Looking at the rewards before her, Anning felt that Kangxi was a man she could get along with.

He was truly willing to give rewards.

Actually, Anning didn't have a particularly good impression of Kangxi. He treated his sons like poison, and as someone who had received a modern education, he couldn't like him. However, Kangxi also had many merits.

To be an emperor, that's considered qualified.

Was he a wise ruler?

In his early years, things were alright. Because of him, factional strife was severe, official corruption was rampant, and bribery and embezzlement were common. If it weren't for his successor, Emperor Yongzheng, who implemented major reforms and rectified official corruption, the Qing Dynasty probably wouldn't have lasted more than a few years.

An Ning even thought that it would be a good thing if the Qing Dynasty really died prematurely, perhaps the new order would bring about change, but she was just thinking about it.

Now that she has such an opportunity, she won't let it go.

Yu Pai Anning only occasionally passed the time; she spent most of her time in the study, working hard and enriching herself in ways unknown to Emperor Kangxi.

She found it unusually comfortable, the only inconvenience being that the books nowadays didn't have punctuation marks, and she had to read in short sentences, which took her a long time to get used to.

As for punctuation marks, she didn't plan to include them, mainly because she was afraid of time travelers appearing in the future.

With a reborn Dong E clan member leading the way, as long as she doesn't create anything too out-of-time, even if a time-traveling woman appears, no one will pay attention to her.

——

Bai Guo: "Your Majesty, something has happened at Yongshou Palace."

An Ning put down her book, thinking of Consort Wen's panting body: "But Consort Wen..."

"Consort Wen is not well; all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital have gone there."

An Ning stood up and sighed, "Let's go, let's go too. Consort Wen... what a pity!"

The girls of the Niohuru clan did not live long in the Kangxi Emperor's harem; Consort Wen was one, as was her sister, Empress Xiaozhao.

"Oh, by the way, prepare a set of simple clothes so I can change before I go."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

An Ning led her entourage to Yongshou Palace. When they arrived, there were already quite a few people there, including Consort Yi, Consort Tong, and several concubines from the Western Six Palaces who didn't have a very strong presence.

The Eastern Six Palaces were farther away, so news didn't travel together, and that's when Consort Tong arrived.

An Ning: "Greetings to Consort Tong and Consort Yi."

Consort Tong: "Consort Shu is here, please get up."

An Ning stood up and asked with concern, "I rushed over as soon as I received the news. I wonder how Consort Wen is doing?"

Consort Tong wore a worried expression, her eyes flashing with a sense of shared sorrow. Consort Wen's reaction was partly due to her poor health, and partly due to Emperor Kangxi.

Consort Wen entered the palace against her will, and so did Consort Tong.

What made her better than Consort Wen was that the Tong family was Kangxi's maternal clan, a clan that Kangxi felt he had to owe. The Qing Dynasty governed the country with filial piety in mind, and since Kangxi's birth mother died early, this "filial piety" would naturally be compensated to his maternal clan in another way.

Although Consort Tong did not receive much favor from the emperor, she was highly trusted by Emperor Kangxi and was the nominal leader of the harem.

The reason it's not substantial is mainly because the four concubines have a solid foundation and hold power in the palace. If she were to ask for it, her fate would be dire.

That was enough in name only, Consort Tong told herself to be content.

Kangxi's internal checks and balances on the Niohuru clan left Consort Wen exhausted, and coupled with her failure to recover properly after childbirth, she ended up in her current state.

"You're so thoughtful. The imperial physician is inside watching over us!"

When Consort Tong gave an irrelevant answer, An Ning knew that Consort Wen probably wouldn't be able to get through this ordeal.

The imperial physicians came and went, and no one was in the mood to talk while they sat. Before long, the concubines of the Eastern Six Palaces arrived one after another; there were just too many people.

An Ning sighed again, "There are so many people in Kangxi's harem, but it's also really quiet. At this point, apart from asking a couple of questions when I first arrived and finding out what was going on, they didn't say anything more."

Suddenly, a nanny came out of the bedchamber, her eyes red and swollen.

"This servant greets Your Highnesses and Your Highness. Our Lady is seriously ill, and the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince are attending to her. Your Highness wishes to see Consort Yi."

Everyone's attention was focused on Consort Yi's identity.

At this time, the Ninth Prince, born to Consort Yi, was still quite young. He was born in the 22nd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign and was only a little over ten years old. He was close to the Tenth Prince, even closer to him than to his own brother, the Fifth Prince, who shared the same mother.

The Tenth Prince was naturally dull-witted, or rather, Emperor Kangxi intentionally made him dull-witted. Consort Yi was well aware of this and was happy that her son and the Tenth Prince were like this.

Consort De was willing to compete, and Consort Yi naturally had the same intention, though her thoughts were rather subtle.

Because of Consort Yi, the Ninth Prince was actually quite favored by Emperor Kangxi. As for why he lost the Emperor's favor after he grew up, it was mainly because Emperor Kangxi disliked his involvement in business.

There's nothing wrong with doing business, but his methods weren't exactly honorable, which displeased Emperor Kangxi.

The economy was doing well, but one of the princes used underhanded tactics against a merchant, causing quite a stir, which made Kangxi feel ashamed.

These are all things for the future, and haven't happened yet. At this moment, Consort Yi has high hopes for the Ninth Prince!

Consort Yi gathered her thoughts and said with a sorrowful expression, "I will go in with you now."

Consort Hui's expression was somewhat displeased: "Sister Consort Wen and Sister Consort Yi seem to have a close relationship, and even at a time like this, they still remember to give instructions."

Consort Rong glanced at Consort Hui: "The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince are brothers, and Consort Wen is worried about the Tenth Prince, so she naturally has to give Consort Yi some instructions. Consort Hui, are you perhaps envious of them?"

"But one can only envy in one's heart. The eldest prince is older and has little patience for his younger brothers. He doesn't give the tenth prince much kindness either."

Consort Hui and Consort Rong were consorts of the same generation, and their relationship was not exactly harmonious.

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