Chapter 9: Tong Jia Shi Enters the Palace

Chapter 9: Tong Jia Shi Enters the Palace

On October 2nd of the 13th year of Kangxi's reign, the daughter of Tong Guowei, a first-rank minister of the imperial household, and the daughter of Hesheli Gabulā, a first-class duke, entered the palace together—one was fifteen years old, and the other was only five, barely more than a child.

In recent years, the Emperor had placed great trust in the Tong family. The Tong Jia clan had already been elevated to the Bordered Yellow Banner. Tong Guowei was the Emperor's maternal uncle, and his daughter was naturally the Emperor's own cousin. Among the consorts and concubines in the imperial harem, there was likely no one closer to the Emperor than his own cousin.

The position of empress had been vacant for five months. With Tong Jia Shi entering the palace at this time, rumors spread that the Emperor intended to appoint her as empress.

Consort Wan, Niuhulu Yu Wan, shattered a teacup in the eastern warm chamber.

Nanny Gui quickly signaled the servants to clean up the mess and comforted her mistress: "Your Highness, the Emperor will not appoint the young mistress Tong Jia as empress. She is still young and has just entered the palace. How could she suppress so many people in the imperial harem? No matter how close her relationship with the Emperor is, he would not be so foolish as to appoint a young girl as empress."

Niuhulu Yu Wan was anxious and irritable precisely because she could not decipher the Emperor's intentions. She had already asked her father and others to submit formal petitions proposing the appointment of an empress. Doing so again would seem like coercion, and the Emperor might become displeased. Even if Tong Jia Shi was not appointed empress, her privileged family background and status as the Emperor's cousin would make her a strong competitor in the imperial harem.

"Nanny, if only I had a prince."

Niuhulu Yu Wan spoke sorrowfully. If she had a prince, it would be perfectly justified for her to become empress. However, she had only had one pregnancy six years ago, but she miscarried before three months. At that time, she was only fourteen years old. The imperial physician said she was too young and her body was not fully developed, which caused her to lose the child. Since then, she had never been pregnant again. She had been in the palace for nine years but remained childless.

"Your Highness, you will surely have one. You are still young and will definitely have a prince. Hasn’t the Emperor been summoning you frequently lately? Perhaps soon, there will be news of a pregnancy."

Niuhulu Yu Wan felt that the Emperor’s frequent summons for her to attend to him might have been a way to reassure her, especially since he had long planned for Tong Jia Shi to enter the palace. She couldn’t help but touch her belly, wishing desperately that a prince was already growing inside her.

"Your Highness, the young mistress Tong Jia requests an audience." A palace eunuch entered to announce.

Niuhulu Yu Wan composed herself and signaled for the servants to bring her in. Moments later, the fifteen-year-old Tong Jia Shi entered with two maids, properly curtsying to her.

"Your servant, Tongjia Wangshu, pays respects to Consort Wan. May Your Highness enjoy boundless happiness and peace."

Niuhulu Yu Wan observed Tongjia Wangshu. She wore a coral-colored qipao with a brocade gauze overcoat, her hair styled in a small Manchu-style double-bun adorned only with a golden chain-patterned floral hairpin. Her appearance was simple yet elegant, with delicate features.

Though there were many beauties in the palace—Guoluoluo Shi was bold and radiant, Wuya Shi had picturesque features that invite compassion—Tongjia Wangshu’s looks were not particularly threatening. Niuhulu Yu Wan was not stunned by her beauty and silently breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sister, please rise."

Niuhulu Yu Wan had a seat prepared for Tong Jia Shi. Though Tong Jia Shi had just entered the palace and had not yet been granted a title, her privileged family background ensured she would not be given a low rank. Softly, she asked, "Sister, you’ve just entered the palace. Is there anything you find unfamiliar?"

"Your Highness, I often entered the palace before to visit my cousin, the Emperor. Nothing in the palace is unfamiliar to me, and I have no discomfort."

Hearing Tong Jia Shi familiarly refer to the Emperor as "cousin," Niuhulu Yu Wan wondered whether she was doing it intentionally in her presence or if she was simply young, innocent, and unaware. She smiled slightly: "That’s true. Since you often enter the palace, you must be familiar with every scene and object here. I was overthinking it. If you lack anything, feel free to tell me, and I will have the Imperial Household Department send it to you."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My cousin, the Emperor, previously allowed me to bring things into the palace from outside. For now, I lack nothing."

Niuhulu Yu Wan had forgotten that Tong Jia Shi had entered the palace with two carriages. Without the Emperor’s special permission, she would not have been able to do so.

"Since you lack nothing, I am relieved. You must be tired from just entering the palace. Please return and rest well."

Tongjia Wangshu rose, curtsied, and took her leave.

As soon as Tong Jia Shi left, Niuhulu Yu Wan gripped the corner of the table. Tong Jia Shi had repeatedly referred to the Emperor as "cousin" and emphasized his permissions, every word highlighting her familiarity with the Emperor, as if flaunting it to her.

"Your Highness, should we assign a few servants to the young mistress Tong Jia?"

"How many dowry maids did she bring into the palace?"

"Four."

After a moment of thought, Niuhulu Yu Wan said, "Forget it. She doesn’t have an official rank yet. We’ll wait until the Emperor grants her one before deciding."

That evening, Niuhulu Yu Wan was summoned to attend to the Emperor.

During the night, while attending to him, Niuhulu Yu Wan lay against the Emperor’s chest and cautiously asked: "Your Majesty, with Tong Jia sister and Hesheli sister entering the palace, what rank should the Imperial Household Department assign to them for their allowances and provisions?"

"Tong Jia Shi shall receive allowances and provisions at the rank of Noble Lady. As for Hesheli Shi, she is still young and shall receive allowances and provisions at the standard for a Gege."

Niuhulu Yu Wan silently breathed a sigh of relief. Allowances and provisions at the rank of Noble Lady—it seemed the Emperor had no intention of appointing Tong Jia Shi as empress. Hesheli Shi was only five years old, truly too young. She would not become a consort for at least ten years. For now, she was assigned to reside in the Gege's quarters with the Emperor’s officially adopted daughter, the daughter of Prince Gong.

Niuhulu Yu Wan pressed closer to the Emperor, feeling reassured by the scent of ambergris on him. She looked at the Emperor with eyes full of affection.

After a while, the two finally retired for the night.

A few days later, the Emperor named the prince born to the late empress Yinreng. Although the empress had succumbed to postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth to Yinreng, the child survived.

Children in the palace were too prone to perish prematurely, so names were usually given after the full month. Yinreng was special—he was named only after half a year. Because children in the palace were so prone to perish prematurely, Yinreng’s older brother, Yinti, had been sent to be raised by the minister Gali of the Imperial Household Department. Yinti was now two years old and, aside from the newly named Yinreng, was the only prince in the palace to have survived to the age of two.

This time, however, the Emperor announced that he would personally raise Yinreng, keeping him under his care. He was neither sent to be raised by a minister nor handed over to a consort or concubine in the imperial harem.

Niuhulu Yu Wan was somewhat confused about the Emperor’s intention. Was it because he profoundly loved the empress and did not trust others to raise her child, or did he genuinely care for the child?

The Emperor’s decision to raise Prince Yinreng personally was not opposed by the Grand Empress Dowager, and the matter was settled.

Niuhulu Yu Wan felt a sense of unease. As a palace consort, she could not directly ask the Emperor why he wanted to raise the child himself. Even if she asked, the Emperor would not tell her the truth. There was always a distance between them, and she could only observe quietly.