After leaving the Cining Palace, everyone dispersed.
Xiuning rode in a sedan chair back to Qixiang Palace, even feigning modesty as she declined the enthusiastic invitation from Consort Nara.
At this time, anyone who got close to Consort Nara was doomed. A pregnant woman who was about to give birth had an extraordinary amount of intimidation.
"Spring Rain, what's all that commotion next door? Did the previous group all calm down?"
Sitting on a couch in a side hall of Qixiang Palace, Xiuning ate her breakfast, which she had brought back from the imperial kitchen, while chatting with Chunyu, who was serving the dishes beside her.
Chunyu placed the steamed bun she had been holding into a bowl, saying, "It's settled down now."
It is said that the neighbors had contacted each other before, but Grandpa Kang refused, citing health reasons.
"Now that Consort Shu of Yongshou Palace is ill, they have even less energy to contend with us."
In the end, Chunyu still felt a little regretful. They were just one step away from kicking Eunuch Kang out of Qixiang Palace, but unexpectedly, he dodged quickly and destroyed the evidence in advance.
Whenever Chunyu thinks of this, she can't help but sigh with regret.
Xiuning, on the other hand, took it in stride. "If it doesn't work this time, there's always next time."
Picking up a bowl of soup and putting it in her mouth, Xiuning brought up the matter of not having to go to Cining Palace to pay her respects for the time being. "The Empress Dowager doesn't want to get involved in affairs, and I'm afraid there will be problems in the inner palace again."
What could possibly happen in the harem during this time? One is that Consort Nara is about to give birth, another is that Consort Borjigit of Yonghe Palace is about to pass away, and yet another is that Consort Ma Jia's Cheng Rui is about to pass away.
Tsk, did the Empress Dowager foresee something?
Xiuning tilted her head, reached out and beckoned Chunyu to her side, whispering a few words, "Just do as I say, and remember, don't interfere."
Chunyu nodded, then hesitated slightly before asking, "But wouldn't it be pointless to leave people there?"
Xiuning shook her head. "I have my own reasons."
She reached out and touched her belly, which was almost four months pregnant. She didn't want to send the child to the princess's or prince's residence, so she could only take advantage of the frequent incidents during this period to find an opportunity for herself.
As instructed by Xiuning, Chunyu sent people to both the princess's residence and the prince's residence.
These two places were complicated. People sent in during the spring rain kept coming and going, and by the end of February, only about a third of them remained.
"My lord, they are really keeping a tight rein on them, and they change a new batch of people every few days, so no one knows the list."
Chunyu helped Xiuning as the two of them strolled through the flower-filled Imperial Garden.
Although some palaces may not yet have fully turned green, the Imperial Garden has already been completed in one go, with lush flowers, plants and trees, making it clear at a glance that it has been newly replaced.
"Let's leave it at that for now and not make any rash moves," Xiu Ning thought of Consort Nara, who was about to give birth. "The Empress Dowager plans to leave the palace in early March to pray for the country. She will be gone for two months. At that time, the power of the palace will definitely be given to the Empress." Xiu Ning didn't think about what the Empress would do after taking the power of the palace.
"I'm not going to shop anymore, let's go back to the palace."
Having lost interest in continuing her stroll, Xiuning turned around and, with Chunyu's help, returned to Qixiang Palace.
...
On the first day of the third month of the ninth year of the Kangxi reign, Lady Nara gave birth to the third prince, Chengqing, in the Chuxiu Palace.
It was truly remarkable that Lady Nara gave birth safely, as she unfortunately fell before giving birth, which forced her to stay in bed for a period of time before delivery.
She even encountered a difficult labor, and it took her a whole day and night to give birth to Chengqing.
Emperor Kangxi bestowed upon him the character "Qing," which also implies celebration, indirectly suggesting that this child's birth was not easy.
Just after Chengqing finished his third-day celebration, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager swiftly left the palace to pray for blessings, and the power of the harem subsequently passed into the hands of the Empress.
Kunning Palace Main Hall
Looking at the long-unseen accounts, Hesheli Fangyi smiled.
The last time she touched the power of the palace was when Consort Shu was pregnant. Later, a food poisoning incident at a Mid-Autumn Festival banquet instantly wiped out the advantage she had built up. Fortunately, she has now touched the power of the palace again.
Did the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager leave any instructions before they departed?
Hesheli Fangyi flipped through the accounts on the table and casually asked Tanyun beside her.
Tan Yun shook her head. "The two ladies didn't say anything before they left the palace."
Anyway, they left so decisively, which was something Tan Yun hadn't expected.
"In that case, send someone to check the monthly allowances and personnel flow in the Prince's Residence and the Princess's Residence. After all, the imperial heirs live there, and their importance is self-evident."
Empress Hesheli Fangyi didn't dwell on the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. She closed the account book beside her, stood up, and walked out of the hall. "How is Chenghu? Did he cry while nursing last night?"
Tan Yun supported her master's arm as they walked and said, "Prince Chenghu is very well-behaved. He went to bed early last night after drinking his milk. Even the wet nurse said that Prince Chenghu is a rare intelligent child at such a young age."
Hearing others praise her son, Hesheli Fangyi couldn't help but smile.
Upon seeing this, Tan Yun immediately praised her even more lavishly, saying all sorts of nice things.
In short, they talked about it as if it were the best thing in the world, and the empress actually fell for it.
The Kunning Palace was filled with laughter and a pleasant atmosphere, while the Yongshou Palace, in contrast, was filled with an extremely low atmosphere.
After seeing her stepmother, Consort Shu struggled to her feet, but her temperament became much more gloomy. She would often turn cold, making the palace servants around her tremble with fear, afraid that they might be caught in the crossfire.
The maidservant serving her now is no longer Cuizhi, who was brought from the Niohuru clan, but Yunmeng, who was sent to the palace by the Niohuru clan earlier.
"Your Majesty, it's time to take your medicine."
Yunmeng was more honest and unassuming than Cuizhi, and her appearance was also quite ordinary, making her unremarkable.
But it was precisely this kind of person who transformed into the top maid of Yongshou Palace, second only to Consort Shu.
"Ahem, take it away."
Consort Shu sat on the edge of the bed, coughed twice, and then shook her head in disgust.
"Your Majesty, good medicine tastes bitter. You shouldn't torture yourself because of others."
Yunmeng knew that she owed her current position entirely to Consort Shu, so no matter what, she couldn't let anything happen to Consort Shu.
Consort Shu was somewhat tempted by Yunmeng's words, but thinking of her stepmother's words, she thought, "Ha, what use is my life? The family has already found someone to replace me." Her status as a member of the Niohuru clan was a joke. When she was needed, she was a noble lady of the Niohuru clan; when she was not needed, she was just a dispensable pawn.
“Your Majesty, there are considerations outside the palace,” Yunmeng could not say. She could not encourage Consort Shu to break with her family, as that would only make their situation more difficult. “Your Majesty, you are a consort, second only to the Empress. No matter what happens outside the palace, they will consider your wishes.”
That's for sure. Otherwise, Niohuru wouldn't have sent Consort Shu's stepmother to the palace to explain. Instead, she would have chosen to expose herself during the imperial concubine selection. Just like Consort Hesheli, who was placed in Jingyang Palace, became even less noticeable after the Empress gave birth to her legitimate son.
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