The dispute between Consort Wan and Consort Liang over the Fifth Prince has now come to an end.
but,
The story of Consort Wan and Consort Liang vying for a son in the palace was spread by the palace servants through various rumors and misinformation, resulting in several different versions.
September 16
Consort Mu raised her eyes and looked at Consort Ning, who was sitting diagonally opposite her. Her still charming face smiled like a chrysanthemum and said in a sweet voice, "Sister Ning, everyone in the palace is talking about Consort Wan and Consort Liang vying for the Fifth Prince."
“Sister Ningpin, your Zhongcui Palace is close to Yonghe Palace, where Consort Wan and Consort Liang reside. You are also Consort Wan’s cousin. What exactly happened back then?”
With a playful smile, Consort Mu's face revealed a mocking expression.
Consort Ning's expression changed, and she opened her mouth as if to say something, but Consort Que beat her to it.
Consort Que glanced coldly at Consort Mu and said in a cold voice, "It's just rumors circulating in the palace. Consort Mu, as the mistress of Xianfu Palace, is she so lacking in her own opinion that she believes everything she hears?"
"The matters concerning Consort Wan and Consort Liang have long been settled. What does Consort Mu mean by bringing them up again now?"
With a cold laugh, Consort Que's expression turned stern.
"Consort Mu, could it be that you are dissatisfied with the Emperor's decree to confine Consort Wan and Consort Liang to Yonghe Palace for a year? Or are you questioning the Emperor's and Consort Yu's decisions?"
After hearing these harsh words, Consort Mu's face turned from white to green, and she lowered her head in fear, pursing her lips and remaining silent.
Consort Hui, who had been sitting quietly and solemnly without smiling, raised her eyes and glanced at Xu Lejin and Consort Que, and said softly, "Consort Yu, Consort Que, Consort Mu was just curious, which is why she asked Consort Ning."
"Consort Mu meant no harm."
Consort Que snorted coldly, just about to speak.
Xu Lejin shook her head almost imperceptibly, stopping Consort Que. She then looked at Consort Hui with a scrutinizing gaze and said, "Curiosity killed the cat. Consort Mu is, after all, a principal consort."
"There are several versions of the story about Consort Wan and Consort Liang in the palace, and I have also heard about them."
After a slight hesitation, Xu Lejin continued, "Consort Hui, as you assist in managing the six palaces, the matters of rumors circulating within the palace and the palace servants believing everything they hear in private will be left to you to handle."
"Neither His Majesty nor I wish for the palace to continue discussing the affairs of Consort Wan and Consort Liang."
Consort Hui's expression changed, and she bowed her head and respectfully replied, "Yes."
In autumn
The warm sunshine made me feel sleepy.
When Consort Hui returned to Yanxi Palace, her gentle smile vanished instantly, replaced by a gloomy expression. She sat silently in the main seat of Yanxi Palace, with palace servants carefully attending to her from behind.
After a cup of tea
The palace maid Cunxin hurried in from outside the hall and respectfully reported to Consort Hui, "Your Majesty, Consort Mu requests an audience."
"Consort Mu?"
Consort Hui paused for a moment, then said coldly, "Tell Consort Mu that I am busy with palace affairs and have no time to see her. Please ask her to go back."
Cunxin responded and left.
Consort Hui picked up her teacup, took a sip, and frowned. "This tea, is it West Lake Longjing? And what about my favorite Liuan Melon Seed tea?"
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Household Department says that the supply of Lu'an Melon Seed tea is low this year, and they need to prioritize His Majesty's needs. Even in the palaces of Consort Yu and Consort Que, they have switched to Longjing, Tieguanyin, and Biluochun teas."
The palace maid serving tea immediately knelt down and replied respectfully.
Upon hearing this, Consort Hui paused, her scrutinizing gaze sweeping over the kneeling palace maid. After a long while, she spoke in a deep voice, "Since the Imperial Household Department is short of Liuan Melon Seed tea, then so be it."
