Early the next morning
Consort Rong, being served by palace maids, changed into a brightly colored rose-red palace dress and sat gracefully in front of her dressing table, gesturing at the glittering gold jewelry in her hands.
The palace maid Sang'er hurriedly entered the hall and respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, Consort Jing passed away early this morning."
"You went?"
Consort Rong froze in her hand gestures, her face full of surprise.
"Why did Consort Jing suddenly pass away? She was perfectly fine yesterday, except that the Emperor stripped her of her palace power and she vomited blood. How could she have passed away like that?"
Caiwei, Sang'er, and the others lowered their heads slightly and remained silent.
After a short while, Consort Rong threw the gold hairpin in her hand onto the dressing table with a 'smack,' snorted coldly, and said, 'What bad luck! I gained power in the palace yesterday, and I was just about to celebrate today when Consort Jing died at this time.'
"Forget it, put away these beautiful pieces of mine. This bright pink dress of mine is too eye-catching. Find me a more understated palace dress."
Caiwei respectfully replied, "Yes."
Yikun Palace
Xu Lejin was having breakfast when she was suddenly shocked to hear Ziwu report that Consort Jing had died.
Consort Jing had always been healthy and not weak. She died this morning, only because the Emperor had stripped her of her palace power yesterday and she vomited blood. It was too sudden.
Was Consort Jing's death an act of fate or a deliberate act?
After frowning and pondering for a long time, Xu Lejin said in a deep voice, "Ziwu, prepare a funeral rite and send it to Yonghe Palace to offer incense to Consort Jing on my behalf."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Ziwu respectfully agreed and withdrew.
In the afternoon, Consort Duan brought the fourteenth princess to Yikun Palace and mentioned the death of Consort Jing.
Xu Lejin looked at Consort Duan and said softly, "You just said that the Empress Dowager personally issued an imperial edict entrusting Consort Rong with the handling of Consort Jing's funeral?"
"Your Majesty, that is indeed the case."
Consort Duan frowned and nodded in a deep voice.
After much deliberation, Xu Lejin sighed softly and said, "The power in the palace held by Consort Rong was originally Consort Jing's yesterday. The Emperor has been so kind as to allow Consort Rong to assist in managing the six palaces. Now that Consort Jing has passed away, Consort Rong is in charge of handling the funeral arrangements. It can be considered a cycle of cause and effect."
"Consort Jing was far too petty. Just because the Emperor didn't bestow upon her the title of Consort and stripped her of her power in the palace, she was so angry that she vomited blood and died young."
Xu Lejin spoke softly, word by word.
Deep down, Xu Lejin sighed at Consort Jing's fragility, realizing she couldn't withstand any storms.
A proper Manchu Eight Banners member, a Manchu aunt from the Wangjia clan of the Plain Blue Banner, died of anger at the young age of twenty.
If this matter gets out, how will the eligible women of the Wangjia clan ever get married?
Consort Jing's funeral, under the care of Consort Rong, proceeded in a proper and respectful manner and was considered to have concluded satisfactorily.
Time flew by and it was July. Consort Chun of Qixiang Palace had finished her confinement period, and the seventeenth princess born to Consort Chun had also reached her one-month milestone.
July 2nd
Because among the concubines in the palace, the one with the highest rank who is still alive is Xu Lejin, all the concubines in the harem gathered at Yikun Palace.
Xu Lejin sat upright in the main seat, with Consort Hui, Consort Rong, Consort An, and Consort Duan sitting on her left and right sides respectively.
Even though she had a miscarriage, Kangxi instructed Consort Yi, who was resting quietly in the rear hall of Yongshou Palace, to support herself and sit weakly to the left of Consort Duan.
Consort Rong, with her exquisite makeup and a simple silver hairpin in her hair, smiled and looked at Consort Hui, who was sitting at the head of the left, and said, "Consort Hui, you look much thinner. Have you been working hard managing the six palaces?"
