Everyone in the imperial palace knows that the Eldest Princess is deeply loved and favoured by the Emperor and the Empress.
But Consort Li held some disdain in her heart. As for the Emperor, it was only natural that he would be fond of the princess. After all, she was the daughter of Prince Gong, and it was not unusual for an emperor to dote on his niece. She knew from her own family experience; her uncles had always treated her, their eldest niece, very well, so she had no doubt that the Emperor would cherish the child.
However, she did not believe for a moment that the Empress truly loved this daughter who was not her own by birth.
If the Empress really cared for the child, why would she have agreed to let her be raised in the Palace of Compassion and Peace? Consort Nara had already brought the First Prince back to live with her, yet the Empress kept making excuses, claiming she was pregnant and unable to take charge of the child.
If the Empress had taken the princess back, Consort Li would have had nothing to say. After all, the child was officially recorded under the Empress’s name in the imperial genealogy, and in terms of status, she was legally the Empress’s daughter.
But since the Empress had not done so, Consort Li began to form her own plans.
She was still young, and firmly believed that she would have children of her own one day. Although the Emperor had taken her as his consort, he had never shown her any particular favour or affection. While she held the rank and privileges of a Noble Lady out of respect for her family background, she was still officially classified only as a consort, just like all the other women in the inner palace.
She did not particularly care about winning the Emperor’s affection, but what she did desire more than anything was a child. Yet the Emperor rarely visited her residence, the Palace of Auspicious Beginning, making her wish seem increasingly distant and impossible to fulfil.
If she brought the Eldest Princess to live with her, the Emperor would surely come to the palace more often to visit the child, given how fond he was of her. And even if the Emperor did not come on his own, she could take the princess to the Emperor’s quarters and ask for an audience, saying that the child had been missing her father. How could the Emperor possibly be angry or refuse such a request?
Then, once she had given birth to her own children in the future, it would still not be too late to return the Eldest Princess to the Empress.
While these thoughts were turning over in her mind, not a trace of her intentions showed on her face. She simply looked at Yiqing with an expression of tenderness and kindness, appearing as though she truly adored the little girl.
The Empress Dowager’s expression turned cold and stern. She had already declined the Empress’s request to take Yiqing back to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and now another consort had appeared out of nowhere, asking to take the child away.
“If this is what you wish, you had better go and speak of it to the Emperor himself,” the Empress Dowager said. She had always tried not to make things difficult for the imperial consorts, knowing that they were all women confined within the palace walls, each with their own hardships and struggles.
But Consort Li’s words had struck a nerve and touched upon something she cared deeply about, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a surge of genuine anger.
“Tana, see her out.”
Consort Li stood frozen in place, unable to believe that the Empress Dowager had actually grown so attached to the Eldest Princess.
She had assumed that with so many servants and attendants in the Palace of Compassion and Peace, the Empress Dowager would not have formed any deep emotional bond with the child, even if she was the one raising her. After all, while the Empress Dowager was legally the mother of both the Emperor and Prince Gong, she was only a few years older than them.
Furthermore, it was well known that her relationship with the late Emperor had never been particularly close or affectionate. It was these facts that had given Consort Li the confidence to come here today, convinced that the Empress Dowager only cared for the child as a matter of formality and duty, rather than out of real love.
Being ordered to leave the palace in such a manner was an enormous loss of face and dignity.
Even after Consort Li had been escorted away, the Empress Dowager still looked angry and upset. Having lived within the imperial court for many years, she was able to see through people very clearly. She had noticed that although Consort Li’s expression had appeared warm and loving on the surface, there had been a clear undercurrent of calculation and self-interest in her eyes as she looked at Yiqing.
The way she had gazed at the child was not the way a person looks at another human being, but rather the way one looks at an object or an ornament, something to be used for one’s own benefit.
If Consort Li had truly believed that she did not love Yiqing and had asked simply because she wanted to care for the child, that would have been one thing. But seeing that look of cold calculation in her eyes had filled the Empress Dowager with nothing but disgust and contempt.
“Grandmother,” Yiqing could see that the Empress Dowager was upset. She held onto the wooden frame beside her for support, stood up slowly, and walked unsteadily over to where the Empress Dowager sat. Wrapping her small arms around the older woman’s legs, she said softly, “Hold me.”
