Things before and after returning to Beijing
The royal family was a strange world. Within it, some things remained unknown to anyone except the person involved, even until their death. Other things, however, could spread like wildfire in an instant. Everyone had known for a long time that the Fourth Prince's eldest son had died, and the group of people who followed him had even gone to express their displeasure in person.
The Eighth Prince's long-awaited loss of his child occurred after the Eighth Prince arrived in Beijing and the Third Prince and his companions left. Unexpectedly, the wives who had rushed to the imperial court also knew about it. Needless to say, their husbands must have known about it even earlier.
The Crown Princess received the news quite early, and it was Yinreng who came to tell her.
Yinreng was well-informed by Kangxi, and the eunuchs in the imperial court were not without their tact; they wouldn't easily leak information about ordinary people in his presence. As for the Crown Prince, as long as they didn't go too far, they would happily warn him, "Your Highness, the Emperor is not in a good mood. Please be careful." Perhaps it wouldn't involve core internal matters; a weather forecast would suffice.
After making the report, the eunuch went in to announce: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is here."
Yinreng straightened his clothes and walked in through the open door: "Your son pays his respects to Khan Ama."
Kangxi's anger had almost subsided, but his face was still not very good. When he saw Yinreng coming, he smiled and asked, "How is the situation in Mongolia?" He gestured for Yinreng to come closer and talk.
Yinreng walked forward calmly, pausing briefly to pick up a fallen pen and toss it to a young eunuch standing nearby, too frightened by Kangxi's expression to dare approach. Then he slowly walked over to Kangxi and rubbed his shoulders, "What else can they say? The Khan's presence is such an honor! I imagine that before the emperor returns, there will be all sorts of rewards, just like in previous years..."
Khan Ama was undoubtedly angry, but why? Should he ask or not? It was no small matter to make Kangxi, a man who valued peace and composure, throw his pen.
When Kangxi heard, "The Khan's presence in person—what an honor!" he was about to frown and remind his son not to be misled by assumptions but to be vigilant. Back then, outside the Three Feudatories, the Mongols had nearly attacked from behind. Galdan had also been a major problem. But when he heard the last sentence, he laughed again. Yinreng had grasped the essence of this.
Yinreng gently pressed with his hands, making Kangxi feel comfortable all over. When one son was troublesome, it would be easy for the other son to be more obedient to comfort the old father's broken heart.
Yinreng leaned over to Kangxi's ear and whispered, "Khan Ama, is this comfortable?"
Kangxi snorted vaguely.
It seemed to have nothing to do with him, so Yinreng made his judgment and said no more. After pressing for a while, Kangxi patted Yinreng's hand and said, "Okay, don't tire yourself out." Yinreng, of course, refused to stop and pressed twice more politely: "My son is serving Khan Ama, what's tiring about it? Khan Ama looks better now?"
Kangxi didn't want to tell Yinreng about the Eighth Brother's affairs for the time being. He waved his hand and said, "It's just some troublesome things." He took out a memorial and said, "Take a look at this."
Yinreng looked at the location of the memorial. He had just picked up the pen, and judging by the warmth of the ink, it must have been dropped not long ago. The tip of the pen had been bent by the force of the force, which showed the extent of Kangxi's anger. This memorial had been pulled from the pile, and it was obvious that it had been read some time ago. It was clear that Kangxi's anger was not about this memorial, but rather the content of another memorial that had angered the emperor.
While he was thinking, Yinreng had already taken out the memorial to read. This was a memorial submitted jointly by the Nine Ministers, discussing the illegal activities of Chen Rubi, a special advisor to the Ministry of Personnel and a Langzhong of the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Division.
Yinreng knew the story behind this: there was a man named Huang Zhong, a fake official who had defected and had been dismissed from his post at the request of Shaanxi Province Censor Wang Zixiu. Now Chen Ruobi had vaguely appointed Huang Zhong as the governor of Wenchu, Zhejiang.
The Censorate's proposed punishment was to dismiss Chen Ruobi from his post and hand him over to the Ministry of Justice, while Shangshu Dunbai and others should be demoted three levels. The Nine Ministers reached the same conclusion as the Censorate.
This matter has already gone through the three stages of exposure, initial discussion, and reconsideration. If Kangxi is angry, it shouldn't be now. He was not so angry when he first heard the news. You have to know that Kangxi is a person who pays great attention to etiquette. No one knows this better than Yinreng. Kangxi would not easily do something like throwing things.
Even if he felt that the judgment of the Censorate and the Nine Ministers was wrong - in Yinreng's view, the judgment was already appropriate - he would not angrily throw away the household items he was using, because the model of pen was the one Kangxi usually used.
"Did you finish reading it?"
"yes."
"Tell me about it."
