Chapter 7

At this moment, Tong Jiahe felt a wave of dizziness, unsure if it was the Tong clan that had gone mad or herself. It was not that she had any desire to bear a child, but the news was simply too shocking.

For five years, the original owner of this body had been in the palace, and her desperate longing for a child with the Emperor was an open secret to everyone, both inside and outside the palace. If that were the case for others, what could the Tong family possibly be thinking?

"Hold your tongue! Do not be insolent in the presence of the Noble Consort!" Pu Yu shouted sharply at Nanny Wu.

In terms of status, Nanny Wu’s position in the household was undoubtedly higher than her own, but that mattered little; no one was permitted to pick at the Noble Consort’s scars in such a manner.

Nanny Wu persisted, her tone firm. "The Master and the Mistress were deeply worried upon hearing that Your Ladyship was ill. The Mistress, in particular, wished she could bear the suffering in your stead. Even when the Eldest Master’s household spoke some idle gossip, the Mistress shut it down."

After Nanny Wu rambled on at length, Tong Jiahe realized that the Tong family was actually divided into two factions regarding the Noble Consort’s lack of an heir.

One faction wanted the Noble Consort to give birth to a royal heir with Tong blood as soon as possible. The other wanted her to focus on raising the Fourth Prince in peace.

The Noble Consort’s own father, for instance, hoped she would conceive quickly, believing that a prince or princess would provide her with security for the future.

The Eldest Master of the Tong clan—the Noble Consort’s uncle—however, hoped she would simply continue raising the Fourth Prince to maintain their current standing. His intentions were easy to discern: the Tong family would continue to send women into the palace, and the heavy responsibility of bearing a royal heir could be left to other young women of the clan.

There were several pairs of sisters in the Kangxi Emperor’s harem: Empress Renxiao and the younger Heseri lady who entered the palace last October; Empress Xiaozhao and the younger Niohuru lady; and Concubine Yi and the secondary consort Gorolo.

The younger Heseri and Niohuru ladies had entered the palace on the same day; the former was granted the rank of Noble Lady, while the latter received the status of a Consort. The reason for this disparity, beyond the Niohuru clan being more influential than the Heseri clan, involved another factor that was not yet obvious—but to Tong Jiahe, a modern soul, it was crystal clear.

Most of the birth mothers of the current imperial heirs were of the Booi (bondservant) banner, because the Emperor was wary of the powerful Manchu noble clans and was unwilling to let high-ranking consorts easily bear children.

Empress Renxiao had given birth to the Crown Prince, while Empress Xiaozhao had no offspring. The heavy task of closely binding the Aisin Gioro and Niohuru clans together would fall to the younger Niohuru lady; the Emperor would certainly ensure she had a child, whereas the younger Heseri lady’s prospects were likely dim.

Tong Jiahe scoffed. The Tong family wanted her to keep a prince by her side for now, while leaving the duty of childbearing to the next Tong clan girl to enter the palace. This young Tong lady was likely her own cousin. If Tong Guogang truly wanted to send his daughter into the palace, Tong Jiahe would not stop him. As long as they did not block her path, she could choose to ignore them.

She would be the Empress of the Tong clan; it would never fall to another.

Nanny Wu continued, "Your Ladyship, your health is poor and requires careful recuperation before you can hope to conceive. I have some knowledge of medicine, especially regarding women's health. If I may be so bold, it was precisely because of this that the Mistress chose me to serve in the household."

"My Lady, the Fourth Prince is a prince. Continuing to raise him by your side will only bring benefits and no harm. I shall serve you and the Fourth Prince with all my heart and strength, and I will not fail the Mistress’s trust."

Having finished her report, Nanny Wu lowered her head respectfully, awaiting the Noble Consort’s decree.

So, Nanny Wu was someone her mother had personally chosen.

She should have felt comforted by this news, but instead, Tong Jiahe’s mind was in turmoil. Noble Consort Tong was the first child of Tong Guowei’s primary wife, the Heseri lady. Two concubines had given birth to sons before her, and the Heseri lady’s second child was also a daughter; it was not until the third that she bore a son—Tong Jiahe’s sixth younger brother, Qingfu.

The Heseri lady likely truly considered her daughter’s well-being, which was why she had sent a nanny who understood fertility. But no one knew better than Tong Jiahe what this current body was truly like.

