The Grand Empress Dowager also set down the book she was holding and looked toward Yiqing, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Yiqing opened her mouth and called out faintly and indistinctly, “Grand—mother—”
This time, not only did the Empress Dowager hear it, but the Grand Empress Dowager and the palace maids standing nearby heard it as well. The Empress Dowager was overjoyed and lifted Yiqing up, turning her around in a circle.
“The child can speak now, and the first person she called was me!”
The Empress Dowager had learned archery and horseback riding when she was young, growing up on the grasslands, so her arm strength was quite good. Lifting up such a small baby was effortless for her.
Yiqing felt the sudden change in height and flinched slightly, but the next moment she felt delighted and began making happy sounds.
No wonder children always laugh when they are lifted high into the air—it really is an amusing and thrilling experience.
“Put the child down quickly,” the Grand Empress Dowager said with a tone of helpless reproach. “What if you accidentally drop her? You are a grandmother yourself now, yet you still act so recklessly.”
A soft smile appeared on the Empress Dowager’s face as she carefully set Yiqing down as she was told.
“Grand—mother—” Yiqing looked up at the Empress Dowager’s face and called out once more.
The Empress Dowager responded happily, “This child truly knows how to speak now. All those days I spent teaching her to talk were not in vain. Of course I would be the first one she calls—I am the person closest to her heart.”
“When I first suggested bringing her here to raise, you were quite reluctant,” the Grand Empress Dowager teased her. “But in another two months, when it is time to send Yiqing back to Kunning Palace to be cared for by the Empress, I suspect you will be the one who cannot bear to let her go.”
Hearing that the child would be sent back to Kunning Palace, the Empress Dowager’s grip around Yiqing tightened slightly, and a wave of reluctance washed over her. When Yiqing had first arrived, she could have easily said that the child belonged to the Empress and that it was only right and proper for her to be raised in Kunning Palace. But now, after spending so much time together and growing so fond of the little one, she found herself unable to say such words anymore.
Seeing the look of sorrow and reluctance spread across the Empress Dowager’s face, the Grand Empress Dowager could not help but smile. Had she married and lived a normal life, she would likely be the mother of several children by now, and perhaps even have grandchildren old enough to be discussing marriage arrangements. Yet she still had no trace of subtlety or reserve, wearing every emotion openly on her face for all to see.
After feeling unhappy for a little while, the Empress Dowager decided to set the matter aside for the time being. Yiqing would still be living here in Cining Palace for several more months, so there was no need to worry about it right now. There would always be a way to handle things when the time came. Even if the Empress did take her back to Kunning Palace eventually, she could still bring Yiqing over every day just as she did now. And even if the Empress herself did not come, the wet nurses could simply bring the child over to visit.
The news that the Eldest Princess of Cining Palace had learned to speak quickly spread throughout the entire inner palace. This was largely due to the fact that the Empress Dowager was so overjoyed that she ordered an extra month’s salary and allowance to be given to every person serving in Cining Palace. Naturally, everyone there held the Eldest Princess in the highest regard and felt deeply grateful for her.
Servants working in other palaces felt nothing but envy and regret, wishing they had been assigned to serve in Cining Palace from the very beginning. Positions there were well known to be excellent. The two mistresses were easy to serve and never caused unnecessary trouble, and generous rewards and gifts were given out frequently. It was the kind of position that everyone dreamed of having, and many secretly wished they could pay money or use connections to be transferred there.
This news also reached the ears of the Kangxi Emperor in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. When he heard that Yiqing had spoken her first words and that the very first person she had called was her grandmother, he felt a strange sense of dissatisfaction and disappointment.
After all, he was the child’s own father. Regardless of who her biological father might be, the official records clearly listed her as his daughter. When a child first learned to speak, the very first people they should call were their father and mother. Yet this little girl had called for her grandmother first, and while she had also called for the Empress as her mother, she had still never once called him her father.
How could this be? Was the Empress Dowager not paying attention to such matters? And was the Empress herself also unaware of what should be done? If the Empress Dowager had forgotten to teach the child to call for her father, surely the Empress should have remembered. Well then—he would simply have to come and teach her himself.
With these thoughts in mind, Kangxi finished reviewing all the official documents and reports he had to deal with that day and made his way to Cining Palace.
