The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 77 Qi's Death
After returning to Cheng'en Garden, Nian Shilan asked for water to wash her hands first before asking Songzhi to serve breakfast.

Songzhi stood at the table and served food to Nian Shilan, but Nian Shilan kept smelling her hands.

Songzhi said with a smile.

"Master, what are you smelling? I'm still using your usual hand cream today."

Nian Shilan smiled.

"Nothing, I'll eat first. I had a lot of dreams last night, I need to catch up on my sleep."

Nian Shilan had used too much Huanyi incense in her previous life, and she was too familiar with that scent. So when she got the purse today and smelled the fragrance, her heart skipped a beat.

How come it smells similar to Huan Yi Xiang?

In the Nian Mansion, Madam Nian stood at the door of the woodshed, looking at the embarrassed mother and daughter in the woodshed.

Aunt Qi and Nian Zhilan snuggled together tightly.

"Bring them to my yard, and invite the Second Young Master and his wife."

After saying this, Mrs. Nian turned and left.

The servants grabbed Aunt Qi and Nian Zhilan and dragged them all the way to Madam Nian's yard.

When Nian Gengyao and Nian Su arrived, Madam Nian was sitting in the corridor, with a maid fanning her. Aunt Qi and her daughter were kneeling in the courtyard in the sun.

"Your son greets you, mother. Are you in good health?"

Nian Gengyao and his wife paid their respects to his mother. Mrs. Nian looked at Nian Gengyao and sighed.

"You are finally back. I heard from your wife recently that you are busy with military affairs and have no time. So I have been waiting for you to come back and make the decision for your sister."

Nian Gengyao had already heard what Nian Su said roughly before coming here, but after hearing what his mother said, he still hated Aunt Qi in his heart, but he was not an unreasonable person, so he decided to ask clearly before making a conclusion.

Aunt Qi was half a servant in the mansion, but Nian Gengyao still had to consider Nian Zhilan's face, after all, she was his half-sister.

Although Nian Gengyao was tough in the army, he was still very patient with his family.

He looked at Aunt Qi for a while and then spoke.

"I shouldn't have made the decision on this matter. If my father were here, he should have asked about this matter. But now my husband and I are in charge of the affairs of the mansion, and my mother is here. You know I have always had a bad temper. One of you is my father's concubine, and the other is my half-sister. I won't use any tricks on you, just tell you the truth. Why did you tamper with the medicine? How did you know that my mother wanted to find medicine for Shilan?"

Aunt Qi bit her lips tightly and said nothing. Nian Zhilan looked up at Nian Gengyao.

Her brother didn't treat her harshly on a daily basis, but she didn't even know why she was locked up because of the medicine.

During the days she was locked up in the woodshed, Nian Zhilan kept asking Aunt Qi, but Aunt Qi just remained silent.

When asked urgently, he said.

"Anyway, I'm doing this for our mother and me, and for your own good."

Kneeling under the scorching sun today, Nian Zhilan was already very thirsty, but Aunt Qi just wouldn't say anything.

Nian Gengyao waited for a long time, but Aunt Qi remained silent.

"I will not torture you. Fortunately, Shilan found out the problem with the medicine in time and no serious consequences were caused. Since Aunt Qi won't say anything, from today on, you will live alone in your courtyard. I will have all the servants and maids removed. As for Zhilan, you are my sister, so I will naturally not do anything to you. But with such a mother, you can't marry into a good family. I will find a soldier in the army to marry you off. You can't be rich and noble, you can only make ends meet."

After saying that, he stood up and said to Madam Nian.

"Mother, our Nian family is a respectable family after all. It would be shameful to tell others about such a thing. Fortunately, Shilan is not seriously injured. Mother, do you think your son's way of handling it is appropriate?"

When Aunt Qi heard this, she instantly collapsed.

She had never been favored by the master in her whole life, but was lucky enough to have Zhilan. She had also been enduring humiliation and making plans for Zhilan. But today, Nian Gengyao did not beat her or scold her, but just casually said that he would marry her daughter off casually.

Who said that the Second Young Master is just a reckless soldier? He is very good at observing people's hearts, Nian Zhilan said anxiously.

"No! No! My father is not at home! You can't marry me off casually! I would rather die than be married to a poor man! Why can my eldest sister marry into the royal palace? I am the third daughter of the Nian family! But I can only marry a poor soldier!"

Nian Su couldn't help but sneer.

"How dare you still dream of marrying into the palace? With what your aunt did, do you think that the father-in-law can protect you? Don't dream, it's already a favor from the Second Young Master to spare your lives!"

Madam Nian looked at Aunt Qi.

"I know you have always been resentful towards me, but you shouldn't have set your sights on my daughter. Do you think that because my daughter is infertile, your daughter will have the opportunity to marry into the royal palace? That's the royal family! Not just any Tom, Dick or Harry can get in!"

"Mother, please don't be angry. I will report this to you and sell off Aunt Qi. You treated Shilan like the apple of your eye, yet she schemed against you."

Seeing that Mrs. Nian was angry again, Nian Gengyao hurriedly tried to persuade her.

Nian Zhilan shook Aunt Qi's arm.

"Aunt! Aunt, tell me! What kind of medicine is that? Why did you give that medicine to my eldest sister? I don't want to marry a poor family and work hard all my life, aunt!"

Aunt Qi's tears fell.

It’s not that she doesn’t want to say it, but she doesn’t dare to say it!

But if she doesn't tell her, her daughter will have to suffer for the rest of her life, and her life may even be far worse than what she has been living these years!
Aunt Qi gritted her teeth and spoke.

"Last time, when the Madam used the excuse of being sick and the eldest daughter went home, I overheard the eldest daughter asking the Madam to find medicine for the contraceptive soup, so I found a way to have someone mention it to Nanny Qin. There is a small clinic in Xiaocuigezi Lane, which is opened by my brother from my natal family. I asked him to prepare the medicine and wait for Nanny Qin to find it. But my brother is a latecomer and has no special skills. The prescription was given to me by someone. That person promised me that after the matter was completed, Zhilan would marry into the royal family. I..."

Just as Aunt Qi said this, an arrow flew through the air, pierced her from behind and hit her heart.

Aunt Qi fell to the ground and died before she could say a single word.

Everyone in the courtyard was stunned by this sudden change. Nian Gengyao was the first to react and chased in the direction where the arrow came from.

Madam Nian was so frightened that she collapsed in her chair. It was Su who was calmer and ordered people to protect the Nian Mansion.

Nian Gengyao chased all the way out, but found nothing.

He stood in the afternoon sun, irritated.

No matter who the other party is, he dared to commit a crime in his mansion in broad daylight. Some things must be done more quickly.

Two days later, when the news reached Nian Shilan's ears, it was Yinzhen who told her personally during dinner.

After Aunt Qi died, Nian Zhilan was placed under house arrest by the Nian family in the name of protection.

Yinzhen looked at Nian Shilan and asked her.

"Tell me, who did your brother offend?"

Nian Shilan looked back at Yinzhen and suddenly smiled.

"I don't understand your men's affairs. I only know that I am safe in this palace because my master is protecting me."

Yinzhen looked at Nian Shilan for a long time, then suddenly picked her up.

"Then you don't have to worry about it. With me here, no one can touch your Nian family. As long as your brother's heart is with me."

Throwing Nian Shilan on the bed, Yinzhen leaned over, stroked Nian Shilan's lips with his fingers, and said softly.

"You too."

(End of this chapter)