Yunxiu had no idea what the emperor was thinking.
The dream told her that Wang Shi, the Concubine Mi, was naturally beautiful, as she had been favored for so many years. Her beauty was somewhat similar to that of Liang Guiren, but she was much younger and more beautiful than Liang Guiren. She was delicate and gentle, and spoke a soft Wu dialect that was different from that in the capital. She was as gentle as water, and her every frown and smile was sympathetic.
If he insisted on marrying Wang into the palace, could she stop him
Concubine Yi had let it go long ago. As long as it didn't threaten Yinreng's position and didn't block her intention to become a noble concubine, in her later years, the emperor could favor Han women if he wanted to, and summon young girls to accompany him if he wanted to. It was fine as long as she didn't see it. Anyway, it wouldn't bother her.
Besides…
Yunxiu had a strong premonition that the future might not develop as she expected. In the dream, Wang entered the palace in the 25th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, not during this southern tour. If there were any changes, it would be hard to predict.
Because the emperor today has really been "reborn" and is very different.
I don't know why, but the emperor has been very sticky to her recently. He looks at her with a smile in his eyes and asks about her well-being all the time. He seems to want to keep her in his pocket, as if he is afraid that she will get sick.
After getting her response, he seemed to be more motivated. During the southern tour, he was not at all impatient with the heavy government affairs brought by the guards. He was in high spirits all day long and did not show any sign of fatigue.
Yunxiu's food, clothing, housing and transportation were all in the emperor's carriage. She had never returned to her imperial concubine's carriage a few times, accompanying the emperor from morning to night. Seeing Kangxi's attentive attitude, not to mention Liang Jiugong's teeth were sour, the princes and important officials who accompanied the emperor were a little bit unbearable!
The Crown Prince, Yinzhen and Yinqi often went to the Yiku Palace to play, but they remained calm when they saw this; the Third Prince stopped looking amazed, and tried hard to learn from his second brother to be a normal person. Occasionally, he would get on the carriage at the back and whisper a few words to Concubine Rong... As for the eldest prince, he was uneasy and his face was completely distorted when he was riding on horseback on the first day.
No matter how twisted he was, he was just an innocent young man after all. Putting aside Concubine Hui and his own position, Yinzhi had to say that his father and Concubine Yi were a perfect match, with both talent and beauty.
After seeing so much and becoming numb, the eldest prince could not help but have some expectations for his future wife. After all, after the southern tour, he would attend court and in a few years, he would have to get married.
All the accompanying officials felt envy, jealousy and hatred towards Tu Yue.
Concubine Yi was favored to this extent, how could his brother be any less favored by the emperor? Just by whispering in the emperor's ear, the Guo Luoluo family would enjoy endless benefits!
At the same time, they murmured that they should have asked the Emperor for a companion study place earlier, instead of giving it to Ma Qi from the Fucha family.
Following the Fifth Prince, not only would he be naturally close to the Crown Prince, but he would also not have to worry about choosing sides in the future. The Fifth Prince had been raised by the Queen Mother since he was a child, so he did not have to worry about arousing the Emperor's suspicion. How could such a thing with no harm at all be taken by someone else
After receiving a wave of glares from his colleagues, Ma Qi stroked his precious beard and smiled quite subtly.
When it comes to having a discerning eye for talent, you are still far from it!
******
Jiangnan, Jiangning Weaving House.
"Has the main courtyard been cleaned?" Madam Li summoned several stewards and maids and asked them carefully. "It's not just the places that we usually take care of. The places where the ladies in the palace live, if there is any neglect, not only you, but also I will be punished!"
"Madam, this is something that I saved."
"That's good. The emperor will be arriving soon, so you all should be careful and cautious. Keep a close eye on your subordinates, and also on your own eyes and hands. Don't do or see those things that you shouldn't do or see..." Li said slowly, and seeing that the stewards all looked startled and nodded in agreement, she nodded with satisfaction, waved her hand to let them leave, and went into the inner room to look for her mother-in-law.
