The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 138 Shilan gives favor
After Xiao Linzi found out the origin of the soup, he reported it to Nian Shilan.

"Master, I have asked carefully, the soup was cooked in the public kitchen. I also asked the cook, but I was afraid that he would be suspicious, so I just said that the black chicken soup was tasty and not greasy, and asked how it was cooked. We will cook it in our small kitchen for Feng Gege later. The cook wrote down the recipe clearly for me."

Xiao Linzi handed over a piece of paper with the recipe of black chicken soup written on it.

Astragalus, wolfberry, Codonopsis pilosula, and Angelica sinensis are all in it, but there is no radish.

"There is no radish in this recipe. Have you asked for clarification?"

Nian Shilan took the prescription and looked at it before asking Xiao Linzi.

Xiao Linzi said hurriedly.

"I was just about to say this. I said that Feng Gege said that the soup seemed to taste a little different from what we drank before, lighter, and there was something else. She asked me to teach her so that we can learn to make it. He said that there was no radish in the black chicken soup originally. He was called out to take inventory of the new dishes while the soup was being stewed that day, and he specially arranged a maid to watch the fire. As a result, when he came back after the work, he found that the maid was dozing off, and there were some extra radish pieces in the soup pot, which had been stewed soft. He wanted to pour out the soup and cook it again, but there was no time, and Hu Gege's maid was already waiting at the door. He tasted the soup and felt that it seemed to taste better, so he secretly cleared the radish out. Unexpectedly, when I asked, he said that the soup tasted better. I guess he is now looking for radish to enhance the flavor of the black chicken soup in the future."

Nian Shilan frowned.

"This servant is so careless? Someone put something in the soup pot at random, but he didn't pursue it? Do you know who put it there?"

Xiao Linzi said.

"I asked her. He said that the woman was taking a nap and he didn't know. Later he thought that maybe one of the servants wanted to try his cooking skills, but he was usually suppressed by him and didn't let him try, so he came up with this idea. But he asked around in the kitchen, and no one admitted it. Because the method of eating and restraining didn't say that astragalus and radish can't be eaten together, the servant didn't tell him more."

Nian Shilan handed the paper to Songzhi.

"Put it away. Have a good New Year these few days. Xiao Linzi, keep an eye on Hu's movements and don't let her take advantage of any loopholes."

"Yes, Master, rest assured, I am watching you."

Xiao Linzi bowed and walked out. He had not visited his master Zhou Anhai for two days. He had to use the little change in his arms to honor his master.

The New Year in the palace went on peacefully according to the old tradition.

Nian Shilan took care of some trivial matters assigned by Ulanara every day, and was too lazy to interact with others in her spare time. She was only busy when the palace hosted guests, because her status was just a concubine after all, and she didn't need to show up at the banquets for foreign guests. Instead, she lived comfortably in Cheng'en Garden.

Yinzhen came several times, and Nian Shilan sometimes stayed overnight. Sometimes, she said that Fu Jin was busy and tired, and coaxed Yinzhen to go to Fu Jin's courtyard to comfort her.

Songzhi asked.

"Master, the master has come here several times. Why didn't you let him stay during the New Year's Day?"

Nian Shilan sat on the couch under the window, holding a hot water bottle and looking at the snow scene outside.

The yard was covered in snow, and I didn't know how my brother was doing at the frontier.

Nian Shilan said casually.

"No matter how delicious the food is, you will get tired of it. No matter how good a person is, you will get bored of him. Let the master go to the wife's place. The wife will be happy and I will have some free time. Why not do it?"

What Nian Shilan didn't say was that Ulanara's health had already been damaged, and she couldn't have children. Seeing her husband by her side, but unable to have a child of her own, this kind of despair must be stronger than not being able to see Yinzhen all the time.

On the surface, she is a virtuous concubine.

On the 20th day of the first lunar month, Yinzhen went to court early and brought news of Fei Yanggu and his men's great victory when he returned home.

Originally, they thought that the battle would not be over until the end of February, but they did not expect that Nian Gengyao would lead his men to sneak into the enemy camp again. When the enemy found out that their leader was dead, Nian Gengyao and his men had already evacuated safely. The enemy's morale was greatly reduced, and Fei Yanggu led his troops to attack the enemy camp and captured many defeated soldiers alive.

