Chapter 516 - 294: Good at Acting, Thick-Skinned, and Ruthless

Chapter 516: Chapter 294: Good at Acting, Thick-Skinned, and Ruthless

Princess Consort Wan had learned a great deal from the fall of the Wang Family. She had always been thin-skinned, but now she felt that being a bit more thick-skinned like Wang Zhaorong wasn’t such a bad thing.

So now, hearing Consort Shu’s barbed words, she suppressed the urge to argue back, telling herself to just tune it out. She took a deep breath, pretended not to have heard, and looked up at Consort Shu. "I noticed the Empress Dowager is quite fond of that Beauty from the Southern Border. If she really enters the palace, she might truly catch the Emperor’s eye. None of the young ladies from our Capital City have her kind of charm. Even I, a woman, can’t help but want to look at her a few more times."

Consort Shu thought, ’Anyone who dares to steal a man from Song Yunzhao should at least wait eight or ten years until her face is no longer beautiful.’

’Trying to compete with her now? They’d be lucky to escape with their skin intact.’

’That Song Yunzhao is black-hearted and even more ruthless. She’s no saint.’

"If you want to look, Princess Consort Wan, then by all means, look a few more times. Since you like her so much, if she truly enters the palace, I’ll go speak with the Empress Dowager and have her sent to your palace to keep you company."

Consort Shu’s smile was exceptionally warm. ’It’d be best if Song Yunzhao took you all out in one fell swoop,’ she thought. ’Then I wouldn’t lose my appetite every time I see Princess Consort Wan’s delicate and pretentious act.’

As a straightforward person, she and someone like Princess Consort Wan were naturally incompatible.

As the saying goes, their personalities just clashed.

Princess Consort Wan was stunned by Consort Shu’s shameless words and blurted out, "Such good fortune is better left for you, Consort Shu."

Consort Shu snorted. "You’re the one who called it good fortune. Are you afraid it’s too hot to handle?"

Princess Consort Wan stopped responding to Consort Shu. Her self-control was still lacking. If this continued, she was afraid she’d end up putting on a live performance of collapsing from a heart attack.

Wang Zhaorong watched the two go back and forth. In the past, she would have definitely gotten involved in such a situation, but now... she was merely a Zhaorong. It was better to just watch the fire from across the river.

’Princess Consort Wan has changed, though,’ Wang Zhaorong mused. ’Then again, if she still couldn’t figure things out and kept acting like she used to, her position in this palace would only become more and more awkward.’

Han Jinyi sat just below Wang Zhaorong, her face etched with worry. ’These exotic beauties are so different from the young ladies of the Capital City. Are all the women from the Southern Border so fiery and passionate?’

’What man could possibly resist that?’

Han Jinyi worried for Yun Zhao, afraid the Emperor would have his soul bewitched by these new little vixens. ℯℯ𝑙.

Especially since the Empress Dowager was so gracious and warm toward this group. Only a fool couldn’t see what she was planning.

Feng Yunjin was seated a bit far from her, so she could only say to Wang Zhaorong, "It’s a good thing the Zhaoyi wasn’t feeling well and didn’t come to the banquet. If she had come, she would have been furious."

Hearing this, Wang Zhaorong let out a soft snort. "You underestimate Song Zhaoyi."

’There’s nothing Song Yunzhao isn’t capable of,’ she thought. ’Back in the day, I suffered a silent loss at her hands too.’

’When it comes to captivating the Emperor’s heart, who could possibly compare to her?’

’She can act, she’s shameless, and she’s ruthless. The average person is no match for her.’

Wang Zhaorong wasn’t concerned about the Beauties from the Southern Border. Even if they really entered the palace and won favor, so what? The people from the Southern Border only had their faces to rely on. The one she was most wary of was An Shutong, who had been quiet throughout the banquet.

’She’s far too composed,’ Wang Zhaorong thought, recalling that she herself couldn’t have been so calm at that age.

The Empress Dowager was in high spirits. Gazing at the flower-like Beauties, one after another, she thought that with their help, she could surely divert the Emperor’s affections from Song Yunzhao. Once the Emperor’s mind was no longer on Song Yunzhao, it would be her time to make a move.

