Chapter 37 Longevity Festival
Rouze's farce temporarily ended with the Empress Dowager's 60th birthday celebration, mainly because she couldn't bear it any longer; it was simply too humiliating. She now dares not go out, feeling that everyone is laughing at her.
On the day of the morning greetings, Rouze also claimed to be ill and did not come. Yixiu, feeling a little sympathy for her, did not pursue the matter. Of course, the main reason was that Yinzhen's actions pleased her. Seeing Rouze humiliated made Yixiu even happier than during the New Year.
On the day of the Emperor's birthday, Emperor Kangxi held a grand celebration ceremony for his gentle and kind mother, Empress Yixiu, who accompanied Yinzhen to the palace to offer her birthday greetings, dressed in the auspicious robes of a consort.
Empress Dowager Borjigit, dressed in magnificent robes and serving as a mascot, sat regally beside Emperor Kangxi at the banquet. Bearing the title of a gentle and uninvolved empress dowager, she smiled as she watched those who came to offer their birthday wishes, indifferent to whether their sincerity was genuine or feigned. Only when she saw Yinzhi, whom she had raised, did her smile become somewhat genuine.
Emperor Kangxi was the first to present birthday gifts. At the front was an elegant screen with his own calligraphy of "Ode to Longevity". Behind him, a group of eunuchs carried various precious items such as Buddha statues, coral, pearls, and clocks. They also personally served the Empress Dowager a bowl of "Feast of Jade from All Nations", specially prepared by the imperial kitchen, to celebrate her birthday.
"Very well, Your Majesty is so kind..." The Empress Dowager smiled and took the bowl of rice, putting it into her mouth. Although she preferred meat, she was still very pleased with Kangxi's filial piety.
After Kangxi finished presenting his gifts, the princes and ministers in the afterlife praised his filial piety, and the women of the family repeatedly emphasized the importance they placed on the Empress Dowager.
Next came the princes and noblemen presenting their gifts, with Crown Prince Yinreng being the first to step forward.
"Yinreng wishes his grandmother, the Empress Dowager, longevity and happiness, and eternal family bliss." Yinreng presented a painting he had personally created, "Peaches Presented for Longevity," and a table of meticulously crafted longevity peaches.
A large peach contains ninety-nine exquisitely crafted miniature peaches, symbolizing a hundred sons and a hundred years of longevity, paired with a beautifully painted artwork. It can be said that the sentiment is there, and the originality is also there.
The ministers all nodded in approval, and Empress Dowager Borjigit also called upon Yinreng with satisfaction, chatting for a few more minutes. It wasn't because she was particularly pleased with the birthday gifts, but simply because Emperor Kangxi favored the Crown Prince, and she followed his lead.
Next to step forward was the First Prince, Yinzhi, who presented a complete jade mural depicting the Mongolian grasslands. Knowing the Empress Dowager's homesickness, the First Prince's gift was quite thoughtful, and the Empress Dowager was satisfied. Although many people tried to please her with things from their hometown, seeing a place she longed for, no matter how many times, still brought her joy.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was satisfied, Yinzhi couldn't help but feel a little smug. The eldest prince, who wasn't good at hiding his emotions, revealed his smugness and the way he looked at the Crown Prince, which Kangxi noticed and couldn't help but feel dissatisfied. He felt that Yinzhi was determined to oppose the Crown Prince and that the birthday gifts he sent were too extravagant.
Since it was a birthday banquet, Kangxi couldn't reveal his opinion of Yinzhi and kept it to himself for the time being. However, in the following days, Yinzhi was repeatedly reprimanded by Kangxi for trivial matters, but the reason could not be found.
Next, the other princes presented their gifts in order of seniority. The Third Prince presented a rare Buddhist scripture, Yinzhen presented incense he had personally made, and the Fifth Prince, Yinqi, presented a collection of local specialties from the grasslands...
When princes and princesses come of age, they prepare their own gifts. Those still living in the palace mostly receive gifts from their mothers, all within the bounds of propriety and never exceeding the birthday gifts prepared by the Crown Prince and the First Prince. This has gradually become an unwritten rule in recent years.
