As soon as Yunxiu spoke, an eerie silence fell over the hall.
Consort De could no longer maintain her gentle demeanor. Her chest heaved visibly, and her expression darkened abruptly.
Being of similar age, having entered the emperor's favor around the same time, borne children, and received promotions together, she and Consort Yi had naturally developed a rivalry.
Mrs. Guoluoluo enjoyed the emperor's highest favor—something Consort De could never match. Moreover, Consort Yi was flamboyant and domineering, while she, a former palace maid, had clawed her way up to her current position through sheer hardship!
Consort De had long harbored resentment.
Yet, no matter how she truly felt, the two always exchanged smiles when they met, their veiled barbs carefully measured, never escalating to outright hostility.
But today’s incident of matching attire had pushed Consort De to her limit.
Seated side by side with Consort Yi, the contrast between them was stark—like a phoenix compared to a common hen.
When had Mrs. Guoluoluo ever worn apricot-white? She must have done this deliberately.
Still young and newly elevated to consort rank, Consort De had developed a temper and refused to swallow this humiliation.
Yet, accustomed to caution, she masked her anger with soft-spoken words of "concern," hoping to leave Consort Yi speechless.
To her shock, Consort Yi defied expectations and publicly humiliated her!
But she dared not retaliate openly...
Consort De took a deep breath, feeling a dull ache in her abdomen, and forced a smile. "Sister misunderstands me."
Yunxiu ignored her, leisurely lifting her teacup.
At such gatherings, no one would dare tamper with the tea. The curling steam rose as she took a sip, warmth spreading through her limbs. She closed her eyes in satisfaction, then glanced at Consort De’s discomfited expression, feeling a surge of vindication.
The moment Consort De had spoken, old and new grievances had surged in Yunxiu’s heart. She no longer cared about competing for favor, nor did she fear an open confrontation.
In her dreams, Mrs. Wuya had lived gloriously as the Empress Dowager. But now—
Not a chance.
...
The Imperial Noble Consort lowered her raised hand, her smile toward Yunxiu now tinged with genuine warmth.
Over the past few months, she had been less attentive to Yinzhen, nearly failing to thwart Consort De’s underhanded schemes.
How could Mrs. Tongjia tolerate such insolence?
True, she cared more for her own child than the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, but their years of shared affection were not fabricated.
Consort De had tried to exploit her pregnancy to win Yinzhen over, attempting to steal what was hers—a direct affront to her dignity.
She doted on the Sixth Prince, Yinzuo, as if he were a treasure, but how much motherly love did she truly have for Yinzhen?
A lowly maidservant who had climbed into the emperor’s bed, using her children to secure the rank of Noble Consort De—yet still unsatisfied, her ambitions knew no bounds.
Through careful maneuvering, she had worsened Yinzhen’s impression of Consort De, but the Imperial Noble Consort still felt it wasn’t enough. However, her pregnancy symptoms—relentless nausea—had forced her to set aside other matters and focus solely on her health.
Now, seeing Yunxiu openly rebuke Consort De, Mrs. Tongjia felt immense satisfaction, her previous prejudice toward Yunxiu softening slightly.
...
Yunxiu’s imperial favor was the envy of many, even the lofty Imperial Noble Consort. But for now, Consort De posed the greater threat. After a quiet laugh, the Imperial Noble Consort regarded Yunxiu with a hint of goodwill.
Consort Hui and Consort Rong exchanged startled glances before hiding their smiles behind their handkerchiefs. Concubine Duan and Concubine Jing looked at each other in surprise, while the lower-ranking concubines bowed their heads, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
Since when had Consort Yi changed her temperament?
No—not changed, but grown even bolder and more unrestrained.
Silence reigned in Chengqian Palace until an announcement from outside broke it: "The Noble Consort of Yongshou Palace has arrived—"
The late-arriving Mrs. Niu Gulu, the Noble Consort of Yongshou Palace, shattered the stillness with a graceful curtsy and an apology.
"May the Imperial Noble Consort enjoy boundless peace! Please forgive this humble one’s tardiness." The Noble Consort’s demeanor was dignified, her gaze serene, her smile faint yet impeccable in courtesy.
