bestfiction Chapter 447: Parting Plan
Chapter 447: Parting Plan
"Bai Zhi, who are those two?"
Bai Zhi answered respectfully.
"Your Highness, those two are woodcutters who went into the mountains to cut firewood. They said their families were experiencing a food shortage and were about to run out. Therefore, they wanted to set a few traps in the mountains in the hope of capturing some prey to alleviate their urgent needs."
Baizhi picked up the pheasant in her hand and shook it.
"My master is weak, so I took it upon myself to purchase this wild game from them. I intend to go back and make a pot of nourishing soup."
Prince Guo's eyes flashed with approval: "You are indeed thoughtful and always put Huan'er first."
He had no idea that Bai Zhi, who was only thinking about her master, had quietly passed on the evidence of the two of them being together.
At this moment, he was even more determined to transfer the loyal Bai Zhi away from Zhen Huan.
Therefore, Prince Guo specially praised Bai Zhi several times in front of Zhen Huan, which caused Zhen Huan to secretly glance at Bai Zhi several times.
The next day, Cui Jinxi arranged for A Jin, who had sobered up, to serve Prince Guo and Zhen Huan together with her.
This has always been the arrangement before, and Bai Zhi didn't notice anything unusual.
In early summer, flowers in the mountains began to bloom, leaving behind the footprints and laughter of Prince Guo and Zhen Huan everywhere.
During this period, An Lingrong in Yongshou Palace also received the two marriage certificates hidden in the box by Zhen Huan.
She looked at the familiar handwriting on it, a faint smile appearing on the corner of her mouth.
Both "Reply to the Marriage Letter" and "Marriage Letter" were written by Zhen Huan herself. An Lingrong could feel her joy in writing the marriage letters from the lines.
All women in the world desire to become the principal wife, but can Zhen Huan really get her wish?
People in the royal family, whether it is the emperor or Prince Guo, ultimately love themselves the most.
An Lingrong counted the days on her fingers, secretly guessing that Zhen Huan must be pregnant.
"Bao Que, if my prediction is correct, the newlyweds on Lingyun Peak will definitely use the 'faked death' tactic to escape. Quickly send a message to Bai Zhi, telling her to find a chance to escape, and notify our people to be ready to meet her at any time."
Zhen Huan will definitely return to the palace this time with a heart full of hatred, and every step she takes will be extremely dangerous.
Once her true identity is revealed, those around her will not be spared, especially the palace maids who serve her closely.
An Lingrong was well aware of the emperor's temper in certain aspects, so she ordered Bai Zhi to retreat.
"Master, I will do it right away."
Basically all the news about Yongshou Palace came through Baoque, and she also knew the importance of this matter.
Baoque delivered the message without any delay.
When she came back, she was followed by an acquaintance.
"Your humble servant, Yu Ying'er, pays respects to Her Majesty Shu Guifei. May Her Majesty be blessed with good health and happiness!"
"Get up quickly!"
An Lingrong gave her a light support and motioned her to sit on the couch beside her.
"You have always been inseparable from your children, so why are you willing to come to the palace today?"
An Lingrong looked at Yu Ying'er, who had become much more prosperous, with a smile.
She used to come to visit during festivals and tell him all kinds of news she had collected outside the palace.
She was quite caring towards Yongshou Palace, and An Lingrong did not leave her out when she received New Year gifts or other rewards.
"The Emperor has bestowed upon the child a name. I have come to thank the Imperial Concubine for her assistance."
Yu Ying'er knelt on the ground and bowed deeply.
The Fourth Prince was disliked by the Emperor. Since they left the palace, no word had been heard from the Yangxin Palace.
Her poor child didn't have a name until he could speak. Yu Ying'er asked the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict, and found out that the emperor had stayed overnight in Yongshou Palace before the edict was issued.
In the entire He Palace, only Concubine Shu was concerned about her.
"Yong Hu is the emperor's eldest grandson, so it's only natural to give him a name."
An Lingrong helped the man up and gave him gentle instructions.
"Although the Emperor is very busy, he is always concerned about his juniors. You should bring Yonghu to the palace more often in the future."
"When Yonghu reaches the age, he can study with his uncle in the Shangshufang."
"I, your concubine, would like to thank you for your grace on behalf of Yonghu. We, mother and son, will always remember this kindness in our hearts."
An Lingrong saw Yu Ying'er was about to kneel again and stopped her.
"You don't need to be so polite. You and your son deserve what you have today."
Out of gratitude, Yu Ying'er reported that Prince Guo's mansion had a new doctor named Gou.
