The Qing palace also held a banquet onNew Year’s Eve, where imperial consorts and nobles gathered to celebrate. However, it would disperse before midnight, after which everyone returned to their respective palaces for the New Year’s vigil.
Starting from the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month, Wen Shan had been busy drafting the menu for the New Year’s Eve dinner. The dishes at the palace banquet were more for show than practicality, and Yinzhen and Yinsi were unlikely to eat much—just a few symbolic bites. The real reunion dinner would be back at Xianfu Palace.
Wen Shan planned to invite Wei Shi, who had successfully been promoted to Noble Lady, to join them for the New Year’s vigil. With the whole family gathered, chatting and laughing while making dumplings, the New Year would be perfectly joyful and complete.
Wen Shan, along with Zhen Zhu and Bao Quan, was busy decorating Xianfu Palace, preparing ingredients, and testing dishes for the New Year’s Eve feast. Yinzhen and Yinsi, the two children, had the easiest time—Wen Shan only asked them not to cause trouble and to help taste the dishes.
Yinzhen preferred vegetarian food, while Yinsi was more fond of meat. Fortunately, Yinsi was still on supplementary foods, otherwise, the brothers would surely have argued over the menu.
By the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the young princes like Yinzhen, who were still in early education, were officially on break and no longer attended the Imperial Study. However, the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince had to study day and night until New Year’s Eve, with only one day off for the celebration.
Since the break began and after learning about Fuqi and Heidou, Fifth Prince Yinqi had been visiting Xianfu Palace three times a day. At first, he tried to bring Heidou along, but Yinzhen and Yinsi’s “friendly” smiles frightened him so much that he promptly abandoned his silly son.
Yinzhen took meticulous care of Fuqi. The veterinarian said it wasn’t good for Fuqi to be so inactive and recommended taking it out for walks. So, Yinzhen would carry Fuqi to the Imperial Garden and let it run a few laps. Yinsi, whose legs were growing steadier, couldn’t stay put in Xianfu Palace and often joined Yinzhen to walk the dog.
Lately, a little follower had joined the brothers—Fifth Prince Yinqi.
On Laba Festival, Wen Shan was busy in the kitchen early in the morning, preparing Laba porridge and lunch. Yinzhen and Yinsi took Fuqi out for a walk. Fuqi now walked slowly and was less reckless, so Yinsi finally got the chance to hold the leash. He strolled leisurely with Fuqi, while Yinzhen watched closely to prevent any accidents that might harm Fuqi or his younger brother. Yinqi trailed behind, gazing wistfully at his increasingly plump “daughter-in-law,” thinking he must adopt a couple of puppies once they were born.
They hadn’t been walking long when they coincidentally ran into the Crown Prince and Third Prince sitting and talking in a pavilion ahead.
The Crown Prince spotted the three younger brothers meandering over and waved them over.
Yinsi hadn’t seen the Crown Prince since his rebirth. A few days earlier, during the first snow palace banquet, the Crown Prince hadn’t attended due to illness. Seeing the youthful Crown Prince again after so many years stirred complex emotions in him.
In their previous lives, the two had fought bitterly, with the Crown Prince’s faction and the Eighth Prince Party clashing endlessly in court. At one point, Yinsi’s influence even surpassed the Crown Prince’s, and after the Crown Prince’s first deposition, Yinsi was supported by the court as a candidate for the new crown prince, reaching the peak of his life’s ambitions.
Although both men ultimately met with miserable ends, and the throne fell into Fourth Brother’s hands, Yinsi felt somewhat dazed seeing his lifelong rival now appearing so young and tender. He began recalling how during their previous life when they studied together as brothers, the Crown Prince had also looked like this.
A youthful, spirited young man in vibrant clothes atop a spirited horse, brimming with vigor.
Though somewhat domineering and ordering his brothers about, those were merely childish squabbles when looked back upon – nothing compared to the brutal struggle for the throne.
His final impression of the Crown Prince was after Emperor Father deposed him for the second time, when the prince was placed under house arrest – a world of difference compared to the eight-year-old Crown Prince before him now, truly demonstrating how much the world could change.
The Crown Prince was in rather good spirits seeing these three younger brothers. In recent years, the palace had welcomed many children, and with more siblings around, it had become much livelier. Kangxi’s unique favor towards the Crown Prince made the young prince completely unaware of any pressure from his brothers.
“This is my first time meeting Eighth Brother – I didn’t expect he’d already be walking.” The Crown Prince looked Yinsi over and found his first impression of this youngest brother quite favorable.
