The Empress sat regally on her phoenix throne, her sharp gaze sweeping over Consort Niohuru and the other concubines below her.
"Last night, Consort Xu served the Emperor diligently. This morning, His Majesty specially dispatched Liang Jiugong to my palace to convey a message, exempting Consort Xu from paying her respects this morning."
The Empress smiled and continued, "It is a joyous occasion for the palace that Consort Xu has gained the Emperor's favor. All of you sisters should learn from Consort Xu in the future. I hope that you sisters will give the Emperor many children and continue the family line."
"Yes, Your Majesty, we will obey Your Majesty's teachings."
Consort Niohuru, leading the other concubines, respectfully responded, "Yes."
But I felt extremely bitter inside.
After a moment's thought, Niohuru looked up at the Empress and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, according to the rules of our ancestors, when a concubine serves the Emperor, she will be sent back to her palace that same night. Last night, Consort Xu served the Emperor, and His Majesty not only allowed her to stay overnight in the Qianqing Palace, but also made an exception this morning, exempting her from paying her respects to Your Majesty."
"Without rules, there can be no order. I worry that if this continues, all the concubines in the harem will vie to emulate Consort Xu..."
The Empress glanced at Consort Niohuru.
"His Majesty favors Consort Xu and allowed her to stay overnight at Qianqing Palace. This morning, he exempted her from paying her respects to me. Although there are rules set by our ancestors, His Majesty's will is the most important thing, even beyond those rules."
"Sister Niohuru, I am very pleased that you are thinking of the peace and tranquility of the harem."
Consort Niohuru's expression changed slightly. She lowered her eyes and clenched her fists, her hands hanging in her sleeves.
Xu Lejin finished washing and dressing after 7 a.m.
The palace maids personally escorted Xu Lejin out of the Qianqing Palace. Supported by her personal maids Yingchun and Zhishu, Xu Lejin slowly walked back to the Yikun Palace.
"Oh, isn't this Consort Xu, who seduced the Emperor last night and made him cry out for water five times in one night? Consort Xu is so favored, why didn't the Emperor reward her with a sedan chair and have the eunuchs escort her back to Yikun Palace?"
Consort Ma Jia, supporting her protruding belly, stared at Xu Lejin with a strange, sarcastic tone.
Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin's expression darkened.
Stopping in her tracks, Xu Lejin looked at Consort Ma Jia and smiled, "Sister Ma Jia is pregnant, why isn't she taking good care of herself at Zhongcui Palace? There are many people coming and going on the long street. What if some ignorant eunuch or palace maid bumps into Sister Ma Jia and hurts the imperial fetus in her womb?"
"In the dead of winter, the wind stings your face, yet Sister Ma Jia has such refined tastes, taking a stroll along the long street. I am far inferior to Sister Ma Jia in terms of health."
After speaking, Xu Lejin smiled.
Consort Ma Jia's face turned ashen, and she stared coldly at Xu Lejin. "A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation. Sister Xu served the emperor last night, and today she's already acting all high and mighty."
"Sister Xu is very kind, and I am deeply grateful. However, I am pregnant with the imperial child, and the imperial physician has advised me to move around more. Sister Xu is not pregnant, so she naturally cannot understand the hardships of carrying the imperial heir."
Glancing at Xu Lejin's belly, Consort Ma Jia supported her waist, deliberately emphasizing her newly showing belly.
Xu Lejin smiled sweetly.
"Yes, Sister Ma Jia's teachings are correct. I am unlucky and have never been pregnant. Among the sisters in the palace, only Sister Ma Jia is blessed with good fortune, having been pregnant four times. She is the only one in the palace to receive such favor."
Consort Ma Jia looked proud, chin held high, "Of course, it's because I'm good at bearing children."
Xu Lejin pursed her lips, smiling without saying a word.
Realizing what was happening too late, Consort Ma Jia's face turned ashen.
"Consort Xu, you..."
As she spoke, Consort Ma Jia raised her hand, as if to strike Xu Lejin.
Xu Lejin quickly dodged away, her gaze fixed intently on Consort Ma Jia, and said, "Sister Ma Jia, I am also a consort, and I was merely stating the facts, praising your good fortune in having conceived four times. How could you hit me?"
"The Xu family?"
Consort Ma stamped her foot. "Xu, I want to report to the Emperor that you mocked me for having a fertile belly and being able to give birth."
Xu Lejin was stunned for a moment.
Then, looking at Consort Ma Jia, she said in a deep voice, "Sister Ma Jia, it is a blessing that you have given birth to such a child. Many concubines in the palace would beg for such a blessing. I can only envy you, Sister Ma Jia. I would never dare to laugh at you."
"Mrs. Xu, you still dare to talk..."
Consort Ma Jia's face flushed red with anger.
Xu Lejin shook her head helplessly and said softly, "Sister Ma Jia, I think you've misunderstood. I was just envious of you for bearing children for the Emperor so many times. I didn't mean to mock you."
Upon hearing this, Consort Ma Jia involuntarily recalled the gossip among the older palace maids when she first entered the palace as a maid, about a sow giving birth to seven or eight piglets at once, which made her stomach ache with anger.
"It hurts, my stomach hurts so much!"
Consort Ma Jia clutched her belly, groaning and moaning.
Xu Lejin was stunned for a moment, then quickly ordered the maidservant beside Consort Ma Jia to escort Consort Ma Jia back to Zhongcui Palace, and also ordered her attendant, Zhishu, to go to the Imperial Hospital to fetch an imperial physician for Consort Ma Jia.
They returned to the west wing of Yikun Palace.
Xu Lejin slumped into a chair, still shaken, pondering to herself the incident of encountering Consort Ma Jia on the long street after returning from the Qianqing Palace earlier that day.
Consort Ma Jia is pregnant with the emperor's child; the imperial heir is of utmost importance.
Even though her words contained no wrongdoing and no intention to mock or ridicule Consort Ma, Consort Ma was now in a state of pregnancy distress. If anything were to happen to the imperial fetus, she would be in deep trouble and could not clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River!
Ugh, what's going on here?
It was Consort Ma Jia who provoked her first, but in the end, Consort Ma Jia suffered a miscarriage...
Half an hour later, Yingchun, with a serious expression, bowed and entered the hall to report to Xu Lejin: "Your Highness, Chu Qiao from the Empress's palace has come to deliver a message. The Empress requests that Your Highness come to the East Side Hall of Zhongcui Palace."
"knew!"
Xu Lejin took a deep breath and said softly, "Tell Chu Qiao in the Empress's palace that I will change my clothes and go."
Yingchun respectfully agreed and withdrew.
Ru Hua carefully served Xu Lejin, hesitated for a moment, and then timidly spoke, "Consort Ma Jia is going too far. This servant heard from Aunt Yingchun that Consort Ma Jia was the one who provoked us first, and Your Highness was merely responding appropriately, yet now..."
“My lady, I have a friend who serves in the east wing of Consort Ma’s Zhongcui Palace. She told me that Consort Ma is two-faced. She is all smiles in public, but she beats and scolds the servants who serve her in private.”
After a pause, Ru Hua glanced quickly outside, lowered her voice, and whispered, "My lady, my little sister told me that Consort Ma Jia's unborn child is actually..."
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