Chapter 2660
Being an Empress Isn't Easy 6
Unlike usual, everyone had a genuine smile on their face.
News travels fast in the palace. Yesterday at noon, after the maids from each palace retrieved the sealed food boxes, the masters of each palace knew. The Empress stood outside the Chang Le Palace and announced that she would promote them in rank. They were all overjoyed and couldn't sleep well that night.
As expected, they all arrived very early and waited outside the hall for an audience. It was rare for everyone to arrive so completely, so there was no need for individual greetings before taking their seats.
Looking at their beaming faces, I felt even more joyful than when I had served them in bed last night.
Indeed, power and status are the best tonic for women, a great supplement.
Every word he uttered was flattery and obsequiousness. Even his normally bitter enemies no longer spoke with hidden barbs.
With promotions imminent, no one wanted to cause trouble at this crucial moment and displease the Empress and Emperor. If everyone else got promoted while they, being disliked, didn't, the shame would be worse than death.
They all tried to coax and flatter her, and Xining just listened silently with a smile.
Before anyone could subtly confirm the promotion, she simply brought it up: "Yesterday after lunch, while His Majesty was in a good mood, I brought up the matter of the promotions for all the ladies."
Immediately, everyone stared at her intently, their ears perked up.
He continued, "His Majesty has agreed."
They all breathed a sigh of relief, and their faces lit up with smiles.
"I won't interfere in this matter any further. As for how to promote someone, it's entirely up to His Majesty's will. Those who aren't promoted this time shouldn't be discouraged. There's still some time before the new concubines enter the palace. Serve His Majesty well, and if you conceive a son or daughter, you'll rise in rank because of your child."
Everyone responded that they understood and thanked the Empress for her advice. They should be starting to plan how to get the Emperor to have as many children as possible with him during this time. Once new concubines arrive, there will be too many monks and too few porridge, and the opportunities will be even fewer.
After listening to a few more casual chats, Xi Ning thought it was all just so-so, so she said, "In the past, there weren't many people in the palace, just a few sisters, so there was no such thing as rules. In the future, there will be more people, so some things must be made clear. Tomorrow, each of you will send a trusted maid to me to learn the new rules. Once you've learned them well, they can remind you of things when they're around you."
The concubines looked at each other in bewilderment. It was usually the Empress who wanted to make things difficult for them by setting these rules. Why were their personal maids being asked to learn them? Was it a case of making an example of someone?
But they dared not disobey the Empress's wishes and could only agree.
Xi Ning continued, “From now on, anyone who served the Emperor last night and is feeling unwell, if they are of a rank below Beauty, need not come to pay their respects in the morning. Just send someone to inform him, and the records of the Grand Eunuch and the Imperial Hospital shall prevail. If you have a headache or fever in the future, you are not allowed to suffer on your own, nor should you disturb His Majesty. You must ask the Imperial Physician to come and see you.”
"Your Majesty the Empress speaks aptly. Among the new concubines, there might be some vixen feigning illness to lure His Majesty away. If she's sick, she should go to the imperial physician, not His Majesty. This hard-won opportunity to serve him in bed—she hadn't even exchanged a few words, the bed wasn't even warm, and she was already being summoned away." As Consort Xiao spoke, she kept her eyes fixed on Cui Zhaorong, a slight smile playing on her lips, but her eyes held a chilling glint. If one ignored the fake smile, one would mistake her for someone who wanted to devour the other alive.
Cui Zhaorong enjoyed causing minor ailments when others were serving the emperor in bed. He would feign headaches, heart palpitations, nightmares, and other strange symptoms to summon the emperor away.
Cui Zhaorong pretended not to hear, but everyone knew that Consort Xiao was talking about her.
They're all in their early thirties, yet they're still playing childish tricks.
