The three years following Consort Yu's departure were a period with a relatively high death rate among the concubines in the imperial harem.
Perhaps it was due to age, or perhaps due to other reasons, that the number of concubines in the harem decreased sharply, making things much easier for Chen Yuwei, who had always been in charge of palace affairs.
"I would rather not have it so easy than watch them lose their lives."
Life is truly not easy.
Chen Yuwei has traveled through countless worlds, but in each one, she insisted on dying a natural death.
Despite having lost the emotions that humans should have, Chen Yuwei still tries her best to immerse herself in life and enjoy the joys and sorrows it brings.
Isn't that how life goes? First, do what you're supposed to do, and leave the rest to time.
“Master, these are none of your business; they are all their personal choices.”
Xingkui offered a few words of comfort to her mistress, while emphasizing that this was a problem for the concubines in the harem themselves.
Chen Yuwei smiled, the fresh flower buds she had just picked still bearing glistening dewdrops.
"I know this matter has nothing to do with me, but I still can't help but sigh about it from time to time."
The number of women in the harem never seems to decrease; if one is gone, another can be added in the blink of an eye.
Hongli would not be so distressed by the life or death of any one person that he would be devastated.
"The emperor doesn't care about them, and they have no children. For them, living is just constant suffering."
Those who left were less likely to have been murdered, and more likely they lost their will to live and chose to sink into the corrupting influence of the imperial harem.
Turning her head to look at the buildings hidden in the rockery garden behind her, Chen Yuwei smiled and said, "Such a magnificent and beautiful palace on the outside, but dark and gloomy inside."
I wonder how many precious lives will have to be sacrificed before all of this can end.
Feudal society was truly cruel and cold-blooded. Chen Yuwei could deeply feel its good aspects, but also its bad ones.
Power that is in the public eye corrupts people's hearts and turns them into unrecognizable beings.
After spending a short time with Xingkui in the Imperial Garden, Chen Yuwei turned around and went back to Yikun Palace to rest.
However, upon entering the house, Chen Yuwei bumped into Wu Yunzhu, who had recently gotten married.
"How could you bear to come back from outside the palace?" He must be having too much fun.
Wu Yunzhu, who left the palace to marry, was like a bird or beast released back into the mountains. Chen Yuwei had just finished feeling sad when she turned around and heard that Wu Yunzhu and her husband were busy competing with the common people and merchants for profits.
Worried that Wuyunzhu might cross Hongli's line, Chen Yuwei hurriedly summoned her back to the palace.
Unexpected events kept happening to things that hadn't been settled. If it weren't for Wu Yunzhu's arrival today, Chen Yuwei would have been tempted to resort to drastic measures.
"Mother, I wasn't trying to make you happy. It was just that I took a long time to prepare the gift for you. It wasn't intentional."
Wu Yunzhu swayed Chen Yuwei's arm from side to side, perfectly portraying the charming innocence of a young girl.
Chen Yuwei couldn't resist Wu Yunzhu's coquettish behavior and her anger subsided considerably, though she was still somewhat angry.
"You, you, you've put your mother in such a difficult position. What can your mother possibly say to you?"
They were afraid of hurting Wuyunzhu's self-esteem, and also afraid that the child would step on the red line and fall into the pit.
Reaching out and tapping Wuyunzhu's forehead, Chen Yuwei simply let out a sigh of relief, "Let's go into the hall. Since you're here, you must have something to say to your mother."
"Perfect timing, Mother isn't busy today, so we can take this opportunity to chat more."
Let's see if Wuyunzhu has the ability to turn black into white.
If this child can really brainwash her, Chen Yuwei will accept it.
If that's not possible, then Chen Yuwei will have to teach Wu Yunzhu some manners.
Take things one step at a time, and eat one bite at a time.
Wuyunzhu: ...
Wuyunzhu anticipated that her arrival would anger her mother, but she did not expect her mother to be much calmer than she had imagined.
Huh?
Could it be that Mother had foreseen her actions all along? Now that everything is in place, it's just a matter of her walking into the trap?
With these random thoughts swirling in her mind, Wu Yunzhu shook her head and silently cheered herself up.
Don't worry, Mother is very reasonable. She's just telling the truth, so Mother won't hold it against her.
Besides, this was not her fault alone; her father, the Emperor, was also involved.
"What did you say? The Emperor is here too?"
Chen Yuwei sat on the tatami mat, listening to Wuyunzhu's incessant chatter, and quickly waved her hand.
“Tell me again when His Majesty made these deals with you.”
Wuyunzhu puffed out her cheeks. "Mother, Father Emperor and I are cooperating, how can it be considered a transaction?"
Chen Yuwei snorted, "The Emperor lets you get involved in people's affairs, isn't it just because he sees you as a shield?"
As expected of Hongli, he can even scheme against his own daughter; what wouldn't he dare to do?
Wu Yunzhu stuck out her tongue and grinned, indicating that she was also using Hongli.
"My daughter owes everything she has today to the Emperor's help."
Therefore, in this competition with the people for profit, my daughter doesn't feel she's lost out financially, which is...
Before she could finish speaking, Wu Yunzhu pursed her lips and muttered to herself, "It's fine when Father is alive, but if Father passes away and his brothers take over, my business will become difficult to manage."
Biological fathers and daughters are not the same as half-siblings.
As early as the beginning of the cooperation between Hongli and Wuyunzhu, Wuyunzhu had already considered the problems that would follow.
But this did not stop Wu Yunzhu from pocketing more money while the emperor was still alive.
"You know it's difficult to handle? Why do you insist on going with the Emperor?"
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