As expected, Song Qinghan went to knock on Song Yexi’s door to find out what had happened. Following Yunzhao’s instructions, Song Yexi told her everything in detail, especially emphasizing the way the stewardesses were deferential and respectful towards Chief Steward Zhang.
Seeing Song Qinghan’s troubled yet forcedly cheerful expression, Song Yexi closed the door and sneered. Song Qinghan’s discomfort made her feel better.
Song Qinghan returned to her room and tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Her face was dark with anger. Why did Yunzhao have such good luck? If only this luck had fallen on her.
The more she thought about it, the more restless she became. Afraid of looking haggard the next day, she forced herself to close her eyes and sleep, but her heart felt like it was burning.
Song Yunzhao also had trouble sleeping. She had napped during the day and wasn’t feeling tired at night. Reflecting on the events in the book, she couldn’t understand why the Emperor would interfere in her fainting incident.
She had never met the Emperor, and the Emperor didn’t know her beauty, so he couldn’t be attracted to her…
Thinking of the idea of being attracted to her, Song Yunzhao chuckled.
The Emperor was probably still inexperienced.
Despite having a harem full of beauties, the Emperor had a peculiar personality and didn’t touch any of them.
There was a lot of debate in the book’s comments about this, with some saying the author’s setting was unreasonable, others saying the Emperor had no choice, and some even suggesting he had a twisted mind. The comment section provided more entertainment than the book itself.
Later, it was revealed why the Emperor didn’t engage with those women. He was vindictive, with a heart smaller than a needle’s eye.
The previous Emperor had many sons, including the Empress’s legitimate son and beloved sons from favored concubines. Other princes’ mothers weren’t favored but had strong family backing. The current Emperor was an exception.
His mother, Lady An, was given the title of Meiren[mfn]Meiren means beauty; every woman in the Imperial Harem received a title and had a rank. The title names and the rank depend on the dynasty and year. The author didn’t specify what time the book takes place in, so it’s hard to pinpoint which ranking system was used. In general anyone that’s a Meiren is around the middle of the chain[/mfn] upon entering the palace due to her looks but wasn’t favored due to her reserved personality. After becoming pregnant, the Emperor lost interest in her. An Meiren couldn’t compete for favor, quickly becoming neglected in the sea of beauties in the harem.
Even after giving birth to a son, she couldn’t regain the Emperor’s interest. An Meiren lost favor, and her son was also ignored.
For the ten-plus years before he ascended the throne by chance, the Emperor was nearly invisible in the harem. An Meiren blamed her son for not being valued, and her father, only a minor official, who couldn’t compete with the powerful families of other concubines.
The father had hoped his daughter would elevate him upon being chosen by the Emperor, but her fall from favor dashed those hopes, and he no longer cared for their survival.
The previous Emperor’s sons fought fiercely for the throne, ultimately leading to their mutual destruction. The current Emperor ascended by default. At that point, the noble families saw a new target to align with, with marriage being the quickest way.
The Emperor, newly crowned, had no connections or authority and was only fifteen, equivalent to a middle schooler. Noble families pushed their daughters into the harem.
But the Emperor had a prideful streak, portraying a “today you ignore me, tomorrow you’ll be beneath me” attitude.
Using his youth and uncertainty about who should be Empress, he let the noble daughters fight for the title, using the Empress’s position as bait while he watched the drama unfold.
How did Imperial Noble Consort Chu [mfn]Second rank after the Empress[/mfn]die?
She was, of course, killed in the struggle.
The young Emperor not only pretended but performed, showing joy when courtiers sent beauties, but then crying in front of the previous Emperor’s tablet, saying he wanted to mourn for three years.
Beauties were sent into the palace, and he insisted on observing mourning without spending the night with them, leaving them in limbo.
The courtiers had no choice; they couldn’t tell the Emperor not to observe filial piety, so they all waited dryly for three years.
After the three-year mourning period ended, the Emperor began to take control of state affairs and started to circulate in the harem. One day he’d have tea with this one, the next day dine with another, visiting all around the harem diligently. But no one knew that every night, this Emperor would either play chess, discuss books, or simply yawn and say, “I’m tired today, let’s sleep early,” wrapping himself in his quilt and falling asleep immediately.
These beauties in the harem, for the sake of their dignity, didn’t admit that they hadn’t been intimate with the Emperor. Each one pretended, acting as if she were the most favored.
Thinking of this, Song Yunzhao laughed even harder, finding it impossible to sleep. This trick of the Emperor was indeed too cunning.
Back in the comment section, many readers applauded this move.
Song Yunzhao had also been one of the applauders.
But now that she encountered it herself, it felt entirely different.
