Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

In Fanying Pavilion, An Lingrong waited anxiously for news of the Empress's actions against Yun Shi and Zhen Huan.

But they waited and waited, until they received news that Prince Guo and his wife had left the Yuanmingyuan with gifts and a princess bestowed by the emperor.

In the afternoon, news came from Yue Di Yun Ju that Consort Qi had unfortunately suffered heatstroke and was bedridden.

In the middle of the night, Su Peisheng received another message from Zhen Yunshi about attending the Jiuzhou Qingyan banquet.

There was absolutely no news about Peach Blossom Village.

There was no unusual movement from those around the Empress, and the Empress herself remained quiet, as if Consort Qi had never gone there in the dead of night.

An Lingrong waited all day with high hopes, and when the emperor finished favoring Zhen Yunshi and sent her back to the Natural Painting Studio at midnight, the empress's side was still unusually quiet!

An Lingrong's high expectations gradually turned into a heart full of questions.

She waited day after day in bewilderment, until a storm struck in July, and she caught a chill and had to stay in bed, but she still couldn't wait for the Empress to make a move.

When Baoque brought the freshly brewed medicine into the room, she saw her mistress leaning against the headboard with a worried expression.

"My lady, you are still ill, and it is most taboo to be sad or worried when you are sick."

An Lingrong was well aware of this, but after so long the Empress still hadn't made a move against Zhen Yunshi, her patience was almost exhausted.

The Emperor has not chosen a concubine for eight days, which means that Consort Zhen has been summoned to the Emperor's bedchamber for eight consecutive days.

With such favor, how could the Emperor possibly remember her?

An Lingrong felt a strong sense of crisis.

"Is there still no movement from the Empress's side today?" An Lingrong asked again, still unwilling to give up.

Baoque shook her head. "The Empress's side is as usual. Apart from the maids going to the Imperial Kitchen to fetch food for breakfast, no one has left Peach Blossom Village."

They neither sent anyone to oversee the Emperor's banquet in the Nine Provinces, nor sent anyone back to the palace, nor did they send anyone to target the Natural Painting and the Bitong Academy.

An Lingrong exhaled a sigh of frustration, then couldn't help but secretly resent the Empress's weakness and incompetence: "As the mother of the nation, how could she just stand by and watch the Emperor do such an absurd thing? The Empress is utterly useless!"

Baoque was startled, and the medicine bowl in her hand wobbled, almost spilling the medicine.

"My lady, be careful, the walls may be listening!"

Baoque looked outside in surprise and fear. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that no one was there, but she was still scared. She really did not expect that her mistress would be so bold as to dare to make fun of the Empress.

An Lingrong regretted her words as soon as they were spoken. If others had heard this, she would not have been able to escape punishment no matter how much the emperor favored her.

"I misspoke, I won't do it again. Give me the medicine."

Well, at this point, we can only try to find another solution.

For now, let's focus on her recovery. She's still sick. Even if we kill Zhen Yunshi, what difference will it make? The Emperor won't favor her, and other women will benefit instead.

An Lingrong would never do something that harms others to benefit them.

At Bitong Academy, Yun Xinluo, Zhen Yurao, and Zhen Huan were saying goodbye with tears in their eyes.

After Yun Xinluo finished serving the emperor last night, the emperor touched her face meaningfully and told her that he would allow her to leave the palace and asked her to come and say goodbye to Zhen Huan today.

Yun Xinluo did not believe that the emperor meant to let her go. Judging from the fact that the emperor made her serve him for eight consecutive days, he clearly would not let her go easily.

But whatever the emperor's true intentions, being able to leave the palace is naturally a good thing.

So, as soon as it was light, she immediately brought her youngest daughter to say goodbye to her eldest daughter.

She was accompanied by Cui Jinxi and Su Peisheng.

Seven days had passed since their last meeting. Although the mother and daughter had a lot to say, they found it difficult to say it because Su Peisheng was present.

