PDLP Chapter 214 Persuasion
Chapter 214 Persuasion
In the palace, Shen Meizhuang watched An Lingrong leave. After a moment's thought, she sat down next to Zhen Huan and asked softly, "Huan'er, the Emperor treats you very well, doesn't he?"
"Yes!" Zhen Huan nodded vigorously without hesitation, her beautiful eyes gleaming with determination. "I can talk about anything with him, and he trusts me so much that sometimes even I have the illusion that we're not emperor and concubine, but just an ordinary loving couple."
As she said this, a blush as bright as the sunset quietly appeared on Zhen Huan's fair face, just like the peach blossoms blooming in spring, delicate and charming, and lovable.
Shen Meizhuang roared inwardly: You guessed it! An illusion is just an illusion.
But her face remained dignified as she spoke slowly and eloquently: "When I first entered the palace, I was just like you, thinking that the emperor was not only the emperor, but also my husband. I could rely on him, trust him, and hope that he would have some pity on me. But what is the truth? I was just a chess piece he used to balance the harem. Even now, I gave birth to a prince and hold the power to assist in the management of the six palaces. Others think that the emperor favors me very much, but in fact I know that the queen has the queen mother as a backer, and her position is unbreakable. In order to prevent her from becoming too powerful, someone must share her power. It used to be Hua Fei, and now it is me. But one day he will worry that I have too much power, so I pushed Jing Fei out before him, which can be regarded as reassuring to him.
If my example isn't convincing enough, what about Concubine Hua? Concubine Hua has loved the Emperor wholeheartedly for so many years, yet the Emperor is always on guard, even taking advantage of his own child. If it weren't for Rong'er, her and the Nian family's fate would have been a hundred times more miserable.
And Concubine Duan, with her family background, any prince would have treated her as his legal wife, but she fell in love with the Emperor and ended up becoming his pawn. If it weren't for Rong'er's mediation, she would have died alone!
After saying this long paragraph, Shen Meizhuang didn't feel sad at all, as if she was talking about something that had nothing to do with her.
As expected, she had really given up on the emperor!
Zhen Huan disagreed somewhat: "Sister Mei, I understand what you said. But these are all the checks and balances the emperor uses. He has his own difficulties. I understand his approach and the choices he made to stabilize the government. And I can feel that I am different in his heart."
Shen Meizhuang was speechless. "I said city gate tower, and you said hip axle." She meant that the emperor was cold-hearted, but Zhen Huan attributed all this to the emperor's methods of ruling his subordinates.
She and Zhen Huan had known each other for more than ten years, but for the first time she felt that they were "not on the same page". However, An Lingrong had already escaped, so she had to bite the bullet and persuade her to stay.
"Then do you know why the Emperor treats you this way?" Shen Meizhuang sighed and continued, "Speaking of being well-versed in poetry and literature, and having many talents, which woman in the harem hasn't been meticulously nurtured and cultivated by her family since childhood?"
Zhen Huan lowered her head slightly and thought for a moment before softly answering, "Perhaps it's because I understand the Emperor and can see through his thoughts."
"We've only been in the palace for two short years, but the Empress and Concubine Duan and Concubine Jing have served the Emperor for over a decade. With their experience and wisdom, how could they not see through the Emperor's thoughts? Besides, the Emperor is the ruler of a nation. How could we, the women in the harem, easily guess what's in his mind?"
Zhen Huan thought for a moment after hearing this and said, "Sister Mei, the Emperor is also a human being, with emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. He is standing alone on the top of a mountain, and he needs someone to accompany him. Why can't that person be me?"
Shen Meizhuang looked at Zhen Huan steadily, and Zhen Huan also raised her head to look at her.
From just one glance, Shen Meizhuang knew this method wouldn't work on Zhen Huan. She could only slowly say, "In the Emperor's heart, the Empress is just the Empress, not his wife. He has always had only one wife in his heart, Empress Chunyuan. Do you think you can compare to her?"
Zhen Huan was a little anxious: "I didn't mean that..."
"I know. But in the eyes of the Emperor, no one can compare to Empress Chunyuan. If we have even a hint of Empress Chunyuan in us or our personalities, the Emperor will magnify that advantage infinitely. However, he doesn't see us, but Empress Chunyuan. Huan'er, do you understand?"
Zhen Huan frowned and asked, "Sister Mei, I don't quite understand. What is the relationship between me and Queen Chunyuan?"
Shen Meizhuang looked at Zhen Huan's bulging belly and couldn't bear to tell her the truth directly. She could only say tactfully, "Huan'er, although Queen Chunyuan has passed away for many years, many legends about her still linger in the palace. She was kind and gentle, possessing both virtue and talent. Her stunning dance became world-famous. And you, with your equally brilliant intelligence, your understanding, and your astonishing dance, perhaps the Emperor sees a reflection of Queen Chunyuan in you?"
Hearing this, Zhen Huan's heart suddenly trembled, and her hands began to tremble involuntarily. She held on to the small table beside her and struggled to stand up: "Sister Mei, what do you mean by this?"
Seeing her face flushed and her breathing a little unstable, Shen Meizhuang was startled. She quickly stood up and supported her and said, "No, no, I was just saying that. Don't disturb the fetus."
Zhen Huan took a deep breath, trying to calm her inner turmoil, and then slowly returned to her original seat. Her beautiful eyes closed slightly, her brows furrowed slightly, and she began to carefully consider what Shen Meizhuang had just said.
After a moment, Zhen Huan opened her eyes and looked at Shen Meizhuang with a determined gaze. She said softly, "Sister, I know that you and Rong'er have always been sincere and caring about me. Now that the affairs of the former court and the harem have been settled, I will naturally not discuss state affairs anymore."
Hearing Zhen Huan's statement, Shen Meizhuang breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in response, "Okay, the most important thing now is that you take good care of your pregnancy and give birth to this child safely!"
After the two finished talking, there was still no sign of An Lingrong. Shen Meizhuang stood up and saw through the window a petite figure squatting under the osmanthus tree.
An Lingrong was digging with a small shovel in her hand, mumbling incoherently, "Dig a hole, bury some soil, count one, two, three, four, five, my own soil, my own land, grab a love brain and bury it in it!"
After saying that, he shoveled an ant that was diligently foraging for food from the side and poured it into the pit, "Go in!"
Then he used a shovel to cover the dirt while muttering, "Amitabha, what a sin, what a sin!"
Zhen Huan stood up and walked out of the palace with Shen Meiyu, and quietly came behind An Lingrong.
"Rong'er, what are you mumbling about?" Shen Meizhuang listened for a long time but couldn't hear clearly what she was saying, so she could only ask.
An Lingrong turned around suddenly and saw the two of them looking at her with smiles on their faces. She stood up, threw away the shovel, and said, "Nothing, just playing with ants."
As he said that, he smoothed the small pile of earth with his feet!
"Sister, are you done talking?"