Legend of Zhen Huan: Zhen Huan is reborn

177 Wife Theory

(Yongshou Palace)

On this day, Yu Rao sat upright in the Yongshou Palace, plucking the strings of "Qi Ao" with her fingertips. The deep affection contained in the song was particularly touching.

Yinzhen listened quietly outside the window for a long time, and finally walked in with a smile: "This song is melodious, could it be that Yurao already has a gentleman in her heart? You must know that I also call myself a gentleman, and I have a good impression of Yurao who is good at playing the zither."

When facing Yinzhen, she always maintained a frosty expression. Even the occasional smile she showed was like the cold moonlight occasionally shining through the clouds, without any warmth and out of reach.

However, at this moment, she smiled, and that smile was warm and bright, like the first ray of sunshine that penetrated the clouds: "Is the emperor's favor towards me because of my sister?"

Yinzhen smiled slightly and replied: "That's true, but not entirely. As for appearance..."

His voice seemed to drift away. "You are quite similar to my wife."

Yu Rao was moved when she heard this, and couldn't help wondering: "But I don't think I have any similarities with the Queen."

Yinzhen nodded gently, with a barely perceptible sadness in his last words: "She is the queen, but not the wife I have in my heart. My wife, she left this world early with our children." His words revealed endless nostalgia and sadness.

Yu Rao's eyes were as clear as autumn water, and her black pupils moved flexibly, as if she could see into people's hearts: "I understand, the emperor can have many queens, but in his heart, there is only one true wife."

Yinzhen looked at her with pity in his eyes: "You are indeed as smart as your elder sister."

"So what position does my eldest sister hold in the emperor's heart?" Yu Rao asked curiously.

Yinzhen's tone was gentle but firm: "Your elder sister is the most indispensable woman in my life now."

Yu Rao's eyebrows twitched slightly, as if she had her own opinion on Yinzhen's answer, but she did not say it out loud.

Seeing this, Yinzhen suddenly smiled, his smile full of amusement: "You have asked all the women around me, have you ever thought about becoming my woman?"

Yu Rao smiled slightly, with a light and elegant arc at the corner of her mouth, revealing her white jade teeth: "I am actually very envious of the emperor's wife."

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Yinzhen's interest was completely aroused.

"Because although the emperor's wife has passed away, there is only one place for her in the emperor's heart, and he always misses her." Yu Rao paused and looked at Yinzhen seriously, "Then, does the emperor have such feelings for you, my minister?"

Yinzhen nodded gently, with a faint smile in his eyes: "Yes, I have feelings for you."

Yu Rao nodded seriously: "Since I was a child, I have had a deep desire in my heart, that is to become the only and beloved wife of the person I love, not a concubine, not a favorite concubine in the palace, but an irreplaceable existence in his heart."

"However, Your Majesty already has someone he loves, so I'm afraid it will be difficult for Your Majesty to realize my wish. I would rather have such happiness one day, rather than just looking up to and envying others."

Yinzhen's eyes gradually became deep and complicated, but the smile on his lips did not diminish: "You are indeed smart. This insight is exactly the same as your elder sister."

She shook her head slightly, her tone revealing a sobriety and persistence: "This is not just because of cleverness, but based on factual judgment. If the emperor really likes me and wants to keep me in the palace, what status can he give me? A noble lady, a concubine, or a noble concubine? Or depose the queen and make me the owner of Jingren Palace? But even so, the position of queen is just an empty title, not the real wife in the emperor's heart. I dare to ask, the emperor and your wife must have deep feelings for each other, right?"

Yinzhen was silent for a moment and then nodded slowly, with a gentle and charming light in his eyes: "It is true that we love each other and will never change in this life."

Yu Rao slowly stood up, her posture straight, and bowed deeply to Yinzhen, her tone full of sincerity and expectation: "I beg the emperor to grant this rare blessing to your servant."

Her eyes were slightly red, sparkling with crystal tears, but it was hard to hide her determination and deep affection. "I know that I am of humble origin, but I love Yunxi sincerely and deeply. I dare not ask to become Yunxi's principal wife. Even if I am his concubine, as long as I can stay with him, I will be satisfied. I only ask for the emperor's permission to let me spend the rest of my life with Yunxi."

Yinzhen was surprised when he heard this, as if he had never expected Yurao to say such a thing. He asked in confusion: "You once said that you would not marry anyone other than Yunxi's wife, so why are you saying that now..."

Yu Rao looked up, her eyes clear and firm, her face looked particularly bright and moving under the light of love.

She said gently but firmly: "Although the Emperor and the Empress are husband and wife in name, they are not husband and wife in reality; although Yunxi and I are not husband and wife in name, we depend on each other in our hearts and our love is as deep as the sea. I know very well that Yunxi only has me in his heart, and so do I. In my heart, being the one Yunxi loves is the greatest happiness, so why should I care about the worldly status? In the world of love, we have long been each other's only one."

Yinzhen looked at Yurao with mixed feelings in his heart. He was silent for a moment, and finally said softly: "You get up, I will think about this matter again."