Yinreng wanted to confirm whether Kangxi was angry because of this, so he nitpicked: "Can Huang Zhong continue to be the governor of Wenchu, Zhejiang? Their memory is really too poor."
Kangxi said, "Just add this in and it will be done."
"What does Khan Ama mean?"
"Dunbai and the others will be demoted three ranks and remain in their posts. Chen Rubi will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice. Huang Zhong, send him back to his hometown."
It wasn't because of this matter, it must be something else, Yinreng confirmed it, because Kangxi's final edict was basically the same as the conclusions of the Censorate and the Nine Ministers.
Yinreng gently persuaded Kangxi: "This matter is indeed annoying, but no matter how serious the matter is, it is not worth getting angry at Khan Ama. You are in good health. You were coughing the other day."
Kangxi actually appreciated this and said with a smile, "It's alright, the punishment has been dealt with." However, he gritted his teeth and said, "These bastards are getting bolder and bolder!"
Yinreng comforted Kangxi for a while, and Kangxi said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Come and look at these." He pushed another stack of memorials over to him. Father and son discussed business.
Yinreng read a lot of memorials, and one of them, which read, "The Ministry of War replied that the Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi, Bo Ji, reported that the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Fa Ka, behaved in an eccentric and inappropriate manner during the training of soldiers, and officials should be sent to investigate." made Yinreng's face darken.
In relation to the case just mentioned, Emperor Kangxi himself said at the time of the incident: "This case is very serious and the corruption is obvious."
The official system of the Xi Dynasty was already crumbling. If someone else had been dismissed and reinstated through connections, it would be fine, but Huang Zhong had a dark past, committed crimes after surrendering, and now he's been reappointed through connections. These people are simply obsessed with money!
The civil officials are greedy for money (Chen Rubi is definitely greedy for money because he values talent, so he gave a defector and a person who was dismissed from office a real position), and the military generals are either afraid of death or they are courting death... Managing such a country is a long and arduous task for the emperor and the crown prince, a pair of poor father and son.
No, it's still not right. There are so many big things happening in the world, from the Three Feudatories to Galdan, and things related to the national economy and people's livelihood like river works, but they can't make Kangxi so angry. There must be something happening in the corner that he didn't notice.
After Yinreng finished his business, he told Kangxi to eat well and rest well, but Kangxi happily scolded him and said, "Go away, go away! You are meddling in my affairs! I eat and sleep well. But you! You sneezed the other day! I heard that Hongdan and two others with cloaks didn't stop you."
Yinreng twitched his lips. If he had known, he wouldn't have teased his son like that! If he wanted to tease him, he should have done it in his own tent. Next time, he definitely wouldn't go outside!
He raised his head shamelessly: "Where did Khan Ama hear that? It's not true!"
Kangxi said nothing: "It's good that Hongdan is back now. Ask him to have dinner with me tonight. You go to your wife." Alas, compared with the Eighth Concubine, the other daughters-in-law are really great!
After turning around and leaving, Yinreng didn't go directly to Shujia, but instead asked his own spies. Yinreng had already reviewed all the matters on the table with Kangxi, but based on his understanding of Kangxi, it wasn't because of these. So, he had to judge from other aspects. Yinreng called Liang Jiugong.
The prince asked openly, "Khan Ama seemed annoyed just now. You should serve him carefully! I don't think the government affairs are too annoying. Is there anything I haven't done well enough?"
Liang Jiugong felt very wronged: "My Lord, how could we servants not serve the Emperor wholeheartedly? The Emperor was fine this morning until the memorial arrived from the capital."
Did I make a wrong judgment? Yinreng said with a worried look on his face: "You should try your best to persuade Khan Ama to eat more dinner. Even if you are angry, you should take care of yourself."
Liang Jiugong agreed obediently.
Yinreng, filled with doubts, made his way to Shujia. Halfway there, he was stopped by a young eunuch. Yinreng had spoken well of this young eunuch, saving him from a severe punishment. Seeing that the crown prince seemed worried about the emperor, he quietly approached and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor received a secret memorial from the capital this morning."
It's not very respectable for the emperor to inquire about his own son's affairs, right? Of course, he had to report it secretly.
Yinreng felt relieved, then put on a stern face and said, "You're violating the law of the land by leaking what happened to the Khan Father like this! I'll accept your favor this time, but don't do it again next time." He raised his hand and gave him a few gold beads. "This is a reward for you. In the presence of the Emperor, the first thing you should do is be cautious and prudent, and don't speak carelessly. Don't let yourself get away with it, or you'll be in trouble if others find out."
The young eunuch clenched his fists, feeling a little embarrassed, and hesitated for a moment before accepting the reward.
Yinreng smiled.
Is there something going on in Beijing?
