Chapter 28 Returning to the Palace
Huanbi expressed her "loyalty," and Zhen Huan, believing she had successfully won her over, began to plot against Consort Hua and Consort Xiang.
Huanbi was instructed to inform Cao Qinmo that she would impersonate Huanbi to visit Shen Meizhuang, which led Cao Qinmo to instigate Consort Hua to search Meizhuang's palace. Consort Hua fell for the trap and went to search, but found nothing.
Yongzheng arrived shortly afterward, blaming Nian Shilan for conducting the search without the Empress's order. He did not intend to restore her power to manage the six palaces and took Wenyi back to Cao Qinmo's side.
Zhen Huan then secretly spread rumors that Cao Qinmo had deliberately plotted to win back her daughter, causing Consort Hua and Consort Xiang to turn against each other.
One thing led to another, and the turmoil within the Yuanmingyuan never subsided.
Perhaps Yongzheng didn't like it either, because soon he led the large entourage back to the palace.
On his first night back in the Forbidden City, as was customary, Yongzheng visited the Empress's palace.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is still bathing and changing. If you are tired, please go to bed first," Su Peisheng replied cautiously, still somewhat puzzled. Wasn't the Empress usually the one who cared most about the Emperor?
Knowing that the Emperor would come, why did she choose this time to change her clothes?
It's not that it's impossible, but this doesn't seem like something an empress would do.
"It's alright," Yongzheng said, glancing at the poems in his hand without looking up. "I'm reading Su Shi's poem, 'Ten years have passed, life and death are separated by a vast distance, I don't think of you, yet I can't forget you,' a truly exquisite poem, every word piercing my heart."
Su Peisheng smiled apologetically: "Your Majesty, this servant does not understand this."
“You don’t understand, and the Empress may not understand either. If Consort Wan were here, she could tell me about it.” Yongzheng didn’t think there was anything wrong with what he said in Jingren Palace. After thinking for a while, he ordered, “There is something for you to deliver to Suiyu Pavilion for me.”
"Your Highness," Jianqiu carefully approached Yixiu, who was sitting in front of the dressing table, and reported with a mix of anger and embarrassment, "This servant saw that Eunuch Su took a box of things to Suiyu Pavilion."
"What is it?" Yi Xiu asked calmly, looking at herself in the mirror without much reaction.
"It's a love knot, Your Majesty, please don't be angry."
Hearing Jianqiu's anxious persuasion, Yixiu smiled slightly, "What is there for me to be angry about? It's just a bit of a pity. If my dear sister were alive today, between a true love who has aged and a substitute who is in the prime of her youth, I wonder which one His Majesty would favor..."
Ever since she discovered that the Emperor couldn't even remember what Honghui looked like, Yixiu's heart died halfway. She no longer longed to become the Emperor's wife, but focused on being a good Empress.
In the past, Yixiu might have been furious at the Emperor's actions. But now she only found it laughable, and even wished that Rouze could be brought back to life to see it. As long as her status as Empress wasn't shaken, she could be a magnanimous Empress from now on. Of course, this only applied to the concubines in the harem; children were out of the question.
If the Emperor doesn't value offspring at all, then there shouldn't be any more children...
This time, Hongli and Hongzhou finally returned to the palace with the main group and stayed in the South Third Palace.
Hongzhou's birth mother, Consort Yu, became the head of Zhongcui Palace, and together with Hongli's adoptive mother, Consort Jing, the head of Xianfu Palace, the two worked tirelessly to arrange the residences for the two princes, and Yongzheng also gave them many rewards.
The Imperial Household Department naturally took great care of the situation, arranging the two princes' residences with exceptional care.
The day after settling in, Hongli took Hongzhou to Shou Kang Palace to pay respects to Empress Dowager Uya.
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince have come to pay their respects."
Uya, who had been resting with her eyes closed, heard Zhu Xi's report and slowly opened her eyes. Although she had been in the palace during this time, she had also received news from the Yuanmingyuan.
Forget about the Fifth Prince, the Fourth Prince has always been disliked by the Emperor because of his birth mother. How did he gain favor? Could it be true, as the rumors circulating in the garden say, that the Fourth Prince looks like the Emperor?
"Let them in."
"yes."
Zhu Xi withdrew and led the two princes in.
Soon, Uya saw two princes, one tall and one plump, walk in.
"Hongli (Hongzhou) greets the Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager enjoy good health and longevity."
When the two walked together, it was easy to tell from their appearance that the prince on the left, with his dignified demeanor and graceful manner of bowing, must be the fourth prince, Hongli.
Even if the fourth son has poor eyesight, he wouldn't think that his other chubby son looks like him; surely he wouldn't look like him because he's fat.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The two stood up and straightened their posture. Uya beckoned them to come closer and look at them: "Come forward, let your grandmother take a look at you."
"Yes." The two nodded and respectfully walked to the Empress Dowager's side.
Uya was mainly curious about Hongli's appearance, wondering how much he resembled the fourth prince so that her narrow-minded fourth son could overcome his prejudice and disdain for his background.
But when she actually saw Hongli's face, Uya was momentarily dazed.
The familiar silhouette and appearance made Wuya tremble uncontrollably, and her unusual behavior caught the attention of Zhuxi, who was standing nearby.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
Zhu Xi exclaimed in surprise, and Hongli and Hongzhou, hearing the sound, couldn't help but look up as well.
It was because of this eye contact, seeing Hongli's identical phoenix eyes, that Wuya's eyes instantly reddened, and she couldn't help but reach out her hand tremblingly, "Good child, come a little closer, get a little closer."
"Royal Grandmother..."
Hongli obediently approached, and Wuya, both eager and cautious, touched his face, "So alike, so very alike..."
Tears streamed down her face, but Wuya stared greedily at Hongli's face, not blinking an eye, as if afraid he would disappear in the blink of an eye.
"Your Majesty..."
Zhu Xi called out worriedly, and only then did Wu Ya realize her lapse in composure. She quickly tried to cover it up: "I just didn't expect that the Fourth Prince would look so much like him when he was a child... Fourth Prince, I got a little excited."
"The Empress Dowager was very loving towards her son, and it was a blessing for Hongli to be like his father."
Hongli gently comforted him, and Wuya couldn't help but soften when she looked at him, "Good child, such a good child."
...
Having acquired a multitude of fine items at Shou Kang Palace, Hongli, carrying his "little pendant" Hongzhou, took his leave under the Empress Dowager's reluctant gaze.
Hongzhou was used to being ignored every time he appeared with Hongli, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. After all, his fourth brother was so dazzling that he deserved to be the focus of everyone's attention.
However, Hongzhou couldn't help but whisper in Hongli's ear, "What's wrong with everyone's eyes? Why is the Empress Dowager looking like that too? Fourth Brother, you're so handsome, you don't look like her at all..."
Hongzhou's sarcastic remarks gradually faded away under Hongli's gaze.
Be careful with your words and actions.
"I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore, I'll shut up." Hongzhou smiled ingratiatingly, then covered his mouth. However, he still felt that there was something wrong with those guys. Was it really necessary for them to lie through their teeth just to please their father? What was so similar about them? Why did they like to pat their father on the back so much?
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