Danqing slept fitfully for a long time. When she opened her eyes again, her mind was completely foggy.
She never imagined that the Grand Empress Dowager’s snoring could be so powerful. Yet, last night, she was afraid that sneaking away would displease the Grand Empress Dowager, so she forced herself to endure until dawn, unable to sleep the entire night.
Indeed, the daunting task of pleasing an elderly person wasn’t something just anyone could accomplish. Just the hurdle of enduring snoring had already eliminated her.
Feeling that her mission to win favor had failed, Danqing listlessly allowed Hemiao to dress her and braid her hair simply before being led to the Grand Empress Dowager’s quarters.
The Grand Empress Dowager was examining fabrics with Sumalagu. Palace maids laid out the fabrics on the kang table, replacing each batch after it was reviewed.
“Is Galuo awake?”
The Grand Empress Dowager warmly beckoned to Danqing. “Come, see if there’s anything you like.”
It was the first time Danqing had been called by her formal name, and she froze for a moment, unable to react.
Consort Yi and Noble Lady Guo preferred to call her by her childhood name, and Kangxi did the same. The Grand Empress Dowager had referred to her as Fourth Princess yesterday—why had she suddenly changed her form of address today?
“Why are you stunned? Could it be that our Fourth Princess doesn’t know her own name?”
The Grand Empress Dowager pulled Danqing into her arms, enunciating the Manchu pronunciation of Galuo syllable by syllable. “Ga—ru—our Fourth Princess is a little swan.”
So her name meant “swan.”
Danqing suddenly felt that this awkwardly pronounced name was rather beautiful. Swans were wonderful—free and unrestrained.
“Once you’ve settled in properly, I’ll have Nanny Su teach you our Manchu and Mongolian languages. Your Emperor Kangxi was also taught by her when he was young.”
Since Kangxi had agreed to let her raise Danqing, the Grand Empress Dowager felt a greater sense of responsibility toward her. She not only wanted to dote on her but also to educate her well.
“What else would Galuo like to learn? Reading and writing, or horseback riding and archery?”
Danqing was surprised but also felt this was the right approach.
Back in Yikun Palace, Noble Lady Guo often had her wet nurse teach her things like brewing tea and embroidery, regardless of the fact that she wasn’t even five years old. She never considered having her learn to read or write, let alone horseback riding or archery.
But she was a Princess. Even if she couldn’t escape the fate of marriage alliance in the future, she was still a Princess of the Qing Dynasty. It wasn’t her place to brew tea or make clothes.
So, why should she learn those things?
Yet Noble Lady Guo often remarked that Second Princess could already embroider her own handkerchiefs, and Third Princess brewed tea as skillfully as the palace maids. Such Princesses, she said, would have promising futures.
Danqing never understood why her mother thought this way, and it was one of the reasons she had to take a gamble with Kangxi—
She didn’t want to be raised as a secluded woman skilled only in serving men. Since she was already a Princess of the Qing Dynasty, she wanted to live as a Princess truly should.
For instance, like the Princes, she could learn to read and write, ride horses, and practice archery. In the future, even if she went to the grasslands, she could hold a hawk on her left and a hound on her right, galloping freely on horseback.
“Can I learn everything?”
Danqing looked at the Grand Empress Dowager with sparkling eyes, full of anticipation.
And the Grand Empress Dowager did not disappoint her little great-granddaughter. She smiled and nodded. “Of course. Galuo can learn whatever she wishes.”
Kangxi sending his daughter to her to raise meant that this daughter was being given to Khorchin.
One Eldest Princess was not enough to appease the Khorchin princes; it had to be a princess born to Kangxi herself.
Originally, she had favored Consort Rong's Second Princess—firstly because Second Princess was older, and secondly because her birth mother held a high rank, and she also had Third Prince as a younger brother. For Khorchin, this would have been the best possible choice.
But since Kangxi had chosen Fourth Princess, the Grand Empress Dowager had no objections.
Fourth Princess had a livelier temperament and could be raised by her own hands, making her more likely to grow closer to Khorchin in the future.
Of course, the Grand Empress Dowager would not say these things to Danqing, merely asking her to choose fabrics for making clothes herself.
Danqing did not understand which fabrics were more precious, simply selecting two bolts of her favorite light purple and light pink, then stopping.
In life, one should not be greedy.
Choosing just one bolt would seem too polite, while choosing two was just right—showing closeness without being annoying.
"Our Fourth Princess has excellent taste. This rain-thread brocade is bright and elegant, and the pearl satin is soft and light, making one appear even more lively."
Sumalagu had the other fabrics taken away, leaving only the two bolts Danqing had chosen.
Danqing looked at her in confusion, clearly having no idea what rain-thread brocade or pearl satin were.
"Why tell her this? She wouldn't understand,"
the Grand Empress Dowager chuckled. "She just liked the pretty colors, that's all."
Danqing immediately nodded in agreement, showing that her family's matriarch truly understood her.
"Make a few more pieces for her in the colors she likes, and pick some plain, soft fabrics for her undergarments and sleepwear,"
the Grand Empress Dowager instructed. "I noticed her shoes are a bit too big, so take this chance to make her a few pairs that fit properly."
These shoes of Danqing's were made by Consort Yi, who had asked Noble Lady Guo for the measurements.
Noble Lady Guo had intentionally given larger measurements so Danqing could wear them longer, which is why the shoes ended up a bit loose on her.
