The area outside the palace was in an uproar because of the imperial edict, and the same thing happened inside the palace.
Kunning Palace Main Hall
Hesheli Fangyi felt a headache coming on again. The Emperor had actually conferred the title of Changzai on one of the candidates. Was there some special meaning behind it?
"Your Highness is merely a young lady from a middle-class family."
She got a freebie, which is how she became Changzai.
In my humble opinion, someone like that wouldn't have a bright future even if they entered the palace.
As Hesheli Fangyi's personal maid since childhood, Tan Yun was the best at understanding her mistress's mood.
Compared to Su Mama's strong familial affection for Hesheli Fangyi, Tan Yun is more adept at ingratiating herself.
After all, if a servant wants to gain the master's favor, she either needs to be exceptionally capable or speak in a way that pleases the master.
Tan Yun belongs to the latter type. She is not as loyal as Granny Su, nor does she have the excellent skills of Tan Duo, but she is good at talking.
Since becoming empress, Empress Hesheli Fangyi's daily life has been very repressed.
As the master's personal maid, Tan Yun's role was to relieve the master's bad mood and try her best to stabilize the master's mentality so that Kun Ning Palace would not make any obvious mistakes.
Overall, Tan Yun did a good job in this regard. Even though Consort Hesheli Fangyi was furious with Consort Shu and others, she still maintained the dignity of an empress and did not lose her composure.
"I remember this young lady comes from the Hitara clan?"
Hesheli Fangyi frowned, vaguely recalling some of the memories.
It seems that this person's appearance was particularly outstanding among the candidates for the imperial concubine selection. Consort Shu was very wary of him and even tried to frame him several times (unfortunately, none of her attempts succeeded).
"His name is Xitala Xiuning, and his biological father is only a minor official of the fourth rank."
Tan Yun spoke with disdain, after all, Hesheli Fangyi's grandfather was Sony, one of the four regents, and her father was Hesheli Gabula, holding an astonishing number of official positions.
What makes a small clan like the Hitara compare to the Hesheli clan?
No, we can't even compare them, because that would only lower the bar for the Heseris.
"You should be careful with your words. You can't say things like that. People can't choose their own birth."
Hesheli Fangyi gave a couple of perfunctory replies, which even improved her mood considerably.
Upon hearing this, Tan Yun politely apologized, but Hesheli Fangyi did not pursue the matter further regarding Tan Yun's earlier remarks that belittled the Xitala clan.
From this, we can infer that Hesheli Fangyi still looked down on these Manchu nobles who were inferior to her own family. This shows the hierarchical division of society in ancient feudal society.
"This time, the Emperor selected five women to enter the palace. Two of them were Mongolian women, and the remaining three were all from Manchu bannermen."
Compared to Princess Xitala, I am more worried about the Empress Dowager.
As she spoke, Hesheli Fangyi rubbed her slightly sore eyes and brows. "Although the Borjigit concubine in the harem is not favored, she has grown up in the harem since childhood. Not only is she childhood sweetheart of the Emperor, but the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager have also taken good care of her. Now that two more women from her clan have entered the palace, I'm afraid the Mongol lineage will form a new power."
Just like during the reign of the late emperor, the high positions in the harem were firmly held by Mongol concubines, while these Manchu noblewomen had no choice but to submit to them and endure humiliation.
"His Majesty's attitude toward the Mongols is not as clear as it was during the reign of the late Emperor. Your Majesty, perhaps the glory of the Mongol concubines has come to an end."
Tan Yun felt that Mongolians did not fit the emperor's aesthetic standards. Furthermore, during the reign of the late emperor, Mongolian concubines were too arrogant and greatly suppressed both the Manchu and Han ethnic groups. No matter what, the emperor would never allow them to act arrogantly in the harem.
Hesheli Fangyi didn't say anything about Tan Yun's opinion, but the smile on her lips already showed her attitude. "But the Empress Dowager is still here. Now the power of the palace is said to be handed over to me, but in the end it is not in my hands."
This is what the Empress is most worried about. With palace power, no one can stop the Empress Dowager from doing whatever she wants.
As for the palace, Tan Yun had no good suggestions. She couldn't very well suggest that the Empress Dowager relinquish it herself; that would be too much to ask.
"Forget it, let's not talk about it," there's no good solution to talking about it, it will only make me more upset. "Have the Imperial Household Department prepare the palaces that people will be living in in advance. By the way, Princess Xitala lives in Qixiang Palace, don't get it wrong."
Tan Yun nodded in agreement, "This servant understands."
...
As Tan Yun delivered the instructions to the Imperial Household Department, the palace servants there began to get busy.
"Tsk, making a racket all day long, are you deliberately trying to prevent me from having a peaceful pregnancy?"
Inside Yongshou Palace, which is adjacent to Qixiang Palace, Consort Shu frowned and looked irritable.
"Your Majesty, please calm down," Cuizhi said, bringing a teacup to Consort Shu's side and patting her back as she tried to comfort her. "It's just a scheme by Kunning Palace. The more upset Your Majesty is, the more pleased the Empress will be."
Who arranged the palace where this newly promoted concubine will live? Anyone can figure out what Kunning Palace is up to.
Consort Shu curled her lip in disdain, looking down on the Empress's methods. "Hmph, since her own womb is useless, she can only disgust me in this way."
She really knows how to get those servants in the Imperial Household Department to repair her bedchamber when she's most tired.
After taking a sip of the warm tea in her hand, Consort Shu asked again who lived in Qixiang Palace, "Are they those two Mongolian concubines?" Of the five new people who entered the palace, these two had the highest social standing.
Upon hearing this, Cui Zhi paused, then said in a low, embarrassed voice, "It's that Xitala Changzai."
Bang--
"This servant knows her mistake and begs Your Majesty's forgiveness."
Consort Shu, supporting her belly with one hand, gritted her teeth and gasped for breath, "Why didn't you say so sooner?"
Well, Hesheli really wants to disgust herself with her little tricks. First, the renovations, then the people living in the house—it all hit her sore spots.
Consort Shu couldn't quite describe her feelings towards Hitara Xiuning. At first, she probably genuinely felt that the other woman was too beautiful and that entering the palace would be a threat to her (even though in her limited memory, she hadn't noticed that Emperor Kangxi had a concubine with the surname Hitara).
Then she felt something was increasingly strange, as if a voice from the shadows was telling her that she had to suppress the other party, otherwise her position would be in jeopardy.
Unfortunately, during the second round of selections, she made several plans, but not only did they fail, she also almost miscarried and had to stay in bed to recover.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was my oversight. I only considered that you would be in a bad mood after hearing the news, which might affect the little prince in your belly."
Now, both the imperial court and the harem are eyeing your belly, and I, your humble servant, am also afraid.
What if something unexpected happens? How can a mere maid like her take the blame?
You must know that Niohuru was so eager for the baby in the Empress's womb to be born that she was practically dying of longing.
Seeing her maid speak hesitantly, Consort Shu felt even more annoyed.
She tried to calm herself down, but in the end, she got so angry that she summoned the imperial physician.
I'm so angry!
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