Inside the Zhongcui Palace, the lady of the Magiya clan gazed tenderly at the child in her arms, while the lady of the Wuya clan served her with utmost caution.
Magiya had only ascended to the rank of Concubine because of the Third Prince, so she naturally cherished the child in her arms above all else. However, she had no kind words for the Wuya lady, whom she had spent a great deal of effort to bring to her side.
She intended to use Wuya to help her solicit the Emperor’s favor, but how could she show a pleasant face to a woman who would share her husband? Once Wuya conceived a child, Magiya intended to “keep the child and remove the mother,” ensuring this woman would never see the Emperor again.
“Your Majesty, it has been so many days since the Third Prince was born. Why hasn’t the Emperor come to see him even once?” Wuya asked in a low voice, her gaze drifting toward an unknown distance—perhaps in the direction of the Emperor’s residence.
Slap! Magiya struck her hard across the face, looking down at her with disdain. “Are you pining for the Emperor? Don’t even think about it. Without my command, you won’t climb into the Emperor’s dragon bed even in your next life!”
“Your Majesty, I was merely asking out of curiosity…” A hint of grievance flickered in Wuya’s eyes, but Magiya had seen such looks many times before. Far from feeling pity, she felt a surge of disgust. As expected, she was a lowly creature born to seduce men. “Say one more word, and I will ensure you never appear before the Emperor again.”
Wuya immediately fell silent, a surge of resentment rising in her heart. She had only entered the palace a few years too late; otherwise, with her beauty, how could she fail to win the Emperor’s exclusive favor? Once she became the Emperor’s woman… she would definitely make Magiya pay. What right did Magiya, a mere secondary consort by birth, have to be so arrogant?
“Your Majesty, the Emperor will come to see the Third Prince during the one-month feast.” A servant hurried in to report the news to Magiya.
“Truly!” Magiya stood up in excitement.
“Truly! You can rest assured, Your Majesty,” the servant said happily. Their mistress was finally about to see the end of her hardships.
“The Emperor is finally coming to the inner palace. I must dress up properly.” Magiya’s face flushed with a crimson glow as her thoughts drifted. Since it was the Third Prince’s feast, the Emperor would likely stay at the Zhongcui Palace. She hadn’t served him in a long time; she wondered if the Emperor would be as gentle as before…
Wuya also took this news to heart, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. If the Emperor was staying at the Zhongcui Palace, she couldn’t let Magiya have all the luck. She had to make the Emperor remember her; she had to seize this opportunity.
Seeing Magiya’s attitude, it didn’t seem like she intended to offer her to the Emperor, so she would have to work for it herself. Of course, she couldn’t be blamed; the fault lay with Magiya for forcing her hand—bringing her close only to suppress her relentlessly.
With this thought, Wuya felt much better. She recalled the Joogiya lady, who had entered the palace at the same time and remained with Consort Niohuru, claiming to be entirely devoted to her mistress. Heh, to Wuya, it looked more like Joogiya was simply cowardly, fearing she would be snatched away and suppressed by other concubines, while secretly hoping Consort Niohuru would push her into the Emperor’s bed out of gratitude for her loyalty.
Being of the same background, how could she not know what Joogiya was planning?
However, Consort Niohuru’s status was too high; she was not someone easily manipulated. Concubine Rong was much easier to deal with.
At the same time, Consort Niohuru had just dismissed the low-ranking concubines who had come to pay their respects. Joogiya looked at her longingly, a spark of anticipation in her eyes that even she might not have realized—or perhaps she did, but was feigning a look of pure concern for her mistress.
Consort Niohuru said nothing and dismissed her. Afterward, she said to her trusted servant, “Don’t let her appear near me anymore. Give her the menial chores.”
A person with a seemingly weak temperament but immense ambition—her territory had no room for such a person. Furthermore, she had already pledged her loyalty to the Empress; it wouldn’t hurt to do the Empress a favor. As long as she was around, Joogiya could forget about seeing the Emperor, let alone becoming his woman.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly. Her body seemed to be feeling increasingly unwell lately, perhaps due to the approaching winter.
“Yes.” A maid stepped forward thoughtfully to massage her mistress’s shoulders.
