In the days between the issuance of the Fumeng decree and her wedding, Muxue found, strangely enough, that her life was actually quite pleasant. She spent her days studying and memorizing the Mongolian language, looking forward to the day she would leave the palace with a long-lost sense of peace.
The Forbidden City in autumn was at its best. Sometimes, when she grew tired, she would gaze out the window. The sky was as clear as the sea, without a single trace of a cloud.
On the eve of the Golden Festival, Yi Fei brought her some good news.
"The residence in the southern part of the Imperial City has been prepared. I have seen the map; it is a three-entry courtyard with two plum trees in the front garden. When you move in, the fragrance will fill the courtyard. You will surely like it."
Muxue was somewhat surprised. "I thought I would be going directly to Mobei after the wedding."
"Silly child," Yi Fei smiled. "In this freezing weather, who would rush there immediately? Since this date was chosen for the wedding, it is natural to wait until the ice and snow melt and the weather clears before setting out on the journey."
As if thinking of something, she leaned in close to Muxue and whispered, "If you happen to become pregnant during these couple of months, you can stay in the capital for another two years before departing. That is what your Second Elder Sister did back then."
Wait, there’s even a way to delay it like that? Muxue was dumbfounded.
Upon closer thought, it made sense. Unless the Emperor or any official were insane, no one would rush a pregnant princess to set out for the distant grasslands while she was expecting.
However, she would rather set off for Mobei early than take advantage of such a loophole.
Seeing her stunned expression, Yi Fei assumed she was shy and added, "There is nothing to be embarrassed about. The intimacy between husband and wife is a great matter of human relations. Has the governess taught you yet?"
There had indeed been such a thing; the governess had even given her several fire prevention diagrams to observe and study.
It was just that… Muxue had no desire to consummate the marriage with the consort at all.
This was not something she could say directly to Yi Fei, lest it invite further lectures. So, Muxue feigned shyness, lowered her head, and gave a soft "mm-hmm."
Her mind, however, was on something else. If there was a residence in the capital, then what was the situation with the princess's residence in Mobei? To build a proper princess's residence with current labor and resources, it would surely take two or three years.
For some reason, she felt a bit uneasy and asked directly, "Mother, do you know what the princess's residence I will be going to in Mobei is like?"
"The princess's residence in Mobei?" Yi Fei raised an eyebrow slightly. "The Tüsheet Khanate you are marrying into has always been a nomadic place. They live in Mongolian tents. I have never heard of any princess's residence there."
No princess's residence?
Muxue hurriedly asked, "Don't my First, Second, and Third Elder Sisters have residences?"
Yi Fei pondered for a moment. "That is not quite the same. They were all married into Southern Mongolia. I heard that residences were gradually built after they arrived in Monan. However, Monan is close to the capital; it is convenient to transport materials needed for building. But Mobei… by comparison, it is indeed much too far."
Muxue gripped the corner of the rosewood kang table tightly, her mind in turmoil. Whatever idle chatter she shared with Yi Fei afterward left no impression, as if she were speaking in a dream.
Late at night, Muxue curled up in a corner of her bed, her eyes wide open, unable to sleep.
The night in the Forbidden City weighed as heavy as a mountain on Muxue's shoulders, leaving her unable to move.
Her expectation regarding leaving the palace for Fumeng was to have a world of her own, even if it was a bit small or far away. It didn't matter, as long as it was a home that belonged entirely to her. There would be no "masters" pressing down on her, no being suppressed into following all sorts of inexplicable rules.
In the end, was it all just a delusion?
In a nomadic place, wouldn't that mean she would have to follow her consort wherever he lived? In such a situation, wouldn't she still be living under someone else's roof, dependent on their whims? It was just that the family home she depended on would change from her father's to her husband's. Even if she was a royal princess and Dorji had to respect her and could not easily harm her, the heavens were high and the Emperor was far away. If there was a real conflict, could she really hold her head high and refuse to bow while on his territory? Or was she supposed to gamble on him being a good man and bet on having extraordinary luck?
She could not sleep all night.
As dawn approached, she turned and climbed out of bed, startling her head palace maid, Rong'er, who was on night watch.
"Princess… is something wrong?"
"Help me dress and do my hair," Muxue said calmly.
The red-walled alleyway outside Ningshou Palace had been swept clean by palace servants early in the morning, without a speck of dust.
