Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Without Consort Hua causing trouble, there would naturally be no scenes like drawing lots or the "Lou Dong Fu" poem.

Furthermore, Zhen Huan was effectively confined to her quarters, and the Dance of the Startling Swan was directly taken away by the butterfly.

Princess Wenyi's birthday banquet went very smoothly and happily.

Yu Ying'er indulged in a bit of drinking and drank two extra cups of fruit wine at the banquet. Feeling a little dizzy, she secretly told the Empress that she wanted to leave the banquet to sober up.

The Empress did not stop her, so Yu Ying'er left the main hall with Qingzhu.

The master and servant were enjoying the breeze by the lake to sober up when they started talking about Princess Wenyi's birthday banquet and their own sixth prince.

“Although the imperial family’s offspring are equally honored regardless of gender, the prince is still a cut above the rest,” Qingzhu said with a smile, helping Yu Ying’er up. “When our sixth prince turns one year old, it will surely be even more lively than today.”

Yu Ying'er, slightly drunk, chuckled and said, "That's for sure. With you here, Sister, we, Xiao Liu, will definitely not lack a single thing. You will take care of everything for me and Xiao Liu. With you here, I don't have to worry about anything or be afraid of anything."

Hearing her call Xi Qiao "elder sister," Qingzhu subconsciously looked to her left and right. "My lady, please don't talk nonsense outside. The Empress Dowager has clearly ordered that you are not allowed to mention your relationship with your aunt again."

Upon hearing the words "Empress Dowager," Yu Ying'er was instantly sobered up and hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand.

The Empress Dowager is even harder to fool than the Emperor. He can act coquettishly in front of the Emperor, but he can only act like a quail in front of the Empress Dowager!

"Good Qingzhu, is there anyone around here? The Empress Dowager has been in a bad mood lately. I heard that Consort Wan has already copied several books of scriptures, but she's still not satisfied. I don't want to copy books!"

Qingzhu chuckled at her expression and words, "Your Majesty, don't worry, there's no one here. I've already checked carefully."

Yu Ying'er gasped for breath, looking relieved to have escaped a disaster. "That's good, that's good. You scared me half to death."

Seeing that she was much more awake, Qingzhu asked, "Would Your Highness like to stroll around some more?"

Yu Ying'er rubbed her forehead. "Let's walk around some more. I think I must have drunk too much, otherwise how could I have dared to say that just now? Let's walk around some more to sober up, so that when we get back, the smell of alcohol in the whole hall will make me mumble nonsense again."

Qingzhu pursed her lips, looked at her teasingly, and smiled, "Your Highness, the fact that you can say that shows you're almost awake. This servant doesn't really care whether we go shopping or not."

Yu Ying'er shook her head like a rattle-drum, "No, no, no, I don't think that's right. It's okay to offend people by saying things I shouldn't, but if it gets to my aunt's ears, she'll lecture me again."

Qingzhu chuckled. On the surface, the Empress Dowager was most afraid of the Empress Dowager, but in reality, she was most afraid of Aunt Chunrong.

"Alright, I'll help you walk a little further. As long as we get back before the banquet ends, that's fine."

The master and servant walked further and further away, and before they knew it, they had arrived near the Bitong Academy.

Bitong Academy is not far from Jiuzhou Qingyan, both located by the back lake.

Unfortunately, as they walked around behind an ancient tree, they saw Zhen Huan sitting by the lake washing her feet and playing in the water, and Prince Guo leaning against the tree trunk, smiling as he watched her play in the water.

The sounds of silk and bamboo music from the Jiuzhou Qingyan banquet spread across the back lake. Zhen Huan was halfway through her meal when she remembered being punished by the Empress Dowager to copy scriptures, while her beloved Fourth Prince and a group of rivals were singing and dancing. Feeling depressed, she went out for a walk to clear her mind.

Seeing the clear lake water and the fish playing around, her mood improved considerably, and she suddenly felt like playing in the water.

Prince Guo, impatient with the noisy banquet, wandered around to clear his head and happened to run into Zhen Huan playing in the water. Surprisingly, he stopped and began to spy on her.

And so, the scene that Yu Ying'er and Qingzhu witnessed came about.

The master and servant looked at each other, stunned for a moment.

