Chapter 102 Extra Chapter 3

Jialuo discovered that being the Crown Princess seemed to be no different from being the Empress.

Having just ascended the throne and then undergoing reforms, Emperor Yinreng was incredibly busy, just as busy as he was in the year leading up to his coronation.

Jialuo didn't care, and even... felt that she had a lot more free time than when she was the Crown Princess.

With the affairs of Yuqing Palace no longer involved, managing the inner palace would be sufficient.

She had previously managed the harem, and now that the staff of Yuqing Palace had been transferred to various departments within the harem, the women in the harem dared not cause her any trouble.

When she was the Crown Princess, there were always some of the Emperor's new favorites who were blind to the emperor's power and would become arrogant and domineering because of the Emperor's favor.

Although he would be neglected by the Emperor later on, he did sometimes cause Jia Luo a lot of trouble.

However, recently, many officials in the court have petitioned His Majesty, asking if it is time to hold a selection of imperial concubines.

Yinreng originally intended to refuse. What was the point of the selection of concubines? He had the Empress alone, which was enough. If the Empress lost him, she would definitely cry her heart out in the middle of the night. That would be so heartbreaking.

Just as she was about to refuse, she remembered Fifteen, Sixteen, and her own Hongyao. It was about time to choose and see if there were any suitable candidates. Back then, the Crown Princess also chose... no, there were several candidates. Her father even sent people to teach them manners, housekeeping, and domestic affairs, etc. She could choose the best one from among them.

Hongyao will be the heir to the Qing Dynasty in the future, and as the future mother of the nation, she must choose a suitable person.

Yinreng nodded, and the news quickly spread to the inner palace.

Kunning Palace.

Upon hearing the news, the servants rushed over to report, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, the Emperor is going to hold a selection of concubines."

in a hurry!

Back when they were in Yuqing Palace, the Crown Prince never visited the other concubines in the harem. This gave the servants a signal: His Highness the Crown Prince dotes on and adores their Crown Princess.

If the Empress were to learn of this news, she would be heartbroken.

When he finished reporting the news, he kept his head down, feeling somewhat uneasy, wondering if the Empress would be saddened if she knew.

Xiao Qing, who was serving Jia Luo, also felt uneasy. She then looked at Jia Luo cautiously, as if trying to see if the Empress was saddened by the Emperor's selection of concubines.

Can……

I didn't see much sadness on her face; she seemed rather calm. That shouldn't be the case. Doesn't Her Majesty the Empress worry at all?

It must be because she's been suppressing all her sadness and grief. Waaah, their empress is suffering so much.

"A talent show? Oh." As the Empress, Jialuo naturally knew the rules of the talent show held every three years, but she didn't have much of an opinion on it, seemingly completely indifferent to the matter.

This attitude surprised even the lackeys.

The Empress seems... to be deeply in love with the Emperor. Could it be that she's not heartbroken? Impossible. She must be suppressing her feelings.

To save face for the Empress, she dared not reveal herself in front of such servants.

Waaaaah, Your Majesty the Empress...

"Your Majesty, the Emperor still favors you the most. It's just a selection of concubines. How can it compare to the affection between you and the Emperor?" Xiaoqing comforted her softly. This was something that couldn't be controlled. There were three thousand beauties in the harem. The former Crown Prince had become the Emperor. Things were different now.

Moreover, Xiaoqing's upbringing didn't include the concept of lifelong monogamy. The Crown Prince's exclusive favor to the Crown Princess for so many years was already an immense blessing, but now...

If the Empress continues to love the Emperor so deeply, she might be heartbroken and perhaps focus her attention on the four princes. Maybe, just maybe…

Xiaoqing didn't quite believe in the Emperor's deep affection. She used to think that the Emperor was the only good man in the world. If we were to use modern terms, it would be like her ship of a couple... ended badly!

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Jialu rolled her eyes speechlessly, appearing as an elegant paragon of palace etiquette, "I believe in His Majesty."

