After seeing Emperor Kangxi off, Xu Lejin returned to her soft couch and sat upright.
At this moment, Ru Hua entered the hall with her eyes lowered and respectfully reported to Xu Lejin: "Your Highness, Miss Wan Yin, who serves the Emperor, and Lord Xu of the Imperial Stables have sent you letters through someone."
Ru Hua is holding two letters in his hands.
Xu Lejin frowned, looking puzzled. She wondered why her uncle from the Imperial Stables and the imperial maid Xu Wanyin had sent her letters at the same time.
Xu Lejin nodded slightly and gave Yingchun, who was serving beside her, a wink. Yingchun then took the letter from Ruhua's hand.
Xu Lejin first opened the letter from her uncle, Xu Fu, the Imperial Stables.
In his letter, Xu Fu mentioned the rumors circulating in the harem about who would become the new empress, and subtly hinted to Xu Lejin that she was now pregnant with the emperor's child and should take this opportunity to win over the emperor. He suggested that she should help the palace maid Xu Wanyin, who had also become a concubine.
The two 'sisters' supported each other in the palace, advancing and retreating together.
Xu Lejin smiled and handed Yingchun the letter from her uncle Xu Fu, saying in a deep voice, "Yingchun, why don't you take a look at your uncle's letter too? Your uncle is really shrewd; he's flattering me!"
"I am just a lowly concubine myself, how can I help my eleventh sister become a concubine?"
Yingchun paused for a moment, then took the letter.
"Your Highness has forgotten, this servant is illiterate."
Xu Lejin smiled awkwardly, "I was confused for a moment and forgot. My uncle mentioned the situation in the palace in his letter, and told me to win over the emperor and say a few good words for my eleventh sister in front of him."
"My uncle also said in his letter that my eleventh sister is intelligent and quick-witted, with a bright future, and he hoped that my eleventh sister and I would help each other in the palace and work together for the prosperity and decline of the Xu family."
With a furrowed brow, Xu Lejin briefly recounted the contents of her uncle Xu Fu's letter to Yingchun while quickly reading Xu Wanyin's letter.
Xu Wanyin's letter conveyed a similar sentiment to Xu Fu's, both expressing their desire to become official concubines in the harem as soon as possible.
In the letter, Xu Wanyin spoke with absolute certainty, saying that once she became a concubine, she would be utterly loyal to Xu Lejin and follow her every command without question...
With a disdainful laugh, Xu Lejin said coldly, "Anyone can say high-sounding words."
“Back when we were still at home, Eleventh Sister relied on her elder brother Xu Huai’an, who was Father’s eldest son, and bullied us sisters a lot. Although Eleventh Sister’s birth mother, Aunt Liu, was not as favored as Twelfth Sister’s birth mother, Aunt Tao, and bullied us sisters as much as Twelfth Sister and the others, bullying is bullying.”
"Now that Eleventh Sister wants to climb up the social ladder, she has forgotten everything from the past, which is truly ridiculous. Mother was neglected by Father because she failed to give birth to a son, and the sarcasm and ridicule from Eleventh Sister and the others are still fresh in my memory, as if it were yesterday."
After speaking, Xu Lejin slammed the letter in her hand onto the table with a 'bang'.
Yingchun and Zhishu exchanged a glance.
After a moment's consideration, Yingchun smiled and said, "My lady, you are now carrying the emperor's children, and twins at that. You don't need to worry about Lord Xu of the Imperial Stables. Although Lord Xu is your uncle, you are a concubine in the palace with a noble status."
"As for Miss Wanyin who serves the Emperor, I have heard that apart from the time when the Emperor was drunk, Miss Wanyin has not been favored. When the Emperor occasionally summons palace maids, it is always the other maids who are more talented and beautiful than Miss Wanyin who serve him."
Xu Lejin pondered for a long time, then smiled gently.
"Yes, you are right. Now I am a concubine in the palace, no longer a subservient palace maid of the Xu family who had to rely on her family to survive in the palace. Now my reliance is the dragon child in my womb and the emperor's favor."