Not long after, the prince's spies in the capital came to report the news: Prince, your eighth brother can no longer be his father this time.
Yinreng mentally gave a middle finger! His Khan Ama must be angry about this. State affairs can make the emperor angry, but the only thing that can make the emperor disregard his image is his family. The matter of the Eighth Brother is enough to make Khan Ama so angry.
Then Yinreng was also furious! I had been so worried for so long, and now I was expecting news like this?!
He came back angrily to complain to Shujia: "Old Eighth is such a bastard! He can't even manage the things in his own backyard, and he makes others angry! He can't even manage his wife!" Noticing his wife's strange look, he coughed twice, "It's the Prince An's fault. They can't even teach their daughter well!"
"Eighth brother's wife is Prince An's niece, not his biological daughter."
"Uh... Anyway, they are just a bad couple!"
"..." He was definitely taking his anger out on others and trying to change the subject.
Without waiting for Shujia to say anything, Yinreng slumped down on the bed in a rather unrefined manner, looking dejected. Shujia came forward and sat beside him, tapping his nose: "Tired? Didn't you always say you wanted to come and see me? Now you're tired again."
Yinreng reached out and pulled her down to cover himself with a blanket: "I'm tired." His voice was muffled.
After all, he still has the wild blood of his nomadic ancestors flowing in his bones, and he is also a skilled archer and horseman - "Ever since I learned that Khan Ama was touring the frontier, I have dreamed of the day when I could accompany him, galloping freely and hunting to my heart's content. Every year at this time, Khan Ama comes, and I have to stay in the capital to supervise the country!"
It's so hard to get to the frontier.
"Last time, it was because my uncle and uncle were gone, so I rushed back overnight. This time... free running! I have to be humble and polite to everyone I meet! I have to greet everyone with a friendly attitude!" He didn't want to waste time on these messed-up people at all. He just wanted to have a moment like this to think about nothing in the vast space and just run wild! It was so refreshing!
Although everyone who saw him humbly "greeted" was both terrified and flattered, and was completely respectful, it was still very frustrating for the Crown Prince!
He is still honored, but he can no longer act arbitrarily.
He didn't want to be gentle and modest at all! He wanted to raise his nose to the sky and have his face level with the sky!
Strong X and normal X are both piston movements, but the mood is very different!
Shujia wordlessly pulled the quilt over and wrapped them both in a blanket. During the hunt, Yinreng had caught a lot of prey, and Hongdan had also made some gains, but both father and son were so overjoyed that they were reserved. What was the root of this? Shujia felt deeply distressed, hugging Yinreng and patting his back. They were all like this!
Yinreng felt comfortable being patted, and said excitedly: "I am not Hongdan, I am not that depressed."
"?" Shujia paused, "What?"
"He had quite a few wins that day, and he wasn't happy. Ask him, and guess what he'd say?"
"How do you say that?"
"He discovered that this business is quite fake. He looked quite aggrieved, as if he had been cheated."
He dared to say that?! "This kid!"
"Since you know it's fake, why are you unhappy? Now that you know what's going on, it's easier to deal with it, right? You're such a silly kid."
“…” Shu Jia was silent.
"It's okay, I know my son, he can figure it out."
"I hope he doesn't say that in front of Khan Amar."
"I've given you all the instructions."
Shujia was still worried, so she asked Hongdan again. Hongdan replied, "Father told me everything."
"What did your father say? Listen carefully and don't let your imagination run wild. Since you know it's fake, why should you be unhappy? Now that you know what's going on, won't it be easier to deal with it?"
"Mother, Father has already said this..."
"..." She was still worried that Yinreng was simply and rudely stopping Hongdan from talking without explaining the reason clearly...
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Shujia had no intention of gossiping about this. According to Yinreng, the matter was reported in secret, and Kangxi was unwilling to mention it to the Crown Prince, so it was better for her not to say anything. Strangely, two or three days later, when the sisters-in-law were chatting, they strangely brought up the topic.
Everyone knows!
From the Third Prince to the Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince, they were all princes with titles and residences outside the capital. Even the honest Fifth and Seventh Princes were princes with the rank of captain, and they had their own followers in the capital. If there was any news in the capital, why would they not report it to their master?
Shujia had originally been discussing with her sisters-in-law whether they should have a small get-together with the sisters-in-law in Beijing when she returned, especially the Fourth Lady. "I left in such a hurry that I couldn't see her in person. I want to see her when I get back. Has anyone gone? We can set a date so we can get together, so we don't have to go back and forth and bother her."
Speaking of Honghui's untimely death, both the Third and Seventh Concubine were heartbroken for the Fourth Concubine. The Third Concubine had lost her eldest son, and the Seventh Concubine was also the type of wife who missed her son so much that her eyes turned green. This is where the gossip begins.
