Hongyu was surrounded by onlookers when he entered the palace
Time travel is a daunting task. If you were to travel back in time, no matter where you end up, living conditions there wouldn't be nearly as good as those in the future. Simply put, there's no running water, electricity, gas, internet, television, airplanes, trains, or cars. That wouldn't be a problem, but the most frustrating thing is that the living standards aren't very high.
That's right, it's the living standards. Living standards don't just refer to the amount of living space per square meter, but also the quality of living. Since Shujia came here, living standards have always been very high. No worries about mosquitoes in the summer, no worries about heating in the winter. Even now, it can be said to be top-notch, yet there are still various inconveniences.
The first is lighting. In ancient paintings, beauties sit by windows, reading, playing the zither, embroidering, or simply sitting still. Why? To look good?
Of course not, it's because without the window, the light in the room is very poor! The era before flat glass was popular was really depressing.
The rooms in this palace are so well-partitioned, with partitions separating east and west, that light doesn't get through easily. Why do the masters prefer to meet guests in the main room? The door there is wide, and when it's opened, there's plenty of light. If it's in a side room or a side room, the south-facing porch would be very useful—it's next to the window.
The conditions in Kunning Palace are quite good and it has been renovated. Shujia also took the visitors to the east side room.
Kunning Palace has nine rooms, the highest standard of architecture. However, the two uppermost rooms are merely rooftops, effectively two corridors. There are only seven proper rooms, with the throne in the central hall, suitable for more formal receptions and greetings.
The two rooms on the west side were connected to form a study, where the books from the East Palace were moved in. A statue of the Bodhisattva was placed in the west side room. The two rooms on the east side were bedrooms, complete with a bed, a kang, a dressing table, a wardrobe, and other furniture. A small bedroom was also temporarily partitioned off to store the Black Cloud Pearl. The east side room was a more casual and intimate reception area.
A kang table sat on the southern edge of the kang, with two rows of huanghuali wood chairs below. Wall screens hung on the walls. Two rows of treasure cabinets lined the kang's walls, displaying various treasures. A throne also stood on the north side, used for audiences. Sitting on this throne, those crouching below would only see you in shadow, the gold embroidery emitting a faint glow, creating a mysterious atmosphere perfect for psychological warfare.
Today's guest was a close friend, so Shujia sat on the south kang. The bright spring sunshine felt very comfortable on her body, perfect for drinking tea and chatting.
The Third Lady was a frequent visitor to the palace. She was the future mother-in-law of Shujia's niece, and her husband had been instrumental to Yinreng, so Shujia had to give her some respect. The Third Lady was also quite tactful, switching the address between them. "My Lady, has the Emperor really brought Hongyu into the palace?"
Shuhui and Shuyi also came to see their elder sister. The three of them sat on the chairs with the Fourth, Tenth, and Thirteenth Concubines. When the Third Concubine asked this, Shuhui said, "Look at what the Third Sister-in-law said. You are not joking. You said you wanted him to come in, and of course you didn't say it for nothing."
The Fourth Lady looked at Shujia and then at Shuhui. She had come to the palace on the orders of her mother-in-law and at the request of the Eighth Lady. Although Defei was living in retirement outside the palace, she was not ignorant of the ways of the world. Moreover, Yinreng had released Hongyu with great fanfare.
The neighbor, Concubine Hui, also knew about this. She also wanted to know about her son's family's recent situation, so she asked Concubine De to inquire about the situation. Concubine De understood Concubine Hui's feelings, but she didn't want to get too involved in this matter. A concubine who had been exiled from the palace for honors was so eager to go to the palace to see someone else's grandson under the pretext of paying respects to the Grand Empress Dowager? Was she crazy?
She called her daughter-in-law over and said, "After all, they are mother and son. How can I not feel sorry for them? She knew it wouldn't be a good idea to ask about this matter at the palace, so she came to me instead. When you go to the palace to pay your respects, ask if it's appropriate. Don't ask too many questions, just do your best. That's a serious crime, so don't get too involved. Just make peace with it."
