In midsummer, as Han Yu wrote in his poem, "In May, the pomegranate flowers are bright and shining, and the fruits are beginning to form on the branches."
The excitement of the dragon boat race had just passed, and the weather had become slightly hotter. A thin mist rose in the morning, and under the shroud of mist, one could even smell the scent of mugwort. The Dragon Boat Festival had just passed a few days ago, and it was a rare day for the mistresses who had just managed the festival to relax. However, they had never expected that a sudden imperial edict would break the peace in the capital.
When Zhou, wife of the prince of Jinxiang Marquis's mansion, heard the imperial decree, she felt extremely upset. She had no mood at all facing the full plate of breakfast on the table.
Zhou is thirty-five years old this year, with a round face, a smooth and full forehead, thick earlobes, and a pretty figure. She looks like she is in her twenties. She is also very lucky. After giving birth to a pair of twins, she gave birth to twins. She has been the housekeeper of the Jinxiang Marquis Mansion for several years. Her husband has never had a concubine, and all the women in the capital envy her.
"Madam, you should eat something. We will go to the palace to celebrate later."
The eldest maid beside her advised her.
Zhou looked worried: "It is precisely because I want to enter the palace that I can't eat."
The eldest girl shuddered and couldn't help but sigh: "The rule of our Dayong has always been not to appoint a royal concubine when there is an empress. How will the empress deal with this?"
The current Empress comes from the Nguyen family, a prominent family in Jiangling. The Nguyen family has three dukes in four generations, which can be said to be a generation of nobles. The father of Empress Nguyen was the commander of the infantry, and her uncle was the most noble, who was named Duke of Bohai.
But even a queen with such a background was forced into such a situation. The maid couldn't help but feel sad for her. What a good person the queen was...
"Isn't Concubine Xian afraid of becoming a target of public criticism? She is still called Concubine Xian despite her title."
Hearing the maid mention Concubine Xian, Zhou lost her appetite and simply put her chopsticks on the table. She couldn't help but say, "That Concubine Xian is just a branch of Ruan's family. If the Empress had not been childless, Ruan would never have sent her to the palace. But she didn't care about the favor at all and instead forced the Master to do it."
Just then, Han Qi, the son of the Marquis of Jinxiang, walked in and hit the nail on the head: "I'm afraid Concubine Xian's purpose is not limited to this. Concubine Guo Jin, who gave birth to the eldest prince in the harem, has never been favored. Concubine Cui Gui, the mother of the other three princes, had a falling out with the emperor and had long been deposed as a commoner, so she has no chance of becoming the emperor. Our dynasty has always established the eldest son as the legitimate heir. Concubine Xian's next step is probably to replace the empress, so that she can legitimately make her son the legitimate son."
Zhou was shocked: "This... this... what should the Empress do? Last year, Concubine Guo Jin sent the eldest prince to the Empress's lap in order to give him a better status. No, those ministers outside will not agree, and the Ruan family will not agree either."
Thinking of this, Zhou slowly calmed down.
Han Qi knew that his wife had been favored by the Queen, and to a certain extent, the two of them were able to be together because of the Queen's help. Now that the Queen was forced into such a situation, they all wanted to help.
"Yes, the Imperial Concubine is not the Empress after all. Don't think too much about it. You should go to the palace to pay your respects. It's a good opportunity to see if there is anything we can do to help the Empress. Things haven't come to that point yet. The ministers will definitely not agree."
Emperor Yonglong has already issued a decree to confer the title of Imperial Noble Consort on Consort Xian Ruan, and ordered all the ladies to come to the palace to celebrate. They must also go to the Jinxiang Marquis's Mansion, otherwise it would be disrespectful to the Imperial Noble Consort.
Zhou was also helpless, but fortunately Han Qi had predicted the result. Ministers wrote to the emperor one after another, demanding the establishment of a national foundation, and even hinted that the imperial concubine was a witch.
In this way, Zhou felt happier and was not so reluctant to enter the palace.
