Yinzhen was only able to leave Consort Tong Jia’s quarters this time because the Imperial Study’s tutors had assigned them an essay on reflections under the moonlight. Initially, Consort Tong Jia followed her usual practice of having two young eunuchs accompany him. But the moment they stepped out of Chengqian Palace, Yinzhen’s face turned frosty as he fixed them with a steady gaze. Both eunuchs were terrified by the Fourth Prince’s stare. Everyone in Chengqian Palace knew that despite his youth, the Fourth Prince was exceptionally composed and decisive. The servants in his own hall were meticulously organized and disciplined; whenever any subordinate made a mistake, he would personally administer punishment without mercy.
After exchanging several uneasy glances, the two eunuchs ultimately couldn’t withstand the pressure and obediently retreated to the pathway entrance after Yinzhen entered the pavilion.
“If the Noble Consort asks, we’ll just say the Fourth Prince was admiring the moon alone without anything unusual,” one whispered.
The weather was gradually warming, and frog croaks already echoed from the pond beside the pavilion. Overhanging branches from trees planted along the path brushed against their faces, tickling annoyingly.
The two eunuchs stood dutifully guarding the path entrance when one suddenly spat viciously and said, “We drew the short straw getting this assignment. I heard those escorting the old madam out of the palace recently received this much in rewards.” He extended five fingers, envy overflowing from his eyes.
“The Tongjia clan is an influential noble family – such trifling rewards mean nothing to them,” the other sighed. Different fates for different people – no use comparing.
“The Noble Consort keeps such close watch over the Fourth Prince. Though young, the Fourth Prince isn’t easy to deal with either. Being caught between two masters is truly unbearable.”
As they were chatting idly, sudden footsteps approached from nearby.
“Impudent slaves! How dare you gossip about your masters within the palace walls!”
The two eunuchs startled and immediately knelt, begging for mercy. Looking up, they saw it was Noble Lady Ping.
Noble Lady Ping had just visited the Crown Prince at Yuqing Palace. Since its completion in the eighteenth year of Kangxi’s reign, the Crown Prince had moved from the Hall of Mental Cultivation to reside in this proper Eastern Palace.
After entering the palace, Noble Lady Ping visited Yuqing Palace far more frequently than the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Today she had gone to see the Crown Prince and, finding it still early with beautiful moonlight, decided to stroll through the Imperial Garden. Unexpectedly, she overheard someone discussing Consort Tong Jia and the Fourth Prince.
Though Noble Lady Ping held lower rank, she was the Crown Prince’s maternal aunt, a daughter of the Hesheri clan. No one in the rear palace dared look down on her, let mere servants.
“Spare us, Noble Lady Ping! We spoke carelessly! Have mercy on us!”
Leaning on her maid’s arm, Noble Lady Ping examined the two young eunuchs by the palace lantern’s light. They seemed to be the Fourth Prince’s attendants from Chengqian Palace – she’d seen them waiting outside the Imperial Study several times when bringing snacks for the Crown Prince.
Glancing toward the distant pavilion, she could only make out several shadowy figures.
“Is the Fourth Prince inside?”
“Replying to Noble Lady Ping, the Fourth Prince is admiring the moon,” a eunuch hastily answered.
Knowing about the tutors’ assignment – the Crown Prince had been working on his own essay – Noble Lady Ping didn’t suspect anything. She merely circled the two eunuchs and said, “You two gossiping about your masters in the palace – have you completely forgotten what happened to those two servants before?”
The young eunuchs immediately began kowtowing in terror. They remembered clearly how a palace maid from Chengqian Palace had been dragged to the long street and beaten to death for gossiping about the Fourth Prince – all the palace servants had been forced to watch the execution.
“Very well, you may rise now.” Noble Lady Ping’s tone softened. “Answer whatever I ask, or beware of your miserable lives.”
…
Yinsi lay in his cradle watching his mother sigh for the third time while sitting on the corridor.
You agreed readily enough, but now find it difficult to implement, don’t you?
Three-month-old Yinsi had reached the oral stage where he couldn’t resist putting his hands in his mouth. After trying several times to control this urge and failing, Yinsi simply gave up trying.
It’s perfectly normal for babies to suck their hands – not doing so would be abnormal.
Yinsi confidently reassured himself.
Recently, with the improved weather, Wen Shan would occasionally move Yinsi’s cradle to the corridor to let him enjoy the breeze and sunlight, while carefully ensuring the harsh sun wouldn’t shine directly on him.
Wen Shan picked up Yinsi and pressed her cheek against his. “Little Eighth, do you have any good ideas about how to bring your Fourth Brother back?”
This seems extremely difficult to accomplish.
