Chapter 34: The Arrogant Tenth Brother's Awakening from Incompetence...
Consort Yi and Consort Gui have always been on good terms, which is why Consort Yi asked Consort Gui to help her take care of Yin Tang. She also let Yin Tang go to Yongshou Palace every day to "clock in" and stay there for the whole day, treating Yongshou Palace as if it were another home.
Consort Yi, as the mother, knows best how troublesome this little devil, Yinzhen, is.
She suffered from severe morning sickness and was unable to care for Yinzhen. The fact that the Imperial Concubine was willing to lend a hand to help her take care of Yinzhen was like sending charcoal in snowy weather, and the Imperial Concubine was very grateful.
To express their gratitude, gifts from Yikun Palace were sent to Yongshou Palace in a continuous stream.
Consort Yi came from an ordinary background and only rose to the position of one of the four consorts because of Emperor Kangxi's favor. Her wealth was accumulated after she entered the palace, mostly from the emperor's rewards and a small portion from the tributes from her servants.
Consort Gui came from a top noble family and inherited the estate of Empress Xiaozhao. She was wealthy and had a rich private fortune. She had seen countless jewels and gems and looked down on ordinary rare treasures. She also had no shortage of gold and silver jewelry.
Consort Yi knew she couldn't offer any truly remarkable treasures to impress the Imperial Concubine, so she put a lot of thought into preparing the gift, choosing items that suited the Imperial Concubine's tastes and that she could actually use.
Although it wasn't particularly rare or hard to find, it was a token of Consort Yi's affection.
For example, the new recipes and dessert recipes developed by the small kitchen; the new makeup designs devised by the aesthetically sophisticated Consort Yi, and the new jewelry and clothing styles drawn by the Imperial Workshop according to her ideas; and the rouge, nail polish, and lipsticks made by Yikun Palace that were not available in other palaces.
Consort Yi even gifted Yin'e many presents. After finding out Yin'e's preferences, Consort Yi once sent him beads made from crystal, jade, and scraps of jade. Although the materials were ordinary, the gifts filled a large box, more than Yin'e could possibly use up.
Besides constantly sending gifts, when Consort Yi was feeling better, she would occasionally bring Yinzhen to Yongshou Palace as a guest and play with him—but such occasions were rare and usually didn't last long.
It was rare for the Fifth Prince to leave Cining Palace today, and they had even managed to lure him over—no, I mean, invited him. Yin'e hesitated for a moment, glancing at the Fifth Prince, and considered whether he should not return to Yongshou Palace first, but instead visit Consort Yi at Yikun Palace.
Stopping in front of Longfu Gate, which leads to the Western Six Palaces, Yin'e took Yin Tang's hand and asked with a smile, "Ninth Brother, shall Fifth Brother and I visit your Yikun Palace?"
With a bewildered blink of his delicate phoenix eyes, Yin Tang didn't immediately understand what Yin E had said. But once he grasped Yin E's meaning, his eyes lit up, and a bright, radiant smile bloomed on his beautiful face.
Yin Tang nodded repeatedly, looking very excited: "Okay, okay, come to my house as a guest."
Once we arrived at Yikun Palace, he would be the host, entertaining my tenth brother and fifth brother. How interesting!
Instead of rushing to their door immediately, Yin'e first sent Granny Wang to Yikun Palace to inform them in advance.
If Consort Yi is unable to visit, then the three of them should go to Yongshou Palace. At most, the Fifth Prince can return to Cining Palace later, and come to Yongshou Palace to see Consort Yi once her pregnancy symptoms have subsided and she is feeling better.
Wang Mama returned quickly and said that Consort Yi was very pleased and welcomed the Fifth Prince and Yin'e to visit Yikun Palace.
Wang Mama also said that Consort Yi even wanted to go out to greet them personally. However, since Consort Yi was pregnant, her daily attire was mostly simple and casual, and she also wore loose clothing in Yikun Palace, making it really inconvenient to go out. So she gave up the idea of going out to greet them.
