Chapter 160 Time Flies
Kangxi had heard her words and was naturally unwilling.
"It's getting late. We can talk about it tomorrow. How about I let Chenghu rest for another day and spend time with you and Chengreng?"
Kangxi turned around and grabbed the Empress's hand, preventing her from leaving.
The servants attending to the emperor and empress were quick-witted and immediately went to get busy, leaving the emperor and empress alone.
"Your Majesty, I'm just going to check on the child. I'll be right back. Please take a bath first, and I'll be back shortly." Fanghua was clearly annoyed by his drunken antics.
But she only dared to coax him softly, not letting him make a fuss.
Unfortunately, the emperor was even more lawless when drunk, and he certainly wouldn't let his beloved leave him.
"Empress, you are not allowed to leave. You belong to me. You can only stay with me and you are not allowed to go anywhere."
As he spoke, he started to touch her inappropriately, turning into a complete scoundrel, clinging to her and refusing to let go no matter what she said.
Fanghua didn't dare to really hurt him, otherwise it would be difficult to explain tomorrow.
All I can do is go along with him and coax him.
Fanghua, seething with anger, was eventually pushed down by him, but she couldn't suppress her resentment, so she became very proactive that night.
This allowed the emperor to discover a different kind of beauty in her, which captivated him even more.
A night of revelry caused Emperor Kangxi to be late for the morning court session the following day, losing face greatly.
Fanghua didn't care about any of this; she had vented her anger anyway.
After the baby's first birthday celebration, it was time to start the imperial concubine selection. Fanghua and the Imperial Concubine were so busy that they didn't have time to play any love games with Emperor Kangxi.
This pleased many people, since even without the Empress and the Imperial Concubine, they could still receive considerable favor.
The most energetic of them all was Mrs. Sun. Ever since she gave birth to her son, she has been incredibly confident.
In addition, given the relationship between her aunt and the emperor, she did indeed have a special connection with the emperor.
Fanghua wouldn't interfere with the minor squabbles over favor, as long as they didn't escalate into major incidents, she wouldn't even notice them.
During the talent show, she had no time to pay attention to them.
As the talent selection process drew to a close, Emperor Kangxi personally attended the final event to retain the candidates.
The emperor and empress sat together at the head of the table, surrounded by beauties from the Manchu and Han military banners.
Even Fanghua couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. "The Emperor is truly blessed." It wasn't that she was jealous of the women, but rather that she envied the Emperor for having so many beautiful women by his side.
if.
She thought of Wu Zetian, the most powerful woman in history.
Thinking of the legends about her in those unofficial histories, she felt envious.
Looking at the people around her, she found them increasingly displeasing. Given the chance, she wondered if she should try to emulate them, since basic human needs like food and sex are fundamental, and she couldn't be so vulgar.
As the young women made their appearances one by one, Fanghua's resolve grew stronger.
Why can your man have such a wild life, but she, the empress, can't?
We should at least give it a try.
Xiao Feng was the first to sense the change in its master. Although puzzled, it couldn't help but ask, "Master, what are you thinking? Your soul is in turmoil."
Fanghua hadn't expected that just thinking about pleasant things would cause her to be so agitated. Her face flushed slightly, and she said, "It's nothing."
Xiao Feng couldn't believe it. "Impossible, Master! Tell me quickly, what were you thinking just now?" Xiao Feng was always the type to ask questions whenever she didn't understand something.
Fanghua didn't want to answer Xiaofeng's question, but seeing that Kangxi was captivated by the girl next to him, she said, "I'm thinking that after the emperor dies, I'll keep some male concubines."
Xiao Feng swallowed hard; its master in its previous life wasn't like this.
"Master, are you serious?" Master, how could you have such a thought? Wouldn't it be better for her to cultivate after the emperor's death?
"Yes, I have that idea, but I'm not sure yet." Who can predict what will happen in the future?
"We'll talk about it later." Fanghua didn't want to discuss this with it anymore; after all, years of upbringing had made her a little shy.
"By the way, how did you get into the space? I'm worried about Chengren being alone. You should go back quickly."
Ever since Chengreng was made crown prince, she has been worried about him. Whenever she is not in the palace, she will have Xiaofeng stay with Chengreng.
"I'll go back now."
Xiao Feng didn't say much; it only came in to check on its master because it sensed that his mind was unstable.
Who knew the owner was just looking for a man?
Desire is also a form of cultivation. Oh well, as long as the master is happy, that's all that matters. The master only has this one life, and after she dies, her soul will also sleep eternally with the Phoenix Seal.
I only wish that my master can live a carefree and unrestrained life in this world.
Fanghua regained her composure and watched as Kangxi commented on each of the selected women. She thought to herself, "It must be so good to be the emperor."
Unfortunately, she didn't have the ability; otherwise, she would have wanted to try what it was like to be an emperor.
She should just be content being the Empress Dowager; after all, being the Empress Dowager isn't any worse than being the Emperor.
