If Line (8) I have no choice but to disappoint you...
Outside the window, spring is in full swing, and a few birds are chirping on the branches, disturbing people.
When Chanzhen entered the palace, the Flower Festival had just passed. Now it is the end of March, but Princess Yuzhen's "illness" still shows no signs of improvement.
If this continued, she didn't know when she would be able to leave the palace. Whenever she mentioned this matter to His Majesty, he would always brush it off with a few words.
"Why did you ruin the orchid like this?"
Chan Zhen came back to his senses when he heard Princess Yu Zhen's voice. He found that he had unknowingly broken the stem of the magnolia flower on the table, and the white petals fell to the ground.
"It's really Zen's fault." She looked at the magnolia pot with frustration, which had been left bare by her.
"It's just a pot of magnolia." Princess Yuzhen understood her concerns and didn't blame her. Instead, she smiled and said, "This melancholy look doesn't suit you."
After being teased by His Highness, Chan Zhen felt a little better. She said coquettishly, "Your Highness, you are teasing me again."
Yu Zhen stepped forward, held her hand, and said with a smile in her eyes, "That's better. A girl shouldn't be gloomy all day long."
Zen Zhen sighed and said, "I don't want to be sad, but it's been over a month, and His Majesty hasn't said when I'll be allowed to leave the palace."
She could feel the growing affection in His Majesty's eyes as he looked at her, sometimes so intense it made her heart tremble. Although she had already decided that she would never enter the palace as a concubine, she could no longer say the words of refusal to His Majesty with the same firmness as before.
This is not a good sign. Chan Zhenzhen felt that if this continued, she would unconsciously indulge in His Majesty's gentle offensive.
A man’s infatuation can still be talked about, but a woman’s infatuation cannot be talked about.
His Majesty is in a high position of power and can change his mind at any time without suffering any loss, but she cannot. She and His Majesty are not equal in power and status.
"I'll try to persuade my brother again," Yu Zhen consoled her, yet inwardly she lamented the difficulty of persuading him to let go. She understood his pride all too well. From childhood until adulthood, he'd always wanted whatever he set his sights on, no matter what, and he'd never once failed.
Chan Zhen just smiled, but he knew in his heart that even Princess Yu Zhen would find it difficult to persuade His Majesty, otherwise she would not have stayed in the palace until now.
The palace fell into silence for a moment. At this moment, Chanzhen heard a palace servant come in and report that Concubine Yang came to pay a visit.
Princess Yuzhen frowned, "What is she doing here?"
After saying this, she looked at Chan Zhen's face with some worry, and found that she looked calm, as if she didn't know who Concubine Yang was. Then she breathed a sigh of relief and said to the palace servant, "Just tell her that I am not feeling well and let her go."
In fact, Chanzhen's heart was not as calm as her face showed. She had heard of the great name of Concubine Yang. It was said that she was very favored by His Majesty. In just two years, she was promoted from a talented person to the position of Concubine Yang, which was second only to the nine concubines. Such a speed of promotion was the first in the palace.
Since Your Majesty already has such a beloved woman, why is he still obsessed with her?
Princess Yuzhen didn't take this little incident to heart and said to her gently, "I heard from my royal brother that you like crabapple flowers. It just so happens that the flower room has sent a branch of crabapple from Xifu. Let's go take a look."
Zenjin came out of his thoughts and nodded at her with a smile.
Anyway, she won't enter the palace, so no matter who His Majesty likes or favors, it has nothing to do with her.
However, Chan Zhen never thought that he would meet Concubine Yang in the greenhouse a few days later.
When Chan Zhen heard the palace maid mention that the magnolia that she had damaged a few days ago was the eldest princess's favorite, she felt very sorry and planned to find a new magnolia from the greenhouse as compensation.
When Chan Zhen was leaving with the carefully selected magnolia, he happened to run into a woman in palace dress surrounded by servants at the door of the greenhouse. When he heard the other person bowing, he realized that this was Yang Jieyu, the most favored concubine in the palace.
"Greetings, Her Majesty." Chan Zhen moved aside to make way, kneeling down to salute while holding the magnolia in his hand.
Concubine Yang stopped in front of her and said hesitantly: "Young lady, you are..."
Chan Zhen lowered her eyes and replied softly, "My surname is Song. I was ordered by the emperor to enter the palace to serve Her Royal Highness the Princess."
"So it's Miss Song," Concubine Yang's eyes rested deeply on her face. "No wonder Your Majesty has been visiting the Princess so often in the past month. It turns out there's a beauty like my sister hidden in the palace."
Chan Zhen felt her words were rather sarcastic, so he replied neither servilely nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty, your words are too kind. Your Majesty and the Princess have a deep bond. Upon hearing that Your Majesty is unwell, it's natural for me to visit her more often to show my concern."
"Really? I visited Her Royal Highness the Princess a few days ago but was not allowed to see her. I wonder if Her Royal Highness's health has improved now?" Concubine Yang's eyes turned, her face full of worry.
Zen Zhen didn't want to argue with her any further, so he replied, "Thank you, Concubine Jieyu, for your concern. His Highness has gotten much better."
"It seems that Miss Song will be able to leave the palace in a few days." Concubine Yang said with a smile.
Zenzhen tightened his grip on the flowerpot and didn't respond.
Concubine Yang raised her eyebrows and glanced at her, a slight smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, then she walked past her and into the greenhouse surrounded by the crowd.
"Empress Concubine, what kind of flowers would you like to see today?" Chan Zhen heard the flattery and fawning voices coming from behind him, and walked back to his residence with a calm face, holding the flower pot.
