Chapter 67 - Tell him not to come! I don’t want to see him!

Yun Fenghuang came to her sense and felt a little ridiculous, so she flicked her sleeves and said, “I should not disturb My Majesty and Jie Yu Yue. I’m leaving now.”

Then she turned to go, and had no intention to appreciate the turquoise hibiscus near her.

Yuan Lianniang didn’t have the intention to stop her to question, but stepped forward to hold the sleeve of Emperor Chunjia and asked… After she walked away for a short while, she still could hear the sharp cry over there with the Emperor’s desperate explanation. She twitched her lips unconsciously, and immediately thought of, “How could Yuan Lianniang come out of Hu Zhu Palace?”

Jie Yu Yue should still be grounded, right?

Was it because of Queen Mother Ji?

She thought about it for a while, and walked to an unfamiliar territory unconsciously. The guards not far away crossed the axes and asked her to stop, because if she moved forward, she could enter the Inner Court.

“Do you want to go back?” Seeing this situation, Yun Fenghuang turned back, but since it was her first time to come to Tai Chu Palace, after walked a few steps, she still could not tell the direction. When she was hesitant to ask a maid to lead the way, someone not far away asked her, “If so, this way please.”

When she turned her head, Zheng Fengchen held his sleeves and stood under the white marble steps. His figure was long and straight, and he lowered his head.

“Thank you, General Zheng.” Yun Fenghuang thought for a while, held her sleeves and saluted, then walked in the direction he indicated.

Zheng Fengchen followed her a few steps behind, and reminded her every time when she reached a fork of the road. So, after a while, she saw the familiar buildings.

“Gui Ren, the three princesses should be still in the side hall at the moment.” At this time, Zheng Fengchen stepped forward and said slowly, “Even though they have left, your maid must still be waiting.”

Yun Fenghuang smiled and thanked him again.

Zheng Fengchen said, “I can’t afford it. If Gui Ren has no other orders, I will retreat first.”

While saying, he saluted, turned and strode away.

Yun Fenghuang stared at his figure thoughtfully for a moment before she entered the side hall.

However, when she entered, she saw the three princesses looking at her together with strange and complicated feelings.

“Jie Yu Yue is there.” Yun Fenghuang thought that they already knew that Yuan Lianniang came over the Imperial Court to look for Emperor Chunjia, and at this time, they wanted to enjoy the fun. So, after she saluted, she said, “Since Jie Yu Yue served His Majesty, I don’t think I need to stay there. What’s more, Childe Ji also left… Three princesses, can I go back to Xi Xing Building? I’m moving today.”

“Why is Jie Yu Yue coming?” But the three princesses were all stunned when they heard this, and Princess Jinyun wondered, “Is she still grounded? How dare she go out of Hu Zhu Palace, and even go to the Imperial Court? Since she always rushed over to interrupt my brother to study, my mother had personally summoned Countess Xingning to blame her!”

Yun Fenghuang was also stunned when she heard this, “Jie Yu Yue didn’t come here?”

“Why did she come here?” Princess Jinyun frowned, “She doesn’t like us.”

It seemed that Yuan Lianniang not only had a bad relationship with the concubines, but even was not popular among these princesses…

“I don’t know. Should I now go back to the Imperial Harem to ask for Her Highness’s instruction?” Yun Fenghuang thought for a while, and asked with a smile, “What do you think?”

Princess Minghui subconsciously looked at Princess Penglai, and Princess Jinyun did the same. Princess Penglai, however, was speechless without any expression.

After being silent in the side hall for a short while, finally, Princess Jinyun said helplessly, “Jie Yu Yue followed you to my brother, so my brother asked General Zheng to send you back?”

“… Since Jie Yu Yue was very angry when she saw His Majesty and me together, I had to leave first.” Yun Fenghuang twitched her lips, and said, “Because I don’t know the way, I almost walked to the Inner Court. Then I encountered General Zheng. Maybe he knew I didn’t know the way like a headless chicken, and then he pointed the way for me.”

Princess Jinyun glanced at Princess Penglai again, and said, “Why don’t you ask a maid but have to bother General Zheng? Since he is a courtier and you are a royal concubine of my brother, even he had a good intention, it was still improper.”

