Chapter Thirty-One
Despite the waves of disgust and reproach she felt for the Crown Prince, her gentle and kind expression concealed a dark and gloomy undercurrent within her. Apart from Yinreng, no one could discern the gloom and darkness beneath her surface.
While the Guarjia clan presented gifts to the princes, the crown prince was still hesitating over what he had heard. Was it a hallucination? Impossible, the voice was so clear.
However, the words of the Fourth Prince Consort were somewhat shocking. Even Yinreng was deeply disturbed, his heart churning, but he maintained a proud and elegant demeanor.
Will he be deposed?
Impossible! When has he ever been disrespectful or uncaring towards his father, the Emperor? And, he's going to personally lead an expedition against Galdan next year? Nonsense! How would the Guarjia clan know about next year's events?
In Yinreng's opinion, the fourth prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, might have some mental issues, otherwise she wouldn't have such thoughts.
Although he felt sorry for the fourth prince, the crown prince still had to say, "Fourth prince, it's fortunate that you were here. Otherwise, based on the Emperor's standards for choosing a daughter-in-law and Yinreng's understanding of the Emperor, it's very likely that the Emperor would have chosen a woman from the Guarjia clan as his crown princess."
As for the "deposed crown prince" and "the emperor personally leading the expedition against Galdan" mentioned by Guarjia, His Highness the Crown Prince did not take them to heart at all. How could the emperor personally lead the expedition against Galdan? He did not even go to the front line when the Three Feudatories were suppressed.
On the way back to Yuqing Palace, Jialuo would occasionally look up at the esteemed Crown Prince, her eyes filled with concern for him. "Your Highness, why are you suddenly in a bad mood?"
After asking the question, Jialuo thought of the First Princess Consort, who was four months pregnant, and assumed that His Highness the Crown Prince was thinking about competing with the First Prince, Yinti, for who would give birth to the eldest grandson first.
Yes, that's right. Jialuo has been married into Yuqing Palace for so long, and she has heard a lot about the power struggles and infighting between His Highness the Crown Prince and the First Prince.
"I was thinking of Suo'etu." After hearing Jialuo's thoughts, Yinreng assumed that Jialuo was blaming herself for not being pregnant yet, but she didn't know how to explain it, so she changed the subject.
Um... Suo'etu?
Jialuo was somewhat bewildered. Wasn't today the day the Fourth Prince and his wife, Lady Guarjia, were to pay their respects? Looking at the Fourth Prince... why did His Highness the Crown Prince think of Suo'etu?
“Song’etu is incompetent and it’s time for him to step down. Jialuo, I’ve noticed that Maqi has a good temperament and is steady in his work, while Maska is bold and meticulous.” As the Crown Prince spoke, he suddenly realized that he hadn’t thought about Song’etu for a long time.
Recently, many matters have been entrusted to the Maska brothers, and they have all been handled well. His Highness the Crown Prince couldn't help but think of his father, the Emperor, before he had taken the throne.
At that time, among the four regents, Ao Bai held absolute power, while the other three regents either relied on Ao Bai or cowered in fear. At that time, the Emperor formed a team of young people to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) to deceive Ao Bai and eventually captured him.
At that time, neither the imperial relatives nor the veteran officials took the Emperor seriously.
If Father Emperor can do it, why can't he?
Jialuo was ignorant of politics, but she believed that the crown prince, whom her father had personally groomed, would be more thoughtful than she was, so she wouldn't do anything foolish that would make her a laughingstock.
She nodded obediently, "Your Highness is right, I will listen to you."
Following in the footsteps of wise people is the wise thing to do.
The adorable and somewhat naive Crown Princess aroused the Crown Prince's affection, and he did not continue to discuss these heavy topics with Jia Luo. He was also not used to talking to Jia Luo about political affairs.
Changing the subject with a smile, and having already arrived at Yuqing Palace, he said, "Has the Crown Princess been needing to exercise to lose weight and stay fit lately? I can lend her a hand."
Upon hearing this, Jialuo immediately glared at him warily. "The weather has turned cooler recently, so it's not advisable to go from hot to cold suddenly. You should take care to keep warm."
Jialuo was so wary because His Highness the Crown Prince had started acting inhumanely. While they were having sex that night, he even lamented, pinching his now-slim waist, "It seems that my exercise routine with the Crown Princess really worked..."
His deep, husky voice, which seemed to be both smiling and not smiling, accompanied his movements, and Jialuo was so captivated that she became dizzy and confused, trying out the poses from the fire-avoidance diagram to play with the prince like a little tyrant.
