The fact that Emperor Kangxi had ordered his chief eunuch, Li Dequan, to keep an eye on Yanxi Palace also reached the ears of several people who were interested in such matters.
"You mean Father Emperor has someone keeping an eye on Yanxi Palace?"
"Your Highness, that's exactly what our people said."
The Crown Prince, namely Aisin Gioro Yinreng, was born in the thirteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. He was two years younger than the eldest prince and was the eldest son of Empress Xiaochengren, of the Hesheli clan.
The Crown Prince was personally raised and taught by Emperor Kangxi from a young age, and was exposed to politics from childhood.
He and the eldest prince have always been open rivals.
"Go and investigate what has happened at Yanxi Palace recently, and come back to me as soon as you have a clear answer."
"Yes, sir."
Besides the Crown Prince, the fourth prince Yinzhen, the eighth prince Yinsi, and others also received the same news.
Having always been rivals in secret, they chose the same approach this time.
Both of them convinced their subordinates to give up on asking further questions.
In this matter, the two men considered something more than the Crown Prince: imperial power.
If it were anything else, it wouldn't hurt for them to investigate, since the power struggles among the princes were something Kangxi had already discovered long ago.
As long as it doesn't cause a major disaster, Kangxi was even somewhat pleased to see it happen.
However, the fact that Kangxi instructed Li Dequan, who was by his side, to handle this matter personally indicates that Kangxi attaches great importance to this matter, at least to the present.
At this time, it's best to avoid bad luck.
The fact that the Crown Prince sent people to investigate this matter at this time was actually a challenge to the imperial power of the rulers.
Of course, the people in Yanxi Palace were unaware that they were being watched by many parties.
Especially Geng Youran and Xinyi.
After Tao Hua and Lü Yao left Yanxi Palace, Geng Youran and Xin Yi became the focus of training by the head nanny and three senior palace maids.
The reason was that the head maid was getting old and wanted to leave the palace to retire.
Although Qingzhi had no intention of leaving the palace, Qinglan and Qingyu were already engaged, and this year was their last year together. Therefore, there was an urgent need to cultivate a few loyal and capable people to succeed them.
"Xinyi, I asked you to manage the Empress's small storeroom yesterday, how come you got the quantities wrong?"
"You Ran, the tea sent by the Imperial Household Department this time isn't new tea at all. How did you check it?"
"Xinyi, Her Majesty is receiving her family's mistress today, and this is how you dressed her up?"
"You Ran, haven't the pastries and tea snacks been prepared yet? What time is it?"
The two of them would go back and forth like this every day, and they could only go to sleep after explaining their daily tasks to the head nanny.
The young palace maids, watching Geng Youran and Xinyi being bossed around by their nannies and older sisters every day, suddenly felt no envy at all.
Even Consort Hui secretly laughed at the old woman, saying she was just making fun of the two children.
"Granny, I'm not that precious. It breaks my heart to see these two children running around like this all the time."
“Your Majesty, if these two maids weren’t so loyal and clever, this old servant wouldn’t have put them through all this trouble. Besides, this is their good fortune.”
Consort Hui put down her tea, closed her eyes, and leaned back on the couch.
"If we're talking about good fortune, I am the one who is truly blessed. You were my wet nurse, and later you came into the palace with me, helping me protect the eldest prince as he grew up safely. Now that you're old, you're still helping me train new talents. I feel so sorry for you."
The old nanny smiled gently, walked behind Consort Hui, and massaged her shoulders, saying:
"Your Majesty, this old servant has watched you grow from a child to the head of the palace, and knows how difficult it has been for you. Before I pass away, if I can find a few caring children to continue to take care of you in my place, I will die content."
indeed.
In fact, it wasn't just Consort Hui; there were very few women in the harem who gave birth to children, successfully raised them to adulthood, and still held real power.
Consort Hui was one of these few.
Besides the necessary means, connections are the key to survival in this harem.
Sincerity can earn you this kind of capital.
Consort Hui patted her wrinkled hand on her shoulder and remained silent.
The next day, the nanny called Geng Youran and Xinyi into the room alone.
"Tomorrow, I will be leaving the palace. You two girls have worked hard these past few days. These two boxes are what I, your nanny, prepared for you."
After saying that, the nanny handed the two boxes to Geng Youran and Xinyi respectively.
The two opened it and found some jewelry and gold and silver.
"These were all bestowed by Her Majesty in previous years. I divided them into several portions, and these two are for the two of you."
Geng Youran and Xinyi immediately closed the box and put it back on the couch.
"We wouldn't dare. The old lady is about to leave the palace to retire, and she needs this gold and silver the most. Serving Your Highness is our duty."
Geng Youran was clever enough to realize that the two boxes were meant to bribe them. But they were still too young and didn't fully understand the old woman's intentions.
The old woman smiled and didn't take Geng Youran's recklessness to heart.
"Take a closer look, what else is inside the box?"
The two girls exchanged a glance and then picked up the box again to examine it carefully.
Each of their boxes contained several letters.
Inside Xinyi's envelope were several land deeds from her hometown.
"Granny?!"
Xinyi was shocked; she hadn't expected that the nanny knew about this.
Yes, she was indeed wealthy, but in this palace, money wasn't everything. Her mother was just a concubine, and if it weren't for her entering the palace, her father wouldn't have been so generous.
Therefore, since entering the palace, she has always been the most hardworking of the three second-class palace maids. She wants to earn more rewards and more land for her mother, so that at least no one in the mansion will bully her.
Inside Geng Youran's envelope was a prescription—a prescription for conceiving a child.
This prescription is not for Geng Youran, but for Madam Geng.
The loss of her son was a thorn in Madam Geng's heart, and because of this thorn, Madam Geng never allowed Lord Geng to enter her courtyard.
Her daughter, Youran, was Madam Geng's only concern in this world.
This prescription might help Madam Geng resolve this thorn in her side.
"Indeed, people in ancient times were smarter!"
This was the first thing Geng Youran thought of.
Yes, Consort Hui was such a clever person, so naturally the people around her wouldn't use such a method of 'bribing with money' to win people's hearts.
People's hearts, naturally, must be won over with people's hearts.
After that, the old nanny returned smoothly to Consort Hui's maternal home, the Ulanara family, to live out her days, while Qinglan and Qingyu also left the palace to marry.
Geng Youran and Xinyi became palace maids on par with Qingzhi.
Those who had been watching Yanxi Palace closely saw that a Han Chinese bondservant had risen to the position of head palace maid in just a few months, and they felt that Geng Youran was indeed different from the other palace maids.
The eldest prince, Yinzhi, couldn't sit still any longer.
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