When she saw the old lady, Madam Sun, she bowed and said softly, "Mother, let your daughter-in-law see that you really don't have to move out of the main courtyard where you are used to living. We have built a courtyard for the emperor, and we don't lack a place for the ladies to live, so why are you doing this?"
Before she finished speaking, Sun glanced at her, tapped her cane, and said, "Don't let anyone hear what I said. Among the backyards, only the main courtyard is the largest and most spacious. How can we let you live in that useless side courtyard! If the master finds out, you will be in big trouble."
After being taught a lesson, Li lowered her head and responded submissively, "Yes, I will teach you. But I remember that the Emperor always thought about you and told his attendants, 'This is our old man.' I think he must want you to live in the main courtyard..."
In order to welcome the emperor on this southern tour, Jiangning Weaving Master Cao Xi began preparations years ago and spent a large amount of money to renovate the mansion. He also built two new courtyards and a west garden on the vacant land next to the weaving mansion. The courtyards were exquisite and gorgeous. One was the residence of the emperor, and the other was the residence of the grand empress dowager and the queen mother, which was almost like a temporary palace.
Speaking of Kangxi, Sun's expression softened a bit, and a kind look appeared on her face. She gently reminded Li, "Because the emperor is concerned about me, the Cao family must be more careful in what they say and do, and not leave any handle for arrogance and disrespect. Okay, go and do your work. If you need anything or are undecided, just come to me."
"My daughter-in-law takes her leave." Li laughed and thought that she still needed to learn more about being cautious from her mother-in-law.
She bowed and was about to turn around and leave, but she seemed to have thought of something: "… Wang has already entered the emperor's courtyard. My daughter-in-law arranged for her to serve in the inner room and do the work of undressing and serving tea. Do you think it is feasible?"
Speaking of Wang, even the old lady would marvel at her beauty.
A fifteen-year-old girl, like a flower bud about to bloom, looks at you shyly, her watery eyes misty, standing there pretty is a sight to behold... To be honest, no other concubine in the palace can compare to her.
What's even more rare is that this girl looks very smart and well-read, unlike those bed-climbing maids who are eager to climb up the social ladder and whose ambitions are visible to everyone.
A few years ago, when she came to Beijing, she met the former Imperial Noble Consort, now the convicted Consort Tong Jia. She also heard the servants of Chengqian Palace say in a low voice that their queen was a beauty, and there were few who could compare to her in the harem.
Didn't she say that Concubine Tong was far inferior to Wang
Just because of her blooming age, she has an advantage over the empresses who have princes and princesses. For example, the eldest prince's mother, Concubine Hui, is over 30 years old and not as fresh as a young girl. Hasn't she rarely been favored in recent years
The old lady had never seen the famous Concubine Yi and Concubine Liang, but as her daughter-in-law said, Li Xu's vision would never be wrong. If the emperor wanted to take a concubine or a beauty, he would definitely not let Wang go once he saw her.
She asked the master, and he said the same thing.
It is easy to get things done with someone in the palace. If Wang is lucky enough to give birth to a prince, then the Cao family and the Li family will be the prince's in-laws...
However, the government did not write to ask about Ying'er's opinion. According to the master, the matter of presenting a beauty to Ying'er would be discussed with him after he returned home.
"I'll leave it to you to arrange. I have nothing to worry about." The old lady's eyes flashed with brilliance, and she patted her daughter-in-law's hand. "The only thing is, tell her to be careful and not get too close to the empress who is accompanying the emperor. It will bother the master."
"Mother, Wang is a smart person," Li said with a smile, "She will definitely remember these words firmly in her heart, so there is no need for us to worry."
*****
After everyone in the Cao Mansion had been eagerly waiting, the imperial carriage finally arrived in Jiangning.
The emperor did not want to mobilize a large army, so he rested in the suburbs, put away the conspicuous flags, and ordered the guards to open the city gates at dawn without alarming the people in the city. He also told Cao Xi not to leave the city to welcome him, but to just wait in the palace.
Perhaps they had received an order, for the team was very quiet along the way, with only the clatter of wheels and the sound of horses' hooves. They meandered and stopped in front of the gate of the weaving house.
