Prince Chun, Longxi, was Kangxi's youngest brother. Frail and sickly since childhood, he had been raised by the Empress Dowager in his early years, which fostered a deep bond with Kangxi.
Last year, upon turning fifteen, he left the palace to establish his own residence as per custom. Due to his poor health, he rarely ventured out, so although Bao Cheng often heard the Empress Dowager mention him, this was his first time meeting him in person.
The title "Gong" (Respectful) bestowed upon Changning represented Kangxi's expectations and demands of him, while Longxi's title "Chun" (Pure) seemed as if it were born for him alone.
Perhaps because his frailty had sheltered him so well, Longxi's eyes were exceptionally clear, and his entire being appeared remarkably pure, as if untouched by worldly troubles—transcendent and ethereal, like a lotus or an epiphyllum.
Even the usually boisterous Changning softened his tone in Longxi's presence: "You've come too? Come in and sit, don't tire yourself."
Longxi patted Bao Cheng, who called him "Seventh Uncle," then entered the warm chamber. He walked up to the Empress Dowager and respectfully knelt to perform a grand bow.
The Empress Dowager personally helped him up, her eyes filled with concern: "What is this? Aren't you afraid of exhausting yourself?"
"Your grandson is useless, unable to share the burdens of the state or fulfill filial duties at the knees of Grandmother and Mother. Apart from offering sincere greetings and praying for your peace and well-being, I can do little else," Longxi said with shame.
The Empress Dowager pulled him to sit beside her, advising, "It's because you think too much that your heart remains troubled and your health never improves. Look at your elder brother here—he's healthy enough, yet he doesn't seem to help the Emperor share his burdens either. He doesn't feel ashamed, so why should you dwell on such thoughts?"
Changning protested unhappily, "Grandmother, we're both your grandsons—don't be so biased! I'd gladly serve with loyalty and filial piety, but the Emperor and you must appreciate me for it, don't you?"
"So you know I don't appreciate you," Kangxi said as he entered from outside, snatching his son back from his brother's arms and remarking disdainfully, "Stop holding my Bao Cheng—you might make him foolish."
Longxi tried to rise and bow, but Kangxi pressed him down and placed his son back in his arms, preventing him from standing.
"Don't trouble yourself. Just watch Bao Cheng for me and make sure he doesn't eat recklessly—that will be helping me share my burdens."
Bao Cheng grabbed his Seventh Uncle's arm and stood up on the kang, but as a little bun not yet a year old, even standing on the kang, he could only look up at his father.
"Father, bad!" Bao Cheng concluded firmly.
Changning laughed heartily: "Well said, well said! Imperial Prince Bao Cheng is truly exceptionally clever!"
Kangxi reached out and pinched his son's nose: "Ungrateful little thing. When you were asking for things for your elder sister the other day, how did you know to praise me as good? Now that you have someone backing you up, you dare call me bad?"
Bao Cheng opened his mouth and tried to bite Kangxi's hand with an "aowu," but Kangxi swiftly retracted his fingers, evading his son's sneak attack.
Longxi reached out to wipe Bao Cheng's nose, said with concern: "His nose has turned red.""
Kangxi couldn't see any redness but couldn't bring himself to criticize his frail younger brother. Instead, he glanced sideways at Changning: "I heard you falsely accused Bao Cheng of bullying the Eldest Princess earlier?"
The Eldest Princess looked a bit confused but tried her best to defend her own father, though her words were somewhat off the mark: "No, Imperial Father, Bao Cheng didn't bully me."
"See? My son didn't bully my daughter."
Kangxi picked up the Eldest Princess, deliberately showing off in front of Changning.
Changning had long wanted to hold his own daughter, but his status made it inappropriate for him to do so. Now, seeing Kangxi act this way, he was so angry his eyes nearly turned red.
That was his daughter, his own flesh and blood!
His shameless older brother had snatched his daughter and had the nerve to flaunt it in front of him!
Changning dared not voice his anger and could only turn to the Empress Dowager with a grievance. The Empress Dowager pretended not to notice the brothers’ playful antics and instead carefully inquired about the medications Longxi had been taking recently.
Just as they were speaking, a young eunuch entered to announce that Prince Yu was outside requesting an audience.
Bao Cheng knew that Prince Yu, Fuquan, was his second uncle, and he found it rather strange.
Both Changning and Longxi were Kangxi’s younger brothers, and they had just walked in openly without any hesitation. Why was it that Fuquan, the older brother, was acting so formally by requesting an audience outside?
“Who is he putting on this act for, anyway?” Changning muttered under his breath.
Kangxi set the Eldest Princess down. “Naturally, for me to see.”
“Well, Fuquan is just being proper in his manners, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” the Empress Dowager stood up. “Since everyone is here, let’s go to my quarters to talk. Let Bao Cheng and the Eldest Princess play on their own.”
Longxi, with some effort, picked up Bao Cheng and steadily placed him on the ground. The Eldest Princess obediently came over to take her younger brother’s hand.
But Bao Cheng pointed at the Eldest Princess’s wet nurse and said, “Not her.”
Kangxi glanced at Liang Jiugong, who immediately lowered his voice and recounted the details he had just learned, word for word.
After hearing it, Kangxi sneered, “Changning, the people from your household are quite impressive, daring to lecture even my Imperial Prince.”
Changning, who had been unjustly implicated, glared angrily at the wet nurse trembling on the floor. “This wretched servant must have grown too ambitious for her own good! Your Majesty, she cannot be allowed to stay by the Eldest Princess’s side any longer!”
If this insolent servant dared speak to Bao Cheng like that, one could only imagine how she might have mistreated the Eldest Princess behind the scenes.
