How could she respond?
She didn’t want to look at all!
But now she had no choice. With the Emperor’s “fire” putting her in the spot, everyone’s eyes were on her.
Why did His Majesty specifically ask Noble Concubine Song among so many people?
Song Yunzhao looked at the unfriendly glances from Consorts Shu and Wan, who had hurried over, and then at Consort Zhuang’s thoughtful gaze. This fire put her in the spotlight—if she didn’t rise from the ashes, she would be letting down the Emperor’s “favor.”
“Replying to Your Majesty, this concubine is just curious. With so many flowers in the garden, how did Beauty Zhen have such good luck to pick the one nurtured by Consort Zhuang? It’s quite a coincidence,” Song Yunzhao smiled at everyone as she spoke, seemingly inadvertently glancing at Qin Xiyue’s face, though her eyes were slightly lowered, which hid her expression.
“I find it curious as well,” Feng Yi said, looking at Song Yunzhao’s flustered yet forced calmness, feeling quite pleased.
Among so many in the harem, only this one was chosen by him personally. Clearly, he made the right choice.
Song Yunzhao, hearing the Emperor give her an out, eagerly seized the opportunity to elevate the Emperor in return, “His Majesty values your concubine so much, for which I am deeply grateful. However, as I am new to the palace and ignorant of many things, I feel quite anxious about being unable to assist Your Majesty. But I believe in Your Majesty’s wisdom and strength to uncover the truth.”
Feng Yi: …
Digging a pit for him right after giving him an out, incredible!
Feng Yi gave Song Yunzhao a long look, to which she maintained a helpless yet sincere smile.
Come on, let’s hurt each other.
Feng Yi slowly withdrew his gaze, looking at Beauty Zhen with his usual expression, “Beauty Zhen, you explain.”
Beauty Zhen straightened up despite the pain, took a deep breath, and finally spoke, “Replying to His Majesty, your concubine… Your concubine felt bored after finishing breakfast this morning, so my maid Cui Ju suggested taking a walk in the garden to pass the time. I agreed, and on the way, I met Honored Lady Dong, so we walked together. In the Imperial Garden, we encountered Noble Lady Chen and started admiring the flowers together…”
Upon hearing this, Song Yunzhao mentally mapped it out. Beauty Zhen lived in the western side hall of Linhua Palace, while Honored Lady Dong lived in the eastern side hall. It wasn’t surprising they met. Noble Lady Chen lived in the eastern side hall of Qingyun Palace. Where was the western garden located?
The western garden was surrounded by Linhua Palace, Qingyun Palace, Yanqing Palace, and Cuiwei Palace, so it made sense for Noble Lady Chen to be there and meet Beauty Zhen. Everything was reasonable so far.
“We were casually walking in the garden and saw a few hydrangea bushes in full bloom. I really didn’t know these flowers belonged to Consort Zhuang. If I had known, I wouldn’t have dared to touch them.” Beauty Zhen became more aggrieved as she spoke. If they were Consort Zhuang’s flowers, why weren’t they guarded? Just leaving them there, who would know they were hers? Wasn’t this a setup?
But she didn’t dare voice these complaints.
Consort Zhuang came from a good family and was favored, while she was new to the palace and had low status. How could she dare say such things?
Not daring to speak didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling wronged. Tears started to fall as she spoke.
Song Yunzhao looked at Beauty Zhen with mixed feelings. After all that, she still hadn’t said anything substantial. No wonder she was chosen to be set up—she was pretty but not very bright.
Feng Yi had been observing Song Yunzhao’s expression. Seeing her use a fan to cover her mouth, with her eyes darting about, he knew she was secretly mocking someone.
Although the Emperor wanted to watch the commotion, he didn’t want to involve himself directly. His gaze shifted to Consort Shu, his face showing a gentle smile, “Consort Shu, what do you think?”
Consort Shu and Consort Zhuang had never gotten along, so she would likely enjoy stirring the pot.
Consort Shu’s eyes lit up. The Emperor still valued her the most, and she immediately smiled and said, “Your Majesty, I feel Beauty Zhen’s explanation is unclear. How can we find the truth? May I ask her a few questions?”
Feng Yi nodded slightly, “Thank you for your effort, my dear consort.”
Song Yunzhao: …
The Emperor had passed the burden skillfully. Consort Shu happily took it, feeling that the Emperor valued her.
