Chapter 170 The Doctrine of the Mean Cheng Qianyue moved to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and...
Cheng Qianyue moved to the Hall of Mental Cultivation not because she played any tricks, but simply because she was not feeling well these days.
I don't know if it's because of her age, but she's having a difficult pregnancy. Specifically, she experiences chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty sleeping. She doesn't want to eat the foods she used to love, and, more importantly, she has a bit of a temper that she can't control, easily getting teary-eyed at the slightest provocation.
At first, Yinreng asked her if she was still thinking about Hongjin and Hongyan's downfall. Cheng Qianyue pouted and said, "I wasn't thinking about it, but you brought it up and I remembered it again." After that, she couldn't sleep well at all, feeling a tightness in her chest. She looked at him aggrievedly and said, "It's all your fault. You brought back the fear from that time."
"Okay, okay, it's my fault." Yinreng surrendered without any argument. Seeing her clenching her fists and pounding her chest, he offered to rub it for her. But after only a couple of rubs, Cheng Qianyue refused, saying it hurt. Her chest already felt tight, and his touch only made it worse. Yinreng was at a loss; even the slightest touch hurt, yet he already used very little force.
The same thing happened during meals. They were serving her usual favorite dishes, but for some reason, Cheng Qianyue felt nauseous at the smell. Whether it was shrimp ball soup, braised duck, or even her usual favorite pastries, just looking at them made her want to vomit.
Cheng Qianyue really vomited, and when she looked up again, tears streamed down her face, making her look quite pitiful.
With a worried expression, Yinreng said, "Why does this pregnancy seem so much worse than before?" He then ordered the entire table of food to be cleared away. Still not reassured, he ordered someone to summon the imperial physician. However, the physician only said it was normal, as women can experience all sorts of strange symptoms during pregnancy.
Cheng Qianyue rinsed her mouth and wiped her lips with a handkerchief, saying, "Perhaps it's because I'm getting old that this pregnancy is so difficult." She took a breath and said, "Your Highness, please return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation first. Don't let me delay your meal." She had just vomited and didn't want to eat anything for a while. Besides, she was pregnant, and since there was no incense burning in the room, she figured the air wouldn't smell very good.
Yinreng frowned and replied, "I am worried about you, how can I leave?" Then he made a final decision, "I see that you are eating and sleeping poorly. Perhaps it is because the location of Yongshou Palace is not good and it is bad for our child. I think it would be better if you moved to Yangxin Hall. The emperor's bed will surely be free from all evil."
Cheng Qianyue thought to herself: Yongshou Palace was the very place he chose for her before, but now he says the location is bad. However, despite her complaints, she had no intention of refusing this favor, so she pretended to be embarrassed and said, "This is not in accordance with the rules."
Yinreng said, "My word is law." After thinking for a moment, he added, "From now on, you won't need the small kitchen for your meals anymore. They only make your usual favorite dishes, but now that you've changed your tastes, I reckon they won't be able to serve you well. From now on, you'll use the food from the Yangxin Hall's kitchen with me. The chefs there are quite skilled and have a wide variety of dishes; surely some of them will be able to find the right flavor for you now." He patted her hand, "Being closer to me will make it easier for me to keep an eye on you."
Cheng Qianyue then accepted the offer and said softly, "Thank you for your consideration, sir."
Yinreng immediately stood up, took his cloak and draped it over Cheng Qianyue, pulling the hood up tightly. He then told the others, "Bring the sedan chair." Cheng Qianyue had originally planned to walk, since Yongshou Palace was close to Yangxin Hall, barely a few steps away. But as soon as Yinreng mentioned bringing the sedan chair, she felt tired and obediently waited to be carried over. A short while later, she arrived at Yangxin Hall, in the familiar West Warm Pavilion at the back.
Shortly after arriving at the warm pavilion, Jing Shun and the others went to the kitchen across the street to order their meal. However, each dish was first presented on a plate for Cheng Qianyue to see. Those that looked appetizing were kept, while those that Yinreng disliked were removed and given to others. More than twenty dishes were served in total, but in the end, only about six plates remained on the table.