His daughter had already been forced into the palace, and that was pitiable enough. How could he allow such a wicked servant to act so brazenly?
If the Empress Dowager and Kangxi weren’t present, he would have kicked this vile servant to death long ago!
The Eldest Princess was a little frightened and tightened her grip on Bao Cheng’s hand.
Bao Cheng looked up at his sister. “Sister, you, handle it.”
His sister would most likely marry into the Mongols in the future. If her nature was timid and weak, she might truly never return.
Bao Cheng had thought of many ways to protect the Eldest Princess, but in the end, he concluded that unless he could pacify Mongolia, repel Russia, and eliminate Galdan before his sister’s marriage, there would be no way to overturn the national policy of princesses marrying into the Mongols.
The Eldest Princess was now five years old. Assuming she would marry at eighteen, there were still thirteen years left. Thirteen years later, he would only be fifteen, just old enough to attend court and participate in governance. How could he possibly achieve such feats?
Perhaps one day in the future, he could strive to bring his sister back, but until then, she would have to rely on her own strength to survive.
So Bao Cheng had made up his mind: he wanted his sister to become stronger and braver. The first step was to start by managing the servants around her.
His sister was a princess. If she could be bullied by a servant, how could she ever be called brave?
Today, the Empress Dowager was here, Kangxi was here, and even the Eldest Princess’s own father, Changning, was here. They could all stand up for her. But he still hoped that his sister could make her own decisions.
The Eldest Princess was somewhat apprehensive, but whether it was Bao Cheng, the Empress Dowager, Kangxi, or Changning, they all looked at her with encouraging eyes.
There was no one here of a weak disposition, nor did anyone believe that as a princess she should be obedient and docile. Even the Empress Dowager hoped her great-granddaughter could stand on her own.
The wet nurse was utterly panicked.
Terrified, she crawled toward the Eldest Princess, weeping and kowtowing, "Your Highness, this servant has always been devoted to you, serving you with all my heart and effort. Please save me, save me!"
"Then… then punish her with caning, to teach her a lesson, alright?"
After all, the Eldest Princess was still a child. She couldn’t be truly resolute, and she wasn’t even entirely clear about how serious the wet nurse’s wrongdoing was.
She only knew the wet nurse deserved punishment, and caning to teach a lesson was a common method the wet nurse herself used to discipline other servants, so that’s what she suggested.
Changning was somewhat disappointed.
He wished his daughter could be a bit more ruthless, as that would make him feel more at ease.
But the Empress Dowager nodded and said, "Good, we’ll follow the Eldest Princess’s decision."
Unlike Changning, she felt that the Eldest Princess daring to speak up about punishment was already very brave. For such a young girl, it would be frightening if she were quick to demand someone’s life.
Bao Cheng tugged at the Eldest Princess’s hand and said, "Take… back… hit."
The Eldest Princess didn’t understand, but Kangxi understood his son’s meaning and nudged Changning with his foot. "Did you hear that? Take her back to be punished. Don’t dirty Grandmother’s place."
Changning’s eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed, "Yes, this subject will take her back and make sure she learns her lesson well."
The Eldest Princess didn’t understand the difference between punishing her in the palace or taking her back to be punished. Hearing that everyone agreed with her suggestion, she smiled happily.
But Bao Cheng secretly clenched his fist.
His original intention was for Changning to take the wet nurse back and not keep her by his sister’s side, lest she harbor resentment and continue to bully his sister.
But with Kangxi’s interpretation, it took on a different meaning.
Changning, who doted on his daughter so much, would never allow the wet nurse who had bullied her to remain alive.
This "lesson" would likely be one she’d carry into her next life.
Bao Cheng suddenly regretted speaking up. A human life might be lost because of his words.
Although the wet nurse was despicable, her crime didn’t warrant death.
For a moment, Bao Cheng felt dazed. He didn’t know whether he should plead for mercy, fearing that saying more might only make things worse.
Sumalagu crouched down, picked up Bao Cheng, and held him against her shoulder. "This servant will stay with the Imperial Prince and the Princess," she said.
The Empress Dowager nodded and led Kangxi and his two brothers out. Once the warm chamber fell silent again, Bao Cheng clung to Sumalagu’s neck and murmured, "Wrong."
"The Imperial Prince is not wrong," Sumalagu gently patted Bao Cheng’s back. "The Imperial Prince protected the Princess. He is the bravest little Imperial Prince."
Bao Cheng shook his head. His young body couldn’t bear so many emotions, and he fell into an exhausted sleep.
Sumalagu placed Bao Cheng back on the bed and tucked him in. The Eldest Princess, unaware of what had happened, worriedly leaned over the bedside.
Sumalagu tucked the Eldest Princess under the covers as well, letting her sleep beside Bao Cheng.
The two little ones soon fell asleep. Sumalagu sat by the bed, watching over them, but couldn’t help sighing inwardly.
No one understood Bao Cheng better than she did.
Bao Cheng was too precocious. Though he couldn’t yet express himself clearly, he saw and understood everything.
Such a child, if he were indifferent and ruthless, it would be better. But Imperial Prince Bao Cheng is soft-hearted and the most pure and kind.
It was just a treacherous servant who dared to defy his superiors. Killing him was not unjust, so why be so distressed?
Imperial Prince Bao Cheng is a person of such noble status, how can he be so concerned about the life or death of an unrelated servant?
A person's heart is only so small; caring too much easily leads to self-harm.
She only hopes that Imperial Prince Bao Cheng can think less and live more freely, so that he may enjoy a long and blessed life.