Chapter Sixty-One
After handing his chubby baby over to his father, Yinreng was still somewhat reluctant to part with him. Alas, how could his father possibly teach his child?
He must be like his other brothers, getting up at midnight every day to read and write. His son Hongyao is only three years old; if he doesn't eat and sleep properly, he's likely to stunt his growth.
As the eldest brother (the eldest son of the next generation), if you are not taller than your other brothers (the sons of the other brothers), you will definitely be laughed at.
However, Yinreng was no match for his father's demands. What could he do? He could only return to Yuqing Palace with a heavy heart, turning back every step of the way.
After returning, I went to comfort the Crown Princess about this matter. Father Emperor summoned Hongyao, surely because he wanted to properly educate Hongyao. He felt that Hongyao had the potential of a celestial being, and since Father Emperor had taught me to be so outstanding, what was there to worry about?
So, upon arriving at the main courtyard where the Crown Princess of Yuqing Palace resided, and seeing Jialuo leisurely painting her nails, hmm? This is quite different from what I imagined?
Where is the worry and sorrow that was supposed to be there?
Upon seeing Yinreng return from outside, Jialuo put down what she was holding and greeted him with a bright smile, "Your Highness, you're back?"
"Hongyao, I have already brought him to the Qianqing Palace. Don't worry, Father will take good care of Hongyao." Yinreng was worried that Jialuo would have concerns and worries, so this was the first thing he said upon entering.
"Yes, I also believe that Father Emperor can take good care of Hongyao. People like His Highness the Crown Prince, who are so outstanding, were all taught by Father Emperor. How could I not be at ease?"
Jialuo knew that she mostly spoiled Hongyao, after all, who wouldn't like such an adorable little guy? He had such a sweet mouth and a sticky, milky scent, how could she bear to discipline him harshly?
To be able to educate such a remarkable and outstanding Crown Prince, a man of exceptional talent and elegance, possessing a noble and refined air, with the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix, gentle and refined as jade...
She mentally recited a dozen or so idioms praising Yinreng, and believed that it was best for Hongyao to be educated by the Emperor and the Crown Prince, since she herself was just a nobody who couldn't even turn things around on her own.
Having been praised, Yinreng swallowed back any words he wanted to boast about in front of the Crown Princess. Very good, it's great that the Crown Princess thinks this way.
"But, will Father be very strict with Hongyao? I heard that Ninth Brother and the others study in the Imperial Study, and they have to get up before dawn and read the texts one hundred and twenty times?" Jialuo was still a little worried. What if Hongyao got sick because of this?
She said she was at ease entrusting her child's education to the Emperor, but she couldn't help but worry about him.
"Don't worry, Father has his own plans." Yinreng believed that in this matter, Father would not disregard Hongyao's health. Compared to the other princes, the third generation, with only one son, was more of a concern for Father.
"That's good." Jialuo nodded, then looked up at Yinreng, "Is Your Highness hungry? Would you like to have a meal?"
Jialuo was used to three meals a day, and so the Crown Prince and Hongyao also started to live a life of three meals a day. In fact, everyone else, including Kangxi, consistently lived a life of two meals a day. Other times... at most, they would have afternoon tea and late-night snacks.
"I'm not very hungry yet." Yinreng shook his head. "Does the Crown Princess have any other matters to attend to this afternoon?"
"No, Your Highness, is there something you need to tell me?" Jialuo didn't think that Yinreng was simply asking because he had something to do.
"No, I was just concerned about you." Unfortunately, Physician Ma hadn't developed a painless childbirth remedy so quickly, otherwise, the process of having a baby with the Crown Princess would have been accelerated.
After hesitating for an afternoon, Yinreng finally couldn't resist. That night, as they were sleeping, he held Jialuo in his arms, his cool voice slightly lowered, "Jialuo, I have already had people research a formula for painless childbirth, but I don't know when it will be successful."
Jialuo was still leaning against Yinreng's chest. When she heard Yinreng's words, she subconsciously looked up at him, her eyes widening slightly. "Your Highness, what, what are you saying??"
