Chapter 72 Wen Shan asked this question after thinking about it…
Wen Shan asked Yin Si about this, and Yin Si always knew these kinds of information like the back of his hand.
Upon hearing this, Yinzhi couldn't help but applaud Wenshan.
“Mother, I never expected that you would be able to figure this out on your own.”
Wen Shan: "..."
She does use her brain occasionally, okay?
"So what did Consort Niohuru do?" Yinxiang didn't know either, and asked while directing the palace servants to carry the items into the room.
Since Yinzhi didn't tell him, it's probably not related to their Xianfu Palace.
Wen Shan frowned, thinking that Consort Niohuru had been diligent and conscientious lately and hadn't done anything wrong.
“It’s not Consort Niohuru, it’s that the Niohuru family has gotten into some trouble,” Yinzhi said, resting his chin on his hand.
Seeing that Wen Shan wasn't in the mood to play, Yinzhen tidied up his things and then said, "Aling'a and his elder brother Faka have been at odds for a long time. A few days ago, they fabricated some scandalous things and made a huge fuss. Faka complained to Father Emperor, and Aling'a was stripped of all his positions."
The Niohuru clan was practically the closest of the imperial relatives to the imperial family. This matter shouldn't have escalated to such an ugly degree. Before things got out of hand, Emperor Kangxi had privately advised Consort Niohuru to persuade her two younger brothers not to cause such a public uproar.
As a result, Consort Niohuru ignored it.
“Faka is the younger brother of Consort Niohuru and Empress Xiaogong, born of the same mother, while Aling’a is born of a half-brother,” Yinzhi explained. “However, Ebilun chose Aling’a to be the next leader of the Niohuru clan, so Consort Niohuru naturally felt uncomfortable with this half-brother. Seeing that Aling’a was courting death, she naturally wouldn’t interfere.”
Ebilun had already passed away in the thirteenth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, leaving no one to control Aling'a. Naturally, Consort Niohuru would not let go of the rare opportunity to discipline Aling'a.
Consort Niohuru feigned ignorance and refused to follow Emperor Kangxi's instructions, so naturally, Emperor Kangxi was able to control her.
Wen Shan really didn't know the hidden story behind it, and always thought that Aling'a was the younger brother of Consort Niohuru.
Speaking of Aling, Yinxiang scratched his head and asked, "Didn't Aling marry Wuya in this life?"
In his previous life, Aling'a's wife was the younger sister of Consort De. At that time, Consort De was already very favored and had given birth to several children. Her family was also promoted by Emperor Kangxi, so Aling'a married Consort De's younger sister.
However, in this life, Consort De was not so favored, and Yinzhen was registered under Wenshan's name. His family was not specially promoted by Kangxi, and the situation in the harem was very different. Uya's family was not prominent to begin with, so Aling'a did not marry Consort De's sister. Instead, he married Empress Hesheli's sister, just like his brother Faka. The two were not only brothers but also brothers-in-law. However, this marriage did not turn the two brothers into friends but made them even more hostile.
Yinxiang sighed, “The Niohuru clan’s marital relationships are truly intricate. Aling’a and Faka married Empress Xiaozhao’s sister, and Aling’a also had an older brother who married Empress Xiaoyi’s sister, Tongjia’s daughter.”
If it weren't for the fact that Consort De's favor in this life was not as great as in the past, wouldn't the Niohuru family have married all of Kangxi's empresses' sisters?
"So, by that logic, aren't Consort Niohuru, Consort Tong, and Consort Ping all relatives?" Wen Shan said, both amused and exasperated.
Yinzhi had Pearl bring up a plate of his favorite jujube paste cake. As he ate, he said, "That's how it is among these princes and nobles. Anyone can become a relative by associating with anyone else."
Wen Shan thought that made sense. The major families were already quite adept at intermarrying with each other and with the royal family; it was good to keep the benefits within the family.
For example, Consort Niohuru's grandmother was Nurhaci's daughter. In terms of blood relations and ancestral merits, the Niohuru family was far more established than the Tong family and the Hesheli family.
That's why Consort Niohuru was so domineering.
However, the Tong family is the maternal family of the current emperor, and with the emergence of Tong Guowei, a capable leader who has made the Tong family prosperous and its influence spread throughout the court, they have gradually earned the title of "half the court of Tong." Not to mention that two empresses have emerged from the family and have close ties with the Aisin Gioro family. Therefore, the arrogance of the young Tongjia clan is no less than that of Consort Niohuru.