Hearing that soft, sweet voice and feeling the warmth of the little girl’s body pressed against her, half of the Empress Dowager’s anger melted away instantly. She began to think things through carefully. Now that the Empress was pregnant again, any child she gave birth to in the future, whether a son or a daughter, would be raised by her own side.
Under these circumstances, it would be best for Yiqing to remain here in the Palace of Compassion and Peace. In this way, she, who had lived within these palace walls for so many years, would have the joy of having a child to love and cherish, easing the loneliness that often came with her position.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager forgot that she was only just over thirty years old, far too young to be considered an elderly woman. She also forgot that she had never felt lonely before. She had always had the Grand Empress Dowager by her side, and the Mongolian consorts would often come to visit her and share stories and laughter. If she ever felt bored, she could simply summon theatrical troupes or storytellers to entertain her; there had never been a shortage of ways to pass the time and enjoy herself.
She bent down and lifted Yiqing into her arms, her eyes crinkling with a warm smile. “Would you like to stay here in the Palace of Compassion and Peace and keep me company forever, Yiqing?”
Yiqing nodded obediently. Her Grandmother had always been so kind and loving toward her, and staying by her side seemed like the best thing in the world.
“What a good child,” the Empress Dowager said, pulling her close in a loving embrace. In that moment, she finally understood the look in her own mother’s eyes when she was young, and the tears she had shed on the day she was sent away to be married. Her mother had raised her for more than ten years, and she had been unable to hold back her tears when the time came for her daughter to leave home.
She had only been caring for Yiqing for less than a year, yet if the child were to be sent far away right now, perhaps never to be seen again in this lifetime, she knew she would weep just as bitterly as her mother had done all those years ago.
The Grand Empress Dowager sighed and shook her head. Consort Li had clearly lost her mind to make such a request, and it would have been perfectly acceptable simply to refuse her. If the Empress Dowager still felt angry or offended afterwards, she could easily have issued an edict reprimanding the consort, or summoned the Emperor and ordered him to keep his wives and consorts in order.
But instead, the Empress Dowager had simply sent the woman away, with no scolding, no punishment, and no formal reprimand. She had chosen instead to hold the child in her arms and find comfort in her presence. Watching this, the Grand Empress Dowager could not help but think once again of her niece’s personality. If it had not been for her own protection and support, and if the former Emperor Fulin had still been alive, she would long ago have been manipulated and cast aside by the more cunning and ambitious women in his harem.
Eventually, word of this incident reached Kangxi in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. When he first heard the report, he could scarcely believe his ears. After confirming the details again and again, his expression grew dark and stern.
It was true that he had never held much affection for Consort Li. He preferred women like the Empress—Manchu women who were skilled in both archery and horsemanship, and who carried themselves with natural grace and dignity. He had always found women like Consort Li, who were gentle and delicate in the style of the Han Chinese military banners, less appealing, and so he had never shown her special favour.
However, his opinion of her had previously been quite positive. He had always believed that although she was somewhat fragile and soft-spoken, she conducted herself with decency and good sense. He had intended that when the time came to formally rank all the imperial consorts, she would be granted at least the title of Noble Lady. If she gave birth to a prince in the coming years or proved herself worthy through her conduct, she could even have been elevated to the rank of Consort.
But it was now clear that such honours were no longer appropriate. In consideration of her family’s loyalty and service to the imperial court, granting her the title of Noble Lady in the future would be more than enough to show the imperial family’s respect for their standing.
“To speak such improper and disrespectful words before the Empress Dowager,” Kangxi said, turning his attention back to the documents spread across his desk, speaking in a calm but firm tone. “Send word to the Palace of Auspicious Beginning. Inform Consort Li that she has violated the rules of etiquette and court conduct, and is to be confined to her quarters for three months as punishment.”
This was only a minor lesson and warning. Having dealt with the matter, Kangxi put it out of his mind immediately. The war and political matters at court required all his attention and energy, and he had no time to concern himself with such trivial domestic issues.
Consort Li felt wronged and resentful at being confined to her quarters, but she did not dare to go before the Emperor and complain or ask for mercy. She could only remain within her residence, and occasionally share her grievances and complaints with Consort Dong, who lived in the same palace.
Peace and quiet soon returned to the inner palace, until news arrived that Consort Zhaojia was three months pregnant. Upon checking the dates, it was discovered that she was expecting her child at almost exactly the same time as the Empress.