The Mid-Autumn Festival concluded successfully with the promotions of Consort Hui, Consort Zhi, and Consort Lan.
The next day
Xu Lejin sat upright in the main seat of Yikun Palace, smiling as she looked at the four consorts and six concubines below. She spoke softly, "This morning, His Majesty sent Li Dequan, a member of the Imperial Guard, to my palace to convey a message that the investiture ceremonies for Consort Hui, Consort Zhi, and Consort Lan will be held on the 20th of next month."
Consort Hui, with a smile on her face, rose together with Consort Zhi and Consort Lan.
The three women bowed gracefully and said respectfully, "Thank you for Your Majesty's great favor, and thank you for the Imperial Concubine."
"Um."
Xu Lejin nodded, then looked at Consort Wen.
"His Majesty's intention is that the investiture ceremonies for Consort Hui, Consort Zhi, and Consort Lan be handled by Consort Wen."
"Furthermore, from this day forward, Consort Hui and Consort Wen will assist me in managing the six palaces."
Consort Wen's expression changed, but she suppressed her dissatisfaction and smiled as she agreed.
In the harem, the other noble ladies, consorts, and concubines looked at Consort Hui, Consort Zhi, and Consort Lan with envy, fantasizing about when they would be granted the title of consort and become the mistress of a palace.
One hour later
The concubines left Yikun Palace in order.
Outside Yikun Palace, on the long street, Consort Zhi chuckled and looked at Consort Hui with a provocative gaze, "Congratulations to Consort Hui on being granted the title of Consort and to managing the affairs of the six palaces together with Consort Wen."
"Just now, in the Noble Consort's palace, I saw Consort Hui and Consort Wen getting along harmoniously. I had no idea that Consort Hui and Consort Wen had become accomplices!"
Out of the corner of her eye, Consort Zhi glanced at Consort Lan beside her and said with a charming smile, "Consort Lan, don't you think so?"
"、、"
Consort Lan paused for a moment, then slightly raised her chin.
"Consort Wen and Consort Hui are both consorts, so they should get along well, manage the harem together, and share the burdens of the Emperor and the Noble Consort."
Upon hearing this, Consort Zhi's face turned cold, and her eyes darted around.
Consort Hui and Consort Wen exchanged a glance, their eyes sharp as they stared at Consort Zhi. Consort Hui spoke in a deep voice, "I had no idea that I had such a close relationship with Consort Wen. Why should I have to report this to you, Consort Zhi?"
Lowering her voice, Consort Hui spoke in a cold tone, only loud enough for Consort Zhi to hear.
"If Consort Zhi has such leisure time, she should go back to her Yanqing Palace and think carefully about why the Emperor suddenly conferred upon her the rank of Consort. Consort Zhi, don't you know your own background?"
"What virtue or ability do I possess to hold the position of concubine and be the head of a palace?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Zhi's face turned pale.
Glaring hatefully at Consort Hui, Consort Zhi gritted her teeth and said, "Consort Hui, we are both from the same bondservant family, we're evenly matched. We'll see what happens."
After saying this, Consort Zhi, her face full of anger, was helped by a palace maid and walked towards Yanqing Palace.
evening
When Emperor Kangxi visited Yikun Palace, he mentioned Consort Zhi to Xu Lejin.
Xu Lejin looked surprised and carefully asked, "Does His Majesty mean that Consort Zhi's promotion to the rank of Consort is because of the Tenth Princess and the Fifteenth Princess?"
"The tenth and fifteenth princesses are too young; how can they be sent to marry into the Mongol tribes?"
Emperor Kangxi laughed heartily.
“Shadali and Niyang Qiqi are indeed young, but they will grow up one day. Consort Zhi was born into a lowly family and was fortunate enough to become pregnant and give birth to Shadali and Niyang Qiqi. If the Empress Dowager had not personally asked me for her title, I would never have conferred the title of Consort Zhi.”
Xu Lejin nodded slightly and pondered for a moment.
"Your Majesty is wise. However, I feel that if a princess is to be married off to a distant place, the second or third princess, who are older, would be more appropriate. Why did Your Majesty choose the tenth or fifteenth princess, who are the daughters of Consort Zhi?"
Kangxi glanced at Xu Lejin and said in a deep voice, "Consort Zhi, Consort Hui, and Consort Lan all came from the Yehe Nara clan. Although Consort Hui has raised Yaliqi, Yaliqi was born to Lady Zhang, and Consort Lan has no children."
"Marriage between Shadali and Niyang Qiqi is the best choice."
Xu Lejin sighed softly.
She didn't understand politics; all she wanted now was to raise her children peacefully and find suitable husbands for Wuxiha, Wuyoudai, Wulingzhu, and Yuludai in the future.
As for the rest, she couldn't care less and didn't want to.
The Manchu-Mongol marriage alliance was an old custom, and she couldn't stop it. The only thing she could do was to protect her own child. She had no time to care about the princesses born to the other concubines in the palace.
Emperor Kangxi and Xu Lejin looked at each other in silence.
After a moment, Kangxi frowned and said in a cold voice, "Yinzhi, the son of Consort Rong, is now eleven years old. The Empress Dowager's idea is that Yinzhi is weak and obsessed with poetry and books, so she wants to marry the daughter of the Prince of Khorchin to Yinzhi as his primary consort."
"What do you think, my beloved consort?"
Xu Lejin paused, looking at Kangxi in surprise.
This matter concerns the selection of the future consort of the eldest prince. Although Consort Rong has passed away and she is the one with the highest rank in the palace, shouldn't Kangxi discuss it with the Empress Dowager?
Was Kangxi's question of her opinion a casual inquiry, or a deliberate test?
After a quick moment of thought, Xu Lejin said carefully, "Your Majesty, I remember that the First Prince has four younger sisters from the same mother, namely the Second Princess, the Fourth Princess, the Ninth Princess, and the Eleventh Princess."
"If the eldest prince marries the daughter of the Khorchin prince as his primary consort, what are Your Majesty's plans for the second and fourth princesses in the future?"
After saying that, Xu Lejin lowered her head and stared at her toes, not daring to utter a sound.
Emperor Kangxi frowned and fell into deep thought. After a cup of tea and a quarter of an hour, he spoke in a cold voice, "My beloved consort is very thoughtful. It was my negligence that I forgot that Yinzhi has four younger sisters born of the same mother."
The next day
Xu Lejin got up early, combed her hair into a simple bun, and wore a plain palace dress. She left Wuxiha, Wulingzhu, and the infants Yinchu and Yuludai in Yikun Palace, asking the palace servants to take good care of them.
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