Truthfully, Danqing had never quite understood why Noble Lady Guo was so stingy with her.
Princesses had their own allowances; her food and clothing did not require Noble Lady Guo to supplement them, and Consort Yi often gave her things as well, so it should have been more than enough.
Although Noble Lady Guo herself was only a noble lady, the Guoluoluo family was wealthy. When she and Consort Yi entered the palace, they brought substantial dowries. In terms of jewelry on her dressing table, Noble Lady Guo was no worse off than some concubines in the palace.
As for giving birth to a prince in the future, there would be a separate allowance, and Kangxi would also provide additional subsidies. Logically, having children in the palace was a profitable venture, so there was no real need for a mother to scrimp and save.
Perhaps she simply did not want to spend money on her.
Danqing felt a bit unhappy and instinctively nestled into the Grand Empress Dowager's embrace, resting her head on her lap.
The Grand Empress Dowager was a perceptive person; even if Danqing said nothing, she could roughly guess why she was like this.
It was likely because she had never received so many things before, nor had anyone truly been kind to her, which made her live cautiously. At such a young age, she already knew her place and understood propriety.
If it had been the Crown Prince choosing from the room full of colorful fabrics earlier, he would not have hesitated to take most of them, even if he had no use for them.
But Danqing, who clearly had nothing, only picked two bolts and asked for no more—her understanding was heartbreaking.
The two children she raised—the Eldest Princess, being an adopted daughter, was always cautious and careful, while the Fourth Princess, despite being a genuine golden branch and jade leaf, lived such a pitiable life.
"Galuo, how about you stay in Cining Palace from now on and keep me company?"
The Grand Empress Dowager gently rocked the little girl. "Let us, grandmother and granddaughter, be companions. Whatever you want, your great-grandmother will give it to you."
Danqing reached out and hugged the Grand Empress Dowager’s waist, nodding vigorously, also hiding the tears that had inexplicably begun to flow.
This was an immense stroke of good fortune—why should she cry?
She had achieved her wish; she ought to be laughing.
Yet her chest felt heavy, as if a soul not her own was weeping, making her tremble uncontrollably.
Was it her?
Was the original Fourth Princess crying?
Danqing did not know, but she was terrified. If the original Fourth Princess still remained, what should she do?
Gradually, the heaviness in Danqing’s chest spread throughout her body, and she gradually lost consciousness amidst her trembling.
…
When she opened her eyes again, Danqing had already returned to her warm chamber.
Outside the warm chamber, Kangxi’s voice could be heard: "When I saw her lying on the ground yesterday, I worried she might fall ill—and sure enough, she caught a chill? Noble Lady Guo truly is too careless!"
"Enough, she herself is carrying such a large belly—how can you expect her to keep an eye on the child?"
The Grand Empress Dowager spoke up. "However, the servants in Yikun Palace ought to be more vigilant. With two pregnant consorts residing there, they can no longer afford to be so negligent."
Kangxi nodded. "I have already ordered that all servants in Yikun Palace be docked half a month’s wages. Those attending the Fourth Princess will each receive ten strokes of the rod and be dismissed afterward."
Danqing’s heart sank upon hearing this, and she sat up directly.
Her movement immediately caught the attention of Kangxi and the Grand Empress Dowager. Hemiao drew aside the gauze curtain, and Kangxi promptly sat down by the bed.
"Come, let your Emperor Father feel if you’re still feverish."
Kangxi’s large hand rested on Danqing’s forehead, and then he smiled. "It’s fine now—not feverish at all."
Then he pinched Danqing’s little nose as punishment: "See if you’ll dare to lie down and sleep on that stone path again!"
Danqing let out an "ah-woo" and aimed for Kangxi’s hand. Kangxi deftly dodged, then flicked her forehead: "Like a little puppy! Still trying to bite?"
The Grand Empress Dowager did not approach, sitting instead on a chair in the distance and chiding, "She’s just recovered—don’t bully her!"
Kangxi laughed heartily a couple of times, then ruffled his daughter’s hair haphazardly. Watching the little girl puff up her cheeks and glare with wide eyes, he turned to complain: "It’s fine—this girl is full of energy. She even tried to bite me just now!"
The Grand Empress Dowager picked up a red date and tossed it at Kangxi: "If you didn’t provoke her, would she try to bite you? Behave yourself—do you think Galuo is like that mischievous boy Baocheng, whom you can play with however you like?"
Naturally, Kangxi was not angered. He caught the date and held it in his hand, teasing Danqing by asking if she wanted to eat it.
Danqing stared fixedly at the date in Kangxi’s hand, pretending to bite but clearly aiming for his hand.
Kangxi pressed a finger against Danqing’s forehead and, while she opened her mouth to protest, stuffed the date inside. Sumalagu hurried over to intervene: "That won’t do—the date still has its pit! Fourth Princess, quickly spit it out!"
Danqing shook her head, chewing as she mumbled, "Nanny Su, I know how to spit out the pit."
Sumalagu personally brought a handkerchief to take away the date pit Danqing had spat out, finally feeling at ease.
Kangxi laughed heartily, "Well done, well done! You're better than your second brother. When Baocheng was your age, he couldn't spit out pits on his own and even choked on a date pit once!"
Grand Empress Dowager: …
Sumalagu: …
Danqing: … Is raising a child like this something worth boasting about?!
At that moment, a young man entered from outside, complaining, "Emperor Kangxi, could you remember something good about me?!"