The princess regretted it.

Chapter 231 Why did you bring me into this for no reason?

Jin An listened and nodded thoughtfully. She understood this principle, but she could only judge a person by their appearance. How could she know if he was a hypocrite? Some people appeared to be modest and dignified, but were actually extremely selfish and immoral. What should she do if she met such a person? She pondered this and asked.

Concubine Chun paused for a moment, her eyes gentle yet revealing the calmness and indifference of someone who has experienced the vicissitudes of life. "As for how to know if you've chosen the right man, it's really hard to say. It depends on the individual and one's own personal experience. In my opinion, it's generally best to pay close attention to whether he respects and cares for you during your daily interactions, and whether you can achieve mutual understanding and tacit understanding. It's often in those small details that one can truly glimpse a person's true intentions."

Concubine Chun gently smoothed the hair by her ear and continued, "But life is inherently full of uncertainty and uncertainty. Even if one is extremely cautious and considers everything carefully before making a decision, it is still difficult to fully predict the outcome. If I truly discover that the person I have chosen is not a good person, I think it would be better to relax, take care of myself, and take good care of my children, rather than being overly sad and resentful and making my life miserable. Life is neither long nor short, so there is no need to waste it all on someone who has no regard for me."

Jin An seemed to be thinking along the same lines, and whispered, "No wonder you decided to retreat before, living peacefully in this side courtyard, away from all the disputes. It turns out you had this realization long ago."

"Hmm? That's all in the past. I'm quite content now," Concubine Chun said with a faint smile. "In fact, the moment I chose to enter the palace, I understood that His Majesty didn't belong to me alone. With three thousand beauties in the harem, his heart and favor were destined to be divided among so many women. Therefore, I always knew my place and situation clearly, and never dared to overstep my bounds or harbor any false thoughts."

After saying this, Concubine Chun raised her head slightly, her gaze becoming far-reaching and profound, her thoughts seemingly traveling through the vast river of time, returning to those unforgettable years of the past. "But the strife in the harem doesn't guarantee peace simply by not fighting. The day after I was first favored by His Majesty, Concubine Zhang sent me a bowl of chicken soup. Little did she know I could tell from the first smell that it contained contraceptive ingredients."

"Did you drink it?" Jin An asked softly, with a hint of surprise in his voice that was hard to conceal.

"I drank it." Concubine Chun slowly pulled up a bitter smile and said calmly, "At that time, the Empress was completely focused on caring for the Crown Prince's health and had no time to attend to the many affairs of the harem. The entire harem situation was almost entirely controlled by Concubine Zhang. And the Emperor relied heavily on the Zhang family, whose power in the court was at its peak. In such a complicated situation, what choice did I have?"

"Have you never thought of resisting? Father will certainly not sit idly by and watch such a thing happen. You can just tell him." Jin An said softly, his voice gentle but full of doubts.

Concubine Chun shook her head slightly and continued calmly, "What can I do? If I don't drink, I'll be openly opposing Concubine Zhang. I'm weak and new in the harem, so I can't act so rashly. Besides, even if I tell the emperor, what will happen? There's no solid evidence to prove that Concubine Zhang orchestrated this. With her political tactics and influence in the harem, she can easily shift the blame to someone else. Even so, I'll still offend her and might even be accused of false accusations. Princess, do you think I still have a place in the harem and can survive safely?"

After saying this, Concubine Chun's expression was as calm as water, without any ripples. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, a faint smile appeared on her face, and she looked at Jin An quietly. In that smile, there was a sense of relief after experiencing vicissitudes of life, and a sigh of helplessness about the past.

Jin An understood what she said. He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then murmured, "But how many people in this palace can truly think clearly and act freely like you? Most are still deeply trapped, unable to extricate themselves. Actually, if you think about it carefully, it's not just the harem that breeds such vile things. In the courtyards of those high-ranking officials, aren't there undercurrents and constant disputes? The women compete for favor and profit, and their methods are as treacherous and cruel as those in the harem."

Concubine Chun looked at Jin'an like this, thinking about the questions she suddenly asked, and seemed to understand something in her heart. Could it be that the princess already has someone in her heart, but is hesitant for some reason?

Thinking of this, she calmly changed the subject, a gentle smile on her face as she softly said, "Actually, Princess, you don't have to worry about these things. You are a royal family, of unparalleled status. The Emperor will certainly carefully consider and thoroughly understand your future husband from many aspects. He will definitely choose a man who is worthy of you, who can protect you and love you.

Moreover, if there are those who do not know what is good for them and seek to stir up trouble in the future, Princess, you hold great power and have the right to deal with it properly. You are the legitimate princess of the current dynasty, with such a noble status, who would dare to offend you easily? Who can not respect you a little? So, Princess, you can put your heart at ease, everything is under the control of the emperor, and everything will go smoothly as you wish.

Jin'an didn't expect Concubine Chun to speak so directly. Her eyes were a little evasive and her tone was a little vague, "I have never worried about this matter. Why did Concubine Chun bring me into this for no reason?" In order to hide her embarrassment, she pretended to be calm and stretched out her hand, gently picked up the teacup, lowered her head slightly, picked up the teacup and drank tea.

Seeing this, Concubine Chun smiled knowingly. She wisely stopped asking questions and tactfully redirected the conversation. After all, the princess's marriage wasn't something a concubine like her could arbitrarily interfere with. All she needed to do now was raise the child well and give birth safely.

The two chatted for a while longer before Nanny Su came in through the curtains. "Princess, Madam." She bowed demurely to the two of them, then continued, "Princess, Miss Han Shuang is here."

Upon hearing this, Jin An smiled gently at Concubine Chun, "I guess she saw that I haven't returned for a long time, so she came to find you." After saying this, he turned to Nanny Su and whispered, "Let her in."

"Yes." Nanny Su accepted the order and quietly opened the curtain to leave. A short time later, Han Shuang strode in. She bowed to Concubine Chun and Princess Jin'an respectively. Then, turning to Jin'an, she said, "Princess, there are some matters you need to handle personally. Nanny Zhao has sent this servant to fetch you." As she spoke, her eyes flickered, seemingly unnoticed.