Among them, Yinqi, as the Empress Dowager's adopted son, presented the most birthday gifts, which were also the most to the Empress Dowager's liking. No one thought there was anything wrong with this.
However, it was the rare white jade and glass Buddha statue presented by the Fourteenth Prince, Yinzhen, that attracted everyone's attention. Such a naturally formed, crystal-clear glass Buddha statue is exceptionally precious, especially considering that glassmaking technology was not yet advanced at that time.
Such a valuable item didn't seem like something a bald prince could produce, but no one really believed it was prepared by the Uya clan.
When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. After being demoted from Consort De to Noble Lady, it's hard to say how much influence Uya has left. Such a treasure doesn't seem like something Uya could produce now.
Or is it that Uya wants to use this opportunity to seize the throne? So she emptied her coffers to find the glass Buddha statue?
Those below were filled with doubt and suspicion, but only a few knew the truth. Having already learned from his spies that Yinzhen had transferred the birthday gifts he had prepared to the Fourteenth Prince, Kangxi couldn't help but sigh, "My fourth son is still too sentimental; even in this situation, he's still thinking of the Fourteenth Prince."
Although he lamented Yinzhen's soft heart, Kangxi was also more relieved. It was good that Yinzhen valued loyalty; if he did, he would stay close to Baocheng and assist him.
He also knew about the quarrel between the Fourteenth Prince and Lady Uya, and guessed that Yinzhen was worried that the Fourteenth Prince was not doing well, so he deliberately tried to save face for him. While Kangxi was even more dissatisfied with Lady Uya, who was becoming estranged from both of his sons, he was also happy to grant Yinzhen's wish.
For this reason, Emperor Kangxi rewarded Yinzhen handsomely for the thoughtfulness of the birthday gift he presented, and immediately granted him the title of Prince of Gushan.
Amidst the astonished and envious gazes of the crowd, Yinzhen bowed and expressed his gratitude. From this day forward, he was no longer a bald prince. And all of this was thanks to his fourth brother…
Everyone present was shrewd, and they noticed that Yinzhen's moved gaze kept drifting towards Yinzhen. Even those who didn't know the truth could guess that the white jade and glass Buddha statue was something the Fourth Prince had obtained for the Fourteenth Prince.
The Emperor bestowed this title of Beizi upon him not because of the Buddha statue, but clearly because of his brotherly affection for the Fourth Prince.
Thinking of this, the eldest prince, the crown prince, and the ministers all lowered their guard against the fourteenth prince, who had surpassed his two older brothers and been granted the title of Beizi at the age of twelve. However, they rekindled their vigilance towards the fourth prince, Yinzhen, who had attracted the emperor's attention.
It seems like Kangxi was acting out of a loving father's heart, but his good intentions backfired. However, it's also hard to say whether it wasn't another test of Yinzhen by Kangxi. After all, in his impulsive act of changing the imperial genealogy for him, Yinzhen became the legitimate heir, and it's hard to guarantee that he wouldn't have other ideas.
Whether Yinzhen had any disloyal intentions or whether Yinreng could win him over was a test for Kangxi, a trial for Yinreng, and an examination of the court officials.
All of this only requires a paltry title of Beizi.
Therefore, compared to a loving father, Kangxi was more of an emperor; he had some fatherly affection, but not much.
...
After the Emperor's birthday celebration, the Fourth Prince's residence suddenly became a hotspot again, with many officials visiting every day, occasionally finding excuses to get close to Yinzhen, bringing gifts to build relationships and curry favor.
Unfortunately, Yinzhen was as cold-hearted as iron. He refused to see anyone who came to visit, returned all the gifts, and went to work on time and returned home on time, not giving anyone a chance to build connections.
The image of the Fourth Prince as incorruptible and aloof has been further solidified, and he is currently considered relatively satisfactory and trustworthy by the major figures in the Forbidden City.
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