The meaning of establishing a country is to establish the eldest son of the emperor. If the eldest son of the emperor is made the crown prince, who knows whether the treacherous concubine can sit firmly in the position of the imperial concubine?
Soon the day of entering the palace arrived. Zhou put on her formal makeup and entered the palace. According to the rules, women entering the palace usually paid their respects to the empress dowager or the queen first, and then to other concubines. However, as soon as she entered today, the eunuch took her directly to Chenyou Palace.
Although Zhou was not considered a talented woman, she knew very well what the word "Chenyou" meant. It clearly referred to the bedroom where the emperor lived. She never thought that the emperor would give it to her.
After passing through the ceremonial gate, there was already laughter and joy inside. Zhou did not dare to be negligent and went in carefully.
The stone steps of the Chenyou Palace are made of white marble. There is a bronze crane incense table outside the palace, with wisps of green smoke coming out of its mouth. Entering the main hall, the house is exquisite and magnificent. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a palace of gods. The wife of the Marquis of Jinxiang has a high status, but many of the people who came today are wives of dukes and wives of cabinet assistants. She, the wife of the prince, is not good enough.
Walking to the right, Zhou knelt on the cushion and kowtowed, glancing at the imperial concubine sitting at the top. She was about the same age as herself and was sent to the palace as a female official by the Ruan family. The imperial concubine had a miserable life at that time. As soon as she entered the palace, she offended the favored Concubine Cui and was tortured for a long time.
The Empress Dowager was childless at the time, so she lived in fear and could not speak in front of the Emperor.
She was also powerless.
It just so happened that it was Nguyen, a female official who was severely oppressed at that time, who somehow managed to become a virtuous concubine step by step from a selected concubine. One should know that the ranks of concubines in Dayong were Empress, Imperial Noble Consort, Noble Consort, Virtuous Consort, Shu Consort, Virtuous Consort, etc. It should be noted that this Imperial Noble Consort did not have any children when she became a virtuous concubine.
Even after the birth of the prince, although she was a virtuous concubine, the treatment she received was that of a noble concubine. Everyone thought that she was at most a noble concubine.
However, she never expected that Emperor Yonglong would personally confer the title of Imperial Consort on her.
After completing the ceremony and standing up, Zhou secretly looked at the Imperial Concubine. She was about the same age as herself, but still very beautiful. It was said that the Emperor liked to dance on his palms, and that graceful and beautiful women were very favored in the harem, and the Imperial Concubine was an example of this. Her waist was slender and she was as delicate as a willow. What was even more outstanding was her appearance, with almond eyes and rosy cheeks, skin as white as cream, like a crabapple intoxicated by the sun, a slight frown like pear blossoms in the rain, and her voice like a delicate yellow warbler.
I remember that she didn't speak Mandarin as well as I did back then, Zhou thought as she sat there.
Outsiders said that she was like Daji, possessed by a nine-tailed fox, and therefore was very good at confusing the emperor.
The other women sitting in front of Zhou were extremely flattering, but the Imperial Concubine did not show any sign of satisfaction. Instead, she said, "I am not happy at all that you have congratulated me. This is nothing but the grace of Your Majesty."
Not long after staying at the Imperial Concubine's place, Zhou went to Kunning Palace to pay a visit to the Empress. The Empress' face was pale, and she looked weak but with a hint of smile. There were still fresh gardenias on her table, and one could smell the fragrance if one got a little closer.
Just like the impression the Queen gives people, she is always kind, does not understand the evil in people's hearts, and has the virtue of forgiveness.
"Your Majesty..." Zhou was very excited.
The queen said softly, "You are here."
"Madam, I have something to tell you."
The empress dismissed her attendants and before Zhou could even open her mouth, she asked, "Are you here to discuss the matter of her becoming the Imperial Consort?" Before Zhou even opened her mouth, the empress knew what it was about.