"Whether it's Lu'an Melon Seed Tea or West Lake Longjing Tea, what matters is the person appreciating the tea, and this is my Yanxi Palace..."
With a soft sigh, Consort Hui murmured.
"If you think about it carefully, the Emperor hasn't come to my palace for more than half a year. I now hold the title of Consort but have the power to assist in managing the six palaces, yet I am not favored by the Emperor. It is only natural that the people of the Imperial Household Department would flatter the weak and fawn upon the strong."
The palace maids, heads bowed, dared not utter a sound.
A moment later, Cunxin returned from outside the palace with a stern face. "Your Majesty, Consort Mu has lost the Emperor's favor. This servant does not understand why Your Majesty would want to form an alliance with Consort Mu?"
"Just now, this servant went out to relay Your Highness's instructions, but Consort Mu was extremely rude."
Consort Hui curled her lips into a smile.
“How has Consort Mu been rude? Just as you said, she has already fallen out of favor. What right does she have to put on airs?”
Cunxin quickly glanced at Consort Hui before carefully speaking. "Consort Mu's words implied that Your Majesty shouldn't have taken your anger out on her, and that what happened today in Consort Yu's palace wasn't her intention. Consort Mu also said..."
"They also said that she was the birth mother of the Eighth Prince, just like Your Majesty."
With a cold laugh, Consort Hui's face was full of contempt.
How could Consort Mu and she be the same?
In the Emperor's harem, there were two sisters from the Guo Luo Luo clan: Consort Mu and the deceased Consort Yi.
If Consort Yi hadn't died in childbirth, she would very likely have been promoted to the rank of consort alongside her.
And Consort Mu...
Although she held the rank of Consort, her son, the Eighth Prince, was raised by Consort Duan.
Consort Mu is not young anymore, and she has completely lost favor. She has no chance of turning things around, and she will never be able to have six children in ten years and rise to the top to be on equal footing with her.
After thinking it over
Consort Hui looked at Cunxin and asked, "How is Changzai in the West Side Palace? Is everything alright with the imperial heir in her womb?"
"Your Majesty, I am diligently following your instructions and resting in bed. I am eating delicacies every day. Although I am not yet five months pregnant, my belly is already quite large, about the size of a woman who is six or seven months pregnant. I am already showing."
Cunxin lowered her voice and replied softly.
Consort Hui nodded, her eyes lingering as she spoke, "Usually, if everything is well with the imperial fetus, it's a joyous occasion. Although she's somewhat clever and beautiful, her pregnancy is quite astute."
"Usually, when the fetus is six months old, the imperial physician will carefully examine it to see if it is a prince or a princess."
With a soft, heartfelt response, she agreed.
A moment later, Consort Hui asked again, "How are Yinti and the Third Princess doing at the Prince's residence? Has Yinti been causing trouble lately? The Third Princess is eleven years old now."
“Cunxin, give a warning to the wet nurse and palace servants who serve the Third Princess, and tell them not to let anyone gossip about her in front of the Third Princess.”
Cunxin lowered her eyes and spoke respectfully.
"yes."
Ten days later
At the service of Ruhua and Nongying, Xu Lejin admired the various chrysanthemums displayed under the eaves.
"This year, the greenhouse has cultivated many varieties of chrysanthemums, including 'Ten-Foot Curtain,' 'Tang Yu Autumn Lotus,' 'Golden Back Red,' and 'West Lake Willow Moon,' as well as many others whose names I don't even know."
My gaze was drawn to several pots of green chrysanthemums.
Xu Lejin walked over quickly, looked at the green chrysanthemums in front of her, and said softly, "Green chrysanthemums, and the flowering shape is different, they seem to be two varieties."
"Your Majesty, these are newly cultivated green chrysanthemums in the greenhouse this year. This one is called 'Green Peony,' and that one is called 'Green Cloud.' A total of twenty pots were cultivated. Half of them were sent to the Emperor's Qianqing Palace, and six were sent to our palace."
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