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

by Usui Takumii

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

3. 21 to 30

Chapter 21: The Fifth Consort

An Qing, carrying the two pots of Jian orchids, paraded back to the princes' quarters from Ningshou Palace, where many people saw her. The Empress Dowager's goal was clearly achieved.

But after returning, she couldn't help but think about the peony she had seen in the Empress Dowager's greenhouse.

Cui Liu dismissed it, saying, "My lady, if you like peonies, I can go to the greenhouse this afternoon and get a few pots for you."

Seeing that Cui Liu misunderstood, An Qing waved her hand with a smile. "No need. I just noticed that the peony looked sick. I wonder if it can be saved."

Her knowledge of plants was limited to general botanical studies; she wasn't particularly fond of flowers. There was no question of liking or disliking them.

However, in her previous life, although her main focus was on crop research, she had also studied horticulture for a while. She could tell that the peony in the Empress Dowager's palace was extraordinary, not something Cui Liu could easily replace from the greenhouse.

Cui Liu exclaimed, "Sick? But it looked fine to me. Where did you see any signs of illness?"

An Qing smiled and replied, "You were standing farther away, so it's normal that you didn't notice. The stem and leaves had brown and purplish-brown spots."

If she hadn't been mistaken, the peony was suffering from gray mold.

In modern times, gray mold is one of the most common diseases affecting peonies. When infected, the base of the stem turns brown and rots, while the tips and edges of the leaves show water-soaked lesions, with gray mold growing on the spots. The petioles and stems turn dark green and water-soaked when infected, and petals turn brown and rot, producing gray mold.

The peony in the Empress Dowager's palace seemed quite ill, with the gray mold spreading from the base of the stem to the leaves. It had likely been sick for some time.

She wondered if the gardeners at Ningshou Palace could still save it.

Although she only glanced at it briefly, An Qing recognized it as the rare Yanyang Hudie peony, one of the three most exceptional peonies. It was a highly prized flower, often presented as tribute to the imperial family during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with great artistic value.

The peony in the Empress Dowager's palace was even more special. Unlike ordinary Yanyang Hudie peonies, its petals had a golden edge, making it look stunning.

It hadn't yet reached full bloom, so it would be a shame if it couldn't be saved.

Just as An Qing was lost in thought, there was a commotion outside, and Perilla hurriedly entered.

"My lady, Wu Lan from the Empress Dowager's palace is here."

An Qing was taken aback. She had just returned from the Empress Dowager's palace. Why was Wu Lan here now?

Without delay, she went out to greet her. Wu Lan was smiling warmly at her.

"Old nanny, why are you here?" An Qing asked. "Does the Empress Dowager have another order?"

Wu Lan shook her head and stepped aside, revealing a small palace maid holding the Yanyang Hudie peony.

"There's no need to worry, Fifth Consort. The Empress Dowager heard that you were interested in this peony in the greenhouse, so she sent it to you."

An Qing hastily waved her hands in protest. "That won't do. How can I take what the Empress Dowager loves? Please take it back, or I'll be considered disrespectful."

Wu Lan explained simply, "Fifth Consort, don't refuse. This peony is indeed rare, but it may not survive much longer. The Empress Dowager wants you to enjoy it while it lasts."

With that, Wu Lan signaled the palace maid to hand the peony to Perilla and then left.

An Qing stared at the peony in Perilla's hands, feeling bewildered.

She didn't know what to say. Kangxi had given it to the Empress Dowager, who then gave it to her. She felt honored and surprised.

She couldn't help but marvel again at how fortunate Yinqi was to have such a caring grandmother, extending her affection even to his consort.

Perilla carefully placed the peony on a table inside, and Cui Liu and Chunxiao gathered around, chattering excitedly about it.

An Qing couldn't resist joining them. Indeed, the Yanyang Hudie peony was impressive. Its petals were large, with colors transitioning from deep to light, making it a rare sight both in ancient and modern times.

Unfortunately, it was sick, and it was uncertain if it could be saved. What a pity.

She wondered how the palace gardeners could let it get so sick.

But then she understood. In the palace, flowers were usually cared for preventively from seedling stage, ensuring high survival rates before being presented to the nobles. If they fell ill, they were often discarded.

This peony, being a tribute, might not have received the same level of preventive care, leading to its current state.

Everyone was engrossed, except for Mai Dong, who scratched her head and muttered, "What's so special about it? It doesn't seem that interesting to me."

As a healer, she saw plants in two categories: those that could be used for medicine and those that couldn't. Aesthetic value was irrelevant to her.

While peonies could be medicinal, this particular Yanyang Hudie peony, despite its high aesthetic value, was far less valuable medicinally than the best medicinal peony, Chuan peony. Moreover, since it was sick, it couldn't even be used for medicine, rendering it worthless.

Cui Liu glanced at Mai Dong, exasperated. "If you don't understand, keep quiet."

Regardless of whether the peony was precious or not, its origin alone made it significant. It was a gift from Kangxi to the Empress Dowager, who then gave it to their mistress. No one dared to criticize it.

Mai Dong realized her mistake and quickly covered her mouth, signaling she would remain silent.

They turned their attention back to the peony.

"My lady, can you save it?" Cui Liu asked hopefully.

They had previously seen their mistress cure many crops affected by pests and diseases in Horqin, so Cui Liu and the others instinctively believed An Qing would have a solution.

But An Qing shook her head and honestly replied, "I'm not sure yet."

Gray mold on peonies is a common disease in modern times. Typically, it's treated with 1% lime equivalent Bordeaux mixture or 70% thiophanate-methyl at a 1000-fold dilution, sprayed directly onto the plants.

But where could they find such chemical pesticides now? After all, according to the history of pesticides, there were two eras: before the 1940s, when natural substances and inorganic compounds were primarily used, and after the 1940s, when the era of chemical pesticides began.

So, not only in Great Qing but even globally, chemical pesticides hadn't been invented yet.

However, she could try using traditional methods.

"Chunxiao, go find some garlic for me," An Qing instructed Chunxiao, then turned to Perilla, "Get me some of that coarse cloth I used to filter the juice earlier; I'll need it soon."

The two hurriedly complied and returned shortly with the items.

An Qing then asked Maidenhair to fetch a mortar and pestle, crushed the garlic in it, added water in a 1:1 ratio, stirred it well, filtered the juice through the coarse cloth, diluted the juice with water in a 1:3 ratio, and carefully sprayed it onto the diseased areas of the peony.

"Done." An Qing clapped her hands and pointed to the pile of tools nearby. "Put these away; we'll need them a few more times."

A look of disbelief flashed across Perilla and the others' faces. Although they had seen An Qing perform similar tasks before, they still found it incredible.

Ordinary things like garlic and common medicinal herbs could be used to treat crop diseases once in the hands of their mistress, almost like magic.

"Will this save it?"

An Qing shrugged and replied, "We can't be sure if it will work, but it's our only option. We'll just have to wait and see."

If they had used this method as soon as they noticed the problem, it would likely have worked, but now it was too late.

An Qing didn't entrust the peony to the little eunuch responsible for the garden but placed it on the windowsill of the side room herself, intending to monitor its condition closely.

Today was only the first application; further treatments would depend on the situation. Though the method seemed simple, the technique and dosage required precision, which others might not handle well.

Garlic contains allicin and various allyl and propyl compounds. Despite its pungent taste, it has disinfectant and antibacterial properties. However, if mishandled, it could also harm the plant itself, making it safer for her to do it personally.

After all, this peony couldn't withstand any more damage.

After the midday rest, An Qing felt refreshed and enthusiastically led Perilla to the storeroom to pick out a gift for her beautiful mother-in-law.

"Perilla, get the jade roller that Mother prepared for me."

This jade roller, also known as a jade roller, was an excellent beauty tool for ancient women.

The one An Qing intended to give Concubine Yi was made from high-quality green jade. Using it to massage the face could improve blood circulation, refine the skin, and reportedly even help with acne and itching, though whether it truly worked was uncertain.

Perilla easily found the box containing the jade roller on a shelf.

As An Qing took the box, she thought of her mother. This gift was something her mother had prepared for her.

Her mother had heard that Concubine Yi was highly favored and feared she might be difficult to deal with. So, she meticulously prepared a gift, suggesting An Qing should present it to gain her mother-in-law's favor.

Now it would finally be put to use. If her mother knew how reasonable Concubine Yi was, she would be relieved.

Well, she'd write to her parents tonight.

When An Qing arrived at Yikun Palace, Concubine Yi had just finished her midday rest and was leaning against the window in the east warm pavilion, lost in thought.

"Mama!"

An Qing stood in the courtyard of Yikun Palace and waved to Concubine Yi, who was standing by the window.

Concubine Yi saw An Qing, paused for a moment, and quickly retreated into the room.

She moved so fast that An Qing barely had time to react. What was going on?

Yesterday everything seemed fine. Could Concubine Yi now be upset about the rumors?

Hmm... Would she still be able to give her the thank-you gift today?

Xizhu emerged from the room, and An Qing hesitantly asked, "Mama, what happened? Did I do something to upset her?"

Xizhu hurriedly explained, "Fifth Princess Consort, what are you saying? How could Her Highness be upset with you? She just woke up from her nap and hasn't washed up yet, so it's not appropriate for her to see anyone."

Hearing this, An Qing relaxed. As long as Concubine Yi wasn't upset with her, it was fine.

Thinking back to Concubine Yi's unadorned appearance, she marveled inwardly. Truly, a beauty remains a beauty no matter what.

"How about I help Mama get dressed?" she suggested tentatively.

It would be a perfect opportunity to present the jade roller while Concubine Yi was getting ready.

Xizhu thought Concubine Yi was trying to avoid An Qing and said, "There are plenty of servants here. We wouldn't dare trouble Fifth Princess Consort. It's quite hot outside; please come inside for some tea and refreshments. Her Highness will be ready soon."

With that, she gestured to a palace maid to lead An Qing inside.

An Qing reluctantly followed the palace maid into the main hall. About half an hour later, Concubine Yi finally arrived.

Perhaps due to the rush, her attire was simpler than usual, adorned only with a jade hairpin.

The two sat on either side of the large bed, and a palace maid swiftly served fresh tea and snacks.

"Why did you come today?" Concubine Yi sipped her tea and asked, "Is there something you need?"

An Qing went straight to the point, "I came to thank Mama for supporting me yesterday."

She then handed over the gift she had prepared.

Concubine Yi was taken aback. She knew about Yinqi's handling of Liu Jiashi yesterday and had anticipated that An Qing would realize she had dealt with the palace rumors. However, she hadn't expected An Qing to send her a gift.

She looked down at the jade roller in the wooden box, her eyes lighting up. This piece of green jade was clearly extraordinary; even in the palace, such quality was rare.

As good as the gift was, she couldn't accept it. After all, she was the elder; it wouldn't be right to receive gifts from the younger generation. People might think she was greedy for her daughter-in-law's things.

"It's not a big deal, there's no need for a gift. Take it back. I don't lack anything, and if others find out, they'll laugh," Concubine Yi said.

If someone else heard this, they might misinterpret it as disdain, but An Qing didn't. In fact, she found Concubine Yi somewhat endearing.

Over these days, An Qing had realized that Concubine Yi was just a tough-talking but kind-hearted person. Despite appearing aloof, she wasn't hard to get along with.

To put it bluntly, she was just a bit proud.

And the best way to handle pride was straightforwardness!

"Mother certainly doesn't lack anything, but I can't take this gift back. Otherwise, my mother would scold me," An Qing blinked, looking pitiful.

Concubine Yi frowned, puzzled. "What does your mother have to do with this?"

An Qing chuckled, seemingly carefree. "My mother told me to win your favor. She prepared this gift for me when we were in Horqin, saying I should find an opportunity to give it to you."

Concubine Yi stared at her, disbelief flashing in her eyes.

This girl must be simple-minded, spilling everything like this.

Her mother probably never imagined she'd reveal everything so easily.

"Don't worry, my mother won't mind. If she knew I had a beautiful and kind mother-in-law like you, she'd be overjoyed."

An Qing was used to cajoling her parents, and now she could charm anyone without even trying.

Concubine Yi, who had no daughters, was caught off guard by this sugar-coated approach and felt a bit dizzy.

This child is really not subtle, saying everything so openly... beautiful and kind...

Fine, she's at least honest.

Seeing this, An Qing pressed on. "Mother, please accept it. It's a token of respect from your daughter-in-law. Who would dare say anything?"

She paused, then straightened her back. "But even if they do, so what..."

"So what?" Concubine Yi asked.

An Qing winked playfully. "So what? We can talk behind their backs too, and we won't lose out."

Concubine Yi laughed, pointing at An Qing, speechless.

Such a hopeless one.

But thinking about it, it made sense.

With summer solstice approaching, the weather grew hotter each day. The wind-blocking curtains were replaced with cool summer curtains.

The ice container An Qing had retrieved finally came into use. She always feared the heat, so she arranged for a cool mat, a banana leaf fan, and a silk quilt.

If it weren't for Mai Dong's constant vigilance, she would have asked Chunxiao to make her iced desserts three times a day.

"Lady, please get up and wash. Princesses Guojia and Baijia will be here soon," Perilla said, entering the room and seeing An Qing still lounging on the cool mat.

With the heat, An Qing became increasingly lazy, staying indoors all day to avoid sweating. But today was the fifteenth, the monthly visit to pay respects to An Qing as the Lady.

An Qing responded weakly, struggling to get up but failing several times.

Perilla, seeing this, both exasperated and amused, helped her up.

By the time Guojia and Baijia arrived, An Qing had managed to get ready and entered the main hall.

Guojia and Baijia stood up to greet her. "We, Guojia/Baijia, pay our respects to Lady An Qing. May you have good fortune."

An Qing waved them to sit. They complied and took their seats.

Next, the wet nurse brought in the little prince to greet An Qing.

Since Liu Jiashi was confined to her quarters, Hongsheng and his attendants moved to the front courtyard. His daily needs were cared for by Yinqi's people, except for the visits on the first and fifteenth of every month.

Without Liu Jiashi watching, An Qing was more willing to interact with the chubby little boy, fulfilling her role as his mother.

She asked about his diet and sleep, ensuring he was comfortable.

The wet nurse, perhaps instructed beforehand, showed no hesitation, stopping beside An Qing and encouraging the child to respond.

Indeed, Hongsheng was a delightful child. When An Qing played with him, he giggled, filling the room with joy.

Everyone present, whether master or servant, smiled warmly.

Guojia and Baijia, sitting nearby, also joined in, and Hongsheng happily engaged with everyone, making it hard not to adore him.

Surprisingly, the child seemed particularly fond of Guojia, refusing to leave her lap even when the wet nurse tried to take him away.

"How strange, why won't he leave your arms?" An Qing marveled.

Just now, both she and Baijia Shi had also held him, but they hadn't seen him react like this.

Liu Jiashi smiled and explained, "I don't hide it from Lady Fu, when I was at home, my younger siblings were mostly raised by me. So, I do have some experience with children."

After saying that, she demonstrated how to hold a child comfortably, which amazed An Qing and Baijia Shi.

After a while, seeing the child seemed a bit tired, An Qing instructed the wet nurse to take him away.

"I've had someone prepare some egg custard. After all this fuss, Hongsheng must be hungry. Go down and make sure he eats some."

Hongsheng was over a year old. At this age, besides milk, he would also eat some supplementary food, but usually, it was porridge-like mush that looked bland. An Qing had Chunxiao prepare a milk-scented pumpkin egg custard for him. Although no seasonings were added, it was still better than the mush.

The wet nurse promptly agreed, bowed respectfully, and then carried the child away.

An Qing gave Maid Mai a meaningful look, signaling her to follow and keep an eye on things.

Better safe than sorry. Yinqi only had this one heir in his courtyard, and nothing could go wrong under her watch. Otherwise, she'd be hard-pressed to explain herself.

With the child gone, the atmosphere between the three adults grew colder.

Just then, Chunxiao brought in some freshly baked pastries and iced plum soup. An Qing took the opportunity to invite them to have some, and then expressed some symbolic concern, bringing this 'paying respects' session to an end.

Once everyone left, An Qing slumped, suddenly drained of energy.

Sigh~ Social niceties were indeed exhausting.

But there was no way around it; this was a demonstration of harmony among wives and concubines, part of her duties as Lady Fu. Fortunately, it only happened twice a month, so she could endure it.

After Liu Jiashi and Baijia Shi left, they returned to their quarters in the western wing. However, as they passed by the eastern wing where Liu Jiashi lived, they were startled by sounds coming from inside.

"Even under house arrest, she doesn't know when to stop." Baijia Shi sneered and deliberately said loudly, "Some people can't handle being favored, yet they act like they're the favorites. They should consider if they can handle it."

Sure enough, more sounds of breaking objects came from the courtyard opposite.

Liu Jiashi frowned and whispered, "Why provoke her? Let's go in first."

Without waiting for Baijia Shi, she entered their courtyard.

Baijia Shi pouted at her back but didn't linger and followed her in.

"Sister is truly cautious. Even in this situation, you still fear Liu Jiashi. Don't you feel stifled?"

Liu Jiashi sensed the sarcasm in Baijia Shi's words and glanced at her coolly. "I may not live as freely as you, but I know that in this palace, the only constant is change. Don't forget, Liu Jiashi is a secondary consort and has borne the eldest son. She's only under house arrest now; who can guarantee what will happen later?"

Baijia Shi stiffened, realizing she had forgotten about this in her momentary satisfaction.

But then she thought, even if Liu Jiashi comes out, her first target would be Lady Fu. It didn't matter much anymore.

At least, they could confirm that Liu Jiashi wasn't as irreplaceable in Yinqi's heart as they had imagined.

However, Liu Jiashi's words reminded Baijia Shi that it was better to have fewer enemies in the palace. Friends were always better than foes.

"Look at my mouth, Sister. You know I'm straightforward. Please don't take offense."

Baijia Shi then dragged Liu Jiashi into her room, saying she would brew some fine tea as an apology.

Liu Jiashi knew Baijia Shi well and wasn't truly angry; it wasn't worth it.

Besides, living in the same courtyard, it was best not to strain their relationship, so she went along with it.

Baijia Shi did find a pack of good tea leaves, though not top-notch, they were still quite decent.

The palace maid quickly brewed the tea, and the two chatted while sipping it.

"Speaking of Liu Jiashi, we aren't gloating, but look at what she's done. She finally hit a wall. Flowers don't bloom forever," Baijia Shi remarked.

Liu Jiashi glanced at her but didn't correct her use of 'we.'

These days, although she wasn't gloating, she had seen plenty of Liu Jiashi's misfortunes.

However, unlike Baijia Shi, who believed Liu Jiashi had fallen out of favor, Liu Jiashi had always been skeptical about her favored status.

They arrived in the courtyard together, and initially, Liu Jiashi wasn't particularly favored. Yinqi treated everyone equally, and the household management was in the hands of Nurse Feng.

Things changed after Liu Jiashi gave birth and was promoted to secondary consort, taking over the household management. That's when rumors spread that she was the favorite.

As they continued chatting, somehow the topic turned to playing with Hongsheng earlier.

Baijia Shi couldn't help but marvel, "Despite Liu Jiashi's character, she managed to bear such a likable son. It's rare."

She subconsciously touched her own belly, wondering when she might have her own child.

"Although Lady Fu seems to have the upper hand, I doubt Yinqi thinks highly of her. I heard he's been sleeping in the front courtyard and hasn't stepped into the main courtyard. And Hongsheng, according to tradition, should be raised by his mother, but Yinqi keeps him in the front courtyard, showing he's wary of Lady Fu."

Baijia Shi spoke with a hint of glee. If Yinqi and Lady Fu had a rift, and Liu Jiashi was under house arrest, only she and Liu Jiashi would remain. Previously, Yinqi visited her more often than Liu Jiashi, so in the future...

Liu Jiashi glanced at her without responding.

She didn't know why Yinqi didn't place Hongsheng with Lady Fu, but she doubted he was wary of her. Earlier, the wet nurse wouldn't have let the child get close to Lady Fu unless someone had instructed her beforehand. The person could either be Yinqi or Nurse Feng, who managed the child's daily life. But Nurse Feng was Yinqi's person, so her instructions were his.

An Qing, typically someone who says "since I'm here," had previously complained about the heat and refused to leave her cool bed. Now, she was wearing a sunshade hat and wandering through the melon fields.

She squatted there, occasionally pulling out young weeds and fiddling with the melon vines, seemingly looking for something.

"Madam, please go back quickly. It's too hot out here." Cui Liu shouted from the edge of the field.

An Qing patted the dirt off her hands, stood up, and replied, "Coming."

The sun had yet to set, and it was still the hottest part of the day. She had only been outside for a short while, but her inner clothes were already damp with sweat, sticking uncomfortably to her skin.

"Why did you have to come out now? Wouldn't it be better to wait until the sun sets?" Cui Liu grumbled.

An Qing realized she had been acting a bit foolishly and hurriedly led the way back.

As they passed by a corner of the western warm pavilion corridor, they overheard two eunuchs taking a break in the shade, chatting.

"Look at this scorching sun; it's been days since we've had any rain," one young eunuch said.

Another wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied, "Indeed, if it doesn't rain soon, this summer will be unbearable."

"True, there's no sign of rain at all. It's getting hotter every day. Thankfully, Lady Fu Jin understands our plight and provided us with a 'summer heat allowance' early on. At least we can buy some ice to cool down. Otherwise, it would be even worse."

"Tell me about it. On such a sweltering day, I don't even want to leave the house if I don't have to..."

An Qing and Cui Liu didn't disturb them and went through a side door nearby.

Perilla saw the two return, drenched in sweat, and quickly handed An Qing a handkerchief. After seeing her wipe her face, Perilla then offered her a freshly chilled plum juice.

Cui Liu had already gulped down a cup of plum juice and wanted another, but Perilla stopped her.

"It's too cold. You can't drink so much at once. If I tell Mai Dong, she'll nag you."

Cui Liu pouted and reluctantly put the cup down.

An Qing also silently withdrew her request for a second cup. Mai Dong, that little stickler, could nag worse than the monk Tang Sanzang.

Better not provoke her.

"Madam, today is the fifteenth. Will Master come over tonight? How should we arrange dinner?" Perilla asked.

An Qing thought for a moment. Yinqi probably wouldn't come tonight. He had been extremely busy lately, reportedly assigned by Kangxi to perform some sacrificial duties. A few days ago, he had sent Ma Xiang to convey a message, saying he was too busy but would visit when he had time.

"I feel like having cold noodles tonight. Have Chunxiao go to the kitchen and tell the head chef how to prepare them. For the rest, let the kitchen decide."

Hearing that cold noodles were on the menu, Cui Liu immediately volunteered to inform Chunxiao.

Perilla didn't argue with her. She needed to arrange for bathing water. After all the work and sweating, An Qing, known for her cleanliness, wouldn't be able to wait until evening.

Taking advantage of the time before dinner, An Qing enjoyed a refreshing bath. By the time she came out, the sun was setting.

The golden glow of the sunset illuminated the ginkgo tree outside the window. An Qing walked to the windowsill and brought the potted peony inside.

Perilla entered just then and quickly took the potted peony from her hands. "Let me handle this. You just finished your bath; don't get your clothes dirty again."

An Qing didn't argue and followed her. Once Perilla placed the potted peony on the long table, An Qing leaned in to examine it closely.

Yes, the grayish-brown spots were gone. This potted peony had finally been saved.

"You've put so much effort into this flower, and it looks better than ever."

Perilla mimicked An Qing's actions, bending down to inspect the peony with enthusiasm.

"But I heard that peonies don't bloom for very long. Yet this one has been blooming for quite some time," she wondered aloud.

An Qing smiled and explained, "Peonies do have a relatively short blooming period. Individual petals usually last only 7 to 10 days, but because multiple petals open gradually, the overall blooming period appears longer."

Of course, she had spent considerable effort on managing and nurturing this peony to extend its blooming period. For example, many people knew that peonies love sunlight, but few realized that they need some shading during summer. She had moved the plant several times a day.

Fortunately, it had responded well and bloomed beautifully. Its vibrant display made it worth the effort.

When dinner arrived, An Qing sent Little Xizi to the front courtyard to check on Yinqi. Learning that he hadn't returned yet, she decided not to wait and ate alone before retiring early.

There were few entertainment options in ancient times, so she had developed the habit of going to bed early. Even if she couldn't sleep, lying in bed meditating was soothing.

As night fell, Yinqi finally returned to the palace just before the gates were locked.

"Master, shall we go directly to the front courtyard or to Lady Fu Jin?" Ma Xiang asked.

