I fulfilled the female supporting role's wish and I succeeded

An Lingrong stood by the window, gazing at the distant golden dome of the imperial palace gleaming in the sunlight. She gently stroked her belly, a confident smile playing on her lips.

"My lady," Qiuyue beside her whispered, "Lord An Bihuai sent someone to report that the method of treating smallpox with cowpox has been perfected and is ready to be reported to the emperor."

An Lingrong turned around, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Great!" she clapped her hands and laughed. "This is a major event that will benefit both the country and the people. The Emperor will surely be delighted."

She walked to the dressing table and carefully arranged her hair. "Just wait and see," An Lingrong said to herself in the mirror, "With this achievement, Concubine Hua and the Queen will never dare to underestimate me again."

Qiuyue handed An Lingrong a gorgeous palace dress, and she put it on and spun around. "As long as I don't make any big mistakes," she said confidently, "my position in the harem will be as secure as Mount Tai."

An Lingrong slowly walked to the window, sunlight streaming down her delicate face. She gazed thoughtfully into the distance, then suddenly turned and asked, "By the way, Qiuyue, has anything unusual happened at Suiyuxuan recently?"

Qiuyue bowed her head respectfully and replied, "Your Majesty, there is nothing unusual in Suiyuxuan. Concubine Wan is still under house arrest, copying the palace rules and regulations, and rarely walks around the courtyard."

An Lingrong's eyes flickered with cunning after hearing this. She gently stroked the window frame, thinking to herself, "Zhen Huan hasn't noticed the musk beneath the osmanthus tree yet." Indeed, with no visitors allowed during the confinement period, Imperial Physician Wen certainly wouldn't be able to enter the Sui Yu Xuan. Add to that the repeated confinement, and Zhen Huan probably had no desire to wander the courtyard anymore. Hopefully, the musk buried beneath the tree by the Queen will actually work.

The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a smug smile. An Lingrong turned and walked to her dressing table, picked up a delicate hairpin, and gently inserted it into her bun. Birdsong emanated from outside the window, and she looked up to see a butterfly flutter lightly by before disappearing into the distant flowers.

Broken Yuxuan

Zhen Huan sat alone by the window of the Suiyu Pavilion, staring blankly at the bare branches in the yard. The cold winter wind howled past, making the window frames creak. She sighed softly, her eyes filled with loneliness.

"My lady," the maid beside her whispered, "Eunuch Kang Luhai just came and said he was going to serve Concubine Li."

Zhen Huan heard this and a wry smile appeared on her lips. She slowly turned her head and looked at the trembling palace maid. Her voice was low and hoarse, "Do you want to leave too?"

The maid knelt hurriedly, shaking her head repeatedly: "I dare not! I am willing to serve you forever."

Zhen Huan waved her hand, signaling her to get up. "Go ahead, don't let yourself get hurt. There's no future here."

The maid hesitated for a moment, but eventually retreated. Zhen Huan once again looked out the window, her eyes empty. She murmured to herself, "The world is fickle, and human nature is fickle. It's really like this."

She stood up and walked slowly into the courtyard. The wind was biting, but Zhen Huan was oblivious. She paced aimlessly through the courtyard, the withered yellow leaves rustling under her feet.

Passing an osmanthus tree, Zhen Huan paused. She looked up at the bare branches, recalling the scene of a vibrant blossoming splendour. A breeze blew by, bringing with it a faint scent of osmanthus. Zhen Huan frowned, but quickly shook her head and continued walking.

"What's the point of worrying about that now?" she whispered.

Zhen Huan stood at the window of the Suiyu Pavilion, gazing at the bare branches of the trees in the courtyard. A cold wind howled past, creaking the window frames. She shivered and tightened her thin clothes.

"My lady," said Liu Zhu cautiously, "the Imperial Household Department has withheld our allotment again. This month's charcoal is only enough to last until the middle of the month."

Zhen Huan frowned, but Huanbi said indignantly, "Again, they're cutting corners? They're really going too far!"

Liu Zhu lowered her head and said nothing. Zhen Huan sighed, "Never mind. Just bear with it for a while. When the confinement is over, I will definitely ask for an explanation."

She walked to the table and picked up a bronze mirror. The person in the mirror looked haggard and her eyes were dull. Zhen Huan gripped the mirror tightly, a glint of determination in her eyes.

"No, I can't give up like this." She murmured to herself, "When the confinement is over, I must regain the emperor's favor."

"Just wait," Zhen Huan said softly, "Sooner or later, this Broken Jade Pavilion will be bustling again."

Inside Jingyang Palace, hurried footsteps approached from afar. Su Peisheng, holding the imperial edict in hand, led a team of eunuchs carrying rewards into the hall.

Su Peisheng smiled broadly and replied respectfully, "My dear lady, great joy!"

Upon hearing the news, Concubine Shu came out, her eyes gleaming with surprise and confusion. She bowed slightly and asked softly, "Steward Su, I wonder what brings me so much joy?"

He cleared his throat and continued, "Your father, Lord An Bihuai, submitted a memorial stating that he had discovered a method to treat smallpox using cowpox, and that the experiment had been successful. The Emperor was delighted to see this, and this morning he issued an edict promoting your father to the rank of Third-Rank Minister of Works. His entire family was enshrined in the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner, and was granted the surname Anjia!"

When An Lingrong heard the news, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. A look of surprise crossed her face, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She took a deep breath and unconsciously clenched her hands into fists.

"Really?" An Lingrong's voice trembled slightly with excitement. "Father has really been promoted to Minister of Works?"

Su Peisheng nodded in confirmation, and An Lingrong's face broke into a brilliant smile. She quickly walked to the window and looked at the golden roof of the imperial palace in the distance, a surge of pride in her heart.

However, beneath this outward appearance of joy, An Lingrong's heart was unusually calm. She gently stroked her abdomen, a meaningful smile curling up at the corner of her mouth.

"My second wish has been fulfilled," An Lingrong thought to herself. "Once the news of my pregnancy gets out in a few days, my promotion to concubine will be a done deal."

Seeing this, Su Peisheng smiled slightly, unfolded the imperial edict, and said solemnly: "Lady Shu, please accept the edict."

Su Peisheng unfolded the imperial edict, cleared his throat, and read aloud, "By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: An Bihuai, the father of Concubine Shu, has made great contributions to the country by discovering the method of treating smallpox with cowpox. He is hereby promoted to the position of Minister of Works, and his entire family is admitted into the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner, and given the surname Anjia. Concubine Shu is virtuous and kind, and I greatly admire her. I hereby grant her one hundred rolls of silk and a quantity of gold, silver, and jewelry as a token of my appreciation. I decree this."

Concubine Shu knelt respectfully, raised her hands above her head, and accepted the imperial edict. Her voice choked slightly as she said sincerely, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. Long live the Emperor!"

The palace maids and eunuchs in the hall also knelt down and shouted in unison: "Long live the emperor!"