Chapter 165: Date in the Lotus Pond

"Anshun, check all the backgrounds of Jin, the imperial physician of the Imperial Hospital, and I will see the results in a few days."

Jun Zechen ordered in a cold voice.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

An Shun responded quickly, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and he felt uneasy.

It's really a headache. Anshun is complaining in his heart. How did these two things get mixed up?

What should I do? The Queen...

"Your Majesty, you promised the Queen that you would accompany her to dine in the lotus pond tonight."

An Shun raised his eyes to observe Jun Zechen's expression, his voice trembling slightly, and he quickly lowered his head after he finished speaking, not daring to breathe.

Jun Zechen naturally knew that she had prepared a surprise for him today, but he was now confused and a little afraid to see her.

Then Jun Zechen calmed down.

Everything is still unclear. Yaoyao loves him very much, so it is impossible for her to like some useless imperial physician. If that imperial physician really has any connection with Yaoyao, then it must be that this imperial physician has ulterior motives.

Thinking of this, a cold light flashed in Jun Zechen's eyes, and a chill emerged in his heart.

"It's almost time, let's go to the lotus pond."

Jun Zechen took a breath and tried to calm himself down.

At the lotus pond, Su Jingyao arrived early.

Since Jun Zechen gave her a surprise last time, she naturally wanted to give one in return.

Beside the lotus pond, the breeze blows gently, and the lotus leaves sway gracefully.

A luxurious and elegant ship was quietly docked at the shore, with exquisite meals and mellow wine on the small table.

Su Jingyao wore a mint green dress with pink floral patterns embroidered on the hem. The silky gauze fluttered gently, seeming to blend in with the lotus leaves in the pond.

A pink ribbon tied around her waist further highlights her slender waist.

Her jet-black hair was tied into an elegant bun, with a few strands of hair falling playfully beside her fair cheeks, making her look lively and beautiful.

There are ice basins placed around, which makes the air cool and you don't feel the stuffiness at all.

I also ordered some mosquito repellent incense, the faint fragrance lingered around, making me feel relaxed and happy.

When Jun Zechen came over, he saw her sitting in the cabin with a faint smile from a distance.

There was a hint of complexity in his eyes, with a hint of hesitation.

After entering the cabin, Anshun followed closely behind, but went directly to the bow with Xilu, and the two began to move the ship.

Su Jingyao had been carefully arranging the boat all day, so she didn't know what had happened in the Qianqing Palace, nor did she notice anything wrong with Jun Zechen.

After Jun Zechen slowly sat down beside her, Su Jingyao smiled, picked up the wine bottle with her delicate hands, and poured him a glass of wine.

"Today, with the afterglow of the sunset and the lotus leaves all around the pond, it is a beautiful day. I would like to offer a toast to Your Majesty."

Jun Zechen picked up the wine glass.

The two people's wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound, and Su Jingyao drank the glass of wine in one gulp.

"Today, I want to play a piece of music for your majesty, in response to this scene, this wine, and..."

She looked at Jun Zechen steadily, seemingly filled with deep affection, "You still have this feeling."

Jun Zechen's heart skipped a beat. Was she saying this to ruin their relationship?

He was originally in a state of anxiety, but her words immediately perked him up, with a glimmer of surprise in his eyes.

Su Jingyao stood up lightly, walked to the guqin beside her and sat down, testing the notes lightly with her slender fingers. She had never played the guqin in front of Jun Zechen before, so she couldn't help feeling a little nervous at the moment.

Soon, the melodious sound of the piano began to sound. Su Jingyao was playing "Xian Ting Xu".

The melody of this song is fresh and natural, and the rhythm is slow and smooth.

Being beside the lotus pond, one can feel the leisure and comfort.

While playing the piano, Su Jingyao sang the lyrics softly.

"A boat is cooking with smoke and wine, the moon is still half open and half waiting, the green mountains listen to my talk and laughter, and the orchid shadow also enters my arms"

Jun Zechen could feel a leisurely, peaceful and comfortable atmosphere while listening to the prelude. He closed his eyes unconsciously and listened, immersed in it. All the worries in his heart were temporarily thrown away.

