The Daily Life of Farming in Time-Travel to Qing Dynasty

by Usui Takumii

not mine, asia novel dot net. Beware edited mtl.

1. 00 to 10

An Qing time-traveled all of a sudden. From a doctorate in agricultural college, she became a Mongolian princess who was suddenly betrothed to the fifth prince during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty.

Looking at the tall city walls of the Forbidden City, An Qing couldn't help but hold her forehead and sigh.

Among all the people in this palace, everyone is as shrewd as a sieve. In front of them, she is undoubtedly a naïve and innocent girl.

However, fortunately, An Qing's luck wasn't too bad. She was betrothed to the fifth prince, Yin Qi, who wasn't involved in the struggle for the throne.

Her maternal family was the most powerful branch of Horqin and was highly regarded by Kangxi.

Anyway, palace fighting was impossible for her. Wouldn't it be nice to close the door and live a comfortable and wealthy life?

So,

When the side consorts and princesses were using every means to compete for favor, An Qing ate, drank and farmed.

When the sisters-in-law were busy showing their virtuousness and filial piety, An Qing ate, drank and farmed.

When the princes were busy forming cliques, fighting for power and profit, An Qing pulled Yin Qi along to eat, drink and farm.

But who would have known that it was this An Qing, whom no one in the palace paid attention to, not only saved the rare peonies used for sacrifices, which symbolized auspiciousness, but also solved the problems of crop pests and diseases such as "rice blast" and "ghost wheat" that had troubled emperors and officials throughout history.

Not to mention the successive high-yield crops in her manor…

Many years later, among the folk and in the countryside, there was a widely renowned "Goddess of Agriculture". Thousands of common people voluntarily erected a monument for her.

It was said that this "Goddess of Agriculture" was a noble person in the Forbidden City, but she preferred to linger in the fields all year round because she said… she wanted all children in the world to have enough to eat.

Yin Qi grew up under the care of the empress dowager since childhood and was deeply influenced by her. Since childhood, he had a kind, generous and non-combative nature.

But since ancient times, the most unavoidable thing in the royal family is the struggle for power and profit. Facing the disharmony between father and son, the conflict between brothers, and the disputes among parties, Yin Qi was in a dilemma and walked on thin ice, and his heart was tormented day and night.

It wasn't until An Qing came to his side that gradually, her calm and casual demeanor, every frown and smile, became his salvation.

From then on, he did his best to retreat unscathed from the fierce power struggle, just to enable her to live a peaceful and smooth life.

Three meals a day, four seasons a year, spring sowing and autumn harvest. Looking at the layers of wheat waves in the fields and then looking back at his wife and children beside him, Yin Qi felt an unprecedented peace in his heart.

Chapter 1: Five Consorts 01

In the thirty-fifth year of Kangxi's reign, it was deep winter.

Inside a large tent on the grasslands where Horqin Left Wing Rear Banner was stationed.

A young girl dressed in Mongolian attire was bent over a table, writing furiously. Beside her were stacks of books, which she would occasionally consult by turning to glance at them.

The maid walked over and looked at her, then turned to add more charcoal to the fire stove, advising, "Princess, you've been writing for almost two hours. Take a break."

An Qing glanced up at her but did not stop writing, replying casually, "No rush, I'll be done soon."

Perilla sighed silently; she had heard this an hour ago.

As a personal maid, Perilla was used to her Princess's dismissive attitude, but she still felt compelled to continue advising. However, before she could speak, a commotion suddenly erupted at the entrance.

"Move aside, all of you! It's broad daylight, why are you blocking the door? Is there something shameful going on inside?"

Perilla turned to look at An Qing. "It's Princess Anar."

Just as she finished speaking, Anar's voice came from the entrance again.

"Jirigela, I know you can hear me. Don't pretend to be dead!"

Jirigela was An Qing's Mongolian name, but ever since she adopted the name 'An Qing,' everyone around her gradually switched to using it, except for Anar, who always refused to change.

"Princess, should I go and stop her at the entrance?" Perilla asked.

An Qing raised her hand slightly, then put down her brush, replying, "No need."

Anar was her second uncle's daughter and always acted in a domineering manner. If she didn't let her in now, there would surely be more trouble.

"Cui Liu, let her in." An Qing got up from the table and called out towards the entrance.

At her words, the tent's entrance curtain was violently pulled aside, revealing a striking figure.

Anar strode angrily up to An Qing and said sarcastically, "My cousin, your status has indeed changed."

An Qing didn't bother arguing with her and went straight to the point. "What do you want?"

Anar had no real reason to be here; she just wanted to cause trouble for An Qing.

"What, can't I come if I don't have a reason?" She gritted her teeth and said, "My cousin hasn't even married into the Forbidden City yet, and already you're acting like royalty."

An Qing glanced at her and sighed inwardly.

She knew Anar's intentions well. Ever since the imperial decree granting her marriage arrived a month ago, Anar had never stopped causing trouble, coming every few days to taunt her.

"Hmph! Even if you marry into the royal family, don't forget that it's our Horqin tribe that will support you in the Forbidden City. Don't disappoint our people!"

Anar felt she had regained some ground and held her head high, looking arrogant.

But when her gaze fell on An Qing's fair and delicate face, jealousy welled up within her.

Their women on the grasslands generally had darker skin, but An Qing's face was like a peeled egg, fair and smooth. Even after walking under the summer sun, it only turned slightly red and quickly returned to normal.

They were cousins and close in age, often compared in looks and other aspects, and An Qing always came out on top.

Even in their current marriages, An Qing was marrying a prestigious prince chosen by the Emperor, while she was being sent to a neighboring tribe.

Why her! Why!

An Qing looked at Anar's resentful expression and felt a twinge of helplessness.

What was so good about marrying into the royal family? Living in the confined Forbidden City was far less free than life on the grasslands.

If she had a choice, she'd gladly switch places with Anar.

"There's no need for you to remind me. I'm well aware that wherever I marry, my father and brothers will always support me," An Qing replied calmly.

Anar was taken aback.

She stared at An Qing, wanting to say something but unable to refute it.

An Qing's father, her uncle, was the Zha Sa Ke Doroi Prince of their tribe, while Anar's father was only a Town Prince. Even if Anar were to marry, her main support would still be her uncle and future cousins who would inherit the title.

Worst of all, both her uncle and cousins had always doted on An Qing. No matter who inherited the title, their tribe would always be An Qing's support.

Anar grew angrier the more she thought about it. Why was An Qing so fortunate? If she were her uncle's daughter, she would be the one enjoying the glory.

"Hmph! What's so great about it? Do you really think the royal family is easy to enter? With your dirty, muddy legs and rustic appearance, you'll embarrass us Horqin women once you enter the Forbidden City. I'll wait to see you cry!"

With that, Anar glared fiercely at An Qing and turned to leave the tent.

Perilla frowned. "Princess Anar is too much. How dare she curse you, Princess."

"Exactly! Our Princess is so capable, how could she be embarrassing? I won't stand for this. I'll report this to the Princess Consort," Green Willow said indignantly.

An Qing quickly raised her hand to stop her. "No, my mother is busy enough. Don't bother her with this."

She understood Anar's character; she had always been like this, and apart from her sharp tongue, she wouldn't do anything outrageous.

Moreover, Anar's words also served as a warning. Anar wasn't stupid; knowing how much her father, mother, and brothers loved An Qing, causing a scene would not benefit her.

After today, she probably wouldn't come again.

Green Willow was reluctant to accept this but was silenced by a glance from Perilla.

Their Princess might seem easy-going, but she was very decisive. Once she made a decision, they couldn't argue with it.

Cui Liu now realized her mistake and reluctantly touched her nose.

"Princess, it's time for lunch. Should I have it brought up?" Perilla asked.

An Qing was taken aback. Was it already noon?

However, without the reminder, she hadn't noticed, but now she was indeed a bit hungry: "Sure, bring it up. What did they prepare today?"

"It's mutton hotpot. I went to check earlier," Cui Liu interjected eagerly.

An Qing nodded slightly. On such a cold day, mutton hotpot sounded perfect.

"Princess, the vegetables you planted in the greenhouse seem ready to be harvested. Shall I pick some?" Cui Liu's eyes sparkled like a little cat craving treats.

An Qing chuckled, "Go ahead, pick plenty of each kind. Send some to my mother and keep some for yourselves."

Upon hearing this, Cui Liu beamed with joy and quickly bowed in gratitude: "Thank you, Princess. I'll go right away."

Watching Cui Liu rush off, Perilla disapproved: "Princess, you spoil her too much."

In this icy weather, getting fresh vegetables was a rare luxury. How could servants like them dare to hope for such things?

Only Cui Liu, relying on the kindness of her mistress, would act so boldly.

No, she had to find a chance to talk to her later. The mistress was kind-hearted, valuing their bond, but as servants, they must remember their place.

An Qing saw through Perilla's concern and waved it off with a smile, indicating it was fine.

Cui Liu and Perilla had been with her since childhood, serving her diligently over the years. Some vegetables were not a big deal.

But Perilla didn't see it that way. According to their prince, even the Forbidden City might struggle to get such fresh and varied vegetables in winter.

It was strange; no matter what they grew—whether in the greenhouse or in the fields—none matched the quality of what their princess cultivated.

The lamb from the grasslands was tender and delicious, especially when made into mutton hotpot. The flavors were rich yet not greasy, and paired with fresh green vegetables, it was a delightful meal.

After eating her fill, An Qing felt warm all over. She stretched, walked around the tent to digest, then returned to her desk to continue what Anar had interrupted earlier.

Seeing An Qing's determination, Perilla knew better than to argue further.

About an hour later, An Qing finished her work. She organized her writings into a book and placed it on a shelf nearby, then stretched her neck and walked to the tent entrance.

Outside, snow was falling again, large flakes drifting down, covering the entire grassland in white.

An Qing reached out and caught a snowflake mid-air. As it touched her skin, it slowly melted, leaving a damp spot in her palm.

Perilla handed her a hand warmer. "Princess, it's cold outside. Let's go back in."

An Qing took the hand warmer, feeling instant warmth spread through her hand: "It's fine. Snowing isn't cold; melting snow is. Get me my cloak. While it's still warm, I want to take a walk."

Perilla hurriedly fetched a bright red cloak from inside the tent and draped it over An Qing.

"This is the new cloak the princess consort got for you just a few days ago. It looks lovely on you with your fair skin."

An Qing smiled, and after securing the cloak, the two stepped into the snow.

They didn't venture far, just circling the campsite before stopping at a small hill behind the tent.

An Qing stood there quietly, gazing into the distance. The snow-covered grassland was a vast expanse of white, imbued with the tranquility and mystery of winter.

In previous years, she had grown accustomed to the snow scenery on the grasslands, barely noticing it. But today, she felt an inexplicable urge to look more closely, perhaps because she feared she might not see it again once she arrived in the Forbidden City.

"Calculating the days, my father and brother should be returning soon," An Qing said softly.

A month ago, along with the imperial decree granting her marriage, another secret edict arrived from the Forbidden City.

Kangxi planned to lead another campaign against Dzungaria next spring. He required assistance from the Mongolian tribes, including purchasing large numbers of cattle, sheep, and horses for military supplies. The secret edict instructed them to prepare in advance.

Her father wasted no time and immediately set out with her brother to inspect the pastures.

"They should be close. The princess consort received a letter from the prince a few days ago saying they had already started heading back," Perilla said.

As if on cue, the sound of hooves approached.

They turned to see two black horses galloping toward them.

Recognizing the riders, An Qing's face lit up with a smile.

Speak of the devil.

"Halt..."

The horses stopped a few steps away from An Qing, and two young men dressed in Mongolian riding attire leaped off.

"Little sister!"

Chapter 2: The Fifth Princess Consort 02

The person who arrived was An Qing's second brother, Robzang Lash, and her Third Elder Brother, Yideri.

Seeing the two of them dismount from their horses, she smiled and slowly walked down the small hill, waving happily at them as she came.

"Second Brother, Third Brother!"

"Little Sister, be careful not to fall."

Yideri took a few quick steps to reach An Qing and held her arm.

An Qing couldn't help but sigh and touch her forehead. She wasn't that delicate; walking normally wouldn't make her fall.

But Yideri insisted on supporting her.

Looking at this young man with dark skin and features that were about seventy percent similar to hers, An Qing silently sighed again.

Her Third Brother, who was born only half an hour before her, always treated her like a child.

It had always been this way since they were little.

"Has Father and Big Brother returned too?" An Qing asked.

Yideri replied with a smile, "They've both returned. Father and Big Brother went to the main tent to meet officials. Second Brother and I found it boring, so we didn't go."

An Qing gave him a skeptical look. "Don't drag Second Brother into this. It must be because you found it boring and dragged Second Brother along."

Yideri chuckled, "Sure enough, nothing can be hidden from Little Sister."

At this moment, An Qing's Second Brother, Robzang Lash, also approached. The three siblings laughed and talked for a while before leading their horses back together.

Upon returning to the main tent, the three siblings sat around the fireplace. After the maids served tea and snacks and then left, they continued their conversation.

"Little Sister, are you really going to marry the Fifth Prince?" Yideri couldn't wait to ask, not even touching his tea.

When the imperial decree arrived a month ago, Yideri happened to be sent by their father to the western pasture. He only learned about the arranged marriage after meeting up with his Second Brother there.

An Qing shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "The imperial decree has already been issued. How could it be false?"

But Yideri couldn't bring himself to smile.

Clearly, this wasn't the answer he wanted.

This reaction was entirely within An Qing's expectations. When the imperial decree arrived a month ago, her father, mother, and elder brothers reacted similarly.

"But why did the Emperor suddenly think of our tribe? Isn't it usually the Middle Banner that handles these marriages?" Yideri said gloomily.

An Qing exchanged a glance with her Second Brother.

Indeed, in recent years, the Qing imperial family had indeed been arranging marriages with Horqin, but primarily with the Horqin Left-middle Banner and Horqin Left-front Banner.

Especially the Horqin Left-middle Banner, which produced the famous Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, mother of Shunzhi, and Empress Dowager Renxian, mother of Kangxi.

Even the few Mongolian concubines in Kangxi's current harem came from these two banners.

Their Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner had rarely seen such royal marriages since the Qing dynasty entered the capital. There had been only one instance, which was An Qing's great-aunt, who married Prince Chengze Shuosai, a brother of Shunzhi.

After so many years, it was unexpected that Kangxi would suddenly arrange a marriage for their Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner, and not just with a member of the imperial clan, but with his own son, the Fifth Prince.

However, An Qing had a vague idea of the reason.

At the beginning of this year, when Kangxi led an expedition against Dzungaria, her father led the Horqin chieftains in assisting the campaign, and their tribe made significant contributions. Compared to other tribes, theirs was strong and well-equipped, which might have caught Kangxi's attention.

There was no avoiding it. In recent years, the surrounding Mongolian tribes had suffered disasters—cattle and horses had died from disease, and last winter's heavy snowfall had killed many more livestock, affecting other tribes significantly.

But due to her reasonable planning of the pastures a few years ago, finding empty land to store food and fodder as a precaution against natural disasters, and improving the grassland, their tribe was largely unaffected.

That's why they stood out.

Yideri suddenly turned to Robzang Lash. "Second Brother, you're always full of ideas. Is there any way to stop Little Sister from marrying into the Forbidden City?"

Robzang Lash shook his head helplessly.

Mongol-Qing marriages were significant matters; there was no way to avoid it.

The Emperor's command could not be defied.

Seeing her two brothers worried about her marriage, An Qing couldn't help but laugh. "What are you doing? Marrying into the imperial family is a great honor. Many people envy this."

Even Anar envied her greatly.

Yideri grumbled, "What's there to envy? Those imperial offspring, let whoever wants to marry them do so. Our Little Sister doesn't care."

For others, marrying into the imperial family meant continuing the family's imperial favor and consolidating their power, a tremendous benefit. But they never thought of An Qing as a tool for such alliances.

Robzang Lash didn't say anything, but clearly shared the same sentiment.

However, the imperial decree had been issued, and the matter was settled. Further discussion was futile.

An Qing patted Yideri's arm, consoling him. "It's okay. Who am I going to marry if not him? I've accepted it, truly, it's fine."

Yideri still looked uneasy. "The Forbidden City is so far away. I'm afraid Little Sister will suffer."

By then, they might be unable to support her.

But An Qing wasn't worried about that.

The marriage alliance between the Manchus and Mongolians is a significant matter. Even if only for the sake of Mongolia behind her, no one would dare to openly bully her.

An Qing smiled softly and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, I'll make sure I live well."

No matter where she was, life always had to be lived by oneself. She understood this truth all along.

The three siblings didn't chat for long before Yideri and Robzang Lash left in a hurry to handle some official duties.

As Yideri left, he mumbled something about going to investigate the background of the Fifth Prince.

