Chapter 66
Imperial Concubine Ping did something that she had disdained the most in the past to seek favour. She was originally nervous, but the moment she saw the emperor, all her nervousness and shyness turned into clouds and smoke in the sky. Her heart and eyes were full of the man in front of her.
She specially put on the plain white gauze that had been at the bottom of her closet for a long time. This was a treasure made by more than a dozen embroiderers when she was in the boudoir. It was also a birthday gift she received the year she entered the palace. It was elegant and unique, with the charm of clothes from Jiangnan.
In order to meet the emperor and wash away the bad impressions of the past, Imperial Concubine Ping was willing to endure the severe winter cold, her teeth chattering with the cold. She looked forward to seeing the surprise in Kangxi's eyes, but who knew that there would be no surprise.
The emperor not only spoke coldly to her, but also ridiculed her for not dressing properly…
When she heard his words, her face turned pale, and she knelt down. "Your Majesty!"
Perhaps because he was scared of being tormented, Kangxi felt annoyed when he saw these women making trouble.
Why did she come to the Imperial Garden on such a cold day dressed like this? Did she think that he didn't know?
Kangxi had always been relatively tolerant of the concubines in the harem. But after witnessing their scheming, repeatedly experiencing disappointment, and realising their 'true colours', his heart became cold.
Unconsciously, his previous mild temper was gone. In Liang Jiugong's eyes, he was really moody, except when facing Master Yi.
In the past, when concubines came to the Imperial Garden to seek favour, the emperor would at most smile. When he was in a good mood, he would not hesitate to show some favour. But now…
The mood for appreciating plum blossoms was completely ruined.
He stared at Imperial Concubine Ping with an unreadable expression, and said with a sullen face, "Is the Ministry of Internal Affairs short on food or clothes for you? How can you behave like this as the master of a palace? Liang Jiugong, go and convey my order to supply Chuxiu Palace with thick winter clothes. They don't need to be bright and beautiful. They should just focus on keeping warm."
Liang Jiugong almost couldn't hold back his laughter. He pinched himself hard, and then bowed his head and agreed.
Now, the expenses will have been increased for nothing. The Ministry of Internal Affairs would have complaints against Imperial Concubine Ping.
This was not the end. The statement, 'there is no need for bright colours and they should just focus on keeping warm'… Did His Majesty mean that no dyeing or embroidery was allowed, and only gray clothes should be provided for Imperial Concubine Ping to wear?
It was no wonder that this master ran into trouble. Suo Etu made such a big mistake, and his niece was making trouble. His Majesty still remembered the last time she slandered Consort Yi.
Imperial Concubine Ping had an incredulous expression and her eyes were red. She choked out sobs. When Kangxi saw this, he sneered and walked away.
"It's the end of the year. We don't want to punish you for spying on the emperor. Go back and reflect on yourself." After saying that, he narrowed his eyes. His words seemed to be tinged with ice. "Liang Jiugong, go and pull out that traitorous servant and teach him a lesson."
Liang Jiugong was stunned. He then smiled and acquiesced.
Wherever there were people across the lands, they were divided. This was no different from the servants of Qianqing Palace, who were also divided into several factions. Liang Jiugong served Emperor Kangxi personally every day, so he was naturally the one with the highest prestige and power, but there were still deputy stewards below who were eager to replace him, and Liu Qin was one of them.
To be honest, who among the servants in Qianqing Palace had not been bribed by a concubine to leak the emperor's whereabouts? Liang Jiugong used to turn a blind eye, but after he experienced many headaches, he realised his mistake and from then on strictly prohibited his servants from interacting with the people in the harem in that manner.
If they wanted to interact with the harem, then they should interact with Yikun Palace.
The chief steward admired Consort Yi from the bottom of his heart.
Kangxi saw Yun Xiu through rose-coloured glasses, but in Liang Jiugong's opinion, how could she be a long-lasting favourite concubine just by relying on her beautiful appearance and personality?
Schemes and tactics were indispensable, and Master Yi was the best among them. In just one year, there had been so many disturbances in the harem. Not only did Master Yi stand firm, but her position in the emperor's heart had become even more important.
Liang Jiugong came to his senses and snorted. If the servant who accepted Imperial Concubine Ping's bribe was Liu Qin's subordinate… Hehe, he couldn't wait to see how that old man ended up!
On the 21st day of the 12th lunar month, after many days of long journey, Tuyue's family finally arrived in the capital. Ten-year-old Ya'ertan and five-year-old Fulu followed their parents into the capital.
Officials who returned to the capital to report their work were supposed to stay at the post station, wait for a written summons from above, and go to the Ministry of Personnel to complete the formalities, before they could move into their own residence. Perhaps they would have the honour of meeting the emperor.
Before Tuyue could unload his bag, the clerk in charge of reception came to greet him with a smile. "This subordinate greets Lord Guoluoluo. The higher-ups have given the order that you can skip the cumbersome formalities and stay here for one night. Tomorrow morning, someone will lead you to the palace to make a statement. Recently, you are the only one who has the honour of meeting the emperor!"
Tuyue and Mrs. Gua'erjia looked at each other. They were both surprised.
The clerk led them to their residence respectfully. He was unable to conceal his envy. Then, the handsome young man standing by said with a smile, "The madam, young lady, and young master can follow the Lord into the palace. Consort Yi asked the Lord for mercy, saying that she had not seen her sister-in-law for a long time and missed her very much. Consort Yi wanted to take a good look at her nephew, who will be the fifth prince's study companion in the future."
His voice was a little thin, and then he revealed his identity. He was Shuang Xi, the apprentice who was cultivated by Zhang Youde, the general manager of Yikun Palace. This time he came to pass on a message to the master, so that the consort's brother could rest assured.
When Tuyue heard this, his mood could no longer be described as surprise.
Ya'ertan could not contain her joy. As a young girl, she was inevitably timid about entering the palace. As for Fulu, his black eyes were sparkling, and his excitement was overflowing, revealing his longing to be a companion in the future.
Since he was born, he had never seen his two aunts. He heard that his eldest aunt was beautiful and the youngest aunt was gentle. He wondered how beautiful Consort Yi was.
After Tuyue sent Shuang Xi away with his gratitude, he turned around and saw his son's longing look. He was immediately furious and subconsciously wanted to find a thin wooden stick. Then, he sadly discovered that this was not Shengjing, but a post station far away in the capital.
The madam was a noble lady of the Gua'erjia clan. Her manners were engraved in her bones. The daughter she taught had impeccable in manners. Only this brat… He was so worried that his eyebrows were about to fall off. The study room would not be able to stand him.
If he led the fifth prince astray, His Majesty wouldn't punish him for not being a good parent, right?
Tuyue thought about it anxiously. It would be better to ask his wife to talk to the Consort and ask her not to let Fulu be his study companion. He didn't think it was a good idea.
Fulu ignored his father's threatening look. He didn't feel scared at all!
Before setting off, Fulu carefully searched his bag. There was no thin wooden stick or the frightening feather duster inside. He immediately became bolder.
