Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Miaoqing's New Assistant Since Kang Luhai never left Suiyu Pavilion, Zhen Huan did not poach anyone from Consort Li's palace in this lifetime. Thus, the two had no grudge between them. Moreover, Zhen Huan was not late today, so Consort Li had no reason to criticize her. Upon careful consideration, at the Tangquan Imperial Travel Palace, Nian Shilan had received the Emperor's favor more times than Zhen Huan. After returning, there was neither Pepper Chamber favor nor consecutive days of her name being chosen. In this lifetime, Zhen Huan's prominence could not overshadow Consort Hua in any way. 【In my previous life, This Consort punished Shen Meizhuang here by making her copy a volume of the Nu Lunyu. Yet she dares to stand here again, along with that wretch Zhen Huan, offending This Consort's sight!】 Nian Shilan glanced at Shen Meizhuang, too lazy to say anything, and walked straight away. Shen Meizhuang's eyes held a smile: Look, the past and present are already different. Everything can be changed. She and Consort Hua can change, and Huan'er can too! Shen Meizhuang took Zhen Huan's hand and walked silently beside the procession. When Nian Shilan walked faster, the two of them walked faster; when Nian Shilan slowed down, they slowed down as well. Without speaking, they followed closely step by step. Consort Li couldn't hold back any longer. "What are Noble Lady Shen and Zhen Changzai doing?" Shen Meizhuang replied softly, "Your Highness has been away at the Traveling Palace for many days. This concubine has not seen you for a long time and misses you dearly, so I wish to serve by Your Highness's side." Consort Li said unhappily, "Noble Lady Shen's ability to speak with eyes wide open is becoming more and more impressive. Didn't you go to Yikun Palace yesterday?" "Yesterday was for palace matters, today is for personal reasons. They are different." Shen Meizhuang wasn't confronting or refuting her, but these words easily left Consort Li speechless. Nian Shilan was someone who, as long as you stroked her fur the right way, was easy to deal with. "Did Noble Lady Shen have honey for breakfast this morning? Such a sweet little mouth?" "During the days Your Highness was away from the palace, the flowers in the Imperial Garden have bloomed beautifully. Since Your Highness returned, you have been busy with harem affairs and likely haven't had time to enjoy them. The weather is nice today. Why not go to the Imperial Garden together for a look?" How could Nian Shilan not know Shen Meizhuang's purpose? 【I know you sisters are close, but I didn't expect you to go to such lengths for her.】 She glanced at the silent Zhen Huan beside her. 【This Consort is also puzzled. Your 'old cow' has been taken away by Sun Miaoqing. Instead of thinking of ways to coax and compete for favor, why are you so eager to curry favor with This Consort?】 Old cow? Was it because the Emperor was an old cow eating young grass? Zhen Huan lowered her head even further, afraid to reveal even a hint of a smile and be misunderstood by Consort Hua. Seeing Shen Meizhuang's enthusiasm, Nian Shilan figured that if she didn't go to the Imperial Garden today, Shen Meizhuang would likely drag Zhen Huan straight into Yikun Palace. "Let's take a walk in the Imperial Garden." Hearing Consort Hua relent, Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan glanced at each other with lowered heads: There's hope! As they walked, Shen Meizhuang asked as if casually, "Your Highness, who are the Fourth Prince and his birth mother? Why did Empress become so angry upon hearing about them?" 【No matter who the birth mother is, the future adoptive mother is right before your eyes.】 The adoptive mother is right before their eyes? Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan immediately ruled out Consort Li in their minds. Judging by Consort Hua's tone, she certainly wasn't either. That left only... 【Niohuru Zhen Huan.】 !!! What happened later that she wasn't even worthy of keeping her own surname? Perhaps others might see this as supreme honor, but Zhen Huan felt it was betraying her ancestors, especially since she suspected that this so-called imperial favor in others' eyes was, in all likelihood, again because of the Emperor's deceased wife. She felt even more resentment toward the Emperor. Personal grudges are personal grudges, and idle chatter is idle chatter. Although Consort Li did not like Shen Meizhuang, upon hearing her ask about the Fourth Prince, she still enthusiastically explained: "The Fourth Prince's birth mother was lowly and ugly, and the Emperor disliked her immensely. This dislike extended to the Fourth Prince as well, so he has been raised in the Yuanming Yuan Xinggong and is not permitted to enter the palace." Zhen Huan casually asked, "If she was ugly and lowly, and the Emperor disliked her so much, why would he ever favor her?" Nian Shilan glanced at Zhen Huan out of the corner of her eye, pursed her lips, and rolled her eyes. [They're all lowly women. If the Emperor can favor you, why couldn't he favor her?] Zhen Huan: "..." I shouldn't have spoken just now. Sun Miaoqing, supporting Consort Qi's arm, emerged from Jingren Palace a step later and saw Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang timidly trailing behind Consort Hua's procession up ahead. In her previous life, when Zhen Huan received favor, this queen of female rivalry didn't dare to target her directly and instead turned her spearhead toward Shen Meizhuang. Now that Zhen Huan isn't as favored, I wonder if it's my turn to copy that Nu Lunyu this time? Fragments of the plot from her past life surfaced in her mind: This time, she was the one who received exclusive favor for seven days. Today, she would also suggest that the Emperor go to Changchun Palace. Looking at it now, she seemed to be playing the role of the female lead, so those punishments probably wouldn't fall on her. Upon returning from Changchun Palace, Hongqu whispered to her, "Mistress, the person you asked me to find earlier has been located." Sun Miaoqing, who had just sat down, stood up excitedly. "Really?" "Absolutely true, but..." Hongqu hesitated slightly. "But what?" Sun Miaoqing was most worried about variables right now. "But he's just an ordinary imperial physician, newly entered the Tai Yi Yuan. He doesn't seem to have any particularly outstanding qualities. Why would you think of using him, Mistress?" Is that all? Sun Miaoqing's eyes filled with pride. "What's wrong with an ordinary imperial physician? Think long-term." To rise in the palace intrigue, she must have someone in the Tai Yi Yuan. She had thought of this even before entering the palace. Unfortunately, the Tai Yi Yuan wasn't a place where one could easily plant people. Among those already there, Chief Imperial Physician Zhang Mi was the Empress's person, Jiang Cheng and Jiang Shen were Consort Hua's people, and Wen Shichu was Zhen Huan's person. The rest either belonged to the Empress Dowager or the Emperor—no one could touch them. As for the remaining small fry and useless ones, if others didn't value them, she naturally didn't either. Only this Wei Lin, whom she had someone search for, though newly entered the Tai Yi Yuan, was ambitious, bold, and sharp-eyed. Without Zhen Huan saying a word, he could guess her underlying intentions. Moreover, once he pledged loyalty to a master, he was sufficiently devoted. That he could replace Wen Shichu in the future spoke volumes about his abilities. Currently, he was still inconspicuous in the Tai Yi Yuan, and she was only an Attendant. This was the perfect time to join forces and grow together. With Wei Lin, she would have the capital to win over another person—the strongest support on Zhen Huan's path to power.