An Lingrong is reborn to live for herself.

Shuangxue was just leaving the palace gates, heading towards Zhen Huan's bedroom, when she encountered Liu Zhu, who was beaming with joy, hurrying towards the side hall.

When Shuangxue saw that it was Liuzhu, she quickly curtsied and called out, "Sister Liuzhu." However, before Shuangxue could ask why Liuzhu had come in such a hurry, Liuzhu grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

As Liu Zhu strode forward, she said to Shuang Xue with a grin, "His Majesty just sent Eunuch Xia to deliver an imperial decree, saying that our young mistress and young mistress An are to go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation for a talk."

Upon hearing this, Shuangxue couldn't help but show a look of joy on her face.

Shuangxue had been following An Lingrong for some time now. An Lingrong was beautiful and always spoke softly and gently, treating her servants with great kindness. After a while, Shuangxue couldn't help but worry about her mistress's future. Moreover, in the harem, only by gaining the emperor's favor could one have a promising future. Therefore, upon hearing the emperor's decree, she couldn't help but feel happy for An Lingrong, and when she entered the room again, she had a bright smile on her face.

When An Lingrong looked up, she saw the two of them with joy on their faces. She thought that Zhen Huan had come up with some new idea. She was intrigued and thought that she could discuss her doubts with Zhen Huan at this moment. However, she heard that the emperor had summoned her and Zhen Huan to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Her expression turned indifferent, and she simply nodded in agreement.

Seeing that An Lingrong did not appear happy, Liu Zhu and Shuang Xue assumed that An Lingrong was uneasy because she rarely saw the Emperor's presence and did not think too much about it.

Liu Zhu, beaming with delight, delivered the message and happily left the side hall to return and report.

However, An Lingrong felt as if a thin veil had been draped over her heart, leaving her completely bewildered.

Was the emperor summoning her and Zhen Huan simply because he had nothing better to do and wanted someone to keep him company and have a chat?

-

After An Lingrong finished getting ready, she brought Shuangxue to find Zhen Huan.

Today, Zhen Huan dressed rather modestly, choosing only a light blue dress embroidered with auspicious lotus flowers. Her hair ornaments were also just a small red gold filigree hairpin, not extravagant, but perfectly placed, making her look quite lively.

An Lingrong was also dressed very elegantly today, wearing a light pink satin jacket embroidered with eight treasures and cloud patterns, with two plain silver hairpins inlaid with jade inserted diagonally in her hair, and her face was only lightly powdered, making her look beautiful and refined.

Looking at An Lingrong's expression, Zhen Huan smiled and said, "I didn't expect we'd think of the same thing today."

An Lingrong smiled and said, "I feel much more at ease knowing that you think the same way as me, sister. There have been many things going on in the harem lately, and the emperor has been neglecting the harem for some time now. I wonder who the emperor summoned today. But in the harem, the emperor's favor is the most precious thing, and everyone is naturally hoping to regain his favor, so they will inevitably put some effort into their makeup and attire."

Moreover, there are countless women in the harem who constantly vie for attention and beauty; the Emperor must be used to it all, and might even find it rather ordinary. Our simple and elegant attire will give us an edge over being unconventional.

Zhen Huan nodded. Ever since her detailed conversation with An Lingrong that day, she had increasingly felt that An Lingrong was quite insightful and intelligent. Zhen Huan pondered that although she and Shen Meizhuang were quite favored by the Emperor, new talents were constantly emerging in the harem. If she could form an alliance with a wise and reliable person, it would be a good way to prepare for the future.

Moreover, Zhen Huan had previously thought that An Lingrong avoided the emperor's favor because of her low social status and timidity, and thus her help to An Lingrong was mostly out of sympathy and care. Unexpectedly, An Lingrong was also very observant of the situation in the harem and even had some insights, which made Zhen Huan feel that she and her sister should advance and retreat together.

At this moment, seeing that An Lingrong was thinking the same thing as her, she was even more delighted. Zhen Huan looked at An Lingrong's attire and smiled, "Sister, your skin is as white as jade, your face is beautiful, and your figure is slender. The Emperor will surely be pleased to see you."

When An Lingrong heard Zhen Huan's praise, she blushed. Her eyes flickered for a moment, and she smiled faintly, "Sister is the one the Emperor cherishes most. Lingrong only wants to stay by Sister's side. Lingrong doesn't care about anything else."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan was taken aback. Seeing that An Lingrong's expression remained unchanged, she couldn't help but wonder if Lingrong had someone she loved. Why was she so cold to the Emperor when she had decided to make plans for herself?

-

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

When Zhen Huan and An Lingrong arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, they discovered that they were indeed not the only ones summoned today.

The Empress sat to the side, peeling lotus seeds for the Emperor, while Shen Meizhuang sat on a small stool to the side.

The two hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects.

