Legend of Zhen Huan: Zhen Huan is reborn

187 Hongshi Qingying

Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong had both passed the postpartum period. Empress Yixiu showed a rare gentle attitude and gave them many nourishing foods to help them recover their strength.

Wen Shichu examined them carefully and confirmed that they were all top-quality tonics. This surprised the three of them and they were puzzled.

Recently, Empress Yixiu was planning to carefully select several women with dignified manners and elegant demeanor from the Ulanara clan as candidates for the third prince Hongshi's wife.

At this time, the lotus flowers were in full bloom, a sight to behold. Even the peonies in the Jingren Palace were not to be outdone, and quietly blossomed with such beauty that it was breathtaking.

(Yongshou Palace)

Zhen Huan was leisurely leaning on the imperial concubine couch, taking a nap, when she suddenly heard Xiao Yunzi walk in. After bowing respectfully, she reported: "Your Majesty, someone from the Queen's palace has invited you. He said that the peonies in Jingren Palace are in full bloom, and specially invited Your Majesty to enjoy their beauty together."

Zhen Huan smiled slightly and said, "In that case, let's go. Remember to ask Concubine Jing to go with you later."

"Yes, sir." Xiao Yunzi responded and retreated.

Pei'er was carefully fixing Zhen Huan's makeup. She was wearing a gorgeous red dress, with gold ornaments sparkling in her hair and red agate tassels swaying on both sides, making her look even more dignified and beautiful.

"Your Majesty is truly radiant today." Pei'er admired sincerely.

Zhen Huan gently stroked herself in the bronze mirror and said calmly: "No matter how beautiful your face is, it will eventually return to dust. It's not worth mentioning."

Liu Zhu took over the conversation and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, you are wrong. Even if time passes, you will be like the peony that never withers, and your charm will remain."

Zhen Huan smiled when she heard this and said jokingly, "You two's sweet words are almost as sweet as almond rot. I'm afraid I won't even need the icing sugar when I eat them from now on. Just your words are enough for me."

Pei Er responded playfully: "I'm afraid it's too sweet and the queen will find it disgusting and even her favorite almond tofu will be disgusted."

For a moment, Yongshou Palace was filled with warmth and laughter, as if even the air had become exceptionally sweet.

-

Zhen Huan had just strolled to a corner of the Imperial Garden when she unexpectedly ran into Concubine Jing Feng Ruozhao. She was wearing a quiet lake blue dress, showing her solemnity and elegance.

"I'm fine, sister." Zhen Huan opened her red lips and smiled.

"Sister, your outfit today is really unique. If you don't look closely, you might mistakenly think that some family is selecting a spouse." Feng Ruozhao said jokingly.

"If you listen carefully to these words, you will hear them as praise from the elder sister to the younger sister; but if you listen roughly, they seem to be a bit of a joke." Zhen Huan responded with a smile.

"It's good that you understand." Feng Ruozhao continued, "The Queen summoned us to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the flowers. In fact, I'm afraid she has other intentions. It's not as simple as just enjoying the flowers."

"It's nothing more than a cover for the Third Prince's marriage. They let us sisters have the chance to make suggestions under the pretext of asking them to do so, but in reality, I'm afraid they already have a plan in mind," Zhen Huan analyzed.

"Which daughter does the Queen have her heart set on?" Feng Ruozhao asked curiously.

"She is the princess of the Ulanara family, Qingying." Zhen Huan gave the answer softly.

"Her move is clearly to make the glory of the Ulanara family, and even the position of queen, depend on her own bloodline." Feng Ruozhao said it all.

"Let's just come here to watch the fun and have some fun. There's no need to take it too seriously." After Zhen Huan finished speaking, the two of them had arrived at their destination.

Queen Yixiu was seen sitting on a dazzling bright yellow phoenix throne, surrounded by a group of youthful and beautiful girls, who were like flowers blooming in spring, competing with each other in beauty.

"Your Majesty the Queen is greeted with respect." The two of them bowed, showing great respect in their behavior.

Yixiu smiled slightly and said gently, "No need to be polite, please sit down."

The two of them thanked him as instructed and slowly sat down on the stone bench.

Before she finished speaking, Yixiu started the conversation: "Today is the day when the Third Prince is selecting his wife. Do you two sisters have any suitable candidates in mind?"

Zhen Huan gently waved the fan in her hand, her eyes wandered among the ladies, and finally replied with a smile: "In my humble opinion, these young ladies are all talented and beautiful. The Queen is really discerning in selecting so many beauties for the Third Prince."

After hearing this, Yixiu's expression of satisfaction was beyond words, and she did not delve into the authenticity of Zhen Huan's compliment.

Then, Yixiu turned to ask Hongshi: "Hongshi, do you have a crush on any lady?"

Hongshi just glanced around calmly and did not respond immediately.

Seeing this, Yixiu was not angry, but encouraged in a softer tone: "You can choose without any worries. If you like anyone, report to your father. You have grown up. Mother can only pave the way for you. The final decision needs to be made by you."

Hongshi still seemed a little shy and reluctant, standing quietly aside.

Seeing this, Yixiu had no choice but to speak again, with a little more tenderness and expectation in her voice: "Qingying, come forward and meet the Third Prince."

Following Yixiu's call, Qingying moved lightly and gracefully. Today, she was just as her name suggests. She looked fresh and refined in a green Manchu dress. Even the tassels adorning her hair were cleverly integrated into the gradient green, adding a touch of elegance.

She bowed lightly and called gently, "Third Prince, how are you?"

