Chapter 10

Ciren Palace.

The Empress Dowager was holding the hand of Borjigit, vividly recounting the scene of Noble Consort Tong’s outburst the other day. Borjigit forced herself to squeeze out a few tears.

The concubines from Mongolia were terrible at acting.

Kangxi sneered inwardly, thinking that her performance was not even as convincing as the way Consort Chen had cried the other day. Of course, this could not be said in front of the Empress Dowager.

Seeing the Emperor wearing a smile, as composed as if he were listening to a bedtime story, the Empress Dowager suddenly lost her desire to speak.

When the Empress Dowager stopped talking, it meant she was tired. Kangxi, showing his "filial piety," naturally understood and took his leave after sitting in Ciren Palace for a quarter of an hour.

With the tear droplets still hanging on her face, Borjigit watched the Emperor leave without once looking back; this time, her tears were genuinely shed in sorrow.

...

Back at the Qianqing Palace, Kangxi cast aside the thoughts filling his mind—"the Noble Consort is arrogant and willful," "the Noble Consort is abusing her power," "the Noble Consort is..."

He had his own standard for weighing the concubines of his inner court.

The Noble Consort had been frail since childhood; it had taken meticulous care over many years to bring her to her current state. His kindness toward her was partly due to the influence of the Tong clan, but even more so out of genuine pity.

"She has been wronged," Kangxi sighed.

Having reached this conclusion, Kangxi immediately ordered Liang Jiugong to open the storehouse and select some useful items to be sent to her.

What would be useful to the Noble Consort?

Liang Jiugong was overwhelmed by the choices, and in the end, he felt it was only safe to make the gift three times more generous than the Emperor's usual rewards.

After all, the Emperor had long been dissatisfied with the Empress Dowager’s constant promotion of Mongolian concubines, and this time, Borjigit had even tried to challenge the Noble Consort’s position as a noble lady.

The anger that Kangxi could not vent was transformed into compassion for the Noble Consort. He was very satisfied with what Liang Jiugong had selected, but after a moment of thought, feeling it still wasn't enough, he added a pair of jade accessories.

When he visited the Chengqian Palace last time, he noticed the Noble Consort wearing jade on her hair and wrists, showing her fondness for it.

Liang Jiugong led the palace attendants in a grand procession toward the Chengqian Palace. The fate between the Noble Consort and the Emperor was truly hard to fathom.

--

Chengqian Palace.

More than twenty palace attendants stood in four rows with hands lowered at the entrance of the main hall, awaiting instructions.

There were two head maids, four second-rank maids, and the remaining eight younger ones were outside, sweeping and performing miscellaneous tasks. There were six errand-running eunuchs, plus four more in the small kitchen, responsible for the Noble Consort’s daily water and meals.

This was the entire staff serving the Noble Consort.

Tong Jiahe examined them one by one, focusing on those whom Pu Yu and He Weilu had identified as having restless minds.

Pu Yu, as the head maid, gave them a stern warning first, followed by Tong Jiahe.

The attendants heard the Noble Consort speak slowly, "Today, I am giving you a choice. Those who wish to stay in Chengqian Palace may stay; those who do not, I will make arrangements to have you sent back to the Imperial Household Department, completely unharmed."

The attendants looked at the Noble Consort in confusion. She was the highest-ranking consort in the palace; leaving for somewhere else would certainly not be as prestigious as staying in Chengqian Palace.

Two maids with pretty faces exchanged glances but dared not speak.

"If there is no action taken by the end of today, I will assume you are willing to stay with me."

Regardless of the future, she had to focus on the present. She could not just offer empty promises without tangible benefits. Tong Jiahe briefly outlined the upcoming reforms in Chengqian Palace.

During the scorching heat of summer, the maids sweeping outside had to endure the high temperatures. From now on, the small kitchen would boil mung bean soup twice a day for them, with all expenses coming from her private treasury.

Then there was the matter of ice, which was precious. Although such items were usually supplied only to the masters, there were loopholes to be found.

She ordered the younger maids to pick out smaller pieces of ice and bring them in two basins to the side rooms on either side of the main hall every day. They would place a few sun-sensitive plants there, and the maids would be divided into two groups, taking turns to 'care' for the plants in the shade.

The Noble Consort’s words stirred up a great wave of excitement. Mung bean soup and ice—even if it was just ice shavings, it was still ice!

Even those who had been hesitant were now very tempted. Even if they returned to the Imperial Household Department, there was no guarantee the next master would be better to serve than the Noble Consort.

