In the blink of an eye, the Qixi Festival was almost upon them. Song Yunzhao was the first to receive the letter that Anshun brought back from the Song family.
Opening it, she let out a cold laugh—Cai Shi and Song Qinghan had still decided to go ahead with the engagement to the Marquis of Wuxin’s household.
Yet before her father left, he had explicitly said there was no rush for the marriage and that they should wait for his return.
Clearly, Cai Shi thought that he wouldn’t agree, so she was taking advantage of his absence to settle the marriage.
In the letter, her Eldest Aunt mentioned that she had also tried to dissuade them, bringing up the matter of the concubine-born son. But Cai Shi and her daughter paid it no mind; instead, they mocked her for not wanting Song Qinghan to marry into a noble house.
Song Yunzhao was honestly at a loss for words. She could already imagine how furious First Madam would be.
The two families had already begun formal marriage talks. That was quick. But First Madam was not one to go back on her word. This time, she didn’t even bother to save Cai Shi and her daughter’s dignity—right in front of the Marquis of Wuxin’s people, she declared that there was no sisterly bond between her and Song Qinghan, and that from now on, she wouldn’t be involved in any of Qinghan’s affairs.
Upon reading this far, Song Yunzhao’s heart trembled slightly. After all, family came first, and for First Madam to say such things was hardly a good sign for the Song family.
Still, it was better than waiting for Cai Shi and Song Qinghan to exploit her name and cause real trouble. By then, it wouldn’t just be about a tarnished reputation.
First Madam had essentially burned her bridges and cleared Yunzhao’s name, but in doing so, she herself would inevitably earn a reputation for being heartless and divisive.
Yunzhao’s brows furrowed deeply. She knew First Madam’s temperament: unless Cai Shi and her daughter had crossed the line, she never would’ve spoken so bluntly in front of the Marquis of Wuxin’s people.
The letter hadn’t gone into detail. Clearly, First Madam didn’t want Yunzhao worrying while in the palace.
Reading the final lines, Yunzhao saw that the Marquis’s household had failed to reach an agreement on the engagement that day. Whether the marriage would go through remained uncertain.
First Madam had clearly frightened them off. If they still insisted on proceeding, then their motives were clearly far from pure.
Yunzhao couldn’t make sense of it. Why would the Marquis’s family, knowing full well the tension between her and Song Qinghan and that she would never interfere in Qinghan’s affairs, still refrain from rejecting the marriage on the spot? What exactly were they after?
In the original story, her character, who was just a disposable pawn, exited early. Song Qinghan entered the palace, so a connection to the Marquis’s household was never formed. That made it all the more baffling now.
For the moment, she’d set the matter aside. Whatever scheme Cai Shi and her daughter were plotting, she wouldn’t let them succeed.
Still, before things spiraled out of control, she needed to get ahead of it and report the situation to the Emperor first. Otherwise, if Cai Shi accused her of being unfilial one day, she’d be caught completely off guard.
After putting the letter away, Song Yunzhao had her breakfast and resumed preparing the Qixi Festival gift for the Emperor. In ancient times, the Qixi Festival was steeped in customs—bridge gatherings, collecting morning dew, worshipping the Seventh Sister[mfn]A character that originates from a folk legend. People pray to the Seventh Sisters for marriage and exquisite craftsmanship[/mfn], threading needles, seeking signs from spiders—traditions varied by region, and so did the events.
But in the palace, such folk festivities were mostly ceremonial. The concubines weren’t really interested in showcasing skill or craftsmanship. Their focus was, above all, on the Emperor’s favor. These traditional activities were just for show. Palace maids might go through the motions, but for the concubines, the real competition was showing dazzling beauty and charm before His Majesty.
Yunzhao, however, had a different approach. She personally crafted a pair of decorative knots using two jade pendants. Separately, they were incomplete pieces, but joined together, they formed a complete design.
