An Lingrong after rebirth

"Sister, do you think this etiquette of paying respects is really so important?" The young concubine blinked her bright eyes and asked the older concubine beside her in a soft voice with a puzzled look on her face.

"Of course, sister. This ceremony of paying respects is a vital part of palace etiquette. It not only represents the supreme respect for Her Majesty the Queen, but also reflects the clear hierarchical differences and orderly order among everyone in our harem." The older concubine nodded slightly and responded seriously.

"But, sister, I think these rules are too complicated." The young concubine frowned slightly, seeming a little dissatisfied.

"Sister, this is the palace, and there are naturally many rules. You can't slack off in the slightest, otherwise you will get into big trouble." The older concubine said earnestly.

"I understand, sister." The young concubine nodded, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes.

As the two were talking, a panicked maid rushed in and shouted, "Oh no! Something terrible has happened! An Changzai was poisoned by a maid after serving His Majesty. The Emperor directly exempted her from paying respects to the Queen and told her to recover before going!"

"What?" The older and younger concubines exclaimed at the same time, their faces full of astonishment. Whose work was this? Is it necessary to have a newcomer?

"How is this possible? How could An Lingrong suddenly be poisoned?" the young concubine asked anxiously.

"I don't know either. The whole palace is in an uproar. Everyone is talking about it and I don't know what to do." The maid was panting, obviously she had run all the way here.

"No, we have to go and check it out quickly." The older concubine made a prompt decision and pulled the younger concubine out.

"Sister, wait for me." The young concubine shouted and followed closely.

"Oh my, what should we do?" Someone stamped his feet anxiously, frowning.

"Yes, what decision will the emperor make?" another person echoed worriedly.

At this moment, the emperor, who was always known for his kindness and generosity, was well aware of the difficult situation before him. Under such circumstances, it would obviously not be a wise move to force An Lingrong to come and pay her respects.

So, he made a prompt decision and announced loudly: "I hereby pardon An Lingrong from the responsibility of paying respects this time, so that she can concentrate on recuperating and recovering her health as soon as possible."

As soon as the emperor's words fell, they were as deafening as the sound of a bell, and the sound was like thunder, as if it would break through the clouds and resound throughout the palace. The lingering sound was endless, echoing between the palace walls for a long time...

In an instant, the palace was in an uproar, with people whispering to each other.

"The Emperor cares for his beloved concubine in every possible way. He is so thoughtful and considerate! He is so affectionate and kind. He is truly a benevolent monarch!" Some people couldn't help but sigh with admiration on their faces.

"Yes, yes, people as magnanimous as the emperor are extremely rare! Such a wise and intelligent monarch is rare to come by!" Another person hurriedly echoed, his words full of admiration.

However, while everyone was praising it, there was a small group of people with evil intentions who began to have evil thoughts in secret and secretly speculated on the reasons behind it.

One of them looked solemn and frowned, and he lowered his voice and said softly, "Is there some unspeakable secret behind this?

Could there be something else going on here?" He said as he glanced suspiciously at the people around him.

The man next to him had a flickering look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about something. After a long while, he responded in a low voice: "Hmm... I think this may be possible. Maybe this matter is inextricably linked to the Queen..."

Having said this, he suddenly stopped talking, as if he realized that he had said something he shouldn't have, and quickly closed his mouth and said no more.

Under the careful treatment of Imperial Physician Luo Rui, who was as skilled as the reincarnation of Hua Tuo, after just a few days, An Lingrong, who had been sick and pale as paper, quickly recovered her vitality and vigor like a flower caressed by the spring breeze.

Her beautiful face regained its charming glow, and her eyes became bright and lively.

Every night, the emperor would come to An Lingrong's bedroom on time, as if he was going to an important date. He was dressed in a gorgeous dragon robe, walked steadily and solemnly, and his face was filled with concern and tenderness.

After entering the bedroom, the emperor would gently sit beside the bed, hold An Lingrong's soft and boneless hand, and ask softly: "My beloved, do you feel better today?"

