The twentieth year of Kangxi’s reign, spring.
…
The twentieth year of Kangxi’s reign, spring.
Although spring had begun, it wasn’t as warm as in previous years. A heavy snow had even fallen last night. The moment she opened her eyes this morning, the world outside her window was a vast expanse of white. The view through the vermilion window lattice was particularly beautiful. It was warm inside the room, and listening to the soft crackling of the charcoal stove, Wen Shan wrapped herself in her quilt and sat up to admire the snowy scenery for a while.
Fortunately, with the position of Empress vacant, she didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to brave the snow and pay her respects.
Only when it was time for the midday meal did she go to her small kitchen to make Crucian Carp and Tofu Soup and Fried Milk, which she then carried over to Cining Palace.
As soon as she entered Cining Palace, Wen Shan saw a small figure wearing a little cyan cap, kneeling at the bottom of the steps before the main hall.
Wen Shan frowned. How could such a young child be made to kneel in this icy weather?
As she drew closer, she realized it was the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, who was only three years old.
The future Yongzheng Emperor.
Yinzhen wasn’t wearing a cloak and looked a bit thin. A light layer of snow had settled on him, and his small body was trembling slightly, yet he gritted his teeth, stubbornly silent.
Wen Shan walked under the covered corridor. Attendant He Yu, who served the Empress Dowager, was standing there. Seeing her approach, she hurried to greet her.
“This servant pays her respects to Consort Xuan. Your Ladyship has come at an inconvenient time. His Majesty is inside speaking with the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager.”
Attendant He Yu’s expression was also somewhat grave. Wen Shan keenly sensed that something was amiss today. “It’s no matter,” she said. “I’ll just wait here for a while.”
After speaking, she looked again at the Fourth Prince, who was kneeling ramrod straight. “What happened? Why is the Fourth Prince kneeling here?”
At this, Attendant He Yu began to sigh, her face revealing her pity. “The Fourth Prince offended the Crown Prince this morning. The Crown Prince has been feeling unwell lately, and after getting into a scuffle with the Fourth Prince, he fainted from anger. When His Majesty found out, he flew into a terrible rage and ordered the Fourth Prince to kneel here, not to rise without his decree.”
“A scuffle?” Wen Shan asked in surprise. “The Fourth Prince hit the Crown Prince?”
Everyone in the palace knew that the Crown Prince was the apple of the Emperor’s eye. He had been personally raised by Kangxi like a precious pearl, doted on beyond measure. The affection for all the other princes and princesses combined did not equal that for the Crown Prince alone. How could the Fourth Prince have come to blows with him?
“Not exactly,” Attendant He Yu quickly explained. “It was the Crown Prince who, in a fit of anger, kicked the Fourth Prince. It happened to be on the steps, so the Fourth Prince fell. The Crown Prince then fainted in a sudden rush of temper.”
“…”
Wen Shan was rendered speechless. Yinzhen was truly unlucky.
Not only had he been hit, but the one who did the hitting had fainted, and now it was all his fault.
And the one who fainted was Kangxi’s precious Crown Prince. There was truly no one to whom he could plead his case.
“Hasn’t Consort Tong Jia come to plead for him?”
Consort Tong Jia was Yinzhen’s adoptive mother. He had been brought to her palace just a few days after his birth. It made no sense for her not to come and check on him now.
Attendant He Yu sighed again, a hint of added sympathy in her eyes as she looked at the Fourth Prince. “Consort Tong Jia is with child and not feeling well herself. It is said she is resting.”
“…”
Wen Shan fell silent again. This did sound rather tragic.
His father didn’t dote on him, and his mother didn’t love him.
“At least give the Fourth Prince an extra layer of clothing. It’s freezing out here. Don’t let the child fall ill from the cold,” Wen Shan said, feeling a pang of sympathy. Looking closely, she saw a bruise on Yinzhen’s forehead, likely from when he fell down the steps.
Attendant He Yu looked troubled. “His Majesty is in a rage. How would we servants dare?”
Wen Shan understood their predicament and simply said, “If anything happens, I will take responsibility. Go and fetch a cloak.”
This was the advantage of having a powerful family background.
Although she usually kept a low profile in the palace, her background was rock-solid. She was from the Borjigit clan, related to both Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and the Empress Dowager. Kangxi himself usually showed her some deference.
Attendant He Yu quickly ordered someone to fetch a cloak. Wen Shan took it, walked down the steps, and knelt in front of Yinzhen. She took out her handkerchief to wipe his little face, which was already red from the cold, and then tied the cloak around him.
