The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 110: Fu Jin Cold
Yinzhen drank the tea and stood up to go back to the front yard, saying that he had official business to go out. Su Peisheng was just opening the curtain, and Nian Shilan respectfully saw him off.

"I respectfully send you off, Master."

Yinzhen turned around and smiled.

"Today is the sixteenth. I will come to see you in the evening."

Nian Shilan showed a shy expression at the right time.

Xiao Linzi stopped Jiang Fuhai who was about to step into Cheng'en Garden.

"Eunuch Jiang, please wait a moment. The master is inside, having breakfast with his concubine. If you have anything to say, let me pass it on."

Jiang Fuhai didn't know whether to smile or not, but tilted his mouth corners.

"Then go and tell our master to come to Xingfu Courtyard."

Xiao Linzi asked in confusion.

"My servant is too nosy. I need to ask clearly before I can tell the concubine. Didn't you say that the master was infected with a cold and that she didn't need to take care of the sick because she was afraid of passing the disease to others? Why do you want to see the concubine again after only one hour?"

Jiang Fuhai stared at Xiao Linzi, the smile on his face disappeared. Just as he was about to scold Xiao Linzi, he saw Yinzhen walking out.

Xiao Linzi reacted quickly and bowed his head.

"Your servant respectfully sends off the master!"

Jiang Fuhai reacted and bowed to Yinzhen.

"I pay my respects to my master. May my master be well and at peace."

Yinzhen looked at Xiao Linzi, then at Jiang Fuhai, and saw that Xiao Linzi was stopping Jiang Fuhai at the door.

"Why are you here? How is your master? I heard from the concubine that you came here early in the morning to tell her that she had caught a cold and didn't need anyone to take care of her. What are you doing here now?"

Jiang Fuhai was kneeling on the ground, and he couldn't get up unless Yinzhen called him.

"My Lord, the Lady said that she has a small matter to discuss with the Concubine. Please ask the Concubine to come to the Xingfu Courtyard."

Yinzhen understood that he had asked Ulanara to go back to Xingfu Courtyard to rest yesterday and leave the general affairs to Nian Shilan. In order to save face, Ulanara sent someone to tell all the courtyards early this morning that she had caught a cold.

"Since the concubine has caught a cold, she should just take a good rest. It's not a big deal. You can't let a servant pass the message. You have to let the concubine go over."

Jiang Fuhai didn't expect Yinzhen to be there when he came, and now he was hesitating, not knowing what to say, but he didn't dare to make up an excuse.

"My Lord, it is related to the damage to the belongings of the first wife."

A smart eunuch had already run into Cheng'en Garden and reported to Nian Shilan. Nian Shilan was calm and went out with Mangzhong.

"What do you mean by the legitimate wife's belongings? Isn't it said that the legitimate wife's belongings are always sorted out by the wife? Why do you involve me today?"

As Nian Shilan spoke, she bowed to Yinzhen.

"Master, please forgive me. I heard from you that Eunuch Jiang was sent by the wife to summon me to Xingfu Courtyard. I was confused because the wife had just sent someone to tell me that I was not suitable to serve the sick due to the cold. Now she sent someone to summon me again. I don't know what the big deal is. But I heard that it is related to the legitimate wife. I am really confused and have no idea. I dare to tell you something if the master is not in a hurry."

Yinzhen thought about it and realized that not many people knew about what happened yesterday. Since the Ulanara family had made a fuss today, he might as well take a look.

Nian Shilan came into the mansion late, and he had never shown much affection for Yunxi in front of her, nor did he mention it in front of her in daily life. How could she be involved with what happened yesterday?

Yinzhen raised his foot and walked towards Xingfuyuan.

"I will also go and see what the wife wants to say to the concubine." Nian Shilan followed Yinzhen with Mangzhong, and Xiao Linzi also hurriedly got up and followed.

Jiang Fuhai was sweating all over his forehead, and for a moment he was wondering how his mistress Fu Jin would explain the cold.

Ulanara was sitting in the hall, waiting for Nian Shilan with her head held high. What she didn't expect was the eunuch announcing the arrival of the master and the concubine.

She was stunned for a moment, then stood up and went out.

"I pay my respects to my master."

Yinzhen said lightly.

"No need to be polite, Madam, please stand up. Madam asked me to go and invite Concubine. It happened that I had just had a meal in Cheng'en Garden. While I was having a meal, I heard Concubine say that Madam had caught a cold and was not fit to take care of her. So I came with Concubine to take care of her. I wonder how Madam's cold is doing?"