Jialuo never spoke ill of the emperor in front of the servants. After so many years together, Jialuo still trusted Yinreng to some extent.

Jialuo didn't go to ask Yinreng about it, but Yinreng was a little uneasy. Why didn't the Empress send someone to check on him?

Then, I made a special trip to Kunning Palace. Has the Empress changed her mind? Does she no longer love me? When I arrived at Kunning Palace, I found... my sister-in-law, ninth brother's wife, and tenth brother's wife were all there, and it seemed... they were playing mahjong?

Upon hearing "The Emperor has arrived," the group quickly stood up. Before they could even leave the mahjong table, they saw a man in a bright yellow dragon robe walk in.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." They all bowed, slightly embarrassed, not expecting the Emperor to arrive. The sisters-in-law also took their leave.

Before arriving, Yinreng had not asked the eunuchs around him who was in Kunning Palace. Now that he saw his sister-in-law and younger siblings, his expression immediately returned to its noble and dignified state.

He responded with a cold expression, and only after they had all taken their leave did he seem to regain his composure, "Empress, are you aware of the selection of concubines?"

Why did you suddenly bring this up with me?

Is it really true, as everyone says, that they're going to select concubines for the palace? Damn it, I knew it, you wicked man.

I thought we were truly in love. It's been so many years, it infuriates me!

I don't want to hear it at all, but I have to. Bad man, bad man.

She was seething with anger, but her face remained gentle and serene, though her eyes held a faint glint in them, as if she didn't care about the matter at all. "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. Congratulations."

Yinreng only heard the angry shouts of "bad man," and then heard the seemingly gentle "Congratulations, Your Majesty," and couldn't help but chuckle. His Empress was always so adorable, no matter what.

Her insincere manner is also endearing and attractive.

After chuckling, Yinreng reached out and pulled her back. "The Empress's hypocritical manner is indeed adorable. I was just selecting concubines, I didn't say I was going to select women to enter the palace."

"Fourth Brother, Fourteenth Brother, and the others don't have wives yet," Yinreng explained. "Mouths are for speaking; there's no need to make a fuss over something so trivial and upset the two of them."

"Look, Fifteen and Sixteen, and our Hongyao, should be growing up by now. We can select a few families and see which one is suitable for a princess." The latter mainly refers to Hongyao's future wife; the selection is very important and must be made carefully.

But Jialu noticed the fourth and fourteenth brothers in front of her. Oh... indeed, but that doesn't have much to do with her. "Hongyao is still young."

How can someone get married so soon? They're only a few years old.

"Yes, take your time choosing. Our Jialuo can start looking now. It will take some effort to choose one that suits your taste." Yinreng smiled gently, without any of the domineering air he had when he was out. "You can choose slowly with your sister-in-law and the others. If you get bored, it would be nice to summon them to play mahjong together. I have been very busy lately."

Yinreng was a very ambitious person, especially after Kangxi abdicated. He wanted to make a big splash and reassure his father that if he ascended the throne, he would definitely not do any worse than his father.

"Yes, I know." Jialuo nodded. She knew, so she didn't bother him. Ah... what an understanding and virtuous wife and mother type of empress.

Yinreng made no comment on Jialuo's boastful talk, but felt that he had neglected his little wife for a long time. He reached out and put his arm around Jialuo's waist, saying, "Our Jialuo is really great."

Jialuo: Huh? What did you say?

Why was I praised? Oh, maybe it's because I'm always so great; beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[My Baocheng is amazing too, it's a pity I can't stay by his side. I wish I could go to the Imperial Study.]

[I wonder what the difference is between doing it on the desk in the imperial study and doing it in the boudoir?]

[Exciting, hehehe...]

Jialuo's imagination started running wild again, her train of thought so abrupt that Yinreng couldn't keep up. For example, right now, he thought they were going to the Imperial Study for something, but...

