The Concubine of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 336: Grudges

Concubine Zhang lowered her head slightly. The spring sunshine was just right, neither too cold nor too hot. The light that came into the house fell on Concubine Zhang's face, reflecting her self-blame, guilt and regret so clearly.

Whether it was the Empress, Concubine Nianhulu, or even the concubines in the harem, everyone knew that she was pretending to be nice. Even if people looked down on her, they could still look down on her, but some people didn't dare to provoke her.

The queen frowned. She would not listen to one side's words. For a person in a high position, it was a taboo to listen to one side only. Besides, the queen was not yet at the stage where she could do whatever she wanted without restraint.

However, the queen had no intention of understanding Concubine Zhang's hesitation. The queen could be virtuous, but she must never lose her dignity.

The Queen ignored Concubine Zhang's shame and guilt. The Queen was in charge of the six palaces, and what she needed was not affinity, but an iron fist and a heart of stone. Concubine Zhang could not impress her, and this little thought of Concubine Zhang could not be hidden from the intelligent Queen!

As long as the queen didn't want to, there were few things that the queen would be cautious about in the harem. Unfortunately, Concubine Zhang was never an exception. The queen was in no mood to watch her continue acting. She frowned and continued to ask without waiting for Concubine Zhang's response. The question in her tone was blatant: "And then?"

What else supported Concubine Zhang's suspicion that Concubine Bila was "plotting to murder the royal heir"?

The queen is intelligent and does not handle palace affairs on her own.

The Queen was always cautious, and she would not handle it lightly, no matter if it was a fluke or not. The Queen knew the Emperor, and the Emperor had always been unkind to the concubines in the harem.

But when it comes to a favored concubine, the queen has to think twice before dealing with it. Unfortunately, this time, it was Concubine Nala who was involved again. The queen knew this:
No matter what Nara concubine is like, since the emperor has brought her to the stage, the queen will not treat her lightly. Even if she is the person favored by the emperor, this is the tacit understanding between the queen and the emperor!
To be a favored concubine, you must act like a favored concubine and also be treated like a favored concubine.

Besides, the queen was always virtuous. Normally, she would turn a blind eye, but when it came to the heir to the throne, the queen would not remain indifferent and choose to ignore it.

If she didn't know, it would be fine, but since the queen knew, she would definitely investigate it to the end. The queen had been able to sit firmly on the throne for many years because, even though she made some small mistakes and was not satisfactory, she did a great job most of the time.

At this moment! The queen is trying to find out the truth.

Concubine Zhang was questioned by the Queen, and she still had a guilty look on her face. She was originally a bully who only feared the strong and bullied the weak. When the Queen asked her, Concubine Zhang did not dare to hesitate for a moment, but quickly replied: "It was only after Bila had planned to murder Concubine Nara today that I remembered that Bila seemed to know something."

The queen frowned again. What Zhang said was no different from not saying anything.

Concubine Niuhulu watched the whole process without saying a word. Concubine Niuhulu knew the Queen's character too well. Women know women best, and enemies know enemies best. Unfortunately, she and the Queen! Both have it.

Even Kangxi may not understand the queen as well as she does. Concubine Nianhulu only needs to watch!
"Why do you say that?" Concubine Li also frowned and looked at Concubine Zhang suspiciously. She was not interested in Concubine Zhang's rhetoric, but as for the hidden meaning in her words, Concubine Li was willing to get to the bottom of it. It should be said that all the concubines in the harem were willing to get to the bottom of it.

Life in the harem was too boring, and occasionally, the concubines would enjoy watching some fun.

Concubine Li interrupted, and neither the Queen nor Concubine Niuhulu stopped her. Even the concubines in the harem could ask this question, but the concubines in the harem, who had been suppressed by the palace for so many years, were all timid. It is better to have less trouble than more! If there is nothing to ask for, no one would choose to act rashly.