"My Lady, Concubine Ye told me privately that the prince doesn't seem to value her unborn child, and she's so anxious she can't even eat."
She had personally inquired about this news. An Lingrong had no objection and listened to her talking about the various rumors outside the palace with a smile.
After Yu Ying'er left, An Lingrong instructed Baoque to have people keep an eye on Prince Guo's mansion.
Five days later, Baizhi, who was accompanying her master in the mountains, met a woodcutter wandering in the mountains again.
Before she could even open her mouth to talk, Ah Jin strode forward and demanded sharply, "Stop, both of you! What are you doing in the mountains at this hour?"
One of the honest men was so scared that he took a step back and stammered to explain.
"Brave...brave man, we...are villagers from the foot of the mountain. We came up here to chop wood and find some game to eat. We didn't mean to disturb you, so I hope you...don't mind."
Seeing another elderly man fall to the ground in shock, Bai Zhi quickly stepped out from behind A Jin and gave him a disapproving look: "They are all poor people. Don't scare them with such a stern face."
She quickly stepped forward, helped the gray-haired old man up, patted the dust off his body, and asked with concern, "Old man, are you hurt anywhere?"
"Girl, I'm fine, don't get your hands dirty."
Her support made the old man very nervous and he quickly refused.
Bai Zhi was afraid that he would fall again, so she let go after he stood up.
"Old man, have you found any good prey in your backpack? Can you show it to me? I'm willing to pay for it."
"Girl, I'm unlucky today. I didn't catch anything good. I only got a rabbit that has gone bad."
The honest man responded first.
"I've heard the wild goats in these mountains are very good for your health. It would be a good idea for you, brave man, to take a look around."
With Baizhi present, A Jin couldn't do anything.
After checking the dead rabbit with a broken leg in the honest man's backpack, he asked the two men their names and which village they lived in, and then drove them away.
"Baizhi, people's hearts are treacherous. You need to learn more."
A Jin's sudden enthusiasm for teaching left her a little confused.
Bai Zhi couldn't stand his strange look and quickly changed the subject: "Just now the woodcutter said there were wild sheep in the mountains. I heard from Aunt Jinxi that wild sheep are very nutritious. Go see if you can catch one."
The two masters have been running all over the mountains and fields these days and have lost a lot of weight. They need to replenish their energy.
Of course, this was also what Aunt Jinxi said to her, especially the prince needed a lot of nourishment.
Baizhi just said it casually, but she didn't expect A Jin to agree to it.
This made her feel even more puzzled. She and A Jin were both servants of the master. Although they had exchanged a few words, they were not familiar enough to order him around at will.
In the next few hours, Bai Zhi kept an eye on A Jin's movements and found him smiling at her inexplicably several times.
This discovery made Bai Zhi panic, and she had no choice but to try her best to stay by her masters' side and serve them.
Bai Zhi, who had been paying attention to A Jin, did not notice that the look in Zhen Huan's eyes when she looked at her was becoming increasingly strange.
Finally, one day when Bai Zhi was helping Zhen Huan wash up, she smiled and kept her.
"Baizhi, you've been loyal to me all these years. Now that I've found my home, I don't want to see you alone."
"A Jin, who is beside the prince, is a master of riding and shooting, and can also read and write. What do you think of him?"
"Master, you are..."
Upon hearing this, Bai Zhi looked at Zhen Huan in surprise, trying to find out from her expression whether she was joking.
It’s a pity that Zhen Huan looked so serious, which forced Bai Zhi to think carefully.
Zhen Huan is a very opinionated person and once she makes a decision, it is difficult to change it.
Bai Zhi's mind raced, and she suddenly covered her eyes with her sleeve and wiped them, speaking in a crying voice.
"Thank you so much, Master. Ever since my mother passed away, no one has cared for me as much as you have."
Zhen Huan handed over a handkerchief embroidered with julibrissin flowers and softly comforted her, "Baizhi, I have always treated you as my younger sister. I have thought countless times about finding you a suitable husband."
"It's a pity that my family suffered a disaster, and my mother stopped looking for a suitable man for you. Now that I can't show up in public, A-Jin is a good match."
Bai Zhi declined with red eyes: "Master, I want to serve you for the rest of my life."
Zhen Huan's eyes darkened, and she gently took her hand.
"Baizhi, tell me, what did Ajin do wrong? Or do you have a crush on someone?"
Zhen Huan emphasized the last three words, and Bai Zhi naturally heard something unusual.
Since she has been with Zhen Huan, she has met only a handful of men.
Could it be that she thought she was blind to fall in love with Prince Guo who coveted her brother's woman?