Jialuo wondered if she had misheard something. Why would His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly send someone to research a formula to make childbirth painless?
"Isn't the Crown Princess worried that childbirth will be very painful? I overlooked that childbirth is indeed a life-threatening ordeal for women. After the research is completed, I will have people study how to ensure a safe delivery... Oh, right, I could have had different people research these two projects together."
As he was talking, a flash of inspiration struck Yinreng. Oh right, why hadn't he thought of that before?
It must be because Doctor Ma didn't remind me at the time. Honestly, he's not quick-witted at all.
"No, Your Highness, why did you suddenly say that?" Jialuo remembered that she had never said that. Could this be the legendary telepathy?
No, that can't be it. So, it's simply because His Highness the Crown Prince cares about her, right?
"Your Highness, if the research is successful, it will truly benefit many women and common people. Even the imperial relatives and their wives will surely pray for you." As she spoke, Jialuo took Yinreng's hands in both of hers, filled with excitement.
Indeed, if others can develop painless needles, there's no reason why the imperial physicians can't; this is the place where the best medical expertise in the entire Qing Dynasty is gathered.
"Your Highness, did you really send people to research this for my sake?" Jialuo was touched, even though she knew it was because the Crown Prince wanted more sons.
However, Jialuo also knew that there was indeed a throne to inherit, and having only one heir would put considerable pressure on the crown prince.
Looking at the man in front of her, although he didn't say it, Jialuo could see the deep respect that Yinreng held in his heart.
At this moment, Jialuo, who was so moved that she lost her mind, stared at Yinreng with her bright eyes. Slowly, the emotion in her heart turned into a warm current, flowing from the tip of her heart to her surroundings and surging to her head.
In a moment of impulse, she rolled over and stood up. At that moment, she wanted to have a child with him. She pinned him down and said, "Your Highness, let's have a child."
Yinreng stared blankly at Jialuo, who had suddenly become agitated, not understanding why Jialuo's emotions could change so quickly...
Seeing that Yinreng ignored her, Jialuo kissed Yinreng's lips, "Your Highness, how can you be so likable?"
A moment of tenderness can really touch a woman's heart; reason and impulse can be clashed in that instant, just like Jia Luo is right now.
Completely forgetting that childbirth might be very painful, Jialuo felt at this moment that the man in front of her would make her willing to give it her all.
As Yinreng listened to Jialuo's inner turmoil and thoughts, his eyes grew increasingly dark. He embraced Jialuo above him. The candlelight burned, and the occasional dripping of candle wax accompanied the voices of the man and woman.
The most concerned about the Emperor's tour of Mongolia were the concubines in the harem, who worried about whether they were qualified to go with him.
She fantasized that she would receive imperial favor and conceive a royal heir during her tour of Mongolia.
The Seventh Prince, Yinyou, was to be married in June, so he was kept behind to diligently prepare for his wedding.
Kangxi completely ignored his brothers below the Eighth Prince Yinzhi, and as for the harem, he only brought a few newly arrived concubines with him.
When the eldest prince, Yinti, knew that the crown prince would definitely go this time, and not only that, but he would also take the crown princess and Hongyao with him, Yinti also planned to take his wife with him. As for the princesses... how about leaving them to their mother?
The third and fourth princesses were still quite young. Unlike the rough and tough little boys, his princesses were all delicate and precious little cuties.
When the First Princess Consort learned that Yinti was going to hand over the little princess to Consort Hui, she instinctively wanted to refuse Yinti's suggestion. She didn't care whether she went or not; her own four little princesses were more important.
It's obvious that Mother doesn't like me, and she doesn't like the four princesses. Nobody knows if Mother will... Well, Mother probably won't lay a hand on the children, at least not her own granddaughters, but ignoring them is quite normal.
The worst thing you can do with a child is to neglect them. If they get sick and their mother isn't paying attention, when they come back, won't they only be able to hold their little princess and cry?
"I won't go. I'll stay home and take care of Bu'er and the others." The First Princess Consort gently declined the First Prince's suggestion. Ever since she learned that the First Prince had asked the Crown Prince for some secret formula for conceiving a child and that he would need to cultivate his character for three years, she had lost all worldly desires.