Just then, news arrived that the Emperor had gone to Wangyou Palace to have dinner with Song Zhaoyi. The smile on the Empress Dowager’s face faded. When she later heard that the Emperor was staying the night at Wangyou Palace, the smile vanished completely.

Consort Shu let out a long breath of relief. She knew Song Yunzhao would never let the Empress Dowager slap her in the face like that.

Wang Zhaorong’s expression didn’t change. ’As expected of the black-hearted, ruthless Song Yunzhao,’ she thought. ’That slap back was both fast and sharp.’

’The look on the Empress Dowager’s face is truly a sight to behold.’

Recalling the Empress Dowager’s attitude when she had begged for help after the Wang Family’s downfall, Wang Zhaorong now felt a great deal of her pent-up resentment dissipate.

’Well done, Song Yunzhao!’

The banquet at Shouci Palace ended quickly. Consort Shu led the way out, followed by Princess Consort Wan. Wang Zhaorong and the others left one after another. Qin Xiyue hesitated for a moment, glancing back toward An Shutong, only to see her at the Empress Dowager’s side, helping her toward the rear hall.

As for the Beauties from the Southern Border, they were naturally escorted out of the palace by the attendants. It was one thing for the Emperor not to show his face at the Empress Dowager’s banquet, but to go to Wangyou Palace instead...

A rare sense of powerlessness washed over Qin Xiyue. ’Just how does Song Yunzhao do it?’

If Song Yunzhao knew, she would only cry foul. She hadn’t lured the Emperor over; he had come running on his own two legs.

「The next morning」

Song Yunzhao saw Feng Yi off to the morning court session. Both were rosy-cheeked and in high spirits. After he left, she didn’t go back for a nap. Instead, she called Xiangxue over to ask about the aftermath of the banquet at Shouci Palace last night.

"Not long after Anshun delivered the message, the banquet over there broke up," Xiangxue said with a smile. "I heard that those Beauties from the Southern Border were still waiting to see the Emperor, but sadly, they weren’t so fortunate."

Song Yunzhao was amused. She looked at Xiangxue and said, "They were just sent out of the palace like that?"

"Yes. I also heard from Anshun that Shouci Palace sent word to Taixi Hall, but instead of attending the banquet there, the Emperor came here to you."

’Feng Yi’s attitude seems to indicate he has no interest in those women,’ Song Yunzhao mused. ’If he did, he would have at least gone to take a look.’

’If that’s the case, then there’s nothing to worry about.’

Last night, the baby had been moving frequently. It was rare to see it so lively. Feng Yi would watch Yun Zhao’s belly and poke at the little feet or hands that occasionally appeared. And just like that, through her belly, the father and his son or daughter had a very happy time playing together.

Although this was Song Yunzhao’s first time as a mother, she knew that the more a father anticipated a child and the more emotion he invested, the more important that child would be in his heart.

Cultivating the Emperor’s love for this child was one of Song Yunzhao’s major projects during her pregnancy. So far, it seemed to be going well.

’But how long can you run on love alone?’

’There need to be other ties that bind.’

Once Song Yunzhao had thought things through, her mood became wonderful—especially since the Empress Dowager’s mood at Shouci Palace last night had been anything but. Right now, she truly wished she could put her hands on her hips and laugh out loud three times.

Just as the morning court session ended, Zhang Maoquan came running. Upon seeing Song Yunzhao, he said directly, "My Lady, the Emperor has awarded the Beauties from the Southern Border to various people."

Song Yunzhao looked at Zhang Maoquan with suspicion. "Awarded them?"

Zhang Maoquan’s eyes were shining. ’This just goes to show how formidable Song Zhaoyi is!’ he thought. ’A single night passed, and the Emperor didn’t even see the Beauties’ faces before directly awarding them to his courtiers. There’s truly no downside to following Song Zhaoyi!’

"Yes. The Emperor said that since the courtiers were so supportive of the Southern Border sending Beauties to the Capital City, it shows they must be very fond of them. That being the case, he has awarded the women to them as a sign of imperial grace."

Song Yunzhao: ...

"He didn’t keep a single one?" Song Yunzhao asked, looking at Zhang Maoquan. "Surely he didn’t give away the Tusi’s sister as well?"