Xu Lejin and Consort Xuan left Chuxiu Palace and walked hand in hand down the long street.
"Your Highness Consort Yu, Your Highness Consort Xuan, please wait."
Just then, a woman from the Qingguan clan suddenly spoke from behind, her voice exceptionally soft and gentle.
Xu Lejin and Consort Xuan exchanged a glance, stopped, and waited for the woman from the Qing Palace to come forward.
Qingguan, a maidservant, curtsied to Xu Lejin and Consort Xuan, and said respectfully, "This humble maidservant, Qing'er, greets Consort Yu and Consort Xuan. May Consort Yu and Consort Xuan be blessed."
"No need for such formalities, Miss Qing!"
Xu Lejin glanced at the woman from the Qing Palace indifferently, and then said, "The woman from the Qing Palace has learned the rules of the Imperial Household Department quite well. She has not only won the favor of Consort Rong, but also the Emperor."
"Now that Qingguan's daughter is a palace concubine, she should be even more careful with her words and actions."
After a pause, Xu Lejin lowered her voice and said with a smile, "After all, Consort Rong, the mistress of Zhongcui Palace, seems to be a difficult person to get along with."
"I remember that Consort Yun complained to Her Majesty the Empress a few days ago,"
The woman from the Qingguan Palace turned pale.
"Thank you for your guidance, Consort Yu. Consort Rong is of excellent character. It was thanks to Consort Rong's recommendation that I was able to serve His Majesty. I am deeply grateful to Consort Rong."
Xu Lejin chuckled softly.
"Now that you've learned to be grateful, it's all good. Now that you've gained the Emperor's favor and been made a lady-in-waiting, from now on you should serve the Emperor and Consort Rong well."
"Yes, Your Highness Yu, I will remember your teachings."
Xu Lejin nodded and continued walking forward hand in hand with Consort Xuan, leaving the Qingguan woman standing there, her face turning pale and then green, a truly fascinating sight.
Consort Rong swayed her hips as she walked forward, giving the woman from the Qing Palace a disdainful look.
"You really are useless. Last night I recommended you to serve the Emperor, but you couldn't win his heart. Even your position as a palace maid was something I had to ask for for you."
With a cold snort, Consort Rong continued with a face full of disdain, "I sent you to disgust Consort Yu, but you were easily silenced by Consort Yu in just a few words."
"Why don't you go back and reflect on your actions instead of making a fool of yourself here?"
The woman from the Qingguan family looked terrified and lowered her head.
"Yes, I'll go back right away."
Consort Rong paused, watching Xu Lejin and Consort Xuan's departing figures, her eyes clouded with gloom. She pondered to herself, "The women of Qingguan are useless, and the Emperor doesn't like them. What should I do next?"
Having already fallen out of favor, she had to do something for Yinzhi and for her daughters.
Qingguan's daughter is hopeless; luckily, she still has a woman named Se in her care.
Lady Se's appearance was more outstanding than that of the women of Qingguan, and most importantly, her eyebrows and eyes bore a resemblance to those of Consort Yu.
The concubine of Qingguan enjoyed the Emperor's favor only for a fleeting moment, and was quickly forgotten by him.
For the next three days, Kangxi visited Yikun Palace one after another. Xu Lejin guessed what was going on, but since Kangxi didn't say anything, she pretended not to know and continued to serve Kangxi gently and attentively.
"Consort Yu, regarding the matter of me favoring a palace maid in Consort Rong's palace that day..."
Emperor Kangxi opened his mouth to explain to Xu Lejin, but he couldn't bring himself to do it and swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
Xu Lejin raised her head slightly, glanced at Kangxi, and said softly, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven has three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines. All the women in the palace belong to the Emperor. It is Qingguan's good fortune that Your Majesty favors her."
"Your Majesty, I congratulate you on finding another beautiful woman."
With a gentle expression, Xu Lejin's face was calm and composed, showing no trace of jealousy.
Kangxi felt a chill in his heart, his face darkened, and his tone became displeased, "Qingguan is a palace maid who came from your palace. Although she was favored by Consort Rong in the Imperial Household Department, but..."
Xu Lejin raised her eyes and glanced quickly at Kangxi.
“Your Majesty, once Qingguan left my Yikun Palace, she was no longer a member of Yikun Palace. It is her good fortune that Consort Rong valued her and recommended her to serve Your Majesty.”
With a calm expression, Xu Lejin remained gentle and considerate.
The words that Kangxi was about to say were swallowed back. He stared intently at Xu Lejin, and after a long while, he spoke coldly, "Don't you feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable?"
"Your Majesty, I dare not."
Looking surprised, Xu Lejin lowered her head, pondering the meaning behind Kangxi's words.
The imperial harem needs to distribute its favors equally so that offspring can flourish and the Qing Dynasty can last for thousands of generations.
Is this not what the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager would have wanted?
The Empress repeatedly instructed the concubines in the harem to serve Emperor Kangxi diligently, ensuring the continuation of his lineage and the continuation of his imperial offspring.
After a cup of tea, Kangxi sighed and said in a deep voice, "I still have memorials to review in the Qianqing Palace. I'm going back to the Qianqing Palace now. I'll come to visit you another day."
Xu Lejin's expression remained calm.
"Your Majesty, I respectfully see you off."
Under the cover of night, Xu Lejin stood outside the main hall of Yikun Palace, watching Kangxi's imperial carriage until it disappeared from her sight. Only then, supported by Lianzhi and Ruhua, did she return to the main hall.
After instructing Lianzhi and the others to leave, Xu Lejin left only Ruhua by her side.
Ru Hua spoke softly and carefully, "Your Majesty, this servant does not understand. The Emperor has feelings for you, so why are you so cold towards him?"
"Although the daughter of the Qing official is favored, the emperor does not like her."
With a faint smile, Xu Lejin's face showed signs of vicissitude.
"The Emperor is the Son of Heaven. Even if he has me in his heart, he cannot abolish the six palaces and dismiss the concubines for my sake. So why should I bother to summon the concubines to serve me in bed just because the Emperor favors a palace maid, causing jealousy and resentment in my heart?"
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