By this time, dusk was approaching, and the warm golden light of the setting sun fell gently across the stone paths. Kangxi’s procession traveled all the way to Cining Palace before coming to a stop.
“I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager,” Kangxi said, bowing respectfully to the two elders, before turning his gaze toward the two siblings, who were lying and playing on the carpeted floor.
Normally, if consorts brought their children to see the Emperor, the wet nurses holding the children were required to perform formal greetings and bows. However, since this was within the grounds of Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager had not insisted on following such strict rules and had simply let the children stay where they were.
“I have heard that Yiqing has learned to speak,” Kangxi said, looking at the little girl with a hint of expectation in his eyes. “Has she learned to call for her father yet?”
The Empress Dowager gestured with her hand, and the wet nurse immediately lifted Yiqing up from the floor and brought her over.
When Baoqing saw his sister being carried away, he lifted his head and watched her being taken, reaching out his small hands and waving them in the air as if trying to call her back or keep her close.
“Come now, Yiqing, call him Father,” the Empress Dowager said, holding Yiqing in her arms and pointing toward Kangxi as she taught her.
When Yiqing had first learned to speak, the Empress Dowager had been so excited that she had made her call for her grandmother many times in a row. Later, she had also taught her to call for the Grand Empress Dowager, but in her joy and excitement, she had completely forgotten to teach her to call for her father. It was only now that Kangxi had come in person to ask about it that she remembered this oversight.
Yiqing lifted her head and looked at the young man standing before her. He had a few faint freckles across his face, but overall he was quite handsome. She tilted her head slightly and turned her body away from him, pretending that she did not understand what was being said or asked of her.
She was willing to call for the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager because those two elders truly cared for her and looked after her well. She was also willing to call for the Empress, who visited her every day or every other day just to spend time with her. But she did not see this man very often at all, and so she felt no desire to call him anything just yet.
Early childhood was the only time in her life when she could freely express her true feelings, after all—no reasonable adult would ever hold a grudge or take offense against a child who could barely speak properly. If she did not make use of this special privilege now, it would be gone forever once she grew older.
In truth, Yiqing had misunderstood the situation. Kangxi visited Cining Palace every single morning and evening to pay his respects, so he came quite often. However, most of the time, he arrived either too early when Yiqing was still fast asleep, or too late when she had already gone to bed for the night. As a result, even though he came frequently and saw her many times, Yiqing still did not have a clear or deep impression of him.
Kangxi raised his eyebrows slightly, took Yiqing carefully from the Empress Dowager’s arms, and sat down in a large chair with her held comfortably against him.
“My sweet little Yiqing, call me Father,” Kangxi said in a soft, coaxing voice. “Just call me Father, and when you grow up, I will give you anything and everything you could ever want.”
Yiqing’s ears twitched slightly, but she continued to pretend not to understand him and began playing with the decorative buttons on Kangxi’s robe. These were truly garments fit for an emperor—even something as small and simple as a button was made with such exquisite craftsmanship. This particular button was carved from agate into the shape of a coiled dragon, and even though it was a tiny object, the details were crafted with the utmost precision and care.
The Empress Dowager watched with amusement as Kangxi tried his best to coax the child. Over the years, she had developed a genuine affection for this son-in-law of hers, and seeing him meet with such frustration and difficulty with the child brought her a quiet sense of amusement.
Seeing that Yiqing was still fidgeting and playing with the buttons on his collar, Kangxi lowered his head and said, “If you call me Father, I will take this button off and let you play with it for as long as you like. Does that sound good?”
Yiqing continued to pretend that she had not heard a single word. As long as he was holding her, she could play with it all she wanted anyway. And even if he did put her down, she could simply go and play with her little brother instead.
After coaxing her for quite some time and still hearing no sound from her, Kangxi began to feel a little discouraged.
In the past, all his children had been raised in the palaces of their own mothers. When they first began learning to speak, the consorts would always first teach them to call for their mother, and then immediately teach them to call for their father. As a result, every child brought before Kangxi already knew how to call him Father as soon as they could speak.
But the Empress Dowager had not thought of such matters. She was completely absorbed in the joy of hearing Yiqing call for her, and had simply not had the time or inclination to teach the child anything else.