At this moment, Joogiya was still hoping that the unfavored Consort Niohuru would send her to the dragon bed to consolidate her own power. She had no idea that, by Consort Niohuru’s command, she had lost any chance of ever meeting the Emperor.
Inside the Cining Palace, the Grand Empress Dowager heard the news her grandson had intentionally released and sneered in her heart. The Emperor wasn’t giving face to Concubine Rong or the Third Prince; he merely wanted to display his favoritism for the Empress and the Crown Prince in front of everyone. Among all the children in the palace, only the Third Prince had his one-month feast delayed by three or four months, and he hadn’t even been given a name.
XuanYe was making it impossible for her to rest easy.
Soon, it was the day of the Third Prince’s one-month feast. The concubines gathered, eyes fixed longingly on the entrance for the Emperor’s arrival. Magiya had dressed the Third Prince in heavy, soft clothes early on, ignoring the envious and hateful glares from the Zhaojia lady.
Wuya had been intentionally left in the back courtyard. Magiya had no intention of letting her see the Emperor. The Emperor was reappearing before everyone after many months; Magiya would never hand over the first opportunity for nighttime service to someone else. However, at this moment, Wuya remained obediently in the back courtyard, her eyes flickering—no one knew what schemes she was moving under such a calm facade.
Inside the Kunning Palace, Li Mu adjusted the Emperor’s collar and reminded him, “Your Majesty, the weather has turned cold lately. You must take care of your health and not overwork yourself.”
When the weather got cold, she wouldn’t be able to bring Yinreng to see him as often.
Her brow furrowed slightly with genuine concern. Kangxi saw this and felt warmth in his heart. “I know. I’m not busy every single day.” Just like now, he still had time to see the Empress.
“Your Majesty, let us head over.” Li Mu picked up Yinreng, who was dressed like a little white puffball. Kangxi naturally took the little Crown Prince into his arms. Once in his father’s embrace, the Crown Prince’s little mouth broke into an even wider smile. “Ah… ah, Ma!” He waved his little hand forcefully, having actually learned to say “Imperial Father” at this moment.
Kangxi was delighted and held him up close. “Yinreng, say ‘Father’ again.”
“Ah… Ma!” Yinreng was very cooperative, babbling for a while before producing the sounds Kangxi wanted to hear.
“Good child.” Kangxi was overjoyed. Nothing could be more pleasing than the Crown Prince calling for his father. Li Mu smiled but said nothing beside them. Likely, she was the only one who knew the truth: Yinreng wasn’t saying “Father,” he was saying “Mama.” What a good son, he could finally call for his mama.
Li Mu’s gaze toward Yinreng grew increasingly tender. This couple likely both believed the son was calling for them. Content, Kangxi held his son in one arm while allowing the Empress to lean on the other as the family headed to the Zhongcui Palace. On the way, Yinreng didn’t stop babbling, sharing his thoughts with his mother and father.
By the time they reached the Zhongcui Palace, Yinreng was still talking. The concubines, who had been waiting anxiously, finally saw the Emperor’s arrival. Before they could even form smiles, they saw the scene of the Emperor arriving with the Empress and the Crown Prince. It was a stinging sight, as if only the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the Emperor were a true family in this palace.
Magiya’s movements stiffened as she held the Third Prince. It was the Empress again!
“This servant greets Your Majesty, the Empress, and the Crown Prince.” No matter how aggrieved they felt, they had to perform the proper salutations.
“Your Majesty, you have finally come. I have looked forward to seeing you for so long.” Magiya tried her best to ignore the Empress’s presence. She pulled the Third Princess to her side and held the Third Prince slightly outward, putting on a full display of a loving mother, her eyes like water conveying deep affection.
But before she could finish her sentence, Kangxi sat down with the Empress. Yinreng babbled, wanting to eat the snacks on the table. Kangxi pressed his little hand down and turned to order Liang Jiugong to bring egg custard. Li Mu wiped the child’s mouth, looking at him with helplessness as he already had his eyes on other fruits.
“Your Majesty, this child is truly greedy.” She wondered who he took after; she wasn’t this greedy as a child, and neither was the original host. Perhaps he learned it from the Emperor.
