May 19
Consort Wang entered the palace and moved into the east side hall of Yonghe Palace.
"Greetings, Sister Wang Jia. When His Majesty issued the decree earlier, I was curious about what kind of stunning beauty she would be. I have been looking forward to it for so long, and today I can finally say that Sister Wang Jia has come to the palace."
Consort Zhang, accompanied by her maids, approached the east side hall with a smile, glancing at Consort Wang Jia out of the corner of her eye.
With a timid expression, Consort Wang raised her head, her doe-like eyes looking at Consort Zhang, and stammered, "Greetings, Sister Zhang. Today is my first day in the palace, and I should be visiting you, but alas, I haven't settled in yet."
"Now it's really kind of you, Sister Zhang, to come and visit me in person."
She was clearly a 9 out of 10, with a youthful, delicate, and flower-like appearance, and a good family background, but because of her inferiority complex and timidity, she was forced to drop to a 6 or 7 out of 10.
Consort Zhang looked disdainful and said with a smile, "Sister Wang Jia has just entered the palace. Everything is in a hurry, so it is understandable that she did not have time to come to my room."
"Thank you for your understanding, Sister Zhang."
After speaking, the concubine of the Wang family lowered her head obediently, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.
For the rest of the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Consort Zhang talked incessantly, with Consort Wang occasionally responding. Consort Zhang had figured out about seven or eight parts of Consort Wang's personality and felt nothing but contempt for her.
She was the legitimate daughter of an official from the Plain Blue Banner, and the niece of the Empress Dowager. I thought she was intelligent and beautiful, but I never expected her to be so timid.
There is nothing to fear.
Consort Zhang, with her slender waist swaying, left the East Side Hall and Yonghe Palace with the help of palace maids, and turned a corner to go to Consort Zhang's place in Yanxi Palace.
East side hall of Yonghe Palace
Consort Wang Jia hung her head, sometimes sitting and sometimes standing, her mind filled with the conversation she had just had with Consort Zhang. She felt increasingly disgusted with her own inferiority and timidity.
"Consort Zhang is quite arrogant. You, my lady, were summoned to the palace and reside in the east wing, while she resides in the west wing. You, my lady, are of Manchu Plain Blue Banner, your husband is a military commander, and your wife is the Empress Dowager's elder sister. Who does she think she is?"
"She was merely a Han Bannerwoman who bore the Emperor's eldest and fourth daughters, yet she dared to act arrogantly and lecture you in front of Your Highness."
Xiao Xiao, the maidservant who accompanied Consort Wang Jia, muttered and spoke in a cold voice.
With a soft sigh, Consort Wang Jia's eyes reddened, and she whispered, "Sister Zhang has served the Emperor for many years and bore him a princess, I..."
"It's normal for Sister Zhang to give me some pointers when I first entered the palace."
Xiao Xiao looked indignant.
“Your Highness, Consort Zhang is going too far. You are the Empress Dowager’s niece and now live in the East Side Hall of Yonghe Palace. Although you and Consort Zhang are both consorts, the East has always been the most respected direction in this dynasty.”
"This servant is indignant. It is the proper etiquette in the palace for Consort Zhang to pay her respects to Your Highness, but Consort Zhang was so arrogant just now."
Turning her head to glance at the palace maid, Consort Wang Jia murmured, "Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore. Xiaoxiao, I want to rest for a while. If any of my sisters from the palace come to visit, please turn them away for me."
"Yes, my lord."
Xiao Xiao lowered her eyes, her gaze filled with disappointment and frustration.
In Yanxi Palace
Consort Nara, Consort Zhang, Consort Xiao Nara, and others gathered together, chatting and laughing, talking about how the newly arrived Consort Wang Jia was timid as a mouse and couldn't be brought to the table.
Covering her mouth and chuckling softly, Consort Nara spoke thoughtfully, "So, this newly arrived Wang Jia is no threat at all. She only came to the palace because of her family background. The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager personally spoke up, and the Emperor agreed to summon her to serve him."
"That's how I see it."
Consort Zhang smiled sweetly and responded softly.
The young concubine and the still-young princess, standing to the side, had different expressions.
The young concubine, Xiao Nara, wore a smug expression, thinking to herself, "Since she's not up to par, she's nothing to fear. She's just a wooden beauty in the palace."
Nara Gege's eyes darted around, and feigning innocence, she said, "Sister Zhang, is she really like that? If she is so petty, why did the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager summon her to the palace?"
"this……"
Consort Nara and Consort Zhang's expressions changed simultaneously, but Consort Xiao Nara remained innocent.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the second day after Consort Wang Jia served the Emperor, she went to Chuxiu Palace to pay her respects to Consort Zhao. This was her first public appearance, and her reputation for being undignified and petty spread throughout the palace.
Consort Xuan arrived at Yikun Palace in a huff and began to complain to Xu Lejin incessantly.
"Sister Yu Pin, what do you think the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager are thinking? Consort Wang Jia is timid and has low self-esteem, so why was she summoned to the palace?"
"Although Consort Wang Jia is the Empress Dowager's niece and also my niece, but..."
Consort Xuan swallowed the words "unfit for public display," her heart and face filled with helplessness, frustration, and powerlessness.
Xu Lejin raised her head slightly, glanced at Consort Xuan, and parted her lips slightly, "Consort Wang Jia is not as timid and insecure as you say, but rather gentle, considerate, mild, and obedient."
“The inner palace is not the outer court. What the emperor needs by his side are concubines like Consort Wang Jia, who are gentle and compliant, and who can bear children for the emperor.”
Consort Xuan's eyes widened, her face showing surprise.
"But, Consort Yu..."
Realizing something belatedly, Consort Xuan abruptly stopped herself from speaking and swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
With her head bowed, she pondered for half a cup of tea before raising her head and speaking gently, "What Consort Yu says is quite right. Consort Wang Jia is gentle, and there are advantages to being gentle."
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