Yinzhen hadn’t expected Wen Shan to come over and put a cloak on him. He even flinched away slightly and said stiffly, “Thank you for your kindness, Consort Xuan. Imperial Father has punished this son to kneel here and reflect on my faults. This son dares not add clothing.”
His tone was filled with grievance, stubbornness, and resentment.
He was just a child, after all, still in the mindset of being angry with his parents.
But this father of his… would probably not feel heartache or guilt if Yinzhen fell ill from the cold.
Wen Shan forcefully tied the cloak on him and brushed the snow from his shoulders. “Your Imperial Father is angry right now, but he’ll be fine in a while. Don’t be angry with him. Your own health is what’s important.”
Yinzhen’s tightly clenched fists relaxed slightly. He had never interacted with this Consort Xuan before, having only seen her from a distance a few times. He had always thought her to be of a peaceful and gentle nature, but he hadn’t expected her hands to be so soft and warm.
Inside Cining Palace, Kangxi and the two elder matriarchs were also in a silent standoff.
Finally, it was Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang who couldn’t help but speak first. “Emperor, it was just a squabble between children. The Crown Prince has already woken up. Let Yinzhen get up first. The boy is injured as well.”
The Empress Dowager chimed in with her agreement.
At this time, Kangxi was in the prime of his life. Having ruled personally for many years and eliminated his greatest political rival, Oboi, he had long shed his youthful immaturity. In its place was the absolute power and strategic mastery of a mature emperor.
“Imperial Grandmother, Yinzhen has been temperamental since he was young. Today, he dared to talk back to the Crown Prince. He truly needs to be taught a lesson.”
Kangxi still respected and felt close to the grandmother who had single-handedly raised him, but the moment he thought of Yin Reng being carried back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation unconscious that morning, anger surged within him.
“Heseri passed away early, and you raised Yin Reng yourself. He is also the Crown Prince, so your bond is naturally different. But Yinzhen is your flesh and blood too. He’s only a three-year-old child who fell down the steps, yet I haven’t seen you ask about him once. Even if the ten fingers are not all the same length, you cannot be so excessive,” the Grand Empress Dowager advised earnestly.
Beside them, Sumalagu brought tea for the three masters. She smiled and said, “His Majesty is young; he will naturally understand these principles in the future. Grand Empress Dowager, you should worry less. You were so anxious when you heard about this today that you didn’t even eat your morning meal.”
Hearing this, Kangxi’s tone immediately softened. “It is this grandson’s fault for making Imperial Grandmother worry.”
Xiaozhuang waved her hand, took a sip of the freshly served milk tea, and said slowly, “I just find the child Yinzhen to be quite pitiful. He hasn’t been raised by his birth mother, and now that the Consort is with child and unwell in many ways, she cannot look after him. If you, his father, don’t pay more attention, everyone in the palace will dare to neglect him.”
With the Grand Empress Dowager having said so much, Kangxi could only agree to let Yinzhen get up and be sent back to Chengqian Palace for treatment.
Seeing Kangxi’s attitude finally soften, Sumalagu also breathed a sigh of relief. The Emperor had become increasingly autocratic over the years, and it would not be good if he clashed with the Grand Empress Dowager over this matter.
Sumalagu said, “Consort Xuan just came to pay her respects to the Grand Empress Dowager. Seeing that the Fourth Prince was weak and cold, she is looking after him. Your Majesty need not worry.”
In recent years, Wen Shan had come to Cining Palace almost every day to chat with the two old matriarchs, amuse them, and bring them new snacks. The servants of Cining Palace were all very fond of this unassuming Consort Xuan. Therefore, Sumalagu was willing to seize this opportunity to put in a good word for Wen Shan and boost her presence.
Kangxi didn’t have a deep impression of this Consort Xuan, who liked to spend her time in Cining Palace winning the favor of the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. He only remembered that she was of noble birth but not arrogant, and could be described as gentle and agreeable. Thus, he only nodded and said, “Consort Xuan is thoughtful.”
The Grand Empress Dowager, however, had a thought. She took a sip of tea and said, “Consort Xuan is diligent, prudent, careful, and considerate. Since the Consort is unwell and has no time to care for the Fourth Prince, why not let Consort Xuan look after him until the Consort gives birth?”
The Empress Dowager, at her side, also nodded in agreement. “Wen Shan has always been thorough in her affairs. It would be good for her to take care of him for a while.”
Kangxi, however, was hesitant. Consort Tong Jia was his cousin. He had favored her since she entered the palace, and their bond was not shallow. Now that she was pregnant, taking Yinzhen away from her might hurt his cousin’s feelings.