The Third Lady sighed, "What the Crown Princess said is true. At this moment in time, people are so miserable that they even want to die..."
The Seventh Lady said, "I finally raised a prince, how could he be gone?" She was almost dying of greed, and she sincerely swore that she would rather die than give birth to a son!
Then, the Seventh Lady lamented the Fourth Lady's miserable fate: "Of the several princes in her family, only Honghui is her son..." Her words were subtle, suggesting that the rest were not her own. This was due to her quick thinking, as all her sons were born to concubines. The Fifth Lady hadn't come—the Fifth Prince had brought his concubines with him, and Shujia didn't often seek out the concubines for conversation, so this time she didn't call on the Fifth Prince's concubine, Guaerjia—and the one who felt this most deeply was the Seventh Lady.
Speaking of illegitimate sons, the Third Lady asked mysteriously, "Have you heard about the big news in the capital?"
Shujia looked at Qifujin, and Qifujin looked at Shujia: "What news?"
"It is said that just after the Eighth Prince returned, Princess Wang had a miscarriage."
Shujia thought, her face must be distorted. The secret you've painstakingly kept is now known to everyone. This plot is a bit too dramatic.
The Seventh Lady paused and said, "Eighth Brother's wife is a little too impatient. Even if she wants to have an attack, she should wait until the baby is born."
The Third Lady said, "Who says it's not true? But after what happened after the Eighth Prince returned, the Eighth Brother's wife was much easier to talk to. She was still a little impatient."
The Eighth Lady's personality was acceptable to her sisters-in-law; after all, she wasn't blind or stubborn. If she'd caused her concubine to miscarry, that's pretty plausible. How many wives would actually feel pity for a concubine? Even if it was someone else's? It's a different perspective! If you sympathize with someone else's concubine, shouldn't you also sympathize with your own? Give her more of your husband, give her a few more of your sons, and finally, just give up your throne!
These two concubines wouldn't have much sympathy for the Eighth Concubine. They said it was her fault because she wasn't very resourceful. Which experienced married woman wouldn't think the Eighth Concubine was infertile? Even if you can't have children, you should at least have a son to support you; you can't end up without a family line. You can take the child away after it's born, and then kill the concubine. You're so stupid!
Shujia was also somewhat suspicious of what the Eighth Lady had done, but she refused to say more and changed the subject, saying, "After we go back, send someone to ask Eighth Sister-in-law if she went to see Fourth Sister-in-law. We can just pretend we don't know what's going on in their house."
The Third and Seventh Fujins both expressed their desire to go to the Fourth Prince's residence with the Crown Princess. "After returning to the capital, I'm afraid it will take a day or two to pack up. How about we meet in three days?"
The women agreed on a date to visit the Fourth Lady after returning to Beijing, and the imperial carriage began its journey back. The Mongol tribes followed the emperor on his journey, offering a farewell and following him all the way. Passing by the newly built Princess's Palace, Cang Jin, who hadn't yet met the Princess, hosted a banquet at the Princess's Palace to entertain his father-in-law.
Kangxi also rewarded Cang Jin and his officers and soldiers.
The Mongol tribes followed suit, hosting banquets as they escorted Kangxi. Kangxi also generously distributed gifts, as Yinreng had said: "Once you're here, you have to spend your wealth." Robes, silver, satin, saddles, and horses... The quantity and decoration varied according to rank, but everyone received a share.
They traveled on like this until September when the emperor finally returned to the capital.
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When Shujia returned to the palace, she could not deal with her own affairs first, but had to pay her respects to the old lady.
The Empress Dowager remained the same, having changed very little in her old age. Perhaps the room left for her to change was no longer that great.
The topics Shujia talked about this time were all the ones the Empress Dowager liked, such as what the grassland looked like, what was happening with some of the wives and madams the Empress Dowager was familiar with, how everyone paid their respects to the Empress Dowager, and so on.
There were also various gifts brought from the frontier and prey hunted by Yinreng and Hongdan themselves.
Shujia selected the best items and presented them to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said, "The Emperor never lacks these things of mine. You have a large and young population, so you should buy more. Just keep them for yourself. Why give them to me?"
"That won't do. Khan Ama's intentions belong to Khan Ama. With Khan Ama as our role model, we should be even more filial to you. Even if we don't accompany you, the annual allowance is enough for you, so don't worry!"
The Empress Dowager accepted it with joy.
After reporting to the Empress Dowager, there's also Concubine Tong. Shujia had entrusted her with something before leaving, so now that she's back, she has to thank her and return some gifts.
Concubine Tong took the gift list and put it aside without even looking at it. She just held Shujia's hand and said, "It's fine that you came back to honor the ancestors, but you also brought me something! Why should we be so polite? Have you prepared the gifts for the palace people?"
