Chapter 1327 The Concubine Should Not Be a Great Enemy (2)

"Madam Dowager, are you awake?" As soon as Shi Chu moved, a pretty maid came forward to support her. "Madam, are you still feeling uncomfortable? Do you want the imperial physician to take a look?"

Lu Shichu shook his head and said, "No, I'm much better now. I just feel a little dizzy. It may be because I cried too much before. I just need to rest."

"Yes." The maid Zhichun agreed and asked, "Madam, do you want to prepare the meal?"

“Prepare it.” Lu Shichu said, but now the late emperor has just passed away, and it is the mourning period. Dinner will be all vegetarian. Even the imperial chef with top cooking skills does not dare to make any amazing vegetarian dishes at this time. He can only make some ordinary but safe vegetarian food.

When dinner was served, it was indeed very light. Lu Shichu wanted to pretend to be weak, so he only ate a little and let the maids share it.

Later, the new emperor sent someone to inquire about Lu Shichu's health. He did not come in person because he had just ascended the throne and had too many things to do. Of course, he would not waste time visiting an unimportant concubine like her. Sending someone specifically to inquire about her condition was already giving her a lot of face. After all, if she was an ordinary concubine, the new emperor would not even bother to ask.

Lu Shichu did not have any complaints. He told the visitor that he was weak and might be sick, and would not be able to attend the kneeling ceremony tomorrow. The visitor then went back to report to the new emperor.

In fact, Lu Shichu was not feeling unwell, she just didn't want to kneel to the late emperor. The relationship between the original owner and the late emperor was very shallow. She cried for him before only because she was going to be a widow, not because of deep feelings.

The original owner is now in her early thirties. She was only favored when she first entered the palace for three or four years and was seventeen or eighteen years old. After that, she was forgotten by the late emperor who was fickle-minded. However, because the original owner's family was powerful, even if she was not favored, she did not suffer too much hardship. This was also the reason why she was played around and used thoroughly by Wen Congyun and her son later, because she had not experienced too many intrigues in the palace and could not see through the tricks of the mother and son at all.

Since the original owner had no feelings for the late emperor, Lu Shichu naturally would not force herself to keep vigil for him, so pretending to be sick was her best choice.

She fell ill so much that on the day when the late emperor's coffin was to be sent to the imperial mausoleum, she stood among the late emperor's concubines and saw him off for the last time.

After the late emperor's funeral, she moved to a secluded palace in the harem. Actually, it wasn't that secluded. After all, she was the late emperor's concubine, and her family was very powerful. The new emperor would not let her live too badly, so her palace was at most a little off the beaten track, but it was not dilapidated.

Lu Shichu was very satisfied. She was now a concubine dowager and was considered the safest person in the harem. After all, the previous emperor was dead, and they could not fight in the palace even if they wanted to. As long as they did not get involved in the harem struggles of the new emperor, they could live a very comfortable life.

"Zhichun, find some rhododendrons to plant under the corridor. This way it will be brighter and more lively." Lu Shichu instructed Zhichun.

"Empress, this... isn't a good idea? After all, the late emperor passed away not long ago..." Zhichun asked with some concern.

Lu Shichu waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "It's okay. The azaleas are not in bloom now, and we are not planting flowers for fun. Your Majesty will not object even if he knows."

Seeing that she was so confident, Zhichun went to ask people to find rhododendron seedlings.

When the rhododendrons were planted in a circle around the palace walls and corridors, the palace began to mourn. The emperor would not mourn for his father for three years like ordinary people did. Three months was already a sign of filial piety on his part. So the palace soon became lively.

Of course, the most lively place is the new emperor's harem. His concubines are vying with each other for beauty and using all kinds of methods. They are fighting like chickens for favor. Today you are playing the piano in the imperial garden, and tomorrow she is dancing under the moonlight by the lotus pond... It is very lively.

Lu Shichu watched the play with great fascination. Now that she was an outsider, watching these young women using all kinds of tricks to win the emperor's favor was even more exciting than watching a play. But as she watched, she couldn't help feeling sad for them. They had been locked up in the harem their entire lives, fighting to the death for a man, wasting their best years. Except for a very few who would become winners in life, most would end up in tragedy, and a few would even lose their lives.

Thinking of this, Lu Shichu no longer had the mood to watch the show. He might as well go back to his palace to plant flowers and mix some perfume.

However, she was too lazy to go out, but someone tried every means to "accidentally meet" her, and that person was Wen Congyun.

Lu Shichu thought that as long as she didn't show any dislike for loneliness and coldness like the original owner and desired signs of liveliness, she could avoid Wen Congyun's approach. However, she didn't expect that Wen Congyun still kept his eyes on her.

One day, Lu Shichu was feeding the fish in a small pond next to his palace when he saw a slender woman staggering towards him with her head lowered and wiping her tears.

“The Empress Dowager?!” The woman didn’t seem to realize there was someone here until she came closer. She looked up and saw Lu Shichu. She was startled and knelt down hurriedly and said, “Greetings to the Empress Dowager! May the Empress be blessed with good health!”

"Get up." Lu Shichu just raised his eyelids, glanced at her, and said.

"Yes, thank you, Her Majesty." The woman stood up, lowered her head and still said nothing, as if waiting for Lu Shichu to ask her who she was and why she came here crying.

However, she waited for a long time but Lu Shichu didn't speak, so the atmosphere became strangely quiet. Wen Congyun didn't expect that this concubine would not act according to common sense and had no interest in her at all, so she became anxious, bit her lip, and finally decided to speak first.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I have disturbed your peace." Wen Congyun found a way to save face and wanted to use this opportunity to establish friendship with Lu Shichu.

However, Lu Shichu did not follow her routine at all. After hearing what she said, he directly said: "Since you know that you have disturbed my peace, why don't you leave?"

Wen Congyun choked and her face turned red. She quickly raised her eyes to look at Lu Shichu, only to find that she was not looking at her at all. Instead, she was sprinkling the fish food in her hand on the pond, teasing the carp, as if she was just an insignificant little thing and not worth her attention at all.

Wen Congyun felt depressed and wanted to trample all those who looked down on her under her feet. However, she was just a small Zhaorong and could do nothing to others, let alone the concubine in front of her. She still hoped to please the concubine and gain some benefits for herself.

After all, she was a scheming person. After being blocked by Lu Shichu's words, even if she was unhappy, she endured it. She knew that you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, so she quickly replied: "I will withdraw now."

After saying that, he really left without any hesitation.

(End of this chapter)