Xu Lejin learned about what happened at Consort Wan's mourning hall from the palace servants.

With a soft sigh, Xu Lejin said in a low voice, "Poor Twenty-Third Princess, although she is the daughter of Consort Ying, she was given to Consort Wan to raise when she was just a month old. Consort Wan..."

"Enough. Consort Wan is gone. Let's not dwell on her life."

After the seventh day memorial service for Consort Wan ended, her coffin was sent out of the palace to be placed in the imperial mausoleum. Princess Santana, the twenty-third princess, was also moved to the princes' quarters, where she was cared for by her wet nurse and palace servants.

That day

Liu Ying, her face grave, hurried into the hall to report, "Your Majesty, Consort Ying requests an audience?"

"Consort Ying,"

Xu Lejin hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Consort Ying's request to see me at this time must be about the Twenty-Third Princess. Although the Twenty-Third Princess was once given to Consort Wan to raise, her birth mother on the imperial genealogy is still Consort Ying."

"Liu Ying, please invite Consort Ying into the hall to speak."

Liu Ying bowed and withdrew, then led Consort Ying into the hall a moment later. Consort Ying, of the Ye Mu clan, was once a palace maid recommended by Consort Wen of Chuxiu Palace. Although she was quite beautiful, she had long since lost her former charm as she had grown older.

With red eyes, Consort Ying knelt down respectfully, "This humble servant, Consort Ye Mu, greets Her Highness the Imperial Noble Consort. May Her Highness live a thousand years!"

"No need for such formalities, Consort Ying, please rise."

Turning her head, Xu Lejin instructed the second-class palace maid, "Xu'er, quickly bring a stool for Consort Ying."

"yes,"

Xu'er quickly brought over a stool, and Consort Ying carefully sat down with one side of her buttocks. She raised her head, looked at Xu Lejin with tears welling up in her eyes, and choked out her words.

"Your Highness, I know you are busy with palace affairs and should not disturb you, but..."

With a forced smile, Consort Ying said, "Your Highness, the Twenty-Third Princess was born after I carried her for ten months and gave birth to her. She is flesh of my flesh."

“In the past, the Twenty-Third Princess was raised by Consort Wan. Although I miss the Twenty-Third Princess, Consort Wan does not allow me to visit her.”

"This humble servant thought that Consort Wan was kind to the Twenty-Third Princess, so it was fine if she wouldn't let me visit her, but now..."

Wiping away her tears, Consort Ying's face was filled with sorrow.

"Now that Consort Wan has passed away, the Twenty-Third Princess has no one to care for her and has been moved to the Princes' quarters. I heard that in just a few days, the Twenty-Third Princess has lost a lot of weight, and she even caught a cold yesterday. I..."

"Your Highness, please have pity on my maternal heart and allow me to take care of the Twenty-Third Princess."

With snot and tears streaming down her face, Consort Ying looked disheveled, gazing at Xu Lejin with hopeful eyes.

Xu Lejin paused for a moment, then turned her head to look at Nongying beside her, her eyes filled with inquiry.

Nongying nodded, and after careful consideration, she spoke in a low voice, "Your Majesty, what Consort Ying said is indeed true. Yesterday, the Twenty-Third Princess did catch a cold. Consort Que had someone invite the imperial physician to treat the Twenty-Third Princess, and after taking the medicine, the Twenty-Third Princess has recovered greatly."

"This servant has been thinking, Your Majesty, that you have been taking care of the Twenty-Seventh and Twenty-Eighth Princesses with great difficulty, so I did not report to Your Majesty that the Twenty-Third Princess had caught a cold. This servant knows my fault and begs Your Majesty for punishment!"

After saying that, Nongying knelt down.

Xu Lejin paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "You do deserve to be punished. Considering that you have served by my side for many years, I will deduct one month's salary from your allowance."

"yes,"

With a furrowed brow, Xu Lejin pondered for a moment before looking at Consort Ying and speaking softly, "Palace rules dictate that only consorts of the rank of concubine or higher can personally raise princes and princesses. Consort Ying, your current rank does not allow you to raise the Twenty-Third Princess. However…"

"Considering your maternal heart, I grant you permission to go to the Prince's residence, to the courtyard of the Twenty-Third Princess, to take care of her for seven days."

Consort Ying had already given up all hope, but when she heard that Xu Lejin had shown mercy and allowed her to take care of the Twenty-Third Princess at the Prince's residence for seven days, she was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to thank Xu Lejin for her great kindness.

evening

Liu Ying ran into the palace, sighed deeply, and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Ying went to the Twenty-Third Princess's courtyard, but the Twenty-Third Princess doesn't want Consort Ying to take care of her and keeps crying."

"The Twenty-Third Princess, the Twenty-Third Princess also said..."

The firefly couldn't bring herself to say what it wanted to say.

"What else did the Twenty-Third Princess say?"

With a serious expression, Xu Lejin looked at Liuying, "According to the imperial genealogy, Consort Ying is the birth mother of the Twenty-Third Princess. Does the Twenty-Third Princess not acknowledge her own mother?"

Firefly nodded.

"Your Majesty, the Twenty-Third Princess says that Consort Wan is her true mother, not Consort Ying. The Twenty-Third Princess also says that Consort Ying, being a palace maid, is unworthy to be her mother..."

Xu Lejin was stunned when she heard this.

She doesn't acknowledge her biological mother. Ying Guiren was born a palace maid and is not worthy to be her mother.

Is it possible for a seven-year-old child like the Twenty-Third Princess to say such things?

Children in the palace matured early. The Twenty-Third Princess was raised by Consort Wan. Consort Wan gave her daily instructions, which unknowingly led the Twenty-Third Princess to develop a disdain for the poor and a disdain for her birth mother.

A dog doesn't mind a poor home, and a child doesn't mind an ugly mother.

Consort Ying, with a motherly heart, learned that the Twenty-Third Princess was ill and begged me to take care of her. But where is the Twenty-Third Princess?

Not only did they not appreciate it, but they also uttered such hurtful words.

The estrangement between the Twenty-Third Princess and Consort Ying, mother and daughter, has been a constant worry for Xu Lejin.

early March

One day, Emperor Kangxi visited Yikun Palace. Xu Lejin carefully recounted the matter of Consort Ying and the Twenty-Third Princess. Kangxi's expression turned solemn as he pondered for a long time before saying, "I have heard that Santana was initially entrusted to Consort Wan for upbringing. Consort Wan forbade Consort Ying from seeing Santana."

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