The Emperor sending the Chief Imperial Physician to treat her – knowing the Chief Imperial Physician was the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, specifically attending to the Emperor – put her in a precarious position.
That despicable Emperor!
She hadn’t offended him, right?
Why did he trouble her?
Song Yunzhao couldn’t understand what the Emperor was thinking or what he wanted to do, and could only warn herself to be even more cautious.
Then she suddenly recalled something. She had fainted while saving someone, which was a virtue of kindness in a woman. Perhaps the Emperor wanted to label her as a saintly figure, making her a target?
Ah, a major miscalculation!
Song Yunzhao regretted deeply. If she had known, she wouldn’t have rung the bell.
Surely it was the bell that had caught the Emperor’s attention.
She had dug a pit and buried herself!
No, starting tomorrow, she must let the Emperor know she was no kind-hearted fairy but an aggressive and intolerable… little firecracker!
Adopting a wicked persona was out of the question; she was still hoping for an imperial marriage.
If… worst came to worst and she couldn’t control it, she’d have to give up the imperial marriage and rely on her Father to find a decent match back home.
In any case, staying in the palace was absolutely out of the question.
With the protagonist around, basking in her glowing halo, she feared she couldn’t withstand it.
Having figured it out, Song Yunzhao closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Nothing in the world was difficult if you were willing to give up.
Being kicked out was much easier than staying.
The next morning, Song Yunzhao woke up early and did her makeup in front of the mirror. She was stunningly beautiful, an instant beauty on first sight, and still breathtaking upon further inspection.
In the Song family, she often downplayed her natural beauty with makeup or softened her look to appear less aggressive.
But since she had decided to let loose, she went all out.
When Song Yexi came in and saw Song Yunzhao, she was stunned and took a while to recover.
Song Yunzhao had changed into a crimson dress, looking radiant.
Song Yexi remarked, “Are you trying to leave us mortals no room to breathe?”
Fortunately, she had already given up. Otherwise, seeing Song Yunzhao today would have made her faint with anger. “You’re doing this on purpose, right?”
“You’re the best, Sister Yexi, you know me well.” Song Yunzhao said with a grin, “Even if I played it humble, would those people leave me alone? If the Princess hadn’t intervened yesterday, who knows what they would have done. So, instead of waiting to be bullied, it’s better for me to strike first.”
Song Yexi: …
Only someone like Song Yunzhao would have the confidence to say such things. With her looks, Yexi couldn’t pull it off.
Comparing oneself to others can be infuriating.
Fearing that changing her persona might make Song Yexi suspicious, Song Yunzhao deliberately provided a plausible explanation. Coupled with her previous assertiveness, it all made sense.
“Isn’t this too attention-grabbing?” Song Yexi asked worriedly, “One against many won’t end well. You should tone it down.”
“Sister Yexi, you don’t understand. If I back down now, they’ll tear me apart. Just watch.”
“Who will tear you apart?”
Helan Yun’s voice came from the doorway, followed by a gasp as she pointed at Song Yunzhao, “You… you…”
“What about me? Princess, this isn’t the first time you’ve seen me. I know I’m stunning, no need to compliment me.” Song Yunzhao said smugly.
Helan Yun felt like she was losing her mind. How could she consider Song Yunzhao to be human?
“You really have no shame.”
“I’m beautiful and proud of it.”
Helan Yun: …
Infuriating!
However, she really was quite beautiful. She looked again, then suspiciously at Song Yunzhao, “Why do your eyes look so big now?”
They weren’t this big yesterday, were they?
“Secret technique. Want to know, Princess?”
“Would you be kind enough to tell me?”
“Of course not.”
Then why ask?
Helan Yun, infuriated, turned to leave. She shouldn’t have come!
Song Yunzhao grabbed Helan Yun and made her sit in front of the bronze mirror, smiling, “Princess, you spoke up for me yesterday. I’m grateful, and for that, I’m willing to teach you my secret technique for free.”
Helan Yun hesitated. She should stand up, push Song Yunzhao away, spit at her, and proudly walk out.
But her legs had their own ideas and wouldn’t stand up.
Who doesn’t love beauty?
She was a girl, after all, and a girl who loved beauty.
Thinking again, she had indeed helped Song Yunzhao. This secret technique not only sounded impressive but looked even more so.
If Song Yunzhao dared teach, why shouldn’t she dare learn?
Song Yunzhao, seeing Helan Yun’s awkward expression, felt like laughing. Teasing her was quite fun.
She called Song Yexi over to watch as well, using a finely sharpened brow pencil to outline Helan Yun’s eye. Eye makeup, after all, wasn’t a mystery to girls from later generations. Those skilled could transform faces entirely.
