Chapter 124 Chapter 124

[Chapter 124]

Ruan Yun glanced at Ying Ning and said something with unclear meaning:

"She has plenty of free time, and she has the time to make clothes for Dongdong."

Ying Ning had a faint smile on her lips the whole time. "It's lonely in the palace. I can pass the time by doing something else."

Ruan Jun stretched out her hand and walked to the bronze mirror. The woman in the mirror had a hint of smile in her eyebrows and her almond-shaped eyes were full of water, revealing a bit of charm. Even without makeup, she had a look that could captivate the whole country.

"If you want to know what a person is going to do, you should always meet him first."

Ying Ning understood what the Empress meant, stepped back, and said, "I will go and invite Wen Baolin in."

Watching Ying Ning walk out of the inner hall, Ruan Jun did not stay in front of the bronze mirror for too long. She sat back on the couch and rubbed her waist which was still a little sore.

Wen Baolin stepped into the inner hall with mixed feelings. Tao Chu wanted to go in with Wen Baolin, but Wen Baolin leaned slightly. Tao Chu remembered the young lady's instructions, put down her hand and let Wen Baolin go in alone.

Ruan Jun leaned lazily, the light coming in through the window lattice and falling on her charming figure.

Her almond-shaped eyes slightly raised, her crow-like eyelashes fluttered slightly, her eyes flashed with agility, and her gaze fell on Wen Baolin.

Wen Baolin's breathing stagnated, and he thought of what he had to do today. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Ruan Yun tilted her head to look at Wen Baolin, a smile in her eyes that was not deep enough, "Sister, please get up."

Wen Baolin stood up straight, but Ruan Jun didn't ask her to sit down. Wen Baolin didn't dare to act rashly and could only stand beside Ruan Jun.

But after entering the hall for a long time, Ruan Jun didn't say anything, nor did she make any other moves, which seemed to be an attempt to get her to speak first.

Wen Baolin clenched the handkerchief in her hand, tried to force a smile, and said, "Your Majesty has been in her period for a few days. The Emperor ordered that no one should disturb you, and I only gave you a small gift. The weather has been hot recently, and I happen to have a piece of rain silk brocade. I thought I would make a piece of clothing for the Third Prince to wear. Does Your Majesty like it?"

Ruan Yun glanced at the small dress that Wen Baolin brought, smiled softly, and spoke in a soft tone, but the words she said were not so pleasant, "Such good material, it's a pity to give it to the third prince."

Wen Baolin quickly waved his hands and said, "It's not a pity."

Ruan Yun withdrew her eyes from the clothes that Wen Baolin brought and said, "The Third Prince is still young, and his appearance changes almost every day. He also grows fast, so I'm afraid he won't be able to wear them for a few days. I appreciate your kindness, but I won't accept the things."

Wen Baolin's face turned pale, and he said, "If I take her back, she will be of no use to me."

Ruan Yun said meaningfully: "Everything has its own function, and so do people."

Wen Baolin was a smart man, so how could he not understand the meaning of Ruan Yun's words?

Her eyes turned red, and she knelt down in front of Ruan Yun and said, "I was ignorant and made Your Majesty angry before. Please forgive me this time."

Ruan Yun listened to Wen Baolin's words and suddenly laughed out loud, saying, "What happened in the past? I don't remember it anymore."

Wen Baolin's words got stuck in her throat, but since she had already said this, she knelt forward a little and said with a stiff upper lip: "I have done many wrong things in the past, and I have been punished. Now I just want to make up for my past mistakes, and I have no other intentions."

Ruan Yun glanced at Wen Baolin, put down the coral ornament in her hand, and said, "The emperor likes you, and I have no right to ask. How can I say that I did something wrong? Could it be that you think that the emperor made a mistake by letting me enter the palace?"

Wen Baolin was stunned by Ruan Yun's question and shook his head quickly, "Of course not!"

Ruan Yun listened to Wen Baolin's words with a faint smile on her lips. Although this smile was just politeness and distance towards Wen Baolin, Wen Baolin saw a hint of sarcasm in it.

After entering the palace, the Emperor's attitude towards her, Concubine De's blatant use of her, and now the way Concubine Yinggui looks at her, made Wen Baolin feel that she had suffered enough humiliation in this life.

Tears filled her eyes and she bit her lower lip tightly, trying not to cry out loud. But in the end, she couldn't help it and knelt in front of Ruan Jun and cried.

