Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“I’m sorry. Yun Li overstepped.” Prince Guo let go at once and cupped his hands. “In my urgency, I did not mean to offend. Please forgive me, Noble Lady Wan.”

“You… you…” Zhen Huan’s head spun. She backed away a few steps and said awkwardly, “Your Highness, if you have something to say, say it properly.”

“Yes.” Prince Guo did not make any rash moves again. His voice grew even gentler. “Noble Lady Wan, please rest assured. This place is secluded, and very few people come here. It won’t alert anyone. “If you rush away, it may make others suspicious and bring you trouble. That is why Yun Li stopped you from leaving.” “I understand.” Zhen Huan slowly calmed down. Pretending to be composed, she asked, “Why is Your Highness in the palace?” “Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is recuperating.” Prince Guo explained. “Yun Li came especially to pay her a visit.

“This afternoon, I need to accompany His Majesty in a game of chess, so I went to Ning Hui Hall to rest for a while. I didn’t expect to meet Noble Lady Wan here.” “So that’s how it is.” Zhen Huan had wanted to ask about the Empress Dowager’s health, but she suddenly remembered the news she had heard a few days ago.

She swallowed the question that had reached her lips. Her gaze drifted to Prince Guo’s handsome face. For some reason, another face flashed in her mind. The Emperor!

Zhen Huan’s heart jolted. She quickly looked away. When she thought of the Emperor fooling around with Yu Ying’er in the Imperial Study in broad daylight, disgust rose again. These days, she resisted in her heart and claimed illness to push away the chance to serve him in bed.

She knew this was not a solution. But she truly could not accept that the “wise and righteous ruler” in her heart could be such a ridiculous man.

“Noble Lady Wan, what’s wrong?” Prince Guo’s eyes flickered. Without meaning to, his voice carried a trace of pain for her. “If something troubles you, Yun Li is willing to share your worries.”

“N-no, nothing.” Zhen Huan froze, then lowered her eyes and refused without a sound.

“If it isn’t convenient to say it, then forget it.” Prince Guo smiled. His gentle tone held concern she could not ignore. “I hope Noble Lady Wan can open her heart a little. In life, misfortunes are far more common than wishes. “I hope you won’t take certain things too much to heart. What matters most is that you live happily. “Don’t let others control your emotions. Yun Li hopes you can be yourself, follow your heart, and not force yourself or wrong yourself. “In Yun Li’s eyes, nothing is more important than yourself. If you make yourself sad over other people’s matters, it isn’t worth it.” “Thank you for Your Highness’s concern.” Facing such a refined, gentle man, Zhen Huan’s face reddened again. She lowered her head and answered softly, “I’m fine. Nothing is wrong.” “That’s good.” Prince Guo smiled. Just then, he saw Huan Bi and Cui Jin Xi coming over. He felt a quiet regret that they came too quickly, yet he had to speak again. “Your maid and Jin Xi are here. Yun Li won’t disturb Noble Lady Wan any longer. “I hope the next time Yun Li sees Noble Lady Wan, you’ll have that sweet, lovely smile on your face again. “Yun Li takes his leave!” After leaving those words behind, Prince Guo turned and walked away. Zhen Huan lifted her head and stared blankly at the figure disappearing into the distance. For some reason, a sudden reluctance rose in her heart…. Yi Kun Palace! “Song Zhi!” A hoarse voice came from the bed. Song Zhi, who had been dozing, jolted awake at once. “Your Highness, you’re awake?” Song Zhi lifted the bed curtains. Seeing the woman who looked utterly worn down, her heart ached. “Your Highness, do you want some water to moisten your throat? Imperial Physician Jiang is waiting outside.” “Alright.” Consort Hua spat out a single word and did not speak again. After that, Song Zhi and Nanny Jiang, who hurried in at the sound, bustled about together. They helped her change into clean clothes and washed and groomed her carefully. Then they supported her upright and fed her half a bowl of chicken broth and half a bowl of bird’s nest porridge. With something in her stomach, Consort Hua refused to eat any more. “This subject pays his respects to Consort Hua.” Imperial Physician Jiang entered and knelt to salute. Consort Hua ignored him, her eyes unfocused as if she was thinking of something far away. “Imperial Physician Jiang, hurry and rise.” Nanny Jiang spoke for her mistress. “Her Highness’s throat is uncomfortable. Quickly take a look at her.” “Yes!” Imperial Physician Jiang bent at the waist as he stepped forward. He covered Consort Hua’s wrist with a fresh handkerchief, then began taking her pulse. After a long while, Imperial Physician Jiang withdrew a few steps, still bent in respect. “Your Highness lost too much blood and it harmed your vitality. Worry is knotted in your heart, your qi is bound in your chest, and Your Highness’s vocal cords are also injured. All of it requires careful recuperation.” “Did you take the little princess’s pulse?” Consort Hua suddenly spoke. A sharp light flashed in her eyes. “Speak. Did you take the little princess’s pulse?” “Replying to Your Highness, this subject did take the little princess’s pulse.” Imperial Physician Jiang did not dare hide anything. “The little princess was weak. The main reason was that she was not well nourished in the womb. Your Highness nearly miscarried several times, and it harmed the little mistress greatly.