It seems that Jialuo had thought about this before when they were in Yuqing Palace, but at that time there were a lot of things that needed to be dealt with in the study in the front courtyard, which also needed to be handed over to Father Emperor, so it was not appropriate.

Moreover, it was just a thought once or twice. At the time, he felt it was inappropriate, but Jialuo didn't bring it up again, so Yinreng forgot about it and didn't take it to heart.

But now...

His crown princess, no, I should say his empress, even after all this time, is still full of ambition and wildness.

Furthermore, the Imperial Study was a place for serious business!

Don't even think about it!

To stop Jialuo from having such thoughts, he pulled her inside. There was no study, but there were tables in the inner chamber of the main hall of Kunning Palace, whether it was a dressing table or a dining table...

After being forced to do it twice, Jia Luo could only whimper and beg for mercy. The table and such were not suitable for her; she didn't want them anymore!

As Yinreng said, when he held a selection of candidates, he did not fill the palace with women. Meanwhile, the retired emperor was already traveling incognito and basking in the praise of the emperor.

Empress Dowager Borjigit is not her biological mother, so what right does she have to spout nonsense? As long as she is doing well, that's all that matters. Even the Emperor Emeritus didn't stop her, so what right does this non-biological and distant aunt have to say?

However, Yinzhen and the Fourteenth Prince selected two consorts after Yinreng sent a message to Kangxi.

Many clansmen still need to maintain marriage alliances with Mongolian tribes to stabilize the Mongolian side and prevent them from causing trouble during their own reforms. From marriage alliances to interests (such as wool purchases), all these factors need to be considered.

However, Yinreng did not share his considerations with Jialuo, nor did Jialuo think about them.

Except for the first and fifteenth of each lunar month when they need to take the concubines to Cining Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager, they sleep until they naturally wake up at other times.

The four children have all grown up and are ready to go to school, so they can no longer stay overnight in Kunning Palace, which is quite boring on weekdays.

However, playing mahjong is quite addictive, so it's not appropriate to summon the main wife every day. It's better to take turns seeing so many wives every two or three days.

He was getting tired of playing mahjong every day, so he secretly went horseback riding and archery with the First Princess and a few other spirited women at the estate. However, he did this secretly; he could tell Yinreng, but he couldn't make a big fuss about it.

Yinreng turned a blind eye to this, but Jialuo was bored to death. In the past, when her father was still alive, the Crown Princess would often leave the palace, which would make him unhappy. He wouldn't depose her, but he would definitely reprimand her.

Yinreng did not want Jialuo to be pointed at and unhappy because of this. Now that she has become the Empress, and her father is not here, and the other concubines have been arranged to leave the palace and live in her father's Changchun Garden, who would dare to point at her?

Jialuo played for a few days and then didn't leave the palace again. Alas, her Baocheng was still suffering in the palace. How could she bear to abandon him?

Well... actually, it's mainly because I rubbed my inner thigh while riding a horse and got injured; I need to take good care of it.

The current imperial concubines... well, none of them are vying for the emperor's favor. It seems that after the emperor ascended the throne, there were no worldly desires. But even if there were, they wouldn't be directed at them.

I should try to please the Empress.

Those two who flattered the Empress have already become Noble Ladies, while I'm still just a Lady-in-Waiting. How infuriating!

And so, Jialuo once again enjoyed the life of being surrounded by beautiful women, who sang, danced, told stories, and played the piano for her... It was incredibly wonderful.

When Hongyao brought his three younger brothers to pay their respects to Jialuo, they happened to see this scene and were all speechless with doubt: Is this the mother's harem or the father's harem?

When the concubines and ladies-in-waiting saw that it was the Emperor, they all showed kind and gentle smiles and sat up straight to greet him.

Then I quickly took my leave. Oh dear, what a pity! I had just managed to coax the Empress into saying she would be promoted. I'll try again next time!

(End of this chapter)