Among everyone present, Song Yunzhao didn’t pay much attention to anyone—except for the female lead. The female lead’s rule was like a curse; whenever she let her guard down, misfortune seemed to follow.
So this time, even though Song Yunzhao suspected Qin Xiyue, she didn’t outright drag her down.
Besides, she had no evidence.
Targeting the female lead without proof would only end in disaster. Given past experiences, Song Yunzhao wasn’t keen on testing the protective shield that seemed to surround her—she’d wait until she had absolute certainty.
However, Qin Xiyue’s composure was too steady, making Song Yunzhao feel that her suspicions were probably at least somewhat correct. Even if Qin Xiyue hadn’t orchestrated everything, she had played a part.
With that thought, Song Yunzhao shifted her gaze to Talented Lady Zhu.
Who would’ve thought—the first to be bought over among the new palace entrants wasn’t someone obviously dangerous, but the seemingly harmless Talented Lady Zhu.
By this point, Talented Lady Zhu knew that denying it was useless. Consort Shu wouldn’t save her—she was focused on self-preservation. And Talented Lady Zhu still had her family; if she tried to implicate Consort Shu, she might end up dragging them down with her.
She regretted it, but regret was meaningless now.
Talented Lady Zhu had framed Concubine Lu and slandered Song Yunzhao—either crime was enough for a severe punishment. She wasn’t even given the chance to be sent to the Cold Palace—she was immediately sentenced to death.
Watching her collapse like a pile of mud as she was dragged away, Song Yunzhao remained silent.
The imperial harem was a battlefield for women. Losing meant suffering the same fate as Talented Lady Zhu.
She glanced at the Emperor—his punishment for Consort Shu hadn’t been decided yet. That meant he needed another push.
That despicable Emperor wanted her to perform once more—so she would give him exactly what he wanted.
Song Yunzhao lifted her gaze toward Consort Shu—coincidentally, she was looking back at her. Their eyes locked in midair.
There was a hint of triumph in Consort Shu’s expression. The Emperor had sentenced Talented Lady Zhu to death—that meant she was safe. Song Yunzhao’s efforts had been in vain.
Expressionless, Song Yunzhao kept staring at Consort Shu. Then, under her gaze, her eyes rolled back, her body went limp, and she fainted.
“Master!”
Song Yunzhao heard Xiang Xue’s panicked cry, and before she hit the ground, something tightened around her waist—someone caught her.
Then came the Emperor’s furious voice.
“Consort Shu was graced with imperial favor yet listened to deceitful words. She is unable to distinguish loyalty from treachery. She’s arrogant and reckless, lacking the virtues of a woman—her title is revoked as a warning to others.”
“Your Majesty!”
Consort Shu was both shocked and furious, but it was too late—the Emperor had already left with Song Yunzhao, shouting for the imperial physicians.
Everyone in the hall exchanged glances—none had expected that after sentencing Talented Lady Zhu to death, the Emperor would also punish Consort Shu.
One had to admit—Noble Concubine Song fainted at exactly the right time.
Consort Zhuang felt mild disappointment.
Consort Shu… oh, wait, now she was Consort Lu[mfn]In the beginning they introduced her as Consort Shu Lu Min. The name Shu was given to her by the Emperor and she just lost it.[/mfn]—her title had been stripped.
Still, in the end, the Emperor had shown mercy, likely for the sake of Minister Lu’s standing, allowing Consort Lu to retain some dignity.
The three imperial consorts had their titles, but now that Consort Shu had lost hers, she was clearly at the bottom.
Consort Zhuang slowly approached Consort Lu, flashing a genuinely sincere smile.
“Consort Lu, how could you be so foolish? Trusting the words of a mere Talented Lady. But don’t be too discouraged—once His Majesty calms down, your title might be restored.”
Consort Lu stared at Consort Zhuang, knowing full well that she was mocking her on purpose.
Had it been before, she would have never swallowed her anger—but now…
She had no desire to worsen the Emperor’s impression of her. She merely gave Consort Zhuang a brief look, then turned away, flinging her sleeves as she left.
Watching Consort Shu—no, Consort Lu—leave in disgrace, Consort Zhuang let out a soft sigh. Then, turning to the others, she said,
“It’s late—I’m heading back. You should all disperse too.”
Consort Wan sneered inwardly at Consort Zhuang’s performance, but said nothing and simply walked away.
Consort Zhuang didn’t care—Consort Wan had always been this way. But if she still couldn’t see the situation clearly, she might be the next one to fall.
Once the three consorts left, everyone else finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Feng Yunjin didn’t want to get involved—she was the first to quietly slip away.
