Legend of Zhen Huan: Zhen Huan is reborn

066 Shilan's Trouble

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Zhen Huan sat in a gorgeously decorated sedan chair, surrounded by a calm and noble aura. Huanbi and Jinxi stood on her left and right, serving her attentively.

As the sedan chair moved slowly forward, passing through the corridors and gardens of the palace, they were heading towards the Yiku Palace.

At this moment, a burst of brisk footsteps broke the silence around them, and Prince Guo appeared in their sight unexpectedly.

He was wearing casual clothes, but still couldn't conceal his handsome and extraordinary temperament. His eyes lit up gently the moment he saw Huanbi.

He smiled and nodded to Huanbi. That smile seemed to contain thousands of words, but it also seemed like it was just a simple greeting and care.

An inexplicable emotion welled up in Huanbi's heart, and her cheeks blushed involuntarily, as if they were gently brushed by the warm spring sun.

She quickly adjusted her mood and smiled back at Prince Guo, with a hint of shyness and joy in her smile.

Zhen Huan simply glanced at Prince Guo indifferently, without lingering on him for too long, and then looked away.

The sedan chair continued to move forward, leaving behind a faint fragrance and unfinished love along the way.

-

When they arrived at the gate of Yikun Palace, Zhen Huan stroked her dress gently and stepped down from the sedan chair gracefully.

She looked up at the magnificent palace gate, and a barely perceptible complex emotion flashed in her eyes.

Then, she turned to Huanbi and whispered, "Huanbi, you wait outside. If there is anything you need or any emergency happens, you can be taken care of. Jinxi will go in with me."

Upon hearing this, Huanbi immediately responded, "Yes, my lady." Although she was a little worried, she was more loyal to and trusted Zhen Huan.

She stepped aside, her eyes closely following the figures of Zhen Huan and Jin Xi until they disappeared behind the gate of Yikun Palace.

(Yikun Palace)

Zhen Huan and Jing Xi walked side by side into the Yikun Palace, passing through a series of exquisite screens and intricate decorations, each step appearing so steady and solemn.

Zhen Huan walked into the main hall of Yikun Palace and saw that everyone was there, including Ling Rong who had just given birth. She couldn't help but feel a little confused, but still maintained a decent smile on her face.

She bowed and greeted, her voice gentle and slightly apologetic: "Greetings to the Imperial Concubine. I felt a little unwell when I woke up this morning, so I was delayed. I hope the Imperial Concubine will be magnanimous and not hold it against me."

Nian Shilan was wearing a gorgeous palace dress, sitting in the main hall. Her eyes stayed on Zhen Huan for a moment, and a barely perceptible sneer appeared on the corner of her mouth. Then she said lightly: "Wanpin is pregnant, so she must be more careful. It is normal for her to be delicate. Get up."

Zhen Huan thanked him, stood up, and slowly walked towards her seat.

However, before she could sit down, she heard An Lingrong's gentle but somewhat tentative voice: "I have heard that this rose milk shortbread is the best among pastries, with an intoxicating fragrance. But today when I tasted it in the palace of the Imperial Concubine, I felt that its taste seemed to be overshadowed by the unique fragrance of the palace, and it seemed bland. I would like to ask the Imperial Concubine, what kind of strange fragrance is burned in the palace that has such magical power?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall changed subtly. Nian Shilan's expression miraculously eased a lot, and he even revealed a hint of pride.

She gently stroked the pearls and jade on her temples and said slowly, "Lady Rou's nose is much more sensitive than others. This fragrance is called 'Huan Yi Xiang'. It was specially prepared for me by the Emperor's skilled craftsmen. I am the only one in the palace who is qualified to enjoy it. Its fragrance is unique, can calm the mind, and add a bit of elegance."

There was a sense of pride and boasting in Nian Shilan's words that could not be ignored. Zhen Huan listened quietly to the side, but was secretly thinking in her heart.

She knew very well the hidden meaning behind this "Huan Yi Xiang", and she also understood that Nian Shilan's pride at the moment was nothing but based on ignorance and sorrow.

Hearing this, An Lingrong chuckled and shook her head, saying modestly, "I am indeed shallow in knowledge and cannot be compared with Your Majesty. Your Majesty's breadth of knowledge and wisdom makes me feel ashamed of myself."

As she spoke, she seemed to be disturbed by the fragrance in the palace and gently picked up a handkerchief to cover her nose. This action might seem ordinary to others, but Zhen Huan understood what she meant and secretly guessed that An Lingrong might have noticed the unusualness of this "Huan Yi Xiang".

At this time, Cao Qinmo interrupted at the right time. Her smile was a bit calculating and flattering. She explained to An Lingrong, "Sister Rou has only been serving the emperor for a short time, so naturally she doesn't know. This Huan Yi incense was given exclusively to the Imperial Concubine by the Emperor when he was in the palace. What's more precious is that the ambergris added to it is a rare treasure bestowed by the late Emperor. The Emperor has deep feelings for the Imperial Concubine, so he specially took out half of the ambergris and ordered people to carefully mix it into this Huan Yi incense, which is exclusively for the Imperial Concubine to enjoy. It can be seen that the Imperial Concubine holds a special position in the Emperor's heart."

Although Cao Qinmo was speaking to An Lingrong, her eyes swept over Zhen Huan intentionally or unintentionally, as if hinting at something.

