Chapter 14 The Relationship Between Consort Hui and Her Son
After Baoqing fell asleep, Yunyun quietly got up.
In the west wing, two old women stood respectfully with their hands at their sides, waiting for her to ask them questions, looking somewhat reserved.
Yunyun first asked the prince what he usually ate and did outside the palace.
Seeing that Yunyun's expression was kind and showed no sign of harshness, the two nannies felt a little relieved.
There was no other way; this was the prince's own mother, and also a concubine in the palace. Their lives were all in her hands.
To get to where they are, being pragmatic is the most basic requirement.
Yun Jun spoke softly as always, "These past few years, Bao Qing has been able to grow up safely thanks to the two nannies who have taken such good care of him."
"Your Majesty is too kind to us!" The two nannies quickly bowed and replied, "Taking care of the prince is our duty, and we dare not accept the word 'hardship'."
Yunyun didn't say anything more polite, but simply called out softly, "Fuling."
Fu Ling walked in from outside the door in response, carrying a gilded tray with two vermilion lacquered boxes placed side by side on it.
She walked up to the two old women and slowly opened the box.
Half of the box was filled with gold and silver jewelry, while the other half contained fine gold hairpins, ruby rings, and pure gold bracelets, their jewels dazzling the eye.
Yunyun picked up her teacup and said directly, "Please accept this, both of you. This is what you deserve."
In any case, the fact that Baoqing was able to grow up healthy and strong to the age of five outside the palace without any mishaps at least proves that the two nannies had no ulterior motives and fulfilled their duty of care.
She has never been a stingy person; she believes that merit should naturally be rewarded, which is both a rule and a matter of reason.
The two old women's eyes lit up as they looked at the rewards in the box, and they quickly exchanged a glance.
Consort Hui is truly generous.
In the end, it was Granny Sun who composed herself first, bowed again, and said with gratitude in her voice, "Thank you for your generous gift, Consort Hui!"
"Hmm," Yun Jun responded faintly.
"But I must make this clear from the outset. Now that Baoqing has returned to the palace, he must abide by the rules of Yanxi Palace. If you take care of the prince's daily life diligently, I will naturally not make things difficult for you. However, if you make a mistake or have any improper thoughts, Yanxi Palace will not tolerate anyone who neglects their duties."
The two old women quickly said they dared not.
"As you all know, Baoqing and I have been separated for five years. Now that we are finally reunited, I want to spend more time with him and make up for the five years I missed. So for the next six months, I hope that you two nannies will not interfere with my relationship with Baoqing, and even more so, do not say anything inappropriate in front of him. He is my son, and I will teach him and care for him myself. There is no need for others to interfere."
Upon hearing this, the two nannies nodded in unison.
Granny Sun was the first to reply respectfully: "Your Majesty is right! Your Majesty is the Prince's own mother, and the Prince should naturally be close to Your Majesty. We servants would never dare to speak out of turn, much less interfere in the relationship between Your Majesty and the Prince."
She never had any ill intentions towards Baoqing. It was just that when they were outside the palace, she was always afraid that if the prince were to suffer any mishap, she would not be able to bear the responsibility. That's why she kept a close eye on him and didn't let him run around freely.
Now that her own mother is here, she can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Another nanny quickly chimed in.
They were initially worried that returning to the palace would require them to navigate the complexities of their relationship with their mother and son. However, Consort Hui's statement that they only needed to take care of the son's daily needs saved them a lot of trouble and made their job much easier.
Seeing that they had all agreed, Yun Jun's expression softened again, and she waved her hand.
"Alright, here's the reward. Go and keep it safe. From now on, just do your job well."
The two old women thanked them again for their kindness, and carrying the gift box, they left with light steps.
Silence returned to the west wing. Fuling stepped forward and said softly, "Master, these two old women seem to know what's good for them. They shouldn't cause any trouble."
Yunyun had her own considerations.
After Baoqing is to go to the Imperial Study, she can't remove all the people he knows. She will always need someone qualified and someone Baoqing can trust to take care of him.
However, she did not want Baoqing to be held back by the wet nurse.
So let's observe it more.
——
The heat of September has not yet completely dissipated. The sun hangs high in the clear sky, and only a torrential downpour seems to be able to completely extinguish the remaining heat.
Baoqing was awakened by the sunlight streaming through the window.
He stretched his arms and looked at the unfamiliar tent top before remembering that he had returned to the palace and was now sleeping in his mother's bed.
Where is Mother?
Baoqing lifted the thin blanket and quietly got out of bed.
The main hall of Yanxi Palace is well-organized, with five bays across the front. The central bay has an open door, while the eastern side bay is separated by a gauze screen and is where guests are received on weekdays. Further inside, the eastern end bay is the living quarters, which is also where the guards wake up.
Yunyun noticed the commotion inside—she was sitting in the east side room.
In her eyes, Baoqing was a very well-behaved child. When she woke up in a strange place, she didn't make a fuss and would even smile at her obediently.
After spending the morning together, Baoqing was clearly much more familiar with her and was no longer as reserved as when they first met.
"Baoqing, wake up," Yunyun said gently, putting down her embroidery. "Granny has packed all of Baoqing's things. Would Baoqing like to play with toys with Mother? The Imperial Household Department just sent over a small wooden horse. Would you like to go take a look?"
Lingzhi offered very useful advice regarding her son's toys.
It is said that children like to ride big horses, so the Imperial Household Department made a wooden horse so that Baoqing could ride it.
