Chapter 9: Serving closely in the East Annex Hall of the Xian'an Palace's front courtyard, this is Yin...
The east wing of the front courtyard of Xian'an Palace was Yinreng's study. He stood behind the table, holding a brush but not moving it. The ink on the brush tip gathered into small drops, which fell onto the Xuan paper and stained it with a deep black color.
Yinreng snapped out of his reverie, put down his pen, and didn't even bother to collect the stained paper. He thought of himself yesterday, like a leopard or wolf that had seen blood, viciously tearing at its prey, wild, inhuman, and ugly. At that moment, it seemed as if he had two souls, one roaring and full of ferocity, the other standing in a corner, coldly observing.
"How undignified! Like a country bumpkin, without any airs of nobility," he thought.
The masters in the palace are all people of high status; even if they wanted to punish someone to vent their anger, they wouldn't do it themselves. They have plenty of ways to torment someone without finding fault. For example, forcing someone to kneel in the shade—their legs would be ruined overnight. Or, they could find a reason to punish someone for poor service, and a good beating would cripple them, even if they didn't die.
With so many other options, why did he choose to do it himself? Thinking this, his resentment grew wildly like weeds.
Yinreng clenched his fists, and for a moment he wondered if he was going mad. No, no, it couldn't be. His eyes narrowed sharply as he suddenly remembered what Cheng Jia had said that day. She had said he was being haunted by nightmares.
Nightmare Suppression Technique...
Yinreng felt as if he had grasped at a straw. He realized that his current state was not his own fault, but rather the result of someone trying to harm him, the schemes and plots of those who wanted him dead.
Suddenly, everything became clear in my mind.
Yinreng cleared his throat and said, "Someone come here."
The young eunuch guarding the door hurried over, not daring to raise his head. "Master, what are your orders?" Ever since that day, the servants here seemed to have become more discerning. In front of Yinreng, they no longer used titles like "Second Master," "Second Prince," or "Prince," but only addressed him as "Master."
Yinreng asked, "Has Chen He not returned yet?"
The young eunuch replied, "Reporting to you, sir, Eunuch Chen has not returned yet."
Yinreng waved his hand, signaling him to leave. None of the eunuchs who had previously served him remained; now, all those attending to him were newcomers. Among this group of young eunuchs, only Chen He was older. He had previously worked in the Imperial Tea Room of the Qianqing Palace and was also an apprentice of Zhao Chang, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department's workshops—the Emperor's spy placed by his side. With such a major incident occurring in the Xian'an Palace, he would certainly report it, and presumably, Cheng Jia's name would be reported as well.
Yinreng couldn't help but laugh mockingly.
The Crown Prince has been poisoned by a curse. Father Emperor, what would you think if you heard such a thing? Your other sons are using insidious means to murder one of your sons!
But after mocking others, he couldn't help feeling a chill in his own heart. He was under this spell, but he didn't know how to break free!
Cheng Qianyue returned from the Imperial Garden, sweating profusely. Chen He earnestly escorted her to the side hall in the backyard, smiling as he said to her, "Princess, please come to the front yard again in a while. It's best to report His Majesty's orders to the Second Master and let him know that you've been granted permission."
Cheng Qianyue nodded and said okay.
Ruoyun initially felt a chill run down her spine upon seeing the traces of tears on Cheng Qianyue's face, but Chen He's earnest attitude immediately rekindled her spirits. She hurriedly went outside to call a lowly eunuch to fetch water, then took the copper kettle from the tea stove in the side room, mixed warm water, and brought it in.
Cheng Qianyue washed her face, changed into new clothes, and sat down at her dressing table to redo her makeup. Ruoyun combed her hair, asking cautiously as she did so, "Princess, does His Majesty have any instructions for you?"
Cheng Qianyue hummed in agreement. "His Majesty told me to take good care of the Second Prince." She pursed her lips and couldn't help but sigh. But Ruoyun looked radiant, her eyes sparkling.
