The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 69 Meeting the Mother
After everyone had paid their respects to the Queen, she said.

"Today is the seventh day of the seventh month, which should be a festival to celebrate, but after all, this is a festival for us women. I thought that I hadn't seen you ladies for a long time, so I took this day of begging for skills to get together with you ladies."

"Your Majesty is the mother of the nation, and we, the subjects, will listen to your instructions."

All the concubines and nobles stood up and responded in unison.

The queen smiled and stretched out her hand, motioning everyone to sit down.

"No need to be so polite. I have prepared a feast at the Linxi Pavilion. Please go in first. I will come after changing my clothes."

When everyone heard what the queen said, they all took their leave, left the Kunning Palace, and, supported by their maids, went to Linxi Pavilion.

Nian Shilan was wondering why these ladies were so well behaved today and did not talk much in the Queen's Palace. In her previous life, she had seen few ladies who were frugal.

Ulanara walked in front, not talking to anyone, and looked like she was heading straight for the banquet.

"Prince Yong's wife, please stay."

Suddenly, an older palace maid caught up with Ulanara from behind. Ulanara immediately turned around and asked with a smile.

"Excuse me, Auntie, what can I do for you?"

The palace maid first bowed and saluted to Ulanara before speaking.

"I am a maid in Yonghe Palace. Our mistress, Consort De, said it is too early for the banquet, so please ask the two wives to go to Yonghe Palace for a chat."

Ulanara looked at Nian Shilan with a smile.

"Since mother has invited you, sister, let's go."

Nian Shilan knelt down and bowed, then obediently replied, "Yes."

The palace maid took Ulanara and Nian Shilan and walked towards Yonghe Palace.

In fact, Nian Shilan would not go wrong even with her eyes closed.

When they arrived outside the Yonghe Palace, another palace maid came forward, looked Nian Shilan up and down, and then bowed to the two of them.

After the ceremony, he said.

"Just now, the Empress Defei has issued an order to inform the two wives and concubines. Our master said that the status of the wife and the concubine is different, so the wife is invited to the palace to meet first, and the concubine is asked to wait outside the palace for a while."

Nian Shilan sneered inwardly, wondering how come this old-fashioned tactic of showing power never gets boring.

Can't there be something a little fresh?
Ulanara turned around and said to Nian Shilan.

"Sister, I'm sorry to bother you for now. I'll go in first, and you can come and pay your respects to mother later."

Nian Shilan watched Ulanara's back disappear in the hall, and she was fed up with such little tricks.

But she still stood outside the temple calmly.

It was almost noon, and the July sun was at its most arrogant. Songzhi stood beside Nian Shilan, feeling anxious.

It's such a hot sun and my master is standing here waiting without even a shaded place. What if he gets heatstroke?

Nian Shilan didn't look at the looks the palace servants in Yonghe Palace gave her. Those looks were filled with inquiry, curiosity, dislike, and sympathy.

She just stood quietly in the midday sun.

She counted the time in her mind.

If Concubine De was as smart as she was in her previous life, she wouldn't have been troubled for too long.

Otherwise, don't blame her for giving Nian Shilan a big gift when they first met.

Time passed little by little, the sun was already at its zenith, but Nian Shilan still stood firmly in the palace.

Half a moment later, Ulanara walked out of the hall with a smile on her face.

At this time, Nian Shilan's delicate face had been sunburned red, and beads of sweat on her forehead were flowing down her temples.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. Mother held me to talk and wouldn't let me go. I forgot you were still waiting here."

Ulanara walked down the steps, took Nian Shilan's hand, and spoke sincerely. Nian Shilan looked into Ulanara's eyes, slowly pulled her hand out, and smiled back at her.

"Madam, you are too polite. I, your sister..." Before Nian Shilan could finish her words, her body suddenly went limp and she fell down.

Qiu Mei, who was behind Ulanara, exclaimed "Concubine!" and hurriedly stepped past Ulanara to help Nian Shilan.

But the moment Nian Shilan fell, Yinzhen strode over and caught her body.

Following behind Yinzhen was Songzhi, who had been sent away by Nian Shilan to find him.

Long before entering the palace, Nian Shilan told Songzhi the detailed route to the Qianqing Palace.

Although Songzhi was puzzled as to why her master seemed so familiar with the palaces when she had been a servant only a few times in the past.

But she has always been loyal. Even though she had doubts in her heart, she still remembered the route that Nian Shilan told her. On the way into the palace, she memorized the way while rehearsing the route to the Qianqing Palace in her mind.

Yinzhen held Nian Shilan's soft but hot body and looked at Ulanara with an inquiring look.

The maid of Yonghe Palace had already trotted into the hall and reported to Concubine De that Concubine Nian had fainted.

Defei rubbed her temples. Could it be that what the Fourth Prince said about the concubine’s poor health was actually true?

An Muhe, the chief eunuch of Yonghe Palace, walked out of the palace and said to Yinzhen.

"Your Highness, our master said that the concubine fainted and has sent someone to invite the imperial physician. I think it will take some time for the imperial physician to arrive. Please move the concubine to the side hall, which is cool and comfortable."

Yinzhen looked at An Muhe calmly, picked up Nian Shilan and walked towards the side hall, saying.

"Thank the Empress Defei on my behalf."

An Muhe was stunned. Why was Prince Yong still so unfamiliar with his own mother?

Doctor Wen rushed to Yonghe Palace, but Nian Shilan was still unconscious.

Fortunately, Wen Xianqing was on duty today. When Su Peisheng went to invite him, he was preparing medicine in the Imperial Hospital.

Upon hearing that Nian Shilan had fainted, Wen Xianqing immediately picked up his medicine box and followed Su Peisheng to Yonghe Palace in a hurry.

When Yinzhen saw Wen Xianqing coming in, he felt relieved.

"Doctor Wen, please don't be polite. Let's go and see how Concubine is doing first."

Wen Xianqing was not polite either. He picked up the medicine box and walked straight to Shilan's bedside.

Songzhi had already covered Nian Shilan's wrist with a silk handkerchief.

Wen Xianqing took her pulse and observed Nian Shilan's complexion, but saw that her eyelashes were trembling slightly.

Wen Xianqing understood, and after taking the pulse, he stood up and said to Yinzhen.

"Your Highness, Concubine is usually pampered, but today she was exposed to the sun for so long that she got a heat stroke. Plus the weather was hot and humid, so she got a little irritated."

In fact, while Wen Xianqing was taking Nian Shilan's pulse, Yinzhen also saw that Nian Shilan's eyelashes trembled slightly. He sighed in his heart and thought it was no wonder that Shilan did this today. It was really not a good idea for Defei to show her power.

After hearing what Wen Xianqing said, Yinzhen sighed softly.

"The health of Concubine Jin really worries me. The heat came suddenly, and the medicine needs time to be boiled. It would be better if Doctor Wen gave Concubine Jin acupuncture to wake her up first, and then I would feel relieved."

At this time, Ulanara was some distance away from the bed, so she could not see what was happening to Nian Shilan, as Yinzhen blocked her view completely.

But Ulanara always followed her husband's lead, so she spoke up.

"Your Highness is right. I would like to trouble Doctor Wen to give Sister Nian acupuncture to wake her up first."

Wen Xianqing said respectfully.

"In that case, I will prepare to give you acupuncture."

Nian Shilan heard the conversation between the three people and thought, no, if he doesn’t wake up, the injection will be in vain.

So she suddenly exhaled lightly, moved her fingers, and slowly opened her eyes.

(End of this chapter)