sjar Chapter 158: Finding the Trap and Summoning the Palace Ladies (Edited)
Chapter 158: Finding the Trap and Summoning the Palace Ladies (Edited)
Chuxiu Palace.
When Shi Nanxi woke up, she found herself lying on the bed with no one beside her. She touched the seat next to her and felt it was cold, so she lifted the bed curtain and called for help.
"Hongying, Madam Yang?"
Hongying hurried in upon hearing the noise.
"Mother, are you awake?"
He walked forward to hang up the bed curtain, helped Shi Nanxi sit up, and then considerately placed a pillow behind the empress.
Shi Nanxi leaned back on the bed and yawned delicately. She had just woken up and felt much better than when she first woke up in the morning, but her whole body was still a little soft and uncomfortable.
"Your Majesty, do you want to rest for a while longer?" Hongying was a little worried when she saw that the Empress still looked a little listless.
Shi Nanxi shook her head and looked at the sky through the window.
"What time is it? Where is the emperor? Why am I in bed?"
"To answer your Majesty, it was just after 9:00 a.m. when you fell asleep on the dragon chariot on the way back to the palace. The Emperor personally carried you back to the bedroom."
At this point, Hongying covered her lips and chuckled, with a hint of excitement and pride in her expression.
"You don't know, when the emperor personally carried you back to the palace, the palace servants passing by were simply stunned, even the palace servants and guards in front of the emperor were shocked, this is a great favor!"
Shi Nanxi raised her eyebrows. After hearing what Hongying said, she thought of the situation at that time. It seemed that everyone in the harem would have to throw away another batch of handkerchiefs and porcelain.
This wave of hatred was full, but she didn't care. She came here just to be a favored concubine, and it was inevitable to arouse anger, so she didn't care about this.
But the more glorious it is, the more dangerous it is, so she and the people around her have to stay sober and cautious at all times.
Thinking of this, she looked at Hongying's excited face and poured a basin of cold water on her head.
"The emperor also felt sorry for me because this was my first time being favored by the emperor and I was targeted when I was paying my respects. This is the emperor's grace, and we must not take advantage of the favor and become arrogant."
Hongying calmed down immediately. Thinking of how complacent she was just now, cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She knelt down and apologized:
"This servant deserves death. I almost brought disaster upon the Majesty. Please blame me."
Shi Nanxi knew that Hongying was blinded by Kangxi's actions today and felt proud because she had witnessed the process of her falling in love with Kangxi, and because Kangxi directly made her a concubine and corresponded with her before entering the palace, etc.
This is normal, that's why there is the saying "spoiled by favor", it is probably because of the emotions caused by being treated specially.
Shinanxi is more cautious about this.
Hongying was just a palace maid serving her, but she was confused by Kangxi's behavior, and she, as the person involved, felt it even more.
Of course she liked Kangxi, and she didn't like the idea of deceiving an emperor at all, but she knew that the emperor was ruthless, and even if he had a little sincerity towards her, his sincerity could change in an instant.
She will always stay sober and cautious, and keep three points for herself no matter when or under what circumstances.
Calming down his thoughts, Shi Nanxi leaned over and helped Hongying up.
"Hurry up, I know you are a loyal and cautious person, but the harem may seem prosperous, but in reality it is full of intrigue and deception. Don't be blinded by temporary favor. We need to look further ahead."
"Hongying always listens to the Majesty."
At this time, the curtain was lifted, and Nanny Yang walked in holding a brass basin. Although her expression was still serious and old-fashioned as always, her eyes showed admiration and approval when she looked at Shi Nanxi.
When Hongying saw Nanny Yang, she regained her usual calmness and caution. She stood up with the help of the Empress, and then remembered something.
"Your Highness just asked where the Emperor went. He was originally accompanying you to rest in the house, but a moment later he came to report that a minister wanted to see him. The Emperor asked him to come and see you in the evening. Would you like to help you get up?"
Shi Nanxi nodded, indicating that she understood, and then said:
"Please wait for me to get up."
Although she was physically exhausted now, she still had a lot of things to do. For example, she had not summoned the servants from Chuxiu Palace since she entered the palace yesterday, and judging from Nanny Yang's expression, there was some progress on the matter she had instructed.
She quickly got up, washed, and dressed. Shi Nanxi sat at the dressing table while Hongying combed her hair. She watched Nanny Yang make the bed and come over. She said,
"Madam Yang, are all the servants in Chuxiu Palace honest?" Obviously this was impossible.
Sure enough, the next moment, Madam Yang stopped and replied:
"Your Majesty, there are several dishonest servants." He named those dishonest servants, one of whom was Fangzi, a newly transferred second-class palace maid.
"Fangzi? A second-class palace maid. It's not easy to place her there. It seems that she was the one who leaked the news of the happy event in the Jiaofang Palace."
Shi Nanxi looked at herself in the mirror, with a smile on her face but no smile in her eyes.
