Consort Ma Jia is pregnant again, and the news spreads to the East and West Six Palaces.
Xu Lejin paused for a moment, then said casually, "Consort Ma Jia is indeed blessed with good fortune. The fourth prince, the third princess, the fifth princess, and the tenth princess are all pregnant with another child."
"Sister Yu Pin, you are also blessed with great fortune. Your sixth son, eighth daughter and ninth daughter are rare and auspicious twins in the palace."
Consort Xuan looked at Xu Lejin with a smile in her eyes.
After a moment's hesitation, she spoke softly, "Consort Yu is the most blessed person in the palace."
Xu Lejin wore a gentle smile, glancing at Consort Xuan out of the corner of her eye.
"Consort Xuan is young and beautiful, and has won the Emperor's favor. Given time, she will also become pregnant and give birth to a prince or princess for the Emperor."
Consort Xuan looked both ashamed and annoyed, and quickly glanced at Xu Lejin.
She lowered her head, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, and hesitated before speaking, "Thank you, Consort Yu. I also hope to conceive soon and give birth to a prince or princess who shares the blood of the Qing Dynasty and the Khorchin."
Inside Yikun Palace, Xu Lejin and Consort Xuan were chatting happily.
Chuxiu Palace
Consort Zhao said coldly, "Ma Jia is really lucky. Even so, she was able to conceive and carry the imperial heir. Over the years, I have longed for a child day and night. I have drunk countless fertility-enhancing medicines and watched helplessly as princes and princesses were born one after another in the palace."
"Caiyue, my heart is filled with bitterness!"
Caiyue lowered her head slightly and exchanged a glance with Lianxing beside her.
"Your Majesty, you are still young and healthy, the perfect age for childbearing. You are also trusted and relied upon by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. Princes and princesses will come sooner or later."
Consort Zhao gave a bitter smile, her eyes filled with resentment.
"I've heard this so many times. I'm a woman too, and I want to be a mother too! Why is it that everyone in the palace can give birth and conceive, but I can't?"
"Behind me is the Niohuru family, and their young and beautiful daughters are growing up one after another. I've been under immense pressure for so long without having children in the palace."
"God, you've made me suffer."
Tears flowed silently down her face. Caiyue and Lianxing, who heard about it, were heartbroken and wept at the sight. They quietly and softly comforted Consort Zhao.
June and July passed in the blink of an eye.
After Consort Ma Jia became pregnant, she summoned the imperial physicians to Zhongcui Palace every few days. Under the instruction of Emperor Kangxi and Consort Zhao, various precious tonics were sent to Zhongcui Palace one after another.
Amidst the bittersweet feelings of the concubines in the harem, Consort Ma Jia successfully passed through the first three months.
Although Consort Ma Jia was severely depleted and weak due to consecutive pregnancies, requiring her to stay in bed and rest, the imperial fetus unexpectedly passed through the most unstable first three months smoothly.
Consort Zhao sat regally in the main seat of Chuxiu Palace.
With her gaze sweeping over Consort Tong, Consort Xu, Consort Xuan, and the other concubines sitting below, Consort Zhao spoke leisurely, "The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner, and this year His Majesty intends to hold a grand celebration."
"His Majesty and I have discussed it, and this year for the Mid-Autumn Festival, all the concubines in the palace, except for Consort Ma Jia who is confined to Zhongcui Palace and Consort Heshe who has been bedridden with illness since the summer, must attend in their finest attire."
Consort Tong, Xu Lejin, and others stood up one after another, saying, "Yes, sister/concubine/maid, we will obey Consort Zhao/Your Majesty's orders."
Consort Zhao smiled and gestured for everyone to sit down.
Xu Lejin and Consort Xuan exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads and remained silent.
"Sister Zhaofei, I've been thinking that in previous years, the Mid-Autumn Festival was always celebrated with palace dancers and musicians singing and dancing to entertain us. How about we try something different this year?"
Consort Tong, holding a handkerchief to cover her mouth, spoke softly before Consort Zhao could respond, "Sister, I think that the ladies in the palace all have some talents. Why don't we have them play the zither, sing, and dance to entertain us on Mid-Autumn Festival?"
"What does Consort Zhao think?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Zhao instinctively wanted to refuse, but upon further reflection, she felt it was feasible.
Her gaze swept over Xu Lejin, Consort Xuan, and the other concubines, and Consort Zhao smiled gently, saying, "Consort Yu, Consort Xuan, what do you think?"
"Your Highness, I come from a humble background and have no talent whatsoever. I am not worthy of such a refined occasion. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, I will refrain from making a fool of myself and spoiling everyone's enjoyment."
Xu Lejin glanced at Consort Zhao and softly refused.
Following Xu Lejin, Consort Xuan also spoke with a smile, "Your Highness, Consort Zhao, I come from Mongolia. I am skilled at horseback riding and hunting on the grasslands, but I am not good at singing or dancing."
Upon hearing this, Consort Zhao was speechless.
Consort Zhao hesitated about whether the concubines in the palace should offer their talents to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Consort Tong insisted, and finally, through friendly negotiation between Consort Zhao and Consort Tong, it was agreed that if the concubines in the palace had talents to perform, they could go on stage to entertain the guests. The palace dancers and musicians also prepared to sing and dance.
August 14th afternoon
All the preparations for the Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner are almost complete.
In the afternoon, Consort Xuan, accompanied by her maids, visited Xu Lejin's Yikun Palace. As soon as she entered the main hall of Yikun Palace, she exclaimed loudly, "Consort Yu, have you heard?"
"Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet. Consort Tong is actually going to perform a dance? And Consort Zhao, Consort Zhang, Consort Fan, and others will also have talent performances."
Xu Lejin nodded slightly with a smile.
"It was expected. The other day, when we were discussing the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet in Consort Zhao's palace, Consort Tong suggested that the concubines present their talents before the Emperor. I had already anticipated that."
Consort Xuan smiled slyly and spoke in a mischievous manner.
“Sister Yu Pin, I come from Mongolia and I don’t know much about the rules in the capital and the palace. But I’ve heard the governesses mention that singing, dancing, reciting poetry and painting are the things that actors and entertainers do.”
"Consort Tong was born into the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner. Because of Empress Xiaokangzhang, she was taught by noble ladies from a prominent family from a young age. How could she so degenerate herself and associate with actors and entertainers?"
A playful smile flashed across Xu Lejin's eyes as she whispered, "This is what makes our Consort Tong so special. Sister Xuan, you're new to the palace, so you may not know..."
"Back then, when Consort Chengqian was bedridden, Consort Tong, as her younger sister, entered the palace to accompany her. However, when Consort Chengqian was seriously ill, Consort Tong wore a bright red dance dress and danced in the Imperial Garden, attracting the Emperor's attention."
"The Emperor was furious and banished Consort Tong from the palace. Now, after many twists and turns, Consort Tong has returned to the palace and been granted the title of Consort, residing in the Chengqian Palace, the same palace where Consort Tong lived before her death..."
Xu Lejin spoke in a soft, almost inaudible voice, as she recounted her story.
Consort Xuan covered her mouth in surprise, and finally whispered in disbelief, "The way Consort Tong and the Tongjia clan are behaving is simply too disgusting!"
Xu Lejin nodded almost imperceptibly.
At the same time, Xu Lejin gave Lianzhi and Ruhua a wink. Lianzhi and Ruhua lowered their heads, their minds perfectly clear.
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