Ruan Yun frowned deeply when she heard her crying. The weather was hot and she was already upset, so she didn't need ice. There was only one wind wheel in the inner hall, and it was very far away from her.

She reached to the side but didn't find the fan. Then she remembered that she couldn't use it now, so Yingning put it away.

Wen Baolin's expression at this moment made her sneer, "Wen Baolin acted like this, could it be that he wanted to spread the news that you came to my palace today, so that people would know what I did to you?"

Wen Baolin raised her eyes in panic and said, "No, I don't think so."

Ruan Yun turned her head and said calmly, "It's getting late, you should go back to the palace earlier."

Wen Baolin quickly wiped the tears from her face and said, "I went into the hunting ground alone because of my temporary thoughts, but I really didn't intend to make the queen lose face."

"Everything that Madam Defei wants to do is out in the open. If Madam Defei is willing, I am willing to share your worries."

Ruan Jun had expected from the beginning that Wen Baolin came for this matter, but why should she agree to Wen Baolin at this moment?

Before Wen Baolin came to Xuan Palace, he must have been to Jingzhang Palace. She didn't know what Wen Baolin and Defei had said, nor did she know what they were planning. Now Wen Baolin seemed to be sincere, but who knew what he was like behind the scenes? Moreover, how much influence could Wen Baolin have? Could he have wanted to mediate between her and Defei just by relying on Wen Baolin?

Wen Baolin, she takes herself too seriously.

Although she thought so in her heart, Ruan Jun did not want to refute Wen Baolin so easily. If this person was useful and could get some useful information, it would not matter even if she was discarded.

Ruan Jun's voice became softer, and she said gently, "Sister, please get up first."

Hearing Ruan Yun's softened words, Wen Baolin's smile froze on his face before it could even unfold:

"The Empress Defei is an old lady who serves the Emperor and is also the biological mother of the eldest prince. As my sister said, the Empress Defei wanted to do something. How come I didn't notice it?"

Wen Baolin blinked his eyelashes, as if he didn't expect Ruan Jun to ask this.

Could it be that Concubine Ying didn't see what Concubine De wanted to do? Or did Concubine Ying not regard Concubine De as a threat at all?

Wen Baolin was very confused at the moment, but he was very clear that the emperor's favor could not be guaranteed to last forever, and no one could gain a firm foothold in the harem.

Wen Baolin held the handkerchief tightly in her hand, looked up at Ruan Yun, and said softly: "I will not make the same mistake as I did with Wen Yunu in the past, and I have never wanted to be an enemy of Your Majesty. Even if Your Majesty does not believe me now, you can understand. I will do something that Your Majesty will believe me."

After saying this, Wen Baolin kowtowed to Ruan Yun, then slowly stood up and walked out of the inner hall.

Tao Chu stepped forward worriedly and supported Wen Baolin. Wen Baolin walked out of the inner hall with difficulty until he walked out of Linxuan Palace, and then he held on to the palace wall with all his strength.

The bricks above burned his hands, and Wen Baolin's hands gradually tightened, and a little dust stained his well-maintained fingers.

Tao Chu felt very distressed when she saw Wen Baolin's expression. She supported the empress and said softly, "My empress, even if it doesn't work, please don't hurt yourself."

Wen Baolin swallowed his saliva and said, "As long as I want to do something, there is nothing I can't do."

Ying Ning watched Wen Baolin leave in person, and then she went into the inner hall and said, "Your Majesty, Wen Baolin is gone."

Ruan Yun tilted her head to look at Ying Ning and Ting Xu standing beside them, and asked, "How much do you think Wen Baolin's words were true and how much do they lie?"

Thinking of what Wen Baolin had just said, Ruan Jun was a little confused. She didn't understand what kind of punishment she had received. Even if she had not been favored in the palace for a year, the emperor had not forgotten her after his death, and the Ministry of Eunuchs would not treat her harshly.

Tingxu thought about what Wen Baolin had done in the past and could not like him any more. He said, "Wen Baolin is playing both sides. He does not want to offend Consort De, but he also wants the protection of the Empress. There is no such good thing in the world."

Yingning continued to listen to Xu's words, "Looking at the situation, Wen Baolin went to Jingzhang Palace first. If Wen Baolin said the same thing in front of Empress Defei, then Wen Baolin's acting was really amazing."

Ruan Jun rubbed his forehead for a long time without saying anything. At first, he was very angry at Wen Baolin's look, but now he was much calmer.

