“Thirteen years old already, Lanzhu has grown up. In the future, come to the palace more often to keep this old lady company.” Lanzhu slightly raised her head, her face carrying just the right amount of charm: “Grand Empress Dowager, you’re not old at all.” “If you cover your hair a bit, you look like a sister to the servants.” “Haha…” “Your mother says you have a dull personality, but I see you’re quite lively. Where’s the dullness?” The Grand Empress Dowager was coaxed into a hearty laugh, even the wrinkles at the corners of her mouth smoothed out. “Look at this, usually such a well-behaved girl, but today, I wonder if she ate honey before coming to the palace, her little mouth is so sweet.”
Only then did the Grand Empress Dowager seem to remember the others present. “Grand Empress Dowager, don’t say that. I also feel that Tongjia Gege’s words are especially sweet today, making us servants feel quite dull.” Said a Gege standing closest to the Grand Empress Dowager on her left. Judging by her appearance, she seemed older than the other three, about fifteen or sixteen years old. “What Guarjia Sister said is very true, Grand Empress Dowager, you mustn’t dislike us servants.” The person beside Guarjia Gege also coquettishly said to the Grand Empress Dowager. “Oh my.” “You little monkeys, I can’t even like you enough.” The Grand Empress Dowager laughed and let go of Lanzhu’s hand, then pulled the other three closer to her side. “You girls are like flower buds, just looking at you makes me feel at ease.”
“You’re all about the same age, go out for a walk, don’t just stay here with me.” After chatting for a while, the Grand Empress Dowager said to them. Except for Lanzhu, the other three seemed tempted, but before they left, their mothers had instructed them, so even if they wanted to go, no one moved first. The Grand Empress Dowager, having experienced this many times, could easily see through the thoughts of these young girls: “Go on, it’s still early, the flowers in the Imperial Garden are blooming beautifully, go pick a couple for me to put in a vase.” “We will go right away.” Guarjia Gege, Hesheli Gege, and Niohuru Gege all stood up, but Lanzhu remained steadily seated on the embroidered stool, showing no intention of getting up.
“Grand Empress Dowager, please let me rest. I caught a chill last night and slept late, so I’m not very energetic now. Please let me stay here with you, I promise not to disturb you.” Lanzhu looked at the Grand Empress Dowager pitifully. It was true she slept late last night, but it was also true she didn’t want to walk all the way to the Imperial Garden. The Imperial Garden is north of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, quite far from Cining Palace. Without a sedan chair, Lanzhu didn’t want to walk there. “Already a thirteen-year-old girl, yet still like a child. Just as well, I’m missing a piece of scripture, you can help me copy it.” Seeing that Lanzhu didn’t want to go, the Grand Empress Dowager didn’t say much, just had a palace servant lead Lanzhu to the warm chamber of the East Wing Hall. Lanzhu didn’t refuse further, obediently following the palace servant out.
She knew the Grand Empress Dowager’s reason for sending them away. She didn’t want to go to the Imperial Garden, nor did she have any ulterior motives for staying. She simply didn’t want to walk there, nothing more. After Lanzhu turned and left, the smile on the Grand Empress Dowager’s face faded. “Grand Empress Dowager, if you want to choose a new Empress from the noble ladies, I’m afraid the Hesheli and Niohuru clans won’t easily give up.” Su Ma Lagu looked troubled. The legitimate son in the palace was just born not long ago. If an Empress is established now, it might not be beneficial for the legitimate son’s status. The current Seventh Prince is the hope of the Hesheli clan, how could they easily give up? And there’s Consort Zhao in the palace now, who once competed with the late Empress for the position of Empress. Now that the late Empress is gone, how could she let someone else take the prize?
“Su Ma, I never said I would choose from these few.” The Grand Empress Dowager smiled meaningfully. It’s just that these few have the highest status in the capital. Summoning them to the palace now is to get to know them a bit in advance. After all, by the next selection, if not the other three, at least she knows Tongjia Lanzhu will definitely enter the palace! After all, the Emperor has always been thinking about her. If it weren’t for Tongjia Lanzhu being too young when the Empress was chosen, it’s uncertain whether Hesheli Shi would have become Empress. But in the end, the Emperor is obedient, and as for Tongjia Lanzhu, from the past few years of interaction, she seems to be someone with a plan but without ambition. Having experienced decades in the palace, the Grand Empress Dowager prided herself on her ability to judge people.
“But you…” “Did I promise them anything?” “If they misunderstood, it only means they think too much and their minds are not pure!” The Grand Empress Dowager rotated the prayer beads in her hand, her kindly face holding a pair of dark eyes. To rise from an unfavored side consort to the position of Grand Empress Dowager, how could she truly be like a kind old lady? It’s just that the Emperor forbids the harem from interfering in politics, so she hides these thoughts well. “Grand Empress Dowager, what about the Khorchin…” As a Mongolian, Su Ma Lagu naturally thought of her homeland. Upon hearing the word “Khorchin,” the Empress Dowager’s dull eyes finally showed a bit of fluctuation. Inwardly tormented, she slightly raised her eyes to look at her aunt. Wasn’t it her aunt who discussed with Su Ma Lagu back then and then coaxed her to come to the capital?
