Kangxi found Wen Shan’s astonished expression rather amusing. Other consorts, whether they had children of their own or not, were always eager to take in foster children. This was the first time he had seen anyone show such reluctance.
He raised an eyebrow and said leisurely, “What? Is Consort Xuan unwilling?”
The Grand Empress Dowager also looked over. “You’ve always been careful and reliable. Both I and the Emperor feel assured entrusting this to you.”
The Grand Empress Dowager, fearing Kangxi might revoke his decree, quickly stepped in to support her.
Wen Shan felt like crying but had no tears. Yinzhen was manageable—she was only temporarily caring for him and would eventually return him to Consort Tong Jia. But if Yinsi were to be raised under her care, would she become involved in the Nine Sons Seizing the Throne affair or not?
However, she dared not defy Kangxi’s decree, especially since it was a “favor” orchestrated by the Grand Empress Dowager herself. She could only force a smile and express her gratitude.
Yinzhen, standing nearby, felt his heart slowly sink. His fingers traced the patterns on his clothes as he thought gloomily that Consort Xuan would soon have a child she raised from infancy.
It seemed he was never the favored one in any mother’s care.
Just then, a palace maid lifted the door curtain and entered, announcing respectfully, “Grand Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, Noble Consort is outside requesting an audience.”
The Grand Empress Dowager’s expression stiffened momentarily before returning to normal, though her voice turned colder. “In such cold weather, hurry and let Noble Consort in.”
Kangxi spun the thumb ring on his hand without a word, his emotions unreadable.
Though only four months pregnant, Consort Tong Jia already showed a slight bulge. Her slender frame made her tiny waist appear even more delicate, and the pale blue of her palace robes accentuated her pallid complexion. She looked frail and weak, her steps unsteady as she was supported by a maid to pay respects to the two seated above.
Wen Shan and Yinzhen also stood and bowed to Consort Tong Jia.
Kangxi raised a hand. “You are with child, no need for formalities. Grant her a seat.”
Wen Shan thought to herself, what was the use of saying that after she had already completed the bows?
Consort Tong Jia managed a faint smile. Her delicate features, now free of makeup, made her appear even more pitiable in her weak state.
“This subject has heard that the servants in Chengqian Palace breached regulations and has come specifically to apologize to Your Majesty and the Grand Empress Dowager.”
The Grand Empress Dowager took a sip of tea, flicked her sleeve with a fingertip, and spoke with authority. “Since the passing of Empress Xiaozhao, you have been managing the six palaces. Yet today’s incident originated from your palace and involves Yinzhen. How dare servants discuss a prince and cause such an uproar? What order and regulation remain in the palace?”
Consort Tong Jia immediately knelt and kowtowed. “This subject has failed in her duties. I beg the Grand Empress Dowager to punish me.”
“Though Yinzhen is not your biological son, you have raised him in your palace since childhood. Yesterday you claimed illness—that could be overlooked. But today this affair emerges. How can I and the Emperor feel assured entrusting all the princes and princesses of the palace to your care?” The Grand Empress Dowager set down her teacup and spoke coldly.
Wen Shan remained silent, watching Yinzhen standing nearby. She sighed inwardly. The Grand Empress Dowager’s words, spoken in Yinzhen’s presence, implied Consort Tong Jia was an unkind mother. How painful must this be for Yinzhen to hear?
Consort Tong Jia trembled, her heart filled with bitterness. “This subject is unworthy of the imperial favor and has no face to see Your Majesty.”
As the Grand Empress Dowager was the mistress of the rear palace and Consort Tong Jia was in the wrong to begin with, Kangxi could not say much when she scolded Consort Tong Jia. After watching coldly for a while, he finally said, “Imperial Grandmother, the Noble Consort’s health is frail, and occasional oversights are understandable.”
The Grand Empress Dowager’s expression softened slightly. “Since the Emperor has pleaded for you, and you are with child, we shall let it pass this time. Rise.”