The Tongjia clan was the Emperor Father’s maternal family, and Consort Tong Jia was the Emperor Father’s cousin. The Tongjia clan sent their daughter into the palace hoping to bear an imperial son with Tongjia bloodline to continue their family’s glory. Leaving aside whether the Emperor Father would tolerate their ambition, given that Consort Tong Jia had just lost a child, he would never easily take Fourth Brother away from the Tongjia clan again.
This would be his decision whether considering marital affection or court politics.
Unless Consort Tong Jia voluntarily gave up raising Fourth Brother.
But that would be even more improbable.
Yinsi sucked his hand with a serious expression. Seeing this, Wen Shan rescued his finger and replaced it with a soft pacifier.
Yinsi waved his little hands in protest – he refused to suck on something so beneath his dignity!
But resistance was futile. Recently, Yinsi had been sucking his hands more frequently. Although Wen Shan knew this was normal behavior for babies exploring the world, the frequency was somewhat excessive. She could only periodically give him different things to chew on.
Wen Shan patted Yinsi’s back to soothe him while chattering to her young son.
“Your Fourth Brother has always been the most particular about etiquette and rules. Consort Tong Jia raised him for three years – the grace of upbringing surpasses heaven. Normally, with Yinzhen’s temperament, he would never say he wanted to leave Chengqian Palace. Something major must have happened.”
When Kangxi ordered Yinzhen to move back to Chengqian Palace, although Yinzhen was depressed and upset, he obediently complied. Besides this being an imperial decree that couldn’t be disobeyed, his upbringing wouldn’t permit him to abandon the foster mother who had raised him for three years.
Yinsi nodded, thinking Mother truly understood Fourth Brother well. Just looking at Fourth Brother’s expression made it clear there must be some insurmountable barrier between him and Consort Tong Jia.
What could it be? This might be the key to breaking the deadlock. Yinsi pondered seriously, wishing Fourth Brother would speak up so he could find a way to rescue him from this dire situation.
That unborn child?
Yinsi believed he was thinking seriously and earnestly, but having been raised so well, when he put on a stern face, his chubby cheeks simply drooped down.
Wen Shan found this unbearably adorable, hugging him and covering him with kisses before finally ruffling his hair and saying, “Oh, our Little Eighth only needs to focus on eating and sleeping now. Mother will handle the rest.”
Yinsi extricated himself from his mother’s fervent affection with a dizzy head. Upon hearing this, he immediately concluded that given his mother’s level of palace intrigue skills, it would likely be difficult for her.
Since arriving here, Wen Shan had been lounging around like a salted fish, spending all her days holed up in Cining Palace. Under the Grand Empress Dowager’s protection and being out of favor, no one bothered to provoke her. Except for the recent incident where the Niohuru Clan deliberately picked a quarrel, she had no conflicts with the other consorts in the palace. She probably didn’t even understand their temperaments and dispositions.
Sure enough, after listening for a long time to his mother discussing strategies with Zhen Zhu and Hupo, Yinsi rolled his eyes dramatically.
Better let this lord grow up quickly! It seems Fourth Brother will have to endure in Chengqian Palace for another year or so. Once he can speak, he’ll rescue him!
Wen Shan mentally went through everyone in the palace. The only one currently capable of challenging Noble Consort Tong Jia was the Niohuru Clan. However, the Niohuru Clan had just finished clashing with her and had no children of their own, so they probably wouldn’t get involved in these matters.
As for the remaining consorts like Consort Rong and Consort Hui, though they had children, they hadn’t yet grown their wings. They were still far from becoming the Four Great Consorts of the Kangxi era.
After much deliberation, Wen Shan decided to start with Kangxi to gauge the situation. For the first time, she personally cooked two exquisite dishes for Kangxi and carried them to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Spotting Wen Shan from afar, Liang Jiugong rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things. This was quite the rare visitor!
“Well now, greetings to Consort Xuan.” Liang Jiugong made a customary bow and welcomed her with a smile. “What brings Your Ladyship here today?”
Wen Shan glanced at the tightly shut vermilion doors and said with a smile, “This consort has prepared some food. I wonder if His Majesty is available now?”
“You’ve come at just the right time. His Majesty just finished discussing matters with Lord Tong Guowei. Allow this servant to announce you.”
Wen Shan nodded. Soon enough, Liang Jiugong emerged and invited her inside.
This was Wen Shan’s first time visiting the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Kangxi was reviewing memorials and glanced up when she entered, simply telling her to sit.
Wen Shan took a seat on a nearby chair. Kangxi finished reading several memorials before looking up and saying, “What have you brought? Let us see.”
Having a favor to ask today, Wen Shan had specially prepared two dishes that were excellent in color, aroma, and taste. When she opened the food container, a fresh, savory fragrance wafted out.
