Chapter 177: A Chance for a Better Future
Inside Ningshou Palace.
Concubine Chen was wearing a palace gown with Hunan-colored round flower pattern and brocade satin. She had an elegant makeup and looked naturally majestic. She sat in the main seat in the center of the room.
The invited Concubine Luo sat in the first seat below.
"Mrs. Dowager Concubine, are you feeling better these days?"
Ever since the last time Concubine Chen went to the Empress Dowager's palace and caused a scene, she caught a cold and has not recovered yet.
Luo Jieyu's condolences made Concubine Chen nod with a smile: "I am much better now. Yi'er really knows how to care for others."
Luo Jieyu raised her head and said, "Your Highness the Concubine Dowager loves me so much, I must be grateful."
Concubine Chen's smile grew even wider: "Yier is very considerate. It would be great if my rebellious son could marry you. We would have the fate of being mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and we would be even closer."
When King Xuan was mentioned, Concubine Luo's eyes dimmed for a moment, then brightened again. She said gratefully, "It was Yi'er who was not destined to be with the prince. Fortunately, thanks to the Concubine Dowager, you allowed me to stay in the palace, saving my reputation and that of the Luo family. You also helped me secure the position of Concubine. I will never forget this kindness."
"Okay, okay."
The two laughed and talked for a while.
Concubine Chen suddenly dismissed all the palace maids, leaving only a trusted maid behind. She lowered her voice and asked, "Since you entered the palace, have you been summoned by the Emperor?"
Luo Jieyu was young and thin-skinned. Her face flushed red at the question. After a long pause, she whispered, "It was Yi'er who was incompetent and failed to gain the emperor's favor."
Concubine Chen sighed and asked, "Over the past few months, I've gotten a little acquaintance with the harem. Our emperor only favors Concubine De, and no one else even looks at her. But now that Concubine De has given birth and is still in confinement, she can't sleep with him. You should also try your best to get a chance to sleep with him."
Luo Jieyu felt a little ashamed: "It's not that Yi'er doesn't work hard, but the emperor is now obsessed with the Virtuous Concubine, so how can he pay attention to me. Moreover, my appearance can't compare to that of the Virtuous Concubine. Even if the emperor saw me, he would find me boring."
In fact, before she met this Defei, she still had confidence.
I am confident that the emperor will be attracted by her appearance once he sees her.
But that day when she went to Changle Palace to congratulate the birth of the Fourth Prince, she met the Virtuous Concubine for the first time, and she was truly the most stunning beauty in the palace.
She felt ashamed of herself.
Concubine Chen disagreed with this: "What does it matter if Concubine De is beautiful? Even the most beautiful face will get boring after looking at it for a long time. When the emperor gets tired of it, your chance will come."
Luo Jieyu smiled bitterly and said, "It seems that the Emperor is in love with Concubine De. As for being tired of her, I don't know how long I will have to wait."
Concubine Chen said, "Since the wait is too long, why not take the initiative and create an opportunity."
Luo Jieyu looked up in confusion: "Create opportunities?"
Concubine Chen smiled profoundly, clapped her hands, and signaled her trusted nanny to present the things.
"This is the sweet acacia. It has a strong medicinal effect. As long as a man smells it, he will become aroused. You can give it to the emperor."
"How could I do such a vile thing!" Concubine Luo blurted out. Seeing Concubine Chen's slightly gloomy expression, she added, "What's more, drugging the emperor is a serious crime. What if the emperor doesn't pity me afterwards and punishes me instead? What will I do?"
"If you don't do it, you will never have the chance. You can only be a small concubine in this palace. Do you know what will happen to the concubines without heirs after the emperor's death?"
Luo Jieyu's face turned pale for a moment, and she didn't say anything.
Concubine Chen snorted coldly and said, "You'll be sent to guard the imperial mausoleum! Stay in that cold and lonely place until you die! The new emperor has only been on the throne for five years, and half of the concubines who guarded the mausoleum for the previous emperor are gone. The rest have either gone crazy or are living in a daze. Yi'er, do you want to follow in their footsteps?"
Luo Jieyu shuddered.
If she had no children...
This will also be the end...
But drugging the emperor was a serious matter, and she was still hesitant and did not agree immediately.
Concubine Chen added fuel to the fire, having her trusted maid present the secret medicine again. "I know you're afraid, so I've made every possible preparation for you. This is Zhilin Pills, which I got from the old Concubine Dowager when I was a palace maid. If you take it, you'll conceive a boy. Take it immediately before you sleep with the Emperor. Even if the Emperor wants to punish you later, once you find out you're pregnant, all the blame will be wiped out."
It has to be said that Luo Jieyu was moved by the advice.
She stared at the white porcelain bottle in the nanny's hand.
After a long silence, she spoke with difficulty, "Can this medicine really help people conceive a boy?"
Concubine Chen smiled and said quietly, "Of course. With me as a precedent, what are you afraid of?"
Luo Jieyu didn't react at first, but then her eyes gradually widened.
Isn't what the Concubine Dowager said...
Could it be that the late emperor didn't favor the Empress Dowager by mistake, but that the Empress Dowager did it on purpose?
Concubine Chen saw her shock and sneered.
"Yier, you should know that it's not shameful to pursue wealth, power and status."
"It's a good thing to have ambition. Because of ambition, I got what I wanted. I rose from a lowly palace maid to an extremely noble concubine. Now, even the Empress Dowager, the mother of the country, has to be polite to me when she sees me."
"I have earned my position on my own. You must earn your own way forward."
"Your starting point is much higher than mine. You were born into a family of officials and were promoted to a fourth-rank concubine upon entering the palace. If you give birth to a child, your future achievements will not be lower than mine."
Luo Jieyu's heart was shaken, and even her breathing became faster.
Seeing her expression, Concubine Chen was satisfied and continued to persuade her.
"What's more, I owe you that rebellious son. If you give birth to a prince, I will definitely let him stand behind you."
"If this child is blessed, you will be able to sit in the most honorable position in the world, with untold wealth and power. Even your mother's family will be honored because of you."
"Everything depends on your thoughts."
Luo Jieyu's breathing became more rapid.
A better location than Toffee?
Isn't that the Queen Mother?
Can she really do that?
There is a huge difference between guarding the imperial mausoleum and being the empress dowager. Anyone would know which choice to make.
Luo Jieyu no longer hesitated.
Her fingertips were burning as she took the two white porcelain bottles handed to her by the nanny and put them into her sleeves. She then bowed deeply to Concubine Chen and said, "Thank you, Concubine, for your teachings."
Concubine Chen quickly ordered the nanny: "Help Yi'er up quickly."
After Concubine Luo sat down, the two discussed how to use the Hehuan Incense.
Luo Jieyu said embarrassment: "On ordinary days, I cannot see the emperor, and there are so many people around him, it is difficult to use this medicine."
Concubine Chen smiled and said, "It's not possible in the palace, but it is possible in the temporary palace. There is a hot spring behind the Chaoyang Palace, the emperor's residence, and the emperor will probably go there to relieve his fatigue. When Concubine De is not around, you can pretend to be a palace maid and go in, and everything will be fine."
Luo Jieyu bit her lip in thought, then looked up at Concubine Chen and said, "Then I will be brave and try my best to improve my future."
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