Among the gatherings of imperial consorts, Yunxiu had always been the one who outshone the rest.
Her attire was vibrant, her adornments exquisite. Even if her rank limited her from matching the formalities of the Imperial Noble Consort or Noble Consorts, she would still be the center of attention.
Not only Kangxi, but even the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager adored such a spirited and elegant Noble Consort Yi, often praising her radiant beauty, leaving others with nothing but envy.
But today, she had styled her hair simply in a modest "small two-bun" fashion, adorned with a plain silver hairpin set with jadeite, and dressed in a pale apricot-white ensemble—a stark contrast to her former self.
Nanny Dong’s expression remained unchanged, though a flicker of heartache flashed in her eyes. Her mistress must have been frightened by last night’s dream, leaving her with no mind for dressing up. Once they returned to Yikun Palace, she would need to ensure Yunxiu rested properly.
……
The depths of winter had passed, and early spring had arrived, though the chill lingered into March.
Since Yunxiu was with child, her attendants dared not take any risks. They fetched a cloak of moderate thickness from the wardrobe, also in a warm white hue.
Ruizhu had the kitchen prepare a bowl of light congee. By the time Yunxiu had finished it, a little over half an hour had passed. Glancing at the faintly brightening sky, she lifted her chin slightly and said, "Let’s go."
"Yes."
Noble Consort Le was already waiting in the front hall. The moment she saw Yunxiu, she hurried forward and performed a proper curtsy. "Greetings to Noble Consort Yi."
Noticing Yunxiu’s bare face, her pale apricot-white attire, and the faint shadows beneath her eyes, she paused, her concern unmistakably genuine. "Sister, did you not sleep well last night? Should we summon a physician? I still have some leftover agarwood incense..."
The commotion in the main hall had been loud enough that, in her drowsiness, she had heard it.
Yunxiu felt a warmth in her heart and took her hand. "It’s nothing, just a nightmare."
Noble Consort Le, of the Guoluoluo clan, was Yunxiu’s younger sister by blood, named Yun Shu. The two had been close since childhood.
After Yunxiu entered the palace, she swiftly rose from Noble Lady Yi to Noble Consort Yi, favored greatly by Kangxi. Yet, for two full years, she bore no child, becoming the subject of endless gossip.
At the time, Noble Consort Yi stood alone, unsupported. Her father, Sanguanbao, steeled his heart and declared he would select a maiden from their clan to enter the palace and assist her. To everyone’s surprise, Yun Shu volunteered for her sister’s sake, saying that if she bore a son to be raised by Yunxiu, it would resolve the pressing dilemma.
Unable to stop her, Yunxiu could only beseech Kangxi to allow Yun Shu to reside in Yikun Palace so the sisters could look after each other.
Perhaps her sister truly brought good fortune—Yun Shu conceived after just one night of favor, and soon after, Yunxiu also received joyous news.
Yun Shu gave birth to the Fourth Princess, Yierha, and a few months later, Yunxiu bore the Fifth Prince, Yinqi, who was placed under the care of the Empress Dowager.
Yunxiu knew Yun Shu had acted solely for her sake, caring nothing for the title of Noble Consort.
She owed her sister more than she could ever repay!
The thought of Noble Consort Le being implicated by her in the dream, and of Yierha—who would later become the famed ‘Sea Pearl Princess’ of the Khalkha Mongols—being sent far away, alone, made Yunxiu close her eyes briefly, suppressing the ache in her heart. Softly, she asked,
"Did Yierha sleep well?"
Had she been startled by the commotion in the night?
Noble Consort Le smiled. "Sister, set your mind at ease. That little one slept soundly, not like us adults with our light slumber..."
Since consorts below the rank of Noble Consort were not permitted to raise their own children, Yierha had been placed under Yunxiu’s care the moment she was born, known as the Little Princess of Yikun Palace.
Noble Consort Le also resided in Yikun Palace, so mother and daughter saw each other daily, their bond as deep as any ordinary family’s.
How different it was from Yanxi Palace, where Noble Consort Liang had to seek Consort Hui’s permission just to see the Eighth Prince. Being allowed to meet him once every five days was already considered an act of mercy from Consort Hui.
"That’s good." Yunxiu’s eyes curved slightly.
The striking beauty that radiated from her now carried an air of serene elegance, startling Noble Consort Le for a moment. She marveled inwardly before dismissing the odd feeling.
