The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

On the day.

The newly-established Shunyi Marquis’ Mansion hoisted the white sails.

However, he was not hanged for Liu Hong who had just been executed, but for Shunyi Bo's old mother who had been seriously ill for many years. When she suddenly heard that her family was punished by the emperor's decree, she was so exhausted that she died.

Two coffins were placed in the cold and silent lobby - the family of Marquis Shunyi had just been punished by the emperor, and they didn't have many friends in Kyoto, so the funeral was particularly lonely.

Liu Baokun, who lost his position as crown prince, knelt in front of the coffin in mourning with a dull look in his eyes. His half-brother, whose name never appeared before, was only eleven or twelve years old this year. He was short and skinny, and knelt timidly on the other side, not daring to speak in front of his legitimate brother.

Liu Baokun looked at the child with hatred for a while, but finally looked away.

Beside him was a young woman who was also in mourning. She looked to be only in her teens. There was no sadness in her eyes, but only indifference. She was absent-mindedly throwing yellow paper into the brazier.

Although these two people look like they are from a different generation, they are indeed a couple.

Liu Baokun glanced at his second wife and said, "What are you doing? Your grandmother and mother passed away one after another, but you look numb and not sad at all. If it weren't for the fact that you are my mother's niece, I would divorce you!"

Hong looked up and glanced at him calmly: "My dear, why do you have to consider Aunt's face? If you can be so kind, I will be happy to set up a tablet for you in the room and offer incense day and night."

The helpless and furious Liu Baokun was speechless and could only say, "I am not fit to be a wife!" and left with his sleeves swung.

Seeing this, Mrs. Hong simply threw the paper money in her hand into the brazier, and thick smoke rose up.

I am only sixteen years old this year!

Who would be willing to marry a man in his thirties!

She covered her heart, feeling a throbbing pain inside. She was only sixteen years old, but she had been married for three years... Her mother originally wanted to find her a young scholar who was good at studying, but Liu Hong threatened her with the Marquis' Mansion and forced her to marry the so-called "cousin" who had just lost his wife!

A kiss?

Pooh!

Who cares!

"......Is sister-in-law okay?"

Hong looked up and saw the timid boy who usually had little presence looking at her with a worried look on his face. An idea flashed through her mind and she forced a smile: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am just a little tired."

Outside the palace, the Shunyi Marquis's mansion was in a state of mourning, while Xie Yuzhen and others inside the palace were busy with the matter of Xu's mother leaving the palace.

Since Shunyi Bo and others had been convicted, Xu's mother naturally could no longer stay in the palace. However, before leaving, she had to bid farewell to the Queen.

Xu Xiaoyi and her mother not only rushed to embroider the shoe uppers for Xie Ruizhen, but also the ones for the emperor, the empress, and even Concubine Ning. The pair for Xie Ruizhen had two cute cats, and the ones for the emperor and the empress had a dragon and a phoenix that could not go wrong. As for Concubine Ning's pair, at Xie Ruizhen's suggestion, they also picked a pair of cats.

After receiving it, Concubine Ning really liked it. She took off several gold bracelets inlaid with rubies on her arms and stuffed them into Xu's mother's arms. While Xu's mother was at a loss, she took off the golden phoenix on her head and inserted it into Xu Xiaoyi's bun. Xu Xiaoyi's current position did not allow her to wear this golden phoenix hairpin, but Concubine Ning waved her hand and did not care at all. She only told Xu Xiaoyi to either keep it and wear it later, or ask the goldsmith to melt it and make another one she liked.

After meeting Concubine Ning, they went to Kunning Palace to pay a visit to the Queen.

The Queen was usually busy with official duties and was rarely seen by people. Xie Yuzhen certainly did not want to miss this opportunity to disturb the Queen - no, he shamelessly followed her to Kunning Palace. Without any hesitation, he repeatedly praised the embroidery skills of Xu Xiaoyi and her daughter to the Queen, and his enthusiasm was so great that the Queen could not resist.