After hearing this, Zhen Huan felt mixed emotions.

She knew the truth about "Huan Yi Xiang" very well, and understood why Nian Shilan had been childless for many years. She felt ironic and sad about the emperor's "deep affection".

However, at this moment she could only remain silent and bury all her emotions deep in her heart so as not to reveal any flaws here.

Nian Shilan gently fanned the fan in her hand, with a faint smile on her lips, as if to hide the fluctuations in her heart. She pretended to be casual and said: "Those are all old memories. Why bring them up? They make people sad for no reason."

However, the joy on her face did not diminish at all. Instead, she looked even more proud because of Cao Qinmo's agreement.

Seeing this, Cao Qinmo immediately took over the conversation tactfully and said humbly, "It was I who was too talkative. I shouldn't have mentioned these things that made Your Majesty feel sentimental. It was just that I saw Your Majesty and Sister Rou having a good chat, so I said a few more words on a whim."

Her words were full of compliments and flattery to Nian Shilan. The conversation between the two was like a carefully choreographed double act, with perfect understanding.

Zhen Huan watched coldly from the side, as if everything had nothing to do with her.

Nian Shilan just got to the point at this moment and said, "Recently, there have been frequent quarrels and fights between palace maids and eunuchs in the palace. This is really inappropriate. Now that we have some free time, it is appropriate to rectify the atmosphere. Such chaos is mostly caused by relying on the favor of the masters. The servants' behavior is really a bad example of superiors following subordinates. For example, in the past, Noble Lady Fucha relied on her pregnancy to be arrogant and domineering. If there are others who do not know how to restrain themselves and follow in her footsteps, it is really disrespectful. Wanpin, have you reflected on this matter? Do you also feel that you have made a mistake?" After speaking, Nian Shilan glared at Zhen Huan fiercely with a sharp gaze.

Zhen Huan understood and could not avoid it, so she slowly straightened up. Before she could say anything, Nian Shilan scolded her, "Today, all the concubines have gathered in Yikun Palace to listen to my teachings. Only you, Wanpin, are late for no reason. It is obvious that you lack the proper respect for me. Why don't you kneel down quickly!"

Zhen Huan slowly knelt down and said softly, "I know I have done something wrong. I have just apologized for my crime. I beg the Imperial Concubine to be magnanimous and forgive me."

Nian Shilan heard this and became even more furious: "You are so rude now. If you give birth to a prince in the future, won't you turn the tables and make the entire harem bear the surname Zhen!"

Zhen Huan continued to explain: "I was indeed unwell and had to urgently summon the imperial physician for treatment, which delayed the time. I hope that the Imperial Concubine will understand. As for what the Imperial Concubine said about the harem taking the Zhen surname, it really made me panic. I would never dare to have such an unreasonable thought."

Seeing this, Feng Ruozhao stood up and gently advised: "Your Highness, you have been talking for a long time, and your lips and tongue must be thirsty. Why don't you have a cup of fragrant tea and take a rest. Although Wanpin made a mistake, please be merciful and allow her to stand up and report back."

However, Nian Shilan ignored Feng Ruozhao's advice. She insisted on her own opinion: "A woman's virtue is to be a woman's duty. Wanpin Zhen's words are cunning, her behavior is presumptuous, and she has no respect for me. She should be severely punished to set an example. From now on, Wanpin must kneel outside the Yikun Palace and recite the "Female Commandments" to reflect on her mistakes and learn a lesson!"

"Your Majesty, the sun is scorching outside and the granite is cold and hard. How can Concubine Wan withstand such cruel punishment when she is pregnant with the royal heir?" Feng Ruozhao said anxiously.

An Lingrong was also extremely anxious. She quickly stood up and knelt down, begging, "Your Majesty, please be merciful. Wanpin's mistake was unintentional. I beg Your Majesty to forgive her offense and give her a chance to make amends."

Shen Mei said solemnly, "It is a small matter for a concubine to be reprimanded by the Queen, but if the safety of the royal heir is threatened in the slightest, when His Majesty and the Queen return, the Queen will be held accountable."

Nian Shilan raised her lips in disdain and acted decisively, "The palace rules are lax and need to be strictly rectified. Even if the emperor and the queen were here, they would still uphold this intention. Are you trying to use the emperor and the queen's name to threaten me?"

"Your Highness, our young lady is in very poor health. I'm afraid she can't bear the ceremony of kneeling down!" Jin Xi said softly.

"I know I have done something wrong, and I beg Your Majesty to be magnanimous and wait until I recover before punishing me." Zhen Huan responded gently.

"I beg Your Majesty to forgive Wanpin's mistake this time, considering that she is pregnant with the dragon descendant!" An Lingrong prayed earnestly.

Nian Shilan just stared at Zhen Huan coldly, and said in a cold tone: "Wanpin, do you plan to go by yourself, or do you need me to send someone to help you?"

"Your Majesty, do you really have to do this?" Zhen Huan asked.

Nian Shilan didn't want to say much, she just winked at Suxi who was standing on the side, and Suxi stepped forward and said, "Princess Wan, please follow me."

Afterwards, Zhen Huan slowly stood up with the support of Jing Xi, walked out of the palace with heavy steps, and finally knelt on the hard granite floor.