Wen Shan liked dressing Yinsi in red. With his fair skin, he looked incredibly delicate and adorable in his red jacket and tiger-head hat.
The Crown Prince thought Eighth Brother did indeed appear clever and well-behaved, no wonder Emperor Father often visited him.
Third Prince was also seeing Yinsi for the first time. Faced with such an adorable child, he couldn’t resist wanting to touch and hold him. Unexpectedly, Yinzhen stepped in front of Yinsi first, protectively blocking him from being touched.
“Third Brother, Yinsi seldom goes out and is shy around strangers.”
Yinsi peeked out from behind Fourth Brother. He naturally disliked being constantly hugged and held – it was tolerable from Mother and Fourth Brother, and at most Emperor Father, but absolutely no one else.
Third Prince awkwardly withdrew his hand. In his memory, among brothers of this age, Sixth Brother Yinzhuo was the best-looking. Though he couldn’t touch Eighth Brother’s fair, tender little face, he didn’t hold back his praise, straightforwardly saying that after seeing Eighth Brother today, he found him even more adorable and better-looking than Sixth Brother.
Yinsi sighed inwardly, speechless. What kind of talk was Third Brother spouting? Comparing him to Sixth Brother was just poking at Fourth Brother’s sore spot.
“Third Brother, that wasn’t well said.” Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince spoke up first: “One is Fourth Brother’s full-blooded younger brother, the other is a brother raised under the same roof. What do you expect Fourth Brother to say with such comparisons?”
With the Crown Prince speaking up for justice, Third Prince quickly apologized to Yinzhen. Yinzhen didn’t mind and took the dog leash from Yinsi’s hand: “Sixth Brother and Eighth Brother are both our brothers, naturally they’re equally important.”
Fifth Prince joined in to support his “in-law,” making faces at Third Prince.
Third Prince found himself caught between laughter and tears, repeatedly admitting his misspeaking and offering to invite them all to Zhong Cui Gong for lunch to make amends.
Who would want to eat at Zhong Cui Gong? Yinzhen thought to himself that Mother was waiting for him and his brother to return for lunch with sweet laba porridge and sumptuous dishes.
“When it comes to meals, Xianfu Palace’s are the best.” The Crown Prince looked at Yinzhen and Yinsi, smiling as he said: “Today is Laba Festival. Since we brothers are gathered together by fate, I wonder if we might go to Xianfu Palace to sample Noble Consort Xuan’s culinary skills?”
The Fifth Prince’s eyes also sparkled nearby, looking just like his pet Heidou—almost ready to pounce on Yinzhen and Yinsi. He too wanted to taste the dishes prepared by Consort Xuan!
Yinzhen and Yinsi’s first instinct was to avoid bringing this whole crowd along for a meal, but since the Crown Prince had spoken, they had no grounds to refuse. Thus, they had no choice but to lead the grand procession toward Xianfu Palace.
On the way, they happened to run into Zhen Zhu, who had come looking for them. Seeing this line of princes, Zhen Zhu initially thought the brothers were merely strolling together in the Imperial Garden. She curtsied and said, “Fourth Prince, Eighth Prince, Noble Consort mentioned the meal is ready and asked you both to return quickly to dine.”
Hearing that Wen Shan had sent Zhen Zhu to call Yinzhen and Yinsi back for dinner, the Fifth Prince grew even more excited.
“Sister Zhen Zhu, can His Highness the Crown Prince, Third Brother, and I join them for dinner at Xianfu Palace today?”
Zhen Zhu: “Ah?”
Zhen Zhu instinctively glanced at Yinzhen and Yinsi. Although these two young masters were still young, ever since Yinsi could talk and walk, almost all matters in Xianfu Palace had been managed by them. Noble Consort indulged them and was content to remain carefree herself.
Yinzhen nodded: “Sister Zhen Zhu, please return first and inform Mother. We will arrive shortly.”
The Crown Prince said, “There’s no need to make a fuss and trouble Noble Consort Xuan. Just add a few more place settings—we brothers are only sharing a simple family meal.”
Yinzhen also smiled and said, “His Highness the Crown Prince and our elder brothers honoring us with your presence will surely make Mother very happy. She will certainly prepare additional dishes to entertain you properly.”
The Crown Prince, now meticulously guided by Kangxi, displayed no flaws in surface etiquette. Outwardly modest and polite, his true nature—haughty, arrogant, and convinced of his superiority as the heir apparent—was something Yinsi, who had contended with him for half a lifetime, knew all too well. He loved being the center of attention, with everyone deferring to him, and would feel dissatisfied if treated too casually.
