Chapter 1
The 25th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.
The eldest prince, Yinqi, married a woman from the Irgen Gioro clan last year. In the last imperial concubine selection, no candidate impressed Emperor Kangxi as a suitable match for his talented and accomplished crown prince, so the selection was postponed for another three years. (The imperial concubine selection was held every three years.)
During these three years, in addition to handling state affairs, Kangxi also had to observe which of the daughters of his ministers was a suitable match for his crown prince.
Among the Manchu Eight Banners, the Bordered Yellow Banner was the most prestigious, ranking first among the Upper Three Banners. It had no princes within the banner and was directly commanded by the emperor.
For example, the Guarjia, Fuca, Wanyan, and Dong'e clans all came from the Bordered Yellow Banner, and each of them bestowed a nanny upon the legitimate daughter of their main branch.
This shows how much Kangxi valued the crown prince. After the emperor bestowed a nanny upon the crown prince before the imperial selection, his family naturally inquired about him.
Not everyone is qualified, so some speculation arose in his mind: Could it be... that they've taken a liking to their daughter... that she could become the Crown Princess in the future?
She will be the mother of a nation in the future...
hiss--
As a result, the four major families were all vying for power, and from the time before the imperial concubine selection to the time when the four young ladies entered the palace for the selection, they were all secretly competing with each other.
The palace servants and maids all knew that the Crown Princess was likely born into the Guarjia, Dong'e, Wanyan, or Fucha clans, so they were all quite enthusiastic and ingratiating towards the four young ladies-in-waiting.
Even the imperial concubines didn't dare to cause trouble for him.
However, the fact that people in the palace are not causing trouble does not mean that everything is calm and peaceful.
There is only one position for the Crown Princess, but there are four candidates...
Chuxiu Palace.
The enormous palace housed eligible young women from the Manchu Eight Banners. Regulations stipulated that women aged thirteen to sixteen had to undergo a selection process before being allowed to marry, making it extremely crowded.
The four favored candidates from the Khorchin Borjigit clan were very dissatisfied. They felt that their Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager were in charge of the palace, yet they dared to be so disrespectful to them.
"Princess, bear with it. After the selection is over, we'll return to our Khorchin grasslands and ride horses again. We can't cause trouble in the palace..." The maidservant beside her reminded her. The princess knew that the princess had a bad temper, so she specially had her follow her around to prevent the princess from causing trouble.
Princess Borjigi didn't take it seriously at all. She was just a reserve officer, wasn't she? She hadn't even become the Crown Princess yet, but she was already putting on airs.
As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Princess Wanyan in the small room next door. The four princesses who were preparing to become the Crown Princess lived in two-person rooms, while these princesses lived in four-person rooms. From the very beginning, their treatment was different.
How could Princess Borjigit be happy? She was clearly a princess of a prince, yet she was treated worse than the daughter of a subject. But being under someone else's roof, she could only nod politely and leave.
“Princess, look at her…” The maids beside Princess Wanyan were indignant on her behalf when they saw how dare Princess Borjigit be so disrespectful to them.
In her opinion, among the four candidates, these princesses were intelligent, beautiful, virtuous, elegant, and exceptionally talented... possessing countless virtues, making them the only ones suitable to be the Crown Princess.
"Xiao Tao, this is the palace." Princess Wanyan was naturally even more aware that she was a candidate for Crown Princess, and there were five other people competing with her. The position of Crown Princess had not yet been decided.
Princess Borjigit... still has the support of the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, so I can't afford to argue with her now.
"Yes, Princess." Xiao Tao felt sorry for her princess. At home, the princess was always the one who was pampered and had never experienced such bitterness.
She also had to share a small room with another princess. Princess Dong'e seemed to still think it was the era of her great-aunt Empress Xiaoxian (Consort Dong'e of the Shunzhi Emperor), and was still so aggressive.
"Let's go see the other princesses..." Princess Wanyan didn't take Princess Dong'e seriously at all. Although the Dong'e family was indeed in a high position in the court, none of the three pillars of the harem were not disgusted with their branch.
It would be better to focus on Princess Fucha and Princess Guarjia. The Fucha family is full of loyal and powerful military officers. Princess Guarjia's grandfather was the tutor of the late emperor's crown prince, and her father, Wen Bing, was promoted to deputy commander-in-chief, stationed in Hangzhou, and held military power. He was deeply favored by the emperor.
When I arrived at the next room, I saw one person sitting on the bed making a knot, and another person hanging their head, seemingly lost in thought.
"Girl Guarjia, Princess Fucha." Princess Wanyan greeted them with a bright smile, her radiant beauty shining through.
Hearing Wanyan's voice, Guarjia Gege, who was looking down and seemingly lost in thought, raised her eyelids slightly and glanced over. Her expression was indifferent and calm, yet tinged with a hint of vicissitude. She didn't intend to pay any attention to her.
