The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 146: Request for Meeting Rejected
Nian Shilan got up in the morning, paid his respects to Lady Ulanara and returned to Cheng'en Garden. Just as he sat down to have breakfast, he heard the young eunuch kneeling at the door and saying.

"My lord, Miss Nian wants to see you. She said she is here to pay her respects to you."

Nian Shilan had just washed his hands and was now taking the handkerchief from Mangzhong's hand to wipe his hands. He sneered and said.

"I just saw her in Xingfu Courtyard. I saw that she looked rosy. I am also in good health and I am doing well. Let her go back."

The young eunuch hurried back to Nian Zhilan.

Nian Zhilan did not lose her temper in front of the eunuchs of Cheng'en Garden, but was very obedient.

"Then please ask the father-in-law to give his regards to me. I will go back first."

The young eunuch also responded respectfully.

Nian Zhilan turned around and twisted the silk handkerchief in her hand fiercely.

The moonlit silk handkerchief does not have the common patterns, but a pink oleander with a few leaves, which looks vivid.

Xiaoyu observed Nian Zhilan's expression, not daring to speak, and just followed her silently.

In addition to paying respects to the Ulanara family, Qi Yuebin has been staying in Yaoyue Garden reading books recently.

Since Hu was locked up in the deserted courtyard and left to fend for herself, although Yinzhen did not hold her accountable for her poor supervision, he never went to Yaoyue Garden again.

Qi Yuebin only heard Jiang Fuhai's message that the master's old illness had relapsed and he was recuperating in the front yard. She wanted to visit him, but was stopped by Su Peisheng who was guarding the front yard.

Seeing that Su Peisheng was there, Qi Yuebin just told his master to take good care of himself and he would come to pay his respects after his master recovered.

After returning to Yaoyue Garden, Qi Yuebin picked up the book she had read halfway through early in the morning, but her mind was not on the book.

It was already the beginning of April, and Yinzhen had not appeared in the mansion for nearly twenty days, and he did not need concubines to take care of him.

I heard that before he entered the palace, Yinzhen was seriously injured while fighting a disaster in Henan and was infected with an epidemic. Could it be related to that serious injury?
Shu has been staying quietly in her room recently, with Zijing muttering to her beside her.

"Princess, what exactly is wrong with the master? The mistress only said that an old illness had recurred. Wasn't the last injury cured? I haven't heard of any sequelae of the epidemic."

Shu pinched a piece of incense cake and put it into the incense burner, then lit it. Looking at the curling fragrant mist rising, she fanned the mist towards her nose with her hand, closed her eyes, and savored it carefully.

After a while, as if he had had enough of the fresh and elegant scent, he said to Zijing.

"I don't care. If the master says it's a relapse of an old illness, then it's a relapse of an old illness. If you want to survive in this palace, don't speculate about things that have nothing to do with you."

Zijing also sniffed the fragrance in the air and couldn't help but relax his brows.

"This incense smells so good! Is this also the recipe in the book that my grandfather left behind?"

Shu smiled as she watched the thin pancakes burn.

"This recipe doesn't originally smell like this. According to the description in the book, this recipe should taste like wood fragrance. I don't like the old-fashioned smell of wood fragrance, so I added a few other ingredients to it. Smell it, isn't it fresh and elegant?"

Zijing looked at Shu's long eyelashes fluttering as she spoke, then looked at the incense burner in a daze, and couldn't help but say.

"Eldest sister is so beautiful, and she smells so good."

Shu looked at Zijing's gradually blurred eyes, covered her mouth and nose with her hands, and laughed softly, with indifference in her eyes.

How could I not know what my sister was thinking? But she was still useful to me now.

Shu saw that the incense cake was almost burned, so she took out the incense cake from the incense burner with a pair of bamboo tweezers and put it into the teacup next to it.

With a "sizzle" sound, the incense cake that had not yet been completely burned was extinguished.

After about a quarter of an hour, Zijing woke up and found himself sleeping on the table.

"Princess, what happened to this servant?"

Shu said calmly.

"You were talking to me when you suddenly cried out that you were tired, so I helped you sit down. Unexpectedly, you fell asleep in the blink of an eye. I thought you might be too tired, so I watched you sleep for a quarter of an hour."

Zijing rubbed his eyes, stretched, stood up and brought tea to Shu.