Limited by the products, she could only create infinite possibilities under restricted conditions. Eyeliner required technique. After finishing one eye, she let Helan Yun look in the mirror, “How about it, Princess?”
Helan Yun was amazed. One eye looked larger, the contrast quite striking. She exclaimed, “It’s indeed bigger. Amazing.”
Song Yexi, staring at Yunzhao, felt momentarily dazed. The Princess’s sharp eyes now appeared soft, which was a significant change.
Song Yunzhao finished the other eye, lightly touched up her cheeks with powder, and redrew her eyebrows. High arched ends were slightly flattened to match the eye makeup, making the overall look gentler.
If she had modern makeup products, she could completely transform them.
What a waste of her skills.
Helan Yun admired herself in the mirror, thrilled. She hated Qin Xiyue’s innocent face, never imagining she could have it herself one day.
Thinking of seeing Qin Xiyue later, she was ecstatic.
Helan Yun patted Song Yunzhao, “I acknowledge you as my friend.”
Song Yunzhao: …
“Thank you very much.”
Song Yexi watched the scene with a hint of envy, yet found it quite amusing.
Song Yunzhao then made Song Yexi sit down and quickly touched up her makeup. The girls of the Song family were not unattractive, but Song Yunzhao’s beauty was particularly striking.
She enhanced Song Yexi’s classical beauty, giving her willow-leaf eyebrows and cherry lips, slightly lengthening the curve of her eyes downward, and adjusting her bangs.
The purpose of makeup was to emphasize strengths and hide weaknesses. Song Yexi, looking at herself in the mirror, was delighted. She said to Yunzhao, “With this change, I hardly recognize myself.”
“As long as you like it, Sister Yexi. I’ll teach you in detail later, and you’ll be able to do it yourself.” Song Yunzhao said with a smile, pleased with her work.
Helan Yun looked at Song Yexi and then touched her own face, saying to Song Yunzhao, “No wonder your face looks so good. You do have some skills.”
This time, Song Yunzhao didn’t argue with Helan Yun, thinking her emotional intelligence was low enough. Better not hit her too hard.
“We have to learn the rules today. It’s going to be exhausting.” Helan Yun said with a dark face. She was starting to regret participating out of spite.
Song Yunzhao’s expression also darkened. She hated learning the rules the most.
Song Yexi remained calm, looking at their grim faces with a mix of helplessness and amusement. “Don’t be late. Princess, Yunzhao, let’s go.”
They were still meeting at Qiushui Pavilion, and being late was not an option.
The three of them went out, finding it eerily quiet with no one in sight. They had indeed taken too long. Song Yexi urged them to hurry.
When they arrived at Qiushui Pavilion, they just made it in before the stewardesses.
As they entered, the chatter in the pavilion momentarily ceased, with eyes of various emotions fixed on them.
Song Yunzhao came to flaunt her status today, holding her head high as she sat by the window where no one was.
Song Yexi and Helan Yun followed and took their seats. Gradually, the conversation resumed, though many eyes still subtly watched them.
Song Yexi felt unusually uncomfortable, her face was tense.
Helan Yun, unafraid of trouble, turned to look when she heard her name mentioned, scaring the girls into silence, their faces pale.
Song Yunzhao was even bolder. She was here to show off, after all, having been favored by the Emperor. Being arrogant and proud was entirely justified.
Lu Zhixue, looking displeased, said to Qin Xiyue, “Some people are so lightweight. Just a bit of favor, and they forget who they are.”
Qin Xiyue smiled helplessly, “Zhixue, Miss Song has always been carefree. Don’t say that.”
Han Jinyi sat quietly on the other side, her eyes fixed on Helan Yun’s face, unable to look away. She thought Helan Yun looked much more pleasing today, unlike her usual self.
Feng Yunjin, sitting next to Han Jinyi, said suspiciously, “Why does the Princess of Ming’an look gentler than usual today?”
Was it her imagination?
As soon as Feng Yunjin spoke, Lu Zhixue and Qin Xiyue both turned their gazes towards Helan Yun, looking slightly surprised. She did indeed seem different.
The person was the same, but the impression had changed.
Lu Zhixue frowned, saying nothing.
Qin Xiyue, looking as usual, smiled at Feng Yunjin, “Perhaps it’s because the Princess is wearing softer clothes today.”
Helan Yun was wearing a light orange dress, talking to Song Yunzhao with sunlight filtering through the window, making her eyes curve and her smile warm.
Qin Xiyue withdrew her gaze, puzzled. Before entering the palace, Song Yunzhao and Helan Yun didn’t get along, so how did they become closer inside the palace?
