The Legend of Zhen Huan Reborn: Overthrowing Zhen Huan to Become the Queen Mother

"Your humble servant, Concubine Jiang of Suiyuxuan, pays homage to the Empress Dowager." Jiang Ruyin saluted respectfully.

In front of him was the most noble woman in the Qing Dynasty - the Empress Dowager.

She was wearing a flower-blue jacket and a simple and exquisitely decorated bun. At this moment, she was sitting upright and looking at Jiang Ruyin with a loving face.

"Get up. Zhuxi, please take a seat."

Jiang Ruyin sat below the empress dowager and waved her hand, signaling the wet nurse to bring the sixth prince to the empress dowager.

The Queen Mother had been looking into the cradle for a long time, and now she showed a smile that came from the bottom of her heart.

"I heard from the emperor that this child was white and clean when he was born. He is different from the emperor. He was dark when he was born." The empress dowager seemed to have a reminiscence and her eyes became vague.

Jiang Ruyin smiled knowingly, "I was just about to say that the Empress Dowager has a good memory, but think about it carefully. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor are as close as mother and son, one kind and generous, the other filial and wise. They are truly the epitome of mother and son in the world. No wonder the Empress Dowager still remembers it!"

The Queen Mother laughed, "Look at you, now that you're a mother you've lost your composure and become more slick and glib."

Jiang Ruyin scolded, "Your Majesty the Queen Mother, you are wrong. I am no longer the same as I was before. In the past, I always felt uncomfortable if I didn't sing a song or perform a play. Now that I have Xiaoliu, I have become much lazier. I don't like to move or sing anymore. Come to think of it, I'm probably not lazy, but calm!"

This is of course false. It is true that Jiang Ruyin loves to sing opera, but in this kind of environment, people often have a fixed mindset and believe that opera singers are born inferior to others. If they perform in front of others, they are lowering their status and embarrassing themselves.

In her previous life, Jiang Ruyin didn't understand; she simply preferred to satisfy her own preferences. After her rebirth into pregnancy, Jiang Ruyin hadn't touched a costume or practiced her voice in a long time.

The Queen Mother looked indifferent, she knew what Jiang Ruyin meant.

Jiang Ruyin's entry into the palace was actually at the behest of the Emperor, then still a prince. Born into a Jiangnan merchant family, she favored the lower-class goods. Naturally, no one approached her, and the Emperor never gave her any guidance. Now that she had given birth, the Emperor's visits were less frequent, and he now favored a palace maiden from the Yimei Garden who loved to sing Kunqu opera. This naturally resented Jiang Ruyin.

Thinking this way, the Empress Dowager said, "The Sixth Prince's birth not only makes me happy, but also the Emperor. He immediately promoted you. Becoming a concubine means you are included in the royal family. Times are different now. It is naturally a good thing for you to be more stable. You are the youngest among the concubines, diligent and well-mannered. In the future, you must strictly abide by the virtues of a concubine and assist the Empress. You will have to work hard."

Jiang Ruyin pretended to be delighted and nodded repeatedly. She knew clearly in her mind that the Queen Mother was using her position and palace power to share her attention.

That is to say, she gave birth to a prince. If it were in the past, when she was just a favored princess without power, would she have been so comforted and treated so well?

Seeing this, the Queen Mother felt relieved and took the Sixth Prince in her arms, coaxing him gently, "By the way, why did you think of bringing the Sixth Prince to my place?"

Jiang Ruyin smiled and said, "It was freezing cold a few days ago, and I didn't dare take Xiaoliu out. Now that the weather is warmer, I thought it was time."

Jiang Ruyin stepped forward and twisted a corner of the swaddling clothes for the Sixth Prince, then stretched out her green fingers to scratch the baby's pink cheek.

"This bad boy cried non-stop before leaving the house, but as soon as I mentioned 'How can I take him to see the Empress Dowager?', he stopped crying. I was also surprised, and now he is here right away."

"Oh, really?" the Queen Mother wondered, but her heart melted at the sight of the little fellow in her arms. His mouth was open, his bright, clear eyes staring at her curiously, and he stretched out his little hand towards her.

Zhu Xi watched from the side, "Look, Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince isn't afraid of anyone and even wants to hug you! What a sensible and obedient prince!"

"Yes, yes." The Queen Mother said, extending a finger, and sure enough, the Sixth Prince immediately grasped it.

Jiang Ruyin curled her lips and smiled.

Seeing the Empress Dowager playing with the Sixth Prince for a while, Jiang Ruyin said at the right time, "Little Sixth Prince didn't cry or make a fuss at all when the Empress Dowager was with him. He didn't even think about me, his biological mother, at all. I'm really jealous."

The Queen Mother chuckled and said, "You spend every day with Xiaoliu, are you afraid that Xiaoliu will forget you?"

Jiang Ruyin replied, "My heart aches for my son. One day without seeing him is like three years. The Empress Dowager will surely understand."

The Queen Mother glanced at Jiang Ruyin, but with the Sixth Prince present, she couldn't blame her for revealing her true intentions. "Your pity for me is profound, and I deeply appreciate it. You've been in the palace for three years now, and I was busy with matters before the birth, so I didn't send for your mother to accompany you. I'll take charge. When the weather warms up in the spring, I'll bring her to visit you and the Sixth Prince."

Jiang Ruyin was satisfied.

On the palace road,

"Greetings to Concubine Shen."

"Sister Yu is polite."

"It's cold and the ground is slippery. The Emperor was afraid I might fall, so he specially gifted me a sedan chair. Please forgive me for not getting out of the sedan chair to pay my respects to you."

"Sister is right. If I fall, how can I serve the Emperor?"

Just at the corner behind Shen Meizhuang, a sedan chair carried by four people, followed by a group of palace maids and eunuchs, was quietly parked in place.

Suochun listened while rubbing his hands, then leaned over to look around, afraid of breaking the rules.

"Sister, I just came from Concubine Hua's place and want to pay my respects to the Queen. I wonder if you could let me go first."

Shen Meizhuang forced a smile and said, "Caiyue, let Yu Ying'er go first." As she said that, the two of them stepped aside to make way for Yu Ying'er.

Caiyue looked at the backs of Yu Ying'er and her group indignantly, "She just became a concubine, who is she showing off like this to?"

Shen Meizhuang lowered her head, looking somewhat dejected. After hearing this, she also looked at Yu Ying'er, "It's not proper to talk about the young lady behind her back."

Caiyue knelt down and apologized, "I will never dare to do it again."

"She is in favor now. The more you talk about her, the more troubles you will have. Be patient for a while and everything will be calm. Do you understand?" Shen Meizhuang sorted out her thoughts and taught Caiyue.

"I wonder who you are, sir?"

Yu Ying'er's voice came again from not far away.

When Shen Meizhuang took a look, she saw four large sedan chairs carved with skylarks and mandarin ducks blocking the way of Yu Ying'er and others.

Shen Meizhuang looked at this situation and thought of Concubine Fang who would only see her after she left home, and she had some guesses in her mind.

The weather was cold and Jiang Ruyin had just finished her confinement. If it were just her, it would be fine, but the Sixth Prince was still young and she didn't dare use a heater for him for fear of hurting the baby. So when Jiang Ruyin went out, she specially ordered a sedan chair.

Since most of the people in the harem were women, the concubines always used sedan chairs. Yu Ying'er had not been in the harem for many years, so she was not familiar with this kind of sedan chair.

(To be continued)