Given the late hour, he wouldn't normally ask, but since it was the fifteenth, he felt compelled to remind him.

Yinqi pondered for a moment and replied, "To the main courtyard."

An Qing was almost asleep when she heard some rustling outside. She sat up slightly and lifted the bed curtains to look out. "Perilla, what's happening out...?"

Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Yinqi entering the room quietly and instinctively swallowed her question, "Why are you here?"

"Master, have you just returned?"

Yinqi softly replied with a "Hmm," noticing An Qing's attempt to rise and gestured for her to stay in bed. "No need. Go back to sleep. I'll wash up first."

An Qing responded with an "Oh," noticing his dusty appearance. She wanted to ask about his activities but was interrupted by Perilla announcing that the hot water was ready.

"Go ahead and wash up. It's getting late," she said.

Yinqi nodded and headed to the outer room without delay.

However, after a short while, he rushed back, pointing towards the ear room and asked, "Where did you get that flower outside?"

An Qing exclaimed, "What flower?"

Yinqi's eyes showed a mix of surprise and delight. "The peony, the one on the long table outside."

An Qing finally understood, "That peony? It was given to me by Empress Dowager."

Though she didn't know why Yinqi was acting this way, she still recounted the entire story, including how the peony had previously fallen ill and how she had managed to save it.

Yinqi stared at An Qing in a daze, first surprised that she had actually managed to revive the peony, then suddenly feeling both amused and exasperated.

These past few days, he had been searching high and low outside, never expecting...

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with the flower?" Seeing his reaction, An Qing couldn't help but feel uncertain.

Yinqi snapped back to reality and smiled. "Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with it, but you'll have to return this flower to the Emperor."

An Qing was thoroughly confused. Didn't Emperor Kangxi give this flower to the Empress Dowager, who then bestowed it upon her? Why did it need to be returned to Emperor Kangxi?

Even if this peony was rare, there was no reason for it to be taken back.

Yinqi didn't have time to explain further and shouted outside, "Ma Xiang, get ready! I'm going to the Palace of Heavenly Purity!"

Chapter 22: The Fifth Princess Consort

When Yinqi arrived at the Palace of Heavenly Purity under the cover of night, Kangxi had already retired for the evening. Fortunately, he had been busy and had not chosen any concubine's green card for the night.

Hearing the commotion outside, Kangxi lifted the bed curtains and called out, "Liang Jiugong, who is outside?"

Liang Jiugong had just finished speaking with the eunuch on duty at the door and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, it is the Fifth Prince requesting an audience. He says there is an urgent matter to report."

Kangxi's brows furrowed slightly. What could be so urgent that it required coming in the middle of the night? Couldn't it wait until tomorrow?

This Fifth Prince still can't keep his composure.

Despite his complaints, Kangxi got up, "Have him wait outside."

Yinqi held the potted peony without daring to put it down, waiting outside. Thankfully, it wasn't long before he saw Kangxi, dressed only in a robe, approaching.

"How did you come so late? What couldn't wait until..."

Before Kangxi could finish his reprimand, he noticed the object in Yinqi's hands. He paused, then quickly walked over to Yinqi, his face filled with surprise. "Did you find this in the flower garden on the capital outskirts?"

He had always believed that the vast Great Qing would surely find another similar peony.

"However, this one looks exactly like the previous one," Kangxi remarked.

Look at those branches and stems, look at those golden-edged petals; it was almost identical to the one before it fell ill.

Yinqi glanced at his father and silently muttered, Of course it looks the same, because it is the same one.

"Father, this is the same one as before."

Kangxi exclaimed, "What?" He stared at Yinqi, confused. "The previous one?"

Isn't the previous one in the Empress Dowager's palace?

Yinqi nodded. "Yes, it is the one you sent to the Empress Dowager's palace, but now it has been cured."

Kangxi was astonished. "Really?"

Yinqi nodded emphatically. "Indeed, Father. It is absolutely true."

Kangxi looked at Yinqi quietly, then took the potted peony and examined it closely by the candlelight. The brown spots on the stem and leaves were indeed gone.

Not satisfied, he asked Liang Jiugong to bring his Western reading glasses and several more palace lanterns. He scrutinized every leaf and petal meticulously.

After confirming that the peony was truly healthy, Kangxi was overjoyed. "Excellent, excellent! Truly, heaven blesses our Great Qing!"

He patted Yinqi's shoulder. "I never expected such skill in the Empress Dowager's palace. The entire palace's gardeners were helpless, yet someone managed to save it. I must meet this person and reward them generously!"

Yinqi opened his mouth to explain, "Father, this peony was not saved by anyone in the Empress Dowager's palace."

Kangxi was taken aback. "Then who was it?"

Yinqi recounted what An Qing had told him earlier, mentioning her fondness for gardening in her courtyard. This also served to introduce An Qing to Kangxi.

Rumors like before would likely cease after this.

Upon hearing that An Qing had saved the peony, Kangxi was stunned. "Yinqi, your princess consort really saved it?"

Could the Fifth Princess Consort solve a problem that even the palace's gardeners couldn't?

Yinqi nodded slightly. "I dare not deceive you, Father. I just learned about this. An Qing said she used to grow flowers and plants when she lived in Horqin. Whenever they fell ill or suffered from pests, she would research solutions herself, consulting books or experienced farmers and gardeners. Sometimes she succeeded, sometimes she didn't. This time, saving the peony was sheer luck."

This was the explanation An Qing had given, which Yinqi repeated verbatim.

Kangxi nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, Deb raised his children well, both sons and daughters. No wonder the people of Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner cooperated so well with farming matters. His children personally tended to the fields, unafraid of hard work—something rare among noble families.

"Your princess consort is remarkable. For such a great achievement, I will reward her generously!" Kangxi declared.

Yinqi quickly thanked his father on An Qing's behalf, offering polite compliments.

Kangxi enjoyed these words and paced back and forth in front of the peony, deep in thought.

After a while, he turned to Liang Jiugong and said, "It is three days until the summer solstice sacrifice. Have it announced that starting tomorrow, I will fast for three days. On the day of the summer solstice, I will personally visit Fangze to offer sacrifices for the prosperity and abundance of our Great Qing."

Liang Jiugong responded promptly, not daring to delay.

Previously, due to the lack of a second auspicious peony, Kangxi had lost interest and issued an edict early in the morning, appointing Ma Qi, the Minister of Finance, to perform the ritual at Fangze.

But now, he had changed his mind. In addition to informing Ma Qi and the Ministry of Rites, preparations for the Emperor's fasting must be made immediately. The Emperor's personal attendance at the sacrifice was a serious matter that could not be taken lightly.

Yinqi sighed inwardly. He had come at night precisely for this reason.

As a prince, he knew the significance of auspicious signs for the imperial family and understood why his father placed such importance on the peony.

If he had reported this in the morning, missing the three-day fasting period, his father might not have been able to attend the ceremony personally.

Sacrifices were always significant events, especially the annual grand sacrifice at Fangze, which required utmost attention to detail.

When Yinqi left the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Ma Xiang was waiting at the gate. Seeing him, Ma Xiang hurried forward.

"Sir, are we done?"

Yinqi nodded slightly. "Let's go back."

Ma Xiang promptly arranged for a sedan chair. After a day of toil and fatigue, Yinqi was utterly spent and closed his eyes for repose as soon as he settled in.

At this time, it was already past the hour of Si, and all the palace gates had long been locked. The mistress and her servant hurried through the night towards the residence of the princes, having endured no small amount of trouble along the way.

Ma Xiang glanced at his master, who was resting with closed eyes on the sedan chair, still marveling inwardly.

Earlier, when his master suddenly announced they were going to the Palace of Heavenly Purity while in the courtyard of the Lady Fu, Ma Xiang was puzzled about what had happened. It wasn't until he saw his master carry out that potted peony from Lady Fu's room that he understood the reason.

These days, he had been by his master's side and knew how important the matter was to the Emperor. Although Ma Xiang still didn't know where Lady Fu had obtained the peony, one thing was certain: she had done a great deed.

Of course, their master might also benefit from the Emperor's favor because of this.

The sedan chair soon arrived at the residence of the princes. At this moment, An Qing's main courtyard was brightly lit.

She was sitting on a couch, wrapped in a robe, staring into the candlelight. When Yinqi left earlier, he hadn't said anything, taking only the potted peony, which made her lose the sleepiness she had managed to muster. She could only wait for him to return.

"Master, your lordship has returned," Perilla announced as she lifted the curtain and entered.

An Qing quickly got up to greet him. Seeing her, Yinqi immediately guessed that she must have gotten out of bed after he left.

"I'm sorry. I left in such a hurry without explaining properly, causing you worry," he said apologetically.

An Qing shook her head. "It's fine. Important matters come first."

Without rushing to ask questions, she waited for Yinqi to speak. If he could tell her, he would; if not, she wouldn't press further.

Yinqi understood her intentions and felt a warm sense of gratitude.

Though they had been married for only a short time, he could feel An Qing's trust in him. Whatever he did, she never questioned it or interfered. Being with her always felt easy.

Holding An Qing's hand, Yinqi led her inside, briefly recounting the entire situation, including the symbolic significance of the peony and the Emperor's emphasis on the matter.

"Therefore, the peony will be used as an offering for the summer solstice ritual and cannot be returned."

Although An Qing mentioned that saving the peony involved some luck, Yinqi knew she had put considerable effort into it. However, due to its special nature, it had to be given away.

The ritual was a significant event that couldn't be delayed, lest it cause future problems.

Upon hearing the explanation, An Qing was stunned.

From Yinqi's reaction earlier, she had guessed it wasn't something bad, but she hadn't expected the peony to have such a profound background.

Of course, she fully supported Yinqi's decision to submit the peony promptly. Such a hot potato was better off out of her hands.

"If you like peonies, these days I've visited many flower gardens in the capital outskirts. While none are as special as that one, there are still quite a few nice ones. Perhaps someday..."

An Qing waved her hand, interrupting him. "No need to bother. I don't particularly like peonies. That day at the Empress Dowager's palace, I just looked at it more because it was sick. She misunderstood and thought I liked it, so she gave it to me. It was all a misunderstanding."

Seeing that she seemed sincere, Yinqi nodded slightly and then brought up another matter.

"The Emperor said you've done a great deed and asked me what you want."

An Qing exclaimed, "Ah." Did Kangxi mean to reward her?

And could she actually make requests?

She tentatively asked, "Anything?"

Seeing her bright eyes, Yinqi hesitated. "Well, in principle, anything is possible, but..."

An Qing understood his hesitation.

Alright, it meant the Emperor could ask, but she shouldn't make any extravagant requests.

Tact was essential when dealing with imperial matters, and since An Qing lacked this skill, she decided to follow Yinqi's advice.

After three days of fasting, the day of the summer solstice finally arrived.

Yinqi left early in the morning. An Qing woke up briefly when he got up but was too sleepy and fell back asleep.

Emperor Kangxi personally went to the Altar of Earth, bringing along several older princes. They proceeded in a grand procession to the altar.

The Altar of Earth was a solemn and elegant imperial temple located east of Anding Gate in the northern suburbs of the Imperial City, corresponding to the Altar of Heaven according to the principle of "South Heaven, North Earth."

In Qing dynasty rituals, sacrifices to the Earth Deity were of the highest rank, and ancient emperors always treated them with utmost respect.

The purpose of the earth sacrifice was to pray for a bountiful harvest and prosperity under the emperor's rule.

The ceremony was similar to the sky sacrifice, involving elaborate rituals and abundant offerings. The Emperor himself needed to kneel over 70 times, taking more than two hours, making it a physically demanding task.

Given the significant physical strain, the Emperor could send someone else to perform the ritual on his behalf.

This year, if not for the auspicious peony, Kangxi might not have planned to perform the ritual himself.

When Kangxi and his entourage arrived at the Altar of Earth, the lengthy and complex ceremony began.

Though far away in the Forbidden City, many people were concerned about the ritual.

News of Kangxi's sudden decision to perform the ritual himself had spread throughout the palace, along with whispers about the auspicious peony.

Ancient people naturally revered auspicious signs, and the news spread quickly within the palace.

Cui Liu returned from her rounds, looking proud and honored.

Others might not know, but those close to An Qing were aware of the situation, even though they had been instructed not to share it. This didn't stop them from feeling proud themselves.

"Look at you, girl. What are you so proud about?" Chunxiao laughed.

Cui Liu placed her hands on her hips, looking self-assured. "That auspicious creature was saved by our mistress, so of course I'm proud."

An Qing helplessly shook her head. To her, these so-called auspicious signs were often fabricated or legendary, used to uphold the authority of the emperor.

This time was no different; she didn't take it seriously at all.

Life went on as usual—eating and drinking as before. But the increasingly hot weather gave her a headache.

Sigh, the Forbidden City is much hotter than Horqin, like a giant oven. I wonder when it will rain and cool down a bit.

As if her wish had been heard by some rain deity, in the afternoon, just after she woke up from her nap, the clear sky suddenly turned overcast, and soon heavy rain began to pour down.

At first, it was a light drizzle, but gradually the rain grew heavier, with large drops falling like broken strings of pearls.

The sudden downpour broke the oppressive heat of recent days, and many palace servants stopped their work to take shelter under the covered walkways.

An Qing stood at the front of the main hall, gazing at the Forbidden City in the storm. The red walls and tiled eaves were adorned with curtains of rain, creating a spectacular scene.

"How strange, how could the weather change so quickly? It was sunny just a moment ago."

"Indeed, this sudden rain must have caught many people off guard..."

A few little eunuchs nearby whispered, their voices carried through the rain.

An Qing smiled. There was nothing unusual about it; summer rains always came suddenly. As they say, summer weather is like a child's face, changing in an instant.

"This rain is good." She reached out to catch the raindrops falling from the eaves, murmuring to herself.

The capital outskirts hadn't seen rain for so long; this downpour would save the crops, making life easier for the farmers this year.

Just then, Cui Liu came out of the room and couldn't help asking, "Mistress, why do you look so happy?"

An Qing withdrew her hand and playfully sprinkled water towards Cui Liu, causing her to dodge left and right.

"I'm naturally happy because 'summer solstice rain is worth a thousand taels.'"

Cui Liu exclaimed, "What a thousand taels?"

An Qing couldn't help but laugh. She was quite money-minded, hearing only the part about "a thousand taels."

"The saying is 'summer solstice rain is worth a thousand taels,' a farming proverb for the summer solstice."

Cui Liu finally understood and exclaimed, "There are so many farming proverbs for these seasons."

There were proverbs for Grain Buds, Grain Full, Start of Summer, Grain Rain, and Pure Brightness. She wondered who invented them.

An Qing smiled. Indeed, there were many.

The twenty-four solar terms are the result of ancient Chinese farmers' long-term observations and summaries of celestial phenomena, weather, and agricultural activities. They provide valuable guidance for farmers.

Solar term proverbs are sayings related to agriculture during each solar term, such as "spring begins with the sixth ninth day, and oxen plow everywhere," indicating that spring has arrived and it's time to start farming.

An Qing suddenly felt inspired and said to those around her, "Since today is the summer solstice, let's share some summer solstice farming proverbs. Those who can recite one will get a prize."

Everyone became excited at the mention of a prize but then looked at each other uncertainly.

They were familiar with the twenty-four solar terms but not with the proverbs.

Most of the ordinary palace maids came from families of bannermen, with no experience in farming. As for the eunuchs, most came from poor farming families but entered the palace at a young age, so they also lacked knowledge of these proverbs.

Realizing this, An Qing decided not to make things difficult for them. Just as she was about to find a way to divert the conversation, Little Xizi raised his hand.

"Replying to the Lady, this servant knows one."

An Qing responded with interest, signaling him to speak.

Everyone turned to look at him, focusing their attention on the little eunuch.

He scratched his head and said, "From Start of Summer to Grain Full, it's never too late to plant."

Then he added, "My grandfather used to say this when I was a child. I don't know if it's correct anymore."

It was correct, but...

"Do you go by Lai Fu? Where are you from?" An Qing asked.

Lai Fu was thrilled that the Lady remembered his name and nodded vigorously. "Replying to the Lady, this servant is Lai Fu, and my hometown is Shengjing."

An Qing nodded. That made sense; this proverb summarized the farming experience of northeastern farmers.

Due to geographical differences, the timing of seasonal changes varies. In the south, Start of Summer marks the beginning of summer and hot weather, but in the northeast, it signifies the start of spring.

So, this proverb applies only to northern regions.

But it was indeed a summer solstice farming proverb, so An Qing had Perilla give Lai Fu a five-tael silver ingot as a prize.

Everyone looked enviously at Lai Fu, but they had no choice since they didn't know any proverbs.

"Oh, I remember one too!" Cui Liu exclaimed suddenly.

Chunxiao, standing next to her, jumped in surprise. "If you know one, just say it. Why do you have to be so dramatic? You scared me half to death."

Ignoring Chunxiao's complaint, Cui Liu looked at An Qing with shining eyes. "I remember another summer solstice farming proverb. Does it count?"

An Qing responded with interest, "If you can recite it, it counts."

Cui Liu was delighted and proudly said, "Summer solstice full ponds mean full granaries, meaning if there is sufficient rainfall on the summer solstice, the crops will have a good harvest."

Having said that, she looked at An Qing with an expression seeking praise: "Master, was I right?"

An Qing smiled. This girl had a good memory; she couldn't even remember when she had mentioned it before.

"Very good," she said, patting Cui Liu's shoulder with a smile and teasing her, "So as a reward... let Mugwort cook you some mung bean porridge."

Cui Liu was initially happy to have something to eat, but when she heard it would be cooked by Mugwort instead of Chunxiao, her face immediately fell, and she wailed, "Master, this is not a reward at all! It's clearly a punishment!"

The mung bean porridge Chunxiao made was a delicacy—sweet and sticky, fragrant and soft, with the aroma of rice mingling with the fresh scent of mung beans, enhanced with osmanthus flowers for flavor. It was simply delicious.

But Mugwort was different. Her mung bean porridge was more like medicinal soup, always adding various bitter ingredients such as lotus seeds and honeysuckle. Moreover, Mugwort's cooking skills were mediocre, making the porridge barely edible, much like taking medicine.

An Qing, however, disagreed, almost arguing, "Who says this isn't a reward? The nourishing version of mung bean porridge is a good thing. With the summer solstice here, we should focus on dietary supplements. Ingredients like lotus seeds, honeysuckle, and mung beans are perfect for the summer, so we should eat more of them."

She then winked at Mugwort, "Isn't that right, Mugwort?"

Mugwort looked at An Qing with admiration, "Master is right. During the summer solstice, we should focus on nourishing the heart. Bitter foods can help strengthen the heart and control the lungs."

"You remembered that well. But Mugwort also said that in summer, people's digestive systems are weaker, so you should eat less cold food and iced dishes. Why don't you follow those instructions?" Cui Liu pouted, unable to resist muttering, "Just yesterday, you secretly ate another bowl of iced dessert."

Upon hearing this, Mugwort immediately turned to look at An Qing, her gaze full of reproach, as if waiting for her to promise to eat less cold food in the future.

An Qing cleared her throat lightly, pretending not to see it, looking around nervously, unsure what she was doing.

"Um, I'm suddenly feeling hungry. Mugwort, go cook the porridge quickly. Cook plenty, so everyone in the courtyard can have a bowl."

In the end, Mugwort was pushed away by Chunxiao to cook the porridge.

After watching her leave, An Qing let out a deep sigh of relief.

She truly feared Mugwort's rigid personality. If it were Perilla or the others, An Qing could easily coax them, but with Mugwort, any promise had to be kept, or she would nag endlessly.

Although she knew Mugwort meant well, enduring the scorching summer without ice was akin to torture.

Those around her couldn't help but chuckle at An Qing's childish behavior, but they tried to contain their laughter except for Cui Liu, who laughed out loud.

"Hahaha, Master, you're too obvious... saying you're hungry when you just finished eating. What a poor excuse!"

An Qing glared at Cui Liu. She dared to laugh after betraying her earlier. Now Mugwort would watch her even more closely.

Thinking about it made her furious.

"Cui Liu, once the mung bean porridge is ready, you must drink two bowls. That's an order!"

Without giving Cui Liu any chance to protest, she turned and walked back into the house, leaving only a cold and unfeeling back.

Only when she heard Cui Liu's painful cries did An Qing feel a bit better.

Hmph!

Come on, let's hurt each other. Who's afraid?

Little Xizi and the others watched their Lady and the maidservant who had served her since childhood interact so closely, feeling a bit envious.

But apart from envy, there was no jealousy or resentment.

The incident with Man'er had reminded An Qing of an old saying: "People do not resent scarcity but rather inequality." In managing personnel, this was also true. Among those close to her, Perilla and the others were irreplaceable. If anyone felt resentful, it would cause problems.

Therefore, An Qing specifically asked Perilla to gather everyone in the courtyard and used the Man'er incident as an example. She stated that if anyone wanted to leave, she wouldn't stop them and would even help them with the arrangements in the Imperial Household Department, but only for that day. If they didn't speak up now and caused trouble later, the consequences would be worse than what happened to Man'er.

Everyone hurriedly assured her that they wouldn't dare. Man'er had been sent back to the Imperial Household Department for punishment and assigned to the laundry department to do hard labor.

The laundry department was where all the dirty work was done. Going there meant a ruined life.

Of course, in the palace, people like Man'er were rare. Everyone understood that relationships were built over time. There was no such thing as a master being kind without reason.

Compared to other places in the palace, Lady treated them very kindly, understanding the hardships of being servants. Besides regular wages, there were constant rewards and allowances. The "heat allowance" given recently was unheard of elsewhere in the palace.

Moreover, from Cui Liu and the others, it was clear that Lady valued loyalty. As long as they served faithfully, the bond between master and servant would grow stronger over time.

When the Fifth Prince moved out of the palace to establish his own household, they would have the opportunity to serve in the prince's residence, which was a promising future.

Thinking about this, everyone felt hopeful, and their days became brighter.

While there was joy and sorrow in An Qing's courtyard, the Palace of Heavenly Purity was filled with excitement due to the sudden heavy rain.

Just fifteen minutes ago, Kangxi had led a group of princes and ministers back from the capital outskirts, all drenched in rain. However, no one was unhappy about getting wet; everyone wore joyful expressions.

Kangxi was the happiest.

First, the national flower peony bloomed, a sign of auspiciousness, and then he witnessed the sudden downpour after performing the ritual sacrifice to the earth. These events were hard not to connect.

For months, the Imperial City and Zhili had suffered from drought, with not a drop of rain.

The sudden rain brought immense joy to everyone.

Chapter 23: The Fifth Princess Consort

Under the persuasion of the ministers and princes, Kangxi finally agreed to change out of his rain-soaked court robes first.

As soon as he left, the eunuchs of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, following Liang Jiugong's instructions, brought in towels and handkerchiefs to help the ministers and princes who were still unable to leave wipe off the dampness. They also brought in some ginger tea, even though the weather wasn't cold; after all, they had been caught in the rain, so it was better to have some warming tea.

After everything was arranged, Liang Jiugong brought a freshly brewed cup of ginger tea to the eastern warm pavilion of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, where Kangxi usually resided.

When he entered, Kangxi was changing clothes under the service of his personal eunuch. His eyes and brows were filled with joy, and the tightness around his lips seemed about to break into a smile, indicating how hard he was trying to suppress it.

Liang Jiugong couldn't help but be slightly shocked. For a ruler who rarely showed his emotions, this was indeed a rare sight.

Having served Kangxi since childhood, Liang Jiugong was unparalleled in understanding the emperor's intentions. The last time he saw Kangxi like this was many years ago.

But reflecting on today's events, Liang Jiugong could understand why Kangxi reacted this way.

The earth altar ceremony has always been mysterious and solemn. This morning, Kangxi led the ministers to the earth altar for the ritual, and initially, everything proceeded according to plan. However, as if by coincidence or divine will, when the sacrificial offerings were placed on the altar, a ray of sunlight shone upon it, illuminating a peony among the offerings.

Under the sunlight, the golden edges of its petals suddenly gleamed brilliantly.

In ordinary circumstances, this might not have been significant, but in that setting, it was awe-inspiring.

The earth altar ceremony is meant to pray for a bountiful harvest, and the appearance of such an auspicious plant was clearly meaningful.

Liang Jiugong stood some distance from the altar but was close enough to hear the gasps from the officials and the surrounding crowd. He distinctly heard the collective intake of breath.