Then he got too tired from fiddling with it, but His Highness the Crown Prince was still very enthusiastic and intense. Even crying and sobbing couldn't stop him; in fact, it only made him happier...
Jialuo suspected that the kitchen must have sent too much yang-tonifying soup to His Highness the Crown Prince. She told the kitchen not to send any more next time. Once he was weakened, she would drink two more bowls of yin-tonifying and yang-tonifying soup and was determined to defeat His Highness the Crown Prince.
That night, Jialuo initially insisted on being on top, but ended up being teased until she was in tears...
The fact that His Highness the Crown Prince made things difficult for the Fourth Prince's wife during her greetings did not spread. Instead, the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, expressed his deepest apologies, suggesting that His Highness the Crown Prince might have been in a bad mood at the time.
Lady Guarjia shook her head slightly, knowing in her heart what kind of person Yinreng was, but still maintaining a gentle and virtuous demeanor. "I am fine. It is understandable that His Highness the Crown Prince is in a bad mood, but if this matter gets out, it may not be good for His Highness's reputation."
Lady Guarjia knew that the Fourth Prince had initially pledged allegiance to Yinreng, and whether it was genuine or not, she believed that the Fourth Prince was sincere.
That's why she said those words—to coax Yinzhen. No, it shouldn't be called coaxing, but rather a thoughtful and considerate gesture.
Yinzhen frowned slightly upon hearing his wife's words. At this time, he had not yet developed any ambitions, since his father was focused on cultivating the crown prince, and only his elder brother was unable to see the situation clearly.
"I understand." Yinzhen looked at the gentle woman in front of him and comforted her with a few words of concern, "Don't take it to heart."
The princess was wronged.
The next day, the Fourth Prince made a special trip to Yuqing Palace. After all, what happened yesterday still bothered Yinzhen. He wondered if he had done something wrong that made the Crown Prince dissatisfied with him.
Is this a warning to him?
Yinreng already felt he had mistreated the fourth prince, and the fourth prince had been wronged. Seeing that he was still asking him in a roundabout way, he wondered if there was something wrong with him.
Yinreng: An honest man, an honest man through and through.
Yinreng stepped forward and patted Yinzhen on the shoulder, speaking earnestly, "Fourth Prince, I have always felt that you are hardworking, sincere, studious, intelligent, and meticulous."
Yinzhen: ? ? ?
Then why are you still giving the master's wife such a hard time?
"I should apologize to you for what happened yesterday. You and your wife are newly married, and more importantly, Suo'etu has gotten into serious trouble, which is still giving me a headache." If it were the old Yinreng, he would never apologize to anyone, let alone explain it like this.
Knowing that the fourth prince was loyal and mindful of their brotherly bond, she didn't want the two to drift apart, so she handed the petition to Yinzhen, saying, "Fourth prince, come here, take a look at this first."
The petition was submitted by his men. After leaving Suo'etu's "support," Yinreng had more people around him, and his future seemed brighter.
Yinzhen was distracted by the change of topic and realized that the Crown Prince's apology was sincere. He took the petition and read it. It listed Hesheli's crimes, which were... quite serious.
The Fourth Prince's expression darkened slightly, and he looked up at Yinreng, who was from the Crown Prince's maternal family...
"Hey, Fourth Prince, now you know my troubles, right?" Yinreng felt that this matter was difficult to judge and decide, so he pulled the Fourth Prince to discuss it together.
No matter how it's handled, there will be long-term consequences.
The person who dealt with Hesheli was, after all, from the Crown Prince's maternal family. If other officials knew about it, they would only think he was ruthless.
If the people of Hesheli are not dealt with, His Highness the Crown Prince feels that Suo'etu is oppressing the people, bullying them, and seizing fertile land...
The dissolute young men of Hesheli even harassed respectable women, and when they found out that one of them was married, they even beat up her husband...
Although the Fourth Prince Yinzhen hated evil as much as he did, he could understand the Crown Prince's concerns. After discussing it back and forth, Yinreng finally decided to hand the petition over to his father, the Emperor, for handling.
The Fourth Prince agreed, but he didn't know if his father would forgive Suo'etu's crime because of the Crown Prince.
Those were all commoners of the Qing Dynasty.
Yinreng greatly appreciated and affirmed the fourth prince's thoughts on serving the country and its people. "Fourth brother, rest assured, I will definitely mention the matter of Suo'etu to Father Emperor. If we don't stop him now, he will definitely become more and more ruthless in the future, which will be of no benefit to the Qing Dynasty."
