Cining Palace
The Grand Empress Dowager sat in the main seat, with the Empress Dowager beside her, her eyes slightly lowered.
Xu Lejin sat on the chair with a respectful expression, half of her buttocks on the chair.
After a short while, the Empress Dowager put down her prayer beads and her weathered gaze fell on Xu Lejin. Xu Lejin felt a surge of nervousness and sat up even straighter.
"Consort Xu, should I address you as Madam Xu or Madam Xu Mu'er?"
Xu Lejin's heart skipped a beat, but she said respectfully, "This humble servant is apprehensive. Your Majesty, you are of noble status, so you may address me in any way you wish."
"The concubine is both Xu, a bondservant of the Imperial Household Department, and Xu Muer, who was favored by the Emperor."
"Um."
A smile appeared on the Empress Dowager's aged face. "You are indeed clever and shrewd. I thought that since you used to serve in the Empress's palace and gave birth to princes and princesses, you would forget your origins like the Empress."
Xu Lejin lowered her head, her expression calm.
The Empress Dowager, who was standing to the side, slowly raised her eyes, glanced at the Grand Empress Dowager, and said softly, "Empress Mother, Consort Xu is intelligent, quick-witted, knows the rules, and is a sensible person."
"Your Majesty, the Empress passed away after childbirth. She is gone. No matter how many wrong things she did in her life, now that she is dead, it's all in the past. Our sixth daughter is now being raised by me. Please, Your Majesty, have compassion on her."
The Empress Dowager turned her head and glanced at the Empress Dowager.
After a long silence, the Empress Dowager said coldly, "If things in the palace could be treated as if nothing ever happened, then that would be fine."
"The Empress was born out of wedlock. If it weren't for the fact that Sony only had this one granddaughter of marriageable age, would I have agreed to let the Empress, who was born out of wedlock, marry the Emperor and become the Empress of the Qing Dynasty? The Empress was muddle-headed when she was alive, and her actions never considered the well-being of her offspring."
Xu Lejin looked terrified, wishing she could cover her ears so she wouldn't hear anything.
The Empress Dowager looked embarrassed and said awkwardly, "Yes, Your Majesty is right. I was confused. I know I was wrong. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
“You do deserve to be punished. Although you raised the sixth princess, it is not your place to comment on what Empress Hesheli did.”
"This concerns the reputation of the sixth princess; the Empress Dowager and the Emperor will handle it themselves."
The Empress Dowager's eyes were icy.
Xu Lejin overheard the conversation between the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager and understood what was going on.
Today, the Empress Dowager suddenly summoned me, ostensibly to show her favor by giving birth to three imperial heirs, but in reality, she was giving me a warning.
Do not forget your place just because you have given birth to three imperial heirs!
Night fell.
Xu Lejin walked along the palace path back to Yikun Palace, her face solemn.
"My lady, is this Ruhua from our west wing hall?"
Yingchun pointed to a young palace maid hurrying about not far ahead and respectfully reported to Xu Lejin.
Xu Lejin looked in the direction Yingchun pointed, paused for a moment, and said with a puzzled expression, "It is indeed Ruhua. Why is Ruhua out here instead of staying inside to guard the house?"
"Your Highness, I do not know."
Yingchun replied softly.
At this moment, Ru Hua also came to Xu Lejin's side. Panting, Ru Hua said with a happy expression, "My lady, the Emperor, the Emperor, the Emperor is in our west side hall right now."
Xu Liaoji paused for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Yingchun.
"knew."
After speaking, Xu Lejin quickened her pace and hurried towards Yikun Palace. When she passed the long street next to Yongshou Palace, she encountered Consort Guo Luoluo of Yongshou Palace. Xu Lejin simply nodded in acknowledgment and did not linger, continuing her hurried journey back to Yikun Palace.
Upon returning to Yikun Palace, Xu Lejin, her forehead beaded with sweat, bowed respectfully.
"This humble servant greets Your Majesty, wishing you a long and peaceful life. This humble servant was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and failed to greet you properly, causing Your Majesty to wait for so long. It is this humble servant's fault, and I beg Your Majesty's punishment."
Emperor Kangxi laughed heartily and personally helped Xu Lejin up.
"My beloved consort, there is no need to panic. I only heard it from Liang Jiugong. It was because the Empress Dowager summoned you and I thought I should come in and take a look when I passed by Yikun Palace."
"My beloved concubine was sweating profusely on her journey back. Liang Jiugong,"
Kangxi glanced at Liang Jiugong, who was following beside him, and Liang Jiugong, being very perceptive, handed him a clean white silk handkerchief.
Holding a white silk handkerchief, Kangxi looked at Xu Lejin with doting eyes and gently wiped the fine sweat from her forehead. Xu Lejin blushed with embarrassment and felt flattered.
After a moment's thought, Xu Lejin said in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, I am a lowly servant, how could I trouble Your Majesty to wipe my sweat?"
"This humble servant is disheveled and filthy, and has acted improperly before Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
After saying that, Xu Lejin prepared to kneel down.
Emperor Kangxi held Xu Lejin's delicate, fair hand and said with a smile, "My beloved consort, don't move. I haven't finished wiping yet."
"emperor,"
Xu Lejin stammered, her face flushed red, wishing she could disappear into the ground.
Liang Jiugong, Yingchun, and Zhishu exchanged glances, and the three of them tactfully withdrew from the west side hall of Yikun Palace.
Standing under the corridor outside the west side hall, Liang Jiugong and Yingchun looked at each other and smiled, unable to suppress their laughter.
Inside the hall, Xu Lejin was uneasy and stiff as Kangxi wiped her sweat.
After a long while, Kangxi said in a deep voice, "My dear consort, what did your maternal grandmother say to you when she summoned you to Cining Palace today? Among the concubines in the palace, apart from the Empress and Consort Zhao, you are the first person summoned by your maternal grandmother."
Xu Lejin's heart was in her throat.
She timidly raised her head, glanced at Kangxi, and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager instructed me to serve you wholeheartedly, to ensure the continuation of your lineage and the flourishing of the royal family."
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