Consort Rong's words immediately caused an uproar in the room.

The palace rarely uses dishes with strong odors like scallions, garlic, and cilantro. Not only do the palace servants use them sparingly, but the concubines do too. Imagine if you were with the Emperor and your breath smelled strange… cough cough.

Consort Hui suddenly realized: "Actually, I was just about to say this. When I entered Xianfu Palace, I seemed to smell something strange. It smelled more like... onions than garlic?"

Consort Xi nodded emphatically.

Consort Yi's expression stiffened slightly, but she pretended not to have heard the concubines' conversation at all and continued to watch Consort An's actions.

Consort An covered her mouth.

Her pretty face was pale and bloodless, her eyes glistening with tears. Since entering the palace, Consort An had never suffered such humiliation. The murderous intent in her eyes startled Consort Rong, who took several steps back.

Consort Rong still felt a little wronged.

She mustered her courage and took another step forward, but suddenly realized something was wrong.

Consort Rong's nose twitched, and suddenly her almond-shaped eyes widened. Staring blankly at Consort An, she gasped in surprise after a moment of astonishment, "Wait? Consort An, how come...where...no...there's garlic in this dumpling?"

Upon hearing this, all the concubines in the palace changed color.

Was the garlic smell from the dumplings that Consort An ate? All eyes turned to Consort Yi.

Consort Yi feigned surprise.

She hurriedly took two steps forward, covering her mouth as if she had been frightened. Consort Yi looked guilty, her eyes moist: "Sister An, Sister An, it's all my fault. If only I had explained to you when you refused the dumplings I put on your plate, the dumplings next to you had all sorts of flavors... I'm just sometimes a bit absent-minded."

Kangxi naturally knew that Consort Yi had been serving dumplings to everyone, and upon hearing this, he frowned: "Did Consort An take them herself?"

It was clear that everyone was eating good dumplings.

This isn't Consort Yi's fault! Consort Yi looked full of remorse: "Your Majesty, it's all my fault. Sister Xuan and Sister Qi were just joking around, making different flavors to make us draw lots... It's all my fault."

The Empress watched with great interest.

The concubines had strange expressions. Consort An was already furious, so why would she accept what Consort Yi had given her? Consort Jing, Consort Xi, and the others were secretly relieved. In fact, they didn't want to eat what Consort Yi had given them, but seeing that the Emperor and Empress had used it, they couldn't be picky and just used it.

The concubines patted their chests with lingering fear, looking at Consort An's miserable state. If they hadn't acted quickly, they would probably have suffered the same fate.

In any case, Consort An was the only unlucky one.

Consort An's eyes were practically spitting fire as she looked at Consort Yi, but Consort Yi remained calm and composed, after all, Consort An had picked up the buns herself!

Emperor Kangxi was both annoyed and amused.

He glared at Consort Yi: "You're just making a fool of yourself—wait a minute."

Emperor Kangxi and Consort Yi lived very close to each other.

Even the scent couldn't be concealed, and he couldn't hide his smile. Kangxi shook his head repeatedly: "You, you've been tricked yourself, and now you insist on letting others try it too? It's truly outrageous."

"Your Majesty, you already know, why say it out loud?" Consort Yi blushed and couldn't help but let out a coquettish sigh.

Consort Rong suddenly realized.

She covered her mouth in surprise: "So, Consort Yi, the smell of scallions on you is also from dumplings?"

"Yes," Consort Yi replied with a smile that remained unchanged. Her poised and elegant demeanor was a stark contrast to Consort An, whose face contorted with barely suppressed emotion.

Consort An was so angry that her chest was burning with rage.

Everything went black before her eyes, and when she opened her mouth, a strong smell of garlic filled the air, making it impossible for Consort An to speak.

She could only glare angrily at Consort Yi, who had not only dug a hole for herself to jump into, but was now burying her in the dirt and stomping on her a couple of times.

Consort An covered her mouth.

She bit her lip tightly, lowering her head to hide her expression. Consort An bowed deeply: "This concubine... shall take her leave now."

After saying that, she hurriedly left.

Consort An stopped only when she reached the outside of Xianfu Palace. Hearing the laughter coming from inside, the resentment in her eyes could no longer be concealed: she was determined to avenge herself!

Consort An's departure did not dampen anyone's spirits.

After Consort Yi frankly admitted that she had also been fooled, the other concubines also began to try it with great interest—for example, Consort Hui accidentally ate a squid-filled one, and her lips and tongue turned black, which amused everyone.

Consort Hui looked in the mirror and laughed out loud.

After wiping the squid ink clean, she resumed chatting and laughing with the concubines, completely ignoring the matter.

Thankfully, Consort An is gone. If she were still here, she would probably be so angry she'd vomit blood. Consort Yi buried her and filled the pit, but Consort Hui built a house on top of the pit, completely eliminating any possibility of Consort An turning the tables.

For example, if Kangxi had just thought that Consort Yi had gone a bit too far, now he felt that it really wasn't a big deal. Looking at Consort Yi, then at Consort Hui, and then at Consort An who left indignantly, Kangxi couldn't help but shake his head.

The imperial concubines were enjoying themselves in the courtyard.

Meanwhile, a series of noisy sounds rang out from the East Annex Hall: the eleventh prince's loud shouts, the crown prince's and the eldest princess's giggles, rising and falling like a trio.

Emperor Kangxi was startled.

He happened to be half full when he stepped into the East Annex Hall, wanting to see what they were up to inside.

Yinzhen was furious.

His little hands pressed tightly together, and his feet braced themselves, determined to squeeze his body out of the damned mascot costume.