As long as her own son succeeds to the throne, she, as the Empress Dowager, is even more content than the Emperor.
"Empress, what do you think of this Haha Gioro woman?" When they arrived at the Bordered Blue Banner, Kangxi asked, pointing to a striking young lady at the front.
Fanghua, who had been distracted, immediately looked at the young lady standing there with her head down when he asked her a question.
Her information also came to mind.
"Does His Majesty intend to add them to the harem or arrange marriages for them with members of the Zong clan?" She knew that the imperial selection was not only about filling the harem, but also about arranging marriages for members of the Zong clan, so she had to find out.
This person also comes from an old family; he was someone who helped his ancestors build their empire back then.
If she were to enter the imperial harem, her status and position would likely be quite high.
"It is naturally given to Changning." Kangxi's voice was indifferent, which showed that he was not very fond of Changning, the Prince Gong.
Fanghua knew about this. It was normal for the Emperor to dislike Prince Gong because he was involved with Wu Sangui.
She never expected that the Emperor would actually arrange a marriage for him; she had thought he would just randomly assign him a wife.
"Haha, the Jueluo clan's status is indeed worthy of Prince Gong. If His Majesty thinks it's good, then it must be right." Fanghua didn't want to get involved in the brothers' affairs, so she gave a vague reply and then fell silent.
The Emperor didn't really want the Empress to make the decision; he was just asking casually.
If the Empress really had any objections, he would probably feel uneasy again.
After all, the crown prince has been established, and the fear is that the empress will scheme against him, her husband, in order to pave the way for the crown prince.
"Hmm, he is indeed worthy of that rascal Chang Ning. Make a note of this, Your Majesty."
Fanghua nodded and replied, "Yes."
After leaving a message, Haha Jue Luo Shi withdrew.
Next, the Emperor had the Empress write down several more names. Everyone thought the Emperor was going to assign them to other members of the imperial family, but unexpectedly, they were all reserved for his brothers. The Emperor was truly a brotherly and respectful man.
The draft is finally over.
Fanghua could relax a little, but how could Kangxi let her off the hook? He came over with a long list to discuss the matter of rank with her.
"I was thinking that since a new concubine has just entered the palace, why not also bring up the matter of promoting the other concubines as well? What does Your Majesty think?"
Fanghua remained silent; it seemed she was planning to bestow a grand harem upon her.
They really couldn't stop them.
"Since His Majesty thinks it's feasible, then it must be right. I wonder how His Majesty plans to balance the ranks between the new and the old?"
She also wanted to know what Kangxi wanted to do.
Apart from the Tongjia clan, who came from a different background, the rest of the people who entered the harem this time were all of low status.
Among them were people she knew.
That's why she felt there was a problem.
In the harem, apart from her, the Imperial Concubine, the Yehenara clan, and the Tongjia clan, there were really no other concubines with outstanding family backgrounds.
Logically speaking, the Emperor shouldn't have made such an arrangement.
This selection process included many daughters from established families, but he didn't choose any of them for the palace. Instead, he selected newly emerging talents.
He assigned all the people with status to his relatives, which really confused her.
"I have thought about this matter. Yehenara has given birth to auspicious signs for the Qing Dynasty, so I will promote her to the rank of Consort De. She is a suitable match for her."
Kangxi explained his arrangements one by one, saying that he had discussed them with the Empress, but it was merely a notification.
"Ma Jia has made meritorious contributions in giving birth, so she has also been promoted to Consort Rong. This will ensure that the Third Prince and the Tenth Prince will not be wronged."
"The other one is Nara, who is Chengdao's birth mother after all. Although she made mistakes, she will be promoted to Consort Hui for Chengdao's sake."
As she spoke, Fanghua felt a mixture of joy and unease as she saw that these people had not escaped the fate of their previous lives.
Fanghua only came to her senses when he skipped over the imperial concubine ranks and started talking about the concubine ranks.
"Your Majesty, isn't there supposed to be four consorts? If there aren't enough consorts, there are quite a few who have borne Your Majesty children. There should be enough to fill the positions of the four consorts," Fanghua asked.
Emperor Kangxi paused his speech, then looked at the list in his hand. After a while, he finally spoke: "I want my cousin from the Tongjia clan to enter the palace as a concubine. I will reserve this position for her for now. After all, she is my maternal clan, and we cannot wrong her."
What Fanghua didn't expect was that he actually wanted Tongjia Shi to fill the position of concubine.
This was completely different from what she had initially guessed.
"The Emperor only intends to make Lady Tongjia a concubine?" Fanghua was full of surprise, her mouth moving faster than her brain as she blurted out the question.
Emperor Kangxi was stunned by her question, and for a moment he was both amused and annoyed. "What rank do you think I would give my cousin?"
It seems the Empress has quite a few suspicions about herself.
Fanghua was taken aback and didn't know how to respond for a moment, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
She never expected to speak her true feelings aloud.
