Chapter 102 An overt plan

Yun Fenghuang heard him, but she pretended that she didn’t hear. Then she went away without any hesitation.

Returning to Huan Hua Hall, Xi Le whispered to comfort her while unraveling the black cloak for her, “I am sorry. Just because I said that the matter is urgent, Shizi might think something was wrong, and had no time to arrange Childe Qi to come together.”

“It’s okay.” Yun Fenghuang waved her hand and said, “I didn’t intend to tell him about this matter today, so, he’d better not come.”

As she said this, her expression was somewhat gloomy. Xi Le noticed that and her movement became gentler, “You are wronged.”

Yun Fenghuang sighed, and didn’t say anything.

However, under the long drooping eyelashes, her eyes were full of calmness and had no emotion.

She deliberately did not mention Qi Jiulu this time, because she just wanted to see whether Gongxiang Xiao would bring him here or not?

And Gongxiang Xiao did it as she expected. The cooperation between the two had not been harmonious enough. It still could not change the truth that she was threatened even though Yun Fenghuang’s words couldn’t be more pleasant in Small Fang Hu at that night.

Apart from this, now she broke the convention to be a consort. What would Gongxiang Xiao think?

He might be happy for having a powerful ally, but not just for this.

After all, Yun Fenghuang herself knew that she was really not a reassuring ally. She betrayed Yun’s Family first and then Emperor Chunjia, and even her backer Empress Ji’s legitimate cousin, Ji Muzi, was also demoted from a Zhao Yuan because of her.

If Gongxiang Xiao could still believe in her, thinking that she, as a Jie Yu, would be good for him, he would be so stupid.

Yun Fenghuang guessed that Gongxiang Xiao came alone tonight was to talk about next cooperation with her secretly and he didn’t want to let Qi Jiulu know it. Gongxiang Xiao had high status, and he held Imperial City Division of Dou’s Family. Yun Fenghuang just joined the Imperial Harem, and had low status and little qualification. The so-called cooperation between them before was basically that Gongxiang Xiao unilaterally provided Yun Fenghuang with manpower and news, and also helped her meet men from the outside privately.

However, Yun Fenghuang didn’t provide any practical help for Gongxiang Xiao, except talking about the situation and views.

To sum up, from their first meeting in Small Fang Hu to now, Gongxiang Xiao just unilaterally helped her, and the only feedback she gave was to let Gongxiang Xiao find and make Qi Jiulu as his helper… somehow.

But at this moment, she was promoted as a Jie Yu, and took charge of a palace. From the Empress’s attitude towards her, even if she could not be promoted anymore, she was a powerful existence in the Imperial Harem in a short period of time, and related to all parties.

However, Gongxiang Xiao did not progress significantly during this time. He was still unfamiliar with Prince Regent, full of vigilance against his stepmother and stepbrother. But he was helpless. Although he was a distinguished reading partner of the Emperor, he still had no power, just relying on the support of his mother’s family to get the convenience to communicate with the Imperial Harem… According to the tacit agreement between the two, it was time for Yun Fenghuang to honor her promise and help Gongxiang Xiao grab the power and status.

So how could he bring Qi Jiulu here?

Although Qi Jiulu was the top adviser of Gongxiang Xiao, he was also a pursuer of Yun Fenghuang. If he came, maybe he wouldn’t help Gongxiang Xiao bargain with Yun Fenghuang but help Yun Fenghuang persuade Gongxiang Xiao into compromising.

Another important reason was that Gongxiang Xiao attached great importance to Qi Jiulu. Judging from the situation that he called him “Xinyun”, it could be seen that he really wanted to draw in the Zongzi of the big family in the north.

Then he couldn’t even bargain with Yun Fenghuang in front of Qi Jiulu.