Fan Qingru and Qin Xiyue were headed in the same direction, so they left together. The remaining people scattered in small groups.
On the way back, Fan Qingru remained silent. To be honest, today’s events had shaken her deeply. It was her first time facing such ruthless drama, and even now, her hands and feet still felt weak.
Qin Xiyue had no desire to talk either. The two walked in silence until they reached the crossroads, where they exchanged goodbyes and parted ways.
Even though Fan Qingru’s rank was lower than Qin Xiyue’s, she came from a noble household—an aristocratic family with solid credentials. As long as she seized the right opportunity, climbing the ranks was only a matter of time. So Qin Xiyue never looked down on her despite her lower status, and their relationship remained fairly cordial.
Back in Huayang Palace, Qin Xiyue entered the inner hall and waved everyone away before sitting down to carefully piece together the day’s events.
Looking back, although Song Yunzhao had made a huge scene, as if completely losing her temper, every word and action had systematically forced Talented Lady Zhu and Consort Lu into a corner.
Brash but clueless?
Relying solely on her looks?
Qin Xiyue curled her lips. If she were merely relying on her face, how could she repeatedly embarrass Consort Lu, leaving her utterly defeated today—her title stripped away?
She had underestimated Song Yunzhao. She had never truly considered her a rival.
Thinking of the letter from home, Qin Xiyue furrowed her brows again.
Her family had urged her to gain the Emperor’s favor as soon as possible. But after today’s spectacle, the Emperor’s mind was likely full of Song Yunzhao. Winning his favor anytime soon would be nearly impossible.
“Master.”
Qin Xiyue lifted her gaze. “What is it?”
“A palace maid from Concubine Lu’s residence is requesting an audience.”
Qin Xiyue hesitated for a moment. “Tell her I’ve gone to bed.”
“As you wish.”
Qin Xiyue leaned against a soft pillow, closing her eyes. She couldn’t meet anyone from Lu Zhixue’s household right now. She knew exactly what Lu Zhixue wanted, but at this moment, she couldn’t do it—nor was she willing to.
In Wangyou Palace, after examining Song Yunzhao, the imperial physician diagnosed her with excessive fright and prescribed calming herbal medicine.
Song Yunzhao had originally pretended to faint, but being carried all the way back by the Emperor had left her actually dizzy.
She felt like she was in a hazy, dreamlike state. She should have woken up already, but she couldn’t open her eyes. Her mind floated, weightless, as if suspended midair—the feeling was unsettling.
Flashes of countless memories surged through her mind, tangled between her past and present life. She wanted to break free. She wanted to live properly. But something held her captive.
“Yunzhao…”
Feng Yi suddenly felt the person on the bed struggling violently. He didn’t know if she was dreaming—her eyes remained tightly shut, her face pale, and even her usually rosy lips carried a bluish tint. She murmured incoherently, speaking too fast in a voice too low to understand.
Feng Yi recognized the signs immediately—she was being tormented by a nightmare. Without hesitation, he bent down, pulling her into his arms, gently patting her back.
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid—I’m here. I am the true dragon Emperor. No evil spirits or demons can harm you.”
Pressed into Feng Yi’s embrace, Song Yunzhao slowly opened her eyes. Her heartbeat, which had been racing wildly, gradually steadied. The patches of black mist clouding her vision began to fade, allowing her mind to clear.
“Your Majesty…”
“You’re awake?” Feng Yi quickly lowered his head to look at her. “Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”
It was entirely his fault—he had thought Yunzhao was only pretending. He hadn’t expected that she was actually frightened. Seeing her now, her weakened state was clear—she must have truly been shaken by Consort Shu today.
Song Yunzhao lifted her head and met Feng Yi’s gaze. For a moment, she almost felt that he was genuinely worried about her.
“I’m just a little thirsty.” Her lips were dry, her mind still heavy with chaotic dreams. It felt suffocating—like she was a salted fish tossed ashore, desperately needing water.
Feng Yi helped her lean against the soft pillow, then turned to the small bedside table, poured a cup of water, and held it to Yunzhao’s lips. “Drink.”
Song Yunzhao: …
No need for all this.
With the Emperor treating her this way, she felt like she was being escorted to the execution grounds.
She reached out to take the cup, but Feng Yi pressed down her arm. “Drink. Weren’t you just saying you were thirsty?”
Song Yunzhao had no strength left and didn’t feel like resisting. She simply let the Emperor hold the cup as she drained it completely.
“More?”
Song Yunzhao nodded.
