For several days in a row, it was Consort Yun who served the emperor, surpassing even Zhen Huan and An Lingrong, leaving everyone in the harem stunned.
People like the Empress and Zhen Huan, who knew the inside story, didn't find it strange.
While the other concubines outwardly appeared to be polite after meeting Yun, they inwardly despised Da Pang Ju's actions.
Even the way they looked at Zhen Huan became more sympathetic.
It was common for palace maids to gain favor in the harem. This was especially true for concubines who had been selected through the imperial concubine selection process and held high ranks.
It was far better for a concubine who came from a humble background to be favored than one from a prominent family.
However, this Lady Yun is so similar to Zhen Huan, yet she is a few years younger than Zhen Huan, making it hard not to have some thoughts.
The original was not even twenty yet, and the emperor had already found an even younger substitute. If this happened to them, they would be incredibly disgusted.
After watching the spectacle with schadenfreude, people like Consort Li, lying alone in bed that night, couldn't help but cry until their pillows were soaked.
Those under twenty are considered too old; in the emperor's eyes, wouldn't they be considered ancient and decrepit?
No wonder that ever since she moved into the palace, even the little bit of favor she received in the prince's mansion has completely vanished.
Consort Li clutched the silk quilt embroidered with butterflies tightly around her, feeling even more distressed at the thought of the days to come.
I didn't bring her with me when I went to the Old Summer Palace last time. She spent the whole summer making Peking duck in the palace, and it even had a medicinal flavor.
She had hoped that after he returned, she could get some love and conceive a child. But despite all her efforts, she hasn't been able to sleep a wink!
Consort Li felt that her life was likely hopeless for the rest of her days. She could manage for now with the help of Consort Hua, but what would she do in the future?
She was widowed before she was even twenty-five, living the life of a concubine while the emperor was still alive...
Consort Li felt that there was no one more pitiful than her in the world!
*
Chuxiu Palace
Sun Miaoqing, Zhen Huan, and An Lingrong were preparing spices together, while Liuli stood beside them, telling the three of them the latest news from the palace.
"Your Majesty's prediction is correct. That Consort Yun's sudden rise to prominence is indeed related to Consort Hua."
"This servant did not notice anything amiss at first, but I remembered what Your Highness once said: the more perfectly sealed something is, the more likely there is a problem behind it."
"Therefore, I have been secretly keeping an eye on Chengqian Palace, although I have no real evidence. But every time I check Yun Changzai's pulse, it is the same imperial physician."
"Although this Physician Zhao has no status in the Imperial Hospital, he is the eldest sister-in-law of the husband's brother-in-law of the lady's maternal aunt, and is related to the Nian family."
That's right. In just one month, Yun Ying has been promoted another level and is now a Changzai.
However, aside from serving the big fat orange, this Consort Yun usually stayed in Chengqian Palace and rarely went out.
It's as if by staying indoors, they won't attract attention.
Unfortunately, as long as the fat orange cat keeps favoring her, the news of her new favorite will remain firmly on the front page of the harem, and it won't be coming down anytime soon.
Sun Miaoqing said, "You can find out such roundabout information clearly. It seems that your skills have really improved a lot compared to before."
Liuli smiled shyly, "It's all thanks to Your Highness's excellent teaching. My little skills are nothing."
Zhen Huan said curiously, "I've always heard people say that Consort Yun looks very similar to me. It's been so long, but I still haven't met her."
An Lingrong said, "There's still a long way to go, Sister Huan, are you afraid of not seeing each other again?"
"Now everyone in the palace is saying that this Consort Yun is exceptionally intelligent. Even the Emperor has praised her, saying that if she were a man, she would have the talent to become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) after studying hard for twenty years."
At that time, those who could pass the imperial examination in their early twenties were no ordinary people.
Most of them spent their entire lives taking the exams, their hair turned gray, and they lost several teeth, yet they still couldn't even pass the provincial examination to become a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations).
Sun Miaoqing thought of the last imperial examination questions she had seen in her previous life.
The Zhou and Tang dynasties emphasized external affairs over internal ones, while the Song and Ming dynasties emphasized internal affairs over external ones; each has its merits.
Jia Yi's theory of "five baits and three tablets" was criticized by Ban Gu as being too superficial. However, King Mu of Qin used it to dominate the Western Rong, and Zhonghang Yue also used it to govern the Chanyu (Xiongnu ruler), so it was a theory that was effective in many ways.
Zhuge Liang employed Shen Buhai's strategies without having the intention of doing so, while Wang Anshi used the realities of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang while concealing their names in his arguments.
Pei Du suggested that the prime minister should recruit talented individuals from all directions to advise him and requested to meet with guests at his private residence to discuss the matter.
There is also the argument that the Northern Song Dynasty allied with the Jin Dynasty to conquer Yan and Zhao, and that the Southern Song Dynasty assisted the Yuan Dynasty to attack Cai.
The five questions used historical allusions to reflect on contemporary issues, touching upon topics such as centralized power, foreign policy, court reforms, and talent selection. They also attempted to excuse the loss of territory and the incompetence of the court.
If this were a history or politics question on the college entrance exam, she wouldn't know how well others would answer it, but if she were to answer it, she'd only pass by sheer luck.
Before she had been tempered by society, she couldn't understand these test questions, what they were asking, or what the examiners wanted them to answer.
Sun Miaoqing's thoughts wandered further and further away. When she came back to her senses, she heard Liuli continuing to chatter on.
"Most palace maids were selected to enter the palace when they were seven or eight years old, and those who could read were extremely rare. I heard that this Lady Yun cannot even write her own name."
"I never expected that after becoming a concubine, I would develop a love for reading. I can grasp everything very quickly, and every time I see the Emperor, I beg him for guidance."
"Moreover, I inquired at the Hall of Mental Cultivation and found that she was unusually bold when she was alone with the Emperor. As a newly favored concubine, she dared to speak coldly to the Emperor."
Sun Miaoqing and Zhen Huan both looked at An Lingrong at the same time, the three of them staring at each other.
Is this Lady Yun trying to emulate whoever is in favor, hoping to combine the strengths of many schools?
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