PDLP Chapter 388: Last Will and Testament 2
Chapter 388: Last Will and Testament 2
Zhen Huan watched the two of them being so intimate, a gentle smile playing in her eyes. She nodded gently, her tone a mixture of teasing and seriousness: "I can't be left out. The three of us are already one, and no one can be left behind."
"You won't be left behind!" Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong said in unison, their tones filled with determination and tacit understanding. Afterward, the three of them smiled at each other, their laughter echoing through the hall, as if dispelling all the gloom and heaviness.
At this moment, they seemed no longer the cautious concubines in the deep palace, but three sisters who relied on and trusted each other. In their laughter, there was no calculation, no defense, only pure friendship and warmth.
An Lingrong leaned on Shen Meizhuang's shoulder, pointed casually at the will on the table and said, "Sister, please send this will back!"
"what?"
"Since none of you want the position of Empress, then this will is useless. Once the cause of Empress Chunyuan's death is revealed, given the Empress's grave crimes, the Emperor will likely imprison her for life, no matter how much he respects the will. By then, although she will still bear the title of Empress, she will be nothing more than a captive, deposed without being deposed.
Besides, it's better to let her hold the title of Empress. The Empress is backed by the Ulanara clan, whose influence is deeply entrenched in the court. If she were to be deposed hastily, it would undoubtedly cause unrest in the Former Dynasty, and they might target the Zhen and Shen families. Keeping her as Empress in name only would at least help stabilize the Former Dynasty, and the Zhen and Shen families wouldn't be pushed to the forefront of the storm."
Both of them nodded: "What you said makes sense!"
After she finished speaking, Jinxi had already asked someone to prepare dinner.
After dinner, as the night deepened, Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong returned to Yonghe Palace together.
The palace lanterns were dim, illuminating the soft figures of the two people. The air was filled with the faint fragrance of the goose pear tree tent, making it seem particularly peaceful.
An Lingrong was wearing a light green nightgown, the soft fabric making her look even more beautiful. She stood in front of the dressing table, holding a jade comb in her hand, gently removing the hairpins and rings from Shen Meizhuang's hair. In the dressing mirror, Shen Meizhuang's face was gentle and dignified, and her eyebrows and eyes revealed a calm and indifferent look.
An Lingrong combed her long hair and whispered, "Sister, I actually want you to be the queen."
Shen Meizhuang was slightly startled when she heard this. She then looked at An Lingrong in the mirror and asked with some confusion, "Why?"
"Because I want to give you the best things in the world!"
"I've got the best thing in the world."
"Huh? What is that?"
Shen Meizhuang stood up, took An Lingrong's hand, and slowly walked towards the bed: "You!"
An Lingrong's face flushed instantly when she heard this, and her tone was a little coquettish: "Oh, sister~"
The two of them lay side by side on the bed, the moonlight from the window pouring into the room as softly as water, like a layer of gauze, coating their figures with a dreamy silver halo. The room was so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing, as if time had stood still in this moment.
An Lingrong leaned on Shen Meizhuang's shoulder, her head slightly tilted, her hair gently brushing against Shen Meizhuang's neck, bringing a slightly itchy touch. She reached out and gently stroked Shen Meizhuang's abdomen: "Sister, since you left the confinement period, the Emperor has summoned you to his bed several times, but you always declined on the grounds of being unwell. Are you afraid of exposing this wound to the Emperor?"
Although the wound has healed, it still lies like an earthworm in her abdomen. She has prepared scar-removing gel with the best medicinal herbs, and Su Ye has also collected many folk secret recipes, but with little success.
Shen Meizhuang shook her head gently: "If I can no longer serve you in bed because of this scar, then that would be a good thing for me!"
"elder sister……"
Before she could say anything, Shen Meizhuang interrupted her: "Rong'er, I don't care about this scar, really. It's you, on the contrary, who always feels bad when you mention it. Today I will tell you seriously that this scar is a testimony to our friendship. It is a special connection between Jinghe and me. I like it very much. Please don't dwell on it anymore."
"Sister, I..."
An Lingrong's eyes instantly turned red, tears welling up in them. She had never imagined that Shen Meizhuang would view this horrible scar in this way. In her heart, this scar was a mark of Shen Meizhuang's painful experience, proof that she had failed to protect her. But in Shen Meizhuang's eyes, it became a symbol of friendship.
The deep friendship between them has long surpassed the harm caused by this scar.
"As for what the Emperor thinks, that has nothing to do with me... Now we have a son and a daughter, a position and power. The children and palace affairs are enough to keep me busy. The Emperor's favor is really irrelevant, and I don't want to spend my time and thoughts on him."
At the age of twenty-four, I have already given up on love.
An Lingrong said bitterly, "Sister, do you really think so?"
Shen Meizhuang smiled slightly, her eyes gentle yet firm. "Rong'er, I now understand that the Emperor's favor is but a fleeting illusion. What is truly precious is those who will never leave us, and those friendships that are worth protecting with all our heart."
She paused, her gaze resting on An Lingrong's face, her eyes filled with sincerity. "You, Huan'er, and our children are the ones I care about most right now. The Emperor's favor is merely an accessory to power. What if I get it? What if I lose it?"
An Lingrong listened, a warm feeling welling up in her heart, and she said softly, "Sister, you are truly as calm as a chrysanthemum, seeing through everything, yet still as gentle as water."
Upon hearing this, Shen Meizhuang chuckled and shook her head: "How can anyone be as indifferent as a chrysanthemum? It's just that I haven't met the people or things I care about. If I did, who could truly be as indifferent as a chrysanthemum?"
An Lingrong nodded, her eyes filled with happiness and satisfaction. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth coming from Shen Meizhuang, and her heart was filled with peace.
After a while, they both fell asleep together.