Having a legitimate son is impossible now, so I'll be happy as long as I can take good care of my health and the four little princesses.
"Fujin, how can you not go? If you don't go, won't the Crown Prince laugh at me? You must go. I'll go to Yanxi Palace right now and ask Mother to take good care of us princesses. She's her eldest granddaughter, how could she not take good care of us?"
In Yinti's heart, Consort Hui was a trustworthy person. Besides, she was always urging him to have children, unaware of how hard it was to take care of a child. Really!
"Eh?" Before the First Princess Consort could even say anything to stop the First Prince from leaving, she saw him quickly walk away, his hurried movements as if a dog was chasing him.
Grand Consort: Yinti just doesn't have any composure.
Going out to play?
The First Princess's gaze drifted aimlessly into the distance. Since marrying into the First Prince's household, the First Princess's life had been confined to this small plot of land, with most of her time spent in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum confinement.
If she could go out, the First Princess Consort would not refuse, to gallop across the Mongolian grasslands, riding a horse at full gallop... When she was still a young girl, she was also a skilled horsewoman.
In the end, no one was sent to summon the eldest prince back. Did they think that summoning him back would change his mind?
impossible.
Besides, if I tell my mother about this and then change my mind, it will definitely make her doubt whether I don't trust her, making the already fragile relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law even more strained.
She's my daughter's grandmother, after all; she should be able to take good care of the child, right?
Didn't Mother take good care of the eldest and eighth princes?
Yanxi Palace.
When Consort Hui learned that Yinti was planning to take the First Consort on a tour of Mongolia and leave all four children in her care, she was furious. She pointed at Yinti and said, "Yinti, you, you really have forgotten your mother now that you have a wife."
I think it's because the First Princess Consort isn't virtuous and kind enough. How can she run around outside after getting married? Not only does she not take care of her children, but she's also planning to leave them to me, her mother-in-law, to raise?
"Mother, why do you say that? I was clearly trusting you. Otherwise, why would I have asked you for help so soon?" Although Yinti knew that there was a slight conflict between his mother and his wife, he didn't think it was a big deal in the heart of the chauvinistic eldest prince.
Moreover, in front of me, my mother and my wife never seemed to be at odds.
Therefore, Yinqi really didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
"Mother, you raised me and my eighth brother so well. I have complete peace of mind entrusting you with Bu'er and the others." Yinqi was flattering Consort Hui, but unfortunately, Consort Hui didn't want to be flattered at all.
Hearing Yinti's nonsense, she glared at him fiercely, "Why don't you just not go? How old is your mother? Does she still have to take care of your child?"
“Mother, how can you say that about yourself? You are about the same age as Father, and Father is taking care of his nephew Hongyao now, isn’t he?” Yinti immediately refuted his mother’s words and brought up his father as a comparison.
The moment the topic of the Emperor personally caring for the Crown Prince's legitimate son came up, Consort Hui couldn't stand it and immediately launched into a baby-making spree: "Look at you, your Fourth Princess is already so big, shouldn't you be preparing for the next child? And you, the Fujin, have given birth to four princesses in a row. Everyone in the harem is laughing at our Yanxi Palace."
"Mother, wasn't the child born by the Fujin also conceived by me? By saying that, aren't you also looking down on me?" Yinti was brainwashed by the Crown Prince's twisted logic, believing that the Fujin's fertile land was not incapable of producing a legitimate son, but rather that his own seed was not strong enough.
She looked at Consort Hui with a sense of grievance and resentment, feeling that Consort Hui's words meant that she disliked her son and despised her.
Consort Hui was startled by the awkward and aggrieved look on Yinti's face. "Yinti, Yinti, let's be normal."
"I was talking about your wife, how did this turn into talking about yourself? Really." But after thinking about it for a moment, it seemed that it made sense, so Consort Hui quickly changed the subject. "Alright, alright, you should hurry up and give birth to a legitimate son, lest the third, fourth, and fifth sons catch up with you."
Yinti: That's hard to say. I need to conserve my energy for three years.