Diagonally opposite, Prince Guo had already won Zhen Huan's favor with Li Yu's poems, and then took the opportunity to ask Zhen Huan why she had not attended Princess Wenyi's birthday banquet.

Zhen Huan said with a slightly forlorn expression, "The Empress Dowager instructed me to copy scriptures and offer them before the Buddha. Naturally, I must fast and bathe, and refrain from indulging in frivolous pleasures and drinking."

Prince Guo sighed with regret, and was about to comfort the beauty when he heard the sound of crunching dry branches. It was the sound that Yu Ying'er and Qingzhu had inadvertently made as they were about to leave.

"Who's there!" Prince Guo's eyes flashed sharply; the crime of secretly meeting with the imperial concubines was no small matter.

Zhen Huan was also startled. Although she felt that her encounter with Prince Guo was merely a fleeting one, the fact that her jade feet had just been seen was undeniable. If word got out, then…

The master and servant exchanged a glance, both wearing long faces.

Now that they had been discovered, the two had no choice but to turn around and leave. Yu Ying'er rubbed her face to clear her head, then walked out from behind the tree with her head held high and chest out.

"Consort Zhuang!" Zhen Huan exclaimed softly.

Prince Guo naturally recognized Yu Ying'er and greeted her with clasped hands, "So it is Consort Zhuang. This humble prince greets you."

Yu Ying'er maintained her composure and gave a polite "hmm," without even glancing at Zhen Huan. She then asked Prince Guo, "Why is Your Highness here instead of attending the banquet? Could you be lost?"

Prince Guo looked up at her and saw that her face was flushed, her eyes were slightly dazed, and there was a faint smell of alcohol on her. He then looked in the direction they had come from.

Prince Guo felt much relieved. He didn't answer Yu Ying'er's question, but instead looked at Qingzhu and asked, "Is Your Highness drunk?"

Qingzhu was startled by her master's quick thinking and rubbed her face to pretend to be drunk!

"Your Highness, Her Majesty did indeed drink too much at the banquet and became somewhat drunk. This servant, following Her Majesty the Empress's instructions, brought Her Majesty out to help her sober up."

Prince Guo smiled and said, "This place is quite a distance from the Nine Provinces Banquet. You and Consort Zhuang have been out for quite some time now. You should hurry back so that your brother and sister-in-law won't worry."

Qingzhu felt something was off, but she could only obediently lead her master away.

Watching the mistress and servant disappear behind the tree, a strange light flashed in Prince Guo's eyes. Consort Zhuang, the Sixth Prince...

"Your Highness..." Zhen Huan's gentle voice rang out, her face slightly pale. She bowed to Prince Guo, "I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now. Please forget about today's events, Your Highness."

Consort Zhuang caused her a great loss when she first entered the palace. It seems that Consort Zhuang, like Consort Hua, was jealous of her being granted a title so soon after being appointed and feared that she would steal their favor.

Although Consort Zhuang gave birth to a prince, her favor with the emperor vanished. In contrast, Zhen Huan was so favored that even the Empress Dowager couldn't help but intervene to suppress her.

Consort Zhuang probably already hates her to the core and is determined to bring her to the dust.

The charge of having an affair could be serious or minor; she needed to hurry back and figure out a solution to prevent Consort Zhuang from spreading rumors.

She looked anxious, and Prince Guo immediately understood. "Is Your Highness worried that Consort Zhuang is talking nonsense? Don't worry, I will definitely not let you get into trouble because of my mistake. Your Highness just needs to go back and rest. I will take care of things here."

Zhen Huan's affection for him rose rapidly. She felt that Prince Guo was not only handsome and talented, but also a rare and courageous man.

No wonder so many young ladies in the capital were in love with Prince Guo.

However, Zhen Huan did not agree immediately. She hesitated for a moment and said, "I appreciate Your Highness's kindness, but this is, after all, a royal garden. Perhaps it would be easier for me to do things than for Your Highness."

Prince Guo smiled nonchalantly, "Rest assured, Your Excellency, I was raised in the royal family after all."

Therefore, Zhen Huan did not insist, but simply said, "If Your Highness needs help, you may send someone to find me at any time."

“Very well,” Prince Guo readily agreed, “Take care, sir.”