When the two arrived, Yinzhen was handling state affairs.
Liang Jiugong: "Your Majesty, Consort Wang and Consort Li have arrived."
Yinzhen put down the memorial in his hand: "Let them in!"
Liang Jiugong: Yes
Not long after Liang Jiugong left, Consort Wang and Consort Li came in.
The two of them bowed respectfully according to the rules.
Yinzhen: "No need for formalities."
The two said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
After they finished speaking, neither of them dared to look up. If they had just entered the palace, they might have been fearless and dared to look up, but over the years, the survival skills of the harem had taught them that only by being honest and dutiful could they survive.
Yinzhen: "I will give you two choices. The first choice is that I can let you leave the palace, give you a new identity, and then you can honestly marry and have children. The second choice is that you can go to a temple to practice Buddhism. As long as your teachers are honest, I can guarantee your safety and well-being."
Both of them were startled by Yinzhen's actions. They really didn't expect the emperor to have such thoughts. The second option was fine. If the emperor didn't like the concubines and didn't want to see them, it wasn't impossible for him to send them to temples to pray and practice.
But the first option was really absurd.
Throughout history, no emperor would willingly allow his woman, who is legally married, to marry an outsider. There may be instances of being forced, but there are truly no instances of it being voluntary.
Seeing that the two were silent, Yinzhen knew that this matter was difficult to decide for the time being.
Yinzhen: "Consider this matter. I will know your decision in three days."
Neither Consort Wang nor Consort Li knew how they left the Qianqing Palace. Consort Li didn't return to her own residence but followed Consort Wang to her place. The two needed to discuss it.
The news of the two being summoned by the Emperor quickly spread throughout the palace, and everyone thought that the Emperor might have lost interest in the Empress!
The two of them stayed at the Qianqing Palace for about fifteen minutes before coming out, and they both looked a little dazed! The two did not separate, and went to the Zhongcui Palace to see the Queen Consort.
The two had just returned and sat down, intending to discuss what to do, when a palace maid came to report that Consort Jing had arrived.
Consort Jing also lived in Zhongcui Palace. Now that Consort Hui was gone, only Consort Jing and Consort Wang remained in Zhongcui Palace. Consort Jing was a Noble Lady, so when she arrived, Consort Wang and Consort Li naturally had to get up to greet her.
Consort Jing arrived with a smile. As soon as she entered, Consort Wang and Consort Li were about to pay their respects, but Consort Jing smiled and said, "My two sisters, there's no need for such formalities. Let's sit down and talk as a family."
Since there was no need for further formalities, Consort Wang and Consort Li stood up and waited for Consort Jing to sit down before they did so themselves.
As the host, Wang Ying smiled and spoke first: "Sister Jing, what brings you to my place today?"
Normally, the two kept to themselves, but today she probably came to find out why the Emperor had summoned her and Consort Li. Consort Wang knew exactly what was going on.
Consort Jing smiled and said, "Sister missed her younger sister, didn't she? It's just that our Zhongcui Palace is too deserted, so I wanted to come and talk to my younger sister. I wanted to come over after lunch, but the head palace maid, who is of high status, said that Sister Wang and Sister Li have been summoned by the Emperor. I wonder what the Emperor wants to see the two younger sisters about?"
The two women naturally couldn't tell Consort Jing what the Emperor had told them; they wouldn't let anyone know about such a shocking "choice."
Wang Ying said with a smile, "Your sister and Sister Li are also confused! The Emperor summoned you and Sister Li, but only asked for your names and information about your father, mother, brothers, and sisters. Then he let you and Sister Li go back."
Consort Jing was somewhat skeptical. She thought that if the Emperor wanted to know these things, he could simply send someone to inquire. Why did he need to ask personally?
But they were unwilling to talk, and Consort Jing couldn't pry them open their mouths.
Consort Jing knew she wouldn't find out anything more.
Consort Jing smiled and said, "The Emperor's actions must have a reason. My two sisters are so fortunate!"
Wang replied, "Then I'll accept Sister Jing's kind words!"
Consort Jing: "I originally wanted to talk to my two younger sisters a little longer, but then I remembered that I have some things to take care of myself, so I'll go back first. I'll chat with my two younger sisters another day."
When Consort Jing was about to leave, Consort Wang and Consort Li, having found a suitable reason, rose to see her off.
After Consort Jing left, the two dismissed the servants in the room and began to discuss things in hushed tones.
Wang was a little younger than Li, so she said to Li, "Sister Li, you are a bit older than me. I wonder what you think?"
Consort Li was at a loss for words, and said somewhat bewilderedly, "To be honest, I have no idea what to do. I'm not willing to spend the rest of my life in a temple with only the dim light of a lamp and the sound of Buddhist scriptures. Before entering the palace through the imperial concubine selection, I had dreamed of finding someone to rely on, bearing him children. I'm not willing to spend my whole life in a temple in seclusion! But... but the Emperor wants us to remarry. How can that be allowed!"
Li Yingying was unwilling, and Wang Yingying was equally unwilling, but that first choice truly made them feel that it violated ethical norms.
Wang sighed, "Sister is right. I'm not willing to spend the rest of my life like a nun, but..."
The two were unwilling to go to the temple to practice Buddhism, but they also felt that remarrying them would go against the norms, leaving them in a dilemma.
Ultimately, their discussion came to nothing.
During the three days that followed, the two met only once, on the last day, and finally decided to remarry.
They had thought it through these past few days. Since the Emperor could have such thoughts, it was clear that he was deeply in love with the Empress. They were not as talented or beautiful as the Empress, and their families were of humble origin. They knew they had no future in the palace, and they were unwilling to become monks in temples. Therefore, they chose to remarry.
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