She glanced at Consort Zhuang, whose expression seemed unchanged, finding it interesting. The truth behind this matter was no longer important. With the Emperor involving Consort Shu, the issue became a struggle between Consort Shu and Consort Zhuang. For newcomers like them, they were just pawns in the battle.
Realizing she was also just a pawn dampened her spirits.
Consort Shu, emboldened by the Emperor’s words, swept her gaze over Consort Zhuang and stepped forward, looking at Beauty Zhen, “It’s scorching hot, and you’ve been kneeling for so long. Consort Zhuang should be appeased by now. Stand up and answer.” Then she looked at Consort Zhuang, “Consort Zhuang, you don’t have any objections, do you?”
Meeting Consort Shu’s provocative gaze, Consort Zhuang sneered inwardly but said, “Consort Shu is so kind. How could I have any objections?”
Beauty Zhen, now more perceptive, hurriedly kowtowed to thank Consort Shu and then performed a grand salute to Consort Zhuang before shakily standing up with the help of her maid, Cui Ju. Her knees hurt terribly from the long kneeling, and she almost sat back down.
“Beauty Zhen, before coming to the garden, besides your servants, who else suggested you visit the garden?” Consort Shu asked calmly.
Beauty Zhen was stunned, then thought for a moment before shaking her head, “No one else.”
Consort Shu nodded slightly and turned to Cui Ju, “Cui Ju, why did you suggest Beauty Zhen visit the garden?”
Cui Ju quickly replied, “Replying to niangniang, I saw that my mistress had nothing to do after breakfast and thought the garden scenery was lovely, so I suggested it.”
Song Yunzhao nodded secretly, finding it reasonable.
Consort Shu asked, “Did you know there were flowers belonging to Consort Zhuang in the garden?”
Cui Ju hesitated, then said, “I heard about it but never saw it myself. I was only recently transferred to serve in Linhua palace, so I’m not very familiar with the garden’s situation.”
Consort Shu then turned to Beauty Zhen, “Beauty Zhen, while you were with Honored Lady Dong and Noble Lady Chen, did they mention anything about the garden?”
Honored Lady Dong thought carefully and shook her head, “Replying to niangniang, we just enjoyed the scenery along the way and didn’t discuss anything else.”
“Why did you suddenly want to pick flowers? There must be a reason.”
“…” Honored Lady Dong paused, then glanced at Cui Ju.
Cui Ju kept her head down, seemingly unaware.
“At the time, Cui Ju mentioned that the Lanyue Hall was empty, and that it would look nice to pick a few flowers to decorate the place. I thought that made sense, so I picked the blooming hydrangeas,” said Beauty Zhen, fixing her gaze on Cui Ju. “Cui Ju, did you intentionally guide me to pick the flowers?”
Cui Ju trembled all over with fear and immediately knelt on the ground, saying, “I didn’t, I wouldn’t dare to do such a thing. At the time, I truly thought that adding a few flower arrangements in the hall would make Beauty Zhen feel happier, which is why I dared to say such a thing.”
Beauty Zhen hesitated for a moment—it seemed to make sense.
Consort Shu, however, no longer looked at Beauty Zhen. She turned her gaze to Cui Ju and asked, “Since you came from the Liushang Bureau, where did you previously serve, and under whom?”
Cui Ju tensed, her forehead pressed tightly to the ground. “In response to niangniang, this servant previously served in the Department of Wardrobe under Fan Momo.”
Consort Shu then turned to Honored Lady Dong and Noble Lady Chen and asked, “Did either of you notice anything unusual at that time? Or perhaps, do you remember anything else Cui Ju might have said?”
Honored Lady Dong’s face had been pale throughout. When questioned, she shuddered in fear and hurriedly replied, “In response to niangniang, although I was accompanying Beauty Zhen, we were at some distance while admiring the flowers, so I’m not sure what Cui Ju said.”
Consort Shu turned her gaze to Noble Lady Chen, who immediately responded, “I was with Beauty Zhen at that time and indeed heard Cui Ju say something along those lines. However, I didn’t hear her say anything else. Beauty Zhen had just picked the flowers when someone came over and scolded her for disrespecting Consort Zhuang. I was so scared at the time that I didn’t pay attention to anything else.”
Song Yunzhao watched as Consort Shu decisively summoned the palace maids who had caught Beauty Zhen picking flowers for questioning. She also ordered an investigation into Cui Ju’s past in the Department of Wardrobe. The situation suddenly became very delicate.