"Of course there is. It's not too much, but it's not too little. Mother, just rest assured."
"You're just a spendthrift! You don't want to let anyone else suffer a loss, only yourself. And one more thing, you'll be gone for two months, and the Saint's birthday is coming up. Are you ready?"
"Originally, there are still some things missing, but I did get a few things on this trip. I think they are suitable for honoring the old ancestor. Can you give me your opinion, mother?" Wanshou and Shengshou are the two birthdays that must be celebrated in a year. We start preparing for Wanshou when we buy New Year's goods in the first year, and prepare for Shengshou right after Wanshou. How could we not prepare for it?
"You've always been prudent in your work," Concubine Tong then gossiped a new piece of gossip, "Do you know what's going on in Prince Si's mansion?"
"What did the Concubine Mother say?"
"Didn't they say a princess was pregnant in June? She died right after Eighth Prince came back."
"...I heard it from my third brother's wife once."
The two sighed. Concubine Tong knew the hardship of being childless, so she sympathized with the Eighth Lady: "She suffers too." Then she changed the subject, "She's also unlucky. If she could have given birth to a child for the Eighth Prince, everything would have been fine."
Shujia was silent. Infertility is a world problem! If Wang Shi can get pregnant, then it must be the Eighth Prince who can't. Then the Eighth Lady's pressure is...
After a few more words, Concubine Tong briefly described the recent situation in the uterus: everything was peaceful. Shujia knew that the concubines had been waiting for Kangxi to return today to turn over the cards, so she stood up and said goodbye: "The house is still a mess, you have to go back and check it out."
Concubine Tong did not stay any longer, and only said: "You have come a long way, now that you have dealt with your affairs, take a good rest."
Back at the palace, the situation was quite different. Hongxi and his brothers had returned to greet their parents. Those left behind in the Eastern Palace had already cleaned everything inside and out, awaiting the master's inspection. The master also had superiors to attend to, making everyone wait a bit anxiously.
After a lot of effort, they heard the sound of applause, and everyone regained their spirits and welcomed the master into the hall.
The Crown Prince had to accompany the Emperor to handle government affairs. Although the Crown Princess met a group of people, she came back earlier than him.
Shujia saw her sons first. The youngest son still couldn't speak, so Shujia held him tightly and was reluctant to let go. Honggui stood behind his brothers, observing the distance from his feet to his mother with his dark eyes, planning the route to occupy the high ground.
Hongtong was her biological child, but she spoke to Hongxi first: "How have you been doing in the palace these past two months? Has anyone given you any trouble? Are your food, clothing, shelter and transportation all right?"
Hongxi said, "In reply to Mother, all is well with my sons in the palace. Ningshou Palace and Chengqian Palace have been checking in on me from time to time."
Shujia asked a few more general questions about his studies, and when she learned that he was also going well, she said, "That's good. You study hard, and next summer, ask your father to ask for permission. If the emperor approves, you can show your talents."
Hongxi was very surprised: "Are you serious, mother?"
"When have I ever lied to you? But let me be frank with you. You need to do your homework well."
Hong Xi couldn't help but nod repeatedly: "My son will definitely study hard."
"Don't overwork yourself. You won't be able to go then."
"Don't worry, mother."
Shujia then smiled and said, "I brought a lot of goodies this time. I'll ask Wu Mingli to deliver your share to you later. Let me make it clear, I'm sending these to you first. Next year you have to give me something better—something you have to get yourself."
Hongxi replied forcefully, "As you wish, son."
Hongtong finally couldn't help it: "Mother! Where's my son? My brothers are all gone, where's my son? Where's my son?"
"you?"
Nodding vigorously.
Shujia patted her youngest son and said to Hongtong, "Well, you'll have to ask your Mafa. None of your cousins have had this opportunity yet, but two people from our family will accompany the emperor next year."
Hongtong was a little anxious and depressed, so Hongxi made up his mind: "Mother, I won't go. Let my fourth brother go."
Shujia smiled and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? I'm telling you, I have to find a way to get you to go with me. You're almost grown up, and you have to show up. Your fourth brother is still young, so we can go next year..."
Hongxi was about to say something, but Shujia said, "Let your father and mother figure this out, okay? When your father comes back later, we'll ask him."
Honggui looked at Shujia eagerly. Shujia smiled and patted her side. The Crown Princess's chair was always spacious, so Honggui ran over with experience: "Mother, you must have had a hard time on the journey, mother. I missed you so much, mother..."
Hongtong: This little bastard, all he knows is flattery! Ah, why didn't I think of trying to please Mother more? I obviously wanted to do that too.