Ulanara stood up, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, coughed twice, and said.

"Thank you for your concern, Master. I caught a cold, which was not serious. I took medicine this morning and have recovered a little. But I thought that all the sisters in the backyard are women and weak, and I am afraid that the disease will be passed on to the sisters, so I temporarily handed over the affairs of the mansion to Sister Nian. I tossed and turned last night thinking about the damage to my sister's relics. This morning, Jiang Fuhai brought Xiao Hezi, a servant from Qiong Yuyuan, to report to me that a few days ago, Hanlu, a servant from Cheng'en Garden, was peeking at the door of Qiong Yuyuan. Hanlu insisted that I had to ask Sister Nian in person about this matter. I had no choice but to send someone to ask Sister Nian. I alarmed the master, and I feel guilty."

Yinzhen walked into the hall and saw a slave kneeling on the ground. He sat at the head of the table and watched Ulanara and Nian Shilan take their seats according to their positions before speaking.

"I have some official business to attend to later. Please ask quickly. Let's take a look at the hairpin from yesterday. What's going on?"

Ulanara nodded and said yes, looking at Nian Shiland.

"Sister, is this servant someone close to you?"

Nian Shilan was rarely respectful and stood up and replied.

"Reporting to Madam, this servant's name is Hanlu, and she is indeed a second-class maid in Cheng'en Garden. I wonder what she did wrong today?"

Ulanara looked at Nian Shilan's respectful appearance and smiled.

"The deceased wife was my eldest sister. I'm sure my younger sister should have heard of her before she entered the mansion."

Nian Shilan was still respectful.

"Yes, before I entered the palace, I heard that the legitimate wife treated everyone in the palace well and was loved by everyone in the palace. But God did not give her a long life, and both the legitimate wife and the young prince died. I didn't have the chance to see the legitimate wife's grace in governing the palace, but I heard that you and the legitimate wife are sisters. I privately thought that you two sisters probably acted in the same way. Later, when I entered the palace, I saw that the legitimate wife was indeed a kind and generous person."

When Yinzhen heard the words "both the legitimate wife and the little prince were harmed", even though it had been three years, he still felt a dull pain in his chest.

The smile on Ulanara's face seemed to be frozen in an instant. She gathered her emotions and shed two tears.

"Sister Nian is right. Sister is a very good woman, one of the few smart and beautiful women in the world. However, she spent too little time with the master. After Sister passed away, she left many relics, including a jade hairpin that was carved by the master himself. The hibiscus flower on the hairpin was Sister's favorite. The hibiscus on the embroidered face blooms with a smile, leaning against the duck to set off her fragrant cheeks. Sister's beauty is like a lotus emerging from the water, bright and beautiful. Since Sister's death, the master has sealed up the Qiongyu Garden where Sister lived, and no one is allowed to enter or leave at will. Sister's relics can only be touched by the master and me. Yesterday was Sister's death anniversary, but Master accidentally discovered that the jade hairpin that Sister loved the most was broken into two pieces."

Ulanara wiped her tears with a silk handkerchief, but her eyes were silently observing Nian Shilan's expression.

Nian Shilan sighed deeply, looking saddened by the sight of "the beauty is no longer here".

"Please accept my condolences, my lady. The dead are gone, and we the living must look forward."

Ulanara wiped away her tears and forced a smile.

"What you said is true. But yesterday, the master was furious, and I was also very sad, so I ordered Jiang Fuhai to find out how the hairpin broke. This morning, a servant guarding the Qiongyu Garden pointed out that it was the servant named Hanlu who was sneaking around the door of the Cheng'en Garden of my sister. I summoned this servant here, hoping that she would confess her crime to comfort her sister's spirit in heaven. Unexpectedly, this servant repeatedly raped my sister. Today, the master is also here, so why not take this opportunity to make it clear. If it is really my mistake, I will admit it. I think the master will not investigate it further."

Nian Shilan opened her ignorant eyes wide and asked Ulanara.

"I don't understand. What fault do I have to admit? Did the wife catch a cold and have a fever? There is no cause and effect. Hanlu said that I was the one who ordered it, but where is the evidence? If it's just empty talk, then tomorrow, can I also make empty talk and accuse others? Besides, what reason do I have to instruct the servants to destroy the relics of the legitimate wife?"

(End of this chapter)