Chapter 739 - 517: The Imperial Concubine is Tricky

Chapter 739: Chapter 517: The Imperial Concubine is Tricky

Intellectuals loved using their minds, which set them apart from a villainess like her.

A character with her persona was always one to speak without thinking.

But she, Song Yunzhao, was determined to use both her brain and her mouth. ’This time, I’ll see how Zhao Ling’e deals with this!’

The news was like a gust of wind. With Zhang Maoquan pulling the strings, it soon spread throughout the harem.

This sent another wave of turbulence through the already restless harem.

「Huayang Palace.」

An Shutong gave a light cough. Mu Qing hurried forward to pat her back, while Yingxue offered her some loquat paste.

This illness had made An Shutong’s complexion even worse. She had been recuperating for half a month and was only just starting to feel better, but she still had a slight cough and couldn’t be exposed to the wind.

After taking a spoonful of the loquat paste with a silver spoon, the dry, itchy feeling in her throat finally subsided.

Leaning gently against a soft, white satin pillow with an ink-splash design, An Shutong finally spoke. "Is that really what they’re saying? Do we know if it’s true or false?"

Yingxue replied, "The rumors are everywhere. Who would have thought that Zhao Liangren and Beauty Zhao were from the same clan? Beauty Zhao has interacted with Zhao Liangren in the past, but she never mentioned a single word about this. I wonder what they were plotting."

Mu Qing put the loquat paste away in a cabinet behind a partition. Hearing this, she turned her head and said, "It’s not as if it’s a shameful relationship. For the two of them to be so secretive, they must have had ill intentions, in my opinion. How long has Beauty Zhao been in the palace? Now, everyone in the palace speaks highly of her. Even the Imperial Consort’s reputation isn’t as good as hers right now."

Yingxue looked at her mistress with concern and asked softly, "Mistress, what do you think we should do about this?"

"I told you to keep a close eye on Beauty Zhao. Have you discovered anything?" An Shutong asked softly.

Yingxue shook her head. "That Beauty Zhao is truly formidable. Yingxue Hall is guarded so tightly, it’s like a fortress. It’s not even easy to get a scrap of news."

"Which of the masters in this palace could win over their attendants so efficiently right after entering? Beauty Zhao is really something," Mu Qing said with some emotion. "The other day, I exchanged a few words with Suhua. I just casually asked about the meals, and the look she gave me was all wrong. I really wanted to slap her across the face. Who does she think she’s looking down on? So what if she’s from the Jiangnan Zhao Family? Pah! Once we’re in the palace, aren’t we all the same?"

Yingxue looked up at Mu Qing. "Why were you even talking to her? I think you just have too much time on your hands."

"It’s not like I went looking for them. It was those people from Yingxue Hall who were always trying to cozy up to us. And look how long it’s been—their attitudes have completely changed." The more Mu Qing spoke, the angrier she got. But when she saw her mistress’s pale complexion, she immediately shut her mouth.

’The Empress Dowager has met with Beauty Zhao several times, yet when her own mistress fell ill, Shouci Palace only sent a little palace maid over to check on her.’

Thinking this, Mu Qing’s expression soured even more. She didn’t know what would become of her mistress in the future.

"Don’t worry about all that. Just do your own jobs," An Shutong instructed quietly. "Remember, do not allow anyone from Yingxue Hall to enter my palace doors, and do not have any dealings with them concerning food or drink. Other than that, no matter what they do over at Yingxue Hall, you are only to watch. Don’t say a word."

"Mistress, if others see this, won’t they think we’re afraid of her?" Mu Qing said indignantly. "She’s just a Beauty. Our mistress is a concubine!"

"Now that the relationship between Zhao Liangren and Beauty Zhao has been exposed, just you watch. The palace is bound to get lively," Yingxue said, her expression brightening. "Hiding it like that, they must have had some scheme in mind. Besides, remember before when those rumors about the imperial court were spreading through the harem with such fervor? The Imperial Consort punished Zhao Liangren with confinement, and everyone else could only watch helplessly, right?"

