The Eighth Prince, Yinzhi, watched from the side. He was small and unhappy. He ordered, "Let's go back to the Princes' quarters."
He wasn't as lucky as Yinfu, who had a favored mother. Even though it was his first day in the Imperial Study, he felt uneasy because his biological mother, who cared about him, couldn't come, and his adoptive mother, Consort Hui, wouldn't come either.
When they arrived at Qixiang Palace, Emperor Kangxi was also there. Dinner included Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. After dinner, the family of three took a walk together in Qixiang Palace. Then, Emperor Kangxi sent Yinfu back to the Princes' Residence, saying that he was a big boy now.
Yinfu left looking very reluctant.
The specific events that happened in Qixiang Palace could not be reported out, but the news that the Seventh Prince went to the Imperial Study the day before and that Emperor Kangxi went there that evening and even had the Seventh Prince stay for a meal spread instantly.
Quite a few people care about this.
For example, the Crown Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Eighth Prince.
The eldest prince, because he had the favor of his mortal enemy, the crown prince, didn't think much of it.
The Third Prince was spoiled by Consort Rong, and he was also occasionally a bit slow on the uptake. He was clever in his studies, but his ideas were different from those of ordinary people.
The Fifth Prince was raised by the Empress Dowager. He was raised to be very optimistic, with a kind of wise but foolish demeanor, and he was easygoing.
Because of his weak health, his mother, Lady Uya, was a commoner, and he himself was virtually unknown. Consort Hui didn't allow him to spend much time with Emperor Kangxi either. His only wish was to survive, and he didn't care about Emperor Kangxi's opinion.
The crown prince knew that Wang Shu had been favored by the emperor for many years, and he was afraid! In history, there have been instances where emperors deposed crown princes for the sake of their favorite concubines' sons, and even deposed empresses.
The Fourth Prince was simply competitive. He was the adopted son of the Imperial Noble Consort, and to a certain extent, his background was only slightly lower than that of the Crown Prince and the Noble Consort Niohuru. He also met with Emperor Kangxi frequently in Chengqian Palace, and he longed to gain Kangxi's favor and recognition.
As for the Eighth Prince, it was because he was only a few months younger than Yinfu, and they entered school on the same day. Given such a vast difference in their ages, it was impossible for him not to have any thoughts about it.
Yin Fu's enrollment in school attracted many restless forces. As for the outcome?
It goes without saying that if Yin Fu couldn't resolve this matter, there was probably no point in arguing.
As for Wang Shu, she only provided enough financial support on the surface, which was sufficient for Yin Fu.
Of course, Wang Shu also secretly asked Ti Tong to keep an eye on things so that no one could escape. If she made a mistake and harmed Yin Fu, she would have nowhere to turn to for help.
Time flies like water, and in the blink of an eye, several years have passed. The concubines in the harem are eagerly waiting for Wang Shu to fall out of favor. However, Kangxi's favor towards her has remained unchanged for many years. New concubines often emerge below her, but none of them can match Wang Shu in terms of favor.
The best things were sent to Qixiang Palace first, as were rare foods and toys. Over the years, Qixiang Palace has become the most luxurious place in the harem.
In the twenty-sixth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Empress Dowager passed away. The Kangxi Emperor was devastated and fell seriously ill. The concubines of the harem frequently sent soup and water to the Qianqing Palace to comfort the Kangxi Emperor, but he did not see them. Wang Shu went to the palace and met with the Kangxi Emperor. What they said to each other is unknown, but the Kangxi Emperor recovered not long after.
In March of the 27th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the emperor issued an order to confer upon Wang Shu the title of Noble Consort, the title of Pure Noble Consort, and bestow upon her the title of Noble Consort Wen of Niohuru.
In July of the 28th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, Consort Tong of Chengqian Palace fell seriously ill. The cause of her illness was her heart being burdened with unresolved emotions. The imperial physicians were unable to save her, and the Kangxi Emperor had no choice but to send his cousin away.
What surprised Wang Shu was that Consort Tong was not made empress as in history, but before her death she arranged for the Fourth Prince to marry a woman from the Ulanara clan.
The Fourth Prince never met his birth mother, so in his heart, Consort Tong was his mother. This bond was even deeper than in history. Wang Shu understood why Consort Tong never became the Empress she had always dreamed of, even until her death.
Every drink and every bite is predetermined.
Without Lady Uya, the Fourth Prince's relationship with Lady Tongjia was destined to be anything but shallow.
Soon, it was the thirty-sixth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. In that year, Yin Fu was already sixteen, or almost eighteen according to the traditional Chinese age reckoning.
He was supposed to choose a consort last year, but Wangshu felt he was too young. In addition, Yinfu also felt that he hadn't found a suitable candidate among the candidates that year. So Wangshu persuaded Kangxi to agree to postpone the selection of a consort for another year.
"If you like a girl, your mother will keep an eye out for her."
"My son thinks Princess Shumulu is very good."
"You mean Xu Yuanmeng's daughter?"
"It's her. My son has had occasional contact with Teacher Xu and thinks that Teacher Xu is very knowledgeable and of good character. Shumulu Gege's son has asked around and found out that she is a good girl."
Although Xu Yuanmeng was a Manchu, you can tell from his surname that he was a scholar, and a scholar at that.
The key point is that Xu Yuanmeng is his man, and he can trust him. Although Yinfu is in the palace, he is not completely unaware of what is happening in the court.
After discovering that Xu Yuanmeng was a useful person, in the 28th year of Kangxi's reign, he secretly helped him by restoring him to his original place of residence. It should be noted that in the 26th year of Kangxi's reign, he made a mistake and was registered in the Imperial Household Department, which meant that his whole family became bondservants.
Manchu marriage relationships were really chaotic, comparable to the five powerful clans and seven prominent families at that time. The key point is that Manchus sometimes acted without any method. Rather than marrying into a family whose members might commit crimes and implicate others in the future, they preferred to find a more reliable one.
In addition, after reading through the history of the Tang Dynasty and studying it carefully, Yin Fu discovered that children born to healthy parents were more likely to live long lives. Xu Yuanmeng's family seemed to have a long life and few diseases.
Princess Shumulu was well-read and gentle in nature, but not pedantic. Her tastes had never changed; she liked talented, virtuous women who could handle things well.
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