After all, most people who read novels are normal people, although people like handsome men.

But people still instinctively reject men who are sick!

Unless you have Stockholm syndrome.

However, the Fifth Princess's smile soon faded.

She glanced at Hua Rong sitting there, but couldn't bring herself to imagine that embarrassing scene.

What the hell!

Just thinking about it feels like an insult to Huarong.

She tapped her head, trying to shake off those inappropriate images from her mind.

Moreover, many changes have occurred in this lifetime.

There's probably no chance for Hua Rong and Shen Zi'an anymore.

What she should be most worried about now is probably paying attention to the second princess, who has changed a lot.

The way the second princess looked at Hua Rong just now made her wary.

Regardless of whether Hua Rong is the female lead or not, after spending so much time together, she had long regarded Hua Rong as family.

She won't allow anyone to hurt her!

At this moment, a cold light flashed in the Fifth Princess's innocent eyes, which were as clear as water.

Hua Rong ignored the people in the hall who had ulterior motives; she never underestimated her ability to attract hatred.

Compared to her initial domineering demeanor, the Empress Dowager now appeared much more kind and gentle.

She naturally wouldn't treat the person who entrusted her son with the affairs of the harem too lightly.

Moreover, it would be fine as long as it wasn't the empress who was her adversary.

“We were just discussing that our eldest and second daughters are getting older and it’s time for them to find husbands.”

Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's words, the first to be unhappy were Consort De, the mother of the eldest princess, and Consort Xian, the mother of the second princess.

Consort De looked very dignified. She glanced at Hua Rong and said to the Empress Dowager, "How can the Empress Dowager talk about such things with a servant? It would lower the status of the eldest princess."

"Yes, I think Miss Hua Rong should avoid this situation."

Consort Xian was always smiling and welcoming, and her virtue was acknowledged by everyone in the harem.

But whether it was because he disliked Hua Rong too much or because he cared about his daughter, he also spoke up against Hua Rong.

If it were an ordinary servant girl here, her face would have already drooped, and she would be eager to leave.

But who can blame Hua Rong for being so shameless?

"Your Highness, Consort De and Consort Xian are mistaken. When the eldest and second princesses get married, the size of their dowries will be subject to my approval. So, how can this be unrelated to me? What do you two think?"

Consort De and Consort Xian both froze, sensing the Empress's anger.

Their daughters must be incredibly precious!

Unexpectedly, the dowry ended up in the hands of a eunuch's wife!

What angered them most was that this woman might also share the same husband as them.

In common parlance, wouldn't this mean that the marriages of illegitimate daughters are controlled by a mistress who doesn't even have a formal title?

This is absolutely outrageous!

However... such an important matter as dowry cannot be ignored by them.

The two looked at each other and saw resentment in each other's eyes.

“That’s right, then please listen carefully, Miss Hua Rong.”

Hua Rong glanced at the eldest and second princesses with loving eyes.

"In any case, I am considered an elder to the two princesses in some respects, so naturally I would not mess around with their marriage."

Hua Rong was playing with her nails when Xiao Ci handed her a handful of sunflower seeds, which she immediately started cracking open.

Xiao Ci even thoughtfully massaged her back; anyone who didn't know better would think this was her palace.

When the Empress Dowager saw this, the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

Upon reflection, she realized that she had never lived as comfortably as this lowly servant girl in all these years.

It's unclear what she was thinking, but her gaze fell on Shen Zi'an.

"The eldest princess and my maternal nephew, Zi'an, would make a good match..."

"The Emperor has arrived!"

The Empress Dowager had barely uttered a word when a shrill voice came from outside the door.

The next moment, the old emperor appeared in Cixi Palace.

"Greetings to His Majesty, may His Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

Upon seeing the Emperor, everyone present, except for the Empress Dowager, knelt down to pay their respects to the old Emperor.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. I have been busy with official duties and have only come to Cixi Palace now. Please forgive me."

"Get up," the Empress Dowager said in a calm tone.

Logically, when the Empress Dowager returns to the palace, the Emperor should go to the palace gate to greet her.

But the old emperor only arrived now, which really shows that he doesn't respect his mother!

"Rise."

The old emperor didn't care what the empress dowager was thinking.

The mother-son relationship between the two was so obviously fake.

Everyone present was shrewd and intelligent, so there was no need to worry too much.

After Hua Rong sat down, he saw that the old emperor was still standing, so he quickly called to the people in Cixi Palace.

"What kind of eyesight do you have? Can't you see the Emperor is still standing? Bring a chair for the Emperor to sit on."

"yes!"

The people from Cixi Palace, as if possessed, listened to Hua Rong's words.

By the time they came to their senses, a chair had already been moved and placed next to the Empress Dowager.

"This must be Shen Zi'an, the God of War from the Shen family..."

The old emperor's gaze fell indifferently on Shen Zi'an.

He wanted to say "God of Slaughter," but he felt it sounded bad, so he changed it.

Because of the old emperor's arrival, Shen Zi'an had already moved down to stand below.

Shen Zi'an stepped forward and said, "This humble subject, Shen Zi'an, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

The old emperor nodded and said to the Empress Dowager beside him, "I think Er Yatou and him are quite a good match, don't you think, Mother?"

Empress Dowager: "..."

She was so angry she almost had a heart attack!

She wanted to marry Shen Zi'an off to a princess.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!