As Kangxi walked along, he originally intended to go to Chengqian Palace to visit Consort Gong, who had passed away.
But for some reason, when passing by Jingren Palace, Kangxi stopped.
Jingren Palace was the palace where Empress Xiaokangzhang, the birth mother of Emperor Kangxi, lived during her lifetime.
Since Empress Xiaokangzhang passed away in the second year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, Jingren Palace has remained empty.
In recent years, Emperor Kangxi has not arranged for any of his concubines to reside in Jingren Palace. There are only some palace maids and eunuchs responsible for cleaning there.
Emperor Kangxi paused and pondered for a long time before finally stepping into Jingren Palace.
Liang Jiugong, who was following closely behind Kangxi, finally felt a temporary sense of relief when he saw Kangxi enter Jingren Palace.
After whispering a few instructions to the eunuchs following behind him, he quietly followed them into Jingren Palace.
Jingren Palace Main Hall
Emperor Kangxi was lost in memories of the past, his expression blank. Several palace maids in Jingren Palace were serving him with their heads bowed.
Only one palace maid, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with delicate and graceful features, had a glint in her eye.
A moment later, a palace maid in a light blue palace dress, with a slender waist, smiled and presented a cup of tea, saying gracefully, "Your Majesty, please have some tea."
Kangxi glanced at the palace maid.
She picked up the teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and a smile quickly flashed in the palace maid's eyes.
Several ordinary-looking palace maids glanced at this maid, then lowered their heads and sighed softly.
That night, the scenery in Jingren Palace was magnificent.
Liang Jiugong stood under the eaves outside Jingren Palace, letting the wind blow on him all night.
The spring chill lingered, and by the latter half of the night, Liang Jiugong's head was starting to throb, and he was feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Early the next morning
Consort Hui raised her eyes, glanced at the Empress, quickly lowered her head, and said softly, "Your Majesty, this morning when I came to pay my respects to Your Majesty, I passed by Jingren Palace and saw Eunuch Wang Chaoqing, who serves in the Emperor's presence, outside the palace."
"I was curious at the time, so I asked my maid Cunxin to inquire about it. What she found out was quite remarkable."
"Yesterday, our Emperor was at Jingren Palace, and for some reason, he favored a palace maid."
With a 'clatter,' the teacup in the Empress's hand fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
With a grave expression, the Empress said in a deep voice, "Such a thing has happened?"
"I always thought that His Majesty did not summon any of his concubines to his bedchamber last night, nor did he go to any of my sisters' quarters in the harem."
"Is what Consort Hui said true?"
Consort Hui lowered her head slightly.
"Your Majesty, it is absolutely true. This matter was personally told to Cunxin, the concubine's maid, by Eunuch Wang, who serves the Emperor. Eunuch Wang is still in Jingren Palace at the moment."
"Your Majesty can send someone to Jingren Palace to inquire."
The Empress nodded calmly, but doubts lingered in her heart.
Logically speaking, after Emperor Kangxi favored a palace maid, he would have bestowed upon her the title of "official lady" and sent someone to Kunning Palace to inform her.
But she did not receive any news this morning.
Xu Lejin slightly raised her eyes, glanced at the Empress and Consort Hui, and hesitated before speaking.
In the afternoon, Ru Hua bowed and reported to Xu Lejin, "Your Majesty, the Emperor did indeed favor a palace maid named Seattle at Jingren Palace yesterday. However, for some reason, the Emperor did not issue an edict to bestow upon Seattle the title of official lady."
"This morning, before the Emperor went to the morning court, he only instructed the eunuch Wang in his presence to go to Jingren Palace to handle the matter."
Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin pondered for a long time before nodding nonchalantly.
“It is quite a coincidence that the palace maid of Jingren Palace, surnamed Seattle, lived in the palace where Empress Xiaokangzhang lived before her death.”
"Consort Gong passed away suddenly three days ago. Yesterday, His Majesty favored a palace maid at Jingren Palace."
"In that case, it's no wonder that the Emperor did not issue an edict to bestow the title of Lady Seattle upon her."
Lianzhi and Ruhua lowered their heads slightly and remained silent.
The palace maid, from the Seattle clan, was favored by the emperor, but she did not receive any official title and remained an unnamed palace maid.
This matter quickly spread throughout the six palaces, reaching the ears of the rulers of each palace.
Although the palace ladies were curious about what kind of woman this Seattle woman was, none of them dared to extend their reach into Jingren Palace.
A few days later, the matter was gradually forgotten.
"Your Majesty, tomorrow is the investiture ceremony for Her Majesty the Empress to succeed to the position of Empress. I heard that not only all the ladies and concubines in the palace are required to attend in their finest attire, but also the imperial relatives, wives of princes, and noblewomen are all expected to participate."
Ru Hua lowered her head and spoke softly to Xu Lejin.
Xu Lejin nodded. "Indeed, Your Majesty's ascension to the position of Empress is a major event for both the court and the harem. It is normal for the coronation ceremony to be grand."
"I have heard that the Empress Dowager has bestowed upon the three princesses—the Heshuo Gongque, who married into the Guarjia clan, the Heshuo Duanmin, who married into the Khorchin Mongols, and the Heshuo Roushun—that they may enter the palace to participate in the Empress's coronation ceremony."
Ru Hua glanced at Lian Zhi out of the corner of his eye.
Lianzhi replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, that is indeed the case."
"The Empress Dowager not only issued an edict ordering the three eldest princesses to enter the palace tomorrow, but also promoted Duanmin Changjunzhu to Heshuo Princess."
"The Empress Dowager is benevolent and kind."
Xu Lejin smiled faintly and then said, "Princess Gongque, Princess Duanmin, and Princess Roushun are the Emperor's sisters. Their presence in the palace to attend the Empress's investiture ceremony is also the Empress Dowager's affirmation of the Empress's position as Empress."
Lianzhi lowered her head and smiled in agreement.
The following day, February 12th
Empress Niohuru, at the coronation ceremony, all the concubines in the harem, whether they were willing or not, happy or unhappy, wore the court dress of their consort or concubine rank and attended the ceremony in full regalia.
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