An Qing shook her head with amusement. Thinking about her family's attitude towards this marriage, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

She was a reborn soul, having been a doctoral student in agriculture in her previous life. However, she died in a car accident on graduation day and was reborn as the youngest daughter of a noble family in Horqin, Mongolia, during the Qing Dynasty.

An Qing knew that in such a dynasty, her birth status was already considered top-notch.

In this life, she grew up on the grasslands, being the youngest sister with three older brothers. Her parents adored her, and her siblings were kind. Life on the grasslands was free and easy, and her family never restricted her. Unknowingly, she had lived here for nearly seventeen years.

Regarding entering the palace, she did indeed worry at first.

Anyone with a basic knowledge of history knew that in the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu-Mongolian alliance spanned the entire dynasty. At that time, An Qing worried whether she might be sent to become a concubine in Emperor Kangxi's harem. Later, she realized she had overthought it.

Although the Manchu-Mongolian alliance was a regular policy used by the Qing government to win over the Mongolian tribes, the methods varied depending on the period.

Since Emperor Kangxi took power, the court had stabilized, and the alliance with Mongolia was not as close as it was during the reigns of Huangtaiji and Shunzhi. There was no need to specifically select concubines from Mongolia to strengthen ties.

At this point, the Manchu-Mongolian alliance primarily involved marrying Qing princesses and county princesses to Mongolia, with very few Mongolian women being married into the Qing royal family. Moreover, the recent Mongolian alliances centered around the Left Wing Central Banner and the Left Wing Front Banner of Horqin, which gave her peace of mind.

Who would have thought that Emperor Kangxi would suddenly grant this marriage, catching An Qing off guard.

But after a month, she came to understand that in such a dynasty, one couldn't expect love. Marrying anyone was better than becoming a concubine in Emperor Kangxi's harem.

As for this Fifth Prince of Kangxi, it was certain that he wasn't involved in the struggle for succession among the nine princes.

This was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, An Qing thought.

As for the rest, she could only take it step by step.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the Forbidden City, everything was covered in snow.

Inside the palace, at the Eastern Five Palaces of Qian, the Elder Brother Prince held a banquet to gather his brothers, even the Crown Prince attended.

Outside, the snow was white; inside, cups clinked, and the atmosphere was lively.

After several rounds of drinks, everyone was slightly tipsy, speaking more freely and less restrainedly, discussing matters from the imperial court to the battlefield in Dzungaria.

For some reason, Elder Brother Prince Yinti suddenly turned to look at the Fifth Prince Yinqi and asked with a smile, "Have you heard about that thing?"

Everyone was initially stunned, then seemed to recall something and glanced at Yinqi, but no one picked up the conversation.

The ninth and tenth princes were the youngest present and usually had no sources of information. Seeing their brothers playing riddles, they were confused.

Prince Yin Tang, known for his impatience, said, "Brother, stop keeping us in suspense. What's the matter?"

Elder Brother Prince, who was also feeling the effects of alcohol, realized it might be inappropriate and tried to deflect, "It's nothing, just some trivial matter. Not worth mentioning. Come, let's continue drinking."

The matter could have ended there.

But unexpectedly, Third Prince Yinzhi, who was quite drunk, slammed the table and said, "What do you mean by 'nothing'? This is a big deal. It's all over the palace and outside. They say our Fifth Sister-in-law comes from a charcoal seller's family."

Prince Yin Tang was confused. Wasn't his brother's wife a Princess from the Duke of Deb's family in Horqin?

How did she become a charcoal seller's daughter?

Third Prince shook his head and started quoting, "Not so, Ninth Brother. You don't understand. This 'charcoal seller' doesn't refer to her family background but to her appearance. They say the Fifth Brother got a dark-skinned wife, with a face like charcoal."

A face like charcoal?

Dark-skinned wife?!

With a snort, Prince Yin Tang sprayed out his mouthful of wine.

"Is that true? Hahaha, Fifth Brother, can your sister-in-law still be seen...?"

Yinqi glared at him, and Yin Tang's words stopped abruptly.

The unlucky child finally noticed how grim his Fifth Brother's face was.

The scene fell silent, with the princes showing various expressions. Some pretended to drink, others busied themselves looking out the window.

Indeed, the rumor about the Fifth Prince getting a dark-skinned wife had been circulating in the palace and outside for some time.

But whether it was true or not remained uncertain.

The Mongolian tribes in Horqin were not part of the Qing banner system and did not participate in the selection process, so few people in the Imperial City had seen An Qing.

This wasn't unusual, as most Mongolian women in Manchu-Mongolian alliances were similarly unknown, including the Mongolian concubines in Emperor Kangxi's harem. At most, portraits were sent to the palace, which didn't reveal much about their complexion.

Initially, when the rumors started, no one paid much attention, thinking they were baseless. But as the rumors spread, they gained some credibility, and the problem traced back to Yideri.

While no one in the Forbidden City had seen An Qing, as her twin brother, many people had seen Yideri on the battlefield in Dzungaria last year, and what stood out most was his dark skin.

It was said that Yideri had mentioned his twin sister to others, boasting proudly that they looked very similar, clearly siblings.

Mongolians, who spent their lives herding and riding, often had darker skin, which was normal. While Yideri was darker than average, it didn't matter much for a man. If his sister was equally dark, it was...

Third Prince, who preferred fair-skinned beauties, felt sympathetic towards Yinqi, "Fifth Brother, Third Brother truly feels for you. Who among us men doesn't prefer beautiful women? Well, let's ask Father Emperor and Mother Empress to choose some more..."

"Third Brother, be careful!"

With a loud *clunk, the wine cup in Yinqi's hand slammed heavily onto the table. He said coldly, "Everyday, Third Elder Brother always advocates Confucianism. Is it the way of a gentleman to casually discuss a woman's appearance behind her back?"

Third Elder Brother was taken aback, losing face in front of all his brothers. The alcohol had already worn off.

His face darkened as he said, "Fifth Brother, what are you doing? I was just..."

But Yinqi did not give him a chance to argue, "Or is this the way of the sages and gentlemen that Third Elder Brother reads about every day?"

Third Elder Brother always considered himself a cultured scholar. These words were almost directly asking if he had read those sage books for nothing.

The princes exchanged glances.

None of them expected Fifth Brother, who usually kept to himself, to be so unrelenting when arguing.

Elder Brother Prince's expression was no better. He had started this topic, and Fifth Brother's words seemed aimed at Third Elder Brother but felt like a public humiliation to him.

The Crown Prince, Yinzhen, sitting at the head of the table, saw Elder Brother Prince's expression and a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

Elder Brother, this fool, today's incident looked like a slip of the tongue after drinking, but in reality, it was because he failed to win over Fifth Brother recently.

In recent years, as these brothers grew older, their ambitions began to stir.

Especially Elder Brother, relying on his status as the eldest son and his military achievements, became increasingly arrogant, always trying to compete with the Crown Prince and causing trouble in court.

Fifth Brother himself might seem ordinary, but he had a mother favored in the palace and now an arranged marriage.

To offend him after failing to win him over was truly shortsighted.

Among the Mongolian tribes, Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner might have seemed inconspicuous, but given the Crown Prince's understanding of his father, there was no reason for the marriage without a purpose. It was clear that Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner would be given more importance.

The Crown Prince had thought about winning over Fifth Brother, but his fifth brother kept everyone at arm's length, making it hard to find an opportunity.

However, as long as he didn't side with Elder Brother, it was fine.

"Alright, we're family. This was just a heated exchange fueled by alcohol. Let's forget about it. Come, let's continue enjoying our drinks..."

Since the Crown Prince had spoken, they had to give him face. The matter was thus put aside, and they continued drinking and chatting.

After the banquet dispersed, everyone left.

Fourth Prince Yinzhen and Fifth Prince Yinqi lived nearby and walked together.

Yinzhen glanced at his fifth brother, hesitating to speak.

"Fourth Brother, do you have something to say?" Yinqi asked, puzzled.

Yinzhen nodded slightly but found it difficult to express himself.

"Nothing, Fourth Brother, just say it straight."

Yinqi respected Fourth Brother Yinzhen greatly. They were close in age and studied together in the Imperial Academy. Because of his poor Chinese, he was often mocked by his brothers, and Fourth Brother always came to his rescue.

Yinzhen responded with a nod and said, "Fifth Brother, these are just rumors. Father is cautious, and the arranged marriage must be well-considered. Don't let these baseless rumors create a rift with your consort."

Yinqi paused, then understood Yinzhen's intention.

He was worried that Yinqi would take out his anger on his consort, causing a rift between them.

"Thank you, Fourth Brother. Don't worry; I won't."

Yinzhen finally felt relieved.

His fifth brother had always been gentle and rarely got into conflicts. Seeing his strong reaction earlier, he assumed he was very upset and feared he might get stuck in a rut.

Yinqi knew his Fourth Brother's concern but did not elaborate further.

He was angry not because he felt humiliated by his brothers' teasing.

Regardless of whether he was happy with the marriage, since it was arranged, he would protect his consort and ensure she received proper respect, not allowing others to ridicule or insult her.

Upon returning to his residence, Yinqi summoned his personal eunuch Zhang Yonggui.

Now that he knew about the rumors, he could not simply ignore them.

While he couldn't reach other parts of the palace, he would ensure his own quarters remained clean.

"Go through the quarters thoroughly. If any servant speaks ill of my consort or gossips about the masters, send them back to the Palace Affairs Office."

Secrets in the palace never stayed hidden for long. The incident involving Elder Brother Prince quickly spread throughout the palaces.

In the main hall of Yikun Palace, Concubine Yi was so furious that she smashed several teacups.

"Xiao Jiu, that scoundrel! When someone insults his own brother, he doesn't even defend him; instead, he joins in. Bring him to me; I'll beat him today!"

The palace maid did not dare delay and hurried to Zhaoxiang Residence to find Ninth Prince, but was told by his eunuch that he had left the palace with Eighth Prince and others.

Concubine Yi was livid. He might escape for now, but not forever. She would remember this!

She couldn't punish her own son immediately, but she wouldn't let the culprit go unpunished.

Good one, Elder Brother Prince, good one, Third Elder Brother. They really thought Yikun Palace and Fifth Brother were easy targets.

"Prepare the sedan chair. I'm going to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to serve soup to the Emperor!"

Chapter 3: The Fifth Princess Consort 03

Palace of Heavenly Purity, East Warm Pavilion.

After Kangxi had just seen off Concubine Yi, he sighed inwardly.

Concubine Yi claimed to be bringing soup, but she was actually here to lodge a complaint.

What happened in the palace could not be hidden from Kangxi, and he had long heard the rumors about the Fifth Princess Consort.

The marriage of the Fifth Prince was indeed somewhat hasty, but Kangxi had his own considerations.

Since the Great Qing entered the pass, to consolidate their rule and alleviate the food shortages in Mongolia, thereby reducing pressure on the court, they had always encouraged herdsmen to cultivate land.

Life beyond the Great Wall was harsh, and the Mongolian herders did not have an easy life.

Kangxi had always advocated for the cultivation of land in Horqin and surrounding Mongolian regions.

In his view, the land in Mongolia was high and fertile, with well-regulated rainfall, making it very suitable for farming. Additionally, the vast area offered considerable potential for new farmland. If cultivated properly, the prospects were promising.

However, the Mongolian tribes had long been nomadic and unfamiliar with farming. Even when they did farm, they often left after sowing seeds to continue their nomadic lifestyle, neglecting the crops and sometimes even failing to harvest them in time.

The issue of agriculture and livestock in Mongolia had been a major concern for Kangxi over the years.

In previous years, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan suffered consecutive disasters, and farmers without means of survival crossed into Mongolian territories. To avoid trouble, Kangxi secretly ordered the border checkpoints to allow these refugees to pass through.

He hoped that Han Chinese settlers could help the herdsmen cultivate the land.

However, since then, complaints from Mongolian nobles flooded in like snowflakes, stating that some Han Chinese settlers arbitrarily cultivated land, destroyed pastures, stole livestock, and made it unsafe for herders to graze at night. This led to serious conflicts between Mongolians and Han Chinese.

This was a headache for Kangxi.

He advocated for harmony between Manchu and Han, but the integration of two different ethnic groups was not an easy task. After so many years of effort, only the current situation had been achieved, let alone between Mongolians and Han Chinese.

Among all the Mongolian tribes, Kangxi found that Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner was unique.

In the first year, Deb, like other Mongolian nobles, submitted complaints, but later, his complaints decreased significantly. In recent years, not only did Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner stop submitting complaints for relief, but they even had surplus grain to export.

This September, when Kangxi toured the northern frontier, he specifically passed through Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner's territory and observed their methods.

Now, Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner had established a semi-nomadic, semi-agricultural model. The boundaries between agricultural and pastoral lands were clear, and small plots of farmland had emerged in some areas.

Han Chinese and Mongolians lived harmoniously. Local Mongolians learned the intensive farming practices of the Han Chinese, mastering techniques such as selecting land, plowing, maintaining soil fertility, choosing seeds, and irrigation.

Whether Mongolians or Han Chinese, as long as everyone had enough food and clothing and could live peacefully, there would naturally be no conflict.

As the chieftain of this tribe, Deb's ability to handle these issues effectively showed his capability.

The Great Qing's attitude towards Mongolian tribes has always been reflected first in marriage alliances.

Deb had a pair of twins of marriageable age. According to Kangxi's original intention, he did not want his sons to marry into Mongolian noble families; usually, it was princesses or county princesses who were sent to Mongolia.

Currently, the only princess of marriageable age was the Fourth Princess, but Kangxi had already decided to marry her to Khalkha Mongolia. The younger princesses were still too young, and there were no suitable candidates among the imperial clan.

The Fifth Prince grew up under the Empress Dowager and had ties with Horqin.

After weighing all options, the Fifth Prince became the most suitable candidate for this marriage alliance.

"Absolutely absurd! Deb is at least a county prince, and his daughter, even if not raised in luxury, was certainly pampered. Selling charcoal, how could they think of such nonsense!" Kangxi slammed the table in anger.

Liang Jiugong quickly agreed, "Your Majesty is right. These are mere rumors."

Daughters of noble families were all raised in luxury from a young age. Even if their skin was naturally darker, there were countless ways to improve it. They would not look unsightly.

Aside from that, the Imperial Medical Bureau was never short of beauty recipes.

Kangxi knew this, but he was still uneasy.

With the rumors spreading, if the chosen Princess Consort truly looked unsatisfactory, Kangxi feared it would be unfair to his son.

Liang Jiugong, observing Kangxi's mood, consoled him, "When Your Majesty summoned General Yideri earlier, I noticed that he has very handsome features. Since they are twins, the Fifth Princess Consort must also be beautiful."

Kangxi nodded slightly. That was true.

He had portraits, and the facial features were indeed quite good.

Concubine Yi's visit was not in vain. Soon, Elder Brother Prince and Third Brother Prince were summoned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, where Kangxi berated them thoroughly.

As they left the Palace of Heavenly Purity, both felt disgruntled, blaming the Fifth Prince for making such a fuss over a trivial matter.

Unaware of the events in the Forbidden City, An Qing had plenty to do.

With the New Year approaching, her mother was busy preparing her dowry and entrusted her with organizing the New Year's festivities.

In February, shortly after the New Year, Kangxi embarked on his third expedition against Dzungaria to Ningxia. An Qing's father and three brothers all went to war.

Manchus revered bravery, and military achievements spoke volumes. Before leaving, Yideri promised to earn glory for her.

An Qing did not care about military achievements; she repeatedly emphasized safety. In the era of cold weapons, the battlefield was dangerous, and returning safely was all that mattered.

The front lines reported steady progress, and occasional victories came in. Kangxi kept An Qing's father's troops in reserve, which provided some safety.

An Qing's wedding was set for May. She initially thought the ongoing war might delay the wedding, but neither the front lines nor the Forbidden City mentioned any postponement. Thus, they continued preparations.

In mid-April, news arrived that Galdan had died, and Danjila, carrying Galdan's remains and his daughter, surrendered to the Qing army.

Soon, Kangxi returned to the capital, and An Qing's father and three brothers finally returned with their tribesmen.

Time was pressing, and the wedding procession to the Forbidden City was about to depart. This time, An Qing's three brothers would escort her to her marriage.

A long line of carriages laden with dowry items moved southward from the grasslands, and the journey was not delayed. After more than half a month, the wedding procession finally arrived in the Imperial City five days before the wedding.

The wedding party was received by officials from the Board of Ritual, and before the marriage ceremony, An Qing and her entourage were arranged to stay at a villa on the capital outskirts.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was the day of the wedding.

On that morning, An Qing was dragged out of bed by her accompanying nanny. The courtyard of the villa quickly filled with people. Palace maids came to give her a face-lifting treatment, comb her hair, and after much hustle, she changed into the auspicious attire worn by a prince's consort during their wedding.