The Crown Prince's heartfelt words deeply moved the Fourth Prince. The Crown Prince still loved the people of the Qing Dynasty and cared about the Qing Dynasty's future. He truly deserved to be the son of the Emperor.
The more corrupt officials there are in the country, the faster the Qing Dynasty will decline. Even though he is not the crown prince, he is still a member of the Aisin Gioro clan, and we still hope that the Aisin Gioro dynasty can last forever.
Yinreng was also moved to have such a younger brother. He believed that his fourth brother would surely become a wise minister like Prince Yu, assisting the emperor in protecting the Qing Dynasty.
As for what the Fourth Prince Consort, Lady Guarjia, said, Yinreng did not believe it and did not take it to heart at all. He thought she had gone mad, but he had never heard of anyone in the Guarjia household who could predict the future.
Although the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, appears cold on the surface, he is still a passionate young man at heart. After a heart-to-heart talk with the Crown Prince, he became even more convinced of the Crown Prince's will as heir apparent.
If Lady Guarjia knew that she had suffered this injustice for nothing and that her efforts had backfired, she would surely be furious.
At this moment, she was in the Fourth Prince's residence, handling affairs in the inner palace. Having managed the inner palace for many years without making any major mistakes, she naturally had no problems with the small Prince's residence.
The Qianqing Palace.
When he heard that the Crown Prince had arrived, his expression did not change much. Just because others did not spread the word did not mean that Kangxi was unaware that the Crown Prince had given him a cold shoulder when the Fourth Prince and his wife paid their respects to the other brothers.
Emperor Kangxi naturally did not know the real reason why the Crown Prince did this. After thinking it over, he assumed that the Crown Prince was still angry about the election a few years ago.
Bao Cheng's temper is just too bad.
However, he didn't show it on his face, even though he thought so in his heart. Looking at the young man he had raised to be so elegant and refined, Kangxi was quite satisfied.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty. Your Majesty, there is something I find difficult to consider and cannot make up my mind. I would like to ask Your Majesty for advice." Having listened to the thoughts of others for several years, Yinreng had also learned a little bit about the relationship between father and son.
Father Emperor is the Emperor, but also a father. It is not shameful to show weakness or ask for advice from Father Emperor.
When Kangxi heard the purpose of Yinreng's visit, he found it somewhat amusing, but he was also happy to answer his son's questions. "Baocheng, please speak freely."
Yinreng submitted a petition detailing Hesheli's crimes, even specifying the details of a particular person. When Kangxi saw this petition, well... not just one, but several.
Kangxi looked up at Baocheng with some surprise, and finally understood why Baocheng was in a bad mood.
To Kangxi's surprise, Bao Cheng did not suppress the matter or clean up Hesheli's mess; instead, he exposed the matter to him.
It should be noted that the Hesheli clan was the Crown Prince's maternal clan, and naturally stood behind him. They would not support the other princes. If the Crown Prince concealed this matter, Emperor Kangxi could understand.
but……
"Baocheng, what do you want to say?" Kangxi was still somewhat hesitant. Did Baocheng want to plead for Hesheli?
"Father, the entire Qing Dynasty, whether officials or commoners, are all your subjects. Your son never imagined that the Empress's family would have such people who oppress the people and exploit the locals. It is simply a disgrace to the great name of the Hesheli clan."
Soetu is so idle that he finds women for him, but he has no interest in caring about Hesheli's people.
Aside from Songgotu, Hesheli doesn't seem to have a single outstanding young man. Does he intend to leave Hesheli without a capable successor? Even if he ascends the throne, what then? Can he promote some incompetent fools?
Emperor Kangxi never expected that Bao Cheng would be so righteous as to betray his own family.
"Baocheng, Hesheli, they are still your maternal clan." Kangxi reminded Baocheng, "Don't forget, doing this won't do you much good."
"Father, I am closest to you. They are harming the Qing Dynasty and its people, and damaging your reputation. How can I turn a blind eye and ignore them?" Yinreng spoke with shock and righteous indignation, believing that his father's idea of letting the other party go because of their relationship was particularly unacceptable.
If everyone did this, wouldn't the parasites of the Qing Dynasty eat away at the Qing Dynasty?
Kangxi looked at Yinreng, frowning, "Baocheng, have you forgotten how your father taught you before?"
A person who manages his subordinates with a balance of strictness and leniency, but treats himself so harshly, will easily alienate his followers.
Yinreng listened to his father's teachings without arguing. After listening, he simply said that the matter was up to his father to decide, which made Kangxi glare at him helplessly.
