An Lingrong after rebirth

An Lingrong smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. This is not a good thing at all. It's just that I saw Your Majesty worshiping Buddha, so I embroidered a longevity quilt for you. I don't know if it will please Your Majesty."

As soon as she finished speaking, An Lingrong gave Qiufang a look. Qiufang came forward holding the quilt, and together with Zhuxi, she lifted the quilt and held it in front of the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother looked at the quilt, stretched out her hand and touched the word "longevity" on it. After a long while, she sighed and said, "Last time, I praised Concubine Shu for her good embroidery skills. After a few months, her embroidery skills have improved again.

It's hard for you, a pregnant woman, to take the trouble to embroider a quilt for me.

An Lingrong looked at this scene and thought that this quilt touched the Empress Dowager's heart.

Although she was happy in her heart, she still spoke modestly: "As long as the Queen Mother likes it, it's good. It's worth it even if I'm tired.

It’s just that I don’t have any good fabrics, this fabric was sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs when I entered the palace, I hope the Queen Mother won’t despise it.”

Lady Shu is so thoughtful, how could I despise her? The cloth sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is just waste cloth, so what?

The Queen Mother sighed and said, "Well, you must be tired after standing for so long. Sit down and talk! Zhuxi, please sit down."

"Thank you, Queen Mother." The two of them sat down. For a moment, they really couldn't find anything to say, so they waited for the Queen Mother to take a closer look at the Wanshoufu quilt.

The Queen Mother looked at it for a long time before letting the bamboo breath go away. She smiled and said, "Mrs. Shu is thoughtful. I like it very much."

The Queen Mother said to Zhu Xi who was about to leave, "Go to the storehouse and bring us the pair of gold bracelets inlaid with gemstones and the Chinese character for longevity."

Zhuxi responded and retreated. After a while, he brought a brocade box over.

Shen Meizhuang originally thought that it was going to be given to An Lingrong, but the Queen Mother waved to them and asked them to come here. Shen Meizhuang was confused, but still walked over obediently.

The Queen Mother took one and gave it to An Lingrong, and prepared to give the other to Shen Meizhuang, but Shen Meizhuang knelt down in fear. "Your Highness, I don't deserve this."

The Empress Dowager pulled Shen Meizhuang up and put the bracelets on her without saying a word. I was pregnant with...but she stopped talking because she thought of something. This pair of bracelets was a reward from the late emperor. They are rare and precious things, so I will give them to you two sisters.

You two sisters have your own merits. Shu Guiren is clever, and Shen Meizhuang is dignified. The emperor just needs such people around him. Even if something is good, it has value only when someone wears it.

The two of them looked at each other, supported each other, knelt down, and said in unison: "Thank you very much, Your Majesty the Queen Mother."

Okay, get up. You just came here after paying your respects to the Queen. I guess you two sisters haven't had breakfast yet. Don't starve. Go back.

The Queen Mother had already said so, so the two of them couldn't stay any longer and had to thank her and leave. Although Shen Meizhuang had many questions, she couldn't ask them because Zhu Ying was around.

Seeing that Shen Meizhuang had a lot of questions to ask, An Lingrong smiled and said: Sister, you accompanied me to the Empress Dowager's palace today, or you can come back to the Yanx Palace with me and we can have dinner together.

Shen Meizhuang naturally knew what An Lingrong meant, and they talked behind closed doors. Then she nodded, and said, "I'm sorry to bother my sister."

My sister is so polite, could it be that she is also polite to Lady Wan? Shen Meizhuang covered her mouth and laughed secretly, grabbing An Lingrong's hand. Rong'er is naughty, is she also naughty sometimes?

An Lingrong grabbed Shen Meizhuang's arm and said, "No more words, no more words, let's go!" An Lingrong lifted Shen Meizhuang's arm and looked at their bracelets. "Sister, this bracelet is so beautiful. The Queen Mother is so polite."

Shen Meizhuang nodded in agreement and said, "It looks good. I'll give it to you. After all, you've worked hard for several months and I feel unworthy of it."

Zhu Ying, who was behind them, heard the two people talking about bracelets and said, "My two young ladies, this pair of bracelets was given to you by Empress Dowager Hui when she married Princess Wenxian."

An Lingrong was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and she and Shen Meizhuang said in unison, "Princess Gulun, the emperor's biological sister." Then the two smiled at each other.

