Five days later
Tong Guowei's wife, Hesheli, entered the palace and parted on bad terms with Consort Que in Chengqian Palace.
Immediately afterwards, news spread throughout the palace and the capital that Consort Que had completely broken ties with her maternal clan, the Tongjia clan. Consort Que reportedly berated Tong Guowei in the Chengqian Palace, accusing him of being unworthy of being a father and of harboring wolfish ambitions.
Xu Lejin sighed softly and did not comment further.
Cining Palace
After the Empress Dowager passed away, Su Ma La Gu stayed in Cining Palace, guarding the empty palace and cleaning it every day. With nothing else to do, she paid more attention to the affairs of the palace.
Upon learning that Consort Que and Tong Jia had completely broken ties, Su Mala Gu's lips curled up into a cold, sneer.
He lowered his head and muttered to himself.
Sumalagu thought to herself, if the Empress Dowager had passed away a few years later, she would have witnessed the break between Consort Que and the Tongjia clan.
The Empress Dowager's years of painstaking planning have not been in vain.
Fifteen minutes later
Su Mala Gu knelt before the memorial tablet of the Empress Dowager and said softly, "Empress Dowager, now there is only one Consort Que among the Tongjia concubines in the palace. Consort Que has also completely broken with the Tongjia clan. Empress Dowager, you can rest assured in the afterlife."
"Although the Tongjia clan is the Emperor's maternal family and the mother clan of Empress Xiaokangzhang, the Emperor has already become wary of the Tongjia clan due to your planning over the years, Empress Dowager."
After a pause, Sumalagu continued speaking.
"The fortune teller's prediction back then, 'Tong Guowei will rule half the court,' has now been proven wrong. Tong Guowei's two legitimate daughters died young in the palace, and now his concubine's daughter, who holds the position of Imperial Concubine, has completely broken ties with the Tongjia clan."
“Tong Guowei’s son, Longkodo, who is exceptionally capable, is still exiled in Ningguta for sneaking into the palace late at night. The Tongjia clan has suffered a great loss as a result.”
Outside the mourning hall, a dark figure flashed by.
Sumalagu frowned and said, "Empress Dowager, I have served you for many years. When I was young, I admired Prince Rui and hoped that you would bestow me upon him."
"This servant waited and waited, but in the end, I did not receive Your Majesty's grace. Prince Rui has passed away. This servant harbors resentment towards you and the late Emperor. I resent you. When the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away."
With a wicked smile, Su Mala Gu spoke again in a cold voice, "His Majesty is a wise ruler. He exonerated Prince Rui, and I am grateful to His Majesty. Therefore, I agreed to stay by your side as an inside agent and report all of Your Majesty's every move to him."
"Empress Dowager, I know I have failed you and betrayed your trust. Now that the Tong family's affairs are settled, the Tongjia clan will no longer become the Tong half-dynasty as foretold in the prophecy. I will follow you in death."
"This servant has been disloyal, and even in death, I am willing to continue serving Your Majesty the Empress Dowager..."
After saying this, Sumalagu bit her tongue and committed suicide!
Su Ma La Gu committed suicide in front of the Empress Dowager's coffin. Although Emperor Kangxi ordered the news to be kept secret, it still reached Xu Lejin's ears. Xu Lejin sighed and was moved by Su Ma La Gu's loyalty and righteousness.
Back then, the fortune teller predicted that Tong would rule half the court, and it was she who had people go through several rounds of maneuvering to spread the word.
Sumalagu had been working as an inside agent for Kangxi for a long time, and it was only in the first two years that she vaguely realized it.
She even discovered that many things in the palace were secretly instructed and indulged by Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager.
For example, the deaths of Empress Xiaozhao, Consort Wen, and Consort Xi; the deaths of Consort Chengqian and Consort Gong; and the young Consort Que serving the emperor; and the three women of the Tongjia clan being given to eunuchs as "couples"...