Something about her sister seemed different today, but she couldn’t quite place it. She must have been overthinking it.
Apart from Noble Consort Yi and Noble Consort Le, no other consorts resided in Yikun Palace.
In private, Yun Shu addressed Yunxiu as "sister," but in more formal settings, she adhered strictly to protocol, calling her "Your Highness."
The early March air was indeed cool. Leaning on Nanny Dong’s arm, Yunxiu walked steadily forward. When they reached the front courtyard, Noble Consort Le paused in surprise. "Your Highness isn’t taking the palanquin?"
When traveling, consorts of Noble Consort rank and above were permitted to ride in palanquins, while Noble Consorts had no such privilege and had to walk when paying respects.
Yunxiu touched her belly and glanced at the surrounding vermilion walls and emerald-green tiles. "I didn’t sleep well last night. Walking will help clear my mind."
Noble Consort Le understood and pressed her lips together in concern, asking no further questions.
……
Yikun Palace lay to the west of Kuining Palace, while Chengqian Palace stood symmetrically opposite—the residence of Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia and the seat of palace authority.
Since the death of Empress Xiaozhao, Mrs. Tongjia had overseen the harem as an Imperial Noble Consort before being promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, making her the undisputed first among the consorts.
Yet, despite entering the palace years ago, she had never borne a child, and no amount of tonics had helped.
Resigned to the belief that motherhood was not her destiny, the Imperial Noble Consort had adopted the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, from Noble Consort Wuya, raising him with meticulous care, treasuring him like the apple of her eye. Even Kangxi had praised her maternal devotion.
Then, when the Fourth Prince was five, the Imperial Noble Consort became pregnant!
Now, she was six months along, awaiting the joyous day of delivery.
Not only had the harem been shaken, but the court had also been swept by waves of speculation.
The Tongjia clan was the emperor’s maternal family, and the Imperial Noble Consort was the niece of Empress Xiaokangzhang—Kangxi’s own cousin. If this child were a prince, the implications would be immense!
With such close kinship, his standing would be second only to Crown Prince Yin Reng.
Overjoyed, the Imperial Noble Consort regarded her unborn child as a priceless treasure, even delegating some of her palace authority to Noble Consort Niu Gulu, earning high praise from the Grand Empress Dowager.
This pregnancy had eclipsed all other consorts, drawing every gaze, allowing Yunxiu to focus quietly on her own pregnancy, shielded from much of the envy and schemes.
Yet beneath the calm, turbulent undercurrents stirred, foreboding storms to come.
Yunxiu had secured her place as one of the Four Noble Consorts not just through Kangxi’s favor but also through her own shrewdness and foresight.
After the Imperial Noble Consort’s pregnancy, Yunxiu had feared the brewing unrest might spill over to Yikun Palace and affect Yinqi. She had kept a low profile, toning down her usual boldness, and privately pondered how to respond if Mrs. Tongjia bore a son and diverted the emperor’s attention.
After all, once the Imperial Noble Consort delivered, it would be Yunxiu’s turn!
But now—
Yunxiu couldn’t care less.
In her dream, the clearest visions had been of her own fate and that of her children. The destinies of others were merely brushed over.
She only knew the Imperial Noble Consort would bear a princess, though when the little princess would pass away or when the Imperial Noble Consort herself would succumb to illness remained unclear.
Yunxiu had no desire to probe further.
Absently, she mused that Empress Xiaoyi, posthumously honored, would be buried in the imperial mausoleum, while she herself would at best rest in a consort’s tomb.
…There was still envy in that.
But in the end, she and Empress Xiaoyi would both return to dust—what difference did it make?
Recalling how cautiously she had conducted herself these past months, she found it all rather laughable now.
Her thoughts emptied, a faint smile touching her eyes, Yunxiu rested a hand on her waist and stepped gracefully into Chengqian Palace.
She and Noble Consort Le arrived slightly late. In the main hall, the Imperial Noble Consort was already seated in the highest position, with only the Noble Consort’s embroidered stool left empty. The other three consorts were all present.
Yunxiu glanced around and noticed that each of the ladies was dressed distinctively. The palace mistresses—Concubine An, Concubine Duan, Concubine Xi, and Concubine Jing—along with Concubine Hesheli and Concubine Borjigit, who held concubine-rank allowances, were all impeccably adorned. In contrast, Yunxiu herself appeared unexpectedly understated.