Was all that teaching for nothing?
“Father, my third and fourth brothers are not young anymore. They have studied in the Imperial Study for so many years. It is time for them to enter the court and share your burdens.”
Yinreng remembered the promise he had made to the fourth prince... a promise he made to the fourth prince in his heart. Besides, he was not young anymore, and it would be so awkward for him to be studying in the Imperial Study with the tenth prince and the others.
After Yinreng mentioned it, Kangxi seemed to only then remember Yinzhi and Yinzhen. "Did the Fourth Prince go to Yuqing Palace today? To talk to you about this?"
“How could Fourth Brother do such a thing? It happened yesterday. I thought he had offended me in some way and came to apologize. Fourth Brother is just being stubborn. It’s all because of the Suo’etu incident.”
Speaking of this, Yinreng was a little embarrassed, with a half-asleep expression that also had a touch of naivety.
Kangxi found it somewhat amusing, but Baocheng was right; the third and fourth princes were getting on in years and it was time for them to gain some experience in the court.
Except for the Bordered Yellow Banner, which they controlled, it was time to change the leadership of the other banners...
My own son is quite good.
After Yinreng left, Kangxi summoned people to investigate and deal with the matter mentioned in the petition.
Soetu, who was confined to his room to reflect on his actions, had no idea that His Highness the Crown Prince had once again placed a heavy burden on his shoulders. There was nothing he could do; after all, he was the chieftain of the Hesheli clan.
The Crown Prince even kindly sent a note over, saying that since everyone was at home reflecting on their actions and doing nothing, they might as well take the opportunity to cultivate the family's younger generation, since Mingzhu's son was much more promising than yours.
When Suo'etu received the note sent by the Crown Prince, he was quite excited, thinking that the Crown Prince might have something to tell him to do, or that he had pleaded with the Emperor to allow him to be reinstated.
result……
Is this all they sent? Looking at the words written on the note, Suo'etu's face darkened.
He even compared him to Mingzhu. Thinking of his own useless sons and then of Mingzhu's sons, he immediately became resentful and went to the clan middle school to conduct a surprise inspection.
He was usually busy with government affairs, and his sons' homework and studies were always managed by his wife. He would occasionally check on them and found them unremarkable, nothing amazing, but... he thought they were alright.
After being exposed by His Highness the Crown Prince, I felt as if my face was about to be torn off. My face was burning hot. Couldn't you leave me any face?
The Hesheli Middle School was filled with Hesheli children, or the children of favored concubines, who were a very small minority.
As for the children of the principal wife's family... well, their family is also a prominent clan with its own school, and they disdain coming to Hesheli.
Soetu was determined to crush the Crown Prince's ambitions, how could he possibly lose to that old scoundrel Mingzhu?
However, when he arrived at the clan school, he heard loud laughter and commotion inside, which made Suo'etu feel uneasy.
Sure enough, when Suo'etu arrived at the school, he saw a chaotic scene. Few students were studying seriously; some were playing around, others were chatting...
"What are you doing?" Soetu shouted angrily, his voice filled with both rage and annoyance. If that old scoundrel Mingzhu saw this, he would probably laugh at him.
A reprimand meant nothing to Hesheli and his group of spoiled brats. Their former teacher was just as short-tempered, and after a few of them left, no one took it to heart.
Such a fierce teacher must be a newcomer.
Occasionally, one or two people would glance over subconsciously, and upon seeing Soetu's old face, they would widen their eyes in fright, hold their breath, and quickly sit up straight...
Their behavior amused the other students nearby, who mocked them sarcastically, "Haha, Rong San, when did you become so timid? You're even afraid of a teacher?"
“That’s right, watch how I…” another mocked, adding that he could take on three, three, three… “Uncle, uncle, sir…”
Why is Uncle here?
The others seemed to sense something and turned their gazes toward the doorway. Their playful banter and conversation froze as if they were wooden figures, and they were all speechless.
The next second, I quickly returned to my seat, my heart pounding. Why was my uncle (third uncle) here?
Soetu walked in with a dark face, looked around, and found that the teacher was not there. He looked at his son, Argishan, and asked, "Argishan, where is the teacher?"
Argishan hadn't expected his father to come and check on their studies. Overwhelmed by his father's usual authority, Argishan dared not disobey. "The teacher... he hasn't come for two days..."
They also made plans to go out of the mansion together to fight crickets later, having heard that another batch of fierce crickets had arrived from Wan Cong Lou.
But now, let alone buying it, they might not even let you in.
