Chapter 12 The Visit of Lady Niohuru
That night, Kangxi stayed overnight at Kunning Palace, but the next day the emperor began to stay overnight at various palaces.
Fanghua didn't care about this at all.
However, an unexpected person arrived at her Kunning Palace.
"Who did you say?" Fanghua, who was reading to her unborn child, was shocked to hear the palace maid's report and couldn't believe that she would come.
"Your Majesty, Consort Niohuru requests an audience."
After confirming the situation again, Fanghua took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. After adjusting her expression, she said calmly, "Please invite Consort Niohuru in."
The palace servant obeyed the order and went out. After a short while, he brought a woman dressed in a light purple silk cheongsam with twisted needles into the main hall.
She wore a pearl-embroidered orange cloud-patterned shoulder cape, cloisonné jade earrings, and her unique cloud-shaped hair was further embellished.
On her fair, slender hands, she wore a polished alexandrite cat's-eye ring, tied with a dark red silk tassel, and lightly hung a sachet with a begonia gold thread pattern. She also wore a pair of brocade shoes embroidered with gold thread.
One glance is enough to tell she's an extraordinary beauty.
Although Fanghua was also quite beautiful, she was still slightly inferior to the person in front of her. She had to admit that the emperor was truly blessed.
It's such a pity that such a beautiful woman met such a tragic end. She was truly a beauty with a short life. It's such a shame.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace." Niohuru was dissatisfied that Hesheli had become Empress.
However, after spending a long time in the palace, she saw some things and, although she was not convinced, she had to admire her. If it were her, she was afraid she could not have done as well as her.
"Get up. What brings you to visit me today?"
Niohuru came when Fanghua fainted last time, but she didn't know it.
"But what's wrong?"
Fanghua felt grateful to the person in front of her.
Although Yinreng was raised by the Emperor after his death, he was a man and lacked experience in raising children. If it weren't for the help of the Empress Dowager and others, Yinreng probably wouldn't have been able to raise the child so well.
Although the emperor made Yinreng the crown prince to win over Han officials, Yinreng was also a beneficiary, so she was still happy.
Originally, it was thought that Yinreng would continue to live a peaceful and prosperous life, but who would have thought that some people couldn't stand to see Yinreng doing well and secretly made moves against him.
Empress Niohuru, who had become Emperor Kangxi's empress by then, was skilled in many ways after years of training in the inner palace. She discovered others' schemes against Yinreng and secretly eliminated many of them for him.
She, as the mother, must remember this kindness.
Niohuru was nothing more than a pitiful woman; she was merely a pawn used by the emperor to win over former court officials.
Ultimately, she met an untimely end, her beauty fading in the cannibalistic imperial harem.
How pitiful, how lamentable.
After the palace maid served tea to Niohuru, Niohuru sipped it and said, "Can't you come to see your sister if there's nothing else to do?"
The two were about the same age and competed with each other at every turn after entering the palace. To say that they had any deep feelings for each other at this time would be an understatement.
"Do you think I'll believe what you're saying?" Fanghua didn't want to change too much. Niohuru was a smart woman, and if she changed too much, she was afraid Niohuru would become suspicious.
It would be better to leave things as they are and take our time to repay the debt of gratitude.
Niohuru smiled as she prepared the body. They had never gotten along, so it was no surprise that she hadn't received a warm welcome. "It seems Her Majesty the Empress is not very welcoming to me. Well then, I'll leave."
As she spoke, she stood up, making it clear that she was leaving if she wasn't asked to stay.
The Empress rolled her eyes at her. "Heh, you'd better stick to what you have to say. After all, we're not exactly friends." Gently stroking her belly, she realized, having lived a second life, that Niohuru's personality had become so strange.
Although I don't know why she came here, it certainly wasn't to bring good news.
Niohuru stopped being pretentious and sat down abruptly, instantly dispelling any trace of her former beauty.
"I wonder if His Majesty has ever seen this side of you. It has truly broadened my horizons." Fanghua's mouth was faster than her brain, and she blurted out the teasing words.
Empress Niohuru was so angry she almost laughed. She regretted making the trip, realizing she had only made things worse for herself.
"Ha, I really shouldn't have come." After glaring at the Empress, she said directly, "I've come to tell you something."
Fanghua sat up straight, understood her expression, and dismissed everyone except Zhang Mama.
On Niohuru's side, it was similar; apart from one personal attendant, everyone else was sent out.
"Alright, you can talk now."
"The Empress understands me best. It seems the Empress isn't as foolish as she appears."
Fanghua couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of this person having a mouth.
"If you don't want to talk, then leave. Our relationship isn't good enough for us to sit down and chat." That's infuriating.
How is she stupid?
Oh well, I must have been pretty stupid in my past life.
well.
"Don't be angry, it was just a slip of the tongue, Your Majesty, please don't take offense." She feigned apology, then continued, "I wonder what Your Majesty's thoughts are on the matter of the palace maid from Kunning Palace climbing into my bed last time?"
Fanghua had stopped caring about this matter after achieving her goal, but now that she's being asked about it, it seems there's something she doesn't know.
"What thoughts could I possibly have? Everyone has a desire to climb the social ladder; it's perfectly normal. Didn't Consort Niohuru eventually replace me?"
For some reason, her temper towards Niohuru had suddenly flared up.
Niohuru choked, "That's right, it all depends on whether Her Majesty the Empress gives us the chance." Feeling a lump in her throat, she couldn't help but retort with a sarcastic tone.
Zhang Mama and Xiangzhu, who were serving nearby, both had speechless expressions.
If they weren't servants who shouldn't interrupt their masters, the two of them would definitely have stopped their bickering.
"Alright, enough nonsense, get to the point." I'm really not as quick-witted as her; the more she talks, the angrier she gets.
"Although the Empress Dowager found out that the Nara clan was behind the last incident, that's not the whole story," Niohuru said slowly, taking a sip of fine tea.
She knew that Nara had arranged for someone to climb into her bed in Kunning Palace, but judging from her words, the person behind it wasn't Nara.
"Who is it?" Fanghua's expression changed, and she immediately asked.
"I have done Your Majesty such a great favor, how will Your Majesty repay me?" Niohuru began to act arrogantly again.
Fanghua was truly speechless. However, she really wanted to know who was behind her. It couldn't possibly be the Empress Dowager, could it?
"Take whatever you like, do you think I'm stingy?" This person, can't you just do me a favor? Why do you have to make me angry?
"Then thank you, sister. I heard that the Emperor gave you a set of glass wine cups from Persia last time. You know that I love wine. I wonder if you would be willing to part with them?"
Seeing her bright, sparkling eyes, Fanghua felt utterly helpless.
This man is truly a drunkard.
"Granny, have Qiaoling deliver that set of glass cups to Changchun Palace later."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com