While Zhen Huan and the others were happily chatting, Kang Luhai suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

It seemed like this person had been following her all along, and since there was no way to avoid it, she had no choice but to deal with it.

Zhen Huan thought to herself, then glanced at the little Yunzi beside her—he was staring warily at Kang Luhai, who had suddenly popped up.

“Don’t worry, little Yunzi, you’ll always be the head eunuch in my palace. No one can take your place!” Zhen Huan thought this in her mind as she looked at him.

Kang Luhai first bowed, then expressed his wish to continue following her.

Zhen Huan smiled and said, “Your intentions are good, but does Li Pin know about this?”

“Th-This…”

As soon as he heard Li Pin’s name, Kang Luhai’s lips trembled in fear. It was obvious that things hadn’t gone well for him under Li Pin.

But a man who had already betrayed his master was someone she absolutely couldn’t trust.

And yet, Kang Luhai still thought that she could ask Li Pin to take him back. What a ridiculous pipe dream!

If he had ever looked in a mirror, he wouldn’t dare say something so shameless.

Just then, Li Pin, who had been eavesdropping behind them, couldn’t hold back her anger and stormed over.

“Oh, so you pretended to have a stomach ache and ran out just to meet your old master?”

Li Pin’s voice startled Kang Luhai so much that his knees weakened uncontrollably.

Li Pin shot him an angry glance, then scolded Cao Qinmo, who had been exchanging courtesies with Zhen Huan.

After that, she turned to Zhen Huan and spoke with a tone full of mockery and jealousy.

In terms of eloquence, how could Li Pin, who had the demeanor of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, compete with Zhen Huan, known as the “Empress of the Harem”?

Moreover, the current Zhen Huan was none other than the reborn Niuhulu Zhen Huan!

Just a few words, and Li Pin was completely defeated.

Although Li Pin’s expression was grim, all she could do now was sulk.

At that moment, one of Li Pin’s maids, seeing her mistress was upset, took out her frustrations on Kang Luhai.

“You dog of a eunuch, how dare you upset the Empress! Don’t you dare slap him!”

Zhen Huan, seeing Kang Luhai in this pitiful state, couldn’t help but think it was all his own doing.

Li Pin had always looked down on eunuchs, calling them rootless beings.

Even in front of Zhen Huan’s old palace maid, Zhou Ninghai from Hua Fei’s palace, she had openly said this, so what more could be said about Kang Luhai?

After a few exchanges of words, everyone went their separate ways.

When they arrived at Suiyu Xuan, Zhen Huan saw all the servants in the courtyard kneeling and greeting her with smiles.

Huang Guiquan, standing beside them, had a face full of flattery and said:

“Congratulations, Little Mistress, for the peppered room joy! This is a great honor, a great honor indeed!”

After all the servants had congratulated her, Liu Zhu, full of excitement, ran over to Zhen Huan, grabbed her arm, and said:

“Quick, Little Mistress, come see! The palace is looking amazing!”

Seeing Liu Zhu genuinely happy for her, Zhen Huan couldn’t help but smile.

As soon as they reached the entrance, the fragrance of peppercorns wafted through the air. Zhen Huan pretended not to know and asked:

“How fragrant, what is that smell?”

Liu Zhu, looking as excited as a child, replied:

“It’s the wall, Little Mistress! The wall smells fragrant.”

Huang Guiquan, bending over in the background, explained that this was an imperial order given early in the morning, and they had hurriedly completed it, hoping Zhen Huan would like it.

Jinxi, too, was so happy she couldn’t stop grinning. She understood how great a privilege this “peppered room joy” was. Having served in the palace for many years, she knew very well that it was a custom reserved for weddings. The walls were painted with pepper and cloth to symbolize warmth and the wish for many children.

Only the Empress could receive such a treatment; no other concubine could enjoy this honor.

With so many concubines in the emperor’s harem, only Hua Fei had been granted such a privilege before.

This showed how much the emperor valued Zhen Huan!

Listening to Jinxi’s explanation and looking at everything before her, Zhen Huan, even though she had already experienced it in her past life, couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

Following Huang Guiquan’s guidance, she walked further inside, where, just like in her previous life, red dates, peanuts, longan, and lotus seeds were scattered under the bedding, symbolizing the wish for early children.

If the emperor was truly intent on this, it would be hard not to be moved!

With all these favors, how could she not be loved?

No wonder she had fallen in love with the emperor in her past life…

Zhen Huan thought to herself.

But she also understood that this was just the beginning, and the road ahead was still long.

When Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong heard the news, they both went to Suiyu Xuan to congratulate Zhen Huan without saying a word.

“Others are usually carried to the bedchamber, but you’re different. The emperor actually accompanied you there in person.”

Shen Meizhuang, while stitching a design, teased Zhen Huan.

“You’re making fun of me, sister!”

“I’m not making fun of you. You’re being favored, I’m just happy for you!”

Zhen Huan knew that Shen Meizhuang was genuinely happy for her.

But she also knew that at this moment, Shen Meizhuang, who was deeply in love with the emperor, couldn’t help but feel a little lonely inside.

An Lingrong seemed much calmer, almost like someone who had nothing to do with it, but she also genuinely seemed happy for her.

Zhen Huan felt that it was better to talk things out among sisters, so she playfully asked:

“Sister Mei, Lingrong, are you two jealous?”

Shen Meizhuang stopped stitching, placed her hand on Zhen Huan’s and said:

“A little, but not much.”

“From the day we entered the palace together, I knew this day would come. As long as you’re favored, I won’t fear having no chance.”

“Yes, yes, Lingrong and I think the same.”

As soon as Shen Meizhuang finished speaking, An Lingrong seriously added:

“I know in my heart that if it weren’t for the help and guidance of both sisters, there wouldn’t be a today for me.”

“Whoever the emperor favors, as long as I’m by the side of my sisters, I know I’m in the right.”

The three sisters then exchanged a look and smiled together.

It felt so good to have no conflict between them.

But as for the rest of the harem, besides Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong, who genuinely wished for Zhen Huan’s well-being, everyone else was full of envy and jealousy!

Sure enough, as soon as Li Pin returned to Yikung Palace, she began complaining to Hua Fei.

She said that Zhen Huan, after sealing the noble consort title, dared to make moves on her palace people. Who knew what would happen next?

Hua Fei said it was her own failure to manage her servants, and it wasn’t anyone else’s fault.

She also said that her temper needed to be more like Cao Guiren’s calmness.

Li Pin responded, saying she couldn’t tolerate sand in her eyes.

Hua Fei said that because the emperor favored her, she was bound to lose her composure. If she kept losing composure, the emperor would eventually stop liking her. Wasn’t that the case just after receiving the emperor’s favor?

Li Pin, not understanding her own place, didn’t think before speaking and, continuing from Hua Fei’s words, said:

“Just after receiving favor? The emperor even gave her the peppered room joy. Doesn’t that obviously show she’s being compared to the Empress?”

Hua Fei, who had been teasing Wen Yi, immediately grew dark in the face upon hearing this.

She had always minded this issue, and to her surprise, Li Pin had said it right under her nose without hesitation.

Cao Qinmo, pretending not to hear, continued playing with Wen Yi.

But Li Pin, seeing Hua Fei’s change in expression, kept on talking:

“The emperor has been visiting the harem frequently this month, and eight out of ten times it’s been with Guiren Guan.”

Finally, Hua Fei, irritated, snapped at her, “Do you think I’ll turn mute if you keep talking?”