Shujia smiled and said, "You two, when your father comes back, there will definitely be a test on your homework. Do you need to review it? Your father is much more knowledgeable than your mother, so don't let the test stump you. Hongxi, don't worry, and Hongtong, don't be angry. If I go there next year, I want to take you with me. Are you relieved now?"
The two of them were happy again.
Shujia rescued the imperial beads from her little son's hand and handed him to the wet nurse: "You wait here for your father." She went in to change clothes.
Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi, accustomed to being in the background, now followed them in. Shujia also thanked them for their hard work and presented them with grassland specialties. They were both dutiful, at least compared to the Eighth Lady, the Crown Princess was a rare and amiable person.
She washed her face, changed her clothes, and combed her hair. She changed into a bright red kesi cheongsam with a grape pattern. Shujia refused to wear anything around her neck anymore and replaced her earrings with studs. Her youngest son was still young and would grab anything shiny, so for his safety, she decided to keep things simple.
After changing her clothes, Shujia said to Zhao Guoshi, "Except for the things I brought along that have been sorted out on the way, all the rest will be put into the warehouse. The sorted items will be delivered one by one according to the list."
Besides those brought to Ningshou Palace, even Chengqian Palace had its gift list delivered first, with items arriving later. Gifts were also sent to the other main seats, as well as to the princes who couldn't accompany the emperor, and to the unmarried princesses. Some of the princely residences outside the palace also had to receive gifts, such as Prince Yu's. Shujia considered the magnitude of Kangxi's gift and didn't dare exceed it.
The Shi family was a bit unusual this year; no one was assigned to the imperial guards. Fu Dali was also responsible for security in several neighborhoods of the capital, so no one accompanied the emperor. Shujia sent furs over again, including to Yinreng's maternal grandfather's house, and she sent them all off one by one. She checked off each one in the little notebook, closing it only when she was sure there were no more left out.
Yinreng also came back.
The sons greeted each other one by one, and Yinreng said, "Go to the study and wait."
After quickly changing his clothes, he went to test his son's homework.
Shujia then inquired about the palace's situation over the past two months. "Everything is normal." It truly was normal. Aside from the gossip surrounding the Eighth Prince's residence, the capital had been relatively quiet over the past two months. The people in the Eastern Palace had also been relatively quiet, not discussing the matter.
The Crown Princess issued a curfew when she left, and no one was allowed to leave the East Palace. How could we discuss this?
During dinner, Yinreng was quite satisfied with his sons' homework. He heard Shujia say, "I want to have them accompany me next year, but I'm afraid it will be difficult."
Yinreng readily agreed: "As long as they excel in their studies, I will agree." After instigating his father, he said that he wanted to let the next generation feel the real martial atmosphere and bring along all the imperial grandchildren who could ride horses. This was the idea Yinreng came up with after Shujia raised this issue last time.
The premise is: when the time comes to play, his son must excel and not embarrass himself.
The meal ended with Hongxi and Hongtong looking happy.
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The days after returning to Beijing were not as free as I had said before. There were still a lot of things to do: visiting the Fourth Lady, celebrating the hundredth day of the ninth prince's family's third daughter, preparing for the emperor's birthday, and so on. There was really a lot to do.
Now there was another thing—Shuxian was leaving the capital. Qingjin and Zishang had gone to the Shi family to present the award, and they came back with the news: "My eldest brother-in-law has been appointed Assistant Commander of Shengjing and Hanjing, and my eldest aunt is about to take up the position as well."
Shujia was relieved to learn that the trip would be after the Emperor's birthday, and wondered if she could find a way to see Shuxian. Since it was a legitimate matter, there was no need to resort to trickery, so Shujia asked Yinreng directly if it was possible: "My sister is going to Shengjing with her husband to take up his post, and I was wondering if I could see her?"
This was a reasonable request. Yinreng nodded and said, "I know about this. Just ask her to pass on a sign. Well, it would be better if you could tell the old ancestor and the imperial concubine tomorrow."
"Okay. Hey, you know?"
"While we were still outside, Khan Ama promoted Zheng Yuanxun, the Commandant of the Han Army in Shengjing, to the rank of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Han Army in the Bordered Yellow Banner. This created a vacancy, and several people were recommended. I happened to be nearby. Khan Ama was a little hesitant, asking about their personalities. Some of the Grand Secretaries knew about him, while others didn't. I didn't know about the others, but I did know about this one, so I told Khan Ama that he was a rather honest person."
The original words were: "I heard that Shi Wenbing chose him as his son-in-law because he thought he was kind. Now he has three sons and one daughter, who just follow orders in the government office and are not a man who can take charge of things."
Shengjing is our fundamental city, so why would we need a troublemaker? Maintaining stability is paramount! Why would we need to be so bold and responsible?
