Although the sweet nothings exchanged between Emperor Kangxi and Consort Xu were never made public, the next day, when Consort Xu went to the Chuxiu Palace to pay her respects to Consort Zhao, she still received a severe scolding from Consort Zhao.
Consort Ma Jia and Consort Na La, among others, also spoke in a sarcastic tone.
That day, at noon
Zhi Shu, following Xu Lejin's instructions, went to the imperial kitchen to collect the meals. However, after an hour, he still hadn't returned. Xu Lejin frowned, her eyelids twitched, and she was restless.
"Yingchun, why hasn't Zhishu returned yet? I've been feeling uneasy since early this morning, with a feeling that something is about to happen. Could it be that something has happened to Baoshou, Wuxiha, and Unaxi at the Prince's residence?"
With a heavy heart, Xu Lejin held Yingchun's hand tightly.
Yingchun pondered for a moment and said respectfully, "Your Highness, with Aunt Chunhua and Aunt Qiuyan taking care of the prince and princess, nothing will happen to them."
"Zhishu is always careful and cautious in his work. Today he went to the Imperial Kitchen to collect his meals and has not returned for a long time. I guess something happened on the way that delayed him."
Xu Lejin suppressed her nervousness and nodded gently.
Yingchun winked at Ruhua, a palace maid standing beside her, and said softly, "Your Highness, lunch has not yet been served. Please have some snacks to tide you over."
"Um."
Xu Lejin picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and ate it with a bland taste, glancing out of the side hall every now and then.
Half an hour later
Instead of the servant who came to fetch the food, they were greeted by Lianxing, the head maid of Consort Zhao, Niohuru.
Lianxing bowed respectfully to Xu Lejin and said in a deep voice, "Consort Xu, this afternoon, Consort Ma Jia of Zhongcui Palace accidentally ate something cold and suffered a miscarriage. Caiwei, Consort Ma Jia's attendant, confessed that when she went to the Imperial Kitchen to get lunch, the clerk in your palace, Consort Xu, touched Consort Ma Jia's food."
"This servant is here on Your Highness's orders to invite Consort Xu and her attendant, Zhishu, to the East Side Hall of Zhongcui Palace."
Xu Lejin looked surprised upon hearing this.
She winked at Yingchun behind her, who smiled and looked at Lianxing, saying, "Miss Lianxing, my mistress instructed Zhishu to go to the imperial kitchen to collect the food today, but Zhishu has disappeared and hasn't returned yet. My mistress hasn't had lunch today, only some snacks."
Lianxing glanced at Xu Lejin suspiciously, then lowered her head.
With a sigh, Xu Lejin said, "Well, since Sister Ma Jia has had a miscarriage, regardless of whether it's related to me or not, I should go to Zhongcui Palace to visit her. As for Zhishu..."
“Ruhua, have Xiao Jiangzi search the palace later. This girl has always been careful and cautious, never like this before. Could something have happened to her?”
Entering the painting, he bowed and replied, "Yes."
Fifteen minutes later, Xu Lejin arrived at Zhongcui Palace.
Inside Zhongcui Palace, the atmosphere was heavy. Consort Zhao sat solemnly in the main hall, while Consorts Zhaojia and Dong sat cautiously in their seats below, their heads bowed.
Consort Zhao's gaze fell on Xu Lejin. After a moment of contemplation, she said coldly, "Consort Xu, do you know your crime?"
"Your Majesty, I do not understand. What crime have I committed?"
Xu Lejin slowly raised her head and looked at Consort Zhao, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, Sister Ma Jia accidentally ate something cold and disturbed her pregnancy. I only found out about this when Lianxing came to my palace just now."
“My clerk in the palace goes to the Imperial Kitchen to collect her meals at noon, but she hasn’t returned by the time I came to Zhongcui Palace. I don’t know where she went. Please investigate, Your Majesty.”
"really?"
