An Lingrong is reborn to live for herself.

Upon hearing the emperor's words, not only An Lingrong, but also Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang were taken aback.

To be honest, this statement is somewhat abrupt.

In the imperial harem, below the Empress, there was still Consort Hua.

Although the Emperor has been deliberately keeping Consort Hua in suspense lately due to various incidents, he has never shown any intention of deposing her.

An Lingrong knew in her heart that Consort Hua's ultimate fate would be, but it would only be after Nian Gengyao's incident that Consort Hua would be implicated. There was no sign of this happening in the court yet, so it was not yet time.

Moreover, what the Emperor just said wasn't about going to Shou Kang Palace to attend to the ailing emperor. Rather, he was choosing someone he deemed suitable to serve at Shou Kang Palace, implying that the Empress Dowager intended to personally train them. This carried a certain honor, so was it intentional to bypass Consort Hua in this way?

It seems that whichever of the three is chosen will inevitably become a thorn in Consort Hua's side. Isn't this deliberately putting that person in the spotlight? Could this also be something the Emperor intentionally did?

Even without Consort Hua, there are still Consort Duan, Consort Qi, and Consort Jing. In terms of seniority, it wouldn't be the turn of these three newcomers. Moreover, An Lingrong knows very well that she comes from a humble background. Her father was just a county magistrate and was not particularly outstanding in the palace.

An Lingrong felt uneasy, but dared not look around. She only wanted to secretly observe the emperor's expression. However, when she looked up, she met the emperor's gaze. The emperor looked very relaxed, observing her with a half-smile. His eyes, as dark as the night, held unreadable thoughts.

An Lingrong was first startled, then annoyed, as this was clearly a deliberate attempt to see her anxious and frightened.

But then a sense of despondency crept into her heart. Even if she could start over, would she still be nothing more than a caged bird to be admired by others? Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh softly.

Although An Lingrong's sigh was soft, Shen Meizhuang noticed it. Shen Meizhuang was slightly surprised. The emperor seemed to care quite a bit for An Lingrong, but he had never shown it before. If it weren't for today, she would never have realized the emperor's feelings.

However, Shen Meizhuang was always composed, and knowing that today's matter was most important, she composed herself, smiled gently, and said softly, "It is my honor to serve the Empress Dowager. I will follow the Emperor and Empress's orders."

Because Shen Meizhuang was ordered to learn about the affairs of the six palaces, she often had the opportunity to be by the Empress's side, and thus learned some things. Especially these days, Shen Meizhuang has heard quite a lot from the Empress.

I heard that the Empress Dowager had been overworked and felt exhausted. Since the Fifth Prince was still young and there were many things to worry about, she wanted to select a capable person from the inner palace to go to Shou Kang Palace so that there would be more people to take care of the Fifth Prince.

Rumors of this have already spread.

Shen Meizhuang was always intelligent and astute, and she was always good at assessing situations and handling matters thoroughly in the harem. Therefore, she was quite open-minded about the matter of Shou Kang Palace. She was still young and not in a hurry to fight for short-term gains, as that would only make things difficult for her future. So she did not deliberately plan anything there.

For the concubines, being able to enter Shou Kang Palace to serve the Empress Dowager at this time was truly an incredible stroke of luck.

The imperial harem values ​​offspring most, and the emperor has few children.

Of the three princes, the Third Prince, born to Consort Qi and raised by the Empress, naturally enjoys a noble status and is not open to others' schemes. The Fourth Prince is raised in the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor has always ignored him, making his future uncertain; being raised there might not necessarily be a good thing. The Fifth Prince, on the other hand, is currently being raised in the Shou Kang Palace. If there is an opportunity to adopt him, he will surely gain the Empress Dowager's favor, and perhaps one day he can even secure a better future for the Emperor.

Whoever it is, if they can use the pretext of serving the Empress Dowager to frequently visit the Shou Kang Palace, there is still a long way to go, and perhaps they can take advantage of this to get a son, thus giving them more hope for the future.

Looking further ahead, the Empress Dowager is getting old after all. Who knows if this move isn't for the future? And who can say for sure what the future holds for the Fifth Prince?

These alone are enough to make the concubines in the harem envious.

However, there was one thing Shen Meizhuang couldn't see through: if the Empress Dowager had already made plans to find a future for the Fifth Prince, then even if he wasn't the Empress, there would be no shortage of concubines from wealthy families.

Shen Meizhuang was confused and unwilling to put herself in danger, so she thought it would be best to decline. However, she had entered the palace as a concubine and harbored hopes for the future. She also considered that if this opportunity truly fell to her, she could rely on her father and brothers, and wouldn't necessarily face a difficult end. After much deliberation, she figured the emperor probably already had a plan, so she decided to wait and see.