“Even though the little princess was carried to term, her frail body could not be changed. However, this subject…” Imperial Physician Jiang frowned, confusion on his face. “Even if the little princess was weak, she shouldn’t have died the moment she was born. “Two months ago, when this subject took Your Highness’s pulse, I was certain that after the little princess was born, as long as she was cared for attentively, she could grow up and reach adulthood. “I truly didn’t expect the little princess would be this weak after birth – weak enough to die immediately.”

“You’re not lying to me?” Consort Hua stared at him steadily. Her voice was not loud, but it was cruel. “Are you certain my little princess was killed by someone?”

“Imperial Physician Jiang, that wretch Le’er prepared medicine in the delivery room to make Her Highness hemorrhage…” Nanny Jiang could not help asking, “If so, it should have nothing to do with the little princess. Then how could the little princess die the moment she was born?”

“Haven’t you realized it yet, Nanny?” Imperial Physician Jiang looked helpless. “The problem was of course with that palace maid Le’er. She attended Your Highness closely for these past two months, didn’t she? “Think carefully. She had access to anything Your Highness used. This subject can be certain she made a move against Your Highness long ago. “Otherwise, the little princess could not have grown weaker and weaker in the womb.”

“I understand.” Consort Hua’s eyes turned red in an instant from rage.

She clenched her fists hard and said through gritted teeth, “That poisonous woman, the Empress. First she had someone drug me, so my little princess would grow weaker and weaker. Even if she was born, she still wouldn’t live. “Then she had someone strike in the delivery room, trying to take my life.

“Fine. Very fine. “Ula Nara·Yi Xiu, I swear, in this life, I, Nian Shi Lan, will not stop until one of us is dead!” Her voice carried a sharp, absolute hatred. The people in the room felt a chill run from their tailbones straight to the tops of their heads. Their scalps tingled, and goosebumps rose all over…. Imperial Study. “Su Pei Sheng!” The Emperor signaled him to pass down the edict, then sighed. “And check how Noble Consort Hua is doing as well.” “Yes.” Su Pei Sheng accepted the imperial edict and personally went to Yi Kun Palace. As he left, he happened to run into Yu Ying’er coming in to serve the Emperor. Su Pei Sheng deliberately let her see the edict. When he saw her eyes brighten at once, the corners of Su Pei Sheng’s mouth lifted high. “This servant pays respects to Your Majesty.” “Rise.” “This servant thanks Your Majesty!” “Come grind the ink.” “Yes, Your Majesty. Did Your Majesty promote someone’s rank?”… The voices behind him grew quieter and quieter. After Su Pei Sheng returned from Yi Kun Palace, he heard that Yu Ying’er had been promoted to Respondent Yu and moved to the rear hall of Chu Xiu Palace. If the news of Respondent Yu entering the harem did not surprise anyone… Then the imperial edict promoting Consort Hua to Noble Consort Hua caused an uproar throughout the harem. No one expected Consort Hua would be promoted to Noble Consort. His Majesty truly favored Consort Hua! In that instant, every concubine in the palace realized it. A promotion to Noble Consort should have been a joyous occasion for everyone in Yi Kun Palace. Yet Yi Kun Palace was icy and quiet, as if no one cared about the joy of this promotion at all. “S-so that’s how it is!” Noble Consort Hua wept until her tears fell like rain. Choking with sobs, she said, “His Majesty is using the rank of Noble Consort to make me let go of my hatred?”