An Lingrong raised her head slightly, staring at the emperor with her affectionate eyes, with a happy smile on her lips, and replied softly: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine now. It is all thanks to your great fortune and the miraculous hands of Imperial Physician Luo Rui that I was able to recover so quickly."

The emperor smiled and nodded, saying, "That's good. I have always been concerned about your health. Now that I see you recover so quickly, I am relieved."

An Lingrong said with emotion: "I am so lucky to receive such great love from Your Majesty."

The emperor stroked An Lingrong's hand and said, "My beloved, take good care of yourself. If you need anything, just let me know."

An Lingrong lowered her head shyly and said softly, "I am fine. I just hope I can spend more time with Your Majesty."

The emperor smiled and said, "I also hope to spend more time with you, but I am busy with state affairs and cannot visit you often."

An Lingrong said quickly: "I understand that Your Majesty puts state affairs first, and I dare not complain in the slightest."

The emperor looked at An Lingrong with deep affection in his eyes and said, "My beloved, you are so considerate."

An Lingrong blushed and said, "I am just doing my duty."

The emperor and An Lingrong smiled at each other, the atmosphere was warm and sweet.

The emperor said happily, "It is due reward. Everyone in the Yanxi Palace who has taken care of Changzai will be rewarded. All servants and slaves, thank you for your grace."

Listening to An Lingrong's sweet voice, the emperor was filled with joy. He gently stroked An Lingrong's hair and said with deep emotion: "My beloved concubine has suffered a lot. You must take good care of yourself in the future."

In this warm atmosphere, the two smiled at each other, their eyes full of affection for each other. They either talked about poetry and songs together, or enjoyed the wonderful music played by court musicians, or shared some interesting things in life.

At this time, An Lingrong always smiled particularly brightly, as if she had forgotten all her worries and sorrows. The emperor was also immersed in this rare tranquility and happiness, enjoying the good time with his beloved.

The next morning, the sun shone faintly through the clouds, as if covering the whole world with a veil.

An Lingrong got up early, dressed up carefully, and went to the Queen's residence with her personal maid Qiufang, ready to pay her respects to the Queen to express her respect and obedience to the Queen.

Along the way, An Lingrong was feeling uneasy, not knowing what kind of situation she would face today, but she knew very well that in this deep palace, she had to be careful in her words and actions in order to survive.

Qiu Fanglianer followed her master silently.

The two walked slowly forward, passing through palace gates and corridors, and finally arrived in front of the queen's bedroom. At this moment, the palace was filled with a solemn atmosphere, which made people feel awe.

In the early morning, the sun shines through the clouds, casting a faint golden glow, casting a mysterious and solemn veil over the entire palace.

An Lingrong was wearing a plain and elegant light blue robe, with beautifully embroidered cloud patterns on the sleeves, which seemed to flutter with her steps. The hem of the robe was outlined with delicate patterns made of silver thread, which shimmered with a faint light. She had a light blue belt tied around her waist, which was inlaid with several crystal clear gems, which complemented her robe.

Her long hair cascaded down her back, gently brushing against her fair skin. She wore a delicate hairpin on her head, adorned with a few pearls, adding a touch of elegance to her.

An Lingrong walked towards Jingren Palace with light steps. She was a little nervous, but more expectant and awed. She knew the importance of this meeting, so she dressed up carefully, hoping to leave a good impression.

When she arrived at the gate of Jingren Palace, she saw two short, handsome eunuchs standing there straight, like two sculptures guarding the gate. They quietly guarded the gate while An Lingrong waited at the gate of Jingren Palace for the Queen to summon her.

At this moment, a light sound of footsteps was heard. An Lingrong turned her head and saw Concubine Qi walking slowly towards them, supporting an elderly maid.

Concubine Qi was wearing a pink brocade robe and a dazzling jeweled headdress, which made her look particularly noble and elegant. However, when she saw An Lingrong, a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes.

"Who is this? Which palace is she from? Why did she come so early?" Concubine Qi frowned and asked. After all, An Lingrong was just a new concubine, and Concubine Qi had only met her once, so it was inevitable that she would forget.