"That’s right. Speaking of which, why would Beauty Zhao hide the fact that she and Zhao Liangren are from the same clan?" Mu Qing couldn’t figure it out either.

"Who knows? We’ll just watch from the sidelines," Yingxue scoffed. "She’s just a Beauty. Beauty Zhao may seem to have a gentle temperament, but all her palace attendants look down their noses at people."

’It would be one thing if we were naive, but for those of us who have been in the palace for years, how could we not see a glimpse of the truth?’

’Without their mistress’s approval, which servant would dare to be so arrogant?’

’Beauty Zhao is outwardly respectful but inwardly arrogant, simple as that. We have to be careful not to fall into her trap.’

Meanwhile, in Yingxue Hall, Zhao Ling’e’s expression was grim. She sent her palace attendants away and sat alone at the table, carefully contemplating her next move.

’She had only found out that she and Zhao Liangren were from the same clan after she entered the palace and went to see her. Since they both had the surname Zhao, they naturally traced their family trees, and that’s when they found the connection.’

’She had originally thought that, with no allies in the palace, Zhao Liangren was a godsend. Having been in the harem for many years, she surely had her own network and a deep understanding of palace affairs.’

’This was far more reliable than the hearsay she had picked up outside the palace.’

’Before she entered the palace, her father had instructed her about the case of the northwest military provisions. The Zhao Family planned to use this case to advance their standing with the Emperor.’

’Who knew that before the Zhao Family could even make their move, Your Majesty had already acted first.’

’A group of officials was punished last year, and everyone thought the matter was over.’

’But she never imagined that Your Majesty would still have someone investigating in secret.’

Every time Zhao Ling’e thought of this, her heart filled with agitation and unease. The Zhao Family had resided in Lingfeng Prefecture for generations. Although they had an untarnished reputation built over many years, it was difficult for them to advance any further.

A good reputation was nice, but the Zhao Family was also slighted by local officials. Not every official respected scholars and their teachings. If they encountered the unscrupulous kind, their Zhao Family was completely disregarded.

’Reputation alone wasn’t enough. They also needed power and influence.’

After weighing the pros and cons again and again, her family decided to send her into the palace.

Zhao Ling’e had not wanted to leave her homeland to come to this deep, secluded palace.

’She knew that the Emperor had a beloved concubine in the palace, one whose fame was known throughout the land. Ever since she had entered the palace, the other concubines had long since become mere ornaments.’

Zhao Ling’e prided herself on being both talented and beautiful, but she also knew that beauty was a sharp weapon—it all depended on who it was used against.

’The first time she saw the Imperial Concubine, she knew this was a formidable rival.’

’During the selection in the main hall, she had secretly observed the Imperial Concubine and Your Majesty. She noticed that although the Imperial Concubine didn’t say much and didn’t make things difficult for the concubines in the selection, the pride in her eyes made it clear she didn’t take any of them seriously.’

’More importantly, she noticed that Your Majesty would always subconsciously look at the Imperial Concubine, while the Imperial Concubine rarely took the initiative to look at Your Majesty.’

’In that moment, her heart sank.’

’She was both talented and beautiful, admired and pursued by many gifted young men in Linfeng.’

’Only when you care deeply for someone do you pay attention to them at every moment.’

’The Emperor’s value and care for the Imperial Concubine ran deeper than she had anticipated.’

’This was undoubtedly a thorny problem for her.’

’What she had expected even less was that, upon first entering the palace, she couldn’t see Your Majesty at all.’

’It was only then that she learned the Emperor only ever went to the Imperial Concubine’s Yaohua Palace. He never lingered anywhere else in the harem, not even to stroll through the Imperial Garden.’

’A chance encounter between a scholar and a beauty?’

’She couldn’t even dream of it.’

’The countless schemes she had once devised turned to dust in an instant.’

’None of them would work here.’