kingnovel Chapter 374: Harem Collective Promotion
Chapter 374: Harem Collective Promotion
Chapter 374: Harem Collective Promotion
"But these days, everyone has been watching with indifference. Concubine Jing just stays in her palace every day, never going out unless necessary, and she hasn't even looked at the Seventh Prince."
"Looking at it this way, could it be that she was really kind enough to help Concubine Wu, and it wasn't for the sake of Concubine Wu's unborn child?"
After listening to this, Xie Run smiled and shook his head.
Lady Lu looked at her curiously, "Sister Xie, you know my vision is very limited. I can only see what's in front of me. If I see more, my brain won't be enough."
"What do you mean by that smile?"
Xie Run asked back, "Do you think Concubine Jing is still reliable now?"
"Reliable?" Lady Lu was also stunned. She had never thought of using this word to describe the people in the harem.
But she thought about it seriously before answering.
"Princess Jing used to dislike everyone. It was like she had a lot of resentment and had no place to vent it, so naturally everyone disliked her."
"But honestly, it seems there's no deep hatred. She hasn't really had any conflicts with anyone, and she hasn't plotted against anyone."
"Now she has changed her temperament and no longer argues with others. Compared with Hua Zhaorong, Concubine Wen and others, she seems to be more reliable."
Xie Run smiled and said, "If you think so, I'm afraid the emperor thinks so too."
"There will only be more princes and princesses in the harem in the future, not fewer. We can't keep them all in the prince's residence, right?"
Lady Lu: “…”
Xie Run: "If the Emperor wants to find a reliable adoptive mother for the prince and princess, the repentant Concubine Jing is the first choice."
"Why is she so anxious to get close to the Seventh Prince?"
"If the people in the Prince Residence can't take good care of the Seventh Prince, the Emperor will have to give him to Concubine Jing to take care of him sooner or later. There's no need for Concubine Jing to show her impatient eating habits and cause people to talk about her for no reason."
"Even if there is no Seventh Prince, we can always get one when the Eighth and Ninth Princes are born."
After all, they had been together in the harem for so long, Xie Run could probably guess Concubine Jing's plan.
Lady Lu subconsciously said, "But now that Hua Zhaorong and Concubine Xi are pregnant, they can raise their children on their own."
Xie Run's face was calm, "The emperor will hold a beauty pageant sooner or later."
The newly-entered concubines would not have very high positions, and it would be difficult for them to have the opportunity to raise their own children.
Then this is Concubine Jing's opportunity.
Lady Lu seemed to understand, "No wonder Sister Xie said Concubine Jing was plotting something."
"It seems that the seventh prince born by Wu Meiren may not be easy to raise."
If you want a prince, the first thing you should do is choose one whose biological mother is not around.
The second is to choose a biological mother who is law-abiding.
Having raised the seventh prince, Concubine Wu, his biological mother, will not rest in peace.
Xie Run had been to the prince's residence several times to take care of the daily life of the seventh prince.
She also watched with her own eyes as the child grew from a black monkey into a plump and white one, and his eyebrows really did bear some resemblance to Concubine Wu.
With a child like this and a mother like Concubine Wu, who knows what kind of troubles will arise in the future.
On the second day, all the palace people went to pay their respects to the queen.
The queen arrived late, but she brought a surprise to the six palaces.
In Fengyi Palace, the Queen sat at the head of the table, with a dignified demeanor, a serious expression, and an aura of majesty without anger.
"Yesterday, the Emperor discussed with me, saying that you are all elders in the palace, and you have served the Emperor for so long. Even if you have no merit, you have worked hard. As the years go by, you should definitely be rewarded."
"I was thinking that there would be a selection this year, and it would be unacceptable to have you, the elders of the palace, have a lower rank than the newcomers, so I proposed to the Emperor that your positions be adjusted."
As soon as the queen said this, the eyes of the concubines waiting to pay their respects in Fengyi Palace lit up.
Although Concubine Lu had received news about Xie Run, she thought that there was no hope of promotion as the festival had already ended and there was no news from the emperor.
Who knew that when the festival came, a big pie fell from the sky and almost knocked her unconscious.
As the queen finished speaking, the eunuch beside her took out the imperial edict and slowly unfolded it.
Xie Run knew that there was no hope of promotion, but he still squatted down respectfully and listened casually.
"By the Will of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: Consort Zhaode is promoted to Consort Zhao Gui, Consort Jing is promoted to Consort Jing Shu, Consort Hua Zhaorong is promoted to Consort Hua Zhaoyi, Consort Hui Xiuyi is promoted to Consort Hui Zhaorong, Consort Xi is promoted to Consort Xi Chongyuan, Consort Fang is promoted to Consort Fang, and Consort Lu is promoted to Consort Lu. This is my decree."
Everyone replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."
Xie Run was so shocked when he suddenly heard that he had been promoted that he didn't react.
She joined the crowd in thanking the emperor for his grace and then got ready. When she looked up, she met the eunuch who announced the decree with a smile and a flattering look.