How did the saying go? A phoenix without feathers was worse than a chicken (?). Without the right tools, his father was like a pheasant. What could he do?
After a long journey, the family fell asleep quickly after extinguishing the candles. Before falling asleep, Fulu opened his eyes wide, missed his grandmother and grandfather, who were far away in Shengjing. He then dreamt happily.
The next morning, before dawn, Fulu rose energetically, and put on his favourite red coat and fluffy hat. He looked round and festive.
The person who was supposed to pick him up soon arrived at the post station. The carriage passed through the city. After almost an hour, it stopped at the majestic palace gate.
Liang Jiugong sent Little Li and a group of eunuchs to wait. Half of them led Tuyue to meet the emperor, and the other half led Mrs. Gua'erjia and the two children to Yikun Palace.
Compared to Ya'ertan, who dared not look too much and just smiled with pursed lips and a look of amazement in her eyes, Fulu was much bolder.
He looked around and was not shy at all. He kept calling Liang Jiugong 'Eunuch' and was very sweet. He made the chief steward smile and feel comfortable.
Everyone knew that this was Consort Yi's nephew, who would be the fifth prince's companion. The chief steward was secretly surprised. He had been in the palace for so many years, but he had never seen such a child, who was eloquent, full of energy, and did not look down on eunuchs at all.
It wasn't just Consort Yi who would like him. The emperor would definitely like him.
He smiled and said to Mrs. Gua'erjia: "Madam is so lucky. Madam is so lucky!"
Mrs. Gua'erjia: "…"
She secretly glared at her son, signalling him to be more restrained. The Forbidden City was not like Shengjing. Even if his aunt was still favoured by the emperor, there were still places where her reach did not extend. How could she deal with all of Fulu's tricks?
What if he was stuffed into a sack and didn't know who did it?
Fulu scratched his head after being glared at by his mother. He immediately became obedient. The group soon arrived at Yikun Palace.
In Yikun Palace, Yun Xiu looked out from time to time, waiting anxiously. Noble Lady Le was just like her, fidgeting, with a look of anticipation on her face.
Soon, one adult and two children stepped into the palace in the morning light. Wet Nurse Dong, who came out to greet them, smiled with wrinkles on her face. "Madam, Noble Lady, they are here."
Yinqi was hiding in a corner. Upon hearing this, he looked over curiously and saw his aunt, who had a temperament similar to his mother, as well as his slim and pretty cousin… And his little cousin who was as round as a ball.
Yun Xiu had originally not allowed him to come, but she could not resist the fifth prince's pestering and insistence on meeting his future study partner. He said with tears in his eyes, "Mother, imperial grandmother has agreed! Your son will hide in the corner and won't disturb you from reminiscing about the past."
Yun Xiu: "…"
She had no choice but to agree to her eldest son's request. She wondered, who taught him this? Why did he always feel wronged?
As for the fifth prince, he had been curious about Fulu for a long time.
He heard from his mother about grandfather Guoluoluo, about how he mentioned many times in his letters that his cousin was good at martial arts. If he entered the upper study room, then after three to five years, he might be able to fight against the eldest prince!
Yinqi looked at him with wide eyes, thinking that it was bragging. Even his second older brother's riding and archery skills could not compare to his eldest brother's, and yet this round ball in front of him had the ability to be on par with his eldest brother?
Over there, when the three women met, and Yun Xiu's eyes were red.
Mrs. Gua'erjia greeted Yun Xiu solemnly, wiped her eyes, and laughed heartily. Just as she was about to speak, her son beat her to the punch.
Fulu stared straight at Yun Xiu as soon as he entered the hall. After finally coming back to his senses, he straightened his hat, sighed, and said enviously, "Imperial uncle is so lucky."
Yinqi: "…"
His mother: "…"
Chapter 67
As soon as Fulu finished speaking, Yikun Palace fell into a brief silence. All the sadness and tears of joy disappeared, and many gazes fell on the big red ball.
His Majesty… was so lucky?
When everyone saw the little kid staring at Yun Xiu intently, everyone understood. This was a disguised way of praising Consort Yi's beauty!
"Fulu!" Mrs. Gua'erjia shouted. Her face darkened.
What was this little brat talking about?
Could he call the emperor Imperial Uncle?
He would be lucky to keep his head!
Fulu couldn't help but blurt out his true feelings. He was then hit by his mother's death ray. He immediately covered his mouth, looked around, took a small step back, and then looked at Yun Xiu with a flattering gaze. His big eyes clearly shone 'Auntie, save me.'
Yun Xiu couldn't help but laugh. Noble Lady Le laughed so hard that she fell backwards. This funny kid!
Before her sister spoke, Noble Lady Le wiped the tears from her eyes and waved to Fulu. "Come here, come to your aunt. Let me take a good look at you."
When Fulu saw that he had a backer, he ignored his mother's dark face and ran over happily.
The closer he looked, the more he envied his imperial uncle. Consort Yi looked like a fairy. There was nothing wrong with her!
And his youngest aunt, who was also an incredible beauty… Fulu suppressed his envy and called her aunt sweetly.
Noble Lady Le pinched his round face and liked him at first sight. She covered her mouth and smiled. "Good boy, you are right. Isn't the emperor blessed?"
Fulu nodded heavily and shook his head.
"I haven't finished yet," he said in a childish and serious voice. "My youngest aunt is gentle, beautiful, and virtuous. My cousin, the princess, is blessed to have a mother like you."
This level of flattery… After he finished speaking, he even gestured, which made Yinqi beside him stunned.
The fifth prince had never seen a peer who was so skilled at flattering!
No matter how lively and eloquent the princes and princesses in the Forbidden City were, they were far from Fulu's level. In layman's terms, their status prevented them from being as eloquent. If people heard them say such a thing, it will be a great loss of face. They may even be impeached by government officials.
Yinqi was still in shock while Noble Lady Le was moved and had already hugged her nephew and cried.
Mrs. Gua'erjia's face was full of an unreadable expression. She pulled her daughter, Ya'ertan, who also found this scene unbearable to look at, and bowed to Yun Xiu. "I'm sorry you had to see such a scene, Consort, but he is an uncontrollable monkey, who causes trouble for his father every day…"
Yun Xiu really didn't know that Fulu had such a temperament when he was a child.
Who wouldn't like such a lovely child?
When Yun Xiu thought that this was her own nephew, coupled with the guilt left over from the dream, the look in her eyes when she looked at Fulu couldn't be any softer. She was just like Kangxi, who looked at her with rose-tinted glasses. Consort Yi also looked at her nephew in the same way.
She smiled and helped Mrs. Gua'erjia up, scolding her. "What kind of monkey is this? No one in Yikun Palace can be sweeter than him. Eldest brother is so ungrateful for what he has. If Little Five was this well-behaved, We would laugh out loud in my dreams."
Yinqi secretly pricked up his ears: "…"
He was so angry that his face puffed up and he angrily called his mother. Fulu turned his head and found that there was a yellow round ball in the corner.
Could this be the fifth prince, who was his eldest aunt's son?
It was okay to be round, but why didn't he inherit her fairy-like beauty?
