Chapter 200
**Chapter 198: Lu Yun**
Lu Xuan was deep in thought—now that the new emperor had ascended the throne, the harem would surely be flooded with newcomers vying for favor. Shen, the favored Consort, would become a target for these rising concubines.
Yet, at this critical moment, Shen had been “driven out of the palace.”
It was indeed suspicious.
“Miss, should we send someone to Donghua Mountain to investigate?” the maid, Xiao Qin, suggested eagerly.
Lu Xuan gazed at the white chess piece in her hand, and after a moment, shook her head. “The Donghua Mountain villa is the Empress Dowager’s place of retreat, heavily guarded. Our Duke’s residence lacks the means to probe into such matters. If we were to disturb the Empress Dowager and draw attention to the Duke’s house, it would be counterproductive.”
Xiao Qin looked worried. “What if Shen returns to the palace and becomes the emperor’s favorite again?”
Lu Xuan smiled lightly, her red lips curving. “Shen comes from a humble background, and her family is sparse. Even if she returns to the palace in the future, without the support of a powerful family, she can’t rely solely on the emperor’s affection to survive for long.”
The royal family valued not only the talents of their consorts but also their family backgrounds.
Moreover... Shen had given birth to three children. Childbearing takes a toll on a woman’s health and beauty. What man isn’t drawn to beauty? Once Shen loses her former allure, how long could the emperor possibly love her?
Lu Xuan gently placed the chess piece down, studying the vast board. “Out with the new, in with the old. The emperor’s love is fleeting; long-term separation will wear down even the strongest affections.”
In the harem, there were beauties blooming like flowers, each more stunning and talented than the last. How could the emperor remain faithful to a fading Shen?
Lu Xuan intended to rely on her own beauty and talent to gradually win the emperor’s favor and bear children early. With the emperor embracing new favorites, who would remember the old consort Shen hidden away in the palace?
Xiao Qin beamed, “Miss, you outshine them all with your beauty and talent. You’re sure to win the emperor’s exclusive favor in the future.”
Lu Xuan smiled faintly. “Don’t underestimate anyone.”
One must never underestimate their enemies.
Xiao Qin brought over some hot tea, and Lu Xuan blew away the froth, the rich aroma wafting through the air. Suddenly, she thought of her sick sister at home and asked the maid, “Has Yun’s fever subsided? Have you been giving her medicine on time?”
Xiao Qin replied, “Rest assured, Miss. This morning, the second young lady’s high fever has already gone down. She should be resting in the warm chamber now.”
Lu Xuan felt a bit relieved.
At that moment, lively footsteps echoed from outside. The pearl curtain swayed open, and a young girl rushed in.
“Elder sister~”
Lu Yun, the youngest daughter of the Duke, had just turned fifteen. Her youthful face was still tender and unformed.
She joyfully dashed into the room, boldly sitting beside Lu Xuan on the soft cushion, affectionately wrapping her arms around Lu Xuan’s. Her beautiful big eyes blinked rapidly. “Sister, I heard Father say you’re going to the palace to be a consort. I want to go to the palace to be a consort too! Please take me with you when you enter!”
Lu Xuan reached out, her delicate, fair hand brushing against Lu Yun’s forehead. The temperature was normal; she had indeed recovered from her fever.
Lu Xuan poked her sister’s cheek and laughed, “The palace is not a good place. Once you enter, it’s as deep as the ocean. You should stay at home and wait for Father to find you a good match.”
Lu Yun pouted, playfully saying, “No way! I’ve heard that being a consort is glamorous. If I can bear a son, he could even become the crown prince!”
Hearing her sister’s innocent words, Lu Xuan couldn’t help but chuckle.
Children in the palace are hard to raise, and becoming the crown prince isn’t that easy. Lu Xuan alone bore the heavy burden of the family’s prosperity; there was no need to drag her innocent and lovely sister into it.
She only wished for her sister to have a good future, to marry a worthy husband, to be far from schemes and plots, and to live a simple life as a couple.
Lu Xuan patted Lu Yun’s head, her tone gentle. “Stop it now. It’s cold outside, and you’ve just recovered from a fever. Hurry back to the warm chamber to rest.”
Lu Yun pouted, casting a knowing glance at Lu Xuan, her tone still playful and innocent. “Alright then, I’ll go back and take my medicine. I’ll come find you another day.”
Lu Yun released Lu Xuan’s arm, her gaze sweeping over the chessboard. The little girl pouted and stomped off in a huff.
