Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 453

At one point, Concubine Feng had been overjoyed and spoke freely, planning a future where she would ascend to become the Empress or even the Empress Dowager. Unexpectedly, within just two months, her demeanor had changed drastically. Not only had her smug expression disappeared, but she had also lost a significant amount of weight.

Mrs. Qin hurriedly consoled her, saying, “My child, don’t cry. If you have any grievances, please share them with me.”

Concubine Feng, sobbing, began to narrate her ordeal.

Unlike her mother, who had been experiencing a period of ease, Concubine Feng had been facing difficulties. She mentioned her struggles within the palace and her diminishing time with her son, Lu Xu. Despite investing considerable resources and assigning the wet nurse and palace servants from Lu Xu’s side to Xiefang Hall, she remained largely unaware of what transpired there, only hearing fragments from the wet nurse.

Concubine Feng had seen an opportunity to influence Lu Xu’s perception of Gu Ye during a class in Xiefang Hall when Gu Ye brought his younger brother, Lu Zhao. She had hoped to manipulate the wet nurse to poison Lu Xu’s mind, reinforcing the difference between true brotherhood and distance. However, she was taken aback when Lu Xu showed genuine interest. He even turned to Gu Ye to converse for a while before embarking on new adventures outside the palace, effectively sidelining his own mother.

Later, when Lu Xu returned, he stated, “Big brother and cousin don’t have wet nurses anymore, only Lu Zhao still needs one. I’m better than Lu Zhao; I don’t need a wet nurse anymore.”

Emperor Zhengyuan directed the wet nurse to return to Yonghe Palace to serve there. With Lu Xu unwilling to engage with Concubine Feng, she was left in the dark.

After the first day of hunting, when Concubine Feng still stood by Emperor Zhengyuan’s side, Lu Xu had followed Gu Ye, affectionately referring to Gu Yin as “Auntie” after she wiped his sweat. The even more distressing development was the deepening harmony in the relationship between the Emperor and the Empress.

In the past, Concubine Feng had not considered Empress Zhou to be significantly superior to herself. While Empress Zhou held the title of Empress and Concubine Feng was a noble concubine, Empress Zhou had not been favored, and she had been granted many opportunities to be in Emperor Zhengyuan’s presence. The son she bore was also healthier than Lu Zhao, who was considered a weakling.

However, Empress Zhou had a powerful eldest son, and she was drawing closer to Emperor Zhengyuan. It had always been a daunting task for Concubine Feng to gain access to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, let alone spend the night there.

Upon hearing the news, Concubine Feng had been so infuriated that she had damaged the furnishings in her room. The commotion had reached Emperor Zhengyuan’s ears, prompting him to send Qian Sansi to investigate. Naturally, Concubine Feng had not dared to confess her jealousy. Instead, she had attributed the issue to her palace servant’s carelessness, which had overwhelmed the servant.

This had set in motion a vicious cycle, and now even the palace servants in her entourage were not as loyal and reliable as they had once been.

During the previous day’s hunt, Concubine Feng had worked tirelessly, enduring dust and accompanying Emperor Zhengyuan throughout the day. She had hoped that her efforts would earn her some favor in return and had even dressed up that evening.

However, to her dismay, Emperor Zhengyuan and Empress Zhou had stayed together after dinner. This had brought Concubine Feng to tears as she sought advice from her mother. She said, “Mother, please give me guidance. I truly don’t know what to do.”

Mrs. Qin asked in a stern tone, “Did His Majesty’s affection for you wane? Have you done something to cause this?”

Concubine Feng replied bitterly, “What could I have done? I’m still the same as before; I haven’t changed. It’s His Majesty who has changed, and everything changed when Prince Lie returned to the palace. It’s all changed!”

Mrs. Qin clenched her teeth in frustration, but no matter how they clenched, they couldn’t think of a solution to deal with Gu Ye. They were women, with limited interactions with Gu Ye. Concubine Feng couldn’t even send people to run errands in the palace. She was isolated and couldn’t make moves to handle Gu Ye within the palace.

Additionally, Gu Ye and Lu Xu had a strong bond, earning him praise for his benevolence and righteousness in caring for his younger brother, even within the court. This situation was a significant concern for the Feng family, as they were counting on Lu Xu’s future support.

After some contemplation, Mrs. Qin reassured her daughter, “Don’t worry, your brother is out hunting again today, and he will emerge victorious. When His Majesty sees your brother’s success, he will naturally spend the night with you. Serve him well, and as for the future, I will help you figure it out.”

Concubine Feng, knowing she wasn’t fighting alone, sighed with relief and mentioned that she would return to get dressed. Not long afterward, the commotion outside revealed that Wu Qingyi had won the day again, and Feng Yuan had suffered another defeat.

Naturally, Mrs. Qin’s expression turned grave once more.