Cheng Qianyue said, "Actually, it's enough. Even you and I can't finish these dishes."
Yinreng sighed as he looked at the few dishes: "They look so plain, and these are all things you don't usually eat. I really don't know if it's the baby in your belly that's causing you trouble."
Cheng Qianyue glanced at it and realized it was true. The six dishes left were all quite vegetarian, with only two meat dishes being braised winter bamboo shoots with ham and three-delicacy fish balls, which looked rather bland. Actually, it wasn't that she didn't eat these kinds of light and refreshing dishes, but she ate them rarely. She usually preferred dishes that were pan-fried, deep-fried, or braised, which had a stronger flavor and brighter colors.
"How about you order a few more meat dishes, Your Highness?" Cheng Qianyue said to Yinreng.
Yinreng said, "No, I don't have many preferences anyway. Besides, if I order any dishes, the flavors will be too strong and make you feel uncomfortable." He ladled a bowl of ham soup and placed it in front of Cheng Qianyue. Seeing that she wasn't as resistant to the food as before, and was drinking the soup spoonful by spoonful, Yinreng's lips slowly curved into a smile. He thought to himself that her tastes were lighter now, so he would tell the people in the Yangxin Hall's kitchen to serve her the same dishes that were served today. He also thought that winter would come soon, so he needed to instruct the people in the heated rooms to provide the freshest and tenderest seasonal vegetables every day. She usually didn't eat chrysanthemum greens, and her tastes were different now, so he would send them up another day to let her try.
After dinner, the two strolled around the room to digest their food. Once it got dark, they washed up and went to bed. Cheng Qianyue was especially happy that evening; her smile hadn't faded since entering the Yangxin Hall. Seeing her so cheerful, and no longer complaining of aches and pains, as if moving to a different place had cured all her ailments, Yinreng felt much more at ease and thought that moving her here was the right thing to do.
Cheng Qianyue felt happy just thinking about how news of her moving to the Hall of Mental Cultivation would spread. She thought angrily, "You'll all be furious! Humph, I'll make you all furious!" As she thought about it, she couldn't help but recall the seven-tailed phoenix hairpin that Yinreng had given her that year. He had said he would make her an Imperial Noble Consort; did that promise still stand?
Cheng Qianyue turned her head to look at him.
Yinreng asked with a smile, "What's wrong? It's late, stop grinning like an idiot and go to sleep."
For some reason, Cheng Qianyue's joy suddenly vanished, but she still smiled gently at him and said, "When I came back here, I realized that I really missed this place. I was here with Master back then."
Yinreng gave a gentle "hmm," recalling the time after the late emperor's death. Seeing him lost in memories, Cheng Qianyue didn't continue, and slowly nestled into his arms.
The next morning, Yinreng went to the front to handle state affairs, while Cheng Qianyue did needlework on the kang (heated brick bed) in the West Warm Pavilion. As she sewed children's clothes, she thought about her thoughts from the previous night. She stopped and looked outside, just in time to see the sunlight streaming in through the window. Reaching out to catch it, her fingers glittered with golden light, as if she could grasp it firmly with a clenched fist.
Imperial Noble Consort...
If she could become an Imperial Noble Consort, she would be on par with the Empress, and others would not fear her. However, she couldn't mention this matter, much less ask about it. Because she had always been someone who didn't care about fame or fortune, if she mentioned it to Yinreng, he would think she had changed. Besides, she also knew that Yinreng wouldn't bestow the title of Imperial Noble Consort upon her, because he wanted to cool down the competition for the Crown Prince.
However, Yinreng was destined to fail. From the moment he bestowed upon her the title of Imperial Concubine and granted her numerous honors, others already saw her as a thorn in their side. Perhaps Yinreng now believed that this jealousy was merely spreading within the harem, or only a superficial layer among the children, easily eradicated. But once he realized that this jealousy was deeply rooted everywhere, then it would be time for him to make a choice.
