Chapter 478 - 256: She’s Learned to Dig Her a Pit

Chapter 478: Chapter 256: She’s Learned to Dig Her a Pit

Song Yunzhao returned to the traveling palace in high spirits. She had just stepped inside to catch her breath when Nanny Yu came to report something to her.

"Lady Shufei came to see me?" Yun Zhao asked, looking at Nanny Yu.

Nanny Yu nodded. "Yes. Lady Shufei didn’t know you had left the traveling palace today, so she missed you."

"Did Lady Shufei leave a message?"

"No, she did not."

Song Yunzhao found it a little strange. ’What could Consort Shu want with me?’

Since arriving at the traveling palace, she hadn’t schemed against her. Given their close relationship as "scheming buddies," she decided to send Xiangxue to check.

"Go pay respects to Lady Shufei. Tell her I will visit tomorrow and ask if she will be free."

Xiangxue acknowledged the order and left.

Song Yunzhao went to change her clothes first. The weather was so hot and sticky that going out and coming back in left her feeling genuinely uncomfortable without a change of clothes.

Because she was pregnant, the ice basins in her chambers were placed far away, providing only a hint of coolness. The Imperial Physician had said she must not indulge in the cold.

So, she spent most of her time sitting in the pavilion, where the breeze from the lake felt lifesavingly cool on her face.

After changing, she headed to the pavilion. Anshun had his men bring out a rocking chair. Swinging gently back and forth in it, enjoying the light breeze and some fruit—it couldn’t be more comfortable.

Before she could finish a plate of fruit, Consort Shu arrived.

Song Yunzhao watched the woman storming directly toward the pavilion and was a bit dazed for a moment. ’Is our relationship really so good that she can just show up without being announced?’

She rose from the rocking chair with Qingfeng’s support and was smoothing her dress to curtsy when Consort Shu spoke. "No need for formalities. Sit down, quickly." As she said this, her gaze swept over Yun Zhao’s stomach with an air of wanting to avoid it at all costs.

Seeing Consort Shu’s expression, Song Yunzhao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’If you’re so afraid of getting blamed for something, why did you even come?’

After inviting Consort Shu to sit, Song Yunzhao noticed she didn’t look well. There were faint dark circles under her eyes, and her complexion wasn’t as radiant as when she first arrived at the traveling palace.

She hadn’t heard of any recent conflicts or trouble among the three concubines. ’What’s wrong with Consort Shu?’

"Is something the matter, Your Ladyship?" In this heat, Song Yunzhao had no patience for beating around the bush. Besides, in a way, both she and Consort Shu were straightforward people, so she decided to just ask directly.

’My reputation with Consort Shu probably isn’t great anyway. No need to put on an act.’

Consort Shu looked at Song Yunzhao. "You know what’s been happening at court recently, don’t you?"

Song Yunzhao froze. Of course, she knew. She’d been enjoying the drama from the sidelines for days and had even given the Emperor a particularly wicked idea.

’But what does this have to do with Consort Shu coming to see me?’

Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly remembered the Right Minister...

’Oh ho! This time, both the Right Minister and the Left Minister have stepped in it, and pulling one out will only drag up more dirt.’

’I get it!’

’Consort Shu is here for her father.’

Song Yunzhao immediately put on her best acting face. "It’s such a major event. If I were to say I knew nothing, Your Ladyship surely wouldn’t believe me."

Consort Shu snorted. ’At least you’re sensible.’

Song Yunzhao fought the urge to roll her eyes and continued, "But I’ve only heard rumors. I’m pregnant now, so I’m drowsy and always hungry. I do nothing but eat and sleep all day, so I really have no interest in other matters. Why are you telling me this, Your Ladyship? What does it have to do with me?"

Consort Shu looked at Song Yunzhao’s pretentious act. As if she didn’t know her! The more she acted this way, the more it proved she knew.

’She has a guilty conscience and is trying to distance herself from it.’

’And here I was, worrying that coming to her would disturb her pregnancy.’

’Pah!’

With a wooden expression, Consort Shu glared at Song Yunzhao. "Just tell me, are you involved in this or not?"

