Xu Lejin went before the Emperor to plead guilty on behalf of her father, Xu Lu. Although Emperor Kangxi ordered Liang Jiugong to instruct the palace servants not to gossip, he could not stop those with ulterior motives from inquiring. As a result, the matter quickly spread throughout the Eastern and Western Palaces and reached the ears of the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager pondered for a long time, gazing at the bright sky outside the Cining Palace, and said softly, "Xu is indeed clever and quick-witted, knowing that the position of Empress is not something she can covet."

“Your Majesty is absolutely right. I met Xu Shi on the street a few days ago. Although Xu Shi is not particularly beautiful, she is well-mannered, kind, and a rare good girl.”

The Empress Dowager paused slightly, then continued, "Xu is blessed with good fortune. She became pregnant on her first occasion of receiving the Emperor's favor, carrying twins, a rare occurrence. If Xu's children are a boy and a girl, then it will be an auspicious sign of dragon and phoenix."

"If any concubine in the palace had the same good fortune as Lady Xu, and the Empress suddenly passed away, leaving the palace without a head, it wouldn't be impossible for her maternal family outside the palace to dream of the Empress's position."

After speaking, the Empress Dowager lowered her head slightly, looking down at her nose and inward.

The Empress Dowager withdrew her gaze from outside the Cining Palace and placed it on the Empress Dowager. After a moment's consideration, she smiled and spoke, "The Emperor has more and more children now. As the Emperor's legal mother, if you wish to raise a child to keep him company, that is permissible."

"The twins in Xu's womb are a rare and auspicious sign."

The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, a look of hesitation on her face.

After a long while, the Empress Dowager said softly, "Your Majesty, I do wish to have a child by my side, but now that the Empress has passed away, the harem is in a time of great turmoil."

"Although Xu's children are twins, which is a rare occurrence in the royal family, I feel more compassion for the sixth princess born to the Empress."

The Empress Dowager slightly raised her eyes and glanced at the Grand Empress Dowager.

After a moment's deliberation, the Empress Dowager said softly, "The sixth princess is, after all, a princess. Before her death, the Empress entrusted her to the Emperor, but there is a difference between father and daughter, and..."

"The emperor is busy with affairs of state every day. If he were to personally take care of the sixth princess, he would be too busy to do so."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's expression turned solemn.

After pondering for a long time, the Empress Dowager spoke earnestly: "Indeed, the sixth princess born to the Empress, although her birth mother passed away shortly after her birth, is still the legitimate daughter of the Empress, and her status is noble."

"It is ultimately improper for the Empress's legitimate daughter to be raised by concubines, and the position of Empress is now vacant..."

The Empress Dowager nodded with a slight smile.

With a slight sigh, the Empress Dowager said softly, "Enough, enough. We'll discuss the matter of the Sixth Imperial Daughter after the Emperor has appointed a new Empress."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will follow your teachings."

The Empress Dowager lowered her head slightly, her expression thoughtful.

Three days later, in the morning.

Supported by Yingchun and Zhishu, Xu Lejin walked along the path in the Imperial Garden. Because of the rain that fell all night yesterday, the air in the Imperial Garden was humid and filled with the fresh scent of earth.

"My lady, there is a lotus pond ahead. In another half month, the lotus flowers in the pond will be in full bloom, and the red and white ones are very beautiful."

Zhi Shu pointed to a spot not far away and introduced it to Xu Lejin with a smile.

Xu Lejin looked in the direction Zhishu pointed, smiled sweetly, and said, "The lotus leaves stretch to the sky, an endless expanse of green, while the lotus blossoms, bathed in sunlight, are a vibrant red. The lotus flowers in the Imperial Garden are in full bloom, a truly magnificent sight."

“Yingchun, Zhishu, we’ve been walking for quite a while. Help me to the pavilion by the lotus pond over there so I can rest for a bit.”

Yingchun and Zhishu respectfully replied, "Yes."

Sitting upright in the four-cornered pavilion, Xu Lejin's eyes were filled with lotus leaves, one after another, with lotus buds peeking out from between them, ready to bloom, like graceful young girls.

With her eyes closed, Xu Lejin inhaled the fresh scent of the soil in the air, along with the fragrance of lotus leaves and budding lotus flowers, feeling extremely comfortable and at ease.

Yingchun and Zhishu carefully served Xu Lejin from behind.

Just then, a girl's haughty voice came from not far away.

"Who are you? There are so many concubines in the palace, how come I have never seen you before?"

Immediately afterwards, the displeased voice of a palace maid rang out.

“My mistress is Consort Chuyun of the East Annex of Yikun Palace. Who are you, a princess? You run rampant in the palace and don’t even bow or greet my consort.”

The proud young girl's voice followed, "So it's the palace maid who serves the Empress, the concubine Chu Yun whom the Emperor recently promoted."

“I am the legitimate daughter of the Tongjia clan. My elder sister is the Empress Chengqian in the palace, and my aunt is the late Empress Xiaokangzhang. You, a concubine who was born a palace maid, do you even deserve for me to bow to you?”

The palace maid was indignant, "You..."

The gentle voice of Consort Chu Yun came through.

"So she is the younger sister of the Empress Chengqian, the Second Princess of the Tongjia Mansion."

The haughty young woman snorted and said arrogantly, "It's good that you know. I came to the palace today to visit my elder sister. You, a mere concubine, are not even worthy to carry my elder sister's shoes."

“If you hadn’t been a maid who accompanied the Empress and served the Emperor’s cousin, and the Empress hadn’t died after childbirth, how could you have become a concubine?”

Xu Lejin frowned slightly, thinking to herself that this woman had quite the arrogance.

Then, the girl's stubborn and proud voice was heard again.

"Today, I was in a hurry to visit my elder sister at Chengqian Palace, so I will not hold your rudeness and lack of manners against you. Consort Chuyun, if I find out again that you are so disrespectful, I will definitely tell my elder sister and punish you severely."

Xu Lejin opened her eyes and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

A moment later, the discontented voice of a palace maid came from the other side, "Second Princess Tongjia is going too far. Your Highness, you are a concubine personally appointed by the Emperor. She is just the daughter of a subject and the younger sister of the Lady of Chengqian Palace. How dare she be so disrespectful to Your Highness."

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