The princess regretted it.

When Jin'an and Madam Zhao first entered Concubine Chun's courtyard, they saw her still dressed in simple, smart attire, busy drying herbs with Gancao. The sunlight bathed them, painting a picture of peaceful times.

Seeing Jin'an and the other two coming, Concubine Chun and Gancao quickly put down their work and came forward to greet them. They invited Jin'an into the house. Concubine Chun was about to take Gancao downstairs to change into decent clothes, but was stopped by Jin'an.

Jin An smiled and said, "Your Excellency, there's no need to bother. I see you haven't finished tidying up the herbs in your yard yet. I'll just sit for a while and then leave. You'll have to continue working soon, and won't you have to change clothes again? Sit down and just chat with me."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Chun had no choice but to sit down as instructed. Gancao, with great foresight, immediately went to make tea.

After Concubine Chun sat down, Princess Jin'an looked at her clothes with a faint smile on her face and asked, "Concubine Chun, do you dress like this every day?"

Concubine Chun smiled and shook her head, saying softly, "Although this small courtyard is usually deserted, I only dress like this when I need to collect herbs. It makes things easier."

"I see. But, did you make these clothes yourself?" Jin An nodded slightly, looking at Concubine Chun with his bright eyes full of curiosity.

"Princess, I also know how to do needlework." Concubine Chun raised her lips slightly, her expression full of tenderness. "In my free time, I make some clothes myself. The herbs in this yard need constant care, so making some simple clothes will make it easier to move around. And if I make them myself, I can adjust them to my needs, so they fit better."

Princess Jin'an's eyes lit up with admiration when she heard this. "Your Excellency's ingenuity and dexterity are truly admirable. I see the style of this dress is also very unique. I'm sure you must have put a lot of thought into making it."

Concubine Chun smiled softly, "Princess, you are too kind. Actually, I learned this style of clothing from my mother. When I was at my mother's house, my mother would change into this style of clothing when preparing herbs. I have only made some minor modifications now."

At this time, Gancao came in with tea, placed it on the table, and then obediently stepped aside. Princess Jin'an picked up the teacup, took a sip, and praised, "What kind of tea is this? It's so fragrant, and the taste is different. Unlike the previous one with its herbal astringency, this one is mellower than the previous one. Is this a flower tea?"

Concubine Chun smiled and said, "Princess, you have good taste. This is indeed a scented tea. The white one is jasmine, which has the effect of promoting qi and relieving depression. The red one is rose, which has the effect of soothing the liver and regulating qi, and beautifying the complexion."

Jin'an listened with great interest as Consort Chun introduced the tea, his eyes sparkling as if filled with stars. "I didn't expect you to know so much. The combination of this floral tea is truly ingenious. It has a pleasant aroma and so many benefits. Do you have a lot of this floral tea?"

When Concubine Chun heard Princess Jin'an's question, she understood what she meant and smiled slightly. "Although it's not much, if Princess likes it, I can prepare some for her."

Princess Jin'an was delighted. "Thank you very much, Your Excellency. This scented tea is truly delightful. If I have free time in the future, can I come here often to drink tea?"

Concubine Chun nodded slightly, "It is my honor that the princess likes it. I welcome the princess to visit at any time."

The two chatted for a while longer. Despite the age difference, it didn't affect their communication at all. Princess Jin'an was drawn to Concubine Chun's gentleness and purity, while Concubine Chun admired Princess Jin'an's intelligence and agility. They seemed to have found a soulmate, their conversation filled with understanding and resonance.

Princess Jin'an then rose to take her leave. Concubine Chun escorted her to the door. Princess Jin'an glanced back at the courtyard. Though small, it was a rare haven of peace within the deep palace. She secretly hoped that no one would disturb her tranquility. She also hoped that her father would enjoy this quiet time and the wonderful scented tea with Concubine Chun.

As soon as Jin'an left the courtyard, Changsun Hongze received the news that she had met with Chun Guiren. He had previously arranged for Fuquan to investigate Chun Guiren, and Fuquan cleverly left someone to keep an eye on her, so without Chun Guiren and Jin'an knowing, they had already fallen into the emperor's control.

Changsun Hongze heard that Jin'an had gone to Concubine Chun's place and that his mood had brightened after he came out. He couldn't help but become even more curious about Concubine Chun. Fuquan had said she had served him in the bedroom, but unfortunately, he had no memory of it. He had originally considered summoning Concubine Chun to serve him in the bedroom, but when he remembered the Jinjia Guards returning to report on Concubine Zhang's movements, he gave up the idea. He decided to take time out over the next two days to secretly check on Concubine Chun.

Jin An didn't know about her father's decision, or else she would have sighed. Her father, a son of heaven, had to go through so much trouble to see a woman. She also hadn't expected to have an unexpected guest in her palace—Changsun Wuwang. The Third Prince had come on the news. What news had he heard? Of course, the news that her great-aunt and her father had visited Jin An in the past few days.