Chapter Seventeen

  The golden and silver silk embroidered phoenix pattern on her flag dress shone brightly, reflecting the large, full red pearl hairpin on her head, exuding an aura of wealth and nobility that was hard to describe. What's more, those eyes that were always drowsy and sleepy were now shining brightly, causing the little eunuch at the bottom to shrink back: "It is said... it is said that Li Yuanzhi has already taken his own life in fear of punishment..."

  The little eunuch's voice grew smaller and smaller, almost curling himself into a ball.

  The empress dowager raised the corner of her mouth in a cold smile: "Indeed, you truly do not have the House of Aisin Gioro in your heart."

  The eunuch Yang Qing, who was standing beside the empress dowager, waved his hand to let the little eunuch go down and spoke in a low voice to the empress dowager: "You see if it's also related to the crown prince this time..."

  The empress's face turned cold: "So anxious to get rid of someone, saying that there is no ghost in the heart is absolutely impossible. No matter what, this grudge has been formed!"

  The Empress Dowager's favoritism towards Li Yuanzheng is not a new thing, but now she appears so indifferent, it's because Li Yuanzheng is no longer as obedient as before. She called him several times, but he didn't come, which has somewhat lost the Empress Dowager's heart.

  The Empress Dowager will not rush to confront the Crown Prince now, if things get out of hand and the Emperor finds out, it will only raise his suspicions, even if the Crown Prince suffers a loss, the Empress Dowager will be in an even more difficult position.

  The sky was covered with a black curtain, and the courtyard of Ah Ge's house was lit up. Although Quan Pei was pregnant, Yin Zhen still insisted on staying in the main room. Yan Gu Niang had a look of disappointment, but she could only lower her head to hide it.

  The cool breeze at night made Li feel refreshed, and she turned to say to Yan, "Do you still want to compete with Furen? Put away those petty thoughts of yours."

  People are still in the yard, this word must be able to reach Madame Fu's ears, Yan Niang trembled with fear, Li Shi isn't giving herself a warning, stepping on her own foot and revealing her true intentions in front of Madame Fu.

  Li stepped into the house in a few steps, and Yan Niang had so many words to say but couldn't utter them, so she followed him inside.

  Xiao Yatou was attending to Li Shi's change of clothes, while Yan Niangzi hesitated for a moment before approaching her. Li Shi raised an eyebrow and looked at her: "You've seen it, haven't you? I have plenty of ways to deal with you, so you'd better behave yourself in front of me and not try any tricks."

  Under the dim light, Li's eyes were filled with a chilling coldness. For the first time, Yan felt that she understood what it meant to be in a noble household. She forced herself to remain calm: "I am your maid, how could I do anything to wrong you?"

  Yin Zhen changed into her clothes and came out of the dressing room, seeing Quan Pei with her hair down, leaning against the pillow and sitting on the couch. Her face, which had just been washed, still had a faint pink glow, looking unusually soft and delicate, even Yin Zhen's heart softened as she sat beside her.

  On the low table was a piece of paper, and Yongzheng said: "What's this again?"

  "Look at you."

  On a white paper were clearly written the appearance and family background of two girls. Yongzheng was surprised and said, "This is..."

  "This is the two gege I picked for you, how do you think?"

  She had a smile and an air of nonchalance between her eyebrows, as if to say "Look at this dress?", which made Yongzheng feel somewhat strange. Yongzheng coughed lightly and glanced at her belly: "Actually, there's no need to enter the palace..."

  Yongzheng's little thoughts seemed to be seen through by Quan Pei in an instant, her eyes were filled with a clear and bright smile, she reached out her arm and hooked it around Yongzheng's neck, leaning in close and laughing softly: "Is it true?"

  "Of course..."

  Quan Pei suddenly smiled, as if the gentle flow of water flowing through a quiet mountain valley, striking out waves of ripples. Yin Zhen felt his heart numb, he was about to speak, but only felt a warm and soft touch on his cheek. He was stunned to see Quan Pei, who seemed to have a deep and mysterious eye with a smile that seemed to capture his soul, opening a charming flower all the way to his heart.