Tong Jiahe had no intention of giving birth, and even less desire to trade her own health for a frail child. Having the Fourth Prince was enough.

Her mother must hope for her to have her own offspring. If, after several years, she still had none, would her mother, in her disappointment, send her own younger sister into the palace?

Tong Jiahe did not expect an answer to that question.

"I understand."

Tong Jiahe’s expression remained calm as she said to Nanny Wu, "You are well-versed in the rules, and I trust you. Once you have finished training the maids sent by the Imperial Household Department, you may come to serve within the palace."

Assigning a nanny to train palace maids was a task usually reserved for a consort’s most trusted confidants. Nanny Wu accepted the task joyfully and followed a young maid to the rear quarters.

She thought to herself that although her previous words reflected the wishes of the household, every sentence had displeased the Noble Consort. She would simply stay in the back quarters and work diligently for the Noble Consort for a few days; in time, the Noble Consort would naturally come to see the wisdom of it.

...

In the main hall, Tong Jiahe finished her meal with an indifferent expression and returned to her bed to rest for a nap.

Pu Yu opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated, standing there for a long time without saying a word.

"Pu Yu."

Pu Yu was startled. It was the Noble Consort, speaking from the bed with her back turned.

"My Lady," Pu Yu said, lowering her eyes.

"When I wake, tidy up the outside. Quality is better than quantity—this applies to things, and to people as well."

Pu Yu could not help but sniffle. Today’s events had ended with her mistress comforting her instead.

"This servant will follow your arrangements, Master."

Regardless of what the household intended, she would stand firmly behind the Noble Consort.

--

Palace of Gathered Elegance (Chuxiu Palace).

Upon hearing that the Noble Consort had gone to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility (Cining Palace), Borjigit-shi beamed with delight.

News of the Noble Consort no longer needed to be sought out; it traveled everywhere in the palace. The Empress Dowager had never favored the Noble Consort, so it was unlikely she would grant her much face to get close to the Fourth Prince.

Borjigit-shi ordered her maid, Cui Liu, to prepare silver ingots, looking for a chance to send them to the servants attending to the Fourth Prince. There were over a dozen servants caring for him; with enough silver, one could always bribe a useful one or two. Even if they couldn't get to the Fourth Prince, having someone in the Cining Palace to pass on a message would suffice.

"Master, I fear we cannot send gifts to the Empress Dowager’s palace so brazenly," Cui Liu said, hesitating. She did not want to risk bribing people in the Cining Palace.

Fighting among consorts was one thing, but involving the Empress Dowager was a taboo. Moreover, her mistress and the Empress Dowager were both from the Mongolian steppes; it was already a blessing that the old ancestor favored her at all.

Hearing Cui Liu’s words, Borjigit-shi’s good mood vanished by half. Her eyes turned sharp as she scolded, "You wretch! How I stand with the Empress Dowager is not for you to comment on. Do as you are told. If I hear you questioning your master again, I will send you back to serve my mother."

Borjigit-shi’s mother was notorious on the steppe for her temper; beating and scolding servants was a daily affair. Cui Liu had suffered under her whip as a child. When she later accompanied the young lady to the capital, the Mistress had given her a 'thorough warning,' repeatedly reminding her that she would take good care of her family back on the steppe. Recalling that overly kind smile, Cui Liu felt a chill run down her spine.

"Young Lady, this servant spoke out of turn! I know my mistake!" Cui Liu trembled in fear.

How could she have forgotten? Her mistress’s personality was exactly like her mother’s. Because they were in the Forbidden City, the mistress was restrained from beating or scolding servants as she pleased, otherwise, she would surely be punished often.

Borjigit-shi looked at Cui Liu coldly, pondering how to punish her without laying a hand on her.

Inside the room, the ice in the bucket had melted. The young maid nearby quickly added two large chunks, terrified of being caught in her master's crosshairs. Because of the Empress Dowager’s favor, the ice allocated to the Chuxiu Palace was twice the amount of a standard Noble Lady’s share, so they usually didn't feel the pinch when adding more.

At high noon, when the sun was most scorching, Borjigit-shi watched as the newly added ice melted into a puddle in the blink of an eye, and an idea formed.

"Get out and stand outside. Do not come back in until I call for you," Borjigit-shi said, her face cold and her heart colder.

