In the hazy darkness, Xu Lejin slightly curved her lips, her tone smiling as she thanked Emperor Kangxi for his great favor, but she secretly turned her head away and rolled her eyes dramatically.
I don't believe you for a second, you old geezer. I don't know when this pie in the sky will ever come true.
In a few years, how many years is that?
She drifted off to sleep, and in her dream, Xu Lejin was actually dressed in the imperial robes of an empress, looking dignified and noble, receiving the homage of civil and military officials.
The scene shifts, and the woman in the dream is older, appearing to be in her forties, still charming, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, a picture of familial bliss.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
Suddenly, a voice called out in her ear, and Xu Lejin woke up with a start. The first thing she saw was Ruhua and Nongying, their figures filled with anxiety.
Startled for a moment, Xu Lejin sat up.
Ru Hua and Nongying bowed and served her as she washed and changed. Sitting blankly in front of the dressing table, Xu Lejin couldn't shake the scene from her dream. The corners of her lips turned up slightly, and she thought to herself that she really was dreaming about what she thought about during the day!
Last night, the Emperor said he would make me Empress in a few years, and I even dreamed of becoming Empress.
After finishing her makeup, Ruhua and Nongying held up a maroon palace dress and said softly, "Your Majesty, this is a new gift from the Imperial Household Department. They say it was made by the palace embroiderers. Would Your Majesty like to try it on?"
"Okay, that's fine."
Xu Lejin glanced at the maroon palace dress and said with a smile, "The head of the Imperial Household Department is very thoughtful. This maroon palace dress is exquisitely embroidered, and the blue phoenix on it is embroidered so lifelike."
"Nongying, go to the embroidery workshop of the Imperial Household Department for me later and reward the embroiderer with one hundred taels of silver."
Nongying respectfully agreed.
A moment later, dressed in a maroon palace gown, Xu Lejin stared at herself in the bronze mirror, stunned. This...this...
Oops, oops!
My face, though over thirty, looks like I'm only twenty-one or twenty-two. Wearing this maroon palace dress makes me look old and frail, aging me by ten years.
Ruhua and Nongying also noticed the problem. They knelt down in fear and said softly, "Your Majesty, please forgive us. It's all our fault. We'll have someone send this set of palace clothes back to the Imperial Household Department right away."
"It's alright."
With a wave of her hand, Xu Lejin said calmly, "It's nothing serious. I'm over thirty, so it's time for me to wear some more dignified and elegant clothes."
"This palace dress is well made, let's keep it!"
Ruhua and Nongying paused for a moment, then lowered their heads and replied, "Yes."
The events that occurred in Yikun Palace, under the watchful eyes of those with ulterior motives, quickly spread throughout the entire palace within two days. Consort Que, Consort Hui, Consort Duan, and others each had their own thoughts.
Yanxi Palace
Consort Hui frowned as she looked at her dark green dress, her expression grim.
"The Imperial Noble Consort was over thirty, yet her face resembled that of a woman in her twenties. Heaven had been kind to her, not only granting her both a son and a daughter—the most offspring in the world—but also allowing her to retain her youthful beauty forever."
"This Empress, this Empress!"
With a loud crash, Consort Hui angrily overturned the teacup on the table.
"My heart, my heart..."
Cunxin, the personal maid who had just been sent out to do something, ran into the hall after only a cup of tea's time. She didn't even have time to wipe the sweat from her forehead before bowing and saying, "Your Highness, did you call for me?"
Consort Hui frowned and nodded slightly.
"Have the Imperial Household Department make some new clothes for me, and also have them send more jadeite to my palace."
Cunxin paused for a moment, glancing out of the corner of her eye at another palace maid, Peixin. At Peixin's nod, she bowed her head in agreement, thinking to herself, "Your Majesty, today..."
The Empress had just had new clothes made a few days ago.
Jade?
The Empress Dowager didn't like using jadeite before, so why does she suddenly want the Imperial Household Department to send jadeite today?
However, the Empress is indeed at an age where she should use jade.
Changchun Palace
Consort He, dressed in a pink palace gown, gazed at her reflection in the bronze mirror with a radiant smile.
"Your Majesty, in the Imperial Noble Consort's palace, the Imperial Household Department, in accordance with Your Majesty's wishes, has made a maroon palace dress. I heard that the Imperial Noble Consort's expression changed as soon as she put it on."
Consort He's personal maid covered her mouth and continued, "Although the Imperial Noble Consort's complexion is not good, everyone in the palace knows that the Imperial Noble Consort is old and is no longer as beautiful as Your Highness."
"Um,"
He Fei smiled faintly, the upturned corners of her mouth revealing her current pleasant mood.
The palace maid paused for a moment, then spoke softly, "Early this morning, Consort Hui's palace ordered the Imperial Household Department to make some new clothes, and she specifically requested some jadeite."
Consort He glanced at the palace maid and said with a smile, "Consort Hui is getting on in years; she has indeed reached the age where she should wear jade."
"Among the concubines in the palace, the Imperial Noble Consort, the Noble Consort Que, the Four Consorts and Five Concubines, Consort Hui and Consort Duan are older, nearing forty, their beauty fading with age. The Imperial Noble Consort and Consort Ning are also not young. This Palace..."
"I am the youngest among the concubines, at the tender age of sixteen, as beautiful as a flower."
The palace maid offered a soft compliment, and he smiled and agreed.
Consort He smiled sweetly, her lips slightly parted, "Although the Imperial Noble Consort takes great care of herself and looks no more than twenty, she is still over thirty. His Majesty has long since grown tired of her."
"Your Majesty, you mustn't say that!"
The palace maid glanced quickly outside the hall and whispered her advice.
Consort He waved her hand, her slender fingers picking up a silk peony, gesturing to her temple, and smiling radiantly, said, "This peony is truly a national beauty, perfectly suited to me. What a pity..."
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