Once everything was ready, she waited in her bridal chamber, accompanied by a lady-in-waiting from the palace. Soon, the outside became lively as the wedding party arrived, and the crowd at the door was trying all sorts of tricks to make things difficult for the groom.

Leading the group blocking the door were An Qing's three brothers, who were tall and imposing. Standing side by side, they were flanked by a row of equally tall and imposing Mongolian guards, creating quite an intimidating sight.

Among those who had come to welcome the bride, besides the Crown Prince, all the older princes were present. Seeing this formation, everyone was momentarily stunned.

Their gazes swept over the three brothers and finally settled on Yideri's face.

This must be the twin brother of the Fifth Prince's consort. He sure is dark!

Yinqi's expression also stiffened for a moment.

Yideri looked puzzled under everyone's gaze. Yinzhen, the Fourth Prince, cleared his throat lightly, and everyone snapped back to reality.

Blocking the door during a wedding was a custom, which could involve demanding red packets, reciting wedding poems, or answering questions.

As everyone waited for An Qing's brothers to make their move, they suddenly raised their hands, and two Mongolian guards carried in a long table laden with bowls filled with wine.

They were going to have a drinking contest!

The princes exchanged glances.

The groom still had important matters ahead and couldn't get drunk here, so it fell to these brothers and younger siblings to step up.

The Elder Brother Prince rolled up his sleeves and started drinking with An Qing's eldest brother. The Third Prince and Fourth Prince exchanged a glance and resignedly picked up their bowls.

Round after round, the princes had already switched twice, but An Qing's brothers showed no signs of fatigue, their faces unchanged.

The Mongolians truly lived up to their reputation; they could really drink.

Seeing that the auspicious hour was approaching, the joyous nanny had no choice but to come out and repeatedly urge them to hurry. Only then did An Qing's brothers let them pass.

At the auspicious hour, the lady-in-waiting and nanny covered An Qing's head with a red veil and placed a red silk flower in her hand. The joyous nanny then carried An Qing over a fire basin and into the red satin sedan chair waiting at the door.

The sedan chair made its way to the princes' residence, where a series of wedding rituals followed. Once completed, An Qing was finally escorted into her new room by the joyous nanny.

Yinqi, the groom, had to entertain guests at the banquet in the front yard, so all the serving palace maids were outside, leaving An Qing alone in the room, sitting on the edge of the bed with her red veil covering her face.

She slightly moved her limbs, feeling sore and stiff.

Sighing silently, An Qing thought that getting married was even more exhausting than working in the fields all day.

Exhaustion aside, she was also very hungry.

It had been a whole day since she ate the biscuit given by the nanny in the morning, which had long since been digested.

Just as An Qing wondered when she would be able to eat, the door creaked open slowly from the outside.

Several footsteps entered the room.

Uncertain about who had come in, An Qing remained silent.

With her vision blocked, her hearing became more acute. From the footsteps, she could tell there were at least three or four people.

They didn't seem to be the serving palace maids or nannies, as they wouldn't act so stealthily.

Who could it be? Just as An Qing pondered this, a voice suddenly scolded from outside.

"Xiao Jiu, what are you doing!"

Inside the room, Yin Tang, startled, almost stumbled but managed to steady himself by grabbing onto Tenth Prince.

He turned around and looked at the person at the door. "Fourth Sister, you scared me!"

The Fourth Princess glared at them.

From a distance, she had seen Yin Tang leading Xiao Shi, Thirteenth Prince, and Fourteenth Prince sneaking towards the bridal chamber. She knew they were up to mischief.

Yin Tang was somewhat intimidated by his fiery-tempered Fourth Sister, but he glanced at An Qing again, feeling a twinge of reluctance.

He really wanted to see if the Fifth Sister-in-Law was as rumored.

Almost there...

The Fourth Princess huffed, placing her hands on her hips. She knew exactly what these boys were up to.

The bride's veil hadn't been lifted yet; they couldn't just peek. She would have to talk to her aunt about Xiao Jiu's misbehavior.

"What are you all standing around for? Get out of here before I tell Father Emperor that you're causing trouble on Fifth Brother's wedding day. See if he doesn't spank you."

Yin Tang shrugged. It seemed today wasn't going to work with his Fourth Sister around.

With a wave of his hand, the mischievous children scattered.

In this moment, An Qing also figured out the situation.

'Xiao Jiu' must be Yinqi's younger brother, Ninth Prince Yin Tang, whose mother was Concubine Yi, one of the Four Consorts, and also An Qing's legitimate mother-in-law.

The 'Fourth Sister' mentioned by Xiao Jiu was Kangxi's Fourth Princess.

Since the engagement, the palace had sent tutors to teach her etiquette. Over the past six months, An Qing had learned the rules and was familiar with the various palace masters.

The birth mother of the Fourth Princess is Lady Guo, who is Concubine Yi's elder sister. It is not uncommon for sisters to both be part of Emperor Kangxi's harem.

"Fourth Princess, are you still here?" After a long silence, An Qing asked uncertainly.

"Fifth Sister-in-Law, I'm here."

The Fourth Princess casually closed the door and walked up to An Qing. "Fifth Sister-in-Law, you can call me Moyali. Fifth Brother is being dragged off to drink by Eldest Brother. Auntie asked me to come keep you company."

The young girl's clear and cheerful voice rang in her ears, and An Qing smiled. "Thank you, Fourth Sister."

The Fourth Princess waved her hand but then remembered that An Qing couldn't see her, so she added, "Fifth Sister-in-Law is too polite. It's really no trouble at all."

The two, originally strangers, began chatting intermittently. It was evident that the Fourth Princess was making a real effort to find topics to avoid any awkwardness.

Not wanting to make the girl feel uncomfortable, An Qing subtly steered the conversation towards topics that interested her, and they chatted quite happily.

After an unknown amount of time, footsteps suddenly sounded at the door.

"Fifth Brother, you're back." The Fourth Princess abruptly stood up and called out towards the door.

Yinqi, seeing his younger sister, guessed it was his mother's arrangement and responded with a light laugh, "Mm," as he walked over.

As soon as he entered, Mama Xi brought in a group of women selected from the imperial clan, including the auspicious elder, who began reciting blessings and then proceeded with various rituals before leaving the bridal chamber.

An Qing only needed to sit quietly on the bed, occasionally responding with auspicious phrases. Yinqi sat beside her, and through the red veil, she could see the prince's dragon robe at her feet.

Left alone in the bridal chamber, the next step was to lift the veil.

Yinqi rose and walked in front of An Qing, staring at the red veil for a while.

After a moment, he seemed to have made a decision and reached out to grasp one corner of the red silk.

Chapter 4: Princess Wu 04

The red candles cast a brilliant glow, bright as daylight.

The veil was suddenly lifted, and An Qing's vision instantly cleared. She was momentarily stunned, her gaze instinctively falling on Yinqi, who stood directly in front of her.

A young man around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a slender yet elegant figure, had a clear and handsome face. He exuded a composed and heroic aura, but there was still a hint of youthful innocence about him.

An Qing had always known she had a thing for good looks, and undoubtedly, Yinqi passed her standards.

Putting aside other matters, if everything went as expected, they would be spending decades together. It wouldn't be ideal if he didn't look pleasing to the eye.

Yinqi stared at the woman before him. Was this his princess?

She looked nothing like what he had anticipated.

Contrary to the rumors that described her as having a face "as black as charcoal," her skin was fair and luminous, even whiter than the women from Jiangnan he had seen.

The flickering candlelight illuminated their faces as they gazed at each other.

An Qing tilted her head slightly, her thick lashes fluttering, a hint of confusion rising in her heart.

What was that expression on his face?

Could it be that he wasn't satisfied with her appearance?

An Qing was well aware of herself and never thought that Yinqi was stunned by her beauty.

To put it modestly, she was pretty, but not breathtakingly beautiful.

As a prince raised in the palace, Yinqi had seen all kinds of beauties, including his mother, Concubine Yi, who was renowned throughout the harem.

He was no naive boy.

All of An Qing's thoughts were written on her face; she made no effort to hide them.

Yinqi also regained his composure, realizing his momentary lapse. A hint of regret flashed in his eyes.

He cleared his throat and spoke somewhat awkwardly, "Are you... hungry? I asked the nanny, and she said you haven't eaten much today. Would you like some food?"

An Qing was taken aback, surprised that he had inquired about her wellbeing. "Thank you, my lord."

Yinqi nodded lightly and turned to call for someone to bring the meal.

Soon, a eunuch arrived with a food box filled with light and easily digestible dishes, neatly arranged on the table, looking quite exquisite.

An Qing was indeed very hungry. Although she remembered the etiquette taught by the governess, she ate faster than usual.

Yinqi had already had something during the banquet and wasn't particularly hungry, so he ate slowly.

After a while, he put down his chopsticks and looked at An Qing, seeming somewhat hesitant. "About earlier, I'm sorry."

An Qing had just picked up a crystal steamed dumpling and was about to eat it when she heard Yinqi's words. She was momentarily confused.

She looked at him with wide, almond-shaped eyes, utterly bewildered.

What earlier thing?

Suddenly, she realized he was referring to the moment he lifted her veil.

She placed the dumpling back on the plate and asked seriously, "Can I ask why?"

While everyone has their own preferences, it's best not to be too superficial.

Yinqi paused, his gaze involuntarily darting away.

During the banquet, his brothers had kept pulling him to drink, and Elder Brother Prince had mentioned Yideri intentionally. Yinqi couldn't help but notice the deliberate mention.

This was because of the grudge over being scolded by the Emperor.

Thanks to Elder Brother Prince, Yinqi had Yideri's face on his mind all night. The hesitation before lifting her veil was due to his efforts to remind himself not to show any unusual reaction.

But he had to admit, he was affected. He had subconsciously assumed An Qing would look like Yideri, which is why he was momentarily stunned when he saw her face.

"Don't overthink it. I was just distracted by something else. It has nothing to do with you," Yinqi said.

An Qing responded with an "Oh," pretending to be disappointed. "So it has nothing to do with me. I thought..."

Yinqi asked, puzzled, "Thought what?"

An Qing winked at him, playfully smiling. "What else could it be? Naturally, I thought you were stunned by my beauty."

Yinqi was momentarily stunned, then realized she was joking. He couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

He hadn't expected his princess to have such a lively personality, but it was refreshing.

Seeing Yinqi's reaction, An Qing got a sense of where things stood.

Her sudden joke was partly a test.

The governess had taught her many palace rules, which she summarized as being dignified, steady, virtuous, and understanding.

Being virtuous and understanding meant not being jealous and managing the household affairs well, which wasn't difficult.

But being dignified and steady was challenging for An Qing.

Having lived two lifetimes, the words "dignified" and "steady" had never really applied to her.

After much contemplation, An Qing decided there was no need to pretend. Personality was something one couldn't fake forever.

Taking a step back, the girls on the Mongolian grasslands have always been straightforward and lively. Her behavior doesn't seem out of place.

If she were to try to act demure and timid, it would be quite like an ugly woman imitating Xi Shi.

Because of this small joke, both of them relaxed.

Seeing An Qing eat with relish, Yinqi reached over to pick some dishes for her bowl, "Are you getting used to life in the Imperial City?"

An Qing nodded and replied, "Yes, I'm quite comfortable."

In her previous life, she had attended university in the capital, so she was not unfamiliar with the climate and food here.

"The food in the Imperial City is delicious. A few days ago, my Third Elder Brother even brought me roast duck from Qingfeng Restaurant; it was especially fragrant."

Qingfeng Restaurant is the largest restaurant in the Imperial City, and Yinqi often visited it. Their roast duck was indeed quite good.

"Next time, I'll take you there to eat fresh-out-of-the-oven roast duck," Yinqi said.

An Qing readily agreed.

Both of them were eager to converse, and before they knew it, they were chatting away. An Qing shared some interesting stories from the grasslands, while Yinqi also mentioned some amusing incidents from his childhood.

As they talked back and forth, Yinqi gained a general understanding of his wife, which matched his expectations—she indeed did not enjoy writing or painting.

Yinqi had been raised by the Empress Dowager since childhood and knew that Mongolians did not place much importance on education.

The wives of his other brothers came from prestigious Manchu families and were trained in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age. Besides Manchu and Mongolian, they also had tutors specializing in Chinese culture.

She might face some challenges when interacting with her sisters-in-law in the future.

Yinqi couldn't help but think of his own experiences. Having grown up speaking Manchu and Mongolian, he struggled with Chinese and was often mocked by his brothers at the imperial academy.

When he was nine years old, the Emperor led ministers to inspect their studies at the academy. They threw a pile of Confucian classics at them and asked each prince to read aloud. Everyone performed well, even the eight-year-old who could read fluently, except for him, who stumbled and stuttered.

After returning home, he was filled with shame and anger. Although he worked hard to catch up, he was always a step behind.

Perhaps feeling a sense of empathy, Yinqi secretly decided to look after her more in the future. His wife didn't need to compete with anyone else.

"What do you usually like to do?" Yinqi suddenly asked.

An Qing had no idea about Yinqi's internal monologue and answered without much thought, "I like to plant things."

Yinqi nodded slightly, assuming she meant planting flowers, as many concubines in the palace enjoyed gardening.

"The Empress Dowager also likes to plant flowers. Ningshou Palace has a special greenhouse for flowers and several skilled eunuchs who tend to them."

An Qing glanced at him, pursed her lips, but ultimately didn't explain.

Well, she occasionally planted flowers too.

They continued eating and chatting for a while. After finishing their meal, it was indeed late, and it was time to rest.

An Qing first called her personal maids Perilla and Cui Liu to help her bathe and change clothes in the adjacent bathroom. Once she finished, Yinqi had his personal eunuch assist him with washing up.

When he returned to the bedroom, An Qing was laying out the bedding. She wore a red silk nightgown, revealing her graceful figure.

Yinqi lifted the bed curtain and got into bed.

"Let's settle down."

"Alright..."

The red candles were extinguished, and within the red canopy, their breaths intertwined, clearly audible.

Dawn broke.

An Qing woke up to Perilla's gentle calls. Rubbing her sore and aching waist, she opened her eyes, "Perilla, what time is it?"

Perilla replied, "Madam, it's already the hour of Yin."

An Qing's face twisted in pain, "So early?"

Perilla knew her mistress hated waking up early and always took her time, but she gently persuaded, "Madam, we need to go to the palace to pay respects. You can't sleep any longer."

Yinqi, dressed by the eunuchs outside, came in just in time to see his wife grumbling in bed, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"It's a bit early today. We need to perform the gratitude ceremony at Taihe Hall first. You can sleep more after the midday break."

According to tradition, whether a member of the imperial family or a prince, if married to a daughter of a Mongolian noble by imperial decree, the couple must perform a gratitude ceremony at Taihe Hall the day after the wedding.

So, before going to the palace to pay respects, they needed to visit Taihe Hall first.

An Qing understood the importance of this and was merely indulging in a habitual snooze. She felt a bit embarrassed being caught by Yinqi.

Small palace maids brought in hot towels. As the warm towels were applied to her face, An Qing finally became fully awake.

Yinqi had already finished dressing and went to the main hall.

An Qing, however, had a more complicated routine. After washing up, she needed to get dressed and made up.

Putting on the elaborate hairstyle was quite intricate. The palace maid responsible for styling her hair was sent by the Imperial Household Department and was quite skilled. Once the hairstyle was completed, Perilla replaced the maid to apply makeup.

Applying powder, rouge, drawing eyebrows, and lip color... Finally, Perilla took out a seven-phoenix gold hairpin studded with pearls from the jewelry box and placed it in her hair, completing the look.

"Hmm? Madam, why does it seem like you've changed somehow?" Cui Liu exclaimed from the side.

An Qing found it amusing; how could one night make such a difference?

"In what way have I changed?"

Cui Liu tilted her head and looked at her a few more times. "She seems even prettier now."

An Qing thought she was teasing her on purpose. "Is that so? Then I'll have to take a good look. If I find out you're fooling me, I'll have to punish you today."

With that, she moved the bronze mirror closer. When she saw herself clearly in the mirror, she suddenly froze.

There did seem to be some changes, especially a mature charm in her eyes and brows.

This reminded her of what had happened between them last night until midnight.

Yinqi wasn't an inexperienced boy; although he hadn't been particularly restrained last night, he had indeed been considerate in this matter. Overall, the experience was quite good.

An Qing was pragmatic and knew when to adapt. Since she had already married him, it was natural for them to engage in marital duties.

In this era, she had a clear understanding of herself and didn't think about openly challenging the feudal system. At least for her, it was neither realistic nor necessary.

The marriage between Manchu and Mongol was a political one, and this marriage was no longer just about her alone.

In other words, even if she and Yinqi became a well-known unhappy couple in the future, they would still be bound together with no choice.

If that was the case, why make unnecessary trouble?