Thinking about it, Wen Baolin posed no threat to her. Since Concubine De was not making any move, she could maintain superficial peace with her. In this case, there was no need for her to agree to Wen Baolin now.

"Don't worry about it. If Wen Baolin gives us something else, just accept it first and then find a chance to return it later. It must be very difficult for her to do this. There is no need for us to reject her."

Yingning and Tingxu nodded and said in unison, "Don't worry, Madam."

But then, she became more and more looking forward to what Concubine De would do in the future to strive for the position of Imperial Concubine or even Empress.

Defei has endured all these years. Even knowing that she was pregnant, she was able to suppress the matter for a long time. She is a thoughtful and deliberate person, and she should not be underestimated.

Ruan Jun touched the night pearl beside her hand and slowly smiled.

…

Doctor Sun arrived at Linxuan Palace early in the morning. After checking Ruan Yun's pulse, he said, "Your Majesty's pulse is still a little weak, but this is normal after giving birth. You just need to take good care of yourself from now on."

Ruan Yun's eyes narrowed. She had been feeling very depressed these days. She said, "There is Doctor Lao Sun."

Doctor Sun kowtowed quickly and left silently.

Ruan Yun couldn't help but say, "Hurry up and get some water. I've been feeling really bad these days."

Since I couldn't take a bath, I could only wipe my body lightly with a brocade handkerchief every day. It was always uncomfortable if I didn't soak in the bathtub.

Especially in the near summer, every time I sweat, I can only wipe it off.

The palace maid had prepared the water early in the morning, and when she said it was okay, she hurriedly poured the water into the bathtub.

Yingning and Tingxu undressed the empress, revealing her white and creamy skin. Her long and slender legs slowly stepped into the bathtub.

Putting her arms beside the tub, Ruan Yun said lazily, "You all go out, I'll stay in here for a while."

When Yingning saw the empress's appearance, she couldn't help but laugh, and pulled Tingxu out.

Ruan Yunwu's hair floated on the water. She took the soap powder and rubbed it on the sides of her slender neck.

Soaking in the water, Ruan Yun couldn't help but let out a sigh. She leaned her head against the side of the bucket, closed her eyes and felt the tranquility of the moment.

As soon as Yan Shiyu entered the Linxuan Palace, he heard the sound of crying coming from the side hall.

He originally wanted to enter the inner hall, but because of the crying, Yan Shiyu had to go to the side hall.

Ying Ning was standing inside, coaxing the baby to move with the wet nurse. Although the Third Prince was small, he sometimes had a bad temper. When he woke up and didn't smell the familiar scent of his mother, he started crying.

The nurse tried to shake the rattle in her hand but it didn't work. The baby started crying loudly with his eyes closed, which was really heartbreaking.

"Where is your queen?" Yan Shiyu looked at the people in the inner hall with cold eyes. Seeing the extremely fierce movements in the arms of others, he said in a deep voice: "Give it to me."

Dongdong smelled the familiar scent of his father and twisted his little body to go in his father's direction.

Yan Shiyu held Dongdong firmly, narrowed his black eyes and looked at him. He felt that Dongdong looked very much like his crying mother, and his eyebrows twitched for no reason.

Ying Ning knelt down and said, "The queen is bathing in the bathing room."

A hint of whiteness suddenly flashed across Yan Shiyu's dark eyes. He was in a good mood as he watched the movement in his arms. He said, "Go find your mother."

Little Dongdong didn't know anything, so he was carried directly into the main hall by his father. Without doing anything else while waving his little hands, Yan Shiyu let the wet nurse hold Dongdong and walked in by himself.

There was a slight sound of water in the room. Yan Shiyu's throat rolled. He took only one step forward and saw Ruan Yun's beautiful back appear in front of him.

Silently turning the white jade ring in his hand, Yan Shiyu slowly stood behind Ruan Yun and pressed his rough and thin big hand on Ruan Yun's shoulder, which startled Ruan Yun. She hurriedly used the brocade handkerchief beside her to block it in front of her.

Before she could recover from the shock, she saw a bright yellow dragon robe in the residual light. The outstretched dragon claws on it captured her heart and soul.

Two drops of water hung on her eyelashes because of her panic just now. In the mist, she buried herself further and further into the bathtub. But the water was clear and such action could not hide anything, and seemed unnecessary.

Ruan Yun trembled in her delicate voice, "When did the emperor come? He didn't even let anyone know?"

She kept her head down and dared not raise it, for fear that when she raised her eyes, she would see the emperor's anxious gaze.

