The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 197 New Year’s Eve Banquet
According to the rule of the Qing Palace, the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month is the New Year's Eve banquet for the whole palace. On New Year's Eve, all concubines will stay up in the palace on their own, and the masters will also reward the servants who have worked hard to follow them.

After the incident of the wrong clothes being sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Concubine Wan won the favor of Concubine Duan. On the morning of the 24th, Concubine Wan paid her respects to Ulanara and then went to Concubine Duan's Yanqing Palace.

"Sister Duan, you won't mind me coming here uninvited, will you? I feel sorry that Sister Duan and I met too late."

Lady Wan smiled gently. She was wearing a pink dress today. The fur on her collar was obviously the finest fox fur, which wrapped around her little face and made her look even better.

Concubine Duan ordered breakfast to be served and invited Concubine Wan to have breakfast with her. Concubine Wan did not feel shy and sat down openly.

"I am very happy that Sister Wan can come. As Sister Wan said, I know you too late. If Sister Wan has nothing to do in the future, you can come often. I am lonely living alone in Yanqing Palace."

Concubine Duan sat at the table and invited Concubine Wan to have dinner.

After the meal, Concubine Wan talked with Concubine Duan for a while before leaving. But as soon as Concubine Wan left, Concubine Duan ordered the servants to take out all the cups and plates she had used and dispose of them.

Jixiang asked, puzzled.

"Aren't the Majesty and the Concubine Wan having a very pleasant conversation?"

Concubine Duan said lightly.

"I have always disliked making friends with others, let alone a woman who serves the Emperor. Besides, who knows her purpose in approaching me? It is better to be cautious."

Yinzhen was in the Yangxin Palace, looking at the letter presented by the Blood Dropper, feeling depressed.

The letter reported that Qi Lianchen claimed to be the father-in-law of the emperor, which attracted some people who were trying to curry favor with him and almost broke down the threshold of the Qi Mansion. Qi Lianchen also took the opportunity to make a lot of money, almost making up for his father's contribution in guarding the southwest.

Qi Lianchen is the father of Concubine Duan Qi Yuebin.

Yinzhen thought that if he allowed the Qi family to continue like this, it would probably lead to criticism, and secondly, those people in the court who were ready to make trouble would have unreasonable expectations and take advantage of the situation.

The former dynasty and the harem are closely linked.

Yinzhen held the letter in his hand and thought about Concubine Duan's pregnancy. If Concubine Duan gave birth to a princess, it would be fine. If it was a prince,
Concubine Duan was unaware of what was happening outside the palace, and the letters from home always just said that everything was fine at home and asked her not to worry.

At 3 p.m., the palace-wide New Year's Eve banquet began.

The two Empress Dowagers sat on the left side of Yinzhen according to their ranks. Ulanara was the Empress and sat on the right side of Yinzhen. The rest of the concubines sat according to their ranks.

The relatives and relatives of the emperor had already been entertained on the 23rd, the day when the emperor put down his pen, and on the 24th it was only the people in the harem who celebrated.

Empress Dowager De put a thick layer of powder on her face today, and applied rouge on her cheekbones and eye sockets. She looked delicate and luxurious, and her complexion was very good.

The Queen Mother glanced at Queen Mother De and said with concern.

"You have been feeling unwell these days. Can you still take it today? Did you take your medicine on time today?"

Empress Dowager De smiled and replied.

"Fortunately, I haven't been out much these days. I feel like I'm lying down. I take medicine three times a day, but I don't look good. I don't know what has hurt me and I'm so weak."

Yinzhen listened to the two empress dowagers talking, then turned his head and looked at the empress dowager.

"Don't worry, Madam. I have asked the Imperial Hospital to check the patient's pulse and take care of him every day, and I have also ordered the Imperial Kitchen to serve him wholeheartedly. But the Imperial Physician said that blood deficiency is a long-term disease, and it needs to be treated slowly."