He never thought that Yaoyao's piano skills were so superb. He had never heard this tune before, and the lyrics were even more beautiful and moving.

When it came to the climax, I could only hear Su Jingyao slowly singing, "Standing in the dusk in my spare time, I asked with a smile if the porridge was warm. The sound of the piano was either floating or sinking, but only one person understood it."

Jun Zechen suddenly opened his eyes, and his gaze instantly met Su Jingyao's.

Does Yaoyao hope that they can support each other like ordinary couples, and live an ordinary and warm life? She must love him when she sings this song.

Su Jingyao saw that Jun Zechen suddenly became excited, with some doubt and confusion in his eyes, but he still finished playing the song.

This song is a modern traditional Chinese style song, which generally expresses a yearning for a leisurely life and a cherishment of true feelings. Jun Zechen is busy with state affairs every day, and if you want him to relax, this song "Xian Ting Xu" is the most suitable.

They were originally husband and wife. Apart from the identity of emperor and empress, Su Jingyao knew that Jun Zechen valued their relationship as husband and wife. No matter what would happen in the future, Jun Zechen valued it now, so he should like this song.

After playing, Su Jingyao stood up and walked to sit next to Jun Zechen.

He couldn't wait to put his arms around her waist, eagerly but gently.

"Yaoyao and I have a deep love for each other. Yaoyao's song makes my heart tremble."

Although Su Jingyao felt that his reaction today was a little strange, she didn't think too much about it.

"As long as your majesty likes it."

Su Jingyao smiled slightly, bright and charming.

Her eyes were full of tenderness as she leaned gently in Jun Zechen's arms.

The stone that was weighing on Jun Zechen's heart seemed to have finally fallen a little. He was just an imperial physician and nothing else. How could Yaoyao possibly like him?

His mood suddenly became brighter, as if the clouds had been cleared and the sun had come out.

The two of them talked and laughed tenderly, the breeze gently brushed across their faces, Jun Zechen's hearty laughter and Su Jingyao's crisp laughter intertwined together.

They were intoxicated by the cool night breeze and the refreshing fragrance of lotus leaves, feeling so happy.

Zhongcui Palace.

Bai Lan trotted into the side hall of Zhongcui Palace. Her steps were hurried and her breathing was a little disordered.

"Master, Master, great joy, His Majesty has restored your title of Consort Xian, and the Third Prince has also been brought back from Consort Ming."

Bai Lan's voice sounded a little sharp because of excitement, her face was flushed with excitement, and her eyes were full of joy.

An Jinyan, who was originally sitting listlessly on the couch, stiffened when he heard this. Before he could react, he remained dazed with lifeless eyes, like a puppet.

Then he asked in disbelief, as if waking from a dream: "Really?"

Her voice trembled, as if she couldn't believe this sudden good news.

"Yes, Master, Xu Xiurong is the real murderer who poisoned Lady Chu. His Majesty has demoted her to a commoner and moved her to the cold palace."

Bai Lan said this excitedly, her face beaming with joy, her whole body immersed in happiness.

An Jinyan's eyes darkened, her pupils suddenly shrank, and a hint of cruelty flashed in her eyes. Sure enough, it was this woman who framed her.

Oh, after framing her, he even had the audacity to ask her to join forces to deal with the Queen. Is she that stupid?

Don't they think about the fact that His Majesty has been doting on the Empress for two years. Not only did the Empress give birth to the eldest son, but she also gave birth to a dragon and phoenix twin. What can they use to fight against the Empress?

An Jinyan thought to himself, with a sarcastic smile on his face.

Then her face suddenly glowed and she slowly stood up from the couch.

"Help me change my clothes. I am going to the cold palace to have a good look at this bastard who framed me behind my back."

There was dignity and impatience in her tone.

"Yes, master." Bai Lan responded and hurried to prepare.