Cui Liu’s face turned pale as she obeyed and walked out. The maids remaining in the room became even more cautious. If the Noble Lady wanted to vent her anger, she could have docked their monthly allowance. Instead, she chose cruel methods to dehumanize them. Standing outside under the venomous sun could wither a person; such petty, malicious ideas made them break out in a cold sweat.

--

Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing Palace).

The Kangxi Emperor had just finished checking the Crown Prince’s lessons. Seeing the Crown Prince’s diligence—which had never wavered since he began his studies at age five—he felt quite pleased.

Then, he reached for the calligraphy practiced by the eldest prince, Yinzhi, and the joy on his face dimmed.

"This boy, Baoqing, has his heart nowhere near his studies. Baocheng is two years younger than him, and even using his left hand, he writes better than him!" Kangxi scolded. "Where is the Eldest Prince?"

Baoqing was the eldest prince’s childhood name, and Baocheng was the Crown Prince’s; they were the two children in whom the Emperor placed the highest hopes. He indulged them daily, but Liang Jiugong knew the Emperor wasn't truly venting his anger; the Eldest Prince was simply too prone to laziness.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Eldest Prince is currently at the Palace of Purity and Tranquility (Zhongcui Palace) having a meal with Consort Hui," Liang Jiugong replied.

The Eldest Prince had been sent outside the palace since childhood and was only brought back after he learned to talk. Consort Hui doted on him like the apple of her eye, always waiting for him to return from the Imperial Study before dining together.

"Never mind, I will catch that rascal next time," Kangxi sighed. "Go to the Palace of Gathered Elegance."

In the Palace of Gathered Elegance lived the Noble Lady Borjigit-shi and the younger Heseri lady, who had entered the palace last year.

The third day of the fifth lunar month was the anniversary of Empress Renxiao’s death. Last month, Kangxi had been busy with state affairs and rarely visited the harem, naturally forgetting the younger Heseri lady, who had remained obscure in the Palace of Gathered Elegance for over half a year.

Upon arriving, he saw a palace maid standing under the eaves of the eastern side hall, her face pale and swaying, as if she would faint at any moment.

Kangxi frowned and looked at Liang Jiugong. "What is this?"

Liang Jiugong thought to himself, *This is trouble!*

"That is a senior maid serving the Mongolian Noble Lady."

The secondary consorts in the Palace of Gathered Elegance were all out of favor, and the Emperor rarely visited. It was quite a coincidence that he had encountered something unusual on his first visit.

The greetings of the servants reached the eastern side hall.

"Your Majesty?" Borjigit-shi, inside, was both surprised and delighted as she hurried out to greet him.

Emerging with her was the Heseri lady, who lived in the western side hall.

Borjigit-shi had a round face and slightly dark skin; her appearance was, at best, average among the consorts. The Heseri lady’s features were not particularly striking, but she was fair and elegant, making Borjigit-shi look lackluster by comparison.

"Your Majesty, it is stiflingly hot outside. Won't you come in for a cup of tea?" Borjigit-shi said with a smile, unable to suppress her excitement.

The Heseri lady looked at the proactive Borjigit-shi and chose to step back, standing aside in silence.

Ultimately, Kangxi entered the eastern side hall.

Borjigit-shi followed behind him, casting a triumphant glance at the Heseri lady. The Emperor valued the Mongols most of all. What did it matter if the sister of Empress Renxiao had entered the palace? She still wasn't as favored as herself.

Inside the western side hall, the Heseri lady’s maid said indignantly, "Master, you are both Noble Ladies, yet she is always looking down her nose at you."

"Empress Renxiao was your own sister, your background—"

The Heseri lady, holding a book, interrupted without looking up. "If you go back two generations, the Empresses of the Qing Dynasty all came from the Horqin Mongolian steppe. What could I possibly compare with her?"

The Heseri lady finally looked up and said very calmly, "Besides, my eldest sister passed away seven years ago."

In seven years, the Crown Prince had grown up and was no longer the toddler who needed his mother’s care. That she had received imperial grace at her age, and entered the palace alongside the younger sister of Empress Xiaozhao, spoke volumes about the attitudes of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

With her current status, no matter how she fought or scrambled, she could not sway the Emperor’s heart. If this were Concubine Yi or Concubine De, the scene might be worth watching.

In the end, it was simply that she did not carry enough weight in the Emperor’s heart.