It's time to end it as soon as possible. How can the daughter of a foreign official stay in the palace all the time? Besides, Her Royal Highness the Princess is actually in good health, so there is no point in being called a sick attendant.
…
As soon as the court was over, Chen Dingyao ran away faster than anyone else and went straight to the princess. Guo Kai could hardly keep up with him.
"Zhenzhen, I have found another good thing for you today." Chen Dingyao has gotten used to it these days. He lifted the curtain and walked into the house without waiting for the palace servants to inform him.
Zen Zhen had prepared himself mentally for a long time, and when he heard his voice, he jumped up nervously from his seat, "Your Majesty!"
Chen Dingyao smiled widely and sat down across from her smoothly. He naturally took a sip of the unfinished tea on the table and ordered someone to bring something over. "This is a set of crabapple flower ornaments that I ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make. Do you like it?"
Chan Zhen looked at the teacup in his hand, wanting to say something but stopping himself, then looked at the ornaments held in the hands of the palace servants behind him, all of which were exquisite, gorgeous and dazzling.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I cannot accept this." Chan Zhen saw him frown and immediately said, "I also have a gift for Your Majesty."
Chen Dingyao's tightly furrowed brows immediately relaxed, he put down his teacup and stood up: "Show me quickly."
Chan Zhencai brought up something that had been prepared long ago with both hands and said, "This humble servant has no other skills, so I can only carve a jade hairpin for Your Majesty with my own hands."
At the coming-of-age ceremony, he presented her with a crabapple hairpin, and Chan Zhen also wanted to give it as a return gift. This jade hairpin has a simple and plain design and can be used by men to pin their hair, although given His Majesty's status, it may not be of much use on a daily basis.
"This was carved for me by Chan Zhen himself." He took the hairpin as if it were a treasure and stroked the carvings on it with his fingers.
Chan Zhen said softly, "My skills are very crude, Your Majesty, please do not despise me."
"Why would I dislike it?" If he hadn't been wearing the imperial crown on his head, which was very inconvenient, he would have wanted to tie his hair up again and use the hairpin carved by Chan Zhen.
Seeing that he was very satisfied with the return gift, Chanzhen breathed a sigh of relief. In this way, she had finally repaid His Majesty for his previous gift, and she no longer owed him anything.
Chen Dingyao handed the hairpin to Guo Kai and ordered him to put it away carefully. Then he turned to Chan Zhen and said, "Since I have accepted Chan Zhen's jade hairpin, I will give you this set of jewelry as a return gift. Chan Zhen, there is no need to refuse."
Seeing his eyes shining, Chan Zhen thought to himself, I have finally returned your gift. If I accept this set of jewelry, I am afraid that we will have to go back and forth until the end of time and I will never be able to clear things up with you. So he firmly refused to accept it.
Chen Dingyao was feeling a little impatient. "Zhen Zhen, do you still have to be so polite to me?"
He thought that after spending some time together, even if Chan Zhen was not attracted to him, she should be much closer to him than before.
"Your servant is not being polite." Chan Zhen thought of what Concubine Yang said today, and strengthened her determination. She raised her hands above her head and bowed to him.
Chen Dingyao's face suddenly darkened. "What does Chan Zhen mean?"
Zen Zhen lowered his head and stared at the ground. "Your Majesty, do you remember that you owed me a favor?"
Chen Dingyao sensed something from her attitude, suppressed his annoyance, and said gently, "Get up first. Let's talk it over."
Zen Zhen remained motionless and said firmly, "Your Majesty, please allow this subject to leave the palace today."
His premonition was confirmed, and a surge of violent emotion suddenly rushed into his head, making his voice dry. "You want to leave the palace?"
Zenzhen heard his voice, which was full of suppressed emotions. For some reason, a warmth welled up in his eyes, and his heart gradually began to ache. However, he still insisted, "Your servant wants to go home."
He pretended not to hear her hidden meaning and said with a smile: "If Chan really misses his family, I will naturally not stop him. How about I summon Madam Wei to the palace to accompany you for a while tomorrow?"
Zen didn't want to involve his mother, so he said directly: "Your servant said before that you wanted to think about it for a while, but now you have made up your mind. Your servant will not..."
"Zhenzhen!" Chen Dingyao interrupted her hurriedly, his trembling voice even carrying a hint of pleading, "Think about it carefully. I'm not in a hurry for a reply."
She couldn't delay any longer. If she did, she would find it harder and harder to speak.
"I've made up my mind!" Chan Zhen raised her head, her moist eyes filled with determination. "I don't want to enter the palace as a concubine!"
Chen Dingyao remained silent for a long time before speaking, seemingly oblivious to her words. He continued, "I know that the position of consort has wronged you. I will immediately draft an edict to make you empress. I have also examined your brother Song Ge and plan to promote him to the rank of Commander of the Jinwu Guards. As for your mother, I intend to confer the title of First-Rank Lady of the State of Wei. Chanzhen, do you think this is sufficient..."
Guo Kai was dumbfounded when he heard this behind him. My goodness, His Majesty must be crazy. However, what surprised him even more was yet to come.
"When you give birth to a prince for me, I will make him the crown prince. I have already thought of his name: Yuan Zhao..."
Not only Guo Kai, Chen Dingyao also felt that he was crazy. He had no control over what he wanted to say. His mind was in chaos. He could only throw out everything he could do for her as a bargaining chip, hoping that she would change her mind.
"Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your kindness." Chan Zhen was not unmoved by his words, but her mind was already made up. After a moment of distraction, she immediately regained consciousness and insisted, "However, I have only reverence for you in my heart, and I cannot help but disappoint you."
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