With a cold snort, Xu Lejin instructed Ruhua, "Tell Uncle and Eleventh Sister that I cannot do what they asked for. My most important task now is to ensure the safe birth of the dragon fetus."
Ru Hua respectfully replied "Yes" and withdrew.
The following afternoon.
After reviewing the memorials, Emperor Kangxi walked back and forth in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace with his hands behind his back and a serious expression.
Liang Jiugong lowered his eyes and pondered for a long time before respectfully reporting, "Your Majesty, Chunhua from Yikun Palace sent a message that yesterday evening, Master Xu Fu of the Imperial Stables and the Imperial Maid Xu Wanyin sent a letter to Consort Xu."
"In the letter from Lord Xu Fu and Lady Xu Wanyin, it was mentioned that Consort Xu should win over Your Majesty's heart and help Lady Xu Wanyin become a concubine in the harem."
Emperor Kangxi's face darkened, and his eyes became serious.
After a pause, Liang Jiugong continued, "Consort Xu was quite angry and said that she could not do what Lord Xu Fu and Lady Xu Wanyin asked for. Consort Xu said that her most important thing now is to give birth to the dragon child in her womb safely and let the imperial heir grow up healthy and safe."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi remained silent for a long time.
Liang Jiugong waited for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, then cautiously glanced at Kangxi's expression before forcing himself to speak. "Your Majesty, this servant believes that Consort Xu is intelligent, sensible, and knows proper etiquette."
"Among the concubines in the harem, very few prioritize the imperial heir as much as this one."
Kangxi glanced coldly at Liang Jiugong.
"You old codger, how much have you received from the Xu family that you're taking their side?"
Liang Jiugong knelt on the ground with a thud, prostrating himself and saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me! This servant was only speaking the truth. Consort Xu is indeed a rare person of understanding in the palace."
"Your Majesty favors Consort Xu, and I am Your Majesty's servant, so I will naturally follow in Your Majesty's footsteps."
After saying that, Liang Jiugong looked at the ground, his heart pounding in his throat.
After a long while, Kangxi spoke in a deep voice, "After all, Lady Xu came from the Empress's palace. Lady Xu's initial favor with the Emperor was an accident caused by the concubines in the harem vying for the Emperor's favor."
"Moreover, Madam Xu is a blessed woman, carrying twins, a rare occurrence in the royal family, and she is also well-behaved and quiet."
Looking up at the blazing sun outside the Qianqing Palace, Kangxi continued, "I am only concerned about the twins in Xu's womb; my affection for Xu extends to her."
"Liang Jiugong, instruct the palace servants not to make wild guesses."
Liang Jiugong respectfully agreed.
With his hands behind his back, Emperor Kangxi continued to pace back and forth in the Qianqing Palace.
After a long while, Kangxi said in a deep voice, "Yesterday I went to the palace of Niohuru and my cousin. Niohuru mentioned her palace maid Sixue, who served her in bed, and asked for a favor for Sixue."
"Liang Jiugong, I remember my cousin's Chengqian Palace also had a concubine who served her in bed."
Liang Jiugong paused for a moment, then said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the palace maid who serves the Empress in Chengqian Palace is named Hanyan. She is twenty years old and her surname is Dong. She was selected into the palace by the Imperial Household Department eight years ago."
"Um."
Kangxi responded, and after a moment's thought, he raised his voice and spoke.
"By imperial decree, Chu Yun, a palace maid who serves the emperor in the Kunning Palace, is hereby promoted to Consort Chu Yun and granted residence in the East Annex Hall of the Yikun Palace. Sixue, a palace maid who serves the emperor in the Chuxiu Palace, is hereby promoted to Consort Sixue and granted residence in the West Annex Hall of the Chuxiu Palace. Hanyan, a palace maid who serves the emperor in the Chengqian Palace, is hereby promoted to Consort Hanyan and granted residence in the West Annex Hall of the Chengqian Palace."
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