"Your Majesty, I was just thinking that since she is your maternal cousin, she should at least be granted the title of Imperial Concubine. I was quite surprised that Your Majesty only gave her the title of Consort."
She dared not admit to the crime of speculating on the emperor's intentions. It would be fine if the emperor didn't take it to heart, but if he did, she would be the one who suffered.
"You're always thinking nonsense. She has neither the ability to bear children nor the capacity to make any contributions. How could she become a Noble Consort as soon as she entered the palace?" Kangxi had more or less guessed what the Empress was thinking. Although he had different feelings for his cousin, he had not forgotten his own status.
Besides, Lady Niohuru is still alive; my cousin can't possibly bypass her.
Compared to the Niohuru clan, the Tongjia clan still lacked a certain depth and cultural heritage.
He would certainly not do anything to offend the Niohuru clan.
Fanghua felt embarrassed, not expecting him to be so clear-headed.
"It was I who was being petty. Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy, and your vision is far beyond my reach. I apologize to Your Majesty." She had truly underestimated him.
Sure enough, she couldn't take that position.
At least she was more driven by personal motives.
"You," the Emperor said, pleased to hear the Empress praise him like this. "I am well aware of my cousin's situation and will not make things difficult for you, Empress. Once she enters the palace, I am confident that she will be able to help you."
That's interesting. Fanghua smiled but didn't respond.
After all, he intended to share palace power with Tongjia, which she naturally refused.
Giving it to the Imperial Concubine might look good on the surface, but in reality, she holds all the power.
After discussing the positions of some people, the titles and ranks of this grand conferment were finally finalized.
They were just waiting for the imperial edict to be issued so that the Ministry of Rites could arrange the investiture ceremony.
At the end of June, the newlyweds entered the palace one after another. As a concubine, Lady Tongjia naturally had a small wedding banquet.
Fanghua naturally did not interfere in such matters, leaving them entirely to be handled jointly by the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Rites.
She only needs to attend the wedding.
This was something only Niohuru had done when she entered the palace. It had been a long time since she had drunk wine like this, so she was somewhat unaccustomed to it.
In the months of June, July, and August, the imperial harem was filled with joy, and countless banquets, large and small, were held. Fortunately, no foreign guests were invited, otherwise it would have been even more troublesome.
The four imperial concubines were full, and the nine concubines were also full.
Those who had given birth all became important figures. Of course, some people's positions remained unchanged, since their status was too low.
Seeing that things had stabilized in the harem, Fanghua knew that Kangxi would also begin to monitor the harem.
She had already felt the influx of the Dragon Guards, and it would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken. How could a young couple have come to this?
But she was powerless to do anything, because he was the emperor.
Time flies by.
Since Emperor Kangxi established the rule of four consorts and nine concubines, it has become increasingly difficult for women in the harem to be promoted, which has intensified the struggles within the harem.
Empress Fanghua has lost her former leisure.
Even if they don't seek her, the Empress, to make decisions on everything, they will at least turn to her for help with things they can't decide on.
Of course, some were ambitious and tried to take advantage of the eldest prince and the crown prince, but unfortunately, Fanghua thwarted them all.
This also made everyone aware of the Empress's ruthlessness. For a time, they dared not set their sights on the First Prince and the Crown Prince, but they continued to make small moves.
Fortunately, both Seung-hu and Seung-ryeng were of good character; they were constantly scheming in small ways, but not in big ones.
It's just a bit troublesome.
Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.
The power dynamics within the harem were also set.
The Empress and the Imperial Concubine formed their own faction, while the rest were mostly united in twos and threes, since no one had been born in the harem for three years.
If Emperor Kangxi hadn't known about his affairs, he might have suspected the Empress as well.
Because rumors have started circulating that the Empress, in order to secure the Crown Prince's position, has begun to prevent any children from being born in the harem.
They were afraid that someone would steal the crown prince's favor and limelight.
When Fanghua found out, she just found it laughable.
Does she need it?
Does she need to bear the burden?
pet.
Oh.
She looked down on her husband.
After three years of growth, even with her rosy perspective, Fanghua noticed the differences in her son.
When she was three years old, she had a good talk with Seung-ryung and learned a secret that she could hardly believe.
Her Yinreng has been reborn and returned.
Upon learning the truth, Fanghua burst into tears and fainted several times.
At first, Yinreng didn't understand, but after listening to his mother's explanation, he burst into tears.
He never imagined that his mother, the Empress Dowager, had been by his side in his previous life.
Watching him grow up.
No wonder, no wonder he felt this life was different; it turns out his mother had been reborn.
Now all the things he couldn't understand were connected, and he also learned of the existence of Phoenix Spirit and Dragon Spirit.
She also learned about her brother's mission.
With two more close relatives, Yinreng's personality changed significantly compared to his previous life.
Although he had passed away peacefully in his old age, he was still a child at heart when he was with his mother.
With parents around, even the greatest hardship feels sweet.
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