Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace: Fawning

Chapter 160 Jinse Returns to the Palace

Zeng Huan gently stroked the hair on Hengti's head with her slender fingers, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and her eyes like clear water looked particularly bright.

These are the children she gave birth to after risking her life and trying her best. How could she not love them?

"Silly girl, you and Hengchu are both my children. I love you so much I can't wait, but Hengchu..."

Whenever Zeng Huan thought about Hengchu's experiences in the first half of her life, she felt a wave of pain. After being mother and daughter for over thirty years, they had been separated for twenty. She had originally hated the late emperor, Hongli, and even more so herself. But now that Hengchu had returned safely, she cared nothing more. Hongli had been her son for over twenty years, and for half that time they had fought openly and secretly. On the surface, they were a respectful mother and son, but secretly, Hongli was wary of her, fearing that Zeng Huan would become the second Wu Zetian and control him. Zeng Huan was well aware of this.

What Hongli didn't know was that Zeng Huan did all this, promoting Neqin from the previous dynasty and inserting women around Hongli, in order to firmly grasp power. She did all this for her daughters. She really didn't want to see the tragedy of Hengchu happen to Hengti. From the day Hengchu married far away, Zeng Huan realized that only supreme power could keep Hengti and protect Hengchu.

Now that Hengchui is back and Hengti is by her side again, Zeng Huan has no regrets.

Seeing Zeng Huan crying, Heng Ti immediately panicked. She reached out and cupped Zeng Huan's face with her hands, looking uneasy. She said, "Empress Mother, please don't cry. Heng Ti was just joking with you. Don't be angry."

Zeng Huan took Heng Ti's hand, shook her head, and smiled slightly, saying, "I'm not angry. I don't ask for much, I just hope that you two sisters can stay by my side."

Hengti smiled sweetly and said coquettishly, "Empress Mother!" Then she threw herself into Zeng Huan's arms.

She knew that her sister had a hard life. She had enjoyed Zeng Huan's motherly love for many years. Even if Zeng Huan favored Heng Chui more in the future, Heng Ti would not be unhappy.

At this time, Fuga rushed in anxiously. After a moment of silence, his originally happy face turned into a sad expression.

Zeng Huan: "What's wrong?"

Seeing that Fu Jia was silent, Zeng Huan's face changed. He quickly stood up and walked to Fu Jia, asking anxiously, "Did something happen to Heng Chui?"

Fujia bowed his head respectfully and said, "Queen Dowager, you must be mentally prepared."

Just as he finished speaking, a sharp voice of a eunuch was heard outside the hall.

"Princess Duanshu has arrived—"

Hengchui held up the hem of her skirt with one hand and supported her belly with the other as she stepped over the threshold and walked in. Her eyes were slightly red and tearful as she slowly walked up to Zeng Huan.

After not seeing each other for twenty years, Hengchu had grown up, shedding her childhood immaturity and becoming a mature woman. Zeng Huan's lips trembled slightly as she excitedly raised her hand to touch Hengchu's face. But when she glanced at Hengchu's belly, she froze.

Zeng Huan finally understood why Fu Jia had such a sad expression just now. It turned out that Heng Chui was pregnant. She was actually pregnant with the child of the murderer of her husband.

She originally wanted to wait for Hengchui to return to Beijing so that they could divorce, but the current situation...

Oh, what a bad fate.

"Empress Mother." Hengchu was about to kneel down to pay her respects, but Zeng Huan stepped forward and held her arm.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and Hengchui choked up and said, "My Queen Mother, I'm back to see you."

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're safe..." Zeng Huan patted Heng Chui's hand.

Hengti walked in front of Hengchui with delicate and graceful steps. Her graceful eyes were filled with smiles, and she said softly, "Sister, welcome home."

The tears in Hengchu's eyes faded, and she caressed Hengti's face with a faint smile. He still remembered that when she left, Hengti was only six years old. Now, twenty years had passed in the blink of an eye, and the child had already become a married woman.

Tears streamed down Hengchui's delicate face. She looked at Zeng Huan and said, "Empress Dowager, sister, how have you been these years?"

Zeng Huan's eyes were filled with resentment, but she still stroked the tassels that fell on Heng Chui's chest and said softly, "Okay, Mother has asked someone to prepare your favorite sweet-scented osmanthus cake. I haven't seen it in so many years, and I don't know if your taste has changed. If there's anything else you like, tell Mother and she'll have someone make it for you."

Hengchui raised her hand and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. After many years, she finally felt the warmth of home again.

After the Dzungars quelled their internal strife, the Qing Dynasty assisted Amursana in his campaign. In return, Amursana signed a treaty with the Qing, pledging eternal loyalty and swearing homage to the Qing for the rest of his life. Dawachi was captured by the Qing army and brought to the capital, where a captive presentation ceremony, led by Hongli, took place at the Meridian Gate. Unable to bear the loss of Hengchu's husband for the second time, and considering her unborn child, Hongli pardoned her death sentence, granted her the title of Prince, and granted her a place of honor in the banner. He also granted him land in the capital and built a princess's mansion for Hengchu and Dawachi to live in.

With Hengchui's return to the capital, Zeng Huan's wish was finally fulfilled, and she naturally became more friendly towards Hongli. As for power, she no longer cared, as long as she could see Hengchui and Hengti often.

The spring is fading with flowers, and the moon is bright and the stars are sparse.

In the blink of an eye, another month has passed.

Hongli received a memorial from Khorchin filled with Jinse's complaints about her husband. As his and Empress Xiaoxian's only daughter, Hongli naturally felt heartache. Had Jinse not accompanied her husband, Sebuteng Balzhuer, back to Khorchin to visit her family, and if she had not been diagnosed with pregnancy upon their return, Hongli would never have left her to suffer in Khorchin. Now, four years later, Jinse has finally returned to the Forbidden City with her child.

On the palace road, Jinse, dressed in a bright red Mongolian dress, sat in a sedan chair. The tassels on her ears jingled as the sedan chair rocked.

Nanny Yun, who was taking care of her personally, suddenly spoke up and said, "Princess, we are finally back in the palace. You have suffered so much over the years."

Jinse then looked back, her almond-shaped eyes slightly lowered, a fringe of hair brushing against her forehead. She raised her hand to hold it away, a slight smile on her lips as she said, "Ever since my mother passed away, this palace has become even more extravagant."

Nanny Yun rolled her eyes. She was an old friend of Langya's when she was alive, and she had watched Jinse grow up. She knew that neither Langya nor Jinse liked Ruyi, so it was natural for her to complain about Ruyi after returning to the palace.

The nanny's red lips parted slightly, a hint of sadness in her voice as she spoke, "That's right. When Empress Xiaoxian was alive, she advocated frugality and was considerate of the people. But after the Empress passed away, the Ulanara family ascended to the throne and was eager to change the Empress's past style, becoming extremely extravagant. Fortunately, the Emperor stopped the damage in time, saw her true face, and put her under house arrest. I heard she had a bad reputation."

Jinse hummed softly, resting her arm on the chair rail, her palm lightly supporting her chin. Even her manner of speaking had become more charming. "She will certainly pay back for the pain she inflicted on us mother and daughter in the past. By the way, I heard she gave birth to a legitimate son. How is the child?"

Nanny Yun said, "It is said that he was sent to the Old Summer Palace by the Emperor. I heard from the people there that the twelfth prince is already three years old and still can't speak."