Cui Wei knew her mistress’s words made sense, but…
“I’ve exhausted all the connections I could use, even Qin Mama helped. If we make any more noise, we might be discovered.”
“Most of the people Qin Mama and I can access are in cleaning and menial positions. If Yonghe Palace isn’t innocent, then that consort must be hiding her tracks extremely well.”
After a pause, she hesitated slightly:
“Does my lady have any evidence?”
Fang He shook her head, “If the Imperial Noble Consort wanted to deal with me, she wouldn’t choose Noble Consort Xuan.”
“She wants to become Empress – she wouldn’t risk offending the Grand Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager. At most, she’d just watch from the sidelines.”
No matter how favored the Tongjia clan was in court, without the support of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and the Empress Dowager, her Han Army Banner origins would make it difficult for her to become Empress.
She would never do something that would backfire on her.
“With Noble Consort Niohuru’s current influence in the Imperial Household Department, there’s no need for her to involve Noble Consort Xuan either – it would be unnecessary.”
Niohuru could easily skip that intermediate step, making it even less likely to be traced back to her.
From Emperor Kangxi’s handling of the matter, it was clear the Noble Consort’s mistake wasn’t serious – at least she wasn’t the main culprit.
“As for Consort Hui, she did know I made a fool of myself drinking by the Khalkha River, but neither she, Consort Rong, nor Noble Consort An knew about my alcohol tolerance.”
Emperor Kangxi had suddenly decided to go to the Khalkha River to confront the Russians.
They’d rushed there so quickly they didn’t even bring imperial chefs.
On the night she got drunk, the imperial chefs didn’t see how much she drank either.
Only Liang Jiugong, Li Dequan, and Chunlai knew – and these three would never tell Consort Hui.
Fule lowered her eyes as if hearing nothing, quietly packing up her needlework.
Fang He massaged her wrist and smiled at Cui Wei.
“Guess where the Gorolo clan figured out my alcohol tolerance from, then used that to let the impulsive Noble Consort Xuan discover it?”
There was another time when she got drunk eating alcohol-laced dishes served before the Emperor, making quite a scene with Kangxi.
Coincidentally, the only senior consort present that time was Consort De.
As for the lower-ranking attendants, they’d all just entered the palace through selection and wouldn’t have the means to gather information from the Emperor’s presence.
“Not to mention, she managed to bear three daughters and two sons despite her bondservant origins, getting the Emperor to promote her position specifically – faster than anyone else. If she didn’t have methods, could she have achieved this?”
Cui Wei somewhat dejectedly acknowledged reality.
Her mistress hadn’t even mentioned the death of the Eighth Imperial Daughter, which also seemed to have Consort De’s fingerprints on it.
But with her capabilities, she truly had no way to deal with Consort De.
After Fule silently withdrew, she knelt before Fang He and whispered:
“This servant was too arrogant. I could only uncover minor palace gossip. The Uya clan’s influence lies mostly outside the palace – I’m truly useless…”
She wasn’t unaware that Consort De’s grandfather Esen had once been chief steward of the imperial kitchens.
But after Esen’s death, the Fuca, Donggo, and Tianjia clans surpassed them in the palace, leaving the Uya clan unable to interfere with kitchen affairs anymore, forcing them to focus on the Imperial Household Department and external assignments.
She’d asked Qin Mama to investigate any unusual activity in the various palace kitchens, but found nothing, so she hadn’t thought further.
Now it seemed possible that if the Uya clan started their scheme outside the palace, then found ways to plant agents inside, it wouldn’t be impossible.
But these weren’t things a palace maid of consort rank could uncover.
Even if some in the palace knew, they wouldn’t dare gamble by telling her.
Fang He leaned forward and pulled Cui Wei up.
“It’s fine. If she were that easy to deal with, she wouldn’t have gotten this far.”
“I have my own ways to deal with Consort De, so don’t lose heart. I still need you to keep an eye on the others, but this time, focus on how they might harm me.”
She leaned closer to Cui Wei’s ear, “Keep it from Chunlai as much as possible, and try not to let the secret guards notice. I need to know their weaknesses.”
Although Kangxi had acted swiftly in dealing with those who harmed her, she knew that for him, balancing and resolving such troubles was already no small matter.
And yet, she hadn’t lost so much as a piece of flesh.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang might even think this response excessive.
But Fang He felt it wasn’t enough.
Though no bones were broken, by the standards of this world, the other party had wanted her life.
If she showed mercy, she’d be betraying the Jiangnan homeland she’d left behind!
While Fang He was speaking with Cui Wei, Tong Guowei entered the Hongde Hall of the Qianqing Palace, leaning on his cane.
After learning of the Emperor’s successive edicts, he could no longer stay idle at home and had submitted memorials for an audience for three consecutive days.
Kangxi kept him waiting for three days before granting his request.
When Tong Guowei entered and struggled to kneel, Kangxi remained seated at the imperial desk without even raising his head.
Tong Guowei’s heart sank.
Unlike the women in the inner court, who attributed everything to jealousy and rivalry, he saw things differently.
Rather than believing Wanying and the Hesheli clan’s claim that the Emperor had lost his mind to support Consort Zhao, it was more accurate to say… the Emperor was dissatisfied with the Tong family.
In the past, when the Imperial Noble Consort was gravely ill and the Noble Consort and four consorts were appointed to assist with palace affairs, the golden seal and credentials weren’t taken away.
