Chapter 61 Yinxiang had just arrived at Ning Shou Palace when…
Yinxiang arrived at Ning Shou Palace just as all the dishes were served. Wenshan didn't bring any prepared food today; instead, she brought ingredients and cooked in the small kitchen of Ning Shou Palace. After Su Ma La Gu arrived, she volunteered to help her.
Wen Shan hadn't seen Su Ma La Gu for a while, and she was relieved to see that Su Ma La Gu was in much better spirits than when the Empress Dowager had just left.
Fifth Prince was also raised under the watchful eyes of Su Ma La Gu. He was a cheerful and lovable child, and all the elders liked him.
Besides his biological father, Emperor Kangxi, always complaining that he was neither good at literature nor martial arts, the Fifth Prince was always cheerful and didn't take it to heart. In addition, the Empress Dowager always protected him. Emperor Kangxi tried several times to "guide the Fifth Prince onto the right path" but gave up after finding that it was completely ineffective.
In fact, Wen Shan had always envied the Fifth Prince. She would be very happy if Yin Zhen and the others could live like the Fifth Prince. In the end, as an old mother, she did not ask her children to have great abilities, but simply hoped that they could live a healthy, smooth and carefree life.
Now that Yinzhen and Yinsi are causing trouble in the court, there's not much she can do to help. She can only take care of their health and make sure they have a place to rest when they return to Xianfu Palace.
When Yinxiang arrived at Ning Shou Palace, he paid his respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was quite fond of this little grandson, especially since Yinxiang looked somewhat like Emperor Kangxi, which made her find it even more interesting. She had doted on Yinxiang since he was a child.
Yinxiang and Sumalagu were both present, which made the Empress Dowager unusually happy. The group had just finished a meal in good spirits when Aunt Heyu, who was by the Empress Dowager's side, came in and said that someone had just returned from Mongolia with an imperial edict from Emperor Kangxi.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager hurriedly asked if something had gone wrong on the battlefield. Aunt Heyu smiled and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry, the Emperor is fine. It was the Jasak Heshuo Prince of Western Mongolia who unfortunately died in battle against the Dzungars. His wife also committed suicide, leaving behind only a daughter. The Emperor felt sorry for the young princess who lost her parents at such a young age, so he sent someone to escort her back to the capital first, hoping you could make some arrangements for her."
Aunt He Yu also brought Kangxi's edict. After reading it, the Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Poor thing, we should take care of her father who sacrificed himself for the country. Let the princess rest and have some food in the side hall first, and then let her come over in the afternoon."
Wen Shan didn't find anything strange at first, but Yinxiang frowned. Was there such a Mongolian princess who came to the capital in the previous life?
In the afternoon, Wen Shan met the Mongolian princess who had come from afar. The girl was only sixteen years old, tall and beautiful, and a very bright and generous girl. Her name was also lovely, Yun Dai.
Wen Shan couldn't help but wonder if Emperor Kangxi had been so captivated by the girl's beauty that he insisted on sending her from her Mongolian hometown to the capital.
Clearly, the Empress Dowager had the same idea after meeting her, but she was also happy to have another Mongol concubine in the palace. So she chatted with her for a while and then temporarily kept her in Ning Shou Palace.
Yinxiang scrutinized Yun Dai to make sure there was no such person in his previous life. When Yinzhen and Yinsi returned to Xianfu Palace that evening, he quickly informed them of the matter.
"My fourth brother and I found out this afternoon as well," Yinzhi said. "I've already sent people to inquire about Princess Yundai; I estimate we'll have news in a few days."
With Kangxi away from the palace, Yinzhi became even more blatant in his actions. He was now fully aware of everything that happened in the Forbidden City, and he and Yinzhen received the news as soon as people entered the palace at noon.
"But I suppose it shouldn't be a problem since she's just an orphan," Yinxiang said.
"If Father Emperor takes a liking to her, then there's nothing to say." Yinzhi then looked at Wenshan and asked, "Mother, you met her today, what did you think of her?"
Wen Shan was feeding the koi fish when Yin Si asked her, and she said, "They're quite pretty and graceful. It's quite possible that your father, the Emperor, might have developed lustful thoughts about them."
"..."
Yinxiang also met Yundai today and had a different opinion: "I don't think it's because Father Emperor has taken a liking to her. In recent years, Father Emperor has favored Han Chinese gentle concubines like Consort Mi and Noble Lady Yuan. That princess doesn't seem like it."