Immediately afterward, everyone knelt and bowed, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Liang Jiugong, stunned, instinctively followed suit, kneeling and bowing along with everyone else. The scene was truly magnificent.

However, having served Kangxi closely, Liang Jiugong knew the whole story behind the peony and guessed that this outcome was one of Kangxi's intentions.

Using auspicious signs to stabilize the court and reassure the people.

If these events were within Kangxi's expectations, what happened next was completely unforeseen.

After the ceremony, as Kangxi led everyone away from the earth altar, the clear sky suddenly turned overcast, and soon rain began to fall.

Liang Jiugong vividly remembered the astonishment and shock on Kangxi's face at that moment.

The rain grew heavier, and the drought-stricken fields of the capital outskirts finally received much-needed moisture. The people rejoiced, embracing and cheering in the downpour, bowing toward the direction of the imperial carriage.

Later, when the ceremonial procession entered the Imperial City, the entire city's residents braved the rain to bid farewell, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Liang Jiugong, even as an outsider, was moved to the point of wanting to cheer along.

This was a clear sign of the people's support. Any emperor hoping to achieve something would be deeply touched by such a scene.

Indeed, Liang Jiugong, being the closest to Kangxi, understood the emperor's intentions well. He grasped the deep thoughts of this ruler known for his profound wisdom.

Throughout history, emperors have used elaborate rituals to proclaim their authority, embedding the ideas of "Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother" and "divine right of kings" through dialogues with heaven and earth, permeating every corner of society.

They also collected various auspicious objects to create a grand spectacle, showcasing the prosperity and strength of the nation to reassure the people and maintain their authority.

This is the art of ruling, which Kangxi learned from a young age and mastered.

Thus, the auspicious sign of the peony today was intentional, or rather, the idea arose when he first saw the peony with its golden edges.

With precise calculations of angle and timing, achieving such an effect was not difficult.

Even the surrounding spectators were pre-arranged to ensure more people witnessed the peony's brilliance during the ceremony.

However, Kangxi did not anticipate the sudden downpour afterward.

To achieve the desired effect, the most crucial factor was ensuring sunny weather on the day of the summer solstice ceremony. Therefore, he repeatedly consulted the Astronomical Bureau to confirm the weather.

Seeing Kangxi's seriousness, the bureau officials worked tirelessly to verify the forecast, confirming no rain and clear skies, with no signs of rain in the coming days.

Thus, the sudden afternoon storm was unexpected.

Unlike previous emperors, Kangxi was interested in Western natural sciences. From a young age, he studied Western scientific knowledge, including mathematics, geometry, astronomy, geography, and Western medicine, with the palace missionaries.

Not only did he learn himself, but he also taught his sons and practiced together.

Therefore, Kangxi was far less superstitious than previous emperors.

For example, while eclipses were considered ominous signs by other rulers, Kangxi had a scientific understanding. Sometimes, during eclipses, he would observe them with his sons, explaining the principles behind them.

During the leap third month this year, there was a solar eclipse. While Kangxi was on campaign against Dzungaria, he ordered the Crown Prince to observe it in the Imperial City and report back, comparing the observations.

This shows that Kangxi advocated scientific thinking and rationality.

However, today's events gave him a significant impact, especially after such a long and solemn ceremony. It was hard not to think deeply about it.

Could this really be the gods' recognition of his achievements as an emperor?

In a time of unstable public sentiment, this was a clear sign that he was blessed by heaven!

The more Kangxi thought about it, the more he believed it was possible. After all, there are many things science and reason cannot explain, just like now.

If An Qing knew Kangxi's thoughts, she would accurately describe him as a qualified feudal emperor!

Everything he believed in was for the sake of ruling. Whether it was science or superstition, these were tools of governance. But he was ultimately human, with the pride of a "true son of heaven," which needed recognition.

And this recognition could come from the people or the gods!

The eunuch serving Kangxi had just helped him change his clothes when Liang Jiugong hurriedly presented the hot ginger tea, "Your Majesty, please have some hot ginger tea. Your health is paramount, and summer rain should not be taken lightly."

Kangxi, in a good mood, readily accepted the offer, drinking the hot ginger tea in one go.

Of course, his willingness also had other considerations. Today's rain was indeed wonderful, but if it made him ill, it would lose its charm.

"Have you sent ginger tea to the others?" Kangxi asked.

Liang Jiugong replied, "Your Majesty, this old slave has already had people deliver ginger soup and handkerchiefs to the princes and ministers. Please rest assured."

Those ministers were all cunning foxes, and the princes were no different. At such a critical moment, no one dared to fall ill. Even if they did get sick, they would likely try their best to hide it.

Kangxi nodded slightly, clearly satisfied with Liang Jiugong's handling of the situation.

However, after drinking the ginger soup, he did not rush out. Instead, he dismissed everyone around him and stayed alone in the room to calm his emotions.

As an emperor, one must keep emotions hidden; one cannot easily reveal true feelings in front of others.

In the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Kangxi had yet to appear. The ministers remained composed, closing their eyes to rest after drinking the ginger tea. However, the princes were much more restless.

The Crown Prince stood at the forefront among the princes, followed by Elder Brother Prince and Third Prince. All three of them couldn't help but look at Yinqi.

To think that Fifth Prince's luck was so good. Earlier, they had secretly mocked Fourth and Fifth Princes for getting such a tough assignment, running back and forth outside the capital outskirts to find some auspicious peony.

It was simply a waste of effort. When the golden-edged peony was first presented, they had all seen it. It was indeed rare, something none of them had ever seen before. Even His Majesty probably hadn't seen anything like it.

So how could they possibly find it just by searching the flower gardens on the capital outskirts? Even if they dug three feet deep, they wouldn't find it.

But who would have thought that Fifth Prince actually found it!

Of course, they didn't think Yinqi was particularly capable. After all, it was just a matter of finding something. If it were them, they could have done it too.

After all, in terms of ability, Fifth Prince had never been a match for any of them since childhood.

In the end, it was just luck. If they had known, they would have taken on this task themselves.

After all, today's events were truly shocking: the auspicious omen of the golden peony and the sudden rain. It was hard not to connect the two and consider causality.

If His Majesty believed that everything was due to the peony's auspiciousness, then Fifth Prince had certainly made a great contribution.

But as the three of them felt regretful, they couldn't help but feel sympathy for Fourth Prince Yinzhen. He must be even more frustrated, having shared the same task but being outdone by Fifth Prince.

Anyone in his position would be furious.

However, Yinzhen remained calm because he knew that the peony wasn't found in the capital outskirts; it was saved by Fifth Prince's wife, An Qing.

But since it involved the sacrificial ceremony, it was inappropriate to openly use a previously sick peony as an offering. So, His Majesty instructed everyone who knew about it to keep it secret, claiming it was found in the capital outskirts.

Fifth Prince had specifically asked His Majesty's permission to inform Yinzhen, as the task was shared between them.

When Kangxi reappeared in the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, it was half an hour later.

Coincidentally, the people sent to investigate had returned. After greeting everyone, Liang Jiugong hurriedly reported:

"Your Majesty, according to the guards who went to investigate, the rain covered not only the Imperial City but also parts of Zhili Province."

A glimmer of joy flashed in Kangxi's eyes. This rain was truly a relief. The drought in the Imperial City and Zhili Province had been a major concern for the entire court.

This was the time when crops needed water most. Without rain, the harvest would suffer.

The arrival of rain after a long drought was truly heartening.

Now, they hoped the rain would last longer, rather than stopping after a short while, which would be disappointing.

At that moment, the director of the Astronomical Bureau rushed in, panting, "Your Majesty, I just observed the sky. This rain is expected to last at least a day."

Kangxi stood up abruptly, "Really?"

The director hurriedly replied, "I dare not deceive Your Majesty. This is the result of our entire bureau's monitoring."

Overjoyed, Kangxi exclaimed, "Good, very good! Truly, heaven blesses our Great Qing."

The ministers knelt down to congratulate him.

In his elation, Kangxi began rewarding those involved in the sacrificial ceremony. After a round of rewards, he finally came to Yinqi and Yinzhen, crediting them for finding the auspicious peony.

Since the story of An Qing saving the peony couldn't be revealed, the credit naturally fell on the two princes. Initially, Kangxi intended to attribute the credit solely to Yinqi.

After all, in his view, husband and wife share everything, and it was reasonable to give the credit to Yinqi. As for rewarding An Qing, he planned to do so later under another pretext.

But Yinqi insisted on including Yinzhen, saying that the task was shared without specific division, so the credit should be shared. Kangxi was pleased to see such brotherly harmony and agreed without hesitation.

Yinqi had discussed this with An Qing beforehand. Since they had worked together, rewarding only Yinqi might make Yinzhen look incompetent, leading to ridicule.

Yinzhen, understanding the gesture, felt increasingly grateful towards his fifth brother.

Overwhelmed with joy, Kangxi also ordered the Crown Prince Yinreng, Fourth Prince Yinzhen, and Fifth Prince Yinqi to visit the Imperial Shrine on a designated day to offer incense and perform the ritual of gratitude.

Sending the Crown Prince and two princes showed the importance Kangxi placed on this event. Everyone sensed its significance.

The rain continued for three whole days, thoroughly alleviating the drought in the Imperial City and Zhili Province. Reports of good news poured in from various regions, bringing joy to the entire court. Kangxi was overjoyed.

Moreover, within a few days, tales of the auspicious golden peony and the heavenly dew spread among the common folk, who even composed songs praising Kangxi's achievements.

However, now that the peony was revered, the fact that it had once been sick needed to be kept secret. An Qing understood the seriousness and had insisted that everyone who knew about it remain silent.

She herself didn't mention it to anyone, not even Concubine Yi or the Empress Dowager. Such matters were best left to Kangxi to handle.

Kangxi was pleased with An Qing's discretion but couldn't openly reward her. So, he extended his favor to those close to her.

That night, he chose Concubine Yi's green card.

In Yikun Palace, after the eunuch from the Palace of Heavenly Purity had left, Concubine Yi was still in disbelief.

It was strange. The Emperor had already visited her twice this month, so he shouldn't call her again.

In earlier years, Concubine Yi wouldn't have found this unusual, but since she and the other three consorts were treated equally, the Emperor had started balancing his attentions among them.

What is meant by "evenly distributing favor" is that whether it's showing favor or giving rewards, the four of them are basically on par with each other.

For example, in terms of choosing a concubine to spend the night with, each one wouldn't exceed two times a month. Even though Concubine Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong are older and had their green plaques removed a couple of years ago, Kangxi would still visit their palaces as usual.

However, what is today's matter about? Could it be that the Emperor is too busy and has forgotten?

With this doubt in mind, Concubine Yi came to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and became even more confused because Kangxi actually started chatting with her about everyday life!

They talked about everything under the sun, from their youth to their children growing up. Some of the things they discussed were so old that Concubine Yi herself could barely remember, yet Kangxi still recalled them all.

Concubine Yi couldn't help but feel touched.

Unexpectedly, Kangxi, who was reminiscing just a moment ago, suddenly asked, "How have you been getting along with the Fifth Princess Consort these days?"

Concubine Yi almost didn't catch up; why would he suddenly ask this?

Could it be that someone has been talking behind their backs in front of Kangxi? But that shouldn't be the case; she believed she got along well with An Qing. Even if others wanted to say something, they probably wouldn't have any reason to do so.

Or could it be that Kangxi found out about An Qing's gardening activities in the courtyard?

The more Concubine Yi thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Previously, she used Kangxi's name to help An Qing with the matter, thinking that since Kangxi hadn't said anything for so long, he must have tacitly approved of the Fifth Princess Consort's actions. Could she have misjudged the situation?

"Your subject likes the Fifth Princess Consort very much. The Fifth Prince and his consort get along wonderfully. I was just saying the other day that I should find an opportunity to thank Your Majesty for arranging such a good marriage," Concubine Yi said sincerely.

Kangxi, with his sharp mind, immediately understood Concubine Yi's intentions.

She was trying to speak well of the Fifth Princess Consort, first praising the daughter-in-law, then mentioning the harmonious relationship between the Fifth Prince and his consort, and finally pointing out that the marriage was arranged by him. She was clearly worried about being blamed.

Seeing that Concubine Yi misunderstood, Kangxi laughed and said, "Don't worry. The Fifth Princess Consort hasn't caused any trouble. You don't need to go out of your way to speak well of her."

Caught off guard, Concubine Yi wasn't upset but instead patted her chest in relief. "Your subject was scared to death. I thought that girl had done something to offend Your Majesty again."

After saying this, she thought for a moment and decided to bring up the matter with An Qing.

But before she could speak, Kangxi waved his hand and said, "You don't need to explain. If that child wants to garden, let her do it. It's not a big deal. If anyone gossips about it in the future, just tell them it's with My permission."

Hearing such good news, Concubine Yi naturally agreed with a smile and didn't forget to thank him on behalf of An Qing.

Kangxi always appreciated Concubine Yi's straightforwardness. However, he was genuinely surprised that she could get along so well with An Qing, given that she didn't usually get along with the Mongolian consorts in the palace, especially those from Xianfu Palace.

At that time, he did worry that Concubine Yi might not get along with this daughter-in-law, which would make things difficult for him and the Fifth Prince.

Concubine Yi gave Kangxi a playful glare and said, "Is this how Your Majesty sees your subject?"

Kangxi tapped her forehead and laughed, "Stop trying to fool Me. Can you honestly say you weren't worried when I arranged the marriage for the Fifth Prince?"

However, what Kangxi most admired about Concubine Yi was that although she was initially dissatisfied with having a daughter-in-law from Horqin, she never complained to him.

Concubine Yi shrugged. She didn't complain because she knew it would be useless.

Having navigated the imperial harem for so many years, Concubine Yi had her own way of standing her ground: knowing the right balance.

While Kangxi liked her spiciness, it was only limited to jealousy between men and women. Other matters, especially those related to state affairs, were off-limits.

For the women of the harem, he must first be the emperor and then the husband.

This line must always be clear, otherwise, one might end up in a hopeless situation.

"At that time, your subject was indeed worried, but upon reflection, Your Majesty's arrangement must be trustworthy. Whatever Your Majesty does has its reasons, and your subject only needs to follow Your Majesty's arrangements," Concubine Yi added, half-truthfully confessing.

Kangxi was deeply moved and pulled her into his arms. The bed curtains were drawn, concealing their intimate moments.

Concubine Yi thought that this unexpected night of favor would be over, but the next day, a young eunuch from the Palace of Heavenly Purity came again!

If the first day could be explained as Kangxi being too busy or her being favored, being chosen three consecutive nights made her uneasy.

In the imperial harem, being favored is a good thing, but being favored without knowing the reason can be unsettling.

So, on the third morning, as she left the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Concubine Yi stopped Liang Jiugong at the door and inquired discreetly.

Liang Jiugong looked at the anxious Concubine Yi and couldn't help but find it amusing.

"Your Highness is blessed. Recently, the Fifth Prince and the Fifth Princess Consort have caught the Emperor's eye, especially the Fifth Princess Consort," he reminded her with a smile.

Concubine Yi was taken aback. "What does the Fifth Princess Consort have to do with this?"

Liang Jiugong shook his head, indicating that he could only hint so much. "Your Highness, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but please don't inquire further with the Fifth Prince or the Fifth Princess Consort."

Concubine Yi immediately understood. "Thank you for the reminder, Eunuch Liang. Your subject knows the limits."

Since Kangxi felt she shouldn't know, she would pretend not to know.

However, Concubine Yi was certain that her sudden favor was due to An Qing.

She couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated. In all her years in the palace, she had used various means to gain favor, even using her son to attract the Emperor to her palace, but she never imagined that she would gain favor through her daughter-in-law!

Who would believe this?

If she didn't know Liang Jiugong's character, she wouldn't have been able to convince herself.

Leaving the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Concubine Yi found it increasingly funny.

Many people in the palace had secretly mocked her, saying that marrying a Horqin daughter-in-law was to bring her bad luck.

How ridiculous! An Qing was clearly her lucky star.

Chapter 24: The Fifth Princess Consort

Emperor Kangxi might have also realized that summoning Concubine Yi too frequently these past few days was not conducive to harmony in the harem. So, on the fourth day, he finally chose another consort's green card.

Concubine Yi took this opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief. At her age, with her position and a son by her side, she no longer had the intense desire for favor that she once did when she was younger. After all, serving the emperor was physically demanding.

Moreover, she didn't want to become a thorn in the eyes of the three consorts Hui, De, and Rong. After all, the four of them were evenly matched, and if she overshadowed the other three too much, they might join forces against her, which would be troublesome.

Three days of favor was just right—showing that she was more favored than the others but not so much as to draw undue attention, at most causing a few more teacups to shatter in their palaces.

Since the day of the sacrifice, it seemed that everything in the court had suddenly gone smoothly. Even the number of arguments among the censors had decreased, truly presenting a peaceful scene.

The smoother things went in the court, the better Emperor Kangxi's mood became, and thus, he acted more freely.

After an early adjournment one day, he suddenly remembered that it had been some time since he visited Empress Dowager in Ningshou Palace to pay his respects. So, without delay, he went there immediately.

Seeing Emperor Kangxi come unexpectedly, Empress Dowager was somewhat surprised. "Emperor, shouldn't you be busy with official duties? Why do you have time to visit me? Has something happened?"

Usually, Emperor Kangxi would visit her in the evening after handling most of the court affairs, barely managing to spare some time. Seeing him come right after morning court was bound to make her wonder.

Seeing her misunderstanding, Emperor Kangxi quickly smiled and explained, "Mother, don't misunderstand. There's nothing wrong; I just had some free time and came to visit."

Empress Dowager saw that he indeed didn't seem troubled and, after confirming there was no issue, she relaxed.

"That's good. No trouble is good."

It was time for Empress Dowager's midday meal, so Emperor Kangxi accompanied her.

Every summer, Empress Dowager suffered from the heat. In previous years, Emperor Kangxi would take her and the rest of the harem to Changchun Garden, which was much cooler than the Forbidden City. But this year, due to the war in the northwest, many matters had been delayed, and he had to stay in the Forbidden City.

Initially, Emperor Kangxi planned to send Empress Dowager alone to Changchun Garden, as she was old and shouldn't suffer here. However, she firmly refused, saying that if the emperor could endure, so could she, insisting on staying in the palace.

However, Emperor Kangxi knew that Empress Dowager did this to avoid causing trouble for him. A few months ago, the court was unstable, and if Empress Dowager left alone, it might give those with ill intentions a reason to say that the emperor and empress dowager were not on good terms, which would be a heavy burden under the guise of filial piety.

"Mother, you're eating too little. Have more; your health is important." Seeing that Empress Dowager hadn't eaten much, Emperor Kangxi urged her.

Empress Dowager waved her hand, looking at the table full of food prepared by the imperial kitchen, finding it too greasy and lacking appetite.

"No need. Don't worry, Emperor. If I get hungry later, I'll have some snacks."

Emperor Kangxi frowned, showing concern.

In his view, snacks were too sweet and greasy, especially in the hot summer, and he doubted Empress Dowager would eat them, likely just to reassure him.

Wu Lan noticed Emperor Kangxi's worry and quickly reassured him with a smile, "Your Majesty, don't worry. When she wakes up from her nap, I'll have the small kitchen prepare some cold noodles for her. She loves them recently, sometimes even one serving isn't enough."

Hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's frown eased. As long as she had something she liked to eat, it was fine.

"Aunt, is that cold noodle dish a new creation by the imperial kitchen?"

Wu Lan shook her head, "No, Your Majesty. The recipe for cold noodles comes from the Fifth Princess Consort. It's a local snack from Shaanxi."

She then briefly described how to prepare it, "You can add shredded cucumber and mung bean sprouts. The flavors include sweet and sour, spicy and sour, and spicy and numbing. Empress Dowager prefers the sweet and sour flavor."

Emperor Kangxi also suffered from the heat, though slightly less than Empress Dowager, but still lacked appetite. These days, he ate more out of necessity rather than desire. Hearing Wu Lan's description, he suddenly felt a craving to try it.

Empress Dowager noticed his interest and said with a smile, "If you like it, let the small kitchen prepare an extra portion for you this afternoon. If you find it good, we can have the imperial kitchen make it for you regularly. In such hot weather, it's better to have refreshing foods."

Emperor Kangxi readily agreed, "Mother is right. Let's do as Mother says."

But then, remembering that Wu Lan mentioned the recipe came from An Qing, he couldn't help but remark, "The Fifth Princess Consort is thoughtful."

Empress Dowager nodded and smiled, "That child is good."

Then, pointing to a few plates of pastries on a nearby table, she added, "Look, the Fifth family heard that I've been suffering from the heat and have no appetite, so they keep sending over various snacks, worried that I might lose weight."

Hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's impression of An Qing improved further.

A filial child.

He looked in the direction Empress Dowager pointed and saw several pastries he hadn't seen before. Curious, he asked someone to bring a few over to taste.

"Your Majesty, what you're eating is glutinous rice cold cake. The Fifth Princess Consort said it's a local snack from Hengshui, Hebei. Empress Dowager loves this pastry."

"This is Tianchang snow flake cake. The Fifth Princess Consort said it's a local pastry from Anhui, white and sweet, melting in your mouth."

"This is..."

For each dish, Wu Lan explained carefully, always mentioning "the Fifth Princess Consort said," piquing Emperor Kangxi's curiosity.

These local snacks, while not as refined as the palace pastries, had a pleasant texture—soft and sticky, sweet and sour—perfect for summer.

But... "How does the Fifth Princess Consort know about these?"

As a noble lady raised in a Mongolian aristocratic family in Horqin, how could she know so much about local snacks? Even if she heard about them, they should be famous regional dishes.

Wu Lan smiled and replied, "Your Majesty and Empress Dowager thought the same thing. When Empress Dowager asked the Fifth Princess Consort, she said there were many Han Chinese in their tribe who told her about these snacks."

Emperor Kangxi nodded, thinking it made sense. In recent years, many refugees had moved to Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner.

An Qing's explanation satisfied both Emperor Kangxi and Empress Dowager, but they never imagined that the real reason she knew so much about local snacks was because she was a devoted viewer of the food program "A Bite of China" in her previous life.

Feeling indebted to An Qing over the peony incident, after leaving Empress Dowager's palace and returning to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Emperor Kangxi immediately ordered Liang Jiugong to open his private treasury and sent a stream of valuable items to the prince's residence as gifts for An Qing.

When the eunuch from the Palace of Heavenly Purity arrived, An Qing was happily enjoying a bowl of yogurt ice in her room.

The ice bowl made by the Imperial Tea and Food Office was almost as good as those made in modern times. With an abundance of summer fruits like melons, water peaches, loquats, grapes, and even mangoes sent by the Fujian provincial governor, all cut into small pieces and arranged in a large bowl, topped with red beans, glutinous rice, and crushed ice, the ice bowl was complete.

However, after it was brought from the kitchen, An Qing still needed to add a layer of freshly fermented Mongolian yogurt that Chunxiao had prepared, making it perfect!

The ice bowl was incredibly refreshing, but unfortunately, Maidong only allowed her one bowl per day, so An Qing cherished it, always saving it for the hottest part of the afternoon to maximize its cooling effect.

"You're saying what? Father Emperor sent someone to give me gifts?" An Qing held the silver spoon used for scooping ice, staring at Perilla in disbelief, completely stunned.

Didn't he already give gifts earlier? Why again?

Could Lao Kang be so busy that he's lost his mind?

"Milady, you should go out and receive the gifts; the eunuch from the Palace of Heavenly Purity is still waiting," Perilla urged.

An Qing was pushed outside by Perilla, still feeling dazed, and indeed saw the eunuch from the Palace of Heavenly Purity in the courtyard. It was the same person who had delivered gifts a few days ago, along with several other little eunuchs holding the gifts.

Goodness, just looking at those gold, jade, silk, and brocade, it was almost blinding.

She hesitated for a moment before deciding to gently remind him, "Eunuch, didn't the Emperor already give gifts a few days ago? Could there be a mistake today?"

Should we go back and check?

An Qing thought it was better to clarify, in case there was a mistake, could they take it back later?

Of course, the Emperor, being the ruler of the nation, would not take back anything once given, but An Qing couldn't bear to keep something she didn't deserve.

Sigh, what can you do? She grew up under the red flag, learning about propriety and beauty since childhood, laying a solid foundation for her upright life.

"Fifth Princess, you're joking. The Emperor's word is law; how could there be a mistake?" the eunuch smiled.

An Qing immediately understood.

Got it, this means no matter if Kangxi made a mistake or not, once he said it, it stands.

The Emperor's word is law, I get it, I get it!

