Chapter 37
Consort De, no, she should be called Imperial Concubine Wu now. When Imperial Concubine Wu heard Kangxi's decree, her eyes widened in disbelief. After a long while, her mind went blank. She lay there by the bed in a daze.
She slowly let go of Yinzuo's hand, and sat on the ground with a limp body. She was unable to hide her emotions anymore.
A series of blows came one after another. Imperial Concubine Wu lost her composure. She couldn't believe that she had fallen to such a point. She covered her face in a daze. It was as if she was in a nightmare and she couldn't wake up no matter what. She could only keep struggling and fall into a deep swamp.
What did she hear?
Yinzuo… Yinzuo was still unconscious, and the emperor unexpectedly made him Prince Rong's successor. Prince Rong was the son of Empress Xiaoxian, that short-lived ghost who died before his first birthday!
No, it was impossible.
A successor, inheriting… How could such a ridiculous thing happen?
Little Six was her lifelong hope. How could he be someone else's son? How could he not recognise her as his mother or the emperor as his imperial father?!
In the palace, she and Yinzuo would depend on each other for life.
Imperial Concubine Wu couldn't imagine Yinzuo leaving her. She gritted her teeth. It took her great perseverance to not faint.
Yinzuo was her darling. She would rely on him for the rest of her life. Without him, what was the use of planning with all her heart? It was not like making a wedding dress for someone else!
The fourth prince was no longer her child! Moyaqi's body was weak and she had to take good care of her… No matter how noble and favoured a princess was, what was the use of one?
She only had Yinzuo.
Imperial Concubine Wu's eyes were bloodshot. She no longer cared about her demotion, venting her anger on others, or questioning the source of the sachet.
She called out to the emperor sadly. She staggered to her knees, grabbed Kangxi's clothes tightly, and said hysterically and incoherently, "Your Majesty, the imperial doctor said that Yinzuo will be fine. He will be fine! You have punished this concubine, and this concubine accepts this, but Yinzuo is so young. How can you be willing to make him the successor… Yinzuo is only four years old. How will he live in the future when he leaves his imperial father and mother?!"
Kangxi waved away Imperial Concubine Wu's grip with a flick of his hand. He looked at her and his tone was calm but cold. "Little Six will still be raised in the palace, and he will still call Us imperial father. He will continue to eat and wear the same things as the other princes. Except for the modification of his genealogy in the imperial records, and the matter of changing his title, there will be no other changes."
His implication was that once the imperial decree was issued, there was no room to return to his former standing!
Imperial Concubine Wu let go weakly, her face pale. She opened her mouth mechanically. Her heart was swept by a wave of despair. She had hit a dead end and didn't think of trying to change the outcome.
The sixth prince had suffered a lot at a young age. The fighting within the harem was not unrelated to the existence of Imperial Concubine Wu. With the imperial decree, the four-year-old could successfully escape from the treacherous mess of the harem and stay away from all the plotting. He could be safe and smooth. Was this outcome not because of the emperor's loving fatherly heart?
In addition, after being poisoned, it didn't matter what the aftermath was. Nobody would dare to be negligent.
— Yinzuo was already Second Rank Prince Rong and everyone in the palace, except the crown prince, should treat him courteously. In the future, when he made great achievements, or when the new emperor ascended the throne, he could always be a prince of first rank…
Yun Xiu gathered up her cloak, looked at the sleepy toddler on the bed, lowered her eyes, and was lost in thought.
The reality and her dream had split and were running in different directions. Yinzuo survived and Consort De also suffered bitterly. She had been deprived of her title and put under house arrest for two months.
It was all retribution.
Imperial Concubine Wu sounded ten thousand times better than Consort De!
She suppressed the joy in her heart. She then caught a glimpse of her restless older son from the corner of her eye. Yinqi was wringing his fingers and looking at her secretly. His black eyes were moist. "Mother, your son is wrong."
After crying just now, Yun Xiu leaned 'weakly' on the soft chair. She held Yinqi's hand, coaxed him, and wiped his red rabbit eyes.
What thoughts could he have had as a small child? Yinqi discovered what was wrong with Yinzuo, and then told the crown prince. He was nothing but sincere in his actions and she knew this.
She didn't blame Little Five for saving Yinzuo, but…
When she saw the tearful Yinqi who looked extremely wronged, Yun Xiu was angry, hurt, and felt it was a bit funny. She pinched his ears, but she didn't use any strength at all. She whispered, "You were capable. You obviously saved Little Six, but she attacked you from the beginning, so you couldn't respond! In the end, mother stood up for you. Are you ashamed?"
Yinqi was stunned again.
When he looked at his majestic mother, he forgot to shed tears. He muttered and choked out a few words. "Mother, you are pretending to cry."
Yun Xiu: "…"
The angry Consort Yi snorted. She didn't plan to talk to this unlucky child any more.
Fortunately, this unlucky kid finally came to admit his mistake now!
She deeply reflected on herself.
Even Little Five, who was well-behaved, still had to be taught when the time came.
Yun Xiu suppressed the smile on her lips. She asked him in a low voice, "So you also know that you are wrong. Where did you go wrong?"
Yinqi racked his brains for a while. When he was about to answer, Imperial Concubine Wu suddenly developed an unprecedented strength. She got up and rushed towards Yun Xiu.
Her frighteningly white face was filled with intense hatred. Her hands were twisted into claws. They were aimed at Yun Xiu's neck, and she was about to scratch her—
Wen Yuan turned pale with shock, and shouted, "Consort!"
Yun Xiu looked at the disheveled woman indifferently. She showed a sarcastic smile and did not show the slightest bit of fear.
Kangxi didn't initially notice it in time. It was too late to react. In an instant, his phoenix eyes were so black that one couldn't see the bottom. He angrily yelled, "Mrs. Wuya! Servant!"