After all, Gongxiang Xiao couldn’t make a deal with Yun Fenghuang by himself, and lowered his voice to quarrel at midnight. He could leave first and choose another day to talk. Anyway, Xi Le was serving Yun Fenghuang. If Qi Jiulu was also present and kept defending her, it was hard for Gongxiang Xiao to make a decision.

If he agreed, he would give up the chance to harvest. After all, he had invested too much on Yun Fenghuang, a new and powerful concubine in the Imperial Harem.

Then he could not be reconciled!

If he didn’t agree, what if he had a misunderstanding with Qi Jiulu because of this?

Therefore, the best way was that he came without Qi Jiulu.

But Gongxiang Xiao didn’t expect that Yun Fenghuang knew his thoughts well. He said that Xinyun told him these circumstances long ago to imply that she shouldn’t talk nonsense. Before he came to the point to require the return, she threw out the truth that she joined the Imperial Harem and let Gongxiang Xiao join forces with Chao’s Family.

In addition, except what she said to Gongxiang Xiao, such as for the sake of the family and her own future, she actually implied that she also needed Gongxiang Xiao very much. So there was no need for him to be worried that she would betray him. Although she was a Jie Yu now, she would not give up him who had no power.

Of course, in order not to let him require more, she finally said something to remind him that the current situation was not suitable for him to show his talents!

Since Prince Regent cooperated with Emperor Chunjia to fight against imperial relatives and powerful officials such as Ji’s Family, Zheng Ju, and Cui Wan’s and courtiers, he must be very stressful. Marquess Qingping must help his son-in-law.

At this time, Gongxiang Xiao, the son of Prince Regent’s fist wife, came to make trouble. That would force him to suppress his eldest legitimate son to avoid being framed by others to break the relationship between Prince Regent’s Mansion and Marquess Qingping’s Mansion.

After all, Marquess Qingping was able to obtain the title as a eunuch. Even Zheng Ju, the top one so far, could not do it. Could he be a kind man who did good jobs anonymously? If Gongxiang Xiao got out of this at this time, it was exactly what he wanted, and he could take the opportunity to force Prince Regent to give up his eldest legitimate son and help his grandson gain the power.

“I hope he can listen to me. Just stop making trouble.” Yun Fenghuang scrutinized their meeting tonight, and ensured that she didn’t miss anything important. So, she was secretly relieved, and thought, “Then it depends on Chao Jingyou.”

Gongxiang Xiao was right. Was Yun Fenghuang the kind of person who could be reconciled and work with her rivals for her family and herself? Of course not!

The reason why she gave this matter to Chao Jingyou was not for Qi Jiulu who was more trustworthy and more convenient to communicate with, or because she took the initiative to draw Chao Jingyou in. Just because once it failed, the initiator must be the target of the whole Dijing and would be killed!

How could she ask Qi Jiulu to do such dangerous thing?

Chao Jingyou and her family should bear it!

As for whether Chao Jingyou could see through her game or not, Yun Fenghuang knew she definitely could.

But would she do it when she knew it?

Of course she would.

As what Yun Fenghuang said to Gongxiang Xiao, Chao Jingyou was now in a bad situation, and she had no choice at all. Although she was born in a big tribe, she had a shallow foundation. Once she lost the family’s favor, her status would definitely fall. She racked her brains to marry into Qi’s Family, but was ignored, and even was treated as an enemy by her husband. He would rather sleep with humble maids than her…

If she didn’t do anything, her future was plainly miserable. If Qi Jiulu chose a wrong team, she would be involved. After all, although there was a backer behind Chao’s Family, she just got attention for the marriage with Qi Jiulu. If Qi Jiulu was useless, what value did she have?

What’s more, even if she was safe by then, how would she live in the future? There were four generations of Chao’s Family, and there was no remarried daughter in the four generations. She wouldn’t be an exception. At that time, she must depend on her brothers and sisters-in-law to live a miserable life… In terms of her temper which was known clearly by Yun Fenghuang, she wouldn’t be willing to have such a life.