Okay, it’s him.
Shujia thought to herself, you are so bad!
"Okay then. I'll go see my fourth brother's wife tomorrow."
Speaking of the Fourth Lady, Yinreng's evaluation of her was not bad: "She is a good person, very dutiful. It's a pity for Honghui."
Shujia and the Third Lady had made an appointment to visit the Fourth Lady. The Third Lady, the Fifth Lady, the Seventh Lady, the Eighth Lady, the Ninth Lady, the Tenth Lady, the Twelfth Lady, the Thirteenth Lady, and the Fourteenth Lady all arrived. They were all inside and outside the palace, and finally they simply agreed to meet at the Eighth Lady's house, and then they would all head to Prince Zhen's residence.
The Zhen Prince's residence was bustling with activity today! Nine concubines and one crown princess had completely blocked the street in front of their house.
When everyone met with the Eighth Lady, no one mentioned Wang's miscarriage. Shujia saw that the Eighth Lady's face was still slightly raised, with a hint of superiority on the corner of her lips. She thought to herself, this person is not suitable for comforting. Although she needs it, there is a risk of flattering the horse and hitting the horse's hoof.
After greeting her, Shujia only asked the Eighth Lady, "Eighth Brother's wife lives close to Fourth Brother's wife. Do you know how Fourth Brother's wife is doing?"
The Eighth Lady first thanked the Crown Princess for the gifts she had sent yesterday, and then said, "She was sick for a day at first, but got up the next day, saying that she wanted to personally send Honghui off..." As she spoke, she shed tears. She really loved her child, and Honghui lived nearby, so they met often. Besides, he was her nephew, so the Eighth Lady never forgot to give Honghui some of her gifts.
The Eighth Lady wiped her tears and said, "Look, she's actually crying. Fourth Sister-in-law is fine now, but she's upset."
Everyone sighed, and Shujia said, "It's getting late, let's go over there."
Prince Zhen's residence had already received the news and had already opened the main gate to welcome the distinguished guest. The Fourth Lady personally went to the door to greet them, and Shujia spotted her immediately. She quickly stepped forward and embraced her arm. "We came to see you, but it seems we've come to cause you trouble."
As the Eighth Lady had said, the Fourth Lady looked fine, but her eyes were completely blank. She was smiling, just moving the corners of her mouth, and she was talking, but only in polite tones. Shujia frowned. It had been two months since Honghui's death. Had she always been like this?
Look at her mother-in-law, Consort De. Her firstborn daughter, the Seventh Princess, died in August of the 21st year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, and she gave birth to the Ninth Princess the following September. And that's still in the palace! This is the only way to get by! It's not that you're not sad, but you have to give your children an explanation. Only if you do well will people remember your children. Otherwise, whether your children are dead or alive, they'll be trampled upon!
When they arrived at the Fourth Lady's main room, everyone let Shujia sit in the seat of honor, accompanied by the Fourth Lady, and the others sat according to their seniority.
The Fourth Lady spoke first: "I know my sister-in-law and brothers and sisters feel sorry for me, so they came to see me. I...my child is gone, but I still have to live my life." As she spoke, tears fell.
Everyone cried along, and amidst the sobs, there was a flood of praise for Honghui. The more people praised Honghui, the more the Fourth Lady couldn't hold back, and in the end, she seemed to be about to faint.
Shujia quickly wiped away her tears: "Where is she? Why don't you help Sifujin in to rest?" She said to Sifujin, "It's our fault that we brought you here. Take good care of yourself, you still have a long time to live."
The Eighth Concubine then encouraged the Fourth Concubine, "That's right, don't get discouraged yet." The other concubines agreed in unison, their thoughts unspoken: It's not like you can't have children; the important thing is to have another one. What's the point of crying?! Several of the concubines even glanced at Li.
Seeing that there were so many people, Shujia swallowed what she wanted to say and left with everyone else. The Fourth Lady supported herself and escorted everyone to the second gate. She watched everyone get on their carriages and then returned, feeling sad again.
Shujia finally found an opportunity to speak privately with the Fourth Concubine during the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration. This year, Shujia had presented many gifts with a grassland feel, which pleased the Empress Dowager greatly. She then gave way to the Tenth Concubine, who stood beside the Empress Dowager and explained the situation. She then glanced at the Fourth Concubine.
Halfway through the banquet, the two of them found excuses to leave. The Fourth Lady said she was too drunk and wanted to go drink some wine, while Shujia said she wanted to see the child. The two of them walked slowly amidst the melody and the red lanterns that filled the palace. Shujia said, "Come with me to see the child."
The Fourth Lady paused, and Shujia had already grabbed her hand and went to the East Palace.
