Chapter 171 One after the other

This trip was a spur-of-the-moment decision by the Emperor, so it did not attract too much attention. There were only three people from the harem who accompanied him: the Empress, Consort Jing, and Consort Nian, all of whom had children. They brought along only four children: Hongzhao, Hongshi, Hongjin, and Wenyi. Even Prince Yi was not invited. The group left the palace in a very low-key manner.

Since it's a surveillance camera, it must have a replay button. Hongzhao sat absentmindedly in the carriage, taking the memorial from Xiao Dezi and flipping through it, recalling the plot he had stayed up all night to catch up on over the past month.

This time, Zhen Huan was in a very difficult situation because Jinxi was no longer by her side. Even with Huanbi's help, she still had a hard time. In addition, Consort Qi instructed Abbess Jingbai to "take good care" of this "sinner" from the palace. In the first few months after arriving at Ganlu Temple, she went through a very difficult period.

When they first met, Huanbi and Jingbai embraced and wept bitterly. However, Huanbi's days at Ganlu Temple were not particularly difficult. Most of the nuns at Ganlu Temple, like Jingbai, had an arrogant and snobbish demeanor. Naturally, they didn't hesitate to make things difficult for a once-noble person like Zhen Huan, who had fallen from grace, to show off their power.

But for someone like Huanbi, who appeared to come from a humble background, they simply pretended not to see her. Therefore, Huanbi was far luckier here than when she went to Ningguta with the entire Zhen family.

But this situation completely changed after Zhen Huan arrived. Huan Bi helped her with the tasks that Jing Bai had deliberately made difficult for her, and naturally she was targeted and glared at by everyone, with cold ridicule coming at her. If it had been like this from the moment she entered the temple, it would have been fine, but after many days of peace, it made her feel a little unbalanced.

However, these are all minor issues.

Huanbi knew about the late Emperor's Consort Shu from the moment she entered the temple. The current Consort Shu lived in Ganlu Temple. She still remembered that fleeting glimpse of Prince Guo in the Imperial Garden that day, gentle and elegant, who praised her with pink flowers in her hair while carrying a wine pot. Consort Shu was Prince Guo's mother, so she naturally went to pay her respects from time to time.

As she spent more time there, she would inevitably run into Prince Guo once or twice, and each time she did, her face would turn red and her heart would race.

Although the monitor's playback did not support mind-reading, Hongzhao could roughly guess what she was thinking. If the young lady, who was the daughter of a minor official, could become the emperor's concubine, why couldn't she, as her father's daughter, become Prince Guo's concubine?

Whether it's the protagonist's halo or personal charm, after Zhen Huan entered Ganlu Temple, she only took the initiative to visit Consort Shu once, and Consort Shu liked her very much. Whenever Huan Bi went alone, she would pull her aside and ask her about Zhen Huan's recent situation.

As for Prince Guo, he was usually a man who was rarely seen, and Huanbi could only find him by luck and by visiting him often enough. But ever since Zhen Huan arrived, he seemed to have lived in Ganlu Temple, sneaking over every few days to visit, and each time he would bring something, a treatment Huanbi had never received before.

The saying "It's not scarcity that's worrisome, but inequality" perfectly captures this sentiment.

If Huanbi had always received so little attention, she could have kept convincing herself. But seeing Zhen Huan effortlessly acquire everything without even having to fight for it, and even without a second thought, filled her with resentment.

Seeing this, Hongzhao roughly understood that the plot was brought forward by almost a year because the difficulty of Zhen Huan's "Ganlu Temple episode" had been greatly increased.

Without Imperial Physician Wen, without Jinxi, and without Huanbi's unwavering loyalty, with her parents and sister serving as slaves in Ningguta, the difficulties she faces are many times greater than in the original drama.

And it is precisely for this reason that people always want to grasp a glimmer of hope in a predicament. Zhen Huan was no exception. She accepted Prince Guo's love so early. Putting aside everything else, her parents and family would be better off with someone taking care of them.

Hongzhao tapped his hand lightly on the small wooden table, the "tap-tap" sound calming his mind.

It seems that the love between "Guo Huan" and "Zhen Huan" is not so pure this time. It is impossible for Zhen Huan to say that she was not moved. The young and talented man, the same age, outstanding literary talent, and the harmonious playing of the zither and flute are all proof of their compatibility. However, she may not have been without her own considerations.

"Your Highness, we have arrived at Ganlu Temple." Xiao Dezi noticed that the carriage was gradually slowing down, so he leaned out to take a look and then turned back to report to Hongzhao.

Hongzhao snapped out of his daze, glanced outside, and whispered, “Xiao Dezi, be smart today. You don’t need to have one hand by my side. Look around more, and don’t make a sound about anything you hear or see.”

Without giving Xiao Dezi time to react, he turned around and got off the carriage.

"What? Consort Zhen is ill? When did she fall ill? Why didn't anyone come to the palace to report this?" Yinzhen sat in the empty and simple room. The Empress had taken two concubines and two princesses to the main hall to pray for blessings and was not by his side. At this moment, only Hongzhao and Hongshi stood on either side of him.

The abbot has always been gentle and mild-mannered. When he sees something unfair, he thinks it's better to avoid trouble and prefers to keep the peace. He also speaks slowly and deliberately.

"Your Majesty, Consort Zhen..."

Jingbai was afraid that the abbot might accidentally let something slip, so she quickly stepped forward and took over the conversation: "Your Majesty, Consort Zhen was suffering from a chronic cough and was afraid of infecting others or being too noisy at night, so she moved to Lingyun Mansion. I think... I think she is much better now."

Yinzhen frowned, his face ashen. After thinking for a long time, he made up his mind and cracked his knuckles—"Lead the way, I'll go see her."

After saying that, Yinzhen stood up and walked out of the door. Hongshi didn't know whether he should follow him. He looked at Hongzhao with difficulty. Hongzhao gave him a "Are you stupid?" look. Father Emperor didn't stop you. You don't even like to watch such a commotion. You're really stupid.

He took the lead and followed them out, mentally monitoring the situation as he walked.

"Wow, that's exciting!" Hongzhao thought to himself. "The civet cat really came at the right time today. Judging by the timing, you and your fourth brother arrived almost at the same time."

Lingyun Peak was remote and difficult to reach. Yinzhen, who had been pampered for many years and was getting old, hurriedly walked until he was breathing heavily. Despite the cool early spring weather, he was covered in sweat. At the end of the towering steps, a dilapidated and drafty wooden house came into view.

With a thoughtful look in his eyes, Yinzhen moved forward. The abbot and Jingbai wanted to follow, but Su Peisheng, who was quick to notice, blocked their way.

When you get close, you can hear the conversations inside clearly.

"When two families unite in marriage, a covenant is made in one hall... a lifelong vow, a bond that will last forever."

He recognized the voice very well; he had often heard it in the palace. Yinzhen paused as he was about to push the door open. Zhen Huan had just read... the marriage certificate?

He had been cold to her all these years, and now that she was living in such a place, she had learned her lesson and suffered. She had softened her temper and wrote their marriage vows before the Buddha... to be forever united in heart... He had once instructed Su Peisheng to personally hand Chun Yuan's love knot to her, so she must still remember their affection.

Yinzhen felt quite comforted and overjoyed, as if his vanity had been greatly satisfied. Even someone as stubborn as Zhen Huan would still long for his arrival.

He pursed his lips, reached out and gently pushed the door open, which creaked open slowly.

"Huanhuan, are you still thinking of me?"