Soetu was so angry that his vision blurred and he almost fainted, but he was not going to admit defeat and he was not going to faint. If there was no teacher, he would become the teacher.
The Crown Prince is right; Hesheri is not looking at the present, but at the future.
The Crown Prince then asked: "Besides my uncle, are there any other talented people?"
When he saw the question, he was so angry that he wanted to slam his fist on the table and refute it. How could there not be? Now, looking at this bunch of good-for-nothings, he felt so frustrated that he was about to have a heart attack.
He sat on the platform above, but instead of lecturing, he conducted spot checks, giving them a policy essay topic to write on, and they weren't allowed to leave until they could write one.
Only He and Qia, sitting in the front row, buried their heads in answering the questions, while the others scratched their heads, racking their brains to figure out how to write it, their hearts filled with lamentations. How could they be so unfortunate? They should have asked for leave today.
"Those who didn't come, bring your parents to see me tomorrow. Go back and inform their parents that if they cover up for someone else, I will have your parents come along as well."
Soetu seemed to see through their thoughts and continued, and as soon as he finished speaking, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
How ruthless!
When their policy proposals were collected, most of them were blank, and the few that were written looked like chicken claws, which made Suo'etu, who was known for his extensive knowledge and beautiful handwriting, feel disgusted.
As he flipped through the pages, his face grew increasingly dark. Was there really not a single good one?
Finally, I saw a well-written and beautifully formatted policy essay at the bottom. After reading it, I managed to smile a little.
The group of spoiled young men below were very good at reading people's expressions. While waiting for Suo'etu to grade the papers, their hearts were pounding, especially when Suo'etu's face darkened. They all felt hopeless about their lives.
They must have seen his exam paper. They all knew each other and knew what kind of person the other was. If he angered Suo'etu to the point of illness, he would probably be bedridden for ten or fifteen months. [He was beaten up.]
Finally, Suo'etu's expression softened slightly, and he was still rejoicing over who was so powerful and had such explosive strength today?
At the same time, Suo'etu also looked at the name: Heheqia?
Is this it?
The Hesheli family was large and had many branches. Not every member of the younger generation knew Suo'etu. For example, who was this Heheqia?
Looking up at the students sitting upright, he asked, "Who is He Heqia? Stand up and let me see."
Everyone focused their attention on Heheqia. When he stood up, Suo'etu also looked over. He was somewhat thin, but stood tall like a pine tree, with a humble yet confident expression. He was a promising talent.
How could all of Hesheli's people really be good-for-nothings?
He nodded with satisfaction. "Heheqia? Not bad, not bad, a good child. Which branch of the family is he from?"
“Father, he is Aunt Sang’s nephew, not one of our Hesheli.” Algishan was somewhat dissatisfied that his father was praising others while ignoring him.
He wrote his policy essays well, so why didn't anyone see his strengths?
Upon hearing that they were not from the Hesheli clan, Suo'etu became even angrier at the younger generation of the Hesheli, who had studied in such a privileged environment since childhood yet could not outperform a mere nephew of an aunt.
Enraged, they called their parents, who gave them a severe scolding. After returning home, these spoiled brats were beaten again by their father.
As for Heheqia, Suo'etu praised him a few times at the end, but then made no further moves.
He Heqia also understands his identity and status. He is only here to learn about resources. He keeps a low profile and does not quarrel with others.
Just as Songgotu finished punishing these young men, the emperor's edict arrived, concerning those crimes. Several of them were taken away, including him, the old minister...
It's no longer the case that he simply shut himself away to reflect on his actions, was directly dismissed, and then ignored.
The parents of the arrested individuals were so frightened that they rushed to find Suo'etu, asking him to pull some strings. Suo'etu looked at them coldly, thinking they were all good-for-nothings and should just die; they were beyond saving.
Those parents were so angry that their eyes turned red. The fathers were a little better off, as they had other sons besides this one. But the mothers were different; they had finally given birth to a precious son and had spoiled him as he grew up.
In addition, given her status as the Crown Prince's maternal clan, Hesheli's reputation spread far and wide, and even without powerful parents, she commanded respect from ordinary Manchu people.
Seeing that Suo'etu was unhappy, he pointed at Suo'etu's nose and started cursing, "You, Suo'etu, is it because you angered the Emperor and the Crown Prince that my son... mmm... mmm..."
Her outburst of curses startled her husband, who quickly covered her mouth with his hand. "Damn it, what nonsense are you spouting? If you're going to die, don't drag him down with you."
