Chapter 23: Standing Out from the Crowd

"Yun Zhaozhao, you blockhead, how dare you insult me!"

Kong Yuling’s face twisted with rage.

Yun Zhaozhao tilted her head, feigning ignorance. "What did I call you?"

"You called me..."

Kong Yuling faltered, at a loss for words.

Yun Zhaozhao curled her lip in mockery. She knew these pampered noble daughters, who couldn't tell one grain from another and lacked any real-world experience, wouldn't understand the nuance of her words.

"Sixth Aunt, how could you use such vulgar language as 'spouting manure' to insult Miss Kong?" Sheng Hongfei interjected, her expression one of disapproval.

Yun Zhaozhao was genuinely surprised. It wasn't that Sheng Hongfei was targeting her, but that she had actually understood the idiom. It seemed this woman had spent time in the countryside—perhaps even doing farm work—before her rebirth.

"What?!"

Finally grasping the meaning, a furious Kong Yuling raised her arm to strike, shrieking, "You damned wretch, Yun Zhaozhao! I’ll tear your mouth apart!"

Yun Zhaozhao chuckled softly. "Are you certain you want to resort to violence against me?"

With that, she plucked a peach blossom branch, gave it a slight squeeze, and wood shavings showered to the ground.

Kong Yuling’s expression stiffened; her raised arm hung in the air, neither striking nor retreating. Fortunately, a eunuch’s voice rang out from the entrance, breaking the tension.

"Her Highness, Consort Hui, has arrived!"

The crowd hurried to step forward and offer their respects. Shortly after, Consort Shu and the Empress arrived. Last of all came the Empress Dowager.

"Greetings to the Empress Dowager. May you live for ten thousand years."

"Very good, very good. Everyone, rise."

Once the Empress Dowager gave the word, the crowd stood. With such high-ranking figures present, the atmosphere became noticeably restrained. Even the typically arrogant Kong Yuling became unnervingly well-behaved.

Yun Zhaozhao was ushered back to the Sheng family's side by Yun Chuchu.

"Sister, you should go back now. Don't worry, I can handle myself."

Seeing Yun Zhaozhao return, Lady Li wanted to lash out with a few stinging remarks, but the occasion forbade it. She could only maintain a facade of a smile while shooting cold glares at her.

Soon, it was Lady Liang’s turn to lead the Sheng family women forward to pay their respects. Sheng Hongfei, as the only unmarried, age-appropriate young lady of the Duke’s estate, was pushed to the front.

"Hmm, not bad. A fine child."

The Empress Dowager’s praise was purely ceremonial. The implication was clear: she was not impressed. Lady Liang’s expression remained neutral, while Lady Li looked disappointed. Sheng Hongfei, however, appeared utterly calm and indifferent, as if she were above such judgment. That was to be expected; she knew that the Fourth Prince would eventually ascend the throne, so she had no interest in vying for the favor of the Second or Third Princes.

Soon, it was Yun Chuchu's turn. Yun Zhaozhao watched from afar, her heart racing. Given the current standing of the General’s estate, Chuchu was unlikely to be chosen as a primary princess consort. However, one could not rule out Consort Shu or Consort Hui attempting to secure a secondary consort position to gain influence over the military. Otherwise, why would the Kong family be so eager to marry even a blockhead like herself? And that was without mentioning how beautiful, talented, and exceptionally intelligent her Chuchu was.

"Sixth Aunt, you seem quite nervous. Are you afraid that the Second Miss Yun will be chosen, or that she won't?" Sheng Hongfei had appeared at her side.

Yun Zhaozhao shifted away subtly, fearing the strange energy surrounding the girl. "My dear niece, you should worry more about yourself. You look pale and listless; if I didn't know better, I’d think you’d seen a ghost last night."

"Thank you for your concern, Sixth Aunt. Though, truth be told, my current state is very much thanks to you."

Seeing the dark, hateful glint in her eyes, Yun Zhaozhao’s heart sank. Was this reborn woman on the verge of a total breakdown? Unfortunately, ever since Yun Zhaozhao had intercepted the rewards from the system, there was clearly a rift between the woman and her "rebirth system." They barely communicated outside of completing tasks, making it impossible to pry into the secrets of her past life. She had previously heard mention of someone named Sheng Wanqing, but her assistant, Xiaodao, had searched the entire Sheng clan records and found no such person.

"I take no credit for what I haven't done; I won't be the scapegoat for this," Yun Zhaozhao replied, then turned and walked quickly toward the returning Yun Chuchu.

"How was it? Are you alright?"

"Sister, I'm fine. We just chatted about daily life," Yun Chuchu said, holding her hand and speaking at a steady pace. "The Empress Dowager asked about the state of the estate. I told her the truth: that since you are married, Mother is in poor health, and our younger brother is still young, Father wrote to me asking me to manage the General's estate on Mother's behalf until my brother begins his formal education."

"The Empress even praised me for my sense of duty, saying I was a true daughter of the General’s estate."

In those few sentences, Yun Zhaozhao understood the underlying agenda. Consort Shu and Consort Hui were indeed setting their sights on Chuchu. However, because neither was willing to concede or let the other gain the advantage, the matter had been tabled under the intervention of Empress Xue. But this was only temporary. The Second Prince was backed by the Ministry of Personnel, and the Third Prince by the Ministry of Revenue; what they both lacked most was military influence. Therefore, it was certain that neither would give up easily.

"Be careful when the banquet starts. Don't eat anything, don't even touch the rim of a cup, and stay away from any soups or liquids," Yun Zhaozhao warned.

"I know, Sister. That's the third time you've reminded me today," Yun Chuchu said with a helpless smile.

Yun Zhaozhao lightly flicked her nose. "What, tired of my nagging?"

"Not at all. I just wanted to say, it's so good to have you by my side!"

Watching the close-knit sisters, Sheng Hongfei curled her lips in a cold sneer. She remembered that in her past life, more than one person had made a move during this very flower-viewing banquet. *Yun Chuchu, today I will destroy your path to becoming Empress!*

Soon, it was time for the banquet to begin. Everyone moved to the main hall. Men and women were seated separately. As they moved, Yun Zhaozhao spotted Sheng Xingye in the distance. Despite his reputation as a lackadaisical fop who could neither write nor fight, he walked among the noble sons with an air that made him stand out like a crane among chickens. Seeing his smug, triumphant look, she wondered if he had some good news—or if he had come into money again?

Sheng Xingye didn't know his purse was being eyed again, but he did indeed have cause for celebration. He had accidentally saved the Fourth Prince and, in doing so, had a court physician publicly take his pulse, clearing up the rumors that he was "impotent." He could finally hold his head high again.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Yun Zhaozhao joined the crowd in kneeling: "Long live the Emperor, may you live for ten thousand years."

*Tch,* she thought, one trip to the palace involved more kneeling than most people in the modern world did in a lifetime. The current Emperor was the ultimate opportunist. While others ascended the throne through merit, he had done so through pure luck. The late Emperor had been highly ambitious, dedicated to expanding his territory, and had fathered many children along the way. As the saying went, rarity gives value, and people were no different. With so many sons, they were no longer precious. To find the most capable heir to his grand ambitions, the late Emperor raised his sons like venomous insects in a jar. The ten who survived were all ruthless men—all, that is, except the current Emperor.

His mother, the current Empress Dowager, had been defeated in the harem intrigues within a month of entering the palace and was banished to a royal villa. The late Emperor had been injured during a military campaign and stopped at the villa to recover. The Empress Dowager conceived in a single night of favor and, fearing the cruelty of the harem, kept the pregnancy a secret, raising the child in the shadows.