After the incident with Beauty Zhen, the palace grew quiet, with everyone waiting for the official imperial edict regarding the investiture ceremony.
According to palace rules, only concubines at the rank of Consort or above had the honor of an investiture ceremony. Those below that rank only received an imperial edict and a seal.
While Song Yunzhao was not planning to serve as the Emperor’s frontline soldier for now, over the past two days, she had Yu Momo carefully analyze the dynamics within the palace for her.
The results were as follows:
After Imperial Noble Consort Chu died, the Consort ranks were held by Consorts Wan, Shu and Zhuang.
Following them were An Fangyi, Ning Ji, and below them Zhao Liangren, Xi Xuanshi, and Qin Cainu.
These were the “old dogs” from the previous group of concubines entering the palace. From their rankings, the stark polarization was evident, revealing the intensity of the infighting back then.
As for their own group, they had it even worse. The highest-ranking member was merely a Noble Concubine, still three ranks away from achieving the goal of becoming a Consort.
Yu Momo quietly entered the room, noticing Song Yunzhao frowning at her desk. She softly spoke, “Mistress.”
Song Yunzhao’s thoughts were interrupted. She looked up at Yu Momo. “You’re back. How did it go?”
“There hasn’t been any consolation for Beauty Zhen. It seems none will be forthcoming.”
Song Yunzhao had anticipated this. Yesterday, the Emperor only rewarded Consort Shu, while even Consort Zhuang suffered collateral damage. For someone like Beauty Zhen, who was clearly just a pawn, it was impossible to escape unscathed. The fact that she hadn’t been further implicated was already fortunate.
“What about the others?” Song Yunzhao asked again.
“Consort Wan went to visit Consort Shu, and Noble Concubine Qin went to see Beauty Zhen.”
Song Yunzhao frowned. Qin Xiyue went to visit Beauty Zhen?
She finally understood—looking at their heroine from her current “disposable character” perspective was vastly different from seeing her as the protagonist of the story. The difference was night and day.
The signs had been there all along, but she hadn’t thought deeply about them before.
Thinking back to her encounters with Qin Xiyue outside the palace, she had only felt that the heroine was unlucky, dragging her along into misfortune. But upon closer analysis, if the heroine had truly stayed pure and above reproach, why had she kept chasing Ji Yunting?
She knew full well that Helan Yun and Ji Yunting were childhood sweethearts and still forced herself into the situation under the pretext of “pursuing love.” It was hardly a noble or righteous action.
Still, from the perspective of reading the book, Ji Yunting didn’t actually like Helan Yun. Additionally, Helan Yun’s domineering ways had cost her the favor of many readers, which naturally gave the heroine a lot of bonus points.
But when you strip away the surface and examine the essence—what would you find?
Take the matter of Beauty Zhen, for example. If Qin Xiyue were truly kind-hearted, she should have fought relentlessly for Beauty Zhen back then. But she didn’t; instead, she assessed the situation and chose to remain silent.
From her perspective, the image of the heroine in the book had completely shattered. This revelation was a wake-up call, and her level of vigilance toward Qin Xiyue rose another notch.
The heroine was the chosen one, blessed with a protagonist’s aura. As for herself, a so-called “vicious supporting character,” carving out a path to survival required caution at every step. If Qin Xiyue ever tried to scheme against her, she would just use the heroine’s own tactics against her and leave her with no way out.
Sigh. Having thoughts like these confirmed her role as a “vicious supporting character.” But what could she do? It was all for survival. If being vicious meant staying alive, so be it. Who would willingly die if they could live?
Fortunately, she’d had a good start—her own calculations coupled with a stroke of luck.
Once the imperial decree for the investiture was issued, the next thing to watch for would be who was chosen to spend the night.
Thinking of the term “spending the night,” Song Yunzhao couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of her mouth. Honestly, there was nothing worth fighting for; in the end, it was just “pure chatting under the covers.”
But for the sake of her position in the palace, she couldn’t not fight for it.
However, not only did she have to fight, but she had to do so convincingly.
If the Emperor thought he could drag her into the harem and expect “pure chatting,” he was dreaming.
With this thought, Song Yunzhao’s mind cleared. After all, the Emperor was so concerned about guarding his own “innocence,” but she too was a young maiden embarking on her first marriage-like experience. They were evenly matched—neither owed the other.
Now that she had a clear goal, Song Yunzhao was full of fighting spirit. She needed to plan carefully.