Bai Zhi's heart tightened and she quickly explained.
"Miss, I used to think A Jin was a good person, but... but... that matter is too difficult to talk about. I am afraid of dirtying your ears, so I will not say it for now."
After hearing what she said, Zhen Huan became even more curious.
She suspected that this was Bai Zhi's excuse, so she looked at the uneasy person in front of her with concern: "But what did Jin do to embarrass you? Bai Zhi, don't be afraid, the prince and I will take care of it for you."
Under Zhen Huan's repeated questioning, Bai Zhi said with a bitter face that she had accidentally seen something dirty on A Jin's clothes: "Miss, I want to find someone who likes to be clean."
Zhen Huan was silent for a moment. She had never expected that A Jin was such an uncouth person in private.
After a long time, she took Bai Zhi's hand to comfort her.
"Don't be afraid, this matter will never be mentioned again. I will ask Aunt Jinxi to secretly keep an eye out for the right person for you."
Two days later, A Jin shot a wild sheep from the mountains. Cui Jinxi and Bai Zhi worked together to stew it into a thick white sheep soup.
When Zhen Huan heard Prince Guo talking about A Jin's ability, her hand holding the porcelain bowl paused slightly.
She thought of the reason why Bai Zhi rejected A Jin, and felt a surge of nausea in her throat.
Prince Guo noticed her abnormality and looked at her with concern: "Huan'er, what's wrong with you? Do you need a doctor?"
Zhen Huan lowered her eyelids and pretended to be exhausted, leaning against Bai Zhi. "Yun Li, I'm fine. I just feel a bit upset and have no appetite for the time being. You eat first, I'll go back to my room and lie down for a while."
Almost all the wild game brought back from the mountains was processed by A Jin. Zhen Huan thought of the meat she had eaten in the past, and she retched uncontrollably as soon as she entered the door.
Prince Guo, who was following behind her, noticed her discomfort clearly, and hurriedly and attentively brought her water to rinse her mouth and personally helped her to the bed.
"Huan'er, you better take a good rest."
He gave another order to the side.
"Baizhi, go and make some light meals."
After Prince Guo coaxed Zhen Huan to sleep, he gently placed his hand on her abdomen.
Huan'er's symptoms are similar to those of Ye Lan'yi when she was pregnant. There must be some movement in her belly.
This is his and Huan'er's first child.
A look of confusion flashed through Prince Guo's mind, but after looking in the direction of Anqi Temple, he instantly became more determined than ever before.
His mother had suffered so much, he must make the Queen Mother and her son pay the price.
When he holds a high position in the future, he will compensate Huan'er properly.
Prince Guo, who was still feeling fresh about Zhen Huan, personally served her meals and water, and even helped her put on clothes for the first time.
Zhen Huan was deeply moved by this and hugged Prince Guo tightly without letting go.
"Yunli, these days since we got married are the most unforgettable times in Huan'er's life."
"Huan'er, I feel the same way."
Prince Guo caressed Zhen Huan's hair lovingly and gave A Jin a wink where she couldn't see.
"Huan'er, these days on Lingyun Peak seem stolen. I'm so afraid this is all just a dream. Will you give up all the restraints and ties and come with me to see all the beauty in this world?"
"Yunli, you..."
"Huan'er, listen to me. Let's try to escape—faking our own deaths, heading straight to Ningguta, and finding a way to take your family away. The capital is a cage for both you and me, and I don't want to see you so sad anymore."
Prince Guo squatted in front of Zhen Huan and looked directly into her eyes.
"Huan'er, are you willing to go with me?"
"I know you have too many concerns in your mind, think about it first."
Zhen Huan was indeed delighted to hear his words, but then she thought of Concubine Shu. They couldn't take Concubine Shu away with them.
She thought so and asked it out loud.
"Huan'er, I've traveled all over the world, and Mother has long been accustomed to my absence. If I leave her a letter before I leave, I'm sure Mother won't blame us."
"As long as I can be with you, Yunli can give up everything."
"Yunli, I'm really confused. Please let me think it over carefully."
Zhen Huan's voice held a hint of hesitation; her heart was truly turbulent. However, she was very clear on one thing: she absolutely could not accept Prince Guo's proposal out of hand.
She asked to leave the palace out of spite and suffered a lot along the way.
Zhen Huan knew very well the pain of losing power and status, and she didn't want Yun Li to regret it in the future.
It was late at night and the two were immersed in each other's tenderness and love when there was a knock on the door.
A Jin's anxious voice was also heard.
"Master, there's urgent news from Qingliang Terrace!"