The Concubine of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty

The Chengqian Palace was exceptionally lively, even more so than during the New Year holidays.

"Your Majesty's joy is great! We servants are all overjoyed!" Xiaoman was beaming with happiness, her joy coming from the bottom of her heart. On this joyous occasion, even the most composed person couldn't help but feel her heart leap with excitement.

The Empress was granted the title of Consort, and the status of the servants and palace maids who served her was vastly different from before. The most tangible difference was in their salaries; the servants serving the Consort received anywhere from a small amount of extra silver to several taels more.
No matter how high one's status or position, if one goes out and says that one is a servant serving a concubine, who wouldn't look up to one of them!
Then there are some hidden perks.

The list goes on and on.

Even rising to the top in one step is nothing more than this. In the palace now, below the Empress, there is only one Consort Niohuru. Her mistress has been promoted to Consort, ranking third. It would be strange if Xiaoman wasn't overjoyed; if she couldn't fly to the top, it would be because she was incompetent and lacked the ability.

However, precisely because of their vastly different statuses, and because the Empress was pregnant, only Aunt Chen could take care of things, and Fu Shun was also extremely busy along with Aunt Chen.

The rewards given to the servants must take into account all the servants in Chengqian Palace, including Consort Wusuli and her palace. The entire Chengqian Palace is under the Empress's jurisdiction.

Consort Wusuli was quite sensible; she immediately sent over her congratulatory gifts upon returning home, which was very clever of her!
Naturally, Consort Wusuli also received the reward bestowed by the Empress.

Unless she wasn't from Chengqian Palace. Clearly, Consort Wusuli had no such intention; reality wouldn't allow it—she lacked both the ability and the power.

Consort Wusuli was timid. How timid? She had just offered her congratulations when she immediately went to the newly arrived Consort Rou to express her loyalty and show her submission.

Welcoming and seeing off guests, counting and storing the gifts and congratulatory items, and even having servants from the Imperial Household Department come to inquire about and handle the utensils and other items—in short, Aunt Chen and Fu Shun were both extremely busy, wishing they could be split in two.

But Aunt Chen knew in her heart that the most important people in the entire Zhenshunzhai, and even now in the entire Chengqian Palace, were her own mistress and the little prince and princess in her womb!

—This is the guardian deity of their Chengqian Palace.

Therefore, in addition to instructing Xiaoman to stay by the Empress's side at all times, the palace maids, eunuchs, and other servants assigned by the Imperial Household Department to serve the Empress also stayed by her side at all times.

The Zhenshunzhai was in too much chaos. Qinrou was pregnant and quite far along in her pregnancy, and now in her late stages, her discomfort was getting worse. She didn't want to stay cooped up inside the hall. So she left everything in the hall to Aunt Chen to manage with Fushun, and went outside herself.

Move around a bit! There's a place for her to rest if she gets tired; the servants won't let her get tired!
Qinrou was now being helped around by the servants. Hearing this, she looked up and glanced at the servants who were coming and going. It was a lively and joyful scene, with everyone wearing a smile that never left their faces.

Qinrou turned her head back and continued to walk with Xiaoman's hand. Women who are pregnant, especially in the later stages of pregnancy, need to walk around more so that they can have a better delivery.

Therefore, Qinrou only smiled. But that did not stop Xiaoman from continuing to be excited, and said to the Empress: "Now that Your Majesty has become a concubine, according to the palace rules, Your Majesty should have six personal maids, eight eunuchs, and eight nannies to serve you... In the next couple of days, Chief Steward Cui of the Imperial Household Department will probably come to ask Your Majesty what you think."

Naturally, these servants, including the palace maids and nannies assigned by the Imperial Household Department to serve Qinrou after she became pregnant with the emperor's child, were not included in this count. They did not occupy the number of servants serving the empress, as they were only temporarily transferred.

Xiaoman also saw the busy and extremely happy servants. All the servants in Chengqian Palace were beaming with joy!
It should be said that from the moment the decree to confer the title of concubine was issued, a new atmosphere of vitality arose.

It was a lively and bustling scene! It was as if yesterday had passed and a new life had been ushered in. The servants all seemed to have been reincarnated, and each of them had been placed in a good family they desired.

The servants were happy for a reason: the concubine only had one maid, Aunt Chen, one young lady, and two eunuchs serving her, which only occupied a few spots. There was a huge shortage of spots.
This is their chance! To serve them personally is far more prestigious and respectable than being a lowly servant in the palace.

Even servants have lofty ambitions! The difference between a servant serving a concubine and a servant serving a high-ranking concubine is immediately apparent; the latter is far more prestigious. Even a lowly servant with some connection to the emperor's household is treated with deference. But who would willingly remain a distant figure if they could serve someone intimately? Those who serve intimately are the most trusted of the most trusted confidants.

Their status is naturally incomparable!

People strive for higher goals; who doesn't aspire to be a general?

Xiaoman was also subtly hinting at this point. If the Empress has trustworthy confidants or her own people who are willing to be promoted, she should take this opportunity to promote those who deserve it and secure the positions to avoid replacing them with untrustworthy people.

The Empress, the only concubine below both the Empress and Consort Niohuru, has this authority. Even the Chief Eunuch Cui of the Imperial Household Department, or the Empress herself, would give her this face.

Her Highness is now the only concubine, and is extremely noble. Rarity increases value...

Qin Rou remained silent, but she had actually taken it all to heart. From now on, Chengqian Palace would be her own residence. Even if she was ignorant of worldly affairs and naive to worldly matters, she understood that Chengqian Palace had to be made as impregnable as possible!

Therefore, Qin Rou had her own plan in mind regarding how to allocate these servant positions.

She was in a position of power; all she needed to do was know how to use people. Talented individuals within the palace would always emerge on their own, and she only needed to select the capable ones from among them.

If we're talking about people Qinrou trusts more, it's naturally Aunt Chen. Even Xiaoman, who has been serving her closely since she entered the palace, as well as Fushun and Cangzi, are closer to her than others!

However, Granny Gao Jia has always been the head of the Chengqian Palace and a local strongman in the palace. She has her own abilities and skills. Moreover, she has cultivated deep roots in the Chengqian Palace for many years. If she can win someone over, she doesn't need to beat them.

To avoid any unexpected setbacks!

She is nearly seven months pregnant and is prioritizing stability.

However, it is up to Granny Gao Jia to know and be sensible in how to use it.

Otherwise, Qinrou would not want any disloyal people to remain in her Chengqian Palace.

"I'll call Granny Gao Jia over later, and we'll make the arrangements together." Qin Rou replied.

Calling out Granny Gao Jia was a way of showing that this concubine had no intention of discriminating against the elderly. Of course, if Granny Gao Jia herself was tactless and failed to perform her duties properly, that would be another matter entirely.

Qinrou won't hold back! Since she's not for my use, she doesn't need to serve me.

When it comes to dealing with a servant, how could she, as a mistress, be held back by a servant?

Qin Rou declared, "Impossible!" (End of Chapter)