Before she went to pay her respects, she asked Xiao Ruzi to deliberately reveal the news that the inner room of Chuxiu Palace was decorated as the Pepper Room, to see who in the palace would take the bait. Unexpectedly, she caught such a big fish.
Hongying, who was standing aside, patted her chest with a look of fear on her face.
"My lady, I remember that Fangzi. When I went back to the side room to rest in the middle of the night, I ran into her. She probably saw that I was tired, so she turned around and silently brought me some water to wash my feet. I refused, but she put down the water and left. At that time, I was amazed at how silent and diligent she was. I didn't expect that she was someone else's thorn."
"You can only know a person's face but not his heart. This time, I used the opportunity to find out a few people, but there must be more people buried deeper."
Shi Nanxi knew that the harem was full of trouble, but facing it for the first time still felt heavy. She was silent for a moment before she confessed.
"From now on, no one other than you two and Xiao Ruzi is allowed to enter my bedroom. I will pass this on from now on."
"Yes, ma'am."
Hongying and Nanny Yang answered in unison, and then Nanny Yang asked how to deal with the people who were found out. Shi Nanxi thought deeply.
Before she entered the palace, she did not receive the list of her family's secret agents in the harem, and she had no one to replace them for the time being. Rather than replacing someone she didn't know whether he had a master behind him, it was better to wait and see.
The unknown nails are dangerous, but once they are known, they can be used in reverse. Having made up his mind, Shi Nanxi gave orders.
"First, have someone secretly keep an eye on those people and don't let them get close to the bedroom. Then, privately look for loyal and useful people and wait for the right time to replace them."
In fact, she already had the candidates, namely Zixia and Asao who had been loyal during the re-election. However, the two had previously served Shi Rongyue and Suochao Luo Jiahui, so she needed to find the right opportunity and could not let others connect her relationship with the two.
"Yes, ma'am."
After Shi Nanxi combed her hair, she summoned the palace maids from Chuxiu Palace to the main hall. The concubine was assigned a head nanny, two chief eunuchs, six palace maids, and twelve ordinary eunuchs.
The head nanny is Nanny Yang.
The chief eunuch was Zhou Rong, whom he met on the day he entered the palace. He was lively and capable, and as soon as he came in, he greeted Shi Nanxi with a smile.
The second chief eunuch is Xiao Ruzi. Originally, there was no master in Chuxiu Palace and Zhou Rong was enough. But with Shi Nanxi as the master moving in, it is necessary to have a full staff. He was originally Kangxi's man, and later followed her out of the palace. Now he has officially become her man.
When there is a vacant position, it is natural that one of her family members will take the position. Except for some secrets that Kangxi must not know, she trusts Xiao Ruzi to handle all other matters. For example, this time she left him to look after the house because he is Kangxi's man and can use Kangxi's people to find out the spies in Chuxiu Palace without arousing suspicion.
Among the six palace maids, two were first-class palace maids, one of whom was Hongying. The other was called Qing'er, who was Yang Ma's confidant. After Yang Ma stayed in Chuxiu Palace, she also chose to stay. She was calm and capable.
Shi Nanxi believed in Nanny Yang, but there was a distance between people and their hearts, so she still needed to observe. She was not prepared to let her serve her closely for the time being.
The remaining four were second-class palace maids, named Fangcao, Fanghua, Fangzi and Caiguo. Among them, Caiguo was an old lady from Chuxiu Palace, honest and hardworking. Shi Nanxi followed her gaze and glanced at Fangzi beside her without leaving a trace.
The remaining three are newcomers. Fangcao looks smart, Fangzi is taciturn, and Fanghua is as her name suggests, looking like a bright flower.
Finally came the eunuchs, six in total, namely Xiaoanzi, Xiaopingzi, Xiaoguazi, Xiaonianzi, Xiaogaizi and Xiaoxinzi.
Among them, Xiao Anzi is particularly handsome and tall. He looks more like a guard than a eunuch. I heard that he was assigned here after the death of a concubine. The others, except Xiao Xinzi who was originally from Chuxiu Palace, were transferred from other places.
One of the thorns that Nanny Yang mentioned before was Xiao Xinzi, and the rest were just servants, palace maids and eunuchs who were not qualified to meet the emperor.
Looking at these people, Shi Nanxi went over the basic information that Nanny Yang had told her, with a warm and gentle expression on her face.
"Everyone, get up. I should have summoned you yesterday. It's not too late today. We are all in Chuxiu Palace together. It's fate. I don't know you very well, but there is a long time to come. As long as you are sincere and behave yourself in the future, I will not treat you unfairly, Hongying."
Hongying handed a purse to each person, and the palace servants kowtowed in joy to express their gratitude.
Today we just meet, there is still a long way to go.
These people tactfully took their rewards and left.
The chief eunuch Zhou Rong stayed.