“You are right.” Yun Fenghuang smiled, “I was also planning to ask a maid, but after a long time, I couldn’t find anyone. And I was too embarrassed to talk to the guard. Fortunately, General Zheng asked me to walk towards this way, and I was anxious to meet you, so I followed him.”

“Just leading a way.” Princess Jinyun wanted to say something, but Princess Penglai, who hadn’t spoken at this time, said softly, “General Zheng is actually a warm-hearted person though he seems to be very cold… Besides, Jie Yu Yue suddenly came, and my brother had no time to arrange Gui Ren.”

She turned and asked Princess Minghui, “Eldest Sister, shall we go back to Mian Fu Palace? Jie Yu Yue is here, and I am afraid that our brother has no time to talk to us.”

Princess Minghui carefully observed her sister and saw that she didn’t look angry, then she took a relief and nodded, “OK, let’s go together.”

On the way back to the Imperial Harem, Princess Jinyun was a few steps behind and pulled Yun Fenghuang to speak. The central thought was to ask her why Zheng Fengchen led the way for her.

Yun Fenghuang was puzzled, “Didn’t Princess Penglai say that General Zheng is warm-hearted though he looks cold?”

“Penglai is kind-hearted, so she helped you. Do you really think what she said is true?” Princess Jinyun frowned, “Zheng Zihuan doesn’t like to interfere in others’ business. Before Ji Tingzhao left just now, he said my eldest sister like this, but Zheng Zihuan didn’t give any respond.”

Yun Fenghuang said, “How could these be the same? His Majesty was there at that time, and he is the cousin of Childe Ji, and the cousin of Princess Minghui. His Majesty did not say anything, not to mention General Zheng.”

Princess Jinyun thought what she said made sense, but she still warned her euphemistically: although she was beautiful and then behaved restlessly, she still should obey the palace rules!

“What you said hurts my heart, Your Highness!” Yun Fenghuang refused to be warned like that, “When Princess Jinyun just persuaded me into coming to the Imperial Court, I said that although there was no courtier, the studying companions of His Majesty were here. I was afraid that it was not suitable for me to come. It was Princess Jinyun who claimed that it was okay, and at most, she would hang a curtain for me. But just now in Tai Chu Palace, without hanging the curtain, even Princess Jinyun winked at me and let me help Princess Minghui. I dared to interfere. Although Childe Ji didn’t say anything, he must think that I am not virtuous”

“General Zheng was next to him. They are men, and they almost have the same thoughts.”

“Later when he saw that I lost my way, he led the way for me because he thought if he didn’t help me, I might frame him in front of His Majesty.”

Yun Fenghuang opened her eyes wide and complained to Princess Jinyun, “For you all, I even lost my reputation, the most important thing of women. But you still doubt me!”

“… Uh.” After all, Princess Jinyun was young. Because of her identity, although there were many troubles in the Imperial Court and the Imperial Harem in the past two years, she was not involved. Although she had her own tricks, she was still not sophisticated. Hearing what Yun Fenghuang said, she also felt she was excessive. So, she was a little embarrassed, “I, um, I just talked casually. Why should you be so serious?”

She was afraid that Yun Fenghuang would continue this topic, so she offered benefits to appease her, “After a few days, it will be summer. My brother will take my mother to the temporary palace to prevent sunstroke. In the past, they never took the people of Hu Zhu Palace. This time we will help you, and let mother promise to take you, okay?”

“I also want a box of lotus-shaped pastries I saw today.” Yun Fenghuang thought for a while and said, “I didn’t eat the dish of pastries, not even a bite! But only got little luck to see it myself.”

The words made Princess Jinyun smile, “Well, I will let someone send for you later… You are from a big family, but how could you be with greediness? Just lotus pastries, don’t tell me you haven’t eaten it before.”

Yun Fenghuang sincerely said, “I did have eaten lotus pastries, but how could I get lucky to taste the pastries made by cooks in Mian Fu Palace before?”

So, their unpleasant conflict was over. Princess Jinyun was about to catch up with her sisters, but was pulled by and asked by Yun Fenghuang quietly, “Princess Minghui is matched up with Childe Ji, and Princess Penglai is matched up with General Zheng, but what about you, Your Highness?”

