Tong Qingyi was both amused and exasperated by her son’s warm-heartedness. The child’s own mother sat there calmly without moving a muscle—what business did she have going to hold Yinqi?
But her precious child was so adorable, and she was willing to protect his kindness and innocence.
Yin You tugged gently at her hand, urging in his milky voice, “Hold him, hold him. Once you hold Fifth Prince, he won’t cry anymore.”
“Alright, alright, let’s go see your Fifth Prince now.”
The two approached Yinqi, and the Imperial Noble Consort crouched down, bringing her gaze level with the child’s. Though she wasn’t Yinqi’s mother, as a pediatrician, she maintained patience and gentleness toward all children.
Of course, in front of the Empress Dowager, Consort Yi, and so many others present, it wasn’t entirely appropriate for her, as the Imperial Noble Consort, to hold Yinqi.
So, she smiled and said to Yinqi, “Fifth Prince, your E’nang isn’t unwilling to hold you. It’s just that she has a little baby in her belly now, so it’s not very convenient.”
Yin You puffed out his belly beside her, imitating Consort Yi’s walking posture. “E’nang says having a little baby in your belly is very tiring.”
Tears still clung to Yinqi’s cheeks, but seeing his younger brother imitate their mother, he couldn’t help but laugh.
The Imperial Noble Consort patted his head. “So, how about letting Xiao Qi give you a hug?”
Before Yinqi could nod, Yin You eagerly threw himself into a bear hug. “When Consort Yi gives birth to a little brother or sister, she’ll hold you again.”
These words suddenly froze the smile on Yinqi’s face. Having grown up by the Empress Dowager’s side, he was accustomed to being a well-behaved and sensible child, but that didn’t mean he understood nothing.
He understood better than anyone that by then, his mother probably wouldn’t hold him at all.
Still, because his seventh brother had been comforting him and even specially called his own mother over to hold him, Yinqi was deeply moved and hugged Yin You back.
Soon after, a eunuch announced that the Emperor and the Crown Prince had returned to the palace and were changing clothes in their chambers, and would arrive shortly.
The children’s attention shifted to the arrival of Han Ama, and they quickly forgot about what had just happened.
In truth, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager had heard Yinqi’s crying earlier. When they turned around, they happened to see Yin You leading the Imperial Noble Consort over to Yinqi.
A gentle smile appeared on the Grand Empress Dowager’s face as she quietly watched the mother and son comfort Yinqi. Even when the Empress Dowager wanted to go over and see, she stopped her.
Only after the Imperial Noble Consort returned to her seat did the Grand Empress Dowager say to the Empress Dowager beside her, “Whenever I see the two of them, I often think about how many women in this harem spend their entire lives confined within palace walls, with few days of true ease. To live simply is the greatest blessing.”
The Imperial Noble Consort felt that the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was like a company team-building event. Some people desperately tried to show off, others racked their brains to please their superiors, and there were also those like her—seasoned social anxiety sufferers—silently praying that once the leaders were satisfied, everyone could hurry back to their palaces, wash up, and sleep.
Western medicine relied too heavily on instruments and medications, making it impossible for the Imperial Noble Consort to showcase her talents here. But studying had become a habit for her. So, ever since she learned she would spend the rest of her life in the deep palace, she began studying traditional Chinese medicine.
While her colleagues gathered around the Emperor, the Grand Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager to chat, she had little interest. Instead, she pulled out a copy of Binhu Maixue to memorize.
But at that moment, a topic she could not avoid came up during the meal.
The Grand Empress Dowager held her grandson’s hand and spoke earnestly, “The position of Empress has been vacant for many years. In the past, you were busy suppressing the Three Feudatories and recovering Penghu. Now that the world is relatively peaceful, it’s time to consider the selection of an Empress.”
As soon as the elderly lady spoke these words, the lively chatter among the various consorts, as if a switch had been flipped, fell completely silent.
Who in the harem was qualified to ascend to the position of Empress went without saying. Although Tong was the Imperial Noble Consort, she performed the duties of the Empress. The Grand Empress Dowager doted on her greatly, and although the Emperor rarely summoned her, he held her in high regard. The status of the brothers Tong Guogang and Tong Guowei in the imperial court was beyond question.
The atmosphere suddenly grew awkward. To be honest, regardless of their rank, everyone present wished to become Empress. Even if they knew it was unlikely to be their turn, one must still have dreams—what if they came true?
Kangxi pondered for a moment. So many people were seated at the table, each with their own thoughts, clearly visible in their eyes, yet they believed they were hiding them well.
Not only the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, but many ministers in the imperial court were also deeply concerned about the matter of establishing an Empress and had mentioned it to him several times.
Kangxi’s gaze fell upon the Imperial Noble Consort not far away. His cousin remained exceptionally calm, her eyes meeting his without a ripple before turning elsewhere.
Kangxi then turned back to the Grand Empress Dowager and said, “Imperial Grandmother, there is no need to mention this again. My mind is made up.”
“Ah,” sighed the Grand Empress Dowager, “you, child, are too sentimental.”
In truth, after the passing of his second Empress, Niohuru, Kangxi had resolved never to appoint another Empress.
Having lost his father and mother in his youth, and with two Empresses passing away one after another, the young Emperor believed his fate was too harsh, that he brought misfortune to those closest to him. Thus, he did not wish for any more innocent people to suffer because of him.
And so, all the consorts present breathed a collective sigh of relief. Good, good—as long as that position remained vacant, everyone still had a chance.
Yin You spent the entire evening eating—eating walnuts, mooncakes, fruits, fish, shrimp, and crab—until his little belly was round and full.