Yun Xiu took Yinqi's hand, called Fulu again. Her peach blossom eyes curved and she said softly, "This is your cousin Yinqi, the fifth prince in the palace. After the New Year, you will go to study together. By the way, you also have a ninth cousin who is less than one year old. Why doesn't someone take you to Nuan Pavilion to see Little Nine?"
Fulu's eyes widened again.
He responded obediently, then took Yinqi's hand in a familiar manner and said excitedly, "Cousin, let's go see my other cousin!"
Yinqi was pulled away before he could react.
Wen Yuan suppressed her laughter and personally led them to Nuan Pavilion. There was a wet nurse in Nuan Pavilion and it was Fulu's first time there. Yun Xiu was not worried at all that Yintang would fall into the clutches of the two. She just watched from behind them with a smile.
When Mrs. Gua'erjia saw her son calm down, she was relieved, but she felt exhausted. She shook her head and conveyed Tuyue's request. "Fulu is too good at getting into trouble. Our master was very panicked, and asked, can this kid not be a companion? He is afraid…"
Before she could even finish the words 'that he will lead the fifth prince astray', Yun Xiu comforted her. "Sister-in-law, please relax. Nowadays, no one dares to neglect the people of Yikun Palace, let alone my nephew. Even if Fulu gets into a terrible disaster, We will cover for him and tell him not to restrain his nature."
Noble Lady Le nodded, and seemed to agree strongly. "Older sister is right. It should be like this. We will not let Fulu suffer any grievances."
No, she was not afraid that Fulu would be wronged, but that Fulu would wrong others.
Mrs. Gua'erjia opened her mouth and felt that the words of the two ladies sounded very familiar… It was similar to Fulu's bold words 'With Consort Yi here, who would dare to mess with me?'
Mrs. Gua'erjia had a bad feeling about Fulu being a study companion!
She was worried, but Yun Xiu couldn't bear to see her worried, so she quickly changed the subject. She pulled Ya'ertan over, and she and Yun Shu asked the young girl questions.
The little girl started to feel shy, but slowly relaxed. She was very similar to her mother in character, behaving graciously and generously, but still retained her innocence and childishness. She had the same liveliness as Fulu in her bones.
Yun Xiu liked her more and more, and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, let Yi'erha come out to meet her cousin next time. The child is sensible at an early age. She is only six years old, but she is mature. We have to ask you for some tips on raising children."
Mrs. Gua'erjia listened in fear and waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "That's not…"
It was really impossible. If she raised a child like Fulu, the emperor and the consort would kill her!
…
They talked about the memorial incident. Perhaps knowing how Tuyue ended up where he was, Mrs. Gua'erjia smiled with a carefree smile and said with a grateful tone, "It was all thanks to the Consort's mediation that our master escaped from such a pit of fire… There is nothing this wife can do to help. This wife brought food from Shengjing, which was made by our own chef, so that the Consort and the Noble Lady can eat it."
Noble Lady Le was very surprised and said immediately, "Thank you, sister-in-law! As it happens, the small kitchen has prepared a lot of exquisite snacks. I will have someone pack them so you can bring them with you to share with the children."
The three women were talking happily. After half an hour, Rui Zhu came in through the curtain, presumably to report something important.
Mrs. Gua'erjia was about to get up and leave, but Yun Xiu stopped her and said with a smile, "We are all family. Why should we be so polite? There is nothing to be shy about in Yikun Palace."
Tuyue was eight years older than Yun Xiu. Before she entered the palace for the selection, her sister-in-law had already married in and treated her two younger sisters-in-law as her own sisters.
Hearing this, Mrs. Gua'erjia was happy, but also felt a lot of emotion for no reason. After so many years, Yun Xiu's temperament had not changed much. No wonder her father-in-law and the master love her.
Rui Zhu cleared her throat and said, "After the emperor left the court, he went to the imperial garden to appreciate the plum blossoms, and happened to meet Imperial Concubine Ping seeking favour—"
Mrs. Gua'erjia's expression became solemn.
Imperial Concubine Ping, a noble woman from the Hesheli family. Even if Suo Etu fell, she was still the younger sister of Empress Renxiao and the aunt of the crown prince. Miss Rui Zhu mentioned this matter. Could it be that…
"Imperial Concubine Ping was wearing a thin gauze, and the emperor thought she didn't dress properly and scolded her, saying, 'Have you frozen your brain?'" Rui Zhu lowered her head and held back her laughter. "He also asked the Imperial Household Department to send winter clothes with great fanfare, but they all gave her ugly looks. Not to mention the concubines, even the maids in the palace disliked it."
Noble Lady Le laughed once again.
Mrs. Gua'erjia: "…"
Yun Xiu was amused and said happily, "The emperor is quite conscious."
After laughing, she was surprised. How could such a scene appear in the dream?
Consort Yi was still wondering what had provoked Kangxi to make him so angry. On the other side, Mrs. Gua'erjia was in a trance and couldn't come back to her senses for a long time.
With a snap, something broke.
This… was the daily life of the wise and powerful emperor?
On the other side, the wise and powerful emperor and Guoluoluo's Tuyue played against each other in the Qianqing Palace for a long time.
The two of them asked and answered questions, and the emperor and his subject were in harmony. During the conversation, Kangxi became more and more satisfied with the place he arranged for Tuyue.
Ming Zhu and Hang Ai were not exaggerating. Tuyue was indeed a rare talent. What was even more rare was that, with the increase of experience and knowledge, he could still maintain a pure heart, be loyal to him, and look sincere. When talking about government affairs, he was eloquent and confident, and his analysis was insightful.
The emperor paused for a moment, took a sip of hot tea, and then reminded him. "We have read the memorials you submitted to the Ministry of Civil Personnel. You have done a good job in the past few years. Now that you have been transferred to the Ministry of War, you should do your best to achieve results. Don't let Us down, and don't put Consort Yi's earnest care to waste."
Tuyue was flattered when he heard this, and he knelt down with tears in his eyes. "Yes. This subject will serve Your Majesty with my life!"
"Get up." Kangxi nodded with satisfaction.
Instantly, his expression changed. He signalled to Liang Jiugong and the others to leave. Then he stood up 'inadvertently' and walked to the back wall of the imperial study.
He called Tuyue's courtesy name affectionately, smiled slightly, pointed to the framed work in the centre and asked him, "Do you think this calligraphy is familiar?"
Tuyue was immediately excited. Whose masterpiece was on the wall?
Was it 'Timely Clearing After Snowfall' or 'Elixer Notes'? Was it Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy or Song Huizong's original work?
The emperor's desire to test him was a manifestation of his closeness and trust.
Tuyue had many guesses. He took a deep breath and read it carefully, word by word, with a feeling of admiration.
Tuyue: "…"
The content looked very familiar. It was the Buddhist scripture he had been forced to copy since he was a child. The handwriting was also very familiar. Wasn't this his younger sister's handwriting?
As he thought about this, he gradually became confused. No, no.
Tuyue was very familiar with Yun Xiu's handwriting. The handwriting looked very similar at first glance, but if one looked closely, one could see that the person who wrote it did not have the habit of making hooks when writing.
