Knowing the manager favored her, the supervisors and team leaders indeed didn’t deliberately make things difficult for her.
But when it came to company benefits, the supervisors, team leaders, and managers always reaped the rewards, while she got nothing.
So she decided to compete fiercely, leveraging connections with a few high-profile clients she had served to gain visibility among the upper management.
She secured an internal recommendation and outmaneuvered the manager who only knew how to make empty promises.
This era was no different. If she ended up like Noble Consort Liang, tossed into some high-ranking concubine’s palace, even if Kangxi doted on her to the heavens, the benefits wouldn’t be hers, and she would still be oppressed when the time came.
Fang He roughly understood that, given Kangxi’s current interest in her, he might grant her the position of a Changzai (a low-ranking concubine) if he was stingy, or a Noble Lady if he was generous.
If she became pregnant, she might be promoted to a Consort.
But with the Imperial Noble Consort, Noble Consorts, the Four Consorts, and titled Consorts above her, there would be plenty of opportunities for them to trip her up.
Rather than being forced to become a monster later, she might as well start competing from the beginning.
She didn’t even care about the position of a Noble Lady.
Taking a deep breath, she suddenly stood up and calmly knelt before Kangxi.
“This servant believes in Your Majesty’s favor but not in myself. In the past, I was used to enduring and obeying. It’s only because Your Majesty dotes on me that I dare to overstep. Others won’t indulge me…”
Kangxi remained silent.
Fang He’s words weren’t without reason, but he firmly believed that confidence could be nurtured.
That’s why he wasn’t in a hurry to grant her a position.
With Fang He’s intelligence and the guidance from him and Gu Wenxing, she would eventually stand on her own…
Fang He suddenly raised her tear-filled eyes, full of pleading.
“Today, although I was troubled by the two imperial consorts, Consort Jin inspired me.”
“This servant no longer wishes to serve in bed. I beg Your Majesty to grant me the grace to continue serving before the throne!”
“This servant is willing to remain a palace maid, a senior maid, or even a matron, staying by Your Majesty’s side for a lifetime. I beg Your Majesty to grant me this wish!”
Kangxi: “…”
You’ve been granted your wish, but who will grant mine?
He stood up in annoyance, pulled Fang He to her feet, and tapped her forehead.
“I know you’ve been wronged. This month, you’ll receive two months’ salary…”
Fang He’s breath hitched.
Taking advantage of their proximity, she quickly pinched her thigh.
How could he suddenly start throwing money around like this!
She barely managed to maintain her sorrowful expression, lowering her eyes in apparent disappointment.
“…If you remain a palace maid for life, you’ll only have coarse food to eat. But if you become my woman, your meals can come from the imperial kitchen.”
Kangxi raised an eyebrow slightly, silently observing Fang He’s expression.
Fang He bit her tongue hard, afraid she might accidentally show her excitement and ruin everything.
It’s just two thousand taels of silver, after all-
Just a few imperial meals, boohoo~
Couldn’t she just secretly buy them with her own money, boohoo…
Seeing Fang He remain silent and not eagerly smiling as usual, Kangxi was genuinely surprised.
This couldn’t sway her?
It seemed that Imperial Consort Hui and Imperial Consort Rong had indeed gone too far today.
Kangxi felt helpless but didn’t want to keep this charming little troublemaker around, only able to look but not touch.
Who was that tormenting?
Seeing Fang He’s listless demeanor, Kangxi didn’t make her stand in front to serve.
Once Fang He left the room, Kangxi immediately called Liang Jiugong over with a cold face.
“Go to the Empress Dowager and tell her it’s my intention. The imperial consorts accompanying us this time are too idle, wandering around. If they accidentally bump into someone, it might cause a scene. Ask Her Majesty to assign them some tasks.”
Liang Jiugong: “……Yes!”
When Liang Jiugong arrived at the Xuannin Palace where the Empress Dowager resided, she had just woken from her nap and was somewhat puzzled and said,
“While traveling, besides going out for a stroll, what else is there to do?”
If they’re not allowed to go out, why bring them along?
Liang Jiugong smiled and bowed.
“Your Majesty is right. Normally, that’s the case. But recently, there have been many affairs in the front court,including matters related to the war with Russia. Many people are coming and going, and the temporary palace isn’t fully constructed yet…”
He signaled the young eunuch following him to bring up a box.
“It’s just that it wouldn’t be appropriate for His Majesty to issue such an order directly, fearing the ladies might overthink it. Yet, he didn’t want to trouble Your Majesty, so he specially prepared the ‘Sutra of Immeasurable Life.”
“Coincidentally, returning to the palace will be around the time of the late Empress Dowager’s birthday. It’s a way for the ladies to show their filial piety.”
Empress Dowager: “……”
Looking at the ten volumes of sutras filling a large box, she couldn’t help but share Fang He’s sentiment.
Making people copy sutras while on a tour?
Wasn’t the Emperor afraid of being cursed behind his back…
Oh, he had her deliver the order, so the curses would be directed at her.
What a filial son.
After Liang Jiugong left, the Empress Dowager looked at the large box with disdain.
“What do you think the Emperor is thinking?”
Recently, there have been many people coming and going in the temporary palace.
Why wasn’t he afraid of them bumping into each other then?
