Concubine Lan was still basking in self-satisfaction.
The congratulatory gift she had presented—the Taihu Lake stones—was both unique and extravagant, perfectly showcasing a junior's reverence for her elder. Concubine Lan was certain the Empress Dowager would regard her in a new light.
With these stones, she would win the Empress Dowager's favor. Once she had the Empress Dowager as her patron in the imperial harem, securing the Emperor's affection would no longer be a concern.
At the noblewomen's banquet table, Lu Yun's lips curled downward slightly, a glint of schadenfreude flashing in her eyes.
"What a fool. To think even the imperial concubines could be so witless," Lu Yun mused silently, shaking her head.
The southern floods remained unresolved, and the Empress Dowager had taken the lead in promoting frugality, redirecting saved funds to the disaster-stricken regions to aid the suffering populace—a testament to the Da Qing imperial family's compassion.
