Chapter 176 Concubine Wuya of Yonghe Palace
Upon hearing this, Kangxi felt a surge of anger rising within him, while a chill ran down his spine.
Sure enough, Nan Nan was right.
My cousin is not young and naive, nor is she simple-minded.
It is clearly hypocritical and hypocritical, with one face to the surface and another behind the scenes. The methods are ruthless and show no tolerance for others.
He had just reprimanded her two months ago for whipping a palace maid.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he left, he began to find new ways to torture people using this dull, slow method of killing.
If this Uya clan member could not bear the humiliation, or if she were more resolute and held a grudge, then in the future… he simply couldn’t imagine the consequences.
The lesson of Zhang Fei is still fresh in our minds!
The resentment of one's closest confidant is often the most deadly dagger.
He suppressed the surging anger in his chest and strode up to Uya.
He spoke in a deep voice, with an unquestionable air of authority.
"You, stand up and answer."
Uya trembled violently, her shoulders hunching slightly, like a frightened little animal.
She lowered her head even further, almost touching her knees, and spoke haltingly, her voice filled with suppressed fear.
"This servant dares not... If... if the princess finds out, she will beat this servant to death... I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and let this servant kneel here..."
Emperor Kangxi saw that she was so afraid of the Tongjia clan.
His dissatisfaction and disappointment with his cousin reached its peak.
His tone was sterner than ever before, and his voice rose slightly.
"I tell you to get up. I am here, who dares to touch you!"
Uya immediately kowtowed deeply, expressing her gratitude with tears in her eyes.
"This servant...this servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace..."
Then, she stood up shakily, as if using all her strength.
Her hands gripped the faded hem of her clothes tightly.
My body was trembling slightly, and I didn't dare to look up.
“Lift your head up.”
Kangxi's voice carried the emperor's command, brooking no disobedience.
Uya slowly raised her head as instructed.
In the instant she looked up, her gaze, seemingly unintentional, actually swept quickly and precisely over Li Guiping beside her.
Li Guiping lowered his eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly.
Uya looked timidly at the face of the emperor before her, with a kind of broken beauty.
Her face was pale, but her eyes were deliberately red and swollen, and her lips were bitten so hard by her teeth that they lost their color and turned slightly white.
A few teardrops, about to fall, still clung to her long eyelashes, shimmering faintly in the dim light of the corridor.
She looked pitiful, as if she had suffered greatly from bullying, broken and desperate, yet she forced herself to endure it.
Emperor Kangxi looked her over and saw that she was dressed simply and without makeup.
But with her delicate features and upright posture, she possessed a composure and tranquility unlike that of ordinary palace maids.
How could he remain so well-behaved despite being humiliated by his cousin's daily kneeling punishment?
They are either extremely cowardly by nature or exceptionally resilient in character, with grand ambitions.
But regardless of the type, such prolonged suppression and torment will inevitably lead to disaster.
This woman cannot be allowed to stay; at the very least, she cannot remain in Chengqian Palace.
————————
As Kangxi pondered how to deal with the situation, Lady Uya seemed even more terrified under his scrutiny.
Suddenly, he knelt down on the ground with a thud and kowtowed heavily.
The sound of his forehead hitting the floor tiles was dull and mournful, like the cry of a cuckoo.
"Your Majesty! I beg you to have mercy and let me leave the palace. I would rather go home and eat simple food. I will never dare to offend the princesses again. Please, Your Majesty, give me a way to live."
She cried so hard that her shoulders kept shaking.
She perfectly portrayed the image of a pitiful palace maid who had nowhere else to turn and was only trying to save her life.
Emperor Kangxi frowned.
How can palace maids be released from the palace at will if they haven't reached the required age?
This is not in accordance with palace rules.
But if she continues to stay in Chengqian Palace, it will inevitably lead to disaster sooner or later. Either she will commit suicide because she cannot bear the humiliation, or...
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he remembered Jiang Nan's meaningful words from earlier that day.
"The next one... her fate with Your Majesty is truly wonderful. It'll be soon, she'll appear very soon. However, she is not yet one of your concubines."