He just felt that something was wrong. Could it be that the emperor wanted to test his understanding of Consort Yi? Or have him distinguish what was true and find the difference?
Tuyue pondered this and was about to organise his words. Beside him, Kangxi stood with his hands behind his back and said with a smirk, "This is the unique gift that Consort Yi gave Us on Our birthday this year. She stayed up all night by candlelight and sent Us a Buddhist scripture that she copied by hand."
His tone was light, with a hint of boasting.
After that, he pretended to ask casually, "Did Xiuxiu do such hard work before she got married?"
Tuyue: "…"
Chapter 68
Tuyue encountered the most difficult choice in his life – to be loyal to the emperor or to protect his younger sister.
He felt a little annoyed to be in this dilemma. How should he answer this question?
If he said: Your Majesty has misunderstood. This Buddhist scripture was not written by my younger sister. All the stories about staying up late and working hard were lies. At most, she asked a palace servants to imitate her handwriting and it was a perfunctory gesture.
If he said that out loud… What if the emperor got angry and no longer favoured his younger sister. Wouldn't his father kill him?
After he weighed the consequences of deceiving the emperor and telling the truth, Tuyue backed down.
He hesitated again, and finally spoke with difficulty, "Your Majesty, when the Consort was at home, this subject's parents were reluctant to tire their daughter. For her to prepare a gift life this is a first."
As he spoke, he cried in his heart. Wasn't deceiving the emperor a serious crime?
He had never lied this many times since he was a child, but now he lied to the emperor. Tuyue, who was a pillar of the country, who had 'loyalty to the emperor and the country' engraved in his bones, quietly lowered his head and felt his conscience burning.
In addition, Tuyue had an indescribable feeling of guilt.
The emperor's treatment of his younger sister was impeccable. There was a strong sense of boasting in his words, but his younger sister was too indifferent to the emperor.
He was afraid that if his younger sister revealed the truth, wouldn't everything be ruined?
But there was no way he would reveal it. As her older brother, he had to cover for her.
He was still thinking about this. His head drooped. Kangxi nodded with satisfaction, laughed, patted his shoulder, and sighed. "Enough of political affairs. Let's talk about family matters. To be honest, in the whole palace, Consort Yi is the one who pleases Us the most. She also mentioned you to me, saying that you two have a deep relationship as siblings, and it is even stronger than before after not seeing each other for many years! It is true that you can recognise her handwriting at a glance."
Tuyue felt that his shoulder was burning after he was patted by the emperor.
He forced himself not to kneel down, and just smiled dryly. He didn't know what to say. "Your Majesty is too kind. Your Majesty is too kind…"
His tone was sad, but Kangxi felt more relieved.
Such a loyal minister would not speak empty words or flatter others, but speak from his heart. If all officials were like Tuyue, then the court would be more clean and honest than ever before.
The emperor was so happy that he rewarded Tuyue with an imperial yellow jacket1. Tuyue wore it and left the palace in a daze.
Mrs. Gua'erjia also left the palace in a daze. Fulu held his hands and looked around. After the excitement passed, his little head fell into deep thought.
What happened to his parents?
That night, the candlelight was dim. Lord Guoluoluo, who had moved into the new house, sat at the table for half an hour. When he put the brush to paper, his expression was particularly solemn.
Mrs. Gua'erjia entered the inner room quietly, turned the wick to make the candlelight brighter, and then held her breath. She asked, "Master, what happened?"
Tuyue sighed. "Nothing, just a letter to the Consort in the palace."
…
On this day, Rui Zhu lifted the curtain with brisk steps and said with a smile, "Consort, the master sent a letter."
Yun Xiu couldn't wait to read it. There were several pages of paper with the main idea being one sentence.
'Younger sister, can you be nicer to the emperor? It's not easy for him either.'
His tone was very cautious, as if he was afraid of offending her.
Yun Xiu: "…"
Yikun Palace was immersed in the joy of Tuyue's family coming to the capital, and was not disturbed by the waves caused by Suo Etu's dismissal. The other palaces were not like that.
After receiving Kangxi's order, the Imperial Household Department quickly sent people to Chuxiu Palace to deliver gray winter clothes. This move almost made Imperial Concubine Ping a joke in the palace.
In their opinion, Imperial Concubine Ping's backer had fallen, and now she was disliked by the emperor, so she might never be able to rise up again. As a result, concubines who came to 'show concern' for her kept coming one after another, and their words were full of ridicule and contempt. Even Imperial Concubine An and Imperial Concubine Xi joined in the fun. Imperial Concubine Ping gritted her teeth and sent them away. She was so aggrieved that she cried, but she could do nothing about it.
Seeing this, many people with quick minds looked in the direction of Yuqing Palace.
Imperial Concubine Ping had lost her backer. Was it the same for the crown prince?
If Chuxiu Palace was full of misery, Yanxi Palace was seeing the light of day. Consort Hui swept away her previous haze and regained her dignified and smiling look, as if her previous fall did not exist. She gradually appeared in front of people.
But she learned her lesson and was no longer complacent. Instead, she became cautious.
After Suo Etu fell, Ming Zhu was now powerful. Ming Zhu had almost all the power in the court. Except for the Noble Consort, Consort Yi, and Consort Rong, the other concubines did not dare to disrespect Consort Hui, let alone laugh at her for the eighth prince's relocation.
Fortunately, Noble Lady Liang lived with the eighth prince in the side hall of Cining Palace, and therefore had the protection of the great empress dowager. Consort Hui could not reach so far, and her taking revenge was unrealistic.
Some people suddenly realized that the revered elder had the foresight and had thought this through…
Once Suo Etu fell, it would not only affect the previous court, but it also would have a profound and wide impact. However, New Year's Eve was approaching, and no matter how many undercurrents there were in the harem, no matter how many active thoughts there were, they now had to suppress their own plans and settle down. Everything would be decided after the new year.
—The noble consort conveyed an order from the emperor.
Kangxi's original words were: "If anyone insists on making trouble and does not let Us enjoy the New Year, We will punish them. They will spend New Year's Eve with Imperial Concubine Wu."
When these words came out, everyone was shocked!
They had never felt so clearly that the emperor had changed.
Those little concubines who were trying to win the emperor's favour were all worried. If the emperor was no longer merciful, would they end up like Imperial Concubine Ping?
Because of this shocking order, the harem was peaceful for a while. The atmosphere was still extremely peaceful until the New Year's Eve family dinner in the 23rd year of Kangxi's reign.
Now, the illness of the imperial noble consort was well known.
The imperial noble consort could not hide how pale her face was even with makeup. Seeing this, the great empress dowager sighed slightly. When she thought of the fact that the imperial noble consort had been staying at home for the past few months and focusing on recuperating, she nodded to her with a gentle expression.
The imperial noble consort would cover her mouth and cough every few breaths. Apart from that, her eyes almost never left the fourth prince at the prince's table. She had a smile full of tenderness, as if Yinzhen was the only one left in her heart.
The empress dowager, the noble consort, and Yun Xiu noticed this.