Fei Yanggu sent someone to deliver the message to the capital at full speed, and the army was already on its way back.

When Nian Shilan heard the news, she was silent for a long time. Song Zhi was surprised.

"Master, the Second Young Master and his men have won the victory, but you seem to be worried. This is a great joyous event."

Nian Shilan said to herself.

"It's a great thing that my brother is so brave, but for some reason, I feel uneasy and uneasy."

Then he called Xiao Linzi in and gave him instructions.

"Send a letter to father last year, telling him that my brother won a great victory in this battle, and since it is just after the New Year, there will definitely be a lot of people coming to congratulate him. You must let father know that the Nian family is becoming more powerful, and there will definitely be people in the court coveting it. It is better to close the door and stay in the mansion for the next few days to avoid being disturbed by the congratulations. When my brother comes back, it will not be too late to host a banquet after the emperor has finished his work and discussed the rewards."

Although Nian Shilan is a girl, her father has always spoiled her. Nian's father has been immersed in officialdom for decades and must understand what she means.

Xiao Linzi thought about it and realized that it was not convenient to go through the main gate, so he grinned and asked Zhou Anhai for help, then went out through the dog hole, took off his eunuch clothes and hid them in a secluded place, then quickly went to the Nian Mansion.

When Xiao Linzi came back, he brought back a piece of news.

"Master, I met the Third Miss today."

Year of the Landau.

"Wasn't she kidnapped by someone of unknown origin?"

Xiao Linzi came closer and said.

"The Nian Mansion prepared a dowry for her, saying that the Crown Prince had decided to give her to the master as a concubine. She will enter the mansion on the second day of February."

Nian Shilan actually had a guess when she heard that Nian Zhilan was kidnapped, that it must be done by one of Yinzhen's enemies. But she never thought it was the crown prince, because Yinzhen was a real crown prince.

"go on."

Seeing that Nian Shilan looked normal, Xiao Linzi continued speaking with confidence.

"I heard from the old man that this happened on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. The master entered the palace and ran into the third young lady. He then learned that when the third young lady was kidnapped, the servants of the Nian Mansion who were escorting her tried their best to protect her and escape. Unexpectedly, the third young lady met the Crown Prince on the mountain road and was rescued. She entered the palace by mistake, and somehow, was handed over to our master by the Crown Prince."

Nian Shilan snorted coldly.

"Our master has kept it a secret, I wonder if Fu Jin knows about this?"

Xiao Linzi scratched his head.

"I think you should know in the next two days. The day is approaching. Originally, there is no need to pay attention to the time when a concubine enters the mansion. It doesn't matter what day it is. She can be carried into the mansion at night. I heard that the master was concerned that the third lady was your biological sister, so he specially chose the second day of February. He was afraid that you would be sad, so he asked to keep it a secret from you. But the old man has been angry for a long time because of the matter of the third lady. Talk about her, talk about her..."

Nian Shilan glanced at Xiao Linzi.

"If you have anything to say, say it."

"Yes. The old master said that the third young lady was shameless and had ruined the reputation of the Nian Mansion. The old master had originally taken a fancy to the illegitimate son of the Minister of Rites, Mr. Guo, and was thinking of arranging a marriage for the third young lady this year. Who could have thought that so many things would happen. But the crown prince was the guarantor, and the third young lady kept saying that she liked our prince, so the old master had to lock the third young lady up in the mansion and send her here when the day came. The old master said that you had never suffered any grievances since you were a child, but now your sister has snatched the prince away from you, so you should be at ease and just treat the third young lady as a property after she enters the mansion."

Nian Shilan had gotten over her initial surprise and said casually.

"Father, you are worrying too much. If she doesn't come to provoke me, I will ignore her. But I have not forgotten what my aunt did. I want to see how she can get the favor of the master. If she wants to come, let her come. She thinks this is a blessed place. I am afraid that if she makes a mistake, I will lose my life, but she is trying to get in."

Xiao Linzi and Song Zhi looked at each other and didn't dare to speak anymore.

(End of this chapter)