Legend of Zhen Huan: Zhen Huan is reborn

169 A Ride in the Red Dust Makes the Concubine Smile

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On this day, southern Fujian presented fresh lychees, and Yinzhen immediately ordered Su Peisheng to bring a basket.

As Zhen Huan was savoring the food, she saw Yin Zhen walking into the room with a smile on his face. He whispered, "I traveled thousands of miles just to make a beautiful woman smile. This is something Yang Yuhuan loved in the past. How do you feel about its taste?"

Zhen Huan peeled the lychee and gently put it into Yinzhen's mouth, smiling: "It is indeed juicy and delicious, but I think it is a little too sweet. If you give it to me like this every year, I am afraid that the horses along the way will be overworked and worn out."

"The weather has been getting colder in recent days. If you feel chilly, tell the Ministry of Internal Affairs to speed up the production of a few high-quality silk quilts." Yinzhen's words were full of concern.

Zhen Huan heard this, her smile became even more intense, and she said, "I have never been involved in household affairs, so how can I know how hard it is to make money? The monthly expenses are like the water of a river, rushing endlessly. I feel very sorry."

Yinzhen smiled and touched Zhen Huan's forehead, saying lovingly, "You are good at saving money. I checked the palace accounts this month and found that we saved more than ten thousand taels of silver compared to last month. This is all because of your virtue and diligence in managing the household."

Zhen Huan glanced at Yinzhen playfully and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, where do you think this ten thousand taels of silver came from? It's just that I saved money everywhere and accumulated it bit by bit. I have to thank Concubine Jing for her expertise in financial management, which is why I have this surplus."

After that, she changed the subject and said jokingly, "Next year, if the emperor recruits new people, even if the silver increases by 100,000 taels, it may not be enough to cover the expenses of the palace."

Yinzhen took the fragrant tea handed over by the palace maid, sipped it carefully and said with a smile: "I feel jealous when I hear this. If you want to reduce expenses on this matter, I have a good idea. I just need to take a few palace maids with outstanding looks into the harem, and their monthly salary will be deducted from your share."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan took the teacup from Yinzhen's hand and pretended to be angry: "You have the final say on who the emperor wants to take as his concubine! A few concubines and maids are nothing to worry about. If there is one who really pleases the emperor, it would be more gracious to directly confer the title of noble."

Yinzhen leaned leisurely on the couch, his eyes casually passing over Huanbi who was carefully placing peeled Gualv lychees on a crystal plate, and said jokingly: "Since you are so generous, I will ask for your most intimate Huanbi today, what do you think?"

Zhen Huan raised a half-smile and glanced at him: "Huanbi is my maidservant who came with me as a dowry. We are as close as siblings. I regard her as my own sister. Your Majesty, do you want to compete with me for this friendship?"

He picked up a lychee from the table at random, tasted it, and spat out the core. He said leisurely, "It is because she is your confidant that I want to give her a generous gift, just like when you first entered the palace, and confer her the title of noble lady. What do you think? Well... I will confer the title of 'Xi', noble lady Xi, it sounds very auspicious."

When Huanbi heard this, her heart was shocked and the crystal cup in her hand accidentally slipped and fell with a "bang", and the fragments flew everywhere.

Yinzhen was startled by the sudden noise, but Huanbi had no time to care. She knelt on the ground and said in fear: "I dare not bear it! I am a humble servant, how can I serve the emperor? I beg the emperor to have mercy and spare me."

Seeing this, Yinzhen couldn't help but be very interested. He straightened his body and smiled: "This is strange. If ordinary palace maids received such an honor, they would have been grateful and thanked the emperor for his kindness."

Huanbi curled up into a ball and kowtowed repeatedly, her voice as thin as a thread: "I am guilty. I already have someone in my heart, so it is difficult for me to obey your command."

Upon hearing this, Yinzhen couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Oh? You already have a lover? Is it a brave guard, or a palace eunuch? Or is it the imperial physician who often comes to the palace?"

Upon hearing this, Huanbi's face turned even redder, and she lowered her head even lower, and did not speak for a long while.

Yinzhen turned to look at Zhen Huan and asked, "Do you know about this?"

Zhen Huan quickly responded, "I really don't know."

Yinzhen smiled and said to Huanbi: "You can say whatever you want. If I can help you, I will definitely make your marriage come true."

Huanbi was so shy that her forehead flushed. She just shook her head and refused to say a word.

Zhen Huan covered it up with a smile and whispered, "Your Majesty really loves to joke. It's not enough to have Ye Da Ying, and now he's teasing my Huanbi. I'm really jealous. Huanbi is my favorite, how can I give her up so easily? I will make proper arrangements for her, and I will not feel relieved until I personally choose a good match for her one day."

