Accompanying the pregnant Lu Xuan was naturally an excuse.
Lu Yun wanted to stay in the palace and take the opportunity to get close to the emperor and gain his favor - to be made a concubine or even the new queen.
"Sister." Lu Yun continued to plead, "The queen is ill, and the Tantai family sent new people to the palace to compete for her favor. Sister, I also want to help you and share your worries."
Lu Xuan thought her sister was just being childish. She poked Lu Yun's forehead with a smile and said lovingly, "Children are just talking nonsense. The palace is not as easy as you think."
The women in the harem seem to have a glorious life, but which one of them doesn’t carry the future of their family on their shoulders? Who doesn’t rack their brains to win favor?
Lu Xuan brushed aside the black hair that fell from Lu Yun's temples and said gently, "It's getting late. I'll ask Xiaoqin to take you out of the palace. Go home early and don't let father worry."
Lu Xuan should shoulder the responsibility of the family's future alone.
She didn't want her innocent sister to be involved in the disputes in the harem or the games between the noble families.
The annoyance in Lu Yun's eyes flashed away.
My sister is so petty!
Lu Yun suppressed her dissatisfaction and pretended to be reluctant to leave: "Then...then I will leave the palace first. Sister, you have to take good care of yourself."
The palace maids and eunuchs led the way and escorted Lu Yun out of the palace.
The moonlight is like water, and the palace road is long. Lu Xuan stood under the bright lights of Changxin Palace, watching her sister's slender back as she left, with unconcealable envy in her eyes.
Lu Xuan envied her sister because she didn't have to enter the palace and could walk freely between heaven and earth. After Lu Xuan entered the palace, she was like a bird in a cage. She racked her brains to win favor and was always cautious and not dared to be careless.
Sometimes, when Lu Xuan got up early and looked in the mirror, she felt dazed as she looked at her still charming face. She is only twenty-one years old this year. She was as beautiful as a flower and lively before entering the palace. In less than three years, her eyes lost their luster and became dull, like a haggard old woman.
The night wind suddenly blew, making Lu Xuan's clothes rustle. She watched Lu Yun leave and murmured to herself, "Little sister, I hope you can stay away from trouble and live a peaceful life."
The maid beside her whispered, "My Lord, the wind is blowing. Come inside and rest. Don't catch a cold."
Lu Xuan walked into the cold Changxin Palace.
The old maid in the palace led the eunuchs and were packing up the gifts bestowed by the empress dowager in an orderly manner. Lu Xuan drank the bitter pregnancy-preserving medicine and asked her personal maid Xiao Qin: "I kept my pregnancy a secret, how did Concubine Chen know about it?"
Xiaoqin frowned: "The people in our palace are very cautious, so you can rest assured. As for how the news of your pregnancy was leaked... maybe someone in the Imperial Hospital let it slip."
Lu Xuan sighed and held her brows together: "Forget it, everything leaves traces, maybe some of the traces were seen by Chen Fei's people."
It is useless to investigate the cause of the leak now.
Just be more careful next time.
After this incident, Lu Xuan no longer dared to underestimate Shen Wei's methods.
Lu Xuan stroked her still flat belly, her red lips curled up slowly: "This child in your belly has caused me to temporarily lose the power to assist in managing the harem... I hope he is a lively and healthy prince."
Only by giving birth to a prince can you gain more benefits.
The maid Xiaoqin said with a smile: "The emperor knows that the master is pregnant, and he will definitely come to visit the master tonight."
Lu Xuan naturally looked forward to the emperor's arrival. Since Shen Wei returned to the palace, the emperor came to Changxin Palace less and less frequently, and Lu Xuan gradually experienced the feeling of being "out of favor".
Now that we have a child, Changxin Palace will definitely be lively again.
Xiaoqin lowered her voice again and said, "Master, the Tantai family has sent a new bride to the palace. I see that the bride is extremely beautiful - how about we take the initiative?"
The newcomer, who is both beautiful and talented, is a potential threat.
Lu Xuan shook her head calmly: "No need. Tan Tai Yin Xue will live in Huayang Palace, and Concubine Lan will not let her have an easy life."
Concubine Lan Xie Fanglan is jealous, and she will be the first one to deal with Tan Tai Yinxue.
Even if Tan Tai Yin Xue was lucky enough to defeat Lan Bin, there was still a queen in Kun Ning Palace. If the Queen knew that the family had sent a new person in, she would definitely collapse and go crazy.
The night wind blows outside the window, and the flowers and plants in the yard rustle. Lu Xuan put down the medicine bowl and looked through the wooden window at the roses in the yard. Lu Xuan instructed Xiao Qin: "The emperor doesn't like roses recently. Let the palace servants shovel all the roses tomorrow."
Xiaoqin asked: "Master, you like red plum and osmanthus, would you like to plant them?"
Lu Xuan's beautiful eyes dimmed as she recalled that before she got married, the courtyard of the Duke's Mansion was planted with her favorite flowers and plants. Now that she has entered the palace, if she wants to get the emperor's attention, she must hide her hobbies.
She shook her head: "The emperor doesn't like plum blossoms and osmanthus...transplant a few crabapple trees. The emperor likes crabapple very much recently."
Xiaoqin kept it in mind.
...
...
In Cining Palace, Shen Wei personally escorted the Queen Mother back to the palace to rest. It was late at night and the children were all asleep.
Shen Wei helped the Queen Mother into the bedroom, with a sly look on her face: "Tonight's birthday banquet, thank you for your help, Mother."
With the help of the Queen Mother, Shen Wei successfully took over the power of the harem.
The Queen Mother asked, "Is Ye Qiushuang yours?"
Chen Wei replied: "Not my people, I am familiar with Shopkeeper Ye. Shopkeeper Ye is quite good at business and generous, he is a useful talent - mother, you know that several big families also do profitable business, but they pay the least taxes to the court."
"I have discussed with Shopkeeper Ye that if the royal family supports the Ye family's industry and the Ye family's business territory is expanded, the Ye family is willing to increase the taxes paid to the court by 10%. The national treasury will also receive more silver."
The aristocratic families who do business pay the lowest tax rate.
The merchants supported by Shen Wei paid the highest tax rate to enrich the national treasury.
Li Yuanjing was a wise king. He suppressed the aristocratic families in two general directions: reducing their power and reducing their money.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
