The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 158 Conquering the Eight Kings
After listening to Xiao Linzi's story, Nian Gengyao personally sent him to the back door of the Nian Mansion and said before leaving.

"Please tell Madam Hua that what Madam Hua is worried about is also what I am worried about."

After seeing Xiao Linzi off, Nian Gengyao hurried to the military camp, selected the soldiers, and quietly went to Jiaogezhuang outside the city.

The spies sent out came back to report that there was indeed a secret hidden in the manor. Nian Gengyao then carefully surveyed the surrounding terrain, leaving a loophole for people to enter and exit, and ambushed elite troops in other places, waiting to catch the turtle in the urn at night.

At the end of the Xu hour, the Eighth Prince Yunsi came with his personal guards. Nian Gengyao and his men captured him in one fell swoop, and also seized countless privately made weapons from secret places in the village, and captured several soldiers disguised as tenants. Nian Gengyao took Yunsi into the imperial city overnight.

Yunsi said hatefully as he knelt in front of Yinzhen.

"My brother, you are such a good servant, but you actually caught me as a thief!"

Yinzhen looked at Nian Gengyao who was also kneeling in front of him.

"My dear Nian, what does this mean?"

Nian Gengyao took out the defense map of the Forbidden City that he had searched on the farm from his bosom and presented it to him with both hands. Su Peisheng hurriedly took it and presented it to Yinzhen.

"Your Majesty, I have received a tip-off that the Eighth Prince Yunsi has privately manufactured weapons and hoarded elite troops with the intention of rebellion! I did not have time to report to the emperor, so I captured him myself!"

Yunsi looked at Nian Gengyao with bloodshot eyes.

"You are wronging me! When did I ever intend to rebel?! Do you want to nail me to death here just because you heard someone tell you to? You can't do that!"

Nian Gengyao was neither hasty nor slow.

"Then please explain to me the defense map I found, as well as the weapons and elite soldiers."

Yinzhen had heard Ulanara's report about the Third Prince's illness during the day, and had sent someone to interrogate the maid. The maid confessed the origin of the bowl of lard and admitted that it was taught to her by the guards around the Eighth Prince. Yinzhen was thinking about who would be the best person to capture the Eighth Prince, when Nian Gengyao sent someone over.

The next step was to interrogate the people around Yunsi, confiscate their property, put them in prison, and exile them. Except for Yunsi who was imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court, all his followers were executed, and for a time, those who were dissatisfied with Yinzhen's accession to the throne were suppressed.

Yinzhen commended Nian Gengyao. Coincidentally, war reports came from the northwest, and Nian Gengyao volunteered to go to the war. Yinzhen promoted him to the governor-general of Sichuan and Shaanxi, and promised to reward Nian Gengyao after he quelled the rebellion in the northwest.

For a time, the Nian family became a popular family in Beijing.

Ulanara was puzzled. This matter was clearly caused by the Third Prince's fever. Why did Nian Gengyao happen to get rid of the Eighth Prince who coveted the throne for the emperor? She had just found out that the Eighth Prince Yunsi wanted to kill the emperor's son, and Nian Gengyao caught him making weapons privately.

Only Nian Shilan knew that in the previous life, after Yinzhen ascended the throne, he had inadvertently mentioned to her that the Eighth Prince Yunsi stationed troops in Jiaoge Village. In this life, she heard about the conspiracy against the Third Prince, and thought of the fact that Yinzhen only had one son and several brothers.

The Ninth Prince has gone to his fiefdom and is living a peaceful life for the time being.

The Tenth Prince is a fool and certainly doesn't have the ability to reach into the Queen's palace.

Eleven and Fourteen are still young.

The eldest prince, Prince Zhi, the second prince who was deposed as the crown prince, and the third prince's cronies had all been dealt with by Yinzhen long ago, so only the eighth prince was left.

If my brother can capture the Eight Kings, it will be a great achievement.

When Nian Shilan asked Xiao Linzi to pass on the message, he only said that he had dreamed of the Eight Kings stationing troops in Jiaogezhuang, and asked Nian Gengyao to verify his dream when he was free.

Unexpectedly, Nian Gengyao was so agile that he captured Yunsi within a day and decisively brought him before Yinzhen.

But my brother's action is still a bit too reckless. If the Eighth Prince refuses to admit his guilt or hides his guilt deeply, my brother will be guilty of disrespect.

But in this life, the Nian family rose too fast, and Nian Shilan was also worried.

When Yinzhen arrived, Nian Shilan was already standing in the corridor waiting.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. May your Majesty be blessed with good fortune."