Fortunately, Wet Nurse Dong and Wen Yuan were standing in front of her. They narrowly blocked Imperial Concubine Wu's movements. Then, palace maids and eunuchs swarmed over. They grabbed Imperial Concubine Wu in a hurry. For a while, it was absolutely chaotic.
…
The empress dowager hurried over with the help of Wet Nurse Qian. When she stepped into the hall, she saw this scene play out.
Shocked and stunned, she said loudly, "Stop—"
The empress dowager could not speak Chinese. She spoke Mongolian every day. After being married into the palace for so many years, she naturally knew some Manchu. Therefore, at least communication was not a problem.
She made a sound of anger. The next moment, the palace servants let go of Imperial Concubine Wu, and the servants of Yuqing Palace knelt down. "Your servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager…"
Kangxi looked at Yun Xiu with worry, then strode out. "Imperial mother, why are you here?"
"The revered elder missed Little Six, so she sent Us over to have a look." The empress dowager suppressed her anger and said loudly, "If We had not come, Yinqi would have been bullied to death! And Baocheng, this is Baocheng's Yuqing Palace!"
The empress dowager was honest and kind. She was not a strong person, although she was the official wife of his father, she was highly respected by Kangxi.
She didn't have the prestige of the great empress dowager. She was always smiling, entertaining her grandchildren, cultivating birds and flowers, and rarely got involved in the affairs of the harem. Over the years, she had almost never been angry.
Now the empress dowager was angry. This caused the palace servants to kneel down. Kangxi quickly supported her. and blamed himself. "Imperial mother, it was Our negligence…"
"Yinzuo was involved in an accident and the palace is in chaos. We understand." The empress dowager sighed. Then, her gaze fell on the embarrassed Imperial Concubine Wu. She pointed at her and said angrily, "Consort De, even if the sixth prince is unconscious, this is not a place for you to mess around!"
When the empress dowager said 'Consort De', it was a sharp sword that pierced straight into Imperial Concubine Wu's heart.
She finally couldn't hold on any longer, and fell on the ground, passing out.
When Kangxi saw this, he was full of anger and had nowhere to vent it. He said repeatedly, "Okay, okay. Someone come and take Mrs. Wuya back to Yonghe Palace. You follow her and make sure she is cured of her madness!"
The word "cure" was emphasised by the emperor, which had a rather sinister feeling. The imperial doctor who was named shrank like a quail. After hearing the emperor's words, he took the order while trembling. He carried the medicine box on his back and fled.
Yun Xiu nodded lightly to Wen Yuan. Wen Yuan understood. She walked quickly to Wet Nurse Qian, who was serving the empress dowager, and whispered something in a low voice.
Wet Nurse Qian restrained her surprise. She immediately reported it to the empress dowager. The empress dowager was stunned for a moment. After a long time, she sighed. "That's fine, that's fine."
If Little Six survived the catastrophe, good days would be sure to come…
"Yinqi, it's boring here. Go back to Yikun Palace with your mother, and play with Little Nine for a while. Don't you need to eat?" She turned her head to talk to Yinqi. She then said a few caring words out of concern for Yun Xiu, and then finally took the crown prince's hand. "Good child, you must be tired. We will look after Yinzuo. You should go rest!"
Yun Xiu smiled softly, glanced at the emperor, and then gave her respects.
"We will ask Liang Jiugong to follow you, and We asked the imperial doctor to come and take a look." Kangxi's face softened a little, and he turned to look at the palace servants. "Serve carefully. Don't slack in the slightest…"
Liang Jiugong took the lead. After a while, the hall returned to silence.
The empress dowager took a few steps forward and touched Yinzuo's hot forehead. She stopped mentioning Imperial Concubine Wu and sighed again.
"That poisonous sachet…"
"Imperial mother, We have already sent someone to investigate. We will just wait for Yinzuo to wake up." Kangxi said in a low voice with murderous intent in his eyes, "Little Six should know where the sachet came from."
The empress dowager clasped her hands together, nodded slightly, and recited a sentence of a Buddhist prayer. "The one with such hatred actually put their hands on a prince."
While she was speaking, Yinzuo opened his eyes in a daze. He saw a hazy figure and subconsciously clutched the clothes on his chest. "Liu…Wet Nurse Liu…" The movements of his eyes dimmed a lot.
—The sixth prince, no, Prince Rong was awake?!
As early as when the crown prince summoned the entire imperial hospital, the concubines and young masters of the harem got the news. Shock and speculation pervaded. They suddenly noticed the signs of a storm coming, and their hearts were filled with suspicion.
Consort De, who gave birth less than two days ago, went to Yuqing Palace. Consort Yi, who had not finished the confinement period, also went to Yuqing Palace. Even the empress dowager got up in a hurry!
As for Consort Rong… Because of the third prince, she understood the general situation, so she was quite calm. Consort Hui had already sent people to inquire several times, and even the eldest prince had no time to comfort her, so she went back and forth with a sullen face. She ended up pacing around the palace.
If there was one person who did care about this matter and was looking forward to it, it would be the imperial noble consort who was about to come back to Chengqian Palace.
A few hours passed. The two imperial decrees were made known to the six palaces.
Consort De was demoted to the position of Imperial Concubine. Her title was taken away. The sixth prince would be the successor of Prince Rong and gained the title Second Rank Prince.
When the imperial noble consort heard this, she was shocked for a long time. She then covered her mouth and laughed. "Imperial Concubine Wu. Mrs. Wuya!"
Imperial Concubine Wu! That bitch finally got what was coming.
After laughing, she quickly restrained the smile on her lips and murmured, "It's not the sound of the funeral bell. What a fate…"
The whispers were full of unwillingness. They finally scattered into nothing and melted into the wind.
Outside the palace, Suo Etu stopped grinding ink. His complexion softened at first, then turned blue again.