"What exactly happened this time? Was it Consort Niohuru's momentary negligence, or was it Xiao Tongjia who did it?" Wen Shan asked curiously.
Yinzhi smiled slightly: "I think so."
"Even though Consort Niohuru was meticulous, she made a mistake by not assigning a specific person to be in charge of the Empress Dowager's meals. Instead, the meals were handled by several chefs in the Imperial Kitchen, which gave Consort Tong the opportunity to tamper with them."
Wen Shan didn't pay any more attention to the matter. She prepared some breakfast for Yinxiang and then took the three of them to Ning Shou Palace to pay New Year's respects to the Empress Dowager.
Upon arriving at Ning Shou Palace, it was eerily quiet, devoid of any New Year's atmosphere. The palace servants moved with utmost care, tiptoeing about, afraid of provoking the already angry Empress Dowager to further provoke her.
As soon as Wen Shan stepped into the courtyard of Ning Shou Palace, Aunt Yu came out to greet her.
"Oh my, Your Highness, you've finally arrived." After exchanging greetings with Wen Shan and Yinzhen, Aunt He Yu hurriedly invited them inside.
"Has the Empress Dowager woken up? How is she feeling now?" Wen Shan asked.
Aunt Yu frowned when she mentioned this. After leading Wen Shan into the main hall and having her sit for a while, she said, "Last night, the Empress Dowager was furious and reprimanded Consort Niohuru. She also punished Consort Niohuru by making her kneel in Baohua Hall, and she still hasn't been called up."
It's not a good look for Consort Niohuru to have such a falling out with the Empress Dowager at this time of year, especially since she is currently the most powerful woman in the harem, especially since it's the New Year.
Yinzhi glanced into the inner room and, through the layers of curtains, could vaguely see two palace maids standing motionless outside, holding something, extremely quiet.
"Is Grandmother still not up?"
Aunt Heyu nodded: "The Empress Dowager didn't sleep at all last night. She said she had chest pain. The imperial physician came to see her and said there was nothing serious. It's just that she's emotionally unstable and old, so she can't be subjected to any more major shocks. She took medicine and didn't sleep for a while until dawn."
Last night, Emperor Kangxi stayed at Wenshan's place, so neither he nor Aunt Yu went to Xianfu Palace to inform Wenshan.
Wen Shan pursed her lips. This time, Xiao Tongjia really went too far. Not only did she attack Consort Niohuru, but she also angered the Empress Dowager, who was already old.
"You know that the Empress Dowager has been devoted to reciting Buddhist scriptures for the past six months and has been particularly meticulous about her diet. She is about to complete her merits. Alas." Aunt Heyu has served the Empress Dowager since she was a child, and she felt very sorry to see the Empress Dowager so angry.
Wen Shan thought for a moment and asked, "Does the Emperor know that the Empress Dowager is unwell? Has he come to see her?"
"Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the Emperor is very busy. The Empress Dowager instructed that since there is nothing important, we should not disturb the Emperor."
After speaking with Aunt Yu, she thought for a while and said, "Your Highness, it's not a good idea for you to wait here. Why don't I go and inform the Empress Dowager? You can try to persuade her, since she can only listen to your words now."
"No need, let the Empress Dowager rest for a while." Wen Shan quickly stopped her, wondering why she would wake the Empress Dowager now when she had finally fallen asleep.
As soon as she finished speaking, the palace maid inside moved and carried the washing utensils inside. She glanced at Aunt Yu and said, "It seems that the Empress Dowager has woken up. Please sit here for a while, you and the princes."
The Empress Dowager came out shortly afterward. She did not look well. After sitting down with her hand on her forehead, Aunt Yu quickly massaged her shoulders to loosen them up.
"I figured you would be here with the children to wish us a Happy New Year by now, and sure enough, you have arrived."
Yinzhen, Yinsi, and Yinxiang stepped forward to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager for the New Year. The Empress Dowager looked at these three grandsons, whom she had watched grow up, and managed a weak smile. She beckoned them forward to receive red envelopes.
"You're all good kids, take what you need."
The children said a few auspicious words, which cheered up the Empress Dowager and eased her mood.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager's mood had eased a bit, Wen Shan asked, "Where is the Fifth Prince? Wasn't he here to keep vigil last night?"
Aunt Yu said, "The Empress Dowager was afraid that the Fifth Prince would worry, so she sent him to Consort Yi's palace. I reckon he'll come to pay his respects soon."
