The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 140 Secret Visit
Hu was so bored that day that she took the initiative to visit Shu.
"You caught a cold after falling into the water a few days ago. Are you okay?"

Hu Gege asked.

Shu Gege said calmly, with no expression on his face.

"Thank you for your concern. Okay. Although we have been living in the same courtyard, I have never seen you come to visit me. Is it because the sun is rising from the west today?"

Hu Gege waved and clapped his hands and laughed.

"Look at your tone, it's like we're enemies. I was just ignorant and said a few words to you before, so why do you hold such a grudge against me?"

Shu Gege was helpless and looked at Hu.

"If you have something to say, just say it directly. How can I bear a grudge? You and I were both married into the palace as concubines, and we both served the master. You came first and I came later. We should be close friends."

Hu said with a grin.

"Well, what can I do? Just a simple greeting."

After that, he went back to his room. Zijing asked Shu Gege.

"You said that Hu Gege suddenly came to my house and didn't say anything. What does that mean?"

Shu Gege said nothing, but lowered her head to embroider the purse in her hand.

No matter what Hu Gege meant, he would not be with her.

Hu Gege returned to her room and saw no one around, so she asked Chunhong.

"You stood next to Shu Suyan the longest just now. What did you see?"

Chunhong said as she massaged Hu Gege's shoulder.

"Forgive me for my poor eyesight. I have never seen that before."

Hu Gege talked to himself.

"That's strange. You see, besides Cheng En Yuan being very wealthy, they often send servants out to buy good rouge and powder from outside. All of us use the same things, so why is Shu Suyan's skin so smooth and tender? I have to find a way to get some of her rouge and powder so that the master will like it."

Mrs. Hu didn't notice Chunhong's speechless expression behind her.

Chunhong had long known that her half-master was not very reliable, but she had not expected that today she would take the opportunity to visit just to see what Shu Gege used to maintain her face.

It was already the end of February, and Nian Gengyao had already returned with the army.

Just as Yinzhen wished, the emperor was very happy to see that the post of Baoyi Guard Assistant Commander was vacant, and that the censors all said that the Nian government did not take credit for itself but instead closed its doors to visitors.

The emperor promoted Nian Gengyao to be the lieutenant commander of the Baoyi Guard. The Nian family was originally from the Bordered White Banner of the Han army. As a result, Nian Gengyao was very glorious when he attended court.

In just one year, Nian Gengyao led the army to two great victories. He was brave and resourceful, which pleased the emperor very much. He was promoted to the third rank, and there were many jealous people in the court.

There were also those who wanted to establish a marriage alliance, but Nian Gengyao's two sons were still young, so they set their sights on Nian Gengyao and wanted to send their own concubine's daughter to Nian's mansion as a concubine.

Nian Gengyao was arrogant and was quite dissatisfied when he saw his family closed the door to visitors when he first returned to Beijing. He thought that since he had made great military achievements, shouldn't he go to the court to pay his respects? Why did he act as if he was not worthy of being seen?

All the things that happened later made him extremely annoyed, and he realized that the idea of ​​thanking the guests was given to his father by his own sister.

Nian Gengyao wrote a letter and gave it to Nian Shilan.

The letter expressed his appreciation for Nian Shilan's action of reminding the Nian family, and also said that he would abide by his duties as a minister and be a loyal minister.

When the letter was delivered to Nian Shilan, she knew very well that Yinzhen already knew the contents of the letter.

Nian Shilan smiled. Her brother was not so arrogant in this life that he would not listen to anyone. As long as she infiltrated the family slowly and gave timely advice, the Nian family would surely prosper.

Yinzhen looked at the family letter from Nian Gengyao copied by Su Peisheng. This was Nian Gengyao's secret way of showing his loyalty to him.

People in the court only knew that the two of them had different political views, but they didn't know what Nian Gengyao was thinking. He had always been with Yinzhen because his sister Nian Shilan was in Prince Yong's mansion.

Liang Jiugong, the chief eunuch beside Emperor Kangxi, quietly came to Prince Yong's mansion at night.

In Yinzhen's study, Liang Jiugong said.