Thousands of plots, miscalculations, and oversights… It was the crown prince who extended a helping hand, and by coincidence, his plan was ruined!
Although the ending was not satisfactory, the sixth prince was going to inherit the title, so his worries were finally settled.
When he thought about it this way, after hearing what the crown prince had done, Suo Etu raised his hand and slapped them heavily on the table.
"Your Highness is confused!"
—
The author has something to say:
Small theater:
Yun Xiu cried until the pear blossoms rained down and Kangxi was very distressed.
Crown Prince: Wow, We have learned something.
Little Five: Wow, mother is pretending to cry
…
Yinqi, danger!
Chapter 38
In October of the twenty-second year of Kangxi, with the two imperial edicts, the structure of the six palaces changed suddenly.
The four consorts became three, and the sixth prince became the Second Rank Prince Rong. Two days later, the imperial noble consort, who had been lying on the couch for a long time, appeared in Cining Palace. She had dragged her sick body to respectfully greet the two empress dowagers.
It was not over yet. The great empress dowager, who was getting older and energy levels were not what they used to be, issued a decree after many years. She ordered for Niu Gulu, the noble consort, to manage the affairs of the harem, and the three consorts, Consort Hui, Consort Yi, and Consort Rong to assist. This move was huge!
…
Madam Tong was so angry that she couldn't stop rubbing her forehead and pacing back and forth in the bedroom. "The imperial noble consort is still there. She passed over Ruying. Now, Consort Hui and the others can intervene in the palace affairs! What does the great empress dowager mean by this?"
Tong Guowei was stunned by her. He put down the teacup heavily, and sighed. "It's a good thing for the imperial noble consort to come out. What else is the madam looking for?"
The imperial noble consort lost face with her schemes, lost all her prestige, and even damaged her health. If she regained power in the palace, she would definitely not be able to convince everyone. When Tong Guowei thought of this, his expression was livid. He could only comfort himself in his heart. They were still family, so the emperor still took care of the Tong family.
"What am I looking for?" Madam Tong stopped walking, turned her head, and said, "Look, with the empress' decree, does Ming Zhu still have the intention of joining forces? With his cousin in power, Grand Secretary Ming is like a fish in water!"
Tong Guowei smiled, then shook his head and said, "Where is the power? There is the noble consort. She is just an assistant."
"You only thought of this level." Madam Tong sneered, "You don't know that the noble consort is about to give birth…"
That's right. The noble consort was about to give birth. How could she have the energy to manage the affairs of the harem?
Consort Hui was the head of the three consorts. She had the eldest prince. She would be the one who called the shots due to her status.
Tong Guowei was silent for a moment, then sighed again. "One wrong step, one wrong step. I never thought that the emperor had no intention of choosing an empress.."
He made a wrong move and the Tong family also made a wrong move. The imperial noble consort's body was seriously injured, so she may not have a chance to ascend.
When Madam Tong heard the words 'choosing an empress', she felt great pain in her heart. She thought of her poor daughter and her eyes reddened. "Without palace power and without favour, I can imagine what kind of life she is living! Fortunately, after she suffered retribution, Imperial Concubine Wu also suffered retribution. Ruying finally managed to vent her anger."
When the matter of 'retribution' was brought up, Madam Tong paused, then gritted her teeth and said, "And Suo Etu! This time, he managed to clean the Imperial Household Department, removed the noble consort's spies, and removed husband's spies. I don't know how many he got…"
Tong Guowei nodded slowly, closed his eyes, and said nothing. His expression was extremely solemn.
Some time passed before he said, "Yesterday, she sent a message saying that it is time to make a move in front of the emperor after the arrangements made for Mrs. Liu and the sixth prince."
"She despises Suo Etu, so Husband should do what she said…" Madam Tong squeezed the veil tightly. Her eyes were slightly bright and there was a trace of joy on her face.
However, Tong Guowei interrupted her before she finished speaking.
"It was supposed to be like this." Tong Guowei tapped the back of his hand and said in a deep voice, "But times have changed. The situation is very different now. She can wait patiently. The day will come where Suo Etu is punished."
The joy in Madam Tong's eyes faded, and she looked at him in disbelief. "Husband?!"
Her daughter had suffered such a blow, and the Tong family had suffered such a blow, yet he said it wasn't yet time to make a move?
Tong Guowei half-closed his eyes and waved his hands. "The current situation has changed a lot. The Nala family has Consort Hui helping them. Ming Zhu is even more powerful. As for Mrs. Hesheli… What is the use of an imperial concubine? Suo Etu has the crown prince, so he can be compared with Ming Zhu. It's not certain who will win in the future."
If the Tong family was to prosper, Ming Zhu could not be allowed to grow more powerful.
The imperial noble consort could no longer be the empress. The name he had hoped for as a descendant of two dynasties turned into a dream in a blink of an eye. It was unattainable. Next, there was only one path for the family, and that was to stay by the emperor's side by making great military achievements.
He didn't want to support the crown prince, let alone the eldest prince.
The crown prince had his maternal family, and so did the eldest prince, but their surname was not Tongjia!
As for the imperial noble consort asking the emperor to record the fourth prince under Chengqian Palace, and to support the fourth prince to ascend the throne with the backing of her whole family… It was absurd.
He was still the son of an enemy, so why should she do her best to plan for him?!
He praised Imperial Concubine Wu's son, and as a result, lost his worth for nothing!
It was impossible for the fourth prince to sit in that position. This was to drag the Tong family into trouble.
As Tong Guowei spoke, his face gradually turned cold. "The court cannot live without Suo Etu. For the sake of the family, Ruying will need to be wronged. She is the daughter of my Tongjia family, and she was born to take on the important task of revitalising the family. If you enter the palace, tell her that taking care of her body is top priority, and that she must be more cautious in her words and deeds. She should never mention the matter of changing the jade records in front of the emperor, do you understand?"
