Hesheli had seen her niece; she was indeed quite pretty, but unfortunately, she was rather frail. Hesheli even tried to dissuade her husband from choosing a replacement, but received a strange response from Tong Guowei:
“You don’t understand. Yu’er is different. Maybe she can really lead the family down a different path.”
Heseri, still full of doubts after receiving the response, found her husband's statement strange.
Now she truly understood. The young girl before her, though still young, was already stunningly beautiful. Her slightly immature face carried an undeniable Burmese allure, and beneath her arched eyebrows were a pair of misty eyes. A faint blush graced her cheeks, and the red mole between her brows made her appear like a deity descended to earth. In the instant she moved, she was both divine and alluring, inexplicably attracting every mortal who paid her attention.
Hesheli followed Qingyin's words in a daze until she came to her senses when she arrived at the palace.
In Chengqian Palace, Consort Tong waited anxiously for Hesheli's arrival. Although the excuse was indeed to bring her family into the palace, her mother would indeed come to see her. Thinking of her mother, whom she hadn't seen for several years, a hint of anticipation appeared in Consort Tong's eyes.
Seeing the anxious Consort Tong, Ya Yu smiled and said, "Your Highness, don't worry. I've already sent Xiao Quanzi and the others to the palace gate to greet them. I reckon the ladies will be here soon."
"Yes, good." Consort Tong smiled as well. Perhaps because of Hesheli's arrival, her complexion did indeed improve.
Before long, commotion was heard outside, indicating that Hesheli had arrived.
Along the way, Hesheli quickly figured out the personalities of the girls she brought. The girls from the side branches were a bit quiet and honest, but her eldest niece was a bit hard to describe. She kept looking around in the palace, which made Hesheli very nervous. However, the one she trusted the most was the quiet Qingyin. She had a good personality, didn't cause trouble, and was also very beautiful. She was truly a rare find.
However, when she arrived at Chengqian Palace, Empress Hesheli was most concerned about her own youngest daughter, Tongjia Rouwei.
Qingyin also knelt down and bowed behind Hesheli.
"This humble woman pays her respects to Consort Tong!"
"Get up quickly, Mother and sisters."
Hesheli then looked up and her eyes immediately reddened when she saw Consort Tong lying in bed. Consort Tong, busy looking after her mother, did not notice Qingyin behind her.
She made an excuse and had Ya Yu lead them to the side hall. Ya Yu led the group to the side hall, and Qing Yin was not easily noticed as she walked in the middle. It wasn't until they sat down in the side hall that Ya Yu noticed Qing Yin's appearance.
She was stunned. If the manor had sent this Miss Qingyu, her wish to become a concubine would surely have been fulfilled.
Qingyin also noticed Ya Yu staring at her. She smiled slightly. In fact, it wasn't just Ya Yu who was staring at her; several of her distant relatives who had come with her were also staring at her intently, vying to talk to her.
The most enthusiastic was Tong Jia He Xiang, the eldest daughter of a branch family. She was the youngest and couldn't hide her affection. Sitting to Qing Yin's left, she said, "Cousin Yu'er, you're so beautiful. Can I come to play with you sometime?"
Qingyin smiled gently, "Okay, Xiangxiang can come find me."
With Qingyin's permission, Tong Jia and Xiang couldn't hide their smiles and couldn't help but let out big laughs.
Looking at Tong Jia and Xiang's somewhat silly smiles, the others felt a little disgusted. However, after seeing Qing Yin agree, they couldn't help but make the same request, and Qing Yin agreed as well. Perhaps even they themselves didn't expect that their smiles were even more silly than Tong Jia and Xiang's.
Seeing the popular Qingyin, Tong Jiawan felt both jealous and awkward. Ever since she saw Qingyin in men's clothing, her attitude towards her had indeed changed a lot, but seeing the popular Qingyin, she still couldn't help but feel jealous.
She snorted coldly, but no one paid any attention, except for Ya Yu, who had been observing the situation and made a mental note of her displeasure, waiting to report to Consort Tong.
The mother and daughter spent a long time in the inner room, and Hesheli gently patted Consort Tong's head. "The young lady who is going to come into the mansion is your uncle's second daughter, Tongjia Qingyu. She is much more beautiful than most people. Wei'er, you don't need to do anything. Just let nature take its course."
Hearing her mother's words, Consort Tong became curious, recalling the adorable little girl in her memory. "Isn't Cousin Yu'er only fifteen years old? Isn't that a bit too young?"
However, since Yu'er was able to skip over her older cousin, she believed even more in her mother's words about being 'much more outstanding'.
Hesheli laughed and said, "These are all fine. You'll see when you meet Yu'er, the little girl."
Consort Tong smiled and agreed, "That's right, people in her palace will always be seen."
In the Imperial Study, Emperor Kangxi, dressed in a black and gold dragon-patterned robe, looked at the memorials before him. He was middle-aged, with a resolute face, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. His physique was also well-maintained thanks to years of hunting training. Apart from the fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, it was almost impossible to tell his age.
"Has Consort Tong arrived?"
Hearing the authoritative voice in his ear, Liang Jiugong respectfully lowered his head and replied, "It is Your Majesty. Lady Hesheli is also accompanied by General Tong Guowei's two daughters and several young ladies from the collateral branches."
"The Tong family... never mind."
Emperor Kangxi's expression darkened. He understood, of course, that Consort Tong's request was not simple, but seeing her weakened state, his heart softened. Consort Tong was like a younger sister he had watched grow up, and he felt a familial affection for her.
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