Consort Zhao Jia snorted coldly, turned around and left with her maids.
Xu Lejin watched Consort Zhaojia's retreating figure, smiled calmly, and said softly, "Go back. Consort Zhaojia is just indulging in a moment of verbal sparring."
"What does Your Highness mean?"
Yingchun looked puzzled and asked softly with her head down.
Xu Lejin looked up at the direction of Qianqing Palace and said with a smile, "When Consort Zhaojia gave birth, she disregarded the safety of the imperial heir for her own selfish desires. His Majesty already knows this and is fully aware of it."
"Although Consort Zhao Jia managed to preserve her life and family and continue to be a consort in Zhongcui Palace, she ultimately lost the Emperor's favor."
Yingchun and Zhishu exchanged a glance and respectfully replied, "Yes."
In the afternoon, Xu Lejin, supported by Yingchun, Zhishu and others, walked back and forth in the west side hall to stretch her muscles. The little palace maid Ruhua hurriedly came in from outside the hall and knelt down with a 'thump'.
Xu Lejin's expression froze, and she asked in a deep voice, "Why are you in such a panic? What happened?"
"Your Highness, something has happened to the Niohuru family outside the palace."
Upon entering the scene, he hesitated for a moment, then cautiously glanced at Xu Lejin before forcing himself to speak, "Your Highness, this afternoon, news came from outside the palace that the father of the Consort of Chuxiu Palace, Lord Ebilun, has suddenly died."
"this……"
Xu Lejin looked bewildered and surprised.
According to the late emperor's dying wish, of the four regents—Sony, Suksaha, Oboi, and Ebilun—only Ebilun remains, and now he has died suddenly.
All four regents have passed away!
Most importantly, this is a crucial time for Emperor Kangxi to prepare to establish Consort Niohuru as his empress. Although Consort Niohuru has entered the palace as a consort and is now a member of the royal family, she is ultimately the daughter of Ebilun.
With Ebilun's sudden death, the possibility of Consort Niohuru becoming Empress is now highly uncertain.
Even if there is no empress in the harem and a new empress needs to be appointed, Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager would not allow Consort Niohuru to be appointed as the new empress at this critical juncture.
The Empress's role as the mother of the nation is of paramount importance, concerning the very foundation of the country's destiny.
After a long silence, Xu Lejin spoke in a deep voice, "Lord Ebilun died suddenly. Does the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Consort of Chuxiu Palace, and all the sisters in the harem know of this?"
Ru Hua pondered for a moment, then said respectfully, "Your Highness, the news has already spread throughout the palace. The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Consort of Chuxiu Palace, and the concubines of all the palaces must all know about it."
Xu Lejin nodded.
With a soft sigh, Xu Lejin murmured, "Plans can never keep up with changes. With Lord Ebilun's sudden death, the Emperor's intention to appoint Consort Chuxiu as the new Empress will probably have to be postponed."
"Oh well, perhaps it's fate!"
The Qianqing Palace.
When Emperor Kangxi learned from Liang Jiugong that Ebilun had suddenly died, he was momentarily stunned and found it hard to believe.
After a long while, Kangxi said in a deep voice, "Ebilun has always been in good health, so how could he suddenly die? There is something fishy about Ebilun's sudden death at this time."
"Liang Jiugong, have someone investigate this carefully."
Liang Jiugong respectfully replied, "Yes."
After hesitating for a moment, Liang Jiugong lowered his voice and whispered, "Your Majesty, I heard that Lord Ebilun was suddenly assassinated on his way back to his residence today. He was seriously injured, and after the imperial physicians were unable to diagnose him, he died in the Northwest."
"absurd."
Upon hearing this, Kangxi's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Under the emperor's nose, in broad daylight, someone actually dared to openly attempt an assassination, even injuring a key minister of the court."
"Liang Jiugong, convey my decree, ordering the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Capital Patrol Inspectorate to thoroughly investigate this matter and ensure that Ebilun receives justice."
After leaving the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, Liang Jiugong stood outside the hall and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Looking up towards the palace, Liang Jiugong thought to himself, "Ebilun's assassination is a matter of great importance. The capital and the palace are about to change. In this vital region, only a handful of families would dare to openly assassinate a regent!"
Li Dequan bowed and stepped forward to greet Liang Jiugong, saying, "Master, someone from Cining Palace has come. The Empress Dowager invites our Emperor to Cining Palace for a talk."
"knew."
Liang Jiugong sighed and turned to enter the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.
Night falls in the Cining Palace.
Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager sat facing each other. The Empress Dowager sat quietly to one side with her head bowed, her expression serene and composed, her eyes downcast and her mind at peace.
After a moment of contemplation, the Empress Dowager spoke in a deep voice, "What is the Emperor's opinion on Ebilun's assassination and sudden death? Niohuru was the successor chosen by the Emperor and myself after careful consideration. Now, at this critical juncture, Ebilun has died suddenly... Niohuru..."
After a pause, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager exchanged a glance.
Following this, the Empress Dowager continued, "With Ebilun's passing, Niohuru, as his daughter, should observe three years of mourning for her father. What are the Emperor's plans regarding the appointment of Niohuru as Empress?"
"Your Majesty, there are some suspicious circumstances surrounding Ebilun's death."
Emperor Kangxi's face was solemn. After pondering for a long time, he looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "Regarding the matter of establishing Niohuru as the Empress, I think we can only discuss it after Ebilun's three-year mourning period ends."
“The selection of the empress is a matter of national importance. If we disregard filial piety and brotherly love and appoint Niohuru as the empress during Ebilun’s mourning period, I am worried that the people of the world will be discussing this matter extensively.”
After a moment's thought, the Empress Dowager nodded.
"At this point, this is the only way!"
The Empress Dowager, standing to the side, glanced at the Grand Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi, and said softly after careful consideration, "Your Majesty, with Ebilun's sudden passing, it is not appropriate for Niohuru to be made Empress during the mourning period. However, the affairs of the inner palace can be handled by Niohuru."
"Both Niohuru and Tongjia are consorts, but neither has a formal title. To distinguish them, Your Majesty the Emperor might grant Niohuru a title. This way, Niohuru will be able to handle palace affairs with greater authority."
The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment, her cloudy eyes looking at Kangxi.
After pondering for a long time with a furrowed brow, Emperor Kangxi spoke in a deep voice, “What Your Majesty says is quite right. Niohuru and Empress Xiaochengren entered the palace in the same year and have a long history in the palace. She should indeed be given a title.”
"Zhao, with a graceful and dignified appearance, and gentle and radiant virtue. Do you, Empress Dowager and Empress Mother, think 'Zhao' is a suitable title for the Niohuru clan?"
The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager exchanged a glance.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Consort Zhao? Excellent. Her beauty is like gold and jade, and her virtue is profound."
Emperor Kangxi nodded with a smile.
After hesitating for a moment, Kangxi looked up at the Empress Dowager and then said, "Grandma, Lady Tongjia has been in the palace for six years and is also my cousin. I have been thinking about it and I will also bestow a title upon Lady Tongjia."
"Wen (文) embodies virtue, beauty, and talent, which Huirou already possesses. What does Grandmother think of the character 'Wen'?"
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