Feng Yi poured her another cup. Once she had finished drinking, he said, “You just woke up—don’t drink too much, or your stomach will feel uncomfortable.”
Song Yunzhao smiled faintly. “I’ll listen to Your Majesty.”
Feng Yi stared at her weak smile, and for a moment, his emotions were difficult to describe.
She had always been full of energy.
“Today’s events scared you, didn’t they?” Feng Yi said gently. “I arrived too late.”
Huh?
Song Yunzhao looked at him genuinely surprised, then shook her head.
“This has nothing to do with Your Majesty. It was Consort Shu who wanted to get rid of me—she deliberately framed me. If not today, it would have been tomorrow. To be honest, I never expected Your Majesty to come. I had already made up my mind—if Consort Shu really wanted to kill me, I’d make a run for Taiji Palace. There’s no way Your Majesty wouldn’t save me.”
Feng Yi imagined the scene—she actually would do something like that.
After a brief pause, he said, “That’s exactly the right mindset. You were framed. If I hadn’t arrived in time, you couldn’t just sit and wait for death—running would’ve been the smart move.”
Song Yunzhao: …
Another day, another moment of being utterly stunned by the Emperor.
“I was just joking—there are so many people around Consort Shu, how could I possibly escape?” Song Yunzhao spoke cheerfully, but her words were meant to remind the Emperor of the vast difference in power between her and Consort Shu.
“That makes sense,” Feng Yi nodded seriously, “You suffered such a great injustice and fright today—I should properly compensate you.”
Song Yunzhao looked up at the Emperor, smiling as if she were indulging him. “What does Your Majesty plan to reward me with? Another box of gold? Or silver?”
Feng Yi found himself both amused and exasperated. “Who was it that complained about being poor to me earlier? And now you’re using that to tease me?”
“So, what does Your Majesty want to reward me with?” Song Yunzhao kept her tone casual, but inwardly, she felt a slight tension rising.
In the novel, the Emperor was notoriously stingy about titles—he rarely granted promotions.
Take the three consorts, for example. They had been in the palace for five years. Their initial rank was consort, and even now, they remained consorts. Of course, that had something to do with the fact that, above their rank, there was only one position higher—Imperial Noble Consort, aside from the Empress.
As for the novel’s heroine, Qin Xiyue—her rise was also painfully slow. The Emperor treated her as a trouble-cleaning machine while also being wary of Grand Tutor Qin. So even though Qin Xiyue carried major responsibilities, her rank advanced at a crawl.
Of course, it was also possible that the author intentionally slowed down the heroine’s promotions, to make the difficulty of surviving palace politics more evident.
So, at this moment, Song Yunzhao had already ruled out the possibility of a promotion or a salary increase. She had simply drawn the short straw with a stingy Emperor.
That’s just life.
Since she couldn’t expect a promotion, whatever reward he planned wasn’t particularly exciting to her.
It didn’t seem like it would be anything meaningful.
“Tomorrow, you’ll find out.” Feng Yi smiled.
Song Yunzhao: …
Ah, so now he wanted to play mysterious? Fine—the Emperor certainly knew how to keep things interesting.
So she played along, feigning anticipation before she began ushering him out.
Meng Jiuchang had already been pacing outside—Song Yunzhao had seen his shadow earlier.
It was clear that Feng Yi needed to leave.
He glanced at Song Yunzhao and instructed, “Rest well, take a few days to recover. And don’t go running around unnecessarily.”
Song Yunzhao kept a straight face. “Your Majesty should get back to work.”
A perfectly decent Emperor—yet somehow, he had to open his mouth and ruin it.
Feng Yi chuckled as he walked away.
Once the Emperor was gone, Song Yunzhao finally relaxed completely. Talking to him required maintaining sharp focus, and now she could unwind, leaning against her pillow to think everything over.
Xiang Xue and Shi Zhu hurried in. “Master, would you like something to eat?”
Song Yunzhao shook her head—she wasn’t feeling hungry.
“When I fainted, did anything happen?” She faintly recalled that the Emperor had punished Consort Shu, but her mind had been buzzing too much at the time to catch the details.
Shi Zhu’s face lit up in excitement. “Master, His Majesty stripped Consort Shu of her title—she’s now Concubine Lu.”
Song Yunzhao looked at them. “Is that so? That’s good news.”
Tch.
Clearly, the Emperor still couldn’t fully wield power in court. He had only revoked the title, instead of demoting her rank. What a waste.
She knew how much the Emperor despised these people—if he could only strip a title, it meant she still had more work to do.
After all that effort, all she managed was one title removal.
It felt underwhelming.
