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

"Sister, Xia Dongchun is gone, but I still feel uneasy." Chun'er leaned against the head of the bed, frowning slightly.

"Chun'er, take good care of your injuries and don't think too much. There is never any real peace in this harem." Zhen Huan sat beside the bed and gently held Chun'er's hand.

"Yes, Chun'er, we were really scared when you were injured this time. When you recover, we have to be more careful." There was still worry in An Lingrong's eyes.

"Sister Lingrong, I know. By the way, where is Sister Meizhuang?" Chun'er asked.

"Mei Zhuang went to the Imperial Hospital to get new medicine for you. She said she must find the best medicine to make you get better quickly." Zhen Huan replied.

At this time, Mei Zhuang walked in.

"Chun'er, look what I brought you? This is the golden medicine newly developed by the imperial physician. It will be good for your injury." Mei Zhuang said with a smile.

"Sister Mei Zhuang, thank you!" Chun'er smiled sweetly.

"Between us sisters, there's no such thing as thank you. As long as you can get better soon, that's better than anything else." Mei Zhuang said as she changed Chun'er's dressing.

"Hiss! It hurts!" Chun'er couldn't help but scream.

"Chun'er, bear with it, it will be fine soon." Mei Zhuang said with concern.

After changing the medicine, Chun'er's complexion looked better.

"Sisters, what do you think will happen in the harem next?" Chun'er asked.

"No matter what happens, we will face it together." Zhen Huan said firmly.

"That's right, we can't let anyone bully us anymore." An Lingrong nodded.

"By the way, I heard that a new opera troupe came from outside the palace and will perform in the palace." Mei Zhuang said.

"Performance? That must be very interesting. We can go and see it." Chun'er's eyes lit up.

"Chun'er, you can't go now. You need to take good care of your injuries." Zhen Huan said.

"Then sisters, go and see it and tell me about it when you come back." Chun'er felt a little disappointed.

"Okay, we'll tell you when we finish watching it." An Lingrong comforted.

On the day when the troupe was to perform, a stage was set up in the palace and all the ladies came.

"This stage is so beautiful!" a young master exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's been a while since it's been this lively." Another young lady agreed.

Zhen Huan, An Lingrong and Mei Zhuang sat together.

"I hope nothing goes wrong this time." Zhen Huan said in a low voice.

"Well, let's be careful." An Lingrong responded.

The play began. The actors on the stage sang in melodious voices and performed graceful movements as they performed "The Peony Pavilion".

"This 'Peony Pavilion' is a real classic, and it's sung so well," said Mei Zhuang.

"Yes, this troupe is indeed talented." An Lingrong nodded.

Just when everyone was watching intently, suddenly, an actor fell from the stage and landed right in front of the ladies in the front row, scaring them so much that they screamed.

"Ah! What's going on?"

"Scared me!"

Zhen Huan and others were also surprised.

"Go and take a look!" Zhen Huan said.

They walked forward and found that the actor was bleeding from the corner of his mouth and was dead.

"This...is this an accident?" Mei Zhuang asked with a frown.

"I don't think it's that simple. How could he suddenly fall off the stage?" An Lingrong said doubtfully.

At this time, the queen came with her people.

"What happened? How could someone die while performing an opera?" The queen's face was gloomy.

"Empress, I don't know what happened. He just fell down suddenly." A member of the opera troupe said in panic.

"Hmph! Investigate! Make sure to investigate thoroughly!" the Queen ordered.

After some investigation, it was discovered that the actor's clothes had been tampered with and someone had deliberately cut his clothes, causing him to fall during his performance.

"Who is so cruel? How could he do such a thing in the palace?" Zhen Huan said angrily.

"This is targeting all of us! Creating panic in the palace." Mei Zhuang said.

"We have to find out who's behind this and we can't let this happen again," An Lingrong said.

"Yes, let's start with the opera troupe and see if we can find any clues." Zhen Huan nodded.

They came to where the troupe lived and asked other members of the troupe.

"Have you noticed any suspicious people nearby?" Zhen Huan asked.

"My lady, we didn't notice. We were preparing to perform." An actor answered.

"Did this deceased actor have any enemies? Or did he have a dispute with anyone?" An Lingrong asked.

"He is usually a kind person and has no enemies with anyone," said another actor.

"That's strange. Why would anyone want to harm him?" Mei Zhuang frowned.

Just when they were at a loss, a young eunuch ran over.

"Madam Zhen Huan, we found this backstage." The young eunuch handed over a handkerchief with a strange flower embroidered on it.

"This handkerchief... looks unusual. Could it be a clue?" Zhen Huan said, holding the handkerchief.

"We can take the handkerchief and ask around in the palace. Maybe someone knows," An Lingrong said.

