A rumor began to circulate in the capital: the Crown Prince was in love with the second daughter of Maska and was willing to marry her as his Crown Princess.
Who was Maska? He was the eldest son of Fucha Misihan. In the 28th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, he was transferred to the position of Deputy Commander of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner. He was later promoted to Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department and Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, concurrently in charge of the Firearms Battalion.
Tong Qinian happened to be in the firearms battalion, and was a subordinate of Maska.
Misihan was appointed as the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department and rose through the ranks to become Minister of Revenue and Minister of State Affairs. During the suppression of the Three Feudatories, he was a key minister who strongly supported Emperor Kangxi and also served as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince.
It can be said that the Fucha family, as a prominent family of imperial guards, had been highly regarded by the emperor since the reign of Emperor Shunzhi. They were not only important officials but also close advisors. At the same time, they had an extremely close relationship with Yinreng.
Compared to the imperial favor bestowed upon the Tongjia clan, the prosperity of the Fucha family was truly remarkable.
This is why Emperor Kangxi did not consider the Fucha family when choosing a crown princess for Yinreng. As for the crown prince's concubine, that position was beneath the Fucha family.
Unsurprisingly, the rumors were suppressed within a few days, as if nothing had ever happened.
Yinreng greeted Kangxi with gentle manners and politeness. His words revealed the demeanor of a crown prince, noble yet not overly arrogant, with an innate royal bearing.
Kangxi's eyes held a conflicted expression; he was gradually losing sight of his child.
"Baocheng, are you really interested in Maska's second daughter?" Kangxi didn't believe it.
Yinreng frankly said, "She is an extraordinary woman, whose appearance is comparable to that of my son's concubine."
"Hmm?" Kangxi frowned.
Yinreng laughed and said, "I know that the Fucha family is full of talented people and has considerable influence in the court, but that has nothing to do with me choosing their daughter. Other families may pay attention to matching social status, but our royal family doesn't need to do that. I'm just looking at her based on first impressions."
"I have investigated for you, and she is not favored in the Fucha family," Kangxi said.
"Isn't this perfect? If she were truly a favored girl, or the eldest daughter of the principal wife, I wouldn't dare to bring her into Yuqing Palace!" Yinreng said to Kangxi in a coquettish tone.
After all, he was the legitimate son whom Kangxi had raised himself, and Kangxi couldn't bring himself to be harsh with him.
“Even if she is the eldest daughter of the legitimate wife, can’t you take her as a concubine if you like her? The whole world belongs to you and me, father and son. They are your subjects, your servants of the royal family. It is their blessing that you value them.” Kangxi did not tolerate Yinreng’s modesty.
Yinreng chuckled inwardly; he knew his imperial father well.
“Father is right. I’ve had this problem since I was little: I like beautiful things, whether they are people or objects,” Yinreng said.
Emperor Kangxi chuckled, his gaze full of affection: "Indeed, I don't know who you learned it from. When you were little, before you even opened your eyes, you knew how to snuggle into the arms of pretty wet nurses. And now that you're older, you're even more picky."
Yinreng wanted to say that he was born to Emperor Kangxi, so naturally he resembled Emperor Kangxi.
They didn't even look at the beautiful concubines in the harem, with their diverse styles, from Mongolian charm to the straightforwardness of Manchu women, and the gentleness of Han women. All kinds of beauty could be found among Kangxi's concubines.
Even so, Emperor Kangxi still managed to retain a large number of women for the imperial concubine selection process every time.
“My son has grown up, and Father still makes fun of him. If the brothers hear this, my son will be utterly humiliated.” Yinreng pretended to complain, but in reality, he spoke with affection and admiration, which pleased Kangxi.
Kangxi smiled and patted his shoulder, his scrutinizing gaze fading completely.
"Alright, if you really like her, I will grant you marriage. I neglected you before. You've always had high standards, and with Lady Tongjia around, it's normal that you don't find other women attractive. It's rare that you've found someone else, and it will save you from feeling stifled," Kangxi said.
Yinreng nodded repeatedly, as if Kangxi had struck a chord with him.
"But you must not favor Lady Fucha too much. Her family background is too powerful. If she continues to receive your exclusive favor, Lady Guarjia will inevitably become dissatisfied. I have taught you how to manage your subordinates." Kangxi reminded Yinreng not to go too far.
Yinreng, having achieved his wish, smiled with satisfaction: "I will follow Father's teachings."
An imperial edict appointed Fucha Yuxian to the Crown Prince, making her the third concubine of the Crown Prince.
According to her family background, Fucha Yuxian's family was the most prestigious in the backyard of Yuqing Palace, but the emperor was biased and valued balance.
Tong Wanyan was a woman from her maternal clan, whose favor was precarious. Emperor Kangxi was willing to see her receive favor in Yuqing Palace to give face to her maternal clan.
Lady Li was of low social status, but Emperor Kangxi valued her gentle and obedient nature and assigned her to Yinreng as a servant.
Fucha Yuxian is good in every way, and could be a prince's consort. If we give her face now, she might never become the crown princess.
The Fucha family understood Kangxi's concerns, so they accepted it.
They didn't want to bother with their unfavored daughters. They'd rather kill more people on the battlefield and fight for more policies that benefit the country and its people in court.
However, Emperor Kangxi still gave the Fucha family an explanation: the rumors were hurtful and had tarnished Fucha Yuxian's reputation.
Old ginger is spicier; Emperor Kangxi was truly remarkable.
Fucha Yuxian rushed into the palace, and even the joyous atmosphere on the day Li Jia entered the palace was better than hers.
Yinreng also chose the North Courtyard for her, which was located in front of Li Jia's courtyard, thus blocking Li Jia's good fortune.
Li Jia was furious. She hadn't even managed to defeat Tong Wanyan in the slightest, and now another formidable enemy had appeared.
The Tang and Fan families had somehow gotten together, probably because they knew they were powerless and had no choice but to unite to fight for a place in the backyard.
"Sister Tang, shall we go and pay a visit to Consort Fucha?" Madam Fan asked in a friendly voice.
Tang's eyes no longer held the innocent pride she had when she first entered Yuqing Palace. She smiled sweetly and said, "Let's see what kind of person she is in a few days! Our Crown Prince used to dote on Consort Tong to the skies. Now that she can make the Prince look at her differently, she must be quite capable."
“Sister Tang is absolutely right. The more this is the case, the less we should go there lightly. If we encounter someone like Consort Tong again, it will be even more of a headache,” Madam Fan agreed.
"Yes, Consort Tong's confinement period is almost over. After these two clash, let's see if we continue to wait for the right opportunity, or join forces again." Madam Tang clapped her hands and laughed.
Fucha Yuxian knew that her Yuqing Palace was now being watched by thousands of people and investigated by thousands of others, so she had to act cautiously.
After tidying up the courtyard, Fucha Yuxian sat calmly on the wedding bed, even though the room was filled with a cold atmosphere.
"Consort, congratulations on your wish coming true." Qiao Cui, who had a blank and dull face in front of outsiders, smiled brightly and charmingly at Fucha Yuxian.
Fucha Yuxian calmly lowered her eyes: "Taking risks in war and putting yourself in a life-or-death situation is what Father taught me. Qiaocui, remember this well. In the years we spend in Yuqing Palace, you must be careful in your conduct and never act on your own initiative."
"This servant knows, Consort, you are incredibly wise and resourceful. This servant will not interfere with your affairs," Qiaocui replied obediently.
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