“Mother, I will send Buer and the others over in a couple of days. Your Yanxi Palace is too quiet. With the children making a fuss, it will definitely be much more lively, and you will be happy.” Yinti shouted directly, oblivious to the subtle nuances of the situation.
Upon hearing this, Consort Hui wanted to hit Yinti. What did he mean by saying that Yanxi Palace was too deserted? Did he think that her Yanxi Palace (including the side halls and concubines) did not receive the Emperor's favor?
If this weren't her own son, Consort Hui would have already been sarcastic and sarcastic.
"Get out of here." When she couldn't see Yinti, Consort Hui missed him terribly, but when she talked to Yinti, his twisted logic and blunt conversation always made her so angry that she had a heart attack.
"Oh..." Yinti saw that his mother seemed unhappy, but he couldn't figure it out. Perhaps it was because he hadn't given his mother a grandson to play with? "Mother, don't worry, give your son a few years to prepare, and your son will definitely give you a grandson."
"Get out." A few more years? I don't even know if I can wait that long. Should I even bother vying for the throne anymore? Didn't you want to take the crown prince's position? Without a son, what are you even trying to take?
"Alright." Yinqi had no idea what his mother was thinking. He only knew that his mother had agreed to his request, so he patted his bottom and left.
Upon returning home, she immediately told her mother-in-law about it with great joy. The mother-in-law was surprised that her mother would agree to help her take care of the child.
Meanwhile, at the Third Prince's residence, the good news of his third wife, Lady Dong'e, announced that she was pregnant.
In an instant, Consort Rong of Zhongcui Palace was so happy that she waved her hand and sent over a wave of rewards. Finally, it was her turn to become a nanny.
Moreover, the child was conceived by the Fujin (Prince's wife), meaning it was either a legitimate son or daughter, making it far more noble than the offspring of the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince.
Originally, the Manchus did not care about the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate daughters, but the emperor did. As the saying goes, the emperor sets the standard for the Qing Dynasty, and the concubines in the harem naturally followed suit.
I heard that the eldest brother and the crown prince were both taking their wives out, so the third prince also planned to take his wife out. The gentle and virtuous third wife is also a learned person. She is beautiful and can keep you company when you marry in. The relationship is quite good.
Of course, this only applies to those who are considered "good." Besides the Third Prince's wife, the Third Prince, who was known for his tenderness and affection for women, also had many other princesses in his harem, most of whom were of the charming and delicate type.
Since the Princess Consort can't go, then let's take the Princess Consort instead; it doesn't matter.
Fourth Consort Guarjia was quite nervous when she learned that Dong'e, who had married into the family after her, was pregnant, and she couldn't understand why she hadn't conceived yet.
Does this mean that, like in my previous life, it will take several years to have a legitimate daughter?
Wouldn't that make me vomit blood?
She secretly summoned the imperial physician, but the final outcome disappointed her; she was not pregnant. Knowing that Yinzhen was going to accompany the emperor on a tour of Mongolia, she no longer cared about maintaining her image as a gentle and dignified principal wife.
If the Grand Consort and the Crown Princess can go, why can't she?
Lady Guarjia suspected that too many princesses were taking up the Fourth Prince's time, leaving her with insufficient time. Therefore, she insisted on accompanying the Fourth Prince alone on this trip, hoping to conceive a child during this journey.
Thinking this way, she naturally went to Yinzhen to tell him her request. Yinzhen respected his wife very much, and since she had made such a request, he did not refuse her and nodded.
It doesn't matter.
Fifth Prince Yinqi couldn't bring himself to like his wife, who was not good with words and had an ordinary appearance. Moreover, she always looked at him with a reproachful and aggrieved gaze, like a resentful woman, or like he was a heartless man.
He truly felt they couldn't stay together any longer, so he simply instructed his wife to take good care of Liu Jia, saying that the prince couldn't do without her, and then he left.
In fact, he simply didn't want to take his wife out with him. His wife's resentful, secluded appearance would only make him feel ashamed.
