Chapter 233 Nightmare

His Majesty gave the order, and Chen Fu was sent back to the Hehuan Palace overnight.

The next morning, after the news came out, it was widely publicized for several days. After all, what happened in Concubine Rong's palace was concealed.

Most of the concubines in the harem were unaware of this.

She saw that Shen Fu was sent back by the Emperor, and thought that she had fallen out of favor and was disliked by the Emperor.

The concubines in the harem were complacent about this. As long as Chen Fu fell out of favor, they would have a chance to be seen by the Emperor.

But the concubines didn’t feel happy for long.

His Majesty sent Lin An over there and awarded Chen Fu a set of jade pendants with auspicious patterns of dragons and phoenixes.

The concubines immediately stopped thinking.

Although I don't know what His Majesty is thinking, but since he has given me the gifts, he certainly doesn't reject them.

The concubines' newly-awakened expectations instantly vanished.

And in the Hehuan Palace, Chen Fu saw the brocade box at hand and did not move for a long time.

"My lady." Seeing that Chen Fu hadn't made any move for a long time, Zi Su stepped forward and cautiously reminded her, "Do you still want to take this thing?"

Shisu said, glancing down at the table.

It’s not that this jade bead is so precious, but the dragon and phoenix patterns on it.

You know, since ancient times, the dragon pattern has symbolized the emperor, and as for the phoenix pattern, it naturally symbolizes the queen.

Now there is only the Imperial Concubine in the harem, and the position of Queen has been vacant.

Naturally, no one dares to use the phoenix pattern.

But now, His Majesty actually sent this pair of jade beads to the young lady.

What does this mean?

Zi Su didn't understand, and didn't even dare to guess. She could only look at Chen Fu and ask.

Chen Fu met Zi Su's eyes and looked towards the table: "Put it away."

"Young Master?"

Shisu opened her mouth and wanted to remind him. But before she could speak, Shen Fu stretched out her hand to stop her.

"Put it away first."

No matter why His Majesty sent a pair of jade beads to her, Chen Fu would have to accept them even if he gave them to her.

It's impossible to return it intact.

Zi Su opened her mouth, obviously wanting to say something else. But seeing Chen Fu's expression, she still picked up the mirror box obediently and said, "Then I will take it to the warehouse."

"Wait." Chen Fu stood behind him and said, "Go pick some supplements."

"What does the young master want to take supplements for?" Zi Su was puzzled.

Isn't it the young lady who dislikes taking supplements the most? The things sent by His Majesty have piled up into a mountain, but the young lady asked them to be sent to the warehouse without even looking at them.

What happened today? Why did he ask for supplements on his own initiative?

Zi Su blinked and asked inquiringly, Shen Fu met Zi Su's eyes and smiled and shook her head: "Fool."

Shen Fu stretched out her hand and placed it on Zi Su's forehead, tapping it gently.

"Lady Zhou was injured while saving me. It is reasonable for me to go and see her."

My Lord is so kind to me...

Zi Su looked at the young lady's doting smile, blushed and lowered her head, but couldn't help but say:

"The roads are slippery and hard to walk on in snowy weather. It has been snowing these past few days. It is better for you to go out less often."

"Although Lady Zhou saved my lady, my lady can just send some people to deliver some things. Why bother to make such a trip in person?"

Zi Su swore solemnly, and what he said was not without reason.

Shen Fu looked at the person in front of her, reached out and rubbed her head: "Go."

With her current status, she naturally doesn't need to go to see Concubine Zhou in person.

But she wanted to go.

Shen Fu leaned against the long table and looked out the window.

What he recalled in his mind were Lady Zhou's every move during these times.

She always felt that something was different.

Shen Fu took a deep breath and raised her hand to rub her brow.

"I hope it's not what she thinks."

*******

Zhou Shuyun lived in Chuxiu Palace.

Chen Fu had heard that Zhou Shuyun lived there before, but Chuxiu Palace was far away, and Chen Fu had not been interested in having much contact with Zhou Shuyun before.

Therefore, Chen Fu had never been to the Chuxiu Palace once.

The Hehuan Palace is a bit far away, and it has been snowing for the past few days.

Chen Fu was pregnant and couldn't walk for too long, so she sent someone to bring a sedan chair over.

It only took you the time of an incense stick to walk from the Hehuan Palace to the Chuxiu Palace.

"There are no other masters living in this palace, only Lady Zhou and Concubine Wang."

Naturally, other ladies had lived there before, but the Chuxiu Palace was too far away, so those with a little bit of ability found ways to live somewhere else.

However, Concubine Zhou and Wang Ruru have been out of favor since they entered the palace for a long time, so they have to live obediently in the Chuxiu Palace.