Facing Concubine Qi's questioning and majestic gaze, An Lingrong was as calm as a pool of still water. She took a deep breath slowly and steadily, as if sucking all the tension into her stomach, and then took a small step forward with an elegant pace.

Then, she bent her knees slightly and performed a standard court etiquette with a nearly perfect posture. Her movements were smooth and natural, without any sense of delay.

She opened her red lips and uttered a soft and gentle greeting: "I am from the An family, paying my respects to Concubine Qi." The voice sounded like the chirping of an oriole in the woods in the early morning, clear and pleasant, like the sound of nature, which made people feel relaxed and happy.

Concubine Qi was slightly startled, with a hint of surprise in her eyes. She stared at the seemingly weak but actually tough woman in front of her, and thought to herself, "So you are the protagonist of the recent poisoning incident in the Yanxi Palace that has become famous in the palace and attracted everyone's attention—An Lingrong?"

An Lingrong was not at all timid because of Concubine Qi's gaze. She met her gaze calmly, nodded and replied, "Your Majesty, it is me." Her words revealed determination and confidence.

Seeing this, Concubine Qi smiled faintly, seeming to be quite satisfied with An Lingrong's performance. She raised her arm slightly, motioning An Lingrong to stand up, and said, "In that case, please stand up quickly.

I have something important to do and need to go to Kunning Palace to meet the Empress, so I will go first. Please wait here for a moment." After saying that, Concubine Qi turned and left, leaving behind a back figure.

An Lingrong quietly watched Concubine Qi walk away, and a wave of emotion welled up in her heart. She knew very well that Concubine Qi wanted to cling to the Queen's power, hoping to use this relationship to ensure her own stable position, and even fantasized about ascending the throne of the Holy Mother Queen Dowager one day.

Unfortunately, fate is always contrary to one's wishes. In the end, Concubine Qi not only failed to get what she wanted, but ended up with a tragic end - her own son was expelled from the throne by the Yellow Emperor and was forced to become the eighth son, and she herself lost her precious life for this. Thinking of this, An Lingrong couldn't help but shook her head helplessly and sighed softly: "Alas, it's really fate that plays tricks on me..."

Concubine Qi trotted into Jingren Palace. Seeing that the Queen had just stood up, she hurried over, took over the work from the palace maid and served the Queen.

The Queen got up late today, otherwise I would have come a little late. The Queen leaned to the side, not wanting to pay attention to Concubine Qi. Seeing that the Queen ignored her, Concubine Qi continued: There is someone who came earlier than me.

The Queen asked, who came earlier than you? An Changzai from the Yanx Palace was waiting outside the palace. It looked like she had been here for quite some time. The Emperor asked her to get well before coming to pay her respects. It seemed that she was well again!

Concubine Qi was thinking that she hadn't seen the emperor for a long time. This bitch pretended to be sick these days, and the emperor had to accompany her for several days. Humph, what I thought... The queen hid a smile in her eyes and stopped talking. Jianqiu quickened the pace to pack for the queen.

An Lingrong and her two personal maids had been waiting here for a long time, and finally heard a faint but clear sound of footsteps coming from afar. They turned around quickly and saw that the person coming was the gentle, dignified and elegant sister Mei.

"I have often seen Lady Shen at An's." An Lingrong bowed slightly and saluted.

Shen Meizhuang hurriedly stepped forward to help An Lingrong up, and asked with concern: "Sister Lingrong, please get up quickly. Are you feeling better now?"

A grateful smile spread across An Lingrong's face, and she replied softly, "Thank you for your concern, sister. I'm fine now, and I'm much better." After that, the two looked at each other and smiled, as if thousands of words were contained in this brief and warm exchange of glances.

Shen Meizhuang looked at An Lingrong carefully and praised sincerely, "Sister, you look even more beautiful and charming. I feel pity for you. You are really lovable."

An Lingrong lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly and said coquettishly, "Sister, please stop teasing me." Afterwards, the two of them stopped talking and just waited quietly for the summons from the palace.

At this moment, Xiu Xia, a maid from Jingren Palace, gently opened the door, stepped forward and saluted the two of them, saying, "The Queen Mother invites the two young ladies to wait in the middle hall."