Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Zhen Huan Chronicles, An Ling Rong

“Not bad.”

Consort Hua glanced at her from the corner of her eye. She found that this Answerer Xin was only somewhat pretty. Reassured, she withdrew the sharp aura around her. “If you hadn’t re minded this Consort yesterday, this Consort wouldn’t have noticed someone daring to ignore palace rules like that.

You did well. This Consort will reward you.”

“This concubine thanks Consort Hua!”

Li Si Qi greeted her with a smile. “This concubine only spoke the truth. I just hope Noble Lady Shen and Attendant Wan won’t blame this concubine.” Consort Hua was amused and let out a laugh.

The others could not help curling their lips as well. Of course, that did not include the two who were named, Shen Mei Zhuang and Zhen Huan. They fell into an awkward spot again.

“What is everyone laughing about?”

The Empress came out to smooth things over. Her gaze swept the hall, lingering deliberately on Shen Mei Zhuang and Zhen Huan. Soon it fell on Li Si Qi, and she smiled. “I heard Answerer Xin’s voice just now.

It seems Answerer Xin is very good with words, to make everyone so happy.”

“She isn’t good with words at all.”

Xia Dong Chun could not help retorting. “It’s already not bad that she doesn’t offend people.” Everyone’s expressions froze. The next moment, the laughter rang out even louder.

Xia Dong Chun looked foolish and cute, not understanding what they were laughing at. She kept muttering, “I’m telling the truth. She offended Noble Lady Shen and Attendant Wan badly. They’ll definitely take revenge on her later.”

This time, everyone laughed even harder. Noble Lady Fu Cha wanted to cover her face and pretend she did not know the two clowns from Yan Xi Palace. Of course, the two who were named again, Shen Mei Zhuang and Zhen Huan, held stiff expressions, as if they did not know whether to cry or laugh. If they could, they would have loved to find a hole and bury themselves.

“Oh my, I’m dying laughing.”

Consort Hua had not been this happy in a long time. She immediately ordered lavishly, “This Consort has a reward. Everyone in Yan Xi Palace will be rewarded!” Consort Hua was a great moneybag.

Who didn’t know her rewards were especially generous? Quite a few consorts who knew the details had envy flash through their eyes.

“Ahem!”

The Empress coughed twice, drawing everyone’s attention back.

“Sisters, play is play, but the main duty of consorts entering the palace is to continue the imperial line.”

The Empress smiled as she gently guided them. “Whether you are new consorts or old ones who entered from the manor, as long as you bear a child for His Majesty, this Empress will reward you heavily!” Seeing that Consort Hua was about to speak, the Empress hurried on. “Consort Hua, the new consorts have just entered the palace and are waiting to serve in bed.

You are at the rank of Consort, so you cannot monopolize His Majesty’s favor. Give the new consorts more chances.”

“Empress, what are you saying?”

Consort Hua’s face fell at once. She rolled her eyes in displeasure. “His Majesty likes me, so he naturally favors this Consort. You have no ability to keep His Majesty, so what does it have to do with this Consort?

If you want to steal this Consort’s favor, let’s see whether you have the ability.” As she spoke, she rose proudly to her feet and reached up to touch the pearl tassels hanging from her headdress. She lifted her chin high, domineering and overbearing. “You want this Consort to give His Majesty up?

Take a look at yourselves first and see if you’re even worthy. Hmph! Bitches are so melodramatic!” After throwing out those words, Consort Hua left Jing Ren Palace at once.

Concubine Li and Noble Lady Cao hurried after her. The atmosphere in the hall was heavy. That last sentence really cursed everyone present. The Empress’s face turned ugly to the extreme.

The new consorts lowered their heads and shrank back, not wanting to draw fire. Only Consort Qi had no sense at all. “Consort Hua has gone too far. How can she curse people like that?

Isn’t she cursing you too, Your Majesty?”

“Shut up!” The Empress shouted sharply.

She startled everyone present, especially the new consorts. They had not expected the gentle, kind Empress to show such a fierce side.

“Dismissed. All of you, dismissed.”

