Consort Tong was eager to serve the Emperor, and the news spread like wildfire, quickly reaching all six palaces.
Chuxiu Palace
Consort Wen's eyes were icy as she spoke in a deep voice, "Consort Tong is so young, and she's only just started her period, yet she can't wait to serve the Emperor. What a vixen, a little fox spirit!"
“Nanny, the Imperial Household Department has given instructions. Consort Tong is eager to serve the Emperor, but I will not let her have her way. She and I are both consorts. If she serves the Emperor, he will surely bestow a title upon her, and then she will be on equal footing with me.”
The wet nurse nodded and said with a smile, "Your Highness, I have already made arrangements. Consort Tong is still young, and her body has not yet fully developed; she is like a tender melon vine."
"The Imperial Household Department has already hung up Consort Tong's green plaque as instructed by Her Majesty."
Consort Wen nodded slightly.
"Nanny, how are things going with Fourth Sister? Is she settling in well?"
The wet nurse hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty, the Fourth Princess is still your own sister. If she gives birth to a prince or princess in the future, they will also have the blood of the Niohuru family flowing through their veins."
"Your Majesty, are you really determined to do that?"
Consort Wen's face was cold, and her sharp eyes scrutinized the wet nurse. She said in a deep voice, "Wet nurse, you know that Fourth Sister was favored by the Emperor the day before yesterday, and yesterday morning she was bestowed the title of Noble Lady by the Emperor. What Fourth Sister said to me at that time..."
"I recommended her to the Emperor out of consideration for our sisterly bond, but what did she do? Because the Emperor only granted her the title of Noble Lady and did not grant her the titles of Consort or Imperial Concubine, she blamed me for the matter."
With a deep sigh, Consort Wen spoke sternly.
"If I didn't want her to serve the Emperor, I would have sent her out of the palace long ago. Why keep her in the palace? Why recommend her to the Emperor? Not only does she not repay my kindness, but she also complains about me, thinking that I secretly tripped her up, making her only a Noble Lady at the beginning."
"She doesn't even realize that although she is her father's legitimate daughter, she was not selected into the palace through a formal selection process, nor was she granted the title by imperial decree. The fact that she was granted the title of Noble Lady after her first favor was already due to the Emperor's consideration for the Niohuru family and for my sake."
The wet nurse lowered her head slightly, her face full of helplessness.
Consort Wen glanced meaningfully at the wet nurse and murmured, "I am not a heartless person. I am just making her understand the rules of the palace and let her know that in the palace, one is never in control of one's own destiny."
"Yes, I understand."
The next day
The Empress Dowager learned from Sumalagu that Consort Tong was eager to serve the Emperor, but Consort Wen was interfering. She ordered the Imperial Household Department to hang up Consort Tong's green plaque. A cold smile flashed across her aged face.
“I remember that when Fulin was alive, Consort Tongjia was about the same age as Consort Tong when she was favored by the emperor, and then she became pregnant and gave birth to the emperor.”
"Now that Consort Tong is so eager to serve the emperor, could it be that she hopes to end up like Consort Tongjia back then?"
The Empress Dowager frowned, lost in thought.
Su Mala Gu smiled and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, not every woman in the world is as fortunate as Empress Xiaokangzhang. Consort Tong..."
"This servant observes that Consort Tong appears to be frail and has difficulty conceiving."
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly and said thoughtfully, "In the Tongjia clan, the woman that Tong Guowei and Tong Guogang initially favored and wanted to send to the palace to serve the emperor was not Consort Tong, but a slightly older woman from a collateral branch of the Tongjia clan who was more beautiful than Consort Tong."
"Consort Tong? Consort Tong is young and born out of wedlock, hehe."
Sumalagu nodded.
"The Empress Dowager is absolutely right. Now I understand why Consort Tong was so eager to serve the Emperor as soon as she started menstruating. The reason is that Consort Tong was born out of wedlock and desperately wanted to prove herself."
"Um."
The Empress Dowager responded with a sound of agreement and remained silent.
Yikun Palace
Xu Lejin received the news three days later.
With a soft sigh, Xu Lejin spoke slowly, "It's a pity that Consort Tong had such a sincere heart, hoping to win the Emperor's favor as soon as possible and also protect the concubines outside the palace."
"If I hadn't investigated carefully, I wouldn't have known that Consort Tong had such a difficult childhood. Consort Tong's aunt was just a foot-washing maid in the Tong family. She got Consort Tong because Tong Guowei was drunk and gained his favor."
"Poor Consort Tong, before the age of eight, lived with her birth mother in a secluded courtyard of the Tong family, left to fend for herself. Apart from a maid, she had no one to serve her."
After a pause, Xu Lejin continued.
"Your Highness, Consort Gong has passed away. Tong Guowei only has one daughter, Consort Tong, so he brought Consort Tong out of that remote courtyard and hired a nanny to teach her."
"Consort Tong started menstruating half a year ago, but she kept it a secret. The reason she is so eager to serve the Emperor now is because her birth mother is ill at the Tongjia residence and there is no one to take care of her..."
Changing the subject, Xu Lejin looked at Liu Ying and said in a deep voice, "Since Consort Tong has already informed the Imperial Household Department that she is ready to serve the Emperor, why has there been no news of the Emperor summoning her?"
Liu Ying quickly exchanged a glance with Ru Hua.
"Your Majesty, it was Consort Wen who instructed the Imperial Household Department, saying that Consort Tong is still young, inexperienced, and hasn't fully matured, and ordered the Imperial Household Department to hang up Consort Tong's green nameplate. At the same time..."
"At the same time, Consort Wen also instructed her attendants to keep the news a secret."
Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin shook her head helplessly.
December 26
In the afternoon, Consort Tong received a letter from home informing her that her birth mother was terminally ill and did not have much time left.
Consort Tong clutched the thin letter from home in her hand, her eyes glazed over, overwhelmed with grief.
Why?
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