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, all the concubines and princesses should have come to Ning Shou Palace with their princes and princesses to pay New Year's respects to the Empress Dowager. However, this year is special and the Empress Dowager did not want to see so many people and felt it was too noisy, so she notified everyone in the morning that they did not need to come to pay New Year's respects together at 5 a.m.
News of any event in the palace always spreads very quickly. Everyone knew that the Empress Dowager had been very angry last night, so no one dared to provoke her and was waiting for news to arrive at the appropriate time.
"Grandmother, please calm down. I don't think Consort Niohuru meant it. She specially prepared the dishes for you today. Perhaps she made a mistake in her busy schedule. Now that you have punished her, please calm down. Your health is the most important thing," Wen Shan advised.
The Empress Dowager sighed, "Just one step away, just one step away! How can I not be angry!"
Wen Shan completely understands this. If it were her, she would definitely be furious and wouldn't care whether it was intentional or not.
The Empress Dowager, after catching her breath, continued, "Alright, alright, it's the end of the year after all. He Yu, go to Baohua Palace and help Consort Niohuru get up. There's no need for her to come here to apologize. Let her go back to the palace to rest."
Aunt Yu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went out.
Yinzhi smiled and said, "Your sincerity is evident to Heaven and Earth. This breach of the precept was unintentional. Why don't we ask a master to come and consult him? Perhaps it's nothing serious."
The Empress Dowager thought about it and felt that it made sense, so she quickly sent someone to invite the master over.
Wen Shan asked Yin Si in a low voice, "Have you taken care of everything again?"
“Even monks who work in the palace are very shrewd and capable; they don’t need to make any connections.”
Sure enough, after the master arrived, he spoke at length about Buddhism, which Wenshan couldn't quite understand. In the end, he even did some divination and concluded that the Buddha hadn't blamed her. He only said that the Empress Dowager should fast for another month and recite the scriptures a hundred times to achieve great success.
The Empress Dowager was delighted to hear this and chanted "Amitabha" several times before sending the master away.
"Now you can rest assured," Wen Shan said with a smile.
The Empress Dowager breathed a sigh of relief: "Now I can finally get a good night's sleep."
"Our Yinzhi is so clever. Your Majesty should give you more things." The Empress Dowager said with a smile as she looked at Yinzhi.
Yinzhi hurriedly declined, but the Empress Dowager still took out a set of writing implements from the storeroom and gave them to Yinzhi.
"They all think I'm old and blind, but who can I hide this from?" the Empress Dowager suddenly said. "The people the Emperor has taken in these past few years are all scheming and ambitious. The palace is going to get more and more lively in the future."
The Empress Dowager knew everything after all; she was just angry for a moment.
Wen Shan didn't know what to say, so she told the Empress Dowager about Yun Dai's marriage, which Kangxi had told her yesterday, in an attempt to divert the Empress Dowager's attention.
"The Emperor has certainly put in some effort. Well, let's not talk about that anymore. It's almost lunchtime, and the ladies of the court should be going to the palace to pay their respects. You should hurry back to Xianfu Palace to prepare." The Empress Dowager began to urge people to go to the small Buddhist hall to chant Buddhist prayers.
Wen Shan reluctantly took her leave. On her way back, she said to Yinzhen and the others, "I don't know why the Empress Dowager has become so devout in Buddhism these past few years. She never used to go to offer incense more than a few times before."
It was only in the last two years that the Empress Dowager suddenly became a devout Buddhist.
“It seems that as people get older, they eventually convert to Buddhism.” Yinzhi raised an eyebrow and said, “Didn’t Fourth Brother also become a devout Buddhist in the end?”
Yinzhen: "..."
How did the topic turn to him again?
After the group returned to Xianfu Palace and finished their lunch, Pearl came in to report that Lady Fucha had arrived with Miss Fucha.
To avoid suspicion, the three brothers, including Yinzhen, went to the East Side Hall instead, even though they had already been betrothed.
This was Lady Fucha's first time visiting Xianfu Palace. Before coming, she had carefully inquired about Wenshan's preferences and brought a lot of gifts with her.
Miss Fucha, who will become Yinzhen's future primary wife, is the second daughter of Lady Fucha. She is beautiful and graceful. Wenshan thought to herself that Yinzhen is really lucky to have married such a beautiful wife in an arranged marriage. She also seems to have a gentle personality and is clearly a daughter raised in a prominent family.
