Chapter 85: Chapter 49: Taken a Fancy to Her for Being a Talented Arguer?
There was no news from Nanny Zhang, but Song Yunzhao wasn’t anxious. After all, the people involved were clearly influential. She figured Nanny Zhang wouldn’t give her the true answer and was probably just trying to figure out how to brush the matter aside. That would certainly take some careful thought.
Song Yunzhao didn’t actually intend to drag the mastermind into the light. Rather, she wanted to make a statement—that she was not someone to be trifled with. Anyone who tried to scheme against her again would have to consider whether they could crush her completely in one go. If not, she would definitely cause a scene, and once it escalated, it would be difficult to resolve.
After all, the image she had cultivated was rather complex. First, there was the persona of the kind person who had saved someone, and then there was the persona of the innocent victim who had been framed and injured. Fortunately, she had been cautious since entering the palace and hadn’t given anyone any leverage over her. As long as she made no mistakes, even as a minor figure, she couldn’t be dealt with so easily.
Besides, in the eyes of Nanny Zhang and the others, she was someone who was on Chief Steward Zhang’s radar.
Song Yunzhao took a deep breath. ’How did things get so complicated?’
’I was just planning to go through the motions.’
Just as she was thinking this, she heard a noise from the next room. She immediately got up, and upon opening her door, saw the figure of He Lan Yun. She quickly called out, "County Princess."
He Lan Yun turned her head to look at Song Yunzhao. "Are you trying to scare a person to death in the middle of the night?" Instead of continuing to open her own door, she walked over to Yun Zhao’s room.
Song Yunzhao invited her in and closed the door before speaking. "Why are you only back now? Ms. Xi told me you went to gather information. I’ve been worried all evening."
He Lan Yun huffed. "So you do have a conscience after all."
Song Yunzhao gestured for her to sit and poured her a cup of tea. "I’ve always been a person with a conscience."
He Lan Yun felt a strong urge to splash the tea in her face to snap her out of it. "I’ve asked around. That housekeeper who came for you today seems to be connected to Consort Shu, but she isn’t from Consort Shu’s palace. She manages the gardens."
Song Yunzhao was completely bewildered. "Consort Shu? A garden manager?"
Seeing Song Yunzhao’s clueless expression, He Lan Yun didn’t have the heart to mock her. She knew that even if the Song Family had once been glorious, they had since fallen from grace and moved away from the Capital City. Now that they were back, they no longer possessed their former standing. Naturally, Yunzhao wouldn’t be privy to such matters.
She thought for a moment before explaining to Song Yunzhao, "Consort Shu is the daughter of the Right Minister, Lu Lin. She’s the one who hosted the tea banquet a couple of days ago to push the viewing forward."
Song Yunzhao frowned. ’Why would Consort Shu take notice of me?’
He Lan Yun didn’t notice Song Yunzhao’s expression and continued, absorbed in her own explanation. "The Right Minister and the Left Minister disagree on policy. Back when His Majesty first ascended the throne, it was the Right Minister who suggested filling the palace with beauties. The Lu Family is angling for one of their own to become Empress. Unfortunately for them, His Majesty chose the lady from the Dingnan Bo Mansion as his Imperial Concubine and has shown no intention of naming an Empress all these years. Consort Shu must be getting anxious. She probably heard you were exceptionally beautiful and wanted to test you."
Song Yunzhao was surprised. She hadn’t expected He Lan Yun to be so well-informed. She herself knew these things because she had the innate advantage of having transmigrated into the book, but for He Lan Yun to know this much... it was a clear testament to the influence of the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.
Unfortunately, the book hadn’t described the Prince Zhenbei Mansion in much detail. It only mentioned two things: that He Lan Yun was in love with Ji Yunting, the original female lead’s ’white moonlight,’ and that her brother, Helan Yue, was also in love with the female lead. The siblings were completely ensnared by the story’s protagonist and couldn’t break free.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but sigh. Looking at He Lan Yun now, she felt a tightness in her chest.
"You went to so much trouble to find all this out."
He Lan Yun glanced at Song Yunzhao. "It was nothing. In any case, be prepared for whatever Consort Shu might do. Be careful during the viewing."
At this, she added, "The housekeeper of Zhichun Palace can’t afford to offend Consort Shu. The outcome is predictable: they’ll push that other housekeeper forward as a scapegoat. At most, they’ll just dock her monthly pay. Just pretend you were bitten by a dog and move on."
Her stiff attempt at consolation made Song Yunzhao laugh. "Alright, I’ll listen to the County Princess. I’ll consider myself bitten by a dog."
Hearing this, He Lan Yun’s mood brightened considerably. Her efforts to gather information hadn’t been in vain.
Song Yunzhao slept poorly that night. She rose early the next day, and Yiyue brought water in to help her wash up. It was only after breakfast that Yiyue finally spoke. "Miss, Nanny asked me to pass on a message. That steward from yesterday works in the gardens. She was goaded by someone into trying to frighten you. Nanny confronted her, and the woman confessed readily. Since nothing serious happened to you, the only punishment was to fine her three months of her monthly silver."
Song Yunzhao’s movements paused. It was exactly as He Lan Yun had predicted. Even though she had been prepared for this, she still felt a flare of anger.
She turned to meet Yiyue’s gaze, which flickered away evasively. With a hint of resignation, she said, "Nanny has gone to a lot of trouble, then. As long as this sort of thing doesn’t happen again, it’s fine. Yiyue, please thank Nanny for me."
Seeing that Miss Song wasn’t going to press the issue, Yiyue breathed a small sigh of relief and quickly agreed. "Rest assured, Miss Song. I will be sure to pass your thanks along."
Song Yunzhao nodded, a perfectly calibrated expression of resignation on her face, and then headed for the door.
’It wouldn’t do to just wait here for Song Yexi,’ she thought. ’I should go out and find her.’
And just as she intended, Yiyue watched Song Yunzhao’s resigned figure depart, thinking that when she next saw Nanny, she would be sure to describe how wronged Miss Song had felt.
As Song Yunzhao opened her door to leave, she coincidentally heard the door across the hall open as well. She looked up and saw Qin Xiyue stepping out. The two of them were face to face.
"Miss Song?" Qin Xiyue seemed surprised as well, not expecting to see Song Yunzhao at this hour. They hadn’t seen each other for a few days, and Yunzhao looked to be in good spirits. Qin Xiyue’s gaze fell to her knee as she asked with concern, "Is your leg all better?"
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Qin. It’s all better now," Song Yunzhao replied, meeting Qin Xiyue’s concerned gaze. She didn’t know why, but being faced with the story’s female lead always made her feel a little uneasy.
"That’s good to hear. Are you heading to Qiushui Pavilion, Miss Song? We could go together."
Song Yunzhao gave an apologetic smile. "I have to go find Ms. Xi. I already made plans with her."
Qin Xiyue nodded slightly. "Oh, I see. In that case, you should hurry along, Miss Song. I won’t keep you."
Song Yunzhao bid her farewell and started to walk away. She had barely taken a few steps when Lu Zhixue’s door let out a CREAK, followed by her voice. "Xiyue, who were you talking to? The one from across the hall? What is there to say to her? She’s latched onto Princess Ming’an’s coattails now. Why would she even spare you a glance?"