For the family?
For the family.
After some thought, her husband instantly understood how useful Suo Etu was. Madam Tong opened her mouth, but the dissatisfaction in her heart finally disappeared.
She hesitated for a moment, then responded in a low voice.
Chuxiu Palace.
Imperial Concubine Ping, Mrs. Hesheli, was fidgeting with the handkerchief that she had just embroidered. She stared forward with deep almond eyes, and said softly, "Uncle didn't deal with Consort Yi, but instead blamed me."
Zhu Chai stopped making tea. "Imperial Concubine…"
"Isn't he the most concerned about face? Mrs. Guo Luoluo's 'kindness' to promote Us to Imperial Concubine is like a slap in the face towards the Hesheli family!" The handkerchief was already crumpled up and one was unable to tell what it originally looked like. Imperial Concubine Ping's voice was incredulous. "Uncle actually wants to win over Mrs. Guo Luoluo's family. He doesn't even have the slightest intention of standing up for Us."
Recently, major events happened one after another in the palace. It was dizzying.
Consort De was demoted to Imperial Concubine De, and the sixth prince was to inherit the Second Rank Prince's position. The noble consort held the palace power now and the three consorts were to help her. Who knew how many people were angry at this change? One of those angered included her uncle.
Consort Hui had Ming Zhu backing her, so she did not have to deal with any hardships. She was still an imperial concubine. She had no love, no power, and no support from her family. Even her last trump card – the power of the Imperial Household Department which was left by her older sister, was taken away by Mingzhu.
In the palace, she was now isolated and helpless. She would struggle to move forward.
Uncle is angry, so why would she be angry?!
Well, she wouldn't think about it anymore. There were more important things right now…
Imperial Concubine Ping restrained the cold look on her face. A faint flame ignited in her eyes. Gradually, the flame became more vigorous, transforming into a prairie fire.
Mrs. Wuya shot herself in the foot and was demoted to Imperial Concubine Wu by the emperor. There was now a vacancy in the four consorts. Below the position of consort were 7 imperial concubines!
There were only four consorts and six imperial concubines. It was recorded and written into the regulations. The emperor has always loved tradition and would not allow the situation of having three consorts and seven imperial concubines to continue. There was a high possibility that he would promote an imperial concubine to a consort.
The talent competition had ended. Now, among the concubines, there was no one of note. Except for Imperial Concubine Wu, the emperor would definitely choose one of the other six imperial concubines to be promoted to a consort…
Thinking of this, Imperial Concubine Ping's breathing stopped for a moment. She quietly clenched her fists.
She and her uncle had planned things out. As long as she successfully ascended to the position of consort, she could assist in the affairs of the harem. At that time, all their difficulties would be solved. Would Consort Yi be able to suppress her?
Imperial Concubine Ping took a deep breath, suppressed her excitement, and calmly planned.
Imperial Concubine Duan, Imperial Concubine Jing, and Imperial Concubine An were all old. They entered the palace during Kangxi's early years. Imperial Concubine Duan gave birth to a princess, but the child died early. The other two had no achievements and no children. The palace they lived in was no different from the Cold Palace.
Imperial Concubine Xi was also from the Hesheli family, so she was considered a branch member. Her father had a low official position, and she had no contact with the main family. They were miles away.
Because of her good looks and her surname, Imperial Concubine Xi was made a Noble Lady when she first entered the palace.
But she was really brainless. She was proud because of being favoured. She ended up offending Empress Xiaozhao, which surprised the emperor. After she was made an imperial concubine, the emperor did not treat her as well as before, and she slowly faded.
As for Imperial Concubine Cheng… Being promoted to the position of imperial concubine was already an extra grace. As for being a consort, it was absolutely impossible!
After thinking about the other imperial concubines, none could compare to her in terms of status. The only thing she lacked were achievements!
—With her uncle and the crown prince, what did achievements count for?
Imperial Concubine Ping came back to her senses. She had an expression of faint joy. She took another sip from the teacup.
The steam rose, blurring her delicate face. She spoke softly and with a smile. "A low family background will always be a low family background. How shortsighted. She can't be a phoenix even if she climbs up to a high position! Look, it's fine if she loses the child. The sixth prince is pitiful. After his serious illness, he became duller. He even hallucinates, saying that he was poisoned by Wet Nurse Liu…"
Who didn't know that Mrs. Liu had 'gone home to visit relatives'? How could she appear in the palace at random?
According to Imperial Concubine Ping's knowledge, Mrs. Liu actually offended Imperial Concubine Wu and was sent to the Punishment Division. She was probably thrown into a mass grave and the body was probably rotten by now!
…
Mrs. Wuya had a low family background, but she became a consort and was above her. Imperial Concubine Ping was dissatisfied.
Now, everything was different. If she could go further, she would thank Imperial Concubine Wu!
A few days ago, Yinzuo survived the catastrophe and had fortunately woken up.
It was as the imperial doctor said, although the poison was discovered early, the sixth prince would still experience side effects due to his young body.
The imperial doctor checked his pulse. He carefully looked at Yinzuo's eyes again. He felt a thump in his heart and opened his mouth, awkward. "To answer Your Majesty… Second Rank Prince Rong is no longer as agile as before…"
He meant that he was much duller than before and was no longer smart.
It wasn't just the great empress dowager who was regretful, but the empress dowager and the emperor were as well. This matter was a foregone conclusion. The only thing left was to protect Little Six well in the future so that he could live a safe and smooth life.
With regards to the origin of the sachet, Yinzuo vaguely mentioned the nanny, and fell asleep again after he lost his energy.