Yu Nini noticed her mistress’s expression shift from stormy to radiant, though she couldn’t quite understand why. Still, a happy mistress meant better days for the servants.
“Mistress, what shall we do next?” Yu Momo cautiously asked.
Song Yunzhao looked up and smiled. “Wait for the investiture decree.”
Only after the official decree was issued would she be legitimate. This couldn’t be rushed.
Yu Momo nodded and saw her mistress return to reading. Quietly, she retreated.
Outside, Xiang Xue and Shi Zhu were busy organizing items. As a Noble Concubine, Song Yunzhao would require many new belongings. The attendants at the Wardrobe Bureau were so aloof that they wouldn’t come to deliver things without being summoned multiple times a day. The root cause was their mistress’s low status in the palace, which made her an object of disdain.
Look at the mistresses of the consort ranks—no one dared to act haughty in front of them.
Seeing Yu Momo enter, Xiang Xue immediately spoke up. “Yu Momo, our mistress’s share of items has mostly arrived, but the ceremonial robe hasn’t been delivered yet. Just now, Anshun went to urge them, but he was brushed off with a few dismissive words. What should we do?”
Yu Momo’s expression didn’t change as she replied, “The Department of Wardrobe probably holds a grudge against our mistress for speaking up during the issue with Beauty Zhen and wants to suppress her.”
Shi Zhu happened to walk in and overheard. She couldn’t help but exclaim angrily, “Our mistress only spoke a fair word back then. It was the Department of Wardrobe that had their own issues, and now they’re trying to take it out on someone else. Yu Momo, can we really let this go? If they delay things, it might reflect badly on our mistress.”
Yu Momo let out a cold laugh. “Why worry?”
Among the newly entered mistresses, only Noble Concubine Qin and their mistress held the highest ranks. The investiture for Wangyou Palace and Huayang Palace would be prioritized. The Department of Wardrobe was clearly trying to make them bow and beg, to lower their dignity. If Wangyou Palace conceded this time, trouble would only increase in the future, as others would think they were easy to bully.
“But…” Xiang Xue still felt uneasy. She feared that their mistress might become a laughingstock.
Shi Zhu chimed in, “Yu Momo is right. We don’t need to be afraid. The people at the Department of Wardrobe are just taking advantage of their connections. If they really delay things and His Majesty blames them, it won’t be Wangyou Palace’s fault.”
Yu Momo gave Shi Zhu an approving look. “Since Anshun has already urged them, we’ve done what we should. If the Department of Wardrobe wants us to wait, then we’ll wait.”
Although Xiang Xue remained worried, she didn’t voice further objections.
Shi Zhu then went to find Anshun. “Yu Momo said there’s no need to keep urging the Department of Wardrobe. You don’t have to make another trip.”
Anshun chuckled. “That’s the right approach.”
Pleased with Anshun’s response, Shi Zhu couldn’t resist adding, “We must not bend the knee, or they’ll think Wangyou Palace is easy to push around. You’ve seen it—our mistress, with her beauty, is bound to have a bright future in the palace. As long as we serve her well, our prospects won’t be bad either.”
Anshun smiled but said nothing.
After Shi Zhu left, Anshun found a shady spot to sit for half an hour before getting up and heading out.
…
At Taiji Palace.
Following the conferment of concubines, the highest rank awarded was Noble Concubine, which caused quite a stir in court. Watching their flurry of protests, Feng Yi found it amusing.
Meng Jiuchang, noticing the Emperor’s good mood, thought quickly and stepped forward with a smile. “Your Majesty, a servant from Cuiwei Palace just came to pay respects. They said Consort Shu had the Imperial Kitchen prepare Eight-Treasure Duck and would like to invite you to try it.”
Feng Yi frowned slightly and glanced at Meng Jiuchang. “Go yourself and inform Consort Shu that I appreciate her thoughtfulness, but I’m busy with state affairs. She should enjoy it herself.”
Meng Jiuchang quickly responded, “Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll go right away.”
Meanwhile, Zhang Maoquan was hurrying toward Taiji Palace and happened to cross paths with Meng Jiuchang. Bowing respectfully, he greeted him, “Eunuch Meng.”
Meng Jiuchang nodded lightly without stopping or looking back as he continued walking.
Zhang Maoquan, on the other hand, silently scoffed, One day, I’ll replace him as the Emperor’s most trusted man.
Once Meng Jiuchang was far away, Zhang Maoquan finally stepped into the hall. “Your Majesty, this servant greets you.”