The empress dowager suddenly remembered the matter of the jade records. It seemed that Yinzhen was still registered under the name of Mrs. Wuya, and the imperial noble consort was just his adoptive mother.
She thought to herself that this was not a big deal. However, since the great empress dowager had not spoken yet, she would not get involved. After thinking for a while, she put it aside and looked at Yinqi happily.
The noble consort looked indifferent and quickly looked away. Yun Xiu sighed softly. It seemed that the imperial noble consort was definitely thinking about more than just the fourth prince. Yun Xiu's position as a consort dowager would be in jeopardy.
Then she thought about it. It was just a setback and it would not affect the overall situation… The little crown prince was already a wolf in sheep's clothing, so she really didn't need to worry too much.
Consort Yi quickly thought about other things, but she didn't know that Kangxi's gaze fell on her from time to time, which aroused waves of jealousy that almost flooded Qianqing Palace.
At the dinner, the ladies who could not see the emperor regularly were also present, including those who admired the emperor and longed for his favour. Who would not look at the emperor?
Consort Hui's chest rose and fell for a moment. Imperial Concubine Xi's eyes were spitting fire!
But even though they were jealous, they dared not speak out and be openly hostile. People like Imperial Concubine An and Imperial Concubine Jing were even afraid.
This year was bizarre. None of the plots against Consort Yi succeeded. In the end, they were always the ones who suffered. In addition to the punishment of copying Buddhist scriptures, there was also a rumour circulating privately: On the day when Consort De was demoted to Imperial Concubine Wu, Consort Yi slapped Imperial Concubine Wu twice. The emperor not only did not punish her, but also rewarded her with many things and asked her if her hand hurt.
Upon hearing this, Imperial Concubine Xi widened her eyes in disbelief, and suddenly felt her face burning. She could feel slight pain in the place where she was slapped by Wet Nurse Dong. She fell on the couch and murmured, "Lawless, how lawless."
Wasn't the emperor a wise ruler? Why was he so biased?!
At present, Yun Xiu was concentrating on eating, not paying any attention to the gazes that were threatening to eat her at the banquet.
The stares, hatred, and jealousy… these emotions were not painful or irritating. Hadn't she seen it all?
Her reputation for being domineering spread far and wide, and the concubines of lower positions were too afraid of her to do anything. The only ones who dared to look at her like that were those old acquaintances.
Yun Xiu ate while trying not to laugh. She found the entire thing quite interesting. At this point, how come they only grew older but not smarter?
Kangxi looked away, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and suddenly called out in a gentle voice, "Imperial Concubine Xi."
It wasn't just Imperial Concubine Xi. Even the noble consort was surprised. When did the emperor ever call Imperial Concubine Xi in such a tone? Wasn't this impossible?
Imperial Concubine Xi came back to her senses, and was startled. She felt uneasy, and then happy.
"This concubine is here."
She stood up with a smile on her face, and heard Kangxi ask in a gentle voice, "Do you have any siblings?"
Imperial Concubine Xi was quite confused, so she bowed respectfully and replied softly, "Your Majesty, this concubine has a useless younger brother at home…"
Before she finished speaking, Kangxi signaled her to stop and asked slowly, "How are his eyes? Does he need to squint? Do We need someone to treat him? It would be terrible if he inherited your disease."
Although the emperor was smiling, his eyes were cold. Imperial Concubine Xi froze in place. Her joy faded, her face turned pale, and she stammered, "Your Majesty…"
Imperial Concubine Ping's face turned pale as well. Perhaps she recalled some bad memories. A chuckle came from somewhere, and then it returned to silence.
The crown prince looked at his imperial father in surprise, and was confused while trying to hold back his laughter. Why did his eldest brother, Yinzhi, also have a change in his expression?
The great empress dowager rubbed her temples and looked at him with an inquiring look. Was the emperor in a bad mood recently? He scolded not only the civil and military officials, but also the concubines in the harem?
She did not teach him this!
The empress dowager hesitated for a moment, then nodded. This should be the case. She felt that the emperor was right to scold her…
Only Yun Xiu felt complicated. Why did the Emperor take her job away?
The imperial noble consort's gentle smile was strained when she saw this scene.
She clenched her fingers suddenly, feeling a little uneasy. What she once thought was a sure thing was now uncertain.
What if the emperor ridiculed her like he ridiculed Imperial Concubine Xi? Would she still be able to live as a human being?!
The imperial noble consort took a deep breath and comforted herself. That wouldn't be the case…
The banquet started in a peaceful atmosphere and ended in a weird atmosphere. When the imperial noble consort stood up, she pinched herself, forced a smile, and paid her respects to Kangxi. "This concubine has not seen Your Majesty for a long time. If it was not extremely important, this concubine would never dare to disturb you. This concubine has something important to report."
The imperial noble consort was afraid that he would say something sarcastic. After she spoke, her face became paler and she shook a little.
Kangxi glanced at her with an unpredictable look. He finally said indifferently, "Go to the side hall."
The imperial noble consort breathed a sigh of relief and smiled weakly. "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty."
"Cousin, seeing that this body can't give birth, this concubine is useless," the imperial noble consort said bitterly after arriving at the side hall. She coughed softly a few times and closed her eyes. "The elders of the Tongjia clan, they… They want to send this concubine's second younger sister to the palace to give birth to a son and a daughter for Your Majesty…"
1.(黃馬褂) Imperial Yellow Jacket: a symbol of high honour given by the emperor to high-ranking officials. The colour yellow was forbidden as it represented the emperor.↩
Chapter 69
As early as when Kangxi ordered him to go to the side hall, Liang Jiugong quickly had the place cleared.
The emperor did not ask him to leave, so when the imperial noble consort said this, the chief steward served respectfully by her side. He was about two or three steps away from her, and heard her low, bitter voice clearly.
The elders of the Tongjia clan…wanted to send the imperial noble consort's younger sister to the palace?
The imperial noble consort reported this to His Majesty in such a sincere manner?
In her words, she first lamented her useless body. Her expression was very genuine, and then she took on a tone of self-mockery, without any intention of hiding her relationship with her family.
Shocked, Liang Jiugong was a little unsure about his attitude towards this person in Chengqian Palace. After thinking about it, he decided that it would be a good idea to treat her with caution.
Although she lost her power, she was still a master, and she still retained her title of the first person in the harem. The imperial noble consort raised the fourth prince, which was not a big deal, but compared with the 'motherly' Consort Hui, the gap was obvious!
Compared to his master's annoyance with Imperial Concubine Ping and Imperial Concubine Xi, Liang Jiugong looked over quietly and found that the emperor was not angry, and that his expression at the moment was actually kind.
Although he didn't smile and the expression in his eyes was deep, he didn't say anything that was 'thorny'… He looked at the imperial noble consort for a few moments and slowly turned the jade ring on his thumb.
"Indeed, you haven't seen Us for a long time, and We haven't seen you for a long time." The emperor sighed and as soon as he finished speaking, the side hall suddenly became silent.
The imperial noble consort choked up, and couldn't tell what she felt. With so many thoughts in her mind, her eyelashes trembled. She was about to cry. "Your Majesty…"
Kangxi suddenly interrupted her.