Fifth Prince's wife, Lady Tatara, was unaware of Fifth Prince Yinqi's thoughts. She only felt that the day after she married into the Fifth Prince's household, when the other ladies came to pay their respects, Lady Liu, who was pregnant, pretended to be unwell and refused to pay her respects.
Whether intentionally or not, the Fifth Prince actually allowed Lady Liu not to pay her respects, and even said that Lady Liu was in poor health and that the Princess Consort should remember to take good care of her.
At that moment, Fifth Princess Consort's face turned extremely ugly. In that instant, Liu Jia Shi, looking delicate and frightened, cried out, "Why is Princess Consort staring at me so fiercely? I'm scared..."
Immediately, the Fifth Prince felt that his wife was not a virtuous and kind person who could not tolerate concubines, so he left with Lady Liu.
In the days that followed, the more Fifth Prince's wife, Lady Tatara, thought about his behavior, the colder and more disheartened she felt, and the future seemed bleak and hopeless.
When facing the Fifth Prince, her expression became increasingly unpleasant. The Fifth Prince was also pampered and spoiled. He was the only child of the Empress Dowager. The old lady always doted on him. Because the Fifth Prince was not raised by her side, Consort Yi felt a slight sense of estrangement and took even more gentle and meticulous care of him.
How could he bear such humiliation? As a result, his feelings towards the Fifth Prince's wife worsened even further.
When the princesses in the backyard saw how much the Fifth Prince disliked his wife, they naturally went all out to sow discord among them. Who would be happy to have a favored wife overshadowing them?
And that's how it turned out, this is the situation we see now.
After the Fifth Prince left the main courtyard, the Fifth Princess Consort lay down on the edge of the bed and cried, "Granny, Granny, why am I so unlucky???"
The wet nurse beside her looked at the princess with pity and tried to comfort and coax her.
Emperor Kangxi had been quite busy these past few days. When Hongyao arrived, he saw that Hongyao had only managed to learn the Three Character Classic after studying for so long, and had memorized it completely without any mistakes. Hongyao even begged for praise in a spoiled manner. As the Emperor's grandfather, Emperor Kangxi could only agree to give him a couple of compliments.
After being praised, Xiao Hongyao beamed with joy. "Grandpa, Father said that he wasn't as good as Hongyao when he was a child."
Unable to contain his chatter, little Hongyao babbled in his soft, childlike voice, proudly raising his chin.
Kangxi recalled three-year-old Baocheng. Indeed, at that age, Baocheng, relying on his father's favor, would run around outside every day and even whine to his maternal grandmother, "Mama, Father is bullying Baocheng again."
"Indeed, Hongyao is very capable. So, such a capable Hongyao cannot waste his talent, understand?" He reached out and stroked Hongyao's little head. Bao Cheng was a thing of the past, and the newest favorite child had become little Hongyao.
"Mmm." The obedient little boy nodded vigorously, thinking that this was not a difficult task. With a capable little guy like him, what couldn't he do with ease?
“Hongyao, come here, Grandpa will teach you the next book, the ‘Thousand Character Classic.’ This is the book that children should learn when they are first learning.” The Thousand Character Classic has a unique structure where each character is different, yet it forms a complete article, making it the perfect book for children to learn to read.
Being able to recite something doesn't mean you can read it.
You need to learn to recognize characters first, then you'll be able to memorize texts on your own without needing anyone to teach you.
With this mindset, Kangxi patiently taught Hongyao to study the "Thousand Character Classic". He told him to read it ten times first, and Liang Jiugong to come and accompany Hongyao.
He was very busy. Besides teaching his children, he also had the heavy responsibility of the entire Qing Dynasty on his shoulders. He spent almost half a day dealing with important state affairs.
He placed a small stool and table not far to the lower right of Kangxi, opened his book, and began reading aloud in a childish voice, "Heaven, Earth, Dark, Yellow, Universe, Cosmos..."
Hearing the little prince's sweet voice, Liang Jiugong, who was standing nearby, smiled lovingly, waiting to remind the little prince of something when he forgot.
Emperor Kangxi, who was reviewing memorials, glanced at little Hongyao upon hearing his childish voice, and then continued reviewing the memorials.