Fortunately, Zhen Zhu was quick-witted. With Yinsi’s hint, she immediately understood and hurried back to Xianfu Palace to inform Wen Shan that the Crown Prince and the other princes were coming as guests. Wen Shan, who was tasting laba porridge at the time, nearly choked upon hearing the news, and Zhen Zhu swiftly brought her water.
“I’m fine. Yinsi said we should prepare more elaborately—is that the meaning?” Wen Shan rinsed her mouth and asked.
Zhen Zhu nodded.
Wen Shan pondered for a moment and said, “Alright, I understand.”
On the way back to Xianfu Palace, Yinzhen held Yinsi’s hand with one hand and Fuqi’s with the other, walking behind the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince and the Third Prince chatted ahead, while the Fifth Prince circled around Fuqi, fussing over him with concern.
Yinzhen noticed Yinsi pursing his lips, a clear sign he was in a bad mood, and asked softly, “What’s wrong? Do you dislike the Crown Prince and the others coming to Xianfu Palace?”
Yinsi kicked a pebble on the ground and stayed silent.
It was partly because of that, but more so because Fourth Brother had earlier said he and Sixth Brother were the same. Although he knew it was just polite talk in front of the Crown Prince, Yinsi still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Yinzhi really knew how to stir trouble—why bring up Sixth Brother? He was deliberately trying to upset him.
His brothers were truly annoying now that they were grown up, and they were just as annoying when they were young.
Unaware that Yinsi was sulking over his earlier remark, Yinzhen could only comfort him, saying that next time they went out, they would scout ahead to find a secluded spot to walk Fuqi, where only the two brothers and Fuqi could play together.
Yinsi gave an “Mm” in response, feeling considerably better.
The Imperial Garden was not far from Xianfu Palace, and the group arrived after a short walk. As soon as the Crown Prince and the others entered Xianfu Palace, they were captivated by the courtyard’s decorations.
Red palace lanterns and paper-cut tassels hung in an artful arrangement from the trees and pavilions in the yard, while red lanterns and ruyi knots adorned the corridors. Wen Shan had even woven several beautiful floral wreaths to hang on the doors. Even in the corners where Fuqi often played, she had placed festive ornaments and red-clothed dog toys. The joyous atmosphere of celebrating the New Year permeated every corner of Xianfu Palace.
Other palaces had also made some preparations for the New Year, but most merely involved cleaning the halls and hanging a few “fu” character lanterns. The thoughtful, heartfelt decorations at Xianfu Palace were in a completely different league.
Hearing the announcement, Wen Shan emerged from her room. The Crown Prince led the other princes in paying their respects to her. Wen Shan smiled, picked up Yinzhen, and invited them inside. As they entered the inner hall, a warm, floral fragrance greeted them. The interior was even more meticulously prepared than the courtyard: the carpets had been replaced with red ones embroidered with “fu” characters, and there was even a half-height rocking chair adorned with “fu” character tassels—a piece Wen Shan had specially commissioned from craftsmen. Since Yinzhen had learned to walk, it had become his favorite spot.
Wen Shan set Yinzhen down in the rocking chair and gestured for the princes to take their seats.
Yinzhen carefully wiped Fuqi’s mouth and paws with a handkerchief before allowing him inside. The moment Fuqi’s paws touched the floor, he darted into a corner and settled into his bright red dog bed, not moving an inch.
“Wow, Consort Xuan! It’s only been a few days since Yinqi last visited, but Xianfu Palace has transformed completely,” the Fifth Prince exclaimed, looking around in amazement. When he had come a few days prior, it hadn’t been nearly this beautiful.
Labazhou (Eight Treasures Porridge) had been prepared in advance and set on the table. Wen Shan lifted the lid and served each of them a bowl. The sweet, rich aroma immediately whetted their appetites.
Wen Shan’s labazhou was generously filled with ingredients, thick and smooth. Even the Crown Prince, who usually had little interest in indulging his palate, drank three bowls in a row. Fortunately, Wen Shan had served them in small bowls, so three bowls amounted to only one regular portion. Otherwise, she would have worried about the Crown Prince overeating and suffering indigestion, only to have Kangxi hold her accountable later.
The princes were still craving more, but Wen Shan stopped them, explaining that she had prepared many other dishes. Only then did they reluctantly set down their spoons.
