Speak human language to humans, and ghost language to ghosts.
Tong Wanyan was genuinely loved by the Empress Dowager and the former Imperial Noble Consort, which shows that she was a likable person.
Having never met Tong Wanyan, the noblewoman, and only having heard of her rise through the ranks due to her favor with the emperor, it was inevitable to think of her as a femme fatale.
Aside from giving birth, all that's left are smooth talk, flattery, and alluring beauty.
The dignified first wife and the charming concubine are natural opposites.
However, after meeting Tong Wanyan, he realized it was a misunderstanding.
Come to think of it, the imperial concubines were different from them. Tong Wanyan's bright and dignified appearance, coupled with her noble air, made it hard to associate her with the concubines who relied on their beauty to serve others.
They suddenly understood why the proud Jia Rong and Princess Shuo had befriended this woman whose background was unknown.
Back then, they thought it was to please the Crown Prince; now it seems they would do the same thing if they were in his shoes.
The principal wife in a household doesn't just manage the affairs of the inner quarters; she also oversees social interactions. Knowing which gift is most appropriate for which person and what kind of relationship—this is a profound art.
Besides understanding human relationships and social dynamics, one must also have a keen political sense.
Tong Wanyan got along well with these imperial relatives, wives of princes, and noblewomen. She was very adept at social interaction, and everyone praised her.
As a result, their impression of Yinreng improved considerably.
Those who could submit their credentials to enter the palace would all come from families of high status. Therefore, it was unlikely that they would seek help from Yinreng for advancement.
Tong Wanyan occasionally invited Ulanara Fanghui and Dong'e Hailan over to avoid Kangxi misunderstanding that she had ulterior motives.
After enduring for half a month, Shi Wenbing's wife could no longer resist and went to the palace to see Tong Wanyan.
When Shi Fujin entered the palace, she first went to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.
When Emperor Kangxi chose Shi Xiuzhu as his crown princess, he consulted the Empress Dowager's opinion.
The Empress Dowager was quite satisfied with Consort Shi. Like mother, like daughter; a mother's good upbringing is very important.
"This servant greets the Empress Dowager and the Consort." Consort Shi was quite surprised to see Tong Wanyan also in Ning Shou Palace.
But then she thought that the Empress Dowager must already know that she was going to the palace to see Tong Wanyan.
Today's meeting of the three is probably at the Empress Dowager's behest.
Shi Fujin guessed correctly; it was indeed the Empress Dowager who summoned Tong Wanyan early in the morning.
The Empress Dowager cherished Tong Wanyan like the apple of her eye. Although she knew that Consort Shi was a kind and honest person, she was still worried.
"Princess Shi, please rise. I heard that you were going to see Yuanbao today, so I specially arranged for her to pay her respects and stay at Ning Shou Palace. It's so hot in this weather that you'll be drenched in sweat after just one step. This way, you won't have to travel between two places," the Empress Dowager said.
Princess Shi's Mongolian was only so-so, so she listened to the Empress Dowager's words with a mixture of guesswork and understanding.
Even so, she easily discerned that the Empress Dowager's closeness to Tong Wanyan was genuine.
That loving look in her eyes was no different from how she looked at her own daughter.
From the moment Shi Fujin entered the palace, Tong Wanyan scrutinized her intently.
Judging from his appearance and demeanor, he is neither impulsive nor timid, but rather a person who is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside.
"I haven't congratulated Lady Shi yet. Lord Shi's promotion is a joyous occasion," Tong Wanyan said proactively, not letting Lady Shi speak to her first.
"It is His Majesty's boundless grace that I am so grateful," Consort Shi replied carefully.
She worried that her words might be careless and cause Tong Wanyan and the Empress Dowager to misunderstand that Shi Wenbing was proud of his promotion to the position of Minister.
"His Majesty's judgment has always been excellent. Speaking of which, I watched Shi Wenbing grow up. When he was little, he often came to the palace to play with his mother. He was gentle and polite as a child, and he grew up to be an upright minister, which is very good," the Empress Dowager praised.
Shi Wenbing's mother was the legitimate daughter of Prince Yu, Dodo, so he also had Aisin Gioro blood.
Shi Fujin's anxiety lessened slightly.
"My husband once told me something. When he was young, he apparently broke a vase that the Empress Dowager had placed in the palace. It was the Empress Dowager who pleaded on his behalf, saving him from a beating when he got home," Shi Fujin said with a smile, her words carrying a hint of mischief.
"Yes, yes, boys are always a bit mischievous when they're young. There were no boys in the palace at the time, and the arrival of these children from the imperial family made the palace quite lively. The Empress Dowager doesn't need those vases; if they're broken, they're broken. Why frighten the children?" The Empress Dowager recalled the scene.
She has a good memory; even now, she can still remember what Shi Wenbing looked like when he was a child.
"That's because the Empress Dowager is kind and gentle," Tong Wanyan said sweetly to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager smiled broadly: "In your heart, I am perfect in every way."
“Of course! The Emperor is perfect in every way,” Tong Wanyan said.
"The Empress Dowager is benevolent," Shi Fujin echoed.
Shi Fujin came today to test Tong Wanyan's intentions on behalf of her daughter.
Seeing that Tong Wanyan didn't seem to want to make things difficult for her and was being kind, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Her daughter is naturally magnanimous, never argues with women, and is indifferent to matters of love.
This concubine, Consort Tong, is exactly the kind of woman her daughter likes. They should be able to get along peacefully, and the relationship between the wives and concubines should be harmonious.
While Shi Fujin was thinking of her daughter's future, Tong Wanyan remained calm and composed, but the Empress Dowager was getting anxious.
The Empress Dowager couldn't help but say, "I like Yuanbao very much. She is a good child, filial to her elders, virtuous and respectful. The Emperor said that your daughter is also good, with the appearance of an empress. I hope that the two of them can get along well in the future."
Shi Fujin's heart skipped a beat; the Empress Dowager had actually taken the initiative to stand up for Consort Tong.
Fortunately, their family had no ulterior motives; otherwise, they might have had their hands broken by the royal family before they even made a move.
"Your Majesty is right. This servant also thinks Consort Tong is excellent," Consort Shi hurriedly assured.
The Empress Dowager nodded, satisfied with Shi Fujin's reaction: "That's it."
This is a topic that Tong Wanyan shouldn't interrupt.
She sat to the side, smiling gently, acting as a quiet junior.
Shi Fujin's trip to the Forbidden City was very worthwhile. She found out the Empress Dowager and Tong Wanyan's intentions and also expressed her own. Everyone hit it off and cooperated happily.
From now on, any rumors circulating outside the palace about the Shi family and the Tong family vying for superiority can be ignored.
It's not good for Shi Xiuzhu to talk about this too much now, as she won't be entering the palace for several more years.
A light touch is enough.
Shi Fujin entered the palace several times a year, usually to see the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort. This time, however, she was a little nervous as she paid her respects to the Empress Dowager alone for the first time.
Especially since communication between Mongolian and Manchu is really troublesome.
Fortunately, Tong Wanyan was there to mediate between the two sides, and neither side was neglected, so the atmosphere was quite good.
When Consort Shi took her leave, the Empress Dowager asked Tong Wanyan to go with her.
This is to give the two of them some time alone, so that there are some things that are not easy to say in front of her, and that they can keep them hidden.
Shi Fujin and Tong Wanyan were both upright people, and they got along very well together, without any sordidness.
"Consort Tong, thank you for speaking well of me to the Empress Dowager today," said Consort Shi.
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