Yixiu introduced: "This is your cousin's daughter. According to seniority, you should call her cousin."

Hongshi nodded calmly and said softly, "Cousin."

Qingying brought over a plate of fragrant ginger plums at the right time and said with a smile, "I heard that the Third Prince prefers these ginger plums. Why not give them a try?"

Qingying has a pretty face and a gentle and pleasant temperament, but Hongshi felt inexplicably uncomfortable in his heart, and he couldn't bear to let her stand alone.

He picked one up casually and put it in his mouth. The eunuch beside him immediately stepped forward to take the core. Then Hong Shifang slowly said, "The Empress Dowager is always so thoughtful and considerate."

"The Queen is naturally doing this for the good of the Third Prince, so..."

Qingying took over the conversation, and the two of them started chatting naturally. The atmosphere gradually became better, and Yixiu was quite pleased watching from the side.

Zhen Huan and Feng Ruozhao sat quietly at the side, gradually feeling a little bored, and were about to find an excuse to leave, when Yixiu stood up and said, "It's windy, I need to go back and buy some clothes, why not let these two children chat more."

"I had the same idea. It seems that the Empress and I really share the same thoughts." Zhen Huan responded quickly.

Yixiu left first. Zhen Huan and Feng Ruozhao exchanged a knowing look, then stood up one after another and left this small world with a smile, leaving Hongshi and Qingying with more time to spend together.

-

That day, after visiting Shen Meiyu and An Lingrong, Zhen Huan strolled to the corridor and watched the drizzle.

It has been drizzling for days and the sky is gloomy, but the air is filled with a fresh scent of earth that has a unique charm.

Just as she was immersed in the rain, she suddenly heard a clear young male voice: "Greetings, Empress Xi."

Zhen Huan looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was the Third Prince Hongshi, so she smiled gently: "Third Prince, where are you from?"

"I just paid my respects to the Emperor, and passed by here. I saw Empress Xi sitting alone, so I came forward to pay my respects." Hongshi answered respectfully.

"It's rare that you have this kind of heart. Your royal father praised your academic performance yesterday." Zhen Huan said with a smile.

"The Emperor has been in a very good mood recently. I guess it's probably because Empress Xi is by his side. I've also gained some favor from the Emperor because of this." Hongshi said.

"Don't underestimate yourself. I haven't seen you for a few days. You seem to have grown taller. You look frowned, but are you hiding something unspeakable in your heart?" Zhen Huan asked with concern.

"Replying to Empress Xi, I just... have no intention of discussing marriage yet." Hongshi replied in a low voice.

"Have you ever mentioned this to your Royal Father?" Zhen Huan asked softly.

"No." Hongshi shook his head.

"Is there any special reason?" Zhen Huan asked further.

"I haven't met the person I like yet, so I don't want to get married hastily. If your father knew about this little thing, I'm afraid he would be unhappy." Hongshi looked embarrassed and his tone was a little helpless.

"If you really have no feelings for Qingying, just tell your royal father quietly. You are an adult now and should learn to take responsibilities and become a responsible man. If you are always hesitant, you may not achieve great things." Zhen Huan said earnestly.

"But what if the Emperor doesn't agree?" Hongshi looked doubtful.

"Your Royal Father once told me that the choice is yours. Whether to choose or not is up to you." Zhen Huan replied.

"Thank you, Empress Xi, for your guidance. I have a plan in mind." Hongshi's expression relaxed a lot, and the look of worry gradually faded.

"I am only telling the truth, it is not worth mentioning. But this matter is of great importance, you need to think carefully about it. After all, Qingying is the beauty chosen for you by your Royal Mother herself." Zhen Huan reminded.

"I will keep it in mind." Hongshi responded seriously.

"The rain has stopped, and it's time for me to return to the palace. Please feel free to do as you please, Third Prince." After Zhen Huan finished speaking, Jin Xi beside her also arrived at the right time.

"Your son respectfully sees off Empress Xi." Hongshi bowed respectfully and watched Zhen Huan leave.

(Yongshou Palace)

Jin Xi opened her red lips and asked, "What did the Queen whisper with the Third Prince in the corridor just now? From what I saw from the Third Prince's expression, it seemed that all his worries had been lifted and he was filled with joy."

Zhen Huan smiled calmly and replied, "It's nothing but daily trivialities. This child has a pure temperament, but is a little naive, and has a lot of his mother's style."

Jin Xi recalled the past and sighed, "In the past, Concubine Qi hoped that the Third Prince would achieve something, but the world is unpredictable and her dream was eventually shattered."

"She is, after all, just a piece of the game. Because she loved her son so much, she ended up like this. Who can be truly above the affairs of the palace?" Zhen Huan's eyes were complicated and seemed to have deep meaning.

At this time, Liu Zhu hurried in and reported: "Your Majesty, I just came back from the Empress Zhen's place. On the way, I heard the palace people talking about it. They said that the Empress was furious."

"Oh? It was calm just now, why did he suddenly get angry?" Jin Xi was also confused when she heard that.

"It was originally about the Third Prince's marriage. I heard that the Third Prince had said something to the Emperor in the Yangxin Palace, and the Emperor actually agreed to postpone the selection of a wife. When the Empress found out, she was furious. I also saw Princess Qingying looking furious. Aunt Jianqiu was chasing after her, but couldn't persuade her to stop." Liu Zhu finished speaking in one breath, seeming a little excited.

"It seems that Third Prince has fought for himself today." Zhen Huan raised the corners of her mouth slightly, seeming to be quite pleased with Third Prince's behavior.