Although Kangxi's eldest son lived in the Prince's Residence from birth, he still had a strong presence in the harem because he was frequently ill.
How frequently? Well, for half the month, he would call the imperial physician, and for the other half, he would lie in bed to rest and recuperate.
At first, Emperor Kangxi had high hopes for his eldest son, who was his first imperial heir and also his son. However, Chengrui was simply not up to par, due to both internal and external reasons. As a result, Emperor Kangxi had to weigh the pros and cons and choose to give up on him.
"It's really inappropriate to celebrate such a joyous occasion."
Xiu Ning shook her head. Don't call her cold-blooded or indifferent to children. To survive in such a cruel harem, one has to be ruthless.
Prince Chengrui, Consort Ma Jia, and the Ma Jia clan have attracted attention because of him, and have also been targeted because of him.
Chunyu sighed, "When I returned, I heard that Consort Ma Jia of Zhongcui Palace had already gone to the Prince's residence."
Unfortunately, what good would it do to go? Does illness disappear just because a loved one is by your side? In fact, if things go wrong, Consort Ma Jia might even get a scolding from the Empress for being late to the banquet.
"This is the downside of the system." The concubines in the harem had no right to raise their children. After they were born, whether they were princes or princesses, they had to be sent to live in the Prince's Residence or Princess's Residence. This applied to everyone except the Empress.
To be honest, Xiuning was also worried about what she would do if she gave birth to children but was unable to raise them.
It's not the right time for Emperor Kangxi to bestow titles upon concubines yet. Unless the target is the Empress Dowager's lineage, sending the newborn child directly to the princes' or princesses' quarters is simply a matter of dying sooner or later.
Standing up, Xiu Ning took Chun Yu's hand and let out a soft sigh, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore, let's go over there."
Some things, once said, only serve to make you feel worse. Since overthinking is pointless, just take it one step at a time.
Dressed neatly, Xiu Ning and Chun Yu set off for the banquet at Hehuan Palace.
Coincidentally, they happened to meet Consort Ma Jia, who was walking in a hurry, on the way.
Huh? Didn't they say they went to the Prince's residence?
Xiu Ning blinked calmly, first exchanging a glance with Chun Yu, then smiling and greeting her.
"Did Consort Ma Jia just return from Zhongcui Palace?"
Xiuning glanced behind Ma Jia, whose direction was the same as that of Zhong Cuigong and the prince.
"Yes, is Consort Xitala also going to the Hehuan Palace Banquet?"
Consort Ma Jia spoke vaguely, her face was pale, and her voice was weak, giving the impression that she was absent-minded.
Xiuning pretended not to know and nodded with a smile, "Is Consort Ma Jia also one?"
With a soft "hmm," Consort Ma sighed, "I wonder if this banquet at Hehuan Palace will go smoothly."
"With the Empress Dowager and the Empress in charge, things should go smoothly."
The last Mid-Autumn Festival banquet went wrong, which could be attributed to the Empress Dowager's desire to watch the drama unfold. However, with the power now back in the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager cannot allow this most important banquet of the year to be disrupted, neither morally nor logically.
"I hope so, it's not like it hasn't happened before," Consort Ma Jia muttered under her breath, but she realized her mistake as soon as she finished speaking, and quickly shut her mouth with an embarrassed laugh.
The two of them walked the rest of the way together.
During the meeting, the two tacitly avoided mentioning certain sensitive topics. Consort Ma Jia even unusually refrained from criticizing her old enemy, Empress Nara.
Yes, it's just that surreal. Despite the good relationship between Xiuning and Nara, Majia still dared to make things difficult for Nara in front of Xiuning, leaving people wondering whether Majia was clever or stupid.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two arrived at the destination where the Hehuan Palace Banquet was being held.
Because they arrived early, apart from the busy servants, there weren't many concubines present inside or outside the venue.
Seeing this, Xiu Ning and Consort Ma Jia, who had originally intended to separate, came together again.
There's no other way; we can't all just sit there bored in our seats. It's better to get together and chat, even if it's just idle talk, than to be alone.
"Sigh, this festival feast is getting grander every year. I remember when I was at home, it was just a lively family reunion dinner."
Consort Ma spoke first, but her tone was low, revealing a hidden longing within.
Xiu Ning's expression shifted, and she sighed, "Yes, now that I'm in the palace, it's not easy to see my family again."
There's a significant difference between inside and outside the palace. Xiuning and Lady Fucha had lived together for many years, and it would be a lie to say she didn't want to, but there was nothing she could do. During festivals and holidays, only high-ranking concubines could summon their families to the palace. As a lowly concubine, she could only do so if the Emperor specifically requested permission…
Wait, an exception by the Emperor? That seems possible, isn't she currently a 'favored concubine'?
Xiuning was startled, but quickly composed herself and regained her composure.
"My sister is pampered and spoiled; it's not difficult for her to see her family."
Ma Jia spoke up, smilingly suggesting that Xiu Ning could subtly propose to the Emperor, even using the example of how she met her family members after giving birth to Cheng Rui.
Xiuning: ……
However, she seemed to understand why Lady Ma was still a concubine even though she had given birth to a son.
This is exactly what he brought upon himself; he's pushing his luck and wearing down the emperor's patience.
"Is this really feasible?" Xiu Ning's face showed 'interest,' and her close-up appearance delivered a barrage of blows to Ma Jia Shi.
This person has the potential to be favored. It seems I need to be careful later on, Ma Jia thought to herself, then smiled and nodded, "The Emperor favors you."
The implication is that your wish will definitely be granted.
He didn't continue speaking, and other people started arriving around that time.
The two tacitly separated; Ma Jia began chatting with other people, while Xiu Ning returned to her seat.
Compared to the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the Hehuan Palace Banquet is much grander and more dazzling in both scale and arrangement.
The Empress Dowager, the Empress, the Empress, and the Emperor all came together, along with several of the Emperor's brothers and their wives.
Even a high-ranking concubine like Xiu Ning had to sit in the back to make way for others, let alone the concubines who had no power and could only be background figures.
It was New Year's Day, and it was customary to deliver New Year's greetings. The emperor's brothers were the first to speak, followed by the empress, and then all the concubines joined in singing.
The whole scene was filled with joy and laughter.
"Alright, today is a family dinner, and it's rare that everyone is here, so let's begin."
Emperor Kangxi glanced at Consort Hesheli, and then the Empress gave an order. The palace maids waiting outside the hall began to serve dishes in a flowing stream, and the singers and dancers waiting to perform began to perform earnestly.
Xiu Ning looked at the exquisitely presented dishes and the graceful dancers, and only took a small sip of the fruit wine that was served.
Unfortunately, given the previous Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, even though she knew the probability of the dishes being tampered with was extremely low, Xiu Ning was still unwilling to take the risk.
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