"If this continues, I truly don't know how I will explain this to Emperor Taizong and Emperor Fulin in the future!"

A few days later

Xu Lejin was in her postpartum confinement period, looking at her two adorable babies in swaddling clothes with a loving expression.

Ziwu hurried in from outside the palace and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, Consort He and Consort Tong are arguing in the Imperial Garden."

"Consort Tong said that Consort He was an illegitimate daughter of the Hesheli family. She had never even met Empress Xiaocheng, but she entered the palace as a consort because of Empress Xiaocheng's influence."

"Consort He said that Consort Tong's two elder sisters are only consorts, while Consort Tong, being born of a concubine, is unworthy of holding the rank of consort."

Xu Lejin's expression froze upon hearing this.

Frowning, Xu Lejin said coldly, "This concerns Empress Xiaocheng, Consort Chengqian, and Consort Gong. The palace has already ordered the palace servants not to mention it. Consort He is young, how could she know?"

"Consort He and Consort Tong are arguing. What did Consort Wen say?"

Ziwu lowered her head, thought quickly for a moment, and spoke softly.

"Your Majesty, Consort Wen said that she, Consort He, and Consort Tong are all consorts of the same rank. Consort He and Consort Tong had a quarrel, and she was powerless to do anything about it, so she could only report to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager."

Xu Lejin nodded and said gracefully, "Consort Wen is indeed clever."

Afternoon

News came from the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace that Consort Tong and Consort He, though young, were disorderly in the palace and had lost their decorum. They were to be punished by copying the palace rules ten times each.

The Empress Dowager also bestowed two governesses upon Consort Tong and Consort He to teach them manners.

As for Consort Wen,