Legend of Zhen Huan: Zhen Huan is reborn

052 Spring Recovery

Winter comes late and ends late.

It seemed to be reluctantly delaying its departure.

It is already the end of February, but the weather is still bitterly cold, making people feel as if they are still deeply trapped in the embrace of winter.

These days, Zhen Huan went to the Empress Dowager's palace to serve as usual. She sat quietly at the desk, copying Buddhist scriptures for the Empress Dowager.

Her handwriting is neat and powerful, and every stroke contains deep respect and piety.

(Shoukang Palace)

The winter chill has not yet completely gone away, and thick layers of snow are still piled on the branches of the trees outside the temple, making the whole place look white and peaceful.

Occasionally, when a cold wind blows, the snow on the branches will fall down, making a slight cracking sound, breaking the silent atmosphere.

In the Boshan stove on the table, sandalwood was burning quietly. The smoke from the stove rose up and lingered lightly in the air, exuding a quiet and deep fragrance.

Zhen Huan sat beside the Queen Mother, looking calm, as if she was out of this world.

There was an ethereal temperament between her brows, just like the wisp of smoke from the Boshan furnace, looming.

Zhen Huan spoke softly, her voice gentle but clear: "Does the Queen Mother also like sandalwood?"

The Queen Mother raised her eyes slightly and looked at Zhen Huan, with a hint of admiration in her eyes: "People who worship Buddha use sandalwood. I can't say whether I like it or not, but this sandalwood can really make people feel peaceful."

She then asked, "The concubines in the harem are young and rarely use this fragrance. How do you recognize it?"

Zhen Huan smiled and explained, "I sometimes light sandalwood in the palace to calm my mind. I think it can calm people's minds better than benzoin."

After hearing this, the Queen Mother smiled and nodded: "Yes, there are bound to be unhappy things in life. Knowing how to use sandalwood to get rid of them is a kind of wisdom."

Their conversation continued in the faint scent of sandalwood. Zhen Huan's calmness and intelligence made the Queen Mother appreciate her even more.

And Zhen Huan also felt the Queen Mother's kindness and wisdom during her communication with her.

This light scent of sandalwood not only made the two people's mood more peaceful, but also brought them closer together.

(Smashed Jade Pavilion)

It's spring now, and the spring breeze is blowing, but Zhen Huan has always felt cold these past two days, and has felt sleepy from time to time.

When Yinzhen walked into the bedroom, she was reclining on the couch, almost falling asleep, and she didn't even notice his arrival.

Yinzhen sat gently beside Zhen Huan, fiddling with the familiar string of green beads in his hands, and said with some concern: "Didn't I say I would come over? Why did you go to bed first? Are you tired from copying books in the Empress Dowager's palace?"

Zhen Huan slowly opened her eyes and saw that it was Yinzhen. She struggled to get up, with a hint of apology in her voice: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have been feeling unwell these past two days. I have only been copying Buddhist scriptures for a few days and I feel weak."

Yinzhen saw her pale face and felt sorry for her, so he said softly, "Since that's the case, you should take a good rest for a few days and don't have to go to the Queen Mother's Palace anymore."

Zhen Huan shook her head and insisted, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty, but I like to keep the Queen Mother company. She has been worshipping Buddha for many years. With her guidance, I can concentrate when copying Buddhist scriptures. Besides, Sister Mei often goes there to keep the Queen Mother company. How can I not go?"

When talking about Shen Meizhuang, Yinzhen's expression was a little complicated: "Speaking of Mei'er, I went to see her two days ago, but I always felt that she had changed."

Zhen Huan frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "Maybe Sister Mei saw that the emperor was busy with state affairs every day and felt sorry for him, so she wanted him to rest for a while. She has a gentle personality and is always considerate of the emperor. The emperor doesn't need to worry too much."

Yinzhen nodded, as if convinced by Zhen Huan's words, and did not mention the matter again.

Zhen Huan nodded slightly and continued, "Your Majesty, have you visited the Empress these past two days? As the mother of a country, the Empress has to take care of many trivial matters every day. If Your Majesty can spend more time with her, it will be a blessing for the harem."

After hearing this, Yinzhen smiled and said jokingly, "You asked me to go to the Queen's Palace yesterday, and you are urging me to go again today. Is Huanhuan jealous?"

Zhen Huan shook her head slightly and responded with a smile: "How dare I compete with the Queen for favor? I just hope that the Emperor can pay more attention to the Queen and that the harem will be harmonious. This is also what I wish for."

Yinzhen nodded and said seriously: "Then I will go to the Queen's Palace for lunch tomorrow."

Zhen Huan thought for a moment and suggested, "If the emperor goes to have lunch, the queen may have to be busy for it. It is better to have dinner instead. This way, the queen can relax a little, and the emperor can rest with the queen and be closer to her."

