The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 117 No Need to Greet
Today, Ulanara was wearing a Manchu dress made of rain-silk brocade, with inconspicuous peony patterns embroidered on the dress with fine silver thread. She sat high in the hall, her hands folded on her knees, waiting for the women in the backyard to come and pay their respects.

Hu Gege, Shu Gege, Feng Shi and Duan Shi arrived early. Nian Shilan came not too late, but she seemed less enthusiastic than the others.

"I pay my respects to Madam Madam, and wish you the best of luck and happiness. I thought it was not too late today, but I didn't expect to fall behind you all."

Nian Shilan smiled and looked at Ulanara who was sitting in the upper seat.

Ulanara had a smile on her face and stretched out her right hand, gesturing for someone to sit down.

"Sister Nian, please get up. It's okay."

Nian Shilan turned around and sat down, smiling at Ulanara.

"Thank you, Madam. Madam, you were not feeling well a few days ago. Are you feeling better now?"

Ulanara smiled, sat upright and said.

"Thank you for your concern, I'm fine now. It's just a cold, it's nothing serious. The master said that there won't be anything serious in the next few days, so I should take a rest. Thank you for your hard work these days, sister."

Nian Shilan smiled seemingly unintentionally.

"Thank you for your concern, Madam. I am not suffering, but my life is miserable."

Then, as if he suddenly came to his senses, he covered his mouth and widened his eyes.

"Please forgive me, Madam. I am used to talking a lot and blurted out the words I said to you in a joking way. Oh, it's really~ Please forgive me, Madam."

Ulanara's expression did not change at all, instead she looked even happier.

"Sister Nian likes to joke, and I like it too. Sisters in the same family should be lively and cheerful."

Nian Shilan put down her hand that was covering her mouth, tugged at the silk handkerchief in her hand, and smiled.

"Madam, you are so generous. I am relieved now. You were ill these few days, and I was exhausted. Now you are fine. I can relax and hand over the household affairs to you. After all, I am a concubine. It is not my place to manage the household affairs. This mansion still needs you, the mistress, to keep it under control. Only then can I feel at ease."

Nian Shilan gestured to Songzhi.

"Songzhi, quickly return the key to Fu Jin, and show her the accounts of the past few days."

Songzhi respectfully raised the tray in her hand and knelt in front of Ulanara.

Qiumei took the tray. Ulanara took a look at the key in Qiumei's hand, then reached out and casually flipped through the account, which meant she had accepted it.

Nian Shilan took the tea, took a sip and said with a smile.

"Madam, don't you want to take a closer look at the accounts? I won't take any responsibility for anything I have done after leaving this house."

Ulanara smiled and looked at the others.

"Look at Concubine, she really loves to joke. It's just the accounts of the past few days, what could go wrong? I entrusted the household affairs to you when I was ill, and of course I trusted you. You are the concubine of the master, and the daughter-in-law of the royal family who has been included in the imperial clan's jade book. How can you not think wholeheartedly for the palace?"

Hu Gege raised her head and glanced at the person above her. She wanted to say something, but when she caught a glimpse of Nian Shilan's face, she remembered that she had just been released from house arrest by Fu Jin's plea. She swallowed the words back and just smiled in agreement with Ulanara's words.

Shu Gege no longer had that quail-like temperament, but she was still very low-key. It was said that her master had rewarded her with several pieces of fine fabrics and two sets of ready-made clothes, but she was still wearing her usual half-new clothes and just drank the tea in silence.

Duan was five months pregnant, but her belly didn't look very big. Her waist looked very strong, and her clothes were tight on her body.

When Ulanara saw her sitting, she saw that her clothes were piled up on her waist, and Duan couldn't sit up straight, and she looked quite exhausted.

"Duan, the master has shown mercy and released you from house arrest. From now on, you can rest assured and take care of your pregnancy."

Duan wanted to stand up, but she didn't stand firmly and almost fell on the chair. Qian Wu was so scared that he supported her waist with both hands from behind and managed to hold her up.

Ulanara leaned forward and spoke repeatedly.

"Hurry up and sit down! You are pregnant and it is inconvenient. You don't have to stand up all the time."

Duan smiled awkwardly and was helped by Qiang Wu to sit back in her seat.

"Thank you, Master Fu Jin. I feel heavy now and was unstable just now, which scared Master Fu Jin." Ulanara patted her chest lightly.

"Duan, you are too careless. You are pregnant, which is very precious. You don't have to care about these red tapes. Starting from tomorrow, if you want to go out for a walk, go out. If you don't want to move, you don't even have to come to pay your respects. I won't blame you. But you can't do it like you did just now!"

Duan said to Ulanara with gratitude.

"I, how could I have such a great honor to meet such a good mistress like Master Fujin. When I give birth and the confinement period is over, I will burn incense and pray every day, praying that Master Fujin will be healthy and give birth to a legitimate son as soon as possible!"

Ulanara sat up straight again and smiled faintly.

"Take care of yourself first. As long as the children in this mansion are born safely, I will treat them as legitimate children."

Duan was still deeply moved, and Nian Shilan was laughing inwardly.

Stupid thing, you don't even know how to flatter a horse, but always pat the sick horse's hoof.

Ulanara was born out of wedlock, and she hated it most in her life when people talked about the status of legitimate and illegitimate children. She thought that after she entered the palace and gave birth to a baby, she could be promoted to be the wife of the emperor and her child would be freed from the status of illegitimate children. However, she did not expect that a legitimate sister would come in halfway and snatch Ulanara's original position.

In the previous life, Nian Shilan was frivolous. Relying on the emperor's favor, whenever she wanted to step on the Ulanara family's sore spot, she would use the issue of legitimate and illegitimate children as an excuse. She always hit the target accurately, but it never hurt her and she could only gain the upper hand with words.

In this life, when Nian Shilan was not completely sure that she could defeat Ulanara in one blow, she would only walk around the edge of Ulanara's sore spot, but she would never hold on to the theory of legitimate and illegitimate children now.

Thinking of this, Nian Shilan spoke.

"Fujin is really generous. Duan, just take good care of your pregnancy. Look how good Fujin is to you."

This time, Duan was very obedient and responded to Nian Shilan's words.

"Yes, I remember it."

Ulanara glanced at Nian Shilan and was a little surprised that she would try to smooth things over.

"I see that Sister Duan is getting heavier now, and her clothes are always a little small. Qiu Mei has ordered the embroidery room to make a few more wide ones for Sister Duan to wear."

Duan was delighted and expressed her gratitude again.

After greeting each other, everyone returned to their own courtyards.

Nian Shilan walked slowly through the garden, with Songzhi supporting her carefully.

"Master, when I was in the Nian Mansion, I saw that the eldest and second young ladies were not so bulky when they were pregnant. I remember that the two young ladies were not in such a shape even when they were about to give birth. How come Miss Duan eats so much?"

Songzhi thought for a long time, trying to choose a word to describe Duan.

Nian Shilan burst out laughing.

"Just tell me what you mean. You are so plump when you eat."

Songzhi smiled embarrassedly.

"I really don't know what to say just now. Master, you always say that we should not talk about masters in private. That Miss Duan is also half a master."

Nian Shilan tapped Songzhi’s forehead.

"You've been with me for so many years, but you're still so stubborn. I told you not to talk about it in front of others, lest it get out. Even if the master beats you to death, I can't stop you."

Songzhi stuck out her tongue and giggled.

"I'll remember this. I won't do this in front of others, but in front of you, my master, I will tell you everything I know."

Nian Shilan looked ahead and smiled faintly.

"With Duan's body shape, it may be difficult for her to give birth safely."

(End of this chapter)