The fun is about to begin
"The youngest son and the eldest grandson are the lifeblood of the old lady." If you replace "old lady" in this sentence with "old man", it probably won't be much different.
Although there was still a younger Twentieth Prince, the one Kangxi now loved as his youngest was the three sons born to Concubine Wang. Of these, the Eighteenth Prince was the youngest. Kangxi could not help but feel sad when the Eighteenth Prince passed away.
It was strange to say, Kangxi had lost so many sons in his youth, including his eldest son, that he should have gotten used to it long ago. But he didn't. This time, he was so sad that it was as if he had lost something precious. God knew that the last thing Kangxi needed was sons.
Li Guangdi accompanied the crown prince to welcome the emperor back to the palace. He observed Kangxi's condition with a wave of anxiety. The emperor was aging, nostalgic, sentimental, and easily angered. In short, his self-control was beginning to wane. Seeing Kangxi's hands tremble slightly, Li Guangdi's heart skipped a beat. He reported his affairs as concisely as possible. Then, subtly, he hinted to his subordinates to keep things short.
Kangxi was showing signs of aging. His handwriting had lost its strength in recent years, and he occasionally caught a cold. Li Guangdi was deeply concerned about Kangxi's health. Today, he had observed Kangxi's meeting with the crown prince and noticed that the emperor's legs were still a little weak. The emperor had to go to Ningshou Palace soon, so he had to conserve his energy.
No one present was foolish. Since Li Guangdi, the experienced man, had displayed some of the animal behavior seen before an earthquake, they all followed suit. The report was quickly concluded, but its contents offered little comfort to Kangxi's wounded heart: the Dalanshan case had been lingering for over six months and awaited resolution; the disaster was still ongoing and required continued relief; the affected areas still needed tax exemptions; and so on and so forth.
Kangxi had now almost reached a state of being "indifferent to the itch caused by too many lice" in state affairs, and replied, "I understand." He felt dizzy for a moment, and after calming down, he realized that something was not right and that he should not handle affairs under this situation. He hurriedly finished his report and rushed to Ningshou Palace.
Li Guangdi and others dispersed as needed and stayed on duty as needed. Yinreng and others had to accompany Kangxi to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager.
The Crown Prince and his wife did not leave Beijing this time, so the Crown Princess followed her normal schedule and went to Ningshou Palace early to visit the old lady. Then, she calculated the time when Kangxi would return and took her leave in advance to return to her own residence. When the emperor arrived at Ningshou Palace, the Crown Princess had already returned to see her daughter.
Every concubine who could have been present had arrived. If you don't show your worth at this moment, you deserve to be out of favor for the rest of your life. Concubine Wang, having endured the grief of losing her son, also appeared in Ningshou Palace today. The Eighteenth Prince had died young, and there had been no grand ceremony, but Concubine Wang still had to go to work. The palace was only slightly saddened by the Empress Dowager's lamentations and everyone's speculation about the Emperor's intentions. This intensified Concubine Wang's sense of melancholy, a feeling echoed by the sentiment, "While my relatives may mourn, others are already singing."
She had been one of Kangxi's most favored concubines since his middle age. She had a gentle personality and was better off without a title. Her life had been smooth sailing, and aside from a slight disadvantage due to her birth and the fact that she hadn't yet been promoted, she actually lived a more comfortable life than Concubine Tong. At least, she had three sons to rely on.
Everything had gone smoothly until his youngest son passed away, and his grief was even greater than that of Kangxi.
Kangxi arrived with his sons, and the concubines temporarily withdrew. After Kangxi had greeted the Empress Dowager, the princes paid their respects and were then sent away. Only then did the concubines file out.
After losing her youngest son, Concubine Wang longed to see her other two sons even more. She had just been hiding away, her gaze almost burning through the partitions of Ningshou Palace, but she still hadn't seen them. Concubine Wang felt sad, and her eyes turned red. When she came out, she couldn't help but turn her head to look outside the door. How could she see them?
