Chapter 664 - 441: Fabricating Rumors

Chapter 664: Chapter 441: Fabricating Rumors

Lu Zhixue quickly had someone serve tea and then said, "What’s gotten you so upset? Did you come here just to vent?"

Song Yunzhao replied, "Couldn’t it be that I just missed you all?"

"If word of that got out, every concubine in the harem would be green with envy," Wang Zhaorong laughed heartily. "Your Ladyship has come at the perfect time. We were about to play cards. Join us, it’s a good way to pass the time."

Song Yunzhao agreed. She was only an average card player, and everyone present was quite clever. It wouldn’t be easy to win against them.

As the hostess, Lu Zhixue attended to the tea on the side.

Though Song Yunzhao was in a foul mood, her luck at cards was excellent. She won several hands in a row, drawing groans of complaint from the others.

After another round, everyone was a bit tired, so they moved under a tree in the courtyard to cool off, drink tea, and chat.

Wang Zhaorong said, "I heard An Fangyi is much better and has even stopped taking her medicine. A lot of people are saying she recovered so quickly thanks to coming to Jincui Garden."

In the harem, Han Jinyi was An Fangyi’s neighbor, living in the same residence. There was bad blood between them, so they were on very poor terms.

Upon arriving at the garden, Yun Zhao had arranged for her to live with Feng Yunjin, which made her days much more pleasant.

Hearing Wang Zhaorong’s words now, she sneered and said, "An Fangyi’s constitution is something else. She can fall ill whenever she pleases."

"What do you mean?" Lu Zhixue asked in surprise. "You don’t mean she’s faking it, do you?"

"I wouldn’t dare make such a claim." Han Jinyi waved her hand at everyone’s curious gazes. "Earlier, An Fangyi fell ill from the summer heat, and even the medicine prescribed by the Imperial Physician didn’t seem to help. But one day, I smelled medicinal soup coming from the flowerbeds behind her room. Perhaps I was just imagining things."

Song Yunzhao looked at Han Jinyi. "Is that true?"

Han Jinyi saw Ming Fei’s solemn expression and nodded immediately. "I definitely smelled medicinal soup, but I can’t say for sure whether An Fangyi’s illness is real or fake."

Feng Yunjin’s brow furrowed. "Pouring medicinal soup into the flowerbeds means she doesn’t want to take the medicine. And not wanting to take medicine either means she isn’t sick, or she is sick but doesn’t want to get better too quickly."

"That’s just crazy. What could she possibly gain from that?" Lu Zhixue thought there must be something wrong with An Fangyi.

Wang Zhaorong looked at Lu Zhixue. "How is there no benefit? This got her to the garden to escape the heat. It’s much more comfortable here than in the harem."

"But she didn’t come alone—the entire harem came along. All she did was pave the way for everyone else, and at the expense of her own health. It’s utterly foolish." Lu Zhixue was truly convinced that An Fangyi wasn’t right in the head.

Song Yunzhao looked at Feng Yunjin and asked, "Where is An Fangyi staying?"

"She’s in Cai Cui Hall. It isn’t very large to begin with, and since An Fangyi needs to recuperate, she’s living there alone," Feng Yunjin said.

Song Yunzhao: ...

’I’ve been careless!’

’How could I have forgotten about her!’

Song Yunzhao turned to Wang Zhaorong. "Speaking of which, you entered the palace in the same group as An Fangyi. What’s she like as a person?"

Wang Zhaorong wore an expression that said it was a long story. "She has a terrible personality and will turn on you in a flash. When we first entered the palace, her family background was one of the best among the new concubines. If she hadn’t sabotaged herself, the three concubines might have become four."

’This character profile does line up with the book,’ Song Yunzhao thought. She reflected for a moment more, then asked, "Before she got sick, did you notice anything unusual about An Fangyi’s behavior?"

"I didn’t notice anything." Wang Zhaorong shook her head. "My Zhaoyang Palace is quite far from Liu Hua Palace." At that thought, she turned to Han Jinyi. "Han Guipin would probably know more."

Having been singled out by Wang Zhaorong, Han Jinyi thought for a moment. "There was a change, but it wasn’t a major one. An Fangyi used to be a shut-in, but recently she started going out more. But since we don’t get along, we don’t really interact, so I have no idea where she went."

Feng Yunjin knew Ming Fei wasn’t asking about An Fangyi for no reason. She looked at Han Jinyi and asked, "Do you happen to know who An Fangyi was close to? I remember Qin Wan Yi used to help her, and they were quite close for a time."

Han Jinyi thought for a moment. "In any case, I never saw Qin Wan Yi at Liu Hua Palace. I’m not sure if An Fangyi went to Huayang Palace when she left our residence."

Speaking of which, Han Jinyi couldn’t help but add, "An Fangyi has a very strange personality. Sometimes the way she looks at people is just creepy. I want nothing to do with her."

If it weren’t so hard to change residences in the palace, she would’ve stopped living with her long ago. Having to see that face of hers was just so aggravating.

"So, is there something off about An Fangyi?" Wang Zhaorong asked, looking at Yun Zhao.

Yun Zhao shook her head. "I can’t say for sure right now. I just find her illness suspicious. And then we all ended up here. It’s as if her getting sick was just a pretext to get everyone to come to the garden. It just makes me feel a bit uneasy."

Wang Zhaorong’s gaze sharpened instantly, and she sneered. "It’d be one thing if she behaved herself. But if she’s really up to something, no matter who she crosses, she won’t get away with it."

Feng Yunjin glanced at Yun Zhao before saying to Wang Zhaorong, "I thought it was very sudden when Xu Ji went to the Imperial Awakening Temple. There have been more incidents in the palace in the last six months than in the whole of last year."

"Are you suggesting this has something to do with Xu Ji?" Wang Zhaorong said, completely astonished. "How could that be possible?"

Feng Yunjin sighed. "It’s just me overthinking things. I can’t help but remember that ever since Xu Ji left the palace, I’ve had one problem after another. First the fire, then someone died. She supposedly went to the Imperial Awakening Temple to pray for blessings, but to me, it feels like we’ve been cursed with bad luck ever since."

Wang Zhaorong gave Feng Yunjin a long, searching look, catching her drift. Feng Yunjin suspected the incidents happening around her were connected to Xu Ji.

’But that sounds so bizarre.’

However, there was some truth to what she said. A concubine had gone to the Imperial Awakening Temple to pray for blessings, yet the palace had since been plagued by one unlucky event after another. It was indeed a bad look.

Lu Zhixue didn’t catch the underlying meaning and just said, "Xu Ji was targeted by the Empress Dowager and fell ill. Ming Fei and Consort Shu helped her out, but in the end, she just up and left without even reporting to the three concubines. She went directly to the Emperor. I think she’s quite audacious."

Han Jinyi agreed wholeheartedly. "Exactly. When she went straight to the Emperor, she showed no regard for the three concubines. It’s only because their Ladyships are magnanimous that they didn’t bother with her. If it had been someone less forgiving, she would have been taught a harsh lesson."

Feng Yunjin chuckled softly. "Isn’t that the truth. I’d say the Empress Dowager is the most perceptive one. She can spot a troublemaker at a glance. We, on the other hand, are a step behind. We didn’t see it at all."

The topic gradually shifted to Xu Ji. Song Yunzhao and Feng Yunjin exchanged a knowing smile.

By tomorrow, word would spread that Xu Ji had disrespected the three concubines. And if Xu Ji didn’t react?

No matter. If she was truly plotting something, she would have to react when she heard things that damaged her reputation.

After all, she intended to return to the palace one day.