  He muttered under his breath, but still couldn't help himself and kissed her fiercely, as if only this way could the constantly jumping and itching thing in his heart be calmed.

  The emperor returned to the palace, and the selected beauties who were to be left with the imperial seal waited for the emperor's nod, after which this round of selection was considered over.

  Wu Ruoxi and Nalan Mingyue almost simultaneously looked up at each other, neither expecting that both of them had been left with a token. Could it be that they might both enter the Fourth Prince's harem? Their relationship was already like fire and water; how would they get along if they entered the same harem together? The two lowered their eyes, their thoughts in turmoil.

  The Empress Dowager seemed to be dozing off again, her dark blue robe almost wrapping up her entire slender figure. Kangxi sat beside her: "Who do you think should be chosen as the new Noble Consort this time?"

  The Empress Dowager slowly opened her eyes: "Is Your Majesty watching?"

  Kangxi smiled: "Isn't this what you wanted to hear from Empress Dowager?"

  The empress dowager smiled benevolently: "What opinion can I have? The princes in the harem are all grown up, and whoever is made the empress will be unsuitable. But if her background is too poor to command respect, that won't do either. As for who it will be, it's still up to the emperor to decide."

  Kangxi was willing to speak with the Empress Dowager because he felt that she always spoke impartially and had his interests at heart. The Empress Dowager's words coincided with Kangxi's thoughts, and he smiled: "We've actually thought of the same thing! After weighing the pros and cons, it seems that Consort Tong is still the best!"

  The empress dowager narrowed her eyes again, just smiled and didn't say much.

  The Emperor decreed that Consort Tong be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, overseeing the imperial harem, with the four consorts assisting in palace affairs.

  The Empress Hui had been ill for some time and heard this, bursting into cold laughter. She had waited so long and finally got the result she wanted - the Emperor truly loved the Crown Prince and was deeply afraid that she would threaten him!

  The crown prince let out a sigh of relief, and Suo E Tuo smiled and said: "What the crown princess said is right, the emperor still loves and cherishes you very much, how could he possibly establish someone in the harem who would be a threat to you? You can put your mind at ease!"

  The crown prince smiled lightly: "It seems I was indeed overthinking."

  Quan Pei stopped under the Osmanthus tree: "Empress Dowager..." She lowered her eyes, and the corner of her mouth was an elegant arc. If Empress Dowager wanted to save Li Yuanzheng, then the story would almost be clear. It seemed that the honest, kind-hearted, and gentle Empress Dowager was actually like this? From now on, things about Empress Dowager couldn't be judged solely by appearance. This woman who was good at disguising herself had such a hobby in her old age, so who could say that there were no other thoughts in her still-young heart?

  Wu Fu Jin came in from outside and saw Quan Pei standing under the tree shade, rarely wearing a plain blue cheongsam with a chrysanthemum pattern, with only one jade hairpin on her bun without any other decorations. It was rare to see her dressed so plainly, but unexpectedly it was another kind of scenery, faintly like a ink wash painting of rain and mist. She smiled as she walked up: "What are you standing here for?"

  Wei Ruxian smiled and it was as if she had added color to this picture of rain and mist, instantly making it more vibrant: "Let's go for a walk."

  Under the osmanthus tree, tables and chairs were set up. The maids brought out freshly brewed Dongting Biluochun tea. Wu Fu Jin took a sip: "Newly harvested tea leaves, why didn't the Imperial Household Department give some to our courtyard?"

  "Our grandfather brought it back from outside."

  Wu Fu Jin was uninterested in this and lowered her voice to ask: "Do you know Zhang Jia Yun Ying from the Xiu Nu Li? What does she look like?"

  Zhang Jiayun is going into Wu A'ge's backyard.

  "I've heard of her, she's a beauty with exceptional talent and looks."

  Wu Fu Jin's face immediately turned into a bitter melon: "How is it that little demon again!"

  Wei Pao smiled and said: "What are you worried about again? She's here, isn't that a good match for your Liu Gege?"

  "That's totally different! If it were like that, I wouldn't have any at all... No way!"

  Wu Fu Jin said to look far ahead, seize the opportunity to counterattack, it seems that only white words, Quan Pei sipped a mouthful of tea: "We still have two more to go, people I've seen, I'm afraid not worse than your side."