But Xu's mother was unfamiliar with the capital and didn't know what to do. The Queen intended to find a light job for Xu's mother in the orphanage she headed, but before she could say anything, she was stopped by the excited Xie Yuzhen.

She bluntly said that Xu's mother could live in Xie's house.

The emperor had recently privately given the Xie family a house. Although the yard was not big, it was more than enough to accommodate the entire Xie family. Xie's father was confined by Xie's mother and had some signs of a stroke. He could no longer get out of bed, so he naturally could not bother other people.

Xie Jingrong, Xie Ruzhen's elder brother, is still in the academy and may not be able to return home once every half a year. Now, only Xie's mother is left in the Xie family, and occasionally only Mrs. Jun and Jun Yuexin will come to visit.

"My mother is alone at home. Although she has maids to accompany her, she has little say. If Aunt Xu is willing to live in my mother's house, I'm afraid she will be so happy!" Xie Yuzhen called her aunt all the time and spoke sweet words to her. Not to mention Mother Xu, even the knowledgeable queen was a little dizzy.

Xu Xiaoyi was grateful to Xie Ruizhen and treated her as her own sister, so she also expressed to the queen that she was willing to let her mother live in Xie's house.

Xie Yuzhen looked at the queen's face imperceptibly, trying to find some discord in her expression - but she was disappointed again. The queen had no fear of the two concubines' collusion, and had no intention of suppressing it. Instead, she looked at Xie Yuzhen with a much softer look, and repeatedly praised her for her enthusiasm and kindness. She also gave Xie Yuzhen a reward while rewarding Xu Xiaoyi and her daughter.

Could it be that he is really a great good man...a great saint?

Xie Yuzhen was already used to not believing, and she was still suspicious in her heart, with a sticky smile on her face: "I know that the queen treats me the best~"

Look again.

Look again.

A hard shell covered with thorns had already grown on Xie Yuzhen's heart, and now it seemed as if something was about to push open that shell and come out from inside.

She suppressed it forcefully, causing the faint tremor to be sealed by the ice again.

Send Xu’s mother away.

On the way back, Xie Yuzhen walked side by side with Xu Xiaoyi. She saw the smile on Xu Xiaoyi's face slowly fade, and slowly turned into a worried look. She thought about what this girl was worried about: "Are you worried about Liu Shuyi?"

Xu Xiaoyi nodded: "Although her mother's family made a mistake, she was only confined, and there is also the fourth princess..."

"For concubines in the harem, the most important thing is that His Majesty likes us. Especially for people like us who don't have any foundation, we rely more on His Majesty's love." Xie Yuzhen was a little hesitant whether to say this to Xu Xiaoyi, but... since he had decided to use her, it would be better to make it perfect.

"However... although I usually look down on those who rely on family background, I have to admit that to be a concubine in the harem, in addition to the favor of His Majesty, family background, or in other words, influence in the previous dynasty, is also very important."

"Look at Concubine Deng. Even though she is not favored by His Majesty, she is of noble birth and the Duke of Ying is a close minister to His Majesty. Therefore, she was able to raise a son and a daughter, hold the position of the fourth lady, and assist the Queen in managing palace affairs."

"She is different from us. Her foothold in the harem is due to the fact that Duke Ying was trusted by His Majesty in the previous dynasty, not because of how much favor she has received from His Majesty."

Xie Yuzhen smiled, then stopped to look at Xu Xiaoyi who seemed to be thinking about something. "This time, the Shunyi Marquis's Mansion has completely disgusted His Majesty. The root that supported Liu Shuyi has been dug out by us. From now on, she can only rely on His Majesty's favor in the palace."

"But she keeps making mistakes, and her family is like that. How can His Majesty still favor her?"

"Even if she comes out in the future, there is nothing to be afraid of. We just have to guard against her making a desperate move and doing something desperate." Xie Yuzhen has always believed that the quickest and most effective way to deal with a girl from an aristocratic family is not to be jealous of the emperor or deliberately frame her, but to directly dig up her foundation in the previous dynasty.

Xu Xiaoyi's eyes flickered, and she asked uncertainly, "Should we take advantage of her...to eliminate the trouble forever?"