"Your Ladyship truly overestimates me. These are major affairs of the court. How could a mere Zhaoyi like myself dare to interfere? I’d have to have a death wish." Song Yunzhao would never admit it.

’What a joke. With Consort Shu’s personality, if she knew I had a hand in this, she would definitely latch onto me.’

Consort Shu didn’t believe a word of it. She adopted a posture that said ’I’ve got you figured out’ and said, "This matter doesn’t have much to do with my father. At most, he can be charged with a lack of oversight. But the Left Minister’s faction is clinging to it and won’t let go. If this continues, it will only end in mutual destruction."

Song Yunzhao thought, ’She and the Emperor are waiting for exactly that—mutual destruction.’

The Left and Right Ministers were old foxes. Although they often obstructed the Emperor in court, there was no damning evidence of heinous crimes against them. Because of this, it wasn’t easy for the Emperor to dispose of them or convict them, which was why he had to maneuver against them in court.

In the book, the Left Minister’s faction was the female lead’s backup force. As a backup force, they had to be clean. The Left Minister could be greedy for power, but he wouldn’t have any truly monstrous crimes to his name.

The Right Minister had it a bit worse than the Left Minister, as he was cast as a villain. However, because Yun Zhao had forcefully barged into the harem, many of the plotlines had changed.

In particular, the Right Minister had pulled back from the brink several times due to Yun Zhao’s intervention. So now, he couldn’t be called innocent, but neither could he be called wicked to the core.

This was precisely why the Emperor was in a difficult position.

The Left and Right Ministers had served as regents for many years and were old officials from the late Emperor’s reign. Even if they had no great merits, they had toiled hard. The Emperor couldn’t just burn his bridges or discard them after they’d served their purpose. Thus, even as the two of them wrestled with him for power in court, he had to reclaim it step by step.

It was only because Feng Yi cherished his reputation and wanted to be a wise ruler. If he were willing to be a tyrant, both of their heads would have rolled long ago.

’But if that happened, the original book wouldn’t have had much of a plot left to write. A couple of swings of the blade, and it would’ve been the end.’

Song Yunzhao pretended not to understand, looking at Consort Shu and saying, "Your Ladyship, I don’t really understand these matters, and I truly can’t help."

’Is this something I can even help with?’

’Wouldn’t that be undermining the Emperor?’

’She and the Emperor are on the same side. She definitely can’t do this.’

Hearing Song Yunzhao’s words, Consort Shu composed herself before speaking. "I know this puts you in a difficult position, but my father is truly a victim of circumstance..."

"To say he’s a victim of circumstance is a bit disingenuous, Your Ladyship. If these people were acting in the Right Minister’s name, then they are his people. Since people under his protection committed evil deeds, the Right Minister naturally has to bear responsibility." Song Yunzhao hated hearing excuses about ignorance. ’There are plenty of things one might not know, but when something happens, you can’t escape your responsibility if it’s yours.’

’Does ignorance absolve you of guilt?’

’Nepotism, dereliction of duty—those are crimes too.’

Consort Shu was so thoroughly rebuffed by Song Yunzhao that steam was practically coming out of her ears. She took a deep breath before saying, "The matter of the government treasury is far-reaching. It’s not just about one or two people."

"If it’s not just about one or two people, then there’s even less use in telling me, Your Ladyship. The bigger the matter, the less a person of my low status dares to overstep."

Consort Shu had always known Song Yunzhao was difficult to deal with, and she was proving to be just as expected.

’Fortunately, I came prepared!’

Consort Shu took out a thick stack of paper, placed it directly on the table, and pushed it over. "This is a copy. Take a look before you say anything else."

Song Yunzhao’s intuition told her she shouldn’t look at it, but a part of her was itching with curiosity. For a moment, she was torn.

’If I look, something big might happen. But knowing in advance would at least help me avoid any traps.’

’But if I don’t look, and Consort Shu and the Right Minister decide to go for broke...’

Song Yunzhao stared at Consort Shu with a wooden expression. She got it now. ’Consort Shu is doing this on purpose!’

’She really has learned a thing or two from hitting her head against the wall so many times. Now she knows how to dig a pit for me!’