“Rise,” Feng Yi replied without looking up, drawing a large cross on the memorial in front of him with his vermilion brush.
“Your Majesty, this servant has noticed that the Department of Wardrobe has been less than cooperative over the past two days. The steward eunuch from Wangyou Palace went to urge them about Noble Concubine Song’s investiture robe, but they made excuses and delayed. ” Zhang Maoquan reported while keeping his head low.
Currently, Zhang Maoquan was primarily responsible for matters concerning the newly entered concubines, while Xu Sixi was in charge of those from the previous intake.
The two had never been on good terms, and now they were practically rivals.
Xu Sixi looked down on Zhang Maoquan simply because the highest-ranking of the new concubines was merely a Noble Concubine, whereas Xu managed the affairs of the Consorts. He believed this put him a notch above Zhang and strutted around as though his tail could reach the heavens.
Zhang Maoquan wasn’t in any rush. Others might not know, but he was well aware that the Emperor viewed the mistress of Wangyou Palace differently.
Once the investiture decree was issued and she gained favor, who knew what great opportunities awaited her in the future? For that reason, ensuring that Wangyou Palace’s matters were handled properly was his top priority.
Having been keeping an eye on the Department of Wardrobe since the incident with Beauty Zhen, Zhang Maoquan immediately brought their treatment of Noble Concubine Song to the Emperor’s attention.
Hearing this, Feng Yi raised his head slightly, intrigued. “What has Wangyou Palace done?”
“The steward eunuch Anshun went to the Department of Wardrobe, but he was brushed off. Since then, there’s been no further action from Wangyou Palace,” Zhang Maoquan replied.
Feng Yi raised an eyebrow. “Let’s wait and see.”
Zhang Maoquan, suppressing his disappointment, replied, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Without receiving any further instructions, Zhang Maoquan bowed and slowly left the hall, quietly pondering the Emperor’s stance on Wangyou Palace.
Would His Majesty really ignore such mistreatment? Had he perhaps been wrong about the Emperor’s special regard for Wangyou Palace?
Still unsure, Zhang Maoquan decided to wait and observe further.
Two more days passed, and the investiture was fast approaching, but there was still no movement from the Department of Wardrobe.
When Song Yunzhao learned of this, she also understood Yu Momo’s intentions and smiled to herself. This one is quite the patient fisher. As long as they remain loyal and don’t betray me, I might’ve struck gold here.
Meanwhile, things weren’t smooth at the Department of Wardrobe either. Since Wangyou Palace belonged to a Noble Concubine, they were required to deliver her investiture robe before those for concubines of lower rank. Although they privately made things difficult for Wangyou Palace, they dared not bypass them and deliver robes to lower-ranking concubines first.
As a result, a stalemate ensued.
Han Jinyi came to see Yunzhao to chat and brought up the matter. “Everyone in the palace is watching this situation.”
Yunzhao raised an eyebrow in surprise. “What’s there to watch? Who leaked the news?”
Han Jinyi scoffed, “Who else but Lu Zhixue?”
Yunzhao smirked. “Typical of her to do something foolish. Instead of keeping this quiet, as the Department of Wardrobe would have preferred, she’s spilled everything.”
Han Jinyi chuckled upon hearing this. “How can you stay so composed? If it were someone else, they might have already bowed their head to the Department of Wardrobe.”
Song Yunzhao looked at Han Jinyi and asked, “Why do you think the Department of Wardrobe is targeting me?”
“Is it because of the Beauty Zhen incident?”
“Not entirely.” Song Yunzhao spoke slowly. “The Beauty Zhen incident was just a pretext. There must be someone trying to make me bow, forcing me to submit among the new palace entrants. If I were to lower my head this time, it would be much harder to stand tall in the future.”
Han Jinyi hadn’t expected Yunzhao to see things so clearly. She sighed and said, “I’ve thought the same, but merely thinking isn’t enough. You need courage to act on it.”
Everyone knew what was happening, but not everyone dared to offend the Department of Wardrobe.
The Department of Wardrobe controlled the clothing and accessories of the harem. If they tampered with things later, there wouldn’t even be room to complain.
“The soft are afraid of the hard, the hard are afraid of the ruthless, and the ruthless are afraid of those with nothing to lose. These people only target the easy prey. They think I’m an easy target because I lack a strong family background,” Song Yunzhao said with a calm expression. “but they’ve underestimated me.”