Even Wen Shan's appearance and temperament lean towards the gentle and tender type of Han women.
Yinzhi treated these variables, which were different from those in his previous life, with caution: "I have already sent people to keep an eye on them, so there is no need to worry too much."
After discussing the unexpected arrival of Princess Yinxiang, he mentioned wanting to leave the palace to see the craftsmen making inventions and creations. Now that Emperor Kangxi was not around, it was indeed a good opportunity.
However, Yinzhen had to go to the Crown Prince's office every day to discuss matters, so he couldn't leave. In the end, only Yinsi and Yinxiang sneaked out of the palace.
The two went out for a day and returned before the palace gates were locked.
Then, as expected, he was scolded by Yinzhen again.
“Fourth Brother, you don’t know, those people are quite interesting.” Yinxiang enthusiastically introduced to his fourth brother, “The steam engine that Mother mentioned has actually been figured out by someone who has come up with something similar.”
Wen Shan was shocked when she heard this: "Someone has already made it?!"
After washing his hands, Yinzhi, unusually, wolfed down his food as he reached for the snacks on the table.
While eating, he mumbled, "It's just a prototype, and it's not very big yet, but I think it will be able to be made into something similar in a while."
"Eat slowly." Wen Shan smiled helplessly as she watched Yin Si and Yin Xiang start fighting over the plate of pastries on the table, and waved for Pearl to fetch some more.
Worried that they might choke if they ate too quickly, I poured them a glass of honey grapefruit water that I had just made that afternoon.
Once it's made, it's kept chilled in an ice chest, and it's perfect for cooling off in the summer heat.
Yinzhen had drunk several cups of wine before they returned.
As expected, Yinzhi and Yinxiang also gave it high praise after drinking it.
"Why do they look like they haven't eaten all day?" Wen Shan found it a bit strange that they still looked very hungry after finishing two plates.
Yinxiang snatched the last piece of glutinous rice cake, stuffed it into his mouth, and then said, "My brother and I really haven't eaten much all day. There are all sorts of strange and wonderful things in that garden now, we can't even take it all in."
The three people brought to the capital by Yinzhen were all passionate about invention and creation, but they couldn't devote themselves to it wholeheartedly because of the need to make a living. Now, they suddenly gained the appreciation of a great man and were fed well every day. They could have whatever they wanted, and their parents, wives and children at home were also well taken care of. They never dreamed that they could live such a life.
In particular, Wen Shan's notebooks have enlightened many people, giving them a sudden burst of inspiration, and they have produced quite a few things after a period of hard work.
Although they are still quite different from the amazing machines Wenshan mentioned, it is enough to show that these people are indeed capable.
Yinzhen was also somewhat tempted after hearing this, and said that he would definitely find an opportunity to go and see it with them next time.
When Wenshan heard that they really hadn't eaten, she quickly stopped them from stuffing snacks into their mouths.
Wenshan was worried that their stomachs wouldn't be able to handle it, since they hadn't eaten much all day and were having so many hard-to-digest snacks for dinner.
So Wenshan went to the small kitchen and made two bowls of egg noodles for them to eat.
After Yinzhi and Yinxiang had eaten and drunk their fill, they proudly presented a set of coral and jade jewelry, which shone brilliantly in the candlelight.
"This is something my thirteenth brother and I specially picked out for Mother at the largest jewelry shop in the capital," Yinzhi said with a smile. "Although the Imperial Household Department has also sent quite a few over, the things in the palace are all pretty much the same, and sometimes they're not as fresh as the ones outside the palace. Mother, please enjoy them."
The two of them were so busy all day that they didn't even have time to eat, yet they still went to buy her jewelry, which moved Wen Shan deeply. Yinzhen was a little jealous, as his two younger brothers had bought gifts for their mother, leaving him the only one left.
The next second, Yinxiang said with a grin, "It was my eighth brother and I who picked it out for Mother, and we used money from Fourth Brother's garden!"
Yinzhi nodded and shrugged: "I took five hundred taels directly from the garden manager. Fourth Brother doesn't mind, does he?"
Forget about Yinxiang, how could Yinsi be short of money?
This person is clearly thinking of themselves, hence their deliberate attempt to be considerate.
Yinzhen felt a warmth in his heart and smiled slightly, "Of course, you and your thirteenth brother can take as much as you like."
Wenshan was happy to see the three brothers getting along so well, and with a wave of her hand, she promised to make them a hot pot tomorrow, and prepared to personally fry some butter to make an authentic hot pot for them.