"My daughter embroidered a headband for Your Highness by hand. The craftsmanship is crude, so I hope Your Highness will not find it offensive." Lady Fucha smiled and instructed the maid behind her to present the box.
Pearl stepped forward and handed it to Wenshan. Wenshan opened it and saw that the headband was very finely sewn, with auspicious cloud patterns embroidered on it. The edges and corners were carefully outlined with gold and silver threads, and two large sapphires were inlaid on it. It was obviously made with great care.
"This is considered crude? Madam is too modest." Since it was a gift from her daughter-in-law, Wen Shan had Pearl take it away and carefully put it away.
Wen Shan looked at Miss Fucha from left to right and felt that she had a very good impression of her. She beckoned her to come forward and sit next to her and said, "The Emperor mentioned to me yesterday that in two years, when Yinzhen and you both turn sixteen, he will let you get married. Today, when I see you, I wish I could marry you right away."
It was a coincidence that Yinzhen and Miss Fucha were the same age, with Yinzhen being a few months older than her.
Miss Fucha smiled shyly, and two blushes rose on her face.
"Yinzhen is good in every way, except that he is a bit cold-hearted, but he is by no means heartless. He is the kind of person who is tough on the outside but soft on the inside, and he is an upright person who will definitely treat you well." Wenshan patted her hand and continued, "After you marry into the family, you will have to take care of the family affairs for Yinzhen."
Miss Fucha nodded and said softly, "I have remembered everything Your Highness said."
Lady Fucha also doted on this daughter. Seeing that Wenshan liked her, she couldn't help but be happy. Hearing that her daughter could stay at home for another two years, she was even happier. Once she married into the royal family, it would naturally not be as comfortable as when she was a girl at home. Although no daughters from the Fucha family had married into the palace, Lady Fucha came from the Niohuru clan. Although she was not from the same clan as Empress Xiaogong and Consort Niohuru, she was still their cousin and their relationship was relatively close.
Seeing how her two cousins were doing in the palace, she understood. So when the marriage was arranged, she was somewhat reluctant and did not want her daughter to marry into the family. However, one reason was that the imperial decree could not be disobeyed, and the other was that the Fourth Prince had stood out among all the princes over the past year. Ma Qi always praised the Fourth Prince, saying that he was an upright and honest man and would never mistreat their daughter. Only then did she feel at ease.
Consort Xuan is a kind and gentle person, so she will naturally not mistreat her daughter-in-law in the future.
The two talked for a while. Miss Fucha maintained a polite smile and sat beside them the whole time. She was a very well-behaved child.
After thinking for a while, Lady Fucha, who was also from the Niohuru family, asked about the recent situation of Consort Niohuru.
On New Year's Eve, Consort Niohuru was forced to kneel all night as punishment by the Empress Dowager. This news spread not only throughout the palace but also among anyone outside the palace with connections.
Wen Shan then learned that Lady Fucha also had the surname Niohuru, proving that these powerful families were indeed deeply intertwined.
“It’s just a small matter. Consort Niohuru has already returned to the palace to rest. If you’re worried, Madam, you can go and visit her later,” Wen Shan said.
After much deliberation, Lady Fucha felt it would be inappropriate to skip the visit to the palace. After sitting in Xianfu Palace for a while, she took Miss Fucha to Yongshou Palace for a short visit.
After Lady Fucha left, Yinzhen and the others came over.
"How is it, Mother? Do you still like Lady Fucha?" Yinxiang ran to Wenshan's side and asked.
Wen Shan found it amusing to see him blinking curiously: "Your fourth brother hasn't even asked yet, but you're already getting anxious."
Yinxiang hugged her arm and acted coquettishly, insisting that she talk.
"She's quite good, a nice girl. Yinzhen will naturally like her when he sees her."
Yinzhen has become immune to the teasing he's received from Wenshan and Yinsi and Yinxiang about his marriage lately, and just said with a blank face, "As long as Mother is happy."
Although the New Year's Eve banquet ended hastily, Consort Niohuru knew perfectly well that it was Xiao Tongjia who had orchestrated it, and she quickly began to retaliate. The two fought each other from the beginning of the year until early summer without reaching a conclusion, and it could be said that they had both won and lost.
Wen Shan was enjoying watching plays every day when Emperor Kangxi suddenly issued an edict ordering Yinzhen and Yinsi to go on a long trip.
This year, when Emperor Kangxi went to Qufu to pay homage to Confucius, he unexpectedly appointed the Third Prince to go, and also specially arranged for Yinzhen and Yinsi to accompany him.
