Chapter 80: Chapter 48: Definitely Up to No Good (Part 3)
"Don’t worry, I refused," Ye Xi said.
"In any case, don’t be alone with her, and don’t eat anything she gives you," Song Yunzhao sighed. "Don’t forget what happened to me back at the mansion."
The memory of Jiangxiang’s face made Ye Xi’s expression turn solemn. "I know. You can rest assured."
Song Yunzhao thought for a moment, then looked at Ye Xi and added, "Be careful of that Zhao Xiaoyu who’s always with her, too. She doesn’t know Song Qinghan’s true nature. I’m afraid she’s being used and doesn’t even know it."
"Speaking of her, I’m truly at a loss for words." Ye Xi’s expression was indescribable.
Song Yunzhao’s eyes lit up. "Tell me, what happened?"
Facing Song Yunzhao’s sparkling eyes, Ye Xi had no choice but to continue, "Song Qinghan has been telling everyone about her connection to Consort Chu. Someone mocked her, saying her relationship with the Dingnan Bo Mansion was a roundabout one, and that Zhao Xiaoyu jumped in to defend her and started a fight."
’Song Yunzhao had already figured Zhao Xiaoyu wasn’t very bright, but to be this foolish was truly baffling.’
’It just goes to show how sharp Song Qinghan’s eye is. How did she pick such a person from all the concubine candidates to be her vanguard? She really has what it takes to be a prominent side character.’
"To be fair, they weren’t wrong. The connection really isn’t that close. Madam Ding Nanbo is the second wife, while Consort Chu was the first wife’s eldest daughter. And Song Qinghan is only Madam Ding Nanbo’s niece. Calling it a ’roundabout connection’ is almost being generous."
As she said this, Ye Xi looked at Yun Zhao. "You should be careful, too. I feel like Song Qinghan is intentionally trying to drag you down with her. After all, in terms of looks, she can’t compare to you. Now she’s deliberately creating misunderstandings, making people think you’ll try to use this connection to secure a spot in the palace."
"She’s just desperate. She has no other tricks up her sleeve, so she’s resorting to this disgusting tactic," Song Yunzhao scoffed. "If anyone brings it up again, Ms. Xi, please tell them for me that Consort Chu was of noble birth, and I wouldn’t dare to presume such a lofty connection."
Ye Xi frowned. "If you say that, won’t you be playing right into Song Qinghan’s hands? It seems to me she wants to force you to disavow this connection."
"Then let her have her wish. She can cherish it all she wants, but I certainly don’t."
Listening to Song Yunzhao, Ye Xi felt it was a shame. She let out a soft sigh and said to Yun Zhao, "It’s good that you think that way. Before I entered the palace, my mother warned me that claiming a connection to the late Consort Chu might not be entirely a good thing."
"How so?" Song Yunzhao asked, looking at Ye Xi.
"Think about it. Of all the people who entered the palace back then, everyone else is still alive and well. Only Consort Chu is gone. Plus, she held the rank of Imperial Concubine. Who knows what feuds and grudges that might have created."
Song Yunzhao hadn’t expected Ye Xi’s mother to see things from this angle and nodded in admiration. "Your mother has a point. Who wouldn’t want the rank of Imperial Concubine? By attaining it, Consort Chu naturally made enemies of others."
"Exactly. My mother says there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Yun Zhao, you must be careful and not act rashly. With a face like yours, if you do manage to stay, you can forge your own path. Why borrow Consort Chu’s name and end up indebted to the Dingnan Bo Mansion, only for them to hold it over your head later?"
Song Yunzhao couldn’t agree more. She looked at Ye Xi. "Did your mother tell you this so you could talk sense into me if I started acting foolishly?"
Ye Xi looked a little awkward. "You saw through it? My mother didn’t mean anything by it. She was just worried you’d act rashly out of anger and told me to keep an eye on you, to pull you back before you fall into a trap."
"I know. Your mother worries about me and has my best interests at heart. That’s why she’s been so thoughtful." ’It was just that if she were really eliminated and sent home, Song Yunzhao felt she would be letting down her aunt’s kind intentions.’
’While her aunt surely hoped to ride on her coattails, she had genuinely paved the way for her. The favor was real and tangible.’
Ye Xi was happy to hear Yun Zhao’s words. "I’m glad you understand. In any case, let’s be careful of Song Qinghan. She doesn’t seem like the type to behave, and who knows what she’ll do next."
The two of them chatted for a while. Instead of returning to her own room, Ye Xi took a short nap at Yun Zhao’s place. When the appointed hour arrived, they called for He Lan Yun and headed to Qiushui Pavilion.
’The afternoon’s activity was the critique of the transcribed scriptures. Song Yunzhao knew this was supposed to be Song Qinghan’s shining moment from the novel; after all, her calligraphy was truly excellent.’
’Thankfully, she didn’t have to be there to watch. It would have been too frustrating.’
However, something unexpected happened that afternoon. Song Qinghan’s transcribed pages were somehow soaked with water. By the time they were taken out, they had become a black, inky mess. An incident like this sent Qiushui Pavilion into an uproar for the entire afternoon.