The reason why Yinzhi and Yinxiang bought jewelry for Wenshan was not only because Wenshan really liked these things, but also because Princess Yundai entered the palace today. The concubines in the harem all sent some gifts to her. As a concubine who was also from Mongolia and had the highest rank in the palace, Wenshan reluctantly gave up a set of jewelry from her private treasury and sent it over. Yinxiang witnessed the whole process.
So when Yinzhi mentioned that he had finally managed to leave the palace and wanted to bring something back for Wenshan, Yinxiang brought up this matter.
Upon hearing this, Yinzhi immediately ordered his men to find the best jewelry currently in fashion in the capital. They personally picked out the best set, and only this one looked decent. The rest, even if Yinzhi and Yinxiang brought back for Wenshan to play with, they felt were not worthy of her.
Within a few days, everyone in the harem gradually began to understand why Princess Yun Dai had entered the palace.
Because the eldest prince would frequently visit Princess Yundai's residence, Yuhua Pavilion, and the two often went to the Imperial Garden together to admire the flowers and feed the fish, appearing quite intimate.
"Is your Emperor bringing back a daughter-in-law?" Wen Shan found the situation rather strange.
But then I thought, it's normal that the eldest prince had just returned from the Mongolian battlefield and knew Yun Dai.
Could it be that the two fell in love at first sight and were so in love that Emperor Kangxi decided to grant them their wish and bestow marriage upon them after returning to the capital?
The people Yinzhen sent to gather information quickly returned with news: the story between Yun Dai and the First Prince was just an ordinary hero-saves-the-damsel story. When Yun Dai's father died on the battlefield, it was the First Prince who led troops to rescue him. Although he ultimately failed to save Prince Zasak, he miraculously saved Yun Dai when she was almost captured by the Dzungars.
It doesn't sound like there's anything seriously wrong.
However, Yinzhen and the others felt that something was amiss.
“Princess Yundai is the legitimate daughter of a Mongolian prince, and besides, Prince Zasak has just died on the battlefield. There’s no way we could let her become my elder brother’s concubine.” Yinzhi reminded Wenshan, “Mother, my elder brother has only been married to a member of the Irgen Gioro clan for less than half a year.”
Wenshan then came to her senses. Oh right, the eldest prince had already married his principal wife.
Given Yun Dai's status and the fact that her father has now died for the country, it is absolutely impossible for her to become a concubine of the eldest prince.
The Irgen Gioro family is not to be trifled with either. They haven't done anything wrong and have only been married for less than half a year, so it's unlikely they can get a divorce.
"Then the eldest prince and the princess at this moment..." Wen Shan paused and said, "...aren't they putting the emperor in a huge dilemma?"
Yinxiang didn't take it seriously: "I think it's only because Father is not in the palace that my elder brother is acting this way. When Father returns, he won't be so confused, will he?"
"It's hard to say," Yinzhi said.
What they didn't expect was that it wasn't just the eldest prince who lost his mind, but also the crown prince.
After meeting Princess Yun Dai once, whether to annoy the First Prince or because he genuinely liked her, the Crown Prince would visit her every few days, but his visits were not as close as the First Prince and the Princess had been a few days ago.
Yinzhen and the other two were completely astonished; none of them expected that the Crown Prince and the First Prince would fight over a woman.
When Consort Ping and Consort Hui found out, they were so worried that they couldn't eat for days, feeling that this princess was simply a femme fatale.
Consort Hui summoned the eldest prince for several days in a row, wanting to know what her son was really thinking.
“Mother, Yun Dai and I are in love. Father knew this when we were in Mongolia, so you don’t need to worry.” The eldest prince said confidently, “Father sent Yun Dai back to the capital. I wonder if he wanted to arrange a marriage for me after we returned from the war.”
"A betrothal?" Consort Hui's mind was unusually clear for a moment. "You just got married half a year ago. The Irgen Gioro clan handled everything perfectly and there was nothing wrong with it. Do you want this princess to be your secondary consort or concubine?"
Consort Hui was equally skeptical about her son's claim that the Emperor was also aware of the situation. How could the Emperor possibly allow Yinti to act so recklessly?
The eldest prince did not think it was a difficult matter, and said: "Although Yun Dai is the daughter of a Mongolian prince, the Zasak is dead and there is no one in her family. She is now just an orphan. There is nothing wrong with betrothing her to me as a concubine."