A few months after being demoted to a concubine, An Jinyan once again sat on the sedan chair that only the mistress of a palace could sit on. She rested her hands on the armrests with her fingers slightly bent, her eyes full of pride, her gaze straight ahead, her chin slightly raised, showing her majesty.

When An Jinyan arrived at the cold palace, she frowned and looked at the environment of the cold palace with disdain, as if she was looking at a pile of garbage.

Afterwards, under the trembling guidance of the cold palace maid, he went directly to Xu Shiying's palace.

Inside the cold palace, the tables and chairs were worn out, covered with marks of time and dust.

The hot weather made the hall seem even more depressing, the air seemed to be frozen, and there was a smell of decay.

Xu Shiying was like a body without a soul, sitting dejectedly on a shabby stool in the cold palace.

She drooped her body, her eyes were hollow and lifeless, her gaze was dull, she didn't understand how in an instant she had gone from being the high and mighty Empress Xiurong, the biological mother of the Sixth Prince, to being an abandoned woman in the cold and miserable palace.

"Hey, Lord Xu, I'm here, why don't you come over and pay your respects?"

An Jinyan walked in with a look of contempt and complacency on his face, and his voice was sharp and full of sarcasm.

Xu Shiying slowly raised her head and looked over. It was Concubine Xian. She had been reinstated, and her gorgeous palace dress had been changed back to the noble style that only the Four Concubines could wear. She held her head high and chest puffed out, looking majestic and proud.

"Oh, now that I'm like this, do I still care whether I give you a salute?"

Xu Shiying sneered, her voice hoarse and weak.

An Jinyan's eyes suddenly turned cold. She quickly walked up to Xu Shiying and slapped her in the face with all her strength.

The slap was so swift and powerful that Xu Shiying's head tilted sideways and her body even shook violently, almost causing her to fall to the ground.

"What grudge do I have against you? Why do you want to frame me?"

"Because of your frame-up, my personal maid Bai Zhi, who I brought from the palace, died. Even a slap in the face cannot relieve the hatred in my heart."

An Jinyan's eyes were wide open and her teeth were clattering.

"Just live well in the cold palace. I will not let you die. I will let you experience the pain that Bai Zhi suffered when she was alive."

An Jinyan felt a pang of pain in her heart when she thought of Bai Zhi being tortured to death for saving her.

Although An Jinyan did not have much sincerity towards these servants and would abandon them without hesitation when her life was threatened, Bai Zhi grew up with her and they had a deep relationship. How could she not be moved by her tragic death?

It's all because of this bastard. He dragged her into this trouble just to deal with the empress, without even considering his own character.

An Jinyan cursed in her heart, her appearance was not the best in the harem, and her family background was even more ordinary. But just because she had the Sixth Prince, she wanted to take advantage of the Queen. What a foolish idea.

"My virtuous concubine, you have such a good family background, are you really willing to be inferior to others forever? Since I have entered the harem, what's wrong with fighting for it? It's just that I was one step behind, so I lost."

Xu Shiying's eyes were burning with anger and unwillingness.

If she had a background like Concubine Xian, every step wouldn't be so difficult!

An Jinyan, however, showed no concern, raised the corners of his mouth and revealed a mocking smile.

"So what if I am inferior to others? I am a wise man who knows the current situation. You are not brave, but a moth flying into the flame."

Then An Jinyan turned around and ordered, "Bai Lan, send an eunuch to slap Xu Shuren twenty times every day, so that she can reflect on her mistakes. Since she is in the cold palace, she doesn't need to eat well or wear nice clothes."

"Xianfei! You are a villain! Even if I am sent to the cold palace, I am still the biological mother of the prince. How can you punish me with private punishment?"

Xu Shiying was furious and looked at Concubine Xian with hatred.

An Jinyan bent down and looked close to Xu Shiying's eyes. "What can you do to me?" she asked with full of provocation.

Having said that, she stood up, turned around proudly, and walked out of the cold palace without looking back, leaving Xu Shiying behind her, screaming in despair.