From the looks of it, Cui Ju was likely acting under someone’s instructions, deliberately guiding Beauty Zhen into making a mistake.
She carefully recalled the storyline but couldn’t quite remember if this particular event was mentioned. The plot at the time mainly revolved around Qin Xiyue’s grand confrontation with Consort Zhuang—a heated verbal duel of three hundred rounds debating whether Beauty Zhen should be punished by kneeling. Qin Xiyue attacked the oppressive hierarchy of the imperial harem from a perspective of humanistic care, criticizing Consort Zhuang for her abuses of power, ultimately achieving a resounding victory.
As for the truth, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that the Emperor’s fury landed squarely on Consort Zhuang for wielding her authority unjustly.
Song Yunzhao reflected on her earlier days reading this book, thinking that her perspective and judgment must have been somewhat skewed. She hadn’t noticed that the truth had been buried and had only been impressed by the female lead’s eloquence, even applauding her for it.
Now, looking back, she couldn’t believe her own foolishness. How could reading a book have dulled her critical thinking? The key point was that she hadn’t even thought there was a problem.
As she pondered this, Song Yunzhao’s gaze landed on Qin Xiyue. Seeing her reminded her of the ignored issues. This time, when the situation had taken a turn, why hadn’t Qin Xiyue righteously defended Beauty Zhen against Consort Zhuang?
Song Yunzhao secretly made a mental note: as long as Qin Xiyue didn’t act, neither would she. The Emperor had sent Consort Shu to contend with Consort Zhuang, which conveniently allowed Song Yunzhao to fade into the background without needing to make a name for herself.
Since the person behind Cui Ju couldn’t be identified in a short time, the Emperor grew impatient from waiting, handed the matter over to Consort Shu and left the scene without a care.
After the Emperor departed, Consort Shu, annoyed by the sight of Song Yunzhao and the others, dismissed them with a cold expression.
Song Yunzhao was more than happy to leave and immediately rose to go. Han Jinyi followed, walking beside her, and softly asked, “Who do you think is behind Cui Ju?”
“I have no idea,” Song Yunzhao shook her head.
But, taking everything into account, Qin Xiyue’s behavior in the book was vastly different from how she acted now. This discrepancy was suspicious. However, she couldn’t explain this to Han Jinyi. With no evidence to back it up, how could she say she had read about it in a book? That would sound absurd.
Song Yunzhao felt a growing suspicion toward Qin Xiyue but had no concrete proof tying her to the matter. Nevertheless, her level of vigilance toward the female lead heightened significantly.
Unaware of Song Yunzhao’s conflicted expression, Han Jinyi mused aloud as they walked, “Before, Noble Concubine Qin boldly stood up to speak out for justice. I thought she might later speak up for Beauty Zhen, but she didn’t.”
“Hmm?” Song Yunzhao glanced at Han Jinyi. “You also think something’s off?”
“You think so too?” Han Jinyi asked in surprise.
Song Yunzhao nodded.
Han Jinyi sighed with slight relief. “I thought I was being petty, but it turns out it wasn’t just my imagination.”
Song Yunzhao thought to herself that Han Jinyi was much more perceptive than her past self when reading the book. After some thought, she said, “Do you think this matter has anything to do with Noble Concubine Qin?”
“That’s unlikely, right?” Han Jinyi was startled. “We’ve just entered the palace—how could she have such connections?” But as she spoke, her words trailed off. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t impossible.
Song Yunzhao listened to Han Jinyi’s half-finished sentence and smiled. “Whether it’s true or not, let’s just stay cautious.”
Han Jinyi, still unsettled, nodded silently. When they reached a fork in the path, she parted ways with Song Yunzhao and returned straight to her palace.
Ying Chun, looking worried, softly said, “Mistress, don’t think too much about it. Just don’t get involved in this matter.”
Han Jinyi shook her head. It wasn’t that simple. Thinking about how someone as scheming as Cui Ju had been placed by Beauty Zhen’s side, she now felt a tinge of suspicion toward the people around her too. She swallowed her words, deliberated carefully, and said cautiously, “I just think Beauty Zhen is truly pitiful—completely unaware and yet plotted against. Today was an unprovoked disaster.”
She knew life in the palace wasn’t easy, but she hadn’t imagined it would be this treacherous.