The half cup of tea that Shu had thrown in the fragrant cake had already been poured out by her. Feng sat under the window and looked at the courtyard. Every plant and tree in Cheng'en Garden was full of vitality. Nian Shilan said that she liked the rose tree in Jinglan Courtyard. Yinzhen had someone move it here last winter, and it was blooming now.

Ruyi brought milk tea and fruit to Feng as snacks.

"Princess, this is the fresh milk tea that Concubine Hua asked the kitchen to make. Please have some."

Feng didn't say anything. She took out a silver hairpin from her head, poured a little milk tea into a small cup, and tried it with the silver hairpin.

Seeing that Zhan Zi didn't react, Feng took another cup, poured some milk tea and drank it slowly.

The same goes for fruits, which Feng has to test himself before eating.

Ruyi smiled.

"It's right for you to be careful, but I think Concubine Hua is more concerned about your pregnancy than you are, so it shouldn't be a big deal."

Feng looked at the milk tea in her hand and chuckled.

"You must be on guard against others. Concubine Hua and I are not related in any way, so it is always necessary to be extra cautious."

In mid-April, Feng was already seven months pregnant. Her belly looked much bigger, but her limbs were still the same as before she was pregnant. Ruyi gestured with a new Manchu costume and said with a smile.

"Gege, the baby is stable and the belly is tight. Doctor Wen said that if you walk around the yard more during the day, it will be easier to give birth."

Feng paced on the ground, stroking her belly, and suddenly sighed.

Ruyi hurriedly asked her if she was feeling unwell.

Feng said.

"I haven't been out of this courtyard for more than a month. I feel so bored. The sun is shining brightly outside today. Go and tell Concubine Hua that I want to go for a walk in the garden."

Ruyi went out to report to Nian Shilan, and Nian Shilan sent Xiao Linzi to accompany Feng to stroll in the garden.

As soon as Feng entered the garden, she saw Ulanara, the third prince, her wet nurse, and a group of servants admiring the flowers by the lake.

The third prince is already one month old. Ulanara said that they would hold a centenary banquet for him after the master recovers.

It is early summer now and the sun is bright but will not burn you.

Ulanara teased the little baby, but the newborn was still a small and soft baby, so Ulanara just teased the baby in the wet nurse's arms.

Feng originally wanted to go back, but Jianqiu looked up and saw her, then leaned over and said something in Ulanara's ear. Ulanara raised her head and looked in Feng's direction, then waved at her with a smile.

Feng had no choice but to go over and pay her respects.

"I pay my respects to the mistress. I haven't seen you for over a month. I wonder if the mistress is doing well?"

Ulanara asked Jianqiu to help Feng up, offered her a seat, and said with a smile.

"I'm fine. Sister Feng, are you happy staying in Cheng'en Garden every day?"

Feng wanted to stand up and answer, but Ulanara held her hand down.

"My sister is already seven months pregnant, there's no need to be so polite. Please sit down."

Feng replied respectfully.

"Thank you for your concern, Master Fu Jin. I am fine now. Master has been ill for a few days, and I am pregnant and cannot visit him or take care of him. I am really worried. Thanks to Master Fu Jin for taking care of all the affairs in the mansion and taking care of the Third Prince. I hope Master Fu Jin will take good care of herself."

Ulanara's eyes were filled with relief and she gently patted Feng's hand.

"Sister is a good person. These days, I have also felt powerless occasionally. Fortunately, Concubine Hua helped me a little, so I was able to take care of the third prince. Sister knows that since Sister Duan passed away after giving birth to the third prince, I have been tormented every day. You tell me, how can this little child not have his biological mother to take care of him. Every time I think of Sister Duan at night, I can't sleep at night."

As Ulanara spoke, two tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She quickly took out her silk handkerchief, turned her head and sobbed, then gently wiped her tears and turned her head with a forced smile.

"I am too sentimental and frightened my sister. Childbirth is extremely dangerous for us women, so you must be careful and don't let yourself be harmed like Sister Duan. Sister Duan died when she gave birth to this child, so they had no choice but to take the child out. Otherwise, I'm afraid both mother and child would be killed."

Feng had been afraid since she had heard about Duan's tragic condition that day. Today, she was frightened by Ulanara and developed a fever that night.

(End of this chapter)