Chapter 351 Returning to the Palace

Princess Mingzhu blinked, looked at the broken pieces on the ground, and asked in a low voice.

"Sister He Ling, is the tea too hot? Why did you throw the cup away?"

He Ling's face instantly turned bright red, so embarrassed she wished she could disappear into the ground.

She hurriedly squatted down, pretending to pick up the shards, and stammered, "Ah! I'm so sorry! This teacup was too slippery, I... I... my hands have been a bit clumsy lately, it's an old problem, haha..."

I have no choice but to admit that I have Parkinson's disease...

As she spoke, she quickly whispered something to Jiang Huan beside her in a low voice, using her crouching position.

"Your Majesty! The system says Princess Ping'an is the future Empress! The Emperor will be... "

The rest of the words became mumbled due to the haste, but the anxiety was clearly conveyed.

Jiang Huan paused for a moment, holding the teacup. She had already heard He Ling's conversation with the system in her mind.

If she hadn't come along, perhaps all of this would have happened, but with her arrival, everything changed.

Death from overwork or sudden death—with her around, such things are absolutely impossible.

She kept a close eye on Huo Lin's diet and daily routine, trying different methods to regulate his body and forcing him to rest.

Wasn't everything she did just to change that so-called "predetermined fate"?

She believed that as long as she watched over Huo Lin and took good care of him, the so-called two-year death calamity would never come true.

As for whether Princess Ping'an will become the future empress... that's something that can't be discussed at all.

Thinking of this, Jiang Huan's eyes regained their firmness and calmness.

She looked at He Ling's flustered appearance, as if she wanted to wear a huge secret on her face, and felt a headache coming on.

He Ling's mental fortitude is still lacking; she needs to work on it.

She put down her teacup, helped He Ling up, and spoke in a relaxed and natural tone, as if the accident just now was just a trivial little episode.

"Alright, alright, stop picking it up. Be careful not to cut yourself. It's just a cup. It's good that you're alright. Get up now."

Her composure instantly impressed everyone present and cleverly helped He Ling out of the predicament.

Ping An quickly regained her gentle smile and followed Jiang Huan's words, saying, "Your Majesty is right, just have the servants take care of it."

She gestured to the maid behind her, who immediately stepped forward and skillfully began cleaning.

Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest: "You scared me! Sister He Ling, are you alright? Did you burn your hand?"

With Jiang Huan's help, He Ling stood up, her face still flushed with embarrassment, and shook her head repeatedly.

"It's nothing, thank you for your concern, Princess."

The minor incident was thus resolved. After sitting for a while and having some tea and snacks, Jiang Huan suggested returning to the palace.

Princess Ping'an naturally had no objections.

The atmosphere on the carriage back to the palace was quieter than on the way there.

He Ling was still reeling from the explosive information from the system, occasionally stealing glances at Jiang Huan, whose expression remained unchanged.

Why is Your Highness so calm? Did she even hear what I said?

The Emperor will die, and then Princess Ping'an will become the new Empress!

[Isn't this enough information to be explosive? Did Your Majesty misunderstand? Should I remind you again?]

Jiang Huan listened to the rich inner monologue of her, feeling somewhat helpless.

She deliberately handed He Ling a pastry, signaling with her eyes that she should relax.

But the bewildered He Ling could only channel her confusion into her appetite, and silently ate her snacks.

Princess Ping'an remained as dignified and gentle as ever, occasionally exchanging a few words with Jiang Huan and Mingzhu in a low voice. Their conversations mostly revolved around the scenery of Jiangnan. Her manners were impeccable and flawless, leaving no room for criticism, but her true emotions remained unreadable.

The convoy returned to the palace smoothly and went straight to the gate of Weiyang Palace.

Huo Lin was already waiting outside the hall, standing with his hands behind his back, his face calm.

But if you look closely, you can see that his posture is more upright than usual. Only when he saw Jiang Huan get off the carriage unharmed did his tense shoulder line relax almost imperceptibly for a moment.

I'm finally back.

Hmm, her complexion is rosy and glowing; she probably isn't tired.

