Standing next to Xitala Debao, Lady Fucha was also overjoyed, her hand trembling slightly as she held her maid's.
Leading his family in kowtowing and expressing their gratitude, Xitala Debao, as the head of the household, respectfully accepted the imperial edict. He then chuckled and slipped the edict into the other party's bulging purse, speaking cautiously, "May I ask how many imperial edicts have been sent out of the palace today, sir?"
Hittara Debau wanted to count the number of people who entered the palace, especially whether there were any prominent aristocratic families.
"You're too kind, Lord Hitara," the young eunuch who delivered the imperial edict said with a smile, putting the purse into his sleeve. He thought for a moment and said, "Several families received the imperial edict at the same time this time. Two of them were sent to the post station in the capital. As for the rest, none of them are as capable as Princess Hitara, who was able to obtain the rank of a Consort."
The rank of "Changzai" might not have been considered significant in the later Qing Dynasty, but since this was only the early Kangxi period, the harem was almost entirely composed of concubines.
If we were to rank them by rank, Xiuning would definitely be among the top few.
When Xitala Debao heard this news, his eyes lit up. Wow, this treatment was even better than they had imagined (after all, Ma Jia, who had given birth to the eldest son of a concubine almost a year ago, was still only a concubine).
After all, after the palace selection, Xitala Debao had specifically prepared Xiuning mentally, roughly saying that the only proper principal consorts in the harem were the Empress and Consort Shu, and that she was not afraid even if she entered the palace as a concubine, because this was a normal start. As long as she could gain more favor from the Emperor later, she would definitely be able to rise to a higher position when she was promoted in the future.
Good heavens! The Emperor granted her the title of "Changzai" (常在), which means his daughter has been performing exceptionally well in the palace.
After thanking the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree profusely, Xitala Debao generously gave him another purse and even condescended to personally see him off, demonstrating utmost courtesy.
As the eunuch delivering the imperial decree led the palace servants away, the entire Hitara residence was plunged into a sea of joy.
Some brought good news, others delivered messages; the entire mansion was bustling with activity.
Xitala Debao held Fucha's hand, calling her "Madam" with genuine affection.
Look, this is the power of the Hitara family. What can those stubborn and unconvinced families in the clan say now that they've heard the news?
When the news of the imperial edict spread from the palace, it brought joy to some and sorrow to others among the families in the capital who had left their names on the edict.
Because Xiuning has a proper rank, she doesn't need to enter the palace as quickly as others who are only given the title of concubine without a formal status. She can wait about seven days.
Don't underestimate these seven days; they allow Xiuning and Xitala to make a lot of arrangements in advance.
After receiving the imperial decree, Xiu Ning had nothing to do, so she was simply sent back to rest by Lady Fucha. Lady Fucha and Xitala Debao then quickly changed their clothes and continued to entertain the people who came to offer their congratulations.
Many people came to offer their congratulations, including those who were close to Xitala Debao, Fucha's maternal relatives and friends, and several elders from the same clan... Fucha and Xitala Debao hadn't had a moment's rest since receiving the imperial edict.
Only after the sun began to set and darkness fell, and all the well-wishers had left, did the couple finally breathe a sigh of relief, their entire bodies visibly relaxing.
Because everyone was so tired, they only had a simple dinner in their respective courtyards.
The next morning, after Fucha recovered, she had her maid invite Xiuning over.
"Mother, is there anything you need to tell your daughter?" Xiuning sat beside Fucha and spoke obediently.
Empress Fucha nodded and said earnestly, "It is a joyous occasion that you were granted the title of Changzai on your first official appointment. This shows that the Emperor is very satisfied with you."
"But once you have a rank, you'll stand out compared to the other concubines in the harem." Standing out means being targeted by everyone; that's the reality of the harem.
"You've lived in the palace for more than half a month, so you know that among the current mistresses of the harem, the one you absolutely cannot offend is the Empress Dowager."
Therefore, one must be cautious in one's actions and never do anything like the one that Consort Chen was favored during the reign of the late emperor. The Empress Dowager could only tolerate one Consort Chen to the limit, and she would never allow another one in the harem to be comparable to her.
Xiuning smiled upon hearing this, "Mother, don't worry, I won't risk my life."
Master Kong's exclusive favorite? You might have the life to fight for it, but not the life to enjoy it.
Kangxi and Shunzhi were two people with different personalities. Xiuning would be crazy to imitate Consort Chen. She should honestly understand her own position and earnestly rely on giving birth to children to get promoted. This is the path Xiuning should take.
Empress Fucha trusted her daughter completely. She patted Xiuning's hand and said, "Mother believes in you."
Returning to the palace, aside from the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager was also a figure not to be underestimated. She shared a close kinship with the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Grand Empress Dowager owed the Empress Dowager much for her actions regarding the late Emperor. Unless absolutely necessary, one should never antagonize the Empress Dowager.
Xiu Ning nodded seriously. She agreed with her mother's analysis. During the time she lived in Chuxiu Palace, the Empress Dowager had taken the opportunity to do quite a few things (although she didn't understand why the Empress Dowager did so).
"There are also the Empress and Consort Shu, and these two are in a state of constant conflict, both in terms of their families and as individuals."
"Especially now that Consort Shu is pregnant, while the Empress is not," Empress Fucha paused before adding, "The Empress might not target you too much, but Consort Shu is another story. The Niohuru clan has been acting rather arrogantly since they entered the palace. The two concubines from the Hitara clan who had their incidents were connected to them. You need to be even more careful after you enter the palace."
It is said that a mother worries when her son travels a thousand miles away; Xiuning's departure this time may mean she will never return.
Fucha wanted nothing more than to tell Xiuning everything she knew.
"The concubines in the palace entered the palace earlier than you and have more power than you, so they have a lot of advantages from the start."
Although your family and clan have planted many spies in the palace, you can't judge a book by its cover, and who can guarantee their unwavering loyalty?
"After you enter the palace, you must be careful with your words and actions, and restrain yourself. Even with your own people, you must always be on guard." After Fucha finished speaking, her eyes showed obvious sadness, which was evident despite her efforts to conceal it.
Xiuning felt Fucha's deep love for her son, lowered her head slightly, and said firmly, "Mother, don't worry, I understand."
The people in the palace, especially those servants who entered the palace at a young age, are basically like rootless duckweed. Today they are bribed by one person, tomorrow by another. Nobody knows who their master is.
Even though the Hitara clan and the Fucha clan had prepared many supposedly completely trustworthy spies for her, Xiuning would still rely on the system to check them before using them. She couldn't trust anyone but herself, and Xiuning wouldn't be stingy with her points.
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