Chapter 515 - 293: A Day’s Joy Is a Day’s Gain

Chapter 515: Chapter 293: A Day’s Joy Is a Day’s Gain

Feng Yi looked at Yun Zhao, and Yun Zhao looked back at him.

For some reason, although Yun Zhao’s eyes were curved into a smile, he sensed she wasn’t truly happy.

He blinked, and when he looked again, Yun Zhao was still smiling, her eyes sparkling. It was as if what he’d just felt was merely his imagination.

The words Feng Yi had been about to say suddenly died on his lips. "You’re heavy with child now. If you don’t want to go to Shouci Palace, then don’t. I’ll have Meng Jiuchang go in your stead to speak with the Empress Dowager."

"I know it’s impolite and against the rules, but I can’t help but feel uneasy. It seems that every time I attend a banquet at Shouci Palace, some trouble brews. If it were just me, I wouldn’t mind, but with another life in my belly, I don’t want to take any risks. I am so grateful that the Emperor is this understanding."

Song Yunzhao knew this probably wasn’t what Feng Yi had intended to say. But since he had suddenly changed the subject, she simply went along with it, showing no intention of prying into what he had originally wanted to say.

’Men hate it when women get to the bottom of things.’

’Then again, it’s the same the other way around.’

’Everyone has secrets. It’s not like I’m ever going to tell Feng Yi that I’m a transmigrator.’

Thinking this, she instantly felt a sense of balance. Why demand something of others that you can’t do yourself?

Song Yunzhao was quite surprised when Feng Yi stayed for dinner. The Empress Dowager was hosting a banquet at Shouci Palace, yet the Emperor was here in Wangyou Palace, eating with her. ’When the Empress Dowager finds out, she’s definitely going to fly into a rage.’

This thought instantly cheered her up.

’I’ll take happiness where I can find it.’

The topics of the court were too sensitive. After all, her father was currently the main target of everyone’s attacks, so it was best to avoid the subject. Harem affairs were also thorny right now. The Beauties from the Southern Border were still a pending issue. Feng Yi didn’t want to bring it up, and Yun Zhao couldn’t either. What if the topic got heated and they started arguing? Wouldn’t that just give the Empress Dowager something to laugh about?

’No, that won’t do.’

With both the court and the harem off-limits, what was there left to talk about?

Song Yunzhao felt a bit troubled.

Unwittingly, the topics she could discuss with the Emperor had become so few. A sense of crisis washed over her.

Feng Yi watched Yun Zhao as she ate, her mind clearly wandering. Her eyes were glazed over, lost in thought, and he couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly.

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner. Do you have any plans?" Feng Yi proactively started a new topic to pull Yun Zhao back from her thoughts.

Yun Zhao was taken aback. ’What about the Mid-Autumn Festival?’

Perhaps her confusion was too obvious. Feng Yi tapped his finger on the table. "Now that your father is the Minister of Revenue, your mother is eligible to attend the palace banquet."

He knew Yun Zhao disliked her birth mother. In the past, she had always invited Madam Song to the palace for banquets. But this time was different. Her birth mother could now attend without an invitation from her.

Song Yunzhao was first confused, then startled. That’s right. How could she have forgotten something so important?

She really did not want to see Mrs. Cai’s face. After so many years as mother and daughter, their relationship had deteriorated to the point of being completely beyond repair. At the thought, Yun Zhao’s expression soured.

Seeing the sudden change in Yun Zhao’s expression, Feng Yi looked at her and said, "While it would only take a word from me to prevent your mother from entering the palace, your father’s position as Minister of Revenue is not yet stable. Some things must be considered carefully."

Song Yunzhao understood Feng Yi’s meaning. Everyone knew she and Mrs. Cai did not get along. They were probably just waiting for the Mid-Autumn banquet to find some pretext to impeach her father.

Feng Yi could certainly help her, but gossip was a fearsome thing. He wasn’t a fatuous ruler, and she wasn’t an Evil Concubine. They couldn’t just do whatever they pleased.