Xie Run savored it for a moment before realizing that she had been promoted again.
She also became a royal concubine.
This is truly a position second only to the emperor in the harem.
Nowadays, the imperial concubines in the harem are more valuable than those in the Empress Dowager's palace.
Xie Run had never dared to even think about this position before.
She thought that the emperor had some considerations and was planning to keep her until she became pregnant again before being promoted.
Who knows...the emperor can sometimes really surprise people.
The queen took in the expressions of the people below, smiled properly, and raised her hand.
"Today is a happy day, so don't be too restrained, just enjoy yourself."
"All of you in the six palaces are sisters. I only hope that you will get along well with each other in the future and give birth to more children for the emperor."
The concubines could no longer suppress their laughter and said with smiles on their faces, "I will follow the Queen's instructions."
The title of "Empress" was called with great respect and sincerity.
The queen was a quick-witted person. She told them about the promotion and asked if the princes and princesses were safe. Then she did not keep anyone for long.
Of course, it could also be that the Queen’s health was deteriorating and she couldn’t sit still for too long when paying her respects.
On the way back, Concubine Jing Shu bowed to Xie Run and said, "Hua Xiuyi didn't come today, so I missed a surprise."
Because there were few children in the harem, the queen treated pregnant women with special favor.
Now there are several pregnant women in the harem. After the queen found out that they were pregnant, she exempted them from paying respects.
Of course, the Queen's exemption is one thing, but whether they actually come or not is another.
Concubine Wu caused a lot of trouble during her pregnancy, but she later calmed down and continued to pay her respects as usual after she was pregnant.
Xi Chongyuan kept her pregnancy a secret for the first three months, and greeted him every day.
After the baby was born, he worked even harder and never slacked off.
She happened to form a control group with Hua Xiuyi.
Ever since Hua Xiuyi found out she was pregnant, she has never shown up at Fengyi Palace except on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month.
As the month progressed, I never went out during holidays or the New Year.
This is already a case of being too arrogant due to being favored.
But the emperor didn't say anything, the empress didn't say anything, and naturally no one else in the palace dared to say anything.
It wasn't a big deal originally, but with Xi Chongyi as a comparison every day, Hua Xiuyi stood out more.
Concubine Jingshu suddenly mentioned this, and also deliberately brought up the fact that Huayu was arrogant because of her favor.
There are quite a few people in the harem who dislike Hua Yu, but because the emperor protects her, no one can do anything to her.
Concubine Jing Shu smiled and said, "If Hua Xiuyi had come, she wouldn't have missed today's good news and would have been able to celebrate sooner."
Xie Run smiled and said, "We'll know sooner or later. It doesn't matter whether she comes or not. The emperor remembers her and promoted her, which is enough to show his favor."
"Favor?" Upon hearing this, Concubine Jing Shu couldn't help but raise her eyebrows: "It's not surprising for others to say this, but it's surprising for Concubine Zhao to say this."
"When it comes to favor, who in the six palaces can compare to you?"
"After the New Year, the Emperor came to the harem twice and stayed in my sister's palace. This kind of favor is something others can only hope for."
"This time, my sister has even been promoted to Imperial Concubine. Now, she's second only to the emperor and above everyone else in the harem. Who dares to disrespect me from now on?"
"The Empress said we're all sisters, so what's the point of saying respect or disrespect?" Xie Run looked at Concubine Jing Shu quietly and suddenly said, "The selection will probably be held soon."
Concubine Jing Shu smiled even more happily: "There will be a few more sisters in the palace."
But no one can guess what's in her mind.
The two looked at each other, smiling, but the smile did not reach their eyes, and they both had their own thoughts.
On the way back, Lupin and Xie Run went back together. They were all smiling, and they suppressed their excitement and said, "Although I heard some news early in the morning, it was always inaccurate."
"When I heard my name mentioned in the imperial edict today, I was so excited that I almost fainted. If Kingfisher hadn't pinched my arm, I would have lost my composure long ago."
Xie Run smiled and said, "Even if he fainted, it was because of a happy event, so it's a good thing."
Concubine Lu knew that Xie Run's words were meant to comfort her, but she felt particularly happy when she heard them.
The position of concubine is not high in the harem nowadays, but when a new person enters the palace, it will be different.
Historically, newlyweds were given titles starting from Baolin or Cairen. Those with good family background or those who were particularly favored by the emperor would be given the title of Beauty.
If someone gets the same position as her right from the start, she, an old lady, will feel helpless.
Now that I sit on the throne of a concubine, I don’t have to feel inferior to others from the beginning.
I'm not afraid to laugh at this, but as long as the newlyweds greet her and call her sister, she will be satisfied in this life.
Concubine Lu couldn't help but sigh, "Although life in the palace is hard, if I can endure it like this, after ten or twenty years, I may find a way out."
Xie Run: "It's good that you can think this way."
"We are old people who came to the palace together from the palace. To be honest, those who loved to make trouble have finally ruined themselves."