Xiao Guizi had already found out everything before coming, and reported as she helped Chen Fu down.

"Because he is not favored by His Majesty, the servants in the palace also like to flatter the powerful and flatter the weak. Over time, this palace has become a little desolate."

As Xiao Guizi spoke, she held Shen Fu's hand and said, "My lady, please walk slowly."

Chen Fu followed Xiao Guizi's hand and looked around after she stood firm.

This is her first time to come to Chuxiu Palace.

But in her previous life, she had heard of Chuxiu Palace many times.

From the mouths of palace maids, from the mouths of young eunuchs, and even from the mouth of her elder sister Shen Qingru who had died long ago.

Concubine Zhou of Chuxiu Palace was so favored that she later became the imperial concubine of Chuxiu Palace.

In those dark days, the three words "Chuxiu Palace" were what Chen Fu heard most often.

So even though Chen Fu had never seen Zhou Shuyun's appearance at that time, she was still yearning for Chuxiu Palace.

Thinking of her past life, Shen Fu took a deep breath. The feeling of powerlessness of being in the darkness, even though Shen Fu is no longer the same person she was before.

But I am still often awakened by that feeling.

"My lady." Seeing that Chen Fu didn't move for a long time, Xiao Guizi couldn't help but remind her.

Shen Fu came back to her senses and placed her hand on her heart. Listening to the heartbeat coming from under her palm, Shen Fu seemed to realize that she was no longer the same person she was before.

She breathed a sigh of relief and put her arm around Xiao Guizi's arm: "Let's go."

Zhou Shuyun was not favored in this life, and Chuxiu Palace was naturally not the same Chuxiu Palace as in the previous life.

She is now Concubine Shen, who is deeply favored by His Majesty, and is no longer the person who hid in the dark corners.

Chen Fu cheered up and walked towards Chuxiu Palace.

However, this Chuxiu Palace was different from any ordinary palace. Not only was there no eunuch leading the way at the gate, there wasn't even a servant on the road.

Chen Fu was really puzzled, and she led people all the way to the innermost part, but she ran into Wang Ruer who was carrying a food box.

Wang Ruer has lost a lot of weight and her face looks dull. He was wearing a half-worn jacket, and his usually flamboyant and dazzling face seemed to have quickly lost its luster.

He looked a little embarrassed in this icy and snowy environment.

She obviously didn't expect Shen Fu to come over, and she froze in place the moment she saw Shen Fu.

Her palm loosened, and the food box in her hand fell to the ground. After a while, she asked in disbelief: "Why are you here?"

"How bold!" As soon as Wang Ruer finished speaking, Xiao Guizi immediately stepped forward and stood in front of Chen Fu.

"Miss Wang, how can you call our young master by her name?" Being favored in the Hehuan Palace, Xiao Guizi's back naturally straightened a lot.

He stood in front of Shen Fu, his eyebrows raised, and his fierce eyes were directed at Wang Ruer: "Our young master is a concubine, and young master Wang is just a concubine, so you should still address her as our young master."

The eunuch's voice was sharp and thin.

Wang Ruer then remembered that she was now just a small concubine.

And the Shen Fu in front of him, who was pregnant, had always been the emperor's favorite concubine.

Realizing this, Wang Ruer came back to her senses. She quickly lowered her head and knelt on one knee.

The food box and the cups were broken into pieces on the ground, and Wang Ruer happened to be kneeling in the soup. The greasy smell kept filling her nose, but Wang Ruer didn't dare to move.

"I pay my respects to Concubine Shen."

The person in front of her was truly rare and docile... Chen Fu lowered her eyes slightly and looked at Wang Ruer who was kneeling in front of her.

Compared to the last time I saw her, the person in front of me seemed like a completely different person.

Chen Fu lowered her eyes slightly and looked at Wang Ruer carefully. After a while, he asked thoughtfully, "Where is Lady Zhou?"

Only Wang Ruer and Zhou Shuyun lived in Chuxiu Palace.

If Chen Fu wasn't here to look for Wang Ruer, then she was naturally here to look for Zhou Shuyun.

Wang Ruer lowered her head, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. After hearing Shen Fu's words, he did not raise his head, but just stretched out his hand and pointed behind him.

"Live in that room."

"Thank you." Shen Fu looked behind her in the direction of Wang Ruer's finger.

Then he held Zi Su's hand and walked forward.

Wang Ruer knelt on the ground with her head lowered, and watched with her own eyes as the palace maid beside Chen Fu stepped on her food box.

The delicacies that had just been brought from the imperial kitchen were now crushed to pieces by a stomping foot.