Han Jinyi recalled Yunzhao’s actions at Zhichun Palace and nodded in agreement. “So, what’s your plan?”
“What plan is there? Do you think the Department of Wardrobe would dare bypass me and deliver the ceremonial robes to someone else? If they’re really that reckless, then I’ll create an uproar. Let’s see whose resolve is stronger.”
Han Jinyi: …
My apologies—I’ll take my leave now!
She had forgotten that Yunzhao was a tough nut to crack, someone who grew stronger when challenged. Nothing had ever gotten the better of her.
After giving it some thought, she said to Yunzhao, “If you do that, won’t it damage your reputation? They’d love nothing more than to ruin your name—you should think it through.”
“When has my reputation ever been good?”
Han Jinyi fell silent. This woman was relentless, even at her own expense. She conceded—Yunzhao won this round.
Seeing Han Jinyi’s expression, Song Yunzhao laughed. “Don’t worry. Think about it—they’re deliberately setting a trap to target me, using my reputation to control me. If I fall for it, that’s when I’m truly finished. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.”
With a scheming Emperor nearby itching to overhaul the Wardrobe Bureau, if these people gave her an opening, she would seize it and use it to earn favor in front of His Majesty.
Unfortunately, those people probably wouldn’t give her the chance.
Sigh, what a timid bunch.
Looking at the regretful expression on Song Yunzhao’s face, Han Jinyi was momentarily unsure of whom to pity.
“I shouldn’t have worried,” Han Jinyi finally said. “Knowing you have a plan puts me at ease.” She had only come to remind Yunzhao because she was afraid she’d make a mistake.
“Jinyi, thank you,” Song Yunzhao said sincerely. Although her relationship with Han Jinyi was good, it wasn’t so close that they shared everything.
Still, the fact that Han Jinyi came to warn her instead of waiting to see her fail was something Yunzhao deeply appreciated.
“Ah, don’t say that. I didn’t help with anything—I just said a few words,” Han Jinyi replied, waving off the compliment.
“Even a few words are worth their weight in gold. If it’s so simple, why hasn’t anyone else come to say them? They just want to see me make a fool of myself.”
Han Jinyi laughed. “If you put it that way, I suppose I’m worth my weight in gold now, too.”
The two of them shared a laugh, and the experience brought them closer than before.
“I’ve heard news that the imperial decree for the investiture will be issued on the same day, but it will be delivered in order of precedence,” Han Jinyi said slowly, addressing Song Yunzhao. “Everyone outside is watching you and Qin Xiyue, waiting to see whose decree arrives first.”
Song Yunzhao: …
She could already sense the emperor’s malicious intent. She hadn’t even stepped onto the stage yet, and he was already handing her a script.
“I think it’ll be simultaneous,” Song Yunzhao said.
“Why?” Han Jinyi asked, skeptical.
“How about we make a bet?”
“Alright.”
With the wager set, Song Yunzhao remained completely unshaken. The Emperor wanted to use her as a pawn to create drama, and he couldn’t afford for her to start weak. If Qin Xiyue overshadowed her from the start, how could there be future rivalry?
However, Qin Xiyue was the heroine of the original story and likely the Emperor’s favored choice. The most probable scenario was a simultaneous investiture—after all, sending an additional eunuch to deliver the decrees wasn’t a big deal.
Given the Emperor’s petty nature, he was certainly capable of such a move.
Putting the two of them on equal footing, poised for rivalry, was the perfect way to stir up chaos.
The day before the investiture, the Department of Wardrobe finally delivered the ceremonial robes. When they arrived at Wangyou Palace, they had expected to see Song Yunzhao, but instead, Yu Momo met them and dismissed them without so much as a glimpse of her mistress.
The servants from the Department of Wardrobe left with sour expressions. Peeking out from behind a window, Song Yunzhao smirked coldly. You slap me in the face, and I’m supposed to greet you with a smile?
If I don’t return the slap, I’ll take your surname instead!
The Emperor wanted her to follow the heroine’s path and act as his cleanup crew. Fine, she’d agree, but she wasn’t about to endure everything silently like the heroine.
She wasn’t someone to hold grudges—she preferred to settle them immediately.
Xiang Xue and the others helped Yunzhao put on the ceremonial robe. Once dressed, the robe was indeed magnificent and beautiful, with intricate and lifelike embroidery that clearly reflected the effort put into it.
