Chapter 40 Internal Strife
Before they knew it, it was time for the day when the women of the inner palace would pay their respects to the emperor.
Emperor Kangxi did not refuse the Empress's request and ordered Consort Hui to move out of the Qianqing Palace the day before the audience.
Fanghua was very satisfied with this.
Of course, the Empress Dowager and Consort Hui were even more satisfied.
Now we'll see if they are grateful people.
There aren't many people in the harem, but the Empress Dowager has already selected people to enter the palace to serve the Emperor, so soon her Kunning Palace will become lively.
"Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
After the Empress came out, all the concubines immediately rose and bowed to Fanghua, who was on a high seat, to pay their respects.
Fanghua didn't wake up immediately. At this moment, she still had to pretend, otherwise she would be too virtuous and gentle and be looked down upon.
After taking her seat, Fanghua smiled and said, "Please rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."
After everyone was seated, Fanghua looked at Consort Hui below her and said with a smile, "Consort Hui, since you've come to pay your respects today, let me introduce you to the sisters of the harem."
After the Empress spoke, Consort Hui stood up and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey."
At that time, there was no such thing as having to perform a grand ceremony for the Empress after serving her in bed; this only came about after Emperor Kangxi established the ranks of the empresses.
Fanghua was very satisfied with her attitude and demeanor. "The person sitting opposite you is Consort Niohuru. She is older than you and entered the palace before you. Although you have a title, it is not inappropriate for you to call her 'elder sister'."
Niohuru looked at the Empress with a wronged expression, and almost tore the silk handkerchief in her hand to shreds.
Being older is one thing, but can we not mention that there was no account ban?
Isn't she shameful enough?
Consort Hui replied respectfully, "Yes, thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty." She naturally knew that according to the rules, she was half a rank higher than Niohuru, but so what? The Empress had spoken, and she couldn't possibly refute her.
Upon arriving before Lady Niohuru, Consort Hui performed a polite curtsy, saying, "Greetings, elder sister. I pay my respects to you."
Consort Hui was willing to go all out, but Niohuru was unwilling to offend the Empress Dowager, so she also stood up and said, "I hope you are well, sister. We are all family, there is no need for such formalities."
She returned the courtesy bow, saying, "Your Majesty the Empress is right. You do have an official title, and it was indeed my fault for being impolite."
After saying that, Niohuru glared at the Empress, who was sitting high in the first seat watching the show.
His eyes were filled with resentment towards her.
"What are you saying, sister?"
Both of them were imperial concubines, so it didn't matter who bowed first. But it was different for concubines like Nara and Zhang. They were of low status and dared not let Consort Hui come to greet them.
Then, the group rose to greet Consort Hui.
Consort Hui has now officially integrated into the large family of the imperial harem.
Fanghua chatted with everyone for a while, and when it was time to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, she called out to stop everyone and then led them to Cining Palace.
However, when leaving the main hall, Fanghua glanced at Nara's belly a couple of times, intentionally or unintentionally.
Judging from her appearance, she'll probably be giving birth soon.
I don't know why she came to pay her respects at this time. Heh, since she's courting death, Fanghua certainly won't stop her.
Nara noticed it too, and she looked very scared, protecting her stomach with both hands.
She was constantly afraid that the Empress would cause her trouble, but instead of the Empress's schemes, she made her pregnancy unstable because of her own actions.
The imperial physician said that her pregnancy was difficult and she would definitely suffer during childbirth.
In addition, this was her first pregnancy, and because of the Ma Jia incident, she always felt that someone would harm her, so she was constantly worried and it was uncertain whether she could have a safe and smooth delivery.
Fanghua naturally knew all these things, but she didn't have a good impression of the child in Nara's belly, which was just a baby who wouldn't live to be a year old.
Although she didn't know why things were this way in her previous life, in this life, it was Nara's own doing.
They don't understand themselves.
Zhang's situation was much easier.
After being under the Empress's protection, her life became significantly easier.
There were always one or two days of imperial favor each month, and with the emperor's protection, she and the eldest princess really didn't suffer any grievances.
Even the eldest princess has recovered much thanks to the Empress's protection, and can now walk around a couple of times.
Her gratitude to the Empress was like a flowing river, never-ending.
Cining Palace.
When Fanghua arrived with her entourage, she was clearly warmly welcomed by the two people seated at the head of the table.
Although they wouldn't have made things difficult for her in the past, their smiles today seemed more genuine.
After the ceremony, the Empress Dowager offered a few words of encouragement before calling everyone to rise.
"Empress, come here and sit next to me." Just two days ago, the Empress Dowager was so angry that she wanted to kill Consort Hui, but today she was starting to curry favor with the Empress because of Consort Hui.
"I knew you were a good person. The Emperor was able to listen to your advice. In the future, when the Emperor is unwell, remember to give him more advice."
The Empress Dowager's words are quite interesting.
Fanghua smiled gently and sat down beside the Empress Dowager as instructed. "Grandmother is praising me. The Emperor is indeed wise and sagacious. It was just that I arrived at the right time and thus benefited from the favor."
At this moment, she dared not take credit for it.
If she accepts this credit, wouldn't that prove the Emperor is wrong?
"You," the Empress Dowager said with a look of satisfaction, "you are the most sensible." She patted the Empress's hand, and this time the Empress Dowager was truly pleased.
At first, she was not optimistic, but she never expected that the Empress would actually persuade her, which saved her a lot of trouble.
If they replaced her with someone else, they would have to wait several more years. In that time, Gerile could have given birth to princes for the Khorchin.
"After the Mongol audience, the concubines should also enter the palace. The Empress will have to take good care of them then."
Fanghua laughed when she heard this later.
Is this just asking for trouble for himself, or is it a way to intimidate Consort Hui?
"Of course. As the Empress, it is my duty to manage the harem. I will not disappoint my grandmother."
Consort Hui, it's interesting that people are attacking each other. It's so interesting.
"Yes, I trust the Empress. The Empress and the Emperor will discuss their ranks when they enter the palace. I won't interfere."
Fanghua noticed that the Empress Dowager was glancing at Consort Hui sitting below her, seemingly unintentionally. She was speechless. The Empress Dowager couldn't stand seeing other women being favored.
He's not her man, why is she so jealous? Why is she so sour?
"Yes, after Your Majesty and I have discussed it, I will bring it to Grandmother Chunping for her review. After all, Grandmother Chunping has thought things through more thoroughly than I have."
What can Fanghua do? Just support her. It's not like we're being jealous of her, it's none of her business.
Consort Hui, sitting to the left, looked rather unpleasant.
She had just paid her respects today when the Empress Dowager ordered the Empress to prepare to welcome the new lady into the palace. Since she entered, the Empress Dowager hadn't said a word to her, completely ignoring her presence. How could this not make her angry?
After all, everyone knew she was a princess from the Khorchin tribe. Not only did the Empress Dowager not protect her, but she also brought up her living in the Qianqing Palace, implying she was ignorant of etiquette and lacked manners.
"good."
The Empress Dowager never expected the Grand Empress Dowager to treat Consort Hui this way. Until everyone left, the Grand Empress Dowager did not say a word to Consort Hui.
Not only that, but Empress Dowager Gerile was also forbidden from speaking.
Isn't that Xia Gerile's face?
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