Zhou nodded: "Your Majesty is wise. This imperial concubine is ambitious and may want to usurp the throne. You have always been indifferent and don't get involved in other people's affairs, but she is different. She may have set her sights on your position. Your situation is precarious!"
The queen smiled knowingly and said, "What can we do? The emperor has the final say in this palace."
"But Madam, you have to think about the eldest prince too. His mother's family is humble and he has long recognized you as his mother. He calls you mother, so you can't help but make plans for him, right? All the civil and military officials in the court are cheering for the eldest prince and submitting petitions to get rid of the treacherous concubine. Madam, you have to think more about him too."
"Yes." The queen's face finally showed a trace of emotion.
Zhou added more fuel to the fire. "If it weren't for you, the Imperial Concubine would still be in the countryside of Jiangling. How could she be where she is today? She has never known how to repay a favor. Li Guan's family and hers are old friends. When she was a concubine, Li Guan helped her in every possible way, but when Li Guan fell into trouble, she stood by and watched. Not to mention Madam Jian. When she was bullied by Concubine Cui, Madam Jian helped her out, but last year, the Jian family... The Imperial Concubine was even more indifferent when her property was confiscated. The Emperor had always loved her and wanted her to speak up for the Jian family, so he planned to let the Jian family go. Unexpectedly, she cried and the Emperor punished the Jian family. The Emperor confiscated the Jian family, and then the Jian family's property went into the Imperial Concubine's personal vault. Madam Jian has built bridges and roads for so many years and raised orphans. She is a rare good person, but the Imperial Concubine repaid her with evil. "
The queen smiled bitterly: "I know what you said, but it's not that I don't want to, but I can't."
Zhou was stunned.
But inside Chenyou Palace, the Imperial Concubine was flipping through a book with a dull expression. People around her knew that the Imperial Concubine didn't like to laugh. Although she was beautiful, she seldom smiled.
Soon, someone handed in a note. The head palace maid Su Yan took it and whispered a few words into the ear of the imperial concubine.
But the Royal Concubine smiled and said, "You still want to compete with me based on this? You are really delusional."
"The wife of the Marquis of Jinxiang is so bold that she even dares to instigate the empress to deal with you." Su Yan was very dissatisfied.
The Royal Concubine snorted coldly, "The Queen was born with a good life. She was born as the eldest daughter of the Ruan family. All her uncles and brothers are pillars of the country. Zhou Furou was born with good luck. She can always turn bad luck into good luck. Even the people she saved were the sons of dukes and marquises. She can also inexplicably seek benefits and avoid harm. It seems that she was born with this ability and met countless nobles. I am not as good at reincarnation as the Queen, nor as lucky as Zhou Furou, but even so, so what? I still believe that man can conquer nature."
After she finished speaking, she stood up and looked out the window, her tone very cold: "As His Majesty gets older, he is more and more wary of forming factions. I am afraid that my appointment of the Imperial Consort has touched the hearts of some people. The more they form factions and the more they threaten, the more displeased His Majesty will be. Go and have someone spread the word to the eldest prince, and ask him to ask the Empress for help."
Su Yan couldn't believe it: "Madam, aren't you letting them deal with you?"
"Can they really deal with me? The closer the relationship between the eldest prince and the empress's family is, the more the emperor will be jealous. It would be better if the eldest prince and the Ruan family were in the same boat. When the emperor came to power, he had suffered enough from the regents. After he took power, he has been weakening these noble royal family members and promoting military officers. It would be strange if the eldest prince is not courting his own destruction."
At this point, Su Yan finally understood: "Your Majesty is really thoughtful and far-sighted."
The Imperial Concubine smiled slightly, "What's the point of having a long-term plan? It's just to save my life. In the past, the Grand Ancestor said that concubines who gave birth in the harem would not be buried alive with the emperor. Later, when the Grand Ancestor came to power, the Empress Dowager Wei buried Concubine Lu, who gave birth to three sons, alive with the emperor. Fortunately, the late emperor only had one empress, the Empress Dowager, so no inhumane thing happened. If I don't sit in that position, I'm afraid I will be the first to be buried alive if the mountain and the mausoleum collapse."