That's right, it's a mascot costume.

Wan Anran clutched her heart: "So cute."

The eldest princess chuckled to herself, "Just like what my mother said, I really do miss Angry Birds a bit."

Crown Prince Bao Cheng was overjoyed.

He added, "Especially when the eleventh brother's face turns bright red, he looks even more like him!"

Wan Anran and the eldest princess couldn't resist.

The two burst out laughing. Yinzhen, his face flushed red with embarrassment and anger, made incessant babbling noises.

Emperor Kangxi raised his eyebrows in surprise.

The Empress curiously peeked inside and couldn't help but gasp softly. She saw the Eleventh Prince wrapped in a bright red cloth, his entire body, including his head, encased within it. The Eleventh Prince, fuming, was waving his little arms and legs, babbling incessantly.

The outer layer of the fabric was red cotton, while the inside was stuffed with fluffy cotton. Wearing this mascot costume, the eleventh prince looked as round and plump as an egg.

More importantly, the fabric also has to be sewn with yarn to create expressions—look at that fierce expression, it really does give a feeling of anger, it's more like an angry parrot than an angry bird.

Emperor Kangxi marveled at this.

He stepped forward and poked the round little peach, unable to hide the smile in his eyes.

Isn't this just too cute?

If it weren't for the Manchu custom of embracing grandchildren more than sons, Emperor Kangxi would have loved to hold the little peach in his arms and play with it. Wan Anran asked with a hint of excitement, "What does Your Majesty think of this arrangement?"

The Empress looked at her with some confusion.

As she nodded, the Empress hugged the soft little peach in her arms and poked his cheek lightly, saying, "He's really cute."

Wan Anran chuckled to herself.

Before the Empress could speak, Kangxi raised his eyebrows and asked, "What wicked idea are you thinking of?"

"It's a secret."

"Heh, you actually have a bad idea? Tell me quickly!"

"I already told you it's a secret!"

"I've already asked you, so answer quickly."

Where would any imperial concubine dare to talk back?

While Kangxi was dumbfounded, he became somewhat interested and couldn't help but start bickering with Consort Qi, insisting that she tell him the answer.

The concubines outside forced a smile.

They watched this scene with a bitter taste, mentally raising the level of Qi Pin's threat by one notch.

Wan Anran firmly and decisively refused.

A secret is a secret; even the emperor will not know until later.

Empress Niohuru touched her forehead.

However, not long after Kangxi and Wan Anran's argument, a young eunuch rushed into Xianfu Palace, his face panicked and his forehead and cheeks covered in beads of sweat: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty the Empress! The Twelfth Prince... the Twelfth Prince is in trouble!"

Emperor Kangxi and the Empress suddenly changed their expressions.

After the Emperor and Empress departed, the once bustling Xianfu Palace fell silent instantly. The concubines exchanged glances, their mood for conversation and laughter completely gone. They quickly placed down their gifts and took their leave.

After seeing off the many concubines, Wan Anran stood outside, cloaked in a cape. She stared blankly in the direction of Chengqian Palace, her heart filled with mixed emotions—the twelfth prince born to the Uya clan… something bad had happened? Although there had been rumors about this in the palace, Wan Anran still couldn't believe it when the moment came.

Consort Xuan patted her on the shoulder.

She sighed softly, "It's all that child's fate..."

Wan Anran nodded slightly.

She returned to her room and held Xiao Maotao in her arms, feeling extremely fortunate that she had given birth to him in the harmonious and friendly Xianfu Palace, and even more fortunate that Maotao was healthy.

only……

Wan Anran dismissed the palace servants and rubbed Mao Tao's chubby cheeks: "Little Mao Tao, you must grow up well! Your mother doesn't ask you to stand out from the crowd, nor does she ask you to join that damned Nine Princes' Succession Struggle. I just want you to become an ordinary prince like Yin Tao and live a long and long life."

Wan Anran whispered.

Consort Xuan assumed that Wan Anran was simply experiencing maternal love and felt pity for the Twelfth Prince, who was far away in Chengqian Palace. Little did she know that the reason for Wan Anran's inner turmoil was... perhaps the peach in her hand was none other than Aisin Gioro Yinzhen.

That is, the future Yongzheng Emperor.

Most people in later generations can tell you a lot about Yongzheng's story: he lost his adoptive mother and was not loved by his birth mother. He broke with his brothers and died young, exhausted on his desk. Even the savings he had painstakingly accumulated were squandered by the scoundrel Qianlong.

Tragic, Emperor Yongzheng, tragic.

But that was the fourth prince, Yinzhen, born to Lady Wuya. Wan Anran quietly stared at the peach in her palm. Thinking of the lively Wan Fu, the peach must be the fifth prince, right? Perhaps even the name is different?

All of this was still Wan Anran's suspicion.

However, her only wish is for the child to grow up happily and healthily.

Wan Anran kissed Xiao Maotao's cheek.

She didn't notice that Xiao Maotao's eyes were wide open, and the disbelief in her expression was evident.

Yinzhen's pupils dilated.

He looked at his birth mother with suspicion and disbelief, his heart pounding.

What does that mean?

Could the person before him be a reincarnation like himself? Could she be Consort Ding, the birth mother of his twelfth brother, Yin Tao? Yin Zhen's thoughts were a jumbled mess, everything tangled up like a ball of yarn. His eyes darted around, and finally, he completely lost focus.

Wan Anran felt melancholy for a moment.

After she put the sleeping little peach back into the cradle and tucked it in, Haitao pushed open the door and entered with a solemn expression: "Master, the Twelfth Prince is gone."