Afternoon

Xu Lejin woke up from her afternoon nap, still sleepy, and leaned against the soft couch. Liu Ying quickly entered from outside the palace and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, Consort Wan from Yongshou Palace has come to pay her respects."

"Um."

Xu Lejin responded softly and sat up straight. "Today, the Emperor just bestowed upon her the title of Lady Wan, and I granted her residence in Yongshou Palace. Lady Wan has come to pay her respects to me now."

"Clearly, he knows the rules."

After a pause, Xu Lejin spoke calmly, "Please invite Consort Wan into the hall."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The fireflies returned and, a moment later, led a beautiful woman in a green palace dress into the hall. She looked older than a young girl of sixteen or seventeen.

Xu Lejin narrowed her eyes, thinking to herself that Wan Yingying at this age might be the historical Consort Ding, Wan Liuha.

Consort Wan bowed gracefully, her voice gentle, and said, "This humble servant, Consort Wan Liuha of Yongshou Palace, greets Consort Yu. May Consort Yu be blessed."

"Please rise, Wan Yi."

Turning her head slightly, Xu Lejin instructed Qingtan, who was standing to the side, "Qingtan, get Wan Yingying a stool."

"yes."

Qingtan respectfully agreed and quickly brought over a stool.

Consort Wan lowered her head slightly, her face gentle, and said, "This humble servant thanks Your Highness, Consort Yu!"

"Um."

Xu Lejin gave a soft reply.

Xu Lejin looked Wan up and down and said, "Wan, you look familiar to me. Have I seen you somewhere before?"

"Your Highness, I had the honor of serving in your palace for two years."

Wan carefully considered her words and replied softly.

Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin paused for a moment, her mind racing, and a minute later, she finally remembered.

In the fourteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, when Wanliuha first entered the palace, he was indeed on duty in her palace.

Later, Wanliuhashi took the route through the Imperial Household Department and returned to serve there.

Wanliuhashi had always hoped to serve in the palace until her term was up and then leave, but now, after all the twists and turns, she has finally been favored, served the emperor, and become a concubine in the harem.

It can only be said that fate had its own design, and Wanliuhashi was ultimately destined to become one of the concubines in the imperial harem, forever imprisoned in the palace.

Yongshou Palace

Consort Fu sat in the main hall, her expression blank, her mind replaying the appearance of Lady Wanliuha, who had come to pay her respects that afternoon.

Although Wanliuha was not young, she was exceptionally beautiful.

At twenty-four or twenty-five, though not comparable to a sixteen or seventeen-year-old young woman, she possessed a unique mature charm, no wonder the Emperor favored her and bestowed upon her the title of "Consort."

The palace maids Rouyun and Rouyin exchanged a glance.

After careful consideration, Rouyun spoke softly, “Your Majesty, Consort Wan is old. His Majesty’s interest is just temporary. Your Majesty is now a Consort, a high-ranking lady. Consort Wan is just a low-ranking lady. Your Majesty doesn’t need to take it to heart.”

"Um."

Consort Fu nodded slightly, her lips parted, and she said, "Of course I wouldn't take her to heart. I am a Consort, born into the prestigious Fucha clan, while Consort Wan..."

"Wan is just a bondservant in the Imperial Household Department. Her current favor is merely due to being granted the title of Consort."

He paused.

Consort Fu frowned slightly. "These past few days, I don't know what's wrong with me, but I've been feeling unwell. I have a poor appetite and am easily sleepy. This morning when I got up to do my hair and makeup, I felt like I had aged a lot."

"、、"

Rouyin and Rouyun exchanged a quick glance, then pursed their lips in deep thought.

Suddenly, Rouyun realized something and, unable to hide her joy, said, "Your Majesty, could you perhaps be pregnant? Come to think of it, your period is three days late this month!"

"real?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Fu looked down in surprise at her flat stomach.

Consort Fu sent a palace maid to the Imperial Hospital to fetch the imperial physician. Because Yikun Palace was very close to Yongshou Palace, Xu Lejin found out in less than a quarter of an hour. She slightly curled her lips and frowned as she pondered.

Early the next morning

When Xu Lejin woke up from her sleep, the first thing she learned from Ru Hua was that Consort Fu had asked the imperial physician to take her pulse last night, and the result showed that she was pregnant and was already more than half a month along.

"Very good, very good. It's good news that Consort Fu is pregnant. Ruhua, go back and pick out some good things from the storeroom and personally deliver them to Consort Fu's palace to congratulate her on her pregnancy."

Ru Hua respectfully responded.

Afternoon

Consort Que and Consort Duan, along with the Thirteenth Princess, the Twenty-Second Princess, and the Eighth Prince, arrived at Yikun Palace.

“Sister, Consort Fu comes from the prestigious Fucha clan, and she is now pregnant. Regardless of whether the child in her womb is a prince or a princess, as long as she gives birth safely, she will definitely be granted the title of consort.”

Consort Que paused, then continued, "Currently in the palace, my elder sister and I hold the position of Consort, and above us are Consort Hui, Consort Duan, Consort Wan, and Consort He. If Consort Fu were to be promoted to Consort..."

With a hesitant expression, Consort Que swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

Xu Lejin spoke casually with a gentle expression, "If Consort Fu is fortunate enough to give birth to a prince or princess, it would naturally be good for her to be made a concubine. Palace rules are rigid, but people are flexible."

"The Emperor is the Son of Heaven, and the Son of Heaven is the rule. If the Emperor likes it, why can't there be five or six concubines in the palace?"

Consort Que nodded with a smile.

Consort Duan stood to the side, pursing her lips in deep thought. After a moment, she said softly, "What Consort Yu said is quite right. That's exactly how it is. I remember that in the sixteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Emperor bestowed titles upon the six palaces, and seven concubines were appointed at the same time."

"Um."

At this time

Liu Ying hurried in from outside the palace and respectfully reported to Xu Lejin, Consort Que, and Consort Duan: "Your Majesty, Consort Que and Consort Duan, the Emperor has decreed that Consort Fu be granted the title 'Yi', sixteen bolts of various colored silks, half a bushel of snail-shell ink, and one bushel of top-quality pearls."

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