When the Emperor left earlier, his expression wasn’t good. Unless Beauty Zhen could find some way to recover, today’s event would leave her branded as a fool. Any hopes of gaining favor in the future would vanish. With such a poor impression left on the Emperor, what chance did she have to rise?
A young girl in her prime—ruined just like that.
Ying Chun, standing nearby, heard her words and chuckled. “Mistress, if you live in the palace long enough, you’ll come to realize there are many pitiful people here. You’ll get used to it eventually.”
Han Jinyi, hearing Ying Chun’s words, looked at her and asked, “The concubines who entered the palace before us?”
Ying Chun lowered her voice in response to her mistress’s question. “Mistress, you’re truly sharp. Apart from the three Consorts, the rest are nothing more than titles without substance.”
Han Jinyi felt a chill run through her. She recalled her father mentioning that the earliest concubines that entered the palace might not all come from the most powerful families, but they were women of noteworthy backgrounds, entrusted with important responsibilities by their families. These women were supposed to be among the finest daughters of their clans. And yet, what was the result?
Seeing her mistress’s expression grow uneasy, Ying Chun dared not continue and instead changed the subject with a smile. “Summer has already arrived, Mistress. The Department of Wardrobe will soon be tailoring summer garments for everyone. In the next few days, they’ll take measurements, and I’ll help you pick out some lovely patterns.”
Han Jinyi nodded absentmindedly, her thoughts wandering far away. Only after Ying Chun had finished speaking did she dismiss her. Leaning against a soft cushion, she carefully pondered her future path.
Although Han Jinyi didn’t think of herself as foolish, the events of the day made her realize she lacked the skill to outmaneuver everyone in the palace.
If she wanted to survive and preserve her dignity, she couldn’t rely on the Emperor, whose decisive exit earlier left no room for hope.
She had to find another way. The three Consorts had endured in the palace for years; following their lead wouldn’t be easy and might require immense sacrifices. Worse still, she might just become a stepping stone for them, which was not what she wanted.
Initially, she had been on good terms with Qin Xiyue and others. During the selection process, they had supported each other and formed close bonds. However, after certain events in Zhichun Palace, she now realized she might have been overly idealistic.
At first, when Qin Xiyue spoke out for Beauty Zhen, Han Jinyi had thought she’d judged her correctly. But later, when Qin Xiyue remained silent, reflecting on it now, she felt a chill in her heart.
Why had Qin Xiyue feigned ignorance later?
It was likely because the Emperor had handed the matter over to Consort Shu, who had uncovered Cui Ju’s suspicious actions. Although Beauty Zhen was innocent, this incident had severely damaged her reputation with the Emperor, effectively ruining her future prospects.
A woman who had lost her future prospects naturally held no value. That was why Qin Xiyue had let her go.
If Han Jinyi were to ally herself with Qin Xiyue, would Qin Xiyue abandon her just as decisively if she lost her value?
Although this was only her speculation, the more she thought about it, the more alarmed she became. Any plans to form an alliance with Qin Xiyue were completely dashed.
Looking back at Yunzhao, the Emperor had pointed her out earlier. If it had been someone else, they would have undoubtedly investigated thoroughly to earn credit in front of the Emperor. But Yunzhao hadn’t done that—instead, she had quickly deflected the responsibility.
Moreover, if Yunzhao hadn’t intervened in the matter, it’s possible Cui Ju would have gotten away with it. Had events continued to unfold naturally, the situation might have escalated into a confrontation between Qin Xiyue and Consort Zhuang. If that had happened, Qin Xiyue could have used the issue with Beauty Zhen to gain the spotlight and stand out among the new arrivals.
Han Jinyi didn’t dare to dwell on it further, feeling that the more she thought about it, the more muddled her mind became.
That night, she barely slept, her dreams were filled with scenes from the day’s events.
Song Yunzhao, however, was completely different. Not even the gravest matters could disturb her sleep. She slept soundly and woke up refreshed the next day.
“Any updates on yesterday’s matter?” Song Yunzhao asked Xiang Xue after finishing her breakfast.
Xiang Xue, who was tidying the table with Shi Zhu and the others, shook her head when she heard the question. “There’s no movement from Cuiwei Palace. Yu Momo instructed Anshun to keep an eye on things. If there’s any news, he’ll report back.”
