If Consort Hui was the most anxious after Uya Yushan became pregnant, then Consort Tong of Chengqian Palace was the second most anxious.
Wuya became pregnant after only a few years of being favored by the emperor. However, after five years in the palace, there was still no news. In her anxiety, Consort Tong summoned her mother back to the palace, hoping that she could find some other fertility-enhancing drugs or folk remedies.
When Madam Tong learned of her daughter's request, she readily agreed, saying that she would search diligently after returning home. At the same time, she comforted her daughter, telling her not to worry.
With her mother's assurance, Consort Tong's somewhat agitated heart gradually calmed down, and she patiently waited quietly.
After becoming a concubine, Lady Wei was indeed favored for a period of time due to her stunning beauty.
But as time went on, Kangxi realized that although the woman was beautiful, she lacked the spirit to match and had become a wooden beauty.
Wei was beautiful but lacked other qualities. At first, she was novel, but after a while, she became boring.
After favoring Consort Wei for a period of time, Kangxi forgot about her and turned to Consort Yi and others.
At the same time, Emperor Kangxi also began to lavishly favor beautiful palace maids, and for a time the palace was filled with many low-ranking concubines and other low-ranking women.
Time flies. In June of the seventeenth year, six months after Niohuru became empress, she died of illness. Like Hesheli, she died at a young age.
The passing of two empresses, who were also his wives, within three years caused Emperor Kangxi great grief. He couldn't help but wonder if he was cursed to die young, which was why Empress Hesheri and Empress Niohuru passed away at such a young age.
This conjecture also dissuaded him from the idea of ​​establishing another empress.
Consort Tong was unaware of Kangxi's idea. After Niohuru's death, she was still immersed in the joy of becoming empress and had no idea that Kangxi had already decided not to appoint another empress.
In October, Uya Yushan gave birth to Kangxi's tenth son, who, according to the order of birth, became the eighth prince. This child was named Yinxi.
In February of the eighteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, Consort Tong gave birth to the Ninth Prince, Yinxi. In May, Consort Yi's younger sister, Noble Lady Guoluo, gave birth to the Sixth Princess.
In July of the nineteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, Consort Daijia gave birth to the emperor's twelfth son, the Tenth Prince. However, the child was born with a foot ailment, which was considered a very unlucky omen.
Although Emperor Kangxi did not dislike the child, he did not particularly like him, and as a result, Lady Daijia, who gave birth to the child, also lost favor.
However, Emperor Kangxi also had a compassionate father's heart, so he named his tenth son Yinyou, hoping that the gods and Buddhas could bless this child who was born with an illness.
Lady Daijia gave birth to a disabled prince, which led to Emperor Kangxi's dislike of her and loss of his favor. However, she did not wallow in self-pity and devoted herself to raising her child, never again vying for his favor.
It was precisely because of her optimistic attitude that she had such a good ending in history.
Her son was not involved in the succession struggle because of his illness, and was granted the title of Prince by Emperor Yongzheng. After Emperor Kangxi passed away, she, as the Dowager Consort, went to live in her son's Prince's Mansion.
She was born during the Shunzhi reign, served as a concubine during the Kangxi reign, and lived through the reigns of four emperors, including the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns. She lived until the fifth year of the Qianlong reign before passing away at the age of ninety-two.
In the twentieth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Qing army captured Kunming, and Wu Shifan committed suicide. From the twelfth year to the twentieth year, eight years passed before the Revolt of the Three Feudatories was finally quelled.
Overjoyed, Emperor Kangxi decided to bestow titles upon the imperial harem. At this time, the three-year mourning period for the Empress ended, and Consort Tong eagerly awaited the arrival of the imperial edict to bestow her title upon the Empress.
After the Empress passed away, the concubines in the harem all came to her Chengqian Palace to pay their respects. According to the previous procedure of Niohuru being made Empress, it should be her turn now.