“Being able to eat is a blessing.” Kangxi was quite satisfied with his son’s appetite; it meant he would grow up strong!
“Your Majesty, you always indulge him. They say a strict father and a kind mother—surely you don’t intend to be the kind father and let me be the strict mother?” Li Mu questioned the Emperor’s motives; she didn’t want to be the one playing the “scary” parent in front of her son.
Kangxi grasped the Empress’s fair hand. “How could that be? Mu’er will always be a kind mother to Yinreng.”
He rarely coaxed someone so openly in front of others, leaving the concubines dumbfounded. A flicker of ferocity crossed Concubine Rong’s face. “Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have prepared many snacks; the Crown Prince will not lack for a bite here.”
“Concubine Rong!” Kangxi’s voice sank, and the look he gave her was devoid of any emotion.
Magiya’s heart went cold. She instantly realized what she had said and immediately knelt, slapping her own face. “I beg for Your Majesty’s forgiveness! I beg for the Crown Prince’s forgiveness! It was my poor choice of words; I was speaking nonsense! I didn’t mean it; it was a slip of the tongue. Please, Your Majesty, forgive me!”
Magiya was now filled with regret. In a moment of clouded judgment, she had uttered such treasonous words. Compared to the Crown Prince, what was she? The Crown Prince was the future master of the world after the Emperor; it was not a mere concubine’s place to speak out of turn before him.
But it was too late. The Crown Prince’s status was not something a concubine could comment on.
“Concubine Rong has shown disregard for status and hierarchy. She is hereby demoted to the rank of Noble Lady.”
As this sentence came down, Concubine Rong was stunned. “Your Majesty, I truly did not mean it. Please, forgive me!”
How could she have imagined that a single sentence would strip away the rank she had worked so hard to obtain? She was filled with grievance; she had truly only said one sentence. It wasn’t a crime of treason, nor had she laid a hand on the Crown Prince. How could it come to this? Did her years of companionship with the Emperor not even compare to a one-year-old infant?
Li Mu watched the Emperor and the former Concubine Rong. She caught a glimpse of what imperial favor truly was. The feeling was exquisite, but… Li Mu glanced at the Emperor again. She still preferred to hold the initiative herself. Rather than relying on the Emperor’s fickle favor, the things she possessed herself were the most reliable.
She now knew how to handle her next task. This was her first mission; it was normal to lack experience and be too hesitant.
Li Mu’s gentle voice rose. “Your Majesty, today is the Third Prince’s big day. Please, do not be angry anymore.”
Kangxi’s expression softened slightly, but his cold gaze remained fixed on the Magiya lady. “For the sake of the Empress’s plea, see that you behave yourself.”
“Your Majesty!” Noble Lady Rong was now truly regretting her reckless words.
“Your Majesty.” At the same time, an aged voice sounded. Everyone rose in unison. “Greetings to the Grand Empress Dowager.”
“Grandmother, why have you come?” Kangxi hurried to support the Grand Empress Dowager. Li Mu had intended to support her from the other side, but the Grand Empress Dowager seemed to harbor some dislike for her touch. Since she wasn’t one to force her company where it wasn’t wanted, she held Yinreng, pretending she couldn’t free her hands.
After taking her seat, the Grand Empress Dowager scanned the room. “I thought that since the Third Prince’s feast is being held so late, someone needs to be here to hold the floor.”
As she said this, many eyes turned toward the Empress.
Noble Lady Rong—no, the Magiya lady—was now weeping with joy. Finally, someone was standing on her side. She had only spoken out of turn because she was too upset. Both the Crown Prince and the Third Prince were the Emperor’s sons; why was the Crown Prince named before he was even a month old, while her son had to wait until now for a feast and still had no name?
Li Mu’s heart sank. Had the Grand Empress Dowager turned against her? She didn’t feel she had done anything wrong.
The Third Prince’s feast was delayed—but had Yinreng’s feast not been delayed as well? What did the Emperor’s orders to the Imperial Household Department have to do with her!
The Grand Empress Dowager’s visit was clearly not a friendly one.