Song Yunzhao doubted they would uncover the major “mastermind.” The Department of Wardrobe was responsible for making clothes and accessories for the harem’s concubines, but it was chaotic and crowded. Tracing everything to its root would hardly be easy.
This matter was likely to become a cold case. Even if Consort Shu wanted to dig deeper, her reach wouldn’t extend that far. Unless the Right Prime Ministe stepped in, but if he interfered in harem matters, the Emperor would surely disapprove.
For someone as inconsequential as Beauty Zhen, why would Consort Shu bother involving her father?
Thus, there was no need to overthink the matter. It would likely end with Cui Ju.
The Emperor’s swift and decisive departure yesterday likely reflected his anticipation of this outcome. It wasn’t worth wasting time on.
Song Yunzhao had no interest in meddling further either. She was barely capable of protecting herself, let alone playing hero for someone else.
She returned to her study to continue writing her story. She hoped to finish two books before meeting Xie Linlang. Court intrigue and imperial drama were no match for the allure of silver. In the palace, where countless relationships needed attention and bribes were essential, how could she survive without making money?
Relying on others wasn’t as good as relying on herself.
Song Yunzhao happily continued writing her book, while at Taiji Palace, the Emperor was reviewing a memorial submitted by Consort Shu. After reading it, his eyes showed a hint of mockery—he had expected this outcome.
Meng Jiuchang, sensing the Emperor’s sour mood, didn’t dare to interrupt. After a while, he heard the Emperor say, “Follow Consort Shu’s suggestion.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Meng Jiuchang quickly replied. Seeing that the Emperor had nothing more to say, he turned and left the hall.
Feng Yi’s fingers brushed past the memorial submitted by Consort Shu before casually tossing it into the pile of discarded documents.
“Your Majesty,” Zhang Maoquan quickly entered the hall, bowed deeply, and greeted.
Feng Yi glanced at Zhang Maoquan. “What is it?”
“This servant discreetly inquired and found that Cui Ju began her service five years ago. She didn’t transfer from the harem but was instead assigned directly to the Department of Wardrobe after being selected as a palace maid,” Zhang Maoquan reported, his palms sweating.
If Cui Ju truly had problems, it meant that whoever was behind her had been meticulous and thorough. By not allowing Cui Ju to leave traces in the harem and sending her directly to the Department of Wardrobe, they left very few clues. To uncover the mastermind, Cui Ju’s confession would be essential.
“Moreover, early this morning, Cui Ju hanged herself,” Zhang Maoquan struggled to say.
Feng Yi wasn’t surprised at all and sneered, “Such an impressive maneuver.”
Zhang Maoquan dared not say another word and simply lowered his head in silence.
However, deep down, he agreed with the Emperor’s sentiment. A life was gone just like that—she hung herself, but who could say whether she put the noose around her neck herself or someone else did it for her?
They, the servants, were as insignificant as blades of grass. Who would ever treat them like human beings?
“Keep a close watch. Don’t alert the snake in the grass,” Feng Yi instructed Zhang Maoquan.
“Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will handle it carefully and properly,” Zhang Maoquan replied immediately.
Previously, they hadn’t paid much attention to the Department of Wardrobe. Who would have thought someone would target them from there? Now that a life had been lost, it couldn’t be in vain. This was the perfect opportunity to cast a long line and catch a big fish.
“Consort Shu did well investigating the case. Select a few bolts of the newly presented silk and send them to her. As for Consort Zhuang, there’s no need. Go now.”
“This servant obeys.”
Zhang Maoquan led his men to open the Emperor’s private treasury and flamboyantly delivered the silk to Cuiwei Palace. He intentionally had the procession pass by Consort Zhuang’s Zhaoyang Palace, making sure the affair was noisy and grand.
Infuriated, Consort Zhuang had a large outburst in Zhaoyang Palace. Meanwhile, Consort Shu was quite pleased with herself, proudly bestowing rewards throughout Cuiwei Palace.
When Song Yunzhao heard the news, she couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of her mouth. The Emperor’s tactic of sowing discord wasn’t particularly sophisticated, but it was undoubtedly effective.
Now, she felt she had a clearer sense of her own position within the harem. All that remained was to wait for the enthronement ceremony.
Only after being officially enthroned could one receive the Emperor’s favor. Since the Emperor had thrown her into the turbulent waters of the harem, he would have to pay the price as well.