However, wearing such a robe, with its many layers, was stifling. If the ceremony had taken place in the heat of summer, it would have been unbearable.
After taking off the robe, Yunzhao instructed Yu Momo, “Inspect the stitching and embroidery carefully. We can’t afford any mishaps.”
Yu Momo nodded solemnly, carrying the robe to the side hall for a meticulous inspection. Internally, she marveled at her mistress’s foresight. She had assumed that, given Yunzhao’s low birth, she wouldn’t understand these details and that a reminder from her might earn some credit. She hadn’t expected Yunzhao to handle it all without prompting.
Although Yu Momo felt a bit disappointed, she was relieved to serve such a capable mistress. It was far better to follow someone sharp than a wooden block. Serving an inept mistress was a nightmare for servants.
Yu Momo, along with Qing Feng and Yu Lu, spent an hour thoroughly inspecting the robe. Sure enough, they found a flaw: a loose thread on the waistband. The stitching was single-threaded, making it prone to breaking under strain. Considering the physical gestures required during the investiture ceremony, it was uncertain how the robe would hold up.
Yu Momo presented the robe to Song Yunzhao, who examined it carefully. Her expression darkened as she remarked, “The Department of Wardrobe really isn’t playing fair. Just one small patch on the skirt—it’s not worth filing a formal complaint, but it’s enough to disgust me.”
“Exactly, Mistress. What do you plan to do?” Yu Momo was equally irritated by the situation. It was too minor for a major grievance, but too aggravating to ignore.
Such a small defect allowed the Department of Wardrobe to easily make excuses, and if pressed, they could just scapegoat an embroiderer.
“Of course, we’re sending it back,” Yunzhao declared with a smile. “Yu Momo, make it a grand affair—march the robe back to the Department of Wardrobe and have them redo the waistband.”
Filing a complaint might not be worth it, but if they could upset her, she could return the favor. Let’s see whose face ends up tarnished.
Although Yu Momo felt that this matter was a bit petty, her mistress wasn’t wrong. Still, Song Yunzhao’s straightforward nature made Yu Momo think she’d need to keep a closer watch over things in the future.
Yu Momo did exactly as instructed, making a grand show of returning the robe to the Department of Wardrobe. Passing through Consort Wan’s Roufu Palace, Consort Zhuang’s Zhaoyang Palace, and Qin Xiyue’s Huayang Palace, she made sure to mention the stitching issues whenever encountering others.
Yu Momo kept a polite and friendly demeanor, sticking to the facts without placing any blame on the Department of Wardrobe. She simply explained that the colors on the ceremonial robe didn’t match what they had at Wangyou Palace. If they had the right thread, they wouldn’t have troubled the Department of Wardrobe at all and would’ve fixed it themselves.
When they reached the Department of Wardrobe, the manager Momo’s face burned with embarrassment. Yu Momo, on the other hand, felt thoroughly satisfied.
If you think my mistress is an easy target, think again. Even if she’s a soft persimmon, she’s covered in thorns.
“Really?” Qin Xiyue asked, surprised, as she looked at Lu Zhixue.
Lu Zhixue, seeing Qin Xiyue’s genuine shock, grew suspicious. “They passed right by your Huayang Palace—how could you not know?”
Qin Xiyue shook her head. “To avoid unnecessary trouble, I’ve instructed my palace staff not to wander around.”
Lu Zhixue: …
“Then you missed quite the spectacle. Song Yunzhao must be desperate for attention. What benefit is there in publicly offending the Department of Wardrobe? Don’t you know? Everyone’s laughing at her, calling her foolish for picking such a pointless fight,” Lu Zhixue mocked.
Qin Xiyue lightly shook her head at this. “Noble Concubine Song’s actions might not be without reason. You should remember what happened in Zhichun Palace.”
At the mention of Zhichun Palace, Lu Zhixue’s anger flared. “How is it that someone like her has such good fortune? She ended up with the Noble Concubine title just because of luck. If I’d known, I would’ve gone there first.”
But it was too late for regrets now.
Qin Xiyue smiled. “You don’t need to worry too much. This is just the initial investiture. There will be plenty of opportunities for promotion in the future.”
Lu Zhixue snorted. “Of course. One day, I’ll make Song Yunzhao bow and kneel before me.”
With a better family background than Song Yunzhao’s, Lu Zhixue was confident her own rise would be much faster. A mere Noble Concubine was nothing to her—she had her sights set on the Empress’s position!
Thank you Ana 💕
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