mtl008 Chapter 217: The situation changes and the conspiracy strikes
Chapter 217: The situation changes and the conspiracy strikes
Since the matter of withholding the allowance was settled, the servants in the palace and Changchun Garden have been much more obedient. A large number of servants who had enriched themselves, were greedy and arrogant were removed from their posts, and no one dared to look down on Concubine Xian anymore.
The structure of the harem also returned to the situation where four concubines assisted in managing the six palaces, but the former Concubine Guo Luoluo was replaced by the current Concubine Xian.
Yikun Palace.
Concubine Guo Luoluo was so angry that she smashed her favorite porcelain vase. She originally wanted to take advantage of the situation and use her stay in the Forbidden City to facilitate the investigation of the withholding of allowances, so as to regain the power to assist in managing the six palaces.
Who knew that Imperial Concubine Nianhulu and the three concubines were so useless that the Emperor handed them over to Concubine Xian for investigation.
The Emperor also gave Concubine Xian someone to investigate because she had no one around. How could she dare to act rashly while the Emperor's people were investigating? She could only give up unwillingly.
"Waste, a bunch of waste." Guo Luoluofei had a gloomy face.
Nanny Wang looked solemn:
"Your Majesty, calm down. What's more important now is that Concubine Xian has the power in the palace. Her momentum is growing stronger. When we return to the Forbidden City in autumn, we will definitely be at a disadvantage against her. We must make plans early."
How could Concubine Guo Luoluo not know this? She just didn't want to be suppressed by Concubine Xian, so she took action everywhere, but none of them worked.
After pondering for a long time, Concubine Guo Luoluo calmed down:
"I know, but Empress Xian always manages to turn danger into safety in the end. It's not just luck and the emperor's favor. Empress Xian herself should not be underestimated. She now has the power of the palace. We must not act rashly. Besides, there are people who are more anxious than us."
"Your Majesty, are you talking about Imperial Concubine Nianhulu?" Nanny Wang asked.
Guo Luoluo took the tea offered by Qiaohui, his brows full of shrewdness and calculation.
"It's her, and not just her."
Before, Concubine Xian was just favored to attract attention, but now even the powerful palace is getting involved. Those in Changchun Garden are not ordinary concubines, and I believe there will be action soon.
"Don't worry, we'll watch them fight in the Forbidden City."
Nanny Wang understood what the queen meant and said nothing more, but Qiaohui on the side felt a little unwilling.
"I understand what the queen means, but seeing that person so proud and glorious, I can't swallow my anger. She stepped on the queen and the ninth prince to get to the top."
The palace maids were all unable to swallow their anger, and Concubine Guo Luoluo, as the person involved, was even more unable to swallow her anger. She held the tea bowl with an elegant movement that carried an indescribable nobility, but a sharp light flashed across her deep eyes.
"I will never let Concubine Xian go. When I find an opportunity to strike her, I will smash her to pieces."
Not knowing what Concubine Guo Luoluo was thinking, Shi Nanxi had been busy lately, apart from handling palace affairs, arranging people to rehearse plays.
"My lady, I have already discussed with the leader of the Changchun Garden troupe about staging a new play. This is the list of new plays they handed over. Which one do you think I'd choose?"
Nanny Yang handed a list to the Empress.
Shi Nanxi took it and looked at them one by one.
"The Golden Code of Persuading Good Deeds, Yaotai, Palace of Eternal Life, Peach Blossom Fan, and The Peony Pavilion Dream of the Resurrection..."
There is a brief introduction under each opera.
After reading it, she thought about it.
Selected two.
"The Golden Code of Persuading People to Do Good" and "The Peony Pavilion: Dream of the Reincarnation." Although there are only two plays, each play has dozens of episodes. If you want to achieve the desired performance effect, you need to put in a lot of effort and it cannot be rehearsed in a day or two.
After hearing the order, Nanny Yang arranged for someone to pass the message to the opera troupe.
At this time, Hongying came in holding Xixi.
"My lady, it's time to take Xixi out to play."
Hearing this, Shi Nanxi looked up and seeing Xixi eager to try, she couldn't help but say:
"Look at you, you're so anxious. You've been having fun in Changchun Garden. Let's see what you'll do when we get back to the Forbidden City."
Although he said this, he stood up, took Xixi and left.