The current Emperor valued filial piety; whenever he was in the palace, it was a fixed rule that he would pay his respects to the Empress Dowager every few days.
Today was the day Kangxi was to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager.
The morning court session had just ended. Kangxi felt a bit tired and sat on his sedan chair with his eyes closed to rest. Suddenly, he heard a cry of "Khan Father."
He opened his eyes and was somewhat surprised to see the Fourth Princess paying her respects to him.
Usually, the Fourth Princess seemed a bit timid and rarely approached him, nor did she often dress up. Today, however, she had rare touches of powder and rouge. Standing there gracefully, she possessed some of Yi Fei's elegance.
Kangxi nodded. "Are you going to pay your respects to the Empress Dowager?"
"Yes. I have already paid my respects to her. The Empress Dowager even praised me, saying my Mongolian is very good now."
Muxue raised her face and looked steadily at Kangxi. Although the heart in her chest was thumping wildly, she still spoke the words, her voice trembling slightly. "Khan Father, afterward… may I speak with you alone?"
A few seconds passed, yet they felt so long. Inside her sleeves, her clenched fists were drenched in sweat.
No change in expression could be seen on Kangxi's face. He merely nodded again. "Very well. Wait until I have finished paying my respects to the Empress Dowager."
Stepping onto the yellow carpet with the "wan" character brocade pattern felt soft and made no sound. Muxue kept her eyes lowered, following closely behind Kangxi.
This was likely the first time she had spoken to Kangxi alone in all the years since her soul had traveled here.
In her nervousness, she suddenly heard Kangxi say, "Liang Jiugong, bring some steamed buns for the Fourth Princess."
The eunuch took the order and left. Before long, he brought in two full fruit tables. The small square rosewood tables were piled with various steamed buns, pastries, and seasonal fresh fruits.
Muxue rose to give her thanks and politely picked up a snow-white milk pastry, taking a small bite.
Kangxi said, "When you were little, you loved sweets. Whenever you came to Qianqing Palace, your little hands would always be clutching a bun. As you grew older, you gradually grew distant from your father."
Muxue was stunned, holding the milk pastry and momentarily unsure how to respond.
Kangxi sat on a bright yellow circular cushion, casually picking up a string of prayer beads, looking quite relaxed. "What is it? Is something on your mind? Your father is here; just speak your heart."
"Yes," Muxue answered softly. She said in a low voice, "Your daughter wants…"
Pausing for a moment, she nearly bit her tongue as she forced herself to say the words: "Your child desires a princess's residence on the grasslands."
Once she had started, the following words came more easily.
"I have read the historical records, which say that during the Three Kingdoms period, to strengthen the Sun-Liu alliance, a daughter of the Sun clan of Jiangdong was married to Liu Xuande. Lady Sun built a city beside Liu Xuande to accompany him. At first, I did not understand why this was so, but later I gradually came to understand. Lady Sun remembered that her origins lay in Eastern Wu; even after marriage, she did not forget her mother's clan. Building a city by Liu Xuande's side served as a base where those coming and going were all people from Eastern Wu. This both facilitated and solidified the Sun-Liu alliance and brought the influence of the Wu state into Liu's territory."
She tried to make her voice louder. "I am a princess of the Great Qing. In all things, the Aisin Gioro family comes first; this will never change. The situation in Mobei has just been settled. My only wish in going there is to maintain the friendship between the Manchus and Mongols, to spread Khan Father's grace across the grasslands, and to ensure the people submit wholeheartedly and the region remains stable."
"If there is a princess's residence to serve as a base, then matters can be handled more conveniently." Muxue paused, her speaking pace suddenly quickening. "In addition, I also need a residence. Having lived in the Forbidden City since childhood, it would be truly difficult to adapt to a nomadic lifestyle."
Kangxi smiled. "This last sentence is also the truth. I am very gratified that you possess such insight."
He moved his prayer beads and said, "I have actually thought about this. However, Khalkha is truly too remote. It is not like Khorchin and other places in Monan. To dispatch people to build a princess's residence would be an arduous task in terms of labor and resources."
You know it's too remote, yet you're still throwing your daughter there?
Muxue was afraid she couldn't control her expression, so she lowered her head and continued with the plan she had pondered for a long time:
"Actually, it does not necessarily have to be at the Khalkha royal court in Mobei."
"How so?" Kangxi asked.
"I believe," Muxue said, "that the princess's residence could be built in Guihua City."