It has to be said that the little voice is quite pleasant to listen to, and he didn't find it boring when he was reviewing memorials.
The only thing that Kangxi found lacking was that after reading it four or five times, Hongyao stopped, looked up at Liang Jiugong, and said, "Liang Jiugong, Hongyao has drunk it and wants to drink water."
No one told him how to address Liang Jiugong, but he had to call him that, just like Emperor Kangxi.
Liang Jiugong didn't think there was anything wrong with the little prince calling him that, and even bowed with a face full of honor, "Prince Hongyao, please wait a moment, this servant will go and bring you some water."
After drinking some water, Xiao Hongyao put down his book and skipped over to the little eunuch his father had assigned to him, ordering in a childish voice, "Little Li, toys."
He's been studying for so long and he must be tired. His mother said he needs to balance work and rest.
When Emperor Kangxi saw that young Hongyao had only read the book four or five times before impatiently throwing it down to play, he frowned slightly and looked at him. "Hongyao, you've only read it four or five times. That's not enough. Come here and read it ten more times."
Emperor Kangxi, who believed that it was necessary to read a book 120 times to memorize it, was naturally dissatisfied with Hongyao's current progress. He even planned to have Hongyao come over to persuade him to persevere in his studies and to make unremitting efforts, and so on.
However, they overlooked the fact that such words are completely ineffective when spoken to a three-year-old toddler.
For example, at this moment, Xiao Hongyao was unwilling to read anymore. He ran up to his grandfather, looked at him seriously, shook his head, pointed to his throat, and said, "Grandpa, I read too many times, and my throat hurts."
Emperor Kangxi was speechless. What could he do? Disregard his grandson's health? That was impossible.
So, all we could do was let Xiao Hongyao play by himself; he could play however he wanted.
At the same time, I am quite concerned about Hongyao's throat. He said his throat hurts, so it probably really does.
He then ordered the imperial physician to come and examine the young prince's throat, lest something serious happen to the child's throat.
The imperial physician came over, first paying his respects to the Emperor, and then went to Xiao Hongyao's side to pay his respects before beginning the examination.
Xiao Hongyao opened his mouth and let the imperial physician examine him. The physician said there was nothing seriously wrong, and Kangxi breathed a sigh of relief.
That's why Kangxi felt that Hongyao was spoiled, unlike the other princes.
However, they overlooked the fact that other children don't start their education this early, and even if they do, they won't be this competitive...
Emperor Kangxi himself studied diligently, and he also made his children study with him. The intensity of their studies was extremely high, and naturally, all of them became elites. As for children like Hongyao, they could only be described as spoiled and pampered...
Despite his inner complaints, Kangxi couldn't bring himself to discipline Hongyao when faced with his adorable tantrums. What could he do? The three-year-old grandson was incredibly cute and spoke sweetly, always mentioning his grandfather. Kangxi had no choice but to give in to Hongyao's demands.
Okay, okay, let's eat, eat, eat, and play, play, play...
All day long, I only memorized the "Three Character Classic" and read the "Thousand Character Classic" four or five times, and I still needed Liang Jiugong to remind me.
In the evening, he would clamor for dinner, and also for a bath, and he wanted to use a large bathtub so he could swim in it.
Then, Kangxi watched as his little grandson swam in a dog-paddle style, which was so disgusting that Kangxi didn't want to watch it.
Little Hongyao didn't think there was anything wrong with what he was doing. He happily splashed the water with his hands, his chubby little body grinning from ear to ear, "Grandpa, let's play, let's swim."
Seeing that his grandfather was standing there staring at him without saying a word, Xiao Hongyao thought that his grandfather also wanted to play, and happily invited his grandfather to play together in his sweet voice.
Emperor Kangxi pursed his lips, his expression one of unspoken difficulty, wondering how Bao Cheng had raised his child.
If Hongyao were to swim in front of outsiders and others found out, wouldn't it be a disgrace to the royal family? The only grandson of the emperor, swimming like a dog?!
