Chapter 147: Chapter 67: Don’t Even Think About Competing With Me (Part 2)
Besides, she was only a Noble Consort for now. It was just the beginning; the future was still unwritten.
After Feng Yunjin left, the other concubines departed one by one, and soon, only four people remained in the pavilion.
Fan Qingru couldn’t stay seated any longer. She could feel Lu Zhixue’s eyes constantly on them. Staring was one thing, but doing so in silence was simply unnerving.
Fan Qingru glanced at Song Yunzhao, who looked as composed as ever, and couldn’t help but feel a flicker of admiration. In any case, she herself couldn’t maintain such calm, so she rose to take her leave.
Song Yunzhao watched Fan Qingru leave without any intention of getting up. She leisurely fanned herself with her round fan and continued to enjoy the scenery.
Lu Zhixue: ...
The movement of Qin Xiyue’s fan slowed. She studied Song Yunzhao for a moment before speaking. "It has been quite some time since we entered the palace, and we’ve rarely had the chance to meet. Have you been well?"
’Song Yunzhao hadn’t expected Qin Xiyue to be the one to finally speak. She had deliberately stayed behind to wear them down, to see who would give in first.’
’She could already faintly sense a shift in Qin Xiyue’s attitude toward her. But that didn’t matter. Her own feelings about Qin Xiyue hadn’t changed at all.’
"I’ve been eating well and sleeping soundly, so I’m doing wonderfully," Song Yunzhao said with a bright smile. "Your complexion is excellent, Consort Qin. I imagine you’re doing quite well yourself."
"Who are you trying to mock, Consort Song?" Lu Zhixue’s temper flared just looking at Song Yunzhao, and she couldn’t hold it back. "Everyone knows that among us newcomers, you were the first one chosen to attend the Emperor. There’s no need to flaunt it in our faces."
Before Song Yunzhao could reply, Qin Xiyue pulled Lu Zhixue’s arm. Then, turning to Song Yunzhao with an apologetic look, she said, "Please don’t be upset, Consort Song. Zhixue is just blunt and speaks her mind. She truly means no harm."
Song Yunzhao: ...
’The rich scent of green tea washed over her.’
’Now she finally understood why He Lan Yun had been so irritable outside the palace.’
She looked at Qin Xiyue. "By your logic, Consort Qin, disrespecting a superior is merely ’speaking one’s mind’? Then how is it that when Lady Shufei and Consort Zhuang were present, Lu Pin never had such an outburst of ’frankness’? Or does this ’bluntness’ of hers pick and choose its targets? Does she see me as an easy target to bully? Is that why Lu Pin has been disrespectful to me again and again?"
Qin Xiyue’s brow furrowed. "That’s not what I meant, Consort Song. And Lu Pin certainly didn’t mean any disrespect."
Qin Xiyue hadn’t expected Song Yunzhao to pull rank on them. Her expression soured, and she shot Lu Zhixue an irritated glance.
Lu Zhixue gritted her teeth and remained silent.
’Qin Xiyue was so furious her face darkened. Who was she even taking this heat for?’
’Seeing Qin Xiyue’s budding dissatisfaction with Lu Zhixue, Song Yunzhao was inwardly quite pleased. Those two absolutely could not be allowed to team up.’
’Qin Xiyue already possessed the protagonist’s halo, and that sort of thing was incredibly tricky. Even if Song Yunzhao did absolutely nothing, without a single malicious thought in her head, things would get messy whenever she ran into the protagonist. She’d probably just end up being unlucky.’
’Her experience from reading the book suggested that the story’s world had its own rules, including the halo the original author bestowed upon the protagonist. She didn’t really buy it. How could she believe in something you couldn’t see or touch? Just because someone says it exists, does that make it real?’
’But, judging from her own experiences so far, it was a good thing she was a strong fighter and a total badass. She’d had her share of bad luck, but thankfully, she had managed to keep things under control.’
’So when it came to this "halo" business, she figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Until her own power was great enough to rival the protagonist’s, she wasn’t about to pick a direct fight with her.’
’As long as Qin Xiyue didn’t scheme against her, they could coexist peacefully. When it came to vying for the Emperor’s favor, however, it would be every woman for herself.’
’But if Qin Xiyue really did try to plot against her, then to hell with any halo. As a "barefoot" villainess, she wasn’t afraid of some protagonist hiding behind a "holier-than-thou" reputation. They’d just see who was more ruthless.’
’Besides, she had a feeling that the current Qin Xiyue was starting to deviate from her character in the book. Perhaps the urgency she felt from gaining the Emperor’s favor was making her less calm and steady than her book counterpart, who had advanced step by cautious step.’
Song Yunzhao rose to her feet. She glanced at Lu Zhixue, then said slowly to Qin Xiyue, "Consort Qin, for the sake of whatever goodwill existed between us in the past, I will let this matter with Lu Pin go today. But she won’t be so lucky next time."
Qin Xiyue’s brow furrowed deeply. The Song Yunzhao before her now seemed like a completely different person from the one she had known outside the palace.
’Song Yunzhao met Qin Xiyue’s fleeting glance but felt nothing in return. There was never any real connection between them. During that incident outside the palace, she hadn’t been trying to help the "protagonist"—she was just helping herself.’
’The look in Qin Xiyue’s eyes made her extremely uncomfortable. It confirmed it: they were truly not cut from the same cloth.’