It was an unspoken rule that during Chengqian Palace gatherings, the Noble Consort always arrived last.
The court, both front and rear, adhered to a principle of balance.
With the Tongjia family’s overwhelming influence, Kangxi had elevated the younger sister of Empress Xiaozhao to the rank of Noble Consort, showering the Niu Gulu family with honors.
Similarly, under the Empress Dowager’s guidance, the Hesheli family—the maternal clan of the Crown Prince—had sent a half-sister of Empress Renxiao into the palace, now known as Concubine Hesheli of Chuxiu Palace.
The current state of the rear palace was firmly under Kangxi’s control. The Imperial Noble Consort was no fool—how could she not see this?
After the Noble Consort’s apology, the Imperial Noble Consort showed no displeasure, smiling instead. "You’ve arrived at just the right time. Please, take your seat."
The four consorts paid their respects to the Noble Consort, followed by the concubines, then the noble ladies, constant attendants, and response attendants.
Noticing Yunxiu’s apricot-white attire, the Noble Consort paused in genuine admiration. "That gown is exquisite—it suits you."
Within the palace, aside from Noble Consort Le, Yunxiu got along best with the Noble Consort Niu Gulu, their friendship well-established.
At these words, Consort Hui stifled a laugh, while Consort De’s expression soured completely.
She clenched her embroidered handkerchief so tightly it crumpled in her grip.
After Yunxiu finished her greetings, the Noble Consort finally noticed Consort De’s outfit. Masking her surprise, she realized she had inadvertently struck a nerve...
An unintended slight. The Noble Consort smiled faintly, as if in apology.
Seated high above, the Imperial Noble Consort was thoroughly amused, feeling the weariness of her pregnancy lift slightly.
What a delightful spectacle!
"With the Imperial Birthday approaching, all of us must contribute. Aside from the family banquet, there are the congratulatory gifts... After much consideration, I’ve decided to entrust the banquet arrangements to Consort Hui and Consort Rong..." The Imperial Noble Consort moved on to the main agenda.
Consort Hui beamed, while Consort Rong’s joy was evident. Both rose to express their gratitude.
Organizing the banquet was a meticulous, laborious task.
The Imperial Noble Consort, burdened by her pregnancy, could not oversee such trivialities. The Noble Consort, Consort Yi, and Consort De were also with child—so this responsibility naturally fell to the other two.
"As for the selection of gifts, I and the Noble Consort will oversee the process, but the task of reviewing them shall fall to Consort Yi, with Consort De assisting..."
Reviewing gifts was the easiest duty, one that, if done well, could catch the emperor’s eye.
More importantly, every congratulatory gift from the entire rear palace would pass through their hands—revealing who had offered something remarkable and who had struggled to contribute.
At this announcement, envious glances turned toward Yunxiu, while few were directed at Consort De.
The Imperial Noble Consort had made it clear: Yunxiu would lead, and Consort De was merely assisting. In any disagreement, Yunxiu’s word would prevail.
Yunxiu set down her teacup. In her dreams, this had never happened.
Gift selection had always been a lucrative task delegated to the Imperial Household Department.
A thought struck her—she understood the Imperial Noble Consort’s intent.
By emphasizing Consort De’s subordinate role, Mrs. Tongjia was blatantly favoring her, hoping to pit her against Consort De until the latter was thoroughly weakened.
It seemed her uncharacteristic outburst today had earned the Imperial Noble Consort’s approval.
Glancing sideways at Consort De’s crumpled handkerchief, Yunxiu nearly laughed aloud.
She had been fretting over the gift issue—now, a timely solution had arrived.
Yunxiu was born into a Manchu martial arts family and had no skill in embroidery—in fact, she was utterly clueless about it.
To surprise the Emperor and secure a special place in his heart, she resolved to personally embroider an everyday robe for him. With humble guidance from Ruizhu, she spent a month painstakingly working on a half-finished piece, just in time to present it as a tribute on the Emperor’s birthday.