The Sixth Prince of the Eastern Palace, a soft, pink ball, was fast asleep after feeding. The Fourth Lady, unable to walk, watched the child. Shujia pulled her to sit on the south kang, offering each a cup of tea to sober up. The maid tactfully withdrew.
"Go and see if you want to."
The Fourth Lady paused, then listened to her sister-in-law continue, "I won't say anything else. I guess you're tired of hearing it. Let me ask you: what are you planning?"
The Fourth Lady said calmly, "I will just live my life, take care of my husband... raise my children, manage the household, and serve our Prince."
Of course she wanted to have a child, and of course she understood what the Crown Princess meant by that question. She and the Fourth Prince treated each other with respect, but she also knew that he respected her and truly loved Li. Li had already given birth to five children, and she had only one; the contrast was too stark. She had no confidence at all. Even if she tried, what would the outcome be? It was better not to even think about it.
These days, just as the Crown Princess had said, relatives from her natal family to her in-laws' side were constantly telling her to "have another child." The Fourth Prince had tried to make amends, but sadly, the couple... had become so respectful to each other. Since the birth of Honghui, they'd both likely settled down. In the years that followed, one was content to be a devoted wife and mother, the other a typical parent, each fulfilling their respective roles. However, time is the most terrifying thing in the world. In these quiet years, it had transformed the once warm couple into a cliché.
Shujia held her forehead and said, "Have another child, two, three. When you have more grandchildren in the future, register one under Honghui's name. Don't let him go hungry."
The Fourth Lady's head shot up. Shujia feigned composure, yet she felt a pang of guilt. She couldn't guarantee this, after all. So many children had died in infancy within the imperial family, and Yinreng had so many sons, yet none of them were registered under Chenghu's name, right? But the temptation of "don't let him go without a bowl of rice" was too great.
Let's put it this way: because Chenghu is the emperor's child, he's indispensable for every festival. And classmate Honghui, ahem, now it seems his father has been killed. If he weren't the emperor's son, hadn't been posthumously honored, and was just an ordinary member of the royal family, people might remember to burn incense for him for a generation or two, but what about after three generations? Even if he were mentioned in the family tree and had a grave dedicated to him in the family cemetery, when future generations offered sacrifices, he would have to... fall further and further behind, eating up the remaining incense.
If we could adopt a child for Honghui, that would be much better than future generations remembering to offer sacrifices to him!
These words sounded different coming from the Crown Princess, as if she had received some kind of guarantee.
The Fourth Lady's eyes gradually brightened up, but she became depressed again: "Our master has liked Li Gege very much since a long time ago." She said it with difficulty.
"In your mansion, Princess Song was the first one to follow the Fourth Prince," Shujia said while drinking. "She is silent now, so it is obvious that it is impossible to tell whether it is early or late. You are his wife, so you should know what kind of person he likes, right?" Don't be ignorant of this.
The Fourth Lady smiled bitterly: "As the wife of the emperor, she couldn't possibly act like that!" Even if she wanted to, her upbringing and habits would still constrain her. "It's easy to know, but hard to do."
"Then can you do a little bit first? Whatever you can do." It's difficult for you to grab his whole body, so how about grabbing five points first? First give birth to a son first! You have an innate advantage, you are his wife! If his fourth son is not so crazy, there is no way he won't see you. If you can meet, there will be something else.
The Fourth Lady was torn between conscience and desire, but finally, she nodded.
Shujia also breathed a sigh of relief: "We've been away from the banquet for long enough. If we don't go back, they will come to take us away."
The two of them walked away together. When everyone heard that the Fourth Lady and the Crown Princess were going to see the child, they blinked and didn't respond. Concubine Tong said, "Then you missed the show just now. It was quite lively."
Shujia knew she was being nosy. Besides, would having the Fourth Prince have a legitimate son be detrimental to the Crown Prince's well-being? Shujia shook her head. The Crown Prince had already been appointed. As long as Yinreng didn't get sick or die before Kangxi, what was there to worry about? She might as well chat with the Fourth Lady. It would be a good deed, a way to accumulate merit.
But the Fourth Lady is really worrying. To make a man who has been with you day and night and has been with you as close as your left hand to your right hand regain interest in you is definitely not as easy as shown in idol dramas or described in novels.
The Fourth Concubine had to maintain her status as the principal wife, and gradually build closer ties with the Fourth Prince. How could Li just sit there and wait for death? As a concubine who had given birth to four sons and a daughter, she had entered the family earlier than the principal wife. The Fourth Prince's family also had a member of the Song family, who were also senior, though not as prominent as Li, but they were not dead.
Two concubines who could bear children, and the wife's only son died, this...
There is a lot of grinding to do!
The author has something to say: 2.14, not happy at all, but fortunately, it’s almost over~
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