The twenty-third year of Kangxi’s reign, the Lantern Festival.
The palace was festooned with lanterns and streamers. Palace servants had hung colorful lanterns throughout the Imperial Garden and under the corridors, and a massive Ao Shan Lantern had been set up in front of the Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns. After Yunxiu sent her dear son Yinsi to the Palace School, she returned to her palace, took the Gastrodia chicken soup she had been simmering all night, and headed toward the Palace of Compassion and Ning (Cining Palace). She even took a deliberate detour through the Imperial Garden to enjoy the festive atmosphere.
As soon as she entered Cining Palace, Yunxiu sensed something was wrong.
Liang Jiugong, the head eunuch serving Kangxi, was standing guard outside the hall, which meant Kangxi was currently inside.
Moreover, the five-year-old Fifth Prince, Yinqi, who should have been studying at the Palace School, was peeking out from under the corridor.
Seeing Yunxiu arrive, he scrambled toward her on his short little legs.
“Consort Mother Hui!”
Yunxiu quickly caught the little cannonball to prevent him from spilling her freshly made soup.
“Why are you running? Did you skip school again?” Yunxiu leaned down to ask.
Yinqi shook his head like a rattle. “Imperial Father brought us back.”
“Fourth Brother and Sixth Brother were fighting. Eighth Brother and I were trying to pull them apart.”
Yunxiu was stunned.
She hadn’t expected to find herself witnessing the drama of the future Emperor Yongzheng on the Lantern Festival.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, and the Sixth Prince, Yinzuo, were born of the same mother, Consort De. However, the Fourth Prince had been taken to Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia’s Chengqian Palace the moment he was born and had been raised there until recently. Only last year, the Imperial Noble Consort’s biological daughter, the Eighth Princess, had died before she was a month old. The Imperial Noble Consort had been so devastated that she became bedridden with grief, so Kangxi had temporarily sent the Fourth Prince back to the Palace of Eternal Harmony (Yonghe Palace) for Consort De to look after him for a while.
However, Consort De’s favoritism was well-known in the palace; she had always doted more on the Sixth Prince, Yinzuo, whom she had raised by her side. With their biological mother being so biased, it was only natural that there was friction between the Fourth and Sixth brothers.
But how did Yinsi get involved?
Before Yunxiu could ask further, Liang Jiugong approached.
“Noble Consort Hui, you’ve arrived at just the right time. The Emperor was just about to send a servant to the Palace of Lasting Spring to invite you,” Liang Jiugong said with a slight bow and a smile. “Please, go inside quickly. The Emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager are both waiting for you.”
Yunxiu’s heart hammered in her chest. How was this her business? Didn’t Yinqi say he and Yinsi were just trying to break up the fight?
However, since it was Kangxi’s imperial decree, Yunxiu didn’t dare delay. Leading the Fifth Prince, she hurried into the hall. Upon entering, she saw the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager sitting at the head of the room, with Kangxi seated to the Grand Empress Dowager’s left.
The hall was deathly silent. While the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager looked calm, Kangxi’s face was dark and somber, appearing quite intimidating.
The six-year-old Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, and the four-year-old Sixth Prince, Yinzuo, were both kneeling on the floor, while her dear son Yinsi was sitting in the Grand Empress Dowager’s arms.
Yinzhen’s face was set, his back ramrod straight. His hands were clenched into fists and his lips were pressed thin in a look of extreme tension. In contrast, the Sixth Prince was glancing around restlessly, looking guilty and uneasy.
For a moment, Yunxiu couldn’t quite grasp the situation, so she could only dutifully pay her respects.
“Rise. Sumalagu, bring a seat for the Noble Consort,” the Grand Empress Dowager said, raising a hand to signal for her to stand.
Sumalagu immediately led Yunxiu to a seat beside Kangxi. Seeing her arrive, Yinsi also called out “E-niang” obediently.
Seeing the boy’s shifty expression, Yunxiu knew he must have gotten into trouble again.
“What has happened? Why are the Fourth and Sixth Princes kneeling here?” Yunxiu observed the Grand Empress Dowager’s expression. Finding the elder lady looked as unruffled as usual, she spoke up boldly.
This at least indicated that today’s matter likely had little to do with Yinsi. Even with Kangxi present, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager would protect her and Yinsi.
After the Fifth Prince formally greeted his elders, he ran to the Empress Dowager’s side, staring wide-eyed at Yinsi without daring to speak.
“It was just a scuffle between children, nothing serious really,” the Empress Dowager said first with a kind smile. “But Yinqi and Yinsi, those two little monkeys, insisted that I and the Imperial Grandmother judge who was right and who was wrong. So, we had to trouble the Emperor to take some time from his busy schedule to come here.”
Kangxi’s expression remained neutral. Now in his thirties and having already suppressed the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, Kangxi was a monarch with absolute power. The aura of authority he projected had grown increasingly heavy. Hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, he glanced at Yinqi and Yinsi leaning against the two matriarchs, his tone unreadable. “Imperial Mother, you are too kind. Yinzhen and Yinzuo are both currently being raised in Yonghe Palace, and at their mischievous age, bickering and fighting between brothers is common.”
