Chapter 43 An Lingrong's Surrender

An Lingrong glanced at Songzhi and realized that she was the Empress' confidant. There was no need to be shy, so she kowtowed.

"My father was once a spice merchant, and my family has some secret recipes of spices and medicines passed down from generation to generation."

It's no secret.

Nian Shilan looked at her, waiting for what to say next.

An Lingrong's heart was beating like a drum. "I have some ideas about perfumes. Your Majesty has musk in your palace."

【What is this palace thinking about? 】

[She had just entered the palace, and was not the concubine who had already been conferred the title of Li Consort.]

Nian Shilan pursed her lips in disappointment: [I thought there was some shocking secret, but this is it? ]

An Lingrong: “…”

After tossing and turning for several sleepless nights, I finally made the decision.

After all this fuss, does Concubine Hua know about it?

An Lingrong didn't understand. "Although musk is precious and hard to come by, long-term use can damage a woman's body. Your Majesty, are you using musk... for contraception?"

Nian Shilan rolled her eyes at her and said there was no need to respond to stupid questions.

[Is An Lingrong so stupid when she first entered the palace? ]

An Lingrong felt aggrieved: I knew it contained musk, but I continued to use it. Isn’t it just a contraceptive?

She lowered her head, her face turning pale and blue, and she dared not say anything more.

If it were in her previous life, Nian Shilan would probably be angry, but now she didn't even feel like blaming him.

[Your family background is too low, he looks down on you, my family background is too high, he is afraid of me. ]

Although it was not stated explicitly, An Lingrong understood - it was the Emperor!

The source of musk in Concubine Hua’s palace is the Emperor!

An Lingrong turned the words over and over in her mind for a long time, but finally she spoke them out loud.

"Musk is not good for women if used for a long time. Although I don't know how to regulate my body, I have a way to remove the musk without being discovered." (Note: Musk was originally set not to be a good medicine for gynecology, but it is used here and has nothing to do with real medicine)

"Remove?"

Nian Shilan recognized An Lingrong's ability in making perfume, and she was somewhat tempted.

"I can't say it's completely removed, but I have a way to offset the effect of musk."

An Lingrong trembled as she took out a small oil-paper bag from her sleeve. "I am not from a high-class family, and I don't have many spices from the palace. I have tried them out reluctantly over the past few days, and they are probably usable."

Nian Shilan didn't say anything, and Songzhi didn't move either.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask the imperial physician and the pharmacy to check. After all, this is what I gave you. There are still raw materials in Yanxi Palace."

An Lingrong held the oil-paper bag in both hands and raised it above her head. "If there is any problem, Your Majesty will investigate."

Nian Shilan glanced at Songzhi.

Songzhi took the sachet and went to look for the incense burner.

With An Lingrong's current ability, she can't do anything about it, but Nian Shilan still has to warn her:

"Do you know what the consequences would be if this matter were known to others?"

[If this matter gets out, the emperor will kill you and your entire family without me having to do anything!]

An Lingrong kowtowed and said, "Don't worry, Madam. Heaven, earth, you and I all know this. If Madam doesn't tell me, this matter will only rot in my heart."

[You don't have the courage to let others know, but the people around you may not.]

People around you?

An Lingrong's breathing quickened again: Is there a traitor around me?

She forced herself to remain calm and pretended to know nothing. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. When I was making the incense, I didn't ask anyone to serve me."

Loyalty must be demonstrated, and the traitor must also be tested.

Even though An Lingrong was ambitious at heart, she was a newcomer to the palace. At the age of sixteen, she was the daughter of a county magistrate who had never seen the world and was somewhat nervous under the pressure of Concubine Hua.

She said anxiously, "And when I entered the palace, I did not bring any maids with me. The maids serving me were all arranged by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Your Majesty can rest assured."

[If you had brought it in yourself, it would have been better, but it was arranged by the palace, which makes me feel uneasy.]

In the palace?

An Lingrong's mind raced: Baojue? Baojue?

[Baojue is young and can’t do anything. Baojue - her identity is unknown. If she is not planted by the Queen, then she is a complete idiot who has betrayed her master. With her around, I absolutely cannot trust her...]

"My queen——"

An Lingrong didn't wait for Nian Shilan to finish her words, and kowtowed eagerly, saying, "If your majesty doesn't mind me, please give me a maid."

Since they are all other people's, it would be better to use Concubine Hua's directly.

At least she would have a way to find out how much Concubine Hua's maid had reported to Concubine Hua.

From this perspective, he actually becomes the most loyal one.

[Heh, she is quite smart. No wonder she was able to follow the queen so far in her previous life.]

"Didn't Zhen Huan give you Ju Qing, who was beside her?" Nian Shilan asked.

"Juqing?" An Lingrong asked in bewilderment, "Why do you say that, Madam?"

In the first few days after entering the palace, she, Shen Meizhuang and Sun Miaoqing went to Suiyuxuan to see Zhen Huan. Zhen Huan did mention that she wanted to give Juqing to An Lingrong, but she did not have many staff in the palace and could not transfer her.

Sun Miaoqing said that she had brought two maids into the palace, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs had assigned two more servants who were also very capable. She volunteered to give Hanying to An Lingrong.

But he was reprimanded by the Queen, who said that the palace rules were fixed and could not be easily changed by anyone.

He was also unable to give the maid to himself.

Now it seems that these two people are actually trying to place spies around him.

An Lingrong answered honestly, "Zhen Changzai never gave Juqing to me. But Gong Changzai wanted to give me a maid, but the Empress did not agree. So I only have Baoyu and Baoque by my side."

[Sun Miaoqing really wants to steal the spotlight from the heroine in everything. How tasteless! ]

Nian Shilan now looked at An Lingrong with a more favorable impression.

[In fact, Xiao Niao was not evil from the beginning. When she first entered the palace, she treated people sincerely. For Zhen Huan, she even dared to kill people. It's a pity that the two people in her previous life knew that she was sensitive and inferior, but they still speculated about her maliciously behind her back.]

[But it is strange, how could she be willing to give such sincerity to me in this life? ]

[She is a very sinister person. Could it be that she has some evil intentions and wants to harm me? ]

What evil intention?

I am sincere.

But how can I explain my sincerity?

You can't say that you can hear what the Empress is thinking, right?

If Concubine Hua knew about this, she would have nowhere to hide in front of her. How could she still tolerate herself?

An Lingrong was sweating on her back, "My Queen..."

[Could it be that Sun Miaoqing changed all this? ]

"yes!"

An Lingrong said without hesitation.

Nian Shilan felt that she was a little puzzled, "What are you?"

An Lingrong's lips moved: "..." She was too excited and answered too early.

It’s over, it’s over, what should I do?

Will Concubine Hua become suspicious?