Consort Zhao looked surprised, thinking to herself that this shouldn't be the case.
Zhi Shu should have returned to Yikun Palace long ago and done everything according to her instructions, instead of returning late as Xu Shi said. Where did Zhi Shu go?
And how come Ma Jia's unborn child only experienced a miscarriage instead of a threatened miscarriage?
Which part of the process went wrong?
Xu Lejin glanced timidly at Consort Zhao, then lowered her head and said respectfully, "Your Highness, it is absolutely true. Your Highness can send someone to inquire with the maids and eunuchs of Yikun Palace."
"I am also very suspicious. Why has Zhishu been so late in returning after going to collect lunch?"
Consort Zhao frowned, lost in thought.
Outside the palace, a eunuch's shrill voice rang out, "The Emperor has arrived."
Consort Zhao glared fiercely at Xu Lejin, her face bearing a dignified and proper smile, and led Xu Lejin, Consort Zhaojia, Consort Dong, and others to immediately step forward to greet Emperor Kangxi.
Emperor Kangxi strode into the main hall of Zhongcui Palace and sat down in the main seat with a gloomy face.
"Consort Zhao, I heard that Lady Ma Jia accidentally ate something cold and disturbed her pregnancy? This is not Lady Ma Jia's first pregnancy, she already has experience, how could she have accidentally eaten something cold?"
"Furthermore, today in the Imperial Garden, under the clear blue sky, I personally witnessed the eunuchs of the Imperial Garden disregard human life and knock out Zhishu, a palace maid serving Consort Xu, and throw her into a well."
With a cold look in his eyes, Kangxi looked at Consort Zhao and said in a cold voice, "I trust and rely on you, and have entrusted you with the management of the affairs of the harem, but you have allowed the eunuchs under you to run rampant."
"Consort Zhao, what is your crime?"
Upon hearing this, Consort Zhao knelt down with a 'plop'.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Your Majesty, please forgive me. I don't know what happened. After hearing that Consort Ma Jia had accidentally eaten something cold, I rushed to Zhongcui Palace and was unaware of what happened in the Imperial Garden."
With her head lowered, a flash of annoyance quickly crossed Consort Zhao's eyes.
Although Ma Jia's pregnancy was threatened, the baby was safe and sound in her womb. She did not hesitate to expose her knowledge, hoping to use Ma Jia's pregnancy to implicate Xu Mu'er, but her plan backfired.
She had never ordered the eunuchs in the Imperial Garden to knock Zhishu unconscious and throw her into the well. Who was it that secretly sabotaged her plans, helping Xu Muershi and ruining her own scheme?
Kangxi snorted coldly and looked down at Consort Zhao.
At this moment, Liang Jiugong bowed and entered the hall, reporting to Emperor Kangxi: "Your Majesty, those eunuchs bit their tongues and committed suicide. The clerk who served Consort Xu was in the well for too long and could not be saved."
After speaking, Liang Jiugong trembled and lowered his head.
Kangxi's face was so gloomy it seemed like it could drip water. After a long while, he said coldly, "Very well, very well indeed. There is someone in my harem who is so audacious and can cover up the truth with one hand."
"Consort Zhao, you have neglected your duties in wielding palace power and failed to properly discipline the palace servants, resulting in a plot to murder someone in broad daylight. Effective immediately, you will be fined six months' salary as a warning to others."
Consort Zhao respectfully replied "Yes," and prostrated herself on the ground, her heart filled with fear and unease.
Immediately afterwards, Kangxi glanced at Xu Lejin and said, "Ma Jia is pregnant with the emperor's child. She accidentally ate something cold and was frightened. I will reward her with a hundred-year-old ginseng, a lingzhi mushroom, and a pound of bird's nest."
"Xu Muer's palace maid, Zhishu, was tragically murdered, and Xu Muer is short of a palace maid. Liang Jiugong, select one from my second-class palace maids to serve in the west side hall of Yikun Palace."
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