Watching her sister leave, Lu Xuan couldn’t help but smile indulgently, murmuring to herself, “At such a young age, already dreaming of entering the palace. She truly is just a child.”
Outside, the weather was cold, and clusters of red plums bloomed in the courtyard.
After leaving Lu Xuan’s room, Lu Yun stepped onto the pale snow and walked into the grove of red plums. Her tender smile faded, and her eyes darkened.
At that moment, she didn’t resemble a young girl who had just come of age; her gaze was filled with resentment, like that of a bitter old woman.
Lu Yun yanked a red plum branch from the tree, crushing the delicate flowers in her hand. The fresh petals were crushed, and red juice stained her hands.
“A good match?” Lu Yun’s dark eyes glinted with resentment as she muttered to herself, “What kind of good match is this you’ve given me? Afraid I might steal your favor, you deliberately married me off to a poor scholar, leading me to my doom.”
Lu Yun slowly reached up to caress her delicate face, recalling the nightmare from the previous night.
In her dream, her sister Lu Xuan entered the palace as a consort and quickly gained the favor of Emperor Qing, giving birth to a son and a daughter. The Empress fell ill and passed away, and Lu Xuan was crowned as the new Empress, while her son was named the crown prince, bringing glory to the Lu family.
Lu Yun joyfully entered the palace to see Lu Xuan but accidentally got lost. In the snow-covered imperial garden, she encountered Emperor Qing, who was admiring the red plums. The flowers bloomed vibrantly against the white snow, and Emperor Qing, clad in a dark robe, was extraordinarily handsome and tall.
Lu Yun was mesmerized; she hadn’t expected Emperor Qing to be so striking.
Emperor Qing looked Lu Yun over, a smile in his eyes. “You must be the Empress’s sister? You’re quite lovely.”
Lu Yun’s heart raced. She knew Emperor Qing was interested in her.
All her life, her sister Lu Xuan had overshadowed her; the world only knew the Duke’s eldest daughter as a beauty, unaware that the younger daughter, Lu Yun, was equally talented and beautiful.
The thought of her brother-in-law’s interest in her filled Lu Yun with secret pride. Her sister was aging and losing her looks, while she was youthful and beautiful; finally, she could outshine her sister for once.
Excited, Lu Yun went to find her sister, expressing her desire to enter the palace as a consort to serve the emperor. At that moment, the porcelain teacup in Lu Xuan’s hand fell to the ground with a crash, her pale face flashing with shock.
Lu Xuan was agitated, clutching her chest as she coughed violently, even spitting out a mouthful of dark blood. “No! Absolutely not! Do you think the palace is a good place? The emperor is heartless... cough cough cough...”
She looked weary, her eyes heavy with fatigue, as if all her vitality had been drained, leaving only a lifeless shell.
Lu Xuan opposed her sister entering the palace.
She quickly sent Lu Yun away from the palace and chose a poor scholar from the spring examination to marry her off to him. Lu Yun was forced into the bridal sedan chair, which was ambushed by bandits halfway, and she met her end at the hands of the robbers.
The scenes from the dream were so vivid, etched in her memory, unforgettable. Lu Yun closed her eyes, believing this was a glimpse of the future.
“Sister... to monopolize the emperor’s favor, you would push me to the brink.” Lu Yun slowly clenched her fists; this time, she would not tread the same path as in her past life.
She too would enter the palace as a consort!
If her sister could become Empress, so could she!
A cold wind swept by, causing the white snow on the plum branches to flutter down. Lu Yun gazed at the red plums, revealing a determined smile.
...
...
Time flew by, winter snow melted, and the gentle spring breeze opened the flowers in the mountains and fields. In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.
Donghua Mountain was a hundred miles from Yanjing City, a place of clear waters and lush mountains, with a warm climate.
The luxurious royal villa was nestled halfway up Donghua Mountain, surrounded by mountains and water. The villa was simply decorated, with pavilions and towers, and clear streams flowing by, while delicate forsythia bloomed beautifully.
Shen Wei wore a light spring gown, her black hair tied up high, and she had run around the courtyard for a full ten laps. She stopped to catch her breath, and the maid, Cai Lian, hurriedly handed her a handkerchief to wipe the sweat.
“Miss, De Shun has sent a letter.” In the pavilion, Cai Lian prepared the nourishing tea.
Shen Wei wiped the sweat from her forehead and drank half a cup of water to rehydrate. After running, her cheeks were flushed. “What does the letter say?”
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