The Queen has arrived: An Lingrong does not want to fight in the palace after her rebirth

In early July, there was heavy rain.

The sky was extremely gloomy, and the vermilion palace walls looked even darker under the rain, like blood that had been dried for many days.

The entire Forbidden City was shrouded in haze.

A group of important ministers went to the Yangxin Palace holding umbrellas, but the wind was strong and the rain was heavy, and the rain was blown into the umbrellas by the wind. In a moment, everyone's clothes were soaked, forming small streams of water that merged with the ground.

It was extremely uncomfortable to wear wet clothes, but no one cared about that and just walked forward quickly.

Someone couldn't help but trot over to Zhang Tingyu to ask for his opinion: "Zhang Zhongtang, this, this, how should we play it later?"

Zhang Tingyu had a calm and composed demeanor. His face was stern and his eyes were cold. The man knew that he had said something wrong. He hurriedly stepped back a few steps and followed the crowd closely.

Inside the Yangxin Palace, the emperor paced back and forth anxiously, with letters of urgent military intelligence from the front lines filling his desk.

This year has been really stressful. Before the New Year, we received secret reports from the front line that Dzungar was gathering troops and preparing to march west to Kazakhstan.

This move by the Junggar army left the eastern station empty. The emperor immediately felt that this was a rare opportunity, so he ordered the northern army commander Fu Erdan and the western army commander Yue Zhongqi to attack in two directions. They wanted to take the opportunity to directly attack the Junggar capital of Yili and destroy the country in one battle to demonstrate the power of the Qing Dynasty.

But the intelligence was false. While the two armies were gathering, Mog sent out his elite troops to raid the grain and grass camp behind the army overnight. In addition to the burning of grain and grass, more than 120,000 livestock were also lost.

In mid-June, Furdan was again misled by Mog's false military intelligence, and more than 10,000 elite troops fell into the trap carefully designed by the Dzungar.

The battle lasted for ten days, and these ten days were the most tragic defeat for the Qing army since it entered the Pass.

There were more than 10,000 elite troops, including Solon soldiers and Mongols, but only more than 2,000 Eight Banners soldiers were brought back to the Koduo camp by Fuerdan.

When the news came, the Queen Mother was seriously ill. She was at the end of her life, but she dragged her sick body and refused to close her eyes.

First, she and Old Fourteen had been separated for nearly ten years, and she wanted to see him before her death.

Secondly, although the Queen was not deposed, all the palace maids in Jingren Palace were replaced by the Emperor. The Queen's every move was now under complete surveillance, and she had no freedom at all. She had to make plans for the Queen before she died.

Thirdly, there was still one thing on her mind, and that was An Lingrong. As long as An Lingrong was still alive, she was worried that a hundred years later, this woman with rare resilience would make a comeback again.

After several calculations, she took the emperor to take care of him every day, and kept making demands in various ways.

I don't know who was the gossiper who told the Empress Dowager about the defeat at the front and the fact that every family of the Eight Banners in the capital was in mourning.

Now she had even more reason to pester the emperor to release the Fourteenth Prince, claiming that if the Fourteenth Prince was in charge of the army, such a defeat would never have happened.

There is no satisfactory end to both family affairs and state affairs. Complicated and frustrating things come one after another, making the emperor so anxious that his mouth is full of blisters. But today he has received an even more terrible thing.

He quickly gathered a group of trusted ministers in the Yangxin Palace to discuss countermeasures.

Compared to the bleak wind and rain in the Forbidden City, An Lingrong is living a free and easy life here.

With the sound of rain outside, An Lingrong was sleeping soundly, lazily lying in the quilt.

Honeysuckle walked into the house wearing a straw raincoat and was covered in moisture. She tiptoed to put down the things in her hands.

Then he went to the compartment and added a few pieces of silver charcoal into the charcoal basin to prevent An Lingrong from catching a cold in her sleep.

Finally, take out the small pot and start cooking the porridge over charcoal fire.

At dusk, An Lingrong, who was still asleep, gently moved her clever nose.

It is the aroma of lotus seeds, red dates and glutinous rice porridge, which is best for nourishing the heart and replenishing the blood.

The rich aroma of porridge made her open her eyes instantly. Looking at the smiling Honeysuckle, she muttered coquettishly:

"Honeysuckle, you are the best. What will I do if I leave you one day?"

When Honeysuckle saw that she had woken up, she immediately put the warmed light purple cloak on her and said in a playful tone:

"It's very humid in the mountains, so you should keep warm. No matter how calm you are, you still have to take care of your body."

An Lingrong straightened her cape and pretended to complain: "You are getting more and more powerful now. Look at me being controlled by you and I have no choice but to obey you."

Ren Dong turned around and poured out the tea that had been warming, handed it to An Lingrong, and said briskly, "Why, Master Bu Wang wants to chase me away?"

