I Was Supposed to Be the Villainous Consort

"Parroting others’ words will only make you a laughingstock." Qin Xiyue rejected the idea outright. She was starting to feel genuinely anxious now. She had always thought she could see through Song Yunzhao, but now she was discovering that she didn’t understand her at all.

All she knew was the side Song Yunzhao chose to show her. Take the recent Autumn Examination cheating scandal, for instance. Song Buran was at the center of it, and he had even turned in a blank paper in protest!

She felt Song Yunzhao had to be involved, but how could Song Yunzhao have known something would go wrong with the Autumn Examination?

If it had been the three concubines or Han Jinyi, she would have assumed their powerful family backgrounds made it understandable for them to acquire such information. But how long had the Song Family been in the Capital City? They had no foundation, so where could they have heard such news?

After thinking it over and over, she could only conclude that Song Yunzhao was just lucky. But was it really just luck?

She felt that wasn’t necessarily the case, but she couldn’t find any reason to refute it.

It was like being trapped in a strange loop. Every time she had to deal with Song Yunzhao, no matter the situation, events would take a bizarre turn, always ending up completely contrary to her own plans.

And then there was He Lan Yun... To think she was actually willing to break off her engagement with Ji Yunting. That was also something she hadn’t expected.

He Lan Yun was so in love with Ji Yunting. How could she bear to do it?

Getting engaged to him was something she had always dreamed of. How could she just let it go?

It shouldn’t have been like this. But then, how should it have been?

Qin Xiyue felt lost for a moment. She felt she shouldn’t be living like this in the palace, but she couldn’t say what kind of life she *should* be living.

She had the faint feeling that something was slipping away from her, but she couldn’t see it or grasp it. And because of that, her mood only worsened.

While Qin Xiyue was lamenting the loss of something she couldn’t even name, over at Wangyou Palace, the Emperor had dinner and decided to stay the night.

In the middle of the night, Song Yunzhao felt a hand lingering on her abdomen, but she was too tired and lacked the energy to open her eyes and see.

When she recalled it the next day, she gave herself a fright. She subconsciously looked down at her abdomen, her expression growing heavy. Her relations with the Emperor were very harmonious, and she hadn’t been drinking any contraceptive, yet there were no signs of pregnancy.

The other women showed no signs because the Emperor was abstinent with them, but what about her? Could it be that *she* was infertile?

’Though, in the modern world, it wasn’t uncommon for couples to go years without getting pregnant. But if I really have to wait several years to conceive, it will be too late. I don’t even know how long I’ll remain in the Emperor’s favor.’

She couldn’t sit still at the thought. But she couldn’t just summon an Imperial Physician now; if word got out, people would start speculating.

Despite her usual composure, this line of thinking made her restless and impatient. ’If I can’t have children, wouldn’t the "empire" I’ve built in this harem just end up benefiting someone else? How could I let that happen?’

*Sigh*. ’I’m in the prime of my youth. In my previous life, I’d just be starting college. But now I have to worry about whether I can even have children. The contrast is just too much.’

When the Emperor came over again the next evening, he saw Song Yunzhao’s face full of worry and couldn’t help but ask, "Who made you angry?"

Song Yunzhao: ?

’Wait, what’s that supposed to mean?’

’Am I some kind of warmonger? Does being unhappy automatically mean I’ve picked a fight with someone or someone’s picked a fight with me?’

The moment Feng Yi saw Song Yunzhao’s expression, he knew he had guessed wrong. He quickly suppressed a smile and asked softly, "Why are you unhappy?"

Song Yunzhao said gloomily, "Is it that obvious?"

’It’s written all over your face,’ Feng Yi thought. ’Even a blind man could see that you’re unhappy.’

"Tell me about it," Feng Yi said, fighting back his laughter. It wasn’t often he got to see Song Yunzhao in a pickle.

She was the type who never lost out; she was always the one watching drama unfold for others.

Song Yunzhao’s mind raced. ’Fine, I’ll say it. Who’s afraid of whom? Let’s see if I scare the Emperor to death!’

After sending everyone away, Song Yunzhao deliberately lowered her voice and leaned close to the Emperor’s ear. "I was just wondering... The Emperor favors me so much, so why isn’t there any movement in my belly?"

Feng Yi: ...

The question truly took him by surprise. He looked up at her. "You want to have a child that badly?"

A hesitant look appeared on Song Yunzhao’s face. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she said, "Wanting to have a child and being *able* to have a child are two different things. This isn’t about whether I want one. I’m afraid I *can’t* have one."

Feng Yi noted to himself that with a mind like Song Yunzhao’s, her thoughts would surely be unconventional. He replied quite calmly, "You’ve only been in the palace for a short time, and you’re already worried about this? If you’re truly concerned, we can just summon an Imperial Physician to check your pulse."

Song Yunzhao put on a deliberately worried expression. "But what if the Imperial Physician finds out that I really am infertile?"

Feng Yi froze.

Seeing his reaction, Song Yunzhao rolled her eyes inwardly. ’Sure enough, reality always trumps affection.’

Song Yunzhao lowered her head, feigning dejection, but inwardly she was already pondering. ’If I really am infertile, I wonder if I can find a way to get the Emperor to let me leave the palace.’

’If the Emperor isn’t willing, then I’ll just have to fight him to the bitter end. Being infertile means I have to secure my position as the favored concubine even more firmly.’

’But if it comes to that, I’d truly become an Evil Concubine, and the course of events would change dramatically.’

’The consequences of that are rather serious. I’ll have to think it through carefully. Historically, how many maiden families of Evil Concubines have met a good end? I can’t bring ruin to the Song Family.’

’But things shouldn’t be this tragic, right? Isn’t this kind of fertility problem supposed to be a standard trope for the female lead?’

’A female supporting character should be a formidable fighter and especially fertile.’

While she was lost in thought, she heard the Emperor give a command. Zhang Maoquan acknowledged it and left.

Hearing this, she looked up at the Emperor with suspicion.

Feng Yi patted her hand. "What’s such a big deal that it’s scared you this much? We’ll have an Imperial Physician check your pulse. Even if you have difficulty conceiving, it’s nothing to worry about. The Imperial Hospital has physicians who are experts in this area. They can help you regulate your body over time."

For a moment, Song Yunzhao didn’t know what to say. ’I guess that’s not a scumbag thing for the Emperor to say,’ she mused.

Her mood brightened a bit. Song Yunzhao said softly, "I can definitely have children."

’I’m a female supporting character, how could I be infertile!’

’There’s no such thing as an infertile female supporting character!’

Feng Yi looked at Yun Zhao, wondering who the heartbroken person from a moment ago was. ’Still,’ he thought, ’if Yun Zhao really can’t have children, what would be the best course of action?’

’Casting her aside is out of the question. But with her domineering personality, if I were to have children with another woman, it would probably infuriate her to the point of illness.’

’Last time, Princess Consort Wan merely found a dancer who resembled her, and it was enough to make her that angry.’

As Feng Yi pondered this, he didn’t even realize that his primary concern wasn’t that Song Yunzhao might be infertile, but rather how he would appease her if she were.

The Imperial Physician arrived quickly. Now that the moment was here, Song Yunzhao felt a rare flicker of panic. But then she thought, ’Whether I stick my neck out or pull it in, the axe falls just the same. I have to face it sooner or later, so what’s there to be afraid of!’