Xue Ya didn’t dare respond, but Yun Jiao answered: “What’s wrong with speaking like this?”
“Speaking like this easily offends people.”
“Then do you resent me?”
Consort Ji turned her face away, but Yun Jiao pattered over to stand right in front of her, forcing her to answer directly: “…I’m not someone who repays kindness with enmity.”
Originally consumed by the fear and sorrow of being pushed into the water by her own sister, this fool’s jesting had dispelled most of her melancholy. Now her pale face had regained some color, carrying a delicate kind of beauty. Seeing Yun Jiao staring at her eagerly, Consort Ji said: “Just say whatever you want to say.”
“This is rather embarrassing,” Yun Jiao said with a shameless grin: “I’m just curious about what happened between you two…”
“Aren’t you afraid of being silenced by Shufei now?”
Yun Jiao pretended to be admiring the distant scenery.
After all, she was her benefactor. Consort Ji finally explained: “Shufei didn’t actually want to kill me. She thinks I’m useless and grew impatient with waiting. The Emperor hasn’t visited Yanxi Palace for too long, so she came up with this strange plan. If one Ji family girl falls into the water and the other catches a cold while saving her… the Emperor would eventually come to take a look.”
Just for one glance from the Emperor, she would push her non-swimming half-sister into the water.
Tears welled up in Consort Ji’s eyes.
Yun Jiao felt she had become completely different from when she was in Chu Xiu Palace. Back then, even when anxious, she had vitality. Now only fragile panic remained, as if walking under bright sunshine yet feeling like being drenched in drizzling rain, tears slowly flowing from the corners of her eyes that never seemed to end. She didn’t want to cry – tears were useless in the palace. She awkwardly wiped her tears with the back of her hand, transferring her anger: “You gained immediate success upon entering the palace, receiving both promotion and an honorific title. Your glory and favor are unmatched – I suppose you’ve achieved what you wanted.”
“My wish wasn’t to gain favor,”
Yun Jiao said.
No further explanation was needed. Consort Ji believed her words – this fool carried an air of carefree detachment about everything.
Heaven loves to play tricks on people. Sometimes the more you seek, the less you obtain.
Those who don’t seek instead have rice bowls pushed into their hands, chased after to be fed – truly infuriating.
Yun Jiao asked her in return: “Then do you most want to gain favor?”
Consort Ji said she wanted to go home, but that was no longer possible.
Entering the palace was like walking through a deep, narrow alley – women could only move forward, with no space to turn around.
Consort Ji sniffled, as if making a decision: “The Emperor will select the Autumn Hunt entourage at month’s end. If you want to go, you should beg the Emperor early. Otherwise, Changzai and Daying generally have no chance to go.”
The Autumn Hunt actually shouldn’t be scheduled this close to winter.
The Emperor had postponed the hunt due to other matters earlier, and everyone thought it wouldn’t happen this year.
This was also one reason for Shufei’s anxiety – she feared her cousin the Emperor wouldn’t bring her.
Having nothing else to repay with, she could only offer this limited information as slight repayment.
…
Before parting, Consort Ji said: “Although you saved me, and I’ll help you if opportunities arise in the future, it’s better if we don’t get involved with each other. I’m not interested in forming close friendships in the rear palace either.”
“Mhmm, mhmm.”
Yun Jiao made agreeing sounds while opening her interpersonal relationships panel.
Close Friends: Sun Changzai, Consort Ji
Consort Ji’s name appeared in a much deeper color than Sun Changzai’s, indicating higher favorability.
Yun Jiao stayed silent for a long moment, ultimately unable to suppress a laugh.
…
When Yun Jiao returned to Xianfu Palace, Shufei’s rewards arrived simultaneously at the western chamber.
When the palace maid came to deliver the rewards, she first paid respects to Li Pin in the main hall. Li Pin dared not stop Shufei’s people, but she complained indignantly: “I shouldn’t have given her the jade bracelet. Now she’s latched onto Shufei. The rewards from Her Highness Shufei must be a hundred times better than mine! Well, I never expected her or the Sun family to side with Xianfu Palace anyway.”
