In the 40th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Ninth Prince, Yintang, was 14 years old and stood tall and straight in the Ninth Prince's residence like a new bud.
"Ninth Prince, Consort Yi requests your presence at Yikun Palace! She says she has something to discuss with you." Cuiwei, a trusted maid of Consort Yi, arrived at the Ninth Prince's quarters and spoke to him with an air of intimacy, standing behind him. The Ninth Prince had been raised in Yikun Palace until he was twelve years old before being moved to the Princes' Quarters, which explained Cuiwei's earlier warm greeting. Unlike all the other princes, he had been raised by his birth mother, Consort Yi, until he was twelve before being transferred to the Princes' Quarters. All the servants in Yikun Palace were very familiar with the Ninth Prince.
"What is it, Mother?" The young and innocent Ninth Prince had grown into a handsome and dashing young man. He knew that Consort Yi would worry if she didn't see him for a day. Ever since he moved to the Princes' Residence, Consort Yi would come several times a day to put her mind at ease.
"Naturally, it's the important matter of choosing a primary consort for the Ninth Prince," Cuiwei said with a smile. The Ninth Prince is already fourteen, and Emperor Kangxi and Consort Yi are currently selecting a suitable primary consort for him.
Upon hearing about this matter, the Ninth Prince did not delay and immediately went to Yikun Palace with Cuiwei, accompanied by his personal eunuch Sheng Bowei.
"Mother~" As soon as the Ninth Prince entered Consort Yi's main hall, he saw Consort Yi looking at a portrait.
"Ninth Prince, come here quickly!" The moment Consort Yi saw the Ninth Prince arrive, her eyes lit up. The Ninth Prince was more favored by Consort Yi than the Fifth Prince, for a simple reason. The Fifth Prince had always been rather introverted and arrogant, and even with Consort Yi, he wasn't very close. The Ninth Prince, on the other hand, was very much like Consort Yi; he was lively, loved being close to people, and was also her "late-in-life son," naturally earning her even more affection.
The Ninth Prince quickly walked up to Consort Yi, greeted her, and then sat down beside her.
"Jiu'er, here are a few candidates for Ninth Prince's Consort selected by your Imperial Father. They are all young ladies selected for the imperial harem this year. As long as you take a fancy to one of them, your Imperial Father will arrange the marriage for you." Consort Yi said to her son affectionately.
"Mother, do you have someone in mind?" The Ninth Prince did not rush to look at the portraits.
"Take a look first. I think these girls are all quite nice. They're all about the same age, with similar looks and backgrounds. It's up to you which one you like." Consort Yi lovingly stroked the Ninth Prince's braid. As long as it was within her control, she was naturally willing to let her son decide based on his own preferences.
As the palace maids presented the portraits of the selected candidates to the Ninth Prince, Consort Yi would stand by and talk about the candidates' family backgrounds, ages, preferences, and personalities.
Emperor Kangxi selected four eligible women from among his Manchu ministers for his ninth prince to choose from. He could decide on the selection based on his own preferences. These four women were: Qi Shi Dong E Shi Jin Yu, daughter of General Qi Shi Dong E Shi; Ma Jia Yi Chun, daughter of Ma Jia Bo Guo, a Grand Master of the Palace; Wan Yan Hua Zhen, daughter of General Wan Yan Ba Tu; and Gua Er Jia Miao Yin, daughter of Duke Gua Er Jia Yi Kun.
When the portraits of the four candidates for the imperial concubines were presented to the Ninth Prince, he immediately took a liking to the one at the very front, Dong E Shi Jin Yu. She was as delicate as a spring flower, and her ethereal beauty seemed to leap off the painting. In particular, her expressive eyes captivated the young Ninth Prince almost instantly.
"Dong'e clan?" Consort Yi was very good at reading people and naturally saw what her son liked.
The Ninth Prince nodded, his ears turning slightly red.
"Qi Shi's eldest daughter, Commander-in-Chief of the Plain Red Banner, a First-Class Duke, whose grandfather was also a First-Class Duke, Zhe'erben, and whose great-grandfather was Heshuo Tu, the Imperial Son-in-Law. Her family background is beyond reproach." Consort Yi recited Dong E's family background with ease.
"How old is she this year?" The Ninth Prince didn't seem to care about that.
"She's thirteen. It's said she's gentle and kind, and excels in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Since you've taken a liking to her, then I'll go and talk to your father about it." Consort Yi felt a little uneasy seeing her son so quickly fall for this Dong E woman. That's what mothers are like—afraid their sons will be snatched away by their wives.
The Ninth Prince naturally noticed that Consort Yi seemed to be jealous of this daughter-in-law whom he had never met and who was not yet betrothed. He quickly said, "Your subject just thinks that her father is a first-rank military commander, and he might be an asset to your son in the future."
When Consort Yi heard the Ninth Prince say this, she immediately smiled and said, "Ninth Prince is indeed clever. Lady Dong'e and the Third Prince's wife are cousins. If you marry her as your primary wife, your relationship with your Third Prince will be closer in the future."
The Ninth Prince nodded, but he never really cared about the Third Prince, Yin Zhi. He only liked to befriend the Eighth Prince.
After deciding on Lady Dong'e, Consort Yi immediately went to inform Emperor Kangxi. However, the Ninth Prince, being only a young boy, did not take the matter to heart. He immediately left the palace to see his Eighth Brother and tell him the news that he was about to marry Lady Dong'e.
"Dong'e Clan?" The Eighth Prince was only sixteen years old and had just left the palace to build his own residence. Unexpectedly, he had become neighbors with the Fourth Prince, with whom he had always been at odds.
"Yes, Mother and I chose four. I think this Dong E Shi looks good." As soon as the Ninth Prince arrived at the Eighth Prince's residence, he immediately became lively, like a bird released from its cage.
"Qi Shi is indeed a first-rank military officer and a first-class duke. His family background is correct. What kind of person is he?" The Eighth Prince was very concerned about the Ninth Prince's marriage.
"I don't know. But Mother said she's gentle and lovely, and also very beautiful and talented." The Ninth Prince didn't mention that he had actually taken a liking to her a long time ago.
"Alright, you'll marry into the Dong'e clan. Come, let's go outside for a drink. The mansion is a mess." The Eighth Prince had just come out; the mansion hadn't even established any rules yet. His wife was also a proud and arrogant person, pursuing perfection in everything, which made the Eighth Prince feel very tired.
"Alright, let's go to Zui Bai Lou." The Ninth Prince, having left the palace, also wanted to have a drink at a restaurant outside. Although the palace had everything, the food outside was more appealing to these princes who were used to such fare. More importantly, no one was watching them anymore; they could eat and drink freely without having to follow rules like not talking while eating or not doing things more than three times.
The two rode together in a carriage, while the eunuch serving them could only wait inside the Eighth Prince's residence. When their carriage arrived at Zui Bai Lou, it was already past lunchtime. However, it was still quite crowded.
The Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince's refined and noble demeanor had already attracted the shopkeeper's attention. As soon as they entered the hall, someone immediately stepped forward to lead the way.
"Young masters, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here?" the shopkeeper greeted them personally.
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