Three days later
Emperor Kangxi suddenly issued an imperial edict: "The widow of Prince Rui, Dorgon, many years ago, was named Tushetu Te Sumo'er. She was loyal and righteous and remained a widow for Prince Rui for decades. She is hereby posthumously honored as the Secondary Consort of Prince Rui and buried beside Prince Rui's tomb."
Tushetu Te Sumoer?
Xu Lejin smiled faintly, thinking to herself that Kangxi's decree was practically announcing to the world that Su Ma La Gu, who was by the side of the Empress Dowager, had been bestowed upon Prince Rui, Dorgon, as a secondary consort at the age of over seventy.
June 16
The concubines from all the palaces gathered at Yikun Palace.
Consort Que was depressed because she had completely broken with the Tongjia clan. She sent someone to Yikun Palace early to ask Xu Lejin for leave, and Xu Lejin gladly agreed.
Consort Hui smiled and winked at Consort Mu.
Consort Mu covered her mouth and looked at Consort Wan, speaking softly, "Consort Wan, I have heard that Prince Rui's newly appointed concubine, Lady Tushetut, is from the Khorchin Mongols?"
"I have been in the palace for six or seven years, yet I have never heard of Prince Rui having a widow from the Tushetu clan."
After saying that, Consort Mu chuckled.
Consort Wan's expression changed slightly. She glared at Consort Mu and said in a deep voice, "Consort Mu's information network is indeed impressive. Prince Rui has been dead for many years. Whether there is a member of the Tushetute clan in Prince Rui's residence is something I have not been concerned about. However—"
"If His Majesty says it exists, then it exists."
Changing the subject, Consort Wan smiled and looked at Xu Lejin, who was sitting in the main seat, and said softly, "Your Highness Consort Yu, do you agree or disagree?"
Xu Lejin nodded.
“What Consort Wan said makes sense; it is indeed so.”
After a slight pause, Xu Lejin continued softly, "Consort Tushetute was just an unknown princess in Prince Rui's mansion before, so it's understandable that she was forgotten."
"The deceased is gone. Consort Tushetut has passed away, but we should still show her some respect."
Consort Wan nodded in agreement.
Consort Mu glanced quickly at Consort Hui, then lowered her head, looking embarrassed.
Fifteen minutes later
Xu Lejin looked at Consort Hui and said in a deep voice, "The Emperor issued an edict the other day, demoting Consort Shen to commoner status and ordering her to commit suicide."
"Although the matter of the commoner, Lady Suochuoluo, using aphrodisiacs to enhance the Emperor's pleasure and harming his health has nothing to do with Consort Hui, however..."
"After all, Lady Suochuoluo came from Consort Hui's palace. Consort Hui was guilty of not disciplining her properly. The Emperor did not hold Consort Hui accountable, but Consort Hui should take this as a warning and restrain and discipline the ladies-in-waiting and other servants under her command."
"My sisters in all palaces are the same."
Consort Hui's expression changed, she swallowed the words that were about to come out, and stood up together with Consort Duan, Consort Wan and others, and said respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty, we will strictly follow the instructions of Noble Consort Yu and strictly discipline the concubines below us."
Outside Yikun Palace
On the long street, Consort Wan looked at Consort Hui and Consort Mu with a stubborn and arrogant expression, and said in a cold voice, "Consort Hui and Consort Mu, your relationship is quite close now. Today you are singing in unison."
"The matter concerning Consort Tushet is related to the Empress Dowager and Sumalagu who serves by her side. It is not something that Consort Hui, Consort Mu, or the other concubines in the harem can discuss."
With a look of disdain, Consort Wan continued.
"Consort Mu has only recently been granted the title of Consort and is unfamiliar with palace etiquette. Consort Hui is a senior figure in the palace and also holds the rank of Consort, so she must properly instruct Consort Mu to prevent her from making such a fool of herself again in the future."
"Otherwise, even if Consort Mu is the birth mother of the Eighth Prince, she will still be punished. After all, Consort Mu obtained her position as a consort by exchanging the Eighth Prince for it, and it is uncertain whether she can hold onto it."
Consort Mu's still charming face turned pale and then flushed.
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