I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

Hearing Feng Yunjin’s words, she felt a pang of sympathy. She had always known that Chen Guoji was at least half-wrongfully accused in that poisoning incident. The other half, she had brought upon herself. Knowing about pharmacology was a good thing, but in a place like the palace, it was a secret best kept.

Now, someone had dug a pit for her, and she’d had no choice but to fall in.

Seeing Song Jieyu’s furrowed brow, Feng Yunjin assumed she was struggling with the request. She sighed and said, "Song Jieyu, please don’t feel conflicted. If you can’t help, there’s nothing to be done. This is just Chen Chengyi’s fate."

She couldn’t let Song Jieyu put herself at risk just for Chen Chengyi. As much as she wanted to lend Chen Chengyi a hand, she would not drag anyone else down with her.

"It’s not that I feel conflicted," Song Yunzhao said, snapping out of her thoughts. She looked at Feng Yunjin. "My relationship with Chen Chengyi may be ordinary, but a life is at stake. I can’t just stand by and do nothing. I’ll have someone make a trip to the Imperial Hospital. We’ll see what they say after that."

Feng Yunjin smiled. "Song Jieyu, you are truly kind-hearted."

Song Yunzhao looked at Feng Yunjin. "Not necessarily."

Feng Yunjin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’Who denies their own kindness like that?’ she thought. She said softly, "For one, I pity Chen Chengyi for falling into such a state. For another, I’ve always suspected there was something strange about that poisoning incident. If we lend her a hand today, she might prove useful to us in the future."

Song Yunzhao was speechless.

’A true strategist is on another level, always thinking three steps ahead.’

The fact that Feng Yunjin would say this to her showed that she had truly pledged her allegiance. Song Yunzhao had the same intention, so their minds were aligned. She smiled and said, "You have a point. One should never intend to harm others, but one must always be on guard."

’So Feng Yunjin was also suspicious about Qin Xiyue’s poisoning. It seems I wasn’t just being paranoid; the incident really is questionable.’

Feng Yunjin nodded at her words. "You are right, Song Jieyu. One must always be careful in the palace."

Song Yunzhao hummed in agreement, then called for Nanny Yu. "Chen Chengyi is ill," she instructed. "Nanny, I need you to go to the Imperial Hospital personally and have them send someone to the Cold Palace to see her. The New Year is almost here. If anything were to happen, could the Imperial Hospital truly bear the responsibility?"

’If a concubine were to die of illness during the New Year, wouldn’t that be terribly inauspicious?’

The Emperor would surely be displeased. In fact, anyone would be. Who doesn’t want to celebrate the New Year with joy and good fortune?

Nanny Yu quickly nodded in assent and turned to head out.

After Nanny Yu left, Feng Yunjin looked at Song Yunzhao and smiled. "That was brilliantly put, Song Jieyu. Why didn’t I think of that?"

’Then again, even if I had thought of it, I wouldn’t have dared to say or do it. Not everyone has the courage to invoke the Emperor’s authority like that.’

Song Yunzhao leaned in and whispered to Feng Yunjin, "I’m just using the Emperor’s authority to intimidate them a little. Otherwise, if I were to approach the Imperial Hospital on my own, they’d most likely just try to fob me off."

"That can’t be helped," Feng Yunjin said, shaking her head. "In the palace, only when you achieve a high enough status and possess real authority will people flock to your call."

Even though Song Jieyu is currently favored by the Emperor, her rank is what it is. The Imperial Hospital wouldn’t dare to slight her, but they wouldn’t necessarily follow her orders either.

Feng Yunjin then remembered that she was still just a small concubine, which made her feel even more dejected. ’I wonder when I’ll ever get an opportunity to raise my rank.’

Song Yunzhao noticed the flicker of disappointment in Feng Yunjin’s eyes and could guess what she was thinking. However, she was in no position to do anything about it now, nor could she make any promises. Opportunities were not so easy to come by; she could only take things one step at a time.

Feng Yunjin’s disappointment vanished as quickly as it came, and she rallied her spirits. ’Song Jieyu is a loyal and honorable person; one only has to look at Consort Shu and Han Guipin to see that. I will definitely get my chance in the future.’

Feeling a bit more at ease, she looked at Song Yunzhao to bring up the second important reason for her visit. "There is one more thing, which I assume you are not yet aware of, Song Jieyu."

"What is it?" Song Yunzhao racked her brain but couldn’t think of any other major events scheduled before the New Year.

"You arrived in the capital relatively late, Song Jieyu, so I’m afraid you may not know about the Empress Dowager," Feng Yunjin said softly.

Song Yunzhao was speechless again.

’Life has been going so smoothly that I actually forgot about that imposing figure.’

However, even though she had read about this in the book, she couldn’t reveal that to Feng Yunjin. She put on a surprised expression and asked, "The Empress Dowager? As far as I know, isn’t Her Majesty the Empress Dowager at a traveling palace, paying homage to Buddha and chanting scriptures for the late Emperor?"

Feng Yunjin nodded. "Yes, that is the official story. But the truth is not so simple."

Song Yunzhao’s interest was piqued. ’The book contained a lot of plot details, but because I’ve been forcefully meddling, many of those plotlines have grown wings and flown off course. Some have vanished without a trace, while others have been completely transformed. The book did mention the Empress Dowager’s story in detail, but after seeing the deviation in Chen Chengyi’s storyline, I’ve decided I should listen carefully to the ’local’ version of the Empress Dowager’s history.’