Today was the fifteenth day of the lunar month.
Besides paying respects to the principal consorts, Qing Luo also needed to pay respects to the Imperial Noble Consort and the Empress Dowager.
Qing Luo woke up at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), washed up, and hurried to the main hall.
When she arrived, it was neither early nor late.
After another quarter of an hour, all the Imperial Concubines residing in Xianfu Palace had gathered.
Consort Rou, seeing that everyone was present, led the consorts to Qixiang Palace to pay respects to the Imperial Noble Consort.
This was the first time Qing Luo had encountered such a grand ceremony of paying respects since transmigrating.
Along the way, she met many Imperial Concubines.
Upon arriving at Qixiang Palace, she looked around and thought, “Good heavens, there must be dozens of Imperial Concubines here!”
She heard that some were absent due to illness, and some Imperial Concubines had passed away previously, so the total number must have been over a hundred.
Qing Luo sighed again, thinking that Emperor Zhangping truly had great fortune; “Three Palaces, Six Courts, Seventy-Two Concubines” was not an understatement.
Looking at this room full of beautiful ladies—they were all like rare flowers or exotic grasses, not a single ugly one.
There were beauties of every type, plump and slender, making her want to become the Emperor herself.
Just imagining being surrounded by beauties, holding them close, made her excited.
While admiring the beauty of the ladies, Qing Luo took the opportunity to match the information she had received from Zhu Lan with the Imperial Concubines in the harem.
The one wearing a lake-blue palace dress, with a face like a delicate flower, gentle eyes, and a voice like an oriole, must be Consort Hui.
Noble Lady Yi was behind her, and Qing Luo recognized her immediately.
Consort Hui’s appearance was not considered top-tier in the harem, but her strength lay in her graceful temperament; she clearly was a gentle and considerate flower who could understand others’ feelings.
It was no surprise she received Emperor Zhangping’s favor.
Furthermore, she had carried a dragon fetus six years ago.
Although she miscarried in the end, it secured her position as a Consort ever since.
What did it matter if her family background was low, or if she was originally a palace maid?
As long as she caught the Emperor’s eye, she would still be favored.
Consort Xi, who was equally favored, had a bright, radiant appearance, adorned with gold and jade, giving her a very noble look.
Like the Imperial Noble Consort, she was one of Emperor Zhangping’s secondary consorts when he was still in the Eastern Palace.
Though over thirty, she was extremely well-maintained, showing no signs of aging.
Consort Mei, on the other hand, was exquisitely beautiful with a cold demeanor. Get faster updates on g.com.
Dressed in a light-colored palace gown, she resembled a snow lotus on a high mountain—beautiful but unapproachable, a true ice beauty.
Few Imperial Concubines spoke to her.
Due to her aloof personality, she had never been particularly favored, but because of her excellent family background, she was granted the title of Pin (Consort) immediately upon entering the palace and was promoted to the rank of Fei (Consort) two years later, even receiving a special title.
Besides this, Qing Luo also noticed that the Imperial Concubines who had entered the palace in recent years were generally slightly less beautiful, but they mostly shared one characteristic: a plump figure, large breasts, and large hips—the physique traditionally believed by common folk to be good for bearing children.
Attendant Chen was an example of this.
However, Attendant Chen was the most outstanding in appearance among this group of plump consorts, and thus the most favored.
Coupled with her youth, she believed she would certainly bear a dragon fetus and give birth to a Dragon Son in the future, subtly regarding herself as the number one favored consort.
It seemed Emperor Zhangping was truly anxious to have children.
Otherwise, his taste wouldn’t have changed so drastically; judging by Consort Hui and the others, Emperor Zhangping didn’t seem to prefer plump beauties.
Ever since Qing Luo stepped into Qixiang Palace, she noticed many eyes fixated on her.
She knew the Imperial Concubines were sizing her up because she had slept with the Emperor a few times and had recently gained some notoriety.
