Bao Cheng did not know when Yinreng had been officially designated as the Crown Prince in history.
He vaguely remembered a scene from a TV drama he had watched before, where Empress Heseri made a dying request and Kangxi immediately designated the newly born Yinreng as the Crown Prince. However, nearly a year had passed since he arrived here, and he was still referred to as "Imperial Prince Bao Cheng."
Bao Cheng couldn't help but entertain a hopeful thought—
What if the Qing Dynasty he now found himself in was not the same as the one in history?
Perhaps he would never be designated as the Crown Prince and would not have to bear the heavy fate of Yinreng.
As an ordinary modern person who had not studied history, Bao Cheng’s understanding of why Kangxi designated Yinreng as the Crown Prince was limited to Kangxi’s affection for Empress Heseri and the special status of the legitimate heir. However, from his observations so far, Kangxi was by no means a man of deep devotion.
Before the mourning period for Empress Heseri had even ended, Kangxi had brought Empress Niohuru into the palace. Although there had been some initial unpleasantness due to his fussing, according to the idle chatter among the palace maids, Kangxi later personally visited Empress Niohuru and bestowed many gifts upon her. Now, the entire palace was talking about their deep affection.
Thinking of the still-youthful Empress Niohuru he had seen a few months ago, Bao Cheng couldn’t help but curse his own father in his heart as a beast.
He had heard that Empress Niohuru was only fourteen years old—how could Kangxi bring himself to do such a thing!
Apart from Empress Niohuru, Kangxi had not neglected the other consorts in the harem either. Consort Majia, the mother of the Second Princess, was pregnant again and was said to be due in two or three months.
"Bao Cheng, look what I brought for you!"
The Eldest Princess was led over by her wet nurse. She took off her shoes and climbed onto Bao Cheng’s bed, pulling him into her arms. "Princess Consort Gong gave this to me. Let’s look at it together."
Bao Cheng looked down and saw a stack of paper slips, each bearing a delicately written large character.
These were likely handwritten by Princess Consort Gong for the Eldest Princess to learn characters.
Bao Cheng had now figured out that the Eldest Princess was not his biological sister but his cousin—the eldest legitimate daughter of his fifth uncle, Prince Gong Changning. She had been brought into the palace from a young age and raised by the Empress Dowager, registered as Kangxi’s adopted daughter.
During the Shunzhi era, it had been customary to bring noble daughters from the imperial clan into the palace to be raised as princesses and married off to Mongolia. This was because Shunzhi had few daughters—although he fathered six princesses, they all died young except for one. Thus, the heavy responsibility of marrying into Mongolia fell upon Kangxi’s cousins.
Initially, Kangxi also had few children. To prepare for any eventuality, the Empress Dowager decided to bring the Eldest Princess into the palace.
Later, the Second Princess and Third Princess were born one after another, and both Imperial Princes Baoqing and Bao Cheng were healthy. Seeing that Kangxi’s fortune with children had arrived, the Empress Dowager did not select any other noble daughters from the imperial clan to be raised in the palace. Thus, the Eldest Princess became Kangxi’s only adopted daughter.
Regardless of how others in the palace viewed the Eldest Princess, to Bao Cheng, there was no difference between a cousin and a sister. In fact, he felt even more sympathy for his cousin—
After all, the fate she now bore was not one she should have had to shoulder.
Her parents were alive and deeply loved her, yet they were forced to separate due to the heavy responsibilities of an imperial princess. Even when Princess Consort Gong wanted to show her affection, she could only secretly slip her gifts. In public, she could only respectfully address her as the Eldest Princess.
No wonder the Eldest Princess's eyes were always red after each visit from Princess Consort Gong.
Yet she could not voice her suffering, not only unable to cry but also forced to put on a brave smile for everyone.
She was only five years old—how heartbreaking.
"You, go away."
Bao Cheng, nearly a year old, could already manage to speak in broken phrases. With a wave of his small hand and a serious expression, the palace maids dared not disobey and stepped back.