He narrowed his eyes, paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his expression unrecognisable. "That family wants to send another daughter in to replace you so she can give birth to a son or daughter for Us. Is that really what Tong Guowei intends?"
The imperial noble consort felt cold in her heart and sneered. What was she still looking forward to?
The emperor was cold-hearted through and through, but she still hoped that he would show her some care and pity for her despite her illness. It was ridiculous, really ridiculous.
Poor Mrs. Guoluoluo was the most favoured concubine in the harem, and no one could rival her. Gradually, everyone was blinded by appearances and thought that Consort Yi had a place in the emperor's heart.
The imperial noble consort sneered and thought, 'what was the difference between this kind of pampering and teasing a pet?'
Only Consort Yi was complacent and could not see through it. She was immersed in this illusory dream.
She coughed softly, bowed slightly, and said weakly with a pale face, "This concubine is not afraid of being laughed at by the emperor. Father believes that this concubine will soon be unable to take care of the Tong family and this concubine's people, because the difficult childbirth almost took this concubine's life. The imperial physician said that with this body, this concubine can only stay in bed and take bitter medicine all day long…"
The imperial noble consort mentioned the Tong family without hesitation. At this point, she paused and smiled. "This concubine doesn't know when this concubine will leave this world and reunite with this concubine's Anle in the underworld. If this concubine's younger sister can replace this concubine and accompany the emperor, it would be good."
Liang Jiugong shuddered all over and broke into a cold sweat.
What kind of words were these? Every word was a taboo in the palace! It was New Year's Day. Wasn't the imperial noble consort afraid of His Majesty's wrath?!
"But I am unwilling, cousin!" The imperial noble consort couldn't hold back any longer, and said with tears in her eyes, "This concubine has done many wrong things in the past, mostly for the sake of the family, and ended up like this, disappointing Your Majesty and the Revered Elder. This concubine has long since regretted it… This concubine is in debt to the imperial family, and in debt to Yinzhen. Yinzhen is a filial child. I regret that my time is short and I cannot double my compensation towards him… Putting myself in my younger sister's shoes, how could I bear to let my younger sister repeat my mistakes?"
After saying that, the imperial noble consort prostrated herself, choked with sobs. "This concubine only asks Your Majesty to stop my father's idea and not agree to let my second younger sister enter the palace. This is also because of this concubine's selfish desires that this concubine cannot express!"
Kangxi originally frowned, with deep anger in his eyes. After hearing the last part, his expression gradually changed. He gazed at her with a complicated expression and said after a while, "Get up."
"On New Year's Eve, don't talk about these unlucky things, and don't cry. It will only make people laugh at you." The emperor sighed. "We agree."
Before the imperial noble consort could breathe a sigh of relief and feel a little happy, Kangxi glanced at her and said, "We only hope that while you are recovering from your illness, you can really understand things, rather than being so stupid that anyone can scheme against you."
As soon as the word 'stupid' came out, the words of thanks that the imperial noble consort was about to say froze remained lodged in her throat. Her joy suddenly changed.
She didn't dare to resent him, so she could only smile gently and accept the comment with gritted teeth. "This concubine…. will obey Your Majesty's orders."
At the family dinner, Kangxi's sudden attack on Imperial Concubine Xi caused the women who were jealous of Yun Xiu and secretly scolded her as a vixen to panic. The concubines who wanted to win his favour gave up the idea with trepidation, and their countless glances seemed to have been paused. They no longer looked towards the emperor at the top.
After the banquet was over, they did not dare to stay any longer and hurried back to their respective palaces to celebrate the New Year. Therefore, the scene of the imperial noble consort paying respects to the emperor was only seen by a few high-ranking concubines.
It was Consort Rong, Mrs. Majia, who spoke first. She covered her mouth and smiled. "I think she feels that the past is over and she is confident that she can regain her former glory and bring honour to her family."
Everyone knew who she was referring to. The noble consort laughed and gave Yun Xiu a questioning look. How did Mrs. Tongjia offend Consort Rong?
Yun Xiu shook her head slightly, and then pondered on this for a while. Since she was promoted to consort, the noble consort and Consort Rong had not had much interaction except for paying respects. Could there be a grudge during in the early years of Kangxi's reign?
Only Consort Hui's mouth dropped. She looked straight at Consort Rong and said coldly, "Younger sister Consort Rong, be careful with your words."
Saying that the past was over, that she was full of confidence… Who was she secretly mocking?
Consort Rong realised that her words were not only applicable to the imperial noble consort. In front of her was Consort Hui, who relied on Ming Zhu to bring glory to her family, and was full of confidence after her reinstatement!
She smiled awkwardly, but no one knew what she was thinking.
Back in Zhongcui Palace, Consort Rong swept away her awkward look. Her face was gloomy and she solemnly ordered the palace servants, "All of you should be alert and pay close attention to Chengqian Palace! If the emperor has such an idea…"
The unfinished words trailed off, and Consort Rong's voice gradually became lower. Then she took a deep breath, clenched her handkerchief, and murmured, "Consort Hui, Mrs. Nala, you will have bad luck some day."
No flower lasted forever. She didn't believe that Ming Zhu could continue to be arrogant!
No matter what happened on New Year's Eve, on New Year's Day, the palace was bustling.
The emperor paid his respects at the ancestral temple, invited a famous opera troupe to perform a few plays for the empress dowager and great empress dowager. All the officials also paid their respects. There were also a few good storytellers on the stage. Yun Xiu picked up a handful of melon seeds and listened with relish. Yinqi sat behind the crown prince and listened with great interest.
"Second older brother, when your younger brother grows up, you must get a group of opera troupes to perform different plays for me every day." Yinqi's vocabulary had been enriched after he learned to read from the crown prince. At this moment, he carefully counted with his fingers. "One is not enough, two are not enough… Well, just get eight or ten."
The crown prince coughed and was convinced.
He hadn't even started school yet, but he was already thinking about the opera troupe. If Consort Mother Yi, who wanted her son to be successful, knew about this, a light caning would be the least of his worries!
Yinqi's voice was so loud that all the princes could hear him.
The eldest prince, Yinti, thought that his fifth younger brother was really better than his father. What would happen if the emperor heard this?
The emperor's angry voice appeared in his mind: "Are your eyes on the plaque of the opera troupe—"
The eldest prince shuddered and quickly dispelled the picture.
The third prince, Yinzhi, curled his lips slightly. Yinqi was too unambitious. What was the big deal about 8 or 10 opera troupes? They were of noble lineage, and they had to show their status everywhere. It was not too much to support 20 or 30 opera troupes.
The fourth prince, Yinzhen, who was next to him, took it seriously. He shook his head in disapproval, his face serious. "Fifth younger brother, when you enter the study, you will know that it is absolutely not advisable to lose your ambition by playing with these things. The masters will not stop lecturing."
As he spoke, a lingering fear flashed in his eyes. Hearing this, Second-Rank Prince Rong, Yinzuo, echoed in a baby voice, "Fourth older brother is right. It is not advisable to lose one's ambition by playing with those. Fifth older, brother, shame on you."
