Rong Fei is not honored

Kangxi continued, "Below the Imperial Noble Consort, there are two Noble Consorts, four Consorts, and six Imperial Concubines. Above the rank of Imperial Concubine are the Head of a Palace, and below the rank of Imperial Concubine are Noble Ladies, Maids, and Maids. There is no fixed number for these."

(The information I checked all said that the number of concubines in the Qing Dynasty was six, not seven. However, this conflicts with the seven concubines appointed when Kangxi first conferred the title of Empress Dowager. It is impossible that Kangxi had just established the harem registration system and then turned around and broke the rules, right?

Later, the editor discovered that in addition to the two special existences, the empress and the imperial concubine, the main positions in a palace include the concubine, the imperial concubine, and the imperial concubine. The total quota is exactly equal to the number of the six eastern palaces and the six western palaces.

Therefore, I think this is not a coincidence, and the quota for concubines should be six. As for the conflict with the seven concubines, it should be that Kangxi had other considerations.

"From now on, only the head of a palace can personally raise the royal heir until he is six years old and then moves to the Southern Three Residences. The children of noble ladies, maids, and concubines will be given priority to be raised by the head of their own palace. They are not far away, which can at least comfort the loving mother.

After the rank is determined, the greetings should be brought back and those people should be given something to do so that they won't make trouble all day long.

The noble ladies were required to pay their respects to the queen every day along with the main concubines. The maids and concubines only needed to pay their respects to the queen on the second day after their first sleepover, on the first and fifteenth day of each month, or on important days. At other times, they only needed to pay their respects to the main concubines in their own palaces.

Of course, if there are special circumstances such as illness or pregnancy, they must be reported to the Queen, who will consider the matter at her discretion."

(Of course, in history, the princes of the Qing Dynasty were actually raised in rotation, but the editor found this a bit disgusting, so he did not follow the real rules.)

When Kangxi looked at her, Concubine Nianhulu nodded slightly. Even though her status was not yet determined, she was already the future queen.

Kangxi came specifically to remind him to be careful. Now is not the time to avoid suspicion and remain indifferent.

The Grand Empress Dowager figured out something, "Isn't the Emperor giving the main concubine too much power?"

"There are only a few concubines in the palace now, so it's not a big deal, but what about the future? There's no fixed number of these low-ranking concubines.

The queen is in charge of such a large harem, and has to care for the princes and princesses, discipline the concubines, and reward and punish the servants. How can she possibly be so busy?

It would be better if the head of a palace supervised the lower-ranking concubines in her own palace. If anything goes wrong, the queen can directly hold the head concubine accountable."

The advantage of this is that it limits the various means by which high-ranking concubines can use low-ranking concubines in their own palace to achieve their own goals, or push them out to convict them.

In addition, of course, the power of the queen was weakened to a certain extent.

"The Emperor's arrangements are perfect, and I have no objections."

The ranks of the harem determined by Kangxi were soon spread from the Cining Palace. Of course, this was done intentionally by the Empress Dowager, otherwise, how could she have muddied the waters.

"There are four concubines and six concubines. Doesn't that mean Rong Fei and Hui Fei have already taken up one spot?"

"Everyone says Concubine Rong has fallen out of favor, but she has everything: a concubine title and a prince. It really makes people..."

"Sister, do you think we should fight for it? Of course, we're not fighting for a high position. We have no favors and no children, so how can we compete with those people?

What I mean is that now that we've moved to a new place, Rong Fei is much easier to get along with than someone whose temperament we don't know in the future. If we can get to know the princes better, when the day comes that she dies and Rong Fei gets sick..."

"Above the rank of Concubine is Imperial Concubine, and above that are Empress and Vice Empress. Why does Ma Jia have the right to do so?"

"Why is my belly so unreliable? If I could give birth like Rong Fei and Hui Fei, I would have already secured my status as an heir thanks to my offspring, and there would be no need to worry about not being able to reach the position of a main concubine."

In Chengqian Palace, Concubine Tong Jia hadn't moved or spoken since her return. Even though Nanny Tong had been talking to her till her lips were raw, she still couldn't get any response from her own princess.