In the end, An Qing could only reluctantly accept the gifts from Kangxi, but she still felt uneasy, thinking that Kangxi must have made a mistake.

Otherwise, why would he give gifts again? It doesn't make sense.

It wasn't until Yinqi came over in the evening that she finally got an answer: "Don't worry, Father Emperor probably feels he has wronged you."

An Qing exclaimed, "What did I do wrong?"

Yinqi looked at her helplessly. Sometimes he couldn't understand her. She seemed easily satisfied and never felt wronged.

The incident with Liu Jiashi was like this, and so was the peony incident.

Finally, An Qing understood from Yinqi's complicated gaze. Oh, he meant the peony incident.

But what's there to feel wronged about? This outcome is exactly what she wanted.

As the saying goes, people fear fame, pigs fear getting fat. If she had simply saved a valuable peony, it wouldn't matter much, but now the peony is called an auspicious sign. If it were associated with her, it would undoubtedly bring trouble.

An Qing was quite content with her current state and didn't want any unnecessary complications. Otherwise, it would only add to her troubles.

Besides, one of the rules of workplace survival is that you don't need everyone to remember your good deeds; as long as the boss knows, it's enough.

In this vast Qing dynasty, could there be a bigger boss than Kangxi? So in this matter, as long as Kangxi knows her contributions, it's enough.

After accomplishing the task, she could leave quietly, hiding her achievements.

This time, however, while An Qing hid her achievements, Yinqi had to step forward.

After all, the auspicious peony needed some explanation.

As a result, these days, Yinqi had been frequently targeted by his brothers. The most troublesome part was that the Crown Prince, Elder Brother Prince, and Third Brother stood together on this issue. Whenever one of them found fault, the others would join in.

Why couldn't they be this united on other matters? Yinqi was getting angrier the more he thought about it.

Fortunately, his Fourth Brother often helped smooth things over; otherwise, he might have exploded.

Yinqi never wanted to compete with his brothers. It wasn't because he was afraid, but because he believed they were family and shouldn't quarrel over trivial matters.

To put it bluntly, if they really fought, no one would necessarily come out on top. He grew up under the care of the Empress Dowager, and among his brothers, only the Crown Prince was raised directly by Father Emperor. His support was the strongest.

That day, Yinqi was once again targeted by Elder Brother Prince. After returning to the Prince's residence in the afternoon, he went straight to his study and stayed there until sunset.

"Sir, shall I have someone serve dinner?" Ma Xiang asked cautiously.

Usually, when he returned at mealtime, Yinqi would eat in An Qing's courtyard, but today Ma Xiang was unsure. After all, the recent friction between the Crown Prince, Elder Brother Prince, and Third Brother was partly due to the Princess Consort. He feared his master might vent his anger on her.

Actually, Ma Xiang sometimes felt sorry for his master. Over the years, his master had always tried to avoid conflict and stay low-key among his brothers. Who knew that after all this effort, one incident would make him the target of everyone's ire.

Yinqi kicked him lightly, "What's that look for?!"

He knew what this guy was thinking!

Was he such an unreasonable person? He could tell right from wrong. The root of the problem lay with his brothers, not An Qing.

Ma Xiang rubbed his bottom and apologized repeatedly.

Goodness, if the Princess Consort is fine, he didn't want to be the one blamed. After all, his master was holding a lot of anger inside and finding an outlet was normal.

Yinqi wasn't really trying to blame anyone, so he let it go.

Just now, after entering the study for so long, he was afraid that his temper would flare up and affect others. Now that his anger had subsided, he came out.

Seeing Yinqi not looking angry, Ma Xiang gathered his courage and said, "Sir, why bother? We have nothing to fear."

He had been with Yinqi since childhood and knew his master well. The outside world said Fifth Prince was mediocre, but only Ma Xiang knew that his master was intentionally keeping a low profile, as he always had.

If Yinqi wanted to retaliate, Elder Brother Prince and the others might not be a match for him.

Yinqi understood Ma Xiang's meaning but still shook his head.

A few years ago, he might have fought back, taking it all the way to their Father Emperor. After all, they were all young, and it would just be sibling squabbles.

But in recent years, as the Crown Prince and Elder Brother Prince became more competitive in court, Father Emperor had become increasingly wary of the princes.

Now that he had just been praised in court and was known for finding an auspicious peony, any move he made could be misinterpreted as an attempt to gain something.

Since he had no interest in such matters, why invite trouble?

Yinqi realized long ago that both Empress Dowager and his mother relied on Father Emperor's trust.

Empress Dowager was not Father Emperor's birth mother and moved cautiously in the palace. His mother, despite being a favored concubine, was already a thorn in the side of the imperial harem. He couldn't let them be suspected by Father Emperor because of him.

So over the years, he preferred to maintain a reputation of mediocrity rather than stir up trouble.

At least in Yinqi's view, mediocrity meant safety.

When Yinqi arrived at the main courtyard, An Qing had just changed into a set of light clothing, preparing to trim the vines of the watermelons while it was cooler.

The main vines of the watermelons had grown nine true leaves, signaling the time to start trimming.

"What are you doing?" Yinqi looked her up and down, puzzled.

An Qing replied cheerfully, "I need to trim the vines of the watermelons I planted. I'm going to do it before dinner."

She then invited him, "Sir, would you like to come along?"

Yinqi readily agreed. He had always been interested in An Qing's watermelon cultivation and missed the seedling stage earlier. This time, he caught up.

When they reached the melon patch, Yinqi stood at the edge, amazed at the sprawling watermelon vines. It was his first time seeing watermelon vines, and they looked so vibrant.

An Qing didn't disturb him as he took in the scene; she squatted down and started working.

Finish early, eat early—this was the simple mindset of farmers, ancient and modern.

Yinqi looked around, fascinated, and when he turned back, An Qing had nearly finished half a row.

Embarrassed, he approached her and said, "Is this difficult? If not, teach me, and I'll help you."

"Not at all," An Qing said, demonstrating with a vine. "See, from the root, keep only the main vine and two strong lateral vines. Remove all other secondary and tertiary vines."

She turned to Yinqi, "Do you understand?"

Yinqi nodded instinctively. It wasn't hard; the main vine and two strong lateral vines were easy to identify. But...

"Why remove these vines when they look healthy?" he asked, frowning.

An Qing pointed to a vine and explained patiently, "These are useless branches. Removing them reduces unnecessary nutrient waste, improving yield and quality."

Yinqi listened, somewhat understanding the concept of "useless branches." Since they were useless, they needed to be removed.

Trimming vines wasn't difficult, and after a few tries, he got the hang of it. They worked and chatted, with Yinqi asking questions like a curious child.

"When will the watermelons bear fruit?"

"After flowering," An Qing replied. "But once they flower, we need to fertilize them quickly."

"Then what?"

"What else?"

"After fertilizing, what else needs to be done?"

An Qing responded with an "Oh," trying not to laugh. She knew laughing would upset Yinqi.

She held back her laughter and began explaining patiently.

For example, about a week after fertilizing, many flowers would bloom on each vine, possibly even seven or eight melons. But only two melons should be kept per vine, and the rest should be removed.

The reason was that too many melons would result in small, unripe fruits. By removing excess vines, the remaining melons could absorb enough nutrients from the soil.

Mid-late maturing watermelons shouldn't be planted too densely. On the roughly one and a half mu of land, An Qing had planted about a hundred watermelon seedlings, which they finished trimming without realizing it.

Yinqi seemed reluctant to stop. An Qing stretched, feeling refreshed after the work.

They stood at the edge of the melon patch, gazing at the sky beyond the red walls. The sunset left a small tail, casting golden light across the evening sky.

The evening breeze carried the day's heat but brought a sense of comfort.

After doing some farm work, Yinqi felt his worries dissipate. He suddenly understood An Qing's words.

Labor brings joy.

With less work, Yinqi spent most of his time in An Qing's courtyard. Sometimes, he wouldn't even return to the front courtyard, heading straight to her place.

If An Qing was tending to her melon patch, he would join in, enjoying it thoroughly. It seemed that his farming gene had truly awakened that day.

This led to a direct consequence: Yinqi's belongings in An Qing's room increased more and more. It wasn't just daily necessities; he often brought his official work here too, to the point where An Qing had to share half of her study with him.

Naturally, under such circumstances, someone in the back courtyard would inevitably become anxious.

One day, Cui Liu returned from visiting elsewhere looking quite upset. After An Qing asked her about it, she learned that Princess Baijia Shi from the western annex had sent someone to deliver soup to Yinqi in the front yard.

"Madam, aren't you going to do something about it?" Cui Liu said anxiously.

In recent days, seeing how well their madam and the master got along, everyone in the main courtyard was naturally pleased. So how could they tolerate anyone else trying to intervene?

An Qing shrugged. "What can I do? Baijia Shi is Yinqi's princess; it's normal for her to show concern."

Everyone is legitimate; what right does she have to interfere?

Of course, An Qing didn't find anything wrong with Baijia Shi's actions either. To put it bluntly, she and Baijia Shi were like colleagues at the same company. She couldn't stop others from climbing up just because she held a higher position; that wouldn't be reasonable.

Still, if Yinqi wanted to come to her place, she wouldn't turn him away, but she also wouldn't prevent him from going to others.

As for the rivalry between wives and concubines, sorry, she had no interest. As long as Baijia Shi didn't provoke her, it was none of her business.

Seeing her madam so indifferent, Cui Liu was extremely worried. But she knew An Qing's temper and realized that persuasion would be futile. Thus, all she could do was worry and try to gather information from outside.

For example, today Baijia Shi sent soup to the front yard; tomorrow she had someone wait at the corner gate for the master; or she dressed up prettily to "accidentally" meet him in the garden.

An Qing showed no interest in these matters. She didn't even care whether Yinqi visited Baijia Shi's quarters. Her entire focus was on the melon patch.

Ever since the watermelons started growing, she couldn't help but visit the patch three times a day, fearing any minor issue might arise. After all, the harvest was imminent, and any mishap would make her regretful.

When the late-ripening melons began to form small fruits, the early-ripening ones were already ready, and the palace officially started supplying watermelons.

According to her allotment, the Office of Palace Affairs provided ample watermelons daily. Concubine Yi, knowing her love for watermelons, even sent extra, as if afraid she wouldn't have enough.

However, after eating them a few times, An Qing showed little enthusiasm.

It wasn't that the Office of Palace Affairs was giving her inferior melons; rather, watermelons in this era generally had thick rinds, coarse flesh, and many white fibers, making them taste poor.

Since An Qing herself didn't eat much, these watermelons became a treat for the people in her courtyard.

Little Xizi, holding a piece of watermelon, squatted in the courtyard, becoming increasingly puzzled as he ate.

How delicious this watermelon is! Why doesn't the Lady like it? Yet, she seems so concerned about the watermelons in the field, which suggests she does enjoy watermelons.

Not only Little Xizi but many others in the courtyard shared this confusion.

Perhaps only Cui Liu and a few others understood An Qing's feelings. Last year in Horqin, they had tasted a piece of watermelon, and the memory still made their mouths water. No wonder their madam couldn't forget it.

Thus, under An Qing's day and night anticipation, her precious watermelons hadn't ripened yet, but the tomatoes planted in the flower beds turned red first.

On one of these days, when Yinqi came over, he saw An Qing sitting in a wicker chair in the courtyard, munching on something red.

That thing looked somewhat familiar.

Upon closer inspection, wasn't that the fruit of the ornamental plant, the Western tomato?!

His face turned pale, and he rushed to An Qing, snatching the fruit from her hand.

What nonsense! How can you eat this thing!

Chapter 25: The Fifth Lady

An Qing was completely stunned. She looked down at her empty hand and then at the half-eaten tomato in Yinqi's hand, which looked rather pitiful.

It didn't make sense; why did he snatch her tomato? If he wanted to eat it, he could have taken one himself; there were plenty!

Yinqi couldn't care less about that right now. He looked down at the half-eaten tomato in his hand, his face growing increasingly grim.

"Ma Xiang, quickly go fetch the imperial physician!" His voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.

Hearing the words "imperial physician," An Qing's momentarily blank mind snapped back into focus, and she immediately understood the reason behind Yinqi's actions.

"Wait!" She stretched out her arms towards Ma Xiang and then turned to look at Yinqi, "This is edible; it's not poisonous. Really, no need for an imperial physician."

Yinqi's brows furrowed slightly as he stared at her for a few seconds. "Have you eaten it before?"

Of course, she had eaten it countless times in her previous life. After all, tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, beneficial for beauty and digestion, and very good for health.

"I've seen others eat it." An Qing might have felt this explanation was weak, so she added reassuringly, "Don't worry, nobody died!"

But this well-intentioned remark only made Yinqi's face darken even more.

What kind of assurance was that? How could he be at ease knowing she would eat anything?

This was sheer recklessness!

Seeing An Qing's innocent expression, Yinqi couldn't bring himself to scold her and instead turned to glare at Ma Xiang. "Useless fool, what are you waiting for? Didn't you hear my order!"

Ma Xiang, who had been on edge, immediately ran off upon hearing Yinqi's words.

He was completely terrified by An Qing's act of eating the tomato. Everyone in the palace knew that although tomatoes looked appealing, they were poisonous berries. How could the Lady eat anything without caution?

But before he had run far, he heard Yinqi shout from behind, "Remember to bring Director Qi from the Imperial Medical Bureau."

An Qing's eyes widened when she heard that Yinqi specifically requested the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau.

Was he really going to make such a big fuss? Wouldn't it be enough to just send a minor physician to check her pulse and confirm she wasn't poisoned?

However, when she saw Yinqi's stern face, she instinctively shrank back, feeling a bit intimidated.

Fine, if Director Qi must come, so be it. Who comes isn't important.

As soon as Ma Xiang left, Yinqi tossed the tomato aside, squatted in front of An Qing, and asked with concern, "How do you feel now? Are you dizzy? Do you have any abdominal pain or discomfort anywhere?"

An Qing finally had a chance to prove herself and hurriedly replied, "No, no, I'm fine. No dizziness, no abdominal pain, everything is perfectly fine."

To reassure him further, she jumped up from the wicker chair and bounced around a few times. "Sir, look, I'm perfectly fine..."

Yinqi was startled by her sudden movement and quickly grabbed her, lifting her up horizontally and carrying her towards the room.

He gritted his teeth as he walked, saying, "Stop causing trouble and lie down properly!"

An Qing: "..."

After placing her on the bed and confirming she was temporarily fine, Yinqi finally had time to confront her.

He turned to look at Perilla and the others, his expression cold. "Is this how you serve the Lady?"

Without any physical punishment or harsh words, the emotionless "hmm" conveyed the oppressive demeanor of someone in authority.

An Qing had never seen this chilling side of Yinqi and was momentarily stunned.

Perilla and the others were so frightened that they immediately fell to their knees.

They had never seen such a scene. Yinqi was known for his good temper and kindness towards servants. Even when someone occasionally made a small mistake, he would let it slide.

But seeing him like this was unprecedented.

Feeling sorry for them, An Qing, adhering to the principle of taking responsibility for her own actions, tugged at his sleeve and pleaded, "Sir, don't scold them. I am their mistress; they can't control me."

Yinqi turned to glare at her and sneered, "So you're quite capable, aren't you?"

An Qing rubbed her nose and replied shamelessly, "Not really, just average capability."

Yinqi was about to be driven mad. He couldn't hit her or scold her, so he simply turned away in frustration.

The room fell into a tense silence. An Qing lay quietly on the bed, trying to minimize her presence, while Perilla and the others wished they could shrink away.

Fortunately, Ma Xiang soon returned with the imperial physician, breaking the suffocating atmosphere.

The physician was Director Qi from the Imperial Medical Bureau. It was a coincidence that he was not on duty today but had been summoned by Kangxi to diagnose a noble person. He had just finished and was about to leave the palace when Ma Xiang caught him.

Director Qi was dragged to the Prince's residence without knowing the patient's identity or condition.

Recognizing Ma Xiang as someone from the Fifth Prince's entourage and hearing him repeatedly say "quick, quick, it's a matter of life and death," he assumed something had happened to the Fifth Prince.

Upon entering the room, however, he saw Yinqi sitting calmly, seemingly unharmed. He then turned his attention to An Qing lying on the bed.

"Director Qi, what are you waiting for? Please examine the Fifth Lady," Ma Xiang urged.

Director Qi finally identified the patient and hurriedly approached the bed with his medical kit. "Fifth Lady, please extend your right hand."

An Qing responded with an "oh" and cooperated.

Director Qi took out a thin silk handkerchief from his kit, placed it under her wrist, and began to take her pulse.

After checking several times, he found nothing wrong and asked, puzzled, "Fifth Lady, where do you feel uncomfortable?"

An Qing subconsciously glanced at Yinqi and pursed her lips, responding honestly, "I'm fine. There's nothing uncomfortable."

"This..." The chief physician Qi turned to look at Yinqi beside him, puzzled.

If there's nothing wrong, why did they urgently call for a physician?

Yinqi's brows furrowed slightly. "Physician Qi, are you sure there's nothing amiss?"

To be cautious, Physician Qi took her pulse again. Finally, he confirmed, "Fifth Prince, Fifth Princess's pulse is steady and strong. This subject confirms there is no issue whatsoever."

Only then did Yinqi exhale deeply, his heart finally settling.

Physician Qi was still confused.

Yinqi explained, "She ate half of a tomato fruit earlier."

"What?" Physician Qi was shocked. "You said Fifth Princess ate what?!"

An Qing instinctively drew back, feeling as if she had eaten poison.

Well, she admitted that tomatoes were considered poisonous by people here. Her initial plan was to eat it secretly in her courtyard, but fatefully, Yinqi caught her, leading to this commotion.

Yinqi's slightly eased mind was instantly on edge again due to Physician Qi's reaction. "It was the fruit from the ornamental tomato plant."

He then had someone bring up the remaining half of the tomato An Qing had eaten.

Physician Qi hurriedly examined the half tomato.

An Qing couldn't help but rub her forehead; the tomato still bore her messy bite marks, making her feel embarrassed.

Physician Qi carefully inspected the fruit, confirming it was a tomato. He approached An Qing again and said, "Fifth Princess, please stick out your tongue. This subject needs to check for any signs of poisoning."

An Qing had no choice but to comply.

Thus, Physician Qi meticulously conducted various examinations, checking her thoroughly. He even pricked her finger with a silver needle to draw a drop of blood for testing.

After all this, he finally confirmed that An Qing showed no immediate signs of poisoning, but with the caveat that it was temporary. To ensure no slow-acting toxins, observation was necessary.

"How long do we need to observe?" An Qing asked.

Physician Qi thought for a moment. "Fifth Princess, at least three hours."

An Qing thought it wasn't too bad; three hours equaled six hours, and since it was early, she could wait until dinner and rest afterward without much inconvenience.

Yinqi turned to Physician Qi and asked, "Physician, are there any precautions during the observation period?"

Physician Qi nodded. "No food should be consumed; she must remain fasting."

An Qing: "..."

But she was really hungry now. It was too hot during the day, and she had been waiting for dinner.

An Qing glanced at the half-eaten tomato on the plate beside her and cautiously asked, "Since I've already eaten one, how about another one? It shouldn't matter..."

Yinqi gave her a stern look, and she immediately shut her mouth.

Fine, no eating then. Missing one meal wouldn't kill her.

Physician Qi marveled at Fifth Princess's composure. Initially, he thought she had unknowingly eaten the fruit due to ignorance, but after all this, she remained calm and collected.

Truly, a woman raised under Mongolian cavalry in Horqin, her fearlessness far surpassed that of the ladies in the Forbidden City.

An Qing was unaware of the grand impression she had made.

In truth, she was quite afraid of death; her calmness stemmed from knowing the fruit was safe. Otherwise, with an unknown fruit, she would have panicked.

The next few hours passed slowly and anxiously.

Finally, after Physician Qi repeatedly confirmed no signs of poisoning, the matter concluded, and everyone's tension eased.

Only An Qing was carefree, mumbling before sleep, "See, I told you it was fine."

Yinqi turned away in frustration, unable to bear her nonchalance.

An Qing pouted and lay down to sleep, exhausted from the ordeal.

Soon, her steady breathing filled the room.

Yinqi sighed, admiring her resilience.

He got up quietly, slightly lifting the bed curtains to let in some candlelight, allowing him to observe An Qing more clearly.

An Qing slept soundly, waking up just as dawn broke. She opened her eyes to meet Yinqi's deep gaze.

"Didn't you have to attend morning court today?"

Though princes without titles didn't attend, Emperor Kangxi had his adult sons listen in, requiring them to leave early like ministers.

Yinqi ignored her question. "How do you feel now? Are you alright?"

An Qing responded, "I feel fine."

Seeing her seemingly unharmed, Yinqi relaxed and called out, "Ma Xiang, fetch Physician Qi again."

An Qing blinked, realizing Yinqi was still worried about yesterday.

"Did you... not sleep at all last night?"

Yinqi glanced at her without saying a word.

A surge of guilt washed over An Qing. So, he had truly been frightened by her yesterday.

"How could you dare? No one has ever eaten that thing before. If something happened, it could be fatal," Yinqi said.

An Qing didn't want him to worry, so she tried to explain, "I really saw someone eat it before; I wasn't reckless."

Seeing that she still didn't show any remorse, Yinqi couldn't help but explode, "You're still arguing!"

An Qing silently closed her mouth.

Wah wah wah~ He was being mean to her!

But then she thought about it and realized that she should reflect on herself for making someone as patient as Yinqi lose his temper. From his perspective, the tomatoes were always considered poisonous, and no one around them had ever eaten them. Seeing her eat them and showing no symptoms must have been terrifying.

No wonder he couldn't sleep all night; he was afraid she might succumb to poisoning during the night.

Realizing this, An Qing immediately understood that she had been too hasty. For Yinqi to hold back until now before yelling at her, he must have an exceptionally good temper.

"Um, Master, don't be angry, okay? I was wrong, and I won't do it again." She blinked her big eyes and pitifully tugged at his sleeve.

She had always been adept at playing the victim, a skill honed since childhood. Whether it was her parents or brothers, no one could stay angry with her when she acted this way.

This trick had never failed her, but she knew it only worked on those who cared about her.

Through their recent interactions and Yinqi's behavior yesterday, she sensed that although there was no romantic interest, he at least considered her part of his inner circle. That was enough for her.

Yinqi had never seen her act like this before and indeed gave in.

He took a deep breath and tapped her forehead, "Don't eat anything strange again."

An Qing readily agreed, repeatedly assuring him, almost swearing on it.

Seeing Yinqi's expression soften, she let out a sigh of relief.

Phew~ She had finally calmed him down. She knew that the more patient someone was, the scarier they became when truly angry. This time, she was clearly at fault, and if she hadn't appeased him, she would have felt terrible.

But little did An Qing know that calming Yinqi was just the first step. The matter was far from over.

The Chief Physician of the Imperial Medical Institute reported directly to Emperor Kangxi. In other words, he was one of Kangxi's trusted confidants. Such a significant event naturally required reporting.

So, after the Chief Physician had just experienced the shock of the previous night and had checked on the Fifth Princess Consort's pulse early in the morning, confirming she showed no signs of poisoning, he went straight to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

After hearing the entire story, Emperor Kangxi was stunned for several seconds. "What did you say she ate?"

The Chief Physician repeated, "Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess Consort ate the fruit of the tomato plant."

There was a sound of a document falling onto the table.

"Nonsense! Utter nonsense!" Kangxi suddenly stood up from his throne and paced back and forth, cursing, "How could anyone eat that? How could no one stop her? Are the servants in her courtyard all dead?"

The Chief Physician wiped his sweat, accustomed to the imperial family's protective behavior.

"How is the Fifth Princess Consort now?" Kangxi asked.

The Chief Physician hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess Consort shows no signs of poisoning or discomfort. It seems the tomato fruit is not poisonous."

Hearing that she was fine, Kangxi's anger subsided slightly, "Still, we can't be careless. No one has eaten it before, and we don't know if it's a slow poison. Qi Ping, I order you to check on the Fifth Princess Consort three times daily for the next half month. Report immediately if anything unusual happens."

The Chief Physician bowed, "As Your Majesty commands!"

After the Chief Physician left, Kangxi sat there, growing angrier the more he thought about it. How could she treat her own body so recklessly? Did she think she was Shennong tasting herbs?

From what Qi Ping said, the Fifth Princess Consort seemed unafraid. This wouldn't do. If she continued acting recklessly, she might lose her life.

"Liang Jiugong, go to the Prince's residence..."