“Yinzhen, help your mother up,” Kangxi said calmly.
Hearing Kangxi’s address, the Grand Empress Dowager’s brow twitched slightly as she exhaled.
Yinzhen acknowledged and walked to Consort Tong Jia, supporting her arm. “Noble Mother, please rise quickly. The floor is cold.”
The palace maid hurriedly helped Consort Tong Jia to her feet. Though only a day had passed since she last saw Yinzhen, Consort Tong Jia inexplicably felt as if he had already drifted far, far away from her.
“How is your health? Mother heard you fell down the steps. Are you feeling any discomfort?” Consort Tong Jia asked with gentle concern, gazing at Yinzhen.
“Your son is perfectly well. Consort Xuan has been taking excellent care of me.”
Consort Tong Jia turned to Wen Shan with a smile. “Thank you, Sister Xuan. I shall visit another day to express my gratitude properly.”
Wen Shan smiled in return. “You are too kind, Noble Consort.”
Consort Tong Jia nodded to her before looking back at Yinzhen and speaking softly, “This time, Mother’s health truly failed me, and those base servants harbored impure intentions. Please do not take it to heart. Your Emperor Father and I will ensure justice is served.”
Yinzhen pressed his lips together and nodded faintly.
Consort Tong Jia breathed a sigh of relief and patted Yinzhen’s head.
It was a picture of maternal affection and filial devotion.
Having sat through this, Kangxi found these rear palace affairs rather tedious. Since matters had been settled, he returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
As soon as Kangxi left, Consort Tong Jia also took her leave, leaving only Wen Shan and Yinzhen behind.
“Yinzhen, go to the side hall and play with Yinqi,” the Grand Empress Dowager instructed, summoning a palace maid to escort Yinzhen out.
The moment Yinzhen was gone, Wen Shan immediately sat beside the Grand Empress Dowager and complained, “Old Ancestor, why must you reprimand the Noble Consort in front of Yinzhen? The child is still so young.”
“You ungrateful little wretch! This was all for your sake. What relation is Yinzhen to you now? Even Consort Tong Jia didn’t show such distress, yet here you are feeling sorry for him first,” the Grand Empress Dowager tapped Wen Shan’s forehead.
Far from feeling offended by Wen Shan’s bluntness, the Grand Empress Dowager found it comforting. Having been immersed in palace intrigues for so long, where everyone’s words and hearts were filled with schemes, perhaps it was her age—Wen Shan’s innocent sincerity made her feel close and at ease.
Wen Shan naturally understood that the Grand Empress Dowager wanted to take Yinzhen from the Noble Consort and give him to her to raise. But Kangxi alone would never permit it.
Thinking of this, the Grand Empress Dowager sighed. “Old age… my words carry no weight now. Had this been over a decade ago, I could still have influenced the Emperor’s decisions. But now, Xuanye has grown his wings and sits firmly on the throne. There are indeed many matters I can no longer speak freely about.”
Wen Shan felt a pang of melancholy. The bond between the Grand Empress Dowager and Kangxi was actually quite strong—after all, she had raised him since childhood and personally helped him ascend the throne. Kangxi was usually very filial toward her. However, he was now a powerful emperor approaching thirty, his desire for control over the court and rear palace growing ever stronger. Perhaps kinship and imperial power were destined to be incompatible.
Speaking of this, the Grand Empress Dowager advised her: “Wei Shi’s child is also good. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, once born, have it brought to you. It will be a support after all.”
The Grand Empress Dowager deeply understood this principle—a woman’s favor in the rear palace is fleeting and illusory, while a child is a solid foundation.
Mentioning the Eighth Prince Yinsi, who was soon to become her nominal son, Wen Shan felt even more troubled. But she couldn’t very well say to the Grand Empress Dowager, “Ancestor, could you swap him for another? This one might later change his name to Aqina and possibly drag me down with him?”
