Although Sun Miaoqing spoke with absolute certainty about the smallpox vaccine, Da Pang Ju remained cautious until he personally had it confirmed.

He sent Physician Lu with a team to take over, while Big Fatty Orange waited happily for news at Kyushu Qingyan.

He truly is destined by Heaven!

It is said that the late emperor was exceptionally wise and brilliant, and that the Purple Star shone upon the world. He has only just ascended the throne and has already achieved such great political accomplishments. He will surely be remembered in history for all time.

When the emperor is in a good mood, the people under him all have an easier time.

Rumors began circulating in the Yuanmingyuan Garden sometime during this period. It was said that the Emperor, having recently ascended the throne, had quelled the war in the Northwest. Overjoyed, he intended to bestow great honors upon his concubines, ensuring they all received the same favor.

In an instant, the Yuanmingyuan Garden became lively again, and the scent of women's cosmetics filled the air everywhere.

In just a few days, Big Fat Orange received more than a dozen purses, seven or eight belts, three pairs of boots, and a bunch of silk scarves.

Annoyed to the point of exhaustion, he simply hung up a white flag, forbidding all his concubines from approaching Kyushu Qingyan without being summoned.

"The greatest burden is the kindness of a beautiful woman."

Big Fat Orange sighed helplessly, then took another sip of Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao tea. It was fragrant and had a faint orchid scent.

The amount of tea leaves harvested each year was limited, and the Empress Dowager was particularly fond of this tea. He kept only a small amount for himself each year, sending the rest to the Shou Kang Palace.

Su Peisheng said with a smile, "The ladies are all counting on you, so shouldn't we be extra attentive?"

Big Fat Orange said, "It's all because of the news of the Grand Conferment of Titles on the Six Palaces. Everyone is so anxious."

"Although it is a grand promotion of the six palaces, not everyone can be promoted. The ranks above the rank of concubine are limited, and besides, there are some things that I haven't thought about yet."

Fortunately, there's still some time, so there's no rush.

Seeing the troubled look on Da Pang Ju's face, Su Peisheng knew that he was worried about Hua Fei's promotion.

Earlier, he lost his composure in front of Consort Cheng and blurted out the words about bestowing titles upon the six palaces.

In particular, rumors circulated in the palace that the pacification of the Northwest forced all the concubines to accept Hua Fei's favor.

Su Peisheng knew that the emperor hadn't originally planned to promote Consort Hua's rank so quickly. But after this whole incident, he had no choice but to do so now.

However, whether she should hold the title of Consort or Imperial Noble Consort remains to be considered.

"Is His Majesty considering what rank to bestow upon Consort Hua?"

The chubby orange nodded, "That's true."

"There are some things I have wronged her about, and I was thinking of granting Shilan the title of Imperial Noble Consort in a few years. But the time is not right now, and I don't want to see Shilan disappointed if I don't promote her."

Su Peisheng understood. Big Fat Orange had already made up his mind, but he needed someone to give him an excuse so that he could do it with a clear conscience.

He's exactly that kind of person, he couldn't be more perfect!

"Your Majesty is wise. How can the affection between you and Consort Hua be determined by rank?"

"Although the position of Imperial Noble Consort is prestigious, it cannot compare to your deep affection for Consort Hua."

"Furthermore, although Her Majesty the Empress doesn't manage affairs much now, she is still the Empress after all, and she still has to consider the Empress Dowager's feelings."

"Consort Hua has always been a woman of great principle and has been devoted to the Emperor. She probably won't hold these things against her."

The chubby orange nodded, "You're right. Consort Cheng has made such great contributions, yet I only promoted her to the rank of Noble Consort. It would indeed be inappropriate to promote Consort Hua to Imperial Noble Consort at this time."

"Besides, with the Empress still alive, if we establish an Imperial Noble Consort, those censors will probably start gossiping again."

Su Peisheng said with a smile, "Your Majesty has thought things through. There hasn't been such a joyous occasion in the palace for a long time. It's time to celebrate properly."

*

Changchun Immortal Hall

Zhen Huan, Shen Meizhuang, An Lingrong, and Sun Miaoqing gathered at a table again.

The master craftsmen of the Imperial Household Department worked day and night to inlay the mammoth tusk with various precious stones such as agate, gemstones, coral, jade, and pearls, creating this incomparably luxurious mahjong set.

An Lingrong picked up a bamboo tube; the green circle was inlaid with extremely translucent jade. The flower in the center was mainly made of crimson agate, embellished with coral and various gemstones.

The center of the flower is a flawless, round pearl. Although it is only the size of a mung bean, its luster is dazzling. Against the backdrop of other jewels, it is like the moon surrounded by stars.

An Lingrong said, "Is this made of ivory dug up from Mongolia? It is indeed different from other things."

"It doesn't feel like ivory at all. If it weren't for the difference in color, I would have thought it was Hetian mutton fat jade."

Shen Meizhuang said, "Yes, such a precious thing, if someone else gets it, they will definitely hide it well and only take it out to look at it when they are in a good mood."

"You actually took it out to use? I was so nervous holding it, afraid that I might accidentally bump or knock it over and commit a crime."

Sun Miaoqing said, "If this thing isn't used, why carve it into a mahjong tile? It's better to carve it into an ornament and use it as a decoration."

Zhen Huan said, "If we're talking about the palace, it's definitely Grandma Sun who's living the most comfortable life. She can do whatever she wants, just like when she first entered the palace."

An Lingrong said, "Isn't that right? People used to say that the Fifth Prince was difficult to raise, but I feel that ever since he went to live with Sister Sun, he has become very sensible and obedient."

"It's clear that he only plays around with others, and he's only well-behaved with Sister Sun."

Shen Meizhuang laughed and said, "I dare not let the Emperor hear this. He was complaining to me the other day. He said that my sister-in-law keeps sending the Fifth Prince over to bother him, and he has broken quite a few of his ornaments these days."

"Among them are two pieces of Yuan blue and white porcelain and a bonsai made of gemstones, all of which were the emperor's favorite items."

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