"Lord Suo, I'm so sorry, so sorry. My wife has lost her mind. We'll leave now and won't bother you any longer." The man covered the woman's mouth, bowed and apologized, and quickly dragged the wretched woman away.
Soetu felt that Hesheli's huge branch was starting to grow from the bottom, and that so many good-for-nothings had been surpassed by a member of a different family.
Useless waste must be trimmed.
Soetu has been extremely busy lately, so busy that he has hardly paid attention to matters of the court. If he doesn't take a break, Hesheli will be ruined in his hands.
Kangxi didn't pay much attention to the aftermath of Hesheli's death. After dealing with the matter, he began to think about how to settle Mingzhu's affairs.
At this moment, the Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia's condition deteriorated again, and she fell into a coma. The imperial physician said that she might not live much longer.
When Emperor Kangxi visited the Imperial Noble Consort, she was pale and sickly, and had suddenly lost a lot of weight. This surprised and worried Emperor Kangxi. "Cousin, why have you suddenly lost so much weight?"
Where is the imperial physician?
Seeing that Kangxi was going to find the imperial physician again, the Imperial Noble Consort held Kangxi's hand and gently shook her head, "Cousin, no need, go find the imperial physician, I, I'm about to die."
She took Kangxi's hand, weak and listless. Kangxi did not resist and sat down beside her as she wished.
"Cousin, before I die, I have only one wish. Otherwise, I really won't be able to die in peace. Waaah, cousin, I miss our Eighth Princess..."
As she spoke, she choked up and cried, saying that she had ruined her health in order to have a biological child.
If, if back then, my cousin had been willing to keep the Fourth Prince on his list, why would I have gone through all this?
She looked at Kangxi with teary eyes, her weak voice tinged with pain and distress. Her tearful appearance was no longer the delicate, tearful beauty she once was, but Kangxi still felt a pang of tenderness for her.
His cousin, who has been with him for over a decade, is about to leave him.
"Cousin, I... I want to register Yinzhen under my name, is that alright?" This time, she didn't refer to herself as "your humble servant," and her sincere tone brought them closer. "Cousin, do you remember the promise you made to me back then?"
If my cousin enters the palace, she will surely protect me.
But if she won't even give her a son, what kind of relationship do we have?
Upon hearing this, Kangxi frowned slightly. After a few seconds, he said in a deep voice, "I want to make you empress. Cousin, choose between having a child or the empress position."
A pang of pain flashed across his eyes. He left his fate to his cousin's choice. He knew that becoming empress was something his cousin had longed for ever since Empress Yuan, Hesheli, passed away.
My cousin has always been thinking about her child.
However, he also had to consider Bao Cheng's situation. As a legitimate son, the fourth son would affect Bao Cheng's position among the Han officials, and he was also afraid that the Tong family would push the fourth son forward.
So, I can only apologize to my cousin, but at least it gave her some comfort. She can have either the position or the child.
He wouldn't truly disappoint his cousin, so he grasped her hand in return, saying, "Cousin, I know you're finding it hard to decide. Please think it over carefully."
The Imperial Noble Consort was truly hesitant at this moment. She had thought that having the child registered under her name would be the greatest favor, but she never expected that the Emperor would be willing to make her Empress.
Tongjia's eyes lit up a few times, perhaps because joy made her feel good, and she felt like she could drink a bowl of medicine right now.
After Kangxi left the choice to the Imperial Noble Consort, he left. As he exited the palace, he noticed a frail woman dressed in thin clothing standing at a distance. She said, "This servant, Tongjia, greets Your Majesty."
Tongjia clan?
Kangxi paused in his steps as he was about to leave, turned around, and looked over. "What are you doing here?"
Suddenly, he remembered that some time ago, Men Tong Guowei had sent the Imperial Noble Consort's sister into the palace, and he hadn't refused.
With so many women in the harem, they can't go without food.
Inside, the Imperial Noble Consort was still considering which option to choose; both were incredibly tempting to her. She completely forgot about the Emperor's encounter with her half-sister at the door.
If she continues to be this angry, she might not even live to see the day she is crowned empress or recorded in the imperial edict.
As expected, the Emperor had only asked casually, and the half-sister actually thought the Emperor cared about her. How ridiculous.
affected and pretentious, it's annoying.
Being crowned empress means that thousands of years from now, people will still record that you were the emperor's empress, and that you will have a place in history.
But her child remained a source of pain in her heart.
When she became pregnant, she neglected Yinzhen. In her heart, she always subconsciously felt that a child who was not born from her body was not hers.
