Spring of the 26th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.
Winter in the Forbidden City slowly faded from people's sight. Before we knew it, the tender buds of spring had brought the Forbidden City to life. The green amidst the white was particularly vibrant, making people feel happy.
Over the years, Consort De, of the Uya clan, has never given up trying to please the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, but with little success.
Two years ago, she became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. Emperor Kangxi then returned her to the rank of concubine. After giving birth to her daughter, she did not conceive again.
The only way is to hold on tightly to the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, who is his nominal biological son.
She would send things to the Fourth Prince Yinzhen even more frequently, and would often bump into him near the princes' residence to express her maternal love and tell him about her inner suffering.
She said she didn't want to send him away either, but the Imperial Noble Consort was fierce and domineering, and had the Emperor's favor, so she had no choice but to send him away.
She said that ever since he was sent away, she had thought of him every night and made many little clothes for him, but she was afraid that the Imperial Noble Consort would not like them, so she did not send them to him.
Every time, she would stop the Fourth Prince Yinzhen and launch into a long tirade, expressing her so-called maternal love, which only made the Fourth Prince Yinzhen's face even colder.
Duofu privately complained that the increasingly icy expression on the face of the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, as he grew older, was partly due to Consort De, of the Uya clan.
If you deliver something ten times, and it's accepted only once, everyone says it's good luck.
That's true. The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, did it for Consort Tong's benefit. He couldn't let people think he was cold-hearted, didn't care about his birth mother, and was unfilial, otherwise it would affect Consort Tong's impression of him as a good son.
At first, the Fourth Prince Yinzhen was secretly pleased when he received the small clothes from Consort De, Uya. But after Duofu finished talking and found the not-so-obvious character "Zuo" inside the clothes...
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, never accepted Consort De's gifts again, nor did he show any joy in them.
With De'en's mother, he only deserved what others didn't want, and she told him how much she missed him and how many little clothes she made for him. This was what he called missing her.
Even Duofu, a dog who couldn't read faces, could sense the mockery on the Fourth Prince Yinzhen's little face.
Duofu was very happy, lest the Fourth Prince Yinzhen fall into the trap of false maternal love. When he wanted you, he was unwilling to put in any sincerity to please you. But when the Fourteenth Prince was born, he would not even want to look at you.
If you don't have feelings for your biological mother when you're young, you'll naturally lack that natural filter of affection when you grow up.
Then they wouldn't get stuck in a deep quagmire and be manipulated at will by their so-called biological mother.
A bad person won't be any better even if they become a mother.
It's a pity that there isn't a system for selecting parents now; otherwise, someone like Consort De, of the Uya clan, wouldn't even be qualified to be a mother.
She showed no affection for her daughters, especially the youngest one, and often blamed the little princess, saying that if she hadn't been so big and ruined her health, she wouldn't have been unable to conceive for two or three years.
Duofu went to play in the Imperial Garden and heard gossip about Yonghe Palace. He couldn't help but prick up his ears. He heard that the three princesses lived a life similar to that of those without their mothers.
Consort De would often make her sick, using her as a bargaining chip for Emperor Kangxi to come to Yonghe Palace. As a result, none of her three daughters were healthy, especially the youngest one, who was only two or three years old but looked smaller than a one-year-old baby, and was malnourished.
Duofu had just heard that and didn't believe it, thinking it was a rumor spread by people who disliked Yonghe Temple.
Rumors were flying everywhere in the palace, and even gossipers needed the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Duofu thought he was quite good at it.
Who would have thought that one day I saw outside that the little princess born to Consort De was almost three years old and had not yet learned to walk. She was always being carried by her wet nurse. Her face was thin and had no baby fat at all. Her face was sallow and bloodless.
On such a cold day, Duofu had no idea why Consort De had brought the little princess out.
She secretly followed him, only to find out that he had gone to the prince's residence to curry favor with him. Knowing he was useless, he brought his young, sickly daughter with him.
It was indeed quite useful. When the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, saw his little sister, his eyes lit up; she was his own sister.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, still cared a little. Looking at the little bundle, he couldn't help but soften his heart, and he spoke a few more words to Consort De, even smiling.
After that, Consort De seemed to have found a way to control the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, and would often take her youngest daughter to wait for him to come to her.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, is such a fool; he always falls for his tricks.
Later, it was Consort Tong who couldn't stand it anymore and severely mocked Consort De when she went to Chengqian Palace to pay her respects, which made Consort De restrain herself a bit.
The little princess gained the favor of the Fourth Prince and was gradually taken care of by Consort De, becoming fair and plump.
Perhaps Consort De, of the Uya clan, was also afraid that if she raised the animal too carelessly and accidentally killed it, then all her efforts over the past few years would have been in vain, as it was the only tool she could use to get close to the woman.
Sure enough, every time the Fourth Prince Yinzhen saw his little sister getting healthier and healthier, his attitude towards Consort De became better and better.
At least it won't be like it was at the beginning, with an icy expression, not saying a word and not accepting anything.
Standing there silently watching Consort De perform made Consort De feel a little awkward at first.
She couldn't help but curse him in her heart. He really was a debt collector, an ingrate. Even her own mother had to be so humble and obsequious to please him.
He remained completely unmoved.
Thanks to the little princess, Consort De, of the Uya clan, and the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, reached the honeymoon period in their relationship.
At least based on the gifts from the little princess, the fourth prince, Yinzhen, would accept them, but he would never use them. He would find a box and have people casually pile them together.
At first, the Fourth Prince Yinzhen didn't want to pay attention to Consort De, Uya, but when he saw the thin and weak little sister, especially knowing that she was his own sister from the same father and mother, he couldn't help himself.
The moment Fourth Prince Yinzhen saw his little sister, he knew that his mother, De'e, had not raised her properly.
He had seen Consort Yi take the Ninth Prince out to play before. The Ninth Prince, who was a little over one year old, was well-fed and chubby by Consort Yi. If you poked him, you could make a hole, and the exposed hands and feet looked like sections of tender white lotus root.
At just over a year old, he could already run on his own, and he ran so fast that even the wet nurse couldn't catch up with him. Several eunuchs and palace maids had to surround the Ninth Prince, just in case he accidentally tripped and fell.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, also remembered the Sixth Prince when he was a child. He was definitely not like his little sister, so thin and small, with a sickly face.
The sixth prince's mother was able to raise him very well, but the little sister only looked like this.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, felt even more resentful of Consort De, Uya.
However, he didn't show it, because he was afraid that if he didn't like his little sister, she might suddenly disappear one day.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, felt that his mother, De'enniang, was capable of such a thing.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