Moreover, since the Noble Consort had recovered from her illness, she had become much more generous than before.

After speaking, Tong Jiahe dismissed them, giving them enough time to consider whether to follow her or choose a new master.

...

When Liang Jiugong delivered the items, Tong Jiahe was in her room looking over the ledgers.

From the previous years' account books, she could discern the original owner's style of conduct.

For instance, toward concubines with whom she had good relations, such as Consort Su, the Noble Consort’s gifts were very practical. For those she disliked, she sent gifts that left no room for criticism.

Tong Jiahe had specifically asked Pu Yu to show her similar items. After just one glance, she suspected that the Noble Consort had intentionally hoarded a pile of items lacking any aesthetic sense just to annoy the people she disliked.

After all, these peculiar things could neither be sold, nor regifted, nor worn by herself.

Tong Jiahe was quite satisfied with the Noble Consort's gift-giving style and decided to continue along the same path.

"Your Ladyship, the Emperor has sent many things over," Bailu said with a smile as she entered.

The Noble Consort originally had two head maids; one was Pu Yu, and the other, Chun Yu, had gone to the Cixi Palace with the Fourth Prince. Now, a second-rank maid named Bailu had been promoted to fill Chun Yu's place.

Bailu was clever. Once the items arrived, she had them arranged outside for the Noble Consort to inspect before having them moved to the treasury.

When the Emperor sent gifts, a concubine should naturally appear full of joy.

Upon hearing the news, Tong Jiahe was first surprised, then beamed. "Let's go take a look."

Pu Yu supported the Noble Consort as they went out, seeing the courtyard filled with fine items, every one of which was something the Noble Consort favored.

Tong Jiahe's smile grew wider. She asked, "Who did the Emperor send to deliver these? Did you offer them tea?"

It was an unwritten rule in the palace to give a little 'tea money' to the errand-running attendants.

"It was Eunuch Liang from the Emperor's side. He had many errands and could not stay, so he left after delivering the items," He Weilu explained.

He Weilu had sensed something from Liang Jiugong’s attitude today. It wasn't that he didn't have time to accept a purse; it was that he didn't want to this time.

After all, that old rascal had laughed and spoken a few words to him before leaving. It seemed he didn't want to distance himself from Chengqian Palace. Most likely, he wanted to build a rapport for future interactions.

Liang Jiugong served by the Emperor’s side all day; no one understood the Emperor’s heart better than him. He Weilu secretly noted that the next time Liang Jiugong came, he would double the tea money.

The Noble Consort was the mistress and would not concern herself with such trivial matters; details like these had to be handled by him, the head eunuch.

Tong Jiahe looked at the rewards from Kangxi and happily ordered the attendants to put them into the treasury.

Since the late Emperor's time, Mongolian-born concubines had been treated with less favor, and by Kangxi's reign, there wasn't a single high-ranking Mongolian concubine left.

She had just finished calling Borjigit a mad dog, and Kangxi's gifts arrived right after.

This... was truly intuitive.

Kangxi sending her a pile of things now was just pushing the Empress Dowager to despise her even more.

Clearly, Kangxi had long been dissatisfied with the system of Manchu-Mongol intermarriage that relied on him as Emperor to maintain, yet he threw the Noble Consort to the front lines to fight for him.

What a dog; he would even scheme against his own cousin.

She was no consort; she was clearly a blade Kangxi was sharpening and swinging toward Mongolia.

Tong Jiahe suppressed the urge to curse and gulped down a mouthful of tea, attempting to quench the fire in her heart.

The situation with the Fourth Prince was at a standstill, and the Empress Dowager’s attitude toward her was neither good nor bad. Since Kangxi was using her, she should return the favor.

Anyone familiar with the history of the Kangxi era knew of his wariness toward Mongolian concubines; he had even drawn an impenetrable high-pressure line between the inner court and the outer court.

Any concubine who dared to cross it would die.

Of course, this rule also cleverly constrained the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager Mother.

During this time, Tong Jiahe had pondered many things. With the Fourth Prince now being raised in the Cixi Palace, the person most uncomfortable was her, and the second was Kangxi.

There was already one prince being raised by the Empress Dowager; if another prince close to the Mongols was added, Kangxi might secretly die of rage.

Besides trying to win over the Empress Dowager with sincerity, she had the path of Kangxi to walk. Tong Jiahe ordered, "Pu Yu, tell He Weilu to go to the Qianqing Palace first and report that I wish to see His Majesty."

A concubine visiting the Emperor had to follow the process: report first, then get approval, and only after word came back could she enter the gates of the Qianqing Palace.