The Fourth Lady silently noted the instructions and said, "Don't worry, daughter-in-law."
Defei once again chanted, "I'm not a hard-hearted person. My eldest brother made a mistake, which is unforgivable. The emperor is merciful. I just hope others won't go too far and implicate innocent people." To be frank, Yunti created his own karma, and he would have to bear the consequences. Defei also sympathized with Huifei, but she had a son of her own. She could be a good person, but the price couldn't be her son.
After receiving her resignation from Consort De, the Fourth Lady sent a sign to the palace. Even though a reply hadn't arrived yet, the Fourth Lady wasn't anxious, as such requests were generally approved. However, someone from the next door arrived, saying the Eighth Lady had a request.
Hongwang had been ill for the past two days, and the Eighth Concubine was at home looking after her son. She had also asked the Fourth Concubine to come to the palace to see how Hongyu was doing. Needless to say, Concubine Hui was also worried about her grandson, so she told her adopted son and his wife.
The two lines come together again at the Fourth Lady.
The Fourth Lady entered the palace and ran into the Third Lady and the others. It was obvious that there was a coordinated plan for paying respects to the emperor. Before she could say anything, the Third Lady was already gossiping. Among the sisters-in-law, the Third Lady was the more complacent one, and her words were a bit more casual.
Unexpectedly, the Fifteenth Concubine was closer to the Queen than the Third Concubine, and she lived in the palace, so she was even more well-informed.
The Fourth Lady was delighted. Great, now she could know the situation without asking. She just listened quietly.
Prince Yu's wife tried to smooth things over: "So she lives in Zhaoxiang's residence?" They were really like sisters-in-law, they even had lines to complement each other when singing in opera.
Shuhui said, "I was talking to my mother in Ningshou Palace yesterday when I heard a loud noise behind us. I could hear it even through two or three walls. My mother sent someone to ask, and they said Hongyu had already moved in."
Shuyi was stunned for a moment, then realized that her mother was talking about Concubine Mi.
Seeing that Shujia couldn't help but talk about this topic, the Tenth Lady came over and asked, "What's the big fuss?" It's impossible, right? If this happened ten years ago, she would believe that Yunti's son is worthless now.
Shujia said, "Just listen to her! Hongyu arrived today, and I sent someone to buy him some things yesterday. There are some empty rooms at Zhaoxiang's place, but the furniture inside isn't complete. I figured he wouldn't be able to bring much with him, so I decided not to let him bring anything and just furnished him with everything. There's also clothes for all four seasons, as he's still growing up."
After listening to this, the Thirteenth Lady thought to herself, even if it was just to show friendship, it would be very kind of her to do this for Hongyu.
The Third Lady said, "The Emperor and Empress are kind, and Hongyu is just lucky."
Shujia said, "I still remember what happened when his mother was alive. I only took care of him as much as I could for the sake of my sister-in-law."
After hearing this, the Fourth Lady couldn't help but say, "No matter how bad Father Hongyu was, my eldest sister-in-law was a good person. It's a pity that she didn't live long."
Shujia suddenly said, "Hongyu moved in today. The emperor gave him a day off, and he won't go back to school until tomorrow. He should be at Zhaoxiang's residence right now. Why don't we go see him together? We're both his aunt, and he's still young, so there's no need to be too shy. If we don't see him now, it'll be hard to see him in two years."
"Won't this disturb the Grand Empress Dowager?" the Fourth Lady asked attentively. The drought had been going on for a long time, and the old lady was a little tired and reluctant to see anyone, so the other ladies had gathered in Kunning Palace. As Zhaoxiang approached Ningshou Palace, it felt like the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard.
Shujia said, "There was some noise yesterday, and the Empress Dowager is catching up on some sleep today. Let's go quietly and take a look at Ningshou Palace first. If the Empress Dowager is still reclining, we can quietly go out and take a look at the back."
Everyone was a little excited. The son of Prince Zhi was so rare. Some were curious, some had an impression of the first wife, and some sympathized with the child who had been implicated by Yunti. They all wanted to meet him.