Seeing their master not particularly pleased, Xiang Xue and Shi Zhu exchanged glances—perhaps they shouldn’t be too happy either.
After a brief pause, Xiang Xue said, “Master, before His Majesty left, he said you’ve suffered a grievance and may summon your family to visit you in the palace.”
“Really?” Song Yunzhao’s face brightened in surprise. Her current rank made monthly family visits difficult, though with some maneuvering, she could make it happen.
For the Emperor to offer it voluntarily was an unexpected delight.
“It’s true,” Shi Zhu nodded eagerly.
Song Yunzhao sighed in relief—finally, at least something useful had come out of today.
“Have Anshun go to the Song residence and invite my Aunt to the palace.”
Then, she turned to Xiang Xue. “You and Anshun protected me today—you will both receive generous rewards.”
“This is our duty,” Xiang Xue quickly stepped forward and replied.
Song Yunzhao looked at Shi Zhu. “Go fetch two banknotes of one hundred taels each—give them one each.”
Then she turned to Xiang Xue. “When the time comes for you to leave the palace, I’ll find you a good marriage. You’ve been loyal in protecting me, and I won’t let that loyalty go unrewarded.”
When someone was loyal to her, she would reward them generously—only then could she truly win people over.
Xiang Xue’s eyes turned red. “Master…”
Shi Zhu had already retrieved the silver notes, handed one to Xiang Xue, and smiled. “Having a mistress like Noble Concubine Song is truly our good fortune. Take it—just do your job well from now on.”
Xiang Xue nodded, saying no more. For a palace maid, the greatest hope was simply to leave safely one day and marry into a good household.
Shi Zhu took the other banknote and made a grand show of delivering it to Anshun. She wanted everyone in Wangyou Palace to know that their mistress was generous with rewards—once people had something to look forward to, their loyalty would naturally grow stronger.
Anshun received the silver note and came specifically to bow in thanks.
Song Yunzhao praised him a few times before giving instructions. “Tomorrow, only my Aunt may enter the palace. You may also deliver my respects to my father.”
Anshun noted everything carefully before leaving.
After talking for so long, Song Yunzhao actually felt a little exhausted.
It seemed fainting had left lingering effects.
She barely touched her dinner and ended up going to bed early.
Han Jinyi came in the evening to check on her, but upon learning that Song Yunzhao was asleep, she was surprised—it wasn’t even fully dark yet.
Still, knowing she was resting, she chose not to disturb her and left.
Not long after Han Jinyi departed, the Emperor issued an edict—Concubine Lu’s house arrest was lifted.
Talented Lady Zhu had framed Lu Zhixue. If not for Song Yunzhao speaking up, how would the Emperor have known?
Yet, Lu Zhixue’s confinement had also been because of Song Yunzhao.
She was the one who had Lu Zhixue locked away. Now, she was the one getting her released.
People couldn’t help but marvel—Noble Concubine Song truly knew how to stir things up.
With just her own influence, she had turned the harem into a boiling cauldron, constantly churning with turmoil.
Inside Yihua Palace, Lu Zhixue sat expressionless, newly freed from confinement.
Yu Xiu and Yinshuang stood nearby, carefully attending to her. Seeing their mistress show no joy at her release, both were worried.
After a long silence, Lu Zhixue finally spoke. “You may all retire for the night.”
“Master…” Yinshuang hesitated, worried.
Lu Zhixue shook her head, and Yinshuang could only stay silent.
After helping their mistress settle in for the night, the two quietly withdrew.
Outside, Yinshuang turned to Yu Xiu. “What do you think Master is planning? Is she really going to let this go? Shouldn’t she go to Wangyou Palace and thank Noble Concubine Song?”
Yu Xiu looked at Yinshuang. “This whole mess started because of Noble Concubine Song. If not for her, why would Master have been placed under house arrest?”
Yinshuang frowned. “You can’t say it like that. If it hadn’t been for Talented Lady Zhu stirring up trouble, none of this misfortune would have happened. Thankfully, Talented Lady Zhu has already been dealt with by His Majesty, but the reason Master was freed early was because Noble Concubine Song brought it up to him.”
Yu Xiu was still somewhat unconvinced. Then Yinshuang said, “Did you forget that our mistress had Feng Xiao Yuan send word to Wangyou Palace?”
Yu Xiu pursed her lips. “But mistress never said she had to do it.”
“That’s exactly why, as servants, we need to remind her when necessary. Never forget—we serve in Yihua Palace. If our mistress is well, we will be well.”