"Today, I have quietly come out in compliance with the Emperor's oral order. At the beginning of next month, the Emperor will go on a private visit in disguise, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will stay in Beijing to handle state affairs. The Emperor said that he originally wanted Prince Yong to stay in Beijing as well, but he was afraid of any accidents along the way, so he asked Prince Yong to protect him secretly." Yinzhen knelt down and said solemnly.

"I will do my best to protect the Emperor!"

Yinzhen personally sent Liang Jiugong out the door and returned to his study where he sat for half the night.

Liang Jiugong said that the emperor would set out on his secret visit on March 8th, all the way to the south of the Yangtze River, and there were still ten days for Yinzhen to make preparations.

On the first day of March, all the concubines gathered in Xingfu Courtyard to pay their respects to Ulanara, even Duan, who had been pregnant recently, was there.

It was the first time that Nian Zhilan met Duan. Duan needed two maids to support her at this time. Her belly was frighteningly big, but what was even more frightening was Duan's bloated body.

Seeing that everyone was present, Ulanara spoke with a smile.

"All the sisters are here today. I am happy to see so many of you. Right now, sister Duan is eight months pregnant and will give birth next month. You should be more careful, and the people who serve you should also be extra attentive. I have already found a midwife and a wet nurse for you, and they are just waiting for you to give birth safely."

Duan wanted to stand up to express her gratitude, but Ulanara stopped her.

"Sister Duan, there's no need to be so polite. I've already told you to just take care of yourself. You don't even have to come here every day to pay your respects."

Duan could only sit on the chair with her back facing up. She held her stomach with both hands, and when she laughed, the flesh on her chin piled up into three layers. Even her voice sounded a little rougher than before.

"Thank you, Master Fujin."

Ulanara smiled and nodded, then looked at Feng.

"Sister Feng is five and a half months pregnant now, right? Her clothes are too big, so I can't see anything. Logically, she should be showing her pregnancy."

Feng stood up steadily and bowed to Ulanara.

"Thank you for your concern, Madam. I am indeed five months pregnant. But I am weak and nothing I eat will make me grow. I am anxious and want the baby to grow faster in my belly."

Ulanara smiled.

"Sister Feng is in Cheng'en Garden. I heard that Concubine Hua is taking care of you. But as the Concubine in charge of the backyard, I still want to ask you one more thing. Do you need to buy anything or add a few more servants?"

Feng looked at Nian Shilan and saw that she was drinking tea with her head down. She looked at Ulanara and spoke softly.

"Reporting to the mistress, everything is fine with me in Cheng'en Garden. Concubine Hua is taking good care of me. I don't have to worry about anything I need. I just need to focus on taking care of my baby. You see, although I don't gain weight no matter what I eat, my face is rosy. I am grateful to Concubine Hua for her kindness."

Nian Shilan continued.

"Please sit down. You are five and a half months old and you must be tired from standing for so long. Fu Jin, don't you think so?"

Ulanara looked at Nian Shilan with a smile.

"Sister is right, Sister Feng, please sit down."

Then he looked at Hu Gege again.

"Sister Hu, you have a nice pair of shoes today. It's warm in March, and this bright color is perfect for you."

Nian Zhilan followed Ulanara's words and looked at Hu Gege. Hu Gege had been casually exposing her feet today, and she was wearing a pair of brocade shoes.

This Huanhua brocade is very valuable. Few people can afford to wear clothes made from it, let alone shoes.

Nian Zhilan spoke with an envious tone.

"Sister Hu's shoes are really nice."

Hu Gege stood up, saluted to Ulanara, and spoke with a hint of pride.

"Thank you very much, Master Fujin. That day, I just said that your clothes were beautiful, and I wanted to ask for the remaining fabric to make a purse to wear. I didn't expect you to be so generous and give me so much fabric. I selected some and used the Huanhua brocade to make the uppers of the shoes. The soles are still made of the birch wood you gave me. I specially asked the craftsmen to polish it well and make it one inch higher. It is very comfortable to wear."

Ulanara smiled.

"As long as you like it. But the shoes are a little taller, so the people following you will have to serve you more attentively."

(End of this chapter)