vrcanaries Chapter 178 Smoothie
Chapter 178 Smoothie
After breakfast the next day, Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang went to Shangxia Tianguang together.
An Lingrong is making smoothies with Liu Zhu.
Peel the watermelon, cut it into pieces, mash it, filter out the watermelon juice, add sugar, and put it in an ice container and freeze it overnight. Take it out the next day, scrape it into powder with a copper spoon, put it in a small shallow dish, and place a green mint leaf on it.
Freeze the milk into blocks, mash it, mix it with mango puree and add honey to make mango smoothie.
The crystal clear smoothie was gently placed in the mouth. A hint of coolness spread along the tip of the tongue to the depths of the throat, like a breeze blowing through the parched heart, making one feel extremely comfortable. It seemed as if every pore in the body was summoned, stretching out and breathing in this cool air.
Seeing them, An Lingrong's face was filled with excitement. She quickly stepped forward and said, "Sister, I was just about to send someone to call you when you came. Come and try it!"
As he said this, he scooped up a spoonful and brought it to Zhen Huan's mouth.
Zhen Huan took a bite and her eyes lit up: "Delicious."
Seeing that she liked it, An Lingrong was also very happy: "Sister Zhen, you are pregnant, you can't eat too much."
"You can't eat too much either." Shen Meizhuang continued, "Wei Lin said you can't eat too much cold food. Did you forget?"
"No, no, I didn't forget. I made it for you. Su Ye, Cai Xing, you all should try it. I made a lot!"
They ate happily, and the scorching heat they had felt along the way had subsided considerably. Seeing that there was still quite a bit left, An Lingrong instructed, "Xiao Luzi, Xiao Yunzi, put more ice in the food boxes. Run faster and take some to Concubine Jing and Concubine Xin."
"Yes!"
After they finished their smoothies, Zhen Huan said, "Let's go upstairs. I have something to discuss with you."
The three of them came to the second floor and sent the servants away before Zhen Huan told them the purpose of their visit today.
"What? Concubine Duan said Concubine Hua wants to see us?" An Lingrong asked with a frown.
Zhen Huan nodded.
Yesterday at 10:00 p.m., Concubine Duan took advantage of the fact that no one was around and came to Bitong Academy. She was also very surprised.
"Why should she see us? No!" Shen Meizhuang flatly refused and subconsciously stood in front of An Lingrong.
Ever since An Lingrong was beaten to death by Concubine Hua, Shen Meizhuang has had a stress reaction to the word "Concubine Hua". Every time she hears this name, she is like a hedgehog ready to attack at any time, with all the thorns on her body standing up.
"Sister, don't be nervous." An Lingrong took Shen Meizhuang's hand and asked her to sit down. Then she asked Zhen Huan, "Did she say anything?"
"Concubine Duan didn't say anything, but I guess it has something to do with Nian Gengyao. After all, the emperor just reprimanded Nian Gengyao yesterday morning, and she came in the evening."
Although Concubine Duan didn't say it, Zhen Huan roughly guessed her intention.
Seeing that neither of them spoke, Shen Meizhuang raised another question: "Huan'er, when did you start having contact with Concubine Duan?"
Zhen Huan explained, "After the flower viewing party that day, Concubine Duan came to visit at Suiyuxuan and gave me the perfume powder box that Noble Lady Fucha had used that day. She reminded me to be careful of the tactics of those in the palace and to be wary of Cao Qinmo."
After saying that, he looked at An Lingrong: "Rong'er, do you want to see her?"
Given Concubine Duan's scheming, she should have known that they were the ones who revealed the secret of Huan Yi Xiang to Concubine Hua. She should also have understood that the feud between them and Concubine Hua had reached a point where they would never stop fighting. Why would she think that they would help Nian Gengyao?
Is it just because of her little kindness towards Zhen Huan? Concubine Duan shouldn't be so self-indulgent!
An Lingrong turned her gaze to Shen Meizhuang: "Sister, what do you think?"
Shen Meizhuang's face was solemn and her tone was firm: "If Nian Shilan wants to make peace with us, that's impossible. She and I have been at loggerheads for a long time. Not to mention asking Concubine Duan to be the middleman, even if the Emperor comes, it won't work!"
"What if it's for Nian Gengyao?"
Shen Meizhuang sighed, her tone no longer as sharp as before, "My father always said that a general should shed blood on the battlefield and die in his horse's hide. If he died in the internal strife of the court, it would be the greatest insult to a general. Nian Gengyao, sigh..."
After all, Shen Meizhuang herself came from a family of military commanders, and she always held a deep respect for the soldiers who had bravely fought on the battlefield to defend their country. Therefore, it was difficult for her to say anything disrespectful to a general who had fought for his country.
An Lingrong said, "In fact, Nian Gengyao's current arrogance and domineering behavior are closely related to the Emperor. The Emperor has been using the method of flattery to kill him, constantly promoting Nian Gengyao to higher positions and giving him countless rewards, causing him to gradually lose himself, become arrogant, and eventually fall into the trap set by the Emperor."
"So what do you mean?" Zhen Huan asked.
"Sister Zhen, if Nian Gengyao dies, who in the court can take his place?"
Both of them fell into deep thought.
An Lingrong continued, "The Thirteenth Master is in poor health. The Fourteenth Master is brave and resourceful, but the Emperor is wary of him and will never allow him to command the military. So, if the Dzungars start another war, who will be able to fight?"
War is no joke. Once it breaks out, it's not just the soldiers fighting on the front lines who suffer, but also the innocent people on the border who will be displaced and their families destroyed. Although they are in the harem, seemingly far away from the court disputes and the smoke of battle, if their open and covert struggles affect national affairs and even the stability and tranquility of the border, it would be a grave sin!
Historically, after Nian Gengyao's death, in the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign, the Emperor ordered Yue Zhongqi and Fu Erdan to lead an army to attack the Dzungars. However, the Dzungar leader, Galdan Tseren, had anticipated this and made preparations in advance. He lured Fu Erdan's army deep into the enemy's territory, feigning defeat, causing Fu Erdan to underestimate the enemy and lead his army deep into the enemy's territory. Ultimately, he was strangled by Tseren's army. Of the 30,000 elite Eight Banners soldiers, only 2,000 escaped. As a result, every household in the capital was in mourning, and even coffins were unavailable. (Battle of Hetongpo)
Zhen Huan said, "You have your country and your righteousness in your heart, but even if we didn't add fuel to the fire, the Emperor would still want to get rid of Nian Gengyao. I heard from the Emperor that Nian Gengyao and Prince Dun have been secretly communicating. Just based on this reason, the Emperor will never tolerate him!"
An Lingrong kept tapping her temples, and after a long while she said, "Only one of Hua Fei and Nian Gengyao can survive. Otherwise, if the brother and sister recover, all our hard work will be in vain!"
"Then what do you want to do?"
"Let's first see what Concubine Duan and Concubine Hua are capable of!"
The three of them agreed, and Zhen Huan called Jinxi over and instructed, "Jinxi, go to the Xinghuachun Pavilion and ask Concubine Duan to come back at night for a chat."
"Yes!"