Chapter 145: Chapter 66: The Emperor is Hard to Deal With
Song Yunzhao thought for a moment. "That’s fine."
That single-spiral bun was a hairstyle that demanded a certain face shape. Hers could pull it off, but for anyone with a less-than-perfect facial structure, it would be a disaster. It just wouldn’t look good.
Xiangxue quickly finished styling the bun and adorned it with hairpins. Song Yunzhao took one look in the mirror and was quite satisfied.
Xiangxue then began her lady’s makeup. It wasn’t wise to apply too much powder in such hot weather. Fortunately, her lady’s complexion was fair, so she only needed a light dusting. Xiangxue carefully defined the peaks of her brows, lightly swept her cheeks with a custom-blended peach blossom powder, and finished by applying rouge to her lips.
Song Yunzhao was more than just satisfied. ’So many people would kill for Xiangxue’s deft hands,’ she thought. ’Her aesthetic sense is spot on, and she can even innovate after learning from me. That’s truly remarkable.’
’I taught her my little makeup tricks and application techniques, and now it saves me so much trouble. I heard from Shizhu that when Xiangxue isn’t on duty, she practices with rouge in her own room. She’s secretly been working very hard.’
’Who wouldn’t love a subordinate so clever and ambitious? That’s why when Yun Zhao ordered rouge and face powder this time, she ordered a few extra sets and distributed them among her maids.’
’When they’re happy, they’ll serve me with all their hearts. When morale is high, you’re less likely to have traitors. A little bit of money can prevent major problems.’
’You can’t take money with you when you’re born, and you can’t take it with you when you die. It’s better to spend it while you’re alive and enjoy it than to die and leave it all behind.’
Shizhu came over, holding a pale yellow dress. "My lady, what do you think of this outfit?"
A delicate color like pale yellow was perfect for someone her age. In a few years, she wouldn’t be able to pull it off anymore. Song Yunzhao nodded.
After changing, she admired herself in the mirror. ’Beautiful!’
Song Yunzhao left with Qingfeng and Yulu this time. Xiangxue and Shizhu had been on duty last night, so she let them rest.
Anshun and a few other eunuchs were tidying up the courtyard. When he saw Song Yunzhao, he hurried over to greet her, handed his duties off to someone else, and fell in step behind her.
"My lady, where are we headed?" Yulu asked, a little excited.
"Wherever the crowd is," Song Yunzhao said, then looked to Anshun.
Anshun immediately replied, "The West Garden is crowded."
Song Yunzhao nodded. "To the West Garden it is."
’Anshun might be a man of few words, but he’s incredibly reliable,’ she thought. ’His knack for gathering information alone makes me very satisfied.’
The group headed for the West Garden. Why was it so bustling?
Because the novel’s protagonist resided in the West Palace, as did Consort Shu and Consort Zhuang. The East Palace had once been lively thanks to Consort Chu, but she had since passed away from illness. The only one remaining, Consort Wan, wasn’t one for crowds, so the East Palace had grown quiet.
The entire harem was divided into the East and West Palaces, with the Empress’s Changle Palace serving as the boundary. The general layout was similar to the real-world Forbidden City, but the harem in this book was far larger.
’In the Forbidden City’s Imperial Garden, if you speak loudly on the east side, you can be heard clearly on the west side. It’s really quite small.’
But it was different here. The Imperial Gardens for the East and West Palaces were genuine royal parks, at least three or four times the size of the Qing Imperial Garden.
The harem’s palaces were nestled among rockeries, flowers, and plants. ’It’s truly beautiful, just as you’d expect from a world inside a novel.’
’This kind of layout wouldn’t exist in the real world, anyway. But without it, how could you have all those tropes? The "chance" encounters with the Emperor, bumping into him, "accidentally" falling in his path, falling into the water, feeding the fish...’
’The author really went to great lengths to set the stage for all the harem drama.’
Admiring the scenery and flowers along the path, they slowly made their way to the West Garden. They hadn’t been inside for long when they heard the sound of chatter and laughter.