Kangxi kept Mrs. Liu firmly in his mind and ordered the guards to conduct a strict investigation. As a result, they found the mass grave, and Yonghe Palace…
If it wasn't for the fact that Imperial Concubine Wu was under house arrest and that the little princess was weak and still needed to be taken care of by her mother, Kangxi was angry enough to destroy her!
The great empress dowager thought over things and arranged everything in person.
Second Rank Prince Rong moved to Ganxi Wusuo, and the fourth prince also moved in again. Their courtyards were next to each other. Next to them was the residence reserved for the fifth prince. After the next month, Yinqi would go to the upper study with his brothers.
The investigation was still going on in secret. At the same time, the ninth prince's one month ceremony was coming up.
…
Yintang had already lost his monkey-like red complexion. He turned into a white and tender fat doll.
The fat baby was dressed in bright red. He was screaming in a lively manner as he looked around.
Yun Xiu was dressed up and walked into his line of sight. He stared blankly at the beauty in front of him. His brain froze for a moment.
He always knew that his mother was good-looking when she was young, very good-looking; otherwise, the old man wouldn't be so fond of her. But after two lifetimes, in the face of her beauty, the ninth master, who had gone through thousands of tribulations, still felt that… it was a bit difficult to breathe.
As he was having difficulty breathing, he saw imperial father, who was also in a daze. He suddenly felt furious!
Before he could protest, Kangxi strode forward and held Yun Xiu's hand. His deep phoenix eyes held a fiery and gentle expression.
"We said that We would explain it to you. We did not break Our promise, did We?" He asked in a low voice, and then said gently, "They are all waiting in the front hall. Be careful where you step… I will lead you."
Chapter 39
Kangxi's tone…
Could not possibly be more gentle.
He used 'We' before, but then he changed it to 'I'. When Yun Xiu heard this, her heart trembled slightly.
Then, it turned into calm.
Peach blossom eyes drooped.
After a few breaths,
And with a bright smile,
She responded softly,
'Hurry up'.
He didn't break free from that warm hand.
Kangxi was taken aback briefly.
The corners of his mouth curved slightly.
His expression became milder.
Wet Nurse Dong saw this.
She exchanged a glance with Wen Yuan and Rui Zhu. Her heart relaxed.
There was a trace of joy on her face.
Thank goodness!
The consort finally let go of what was bothering her and no longer resisted the emperor!
The servants were anxious, but they did not know what to do.
They had no choice but to worry secretly, looking forward to the day when the consort would change her mind…
It was better now.
Liang Jiugong followed closely behind, flicking his whisk. Deep wrinkles formed at the edges of his eyes.
He looked a little happier than Wet Nurse Dong.
While he was happy, Steward Liang tried not to pay attention to the hands of his masters, for fear that he would show a gritty expression.
Then, he would be wronged by getting a few strikes of the board.
Last time he got struck 5 times by the board, he had to lie in his room for three whole days before he recovered!
It was just Yintang, who was in the wet nurse's arms, had closed his eyes tightly and breathed heavily, as if he was asleep. However, he was actually sulking.
Before he had time to take action, such as painting the dragon robe, the old man abducted his mother…
After all, the ninth prince was still a baby who had just turned 1 month old. He slept a lot. When he was angry, his consciousness blurred and he fell asleep.
When he opened his eyes again, they had already moved somewhere else. He was in a spacious and lively hall, with three heads in front of him—
Of the three curious faces, one was smiling, and looked more mature and handsome. The other two were innocent and natural, their eyes were full of curiosity. Weren't they the crown prince, the fourth prince, and the fifth prince?
Yintang completely froze when he suddenly saw the three of them. He wasn't mentally prepared.
He had never seen his brothers so young!
He felt excitement, happiness, grievance, and disgust… He felt all kinds of complex emotions, and it was as if he had been in another world.
No, that was not right. It was originally a lifetime away.
He was doing it all over again!
To be honest, in his last life, Yintang and the crown prince did not have many intersections. Therefore, there were no grievances, enmity, or deep feelings.
The crown prince was the second oldest, so the difference in their ages was large. The crown prince was loved by the old man very much. He had always been looked up to and envied by his brothers, and Yintang was the same.
When he finally entered the upper study room to study, the crown prince had already gone to court to participate in politics, so there were even fewer interactions between the two.
The crown prince was really broad-minded. When the crown prince was deposed, in addition to the eldest prince, the eighth prince also plotted. The crown prince had a clear heart.
When he was promoted to 9th rank, the crown prince, who was already struggling, sent a sincere congratulatory gift. It was the blueprint of the war chariot he needed.
Yintang really admired him.
Life was full of regrets. The crown prince, whose life had been going smoothly this entire time, had come to such an end. How was that any better than him?
Ever since he was coerced by Suo Etu when he was young, and when he tacitly attacked Ming Zhu, he couldn't help himself and couldn't escape anymore.
The old man raised him, then gave up on him. He was then imprisoned for the rest of his life in the Zheng Family Manor. He was also pushed into a corner by the fourth prince, going from being a part of the official imperial line to just a branch member.
When the new emperor ascended the throne, how could he give grace to the deposed crown prince's family? On the surface, he showed a lot of courtesy, but secretly, he was in fear and took many precautions.
… Who knew what happened to his nephew, Hong Xi1, after he left?
Before he finished sighing, he heard Yinqi's loud voice say, "Second older brother, fourth older brother! Our younger brother doesn't look ugly anymore, so mother can finally feel relieved."
He heard the immature but familiar voice. For a moment, Yintang ignored the meaning of his fifth older brother's words, and almost burst into tears.
Older brother… My dear older brother. Oi!
It didn't matter if it was during the good times or during times of trouble, fifth older brother never changed his attitude and always treated him wholeheartedly.
He followed the eighth prince relentlessly, and ended up in a confused state. The only ones who went to plead for him were his mother and his honest and loyal brother.
