"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager have arrived!"
Consort Tong was about to say something to tease Consort Zhao when the Emperor and his entourage arrived. She had no choice but to stand up and bow.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager! Long live the Empress Dowager!"
"Rise. It's a New Year's banquet today, so there's no need for formalities. Please make yourselves at home."
Emperor Kangxi helped the Empress Dowager to her seat before returning to his own. Because of the Three Feudatories Rebellion, the ministers and their wives did not enter the palace; only the concubines in the harem gathered together for a lively celebration.
Wanyi watched the singing and dancing in front of her with boredom, while Kangxi seemed to be enjoying it very much. Midway through, the Empress Dowager left with the Empress Dowager, citing physical exhaustion, leaving the rest of the time for the concubines to perform.
Consort Ma performed a fan dance, Consort Zhang performed a long-sleeved dance, Consort Dong played the zither... Only Consort Wanyi, Consort Yehenara, and the two consorts did not perform.
"I'm a little curious about what Sister Suo Zhuolun is performing, so I'm taking the liberty of asking."
When Uya saw that only Consort Suozhuolun and Consort Yehenara had not performed, she wondered if she hadn't prepared!
"My sisters are all talented in singing and dancing. As for my own skills, they are not good enough to offend His Majesty's eyes," Wanyi said, seemingly embarrassed. She didn't want to show off like a monkey to the public.
"Some people have this self-awareness, unlike others who take themselves too seriously."
Consort Li was already annoyed by those sycophants trying to gain attention when she saw someone she disliked trying to curry favor, and Consort Wuya just happened to walk right into it.
"Sister Li, I don't know where I have offended you, that you would humiliate me like this." Consort Wuya pretended to cry.
"On such a joyous day, what kind of behavior is this, crying and wailing!" Consort Li gave Consort Wuya a disapproving look.
"Why is it so noisy downstairs? What happened?" Consort Li asked a little louder. Consort Wuya had drawn Kangxi's attention.
Seated on the left are Consort Zhao, Consort Yehenara, Consort Suozhuolun, Consort Li, Consort Dong, Consort Wuya, Consort Zhang, ...
Seated on the right are Consort Tong, Consort Ma Jia, Consort Hesheli, Consort Borjigi, Consort Zhao Jia, Consort Zhang Jia, and Consort Wanliuha…
"Your Majesty, nothing's wrong. It's just that Sister Li said a few words to Sister Wuya. I didn't expect Sister Wuya to be so shy, and that's why she dropped the pearl," Consort Dong said, trying to smooth things over.
Consort Li's family had members who fought in the Rebellion of the Three Feudatories, and her grandfather was a symbol of Manchu-Han friendship. Therefore, Emperor Kangxi was relatively lenient towards Consort Li.
"I see! Then it was Consort Wuya's fault. Apologize to Consort Li and let this matter rest." Kangxi didn't want to dwell on this matter.
"Yes, Sister Li, I'm sorry." Consort Wuya reluctantly got up and apologized to Consort Li.
"Alright, just don't be so hypocritical next time." Consort Li still showed her magnanimity in front of Emperor Kangxi.
"Ugh~" A series of vomiting sounds rang out, and everyone looked over to see that it was Consort Tong retching incessantly.
"What's wrong with Consort Tong? Summon the Imperial Physician." Emperor Kangxi looked at Consort Tong anxiously, fearing that something had happened to her.
"Judging from my sister's appearance, could she be pregnant?" Consort Zhao said with some surprise.
"It looks like it; it might be a happy occasion," Consort Ma Jia said meaningfully.
"Really?" When Tong Fei heard them say that she was pregnant, she touched her belly in disbelief. She never expected that she could get pregnant.
Soon the imperial physician was summoned to take Consort Tong's pulse.
"Your Majesty, Consort Tong is over a month pregnant. It's probably because she drank alcohol that she's experiencing pregnancy symptoms."
Physician Qi was also very happy, because he was the only one on duty at the Imperial Hospital today, which is why he got this job. Usually, he could only take the pulses of those unfavored concubines, but now that he had found out that Consort Tong was pregnant, he would definitely be given an important position in the future.
"Good, good, good! Today is truly a joyous day, a double celebration, and there will be rewards for both." Kangxi was very happy, firstly because his cousin had her own child, and secondly because news of the concubines' pregnancy had spread at the beginning of the year, which was beneficial to the war effort.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Consort Tong!"
Where no one could see, Consort Wuya revealed a strange smile. Tonight's events will end with Consort Tong's pregnancy.
"Hongxiu, I have a feeling that Consort Tong is pregnant, but something feels off." Wanyi remembered that Consort Tong was not pregnant in her previous life, but she is in this life. It seems that the advantage of being reborn is gone.
“Something’s not right there. Should Your Highness keep an eye on Chengqian Palace?” Hongxiu asked Wanyi with a puzzled look.
"No need. We don't have many connections, so we need to use them wisely."
The key is to quietly develop connections, and she doesn't have many loyalty pills, so she needs to win over the important people in her network.
"Yes." Hongxiu continued to remove the hairpin from Wanyi's head, and after she was done, Wanyi went to bed.
On the other side, Consort Zhao was also discussing the events of tonight's banquet.
"Your Majesty, should we remove Consort Tong's pregnancy?" Youbai asked while helping Consort Zhao to twist her hair.
"It's already a miracle that Consort Tong was able to give birth safely, given her constitution. There's no need to pay special attention to her; she might try to extort money from us."
"Yes, this servant will tell our people to be more careful." Youbai thought about it and agreed; in this harem, Consort Tong was known for being delicate and frail.
"Um."
"Granny, is this it?" Consort Tong asked Granny Tong in disbelief as she returned to Chengqian Palace.
"Your Majesty, you are pregnant, you have a little prince."
Granny Tong was overjoyed that her mistress had a little master, and patiently answered Consort Tong's questions time and time again.
"Look how happy Your Highness is! I don't know how many times you've asked. Your Highness, you can't stay up late right now, so you need to go to bed and rest quickly." Ningdong helped Consort Tong, who was sitting at the table, up and led her inside.
"I understand. I will do whatever is best for my brother." Consort Tong thought to herself that she wanted to give her brother the best.
Consort Tong withdrew from the ranks of those who would serve the emperor in the harem because of her pregnancy. The concubines in the harem all used their own methods, and whenever Emperor Kangxi stepped into the harem, he would encounter various beautifully dressed concubines. Today, on a whim, Emperor Kangxi wanted to go to the plum garden to see the plum blossoms.
"Empress Wuya of Yonghe Palace greets Your Majesty!"
Consort Wuya knew as soon as Kangxi stepped into the inner palace. Upon learning that Kangxi was heading towards the Plum Garden, she quickly put on a pink qipao, dressed up carefully, and took a shortcut to the Plum Garden's only route to wait.
"No need for formalities, my beloved concubine, what are you doing here?" Kangxi looked at Consort Wuya with a dangerous gaze.
"I was feeling bored staying in the palace for too long, so I thought I'd go to the plum garden to pick some plum blossoms to make plum blossom cakes. I never expected to run into Your Majesty here." Consort Wuya, feigning shyness, didn't see Kangxi's gaze.
"It just so happens that I also want to go to the plum garden. I wonder if my beloved consort would like to come along?"
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