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They first arrived at Ningshou Palace, where they encountered Concubine Tong outside the Empress Dowager's bedroom. She rushed forward and bowed to Shujia, who returned a half-bow. She raised her index finger to her lips and said, "The ancestor is squinting again."
Shujia nodded and pulled Concubine Tong out to the porch outside to talk. "Thank you for your hard work, Concubine Mother." She had come to pay her respects this morning, and the Empress Dowager hadn't been in good spirits. Concubine Tong was there then, and she had surprisingly stayed until now.
Concubine Tong's smile was a little bitter: "There is nothing else to do, but I just want to show my gratitude."
The concubines came up one by one to see Concubine Tong, saying that the weather was starting to get hot and asking her to take care of herself. Concubine Tong agreed verbally, but didn't take it to heart. She just asked Shujia, "Are the Queen and the concubines here to see the Grand Empress Dowager? The Grand Empress Dowager sent a message yesterday saying that she wanted to rest today."
Shujia said, "We remembered our sister-in-law and went to see Hongyu."
Concubine Tong nodded: "The Queen also knows. The noise was a little louder at the back yesterday. The Grand Empress Dowager heard it and knew that he was coming. She sighed for a long time and didn't want to move today."
"It's okay. Ask Hongyu to come over tonight and kowtow to the old ancestor. Most of the problems will be solved."
Concubine Tong said, "If you want to go and see her, go now. In a while, the old ancestor will get up and have some snacks. If you know, I'm afraid she won't be happy and won't be able to eat."
Everyone said goodbye and went to Hongyu's residence.
Hongyu was a miserable child, a miserably poor one who had changed his ways. He was the child his parents had longed for, with four older sisters, and his father doted on his mother. Oh, and his mother was his father's first wife. And then, his father enjoyed immense glory, becoming a prince and the eldest son of the emperor, the kind of man who could summon a large group of people to oppose the crown prince with a single wave of his hand.
He went to school with his cousins and was the focus of tutoring. In the palace, his grandmother was the head of a palace, and all the palace maids and eunuchs had to serve her.
Life was perfect! Then, hard times began. My mother died, I got a stepmother, my father got into trouble and the whole family was imprisoned, and my sister got married and couldn't come back.
A person's hardship isn't necessarily due to a poor background; many things aren't yours. The hardest thing is to gain and then lose them. For Hongyu, his greatest pain was probably having a father who was mad and ruined his childhood.
The contrast was so stark that it was a little too much for me to bear. When I was in the palace, I had some minor complaints: getting up too early, the discipline being too strict. It wasn't until I was confined at home that I realized how much it truly was to go to school. Occasionally, I was granted permission to leave, and even accompanied the emperor on a trip to the frontier. But when I returned, I felt even more miserable.
The younger brothers had no memory of their past lives; some were born after the confinement and were accustomed to this kind of life, but not Hongyu. Although being out was painful, he didn't understand the strange looks he received at first, but later he understood: his father had made a huge mistake.
It took him a few more years to realize how utterly wrong this had been! Even worse, his now-cowardly father, after getting drunk, admitted to it himself. He was screwed! He'd always thought his methods were inadequate, but in reality, well, it was just his poor skills that had given him a handle.
His sisters, who truly loved him, were married off to Mongolia, never to return. Being a man and unable to marry, Hongyu felt somewhat depressed. He was horrified when Kangxi passed away, and his father's mortal enemy ascended to power. Unexpectedly, this mortal enemy rescued him.
Hongyu, no longer quite naive, understood that this was all a publicity stunt for the new emperor. Whatever, Hongyu clenched his fists. Just don't shut up again. He didn't want to see his childhood idol, his own father, in his current state. He wanted to see his married sisters once more, to kowtow at his mother's grave.
Hongyu clenched his fists.
A soft slapping sound came from outside, and Hongyu was stunned and didn't react for a moment. The young eunuch assigned to him was smart: "Master, someone is coming." After thinking for a while, he added, "This is how the masters of the palace travel."