Yu Rao stood still, her tone firm: "I understand that the emperor favors me, but true love should be to fulfill the other party's wishes. There are many women besides the emperor, whether they are the deceased in the past or the companions now, they all occupy your mind and memories. I have not been in the palace for long, and I have witnessed my elder sister go through many twists and turns and hardships. Even though my elder sister has an extraordinary status in the emperor's heart, her life is also full of difficulties and caution. I don't want my future to repeat the same mistakes."

She bowed deeply again, "Your Majesty's kindness is rare, and I dare not slack off in the slightest. However, love in the world is not limited to love between men and women. I dare to ask that Your Majesty can give me pure care as you treat my younger sister."

After saying this, she took out the jade pendant that Yinzhen had given her earlier from her sleeve and presented it with both hands, "This item was given by the emperor. Today, I am returning it intact, and I beg the emperor to allow me to marry Yunxi and fulfill my lifelong wish."

Yinzhen did not reach out to take the jade pendant, but simply said: "This is specially given to you by me."

Then he turned and left, his steps revealing an unspeakable heaviness and fatigue. Every step seemed to step on the uneasiness in his heart, leaving behind a series of footsteps that echoed in the empty palace.

(Hall of Mental Cultivation)

Yinzhen sat upright on the couch, lost in long contemplation. His whole body was quiet, with only the passage of time slowly advancing in silence.

"Su Peisheng." He finally spoke, his voice steady and powerful.

"I'm here." Su Peisheng responded and stood respectfully aside.

"I have a girl in my heart and want to make her my concubine, but she is determined and does not want to enter the palace." Yinzhen slowly expressed his worries.

"Although I don't know who this woman is, in my opinion, there are tens of thousands of women in the world, but none of them can compare to Queen Chunyuan." Su Peisheng's words revealed his infinite admiration for Queen Chunyuan.

"Oh? Why do you think so?" Yinzhen asked curiously.

"It is the emperor's freedom to choose who he loves, but what is really important is who can make the emperor happy like Queen Chunyuan does. That is her blessing." Su Peisheng's answer was both tactful and appropriate.

Upon hearing this, Yinzhen smiled faintly, "You always see things so clearly."

After that, he paused for a moment and continued, "Okay, I have something for you to do."

"Your Majesty, please give your orders." Su Peisheng agreed immediately.

"When Concubine Xi marries her sister, the etiquette should not be neglected. The dowry can be prepared according to the standards for the marriage of a Duoluo Gege. When Yunxi gets married, Concubine Xi should also be promoted to the rank of Concubine Dowager to show the emperor's great grace." Yinzhen's decision revealed his importance and care for the two parties involved.

"The imperial concubine is marrying her sister, and the prince is getting married. Such happy events are truly a blessing for the royal family and will surely become a good story." Su Peisheng's face was filled with a joyful smile, and he praised Yinzhen's decision.

"The Empress Dowager has been ill for a long time. Perhaps she needs some happy events to boost her spirits and cheer her up." Yinzhen's words revealed his concern and expectations for the Empress Dowager's condition.

"That's right, Your Majesty is right. If the Empress Dowager knew about these happy events, she would be very happy and her illness would gradually improve." Su Peisheng echoed, his words full of hope and blessings for the Empress Dowager's recovery.

Yinzhen waved his hand gently, signaling Su Peisheng to leave, while he continued to immerse himself in complicated thoughts.

(Shoukang Palace)

Wu Ya Chengbi lay weakly on the bed, his face as pale as paper, in stark contrast to his former majesty and dignity.

Her coughs were intermittent, and each time seemed to exhaust all her strength. The bloodstains that were accidentally stained on the handkerchief were even more frightening.

Because Concubine Hui, Shen Meizhuang, was pregnant, she was carefully isolated to avoid being invaded by illness, which meant that the empress dowager was deprived of a warm companionship.

"Cough—cough—" Wu Ya Chengbi started coughing violently again, and every breath seemed extremely difficult.

Zhu Xi stood aside, her heart broken. She held the Queen Mother's hand tightly, tears welling up in her eyes, but she tried hard not to let them fall.

"Empress Dowager... Empress Dowager..." She called over and over again, her voice filled with endless worry and reluctance.

Wu Ya Chengbi slowly opened her eyes, her eyes revealing an indescribable tiredness and relief.

"I'm afraid I can't make it anymore." She said softly, her tone showing helplessness towards life and reflection on the past.

"Zhu Xi, I have spent my whole life trying to keep Yi Xiu as the queen for the glory of the Ulanara and Uya clans. But now, I am lying in bed, thinking about it all, and I can't help but ask myself, is this right or wrong?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xi quickly comforted her: "Queen Mother, please don't say that. Everything you do is for the prosperity of the family. This is your responsibility and your duty."

"But my heart is..." Wu Ya Chengbi's voice gradually became low, as if he had thousands of words to say but didn't know where to start.

"I just hope that the future of our family can be less calculating and more sincere and harmonious."

Zhuxi nodded with tears in her eyes. She knew that what the Queen Mother needed at this moment was understanding and comfort.

"Empress Dowager, I will ask the imperial physician to come in right away. They will definitely find a way to make you better." After saying this, she turned and left.