Yinzhen was in a complicated mood.

I fell in love with Nian Shilan at first sight, and naturally, I was also attracted by her family background.

When he was in the palace, he only wanted Nian Shilan to give birth to a child for him. Now that Nian Gengyao is so capable, he is vaguely worried. What if it is true as Empress Dowager De said, and a disaster occurs due to foreign relatives?

He knew that Nian Shilan had secretly taken the contraceptive pills, but his original angry mood turned into relief after this incident.

"Get up. I haven't been here for a long time. Do you miss me?"

Nian Shilan smiled.

"Of course I miss the emperor. There are many sisters in the harem, so it is normal for the emperor not to come. I heard that there are still sisters in the palace who have not been favored. Will the emperor not go to see them?"

Yinzhen was dissatisfied.

"I just arrived and you drove me away. You said you missed me, but you pushed me away." Nian Shilan smiled and moved closer to Yinzhen and whispered in his ear.

"I am not feeling well these days."

Then he suddenly distanced himself from the two of them and bowed.

"I heard that the emperor has not been to Fuchang yet. Why don't you go to Fuchang to rest in the palace tonight? I will serve you in a few days."

Yinzhen stared at Nian Shilan for a long time and then said something.

"Since Concubine Hua is unwilling to serve me, I will go back first."

Nian Shilan said goodbye respectfully, her eyes lowered coldly.

Songzhi waited for the emperor to leave and said anxiously.

"Master, how long are you going to keep being angry with the Emperor? You finally get to see the Emperor, why don't you stay?"

Nian Shilan said calmly,

"I don't need to give birth to a child, so why should I rush? If the emperor really wants to stay in Yikun Palace, I can't drive him away even if I try."

Nian Shilan looked towards the door. She once looked forward to his coming so much. Whenever she missed him, she would light up the Huanyi incense, and the whole palace would be filled with that special fragrance.

In this life, he has not even rewarded her with Huan Yixiang. Is he really not afraid of the rise of the Nian family?

Yinzhen walked to the gate of Chuxiu Palace, hesitated for a moment, retracted his steps, and turned to go to Changchun Palace.

Nian Shilan had just asked him to go find Fu Changzai to sleep with him, but he refused to go.

Shu Guiren was still awake, so Yinzhen didn't ask anyone to pass on the message and went straight to the side hall where Shu Guiren lived.

Because there was no main queen in Changchun Palace, Concubine Li and Concubine Shu lived in the east and west side halls respectively.

A graceful figure was reflected on the window, singing a Jiangnan tune softly, accompaniment by the lyrics and twisting her body movements.

Yinzhen looked at the scene in front of him that looked like a shadow play and smiled knowingly. Shu Guiren was an interesting person. In addition to dancing, she could also sing.

The door to the west wing creaked open, accompanied by Concubine Li's dissatisfied voice.

"They are still singing this late at night. Do you want to go to sleep?"

When Concubine Li saw the group of people in front of the east wing hall, her complaining voice stopped abruptly. Yinzhen turned around and saw Concubine Li.

"I pay my respects to His Majesty. I didn't know His Majesty was here. I am sorry for being rude."

Yinzhen looked at Li Guiren's face which turned pale in an instant, but did not blame her.

"It's okay, get up. I came to see Lady Shu."

Shu Guiren had already heard the noise outside while in the house, so she straightened her clothes and came out.

Concubine Li stood up timidly, but saw Concubine Shu open the door and walk out gracefully.

"I pay my respects to His Majesty, may His Majesty be blessed. I did not know that His Majesty was coming, and I am sorry for not coming to greet you."

Yinzhen looked at Li Guiren and said calmly.

"Go back and rest early."

After Concubine Li left, Yinzhen looked at Concubine Shu.

"Get up. There is a beauty in the south, and the light green waist dance turns out to be like this. Did I hear you singing a Jiangnan tune just now?"

Concubine Shu was wearing a dance dress made of gauze, which happened to be turquoise in color, and her hair was simply tied up in a bun, without any extra decoration.

She stood up and smiled gently.

"Your Majesty, you are praising me. I am just entertaining myself when I have nothing to do. My hometown is a land of plenty, and I have been able to hum a few lines since I was a child. I am sorry that I am not very good at singing, Your Majesty."

Yinzhen walked into the house, Su Peisheng and the guards stayed outside, and Zijing served tea.

"It sounds good to me, clear and graceful, a bit like the voice of Queen Chunyuan when she was alive."

(End of this chapter)