Hongyu hurried out to greet them, but was startled again when he saw who was coming. He recognized the person leading the group as his second aunt. He had paid his respects to the Qianqing Palace that morning and had been brought to Kunning Palace to see her. Then, when he arrived at Ningshou Palace, the Empress Dowager was unwell and had sent him to check on the house first.
He walked forward, greeted her, and asked Shujia to come in and sit down.
Shujia sat down and said to Hongyu, "You go about your business. These are all your aunts who want to come and see you."
Hongyu had been keeping his head down, but now he looked up and listened to Shujia introduce them: "This is your third aunt, and this is your fourth aunt. You met them when you were a child, remember?"
He really couldn't remember it, so Hongyu said carefully, "He looks familiar." He stepped forward to greet him.
Shujia introduced several other wives and asked Hongyu to sit down as well. "You've grown up in the blink of an eye. Wait until you get married. Otherwise, it will be inappropriate for us to come to your room."
The Third Lady looked Hongyu up and down, took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears: "You look a bit like my eldest sister-in-law." Then she asked Hongyu, "Do you remember what your mother looked like?"
Hongyu nodded with tears in his eyes: "Mother is just like she is right in front of me."
As the two of them cried, the rest of the family followed suit. The Fourth Lady called him over for a closer look. The child's skin was a bit unhealthy pale, probably due to a lack of outdoor exercise. However, he wasn't thin, so he seemed to be getting enough nutrition. The furnishings in the room also looked quite nice. Second Sister-in-law always did a flawless job—she only wished the people in the palace wouldn't be so snobbish.
Shujia said, "Live here and make yourself at ease. I told you this morning, so I won't give you any more instructions. Just live here peacefully and study hard. Do your job well in the future and don't overthink it."
The fourth concubine wiped her tears and said: "The queen is right. If you listen to the emperor and queen, you will live a peaceful life. Your mother can also close her eyes."
Hongyu nodded silently.
The Tenth Lady said, "Look at us! We've made the child cry as soon as we arrived."
Everyone finally stopped crying and told Hongyu to stay put, be obedient, and eat well. Among them, Shujia, the Third Lady, and the Fourth Lady had more dealings with the First Lady and had a stronger connection with her, while the others, especially Shuhui, were just watching the drama and shedding tears, worrying in vain.
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At dinner time, Yinreng arranged for the meal to take place at Ningshou Palace, where he ordered all the palace residents to gather to welcome Hongyu. (Except for the Empress Dowager, all other attendees were male; female residents were not required to attend the dinner.)
The Grand Empress Dowager didn't dislike Hongyu, she just didn't know how to face him. She had truly loved Yunti, but Yunti would curse his own brother in the blink of an eye. When Hongyu was very young, Kangxi had few grandchildren, and the Grand Empress Dowager still remembered him. She wasn't unhappy that he had been released.
But...how should I face him? "Poor kid, you're finally out," "Kid, you've suffered"? It doesn't seem right...it's like redressing an injustice.
The Empress Dowager may not have any other special abilities, but she can always keep in line with the Emperor. This is not easy to deal with, so it is better not to meet her for now and see what the Emperor's rules are.
Now seeing her, the Empress Dowager was relieved and cried, "You have grown so big." Then she said that she should thank the emperor for being so good to her.
Then Yunlu, Yun'e and others also said in unison, we should be grateful!
Everyone can fly the wind flag.
Yinreng was delighted and asked his cousins who were studying to come forward and greet him. He then explained their rankings and said, "If we continue, the food will get cold."
Alcohol was forbidden at the banquet, but the emperor, as if drunk, said, "My dear child, there are some things I know. You should study hard and get a job when you grow up so that you can support your grandmother."
There was a moment of silence in the room. Surprisingly, the Empress Dowager was the one who reacted the fastest: "That's great, Your Majesty! This is a good thing."
Everyone chanted in unison, but in their hearts they thought: The eldest brother has been completely abandoned.
Is that so?
The author has something to say:
Today is Shangsi Festival~
happy holidays
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