Kangxi paused, realizing this might not be appropriate. Liang Jiugong was his personal attendant, and if he went, others might assume it was to reprimand her.

So he changed his mind, "Liang Jiugong, go tell Concubine Yi to visit the Fifth Princess Consort and talk some sense into her. She shouldn't eat anything randomly; it's unacceptable."

Liang Jiugong immediately acknowledged the order.

But he also noted everything silently. The Emperor, despite his anger, still wanted to preserve the Fifth Princess Consort's dignity. It seemed he had underestimated the impact of the auspicious peony incident.

In the Palace of Tranquil Dignity, Concubine Yi was stunned after hearing Liang Jiugong's report.

Her first reaction was, why did An Qing eat that thing? Then she remembered it was supposedly poisonous and quickly asked Liang Jiugong, "How is the Fifth Princess Consort now?"

Liang Jiugong replied, "Don't worry, Your Highness. Dr. Qi said she shows no signs of poisoning."

Concubine Yi relaxed and asked about the Emperor's intentions, "Did the Emperor give any orders?"

Liang Jiugong relayed the Emperor's message verbatim.

Concubine Yi frowned, worried that the Emperor might be blaming An Qing.

Liang Jiugong smiled, "Concubine Yi, don't worry. The Emperor is concerned about the Fifth Princess Consort."

Concubine Yi immediately understood his implication. If the Emperor truly wanted to blame her, he would have sent Liang Jiugong directly to the Prince's residence instead of coming to her.

Without delay, Concubine Yi led her attendants to the Prince's residence.

This was the first time Concubine Yi had visited Yinqi's courtyard since his marriage. She didn't send anyone ahead to announce her arrival and arrived directly at An Qing's main residence.

An Qing and Yinqi were having breakfast when Little Xizi came in to report. Both were visibly taken aback.

Concubine Yi arrived quickly, entering the room while the two were still in a daze.

The two hurriedly put down their chopsticks and went forward to pay their respects.

"Mother, why did you suddenly come here?" An Qing smiled as she supported Concubine Yi, saying, "If there's anything, you could have sent someone to tell me, and I would have come to your palace. Why trouble yourself to come here?"

Concubine Yi glanced at her and lightly 'humphed,' "If I didn't come to check on you, what would you be eating next time, hmm?"

An Qing wasn't foolish; she immediately understood that Concubine Yi knew about yesterday's incident.

She abruptly turned to look at Yinqi with an expression of 'how could you tattle.'

Yinqi: "…"

Fortunately, Concubine Yi never liked beating around the bush and soon explained her purpose, clearing Yinqi of the suspicion of being a tattletale.

An Qing instantly realized she had gone too far. How did Emperor Kangxi even find out? And he specifically sent Concubine Yi to warn her not to eat indiscriminately. This…

"Don't worry, your Imperial Father probably isn't angry. You don't need to be concerned."

An Qing immediately felt relieved, instinctively meeting Yinqi's gaze. Both of them visibly relaxed.

Concubine Yi had no time for their silent exchanges and couldn't help but tap An Qing's forehead, scolding, "Why are you such a glutton? There are so many delicious things in the palace, and they're not enough for you?"

An Qing: "…"

Oh no, this incident must have left an impression of a big glutton on Concubine Yi.

"Mother, it was all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding…"

"What kind of misunderstanding made you eat that thing? You seem fine now, but you still need to be careful these days. If you feel any discomfort, don't take it lightly; call a physician immediately."

"Yes, yes, I will definitely remember Mother's words."

"Don't just say it; remember, you can't be careless about this. Don't think I'm being annoying…"

"I don't find it annoying at all. I know Mother cares about me."

"Who cares about you? Don't flatter yourself."

"…"

Yinqi watched An Qing's various antics as she tried to please his mother, feeling… well, somehow, her morning efforts to placate him seemed a bit perfunctory.

Chapter 26: The Fifth Princess Consort

An Qing pulled out all the stops to please Concubine Yi, making her so delighted that she seemed to float on air. How could she remember that her original purpose was to reprimand someone?

It wasn't until just before leaving that Concubine Yi suddenly remembered the real reason for her visit. But when she looked at An Qing's innocent face, the words stuck in her throat.

Then, she turned to Yinqi and said earnestly, "Fifth Son, take good care of your Princess Consort."

Yinqi: "..."

When did his mother become so easy to please?

But then he recalled An Qing's demeanor earlier. Alright, he admitted it wasn't that his mother was easier to please; it was that some people were just too skilled at pleasing others.

Yinqi turned to look at An Qing with a complex expression, wondering how she managed to say those things so effortlessly.

If it were him, he would never be able to utter such words.

"How about that? Impressive, right?" An Qing said proudly, raising her chin.

Without even needing his help, she had single-handedly won over the beautiful mother-in-law. Given Concubine Yi's initial aggressive demeanor, it was clear they were both in for trouble.

Yinqi looked at her quietly, hesitating before saying, "Yeah, you're quite good at flattery."

An Qing: "..."

Actually, if one can't praise, it's better not to try.

In the following days, Doctor Qi really came three times a day to check on An Qing, meticulously observing and recording everything as if she were a rare animal.

Especially later, after Doctor Qi confirmed that the tomato was non-toxic, his innate curiosity as a physician emerged.

"Fifth Princess Consort, how does the tomato taste?"

"It's pretty good, sweet and sour, with plenty of juice. The texture is excellent."

"Have you noticed any significant changes in your body recently, or do you think the fruit has any effects?"

"Hmm, effects... I've noticed my skin feels smoother lately. It might have beautifying properties."

"..."

Cui Liu rolled her eyes from the side. Could their mistress be more reliable? Just half a tomato wouldn't have any beautifying effect. One might think she ate the Queen Mother's peach.

And Doctor Qi, asking now isn't a bit late?

These two, one daring to ask, the other daring to answer.

Days passed, and An Qing finally saw the end of the long and tedious observation period. She was incredibly excited, feeling the dawn of victory approaching.

However, she couldn't help sighing occasionally. Who would have thought eating a tomato would become a palace-wide sensation?

As the saying goes, good news doesn't travel far, but bad news spreads quickly. An Qing hadn't expected Doctor Qi's frequent visits to stir up rumors, but she never imagined becoming the talk of the palace.

It was truly mortifying!

How did An Qing find out? It started when the Fourth Princess visited her early one morning. The young girl was quite reserved, gently inquiring about her health and spending most of the time chatting to keep her company.

At the time, An Qing didn't think much of it, assuming the princess had heard from Concubine Yi. But when Xiao Jiu (Yin Tang) and Little Ten (Yin'e) arrived in the afternoon, she realized something was amiss.

These two weren't as considerate as the Fourth Princess. They blurted out everything, including how the entire palace viewed the incident.

Only then did An Qing realize she had inadvertently become the first person in Great Qing to eat a tomato.

"Fifth Sister-in-Law, I really admire you. The tomato looks so bright and poisonous, yet you dared to eat it. I'm truly impressed!"

An Qing replied sarcastically, "No need to praise me, no need to praise me!"

What was there to admire? He should admire the true first person who ate a tomato.

Compared to the first tomato eater, she admired the first crab eater even more. Crabs looked much harder to eat than tomatoes.

After learning about this, An Qing felt down for only an afternoon before bouncing back.

Forget it; everyone talks behind others' backs. Once the palace had new gossip, her trivial matter would be forgotten.

If these things didn't affect An Qing much, one thing did cause her direct distress.

Ever since witnessing her eating the tomato, Yinqi seemed to develop a stress response. Every time he left her courtyard, he would sternly remind her: "Don't eat anything random."

An Qing found this frustrating. Wasn't this making her seem like an idiot? She wasn't going to put everything in her mouth!

And...

"Sir, why are you so free lately?" She curiously watched Yinqi, who had been reading books in her courtyard all morning.

Had Kangxi changed his ways? Why wasn't he working his son to the bone anymore?

Thinking about it, Yinqi had indeed been less busy recently. Sometimes he came in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, and sometimes he stayed all day, a stark contrast to the past when he was nowhere to be found until nightfall.

This was too unusual.

Yinqi's hand holding the book paused. She had finally noticed.

"There's nothing much. I submitted a memo to His Majesty and took some time off."

An Qing raised an eyebrow, "Would His Majesty agree?"

Yinqi gave a light "Hmm."

An Qing was even more puzzled. This didn't seem like Kangxi's style at all.

She seemed to think of something and suddenly turned to look at Yinqi. "Hey, you're not using me as an excuse, are you?!"

Yinqi glanced at her and didn't deny it.

Lately, due to the auspicious peony incident, his brothers had been finding fault with him for no reason. Yinqi took advantage of An Qing's situation to take leave from his father, the Emperor, also giving him a chance to avoid the limelight for a while.

However, he looked up at An Qing, wondering if she thought he lacked ambition.

Unexpectedly, An Qing said, "That's right. Sometimes, when serving His Majesty, one needs to take a break. You can't be too earnest; it's important to balance work and rest."

Though she didn't know that Yinqi was avoiding trouble, she fully supported his decision. After all, why strive so hard when there's no desire for that position?

Yinqi was taken aback by An Qing's words and remained stunned for a moment before lowering his head, lost in thought.

Seeing his reaction, An Qing assumed he was shocked by what she said. After all, being driven by Kangxi, the demanding father, for years, it was normal for him to find her laid-back attitude hard to accept.

But just as she was thinking about how to smooth over her previous remarks, Yinqi suddenly spoke up, "You... don't hope for me to advance further?"

An Qing was startled, a clear surprise flashing in her eyes. Could he mean...

When their eyes met, she confirmed it: Yinqi meant exactly that.

Seeing her surprised expression, Yinqi realized he had startled her, and a hint of guilt passed through him.

But he believed that as husband and wife, they had a long journey ahead and some things needed to be clarified sooner rather than later.

An Qing didn't answer but asked instead, "Do you like it yourself?"

Yinqi paused, then shook his head. "I don't like it, and I'm not suited for it."

Sitting in that position required mastering the art of ruling and wielding power over ministers and nobles, even family members. He couldn't learn it and didn't want to.

Yinqi's admission that he wasn't suited for it truly stunned An Qing. She quietly looked at the young man before her, realizing that she had underestimated him. Even though she had known he wasn't as mediocre as history suggested, this moment made it clear that she still hadn't fully grasped his character.

An Qing understood what he meant by "not suited." Indeed, kind and honest people were not fit for that position.

But for a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boy to be so clear-headed about himself, without arrogance or pretension, was extraordinary.

"So, if you don't like it, don't do it. If it doesn't suit you, don't do it. Life is short; why make things difficult for yourself? Do what you like and what suits you, follow your heart," An Qing said calmly.

Hearing this response, Yinqi wasn't surprised at all.

She always had these 'unconventional' reasons and could simplify complex matters, cutting through the fog.

"What if you don't know what you like or what suits you?" Yinqi asked.

An Qing shrugged. "Then try and find out slowly. We're still young; there's no rush. Eventually, we'll figure it out..."

Eventually, they would find it, sooner or later!

The two-week observation period finally passed safely, and An Qing bid farewell to the thrice-daily pulse checks.

However, just as she thought the tomato's safety had been proven and she could indulge herself, Yinqi coldly refused her.

His reason was that she only ate half a tomato that day. What if she ate more and got poisoned?

An Qing was dumbfounded. If she had known, she would have eaten a few more behind his back.

Of course, she didn't give up easily and began arguing her case. It wasn't that she loved tomatoes so much; it was just that after all this trouble, if tomatoes were still considered poisonous and off-limits, what was the point?

However, Yinqi was stubborn. No matter what An Qing said, he had a counterargument. Finally, she remembered that tomatoes were proven safe to eat in Europe by the mid-17th century. According to the timeline, it was now the late 17th century, Kangxi's thirty-sixth year!

So, An Qing suggested Yinqi consult the European missionaries in the palace since the tomatoes came from abroad. Seeing her insistence, Yinqi agreed to try.

To his surprise, he found a European missionary named Zhang Cheng who had entered the palace a few years ago. According to him, people in Europe had been eating tomatoes for decades and had proven them safe. However, he personally disliked the taste and thus never mentioned it in Qing China.

For caution, Yinqi also consulted several other missionaries, both inside and outside the palace. Some even ate several tomatoes in front of him, which convinced him.

Finally, the tomatoes' 'injustice' was cleared.

Soon, news spread throughout the palace that tomatoes were safe to eat, but due to long-standing fear, no one dared to try them easily.

But An Qing, like a wild rabbit let loose, started indulging in tomatoes, seemingly making up for all the days she couldn't eat them.

Watching her, Perilla and the others were alarmed. Was it really okay to eat so many?

But once they tasted dishes like tomato and egg stir-fry, tomato-braised beef, and ketchup with everything, they quickly surrendered.

If their mistress could eat it, why should they worry?

With the personal experiences of the servants and the repeated servings of tomato dishes from the imperial kitchen, people gradually began to try them.

An Qing was very satisfied. This was the way it should be. Otherwise, all her efforts would have left her with just a reputation for gluttony. Now, she had discovered a new edible food, a true innovation.

That made all the difference.

Days passed quickly. After settling the tomato issue, An Qing received great news—her watermelons were ripening!

One evening, after walking around the watermelon patch, she called Little Xizi over.

"Go check if Master is in the front yard. If he is, ask him to come to our courtyard for some melon!"

Little Xizi was initially confused but then realized An Qing meant the watermelons she had grown. Excited, he asked, "Mistress, your watermelons are ripe?"

An Qing, in a good mood, generously replied, "Later, you'll get to taste how sweet the melons I grew are!"

Little Xizi readily agreed and didn't forget to flatter, "That would be a great honor for this servant. Thank you, Lady An Qing, for your kindness. The melons you grow are the sweetest."

This flattery made An Qing feel very comfortable. With a generous gesture, she said she would give him two pieces later, which made Little Xizi grin from ear to ear. Whether they were tasty or not was beside the point; what mattered was the face given by the master, and two pieces meant double the honor.

Little Xizi quickly headed to the front courtyard. As soon as he entered, he bumped into Ma Xiang. "Greetings, Chief Ma. Is Master here?"

Ma Xiang pointed towards the study. "Master is in the study discussing matters. It should be almost over. Did Lady An Qing send you?"

Little Xizi nodded. "Alright, I'll wait here then."

Ma Xiang gave a light "Mm," but seeing Little Xizi's beaming face, he couldn't help but ask, "What has you so happy?"

Little Xizi chuckled, rather smugly saying, "Lady An Qing said she would give me two pieces of watermelon later."

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiang laughed and scolded, "You good-for-nothing, is that really worth being so happy about?"

It's just watermelon. Anyone else might think Lady An Qing had given something extraordinary.

Little Xizi merely smiled without further explanation. After all, the watermelon was grown by Lady An Qing herself, which made it far superior to any ordinary melon.

However, although Ma Xiang said this, he secretly admired Little Xizi's luck for serving such a generous master. In the entire brotherhood of servants, their courtyard's servants had eaten the most watermelons this summer, envied by many.

Moreover, Little Xizi knew how to reciprocate. Every time Lady An Qing shared her portion of watermelon with them, Little Xizi always brought some to Ma Xiang. Reflecting on it, Ma Xiang realized he had benefited quite a bit this summer.

"You're lucky to have caught Lady An Qing's eye. You must serve diligently in the future and never slack off," Ma Xiang reminded him, softened by the favors.

The worst thing for a servant was to become arrogant, a grave taboo.

Little Xizi wasn't foolish and understood Ma Xiang's advice. "Thank you, Chief Ma, for your reminder. This servant will remain loyal to Lady An Qing."

Ma Xiang nodded, pleased with his response.

Yinqi had just finished discussing matters with his advisors and saw Little Xizi and Ma Xiang whispering when he came out of the study. He gestured for them to come over.

"Did Lady An Qing send you?" he asked.

Little Xizi hurriedly knelt down. "Reporting to Master, Lady An Qing sent this servant to invite you to eat watermelon in our courtyard."

Yinqi immediately thought of the melons An Qing had grown.

Recently, she had been mentioning that the watermelons were nearly ripe. He had assumed it would take longer, but apparently, they were ready sooner than expected.

"Let's go and see," Yinqi said, stepping forward.

Ma Xiang initially didn't understand, but seeing his master's slightly hurried pace, he suddenly realized something.

If Lady An Qing invited Master to eat watermelon in her courtyard, it must not be an ordinary melon.

He turned to Little Xizi, who mouthed back, "Watermelon grown by Lady An Qing."

Ma Xiang suddenly understood why Master reacted that way and why Little Xizi had that expression earlier.

He kicked Little Xizi lightly, annoyed that the boy had kept it a secret. Did he think Ma Xiang would covet his piece of watermelon?

Still, Ma Xiang knew about Lady An Qing growing watermelons. Coincidentally, whenever Master visited her courtyard, Ma Xiang wasn't there to serve.

This time, he would observe closely. Perhaps if Master and Lady An Qing were in a good mood, he could get a piece too.

When Yinqi arrived, An Qing hadn't yet picked the watermelon from the field. Eating a watermelon personally picked from the field was entirely different from having someone else pick and cut it for you.

Especially for her and Yinqi, who had been eagerly anticipating the growth since the seedlings, picking it themselves was essential.

Standing at the edge of the field, Yinqi was stunned.

He hadn't visited the field in days. Last time, the watermelons were only fist-sized, but now they were much larger!

The lush green vines and large watermelons nestled among the leaves looked even bigger than those supplied by the palace, truly delightful.

Standing amidst the field, he felt the joy of a farmer during harvest.

"How do we pick them?" Yinqi squatted down, looking at a round watermelon nearby.

An Qing glanced at the watermelon and said, "Not that one; it's not ripe."

Yinqi exclaimed, "Ah," clearly puzzled. "How can you tell if it's ripe?"

An Qing lifted her chin proudly. "Of course, I told you I'd pick the sweetest one for you."

Yinqi couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, let's see how you choose."

An Qing became excited and began showing off. "I have three unique tricks for selecting watermelons: look, listen, and tap."

She squatted next to Yinqi and pointed at the watermelon near his feet. "First, look at the patterns. Ripe watermelons have deeper patterns with shorter intervals between them, and they feel slightly indented when touched. But this one has shallow patterns, indicating it's not ripe."

Yinqi observed it and asked eagerly, "And what about listening and tapping?"

An Qing explained, "Listening means listening to the sound. When you tap a ripe watermelon, it makes a clear 'thunk' sound."

She tapped the watermelon. "Listen, this sound is dull, indicating it's not ripe."

"As for tapping, when you tap the rind with your index finger, your hand should feel a slight tremor, indicating ripeness."

Yinqi listened intently, feeling like he had opened a new world. Following her methods, he found significant differences between the watermelons.

Indeed, as An Qing had said, there was much to learn from the field.

"An Qing, you're amazing," Yinqi praised sincerely.

An Qing, usually unbothered by self-praise, blushed at the genuine compliment. "No, no, it's simple. Many people know this; it's nothing special."

This was almost common knowledge in her previous life. She had learned it from the elderly at the market back then.

Yinqi thought she was being modest and strongly disagreed, "I wouldn't know how."

An Qing waved her hand, "You're different."

Yinqi asked in confusion, "How am I different?"

An Qing paused, "Your family is rich."

Someone like him, born into a family with a real imperial throne, didn't need to know such basic life skills.

Yinqi countered, "Your family isn't short of money either."

A Princess from a noble Mongolian family, a little princess of their tribe—he absolutely didn't believe she knew these things because of a lack of money.

An Qing was clearly taken aback, "But... not as rich as yours!"

After saying this, they looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing.

How childish, what was there to compare? The fact that they were both so serious about it only made them seem even more immature.

Cui Liu, Little Xizi, and Ma Xiang, standing nearby, exchanged glances and tactfully took a step back, afraid to break the harmonious atmosphere between the two.

Cui Liu and Little Xizi were fine; they had witnessed An Qing and Yinqi working together in the fields before and were somewhat used to this kind of interaction.

But for Ma Xiang, this was his first time seeing such a scene, and he was nearly speechless.

Although his master had a gentle temperament, he had never seen him interact with anyone so casually—too relaxed, indeed.

An Qing and Yinqi picked just two watermelons but spent a full quarter of an hour doing so. After washing them, they placed the melons on the stone table in the courtyard.

Everyone gathered around in a circle, as if participating in some sacred ritual.

An Qing invited Yinqi to cut the melon, "Sir, you picked this melon, why don't you cut it?"

Yinqi didn't refuse, but when he took the knife, he realized he had never cut a watermelon before and wasn't sure how to start.

"Just cut it in half down the middle," An Qing demonstrated.

Yinqi nodded slightly, but for some reason, he felt inexplicably nervous when the blade touched the melon's skin.

He took a deep breath, applied force, and everyone held their breath, watching the knife slowly slice through the melon.

Finally, the blade reached the bottom, and the melon split in half, revealing its bright red flesh to everyone...

The vivid red flesh immediately caught everyone's eye, followed by the sweet aroma unique to watermelons. This dual assault on the senses made it easy to imagine how sweet the melon must be without even tasting it!

Yinqi stared at the melon for a moment, having never seen one like this before. The rind was much thinner than the ones they usually ate, and he barely needed to apply any pressure to cut through it.

Moreover, the flesh looked incredibly tender, and there were no white fibers!

Seeing everyone's reactions, An Qing couldn't help feeling smug, "I told you my watermelons are good, hmph, you didn't believe me."

Everyone: "..."

They believed her now.

Yinqi had only cut the first slice, and the rest of the task fell to Little Xizi, who was skilled at it. Typically, in the palace, melons were cut into small pieces and eaten with toothpicks, but An Qing insisted on having the melons cut into chunks with the rind still attached, to be held and eaten.

This time was no exception, and soon the watermelon slices were arranged on the stone table. Just looking at them made one's mouth water.

An Qing picked up a piece and offered it to Yinqi, "Sir, please taste it?"

Yinqi didn't hesitate, taking the melon and eating it. As he took the first bite, his eyes lit up.

After swallowing the first bite, An Qing eagerly asked for his opinion.

Yinqi thought for a moment and replied honestly, "The rind is thin as paper, the juice flows like a spring, and the flavor is sweet as honey. It's the best watermelon."

An Qing beamed, clearly pleased with this response.

Without delay, she picked up a piece and started eating, inviting Cui Liu and the others to join her.

Ma Xiang instinctively wanted to decline, believing that servants should only eat what was left over from their masters. However, before he could speak, Cui Liu and the others had already accepted, and Little Xizi, though a bit slower, had already grabbed a piece and brought one for Ma Xiang as well.

Ma Xiang turned to look at Yinqi, who nodded slightly, and he finally took the watermelon from Little Xizi and began eating.

An Qing and Yinqi sat on the stools by the stone table, both thoroughly enjoying their melons.

The others squatted nearby, each holding a piece of melon, savoring every bite. It was clear they cherished every moment.

The sunset cast a warm glow over the courtyard, giving everything a soft, golden hue.

They thought they would never forget this summer evening, for they had tasted the sweetest watermelon of their lives, grown by the Princess herself!

An Qing had the most satisfying watermelon of the summer, eating a quarter of one herself. If not for Mai Dong stopping her, she might have eaten half a melon.

Yinqi also ate quite a lot, even more than An Qing. Together, they finished about half a melon, and the rest was shared among the people in the courtyard, each getting a small piece.

Oh, right, Little Xizi was given an extra piece at An Qing's insistence, which drew envious looks from everyone.

However, with the watermelons gradually ripening, An Qing was not only delighted by her watermelon freedom but was also seriously considering a question—how to distribute the melons!

Chapter 27: The Fifth Princess Consort

This year, the watermelons on An Qing's plot of land had an extraordinary harvest. Initially, about a hundred seedlings were transplanted, and almost all of them survived.

Each plant bore between two to three fruits, resulting in over two hundred watermelons.

Even if An Qing loved watermelons, she couldn't possibly eat them all herself. So from the beginning, she planned to give some away as gifts.

Naturally, the first recipients would be Kangxi, Empress Dowager, and her beautiful mother-in-law, Concubine Yi.

She genuinely wanted to show respect to the Empress Dowager and her beautiful mother-in-law, as both had been very kind to her since she entered the palace. Regardless of their reasons, she appreciated their kindness.

As for Kangxi, An Qing admitted that she had ulterior motives—flattery and favor-seeking. After all, he was the ultimate boss.

The next day, An Qing took six large watermelons to Ningshou Palace to greet the Empress Dowager.

In the palace, everything must come in pairs, and gifts were no exception. Six was a lucky number, symbolizing smooth sailing, without being too excessive. After all, rarity is valuable.

