"The Imperial Noble Consort has said that we must hurry, or we will lose the initiative!" Dai Jia Changzai said, quickening her pace as if afraid that someone would catch up with her.
Besides her, there were others who, like her, went to the only route to Ning'an Palace to wait for Kangxi.
"Ah!" A scream came from the east wing of Chuxiu Palace, startling Consort Wen in the main hall and the maidservant in the back hall who were taking a nap.
"What's going on? Where did that screaming come from?" Consort Wen asked, somewhat displeased at being woken up.
"Your Highness, it sounds like the sound is coming from the East Annex Hall. I'll go check it out." After all, the East Annex Hall is quite close to the main hall. When Consort Wen heard that it was the pregnant Consort Sun, she was even more displeased, but there was nothing she could do. She could only wave her hand impatiently.
"My, my master, waaaaah..."
Mu Zhi originally intended to come in and check if Consort Sun had kicked off the covers so she could cover her up, but instead found Consort Sun's face unusually pale and bloodless. She reached out her trembling hand to check her nostrils, then suddenly pulled her hand back and screamed in fright, startling the other maids outside. It took them a while to come to their senses, and they stood by the bed, crying helplessly, not knowing whether they were crying for Consort Sun's death or for their own impending fate.
"Is Consort Sun here? Where have all the servants gone?"
When Consort Wen's maid Jingmei arrived at the East Annex Hall, she found no one serving or guarding the gate. She felt disdain for Consort Sun and wondered what trouble she was up to. As she approached, she heard some crying and quickly went inside. She found everyone inside, crying quietly. Then she ran back to the main courtyard.
Meanwhile, Emperor Kangxi had just finished dealing with an urgent memorial and was thinking of summoning Consort Liang, whom he had been taking a liking to recently. However, after stretching, he realized that it would be better to go out and relax.
"What are you all kneeling here for? Instead of informing the Emperor, the Imperial Noble Consort, and the Imperial Physicians, get moving, all of you!"
When Consort Wen heard the news that Jingmei brought back, she was so happy that she woke up from her nap. She quickly washed up and came to the East Annex Hall, only to find out that they hadn't informed the Emperor and the others, which was quite amusing.
"Yes!" they all replied humbly, slowing their pace considerably. After all, with their master dead, the servants would certainly be held accountable. They didn't know if it was a consequence or just good luck that they had survived.
Meanwhile, Wanyi also received the news and suddenly burst out laughing. It had been a long time since she had received any news. She had thought it was unsuccessful in the morning, but good news came in the afternoon. How could she not be happy?
"I wonder if this will implicate Consort Wen?" Furong suddenly asked.
"I don't think so! Why are you suddenly concerned about Consort Wen?" Wanyi looked at Furong with suspicion. She had always had the intention to scheme against Consort Wen, but it wasn't serious. She was just giving her a lesson in filial piety.
"This servant thinks that Your Highness and Consort Wen are very close, and Consort Wen also cares a lot about the Fourth Prince, so this servant thinks so!"
Furong didn't think she was wrong. As long as someone was good to her master and young master, she would treat that person differently.
“This is where Consort Wen’s brilliance lies. Even you think she’s good. If Yinzhen also thinks his Consort Wen is good, it’s not impossible for him to change his mother!” Wanyi said schemingly.
"It shouldn't be that bad! I've heard that the elder brother can bring the younger brother..." Furong said incredulously. She could tell that Consort Wen really liked the Fourth Prince!
"Perhaps!" Anyway, Yinzhen now has a different person inside him, so she's not worried that he'll be deceived by Consort Wen.
"Greetings, Your Majesty! May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" Consort Chen met Emperor Kangxi before them. She had dressed up specially, and although she was not as beautiful as Consort Liang, she was still a beauty. None of the women who could enter the harem were ugly.
"Let's start the conversation!" Kangxi didn't recognize this person in the harem at all. It was Liang Jiugong who told him in his ear who the person in front of him was.
"Your Majesty, I see the sky is clear and perfect for an outing. It's just that we're not outside the palace. But strolling through the gardens would be quite charming. Would I have the honor of walking with Your Majesty?"
As she spoke, Consort Sun secretly glanced at Emperor Kangxi a few times, afraid that he might refuse or be unhappy.
"If you want to go for a stroll in the garden, then go ahead. But I have other matters to attend to, so I won't be able to come along!"
Normally, Kangxi would have cooperated with their attempts to curry favor, but now, seeing their unremarkable faces, he found them rather dull and uninteresting, so he naturally headed towards his own destination.
"Your Majesty, I respectfully see you off!" Only after Kangxi had walked quite a distance did Consort Chen come to her senses and say to his departing figure, the smile on her face no longer as genuine as it had been at the beginning.
"Ha! So what if some people arrived first? They still couldn't retain the divine grace!"
Dai Jia arrived here in a hurry, only to find that someone had beaten her to it. After Kangxi had gone far away, she couldn't help but come out and say sarcastically, "Anyway, she's one rank higher than me."
“If it were my elder sister, I’m afraid she wouldn’t have been able to keep her either!” Consort Chen came up with the idea herself, unlike Consort Dai who came after being advised by the Imperial Noble Consort.
"Whether I can keep you or not, you'll only know after trying. I don't miss you at all!" Dai Jiachang said, still finding it funny, and then pretended to cover her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed awkwardly.
"Sister, are you laughing at yourself?" Although Consort Chen's rank was lower than hers, she was not afraid of Consort Dai at all. A concubine from a bondservant family would naturally not dare to go head-to-head with Consort Chen, who came from the Han Banner Army.
“What are you saying, little sister! I just find it funny. I won’t disturb you from strolling in the garden!” Dai Jia Changzai emphasized the words “strolling in the garden”.
Since Wanyi couldn't go to watch the play, she naturally listened intently to Xiao Anzi's speech.
"The Emperor went to Ning'an Palace, so the messenger who went to inform him came up empty-handed. By the time they found him, an hour had passed. With so much time gone by and the weather getting hot, they could smell a foul odor. They heard that the Emperor's face was ashen, and he only glanced at him, said 'Give him a proper burial,' and then said nothing more. It's a pity for Consort Sun."
In fact, Emperor Kangxi did ask the imperial physician, but the physician only said that Consort Sun must have had a terminal illness, which is why she died along with the imperial fetus. Emperor Kangxi felt it was bad luck that she would not even be promoted or receive posthumous honors, so he ordered her to be buried hastily.
"Whether she is pitiful or not, I do not know. I only know that if she were still alive, I would never have peace of mind!"
Wan Yi's undisguised disgust stemmed from her pregnancy, which had made her more irritable.
"Yes!" Xiao Anzi replied softly, his heart pounding with alarm. Could it be that Consort Sun wasn't terminally ill, but rather murdered?
"Go down!" Since the results were out anyway, she felt a little relieved. This person who looked like her had finally disappeared from her world. Sometimes it was still a bit disheartening to see him.
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