The death of Consort Miao caused no ripples in the palace, much like a small stone being thrown into a still pond.
The concubines in the harem continued to vie for the emperor's favor every day, while Emperor Kangxi remained busy with affairs of state.
Xu Lejin remained in Yikun Palace, quietly nurturing the dragon fetus.
Until half a month later
Emperor Kangxi visited Yikun Palace and dined with Xu Lejin. During their conversation, he mentioned the imperial heir and the dragon fetus.
With a furrowed brow and after some thought, Xu Lejin softly mentioned Consort Miao, expressing her pity for Consort Miao's unborn child, who was already five months along, yet had suffered a miscarriage.
Even Consort Miao followed the dragon fetus.
After pondering for a long time, Kangxi said in a deep voice, "How does the Imperial Concubine manage the harem? Although Consort Yu comes from a humble background, she is carrying the imperial heir, my bloodline."
"When Lady Yu lost her child, she followed the child to her death, and the Imperial Concubine did not even send anyone to report to me."
"Foolish, utterly foolish!"
Xu Lejin lowered her head slightly, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.
Kangxi then spoke, "Liang Jiugong. Convey my decree: Lady Yu has rendered meritorious service in bearing the imperial heir. Although she suffered a miscarriage and passed away, in consideration of her merits during her lifetime, she shall be posthumously granted the title of Noble Lady."
“The maternal family outside the Yu family palace will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver.”
The news that Emperor Kangxi posthumously conferred the title of Noble Lady on Lady Yu spread throughout the palace. The Imperial Concubine's face turned from white to pale. She eventually learned that Emperor Kangxi happened to be in Yikun Palace at the time, which led to Lady Yu's posthumous conferment.
His face was clouded with gloom, and he clenched his teeth tightly.
"You vile woman, you vile woman! Consort Yu, that lowly palace maid, relies on the Emperor's favor and is pregnant with the Emperor's child. She says she won't interfere in palace affairs, but she opposes me at every turn."
"Yu is hypocritical, pretentious, and frivolous. What virtue or ability does she possess to deserve the position of Noble Lady? The entire palace keeps silent about Yu, except for Consort Yu, who opposes me."
"If Lady Yu is posthumously granted the title of Noble Lady, wouldn't I appear to the Emperor as narrow-minded, unable to tolerate even a dead person?"
That night, many precious porcelain ornaments were smashed in the main hall of the Consort's Xianfu Palace.
Day 2
Ru Hua and Qin Huai bowed and served Xu Lejin as she dressed and made up.
After a moment of contemplation, Ru Hua said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, this servant does not understand why you mentioned Consort Miao in front of the Emperor."
“In the past, Consort Miao was disrespectful to Your Majesty because she was pregnant with the emperor’s child.”
Xu Lejin, with a gentle expression, put down the hairpin in her hand.
Her gaze fell upon Ru Hua and Qin Huai, and she parted her lips slightly, saying, "When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. Although Miao Gui was frivolous in life, she is gone now."
"I wasn't helping Consort Miao yesterday; I was merely informing the Imperial Concubine..."
"Even if I don't interfere in palace power, I can still make things difficult for them. If they want to rely on their palace power to do anything to me or my children, they'd better think twice."
Ru Hua glanced quickly at Qin Huai and spoke respectfully.
"Your Majesty is wise. I'm afraid the Imperial Concubine is so angry in Xianfu Palace that she can't eat and looks several years older!"
Xu Lejin's expression was indifferent.
She picked up a plain silver plum blossom hairpin and a kingfisher feather butterfly hairpin from the jewelry box. "I noticed that none of you are wearing any jewelry. These were sent by the Imperial Household Department last year."
“This plum blossom hairpin is a perfect match for the painting, and the Qin Huai hairpin is also very suitable for the butterfly hairpin.”
Ru Hua and Qin Huai immediately knelt down, kowtowed to express their gratitude, and said in unison, "Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty."
Because he was angry with Consort Gui and the four consorts Hui, Jing, An, and Yi who were in charge of managing the six palaces, Emperor Kangxi did not visit their palaces for more than two months afterward, nor did he summon them to his bedchamber.
The four concubines, Guifei, Huijing, and Anyi, were anxious but helpless.
"Your Highness, I have heard that the Imperial Concubine has developed blisters on her lips due to anxiety and stress. Her maid, Lady Ya, who is nine months pregnant, is summoned to her every day to observe the rules."
Ru Hua quietly reported to Xu Lejin.
Nodding, Xu Lejin sighed softly and said, "Ya Changzai's pregnancy was all planned. She served in Jingren Palace and knew about the Emperor's feelings for Empress Xiaokangzhang and her child, but she still took advantage of the Emperor's drunkenness to climb into his bed."
"After becoming pregnant, she concealed it for three months before finally revealing it to the public through my words. The Emperor disliked her, and naturally, the Consort also disliked her."
Changing the subject, Xu Lejin looked regretful and murmured softly.
"When I first entered the palace, I thought that the Imperial Concubine had been in the palace for over a year without conceiving, and that she was from the Khorchin Mongols..."
"I am considering that Lady Seattle is of low rank and cannot raise the princes and princesses. After the imperial heir is born, he will be entrusted to the Noble Consort for upbringing."
"Man proposes, God disposes. I was deceived by the Imperial Concubine. My sincere efforts have resulted in a estrangement and a complete break between us, making us like strangers."
Ru Hua lowered her head, but secretly glanced at Qin Huai out of the corner of her eye.
Xianfu Palace
After observing the rules for two hours in the main hall of the Imperial Concubine, Lady Seattle limped back to her residence, the small West Warm Pavilion of Xianfu Palace.
Her ordinary little face was filled with hostility.
"Imperial Consort, Imperial Consort? A woman who couldn't keep her child, relying on the fact that she's from the Khorchin Mongols, has now been granted the title of Imperial Consort, yet she treats me like this."
“If I hadn’t been a strong, hardworking woman who used to do manual labor, and hadn’t been tortured by the Imperial Concubine every day, being summoned to her side to observe the rules, my child would have been lost long ago.”
Seattle gave a cold snort, his face icy.
"Your Highness, we'll see. One day, I'll make you pay for all the humiliation you've inflicted upon me, bit by bit. One day, I'll make you wish you were dead, and I'll make sure you die without a proper burial."
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