Ruoyun said, "His Majesty must know about what happened before. Your desperate urging of the Second Prince to take care of his health is a testament to your loyalty. You are now on His Majesty's radar!"
Cheng Qianyue couldn't help but roll her eyes upwards, thinking: What kind of loyalty and protection is this? You're making it sound even more outrageous than Emperor Kangxi did. You really dare to use any kind of flattering word to describe her.
well.
She let out a barely audible sigh. She really wanted to be a nobody, like always! Turning her head, she saw Ruoyun and You Rong looking overjoyed. She couldn't help but ask, "Why are you so happy?"
Ruoyun paused for a moment, then said softly, "Aren't you happy to see His Majesty?"
How could she respond to that? Cheng Qianyue could only say, "I'm not happy, but I'm also very apprehensive."
Ruoyun then smiled again, glanced outside, and whispered, "Among the Second Prince's family, only the Second Princess Consort is on His Majesty's radar. Even the princesses who gave birth to Princes Hongxi and Hongjin have never been summoned by His Majesty."
Cheng Qianyue understood now. The emperor's summons and evaluations were like a seal; whoever had their seal stamped on them was superior and respected. But she thought that Kangxi's eyesight might not be very good, mistaking her, who was talking nonsense, for a psychiatrist who could cure illnesses.
She's under so much pressure!
Despite the immense psychological pressure, Cheng Qianyue persevered. After tidying herself up, she went to the front yard and followed Chen He into the study to pay her respects to Yinreng.
Chen He said in a deep voice, "His Majesty's orders are to have Consort Cheng serve him closely."
Cheng Qianyue squatted down and gave a deep curtsy, saying with a show of determination, "This servant will definitely serve you well."
Yinreng waved to Chen He, but did not tell Cheng Qianyue to get up. After Chen He left, he asked, "Where did you go just now?"
Cheng Qianyue squatted there with her body bent over, thinking that this man had tormented her again today, but she quickly replied, "His Majesty summoned this servant in the pavilion in the Imperial Garden."
"Hmm. What did they say?"
Cheng Qianyue replied, "His Majesty asked about my family, and I even told him about the nightmares I had as a child. After that, His Majesty told me to serve him well."
Seeing that she hadn't hidden anything, Yinreng told her to get up. Cheng Qianyue breathed a sigh of relief and stood up straight and obediently.
After a while, Yinreng also asked her about the nightmare she had when she was a child. Cheng Qianyue then repeated what she had said in the Imperial Garden.
Yinreng looked her up and down, then suddenly said, "Come here."
Cheng Qianyue had no idea what tricks he was up to this time. She obediently walked to the side of the kang (a heated brick bed), only half an arm's length away from him, when he grabbed her chin and lifted it up.
? !
Cheng Qianyue couldn't help but look up at him in surprise, but then she thought, "Is it disrespectful to face my master directly?" She quickly lowered her eyes again, not daring to even breathe.
Even though Cheng Qianyue had stayed at Xian'an Palace for several days, this was the first time that Yinreng had carefully examined this new princess.
In the selection of imperial concubines, those with good family backgrounds and beautiful appearances were given top priority, followed by those with good family backgrounds but less outstanding looks, and then those with average family backgrounds but good looks. Therefore, the fact that Cheng Jia, from an ordinary Manchu family, was chosen to become a concubine speaks volumes about her exceptional beauty. But what he considered her most beautiful feature was her eyes. Clean, pure, and seemingly imbued with a spirit, every movement radiating an extraordinary vibrancy.
Yinreng reached out and traced the corner of her eye, thinking that people involved in witchcraft usually don't have a good ending, but she was able to come back after being questioned, and the emperor still wanted her to serve him closely, which means that there must be something about her that people find rare.
What is it? Is it what he thinks?
Cheng Qianyue had been leaning forward for a while, and the corners of her eyes were being rubbed, making her feel unusually itchy and extremely uncomfortable.
