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

The two of them, accompanied by their attendants, hurried to the Imperial Garden. By then, the garden was already surrounded by numerous palace maids and eunuchs. Seeing Zhen Huan and An Lingrong approach, they all bowed. Zhen Huan raised her hand to signal them to stand, then walked straight to the pond. The water was murky and emitting a sickening stench. Dead fish, their bellies turned upside down, floated on the surface. It was a horrific sight.

Zhen Huan frowned, covering her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and whispered, "How could this pond, which was perfectly fine, suddenly become like this?" An Lingrong squatted down and carefully examined the flowers and plants by the pond. She found that some of the flowers and plants had been trampled on, and there seemed to be some strange spots on the leaves. She stood up and said to Zhen Huan, "Sister, look at these flowers and plants. They look like they have been tampered with and poisoned. I'm afraid the fish in the pond are dead because of these poisonous plants."

Zhen Huan's eyes glared, "Who could be so cruel as to poison the pond in the Imperial Garden?"

At this time, Chun'er also ran over. She looked at the dead fish in the pond, her little face full of horror: "Sisters, this is terrible! Could it be some evil spirit doing this?" She grabbed Zhen Huan's sleeve tightly, her eyes wide open.

An Lingrong gently patted Chun'er's shoulder: "Chun'er, don't let your imagination run wild. This must have been done intentionally."

Zhen Huan thought for a moment and said to Xiao Yunzi beside her, "Go and check who has been to the Imperial Garden recently, especially near this pond." Xiao Yunzi took the order and left.

A few days later, Xiao Yunzi returned to report, "Your Majesty, I have discovered that Baoque, Baojuan, and the maidservant next to Concubine Kang have been frequenting the Imperial Garden lately."

Zhen Huan narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "Send Baoque, Baojuan, and Concubine Kang's maids over here."

Baoque arrived first. She knelt on the ground, looking flustered. "Empress Wanfei, I don't know why you summoned me."

Zhen Huan looked at her and asked calmly, "Bao Que, have you been to the pond in the Imperial Garden recently?"

Bao Que's eyes flickered: "My Lady, this servant was just passing by and did not stay."

An Lingrong whispered from the side: "Baoque, don't lie. The fish in this pond have been poisoned. If you know about it and don't report it, it will be a serious crime." Her eyes were fixed on Baoque, as if to penetrate her heart.

Beads of sweat appeared on Bao Que's forehead, but she still said stubbornly, "My Lady, I really don't know."

Then Baojuan came, and her behavior was exactly the same as Baoque's, insisting that she was just passing by.

Finally, Concubine Kang's maid was brought up. Seeing the scene, the maid fell to her knees in fear. "Your Majesty, I am guilty. I confess everything! It was Concubine Kang. She was jealous of Concubine Wan and Concubine An's favor. When she heard the Emperor praising the beauty of the Imperial Garden, she became resentful and ordered me to poison the flowers and plants by the pond, hoping to ruin the beauty of the Imperial Garden."

After hearing this, Zhen Huan and An Lingrong felt both angry and helpless.

Zhen Huan said angrily, "How can Concubine Kang be so narrow-minded! She will do anything to win favor." Her face turned slightly pale with anger, and her hands clenched unconsciously.

An Lingrong said, "Sister, we can't let her go so easily."

Zhen Huan nodded and took An Lingrong and the witness to the emperor's palace.

After Zhen Huan bowed, she reported the incident in detail: "Your Majesty, Concubine Kang, out of jealousy, ordered a maid to poison the pond in the Imperial Garden, destroying the scenery of the palace. This behavior is truly abominable. Please make a decision, Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's face darkened. "I have treated her well, yet she is so audacious. Pass on my decree that Consort Kang be placed under house arrest for reflection, and her maid be imprisoned in the Ministry of Punishment."

After handling the matter, Zhen Huan and An Lingrong were on their way back to the palace. Zhen Huan sighed, "When will this harem fighting ever stop?"

An Lingrong looked at Zhen Huan and said firmly, "Sister, as long as we are together, we can get through any storm."

However, the peaceful days did not last long. One day, Zhen Huan was resting in the palace when she suddenly felt unwell, dizzy and weak. When An Lingrong learned about it, she rushed over.

An Lingrong sat by the bed, holding Zhen Huan's hand, and asked anxiously, "Sister, what's wrong with you?"

Zhen Huan said weakly, "I don't know either. I just suddenly felt uncomfortable all over."

An Lingrong immediately ordered, "Xiao Yunzi, quickly go get the imperial physician!"

The imperial physician arrived and carefully examined Zhen Huan. After a long while, he frowned and said, "Empress Wan has been poisoned by a chronic poison. This poison has a long incubation period and slow onset. If it is not discovered in time, the consequences will be disastrous."

An Lingrong's eyes widened, her face filled with shock and anger. "How could this happen? Imperial Physician, do you have an antidote?"

The imperial physician shook his head and said, "This poison is quite rare. I will need some time to research an antidote."

Zhen Huan lay on the bed, her face pale, but she still managed to speak: "Lingrong, don't panic. This poison must have been done by someone in secret. We must be careful."

An Lingrong nodded, a fierce look flashing in her eyes: "Don't worry, sister, I will find out who is behind this!"

An Lingrong began to secretly investigate in the palace and found that a young maidservant beside Zhen Huan had been behaving strangely in recent days. The young maidservant was always secretly talking to a eunuch in a remote corner.

An Lingrong calmly ordered someone to keep an eye on the young palace maid. One day, the young palace maid went to meet the eunuch again, and An Lingrong and her men quietly followed her.

The young palace maid handed a package to the eunuch and said anxiously, "Eunuch, this is the last batch of medicine powder that the Empress asked me to give you. You must hurry and get it done."

The eunuch took the package and whispered, "Don't worry, with this powder, Concubine Wan will have a hard time. Humph, it's her fault for blocking our way."

An Lingrong could no longer hold back and rushed forward with her men: "How dare you! How dare you poison Concubine Wan!"

The young palace maid and eunuch collapsed to the ground in fear upon seeing An Lingrong. The young palace maid cried and begged for mercy: "Empress An, please spare me! It was the remnants of Empress Hua who ordered us to do this. They said that if we could overthrow Empress Wan, they would give us a large sum of money and let us leave the palace."

An Lingrong was furious: "The remnants of Concubine Hua are really haunting us!"

She ordered the young palace maid and eunuch to be taken away, and then went to find Zhen Huan with the evidence.

After hearing this, Zhen Huan's eyes were filled with anger: "These people must not be let off easily!"

An Lingrong said, "Sister, let's first have the imperial physician develop an antidote based on this powder, and then report this to the Emperor to completely eradicate the remaining followers of Concubine Hua."

Zhen Huan nodded, and the two of them joined hands to face the numerous crises in the harem once again. Their friendship became more indestructible amidst the hardships, and their steps to rewrite their destiny never stopped. They continued to move forward firmly in this harem full of conspiracies and intrigues.