Crossing the Palace Fighting Fox Harem

"Yun Zhen, why are you staring blankly again?" Concubine Baogui waved her hand in front of Yun Zhen's eyes.

Yun Zhen finally came back to his senses, but his eyes looked a little sad, perhaps he suddenly remembered something sad. His eyes swept across Baogui Concubine's face, and finally returned to the peach-red jade hairpin on Ji Anni's head. He whispered in a voice that probably only he could hear: "So you still kept this hairpin."

Hearing this, Guibao Concubine's expression became a little strange, and there was a hint of sadness in her smile, but she forced herself to keep smiling and said, "Of course I'll keep it. Who would be willing to throw away such a beautiful thing?"

Yun Zhen didn't answer again, but from the faint melancholy on his face, it could be seen that he seemed to be recalling something from the past.

Concubine Baogui quietly tidied Ji Anni's hair and clothes, with a gentle and sad smile on her lips.

Ji Anni had no idea what they were talking about. She just felt that the atmosphere suddenly became a little heavy, and the hand that Baogui Fei was holding her also trembled slightly.

Whether it was Yun Zhen or Concubine Baogui, the smiles on their faces showed a bit of pain, always giving people the feeling that they were forcing a smile.

"Empress Baofei..."

Just as Ji Anni was about to ask what was going on, Concubine Baogui suddenly interrupted her and said, "My dear sister, it's getting late. If we don't set off now, I'm afraid the Queen Mother and the three concubines will be waiting anxiously, and we will all be punished."

After saying that, he pulled Ji Anni and walked out the door.

Yun Zhen called out from behind: "My Queen..."

Baoguifei's body froze, and she suddenly stopped walking, but she did not turn around. She turned her back to Yunzhen and whispered, "Master, I will take care of Sister Zhaoji. You can go back without worry."

As soon as Concubine Baogui said this, not only Yun Zhen, but even Ji Anni was stunned.

I have always heard Concubine Baogui calling Yun Zhen "Yun Zhen", but now I suddenly heard her calling him "National Master". Even a person as thick-skinned as Ji Anni felt that it was abrupt and had a strong sense of expulsion. It was as if Concubine Baogui was intentionally using this "National Master" to distance herself from Yun Zhen.

The harmonious atmosphere just now seemed to be put into a refrigerator and the temperature dropped sharply.

Concubine Baogui gently held Ji Anni's hand, but was not in a hurry to leave. She just kept her back to Yun Zhen, as if she wanted to wait for Yun Zhen to give her an answer.

Ji Anni turned around and looked at Yun Zhen worriedly.

Yun Zhen stood there blankly, still in the same position as when he called out "Empress". He took a half step forward with his right foot, as if he was about to catch up, but stopped abruptly when he heard Concubine Baogui's order to expel him.

Yun Zhen's throat choked, and Ji Anni thought he had something to say, but after a few seconds of waiting, Yun Zhen still didn't utter a word. He just stood there blankly, staring at Baogui Concubine's back, as if waiting for her to turn around and look at him. But Baogui Concubine disappointed Yun Zhen, she looked straight ahead, and had no intention of turning her head at all.

Is there really...something going on between this Baogui Concubine and Yun Zhen?

Ji Anni increasingly felt that their relationship was unusual.

From the first time she saw Yun Zhen, Ji Anni had a good impression of him, but now that she vaguely realized that there was something going on between Yun Zhen and Baogui Concubine, she was not jealous or envious, but very worried.

If Concubine Baogui and Yun were really in love... then one can imagine how painful their love must have been.

One is a noble concubine, the other is a state teacher. Although both are outstanding, they are destined not to love each other.

Ji Anni was still in a daze, so Concubine Baogui pulled her away.

Yun Zhen still stood there, not chasing after him, nor shouting. The blow that Guibao Fei's words "imperial master" had brought to him could be imagined. Just two words had completely deprived Yun Zhen of his ability to act.

Ji Anni was pulled out of the West Palace by Concubine Baogui. When she came to her senses, she found that they were already standing in front of a carriage with a red canopy.

"Good sister, don't be dazed when you see the Queen Mother later." Concubine Baogui smiled again and pulled Ji Anni into the carriage.

***

The two sisters sat in the car and headed towards the banquet.

It was already very late and even the moon had risen.

The palace was quiet, with only the sound of horse hooves and wheels ringing continuously in the ears.

Concubine Baogui took the time to give Ji Anni some advance education in the car so that she could better cope with tonight's banquet.