Do we want a crown prince who cannot tolerate others, or a crown prince who upholds brotherly love and respect?
Cheng Qianyue sighed, snapping out of her reverie. She felt like a complete villain. What could she do? Good people who didn't act badly in the Forbidden City probably wouldn't survive, or if they did, life would be incredibly difficult. There was a movie that said a good official had to be worse than a corrupt official; only by being even worse could a good official defeat them. That probably applied to her current situation. Of course, there's also the saying, "The dragon slayer becomes the dragon," meaning that once someone becomes a little bad, they might not be able to stop later.
Everything needs to be done in moderation. The Confucian school always talks about the Doctrine of the Mean.
Cheng Qianyue put down the needle, thinking that she needed to set a high bar for herself, both to remind herself and to keep her subordinates on their toes.
So when Yinreng returned from the front, Cheng Qianyue steered the conversation toward palace affairs. She said, "There are many things to do after winter begins, but now that I'm pregnant, I sometimes feel unwell, so I'm really lacking in energy for palace affairs. I was thinking, Your Majesty, could see who can help me share the burden?"
Yinreng thought about it and agreed. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "In terms of seniority, Consort Jing is the most suitable. She is a peaceful person who has never competed for anything. It would be good to let her assist in managing the six palaces."
Cheng Qianyue smiled slightly, thinking that as long as she spoke up about palace affairs, Yinreng would definitely bring up Lady Linjia. Because Lady Lijia was of poor character, she couldn't very well be allowed to assist in managing the six palaces. Furthermore, regarding Hongjin's matter, she would need to appease Lady Linjia and her son.
Cheng Qianyue nodded: "With Consort Jing's help, I feel much more at ease." She paused for a moment and said: "But Consort Jing is new to palace affairs, and I'm afraid she will still need to consult me on many matters. However, I am currently living in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and the servants around me are somewhat constrained. In addition, they not only have to serve me and the baby in my womb, but also have to take care of things outside, which is really hard on them. Therefore, I would like to ask Your Highness to grant a few people to help."
"Give me someone?" Yinreng asked, raising his eyes.
Cheng Qianyue nodded: "The servants serving by the master's side must be very capable, so it will be convenient for them to help Lin Quan'an relay messages and do things."
Yinreng looked at her, sighed, patted her hand, and said, "You're always like this, so considerate of others."
A few days later, Yinreng bestowed someone upon her. This person was named Qiao Derang, who originally served in the Maoqin Hall of the Qianqing Palace. As everyone knows, after Yinreng ascended the throne, the center of the palace shifted to the Yangxin Hall, and the Qianqing Palace remained empty. If the Qianqing Palace was empty, then the Maoqin Hall within the Qianqing Palace was even more so.
After entering, Qiao Derang immediately bowed and greeted the Noble Consort Yi, saying, "This servant Qiao Derang greets the Noble Consort Yi."
Cheng Qianyue told him to get up, gave him a reward, and said softly, "I'm sure you know why you've come here. I hope that you and Lin Quan'an will look after each other in the future, so that the palace will be harmonious and peaceful. I will reward you accordingly."
Qiao Derang kowtowed several times and said, "This servant will do his utmost."
After he left, Cheng Qianyue looked at Lin Quan'an and said, "You and I have been master and servant for many years, which is something that others cannot compare to. However, Qiao Derang is, after all, someone who came from the Qing Palace and was sent by the Emperor. He probably has a group of masters and apprentices behind him. You should know how to treat him in the future."
Lin Quan'an replied, "Yes, this servant understands."
Cheng Qianyue continued, "From now on, there's no need to hide anything from him. The end of the month is approaching, so let him handle the distribution of the palace servants' monthly allowances as well. You should go and tell Consort Jing that the Emperor intends for her to assist in managing the six palaces. Also, tell her that patience brings peace, and perseverance takes time."
Only after Lin Quan'an left did Cheng Qianyue feel at ease. She thought that she had gained both a helper and a ruler, which was a win-win situation.
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