Song Yunzhao never backed down against Helan Yun outside the palace, and Helan Yun was always prideful. Logically, they shouldn’t be friends.
Qin Xiyue lowered her eyes slightly. She hadn’t wanted to join the selection, but she couldn’t refuse her family’s arrangements. Since she was here, she had no intention of losing.
With renewed determination, she reminded herself that Song Yunzhao and Helan Yun getting close meant nothing. She was different from them.
Helan Yun was participating out of spite. Her family had other plans for her, so she wouldn’t be chosen.
As for Song Yunzhao…
Her low status posed no threat. Qin Xiyue wouldn’t harm her, considering she had helped her outside the palace. But if she insisted on competing, Qin Xiyue wouldn’t back down.
She carried her family’s expectations and couldn’t retreat.
Thinking of Ji Yunting, Qin Xiyue’s eyes darkened.
If only, if only he had asked her to stay before the selection, she would have pleaded with her family. But he hadn’t…
Seeing the stewardesses enter, Qin Xiyue quickly composed herself and greeted them with the others.
Learning the rules was a tiresome affair. Every action had standards, like standing without moving, eyes forward.
Comparable to military training, Song Yunzhao found it exhausting. Why should she suffer this twice after traveling for over ten years?
Standing was manageable, but walking posed a challenge.
Each girl had a hairpin inserted by a palace maid and a hanging tassel at the waist. A slight quickening of pace or upper body movement caused the hairpin to sway and the tassel to jingle.
Song Yunzhao was struggling, summoning her military training resilience to endure.
The bright sun shone overhead, sweat trickling down her face. The stewardesses walked among the group, constantly reprimanding them.
“Straighten your waist, lift your head, no looking down.”
“Each step must be the same length, not a bit more or less.”
“The hairpins are almost flying off! Keep your shoulders straight and don’t sway.”
In less than half an hour, a long line of girls stood against the wall, punished. It was quite a sight.
Song Yunzhao knew standing against the wall was no good. Standing for just a minute made your legs shake.
Dissatisfied murmurs began to rise, but no one dared to speak loudly. Everyone gritted their teeth and endured.
At this point, you could see the difference in family backgrounds. Girls like Qin Xiyue, from good families, had learned these rules from a young age, making this process easier and seemingly more effortless.
Those from less privileged backgrounds, who never had the chance to learn such rules, found it much harder, even leading to suppressed sobbing.
Song Yunzhao’s gaze swept over Song Qinghan, seeing her red-faced but still persevering. Despite looking like she might give in, she hadn’t, and hadn’t been punished yet. She truly was the third female lead who stayed in the book.
In that moment of distraction, Song Yunzhao felt a gust of wind hit her, and she was suddenly knocked off balance, falling to the ground with a stinging pain in her knee.
Turning her head, she saw a girl full of fear, almost crying, stammering, “It wasn’t me… I didn’t mean to… Someone pushed me…”
Looking around the girl, she couldn’t see clearly against the light, but the girl’s terrified demeanor suggested it wasn’t her fault.
Someone had intentionally pushed the girl, causing her to collide with Song Yunzhao.
Song Yunzhao had no desire to keep standing there. In an instant, her eyes reddened, and she said to the approaching stewardess, “Stewardess, my leg, my leg can’t move. It hurts so much…”
The stewardess, who had dealt with her the previous day, was shocked. This girl was someone Chief Steward Zhang had taken an interest in. She quickly squatted down, lifted the hem of Yunzhao’s skirt, and saw a bloodstain on her knee, looking quite alarming.
“Stewardess, you must do me justice. The girl who hit me said someone pushed her first, making her collide with me. Clearly, someone did this on purpose. Please investigate and give me justice.”
Song Yunzhao hadn’t forgotten her role today, adamantly accusing. If she let it slide, the person who attacked her would think she was easy to bully and continue to harm her.
The stewardess, feeling a headache coming on, said, “Miss Song, it’s better to go back and treat your injury. A scar would be bad. I’ll make sure to investigate and get to the bottom of this.”
Song Yunzhao tried to stand but found herself being carried back in a soft sedan chair arranged by the stewardess.
This stewardess knew her job, and Yunzhao gave her high marks. She was indeed capable.
As she passed Helan Yun, she heard her say, “You really are unlucky.”
Song Yunzhao was equally puzzled. With the heroine right there, how had the script completely derailed, and the disasters fallen on her instead?
It didn’t make sense.
Then she suddenly realized, in the book, wasn’t it the heroine who got knocked down?
But now, it was her.
What had happened that she didn’t know about?
