The next day
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th of August.
Liu Ying hurried in from outside Yikun Palace, her face grave. She said, "Your Majesty, Consort Wen caught a chill last night and has fallen ill."
"、、"
Xu Lejin was taken aback upon hearing this.
After a quick moment of consideration, Xu Lejin suddenly realized what was going on and said in a deep voice, "Consort Wen is ill, so she will not be able to attend today's Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet."
Changing the subject, Xu Lejin asked, "How are the preparations for this year's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet going, Consort Que?"
Liu Ying lowered her head slightly and remained silent. After thinking for a moment, Nongying, who was behind Xu Lejin, said with a smile, "Your Majesty, everything has been arranged. Consort Que should be in the Tiyuan Hall by now."
"Um."
Xu Lejin gave a faint reply and gestured to Ruhua and Nongying to help her with her hair and clothes.
Sitting gracefully before her dressing table, she gazed into the bronze mirror. Her bright eyes and white teeth revealed her youthful beauty, despite being nearly thirty and the mother of eight children. She smiled sweetly, looking as charming as a young woman in her late teens.
Time seemed to have been exceptionally kind to her; as the days passed and she experienced more and more, her appearance remained unchanged.
With her lips slightly parted, Xu Lejin spoke slowly, "Time flies so fast; several years have passed in the blink of an eye. I remember when I was serving Empress Xiaocheng, and now I'm a Noble Consort, with eight children under my care."
"Over the years, new women have come and gone in the palace, and I can't help but feel that I'm getting old."
Ruhua and Nongying exchanged a glance, their expressions carefully considered.
After a moment, Ru Hua smiled and said, "Your Majesty is in the prime of your life. If you said you were a young girl who had just entered the palace, people would believe it. Your Majesty is not old at all, you are still very young."
She covered her mouth and giggled.
Xu Lejin said, "You always tease me. No one in this world never grows old. I just age more slowly; time has been kind to me."
"Yes, Your Majesty's admonition is correct."
In the Tiyuan Hall
Consort Que, accompanied by palace servants, was busy running around with a polite smile on her face.
A palace maid hurried into the Tiyuan Hall and whispered a few words in Sang'er's ear, who was beside Consort Que. Sang'er's expression was solemn, and she lowered her voice, saying, "Your Majesty, news has come from Chuxiu Palace that Consort Wen is ill and will probably not be able to attend today's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet."
"Oh, really?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Que paused for a moment, then asked softly, "Why did Consort Wen suddenly fall ill?"
Sang'er quickly glanced around, lowered her voice, and said in a tone only she and Consort Que could hear, "Your Majesty, this servant has heard that Consort Wen has been feeling tired and listless lately."
"Perhaps Consort Wen had been holding back her emotions for a long time, so last night, after standing under the corridor for half an hour, she suddenly caught a chill."
Consort Que nodded gently, her eyes narrowed as she fell into deep thought.
After a long while, Consort Que spoke softly, "Later, have someone send some tonics to Consort Wen's palace."
"yes,"
Sang'er respectfully agreed, then glanced quickly at Consort Que out of the corner of her eye, and said cautiously in a low voice, "Your Majesty, you and Consort Wen have always had a strained relationship, and now..."
Consort Que smiled and glanced at Sang'er.
"It's just polite talk. We are both concubines, so it's only natural that I would send her some tonics when she's ill."
"She might not use what I send to her palace."
Sang'er lowered her eyes and nodded in agreement.
Afternoon
The concubines from all the palaces gathered at the Tiyuan Hall.
Looking around at the decorations and furnishings of the Tiyuan Hall, Xu Lejin was quite satisfied. Smiling, she said to Consort Que, "Although Consort Que is young, she manages palace affairs with remarkable efficiency. I find the preparations for today's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet very well done; I like it very much."
"I believe that Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager will also like her and will surely reward Consort Que."
Consort Que smiled gently and spoke softly.
"It is my honor to share the burdens of Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine, but I dare not take credit for it."
Xu Lejin gave Consort Que a meaningful look, then smiled without saying a word.
As night fell, candles were lit in the Tiyuan Hall, illuminating the space. Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager sat on the throne, with the concubines and members of the imperial family on their left and right sides below them.
Xu Lejin picked up the fruit wine in front of her, took a sip, and murmured softly, "The singing and dancing today were excellent, and the wine and snacks were also very good and delicious. Consort Que is very thoughtful!"
Consort Que smiled gracefully.
"It is my honor to receive a compliment from the Noble Consort."
After speaking, Consort Que raised her wine cup to toast Xu Lejin.
After several rounds of drinks and a few performances of song and dance, the bright Mid-Autumn Festival moon gradually peeked out, revealing half of its face.
On the dragon throne, Kangxi raised his wine cup, looked at the Empress Dowager, and said loudly, "Grandmother, today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day of celebration in the palace. Your grandson toasts you."
"Very well, Your Majesty is very kind."
The Empress Dowager said "good" three times, looked down at the concubines and royal relatives in the harem, and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, let us raise our glasses together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival."
"yes,"
The concubines and imperial relatives all rose from their seats and raised their wine cups.
"May the Great Qing Dynasty, the Emperor, and the Empress Dowager enjoy a long and prosperous reign! May the Great Qing Dynasty last forever! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager!"
Emperor Kangxi said loudly, "Good."
After speaking, he took the lead in drinking the wine in his cup, and the imperial relatives and concubines in the harem followed suit.
As the moon rose above the willow branches, the banquet reached its most grand moment.
Emperor Kangxi's gaze swept over Consort Xu Lejin, Consort Que, and others. After a moment of contemplation, he said in a deep voice, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for the whole palace to celebrate. I thought I would also let the harem be happy."
"Consort Que, of the Tongjia clan, has devoted herself to preparing the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, which pleases me greatly. I hereby promote her to the rank of Noble Consort. I hereby order the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to select an auspicious day for the investiture ceremony of Noble Consort Que."
As soon as Kangxi finished speaking, Consort Que, well, she was already Imperial Noble Consort Que.
Supported by her maids, Consort Que rose from her seat with a joyful expression, walked into the hall, bowed, and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor. Long live the Emperor!"
"Um,"
Emperor Kangxi responded and gestured for Consort Que to return to her seat.
Kangxi then said, "Consort Yu, for her merit in giving birth to the imperial heir, is hereby granted one bushel of pearls and twenty-four bolts of various colored silks. Consort Yu's mother, Lady Xie, is hereby granted the title of Second Rank Imperial Consort."
After speaking, Kangxi glanced at Xu Lejin with a hint of guilt.
Xu Lejin pretended not to see the guilt in Kangxi's eyes. With Ruhua's help, she smiled and calmly thanked Kangxi for his grace.
After bestowing gifts upon Xu Lejin, Kangxi promoted Consort Hui to Imperial Concubine Hui and granted the title of Consort Xi to Lady Niohuru of Chuxiu Palace, who lived in Chuxiu Palace with Consort Wen.
Consort Wen and Consort He, Consort An and Consort Duan, as well as lower-ranking officials such as Noble Ladies, Attendants, and those whose ranks were inconvenient, were only given commendations.
at last
Emperor Kangxi cleared his throat and gave a stern instruction to Liang Jiugong beside him.
Liang Jiugong responded, holding the bright yellow imperial edict, and read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: To assist the court in bringing prosperity and good fortune... to assist in the administration of the inner palace and to ensure its flourishing... the decree..."
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