Li Pin didn’t bother lowering her voice when she spoke, and Xue Ya, who overheard, could only bow her head and pretend not to hear.
After Yun Jiao expressed her thanks and saw the visitor off, she opened the brocade box to find a gold hairpin inlaid with pearls and jadeite, exquisitely crafted and appropriate for her rank. The palace maid who delivered it was very polite, saying it was a token of gratitude for accompanying Shufei’s younger sister on a leisurely stroll to enjoy the scenery. Xue Ya, who knew the inside story, felt uneasy: “Shufei is warning you, my lady, not to speak out of turn.”
“As expected of sisters, they’re both very generous.”
Yun Jiao, however, didn’t mind. She held the hairpin and admired it for a long while before instructing Xue Ya to place it on the dressing table: “I’ll wear it tomorrow when paying respects. When Shufei sees it, she’ll be reassured.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed both maids turning to stare at her in unison.
Yun Jiao was puzzled: “What’s wrong?”
Gong Mei looked relieved: “I never thought you’d be so well-versed in social etiquette, my lady.”
Yun Jiao: “…”
Though unspoken, Yun Jiao felt she was being underestimated.
The victim was Consort Ji, and how to handle the matter was her own decision. Yun Jiao certainly wouldn’t meddle unnecessarily. She planned to bury the gossip she’d heard deep in her heart and never mention it to a third person.
But she wasn’t the only one who had overheard the gossip.
There was also the shadow guard Qing Zhou, who had been secretly trailing them. He immediately reported the entire incident to the Emperor.
“I understand.”
Shufei’s concern for her reputation meant little in Xie Zhihang’s eyes.
To capture his attention, this was indeed a win-win strategy. Unfortunately, Consort Ji was afraid of water—the tactics the princes used to compete for their father’s favor during the late Emperor’s succession struggles were quite similar: “Shufei’s execution was still careless. Letting Consort Xi witness the scene was her biggest mistake.”
After this critique, Xie Zhihang focused on the fact that Consort Ji had informed Yun Jiao about the Autumn Hunt.
Well done.
If Yun Jiao wanted to attend the Autumn Hunt, she would have to seek him out and make her presence known.
He was mentally prepared. Let’s see what divine methods she would use to seduce him!
…
Xie Zhihang waited for three days, but she never came.
He deliberately increased his visits to the rear palace and made no effort to conceal his whereabouts. With the imperial whip cracking, even passing dogs knew the Emperor was on the move. If Yun Jiao used her Rewind ability even once, she could easily lie in wait for him, and he would considerately not change his route.
But it was useless.
He encountered nearly every consort and concubine from the three palaces and six courtyards, but never saw Yun Jiao.
When he inquired about her whereabouts, he was told she remained in Xianfu Palace, never once stepping outside.
Xie Zhihang laughed in frustration. An opportunity others would beg for, and she didn’t even try to seize it.
Then it occurred to him that this might be the perspective of a celestial being.
If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain. Once he realized this, Xie Zhihang directly added Consort Xi’s name to the list of attendees for the Autumn Hunt.
When the Empress received the list, she forced a smile and asked, “Not even all the noble ladies are attending, and you’re bringing Consort Xi? Won’t this invite criticism?”
In the flickering candlelight, Xie Zhihang cast a calm glance her way: “Then, before we depart, I’ll promote her to noble lady.”
“I was only joking, Your Majesty. Why are you taking it so seriously with me?”
“I thought the Empress was quite considerate of Consort Xi.”
Not daring to dampen his spirits further, the Empress let the matter drop.
However, Xie Zhihang never expected that when the list of accompanying personnel was announced, time would actually Rewind.
Emperor: Heartbroken, truly heartbroken, not through loud arguments…