Chapter Thirty-Five
Those in positions of power are always complex, especially the Emperor. Yongqi was unaware that his subtle actions had incurred the Emperor's displeasure towards him and Consort Yu. Competing for favor was commonplace in the harem, and using limited resources was not inherently wrong. If it were someone else, perhaps the Fifth Princess wouldn't have harbored such thoughts. Unfortunately, the Fifth Princess simply disliked Yongqi, and Yongqi himself was oblivious to the fact that he had offended her. Perhaps it should be said that Yongqi hadn't expected the Fifth Princess to hold a grudge; he thought the matter was over, but she remembered it clearly. If Yongqi knew, he would probably sigh, "Women and petty people are truly difficult to deal with."
After the Fifth Princess's first victory over Yongqi, she felt quite pleased. The next day, when Consort Yu came to pay her respects to the Empress, the Fifth Princess feigned pitifulness and apologized, saying that she hadn't been feeling well the previous day and had ruined Consort Yu's birthday celebration. Consort Yu gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger, pretending not to care. She knew in her heart that the Emperor probably held a grudge against her. She herself was nothing, as she was never favored anyway, but she feared that this matter might jeopardize Yongqi's future.
Unable to bear looking at Consort Yu's expression, the Fourth Princess patted Yongqi's bald head. Consort Yu would likely be frequently on the Fifth Princess's mind from now on.
Several concubines inquired about this year's trip to the Yuanmingyuan. The Fourth and Fifth Princesses immediately perked up their ears. The Fourth Princess knew about the Yuanmingyuan, specifically what it looked like after it was burned down, and had always longed to see its pre-burnt splendor. Listening to the Empress mention that besides concubines of the rank of Consort, Consort Yi and Consort Ling, along with several Noble Ladies, princes, and princesses, were also going to the Yuanmingyuan this year, the Empress specifically looked at Consort Chun, saying, "Let the Third Prince recuperate properly at the Yuanmingyuan."
"Thank you for thinking of me, Sister."
The trip to the Yuanmingyuan was quickly arranged, and the convoy of cars headed towards it. The Fourth Princess tried to suppress her excitement. The Great Fountain—that must be the earliest fountain in history! The twelve bronze heads… The Fourth Princess grew increasingly excited, especially since this was a garden bestowed upon her by Emperor Kangxi. But then she thought about how, years later, these things would be looted by foreigners, and her excitement faded. The Fourth Princess was quite patriotic, but she wasn't so patriotic as to foolishly tell Emperor Qianlong about the outside world. That wasn't something a little girl like her could say, and she had no intention of changing history, whether it was a fictional creation by Grandma QY or part of official history. The Fourth Princess didn't want to alter anything.
In modern times, the Yuanmingyuan Garden serves as a record of painful historical lessons. However, during the Qing Dynasty, especially during the Qianlong era, it was a symbol of prosperity, embodying pride, splendor, and beauty. Stepping into the courtyard for rest, the Fourth Princess gazed upon the exquisite porcelain and magnificent decorations, and all the descriptive words boiled down to one word—extravagance.
The master wouldn't be needed to store things, so the Fourth Princess decided to venture out and explore the garden, which hadn't yet turned to ashes. Leaving the "Nine Continents Serene Garden," she wandered further in, wanting to see the Peony Terrace and the Bamboo Courtyard. Legend had it that the Peony Terrace was where Emperor Qianlong first met his grandfather, Emperor Kangxi, who was impressed by Qianlong's intelligence and wisdom. Emperor Kangxi then decided to bring him back to the palace to raise him, providing him with special education. Of course, this was just a legend. The Fourth Princess didn't believe Emperor Kangxi would favor Qianlong. She remembered in history class that Kangxi's favorite grandson was Hongxi, and that raising Qianlong was merely a subtle way to elevate Emperor Yongzheng's status. Emperor Kangxi had seen countless clever children; Qianlong couldn't possibly stand out enough to warrant his special attention. As she entered the Peony Terrace, Fourth Princess carefully examined the scenery, reciting a poem in four-character verse: "Layered clouds and towering rocks, winding streams slant around the terrace. Unparalleled in the world, the first flower among men. Its beauty is worthy of admiration in Golden Valley, its fame is renowned in Luoyang. Who can rival its national beauty, its fairy robes are like brocade in the sunset."
