Chapter 367 - 145: The Emperor is Still Ruthless

Chapter 367: Chapter 145: The Emperor is Still Ruthless

News of Song Yunzhao’s pregnancy quickly spread throughout the harem. It was like a clap of thunder on a clear day, stunning everyone.

There had been no warning at all.

Song Jieyu had been favored for so long with no sign of a child. Who would have thought that just as the Empress Dowager returned, she would become pregnant? How could anyone not be impressed by such luck?

In Cuiwei Palace, Consort Shu wore a deeply conflicted expression as she paced back and forth in her inner chambers. Yunshang, growing dizzy from watching her, hurried forward. "Your Highness, please rest. Good news has come from Wangyou Palace. Everyone will surely go to offer congratulations tomorrow. You must conserve your energy."

Consort Shu glanced at Yunshang. ’She has no idea what’s troubling me,’ she thought. ’But I can’t voice these private worries. I can only keep them bottled up. How could I possibly be happy?’

’We are all concubines serving the Emperor, all of us striving for glory. How has Song Yunzhao’s path been so smooth? And then there’s me. The comparison is enough to drive a person mad.’

Seeing that her mistress was still unhappy, Yunshang couldn’t figure out the reason. After a moment’s thought, she slowly ventured, "Your Highness, now that Song Jieyu is pregnant, it will surely be inconvenient for her to serve the Emperor in bed. His Majesty will certainly visit other palaces. You must seize this opportunity."

Consort Shu: ...

’This conversation is impossible!’

She shot Yunshang a look and said irritably, "The Emperor didn’t touch me before. What makes you think he’ll touch me now?"

Yunshang’s face paled. They might be able to deceive the staff of other palaces, but those who served her personally knew the truth. It was precisely because of this that they felt so aggrieved on their mistress’s behalf.

Their mistress had the family background and the looks. Why did the Emperor dislike her so?

Seeing Yunshang’s crestfallen expression, Consort Shu softened her tone. "All right, don’t feel bad for me. I don’t even let it bother me anymore."

’I used to care a great deal,’ she thought. ’But after all these years, even if I didn’t want to let it go, I had to.’

’It’s not that I’m not good enough. My birthright determined my future. The Emperor will not allow any of us to bear his children, which is why he can’t touch us.’

’Truthfully, there are other ways to prevent childbirth. But the Emperor would rather not touch us at all. Isn’t it obvious?’

’Before, I had thought I was the only one. But after careful observation, I realized Princess Consort Zhuang and Princess Consort Wan were in the same boat. We were all alike. That brought a sense of balance.’

’When you fall flat on your face alone, you’re covered in dust and want to bang your head against the ground, demanding justice.’

’But when everyone has fallen, what’s there to be ashamed of? No one can laugh at anyone else. We’re all the same.’

’So, in the end, the Emperor is the ruthless one!’

Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to hate the Emperor right now. After all, her father had done some truly unscrupulous things.

She couldn’t persuade her own father, nor could she bewitch the Emperor into becoming a fatuous ruler. What else could she do?

Fortunately, after her father hit a few walls and realized the Emperor was not easy to fool, his attitude softened somewhat. Otherwise, her life would be even more difficult. The thought of the title she had once lost made her heart ache.

’Being favored or not—none of it is as important as my status!’

Yunshang had been serving her mistress since she entered the palace. After so many years, the bond between servant and master was deep. Others said her mistress had a bad temper, but she never mistreated her maids. Thinking of this, Yunshang began to faintly grasp her mistress’s thoughts. She said tentatively, "Your Highness, in this servant’s opinion, now that Song Jieyu is pregnant, many people will surely be plotting. The Empress Dowager has brought back a great beauty, and her own niece at that. I’m afraid Song Jieyu won’t be able to fend her off. Only you can lend her a hand."

Consort Shu waved her hand. "The Empress Dowager has her own plans. I have no desire for a direct conflict with Shouci Palace. Acting a bit domineering in daily matters is one thing, but what good would it do me to truly cross the Empress Dowager’s bottom line?"