The idea of being buried alive was terrifying, and Su Yan couldn't help but shudder.
The Royal Concubine said calmly: "Go buy yourself a piece of clothing."
Su Yan shook her head: "I am not cold, I just thought that the Queen did not agree with the wife of the Marquis of Jinxiang. I am afraid that even if the eldest prince asks again, she will not agree."
"She has always been useless, I know that. That's why the eldest prince hooked up with the Ruan family for stability. Those people in the Ruan family would not refuse. As for whether she agrees or not, it is useless. The emperor has long stopped listening to her. Back then, the dowry maid named Liusu beside her seemed to be lifting me up too much. She also wanted me to have a surrogate mother to bear a child. At that time, I thought that surrogate mothering was fake, and I was afraid that it was real to abduct the mother. It's not that I haven't thought about giving birth to a child and putting it in the lap of the Queen, but if I can do it, why should I pin my hopes on others?"
The Imperial Concubine mocked again, "The Empress has always been like a white lotus, and she likes to cultivate the pure whiteness of the gardenia. Unfortunately, the people around her are more calculating than each other."
Su Yan admired the Royal Concubine very much. When it came to controlling people's hearts, making plans, and winning battles thousands of miles away, no one could match the Royal Concubine.
A year later, the eldest prince was publicly accused by Emperor Yonglong of being disrespectful to the emperor and father because of his friendship with foreign ministers. As for the empress who had no children and requested to be deposed, Emperor Yonglong built a royal nunnery for her and gave it the title of Miaoshan Zhenren.
Everyone can see that this is paving the way for the Royal Concubine and the Fifth Prince.
The people outside the palace were excited to get rid of the treacherous concubine, and of course the Jinxiang Marquisate was there to help. Zhou Furou cried, "The treacherous concubine actually framed the Empress and the eldest son. The Empress has been the empress for thirty years and has done nothing wrong."
Han Qi sighed: "The elders have been knocking on the door for a long time. I wonder if the emperor will change his mind?"
Chenyou Palace was peaceful and quiet. Su Yan listed the people who had written petitions to criticize the Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Concubine listened for a long time without any reaction. Instead, she laughed and said, "They don't make trouble, but I am not used to it. For so many years, ever since I was favored, some people have said that the emperor neglected the imperial harem and favored me alone. They wished that I was regarded as a beauty like Daji and Yuhuan."
Su Yan said with a sad heart, "Your Majesty, we will be through this soon. When you become the empress and our prince is named the crown prince, you will be through this."
"Silly girl, why are you upset? I am not upset at all. Just like when I eat, I may eat at home in the past, but the emperor likes slim people, so I never eat more than two chopsticks a day, and never pick up dishes more than three chopsticks. And my feet, I used to have natural feet. My parents took me to Jiangling Mansion to eat rice dumplings, and I walked back and forth several times without feeling tired. Later, in order to enter the palace, I bound my feet. It was uncomfortable at first, but later I got used to it."
The Royal Concubine spoke in a gentle tone. She seldom spoke like this to the palace ladies. Apart from her witty remarks in front of the Emperor, she rarely spoke in private. She only loved reading books.
Su Yan knew that the Imperial Concubine would soon get through this. Even if she was not named Empress, she would be the Emperor's mother in the future. Even though she would be criticized by thousands of people, the Imperial Concubine would not have to be buried alive with the emperor in the future, which was a good thing.
"It's late at night. I'll help you get some rest."
The Imperial Concubine seemed particularly happy today. She took off her hairpins and clothes, and when she lay on the bed, she smiled like a child for the first time and said to Su Yan, "I wonder if I can meet my parents in my dreams today. I hope they can bless me and my child to be safe and sound."
Su Yan coaxed, "Yes, Madam, I will definitely do it."
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