to provoke

  Kangxi had been married since he was twelve years old, and by the seventeenth year of his reign, he had already had countless imperial concubines. However, tonight was the most delightful night, and even if he got up, he couldn't bear to wake Mingfei.

  After Kangxi left, Mingfei woke up by herself soon. Peiyu, Peihuan and others were all looking at her with joy. Wang said she was going to serve Mingfei for bathing, but Mingfei drove several people out, replaced the water in the wooden bucket with warm spring from space, and took a nice bath.

  She quietly lay on the edge of the bathtub, dazed and distracted, until she heard the outside maid say that the concubines were about to come and pay their respects, so she let a few people in to help her get dressed, drank a bowl of ginseng porridge, hugged her son, and then went to the front hall.

  The imperial consorts had all taken their seats, looking at Mingfei with envy and jealousy. It was truly a great skill to have the highest status, a son by her side, and still enjoying imperial favor. Only Wei Ya, the noble lady, sat in the corner, still looking like she had lingering fears, after all, she had been scared into a faint by Mingfei before.

  Yi Pin, having eaten Ming Fei's humble pie, didn't dare to be too arrogant and only flattered: "Noble Consort, you look more beautiful every day, it's really making us maids envious."

  Ming Fei smiled faintly and said, "Why do you have to envy me? Who doesn't know that you are the most beautiful among the several consorts, everyone has their own strengths, beauty is just one of them. You have your own strengths too, otherwise, you wouldn't have won the emperor's favor."

  Yi Pin didn't respond well, only smiling awkwardly. This Imperial Concubine looked gentle but her words were increasingly difficult to deal with. What she said was supposed to be praise, but it was more like throwing you into the fire.

  Rong Gui smiled and said: "Indeed, it's the noble consort. You can speak of great principles with just one matter, it's clear that we servants are indeed not comparable."

  Mingfei covered her mouth and smiled: "Just read more books."

  She paused and said: "I plan to find a few imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to diagnose my sister's pulse, let the imperial physician help my sisters recover well, so that they can give birth to dragon descendants as soon as possible."

  Minfi's kind words brought a moment of silence in the grand hall, followed by voices of gratitude and praise.

  Ming Fei curled up the corners of her mouth and smiled. I was really kind-hearted, but all these people were nervous.

  After saying a few more words, Mingfei took the concubines and went to Cining Palace.

  Xiaozhuang had something to say to Mingfei, and the Emperor had just brought the Crown Prince over for a short while before dismissing all the other consorts except for Mingfei. The imperial consorts rarely saw the Emperor, and this early morning gathering was the most important part of their limited time together. As soon as Xiaozhuang dismissed everyone, she immediately incurred countless grievances.

  Xiao Zhuang smiled and pulled Lan Yin in front of her, saying to Kangxi and Ming Fei: "This child has grown up, it's time to find a husband."

  Lan Xing's face turned bright red, her big eyes shining with tears as she looked at Ming Fei for help.

  Ming Fei's heart softened, and she smiled: "Let this child avoid it for now, look at how red they've become."

  Xiao Zhuang smiled and said: "I won't make it difficult for you, go ahead and find a few princesses to play with."

  Lan Xiang then retreated.

  Kangxi smiled and said: "What kind of grandfather is planning to find for Lan Xiang?"

  Filial and Villainous said: "It's necessary to find someone who is both literary and martial, and also knows how to cherish Orchid Fragrance."

  Su Mo listened to the side and smiled at Xiaozhuang: "The old ancestor is more strict than the emperor in selecting officials."

  Mingfei smiled and said: "With the old ancestors caring for us, it is Lan Xiang's blessing."

  Kangxi thought for a moment and said, "It's just as well that my grandson also wants to test the riding and shooting skills of the Eight Banners nobles. Why don't we hold a joint literary and martial examination, select the top three candidates, and let Lan Xiang choose one?"

  Empress Xiaozhuang clapped her hands and said: "The Emperor's idea is good, let's do it this way."

  Mingfei thought that the Eight Banners' riding and shooting skills were still good during the early years of Kangxi, if Haozi could stand out, it would only prove that he had real talent, but his emotional intelligence was a bit low. She should have let people pay attention to this Haozi from now on. She vaguely remembered that Xiaobaihua and Haozi's encounter was also during the martial arts competition.

  She left Cining Palace with Kangxi. The Crown Prince pulled her sleeve and said, "Noble Consort, has my brother grown up a bit?"

  Mingfei thought for a moment and said solemnly: "At this time, the little ones are all growing up, although they may not be visible yet, but indeed have grown up a bit."

  The crown prince was a bit dizzy, only to hear that his younger brother had indeed grown up a bit, so he said: "I am also following my mother to study well, please tell the young master to let him grow up well too."

  Kangxi has already taken the lead in laughing, but Mingfei is still serious and hooked up with the little prince.

  A hint of doting flashed in Kangxi's eyes.

  As soon as Mingfei came out of her confinement, the palace affairs were again returned to her hands. She met with several eunuchs and ladies-in-waiting, scolded them a bit, and then arranged the palace maids and eunuchs in front of her into three shifts, changing every three days, just like an imperial envoy sent down by the emperor, to supervise, after all, it was almost New Year's, if mistakes were made, it would be a disaster.

  Mingfei again sent someone to give Ama a letter, telling him to keep a close eye on Haozi, saying that he might use it in the future, and also revealed to him the intention of the emperor's martial arts competition.

