I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

The more Song Yunzhao thought about it, the angrier she became. Qin Xiyue’s carefully crafted persona had completely shattered. ’What happened to the wonderful image from the novel? She’s nothing but the epitome of a malicious supporting character.’

Qin Xiyue was well aware of He Lan Yun’s feelings for Ji Yunting. Before entering the palace selection, she had justified it to herself as ’fighting for her love.’ But now she was in the palace, one of the Emperor’s concubines, and she was still pining for Ji Yunting!

’Pining for him is one thing, but she’s just too vile. She actually tried to play matchmaker for Ji Yunting and He Lan Yun. Is that supposed to be kind?’

’She has no shame, no morals, not a shred of human decency. She’s utterly disgusting!’

Song Yunzhao couldn’t swallow this insult, no matter what. She was beyond fuming; she felt like she was about to explode on the spot!

Dealing with the matter of Qin Yuanjing would take time, but she had to vent this frustration first!

’Qin Xiyue is using Ji Yunting to torment me and He Lan Yun? Fine! Who’s afraid of whom? Let’s see who can hurt the other more!’

She decided she would use Qin Xiyue to disgust the Emperor!

She refused to believe the Emperor would remain indifferent after finding out what Qin Xiyue had done.

No man could tolerate a woman in his own domain pining for another man!

Besides, the Emperor had witnessed the drama between the three of them with his own eyes at the Three Yuan Building.

At this thought, Song Yunzhao felt a sense of relief. ’So it’s just about tormenting people? Who doesn’t know how to do that!’

’What good does it do Qin Xiyue to use Ji Yunting to provoke me? The worst that could happen is I lose my appetite for three days from anger. But if the Emperor comes to loathe Qin Xiyue, then even for Grand Tutor Qin’s sake, he would never favor a woman who might cuckold him!’

If Qin Xiyue had stuck to using typical harem schemes against her, it would be a fair fight where the best woman wins. But since she insisted on resorting to such underhanded methods, she shouldn’t blame Song Yunzhao for giving her a taste of her own medicine!

But how to tattle on her? That was a delicate art.

’Given how many times I’ve gone to him with complaints, I can’t just repeat my old tricks. Making a lasting impression that truly deepens his disgust for her... that’s going to be tricky.’

Song Yunzhao racked her brain. Right now, she had no concrete proof that Qin Xiyue had feelings for Ji Yunting. She couldn’t get her hands on the letter Qin Xiyue had written, so she would have to rely on a strategy of insinuation and groundless accusations.

The evidence might be lacking, but the emotion had to be perfect. Song Yunzhao resolved to put on a performance. She had to convince the Emperor that He Lan Yun was hurt entirely because she, Song Yunzhao, had been implicated. This, in turn, filled her with guilt for her friend and with loathing and fury for both Qin Xiyue and Ji Yunting.

She changed into a simple set of everyday clothes. ’Who has time for elaborate hair and makeup when they’re this furious?’ She twisted her hair into a simple side-swept bun, then faced the mirror and darkened her eye makeup slightly to create the fragile look of someone who had just been crying. She rubbed her eyes hard until they were red. Satisfied with the effect, she was ready!

Clutching the letter He Lan Yun had written to her, brimming with a mixture of rage and grievance, she headed for Taiji Palace.

Song Yunzhao walked at a furious pace, with Xiangxue and Shizhu hurrying to keep up behind her. Her demeanor startled Chief Steward Zhang Maoquan, who was just coming out of Taiji Palace.

"Lady, what’s wrong?" Zhang Maoquan quickly intercepted her. "The Emperor is in a meeting. My lady, please wait in the side hall for a moment."

Song Yunzhao looked at Chief Steward Zhang with reddened eyes. "Chief Steward Zhang, when the Emperor is free, you must inform him for me. I have something important to report to him."

’You’ve come all this way yourself; who would dare not announce you?’ Zhang Maoquan thought. With an attentive expression, he escorted Song Jieyu to the side hall, settled her in, and personally brought her a cup of tea. Only then did he go to wait outside Taiji Palace proper. Hearing the Emperor’s icy voice from within, he couldn’t help but lower his head.

The Emperor had been in a foul mood lately because of the cheating scandal, flying into a thundering rage. Many courtiers had been reprimanded, and with both the Left and Right Ministers getting involved, the two factions at court were busy digging up dirt and shaming each other. It made Zhang Maoquan’s life terrifying. Every day on duty felt like walking a tightrope between being caught in the Emperor’s wrath and narrowly escaping it.

’It’s exhausting,’ he thought. But no matter how difficult it was, he didn’t dare let it show. Meng Jiuchang and Xu Sixi were always watching him, just waiting to catch him in a mistake. ’Sigh, it’s not easy!’

He heard the doors to the hall open, and several officials filed out one after another. None of them looked pleased, and their footsteps were heavy as they departed.

Braving Xu Sixi’s sharp gaze, Zhang Maoquan hurried into the hall, only to hear Meng Jiuchang already reporting.

"Your Majesty, the Lady has arrived and seems to have been terribly wronged—her eyes are swollen from crying. She knew you were in a meeting, so she’s waiting in the side hall."

Zhang Maoquan: ...

’I was too careless!’ he thought. ’I can’t believe that old dog actually stole my credit!’

Feng Yi paused. ’Crying?’

Song Yunzhao wasn’t the type to cry. ’What could have possibly wronged her so badly?’

"Have your Lady come here. No, forget it. We will go see her," Feng Yi said, rising to his feet and heading out.