Shen Meizhuang remained calm and composed, and after speaking, she smiled gently and awaited instructions.

Seeing that the Emperor and Empress were not in a hurry to answer the questions of the three of them, as if they needed each of them to express their feelings before it would be over, Zhen Huan suddenly understood and smiled gently, "No matter which sister in the harem the Empress Dowager chooses, it is a happy thing. In common people, it is common for women to serve their elders, and the royal family is the role model for all people. Moreover, I have long heard that the Empress Dowager has been a devout Buddhist for a long time, and she may possess great wisdom. Serving her closely will surely benefit her greatly from her influence."

This was a tactful remark, neither a refusal nor an attempt at flattery. The Empress's eyebrows arched slightly, and she nodded gently.

An Lingrong lowered her head and chuckled softly, saying nothing more.

The Empress turned to the Emperor and smiled gently, "Consort Wan is intelligent and charming; she will surely win the Empress Dowager's favor. I think Consort Wan is a good choice." She then glanced at Shen Meizhuang with a smile and added, "Actually, Consort Shen is also good. She is quick-witted, eager to learn, and meticulous. She is learning palace affairs very quickly, which has made things much easier for me. However, it would be a bit difficult for Consort Shen to juggle both roles."

The emperor nodded slightly, but remained noncommittal.

The Empress smiled and said, "Consort An has just recovered, so you should focus on recuperating. Serving the Emperor and ensuring the continuation of the royal family's lineage is also an important matter."

Although An Lingrong had no interest in this matter, being brought up in this way, especially in front of everyone, inevitably made her feel embarrassed. Her face flushed, and she quickly lowered her head in agreement. But as she looked up, she suddenly met the emperor's gaze, and her heart skipped a beat.

But then the Emperor slowly said, “Consort Shen needs to follow the Empress and learn about palace affairs, so she can’t be careless. It’s also inconvenient for her to be distracted by going to Shou Kang Palace. In the end, the Empress is very thoughtful.” As he spoke, his gaze swept over Zhen Huan and An Lingrong, his eyes seemingly holding a smile. “Consort Wan is indeed clever, but lately I have spoiled her too much. She should stay by my side to avoid being scolded by the Empress Dowager.”

Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan felt a warm glow in her heart, and her cheeks flushed red.

The Emperor then said, "The Empress Dowager has always preferred quiet. I think Consort An is quiet and gentle, and she is a suitable candidate."

Although the emperor spoke gently and seemed to have the intention of considering all three of them, his meaning was very clear.

The Empress was slightly surprised upon hearing this, but quickly composed herself, as if she had truly received praise from the Emperor. She smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I am not as thoughtful as you. I simply find the new brides, such as Consort Shen, to be young, beautiful, gentle, and charming, and I like them very much." Then, she said to An Lingrong, "Since Your Majesty has made your decision, I promise to serve the Empress Dowager from now on and do my best in everything."

An Lingrong was still in a daze when she realized that the Emperor and Empress had already finished their discussion and the matter was now settled.

Seeing that An Lingrong was somewhat dazed, Zhen Huan quickly nudged her gently with her elbow.

An Lingrong then stood up and hurriedly thanked the emperor, but her confusion only deepened.

However, now that the matter had been decided, the emperor said no more, only chatting about some refined and interesting things that An Lingrong didn't quite understand, before instructing Su Peisheng to serve the meal.

Upon seeing this, Zhen Huan, An Lingrong, and Shen Meizhuang hurriedly greeted the Empress and took their leave, leaving only the Empress to accompany them in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After the three of them left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Zhen Huan finally breathed a deep sigh of relief. Looking around to make sure no one was nearby, she whispered to Shen Meizhuang, "The Emperor summoned us here in such a hurry today just to talk about this, but the Empress Dowager is not well?"

Shen Meizhuang shook her head and said, "These past few days, all I've heard from the Empress is that the Empress Dowager is much better." It was nearly noon, and there was no shade in the palace. Today, the sun happened to be shining brightly, its rays falling perfectly on the three of them. Shen Meizhuang gently folded a handkerchief into a square and covered her eyebrows as she continued, "However, the news that the Empress Dowager wants to choose a successor from among the concubines has spread these past few days. I heard that after the Fifth Prince was injured, the Empress Dowager wanted to find a place for him. Whether she truly feels unwell or is plotting something regarding the succession, it's hard to say..."

As they spoke, the two of them looked at An Lingrong, who had been silent beside them. The spring air was warm and the light and shadows were soft, but it made her face appear even paler.