The imperial physician said that Second-Rank Prince Rong was no longer as smart as before, but he spoke fluently, and his words and reactions were the same as usual, with no signs of poisoning.
Only Yinzhen knew that the emperor separated his sixth younger brother from his mother in Jingqi Pavilion. At first, his sixth younger brother cried and sobbed, but as time passed, Yinzuo gradually forgot about Imperial Concubine Wu and only relied on him wholeheartedly…
Yes, Yinzuo forgot. His sixth younger brother's memory was affected by the poison, and now he no longer cried and shouted for his mother!
Yinzhen was sad, but also somewhat relieved. The thought that this was not bad. His sixth younger brother had experienced such hardships at such a young age, and he just needed to live happily for the rest of his life. He was Yinzuo's biological brother, and he would always protect Yinzuo, just like his second older brother cared about him and comforted him.
At this moment, the fourth prince had long lost his resentment towards his biological brother. When Yinzhen saw Yinzuo agree, he pursed his lips happily. He resisted the urge to touch his head and smiled shyly at Yinqi.
Yinqi: "…"
In the eyes of the fifth Prince, he was not only criticised by his fourth and sixth brothers, but also suffered their boasting!
He snorted bitterly. It was great to have a brother from the same mother. He also had one. But Little Nine couldn't speak yet and couldn't help him at all…
Instantly, Yinqi was eager for Yintang to grow up.
If he pulled his ninth younger brother's neck, would he grow taller?
The next morning, he pestered the empress dowager to let him see his younger brother. The empress dowager was so annoyed by his pestering that she quickly agreed and only asked him to come back at an earlier time. "Your mother is busy and has no energy to take care of you, you little monkey."
Yinqi scratched his head. Mother was busy? What was she busy with?
He quickly put this thought behind him and went to Yikun Palace with excitement. Before entering the palace, he heard laughter mixed with the familiar voice of a flatterer. "Auntie still looks like a fairy today, no, auntie is ten thousand times more beautiful than a fairy!"
The little round face drooped immediately. Yinqi made a 'shush' sound, not letting the servants inform them. He then kept turning in circles, wandering at the palace gate with a bitter and resentful look.
This scene was observed by the emperor.
After he heard Yun Xiu talk about how likable her nephew was, Kangxi had been thinking about him. He wanted to see his fifth son's future study partner and test him.
Now that there was no court meeting, he had more free time than usual. He saw Yinqi from a distance and asked curiously, "Why doesn't that boy go in?"
How would Liang Jiugong know?!
He said, "Your Majesty, how about this servant asks the fifth prince…"
"No need," Kangxi waved his hand and smiled. "We want to see what tricks he is playing."
"Imperial Father…" When Yinqi saw his backer coming, he was startled at first, then his eyes lit up. He pointed to the inner hall with a wronged expression, and before he could say anything, Fulu's sweet voice rang out, "Auntie, if I had been born a few years earlier, or if I had been born in another family, I would definitely take the initiative and marry you home in a sedan chair carried by eight people!"
Chapter 70
Yinqi: "…"
Kangxi: "…"
The emperor never thought that he and his son would end up eavesdropping on this conversation, but he was caught red-handed. Someone was trying to steal his girl!
In Yinqi's increasingly shocked and accusing eyes, Kangxi's face darkened instantly. He would remember the brat named Fulu.
Liang Jiugong also suppressed his shock, and he secretly looked at the emperor's expression. His shoulders trembled and his face was twisted from trying to hold back his laughter. He thought to himself, this young master, in front of His Majesty, said he wanted to marry Master Yi… This was really teasing a tiger's tail. Wasn't this courting death?
As soon as Fulu finished speaking, Yinqi pointed inside. He wanted to say something but wasn't sure if he should. 'Imperial Father, look, it's this flatterer!'
Kangxi was still able to keep his composure. He signalled to the fifth prince with his eyes. 'Wait a little longer and see what your mother will say.'
Outside the palace, the father and son were both filled with hatred and resentment, but one was angry and amused, and the other was extremely aggrieved. Inside the palace, Mrs. Gua'erjia covered her chest and looked like she was about to faint.
Master was right, Fulu couldn't be a companion, otherwise he would really die. Just listen to what he was saying. Was this something a five-year-old kid should say?
He claimed he wanted to marry her? Haha, if he was in a different position and an older age, the emperor would have exiled him to Ningguta a long time ago.
She was just about to ask the consort to forgive him, but Fulu didn't give up. He moved in front of Yun Xiu and asked sweetly, "Aunt, don't you think so? Are you willing?"
He still wore the fluffy hat today, but had changed into thick clothes. The big red ball turned into a deep blue ball. If he added a folding fan, he could be called 'handsome and elegant'!
When Yun Xiu heard Fulu's bold words of stealing the girl, she burst into laughter. In the smile, her eyes were like willow branches in spring brushing across the water.
She leaned over and touched Fulu's hat, sighed awkwardly, and said softly, "Whether aunt is willing or not is not up to you. You have to ask the emperor."
Kangxi outside the palace gate: "…"
Fulu didn't know what to say. When he came to his senses, he scratched his head, and said sadly and in annoyance, "I can't."
Wen Yuan and Rui Zhu couldn't help but laugh. The young master was really a funny guy!
Yikun Palace was immersed in a happy atmosphere. The next moment, the emperor's majestic voice sounded out. "We didn't see you a few days ago, but now it's different. Fulu, do you have anything to say to Us?"
Yinqi followed behind happily, unable to help but show a hint of pride. His expression was of 'kid, you finally got defeated'. Kangxi's eyes turned to look at Fulu, whose mouth was open wide. He thought with a dark face, that it was strange that this brat and Tuyue looked 60% similar, as if they were carved from the same mold, but why were their personalities so different?
Look at his father. His father was loyal and honest, but Fulu was slick and looked like he would be a treacherous minister…
Fulu didn't know what the emperor was thinking. He was only five years old, but he was already labelled as a treacherous minister!
When Mrs. Gua'erjia saw the emperor suddenly enter and that it seemed that he had heard the whole exchange, she was trembling and felt that it was difficult to breathe. She urgently needed a quick-acting heart pill. She paid her respects with great difficulty.
Fulu was different. Except for being a little frightened at the beginning, he quickly recovered his spirits and kept looking at Kangxi with admiration. There was no hint of fear or nervousness on his face.
He opened his mouth to start speaking. "Your Ma…"
Yun Xiu was still smiling. She was surprised when she heard this. She pinched Fulu lightly and hurried to greet Kangxi. "This concubine pays respects to Your Majesty. Why did Your Majesty come so early today? Why is Yinqi with Your Majesty?"
Early? This wasn't early.
If he was any later, there would be a fire in his backyard!
Kangxi snorted and started to get angry.
Yinqi said sullenly, "I came to see my ninth younger brother…" He wanted to pull his neck and head to make him taller, but he was not in the mood to do so now.