Princess Fucha looked at her with clear, bright eyes, and her gentle, bell-like voice rose, "Greetings, Princess Wanyan."
"Sister Guarjia, why are you ignoring me?" Seeing Guarjia's arrogant and haughty demeanor, Wanyan couldn't help but wonder if... the Guarjia clan had already received a hint from the Emperor?
“Sister Fucha, why don’t we go out for a walk together? Aren’t you bored staying cooped up in the house all the time?” Wanyan Gege asked, a dark glint in her eyes as she saw that Guarjia Gege was ignoring her.
Then he turned his gaze to Princess Fucha. Her beautiful, delicate, and pitifully charming face was truly unsettling to look at…
However, looking at her innocent nature, it's hard to tell if she's genuinely foolish or just putting on an act.
With a tentative thought in mind, Princess Wanyan invited her with a smile. Her bright and flamboyant appearance, coupled with her heroic spirit, made her seem quite cool in front of other girls.
For example, the innocent and carefree Princess Fucha felt that Princess Wanyan was easier to get along with than the aloof and somewhat gloomy Princess Guarjia.
"Okay." She was also feeling quite bored in this house, especially with Guarjia Gege's lifeless and gloomy expression occasionally staring at her, which made Fucha Gege feel a chill down her spine.
As he spoke, he stood up impatiently and followed.
As Guarjia Gege watched Fucha Gege eagerly leave with Wanyan Gege, a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. Some people really do like to court death.
How dare you get close to such a ruthless woman?
That makes sense, otherwise, how could the position of Crown Princess have fallen into my lap in my previous life?
One was stupid, one was poisonous, and the other was disliked by the three powerful figures in the harem. Meanwhile, she was gentle, virtuous, polite, and well-educated, managing the harem and Yuqing Palace in an orderly manner. But what happened in the end?
No one expected that the emperor would live for so long. The crown prince, whom he favored in his youth, was suppressed in his old age, and in the end, the throne fell to the fourth prince, Yinzhen.
She didn't want to, and was unwilling to, marry into Yuqing Palace again, and accompany the Crown Prince to be imprisoned in Xian'an Palace. She had had enough of that miserable life, being trampled and insulted by servants, lying in bed with no one to take care of her when she was sick, and sometimes even eating stale food like steamed buns and pickled vegetables.
Being confined there day after day, my whole heart became lifeless.
In addition, she had a son by a concubine shortly after marrying into Yuqing Palace, and only had a daughter after seven years of marriage. She endured the coldness of the Crown Prince and the provocation of the concubine, all in order to sit on the position of Empress and rule the world.
Prince Yong, Fourth Prince, Yinzhen...
Given her family background and status, marrying the Fourth Prince as his wife was no problem at all. The key was how she planned to avoid being disliked by the Emperor and the Fourth Prince, and to gain entry into the Fourth Prince's household.
Princess Wanyan and Princess Fucha... these two must not get into trouble. At the very least, if anything happens, it should only happen after her affair with the Fourth Prince is settled.
Otherwise, I would have to walk the same path as in my previous life.
As she lowered her eyes to think, a hint of ferocity occasionally flashed across her face. Fortunately, there was no one else in her small room, otherwise she would have definitely frightened them.
While Princess Guarjia was considering how to get involved with the Fourth Prince, Princess Fucha was already holding a small round palace fan. In the crisp autumn air, she was dressed lightly. Because it was the day of the imperial concubine selection, there were quite a few young ladies out for a stroll. They were all youthful and beautiful, a sight to behold.
"Sister Fucha, it must be hard and boring to be in the same room as Princess Guarjia, right?" Princess Wanyan comforted Princess Fucha like a caring older sister.
Princess Fucha puffed out her cheeks. Even if she was naive, she would never speak ill of others to a stranger. That was her upbringing.
"How are you doing with Princess Dong'e, Sister Wanyan?" Her beautiful eyes stared intently at Princess Wanyan, her clear and bright eyes seeming to see into the depths of Princess Wanyan's heart, and her soft words always felt like they carried a thorn.
Whether it was due to her family upbringing or not, Princess Dong'e still seemed to think it was the era of Empress Xiaoxian, and maintained that arrogant attitude, looking down on the Wanyan clan. How could Princess Wanyan feel comfortable with that?
"If only I could live with Sister Fucha, she's so gentle and lovely, I love her the most..." I love fooling idiots, the kind who can sell you out and still make money.
Princess Fucha smiled faintly, her bright eyes showing a hint of embarrassment. She quickly changed the subject, "Sister Wanyan, have you met the Crown Prince?"
Hearing Fucha Gege's question, Wanyan Gege's eyes filled with anger. She was a young woman, and even in the borderlands, she always observed proper etiquette. How could she have met His Highness the Crown Prince?