Before his rebirth, he invested all the money he earned from doing business to the eighth prince. The only money that he did not invest was money intended for Yikun Palace to fulfil his duties of filial piety.
He once asked fifth older brother if he was short of money, but fifth older brother refused, so he forgot about it.
When Yintang thought back on this now, he wished he could have slapped himself hard.
He had been stupid, so incredibly stupid!
Fifth older brother had a big family to support, and he was not as respected by officials as the fourth and eighth princes, so how could he not be short of money?
Guilt and excitement swept through his heart. In the next moment, Yinzhen spoke with a voice full of childish hesitation, "Isn't he ugly… But the ninth younger brother has been in a daze. Could it be that his brain is broken?"
As he said that, under the care of the wet nurse and palace servants, he carefully poked the soft little baby's hand.
Little Four's tone of voice was very sweet and cute, but it made the ninth master furious.
"Hey—"
He was the only one who had a broken brain. His entire family had broken brains!
When Yintang saw Yinzhen's six-year-old bun face that lacked dignity, he still felt pain in his heart.
Both new and old grudges surged forward. Yintang's eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth. He thought, 'Fourth prince, fourth prince, if I don't make you cry father and mother in this life, I will go and change my surname to my mother's.
…
…
Yinzhen didn't know that Yintang's thoughts were so dangerous and colourful.
At today's one month banquet, his sleeping ninth younger brother showed up first and was showered with praise. He was then laid down in the rocking crib and was discovered by the trio who 'snuck in'.
They thought they had snuck in, but in fact, Kangxi saw them and indulged them in their behaviour.
Because the imperial noble consort was present, the fourth prince was in a good mood. He showed a rare cheerful smile.
For a while, Imperial Concubine Wu's hysterical appearance in Yuqing Palace gradually faded in his mind. The haze brought about by his sixth younger brother's poisoning also gradually faded away.
Then, his mother arrived…
At this moment, the imperial noble consort was sitting on the lower seat of the emperor. Her complexion was a little pale.
She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, coughed quietly, and then turned it into a perfect and dignified smile.
What was quite different from the other concubines was that the imperial noble consort looked at Yun Xiu with an expression of calm. There was also no malice. It was almost as if she had changed into a different person.
Due to the angle and the cover provided, when Kangxi led Yun Xiu into the palace, the small movements that others did not see were clearly seen by the concubines.
It was said to be the one month ceremony, but after the ceremony was completed, it was actually a banquet.
The noble consort was nine months pregnant, so the great empress dowager granted her permission to recuperate. Therefore, the noble consort did not attend. Imperial Concubine Wu was still under confinement. Below the imperial noble consort was Consort Hui, then Consort Rong, then the six imperial concubines, noble ladies, and young masters…
Yun Xiu was dressed in a light crimson auspicious gown. She had emerald pearl hairpins inlaid on her ruby headpiece. Her eyes were full of smiles, like waves rippling in spring water.
Even childbirth and the confinement period did not seem to impact her complexion at all. It instead added a bit of tenderness to her image.
When everyone saw Consort Yi for the first time, they were startled.
Consort Yi was more beautiful than before, and the ladies in their hearts. As for the concubines who had other expectations, they were stunned for a while. Their hearts slowly sank.
Originally, they hoped that Consort Yi would change drastically after the confinement period. Even if she didn't have a bloated body, there would surely be spots and she would look haggard, right?
But no, not at all.
The emperor's eyes were still fixed on her. He didn't even look at them.
When Consort Yi was pregnant, even if she was not bestowed favour, no one in the palace could compare to her. Now that she had completed the confinement period, her looks had not diminished at all. If things went on like this, how could they survive?!
Within a few breaths, Imperial Concubine Ping's expression changed suddenly as she stared at Consort Yi. Consort Rong tightened her handkerchief. Even Consort Hui who devoted herself wholeheartedly to her son had a slight change in her expression.
When they looked at the sleeves of the emperor and Consort Yi…?
Even after entering the palace, Kangxi gently let go of her hands. However, they still couldn't help but be shocked. Their hearts sank.
Only the imperial noble consort smiled calmly. She turned her head to look at the inner hall from time to time. Her eyes were full of concern and kindness.
A noble imperial clansman and his wife were present. They glanced at her from time to time.
Who didn't know about this matter? The imperial noble consort lost her palace power, lost her prestige, and they heard that her body had been damaged. Now she had nothing left but the title of the first person in the harem.
As for the fourth prince, he was only the adopted son of the imperial noble consort. The fourth prince's birth records were still in Imperial Concubine Wu's name and had Imperial Concubine Wu as his biological mother!
There was no malice in those covert eyes. There was even sympathy. It was these sympathies that made the imperial noble consort feel embarrassed and nervous.
There were bursts of pain and chills from her lower abdomen and the roots of her legs, making her cheeks paler. However, this was hidden by makeup.
Her cousin's love for Consort Yi made her already numb heart tremble again. She felt a wave of hatred sweep over her. She had attacked the one who was under house arrest in Yonghe Palace, as well as the Hesheli clan outside the palace.
Her faint eyes glanced at Mrs. Hesheli, Imperial Concubine Ping. She then quickly lowered her eyes. She could no longer let Yinzhen and the crown prince get close.
When would her father send the news?
Suo Etu! Crown Prince Yinreng!
She had to plan carefully and ensure that nothing was neglected.
She wanted Yinzhen to be her child and for him to ascend to the supreme position… Even if she couldn't make it, she had to survive until that day!
1.(弘皙) Hong Xi: the son of Yingreng (the crown prince).↩
Chapter 40
Compared to the imperial noble consort, who had not yet recovered from the illness and was forced to attend to keep her face, Consort Hui seemed much calmer.
She was shocked by the emperor's move of holding Consort Yi. After a slight change in her complexion, she soon returned to a friendly smile. When the banquet was halfway through, she spoke first, breaking the silence.