After receiving the news from the Cining Palace, Madam Tong had no choice but to try her best to save the situation. She told the princess about the incident and said:

"Even Ma Jia and Nara have become the mistresses of a palace, so naturally you won't be any worse off. Even if... even if His Majesty doesn't agree... as long as you are the mistress of a palace, the children of the lower-ranking concubines in the palace are also your children, aren't they?"

Hearing this, Concubine Tong Jia's eyes rolled. Seeing that it worked, Nanny Tong was overjoyed, and then continued:

"I know your affection for His Majesty, but, frankly, no one who falls for the Emperor has a good ending, just like your aunt and the one in Zhongcui Palace...

So, all affection is fake, only the benefits in your hands are real.

Your family sent you in not only to satisfy your personal feelings, but also because they thought that if you could gain a foothold in the palace, you could also protect the Tong family.

The Tong family has become rich quickly, and many people are watching them. I have heard about how those people are laughing at the Tong family behind their backs in the palace. I think you must know about it.

Now, you have entered the palace, but your father, mother, brothers and sisters are still being bullied.

If you don't stand up, how difficult their lives will be.

I know you are sad, but you can't stay sad forever. You must cheer up, otherwise you will be laughed at by Ma Jia and Nara.

And as for Niuhulu, are you willing to watch her sit firmly on the throne of empress while you yourself are inferior to Majia and Nara?"

"Shut up!"

Concubine Tong Jia, who had not spoken for a long time and had not eaten or drunk anything, had a dry throat and her voice was unpleasant and weak, but Nanny Tong could still hear the deep hatred in it.

"Master, I know you are unwilling to accept this, but we haven't lost yet.

As the saying goes, no one can be perfect forever, and no flower can be red forever. How powerful was Empress Hesheli at that time. Even though everyone knew that she was a vicious woman who plotted to murder the royal heir, she was still able to act tyrannically and oppress all the concubines.

But what was the result? She was still rejected by the Emperor, her reputation was ruined, and she died in childbirth.

No matter how successful they are now, they may end up like Hesheli in the future.

But then again, although Hesheli lost once, she might still be the winner in the end.

Think about it, as long as the child she left behind finally succeeded in ascending the throne, would anyone dare to say that Hesheli was a vicious woman?

I am afraid that by then, everyone will change their tone and say that Hesheli is innocent and those stigmas were framed by the treacherous concubine.

Although we are a little behind now, compared to Hesheli back then, how can we compare? She was able to successfully break through the situation and leave herself a glimmer of hope. Can't we do the same?"

Concubine Tong Jia let out a long sigh, as if to release all the anger in her heart, "Mammy, you are right, I haven't lost yet."

"Hey, as long as you don't fall, this servant and the entire Tong family will support you."

"But Mammy, if His Majesty won't touch me, then in everyone's eyes, I'll just be a concubine in name only. Even if my position is high, I'm afraid I won't be respected. They will only laugh at me."

"Who dares to talk nonsense? As long as His Majesty is willing to stay overnight in Chengqian Palace, even just once, even if the person being favored is not you, the so-called nominal but not substantial is nothing but slander.

According to palace rules, the Tongshi can only be reviewed by the Empress or the Empress Dowager. Apart from that, who dares to guarantee that you have never slept with the Empress?"

"But today, His Majesty said this in front of so many people, who wouldn't know..."

Seeing the princess's sad look, Nanny Tong felt heartbroken. In the past, her princess always called him "cousin", but it seemed that this time, the princess was really heartbroken by the Emperor.

"Master, don't be afraid. Who do those people think they are? How dare they cause trouble to Empress Dowager Cihe? If they really do that, just punish them for the crime of disrespect. Even if they come before His Majesty, he will help you."

"How is that possible? How could His Majesty still help me? Ma, you saw his attitude today."

"Master, in my opinion, His Majesty still cares about you very much. What he said today should not have been said in front of so many people. It would have been bad for both Empress Dowager Cihe and His Majesty's own reputation, but why did he still say it?"