No, Kangxi was puzzled. When did he become obsessed with men?
"Grandma, have you misunderstood something?"
"With three thousand beauties in the harem, you run to one man every day. How could I have misunderstood?"
“My grandson goes outside the palace because there are people outside the palace who can solve the problem of feeding the people of the world, so he always runs to the estate.”
The Empress Dowager refused to believe it: "How could this be?"
She had lived her whole life and never heard of anyone with such abilities.
"Your Majesty, you may not know this, but the harvests of the two seasons last year in Sanbo County, Kunyang Prefecture, Anning Prefecture, Yunnan Province, all reached more than five shi per mu. Such a high yield is all thanks to Mr. You, which is why I often go out of the palace."
The Empress Dowager still had doubts; this matter sounded somewhat fantastical!
"Are you telling the truth? You're not lying to me?"
"How could your grandson lie to you about something like this?"
He just didn't tell the whole story, so it can't be considered deception.
The Empress Dowager believed it, but there was nothing she could do about it; she didn't have much energy to care.
"I am about to die. I only hope that you will not follow in your father's footsteps."
Emperor Shunzhi doted on Consort Dong'e, and even though she had passed away, it had become a source of deep sorrow for her, something that could not be erased unless she died.
Kangxi lowered his head and said, "Grandma is right, I understand."
"Yes, I'm tired. You may go back now."
"If anything happens to Grandma, she can send someone to find her grandson anytime."
"Um"
After leaving the Cining Palace, Kangxi's face was covered with frost. He returned to the Qianqing Palace with a cold expression and said angrily, "Liang Jiugong, send someone to investigate who is gossiping in front of Grandmother Empress."
“Zha”
With the Empress Dowager seriously ill, her control over the Cining Palace was not as strong as before, and the people sent by Liang Jiugong found out the reason without much effort.
"Your Majesty, it was Consort Xi who let it slip to the Empress Dowager."
Consort Xi, formerly Noble Lady Ping, of the Hesheli clan, was the younger sister of Empress Hesheli. She was sent to the palace by the Hesheli family after Empress Hesheli gave birth to the Crown Prince.
Emperor Kangxi disliked this Consort Xi. She should have been granted the title of Consort during the grand conferment of titles in the twentieth year of his reign, but because Youqing wanted to be granted the title of Consort, she remained a Noble Lady Ping at that time.
Before punishing Suo'etu, Kangxi promoted Consort Xi's rank in order to appease the Crown Prince.
Unexpectedly, as her rank rose, her ability to cause trouble also increased.
"How did Consort Xi find out?"
How could a woman deep within the palace know his whereabouts outside the palace?
"It was Lady Tong who told Lady Hesheli, and Lady Hesheli went to the palace and told Consort Xi."
"Mrs. Tong?"
"She is the mother of the Imperial Noble Consort. Madam Tong suffered a lot of punishment because of the impeachment of Consort Shu. She probably harbors resentment, which is why she did such a thing."
"The Hesheli family has raised such a fine daughter, and she still won't behave herself even after all this. Since she doesn't want to live a good life, then let her live a hard life. Strip her of her title and demote her to a noble lady."
The reason he didn't demote her directly to the rank of "Consort" was out of consideration for the Crown Prince. Not long after Suo'etu died, if he were to demote the only woman in the Hesheli family of the harem to the lowest rank, Kangxi would be afraid that the Crown Prince would have something to say.
In fact, even if it was just a demotion to a lower rank, the Crown Prince would have already overthought it. Kangxi didn't give a specific reason for punishing Consort Xi; he just made up an excuse to demote her. In the Crown Prince's eyes, Kangxi was trying to wipe out the Hesheli family, which was his mother's family.
When the crown prince found out, he was almost driven mad with resentment.
With Consort Xi punished, there was nothing left to punish the Hesheli family. Emperor Kangxi also punished the Tong family, though not severely. In the palace, Consort Tong's power was divided among Consort Wen and three other consorts.
The Tong family has been experiencing a series of misfortunes lately. Not only is her husband's family having trouble, but her own family is also in dire straits. She always has a long face, and despite her age, she looks even older.
After much deliberation, Madam Tong submitted her petition to the palace, intending to discuss the matter with her daughter.
"Mother, why are you coming to the palace at this time? Has something happened at home?"
Although relatives of high-ranking concubines could send a token to enter the palace, the palace was not a place one could enter casually. Generally, unless there was a major event, they could only enter the palace to meet the emperor during festivals.
The arrival of Madam Tong made Consort Tong uneasy.
"Your mother has something to tell you."
"Mother, please speak."
"Some time ago, Mother..." Madam Tong recounted what she had done some time ago, and then told her about the recent events. After listening, Consort Tong was completely stunned.
"Mother, you are so foolish! If you need money, ask Father, or if that doesn't work, ask your daughter. Why did you do something like this, leaving such a huge handle on your hands, and then even implicated someone His Majesty values? Mother, what were you thinking?"
Consort Tong was furious. She had worked so hard and lived in the palace, never daring to make a single mistake, but her mother had offended the person in charge.
They even encouraged the Hesheli family to have Consort Xi cause trouble for His Majesty. Is it because they think their heads look too good on their heads and they only feel comfortable when they're on the ground?
Mrs. Tong felt uncomfortable because her daughter didn't understand her.
She could help her family once or twice, and if the amount was small, that would be fine, but her family couldn't possibly be helped by a small amount of money.
If she doesn't come up with a way to make money, and she really uses her husband's family's money to subsidize her own family, and it gets discovered, the Tong family will have nowhere to hide from her.
If she had a choice, why would she take such a risk? She only blames herself for not being careful enough and for being unlucky enough to have messed with the wrong person.
"Mother just wanted to earn some money. Who knew that the seemingly unassuming person actually had His Majesty backing him up? As for this time, Mother was also upset because no children had been born in the palace in recent years, and His Majesty was so fond of that You Qing. That's why Mother said some things she shouldn't have to her sister-in-law. Who knew she would tell Consort Xi... Consort Hesheli's mother."
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