The spring rain pattered down, the raindrops pattering on the branches, making a pitter-patter sound.
Chen Yuwei stood by the window, looking up at the rain falling outside. She sighed that this year was really different from the past. Too much rain was not a good thing. She was afraid that some places would delay spring planting and have a hard time making a living.
"Your Majesty, Eunuch Gao just brought a message that His Majesty requests your presence at the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
There was a noise outside the door, and Xia He, dressed as a nanny, walked in.
However, a few years later, Xia He's appearance has aged considerably.
Dressed in a drab, gray palace servant's outfit, she showed no trace of her former vibrant self.
The palace is a den of cannibals. No matter who enters or whether they are eager to win the emperor's favor, they will eventually turn into a pile of withered bones and be buried here.
"Did you clearly state the purpose of inviting me over? In the past two years, many of the old ladies in the palace have passed away."
Turning around, Chen Yuwei, who is over forty-five, no longer looks young. The fine wrinkles on her face all indicate that she is aging.
Yes, it's already the 30th year of Qianlong's reign, and Hongli has been on the throne for 30 years. He's 55 years old now. Chen Yuwei is not much older than Hongli. If you want to look young, you need to have the ability to do so.
Xia He shook her head. The atmosphere in the palace had been somber for the past two years. Not only had several elderly women in the harem passed away one after another, but even some princes had also died.
The situation at the Hall of Mental Cultivation has been consistently poor, and the Empress has rarely been summoned by the Emperor.
If it weren't for the fact that managing the palace required daily contact with the Emperor, Xia He could have imagined the awkward situation that Yikun Palace would end up in. It's true that fortunes change, and no one can escape them.
Ultimately, it was because the emperor changed his mind too quickly, and neither the new nor the old concubines in the harem could be swayed in the slightest.
"Has anything happened in the palace lately?"
Chen Yuwei stretched her body slightly to try and relieve the soreness in her muscles caused by standing for a long time.
Xia He continued to shake her head, "Except for those few, everyone else is behaving very well."
Chen Yuwei smiled and said, "It's no use being restless. The Emperor has been hard-hearted these days, and no amount of persuasion will work. He has already sent quite a few concubines to the Cold Palace."
Everyone was worried they'd be next; who would dare to step forward and anger the Emperor?
Going to the Cold Palace is a dead end; you'll only die a little faster than going to the Censorate.
Since several emperors moved into the Forbidden City, the Cold Palace has always been a place where concubines committed offenses.
Xia He reached out and held Chen Yuwei's outstretched wrist, adding with a smile that it was the Emperor's majesty that made her dare not look directly at him.
Chen Yuwei thought to herself that Hongli was indeed majestic, but all that majesty was directed at the women in the harem, while the ministers in the court were all fine.
"Change your clothes. Since you're going to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, you can't go without tidying up."
Otherwise, it would give Hongli another reason to cause trouble. Chen Yuwei has been patient for many years, but she might not tolerate it.
In recent years, Hongli's temper has become increasingly strange. At first, he was just prone to anger, pettiness, and narrow-mindedness, but later he gradually developed into someone who was unpredictable, prone to temper tantrums, and prone to making unfounded suspicions.
People have become more progressive now; if you say anything wrong, you'll be sent to the cold palace and imprisoned.
Even so, the emperor was still surrounded by many concubines, both high and low.
It is evident that although Hongli was difficult to please, many people were still willing to go to great lengths for power.
Xia He nodded in agreement, then turned and helped Chen Yuwei to the inner room to change clothes.
Since I've changed my clothes, I definitely need to redo and fix my makeup.
About half an hour later, a completely refreshed Chen Yuwei leisurely boarded the sedan chair bound for the Hall of Mental Cultivation and was carried there by the servants.
The rain hadn't stopped, and sitting inside the sedan chair, Chen Yuwei could still hear the constant noises.
Gently lifting a corner of the curtain, Chen Yuwei calmly surveyed the surrounding environment through the rain. Before she could utter a sound, a palace servant noticed the commotion and asked a question.
He waved his hand and said, "It's nothing. Tell people to speed things up and not waste time. Get to the Hall of Mental Cultivation as soon as possible."
The maid who accompanied her was no longer the old acquaintance Xia He, but Xing Kui, who had been observed for a long time and was newly promoted.
Xia He and Xia Yu have now stepped down to the sidelines and are only responsible for some trivial matters within Yikun Palace.
Tasks such as running errands and relaying messages were all done by young palace maids.
Xingkui, holding an oil-paper umbrella, urged the servants carrying the sedan chair to hurry on their way.
Of course, it's impossible to just milk cows without feeding them grass.
"When we get back today, we'll collect our respective rewards."
Yikun Palace has always been known in the harem for its clear rewards and punishments and its generous spending.
As Xia He's substitute, Xing Kui is basically self-taught in this regard.
This is also the main reason why Xingkui was able to win the first place and be transferred to serve Chen Yuwei.
Sitting inside the sedan chair, Chen Yuwei felt the chair beneath her accelerate.
She gently held onto the handles on both sides, relaxed her body, and leaned back.
Soon, the sedan chair stopped outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Chen Yuwei came out from inside, with an oil-paper umbrella held over her head to shield her from the rain.
Gao Yu was already waiting at the palace gate. When she saw Chen Yuwei approaching, she quickly ran to greet her.
"Imperial Noble Consort"
"Grandpa Gao"
Chen Yuwei nodded and looked at the study behind her with the door tightly closed. "I wonder what the Emperor has summoned me here for? Eunuch Gao serves the Emperor, so please do not hesitate to offer some advice."
In recent years, no concubine has been able to stay by Hongli's side for long. On the contrary, Gao Yu's position has become more and more stable. Many things are done on Hongli's instructions and she carries them out on his behalf.
It can be said that, apart from the Emperor, Gao Yu was the most prestigious person in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Despite the flattery from the Imperial Noble Consort, Gao Yu remained composed and did not lose her composure.
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