"Wow, Fifth Princess Consort, where did you get these watermelons? They're enormous!" Wu Lan touched the round watermelons in surprise. "When did the Imperial Household Office start supplying such high-quality watermelons?"

The Empress Dowager also looked surprised.

An Qing smiled and replied, "Wu Lan, these aren't from the Imperial Household Office. I grew them myself and brought them here for Grandmother to taste."

Wu Lan thought it made sense; if the Imperial Household Office had such watermelons, they would have sent them to Ningshou Palace first.

But where did the Fifth Princess Consort grow them? Could they be from her estate?

Yet, she clearly said she grew them herself. Was she exaggerating?

"Where did you grow these watermelons?" the Empress Dowager asked, puzzled.

Her question left room for An Qing to save face if she hadn't grown them herself.

An Qing explained how she planted the watermelons in her courtyard, mentioning that Yinqi had helped. She also praised him for his assistance in this act of filial piety.

The Empress Dowager's face showed a hint of surprise. So, the commotion in her courtyard was for growing watermelons?

At the time, she assumed An Qing was planting flowers or other plants and didn't ask further. Who would have thought she was growing watermelons?

And she actually succeeded!

The Empress Dowager glanced at the watermelons again. Not only did she grow them, but she grew them so well. This child had unexpected skills.

"You've done well," the Empress Dowager said thoughtfully. "Have you sent any to your Emperor Father?"

An Qing nodded and replied, "Before coming here, I sent some to the Palace of Heavenly Purity."

She could visit the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi personally, but the Palace of Heavenly Purity, where Kangxi resided, was not somewhere she could enter freely. So, she sent Little Xizi there.

The Empress Dowager pointed at the watermelons. "Are the ones sent to your Emperor Father like these?"

An Qing, though unsure of the Empress Dowager's intent, answered truthfully, "Yes, Grandmother. They are all the best ones I picked from the field."

The Empress Dowager nodded. That was good.

These watermelons were clearly carefully selected. Though the Empress Dowager wasn't an expert in farming, she knew that watermelons varied in size and quality. Just like the watermelons supplied by the Imperial Household Office each year, the best ones always went to the Emperor and the palace.

To the Empress Dowager, it was surprising that An Qing could grow such large watermelons, but it was a rare feat in the palace. Sending all of them here and none to the Emperor wouldn't be appropriate.

However, she then thought, An Qing, despite her playful nature and occasional silly actions, was usually considerate in important matters. Like when she ate those tomatoes before, she was always thoughtful overall.

An Qing didn't know the Empress Dowager's thoughts but was more concerned about something else.

"Grandmother, watermelons are cold in nature. Please don't eat too much," she advised patiently.

With the heat, people often crave cool, refreshing foods, and watermelons are the perfect choice. It's easy to keep eating them.

Moreover, An Qing was confident in her watermelons. The Empress Dowager would surely enjoy them.

But given her age, her digestion was weaker, and eating too much might cause discomfort. An Qing didn't want to do something good with bad consequences.

The Empress Dowager found An Qing's concern amusing. "Don't worry, I'm not like a child who can't control herself," she teased.

An Qing understood the joke about her tomato incident but didn't feel embarrassed. Instead, she playfully said, "Grandmother is different from me, but I'm worried you won't want to disappoint my efforts. You're too kind to us younger ones, which makes me worry."

The Empress Dowager laughed and playfully scolded her several times before letting it go.

Wu Lan marveled inwardly. Whenever the Fifth Princess Consort visited, Ningshou Palace filled with laughter. The Empress Dowager's joy was evident, her smile never fading.

Unlike visits from the Crown Princess and other princess consorts, who were quiet and reserved, An Qing brought life to the palace. They didn't need to be so formal; it wasn't as if they were going to rule the world.

After An Qing left, Wu Lan instructed someone to take the watermelons away.

The Empress Dowager watched and suddenly said, "Let's cut one open and taste it together."

Wu Lan immediately called a young eunuch to slice the watermelon.

A while later, Wu Lan hurried back with a plate of watermelon slices. "Empress Dowager, look at this watermelon."

The Empress Dowager was visibly stunned. "These watermelons are truly delightful!"

Thin skin, tender flesh, and not a single white vein. They looked so appetizing!

Wu Lan smiled. "Indeed, when we cut it open, I was amazed. The Fifth Princess Consort has grown such high-quality watermelons. She's really impressive."

The Empress Dowager nodded in agreement.

It's truly remarkable. I bet even the farmers in Nanyuan who specialize in growing melons for the Emperor couldn't produce such a melon.

Seeing Empress Dowager staring intently at the watermelon on the plate, Wu Lan hurriedly handed her a bamboo skewer. "Empress Dowager, you should try it quickly. This melon looks incredibly sweet."

The Empress Dowager didn't refuse and took the skewer, eagerly picking up a piece and putting it into her mouth.

In the next moment, she was momentarily stunned.

This melon... It wasn't just sweet! It was extremely sweet!

Apart from being sweet, the juice was surprisingly abundant, and most importantly, the flesh was not at all rough. The texture was excellent.

"How is it? How does it taste?" Wu Lan couldn't help but ask.

Seeing her eager expression, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but laugh. "Why don't you try a piece yourself?"

Wu Lan and the Empress Dowager had long surpassed the relationship of master and servant. Seeing no one else around, Wu Lan disregarded any formalities, took another skewer, and tasted a piece.

As soon as the watermelon entered her mouth, her eyes widened; it was even more delicious than she had imagined.

Seeing her reaction, the Empress Dowager laughed too.

But her hands didn't stop, and she kept eating piece after piece. Before she knew it, the plate was empty, yet she still felt unsatisfied and wanted to have the palace maids bring another plate.

Seeing this, Wu Lan hurriedly stepped forward to stop her. "Oh my, Empress Dowager, you can't eat any more. You've already had quite a bit. If you eat more, your stomach will start complaining."

After saying this, she couldn't help but mutter, "It seems that Princess Consort of Prince Wu's previous concerns were justified."

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager reluctantly withdrew her hand. But then she remembered how she had teased An Qing earlier about being a glutton, which made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

She cleared her throat lightly and warned Wu Lan, "You mustn't say anything to that girl."

Wu Lan rarely saw this childlike side of the Empress Dowager and couldn't stop laughing. "Rest assured, Your Majesty. I won't say a word. I wouldn't want to undermine your dignity in front of the younger generation."

After saying this, she couldn't help but laugh again, causing the Empress Dowager to glare at her several times.

But after a while, the Empress Dowager couldn't hold back either and started laughing along with her.

Truly, they were getting younger by the day.

After leaving Ningshou Palace, An Qing headed straight to Yikun Palace.

Unfortunately, Concubine Yi wasn't there; she had gone to play mahjong at De Concubine's palace.

An Qing realized that her beautiful mother-in-law couldn't stay idle. In the past few days, every time she came to Yikun Palace, Concubine Yi was often absent—either playing mahjong at De Concubine's palace or visiting Hui Concubine or chatting with Imperial Concubine Rong.

Tsk tsk, An Qing couldn't understand why someone would go out so much in this hot summer weather. Wasn't it too hot?

However, since the main person wasn't there, An Qing didn't linger in Yikun Palace and simply left the watermelon behind.

Before leaving, she specifically instructed, "Don't forget to tell Mother that I picked this sweetest melon especially for her."

She hadn't forgotten the promise she made to her beautiful mother-in-law. Now was the time to fulfill it. Regardless of whether it was the sweetest or not, as long as she said it was, it would be.

Xizhu smiled and replied, "Princess Consort, rest assured. I will definitely convey your words verbatim."

Leaving Yikun Palace, An Qing got into a sedan chair. Previously, she might have been willing to walk for exercise, but in this hot summer, she really didn't want to move.

The journey back to the princes' quarters was quite long, passing through many palaces—some bustling and lively, others cold and desolate. The difference between being favored and unfavored in the Forbidden City was significant.

Since coming to the Forbidden City, An Qing had repeatedly thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't married to Kangxi as a concubine. Otherwise, being confined in this palace for life would have driven her mad.

These square palaces, which many believed to be a place of wealth and glory, were also cages that trapped people for life.

At this moment, An Qing suddenly understood why Concubine Yi couldn't stay in her palace for long. After spending too much time there, one needed to find some entertainment to pass the endless days.

Entering the princes' quarters, An Qing raised her hand to stop the sedan chair.

There was a narrow alley here where people often passed through, making it inconvenient to use the sedan chair. But if she took a detour, it would waste time, so walking was faster.

However, shortly after entering the alley, she heard a commotion ahead. Several eunuchs were gathered around a corner, occasionally accompanied by faint cries of pain.

If she guessed correctly, they were fighting.

Just as An Qing was about to ask Little Xizi to check, a voice rang out.

"Rascals! What are you doing? When did the palace become a place for you to run wild!"

She looked towards the source of the voice and saw a young man in a silver-white dragon robe. He was facing away from her, revealing only his profile.

Undoubtedly, anyone wearing a dragon robe must be one of Kangxi's princes. However, An Qing was uncertain which one he was, as among Kangxi's princes, she had only met Yinqi, Ninth Prince Yin Tang, and Tenth Prince Yin'e.

Little Xizi noticed An Qing's confusion and whispered, "Princess Consort, that's Thirteenth Prince."

An Qing's eyes widened. This was the famous Thirteenth Prince Yinxiang, the "deputy emperor" during the Yongzheng era!

Among all of Kangxi's sons, Thirteenth Prince Yinxiang was the one she was most interested in. She had always wondered when she would meet him in person, and now she had unexpectedly encountered him today.

While An Qing was lost in thought, Yinxiang had already figured out the situation.

It turned out that those eunuchs were beating another young eunuch because he had been rewarded for doing well in his duties. The other eunuchs, feeling resentful, dragged him into this deserted alley to teach him a lesson and steal his reward money.

They never expected to be caught by Yinxiang.

What surprised An Qing was that despite his young age, Yinxiang was very clear-headed.

Initially, the servants tried to twist the truth, but under Yinxiang's relentless questioning, their lies were exposed, and the truth was revealed.

After the incident failed, the eunuchs immediately began to kowtow and beg for mercy, filling the palace alley with their cries.

After hearing the whole story, An Qing couldn't help but frown.

This was clearly workplace bullying!

They themselves didn't strive for progress, yet when others did, they felt it hindered them. How shameless!

An Qing had always found such people annoying, so she thought that if Yinxiang showed mercy and let them off lightly, she would definitely have to intervene. She wouldn't ignore such matters if she encountered them.

Unexpectedly, Yinxiang remained unmoved. The young boy ignored the eunuchs' pleas and insisted on following the law of the land and the rules of the palace, sending all of them to be dealt with by the Imperial Household Department.

Witnessing this, An Qing's impression of the young boy improved even more.

Meanwhile, after dealing with the eunuchs, Yinxiang was quietly reminded by a small eunuch beside him. He then turned to look at An Qing.

When An Qing saw Yinxiang's appearance, she was stunned.

Good heavens, this child is... too handsome!

Indeed, her interest in Yinxiang stemmed from historical accounts describing him as a famously handsome man. Both Kangxi and Yongzheng were known for their preference for good looks, and since Yinxiang was close to them, his reputation as a beauty was well-deserved.

However, An Qing hadn't expected him to be this handsome.

He looked only eleven or twelve years old, with exceptionally clear and refined features, already exuding an aura of elegance and grace. He would be even more extraordinary in the future.

As An Qing marveled at Yinxiang's appearance, he approached with the small eunuch.

"Thirteenth Brother Yinxiang greets Fifth Sister-in-Law."

An Qing smiled warmly and waved her hand. "Thirteenth Brother, no need for formalities."

Genetics can indeed be mysterious. There wasn't a trace of Kangxi in Yinxiang's face; he must have inherited everything from his mother.

It was evident that his mother must have been a beauty.

Tsk tsk, another day of envying Lao Kang.

"Thirteenth Brother, where are you headed?" An Qing asked with what she hoped was a kind and friendly smile.

Yinxiang replied politely, "Fifth Sister-in-Law, today Father Emperor granted us half a day off. I just finished greeting my mother and am heading back."

An Qing responded with an "Oh." To take a half-day off and not go out to play but instead visit his mother was truly commendable.

She remembered how Concubine Yi often complained about Xiao Jiu, who would always go out to play during breaks and never remember to visit her in Yikun Palace.

At the time, An Qing didn't think much of it, considering it normal for children their age to play. With the heavy workload set by Kangxi, they rarely had any chance to enjoy themselves.

But now, seeing the contrast was truly striking.

However, seeing how proper and formal Yinxiang was despite his young age, An Qing couldn't resist teasing him.

"What a coincidence to meet Thirteenth Brother here. Come to think of it, this is actually our second meeting."

Yinxiang was taken aback. Second meeting?

But he hadn't seen Fifth Sister-in-Law before.

An Qing smiled slightly. "Thirteenth Brother forgot, it was on the day of my wedding to your Fifth Brother."

Though she hadn't seen him through the veil, Princess Si later told her that Xiao Jiu had dragged Xiao Shi and Xiao Shisan to cause trouble. This Xiao Shisan must have been Yinxiang.

She hadn't expected someone so polite and well-mannered to join in such mischief.

Yinxiang seemed to recall that day and his face turned red.

That day, he had been dragged there by his Ninth and Tenth Brothers. He knew it was inappropriate, and being reminded by An Qing made him even more embarrassed.

"Fifth Sister-in-Law, please don't blame me. That day, I was reckless. I apologize!"

He bowed formally with clasped hands.

Seeing his ears turn red, An Qing realized he was easily embarrassed and decided not to tease him further.

"Fifth Sister-in-Law was just joking with you, Thirteenth Brother. Please don't be so formal, or it will make me look bad."

Yinxiang quickly waved his hands, stammering, "No, it's not Fifth Sister-in-Law's fault. It's all my mistake."

Seeing him so flustered, An Qing liked him even more, feeling quite cheerful.

"To run into you today is fate. Come, Xiao Shisan, Fifth Sister-in-Law will give you two melons to eat..."

With that, she turned and left, gesturing for him to follow.

Yinxiang was confused. How did this suddenly become about watermelons?

Even after leaving his Fifth Brother's courtyard, he was still bewildered.

Wait, his Fifth Sister-in-Law really gave him two watermelons!

Seeing the two large watermelons in the small eunuch's arms, Yinxiang fell into deep thought.

His Fifth Sister-in-Law seemed different from the other sisters-in-law.

In Empress De's Yonghe Palace, the four concubines—Hui, Yi, De, and Rong—had just finished their last game of mahjong. Seeing it was getting late, they decided to call it a night.

Concubine Yi had good luck today and won a lot of silver, which lifted her mood considerably. Even when Consort Hui teased her about losing, she didn't mind.

When Xizhu came to fetch her, Concubine Yi handed over all the winnings and casually asked, "How is everything in the palace?"

Xizhu put the money bag away and replied, "Your Highness, Fifth Princess came by. Seeing that you weren't in the palace, she left but left behind several large watermelons for you."

"Watermelons?" Concubine Yi raised an eyebrow. Why did the child leave her watermelons? Although there were fewer watermelons supplied to the palace now than before, if she wanted them, she wouldn't be lacking...

Wait, An Qing's watermelons?

Concubine Yi seemed to realize something and suddenly turned to look at Xizhu, who nodded vigorously.

"Oh, this child, really. She finally got a few watermelons; she should have kept them for herself. Why did she bother sending them to my palace?"

Concubine Hui was still upset about losing at cards and, seeing Concubine Yi making such a fuss over a few watermelons, snapped, "It's just a few watermelons. What's so special about them? You'd think you've never seen anything good before."

"I admit I don't have your experience, Sister, but that's okay. These watermelons were grown by the child herself. The thought alone makes them incomparable to anything else." Concubine Yi subconsciously touched the hairpin on her head and smiled even more brightly.

Hearing this, Concubine De suddenly looked up, "Fifth Princess grew them herself?"

Concubine Yi shrugged, not hiding it anymore, "Yes, that child heard somehow that I, her mother, love watermelons, so she specially planted them herself. Unfortunately, it led to some annoying rumors, but fortunately, the Emperor approved of it."

Don't think she doesn't know that the rumors about An Qing imitating a clumsy farmer spread throughout the palace, likely due to these three pushing it behind the scenes. Otherwise, Liu Jiashi alone couldn't have caused such a stir.

This is a good opportunity to reveal that the Emperor had approved An Qing's gardening, so they won't use it against her again.

Upon hearing this, Concubines Hui, De, and Rong all changed their expressions.

Seeing the effect, Concubine Yi decided to stop, "Ah, I was thinking of inviting you sisters to taste the watermelons Fifth Princess grew, but since Concubine Hui doesn't care for them, I won't..."

Unexpectedly, before she could finish, Concubine De said, "Since it's your gesture, Sister, we can't refuse."

Chapter 28: The Fifth Princess Consort

Concubine Yi did not expect Concubine De to suddenly intervene, but since the words had already been spoken, there was no way to take them back.

Concubine Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong had not initially planned to follow, but seeing Concubine De's unusual behavior, they couldn't help but feel uneasy and decided to go along as well.

Thus, the four concubines moved from Concubine De's Yonghe Palace to Concubine Yi's Yikun Palace.

Xizhu hurriedly instructed people to cut melons for their masters. The four concubines sat in the main hall, none speaking for a moment. Concubine Yi looked at Concubine De thoughtfully, clearly puzzled by her unusual actions today.

After all, she and Concubine Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong would often compete openly or covertly over various matters, but Concubine De never participated. Even when others tried to drag her into their schemes, she usually wouldn't fall for it, making her the most thoughtful among them. So her actions today were indeed peculiar.

Could it be that she wanted to see her make a fool of herself? Concubine Yi suddenly thought, and this seemed to be the only possible reason. But she couldn't recall doing anything recently to offend Concubine De.

Fortunately, she had emphasized filial piety earlier. If she had praised An Qing's melons for being sweet, it might have backfired.

After all, everyone in the palace, including the four concubines, would naturally assume that the melons specially provided for the palace would be of the highest quality, something not easily grown by ordinary people.

Facing the scrutinizing gazes of the other three concubines, Concubine De sat there with her head lowered, not giving them any response.

She knew her actions were unusual, but in fact, she didn't intend to do anything specific. It was just that a few days ago, when the Emperor visited her palace, he mentioned the auspicious peony incident in passing. He inadvertently mentioned the Fifth Princess Consort but quickly realized his slip and stopped.

This made Concubine De wonder if the Fifth Princess Consort was somehow connected to the auspicious peony.

Later, she learned that the Empress Dowager had given the sickly top-grade peony to the Fifth Princess Consort. Connecting these two pieces of information, she couldn't help but speculate further, though she still had no idea what the truth was.

Sigh~ Over the years, trying to fathom the Emperor's thoughts had become a habit. Whenever there was something unclear, she couldn't help but dwell on it.

When she heard Concubine Yi mention that the Fifth Princess Consort had personally grown the watermelon, she had a bold conjecture, which led to the current situation.

But now, reflecting on it, she felt it was unnecessary. Even if her conjecture was true, the Emperor wanted to keep it secret, and she understood that she could not reveal anything.

Xizhu acted quickly, and before long, she brought in several plates of watermelon.

Seeing the watermelon, Concubine Yi's uneasy heart immediately settled. She realized she had won this round.

An Qing truly was her lucky star. These watermelons were exceptional; one couldn't find such quality anywhere else in the palace.

"Come, come, sisters, don't be shy, eat up."

The sweet scent of the watermelon filled the air. After saying this, Concubine Yi couldn't resist taking a piece herself, savoring it with evident enjoyment.

The other three concubines also snapped out of their shock and started eating.

In the sweltering summer heat, the crisp and sweet watermelon easily conquered their taste buds, especially since An Qing's watermelons were considered the best of the best in this era.

The three concubines began to scheme silently. Concubine Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong thought about how to ask Concubine Yi for some to bring back for their beloved grandsons. Concubine De thought about how Xiao Shisi loved watermelon and would be delighted to see these.

Concubine Yi saw through their intentions and preempted them, saying, "If it weren't for my sisters, I wouldn't share these watermelons with anyone else. It's not because they're rare, but because they represent my child's heartfelt intention. I treasure them dearly. To be honest, even Xiao Jiu wouldn't get any if he asked."

After saying this, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, displaying a look of reluctant affection.

Seeing this, the three concubines couldn't bring themselves to ask. They finished the watermelon on their plates and reluctantly took their leave.

Concubine Yi watched them leave, feeling elated.

They wanted to take her watermelons? No way. These were gifts from her daughter-in-law, who had grown them for her. If they wanted some, let their own daughters-in-law grow them for them.

Concubine Yi grew increasingly pleased, recalling the taste of the watermelon. She had thought An Qing was just flattering her when she said she would pick the sweetest ones, but she had delivered on her promise.

This child is... truly too considerate.

Inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Emperor Kangxi was discussing state affairs with his ministers, as usual, with the Crown Prince and all adult princes present to listen.

Every summer, the Yellow River floods caused widespread disasters along its banks, a perennial headache for the government.

After the conclusion of the Dzungaria campaign this year, Emperor Kangxi finally had time to address the Yellow River issue. He spent days in meetings with his ministers, determined to devise a practical plan for river management.

However, the Yellow River's flooding had been a challenge for generations, and despite days of discussion, they still had no clear solution. Emperor Kangxi's patience was wearing thin.

At this point, another difficult problem arose, and Emperor Kangxi's brows furrowed deeply.

The ministers below remained silent, and the Crown Prince and princes were extra cautious, fearing they might provoke the irritable emperor and become the unfortunate victims.

Emperor Kangxi exhaled heavily, realizing he was being too impatient. If it were easy to solve, the problem wouldn't have persisted for millennia.

He raised his hand, signaling a brief break.

Liang Jiugong promptly instructed the palace maids to serve tea and snacks to everyone, knowing that discussions could last for hours.

Emperor Kangxi, in a foul mood, had no appetite and merely sipped some tea without touching the pastries before him.

Liang Jiugong thought this wouldn't do; the emperor needed sustenance. He needed to find a way.

After a moment's reflection, his gaze fell on the Fifth Prince, and he had an idea. "Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess Consort sent some watermelons earlier, saying they were for you. Would you like to have some now?"

Emperor Kangxi recalled Concubine Yi mentioning An Qing growing melons and immediately understood the source of these watermelons. Given his irritable mood and the hot weather, having some watermelon would indeed be nice.

"Good, have them cut more," Emperor Kangxi said as he looked around. "Let them taste it too."

Liang Jiugong hastily agreed, bowed, and then went to make the arrangements.

The two did not avoid the others as they spoke, and the ministers all heard their conversation. While the ministers were somewhat curious about why the Fifth Princess Consort would send watermelons to Emperor Kangxi, they did not think much of it.

However, the princes are different. As sons of the Emperor, acts of filial piety are inherently competitive. Normally, if anyone obtains something good, they can't wait to present it before the Emperor as an offering.

Why would the Fifth Princess Consort suddenly send watermelons to His Majesty? Of course, they wouldn't think it had anything to do with An Qing; they would assume Yinqi was up to something.

Still, both the Crown Prince and Elder Brother Prince couldn't help but feel a bit contemptuous. The Fifth Prince and his consort really were petty—what's so special about these watermelons that they need to present them to His Majesty?

How truly small-minded.

But with Emperor Kangxi present, they knew their limits and didn't dare act recklessly.

Soon, Liang Jiugong led several young eunuchs in, personally carrying a platter of watermelons toward Emperor Kangxi. One could see the restrained excitement on his face.

After placing the watermelon on the table, Emperor Kangxi glanced at it inadvertently and was momentarily stunned.

This...

He instinctively looked around and saw that everyone's fruit platters contained the same type of watermelon. A look of surprise flashed across his face.

The expressions of those seated below were no less astonished. Among the princes, several seemed to have suddenly realized why the Fifth Prince had gone out of his way to present these watermelons to His Majesty. This must be the reason.

"Is it just this one watermelon, or..." Emperor Kangxi turned to Liang Jiugong and asked.

Liang Jiugong immediately understood and replied, "Just now, I had two watermelons cut, and both were like this."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's gaze shifted to Yinqi. "Fifth Prince, did your consort really grow these watermelons?"

Yinqi, as if expecting this question from his father, stood calmly and bowed, replying, "Yes, Your Majesty."

His answer was confident and even carried a hint of pride.

From seedling to transplanting, pruning, fertilizing, and weeding, An Qing had done everything herself. These watermelons were indeed her handiwork, without any help.

