Chen Zhi was annoyed by Rong Quan's constant chatter. Since when did a personal guard talk so much? It was not what she had imagined. In the TV dramas, guards with great martial arts skills were cold - faced, taciturn, loyal, and always hid in the shadows, ready to act immediately when needed. Chen Zhi looked at Rong Quan's face, which seemed to be getting closer. She frowned. At the beginning, he did have a little bit of that air, but ever since she gave him a piece of cake, he had become like this, talkative and gluttonous. She hadn't forgotten that after Liang Pin sent the soup, other concubines in the harem followed suit. Despite her cold expression, they insisted on sending things to the Changle Palace. As long as it was food, Rong Quan would gobble it all up until he couldn't take it anymore. Then, he would lie lazily on the couch where she usually curled up, rubbing his stomach. It made Chen Zhi so angry that she wanted to kick him into the wall so that he couldn't be pulled out!

　　They came to the beautiful palace garden. There were pavilions, terraces, and towers, small bridges over flowing water, and colorful flowers blooming everywhere, attracting butterflies to flit and circle. Rong Quan nodded. As expected of the emperor's residence, it was extremely luxurious. Looking at such a scenery, one's mood would naturally improve.

　　“Look, it's good to come out. Listening to the birdsong and smelling the fragrance of flowers is actually good for your health. Staying in the Changle Palace all day makes you lazy,” Rong Quan was satisfied with his decision. He turned to look at Yue Chen and found that she was slumped against the railing of the pavilion again. Rong Quan rubbed his forehead and let out a long sigh. Did this person have no backbone? She was either lying down or slumping.

　　“Can you be a little more energetic? You seem so lifeless all day. Although the past is unbearable to recall, you've survived after all. You have to move forward,” Rong Quan said earnestly.

　　“There's nothing to do,” Chen Zhi said. She had been quite idle recently. The women in the harem had been well - behaved lately. Every day, they either came to pay their respects or sent their maids to deliver things. They would leave right after that, not staying for a moment. She also wanted to find something to do, but she really couldn't.

　　“Aren't you the empress in charge of the harem? All the affairs in the harem, big or small, are under your jurisdiction. If you want to find something to do, you surely can!” Rong Quan thought she just didn't want to move.

　　Chen Zhi gave him a sidelong glance. He was suggesting she look for trouble. “When it comes to eating, you eat more than I do. When it comes to being idle, staying with me must be much more leisurely than staying with the Prince Regent. I seriously suspect that you're just a workaholic. Now that you've been idle recently, you're itching all over.”

　　Rong Quan grinned. He had indeed eaten a lot recently. The cooks' skills were really good. The food sent by those concubines was delicious, with an appealing color, aroma, and taste. Even if he closed his eyes, the smell would waft into his nose, tempting his gluttony.

　　He couldn't be blamed for this. In the military camp, he had never eaten such delicious food. While he was still in the capital, he definitely wanted to eat his fill of all the food he wanted.

　　“Does the Prince Regent mistreat his subordinates? Look at the way you wolf down your food,” Chen Zhi teased.

　　Upon hearing this, Rong Quan became serious. “Miss Yue, don't say things you don't know!” The prince was the master he respected the most. He wouldn't tolerate anyone speaking ill of him, even in jest.

　　Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Chen Zhi quickly changed her words. “Yes, yes, I was wrong. The Prince Regent is the best. If it weren't for him, how could I live such a good life in the palace? When I have the chance someday, I'll prepare a generous gift and personally send it to the prince's mansion to thank him sincerely.”

　　“There's no need for a generous gift. The prince doesn't care about such worldly things,” Rong Quan replied. However, it would be okay to express gratitude. The prince was really strange. He had done so many things for Miss Yue, yet he didn't let them mention it. Why be so reserved? Look, Miss Yue didn't know anything, so it was easy for her to misunderstand.

　　“Okay, okay, I'll listen to Rong Quan. I'll go and thank him in person another day,” Chen Zhi said. It seemed that the Prince Regent was really capable, making his subordinates so loyal that they couldn't even tolerate a single negative word.

　　She could barely remember his appearance. She had a slight case of face - blindness. For those she had only met once, she would forget what they looked like after a while. Now, when she thought back, all she could recall was that he was quite good - looking.

　　After that, the two of them fell silent. Neither of them knew what to say. Rong Quan felt a bit embarrassed about his attitude just now, and Chen Zhi couldn't think of a topic to talk about for the moment. One of them was standing, and the other was leaning against the pavilion, with a gentle breeze blowing from time to time.

　　Chen Zhi was sharp - eyed and saw several figures approaching them from behind Rong Quan.

　　“Look!” Chen Zhi motioned for Rong Quan to look behind him. “You were just complaining that I was too idle. Now, trouble is coming to our door.”

　　Rong Quan had already heard the footsteps. He looked at her worriedly, then leaped away and hid in the shadows. He didn't have an official identity in the palace, so he couldn't stand behind Yue Chen to guard her without any scruples.

　　The things he meant for her to do were not this kind of trouble. Who knew what those women were thinking when they showed up here? Yue Chen didn't have any palace maids with her and was all alone. If he had known this, why did he pull her out? At least the Changle Palace was Yue Chen's residence, and those women would be more cautious about what they wanted to do.

　　Chen Zhi didn't miss the worried look in Rong Quan's eyes. If she hadn't known this, she wouldn't have come out with such patience. She looked at the approaching people, and the smile in her eyes was obvious. They finally couldn't hold back. Knowing they couldn't get the better of her in the Changle Palace, they couldn't wait to come at her as soon as she left the palace.

　　He Jieyu stepped forward to pay her respects. Chen Zhi looked her up and down. She was a graceful woman, and every gesture exuded charm. Yu Qian really had good taste in choosing concubines. There were all kinds of beauties. No wonder so many people wanted to be the emperor, being able to choose any suitable woman in the world. Such a beautiful dream, who wouldn't want it?

　　“Your Majesty, you haven't left your bedroom for a long time. Did you come to enjoy the flowers today because you heard that the seasonal flowers in the palace garden are in bloom?” He Jieyu asked. There seemed to be nothing wrong with her words, but the tone was rather annoying.

　　Since Yue Chen had injured her head, she had been staying in her palace and had never gone out. They had arranged for eunuchs to keep an eye on the Changle Palace. It was only today that they saw Yue Chen come out of the bedroom. As soon as she got the news, she followed her here.

　　After Yue Chen woke up, her temperament had become a bit more stable. At that time, when the empress lost power, the servants originally serving in the Changle Palace had all found other ways out. Now, in the large Changle Palace, there was only Yue Chen left. Every day, the imperial kitchen would prepare the meals and send them over. They couldn't plant any spies there.

　　“He Jieyu, you should know your place. Whether I do something or not is none of your business,” Chen Zhi was really speechless. How on earth did Yue Chen used to be the empress? Didn't she have any dignity or power? It was okay to be kind and lenient in dealing with people, but it should depend on who she was dealing with. Before the empress even spoke, she started asking questions. If she hadn't sent people to keep watch outside the Changle Palace day and night, how would she know that she hadn't left the bedroom for a long time? Such a concubine who overstepped her bounds didn't deserve a good attitude. Indulging her would only make her more insolent.