"Sending gifts doesn't necessarily mean actually delivering the item to the Emperor. Go to the Imperial Household Department and ask for some dark yellow fabric. I want to embroider a sachet for the Emperor." Consort Ulanara smiled happily, as if imagining the Emperor's expression when he received the sachet.
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
Yellow was a fabric that only the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the Empress, and the Imperial Noble Consort could use. However, the Imperial Noble Consort could only use yellowish or bright yellow. So, if a minor concubine like Consort Ulanara wanted to use yellow fabric, she could only go to the Imperial Household Department to get it. She only needed to tell the Imperial Household Department what it was for. For example, if a concubine wanted to make a garment for Emperor Kangxi, the Imperial Household Department would only provide enough fabric for one garment.
"Your Majesty, the matter has been investigated. Eunuch Su was bribed by Consort Wuya to stage this play with her in the garden, all for the purpose of Consort Wuya leaving Gancheng Palace." Xiao Zhuzi was a newly promoted eunuch by Granny Tong.
"Damn it, she actually wants to escape my control! Look at her, this is the obedient maid I told you about. She's got over eight hundred tricks up her sleeve, and she still made me lose face in front of so many people." Consort Tong thought back to the last time in the back garden, when she not only knelt down in front of so many people but also begged her cousin. Fortunately, her cousin didn't blame her because of their past relationship and agreed to let her raise Uya's first child.
"This old servant misjudged her. I thought she was honest and upright, but I didn't expect her to be cunning. Your Majesty, rest assured, this old servant will have someone keep a close eye on her."
When Tong Mama received another message from Master Tong, urging Consort Tong to conceive as soon as possible, or else send Consort Tong's cousin into the palace, Consort Tong was unwilling. She had never gotten along with her cousin since childhood and naturally did not want her to enter the palace. Therefore, Tong Mama suggested that she adopt a child. Consort Tong did not want to support any concubines in the harem, as they all had powerful families behind them, so she wanted to promote a palace maid who was easy to control. She was afraid that the Emperor would not be interested in someone too ugly, and someone too beautiful would also not work. In the end, Tong Mama chose Uya. Consort Tong felt uncomfortable when she saw Uya, so she made Uya serve tea, water, and wash feet all day long. However, one day, she was not careful and climbed into the Emperor's bed, which was in Consort Tong's bedroom. Therefore, Consort Tong disliked Uya, but she had to protect her, just in order to have a prince.
"That would be for the best. Once I get the prince, I will not let her go."
Consort Tong spoke fiercely. In her previous life, Consort Tong also wanted to get rid of Lady Wuya after she got a prince, but she managed to escape. Later, in order to compensate Lady Wuya, Emperor Kangxi made an exception and granted her the title of Noble Lady when he conferred titles on the six palaces. After that, she rose through the ranks, and Consort Tong could only temporarily avoid the limelight.
“Your Highness, it is true that Consort Wuya’s grandfather was the head of the Imperial Kitchen, but so far we haven’t found out if Consort Wuya has ever contacted her grandfather.” Xiao Zhuzi told all the things she had found out at once.
"The Imperial Kitchen is a wonderful place! Uya's connections are truly extensive." This was within Consort Tong's expectations, since she had heard it from the Imperial Garden, and its credibility was quite high.
"Your Majesty, if that is the case, then Consort Wuya's connections in the harem are basically extensive throughout the entire harem."
To survive in the inner palace, there are generally a few places you can't offend: the Imperial Household Department, the Imperial Household Department, and the Imperial Kitchen. If you're favored, it's fine, but if you're not favored and the Imperial Kitchen tries to trip you up, you'll just have to grit your teeth and swallow it.
"If my people were replaced in the Imperial Kitchen, what would they want to do..." Consort Tong wondered. Since the Uya family could be in charge of the Imperial Kitchen, could her people also rise to power?
"Your Majesty, will the Emperor agree?" Granny Tong glanced at Consort Tong with concern.
“We won’t step in. We’ll just tell our subordinates in the bondservant banners to prepare themselves if they want to become the head of the imperial kitchen. Let them compete for it themselves. The opportunity has been given out; whether they can get the job or not depends on themselves.”
Consort Tong wouldn't be foolish enough to go to Emperor Kangxi and say that she wanted the position in the Imperial Kitchen and asked if she could replace it with one of her own. Wouldn't that be telling her cousin that she had ulterior motives?
"Also, how should we put this together..."
"This servant understands." After hearing Consort Tong's plan, Xiao Zhuzi went to make preparations.
"Your Highness, isn't this going too far?" Granny Tong was a little worried. If it were discovered, this would be a capital offense!
"Don't worry! I'll use my aunt's connections to do this, my cousin won't find out."
She simply wanted to purge Wuya's connections in the harem. As long as they weren't among the concubines, she didn't care who sat in the position of head of the imperial kitchen. Whether her own people could rise to the position was up to their own abilities.
"Then this old servant will also go and make preparations." Having no other choice, Granny Tong could only go and clean up the mess.
Go!
"My lady, it's time to get up. It's snowing outside." Hongxiu helplessly pulled Wanyi out of bed. These days, she no longer fights for favor and sleeps until late morning.
"Yes, it's snowing! Quickly help me get dressed, I want to go see the snow." Wan Yi got excited as soon as she heard that. She had seen snow in the modern world, but who wouldn't be excited to see snow again!
"Oh, my lady, be careful." Hongxiu quickly caught Wanyi, who was about to fall.
"Hehe." Wanyi smiled shyly.
Wanyi wasn't unwilling to compete for the emperor's favor. She was content with serving him two or three days a month, which meant she wouldn't stand out or fall out of favor. Too much favor would attract unwanted attention and be targeted. The current situation was just right, allowing her to secretly stir up trouble from behind the scenes.
Wanyi got up and ran outside to play in the snow without even eating. She danced in the snow and had a snowball fight with Hongxiu and the others until she got tired.
"It's warmer inside." Wanyi rubbed her hands together and put them next to the fire to warm them.
"That's right. It's windy and snowy outside, you mustn't catch a cold. I've prepared some ginger soup for you, you must drink it." Tianxiang heated up all the food and then put the ginger soup on the table.
"Alright, you all should have some too, especially Hongxiu. You just had a snowball fight with me outside, so you should have some." Wanyi specifically reminded Hongxiu.
"Yes, thank you, Your Highness." Hongxiu, moved, gave Wanyi a deep bow.
"Little Deng, after you serve me in bed next time, go to the Imperial Household Department to buy more charcoal and blankets. It's best to prepare enough for two or three months. Prepare enough charcoal for a month at once. Go to the Imperial Household Department now and buy enough for half a month." Wanyi remembered that the winter that year was very long and cold, and there seemed to be a shortage of charcoal and clothing. She had to prepare accordingly.
"Yes, sir." Little Dengzi replied and went to do his work.
"Tianxiang, take a look at how many bolts of cloth and cotton wadding we have in our storeroom for winter. Take them out and we'll make them into winter clothes. Also, take some silver to the Imperial Household Department to buy some clothes for you."
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