Zhen Huan looked at the two people who were fooling around in front of her and smiled as she said:

“Liu Zhu’s mouth may be quick, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. She knows what can be said and what can’t.”

When Liu Zhu heard her lady praise her, the hand she used to massage Zhen Huan’s legs became even more lively.

When she heard Zhen Huan say that the three of them would share glory and misfortune together, Liu Zhu looked at Zhen Huan with a serious expression and said:

“I know that my lady treats me and Huan Bi like sisters. I will protect you both well.”

Hearing Liu Zhu say this again, Zhen Huan’s heart was moved.

It was true. In her previous life, Liu Zhu had sacrificed her life to protect her.

Zhen Huan thought to herself that in this life, she must protect Liu Zhu well and find her a good family. She would only feel truly complete when she saw Liu Zhu get married.

As for Huan Bi, Zhen Huan planned to find a suitable time to talk to her and make her understand the arrangement she had made for her.

“You protect me well, and I will protect both of you well,” she said.

After saying this, the three of them tightly held hands, laughing happily together in the room.

This kind of scene, Zhen Huan often recalled in her later years, and now it seemed like a dream come true.

The next morning, Huan Bi and Jin Xi were helping Zhen Huan get ready. Looking left and right, they didn’t see Liu Zhu, so they started looking for her.

They didn’t hear Huan Bi mention that it was Zhen Huan who had instructed Liu Zhu the previous night to go to the small kitchen and make some snacks to send to Shen Mei Zhuang and An Ling Rong.

The three of them were chatting happily when Kang Lu Hai came to announce that the empress’s attendant, Jian Qiu, had arrived to deliver something and invited Zhen Huan to meet her at Jing Ren Palace at the third hour in three days.

Additionally, Eunuch Zhou from Yi Kun Palace was waiting outside.

“Yi Kun Palace?”

“Yeah, that’s the empress’s palace.”

Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan thought to herself: Choosing a new concubine must have the empress and Hua Fei busy!

Right now, both of them were eager to show off their identities and status to the newcomers!

It was one thing for Hua Fei to be jealous, but why did the empress have to be like this?

As long as she didn’t fight and properly maintained her position as the central palace, no matter who became the emperor, she would still be the legitimate Empress Dowager.

Zhen Huan couldn’t decide whether the empress was clever or foolish!

Let them fight, the more the better.

If they don’t fight, how would she ever become the Empress Dowager?

This was just perfect, plus there were gifts—where else could she find such good fortune?

The more Zhen Huan thought about it, the happier she became. While putting on her earrings, she said to Kang Lu Hai, “I’ll come right away.”

At that moment, Jin Xi whispered in Zhen Huan’s ear:

“Little master, Hua Fei and the empress are in a power struggle. You mustn’t neglect her.”

Zhen Huan thought to herself: Of course, I won’t neglect her. How could I neglect someone who brought gifts?

After Zhen Huan finished getting ready, she went out to meet Eunuch Zhou.

When she saw Eunuch Zhou limping, she thought to herself: With this damaged body, he can still do so many bad things for Hua Fei. He really deserves credit.

If she didn’t punish him properly in this life, it would be an insult to what he did to Shen Mei Zhuang and Chun Er in her previous life!

“Empress Hua has sent me to deliver some gifts to you.”

As he spoke, Eunuch Zhou signaled for the young eunuch behind him to take out a rather large square box. Zhen Huan received the gift, thanked Hua Fei on her behalf, and had Huan Bi reward Eunuch Zhou with a silver ingot.

Eunuch Zhou then left Suo Yu Xuan, saying he had other places to deliver rewards.

Speaking of which, Hua Fei was indeed generous. From what Jin Xi saw when she opened the box, it was filled to the brim with treasures.

No wonder Jin Xi smiled and congratulated Zhen Huan, saying that Empress Hua seemed to have a special fondness for her.

Not long after, Liu Zhu bounced in happily.

She said that her lady’s reward was as much as Shen Mei Zhuang’s, but in Yan Xi Palace, only Fu Cha Gui Ren and Xia Chang Zai would receive such things.

Zhen Huan thought to herself, right now, An Ling Rong must be feeling very upset.

With all the comings and goings in the palace, she had been completely ignored. And now, she was living with Xia Dong Chun in Yan Xi Palace, suffering in silence.

Zhen Huan had intended to bring something to see An Ling Rong, but she was worried that An Ling Rong might misunderstand and think she was showing off.

Besides, this was probably a difficult time for An Ling Rong, and she probably didn’t want Zhen Huan to see her in such a pitiful state.

If it was an issue with money, she and Shen Mei Zhuang could help her in the future, but if it was a psychological problem, it would have to be changed slowly. It couldn’t be done overnight.

When caring for others, the priority should be not to add to their burdens.

Not wanting An Ling Rong to overthink, Zhen Huan decided not to go for now.

“Empress Hua is being so generous, maybe it’s because she’s trying to make connections, right?”

When Zhen Huan heard Huan Bi say this, she quickly made a “shush” gesture, signaling her not to speak more, to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Zhen Huan remembered that in her previous life, Chun Er had come to Suo Yu Xuan after dinner on this day, so she had Liu Zhu prepare milk tea and a lot of sweet snacks.

Chun Er loved sweets, and Zhen Huan had always remembered that.

Sure enough, after dinner, as Zhen Huan was chatting and laughing with Liu Zhu and Huan Bi, she heard Kang Lu Hai announce that Chun Chang Zai had arrived.

When she saw Chun Er again, she was still as innocent and cute as before, speaking in a soft, babyish voice.

Zhen Huan noticed that when Chun Er saw the sweets on the table, her eyes lit up.

“Quickly bring the milk tea to Chun Chang Zai,” Zhen Huan smiled and said to Liu Zhu.

Chun Er happily asked:

“How did you know I like milk tea, sister? And all these little snacks are sweet. Did you know I was coming?”

Zhen Huan looked at Chun Er with a loving expression and said, “You came at just the right time. It’s all your good luck.”

Chun Er giggled: “Hehe, thank you, sister. Now I’ll start eating.”

She picked up a piece of pastry and popped it into her mouth, nodding happily, “Mm, delicious.”

Zhen Huan watched as Chun Er ate with a satisfied look, feeling indescribable joy in her heart.

Chun Er was only fourteen now, yet she had to leave her parents and come to this palace full of schemes, intrigue, and power struggles.

No wonder she said when she saw the pickled goose from the imperial kitchen that she remembered her parents and hadn’t eaten enough at dinner.

Chun Er said that her mother’s pickled goose was the best.

Zhen Huan told her that if she didn’t have enough for dinner, she could always come to her place.

Chun Er blinked her big eyes and said, “Really? Sister, you’re so kind to me.”

Hearing Chun Er’s words, Zhen Huan realized why she liked her so much—because Chun Er’s words were so pure and comforting.

Zhen Huan remembered that in her previous life, when she asked Chun Er to pick a few new palace flowers to wear, Chun Er had refused, saying she still preferred the pastries in her palace the most.

This was one of the reasons Zhen Huan liked her—because of her pure innocence.

Especially for those who had been immersed in the palace for a long time, they longed for that kind of unguarded simplicity.