Kangxi brought this up with the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was overcome with grief at the sight of Kangxi. The Eighteenth Prince wasn't a child she cared about too much, and her concern was due to Kangxi's sake. She was less affected. Seeing Kangxi's haggard appearance, however, brought tears to her eyes.
After being baptized by the crown prince's tears, the emperor was then faced with the empress dowager's "Flood the Seven Armies." After weeping with the empress dowager for a while, Kangxi stopped crying, but she continued to sob. Concubine Wang, beside him, sobbed softly, remembering the deceased eighteenth prince.
Concubine Tong had no choice but to cry as well. For a moment, the Ningshou Palace was filled with sobs.
Until Kangxi consoled the Empress Dowager, saying, "It is my fault that you have caused Mother to worry over such a small child." Concubine Tong and the others also came forward to urge the Empress Dowager to mourn. The Empress Dowager thought to herself, I'm not crying for the Eighteenth Prince this time; he had already cried his last time. I'm just feeling sorry for the Emperor! My poor son...
As soon as she opened her mouth, she hiccuped because she had been crying so hard. Concubine Tong and Emperor Kangxi came up to pat her back and asked her to drink some tea. Only then did she not tell the truth, so as to avoid spoiling the mood by saying it.
After finally stopping crying, the Empress Dowager kept asking Kangxi about his daily life: "Why have you lost so much weight? Are you eating well? Are you sleeping well?" and so on.
Kangxi also agreed to all of them.
After saying this, Kangxi finally relaxed. He glanced around and saw Concubine Wang sitting at the end of the concubines' seats, trying to weep. He felt very sorry for her, but was reluctant to offer any words of comfort due to the environment of Ningshou Palace.
That night, Concubine Wang was called.
——————————————————————————————————————————
In the Eastern Palace, parents are also concerned about their son's health.
The Hongxi brothers followed Yinreng out of Ningshou Palace and returned to the Eastern Palace. They hadn't seen their parents for several months. Shujia saw that Hongxi, Hongdan, and Hongtong were all doing well, but she was surprised to see Honggui: "How did you lose so much weight?"
Honggui lowered his head and said nothing.
Hong Dan said angrily, "To answer Mother. Mother, you don't know, he's been in a bad mood these past few days. After Uncle Eighteen passed away, he was sad for several days, refusing to eat or sleep properly."
Before Shujia could say anything, Yinreng spoke first: "Nonsense! Do you know what it means to grieve without feeling hurt?"
Shujia thought, isn’t that about music?
Yinreng has already begun to admonish.
Honggui was scolded by his father, and he felt relieved and refreshed. A father is a role that boys should never miss in their growth. Although some of Yinreng's words were very creative, it's better to have one than not, right?
After a barrage of admonitions, unlike Hong Dan's attempt at enlightenment, the prince simply hammered the truth into his son's head: "Just remember this! I've spoiled you!"
Shujia turned away, her stomach aching. She told herself: This kind of thing has happened before, I'll just get used to it. She was right; her son was like a masochist, and being scolded made him suddenly enlightened.
Depend on!
She didn't intend to raise her sons as delicate flowers, but she still felt sad when she saw them being beaten.
Finally, after enduring Yinreng's scolding, Shujia said, "The children have just returned and haven't changed their clothes yet. Let's ask them to go downstairs and wash their faces first. The maid should be awake by now, so it's a good time for her to come back and see her sister."
Hongdan's eyes lit up: "Mother, my sister is still in the room?" He looked towards the inner room very skillfully. His younger brother was raised here after he was born.
Shujia smiled and said, "Why don't you go change your clothes?"
Several people took their leave together. Hongchen and Hongzao looked left and right and said, "Let's go see our sister." They ran over to seize the advantageous position.
Yinreng laughed and scolded, "That's what he should do. A good boy should be a little naughty. If Honggui continues to act like a maid, I'll want to beat him up." He also stood up to look at his daughter.
Shujia was walking with him, pretending not to hear what he had just said. She just asked him, "What did you think of Khan Ama?"