The Imperial Noble Consort wore a loose, fragrant-colored qipao, her phoenix hairpin poised as if ready to take flight, exuding elegance and grace. A faint smile lingered on her lips.
A closer look would reveal that her figure had grown somewhat plump, and her complexion was not as radiant as before—likely concealed beneath a thin layer of powder. Her hands rested protectively over her abdomen, never leaving it for a moment.
When Yunxiu performed a curtsy, the hall suddenly fell silent.
The Imperial Noble Consort paused, her smile faltering briefly before quickly resuming its gentle warmth. "No need for formalities," she said softly. "Please, take your seat."
Consort Hui, dressed in a light blue palace gown, possessed a face that could only be described as plain. When she saw Yunxiu, a flicker of surprise crossed her expression before she smiled warmly and greeted her as "Sister Consort Yi."
Yunxiu exchanged equal courtesies with the three consorts and took her seat below Consort Hui and above Consort De.
Consort Rong, around the same age as Consort Hui—twenty-eight or twenty-nine—was far more beautiful, yet her weariness and premature aging were unmistakable. Having lost four children in succession, only the Third Prince and the Second Princess survived, a tragedy that had taken a heavy toll on her. In recent years, she had gradually faded from favor, devoting herself entirely to her remaining children.
Her gaze lingered on Yunxiu’s apricot-white attire, and an odd smile tugged at her lips. She turned to Consort De and remarked, "What a coincidence. Sister Consort De and Sister Consort Yi share the same thought—both wearing apricot-white, even with matching patterns."
In the palace, seniority was determined by rank, not age. The order of the four consorts' appointments was Hui, Yi, De, and Rong, making Consort Rong the lowest-ranked. By protocol, she should address Consort Yi and Consort De as elder sisters, yet she always called them "younger sisters."
Yunxiu cared little for such formalities, valuing favor over trivialities. As for Consort De, her humble origins left her without the confidence to challenge Consort Rong’s address, so she never corrected her.
At Consort Rong’s words, Consort De’s smile stiffened.
It was well-known in the palace that Consort De favored understated elegance, while Consort Yi preferred opulence. Yet today, the two had unwittingly matched.
Consort De, also dressed in apricot-white, wore a gentle smile. However, after the early loss of her last child and her immediate subsequent pregnancy, her once-delicate beauty had faded.
With a thick layer of powder on her face, compared to Yunxiu’s bare complexion…
Yunxiu effortlessly outshone her.
No—not just by a little, but by an overwhelming margin.
Everyone knew Consort Yi was beautiful, but few had seen her in such simple attire, free of makeup, exuding an entirely different charm.
Her striking allure mingled with an air of cool detachment, and the drowsiness clinging to her lent an irresistible laziness that left onlookers spellbound.
Despite being nearly five months pregnant, she bore no blemishes nor had she gained weight…
The faint shadows under her eyes and slight weariness did nothing to diminish her beauty.
For once, envy was the last thing on their minds.
Subtle glances darted between Yunxiu and Consort De. The Imperial Noble Consort covered her lips with her hand, while Consort Hui nearly laughed aloud.
Had Consort Yi done this on purpose?
…
Heaven knew Yunxiu hadn’t meant to.
Still reeling from the impact of her dream, she had no desire to compete with the other consorts and had randomly chosen an outfit. Who could have guessed it would match Consort De’s?
Before Yunxiu could speak, Consort De smiled sweetly and said in a soft voice, "What shared thoughts? Sister Consort Yi must have had a nightmare last night and lacked the heart to dress up. Perhaps we should invite a shaman to perform blessings—that way, she may rest peacefully…"
The news of Yunxiu’s late-night lamp-lighting in Yikun Palace had reached every well-informed consort. But while they knew, none made a fuss—after all, pregnant palace women often suffered spasms or nightmares.
Yet Consort De had brought it up openly, even suggesting a shaman’s blessing.
A blessing? She was implying Yunxiu had been haunted by evil spirits and needed exorcism.
But on the surface, she framed it as concern, leaving no room for criticism.
The moment Consort De spoke, the Imperial Noble Consort’s smile vanished.
Mrs. Tongjia raised her hand, about to steer the conversation elsewhere, when Yunxiu arched a brow and fixed Consort De with a cold glare.
"If you can’t stand being outshone, just say so," she sneered. "Must you hide behind excuses about blessings? How exhausting!"
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