Changsheng: Peak at the Beginning

Chapter 1239 Zhen Huan Enlarged to 163

In Kunning Palace, after the new concubines had their audience, it was time to arrange for them to sleep with the queen. Lianxin quietly observed the queen's expression while gently helping her to do her hair.

The two maids who were helping out nearby didn't have the same level of concentration as Lian Xin. The Queen saw her peeking through the mirror and couldn't help but get angry: "What are you doing? Could it be that in your eyes, this Queen is just an ignorant woman who doesn't know the importance of the matter?!"

Lian Xin also complained that these two people had just been promoted and embarrassed her, and quickly knelt down to apologize: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, it's all my fault. I recommended them to work before I had trained them well."

"I know my crime, please punish me, madam."

The queen waved her hand and asked the two palace maids to leave. She looked at Lianxin kneeling on the ground and waited for a while before calling her up.

Lianxin also knew that she had been thinking the wrong thing today. She shouldn't have pretended to try to test the Queen's intentions through others.

After Lianxin was anxious for a while, the queen finally spoke: "Lianxin, I used to think you were a steady and gentle person, and you were very organized in your work. I relied on you a lot, and you were even the best person around me."

Lian Xin felt even more ashamed, and she knelt down again with tears in her eyes to apologize: "My lady, it's all my fault. Please punish me, I have no complaints at all."

Fortunately, the queen was not really dissatisfied with Lianxin and wanted to find someone to replace Lianxin. She just wanted to warn her: "Lianxin, I know that there are suddenly a few new people in the harem, which makes people feel uneasy. But as the head maid of Kunning Palace, you should stabilize Kunning Palace as soon as possible instead of escalating the situation or letting it develop."

Lianxin then realized that in addition to her reckless guessing of the Queen's intentions, she had also made such a mistake. She knelt lower and lower, and only apologized and admitted her mistakes repeatedly, not daring to make any other movements.

The Queen sighed and said, "I know Shupin is coming with great momentum. Not only is she a noble lady from a great Manchu family, but she also has the blood of her ancestors. But she is just a concubine after all. I am also from a great Manchu family and have given birth to the Emperor's eldest son and daughter. As long as I don't commit a fatal mistake, my position as Queen will be as stable as Mount Tai."

The queen could remain stable, but the other concubines in the palace were not necessarily so. What was surprising was that Concubine Su, who had always been kind to others and gave birth to the second and third princes, actually began to worry about her favor.

Concubine Su was a Han woman from Jiangnan. She was sent to the capital with Concubine Chen, who also moved into the backyard of the palace.

Concubine Chen was beautiful, gentle, and a great painter. Although Emperor Qianlong did not favor her very much, he would visit her once or twice a month and would not forget her.

Concubine Su believed that she and Concubine Chen were both from Jiangnan and should form a party, so she invited Concubine Chen to talk to her.

Cheng Xin, who was beside Concubine Chen, was a little dissatisfied with Concubine Su's behavior. After Concubine Su's people left, she couldn't help but complain to Concubine Chen: "My lady, you are also a noble after all. Although you are not as important as Concubine Su, you are not an insignificant person either."

Concubine Chen was always unwilling to think the worst of others. She was deeply in love with Qianlong. After Qianlong ascended the throne, she became more and more understanding of Qianlong's difficulties and did not want to let the affairs of the harem make Qianlong worry and distracted.

Her quiet demeanor and unwillingness to interact with others also discouraged many people from trying to win her over. However, since Su Bin and she were both from Jiangnan and were chosen to enter the imperial residence together, sometimes it was impossible to avoid Su Bin.

Concubine Chen had no choice but to persuade Cheng Xin: "Don't talk about others like this. I am just a noble lady, and my status is lower than that of Concubine Su. If your words just now are used as a handle by others, I really don't know how to save you."

Chengxin knew what was right and wrong, but he still felt unfair for Concubine Chen. As he was about to leave, he could only try his best to hide the anger on his face.

When they arrived at Zhongcui Palace, Concubine Su watched Concubine Chen perform the etiquette thoroughly before she smiled and called out to her. This made Chengxin even more dissatisfied with her, but because Zhongcui Palace was Concubine Su's place, she did not dare to cause trouble for Concubine Chen.

Chen Guiren also knew that Concubine Su must have come to her because of the new arrival in the palace, but she felt that the matter of the new arrival in the palace had nothing to do with her, and she was also quite annoyed that Concubine Su always made a fuss, so she asked Concubine Su directly: "Your Majesty hurriedly summoned me, but what's the important matter?"

Supin was a little embarrassed. She really couldn't find anyone, so she could only talk to Concubine Chen: "Sister Wanyin, there is a new person in the harem. I am worried that I will lose favor in front of the emperor, so I asked you to come over to talk."

"It's not that I have to compete with the newcomer for favor, but I feel sorry for the Second and Third Princes. It's all my fault that they are not favored by the Emperor. In the past, they were already tired of seeing the Emperor's face. Now that the newcomer has come with such a strong momentum, my meager favor will definitely..."

When Concubine Chen heard Concubine Su mention the Second and Third Princes, she could only sigh in her heart, "Sister Su, you are overthinking. The Emperor is nostalgic. Sister Su is an old man in the Qiandi Palace, and she gave birth to two princes, the Second and Third Princes. The Emperor will never forget Sister Su."

Concubine Su was almost unable to maintain her facial expression because of Concubine Chen's words. Her appearance could not compare with Concubine Chen's, but her ability to bear children was better than many people in the palace, especially Concubine Chen who was also from Jiangnan. So Concubine Chen herself was unaware of it, but she knew that the resources of Jiangnan had been concentrated in her hands alone.

In this case, she certainly was unwilling to let herself and her child be forgotten by Emperor Qianlong.

Supin had more to say, and continued to play the victim: "But with the addition of new people to the palace, sooner or later there will be more princes and princesses for the emperor. My second and third princes will definitely be looked down upon by others because of me, a Han woman from Jiangnan!"

Concubine Chen still didn't understand what Concubine Su meant, so she just went along with what Concubine Su said and comforted her, "Sister, you are joking. Who dares to look down on the prince?"

Concubine Su was speechless. Could she directly complain that Qianlong treated the eldest prince and princess better than the second and third princes born to her?

Of course not!

Concubine Chen was determined not to give Concubine Su another chance to speak, and continued, "Sister, I am just a little noble lady. There are several new noble ladies in the palace now. Sister, why don't you quickly find the imperial physician to check your health and try to have another child for the emperor? In this way, you can be made a concubine."

Speaking of having children, Concubine Su felt a little guilty. She was a little timid, otherwise she wouldn't have complained only to Concubine Chen, who also came from Jiangnan and was honest and steady.

The two of them soon dispersed, but when Concubine Chen returned to Jingyang Palace, Chengxin was in deep thought all the way, and finally couldn't help but speak out some of her speculations: "My lady, I think today when Concubine Su heard you talking about the birth of a new baby, her expression was a little strange, and she looked a little guilty."

"You and Concubine Su are both from Jiangnan. The gentry and officials in Jiangnan must have given you a lot of convenience. I suspect that you haven't heard any good news for many years. Could it be that someone secretly ruined your health at some point?"