Before Consort Hui could say anything more, the eldest prince interrupted her, saying, "Mother, if it's a matter of exceeding the rules, Father still betrothed Nuomin's daughter to Fourth Brother as a secondary consort, so you don't need to worry."
The eldest prince's argument actually fooled Consort Hui, who thought about it and felt that it made some sense.
Even someone of Ma Jia's background was betrothed to the Fourth Prince as a secondary consort. Although the Emperor said that the Fourth Prince was now registered under Consort Xuan's name and thus had a noble status, which is why he was betrothed to Nuomin's daughter, Yinti also held the title of the eldest son and had a similarly noble status.
Thinking about it that way, it seems to make sense.
"Your Majesty, I can't let the Crown Prince always have the upper hand. Right now, I have to let my fourth brother have the upper hand too. When my tenth brother grows up, he will have to be the one to suppress me as well," the eldest prince said indignantly.
When Consort Hui heard what the eldest prince said, her heart softened and she felt a pang of heartache. She sighed and said, "It's all my fault. Your maternal clan can't help you much, and your rank is not as high as the two imperial consorts. I've delayed my son's progress."
"Mother, please don't say that." The eldest prince also sighed. "When I grow up, I will make my own achievements and become the crown prince. I will make you the empress dowager and you will never have to suffer from anyone's mistreatment again!"
Consort Hui smiled with relief, but her brows furrowed again when the Crown Prince was mentioned.
"Yinti, I've heard that the Crown Prince has been spending a lot of time with the Princess lately. What's going on?"
This is arguably the biggest source of amusement in the palace recently. It seems that both the Crown Prince and the First Prince have taken a liking to Princess Yun Dai from Mongolia. Although there has been no actual competition between them, this is indeed quite a strange situation.
The eldest prince gets angry whenever this is mentioned, saying that the crown prince is deliberately making things difficult for him and intentionally going against him.
Consort Hui hesitated for a moment before saying, "The Crown Prince is highly regarded by the Emperor. If he really wants to compete with you, you must swallow your anger for now."
After all, the Crown Prince is not yet married, so it wouldn't be a problem to make room for Princess Yun Dai as a concubine.
Given that Emperor Kangxi had always favored the Crown Prince since childhood, Consort Hui felt that if the Crown Prince asked for her, Emperor Kangxi would most likely grant his request.
The eldest prince was furious, but he knew that his mother was telling the truth; he could not compete with the crown prince at the moment.
Having endured so many years, he also wanted a chance to directly compete with the Crown Prince.
The conversation between the mother and son that afternoon was reported to Yinzhen by spies in Consort Hui's palace.
"Enduring for many years?" Yinxiang laughed upon hearing this. "When has my elder brother, who's always running around like this, ever been enduring anything?"
It's unbelievable that he could say such a thing.
Wen Shan listened to this as gossip and casually asked what exactly happened to the Crown Prince.
Yinzhi said, "There's one thing that you're right about, elder brother. The crown prince isn't really that infatuated with that woman; he just wants to annoy you."
"Besides, with Suo'etu overseeing things for the Crown Prince, he won't act too impulsively," Yinzhen added.
Yinzhen has now infiltrated the Crown Prince's faction, and the Crown Prince sometimes speaks to him and the Third Prince.
For example, in the matter of Princess Yundai, Yinzhen pretended to offer advice and advice to the Crown Prince.
At that time, the Crown Prince said nonchalantly, "Prince Zasak died on the battlefield, and the Princess is his orphan. Since we have come to the capital, as the Crown Prince who is in charge of the country, I should naturally go and visit her. Besides, we have not done anything out of line. If my elder brother thinks there is something wrong, that is his business."
Clearly, they wanted to use this incident to further provoke the eldest prince into doing something irrational, so that when Kangxi returned, he might punish him for multiple offenses in a fit of anger.
"Such a treacherous trick, it must have been Suo'etu's idea," Yinzhi said while eating chilled watermelon.
Yinxiang leaned over and Yinsi fed him a bite as well. Yinxiang was losing his baby teeth and started squealing when he was hit by the ice, which startled Yinsi. He stopped eating the watermelon and quickly had someone take him away.
Yinzhen looked helplessly at his two younger brothers, and then asked Wenshan if she was bored in the palace lately. He suggested that they go out of the palace to see the craftsmen and bring back some trinkets for Wenshan.
