The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 185 Hua Fei Kills

"I have also heard about the incident of you fainting from the sun. I have always known that you are straightforward, but I didn't know you were so frank. I am not afraid to let you know that I am only in my early forties. The late emperor passed away suddenly, and I don't have any children. It was only by relying on the title of empress conferred by the late emperor that I got the title of Holy Mother Empress Dowager. You can see that now, because of the situation of the two Empress Dowagers, the things and titles that should have belonged to me alone have to be shared equally with others. I am afraid it will be difficult for me to live out my old age in peace and comfort."

At this point, the Queen Mother refused to say anything more. Nian Shilan made a hushing gesture and laughed.

"Your Highness, there is no need to say more. I know everything."

The Queen Mother smiled with relief and said, "Very good. It is time for her to help Nian Shilan with some things."

After Nian Shilan came out of the Cining Palace, she went to the Yonghe Palace. However, when she was almost at the gate of the Yonghe Palace, a little palace maid who was walking by in a hurry carrying a bucket of water slipped her foot, and half of the bucket of water spilled on Nian Shilan.

Songzhi scolded hastily.

"You fool! Which palace are you from? How can you be so careless when doing things?"

The palace maid fell and rolled all over with water, looking very miserable, while Nian Shilan's lower body was soaked.

It was late autumn, and although the sun rarely came out today, there were not many places on the palace road that were exposed to the sun. Nian Shilan was standing in the shade, and when the autumn wind blew, Nian Shilan couldn't help but shiver.

Nian Shilan was about to speak when she saw Yinzhen's procession slowly approaching. He must have just come out of court. The servants were carrying the sedan chair, and Su Peisheng was accompanying him.

Seeing the emperor's procession approaching, the palace maid suddenly knelt down and crawled a few steps, hugged Nian Shilan's legs tightly, and cried loudly.

"Please spare me, Empress Hua! I didn't mean it! Please spare me, Empress Hua!"

Songzhi hurried forward and pulled the palace maid.

"Get out of the way! When did the Queen ever say she wanted to kill you? Don't spit blood on me!"

The maid still held Nian Shilan's legs tightly and refused to let go. She only shouted "Please spare my life, Concubine Hua!" even though Song Zhi was pulling her.

Nian Shilan knew that what happened today was no accident, but a trap.

Su Peisheng listened to the noise coming from the Yonghe Palace in front of him and sang loudly.

"The Emperor has arrived~!"

But the next moment, the palace maid pulled out the silver hairpin on her head and thrust it into her neck. Before falling down, she used all her strength to pull out the hairpin and stuffed it into Nian Shilan's hand.

When Yinzhen's sedan chair approached, what they saw was Nian Shilan, frowning and holding a bloody hairpin in her hand, and a palace maid covered in blood lying at her feet.

The eunuchs in front of the Yonghe Palace gate had already rushed in to report to Empress Dowager De and Ulanara.

Su Peisheng was horrified and hurriedly asked someone to call the imperial physician first.

Nian Shilan calmly handed the hairpin in her hand, which was still dripping with blood, to the guard beside her, then lifted up her wet clothes and knelt down.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Did you just come out of the morning court?"

Yinzhen frowned as he saw Nian Shilan's expression remained unchanged.

"Get up. What the hell is going on?"

Empress Dowager De was supported by Ulanara and walked out. The palace road was already filled with palace maids from Yonghe Palace. Seeing this scene, they all looked at Nian Shilan with horror in their eyes.

Empress Dowager De was already pale due to her illness. When she saw the bleeding palace maid on the ground and the blood on Nian Shilan's wet clothes, she suddenly felt dizzy and fainted. The servants beside her were so scared that they quickly caught Empress Dowager De.

The imperial physician who had just arrived hurriedly went to see Empress Dowager De first. The palace maid lying on the ground had black blood flowing from the corner of her mouth, and it was obvious that she was dying.

Everyone was busy moving Empress Dowager De back to the bedroom. Except for Su Peisheng, no one noticed that Songzhi understood Nian Shilan's eyes and secretly ran out of the crowd and headed towards the Cining Palace. Su Peisheng moved slightly to block Yinzhen's sight, and spoke hurriedly.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. The imperial physician is here. The Empress Dowager is just frightened."

Yinzhen strode into Empress Dowager De's bedroom. Only the guards were left on the palace road, looking at the palace maid who was twitching on the ground with black blood flowing from the corner of her mouth, and they looked at each other in confusion.

The imperial physician gave Empress Dowager De acupuncture, and when she woke up slowly, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and knelt down to report to Yinzhen.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has been suffering from anemia these days and has not been in good health. She was frightened when she saw this scene today and fainted. I will prescribe a prescription for the Empress Dowager in a while, just calm her down."

Yinzhen waved his hand and asked the imperial physician to prepare the prescription himself.

Empress Dowager De woke up and said with great sorrow.

"Emperor, I heard that Concubine Hua killed someone at the gate of my Yonghe Palace! Is there still any law and order? She almost frightened me to death!"

Yinzhen comforted Empress Dowager De.

"Mother, please be patient. I am also confused now. Why don't you call Concubine Hua and ask her about it first?"

Ulanara came in and said that the concubines in the harem had heard that the empress dowager had fainted from fright, and were now waiting outside to pay their respects to her.

Yinzhen's face darkened, and without waiting for Empress Dowager De to speak, he spoke to Ulanara.

"The Queen Mother is ill now, so no one is allowed to make noise. Let them all go back and come back in a few days when the Queen Mother is in better spirits."

Ulanara agreed and told Jianqiu to go out and tell the concubines in the harem to come back another day. Empress Dowager De expressed her dissatisfaction.

"I'm not dead yet, but the emperor is now in control of me. Even if the concubines in the harem come to see me, will the emperor stop them? I was frightened just now, but I'm in good spirits now. Zhuxi, go and invite them in. It's a good opportunity to try this strange case today! I want to see how Concubine Hua can kill someone at the gate of my palace!"

As she said this, she stretched out her hand to signal the palace servants to help her up and get out of bed.

Yinzhen had no choice but to follow Queen Dowager De to the main hall of Yonghe Palace.

Nian Shilan was wearing a cloak that Su Peisheng had found for her. The wet clothes stuck to her body and she felt really uncomfortable.

Empress Dowager De and Yinzhen sat down, and Ulanara stood beside her and supported her.

"Emperor, I am sitting right beside you. Why don't you ask Concubine Hua why she killed the maids in my palace?"

Yinzhen said.

"Don't be angry, mother. I will ask Concubine Hua first."

Nian Shilan walked forward obediently, took off her cloak and handed it to the palace maid next to her, then lifted up her wet hem and knelt down.

"I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager, and wish her good health and happiness. I pay my respects to the Emperor, and wish him long live. I pay my respects to the Empress, and wish him a thousand years of life."

Yinzhen knew that what happened today was strange, but what everyone saw was also real. Looking at Nian Shilan's delicate and fair face with an indifferent look, he felt strange and nervous in his heart.

"Princess Hua, please stand up and speak."

Nian Shilan knelt on the ground motionless, looked up at Yinzhen and said.

"I dare not. The Empress Dowager accused me of being lawless and killing people outside the Yonghe Palace. I beg the Emperor to make the decision and clear my name!"

(End of this chapter)