Could it be...?
The wonderful, inexplicable fate that Nan Nan was referring to.
The answer lies in this seemingly weak and helpless palace maid, Uya.
Once the thought arose, it grew wildly in his heart like weeds.
His gaze toward Wuya Shi held less scrutiny and more inquiry, and a hint of...
Curiosity about so-called destiny and fate.
On second thought, if it weren't for the need to secretly dispose of the person, eliminate any potential threat, and ensure my cousin's safety, it seems...
The only way is to bring her into the harem and elevate her status.
Only then can she completely sever the master-servant relationship between herself and her cousin and resolve this feud.
As Kangxi gazed intently at Wuya kneeling at his feet, the idea gradually became clearer to him.
At the same time, this also fulfills Nan Nan's prediction, perhaps... it can really bring him offspring?
Thinking of this, Kangxi made a decision, and he said in a deep voice.
"Palace rules are not to be trifled with. Once you've spoken out of the palace, don't mention it again."
Upon hearing this, Wuya deliberately revealed emptiness and despair in her eyes, as if the last glimmer of hope had been extinguished.
She held her breath, anxiously awaiting Kangxi's next words.
Whether one is condemned to eternal damnation or ascends to heaven in one fell swoop depends on this one move.
However, Kangxi's next words almost made her unable to suppress the overwhelming joy surging in her heart.
It made her tremble uncontrollably.
"Since you have had such a difficult time serving in Chengqian Palace... I will grant you this favor, considering that you have served the princess and are of proper Eight Banners origin. From this day forward, you will no longer be required to serve in Chengqian Palace."
Uya raised her tearful eyes in disbelief, staring blankly at Kangxi, as if she couldn't understand this heavenly music.
Kangxi met her shocked and bewildered gaze and spoke slowly.
The voice carried the power of life and death.
"I will give you a title and you will move into Yonghe Palace. From now on, you must be careful to fulfill your duties."
After saying that, Kangxi stopped looking at her.
It was as if it were just a trivial matter.
He turned to Li Guiping, his tone indifferent.
"I won't be having dinner at Chengqian Palace. Tell your concubine that I have some matters to attend to at court. Prepare to return to Qianqing Palace."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Wuya was left kneeling there, overwhelmed by a mixture of immense surprise and bewilderment.
Like a surging tide, it almost made her faint.
She succeeded? She actually succeeded!
Yonghe Palace—it is a relatively secluded palace garden among the six palaces of the East and West.
But from then on, she, Wuya, was no longer a palace maid in Chengqian Palace who was whipped at will and whose life was in constant danger.
She was personally appointed by the Emperor as a concubine with a formal title!
Li Guiping quickly bowed and responded loudly.
"Yes, Your Majesty! This servant respectfully sees Your Majesty off!"
Only after watching Kangxi's entourage depart into the distance did he slowly straighten up.
Turning his gaze back, he landed on Uya, who was still kneeling on the ground, looking dazed but unable to hide the wild joy in her eyes.
Li Guiping walked to her side, reached out to help her, and spoke with a sense of relief that she had completed her task.
"What are you still kneeling for? The Emperor has already gone far away. Get up quickly. Your destiny has come to fruition."
With Li Guiping's help, Wuya stood up. Her legs were a little numb from kneeling for so long.
She steadied herself, immediately bowed deeply to Li Guiping, her tone sincere and filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"This servant... thanks the steward for paving the way, and even more so to Her Majesty the Empress for her grace and favor."
Li Guiping nodded slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips.
"You acted well and seized the opportunity. From now on, you are considered half a master, and it's time to change how you refer to yourself as a servant."
He abruptly changed the subject, lowering his voice and issuing an unequivocal warning.
"But you must always remember who gave you all this today. The Empress can elevate you to the heavens, and she can also... smash you to pieces. If you forget your roots and become an ungrateful wretch..."
He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, and slowly uttered a few words.
"Murder, deceiving the emperor, framing your master—which one of these isn't enough to condemn you to eternal damnation and a death without a burial place? Hmm?"
————————
Uya: Once you're on the pirate ship, there's no getting off.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