"Good!" As soon as the Fourth Princess finished reading, she heard a strong voice behind her. The Fourth Princess immediately turned around and squatted down, "Greetings, Father Emperor."
"Rise! I remember that poem was written by the late Emperor." Qianlong took a few steps forward, perhaps reminiscing about his youth.
The Fourth Princess stood obediently behind Qianlong, wondering if she had done something wrong. She carefully observed Qianlong's expression, but she really couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
"Why did you come here instead of resting, Fourth Princess?" Emperor Qianlong turned around and asked with a smile, pulling himself out of his thoughts.
"Fourth Princess just wanted to look around. The other day, the concubines in the palace were talking about the Twelve Scenic Spots, and Fourth Princess became curious. There are some places that Fourth Princess knows she can't enter, so she wanted to see places that Fourth Princess can enter, like the Peony Terrace and the Bamboo Courtyard?" Although Qianlong was smiling, Fourth Princess didn't dare to relax her tension at all.
“Oh,” Qianlong looked at the Fourth Princess. He had heard from Wu Shu these past few days that the Fourth Princess and Yongxuan had become very close.
"Si'er arrived at the Peony Terrace first, but before she could take a good look around, she ran into Father Emperor."
"Where else would Si'er like to see?"
"I want to visit the Bamboo Courtyard, where 'a stream meanders through the deep courtyard, and bamboo paths wind through the corridors.'"
"You know all the poems of the late emperor?"
"Father, Fourth Brother only remembers the twelve scenes. He was taught by Eighth Brother after learning them at the academy."
"Haha, you little girl, if you want to read, just tell your father," Qianlong laughed a few more times. "Come on, your father will take you to see the Bamboo Garden." How could Si'er have any ulterior motives? This Wu Shulai needs to be taught a lesson. Si'er only went to Yongxuan to learn poetry, and siblings should naturally be close.
"Father, Eighth Brother was punished by his teacher for teaching Fourth Brother these poems."
"Oh? Why did Si'er suddenly decide to learn poetry from Yongxuan?"
"Third brother is not in good health. Fourth brother rarely comes to Yongshou Palace except for regular greetings because of Consort Jia's poor health. Fifth brother also rarely comes. Sixth brother is two years younger than fourth brother but looks like a little adult. Eighth brother is easy to bully, so we went to find eighth brother."
Hearing the Fourth Princess's conclusion, Emperor Qianlong found it somewhat amusing. She was truly childish, bullying the younger one. "You mustn't bully Yongxuan anymore, lest she miss her studies."
"Fourth Princess understands." Only then did the Fourth Princess breathe a sigh of relief. She looked at Wu Shulai, knowing full well the weight Wu Shulai carried in front of Emperor Qianlong. She thought that Wu Shulai had probably been taken in by some concubine.
As the Fourth Princess accompanied the Emperor into the bamboo courtyard, she stared in disbelief at the bamboo stalks. There really were bamboo! She had always thought bamboo grew in the south; she hadn't expected to see it here...
"What is Fourth Princess thinking about?" Emperor Qianlong looked at the dazed Fourth Princess and found it amusing.
"I heard that bamboo only flowers once. After the flower and seed, the bamboo dies, but the seed falls to the ground, sprouts, and grows into bamboo again."
"Fourth Brother knows a lot. Does he like this bamboo?"
