The sounds of arguing inside the Cining Palace carried outside, causing the maids serving the two palaces to worry about their fate. With these two mistresses at odds, they, as insignificant people, were more likely to be misunderstood.
The Empress Dowager could only analyze the situation in detail for the Empress Dowager. Kangxi was definitely waiting for them to plead for the princes of Khorchin; otherwise, he wouldn't have spent the New Year away from home.
"Aunt, Aha can't hold on any longer. Those people are denouncing them." The Empress Dowager could not forgive Kangxi, because Yinzhi's mistake almost led to the extinction of the Khorchin direct line.
The Empress Dowager was still unaware of what Yin had done, and Fuquan had almost been implicated. Kangxi publicly stated only that Fuquan's poor cooperation with the Khorchin prince had led to the current situation, without mentioning a word about Yin's mistakes.
"Granin, is there anything else you haven't said?" The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes. Kangxi was no longer the same as before, and there were some things he wouldn't tell her.
Unable to contain her anger, the Empress Dowager accused Yinzhen of disregarding the orders of Fuquan and the Khorchin Prince, which had caused unforeseen consequences. To save face, Emperor Kangxi made Fuquan and Aha take the blame.
To this day, she has not heard any news about Yin's punishment.
"Are you serious? You can't joke about this." The Empress Dowager's cold gaze was fixed on the Empress Dowager. If not handled properly, it could directly cause a conflict between the Manchus and Mongols. She and Xuan Ye shared the same opinion on how to handle this.
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly. Her aunt valued the reputation of the Aisin Gioro family too much and often forced Aha to bow his head. She saw this and felt sorry for him.
The Empress Dowager's attitude when Abramovich was in power was completely different from what it is now.
"Aunt, am I such a troublesome person?" the Empress Dowager muttered indignantly.
Before the two could say much, Su Mo'er rushed in anxiously.
"Princess, Consort Xin has also arrived." In the inner palace, the three highest-ranking Mongolian women gathered at Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager's face darkened. Consort Xin was a troublesome woman; she even tried to harm Yin and Qingyan. Upon learning this, the Empress Dowager immediately dealt with Consort Xin.
Two years have passed, and Kangxi and Fei Yanggu have still not found the real culprit that caused their two children to be pregnant.
"What is she doing here? Doesn't Emperor Xuan Ye allow her to copy Buddhist scriptures in the palace?" The Empress Dowager disliked Consort Xin. This woman was ambitious but incompetent and often caused trouble.
Su Mo'er pondered for a moment and concluded that it was probably related to the punishment the Emperor had given to the Crown Prince. Wasn't Consort Xin's own brother the Crown Prince of Mongolia?
"Aunt, it must be about Pu Jiesang." Recently, Kangxi has been in a very bad mood. Several princes and heirs of the Khorchin have been targeted, and the Qingyan incident has become the fuse.
The Empress Dowager sighed. These two were really too impatient. Even though Emperor Kangxi had issued an imperial edict to punish them, they had already lost their composure. What would happen to them if outsiders found out?
Within the imperial harem, the Manchu and Mongol concubines did not get along well. In the first three reigns, Mongol noblewomen generally suppressed the Manchu noblewomen.
Back then, in order to protect the Qing Dynasty, she chose to arrange a marriage between Emperor Kangxi and a noblewoman from the Manchu Eight Banners to ensure the stability of the throne.
"Empress Dowager, you must do us justice!" Consort Xin's cries could be heard even before she entered.
Immediately, the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and Su Mo'er all frowned. Consort Xin knew some manners, and Kangxi wouldn't be as wary of her as he was now. Whenever something happened, Consort Xin would always make a fuss.
"What kind of behavior is this? Come in." The Empress Dowager was furious. None of her children seemed capable. What would happen to the Khorchin people after she was gone?
Consort Xin walked in from outside the door with red and swollen eyes. She had received a letter from home that her own elder brother had been confined to his quarters by Emperor Kangxi. Yinzhi's rash desire for merit had led to this tragedy. Why had her own servant become his shield?
"Su Mo'er, help Consort Xin to wash up first." The Empress Dowager had a headache. Consort Xin's plain clothes, coupled with her red and swollen eyes, made her look like she was mourning someone.
The rules within the palace are extremely strict. Xuan Ye was unharmed, but she caused this commotion, and outsiders will certainly not let Consort Xin off the hook.
The Empress Dowager shook her head; compared to Consort Xin, she was more suited to managing the connections in Mongolia.
Some time ago, the Empress Dowager was unwell, so she handed over palace affairs to the Empress Dowager and Consort Tong, but she kept a tight grip on the connections she had made in Mongolia. Now, she often suffers from minor illnesses and her energy is not as abundant as before.
Therefore, she had to choose a better patron for the Khorchin. Even if she passed away, Emperor Kangxi would remember their past relationship and not embarrass the Khorchin.
After a cup of tea, Consort Xin emerged, dressed in a light blue palace gown and adorned with a blue diamond headdress. The Empress Dowager glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but shake her head. Unlike Consort Tong, Consort Xin had darker skin and a more robust build; the plain colors looked somewhat comical on her.
"Greetings to the Empress Dowager, greetings to the Empress Dowager, this servant has overstepped her bounds." Consort Xin dared not raise her head, her actions just now undoubtedly damaging the reputation of the Khorchin.
"Have you admitted your guilt?" The Empress Dowager saw that Consort Xin was a sensible person and was somewhat willing to let her grow up slowly with her help.
The Empress Dowager remained lukewarm, and her methods were no longer effective. Consort Xin, on the other hand, was able to harden her heart, but the Grand Empress Dowager did not want to escalate the situation. Outsiders only saw a superficial harmony.
"Yes, this servant knows her crime. Empress Dowager, please save Aha." Consort Xin knew she couldn't say a bad word about the eldest prince, otherwise, neither the Empress Dowager nor Emperor Kangxi would forgive her. Now, she could only silently endure it, hoping to give her brother a chance to reduce his punishment.
The Empress Dowager sat above, looking down at Consort Xin. Yinzhi's matter was undoubtedly Kangxi's Achilles' heel. He even threw Fuquan out to take the blame, so it seemed there was no room for pleading.
"Pu Jiesang will be fine." The Empress Dowager knew Xuan Ye well; those who were forced to take the blame would eventually be compensated by Kangxi.
At this moment, Qingyan and Yin were lying on the sofa in the space, watching the images on the screen. She couldn't help but purse her lips. Yin was indeed a bit impulsive, and he was indeed instigated by those Mongol princes. They were the best candidates to act rashly.
"Fourth Prince, I don't like Consort Xin. She clearly knows that the Crown Prince is the culprit, yet she still tries to shift the blame onto the First Prince." Qingyan has an all-powerful screen; she knows the inside story of that war better than anyone else.
Upon returning to camp, Fuquan and the others were ordered by Emperor Kangxi to keep quiet. No one was allowed to mention the incident again, lest Emperor Kangxi find out and anyone who knew about it would be executed.
Qingyan noticed early on that the servants inside the imperial tent were all unfamiliar faces. Li Dequan said that those people had been sent to a manor in the northwest, hoping that they could look after the imperial residence for His Majesty.
This explanation was rather far-fetched, but she still smiled and agreed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
