Consort Rong was determined to obtain the ruby earrings.
Out of the corner of her eye, Consort Rong saw the amethyst earrings in front of Consort Xuan again, and her eyes immediately became glued to them, darting around furtively.
"Your Highness, may I take a look at your earrings?"
With a shameless grin, Consort Rong looked at Consort Xuan and spoke without any regard for propriety.
Consort Xuan was taken aback and looked to Xu Lejin for help. Xu Lejin smiled gently, "Consort Rong, is there anything wrong with Consort Xuan's earrings?"
“Consort Rong is an old servant who has served the Emperor for many years. She has been in the palace the longest and can tell the quality of the palace treasures just by looking at them.”
Upon hearing Xu Lejin's words, the Empress's face darkened.
Consort Rong's smile froze, and after a moment she said awkwardly, "No, no, I just thought Consort Xuan's earrings were very beautiful, and I was thinking that my third daughter, who is four years old now, would definitely like these sparkly things."
"..."
The Empress, Consort Gong, Xu Lejin, and others once again refreshed their understanding of Consort Rong.
A concubine in the imperial harem, yet so greedy, wanting to grab everything she sees. What's worse, she not only makes no attempt to hide her greed, but she even uses the four-year-old third princess as an excuse.
With the Empress's tacit approval, the concubines chose to ignore Consort Rong.
After the investiture ceremony
Consort Rong became famous overnight, but from then on, she was known in the harem for being greedy and avaricious. Emperor Kangxi, the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager were quite helpless about this. Under Consort Rong's persistent and unreasonable demands, using several imperial heirs as a guise, they had no choice but to reward Consort Rong with some glittering and shining jewelry.
That day, in the afternoon
Xu Lejin ordered someone to send Bao Shou, Wuxiha, and Wunaxi back to the prince's residence. She planned to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager at Cining Palace the next day, and also visit her youngest daughter, Wuyoudai.
Ru Hua ran into the palace and respectfully reported to Xu Lejin, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. Consort Xi from Changchun Palace next door and Noble Lady Yun got into a fight over a disagreement."
"ah?"
Xu Lejin was stunned when she heard this.
Consort Xi and Noble Lady Yun are both daughters of the Hesheli family, cousins, and live in Changchun Palace. They share the same fate, so how could they possibly fight?
Accompanied by her palace attendants, Xu Lejin left Yikun Palace and happily went to Changchun Palace to watch the show.
In Changchun Palace, the Empress sat on the main seat with a stern face. Below her were Consort Xi and Noble Lady Yun, who were bruised and battered, dressed in tattered clothes and with disheveled hair, staring at each other with wide eyes.
In addition, there were several other concubines from the Western Six Palaces, including Xu Lejin, Consort Xuan, Consort An, and Consort Yi, who came to watch the show.
With a cold expression, the Empress said in a deep voice, "Consort Xi and Noble Lady Yun, as concubines of the harem, how can you openly fight in the street? What kind of behavior is this?"
"Look at the state you all are in now, so disheveled and pathetic, where is the dignity of imperial concubines?"
Consort Yun stubbornly raised her head and glared defiantly at Consort Xi.
Consort Xi covered her face and sobbed, her voice choked with emotion, saying, "Your Majesty, please do justice for me! Although my background is not as good as Consort Yun's, I entered the palace to serve before Consort Yun and have been honored and favored by Your Majesty and Your Majesty, who bestowed upon me the title of Consort Xi."
"Now, Consort Yun, relying on the fact that she is the legitimate daughter of my uncle, insults me, saying that I am lowly, a vixen who seduced the Emperor, and that I am born of a concubine..."
With a pursed lip, Consort Xi forced herself not to burst into tears and continued, "Your Majesty, although my father was born out of wedlock, I am his eldest legitimate daughter."
“Since entering the palace, I have always been careful in my words and deeds, obedient and dutiful, and have served the Emperor and Empress wholeheartedly. I have never done anything that oversteps the rules. How could Consort Yun humiliate me like this and even try to disfigure my face?”
The queen looked displeased after the excellent performance, which included both singing and acting.
What a clever and cunning Consort Xi! If she were cautious in her words and deeds and behaved herself well, then every woman in the harem would be a virtuous and kind woman.
Has Consort Xi forgotten how she threatened her back then, all for the sake of a mere concubine rank?
The Empress glared coldly at Consort Xi and said in a cold voice, "No matter what the reason, it is wrong for you concubines to openly fight in the palace."
"Consort Xi and Noble Lady Yun, I hereby punish you by confining you to your quarters for a month to reflect on your mistakes, and by making you copy the 'Palace Rules' ten times. Do you accept this punishment?"
Consort Xi squinted at the Empress, giving her a threatening look.
Consort Yun stared in astonishment, her mouth agape, her face filled with disbelief.
A moment later, Consort Xi's eyes darted around. "Your Majesty, Consort Yun is arrogant and domineering, making my Changchun Palace a complete mess. I beg Your Majesty to remove Consort Yun from my Changchun Palace."
"this,"
Upon hearing this, the Empress hesitated.
Although Consort Xi's demands were excessive, Consort Xi held leverage over him. If he didn't comply with Consort Xi, this madwoman might do something drastic.
Although she had been made empress, the empress's investiture ceremony had been delayed, and the Kunning Palace was still under renovation.
At this critical juncture, it's best to avoid anything from happening.
After careful consideration, the Empress spoke in a deep voice, "Consort Xi and Noble Lady Yun are at loggerheads, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere of the harem. Now that Consort Xi has proposed that Noble Lady Yun be moved to another palace, it is a good idea."
“I remember that Consort Bu of Zhongcui Palace begged me a few days ago to change her palace. Now Consort Xi is asking Consort Yun to move palace? So I took the liberty of letting Consort Yun and Consort Bu switch palaces.”
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