"Our emperor loves people who do their duty. As long as you abide by the law and don't do anything that harms others, you will eventually get through the day."
Xie Run paused halfway through his speech.
In fact, she felt that there would not be many opportunities to confer titles on the six palaces.
The emperor is so generous now only because there are really few people in his harem.
After the selection, batches of beauties are sent to the palace. If the six palaces are frequently conferred titles, it is not known whether the Ministry of Internal Affairs will have enough money.
Given the emperor's temperament, he would either choose as few concubines as possible, or control the number of times he appointed concubines to the six palaces.
Concubine Lu was in high spirits and nodded repeatedly after hearing what Xie Run said.
However, she couldn't change her gossipy nature: "This time, the emperor conferred titles on all six palaces, and everyone was promoted. Only Concubine Wen, Concubine Xian Zhaoyuan, Concubine Duan, and Concubine Wu were not on the list."
"Concubine Wen's status is inappropriate, Concubine Wu was promoted, and Concubine Duan has long been disliked by the emperor... Only Xian Zhaoyuan, I really can't understand."
Xie Run lowered his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering slightly, a faint smile on his lips: "The emperor dislikes noisy people the most."
"Xian Zhaoyuan caused quite a stir in the harem for the Sixth Prince. I'm afraid she must have displeased the Emperor a long time ago."
"She is not on the list of the six concubines to be promoted today. Either the emperor is deliberately expressing his dissatisfaction with her, or he feels that since she has given birth to the Sixth Prince, there is no need for her to be promoted again."
The emperor didn't like being tormented.
If the person who caused the trouble is promoted, does that mean she is being encouraged to continue causing trouble in her high position? This could also easily lead to a bad atmosphere in the six palaces.
Lupin sighed a little: "I don't know if Xian Zhaoyuan is satisfied."
"I'm already a Zhaoyuan. Even if I'm on the list of the six concubines, it's just a promotion from Zhaoyuan to Zhaorong. It's still just one of the nine concubines. There's not much difference."
After coming out of Fengyi Palace, Xian Zhaoyuan walked back to her own palace in silence.
She said these words until the maids around her couldn't help but offer comfort.
Wen Jin breathed a sigh of relief: "As long as the master understands what he is thinking."
"Raising the Sixth Prince means a lifetime of support, which is much better than a small position."
"I need to tell the other people in the harem that I can trade a position for a prince. I'm afraid everyone will be eager to do so, but unfortunately they don't have the chance."
After being persuaded by Wen Jin, Xian Zhaoyuan finally felt relieved.
Don't be fooled by her light-hearted words. Her face turned pale when her name was not on the imperial edict read out today.
Half angry, half afraid.
She was angry that the emperor was partial to her and was afraid that he really disliked her.
Even someone like Concubine Lu, who had long been disliked by the emperor, could be promoted. How dissatisfied must the emperor be with her to have passed her over?
Xian Zhaoyuan seemed to be trying to explain herself, "The Emperor probably thought I had already raised the Sixth Prince, and if I were to be promoted, it would be too conspicuous, so he didn't write my name."
"Now that I have the Sixth Prince, I am not greedy. I will just raise him well so that he won't be left without support for the rest of his life."
Wen Jin: "Isn't it? There are so many people in the harem who envy you."
Xian Zhaoyuan finally smiled.
But she was narrow-minded after all, and didn't want to show her face and be laughed at when she paid her respects, so the next day she didn't go to pay her respects on the pretext that the Sixth Prince was unwell.
Now all the people left in the palace are respectable people. They can all see that Xian Zhaoyuan is unhappy, so she found an excuse not to come and pay her respects, and she never exposed the truth.
After the greetings were over, some discussion was inevitable.
"She couldn't bear the shame herself, so she had to lie about the Sixth Prince to cover up her own shame."
"She's fine, and she's not afraid of bringing bad luck to the Sixth Prince. It's true that if she's not the biological mother, then she doesn't truly love her child."
"Look at how Hui Zhaoyuan loves the Third Princess? And look at how Xian Zhaoyuan raises the Sixth Prince?"
No one else in the palace loves to gossip as much as Concubine Lu.
However, this time, Concubine Lu was not discussing with Xie Run, but with Concubine Fang.
When she has nothing to do, she likes to play with Fang Jieyu.
She would say that the harem was boring, and the taciturn Concubine Fang gradually got along with her.
Unfortunately, today all these words fell into the ears of the emperor.
The emperor took his people out for a walk because he was tired from reviewing memorials in the imperial study.
I happened to hear Concubine Lu and Concubine Fang complaining.
The emperor glanced at Shi'an and asked, "Who is this?"
He remembered the names and faces of most of the concubines, but Concubine Lu had never appeared in front of him. He had only seen her once or twice in the past few years, and he really didn't recognize her.
Eunuch Shi'an: "Your Majesty, this is Concubine Lu, an elder in the palace. She used to be a maid, and later served Your Majesty once."