The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

The old eunuch guarding the gate took the silver ingot handed over by Lu Shan, chuckled twice, and bent his back even more.

He hung the opened big copper lock on his belt and handed the other key to Lu Shan with both hands.

He mumbled, "Sir, please watch your step..." Then he hobbled to the sunlight at the foot of the wall and squatted down with his arms folded.

Lu Shan raised his hand and pushed open the door. The red-painted wooden door, which had been in disrepair for a long time and was moaning in the wind.

The sky was gloomy, with cold wind blowing from time to time, as if snowflakes would fall at any time.

The yard was overgrown with weeds, yellow leaves were swirling and falling, and dry roots more than half a person's height were swaying and whistling in the cold wind.

Only a one-person-wide path was left, leading to the old and damaged buildings inside.

The bluestone road under my feet has lost its original color, and a thick layer of snow has fallen on the dead branches and leaves. It is possible to slip at any time when walking.

Imperial Noble Consort Chen was wearing a luxurious cloak, which seemed somewhat out of place with the desolate feeling in the cold wind.

It had been a long time since any stranger had come in, and the air was filled with a smell of corruption, which made her cough twice.

She raised her hand and covered her mouth and nose with the handkerchief at her fingertips, with a hint of disgust in her indifferent expression.

Lu Shan picked up a branch in his hand at some point and roughly cleared the stone road under his feet.

He held onto Consort Chen's arm and said, "My lady, how about I carry you on my back? Don't get your shoes and socks wet."

Imperial Concubine Chen raised her head and looked at the dead branches swaying in the wind on the eaves and brackets not far away. She smiled and said, "It's okay. I'm afraid my sister will be waiting anxiously."

The main door of the main hall was locked from the outside, leaving only a movable window, which was where the palace servants passed things to the people inside every day.

The window was open and a thin layer of snow lay on the cold meal on the tray, making it impossible to see what was underneath.

"Lü Shan." Imperial Noble Consort Chen raised her chin and gave a soft order.

"Yes, your majesty." After Lu Shan bowed and responded, he took out the key that the old eunuch had just given him.

With a click, the door lock opened.

In a dark and damp corner of the palace, a woman whose face could not be seen, wearing a brocade quilt that had lost its original color, curled up there alone.

Hearing the sound in the room, she slowly raised her head and squinted her eyes to adjust to the light.

Her face was as pale as paper, her eyes were empty and lifeless. Her facial features were 60% similar to those of Imperial Concubine Chen, who was dressed in gorgeous palace clothes.

When she saw the face of the person clearly, Huipin's eyes were instantly replaced by hatred and indifference. Her gaze was as cold as the chill wind outside the door.

"When I saw my elder sister coming, I knew it was my younger sister's birthday." Huipin's voice was hoarse and weak. If you didn't listen carefully, you would be drowned out by the cold wind blowing in through the window.

Imperial Noble Consort Chen walked slowly to Huipin, looked down at her, raised her hand and ordered Lu Shan beside her: "Bring up the longevity noodles prepared for Huipin."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lu Shan walked over with his head bowed, and took out a bowl of steaming hot noodles from the food box in his hand. The noodles were as white as silver and as thin as hemp thread.

Imperial Concubine Chen personally picked up the bowl and gently squatted down in front of Huipin, with a slight smile on her face, "Sister, you have suffered so much. Eat it while it's hot."

Huipin raised her head, and a sneer appeared on her face, which looked similar to hers.

"For the past 19 years, every winter day, my elder sister would come to this cold palace to see if I was dead or not. Why? Are you afraid that I will live longer than you and eventually see your end?"

After saying that, she took out a branch and added another stroke to the wall behind her.

Three neatly written correct characters are arranged in sequence, and the last character has one stroke to form a complete correct character.

It represents the nineteen years she just mentioned.

Imperial Concubine Chen was not annoyed. She put the bowl of soup beside her, stood up, sighed and said:

"Sister, are you still blaming me? If I hadn't arranged things in the harem, you would have been killed by Imperial Concubine Jing a long time ago!"

The mockery in her eyes was very different from what the concubines in the harem had seen from Concubine Chen in the past.

Huipin sat up slightly wrapped in a brocade quilt, leaned against the cold wall behind her, and looked up at her:

"Noble Concubine Jing? Who was responsible for the thing that harmed the fetus back then? And why did the Imperial Hospital deliberately not tell me that I was pregnant? Big sister, have you ever felt a bit of guilt over the years?" Huipin's eyes were full of questioning and pain.

Imperial Noble Consort Chen lowered her eyes and stared at her. It was a long while before she spoke. As soon as she opened her mouth, she started coughing violently.

Lu Shan hurried over and patted his master's back. After a while, Concubine Chen finally recovered and said:

"The emperor promised me to be his principal wife... but your mother was afraid that I would marry into the royal family, so she interfered. After I had a miscarriage, she asked my father to send you to the palace to compete with me for favor."

Anger flashed in Concubine Chen's eyes, "Guilt? This is the retribution for you and your daughter!" Her face was distorted by the emotions triggered by these words.

Huipin leaned there and smiled sadly, "What can it do now that my sister is the Imperial Concubine? Children are born one after another in the palace. If I am not there, there will be other women. Is this the love of the emperor for you?"

The emotion in Concubine Chen's eyes gradually subsided, and she said slowly: "Ever since my mother died of anger, I don't believe in love in this world. But..."

She changed her tone and continued, "When I become the Queen Mother in the future, father will still have to bow down to me and my son for the honor of our family."

Huipin raised her head, with a hint of doubt in her eyes, "Isn't my eldest sister unable to have children?"

As if she was waiting for this sentence, Imperial Concubine Chen moved closer to her and whispered, "This is my sister's child, who has been raised outside for nineteen years. The Emperor wants to bring him back to the palace and register him under my name..."

Huipin threw away the tattered brocade quilt on her body, but before she could touch Consort Chen's gorgeous palace dress, she was kicked back by Lu Shan.

"How dare you! Don't disturb the queen!" Lu Shan scolded her fiercely.

Huipin roared with her eyes bloodshot, and the whole dilapidated hall was filled with the echo of her shouting.

"So the child is not dead! Chen Yayun, you will get retribution, I curse you to die without a complete body!"

She had been in the cold palace for so many years that she no longer had any affection for the child.

What Huipin could not accept was that her youth, her years, and her best years were all spent in this cold palace.

And the culprit was her elder sister who had the same father.

Her current situation was all designed by Chen Yayun!

"Sister, don't worry, I will take good care of Yu'er for you. After he ascends the throne, I will definitely plead with him on your behalf and ask him to release you from the cold palace." Imperial Noble Consort Chen said slowly.

Huipin wanted to ask how could you be so kind, but then she saw Lu Shan picked up the longevity noodles on the ground and walked towards her with a sneer on his lips.