Chapter 24 Meeting in Plum Garden
"Are you afraid of me?"
Looking at Zhen Huan's lowered head, a faint smile appeared on the emperor's face.
"Your Majesty is the supreme ruler. I am naturally impressed by your magnanimity."
Zhen Huan answered cautiously, and in the eyes of the emperor, her appearance added a touch of charm.
"It's getting late. I'll take you back to Suiyuxuan."
As he spoke, the emperor wanted to take her away with him, and the hand that had just helped her up was never withdrawn.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. However, I have just been seriously ill. If I still have some trace of the disease and infect Your Majesty, I will be blamed for my own death. I will just go back."
Zhen Huan explained with great fear and trepidation, her face full of worry for the Emperor's health.
"Well, then you should go back and rest as soon as possible. I will come to see you in two days."
The emperor didn't pay much attention to her refusal, thinking that she was just shy because it was her first time with him.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will take my leave."
Zhen Huan turned and left, but after taking a few steps forward she looked back slightly, and her eyes happened to meet the emperor's. She curled the corners of her mouth slightly, and the smile on her face dimmed the plum blossoms in the garden.
"Royal brother, why do you stay here for so long? Could it be that you still can't let go after all these years?"
Prince Guo was worried that the emperor would leave after drinking, so he followed him and came over to look for him.
"I can't let go of anything. Now I just want you to come to the palace often to play chess and chat with me when spring comes and flowers bloom."
"Your Majesty's words are exactly what I have been thinking. I am sure that you will be extremely annoyed."
Prince Guo looked at the emperor and spoke to him jokingly.
"Young Master."
"My dear, you're back. It's so cold outside. What if you get hurt?"
"Jinxi, I'm fine, don't worry."
Zhen Huan took off the robe she was wearing and walked to the fireplace to warm herself by the fire.
Today's action was part of their plan, but they didn't expect the emperor to be so elegant. She found that her heart seemed to be beating like never before.
"Jinxi, what kind of person do you think the current emperor is? After seeing him today, I feel that he seems a little different from what I imagined before."
Jinxi is an old lady in the palace. She once served the Concubine Dowager and is very familiar with many past events in the palace.
"When the late emperor was alive, the battle for the throne among the nine princes was extremely brutal, but the current emperor has been very diligent since ascending the throne. He is a rare benevolent monarch."
Jin Xi now knows that the people around Zhen Huan are all thinking about her, and they answer her questions one by one.
She helped Zhen Huan lie down on the bed, and then she sat down at the foot of the bed and told her in detail what she knew about the past.
"My young master is a blessed person. You will surely get what you wish for in the future."
Perhaps seeing what Zhen Huan was thinking, Jing Xi comforted her softly.
"I hope so."
Even though her heart was beating fast, Zhen Huan was very clear that she would never be able to get the love she once longed for. After all, that person could never belong to just one woman in this life.
And what happened in Yime Garden could not escape the Queen's eyes and ears.
Soon Jianqiu told the Queen about what happened in the garden. After listening, the Queen sat there thoughtfully for a moment, and soon she had a plan in her mind.
"I have been feeling unwell recently, so please ask An to come and take care of me for the next few days."
She quickly told Jianqiu about the next plan.
No wonder she felt something was wrong before. In the past, all the women who entered the palace would try their best to gain the emperor's favor as soon as possible. Only Zhen Huan started to claim to be sick as soon as she entered the palace. It turned out that she was waiting here.
Since they were clearly helping Concubine Hua, she would send them a big gift.
In the following days, the emperor's rewards were sent to Suiyuxuan every day without stopping, which made some people grit their teeth.
He has received such great grace even before entering the emperor's bedchamber. No one else will have a place in his future.
"My lady, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell? You don't seem to have an appetite today."
Caiyue stood aside and served food to Shenmei Zhuang. Looking at the food in front of her that had not been touched at all, she couldn't help but ask worriedly.
Chen Meizhuang sighed softly and casually picked up a piece of food and put it into his mouth.
"I'm fine, don't worry."
Of course, she also knew about what was going on in Suiyuxuan. Although she knew that the emperor could not always show his favor to one person, she still couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
Fortunately, the other person was Zhen Huan, her good sister, which gave her a little comfort.
Compared with Shen Meizhuang's loss, An Lingrong was more angry and jealous.
What good sisters, what sharing the same fate? Now Zhen Huan is trying her best to find a way out for herself.
You said it so nicely at the beginning, but now you are just using these things to get rid of yourself.
She looked at the various silks and satins piled up in the room, her eyes filled with gloom.
These days, whenever Zhen Huan received a reward from Sui Yuxuan, she would ask someone to select the best ones and send them to An Lingrong. However, she didn't expect that her kindness would be seen as a provocation by the other party.
Isn't it just throwing away some things you don't want? What's the difference between this and giving alms to yourself? It seems that you still have to rely on yourself.
Because of this, An Lingrong went to the Queen's Palace more frequently.
The emperor was also equally annoyed. Although Zhen Huan had recovered, he thought she should recuperate for a few more days, so he did not let her sleep with him for the time being. This also made him lose interest in going to the harem recently.
"Your Majesty has rarely been out and about in the harem recently. Even if he's busy with government affairs, he should take good care of his health."
One day, the Queen came to the Yangxin Palace to bring the Emperor a soup she had cooked herself. Seeing the Emperor's frown, she sat beside him and spoke with concern.
"Your Majesty, the people from the Imperial Household Department are here."
Su Peisheng walked in with a eunuch from the Jingshifang holding a plate.
"Your Majesty, it's time to turn over the cards."
The emperor looked at the neatly arranged signs, which were engraved with the names of people in the palace, but there was one name missing that he most wanted to see, Concubine Wan.
"Is there anyone among the people who entered the palace recently who has not yet slept with the queen?" the emperor asked the queen casually.
"Most of the sisters have already slept with the emperor, but Concubine Chun is still young, and the emperor said to wait a little longer. Concubine Wan has just recovered from her illness, and the remaining one, An Da Ying, has not yet served the emperor."
The emperor listened to the queen's words, his eyes fell on An Lingrong's nameplate and paused for a few seconds, then he reached out and casually flipped through it.
"Then let her go. Ask An to agree to sleep with me tonight."
The queen's lips curled up into a smile, and her face always maintained the same virtuous expression, which perfectly demonstrated the magnanimity of a mother of a country.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