“Sister Fucha grew up in the capital. Have you ever been to the palace before? I am not as lucky as you are. But even if I have not seen you, I know that the Crown Prince whom the Emperor is raising must be a man of great talent and beauty.”
Princess Wanyan's tone held a hint of admiration, "However, I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince likes lotus flowers, and the lotus flowers in the Imperial Garden are blooming beautifully this season..."
Speaking of this, she couldn't suppress the sweet smile on her face, "What does my little sister think?"
Princess Fucha exclaimed in confusion, only then realizing what she was being asked. She had never met His Highness the Crown Prince, but she had occasionally heard about him from her father. He said that when His Highness was only five years old, he accompanied the Emperor on a horseback archery expedition at Jingshan, shooting five arrows in a row and hitting a deer and four rabbits, demonstrating his remarkable horseback archery skills.
Many scholars lectured for him, so his knowledge was naturally quite good. As for his appearance... I've never heard my father mention it.
“I also agree with what Sister Wanyan said. The Crown Prince that the Emperor is raising will surely be a man of outstanding talent and beauty…” The elders of the Fucha clan certainly see things more clearly than the pampered young ladies. What is the Crown Princess? She will be the future empress of the nation.
Her own daughter was an innocent, lively, and charming little darling. If the emperor hadn't suddenly bestowed a nanny upon her, she wouldn't have dared to think about it in this way at all.
However, even if the emperor bestowed a nanny upon the crown prince, the Fucha clan believed that the emperor was merely adding a figurehead. They did not believe that the emperor had not investigated the matter and would not have chosen a naive and innocent young girl as the crown prince's consort.
Therefore, she had already told the child about it before entering the palace.
Therefore, when Princess Fucha praised His Highness the Crown Prince, she repeated what Princess Wanyan had said, and her gentle smile of agreement made Princess Wanyan think about it a lot.
Is he genuinely indifferent, or is he just pretending?
The Crown Princess? High above all, the future mother of the nation, she is the pinnacle of women's power. How could anyone not like her?
"The Imperial Garden of the palace truly lives up to its royal status; the flowers there are quite precious. I've heard..." Princess Wanyan stopped talking about that topic and changed the subject, discussing the beautiful scenery of the palace and praising the beauty of every corner of it.
The art of speaking, Princess Wanyan, described the palace as a paradise on earth, which aroused Princess Fucha's curiosity. In addition, she was feeling extremely stifled after living with Princess Guarjia for two or three days.
"But, wouldn't it be inappropriate to wander around the palace like this?" Princess Fucha frowned hesitantly, afraid that she might accidentally offend a noble person.
"This is Chuxiu Palace, a place specially prepared for us young ladies by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. We'll be staying here for more than a month. Do you really intend to just sit here with Princess Guarjia, facing each other in silence?"
She used a little trick when she said this: not staying with Princess Guarjia doesn't mean she can't stay with other princesses, but... she deliberately ignored it and even tried to lead Princess Fucha astray.
Of course, over the next two days, Princess Wanyan also took Princess Fucha for a stroll among the flowers, trees, and shrubs near Chuxiu Palace. Seeing how happily Princess Fucha was chasing butterflies, Princess Wanyan felt a chill in her heart. She really was just an innocent and naive little girl.
As for Lady Guarjia, she's been acting all mysterious lately, and I don't know what she's planning. I need to keep a close eye on her.
On the third day, Princess Wanyan did not come. Princess Fucha, unable to stay idle, had relaxed after playing for the past two days. "Let's go admire the flowers today."
She went to see the scene of "lotus leaves stretching to the sky, an endless expanse of green, and lotus blossoms reflecting the sun, a uniquely vibrant red"; it must be incredibly beautiful.
"Princess? Isn't that a bad idea?" The maidservant beside Princess Fucha was named Xiaoqing. Although nothing had happened a few days ago, it was still best to be cautious since she had come to the palace.
"Good Xiaoqing, we'll just watch from the Imperial Flower Pond not far from Chuxiu Palace. Nothing will happen." In the past, when she was at home, her father and mother wouldn't allow her to go out and play, which made her very bored.
Now that she had to stay with such a gloomy and creepy Princess Guarjia, she would rather go out for a walk by herself.
How could Xiaoqing really be heartless when the princess was coaxing her with her soft, sweet voice?
Okay, fine...
Standing in front of the Imperial Flower Pond, the refreshing fragrance emanating from the lotus flowers and leaves, swaying in the sunlight and gentle breeze, is truly beautiful.
Princess Fucha couldn't help but take a step forward, accidentally stepping on a stone on the side. She didn't notice that the stone was about to fall into the water. The master and servant were chatting about the shimmering lotus flowers when, in the next second, the stone fell and she fell into the water with a 'plop'.
Along with that scream of "Giggle!", another splash rang out, but no matter how much she struggled, she, who couldn't swim, began to sink to the bottom of the lake...
(End of this chapter)
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