The crowd stepped forward and bowed.

Huo Lin hummed in agreement, then scanned Jiang Huan from head to toe to make sure she was unharmed before turning to Princess Ping'an.

"You've had a long and tiring journey. Now that you've arrived in the capital, please settle in properly."

"yes."

Princess Ping'an lowered her head and lowered her eyes, her posture was respectful and perfect, without any flaws.

Huo Lin was just going through the motions. He gave a few brief instructions and then had the palace servants lead Princess Ping'an to the palace that had been prepared for her to rest.

Mingzhu also took her leave, not daring to linger in front of Huo Lin.

He Ling slipped away as fast as she could; she needed to hurry back and process the explosive information from today, and also have a good talk with the system.

After everyone had left, Huo Lin stepped forward, put his arm around Jiang Huan's waist, and half-embraced her as they walked into the hall.

"How was it? Was the ride bumpy? Did you feel uncomfortable?"

Jiang Huan was amused by his alarmed expression: "What's all the swaying about? You practically had the carriage wheels covered in brocade, and the cushions inside are so thick they could be used as a bed. I almost fell asleep the whole way. Even if the carriage had overturned, I probably would have rolled around inside and kept sleeping."

Huo Lin's ears burned slightly at her exaggerated description, but his face darkened instantly when he heard the words "carriage overturned".

"What nonsense are you spouting? Spit it out!"

Seeing his face darken instantly, Jiang Huan laughed even harder, deliberately teasing him: "Oh, just kidding, it's not like it'll actually happen. With your arrangements so thorough, let alone a bumpy ride, even if an ant tried to climb onto the carriage shaft, it would probably be mistaken for an assassin and held down by the guards, right?"

Huo Lin was speechless after being teased by her. He glared at her, but then pulled her even tighter into his arms.

"What did you eat outside? Was the tea warm? Did you enjoy the snacks? Did you feel nauseous?"

As he asked the question, he carefully examined her face, as if trying to find any trace of discomfort.

Jiang Huan enjoyed this excessive concern, feeling sweet inside, but feigned helplessness on the surface: "I served some light dishes and a few snacks. The tea was kept warm, and the snacks were delicious. Don't worry, I'm going to pick someone up, not to go to war. Everything is fine."

Huo Lin smiled faintly and pinched her cheek.

"Alright, then let me ask one last question: Has that Princess Ping'an displeased you?"

Jiang Huan shook her head at his protective attitude: "No, the princess is well-mannered and has excellent manners. She genuinely cares for Mingzhu and is a sensible person."

As Huo Lin asked her questions, he led her to a brightly lit area so he could examine her more closely.

[Yeah, you haven't lost weight, and you seem to be in a pretty good mood.]

Isn't this cape a bit too thin? Didn't they put on an extra layer when it got windy?

[Hmm, you still smell of pastries on you. Looks like you really ate them and weren't just fooling me.]

Jiang Huan couldn't help but chuckle as she listened to his detailed examination and analysis, which was comparable to an X-ray scan.

She looked up at him and said, "Huo Lin, are you giving me a full body checkup? Should I get a ruler to measure whether I've gained or lost weight?"

Huo Lin's ears burned slightly at her laughter. He forced himself to cough and, to cover up his discomfort, pulled her closer to him.

"I'm worried about you. It's not like inside the palace. What if something happens to you..."

"I was just looking, what's wrong with that?"

Being too thin is definitely not good, but being a little chubby is... good, it means she and the baby are both healthy.

Jiang Huan's heart softened completely. She wrapped her arms around his strong waist and buried her face in his chest.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. As long as you stay healthy and by my side, nothing else matters."

As for any calamity or future empress, she would do everything in her power to change Huo Lin's fate.

With her around, those so-called plots will never come true.

Huo Lin was startled, and looked down into her clear eyes, which were filled with his image.

Why are we suddenly talking about this again?

However, I will certainly remain healthy and stay by her and the baby's side.

He tightened his arms and nuzzled Jiang Huan's head with his chin.

"Mm," he responded softly. "I will always be with you."