Yan Shiyu lifted a strand of her hair from her shoulder, and the beauty on her shoulder came into his sight. "That's right, we won't be able to see such a beautiful scenery anymore."

Ruan Jun hugged herself tighter upon hearing that, but she didn't know that it was this movement that revealed half of her snow-capped peak from the brocade scarf, and when half of her round breasts were half-covered, she looked the most alluring.

Yan Shiyu placed the back of his hand on her neck and moved it down along her beautiful curves, causing Ruan Yun to tremble all over. Her hand shook, and the beautiful scenery in front of her was undoubtedly revealed.

She cried out in surprise, and tried to hide again in a panic, but Yan Shiyu bent over and picked her up directly from the bathtub.

The brocade handkerchief in her hand dropped into the bucket in surprise, splashing water and Ruan Jun couldn't react. She was completely naked, and her charming figure was completely visible to Yan Shiyu.

With her toes clenched tightly and her eyelashes blinking in shame, Ruan Jun hid in Yan Shiyu's arms, making him wet as well.

Seeing her like this, Yan Shiyu laughed from the bottom of his heart.

This laughter sounded even more embarrassing to Ruan Yun, so she pulled the emperor's dragon robe over herself.

He put Ruan Jun on the bed, pinched her jaw and kissed her directly, making Ruan Jun start to sob.

The long tongue was not satisfied with the shallow taste, but it could only taste like this and could not do anything else.

Ruan Jun also reacted, raising her slender neck, and all her vulnerability fell into Yan Shiyu's eyes.

When the emperor let her go, she quickly pulled the quilt over herself. Her soft and gentle voice caught Yan Shiyu's eyes, making him even more lustful:

"The doctor said, not yet."

Yan Shiyu knew it better than her. When he saw her like that just now, he couldn't help himself and could hardly control himself.

Rubbing his brows and standing up, Ruan Jun glanced at them inadvertently, silently pulled the quilt higher, pulled it over his head, and said in a muffled voice: "Your Majesty, please let Ying Ning and the others in."

The whole room was filled with her fragrance. Yan Shiyu knew he could no longer restrain himself and strode out of the inner hall.

Ying Ning was standing aside waiting when she suddenly heard the emperor's words, "Serve your queen well."

Not daring to delay, Yingning and Tingxu walked into the inner hall. Seeing the queen keeping to herself, they whispered, "Queen?"

Ruan Yun then pulled down the quilt a little, her almond-shaped eyes turned, and she asked, "Is the emperor gone?"

Yingning smiled and nodded. Tingxu had already brought the clothes and placed them in front of Ruan Jun. Only then did Ruan Jun support herself and sit up from the bed.

He glared at Tingxu, but it had no intimidating effect. Instead, Tingxu stuck out his tongue and said, "If the emperor doesn't allow me to pass on the message, how dare I?"

Ruan Yun was about to hit her, but Tingxu dodged and said coquettishly, "The Third Prince has been waiting for you for a long time, please don't hit me, or your hands will hurt and you won't be able to hug the Third Prince."

After listening to Tingxu's words, she really couldn't get angry. Ruan Jun asked Yingning and the others to help her get dressed. She touched the skin on her waist and abdomen that was not as firm as before, and frowned slightly.

Ying Ning could see Ruan Yun's concern and said, "The doctor said a few days ago that there was a way. Have you forgotten, Madam?"

Ruan Yun suddenly remembered what the doctor said, "Go to the Imperial Medical Bureau today and ask her to prepare the ointment for me."

Ying Ning said, "Okay, don't worry, Madam."

Ruan Yun then withdrew her hands from her waist and abdomen. Although a woman's appearance is not the most important thing, there are many beautiful concubines in the deep palace. The emperor liked her appearance at the beginning. She could not improve, but she could not be too much worse than before.

Dressed in a lake blue dress that reached her chest, she looked even more feminine than before.

Yan Shiyu was holding Dongdong, looking at the little person in his arms without any emotion in his black eyes. Ruan Jun stood beside the emperor, touched Dongdong's little face, with a smart smile on her face:

"Dongdong likes the emperor very much."

Yan Shiyu didn't comment, and he didn't know if he was just like his mother, making trouble every day.

Seeing Dongdong sleeping soundly, Ruan Yun winked at the nurse to take Dongdong away. She sat obediently beside the emperor, her skirt sticking to the hem of the emperor's dragon robe, and said in a coquettish voice:

"Your Majesty, did you know this today? That's why you came here. You just like to see me make fun of you every day."