Just thinking about this made Kangxi's forehead throb. He thought that next time he went out, he must take Hongyao with him, because the bathtub was too small.
Next time I take him to the pool, I'll definitely correct his swimming posture.
After bathing, drying himself, and getting dressed, little Hongyao climbed onto the dragon bed with his short legs. "Grandpa Emperor, let's sleep together."
After Kangxi lay down on the bed, little Hongyao clung to him and told his grandfather about today's 'itinerary' in his childish voice. Even though Kangxi had been with him all day, he knew everything clearly.
She was much more patient with the little prince than with the concubines in the harem, gently patting Hongyao's little belly with her large palm, "Mmm."
Little Hongyao, who was being coaxed, fell asleep in no time. However, his sleeping posture was nothing like that of the other little princes who lay straight. His little feet were kicking his stomach.
There was no other way but to turn the little prince around in my arms, and use my big, rough hands to hold him still so he could sleep peacefully!
The next day, when it was time to get up for court, whether it was because children sleep a lot or because Hongyao was sleeping like a log, he didn't seem to be woken up at all and was fast asleep.
Kangxi was itching to get his hands on her. In the past, when any of his concubines served him, they were always very careful and would get up early to help him dress, wash, and eat.
This little guy was the only one who could win his favor, and he even told the people below to keep their voices down so as not to disturb the little prince's sleep.
When he returned from the morning court session, Hongyao had just woken up. His delicate and adorable little face was flushed pink from sleep. He rubbed his eyes and touched his tummy with his other hand. "Father, I'm hungry."
After he finished speaking, the young prince suddenly realized where he was.
Looking around, she didn't see her father, and felt a little panicked. She quickly climbed off the bed and took small steps to run outside.
"Prince Hongyao, Prince Hongyao, His Majesty is holding the morning court session. Are you hungry? Would you like to wash up first?" Little Li hurriedly had someone bring water over and quickly went to block the little prince's path. The little prince couldn't run around like that.
Wash up?
Xiao Hongyao remembered his mother saying that if you don't wash up, you'll become smelly and ugly. No, no, "I'll wash up first."
"Alright, Prince Hongyao, His Majesty instructed the Imperial Kitchen to prepare breakfast for you before going to court. The pastries are fragrant and delicious. Are you hungry?" Seeing that Hongyao had finished washing up, she immediately began the second round of temptation.
Breakfast? Pastries?
Hongyao hesitated for a moment before leaving, pondering whether he should go find his grandfather or have breakfast first.
However, that hesitation was no longer needed the next second, because Huang Mafa walked in from outside.
Little Hongyao's eyes lit up with surprise, and he ran happily towards Kangxi, calling out, "Grandpa, Grandpa!"
As Hongyao ran towards him, his cheerful little voice and his face, so similar to Baocheng's, brought him to his feet. He was just as small, running towards him in the same way, calling out "Father Emperor, Father Emperor." A faint smile appeared on Kangxi's lips, and the anger he felt at the sight of the officials slowly dissipated in that instant.
"Hmm." She responded softly, and when she walked up to Hongyao, she saw Hongyao raise his little hand.
"Grandpa, hug me." She pleaded sweetly, but her words silenced Kangxi for a few seconds. What did you say? Hug me? Do you even know how old you are?
"Hongyao, as a Baturu of the Great Qing, you must cultivate a strong will from a young age. You can't be so spoiled, understand?" Kangxi cursed Yinreng's unreliable way of teaching his child once again in his heart.
Hongyao couldn't understand. He stared at his grandfather with his round eyes, a hint of confusion in them. Why wasn't his grandfather holding him? Was Hongyao not cute enough?
He insisted on sticking to his grandfather, saying, "Grandpa, hug me, Hongyao wants a hug."
As she spoke, she jumped up and down a couple of times and raised her hand. When she saw that Kangxi did not move, she reached out and tugged at his clothes, acting coquettishly.
In the end, Kangxi could only take Hongyao to breakfast and sternly tell him: This is a one-time thing, and there will be no next time.
Hongyao didn't understand, but he thought the breakfast pastries at his grandfather's place were much tastier than his father's. Before he knew it, he had eaten two too many and felt quite full.
