Legend of Zhen Huan: Zhen Huan is reborn

159 Chalcedony

In the past few days, Yinzhen frequently stayed in Qingliang Palace. The news spread quickly and caused quite a stir in the harem.

The concubines were either secretly envious or jealous; some were even more restless and secretly plotting.

However, Zhen Huan did not seem to be disturbed by this undercurrent and still maintained her gentleness and indifference.

On this day, she received a summons from Queen Yixiu and asked her to go to Taohuawu for a talk.

Taohuawu, a rare elegant place in the harem, now added a bit of uncertainty and caution to Zhen Huan's heart.

She carefully selected a simple and elegant dress and matched it with light makeup, which was neither rude nor overly ostentatious.

With a bit of nervousness and anticipation, Zhen Huan set out on the journey to Taohuawu.

In Taohuawu, peach blossoms are in full bloom, filling the garden with fragrance, which forms a sharp contrast with the intrigues in the harem.

Empress Yixiu had been waiting here for a long time. She was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had a smile on her face. She looked friendly yet majestic.

(Taohuawu)

"Your concubine pays her respects to Her Majesty the Queen. May Her Majesty be blessed with long-lasting happiness and good health." Zhen Huan said gently.

"No need to bow, just stand up." Yixiu opened her red lips slightly.

"I thank Your Majesty for your grace." Zhen Huan stood up and slowly walked to her seat.

"I haven't congratulated my sister yet. I heard that your father has been promoted again. It is really a happy thing." Yixiu smiled and spoke in a gentle tone.

"I am grateful for your kindness, Your Majesty, and my heart is filled with joy," Zhen Huan responded modestly.

"Now you are not only responsible for assisting the management of the six palaces, but also have to take care of your two children. It is really very hard work." Yixiu said with concern.

"Compared with the heavy responsibility your Majesty shoulders, these trivial matters of mine are really not worth mentioning. I heard that the Third Prince has been highly praised by his teachers recently, and his future achievements will surely be immeasurable." Zhen Huan replied gently.

"As the eldest son of His Majesty, the Third Prince must work diligently to live up to everyone's expectations." Yixiu nodded slightly.

"That's right. With the Third Prince being so diligent and the Queen's careful teaching, he will surely make greater progress and live up to the Queen's high expectations." Zhen Huan echoed.

-

The creaking sound of the sedan chair echoed in the garden. At this moment, Li Ying, who was pregnant and walked with heavy steps, slowly came into sight.

Speaking of Li Ying, she had a miserable fate. She was pregnant with a new life but did not get any joy of promotion. What's worse, even her freedom of daily walking was restricted. It really proved the saying "To accompany the king is like to accompany a tiger". Only she knows how it feels.

"Your concubine pays homage to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine. May Her Majesty be blessed with long-lasting blessings and good health." Li Ying bowed respectfully, with a hint of tenderness in her tone.

"No need for formalities, Concubine Li. You are carrying the dragon's offspring, so you should take good care of yourself. Let's skip all these formalities." Zhen Huan spoke in a gentle tone, with concern in her eyes.

"I am grateful for your consideration, Your Majesty." Li Ying responded softly, and was extremely careful when she stood up.

"According to the date, Concubine Li is pregnant with the royal heir for more than six months. You must be extra careful and not make any mistakes. I notice that you look a little pale and your figure seems to have thinned. Please take care of yourself." Zhen Huan's words were full of concern.

"Thank you very much for your concern, Your Majesty. It's just that the weather has been hot recently, and the fetus is very active, so I am a little overwhelmed and my appetite has decreased." Li Ying gently stroked her abdomen, a hint of maternal tenderness in her eyes.

"Have you asked the imperial physician to come and take your pulse?" Zhen Huan asked with concern.

"Your Majesty, the imperial physician has come to see us and said that both mother and child are safe. He also prescribed some prescriptions to relieve heat and protect the fetus. I feel much better after taking them." Li Ying replied with a relieved smile on her face.

"That's good. I am relieved. In that case, I will not disturb you from walking and enjoying the scenery in the garden. I will take my leave first." Zhen Huan said, signaling to the sedan bearer to prepare to leave.

"Your Majesty, your concubine respectfully bids you farewell. Please take care." Li Ying bowed again and watched Zhen Huan leave.

When Zhen Huan's figure gradually disappeared from sight, Li Ying's personal maid Yue Xin whispered, "My lady, I dare to say that the imperial concubine seems to be quite kind to you. Why don't you consider seeking her protection?"

Li Ying shook her head gently, her face calm and indifferent: "Have you forgotten our previous experience in Yongshou Palace? People's hearts are hidden in their stomachs. Who can tell whether those superficial harmony is true or false?"

Yue Xin frowned slightly when she heard this, as if she had realized something: "But I see that the Imperial Concubine's actions today do not show any trace of past grudges. Instead, she truly cares about you."

Li Ying sighed softly, her eyes deep: "Who can't do superficial work? In this harem, since we have chosen to rely on the Queen, we should be single-minded and not have other thoughts, otherwise, we will only fall into a deeper predicament."