Midway through the meal, the Crown Prince sent a young eunuch to inform Kangxi that he would be having lunch at Xianfu Palace. The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince followed his example, sending word to Rongfei and the Empress Dowager respectively.
Wen Shan had specially prepared several dishes that were clearly intricate and time-consuming. Combined with the originally planned lunch spread, the table was laden with food. After the meal, she served a baked cake she had recently perfected as dessert, ensuring the feast was a grand and lavish affair.
“Consort Xuan’s culinary skills are truly exceptional, no wonder Emperor Father and Uku Mama often speak of them,” the Crown Prince remarked elegantly, wiping his mouth with a clean handkerchief handed to him by a palace maid. He had often heard praises of Noble Consort Xuan’s cooking but had only ever tasted the pastries Fourth Prince brought to the Imperial Study. Today was his first time trying her dishes, and the rumors did not disappoint.
Not to be outdone, the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince heaped praise on Wen Shan’s cooking, each eating with such relish that their mouths gleamed with oil.
Yinzhen, held in Wen Shan’s arms and being fed his supplementary meal, watched the lavish spread on the table with growing frustration. Unable to partake and forced to listen to the others extol how delicious everything was, his expression grew increasingly sullen.
Clomp clomp clomp—they just keep coming one after another to freeload meals. Are they all starving to death in their own palaces?
I equally despise every single one who comes to Xianfu Palace to eat and drink for free.
“Too bad Elder Brother isn’t here today—he’s the one who loves eating the most. If he came, he’d probably never want to leave Xianfu Palace his whole life,” Fifth Prince joked between mouthfuls.
Fifth Prince got along quite well with The Eldest Prince. Following Consort Hui’s guidance to befriend Fifth Prince—who was raised under Empress Dowager’s care—The Eldest Prince had been looking out for him. So among all his elder brothers, aside from Yinzhen, Fifth Prince liked The Eldest Prince best for his constant care.
Yinsi, eating the mashed yam and beef Wen Shan had specially prepared for him, muttered under his breath: “There’ll be plenty of places to keep him confined for life later—what’s the hurry?”
Wen Shan, who was just about to feed Yinsi a spoonful of pumpkin rice, froze mid-action.
Wait—what had Yinsi just said?
During the first deposition of the Crown Prince, The Eldest Prince had his title stripped and was placed under house arrest by Kangxi over the “bewitchment of the Crown Prince” incident, remaining imprisoned until his death in the twelfth year of Yongzheng’s reign without ever being released.
In a sense, he really was confined for life without getting out.
But how did Yinsi know this?
Yinsi, still obediently eating his complementary food, remained completely unaware that his little secret was about to be exposed.
He held not an ounce of fondness for The Eldest Prince—in fact, he utterly detested him. Before The Eldest Prince’s infamous line “If Yinreng needs to be executed, there’s no need for Emperor Father to do it himself” came another statement. The full context was: “The fortune-teller Zhang Mingde once read Yinsi’s physiognomy and determined he would achieve great nobility. If Yinreng needs to be executed, there’s no need for Emperor Father to do it himself.”
Yinsi, who at the time was lying low during the first Crown Prince deposition waiting quietly for his opportunity: ?
Someone was trying to sabotage him!
Yinsi was so furious his teeth ached—he’d been inexplicably dragged into this mess. The Eldest Prince had been jumping up and down trying to become Crown Prince himself, but he leaped too high and showed zero brotherly affection, prompting Emperor Father to publicly declare The Eldest Prince too frivolous to be appointed Crown Prince. Then, for some inexplicable reason, after realizing his own hopes were dashed, The Eldest Prince suddenly turned around and voiced support for Yinsi before Emperor Father, uttering that immortal line.
This directly dragged Yinsi down with him.
The aging Kangxi had grown increasingly suspicious, and this incident inevitably made him suspect The Eldest Prince and Eighth Prince were conspiring to frame the Crown Prince.
If Yinsi had known the later saying “Better a good enemy than a bad friend,” he would have tearfully given it hundreds of likes.
So whether in his previous life or current one, Yinsi was thoroughly disgusted with The Eldest Prince. Thus, when Fifth Prince mentioned him, an already irritated Yinsi inadvertently muttered that quiet remark—never expecting Wen Shan would catch it.
Of course, part of the reason was that since his rebirth, his life had been too comfortable. Being in his own territory at Xianfu Palace had made him less cautious.
Wen Shan was profoundly shocked. Connecting Yinsi’s unusual behavior since infancy with numerous novels she’d read, she reached a conclusion: the child in her arms was likely the historical Yinsi reborn.