Yin'e glanced at the Fifth Prince and knew that the person Consort Yi truly welcomed was not him, but the Fifth Prince, her eldest son.
Longfu Gate is very close to Yikun Palace, and Yin'e and his two companions soon met Consort Yi, who was dressed loosely and without makeup.
Perhaps because she didn't plan to go out, Consort Yi didn't wear makeup and had a bare face.
Her face was pale, and she looked somewhat haggard. Her oval face was rounder than when Yin'e had last seen her. But Consort Yi hadn't gained weight; rather, she was swollen, and her skin was noticeably not as good as before.
Because of her pregnancy, Consort Yi's appearance declined somewhat. But she was still very beautiful, with a touch of gentle tranquility added to her bright and beautiful appearance, giving her a different kind of beauty compared to her previous radiant and elegant demeanor.
"Mother, we're back!"
As soon as Yinzhen entered the room, he let out a howl. Then, without saying much to Consort Yi, he ran around Yikun Palace like a spinning top, directing his wet nurse, nanny, and others around in circles.
"Find all my toys." Yinzhen trotted his short legs and ran to his side hall. "Also, bring up some fruit syrup, snacks, and milk cakes!"
While busy rummaging through chests and cabinets, Yinzhen still remembered to greet the guests. His clear and lively little voice echoed from the main hall: "Tenth brother, tenth brother, come quickly! I have lots of toys, let's play together!"
After glancing towards the side hall, Yin'e did not go directly to the side hall as Yin'tang called. Instead, he respectfully bowed to Consort Yi and called out in a childish voice, "Consort Yi, Mother Consort."
Consort Yi smiled slightly and nodded to Yin'e with a smile: "This is the first time that Xiao Shi has come to Yikun Palace as a guest. Don't be shy. You must have a good time."
Out of the corner of her eye, Consort Yi glanced at the Fifth Prince standing to the side and said to Yin'e with a smile, "Tenth Prince, go play with Yin'tang. Your mother has something to say to your Fifth Brother."
Yin'e glanced at the Fifth Prince, then obediently went to find Yin Tang without asking or saying anything, leaving space for Consort Yi and the Fifth Prince so that the mother and son could have time alone together.
The Fifth Prince knew that Consort Yi was his birth mother. He nestled affectionately beside her, his eyes filled with tenderness and dependence, and called out with a simple, honest smile, "Eji" (meaning "mother"). ①
"Yinqi," Consort Yi hugged the Fifth Prince tightly, her phoenix eyes, with their upturned corners, brimming with glistening tears, "Your mother hasn't seen you in so long, Your mother misses you so much."
Yin'e was raised under the Empress Dowager's care, and even though the Empress Dowager didn't mind Consort Yi visiting the Fifth Prince, for the sake of the Fifth Prince and to ensure that he was valued and cared for by the Empress Dowager, Consort Yi tried her best to limit her visits to him, seeing him only once every one or two months.
In the past two years, Consort Yi has become pregnant one after another. In the year in between, she was busy taking care of Prince Yintang and Prince Yinyu. The number of times she went to Cining Palace to see the Fifth Prince has decreased significantly. The mother and son may not be able to meet once every six months, let alone spend time together in private to express their mother-son relationship.
Having not seen the Fifth Prince for so long, Consort Yi missed him dearly. Since the Fifth Prince was visiting Yikun Palace this time, Consort Yi couldn't spare any time to attend to Yin Tang or entertain the young guest Yin E, so she let the two brothers play together and let Yin Tang be the host to greet Yin E.
Upon entering the living room of the side hall, Yin'e saw Yin'tang stumbling forward, dragging a small pig doll that was half his height. Despite the great difficulty, he did not give up and was determined to move the cloth doll onto the soft couch.
Seeing Yin'e enter the inner room alone, Yin Tang asked curiously, "Where is Fifth Brother?"
Yin'e smiled and replied matter-of-factly, "Since Consort Yi has something to say to Fifth Brother, I came to find you first."