Learning embroidery had been a struggle. Her clumsy fingers suffered countless pricks, and just as she neared completion, she gave up.
A dream had revealed the bitter truth to her—no matter how much heartfelt effort she poured in, it would all come to nothing in the end.
If that were the case, why bother embroidering at all?
Even if that half-finished piece gathered dust, she would never gift it.
Yet choosing a new present proved troublesome.
Without any desire to compete or stand out, her gift couldn’t be too shabby nor too extravagant…
Just as she fretted over this, the Imperial Noble Consort assigned her a perfect task, solving her dilemma in the nick of time.
When the time came, she could simply glance at the gift list, pick something appropriately modest, and that would suffice.
Yunxiu rose to express her gratitude, her words so effusive that the Imperial Noble Consort was taken aback, her smile growing warmer in response.
…
Once the task was assigned, the Imperial Noble Consort rubbed her temples, showing signs of fatigue. The other consorts, perceptive as ever, took their leave.
Yunxiu stepped out of Chengqian Palace, one hand resting on her waist, her face bright with a smile. Glancing toward Cining Palace in the distance, she said to Nanny Dong, "At this hour, Yinqi must be fast asleep."
The Grand Empress Dowager resided in Cining Palace, while the Empress Dowager lived in Ningshou Palace. The Empress Dowager, being the Grand Empress Dowager’s grandniece, paid her respects at Cining Palace every morning and stayed until dusk before returning to her own quarters.
Thus, though Yinqi was raised by the Empress Dowager, he essentially grew up in Cining Palace—one could even say the Grand Empress Dowager had a hand in his upbringing.
Years ago, when the Empress Dowager first expressed her wish to adopt Yinqi, Yunxiu sensed it during her postpartum confinement.
After much deliberation, she steeled herself and spoke to Kangxi about it from behind a screen.
Entrusting Yinqi to the Empress Dowager’s care had its advantages, despite the distance it created between mother and son.
First, Yinqi would gain the protection of two formidable figures in the palace. Second, kept away from the struggles of the throne, he could live a peaceful life—precisely what Yunxiu prayed for.
The Crown Prince was still young, and the future was uncertain. But meddling in the battle for succession? Yunxiu had no such ambition.
Moreover, she had a vague sense that the Emperor was aware of the Empress Dowager’s intentions—and was hesitant about it.
There was a world of difference between volunteering and being forced to comply.
After weighing every aspect, Yunxiu tearfully proposed that the Empress Dowager raise Yinqi.
This decision not only moved Kangxi but also deeply touched the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager.
From then on, Yunxiu’s favor soared to new heights, earning her the special regard of both palaces.
The Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager had always admired Yunxiu’s temperament, but after this, their affection surpassed even that for Concubine Borjigit, who hailed from the Khorchin tribe.
Surprisingly, the separation between mother and son wasn’t absolute.
The Empress Dowager, kind-hearted by nature, carried a deep guilt toward Yunxiu. She never restricted Yunxiu’s visits and often invited her to dine with Yinqi… Their time together as mother and son was far from scarce.
In contrast, the Imperial Noble Consort forbade Consort De from getting close to Yinzhen, despite him also being raised by another. Comparing the two, Yunxiu felt both relief and gratitude.
"Your Highness, if you miss the Fifth Prince, why not rest in your palace for a while and then visit Cining Palace to play with him?" Nanny Dong suggested with a smile.
Yunxiu let out a soft yawn, her eyes warm with affection. "You’re right."
It had been days since she last saw Yinqi—had he grown taller?
What happened at Chengqian Palace reached Qianqing Palace almost immediately.
After court, Kangxi washed his face, changed into a moon-white dragon-embroidered robe, and picked up a memorial to read while listening to Liang Jiugong’s report.
Liang Jiugong repeated in a low voice, "…and she didn’t even seem tired."
After a long silence, the Emperor set down the memorial, his tone unreadable. "Did Consort Yi really say that?"
Liang Jiugong: Indeed, she did. And Your Majesty’s lovingly embroidered gift is no more.
Kangxi: …
