Yunyi found a breakthrough from Wang Shi. Since Wang Shi was hostile to Qianlong, she might be able to make use of her.
Having acquired the beautiful young woman he had longed for, Emperor Qianlong seemed to have forgotten his admonition to cultivate his moral character and began to stay with her every night.
Not long after, Lady Wang was promoted to the rank of Noble Lady Yi, a rapid rise that shows how favored she was.
The southern tour ended here, and Emperor Qianlong had no desire to continue, so he ordered that they return by the same route.
After returning home, the New Year soon arrived, and the year turned into the twentieth year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign.
During this period, Lady Wang was greatly favored, surpassing all the other concubines in the palace and becoming the most favored.
In just a few months, despite not having a high family background or the merit of bearing children, she was promoted again and became Consort Yi.
The Empress Dowager was extremely disgusted with this Han woman of unknown family background. In addition, Wang was too favored, and the Empress Dowager always felt that she was a seductive woman who had bewitched the emperor and bewitched her son.
For this reason, Empress Dowager Niohuru looked down on Consort Yi and often found excuses to make things difficult for her.
Emperor Qianlong felt sorry for Lady Wang being made things difficult, so he often went to persuade his mother not to judge people with prejudice.
After being told this by her son, Empress Dowager Niohuru disliked Consort Yi even more.
This was like a vicious cycle; the relationship between the Empress Dowager and Consort Yi deteriorated, leaving Emperor Qianlong caught in the middle and in a dilemma.
It was also because of the Empress Dowager's obstruction that Qianlong's feelings for Lady Wang deepened, resembling his affection for Consort Huixian in the past.
As he indulged in nightly revelry, Emperor Qianlong's health deteriorated, but he paid no attention to it, always believing that as the Son of Heaven, with the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital at his side, he would be fine.
Little did he know that the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital were frowning and looking distressed as they faced his medical records.
They had already advised the Emperor to cultivate a tranquil mind and reduce his desires to take good care of his health, but the Emperor wouldn't listen and insisted on improving his health. Wasn't that just making things difficult for them?
After persisting for another six months, the Forbidden City entered summer, and the weather became extremely hot. Emperor Qianlong then issued an edict to move to the Yuanmingyuan Garden to live.
Yunyi lived in the same place as before, which was far from Qianlong, but very quiet and not many people came to disturb her.
Emperor Qianlong's health was already at its limit. Yunyi didn't even take his pulse, but just by looking at his complexion, she could tell he looked very unwell. If nothing unexpected happened, it would probably be this summer.
Yunyi didn't want to get too close; it was better to keep her distance.
Even after entering the Yuanmingyuan, the competition for favor didn't stop. Back then, Consort Wen was the most favored concubine in the palace, relying on her son, the Twelfth Prince, to overshadow the other concubines.
As a result, during his southern tour, Emperor Qianlong brought back Consort Yi, who overshadowed all the other concubines in the palace.
Consort Wen was the most hostile person to Consort Yi in the entire palace. Even after changing environments, the infighting did not stop. Consort Wen was very dissatisfied when she learned that Consort Yi had been arranged to be in the place closest to the Emperor.
For three consecutive days, the Emperor stayed at Consort Yi's residence. When he went out for a stroll in the courtyard, he overheard the eunuchs and maids gossiping that Consort Yi was going to be promoted to the rank of Imperial Concubine.
Consort Wen's dissatisfaction reached its peak. She was only granted the title of Consort after giving birth to the Twelfth Prince, while that Lady Wang had only been in the palace for a short time and had never even had a child, yet the Emperor wanted to make her a Consort!
Overwhelmed by discontent and jealousy, Consort Wen felt she could no longer sit idly by and had to quickly reclaim the emperor's favor.
A sudden inspiration struck her. She remembered the aphrodisiac incense her brother and sister-in-law had sent over some time ago, and a plan immediately formed in her mind.
After returning and making some preparations, she sent her personal eunuch to inquire about the Emperor's itinerary for the night and waited for him on the road early in the morning.
Consort Wen was indeed very beautiful; otherwise, she wouldn't have been favored for a period of time and even gave birth to the Twelfth Prince.
Tonight, she dressed up in disguise, and under the moonlight, she looked even more beautiful.
Looking at her, Emperor Qianlong immediately changed his mind and took Consort Wen's hand, leading her to her residence.
The incense in the room had been burning for a while. When Qianlong first entered, he only found the incense smelled pleasant and did not notice anything unusual.
Li Yu stood calmly at the door, ignoring the sounds and noises inside. He looked up at the scenery outside, feeling very calm.
This kind of thing happens almost every day; he's gotten used to it.
The creaking of the bed spoke of the intense activity inside. Li Yu listened while estimating the time, waiting for someone to call for water so he could go in and serve them.
"Ah!" A scream rang out from a woman, followed by another panicked voice: "Help! Something has happened to the Emperor!"
Li Yu's expression changed drastically. Ignoring whether it was impolite or unruly, he pushed open the door and saw Consort Wen, disheveled and wearing only a robe, and Emperor Qianlong, whose face was flushed and who had already fainted.
As expected of the chief eunuch in charge of the emperor's court, no matter how shocked he was, Li Yu immediately calmed down when faced with such a situation.
First, send someone to fetch the imperial physician, then have Consort Wen's maid come and take her away, who is somewhat frightened, to help her wash and change her clothes.
Afterwards, Li Yu and his men quickly cleaned up Qianlong and changed his clothes. They didn't dare to touch him and just left him on the bed for the time being.
The wait was rather long, so Li Yu stood up and inspected the room.
After looking around, he immediately noticed something wrong with the incense burner in the center of the room. He ordered the incense to be extinguished and waited for the imperial physician to come and check if there was anything wrong.
When Physician Li entered, he could still smell a strange odor in the room, but he couldn't care less about that and could only take the Emperor's pulse first.
As soon as he started, his face turned pale, and his hands and body trembled uncontrollably.
Under Li Yu's persistent questioning, Imperial Physician Li stammered and told him, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty has suffered a stroke!"
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