Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

Listening to the bustle coming from the main hall, Shen Mei Zhuang could not help sighing inwardly. Her mood grew even more stifled.

“Let’s go out for a walk.” She turned and went out at once. When Cai Yue and Cai Xing saw that, they hurried after her.

Mistress and servants left Xian Fu Palace without realizing it and headed toward the Imperial Garden. When they reached the Imperial Garden, Shen Mei Zhuang seemed to think of something, and she turned toward Yi Mei Garden instead. Cai Yue and Cai Xing exchanged a glance and quickly followed. As they walked, they soon arrived at Yi Mei Garden.

In early summer, the plum blossoms bore fruit, and the garden had entered its dormant season. Yi Mei Garden no longer had lush, blooming scenery. It was silent and still, as if the palace maids and eunuchs who watched over Yi Mei Garden were not even there. Shen Mei Zhuang and her attendants arrived without disturbing anyone.

They wandered through Yi Mei Garden, and no one knew what she was thinking. Suddenly, voices came from up ahead.

“Poor Noble Lady Hui!”

“Yeah. I heard this time they’re going to Yuan Ming Garden, and there’s no place for her.”

“You know what Noble Lady Hui gets from the imperial kitchens? It’s not even as good as what we junior maids eat.”

“Everyone says Noble Lady Wan and Noble Lady Hui are as close as sisters, so why isn’t Noble Lady Wan taking care of Noble Lady Hui now that she’s fallen out of favor?”

At that, Cai Yue and Cai Xing’s faces changed. They were just about to speak, but Shen Mei Zhuang shook her head at them. So mistress and servants stood there quietly, listening to the two young palace maids gossip.

“Honestly, where are there any real sisters in the palace? Everyone is fighting for His Majesty’s favor. How could anyone give their own favor away?”

“Noble Lady Hui’s family background is even better than Noble Lady Wan’s. Why isn’t it Noble Lady Wan who curries favor with Noble Lady Hui?”

“Noble Lady Hui just isn’t smart. I heard she and Noble Lady Wan only spent a short time together when they were little. No matter how close they were, there’s a limit.”

“It was normal to value loyalty when you were young and naive. But Noble Lady Hui didn’t need to yield just because Noble Lady Wan was favored. In the harem, who doesn’t want to become a favored consort and be as glorious as Noble Consort Hua?”

“Noble Lady Wan is favored, but she never thinks about looking after Noble Lady Hui.”

“What’s there to look after? Once consorts enter the palace, they only use each other.”

“Maybe Noble Lady Wan doesn’t even want Noble Lady Hui to be favored. Noble Lady Hui comes from a better family. If both of them were favored, Noble Lady Hui’s rank would definitely be higher than hers.”

“So Noble Lady Hui is a real fool. She doesn’t compete for favor because of Noble Lady Wan. She probably forgot her natal family is counting on her to be favored in the palace, to bring honor to the family and create opportunities for them.”

“If the Shen family knew what Noble Lady Hui has been doing in the palace, would they be disappointed?”

“They raised a daughter for more than ten years, and in her heart her natal family isn’t as important as a young lady she met a few times when she was little. She plans everything for Noble Lady Wan and never plans for herself, let alone fights for honor for her family.”

“And the most important thing is, Noble Lady Wan isn’t even sincere with her. If the other ladies saw this, they’d be laughing themselves to death.”

“Who doesn’t know Noble Lady Wan eats bird’s nest every day to keep her skin pretty? Noble Lady Hui can take silver to the imperial kitchens all she wants, but so what? She doesn’t even eat as well as Noble Lady Wan’s palace maid.”

… Shen Mei Zhuang could not listen anymore. She turned and walked away. A few sentences echoed in her mind.

“She is a fool.”

“Her natal family will be disappointed.”

“Noble Lady Wan eats bird’s nest every day to keep her beauty.”

“She doesn’t even eat as well as Noble Lady Wan’s maid.”

Before she realized it, tears filled her eyes. Before she even noticed, the tears slipped down uncontrollably. Just as she was about to walk out of Yi Mei Garden, a figure came toward her from the front. Lost in her own emotions, she did not see anyone ahead and walked straight into them.

“Ouch!”