After hearing this, Yinzhen nodded approvingly: "My Huanhuan is indeed generous and decent, and she considers everything for me so thoughtfully."

Zhen Huan said softly, "I just hope that the harem will be harmonious and the emperor will be happy. Huan Huan doesn't want to make things difficult for Si Lang."

Yinzhen looked at Zhen Huan deeply, and a warm feeling surged in his heart.

-

As spring approaches, the weather gradually warms up, and people get rid of the cold of winter and go outdoors to enjoy this rare warmth.

Zhen Huan and Ling Rong were no exception. They went to the Queen's palace early today to pay their respects.

(Jingren Palace)

Zhen Huan and Ling Rong walked into the hall and saw Yi Zheng sitting in the main seat, looking at the concubines below with a smile on her face.

They either gathered together and whispered, or sat alone, fiddling with exquisite toys in their hands, and everyone's face was filled with a happy smile.

"Your servant greets Her Majesty the Queen." Zhen Huan and Ling Rong bowed respectfully.

"Everyone, please stand up and take a seat." Yixiu said with a smile, his gaze lingering on the two of them for a moment, with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Zhen Huan and Ling Rong sat down as they were told, and their eyes followed Yi Xiu's gaze as she moved among the concubines.

Noble Lady Fucha was almost three months pregnant. Concubine Qi asked with a smile, "It's almost three months, right?"

Fu Cha Peiyun smiled and responded: "Indeed, once the first three months are over, the fetus will be more stable."

An Lingrong also interjected, "Noble Lady Fucha looks really rosy today."

Fu Cha Peiyun nodded, her face filled with happiness: "Yes, ever since I got pregnant, I have been in a particularly good mood. Besides, there are fewer annoying people in the Yanxi Palace, so I feel even more relaxed and comfortable."

Hearing this, An Lingrong's face froze slightly, and Zhen Huan immediately reminded her: "Noble Lady Fucha, please be careful with your words."

Fu Cha Peiyun knew very well that she could not win the argument with Zhen Huan. In response to Zhen Huan's reminder, she just rolled her eyes lightly and then turned around to talk to Concubine Xin.

Zhen Huan and An Lingrong were whispering in the corner, enjoying this rare moment of peace and quiet.

However, this warm scene was interrupted by Fang Chunyi.

She said to Zhen Huan in a coquettish tone: "Sister Wan only cares about Sister An and ignores me. I am also your sister."

Zhen Huan couldn't help laughing when she heard this. She patted Chun Er's hand gently and said gently, "Yes, you are naturally my sister. Aren't all of you here sisters?"

Chun Er seemed to be amused by Zhen Huan's words. She pulled her sleeves to show them to Zhen Huan and said proudly, "I have gained weight recently. Look, sister, the sleeves of the clothes I made at the beginning of the new year are tight now."

Her words were full of childish innocence and cuteness, which made Zhen Huan laugh.

Such a scene is rare in the harem, showing the harmony and joy between Zhen Huan and the concubines.

Looking at Chun'er's satisfied and slightly naughty look, Zhen Huan couldn't help but smile and count on her fingers what she had eaten that day.

She whispered, "Yes, look at your appetite. For breakfast, you had two bowls of red rice porridge and three fried dough sticks. For lunch, it was even more sumptuous, with well-cooked fat chicken and duck, which you ate with gusto. It's not even dinner time yet, but you can't resist having a snack. At night, if I hadn't stopped you, I'm afraid you would have finished the bowl of stewed ham elbow. Despite this, you still complained that you were hungry and had a midnight snack."

This remark caused everyone to laugh, even the usually disdainful Concubine Hua couldn't help but smile.

After Zhen Huan finished speaking, she tried her best to resist the soreness in her cheeks from laughing too much, and continued to tease, "Chun'er, your belly is getting rounder and rounder. If this continues, I'm worried that you'll become a little fat. We in the palace don't have to worry about not being able to afford food, but you have to be careful and don't get your belly hurt."

Chun Er's face flushed with shyness. She stamped her feet and said coquettishly, "Sister always loves to tease me."

She lowered her head and gently stroked the crimson German flag dress on her body, with a bit of embarrassment on her face. "But you are right, sister. I should control my food intake. The emperor said that I have to change new clothes every two months, either because I have grown taller or because I have gained weight. In fact, I envy Sister An. She is always so thin."

The queen listened, smiled gently, and comforted her: "It's okay to be a little fat, as long as the emperor doesn't dislike you. Your sister An is pregnant now, so she should eat more, so that she can add more children to the royal family and bring more blessings."

An Lingrong smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Queen. Sister Huan often advises me to eat more, but my appetite is really limited and I can't eat much."

Her voice is soft and humble, giving people a gentle feeling.