Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

With a way out, the three, each with their own thoughts, reunited. However, they were now a group of four, not three. Although Huanbi was hostile to Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong, she dared not cause any trouble with Zhen Huan's restraint.

Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong weren't oblivious to Huanbi's attitude, so they naturally noticed it. However, since they were only after their own interests and weren't truly sisters, they couldn't completely ignore it.

As for Zhen Huan, although she might not be completely at ease with the two men, she felt that they should still be loyal and trusting to her.

She also realized that even when Huanbi was outspoken in the past, Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong could still associate closely with her. Now that Huanbi has learned to restrain herself, she naturally wouldn't hold it against her anymore.

Well... I can only say that she hasn't experienced enough setbacks; she's still too naive.

The afternoon after the three of them made up on the surface, An Lingrong went to Xianyue Pavilion again, chatted with Shen Meizhuang for a while, and then left Xianyue Pavilion with a plate of lotus root starch and osmanthus cake, heading to the Emperor's Nine Provinces Banquet.

Kyushu Qingban.

The emperor had just woken up from his afternoon nap and was sitting by the window, leisurely drinking tea and reading a book, when Su Peisheng suddenly came in and reported, "Your Majesty, Consort An has brought you some refreshments on behalf of Consort Shen. Would you like to see her?"

The emperor became interested upon hearing this. What did he mean by delivering pastries to him on behalf of Consort Shen?

"Xuan."

Su Peisheng immediately withdrew and led An Lingrong into the palace.

After exchanging greetings, An Lingrong personally took out lotus root starch and osmanthus cake from the food box. "Your Majesty, this is lotus root starch and osmanthus cake made by Sister Shen herself. Sister Shen had to go and accompany Sister Zhen to copy Buddhist scriptures, so she asked me to deliver it to you."

The emperor glanced at the still-warm pastries and said with a teasing smile, "I'm afraid I'm just an afterthought! The lotus root starch and osmanthus cake tastes best when it's hot. Meizhuang, you're not missing me at all, you're clearly missing you and Consort Wan."

Finally, he remarked, "I remember that the three of you had a very good relationship when you first entered the palace, and now you are even closer."

An Lingrong replied in a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, you are wronging my sister. It is true that my sister cares about me and Sister Zhen, but she misses you the most. If it weren't for my lack of writing skills, my sister would have delivered it to you personally."

"As for the relationship between me and my two elder sisters, it is indeed as Your Majesty said, that we are getting closer every day."

She lowered her head shyly, yet in a way that allowed the emperor to see the expression on her face.

She slightly raised her eyes and looked at the emperor with affection, her eyes full of love, gratitude and admiration: "Lingrong comes from a humble background. It is already a great honor for me to have the opportunity to serve by your side. I never expected that I would also have the honor of getting to know the two elder sisters and being treated with such sincerity by them."

An Lingrong's demeanor was carefully trained by Consort Hua, conveying three parts pitifulness, five parts shy innocence, and two parts heartbreaking self-pity.

"Lingrong owes everything she has today to Your Majesty. Lingrong is all alone and has nothing to repay Your Majesty but a sincere heart. I hope Your Majesty will not find it distasteful."

Her face was flushed, a mixture of shyness and trepidation, but above all, determination, as if she had mustered all her courage to finally express the love she had kept hidden deep in her heart.

The emperor was moved. He knew An Lingrong's character well; she was gentle and shy, with humility and obedience ingrained in her bones. She was not good with words, nor was she the kind of person who would talk about love and affection all the time.

"I will certainly not let Rong'er down!"

The emperor reached out and took An Lingrong's small hand. Looking at the admiration and endless love in An Lingrong's watery eyes, he was momentarily dazed.

Back then, his Wanwan often looked at him with the same gaze.

An Lingrong was left at the Jiuzhou Qingyan banquet to accompany the emperor. That night, she took the opportunity to serve him in bed. The emperor suddenly rekindled his affection for her and favored her for five consecutive days. During this time, he also issued an edict to promote her to the rank of Noble Lady and bestowed upon her many treasures every day. She was the most popular woman for a time.

However, given the lessons learned from Zhen Huan and Huan Bi, An Lingrong, though reluctant to give up such great favor, dared not continue to accept it and could only recommend Shen Meizhuang in a subtle and sorrowful manner.

The emperor was initially quite displeased with this, but An Lingrong's tearful plea softened his heart.

"It's already widely known in the garden that the reason the Empress Dowager made Sister Zhen copy Buddhist scriptures behind closed doors is because an official from the previous dynasty impeached her. I am just a lowly woman, so it doesn't matter what people say about me, but the Emperor is the ruler of all people. How can his reputation be damaged because of me?"

When the emperor saw that although she verbally refused, her tearful eyes clearly showed her reluctance, his dissatisfaction vanished instantly, leaving only tenderness in his heart.

"Enough, enough. I know you're doing this for my own good, Rong'er. Stop crying. If you keep crying, I'll be even more reluctant to leave."

An Lingrong stopped crying, but her small hands still tightly gripped the emperor's sleeve.

The emperor sighed helplessly, "Let me stay with you a little longer. I'll go see Meizhuang after tonight, okay?"

An Lingrong nodded with tears in her eyes, "Your Majesty is so kind."

And so, throughout June, the emperor's favor was monopolized by this loose little group, which aroused great jealousy among the concubines in the six palaces.

Of course, this is something.

In late June, Princess Wenyi celebrated her first birthday.