But she simply feigned ignorance, pretending to be a wooden post, letting them look all they wanted; no matter how much they stared, she wouldn’t lose a single hair.
As for the consorts who came to exchange pleasantries with her, Qing Luo just responded with a few “hmms” and “ahhs,” ensuring she wasn’t impolite.
She didn’t bother dwelling on the hidden meanings in their words; even if she used all her brain cells, she might not figure them out.
At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the Imperial Noble Consort appeared.
The room instantly fell silent.
The consorts from the various palaces orderly paid their respects according to rank.
The Imperial Noble Consort would say a few words when she had something to say, and when she didn’t, she would simply nod shallowly, not making things difficult for anyone.
After all the consorts had paid their respects and she had exchanged a few pleasantries, she led them to Cining Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager…
In Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was speaking with Emperor Zhangping.
Emperor Zhangping was extremely filial and came to pay respects to the Empress Dowager daily.
The time varied—sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon—but he always made a trip every day.
The Empress Dowager had accompanied the Former Emperor for decades and had only one son, Emperor Zhangping.
All her maternal love was poured onto her only child, and the relationship between mother and son was very good.
Parents always have endless worries.
When Emperor Zhangping ascended the throne at a young age, only eighteen, the Empress Dowager worried that the court would be unstable and Emperor Zhangping could not secure his position.
However, there was still no newborn in the harem, so the Empress Dowager began worrying about Emperor Zhangping’s succession, and this worry had intensified in recent years.
“Your Majesty, I heard a folk custom that says if you adopt a newborn baby and raise him, he might become a Fortune Child who brings sons, making matters of succession much easier. Not long ago, Princess Rong happily gave birth to a Kylin Son, and his birth characters are quite auspicious. Why don’t we bring him into the palace to raise for a while, keeping him by my side?”
The child from Prince Rongs Residence was Emperor Zhangping’s nephew.
Although he wasn’t related by blood to the Empress Dowager, he would call her Imperial Grandmother.
It was only natural for the Empress Dowager, who had lived in the deep palace for many years, to want to enjoy her grandchildren.
At her age, in an ordinary commoner’s family, she would already be surrounded by grand-children and great-grandchildren, enjoying familial happiness.
The Empress Dowager was genuinely concerned for Emperor Zhangping, even going as far as to inquire about folk remedys.
Emperor Zhangping frowned slightly.
“If Mother feels the palace is too quiet, I can have the Imperial Noble Consort and the others come to pay respects more often. I can also have a young lady from the Su Family enter the palace to keep you company. She can arrange flowers, brew tea, play chess, or converse with you. But my elder brother’s child is young, and it’s best not to separate the biological mother and son.”
The Su Family was the Empress Dowager’s maternal family.
Choosing a junior member to enter the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager was naturally permissible, demonstrating Emperor Zhangping’s filial piety towards the Empress Dowager and his regard for the Su Family.
The Empress Dowager said, “I would only raise him for a period of time. How is that separating mother and son?”
Emperor Zhangping stared steadily at the Empress Dowager.
“Whether it is or isn’t, Mother knows well in her heart. I do not agree.”
“I am going to court now. Mother, please take care and rest.”
Having said that, Emperor Zhangping stood up and left Cining Palace.
“It’s just about having two plans,” the Empress Dowager sighed softly.
She thought that there had been no good news in the harem for several years.
Raising a small infant in the palace might genuinely bring good news.
As the saying goes, it’s better to believe it than to dismiss it.
Moreover, raising a child in the palace was good.
If he was raised from infancy, even if he wasn’t biological, as long as he was nurtured and taught with care, he would be no different from a biological child.
This way, they wouldn’t have to hastily adopt an heir when the day came and they had no other choice.
Emperor Zhangping knew the Empress Dowager’s plan perfectly well.
His silence was to save the Empress Dowager some face, but his reaction showed he was angry; otherwise, he wouldn’t have left so abruptly.