Chapter 065

Chapter 065

"Liang Jiugong, the tea is cold."

"Ah, Your Majesty, this servant will replace it right away."

"Liang Jiugong..."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Liang Jiugong!"

....

After all this back and forth, Liang Jiugong felt his old legs were about to give out. This afternoon, Your Majesty first said the tea was cold, then that it was too hot, then that the ink was too light, making the writing faint, then he was hungry and wanted snacks, and then the snacks didn't suit his taste...

Liang Jiugong was on the verge of saying, if Your Majesty is feeling uncomfortable, just go to Yonghe Palace and talk to Consort Rong, don't torment this old servant here.

Liang Jiugong looked weary and aged. As the chief eunuch, he could delegate tasks to junior eunuchs instead of doing everything himself. But being near Your Majesty when he was upset was a real test of his nerves.

Fortunately, later Your Majesty became engrossed in reviewing memorials and stopped causing other troubles, so he finally had some peace.

When Su Yi returned to Yonghe Palace, she kept her composure until she entered. But once back in the main hall, she quickly changed her shoes and eagerly flopped onto the chaise lounge in a carefree sprawl.

The chaise lounge was softly padded with a small blanket. As soon as Su Yi lay down, Yun Hua deftly covered her with the blanket and found the eye mask Su Yi had previously requested, putting it on her.

Then she shooed everyone out to let Consort Rong nap undisturbed. Her lady had been up early and rushed back, clearly needing a nap.

As soon as Qianqing Palace reopened, the Imperial Noble Consort was immediately informed. Although she had been eager to regain control of the palace affairs, she waited patiently for the Crown Prince to recover from smallpox.

The Grand Empress Dowager would surely be relieved with the Crown Prince's recovery and no longer use the Crown Prince's illness as an excuse to avoid seeing her.

Though she knew the Grand Empress Dowager wouldn't see her, the Imperial Noble Consort still went to Cining Palace every day to pay her respects. Even if she couldn't meet the Grand Empress Dowager, she would pay her respects outside before taking her leave.

This conduct of the Imperial Noble Consort undoubtedly associated her with humility and filial piety, upholding her reputation as dignified and virtuous. It also set the stage for the Niohuru family to help her reclaim palace authority.

These days, apart from paying respects at Cining Palace, the Imperial Noble Consort stayed in Yikun Palace, putting on a convincing act of deep reflection.

She also subtly influenced the palace's narrative, downplaying her reprimand and emphasizing her filial piety and humility. She highlighted that the Grand Empress Dowager was too ill to see concubines, and if not for the Grand Empress Dowager's refusal, she would have attended to her, thus enhancing her own reputation.

Meanwhile, she caused some trouble for Consort Tongjia, who was still inexperienced in handling palace affairs. After Consort Tongjia made a few mistakes, she subtly compared her to the Imperial Noble Consort.

Consort Tongjia's incompetence led to repeated issues, whereas the Imperial Noble Consort had never made such minor mistakes during her long tenure managing the palace.

Having controlled the palace for so many years, even though Consort Tongjia had temporarily taken over, the Imperial Noble Consort, with her deeper roots, naturally had ways to make things difficult for her.

Today, when the Imperial Noble Consort came again, the Grand Empress Dowager no longer used the excuse of illness to refuse her. The Imperial Noble Consort was somewhat expecting this but still showed a knowing smile. After entering, she first performed the proper rituals.

After being asked to rise, the Imperial Noble Consort sat on the prepared embroidered stool, smilingly inquired about the Grand Empress Dowager's health, and expressed her joy over the Crown Prince's recovery, saying the Grand Empress Dowager no longer needed to worry about the Crown Prince's illness.

After some small talk, the Grand Empress Dowager played along, curious to see how long the Imperial Noble Consort could keep her composure and how much longer she would beat around the bush before getting to the point. The Grand Empress Dowager wasn't in a hurry; it was the Imperial Noble Consort who was anxious.

"Ancestor, these days, I have been reflecting on my actions in Yikun Palace. I indeed was negligent before, but I will not be so in the future.

It has been troublesome for Consort Tongjia to manage the palace affairs on my behalf during this period."

The Imperial Noble Consort slightly emphasized the word "temporary."

