The twelfth day of the first month of the seventeenth year of the Kangxi reign

Ru Hua returned from outside Yikun Palace with a face full of anger. She reported to Xu Lejin in a cold voice with a stern expression, "Your Majesty, the Lantern Festival gifts sent by the Imperial Household Department this year all appear to be of inferior quality."

"His Majesty has only been away from our Yikun Palace for two months, yet the people from the Imperial Household Department are already withholding our festival gifts."

Xu Lejin put down the half-embroidered purse in her hand, looked up at Ruhua, and said with a smile, "You know how the people from the Imperial Household Department are, always looking down on the weak and flattering the strong."

"The Lantern Festival gifts that are sent are fine as long as they are usable; there's no need to be too particular about them."

Ru Hua pouted, looking unwilling.

Lianzhi spoke softly, “Your Majesty is kind and benevolent, but the Imperial Household Department has indeed gone too far in its actions this year. Your Majesty is, after all, a concubine, and has the Third Prince and several princesses under your care.”

"If I may presume to say something, Your Majesty, even if you don't think of yourself, you should at least think of our Third Prince, the Seventh Princess, the Eighth Princess, and the Twelfth Princess."

Lianzhi paused for a moment, then continued, "I heard that Consort Rong and Consort Hui have already begun preparing for the eldest and second princes' schooling. Our third prince is four years old now, and in another year or two, he should also be able to start school."

Xu Lejin nodded slightly upon hearing this.

“What you say makes sense. Yinling is four years old and has reached the age for enlightenment.”

Three days later, the Lantern Festival

In the afternoon, Consort Xuan came to Yikun Palace with a sullen face and complained to Xu Lejin: "Sister Consort Yu, you don't know, but the Emperor took a fancy to a palace maid in the Imperial Garden. First, he made her an official lady, and a few days ago he promoted her to a concubine. Today, on the Lantern Festival, she sang a Kunqu opera and was promoted to a concubine and given the title 'Yin'."

Xu Lejin smiled faintly.

"Is Consort Xuan jealous? You are a Consort, while she is merely a Lady-in-Waiting. So what if she has a title? She can never surpass you, Consort Xuan. Besides..."

“Starting from October last year, several more ladies-in-waiting and palace maids have been added to the palace. Yin Changzai was just one of them who took the lead and was granted the title of Changzai.”

Consort Xuan sighed and said in a low voice, "That may be true, but I still feel uneasy about it."

"Yin Chang was a palace maid in the Imperial Garden. In just half a month, she rose from a palace maid to a concubine. If this continues, after she gives birth to a prince or a princess, won't she become a concubine or a consort, and be on equal footing with us?"

Xu Lejin glanced quickly at Consort Xuan, then lowered her head and remained silent.

evening

Ru Hua returned after inquiring about the news and quietly reported it to Xu Lejin.

Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin pondered for a long time before smiling and saying, "So, it turns out that Consort Xuan's visit to my palace to complain today was secretly orchestrated by the Empress Dowager?"

“Your Majesty, this servant thinks that your quarrel with the Emperor has lasted for about two months. For the sake of our Third Prince, the Seventh Princess, the Eighth Princess, and the Twelfth Princess, Your Majesty should still soften your stance and apologize to the Emperor.”

Ru Hua paused for a moment, then said softly, "Your Majesty, there is one more thing, but I am not sure if I should say it."

Xu Lejin looked up at Ruhua.

"What is it? Please speak freely."

Ru Hua glanced outside, then lowered her voice and whispered in Xu Lejin's ear, "Your Highness, our servants have discovered that Wu Ya Chenyu, a palace maid in Consort Gong's palace, is pregnant. Consort Gong is plotting against her..."

Upon hearing Ru Hua's report, Xu Lejin's jaw dropped in astonishment.

Such a thing really happened?

Moreover, Consort Gong, as the Emperor's cousin, actually went so far as to aid and abet evildoers...

Five days later, in the afternoon

In Chengqian Palace, Consort Gong sat in the main seat with a cold face, served by two personal maids on her left and right, while below her knelt a maid named Wuya Chenyu, whose face was excited and eager to try.

"Have you thought this through? It's either success or death."

Consort Gong looked at Wuya Chenyu with disdain and contempt, her heart filled with some uncertainty.

Wuya Chenyu raised her head and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have thought it through. The child in my womb is mine, but also the Tong family's. He is Your Majesty's own nephew."

"Well, if it weren't for the fact that the child in your womb is my own nephew, and that I fell into the water years ago and developed a cold uterus, I wouldn't have risked the world's condemnation to conspire with you to do this."

Consort Gong's eyes were icy as she said in a cold voice, "Wuya, remember what you promised me: this child, once born, must be given to me to raise. As compensation, I will ask the Emperor to grant you the rank of Consort."

Wu Ya Chenyu lowered her head, a cold smile flashing in her eyes.

"I swear to heaven, my child is Your Majesty's."

Consort Gong frowned and pondered for a moment, but in the end, she could not resist the temptation of having a child offered by Wuya Chenyu. She gritted her teeth and decided to take the risk.

As night fell, Emperor Kangxi arrived at Chengqian Palace and enjoyed wine and conversation with Consort Gong.

In Consort Gong's palace, Wuya Chenyu looked smugly at the magnificent Chengqian Palace, fantasizing that one day she would be granted the title of Consort or Imperial Concubine and live in such a splendid palace.

As for the child in her womb, it would be a stepping stone for her to become a concubine or imperial consort.

Whether one is of royal blood or Tong family blood is completely unimportant. What matters is that one will enjoy wealth and honor in the future, bring glory to the Wuya family, and become the greatest contributor to the Wuya family.

There was a knock on the door.

Inside the room, Wuya Chenyu waited anxiously, her heart in her throat. She spoke softly, "What is it? Didn't Her Majesty order that no one is allowed to approach this bedchamber?"

“Sister Chenyu, I am Man’er from the Empress’s side. The Empress instructed me to bring you spices to enhance the atmosphere and help you achieve your wish.”

Wuya Chenyu breathed a sigh of relief.

She gently opened the door, peeking out half her head. Seeing an unfamiliar palace maid, she asked warily, "How come I've never seen you before, even when I'm with Her Majesty?"

“Sister Chenyu, I am a new maid sent to the palace by Lord Tong from outside the palace. The ladies serving Her Majesty are all busy right now, so they specifically asked me to come.”

"Sister Chenyu, these are spices that Her Majesty asked me to give you. They have aphrodisiac and aphrodisiac effects."

After saying this, the unfamiliar palace maid placed the spices in her hand into Wuya Chenyu's hand and quickly left.

Sitting in her bedchamber, Wuya Chenyu looked at the incense in her hand and finally decided to take the plunge and gamble. She was no longer a virgin, and if the emperor was sober, he would surely notice.

With the help of this aphrodisiac incense, things will surely succeed.

In the main hall, Emperor Kangxi, after being repeatedly urged to drink by Consort Gong, became quite drunk and muttered, "Consort Yu, Consort Yu, you are so cruel. You don't even take the initiative to apologize to me."

Consort Gong's pretty face was deathly pale.

Consort Yu? The person the Emperor cherishes and longs for, is Consort Yu?

No wonder that recently, the Emperor has been unusually fond of and bestowing titles upon palace maids.

It was originally because of Consort Yu,

She nearly ground her teeth to powder. Consort Gong, who had initially hesitated, now disregarded everything else, driven by a single, desperate thought: she absolutely had to have a child, she absolutely had to…