If Qi Jiulu chose a right team, he would turn to Chao’s Family to avenge Yun Fenghuang, and Chao Jingyou’s future would be worse.

In this case, as long as she was not a weak person, she must struggle.

So, even if she knew Yun Fenghuang had bad intention, Chao Jingyou must go on according to her calculation… This was the power of her overt plan.

Even if Yun Fenghuang sat in front of Chao Jingyou personally and told her the intention and malice completely, she could only do it.

In the name of this matter, cooperated with Xie’s Family who was anxious to scrub its stigma, Chao’s Family took the lead to integrate tribes in the north… Although Chao Jingyou and Chao’s Family would be involved in danger, it was still a chance for her to seize the power and improve her and her family’s status in her tribe!

What?

You said that there was a backer behind Chao Jingyou’s family, and even came from Dijing, which might be Marquess Qingping’s Mansion. Weren’t you afraid to anger them if you did this?

This was the reason why Yun Fenghuang knew that Chao Jingyou would take action. Because she knew that even dogs were also graded. The most inferior ones ate leftover food, and slept in the woodshed. If a maid was unhappy, they would be kicked, or even be cooked as a pot of meat.

If the dogs were in middle class, maids did not dare to bully them casually, and they might get a veterinarian to check for them if they were sick. Besides, they could also get basic guarantee for food, clothing, housing, and transportation.

As for those in the top class, many people would not live a better life than these dogs even it took these people eight years to struggle. They had special people to serve. A group of people would be around them even just a small thing happened to them. Their collars were woven from flat tubes of gold and silver. As for being cooked, it was impossible for these dogs and nobody could mention that. Maybe they would also enjoy the honor to be buried with the Emperor.

It was certainly shameless for the backer of Chao’s Family to act secretly. But if it succeeded, Chao’s Family would become a big family which seized the right after their cooperation, from a normal tribe in the north… Well, the backer behind that generally was not a fool would not treat them like that, or even increase their treatment.

During this process, of course, it was inevitable for them to be beaten, but still Chao’s Family would be safer for overall.

“It seems simple. I’m afraid it’s not that easy.” Yun Fenghuang was thinking before going to sleep, “Among the tribes in the north, Xie’s Family and Jiang’s Family have the best relationship because they had united by marriage for generations. And Jiang’s Family was also involved in my sister’s affairs. So, they have the same stance on scrubbing the stigma. In this way, plus Chao’s Family, there are three families. Besides, although Qi’s Family became an enemy of Xie’s Family after cancelling the engagement, it is actually impatient to be involved in Dijing’s affair…”

After Xie’s, Qi’s, Jiang’s and Chao’s Families reached an agreement, they were already a force that couldn’t be underestimated in the north.

Moreover, four families also had relatives and allies… Yun Fenghuang believed that it could succeed, but needed time.

Even if Chao Jingyou was more anxious than her, the distance between Dijing and the north still needed the time to overcome.

Therefore, she still needed to deal with matters in the Imperial Harem by herself!

Yun Fenghuang sighed and pulled the quilt to her head, “Tomorrow… tomorrow I can go with Her Highness to watch the audition. I hope those girls from good and non-aristocratic families will not let me down!”

The next day after paying respects, she followed the sedan of the Empress with excitement to Xiu Zhuo Palace, which was specially vacated for auditions. However, when they just entered the room and picked up the tea bowls in front of them, someone outside reported before the Empress asked the leading maid to start, “Here comes the Emperor.”

The concubines were all startled, and immediately put down the tea bowls to stand up and salute. They were puzzled, because when the Empress asked the Emperor, the Emperor clearly said that she could make all decisions. Why did he come suddenly?

The Emperor usually didn’t care about these things!

Especially after he took over the reins, he must have no time to come here.

Only Yun Fenghuang buried her head with guilt in the team. She wondered maybe her previous inquiry made the Emperor suspicious, so, he came to monitor.