After Yun Xinluo stopped crying, she didn't see Liu Zhu serving her in the room, so she asked out of curiosity.

Zhen Huan glanced at Su Peisheng with a strange expression, then lowered her eyelids and said with difficulty, "His Majesty has bestowed Liu Zhu upon Prince Guo as a concubine."

Liu Zhu accompanied her as she grew up and got married. She originally wanted to marry Liu Zhu off openly and legitimately as someone's wife, but unexpectedly, the emperor did not ask for her opinion and directly bestowed Liu Zhu upon Prince Guo as a princess.

Although Prince Guo was a member of the royal family, it was not an insult for Liu Zhu to become his concubine.

But Zhen Huan just didn't feel right.

Even though the food and snacks she had been eating had improved a lot in the past few days, she still had no appetite.

Yun Xinluo was also surprised when she heard about this. What did the Emperor mean by this?

She glanced at Su Peisheng subconsciously, then immediately looked away. Was she perhaps testing Prince Guo?

Yun Xinluo reluctantly comforted her eldest daughter, saying, "This is also because the Emperor values ​​you and the Zhen family."

If it weren't for the affair between the eldest daughter and Prince Guo, this would indeed have been a good thing for the Zhen family.

Liu Zhu was, after all, a servant of the Zhen family and a maid who accompanied Zhen Huan in her dowry. Now she has become a concubine of Prince Guo, and the Zhen family and Prince Guo have thus established a connection.

But rather...

Yun sighed inwardly.

"I will have someone send some personal gifts to Liu Zhu later, as part of the dowry from the Zhen family."

Since this marriage was arranged by the Emperor, it is only right that the Zhen family prepares some dowry for Liu Zhu.

It wasn't so much to make Liu Zhu remember the Zhen family's favor, but rather to shut up outsiders.

No matter which family the marriage falls into, they will inevitably have to provide Liu Zhu with a dowry.

Zhen Huan gave a soft hum, then changed the subject, "Mother, now that you and Yu Rao have left the palace, who knows when we will meet again? I hope Father and Mother will take good care of yourselves."

Turning her head, she looked at Zhen Yurao and said, "Yurao, you must be obedient and filial to your parents from now on. Your elder sister is unfilial and cannot serve you. Your parents are getting old and can only rely on you. You must not be naughty or mischievous and make your parents worry about you."

Zhen Yurao wiped away her tears and agreed, "Elder sister, don't worry, Yurao will definitely take good care of our parents, and I will also be obedient and work hard to grow up so that you won't worry about me."

Seeing that it was almost time, Su Peisheng reminded her, "My lady, the madam and the third young lady have to go, or they will be late."

Zhen Huan and Yun Xinluo turned to look at him at the same time: "Third Miss? Yu Rao? What time is she late?"

Su Peisheng slapped his forehead in annoyance: "Oh dear, what a forgetful servant I am! It's like this, didn't Prince Guo take your maid Liu Zhu as a concubine?"

"The Prince dotes on Princess Liuzhu. Perhaps because he felt that the Princess had a bad background, he arranged for her to recognize your father, Master Zhen, as her godfather. Now the Princess has changed her name to Zhen Yuru and is the second daughter of the Zhen family who has been included in the family genealogy. Naturally, Miss Yurao is the third daughter."

"Because Princess Yuru was greatly favored by the prince, the prince decided to take her with him to his new post. However, the princess was reluctant to part with her family, so the prince wrote to the emperor to ask that the Zhen family be allowed to come along as well."

"His Highness is departing for his post today. So, this servant has been ordered to escort Madam out of the palace to meet with Prince Guo. If we are any later, we may miss our chance."

Both mother and daughter were shocked.

It's one thing for Liu Zhu to be mistaken for a daughter of the Zhen family, but where is Prince Guo going to take up his post? That's Ningguta, the extremely cold and harsh Ningguta!