This clearly dashed any hope of the Imperial Noble Consort becoming Empress.
Despite the dull pain from his broken leg, Tong Guowei knelt perfectly still, not daring to move an inch, waiting with utmost reverence.
After Kangxi finished reviewing the remaining memorials and allowed Liang Jiugong to clean the brush in the inkwell, he rose and walked to the luohan bed to sit down.
Gritting his teeth, Tong Guowei turned and continued kneeling prostrate on the ground.
Kangxi ignored him and asked coolly, “Uncle, do you remember what you told me when my mother passed away?”
Tong Guowei replied in a trembling voice, “This servant remembers. I said all members of the Tong family are your kin, and our entire clan would pledge our lives to serve Your Majesty forever!”
Kangxi remained silent.
“Then can you tell me why you and Uncle Tong Guogang have been corresponding in secret?”
Kangxi took a sip of tea, his voice growing colder.
“I can guess some of So’uetu’s motives, but I truly can’t understand why your Tong family would do this.”
Sweat beaded on Tong Guowei’s forehead as he clenched his teeth, his voice strained.
“This servant deserves death! I should not have delayed arranging for Tong family members to gain military merits, deceiving Your Majesty’s judgment. I beg for punishment!”
Kangxi let out an exaggerated “ah” of realization.
“So, what I’ve given the Tong family still isn’t enough for you and Tong Guogang? You thought I was a fool trapped in the Forbidden City, needing your help to get ahead?”
“What next? Do you want my throne as well?”
Tong Guowei knew his nephew could be cutting, but even though this wasn’t his most scathing moment, he found himself at a loss for words.
Truthfully, this matter shouldn’t have come to this.
In the past, the Tong family had done far worse things in their pursuit of power, and all had been glossed over smoothly.
Even when the Emperor knew, he handled things lightly, never holding his maternal family to account.
And it was precisely this that had emboldened him and his elder brother.
The two brothers had discussed and concluded that with the Khalkha’s three tribes being numerous and powerful, along with the Chahar’s four banners nearby, the ambitious western Mongols wouldn’t rashly start a war without at least a year or two of preparation.
This period would have been enough for the Tong family to place their members and relatives’ sons in the military to earn merits.
No one expected that Jasag Khan Galdan would suddenly pass away.
His son Shar succeeded the Khan’s throne and launched fierce attacks, scattering the Tüsheet Khanate and forcing Khan Chakhundorj to lead a large number of soldiers, livestock, and horses to submit to Galdan.
With the western Mongols’ power suddenly surging, small-scale conflicts erupted immediately.
They even attempted to pursue and kill the delegation heading to Nerchinsk for peace talks, forcing Tong Guogang and Su’oetu to return to the capital.
Kangxi had already grasped the full picture, and his anger had been simmering.
If not for the peace talks and the sudden rise of the western Mongols, Tong Guogang and Su’oetu would have been sent to the Imperial Clan Court.
With an impassive expression, he stepped forward and helped Tong Guowei up.
“Uncle, I call you ‘uncle’ out of gratitude for the Tong family’s loyalty over the years.”
“But uncle must not forget whose name this empire bears. Do not make me lose all faith in you.”
Tong Guowei turned pale, not daring to utter a single word in defense of the Imperial Noble Consort.
As soon as Kangxi released his hand, he knelt again.
“This servant will remember Your Majesty’s warning and will never dare to repeat such mistakes!”
“Enough. Return and rest well. Do not leave your residence until your injuries have healed.”
Kangxi left these casual words behind as he stood and walked away.
“If war truly breaks out with the Dzungars, the Qing has no shortage of soldiers, certainly not in need of the Tong family’s few.”
Tong Guowei swayed, his vision darkening.
He hadn’t understood why the Emperor, who had previously tolerated such matters, had suddenly taken action.
Now, he realized with painful clarity that the Tong family had crossed Kangxi’s bottom line.
Even if opportunities for military merit arose in the future, they would likely have to be earned with blood.
After leaving the palace, Kangxi went to the Cining Palace.
He knew the Empress Dowager favored Fang He, so while convincing his mother to assist in disciplining the overstepping consorts was easy, he still needed to give his grandmother an explanation.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was waiting for him, unsurprised by his arrival.
“Earlier, when you asked me to deal with Consort Xuan, I thought you still had some clarity. How could you suddenly act so recklessly?”
With Sumala guarding the door, Xiaozhuang’s first words were a direct rebuke.
“Where is this irrational anger coming from? Striking Consort Zhao-you’ve truly brought honor to the Aisin-Gioro clan.”
Kangxi: “……”
If the ancestors were watching, they’d likely say the opposite.
He listened obediently as Xiaozhuang continued her scolding.
Though she had long withdrawn from politics, her sharp instincts from the days of supporting Shunzhi and later Kangxi allowed her to grasp much without needing explicit details.
“I know you feel wronged, but when seated on the throne, it’s inevitable that some will deceive you. Everyone has their own interests— you must still prioritize the greater good.”
“Acting out may bring you momentary satisfaction, but stirring unrest among the people? If the northern Mongols become unstable and war breaks out, how will you reassure the military? Have you considered any of this?”
“Moreover, though Yue Le has appeared obedient these past two years, he still firmly controls the Plain Blue Banner.”
“If you can’t even secure the loyalty of the Plain Yellow, Bordered Yellow, and Plain White Banners, how can you suppress the Plain Blue Banner and the other four?”
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