Lu Yun knelt on the futon, her voice trembling: "My little girl, I have never lied, please understand!"
Lu Yun was helpless.
Ever since she was driven out of the harem by the empress dowager, she returned alone to the residence of Duke Lu in Yunzhou. She always had nightmares, dreaming that the entire Lu family was executed and that her sister died tragically in the harem.
Lu Yun was just a weak woman who was powerless, didn't know the art of war, and didn't have the ability to turn the tide. Lu Yun was about to collapse as she watched the Lu family step by step into the abyss according to the scene in her dream.
She simply went to tell Duke Lu that she had dreamed about the future. However, Duke Lu thought it was hysteria, and Lu Yun was locked up in her boudoir for the entire winter to "recuperate."
After the beginning of spring, the Emperor of Southern Chu quietly came to Yunzhou and lived in the residence of Duke Lu. Duke Lu sent Lu Yun to receive Li Yuanli, hoping that Li Yuanli would fall in love with his youngest daughter.
Unfortunately, Li Yuanli was not interested in Lu Yun.
Lu Yun knelt in the flower hall trembling with fear, and mustered up her courage to tell Li Yuanli what she had dreamed of. The Emperor of Southern Chu is extremely powerful and may be able to help the Lu family.
"I swear on my life that I will not tell a lie! Otherwise, I will be struck by lightning." Lu Yun raised three fingers and swore to the sky.
Li Yuanli leaned back on the carved chair, a hint of amusement flashing across his charming eyes as he looked at Lu Yun in front of him.
Lu Yun looked determined, as if she was really telling the truth.
Li Yuanli asked slowly, "In your dream, Lu Xuan was crowned as the queen, but now in the harem of Daqing, it is the cunning Concubine Chen who is the most popular."
Lu Yun frowned, also confused: "I was also surprised that there was no such person as Concubine Chen in my dream. But apart from Concubine Chen, other important events in the court almost happened according to the trajectory in my dream."
In Lu Yun's dream, there was no Imperial Concubine Chen in the harem at all, and Lu Xuan was the only one who had been favored by the emperor.
Li Yuanli seemed to be thinking: "It seems that this Concubine Chen is very special. Please describe the scene in your dream in detail. I am listening."
"Do you believe what my daughter said?" Lu Yun was slightly surprised.
Li Yuanli smiled, put down the teacup in his hand, looked at the fat fox running wildly in the yard chasing butterflies, and seemed to be talking to himself: "Why can't I believe it? Of course I believe it."
There are many strange and bizarre things in this world that are difficult to explain with the knowledge in books.
As the Queen of Nanchu said: The world is big, go out and see more.
...
"A-choo——"
In the cool spring breeze, Shen Wei sneezed again.
Cai Ping, who was serving beside her, was startled and hurriedly put a thick cloak on Shen Wei's shoulders, and said worriedly: "Master, it's windy outside, how about sending a sedan chair to the Ministry of Internal Affairs first?"
Chen Wei wrapped her brocade cape tightly around her body: "Walk a little every day, and live to be ninety-nine."
Life lies in movement!
Compared to riding in a sedan chair, Shen Wei would rather walk in the palace, exercise, and enjoy the lush spring scenery along the way.
Since the beginning of spring, Shen Wei has been in a good mood. The business she opened last year made huge profits and earned a fortune every day. Businesses were spread all over Qing State, and the commercial territory gradually radiated to the surrounding neighboring countries.
In a few days, when Southern Chu and Qing sign a trade agreement and the goods of the two countries begin to circulate, her company will have the opportunity to enter the Southern Chu market.
You can’t get rich with the meager salary of a royal concubine.
If you want to make big money, you have to do business.
Chen Wei was in a good mood. The flowers on both sides of the palace road were particularly beautiful, and the clouds in the sky were particularly white. When she was in a good mood, the scenery she saw was particularly beautiful.
"Master, the person in front is Meipin from Yuxiu Palace." Caiping reminded softly.
After the spring came, Liu Ruyan was released from house arrest. She seldom went out, did not participate in activities with other concubines in the palace, and stayed in her bedroom all day long, reading and painting.
Chen Wei passed by Yuxiu Palace. Liu Ruyan was standing at the edge of the door, and her beautiful eyes, lifeless, swept over.
After winter, Liu Ruyan became thinner and thinner, and she was still wearing a thin gray and white spring shirt.
The gate of Yuxiu Palace was open, and Shen Wei caught a glimpse of the flat courtyard inside. There was tender green grass growing on it, and the courtyard was fairly clean.
"Noble Concubine Chen." Liu Ruyan suddenly spoke and called out to Chen Wei.
Shen Wei stopped walking.
Cai Ping cleared her throat and said, "Madam Meipin, when you meet the Imperial Concubine, you should greet her."
A hint of embarrassment and unwillingness appeared on Liu Ruyan's beautiful face. She bit the corner of her lips lightly, and after a while she walked to Shen Wei and whispered, "Noble Concubine Chen is well."
Shen Wei tilted her head: "What's the matter?"
Liu Ruyan pinched the handkerchief between her fingers, her cheeks flushed with shame and anger. After a long while, she stammered, "The servants in my palace are incompetent and have committed crimes. I would like to ask you to do me a favor and replace them with a group of capable servants."
The tone didn't sound like he was asking Shen Wei to do something, but rather he was ordering Shen Wei.
Since being demoted to a concubine, Liu Ruyan's life has been miserable.
Although she was the only daughter of the Liu family, the Liu family had unilaterally cut off ties with her and were no longer willing to give her expensive fabrics and writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone. The concubine's monthly allowance was not much, and the food sent by the imperial kitchen was hard to swallow. Liu Ruyan didn't want to wear those colorful and ugly clothes at all.
Liu Ruyan originally thought that she had suffered a great injustice and the emperor would feel full of guilt. But after waiting for three full months, the emperor never set foot into Yuxiu Palace.
She completely fell out of favor, and the servants working in Yuxiu Palace were perfunctory and ignored the requests made by Liu Ruyan. There were even some brave palace maids who refuted Liu Ruyan's unreasonable behavior.
A kind-hearted concubine told her that if she wanted her servants to do their work seriously, she must first learn to discipline them, and second, show them kindness and rewards, using both kindness and severity.
However, Liu Ruyan did not like this vulgar and despicable way of controlling her subordinates. Deep down in her heart, she hoped that her servants would serve her without any complaints.
When Chen Wei heard Liu Ruyan's request, she sighed and asked Caiping to call out the palace maids from Yuxiu Palace. There were four palace maids in Yuxiu Palace, two eunuchs and two palace maids, who were kneeling on the ground trembling with fear.
Cai Ping cleared her throat: "Since you have come to Yuxiu Palace, why don't you do your job seriously?"
One eunuch said hesitantly, "Your Highness, please understand. We have done our duty. But Meipin always makes some impossible requests, and we are in a difficult position."
Another maidservant complained, "Mistress Meipin asked me to go to the clothing bureau to get two rolls of silver brocade. But brocade is precious and was sent to the imperial concubine and the queen mother's palace. I couldn't get it back, so Master Meipin scolded me for not doing my job properly."
Ever since Shen Wei rectified the harem discipline and set up a strict salary system, there have been very few cases of unfavored concubines being bullied by servants.
The palace servants in Yuxiu Palace didn't like Concubine Mei, but they were still quite considerate in their work. But there's no way, Liu Ruyan is really difficult to please.
The harem has a strict hierarchy with clear distinctions between superiors and inferiors.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has detailed regulations regarding the gold, silver, and jewelry that should be sent to each palace.
Meipin was just a concubine and had no right to take the most valuable items.
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