asked, looking at Yun Zhao gently.

Song Yunzhao hadn’t given it much thought, but the Madam was a master of household intrigue. Her question made Song Yunzhao ponder it carefully.

But no matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t discern any deeper meaning. She shook her head and said, "I must ask for your guidance, Great-Aunt."

"The family backgrounds of the three concubines are evenly matched. But if you compare them carefully, Consort Lu’s is actually a cut above the rest."

Song Yunzhao nodded. Chancellor Lu was the Right Minister, while the fathers of Princess Consort Wan and Princess Consort Zhuang were both Assistant Prime Ministers. They were indeed a rank lower than the Right Minister. To be precise, an Assistant Prime Minister was a Prime Minister in waiting.

"Having fallen from the clouds, Consort Lu will certainly not be content. She will inevitably scheme to get her title back. But in the harem right now, you, Concubine, are the one shining brightest. I’m afraid Consort Lu will have to wait a very long time for a good opportunity."

Song Yunzhao looked up at the Madam. "Great-Aunt, you mean the Emperor wants Chancellor Lu to..."

The Madam smiled and cut Yun Zhao off. "Some things are best left understood, Concubine."

Song Yunzhao let out a long breath. ’How could I not have thought of that?’

If Consort Lu wanted her title back, she couldn’t do it herself for now, having angered the Emperor. If Consort Lu couldn’t do it, then Chancellor Lu would have to put in the effort for his daughter.

To please the Emperor and get Consort Lu’s title restored, Chancellor Lu would have to please the Emperor in court.

So, the Emperor was forcing Chancellor Lu to be more sensible and take a step back.

If Chancellor Lu had to concede to the Emperor, he certainly wouldn’t be happy about it. And if he was unhappy, he would want to cause trouble for Song Yunzhao, the instigator. But with Song Yunzhao deep within the palace, Chancellor Lu would only be able to target the Song Family.

A sense of urgency suddenly washed over Song Yunzhao. Being promoted to Concubine was not nearly enough. Only by climbing higher and securing her position could she make people like Chancellor Lu truly fear her and not dare to act rashly.

’In other words, I have to keep getting promoted.’

Song Yunzhao suddenly felt immense pressure.

Seeing the look on Yun Zhao’s face, the Madam knew she had figured things out. Not wanting to spoil her mood on such a joyous day, she changed the subject. "Knowing I was coming to the palace today, I had someone send a message to Miss Xie. So I’ve brought a letter for you, Concubine, on her behalf."

The Madam took out the letter, stood up, and handed it over. Song Yunzhao accepted it with a smile. "Thank you, Great-Aunt. I’ve asked the Xie family to do a few things for me, so I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you more in the future."

The Madam laughed. "It’s no trouble at all. If you have any instructions, Concubine, just give the word. The family will certainly do everything in their power to accomplish it for you."

Song Yunzhao smiled and agreed, then asked, "Is everything all right at home?"

Hearing Yun Zhao ask about family matters, the Madam said, "The main branch is doing as usual. However, things aren’t going smoothly with Qing Han’s marriage arrangements, so Third Brother and his wife have been quite worried recently."

Song Yunzhao’s eyes lit up. She was happy whenever Song Qinghan was not doing well. "Her mother has always treated Song Qinghan like a precious jewel," she said. "I’m sure she will do her absolute best for her." She paused, then added, "Besides, even if the Song Family can’t manage it, there’s still the Cai Mansion and the Dingnan Bo Mansion. Both Old Madam Cai and Madam Ding Nanbo are very fond of Song Qinghan. How could they sit by and do nothing?"

How could the Madam not detect the sarcasm in Yun Zhao’s voice? She immediately put on a helpless expression. "I heard the Cai Mansion has had quite a bit of trouble over this matter as well. Old Madam Cai was willing to help, but Mr. Cai and Mrs. Cai are the ones in charge now. As for Madam Ding Nanbo, she’s busy with the marriage of Ding Nan Bo’s eldest legitimate daughter. How could she have time for anything else?"

This made Song Yunzhao happy. Although the Madam spoke cryptically, she understood perfectly. Both of those families had offended her in the past. Now that she was in the palace and her influence was soaring, who among them, knowing the enmity between her and Song Qinghan, would dare risk offending her to help Song Qinghan?

The Madam saw the cheerful glint in Yun Zhao’s eyes and knew this was news she liked to hear. She continued, "Qing Han’s marriage prospects are quite difficult now. There’s no telling which family she’ll end up with. However, Ye Xi’s and Jinxuan’s marriage prospects are rather good. Matchmakers visit their homes often. Ye Xi’s situation is fine, but I’m afraid things aren’t looking too good for Jinxuan. As their great-aunt, it’s not my place to interfere too much."