Emperor Kangxi once commented on his son Yinqi, saying that he had a kind heart and was honest and sincere. Emperor Yongzheng also publicly praised this younger brother for being peaceful and modest. This showed that his character was good.

After yesterday, An Qing had gained some understanding of Yinqi's personality.

He was indeed a decent person, which was enough for An Qing.

In the future, he would give her the respect due to a wife, and she would manage the household for him. It would be perfect if they could treat each other with mutual respect.

After leaving the Prince's residence, An Qing and Yinqi went straight to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, performed their gratitude ceremony, and then headed directly to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Inside the eastern warm pavilion of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Emperor Kangxi had just finished the morning court session when a eunuch came to report that the Fifth Prince and his consort had come to pay their respects.

"When did they arrive? Where are they?" asked Kangxi.

Liang Jiugong replied with a smile, "They've been here for a while. Seeing that Your Majesty would take a bit longer to finish the session, I had someone lead them to the adjacent room to wait."

Kangxi nodded slightly. "Bring them over."

Liang Jiugong hurriedly agreed and gestured to the nearby eunuch to quickly fetch them.

Sitting at the desk, Kangxi continued flipping through the memorials, but his mind was elsewhere.

It was truly helpless; whether it was the Crown Prince or his other married sons, their consorts were all personally designated by him, yet none of them had caused him as much concern as this daughter-in-law of the Fifth Prince.

A few months ago, when Emperor Kangxi led the campaign against Galdan in Ningxia, he saw Yideri, who was accompanying Deb. That young man seemed to have gotten even darker somehow.

At that time, Kangxi couldn't help but wonder if the Fifth Prince's consort might also...

He had intended to send someone discreetly to confirm it, but after returning to the capital, he was delayed by many matters in the court. By the time the wedding procession from Horqin arrived in the capital, he couldn't take any action without causing others to misinterpret his intentions and mistreat this daughter-in-law.

Thus, by a twist of fate, he still hadn't confirmed whether this daughter-in-law was as rumored.

Just as Kangxi was lost in thought, a small eunuch led An Qing and Yinqi into the room.

Hearing the commotion, Kangxi quickly looked up towards the door.

Their figures drew closer, and when he saw An Qing's face clearly, his heart finally settled.

Thankfully, he hadn't really given the Fifth Prince a dark-skinned consort.

Chapter 5: Princess Consort Wu (Part 5)

An Qing was very much looking forward to seeing the historical figure known as the "Emperor for All Ages," Kangxi, with her own eyes.

When it comes to Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty, historians see him as an outstanding statesman and military leader, a remarkable ancient emperor, and someone who has become well-known through various TV dramas and films due to the "Nine Princes' Struggle" incident.

However, in the eyes of agronomists, Kangxi had another lesser-known side—as an expert in cultivating high-yielding rice.

Kangxi is the only ancient emperor who personally cultivated high-yielding rice. It was his drought-resistant rice that doubled the rice yield per mu in Jiangnan and ended the history of not being able to grow rice north of the Great Wall.

In the field of agronomy, Kangxi is often referred to as "the Yuan Longping before Yuan Longping," highlighting his status and influence.

As an agricultural student, An Qing has always held Kangxi in high regard, and thus she has a good understanding of the history of his reign.

Putting aside other aspects, as an emperor, he spent ten years personally cultivating rice and then another twenty years promoting it nationwide. This level of perseverance and resilience is truly commendable.

At least it proves that Kangxi was a capable emperor who cared about his people.

An Qing and Yinqi were led by a young eunuch from the annex of the Palace of Heavenly Purity to the East Warm Pavilion. Upon entering the hall, following etiquette, she kept her head slightly bowed and knelt beside Yinqi to pay their respects.

"Rise." Kangxi's strong voice came from above.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After they thanked him and stood up, Kangxi asked Yinqi a few casual questions. An Qing finally had the chance to glimpse the face of the "Emperor for All Ages."

To put it simply, he exuded a commanding presence, but his appearance was rather ordinary.

Not that he looked ordinary, just not handsome.

Considering Kangxi's age—he is over forty—appearance is no longer important; what matters is his demeanor.

And as a cultured and martial emperor who has been in power for years, his demeanor is naturally impressive.

"Princess Consort of the Fifth Prince, how are you adapting to life in the Imperial City?" Kangxi suddenly turned to An Qing and asked with concern.

An Qing did not panic. She first performed a curtsey: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing well."

Kangxi nodded slightly and chatted with her casually, asking about her father and family.

An Qing answered politely and coherently, showing no signs of nervousness or confusion.

Not bad, she seems composed, Kangxi thought.

Over the years, Kangxi felt somewhat guilty towards his fifth son.

Back then, he placed the fifth prince under the care of the Empress Dowager because he felt she needed company. While the elderly lady ensured the child was well-fed and cared for, she neglected his education.

Out of respect for filial piety, he could not interfere too much.

Sigh! This resulted in the fifth prince appearing somewhat dull and mediocre compared to his brothers.

If An Qing knew what Kangxi was thinking, she would certainly have something to say.

Dull? Mediocre?

A prince raised in the palace, constantly navigating political intrigue, yet managing to remain uninvolved in the struggle for succession, must possess considerable character and ability.

The blame lies in the fact that Kangxi's sons were generally strong, a testament to Kangxi's upbringing.

He demanded that his princes be capable of governing, leading troops, and pursuing scholarship, requiring them to excel in politics, military affairs, and culture from a young age.

Yinqi, having fallen behind in his youth, was seen as mediocre by Kangxi.

However, this also created the premise for the struggle for succession among the nine princes.

Each one was strong, making it difficult for any one of them to dominate, all believing they had the ability to vie for the throne.

An Qing, coming back to her senses, saw Kangxi scrutinizing her with a serious expression. She was momentarily taken aback but then gave him an innocent smile.

Kangxi found this amusing. She truly seemed to be a girl without guile.

He had indeed done this on purpose. Most people would be filled with anxiety when faced with the emperor's scrutiny, but only a simple-minded person would not overthink it and even smile.

This was quite rare.

The more Kangxi thought about it, the more he believed this marriage was a good choice. The girl was likable, could handle herself, but was not overly shrewd, making her a perfect match for the fifth prince.

"Liang Jiugong, I remember there is still one jade ruyi from the Burmese tribute. Bring it here to reward the Fifth Prince's Princess Consort."

Liang Jiugong was momentarily stunned but quickly responded affirmatively.

Yinqi was surprised as well. The jade ruyi was a tribute from Burma a few years ago, and there were only four pieces. One was given to the Empress Dowager, one to the Crown Prince, and one to the Elder Brother Prince for his battlefield achievements earlier this year.

He never expected the last piece to go to An Qing.

It seems the emperor is quite pleased with this daughter-in-law, Yinqi thought.

This is good. Being favored by the emperor means others in the palace will not dare to look down on her.

An Qing was unaware of these intricacies. She only knew that she had passed this test.

She silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Earlier, she had been careless in observing the emperor's face, but fortunately, she had managed to keep her composure.

Speaking of which, it was all thanks to her "innocent and sweet" appearance.

After leaving the Palace of Heavenly Purity, An Qing and Yinqi, the newlywed couple, couldn't head back yet; they still had to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi in the harem.

According to protocol, on the second day after a prince's marriage, he should bring his wife to pay respects to the Empress. However, Kangxi's throne had been vacant for years, and even the positions of Imperial Noble Consort and Noble Consort were currently unoccupied.

Therefore, An Qing only needed to go and pay her respects to her mother-in-law, Concubine Yi.

As for the other three of the Four Concubines, they did not have this privilege.

In the main hall of Yikun Palace.

Concubine Yi had dressed herself early and was waiting for her son and daughter-in-law to come and pay their respects with tea.

Lady Guo and the Fourth Princess were also present. Although Lady Guo was merely a Noble Lady and not worthy of receiving tea from an imperial prince's wife, she was Yinqi's aunt, so it was appropriate for her to be there to meet them.

For some reason, despite her son's wedding being the previous day, Concubine Yi did not seem particularly joyful but rather had a faint look of worry on her face.

"Your Highness, I've brewed you a cup of tea. Please have some to refresh yourself," said Xizhu, the senior palace maid by Concubine Yi's side, as she brought a cup of tea.

Concubine Yi gestured for her to place it on the table beside her.

Lady Guo also noticed that Concubine Yi had faint shadows under her eyes, which were somewhat concealed by makeup but still visible up close.

"Did you not sleep well last night?"

Concubine Yi sighed lightly and waved her hand dismissively.

She had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep due to worry. Yesterday was the fifth prince's wedding day, and although she should have been happy as his mother, she could not find joy in it.

The Emperor had chosen a wife for the fifth prince from Horqin, and everyone knew how proud Horqin women could be. She could not say much about the late Grand Empress Dowager or the current Empress Dowager residing in Ningshou Palace, but the lady in Xianfu Palace had always looked down on others, never putting any of the palace ladies in her eyes.

Because the fifth prince was raised under the Empress Dowager and the lady in Xianfu Palace was close to her, Concubine Yi often encountered her and had to endure her disdain.

Although the lady was not favored, her noble birth and kinship with the Empress Dowager meant that Concubine Yi had to tolerate her over the years.

The Emperor always treated Mongolians with respect, and now having another Horqin-born daughter-in-law, Concubine Yi was unsure if this was good or bad.

Being a mother-in-law was one thing; if she disliked her, she could simply see her less. But if the fifth prince's wife turned out to be arrogant and unreasonable, what would become of him?

The fifth prince was her first child. When she gave birth to him, her rank was low, and she had no choice but to send him to be raised by the Empress Dowager. She felt guilty towards him for not raising him herself.

Lady Guo understood Concubine Yi's concerns but did not know how to console her.

The Fourth Princess, who spent most of her time with Concubine Yi and Lady Guo, also understood. After some thought, she spoke up, "Aunt, don't worry. I think the fifth sister-in-law is quite nice."

Though they hadn't met face-to-face yesterday, the Fourth Princess had talked with An Qing through the veil and sensed that she was different from the lady in Xianfu Palace.

Concubine Yi remembered sending the Fourth Princess to accompany An Qing and asked about her character.

The Fourth Princess scratched her head, unsure how to describe it.

After a moment's thought, she decided to recount everything from the beginning, including Xiao Jiu's mischief and her conversation with An Qing.

Concubine Yi listened thoughtfully, "She wasn't angry about Xiao Jiu's mischief?"

"No," the Fourth Princess shook her head. "I felt embarrassed and apologized on behalf of Xiao Jiu, but the fifth sister-in-law said that a bit of noise on a happy day was fine."

Concubine Yi nodded seriously.

She didn't get upset about Xiao Jiu's mischief and was courteous to the Fourth Princess, indicating she wasn't someone who held grudges.

Her character must be decent then.

Just as Concubine Yi began to feel relieved, a small eunuch rushed in, "Your Highness, Noble Consort Hui, Noble Consort De, and Imperial Concubine Rong have arrived."

Hearing this, Concubine Yi's expression changed abruptly. "Why are they here!"

They were here to mock her, of course.

It was no secret in the harem that the Four Concubines had a strained relationship. They were all in the same position and had sons, leading to years of open and covert competition.

Having known each other for so long, they were familiar with each other's temperaments.

Concubine Yi was fiery and had been favored for many years, but only the lady from Horqin in Xianfu Palace could make her feel inferior.

No one expected her to end up with another Horqin-born daughter-in-law, and they had laughed at her behind her back for it.

So, today's scene of the first meeting between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in Yikun Palace was something they wouldn't miss.

"Sisters, why do you have time to visit today?" Concubine Yi greeted them with a forced smile.

Noble Consort Hui led the way, smiling as she took Concubine Yi's hand. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, she was secretly delighted.

"Today is your special day, sister. We must make time to share in your joy."

Noble Consort De and Imperial Concubine Rong followed closely behind, showering her with compliments, making it impossible to find fault.

Concubine Yi gritted her teeth but had no choice but to instruct her servants to serve tea and snacks to entertain them.

Before heading to Yikun Palace, An Qing and Yinqi first went to the Empress Dowager's Ningshou Palace to pay their respects.

Yinqi had been raised under the Empress Dowager since childhood, and their bond was strong.

The elderly lady was delighted to see them. Perhaps because they shared the same ancestry, the Empress Dowager treated An Qing warmly, giving her a set of red gold jewelry as a gift and chatting with her about life on the grasslands.

Both from the left wing of Horqin, though from different banners, they were indeed related ancestrally. An Qing was considered the Empress Dowager's niece-granddaughter and should address her as Aunt Empress Dowager.

But now that she has married into the royal family, she can only follow Yinqi in calling her "Imperial Grandmother."

After paying their respects to the Empress Dowager and having tea and some snacks with her, they left.

Ningshou Palace is in the Eastern Six Palaces, while Yikun Palace is in the Western Six Palaces, so it takes quite a bit of time to circle around.

As An Qing and Yinqi were hurrying over, a verbal battle had already taken place several times in Yikun Palace. Concubine Yi was fighting three against one, which was somewhat exhausting for her.

Just then, the Ninth Prince and Tenth Prince suddenly ran in from outside the hall.

"Mother, His Majesty bestowed a jade ruyi on Fifth Sister-in-Law," Yin Tang shouted.

Concubine Yi's eyes lit up, and she instantly perked up. "Is it the jade ruyi from Burma?"

A hint of confusion flashed across Yin Tang's face: "Mother, you must be confused. It couldn't be any other one."

This unlucky child, how does he talk! Concubine Yi couldn't help but secretly glare at him.

However, since she was in a good mood, she didn't bother to argue with this stinky kid.

The Emperor giving such a grand gift to the Fifth Princess Consort also gives face to the Fifth Prince.

Thinking about it, Concubine Yi straightened her back immediately.

She smiled lightly and said, "You child, it's not such a big deal. You don't need to run here specially to tell me. Didn't your eldest brother get one at the beginning of the year too?"

Concubine Hui was instantly envious. What did he mean by "didn't your eldest brother get one too"!

Her Baoqing earned that reward through his glorious achievements on the battlefield. How could the Fifth Princess Consort compare?

Concubine De picked up her teacup and took a sip without showing any emotion. She was always best at discerning Emperor Kangxi's thoughts, so she thought more deeply.

In this entire palace, if there was one daughter-in-law the Emperor was most satisfied with, it would naturally be the Crown Princess.

But when the Crown Princess first entered the palace two years ago, she didn't receive such a generous reward.

It seems her previous guess was correct; the Emperor really intends to promote the Fifth Princess Consort's family. However, the Emperor's efforts to win over Mongolian princes were mainly due to the wars in the northwest. Now that Galdan is dead and Dzungaria has surrendered, there should be no more wars for a while.

But where else would he promote them besides the battlefield?

Concubine De couldn't figure it out.

Finally, An Qing arrived at Yikun Palace. But as soon as she walked into the main hall and saw the crowded room, she was stunned. What's going on? Why are there so many people?

Judging from the setup, those seated should be Emperor Kangxi's concubines.

However, when An Qing's gaze fell on the person in the highest seat, her eyes instantly brightened.

Wow~ Such a radiant beauty, she must be her beloved mother-in-law!

Ugh, Lao Kang is truly blessed!

Yinqi was also surprised, but he quickly regained his composure and led An Qing in to pay respects to all the imperial consorts.

An Qing was also slightly surprised; she hadn't expected to meet all four consorts—Hui, Yi, De, and Rong—on her first day in the palace.

Concubines Hui, Yi, De, and Rong entered the palace around the same time and should be roughly the same age, but Concubine Yi looked much younger than the other three, appearing to be only in her early thirties. Yet, who would have thought that she was already a grandmother?

Indeed, beauty defies time.

Since An Qing entered, she was quietly observing everyone, and everyone in the room was also observing her.

Whether it was Concubines Hui, Yi, De, and Rong, or Lady Guo, the Fourth Princess, and the Ninth Prince beside them, their first reaction was that rumors were indeed unreliable!

What blackened complexion? There might not be anyone in the entire palace with skin as fair and delicate as the Fifth Princess Consort's.

As for her appearance, though she wasn't a breathtakingly beautiful woman, she was definitely attractive.

Especially her lively almond-shaped eyes, which seemed to speak, and her dimples when she smiled, making her look endearing and delightful.

The palace maids quickly brought in tea from the side room.

An Qing respectfully bowed to the highest seat, then took the teacup from the palace maid and handed it over with a smile: "Your daughter-in-law pays respects to Mother. Please have some tea."

Seeing her graceful and proper demeanor, Concubine Yi was even more pleased.

She smiled, took a sip from the teacup, and gestured for her personal palace maid to bring out the prepared gift, a phoenix hairpin adorned with peacock feathers and pearls.

Concubine Yi then walked to An Qing, took her hand, and led her toward Concubines Hui, De, and Rong.