Yinreng's face trembled. He and Kangxi had washed their faces in the Qianqing Palace before daring to go to the Ningshou Palace. Of course, he wouldn't admit to crying at this point. He simply said, "Khan Ama looks much more haggard and thinner. His steps aren't as vigorous as before, I guess he's been too sad. Speaking of this, I remember something else: Khan Ama's return this time has brought him another useful eunuch. We don't need to pay much attention to it. It's just a reward for the future."
"I've noted that. How old is this person?" People of different ages have different preferences, right?
"Early 30s." Yinreng provided information.
"Okay." After entering the house, Shujia sat down on a chair and watched Yinreng and his two sons watching his daughter.
Yinreng slapped away Hongchen's thieving hand that was trying to pinch his sister's face, then walked back to sit with Shujia and complained again, "Things at court are already bad enough, and now my eighteenth brother is gone. Those people at the Imperial Observatory are clueless, and the auspicious date they reported is even from this month. How can a brother be settled as a nephew right after his brother dies?"
Shujia leaned back, looking contented: "If you say that, you've stopped this matter."
"If they hadn't stopped me, would I still be here talking? I would have been dragged to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and reprimanded by Khan Ama. I might as well write off today altogether."
As they were talking, Hongxi and the others had already arrived. Shujia signaled the wet nurse to bring her daughter out, and the whole family gathered around to see the little girl.
Scarcity makes things valuable, that's true. A bunch of men, big and small, surrounded a little baby girl, grinning like idiots. The worst part was, the little girl was still asleep, completely oblivious to them, and they just watched and laughed. Even though her daughter was her own, Shujia didn't realize how this girl could be so charming.
The girl's father was particularly stupid. He poked his daughter's face with his hand and then slapped away any thieving hands that took the opportunity to take advantage of her.
Shujia finally couldn't help but speak out: "What's wrong with you? Are you so stupid? If you make her cry, you will be in trouble. It's almost time for dinner, she should wake up."
Before he could finish his words, the little girl stirred. She was being held by her father, smacked her lips twice, and then struggled out her chubby little hands from the swaddling clothes. She twisted her body, opened her eyes, and yawned loudly.
"She's awake!"
"It seems like he's laughing!"
"My hands are so small~"
Shujia covered her face, not wanting to admit that these fools were her sons.
Hong Zao continued his great task: teaching his sister to call him "brother." Hong Chen, though he'd heard from the nanny, wasn't old enough to talk yet, so he joined in with a touch of anticipation. Hong Xi, Hong Dan, and the others were older, more knowledgeable, and didn't engage in such uncultured activities. They also hoped: What if their sister was a genius and could call out "brother"? If she didn't, they'd be disappointed, and they didn't budge.
Facts proved that the prince's daughter, even if well-developed, was not a species that violated scientific laws. The little girl didn't understand what they were saying at all, and yawned in a very regular way. She was hungry and wanted to feed.
A jaw-dropping scene appeared: How could this girl's movements be so similar to the ones in the milk? This is wrong! When a baby is breastfeeding, they have a habit of holding one side in their mouth while using their little paw to grab the other side to prevent it from dropping the food mid-feed and to protect it.
Girl, that's your father, the crown prince, not your mother, much less your wet nurse. Can you please stop pushing into his arms and acting like a bitch? Where are you supposed to put your limp little hands? Help, attack the crown prince's chest...
Everyone looked at the crown prince with strange expressions as he saw a wet mark on the front of his new clothes that was left by his daughter's saliva.
Everyone: “…”
The East Palace had a new mascot, and the boys had a lot more fun from then on.
——————————————————————————————————————————
In the minds of most people, the shadow of the Eighteenth Prince's death had almost dissipated by October—the Emperor's Birthday had arrived, and it was time to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday with great fanfare. Once the Empress Dowager's birthday had passed, the Eighteenth Prince's death was largely forgotten. Aside from his parents and two older brothers, few truly mourned.
