Inside the main hall of Chuxiu Palace.
Consort Zhao had not yet risen, Consort Ma Jia was carrying a slightly protruding belly, Consort Na La had a gloomy and ugly face but had to maintain a proper smile, and Consort Li, Consort Wanyan and others had inscrutable expressions.
Consort Guo Luoluo was still radiant and beautiful, her rose-red palace dress making her even more charming.
“Sister Nara, I heard that His Majesty just conferred the title of Consort Xiao Nara today. She is a rare beauty with a face as fair as a flower. I wonder who is more beautiful, her or Sister Guo Luoluo?”
Consort Ma was displeased. As she turned her head away, she happened to see the charming and graceful Consort Guo Luoluo. Her sharp eyes flashed, and she spoke with a coquettish smile.
Nara Concubine's complexion changed from white to blue.
Consort Guo Luoluo glanced at Consort Ma Jia out of the corner of her eye. Her alluring phoenix eyes held a calm, still pool of autumn water.
After waiting for a long time without receiving a reply from Consort Nara or Consort Guoluo, Consort Ma Jia glared at the two of them angrily. She touched her cheek with her slender fingers and murmured, "Time waits for no one. Zhang and I were once beautiful young women, but now, several years have passed and we are almost twenty-five."
"The beauties in the palace come one after another. Looking at the young and beautiful newcomers, I can't help but lament that I am getting old."
After a pause, Consort Ma Jia showed a look of disdain as her gaze swept over the group of concubines.
She added softly, "I have both a son and a daughter. Although Sister Zhang is slightly less fortunate, she still has the Fourth Princess. With more and more new women in the palace, who knows what will happen to us old servants who serve the Emperor if we don't have children to rely on?"
"Only the new brides are seen laughing, while the old ones are never seen crying."
After Consort Ma Jia spoke, the expressions of Consort Li, Consort Wanyan, Consort Dong, and other concubines without children all changed, and they fell into deep thought.
Inside the main hall of Chuxiu Palace, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
At this moment, Lianxing, the head palace maid of Consort Zhao, bowed and came out from the inner room, saying respectfully, "Esteemed concubines, my lady suddenly had a headache this morning and could not get out of bed. I'm afraid she will not be able to see you today."
Consorts Ma Jia and Na La had fire burning in their eyes, but they had to suppress it.
Consort Li looked at Lianxing and asked softly, "Miss Lianxing, what are the arrangements for Consort Li's audience with Consort Zhao today?"
“Little Concubine Nara is already waiting outside the palace.”
Lianxing nodded.
Immediately afterwards, Lianxing, with a stubborn and proud expression, straightened her posture and said loudly, "Reporting to Consort Nara, my lady has instructed that Consort Nara should enter the palace to pay her respects as usual."
"Your Majesty is so kind as to instruct me to accept the tea offered by Consort Xiao Nara on your behalf."
Consort Nara, Consort Li, and others looked at each other in bewilderment.
After hesitating for a long time, they all chose to remain silent, because they also disliked the young Nara clan member who had just been favored and made a concubine.
Now, Consort Zhao is deliberately humiliating Xiao Nara, and they are happy to see it happen.
A moment later, the young concubine, supported by her maids, walked gracefully into the hall. Her delicate light pink palace dress was embroidered with large twin hibiscus flowers, and she moved with captivating charm.
On her small, oval face, she had red lips, a delicate nose, cherry-like lips, bright, sparkling eyes, long eyelashes, and a charming smile.
What a stunning beauty, like a lotus emerging from the water, a beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky!
No wonder that after just one night of serving the emperor, Kangxi couldn't wait to bestow upon her the title of concubine. It's quite an investment that he put so much effort into sending out such a beautiful palace maid.
Consort Ma Jia, Consort Li, and the others all stared at Consort Xiao Nara, their eyes filled with undisguised jealousy.
After glancing at Consort Xiao Nara, Xu Lejin remained calm, picked up the teacup beside her, took a few sips, turned her head to speak softly to Consort Xitala, who looked dejected.
"She is indeed a beautiful woman, no wonder the Emperor likes her."
Consort Xitala felt a lump in her throat, but when she met Xu Lejin's calm and composed gaze, she snapped back to reality.
The harem is never short of beauties. Although Consort Xiao Nara is stunningly beautiful, time takes its toll. Given time, who knows if Consort Xiao Nara will become the second Consort Xiao Nara, or the second Consort Zhang?
Covering her mouth gently, Consort Xitala smiled and said, "Sister Xu is right. Little Nara has fair skin and a beautiful face. Among the sisters in the palace, the only one who can be compared with Little Nara is Sister Guoluo."
Xu Lejin and Consort Xitala exchanged a few words of advice, which managed to bring the concubines back from their rage. Although the concubines were unhappy inside, they maintained proper smiles on their faces.
Inside the Chuxiu Palace, a young eunuch's shrill voice rang out.
"Please, Consort Xiao Nara, perform the full kowtow to Consort Zhao."
"kneel,"
The young concubine, Xiao Nara, slightly raised her head and looked at the empty main seat above. Beside the main seat, Lianxing looked down at her, her pretty face flushed red, her expression one of humiliation.
After a moment's hesitation, and after the young eunuch's second reminder,
The young concubine gritted her teeth and knelt down, suppressing the humiliation in her heart, and respectfully performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony.
Lianxing smiled gently and waved to the outside of the hall. A burly palace maid entered the hall carrying a teacup and bowed to invite the young concubine to serve tea.
The young concubine's face was contorted with rage.
With a livid face, Consort Xiao Nara reached out and took the teacup. The scalding tea made her delicate, fair hands tremble.
The burly palace maid glanced coldly at the young concubine, then said with a mocking smile, "Young concubine, you'd better hold on tight, this tea is for Consort Zhao."
"After the tea ceremony, you, Little Concubine, will finally be considered a proper concubine in the harem."
Consorts Ma Jia and Li, who were sitting upright, had a look of schadenfreude in their eyes, while Consort Hesheli and others frowned and pondered inwardly.
Consort Nara's face turned deathly pale, and she was filled with fear.
Xu Lejin turned her head slightly away, feeling somewhat reluctant.
Consort Xiao Nara carried the scalding hot tea, her fingers fidgeting to ease the pain in her hands. With a respectful expression, she bowed to the empty seat of honor and said, "This humble servant, Nara, listens to the teachings of Consort Zhao and requests that Consort Zhao have some tea."
"Please have some tea, Consort Zhao."
"Please have some tea, Consort Zhao."
The young concubine, Xiao Nara, raised her voice higher and higher, offering tea three times in a row.
The voice, as melodious as a lark's, was mixed with anger and humiliation. Consort Ma Jia, Consort Na La, and Xu Lejin, among others, kept their eyes downcast and secretly wondered what Consort Zhao was up to.
After half a cup of tea, Lianxing stepped forward to take the cooling tea and placed it on the table beside her. "The Consort Zhao instructed me to serve His Majesty wholeheartedly and to produce offspring for the royal family as soon as possible."
"Yes, Your Highness, I will follow your instructions."
After speaking, the young concubine swayed precariously.
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