The Legend of Zhen Huan: Rebirth of An Lingrong: Counterattack to Become the Queen Mother

"Sister, this lantern festival will definitely be fun! We have to dress up nicely." Chun'er pulled Zhen Huan's arm, her eyes sparkling and full of anticipation.

"Yes, Chun'er, we can't miss this excitement. However, in this harem, we have to be alert even when having fun." Zhen Huan responded with a smile, but a trace of worry flashed in her eyes.

"Sister Lingrong, what clothes are you going to wear?" Chun'er turned to An Lingrong again.

"I prepared a light blue dress embroidered with orchids, which is suitable for the occasion." An Lingrong replied.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, the palace was adorned with colorful lanterns. The corridors and courtyards were covered with colorful lanterns in various shapes, including cute rabbit lanterns, auspicious blessing lanterns, and delicate lotus lanterns, which swayed gently in the night breeze.

Zhen Huan wore a pale pink palace gown, the hem embroidered with delicate butterflies in silver thread. As she walked, she resembled a fluttering butterfly. The pearls and jade on her head swayed with each step, making a subtle rustling sound. "This lantern festival is truly beautiful! It's like plucking all the stars from the sky," Zhen Huan exclaimed.

"Sister, look over there! There are riddles!" Chun'er pointed to the front excitedly. She was wearing a goose yellow dress and jumping around like a happy little bird.

The three of them arrived at the lantern riddle guessing area, where many ladies, palace maids and eunuchs had already gathered.

"I know this riddle! 'Curved vines climb up the trellis, strings of pearls hang on it', it's grapes!" Chun'er shouted happily.

"Mistress Chun'er is so smart!" the palace maid next to her praised.

"Hmph, it's just a simple riddle, what's there to be proud of?" A sarcastic voice came, it turned out to be Concubine Qi.

"Empress Qi, the Lantern Festival is a place for fun, why do you have to speak like that?" Zhen Huan frowned and retorted.

"Zhen Huan, don't think you are great just because you have a little reputation in this harem. It's just some little tricks." Concubine Qi said disdainfully.

"Empress Qi, we are just here to enjoy the lanterns and guess riddles. We mean no offense. Please don't spoil everyone's fun," said An Lingrong.

"You... humph!" Concubine Qi shook her handkerchief and walked away angrily.

"Ignore her, let's continue guessing riddles." Zhen Huan said.

At this time, a young eunuch came over holding an exquisite lantern. "My Lady Zhen Huan, this is a lantern riddle specially prepared for you by the Emperor. If you can guess it, there will be a generous reward!"

"Oh? The Emperor prepared this?" Zhen Huan was a little surprised. She took the lantern. It said: "Red pocket, green pocket, some people are afraid, some people are loved."

"This is chili!" Zhen Huan said with a smile.

"Mistress Zhen Huan is indeed smart! The Emperor is still waiting for you over there." said the little eunuch.

Zhen Huan came to the pavilion where the emperor was and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."

"Zhen Huan, you're here. I knew this riddle wouldn't be difficult for you." The emperor smiled, his eyes full of love.

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty. This Lantern Festival is really lively. Will Your Majesty also come to enjoy the lanterns?" Zhen Huan asked.

"With you here, this lantern festival will be even more interesting." The emperor took Zhen Huan's hand and walked out of the pavilion together to admire the lanterns.

On the other side, Chun'er and An Lingrong continued to enjoy the lantern festival.

"Sister Lingrong, look at that lotus lantern, it's so beautiful! Let's go and see it." Chun'er pulled An Lingrong.

As they approached the lotus lantern, they suddenly heard two palace maids whispering.

"Have you heard? This Lantern Festival is not that simple. It seems that someone wants to harm Lady Zhen Huan!" said a palace maid.

"Ah? Really? Who is it?" another palace maid asked in surprise.

"I don't know either. I only heard a rumor. We have to be careful."

Chun'er and An Lingrong looked at each other and their expressions became nervous.

"Sister Lingrong, we have to tell her quickly!" Chun'er said anxiously.

"Okay, let's go!" An Lingrong nodded.

The two hurried to look for Zhen Huan and finally found her and the emperor in the crowd.

"Sister! It's bad! We heard someone is trying to harm you!" Chun'er said breathlessly.

"What? Chun'er, tell me slowly, what happened?" Zhen Huan was shocked.

Chun'er told Zhen Huan and the Emperor what she heard.

"Hmph! Someone actually dared to do something right under my nose! I want to see who it is!" The emperor's face darkened and a trace of anger flashed in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, we have to be careful now and not alert the enemy." Zhen Huan said.

"Yes, let's observe secretly first to see if there are any suspicious people." An Lingrong said.

So they continued to enjoy the lanterns while paying attention to the movements around them.

Suddenly, a palace maid walked by with a tray of wine, her eyes flickering and her steps hurried.

"Stop!" the emperor shouted, and the palace maid trembled with fear and almost dropped the plate to the ground.