Now, Yinzhen has also married a Fujin, whose birth mother is one of the four imperial concubines. She once hoped to return to her side, so even without me, she shouldn't be doing too badly.
Two days later, Lady Tongjia told Emperor Kangxi about her decision.
When Emperor Kangxi heard about the decision of the Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia, he didn't know whether he felt disappointed or if it was exactly what he had expected. He had the heart of a loving mother, but ultimately, since the child was not his own, he didn't care about him anymore.
The next day, Emperor Kangxi issued an edict to bestow the title of Empress. Perhaps it was due to the effect of the "bringing good luck" ritual, but after the edict was issued, the Imperial Noble Consort's health immediately improved.
Everyone in Chengqian Palace was overjoyed. The Imperial Noble Consort was alright... Oh, no, it should be said that the Empress's condition was starting to improve, which was a good sign.
However, they overlooked the term "a final burst of energy before death."
The day after she was made empress, Lady Tongjia passed away peacefully in her sleep, smiling...
The sudden elevation of Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia to Empress was something neither the court nor the harem had anticipated; it came without any warning.
However, no sooner had the imperial edict been issued than the officials and concubines were discussing how to deal with it, and the next day Empress Tongjia passed away.
Well, it seems I won't have that luck.
Emperor Kangxi was not heartless towards Lady Tongjia. He had expected her to pass away, as the imperial physicians had already made a diagnosis long before.
Because she was posthumously honored as Empress Xiaoyiren, her coffin was kept in state for seven days. All the concubines, imperial relatives, and wives of the emperor and his consorts were required to come and kneel before the coffin, including the emperor's sons and their wives.
After being granted the title, she became the legal mother.
The Crown Prince also came to offer incense, while the Crown Princess... well, she requested to kneel at the coffin with the First Princess and the others. Jia Luo looked at the First Princess, who was quite pregnant, and was a little worried.
"Are you alright?" she asked discreetly, touching the cushion under her knees, which seemed a bit too thin.
The Emperor showed favoritism towards the Crown Prince, but not towards the Crown Princess. The idea of "love me, love my dog" simply didn't apply to Kangxi. Oh... perhaps it did apply to his grandchildren, like his daughter-in-law?
What does this have to do with me? Your wives can do as they please.
"I'm fine, the baby is healthy." Perhaps because she had taken a few years off to recuperate, there was nothing wrong with her at all. Touching her belly, she felt the baby was behaving well.
Jialuo nodded, also relieved that she wasn't pregnant yet. If she had to kneel here with such a big belly, wouldn't she be miserable?
The eldest prince seemed not to have considered this, and did not come over to offer any concern, causing Jialuo to glance at the pregnant woman a few more times.
However, His Highness the Crown Prince did not come, which made Jialuo feel that she and the First Princess Consort were in the same boat.
Nothing happened on the first two days, but on the third day, a noblewoman in the harem suddenly started bleeding and was diagnosed with a miscarriage.
Kangxi then realized the problem and thought of his eldest wife, who was pregnant with his eldest son's child. He didn't have any grandchildren yet, so he couldn't afford to have any accidents happen to her.
When the Empress Dowager learned of this, she ordered the imperial physician to also check the Crown Princess's pulse, just in case the Crown Princess was also pregnant.
Kneeling for too long can easily lead to miscarriage.
Unfortunately, there was no good news from the Crown Princess, but it did give them time to rest and take turns kneeling before the coffin.
Consort Hui and Consort De were not released and remained under house arrest. The Emperor knew that his cousin and Consort De had some disagreements, and he was too lazy to let her come out and disturb the peace of his cousin's mourning hall.
The Tong family lost Empress Xiaoyiren, but there was still a Tong family woman in Chengqian Palace.
The previous one couldn't produce a prince, but the next one definitely will.
With this ambition, Tong Guowei also subtly hinted to the Emperor that, in the end, the concubine's daughter, Tongjia, remained in Chengqian Palace, but still held the rank of a concubine.
At this time, Consort Niohuru (the birth mother of the Tenth Prince) fell ill and claimed to be sick. Consort Hui and Consort De were also confined to their quarters. After some consideration, Emperor Kangxi realized that the Yuqing Palace was now well managed by the Crown Princess.
The Crown Prince is receiving education as the heir apparent, and in the future, the Crown Princess will also ascend to the position of the Empress. It's good for him to learn slowly now.
With a wave of his hand, he handed over the reins of the harem to the Crown Princess. As for how she would take over from the other concubines and whether she could do so successfully, that was up to her own abilities.
