Chapter 127: Chapter 61: This Isn’t Over (Part 2)
The more Lu Zhixue dwelled on it, the more upset she became, and the uglier her expression grew.
Yu Xiu didn’t return for some time. When she entered and saw her mistress’s displeasure, she said softly, "Mistress, I wasn’t able to find out anything about Taiji Palace. However, I did see Nanny Yu from Wangyou Palace wandering around the Imperial Palace, looking very sneaky."
Lu Zhixue sneered. "I knew Song Yunzhao was incapable of behaving herself."
Yu Xiu considered this and said, "Mistress, perhaps I should go out and take a look around as well?"
Lu Zhixue hesitated for a moment. ’If Song Yunzhao can do it, why can’t I?’ she thought. ’It couldn’t hurt to gather some news from the other palaces.’ And so, she nodded. "Be careful."
Yu Xiu smiled. "I’ve heard that Mulan, who serves Fan Pin, is an expert at decorative knotting. I’ll use that as an excuse to go and ask for a few pointers."
Lu Zhixue’s Yihua Palace and Fan Qingru’s Qingyun Palace were on opposite ends of the Imperial Palace, east and west, much like Song Yunzhao’s Wangyou Palace and Qin Xiyue’s Huayang Palace.
Going from Yihua Palace to Qingyun Palace and then heading back would allow Yu Xiu to make a complete circuit of the Imperial Palace.
Lu Zhixue happily sent Yu Xiu on her way, then waited with restless anticipation for news.
After making a conspicuous circuit, Nanny Yu paused briefly at the intersection leading to Taiji Palace before turning around and heading back to Wangyou Palace.
Yu Xiu didn’t just go to find Mulan. On her way, she ran into a palace maid stationed at Yaohua Palace and a Palace Attendant guarding the gate of Cuiwei Palace. She stopped to exchange a few words with each of them, subtly weaving Nanny Yu from Wangyou Palace into the conversation.
After Yu Xiu left, the Palace Attendant from Cuiwei Palace went to report to Consort Shu.
Consort Shu was already in a foul mood, and her frown deepened upon hearing this. "Wangyou Palace certainly knows how to stir up trouble. Yunshang, go find out what exactly is going on."
Yunshang quickly agreed with a smile. Seeing her mistress’s dark expression, she said, "Your Highness, the rumor came from Yihua Palace, so it may not be true. Please don’t upset yourself. Even if these newcomers win His Majesty’s favor, they still can’t compare to you in his heart."
Consort Shu’s expression softened, and a small smile touched her lips. "You talk too much. Now, go."
"I’ll go at once," Yunshang said with a smile before departing.
But Yunshang was in a different league than Nanny Yu or Yu Xiu. The moment she made a move, many more eyes were on her, and the atmosphere in the entire harem instantly grew tense.
The instigator of all this, Song Yunzhao, had already washed up and was preparing for bed. As Xiangxue undid her hair in front of the copper mirror, Song Yunzhao looked at Nanny Yu with a smile. "There now. It looks like no one will be getting a peaceful night’s sleep tonight."
Nanny Yu was amused as well. "Everyone is watching you so intently, Mistress. It just proves they’re wary of you, afraid you’ll be the first to win the ultimate prize. Besides," she added, "I didn’t do anything wrong. I just went out and chatted with a few acquaintances. No one can find fault with my actions. If they jump to the wrong conclusions, that’s their problem."
Song Yunzhao’s mood soared. She loved that about Nanny Yu. They complemented each other perfectly. ’Perfect.’
Feeling absolutely wonderful, Song Yunzhao went straight to bed. She couldn’t be bothered with how many people in the other palaces were stomping their feet and cursing in fury tonight. ’What does any of it have to do with me, anyway?’
That night, lights burned late in many of the palaces. Only Wangyou Palace had its gates shut and locked early. Before 7:45 PM, all its lamps were extinguished, plunging the entire palace into darkness.
The commotion in the harem did not escape Feng Yi’s notice, of course. After listening to Meng Jiuchang’s report, he fell into a thoughtful silence.
’Song Yunzhao went to bed that early? That’s not like her at all. He’d thought that with her competitive nature, always striving to get ahead, she would have at least stayed up a little later tonight.’
’That’s it?’
Feng Yi was left with a strange, unsettling feeling.
But he couldn’t voice such thoughts to anyone, so he could only suppress them. He looked at Meng Jiuchang and said, "I have been preoccupied with state affairs recently. The matter of summoning a consort to my chambers is not a priority. Pass the word along."
Meng Jiuchang faltered, glancing at His Majesty in surprise. He couldn’t guess the real meaning behind the emperor’s words, but he didn’t dare to ponder them. "I obey your command," he said at once.
Feng Yi waved a hand in dismissal. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he grew. ’I just don’t understand it. How could someone with Song Yunzhao’s disposition do something like this? It’s so unlike her.’
Feng Yi didn’t like the idea of Song Yunzhao being so comfortable. He spent the better part of the morning reviewing memorials. Then, during his midday meal, his eyes landed on a dish of dried bamboo shoot and ham soup. "Send this to Consort Song," he ordered.
Zhang Maoquan beamed at the order, his face crinkling into a wide smile. ’I knew it! I knew His Majesty treated Consort Song differently!’
In Wangyou Palace, Song Yunzhao stared at the bowl of dried bamboo shoot and ham soup as if trying to burn a hole through it. Faced with Zhang Maoquan’s beaming, crinkled smile, she had no choice but to force a smile of her own. She even had to press a tip into his hand before she could finally send him away.