“That’s not true! Sixth Brother was shouting that Fourth Brother isn’t a child of Yonghe Palace! He even said Consort De doesn’t like him, and he pushed Fourth Brother to the ground!”
Hearing Kangxi’s words, the Fifth Prince immediately grew anxious and stood up to demand justice for his Fourth Brother.
Kangxi looked over, and the Fifth Prince immediately fell silent, shrinking back and tugging at the Empress Dowager’s sleeve. “Imperial Grandmother…”
The Empress Dowager patted the Fifth Prince’s head. “That’s enough, Yinqi. You mustn’t be disrespectful in front of your Imperial Father.”
Yinsi wasn’t behaving in the Grand Empress Dowager’s arms either, desperately signaling Yunxiu with his eyes.
E-niang, hurry and help Fourth Brother!
Yunxiu spread her hands helplessly. With Kangxi and the two matriarchs present, how could she dare to speak? Besides, looking at the situation, Kangxi was clearly shielding Consort De and the Sixth Prince.
Poor Yinzhen had lacked a father’s love and a mother’s affection since childhood; it was no wonder he grew up with such a cold and harsh temperament.
The matter was actually quite simple. Just as the Fifth Prince had said, the Sixth Prince had started the provocation at the Palace School, saying some truly improper things. The current Yinzhen was far from being as steady as he would be when he grew up. Hearing his own biological younger brother say such things on a festival for family reunions like the Lantern Festival, he was overcome with anger. The two began pushing and shoving, but unexpectedly, Yinzhen, though two years older, was unable to best the Sixth Prince and was pushed, falling hard onto the ground.
Fifth Prince and Yinsi were typical cases of seeing an injustice and drawing their swords to help.
Of course, this was partly because Yunxiu often drummed into Yinsi the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the Fourth Prince. After all, her son would have to make a living under Yinzhen’s rule in the future.
Ever since Yunxiu had inexplicably become pregnant and given birth to Yinsi, she had wracked her brains to avoid that horrific “total wipeout” ending. She felt it was best to prepare on two fronts: if Yinsi and Yinzhen could have a good relationship from childhood, perhaps Yinzhen would show some brotherly affection later in life and not be so ruthless.
Unfortunately, the friction between the “Eighth Virtuous Prince” and Yongzheng seemed innate. No matter how Yunxiu tried to praise Yinzhen to Yinsi or create opportunities for the brothers to get close, Yinsi was always uninterested. He spent most of his time with the Fifth Prince, who had also been raised in Cining Palace, and had no desire to be close to this cold and slightly strange Fourth Brother.
Fortunately, Yunxiu’s constant nagging finally had some effect today when the Sixth Prince’s bullying went too far. The Fifth Prince and Yinsi broke up the fight and then decided to run to Cining Palace to complain to the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, insisting on getting justice for Yinzhen.
The two matriarchs hadn’t wanted to involve themselves in the messy affairs of Yonghe Palace. However, the Fifth Prince and Yinsi had used every trick in the book, from acting spoiled to being persistent. Since it was a festive day, the Grand Empress Dowager finally relented and agreed to manage this bit of “gossip,” summoning Kangxi to the palace.
The parties involved, Yinzhen and the Sixth Prince, were also called to Cining Palace. Hearing Kangxi’s words just now, Yinzhen’s small body swayed. His fists clenched tighter, and his bloodless lips pressed into a straight line. As expected, Imperial Father was just like E-niang—both favored Sixth Brother.
And no matter where he went, no one doted on him.
Though young, the Sixth Prince was clever. He could tell Kangxi intended to smooth things over and protect him, so he immediately raised his head like a little peacock.
He moved on his knees toward Kangxi and admitted his fault very obediently. “Imperial Father, your son knows his mistake. I shouldn’t have bickered with Fourth Brother at the Palace School. However, I truly never said the things Fifth Brother just claimed. I ask Imperial Father to investigate clearly.”
“You’re lying! You’re telling lies!”
The Fifth Prince couldn’t contain himself upon hearing this. Having been raised under the Empress Dowager’s care since childhood, he was incredibly pampered. Even Kangxi had no way to deal with this son, who was a veritable little tyrant of the palace. However, his character had been raised so well by the Empress Dowager that it wasn’t crooked at all. So, hearing the Sixth Prince distorting the facts, he immediately became frantic.
“Eldest Brother, Third Brother, and even the Crown Prince heard it at the Palace School!”
“Yinqi!”
Hearing the Fifth Prince dragging the Crown Prince into the matter, the Empress Dowager immediately stopped him, shaking her head slightly at him.
That boy was the Emperor’s heart and soul; he couldn’t be dragged into this so casually.
Sitting by the Grand Empress Dowager, Yinsi also grew anxious. “Imperial Father…”
“Emperor.”