An Lingrong smiled and drank the tea in one gulp. The temperature was just right, her mouth was full of saliva and the fragrance lingered on her lips and teeth. Honeysuckle was becoming more and more meticulous in her work. An Lingrong sighed in comfort. After leaving that palace full of calculations, she could finally live the way she wanted.

She put the teacup on the table and pretended to give in: "Good honeysuckle, I am a coward. If you really leave, I can't survive alone in this wilderness."

The smile on Rendong's face became more obvious. She liked An Lingrong now. She didn't have to be cautious or plan anything. She lived a leisurely life according to her own wishes.

It has only been a few months since she left the palace, but her expression has changed as if she had been reborn.

The house they lived in was not big. An Lingrong saw the things that Ren Dong brought back from the mountain at a glance and asked casually:

"Why, who sent these?"

Honeysuckle was scooping porridge out of the pot and casually replied, "She said Concubine Jing brought it to you. Do you want to take a look?"

An Lingrong walked to the door and said calmly, "It's rare that she is thoughtful enough to remember it every month. These are some health-preserving items, so leave them there."

When you open the door, the mountain full of wind and rain comes into view.

Several large trees in front of the house had their backs bent by the wind and rain, but they still held up their trunks in a continuous resistance. They looked like funny dancers, which made An Lingrong laugh.

Just as I was about to look further away, the person had already been dragged in by Honeysuckle, who closed the door and complained:

"What's so great about this storm? Why don't you take care of yourself?"

An Lingrong was frightened by her actions, after all, on the night of the winter solstice, Rendong must have been frightened.

The emperor fainted beside her, the queen was under house arrest, and the empress dowager came upon hearing the news and made her kneel outside the Qianqing Palace without asking any reasons.

In her early years, her health was damaged by drug trials and Fu Cha's sudden death, which damaged her heart and lungs.

It was a freezing winter night, and she fainted outside the Qianqing Palace in less than two hours.

That night, Concubine Jing and Cao Qinmo knelt on the ground and begged desperately, and only then did the Empress Dowager allow her to seek medical treatment.

The cold penetrated into her heart and lungs with great force, and it took Zhou Bing two days to bring her back to life.

But the empress dowager did not intend to let her go, and actually asked her to pray for the emperor to leave the palace and practice Buddhism in Ganlu Temple for two years.

An Lingrong just felt it was absurd at the time. After all these twists and turns, it turned out to be her who came to Ganlu Temple.

Her condition had not yet improved when she was sent to Ganlu Temple. The nun named Jingbai must have received favors from the Queen Mother and wanted to torture her everywhere.

In the middle of the twelfth lunar month, he was counterattacked by Honeysuckle and fell off a cliff in the back mountain, and his body was never found.

With Lei Ting ahead, she used money to pave the way, and finally Jing'an agreed to let her move to the uninhabited Lingyun Peak in the spirit of using money to ward off disaster.

A few days later, people from the palace brought things in from time to time. Concubine Jing even packed up all the utensils she used in the palace and sent them over.

Concubine Xi also sent her some health-preserving medicine, and even Wen Yi and the eldest princess made a hand cage together to keep her warm.

At this point, everyone in Ganlu Temple gave up their intention to cause trouble and allowed her and Rendong to live freely in Lingyun Peak.

Later, she was taken care of carefully by Honeysuckle. She could not stand the cold, the wind, the heat, the anger, the tiredness... and was nagged by her every day.

Half a year later, my body finally recovered, just like when I was in the palace.

The delicate flowers that were carefully cared for finally showed some signs of life. The flower grower was even more attentive after the honeysuckle season. She wished that in the next two years, An Lingrong would become as strong as her and not have to suffer from illness for the rest of her life.

After another close call with death, An Lingrong became much more indifferent. She only wanted to eat and drink well every day and no longer cared about the disputes outside.

She didn't want to ask, but things came to her.

Seven days later, the Queen Mother passed away. She never saw her youngest son again until the last moment. Two other regrets also disappeared with her death.

Three days later, Honeysuckle heard some noise at night and thought there might be some wild animals around that had not been caught, so she went out to check in the dark.

Outside the door were Zhen Huan and Liu Zhu.

The two men were carrying a hurricane lantern and were covered in mud and looked miserable.

Ren Dong welcomed the two into the house, boiled some hot water, and asked them to change into clean clothes. She now disliked people coming to the palace, and thought that every time there was news, it would affect An Lingrong's heart, so her attitude towards the two was a little cold:

"My young lady is not feeling well and is now fast asleep. You can spend the night in the side room and we can discuss everything tomorrow morning."

Liu Zhu looked upset. Her young lady had fallen many times while climbing the mountain at night and had suffered so much before reaching the top of the mountain. Why couldn't she see him in person?

Zhen Huan, on the other hand, had no complaints: "I heard that Concubine Wen suffered a great punishment. We came at the wrong time. Miss Honeysuckle was right to remind us. It's okay to see her again tomorrow morning."

