News from the previous dynasty quickly reached the inner palace.
Chuxiu Palace
Consort Zhao was stunned for a moment, then sat there blankly with a gloomy expression.
"Song'etu and Tong Guowei are really good at scheming. The Empress and Tongjia of Chengqian Palace have just passed away in the harem, and Consort Hesheli is out of favor. Now they are rushing to send their daughters into the palace."
"Lianxing, go and find out which women of marriageable age the Hesheli and Tong families have. I want to see what kind of stunning beauties they are planning to send into the palace."
Lianxing exchanged a glance with Caiyue without showing any emotion, and respectfully replied, "Yes."
Caiyue frowned, considered for a moment, and then said softly, "Your Majesty, although Lord Suo'etu and Lord Tong Guowei have proposed the selection of concubines, His Majesty has not yet agreed. Your Majesty need not worry too much."
"Even if a new concubine enters the palace, Your Majesty, you are still a concubine, and the new concubine cannot surpass you."
Consort Zhao chuckled lightly and spoke in a cold voice.
"That being said, I am still not happy about it. Although there are not many concubines in the palace of noble birth, there are still more than ten of them."
"Although His Majesty has only three sons, he has a total of nine princesses. I..."
After a pause, Consort Zhao's eyes turned sinister, and she said in a deep voice, "Caiyue, send a message out of the palace, asking Mother to search for a remedy to help me conceive outside the palace. I want to conceive the imperial child before the new concubines enter the palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yikun Palace
Xu Lejin reclined on the soft couch, flipping through the storybook in her hand, while Ruhua respectfully reported on the affairs of the previous dynasty.
With her brows furrowed, Xu Lejin's eyes sparkled with a smile. She picked up a piece of candied fruit with her slender hand, put it in her mouth, chewed it slowly, and then swallowed it, her red lips slightly parted.
"The imperial selection is to be expected. Two years ago, the Emperor did not issue an edict for the selection because of the Three Feudatories. Now, two years later, the Empress passed away after giving birth to the sixth princess, and Consort Tongjia of Chengqian Palace also passed away. The high positions are in jeopardy."
"Among the ministers of the court, those with daughters of marriageable age were eager to send their daughters to the palace to try their luck in wealth and honor, following the example of the Tong family who sent Empress Xiaokangzhang to the palace."
"My lord, you mustn't say that."
Lianzhi quickly stopped Xu Lejin, glanced around, and said softly, "Empress Xiaokangzhang is the Emperor's birth mother. If Your Majesty says such things, the Emperor will mind."
"Um."
Xu Lejin responded with a faint "yes".
After a long while, Xu Lejin said calmly, "His Majesty is a wise and powerful ruler. He will not hold a grudge because Empress Xiaokangzhang used to be a member of the Han Banner Army."
"Ruhua, you just said that it was Lord Tong Guowei who suggested that the Emperor select concubines to enter the palace and fill the harem?"
Ru Hua respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, that is indeed the case."
Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin's lips curled into a playful smile.
After a long while, he murmured softly, "In that case, it is quite interesting. Lord Tong Guowei's eldest daughter passed away in the palace less than two years ago, and his second daughter has now grown up and is at the age of blossoming beauty."
"Lord Tong Guowei's urgent suggestion to the Emperor to hold a selection of concubines has ulterior motives!"
Lianzhi and Ruhua exchanged a glance and spoke in unison.
"Your Majesty is absolutely right."
The palace was abuzz with the news of the imperial concubine selection. Most of the concubines did not want Emperor Kangxi to select new women to enter the palace, but Xu Lejin was indifferent to the selection.
She knew that in the history of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi, one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history, would definitely not have had only the few concubines he had now in his harem.
Even without the imperial selection process, and while the palace did not admit daughters from Manchu, Mongol, and Han Eight Banners families, the palace maids from the three banners of bondservant families would grow up in batches. Young, beautiful, and gentle, they would rise to prominence.
Ten days later
When Emperor Kangxi was repeatedly asked about the selection of concubines by Songgotu and Tong Guowei in the previous dynasty, Mingzhu remained neutral, neither opposing nor approving, as if everything was up to Kangxi to decide.
In the afternoon, Emperor Kangxi was invited to the Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager, though aged and frail, wore a kind and gentle smile as she spoke in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, matters of the inner palace are not something the Empress Dowager and I should interfere with too much, but..."
"Emperor Taizong had nine sons, and the late emperor had eight sons. Your Majesty, counting those who died young in infancy, you only have six sons at most."
"Of the three sons who are still alive today, the mothers of Saiyinchahun and Baoqing were both concubines and came from the bannermen. Although the emperor elevated the bannermen and bestowed a surname upon Baoshou's mother, Consort Yu, it could not change the fact that Consort Yu was originally a palace maid."
The Empress Dowager paused, then exchanged a glance with the Empress Dowager beside her.
"The Empress Dowager and I believe that although the Three Feudatories Rebellion has not been quelled and the affairs of the court are busy, Your Majesty must also consider the imperial heir. Although Suo'etu and Tong Guowei have proposed to select noble ladies from prominent families to enter the palace, they may have their own selfish motives, but it is also for the sake of the country and the people."
After the Empress Dowager's earnest words, Kangxi fell into deep thought.
Emperor Kangxi frowned and said in a deep voice, "I understand Grandmother's meaning. However..."
“It is acceptable to select noble ladies from prominent families to enter the palace, but I think that the concubines in the palace, such as Lady Ma Jia and Lady Na La, have all given birth to princes for me. When new concubines enter the palace, except for a few from prominent families, the rest will be set as concubines. They will be promoted after they give birth to children.”
"Grandmother, what do you think?"
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, gave the Empress Dowager beside her, who had her head bowed slightly, a reassuring look, and said with a smile, "The Emperor's considerations are thorough."
"The Emperor said in court that holding a large-scale selection of concubines would be a waste of resources and manpower. In that case, why not select one girl from each of the Hesheli family, the Nara family, and the Tongjia family to enter the palace?"
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