Even their reasons were well-reasoned.
When the princes went to the Imperial Study, there were always instructors teaching them how to ride horses. They were letting the princes get used to it in advance.
So they spent a sum of money to get the Imperial Household Department to hurry up and make toys.
With the help of money, the Imperial Household Department quickly prepared and delivered the items, just in time for Baoqing to wake up and play with them.
The west side room has been tidied up; she plans to turn it into Baoqing's toy room.
The craftsmanship of the Imperial Household Department was indeed exquisite; apart from the fact that the wooden horse could not actually run, its mane and saddle were carved with lifelike detail.
A small handrail was also installed on the horse's back, just big enough for Baoqing to hold in her hand.
In addition to the large horse, the Ministry of the Interior also gifted several smaller horses, presumably made from scraps, which were neatly arranged beside the large horse like miniature figurines.
Baoqing seemed to like it very much and had Granny Sun carry him up to him.
After Yun Jun's previous conversation, no matter what Sun Mama thought in her heart, at least on the surface she did what she was told. As long as she wasn't called, she would stand aside and serve without saying or moving much.
"Does Baoqing like it?"
Yunyun patted his head.
"I love it!" Baoqing looked at Yunyun with bright eyes. "Thank you, Mother!"
"As long as Baoqing likes it."
Yunyun patted his head again.
It's a pity that when the child turns six, the bangs on his forehead will have to be shaved into a proper hairstyle.
I can only take advantage of this moment to touch it a few more times.
As a genuine child, Baoqing could play with toys by herself in her room for a long time even when she was outside the palace.
Now that Yunyun is with him, Baoqing no longer talks to himself, but instead shares his thoughts with his mother while playing.
"Mother, this horse can move!"
"Mother, I am a general riding a horse!"
"I want to be the most powerful Baturu!"
Yunyun played rocking horse with Baoqing, playing the childish game of "You Can't Clap for Me," and Baoqing laughed and giggled the whole time.
He looked very happy.
Before Kangxi even stepped over the threshold, he heard a clear, crisp laugh.
He raised his hand to stop the palace maids and eunuchs who were about to step forward to pay their respects, and followed the sound of laughter inside.
Consort Hui, who was always dignified and proper, was sitting casually on the kang (a heated brick bed), her face bearing several ink marks, and she was laughing heartily.
When he first entered the palace, the obedient Fifth Prince, who looked well-behaved during his greetings, had dark spots all over his face and seemed a little confused when he looked at his mother.
"What are you doing?"
Emperor Kangxi suddenly spoke.
Yun Jun was having a great time when she was startled and grabbed Bao Qing off the kang (a heated brick bed), leading him to bow.
May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace.
"May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
Emperor Kangxi raised an eyebrow, not expecting Consort Hui to have so much strength. "Get up."
When Yunyun stood up, she had already regained her usual dignified and virtuous appearance, but the few ink marks on her face really diminished her composure.
She pretended that nothing had happened, saying, "Your Majesty, I was teaching Baoqing how to paint."
Bao Qing was self-disciplined and wrote several large characters every day.
In the morning, I was busy getting familiar with the palace environment. In the afternoon, after playing with Yunyun, I remembered my studies.
After Yunyun finished helping him practice calligraphy, she noticed there was still some ink left in the inkstone, so she decided to teach him to draw the wooden horse that had just been delivered.
It seemed that playing with children made her feel much younger, and Yunyun suddenly had a brilliant idea.
Apply ink to the small wooden horse and press it onto rice paper.
Isn't this just a horse's profile?
Thus, the scene that Kangxi witnessed upon entering occurred.
Following Yunyun's words, Kangxi looked at the Xuan paper on the kang table.
Several wooden horses were printed on the rice paper, with varying shades of ink. Some even bore the faint traces of children's fingertips, adding a touch of innocent charm.
A hint of a smile spread across his eyes. "That's a novel approach."
Seeing that he didn't blame her, Yunyun felt a little relieved. "It was just a joke with Baoqing. I'm sorry for making the Emperor laugh."
Baoqing stood to the side, her little hands covered in ink.
Seeing her father staring at the Xuan paper, she whispered, "Father, the horse that Mother taught me to print is better than the one I drew!"
What he drew was just a blob of ink; it didn't resemble a horse at all, let alone an animal.
As he spoke, he even stood on tiptoe, trying to point it out to Emperor Kangxi.
However, he lost his footing and swayed slightly.
Emperor Kangxi reacted quickly and grabbed the child's arm, his palm touching the child's warm, soft arm.
"Oh? Baoqing can paint too?" Kangxi sat down on the edge of the kang, his gaze falling on the ink stains on the child's face. He couldn't help but gently rub them with his fingertip. "Did you get tired of painting and rub the ink on your face?"
Baoqing was a little embarrassed by her father's actions and whispered, "I accidentally brushed against Mother when we were printing horses."
Yunjun stood aside watching the father and son talk.
Emperor Kangxi had never had a proper relationship with his son.
None of the previous princes grew up; what he saw most often were children lying quietly in cradles, looking thin and frail.
Unlike Baoqing, who is full of energy.
The Crown Prince is only three years old. Although he obediently calls him "Father Emperor," he is raised with great care and is usually looked after by his wet nurse.
Faced with Baoqing's adoring gaze, Kangxi felt a touch of paternal tenderness and teased him, "Since your mother taught you how to mark horses, why don't you mark one for your father too?"
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