"Si'er wants to be bamboo. Among the four gentlemen of flowers, bamboo is Si'er's favorite. Su Dongpo once said that he would rather go without meat than live without bamboo. Without meat, one becomes thin; without bamboo, one becomes vulgar. One can become fat again, but vulgarity is incurable."
"Haha, I didn't expect that Fourth Son wanted to become a scholar. This Bamboo Courtyard will be bestowed upon Fourth Son."
The Fourth Princess stared wide-eyed at Qianlong in disbelief, "Father, is what you're saying true?"
“A ruler’s word is law. If I say I will reward you, then I will reward you.” Emperor Qianlong laughed heartily. “Come on, let me show you other places.”
After that, the Fourth Princess was in a state of utter bewilderment. If she remembered correctly, the Bamboo Courtyard was a gift from Emperor Qianlong to Emperor Jiaqing, so how did it become a gift to her? Had Emperor Qianlong lost his temper again?
After touring the Yuanmingyuan Garden, the Fourth Princess used all twelve poems in four-character quatrains that she had memorized. Back at the "Jiuzhou Qingyan" Palace, Emperor Qianlong, in high spirits, summoned Yongxuan and listened to her recite the twelve poems again. Qianlong then rewarded both the Fourth Princess and Yongxuan. That evening, Qianlong even made a rare visit to Consort Jia's residence.
The Empress looked at the Fourth Princess and simply said, "Well done."
The Fourth Princess nodded. She knew the Empress didn't want Yongqi to rise to prominence too early. The Empress didn't only have Yongqi as her son; she had to weigh the pros and cons. The Fourth Princess also didn't want that little darling Yongqi to rise to prominence too soon. Yongqi was still too young. Although she felt Yongqi wouldn't suffer any losses, who could say for sure that someone might use underhanded tactics?
~~~
The news that the Emperor had bestowed a courtyard upon the Fourth Princess spread quickly. Since the Fourth Princess posed no threat to that position, those who came to offer congratulations were filled with envy, but no sour grapes. The Fourth Princess spent her days in the Bamboo Courtyard, gazing at the bamboo in a daze, lost in thought. Yongqi and Yongxing became frequent visitors to the Bamboo Courtyard, while the Fifth Princess was constantly being pulled aside by the other concubines to be taught about the ideal type of man. Qing'er's marriage was called off. Prince Linqin only had two sons, Delek and Wogedai. One was kept in the capital by the Emperor, while the other was to remain in Mongolia. Prince Linqin feared the Emperor would keep his second son in the capital, and it must be said that Wogedai was already engaged in Mongolia. Emperor Qianlong had initially hesitated about this marriage; if it weren't for the Empress Dowager's deep affection for Qing'er, he wouldn't have been willing to betroth her to the two Borjigit princesses. Qing'er was somewhat disappointed, but quickly forgot about it. In the eyes of the Fourth Princess, Qing'er's appearance was nothing more than a young girl's blind worship.
The Fourth Princess, staring blankly at the bamboo, never imagined that Emperor Qianlong would issue an edict reprimanding Consort Chun for her disrespect, ordering her to return to the palace and reflect on her actions in the Buddhist hall. When the Fourth Princess finally learned of this, she realized that Consort Chun had not offended the Empress Dowager or the Empress, but Consort Ling… Back at the Empress's residence, the Fourth Princess saw the Empress's dark face, suppressed her curiosity, and sent the two young princes out to play. She gave Rong Mama a look, and Rong Mama immediately led the maids away. “What is it that Your Majesty is so angry about? Didn't Your Majesty already plan to play the victim?”
The Empress stared at the Fourth Princess, "How can I not be angry?"
“Empress Mother, there are many days ahead! If you keep doing this, I'm afraid you'll hurt your health first. What will happen to Fourth Brother, Sister, and Brother? A woman is strong for her husband, and a mother is strong for her son. This is what Empress Mother said.” Fourth Princess said calmly, her eyes fixed on Yongqi and Yongxing in the courtyard.
