The Concubine of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty

Aunt Chen spoke subtly, and for a moment, Qin Rou couldn't help but chuckle.

The imperial court and the harem were closely intertwined. The rank and favor of the concubines in the harem were very likely linked to the imperial court. Otherwise, what were the empress and Consort Niohuru? And what was Consort Li?

However, while the families, origins, and backgrounds of the imperial court and the harem were closely intertwined, the harem was not allowed to contact the imperial court. In other words, to the greatest extent possible, those in power prohibited their officials from influencing the emperor through the harem, thereby affecting the overall situation of the imperial court.

That's why this situation has come to this. A smart person would never choose to have the court intervene to suppress a concubine in the harem.

This results in an absolute and overwhelming defeat!
However, this also indirectly ensured the right of lower-ranking concubines to compete for favor, preventing the high-ranking concubines from becoming a place where only those of noble birth and superior family background had absolute power.

Of course, the most crucial aspect is that it fully guarantees the absolute power of the emperor and his right above all people. It maintains the emperor's lofty position in feudal dynasties and the absolute power of one-man rule for those who are closer to and more prestigious than the emperor.

However, on the other hand, Consort Yiergen Gioro was indeed burdened by the power struggles of the previous dynasty and by her family.

"Heh!" Qin Rou chuckled softly, turning the teacup in her hand. Made of blue and white porcelain, it was small, exquisite, round, and cute, perfect for holding and playing with.

When it comes to appreciating beauty and enjoying it to the fullest, at this point, one must be in a position of power at home and also be favored by the male head of the household.

This will be the foundation upon which you stand.

There are always people in the world who will go to great lengths to please you. They have all sorts of wonderful and exquisite things, small and delicate. There is nothing they cannot make, only things you cannot imagine. You just need to wait for them to humbly and smilingly offer them to you for you to play with.

"Even though it's inappropriate, some people will still do it, won't they?" Qin Rou countered. Not everyone can understand this principle.

The world is full of clever people. When enough benefits seem far away, they are actually right in front of them. It's like there's a huge, glittering gold mountain right in front of you. The gold mountain doesn't belong to anyone, but only one person gets a little bit of favor from it and thus gets a share of the wealth.

A bystander standing right in front of her, watching someone else enjoy the wealth she deserves and block her way, wouldn't she harbor some resentment?
Even if one senses something amiss, it is still a genuine shortcut. With a sliver of wishful thinking, it is only natural to take the shortcut directly.

Of course, there are others waiting to be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind! Even if no one makes a move, someone will push someone else to do it.

However, powerful figures like the Empress or Consort Niohuru wouldn't dare to lay a hand on the family of a mere concubine. Of course, even if they did, they would have to go through several roundabout channels.

Power, from top to bottom, loses its deterrent effect if it becomes even slightly convoluted.

Unless it's a behemoth like the Empress or Consort Niohuru, whose actions would be absolutely overwhelming, even a small family would still have room to struggle.

Moreover, if a wise person were to persuade them, members of the Hadanara clan might not stand idly by.

As long as you don't make any mistakes, although it's a bit troublesome to deal with, there's still a way to survive.

Her adoptive father and her brothers and sisters were indeed blessed with some good fortune.

He's doing well now.

"Yes!" Aunt Chen smiled. Nothing is impossible in this world. To murder a royal heir is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family; yet, people will still do it. Let alone lay a hand on the family foundation of a favored concubine.

The palace is the most courteous place, but also the most unreasonable. There's nothing that can't be done here.

“But it’s alright,” Aunt Chen said with a calm smile, standing to the side. “The concubine is doing well now, and that’s enough, isn’t it?”

Aunt Chen knew that Qinrou's relationship with her family was not harmonious. It was a kind of indifference, as if her life or death was none of her concern! She had been serving the concubine for over a year and had never heard the concubine mention her family, as if the concubine had no past and no future, and didn't care whether the concubine lived or died.

One of the characteristics of human beings is their attachment to home. If there are people at home to cherish, even if one is favored and living well for nearly two years after entering the palace, one will still miss home and want to benefit those one cherishes.

But Aunt Chen had never heard Qin Rou mention anyone in the family, not even her father or mother.

How could a concubine possibly have a harmonious relationship with someone who doesn't even mention them once?
Fu Shun and Xiao Man knew this too, and they had discussed it privately, but neither Fu Shun, Xiao Man, nor Aunt Chen mentioned it.

It was never mentioned again.

But they all knew perfectly well that the concubine's relationship with her family was far more than just discord. If she could, she would never speak to them again.

Aunt Chen didn't know why, nor did Fu Shun and Xiao Man. Every family has its own troubles, but for someone to be so carefree, it's probably because their heart has turned cold and they've given up.

In any case, over the course of more than ten years, it couldn't possibly be the fault of just one child, a concubine! Even if there was fault, the problems within the family were far greater.

Qinrou didn't know what Aunt Chen was thinking, but she smiled and thought, "So what if I'm lucky!" If it weren't for the mention of Consort Yiergen Gioro today, Qinrou wouldn't even remember her cheap father.

Why would I bother with their concerns?
Ultimately, they were unrelated people, and Qinrou was unwilling to waste even a single bit of her energy on them. Those people didn't deserve it; any extra effort would be a waste.

Qinrou stopped mentioning them!

In the Zhenshunzhai of Chengqian Palace, Qinrou merely mentioned it, but the concubines in other palaces either wanted to kick her while she was down or wanted to offer seemingly comfort but actually mock her. For the concubine Irgen Gioro in Yanxi Palace, it was as if the sky had fallen.

"How could this be? How could Father be imprisoned! Did you find out?" Consort Yiergenjueluo couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that her father could end up like this.

Her father was a high-ranking official of the third rank!

In terms of family background, she was far inferior to the Empress and Consort Niohuru, but in the palace, her background was still among the best.

She had received family education since childhood and was proud of her family. How could her family, which she had always been proud of, and her loving father and mother, have fallen to such a state and such an end?

Consort Yiergenjueluo tightly grasped the servant's hand, unable to accept it for a moment. The tall building had collapsed suddenly, its foundation completely destroyed. It was as if the Eternal Heaven had played a huge joke on her.

It's like a dream; once you wake up, it's all over.

The imprisonment not only threw Consort Irgen Gioro into a state of panic, but also caused great anxiety among her servants.

Once Lord Irgen Gioro is convicted, Consort Irgen Gioro will become the descendant of a criminal.

What future could they possibly have serving a concubine who was the descendant of a criminal? Not only was Concubine Irgen Gioro panicked, but her servants were even more so.

"I...I didn't find out." The servant was frightened and stammered.

"Go and find out the truth." Consort Yiergenjueluo's upbringing prevailed, and she calmly said.

(End of this chapter)