Only the Eldest Princess's wet nurse refused to leave, forcing a smile as she said, "Imperial Prince Bao Cheng, just play with the Eldest Princess. This servant will keep watch here to prevent any accidental falls from the bed and spare the Empress Dowager worry."
Bao Cheng's bed was positioned against three walls, with only the side facing outward secured by a railing. Neither he nor the Eldest Princess were prone to mischief, and even if they were to somersault on the bed, there was no risk of falling.
The wet nurse's excuse was merely a pretense to stay and eavesdrop on the conversation between the Eldest Princess and Bao Cheng.
The Eldest Princess, gentle by nature, would not argue even when her wet nurse spoke this way, but Bao Cheng was no pushover.
He had long disliked this wet nurse who constantly bossed his sister around, and now she dared to put on airs in front of him—how could he tolerate it?
"Go!"
Bao Cheng shouted angrily, his face darkening.
His speech was still halting, limited to one or two words at a time, but this brevity only added to his imposing presence.
Even the Eldest Princess was startled by her brother's sudden change in demeanor, but the wet nurse continued with her forced smile. "Oh dear, which wretched servant dared to teach the Imperial Prince such words? Imperial Prince, you must never speak like this in front of the Empress Dowager, or you'll anger her."
"Wet Nurse, Bao Cheng is not for you to discipline."
The Eldest Princess sensed something amiss and quickly intervened. "If he asks you to go away, then go further away."
The Eldest Princess, mature beyond her years, was more sensible than her wet nurse.
Though close to Bao Cheng, she understood she should not interfere in his affairs, let alone allow her wet nurse to do so.
If the wet nurse's words reached the Empress Dowager's ears, punishment would surely follow.
The Eldest Princess meant well, but the wet nurse took no heed.
Having followed the Eldest Princess into the palace from Prince Gong's residence, she considered herself closest to her mistress. She managed all the Eldest Princess's daily affairs, and the Eldest Princess trusted and obeyed her.
This was the first time the Eldest Princess had spoken to her in such a manner. Feeling humiliated, the wet nurse's forced smile vanished, and her expression hardened as she said stiffly, "This servant is foolish but has only the masters' best interests at heart. Since Imperial Prince Bao Cheng finds this servant bothersome, the Eldest Princess should return early and not stay here to upset him."
With that, she reached out to grab the Eldest Princess.
The Eldest Princess resisted, shrinking back, but the wet nurse ignored her wishes, gripping her wrist and pulling her forcefully downward.
Small and frail, the Eldest Princess was no match for the wet nurse. With a tug, she was lifted into the wet nurse's arms and carried away.
Bao Cheng would not allow his sister to be taken like this. He shouted angrily, "How dare you!" and tried to climb down from the bed to chase after them.
But he was not yet a year old, his legs still unsteady. In his haste, he tripped over himself and fell.
The bed wasn't high, and Bao Cheng wasn't afraid, but the servants weren't fools either—how could they just watch the Imperial Prince fall? They all rushed forward at once. One young eunuch moved the fastest, throwing himself on the ground as a cushion just as Bao Cheng fell right on top of him.
The warm chamber descended into chaos. The eunuchs attending Bao Cheng hurriedly helped him up, shouting for someone to inform the Empress Dowager while checking if Bao Cheng was injured.
Once steady on his feet, Bao Cheng pointed at the wet nurse of the Eldest Princess, who was trying to slip away in the confusion, and declared in a childish yet authoritative voice, "Don't let her go!"
The servants around Bao Cheng had no reason to fear the Eldest Princess's wet nurse. Since Bao Cheng said she couldn't leave, someone immediately stepped forward to block her path.
The wet nurse began to panic.
Though arrogant, she wasn't foolish. She now realized she had overstepped her bounds.
She had come from Prince Gong's residence to serve the Eldest Princess. No matter how strictly she managed the princess, no one would say a word. But if she offended this precious and revered Imperial Prince Bao Cheng, even the Eldest Princess might not be able to protect her.