Consort Hui took a sip of her tea, then put down the teacup. She said with a smile, "Younger Sister, Consort Yi, is still the one who can raise children. Look at the fifth prince, and then look at our ninth prince at one month. He is very strong, obedient, and clever. This is unlike Yinzhi, who is as lively as a monkey that even this concubine can't control him! The emperor should reward younger sister well."
In her passage, she not only praised Yun Xiu, but also did not forget to mention the eldest prince along with her. Her dignified demeanour was displayed. After being ordered to assist the harem, the current Consort Hui was more confident in speaking.
What she said was right. The eldest prince greeted the crown prince and the others had gone to the back hall. How could he sit still? After eating a few bites in a rush, he paid his respects to Kangxi, which drew a hearty smile from the emperor who then waved his hand to approve his request.
As soon as he finished speaking, Consort Rong glanced at her with a smile. She was about to say something when Imperial Concubine An, Mrs. Li, who had been a transparent person for a long time and had always been quiet, agreed with Consort Hui's words.
"Consort Hui is right," Imperial Concubine An said softly. "Consort Yi is not only good at raising children. After her confinement period, her complexion has become even more beautiful, and she is really the envy of the concubines…"
Hearing this, the concubines' expressions differed. There was some discomfort in their hearts, especially Imperial Concubine Jing, who was in charge of the same palace as Imperial Concubine An. Her brows gradually knit together as she had an inquiring expression on her face.
Leaving aside the content of Imperial Concubine An's speech, over the years, Imperial Concubine An had gradually lost favour. She didn't fight for it. She was like a transparent person with no desires… But today, she changed her temperament and said nothing but compliments!
Yun Xiu glanced at Imperial Concubine An, then Consort Hui. She understood instantly.
Consort De had become an imperial concubine, so there was a vacancy in the four consorts. In the next while, the harem would not be able to calm down. All the imperial concubines wanted to be promoted to the vacant Consort position, including Imperial Concubine An who 'had no desires', and naturally the rest as well.
Consort Hui's movements were fast. The Great Empress Dowager was about to issue a decree, and she walked in with the extremely low-key Imperial Concubine An. Yun Xiu had that dream that predicted the future, so she naturally knew what it was for.
Imperial Concubine An was born into a family who was a part of the army. Although she was not favoured, her background could not be underestimated.
Her grandfather was Li Yongfang, the first Han general to join the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Taizong greatly trusted him. Since her grandfather, the Li family had taken root in the Green Standard Army1for generations and had made great contributions. Because of this, when Kangxi made promotions in the harem in the 16th year, Imperial Concubine An became the head of the six imperial concubines at that time.
After Li Yongfang died of illness, the Li family lost its pillar and inevitably declined. But their multitude of military exploits still existed, so the family's prestige in the Han Army had not faded.
Consort Hui was paving the way for Yinti!
There must be Ming Zhu's influence…
In the blink of an eye, Yun Xiu figured this all out. She paused and unconsciously became bored.
The fight for the position of consort had nothing to do with her. They could fight as they liked, but if it involved the previous dynasty, then things were still uncertain.
Consort Hui still wanted to win her and the Guo Luoluo family over, but she didn't know what would happen in the future. The same could be said of Suo Etu.
The one month ceremony gift he asked his wife to present to Yikun Palace was particularly exquisite. A few days ago, his father sent a letter saying that the Hesheli family sent someone to Shengjing. They had the intention of cooperating, and had presented a generous gift to show their sincerity.
Since the Emperor cleaned the Imperial Household Department, Imperial Concubine Ping's spies had been completely removed, so there was no useful news to spread. Consort Hui now had the right to assist the harem, so Suo Etu became anxious. After much deliberation, he briefly set his target to Yikun Palace.
…
When Yun Xiu thought of this, she stopped holding the dish for a moment and raised her brows slightly.
The crown prince didn't tell Suo Etu what she said to him?
That was good news.
As early as when Consort Hui praised Consort Yi, the high-ranking emperor nodded slightly. His smiling eyes were on Yun Xiu.
When Imperial Concubine An took over the conversation, Yun Xiu still smiled lightly, but Kangxi was keenly aware of her unhappiness. He thought that she was tired, so she didn't want to answer.
Kangxi waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "You're right!" Then, he pointed at the desk. "Let's have dinner."
…
Almost half of them choked.
Imperial Concubine An should have been happy. After a long time, the emperor finally spoke to her again. But upon hearing those words, her cheeks stiffened a little. The joy in her heart faded away. After a few breaths, she stood up and paid her respects, then said yes with difficulty.
The palace was full of women. Except for those who have long since given up fighting for favour, who didn't envy Mrs. Guo Luoluo?
She was the most doted on the harem and gave birth to children one after another. The emperor was even willing to indulge her publicly.
Everyone wanted to be her.
Imperial Concubine An herself said that Consort Yi was beautiful, but she just followed Consort Hui's words. It was partly the truth, but mostly false.
Then what about the emperor's response?!
Imperial Concubine An's heart was cold. The emperor's preference for Consort Yi was not hidden at all.
This show of partiality cut deep into her heart.
He also thought she was noisy…
She looked over at the member of the imperial family. Prince Yu was the first to react. He coughed lightly and covered the smile at the corners of his lips.
Yun Xiu blinked as she held her chopsticks.
She hadn't politely declined yet, so what was the emperor doing?
After finally getting through her confinement period, she didn't come here to offend anyone.
She couldn't bear it any longer. Yun Xiu secretly gave Kangxi a look. He managed to perceive it accurately.
To the emperor, this was not just a 'stare'. It contained 'anger'. Immediately, his heart felt that this was a beautiful thing, and even the food was more delicious.
The imperial noble consort ate calmly and slowly with her eyes lowered. Consort Hui was thinking about Yinti, so everything she ate was tasteless to her.