“By the way, that Fried Milk you made yesterday was quite delicious. Make some more later,” the Grand Empress Dowager said, her cravings surfacing again after discussing serious matters.
“Alright, I’ll bring some to you this afternoon,” Wen Shan replied with a resigned smile.
“Uku Mama, look at the big tiger Fourth Brother drew for me!” Yinqi suddenly ran in, excitedly holding up a piece of paper. With the Empress Dowager at the Buddhist hall for fasting, this little rascal had been causing chaos in Cining Palace.
Yinzhen followed closely behind, with palace maids chasing after them.
The Grand Empress Dowager embraced Yinqi and said with a laugh, “Good, let Uku Mama see. Oh, it looks very realistic!”
The atmosphere in Cining Palace was warm and joyful. Meanwhile, Noble Consort Tong Jia, seated in her sedan chair on the way back to her palace, wore a displeased expression. Her personal maid, Juyue, whispered softly, “Mistress, please calm your anger. The imperial fetus is what matters.”
Noble Consort Tong Jia closed her eyes briefly. “Dismiss all the loose-lipped servants in Chengqian Palace. I have indeed been too lenient with them lately.”
Juyue hurriedly replied, “Yes, Mistress, rest assured.”
“But the Grand Empress Dowager was truly excessive today. After all, you are still carrying the imperial fetus.”
Noble Consort Tong Jia snorted coldly and said with closed eyes, “The Grand Empress Dowager has always disliked me. It doesn’t matter much, as long as the Emperor holds no prejudice against me.”
“How could he? The Emperor dotes on you the most and has been protecting you all along today,” Juyue said with a smile.
Just as Juyue was trying to cheer up Noble Consort Tong Jia, she suddenly frowned and made a puzzled sound.
“What is it?” Noble Consort Tong Jia asked.
Juyue leaned closer and said, “Consort De is ahead.”
Hearing Consort De’s name, Noble Consort Tong Jia grew even more irritable. She lowered the curtain and said impatiently, “Ignore her.”
“Yes.”
However, Consort De had intentionally waited for Noble Consort Tong Jia today.
Wearing a cloak and holding a hand warmer, she gracefully performed a curtsy. “Greetings to Noble Consort.”
Noble Consort Tong Jia gave a perfunctory hum and tried to leave, but Consort De suddenly added, “Your Highness must be returning from Cining Palace. This humble consort has heard some palace rumors that seem to involve you and the Fourth Prince.”
Noble Consort Tong Jia said coldly, “It’s freezing outside, Sister De. You should return to your palace quickly to avoid catching a chill.”
Seeing her expression, Consort De could roughly guess what had happened earlier in Cining Palace.
“The Grand Empress Dowager is closest to Consort Xuan. Now that the Fourth Prince is being raised in Xianfu Palace, he will likely receive the Grand Empress Dowager’s protection. Noble Consort can indeed rest assured and focus on nurturing the imperial fetus. It’s getting late—Yinzhuo should be waking up soon. This humble consort takes her leave.”
After saying this, she gracefully departed.
Noble Consort Tong Jia was furious, clutching her chest and frowning. “Juyue, what did Consort De mean by that?”
“Is the Grand Empress Dowager planning to take Yinzhen away for Consort Xuan?”
Juyue hurriedly replied, “Mistress, please don’t be upset. The Fourth Prince was entrusted to you by the Emperor himself. His Majesty’s word is final and cannot be changed. Even the Grand Empress Dowager can do nothing about it. Besides, you really shouldn’t take Consort De’s words to heart.”
“Indeed, she’s always been skilled at sowing discord, merely wanting to make things difficult for me and Consort Xuan.” Noble Consort Tong Jia had recovered her composure and finally understood the situation.
“Exactly,” Juyue said with a smile, seeing her mistress had finally grasped the truth. “Nothing matters more now than the child you’re carrying. Having the Fourth Prince fostered elsewhere temporarily will ease the old madam’s worries and spare you from her nagging.”