"Since my sisters are here, Fifth Daughter-in-Law, please offer them tea as well."

An Qing obediently let Concubine Yi lead her, though inwardly she was puzzled. Were Concubines Hui, De, and Rong not overstepping their bounds by accepting her tea, given their lower rank?

Or perhaps the etiquette tutor sent from the palace taught her incorrectly?

"This won't do; it's not proper," Concubines Hui, De, and Rong hurriedly refused.

Concubine Yi could propose it, but they dared not accept it.

Without mentioning anything else, today they came here on their own initiative. If word got out that they were eagerly drinking the Fifth Princess Consort's tea, the Emperor, who values hierarchy, might suspect they had ulterior motives.

Concubine Yi slapped her forehead and feigned innocence: "My fault, my fault. I got so excited that I almost caused trouble for my sisters."

"But since my sisters are here, let the Fifth Daughter-in-Law pay her respects to you."

An Qing was a bit confused. Hadn't she already paid her respects upon entering? Why pay them again?

However, not understanding was fine; she just needed to follow along obediently.

An Qing bowed respectfully to Concubine Hui. "Greetings, Mother Hui."

As she rose, Concubine Yi looked at Concubine Hui with a smile. "Oh, how my eyes deceive me! I didn't notice the new bracelet on your wrist earlier. Could it be that you're planning to give it as a gift to the Fifth Princess Consort?"

Her words were as good as an outright request.

Concubine Hui was furious, never expecting Concubine Yi to ambush her like this.

Normally, giving a bracelet wouldn't matter, but the one on her wrist was made of the finest white jade, a rare and precious gemstone. It was a gift from her son Baoqing, who had specially sent someone to the south to procure it for her.

This was the first time she had worn it. Was she really going to let Concubine Yi's daughter-in-law have it?

The more Concubine Hui thought about it, the more unwilling she became. She considered finding an excuse to avoid giving it away, perhaps offering another bracelet later.

Even if An Qing were foolish, she now understood the situation: Concubine Yi was angling for a gift.

An Qing played along, feigning surprise and gratitude. "Thank you, Mother Hui, for your kindness."

Concubine Hui had no choice but to remove the jade bracelet and hand it to An Qing, gritting her teeth in frustration.

Concubine Yi felt a surge of satisfaction. The Fifth Princess Consort was indeed clever.

Hmph! She knew exactly where Concubine Hui had gotten the bracelet. Regardless of its value, the fact that it came from Elder Brother Prince was enough to upset Concubine Hui.

Imperial Concubine Rong and Empress De exchanged glances, realizing they couldn't escape this either. They each removed a bracelet from their wrists and offered them to An Qing.

Lady Guo also took the opportunity to present her prepared gift.

An Qing was delighted with the gifts but didn't forget to reciprocate.

Among those present, the Fourth Princess, Ninth Prince, and Tenth Prince were all younger relatives. As their sister-in-law, she needed to make a gesture during their first meeting.

For the Fourth Princess, she had prepared a delicate gold hairpin adorned with red carnelian, a unique design not found in the Imperial City. The Fourth Princess loved it.

For Ninth Prince Yin Tang, she had a finely crafted crossbow, which An Qing had asked her second brother to specially make, incorporating some features from Mongolian bows. It was intricately carved with a lifelike image of a sea eagle.

"Wow!" Yin Tang exclaimed. "This crossbow is beautiful. Thank you, Fifth Sister-in-Law!"

At fifteen or sixteen years old, he was just entering his teens, a time when he would naturally be drawn to weapons like these. An Qing's gift hit the mark perfectly.

Tenth Prince Yin'e watched his ninth brother enviously from the corner. Though not as clever as his siblings, he wasn't oblivious.

In the palace, everyone was family, but there were still degrees of closeness. Like his ninth brother and fifth brother being full siblings, and the Fourth Princess being Concubine Yi's niece, Fifth Sister-in-Law would naturally prepare gifts for them.

His presence was unexpected; he shouldn't have come today. He had simply followed his ninth brother without much thought.

When Fifth Sister-in-Law began distributing gifts, Yin'e realized she might not have prepared anything for him and didn't want to put her in an awkward position, so he quietly retreated to the corner.

Everyone else in the room understood the situation. Tenth Prince's appearance was indeed unexpected, and no one could have anticipated it.

During the Fourth Prince's wedding, Thirteenth Prince, despite being close to his fourth brother, had stayed away.

But Tenth Prince's mother had passed away a few years ago, leaving no one to remind him.

Understanding aside, Concubine Hui, Empress De, and Imperial Concubine Rong were curious to see how Fifth Princess Consort would handle this.

Yinqi felt guilty. He should have reminded An Qing about Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shi, or at least prepared something himself.

Unexpectedly, An Qing turned to the box Perilla was holding and pulled out another crossbow identical to the one given to Ninth Prince, presenting it to Tenth Prince.

Everyone was taken aback.

Especially Yin'e, who looked at An Qing in surprise. "Fifth Sister-in-Law, do I get one too?"

An Qing smiled and placed the crossbow in his hands. "Little Brother, do you like it?"

Yin'e clutched the crossbow, thrilled. "Of course I like it! Thank you, Fifth Sister-in-Law."

He then turned to Yin Tang. "Ninth Brother, look! Mine has a horse, a galloping horse!"

Yin Tang leaned over, and the two brothers examined each other's crossbows, both clearly delighted.

Concubine Hui, Empress De, and Imperial Concubine Rong left feeling defeated.

As they exited Yikun Palace, their thoughts aligned with Kangxi's.

The Fifth Princess Consort seemed straightforward but handled things well, leaving no room for criticism.

Despite being far away in Horqin, she was aware of the palace dynamics, knowing that Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shi were close friends and had prepared a gift for Tenth Prince. Her attention to detail was commendable.

It was possible her family had helped arrange everything, as Deb's family doted on their youngest daughter, making her innocence understandable.

But thinking back to An Qing's performance and the harmonious scene with Concubine Yi's family, Empress De couldn't help but wonder.

Could a proud Horqin woman truly be so humble and easy to get along with?

Over the years, Concubine Hui, Concubine Yi, Empress De, and Imperial Concubine Rong had lived under the shadow of Horqin women. When the Empress Dowager was alive, the entire harem was dominated by Horqin women.

Even the less favored Horqin concubines retained their pride.

Was Concubine Yi's daughter-in-law truly an exception? Empress De doubted it.

As the saying goes, "You can change your kingdom, but not your nature." Concubine Yi had always subtly criticized her poor relationship with her mother-in-law. Only time would tell how long their harmony would last.

Chapter 6: The Fifth Princess Consort 06

An Qing had no idea that she had left such an impression on Emperor Kangxi and the three consorts. However, this suited her perfectly.

In the eyes of a group of clever people, being perceived as naive and innocent was not necessarily a bad thing.

As for giving a gift to the Tenth Prince, it turned out to be a lucky coincidence. Knowing the historical relationships between the Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Princes, she had prepared in advance.

So, in addition to the crossbow, the box Perilla was holding contained some other gifts—three exquisite jade pendants.

The materials for making the crossbows were rare, and they only managed to get two. An Qing's initial plan was to give the Ninth Prince a crossbow and the others a jade pendant each, showing a clear distinction in closeness.

However, when An Qing noticed the Tenth Prince's envious gaze, she changed her mind and gave him the second crossbow hidden beneath the wooden box.

Leaving Yikun Palace, Yinqi could clearly sense his princess consort's good mood on their way back.

Of course, An Qing was in high spirits. As a lover of beauty, what could be more delightful than seeing a stunning beauty, especially one with her favorite type of radiant charm?

She couldn't help but marvel at Lao Kang's good fortune, but she also felt fortunate herself, knowing she would have many opportunities to see this beauty again since she was now her mother-in-law.

Walking side by side, Yinqi seemed to recall something and looked at her hesitantly.

An Qing turned her head to meet his gaze, puzzled, "My lord, is there something you want to ask me?"

Yinqi hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly, "Earlier in Mother's palace, why did you keep looking in her direction? Was there something wrong?"

An Qing was taken aback, surprised he had noticed.

Was she really that obvious? She thought she had been quite restrained.

Yinqi looked at her with a hint of exasperation. Standing right next to her, every move she made was visible to him; how could he not notice?

Especially when they were about to leave, her eyes were practically glued to his mother.

An Qing couldn't help but admire his sharpness. Being raised in the palace, his perceptiveness was indeed extraordinary.

She hesitated several times before finally deciding to be honest, "Mother is just too beautiful; I couldn't help myself!"

Oh, how did they manage to resist looking!

Yinqi: "..."

He stared at An Qing, completely taken aback by her answer.

But recalling her pure and clear gaze earlier, he was certain she wasn't flattering or trying to please; it was genuine admiration, devoid of any ulterior motives.

A pure appreciation without any other emotions mixed in.

Yinqi couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

Perilla, standing nearby, couldn't help but facepalm upon hearing her mistress's words, feeling a cold sweat break out for her.

Her mistress was wonderful in every way except for her lifelong fascination with beauty, which showed no signs of improvement even after all these years.

Back in Concubine Yi's palace, seeing her mistress's almost obsessive gaze, Perilla had nearly rushed forward to stop her.

However, seeing Yinqi's reaction, Perilla felt slightly relieved.

In Yikun Palace, Concubine Yi was also pondering.

"Milady, is there something troubling you?" Xizhu asked, supporting Concubine Yi back into the room, noticing her thoughtful expression.

Concubine Yi frowned slightly, uncertain, "Did you notice that the Fifth Princess Consort kept looking at me before leaving? What do you think she meant by that?"

Xizhu had also noticed and, after a moment's thought, replied, "The Fifth Princess Consort is new here, so she might be curious. But I don't think she had any ill intentions."

Concubine Yi nodded lightly, agreeing.

Having navigated the palace for so long, she could tell.

Well, perhaps as Xizhu said, she was just young and curious.

Concubine Yi took a sip of tea offered by Xizhu, her thoughts wandering.

From what she saw, the Fifth Princess Consort seemed fine for now, but she had truly been wary of women from Horqin over the years. Thinking about her own behavior today, she felt somewhat dissatisfied.

Today's incident caught her off guard, but in the future, she must maintain the dignity of a mother-in-law and not let this Horqin daughter-in-law look down on her, Concubine Yi silently resolved.

In the eastern annex of Yikun Palace, Lady Guo's residence.

After leaving Concubine Yi, the Fourth Princess followed Lady Guo back to her quarters. They hadn't seen each other for a few days.

In the palace, princes and princesses moved to Zhaoxiang Palace once they reached a certain age. Older princes with servants moved to their own residences.

The Fourth Princess couldn't take her eyes off the hairpin An Qing had given her. It was such a novel design; could it be from Horqin?

Lady Guo looked at her daughter gently, "Moyali, do you like your Fifth Sister-in-Law?"

The Fourth Princess nodded, "Yes, I like her. She speaks interestingly and has no airs. It's comfortable being around her."

She added, "She's different from the ladies from Horqin who come to the palace."

Lady Guo nodded slightly, "Then visit your Fifth Sister-in-Law often. She came from Mongolia and isn't familiar with the palace, nor does she know many people here."

The Fourth Princess didn't think much of it and readily agreed, "Mother, Aunt, don't worry. I'll visit my Fifth Sister-in-Law often."

Lady Guo shook her head gently, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. Her naive girl didn't understand her true intention at all.

The princesses of the Great Qing rarely escape the fate of being sent to Mongolia for marriage. The Fourth Princess is no exception; last year, the Emperor decreed that she would be married off to Khalkha Mongolia for a political alliance.

In a few months, it will be time for the Fourth Princess to leave for her marriage. Khalkha Mongolia is thousands of miles away from the Imperial City. Despite her status as a princess, she will be in an unfamiliar land with no family nearby. How could she not worry?

Lady Guo advised the Fourth Princess to befriend the Fifth Princess Consort, having her own reasons.

She feared that if anything were to happen to the princess in Khalkha, news would reach the Imperial City too late. Horqin, on the other hand, is much closer to Khalkha Mongolia and could provide some support.

Lady Guo had a motherly concern, but seeing the carefree demeanor of the Fourth Princess, she sighed silently.

Well, given her nature, if she were to approach the Fifth Princess Consort with ulterior motives, it would only make things awkward and counterproductive.

Back at the residence, Yinqi went straight to the study in the front yard, while An Qing led Perilla to the back yard.

There was still a lot of work waiting for her in the courtyard. Her immediate task was to familiarize herself with the people in her household.

As a Princess Consort, An Qing was allowed to bring her personal maids into the palace to serve her. She brought four with her: Perilla, Cui Liu, Mai Dong, and Chunxiao.

These four were responsible for her daily life and each had their own strengths. They were all capable in their own ways.

Perilla was steady and thorough in her work, managing all matters around An Qing and overseeing her finances.

Cui Liu was lively and had excellent social skills, excelling at gathering information.

Chunxiao was skilled in cooking and had honed her abilities over the years, thanks to An Qing's training.

Mongolian cuisine was too monotonous for An Qing; occasional meals were fine, but long-term, she couldn't adapt. So, she had to get creative with her requests.

Fortunately, Chunxiao had a high aptitude for cooking and could usually figure out how to prepare dishes based on An Qing's descriptions.

Mai Dong was different from the others. While they had grown up with An Qing, Mai Dong came to her in her teens.

Mai Dong was Han Chinese. Her family had fled to the frontier due to conflicts with local officials. Later, when her elders fell ill and lacked funds for medicine, she sold herself into slavery. An Qing's mother bought her and placed her in An Qing's service.

Mai Dong's family had been doctors for generations, and she had learned much from them.

Initially, An Qing didn't want to bring Mai Dong with her, preferring to leave her with her mother for care. However, her mother insisted, saying that having a knowledgeable maid in the palace would provide peace of mind amidst the intrigue.

Returning to her room, An Qing's first task was to have her elaborate Princess Consort attire removed and replaced with more comfortable clothes, feeling much lighter afterwards.

"Princess, I've gathered information about everyone in our courtyard. It seems that these people were personally selected by His Highness from the Imperial Household Department."

Cui Liu had been busy since yesterday and now had a comprehensive understanding of the situation in the courtyard.

An Qing raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. Yinqi's selection?

Well, if he had vetted them, at least they could be trusted to some extent. As for how to use them, An Qing had gained experience over the years.

In summary, it boiled down to twelve words: know your people, use them wisely, reward and punish fairly.

An Qing instructed Perilla to gather everyone in the courtyard, except for the laborers. There were four palace maids and six eunuchs.

This ratio likely accounted for the presence of her personal maids.

Upon seeing An Qing, they all knelt in unison: "Your servants/servant greets the Princess Consort. May you live long and prosper."

An Qing sat at the head of the assembly and gestured for them to rise. "Rise and speak."

"Thank you, Princess Consort!"

They rose one by one.

Perilla handed An Qing a ledger detailing the basic information of the palace staff—names, length of service, previous assignments, etc.

While the ledger contained the information, An Qing needed to match names with faces.

Perilla pointed to the people below and said, "Come forward and introduce yourselves to the Princess Consort."

One by one, they introduced themselves:

"Princess Consort, this servant is Little Xizi. I entered the palace three years ago and worked in the kitchen."

"Princess Consort, this servant is Lai Fu. I also entered the palace three years ago and worked in the workshops."

"Princess Consort, this servant is Xi Que. I entered the palace through the selection process two years ago and worked in..."

After hearing their introductions, An Qing had a general idea of who they were.

Their tenure varied, and they had served in various departments, but their true character would need further evaluation.

Next came An Qing's address as the new leader. Without wasting words, she got straight to the point: regardless of their past, they must follow her rules now.

"As long as you serve diligently, I will not mistreat you. But if I find you disloyal, being sent back to the Imperial Household Department will be the least of your worries."

They all knelt and swore their loyalty.

Having established her authority, An Qing then showed kindness. She instructed Perilla to give each person six taels of silver for good luck before dismissing them.

"Perilla, keep this ledger and fill in the missing details using the method we used at the estate."

Perilla took the ledger and agreed.

"Keep an eye out for a capable eunuch to manage the courtyard," An Qing added.

In the palace, having a reliable eunuch to handle external affairs would be convenient.

Having finished meeting the people in the courtyard, An Qing was now ready to inspect her new residence. This courtyard in the Palace of Princes would likely be her home for several years.

Typically, once a grown prince receives his title, he is allowed to "establish his own household" and move out of the Forbidden City.

However, during Kangxi's reign, even after receiving their titles, his sons continued to live in the Palace of Princes for quite some time.

The reason was simple: establishing a new household required not only a palace but also furniture and decorations, all of which cost a significant amount of money. Therefore, an additional sum of 230,000 taels was granted when a prince moved out.

Due to ongoing wars and the resulting financial strain, neither the Imperial Household Department nor the national treasury were well-funded. With so many sons, the expense of establishing separate households was substantial.