Seeing that Zhen Huan was reasonable, Ren Dong felt a little relieved. Just as she was about to go back to guard An Lingrong, she heard An Lingrong's hazy voice from the inner room:

"Honeysuckle, I'm awake now. Please ask the guest to wait."

Now Rendong's face turned sour. She woke up in the middle of the night like this and it would take her a long time to recover. She couldn't get angry at Zhen Huan, so she just glared at Liu Zhu, thinking to herself why she was so troublesome.

Then he rushed into the inner room:

"Put on another layer, and bring this heater."

Hearing Rendong's concerned voice, Zhen Huan's face darkened slightly. Su Peisheng only said that An Lingrong had a serious illness and was almost beyond rescue. How come it has been so long, and she still doesn't sound well.

Under the dim yellow light, Zhen Huan finally saw An Lingrong.

She was thinner than before, a tiny ball under her purple cloak. The first thing Zhen Huan thought of was that she was too weak to wear the clothes.

But her expression had changed. In the past, An Lingrong always looked charming, but now she was clear and clean, making people feel a sense of respect from afar.

But she had been in the palace for many years and had been influenced by the royal family's steadiness and generosity. At the same time, the two temperaments blended in her, forming a nobleness that belonged only to An Lingrong.

"The room is simple, sit wherever you want."

This simple sentence made Zhen Huan feel even more unfamiliar. It was too casual, but this casualness made her feel comfortable, as if this was how things should be between them.

Holding the hot tea, Zhen Huan kept observing An Lingrong.

She didn't say anything, nor did she ask. She just sat there quietly, watching the tea aroma drifting by the fire.

Finally, Zhen Huan could no longer sit still. She moved her body and whispered:

"What should I call you?"

An Lingrong still smiled faintly: "Is this the reason you came here?"

Zhen Huan was stunned. Yes, she was too rigid. She smiled calmly:

"I'm leaving now, and I wanted to thank you before I leave."

This sentence was said like an ordinary farewell between friends, but An Lingrong knew in her heart that this was not an easy task. However, she no longer asked anxiously. She just tilted her head slightly and asked with her eyes why Zhen Huan was able to leave the palace?

Facing those clear and moist almond eyes, Zhen Huan could not help but forget Su Peisheng's warning and slowly told the story:

"Prince Guo died for his country! In the battle with the Dzungars, only half of his body remained."

This news really shocked An Lingrong, but just a moment later, she felt relieved and thought that dying on the battlefield was a worthy death and she was worthy of being raised by the people for many years.

"Before he went to the battlefield, he left a letter behind. Fuerdan sent a fast horse to deliver the letter to the emperor."

"I don't know what's written in it. Su Peisheng found me this afternoon and gave me an imperial edict."

"The Emperor has allowed my whole family to move to Shengjing. I, an abandoned concubine in the palace, will go there to live with my relatives under the name of a distant relative of the Zhen family."

There was no obvious emotion in Zhen Huan's voice, as if she was talking about an outsider.

"We have been fighting for so many years, and our entire family's lives have been held in the hands of others several times. This time we finally escaped, and it will be difficult to see each other again in the future."

"I was arrogant back then, and wanted to be the first in everything. But now, after years of practice, I find it precious to be ordinary."

"I never thought that one day I would tell you this."

"But if you don't come to see me, I will always feel uneasy."

"Don't worry. The Zhen family has several old friends in Beijing. It shouldn't be difficult to find someone to escort us to Shengjing."

"I don't know what Huanbi and Yurao are like now."

......

Zhen Huan talked a lot while drinking tea.

An Lingrong’s thoughts went back to the time of the talent show. At her flower-like age, she naturally had the ambition to blossom.

But the process was full of thorns, and in the end all that was left was withering and dying.

Anyone who can break free from this huge winch will be covered in wounds and exhausted.

In the middle of the night, An Lingrong listened to Zhen Huan talking about a lot, including the past and the future.

The future has her family, her responsibilities, and her worries.

At dawn, Zhen Huan and An Lingrong said goodbye.

Rendong suppressed her dissatisfaction and secretly stuffed a silver note worth one thousand taels into Liuzhu's bag.

The two of them left the palace from Penglai Island, bringing only two sets of changes of clothes.

Shengjing is far in the north, and the weather gets colder the further you go. Once you arrive in Shengjing, you need to settle down.

This little bit of silver is An Lingrong's last gift.

This was also her final breakup with Zhen Huan in this life. They would be separated by long distances and would probably never see each other again.

A few days later, Concubine Jing brought news that Concubine Wan had died suddenly in Penglai Island. The emperor ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to find another tomb and bury her according to the rites for a concubine.

In the Forbidden City, the haggard emperor burned Prince Guo's suicide note in front of the Empress Dowager's coffin.

He then issued an edict to adopt the Sixth Prince to Prince Guo, who would continue to be raised in the palace and return home when he came of age.

Time flies and it is the tenth year of Yongzheng's reign.