"It's not boring lately, it's quite interesting." Wen Shan was enjoying the gossip about the love triangle between the Crown Prince and the First Prince. Not only her, but also Consort Niohuru, Consort Yi, and Consort Rong were watching the drama with great interest, leaving Consort Ping and Consort Hui with nothing but trouble.
The Fourteenth Prince had recently fallen slightly ill, and Consort De had been busy taking care of her son and hadn't left Yonghe Palace much, so she missed this lively event.
Even the Empress Dowager heard about this and specifically asked Wen Shan if she knew what had happened.
"I don't know the details either, but it seems that both the Crown Prince and the First Prince are interested in the Princess," Wen Shan said with a smile. "After all, they are young and full of vigor, so it shouldn't be a problem."
The Empress Dowager frowned upon hearing this.
"What kind of talk is it for two brothers to fight over one woman?" The Empress Dowager thought for a moment and then asked Aunt Heyu to invite Princess Yundai over.
During this break, Wen Shan also told the Empress Dowager about the connection between the princess and the eldest prince in Mongolia. The Empress Dowager listened in silence and finally said, "If Yin Ti had not married... well, well, what kind of mess is this?"
Princess Yundai's residence is not far from Ning Shou Palace; we'll arrive in a short while.
After paying his respects to the Empress Dowager and Wen Shan, he stood respectfully to the side.
"Please sit down," the Empress Dowager gestured for the palace maids to serve tea.
Princess Yun Dai has been in the palace for almost a month. Because she is still in mourning, she is dressed very simply, but it still cannot hide her radiance and beauty.
The Empress Dowager looked her over and said, "She is indeed a beautiful woman."
"Your Majesty flatters me," Yun Dai replied humbly. "It was only after entering the palace that I realized there are so many beauties in the world that I can only look up to. I am ashamed of myself compared to Consort Xuan, who is so elegant and noble."
Wen Shan didn't say anything, she just smiled.
The Empress Dowager summoned her today to give her a warning and prevent her from disrupting the rules by getting involved between the Crown Prince and the First Prince. She also wanted to help her out of consideration for her Mongolian heritage and the fact that her father had just died in battle.
"I've heard that you and the First Prince knew each other back in Mongolia?"
Yun Dai only briefly mentioned that the First Prince had led troops to her aid, and finally said that she was grateful to the First Prince for saving her life.
"It's good to be grateful, but there's no reason to let your benefactor visit you all the time," the Empress Dowager said. "The eldest prince just got married before the New Year, and his primary wife and secondary wife are both living in the palace. I'll have someone prepare some gifts for you to take with you to see them later."
The Empress Dowager specifically pointed out that the eldest prince was already married, naturally wanting Yun Dai to understand that she and the eldest prince were destined to be apart, and wanted her to weigh the pros and cons and extricate herself as soon as possible.
If we wait until Emperor Kangxi returns and finds out, things will get complicated.
The Empress Dowager didn't mention the Crown Prince because she wanted to save face for the young girl and avoid making the situation too awkward.
Yun Dai wasn't stupid. She could tell from the Empress Dowager's tone that she didn't support her and the First Prince, let alone her marriage to the Crown Prince. So she could only accept the gifts and go to the Fifth Palace in Ganxi with Aunt He Yu.
"The Empress Dowager has been neglecting palace affairs for a long time, but now she's getting involved for the sake of the princess," Wen Shan joked.
Once you're in the position of Empress Dowager, you can say you have nothing to worry about. If the Empress Dowager doesn't want to get involved in Yun Dai's affairs, she can simply ignore them. Even if the harem is in chaos, when Kangxi returns, he will only question Consort Niohuru. And if the Empress Dowager intervenes, it's probably out of pity that Yun Dai is an orphan.
The Empress Dowager shook her head: "Why should a young girl like her get involved in these troubles? It would be much better to wait until the Emperor returns, take her as his goddaughter, bestow upon her the title of princess, and then find her a good family to marry into."
Su Ma La Gu also came today. Upon hearing this, she said, "This servant thinks the princess is intelligent, but I don't know if she can understand the Empress Dowager's good intentions."
Su Ma La Gu had served the Empress Dowager for many years and was always very perceptive. Although this was the first time she had met Princess Yun Dai, she could tell from her eyes that the girl was intelligent and had her own ideas. It was really hard to say what she was planning.
Before long, Sumalagu's idea was proven true.
The Crown Prince had actually had intimate relations with Princess Yun Dai, and the First Prince even caught them in the act.
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