Consort Yi and the Fifth Prince rarely had the opportunity to reunite as mother and son, so Yin'e certainly wouldn't be so tactless as to disturb them as a third wheel.
"Huh?" Yinzhen blinked, his expression even more puzzled. He looked blank and asked in confusion, "Does Fifth Brother know my Mother? What do they want to say?"
Now it was Yin'e's turn to be puzzled. He looked at Yin Tang in surprise and finally realized that some things were not as he had thought.
Yin Tang... he didn't even know that the Fifth Prince was also Consort Yi's son, and that Yin Qi was his half-brother.
Yin'e had always believed that Consort Yi had already told Yin Tang about this matter.
After all, he had taken Yinzhen to Cining Palace to play with the Fifth Prince more than once. Since Consort Yi did not stop him, she must have known what was going on and must have privately instructed Yinzhen—she really had no reason to hide this from him.
But what if Consort Yi didn't say anything? What if Yinzhen had no idea that the Fifth Prince was Consort Yi's eldest son and his own half-brother? Then, by inviting the Fifth Prince to Yikun Palace, he was essentially exposing this matter to Yinzhen.
He... made a mistake.
Taking a deep breath, Yin'e looked at Yin'tang with some guilt, feeling that he had been too careless and presumptuous.
He assumed that Yinzhen knew, and that Consort Yi had told Yinzhen.
It was all based on his assumptions from beginning to end, but how could things possibly develop the way he thought they would?
If Yin'e had asked beforehand, this blunder would never have happened.
Yin'e dared not think about how Yin Tang would react if he suddenly learned that Consort Yi had another son and that the Fifth Prince was his half-brother, and whether he would be heartbroken.
Just now in Chengqian Palace, Yin'e had personally witnessed the conflict between the Fourth Prince and the Sixth Prince. He did not want Yin'tang to also fall out with the Fifth Prince, and for the two of them to reach the same point of deep estrangement and irreparable damage as the Fourth and Sixth Princes.
Brothers from the same mother are indeed closer than half-brothers.
While siblings from the same mother may have a close relationship, it also means they share resources. These resources are not only material but also emotional. For example, the love, care, and affection from their birth mother, and the tenderness, companionship, and attention they receive.
Without a doubt, Yinzhen was the one who was neglected. He was raised by Consort Yi, but he never received much care or companionship from her.
Letting out a long breath, Yin'e lowered his head deeply: In the end, it was all his fault for acting improperly. He still carried the arrogance of knowing history, looking down on others and thinking he understood everyone and knew the future development and direction.
"It turns out that I have never truly integrated into this world, and I have never taken the new world after my rebirth as real."
“I have always viewed Yinzhen and his ilk through the lens of historical records, treating them as historical figures and fictional characters on paper, never realizing that they were living, breathing people.”
Standing there blankly, Yin'e's mind was filled with a jumble of chaotic thoughts.
"Tenth brother, what's wrong?"
A child's innocent voice roused Yin'e from his daze.
He looked up at Yinzhen, who had appeared beside him at some point, and saw pure and sincere worry on Yinzhen's delicate and beautiful face.
He blinked, and then Yin'e suddenly laughed.
The person in front of him was not the Ninth Prince of the Eighth Prince's Party at all, but just an overly precocious, crybaby, clingy, arrogant, sharp-tongued, sensitive, insecure, yet lively and bold child.
"I'm fine." Yin'e shook his head, stepped forward and hugged the lower half of the pig doll that was dragging on the ground. "Ninth Brother, let me help you."
Working together, one pulling the head and the other supporting the feet, they worked hard to move the doll onto the soft couch.
Yin'e and Yin'tang lay half-reclined on the soft cushions, side by side against the plush cloth cushions. Their eyelids were heavy, and sleepiness was rising. By the time the Fifth Prince came looking for them, they were already fast asleep.
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The author's note: ① Eji: In Mongolian, it means mother.
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