Seeing the emperor's smile, Consort Rong felt bitter and sour in her heart. Imperial Concubine Ping heard the words "You're right", she grit her teeth so hard that they could have broken.
Look at the position Consort Yi held in the emperor's heart!
…
After three rounds of drinks at the banquet, it was time for it to end. When Kangxi got up, everyone knelt down in unison and sent the emperor off.
Imperial Concubine Ping sighed in relief and slowly relaxed her clenched hands. In an instant, she felt an unbearable stinging pain. It turned out to be a sharp mark made by her nails on her palm.
Kangxi strode out and passed by Yun Xiu. He stopped for a while, and said softly, "We will go through some papers first, and then We will come to see you and Yintang in the evening."
On the other side, the ninth prince, who was surrounded by his brothers, wanted to cry but he had no tears.
Before he could say a few words of emotion to his brothers, the eldest prince also came in a hurry. He was different from the crown prince. His words were like a bank run.
It was nothing more than a bank run, but he would still use him as a lifeboat!
When Yinti saw the crown prince's hand resting on the little baby's belly, he sighed softly and said, "Ninth younger brother's skin is soft. Second younger brother should be careful and not be too firm, otherwise Consort Mother Yi will feel distressed."
His expression was full of concern and worry. He was like a good older brother who was thinking about his younger brother.
Yintang was on alert. Eldest brother said such a thing, but could the young crown prince endure it?
But he had to bear it and not fight in Yikun Palace, otherwise he would be criticised!
The crown prince's pupils shrank slightly, and he slowly withdrew his hand. He was silent for a while, then nodded in agreement. He said with a smile, "Eldest brother is right. It was Yinreng who was reckless and didn't consider ninth younger brother's feelings. Although ninth younger brother can't speak, he knows the difference between cold and hot like we do. Our forefathers have…"
Yintang: "…"
What followed was a long citation of scriptures. The central idea was that he must respect his younger brother's feelings and accept the guidance of his older brother with an open mind. If he made a mistake, then he would correct it!
In his previous life, Yintang was tired of reading books and did not want to study. He was the naughtiest one in the study room since he was a child. After hearing those words, his eyes dulled. He felt dizzy. He could see stars before his eyes and he had no idea what time even was…
It wasn't just him. His eldest brother, Yinti, was not much better.
Yinzhen, who was standing to the side, had just learned the Analects of Confucius. Yinqi had not yet started learning. The two of them looked extremely confused.
Little Five was especially confused. It was fine if he didn't understand, and he exclaimed from time to time. The words that were practically written on his round face were 'second older brother is amazing'. When Yinti saw this, his complexion turned greener.
He really couldn't stand the atmosphere, and walked away quickly with a sneer. His gaze fell onto the crown prince's back. He suddenly felt like he was fleeing.
The crown prince stopped suddenly, and then showed a bright smile. This made the ninth prince, who was peeking at him quietly, shiver. The ninth prince quickly closed his eyes.
For a while, Yintang admired his mother greatly.
He always felt that the crown prince had turned into a wolf in sheep's clothing, but it was not an illusion.
If this continued, the eldest prince would not be the crown prince's opponent. Between Ming Zhu and Suo Etu… It was something worth seeing.
Yintang was so engrossed in his thoughts when he suddenly felt a chill in his thighs. In an instant, the little baby turned pale with shock and became angry.
Who pulled off his pants?!
Accompanied by wails and a soft murmur of 'Ninth younger brother is so expressive'" Yun Xiu held Wet Nurse Dong's hand into the back hall.
"What's going on?" she asked with a smile.
It was nothing! It was like catching someone red-handed.
The crown prince turned back to Yun Xiu and quickly put the pants back on his ninth younger brother. Like a matryoshka doll, he slid it on quickly.
After he finished his action, he turned around and coughed lightly. "Consort Mother Yi, We were just playing with ninth younger brother alone."
After that, he winked at Yinqi!
When Yinqi saw his mother look at him, he then spoke slowly and timidly, showing that he was sincere and would tell no lies. "Mother, second older brother is right. Ninth younger brother likes to play with him."
Yintang opened his eyes wide and screamed, speechless. He twisted his body and felt his butt tingle.
The ninth younger master suddenly felt a sense of sadness in his heart.
The dignified crown prince was unable to differentiate between brothers and was being rather cheeky!
How could he live like this?!
That night, the emperor chose Yun Xiu's sign early. At dinner, the imperial carriage arrived at the main hall of Yikun Palace.
As winter approached, the sky was getting darker faster. The verandah was lit with warm lights, as was the bedroom hall. A little bit of warmth permeated the room.
As soon as Yintang was placed in the emperor's arms, he cried at the top of his lungs, which made Kangxi feel particularly distressed.
"What's going on?" Kangxi coaxed him for a long time. He was also worried for a long time, fearing that this boy would pee on him and soak the black dragon robe he had carefully put on.
The result was not as he hoped.
This was because the ninth young master finally discovered his conscience!
In this life, because of how different his mother was, he really had nothing to say to himself. At least he was countless times better than the crown prince and his own brother.
Some things could only be realised through comparison. Yintang thought quietly, and then gave the emperor a smile of great mercy.
Before his smile bloomed, he heard his mother say softly, "Little Nine is familiar with the crown prince holding him. Then wouldn't he be shy with strangers? Even Little Five can't compare to how close he is with his second older brother. He even complained to me this afternoon."
When Kangxi heard this, he was delighted. He immediately smiled and said, "Okay, okay. The crown prince is becoming more and more like an older brother!"
—
The author has something to say…
Little Nine: I have #$ to say, but I don't know if I should say it…
1.(綠營) Green Standard Army: standing infantry during Qing dynasty. It was originally formed from Ming and other Chinese army units.↩