The Grand Empress Dowager continued to fiddle with her prayer beads without responding. The Imperial Noble Consort didn't feel awkward and continued with a gentle smile,

"However, Consort Tongjia took over the palace affairs in a hurry, and I didn't have the chance to properly hand over the palace matters to her. It's no wonder she has been overwhelmed; it was my oversight."

The Imperial Noble Consort deliberately brought up the issues in Consort Tongjia's management of palace affairs at this time.

That was an undeniable fact. She would never make such mistakes now. The previous baseless reprimand had unjustly accused her of mismanagement, and her authority over the palace had been temporarily revoked.

But this alone was not enough to completely strip her of her authority as the Imperial Noble Consort. She had not committed any grave errors, so she still held a higher position than Consort Tongjia. Even if Consort Tongjia was reluctant, she would still have to return the palace authority to her.

However, Consort Tongjia's management was not as good as hers as the Imperial Noble Consort, which gave her the grounds to make such a statement.

"Consort Tongjia has just taken over, so it's inevitable that there will be a few slip-ups. It's not a big deal," the Grand Empress Dowager said with a kind smile, appearing like a benevolent old lady.

This wasn't the point. The Imperial Noble Consort was growing increasingly irritated. Was this old woman deliberately pretending not to understand?

She had made her intentions crystal clear—she wanted her palace authority back. Where had she offended the Grand Empress Dowager that the latter would actively back Consort Tongjia to suppress her?

If Consort Tongjia's mistakes were minor, then her own impeccable record clearly indicated that the Grand Empress Dowager was deliberately targeting her.

"What I mean is, Consort Tongjia has been putting in effort. This isn't her fault, but rather due to my temporary oversight, which has added to her burden. I have managed palace affairs for many years and have a better grasp of these matters. The palace affairs should still..."

Since the Grand Empress Dowager was feigning ignorance, the Imperial Noble Consort decided to be direct. After all, today, the Niohuru family was set to make their move.

The Grand Empress Dowager didn't even bat an eyelid. The Imperial Noble Consort was losing her composure. "You've toiled for years. Isn't it nice to have a break?" Her tone seemed somewhat indifferent.

"Your Majesty, I am the Imperial Noble Consort. Managing the palace affairs is my duty. How could I possibly burden others?" She had endured this old woman for so many days, lowering herself for so long. She couldn't afford to leave empty-handed this time.

"Sister, you're too polite. We are all sisters here. Why speak of others?"

Consort Tongjia's voice arrived before she did. She entered, supported by Nanny Wang, first paying her respects to the Grand Empress Dowager before walking over to the Imperial Noble Consort. She took her hand, suppressing her discomfort, and smiled.

"I am more than happy to share the burden for you, sister. I don't feel tired at all. Please don't worry about me. I am more concerned about the heavy load you carry. Sharing the burden is what sisters should do. There's no need to stand on ceremony."

These were the same words the Imperial Noble Consort often used, always talking about sisters and family, acting as if she were the matriarch, which had always irked Consort Tongjia. Now, it was her turn to irritate the Imperial Noble Consort, this pretentious woman.

As soon as she heard that the Grand Empress Dowager had met with the Imperial Noble Consort, she rushed over. She knew full well that the Imperial Noble Consort wanted to see the Grand Empress Dowager to reclaim her palace authority.

Hmph, Consort Tongjia was not willing to let the Imperial Noble Consort take back the palace authority so easily. Even if she had to return it eventually, she wouldn't make it easy for the Imperial Noble Consort.

"Sister, you often say this yourself, that in the palace, we are all sisters. Am I right?" Consort Tongjia said with a smile, her eyes carrying a hint of challenge as she looked at the Imperial Noble Consort.

She remembered all the times the Imperial Noble Consort had made things difficult for her, trying to belittle her and highlight her own superiority. It was truly nauseating.

Seeing Consort Tongjia arrive, the Grand Empress Dowager remained seated, watching silently without joining in. But her silence at this moment was a tacit approval of Consort Tongjia's words.

The Imperial Noble Consort secretly seethed. How had Consort Tongjia arrived so quickly to cause trouble?

Seeing that this woman, Consort Tongjia, was using her own words against her, the Imperial Noble Consort's smile grew even brighter. She was determined not to show any weakness in front of Consort Tongjia. She smiled warmly and said, "Since you're here, sister, please sit down before we continue. No need to stand."

The seat was conveniently placed behind hers, making it seem as if Consort Tongjia was a step lower.

