Night falls

Inside the main hall of Yikun Palace, candlelight flickered. Xu Lejin leaned casually against the couch, flipping through the storybook in her hand, occasionally chuckling when she came across something interesting.

A quarter of an hour later, Xu Lejin looked up at Ruhua and asked in a deep voice, "Ruhua, there is no banquet in the palace tonight, but why do I hear someone singing outside?"

"Your Majesty, it is Consort Yin from Yongshou Palace in front who is singing Kunqu Opera."

Ru Hua bowed her head and replied respectfully.

Xu Lejin's expression froze for a moment, then she said softly, "Isn't Consort Yin under house arrest?"

"Why did Consort Yin suddenly find herself in the mood to sing in the middle of the night? Although she sings Kunqu Opera well, it's time for the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the concubines in the harem to rest at night."

“If Yin Ying sings loudly in the middle of the night, wouldn’t that disturb the rest of the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the concubines in the harem?”

Ru Hua lowered her head and spoke softly.

"Your Majesty's words are quite true. I heard that Consort Yi has already sent someone to tell Consort Yin to stop singing Kunqu Opera, but Consort Yin said that His Majesty likes her to sing Kunqu Opera..."

Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin shook her head helplessly.

The next day

The Empress looked haggard, with dark circles under her eyes. She propped her chin up and said slowly, "Last night, the Empress Dowager issued an edict that Consort Yin was stripped of her title for singing loudly in the middle of the night, disturbing the peace of the palace."

"The Empress Dowager is wise and sagacious."

Xu Lejin and the other concubines stood up and spoke in unison.

Consort Rong, sitting below Xu Lejin, covered her mouth and whispered to Xu Lejin, "Your Highness Consort Yu, Consort Yin and Consort Chen have been stripped of their titles and are not as good as before."

"Yesterday, Consort Chen offended Consort Yu and Consort Xuan. She was confined to her quarters, had her salary reduced, was demoted to Consort, and stripped of her title. How swiftly!"

"Before yesterday, Consort Chen was a new favorite in the palace, but now she has been demoted and fallen into the mire."

After Rong Pin finished speaking, she covered her mouth and giggled.

Xu Lejin glanced at Consort Rong, her expression indifferent. "Consort Chen is arrogant and disrespectful, singing loudly in the middle of the night. It's normal for her to be punished."

"Yes, Consort Yu's teachings are correct, and I will keep them in mind."

Consort Rong's smile froze, and she awkwardly squeezed out these words through gritted teeth.

The Empress, seated on her throne, glanced at the group of concubines and said with a light smile, "My dear sisters, His Majesty has bestowed titles upon several ladies-in-waiting and palace maids in the past few months."

"Ladies and concubines, after all, you are palace maids and don't know much about the rules of the palace. As the ladies of your respective palaces, you must teach them carefully and make sure there is no next Chen."

"Yes, Your Majesty, we will strictly follow Your Majesty's teachings and will strictly discipline the ladies-in-waiting, concubines, and palace maids below us."

The concubines stood up and spoke in unison.

Consort Yi, the head of Yongshou Palace, lowered her head slightly. On her pretty and beautiful face, her smile was stiff and ugly. In her heart, she hated Consort Chen with a burning passion.

Chen was a concubine in her palace. It was one thing for her to bring trouble upon herself, but now she had implicated her and was being reprimanded by the Empress indirectly.

Inside Kunning Palace, the concubines chatted amongst themselves.

At this time

Yinshuang, her face grave, hurriedly entered the Empress's palace from outside. She bowed and knelt, reporting to the Empress, "Your Majesty, Your Highnesses, ladies and concubines, news has arrived from Chengqian Palace..."

"Consort Gong passed away suddenly this morning."

"..."

The Empress stared in shock, her mouth agape. Xu Lejin, Consort Xuan, and the other concubines were also stunned.

Why did Consort Gong suddenly pass away?

Although Consort Gong was confined to Chengqian Palace and publicly claimed to be recuperating from illness, everyone in the palace with connections and influence knew that Consort Gong was in good health.

Ignoring her orders, the Empress, supported by two palace maids, Caiyue and Lianxing, hurriedly left Kunning Palace and rushed towards Chengqian Palace.

Xu Lejin, Consort Xuan, and others naturally followed behind the Empress.

Inside Chengqian Palace, there was a chorus of weeping.

When the Empress, Xu Lejin, and others arrived at Chengqian Palace, Consort Gong had already been dressed in her imperial concubine attire by the palace maids and was lying quietly. The palace servants were taking down the red and green decorations that adorned Chengqian Palace.

"Why did Consort Gong suddenly pass away?"

With a cold face, the Empress asked the palace maids who were serving her, but in her heart she was secretly wondering whether Consort Gong's death was the will of Heaven or man-made.

The palace maid, with her head bowed, replied cautiously, "Your Majesty, we servants also do not know what happened."

"This morning, Consort Gong did not get up for a long time. We mustered up our courage and entered her bedchamber, only to find that Consort Gong could not be woken up."

The Empress looked on in surprise upon hearing this.

Xu Lejin and Consort Xuan exchanged a glance, lost in thought.

Consort Gong's unexplained and inexplicable death may have been due to fate or human intervention.

If it were fate, there should have been signs beforehand, such as being bedridden, unable to get up, or falling down.

If it was man-made?

After that incident at Chengqian Palace, even though Consort Gong was innocent, there were many in the palace who could not tolerate her.

Grand Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager, and even Emperor Kangxi.

In addition, the Tongjia clan outside the palace has also begun to look for new women.

With a barely perceptible shake of her head, Xu Lejin dispelled these thoughts from her mind and quietly followed behind the Empress, helping to manage all the funeral arrangements for Consort Gong.

Night fell

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Kangxi sat motionless on his dragon throne, drinking cup after cup of wine.

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