Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

Bitong Academy.

Zhen Huan and her two daughters embraced and wept bitterly.

Cui Jinxi advised from the side, "Please be careful not to hurt your eyes, Your Highness. The Old Madam and the Second Miss should also take care of themselves."

The word "my lady" immediately reminded them of the time and their different statuses.

Zhen Huan stopped crying and helped the haggard-looking Yun Shi to sit down. "Mother, you must be tired from your journey. Please sit down and rest. Jinxi, have someone bring tea."

Cui Jinxi immediately withdrew, leaving the mother and daughter alone.

"Huan'er, it's your family that's a burden to you."

Lady Yun looked at her eldest daughter, whom she hadn't seen for almost a year, with tears in her eyes. Her eyes were full of heartache. Her daughter was outstanding in both appearance and talent. She had become a Noble Lady in less than a year after entering the palace and was pregnant with the emperor's child.

If it weren't for her husband's foolish and philandering years ago, her daughter would be a concubine in the palace by now.

"Mother, please don't say that. The greatest blessing is that our whole family is safe and sound. How is Father?"

Seeing that her daughter showed no resentment whatsoever, Madam Yun felt not relieved but even more heartbroken.

“Good, all good. Although the Emperor ordered the confiscation of our property, the soldiers did not go too far because of you. Lord Ulanara also sent his steward to settle us in a small courtyard, where our food, clothing and daily necessities are not much different from what we used to have.”

Zhen Huan's mind raced. "Mother, is the Ulanara you mentioned a relative of the Empress?"

Yun nodded, "That's right. Your father originally didn't want to have anything to do with the Ulanara family, but the Ulanara family's steward said that you asked the Empress to ask the Ulanara family to take care of us."

Zhen Huan's eyes flickered, and she said vaguely, "Yes, Her Majesty the Empress has always been kind and benevolent. Mother and Father can rest assured and stay here."

With her daughter's personal confirmation, Yun finally felt relieved.

She feared that the Empress would use their safety to coerce her daughter.

Zhen Huan didn't want to discuss this topic any further, so she turned to look at her younger sister, who had grown quite a bit taller. "Why isn't Yu Rao saying anything? Aren't you happy to see your elder sister?"

"Elder sister, Yu Rao is very happy, but Mother said that the palace is not like home, and Yu Rao can't cling to you like before."

Zhen Yurao looked at Zhen Huan with red eyes, her gaze filled with affection and longing.

Zhen Huan lovingly pulled her into her arms, saying, "Yu Rao is so sensible. But since there are no outsiders around right now, Yu Rao can still stick to her elder sister as before."

Zhen Yu Rao immediately snuggled into Zhen Huan's arms, "Elder sister, elder sister, Yu Rao missed you so much~ Waaaaah~"

The little sister's innocent cries brought tears to Zhen Huan's eyes again.

Looking at her two daughters embracing each other, Madam Yun felt both sad and relieved.

"Your Highness—" Cui Jinxi called out from outside the hall, accompanied by a palace maid serving tea.

The mother and her two daughters inside immediately covered their eyes with handkerchiefs.

"come in."

Only after Zhen Huan gave the order did Cui Jinxi lead Pei'er and Liu Zhu inside.

Liu Zhu had come out of the Zhen residence with Zhen Huan. Upon seeing Yun Shi, she felt a sense of closeness and couldn't help but tear up. "Liu Zhu greets Madam and Second Miss."

Yun smiled and nodded at her, "Liu Zhu is much more composed than when she was in the manor."

This compliment immediately brought a smile to Liu Zhu's face.

Yun Shi pulled Zhen Yu Rao out of Zhen Huan's arms and handed her to Liu Zhu, saying, "Yu Rao is a child and can't sit still. Please take her to places she can go and see the sights."

"Yes, Madam, rest assured, I will take good care of the Second Miss."

Zhen Yurao didn't want to leave her elder sister, whom she had finally managed to see, but Zhen Huan could tell that her mother wanted to talk to her, so she smiled and coaxed her, "Go play with Liu Zhu, and I'll take you for a nap later, okay?"

Zhen Yurao was then happy, "Alright then, elder sister, you must keep your word. Sister Liuzhu, let's go."