Only then did Shen Mei Zhuang realize she had bumped into someone. She looked up, and surprise flashed across her face. “Your Majesty?!!” Coming back to herself, flustered, she immediately bowed.

“I pay my respects to Your Majesty.”

“Mei’er, what is it?” The Emperor saw the tears on her face and her earlier dazed look. He thought she had remembered the child she lost in Yi Mei Garden.

His expression and tone softened at once. “If you’re in a bad mood, I’ll accompany you back.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Shen Mei Zhuang wiped away her tears and gave the Emperor a gentle, lovely smile.

Perhaps because he had not seen Shen Mei Zhuang for a while, the Emperor suddenly found her irresistibly pleasing to the eye. So the two of them walked hand in hand, heading back toward Xian Fu Palace…. News that Shen Mei Zhuang had run into the Emperor at Yi Mei Garden spread through the entire harem like a gust of wind. After hearing it, the other consorts did not take it to heart.

Things like that were far too common in the palace. When Zhen Huan heard the news, she froze. It was as if only then did she remember her Sister Mei. She moved her lips, wanting to say something, but she found she did not even know what she could say.

“My lady, Noble Lady Hui hasn’t been to Sui Yu Pavilion in a long time.” Huan Bi’s tone was a little dissatisfied. “Is she blaming us because last time we dragged her into it and she was confined to her palace to reflect?”

“Sister Mei isn’t that kind of person.” Zhen Huan shook her head gently. “She knows His Majesty doesn’t like her. That’s why she deliberately didn’t compete for favor during this time, hoping His Majesty would forget the bad impression. Look at how Sister Mei kept quiet for the past few months. Didn’t His Majesty pity her again? If I had to guess, this time Sister Mei will definitely be able to go to Yuan Ming Garden.”

“I really didn’t expect Noble Lady Hui to be that calculating.” Huan Bi pouted unhappily. “To regain His Majesty’s favor, she was ruthless enough not to come visit you even once for months. This servant thinks that, in Noble Lady Hui’s heart, you are not as important as His Majesty’s favor.”

“His Majesty’s favor is of course important.” Zhen Huan’s tone cooled. “What Sister Mei did wasn’t wrong.”

“In the future, my lady, don’t tell Noble Lady Hui everything…”

… The next day, Noble Lady Hui’s name was added to the Yuan Ming Garden list. It was exactly what everyone expected. After they finished paying respects at Jing Ren Palace and walked out, Zhen Huan, all smiles, held Shen Mei Zhuang’s hand as they walked. “I knew you’d find a way to be favored again, Sister Mei.

Looks like I didn’t interrupt your plan.”

“What are you saying, Ying’er?” Shen Mei Zhuang wore a faint smile. “His Majesty’s pity is my blessing.”

“Sister Mei, don’t try to hide it from me.” Zhen Huan deliberately winked at her. “That move of yours was impressive. His Majesty will feel even more sorry for you from now on.”

“It was just a chance encounter.” Shen Mei Zhuang shook her head lightly, feeling uncomfortable inside.

She had not expected Zhen Huan to be so certain she had used tricks to compete for favor. Unfortunately, with things like this, the more you explained, the less people believed you.

“Sister Mei, you don’t believe me anymore?” Zhen Huan complained with a teasing smile. “We all understand these things. Nobody will laugh at you, Sister Mei.”

“Of course not.” Shen Mei Zhuang could not win an argument with her, so she changed the topic. “Ying’er, you’ve had favor all these months. Have you gotten pregnant?”

“No.” Zhen Huan put away her smile and touched her belly. “I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t recover properly, but there’s not even a hint of news.”

… The two of them seemed to return to how they used to be. In truth, both of them understood: once something happened, feelings could never go back to what they were before. Ten days passed in the blink of an eye. Li Si Qi’s carriage was spacious, and the two chubby little ones played inside.

The capital was not far from Yuan Ming Garden, but there were too many people traveling. They got into the carriage at daybreak and did not arrive at the gardens until the start of the Shen hour in the afternoon.

“Your Highness!” Xiao Song Zi ran over to report. “You, the Sixth Prince, and Princess Wen Ning will be staying in the Shui Tian Yi Se courtyard.”