"Besides, Song Jieyu is no pushover. If that An Shutong can get the better of her, I’ll go vegetarian for three months and copy scriptures as an offering to Buddha!"

Yunshang was confused. If her mistress wasn’t going to help Song Jieyu, then what was she so troubled about?

Nanny Wen walked in and tapped Yunshang lightly. "You silly girl, you’re getting confused. Don’t you remember that Princess Consort Zhuang is still in the palace? If our mistress openly sides with Song Jieyu, her hands will be tied. It’s better to remain as she is now. That way, if the Empress Dowager truly tries to make things difficult for Song Jieyu, our mistress will be in a better position to step in and stir things up. Besides, hasn’t Song Jieyu always kept a respectful distance from our mistress? She’s a smart one."

Yunshang had a flash of insight. ’No wonder I thought it was strange,’ she realized. ’So that’s the reason.’

Having enlightened Yunshang, Nanny Wen sent her to inquire about the situation at Wangyou Palace and see who had gone to offer congratulations.

Yunshang left with a smile. Only then did Nanny Wen say softly, "Your Highness, Princess Consort Zhuang and Qin Wan Yi stayed in Huayang Palace for a full hour. You should be careful."

"A den of snakes and rats," Consort Shu snorted. "Grand Tutor Qin is a spent force now. Last time, he even tried to incite my father. That shameless old man, he wasn’t satisfied with stealing so much of my father’s thunder during the snow disaster affair, and now he dares to come knocking again. Does he really think our family is a pushover?"

"You’re right, Your Highness. It’s precisely because Grand Tutor Qin is getting on in years and probably won’t last much longer in court that he’s so anxious to pave the way for Qin Wan Yi. When Qin Wan Yi first entered the palace, she was so composed. But isn’t she acting out of desperation now? What kind of person is Princess Consort Zhuang? To dare get close to her... she’s bound to suffer a great loss sooner or later."

"Not necessarily." Consort Shu had come to understand things clearly. When it came to conspiracies and tricks, she couldn’t hold a candle to them. She was simply no match for these people.

’I’m no good at covert schemes, so I’ll stick to overt ones. I’ll just be direct and straightforward in my actions and see what those petty people can do to me.’

’Thinking about it this way, I really can’t do without an ally like Song Yunzhao.’

’Isn’t it infuriating? In the end, the two of us still have to band together.’

"Nanny, go prepare some medicinal herbs and bird’s nests suitable for a pregnant woman."

"Your Highness, you absolutely mustn’t! Sending food gifts is an easy way for trouble to start," Nanny Wen immediately objected. "Think of all the deaths during the late Emperor’s reign. They were all accomplished through food."

"You don’t understand. We’re sending food," Consort Shu stated decisively. ’That vixen Song Yunzhao... by sending her food, I’m making it clear I have no intention of harming her. We’ll have an Imperial Physician go over and inspect it in front of her. Then there will be no issues.’

Nanny Wen: ...

’Such a simple and crude method... it might actually work.’

’It might cause a bit of a loss of face, but if Her Highness doesn’t care, then it’s not a major issue.’

Nanny Wen immediately went to prepare. The storehouse really did have quite a few fine things.

Consort Shu called Hong Xiu in and said to her, "Have Jiang Quan make a trip to the Right Minister’s Mansion. Tell him to pass a message to my father. With Song Jieyu pregnant, there will certainly be turmoil in court. Tell him he absolutely must not get involved. If he undermines me one more time, I will sever all ties with him."

Consort Shu had no other choice but to try and scare her own father.

Hong Xiu cautiously agreed and hurried out to relay the message to Jiang Quan, telling him to rush to the Right Minister’s Mansion with the news.

Consort Shu felt like there was still something she was forgetting. She frowned and thought for a long while but couldn’t recall what it was, which only worsened her mood. "What did I forget?"

’It feels like it was something important, but I just can’t remember.’