After Liu Zhu left with Zhen Yu Rao, Cui Jin Xi also left with Pei Er.

Yun grabbed Zhen Huan's hand and asked sorrowfully, "Huan'er, what happened to Huanbi? How did she become a concubine, and how could she conspire with Wen Shichu to harm Consort Zhuang?"

Zhen Huan's eyes flickered, unwilling to say more. "Mother, it's pointless to say more now that it's already happened. Besides, His Majesty has issued a decree forbidding the harem from discussing this matter any further."

She patted Yun's hand and said, "Mother, don't worry. Although the Zhen family is in trouble now, as long as I am here and as long as I give birth to this child safely, the Zhen family will have a chance to rise again."

Madam Yun could see that Zhen Huan was avoiding the topic, but since her daughter had already said so, she did not press the matter further. She simply reached out and gently stroked her eldest daughter's still flat stomach.

"Huan'er, your mother only wishes for your safety and well-being."

Deep worry was evident in her eyes. The harem was treacherous, and her Huan'er was pregnant at the moment. If she was not careful, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Zhen Huan radiated happiness: "Mother, rest assured, the Emperor loves and protects me very much. Otherwise, with Huanbi's true identity exposed, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to keep my rank of Lady."

It was only her mother who suffered, suddenly forced to accept her husband's betrayal and lose her life of luxury.

Speaking of Huanbi, hatred flashed in Yunshi's eyes, "Neither Huanbi nor her mother are good people!"

Bi Zhu'er knew that Zhen Yuandao was already married, but she still had an affair with him without a matchmaker.

Huanbi was even worse, almost bringing a capital offense upon her family!

It's hard for Yun not to hate.

Zhen Huan was surprised, "Mother already knew that Huanbi was Father's bloodline?"

Yun did not shy away from the topic and said frankly, "Back then, your father got together with Huanbi's birth mother when I was pregnant with you. Although I was in pain and sad at the time, I also thought that if your father brought Huanbi's birth mother back to the manor, I would be willing to accept her."

This world is too harsh on women. Although Zhen Yuandao promised her he wouldn't take a concubine, his reputation for being jealous still came like snowflakes. Although she was heartbroken at the time, it wasn't unacceptable.

“But I waited and waited, and your father never mentioned taking a concubine. It wasn’t until you were almost eight years old that he brought Huanbi back. Huanbi’s features are similar to yours, and I had been keeping an eye on her in secret, so I knew that she was your father’s bloodline.”

At this point, Yun Shi rarely showed a mocking expression, "When your father brought Huanbi back, I thought he wanted Huanbi to be recognized by her ancestors, but I didn't expect that he would actually make Huanbi your maid."

“I was already angry, and he, as a father, disregarded his own bloodline and willingly made someone a slave. Why should I meddle in his business? I shouldn’t let an outsider dilute the fatherly love and resources that should belong to my child.”

Little did they expect that a momentary lapse in judgment back then would lead to such a disaster many years later.

Yun's eyes welled up with tears, filled with regret: "Huan'er, it's all my fault. I failed to fulfill my responsibilities as the head of the household. If I hadn't argued with your father that day and had handled Huanbi's background properly, how could I have implicated you and our family?"

Even if it were just a fabrication, saying that Huanbi's birth mother was a prostitute kept by Zhen Yuandao outside would be a hundred or a thousand times better than what we're talking about now.

Zhen Huan was stunned for a moment; she had never imagined that her mother knew about Huan Bi's background.

She held Yun's hand tenderly, "Mother, this is not your fault."

It was the father who betrayed the mother; the father was the one in the wrong.

She had always believed that her parents' love was so strong that they couldn't tolerate a third person. When she learned that Huanbi was her father's bloodline, she was shocked and felt sorry for her mother.

She kept it a secret because she was worried that her mother would be hurt.

Unexpectedly, her mother had known all along.

She couldn't even bear to think about how heartbroken her mother must have been when she discovered her father's affair with Huanbi's birth mother while pregnant with her. And how saddened she must have felt watching her father secretly care for Huanbi all these years.

"Many men in this world are fickle. Mother, you must not blame yourself."

Yun nodded with tears in her eyes, but said nothing.