Though her embroidery skills couldn’t rival Yu Momo or Xiang Xue’s, she had earnestly studied and felt proud of her work. She avoided flashy reds and greens, opting instead for pale threads that highlighted the jade pieces. While the result lacked festive flair, it exuded a soft elegance that grew more beautiful the longer one looked at it.
She placed the pendants in a brocade box, not planning to bring them to the banquet. If the Emperor returned to Wangyou Palace with her that night, she would present them then. If he didn’t… well, she’d still find a way to give them to him. Just more thoughtfully.
Life was exhausting. Yunzhao felt like all she ever did was fight for favor or walk the road toward it.
Though no blades flew in the harem, the invisible battles drained far more energy and spirit.
The Emperor didn’t show up for lunch, but Yunzhao didn’t mind. Lately, he’d been so busy that even glimpsing him felt like a lucky surprise.
After her midday rest, it was all hands on deck. Yu Momo and the attendants treated her like a general heading to war, assisting with her bath, wardrobe, and makeup. The full beauty ritual was no small endeavor.
This time, Xiang Xue styled Song Yunzhao’s hair in a Flying Fairy Style[mfn]
[/mfn]—a high, elaborate updo formed by three coiled knots towering at the crown of the head, hence the name “Flying Fairy.”
It was a heavy hairstyle, but undeniably exquisite. Unfortunately, with her current rank, she wasn’t allowed to wear a phoenix hairpin, though one day, she surely would.
“Master, you look absolutely stunning today,” Shi Zhu murmured in awe. “Even a fairy immortal couldn’t compare.”
Gazing into the mirror, Yunzhao had to admit Xiang Xue’s craftsmanship was superb. She had done her own makeup today to match such a grand hairstyle. It was elegant, refined. Her eyebrows tapered upward, and her eyeliner lifted at the outer corners, soft yet enlarging her eyes beautifully.
For lipstick, she chose a bright red one she hadn’t used since entering the palace, but it complemented today’s makeup perfectly.
Qing Feng and Yu Lu busied themselves bringing over her robes. Since summer nights held a lingering warmth, the fabric was light and airy.
With every step, her skirts fluttered like rippling waves. The dress was embroidered with gold and silver threads, which would shimmer even more dazzlingly under the evening lights.
She had eaten lightly at lunch, and now, with her waist cinched tight—so slender it barely filled a palm—even she couldn’t help but admire her own reflection.
Yu Momo presented a crimson-and-gold shawl. Draping it over her shoulders, Yunzhao suddenly recalled how she once draped bedsheets at home pretending to be a fairy and chuckled at the memory.
Now, she no longer needed make-believe. She had the real thing.
“Master, the hour’s nearly upon us,” Xiang Xue reminded her with a smile.
Yunzhao glanced at the sand timer. “Let’s wait another quarter hour.” Then she turned to Yu Lu. “Have Anshun keep watch. If His Majesty departs from his palace, inform me at once.”
“Yes, Master,” Yu Lu replied and left promptly.
“Master… are you planning…?” Xiang Xue asked.
Yunzhao looked at Yu Momo and smiled softly. “Does Madam think it’s inappropriate?”
It was inappropriate, but as Yu Momo thought about it, there was no Empress in the palace at the moment. So what did it matter?
“If Master wants to do it, then do it. With no Empress in charge, nothing you do is wrong,” she said firmly.
Yunzhao smiled. “You’re absolutely right, Yu Momo.”
Moments later, Yu Lu returned. “Master, Anshun reports that there’s movement at the Hall of Supreme Harmony.”
Song Yunzhao nodded. “Then let’s go.”
Bathed in moonlight, she stepped out of Wangyou Palace. Had there been an Empress, the Qixi banquet would naturally be held at Changle Palace. But with Changle Palace currently unoccupied, the event had been moved to Qinghua Hall.
Qinghua Hall and Changyi Pavilion lay on the same axis. If one didn’t wish to pass through the Imperial Garden, the route to Qinghua Hall would inevitably lead past Wangyou Palace.