His Imperial Grandmother and Imperial Mother were probably a little angry that his cousin had deliberately avoided coming today.
“This is a solution that serves both purposes. It’s only to care for him for a period of time. After the Consort gives birth, the Fourth Prince will be sent back,” the Grand Empress Dowager said, making the final decision. “This way, the Fourth Prince will be cared for without disturbing the Consort’s pregnancy.”
With the matter settled, Kangxi could only agree.
Meanwhile, Wen Shan, still waiting under the corridor, had no idea that she was about to gain a big son.
The door curtain, heavy with thick bearskin, was suddenly lifted, and a figure in bright yellow walked out. Startled, Wen Shan quickly curtsied in greeting.
“Rise.” Kangxi gave her a token gesture of help, seriously sizing up this Consort Xuan of his for the first time.
Unlike the bold and pampered nature of other Mongol consorts, Consort Xuan appeared more delicate and gentle. Her eyes held a peaceful and calm demeanor, making her seem more like a Han woman raised in the watery landscapes of Jiangnan.
Even Kangxi had to admit that she did indeed look very suitable for raising children, possessing the air of a virtuous wife and loving mother.
Wen Shan kept her eyes lowered, wondering what was going on today. Usually, Kangxi would glance at her and move on, so why wasn’t he leaving now?
She prayed inwardly for this man to leave quickly. Just seeing him was annoying.
Fortunately, Kangxi was not at all familiar with her and had nothing to say. After sizing her up for a few moments, he walked towards the still-kneeling Yinzhen.
Yinzhen’s back straightened a little more. He stubbornly refused to look up, his gaze fixed on the snowflakes on the ground.
Wen Shan’s heart leaped into her throat. Seeing Kangxi’s imposing manner, she couldn’t help but worry: was this dog of an emperor going to hit the child?
Thankfully, Kangxi only stopped in front of Yinzhen. He looked down at him for a moment, then said, “Get up.”
Yinzhen gritted his teeth and held firm. “This son dares not.”
Wen Shan: “…”
The boy hadn’t listened to a single word she’d just said to him. He was clearly still sulking.
As expected, Kangxi’s anger, which had just subsided, was instantly reignited by this defiant attitude.
He let out a cold snort, a humorless smile on his face. “Good. A temperament like yours is indeed not suited to be raised in the Consort’s palace. When the Consort gives birth, I fear you will harbor resentment towards your younger sibling, devoid of any filial piety or brotherly love.”
This statement from Kangxi was extremely harsh. Yinzhen looked up at his father in disbelief, tears welling in his eyes. The three-year-old child was frightened after all. He stammered, “Imperial Father…”
Kangxi flicked his sleeve and left, leaving Yinzhen alone and defeated, kneeling in the snow.
Wen Shan, watching from the side, was about to explode with anger.
Are those the kind of words you should say to a three-year-old child?!
As soon as Kangxi left, Sumalagu came out. She greeted Wen Shan with a smile and said, “Consort Xuan, just now His Majesty, the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager have decided that you will be responsible for raising the Fourth Prince for a time, until Consort Tong Jia gives birth.”
Wen Shan froze. “Attendant, what did you say?”
She was to raise Yinzhen?
Sumalagu took the food box from Wen Shan’s personal maid, Zhen Zhu, and urged, “The Grand Empress Dowager said you should quickly take the Fourth Prince back to your palace and summon an imperial physician for him. There is no need to come in and offer thanks. I will take today’s food inside now; the Grand Empress Dowager has been thinking about it.”
After speaking, she curtsied, lifted the curtain, and went back inside.
Wen Shan was left standing there, her world in turmoil.
She had just come to deliver a meal. How did she inexplicably end up taking a child back with her?
Yinzhen, still kneeling on the steps, had also heard Sumalagu’s words. He secretly observed Consort Xuan’s expression. Seeing the surprise and stupor on her face, his heart sank bit by bit. As expected, no one would ever like him.
His birth mother didn’t want him now that she had the Sixth Prince. His adoptive mother didn’t want him either. And now, Consort Xuan was also unwilling to take him back.
Just as he was feeling dejected, a pair of embroidered slippers with light pink flowers appeared before his eyes. Consort Xuan smiled gently and stroked his head.
“Alright then, little Yinzhen. You’ll come home with me.”
A long, long time passed. So long that when Yinzhen was nearing the end of his life, he still could not forget that warm, soft hand that had lifted him from the snow, or the gentle smile on her face as she said she would take him home.