Today's dinner is hosted by the Queen Mother, and the banquet is held in the "Wen Yi Hall" which is close to the Queen Mother's Palace.

There were seven guests invited to the banquet, including the concubines of the East, South, West and North Palaces, the Queen Mother's beloved daughter "Princess Tianning", as well as Zhao Ji and Zhao Ji's little prince.

In the car, Concubine Baogui carefully reminded Ji Anni of several etiquette matters that she needed to pay attention to. In addition, she also mentioned "Princess Tianning". Concubine Baogui said that the Queen Mother did not invite Tianning to the banquet, but Tianning heard the news from somewhere and pestered the Queen Mother, clamoring to attend. The Queen Mother could not coax her and finally had to agree.

The current emperor, Long Mohan, is the adopted son of the empress dowager. Although the empress dowager did not give birth to a prince for the late emperor, she gave birth to a princess, Tianning.

Princess Tianning was only thirteen years old, but the Queen Mother doted on her to the sky, and the entire palace knew it.

But Princess Tianning was not a good princess who kept to herself. She always got into trouble everywhere and dared to offend anyone. From the prime minister and generals to the palace maids and eunuchs, she dared to bully even her brother, the emperor. So rumors like "You can afford to offend the emperor, but you can't afford to offend Princess Tianning" and "With this Princess Tianning, the world will never be at peace" spread in the palace.

The phrase "being spoiled and arrogant" is indeed true. Princess Tianning is spoiled by the Queen Mother, which is why she has become more and more perverse. She does whatever she wants in the palace and claims to be the king. She is fearless by nature. She knows that even if she makes a big mistake, there is a Queen Mother to help her clean up the mess. In this palace, she is not afraid of anyone except the Queen Mother.

And this time she insisted on attending the banquet tonight, probably because she was very interested in Zhao Ji.

"Good sister." At this point, Concubine Baogui couldn't help but hold Ji Anni's hand and warned her seriously, "If Tian Ning does something shocking at the banquet or says something disrespectful, you must not bother with her. She has a childish temper. Everyone in the palace has been mad at her. Don't take it to heart. If she says or does anything against you, you must be cautious in responding and don't act on impulse. Otherwise, in the end, you will be the one who suffers."

Ji Anni nodded blankly. Concubine Baogui's serious expression made her nervous as well.

Isn't it just a meal? What could Princess Tianning do? Besides, she was just a thirteen-year-old child. What's so scary about a junior high school student? Ji Anni not only didn't take Princess Tianning seriously, but also thought that Concubine Baogui was worrying too much.

Seeing that Concubine Baogui was frowning anxiously, Ji Anni held her hand and said, "Don't worry, sister. I've remembered everything."

Hearing this, Concubine Baogui nodded in relief, but the worry between her brows had not completely disappeared.

Ji Anni couldn't help thinking: Humph, what kind of Princess Tianning is it, to make Concubine Baogui so worried. I, Ji Anni, would like to meet you and see how many heads and arms you have.

Thinking of this, a faint smile appeared on Ji Annie's lips.

***

After explaining the matter to Princess Tianning, the carriage had not yet arrived at the Wenyi Palace where the dinner was held, so Concubine Baogui briefly introduced to Ji Anni the other imperial concubines from the East, South and North Palaces who would be attending the dinner tonight.

Concubine An, the daughter of the Prime Minister, is one year older than the Emperor. She is mature and dignified, and is determined to become the Empress. Because the Prime Minister is the Queen Mother's brother and Concubine An is the Queen Mother's niece, the Queen Mother often nags the Emperor to make Concubine An the Empress. But the Emperor seems to be lukewarm about Concubine An.

Concubine Gan, the Queen Nangong, is 20 years old, older, and of humble origins. Her father is only a county magistrate, but she is very beautiful and is deeply loved by the Emperor. He saw her at the first sight of the selection and made her a concubine, which made many concubines of the same class jealous. However, she is not talkative and doesn't say much to the Emperor. She is only very close to a maid named "Xue'er" beside her. This maid was brought from her hometown. The Emperor made an exception and allowed this maid to enter the palace as a maid, which was another manifestation of his special favor for Concubine Gan.

Concubine Kang of the Northern Palace, the daughter of General Zhenyuan, is the youngest and most lively of the four concubines. She is only eighteen years old, but she is proficient in all eighteen martial arts and likes to wield swords and guns like her father. Although she is not very popular with the Queen Mother, her righteous and straightforward character is very much to the liking of Princess Tianning. The two of them usually treat each other like sisters and have a good relationship.