SFS Chapter 404 Suspicion
Chapter 404 Suspicion
Zhen Huan and Shen Meiyu walked into the palace side by side and saw An Lingrong sitting on the couch, eating with gusto. In front of her was a plate of snacks carefully prepared by Liu Zhu.
Seeing them return, An Lingrong's eyes lit up and she greeted them warmly, "Sister, Sister Zhen, you're finally back! Come and try some freshly-made dim sum, they're so delicious!"
Seeing her cheeks puffed up like a little hamster, Shen Meizhuang felt inexplicably better. She walked over to An Lingrong, held the teacup to her lips, and whispered softly, "Eat slowly, don't choke."
An Lingrong obediently took a sip of tea and swallowed the snack in her mouth. Then she took the handkerchief handed to her by Zhen Huan and wiped her mouth. Then she asked, "What did the emperor say when he asked you to stay?"
Zhen Huan sighed softly, slowly sat down, and told the whole story in detail.
By the time she finished speaking, An Lingrong's face was already covered with anger. Her originally bright eyes seemed to be burning with two small flames, and her willow-shaped eyebrows were tightly knitted together to form the Chinese character "川".
"The Emperor is testing you!" Her voice rose unconsciously, a hint of sharpness in its tone. "Emperors are suspicious, especially our Emperor. He's been through so much and has long since lost trust in family ties. The incident with Empress Chunyuan has made him even more wary of the women in the harem. His actions today are simply to test whether you truly share a deep sisterly bond, or whether you will turn against each other for power."
An Lingrong said this with a sneer on her lips, a hint of sarcasm flashing in her eyes. "He probably thinks that in this harem, all the sisterly love is fake, and power is real. He just wants to see if you will fight to the death for the position of Imperial Concubine."
Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang both looked solemn upon hearing this. They had long sensed the Emperor's probing intentions, but had never imagined An Lingrong would point them out so bluntly.
Zhen Huan nodded, her tone calm but with a hint of helplessness: "We noticed it, so we have been declining, not wanting the Emperor to think we were coveting you."
An Lingrong shook her head and said firmly, "I can't refuse. The Emperor really wants to appoint an Imperial Noble Consort. The harem is now leaderless, and an Imperial Noble Consort is indeed needed to take charge of the situation. He is looking for you to discuss this today, simply to gauge your attitude."
Shen Meizhuang frowned slightly and murmured softly, "He wants to establish the Imperial Noble Consort, but he doesn't want us to be the one. Does he have other candidates?"
An Lingrong sneered, "It can only be one of you. The Emperor knows that both of you are the most suitable candidates, both in terms of qualifications and prestige. But what he means is that you can only take the position of Imperial Noble Consort if he offers it; if he doesn't, you can't snatch it away. This is the Emperor's mindset: he wants to use you, but he also wants to be wary of you."
After hearing this, Zhen Huan's eyes flickered with a complex expression. She sighed softly, her tone tinged with emotion, "The Emperor's mind is truly unfathomable. Sister Mei and I have never had any desire for power, yet he still tests us like this."
Shen Meizhuang snorted disdainfully, her eyes filled with coldness and pride. "Let alone a mere Imperial Noble Consort, even the position of Empress wouldn't concern me. In my heart, our sisterly friendship is the most important thing, far surpassing all the power and fame in this harem."
"Sister Mei is right. Those titles are nothing but fleeting. If the Emperor wants to test our feelings with this, I'm afraid we will disappoint him!"
Zhen Huan raised her head and met Shen Meizhuang's gaze. A resolute light gleamed in both of their eyes, and they smiled at each other. That smile expressed both a firm belief in their friendship and an indifference to the palace strife.
An Lingrong looked at the two of them, a complex expression flashing in her eyes. She sighed softly, her tone filled with resignation, "It's good that you think this way. But in this harem, sometimes you can't just stay out of it. Since the emperor has made this move, you must be prepared."
Seeing the two looking over, An Lingrong swept her gaze over them and suddenly asked, "Who do you think is suitable to be the Imperial Noble Consort?"
Hearing this, Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang subconsciously looked at each other.
"Alright, shut up!" An Lingrong stopped them before they could say anything. Then she slowly lowered her head, tapping her temples lightly with her slender fingers as she tried to sort out the complicated thoughts in her mind. "Let me think about it!"
Seeing this, the two men didn't dare to disturb her and just watched her every move quietly. The atmosphere in the hall became unusually quiet for a moment, with only the slight sound of An Lingrong's fingers tapping on her temples echoing in the air.
After a moment, An Lingrong slowly raised her head, her previously lowered eyes instantly opening. Her gaze, like a torch, fixed directly on Shen Meizhuang. Her eyes, piercing like a hawk, held a deep, thoughtful gaze, as if she wanted to see through Shen Meizhuang and analyze all the pros and cons of her position in the harem.
Shen Meizhuang's father holds the rank of Second-Rank Commander of the Guards, a position entrusted with the important task of garrisoning and inspecting the capital. With both the eldest and second young masters already serving in the civil service, the Shen family now wields considerable influence in the imperial court. Shen Meizhuang herself, with a son and a daughter, holds a crucial position within the harem, assisting in the administration of the six imperial palaces. But can she truly become an Imperial Noble Consort?
An Lingrong's mind raced, quickly weighing the pros and cons. Almost instantly, the answer became clear—obviously, no.
In Yongzheng's suspicious and meticulous mind, if Shen Meizhuang became the Imperial Noble Consort, the Sixth Prince would be half a legitimate son. Given Lord Shen's status and position, and out of consideration for the family's interests, he would undoubtedly do his utmost to support the Sixth Prince in his bid for the throne.
By then, the Shen family, with its power base in the court and the support of the Imperial Noble Consort in the harem, could very well become the next Nian family. Furthermore, judging by its potential growth and influence, the Shen family might be even more difficult to control than the Nian family, becoming a more dangerous presence to imperial power.
Thinking of this, An Lingrong slowly shook her head. Shen Meizhuang would never become the Imperial Noble Consort.
Even if Yongzheng trusted the Shen family and Shen Meizhuang, it would not work, because Yongzheng's trust was simply worthless!
Then, her gaze shifted away from Shen Meizhuang and fixed on Zhen Huan.
Zhen Huan, although her father was a fourth-rank official, this position was merely a nominal one, without any real power. She had one son and two daughters, the most offspring of any concubine in the harem, and was always deeply favored by the emperor, enjoying constant favor in the harem.
Taking all factors into consideration, Zhen Huan is undoubtedly the best choice for the Imperial Concubine.
Without a powerful maternal family to back her up, all the honors and favors Zhen Huan enjoyed in the harem were almost entirely dependent on Yongzheng's favor. This alone was reassuring for Yongzheng, who was naturally suspicious and always wary of various forces threatening his imperial power.
After all, compared to those concubines who have powerful external forces, someone like Zhen Huan is easier to control and less likely to pose a substantial threat to the imperial power.