This wet nurse knew when to yield. She knelt directly before Bao Cheng and pleaded, "This servant was only worried about the Eldest Princess. If I have done wrong, I beg Your Highness for forgiveness."
Bao Cheng spoke slowly, word by word: "Let… go… of… Sister!"
It was one thing for the wet nurse to kneel for her own mistake, but she was still holding his sister in her arms!
According to palace rules, young imperial princes and princesses did not perform formal bows themselves. Instead, their servants would kneel while holding them, symbolizing the young master or mistress paying respects. By kneeling like this, the wet nurse was effectively forcing his sister to apologize to him!
What had his sister done wrong? Why should she take responsibility for this unruly servant's actions?
The Empress Dowager, having received the news, hurried over. As soon as she entered, she saw Bao Cheng standing on the ground with an angry expression, the attending eunuchs kneeling all around, and even the Eldest Princess being held by her wet nurse in a kneeling position.
Before the Empress Dowager could say anything, a young man following behind her spoke first: "Imperial Prince Bao Cheng, what a display of authority! The Eldest Princess is still your elder sister. Even if you aren't close to her, you should show her the most basic respect. She is not your servant!"
"Enough of that nonsense!"
The Empress Dowager glared at the man, then walked over to Bao Cheng and picked him up. "Everyone rise. Eldest Princess, come to Grandmother Empress Dowager."
The Eldest Princess glanced cautiously at the man who had just spoken, then walked over to the Empress Dowager's side and said softly, "Grandmother Empress Dowager, Bao Cheng was protecting me."
The Empress Dowager patted the Eldest Princess's hair with approval, then set Bao Cheng down and had the Eldest Princess hold his hand. Sitting down, she addressed the man who had spoken earlier: "Did you hear that? No one was bullying the Eldest Princess. Don't be like a firecracker all day, ready to explode at the slightest spark!"
Bao Cheng looked curiously at the man. The Eldest Princess whispered in his ear, "That is Prince Gong."
So it was his sister's own father—no wonder he had lashed out at Bao Cheng without asking for the full story upon seeing his daughter seemingly wronged.
Bao Cheng understood how the earlier scene could easily be misunderstood, so he hadn't been angered by Changning's sharp questioning. Now that he knew the man's identity, he cared even less.
"Fifth Uncle, hello." Bao Cheng imitated the gesture of cupping his hands in a formal salute toward Changning.
Changning saw the Eldest Princess being close to Bao Cheng and knew he had just made a blunder. Seeing Bao Cheng acting like a little adult now, he took a liking to him and also mimicked Bao Cheng’s manner, cupping his hands respectfully toward him: “Bao Cheng, Imperial Prince, hello.”
He deliberately imitated Bao Cheng’s way of speaking, which made the Empress Dowager laugh. She shook her head and said, “Bao Cheng, don’t learn from your uncle. He’s always been one who never grows up.”
Since he was the Eldest Princess’s biological father, Bao Cheng loved the crow for the sake of the rook and was willing to get close to Changning as well. He reached out his hands, asking Changning to hold him.
Changning bent down and picked Bao Cheng up, even playfully bouncing him a little. Bao Cheng wasn’t afraid and giggled happily.
“Fifth Brother, be careful. Don’t drop the little Imperial Prince.”
Just as the uncle and nephew were laughing and playing, they saw someone enter from outside.
It was a teenager around ten years old, dressed in luxurious robes but looking exceptionally thin and frail, making one’s heart ache at the sight.
Yet, he was extraordinarily handsome, with features as delicate as a painting, skin fairer than snow, and a somewhat feminine appearance. However, his scholarly and refined demeanor prevented anyone from mistaking his gender.
He walked up to Bao Cheng and gave him a gentle smile, like a night-blooming cereus suddenly blossoming.
“Hello, Bao Cheng, Imperial Prince. I am your Seventh Uncle.”