In previous years, it was always the Crown Prince who went to the Confucius Memorial Ceremony.
With this change of leadership, there was a lot of gossip in the palace and among the people. Some even bet that Kangxi had grown tired of the crown prince and would eventually depose him.
However, Kangxi's subtle decision to send the Crown Prince's staunch supporter, the Third Prince, in his place left many people puzzled.
Especially to complement the Third Prince were the Fourth Prince and the Eighth Prince, who had been very favored by Emperor Kangxi in the past two years.
Although Qufu is not far, the round trip plus the Confucius worship ceremony will take almost half a month. Fortunately, it is Yinzhen and Yinsi who are going together, so Wenshan feels more at ease.
The Crown Prince was naturally unhappy about this. Although the ceremony of worshipping Confucius was not as symbolic as worshipping the ancestral temple, he had been in charge of it since he was ten years old. It had almost become a routine. This time, someone else was sent. Even though it was the Third Prince, who was on good terms with him, the Crown Prince was still uncomfortable.
They summoned Suo'etu to Yuqing Palace that very night to discuss the matter.
"Grand Uncle, what do you think Father Emperor's intentions are this time?"
The Crown Prince was somewhat agitated. He felt that he could understand Emperor Kangxi less and less. When he was young, the two of them were very close and could talk about almost anything, but in the past two years, he felt that his father was becoming colder and colder towards him.
Since his confinement ended, the Crown Prince had been behaving himself, neither particularly outstanding nor making any mistakes. He had also become quite submissive in front of Emperor Kangxi. Therefore, he couldn't understand what Emperor Kangxi was thinking at this moment.
Soetu said, "This is the Emperor's imperial strategy. Your Highness, you must remain calm at this moment."
“Look at the people who went to the Confucius ceremony this time. The one in charge was the Third Prince, while the Fourth Prince and the Eighth Prince, who have been favored recently, were just accompanying him. Haven’t you thought about why the Emperor made such an arrangement?”
"If I could guess Father Emperor's thoughts, I wouldn't have needed to send my uncle here so late at night," the Crown Prince said with a wry smile.
Soetu sighed and shook his head, saying, "Your Highness, you've been restless lately and can't see things clearly. The Emperor is testing your relationship with the Fourth Prince!"
Now, even Songgotu had to admit that the Crown Prince's position was not unshakeable. The Fourth Prince was another candidate in the Emperor's mind. However, the Crown Prince had been established for many years and had not made any major mistakes. To speak recklessly about deposing him would shake the foundation of the country. In addition, the Emperor had invested many years of effort in the Crown Prince and still had some hope, so he had not taken any action.
The Crown Prince scratched his head, pondered for a moment, and said, "Are you saying that Father Emperor wants to see who can sit still more, me or my fourth brother?"
“That makes sense,” said Suo’etu. “It’s just a Confucian ceremony, not a grand one. If you lose your composure and do something unwise because of it, you will only disappoint the Emperor.”
"On the contrary, if the Fourth Prince becomes arrogant and complacent because of the Emperor's favor, it will not be to the Emperor's liking."
The Crown Prince thought about it and still couldn't understand: "Then Father Emperor could have just let Fourth Brother go to the Confucius ceremony. Why did he let Third Brother take charge and even drag Eighth Brother into it?"
“That’s where His Majesty’s brilliance lies,” Suo’etu exclaimed. “Letting the Third Prince take charge makes it seem like His Majesty is wavering between you and the Fourth Prince, which is much more intriguing than simply letting the Fourth Prince take charge.”
This is tantamount to telling Yinzhen directly that he is only one step away from overthrowing the Crown Prince.
"Moreover, there is also the Eighth Prince by our side. If anyone really has any ulterior motives during this Confucius ceremony, the three parties can check and balance each other. They can silence gossip externally and keep the Fourth Prince in check internally."
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince couldn't help but exclaim, "Now that you've explained it to me, I finally understand. You truly deserve to be called the Grand Secretary. When it comes to understanding Father Emperor's thoughts, you are unparalleled."
"Therefore, Your Highness, you must remain calm and do what you are supposed to do, and restrain your officials from gossiping about this matter."
The crown prince quickly nodded and wrote everything down.
After pondering for a while, Suo'etu finally said, "There is one more thing. In the future, we can't just focus on the First Prince. We should also pay more attention to these two newly appointed Fourth and Eighth Princes."
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