Consort Tong was furious, and the court ladies were all startled. They knelt on the ground, waiting for the Consort to calm down.
Qingyan had time to observe Madam Li properly. This woman was outstanding in appearance and petite in figure, which perfectly matched the aesthetic standards of people from Jiangnan.
Madam Li lowered her head, feeling truly distressed. Originally, she wanted to feign illness, but Li Xu wouldn't allow it.
"If His Majesty finds out, how do Cao Yin and Li Xu intend to explain things to him? How did you manage to show your trust in Cao Yin?" Consort Tong looked at Madam Cao, while Madam Li Xu clearly hit a nerve with Emperor Kangxi.
The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, and even loyal ministers have changed.
"No, no, no, this servant dares not think that way. The master tried to persuade Li Xu, but to no avail!" Madam Cao panicked. This matter would implicate Cao Yin, and she felt resentful. Outsiders always said that Madam Li's sudden death might be the work of Li Xu and this woman, and she herself harbored resentment.
Aren't women supposed to live for their own men? Madam Cao quickly interjected, saying that this woman was the second wife, and Li Xu's relationship with the Cao family as brothers-in-law had long since ended.
When it came to Cao Yin, Madam Cao dared not hide anything and told him everything she knew.
The officials and their families in Jiangnan were all surprised. Cao Yin and Li Xu had a close relationship, and with the two men merging, no minister dared to provoke them.
In addition, when the higher-ups came to inspect, Li Xu sent several thin horses as gifts, and those ministers spoke highly of Li Xu.
Qingyan took a sip of tea from her teacup. It was indeed a pre-Qingming Biluochun tea, a type of tea rarely seen even in the palace.
"Excellent tea!" Qingyan exclaimed in praise.
In the past, when Qingyan said those words, Madam Cao Yin was very pleased. Today, under these circumstances, what the Fourth Prince Consort said will be the fuse, and will surely make Consort Tong's anger burn even more fiercely.
"Sister-in-law!" Yin Genjue Luo called out helplessly, Qing Yan's words were a bit too much.
Qingyan smiled, and Madam Cao stopped awkwardly, no longer daring to cry.
Instantly, the atmosphere in the hall froze. The officials' wives dared not say a word, fearing that the gods were fighting and the lesser demons would suffer.
"Get up, everyone." Consort Tong paused, then shook her head helplessly. Xiao Guai's tone was too blunt.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Everyone quickly kowtowed in gratitude.
Qingyan tilted her head and looked at the skirts of the women around her. At the door, two of the women wore pointed little shoes, while the rest wore flowerpot-shaped shoes.
“My dear, the Han minister’s primary wife, His Majesty has granted her the privilege of having bound feet.” Lady Yingenjueluo whispered in Qingyan’s ear in Mongolian.
Qingyan sneered inwardly, thinking that even the Han Chinese, known for their literary talent, were afraid of the Han Chinese.
"Sister-in-law, I just haven't seen it before and wanted to see it!" Qingyan said shyly.
She disliked bound feet very much. When Emperor Kangxi issued an imperial edict to unbind feet, the powerful families in Jiangnan refused to comply, and the resulting commotion led to several lawsuits that resulted in deaths.
"Hmph, they complain about easing their pain!" Qingyan shook her head, unable to understand what these people were thinking.
Yin Genjue Luo patted her hand. They came from the upper three banners of the Eight Banners. As noble ladies who were favored by their families, they could not understand the feeling of women here being oppressed by mountains of etiquette.
Seeing the two wives whispering to each other, Madam Cao felt very unsure of herself. She tried hard to recall her words and made sure there were no flaws.
"Your Majesty, the servants in the manor are all carefully selected by me, and there would be no such thing as someone carrying their own pillows and mats." Madam Cao subtly mocked Madam Li, saying that when the higher-ups came to inspect, many problems lay with the Li family.
Basically, when ministers stayed at Li Xu's residence, they would bring one or two maids with their own pillows and mats. Some of them would bring these back to the capital. Of course, they also encountered some tough opponents, but at most, they would be beaten to death by two well-bred, thin horses. There would be no trouble at all.
“Such a servant should be beaten to death!” said a member of the official’s family standing next to Madam Cao with a smile. Ever since her husband received the slender horse presented by Li Xu, he had not set foot in the main room. Watching Madam Li being murdered step by step, she also became worried.
Now that the Imperial Concubine has arrived, if they say a few more words, she will surely tell His Majesty.
“Your Majesty, we are all senior wives, and none of us are timid. These slender horses are all trained, and none of us senior wives can compare to them,” the lady said cautiously.
Qingyan and Yingenjueluo exchanged a glance and couldn't help but find it somewhat ridiculous. They shouldn't be the ones to handle matters in the inner courtyard. Why should they ask the Noble Consort for help?
Later, after seeing off the court lady, Qingyan pursed her lips. All the servants in the hall were replaced by those from the palace; the ones sent by the Cao family were only to work on the perimeter of the courtyard.
"Mother, they have so many demands, and they even want your help!" Qingyan was a little confused, since those thin horses weren't a gift from Emperor Kangxi.
Pfft!
Consort Tong and Lady Yin Genjueluo both laughed, clearly preparing to file a complaint with the Emperor.
“Li Xu is a man who loves to scheme and plot. Every year, he spends a considerable amount of money to train them.” Consort Tong had heard Kangxi mention this twice, and her dissatisfaction with Li Xu had only grown.
Skinny horse!
Yangzhou's "slender horses" (a euphemism for prostitutes)!
These words kept replaying in Qingyan's mind, and the more she heard them, the more jarring they became.
"Keep a close eye on Yinzhi and Yinzhi. His Majesty takes this matter very seriously and we cannot afford to make a mistake at this crucial moment." Consort Tong would not specifically summon Lady Li to discuss this matter, as she harbored resentment towards the Crown Prince, and Emperor Kangxi treated his beloved son with exceptional favor.
Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tong disliked Lady Li Jia. Li Xu specially sent several suitable women to the Crown Prince, and he would approve.
“Yes, Mother/Noble Mother,” both Yingenjueluo and Qingyan replied.
"Go back and settle in. Come over for dinner. Eldest daughter, bring Songkelierha too. Just like on the ship, let the little girl stay in the side room of this courtyard." Consort Tong's decision surprised Lady Yingenjueluo. "His Majesty is away less trouble, so let the little girl stay with us for a while longer."
"Your Highness, I understand!" Lady Yin Genjue smiled. The longer the eldest princess could spend with Emperor Kangxi, the more secure her future would be.
The two left the main courtyard, and Qingyan relaxed.
"Sister-in-law, tomorrow I want to go out for a stroll and see the scenery of Jiangnan!" Qingyan is someone who can't sit still. She wants to get a good rest tonight and go out tomorrow.
Yin Genjue Luo agreed with Qing Yan's idea. They didn't have many opportunities to go out. Yin and Yin were busy with their duties outside the capital and rarely had the chance to accompany them.
"Little darling, when you get back, don't let any outsiders come in to serve you. All the things sent from this manor should be placed outside the courtyard. The Fourth Prince won't actively seek them out. Also, be careful not to let anyone bring their own bedding; I haven't seen any of the ladies-in-waiting who come to pay their respects and are all very uneasy." Lady Yin Genjueluo was worried that Qingyan was young and hadn't experienced much of the intrigue within the inner court. The servants outside were different from the palace maids of the Imperial Household Department; they were all arrogant and haughty. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)
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