The Queen Mother smiled and nodded, and said no more.

The sounds of stringed instruments and orchestras coming from outside the hall are like natural sounds, and the hall is filled with warmth, peace and harmony.

Nian Shilan picked up the wine glass, raised it towards Yinzhen from a distance, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Ulanara frowned and spoke in a voice neither loud nor soft.

"Hua Fei, when you toast the emperor you should stand up and offer it with both hands. What's wrong with you?"

Yinzhen rarely smiled.

"It's okay. I think Hua Fei's behavior is very pitiful and cute. Today is originally a family dinner. You are all my people. You can do whatever you want. I will be happy."

Ulanara opened her mouth but could only say "yes". Nian Shilan looked at Ulanara, raised her eyebrows, and poured herself another glass of wine.

Nian Shilan said to Concubine Duan while holding the wine.

"Empress Duan, you are pregnant. This cup is for my congratulations on your pregnancy."

As he spoke, he drank the wine in the glass, then continued to pour more wine and held it up and said to Lady Wan.

"Lady Wan, this cup is to congratulate you on receiving the emperor's favor. I hope you get pregnant soon, so that you can move up to the next level."

Lady Wan remained calm, took the wine in front of her and stood up.

"I accept your kind words, Madam Hua Fei. Thank you very much."

Concubine Wan also drank the wine in her glass and was about to pour more wine when Yinzhen said.

"Alright, each of you drink one cup each. Be careful not to get drunk. Concubine Hua, I remember that you don't have a good alcohol tolerance. How come you drank so much today? Be careful or you'll have a headache tomorrow."

Nian Shilan smiled, picked up the third glass of wine and said to Yinzhen.

"If Your Majesty hadn't said so, I wouldn't have dared to ask you to drink. Now that Your Majesty has spoken, I think you are craving for wine, so I will dare to offer Your Majesty a glass. I wish the Great Qing Dynasty a peaceful spring and a peaceful sea and rivers."

Yinzhen smiled, raised his wine glass and said to Nian Shilan.

"I see you are happy today and have drunk too much. Well, I will drink with you."

Su Peisheng took the fine wine handed to him by the palace servant and filled the empty cup in front of Yinzhen.

Yinzhen took a sip of the fine wine and said to Su Peisheng with a smile.

"What kind of wine is this? It tastes better than the ones just now. I like this wine."

Su Peisheng guessed that these were all fine wines from the palace, perhaps with a different flavor.

Suddenly, Ulanara covered her mouth lightly and quickly left the table, and Jianqiu hurriedly followed her.

Yinzhen said.

"Hurry, hurry, go and see what's wrong with the Queen. Maybe she ate something bad. Send the imperial physician to come and take a look."

When Ulanara came back, Imperial Doctor Zhang was already waiting outside the palace.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for spoiling your mood. I just ate a mouthful of white jade pig's trotter and it made me sick. I feel much better now, so I won't bother the imperial physician to see me."

Ulanara bowed to Yinzhen and planned to sit down and continue watching the newly choreographed dance in the inner court.

Yinzhen said.

"The imperial physician is here. Why don't you go to the back hall and let the imperial physician examine you? I will feel relieved."

Empress Dowager De also expressed concern.

"Your Majesty is right. Since the Empress is not feeling well, no matter what the reason is, we should let the imperial physician take a look. Only then will I and the Emperor feel at ease. The Empress is the mother of the country, and she should take good care of her body."

Ulanara had no choice but to take her leave and go to the back hall.

After a while, Jianqiu came in with a happy face and knelt down in front of Yinzhen.

"Your Majesty, the Empress is very happy! I congratulate Your Majesty, congratulations to Your Majesty!"

Yinzhen didn't react at once.

"Where does joy come from?"

Jianqiu shed two lines of tears with excitement and choked up.

"Your Majesty, the Empress is pregnant! Imperial Doctor Zhang just diagnosed that the Empress is over forty days pregnant!"