After that, she gently helped Huanbi up and whispered, "Stand up, the emperor was just joking, don't take it to heart."

Yinzhen took Zhen Huan's wrist and said with a smile, "I like your jealous look, but I really don't understand one thing. When the Seventeenth Prince was ill last time, why did you let Huanbi go to take care of him? She is your close friend, and you were willing to let her stay out for so many days?"

Zhen Huan gently took off the red gold and silver bracelet on her wrist, handed it to Huanbi, and instructed: "The color of this bracelet is a little dull, you should take it to the craftsman to have it re-polished, and come back quickly."

After Huanbi left, Zhen Huan slowly spoke her mind: "I don't have many people close to me anymore. I let Huanbi leave the palace for her own good. She is getting older, and the prince is ill. There will be many people visiting her. Maybe she will meet a suitable man, which is not a bad thing."

"You always think about others like this. Look at you, you have lost a lot of weight in the past two days." Yinzhen said with concern.

Zhen Huan smiled slightly, with a bit of tenderness and fatigue in her eyes: "I was worried about the health of sister Mei and sister An, so I was busy all over, but fortunately they are all fine, and I feel much more at ease."

Yinzhen changed the subject and mentioned the matter of offspring: "Speaking of pregnancy, when can you give me another prince or princess?"

Zhen Huan smiled and asked, "I have already given birth to Hong Zhou and Long Yue for Your Majesty. Isn't this enough to satisfy Your Majesty?"

Yinzhen looked at Zhen Huan affectionately and said gently, "Of course I hope we can have more children. They will all be the best in the world, but I love you more and don't want to see you work too hard."

After saying this, he gently took Zhen Huan into his arms, and the two of them snuggled up to each other. The room suddenly became quiet and silent, with only the sound of each other's heartbeats, warm and peaceful.

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Early in the morning of that day, the sunlight shone through the window lattice into the side hall. Zhen Huan and Yu Rao were teasing Long Yue together.

Yu Rao gently hugged Long Yue, making her giggle. She couldn't help but sigh, "Being a child is so carefree. You don't know anything, but you can laugh so happily at the slightest thing. If you are unhappy, you will cry loudly and forget about it in a blink of an eye. No wonder everyone says that children are good."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan raised a gentle smile and jokingly said, "You are the youngest in our family. If you really want to act like a child and act like a spoiled child, who would have the heart to reject you?"

Hearing this, Yu Rao twisted her body slightly and said with a coquettish smile: "Eldest sister loves to make fun of me, I will ignore you."

Zhen Huan laughed even more happily and continued, "I just told you to act like a spoiled child and you really acted like a spoiled child. In two years, you will be old enough to get married and become someone's wife or even a mother. By then, there will be a group of children surrounding you and acting like a spoiled child. Maybe you can even become the 'king of children' among them."

When Yu Rao heard this, her cheeks instantly flushed, and she said shyly: "Eldest sister is the queen now, and you still speak so frivolously, it's really embarrassing."

At this time, Huanbi walked into the hall holding a bunch of flowers picked in the morning, carefully placed the flowers in a bottle of clear water, and smiled: "With the temper of the second young lady, I don't know what it will be like when she becomes a mother in the future. I don't know which young master is so lucky to marry a beauty like our second young lady."

Yu Rao's cheeks flushed even more when she heard this, and she whispered shyly, "Sister Bi is making fun of me too."

Seeing this, Huanbi suggested with a smile: "Today is a sunny day. If you just stay in the palace, it would be a waste of this good time. Why don't you take a walk in the garden with the second young lady and enjoy this rare tranquility and beauty?"

Just as Zhen Huan was about to speak, Yu Rao took the lead and said playfully, "I'm tired of going to the garden. I'm either chasing butterflies or staring at the flowers. Now the flowers are almost withered, and I can only look at the leaves. But since you are so interested, I will accompany you."

Zhen Huan smiled and raised the fan in her hand, pretending to slap Yu Rao on the mouth, and scolded her with a smile: "You monkey mouth, you said a lot of things before I even said anything. If you don't want to go, let's go to the Imperial Garden. The scenery there will definitely brighten your eyes."

Yu Rao dodged the fan lightly, and stood up while pretending to sigh, "Let's go, but I'm worried that I'll meet some concubine on the way and have to greet my sister politely. I'm so tired of hearing that."

Zhen Huan laughed out loud, pointing at Yu Rao and saying to Huan Bi, "Look at her, she's getting more and more witty. Huan Bi, go take a look at her mouth and see if there are countless sharp teeth hidden inside to be able to say such witty words."

Huanbi also smiled and responded: "I dare not, the second young lady is very eloquent, if the steel teeth and sharp teeth accidentally hurt my fingers, I can't bear it. However, what the second young lady said is also true. The queen does have to deal with a lot of interpersonal relationships when she goes out. The second young lady is worried about the queen."

