Chapter 1878 The Lost Concubine
As the Lantern Festival approached, Emperor Yinzhen issued an edict that the army would set off back to the capital after the festival, and the servants of the Imperial Household Department began to busy themselves again.
The retired emperor lived very comfortably outside the Great Wall, and many princes from outside the Great Wall wanted Yinzhen to select young ladies for the imperial concubines, but the retired emperor refused them all.
Qingyan sat down beside Consort Tong, a polite smile on his face, for the last time hosting a private banquet for the officials' families outside the Great Wall.
The wives all wanted to take this opportunity to let their daughters show more face in front of the banquet.
As the sun set, the wives returned home disappointed. Qingyan, exhausted, rode back to the palace in a sedan chair. Yinzhen was already waiting in the main hall, while the twins looked after Hafeng, who was running around everywhere.
"Little darling, are you a little tired?" Yinzhen asked, looking at Qingyan.
Since Yinzhen ascended the throne, the pressure on the two of them has become increasingly greater, which Yinzhen finds very strange.
"Master, tell me, how can these wives not care at all? I've tried to stop them several times already," Shu Yun said directly.
Yinzhen laughed coldly: "Of course they don't care. They only care about the benefits. Those who send people into the palace are basically the legitimate daughters they have adopted."
There are eligible daughters of the family, but their true bloodlines are not suitable.
Qingyan's anxiety subsided, and as the two chatted, Su Peisheng hurriedly walked in from outside.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus and Consort Tong request that you go there immediately. They say there is a concubine awaiting the imperial concubine selection who is still inside the palace for some reason." Su Peisheng spoke rapidly.
Yinzhen and Qingyan exchanged a glance, their faces showing sarcasm. They really would use any method.
"Little Darling, hurry up and go. Bayan, you stay and watch the child." Yinzhen got up first and took Qingyan to Kangxi's courtyard.
In the courtyard, two girls, around sixteen or seventeen years old, were kneeling, dressed in light green everyday clothes, looking like they were waiting to be selected as imperial concubines.
The servants in the Emperor's residence began to pay their respects, and Consort Tong's face darkened. Shu Rong was not by her side.
"Father, what exactly is going on?" Yinzhen was completely bewildered; these two didn't look like they had come from within the Great Wall to accompany the emperor.
"They must have used such methods to keep them in the palace." The Emperor was truly furious.
"Father, let these people stay in the palace. It's not a big deal to feed two mouths, is it?" Yinzhen quickly reassured Kangxi.
"No, we can't just give up like this." Emperor Kangxi had been a man of principle his whole life, but who would have thought that he would be outmaneuvered by someone?
Yinzhen felt helpless upon hearing Kangxi's words.
"Father, let their fathers and mothers enter the palace first," Qingyan said, patting Yinzhen on the back and reporting directly to Kangxi.
"I've already sent Shu Rong to call them. They came in with the officials' wives who came to pay their respects today, so they shouldn't have gone out. I just asked, and they said they got lost while strolling in the Imperial Garden this afternoon," said Consort Tong.
Qingyan stared intently at the two girls in the courtyard, feeling that something was amiss.
Later that evening, the two children's parents arrived. Qingyan noticed the look in her mother's eyes and realized that these two children were probably not legitimate daughters.
"Ladies, are these two the ones you brought in to pay your respects?" Qingyan asked, looking at the two ladies.
Consort Tong held her teacup, took a sip, and seemed not to see Qingyan questioning the officials' wives.
"Your Majesty, it was this humble woman who brought them. They went to the Imperial Garden this afternoon and were planning to wait at the entrance of the residence, but who would have thought they wouldn't have left the palace yet?" the Fujin said with a troubled expression.
Qingyan carefully observed the other person's eyes and noticed a hint of annoyance flashing in them.
"Is that so? Didn't you ask when you left the palace? I remember I specifically sent people to keep an eye on things, and if any ladies asked questions, they were told the truth." Qingyan sneered.
The two wives knelt in the side hall, their hearts skipping a beat. They were worried because Consort Tong and Qingyan had brought them to the side hall.
Snap!
Consort Tong slammed her teacup on the table: "Is this how you two legal mothers treat your illegitimate daughters?"
"Your Majesty, I am innocent!" The two wives quickly admitted their mistake.
"Tell the truth!" Consort Tong commanded coldly.
"It was the adults who suggested this method to keep the child in the palace. I have always been reluctant to agree. Although she is not my biological daughter, she has been by my side for more than ten years," the Princess Consort of the Prince on the left cried.
The imperial family members outside the Great Wall wanted to take advantage of the presence of the retired emperor and the emperor to ensure that their daughters would be favored; otherwise, they would have no chance after entering the capital.
"Is this all it's for? If she stays in the palace, her life will be ruined." Qingyan looked at the other person and said, "Or, do you simply not care?"
"Your Majesty, I truly did not think that way. Who wouldn't care? She is still the most beloved child. I really cannot stop the family's decision," said the Princess Consort.
Consort Tong and Qingyan exchanged a glance, clearly implying that the other was powerless to stop it.
As dinner approached, both families knelt outside the hall. Kangxi, along with Yinzhen and others, went to a side hall, where Qingyan sat next to Consort Tong and began their dinner.
"Su Peisheng, have those two families dine in the outermost side hall. Remember to record their every word and action." Yinzhen thought for a moment, then proceeded to tell him the matter.
Emperor Kangxi nodded in agreement.
"Father, what should we do with these two girls who are to be selected for the imperial concubine selection? No matter how we handle it, it's a bit of a problem." Yinzhen was very annoyed; the other party had clearly put him in a difficult position.
"There's no need to worry about it." Kangxi shook his head: "These people understand that if we were to talk about it, it probably wouldn't benefit anyone."
Inside the side hall, the two families sat at two separate tables. The eyes of the two wives were red, and the actions of the two young ladies-in-waiting were clearly against the rules.
“The Emperor is fine with us for now, there shouldn’t be any problems. For now, you can only say that you got lost, and we can talk about the rest when we get back,” the Prince said.
In fact, on the way, he had thought about how to solve the problem. Since Yinzhen had just ascended the throne, he would not make any major moves. They guessed that they could take this opportunity to test the waters.
"Ulden, what do you suggest we do?" the prince asked from the side.
“Nelgei, we can only play it safe for now. However, having our daughters say they’re lost is the best excuse,” Ulden said.
Both of them were members of the imperial family from outside the Great Wall, and their relationship with the royal family had gradually become more and more distant. They wanted to take this opportunity to let their daughters enter the palace.
"Let's get through this crisis first, then we can think about the talent show," the two princes said.
Although they were called princes, their families had actually fallen into ruin, so they wanted to take this opportunity to send someone into the palace.
Fengwu is here~ It's so good to be able to go home for the New Year~ Haha, is everyone celebrating the New Year at home? This article has started updating~
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