HCB Chapter 235 Jifu
Chapter 235 Jifu
Zhen Huan stood up, her eyes firm and resolute, and slowly uttered a few words: "I don't believe it."
Although her voice was not loud, it was full of unquestionable determination.
An Lingrong had imagined countless possibilities, but she never expected that Zhen Huan would not believe it.
"Rong'er, you have never seen Queen Chunyuan, how do you know I look like her?" Zhen Huan looked straight at An Lingrong, her eyes full of questioning.
"I..." An Lingrong opened her mouth, but found that her throat seemed to be blocked and she couldn't say a word.
Jin Xi immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this servant has met Queen Chunyuan. You do bear some resemblance to her."
Zhen Huan's tone was firm, and tears glistened in her eyes. Her stubborn expression made her look even more poignant and moving. "Even if I look like her, I don't believe the Emperor is just using me as a substitute!"
An Lingrong was somewhat speechless and asked in a daze, "You, what do you mean?"
"I will wear this dress to the enthronement ceremony." Zhen Huan answered without hesitation.
"You're crazy!" An Lingrong raised her voice, her voice sharp and piercing, her face full of disbelief.
Zhen Huan's voice trembled slightly, but she remained firm: "Rong'er, I believe in the friendship between the emperor and me."
"You, you..." An Lingrong was so angry that she couldn't speak, her chest heaving violently.
Zhen Huan calmed herself down, took a deep breath, turned around and tried to leave.
An Lingrong finally regained her composure and quickly stepped in front of Zhen Huan, blocking her path. Her voice was almost a roar: "Do you know what you are doing?"
"I know!" Zhen Huan did not back down and looked at her.
"All of you get out." An Lingrong ordered loudly.
"Yes!" Jin Xi responded and hurriedly retreated with the other servants.
After the servants had left, An Lingrong said, "When we told Nian Shilan the secret about Huan Yixiang, didn't you know why she didn't go to the emperor?
If she goes to see the emperor, it would be equivalent to exposing the emperor's disguise. The emperor would be furious and there would be no room for recovery. She understands this principle, so why don't you understand it?
The Emperor used you as a stand-in for Empress Chunyuan. He'd painted a big picture for himself. Now, if you wear this dress to the enthronement ceremony, it's like telling him that the picture was fake. Everything he did was self-deception. You're shattering all his fantasies. Have you considered the consequences?"
"What are the consequences?" Zhen Huan looked confused.
"You, your parents, and your family will all be implicated by you!"
"My father is loyal and devoted. The Emperor will not vent his anger on him because of me!"
"Don't be silly, okay? Does the emperor lack loyal subjects?"
Zhen Huan sat back on the couch, her mind awash with thoughts. Various ideas intertwined and collided in her mind, like a tangled mess.
"Empress, the conferring official said that the time is almost up!" Huanbi walked into the hall cautiously, her voice as soft as a mosquito.
"Huanbi, go report to the Emperor and the Empress that Sister Zhen is having trouble with her pregnancy and feeling unwell, so she cannot attend the enthronement ceremony!" An Lingrong's tone was firm and resolute, leaving no room for doubt.
"Yes!" Huanbi responded and turned to go out.
"Wait a minute!" Zhen Huan suddenly spoke, her voice filled with a hint of determination. "Rong'er, I understand what you're saying, but you can't comprehend the friendship between the Emperor and me. Perhaps to outsiders, I do bear some resemblance to Empress Chunyuan, but I know the Emperor. He wouldn't just treat me as a stand-in. This is the simplest and most direct way. I can see into the Emperor's heart."
An Lingrong's voice was filled with confusion: "Is it really that important whether or not I can see the Emperor's heart?"
Zhen Huan answered without hesitation: "It's very important to me!"
Hearing this, An Lingrong was slightly startled. She slowly raised her head and looked straight into Zhen Huan's eyes, her eyes filled with deep disappointment. "Do you know how much effort I have put in to keep this secret?"
Zhen Huan gently held An Lingrong's hand: "Rong'er, thank you. But I don't want to live in confusion any longer."
An Lingrong stared at Zhen Huan, and after a moment's silence, she asked, "Have you decided?"
"Yes!"
Zhen Huan nodded heavily without any hesitation.
"You can bear any price?
"Yes!"
An Lingrong knew that the smarter people were, the more likely they were to become trapped in their own cognition. In their world, they only believed what they wanted to believe, and their own cognition was the only destination of truth. They only heard what they wanted to hear, and all other external voices were just false noises.
Zhen Huan is like this. Her intelligence allows her to quickly sort out her thoughts and make judgments amidst numerous disturbances. However, it is precisely this intelligence that makes her stubborn and determined at times. Once she has made up her mind, she is like being imprisoned by invisible shackles, unable to break free. No matter what advice or warnings others give, they cannot shake her in the slightest.
In this case, no matter how many words you say, it will be a futile struggle. After all, everyone has his or her own choices and paths to take. No matter whether the road ahead is full of thorns or flowers, it is up to him or her to experience and bear it.
That’s all!
"Take the pregnancy-preserving medicine before you go!"
On the other side, Su Ye had already boiled the medicine.
After Zhen Huan drank it, An Lingrong slowly said, "Let's go, I'll go with you!"
After walking out of the palace gate, she called Xiao Luzi: "Where is Sister Mei?"
"My lady, Concubine Hui is preparing for today's banquet at Chonghua Palace."
"Run faster to find her and tell her to wait outside Jingren Palace."
"Yes!"
The long corridor was like a silent time tunnel. Zhen Huan and An Lingrong walked side by side, neither of them saying a word. The cold wind whistled and blew up their skirts, making them flutter like crazy dancers.
Soon, snowflakes began to fall sparsely from the sky. This was the first snow of the year, bringing with it a sense of surprise and a touch of coolness.
An Lingrong slowly extended her slender hand, and a flawless white snowflake drifted down slowly, landing gently in her palm. The hexagonal texture of the snowflake was clearly visible. After resting for a moment in her warm palm, it slowly melted into a tiny drop of water, shimmering a faint but moving light in her palm.
Nearing the gate of Jingren Palace, An Lingrong hurried over to Zhen Huan and said, "If the Emperor is angry, just say this..."
This is the last resort.
After hearing this, Zhen Huan showed an unpleasant look on her face and her lips trembled slightly. She seemed to want to say something, but she didn't open her mouth. In the end, she nodded.
An Lingrong stood at the palace gate, looking rather frail. Her eyes were fixed on Zhen Huan as she raised her leg, preparing to cross the threshold.
"Sister Zhen!" An Lingrong suddenly spoke, and the meaning of her words was self-evident.
Zhen Huan turned around, smiled gently at her, and then stepped in without hesitation.