When the emperor saw the two enter, he was captivated by their contrasting appearances: one was lively and spirited, the other was elegant and gentle.

Seeing the Emperor looking at the two, the Empress smiled and said, "Consort Wan is lively and has a fair complexion; she is truly charming and adorable. Consort An comes from Jiangnan and indeed possesses the gentle and quiet nature of a Jiangnan woman. However, she is usually too weak and rarely goes out. She looks much better now. But she should take better care of herself in the future so that she can serve His Majesty."

The emperor looked at the two of them with a smile in his eyes, "The empress is right, so don't be so formal, please sit down."

Su Peisheng quickly had small chairs brought out for the two women to sit on. He then ordered tea to be served to Zhen Huan and An Lingrong.

An Lingrong took the teacup, and as soon as she slightly opened the lid, a refreshing fragrance wafted out. An Lingrong was momentarily stunned; it was her favorite scented flower tea. Just from the aroma, she knew this tea was far more refined than the common flower teas she usually drank. An Lingrong took a small sip; it was slightly sweet on the palate, and although it was warm, it had a cool sensation as it went down her throat. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Looking at An Lingrong's expression, the emperor suddenly burst into laughter, appearing quite pleased with himself.

In fact, when An Lingrong lifted her teacup, Zhen Huan noticed that An Lingrong's tea was different from the others. Her cup contained pre-rain Longjing tea, which was the emperor's favorite tea, while An Lingrong's tea smelled faintly of flowers. Zhen Huan guessed that the emperor had specially prepared scented tea for An Lingrong, probably to cater to her preferences.

However, this intention was quite obvious. Zhen Huan knew the emperor's intentions clearly. Although she felt a pang of bitterness, she dared not show it in the slightest.

Shen Meizhuang was sitting a little further away and hadn't smelled the floral fragrance in An Lingrong's tea, so she was puzzled. Seeing that An Lingrong looked a little uncomfortable, she assumed that An Lingrong was just being reserved because it was her first time interacting with the emperor, and that she might have made a fool of herself. So she quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Did Your Majesty have some special tea that you bestowed upon Sister An alone?"

The Emperor smiled without speaking, and Zhen Huan understood even better. She smiled and said, "Sister An usually loves scented tea the most. She always says that each flower has a unique fragrance that can soothe different emotions. As soon as Sister An's cup of tea was served, I smelled its fragrance, which is different from ordinary scented tea. I knew it was a good tea just by smelling it. How could I not appreciate Sister An's appreciation!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Meizhuang's heart stirred slightly, but she pretended not to notice. Because An Lingrong had never served the emperor before and was often "ill," the emperor seemed to have never paid attention to An Lingrong's existence.

Shen Meizhuang pondered for a moment, recalling the Emperor's expression when he diagnosed Consort Li's madness in Jingren Palace. She realized that it was on that day that the Emperor had taken An Lingrong to heart. However, since then, the Emperor had rarely visited the inner palace. Unexpectedly, he knew An Lingrong's tea preferences so well, showing that he must have taken a liking to her and had done so intentionally.

Thinking of this, feeling regretful for his belated realization, he couldn't help but look at Zhen Huan, only to find that their eyes met. He discovered that Zhen Huan also seemed quite surprised by the matter.

Upon hearing Zhen Huan's explanation, the Emperor smiled and said, "Consort Wan does know good tea." He then took a sip himself, only to find that what was floating in the teacup was not scented tea, but rather fine Longjing tea.

Upon hearing this, An Lingrong smiled charmingly and quickly rose to her feet, bowing, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

Seeing this, Zhen Huan finally felt relieved, as she was afraid that An Lingrong would remain indifferent to the emperor as before.

The emperor seemed unconcerned, simply setting down his teacup and saying casually, "There's another matter I've summoned you all here today. Lately, there have been many matters, and the Empress Dowager is overworked and worried. She would like to select a capable person to go to Shou Kang Palace to take care of her." As he spoke, he seemed to tap the string of beads in his hand on his leg intentionally or unintentionally.

"The Empress is filial and always serves in Shou Kang Palace. However, the affairs of the inner palace are complicated and cannot be separated from the Empress. Therefore, I think the Empress Dowager's idea is good. We can choose a smart and capable one from among the concubines to go to Shou Kang Palace. She can not only serve the Empress Dowager on my behalf, but also assist the Empress in managing the affairs of Shou Kang Palace. It will also be a good experience for her."

As he spoke, the emperor's gaze seemed to casually sweep over the three of them, and he slowly said, "However, the choice of this person... the empress and I have not yet discussed it, and we would like to hear the opinions of the three of you."

An Lingrong was startled. She had just heard that the Empress Dowager was in good health, so why was she choosing someone to take care of her in the Empress Dowager's palace? Moreover, no matter how you compare them, Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan were more suitable. What was she planning to do by suddenly calling on her, her companion?