The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 51 Mandarin ducks playing in the water
When the news of Nian Shilan's move spread, everyone in the backyard was puzzled.

How come they suddenly moved from Jinglanyuan, where they were living so happily, and changed the name to Cheng'enyuan?

Hu Gege stood in the courtyard of Liufang Pavilion, looking up at the sky.

What’s the use of this blue sky? I will be trapped here for the rest of my life.

Sugar looked out of the window of her house and saw Hugo.

She was sitting in the house embroidering a bellyband with a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water on it.

But she was so absorbed in looking at Hu Gege that she didn't notice the needle pricking her hand.

A drop of blood came out from Shu Gege's fingertips. Shu Gege looked down at the drop of blood and saw that it was almost solidified, then he gently printed it on the embroidery cloth.

Then start embroidering around it, making it into a pattern of a red sun.

The scene of "sun rising and mandarin ducks playing in the water" was formed on the bellyband.

You see, if used properly, even blood can be turned into beautiful scenery, thought Shu Gege.

When Feng heard the news, she didn't react much, she just told her maid to put away the jewelry.

She also picked and chose from her jewelry box, trying to find something presentable to send to Cheng'en Courtyard as a gift for the concubine's new house.

But after searching for a long time, she could only find a gold bracelet, which was just barely presentable.

Feng sighed, found a brocade box, and put the carved hollow gold bracelet her mother gave her on the eve of her entering the mansion.

When Duan knew that Nian Shilan had moved to Cheng'en Garden, she was having dinner without any appetite.

A trace of jealousy flashed in her eyes, but it was fleeting. Even her maid Qiang Wu suspected that she might have seen it wrong.

Qiang Wu lowered his head and dared not look again. Following a master like this, he really didn't know when...

Ulanara didn't react much, she just told the eunuch who came to deliver the message that she knew.

She didn't ask why. The master must have his reasons for doing this.

She is the mistress of this palace. She is protected by her aunt, Concubine De, and her elder sister who died young. No woman in this courtyard can surpass her.

She just needs to be a virtuous and generous wife, and a well-educated and well-mannered concubine.

As for love, she no longer had any hope for it.

Her wish once was “to win the heart of one person and stay together till old age”, but now, she just wants to hold on tightly to what she has in her hands.

Let those empty feelings drift away with the passing years.

Su Peisheng mobilized a large number of servants and finally cleaned up Cheng'en Garden before dinner as ordered by Yinzhen.

Except for the plaque on the gate of Cheng'en Garden, which has not been completed yet, everything else looks like a courtyard where people can live.

This yard was where the deceased wife lived at an early age, but after she became pregnant, she moved to the yard next to the front yard, and this yard has been empty ever since.

Although no one has lived there for so many years, the master is grateful that this courtyard was once home to someone he deeply loves, so this courtyard is repaired and cleaned every year and has never been abandoned. It was much easier for Su Peisheng to clean up today. He only needed to sweep away the dust and put away the things that Concubine Fujin often used.

Su Peisheng saw that Cheng'en Garden was tidied up properly, so he ordered the kitchen to serve dinner to the concubine, and he went to report to the prince.

Nian Shilan looked at the dinner table in front of her. In addition to the required dishes, there were two appetizers and a bowl of light ham Lingbao soup.

But she really had no appetite.

Afraid that Songzhi and Xiaolinzi would worry, he picked up his chopsticks and tasted each one.

Songzhi's left hand was seriously injured, but she insisted on not resting and insisted on serving Nian Shilan.

Seeing that Songzhi insisted, Nian Shilan did not force her to rest.

Songzhi raised her hand and called Xiaolinzi over.

"Xiao Linzi, how can you be so tactless? The master can't eat, and the master will be distressed. Hurry up and serve the master some soup, at least let the master drink something."

Because of Xiao Linzi's stretching of his legs this morning, Song Zhi felt justified in ordering him around.

Xiao Linzi looked at Song Zhi sadly.

"I know that Sister Songzhi is still angry about the kick I gave her this morning. I apologize to Sister Songzhi. You are so generous. I had no choice but to do this for the sake of my master."

"What are you talking about? You mean I blame the master? You are becoming more and more cunning, huh? You are even setting a trap for your sister."

As Songzhi said this, she twisted Xiaolinzi's arm hard with her right hand.

Xiao Linzi immediately cried out "Ouch, ouch" and dodged.

Seeing them making such a fuss, Nian Shilan felt much happier and unknowingly drank up the bowl of soup that Xiao Linzi had served.

Songzhi breathed a sigh of relief after watching Nian Shilan finish the soup.

As per custom, Nian Shilan gave the leftover dinner to the servants in Cheng'en Garden, and only then did she have time to take Songzhi's hand and examine it carefully.

"Silly girl. I was just telling you and Xiao Linzi to find a way to expose the apple seeds to the master, but you treated yourself so harshly."

Nian Shilan felt helpless and distressed.

She ordered someone to bring medicinal wine, apply it to the swollen skin around Songzhi's wound, and slowly rub it with her fingertips.

"Master, you worry too much. I am not afraid of pain. For you, I am willing to do anything."

Songzhi spoke sincerely and honestly, and Nian Shilan's eyes couldn't help but turn red. She quickly turned her face away, but she didn't stop rubbing the wound on Songzhi's hand.

After a long while, Nian Shilan smiled at Songzhi and said, "Who said I was afraid of hurting you? Stop flattering yourself. If you treat yourself so harshly next time, don't blame me for sending you away. Always remember, loving yourself first is the eternal truth."

Songzhi was stunned. No one had ever told her that she should love herself well.

(End of this chapter)