  Wu Fu Jin Guo Zhen was more interested in such things: "Don't be sad, we women are just born to suffer!" She then forgot her previous worries and comforted Quan Pei instead.

  Watching Wu Fu Jin, Quan Pei suddenly thought of Wu A Ge and then remembered the Empress Dowager. Wu A Ge was raised by the Empress Dowager to be stupid, seemingly not in the Emperor's favor, yet the Empress Dowager had intentions but didn't use Wu A Ge, so what did she plan?

  The old woman of Tianxiang Pavilion returned to Nara Mansion and told Aixinjueluo: "Several maidservants have arrived, they are all well-behaved."

  "Give birth to a child for Fu Jin, it's better to have someone useful, otherwise when you get out of the palace, there won't be anyone useful."

  "I understand!"

  As she walked to Zhengyuan, she saw her eight-year-old daughter Ruyi on the road. She glanced at her a few more times and felt that this child was getting more and more like her aunt, with an unlikable pointed mouth and sunken cheeks, but she had a honest appearance. When she saw Ji Luo Shi, she bowed to greet her. Ji Luo Shi didn't want to bother with her much: "Girls from your family shouldn't always be wandering around outside, hurry back to your own room."

  Ru Yi seemed as if she had been frightened by Jueluo's words, and she hastily paid her respects before retreating.

  "Look at her, with a face full of petty bourgeois airs. How did our family raise such a child?"

  It's not good for the nanny to intervene in such matters, just perfunctorily responding is fine. Everyone knows that the lady dislikes Wang Yiniang and the illegitimate princess born to her, and now the old master is only on the side of the lady, so the mother-daughter relationship is indeed not great. But the nanny thinks, if someone wants to do something shameful like Wang, they should be prepared for this day!

  The midwives were all prepared in advance, but because they were afraid of any unexpected events, they changed several times. It wasn't until close to the expected delivery date that one was finally settled on.

  The closer the day got, the more anxious Yi Zhen became. He didn't dare to say much to Quan Pei, fearing that she would also become flustered. He was worried that the midwife might be unreliable and that something might go wrong during the delivery, harming Quan Pei.

  Yin Zan is worried about many things, he doesn't tell Quan Pei, but Quan Pei can see it in his eyes.

  On a sweltering summer day, Yongzheng sat on a recliner, vigorously fanning himself with a large palm-leaf fan, as if this was the only way to clear his mind. He turned his head and saw that Guan'er, who was heavily pregnant, was rarely doing needlework: "At this time, what are you doing needlework for? What if you hurt your eyes?"

  He looked at Guan Pei with some surprise, only to realize that his tone was too hasty, so he turned his face and fanned himself while drinking cold tea.

  "When the baby is born, my mother will also come to help out. The nanny has just been hired and there are servants watching over her every day. I have to move around several times a day and my body is quite good, what's Father worried about?"

  He knew that Guan Mei could see into his heart. He took a deep breath: "What you said makes sense." But I'm still afraid.

  "Hasn't anyone thought of a name for the child? Are we going to wait until it's born and not even have a nickname?"

  He sat in a daze for a while, and it wasn't until half a moment later that he remembered there was such a thing, so he got up: "I'll go to the study and flip through some books."

  Looking at Yongzheng's back, Quan Pei smiled lightly and said that he had become old-fashioned, but occasionally he was still like a child.

  The new imperial consort came to the Cining Palace to pay her respects, and the empress dowager saw that she was respectful. A faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth: "Do your job well as the imperial consort, if there's anything you're unhappy about, I'll take care of it for you."

  The delicate and elegant Consort Tong heard the Empress Dowager's satisfaction: "The slave servant will never forget the Empress Dowager's kindness."

  Yang Qing couldn't help but admire the Empress Dowager, who had long guessed the Emperor's intentions and repeatedly won over Concubine Tong with kindness, promising to make her a Noble Consort. As it turned out, Concubine Tong became just that, thinking it was all thanks to the Empress Dowager's efforts, unaware that the Empress Dowager hadn't even said anything extra - Concubine Tong was destined to be a Noble Consort from the start.