At the Tong residence, when the news from the palace first arrived, the members of the Tong clan could no longer restrain themselves and crowded around Tong Guowei. Lady Tong, in particular, was the first to squeeze to her father’s side. Seeing that her elder cousin had no intention of bringing her into the palace, she felt a surge of desperation, even though she knew that her status as the Emperor’s maternal cousin would allow her to marry anyone else as a primary wife.
However, her eyes were fixed solely on the position of an Imperial Consort. What man in the world could surpass her cousin? Thus, her mother had specifically petitioned the Grand Empress Dowager to let her enter the palace to serve the Empress Dowager. This would not only give her a legitimate reason to be in the palace but also allow her to be near the Emperor—the best of both worlds.
In a sense, being allowed into the palace to serve signified that the Royal Family had chosen her as a daughter-in-law. After her mother had gauged the Grand Empress Dowager’s intentions, her face had been filled with its usual joy, declaring that the matter was settled and she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Deep down, she thought spitefully that even if the Empress possessed heavenly schemes and had tried every way to keep her out, she surely hadn’t expected the Grand Empress Dowager to give her tacit consent.
Lady Tong noted this scheme well. When the day came that she entered the palace as a consort, she would certainly repay the Empress in full!
“Father, what did the Grand Empress Dowager say?”
Tong Guowei tore open the envelope, scanning the lines rapidly. His expression shifted from initial confidence to utter disbelief. “The Grand Empress Dowager says the Empress Dowager’s health has improved, and she requires no one to attend her!”
Madam Tong’s face turned incredibly pale. “That’s impossible. I personally went to sound out the Grand Empress Dowager’s intentions not long ago, and she was clearly giving her silent approval.”
Lady Tong bit her lower lip hard. “The Empress! It must be the Empress. I heard she has been visiting Cining Palace quite frequently lately; she must have played some trick! Father, I am not willing to let this go.”
The Empress must hate her with a passion. Despite being the mother of the nation, she possessed not an ounce of tolerance. How could there be such a matriarch in this world? She had to enter the palace.
Various resentments swirled in Lady Tong’s heart. She suddenly looked up. “Father, I want to enter the palace. I will do everything in my power to enter, and you must help me!”
Even if the methods used this time were not honorable and others might think she was disregarding her reputation, she believed her cousin would protect her. She was the niece of Empress Xiaokangzhang. she would do everything she could to climb to the highest peak, step by step, and watch the Empress fall into the dust, along with that Crown Prince of hers!
“Good, my daughter has ambition!” Tong Guowei was clearly infuriated as well. The He-she-li clan was truly going too far. They were merely the maternal family of the Crown Prince and were already so arrogant; they seemed to have forgotten who the true maternal family of the Emperor was!
In Kunning Palace, Li Mu finally sensed that something was amiss. The Emperor did not seem to have any intention of welcoming Lady Tong into the palace. When he came to see her and Yinreng, his eyes were full of smiles, and he casually mentioned the upcoming grand promotions of the concubines, but he never once mentioned his cousin.
“Your Majesty, do you not plan to have your cousin enter the palace?” As a wife, she could also refer to Lady Tong as “cousin.”
At the mention of Lady Tong, Kangxi’s smile faded slightly, yet he still raised an eyebrow at the Empress. “I plan to have her become your younger brother’s wife. What do you think?” He still felt a measure of familial affection for this cousin, so while he had no intention of taking her as a consort, he had considered how to better provide for the Tong family.
Making her the Crown Prince’s aunt by marriage, or perhaps having the Tong family marry a princess when his daughters grew up in the future—these were all good options. There was no absolute necessity for a Tong woman to enter the palace and disrupt the balance of the harem.
Kangxi spoke of the matter quite indifferently. Li Mu’s eyes flickered, and in the next moment, she suddenly threw herself into the Emperor’s arms. She said nothing, yet it was as if she had said everything. She simply held Kangxi tightly. “Then… I am still an important woman in Your Majesty’s heart, right?”
She did not dare say “the most important,” nor did she mention Lady Tong. Her heart was clearly full of the Emperor’s shadow, but she could not vent her emotions. The boldest thing she had ever done was to personally embrace him. While Li Mu’s underlying emotions were calm, her actions were full of testing and an uncontrollable longing for the Emperor.
Kangxi was stunned for a moment, his hands slowly tightening around her. But the Empress suddenly let go, her eyes crinkling with a smile, looking just as she did every time he saw her. “It was my loss of composure. Is Your Majesty hungry? Shall I cook some noodles for you?”
She was the Empress, so she could not ask who the most important person in the Emperor’s heart was, nor could she ask about his inner feelings. Such a move would be deemed “jealous.” Her son had already been established as the Crown Prince, and her every move held various meanings in the eyes of outsiders. Therefore, Li Mu chose to take things slowly.
She did not wait for the Emperor’s answer before hurrying to get up, as if the moment before had been nothing more than an uncontrollable impulse. Once she calmed down, she was once again the Empress who smiled like a flower before the Emperor.
Kangxi, however, remained frozen in place. The initial shock in his eyes gradually transformed into a complex emotion. He watched the Empress depart, feeling an inexplicable concern and a flavor that was hard to describe. At that moment, Yinreng’s “ah-ah-ah” sounds broke the silence, bringing him back to his senses.
“Ah-ah-ah!” Yinreng brought Kangxi many jade bracelets he had received from Cining Palace. His little eyes were full of pride as he showed them off to his Imperial Father. Kangxi took the bracelets and patted the boy’s head. When the Empress brought the noodles, Kangxi paused for a moment. It was as if nothing had happened between the couple.