Three days later, an imperial edict was issued, and Consort Tong of Chengqian Palace was promoted to Imperial Noble Consort and put in charge of palace affairs. At the same time, Emperor Kangxi also elevated his cousin's clan to the Tongjia clan.
Consort Rong of Zhongcui Palace was promoted to Noble Consort Rong, Consort Hui was promoted to Consort Hui, Consort Tong was promoted to Consort Tong, Consort An was promoted to Consort An, and Consort Yi was promoted to Consort Yi.
Noble Lady Uya was promoted to Consort De, Noble Lady Zhang was promoted to Consort Mu, Noble Lady Bu was promoted to Consort Bu, and there was also a princess from Khorchin, Mongolia, who was promoted to Consort Xuan.
Now that there is no Empress in the palace, there is still an Imperial Noble Consort. Of the two Noble Consorts, only Yunyi remains as a Noble Consort. All four Noble Consorts and all six Concubines are now in place, and the structure of the harem has been reshuffled because of this grand conferment.
Unable to become empress, Lady Tong felt an indescribable sense of loss. She couldn't understand why, despite her close relationship with her cousin, he was unwilling to let her become his wife.
Although the Imperial Noble Consort was said to be a deputy empress, she was only a concubine, not the principal wife. She only wanted to become her cousin's wife and stand by his side with dignity.
As a result, Lady Tongjia fell seriously ill. It was only after Lady Tongjia entered the palace and persuaded her that Lady Tongjia was able to cheer up again.
Although Emperor Kangxi felt sorry for his cousin, the fate of the country and the affairs of state did not allow him to have any other thoughts.
The Tong family already wields considerable power; they cannot afford to produce another empress, lest their maternal relatives become too powerful.
Years of instruction had taught him that the way of an emperor lies in balance, and he had to harden his heart and do what an emperor should do.
The year turned to the twenty-first year of Kangxi's reign. After resolving the Rebellion of the Three Feudatories, Kangxi decided to take his concubines on an autumn hunt at Mulan.
On the surface, this trip was meant to unite the various Mongol tribes and demonstrate the Qing Dynasty's closeness to them, but it also had the hidden purpose of intimidating the Mongol tribes.
Because of the eight-year Rebellion of the Three Feudatories, Emperor Kangxi had not left the Forbidden City for a long time. In the past, he would go to the summer palace to escape the heat and to the hot spring resort in winter.
However, during the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, the soldiers of the Qing Dynasty were fighting bloody battles abroad. As the emperor, he could not go to the battlefield, but he still had to show that he valued it. How could he indulge in pleasure?
Therefore, Emperor Kangxi did not leave the Forbidden City for several years and reduced expenditures in the palace, avoiding the extravagance and waste of the past.
The main force traveled for half a month before finally arriving at the Mulan Hunting Grounds. By then, the princes of various Mongol tribes had all arrived, waiting to welcome the emperor.
In the evening, Kangxi sat at the head of the table, flanked by the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager.
The first seat to his left was occupied by Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia. However, she was recovering from a serious illness and was also depressed, so her complexion did not look very good.
As a Noble Consort, Yunyi sat in the first position to the right of Kangxi, directly opposite Tongjia Shi, and very close to Kangxi. Yunyi could clearly see Kangxi's pleased expression at this moment.
The princes and dukes of the various Mongol tribes below were all very respectful to Kangxi. After the suppression of the Three Feudatories, the strength of the Qing Dynasty reached a new level, and they had no intention of disobeying the Qing Dynasty.
It was their first night in Mulan Hunting Grounds, and it was also a welcoming banquet. Amidst the clinking of glasses, everyone was in a very good mood.
After entering the palace, these concubines rarely had the chance to go out and see the outside world.
While drinking water, Yunyi suppressed the strange smile on her lips.
A month ago, upon learning that Emperor Kangxi was coming to Mulan for the autumn hunt, she made up her mind to make Kangxi...
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