"It seems I brought this on myself. Is the Bamboo Courtyard all tidied up?" The Empress felt that the Fourth Princess was sometimes like an adult, and her words quickly made people realize the truth. But at other times, the Fourth Princess was just a willful child, making people both laugh and cry.
~~~~
Life at the Yuanmingyuan was no different from that in the Forbidden City. Emperor Qianlong seemed to have a deep affection for the Yuanmingyuan, deciding to stay there until June of the following year. The Fourth Princess now had her own courtyard, much to the envy of the Fifth Princess. After escaping to the Bamboo Courtyard to avoid the other concubines, the Fifth Princess was even more envious, as no one bothered her there! Yongqi and Yongxing were learning classical Chinese texts from the Fourth Princess, such as the Three Character Classic, the Thousand Character Classic, and the Standards for Being a Good Student and Child. The two little ones studied diligently, and their clear, crisp voices reciting the texts greatly pleased the Fourth Princess.
Emperor Qianlong, wanting to see what his Fourth Princess was busy with in the Bamboo Courtyard, heard two childish voices reciting the *Di Zi Gui* (Standards for Being a Good Student and Child) from afar. He waved to stop the servant's summons and quietly entered the courtyard. He saw the two little ones reciting, swaying their heads as they did so. The Fourth Princess, holding a book, leaned against the chaise longue, leading the recitation. The Fifth Princess was embroidering, while Lanxin, holding the Seventh Princess, also recited along. The Seventh Princess was at the age of babbling, her pronunciation not very clear, but the Emperor found it amusing. Watching this scene, Qianlong thought to himself, "The Empress has done a good job raising them; Yuhe has given me two wonderful daughters!"
"Father!" The Fourth Princess looked up and saw the Emperor's moved expression. She was surprised and wondered if the Emperor had lost his temper again.
"Yongqi, do you know what the Rules for Students are about?" Emperor Qianlong summoned Yongqi.
Yongqi tilted his head and looked at the Fourth Princess. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Fourth Sister said this is the principle of being a good person, and it's about teaching her son to prioritize filial piety."
"Good! Study hard, and next year you'll go to the Imperial Study with the other princes."
The Fourth Princess's lips trembled incessantly as she thought to herself that the Emperor had taken another tantrum.
"Father, may Yongqi go to the Imperial Study?"
"Father, Yongxing also wants to go."
"Go, Fourth Princess, Fifth Princess, Lanxin, all of you go with them!"
...Emperor Qianlong really did smoke, the Fourth Princess concluded in her mind.
"Father, should we find tutors and tutors for Yongxing and Yongqi to study in the Imperial Study?" The Fourth Princess wanted to keep the Emperor in check. The two princes, who would only be three years old next year, would be in kindergarten. Wouldn't it be embarrassing for them to go to the Imperial Study with a group of older children so early? But then she thought that this might highlight some of the princes and let Yongqi avoid the limelight.
"Father, Fifth Princess doesn't want servants from the three banners or those who haven't been promoted." Fifth Princess suddenly spoke up domineeringly, putting down what she was embroidering.
"How could Wu'er possibly want me to find you a servant from the lower three banners! The attendants by my Wu'er's side should be from the upper three banners."
"Wu'er just thought of the attendant by her fifth brother's side. She didn't know what kind of family he was raised in, but he was more imposing than her. He even bowed down to her when he saw her. It was really strange. How did her fifth brother raise his servants?"
...Fourth Princess arrived just in time to grab Fifth Princess, and regretted it deeply, wondering why this matter had been brought up again.
...Emperor Qianlong's face darkened. He actually submitted to the princess. What kind of people were around Yongqi!
Author's Note: Phew...
I'll try to resume double updates tomorrow, but I'm looking into the distance... I don't know if it's even possible...
Strive for...
P.S.: The history teacher mentioned in the text is—Cat Xiaobi, who really is a teacher!
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