The Empress Dowager passed away
It was a time of national mourning, so the whole country had to observe mourning. After much deliberation, Emperor Kangxi finally decided that people should observe mourning for a year and that no weddings or funerals were allowed during that year.
In the palace, people observed a hundred days of mourning, during which they abstained from meat and fish, and ate vegetarian food and recited Buddhist scriptures.
From mid-January to the end of April, the palace remained quiet for more than three months. Although Emperor Kangxi entered the inner palace, he never summoned the concubines to his bedchamber, nor did he stay overnight in any of the palaces.
May 2nd
The concubines from all the palaces gathered at Yikun Palace.
Previously, during the Empress Dowager's 100-day mourning period, the simple palace dresses were replaced by brightly colored ones, with the younger concubines dressed in flamboyant attire.
Consort Que had long since taken a detached view of everything in the palace. Now that she had a daughter, she was content with everything. Apart from her duties in the palace, she spent her days in Chengqian Palace raising the twenty-second princess.
Like Consort Que, there was also Consort Duan.
Consort Duan had both a son and a daughter, raising the Thirteenth Princess and the Eighth Prince. If it weren't for the insistence of Consort Xu Lejin and Consort Que, Consort Duan wouldn't have wanted to get involved in palace affairs and would have preferred to be a leisurely person in the palace.
Consort Hui and Consort Wan
Consort Wan is now a concubine. After the 100-day mourning period for the Empress Dowager, she has changed from being timid, cowardly, and unpresentable to the present. Now, Consort Wan seems like a completely different person.
Wearing a gorgeous palace dress and heavy makeup, she looked much more beautiful.
At this moment, Consort Wan smiled and covered her mouth, saying, "I heard that His Majesty just finished his hundred-day mourning period. He was originally supposed to go to the palaces of Consort Yu and Consort Que, but on two separate days, Consort Na intercepted his favor."
"Your Highness, I heard from the servants that you've been spending a lot of time with Consort Hui lately?"
Consort Wan looked at Consort Hui opposite her, her eyes filled with a probing gaze.
A moment later, Consort Wan continued, "Since Consort Hui broke her head at the end of last year, she has become much quieter, as if she were a completely different person."
"I've heard that Consort Hui often looks up at the sky and often seems lost in thought, as if she's preoccupied with something. Is Consort Hui worried about the marriage of the Second Prince and the Third Princess?"
With a light laugh, Consort Wan continued speaking to herself.
"Speaking of which, the eldest prince, fourteen, and the second prince, thirteen, are both at the age where they should have someone to care for them and serve them, but the Emperor, Consort Yu, and Consort Que have yet to agree."
"The Second Prince is alright, at least he has Consort Hui as his mother. But the First Prince, whose mother Consort Rong passed away early, has no mother to take care of him, making his life in the palace very difficult."
Consort Hui narrowed her eyes slightly, scrutinizing Consort Wan, her mind filled with puzzlement.
Why is everything different now?
Consort Duan, standing to the side, glanced quickly at Xu Lejin and Consort Que before carefully speaking, "Now that Consort Wan is a consort, she is indeed different. Not only palace affairs, but also the lifelong affairs of the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the princesses, she wants to interfere in them all."
“Sister Wanfei, as expected of someone from Mongolia, of noble birth.”
Consort Wan's expression changed upon hearing the veiled meaning in those words.
Yikun Palace fell silent instantly. Wanfei nearly ground her teeth to powder as she glared fiercely at Duanfei, inwardly cursing her as an old, withered woman who was utterly repulsive.
After half a cup of tea
Xu Lejin glanced meaningfully at Consort Hui and Consort Wan, and said slowly, "His Majesty has his own ideas about who will be the future wives of the First and Second Princes. As concubines in the harem, our most important task is to serve His Majesty wholeheartedly and to ensure that His Majesty has children and can continue the family line."
"It's normal for the Emperor to favor Consort Na, who is young and beautiful."
Xu Lejin paused, her gaze falling on a woman in a corner, dressed in a light pink palace gown, with bright eyes and white teeth, named Na Changzai. She spoke softly again, "This morning, Li Dequan, who serves the Emperor, came to my palace to convey His Majesty's oral decree."
“Na Changzai has rendered meritorious service to the Emperor and has been granted the title ‘Tong’ and six bolts of brocade of various colors.”
Na Changzai, um, is usually there.
Upon hearing this, she would show a joyful expression and, with the help of a palace maid, quickly walk out from the corner, bow and kneel down, saying, "This humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your great favor and thanks Consort Yu. Long live the Emperor! Long live Consort Yu!"
"、、"
Xu Lejin's expression froze slightly.
Consort Wan clenched her handkerchief tightly and said coldly, "Long live the Emperor! Isn't that reserved for the Empress? Although Consort Yu is now a Noble Consort and the head of all the concubines in the harem,..."
"A Noble Consort is a Noble Consort, not an Imperial Noble Consort, much less an Empress. She must be careful with her words when expressing gratitude."
Usually, they would tremble, feel fear, and timidly lower their heads to say "Yes."
One hour later
The concubines left Yikun Palace one after another, but Consort Que and Consort Duan stayed behind.
After considering for a moment, Consort Que spoke softly, "Sister, Consort Hui seems a little different? In the past, Consort Hui would make the most noise every time she paid her respects, but now that she has recovered from the head injury she suffered from kowtowing, she has become much quieter and more obedient."
"Consort Wan, Consort Wan is becoming more and more arrogant!"
Xu Lejin nodded and fell into deep thought.
Consort Duan, standing to the side, pondered for a moment before speaking softly, "Your Highness Consort Yu, Your Highness Consort Que, I have heard that besides being lost in thought and deep contemplation, Consort Hui's greatest concern is for the Second Prince, and..."
“Outside the palace, the Irgen Gioro family, Consort Hui also had people secretly keeping an eye on them.”
Xu Lejin's expression froze.
"Irgen Jieluo Shi?"
Consort Duan nodded slightly and spoke in a deep voice, "Among the Irgen Gioro clan, the highest-ranking official is Minister Korkun. Korkun has six daughters, one born of the principal wife and five born of concubines."
"Among them, the eldest daughter is the same age as the second prince."
Xu Lejin nodded and fell into deep thought.
Yanxi Palace
After Consort Hui returned, she only kept her personal maid Cunxin by her side, and dismissed all the other palace servants.
"Cunxin, how's the matter of the Irgen Gioro family that I asked you to inquire about? What's the situation with the second legitimate daughter of Korkun?"
Cunxin lowered her head and quickly pondered for a moment.
"Your Majesty, Lord Korkun's second daughter is named Qingrou. She is Lady Korkun's only daughter, and is thirteen years old, the same age as our Second Prince. Lady Korkun has raised her exceptionally well; she is skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and is knowledgeable and reasonable."
"Lord Korkun and his wife seem to be being raised according to the standards of a prince's consort."
Upon hearing this, Consort Hui's face darkened.
With a slap, Consort Hui said on her face, "Princess Consort? Korkun's ambition is quite considerable. Although Korkun comes from the Irgen Gioro clan and is a yellow-sashed member, his daughter..."
Swallowing the words that were about to come out of her mouth, Consort Hui quickly considered them in her mind.
At that time
Inside the Qianqing Palace, Princess Guren Shuhui requested an audience. Princess Shuhui once again mentioned to Emperor Kangxi her desire to arrange for her grandson, Urgun, to marry a princess of the Qing Dynasty.
Emperor Kangxi, with a solemn expression, sat upright on the dragon throne and carefully selected his several older princes and princesses before finally making his decision.
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