Thus, Kangxi had no choice but to keep his adult sons and their families crammed into the Palace of Princes.

Look at Elder Brother Prince next door; he has a large family, yet he still resides within the Palace of Princes.

If An Qing's memory served her correctly, Kangxi's princes began moving out around the fortieth year of his reign.

Considering this, even if Yinqi could join the earliest group, they would still have to stay here for another four or five years. Thus, she needed to carefully consider how to arrange her courtyard.

As a Princess Consort, her main courtyard was naturally the largest in the back.

An Qing toured the courtyard with great enthusiasm. The main hall was used for receiving guests, while the eastern warm pavilion was her resting area, complete with a bedroom, bathhouse, and a spacious side room.

During her morning visit to the palace, Cui Liu, Maidmai, and Chunxiao had already arranged the place according to her preferences.

The western warm pavilion was temporarily designated as a study.

Standing in the inner courtyard, An Qing gazed at the red walls and green tiles, feeling a sense of awe. Who would have thought that one day she would reside within the Forbidden City?

Cui Liu suddenly approached her with a mysterious look. "Princess Consort, I found a place you will definitely like."

An Qing responded with an intrigued "Oh." "Stop teasing me, where is it?"

Cui Liu chuckled but didn't reveal anything.

She led An Qing through the courtyard, eventually circling around the main hall and passing through a small door beside the side rooms.

"Princess, look!" Cui Liu called out, pointing ahead.

Upon seeing the scene, An Qing's eyes lit up.

There was a small pond, but more importantly, there was a small patch of empty land beside it!

Unlike the usual stone-paved ground in the palace, this was fresh soil, measuring about a tenth of a mu.

In this palace where every inch of land was precious, such a space was rare indeed.

This spot was behind the main hall, somewhat secluded. For some reason, it remained unoccupied and unbuilt upon.

Perhaps it was due to timing or other reasons, but regardless, An Qing loved this place.

"Good job, Cui Liu! You truly understand me," An Qing said, giving her a thumbs-up. "Have you found out what this land is for?"

The soil looked freshly turned, suggesting it wasn't meant to be left idle.

Cui Liu replied, "I asked Little Xizi. He said it used to be a flower bed but has been unused for a long time. He turned the soil, planning to ask you if he could plant pomegranate and ginkgo trees here."

An Qing nodded slightly.

This spot was somewhat remote, but planting trees would make it less empty and easier to maintain.

Pomegranate trees symbolize fertility and blessings, while ginkgo trees represent health and longevity.

"Tell him not to worry about this land anymore. I have other plans for it," An Qing said.

Cui Liu happily agreed.

An Qing then turned to Maidmai. "Where did you put my watermelon seeds?"

Maidmai replied, "Princess Consort, I stored them safely in a box. Should I fetch them for you?"

An Qing nodded. "Yes, bring them to my room."

Those watermelon seeds were her treasures. As a watermelon enthusiast, the prospect of having unlimited access to watermelons this summer filled her with joy.

Why "unlimited access"? Well, watermelons existed in the Qing dynasty. They were introduced to Xinjiang in the early Tang dynasty and spread to the mainland during the Five Dynasties and Song periods.

By the Ming and Qing dynasties, cultivation techniques had improved, and watermelons were grown throughout the country.

However, the watermelons of this era were different from modern varieties, particularly in terms of taste.

Compared to the thin-skinned, juicy, and sweet watermelons of later times, Qing dynasty watermelons were thick-skinned and coarse-fleshed, often with too many white fibers and a bitter taste.

When An Qing first tasted a watermelon here, she understood why Cixi only ate the center—it was genuinely sweeter than the rest.

As a watermelon enthusiast, she couldn't settle for anything less than the best. So, An Qing dedicated herself to improving watermelon cultivation.

After years of failed attempts, she finally succeeded last year in growing watermelons with the right taste and sweetness!

Although she only harvested a dozen watermelons, she saved the seeds, eagerly awaiting this year's results.

Unexpectedly, she ended up in the palace and couldn't entrust the task to others. She had considered growing them in large pots but never expected such a pleasant surprise.

After walking around the empty plot, An Qing had a plan in mind.

However, this matter cannot be rushed for now. She has just arrived, and there are surely many eyes in the palace watching her. It's best not to make too much of a commotion. Let's wait for a while before taking any action.

Chapter 7: The Fifth Lady 07

Seeing her own Princess so happy, Cui Liu couldn't help but feel a bit sad.

Back in Horqin, their Prince and Princess had given several large estates to their Princess. She could plant whatever she wanted and do as she pleased, with everyone indulging her.

Who would have thought that coming to the Forbidden City would mean such constraints? There wasn't even a place for her to grow anything.

Just look at this small plot of land—it made their Princess so happy. Cui Liu felt even more sorry for her.

An Qing didn't know what Cui Liu was thinking, but she didn't feel wronged at all. The palace naturally couldn't compare to Horqin, and she was well-prepared for it.

She had already planned to create conditions if there weren't any, like planting in flower pots. But now she had this piece of land, and she was very content.

Contentment brings joy.

After returning to the main courtyard, An Qing took a stroll around the yard. She couldn't help but covet the two untended flower beds in the middle.

Perilla noticed An Qing's intentions and quickly advised, "Lady, these flower beds face the arched gate."

An Qing understood Perilla's meaning.

These flower beds were different from the empty plot of land; they were right in the inner courtyard, too conspicuous. If she planted fruits and vegetables here, it wouldn't be proper.

There was no way around it. An Qing couldn't stand seeing empty ground without wanting to plant something. It wasn't just a professional habit; even before attending the agricultural college, she had always been like this. After college, it only intensified.

She genuinely loved farming. As her seniors used to say, she had a deep love for the land.

However, An Qing knew how to prioritize. Her desire to plant was just that—desire.

In this era, a ruler's whim could change the fate of commoners. Her marriage was a prime example.

Having been here for so long, An Qing understood the importance of taking things slowly. As an isolated soul from another world, she was always cautious, never drawing too much attention, lest she be seen as an outsider.

To showcase her supposed 'talent' in farming to her family, An Qing had meticulously planned for a long time. From when she could walk, she showed an unusual interest in plants, laying the groundwork for her later dedication to the farm.

Now, with a whole family behind her and responsibilities, every misstep in the palace could affect not just her but others.

She had to be careful.

An Qing couldn't help but think about the events at Yikun Palace earlier. At the time, she hadn't realized it, but upon reflection, she understood some things.

The appearance of the three concubines, Huidero, was definitely not a coincidence; there must have been a purpose.

Moreover, Concubine Yi's ability to scheme without changing her expression was something An Qing admired.

Knowing the history, she was well aware of the dangers of the struggle for succession.

And Kangxi's thirty-sixth year was a crucial turning point, a period of turmoil both in the front court and the harem.

The principle that the first bird gets shot applies here. In this palace full of cunning people, she had no grand ambitions; she only wanted to live her life quietly.

As for the rest, she would take it one step at a time.

After a busy morning, it was finally time for breakfast.

In the Qing imperial court and Imperial City households, meals were served twice a day—breakfast and dinner. However, the timing differed from modern three-meal schedules.

According to regulations, breakfast was at 6:30 AM, and dinner at 12:30 PM. In reality, breakfast was usually around noon, and dinner around 6 PM.

Besides the main meals, there were also various snacks: early morning snacks, midday snacks, evening snacks, and night snacks.

An Qing and Yinqi had eaten early morning snacks before entering the palace; otherwise, they wouldn't have lasted until now.

If one were to eat everything, it would amount to six or seven meals a day. Few in the palace requested all of them, as the snacks were close to meal times and usually chosen instead.

Yinqi had sent word that he had something to attend to and wouldn't be dining with her. So An Qing only needed to worry about herself.

All princes' residences had a unified imperial tea and dining hall, where meals were distributed according to each person's portion. If someone wanted additional dishes, they could pay extra.

Though An Qing had certain preferences, she didn't want to be too ostentatious on her first day, so she didn't order any special dishes and simply followed the standard portions.

Manchu cuisine primarily consisted of steamed, boiled, stewed, and braised dishes. An Qing's portion was quite lavish, including whole servings of mutton, pork, chicken, duck, fish, seasonal vegetables, various pastries, and milk tea, filling an entire table.

But none of it seemed to suit her taste, feeling rather bland. She ate a little and then gave the leftovers to the servants in the courtyard.

Chunxiao saw that An Qing hadn't eaten much and suggested, "Lady, let's keep these snacks. When you wake up, I'll heat them up in the small tea room for you."

Apart from the unified imperial tea and dining hall, each courtyard had a small tea room for brewing tea and heating snacks. An Qing had checked the small tea room in her courtyard earlier, and it looked good.

"Sure, do as you see fit."

Chunxiao nodded, then added, "My lady, I'd like to build a large earth oven outside the window of the small tea room, just like we had in Horqin. Would that be alright?"

She then added, "I've already confirmed that it's within the rules and won't be out of place."

An Qing had no reason to refuse. This large earth oven was essentially a simple version of a clay oven, similar to a makeshift oven.

Back in Horqin, she had spent a lot of time building one, and Chunxiao had used it to recreate many modern delicacies for her.

After lunch, An Qing asked Cui Liu to bring Little Xizi in, saying she had something to ask him.

Little Xizi followed Cui Liu, "Good sister, I'm inexperienced. What does the Lady want with me? Could you give me a hint?"

Cui Liu knew what it was about but deliberately kept it a secret, "You'll find out soon enough. Be smart, and if you do well with what the Lady asks, you'll be rewarded."

Little Xizi hurriedly replied, "Serving the Lady is my honor; I don't dare seek rewards."

Regardless of what it was, he wouldn't miss this opportunity to be seen by the Lady. He had noticed the envious looks from others as he came over.

Cui Liu glanced at him appreciatively; this boy knew how to speak.

Once inside the room, Little Xizi bowed respectfully, "Greetings to Lady Fu."

An Qing raised her hand slightly and let him rise to respond: "Do you know where I can find some suitable farming tools in this palace?"

Little Xizi was taken aback. What was Lady Fu planning to do in this palace?

But he did not pry, only replied, "My Lady, what kind of farming tools do you need? This servant can have someone from the procurement office bring them in from outside the palace."

An Qing pondered. Having the procurement office bring tools from outside would draw attention. It might be better to wait for a more opportune time.

"Can we find shovels and small hoes here?" she asked.

Little Xizi thought for a moment. "This servant knows someone who works in the flower and bird house of Fengchen Garden. They should have shovels and small hoes. I'll go check later."

An Qing nodded lightly. "While you're there, bring some flower pots with soil from the flower and bird house of Fengchen Garden."

She then turned to Cui Liu. "Get some silver for him."

In this palace, the importance of silver was well understood.

Little Xizi walked out of the room with the silver, his resolve to serve diligently strengthened.

Though he claimed to know someone in the flower and bird house, it was merely to impress Lady Fu. He had already prepared to use the silver to get things done.

In this palace, the lower ranks were more concerned with human relations and reality, thus requiring more silver.

He hadn't expected Lady Fu to understand their difficulties upon entering the palace.

With such a master, he must perform well. Their courtyard currently lacked a head eunuch, and he aimed to become one.

After all the morning's hustle, An Qing finally got to rest.

Perilla helped her remove her hairpin and changed her into a comfortable robe. As she lay on the soft bed, her even breathing soon filled the room.

She slept soundly, unaware that the entire palace was discussing the new Fifth Lady Fu.

The rumors about the "Black Lady Fu" had spread widely, but when An Qing appeared in the palace this morning, they were dispelled, though still generating considerable buzz.

Moreover, the fact that Kangxi had bestowed a jade ruyi on An Qing became another major topic of discussion.

Some took it as idle chatter, while others were restless over it.

In the rear courtyard of Prince Yu's Palace, the Princess Consort asked, "Did the Emperor really give her a jade ruyi?" Her expression showed surprise as she stared at the kneeling young eunuch.

The eunuch replied, "Absolutely true. The news has spread throughout the palace. The Emperor is very pleased with this daughter-in-law."

The Emperor pleased with the Fifth Lady Fu? The Princess Consort felt uneasy.

What she feared most in this palace was not losing favor with the Prince, but losing her position as the Emperor's favorite daughter-in-law.

The palace was full of people ready to take advantage of any situation.

The Prince had never favored her, instead preferring the side consorts and princesses in the rear courtyard. When she first entered Yu's Palace, those who saw her lack of favor from the Prince didn't hesitate to cause trouble.

But after receiving praise from the Emperor several times, which brought honor to the Prince and Yu's Palace, the Prince began to treat her better.

Since then, the Princess Consort understood that she needed to be useful to the Prince to maintain her position.

But how could she be useful? Her father had passed away, and her brothers were not yet influential in the court. Currently, her only option was to establish a reputation for virtue within the palace and secure her place in the Emperor's heart.

Seeing her mistress's distress, the attendant palace maid waved for the eunuch to leave.

"Princess Consort, don't worry. The Emperor values the Fifth Lady Fu because of her family background. In his heart, she cannot surpass you."

The Princess Consort took a deep breath and said after a moment, "That's right. The Emperor always respects Mongolia. His favor towards her is undoubtedly due to her connection to Horqin."

Despite her words, the Princess Consort still felt uneasy.

No, she couldn't sit idly by. She needed to think of a plan.

Compared to the Princess Consort's unease over the jade ruyi, the Fifth Prince's rear courtyard was filled with anger over the debunking of the "Black Lady Fu" rumor.

Before An Qing arrived, the First Lady of the Fifth Prince's rear courtyard was Lady Liu, who had borne the Prince's eldest son, the only child in the courtyard.

With this unique status, she could walk with confidence in the courtyard.

"How fortunate for her," Lady Liu muttered, twisting her handkerchief in frustration to her chief palace maid Ruijuan.

She had fueled the "Black Lady Fu" rumors behind the scenes, only to see them backfire now.

How could she not be angry?

Hearing her mention this, Ruijuan paused in massaging Lady Liu's shoulders, her expression hesitant.

She had never approved of Lady Liu's actions. In the palace, nothing stays secret. Fortunately, during the Prince's investigation, they were not implicated.

"My Lady, Lady Fu comes from a noble background. It would be best to avoid her in the future," Ruijuan advised earnestly.

Avoid her? Lady Liu curled her lips, a hint of disdain in her eyes.

What good was noble birth? At home, her mother was a concubine but managed the household and received her father's favor, overshadowing the legitimate mother in every way.

Though she was a concubine's daughter, she had always dominated her legitimate sisters at home, proving that birth wasn't everything in the inner quarters.

Ruijuan, having served Lady Liu for so long, understood her thoughts but hesitated to voice them as a servant.

Lady Liu, before entering the palace, was merely the daughter of a local magistrate. How could she compare to those in the Forbidden City, where birth and status are paramount?

Lady Wu was born in Horqin, and as long as she doesn't commit any grave mistakes, neither the Emperor nor the Empress Dowager in the imperial harem would allow anyone in this household to surpass her.

Besides, there are few people as useless as her own mother.

Ruijuan sighed silently. She was by the side of the secondary consort, and only if the secondary consort thrived could she herself be well off.

She had intended to offer more advice, but the little prince inside suddenly woke up. With no choice, she could only look for another opportunity to advise later.

Chapter 8: The Fifth Lady 08

An Qing had a good sleep and felt refreshed when she woke up.

She was used to doing things at her own pace, and since there was no one else in the room, she didn't rush to comb her hair or change clothes. Instead, she continued to lounge on the soft couch in the side room, gazing out the window in a daze.

Outside the window of the side room was a small bamboo grove. Because it faced the sun, the bamboo grew lush and vibrant.

A gentle breeze blew, causing the deep green bamboo leaves to rustle softly.

She couldn't help but think about planting watermelons. Although it was a bit late, it was still feasible.

Earlier, she had asked Maid Wheatwinter to expose the watermelon seeds to the sun. Once Little Xizi brought back the flower pots and tools, they could start the seedlings.

While An Qing was resting, Chunxiao had already warmed up several ordinary pastries. Seeing that she had gotten up, Chunxiao brought in the tea along with the pastries.

She ate a few pieces of mung bean cakes and osmanthus cakes with the tea. Perhaps because she had just woken up, she wasn't very hungry.

"Lady, Concubine Liu Jiashi and the two Princesses have come to pay their respects," Maid Wheatwinter reported as she hurried in from outside.

An Qing was not surprised. "Please take them to the main hall. Perilla, help me wash up and get dressed."

Speaking of which, Yinqi's harem wasn't particularly complicated. There was currently one concubine and two Princesses, all of whom entered during the previous selection. Originally, there was another Princess, but she fell ill shortly after entering the harem and passed away.

Concubine Liu Jiashi was of Han Chinese descent, with her father serving as a county magistrate in Lingnan. She had one son, who was also Yinqi's eldest son, Hongsheng, who had just turned one year old.

