Wanyi showered Consort Wen with praise, making her blush. Fortunately, Consort Wen was thin-skinned, otherwise Wanyi would have been unable to stop her. Managing the harem is no job for a human being. No wonder the empress is getting more and more haggard. However, empresses throughout history have been stubborn and unwilling to share power, otherwise they would not have overworked themselves and aged so quickly.

"There, as long as I eat the pastries from my sister's palace, I feel full of energy." Consort Wen said this with a discrepancy between her words and her true feelings. However, she did think that the food made in the small kitchen of Yongshou Palace was much tastier, which explained why the Emperor would often call Eunuch Wei to fetch pastries.

"That's good. Since you're so capable, after you finish reading those books, take a look at the ledgers that are just for show!" Wanyi said naturally, as this was exactly what she was waiting for.

"Ah! Okay!"

Consort Wen pouted and quickly agreed, afraid of being charged even more. This was a never-ending ordeal! What was all this about? She had come happily to find her sister Chen to strengthen their bond, but instead, she was dragged to look at the account books, claiming that she also had the power to assist in managing the six palaces and had to work together, which meant that she had to run around here for the past few days.

Seeing this scene, no one dared to slack off and started working seriously. However, if you ignored the two people shaking their shoulders, they would be so busy that they wouldn't even have time for a nap.

Meanwhile, after noon, Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia dressed herself up beautifully, and then had Ningdong carry the drafted titles of the new brides. The procession was grand and impressive, with a full retinue of Imperial Noble Consorts.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Imperial Noble Consort! May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" This was the newly promoted Consort Chen's encounter with the Imperial Noble Consort on her travels.

"Get up! What are you doing outside at this hour?" the Imperial Noble Consort asked, puzzled. Usually, people would just be waking up from their afternoon nap at this time. It seemed she had just returned from outside.

"Your Highness, I had nothing to do, so I went to the residence of Consort Ding to chat about everyday matters and pass the time!"

Consort Chen cursed her bad luck, fearing that the Imperial Noble Consort would find fault with her and punish her. She spoke very carefully. She had finally risen from an unknown concubine to a consort, and she did not want to stop there.

"It's sunny right now, aren't you afraid of getting your face in the sun? Okay, let's go!"

The Imperial Noble Consort only asked a few more questions out of curiosity, but seeing Chen Ying's unpresentable appearance, she immediately didn't want to see her anymore.

"Respectfully seeing off the Imperial Noble Consort!" Consort Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, her back soaked with sweat.

"Is this what power is? I'd be lucky if I could ever reach the rank of Consort!"

Consort Chen muttered to herself, “A concubine is already a principal of a palace, but looking around, only Yonghe Palace and Jingyang Palace are vacant. Can she really reach that position?”

"What did you say, my lady?" The maidservant beside Consort Chen was also trembling with fear. She stepped forward to help her mistress up, but her mistress hadn't heard clearly, so she asked.

"It's nothing, let's hurry back!" It wouldn't be good if we ran into another concubine who was taller than us.

"May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" Before long, the Imperial Noble Consort was invited into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where Consort Li was also present.

"The Imperial Noble Consort has arrived, please sit!" Kangxi put down the memorial in his hand, and Consort Li, who was standing to the side, bowed before continuing to grind ink.

"Your Majesty, I spent a long time drafting the titles for the new concubines. I've sent them to you now. Please take a look and tell me if there's anything that needs to be changed."

The Imperial Noble Consort gestured to Ningdong, who was beside her, to hand over the small memorial. Liang Jiugong took the memorial and presented it to Emperor Kangxi.

"Let's move this Zhangjia clan member to Yonghe Palace! The rank of Changzai is good; it's not good to be too high when you've just entered the palace."

When Kangxi saw that Lady Zhangjia had been arranged to stay in the east wing of Yongshou Palace, he frowned and thought to himself, "Wan'er has Yinzhen there. If so many people move in and make a ruckus, what will happen to the Fourth Prince?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will make the changes when I get back!"

The Imperial Noble Consort's expression cracked. She had finally thought of arranging for someone to enter Yongshou Palace, but it was rejected. This Noble Consort Chen really had the Emperor's favor, so she shouldn't blame her for being ruthless.

"So be it. I shall bestow another title upon Lady Zhangjia! Since there are no nobles among the Han Banner Army, let her be the one to be honored."

Lady Zhangjia's unpretentious manner left a good impression on Emperor Kangxi, which led him to bestow upon her more honors.

"I wonder what title His Majesty will bestow upon Sister Zhangjia!" The Imperial Noble Consort's hostility towards Zhangjia increased.

"Intelligent and perceptive, let's use the character 'Min'!" Kangxi said casually, but it startled the two people present. This was indeed a good title!

"Yes, is there anything else that needs to be revised? I'll revise it when I get back!" The Imperial Noble Consort suppressed her emotions and smiled.

"That's settled then! Let the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department make the preparations!"

Kangxi returned the memorial to the Imperial Noble Consort before continuing to read it. Consort Li, who was standing to the side, was restless. She had clearly seen the tenderness in Kangxi's eyes when he spoke of the Imperial Noble Consort Chen's alluring gaze, and she was thinking about how to please the Imperial Noble Consort Chen.

That evening, because Emperor Kangxi summoned Consort Li to his bedchamber, the other concubines, upon hearing the news, ate and slept as usual. Some cursed a few times, some said they didn't care, and some smashed a vase in anger. In the middle of the night, Consort Tong, who was on her bed in the rear hall of Changchun Palace, was suddenly struck by a pain and felt a warm flow from her lower body.

"Ugh, ah! It hurts so much, someone come quick!" Consort Tong kept calling out, mainly because her head was still aching. She didn't know why this pregnancy was so painful. She had suspected that she had been tricked, but after checking several times, she found nothing.

"My lady, my lady, what's wrong? I'll go get someone right away!"

Hongye hurriedly ran out to call for help, because Consort Tong was only seven months pregnant, and neither the Imperial Noble Consort nor the Imperial Household Department had prepared a midwife for her yet. Now, Hongye and the others had to send someone to invite her.

"How is the situation?" Upon hearing this, Consort Duan from the main hall immediately came over to take charge of the situation. After all, she, as the head of the main hall, would be raising the child. She had also helped Consort Tong fend off many schemes, but despite all the precautions, the child was still born prematurely.

"Your Highness suddenly experienced abdominal pain. We have already notified the imperial physician, the Emperor, and the Imperial Noble Consort, and are also going to the Imperial Household Department to fetch the midwife!"

Hongye helplessly wiped the sweat from the shouting Tong Guiren's brow and comforted him. When she saw the person in charge arrive, her voice even trembled with tears.

"Why are you the only one here?" Consort Duan frowned as she looked at the room filled with only red leaves.

"They've all gone out to call for help!" Hongye said helplessly. After all, the midwife had already moved in last time, and the imperial physician only sent errand runners. The small kitchen also needed someone to boil water, so she was left alone.

"Chunyan, go and call some people to help carry Consort Tong into the delivery room first!"

Consort Duan had no choice but to call her people for help. After all, if something happened to her, the Emperor would definitely hold her, as the head of the palace, accountable first. Now, she could only try to salvage the situation and leave the rest to fate.

"Yes, this servant will go right away." Chunyan had also thought of this, so without Duan Pin's instructions, she made the arrangements perfectly.