If a concubine were to have sex with the emperor in the Qianqing Palace, she would certainly not be allowed to stay overnight, as she was not qualified.
Normally, after the concubines had finished serving the emperor, they would wrap themselves in bedding and have the eunuchs carry them back to a side hall on one side of the palace to rest. Or, to go even further, they would be sent directly back to their own palace.
Xiu Ning performed exceptionally well during the Emperor's bedchamber service, which pleased Kangxi greatly. Therefore, after the encounter, Xiu Ning was not carried back to Qixiang Palace, but was instead taken to a side hall by the eunuchs. Kangxi even had the maids in the surrounding room help the 'fallen asleep' Xiu Ning with a simple bath.
Squeak—
With the door closed, Xiu Ning, who was fast asleep on the bed, opened her eyes.
'At least Emperor Kangxi had some conscience; he didn't send me back to Qixiang Palace.'
With a thought to herself, Xiu Ning took the opportunity to call out to the system in her mind and swallow two pills to relieve the soreness in her body.
The pills produced by the system are of pretty good quality; at least they made Xiu Ning feel much better.
She couldn't help but complain about Kangxi's recklessness. He didn't realize that this was the first time she had been favored by the emperor, and not only did he lack restraint, he also acted extremely wildly.
Those who knew her thought that Kangxi himself couldn't control himself, but those who didn't would have thought she was some kind of wicked concubine who brought ruin to the country, bewitching Kangxi and making him lose his sense of propriety.
"Congratulations, host! Not only did you successfully serve the emperor for the first time, but you also left a good impression. This will be very beneficial to our mission."
The system, a beat behind, popped up and said a bunch of things, successfully making Xiu Ning, whose mood had just improved, angry again.
'What benefit? There's still the Empress to see later,' she hadn't forgotten that Empress Hesheli's attitude towards her wasn't friendly either. 'The trouble is tomorrow, what will the Emperor's impression be?' 'With the Empress Dowager above, it's not that important.'
'I'm going to rest now. Remember to wake me up if you need to.'
After saying that, Xiu Ning fell asleep without waiting for the system's reaction.
On the other side, the candlelight flickered in the main hall of Kunning Palace, making it clear that Hesheli Fangyi had not yet rested.
"The Emperor did indeed summon Lady Hitara." Hesheli Fangyi finished speaking with a faint expression, but a hint of melancholy lingered in her eyes.
It's a simple statement, yet it conveys a different kind of emotion.
Beside her, Granny Li quickly served the Empress a cup of hot tea and handed it to her, while glancing at her with a worried expression. "Consort Xitala is a newcomer. She has just entered the palace. Whether the Emperor likes her or not, he will summon her." Besides, it was her mistress who personally arranged for the Imperial Household Department to summon Consort Xitala to the Qing Palace. Why is her mistress now feeling regretful and sad after learning that the other party has successfully served the Emperor?
"Granny, I am not sad, it's just that I still have a sliver of hope for the Emperor. I thought that, given his personality, he would not favor her."
With a snap, Hesheli Fangyi slammed the teacup to the ground, her eyes filled with gloom. "But I am still somewhat disappointed," disappointed with her understanding of the Emperor, saddened by her position in the Emperor's heart, and regretful of the feelings she had placed on him.
"Your Highness, please don't be impatient," Li Mama quickly advised Hesheli Fangyi upon seeing this. "After all, Consort Xitala is only two ranks higher than a concubine. No matter how favored she is, with the Empress Dowager in charge, she will not surpass you."
"You are the Empress, the head of the inner palace. As long as you don't lose your composure, even if they try every trick in the book to target you, they will not pose a threat to you."
This was mainly because the previous dynasty's Hesheli clan was able to maintain stability. Even though Sony was gone, the Empress's biological father, Gabula, was still alive, and the up-and-coming Suoertu was also serving in the previous dynasty.
With such a powerful clan as the Hesheli clan, even the usually arrogant Consort Shu could only verbally target them without taking any real action. This shows that even if Consort Hesheli failed to give birth to a legitimate son, she could still secure her position as Empress.
Granny Li understood Hesheli Fangyi and knew what she was thinking.
Although the Empress hasn't said anything yet, she's already angry inside.
But upon closer reflection, it's just human nature.
From childhood to adulthood, the first man besides her family that Hesheli Fangyi could have close contact with was Emperor Kangxi. Moreover, she and Kangxi were both young when they got married, and at that time the court was unstable and the harem was in turmoil. By chance, the two of them found solace in each other and naturally developed some feelings for one another.
It would be a lie to say that Consort Hesheli loved Emperor Kangxi so much. The first rule of noble ladies is that they cannot have love.
Love can make people blind and irrational, and it can also make them lose their competitive spirit.
Hesheli Fangyi had to admit that she liked Kangxi, but not to the point of love. It was like a child who had lost his favorite toy and was bursting with possessiveness, wanting to take it back.
Xitala Xiuning's beauty alerted Hesheli Fangyi, which is why she chose to strike first, digging a pit for Xitala Xiuning and intentionally or unintentionally pushing Xiuning forward.
Unfortunately, Xiu Ning's beauty not only made Emperor Kangxi make an exception, but also caused Hesheli Fangyi to lose out instead of gaining an advantage.
“Granny, I understand what you’re saying. But the thought of the Emperor having another beauty by his side still makes me very sad,” This was an instinctive reaction, and it was also because Consort Hesheli Fangyi and Granny Li had a good relationship, otherwise she wouldn’t have said these words. “Let’s not talk about whether Lady Xitala can make it to the end, but if the Emperor can make her a Consort today, can he make someone else a Noble Lady tomorrow?”
With so many concubines in the harem, including Lady Ma Jia who has already given birth and Lady Zhang who is pregnant, they were all relatively well-behaved before. But as time goes on, with Lady Xitala as a target, will they also resort to means to climb the ranks?
The Empress Dowager is deeply concerned about Mongolia. Currently, three Mongolian concubines have entered the palace. If any of them become pregnant, who can guarantee that the situation during the late emperor's reign will not repeat itself?
The clan's support for me is not as strong as before. That concubine Hesheli is living in Jingyang Palace; it's obvious whose face she's slapping without me even needing to say it.
As she finished speaking, anger flashed in Hesheli Fangyi's eyes. "This is clearly disrespectful to me. I am still the Empress." If she had to wait a few more years, she might have truly become a mere figurehead.
“My lady, please don’t be impatient, there is still plenty of time,” Granny Li understood what Consort Hesheli Fangyi wanted to say and quickly changed the subject. “Tomorrow morning, Consort Xitala will come to pay her respects. I’m sure it’s not just you, my lady, but others will also be very curious about Consort Xitala.”
As long as the master remains calm, plenty of people will take the initiative to teach the newcomer a lesson.
Upon hearing this, a smile involuntarily appeared on Hesheli Fangyi's lips.
“What the old lady said is right. The person who hates Consort Xitala the most is not me.”
Thinking about what would happen tomorrow, Hesheli Fangyi felt much better.
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