Rounding a rockery, the view suddenly opened up. A crowd was gathered in a distant octagonal pavilion, each person holding a fan—some plantain-leaf, others round. The air was filled with their lively, bird-like chatter.
The moment Song Yunzhao stepped onto the covered walkway, before she had even reached the pavilion, the people inside spotted her, and their chatter came to an abrupt halt.
Song Yunzhao ascended the steps and walked inside. Her eyes immediately fell on Consort Shu, who occupied the seat of honor. Tucked into her hair was a Three-tailed Phoenix Hairpin. The phoenix’s wings were spread as if about to take flight, and fine golden tassels dangled all the way to her earlobes, creating a truly imposing air.
Seated beside Consort Shu was Consort Zhuang. Compared to Consort Shu’s radiant and ostentatious beauty, Consort Zhuang seemed more mature and poised. Besides, she had always cultivated a virtuous reputation and naturally wouldn’t tread the path of a gaudy vixen. Her beauty was subtle, yet it commanded respect.
"This concubine greets Consort Shu and Consort Zhuang," Song Yunzhao said, stepping forward to offer her respects.
Consort Shu’s eyes fell upon Song Yunzhao, and she couldn’t help but frown. The sight of that flawlessly youthful face only vexed her further. Being in a foul mood, she decided to pick a fight. "Why is Consort Song out and about today?" she said coolly. "It’s been so difficult to catch a glimpse of you since you entered the palace."
Hearing Consort Shu’s remark, Qin Xiyue and the other concubines seated nearby fell silent. Among the newcomers to the harem, Song Yunzhao’s star had risen far above the rest, earning her a fair share of resentment.
Han Jinyi wasn’t present, so there was no one to speak up for her.
Song Yunzhao mentally lit a candle for herself. ’My social skills here are really something else.’
’As long as I have no intention of ’sharing,’ I’ll never be able to make many friends in this palace.’
Seeing that Consort Shu had no intention of telling her to rise, Song Yunzhao simply stood up on her own. "I prefer peace and quiet and am not fond of crowds, so I rarely stroll through the gardens," she said. "If Your Ladyship wishes to see me, you need only send a messenger. There is no need to speak of it being ’difficult.’"
It was a perfectly measured jab, neither too soft nor too sharp. ’You’re not the Empress,’ Song Yunzhao thought. ’Who’s going to kowtow to you every day? Even if I dared to, would you dare accept it?’
All eyes fell on Song Yunzhao. They watched, stunned, as she simply rose to her feet. ’Consort Shu didn’t give her permission to rise, did she?’
Song Yunzhao pretended not to notice their bewildered expressions. She found an empty seat to the side, sat down, and began to fan herself, her smiling gaze sweeping over the crowd.
The others quickly averted their eyes. Song Yunzhao sneered inwardly. ’Such cowards, and they still want to watch a good show.’
Consort Shu was seething, her face darkening. But she couldn’t make an issue of Song Yunzhao taking a seat without permission. Doing so would only expose her own intention to deliberately cause trouble.
Still, Song Yunzhao’s impertinence clearly displeased her. "Consort Song is as sharp-tongued as they say," Consort Shu said coolly.
"Your Ladyship flatters me. I am unworthy of such praise," Song Yunzhao said with a smile.
The others: ...
’Since when is "sharp-tongued" a compliment?’
Yet, seeing the expression on Song Yunzhao’s face that clearly took it as one, they all felt like their horizons had been broadened.
Consort Shu was so furious she nearly coughed up blood. This Song Yunzhao was a real piece of work!
"Consort Song, what do you enjoy for leisure?"
Song Yunzhao turned to Consort Zhuang, who had spoken with a gentle voice and a mild expression. She replied in an equally gentle tone, "To answer Your Ladyship, you may laugh, but I just enjoy reading popular storybooks."
Even Consort Zhuang’s smile faltered. No one else present would have given such an answer. Anyone else would have mentioned a famous classic or two to appear more refined.
Song "Conversation-Killer" Yunzhao: ’Perfect!’
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