“How can I know the thoughts of the elders?” Hearing this, Princess Jinyun blushed, with some traces of loneliness in her eyes. She forced a smile and broke away from her, saying, “Anyway, they have their own arrangements. I am not in a hurry to inquire. Why do you ask me?”

Yun Fenghuang smiled and said, “I think you are easy-going, and if you need my help, I would like to try my best.”

Princess Jinyun walked quickly and waved her hand without turning her head, “Forget it. You should take care of yourself. Your hostess was grounded before, inconvenient to do anything. Since she is free, you may have trouble!”

She was afraid that Gui Ren Yun would follow, and quickly talked about the topic with her sisters that Yun Fenghuang couldn’t even talk about.

However, Yun Fenghuang only looked at the three princesses with a faint smile.

After a long while, the group returned to the Imperial Harem. Yun Fenghuang didn’t even have time to go back to Hu Zhu Palace, but went to the gate of Yan Fu Palace and talked about Yuan Lianniang’s appearance in the Imperial Court.

It was said that Empress Ji was taking a nap at this time, and did not see her in person. Only a leading maid came out and said to Yun Fenghuang, “Her Highness has already known this matter, and she was intended to announce it when you pay respects tomorrow… Since Gui Ren Yun comes here now, I can tell you that Her Highness has cancelled the punishments on her, including copying scriptures.”

The Empress certainly could not let Yuan Lianniang go for no reason. Just as Yun Fenghuang followed the three princesses to the Imperial Court, Yuan Lianniang was a little uncomfortable and called an imperial doctor to diagnose. It turned out that she had been pregnant for one and a half month!

Emperor Chunjia had no offspring, so the Empress Dowager had repeatedly expressed her view in recent years that the most important thing now was to have offspring… No matter how depressed Empress Ji was when she knew this news, and no matter how angry the concubines were in the Imperial Harem when they learnt this, and no matter… Anyway, next, at least, it was impossible to toss Yuan Lianniang in public.

They not only could not toss her, but also had to indulge her, spoil her, and tolerate her.

After all, this was not for the sake of Yuan Lianniang, but for the sake of the imperial heirs!

“However, Gui Ren Yun doesn’t have to worry. Because no matter who gives birth to the heir in the Imperial Harem, there is still only one legitimate mother for them, right?” Seeing that Yun Fenghuang frowned silently, the leading maid had a pity for her. During the period, everyone knew that Yuan Lianniang was demoted from a Consort to a Jie Yu, which could not attribute to Yun Fenghuang totally, but still had a considerable relationship with her. Especially, in the previous two days, Gui Ren Yun had taken the order to supervise Yuan Lianniang to copy the scriptures, and also taken this opportunity to receive a lot of benefits from the concubines.

She might toss Yuan Lianniang in various ways secretly. However, just a few days later, Yuan Lianniang was pregnant and would enjoy a better life because of that.

As for someone like Empress Ji, even if Yuan Lianniang had a dozen princes, she might not be able to shake the power and state of the Empress, not to mention that she was just pregnant.

But for Yun Fenghuang…

For her pregnancy, it was enough for Yuan Lianniang to make Hu Zhu Palace the forbidden area in the Imperial Harem again. It was another legend for her to decide fates of people in her palace!

The leading maid comforted her, “Her Highness told us just now that Jie Yu Yue had no news for a long time, and suddenly was pregnant. It must be due to the new atmosphere brought by the new concubines joining the Imperial Harem. So, Gui Ren Yun’s contribution could not be neglected, and you should be rewarded with promotion.”

Yun Fenghuang assumed that Yuan Lianniang was smart this time, wholeheartedly protected the baby, and ignored the turbulence of the Imperial Harem and the Imperial Court. So, she deliberately made Yun Fenghuang fight against her!

Yun Fenghuang sighed secretly, just said something and left.

On the way back to Hu Zhu Palace, she asked Xi Le to contact Gongxiang Xiao, “It’s a big deal, and I have to talk to Shizi in person.”

Thinking of someone who lived in Prince Regent’s Mansion now, she frowned slightly and added, “Qi Jiulu must not come. I don’t want to see him!”