After all the clamor, the Grand Empress Dowager finally spoke, her expression unchanging as she interrupted Yinsi. “Though it was just a scuffle between children, since they each hold their own version of the story, it wouldn’t be right to just let it pass carelessly. Otherwise, wouldn’t it encourage an unhealthy trend of the Princes speaking loosely? I think this matter should be looked into more closely.”
The Grand Empress Dowager had lived through three reigns and presided over the inner palace for many years; her words carried great weight. Consequently, the Sixth Prince panicked instantly and looked toward Kangxi, whose expression had already grown cold.
Unexpectedly, Yunxiu, who had been quietly acting as a decorative piece without saying a word, was suddenly called upon by Kangxi.
“Noble Consort Hui, what do you think?”
Yunxiu: “…”
What could she possibly think? This was a clash of titans; please don’t let it collateralize a mere mortal like her!
However, although the Fifth Prince had been the one charging ahead, her precious son was also involved. The possibility of her staying out of it was slim.
But Kangxi clearly didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. It would be inappropriate for her to take a side now, so she could only play dumb. “Your servant is dull-witted. I’ve been listening for a while but still haven’t quite understood. However, today is the Lantern Festival, a day for the full moon and beautiful flowers. The Fourth and Sixth Princes are still young; it wouldn’t be good for their knees to be hurt by the cold, hard ground. I ask the Emperor to be merciful and let the two Princes rise before speaking further.”
“Your servant brought some Gastrodia chicken soup. If the Emperor and the two matriarchs don’t mind, why not warm your bodies first? It won’t be too late to be angry with these children afterward.”
As soon as Yunxiu spoke, the solemn atmosphere in the hall dissipated significantly.
The Grand Empress Dowager smiled and pointed a finger at Yunxiu from afar. “You, you’ve always been a carefree soul. No wonder you’ve raised Yinsi to be so mischievous.”
“Yunxiu’s skills have always been good, especially this medicinal cuisine, which is very flavorful. It tastes good and is good for the health. Emperor, you should try some as well,” the Empress Dowager added.
Before coming here, Yunxiu had learned many things from her grandfather, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, so she was quite well-versed in medical arts. According to history, the Grand Empress Dowager would reach the end of her life in three years. During her years in the palace, the Grand Empress Dowager had truly treated her like a biological daughter, so Yunxiu was always mindful of this. Starting last year, she had been finding various ways to prepare medicinal cuisine and leading the Grand Empress Dowager in physical exercises, hoping to extend her life.
Fortunately, the Grand Empress Dowager’s constitution still appeared quite robust.
With Yunxiu providing a way out, Kangxi took the opportunity. He raised his hand, allowing Yinzhen and the Sixth Prince to rise. Sumalagu and Yunxiu’s personal maids, Banxia and Peilan, hurried to serve a bowl of soup to Kangxi, the two matriarchs, and the several princes.
Yunxiu had entered the palace early, arriving from Mongolia in the eleventh year of Kangxi’s reign. It had been twelve years now, making her one of the most senior concubines currently in the palace. However, she was young when she entered and wasn’t immediately conferred a title; she wasn’t formally titled and didn’t serve the Emperor until the fifteenth year of Kangxi’s reign. Furthermore, she had never been interested in competing for favor. Upon entering the palace, she was raised by the Grand Empress Dowager in Cining Palace. Even after becoming a consort, she spent most of her time in Cining Palace chatting with the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. Thus, although she and Kangxi could be considered childhood friends and even had a son together, Kangxi wasn’t actually very familiar with this Noble Consort Hui.
He rarely flipped her name tag throughout the year, and the number of times they had spoken privately could be counted on two hands.
There were many such concubines in the palace, but most were lower-ranking junior consorts. Someone like Yunxiu, who had a high birth and a high rank but such a cold lack of favor, was truly the first of her kind.
Even the Grand Empress Dowager had run out of ways to deal with her. Fortunately, her womb had been productive enough to give birth to a son, so the Grand Empress Dowager had stopped pestering her.
Therefore, Kangxi had never tasted Yunxiu’s handiwork. He had expected it to be just the usual chicken soup made by the small kitchens in the palace, but his eyes lit up as soon as he took a sip.
This usually obscure Noble Consort Hui seemed to have quite a talent for food.
“Oh dear, what’s happened to the Fourth Prince? Why is there so much blood!”
While Kangxi was savoring the soup, he suddenly heard Sumalagu’s shocked voice.
Just now, Sumalagu had served the chicken soup to Yinzhen. Seeing his sleeves were a bit long, she had rolled them up for him. To her surprise, once they were rolled up, she revealed a wrist that was somewhat mangled and bloody.
Yunxiu was a bit dazed by the sight. It looked quite serious, yet this child had gritted his teeth and hadn’t said a single word.
Seeing this, the Sixth Prince panicked as well. He also remembered his casual push earlier; it seemed Fourth Brother had indeed hit something.
But with an injury like this, he likely wouldn’t be able to escape punishment.
Kangxi placed the soup bowl on the table. The crisp sound of porcelain clinking made the Sixth Prince’s heart jump. Just as he was about to kneel and beg for forgiveness, the announcement of a young eunuch came from outside.
“Consort De has arrived!”