If she hadn't been a concubine who had always been in the Crown Prince's residence, and if Vice Minister Cui hadn't worked in the Ministry of Revenue, which was in charge of finances, and hadn't potentially embezzled Vice Minister Xiao's salary from the Ministry of War, Consort Xiao would have been able to prepare hundreds of pairs of small shoes for her.
Xi Ning seized the opportunity to continue: "The newcomers are here to produce offspring, so everyone should work hard. Yesterday's meals were to prevent anyone from causing trouble. The food His Majesty eats undergoes a second poison test. If there are even a tiny bit of unsuitable medicinal herbs or poison in it, it almost certainly won't escape detection. Considering that it's impossible for each palace to have its own, we simply took it from His Majesty's palace. What do you all think?"
We must be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. If we are neglected in the future, those opportunists will surely mistreat us. The food boxes we received from the emperor are all of good quality, and everyone eats the same. If we feel it's not enough, we can supplement our own food.
So all the concubines agreed, deeply grateful for the Empress's thoughtfulness. In the previous story, the protagonist was in the Cold Palace, where sometimes they were given leftover spoiled food; the millet and cornbread were moldy and had a strange smell, something even a dog wouldn't eat. If they got sick from it, they couldn't get a doctor; they could only endure it, or die. After death, they were wrapped in straw mats and thrown into a mass grave if no one claimed them.
This plan also gives those poor women who have been neglected but still have a glimmer of hope to survive.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they decided that the palace maids brought from each palace the next day would stay to learn etiquette, and then dispersed.
After everyone left, the Imperial Textile Bureau delivered the custom-made clothes. The main requirement was a plain-colored cotton coat, without embroidery, something simple, which is why it arrived in just two days.
The storybooks bought outside the palace have also been delivered.
So, after a stick of incense had burned, they saw the Empress, dressed in a plain indigo cotton robe, lying on a chaise longue by the window, flipping through a storybook.
In the courtyard outside the window, the magnolias were in full bloom, and several fathers-in-law who had farm experience were turning the soil. While there was still time, they planted melons, fruits, and vegetables wherever there was space.
They also scooped out all the koi in the small pond in the yard and replaced them with carp and crucian carp.
Meanwhile, the other concubines were racking their brains to show their faces in front of the emperor. Some brought various prepared foods, while others brought freshly made purses and inner garments to compete for his favor.
Consort Xiao and Consort Cui played the family card, having their princess pretend to pass by or play, thus attracting the emperor's attention.
Liu Cheng felt that he had encountered the concubines several times more often than usual today.
The next day, after paying their respects, the concubines left behind their personal maids, but one beauty was willing to stay and learn together.
I originally thought that learning the rules would be the same as before, something tedious like posture and behavior, but I didn't expect it to be a really new set of rules.
When they received the bound document containing several pages of new regulations, their eyes widened in astonishment as they flipped through it.
The nanny who was teaching the new rules began to explain them one by one. In addition to the new dining rules that we already knew, such as not being able to disturb the emperor by claiming to be unwell, there were many other rules.
If there is a pond in any of the halls, the water depth shall not exceed three feet.
What does the Empress want to do? The water depth must not exceed three feet, even for a short woman, three feet of water only reaches her waist.
There are more at the back.
Anyone wishing to enter the lotus pond must apply and register one day in advance. The internal affairs department will assign someone skilled in swimming to accompany them, ensuring one-on-one protection.
Trees by the lotus pond must not be climbed or hung on without permission. If necessary, such as for releasing bird nests, retrieving kites, picking flowers or fruit, the household affairs department must be notified and sent to handle the matter.
All wells in the palace were fitted with anti-fall wire mesh, and no one was allowed to approach them after the lights were turned off; otherwise, they would be fined half a month's salary, and if they committed the offense a second time, the fine would be doubled. If they committed the offense a third time, they would be demoted or expelled to the Xin Zhe Ku (a place for palace servants).
……
Even the upbringing of royal offspring is governed by more than a dozen rules, covering everything from specific details to broader implications, aiming to eliminate any "accidents." (End of Chapter)