The Regent's Little Wife

Si Ning slowly told the truth: "That day my horse was frightened and I accidentally fell off a cliff. Fortunately, I was saved by the river and then by a farmer. Because of the serious injuries, I have not returned yet. Now that my injuries have healed, I hurried back."

Jun Yuanxun and Chen Han both breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

In the afternoon when there were a few gentle breezes, several guards hiding in the dark heard some rumors but did not dare to show up easily.

These days, they have been hiding like shadows, knowing that even if the Regent Jun Yuanxun is extremely powerful, it is difficult for him to touch those trusted secret guards who are directly loyal to the empress. The boundary between power and loyalty is particularly clear at this moment. At this moment, Shunzi suddenly knelt on the ground, tears gushing out like a spring, and his voice choked with sobs: "Your Majesty... You are finally back. I deserve to die for failing to protect you."

Jin Yu, Zhi Hang and Mo Yu followed closely behind and also knelt down, with mixed feelings in their hearts.

Especially Mo Yu, the scene of the empress in danger that day was still vivid in his mind. He thought it was a godsend opportunity, but he never expected that the disappearance of the empress would make him feel uneasy.

The words "everyone is equal, regardless of high or low" echoed in his ears like a spell, driving him to search for the empress in the vast forest for more than a month, until they met again today. The complex emotions he felt were beyond words.

Jin Yu looked at the returning empress, and the heavy stone in his heart finally fell to the ground. He secretly thought that this life was so different from the previous life. The disappearance and return of the empress Si Ning seemed to foreshadow a turning point in fate.

But as long as she remains the wise ruler, all the mistakes of the past seem insignificant. She is the chosen one, the only empress on this land, and her return undoubtedly brings new hope to this continent.

Si Ning returned to the court, and everything seemed to be back on track.

She still maintained her diligence, attending court in person every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to handle state affairs; and the rest of the time was spent on resting and studying. As her mentor, Chen Han personally taught her how to govern the country.

On this day, Si Ning and her maid Cui Zhu were strolling in the imperial garden, enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet.

Just then, a faint sound of conversation broke the silence.

It turned out to be Xia Jin, a servant in the harem, who was waiting in a corner of the garden with his servant.

The servant advised worriedly, "Master, you have been waiting for a long time, but His Majesty has not yet arrived. The weather is getting colder, and you are weak. It is better to return to the palace as soon as possible."

Xia Jin shook his head stubbornly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation: "Wait a little longer, maybe His Majesty will come to see me."

The servant had no choice but to continue persuading her, his words revealing his dissatisfaction and helplessness with the palace's hierarchy.

Si Ning listened quietly, with ripples in her heart. In this world where women are supreme, she originally thought that the harem should be a different scene, but she never thought that even at the pinnacle of power, she could not completely avoid the complexity and struggle of human nature.

Those who are not favored and have no strength behind them will also be bullied and looked down upon by the servants. Regardless of their status, everyone should have the right to pursue happiness and dignity.

Suddenly, Si Ning stepped out from behind the shade of the tree, with a warm smile on his face, and whispered softly: "Jin'er loves me deeply, who dares to bully him? I will punish him severely."

Xia Jin was whispering with her attendants, and had not expected the sudden arrival of Empress Si Ning. She could not help but feel a surge of surprise and excitement. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Your Majesty." Xia Jin bowed gracefully.

Si Ning raised his hand gently, saying, "No need to be polite. You are still weak, so there is no need to be polite. It's cold in this autumn, so be careful not to catch a cold."

Xia Jin's eyes were slightly red, and his voice was slightly choked with sobs: "Your Majesty, is it really you? I thought I would never see your face again in this life. The Regent said that your Majesty was in poor health and refused to let anyone in."

Si Ning gently held Xia Jin's hand and comforted him with pity: "Look, I'm fine, right? Have you been well these days? Has anyone dared to be rude to you?"

Xia Jin forced a smile and said, "I am doing well in the palace, Your Majesty, don't worry."

At this time, the servant beside Xia Jin saw that his master was hiding the truth, and anxiously interrupted, "Master, you have finally met His Majesty, how can you still hide it? Have you forgotten all the grievances you have suffered?"

Xia Jin's face darkened, he glared at the servant fiercely, and sternly stopped him: "Shut up! Don't talk nonsense in front of your majesty. Your majesty, Xiaoman is immature, please don't take it to heart. In the harem, a little twists and turns are normal, and it's nothing for me to suffer a little grievance. Your majesty, please don't take Xiaoman's words to heart."

As a modern person who traveled through time, Si Ning could naturally understand the deep meaning of the servant's words. She knew that although the harem was not as complicated as the ancient palace, it was also full of undercurrents. Xia Jin's mother was once a prominent figure in the officialdom, but she was severely punished by the regent for corruption and her family was exiled.

Xia Jin could not escape this disaster, but Si Ning pardoned him and allowed him to stay in the palace because of his years of companionship. However, without the support of his natal family, Xia Jin could not avoid being looked down upon and bullied in the palace. Whether in ancient or modern times, regardless of whether one is a man or a woman, it is indeed difficult to gain a foothold without the support of a family.

Si Ning chatted with Xia Jin for a few more words and then left. Si Ning felt that it was better for him to stay away from these so-called harems. Si Ning had seen female green tea before, and male green tea was even more powerful than female green tea.

Another servant in the harem was called Si Qi. His family background was relatively good, his father was the governor of the Nine Gates and the regent's man, so although he was just a servant in the harem, he always bullied Xia Jin.

Si Qi is a handsome and elegant man, but his heart is full of darkness and calculation. He thinks he is very smart and good at using various means to achieve his goals. He is ambitious and desires more power and status.

He and Xia Jin entered the harem in the same year. Ying Xia Jin had a baby face, and Xia Jin was good at singing and dancing. Especially when she danced a stunning dance, she was simply too charming.

Xia Jin is an innocent, kind and simple boy. His smile is as warm as the sun, making people want to get close to him. He is full of love and yearning for life, and always faces all difficulties with a positive attitude. However, his innocence is also one of the reasons why he is bullied by Si Qi.

This made Si Qi jealous, but the two had the same identity. At first, Si Qi could only do something bad in private or secretly.

Si Qi often looks for opportunities to provoke Xia Jin, deliberately stirs up trouble, and then accuses Xia Jin of not knowing the rules in front of everyone. However, Xia Jin, who is introverted and not good at speaking, often cannot refute Si Qi's accusations and can only endure it silently.

But sometimes Si Qi would secretly destroy Xia Jin's things, such as cutting his strings, scratching his clothes, etc. Although these small actions would not cause much harm to Xia Jin, they made him feel very troubled.

But later, Xia Jin's family suffered a change, which made Si Qi, who had always been dissatisfied, even more jealous of Xia Jin. She thought that this time she would definitely drive Xia Jin out of the palace. Unexpectedly, he stayed in the palace.

Having lost his backer, Xia Jin began to suffer frequent troubles from Si Qi. And this harem is a place full of deception and power.