An Lingrong is reborn to live for herself.

"Empress, kill her! The Empress!"

These past few days, when I wake up, I still vaguely recall fragments of unbearable memories from my past life.

The last thing An Lingrong could utter before her death was a hoarse sound like a snake's tongue, which still sends chills down her spine whenever she recalls it.

And then there's... the icy, bone-chilling winter days in the Cold Palace, the unbearably bitter taste of almonds in your mouth, and the incredibly resentful look in Zhen Huan's eyes.

In his previous life, he was ultimately the one who wronged Zhen Huan. He thought that by relying on the Empress in the harem, he could protect his life and family. He even fantasized that he could grow into a big tree himself and provide shade for his maternal family.

Little did they know that from the very beginning, they had fallen into someone else's trap and become a pawn for life.

Although life in the Cold Palace was bitter, it gave An Lingrong enough time to savor her life.

It turns out that the grievances she once thought she had suffered were not so grievances after all.

It was she who wavered first, it was she who challenged Zhen Huan, and it was she who personally caused Shen Meizhuang's death.

Of course she knew how much she hated them, a hatred so intense it would break her teeth. But was this hatred directed at Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang?

It was clearly about her own life.

It's a fate that she's never been able to make her own decisions!

Unexpectedly, God gave her a second chance.

Now that we can start over, Sister Wan, thank you for your sincere protection of me in my past life. Whether it is a favor or a debt, I will repay it in this life.

---------

The Zhen residence, a side room.

"Lingrong, get up and wash your face quickly. The headmistress will be teaching you and Miss Zhen manners in a little while."

The aunt gently patted the door twice, but before An Lingrong could answer, she came in carrying a washbasin, with a snow-white towel draped over her shoulder.

The woman who entered was Aunt Xiao, a distant cousin of her mother and a famous embroiderer in Jiangnan.

Aunt Xiao is now over forty, but she looks young, with a fair complexion and no wrinkles on her face. However, she is dressed in coarse clothes and has a towel hanging on her shoulder, making her look less presentable than the old women serving in the Zhen household.

An Lingrong saw this and felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

Aunt Xiao had always treated her well. After An Lingrong's father became an official, he took several concubines. The newly arrived concubines bullied her mother because of her weak nature, and also mistreated her food, clothing, and daily necessities. Aunt Xiao couldn't stand it, so she secretly used the money she earned from running her embroidery shop to help the mother and daughter.

Now that An Lingrong has the opportunity to enter the palace to participate in the selection of concubines, she was worried about An Lingrong traveling alone as a young woman, so she left her children at home and accompanied her to the capital with her luggage.

Upon entering the Zhen residence, seeing the several clever maids surrounding Zhen Huan, the aunt must have been afraid that Zhen Huan would feel upset, so she took care of everything herself.

Over the years, Aunt Xiao was the only person who truly cared for them, mother and daughter.

Seeing Aunt Xiao enter the door was quite amusing. An Lingrong felt a pang of sadness mixed with a touch of warmth. How could she have never seriously considered such a family member before? During her days in the harem, she only thought about how to be manipulated by others and how she couldn't make her own decisions, suffering in vain, but she never seriously planned for her family.

Thinking of this, An Lingrong's eyes reddened again.

"What are you still standing there for? If you don't get out of bed soon, Granny Xi will definitely scold you." Seeing An Lingrong staring at her in a daze, Aunt Xiao said angrily.

"Okay," An Lingrong quickly lowered her head to wipe away her tears and hurriedly got out of bed to wash up. In her heart, she secretly made up her mind that in this life, she must do everything she could to arrange a good life for her mother and Aunt Xiao, and never let her two dear relatives be implicated by her good-for-nothing father.

At breakfast time, Liu Zhu waited outside the hall, waiting for An Lingrong to finish her breakfast before coming in to report that Zhen Huan had instructed her to wait for her to finish eating before taking her to the place where she would attend the class.

After leaving the side hall where you ate, walk through a covered corridor, and pass through a hanging flower gate to reach the small courtyard where Zhen Huan lived.

As they walked along, the scenery inside the courtyard was beautiful. Although it was in the north, it resembled a garden in the south of China. An Lingrong couldn't help but admire it. Master Zhen was indeed a scholar and a refined gentleman. The house was decorated in a quiet and elegant manner. Wherever there were carvings, they were all decorated with the Four Gentlemen: plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. Even in the courtyard inside the corridor, there were many plum trees.

An Lingrong vaguely remembered that she had been here in her previous life. However, their states of mind were completely different.

At that time, An Lingrong was like a country woman entering the city. Everything she saw was new and beautiful. She was overwhelmed by the sights and felt that she was too poor to look closely at anything.

An Lingrong followed Liu Zhu into the house. The place where the teaching nanny was giving lessons today was in the side hall of this courtyard, which was also the place where the daughters of officials usually gathered in their boudoirs.

Inside the room, there was a gauze screen separating the two rooms. Behind the screen was a small study, where one could vaguely see many books on the shelves. Although An Lingrong couldn't understand the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, she knew they must have some source.

The area outside the screen was specially reserved for the nanny to teach her and Zhen Huan.

Fruits, tea, and snacks had already been prepared in the small hall.

When Zhen Huan saw that it was An Lingrong who came in, she quickly greeted her with a smile, "Did you have a good breakfast? Did I, this quick-witted maid, disturb your breakfast?"

Before An Lingrong could answer, Liu Zhu was the quickest to object, saying, "How could this servant be as quick-witted as a talker? This servant waited patiently until Miss An had finished her breakfast before going in to report. If you don't believe me, you can ask Miss An."

Seeing Liu Zhu's anxious eyes widen, Zhen Huan smiled and took An Lingrong's hand, saying, "I won't believe you or me anymore, I only believe An Lingrong."

An Lingrong then remembered that Liu Zhu had waited until she finished eating before replying. It seemed that Zhen Huan was more thoughtful and noticed her previous timidity and caution, worrying that if she had come to reply earlier, she wouldn't have been able to eat her breakfast in peace.

Thinking of this, An Lingrong felt a warmth in her heart. Watching Zhen Huan and her maid Liu Zhu exchanging greetings, she couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Miss Liu Zhu is so well-mannered. She waited until my sister had swallowed the last mouthful of tea properly, rinsed her mouth, and drunk some tea before she came in to answer your question."

Zhen Huan's mind raced, and she smiled, "Liu Zhu has always had excellent hearing. I imagine that when she was outside the door, she could hear everything that was happening inside without even straining her ears."

Liu Zhu rolled her eyes and stamped her foot, saying, "It was clearly Miss who instructed me to wait at the door, and now you want to laugh at me for eavesdropping at the door."

An Lingrong and Zhen Huan exchanged a smile. Neither of them expected that they would be so in sync, and that they would unconsciously think of the same thing while speaking.

Seeing Liu Zhu puffing out her cheeks and stomping her feet, I couldn't help but laugh heartily again.