Never crying or fussing since birth, quick-thinking, steady and methodical in conduct, plus being exceptionally skilled at drawing—none of these were things a normal one-year-old could accomplish.
Looking back now, she realized her motherly bias had been too thick, making her completely overlook these signs.
But with the Crown Prince and others still around, Wen Shan couldn’t possibly expose Yinsi’s secret publicly. She pretended not to have noticed anything and continued feeding him.
After feeding him a spoonful, Wen Shan hesitated. If Yinsi truly had an adult soul inside him, he probably wouldn’t be accustomed to being fed. Should she let him eat by himself?
“Mother, I want this.” Yinsi looked up at Wen Shan, who hadn’t moved for a while, and thoughtfully pointed at the steamed yam and shrimp in front of him, offering a big smile to indicate what he wanted to eat.
…It seemed he was quite enjoying it.
No matter how she looked at it, this was the well-behaved and obedient youngest son she had raised since childhood. Wen Shan’s maternal affection overflowed once again. Rebirth or not—it didn’t matter at all. For now, her priority was to make sure her son was well-fed.
The dishes Wen Shan prepared were truly delicious. The Crown Prince and the others ate until their faces were flushed with satisfaction. Before they left, Wen Shan packed some pastries and snacks for each of them. The princes repeatedly thanked her, and the Crown Prince even hinted politely about whether they could come again for meals in the future.
The Crown Prince was a few years older than his younger brothers and clearly more considerate in his interactions. After returning to the palace, having eaten his fill at Wen Shan’s, he even specially sent some gifts over.
Not long after, Rongfei also sent some items over.
Zhen Zhu and the others checked the items and stored them all in the warehouse. Flipping through the noticeably thicker warehouse ledger, Wen Shan cheerfully remarked that when Yinzhen and Yinsi grew up, she would divide these things between them—half for each to spend as they pleased.
Neither Yinzhen nor Yinsi seemed particularly interested in Wen Shan’s treasures. Seeing how Wen Shan hoarded things like a little hamster, Yinsi even thought about slipping more items into her collection in the future to make her happy. Gold, silver, jade, and the like were the easiest to acquire.
After lunch, Yinzhen would usually review his studies in the afternoon, while Yinsi often took a nap. By the time Yinsi woke up, Yinzhen would already be there, and the two brothers would play together.
Today was no exception. After Yinzhen left, Yinsi hurried over to his small bed, climbing up with hands and feet, grabbing his little pillow, ready for a lovely afternoon nap.
Wen Shan wandered over, pulled up an embroidered stool, and sat down beside Yinsi, resting her chin in her hands as she watched him.
The palace maids in the room had long been dismissed by Wen Shan.
Yinsi closed his eyes for a while but felt an uneasy, prickling sensation on his back. When he opened his eyes, he saw his mother watching him from the side.
“What’s wrong, Mother?” Yinsi sat up and leaned against the bed railing.
He felt that the way his mother was looking at him seemed a bit off.
“Yinsi, Mother wants to ask you something.” Wen Shan straightened up, speaking to Yinsi with unusual seriousness.
A sense of foreboding washed over Yinsi. His heart instantly grew flustered, and his little face tightened as he nodded.
Wen Shan took a deep breath. “Yinsi, are you…”
Halfway through her question, she found it difficult to continue. Facing such a small child, she couldn’t bring herself to use such an interrogative tone. Moreover, in that very moment, she suddenly understood something.
If Yinsi truly was reborn, then his mental maturity far exceeded hers. Since he had chosen not to speak about it, there seemed to be no need for her to force the issue. If Yinsi was simply precocious, then there was even less reason to bring it up.
Although Wen Shan was now ninety-nine percent certain that her little son housed the soul of an adult.
At this thought, she felt somewhat relieved. Patting Yinsi’s head with a smile, she said, “It’s nothing. Mother just came to check if you were asleep. Go back to sleep.”
Wen Shan had never been skilled at lying, and Yinsi saw through her thoughts immediately—Mother clearly had something important to ask but changed her mind at the last moment.
Moreover, he sensed it was highly likely Mother had noticed his unusual behavior.
Even after noticing, she ultimately chose not to expose him…
Just as Wen Shan was about to stand and leave, Yinsi called out from behind her.
“Mother.”
Wen Shan turned to see Yinsi sitting upright, gazing steadily at her
“Mother, are you wondering if I am someone who has been reborn into this life?”