Red Mansion Rebirth: Ghost Phoenix

Concubine Xu looked very young, not at all like someone over fifty years old. Her face and hands were as smooth as jade, without any wrinkles or spots.

Probably because it was a national mourning for Concubine Zhen, she did not wear complicated ornaments or heavy makeup. She just lightly drew her eyebrows and dotted her lips. Her long hair, which had a few strands of silver, was simply decorated with two silver hairpins.

Wang Xifeng bowed to her.

She also nodded with a smile and gave up her seat.

Standing next to him was Zhou Dai.

Zhou Dai's expression was very stiff.

Everyone can see that the Emperor has been favoring Concubine Xu recently, but who is Concubine Xu in the Daming Palace?

So he only wavered slightly between the Queen Mother and Xu, and then he turned to the Queen Mother.

But who would have known that as soon as he currying favor with the Queen Mother, Prince Su would plot a rebellion!

If he immediately abandoned the Queen Mother and turned to Concubine Xu at this time, it would seem too snobbish and cold-hearted.

Just grit your teeth and hold on for a while.

Maybe after the death of the emperor, the emperor would have to be filial to the empress dowager and could still earn a small future for himself?

Therefore, Zhou Dai was ordered to come here today to wait for the dispatch of the Grand Concubine and the Imperial Concubine, and to handle the funeral affairs of the Grand Concubine Zhen. He positioned himself as supervising on behalf of the Grand Concubine!

At that moment, he bowed to Wang Xifeng and Concubine Xu with great reserve, explaining that he was there to follow their orders.

Wang Xifeng glanced over and laughed at his expression, "When I came here just now, Dai Neixiang said that if you do anything wrong, let me beat you directly, and it's his fault if I beat you to death.

“I was surprised at the time!

"The Ministry of Rites has set rules for all matters concerning the passing of the Concubine Dowager. I am here to assist the Concubine Dowager in handling this matter, but I am just following the rules.

"You have been in the palace for many years, and you have experienced more of this than we have. So how can we tell whether you are okay or not?

"Why did Dai Xiang say 'I don't care if I beat him to death'?

"Now, I see you are almost putting your temper in front of me, and I understand! Dai Xiang was afraid that you would do something stupid, so he apologized to me in advance!"

After saying that, she smiled and looked at Concubine Xu, "I'm not familiar with Deputy Chief Eunuch Zhou. Concubine Xu has dealt with him a lot, right?"

Concubine Xu smiled gently and nodded: "When I was not yet a concubine, Deputy Chief Steward Zhou and his three brothers bullied me a few times."

Zhou Dai's face turned red and white, and finally he lowered his head and forced a smile, his waist bent so much that it almost touched the ground:

"You two ladies really love to joke..."

"I do like to joke, but I often kill people while joking..." Wang Xifeng was still smiling.

Concubine Xu looked at Wang Xifeng's appearance, her eyebrows twitched slightly, revealing a hint of intimacy, and she said softly as she spoke:

"But I am not one to joke. Even if the Lord asks me today, I will still say the same thing."

This was the first time that Wang Xifeng and Concubine Xu had a face-to-face conversation, and they cooperated with each other in a perfect harmony!

Zhou Dai was so disheartened that he closed his eyes and knelt down: "I am young and ignorant, and I treat evil as a joke. This is truly an unforgivable crime!"

"It's not that you're young and naive, but it's that after you've done seven or eight somersaults, you still want to be clever. That's a quick death."

Concubine Xu said calmly, and glanced at Wang Xifeng, "What the Imperial Concubine said just now is absolutely right.

"The new emperor has been on the throne for a short time, and there are many things to do. The funeral ceremony for the imperial concubine can be carried out according to the law. The imperial concubine and I do not want to be creative or extravagant.

"Please bring the rules from the Ministry of Rites so that the Imperial Concubine and I can take a look at them."

Zhou Dai stopped trying, agreed politely, and left.

Although Wang Xifeng didn't want to get too close to Concubine Xu, she still had to do what needed to be done for Emperor Chongzhao:

"Your Majesty was deeply saddened when he learned about the late Empress Xiaoren's dream.

“I have come here to thank the Concubine Tai on behalf of Your Majesty for praying for the late Empress Xiaoren.

"It has been decided now. Since the late Empress Xiaoren has chosen the Dajiaoguan site, we will build a Tianwang Temple next to it.

"When the temple is built, I will come to the other palace and accompany the imperial concubine back to the palace to see it and light the first stick of incense!"

In other words, Emperor Chongzhao promised Concubine Xu that he would not leave her to die in another palace, but would bring her back to the Daming Palace and take care of her in her old age.

Concubine Xu understood, and her calm appearance suddenly became a little excited. Tears welled up in her eyes. She raised her hands to cover her heart, took a deep breath, clasped her hands together, and chanted a Buddhist chant:

"Go back, Concubine, and thank His Majesty for his kindness on my behalf.

"I always feel that I have let down the late Empress Xiaoren...

"After thirty years of being out of favor, I devoted myself to Buddhism and prayed for the late Empress Xiaoren.

“Now that I can ask for this temple for the late Empress Xiaoren, I no longer have any other obsessions.

"Whether I return to the palace or not, I will listen to the order of the Supreme Lord."

This statement makes people feel comfortable.

This is really a smart guy.

Wang Xifeng also smiled and nodded with satisfaction: "That's natural."

After this matter was finished, the rest of the conversation was either small talk or about the chaos in the palace last night.

Wang Xifeng didn't want to say it.

Seeing her trying hard to find a topic but failing to find one, Concubine Xu smiled:

"Because Zhou Dai came too early, my homework today was interrupted.

“If Your Majesty doesn’t mind, I would like to finish the rest of my homework.

"There are both hot springs and mountain springs near me. You can go shopping by yourself, Madam."

Seeing Yue Shao beside him, he smiled again:

"Aunt Yue knows that a hundred steps south of where I am is Guangde Palace where Concubine Fu and Concubine Quan live together.

"If you want to go and pay your respects to them, that's fine too."

Wang Xifeng felt a little embarrassed because her thoughts were seen through, and she quickly stood up and crossed her arms, "Why are you so anxious?

"The Supreme One ordered me to do a job, so I must do it well before I can play.

"Since your majesty still has homework to do, please do as you please.

"I'm going to go check out the mountain spring and wait for Zhou Dai to come back."

Concubine Xu smiled and nodded, then ordered a palace maid to accompany her and Yue Shao out.

In fact, Wang Xifeng had no intention of paying attention to whether there was a spring or not. She followed the palace maid out of the main hall and glanced at Yue Shao.

Yue Shao understood, pulled the maid, and said with a low laugh: "Forget it, let's just find a place for our imperial concubine to sit.

"Hot springs and mountain springs are all the same. If you run into a concubine when you go out, will the imperial concubine entertain you or not?

"I can't afford to delay my mission and cause trouble to the Concubine Tai."

The maid nodded with a smile: "Okay."

He then took Wang Xifeng to the next room to have tea and sit leisurely.

The maid left.

Wang Xifeng asked Yue Shao quietly, "What homework does Concubine Xu want to do?"

"Ever since she 'dreamed' of the late Empress Xiaoren during her nap two days ago, Concubine Xu has been reciting and copying sutras, burning incense and worshipping Buddha every morning.

"It takes at least an hour and a half to complete this set." Yue Shao exclaimed in admiration, "The Supreme Lord rewarded me with a sandalwood Buddha statue for this!"

This is, lying to cover up a lie?

Or is it just obsession?

Wang Xifeng raised her eyebrows and drank her tea in silence.