After returning to Huayang Palace, Qin Xiyue went straight to the inner chamber and waved her hand to dismiss everyone. She began to replay the day's events in her mind. Thinking it over now, she realized that while Song Yunzhao had appeared to be making a huge fuss—as if she'd lost her temper and was about to cause a scene—every word she spoke and every action she took had systematically pushed Zhu Ruolan and Consort Lu into a corner.
'Brave but witless?'
'Just a pretty face?'
A wry smile touched Qin Xiyue's lips. 'How could someone who supposedly relies on just a pretty face humiliate Consort Lu time and again, leading to today's utter defeat and even the revocation of her title?'
'I was the one who underestimated Song Yunzhao. I never seriously considered her a rival.'
Thinking of the letter from her family, Qin Xiyue's brow furrowed once more.
