Phi-Fic Chapter 80 Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace 7
Chapter 80 Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace 7
The news that the ranks of everyone in the Prince's residence had been decided had spread throughout the inner palace. The next day, everyone went to Changchun Palace early to pay their respects to Empress Fucha Langhua.
After being guided by Hongli yesterday, Fucha Langhua seemed like a completely different person. She was full of pride and her brows were no longer furrowed with worry.
All the concubines bowed respectfully to her, and even Qingying lowered her noble head: "Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress!"
"My dear sisters, please rise!" Fucha Langhua smiled and told everyone to stand up. She had never felt so at ease, and her face became even more magnanimous and graceful. She even asked Sulian and Lianxin to give everyone red oranges that were tributes from Jiangnan, and chatted with everyone in a gentle and amicable manner for a few minutes.
Everyone was eager to know their rank, but since the imperial decree had not yet been issued, Empress Fucha Langhua naturally wouldn't tell them their ranks directly. She simply smiled and nodded.
"His Majesty has already determined your ranks and arranged palaces for you to live in. Once the imperial decree arrives at noon, you can pack your things and move in."
Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed. In the days since their titles and ranks had been uncertain, they had all been huddled together, mourning the late emperor. Now that they heard the imperial edict of investiture would be issued today, no one was in the mood to stay and they all rose to take their leave.
Fucha Langhua knew they were anxious, so she didn't stop them. Only Qingying lagged behind the others and stayed in Changchun Palace.
Qingying had a close relationship with Hailan in the Prince's residence and they lived together, so she asked Langhua to allow them to continue living in the same palace.
Langhua still wore a dignified and generous smile: "Since my sister has made such a request, I will certainly grant it."
Although Hongli had already arranged for Qingying and Hailan to be together, it didn't stop her from using this matter to do someone a favor.
Upon hearing her agreement, Qingying immediately expressed her gratitude: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness."
Langhua asked Lianxin to help her up: "We are all sisters from when I was a prince. I am a few years older than you, so naturally I have to take care of you."
After expressing her gratitude once more, Qingying took her leave of Changchun Palace.
As Langhua watched Qingying's departing figure, she thought to herself, "Ulanara Qingying, in the end, it is I who sit on this Empress's throne and gain the Emperor's favor."
By noon, the Emperor's decree to bestow titles upon the concubines had spread throughout the palace, naturally bringing joy to some and sorrow to others.
The highest-ranking officials in this investiture were Gao Xiyue and Qingying, but the former had one more title than the latter, making her half a rank higher.
Gao Xiyue was initially not very satisfied with being only a concubine, but when she heard that she was the highest-ranking concubine, even surpassing Qingying, she immediately became happy again and cheerfully instructed Moxin, Xingxuan, and other palace servants to pack their luggage and move to the new palace.
The atmosphere on Qingying's side was not so pleasant!
Why was she merely a concubine without a title, and even assigned to live in the remote and dilapidated Yanxi Palace? What did the Emperor mean by this? Had he forgotten the bond between the two of them?
Qingying was in a state of distress, while A'ruo, Qingying's personal maid, was also chattering incessantly. Due to their childhood bond, A'ruo was now indignantly defending her mistress.
"Yanxi Palace had not been repaired for a full thirty years since the twenty-fifth year of Kangxi's reign. It was the most dilapidated place in the East and West Six Palaces, and it was also far away from the Emperor's Hall of Mental Cultivation. Moreover, it was next to a passageway for palace servants to come and go, which was usually noisy with people coming and going. I wonder what the Empress was thinking when she arranged for the princess to be placed there."
A'Ruo was just a palace maid, yet she dared to bring up the Empress in her conversation. Any intelligent person would have reprimanded her harshly long ago, but Qingying was sitting there instead. Instead of stopping her, she sighed and remained silent, secretly grieving.
Seeing her like this, A'Ruo became even more enthusiastic.
"In addition to bestowing the title of Consort Hui upon Consort Yue, the Emperor also moved Consort Hui's maternal family out of the bondservant class and elevated the entire family to the Bordered Yellow Banner, bestowing upon them the surname Gaojia, and allocating them a fine palace such as Xianfu Palace."
"The title of Consort of the Emperor was personally bestowed by the late Emperor, and she and the Emperor were childhood sweethearts. She should at least be promoted to the rank of Imperial Noble Consort, far surpassing Consort Hui."
"I heard that before the Empress arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she visited the Empress Dowager's Palace of Longevity. In my opinion," A'Ruo suddenly lowered her voice and whispered in Qingying's ear, "this matter is most likely the result of the Empress Dowager and the Empress working together."
Qingying's eyes lit up. That's it! That's it!
Why would the Emperor treat her like this? It must be because the Empress Dowager was angry with her aunt, so she pressured the Emperor to change her rank and residence.
The emperor who truly changed his rank: ......
The Empress Dowager, who was innocently blamed: ......
The Emperor genuinely didn't know that Yanxi Palace hadn't been repaired for nearly thirty years, and even if he did, he wouldn't have bothered to change it.
Although the palaces in the palace have not undergone major repairs, they are regularly cleaned and maintained by palace staff. You could say they are old, but you certainly can't say they are dilapidated.
Besides, when the Empress Dowager first entered the palace, she lived in a small theater like the Suiyu Pavilion, not even in the East or West Six Palaces, and she was doing just fine. Now she's the Empress Dowager.
Unaware that the Emperor had changed her rank, Qingying bit her lip and secretly resolved that she would never again put her brother Hongli in a difficult position between her and the Empress Dowager.
Qingying decided to endure the humiliation and put aside the hatred of the Empress Dowager for poisoning her aunt, and to improve her relationship with the Empress Dowager.
With that in mind, Qingying took advantage of the time when everyone was moving to the new palace to take Suxin to Yongshou Palace, hoping that the Empress Dowager would change her name as a way of showing goodwill to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was completely baffled by Qingying's request, but since she had already made such a request, and everyone was a respectable person, she couldn't refuse.
So Qingying's name became Ruyi.
News travels fast in the palace, especially with Qingying's deliberate manipulation. In just one afternoon, everyone knew that Qingying had changed her name to Ruyi.
Upon hearing the news, Gao Xiyue's expression changed drastically. She hurriedly went to Changchun Palace and said to Langhua, "Your Majesty, why would the Empress Dowager suddenly bestow a name upon Ulanara? And why does it have to be Ruyi, Ruyi, Ruyi? It reminds me of what happened at Jiangxue Pavilion back then."
"His Majesty has always favored Consort Nara. Originally, the Empress Dowager was angry with her because of Empress Yixiu and often caused her trouble, which made everyone feel a little more at ease. But now that the Empress Dowager has bestowed a name upon her, it is clearly a sign that the two have reconciled. With the Empress Dowager's support behind the scenes, wouldn't Consort Nara be even more pleased with herself!"
Upon hearing Gao Xiyue mention Jiangxuexuan, Langhua's expression instantly turned sour, clearly indicating that she agreed with Gao Xiyue's words.
The Empress Dowager and Qingying—no, it should be Ruyi—have actually joined forces! This is not good news!
"It seems that the Empress Dowager wants to use this method to remind the two of us not to forget what happened back then."
Upon hearing this, Gao Xiyue stomped her feet in anger: "Ruyi, Ruyi! I will absolutely not let her have everything she wants."