So they took their handkerchiefs and went around the palace asking questions.

"Have you seen this handkerchief?" Zhen Huan asked the palace maids.

"My lady, I have never seen him before." The palace maids shook their heads.

After asking around, no one knew the origin of the handkerchief.

"What should we do? The clue is broken again." Mei Zhuang sighed.

"Don't be discouraged, we can think of other ways." Zhen Huan comforted.

At this time, Concubine Jing came over.

"Zhen Huan, I heard that you are looking for the owner of the handkerchief?" asked Concubine Jing.

"Empress Jingpin, yes, do you have any clues?" Zhen Huan asked hurriedly.

"I seem to have seen a similar handkerchief in Concubine Qi's palace, but I'm not sure." Jingpin said.

"Concubine Qi? Could it be her?" An Lingrong said in surprise.

"Let's go to Concubine Qi's palace and take a look." Zhen Huan said.

They came to Concubine Qi's palace and asked her about the handkerchief.

"Handkerchief? I don't know what you are talking about. There is no such handkerchief in my palace." Concubine Qi looked a little flustered.

"Empress Qi, do you really not know? Some of us have seen something similar in your palace." Mei Zhuang said.

"Hmph! Don't try to slander me! I haven't even seen it." Concubine Qi shouted.

"Empress Qi, if you know anything, please tell us. This concerns the safety of everyone in the palace." Zhen Huan said.

"I have nothing to say, you guys go away!" Concubine Qi ordered them to leave.

"It seems that there is something wrong with Concubine Qi. We have to find a way to find evidence." Zhen Huan said.

"We can arrange people to keep an eye on Concubine Qi's palace to see if there is anything unusual." An Lingrong suggested.

"Okay, let's do it." Zhen Huan nodded.

After several days of surveillance, a clue was finally found: a palace maid secretly took out a bundle from Concubine Qi's palace and walked out of the palace.

"Follow her!" Zhen Huan ordered.

They followed the palace maid to a secluded corner. The palace maid opened the bundle and found some things related to the actor's death, as well as several handkerchiefs embroidered with strange flowers.

"What are you doing?" Zhen Huan and others came out.

The maid collapsed to the ground in fear.

"Tell me! What's going on with these things? Did Concubine Qi instruct you to do it?" Zhen Huan shouted angrily.

"My lady, please spare me! It was Concubine Qi who asked me to do this. I had no choice!" The palace maid cried and begged for mercy.

"Why did Concubine Qi do this?" An Lingrong asked.

"Her Majesty said she wanted to create chaos in the palace, so... so that she would have a chance..." The maid didn't dare to say anything more.

"So that she has a chance of what? Say it!" Mei Zhuang shouted.

"So that she can have the opportunity to frame you and make the emperor hate you." said the maid.

"Hmph! Concubine Qi has such a cruel heart!" Zhen Huan said angrily.

They brought the maids and evidence to the Queen's palace.

"Empress, we have found out the truth. It was Concubine Qi who was behind this." Zhen Huan said.

"Concubine Qi? She is so bold! How dare she do such a thing in the palace!" The queen was furious.

"Empress, you must severely punish Concubine Qi!" Mei Zhuang said.

"Someone come! Bring Concubine Qi to me!" the Queen ordered.

Concubine Qi was brought to the Queen's Palace. When she saw the palace maids and the evidence, her face turned pale.

"Concubine Qi, do you have anything else to say?" the queen asked sternly.

"Empress, I... I was forced to do this. I just wanted to survive in the palace!" Concubine Qi argued.

"Hmph! For your own sake, you don't hesitate to hurt others and disrupt the harem. I won't let you off easily!" said the queen.

"Empress, please spare my life!" Concubine Qi cried.

"Demote Concubine Qi to the rank of concubine and confine her to her own palace. She is not allowed to come out without my permission!" the Queen ordered.

"Empress, you can't do this to me!" Concubine Qi was dragged away, still struggling.

"Thanks to you this time, otherwise the harem would be in chaos." The Queen said to Zhen Huan and others.

"Empress, this is what we should do," Zhen Huan said.

After returning to their residence, Zhen Huan and others told Chun'er what happened.

"Sisters, you are so awesome! You have solved another big problem." Chun'er said with a smile.

"Chun'er, this time we also understand that the struggle in the harem is becoming more and more complicated. We must be vigilant at all times." Zhen Huan said.

"Well, we must protect each other, no matter what difficulties we encounter." An Lingrong said.

"Yes, we sisters will never be separated!" Mei Zhuang said.

In this harem, Zhen Huan and others once again resolved the crisis, but they knew that there were more challenges waiting for them ahead. Their friendship grew deeper through these hardships and became their most solid support in this cruel harem.