"Zhu Xi, there's no need for that." Wu Ya Chengbi shook his head gently to stop Zhu Xi's action.

"I know my own body well. You just need to stay by my side and help me complete this final journey."

Upon hearing this, Zhuxi couldn't hold back her tears and she held the Queen Mother's hand tightly, as if she wanted to pass all the warmth and strength to her.

A complicated light flashed in Wu Ya Chengbi's eyes. She spoke slowly, with a bit of helplessness and determination in her voice: "I am not completely unaware of what Yi Xiu did to Chun Yuan, but the situation at that time left me with no choice. If Yi Xiu fell, no one in the Ulanara clan would be able to inherit the throne. I have gone through so much hardship to get to where I am today and become the empress dowager. How can I easily give up all my efforts and hard work in this life? Therefore, even though I know that Yi Xiu harmed concubines and heirs, I have no choice but to bite the bullet and continue to keep her throne."

Zhu Xi heard this, and a trace of regret flashed in his eyes: "Queen Dowager, you have advised the Queen many times, hoping that she would turn back from her wrong path, but unfortunately the Queen was stubborn and finally embarked on this path of no return. She killed so many people. If she had listened to the Queen Dowager's teachings earlier and stopped doing evil, perhaps everything would be different."

Wu Ya Chengbi sighed softly, with deep guilt in her eyes: "I also want to do this, but as a member of the family, I must consider the overall situation and the glory of the whole family. These days, I can't sleep every night, and Chunyuan's figure always appears in my dreams. Her gentleness and kindness form a sharp contrast with Yixiu's cruelty. I am really sorry for Chunyuan, and let her rest in peace in the underworld."

Zhuxi comforted her softly, "Queen Dowager, you don't have to blame yourself too much. You chose Yixiu out of consideration for the family's interests. You thought that Queen Chunyuan was too weak and could not handle the important task of being the empress. Yixiu was more resourceful and could keep the throne from falling into the hands of others. However, people's hearts are unpredictable. Who could have expected that things would develop to this point today?"

Wu Ya Chengbi's tears fell silently, and her voice was full of self-blame and helplessness: "I am also sorry to the emperor, and to those innocent grandchildren who died in vain. I know that I can't protect them forever by my own strength, and I can't change the various conspiracies and calculations in this palace, but I still hope to do my last bit of strength and leave something for this royal family and this world."

Seeing this, Zhuxi felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She hurried forward and gently wiped away the Queen Mother's tears with a handkerchief, saying softly, "Queen Mother, please stop worrying so much. It is important to take care of your health. Your health is the greatest blessing for all of us."

However, Wu Yachengbi's eyes were extremely firm: "Zhu Xi, go and prepare paper, pen and ink. I want to leave a will. This will may bring a little peace to the Ulanara family and the harem at a critical moment."

Zhu Xi heard this, although she didn't want the Queen Mother to work so hard, she didn't dare to disobey, so she could only reply: "Yes, Queen Mother, I will prepare it right away. You should pay more attention to your health and don't overwork yourself."

Wu Ya Chengbi nodded slightly, with a hint of determination in her eyes: "You must remember, if I am gone, this edict will be our last trump card. If there is a change in the position of queen, or if the family encounters a crisis, you will take out this edict to protect the queen and safeguard the glory of our Ulanara family."

Zhuxi agreed with tears in her eyes, turned around and left in a hurry. After a while, she returned to the empress dowager with paper, pen and ink.

Wu Ya Chengbi struggled to write her will despite her illness. Every word of her will reflected her deep worries and expectations for her family and the royal family.

After she finished writing, she handed the will to Zhuxi with trembling hands and said, "Keep it safe. This is our last resort."

Zhu Xi took the edict and carefully put it in her arms, her eyes full of determination and loyalty: "Don't worry, Queen Mother, I will swear to protect this edict, the Queen, and the Ulanara family until my death."

-

As night fell, the afterglow of the wedding feast had not yet dissipated. Yu Rao, dressed in a gorgeous red dress with only pearls in her hair, was smiling like a flower. She stood side by side with Yunxi, fingers clasped together, at the threshold of the Beile Mansion, and respectfully watched as the emperor Yinzhen's carriage slowly left.

Yinzhen and Zhen Huan rode together in the magnificent carriage. They were both slightly tipsy but still sober.

As Su Peisheng's loud voice sounded: "Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine, get up!"

Everyone knelt down in unison and whispered, "Farewell, Your Majesty."

The night grew darker and darker, and all around was quiet. Only the rumbling sound of the carriage echoed in the emptiness, leading them slowly into the depths of the Forbidden City.

"During the banquet just now, you and I, Yunli and Yuchan, as well as Yunxi and Yurao, seem to be a match made in heaven, with a deep bond." Yinzhen's tone was calm, but it revealed some deep meaning.

"Your sister Yu Rao is deeply grateful for the emperor's grace." Zhen Huan responded gently.

"Because of you, I am willing to help Yurao get what she wants." There was an imperceptible tenderness in Yinzhen's words.

Just at this time, a eunuch came hurriedly to report that the Empress Dowager was not feeling well and the condition was worrying.