Xu Lejin was eager to see Zhangjia Shi.
Changchun Palace
Although Lady Zhangjia had been granted the title of "Daying" by Emperor Kangxi, she was still dressed in a palace maid's uniform, without any makeup, and knelt before Consort He with trepidation.
On Consort He's youthful face, a pair of phoenix eyes sharply scrutinized Lady Zhangjia.
After a short while, Consort He spoke coldly, "His Majesty has already bestowed upon you the title of 'Consort,' so why are you still wearing this palace maid's uniform? You come from my palace and represent my dignity."
"Alright, go back and change your clothes. I will take you to Yikun Palace to pay your respects to the Imperial Noble Consort later."
Zhangjia lowered her head and answered "Yes" tremblingly.
Watching Zhangjia's hunched back and trembling figure depart, Consort He remained calm, but a cold smile of 'successful scheme' quickly flashed across her face.
"Your Majesty is wise. You used a strategy of feigned retreat to advance, not only preventing Consort Que from harming her health by serving the Emperor too early, but also making Lady Zhangjia feel guilty towards Your Majesty."
“Zhangjia’s mother is very fertile, giving birth to six children in ten years. Zhangjia has been healthy and free from illness since childhood, and she will surely be able to have a child soon like her mother, giving birth to a prince or princess for the Empress and the Hesheli family.”
Consort He glared at the nanny beside her and said coldly, "Nanny, you've served me for many years, don't you know walls have ears? Zhangjia's service to the Emperor was all fate."
"Yes, Your Majesty is absolutely right."
The nanny offered a flattering remark, secretly thinking to herself how much her mistress had grown over the years in the palace!
If it were anyone else, they definitely wouldn't have come up with such a good idea.
After a pause, Consort He gazed towards the direction outside the palace and murmured softly, "Alas, if it weren't for the Fifth Princess's disgraceful deeds, which were witnessed by the Emperor and the Imperial Noble Consort, why would the Hesheli family and I have taken such a risk and arranged for Zhangjia to be involved?"
"Zhangjia is quite beautiful and gentle, the kind of woman who can easily arouse a man's pity and protective instincts. The key is that she comes from the Imperial Household Department and is easy to control."
Halfway through Chen Shi (7-9 AM)
Consort He led Lady Zhangjia into Yikun Palace. Consort He spoke with trepidation, "Your Highness, please forgive me... Last night... Last night His Majesty visited my palace. I was momentarily oversighted..."
"Your Highness, this is Lady Zhangjia from my palace. She served His Majesty yesterday and was granted the title of Lady-in-Waiting by imperial decree."
Xu Lejin nodded, squinting as she sized up Consort He.
Consort He is so young, how could she be so cunning?
If it weren't for Consort Que's analysis with her today, she would have almost been kept in the dark by Consort He.
As expected of the daughter of the Hesheli family,
Dressed in a light green palace gown, Lady Zhangjia knelt down with trepidation, saying, "This humble servant, this humble servant, promises Lady Zhangjia to pay her respects to the Imperial Noble Consort. May the Imperial Noble Consort live a thousand years!"
Withdrawing her gaze from Consort He, Xu Lejin said, "Consort Zhang, please rise. There's no need for such formalities."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Zhang Jia stood up and stood beside Consort He with her head down. She didn't look like a concubine, but rather like a palace maid beside Consort He. Xu Lejin raised her eyebrows slightly.
"Zhang Jia, raise your head and let me see you?"
Zhangjia trembled slightly, then slowly raised her head. Her face was bright and charming, especially her eyes, which were like those of a startled rabbit, catching everyone off guard.
Upon seeing Zhangjia's appearance, Xu Lejin understood that Kangxi would bestow upon her the title of "Consort" early this morning.
Such a delicate woman, as fragile as a dodder vine, is irresistible to any man. He would be compelled to embrace her, cherish and pity her.
It's quite something that Consort He and the Hesheli family went to such lengths to stage this whole thing.
I only hope that this Lady Zhangjia is as she appears, someone who is easy to control and can be used by Consort He and the Hesheli family.
Otherwise, in the future, the Hefei and Hesheli families will end up shooting themselves in the foot.
After instructing Lady Zhangjia to serve Emperor Kangxi diligently and to give birth to an heir for him as soon as possible, Xu Lejin instructed Consort He to take Lady Zhangjia back to Changchun Palace for proper settlement.
After Consort He and Lady Zhangjia left, Xu Lejin glanced behind the screen and said loudly, "Consort Que, now that you've seen this newly appointed Lady Zhangjia, are you relieved?"
Supported by her maids, Consort Que walked out gracefully.
"Your Highness the Imperial Noble Consort is teasing me. I just wanted to see what kind of stunning beauty Consort Zhangjia is."
"Your Majesty, I have nothing to worry about."
After a pause, Consort Que lowered her voice, "Your Highness, I must admit that Consort Zhangjia does indeed have the qualities to win a man's heart."
"If I were a man, upon seeing a woman as delicate and charming as Consort Zhang, I would also be unable to resist pulling her into my arms and showering her with tenderness."
"Nonsense."
Xu Lejin gave Consort Que a coquettish look and said, "It is good that Consort Que has such ambitions, but it is a pity that Consort Que can only be a woman in this life and can never become a man."
"However, if Consort Que wishes to see Consort Zhangjia every day, I can issue an edict to move Consort Zhangjia to your Chengqian Palace."
Consort Que smiled sweetly.
"No, it's better to leave such a delicate and weak woman like Zhang Jia to the Emperor and Consort He."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I fear that seeing Consort Zhang every day will make me lose my appetite and sleep."
Upon hearing this, Xu Lejin glared at Consort Que and spoke in a cold voice.
"Consort Que is becoming increasingly presumptuous, even daring to make jokes about the Emperor. Be careful, I will report your words to the Emperor and have him punish you for disrespect."
"Your Highness, have mercy!"
Consort Que's silvery voice rang out in Yikun Palace.
Lady Zhangjia was quite favored, serving him for seven consecutive days. She would attend to him in the night and be summoned by Emperor Kangxi to the Qianqing Palace during the day to serve him with writing materials.
According to news from the Imperial Household Department, Emperor Kangxi, while still in the Qianqing Palace, favored Lady Zhangjia once in broad daylight.
The harem was filled with a sour atmosphere.
Under Xu Lejin's subtle persuasion, perhaps Kangxi realized he had been too fond of Lady Zhangjia, so he later abandoned her and instead summoned younger concubines to the palace.
Or perhaps it was in the palace of a concubine who had been married for the previous year, having lunch together, and so on.
Time flies, and a month has passed.
It seemed as if Lady Zhangjia had been forgotten by Emperor Kangxi, as he never summoned her to his bedchamber, nor did she conceive.
Consort He and the Hesheli family outside the palace became restless again and started making clandestine moves.
Dressed up in her finest attire, Lady Zhangjia, at the behest of Consort He, danced gracefully in the Imperial Garden in her most beautiful form.
Consort Que and Consort Duan made an appointment to go to the Imperial Garden with Xu Lejin to watch Zhangjia's performance. On the way, they encountered Consort Ning, who was strolling in the Imperial Garden with the Sixth Prince and Consort Xin.
With Xu Lejin, Consort Que, and Consort Duan, apart from Consort Que's pregnant concubine Wan, the rest of the concubines from Yikun Palace, Chengqian Palace, and Jingyang Palace were also present.
A large crowd eagerly awaited and watched Zhang Jia's dance.
In the dead of winter, when it was freezing cold, everyone else wished they could wear more layers and stay inside the palace by the fire, but Consort Zhangjia…
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