Wang Ruer knelt on the ground, watching the dishes being crushed into pieces, her face looking uglier than ever.

These dishes were like her face, and at this moment they were trampled into the mud. Ever since she was demoted, she has been living under the ridicule of everyone.

The people around her all left her, even the palace maids ran away.

Not only did she have to do all these tasks that were supposed to be done by the servants, but even so, Chen Fu stepped on her.

Wang Ruer obviously didn't remember how she dropped the food box just now.

There was only Shen Fu in her mind, and she blamed everything on Shen Fu!

Shen Fu didn't care at all what Wang Ruer thought.

After all, even if she didn't do anything, Wang Ruer would not be kind to her.

Besides, Wang Ruer is like a grasshopper in autumn and she won’t be able to jump for many more days.

Shen Fu shook her head and held Zi Su's hand and walked into Zhou Shuyun's room.

Chuxiu Palace was already deserted, so Zhou Shuyun's house was naturally not much better. From the doorway it looked shabby, but when I got closer I saw there was no one at the door.

Xiao Guizi walked forward and was about to knock on the door, with her palm placed on the handrail. Just as she was about to exert force, the door creaked open by itself.

"My lady, the door is not closed." Xiao Guizi put down her hand and turned her head.

Shen Fu said nothing, stretched out her hand, gently opened the door and walked in.

The outside of the house looks shabby, so the inside is naturally not much better. As soon as Shen Fu walked in, she smelled a strong smell of medicine coming from inside.

The medicine has a slightly acrid smell, and anyone who takes it straight in will have a bitter taste in their nose.

Shen Fu took the handkerchief and covered her nose, then lowered her footsteps and walked forward: “Lady Zhou?”

She called out twice softly into the house, but there was still no movement.

Chen Fu asked Xiao Guizi to wait at the door and walked in with Zi Su.

The simplicity of Zhou Shuyun's house was beyond Chen Fu's expectations.

It was so cold and there wasn't even a charcoal fire burning in the house. As soon as I entered the house, the cold wind outside the window blew into the house, making me shiver.

Chen Fu glanced at the half-open window, tightened her grip on Zi Su's hand, hugged her cloak tightly around her body, and walked in.

Compared to the luxury of the Hehuan Palace, the house where Zhou Shuyun lives is even worse than the one where Zi Su lives.

Apart from two chairs, there was only a table with peeling paint in the room.

"Why is Miss Zhou living like this?" Even Zi Su was a little shocked: "She doesn't look like a proper lady at all."

Shen Fu turned her head and glared at her, her eyes darting around. Before I could see clearly, I heard a whisper from behind the screen:

"It's not me. It's not me."

Behind the screen, Zhou Shuyun lay on the bed, muttering to herself with her eyes closed.

She dreamed again.

In the dream, it was also a winter day. In the vast snow, the red plum blossoms were reflected by the white snow, which was stunningly beautiful.

She likes plum blossoms the most.

Zhou Shuyun saw herself standing in the snow in gorgeous clothes, and the Emperor was holding her hand and standing in the snow admiring the plum blossoms.

The road was slippery in the snow, and His Majesty held her hand firmly in his palm, holding it tightly without letting go.

Your Majesty is so gentle.

Zhou Shuyun looked at everything in front of her naturally and familiarly.

These days, she would dream about this scene every time.

His Majesty either held my hand or hugged me. Sometimes they were outside, and sometimes they were alone.

But no matter what, the Emperor always smiled when he saw me.

Whispering softly and smiling. His Majesty's eyes always contained a gentle smile.

Not like in the daytime...

Zhou Shuyun thought again about what happened during the day, which was completely opposite to what happened in her dream.

She was no longer as high and mighty and luxurious as she had been in her dreams. She was just a little beauty, and the Emperor never even glanced at her.

"No, no." Zhou Shuyun shook her head frantically, cold sweat dripping down her forehead in the cold weather.

She is not like this, she shouldn't be like this.

Zhou Shuyun shook her head desperately, her forehead covered with cold sweat.

Chen Fu followed the sound and came out, seeing what was happening, and hurriedly said, "Go and call the imperial physician."

When Zi Su heard this, she immediately ran out. Chen Fu looked at the person lying on the bed.

"Miss Zhou, Miss Zhou?"

Chen Fu placed her palm on Zhou Shuyun's shoulder and shook it a few times with a little force.

The person in the nightmare opened his eyes instantly.

Zhou Shuyun woke up.

"Lady Zhou?" Chen Fu looked at the person lying on the bed: "Lady Zhou, you're awake."

She just breathed a sigh of relief, but she didn't expect that the person on the bed was staring at her face.

A pair of eyes full of strangeness: "Who are you?"