Consort Tongjia was about to ask for another seat, as this position made her appear inferior, but the Imperial Noble Consort held her hand tightly, not letting go. Consort Tongjia had no choice but to sit down, trying not to make it too obvious.

Meanwhile, in the court, members of the Niohuru family began to take action. They brought up the matter of appointing a new empress, stating that the palace could not be without a mistress for long, and the most suitable candidate was undoubtedly the current Imperial Noble Consort.

Previously, it had been inappropriate, but it had been three years since the death of Empress Xiaochengren. It was time for the Emperor to appoint a new empress.

Rather than having the Imperial Noble Consort regain control of palace affairs, the Niohuru family hoped that she would ascend to the position of empress. This way, she could rightfully govern the six palaces without having to compete with Consort Tongjia for authority. In the presence of the empress, Consort Tongjia would not be able to overstep.

Having an empress from the Niohuru family would ensure the continued glory of the Niohuru clan.

Therefore, the Niohuru family first tentatively brought up the matter of appointing a new empress. If the Emperor showed no interest, they would settle for the second option—having the Imperial Noble Consort regain control of palace affairs.

Although the Niohuru family anticipated that the Hesheri family would be the first to oppose if they advised the Emperor to appoint a new Empress, the Niohuru family believed that the Tong family would also have similar intentions. By first advocating for the appointment of an Empress, they could then compete for the position later, which would be better than allowing the Hesheri family to dominate alone.

As soon as the Niohuru family proposed this, they were immediately opposed by Suo'etu's faction, who promptly stated,

"Your Majesty, I also have something to say. The Empress is the mother of the nation, and this position is not one that can be held by just anyone. The qualities of dignity, virtue, magnanimity, appropriate status, and experience must all be carefully considered. I believe the selection of the Empress should not be decided so hastily."

Then, a rebuttal quickly followed, suggesting that the most suitable candidate was none other than the current Imperial Noble Consort. Over the years, the Imperial Noble Consort, with her noble birth, gentle and magnanimous nature, and upright conduct, had proven herself.

The Grand Empress Dowager was unwell, and the Imperial Noble Consort's filial piety was evident as she visited daily without fail.

Having managed the imperial harem for many years without any significant errors, and being an old hand who entered the palace alongside the late Empress Xiaochengren, her qualifications were unquestionable. Now, as the Imperial Noble Consort, she was effectively the deputy Empress, making her the ideal candidate for the position of Empress.

The Tong family also seized the opportunity to assert that if the matter of appointing an Empress was under consideration, they would not easily yield either. There were others of noble birth and status besides the Imperial Noble Consort; Consort Tongjia was also a suitable candidate.

Currently, there were only two high-ranking consorts, with the rest holding concubine ranks, making the competition essentially between the Imperial Noble Consort and Consort Tongjia.

Kangxi remained silent, seated above and observing their debate.

Suo'etu, seeing that the time was right, glanced in a certain direction, and an official from that direction immediately understood and stepped forward, stating that he wished to impeach the Imperial Noble Consort for colluding with remnants of the White Lotus Sect, harming imperial heirs within the harem, and wielding unchecked power, with the Niohuru family playing a significant role in this. Moreover, the incident involving the Crown Prince's illness was also linked to the Imperial Noble Consort.

The Niohuru family's recommendation of the Imperial Noble Consort as the Empress candidate might have been an attempt to continue introducing White Lotus Sect remnants into the palace, endangering the Emperor's safety, suggesting that the Niohuru family harbored disloyal intentions.

This accusation was severe, questioning the Niohuru family's loyalty. If the Emperor took it seriously, the Niohuru family would be in grave danger.

Aling'a, still young and impulsive, could not restrain himself in the face of such slander,

"You are slandering us! How dare you speak such nonsense in the imperial court.

Our Niohuru family has served the Emperor for generations without fail. My grandfather followed Emperor Taizong, and my father was also one of the assisting ministers, dedicating himself to the Qing dynasty without any disloyalty. Now, we are even more loyal to the Emperor, how could we be involved with the White Lotus Sect! Do not slander us so casually!"

"Whether it is slander or not, the Emperor will decide. I have evidence proving that the Imperial Noble Consort indeed colluded with remnants of the White Lotus Sect to harm imperial heirs. The Imperial Noble Consort is from the Niohuru family, can you say that your family knew nothing about this?"

Perhaps they were aware, but they could not be entirely exonerated.