It was nearly time for lunch, and Kangxi was somewhat hungry. Wen Shan had also specially steamed soft and delicious rice in a zengzi. In no time, most of the food was gone.
“Consort Xuan’s culinary skills have improved again.” Kangxi ate with satisfaction. The food Consort Xuan brought today was much more delicious than what she served at Xianfu Palace—clearly, she had put effort into it.
Wen Shan thought to herself, of course it’s much better—this was the first time Kangxi had eaten food she personally cooked. Previously, she had always fobbed him off with dishes made by the cooks.
After the meal and washing his hands, Kangxi finally took pity and asked, “Did you come today because you have a favor to ask us?”
Kangxi was thoroughly pleased by Wen Shan’s few dishes. Combined with the fact that this was genuinely her first time making such an effort to seek favor, as long as it wasn’t excessive, he was willing to indulge her.
“This consort was thinking that Your Majesty works hard handling state affairs. With the weather turning hot recently, I feared Your Majesty might have poor appetite, so I came specially to check on you.” Wen Shan pretended to be obedient and virtuous.
Kangxi looked at her with a faint, knowing smile.
Over these days, Kangxi had come to understand Wen Shan’s temperament quite well. Her detachment was genuine—not only toward the other consorts in the rear palace but also toward his favor. The only ones who could stir any emotion in her were Yinzhen and Yinsi.
Having a few more consorts like her, who had no interest in competing for favor and focused solely on raising the imperial princes, wouldn’t be a bad thing.
“Are you here to flatter me because of Yinzhen’s matter?” Kangxi was dressed in a sapphire-blue casual robe adorned with exquisite embroidery, the five-clawed golden dragons so lifelike they exuded immense nobility.
Kangxi pondered for a moment. “The Noble Consort lost her son, so it’s only natural she keeps a tight watch over Yinzhen. You should be more understanding.”
Though Kangxi seemed indifferent to the affairs of the rear palace, he was well aware of everything that happened there. Most of the time, he simply chose not to involve himself in such matters. He was particularly clear about Consort Tong Jia restricting Yinzhen’s movements. It had been over a month since Yinzhen left Xianfu Palace without paying respects to Consort Xuan, which was indeed rather inappropriate.
No wonder Consort Xuan had come to seek him out.
As soon as Wen Shan heard Kangxi’s tone, she knew he was still shielding Consort Tong Jia. Naturally, she lost any desire to stay longer. After perfunctorily exchanging a few words, she took her leave.
Kangxi was almost amused by her abrupt departure. This Consort Xuan was so transparent—everything was written on her face. If she had coaxed him gently and pleaded a little more, he might have permitted Yinzhen to pay respects at Xianfu Palace.
Picking up his imperial brush, Kangxi resolved not to intervene in her matter until Consort Xuan admitted her mistake and sought to appease him.
“Your Highness, what should we do now?” Zhen Zhu asked anxiously.
With the Emperor siding with the Noble Consort, the situation had become difficult. Did this mean her mistress had no choice but to compete for favor?
Wen Shan had no solution either and could only say, “Let’s return to the palace for now.”
No matter what, she would find a way. She had promised Yinzhen and would never go back on her word.
Back at Xianfu Palace, Wen Shan was so troubled she lost her appetite, to the point where even Yinsi grew anxious. He made a special effort every day to act adorable and cheer her up, but the results were minimal. Yinsi himself began sighing in frustration.
This Fourth Prince sure knew how to create problems for them!
Then one day, Noble Lady Ping suddenly arrived at Xianfu Palace.
Wen Shan was startled upon receiving the news of Noble Lady Ping’s visit. She had never had any interaction with Noble Lady Ping before—this was truly an unexpected guest.
Noble Lady Ping was Empress Hesheri’s younger sister. Since entering the palace, she had focused solely on the Crown Prince and had little connection with any other consorts. So, as Wen Shan observed Noble Lady Ping seated below, she couldn’t quite figure out her purpose for visiting.
After entering the inner chamber, Noble Lady Ping exchanged a few polite compliments about Yinsi. Once the palace attendants had withdrawn to prepare tea, she suddenly said, “Consort Xuan previously cared for the Fourth Prince, so you must have developed a deep bond. Now that the Fourth Prince is at Chengqian Palace, Consort Xuan must be pining to the point of illness, no?”
Wen Shan merely smiled. “The Fourth Prince is the Noble Consort’s adopted son. I only took care of him for a few months. If anyone misses him, it would naturally be the Noble Consort the most.”
She was quite adept at handling such formal pleasantries.
Noble Lady Ping suddenly sighed softly. “This concubine doesn’t think so. Consort Xuan, are you unaware? Consort Tong Jia, after losing her son, actually believed the Fourth Prince was the one who brought misfortune to her little prince. Don’t you find that absurd?”