From the day she was made Empress by the late Emperor, she had already fallen out of favor before she could even be favored. It’s truly laughable! Although the late Emperor passed away early, she had spent some years with him. Who would have thought that she would still be a virgin now? It’s a great irony! Her aunt needed a noblewoman from Khorchin to maintain the relationship between the Qing Dynasty and Mongolia, and the late Emperor needed a Mongolian Empress to stabilize his mother. And she, Qiqige, became the sacrifice between the two of them! The perceptive Grand Empress Dowager naturally noticed her niece’s emotions, but she could only show a bit of pain in her eyes, which quickly turned firm again. “Qiqige, I know your suffering, rest assured, I will give you support.” In the Grand Empress Dowager’s memory, the once bright and lively Qiqige had become so numb, how could she feel good about it!
Qiqige’s current state was caused by her own hands. Does she regret it? She does! But if she had to choose again, she would still do the same as before. “Aunt, I understand.” The Empress Dowager shifted her gaze away. For her, no support would be of any use. She was already the Empress Dowager, and the days in the deep palace were already foreseeable. “I know you won’t listen to anything I say now, but just wait, I won’t let you down again.” The Grand Empress Dowager reached out and held Qiqige’s hand placed in front of her. As the two sat in silence, the eunuch’s announcement came from outside the hall: “Grand Empress Dowager, the Emperor has arrived.” Hearing the eunuch’s voice, the Grand Empress Dowager released the Empress Dowager’s hand and then sat up slightly: “Hurry and welcome the Emperor in.”
“Yes, Grand Empress Dowager.” In no time, Kangxi, dressed in bright yellow casual attire, entered with his entourage. He discreetly glanced around the hall, then smoothly performed the ritual of greeting the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. “Greetings to Grandmother and Mother.” “Hehe…” “Emperor, quickly rise.” The Grand Empress Dowager cheerfully pulled the Emperor up and had him sit beside her. “The Emperor has lost quite a bit of weight recently, have you not been eating well?” After the Emperor sat down, the Grand Empress Dowager carefully examined him. Seeing that the Emperor’s clothes were noticeably loose, the smile on her face instantly faded. “Emperor, even if the Empress is gone, you must take care of your health. I heard you have placed the Seventh Prince in the Palace of Heavenly Purity to personally raise him?”
“I apologize for worrying you, Grandmother. I am in good health, it’s just that the summer heat has made me lose my appetite, so I appear thinner.” “As for the Seventh Prince, he is the legitimate son born from the Empress’s life. Naturally, I must be extremely careful with him.” “You know, too many princes have died young in the palace. The Prince’s Residence is clearly not a good place. I plan to let the consorts raise their own sons in the future.” Kangxi had thought about letting the consorts raise their own children before, but the ancestral rules were there, and he had not been in power for long, so he hadn’t made any major changes. This time, using the Empress as an opportunity, he could abolish this rule.
The Grand Empress Dowager was not very satisfied with the Emperor’s answer, but the issue of princes dying young in the harem was indeed a problem. “But currently, except for Consort Zhao, all the consorts are of low rank. How can they be qualified to raise princes?” “Grandmother is right, so I plan to redefine the ranks of the harem.” Kangxi knew this matter couldn’t be rushed. After all, the Empress had been gone for less than half a year. To get Grandmother to agree to let the consorts raise their own children, the status of a concubine was not enough, and there was still a long way to go.
“You are the Emperor, do as you see fit.” Redefining the ranks of the consorts was not something the Grand Empress Dowager would obstruct. She understood that at least until the next selection, the Emperor would not promote the consorts in the harem, so she still had time. Once the ranks were set, it would be clearer when she asked for a status for the noblewomen of Khorchin. The position of Empress was out of the question, but at least a consort position was indispensable! “But no matter what, the Palace of Heavenly Purity is the Emperor’s residence. It’s not appropriate for a prince to live there.” “If you don’t want to send him to the Prince’s Residence, why not let me help you raise him?” The Grand Empress Dowager said this to test the waters and to lay the groundwork for future matters.
“How could I dare let the Seventh Prince disturb you, Grandmother? Babies are noisy, and your health is most important.” His legitimate son, how could he let the Grand Empress Dowager raise him? “If you’re afraid of disturbing me, why not let your mother raise him?” The Grand Empress Dowager looked steadily at the Emperor. “Grandmother, Baocheng is still very young. I wouldn’t dare let him disturb your and Mother’s peace.” Not letting the Grand Empress Dowager raise him, how could he let the Empress Dowager raise him? It was never a possibility, but the Empress Dowager still felt a faint hope rise in her heart. After hearing the Emperor’s refusal, the light in her eyes dimmed again.
“Emperor, I won’t beat around the bush with you. When the consorts give birth to princes in the future, can you let your mother raise one?” The Grand Empress Dowager’s initial goal was this. She was just afraid that if she asked directly, the Emperor wouldn’t agree, so she used the legitimate son born from the Empress to bring it up. After all, having been refused twice, the Emperor wouldn’t refuse a third time. The Grand Empress Dowager guessed correctly. Kangxi, upon hearing his grandmother’s words, did not immediately refuse. As long as it wasn’t a legitimate son, letting his mother raise a prince of lower status wasn’t a big issue. “That’s possible, but I must decide who it will be.” Keeping the initiative in his own hands would prevent passivity. This had always been Kangxi’s way of doing things.