By the time Wuyunzhu left Yikun Palace, the sky outside had completely darkened.

The sky was pitch black, without a glimmer of light, and the few large lanterns lit up only made the palace seem more eerie and sinister.

For the first time, Wu Yunzhu discovered that the palace had so many flaws.

Unfortunately, she was unaware of it before, and now that she has realized it, it's too late.

With a sigh, Wu Yunzhu shook her head and, with the help of her maid, boarded the carriage to return to the mansion.

A small, exquisite charcoal fire burned inside the carriage. The prince consort sat inside, waiting for Wuyunzhu to enter. He didn't forget to hand over his cloak to help cover himself.

Although the weather is getting warmer, the nights are still a bit chilly, and the prince consort is worried that Wuyunzhu's health may not be able to withstand it.

"It's alright. You'll be in charge of communicating with the new emperor in the future, as it's our family business."

After speaking, Wu Yunzhu turned around and leaned against the cushion behind her to rest before the prince consort could react.

Whether it was entering the palace today or spending some time alone with her mother in Yikun Palace, Wuyunzhu's body couldn't take it anymore, mainly because the time was too long.

With her old arms and legs worn out, Wu Yunzhu pouted, thinking to herself that there was still a long road ahead.

Although she was reluctant to see her father leave, life had to go on as usual; she couldn't just kill herself.

"What did the Imperial Noble Consort say to you?"

The prince consort reached out to straighten the cloak draped over Wuyunzhu's shoulders, and at the same time, he moved the burning charcoal brazier in front of him a little further in.

Wu Yunzhu nodded, "The new emperor has ascended the throne, and he is my nephew who is not his biological father. If I were to take action, I'm afraid it would leave behind hidden dangers."

Mother is right. Wuyunzhu has been thinking a lot since she left home.

No one can guarantee that Mianjin will still be the Mianjin they know after he ascends the throne.

Therefore, the best approach is to arrange for a prince consort with no blood relation to the princess to act as a buffer.

There was nothing that could be done about it; Wuyunzhu's business had grown enormously over the years, otherwise Hongli wouldn't have been able to withstand his extravagant spending.

It should be noted that Emperor Qianlong traveled to the south of the Yangtze River more often than in history, yet he officially passed away more than a decade later.

The difference is so small that a simple calculation will give you a rough idea of ​​how much money Wuyunzhu made.

"What should we do then?" The prince consort did not refuse to let him intervene.

“Strictly adhering to official procedures, that’s the emperor’s style.” Wu Yunzhu’s lowered eyelashes fluttered, and after speaking, it seemed as if her heart was bleeding.

Tsk tsk tsk

It was indeed a waste of money, and this waste will continue for decades to come.

Prince Consort: ...

Without even thinking, one can tell that their princess is heartbroken.

After all, they treat making money as a hobby, rather than enjoying spending money on leisure. Despite being married for many years, they only have one son.

Patting Wuyunzhu on the shoulder, the prince consort reassured the princess that she didn't need to think too much for the time being. The new emperor had only just ascended the throne and wouldn't be too harsh on the royal family members, especially since Wuyunzhu was the new emperor's own aunt.

Wu Yunzhu sighed, "Just because it's not possible now doesn't mean it won't be possible in the future."

My mother also meant that we shouldn't delay; some things need to be decided as soon as possible.

After speaking, Wuyunzhu went on to talk about the next arrangements, saying that it was their responsibility as children to observe mourning for the late emperor.

After finishing her work in the palace, Wu Yunzhu planned to take a break from her illness for a period of time.

"We'll also take this opportunity to transfer our business elsewhere, which will make things easier for you later."

Upon hearing this, the prince consort nodded, thinking to himself that he understood everything.

Slightly regretful that most of the business would be given away for free, the prince consort had a sudden thought and decided to do everything according to the princess's wishes.

This decision also prevented a wave of subsequent controversies.

However, that's a story for later. Right now, the new emperor has only received the imperial edict to pass the throne to him and has not yet officially ascended the throne.

The two returned to the princess's residence by carriage, and then went to their respective rooms to rest.

The next morning, the two of them got up early again and took their son to the palace to mourn.

In just one day, the Imperial Household Department had already set up the venue.

The imperial concubines, members of the royal family, and ministers of the former court all knelt in the square, heads bowed, weeping and wailing.

Regardless of how she cried or what methods she used.

In short, everyone seemed genuinely upset.

Chen Yuwei was helped back to Yikun Palace to rest for a day yesterday, and she obviously didn't have much energy when she came out today.

Feeling listless and unwell, Chen Yuwei forced herself to finish what she needed to say before collapsing onto Xingkui and being carried back to Yikun Palace.

The imperial physician diagnosed that the Imperial Noble Consort was physically and mentally exhausted and needed proper care. Otherwise, fainting would be a minor issue; it could damage her health and shorten her lifespan.

Alright, given Chen Yuwei's condition, she naturally cannot go to mourn for the late emperor.

Although Chen Yuwei explained that she was fine, her coughing while speaking made no one dare to agree.

Naturally, Chen Yuwei stayed in Yikun Palace to rest, and breathed a sigh of relief when no one was around.

Grateful to the system in her mind for sending her a pill that could disrupt her pulse, Chen Yuwei yawned, thinking to herself that she was not going to suffer.

Although the weather isn't as hot as it will be in a few days, kneeling outside all day is still unpleasant.

Their Yikun Palace is the ultimate winner; she's too lazy to pretend.

Besides, once a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. Even if she diligently mourns for Hongli, she might not be able to make him remember her.

'Now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. I'll wait in the palace until this period passes, and then the Yuanmingyuan will be beautiful again.'

Chen Yuwei said something to the system in her mind, then relaxed her body backward to relieve the pressure.

Chen Yuwei didn't sleep well yesterday, and soon felt sleepy.

With her eyes half-closed, she tilted her head and fell asleep without even realizing it.

The palace has been busy with matters concerning the new emperor and the late emperor for some time now.

Because of the imperial physician's diagnosis, Chen Yuwei rested without any hesitation.

Aside from the usual visits from Wuyunzhu, she kept everyone outside, including the new emperor.

When asked, the answer was always the same: one needs to rest and recuperate, for fear that the illness might spread to others.

That's right, Chen Yuwei didn't think that being overworked was a valid excuse, so she simply took the opportunity to pretend to be sick and make herself seem more seriously ill.

Apart from herself and her maid Hoshikui, no one else knew about this.

Even when Wuyunzhu came over, she was extremely worried about her mother's health.

She said that her two older sisters, who lived far away in Jiangnan, would be returning to the capital soon, and that her mother should take good care of herself.

"Don't worry, Mother's health is just due to overwork."

Once your two older sisters return safely, your mother will be able to go out and meet people again.

Chen Yuwei lay half-reclined on the bed, with a tall strip pillow behind her.

Wu Yunzhu held the herbal soup that Chen Yuwei wanted to drink and stirred it continuously.

"Mother, your daughter..."

Before she could finish speaking, Chen Yuwei reached out and took the medicine, while smiling and reassuring Wuyunzhu not to be afraid.

"Once the business is gone, it's gone. Material possessions are nothing compared to you."

Wu Yunzhu looked disappointed. "My daughter may need some more time to recover."

Knowing that giving up business is the safest approach, how can one easily choose between emotion and reason?