Kangxi helplessly held Hongyao and rubbed his belly. Kangxi had lost count of how many times he had done this since Hongyao was brought to him. Only a day had passed, and he had already felt helpless countless times.
Feeling comfortable from having his belly rubbed, little Hongyao started to get sleepy again. He leaned against his grandfather's chest and continued to snore away.
Kangxi: ...
So, Hongyao's life was simply eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating?
Turning to the servants attending Hongyao, she asked, "What time did Hongyao wake up this morning?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Hongyao woke up at the beginning of the Si hour (9 o'clock)," the servant beside him reported.
Kangxi held the heavy, chubby baby in his arms. Wasn't this just when he finished court? Had he eaten breakfast and was already sleepy?
I weighed Hongyao in my arms and thought, perhaps, a child who can eat and sleep well is a blessing? Look, he's so chubby and healthy.
After comforting himself, he could only put Hongyao back on the bed and then resume his work of reviewing memorials.
After sleeping for only half an hour, Xiao Hongyao woke up and hopped off to find his grandfather.
Unfortunately, his grandfather didn't want to play with him and assigned him homework, making him memorize the "Thousand Character Classic." If he could recognize the characters, the first line would be considered as him having finished learning characters for the day.
Between memorizing and recognizing characters, looking at a thick book and then at that short line of text, Xiao Hongyao immediately figured out which option to choose with his clever little brain.
"I choose to learn to read." Xiao Hongyao felt that the Emperor's name was really easy to understand. However, while he could read the characters when they were arranged together, recognizing them individually was indeed a little difficult for him without any special abilities.
With a worried and wrinkled face, her cute little face showed that since it was her own choice, she would definitely stick to it.
As a child raised by Yinreng, Xiao Hongyao still possessed a certain resilience.
And so, he didn't bother Kangxi all day, which Kangxi found a bit strange, but he was still quite pleased. It seemed that he wasn't as hopeless as he thought.
However, Kangxi could not be by Hongyao's side all the time, as he considered himself to still be in his prime.
Occasionally, he still needs to go and chat with the concubines... Well, when Bao Cheng was around, he wouldn't neglect his time to favor the concubines.
A few days later, after Xiao Hongyao fell asleep, Kangxi visited the inner palace. His furtive and secretive manner reminded Kangxi of the time when Bao Cheng was a child.
Back then, whenever Bao Cheng didn't see him, he would burst into tears of grievance.
However, Hongyao is different from Baocheng. At least Hongyao sleeps like a log, so soundly that he can't hear a thunderclap, which puts him at ease.
The concubines in the harem had not seen the emperor lingering in the harem for many days, and they knew it was because His Highness the Crown Prince had entrusted the young imperial grandson to the emperor for upbringing and education.
Is she truly malicious? Not content with monopolizing half of the Emperor's favor, she now wants to drag her son down with her? That's going too far.
When Consort Chen saw the Emperor approaching, her smile was incredibly gentle and radiant. She served him with utmost care, just like most of the women in the harem, hoping to conceive a son on her first try.
Consort Chen was quite confident in herself, believing that she had taken care of her health before entering the palace and that she was in good health.
Just as they were about to leave, the voice of the emperor's eunuch came from outside the door, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Prince Hongyao has woken up and is crying loudly in the Qianqing Palace, looking for you..."
This episode infuriated Consort Chen so much that she almost wanted to hit someone. What was this all about? It was one thing for other concubines to try and steal it from her, but now even a young imperial grandson was trying to steal it??
Upon hearing this, Kangxi immediately stood up, put on his clothes, and asked coldly, "What's going on?"
When the older women (concubines) in the harem heard about this, they were full of sneers. The young imperial grandson was indeed worthy of being the crown prince's son. Back then, the crown prince used this trick to block the path for countless women who wanted to climb the social ladder.
They strongly suspected that the Crown Prince had done it on purpose, to prevent the Emperor from having so many sons, so that the Crown Prince could compete with him for the Emperor's favor and... the future throne.
(End of this chapter)
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