What the two ladies said was that Princess Wenxian was the fifth princess of the late emperor and was very much loved and smart. Unfortunately, God was jealous of her talent and she suddenly fell ill when she was in her twenties, which broke the empress dowager's heart.

After so many years, the empress dowager was able to take out this pair of bracelets and reward them to the two young ladies, which showed that the young ladies really caught the empress dowager's eyes.

Zhuying's words were sincere, and Shen Meizhuang was shocked. However, An Lingrong had other thoughts in her mind, thinking that she had also known the Empress Dowager in her previous life.

From a little maid, she climbed all the way to become the Defei, controlled the harem for many years, and later became the empress dowager. I don't know how much sadness and experience she had along the way.

If the Queen Mother could so easily treat herself and Shen Meizhuang as her own people, An Lingrong would not believe anything they said.

It's just that since she's pregnant and has good relations with a big family like Shen Meizhuang, she has to be careful about threatening the position of the queen.

No matter how good the things are, they belong to the Queen Mother. What does it have to do with Princess Gulun? It's just a favor, so there's no need to take it to heart.

An Lingrong understood this and pretended to be moved, saying, "It is such a blessing that the Empress Dowager values ​​me and my sister so much. Fortunately, my aunt said so, otherwise the Empress Dowager's kindness would have been in vain."

After hearing An Lingrong's words, Zhu Ying remained unchanged and replied, "Noble Lady Shu and Noble Lady Shen are both intelligent people. How could they let the Queen Mother's affection go to waste?"

An Lingrong smiled and said, "Sister Mei, although it is March now, the weather is not very warm after all. It always feels chilly. Let's go quickly."

I asked Xing'er to prepare almond milk crisps and osmanthus sugar cakes. You must try them.

Shen Meizhuang said with a smile: "Since my sister said so, I will definitely eat more. But Rong'er is pregnant and it is not easy for her to walk fast, so let's walk slowly."

The two of them walked away while talking and laughing. At the corner of the palace wall, a figure looked at their departing backs, snorted with an indignant look on his face, glared in the direction they left, and then turned and left.

Inside the Broken Jade Pavilion

Zhen Huan held an embroidery frame with a bright yellow piece of fabric on it. Liu Zhu stood by with a smile, watching Zhen Huan embroidering stitch by stitch. Although her movements were not very skillful, the pattern became more and more distinct.

"My lady, your embroidery of the golden dragon playing with pearls is getting better and better, and more and more lifelike," Zhen Huan said with a smile, "You are so sweet-talking. My embroidery skills can also be described as lifelike."

If we talk about embroidery skills, it goes to Concubine Shu in the Yanxi Palace. After she finished speaking, Zhen Huan didn't know what she was thinking about. She pursed her lips, the smile on her face disappeared, and she lowered her head to continue embroidering.

Liu Zhu didn't see Zhen Huan's expression, and answered while looking at the embroidery frame. The style of the clothes on Concubine Shu looked very well embroidered, and it didn't look like it came from the Imperial Household Department. Maybe she embroidered it herself!

Zhen Huan nodded and stopped talking. After a pause, Zhen Huan looked up and asked Liu Zhu, "Is the lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cake prepared for Sister Mei ready?"

Don't worry, my lady. I have already prepared it and am keeping it warm on the stove so that Lady Shen can have it hot when she comes.

Are you thirsty, my lady? Let me pour you a cup of tea. Zhen Huan nodded. Liu Zhu turned around and poured a cup of tea for Zhen Huan. As soon as she took it, she heard a muffled sound coming from the door!

The two looked at each other and saw Huanbi coming in with an angry face. She was so angry that she even forgot to be polite.

She just stood straight in front of Zhen Huan. Zhen Huan was already a little upset, and seeing Huanbi like this made her even angrier.

Zhen Huan exhaled lightly, suppressed her anger, and asked, "What are you doing like this? Didn't I ask you to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to get your share? What's going on?"

Huanbi twisted her handkerchief, her eyes red with anger, and she said in a crying voice: "I just feel sorry for the young lady!"

Zhen Huan thought of the fact that Huanbi was her biological sister, so her voice softened a bit, she sighed, and asked, "What happened? You rushed in so angrily, do you want me to guess what you're thinking?"

Huanbi bit her lip before speaking, "The young lady prepared lotus root powder and sweet-scented osmanthus cake for Shen Meizhuang, but Concubine Shen forgot about it and followed Concubine Shu to Yanxi Palace to eat almond milk crisps and sweet-scented osmanthus cake."