Consort De received the news of Tongjia's death, and her expression immediately became distorted as she tried to suppress her laughter. Although she could not share her inner ecstasy with anyone, she was still extremely excited.
Hahahaha!! Tongjia clan, you bitch, you're finally dead.
Recalling the suffering she endured under the Tongjia clan, Consort De felt waves of pleasure wash over her, but unfortunately, she couldn't go to her enemy and mock him.
But it doesn't matter, she'll live a good and glamorous life.
Upon learning of Tongjia's death, he didn't even care about the Emperor stripping her of her palace power and handing it over to the Crown Princess.
She had met the Crown Princess Fucha at the Empress Dowager's place before. She looked like a simple and innocent little girl. She wondered why the Emperor had chosen such a woman as the Crown Princess.
However, it's also a good thing. The more naive the Crown Princess is, the easier it is for others to stir things up and bring her down, thus implicating the Crown Prince.
Little did they know that some people are born lucky and live a life of effortless success.
After Empress Xiaoyiren passed away, her body lay in state for seven days before being placed in the imperial mausoleum, and the Chengqian Palace, where she had once lived, became the residence of her half-sister.
Only a few elderly people in the palace remembered; everyone else continued to live their lives as usual, and it had no impact whatsoever.
Hmm... it did have quite an impact on Jialuo.
Because the Emperor has ordered her to take over palace affairs, she has to keep busy and cannot afford to delay.
She didn't immediately get involved in lucrative departments like the Imperial Kitchen's purchasing department. Instead, she took over departments like the Flower and Bird Shop, where it was less likely to be blocked.
Granny Zhao was an old hand in the palace and had more experience in this area. Granny Jin and the other maids also rolled up their sleeves to help with the work, such as keeping accounts...
This time, Jialuo didn't hand her over to the Crown Prince. Instead, she borrowed a few people from him. The Crown Prince knew what was going on, but he didn't act arrogantly.
They were all eunuchs who could read and write, and they worked hard to organize the account books. The method that Jialuo taught them was indeed effective (making tables and account books). Unlike others who were busy to death, she felt... well, it was alright.
At night, Jialuo still had the time and energy to fool around with the Crown Prince. Jialuo had heard a saying from somewhere: "A man's semen is used up every time."
Moreover, Jialuo is always cheerful and has no worries. This kind of thing makes her feel comfortable and happy, so how could she not like it?
Jialuo had practically worn out the fire-avoidance manual she was holding.
At first she was shy, but later, His Highness the Crown Prince became so bold that he opened a book and discussed with her what the position was like.
Knowing that the Crown Princess was practicing the palace's secret yoga, and that she was very flexible and could be manipulated in any way, they even tried it on a table.
However, Jialuo has changed. She has transformed from the adorable Jialuo into the wicked Niohuru Jialuo. During this time, His Highness the Crown Prince has not been drinking any aphrodisiac medicinal diets, but she has been drinking them every day.
Feeling full of energy, when he saw His Highness the Crown Prince return from outside, his staring eyes were filled with fiery provocation, his eyes practically screaming "I refuse to admit defeat."
As soon as he stepped into the main courtyard, he saw the Crown Princess's warm attitude. From her words, the Crown Prince already knew what she was thinking.
Try to out-strength him?
Even if he doesn't drink anything strange, he started practicing bukaku (a type of Chinese martial arts) when he was five or six years old, and he also practiced horseback riding and archery. With the Crown Princess's stamina, how dare she compare to him?
However, the Crown Prince pretended to know nothing, his elegant and noble demeanor, his tightly buttoned clothes, and his ascetic air were all part of his charm.
His actions caught the Crown Princess's eye. During dinner, the Crown Princess sat beside him but barely looked at him, focusing instead on eating.
Your Highness: Hmm, she wants to eat her fill so she won't be too hungry to have the energy to fight back at night.
As for other reasons? Impossible. How could I be less appealing than a bowl of rice?
After dinner, Jialuo knew that strenuous exercise immediately after dinner could easily lead to appendicitis, so she took out the account books she used to manage the harem and had a good discussion with the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness, if I find out that someone is taking advantage of the royal family, should I report it to Father Emperor?" Jialuo didn't understand politics, let alone how to shift the political winds, but her man did.
His Highness the Crown Prince, with his dragon-like bearing and phoenix-like beauty, must know everything.
"Hmm?" His Highness the Crown Prince had never seen the palace's account books, nor did he know the accounting methods and prices of the Imperial Household Department. He raised an eyebrow and responded indifferently.
(End of this chapter)
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