The other two Princesses were both of Han Chinese descent. One was from the prominent Gūwalgiya clan, but her father held a low-ranking position, and the family lacked influential relatives. The other was Baijia Shi, whose father was also a county magistrate.

Among the three, Liu Jiashi was the most favored. It was said that shortly after giving birth, Yinqi had rushed to submit a petition for her promotion to concubine. It was unclear whether it was due to the child's status or her special favor.

Overall, the harem's personnel relationships were not complex, making it easier to manage.

When An Qing arrived, the three women had already been drinking tea in the main hall for some time.

Seeing the Lady approach, they immediately stood up respectfully.

"This servant greets the Lady."

An Qing raised her hand. "All rise."

Sitting at the head of the table, she could clearly see the three women below. The one closest to her was Concubine Liu Jiashi. Despite wearing Manchu attire, it was evident that she was not a Manchu woman; her demeanor exuded the delicate grace of a southern Chinese lady.

So this is the type Yinqi likes, hmm, quite a rare beauty indeed.

However, she preferred someone like Concubine Yi, who was bright and elegant. If asked who had better taste, An Qing might say that everyone has their preferences, but in her heart, she believed hers was superior.

As for the other two, she couldn't tell which was Baijia Shi and which was Gūwalgiya at first glance.

But it didn't matter. As they approached to offer tea, they introduced themselves.

The taller one was Gūwalgiya, and the round-faced one was Baijia Shi. Both were quite pretty.

On her first day as the new Lady, An Qing finally matched the faces with the names of her "colleagues."

Finally, Yinqi's only child, Hongsheng, came forward to greet her as his mother.

The little prince, chubby and unable to walk yet, was carried forward by his wet nurse to greet An Qing.

Up close, An Qing noticed that the child seemed frail. She wanted to ask the wet nurse a few questions, but Liu Jiashi looked as if she were facing an enemy, which made the situation rather dull.

Well, being the mother in name only, she didn't need to raise him herself.

However, seeing the child reminded her of her Third Elder Brother. Not long after her arranged marriage, her father had investigated Yinqi's situation.

When her Third Elder Brother learned that Yinqi had an eldest son, he felt sorry for her, insisting that his beloved sister shouldn't be raising someone else's child.

An Qing found this amusing and helpless. Why would she need to raise him when he already had a mother?

Concubines were listed in the imperial genealogy and could raise their own children.

But that suited her just fine. Raising children was a hassle, and even her own children would be a challenge, let alone someone else's.

Throughout the meeting, An Qing remained kind and gracious, presenting gifts to the three women and the little prince as a gesture of goodwill from the Lady.

Her personality was always like this. She believed in kindness and was willing to extend the first olive branch, but if the other party refused to accept it and caused trouble, she wouldn't be a pushover.

"Lady, these are the account books from our household. Please review them."

Concubine Liu Jiashi had a palace maid present a stack of account books. Previously, she had managed the household since there was no Lady. Now that the Lady had arrived, she naturally needed to hand over the management authority.

An Qing lightly acknowledged and gestured for Perilla to take the account books.

Concubine Liu Jiashi suddenly remembered something and nervously said, "Please forgive me, Lady. Since I grew up familiar with Chinese, although I am proficient in Manchu, I used more Chinese at home, so the account books are written in Chinese."

Everyone knew that Manchu nobles' children were required to learn Manchu, Mongolian, and Chinese from a young age. This was a mandatory part of their education.

In contrast, Mongolian nobles' children only learned Manchu and Mongolian, with limited proficiency in Chinese writing. This was true for the Empress Dowager and Mongolian concubines in the palace.

The room fell silent, and the two Princesses dared not breathe loudly.

It was clear to anyone with eyes that Concubine Liu Jiashi was challenging An Qing.

Or perhaps she was deliberately trying to provoke her.

Emperor Kangxi promoted Chinese studies, and those in the imperial harem who excelled in it often felt superior, believing it gave them an advantage over others.

"It was my oversight, Lady. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me," Concubine Liu Jiashi continued, holding her ground.

An Qing took a sip of tea and placed the cup back on the table. The crisp sound of the porcelain cup against the tabletop made everyone's hearts skip a beat.

"You have my thanks." She glanced at her indifferently and said calmly, "But it's better if such things don't happen."

Everyone couldn't help but pause, quickly understanding the implications of An Qing's words.

If anyone came back to her, it would mean there was an issue with the ledger, and they would be held accountable.

Liu Jiashi's expression stiffened involuntarily.

After An Qing's subtle warning, she didn't press further. Instead, she turned to inquire about Princesses Guerjia Shi and Baijia Shi.

She didn't ask anything important, mainly just making small talk—essentially showing some concern as the new leader of the household.

"I prefer quietness. If there's nothing urgent, you don't need to come every day for greetings. Just follow the rules and come on the first and fifteenth of each month."

The three women responded in unison.

At that moment, a commotion suddenly arose from the courtyard, drawing everyone's attention.

An Qing looked at Perilla.

Perilla nodded slightly. After going out briefly, she returned, saying, "Fujin, Master Yinqi sent you a few potted flowers."

An Qing was momentarily taken aback, not immediately reacting, but soon remembered last night's conversation.

Yinqi must have misunderstood her saying she liked planting things as liking flowers, so he sent a few pots today?

When they arrived at the courtyard, An Qing's eyes lit up upon seeing the two tomato plants.

She knew what to plant in those two small flower beds!

Tomatoes were introduced to China during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty but were long considered ornamental plants due to the belief that their bright fruits were poisonous. It is said that people only started eating them during the late Qianlong period.

Currently, tomatoes were popular in the palace for their vibrant color, still treated as ornamental plants.

To others, they were flowers; to An Qing, they were vegetables.

After leaving the main courtyard, Liu Jiashi and the two princesses headed straight to their respective quarters.

Compared to other brothers, Yinqi's household was indeed smaller and more spacious.

Apart from An Qing's main hall, Liu Jiashi lived in the eastern annex, while Princesses Guerjia Shi and Baijia Shi resided in the western annex.

The eastern and western annexes were not far apart.

Liu Jiashi walked ahead with a haughty demeanor, grinding her teeth at the sight of the potted plants Yinqi had sent.

Guerjia Shi and Baijia Shi followed behind, entering their quarters once they saw the other go in.

As soon as the door closed, Baijia Shi couldn't help but say, "What's so special about her? She just gave birth to a son for Master!"

Guerjia Shi patted her shoulder, signaling her to lower her voice.

After all, Liu Jiashi was a side consort, and they were merely princesses, unable to provoke her.

But giving birth to a son for Master was indeed significant. Otherwise, how could a daughter of a Han military officer be elevated to side consort before Fujin even entered the household?

Still, coming from a humble background, she had climbed too high too fast and forgotten her place, daring to openly challenge the new Fujin on her first day.

"Before, we feared her because there was no Fujin, and she managed the household. But now, Fujin isn't someone to be trifled with. Let's see how long she can keep this up!"

Baijia Shi had a fiery temper but cooled down quickly after venting, then went to her room with her personal maid.

Guerjia Shi, however, was more contemplative and couldn't help but think deeply.

Baijia Shi was right; Fujin seemed kind but wasn't someone to be underestimated.

Guerjia Shi and Liu Jiashi were selected together and entered the household together, so she understood her better than others and could see through her intentions.

Rumors had been circulating that the fifth prince's side consort Liu Jiashi was favored and had a son, making her a thorn in the new Fujin's side.

Earlier, Liu Jiashi clearly tried to provoke Fujin, hoping to be reprimanded or punished, thus confirming the rumors and labeling Fujin as jealous.

This way, she would gain an advantage both in the palace and with Master, and ideally create a rift between Fujin and Master.

But Fujin, despite her young age, remained calm and deftly gave Liu Jiashi a warning without getting angry.

From Guerjia Shi's perspective, Liu Jiashi's attempts to hit Fujin's weak spots seemed to fall flat.

Her composure was truly admirable, perhaps a testament to her upbringing.

In the main courtyard, Cui Liu was already fuming, having cursed Liu Jiashi countless times.

"Fujin, why aren't you angry?"

An Qing smiled and shrugged. What was there to be angry about?

These were just typical tactics used in the struggle for favor in the household. Her father also had concubines, and An Qing had seen plenty growing up.

They could fight among themselves; as the main wife, she would handle minor issues but wouldn't take them seriously unless they interfered with her.

In essence, the ladies in Yinqi's household were less interesting to her than these tomato plants, which were still called "Western tomatoes" in the palace.

According to Little Xizi, many masters in the palace enjoyed keeping a few pots indoors because the red fruits looked beautiful.

But to An Qing, taste was more important than looks.

Egg-fried tomatoes, here she comes!

Chapter 9: The Fifth Lady Fu Jin

The tomato is a nightshade plant with a robust root system. If you want it to bear good fruit later on, you must first ensure its roots grow strong and spread out.

However, when planted in pots, the growth of the roots is inevitably limited. Moreover, things in the palace are always about elegance and refinement; the pots for ornamental plants are naturally not very large, so they cannot compare to planting them directly in the ground.

The tomato plants Yinqi sent over were likely carefully cultivated in the flower house of Fengchen Garden. They looked very healthy, and now they were beginning to sprout true leaves. In a few days, they could be transplanted into the soil.

An Qing instructed someone to carefully move the pots to the corridor in front of the Xinnuan Pavilion. There was a young eunuch who had previously worked in the flower house of Fengchen Garden, so she temporarily assigned him to take care of them.

Seeing that there was nothing urgent in the afternoon, Perilla brought over the dowry list and began to reconcile it with An Qing.

The dowry was delivered the day before the wedding, along with the gifts from the imperial family. It filled an entire courtyard.

The dowry included clothes, jewelry, large chests, small items like candlesticks, handkerchiefs, and toiletries—everything one could possibly need.

In addition, there were silver and banknotes, as well as boxes of silver ingots and gold leaves for tipping.

To An Qing's surprise, there were also some estates and shops in Imperial City, which her parents had specially purchased after the imperial decree granting marriage. They even bought her a three-story mansion in the outer city.

When her mother showed her the dowry list, An Qing was stunned and even asked if they had emptied their family's coffers, causing her mother to laugh and cry at the same time.

An Qing vaguely knew that lavish dowries were common during the Qing dynasty, but she never expected it to be this much.

Of course, she wasn't foolish; she knew that such a generous dowry was due to her parents' love for her.

Now, all these items were piled up in the storeroom, needing to be sorted, organized, and recorded.

Standing at the door, An Qing realized it would be a massive undertaking, so she asked Perilla to call more people to help with the distribution of tasks.

Perilla, having been with An Qing for a long time and serving as her chief steward, was efficient and soon got everyone busy.

With all the commotion in the main hall, it was impossible for the side halls to remain unaware.

In the western side hall, Guanjia Shi and Baijia Shi both came out of their rooms upon hearing the noise.

"Is this the noise coming from Lady Fu Jin's courtyard? What are they doing?" Baijia Shi, supported by her personal palace maid, tilted her head to look towards the main hall.

Guanjia Shi pondered for a moment, "They must be sorting through the dowry."

Baijia Shi pouted, her words tinged with envy: "Yes, with so much dowry, they certainly have a lot to sort."

Unlike them, who entered the palace with only a small bundle, without any dowry or personal savings.

Guanjia Shi did not respond. Lady Fu Jin was the legitimate wife, married through proper channels, and thus was beyond comparison. This was fate, something one could not envy.

However, thinking back to the day when the dowry was carried in, the silk fabrics, fur coats, decorative items, and boxes full of jade, gold, and precious stones, many in the palace were envious and resentful.

It was said that the dowry was only slightly less than that of the Crown Princess, and more than the previous Lady Fu Jins. Each item was substantial, with no pretense.

Given her background, as the daughter of a Mongolian prince, it made sense for her dowry to be more lavish.

Moreover, since it was approved by the Emperor, others had no grounds for criticism.

"What's going on in that courtyard? Have you found out?"

In the eastern side hall, Consort Liu frowned, asking the kneeling eunuch below her.

The eunuch kept his head down, "My lady, I just went around the main courtyard but couldn't get close. However, from the sounds inside, they seem to be sorting things."

"Sorting things?" Consort Liu murmured, "What could they be sorting that makes such a racket? It sounds like the whole courtyard is involved."

The eunuch didn't know, so he kept his head down, not daring to answer.

Ruijuan happened to come in with tea, pausing for a moment with the tray in her hands.

She guessed what was happening but remembered how Consort Liu had thrown a tantrum when the dowry was brought in, so she decided not to touch the subject.

To avoid unnecessary trouble.

However, her silence didn't mean others wouldn't speak. The nanny beside her suddenly recalled something and said, "Could they be sorting the dowry? On the second day after a new bride enters, there's nothing else to do except sort the dowry."

Upon hearing this, Consort Liu's face darkened, and she picked up the teacup on the table and threw it at the eunuch.

The scalding tea splashed onto the eunuch's hand, making him shudder, but he bit his lip hard to keep from crying out.

A shadow passed over Ruijuan's eyes, but she still advised, "My lady, please calm down. Don't harm your health."

She waved her hand, signaling the eunuch to leave.

The eunuch understood and quickly retreated, giving Ruijuan a grateful glance before leaving.

The nanny saw everything and pouted, thinking she was good at winning hearts.

Ruijuan ignored the nanny and continued patiently, "My lady, you know that the master values rules. If he finds out you're throwing a tantrum in the courtyard, he'll think you're being disrespectful to Lady Fu Jin, which won't be good for you or Little Prince."

She added, "Think about what happened to Princess Qian."

At the mention of Princess Qian, Consort Liu's expression stiffened, showing signs of softening.

Ruijuan felt relieved; it was good that she listened.

As for why mentioning Princess Qian could make Consort Liu cautious, there was indeed a reason.

Princess Qian was part of the same batch of ladies-in-waiting as Baijia Shi, and they came to the inner court together.

Initially, Princess Qian, feeling favored, became increasingly arrogant. Concubine Yi learned of this and sent a palace maid to admonish her, but instead of reining herself in, Princess Qian threw a tantrum after the palace maid left.

After the master learned of this matter, he flew into a great rage and immediately placed Princess Qian under house arrest, accusing her of disrespecting her elders and lacking proper conduct. From that day on, he never visited her chambers again.

During her confinement, Princess Qian fell seriously ill and eventually succumbed to her illness, passing away in despair.

Nurse Zhao was unaware of the details but saw that Concubine Liu was taking Ruijuan's advice so seriously. She was not pleased.

"Ruijuan, what are you saying? Our master and our little prince are not like anyone else. Our little prince is the master's only child, and our mistress is a side consort listed in the Jade Butterfly."

Ruijuan glanced at Nurse Zhao but said nothing.

In the end, even a side consort listed in the Jade Butterfly was still a concubine, how could she ever surpass the main consort?

But Nurse Zhao clearly lacked this understanding and continued proudly, "The master's feelings for our mistress are incomparable to those trivial people. Otherwise, he wouldn't have hurriedly bestowed the title of side consort before the main consort entered the household. In essence, it was to prevent our mistress from being wronged after the main consort arrived."

She then looked at Concubine Liu with a sense of pride.

Concubine Liu seemed quite pleased and unconsciously smiled.

"Also, Ruijuan, I must say, your words just now seemed to be for our mistress's benefit, but every word was undermining our mistress to elevate the main consort. One might think the main consort is your true mistress," Nurse Zhao said sarcastically.

Ruijuan felt a chill and quickly knelt down to apologize, "Mistress, please understand, this servant did not mean to. I was only thinking of our mistress's well-being."

Concubine Liu did not believe Ruijuan would betray her. After all, the main consort had only been here for a day; even if Ruijuan wanted to betray her, she wouldn't know where to start.

She glared at Nurse Zhao, signaling her to stop.

Nurse Zhao took the hint and closed her mouth.

Although Concubine Liu did not believe Nurse Zhao's insinuations, she did not want to hear Ruijuan's discouraging words either. So, she sent her to watch over the little prince next door.

A hint of satisfaction flashed across Nurse Zhao's eyes. The young girl thought she could compete with her, but she was the mistress's wet nurse who had raised her since childhood. She knew her temper and ambitions well.

Ruijuan had no choice but to leave, but before doing so, she cast a worried glance at the two inside.

She was Concubine Liu's trusted palace maid, having served her since she was still a princess. Concubine Liu had always relied heavily on her and listened to her advice.

But everything changed when Nurse Zhao arrived.

Nurse Zhao was Concubine Liu's wet nurse. Normally, based on Concubine Liu's status, she couldn't bring anyone in, but because her health deteriorated after giving birth to the little prince, the master specially sought permission from Concubine Yi to allow her to bring Nurse Zhao in to serve her.

However, since Nurse Zhao's arrival, Concubine Liu's personality had become increasingly erratic, and her ambitions grew larger.