"Which palace are you from? Why are you so panicked?" asked the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I... I am from the palace of Concubine Qi. I am just a little nervous because of the lively lantern festival." The palace maid stammered.

"Nervous? You're lying! Check that tray of wine!" the emperor ordered.

The eunuch next to him came forward to check and found an unknown powder in the wine.

"Your Majesty, this wine is poisonous!" the eunuch shouted.

"Concubine Qi! She is so bold!" the emperor said angrily.

"Your Majesty, don't jump to conclusions. Perhaps this palace maid is being used by someone," Zhen Huan advised.

"Hmph! No matter who it is, I will not let her off easily! Take this palace maid away for interrogation, and then call Concubine Qi!" the emperor ordered.

Concubine Qi was brought before the emperor, still looking confused.

"Your Majesty, what do you want from me?" asked Concubine Qi.

"Concubine Qi, do you admit your guilt? The maids in your palace intended to poison Zhen Huan, and you dare to say you didn't know?" The emperor glared at her.

"Your Majesty, I am innocent! I know nothing!" Concubine Qi knelt down in panic and kowtowed for mercy.

"Humph! How could you not know about the people in your palace?" The emperor didn't believe it.

"Your Majesty, I really don't know. Someone must have framed me!" Concubine Qi said crying.

"Your Majesty, maybe it's true as Concubine Qi said, someone framed her and wanted to stir up trouble." Zhen Huan said.

"No matter what, Concubine Qi failed to discipline you properly, so I will punish you by grounding you to your room for a month and ask you to reflect on your actions!" said the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I..." Concubine Qi wanted to argue, but when she saw the emperor's stern look, she had to shut up.

After all this, the atmosphere of the Lantern Festival became a little dull.

"Sister, this is just a false alarm, but this harem is really full of dangers." Chun'er said with emotion.

"Yes, we can't let our guard down. Although it was Concubine Qi who was punished this time, it is still unclear whether she was the mastermind behind it." An Lingrong said.

"No matter who it is, we must protect ourselves and not let those conspiracies succeed." Zhen Huan said firmly.

A few days later, Zhen Huan was walking in the Imperial Garden and met Concubine Jing.

"Zhen Huan, what do you think about this lantern festival?" asked Concubine Jing.

"Empress Jing, I think something is fishy. Concubine Qi might be being used as a pawn." Zhen Huan replied.

"I think so too. There is someone in the harem who wants to kill someone with a borrowed knife. We have to find out who is behind it." Jingpin nodded.

"Does your Majesty have any clues?" Zhen Huan asked.

"I heard that the palace maid beside Concubine Qi had contact with a mysterious person before the incident. We can start from here." Jingpin said.

"Okay, let's investigate together." Zhen Huan said.

The two began to secretly investigate the whereabouts of the palace maid and found that the palace maid had been talking to a masked man in a remote corner of the imperial garden.

"We have to find a way to find out what they said." Jingpin frowned.

"Your Majesty, we can find a reliable person to guard here and see if we can wait for that mysterious person." Zhen Huan suggested.

So they arranged a clever little eunuch to wait nearby.

A few days later, the young eunuch came to report.

"Empress Jing, Lady Zhen Huan, that mysterious man appears again!" said the young eunuch.

Zhen Huan and Concubine Jing hurried to the imperial garden.

"Who are you? Why did you frame Concubine Qi and harm Lady Zhen Huan?" Concubine Jing loudly questioned the mysterious man.

When the mysterious man saw that the situation was not good, he turned around and ran away.

"Chase!" Zhen Huan shouted.

Everyone was chasing the mysterious man in the palace. The mysterious man panicked and ran to the vicinity of Concubine Hua's palace.

"Could it be Concubine Hua?" Zhen Huan was shocked.

At this time, Concubine Hua walked out of the palace.

"Oh, what's going on? It's so lively." Hua Fei said with a smile.

"Empress Hua, we are chasing a suspicious person. He ran near you." Zhen Huan said.

"Hmph! Stop slandering me. I'm not a suspicious person." Hua Fei said.

At this moment, the mysterious man disappeared.

"Empress Hua, I hope you really don't know anything, otherwise, the emperor will not let you off easily." Jingpin said.

"Hmph! Don't even think about slandering me!" Hua Fei glared at him.

Zhen Huan and Concubine Jing had no choice but to leave.

"Sister, I think that mysterious person must be related to Concubine Hua." Chun'er said.

"I have doubts too, but without evidence, we can't act rashly." Zhen Huan said helplessly.

"We have to continue looking for evidence and can't let them get away with it," An Lingrong said.

In this harem, Zhen Huan and others are once again caught up in new mysteries and conspiracies. They must be more cautious in order to survive in this undercurrent-filled palace. The conspiracy behind the Lantern Festival is just a small microcosm of the harem struggle.

"We can't be defeated by these conspiracies. We must find out who is behind them." A hint of determination flashed in Zhen Huan's eyes. She knew that this struggle was far from over.