"No, have you finished looking? My chin is a little sore from being pinched!" she thought to herself, but thankfully she was released quickly.
Yinreng said, "Since it is Father Emperor's order, then you should serve him well."
Cheng Qianyue quickly replied, "Yes."
After a while, Yinreng asked again, "Did you apply medicated oil to your body?" He couldn't smell it from a distance, but just now, even when he was so close, he could still smell the faint scent of safflower oil.
Cheng Qianyue unconsciously put her arm behind her back, afraid that he would be angry because of the unpleasant smell, and carefully answered, "Yes, my arm is a little bruised, so I applied some medicated oil."
That was when he touched it while stopping him. Yinreng lowered his eyes, seemingly lost in thought. After a long while, he closed his eyes, leaned back, and whispered, "Go out."
Alas!
Cheng Qianyue felt a surge of joy in her heart and hurriedly bowed and left.
From then on, Cheng Qianyue began her working life in the front yard. Every morning she was woken up half an hour earlier than usual, and after washing up, she would go to the front yard to serve the Second Prince when he got up and when he ate his breakfast, before she could have her own meal.
The Second Prince usually didn't do much. Sometimes he would daydream, sometimes he would read, sometimes he would practice calligraphy, and sometimes he would paint. She would wait outside, occasionally going in to bring him tea or help grind ink. In the evening, she had to stand by his side to serve him his dinner before she could eat. After he finished eating, she would go in to pay her respects and then return to her room in the backyard.
At first, Cheng Qianyue was quite apprehensive. She wasn't stupid; she was just a bit stunned when she first entered Xian'an Palace and couldn't see things clearly, but now she was quite familiar with palace life. The two times she was reprimanded by the prince for serving tea weren't because she did a bad job, but because she wasn't his favorite. He just wanted to find an excuse to humiliate her and vent his anger.
Now that she's been ordered to serve him closely, she's thinking of simply obeying his orders. She'll do whatever he says, and if she doesn't know how, she'll apologize and ask politely. That should be enough, right?
But these past few days, while serving him, she seemed to have inexplicably gained his favor. Even though she was not skilled enough and couldn't button his clothes properly, she wasn't scolded. Even if she made a lot of noise when setting his teacup or bowl, it didn't matter to her.
Cheng Qianyue: So Kangxi's words really work! Not only do Ruoyun and the eunuchs below her think highly of her, but even the Second Prince and the deposed Crown Prince no longer cause her any trouble.
But she hadn't forgotten the potential problem with the Second Prince. He seemed to be experiencing mental issues; he appeared fine now, but who knew when it might erupt again? What would she do then?
Cheng Qianyue thought to herself, troubled.
She never worked as a psychologist in her past life; at most, she obtained a junior psychological counselor certificate while in college. But that was a long time ago, and she had forgotten most of her knowledge about psychology.
"You're so dense! Think of it now!" Cheng Qianyue silently cried out in her heart.
Sigh, the words "bipolar disorder" suddenly popped into her head.
Yinreng's mood fluctuated greatly; when he broke down, he would become angry and manic, and when he was depressed, he would stare blankly and remain silent. Thinking about it this way, these behaviors seem to fit the symptoms of bipolar disorder.
But how to treat it? Cheng Qianyue was at a loss.
In ancient times, there were no psychotropic drugs, so they could only rely on artificial psychological counseling. Psychological counseling? Did she expect her to say to him, "Sir, would you like to tell me what's on your mind?" Haha, that's idiotic, and besides, she wouldn't dare.
After much thought, Cheng Qianyue secretly made a decision: she would focus on his clothing, food, housing, and transportation to please him and make him happy. Perhaps being happy would relieve her depression!
With that thought in mind, she immediately began to rub her hands together in anticipation. While the pretext of being appointed by Kangxi was still effective, she would strive to achieve something! Even if he were to relapse into his old ways one day, she could kneel down and beg Kangxi to apologize, saying that she had done her best.
A note from the author:
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