Seeing that it would take some time to teach her, Kangxi held her in his arms and began chatting casually about everyday matters with the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager. After talking for about a quarter of an hour, Kangxi decided it was time to return to his own palace.
Just as he was about to set Yiqing down, a sudden thought flashed through his mind.
The reason the child refused to call him Father must be simply because she did not know him well enough. If that was the case, he could simply take her back to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to stay for a few days, and they would surely become close. Once she knew him better, she would definitely call him Father, and then he could send her back to Cining Palace.
When Kangxi enthusiastically shared this idea, the smile on the Empress Dowager’s face froze instantly, and she immediately spoke out in opposition. “No one in the Palace of Heavenly Purity has ever had any experience raising or caring for children. If you take Yiqing there without proper preparation, you will only be making things difficult and uncomfortable for the poor child.”
Kangxi immediately responded with confidence and conviction, “I will bring all the servants and nurses who usually take care of her along with us. They are already familiar with her habits and needs, so having them there means there will be no problems at all.”
“But…”
Before the Empress Dowager could think of any other reasons to object, Kangxi continued speaking, “Furthermore, ever since Yiqing was brought into the palace, I have not had the chance to properly spend time with her or build a close relationship with her. Taking her to stay in my palace for a few days is the perfect opportunity to strengthen the bond between father and daughter.”
Yiqing listened in utter astonishment as Kangxi decided on this matter with just a few simple words, and she immediately opened her mouth to cry. If she cried loudly enough, she was certain that her grandmother would step in and stop him.
But Kangxi did not give her the chance to do so. Having stated his reasoning clearly and firmly, he stood up holding Yiqing in his arms before the Empress Dowager could say anything else, leaving only a message ordering her attendants to come to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to join them.
Watching Kangxi walk away, the Empress Dowager turned toward the Grand Empress Dowager, her voice filled with frustration and annoyance. “Did you hear what he just did, Imperial Mother?”
“There is nothing I can do to stop him,” the Grand Empress Dowager said with a smile. “He is only taking her there for a few days. Once he becomes busy with state affairs again, he will naturally send her back. He is simply feeling jealous because Yiqing called for us but not for him. Once she learns to call him Father, he will stop making such a fuss.”
“But I am still worried,” the Empress Dowager said. “I fear Yiqing will not be comfortable or happy living there.”
“There is nothing to worry about,” the Grand Empress Dowager reassured her. “We will send all the servants who usually look after her, and the Palace of Heavenly Purity has everything that could possibly be needed. How could she not be well cared for there? Besides, if she really does not settle in, he will send her back within a day or two. The distance between the two palaces is not great at all. If you hear that she is unhappy, you can walk there in just fifteen minutes and bring her right back yourself.”
Even though the Empress Dowager was still very reluctant to let her go, the Emperor had already left with the child in his arms. She could not very well run after him and demand that he return her, so she had no choice but to accept the situation and order Yiqing’s usual attendants to go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity as instructed.
Yiqing did not fully understand what was happening until they had left the main hall, and she immediately began to cry loudly and bitterly. It was only when they had traveled some distance away that she realized her cries would never reach the ears of her grandmothers, and slowly she began to quiet down.
Crying was exhausting work, and she was not going to waste her energy on something that would do no good.
Kangxi had felt a little anxious when he first heard her crying, but once he noticed that she had calmed down, he breathed a sigh of relief. Holding the child securely in his arms, he continued on his way back to his palace.
Now that she had stopped crying, Yiqing began to feel curious about her surroundings.
To be honest, ever since she had entered the palace, she had never left the grounds of her grandmothers’ residences. None of the elders had ever thought of taking her out to see other places, so the farthest she had ever traveled was crawling from the main hall to the entrance of Cining Palace—only to be immediately carried back inside by her wet nurse.
Looking at the magnificent and imposing palaces surrounding her, Yiqing gained a clearer understanding of where she was—she truly was living within the imperial palace.
The distance between the two palaces was not very far, and it felt to Yiqing as though only a short time had passed before they arrived at their destination.
When the eunuchs and maids serving in the Palace of Heavenly Purity saw the Emperor enter carrying a child in his arms, they were all filled with surprise and curiosity, wondering whether this was the Eldest Princess or the Eldest Prince, the only two children currently living within the palace.