The Empress had no mood to deal with these new consorts. She simply drove them out. The consorts all left Jing Ren Palace. Everyone returned to their own palaces….

Shen Mei Zhuang and Zhen Huan walked together. They spoke softly as they headed toward the Imperial Garden.

“How unlucky.”

Zhen Huan complained in a low voice. “Sister Mei, why did An Ling Rong set her sights on us? She keeps finding trouble with us. She’s really disgusting.”

“Huan’er!”

Shen Mei Zhuang’s expression was not very good, and she said in a dull voice, “If anything, it’s because we weren’t careful and let her catch us by the handle. If we had been a bit more cautious, she wouldn’t have been able to use it against us.”

“Sister Mei, we didn’t do it on purpose, okay?”

Zhen Huan’s tone was full of defiance. “Even the Empress didn’t say anything. Only that fool, that simpleton, would point it out without caring about anything. She made us lose all face and let everyone in the rear palace watch us become a joke.”

By the end, she was grinding her teeth, hatred in her eyes.

“Huan’er, there’s no point getting angry now.”

Shen Mei Zhuang sighed helplessly. “In the end, we were the ones who made the mistake first. Now that we know she has a blunt, upright temperament, we have to act even more carefully in the future and not let anyone catch another handle on us.”

“She’s clearly just an idiot.”

The resentment in Zhen Huan’s heart was not small. She had lived comfortably in the main hall, roomy and pleasant. Now she had been driven to the side hall. Not only was it humiliating, the room was narrow and inconvenient.

Naturally, she had been unhappy the whole time. She did not think it was her fault and only took it out on An Ling Rong for causing her trouble.

“Huan’er, in the palace, it’s best to be cautious.”

Shen Mei Zhuang held her hand. “No matter how you put it, His Majesty’s favor is what matters most. Look at Consort Hua. Relying on His Majesty’s favor, even the Empress doesn’t treat her as a big deal.

If we have His Majesty’s favor, who would dare laugh at us in the future?”

“Sister Mei is right.”

Zhen Huan’s eyes lit up at once. “If His Majesty favors us, who would dare say anything about us again…”

“Oh no, that’s terrifying!”

“Who died in a well?”

“Could she have been thrown in?”

“It looks like Fu Zi from Consort Hua’s palace.”

… Several little palace maids, panic on their faces, hurried past them. Their voices carried clearly into the ears of Zhen Huan, Shen Mei Zhuang, and the others. Driven by curiosity, Zhen Huan saw Fu Zi soaking in the well. She was so frightened and flustered that she no longer had any mood to stroll through the Imperial Garden.

She and Shen Mei Zhuang each returned with their personal maids. The side hall of Sui Yu Pavilion. There was not much fear left on Zhen Huan’s face. She frowned, deep in thought.

“Young Mistress.”

Liu Zhu thoughtfully brought tea and pastries. “Eat something first to tide you over.”

“I…”

Zhen Huan took the teacup, and her gaze swept over the osmanthus cakes as white as jade. In her mind, she instantly saw that swollen, pale face soaking in the well. She hurriedly looked away, lowered her head, and said softly, “If I accidentally catch a cold, no one should keep watching me. Maybe I can avoid some trouble…”

“Young Mistress, this servant thinks that’s not appropriate.”

Huan Bi did not hesitate at all and directly cut off her fantasy. “Back in the Imperial Garden, Noble Lady Shen said that only His Majesty’s favor will let Young Mistress live well and not be bullied. If Young Mistress catches a cold, you won’t be able to serve in bed. Then Young Mistress won’t even get to see His Majesty.

Young Mistress has already been bullied by Answerer Xin. Without His Majesty’s favor, the days ahead will be even harder. Young Mistress, are you planning to live in the side hall forever? Don’t you want to move back to the main hall?”

“Huan Bi…”

Zhen Huan suddenly felt ice-cold, chilled to the bone. When she saw the disapproving looks on Huan Bi and Liu Zhu’s faces, she finally came to her senses. Now that she had just entered the palace and was being bullied, her proud heart could not quite bear it. If the days ahead were even worse than now…