  Just like a legitimate wife managing a concubine in the backyard, Ming was not stingy with anything towards any of the imperial consorts, and she treated them very generously, but still, things happened.

  The son still only knows how to sleep every day, but on ordinary days when there is nothing to do, she always wants to keep her son by her side. Mingfei herself sits aside and reads a book, after a while if the son wakes up, she still has to coax him with a kiss. Abao likes to smile very much, and he loves to bite Mingfei's fingers. Mingfei thinks that such a son will probably not grow up to be an iceberg face in the future.

  She was reading a book when Pei Yu came in and said: "Master, Ma Gui Ren from the Yanxi Palace is asking to see you."

  "What's going on?" Ming Fei asked without raising his head.

  Pei Yu said softly: "The new year's clothes for Ma Guiren, Ma Guiren said that the fabric is worse than others, not the original material, but a fake."

  Mingfei frowned and nodded to Naiya to take Abao down: "Let Magui Ren wait in the west wing."

  Ma Guiren was one of the first batch of palace maids, and from the beginning, she did not receive any favor. People like her were often bullied. It's not that such things didn't exist before, it's just that recently, for some reason, she caught the emperor's eye, and Kangxi favored her several times in a row.

  Ma Gui Ren was a rich and noble-looking woman, with a round face and a plump butt. Her long-repressed life made her look somewhat timid, but she still had her own characteristics, looking very gentle, and politely bowed to Ming Fei.

  Min Fei carefully sized her up, her hair was neatly combed, not a single strand out of place, on top of her head was a golden hairpin with a magpie perched on plum blossoms, shining brightly, probably a new reward from the Emperor. She wore a blue cheongsam embroidered with peonies, and in her hand she held a handkerchief embroidered with a few plum blossoms, being kneaded by her master's hands, on her wrist was a high-quality Hetian jade bangle, which didn't quite match her somewhat dark complexion.

  Ming Fei faintly said: "What business do you have with me?"

  "Your Highness...the Empress's words...my new clothes...my new clothes were swapped by someone...the fabric is fake..."

  Mingfei sipped her tea and said without even raising an eyelid: "How did you know?"

  The Marquis's wife was stunned: "Just bring it over and Her Ladyship will know at a glance."

  Mingfei looked at her and said: "I'm asking you how did you know?"

  Minfei's tone was heavy, and Magui immediately knelt to the ground: "Your Ladyship spare my life, Your Ladyship spare my life!"

  Mingfei frowned and said: "Don't you still help Marquis Guo up!"

  Xiaogong girl quickly helped up Magui Ren, Pei Yu comforted: "Magui Ren doesn't have to be like this, our Niangniang is the most merciful, you just need to answer well and that's all."

  Ma Gui Ren nodded repeatedly, wiping away her tears and nose: "In response to the words of the noble concubine, it was said by Concubine Hui that after comparing with her own fabrics, she said that the fabric of the slave is rough and must be fake."

  "When did you see Hee Bin?"

  "Ten days ago."

  "Empress Hui asked why she saw the clothes in your trunk?"

  "The slave just happened to be called away by Concubine Hui to respond, and the clothes were sent over. Concubine Hui took a look at them on a whim and casually said that the fabric seemed fake. The slave remembered it and later looked again and asked others who also thought it was fake."

  "Who asked?"

  "The cow answered in Yanxi Palace, and Chun answered, as well as the palace maid beside the slave."

  Ming Fei smiled: "Is the fabric really good?"

  Ma Guiren was stunned again, seemingly at a loss for what to do.

  Mingfei waved her hand indifferently: "Peihuan, have someone bring over the fabric, and then go find a senior eunuch from the Imperial Household Department who is in charge of fabrics to come take a look."

  As she spoke, she got up: "If Madam Ma is willing, just wait here."

  She entered the inner chamber, leaving Empress Ma standing in her original position.

  Mingfei went in and ate a few fruits, recited five Tang poems to her awakened son, dozed off for a while, before she heard that everything had been settled.

  The old lady surnamed Liu, already fifty years old, touched the fabric carefully and looked at it for a while: "How can such goods be fake?"

  Ming Fei said: "Do you dare guarantee?"

  Liu Taichang said: "I've been dealing with fabrics all my life, how could I be wrong? If I'm wrong, then I won't be able to make a living anymore."

  Mingfei nodded and also let several other eunuchs take a closer look, all of whom confirmed that it was real.

  Mingfei looked at Magui Ren's pale face and smiled faintly: "What does Magui Ren think?"

  Ma Guiren stuttered: "Th-th-this..."

  They all said in front of themselves, now that you have the emperor's favor, they still dare to give you fake goods. This is a slap in the face. If you don't ask the noble consort to take charge, they will only become more and more outrageous in the future.

  She looked at Hui Bin's mocking smile and Yi Bin's pitiful eyes, she repeatedly sought confirmation, everyone said it was fake, so she really thought it was fake too, but how could such a thing happen?

  Mingfei raised an eyebrow and looked at Magui Ren, a person without looks or brains who had gained favor, yet was being framed by others. How could she summarize this situation?

  She waved her hand and said: "You go down now, from now on think more before acting, I'll deduct three months' worth of your monthly allowance, if there's a next time you'll be beaten with a board."

  Mingfei thought that Kangxi had probably taken a liking to Xiaobai by now, she didn't have time to deal with this kind of person, those people were just waiting for her to make a move so they could solve their own problems and bear the emperor's displeasure at the same time, but she really didn't care about having such a favored concubine in the harem.

  Don't be stingy~~~O(∩_∩)O~

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