Li Xi and Nanny Sun, who were attending to him, grew somewhat anxious. Based on past experience, this little master was sure to fall seriously ill upon returning.
Yin You paid no mind to any of that. After eating and drinking to his heart’s content, he pulled Yinqi along to play in the garden.
Meanwhile, Kangxi, in high spirits, called over the First, Second, and Third Princes to test their recitation and analysis of ancient poetry, not forgetting to rank them in the end. The Crown Prince, as expected, took first place, while the poor First Prince, though the eldest, ended up last.
Consort Rong was naturally satisfied with this result. Although the Third Prince could not outshine the Crown Prince, surpassing the First Prince, who was five years older, allowed her, as his mother, to hold her head high in front of Consort Hui, silently flaunting her pride.
Consort Hui’s expression could not possibly be pleasant. She did not think there was anything lacking in her son, only that the Emperor’s favoritism was far too obvious.
Although Yin Si was only two years old, the life of dependence from birth had long honed his ability to read people’s expressions. Seeing Consort Hui’s displeased face, he quietly sat to the side, wishing he could turn himself into thin air.
Yin E’s frustration was even greater than his mother’s. Although he could not match Yinreng in studies, his skills in horsemanship and archery far surpassed those of Yinreng.
Moreover, in the Imperial Study, he and Yinreng were taught by different tutors. Wasn’t it only natural that he couldn’t compare to Yinreng?
Han Ama always favored one over the other like this, constantly using him as a backdrop for the Crown Prince.
Feeling frustrated, he went alone to the garden, hoping to find a quiet place to be by himself for a while. But as he looked up, he spotted two round little bottoms sticking up under a large tree.
By the moonlight, he could see clearly—it was Yinqi and Yin You, two little rascals lying there, up to who knows what mischief.
Suddenly intrigued, Yin E walked over behind them and asked in a stiff tone, “What are you two doing?”
He was two years older than Yinreng and had been the Crown Prince’s foil since childhood. His own childhood hadn’t been particularly happy, and far from being harmonious with the Crown Prince, there was even a sense of rivalry between them.
Later, when Consort Wei of Yanxigong gave birth to the Eighth Prince, who was raised under his own mother’s care, Yin E showed no interest in this younger brother from a humble maternal family, not even sparing him a proper glance.
Thus, he had no idea how to interact with younger brothers. At twelve years old, he was already shaping himself into the mold of an adult, and when facing children just a few years old, his tone naturally carried a hint of condescension.
Yin You turned around to look at him, sensing the air of superiority about him. Usually an enthusiastic little fellow, today he unusually turned his head away, ignoring his eldest brother.
Yinqi, on the other hand, turned around and called out “First Prince.” His expression was blank, showing neither joy nor displeasure, as if merely fulfilling a duty. After the greeting, he turned back around, similarly leaving Yin E out in the cold.
This attitude only added to Yin E’s already frustrated mood, making him even more displeased. He was determined to find out what these two little brats were up to, lying there like that.
“Fifth Prince, look over there! There’s a huge hole. Do you see it?”
Beside him, Yinqi widened his eyes, looking in the direction Yin You pointed.
Yin You’s speech was a bit unclear, but his voice rose and fell with infectious energy. Even the First Prince behind them was drawn in, curious to see what this “huge hole” he spoke of actually was.
The garden wasn’t just home to the few of them. All children were the same—once they were full, they couldn’t sit still quietly.
By now, the Crown Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, Old Six, Second Princess, Third Princess, and Fourth Princess had all gathered around, everyone curious about what Yin You had discovered.
So they all crowded over, with Second Princess even specially asking a eunuch to fetch a palace lantern for her.
Several little heads leaned in to look, and sure enough, there was a hole in the tree trunk. It wasn’t particularly large, just round, revealing the wood inside, with several similar holes around it.
Yin You stretched out his small hand, tenderly stroking the bark. “Grandpa Tree is sick. How pitiful.”
The First Prince felt his intelligence had been insulted and sneered, “Isn’t this just a few holes made by woodpeckers?”
Yin You had heard from E’nang that there were bugs inside Grandpa Tree’s body, and woodpeckers made holes in the trunk to cure them.
Yinzhen had naturally heard this from the Imperial Noble Consort as well. Hearing Yin You mention it now, he only felt his little brother was so clever and had such a good memory.
The Crown Prince smiled faintly nearby. The little dumpling’s imagination was too rich, and his expression while pitying the tree was unbearably adorable.
Third Prince recalled a line from Ouyang Xiu’s poem: “The woodpecker is unseen, but its pecking sound is heard.”
The Fifth and Sixth Princes stood there dumbfounded, completely at a loss.
The little princesses, being more sensitive than the princes, could genuinely empathize with Yin You’s sorrow.
The First Prince rolled his eyes, feeling that as an elder brother, it was his duty to correct his younger brother’s wild imagination: “Little fool, how can a tree get sick?”
Yin You blinked: “E’nang said trees can get sick too.”
Without saying a word, the First Prince wore a disdainful smile on his face. What would an Imperial Noble Consort, a mere woman, know? “Trees aren’t people. What sickness could they have? Should we call a royal physician to examine it?”
Apart from the Crown Prince and Yinzhen, the other princes and princesses split into two factions. Some believed the First Prince was right—trees aren’t human, so how could they get sick? Others thought that all plants have spirits and naturally experience life, aging, illness, and death.
After all, there was such a significant age gap between them. In Yin E’s eyes, Yin You was practically illiterate.
But the little dumpling refused to back down. Puffing out his chest, he said to his eldest brother, “If it’s not sick, then make it walk a few steps.”
Yin E: “!!”
Everyone: “…”