Emperor Kangxi fell silent for a moment before suddenly laughing and inviting everyone to eat the watermelon.

He eagerly took a piece and put it in his mouth, his eyes widening in surprise.

This watermelon... sweet but not cloying, juicy yet not bland, with an incredibly smooth texture. It made him feel like he had never truly tasted a watermelon before.

The reactions of those below were equally genuine, evident by the rapidly diminishing watermelons in their platters.

Even Elder Brother Prince, who usually didn't enjoy fruits much, couldn't resist finishing his entire platter.

Emperor Kangxi even thought the taste surpassed that of the melons offered by the King of Hami. This was truly the king of all watermelons.

For a while, the Palace of Heavenly Purity was filled only with the faint sound of chewing and the sweet aroma of watermelon.

Everyone's expressions varied, but they all seemed to be savoring the taste.

Suddenly, a minister stepped forward and knelt before Emperor Kangxi.

"Your Majesty, my mother is elderly and has lost her appetite due to the heat. May I humbly request a few slices of that watermelon to take home for her?"

Seeing this, others exchanged glances and also stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, my father is over seventy and loves watermelons. I feel guilty enjoying such a delicacy without him. May I request a small slice?"

"Your Majesty..."

Requests for watermelons echoed throughout the hall.

Emperor Kangxi: "..."

So only you have elders to honor, and I don't!

He turned to Liang Jiugong and asked, "Does Empress Dowager have any?"

Liang Jiugong replied, "Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess Consort has already visited Empress Dowager."

Emperor Kangxi nodded in satisfaction. The Fifth Princess Consort was indeed filial.

However, when his gaze returned to the ministers below, he felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Most of those present were trusted officials, like Minister Ma Qi of the Ministry of Finance and Minister Zhang Ying of the Ministry of Rites. These dignified scholars, who usually maintained a serious demeanor, were now shamelessly asking for watermelons.

What's more, they were only asking for one or two pieces, not wanting to appear greedy.

Emperor Kangxi was always kind to his ministers and often bestowed gifts to foster a harmonious relationship. This was a common practice among emperors, and Kangxi was adept at it.

Whenever tributes arrived, like the melons from Hami or the lychees and pineapples from Fujian, he would distribute some to his officials as rewards and favors.

But these seasoned courtiers also knew how to gauge the emperor's intentions and occasionally ask for small favors to satisfy the emperor's desires.

The ministers who requested watermelons had seen through this, though they genuinely loved the fruit.

This time, however, Emperor Kangxi had his own thoughts. He loved these watermelons too much and, according to Liang Jiugong, the Fifth Princess Consort hadn't sent many. If he gave them all away, what would he have left?

He looked at Yinqi, and the Crown Prince and other princes followed his gaze, their intentions clear.

Yinqi remained silent, not responding to anyone's scrutiny, acting as if it had nothing to do with him.

Seeing his son's lack of cooperation, Emperor Kangxi cleared his throat and said, "Fifth Prince, how many watermelons does your consort have left?"

Yinqi sighed inwardly. He knew this would happen.

Last night, when An Qing discussed sending watermelons to His Majesty, he had guessed that some of her crop would be claimed. But he hadn't anticipated the ministers' requests.

"Your Majesty, there aren't many left. They were grown in the courtyard, and you know how small the place is." Yinqi explained.

Kangxi saw his son trying to evade the question and instantly laughed in exasperation. "Stop fooling Me. There must be some number, even if it's not many."

Yinqi, realizing he couldn't get away with it, immediately put on a troubled face. "It should be less than a hundred, but I really don't know for sure. An Qing did all of this."

He knew exactly how many there were; they had counted them together just yesterday.

Kangxi pondered for a moment and then slapped his hand down. "Then I won't ask for too many. A hundred will do."

Don't think he didn't see through this little trickster's game. Saying it was less than a hundred, he would bet the real number was significantly higher.

"Of course, I won't take your things without giving something in return. Go discuss with your Princess Consort what rewards you want, and come back to Me for them."

Kangxi thought he was being quite generous, so he believed Yinqi would have no reason to refuse.

Unexpectedly, Yinqi suddenly looked distressed. "Father Emperor, aren't you putting me in a difficult position? If these were my own crops, I would bring them all to you without hesitation. But they're not mine, so I can't make that decision."

In other words, you can't expect me to take what belongs to my wife.

He then began recounting how hard An Qing worked, from seedling cultivation to pruning vines under the scorching sun and digging drainage ditches in the rain. He detailed every hardship, making the ministers who had asked for melons feel ashamed. How could they take advantage of the efforts of a weak woman like the Fifth Princess Consort?

Kangxi stared at Yinqi as if seeing a stranger. Was this still his usually reticent son?

But Kangxi wasn't one to be easily fooled, especially when he noticed Yinqi saying he rarely visited the field yet knew all the details about growing melons. Clearly, Yinqi was trying to play him.

But old foxes are always wiser. He knew Yinqi was simply trying to bargain.

"Fine, fifty then."

Even though he was moved by the story, he realized taking too many melons from his daughter-in-law wouldn't be right.

Yet, Yinqi remained stubborn, insisting that since he didn't grow them himself, he couldn't make the decision.

The Crown Prince and Elder Brother Prince looked at him with disdain, thinking Yinqi must be out of his mind. No matter how delicious the melons were, their Father Emperor had already asked for them, and he was still refusing!

And when did Yinqi become such a henpecked husband?!

Kangxi was furious. When had asking for something been so difficult? He glared at his son and said, "Go ask your Princess Consort!"

Yinqi reluctantly agreed. "Alright, I'll go ask and report back to you, Father Emperor."

Suddenly, he added, "But there's one thing I need to clarify first. The watermelons in that field ripen at different times."

Kangxi frowned. "So?"

Yinqi matter-of-factly replied, "So, even if An Qing agrees, we can't deliver all the melons at once."

Kangxi was speechless.

Was he going to get them in batches now?

Getting something from him was harder than raising funds from the Ministry of Finance!

Kangxi hadn't realized how troublesome Yinqi could be. Deciding to cut to the chase, he decided to visit An Qing's melon patch himself.

The meeting had reached a stalemate anyway, so a walk might be refreshing.

He was genuinely curious about how the Fifth Princess Consort managed to grow those watermelons.

An Qing was leisurely eating watermelon in her courtyard when Ma Xiang ran in, sweating profusely.

Seeing him, she instinctively thought something had happened to Yinqi. Instead, he blurted out, "Princess Consort, His Majesty is coming here soon. Please prepare quickly."

An Qing was stunned. What?!

Kangxi was coming to her place?!

This, this...

While An Qing was still in disbelief, Perilla and the others quickly sprang into action. They couldn't let their mistress appear unprepared before the Emperor.

They immediately pulled An Qing up from her chair and hustled her inside to get ready.

Everyone else in the courtyard also rushed to tidy up, sweeping and cleaning, turning the place into a flurry of activity.

An Qing finally got herself presentable just before Kangxi arrived. Standing in the courtyard, she was taken aback when she saw the group enter.

She had expected only Kangxi, but instead, a large entourage filled her small courtyard.

Glancing around, she recognized the men on Kangxi's right as his sons, while the officials on his left wore formal attire. She noted that these officials held high ranks.

She felt bewildered. She had guessed that Kangxi's visit might be related to her melon patch, given that she had just delivered melons to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Still, the grandeur of this visit was overwhelming.

As Kangxi approached, An Qing hurriedly bowed to greet him.

Once closer, she could see everyone clearly. The young man in yellow robes beside Kangxi was undoubtedly the Crown Prince. Next to him, the older man with a martial aura was likely Elder Brother Prince. The scholarly-looking third son was easy to identify, and the one with a slight limp was probably the seventh son.

Beside Yinqi stood a cold-faced, youthful figure—undoubtedly the future Emperor Yongzheng, the fourth son Yinzhen.

These men matched historical descriptions, and it was undeniable that Kangxi's sons were all handsome.

Yinqi gave her a reassuring look, and An Qing nodded slightly in response.

Kangxi raised his hand, signaling her to rise. "Don't be nervous. We're here to see your melon patch. Lead us there."

An Qing readily agreed and led the way, hoping they would leave soon. Her small courtyard couldn't handle so many important visitors, and she could see how tense Perilla and the others were.

Who would have thought that as they passed by the two small flower beds in the courtyard, Kangxi suddenly stopped and looked curiously at the tomato tree An Qing had planted. "Oh, your tomatoes are quite unique."

In the palace, tomatoes were usually grown in pots. Seeing them shaped like a small tree was something new, but it had to be admitted that this method was rather interesting, especially with the red fruits hanging from the branches, making it look particularly festive.

Everyone followed Kangxi's gaze and couldn't help but marvel, "These tomatoes are indeed ingeniously cultivated."

An Qing was clearly taken aback. Previously, she had dealt with a batch of ripe tomatoes, leaving many green ones behind, which had now all turned red. She hadn't paid much attention to them recently and didn't expect Kangxi to notice them suddenly.

But she didn't panic and replied with a smile, "Thank you, Father Emperor, for your praise. Actually, they looked even better before."

Seeing her composed demeanor, Kangxi was pleased and teased her, "So, is that why you couldn't resist becoming the first brave soul in Great Qing to eat a tomato?"

An Qing let out an "ah," seemingly not expecting Kangxi to bring up this embarrassing incident, and her face instantly turned red.

Kangxi couldn't help but burst into laughter, and everyone else joined in.

Yinqi hurried forward to smooth things over for An Qing, and the Crown Prince teased him, saying that the Fifth Prince knew how to protect his wife, which led to another round of laughter.

However, the previously tense atmosphere instantly lightened. Finally, An Qing led everyone with a smile to her small melon patch.

But when they stood at the edge of the field, the lively atmosphere suddenly came to a halt.

They stared in disbelief at the melon field, where rows of large watermelons lay side by side, making them dumbfounded.

Wasn't this too productive? With such a small plot of land, how could so many watermelons grow, each one so big?!

Moreover, everyone turned to look at Yinqi. Didn't he say there were less than a hundred? At first glance, there were clearly more than two hundred!

If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, would he have eaten them all alone? That was too unbrotherly.

But facing the accusing gazes, Yinqi remained calm, saying he had never been here often and didn't know the exact number.

Kangxi had already guessed that his son hadn't been entirely honest, but he hadn't expected the difference to be so significant.

He had visited the melon fields in Nanyuan and had a rough estimate of the yield. He had conservatively estimated that An Qing's plot could produce about 150 melons, and they wouldn't be very large. But seeing this, he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself.

"You've taken good care of them," Kangxi said, looking at An Qing.

An Qing smiled and replied, "Your daughter-in-law doesn't have much to do, so I spent a lot of time on them, which naturally resulted in a good harvest."

Kangxi shook his head with a smile. He wasn't someone who knew nothing about farming. He knew that growing crops wasn't just about effort; there was a lot of knowledge involved.

Growing watermelons this well showed some real skill.

"Earlier, the Fifth Prince said you could offer fifty watermelons to the Emperor. What do you think, Fifth Princess Consort?" Kangxi suddenly asked An Qing with a chuckle.

Yinqi understood his father's intentions and tried to speak, but Kangxi interrupted, "Fifth Prince, I'm not asking you, but your Princess Consort."

Yinqi had no choice but to remain silent.

An Qing was initially stunned but quickly understood Kangxi's intention. She couldn't help but silently complain that he just wanted her to give him more.

"Since my lord has spoken, I will certainly comply. Here are fifty watermelons for Father Emperor," she said with an innocent smile.

Seeing An Qing playing along, Kangxi laughed. This couple really did fit together perfectly.

He raised an eyebrow, neither speaking nor smiling, looking at her and then at the field of watermelons.

The meaning was clear: With so many watermelons, is offering only these few enough?

An Qing didn't panic and explained, "Father Emperor, you're being unfair. You see plenty of melons here, but at least half need to be saved for seeds. We can't eat such delicious watermelons just once, can we?"

Kangxi agreed, having considered the seed-saving aspect. He was pleased with An Qing's thoroughness.

With a wave of his hand, he said, "Alright, I'll take charge of it. Next year, I'll allocate a separate plot in Nanyuan for you to grow watermelons."

An Qing hadn't expected such a good deal and immediately bowed to express gratitude, "Thank you, Father Emperor. Next year, your daughter-in-law will offer more to you."

Kangxi nodded in satisfaction. That was more like it.

He glanced at Yinqi, comparing him to An Qing, and found her more competent.

Yinqi seemed to remember something and suddenly asked, "Father Emperor, what about the reward you mentioned earlier?"

Would allocating a plot of land cancel out the reward?

Kangxi, used to dealing with his son, assured him, "Don't worry, everything is separate."

Then he looked at An Qing and said, "Think carefully about what reward you want and let the Fifth Prince convey it to me."

An Qing wasn't foolish and immediately understood that Yinqi was securing benefits for her. She bowed to express gratitude.

When discussing the melon distribution yesterday, Yinqi had mentioned that the melons were rare, and Kangxi might ask for another batch later. He would negotiate a reward for her, so she wouldn't work for free. At the time, An Qing hadn't taken it seriously.

After all, giving some to Kangxi wasn't a problem since she intended to rely on him anyway.

She hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise. Yinqi was indeed reliable.

While the reward shouldn't be excessive, anything reasonable should be acceptable.

"These watermelons are different from the ones we usually eat. Both the taste and quality are much better. Where did you get the seeds?" Kangxi asked.

An Qing had anticipated this question. "Father Emperor, it was a coincidence. A few years ago, I encountered a very sweet watermelon with flesh finer than usual. I saved the seeds and cultivated them for several years, leading to today's watermelons."

The truth was far more complex, involving a lot of hardship in cultivating the watermelons. However, she couldn't explain the agricultural knowledge involved. Therefore, she had prepared this explanation, which should gain Kangxi's trust. After all, his imperial rice started from discovering a special strain of rice.

As An Qing had predicted, Kangxi had no doubts about this explanation and highly praised her patience and diligence.

"Daughter-in-law is ashamed. To be honest, it was all inspired by His Majesty." An Qing replied.

Kangxi responded with an "Oh," and asked, "How so?"

An Qing spoke sincerely, "My father once told me the story of how His Majesty discovered and cultivated 'Imperial Rice.' At that time, daughter-in-law thought His Majesty was truly remarkable, a good emperor who cares for the people. Later, when I encountered those watermelons, I suddenly had an idea to emulate Your Majesty, which led to these watermelons today."

As the saying goes, flattery never fails. Having the chance to flatter Kangxi, one should not miss it.

Kangxi was indeed pleased with her words. He had always been proud of cultivating high-yield rice and believed himself to be a good emperor who puts the people first. After all, throughout history, no other emperor had achieved what he had.

Seeing that An Qing genuinely recognized his efforts and even emulated him in practice, Kangxi was genuinely delighted. He praised her extensively and even offered to let her visit his Fengze Garden to see the Imperial Rice in person someday.

In Kangxi's view, An Qing understood him in matters of agriculture. When she saw his achievements, her reaction would surely be different from others.

"To have the honor of visiting His Majesty's Fengze Garden would be a great privilege for daughter-in-law." An Qing was genuinely happy upon hearing this.

After all, it was Kangxi's Fengze Garden, essentially the agricultural research institute and experimental field of Great Qing, where the best seeds and most knowledgeable farmers of the empire resided. She had long wanted to visit it.

However, she suddenly changed the subject, "His Majesty, regarding the reward you mentioned earlier, may daughter-in-law boldly make a request?"

Kangxi, in a good mood, waved his hand, "Speak."

An Qing subconsciously rubbed her hands, somewhat excitedly, "His Majesty, could you grant daughter-in-law some seeds of your Imperial Rice?"

Note well, it's the seeds, not just the Imperial Rice.

The specially reserved batch of seeds is different from the Imperial Rice usually bestowed on others; there are many intricacies involved.

Actually, as an agricultural student, An Qing had long coveted Kangxi's Imperial Rice but had never had the opportunity to ask for it. When Kangxi mentioned rewards, she immediately thought of this.

She had been contemplating how to broach the subject, but now the opportunity presented itself.

Kangxi was visibly surprised, "You want to grow it yourself?"

"I do want to try," An Qing admitted without hiding it, scratching her head a bit bashfully, "I don't have any other hobbies, Your Majesty. I just love planting things and pondering over them."

Hearing this, Kangxi gave An Qing a deep look, a hint of incomprehensible admiration in his eyes.

"Very well, then I shall grant you a bag of Imperial Rice seeds!"

Chapter 29: The Fifth Princess Consort

After An Qing's wish was granted, she was as happy as a child. Her words were all pleasant to hear, and everyone seemed to be infected by her joy, their faces lighting up with smiles.

Seeing her like this, Kangxi was reminded of his second daughter, whom he loved dearly. Before her marriage, she used to chatter around him with great energy. But since she married into Mongolia, such scenes had become rare.

Over the years, as his children grew older, whether they were princes or princesses, they showed more reverence than affection towards him, their Father Emperor.

He was an emperor, but also a father, longing for the simple joy of having his children around. But whenever he called them to his side, the fear and caution in their eyes instantly dampened his spirits.

Unexpectedly, he found that warmth from the Fifth Princess Consort. Kangxi noticed that while An Qing revered him, she did not seem overly afraid. Her behavior was more like that of a younger relative towards an elder—respectful yet close.

The Fifth Prince's performance today was also commendable. He did not simply agree to everything because it was the Emperor speaking; instead, he bargained like any ordinary father and son would, using harmless tricks that Kangxi could easily see through.

Not bad, not bad. This is how a father and son should interact. I'm not a tiger; I can't eat them!

Since they had come all this way, An Qing did not want them to leave empty-handed, especially since most of them were Yinqi's family. So, under Yinqi's questioning gaze, she agreed to their request to send melons.

After a moment's thought, Yinqi announced that each brother present could take two watermelons home.

The Crown Prince and Elder Brother Prince looked at him in surprise. Wasn't the Fifth Brother/Fifth Prince being too stingy? With so many watermelons, how could he only give out two?

Yinqi ignored their disapproving looks, adopting a "take it or leave it" attitude, which made his brothers grind their teeth in frustration.

An Qing was initially taken aback, thinking it might be a bit too little. But then she remembered that Kangxi once gave out a single lychee, making her two watermelons seem generous in comparison.

The ministers who had accompanied them saw that the princes had received their watermelons but were still waiting for Kangxi's approval on their own requests. They began to feel anxious.

One minister, thick-skinned, stepped forward and asked with a smile, "Your Majesty, about what I mentioned earlier..."

He glanced at the watermelons, implying that if Kangxi agreed, they could pick some to take home without further trouble.

Kangxi shrugged, adopting an indifferent attitude. "Why look at me? These watermelons aren't mine. But since you've come all this way, I believe the Fifth Princess Consort won't let you leave empty-handed."

An Qing: "..."

She strongly suspected that Kangxi had brought so many people here just to bleed her dry!

But seeing the eager looks of the old ministers, she couldn't refuse. In the end, she agreed to give one watermelon per person, maintaining the distinction between family and outsiders, as Yinqi had given two to his brothers.

Sigh... This ordeal had cost her dearly.

Fortunately, she could still eat the seeds from the breeding watermelons, so it wasn't a total loss.

Indeed, An Qing had guessed Kangxi's intentions correctly. When bringing everyone over, he had planned to distribute the watermelons.

Fifty watermelons sounded like a lot, but he had many officials to reward, both in the Imperial City and across the Great Qing territories.

Of course, sending them far away meant they might not even get to eat them, but the gesture itself was significant.

Rarity adds value, and there was no denying that An Qing's watermelons were indeed rare. Finding another one anywhere else in the Great Qing would be difficult.

This was also a way to show them that despite being in the Forbidden City, he cared for them.

After learning of Kangxi's plan, An Qing suggested selecting some seven-ripe watermelons to gift to officials outside the capital, allowing them to ripen naturally without compromising taste.

"Can you tell how ripe these watermelons are?" Kangxi asked in surprise.

An Qing nodded with a smile. "I can estimate it pretty well."

Delighted, Kangxi immediately asked An Qing to demonstrate how to distinguish the ripeness. She calmly squatted down and pointed out the features of each watermelon to Kangxi.

To determine the ripeness of a watermelon, one could look at the stem and the patterns on its surface. The method was straightforward, and she explained it clearly.

The ministers gathered around Kangxi, watching intently. The princes, unable to crowd around An Qing, turned their attention to Yinqi, challenging him with their gazes.

Their looks clearly said, "You were so articulate in the hall earlier; surely you can do this too?"

Feeling the scrutiny of his brothers, Yinqi's competitive spirit kicked in. He demonstrated the three techniques An Qing had taught him—look, listen, and tap—and finished with a defiant glare.

Unfortunately, everyone's attention was focused on the watermelons, bending down to examine and tap them, looking very serious.

However, it was undeniable that Kangxi's sons were all geniuses. After An Qing demonstrated the technique to Yinqi yesterday, he had mastered it. Today, the other princes did the same.

Yinqi's challenge went unanswered, and when he looked up, his gaze met An Qing's. Feeling slightly embarrassed, he was surprised to see her secretly giving him a thumbs-up, signaling that he did well.

They shared a knowing smile across the crowd.

Kangxi rarely saw his sons like this, without their usual rivalry. Even the Elder Brother Prince and the Crown Prince seemed to have put aside their differences, huddled together examining a watermelon.

Not bad. They were all blood relatives, and this was how it should be.

He nodded in satisfaction. Perhaps the countryside had a relaxing effect?

Next spring, he would bring them all to Fengze Garden.

Glancing at An Qing, he decided to include her, showing her his imperial rice.

Arriving solemnly, they left with smiles, delighted with the watermelons they had picked themselves.

Even the Elder Brother Prince carefully instructed a eunuch holding a watermelon, "Make sure you hold it properly. Take one to Yanxi Palace later, so Mother can taste the watermelon I picked myself. It's really sweet."

He proudly raised his head, as if he had accomplished something grand.

Not just the Elder Brother Prince, but others were similarly enthusiastic.

Yinqi couldn't help but vent to An Qing after everyone had left. "That watermelon is sweet because the ones you planted are naturally sweet. What do they have to do with it? Look at how proud they are; one would think they grew the watermelon themselves."

An Qing rarely saw this childlike side of Yinqi and found it amusing.

Indeed, this was the joy of agritourism.

There was no need to participate in every step of the process. Just being involved in a simple task like picking a watermelon gave a great sense of accomplishment.

Speaking of which, before Kangxi and his entourage arrived, An Qing had also instructed people to deliver some watermelons to others. Of course, these were all individuals she had interacted with in the Forbidden City.

She made sure to send some to the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi. Since the Fourth Princess had been busy with her wedding preparations and stayed mostly in Lady Guo's quarters, An Qing included their portions when delivering to Concubine Yi.

She also sent two watermelons each to Ninth Prince Yin Tang and Tenth Prince Yin'e. However, they lived in Zhaoxiang Palace, where Eighth Prince and Twelfth Prince also resided.

Although An Qing had never met the Eighth and Twelfth Princes, living so close to Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shi, it felt odd not to include them, so she had the watermelons delivered to them as well.

Apart from these people, An Qing also sent some watermelons to the Fourth Princess Consort.

Since marrying into the Forbidden City, her social circle had indeed been quite limited. Apart from visiting the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi occasionally, she rarely ventured out. Occasionally, the Fourth Princess would visit her courtyard.

Initially, she considered interacting more with her sisters-in-law, given that they all lived in the palace. But later, An Qing realized that the others seemed to be intentionally distancing themselves from her. They would have small gatherings among themselves but never invited her.

An Qing then understood that she had been isolated by the princes' consort circle. Cui Liu found out that the reason was that the women from Horqin were perceived as difficult to get along with, and her noble status made others wary of offending her.

Regardless of the reason, An Qing wasn't one to force herself into unwanted company. If they didn't welcome her, why should she seek their favor?

In truth, she never enjoyed such superficial social interactions and knew she wouldn't form deep friendships with other princess consorts.

It wasn't that An Qing was reclusive; rather, the struggle for succession meant that each prince had their own faction, making the relationships between their consorts less genuine.

So, since she decided to stay out of the fray, why involve herself in unnecessary complications? This suited her just fine.

As for why she sent watermelons to the Fourth Princess Consort this time, it started a few days ago. One afternoon, a palace maid from the Fourth Princess Consort's courtyard came over with a basket of peaches, saying they were from the estate and the Fourth Princess Consort wanted her to try them.

Regardless of the Fourth Princess Consort's intentions, the gesture required reciprocation. Thus, An Qing decided to return the favor with the watermelons.