And yet, it also felt as if some change had quietly occurred.
Li Mu went to bed with the Emperor as usual and saw him off as usual. However, when she heard in the evening that the Emperor had gone to another palace, she felt a sense of frustration, yet it was not unexpected. The Emperor had been coming to her palace for months; she couldn’t expect an Emperor to remain chaste for her for a lifetime. She wasn’t some divine consort.
She only felt an inexplicable melancholy in her heart—the emotions of the original soul were still affecting her. Of course, this melancholy vanished into calm and gentleness when Yinreng woke up and shouted excitedly. This life was likely the most serious she had ever been. She understood the original soul’s lifelong wish and was determined to become the Mother Empress Dowager in this life, watching her son ascend the throne!
She would focus more of her mind on palace affairs—and the future struggle between the nine princes.
In Zhongcui Palace, Lady Majia finally saw the Emperor come to her palace for the first time in months. She nearly burst into tears; after so long, the Emperor had finally forgiven her.
She served the Emperor with meticulous care, desperate for him to see her virtues. She suppressed the urge to cry and forced a smile. “Your Majesty, may your servant attend to your changing?”
This was a rare opportunity to have the Emperor stay the night in her room; it could not be wasted.
However, Kangxi only gave her a cold look. Seeing Lady Majia’s awkward smile, he found it not nearly as beautiful as the Empress’s. Moreover, it was so forced—did she feel uncomfortable serving him? Or was she forcing herself?
“No need. Liang Jiugong.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Liang Jiugong hurried over to change the Emperor’s clothes. Lady Majia was stunned. “Your Majesty, is there something your servant has done wrong?”
Kangxi paused. Considering that this was a consort who had borne him children, his tone softened slightly. “No.” But his actions were far from polite; he pulled up the covers and closed his eyes tightly. Everything about Lady Majia’s place made him feel uneasy. Even the Third Princess had a look of fear on her face when she saw him. Was he, her Imperial Father, really so terrifying?
This feeling killed any mood he might have had for the night.
Lady Majia became even more panicked. The Emperor actually refused to favor her—this was far more terrifying than him not coming to her palace at all. If the Emperor stopped favoring her, how would she have more children? What use was she with only one princess?
She could not sleep all night, her eyes turning red. When the Emperor woke the next morning, she tried to help him dress. Fortunately, the Emperor only paused for a moment before accepting her assistance. She breathed a sigh of relief; at least the Emperor hadn’t completely ignored her.
As she watched the Emperor depart, the sound of a vase shattering came from another room in the same palace complex. Lady Majia took one look and knew it was Lady Zhaojia’s doing. Since her child had been taken away, Lady Zhaojia often flew into fits of madness.
Lady Majia, however, was indifferent. She had lost so many children; Lady Zhaojia’s child was merely being raised elsewhere—what was the big deal?
But in the next moment, she could no longer remain calm. Her face twisted as she looked at the servant before her, saying word for word: “What did you say?”
“Reporting to Mistress, today is the birthday of Empress Xiaokangzhang, and the court is in recess. Madam Tong had previously obtained permission from the Emperor to enter the palace to offer sacrifices at the Buddhist hall. However, by coincidence, as Lady Tong was accompanying Madam Tong into the palace, there were too many pebbles on the road. She accidentally slipped, and just as it happened, the Emperor caught her. It was extremely intimate, right in front of everyone.”
Lady Majia was utterly infuriated. “Shameless! Now, His Majesty has no choice but to marry her!”
Even if she had previously thought about siding with Lady Tong once she entered the palace, that did not mean she could calmly accept her husband marrying another noble lady—especially one entering the palace in such a manner!
“Wait, what was the Empress’s reaction?” Lady Majia was suddenly no longer in a hurry. Thinking of the Empress’s exclusive favor over the past few months, she figured that with the Emperor’s cousin entering the palace, the Empress would surely be unable to sit still. It would be best if they tore into each other.
A flash of spiteful joy crossed her eyes.
The young eunuch looked somewhat confused. “The Empress… Her Majesty had no reaction. She only said she would discuss the arrangements for Lady Tong’s entry into the palace with the Emperor.”
He thought to himself that this was indeed the poise of the mistress of the Central Palace. Even if it was His Majesty’s cousin, the Empress remained composed.
Li Mu’s mood was indeed quite peaceful. She methodically ordered the servants to handle the matter, intending to give Kangxi a response. It was nothing more than welcoming his cousin into the palace. She should have expected this; the matter was not so easily resolved. How could the trajectory of history be changed so easily? Not to mention, this cousin was destined to lead the harem for over a decade in the original timeline, eventually rising to the rank of Empress.
Now that Lady Tong was in, Lady Wuya and the others would likely follow soon.
As Li Mu was lost in thought, Kangxi—who should have been holding a beauty in his arms—suddenly appeared before her. A flash of panic crossed his face. “Empress, I had no intention of bringing her into the palace!”
“Yes, Your Majesty, I know. It was an accident, but for the sake of Cousin’s reputation, this is a necessary step.” Li Mu smiled, but in Kangxi’s eyes, it was incredibly grating. The Empress’s smile looked so forced; he didn’t like it one bit. “I said I didn’t, so I didn’t. Do you not believe me?”
Kangxi was practically speaking through gritted teeth.
Li Mu looked puzzled. She was already supporting the Emperor taking a concubine; where else in the world could he find a matriarch as free of resentment as her? And yet, the Emperor was still dissatisfied?! What more did he want!