"Can my aunt still attend the palace banquet then?" Song Yunzhao asked, looking at Feng Yi.

Feng Yi smiled. He knew Yun Zhao would ask this. He nodded. "Of course, she can."

Song Yunzhao let out a slight sigh of relief. "That’s good."

Although Madam Song couldn’t completely suppress Mrs. Cai, she could keep her in check to some extent. As long as Mrs. Cai could keep her mouth shut, Yun Zhao could put on a performance of a mother-daughter relationship as bland as water for the banquet.

At this thought, Song Yunzhao sighed softly and complained to Feng Yi, "My mother’s heart is completely biased. Now that Song Qinghan’s life in the Marquis Wuxin Mansion isn’t going so well, she’ll definitely ask me for help when she sees me. If I refuse, she’s bound to cause a scene, especially at a palace banquet. She’ll use that to threaten me. But I’m not the type to fall for that. I’d rather we all go down in flames than make peace with that mother-daughter pair."

Feng Yi squeezed Yun Zhao’s palm. He understood.

He and the Empress Dowager were also mother and son by blood. Even after bringing her back to the palace, he had no desire to be a filial son and rarely went to Shouci Palace to pay his respects.

To be honest, if the Empress Dowager would just behave herself, perhaps there could be some semblance of a loving mother and filial son. But as things stood, the Empress Dowager only acted in her own interest and that of the Gu’en Houfu. The only reason he still gave her some face was to avoid being called unfilial by the courtiers.

His imperial authority was not yet strong enough to cow all the courtiers. In a few more years, once he had complete control of the court, he could naturally do as he pleased without having to worry about what others thought.

Even an emperor had countless constraints, unless one chose to be a fatuous ruler like his father, which was certainly a more carefree existence.

Feng Yi didn’t leave after dinner. He stayed to take a walk with Yun Zhao to aid digestion and ended up spending the night at Wangyou Palace.

The news naturally made its way to Shouci Palace. In fact, Song Yunzhao, fearing they might not hear about it, had specifically instructed Anshun to quietly pass the message along.

The Empress Dowager tried to vex her, but she had a rebound skill. In terms of destructive power, hers was greater.

The banquet at Shouci Palace was quite lively. The group of Beauties from the Southern Border attracted many gazes.

Consort Shu prided herself on her looks, but even she couldn’t help but stare a few extra times at the Tusi’s sister. In terms of features, she might not have outshone everyone, but she possessed a special kind of beauty that lay in her every frown and smile.

Consort Shu was not pleased. It was vexing enough to have Song Yunzhao as a rival, and now there was another one. This newcomer was a talented singer and dancer, with a waist so slender that even she felt a little tempted to reach out and touch it.

Consort Shu: ...

’It’s over,’ she thought. ’I’ve really been led astray by Song Yunzhao.’

Princess Consort Wan sat opposite Consort Shu. Noticing her strange expression, she asked with concern, "Is something the matter, Consort Shu?"

Consort Shu looked up at Princess Consort Wan. "It’s nothing. I was just thinking that you seem to be in good spirits today, Princess Consort Wan. It seems you’ve truly recovered."

Princess Consort Wan pretended not to hear the barb in Consort Shu’s words. Ever since her sister had nearly been caught up in the incident with the spooked horse, she had been on edge. Fortunately, Wang Yunhua had been foolish enough, allowing her sister to escape that disaster.

The fall of the Wang Family had happened in the blink of an eye. The series of events had terrified Princess Consort Wan so much that she couldn’t sleep at night. She only calmed down after the dust had finally settled.

She had been so worried about her family’s affairs all day that she had no time to pay attention to her own body. Once things stabilized, she realized she hadn’t felt unwell in a long time.

So, she hadn’t been sick before. She had just been idle.

And seeing Wang Zhaorong’s fate, Princess Consort Wan constantly reminded herself that she must never end up in such a state.

Therefore, the current Princess Consort Wan had too much she wanted to do. Chest tightness, headaches, physical discomfort?

She didn’t have time for that.