Yu Xiu looked toward Wangyou Palace, let out a sigh, and said, “How is it that she always has such good luck? After making such a scene with Consort Lu today, His Majesty still protects her. If not for Minister Lu’s influence, Consort Lu might not have even kept her rank.”
“Good luck?” Yinshuang glanced at Yu Xiu. “Do you really think it’s just luck?”
Yu Xiu didn’t respond.
Yinshuang continued, “That one from Huayang Palace[mfn]They’re talking about Qin Xiyue[/mfn] may be on good terms with our mistress, but what good does that do? Did you hear what Noble Concubine Qin said yesterday? If she still valued their past friendship, she should have said something on behalf of our mistress before His Majesty. But instead, she was too busy distancing herself. Today, when mistress sent me to Huayang Palace, I couldn’t even see her. Do you think our mistress wouldn’t be hurt by that?”
Hearing the conversation outside, Lu Zhixue slowly closed her eyes.
The next morning, Song Yunzhao woke early. After a full night’s rest, she felt rejuvenated—like she could punch a bull.
After finishing breakfast, she waited for her aunt to arrive at the palace. There were many things she wanted to ask.
But before her aunt arrived, Meng Jiuchang came first—bringing an imperial decree.
In a daze, she received the decree, and only when the cheers erupted in Wangyou Palace did she finally register what had happened—she was now Song Jieyu!
“Congratulations, Jieyu.”
Song Yunzhao’s heartbeat thumped wildly.
That stingy Emperor had not only promoted her but had skipped a rank and elevated her two levels—was she dreaming?
“Rewards! Everyone gets rewards!” Song Yunzhao was ecstatic—truly ecstatic.
Meng Jiuchang stepped forward. “Congratulations, Jieyu.”
“Thank you, Chief Eunuch Meng, for making this trip.”
With good news, everyone seemed more pleasant, and even Meng Jiuchang looked more agreeable.
She was a little curious, though—why wasn’t it Zhang Maoquan delivering the decree today?
What she didn’t know was that Zhang Maoquan was in Taiji Palace at that moment, venting his frustration—Meng Jiuchang had snatched his job. Truly shameless!
Anshun stepped forward and discreetly slipped Meng Jiuchang a pouch. He smiled and accepted it, then turned to Song Yunzhao. “His Majesty was occupied with urgent matters last night and couldn’t visit Jieyu, but he is expected to join you for lunch today.”
Song Yunzhao felt the pouch had been worth giving.
After sending Meng Jiuchang off, Wangyou Palace burst into celebration.
Song Yunzhao was in great spirits—a promotion and a raise were life’s greatest joys.
Yesterday’s battle had not been in vain.
The Emperor’s compensation had been unexpected.
Tsk—this proved she couldn’t follow the heroine’s struggle-filled path. Working tirelessly for half a lifetime just to earn a fraction of what she wanted?
Not her style.
See? She was different.
Who would have thought—the Emperor was secretly fascinated by her type.
“Master, Madam Song has arrived.”
Song Yunzhao’s excitement rose even further. “Quick—invite her in!”
As soon as First Madam entered Wangyou Palace, she immediately noticed the joyous atmosphere.
She didn’t know what had happened, but she could tell it was something good—so she couldn’t help feeling happy too.
Inside the hall, she approached Song Yunzhao and paid her respects.
“Your servant greets Noble Concubine Song.”
“Madam, you need to change the way you address our mistress—she is now Jieyu.” Shi Zhu said cheerfully.
Madam Song was overjoyed. “Really? That’s wonderful news. Greetings to Jieyu.”
Song Yunzhao stood up and personally helped First Madam to her feet, smiling. “Aunt, please sit.”
Madam Song was truly happy. In such a short time, their family’s Yunzhao had risen two ranks to become Jieyu.
She carefully studied Yunzhao’s expression—seeing her rosy complexion and energetic demeanor, she finally felt relieved. Then, she spoke. “Jieyu suddenly called me into the palace—is there something you wish to instruct me on?”
Song Yunzhao glanced at Xiang Xue and the others, and they quickly bowed and withdrew.
Only then did Song Yunzhao speak in a low voice. “Aunt, I just learned that my Uncle and Father have been impeached because of me. I am worried about the family’s situation—that’s why I asked you to come.”
Madam Song was surprised. “Jieyu, how did you find out?”
The family hadn’t sent word to the palace, precisely to avoid worrying her.
Song Yunzhao responded, “Han Xiaoyi told me.”
Madam Song let out a breath.
So, it was the daughter of the Minister of Justice.
![Who Are You Calling A Canary? [Transmigration]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250108211651_200_280.jpg "Who Are You Calling A Canary? [Transmigration]")