Pu Yu was both shocked and delighted, feeling dizzy from the Noble Consort's order.

The Noble Consort had been in the palace for many years and had never proactively asked to see the Emperor, instead acting like the two previous Empresses, waiting with noble restraint for the Emperor to come to Chengqian Palace.

"What food should Your Ladyship prepare for the Emperor?" Pu Yu suggested happily. "Why don't you change your clothes? Cardamom purple suits your complexion better."

Pu Yu went on about everything from her headwear to her shoes, her mouth nearly wearing thin, all with suggestions for the Noble Consort’s visit.

Tong Jiahe: ...

It was just a meeting; there was no need to be so deliberate.

Not long ago, the Noble Consort and the Emperor had a falling out, and she had been stripped of the Fourth Prince's custody. Tong Jiahe felt that her current half-worn clothes were just fine; there was no need to dress too exquisitely.

In the end, Tong Jiahe took a bowl of porridge that nourished the stomach as a "stepping stone" to see Kangxi.

--

Qianqing Palace.

Hearing that the Noble Consort had arrived, Kangxi was taken aback. He put down the document in his hand and hurriedly had her invited in.

The Noble Consort had been in the palace for five years, and this was the first time she had come to the Qianqing Palace on her own initiative.

"Has the Noble Consort encountered some difficulty?" Before she entered, Kangxi felt uneasy and whispered to Liang Jiugong.

Borjigit from the Chuxiu Palace was at odds with the Noble Consort. Could it be that she was again using the Empress Dowager's power to bully her?

Liang Jiugong smiled: "Just now, I observed that the Noble Consort's expression was normal; she did not come because she was upset, and she brought something for the Emperor."

"What is it?" Kangxi asked.

No sooner had he spoken than the Noble Consort walked in gracefully. Seeing her again, she looked much better than the frail state she was in last time. He did not step forward to greet her, nor did he help her up, but quietly watched her finish the kowtow.

There was still a barrier between him and the Noble Consort.

After the kowtow, Tong Jiahe dutifully handed the food box she had brought to Liang Jiugong.

Food should be light to be beneficial to the body.

Food brought by concubines was just a formality to Kangxi. He symbolically took two small bites before having it taken away. No matter how delicious the food was, he would never take a third bite.

There wasn't much ice used in the Qianqing Palace, and the room felt warm with a touch of coolness. Kangxi was particular about health and had many rules, so after standing for only a while, Tong Jiahe felt her undergarments sticking to her back.

Quick action!

The Noble Consort gave a clear hint with her eyes, and Kangxi signaled Liang Jiugong to lead the attendants away. He was very curious to know what the Noble Consort had to say to him.

During the half-hour she was alone with Kangxi, Tong Jiahe meticulously elaborated on her inner thoughts—her admiration for Kangxi and her love for the Fourth Prince, as well as her conviction that the reason she had no good news after five years in the palace was that she lacked the blessing to bear an heir for the Emperor. She felt she had let the Emperor down and failed their affection, and so on.

She emphasized that what mattered most to her now was the Emperor and the Fourth Prince! If she could just stay by their side for the rest of her life, she would be content even if she were to fall into the path of beasts in the next life.

Although this sounded cheesy and nauseating, it was useful!

Kangxi’s gaze toward Tong Jiahe softened instantly.

"Your Majesty..." Tong Jiahe raised her eyes, filled with tears, looking at Kangxi with deep affection. The pain and love intertwined in her eyes, striking Kangxi’s heart with an extremely fractured appearance.

While Tong Jiahe looked like she was about to weep, she was cheering and beating drums in her heart.

It is difficult to build a relationship of mutual trust between people, especially between two adults—herself, who was as shrewd as a monkey, and Kangxi, who viewed others as monkeys.

Appropriate weakness and well-timed tears were effective ways to lower the cost of communication.

Kangxi took the Noble Consort’s hand and let out a long sigh.

After they had parted on bad terms that day, he hadn't expected the Noble Consort to be so stubborn, dragging it out until today to come to the Qianqing Palace to plead.

The Noble Consort truly cherished the Fourth Prince as the apple of her eye; she had just been negligent these past two months. He had intended only to give her a light reprimand, never expecting the Empress Dowager to take it seriously.

Now, it wasn't just the Noble Consort who was in a difficult spot; he was too.

"Noble Consort..." Kangxi began.

Good grief, he started with "Noble Consort." Such a formal address made Tong Jiahe want to curse in her heart.

Well, her half-hour of acting had been for nothing.