Yan Shiyu sneered. If he knew that she was bathing, he would definitely not come to Xuan Palace. He would just bring trouble upon himself.

"When you can sleep with me, don't cry that night."

Ruan Jun immediately frowned. She didn't know why the emperor had so many tricks that made it so difficult for her to cope.

Seeing the emperor's deep black eyes, which contained bottomless waves of shock, Ruan Jun quickly moved away, not wanting to stay by the emperor's side.

But her intention was seen by Yan Shiyu, who grabbed Ruan Yun's waist and prevented her from moving.

Looking at Wei Maoyuan beside him, Wei Maoyuan smiled happily and placed the holder in front of Ruan Yun. He opened it in the puzzled look of Ruan Yun, and the necklace with longevity lock inside fell into Ruan Yun's sight.

Ruan Yun reached out and took the collar. Naturally, she would not think that this was something made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Long before the full moon ceremony, the longevity lock made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Dongdong had already been delivered to her. This -

"Did your grandmother send it?"

Yan Shiyu said calmly, "I heard that this is the necklace that the Madam brought as a dowry, and she asked a craftsman to remake it. You can just accept it."

The things had already been delivered to the palace, so Ruan Yun naturally couldn't refuse, "Your Majesty..."

Yan Shiyu knew what she wanted to do as soon as he saw her, and said, "We will go to the palace soon, and the lady will also go there."

I originally wanted to take her out of the palace, but the time was too tight and I was always afraid of attracting too much attention.

Ruan Yun kissed Yan Shiyu's cheek and whispered softly, "Your Majesty is so kind to me."

Yan Shiyu sneered, held her hand tightly, and took out a wooden box. "Madam Tai has also prepared something for you."

Ruan Yun moved her fingers slightly to open the wooden box in front of her, and saw a pair of crystal clear jade bracelets inside. Bracelets of this quality and water content are hard to come by, let alone a pair.

She rubbed her fingertips on the jade bracelet and said in a muffled voice: "Grandmother is getting older, I'm afraid..."

Yan Shiyu held her hand, took off the thin bracelet on her hand, and put on the jade bracelet for her.

The finest jade complements her perfectly, and her hands are slender and delicate.

Yan Shiyu suddenly asked, "Xiaoxiao, have you ever thought about recognizing your own identity?"

Ruan Jun tightened her grip, and naturally understood what the emperor meant.

How could she not know what the old lady was thinking? If she really recognized her own identity, then the old lady could ask the emperor for permission to visit her in the palace because of her own identity, and later she could also go to the Duke's Mansion to visit her relatives.

Moreover, there is movement now. If he had a maternal family like the Duke's Mansion, things in the future would naturally be much better than they are now.

Ruan Yun held Yan Shiyu's hand and said, "I am willing."

Yan Shiyu kneaded her finger bones and said, "Leave everything to me."

When the right time comes, everything else will fall into place naturally.

…

June 5th

Ruan Jun got up early in the morning that day. The wet nurse carried Dongdong to the inner hall. Dongdong's little body moved vigorously, and Ruan Jun smiled and carried him over.

The nurse looked at the Third Prince tenderly and said, "The Third Prince particularly likes the Empress."

Ruan Yun tapped the tip of Dongdong's nose and said to the wet nurse, "There are three gold-threaded busha in my dressing box. You have worked hard in serving the Third Prince, so you can take these three busha."

The wet nurse smiled particularly happily. After all, she wanted to follow a good master when she entered the palace to serve. Concubine Ying was tolerant and generous, and she never treated her servants harshly. As long as they served the third prince well, they would definitely have a good future.

"Thank you, Madam."

Seeing Dongdong staring at the tinkling bells not far away, Ruan Yun said, "Find a palace maid to find some books for him to read every day. If he doesn't like it, ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs to find an actor to play the zither for Dongdong every day."

Tingxu took note of the queen's words, watched the nurse carry the third prince away, and said, "The queen is back today, should she wear something brighter?"

Ruan Yun raised her eyes slightly and said, "No need."

She doesn't like flashy clothes, but even if she did, she wouldn't show it off.

This was the first time she appeared in front of the concubines after she ascended the throne, but there were still the empress and the empress dowager in the palace, so why should she do this?

What's more, she is already a noble concubine, so why should she compete with the other concubines for attention?

Today is her first time in public since giving birth to Dongdong, and I’m afraid everything is not that simple.