Emperor Kangxi knew that Consort Tong was almost driven mad by the matter of having a child, and she was willing to try all sorts of folk remedies to help her conceive, completely disregarding whether her weak body could withstand it.
"Sigh!" Kangxi sighed, pulled Consort Tong up, and wiped away her tears. He was no longer angry that Consort Tong had pushed him out, but that servant had not only damaged the reputation of Consort Wuya, but also his, the emperor's, reputation. For a dignified emperor and his consort to be pointed at and scolded by a servant—if word got out, people wouldn't say anything about the concubine, but would only say that Aisin Gioro Xuan Ye couldn't even protect a woman.
"This is a one-time exception. Since you don't like Wuya, just send her far away. Also, as long as Wuya gives birth to her first child, regardless of whether it's a boy or a girl, you will be the one to raise it."
"Thank you, cousin. I knew it. You are the best to me." Consort Tong hugged Emperor Kangxi with emotion. She knew that her cousin loved her the most.
Liang Jiugong has already brought Consort Wuya and Eunuch Su over.
"This humble servant greets Your Majesty, and wishes Consort Tong a long and peaceful life!"
"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Highness, save this servant! This servant will never dare to do it again!" As soon as Eunuch Su saw Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tong, he quickly begged for mercy.
"Eunuch Su, I don't recall instructing you to disturb Consort Wuya! What just happened?" Consort Tong looked at Eunuch Su with sharp eyes.
"It's my fault. I saw that Your Majesty doesn't like Consort Wuya, and since Consort Wuya isn't favored, I dared to teach her a lesson on Your Majesty's behalf."
"This servant knows he was wrong, Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
"What's the point of keeping such an audacious servant around? Liang Jiugong, take him to the Department of Punishments, and then go to the Imperial Household Department to get some clever eunuchs for Consort Tong to choose from." Kangxi, somewhat impatient, dealt with Eunuch Su directly.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I am deeply grateful to Consort Tong for standing up for me." Uya said softly, with tears still on her face, looking pitiful and arousing Kangxi's protective instincts.
"How about this! Let Lady Wuya move to Yonghe Palace to live!"
"Yes, thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
Before they knew it, it was the fifteenth. Wanyi got up early that day. The other concubines were going to pay their respects to Consort Zhao at Chuxiu Palace, and then Consort Zhao would lead them to Cining Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. Yongshou Palace was not far from Chuxiu Palace. Wanyi got up early because she wanted to have breakfast before going.
Chuxiu Palace
"Consort Ma Jia, Consort Zhang, greetings…!" When Wan Yi arrived outside the Chuxiu Palace, several consorts were already waiting there. After exchanging greetings, Wan Yi stood in the fifth position. Most of the consorts here were more senior than Wan Yi, but she was a Noble Lady, so her position was relatively close to the front.
"I heard that Consort Suo Zhuolun recently had a chance encounter with the Emperor at Mingya Pavilion and even saved his life. I wonder if you could tell us how you saved the Emperor so that we sisters could hear it?" Consort Li, standing on the other side, looked down on Wanyi. Ever since Wanyi entered the palace, Consort Li would always make sarcastic or sarcastic remarks about Wanyi every time she went to Kunning Palace to pay her respects.
“Sister Li, it’s not that I don’t want to say it, it’s that His Majesty forbids me to say it. Does Sister Li want me to commit the crime of disobeying the imperial decree?” Wanyi was not afraid of her. Kangxi did not like Consort Li. If it weren’t for her family, Kangxi probably wouldn’t even give her a second glance.
"We sisters are just a little curious. Since the Emperor forbids us to talk about it, we will not."
"By the way, your good friend Consort Wuya moved to Yonghe Palace a while ago. Why didn't you go and congratulate her on her move?" Consort Li meant that you two are good friends, so why didn't you go to congratulate Consort Wuya on her move? It's obvious that you don't treat Consort Wuya as a sister!
"Really? How come I didn't know? I suppose the news hasn't reached the Western Six Palaces yet! That's why I didn't know. I hope Consort Wuya won't blame me!" Wanyi certainly knew that Wuya had moved to the palace, but she was recuperating in seclusion at the time and didn't want to deal with them.
"How could I? Sister Suo Zhuolun is recovering from her injuries. How could I disturb her?" Wu Ya thought to herself with resentment. Judging from the situation, she knew that Suo Zhuolun was not someone who could be easily fooled. She might have been playing along with her before, but now that she didn't want to play the game anymore, her true nature was being revealed.
"Consort Tong has arrived!" the eunuch outside announced.
"This humble servant greets Your Highness Consort Tong, and wishes Your Highness good health!"
"Rise!"
Consort Tong looked smugly at the concubines kneeling before her, her desire for the Empress's position growing ever stronger. Her gaze swept across the crowd, then suddenly lingered on Lady Wuya. Consort Tong thought to herself, "That useless Lady Wuya, wasn't she supposed to be very fertile? Why haven't we heard anything yet? The bargaining chips I used to get her to the Empress's position aren't enough."
"Your Highness Consort Tong, all the concubines and ladies-in-waiting please come in." At this moment, Xiao Rongzi, who was by Consort Zhao's side, came out and invited all the concubines in.
"We, your humble servants, pay our respects to Consort Zhao. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"
"Greetings, Consort Zhao." Consort Tong gracefully performed a half-bow after the other concubines had knelt down.
"Sister Tongfei!" Consort Zhao returned a half-bow.
"Rise, all my sisters! Come with me to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager. Consort Tong, let's go!" Consort Zhao greeted Consort Tong with a smile, acting as if she were the hostess.
"Fine." Consort Tong looked at the haughty Consort Zhao and wished she could slap her twice.
Wanyi watched as Consort Zhao and Consort Tong rode in palanquins, while they, the concubines, had to walk like servants. She sighed inwardly, wondering when she would ever be able to ride in a palanquin herself!
Once outside the Cining Palace, these concubines were not allowed to enter the palace; they could only stay outside. Generally, they could leave after kowtowing, but they could only leave if the Cining Palace matrons called them. So, after kowtowing, they would stand in three rows outside the palace.
"May the Empress Dowager enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"
"Consort Zhao and Consort Tong have arrived. Rise and sit." Bumbutai stopped talking with the Empress Dowager and called for the two consorts who were bowing.
"Thank you, Empress Dowager. Your Majesty the Empress Dowager." After Consort Zhao and the others were seated, the Empress Dowager continued.
"It's you two who are so thoughtful to come and keep this old woman company. I don't know when I'll be able to have such days again."
"Your Majesty, you are sure to live to be a hundred years old. I would like to visit Cining Palace more often to keep you company!" Consort Tong said before Consort Zhao could speak.
"Consort Tong is very kind, but as I get older, I prefer quiet. It's fine to come and chat on the first and fifteenth of the month." Bumbutai didn't really like Consort Tong, only because her demeanor was somewhat delicate, which reminded her of Hailanzhu and Dong'e, so she didn't like her very much.
"The Empress Dowager is right." Consort Tong looked at the Empress Dowager, who remained expressionless, and gave a somewhat awkward smile.
"You two are in charge of the harem, the East Six Palaces and the West Six Palaces respectively. You need to take care of the lower-ranking concubines in the harem, and make sure that no one becomes a servant who bullies their master. Otherwise, it will be a laughing stock for outsiders. Especially the allowances! Those must be implemented."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
