After seeing the unfortunate Dong E Jingxin, Xiu Ning met Shu Mu Lu Yi Xuan, whose fate was completely opposite.
Well, if Dong E Jingxin got into trouble by bumping into Consort Shu, then Shu Mu Lu Yixuan got into trouble by bumping into Emperor Kangxi.
These two people have different circumstances, so naturally their mindsets are different.
It seems that Emperor Kangxi did indeed visit the Imperial Garden, but somehow, Shumulu Yixuan happened to run into him.
Having roughly deduced what happened to Shumulu Yixuan after she went to the Imperial Garden yesterday, Xiuning was still somewhat puzzled. It was forbidden for newly selected concubines to meet Emperor Kangxi in private, as this would violate the relevant rules of the selection process. In serious cases, they would be directly stripped of their eligibility for the final selection and sent home.
Shumulu Yixuan is going to be in big trouble too!
As this conclusion suddenly popped into her mind, Xiuning felt refreshed and invigorated.
I understand now. I've found all the points she overlooked this time. The problem lies in Shu Mulu Yixuan's surname.
"System, if I'm not mistaken, Shu Mulu Yixuan and the late emperor's favored concubine have a relatively direct blood relationship."
It's not just a simple kinship, but a bond several times closer than that of kin.
"Shu Mulu Yixuan is the late Emperor's Consort Chen's cousin," the system provided the accurate answer.
Although Shumulu Yixuan and Consort Chen both came from the same large Shumulu clan, Xiu Ning only assumed they were from the same clan because of Shumulu Yixuan's father's official position during the initial selection, and did not suspect that the two had any other relationship.
As a result, when she saw the footage of Shumulu Yixuan and Dong'e Jingxin going to the Imperial Garden yesterday, as well as Kangxi's inexplicable attitude towards Shumulu Yixuan, she began to speculate.
It was common knowledge in the inner palace that Emperor Kangxi would take a walk in the Imperial Garden when he had free time in the afternoon.
In this wave, someone may have wanted to take advantage of the concubine's recklessness to ruin Consort Shu's pregnancy. Dong E Jingxin just happened to be there and became such an unlucky person.
Shumulu Yixuan was probably sent to Emperor Kangxi because someone was wary of her.
The late Emperor's Consort Chen was the most favored concubine in the harem. Kangxi's birth mother was Consort Tong, so how could he possibly like Consort Chen? As for Shumulu Yixuan, who was related to Consort Chen by blood, Kangxi naturally felt a sense of aversion towards her. Now, Shumulu Yixuan is using tricks to meet him alone. Oh my, this is a total landmine. This person will probably be sent back home by him.
After stating her deduction, Xiuning thought of the Empress Dowager inviting them to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers.
What role does the Empress Dowager play here?
...
Cining Palace
"Aruna, why did you do this?"
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang looked at her innocent-looking grandniece and sighed heavily in her heart.
She never expected that her grandniece would harbor such malice towards a younger generation.
"You are already the Empress Dowager, the most honored person in the harem, why would you target a newly selected concubine?"
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang spoke earnestly, genuinely unable to understand why Aruna had come to this point. "Back then, your aunt was abandoned because of my conflict with the late emperor, and you, at such a young age, had no choice but to leave Khorchin and enter the palace to become the empress."
This is something your great-aunt has wronged you, and also your aunt who died young.
But, but all of that is in the past. You've gone from Empress to Empress Dowager, and your future is bright. Why drag yourself into this again?
The Empress Dowager looked up and calmly gazed at her great-aunt sitting on the couch.
This woman, whom her grandfather had always described as wise and intelligent, had grown old and frail with the passage of time.
“Grandmother, Aruna is not reconciled.” She was living a good life in Khorchin, but because her aunt was deposed, she had to marry into the royal family and become the Empress of the Qing Dynasty.
But what did she gain in return for all the sacrifices she made for Mongolia and Khorchin, and for the stability of the Qing Dynasty?
The late emperor's disregard and disrespect, the concubines' mockery and disgust... why should she allow that woman who carries the shadow of a past friend to enter the palace?
Aruna harbored resentment towards Consort Chen, of the Shumulu clan, who had been the most favored concubine during the late emperor's reign. However, she was also very clear-headed, understanding that her lack of favor had nothing to do with Shumulu. She was merely a pawn caught between the Empress Dowager and the late emperor. The late emperor had no way to deal with the Empress Dowager and the Mongols, so he simply ignored her. The Empress Dowager was unwilling to relinquish power, so she remained silent and did nothing about her.
Aruna scoffed inwardly, thinking that she herself was no good either. She should have resented her grandfather who sent her here and her great-aunt who sat on the throne of the Empress Dowager, but instead she took revenge on another pawn who had been used by others.
“Great-aunt, Aruna often wonders if my grandfather hadn’t sent me to the palace, would you have survived? And how happy I was in Mongolia.”
This pair of aunt and niece were ruined by the Empress Dowager and the late Emperor. Their anger and conflicts made them pay the price with their own lives.
Thinking of this, Aruna looked at Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang with cold eyes, and the corners of her mouth did not forget to turn up, "Grand Aunt, the matter has been done. If you are not satisfied, you can demote the wife to a concubine just like you did to Aunt. Anyway, the late emperor is gone, so it doesn't matter whether I am the Empress Dowager or the Imperial Concubine Dowager."
"You, Aruna"
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was speechless, her hands trembling and her eyes widening in shock.
“Grandmother, there are still matters to attend to at Shou Kang Palace. If you have no further instructions, I will take my leave.”
She rose, gave a slight bow, and left.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang: ...
"My lady, you have been in the bedchamber for quite some time. Would you like me to help you to the inner room to rest?"
Looking at Empress Xiaozhuang, who had been sitting for quite some time, Su Ma La Gu finally couldn't help but speak up and offer a few words of advice.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang showed neither sorrow nor joy. "Su Ma, tell me, what have I gained after a lifetime of hard work?"
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