Early the next day
Consort Zhao, of the Niohuru clan, did not sleep well last night. She tossed and turned, her mind filled with thoughts of Consort Xitala's nightly service to the emperor.
And now, she herself has no one of useful ability by her side.
With a haggard look on her face, Consort Zhao rested her chin on her hand, looked down at the group of concubines below, and slowly spoke.
"Consort Xitala served the Emperor diligently last night. This morning, His Majesty specially sent Li Dequan, a member of the Imperial Guard, to my palace to convey a message, rewarding Consort Xitala with a set of gold-inlaid jade jewelry and a bolt of silk gauze."
"The fabric of the gauze is light and thin, as thin as a cicada's wing. It would be very beautiful to make clothes out of it in the summer."
Consort Xitala paused slightly, her eyes darting around before she looked at Xu Lejin with a questioning gaze.
After a moment's thought, Xu Lejin smiled faintly and said softly, "Your Highness Consort Zhao is very learned. We concubines only know that Yanluo gauze is rare, but we did not know that it is as thin as a cicada's wing."
"The Emperor bestowed the silk gauze upon Consort Xitala as clothing, which suggests that the Emperor was very satisfied with Consort Xitala's service last night."
Consort Zhao frowned and remained silent.
Consorts Nara and Guoluo glared at Xu Lejin and Consort Xitala with furious eyes, cursing them inwardly for being seductive and tempting the Emperor.
A moment later, Consort Zhao's gaze fell on Consort Xiao Nara, who was five months pregnant and whose pregnancy was beginning to show.
"Consort Xiao Nara is now five months pregnant. I have noticed that she is getting thinner and thinner during her pregnancy. If His Majesty sees that Consort Xiao Nara has lost so much weight in order to carry the imperial heir, he will surely feel sorry for her."
Consort Zhao had a friendly smile on her face, but her gaze was like a knife.
Little Nara Concubine shivered, her body trembled slightly, and she looked timidly at Nara Concubine for help.
Consort Nara's eyes flashed with disdain as she slowly raised her gaze to Consort Zhao and said softly, "Consort Zhao has never experienced the pain of pregnancy and childbirth, so she probably doesn't know that women experience morning sickness during the first three months of pregnancy, and after five months, they experience various discomforts such as swelling in their hands and feet and spots on their face."
"Little Nara sister, you are carrying the emperor's heir. During the first three months of your pregnancy, you had severe morning sickness and vomited everything you ate, so you naturally lost weight."
Out of the corner of her eye, Consort Nara glanced at the young concubine and continued, "However, none of this matters. After giving birth, with careful recuperation for some time, she will recover completely."
Nara, the concubine, kept rambling on and on.
Consort Zhao, of the Niohuru clan, had her hands clenched into fists, hanging down in her sleeves, and a forced smile on her face.
After a long while, Consort Li chuckled.
"Sister Nara is indeed worthy of having borne the Emperor two imperial heirs. She knows everything about pregnancy. I am unlucky. I was fortunate enough to have a child, but I miscarried in less than two months."
Consort Wanyan, standing beside Consort Li, picked up the conversation and said gracefully, "Now that Consort Xiao Nara is pregnant, she is in a time of great anxiety. Sister Nara's words, which describe the hardships women face during pregnancy, are thought-provoking."
"If Consort Xiao Nara is too preoccupied with her pregnancy, causing the imperial fetus to be underdeveloped, who will bear the responsibility for this in the future?"
"Is she the birth mother of the prince and princess, Consort Xiao Nara, or Consort Xiao Nara?"
After Wanyan finished speaking, she looked intently at Nara Concubine.
Xu Lejin slightly raised her eyes, her gaze filled with a playful depth. She glanced at the Nara Concubine, whose face had turned from white to green, the Wanyan Concubine and the Li Concubine, who were singing in unison and confronting the Nara Concubine, and the pale-faced, fearful little Nara Concubine.
Inside Chuxiu Palace, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Consort Zhao frowned, and after pondering for a long time, she spoke in a cold voice, "It's getting late. My sisters, you should all return to your respective palaces as soon as possible. I also need to attend to palace affairs."
"Little Concubine, pregnancy is hard for women. It is not advisable to think too much during pregnancy. You should relax."
The young concubine, Xiao Nara, respectfully replied, "Yes."
The other concubines lowered their heads and rose to bid farewell to Consort Zhao.
Xu Lejin had just returned to Yikun Palace when Consort Xitala, accompanied by her maids, arrived with smiles on her face and carefully prepared gifts to pay her a visit.
“Your Highness Consort Yu, this is a piece of silk gauze that His Majesty bestowed upon me. I am of lowly status and fear that I may disgrace this rare and precious fabric. After much thought, I have decided to offer it to Your Highness Consort Yu.”
"Your Majesty, your skin is as smooth as jade, and you are dignified and elegant. You will look exceptionally beautiful in a dress made of gauze. The Emperor will surely favor you even more."
Consort Xitala's face was flattering, and her eyes were filled with a gentle smile.
Xu Lejin glanced at the silk gauze held by the maid behind Consort Xitala, her expression calm, and said, "I appreciate Consort Xitala's kindness, but this silk gauze was specially bestowed upon you by the Emperor to make clothes."
“A few days ago, His Majesty bestowed upon me the Radiant Brocade, which I just had cut into clothes. As for this Smoke Silk Gauze, Consort Xitala can keep it and cut it into clothes for herself.”
Consort Xitala looked embarrassed.
After a moment of contemplation, Consort Xitala looked at Xu Lejin with a pitiful expression, "Does Consort Yu despise me?"
"I wouldn't dare. How could I possibly dislike the silk gauze bestowed upon you by His Majesty?"
Xu Lejin glanced at Consort Xitala with a sharp glint in her eyes and continued softly, "Yanluo gauze is precious and the Emperor rarely bestows it upon his concubines. Consort Xitala has received the Emperor's favor and should cherish it."
"The concubines in the palace are scheming and vying for the emperor's favor. Concubine Xitala doesn't need to care too much. The emperor likes Concubine Xitala's service. The other concubines in the palace will only be envious and jealous, and show off their power in words."
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