As the three of them were chatting and laughing, Yinzhen walked in quietly, with a smile on his face: "What are you two sisters whispering about? It sounds so lively."

Zhen Huan and Yu Rao quickly bowed, "May the Emperor be well and safe."

Yinzhen first helped Zhen Huan up and said gently, "Get up quickly."

Then, he naturally stretched out his hand to help Yu Rao, but Yu Rao dodged it easily.

After hearing this, Yinzhen was not angry, but instead a trace of appreciation and tenderness flashed in his eyes. He whispered to Zhen Huan: "Your own sister is in the palace, so you should naturally take good care of her."

Then, he turned to Yu Rao, his tone full of concern: "The weather is getting colder, are you used to living here? If there is anything you are not used to, just tell your sister, this is your home, no need to be so polite."

Upon hearing this, Yu Rao just lowered her head and played with the ribbon on her lapel, with a faint smile on her lips, as if she didn't fully hear what Yinzhen said.

Even Yinzhen had never experienced such sudden indifference. Looking at Yurao's little girl immersed in her own world, he didn't know what to do for a moment.

Zhen Huan noticed Yinzhen's subtle emotions and quickly smiled to smooth things over: "Sister has been in the palace for some time. Although the environment is different, she has gradually adapted to it."

At this time, Jinxi led the little palace maids in with tea and snacks. Yinzhen took a sip of Longjing tea to cover up his embarrassment and said with a smile: "This is the best Longjing after the rain. Huanhuan and my aunt should both try it."

Yu Rao then sat down beside Zhen Huan, took a sip of tea and praised, "It is really good tea, rarely seen in normal days."

Her eyes sparkled with lively light, like rippling waves. Suddenly, she turned to Yinzhen, smiled brilliantly, and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Everything in this palace is indeed prosperous and magnificent, with beauties everywhere, which is pleasing to the eyes, but it is still not as comfortable as home. I am used to making trouble at home, but here I have to abide by the rules and respect for the inferiors all the time."

"For example, although my elder sister is my biological sister, here, she is more of a noble concubine; although Hongluo and Longyue are my relatives, they are also noble princes and princesses. For another example, in an ordinary family, I might call you brother-in-law, but in the palace, I always remember that you are the most noble emperor. Therefore, I am always cautious and dare not slack off, let alone treat the palace as my home."

Huanbi was listening to Yurao's words, her face pale, obviously shocked by the boldness of her words.

Zhen Huan's heart was also in turmoil, but she maintained a serene smile on her face. She knew very well that although Yu Rao spoke without restraint, she said it in a joking manner, and her eloquence was so good that it was difficult to get angry at her.

Instead of showing any sign of annoyance, Yinzhen burst into laughter at Yurao's cleverness and cuteness.

He said, "Huanhuan, listen to what your sister said. You are also famous for your eloquence, and no one can match you. But now, after meeting your sister, I am afraid you will feel inferior. She clearly said that the palace is not as comfortable as home, but I just can't get angry."

Zhen Huan pondered in her heart, if Yu Rao was not young and beautiful, and had some of the charm of the late Queen Chun Yuan, how could Yinzhen be so easy-going and friendly if someone else had been so outspoken?

But she quickly suppressed these thoughts, still maintaining a gentle smile on her face, and said: "What bothers me most is Yu Rao's mouth. When she is unreasonable, she can still make some sense. Once she is right, she will be even more unforgiving."

After saying this, she signaled Yu Rao with her eyes to restrain herself, and at the same time expressed to Yinzhen her helplessness and doting on her sister.

Zhen Huan changed the topic at the right time and said in a relaxed tone: "I often wonder what kind of brother-in-law will be able to tame Yu Rao's eloquent mouth."

Yinzhen's eyes gently swept across Yurao's face, then fell on Zhen Huan, and said with a smile: "Your sister has just returned from a distant place. As a sister, are you in a hurry to marry her off? In my opinion, my aunt is still young. She can stay for another two years and slowly choose a suitable candidate."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan just smiled gently and did not give a direct answer.

Yinzhen continued, "Aunt, don't you think there are too many rules in the palace? I just remembered that Yunxi came to the palace today and is painting in Ruyi Pavilion. Aunt, why don't you go and take a look? Maybe you can appreciate some good works."

When Yu Rao heard the name "Yun Xi", she couldn't help but feel happy, but she remained reserved and said, "No matter who it is, if his painting skills are not good, I am not interested in watching it."

Seeing this, Zhen Huan smiled and said, "It seems that my sister has agreed. The emperor's idea is really good. It's a rare opportunity for Shen Beile Yunxi to enter the palace. My sister can go and see him."