"Aruna, why did you attack?"
In the small Buddhist hall of Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager stood in front of the Buddha niche, chanting sutras with her eyes closed. Not far from her stood the Empress Dowager, who had been there for quite some time.
The Empress Dowager was not surprised that the Grand Empress Dowager had discovered her little tricks, after all, among the connections she used were people that the Grand Empress Dowager had sent over when she first entered the palace.
"Great-aunt, there's no reason why, I just find her too annoying."
The Empress Dowager spoke calmly, but to the Grand Empress Dowager, it sounded very provocative.
Turning back, the Empress Dowager's eyes were sharp. "You want Khorchin to return to the state it was before the Manchus entered the Central Plains?"
She was risking the interests and safety of the entire Khorchin region to satisfy her own selfish desires. And this wasn't even a power struggle within the harem. She couldn't understand what conflict the Empress Dowager could have with Consort Shu and the Empress.
When the Empress Dowager heard the question from the Grand Empress Dowager, she was momentarily stunned.
Empress Dowager: ...! !!
The Empress Dowager noticed the Empress Dowager's unnatural change in demeanor and quickly took two steps to stand in front of her. "Is someone harboring ill intentions?"
The Empress Dowager quickly shook her head and took two steps back, saying, "This matter has nothing to do with anyone else."
The Empress Dowager didn't believe it because there was no reason for it. As the Emperor's legal mother, she had no vested interests with the Empress and Consort Shu. Why would she target these two people, especially Consort Shu, and even succeed in doing so?
Her mind raced, and unsurprisingly, the Empress Dowager thought of Xiuning.
Could it be that Hittara was overcome by greed?
As one of the few birth mothers of princes in the harem, Lady Hitara also had a daughter raised under the Empress Dowager's care. It seems plausible that the two of them might have achieved some kind of goal in exchange for the Empress Dowager getting rid of Consort Shu and the Empress.
After all, Yinreng became the crown prince, which was a great source of stability for Empress Hesheli. But if the empress who could protect Yinreng in the palace were gone, could a child like Yinreng really survive in the treacherous harem?
The Empress Dowager thought about the Emperor's attitude towards the Crown Prince. It couldn't be said that he didn't value him, but he didn't value him as much as she had imagined.
"Aruna, I don't care what you think, but what you've done can only go so far."
The Empress Dowager composed herself and, with a commanding gesture, told the Empress Dowager to stop, "Khorchin is your backer, but not your trump card for lawlessness."
Those who committed the act have been sent to the Ministry of Justice. You don't need to worry that this matter will be known to anyone other than me. However, the fact that they have crossed the line again and again means that even I cannot turn a blind eye to this matter.
Go back to the palace. From now on, just live your quiet life peacefully.
After saying this, regardless of how the Empress Dowager responded, the Grand Empress Dowager left the small Buddhist hall first.
"No, no, great-aunt, I..."
The Empress Dowager realized what was happening and turned to chase after him, but was stopped by Su Ma La Gu who was waiting at the door.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager will take a short rest after finishing her Buddhist rituals. You have not eaten since you arrived this morning, so please return to the palace first."
Sumalagu was respectful, and neither her demeanor nor her tone showed any sign of being perfunctory towards the Empress Dowager.
But it was precisely this attitude that made the Empress Dowager even more anxious.
"I want to see my great-aunt, she has misunderstood," the Empress Dowager hurriedly explained, but Sumalagu still greeted her with a smile, but refused to let the Empress Dowager go to see the Grand Empress Dowager.
Empress Dowager: ...
I understand. It seems I won't be able to see the Empress Dowager today no matter what.
After the Empress Dowager left, Sumalagu looked up at the main hall, pondered for a moment, and then simply stepped inside.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager was sitting on the couch, turning the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, pondering the motives behind the Empress Dowager's actions.
Unsurprisingly, Xiuning was implicated.
After all, on the surface, Xiuning was the one who benefited the most after the Empress Dowager did this.
This speculation was the Empress Dowager's subjective conjecture, but in reality, the misfortunes of Consort Shu and the Empress might not necessarily benefit Xiu Ning.
Xiuning was only a concubine. Although she had children, Kangxi was still very young and would have many children in the future. It would be more accurate to say that it would benefit all the concubines in the harem than Xiuning.
Without Xiu Ning's knowledge, she had quietly offended one of the most powerful figures in the harem.
...
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather gradually turned cold.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Emperor issued an edict several months in advance at the Qianqing Palace, stating that the imperial concubine selection for the sixteenth year of Kangxi's reign would officially begin in February of the following year.
Such news is good news for families outside the palace who have ambitions, but it is somewhat annoying for the concubines in the harem.
Another new person has joined.
"Time flies, almost six years have passed in the blink of an eye."
Tong Jiarongyue, holding Qianli's hand, walked back to the palace, sighing as she went.
"Although it has been six years, the Empress is still as graceful and elegant as when she entered the palace, which shows that time affects people differently."
Qianli subtly complimented Tong Jiarongyue's beauty, while also subtly putting down the others.
Tong Jiarong smiled faintly, "You're getting better and better at talking."
Qianli continued to flatter, "Your Majesty is wise; I speak only from the heart."
The words "sincerely" were abruptly cut off as Tong Jiarongyue was bumped by a palace maid who suddenly ran out from in front of her.
With a cry of "Ouch!", it was unclear who shouted it, and the two stumbled back a step. Fortunately, Tong Jiarongyue was caught by Qianli, while the reckless little palace maid was knocked to the ground.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" After inquiring about Tong Jia Rongyue, Qianli was so angry that she immediately ordered the eunuch beside her to restrain the culprit. "Which palace's servant are you from? How dare you be so disrespectful and directly offend our Lady! What is your punishment?"
Tong Jiarongyue also frowned. She looked at the little palace maid who was trembling with fear and couldn't understand why this person didn't watch where she was going. Of course, the servants around her were not doing their jobs properly either, and they actually let the other person bump into her.
"This servant is a palace maid of Yongshou Palace. I accidentally offended Consort Tong. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
The little palace maid kept bowing her head and admitting her mistakes, her words trembling, which only fueled Tong Jiarongyue's anger.
It's like that frustrating feeling of being caught in the act by your rival's servant, and not knowing how to get angry.
"Alright, tell me what happened. You came out so recklessly. Could this be Consort Shu's palace servant?"
Tong Jiarongyue couldn't help but speak sarcastically, after all, she was the one who had just been injured.
Upon hearing this, the young palace maid seemed to realize what she was supposed to do and immediately got up from the ground without saying a word.
This action frightened the eunuchs who had previously subdued the young palace maid, causing them to increase their force and, in the ensuing scuffle, knock the maid to the ground once again.
"Your Highness, Consort Tong, our Lady has suddenly fallen seriously ill. I have been ordered to go to the Imperial Hospital to fetch the imperial physician as soon as possible. Please forgive my rudeness and allow me to leave..."
The young palace maid cried out in distress, unsurprisingly attracting the attention of others around her.
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