Wei Hanyu is currently living in Yongshou Palace, one of only two palaces in the harem that is temporarily unoccupied.

Yongshou Palace was once the residence of Empress Dowager Niohuru. At that time, Niohuru was a concubine, but because of Hongli, she directly controlled the power of the inner palace.

When Hongli ascended the throne and Niohuru successfully became Empress Dowager, Yongshou Palace, which held more than ten years of Niohuru's memories, was ordered to be temporarily sealed.

It wasn't until later, when Hongli selected concubines and Consort Hui, from the Niohuru clan, entered the palace, that Yongshou Palace was once again filled with people.

However, Consort Hui's life after entering the palace was not peaceful. After two of the three Niohuru clan members lost their lives, Consort Hui moved to Jingren Palace to raise her young princess, and Yongshou Palace has been vacant ever since.

At present, an accident suddenly occurred at Changchun Palace, and the Emperor remembered that he needed to temporarily house the Empress. Therefore, he reopened Yongshou Palace, which is not far from Changchun Palace.

“Once people move into the palace, it’s not good to leave it empty,” Chen Yuwei said, looking out at the howling wind outside the window, sighing that sometimes life is truly unpredictable.

It was supposed to be a warm and festive New Year, a time for everyone to get together and have fun.

Unexpectedly, two princes in a row ran into trouble, causing widespread panic in the harem.

Because Chen Yuwei was pregnant, she had been confined to the Qixiang Palace since the smallpox outbreak.

When Yongcong from Changchun Palace followed closely behind, Xiahe even held Chen Yuwei's hand and sighed that they had dodged quickly enough. Otherwise, given the distance between Changchun Palace and Yikun Palace, they might have had a smallpox case in their palace as well.

Chen Yuwei told Xia He to calm down, that she hadn't done anything wrong and wasn't afraid of trouble coming her way.

"Although we live next to Changchun Palace, the Empress and we do not interact on a daily basis."

Smallpox, smallpox, oh, that sounds terrifying, how could it have spread without a way to reach us?

Chen Yuwei fiddled with the jade bracelet on her wrist, and her words terrified Xia He.

Xia He was shocked. Was there someone else behind this? Who would be so audacious as to attack both the Empress's biological son and her adopted son?

Xia He's first thought was of Wei Hanyu, who had been bullied by Consort Jia, but she immediately dismissed the idea.

No, Consort Wei lives in Changchun Palace, and smallpox is not a disease that only affects children and not adults. Consort Wei would not do such a thing for her own safety.

Besides, where would Consort Wei get the ability to cause trouble right under the Empress's nose? If the Empress finds out, she won't let her off the hook.

Shaking her head, Xia He suppressed her suspicions.

However, Xia He did not stop there. Instead, she took the opportunity to find out the situation by taking advantage of her master's words.

As a result, they naturally found nothing, not even a trace.

I was clearly overthinking things; the smallpox incident was probably just an accident.

Xia He wasn't the only one who thought this way; everyone else in the harem, regardless of their connections, considered it an accident.

The reason is simple: if someone really did commit the act, why didn't the Emperor investigate, and why did the Empress target them instead?

Yes, in just a few days, smallpox took away Yongcong, who couldn't even walk yet.

Yongcheng of Qixiang Palace did not last long either, and with a sigh, he followed in Yongcong's footsteps.

The two brothers couldn't stay together when they came, but after they left, they held hands and neither of them was left behind.

As a result, the Empress and Consort Jia cried their hearts out, and both of them looked extremely haggard.

He didn't even hold a New Year's celebration in the twelfth year of Qianlong's reign, but instead enjoyed himself alone in the palace.

Chen Yuwei saw the Empress again in early February of the thirteenth year of Qianlong's reign.

The empress looked as if she had just recovered from a serious illness; her eyes were empty and devoid of emotion.

Upon seeing everyone arrive, he didn't even bother with formalities and went straight to the matter of the Emperor's eastern tour.

"The Eastern Tour was originally scheduled for the first month of the year, but because two princes passed away at the end of last year, the Emperor postponed the tour."

The time is perfect; His Majesty and I will embark on our eastern tour together.

As she spoke, the Empress turned her gaze to Chen Yuwei.

Both were pregnant, but compared to her own suffering and poor appearance, Consort Shu's face was fair and rosy, and her eyes were bright. The difference was truly remarkable.

This is Consort Shu's fifth pregnancy, and she has many children and grandchildren, which is the envy of many.

"Your Majesty the Empress, Your Majesty the Empress?"

Chen Yuwei isn't afraid of being stared at, but she is afraid of being stared at in a gloomy way.

The Empress's gaze was so frightening that Chen Yuwei had to remind her that she hadn't finished speaking and should get down to business.

After Chen Yuwei reminded her, the Empress realized that she had lost her composure.

She composed herself, coughed lightly twice, and smiled as she finished speaking, "When the Emperor and I leave the capital, all the concubines should follow."

"Consort Shu, you are pregnant and it is inconvenient for you to travel. Therefore, it is the Emperor's and my will that you remain in the palace temporarily, while also taking charge of the palace's general affairs."

Chen Yuwei smiled and nodded in agreement, "Your Majesty, I obey."

Chen Yuwei was already mentally prepared that she would not leave the palace.

After all, she is currently five months pregnant and an older mother. With these combined advantages, plus the two sons who have just passed away, even if Hongli were crazy, he wouldn't take Chen Yuwei on an eastern tour.

If such a situation were to occur again, Hongli would likely face an even greater challenge: the loss of his legitimate son. He should discuss with the Empress what to do.

However, after leaving Changchun Palace, Chen Yuwei looked back while holding Xia He's hand.

The Changchun Palace, which once had some vitality, is now like an empty shell.

I fear I will never see the Empress again. Could she have imagined that this ordinary eastern tour would become the watershed moment before her passing?

Chen Yuwei sighed and asked Xia He to carry the sedan chair away, while she chose to stroll back to the palace.

Xia He's eyes showed worry, "But what about your health?"

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