“The Empress’ lesson is clear; it is all my fault for being useless.”

After hearing Li Pin’s words, the Empress spoke a few more sentences before using the excuse that it was getting late and dismissed everyone.

Some time later, the Emperor promoted An Lingrong, elevating her from a 7th-grade official to a 6th-grade Consort.

Shen Meizhuang was also very favored by the Emperor.

Zhen Huan felt that everything was moving in a positive direction, and she was quite happy about it.

Looking at the calendar, it was about time for her to recover.

She instructed someone to call Wen Shichu and told him that she could now report to the Empress that her illness had completely healed.

Wen Shichu accepted the order and left.

Zhen Huan watched his retreating figure and felt like he was somewhat different from before—

He seemed less gloomy.

Zhen Huan’s recovery meant she could now serve the Emperor.

When the Internal Affairs Bureau received the news, they quickly prepared the green card and were ready to wait for the Emperor’s command to let him choose a card.

To work in the palace, one needed to have a sharp eye—without it, you wouldn’t last!

That day, the begonia tree outside the Jade Pavilion, which had been dormant for a long time, finally bloomed.

It seemed to be a good omen!

Huan Bi explained that it was due to the dragon’s qi, which made the flowers bloom naturally.

Zhen Huan thought to herself:

If the musk seeds under the begonia tree hadn’t been dug out, even if the Emperor visited every day, this tree probably wouldn’t have bloomed.

As they chatted and laughed, a eunuch came to deliver an imperial decree, saying that the Emperor had granted her a bath at Tangquan Palace.

So soon, it was that day again!

Zhen Huan recalled from her past life that Consort Qi had once casually mentioned that the Empress was supposed to go on this day, but for some reason, she hadn’t.

In her previous life, Zhen Huan had thought that it was because the Empress was virtuous and had purposely given her and the Emperor time alone.

But now, having lived again, if she still thought that way, it would be a little too naïve.

The Empress must have known that the Emperor wanted to take Zhen Huan alone. If the Empress forced her way in, it would ruin the Emperor’s mood and make him upset.

Rather than doing that, the Empress would rather do the Emperor a favor, leaving him with a good impression of her virtue.

Secondly, this would show everyone in the harem that the Emperor had specially taken her alone, causing jealousy and encouraging others to scheme against Zhen Huan.

Thirdly, besides Consort Hua, no one in the harem had ever received such an honor.

This would definitely make Consort Hua feel a sense of crisis, and without the Empress’ interference, Consort Hua would find a way to deal with Zhen Huan.

This was a brilliant three-in-one scheme, and only the shrewd Empress could think of something like this!

Zhen Huan thought to herself.

But now that the Emperor’s decree had already been given, she couldn’t possibly ask the Emperor to cancel the trip herself—doing so would only make her seem ungrateful to others!

So, as always, if the fight was coming, then let it come!

In the palace, it wasn’t enough to simply endure and hope for peace.

With her face, which resembled Chun Yuan’s, the Empress would never let her off easily.

Rather than being a lowly pawn, trampled on by others, it would be better for her to wield the knife herself and protect those who followed her and loved her.

While Jin Xi was still helping Zhen Huan pack, the Emperor arrived.

He said that since he had nothing else to do, it would be better to come to the palace and take Zhen Huan with him.

Along the way, the Emperor held Zhen Huan’s hand the entire time, as though he feared that if he let go for even a second, she would turn into smoke and disappear.

Zhen Huan looked at the Emperor, who was so delighted, and knew that his joy wasn’t for her but for the wife in his heart—Chun Yuan, who would forever remain as beautiful as their first meeting.

But Zhen Huan didn’t mind.

She knew that, in the end, she would replace Chun Yuan and become the woman who would always be by the Emperor’s side.

Since she already knew how the story would end, why should she feel upset about the process?

For her, the Emperor’s deep affection was a good thing!

It was far better than indifference!

The Emperor held her hand, and along the way, they exchanged sweet words. Time seemed to pass by much faster, and before long, their carriage arrived at the Changping Palace.

The Emperor had Jin Xi serve Zhen Huan first.

With Jin Xi’s help, Zhen Huan quickly immersed herself in a bath filled with rose petals.

Afterward, Jin Xi stood by, holding her clothes and waiting to serve.

She looked at Zhen Huan soaking in the bath and couldn’t help but smile happily.

After all, this honor was hers too, by association!

Meanwhile, Zhen Huan’s mind uncontrollably flashed back to her past life, to all the experiences she had with the Emperor…

If she were to evaluate the feelings between her and the Emperor in her past life, it would definitely be a mix of love and hate.

But now, looking back at those events, her heart was filled with more guilt and understanding for the Emperor…

If it hadn’t been for the Emperor’s love for her, for his trust, how would she have ended up being conspired against by her and Ye Lanxi, leading to her death?

She probably wouldn’t have even survived long enough for them to make a move and would have died because of her affair with Prince Guo.

In the end, it was still because the Emperor had feelings for her…

Zhen Huan recognized this and felt even more determined to live this life well with the Emperor.

She looked at the Emperor, who was wearing a bright red wedding robe, slowly walking toward her. Her eyes were filled with the emotion of a lover reunited.

In her past life, at this moment, she would have been nervous, but now she felt calm and at ease.

Just like in her previous life, the Emperor first tested the temperature of the spring water with his hand.

This casual action seemed to be that of a common husband, worried his wife might catch a chill.

Then, the Emperor shifted his gaze to Zhen Huan…

Zhen Huan felt the intense heat in his eyes, and her face unconsciously flushed.

It wasn’t because she was shy, but because she knew exactly what the Emperor’s burning gaze would lead to.

In her previous life, she had served the Emperor countless times, and she understood him too well. The thought of what would happen next made her blush and her heart race.

“My beloved Guan Guiren, are you shy?” The Emperor looked down at Zhen Huan, his gaze filled with naked desire, making it impossible for her to avoid.

She coyly replied, “Your Majesty, you’re always teasing me!”

As she said this, she deliberately splashed a few drops of water in his direction.

The Emperor laughed heartily. “Guan Guiren isn’t afraid of me, you really are different…”

With that, he jumped into the bath to join Zhen Huan.

After the bath, just like in her past life, Zhen Huan walked barefoot, letting the Emperor pull her along.

As they walked, it felt as though the entire course of Zhen Huan’s life unfolded before her. All the sweetness and bitterness that followed began from this moment.

If the Emperor hadn’t given her such favor, she would never have been so demanding afterward.

After all, her original wish was just to live a peaceful life in the harem.

It was the Emperor’s gradual affection that nurtured her ambition.

Those who had received the highest favor could sense the greatest disparity with even the slightest mistreatment.

If, from the start, the Emperor had not treated her so well, and had waited until after she endured the hardships others had imposed on her, her heart would have been very different.

Zhen Huan thought about this in her heart, and before long, she was pulled by the Emperor to the bed of honor.