Rong Pin Majia ranked fourth among the concubines during the grand enfeoffment in the sixteenth year of Kangxi’s reign.
Consort Wu carefully made her way toward the rear hall where Rong Pin resided, supported by her palace maid Xiao Lian. The halls of Chongcui Palace, like the front hall, were all five-bay structures. The central room served as the main hall, while the warm chamber on the west side was where Rong Pin conducted her daily affairs. The secondary chamber on the east side was where Rong Pin usually received guests.
Consort Wu was led by Rong Pin’s palace maid to this eastern secondary chamber.
Rong Pin was the most favored and most prolific among the Imperial Consorts in the palace. Although she had given birth to five sons and one daughter, only one daughter and one son survived. Nevertheless, her status in Kangxi’s heart was such that no one in the Imperial Harem dared to underestimate her.
Given Rong Pin’s fertility and The Emperor’s favor, who could say whether she might bear more A-ges in the future?
“This servant pays respects to Rong Pin.” Upon seeing Rong Pin enter, Consort Wu immediately stood up and gave a slight bow in greeting.
Rong Pin was delicately beautiful, with peach blossom eyes that seemed to gaze with deep affection at anyone when slightly curved. With a smile on her face, she instructed someone to help Consort Wu rise.
“Please rise quickly and speak. You are with child, there is no need for such formalities.” Rong Pin’s voice was as clear and melodious as an oriole in the mountains.
Consort Wu obediently stood up and then sat down as Rong Pin directed. With a gentle smile, she asked softly, “Your Highness, how has the Little Prince been lately? This servant heard that he can now walk by holding onto the wall?”
She was referring to Rong Pin’s youngest son, the Tenth A-ge, born in February of last year. At that time, Rong Pin was still Majia, a low-ranking consort. Not long after the Tenth A-ge’s birth, Majia transformed into Rong Pin.
Consort Wu also felt envious. By then, she had already been in the palace for two years. Back when the Grand Empress Dowager presided over the Neiwufu’s minor selection for their group, The Emperor had actually come in person. Several of them were chosen by The Emperor that time to become mistresses, rather than entering the palace as maids.
She had initially thought she would soar to great heights, but upon entering, she realized just how many people were in The Emperor’s Imperial Harem. There were over a dozen like her who had entered through the Neiwufu’s minor selection.
Yet she prided herself on not being inferior in looks to the others, believing there was still a chance. But she waited for half a year before The Emperor remembered her and summoned her to serve.
After serving once, The Emperor forgot about her again, continuing to favor Rong Pin and Noble Lady Nara. She exhausted every means before finally making The Emperor remember her once more.
Now she had also fulfilled her wish by conceiving the imperial heir. Once she gave birth, if she could achieve what Noble Consort had mentioned earlier… Consort Wu felt it was worth a try.
Hearing Consort Wu mention her youngest son, Rong Pin smiled. “He is over a year old now and should have been walking on his own long ago. However, the nannies and caretakers below are very attentive, so they let him learn to walk by holding onto the wall.” Having had six children, she naturally knew when a child should start walking.
Seeing Rong Pin’s affectionate demeanor, Consort Wu chatted with her for a while about amusing anecdotes of the Third Princess before turning to her own business. “Your Highness, when this servant was pregnant, Noble Consort even sent someone to look after me. Now that she has been ill for so long, if I do not go to visit Noble Consort, this servant truly feels uneasy in my heart.” As she spoke, the corners of Consort Wu’s eyes even reddened slightly.
Rong Pin had always been straightforward by nature and didn’t overthink matters. She genuinely believed Consort Wu was concerned about Tong Jiaying and comforted her, saying, “You are with child. When Noble Consort was critically ill before, it was reasonable for you not to visit. Now that Noble Consort is said to be recovering, it is only right for you to go see her.” Noble Consort was a good person; when Rong Pin gave birth to the Tenth A-ge, she had even sent someone to deliver high-quality wild ginseng.
This time, when Noble Consort fell ill, Rong Pin had two children and dared not visit her. She wasn’t afraid of falling ill herself but feared implicating her two children. Rong Pin would never dare to put her children in danger.
She also recalled The Emperor’s suggestion to send the Tenth A-ge outside the palace to be raised for a while, leaving her indecisive.
Consort Wu knew Rong Pin had a good temper but hadn’t realized just how good it was. She had only moved to Chongcui Palace recently. The Grand Empress Dowager had said that Rong Pin had experience with childbirth, so she was transferred from her original residence at Xianfu Palace to Chongcui Palace.
“This servant thanks Your Grace for your kindness,” Consort Wu said, standing up and bowing once more.
Rong Pin smiled and had someone help Consort Wu up again, then ordered an attendant to escort her back to the West Side Hall in the front courtyard where she resided.
After thinking for a moment, Consort Wu hesitated briefly before instructing Xiao Lian, “Go and fetch the gardenia silk pouch I embroidered, and bring over the slate-blue forehead band I embroidered earlier as well.”
Xiao Lian hesitated and said, “Mistress, that slate-blue forehead band was prepared for the Grand Empress Dowager. The turquoise stone on it was specially sought out and has even been consecrated before the Buddha at Baohua Dian.”
“Just go and fetch it. I’ll embroider another one for the Grand Empress Dowager tomorrow,” Consort Wu replied. Hearing Xiao Lian’s words made her feel that this forehead band must be given. Last time, she had sent a lilac-colored one, but after it was delivered, there was no further word. Presumably, it was too plain and didn’t please Noble Consort.
Now, she would send a specially embroidered satin forehead band with a ruyi pattern, adorned with a turquoise stone she had spent a great deal of money to acquire. Such a gift for Noble Consort would surely be useful.
For the sake of her own future, this small sacrifice seemed insignificant.
Xiao Lian could only comply. They resided in the West Side Hall of the front hall of Chongcui Palace, which consisted of three main rooms and a side room. The central room served as the main hall, the western room as the living quarters, and the eastern room was temporarily used as a study, prepared for when The Emperor visited, providing a place for leisure and conversation. The side room was the washroom.
She retrieved the items her mistress had requested from the storage chest, carefully arranged them, and noticed a slight wrinkle on the back of the forehead band. She hurried to the side room to find a flatiron, then went to the small kitchen to fetch some hot water. After ironing the forehead band smooth, she followed her mistress’s instructions and placed both items together in a box.
“Mistress, are you really going? Noble Consort’s illness is said to involve a high fever. What if… what if it’s contagious?” Xiao Lian worried. Now that her mistress was carrying the imperial heir, if anything were to happen, it would be a case of gaining little at the risk of losing much.
Consort Wu looked at the timid and cautious Xiao Lian and said, “Look, even The Emperor has visited. That means Noble Consort’s illness is not contagious. This is the perfect time for me to go.” Currently, apart from The Emperor, the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager sending people to visit Noble Consort, none of the other Imperial Consorts had dared to go.
She was now going to visit the Noble Consort, which happened to be the perfect opportunity to leave a good impression on her.
Over at Tong Jiaying’s place, she had just finished her ‘extra meal’—a bowl of medicine that the imperial physician insisted she drink immediately while it was still hot. Now she lay on the couch with a look of utter despair, as if she were about to meet her ancestors at any moment.
“Master, Consort Wu has come to pay her respects,” Feiyu whispered to remind her.