The next day, just as dawn broke, the west side hall of Yikun Palace was brightly lit.

Yingchun quietly woke Xu Lejin.

Inside the sky-blue gauze curtain, Xu Lejin's brows were tightly furrowed, her eyelashes fluttered, and she turned over to continue sleeping soundly. Outside the curtain, Yingchun, Zhishu, and Ruhua exchanged a helpless glance.

"My lady, it's getting late, you should get up."

Yingchun lowered her eyes and spoke again in a low voice.

Xu Lejin suddenly woke up and sat up with a jolt.

How could she have forgotten?

This is not in modern times, but in the Qing Dynasty. Her current identity is a concubine in the harem. There is a rule in the palace that one must pay respects to the Empress every morning and evening. As a concubine, the first thing to do every day is to go to Kunning Palace to pay respects to the Empress.

Yingchun and Zhishu quickly helped Xu Lejin put on her flowerpot-soled shoes and do her hair and clothes.

Xu Lejin stood up and looked at herself in the bronze mirror. She wore a light blue cheongsam, a small double bun hairstyle, and a small silver tassel on one side of her hair. She had almond-shaped eyes, peach-like cheeks, red lips and white teeth, and was lightly made up.

Simple, clean, low-key, and unassuming.

After leaving Yikun Palace, Xu Lejin encountered Consort Li, Consort Wanyan, and Consort Hesheli along the way.

Consort Li and Consort Wanyan entered the palace two years ago through the imperial concubine selection. Consort Li resided in the west side hall of Xianfu Palace, while Consort Wanyan resided in the east side hall of Changchun Palace.

The other concubine, Consort Hesheli, was sent to the palace by the Hesheli family in the 8th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, when the Empress was pregnant with her legitimate son, Chenghu, to help secure the Empress's favor.

Consort Hesheli was the Empress's cousin.

"Younger sister Xu sends her greetings to Sister Li, Sister Wanyan, and Sister Hesheli. May all three sisters be blessed!"

Xu Lejin bowed respectfully to the three of them.

Li and Wanyan, who prided themselves on their noble birth, responded indifferently and reluctantly returned Xu Lejin's half-bow.

Consort Hesheli smiled, "Clothes make the man, and gold makes the Buddha. When Sister Xu served Her Majesty the Empress, she had some beauty, but she was nothing more than a plain willow. Now..."

"After being favored by the emperor, Sister Xu was granted the title of concubine. Her beauty has become even more radiant."

Xu Lejin smiled slightly, "Thank you for the compliment, Sister Hesheli. I am of average appearance and cannot compare to Sister Hesheli, Sister Li and Sister Wanyan, who are dignified, polite and beautiful."

Hesheli sneered, tilting her chin slightly, her face full of disdain. "It's good that you know your place. The Emperor only made you a concubine because you used to serve the Empress and to save face for her."

"Yes, Sister Hesheli is right."

Xu Lejin lowered her head slightly, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Behind Consort Hesheli, a beautiful palace maid covered her mouth and giggled, saying in a sour tone, "Your Highness, I heard that Consort Xu was ordered by Her Majesty the Empress to deliver snacks to the Emperor at the Qianqing Palace that day."

"I don't know what kind of seductive tricks Consort Xu used in front of the Emperor to catch his eye and gain his favor, thus becoming a concubine. Once she gained power, even her chickens and dogs rose to heaven. She used to be a servant, but now she is addressed as a sister by Your Highness, Consort Li, and Consort Wanyan."

Xu Lejin slightly raised her eyes and glanced at the palace maid who had spoken.

Wusuli Yunxiang was a palace maid who served Consort Hesheli. She served Emperor Kangxi twice when Consort Hesheli was unwell.

Ussuri Yunxiang was unlucky; she remained a palace maid, still serving Consort Hesheli.

In fact, Xu Lejin knew that there were one or two palace maids like Wusuli Yunxiang in every palace and by the side of every concubine. They had been fortunate enough to serve Kangxi when their masters were not available, but they did not receive any official rank and remained palace maids.

Xu Lejin remembered Wusuli Yunxiang because after Wusuli Yunxiang served Kangxi, when Consort Hesheli took her to Kunning Palace to pay respects to the Empress, the original owner of the body replaced Yun Cui, who was unwell, and served by the Empress's side.

At that time, the original owner took a few more curious glances and memorized the appearance of Ussuri Rust in her mind.

With a smirk, Xu Lejin looked at Wusuli Yunxiang and said coldly, "Sister Hesheli, I had no idea that even a palace maid by your side could fabricate stories about the Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Wu Suli Yunxiang's face turned deathly pale, and she immediately knelt down.

She kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy, "This servant deserves to die, this servant deserves to die, this servant shouldn't have spoken ill of the Emperor, shouldn't have guessed the Emperor's intentions, this servant..."

Consort Hesheli glared at Wusuli Yunxiang with a gloomy face.

“Sister Xu, Yunxiang has always been foolish. Now Yunxiang has spoken rudely and said the wrong thing. Please forgive her this time, Sister Xu, in consideration of the fact that Yunxiang has served the Emperor twice before.”

Consort Hesheli was extremely disappointed in Wusuli Yunxiang, secretly cursing her as a fool.

Normally, she wouldn't bring Ussuri Russ to Kunning Palace to pay her respects to the Empress. Today, however, she deliberately brought Ussuri Russ because she had learned in advance that Xu, a palace maid who had been promoted, was paying her respects to the Empress for the first time.

Xu Lejin smiled faintly and remained silent.

At this moment, Consort Wanyan spoke in a deep voice, "Alright, it's not a big deal. Yunxiang, who serves Sister Hesheli, since she doesn't understand the rules and spreads rumors about the Emperor's intentions, then let her go back and reflect on her actions in seclusion for three months. This small punishment will serve as a warning to others."

Consort Hesheli looked embarrassed, while Ussuri Yunxiang wore a bitter expression and pleading eyes.

Consort Li remained indifferent.

Xu Lejin smiled and said, "Sister Wanyan's punishment is excellent. I believe that after three months of reflection, Yunxiang will be more careful with her words and actions."

The group continued towards Kunning Palace.

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