That evening, many in the Forbidden City enjoyed An Qing's large watermelons.

After all, filial piety was paramount, and the princes would surely send the watermelons to their respective mothers' quarters.

And indeed, things unfolded as An Qing had anticipated.

At the princes' residence, Fourth Prince Yinzhen's quarters.

Upon returning, Yinzhen immediately instructed someone to send a watermelon to Yonghe Palace. Then, he took the remaining watermelon to the Fourth Princess Consort.

The Fourth Princess Consort, Ulanara, had just put her son Honghui to bed and was surprised to see Yinzhen enter with a watermelon.

"Sir, what is this?"

Yinzhen, who usually wore an expressionless face, showed a rare hint of excitement as he vividly recounted the afternoon spent selecting watermelons in An Qing's field.

The Fourth Princess Consort was initially stunned but then remembered something. "Your sister-in-law sent a few watermelons here today. I planned to share them with you."

However, the person who delivered the watermelons did not mention that An Qing had grown them herself, so the Fourth Princess Consort assumed they were from the estate.

Upon learning that the watermelons were special, she quickly had the ones An Qing sent brought in.

Seeing the four neatly arranged watermelons in the basket, Yinzhen looked at his own single watermelon and suddenly felt his brother was being stingy.

His sister-in-law had sent four, while he had only given two to his brothers!

"Did your sister-in-law send these only to you or to everyone?" Yinzhen asked.

He hadn't heard anything about it when he visited his brother earlier. If she had sent them to everyone, his brothers would have mentioned it when asking for watermelons.

After all, they even haggled with the Emperor.

The Fourth Princess Consort hesitated before replying, "It seems she only sent them to us. The eunuch in my courtyard said they only came here and then left."

She then added, "Sir, you mentioned that your sister-in-law was new to the palace and needed support. But with Honghui's illness, I couldn't manage it. When the peaches arrived, I thought they were good and sent some to your sister-in-law. I believe these watermelons are her return gift."

Yinzhen nodded, agreeing with her assessment.

He had suggested the Fourth Princess Consort look after An Qing, considering his brother's request.

With the sudden surplus of watermelons, Yinzhen proposed sending one to Thirteenth Brother. He had initially planned to cut one and send half, but now he could send a whole one.

The Fourth Princess Consort, knowing her husband's friendship with Thirteenth Brother, agreed without hesitation.

However, the eunuch Yinzhen sent hadn't even left the courtyard when he ran into Yinxiang, carrying half a watermelon. The eunuch had no choice but to bring Thirteenth Prince back to Yinzhen.

Seeing Yinxiang enter with half a watermelon, Yinzhen was surprised. "Thirteenth Brother, what is this...?"

An Qing's watermelons were easily recognizable, and Yinzhen immediately identified the source of Yinxiang's watermelon.

Yinxiang didn't hide it, recounting his encounter with An Qing that day. He scratched his head, puzzled. "I don't know why Fifth Sister-in-Law suddenly gave me two watermelons."

Though strange, he hadn't thought much of it upon returning, as watermelons weren't rare in the palace.

But once he cut the watermelon open, he realized how different it was and couldn't resist eating half. Afterward, he hurriedly sent one to his mother and sisters, leaving him with only half.

Feeling a bit embarrassed but wanting his Fourth Brother to taste it, he brought the remaining half.

If he had known, Yinxiang would have saved the entire watermelon for his Fourth Brother.

Noticing the similarity between his watermelon and Yinxiang's, Yinzhen asked, "Fourth Brother, did you get this watermelon from Fifth Sister-in-Law too?"

Yinzhen shook his head and replied, "No, it's from your Fifth Brother."

Having said that, he briefly recounted the events of the day.

After hearing Yinqi's account, Yinxiang looked surprised. When An Qing had given him the melon, he had been waiting in his fifth brother's front courtyard and hadn't seen the melon patch himself. He hadn't thought much about it, assuming it was sent from his fifth sister-in-law's estate.

So this watermelon was actually grown by his fifth sister-in-law herself? She's amazing!

"Fourth Brother, you don't need to send me any more. I've already eaten some. Leave these melons for the sisters-in-law to enjoy. Also, I'll leave this half here too," Yinxiang said sincerely.

His Fourth Brother only had two watermelons in total. One would certainly be sent to Noble Consort De, and there were several other sisters-in-law in his Fourth Brother's household. It might be hard to distribute them fairly. His half could come in handy.

Yinzhen's face showed a rare touch of warmth as he patted Yinxiang on the shoulder. "No need. Take them all back. Your fifth sister-in-law also sent some to your fourth sister-in-law. We have enough."

Hearing that his fourth sister-in-law had received some, Yinxiang felt relieved but still insisted on not taking one from Yinzhen. He carried away the melon he had brought, saying that his Fourth Brother should keep it for himself. He added that the melon was exceptionally delicious and urged him not to think only of others but to remember to eat some himself.

Watching Yinxiang leave, Yinzhen shook his head helplessly. He wasn't a child anymore; he wouldn't be greedy for food.

But he couldn't deny that Yinxiang's words had warmed his heart. Others only knew that he treated his thirteenth brother well, always thinking of him whenever there was something good. But they didn't know that his thirteenth brother did the same.

Thinking of how An Qing treated his thirteenth brother, Yinzhen's impression of her improved even more.

It was said that women from Horqin were born noble, with high standards and often treated people arrogantly. But from what he had seen today, his fifth sister-in-law was clearly an exception.

Yinxiang's mother was originally a palace maid and held a low rank in the palace, merely a concubine. Even the servants in the palace often looked down on him. As for others, they were even worse.

But his fifth sister-in-law didn't treat his thirteenth brother with disdain; instead, she treated him with respect. This showed her noble character. Like his fifth brother, she must be one of the few genuinely kind-hearted people in the palace.

An Qing had no idea that her casual act of kindness had earned her a good reputation in the eyes of the future Emperor Yongzheng.

As Kangxi distributed melons in the front court, An Qing's watermelons became famous throughout Imperial City. People who tasted them praised them highly, even saying things like "these melons are heavenly and rarely found on earth."

Some teahouses even incorporated the story of these melons into their tales. The fame of her melons grew, and some even named them Qilin Melons, signifying beauty and rarity.

When An Qing heard this, she was delighted. What a coincidence! It turned out that the name matched a variety from the future. However, her melons weren't exactly the same as the Qilin melons from the future. She couldn't quite explain the exact variety.

Her cultivation process differed from the methods used in the future due to limited resources. She had to adapt and improvise, which was part of the charm and uniqueness of research. Fortunately, the results were positive.

However, when she learned about the fame of her melons in Imperial City, she immediately ran to Yikun Palace to ask Concubine Yi if she needed more to give as gifts.

"Mama, my watermelons are now famous in Imperial City. If you use them as gifts, it will be quite impressive."

Concubine Yi looked at the smug An Qing, both amused and exasperated. "Do you still have any left?"

She had heard about how difficult it was for the Emperor to get melons from her and the Fifth Prince. She assumed An Qing didn't have many left either.

An Qing chuckled. "If Mama wants them, I'll find a way to squeeze out a few for you. No one else can compare to Mama."

Concubine Yi was pleased with her words, feeling increasingly envious of An Qing's parents. How could they have such a considerate daughter? Unlike her own sons, who were all boys and never thought to care for her.

There was no comparison without hurt. Even her Fifth Prince, her own son, didn't think of these things.

However, many people had indeed asked her for melons recently. Some were close relatives from her family, married into Manchu noble families. If An Qing had enough, she could share some with them.

An Qing naturally agreed and went back to select some to send over.

As the fame of the watermelons grew, some of the melons in An Qing's field were bound to be taken again.

First came Kangxi. He couldn't help it; the requests for melons had become overwhelming. He hadn't expected so many people to seek melons through various means. He was helpless.

Then came Yinqi's brothers and royal relatives, along with colleagues from the government offices. Anyone familiar with him asked for melons, causing Yinqi great distress. He even avoided going out for several days.

Knowing this, An Qing didn't want to make it difficult for him. After setting aside the seeds, she sent some to the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi. The rest she gave to Yinqi to distribute as he saw fit, including rewards for his subordinates.

He was a prince after all, and needed to maintain a following regardless of his ambitions.

Just when An Qing thought everything was settled, Yin Tang somehow learned that the Crown Prince and others had personally picked melons. He dragged Yin'e to the princes' residence, insisting that his fifth brother and sister-in-law favored others over their own brother and demanded to pick some himself.

An Qing: "..."

So the big melons she had sent to Zhaoxiang Palace were for nothing?

Please spit them out, thank you!

Chapter 30: The Fifth Lady

An Qing never expected that the watermelons from her small plot of land would cause such a commotion. Fortunately, as the number of watermelons in the field dwindled, the matter finally came to an end.

Her days returned to their peaceful routine, filled with eating and drinking, with nothing much happening. She could visit the beautiful mother-in-law at Yikun Palace every few days, living a life of utter comfort.

But sometimes, just when things are going smoothly, there are always those who come along to spoil it.

For instance, today was the first day of the month, when they were supposed to pay respects. Baijia Shi and Guerjia Shi arrived on time, and An Qing went through the usual formalities, exchanging pleasantries before everyone returned to their respective quarters.

Just as she thought this pattern of interaction was understood by all, someone decided to be tactless.

As soon as Hongsheng had been brought in by his wet nurse to pay respects, An Qing entertained him briefly before sending him back with the wet nurse. Unexpectedly, as soon as the wet nurse left, Baijia Shi spoke up.

"Having children around does make things livelier. Lady, please don't take offense, but our courtyard really needs more children."

The moment she said this, the pleasant atmosphere in the room turned tense.

Everyone looked at Baijia Shi in surprise, not expecting her to say something so provocative. It seemed as if she was implying that An Qing was somehow responsible for the lack of children.

But whether Baijia Shi's words were unintentional or deliberate, An Qing merely glanced at her coolly without responding.

However, Baijia Shi showed no sign of backing down and continued, "Speaking of which, when Lady summoned the imperial physician the other day, I thought it was because... but it turned out to be a misunderstanding about eating those tomatoes."

The implication was clear.

"Presumptuous, Baijia Shi! This is how you speak to Lady!" Perilla reprimanded sternly.

Baijia Shi's face stiffened, but she gritted her teeth and said, "Lady, forgive me. I am only thinking of Master. If you think I am wrong, please point it out, and I will accept punishment!"

With that, she knelt down, her straight back revealing her stubbornness.

An Qing watched her silently, not wanting to play games. She coldly said, "Baijia Shi, if you have something to say, say it directly. I do not like nonsense."

Baijia Shi heard the displeasure in An Qing's voice but still persisted, "I will be direct then. I hope Lady can prioritize the greater good and ensure Master has many descendants."

Since An Qing became the Lady, Yinqi had not spent a single night in any other courtyards except hers. This was no secret among the women in the household.

So when Baijia Shi made this comment, everyone immediately understood what she meant—she was blaming An Qing for monopolizing Yinqi and demanding that she be more generous.

An Qing suddenly laughed in frustration, "Baijia Shi, did I stop you?"

To be more generous?

What a joke. Throughout the Forbidden City, she believed no one was more generous than her.

Recently, Baijia Shi had caused quite a stir trying to gain favor, yet An Qing had never stopped her. Even during the monthly greetings, she had not mentioned it once.

Hearing this, Baijia Shi's face turned pale, feeling utterly humiliated.

Especially when everyone in the room looked at her with a silent judgment, as if saying, "If Master doesn't like you, how dare you blame others?"

This reminded her of her failed attempts to gain favor.

She had thought that after Liu Jiashi fell out of favor, her chance would come. But Master simply ignored her, even when she tried to hint at her intentions or personally deliver soup to the front courtyard. He dismissed her with a few words.

Later, the servants in the front courtyard refused to let her enter, and even the little eunuch she had bribed was expelled by Master's chief eunuch. Since then, everyone in the front courtyard treated her like a plague.

Baijia Shi felt both aggrieved and afraid. As Master's Princess, if he truly despised her, what would become of her future?

Driven by fear and resentment, she could no longer hold back, leading to her actions today.

An Qing didn't care about Baijia Shi's feelings. To put it bluntly, it was none of her business. Everyone in the royal family was bound by circumstances, and while she didn't want to make things difficult for them, she wouldn't tolerate them causing trouble either.

There was no point in arguing with fools; it was better to teach them a lesson and set an example for others.

An Qing rested her right hand on the table, tapping her fingers rhythmically, creating a steady beat that echoed in the tense silence, stirring everyone's nerves.

"It seems I've been too lenient, making you forget your place. How dare you be so presumptuous." Her voice was calm and cold. "Baijia Shi, when did it become your concern as a Princess to worry about Master's offspring? Hmm?"

The casual 'Hmm' sent a chill through everyone present, emphasizing An Qing's authority and power.

Baijia Shi shivered, lowering her head further, trying to explain, "I-I dare not, my intention was only..."

But An Qing cut her off, "I don't care about your intentions. An offense is an offense. Do you accept my punishment?"

Baijia Shi bowed her head, clenching her teeth, "I submit to Lady's judgment."

She said she would submit but didn't explicitly agree, showing her lingering resentment.

An Qing saw her defiance and a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes.

"Baijia Shi, for overstepping your bounds, you are to forfeit three months' allowance and copy the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Sutra fifty times each. You are not allowed to leave the courtyard until you finish."

In her past life, watching palace dramas, An Qing never understood why people were always punished by copying scriptures. But since marrying into the Forbidden City, she began to understand the significance of such punishment—it was not just a form of discipline but also a way to cultivate humility.

Since Baijia Shi seemed idle, giving her something to do would help her reflect.

An Qing never considered herself particularly kind. She was friendly only if others did not provoke her. Once that line was crossed, she would not hesitate to act.

"Today, I advise you all to be cautious in your words and actions here. Think of your families outside the palace."

These words sent a chill through everyone present.

If before Baijia Shi could still hold on, now her face turned pale, showing that she was truly frightened this time.

Even Guajia Shi, who was standing beside her, couldn't help but shudder.

An Qing's words were meant as a warning, but they were also a genuine piece of advice.

Although she came from Horqin, her father was a noble Zha Sa Khan Prince, and in the Imperial City, she certainly had connections. Baijia Shi and Guajia Shi, both of humble origins, would find it very easy for An Qing to make life difficult for their families if she so wished.

An Qing didn't intend to actually harm their families, but she didn't mind using this as a way to warn them.

After all, she was truly tired of being bothered by these trivial matters.

Baijia Shi was led back by a palace maid with a ghastly pale face, and Guajia Shi wasn't much better. After returning to her room, she drank two cups of tea before calming down.

"Baijia Shi is courting death herself and even dragged you into trouble. It's infuriating," complained Qing'er, Guajia Shi's personal palace maid.

Guajia Shi shook her head at her, signaling her to lower her voice. She lived in the same courtyard as Baijia Shi and didn't want to add more trouble at this moment.

Though she knew the warning was aimed at Baijia Shi, she couldn't help but think about herself too.

Previously, she had merely considered the Princess Consort to be somewhat complex, but following this incident, Guajia Shi no longer dared to entertain any thoughts of luck or chance. Having been raised in the imperial city, she comprehended the true essence of power.

Of course, she hadn't harbored any foolish hopes before.

She was different from Baijia Shi. In Guajia Shi's view, the Princess Consort had already been quite generous to them.

Since the Princess Consort entered the household, their food, clothing, and daily necessities were always provided in abundance, and she exempted them from morning and evening greetings, nor did she impose strict rules on them. Recently, when watermelons were highly sought after throughout the Imperial City, the Princess Consort sent one to each of them. The Princess Consort had been very kind to them indeed.

Guajia Shi was content with her current life. Originally just a small palace maid, she was favored by the Empress Dowager for her gentle nature and sent to serve the master. She knew her place well.

As for the master's affection, Guajia Shi would be lying if she said she didn't desire it, but she could live without it. Now, she had servants to attend to her, the Princess Consort managed the household strictly but fairly, and she could save money every month to send home to her mother. Life was good.

She really couldn't understand what Baijia Shi was up to. Whenever Baijia Shi complained, Guajia Shi tried to persuade her, but people have different aspirations, and she couldn't force her to listen.

She never imagined Baijia Shi could be so foolish, causing such trouble today. She should have considered their status and not dared to criticize the Princess Consort.

Even if the master didn't favor the Princess Consort, she was still someone they couldn't afford to offend.

Over the past few days, Guajia Shi had observed that the Princess Consort was capable beyond her family background, far surpassing them.

Just look at how she won over the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi within a few months. One raised the master, and the other was his birth mother—no ordinary person could achieve this.

And the popular watermelon craze in the Imperial City was also due to the Princess Consort. Initially, others mocked her as a country bumpkin, but she gained the Emperor's attention through this. Everyone in the palace envied her.

Aside from these three powerful supporters, the Princess Consort also had a prominent family background.

But Guajia Shi was clear that as long as they behaved properly, the Princess Consort wouldn't be intolerant. Look at how Baijia Shi caused trouble earlier, yet the Princess Consort didn't say anything.

In any case, she had made up her mind. If the master visited her, it would be her fortune; if he didn't, it was their fate.

Sometimes, one must accept their fate. Only by accepting it can one live well in the palace.

In the main courtyard, Cui Liu was cursing Baijia Shi as an ungrateful wolf, saying that An Qing's kindness had emboldened them.

An Qing smiled and shook her head. Whether good or bad, she was simply doing her duty.

However, through Baijia Shi's incident, she learned that Yinqi had not visited anyone else except her recently. She usually didn't pay attention to such matters and didn't bother to inquire.

Even now, knowing this, she didn't take it to heart or feel that Yinqi favored her exclusively.

Through their interactions, An Qing realized that Yinqi might not be particularly interested in those matters. They often slept together, but it was mostly just chatting under the covers.

He seemed to enjoy talking with her, discussing various topics, sometimes until late at night.

Of course, this didn't mean nothing happened between them. As men and women, physical intimacy was normal, and they were quite compatible in that aspect.

As long as they kept their hearts guarded and didn't talk about love, their marriage could be harmonious.

For An Qing, Baijia Shi's incident was merely a minor episode in her life and didn't affect her much. She continued to live her peaceful life.

Time flew by, and the summer heat gradually faded as autumn approached.

After the beginning of autumn, the tomato season ended. An Qing picked the remaining fruits and made a large pot of tomato sauce.

As more people tried tomatoes, the rumors about their toxicity in the palace slowly diminished, and people began to accept that tomatoes were edible.

When the last watermelon was harvested, An Qing pulled out the vines and prepared the soil for autumn plowing.

After a season of planting, the soil's salinity could change, affecting the nutrient absorption of the next crop.

Autumn plowing reduces soil salinity, improves its structure, and makes it easier for plant roots to penetrate. The buried crop roots from the previous season decompose and promote microbial activity, benefiting the next crop's growth.

Since her gardening wasn't a secret in the palace, An Qing openly used specialized farming tools brought by Little Xizi to thoroughly plow her land.

After deep plowing, the land needed to be left alone for a while, ready for sowing later.

As for what to plant next, she had already decided. Winter wheat was suitable for the harsh northern winter, so she planned to grow it.

In her previous life, her research focused on increasing crop yields, which was her primary topic throughout her undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies. If she hadn't come here, she would likely have continued her research in the agricultural college.

But An Qing genuinely enjoyed this work, so she didn't give it up even after coming here. On the Horqin estate, she had several experimental fields. Although rice wasn't suitable due to climate and geography, winter wheat was, so she had experimented with it extensively.

She had seeds saved from last year, so she decided to use this plot as an experimental field, ensuring her data wouldn't be interrupted.

Days passed slowly, and soon it was almost Mid-Autumn Festival.

Usually, in August, Kangxi would go hunting in Mulan and tour the outer regions, spending the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Summer Palace.

But this year was an exception. Due to the war with Dzungaria earlier in the year, Kangxi had already met with Mongolian leaders in Ningxia, so the autumn tour was canceled.

Kangxi had also announced early on that there would be a grand palace banquet—the Mid-Autumn Banquet—on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunions, so this banquet was also a family gathering. Invited were all the imperial relatives, essentially the Aisin Gioro clan.

As a prince's consort, An Qing naturally had to attend the banquet.

To think of it, this was her first palace banquet in the Forbidden City, and she couldn't help but feel a bit excited about it.

Mainly, she had been quite bored since she moved into the Forbidden City. Back in Horqin, she used to spend her days riding horses across the grasslands with her Third Elder Brother, and her parents never restricted her.

She had genuinely worried about not being able to handle life in the palace, but she underestimated human adaptability. Though she occasionally felt a bit stifled, she managed to entertain herself.

So, as they say, whether life is good or bad depends on how one lives it.

And she would make sure to live it well.

Under An Qing's anticipation, the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival finally arrived.

That day, An Qing changed into her consort's ceremonial attire early and went to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity to meet Concubine Yi, then set off together for the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Since it was a family banquet, the Mid-Autumn Banquet was held in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, where all the ranked concubines and princes and their children would attend.

Logically, Hongsheng, as Yinqi's eldest son, should have attended such a family banquet, but due to his young age and frail health, Yinqi and An Qing decided not to bring him along, fearing he wouldn't endure the lengthy rituals.

Of course, another reason was that Liu Jiashi was still under house arrest. When An Qing asked Yinqi about the duration, he hesitated before saying a year.

Goodness, by the time she's released, Hongsheng might not even recognize her. But this wasn't something she needed to worry about; a year was a year, and hopefully, this lesson would teach Liu Jiashi a thing or two.

After all, An Qing wanted to create a harmonious environment among Yinqi's consorts.

Leaving the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, Concubine Yi noticed An Qing's excitement and couldn't help but laugh, "It's just a palace banquet. Why are you so happy?"

In the palace, banquets are plentiful throughout the year, and for Concubine Yi, they were nothing special, even somewhat tedious. After all, the routines were always the same, offering no novelty.

An Qing linked arms with Concubine Yi and replied with a smile, "I'm just inexperienced compared to Mother. This is my first palace banquet, so I find it quite novel."

She had heard that the banquet included performances besides eating and drinking.

Most importantly, tonight, almost all of Kangxi's concubines would attend, creating a scene of blooming beauty. Just thinking about it made her feel lucky.

Unaware of her thoughts, Concubine Yi assumed she was genuinely excited about the banquet and said, "Indeed, your first time can be interesting. Enjoy yourself tonight."

When they arrived, many people had already gathered. The banquet hadn't started yet, so everyone was chatting and joking in small groups, standing or sitting around.

Among the concubines, apart from the Empress Dowager, the highest-ranking were the Four Noble Consorts: Hui, Yi, De, and Rong. Therefore, when Concubine Yi entered, many concubines hurried to greet her.

Concubine Yi waved her hand, signaling them to rise, and then led An Qing to a seat.

According to protocol, An Qing shouldn't sit with Concubine Yi, but since the banquet hadn't officially begun, they didn't need to be too strict.

Concubine Yi's seat was at the head table, and An Qing sitting beside her gave her a clear view of everyone below.

Looking around, she marveled at the variety of beauty in the palace. She couldn't help but think again how fortunate Lao Kang was.

Dressed in formal attire for the banquet, everyone looked splendid.

An Qing watched with great interest, her gaze moving from person to person, until it suddenly stopped.

Who was that beauty? She was stunning.

She turned and gently nudged Xizhu, who was next to Concubine Yi, and whispered, "Who is the lady under the willow tree on the right?"

Xizhu looked in the direction An Qing pointed and replied, "Fifth Consort, that is Wang, one of the Emperor's concubines."

An Qing nodded. So she was Wang, Kangxi's concubine. No wonder.

She had heard that Wang was currently the most favored concubine in the palace, receiving the most attention each month. It was said she was a Han Chinese concubine.

Seeing her today, with her breathtaking beauty, it was no wonder Kangxi adored her so much.

Just as An Qing was engrossed in observing, her sixth sense told her something was amiss. She turned and saw Concubine Yi staring at her with a half-smile.

Her heart immediately raced. Oh no, she forgot her beautiful mother-in-law was there.

Both were Kangxi's concubines and renowned beauties, so they were naturally rivals.

Yet here she was, admiring her rival in front of Concubine Yi. It was like admiring a friend's ex-partner.

"Nothing, I wasn't looking at anything," she said, feeling guilty.

Concubine Yi huffed, "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking!"

With everything written on her face, how could she fool her?

An Qing smiled ingratiatingly, "That's unfair! How could I ever think ill of you? In my heart, no one in the Eight Banners can match your radiant beauty, Mother!"