Yue Xin heard this, although she felt unwilling, she also understood that what Li Ying said was true, so she lowered her head and replied: "Yes, I understand, I will always remind myself to be careful in what I say and do, and not to cause trouble for the young master."

After saying this, she carefully supported Li Ying and walked slowly along the path in the garden. Their figures gradually blended into the quiet and complex scenery of the palace.

(Qingliang Hall)

Huanbi held an exquisite box gently in her hands. The lid of the box was half-open, revealing an extraordinary chalcedony inside.

The texture of chalcedony is pure, like flower petals moistened by morning dew, crystal clear. Every ray of light that penetrates it seems to be gently refracted and scattered, emitting a dazzling yet warm luster.

Its colors are warm and rich, as if containing the essence of nature and the accumulation of time. At first glance, you can tell that it is a rare treasure in the world, priceless and breathtaking.

Huanbi's eyes were full of cherishment and respect. She knew that such treasures not only represented the preciousness of the material, but also carried some deep meaning or mission. They needed to be carefully cared for and not be neglected in the slightest.

She walked lightly, afraid that any carelessness would disturb the tranquility and beauty, and walked slowly towards her destination.

Zhen Huan glanced at the chalcedony in the box, a hint of deep meaning flashed in her eyes, and then she smiled faintly and ordered: "It is indeed good, Huanbi, you should wrap it carefully and send it to Li Changzai."

When Huanbi heard this, a trace of reluctance and confusion flashed across her face, and she couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, Concubine Li is no longer as important to the Emperor as before, so why did you reward her with such a valuable gift? Isn't it a pity to waste such a good thing?"

"She is pregnant with the Dragon's descendant after all. How can the Emperor ignore her? The difficulties we are facing are just passing clouds. Who can predict the future? She may regain His Majesty's favor one day." Zhen Huan said helplessly, but also revealed a deep understanding of the fickleness of the palace. "It's better for you and me to keep these words in mind. Don't let others hear them to avoid trouble."

Hearing this, Huanbi quickly bowed her head and admitted her fault: "Yes, your majesty is telling you that I spoke out of turn. In the future, I will be careful with my words and actions and never talk too much again."

Seeing this, Zhen Huan smiled slightly and softened her tone: "Okay, don't blame yourself too much. If you really like these items, I have better collections. I'll ask Jingxi to find them someday and you can choose whatever you want."

Huanbi heard this, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she quickly thanked him: "Thank you for your kindness, my lady. I am very grateful."

Yinzhen's figure slowly approached in the afterglow of the setting sun, with a hint of imperceptible tenderness.

"What are you two, master and servant, whispering about here?" There was a hint of curiosity and doting in his words.

Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan quickly turned around and saluted, her voice gentle and respectful: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be blessed with good health."

Yinzhen walked forward quickly and gently helped Zhen Huan up, his eyes full of tenderness: "I just finished my government affairs, so I thought of coming to see you, are you okay?"

Zhen Huan smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with wisdom and tenderness: "I am doing fine, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. This morning, when I was strolling in the garden, I ran into Li Changzai. She was pregnant and had difficulty moving. She looked very tired. I thought that as sisters in the palace, we should take care of each other, so I found a piece of the best chalcedony and planned to give it to her so that she can carve some objects according to her own preferences for her enjoyment, which is also a token of my love."

Yinzhen's eyes fell on the box in Zhen Huan's hand, and a smile appeared on his lips: "This thing looks familiar, isn't it the chalcedony I gave you a few days ago? You're so good, you're thinking of giving it to someone else before you even warm it up?"

Zhen Huan heard this and smiled brightly, with a cunning light in her eyes: "No matter how good the things are, they are all given by your Majesty. I don't have many good things here. Since your Majesty loves me so much, I naturally want to make it play a greater role. So, I will give it to Li Changzai. I just don't know if you are willing to give it to me, Si Lang?"

Yinzhen gently scratched the tip of Zhen Huan's nose and said lovingly, "Since I have given it to you, it is yours. It is up to you to decide how to deal with it. Since you have such intentions, how can I stop you?"

Zhen Huan smiled even more brightly and bowed: "Then I would like to thank the emperor."

After saying this, she turned to look at Huanbi and instructed, "Huanbi, wrap this chalcedony carefully and deliver it to Li Chang in person. Remember to tell her to take good care of the baby and not to work too hard."

"Yes, I obey your command." Huanbi stepped forward, took the box from Zhen Huan's hand, turned around and left lightly.

Upon hearing this, Yinzhen nodded slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes: "You have always been very considerate and caring towards others. I am very pleased. Li Changzai is pregnant and really needs more care. Your move is very good."

"I know very well that pregnancy is not easy, and we need to be extra careful with every detail. Li Changzai is now pregnant with the royal heir, so she naturally needs our care and attention. Although I cannot empathize with her, I am willing to do my best to help her. I hope to share some of her worries and hardships." Zhen Huan's words were full of awe for life and deep friendship for sisters, which moved Yinzhen.