At these words, Noble Consort Tong Jia’s expression changed. “What are you saying? Just after mentioning how servants’ loose tongues cause trouble, you go and make such a blunder.”
Realizing her mistake, Juyue immediately knelt to apologize.
Being her childhood maid who had accompanied her to the palace, Noble Consort Tong Jia merely deducted one month’s allowance from her wages before letting her rise.
From then on, the palace indeed became much quieter. Wen Shan’s life seemed to return to its previous rhythm—spending her days preparing food, visiting Cining Palace to chat with the two elder mistresses, with the added responsibilities of escorting Yinzhen to and from school and taking him to pay respects at Chengqian Palace and Yonghe Palace.
As Noble Consort Tong Jia’s pregnancy advanced, her discomfort grew. By the fifth month, she closed her doors to all visitors, also exempting Yinzhen from his daily greetings. Since Wen Shan held higher rank than Consort De, no troubles arose from that quarter, allowing days to pass peacefully.
It wasn’t until the lush month of May, when grass grew tall and orioles flew, that two major events occurred in the palace.
The first was Noble Consort Tong Jia’s miscarriage when she was nearly seven months pregnant—reportedly of a fully formed male infant. She wept daily, her health declining with each passing day.
The second occurred the day after the miscarriage: Consort Wei gave birth to a young prince, designated the Eighth Prince, whom Kangxi named Yinsi and sent to Xianfu Palace to be raised by Consort Xuan.
The miscarriage had devastated Noble Consort Tong Jia both physically and emotionally. After visiting her, Kangxi came to Xianfu Palace and asked Wen Shan to continue caring for Yinzhen for a few more days until the Noble Consort recovered enough for him to return to Chengqian Palace.
Having fostered Yinzhen for three months, Wen Shan felt genuinely reluctant to part with him. Compared to when he first arrived at Xianfu Palace, Yinzhen’s temperament had grown much brighter. Noticing his fondness for the little Pekinese kept by the Fifth Prince, Wen Shan obtained a small Pekingese from the dog kennel for him. Yinzhen adored it, naming it Fuqi, and would take it to the Imperial Garden daily for runs. Apart from attending the Imperial Study, he spent his time at Xianfu Palace making small crafts with Wen Shan and enjoying her culinary creations.
Bao Quan built a small bed for Fuqi, and Yinzhen—despite his fastidious nature—even kept the dog in his own room.
Another notable change was that Yinzhen no longer addressed her as “Consort Xuan” but began calling her “Mother Xuan” instead.
After Yinsi’s birth and arrival at Xianfu Palace, Yinzhen added daily visits to his younger brother to his routine, often speaking to the infant.
On this day, having witnessed Noble Consort Tong Jia’s profound grief over her lost child at Chengqian Palace, Kangxi thought of Yinzhen and came to Xianfu Palace.
Coincidentally, Yinzhen was attending the Imperial Study at that hour. After instructing Wen Shan to continue caring for Yinzhen for a few more days, Kangxi remembered his newborn son and went to the side hall to see him.
Now nearly half a month old, Yinsi had filled out considerably—fair, plump, and quite adorable. With Consort Wei’s good looks, Yinsi featured delicate eyebrows and eyes, bearing some resemblance to Kangxi.
Seeing Yinsi lying in his cradle, staring at him with wide dark eyes without crying or fussing, Kangxi found it quite amusing: “Yinsi has a quiet nature—just watching me intently without making any noise.”
Wen Shan also said with a smile, “I also find Yinsi well-behaved. Since he came to Xianfu Palace, I’ve hardly heard him cry more than a few times.”
He only cries a little when he’s hungry or needs a diaper change. Usually, he’s very quiet, lying obediently in his small bed by himself, and he smiles at anyone who comes to see him.
So far, it seems only two people haven’t received Yinsi’s smile.
One is Kangxi, and the other is Yinzhen, who comes to visit his younger brother every day.