Jiangning Textile Manufacturer Cao Xi, the mistress of the house, Ms. Sun, the young masters and young ladies, and the first lady, Ms. Li, got up before dawn, tidied their appearance, and waited outside the mansion early.
The weaving house covers a vast area, located in a quiet and wide alley. It is the only building that can be called a palace within a few miles. In order to welcome the emperor, Cao Xi ordered his attendants to clear the place. Seeing Kangxi bending down and lifting the curtain, he dared not look any more, and quickly suppressed his excitement and bowed down: "Your servant, Jiangning Weaving House Cao Xi, pays homage to His Majesty! Long live the emperor--"
Everyone in Cao's mansion knelt down one after another, shouting "Long live the emperor!", and the scene was spectacular.
"No need to be polite," Kangxi got off the carriage and said in a deep voice, "Get up."
As he spoke, he personally stepped forward to help Cao Xi up, as well as his wet nurse Sun, whom he had not seen for many years. He was full of emotion and smiled as he spoke: "Lord Cao, please stand up, and Madam, please stand up. I wonder how Madam has been doing these years?"
The old lady felt so relieved that her eyes were red: "Okay, okay. If His Majesty is fine, I will be fine too..."
Madam Li, who was sitting behind him, did not dare to look directly at the emperor's face. She took a deep breath when she heard the words, and after sighing, her heart became hot.
No wonder the mother-in-law is respected everywhere in the palace. The gift from the emperor is nothing. Only when you see it with your own eyes, you will know what the emperor's favor means!
After a few words, Kangxi called Liang Jiugong and asked the prince and the empress who were accompanying him to rest and then enter the palace.
He said in a low voice: "Tell your mistress that I will take Baocheng and the others to the front yard to inquire about the affairs of the weaving house, and then meet with local officials... If she is tired, she can just rest, or if she is interested in meeting with the female relatives, it is up to her."
Liang Jiugong responded with a smile, then trotted to the emperor's carriage and said a few words respectfully.
A pleasant and smiling voice sounded: "I understand."
Everyone in the Cao Mansion noticed the commotion here and had many speculations in their minds. Li thought to herself, could it be Concubine Yi
Her heart sank, and it took her a long while to hide her surprise.
The rumors in the capital city turned out to be true. The imperial concubine actually rode in the same carriage with His Majesty...
All of a sudden, Li became more curious than ever about Yunxiu's appearance.
The affairs of the Southern Tour could not be delayed, and soon, Kangxi, followed by a series of princes, were led into the palace by Cao Xi. A group of female relatives were left waiting, just waiting to escort a few ladies to move in.
The old lady winked at her daughter-in-law. Li nodded slightly, raised a respectful smile, and was the first to go to Yunxiu's carriage: "Your Highness, I am Li, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Master of Weaving..."
Before she could finish, Ruizhu hung up the bead curtains on both sides with a "whoosh". The next moment, a jade-white hand supported her, and her extremely bright face was completely revealed to everyone.
The crimson cheongsam was embroidered with large crabapple blossoms, and its imposing manner made the men feel ashamed of themselves, and it made the waiting women look like dirt.
Yun Xiu glanced at Li, nodded slightly, and slowly got off the carriage.
Li's breath was choked, and all the words were stuck in her throat. Imperial Concubine Yi... was not quite what she had imagined.
The old lady was only momentarily absent-minded. Seeing this, she frowned and secretly reprimanded her daughter-in-law. Then she smiled, took a few steps forward, bowed, and was about to kneel down and kowtow: "I greet the Imperial Concubine Yi. Long live the Imperial Concubine."
It was said to be a greeting, but the way he looked looked like he was waiting for someone to support him.
Yun Xiu just looked down at her and smiled faintly.
When the old lady's smile paused, and she could not move forward or backward, so she had to kneel down and kowtow, she said gently, "Please stand up, old lady."
He turned to look at Li beside him and raised his eyebrows slightly.
What? She doesn't want to salute