"I was just speaking casually. It's Consort Yi who's overthinking things. It's only natural that I'm a little suspicious now that the time is almost up." Consort An, Li Shi, was not afraid of Consort Yi.

"Sister Wanpin comes from a prestigious family, so naturally she wouldn't be late. I suppose something must have kept her up. Please don't be offended, Sister Anpin." Consort Jing, Wang Jia, seemed to be speaking up for Wanyi, but in reality, she was stirring up trouble. After all, everyone was here to pay their respects to the Empress, so who could possibly have something to do?

"Consort Chun, you were supposed to be before Consort Wan, but now you're calling her 'Sister Wan.' But we're all sisters, so I'm sure Consort Chun is happy about it," Consort An said with a smile, seemingly trying to sow discord as she noticed Consort Chun, Borjigit, sitting at the very end of the list of consorts.

"My relationship with Consort Wan is like that of sisters, which is naturally incomparable to yours."

How could Borjigit not be angry? If Qiu Hua hadn't stopped her and explained things clearly, she would have already broken up with Wan Yi. However, she had bigger plans and her ideas were bold, but not impossible to realize.

"Princess Chun is thinking of Consort Wan, I wonder if Consort Wan thinks of you in the same way! When the Emperor visits Yongshou Palace, Consort Wan never mentions you more!"

Consort An was truly ruthless; knowing full well that Emperor Kangxi would not favor the Khorchin concubines, she still used these matters to provoke Consort Chun.

"The Emperor can go to whichever concubine he likes, but she is better than Consort An, since the Emperor has never even been to Qixiang Palace."

Consort Chun's palace intrigue skills weren't learned in vain; now she can silence Consort An with her sharp retorts.

"What are you all talking about? I could hear your voices even before I entered the second gate," Wanyi broke the silence.

"Greetings, Consort Wan!" Everyone bowed to Consort Wan with a gesture of respect.

"Greetings, sisters!" Wanyi said before walking to her seat, the first one on the right.

"We were just discussing when Consort Wan would arrive, and here she is," Consort Jing said with an awkward smile. After all, it wasn't a pleasant topic, and she wondered how much of it Consort Wan had overheard.

"That's right! People just come to life as soon as you mention them. Consort Wan looks really good today. You must be four months pregnant by now!" Consort An said jealously, suppressing her emotions as she looked at Consort Wan's protruding belly.

“Sister An remembers correctly, it’s been more than four months.” Wanyi doesn’t care about those who are nice to you on the surface, she’s only afraid of those who are bad behind your back.

As Wanyi finished speaking, envious, jealous, or fierce glances came from all sides. Wanyi stole a glance but did not find that the person with the ill intentions was the one.

"Consort Tongjia has arrived." At this moment, the voice of the eunuch outside announced the arrival. Notice that the timing was exactly at the last moment before the greeting.

"This concubine greets Consort Tongjia. May Your Highness be well!" With the help of Granny Kong, Wanyi and others performed a half-squatting curtsy to Consort Tongjia as she entered.

"It really makes a difference after being promoted! Everyone looks so energetic. I could hear you all chattering away outside the palace." Consort Tongjia deliberately didn't wake you up, so don't think that just because you've become the head of a palace, you can bypass her.

"It's Consort Jing and Consort An telling jokes, probably to congratulate the Empress on moving into Kunning Palace." Consort Shi was originally only given the rank of Lady-in-Waiting by Emperor Kangxi, but Consort Tongjia repeatedly mentioned her to Emperor Kangxi, so she was promoted one rank.

"Heh..." Consort Tongjia was about to make a sarcastic remark when she was interrupted by the head eunuch beside the Empress.

"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be blessed with good health and longevity!" Consort Tongjia could only lead the way in performing the full kneeling ceremony.

"Now that you're all here, let's begin!" Unlike previous empresses, the empress did not try to intimidate them.

"Kneel, kowtow once... Ceremony complete!" The master of ceremonies breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that everything had gone smoothly and withdrew.

"Your Highness, you are now the head of all the concubines. As the leader of all the concubines, you must set a good example," the Empress said to Consort Tongjia first.

"This concubine will naturally do her best as a Noble Consort and assist Her Majesty the Empress in managing the affairs of the six palaces." Not only a Noble Consort, but if she could, she would rather be the Empress, the mother of the nation.

"With the Consort's words, I am at ease." As long as Consort Niohuru is in power, Consort Tongjia can only be her assistant.

"Consort Wan, how are you feeling? Is the baby healthy? You need to go to Cining Palace to pay your respects later. If you feel unwell, please remember to let me know, and I will make arrangements for you." Today is her first day in office, and she is the only pregnant concubine in the harem. Nothing can go wrong.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. The child is well-behaved and not fussy at all. I feel perfectly fine," Wanyi replied respectfully, her posture humble, her meaning clear: she was willing to submit to the Empress.

"That's good. I won't say much more. You are all veterans in the palace. I hope you will abide by the palace rules, be respectful and polite to your superiors, and be gentle and virtuous to your subordinates. Serve the Emperor well and have many children for him."

The Empress glanced at the hourglass beside her and, seeing that it was almost time, quickly ended her greeting.

"Your Majesty, we will follow your teachings!" Everyone had no choice but to rise and bow, saying in unison.

"Come with me to pay our respects at Cining Palace!" The Empress said, getting up and walking out first. Consort Tongjia followed behind, rolling her eyes impatiently.

Wanyi sat comfortably in the sedan chair, feeling wonderful. In the past, she had to walk to Cining Palace with great difficulty, but now that she didn't have to walk, she realized the advantages of being tall.

"The Empress Dowager invites all the ladies to enter." Granny He had been waiting outside the hall, just waiting for the Empress to bring the concubines to pay their respects.

"Thank you for your trouble, Granny He," the Empress said gently to Granny He.

"Your Majesty is too kind to this servant!" Granny He said in a panic, and personally lifted the curtain for the Empress.

"Greetings to the Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager enjoy boundless blessings and longevity." After everyone had entered, they performed the grand ceremony of bowing three times. Only those of the rank of concubine or above were allowed to enter the hall.

"Good, all good, get up!" The Empress Dowager looked down at the crowd, and her smile deepened, especially when she saw Consort Chun, Borjigit.

"Your Majesties look very well today. Is there anything you're happy about that you could share with us?" the Empress teased, seeing that the Empress Dowager was in a good mood.

"I have nothing to be happy about. It's just that I was delighted to see so many young and beautiful girls, full of youthful energy."

The Empress Dowager would not say that Guozhen's path to the rank of Consort would not stop there, and the position of Empress was out of reach, so the position of Imperial Noble Consort was also a distant dream.

"The Empress Dowager likes us. In that case, may I lead my sisters to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager every day?"

Consort Tongjia smiled and said, "If the Empress Dowager agrees, then it would be putting the Empress's face on the ground and stepping on it."