Whenever Ruijuan tried to offer advice, Nurse Zhao would interfere, often bringing up their old ways from their home in Lingnan.

Before going to pay respects to the main consort today, Ruijuan finally found an opportunity to give some advice, but Nurse Zhao interrupted her, keeping Concubine Liu in the room for a long time, likely plotting something.

In the end, Concubine Liu did not take Ruijuan along to pay respects to the main consort but instead brought Nurse Zhao.

Ruijuan sighed silently, wondering if anything had gone wrong at the main consort's residence.

As soon as the door closed, Concubine Liu scolded Nurse Zhao, telling her not to antagonize Ruijuan, as she had few reliable people in the palace.

Nurse Zhao did not argue but agreed, "I just feel that girl is too inexperienced. She doesn't understand the complexities of the household and only knows to advise you to yield. But without striving, how can one achieve anything?"

"Forget others; look at our aunt. If she hadn't strived, how could she and Auntie Xiu enjoy their status at home?"

Concubine Liu's face softened when Nurse Zhao mentioned her mother and called her by her childhood name.

Deep down, she agreed with these words.

"But the girl is right about one thing: don't lose your temper here. It's not worth upsetting the master."

Concubine Liu knew this, but the memory of the lavish dowry being carried in on her wedding day still bothered her.

Once, back at home, her aunt had a falling out with her stepmother, who berated them, saying they were destined to be concubines and would never experience the honor of a proper marriage.

Those words had stuck with her for years.

Even after entering the palace and becoming a princess consort, she secretly believed that being a concubine to royalty was better than being a wife in a small household.

But seeing the main consort's dowry enter the household made her truly understand the meaning of her stepmother's words.

Nurse Zhao patted her hand and continued, "Think long-term. Focus on securing the master's favor. He is a prince, and will be a prince regent someday. No matter how grand the main consort's dowry, it cannot compare to the wealth of the future royal estate. Once our little prince inherits the title, all of this will belong to you and him..."

Chapter 10: The Fifth Lady

Following the customs, on the second day of their marriage, Yinqi was supposed to have dinner and spend the night in An Qing's courtyard, where she resided as the main consort.

When he arrived, An Qing was instructing someone to fetch food from the imperial kitchen. At noon, when she dined alone, she kept it low-key, but now that Yinqi was there, she could be more extravagant.

Don't ask why; if you do, just say our master wants to eat!

Of course, using his name, she didn't forget to ask Yinqi for his opinion.

Yinqi had always been casual about food and didn't think much of it, so he casually replied, "Arrange whatever you like."

An Qing silently glanced at him, feeling a mix of emotions.

In another life, such an answer might have sparked a family dispute. She vividly remembered a PhD student who once lamented in the experimental field because his girlfriend was upset with him. The reason? When they went out to eat, she asked what he wanted, and he replied, "Anything." His girlfriend then got inexplicably angry, saying he was being dismissive and should just say if he didn't want to dine with her.

His words resonated with several other students present, all of whom had experienced similar situations and felt wronged.

Eventually, a senior female student intervened, explaining to the clueless men that women asking for opinions genuinely seek input, not a dismissal. Throwing the question back would naturally upset anyone.

However, An Qing was different. She was merely being polite and, seeing his response, proceeded without hesitation.

Their relationship was far simpler than that of a boyfriend and girlfriend, so there were no hidden complexities.

A palace maid brought hot water and a towel. After Yinqi washed his hands, he sat down on a couch in the side room.

The imperial kitchen, responsible for the entire prince's residence, needed time to prepare the meal. After An Qing made the necessary arrangements, she sat down on the other side of the couch.

There was a small table between them.

Noticing a hint of fatigue in her eyes, Yinqi showed concern, "Did you rest during the afternoon?"

An Qing paused, wondering why he suddenly asked, but answered truthfully, "I rested a bit, but I had things to do in the afternoon, so I didn't sleep too long."

Yinqi nodded slightly, acknowledging her response, and then fell silent.

Although they had shared a bed last night, their relationship was still unfamiliar. They had only known each other for two days, making the silence somewhat awkward.

But both last night and today, An Qing sensed that Yinqi was considerate. Whenever they were alone, he seemed eager to prevent her from feeling neglected, often initiating conversation.

He wasn't particularly articulate, and his topics usually revolved around basic inquiries like "Have you eaten?" or "Are you comfortable?" These conversations were brief and straightforward, much like this one.

An Qing, recognizing his efforts, took the initiative to lighten the mood by sharing her activities from the afternoon, mentioning meeting the servants in her courtyard and expressing gratitude for the people he had chosen for her. She also recounted Liu Jiashi and others coming to pay their respects, chatting away amiably.

This was partly to enliven the atmosphere and partly to report on her duties, given her position as the main consort.

Reporting effectively required tact, emphasizing her management skills and her graciousness towards his concubines. This was a delicate art, requiring subtlety.

Additionally, she aimed to please him by praising his son and favored concubine, Liu Jiashi, along with the two princesses, Guoerjiashi and Baijia Shi, but in a genuine manner.

For example—

"The little prince is adorable, with features resembling yours."

"Liu Jiashi is talented in music, calligraphy, painting, and chess—a truly remarkable woman."

"I never knew Guoerjiashi was so skilled in embroidery. The handkerchief she gave me has a lively magpie design."

"Baijia Shi is lively and witty, with a sharp tongue and a humorous demeanor—a rare gem."

"..."

An Qing believed she did well, touching on topics dear to Yinqi's heart, highlighting harmony among the household, which anyone would appreciate.

Yinqi, watching the animated young lady before him, couldn't help but smile.

While he had no clear memory of Baijia Shi being a "rare gem," An Qing's descriptions of everyone were vivid and engaging.

Especially when she spoke, despite her formal demeanor, she lacked the oppressive restraint common among palace ladies. Her every gesture exuded vitality and charm, making him feel uplifted.

Perhaps this was the unique spirit of a grassland girl.

Perhaps Empress Dowager and Lady Xianfu were once like this, but years in the palace had dulled their spirits.

Yet... Yinqi looked at An Qing, seemingly pondering something, and blurted out, "Do you really find Liu Jiashi impressive?"

An Qing was taken aback, becoming alert. Had her efforts not reassured him?

She chose her words carefully, "Of course, she can recite poetry effortlessly and is proficient in various arts. Such talents are rare."

From their brief afternoon together, Liu Jiashi's solid literary skills were evident, though she did tend to show off.

Seeing her sincere expression, Yinqi pondered for a moment and then asked, "Do you... envy her?"

An Qing blinked, surprised.

Good grief, he seemed intent on probing further.

"Admiration, yes, but envy, not really," she replied honestly.

Yinqi frowned, puzzled, "Why not?"

An Qing shrugged. She knew herself all too well—she was a science student in her past life and simply couldn't learn those poems and literary arts; she had no envy for such things. Every profession has its champions, and she was confident in her own expertise.

"People have their strengths. Why should I compare my weaknesses with others' strengths? Isn't that just seeking trouble? As long as I don't compete with them, it's fine."

Moreover, everyone has their way of living. She could acknowledge and appreciate others' excellence while recognizing her own merits; there was no conflict.

Yinqi seemed to ponder something deeply after hearing this. He lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable.

An Qing was puzzled. She carefully recalled what she had said but found nothing wrong with it.

"What if someone else wants you to compete?" Yinqi's gaze was distant, his dark eyes thoughtful.

An Qing paused, pondered for a moment, and suddenly understood something.

His words were not directed at her but rather at himself. The "someone else" was likely Kangxi, and the competition was naturally with his brothers.

Sigh. This young man before her was only seventeen or eighteen, the age of a high school student in modern times. His character and depth hadn't fully developed yet. Facing so many excellent brothers and a father like Kangxi, it was normal for him to feel lost and uncertain.

An Qing understood this but kept her expression neutral. A crucial aspect of interpersonal relationships is that when someone doesn't want you to see through them, you must pretend to be oblivious.

"Sir, do you want me to compete with Lady Liu?" she asked, feigning confusion. "Do you want me to learn those musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and poetry?"

Yinqi was taken aback and quickly explained, "No, you're perfect as you are. You don't need to learn these." There was no need to compete with anyone.

An Qing pretended to breathe a sigh of relief, her face breaking into a smile, as if she had been pardoned from a great crime.

Seeing her reaction, Yinqi's lips curved slightly. It seemed she genuinely disliked these things.

Actually, he didn't like them much either, but sometimes he had to pretend to enjoy them.

"So, it's clearly the person making the demands who is wrong," An Qing declared firmly.

Yinqi looked at her with surprise, repeating softly, "The person making the demands is wrong?"

An Qing nodded vigorously, affirming her stance.

Yinqi pondered for a while, his expression changing several times, but his brows remained slightly furrowed.

Considering they would be spending a lot of time together, An Qing decided to play the role of a caring elder sister.

"When I was little, my mother forced me to learn music. It was painful, and my father, seeing my suffering, stopped me from learning. So, I didn't persist."

"Do you regret it now?" Yinqi asked.

She clearly admired these skills, yet didn't seem to dislike them. If she had persisted, she might have achieved something.

An Qing understood his concern but honestly felt no regret.

She was always practical. Whatever she learned had to be useful to her. Since music, chess, calligraphy, and poetry weren't useful to her and she didn't enjoy them, why waste time and effort?

"No, I find others' skills impressive, but I don't enjoy learning them myself. Besides, while others were locked up studying, I was riding horses and catching rabbits on the grasslands, having a blast."

After saying this, An Qing chuckled, looking carefree: "There's gain and loss. It's unreasonable to have everything good."

There's gain and loss. Yinqi mulled over these words in his heart.

Others said he was held back by growing up with the Empress Dowager, but only Yinqi knew how happy his childhood was.

He envied his brothers for receiving praise from their father, but his brothers also envied him for the Empress Dowager's favor.

Yes, there's gain and loss. A hint of relief flashed in Yinqi's eyes.

Or perhaps, there's loss and gain.

After a while, the eunuch returned with the food.

For dinner, the Imperial Kitchen prepared hot pot. Before fetching the meal, the eunuch had confirmed the details and reported back. An Qing thought it wasn't too hot, so hot pot was appropriate, and she instructed them to bring it.

In the palace, meals follow strict rules—always served in pairs, never singles. Two types of hot pots were brought: Eight Treasure Milk Pig Hot Pot and Gold and Silver Duck Hot Pot.

Additionally, there were four large bowls, four small bowls, six plates, and two platters, filling the table completely.

The kitchen provided several dipping sauces, but An Qing had her unique recipe.

Chunxiao, knowing An Qing's preferences, had specially prepared a few dishes of her favorite sauce when fetching the meal.

Seeing the familiar soul-dipping sauce, An Qing's eyes lit up. This sesame oil dipping sauce recipe was shared by a senior in her past life, and she fell in love with it instantly, becoming her exclusive favorite.

Ideally, a spoonful of garlic paste would complete it, but glancing at Yinqi, she decided against it. Though she didn't seek favor, she didn't want to disgust him during their honeymoon period.

An Qing usually ate without many formalities, disliking being served. She preferred to serve herself. Having someone constantly serving her made her uncomfortable.

Yinqi, accustomed to royal etiquette, still knew that Mongolians didn't follow such strict rules, so he was quite relaxed.

An Qing picked a piece of cooked lamb from the boiling pot, dipped it in the sauce, and savored it.

Yinqi watched curiously, tried it, and found it surprisingly delicious. He promptly abandoned the kitchen's sauces.

Watching this, An Qing felt secretly pleased. Not bad, he has taste.

After the meal, Perilla led the servants to clear the table, following the custom of taking the untouched dishes for themselves.

In ancient times, there were no evening activities, so after eating, it was time to wash up and sleep.

An Qing usually paid attention to health. Washing immediately after eating could affect digestion, so she walked around the room for nearly half an hour before bathing.

When she emerged from the bathhouse, Yinqi was engrossed in a book at his desk, completely oblivious to her entrance.

An Qing didn't disturb him and tiptoed over to the soft couch. She slipped off her shoes and climbed up.

It was late at night, and she had no idea what to do. Eventually, she sat there, bored, gazing at the flickering candle on the low table, lost in thought.

Yinqi looked up and saw this scene: the girl in a moonlight-white silk underdress, her legs curled up to her chest, her long hair casually draped down, her features delicate and her lips rosy.

However, her large almond eyes suddenly started to droop, fighting to stay open as sleepiness took hold.

Without hesitation, Yinqi put down his book and got up to approach her.

Hearing the movement, An Qing snapped back to reality, turning her head to look up at him, her eyes still slightly dazed.

"Tired?" Yinqi asked.

An Qing blinked. "A little."

Yinqi nodded slightly. "Alright, let's get settled then."

With that, he walked into the side room, leaving An Qing alone. After about half a minute of staring blankly, she came to a realization.

Well, settling down is settling down. At least he's good at it, so I won't be losing out.

She murmured to herself about the marital obligations in the modern marriage law and slowly climbed onto the bed.

However, things did not go as An Qing had expected. After waiting anxiously, Yinqi announced that he understood her being new to such matters and decided they would sleep without any intimacy tonight.

But it was still early, and the long night ahead needed something to pass the time. After some consideration, they decided that chatting while covered in blankets was the best option.

They chatted intermittently, and after an unknown amount of time, An Qing's eyelids started drooping again.

"Those rows of flower pots in front of the west warm pavilion, what are they for?" Yinqi suddenly asked.

Earlier, when he arrived, he saw them from a distance in the courtyard—there were about twenty empty pots lined up.

An Qing suddenly became alert. Right, there was something she had forgotten!

Although the area was secluded, she should have informed Yinqi, since it was his backyard.

She turned to look at him, pondering for a moment before revealing her plan to plant melons.

Yinqi was taken aback. "You want to plant watermelons in the courtyard?"

An Qing nodded vigorously, her eyes pleading. "Can I?"

She added, "Don't worry, that spot is very secluded; no one usually goes there. It would be a waste to leave it empty."

Seeing her earnest expression, Yinqi's heart softened.

Growing fruits wasn't explicitly forbidden in the palace. Besides, it was just within their own courtyard, and it wouldn't bother anyone else if they were careful.

"So, you said you like planting things, but not flowers?" He wondered why he had sent her several potted plants earlier.

An Qing, adept at reading the situation, quickly denied it. "Of course not. I plant everything, including flowers."

Yinqi nodded. So, she liked planting all kinds of things.

He didn't think much of it, assuming she was simply looking for entertainment in the palace.

Just like many ladies in Imperial City who went on outings or fished by the lake, it was a rural pastime to pass the time.

After all, a princess from a noble family wouldn't really work in the fields.

"It's fine, but... do you know how to plant them?" Yinqi asked.

Even if it was just for fun, having a successful harvest would make it more enjoyable. Otherwise, it might end up disappointing.

An Qing chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Underestimating me, aren't you? Just wait and see. When the watermelons ripen, I'll save the sweetest one for you!"

She couldn't resist throwing in a compliment while making a bold claim. That was so like her!

Still, who knew which one would be the sweetest among a bunch of watermelons.

But that didn't stop An Qing from painting a grand picture for Yinqi.

She hadn't expected him to be so agreeable, thinking she'd need to persuade him. Now, she felt even more indebted to him and appreciated his understanding.

Yinqi couldn't help but smile at her proud expression. "Alright, I'll look forward to it."

He was still puzzled about the purpose of those flower pots under the pavilion.

"For seedlings," An Qing replied matter-of-factly.

Yinqi raised an eyebrow. "Seedlings?"

Planting things directly in the soil was common, but he had never heard of growing seedlings first.

An Qing nodded emphatically. "Yes, grow the seedlings in the pots first, then transplant them into the soil. This increases the survival rate and yields better results."

Yinqi was surprised. "There's so much to it?"

"Of course! You think planting is that simple? There's a lot to learn," An Qing said, tilting her chin up, as if planting was a sophisticated skill.

Seeing his interest, An Qing became excited and sat cross-legged on the bed, explaining the basics of growing seedlings and their benefits.

"Let me tell you, growing watermelon seedlings sounds simple, but it can be tricky. First, soak the seeds overnight, then bury them in the pots, one or two per pot, not too deep—about the length of a finger. Cover them with soil, press it down, and water them thoroughly."

"Oh, right, the soil in the pots also matters. It needs to be special growing soil. Getting the right soil isn't difficult..."

When it comes to her field of expertise, An Qing is incredibly confident, glowing with assurance.

Seeing how convincingly she spoke, Yinqi couldn't help but become intrigued and insisted on seeing it for himself. An Qing readily agreed and invited him to join her the next day.

After all, the joy of farming is better shared than enjoyed alone.

Moreover, An Qing had her own ulterior motives—perhaps she could tap into Yinqi's potential interest in farming. If he truly took an interest, it would make things much easier for her in the future.