Aling'a's gaze was murderous, and those beside him held him back, advising him not to act impulsively and to wait and see. If he acted out now, it would only put him at a disadvantage.

The official took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, densely written with characters, and presented it with both hands. A eunuch stepped forward to receive it, not looking at the contents but hurriedly handing it over to Liang Jiugong, who then approached, "Your Majesty."

He handed the papers to Kangxi, who accepted them calmly. He already had an idea of what was written. Rather than being discovered by Suo'etu, it was more likely that Kangxi's own people had guided the investigation.

The evidence of the Imperial Noble Consort's collusion with the White Lotus Sect to harm the Fourth Princess and the unborn Fourth Prince was accurate, but the subsequent accusation regarding the Crown Prince's illness was Suo'etu's attempt to pin it on the Imperial Noble Consort, as the White Lotus Sect remnants had fled, making it convenient to use this to bring down the Imperial Noble Consort.

Kangxi's initially calm expression shifted slightly, his hand tightening on the papers, his eyes filled with brewing anger. The Niohuru family, seeing Kangxi's expression, felt a pang of anxiety, wondering what exactly was written on those papers.

Before they could respond further, the official continued, "Your Majesty, I also have a witness."

Aling'a sharply turned to look at him, suspecting that this so-called witness was merely someone brought in to spout nonsense.

Kangxi's voice seemed to suppress his anger, "Where is the witness?"

He was ready to see this so-called witness.

Suo'etu was well-prepared, aware that while bringing down the Niohuru family might be challenging, bringing down the Imperial Noble Consort was feasible. Apart from the Crown Prince's incident, he had not falsely accused the Imperial Noble Consort of anything else.

As the Commander of the Imperial Guards, in charge of the palace guards, he had many ways to obtain information within the palace, where besides eunuchs and maids, guards were the most numerous.

Since the Imperial Noble Consort had taken action, she would have left traces. Suo'etu, determined to investigate her, knew that no matter how deeply rooted a palace consort might be, she could not operate independently of the Niohuru family's influence.

Moreover, although many remnants of the White Lotus Sect had escaped and key figures had not been apprehended, some minor players remained. Even if they knew nothing and merely followed orders, traces related to the Imperial Noble Consort could still be found among them.

In the palace, other matters can be easily dealt with, but the crime of plotting against the royal heirs is a serious offense, especially when it involves collusion with the remnants of the White Lotus Sect, which is something the Emperor cannot tolerate.

As the witness was brought into the hall, although they had been cleaned and groomed beforehand, they appeared fine on the surface but had actually endured much torture.

"Your Majesty, these are the remnants of the White Lotus Sect. Despite the Imperial Noble Consort's cover, the guards managed to capture the remaining members.

They acted on orders within the palace, claiming that the Imperial Noble Consort arranged for their cover, making their actions much easier. These people have already signed confessions, revealing the eunuchs and maids who provided convenience in the palace, leading to the Imperial Noble Consort.

If it weren't for the Grand Empress Dowager's wisdom in temporarily revoking the Imperial Noble Consort's authority over the palace,

the Imperial Noble Consort might have already erased all traces. The Crown Prince was nearly killed, the Fourth Princess died at a young age, and even the unborn Fourth Prince almost died at the hands of this venomous woman."

After finishing this in one breath, he paused slightly, then added more weight to the matter,

"In recent years, the princes in the palace have died one after another, likely related to the Imperial Noble Consort. If such a venomous woman ascends to the position of Empress, the royal family might be destroyed by her!"

This statement was severe, aiming to completely nail the Imperial Noble Consort to the pillar of shame.

Seeing this, the Tong family quickly had another idea. Since Consort Tongjia was overshadowed by the Imperial Noble Consort, and now the Hesheri family had taken the lead, the Tong family should not fall behind. They followed up with a few words,

"Your Majesty, with both witnesses and confessions, the Imperial Noble Consort used her palace authority to harm the princes, making it impossible for them to guard against. Such a viperous woman is not only unfit to be Empress but also unworthy of being the Imperial Noble Consort!"

This was adding fuel to the fire, and the Mingzhu faction, not wanting to miss the excitement, also joined in, paving the way for the Eldest Prince.

With more people overshadowing Consort Hui, it was better to have fewer, especially since the Eldest Prince was present. Consort Hui would eventually rise to the position of Consort. Taking advantage of the Niohuru family's current weakness, it was time for their Nara family to rise.

