The concubine here is quite ambitious, determined to bear a son and seize the position of heir apparent, but the Nalan family has long seen through her.
Now that the two were dressed, Yinzhi did not notice the ambition in his cousin's eyes, and the two went to the palace together to pay their respects.
Three days passed quickly.
On the day of paying respects, since she was a secondary consort, all the children in the household had to pay their respects, so He Zhuo had them all come together, and the main courtyard was packed with them.
Yinzhi had no interest in accompanying them; Consort Nalan came with a nanny and two maids.
The matron given to her by the clan chief was extremely skilled at dressing up. This newlywed concubine had experienced the wonders of being a woman, shedding her naivety and acquiring a touch of allure.
The original three points of appearance have become five or six points.
However, upon arriving at the main courtyard, they were met with a bucket of cold water.
Why? Because everyone in the backyard knew that today was the day the concubine was to pay her respects, so they all dressed up in formal attire.
Princess Fan was a beautiful woman, otherwise Prince Yinzhi wouldn't have missed her every month.
Princess Guan was of average appearance and knew her weakness, but after giving birth to the Fourth Prince, she had some maternal glow and began to dress up in this way.
Princess Xitala had a scholarly air about her, so she naturally dressed in that style. When she entered the palace, she could only bring a small bundle, but after leaving the palace, her family sent her two boxes of things, giving her more options for dressing up.
Uya was Consort De's niece. She learned from Consort De and was delicate and timid. She was also petite, which made people feel sorry for her.
It can be said that the women in the courtyard each had their own unique charm, and apart from Consort Guan, they were all three points more beautiful than the concubine.
However, this was only the first blow. The second blow came when He Zhuo entered the room; He Zhuo was beautiful.
When she was first betrothed, she hadn't yet blossomed into womanhood; now she has fully blossomed, possessing a stunning beauty and a gentle, graceful demeanor that inspires affection. Having held a high position for many years, she also exudes an air of nobility that commands respect.
He Zhuo was satisfied when he saw Nalan's pale face. He knew about it these past two days. Nalan had two concubines in the courtyard serving her. This was not a big deal in itself. Concubines were no different from maids. However, since He Zhuo had never asked any concubines or princesses to serve him, it seemed arrogant.
Among all the women in the courtyard, she was only about as beautiful as Princess Guan. Standing together with a group of beauties, she appeared rather ordinary.
Knowing this, how could the concubine possibly look happy?
He Zhuo didn't want to waste time and went straight to the point: "Let's begin."
After the initial greetings, it was everyone's turn to pay their respects to the concubine.
The master's household has quite a few children, currently four princes and four princesses. They all call her "Second Mother." These are all the master's children, so the gifts they receive must be substantial. The concubines and princesses are given small gifts, but the children's gifts must be generous, otherwise it will damage her reputation.
When the gifts were presented, Consort Nalan's heart was bleeding; these were the finest items from her dowry.
The eldest daughter of Xiao Zhenbao, I heard that she was very much loved by the master. Nalan generously gave her a set of pearl jewelry. The pearls were not very big, but the workmanship was very exquisite.
All three princes born to He Zhuo were given inkstones, while the fourth prince, who was only six months old, was given a small gold lock.
The other three princesses were each given a pearl bracelet.
That's quite a generous gesture, considering how rare pearls are these days.
The gifts that He Zhuo gave to his concubine were found in the storeroom yesterday. They were all large items, including a pair of enamel vases made in the imperial kiln. The design featured magpies perched on plum blossom branches, which was an extremely auspicious symbol.
This vase has been sitting in the storeroom for years, but He Zhuo doesn't like this color. It's perfect to bring it out as a gift now; it's presentable and valuable, and no one can say it's bad.
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