As soon as the group reached the door, they ran into Kangxi's sedan chair, and in the end Kangxi and Shi Nanxi took Xixi out to play together.
On the other side, Concubine Wang took Baojuan for a stroll in Changchun Garden with a gloomy look on her face.
"I didn't expect that Concubine Xian would make a mistake when she first started managing palace affairs. The emperor is still willing to hand over the palace affairs to her and even give her some people to help investigate. How can he not investigate thoroughly? The emperor is too partial to Concubine Xian."
Concubine Wang hummed casually, looking absent-minded.
Baojuan looked at the young lady with a look of disappointment on her face.
"My Lord, don't you have anything to say?"
Concubine Wang pursed her lips and said quietly after a while:
"What can I say? The emperor likes it, so I have no right to speak."
Baojuan also knew this, but she was anxious!
"My lady, that's what you said, but now that Concubine Xian is in power, she should be more dignified, virtuous, generous and decent. Why does she still occupy the emperor every day? Bah, she is just a concubine, even the queen doesn't dare to be so jealous!"
Thinking of the servants who have been increasingly neglectful recently, and the gossips of those servants, saying that their lady is just a Han Chinese, how could she be as noble as a Manchu noble lady? The emperor only had some interest in her before, but now he has forgotten about her. He is afraid that he will forget about her when he returns to the palace.
Baojuan was angry, anxious and panicked. If one prospers, all prosper; if one suffers, all suffer. The young lady had no background. If the emperor really forgot about her, then she would have to suffer with him. She had seen what kind of life the servants of the concubines who had fallen out of favor lived.
After hearing Baojuan's words, Concubine Wang looked even more resentful.
Yes, Empress Xian has both a position and power in the palace, so why does she still want to occupy the Emperor every day!
How could she be so greedy!
Before they knew it, the master and servant had arrived at the Back Lake again, and in front of them was the Qingxi Book House surrounded by woods.
Recently, Concubine Wang would bring Baojuan here every day. The conversation she had with Concubine Hui and Concubine Liang that day had left a mark in her heart. She did not go in but lingered until very late before leaving.
At this moment, Shi Nanxi and Kangxi and their group came over from another road, and they walked towards Qingxi Book House.
Because there were trees with lush branches and leaves all around, Concubine Wang and her servant were blocked by a rockery bonsai and were not discovered.
"Your Majesty, you must not spoil Xixi anymore. I didn't let it go to the bamboo forest, but it insisted on going. There are poisonous snakes there. If Xixi encounters a claw without any nails, how can we deal with it?"
Shi Nanxi glanced at Xixi in Hongying's arms and couldn't help complaining.
Kangxi took the little girl's hand with amusement.
"It's not that I spoil Xixi, it's just that cats like to catch mice by nature. Even though that one was a field mouse, it was still a mouse. Xixi couldn't help her instinct and ignored you and chased it into the bamboo forest. Okay, don't be angry. Next time, I'll have someone keep an eye on it."
Shi Nanxi pursed her lips. The bamboo forest here was not the modern bamboo forest that had been cleared and was very safe. There were really snakes and various animals in the bamboo forest here. Xixi was just a pet cat and was very fragile.
She just glanced at Xixi who was lying pitifully in Hongying's arms, and then glanced at Kangxi who was apologizing to her, and sighed.
"Forget it. I will believe Your Majesty for once. However, I am tired from walking. Please read the story to me later."
Kangxi squeezed the little girl's hand and smiled softly:
"Okay, I'll read the story to you."
After the group entered Qingxi Book House, Concubine Wang and her servant showed up. Concubine Wang stared at the emperor in a daze.
How dare Empress Xian order the Emperor to read a storybook to her?
He is so bold and arrogant!
Baojuan also heard it, and as usual, she made up a story about Empress Xian, and finally gritted her teeth and said:
"My lady, after the beginning of autumn, the weather will gradually get colder, and we will have to return to the palace by then. If you don't receive the emperor's favor, he will really forget you when you return to the palace."
Concubine Wang looked at Qingxi Book House, clutching her handkerchief tightly, and murmured:
"I don't want to, but Your Majesty...I have no choice."
Bao Juan thought of something when she heard this, and gritted her teeth and said:
"Who said the young master can't do anything?"
After saying this, he leaned close to Concubine Wang's ear.