For the Crown Princess, there was another cause for celebration: Guanyinbao's wife, Nalan, gave birth to a son on the sixth day of the tenth month. Now that her younger brother had an heir, her mother could surely rest assured. All matters on her family's side had been largely resolved, leaving only Shuhui's marriage to be arranged.
This matter cannot be rushed. If she tries to establish the title of Fifteenth Concubine as soon as possible and makes the Fifteenth Prince unhappy, it would be better not to marry.
Furthermore, Yinreng had intentionally let Kangxi know that he had canceled all auspicious dates for the year. "Two of them are brothers, and one is a nephew. Although the Eighteenth Prince died young, I must show my gratitude to him while he's still alive." He didn't really care much about the Eighteenth Prince's life or death; it was still a premature death, so the ceremony didn't need to be as grand as for an adult. This was purely out of consideration for Kangxi's feelings.
It should be said that the effect is quite good.
Kangxi reciprocated by inquiring about the progress of Hongxi's wedding: "The date can be postponed. Have the ceremonial arrangements been finalized?"
Yinreng said, "Khan Ama knows them. When it comes to things involving etiquette, they won't move quickly. When it came to my son, they discussed it for several years!"
Kangxi was also amused by what he said: "Your wedding seems to be just before our eyes, and in the blink of an eye you are going to marry a daughter-in-law. Speaking of which, we must start paying attention to Hongdan's wife. Around the New Year, many ladies come to pay their respects. You can look for girls with good upbringing and pay attention to them." Then he randomly named a few families, including the Shi family.
Not to mention others, after careful consideration, Yinreng did not intend to choose a legitimate wife from the Shi family for Hongdan. But it would be a shame not to take advantage of this great opportunity on his wife's behalf. So Yinreng once again sincerely conveyed his wife's wishes, asking her not to let her niece be selected.
Kangxi had only mentioned it casually, as the Shi family's upbringing was indeed good. Hearing Yinreng's words, he readily agreed. He also praised the Crown Princess for her modesty, respect, virtuousness, and courtesy.
Kangxi had spoken, and the palace was particularly lively during the New Year. The Manchu nobles knew it well, and several families were ready to fight.
When the Crown Prince was seeking a concubine, coincidentally, the Tonggiya and Niuhulu families did not have any suitable girls. But when the Crown Prince came to power, they also had suitable women. Anyone who did not fight for the title of the Crown Prince's first wife was a fool!
The Tonggiya clan felt they hadn't distinguished themselves among the imperial princes. While the Dong'e, Niuhulu, and Guaerjia clans had at least produced some wives of princes or wives of iron-hat princes, their family lacked a suitable daughter. Even those who were of the right age, like Tong Guogang's daughter, had been assigned to a widow by Emperor Kangxi, the dying Prince An.
The Tong family was once prosperous, but its rise to the "Tong Half Dynasty" was due to the Emperor's grace. Now, a generation has passed, and if another generation passes, the prospects will be bleak. They must make an effort no matter what. Tong Guowei and Tong Guogang both have several granddaughters and great-granddaughters who are almost old enough, so it's time to give it a try.
The Niuhulu clan was particularly indignant. When Kangxi was selecting the bride for his wedding, both the Hesheli clan and the Niuhulu clan were favored candidates, with the latter being the more assertive. According to unreliable sources, they even invited Oboi to join their protest, denigrating Renxiao. Ultimately, Renxiao was chosen. The Niuhulu clan was filled with resentment!
This time, it's our turn, right? The Crown Prince had no choice back then because we didn't have anyone suitable. Now, you have to give us some face.
Alinga even slapped his thighs privately, almost bruising: "Why is it the Seventeenth Prince? The Crown Prince is one year older than the Seventeenth Prince!"
The shareholders began to fight for the position of the future boss's wife. At this time, they did not realize that the perfectionist Kangxi had very strict requirements on seniority.
The author has something to say:
Would I casually say something like that when His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is about to take office?
I couldn't sleep yesterday, so I got up at three in the morning and ate eggs. I didn't fall asleep until five in the morning. I worked all day during the day. I looked miserable.
TT
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