Wuyunzhu’s expression was. “This servant probably knows why. After Miss Fang He returned from the pavilion, this servant hurried back to attend to duties, thinking there was no danger within the temporary palace. I only escorted Miss Fang He inside.”
“But according to reports from the lower servants, Miss Fang He encountered Imperial Consort Hui and Imperial Consort Rong, who made her kneel at the entrance of the small garden for a while.”
“They even used the excuse of pleasing Your Majesty, claiming they wanted to get closer to Miss Fang He.”
Because Wuyunzhu had previously been generous in buying information, the rough eunuchs who saw the incident near the small garden immediately reported it.
As for Consort Jin, Wuyunzhu was so disgusted that she ignored her.
Who showed closeness by making someone kneel?
The master had openly shown his favor for Miss Fang He.
Yet, Imperial Consort Hui and Imperial Consort Rong still troubled her.
Wasn’t that slapping the master’s face?
And they had the audacity to use the master as an excuse.
Wuyunzhu was so angry she could barely contain herself and had planned to report it.
The Empress Dowager, who had initially felt sorry for the accompanying imperial consorts, suddenly darkened her expression.
“This is outrageous!” She slammed the table, speaking rapidly in Mongolian.
“The Emperor is right. They must have been possessed by some wandering spirits, making them lose all sense of propriety as imperial consorts.”
“These sutras aren’t enough. Prepare some ‘Earth Store Sutras’ as well. Before returning to the palace, keep them busy and let them calm their minds. Otherwise, when we return, the palace won’t be able to contain them!”
Wuyunzhu didn’t try to stop her this time and said,
“This servant will handle it immediately!”
Thus, before dinner, Imperial Consort Hui, Imperial Consort Rong, Consort An, Consort Jin, and even the accompanying Changzai and Daying all received thick boxes of sutras.
Wuyunzhu’s words were particularly tactful.
“Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has been deeply concerned about the late Empress Dowager’s health, losing sleep and appetite. She copied some sutras and finally found some peace, likely due to the blessings of the Eternal Heaven.”
“The master believes this method is effective and wishes to offer more prayers for the late Empress Dowager, hoping she will enjoy long life and prosperity under the protection of the Eternal Heaven.”
The imperial consorts: “……”
But the Empress Dowager asked us to copy Buddhist sutras!
Buddha and the Eternal Heaven are different deities, aren’t they?
Consort An and the other Changzai and Daying inwardly groaned, while Imperial Consort Hui, Imperial Consort Rong, and Consort Jin vaguely understood the reason and were seething with anger.
They had only said a few words to Fang He, without hitting or punishing her.
Couldn’t masters even scold their servants?
The Emperor didn’t get angry, but the Empress Dowager was protecting her.
If she had the guts, why not take her under her own wing?
Imperial Consort Rong, who was straightforward and stubborn, was so angry for the first time that she felt dizzy.
She didn’t even look at the wooden box, lay down on the bed, and claimed to be ill, not even calling for a physician, clearly intending to feign illness to avoid copying the sutras.
Imperial Consort Hui was a step late and could only curse Imperial Consort Rong in her heart, thinking she deserved to have one child after another die, showing no brains.
That was for the late Empress Dowager’s blessings.
By acting this way, she was clearly unwilling to show filial piety, cutting off others’ paths to fulfill their duties while ill.
Of course, she couldn’t feign illness but made a big show of the bathing and incense-burning rituals, copying the sutras slowly each day.
Consort An went even further, requesting a golden Buddha statue to be placed in her room.
She claimed to chant sutras for several hours each day to cleanse her soul before copying the sutras.
Whether she slept or chanted in front of the Buddha, no one could see.
She could copy as little as possible.
Consort Jin and the Changzai and Daying didn’t dare to make a fuss and had to copy the sutras diligently.
Some even copied them in blood, making a grand show of their devotion.
The Empress Dowager didn’t comment when she found out.
She didn’t believe in such superficial displays.
Devotion should come from the heart.
She didn’t care how much the imperial consorts copied, as long as they stayed quietly in their rooms and didn’t cause trouble.
And so, until the imperial entourage reached the Mulan Hunting Grounds on July 13th, the accompanying imperial consorts were unusually quiet, even more so than in the palace.
But Kangxi’s mood didn’t improve.
Fang He was even quieter than the sutra-copying imperial consorts.
It was truly bizarre!
She didn’t even slack off anymore, rising early each day to quietly serve Kangxi alongside the other palace servants.
During meals, she only ate with Chunlai, consuming just the right amount, as she always had, without causing any trouble.
While serving before the throne, she was meticulous in every detail, never making a mistake, but she rarely spoke.
Did he lack diligent servants?
Even when Kangxi deliberately teased her, Fang He didn’t get angry, only occasionally offering a weak smile, remaining as composed as ever.
Maintaining such acting skills would have been difficult for Fang He in the past, but this time she exceeded expectations.
No other reason-just the thought of becoming a Noble Lady and having to kneel before at least seventeen or eighteen people every day made her lips pout instantly.
And thinking about the annual salary of only one hundred taels, equivalent to losing eleven thousand taels, she could perform a tearful act without even pinching her thigh.
“You can’t catch a wolf without risking the child. After working hard for a month or two as Lin Mei Mei, the rewards far outweigh the efforts…”
Fang He was so determined that even she herself was scared.
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