Naturally, the Niohuru family could not easily admit to such things, and the court instantly became noisy. Kangxi, sitting above, looked increasingly displeased.

He stood up and left directly, with Liang Jiugong quickly shouting, "Court dismissed—" and then hurriedly followed Kangxi's steps.

The ministers who were arguing were suddenly silenced. They had argued too fiercely, and the Emperor had stormed off. However, a eunuch soon came to ask Suo'etu and Aling'a to stay and proceed to the imperial study.

On the way, Aling'a looked at Suo'etu with anger in his eyes, suppressing his rage as he followed the eunuch's steps. He was furious, wondering if the Hesheri family wanted to overthrow the Imperial Noble Consort or the Niohuru family!

If the Emperor believed that the Niohuru family had disloyal intentions due to their connection with the White Lotus Sect and brought up his father's affairs again, what should they do?

Suo'etu, however, remained calm and composed, facing Aling'a's angry gaze with ease.

To Suo'etu, Aling'a was just a young man who, faced with such a situation, could only think of anger. The more critical the moment, the more one needed to remain steady and not panic, to avoid appearing guilty and giving others a chance to provoke.

Ebilun had left too early, without teaching the young man.

If the Emperor truly believed that the Niohuru family had disloyal intentions, he would not have called Aling'a to the imperial study. The best strategy for the Niohuru family now was to immediately abandon the Imperial Noble Consort, clear their name, and preserve the Niohuru family.

Even without the White Lotus Sect affair, just being involved with the Crown Prince, the Imperial Noble Consort was destined to be discarded.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Noble Consort was unaware of what was happening. She thought everything was progressing smoothly and that things would soon return to normal. Although Consort Tongjia's words were irritating, the Imperial Noble Consort was quite experienced in dealing with her.

If it weren't for the Grand Empress Dowager saying she was tired and asking everyone to leave, the Imperial Noble Consort and Consort Tongjia would have had to withdraw. Only after leaving did the Imperial Noble Consort realize that she had been too focused on talking to Consort Tongjia and had not achieved her goal.

Consort Tongjia arrived so quickly, perhaps the Grand Empress Dowager had intentionally informed the Jingren Palace to watch the tigers fight.

Once outside, Consort Tongjia no longer pretended and left directly. The Imperial Noble Consort also didn't bother to argue with her and returned to the Yikun Palace, wanting to know the progress of the Niohuru family.

However, as soon as the Imperial Noble Consort returned to the Yikun Palace, before she could even take a sip of tea, she heard that an imperial edict had arrived.

The Imperial Noble Consort's heart trembled, almost spilling the tea. She didn't understand why there would be an edict. Could it be about her becoming Empress?

Thinking this, the Imperial Noble Consort quickly adjusted her qipao dress and went to receive the edict.

The person who came to deliver the imperial edict was Liang Jiugong, but his expression was stern, not smiling, which made the observant Imperial Noble Consort's heart sink.

If the edict contained good news, like making her Empress, Liang Jiugong wouldn't look so stern; he'd be all smiles, congratulating her right away.

With these thoughts, the Imperial Noble Consort hesitated.

Liang Jiugong urged, "Imperial Noble Consort, why aren't you receiving the edict?"

The Imperial Noble Consort could only suppress her unease and kneel to receive the edict. Liang Jiugong unfolded the edict and began to read it in an unchanged tone from start to finish, but as the Imperial Noble Consort listened, her face turned pale.

Her face was full of disbelief—Kangxi wanted to strip her of her title as Imperial Noble Consort?!

"I need to see the Emperor; this can't be true. I've never done any of these things!" The Imperial Noble Consort thought, she must see Kangxi, this isn't real, she is the Empress! Kangxi shouldn't depose her!

This defies history; it's the most panicked she's been since arriving here. She wanted to use her knowledge of history to gain an advantage, to change the outcome, she didn't want to be a short-lived Empress.

But in the end, everything changed. She, who was destined to be crowned Empress, couldn't even retain her position as Imperial Noble Consort.

Liang Jiugong's Eunuchs held down the Imperial Noble Consort as she tried to rise, keeping her on her knees. After Liang Jiugong finished reading the edict, he said, "Niohuru, receive the edict."

Liang Jiugong stopped calling her Imperial Noble Consort, addressing her simply as Niohuru.