"His Majesty has been very kind to grant me permission to assist in managing some palace affairs. I have been extremely busy these past few days, barely having time to rest. In the past, when Consort Hui and Consort An assisted in managing the six palaces, I could only admire them from afar. Now that I am doing it myself, I know how hard it is."
With her chin slightly raised, Consort Rong looked proud.
Consort Hui's expression changed, and she remained silent, secretly mocking Consort Rong for being vulgar, even as a consort, she was hardly worthy of being in a refined setting.
To assist Consort Rong in managing the six palaces was a disgrace to her status.
Changing the subject, Consort Rong looked at Consort Yi, whose face was pale, and said with a sneer, "Consort Yi is carrying the emperor's child. The imperial heir is of utmost importance, so you must take good care of her."
"Today is the day when all the sisters in the palace gather in Consort Yu's palace. All the sisters have sharp eyes. If anything happens to Consort Yi and the imperial fetus, then Consort Yu will not be held responsible."
After a pause, Consort Rong turned to Xu Lejin and said ingratiatingly, "Your Highness Consort Yu, don't you agree?"
"Consort Rong is joking."
Xu Lejin glanced at Consort Rong and said softly, "Consort Yi is pregnant with the emperor's child. She knows this best in her heart and would never use the child to cause trouble."
Consort Rong covered her mouth and smiled as she replied, "Yes."
Consort Yi lowered her head slightly, her face turning from white to green, her hands clenched tightly into fists within her sleeves, her eyes filled with boundless hatred.
After everyone had finished drinking a pot of tea, they chatted amongst themselves.
With a quick glance around, Consort Rong's gaze fell on Consort An, and she said in a sweet voice, "I heard that His Majesty has granted Consort An permission to raise the Seventeenth Princess together with Noble Lady Chun."
“Sister Anpin is very fortunate. Although she is not the adoptive mother of the seventeenth princess, she will still have the grace of raising the seventeenth princess in the future.”
After speaking, a hint of mockery flashed quickly in Consort Rong's eyes.
Consort An's expression froze for a moment, then she lowered her head in deep thought.
Among the group of nobles and attendants, Consort Chun, who had her head slightly bowed, turned pale, her body involuntarily tensed, and her heart was in her throat.
After a moment, Consort An looked up and smiled, saying, "My sister is not as blessed as Consort Rong, who was able to bear children for His Majesty. His Majesty has been so kind as to grant my sister and Noble Lady Chun permission to raise the Seventeenth Princess together. My sister is overjoyed and will certainly devote herself wholeheartedly to raising the Seventeenth Princess to adulthood."
Upon hearing this, Consort Rong's face showed annoyance.
"Although you are raising the seventeenth princess together, Consort Chun is the seventeenth princess's biological mother, while Consort An is the adoptive mother?"
With a sneer, Consort Rong said meaningfully, "Consort An, as your foster mother, will not be recognized in the future. You're doing all this work for nothing, just making wedding dresses for others."
After speaking, Consort Rong glanced at Noble Lady Chun, who had her head bowed, with amusement out of the corner of her eye.
Inside Yikun Palace, all was silent for a moment. The concubines' gazes were subtly fixed on Consort An and Noble Lady Chun, their heads bowed, each lost in their own thoughts.
Xu Lejin coughed lightly and said coldly, "Consort Rong, what nonsense are you spouting? The Emperor decrees that the Seventeenth Princess will be raised jointly by Consort An and Noble Lady Chun."
"Consort Rong, are you now questioning the Emperor?"
With a sharp voice and stern expression, Xu Lejin looked intently at Consort Rong.
Meanwhile, Xu Lejin secretly pondered to herself, "Consort Rong is becoming more and more detestable. Was it right or wrong of me to let Consort Rong gain some power in the palace?"
Consort Rong was extremely foolish and vulgar, but she was indeed very fertile.
Just like Consort Zhi in Consort Hui's palace, she was foolish, but undeniably beautiful.
Consort Rong looked terrified and said tremblingly, "This concubine dares not, this concubine dares not. This concubine's words were inappropriate and foolish. Please forgive this concubine, Your Highness Yu. I will be eternally grateful."
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