Emperor Kangxi did not conceal Youqing's true identity.
However, he covered up the matter of faking his death, saying that it was his idea, that the master said he should go out to avoid disaster and pray for the royal family, and now that he had returned from praying for blessings, he was destined to be made empress.
Kangxi found a perfect excuse, and none of the people in the palace who knew about Consort Shu's death believed it at the time. But since Kangxi said so, no one dared to disobey him.
The matter of appointing an empress was not without its twists and turns. The harem was gone, and the court was not at peace either, saying that the matter of the empress's position involved a wide range of issues and that virtue was required to match the position.
Emperor Kangxi loved her to the point of wanting her to live, and hated her to the point of wanting her to die. He loved Youqing so much that he couldn't tolerate anyone saying anything bad about her. Since she dared to speak of his beloved, Kangxi decided to investigate that person.
Upon investigation, it was indeed found to be unclean, so Kangxi decided to disregard this and act according to the law.
After this happened a couple of times, everyone knew Kangxi's temperament and intentions. He was determined not to change the empress and insisted that Consort Shu be the new empress.
The matter was thus settled.
Youqing observed Kangxi's actions and was deeply moved. He thought that this man had already met the required standard.
Although she had some modern soul, even in modern times, she couldn't guarantee that the man she married would be devoted to her for life. Kangxi hadn't touched anyone else for several years, living a life of quiet solitude.
Even a normal man couldn't withstand it, yet he, an emperor, managed to endure it; it must have been quite a feat for him.
She still remembers a male classmate in college who, after drinking, said a lot of "truths," saying that men who bottle things up for too long are very prone to problems.
You Qing was at ease preparing for her wedding.
Meanwhile, the princes and noblemen in Jingxing Pavilion of Muqing Garden have been feeling like they're dreaming these past few days.
In reality, his mother and all the ladies in the palace had requested to leave the palace. Before they, who had mothers, could even think of a way to find out what had happened, they heard that Emperor Kangxi had also gotten married and made an empress.
The two events occurred one after the other, making it difficult not to connect them.
This incident had some impact on the princes.
The Crown Prince's mother has passed away, but a favored Empress has arrived. If she gives birth to a child under such great favor, his status will inevitably be affected.
The other princes who had mothers were also upset. They vaguely guessed that their mothers' request to leave the palace must be related to this matter, so how could they be happy?
The only one who wasn't affected much was Yinzhen. His mother, whether biological or adopted, was gone, so he didn't need to worry about this matter.
Therefore, everyone in Jingxing Pavilion has been frowning these past few days, and not one of them has shown any joy.
Kangxi didn't care what others thought; at this moment, no one could be happier than him.
“I’ve heard things are in chaos outside, but you don’t seem worried at all,” Youqing said, looking at Kangxi’s leisurely demeanor.
"They're just making a fuss over nothing. If anything goes wrong, I just let them be. Sometimes I even think I'm being too lenient. What kind of people are they raising? They're always watching my little harem. If they want to bring glory to their families and make a name for themselves, they should show their true talents, benefit the people, and stabilize the region. They're always arguing in court over such trivial matters. It's enough to annoy me. I only feel better when I'm out."
Youqing chuckled: "In the end, it's all about shared interests, otherwise things wouldn't have come to this."
"Focusing only on immediate gains and having a narrow vision will not lead to long-term success."
"Since it won't last long, there's no need to care about that side. Use it when it's appropriate, and pull it out when it's no longer suitable."
"I know."
Emperor Kangxi knew the state of affairs in the court better than anyone else, but even knowing it, he still couldn't help but get angry for a while whenever he thought about it.
He couldn't say these words before, and there was no one else he could say them to, but now he only says them to Youqing.
As Youqing was about to become Empress, the eyes of the capital fell on her. It was at this time that the high-ranking officials and nobles of the capital realized that Youqing was the former Consort Shu.
In the past year or two, which lady or young lady in the capital hasn't used Yan Yue Ge's products? The thought of this made everyone feel complicated.
These are all related families.
The concubines, princes, and nobles of the imperial harem were all related to the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital, which affected Yan Yuege's business for a time.
Youqing heard about this but didn't seem to care.
Since Yan Yue Ge exists, it must have a reason to exist. Women love beauty; that's in their nature. They'll get used to it after a while.
"Don't worry about it so much, just do what you have to do."
The former Consort Wenxi, now of the Niohuru clan, heard about what was happening outside while at her estate in the west. She said with a dejected look, "Our Emperor is truly devoted, much better than the late Emperor. Look at all the things he has done; everything he has done is for his beloved. He has kept the entire court and the harem in the dark all these years. It must have been so hard for His Majesty."
The more she spoke, the more sarcastic her words became.
Both were favored daughters of heaven, and she had never suffered any grievances after entering the harem. However, the fact that Kangxi went to such lengths for a concubine of humble origins like Consort Shu made her feel ashamed.
It's shameful that all the women in the harem can't compare to one woman.
"Your Majesty, it is His Majesty who has deceived us."
"Alright, that's enough. Our Emperor sees things better than anyone else. It's not a case of passing off inferior goods as superior ones. I'm afraid that Consort Shu has some extraordinary abilities."
She had also investigated these days. This Consort Shu, using the alias "You Qing," had done things that even a man might not be able to do. No wonder His Majesty liked her.
But as clear as she was, as the victim and the one whose interests were harmed, she couldn't be happy at all.
"Master, should I go...?"
Niohuru quickly stopped her: "Alright, there's no need to do anything. With His Majesty's doting affection, anyone who does anything will be wrong. Unless His Majesty gets tired of it one day, this new empress will be favored for life."
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