After that, the normal greetings ceremony began. Everyone chatted for a while, and then Niohuru excused herself from feeling unwell and left. Everyone else was then able to leave.
Yunyi, with her sharp eyes, noticed that Consort An across from her seemed to have something to say to her, so she took the lead in getting into the palanquin and returning to her Chengqian Palace.
Consort An called out from behind, but Yunyi pretended not to see it. She knew without guessing that they wanted to talk about the Golden Festival, but she had no interest in it and didn't want to get involved, so she could only leave first.
Consort An watched as Consort Tong ignored her and walked away, filled with resentment but helpless. She turned to look at Consort Hui and Consort Rong behind her.
Consort Hui chuckled twice, not wanting to pay attention to this fool who had status but no brains. She smiled and said to Consort An, "Sister, since the Noble Consort doesn't have this idea, you shouldn't go and annoy her. I have things to do in the palace, so I'll leave first." Then she also sat on her palanquin and returned to Xianfu Palace.
Seeing this, Consort Rong knew that Consort An was probably furious, so she quickly stepped forward, gave a slight curtsy, and said in a gentle tone, "Sister Consort An, I have been out for a long time today. I'm afraid the Tenth Prince is going to make a fuss about finding Mother. I have no choice but to return to the palace first."
Consort An smiled and said, "Sister is right. The young prince is important. Since you have matters to attend to in the palace, I won't keep you any longer."
"Alright, alright, then I thank you, sister." Consort Rong exchanged a few polite words and returned to her Zhongcui Palace.
Furious at being ignored time and again, Consort An glared at the concubines behind her, clutching her handkerchief. She then gripped the hand of her head maid, Chunlan, and left. Chunlan, her eyes lowered, supported her mistress, her hand aching from the grip, but dared not utter a sound.
Hmph, so what if they gave birth to a few princes for the Emperor? They all have no sense of hierarchy whatsoever. I am the head of the concubine ranks, and they don't even respect me. Just wait and see how I deal with them later. And that Consort Tong, she's been in the palace for four years and still hasn't given birth. Relying on her status as the Emperor's maternal cousin, she actually managed to become a Consort. It's infuriating!
In Zhongcui Palace, Consort Rong's maid, Zhu Yun, was brewing tea when she asked in bewilderment, "Your Highness, Consort Rong is usually so arrogant, why is she so easy to talk to today? She seems like a completely different person compared to before."
After taking a sip of tea and a bite of pastry, Consort Rong smiled upon hearing her maid's words. "The Noble Consort is of noble status and was pampered at home since childhood. After entering the palace, His Majesty also doted on her. She always says whatever comes to mind. Palace affairs are complicated and require a lot of mental effort. She probably finds it too tiring and doesn't want to get involved, which is normal."
"This servant is dull-witted, but after your explanation, mistress, I understand," Zhu Yun said with sudden realization.
Rong Pin glanced at Zhu Yun and tapped her forehead. "You, you're always trying to be cute and make me happy." Zhu Yun was a maid that Rong Pin had brought from her home. The two had been together for decades and had a deep bond. Therefore, Zhu Yun was more relaxed when serving Rong Pin, but in public, she still maintained the demeanor of a head maid of Zhongcui Palace.
After the conversation ended, Consort Rong instructed the palace maid to summon the wet nurse so she could check on the Tenth Prince. While everyone was busy, she said softly, "However, she is indeed a little different from usual today."
Meanwhile, back at Chengqian Palace, Yunyi first asked Ruoshu to bring two plates of snacks to fill her stomach. Remembering her mission, she then asked about the situation of the palace maids, including Wuya Xinyue.
"Your Majesty, those palace maids are all under the supervision of Granny Zhang. I don't know much about them. Would you like to summon Granny Zhang to inquire?"
Granny Zhang was the original owner's wet nurse, and she had doted on her since childhood. When the original owner had the idea of surrogacy, Granny Zhang was heartbroken and tried to dissuade her for a long time along with Ruoshu. After the persuasion failed, fearing that the palace maids would not perform their duties properly, she volunteered to take on the task. In addition to training them, she would often remind the palace maids to keep an eye on them, lest they have any bad intentions.
Yunyi was very curious about the female protagonist in the original book, and after thinking about it, she decided to go and see for herself. Supporting Ruoshu's hand, she strolled leisurely to the back hall. Entering the palace maids' quarters, Yunyi was immediately drawn to a woman in green on the far left. The woman sat by the window, her hands moving deftly with needle and thread on a handkerchief; in a short while, a delicate and vivid pink-blue flower appeared on the white handkerchief. Sunlight shone on her pretty face, adding to her beauty.
Actually, judging by her facial features alone, Wu Yaxin's appearance wasn't the most outstanding in the harem; it was only average. However, she had a great sense of style and dressing. This light blue palace maid's dress embroidered with orchids perfectly enhanced her elegance. The magnolia hairpin she wore, matching the headdresses in the palace maid's ceremonial attire, was understated yet striking. She wasn't wearing makeup, but being young, her skin was flawless; makeup would have been superfluous and obscured her beauty. Natural beauty, like a lotus emerging from clear water, was best.
It's obvious she's a clever woman. Lacking in physical beauty, she uses her charm to captivate. It's no wonder Emperor Kangxi was drawn to such a beauty, like a rare orchid blooming in a secluded valley. Of the four palace maids Tong Yunyi sought, only she was granted the title of Changzai (a high-ranking concubine) upon becoming pregnant, demonstrating her favor and shrewdness.
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