Zhen Huan was stunned and asked in confusion: "Sister Mei went to the Queen Mother's Shoukang Palace? Why did she go to Yanxi Palace?"

Huanbi rubbed her nose and said angrily, "Whether Lady Shen went to Shoukang Palace or not, I don't know. I saw them talking and laughing as they went to Yanxi Palace. I can't be wrong."

Zhen Huan suddenly exerted force with her hands, but forgot that she was holding the embroidery frame and embroidery needle, and immediately cried out in pain. Liu Zhu exclaimed, hurriedly took the embroidery frame and embroidery needle from Zhen Huan's hands, and asked hurriedly: "My lady, are you okay?"

Zhen Huan looked at the small blood spot on the tip of her finger and said softly, "It's okay, it's just a prick, don't worry."

Liu Zhu replied: "I'm glad that you are alright, but it's a pity that the golden dragon playing with the pearl is so beautiful."

Zhen Huan looked down and saw a drop of blood on the embroidery cloth. She said helplessly, "Since it's stained with blood, it can't be used. You can cut it off."

Liu Zhu said distressedly: "My lady has put so much effort into this. It hurts me to see it."

Zhen Huan waved her hand and said, "Go ahead."

Huanbi continued, "Shen Meizhuang clearly promised my lady that she would accompany me, but she forgot when she saw Concubine Shu. Or is it because Concubine Shu is favored that she is like this? What can I say..."

Sister Mei wouldn't be like that. She probably forgot about it since she came out of the Empress Dowager's Palace. You can go back and send the lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cake to Xianfu Palace. It's already been made and can't be wasted.

Huanbi was puzzled, "My lady, can't we keep it for ourselves? Why do we have to give it to Concubine Shen?" Zhen Huan frowned and said, "Just go if I tell you to. Why are you so talkative?"

Zhen Huan once again stopped Huanbi from saying anything, "Okay, no need to say anything, go down." Huanbi's anger turned into grievance, she bent her knees and ran out.

When Zhen Huan saw Huanbi like this, she sighed helplessly and stared blankly ahead, not knowing what she was thinking.

An Lingrong took Shen Meizhuang to explore clothing patterns for her unborn child. They spent the entire afternoon there, and only left the Yanx Palace and returned to the Xianfu Palace when it was almost dark.

When leaving, Shen Meizhuang was all smiles. Caiyue said happily, "My lady, you can only be so happy in the Yanx Palace. I haven't seen you so happy for a long time."

Shen Meizhuang said with a smile, Lingrong is one of the few people I can talk to. Besides Huan'er, there is only Lingrong. Oh, Shen Meizhuang exclaimed.

Caiyue, didn't you agree to go to Suiyuxuan today? Caiyue seemed to have just remembered it. Yes, how could the young master forget this.

Shen Meizhuang said distressedly, Huan'er is really going to be angry now. My lady, didn't you say that Concubine Wan and you have known each other since childhood? She shouldn't be angry. Let's go tomorrow.

Shen Meizhuang looked up at the sky. It was too late today. She could only go tomorrow. Having made up her mind, Shen Meizhuang didn't think about it anymore and walked quickly towards Xianfu Palace with Caiyue.

Shen Meizhuang lived in the east wing hall of Xianfu Palace, so she didn't have to pass through Jingpin's main hall. Jingpin didn't care about these trivial matters, so Shen Meizhuang didn't bother her and went straight back to her own east wing hall.

The master and servant were talking happily, but as soon as they entered the hall, they saw Caixing squatting and picking up something that looked like porcelain fragments.

Seeing this, Shen Meizhuang asked, "What happened to Caixing? Did she break something?" Caixing looked up and Shen Meizhuang saw her red eyes. Did she cry?

Shen Meizhuang's sudden voice scared Caixing so much that her hand trembled. Something cut her hand into a bloody hole and she cried out in pain.

Upon seeing this, Shen Meizhuang hurriedly asked Caiyue to go forward and help Caixing up. Only then did they see that there were not only broken porcelain pieces on the ground, but also some scattered cakes.

The ground was in a mess. Shen Meizhuang looked at the situation on the ground and asked in a deep voice, "What happened to Caixing? What are these?"

Caixing let go of Caiyue's hand, bent her knees, and then answered, "My lady, you blame me for being useless. This is lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cake, which was sent by Huanbi from Suiyuxuan."