Concubine Li was fearless. In such a situation, she was willing to say something and expose the mystery of Concubine Zhang. Although Concubine Zhang was also a rat, she was considered to be very brave among rats. She dared to raise her head slightly and observe the expression of the Queen. She wanted to please the Queen, who frowned tightly, her eyes full of worry about the truth.

Concubine Zhang replied, "Your Majesty knows that Sister Dong and I were ordered to take care of Concubine Bila who was pregnant with the royal heir. Therefore, we got along with Concubine Bila more than other sisters, and we have a little more friendship."

Concubine Zhang recounted the causes and consequences, which not only paved the way for the truth of her words, but also led to the following text.

What friendship do they have? Concubine Zhang deceives her superiors and hides the truth from her subordinates, bullies the weak and fears the strong, but she is not stupid. Is Bila on guard against her and Concubine Bila?
Every time, they went to Xianfu Palace to visit Concubine Bila in accordance with the Empress's order, Concubine Bila was either lying on the bed or on the couch, stroking her belly with her hands and looking at them warily!

Fearing that they would get too close, Concubine Bila hinted in her words that she and Concubine Dong both had a daughter, and that she would give birth to a prince in the future. How could she get close to them? If she got too close to them, she would be unlucky and the prince in her belly would be turned into a princess!
You can't hit a smiling person, and Concubine Zhang and Concubine Dong didn't want to flatter this cold face. Especially Concubine Bila's words were vaguely disgusted, and the two sides did not form a friendship, but a lot of hatred.

If it weren't for the Empress's decree, they would not have wanted to step into Concubine Bila's bedroom. Concubine Zhang and Concubine Dong looked at them coldly, and Concubine Bila seemed to be blaming the Empress.

Concubine Zhang was not a person of good temper either. After a few times, she complained to the Queen.

Concubine Zhang knows how to flatter! It doesn't matter whether it's good or bad, letting the queen know the resentment of Concubine Bila in her heart is beneficial to Concubine Zhang. At least, she can also put on some eye drops in front of the queen.

Regardless of whether there was any friendship before, no one cared. What they cared about was what happened later with Concubine Zhang. From the later part, they could probably tell the truth of the matter.

Concubine Zhang continued, "Your Majesty, you probably don't know that after Concubine Bila had a miscarriage, I was worried about her health, so I went to Concubine Bila's bedroom in Xianfu Palace to visit her, so that I could comfort her."

Concubine Zhang said in passing that she was not going to visit Concubine Bila, she was going to see a joke. Bila's words implied that she and Concubine Dong had given birth to a princess, and Bila was not that good, she was even worse than them.

The heir to the throne was also lost. She and Concubine Dong had given birth to the eldest and second princesses. When others mentioned them, they would respectfully refer to them as the heir's biological mother. What about Concubine Bila? At most, she was pregnant with a child, but it didn't cause any trouble.

Concubine Zhang deliberately mocked Concubine Bila, who had just suffered a miscarriage and was lying on the sickbed, at least very sick and weak. How could she bear such mockery? In her anger and excitement, she blurted out the secret hidden in her heart, and Concubine Zhang got a glimpse of it.

Concubine Zhang continued, "Sister Bila told me: Concubine Nala of Chengqian Palace has been favored for half a year. Do you think she is a barren woman and there will be no movement? After seven or eight months, the baby born in Concubine Nala's belly, no matter whether it is a prince or a princess, will be better than the eldest princess who has no news now."

Concubine Zhang was sobbing faintly. She remembered her expression at that time, she was stunned, and she directly took action, and she was even more irritated by the look in Concubine Bila's eyes, which looked like a clown.

She was even more afraid, perhaps because she knew that Concubine Bila was right.

A mother is honored by her son, and vice versa, a son is honored by his mother!

Her favor was not as great as that of Nala Concubine and the eldest princess, and naturally not as great as that of Nala Concubine's princes and princesses.

Human tears are a sign of weakness, but also a weapon used to cover up one's mistakes. Concubine Zhang's words were vague, covering up the mistakes she had made.