When Kangxi saw that Yun Xiu didn't mention anything about what happened just now and was ready to change the subject with a smile, he stared at the blue ball. His eyebrows were raised and he repeated, "Fulu, didn't you look forward to seeing the emperor? Your wish has come true. What do you want to say to Us?"
The emperor didn't want to argue with a child, but he wanted to tease him, to scare him, to teach him a lesson, and to assert his sovereignty.
He held Yun Xiu's hand tightly, which made Liang Jiugong's eyes twitch. Liang Jiugong hissed inwardly.
How come His Majesty seemed to be going backward every time he came to Yikun Palace? He was over thirty years old, but he was even more… than a young man.
The chief steward couldn't stand it anymore. He looked away and met the complicated expression of Wet Nurse Dong. They looked at each other for a moment in understanding and were filled with various emotions. They couldn't stand seeing this when they were old. They were both people who had experienced this same misfortune and simply sympathised with one another.
If it were someone else facing the emperor's majesty, they would kneel down while trembling and stammering 'I don't dare to', but Fulu was not an ordinary person.
He looked at him with envy, then took off his hat and held it in his arms. His expression became serious.
"Imperial Emperor Uncle."
Fulu called out sincerely, raised his hands in a formal manner, and then said solemnly in a baby voice, "Your nephew has long admired your wisdom and bravery."
He shook his head and said sadly, "It is said that seeing is believing. Once I saw uncle, I take back my previous words… I am far inferior to you. Father said that the light of a firefly cannot compete with the brightness of the moon. After seeing you, I feel ashamed… It is said that beauty go with heroes, and only a great hero like uncle is worthy of my aunt!"
His mother: "…"
The fifth prince: "…"
Yinqi was stunned again.
He stared at the change in the emperor's expression in amazement. It was unpredictable at first, but then it became much calmer. Finally, the anger disappeared without a trace before it turned into a faint smile.
The flatterer even wiped away his tears. The fifth prince knew that those two red eyes were still dry!
In addition to Yinqi's reaction, Mrs. Gua'erjia's desire to beat someone had reduced a little.
This was more reasonable. Her small son was still smart. Instead of trying hard to steal the emperor's woman, it was better to make him happy. Then, he could avoid a beating.
Obviously, the master was not such a person, and neither was Fulu's father. How could Fulu turn out like this?
As Fulu's biological mother, she thought, tired, that she wouldn't ask for more.
Yun Xiu watched the emperor's face turn from gloomy to bright. He held her hand tightly, probably very satisfied with Fulu's flattery.
Yun Xiu: "…"
She didn't know what to say. She called to Fulu with a smile, pursed her lips and smiled. "This child… Your Majesty, please don't be bothered by him."
Be bothered?
The emperor had long forgotten to care about this.
The word 'uncle' made Kangxi feel relaxed, as if he had eaten watermelon in the dog days of summer. The phrase 'the beauty goes with a hero' was such a straightforward compliment. Nobody dared to say it to the emperor before. Even if the court officials sang praises, they were all obscure and implicit. How could they dare to flatter him with plain words?
They were afraid to offend the emperor and embarrass themselves if they dared to try such a thing!
If the officials were so boastful, Kangxi would certainly doubt their intentions, but this was a five-year-old kid praising him seriously for being 'wise and brave' with a sincere tone. This was hilarious no matter how one looked at it.
He did not expect Fulu to belittle himself!
The emperor laughed loudly, then waved his hand and said, "What are you fussing about? Since when are We such a petty person?"
It turned out that Xiuxiu was right. Kangxi thought that this kid was really interesting. It was really strange how Sanguanbao taught such a eloquent grandson.
Fulu was completely unaware that the title he was given by his uncle had changed. 'Stinky brat' became 'this kid', and 'slippery tongue' became 'eloquent'.
Hearing this, he nodded seriously and put on his hat carefully. "Uncle's heart couldn't be more magnanimous…"
Yun Xiu couldn't help but laugh again. Mrs. Gua'erjia's expression was already strained!
Outside the court, in terms of kinship, there were countless people who could call the emperor 'uncle'.
The Hesheli family and the Niugulu family have many male descendants. Because of Empress Renxiao and Empress Xiaozhao, they were legitimate imperial relatives. Compared with them, Fulu was much less legitimate. Nobody from those two families dared to call him uncle, and they did not even have the opportunity to meet the emperor.
Fulu was skilled and bold, so he just called him uncle. Kangxi was satisfied, but he didn't blame him for not following the rules. He acquiesced to this title.
He waved at his nephew who was climbing up the pole and asked kindly, "Aren't you afraid of Us?"
Fulu smiled and shook his head. "No. I'm so happy to meet you!"
…
"What did your father teach you?"
Kangxi laughed loudly and questioned Fulu with great interest. On the other side, the fifth prince was desolate and sad. He felt out of place with the laughter and joy in Yikun Palace. He choked up and ran to Nuan Pavillion to seek comfort from his ninth younger brother.
Yintang had just finished drinking milk and his eyes were open in confusion. He listened to his fifth older brother complaining. "Hmph, imperial father was also deceived by the flatterer!"
Flatterer? Who was he talking about?
The ninth prince was confused and burped a little. Soon, the mystery was revealed.
Yinqi talked about what had just happened, and was so angry that he even forgot his original intention. In the eyes of the wet nurse who was trying not to laugh, he portrayed Fulu as his lifelong enemy and the biggest stumbling block on the road to winning favour.
Yintang was shocked at first. Fulu, as in cousin Fulu?
In this life, he actually became his fifth older brother's study partner?
After being shocked, the ninth prince began to ponder. In his previous life, he only knew that Fulu grew up in Shengjing since he was a child, was very skilled, and fought alone in the military camp for half his life. He also recommended him to his fourteenth younger brother…
In the end, his fourteenth younger brother did not use him.
Fulu was not the same honest man as Uncle Tuyue. Was he the flatterer mentioned by his fifth older brother?!
Why didn't he believe it?
Yinqi sat by the rocking bed, mumbling for a while. He then sulked alone, sighing. "The flatterer is too cunning. I can't beat him alone."
If he complained to his second older brother, he would certainly ignore him. Could it be that there was no one in the world who could help him?
Suddenly, his eyes lit up and his gaze fell on his ninth younger brother who was chewing his hand with relish. He suddenly realised that he had a younger brother.
Yintang suddenly felt a chill down his spine and his neck felt cold. He looked around, but before he could see where the danger was, the wet nurse's expression changed. "Fifth Prince can't do this—"
When she saw Yinqi frown, twist his neck, move his wrists, and reach out his hand, she was so scared that he was going to beat his brother.
If the emperor knew about it, it would be terrible!
At this moment, Fulu, who was standing outside the curtain holding Kangxi's robe and witnessing everything, rolled his eyes, and was anxious. He racked his brains to think about it, and said loudly, "The fifth prince is really a good older brother. He wants to get close to ninth prince… He is so serious!"
The loud reminder sound made Yinqi shudder all over. He subconsciously retracted his movements and leaned forward.
He was in a panic for a while, and with a 'chu' sound, he lay down beside the bed like an octopus and kissed Yintang's tender face!
The kiss sounded very loud, and the ninth prince froze: "…"